Billion Dollar Moves™ with Sarah Chen-Spellings | Global Venture Capital https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/ en-us © Billion Dollar Moves™ with Sarah Chen-Spellings Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, a global investor and entrepreneur, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. Billion Dollar Moves is proud to be part of the Hubspot Podcast Network with 10 million downloads a month as a group. https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/6d273c6e-5081-11ed-8cd4-97f858eaf2a2/image/66dcf4bba14384d549fc570485efafb8.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress Billion Dollar Moves™ with Sarah Chen-Spellings | Global Venture Capital https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/ no episodic Sarah Chen-Spellings Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, a global investor and entrepreneur, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. Billion Dollar Moves is proud to be part of the Hubspot Podcast Network with 10 million downloads a month as a group. Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders.

Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, a global investor and entrepreneur, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built.

Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype.

New episodes weekly.
Built for those who take the long view.


Billion Dollar Moves is proud to be part of the Hubspot Podcast Network with 10 million downloads a month as a group.

]]> Sarah Chen-Spellings sarah@sarah-chen.com From Losing $1M a Month to a $1B Exit — Jim Sorenson on Building Impact That Pays In this rare conversation, Jim Sorenson breaks down what happens after liquidity—when building a company turns into building systems of capital. We start with the moment everything nearly fell apart: losing $1M a month during the dot-com crash, and the unexpected pivot that transformed Sorenson Communications into a near $1B exit—by aligning technology with regulation and real, underserved demand. From there, Jim unpacks how that experience reshaped his approach to investing. From deploying early, risk-tolerant capital through Program-Related Investments (PRIs)… to ultimately rethinking an entire foundation—aligning 100% of its assets toward both financial returns and long-term impact. This isn’t a conversation about philanthropy. It’s about how sophisticated capital actually works—where risk is priced, how systems scale, and why impact and alpha aren’t opposites. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intro 01:30 – Sorenson Communications 05:30 – Pivoting Under Pressure 09:20 – An Overlooked Community 14:50 – Scale & Capital Design 21:30 – The Mechanics of PRI 27:05 – The 95% Transition 38:40 – ESG & Fiduciary Duty 45:30 – Stewardship After Liquidity About Jim SorensonJames Lee Sorenson (Jim) serves as chairman of the Sorenson Impact Foundation, which funds sustainable, scalable endeavors that maximize positive impact on the lives and societies they touch. Sorenson endowed the Sorenson Impact Center at the University of Utah. Sorenson is also Chairman of the Board of Village Capital and a member of the National Advisory Board of Impact Investing. Sorenson was instrumental in developing several new industry categories, including digital compression software that helped usher in the online video revolution at Sorenson Media, where he serves as Chairman of the Board and video relay services which transformed opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing individuals through Sorenson Communications. Jim has served on many community boards, including Utah's David Eccles School of Business, University Venture Fund, Art Works for Kids, Gallaudet University, and the Utah Sports Commission.--Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders.Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built.Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype.New episodes weekly.Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.comWatch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobalJoin the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH:https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobalhttps://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0000 full Sarah Chen-Spellings In this rare conversation, Jim Sorenson breaks down what happens after liquidity—when building a company turns into building systems of capital. We start with the moment everything nearly fell apart: losing $1M a month during the dot-com crash, and the unexpected pivot that transformed Sorenson Communications into a near $1B exit—by aligning technology with regulation and real, underserved demand. From there, Jim unpacks how that experience reshaped his approach to investing. From deploying early, risk-tolerant capital through Program-Related Investments (PRIs)… to ultimately rethinking an entire foundation—aligning 100% of its assets toward both financial returns and long-term impact. This isn’t a conversation about philanthropy. It’s about how sophisticated capital actually works—where risk is priced, how systems scale, and why impact and alpha aren’t opposites. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intro 01:30 – Sorenson Communications 05:30 – Pivoting Under Pressure 09:20 – An Overlooked Community 14:50 – Scale & Capital Design 21:30 – The Mechanics of PRI 27:05 – The 95% Transition 38:40 – ESG & Fiduciary Duty 45:30 – Stewardship After Liquidity About Jim SorensonJames Lee Sorenson (Jim) serves as chairman of the Sorenson Impact Foundation, which funds sustainable, scalable endeavors that maximize positive impact on the lives and societies they touch. Sorenson endowed the Sorenson Impact Center at the University of Utah. Sorenson is also Chairman of the Board of Village Capital and a member of the National Advisory Board of Impact Investing. Sorenson was instrumental in developing several new industry categories, including digital compression software that helped usher in the online video revolution at Sorenson Media, where he serves as Chairman of the Board and video relay services which transformed opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing individuals through Sorenson Communications. Jim has served on many community boards, including Utah's David Eccles School of Business, University Venture Fund, Art Works for Kids, Gallaudet University, and the Utah Sports Commission.--Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders.Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built.Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype.New episodes weekly.Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.comWatch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobalJoin the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH:https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobalhttps://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal In this rare conversation, Jim Sorenson breaks down what happens after liquidity—when building a company turns into building systems of capital.

We start with the moment everything nearly fell apart: losing $1M a month during the dot-com crash, and the unexpected pivot that transformed Sorenson Communications into a near $1B exit—by aligning technology with regulation and real, underserved demand.

From there, Jim unpacks how that experience reshaped his approach to investing.
From deploying early, risk-tolerant capital through Program-Related Investments (PRIs)…
to ultimately rethinking an entire foundation—aligning 100% of its assets toward both financial returns and long-term impact.

This isn’t a conversation about philanthropy.
It’s about how sophisticated capital actually works—where risk is priced, how systems scale, and why impact and alpha aren’t opposites.


TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Intro 01:30 – Sorenson Communications 05:30 – Pivoting Under Pressure 09:20 – An Overlooked Community 14:50 – Scale & Capital Design 21:30 – The Mechanics of PRI 27:05 – The 95% Transition 38:40 – ESG & Fiduciary Duty 45:30 – Stewardship After Liquidity


About Jim Sorenson
James Lee Sorenson (Jim) serves as chairman of the Sorenson Impact Foundation, which funds sustainable, scalable endeavors that maximize positive impact on the lives and societies they touch. Sorenson endowed the Sorenson Impact Center at the University of Utah. Sorenson is also Chairman of the Board of Village Capital and a member of the National Advisory Board of Impact Investing. Sorenson was instrumental in developing several new industry categories, including digital compression software that helped usher in the online video revolution at Sorenson Media, where he serves as Chairman of the Board and video relay services which transformed opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing individuals through Sorenson Communications. Jim has served on many community boards, including Utah's David Eccles School of Business, University Venture Fund, Art Works for Kids, Gallaudet University, and the Utah Sports Commission.
--
Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network


Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders.
Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built.
Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype.
New episodes weekly.
Built for those who take the long view.

PODCAST INFO:
Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com
Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal
Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:
https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal
https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3496 no After The Exit | Ariana Pareja on Building, Selling and Starting Again In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, Sarah sits down with Ariana Pareja for a conversation about exit timing, liquidity, and the difference between valuation and real wealth. Ariana speaks candidly about building and exiting Remine, why she believes “an exit isn’t real until it’s liquid,” and the lesson she learned the hard way: selling before Series B might have created more wealth with less dilution and less exhaustion. We unpack what founders often miss such as the hidden cost of growth capital taken at the wrong moment, how some investors price rounds you’re not meant to hit and why the movie doesn’t end until it ends She also shifts forward into how markets are actually evolving. TikTok as infrastructure, not just culture. Community as the new distribution moat. Bootstrapping as strategic leverage rather than constraint. For those seeking liquidity without delusion, operators transitioning into allocators, and family offices listening for judgment rather than inspiration, this isn’t an episode you’ll want to miss. Watch the full conversation and subscribe for even more discussions at the intersection of capital, governance, and long-term wealth. 00:00 - Intro 02:44 - Maintaining relationships while building a business 03:20 - Advice to my younger self: Buy and hold real estate 03:52 - The golden rule of investing: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is 08:29 - Learning the power of a "pitch deck" as a teenager 11:32 - Getting started in real estate at 18 years old 13:50 - The origin of Remind: Solving the public record data problem 17:33 - Raising $48 million in venture capital through word of mouth 19:01 - Pivoting the revenue model and identifying the right customer avatar 22:54 - Biggest regrets and lessons learned from the series of exits 25:28 - The "200 Million" goal: Why I'm still working About Ariana Pareja Ariana Pareja is an investor and serial entrepreneur dedicated to helping others build wealth and embrace reinvention. As the exited co-founder of Remine, a real estate technology company that sold for $55 million, she has firsthand experience scaling ventures from startup to acquisition. Ariana today is the co-founder of Mighty Minis, a spin-off of the No Sugar Company. Ariana has mentored more than 100 small businesses through programs including Microsoft AI Latam Accelerator and Target Forward Founders. -- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0000 full Sarah Chen-Spellings In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, Sarah sits down with Ariana Pareja for a conversation about exit timing, liquidity, and the difference between valuation and real wealth. Ariana speaks candidly about building and exiting Remine, why she believes “an exit isn’t real until it’s liquid,” and the lesson she learned the hard way: selling before Series B might have created more wealth with less dilution and less exhaustion. We unpack what founders often miss such as the hidden cost of growth capital taken at the wrong moment, how some investors price rounds you’re not meant to hit and why the movie doesn’t end until it ends She also shifts forward into how markets are actually evolving. TikTok as infrastructure, not just culture. Community as the new distribution moat. Bootstrapping as strategic leverage rather than constraint. For those seeking liquidity without delusion, operators transitioning into allocators, and family offices listening for judgment rather than inspiration, this isn’t an episode you’ll want to miss. Watch the full conversation and subscribe for even more discussions at the intersection of capital, governance, and long-term wealth. 00:00 - Intro 02:44 - Maintaining relationships while building a business 03:20 - Advice to my younger self: Buy and hold real estate 03:52 - The golden rule of investing: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is 08:29 - Learning the power of a "pitch deck" as a teenager 11:32 - Getting started in real estate at 18 years old 13:50 - The origin of Remind: Solving the public record data problem 17:33 - Raising $48 million in venture capital through word of mouth 19:01 - Pivoting the revenue model and identifying the right customer avatar 22:54 - Biggest regrets and lessons learned from the series of exits 25:28 - The "200 Million" goal: Why I'm still working About Ariana Pareja Ariana Pareja is an investor and serial entrepreneur dedicated to helping others build wealth and embrace reinvention. As the exited co-founder of Remine, a real estate technology company that sold for $55 million, she has firsthand experience scaling ventures from startup to acquisition. Ariana today is the co-founder of Mighty Minis, a spin-off of the No Sugar Company. Ariana has mentored more than 100 small businesses through programs including Microsoft AI Latam Accelerator and Target Forward Founders. -- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal https://x.com/sarahchenglobal In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, Sarah sits down with Ariana Pareja for a conversation about exit timing, liquidity, and the difference between valuation and real wealth. Ariana speaks candidly about building and exiting Remine, why she believes “an exit isn’t real until it’s liquid,” and the lesson she learned the hard way: selling before Series B might have created more wealth with less dilution and less exhaustion. We unpack what founders often miss such as the hidden cost of growth capital taken at the wrong moment, how some investors price rounds you’re not meant to hit and why the movie doesn’t end until it ends She also shifts forward into how markets are actually evolving. TikTok as infrastructure, not just culture. Community as the new distribution moat. Bootstrapping as strategic leverage rather than constraint. For those seeking liquidity without delusion, operators transitioning into allocators, and family offices listening for judgment rather than inspiration, this isn’t an episode you’ll want to miss. Watch the full conversation and subscribe for even more discussions at the intersection of capital, governance, and long-term wealth. 00:00 - Intro 02:44 - Maintaining relationships while building a business 03:20 - Advice to my younger self: Buy and hold real estate 03:52 - The golden rule of investing: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is 08:29 - Learning the power of a "pitch deck" as a teenager 11:32 - Getting started in real estate at 18 years old 13:50 - The origin of Remind: Solving the public record data problem 17:33 - Raising $48 million in venture capital through word of mouth 19:01 - Pivoting the revenue model and identifying the right customer avatar 22:54 - Biggest regrets and lessons learned from the series of exits 25:28 - The "200 Million" goal: Why I'm still working About Ariana Pareja Ariana Pareja is an investor and serial entrepreneur dedicated to helping others build wealth and embrace reinvention. As the exited co-founder of Remine, a real estate technology company that sold for $55 million, she has firsthand experience scaling ventures from startup to acquisition. Ariana today is the co-founder of Mighty Minis, a spin-off of the No Sugar Company. Ariana has mentored more than 100 small businesses through programs including Microsoft AI Latam Accelerator and Target Forward Founders. -- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2403 no Women of the New Frontier: Capital, Ownership & The Founder’s Journey w/Allison Ellsworth, Rachel Roy & Theresa Fette We’re back—kicking off our 2026 season live from SXSW Austin with the Ayana Foundation. Featuring: Allison Ellsworth on scaling Poppi from kitchen experiment to a $1.95B sale to Pepsi; Rachel Roy on creative control, brand ownership, and navigating legal battles; Theresa Fette on the identity shift after exit—and choosing yourself over the title. From Shark Tank moments to hard decisions behind the scenes, this is a candid look at what happens after the spotlight. If you're building, scaling, or thinking about your next move—this one’s for you. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 00:00 Panel Introduction: Women of the New Frontier 01:40 Meet the Panelists: Origins in Soda, Fashion, and FinTech 04:14 The Poppy Story: From Oil & Gas to Probiotic Soda 06:16 Launching in a Pandemic: The Rebrand and the Power of TikTok 09:19 Why Embarrassment is a Secret Weapon for Success 10:20 Rachel Roy on 25 Years of Creative-First Design 12:22 Lessons from a Namesake Brand: Why Names Matter in Business 15:25 Theresa Fette on Luck, Law, and the 50% Opportunity 18:28 Understanding Self-Directed IRAs and the Bitcoin IRA Pivot 21:05 Fighting for Your Name: Rachel Roy’s New York Supreme Court Battle 25:26 The Shark Tank Turning Point: Getting the Deal with Rohan Oza 27:14 Founder Advice: Knowing Your Value and Staying the Face of the Brand 31:36 Negotiating the Exit: Turning a $27M Offer into $100M 34:48 Choosing Partners: Aligning Core Values and Saving Your Soul 37:19 The Power of the Board Seat: Retaining Control vs. Valuation 40:45 Can You Scale and Stay Authentic? The Future of Poppy and Pepsi 43:08 The Identity Crisis After an Exit: Life as an Intuitive Leader 48:42 Audience Q&A: What Investors Really Look for in a Founder 51:21 Testing for Resilience: The Number One Marker for Success 53:14 Advice to a Younger Self: Navigating Stress, Lawsuits, and Motherhood 56:04 Final Takeaways: Why Failure is Inevitable and Fun is Fuel -- About the speakers Allison Ellsworth is the founder of Poppi, a prebiotic soda brand she scaled from her home kitchen to a massive $1.95 billion exit to Pepsi. Rachel Roy is a world-renowned designer and the founder of her namesake brand, Rachel Roy Design, who has spent over 25 years navigating the complexities of creative control and brand ownership. Theresa Fette a serial entrepreneur and tax attorney who pioneered the self-directed IRA space in FinTech, successfully exiting three companies and currently leading Bitcoin IRA and Digital Trust. -- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO: ⁠Podcast Website⁠ |⁠ Watch on Youtube⁠ |⁠ Join the Community⁠ FOLLOW SARAH: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ |⁠ Instagram⁠  Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:39:00 -0000 full 3 1 Sarah Chen-Spellings We’re back—kicking off our 2026 season live from SXSW Austin with the Ayana Foundation. Featuring: Allison Ellsworth on scaling Poppi from kitchen experiment to a $1.95B sale to Pepsi; Rachel Roy on creative control, brand ownership, and navigating legal battles; Theresa Fette on the identity shift after exit—and choosing yourself over the title. From Shark Tank moments to hard decisions behind the scenes, this is a candid look at what happens after the spotlight. If you're building, scaling, or thinking about your next move—this one’s for you. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 00:00 Panel Introduction: Women of the New Frontier 01:40 Meet the Panelists: Origins in Soda, Fashion, and FinTech 04:14 The Poppy Story: From Oil & Gas to Probiotic Soda 06:16 Launching in a Pandemic: The Rebrand and the Power of TikTok 09:19 Why Embarrassment is a Secret Weapon for Success 10:20 Rachel Roy on 25 Years of Creative-First Design 12:22 Lessons from a Namesake Brand: Why Names Matter in Business 15:25 Theresa Fette on Luck, Law, and the 50% Opportunity 18:28 Understanding Self-Directed IRAs and the Bitcoin IRA Pivot 21:05 Fighting for Your Name: Rachel Roy’s New York Supreme Court Battle 25:26 The Shark Tank Turning Point: Getting the Deal with Rohan Oza 27:14 Founder Advice: Knowing Your Value and Staying the Face of the Brand 31:36 Negotiating the Exit: Turning a $27M Offer into $100M 34:48 Choosing Partners: Aligning Core Values and Saving Your Soul 37:19 The Power of the Board Seat: Retaining Control vs. Valuation 40:45 Can You Scale and Stay Authentic? The Future of Poppy and Pepsi 43:08 The Identity Crisis After an Exit: Life as an Intuitive Leader 48:42 Audience Q&A: What Investors Really Look for in a Founder 51:21 Testing for Resilience: The Number One Marker for Success 53:14 Advice to a Younger Self: Navigating Stress, Lawsuits, and Motherhood 56:04 Final Takeaways: Why Failure is Inevitable and Fun is Fuel -- About the speakers Allison Ellsworth is the founder of Poppi, a prebiotic soda brand she scaled from her home kitchen to a massive $1.95 billion exit to Pepsi. Rachel Roy is a world-renowned designer and the founder of her namesake brand, Rachel Roy Design, who has spent over 25 years navigating the complexities of creative control and brand ownership. Theresa Fette a serial entrepreneur and tax attorney who pioneered the self-directed IRA space in FinTech, successfully exiting three companies and currently leading Bitcoin IRA and Digital Trust. -- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO: ⁠Podcast Website⁠ |⁠ Watch on Youtube⁠ |⁠ Join the Community⁠ FOLLOW SARAH: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ |⁠ Instagram⁠  We’re back—kicking off our 2026 season live from SXSW Austin with the Ayana Foundation. Featuring: Allison Ellsworth on scaling Poppi from kitchen experiment to a $1.95B sale to Pepsi; Rachel Roy on creative control, brand ownership, and navigating legal battles; Theresa Fette on the identity shift after exit—and choosing yourself over the title. From Shark Tank moments to hard decisions behind the scenes, this is a candid look at what happens after the spotlight. If you're building, scaling, or thinking about your next move—this one’s for you. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 00:00 Panel Introduction: Women of the New Frontier 01:40 Meet the Panelists: Origins in Soda, Fashion, and FinTech 04:14 The Poppy Story: From Oil & Gas to Probiotic Soda 06:16 Launching in a Pandemic: The Rebrand and the Power of TikTok 09:19 Why Embarrassment is a Secret Weapon for Success 10:20 Rachel Roy on 25 Years of Creative-First Design 12:22 Lessons from a Namesake Brand: Why Names Matter in Business 15:25 Theresa Fette on Luck, Law, and the 50% Opportunity 18:28 Understanding Self-Directed IRAs and the Bitcoin IRA Pivot 21:05 Fighting for Your Name: Rachel Roy’s New York Supreme Court Battle 25:26 The Shark Tank Turning Point: Getting the Deal with Rohan Oza 27:14 Founder Advice: Knowing Your Value and Staying the Face of the Brand 31:36 Negotiating the Exit: Turning a $27M Offer into $100M 34:48 Choosing Partners: Aligning Core Values and Saving Your Soul 37:19 The Power of the Board Seat: Retaining Control vs. Valuation 40:45 Can You Scale and Stay Authentic? The Future of Poppy and Pepsi 43:08 The Identity Crisis After an Exit: Life as an Intuitive Leader 48:42 Audience Q&A: What Investors Really Look for in a Founder 51:21 Testing for Resilience: The Number One Marker for Success 53:14 Advice to a Younger Self: Navigating Stress, Lawsuits, and Motherhood 56:04 Final Takeaways: Why Failure is Inevitable and Fun is Fuel -- About the speakers Allison Ellsworth is the founder of Poppi, a prebiotic soda brand she scaled from her home kitchen to a massive $1.95 billion exit to Pepsi. Rachel Roy is a world-renowned designer and the founder of her namesake brand, Rachel Roy Design, who has spent over 25 years navigating the complexities of creative control and brand ownership. Theresa Fette a serial entrepreneur and tax attorney who pioneered the self-directed IRA space in FinTech, successfully exiting three companies and currently leading Bitcoin IRA and Digital Trust. -- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view.


PODCAST INFO:

⁠Podcast Website⁠ |⁠ Watch on Youtube⁠ |⁠ Join the Community⁠



FOLLOW SARAH:

⁠LinkedIn⁠ |⁠ Instagram⁠ 

]]> 2980 no Legacy, Innovation, and the Future of ASEAN Agri-Food w/ Ho Ren Hua, CEO of Thai Wah PCL The future of food and climate resilience in Southeast Asia is being shaped as much in cassava fields and starch factories as it is in boardrooms. In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, Ho Ren Hua, CEO of Thai Wah Public Company Limited, joins Sarah to unpack how he is reinventing a 77-year-old family starch business into a regional agri-food and bio-materials platform built on “innovation and sustainability from farm to shelf.” We go inside his operator playbook: leading 3,500 people through crisis with the principle “I can lose money, but I cannot lose a life,” transforming legacy vermicelli and tapioca products into higher-value ingredients and using distribution as a moat across Asia and beyond. For investors, founders, and family-business leaders thinking in decades, this is a rare look at what long-term, values-led execution really takes. Timestamps/Key Takeaways02:10 – Legacy, trees & being “rooted”06:10 – Stepping into a 77-year-old family business12:32 – F4 framework: Farm, Factory, Family, Food15:15 – Making circularity real: factories, water, solar & biogas19:48 – Managing talent across China & Southeast Asia + AI workforce23:24 – From noodles & starch to circular-economy platform26:51 – Innovation & ROSECO: building new revenue engines28:26 – Rockefeller Foundation, deployment & blended finance32:19 – Time horizons, synthesis & “go slow to go fast” --About Ho Ren HuaHo Ren Hua is CEO of Thai Wah Public Company Ltd, a leading Southeast Asian starch and consumer foods group founded in 1947, now expanding across multiple markets in Asia. Previously, he was Executive Director and Country Head, China for Banyan Tree Holdings, helping cement its position as a leading luxury hospitality brand in China, and began his career at Bain & Company in New York, Hong Kong, and China in private equity and strategy. He has served on boards including UN Women Singapore and Wharton China Alumni Club, and currently sits on the boards or advisory councils of Banyan Tree Holdings, the Asia Pacific Agri-Innovation Summit, and Singapore Management University. He holds a BS in Economics (Hons) from The Wharton School and is a graduate of the CEIBS Advanced Management Programme. --Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 3 12 Sarah Chen-Spellings The future of food and climate resilience in Southeast Asia is being shaped as much in cassava fields and starch factories as it is in boardrooms. In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, Ho Ren Hua, CEO of Thai Wah Public Company Limited, joins Sarah to unpack how he is reinventing a 77-year-old family starch business into a regional agri-food and bio-materials platform built on “innovation and sustainability from farm to shelf.” We go inside his operator playbook: leading 3,500 people through crisis with the principle “I can lose money, but I cannot lose a life,” transforming legacy vermicelli and tapioca products into higher-value ingredients and using distribution as a moat across Asia and beyond. For investors, founders, and family-business leaders thinking in decades, this is a rare look at what long-term, values-led execution really takes. Timestamps/Key Takeaways02:10 – Legacy, trees & being “rooted”06:10 – Stepping into a 77-year-old family business12:32 – F4 framework: Farm, Factory, Family, Food15:15 – Making circularity real: factories, water, solar & biogas19:48 – Managing talent across China & Southeast Asia + AI workforce23:24 – From noodles & starch to circular-economy platform26:51 – Innovation & ROSECO: building new revenue engines28:26 – Rockefeller Foundation, deployment & blended finance32:19 – Time horizons, synthesis & “go slow to go fast” --About Ho Ren HuaHo Ren Hua is CEO of Thai Wah Public Company Ltd, a leading Southeast Asian starch and consumer foods group founded in 1947, now expanding across multiple markets in Asia. Previously, he was Executive Director and Country Head, China for Banyan Tree Holdings, helping cement its position as a leading luxury hospitality brand in China, and began his career at Bain & Company in New York, Hong Kong, and China in private equity and strategy. He has served on boards including UN Women Singapore and Wharton China Alumni Club, and currently sits on the boards or advisory councils of Banyan Tree Holdings, the Asia Pacific Agri-Innovation Summit, and Singapore Management University. He holds a BS in Economics (Hons) from The Wharton School and is a graduate of the CEIBS Advanced Management Programme. --Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter The future of food and climate resilience in Southeast Asia is being shaped as much in cassava fields and starch factories as it is in boardrooms.


In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, Ho Ren Hua, CEO of Thai Wah Public Company Limited, joins Sarah to unpack how he is reinventing a 77-year-old family starch business into a regional agri-food and bio-materials platform built on “innovation and sustainability from farm to shelf.”


We go inside his operator playbook: leading 3,500 people through crisis with the principle “I can lose money, but I cannot lose a life,” transforming legacy vermicelli and tapioca products into higher-value ingredients and using distribution as a moat across Asia and beyond.


For investors, founders, and family-business leaders thinking in decades, this is a rare look at what long-term, values-led execution really takes.


Timestamps/Key Takeaways
02:10 – Legacy, trees & being “rooted”
06:10 – Stepping into a 77-year-old family business
12:32 – F4 framework: Farm, Factory, Family, Food
15:15 – Making circularity real: factories, water, solar & biogas
19:48 – Managing talent across China & Southeast Asia + AI workforce
23:24 – From noodles & starch to circular-economy platform
26:51 – Innovation & ROSECO: building new revenue engines
28:26 – Rockefeller Foundation, deployment & blended finance
32:19 – Time horizons, synthesis & “go slow to go fast”


--
About Ho Ren Hua
Ho Ren Hua is CEO of Thai Wah Public Company Ltd, a leading Southeast Asian starch and consumer foods group founded in 1947, now expanding across multiple markets in Asia.


Previously, he was Executive Director and Country Head, China for Banyan Tree Holdings, helping cement its position as a leading luxury hospitality brand in China, and began his career at Bain & Company in New York, Hong Kong, and China in private equity and strategy.


He has served on boards including UN Women Singapore and Wharton China Alumni Club, and currently sits on the boards or advisory councils of Banyan Tree Holdings, the Asia Pacific Agri-Innovation Summit, and Singapore Management University. He holds a BS in Economics (Hons) from The Wharton School and is a graduate of the CEIBS Advanced Management Programme.


--
Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network


In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.


From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.


Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.


This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 2724 no Inside the Trillion-Dollar Climate Industrial Revolution w/ Shawn Xu, Lowercarbon Capital The biggest industrial transformation of our lifetime is happening now and it’s not AI. It’s climate industrialism. Shawn Xu, Partner at Lowercarbon Capital (founded by Chris Sacca), discuss how Lowercarbon backs outlier founders, why “cheaper, better, faster” wins over green premiums, and where the biggest opportunities are emerging: energy, carbon removal, fusion, materials, resilience, and the AI-power bottleneck. If you’re an investor, founder, or operator ; or just tracking where smart money is moving- this episode is a must-watch. ---- Join Venture Nordics, the top investor program in Europe, designed for international GPs, LPs and Family Offices eager to explore opportunities in the New Nordics (Scandinavia & Baltics). Taking place in Helsinki, Finland, alongside Slush, the world's largest venture capital gathering. The 7-day program offers: Exclusive networking with Finnish and Nordic investors Deep insights into the Finnish startup and venture ecosystem Complimentary Slush ticket with access to curated side events A cottage getaway with the fellow participants to further bond and create long-lasting connections The program is free of charge, powered by Helsinki Partners (backed by the City of Helsinki). Participants only cover their travel and accommodation. Only 10 investors will be selected. Register your interest now at www.venturenordics.vc to be the first to know when applications open. ---- Timestamps / Key Takeaways 03:36 – The climate industrial revolution & “unfuck the planet” 12:30 – AI, energy demand & the $500 billion program 17:00 – From Silicon Valley kid to VC 23:23 - Becoming a climate investor in a trillion dollar market  37:32 - “Greedy capitalist” & a Series A $900M fusion round 44:54 - 40-Page memo, the biggest lessons on conviction 57:41 - Q&A: The one “billion dollar move” takeaway ---- About Shawn Xu Shawn is a Partner at Lowercarbon Capital, focused on backing audacious founders building bold solutions to the climate crisis. An accomplished early-stage investor, he was previously a Partner at On Deck’s venture fund and accelerator, backing companies across 20+ countries and earning a founder NPS of 100. He also invested at Floodgate and First Round Capital’s Dorm Room Fund, was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 (Venture Capital), and has partnered with ~50 companies, helping founders go from zero to one—from ideation to product-market fit. Follow Shawn: https://lowercarbon.com/team/shawn-xu/ Resources: Chris Sacca — How to Succeed by Living on Your Own Terms | Tim Ferriss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIBo69EsAzw Chris Sacca Interview (Full Episode) | The Tim Ferriss Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqaXz2BPsfY Chris Sacca: Drifting Back to Real | Dialectic with Jackson Dahl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acwhhgGGdX8 ---- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 11 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 3 11 Sarah Chen-Spellings The biggest industrial transformation of our lifetime is happening now and it’s not AI. It’s climate industrialism. Shawn Xu, Partner at Lowercarbon Capital (founded by Chris Sacca), discuss how Lowercarbon backs outlier founders, why “cheaper, better, faster” wins over green premiums, and where the biggest opportunities are emerging: energy, carbon removal, fusion, materials, resilience, and the AI-power bottleneck. If you’re an investor, founder, or operator ; or just tracking where smart money is moving- this episode is a must-watch. ---- Join Venture Nordics, the top investor program in Europe, designed for international GPs, LPs and Family Offices eager to explore opportunities in the New Nordics (Scandinavia & Baltics). Taking place in Helsinki, Finland, alongside Slush, the world's largest venture capital gathering. The 7-day program offers: Exclusive networking with Finnish and Nordic investors Deep insights into the Finnish startup and venture ecosystem Complimentary Slush ticket with access to curated side events A cottage getaway with the fellow participants to further bond and create long-lasting connections The program is free of charge, powered by Helsinki Partners (backed by the City of Helsinki). Participants only cover their travel and accommodation. Only 10 investors will be selected. Register your interest now at www.venturenordics.vc to be the first to know when applications open. ---- Timestamps / Key Takeaways 03:36 – The climate industrial revolution & “unfuck the planet” 12:30 – AI, energy demand & the $500 billion program 17:00 – From Silicon Valley kid to VC 23:23 - Becoming a climate investor in a trillion dollar market  37:32 - “Greedy capitalist” & a Series A $900M fusion round 44:54 - 40-Page memo, the biggest lessons on conviction 57:41 - Q&A: The one “billion dollar move” takeaway ---- About Shawn Xu Shawn is a Partner at Lowercarbon Capital, focused on backing audacious founders building bold solutions to the climate crisis. An accomplished early-stage investor, he was previously a Partner at On Deck’s venture fund and accelerator, backing companies across 20+ countries and earning a founder NPS of 100. He also invested at Floodgate and First Round Capital’s Dorm Room Fund, was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 (Venture Capital), and has partnered with ~50 companies, helping founders go from zero to one—from ideation to product-market fit. Follow Shawn: https://lowercarbon.com/team/shawn-xu/ Resources: Chris Sacca — How to Succeed by Living on Your Own Terms | Tim Ferriss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIBo69EsAzw Chris Sacca Interview (Full Episode) | The Tim Ferriss Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqaXz2BPsfY Chris Sacca: Drifting Back to Real | Dialectic with Jackson Dahl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acwhhgGGdX8 ---- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter The biggest industrial transformation of our lifetime is happening now and it’s not AI. It’s climate industrialism.

Shawn Xu, Partner at Lowercarbon Capital (founded by Chris Sacca), discuss how Lowercarbon backs outlier founders, why “cheaper, better, faster” wins over green premiums, and where the biggest opportunities are emerging: energy, carbon removal, fusion, materials, resilience, and the AI-power bottleneck.

If you’re an investor, founder, or operator ; or just tracking where smart money is moving- this episode is a must-watch.

----

Join Venture Nordics, the top investor program in Europe, designed for international GPs, LPs and Family Offices eager to explore opportunities in the New Nordics (Scandinavia & Baltics). Taking place in Helsinki, Finland, alongside Slush, the world's largest venture capital gathering. The 7-day program offers:

  • Exclusive networking with Finnish and Nordic investors
  • Deep insights into the Finnish startup and venture ecosystem
  • Complimentary Slush ticket with access to curated side events
  • A cottage getaway with the fellow participants to further bond and create long-lasting connections

The program is free of charge, powered by Helsinki Partners (backed by the City of Helsinki). Participants only cover their travel and accommodation.

Only 10 investors will be selected. Register your interest now at www.venturenordics.vc to be the first to know when applications open.

----

Timestamps / Key Takeaways

03:36 – The climate industrial revolution & “unfuck the planet”

12:30 – AI, energy demand & the $500 billion program

17:00 – From Silicon Valley kid to VC

23:23 - Becoming a climate investor in a trillion dollar market 

37:32 - “Greedy capitalist” & a Series A $900M fusion round

44:54 - 40-Page memo, the biggest lessons on conviction

57:41 - Q&A: The one “billion dollar move” takeaway

----

About Shawn Xu

Shawn is a Partner at Lowercarbon Capital, focused on backing audacious founders building bold solutions to the climate crisis.

An accomplished early-stage investor, he was previously a Partner at On Deck’s venture fund and accelerator, backing companies across 20+ countries and earning a founder NPS of 100. He also invested at Floodgate and First Round Capital’s Dorm Room Fund, was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 (Venture Capital), and has partnered with ~50 companies, helping founders go from zero to one—from ideation to product-market fit.


Follow Shawn:

https://lowercarbon.com/team/shawn-xu/


Resources:

Chris Sacca — How to Succeed by Living on Your Own Terms | Tim Ferriss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIBo69EsAzw


Chris Sacca Interview (Full Episode) | The Tim Ferriss Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqaXz2BPsfY


Chris Sacca: Drifting Back to Real | Dialectic with Jackson Dahl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acwhhgGGdX8


----


Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network

In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.

From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.

Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.

This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 3796 no [BITE] Inside the LP Mindset: What’s Really Moving Private Markets w/ Joel Sandhu, Investors Capital In this Billion Dollar Bite, Joel Sandhu (Co-Founder of Top-Tier Access; Partner at Investors Capital) breaks down the forces reshaping private markets.  From the great normalization post-2021, to how LPs actually underwrite managers, to why family offices are rewriting their approach to access and alignment. We unpack the real liquidity picture, the rise of GP-led secondaries, and why the “elastic mid-market” may be the most compelling place to generate outsized returns in the decade ahead.  If you’re a GP, LP, or allocator navigating this cycle, this is a must-listen. Watch the full episode here: https://billiondollarmoves.com/podcast-episode/from-family-offices-to-private-equity-power-plays-w-joel-sandhu-top-tier-access/ Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:40 - Key Takeaway #1: The market reset & picking managers 11:09 - SCS’s takeaway: Underwriting & selection is KEY 12:48 - Key Takeaway #2: The Family Office advantage & why they need a new model 18:18 - Key Takeaway #3: The future of venture, secondaries & the “elastic” mid-market 28:48 - Closing remarks About Joel Sandhu Joel is co-founder and Partner at Investors Capital, a Riyadh-based fund of funds. With an investment strategy primarily focused on buyout, the platform offers investors across the globe access to top decile funds that is well-diversified. Prior to this, Joel co-founded TTA, a Brussels based fund of funds in Private Equity. TTA brings institutional grade PE to the family office and HNWI segment.    FOLLOW JOEL:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelsandhu/  - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 04 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0000 bonus 3 10 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this Billion Dollar Bite, Joel Sandhu (Co-Founder of Top-Tier Access; Partner at Investors Capital) breaks down the forces reshaping private markets.  From the great normalization post-2021, to how LPs actually underwrite managers, to why family offices are rewriting their approach to access and alignment. We unpack the real liquidity picture, the rise of GP-led secondaries, and why the “elastic mid-market” may be the most compelling place to generate outsized returns in the decade ahead.  If you’re a GP, LP, or allocator navigating this cycle, this is a must-listen. Watch the full episode here: https://billiondollarmoves.com/podcast-episode/from-family-offices-to-private-equity-power-plays-w-joel-sandhu-top-tier-access/ Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:40 - Key Takeaway #1: The market reset & picking managers 11:09 - SCS’s takeaway: Underwriting & selection is KEY 12:48 - Key Takeaway #2: The Family Office advantage & why they need a new model 18:18 - Key Takeaway #3: The future of venture, secondaries & the “elastic” mid-market 28:48 - Closing remarks About Joel Sandhu Joel is co-founder and Partner at Investors Capital, a Riyadh-based fund of funds. With an investment strategy primarily focused on buyout, the platform offers investors across the globe access to top decile funds that is well-diversified. Prior to this, Joel co-founded TTA, a Brussels based fund of funds in Private Equity. TTA brings institutional grade PE to the family office and HNWI segment.    FOLLOW JOEL:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelsandhu/  - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter In this Billion Dollar Bite, Joel Sandhu (Co-Founder of Top-Tier Access; Partner at Investors Capital) breaks down the forces reshaping private markets. 


From the great normalization post-2021, to how LPs actually underwrite managers, to why family offices are rewriting their approach to access and alignment. We unpack the real liquidity picture, the rise of GP-led secondaries, and why the “elastic mid-market” may be the most compelling place to generate outsized returns in the decade ahead. 


If you’re a GP, LP, or allocator navigating this cycle, this is a must-listen.


Watch the full episode here:

https://billiondollarmoves.com/podcast-episode/from-family-offices-to-private-equity-power-plays-w-joel-sandhu-top-tier-access/


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:40 - Key Takeaway #1: The market reset & picking managers

11:09 - SCS’s takeaway: Underwriting & selection is KEY

12:48 - Key Takeaway #2: The Family Office advantage & why they need a new model

18:18 - Key Takeaway #3: The future of venture, secondaries & the “elastic” mid-market

28:48 - Closing remarks


About Joel Sandhu

Joel is co-founder and Partner at Investors Capital, a Riyadh-based fund of funds. With an investment strategy primarily focused on buyout, the platform offers investors across the globe access to top decile funds that is well-diversified.


Prior to this, Joel co-founded TTA, a Brussels based fund of funds in Private Equity. TTA brings institutional grade PE to the family office and HNWI segment.   


FOLLOW JOEL: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelsandhu/ 


-

Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network


In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.

From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.


Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.


This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter


]]> 1902 no Future-Proofing Portfolios w/ Chris Rynning (AMYP Ventures) & Anulika Malomo (HarbourVest Global Private Equity) In this episode, we sit down with Chris Rynning (AMYP Ventures; Piëch/Porsche family office) and Anulika Malomo (HarbourVest & impact advisor) to unpack what it really takes to future-proof portfolios in 2025 and beyond. From AI’s existential risks to global liquidity crunches, China’s DeepSeek shock, secondaries, midstream renewable opportunities, and the rise of long-term family office strategies — this conversation cuts through hype and surfaces where capital and opportunity are truly misaligned. If you’re an LP, GP, family office, or allocator thinking long-term, this is a must-listen. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro: A modern Piëch/Porsche family office and PE global investment lens 04:26 - Why future-proofing portfolios matters in 2025 and beyond  09:14 - How LPs and family offices are navigating liquidity crunch: Secondaries, IPO freeze & new exit pathways and timeframe 16:49 - Capital vs. Opportunity: Where the biggest disconnects lie 21:07 - Impact vs. Harm (e.g., the crypto-climate paradox) 24:14 - Practical guide on how to allocate capital while “future-proofing”  26:37 - Are we optimistic? The Next-Gen & AI dilemma 28:19 - Q&A: What they’re NOT investing in? Panelists: Chris Rynning, Managing Partner, AMYP Ventures Anulika Malomo, Non-Executive Director, HarbourVest Global Private Equity Hosted by: Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 27 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 3 9 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this episode, we sit down with Chris Rynning (AMYP Ventures; Piëch/Porsche family office) and Anulika Malomo (HarbourVest & impact advisor) to unpack what it really takes to future-proof portfolios in 2025 and beyond. From AI’s existential risks to global liquidity crunches, China’s DeepSeek shock, secondaries, midstream renewable opportunities, and the rise of long-term family office strategies — this conversation cuts through hype and surfaces where capital and opportunity are truly misaligned. If you’re an LP, GP, family office, or allocator thinking long-term, this is a must-listen. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro: A modern Piëch/Porsche family office and PE global investment lens 04:26 - Why future-proofing portfolios matters in 2025 and beyond  09:14 - How LPs and family offices are navigating liquidity crunch: Secondaries, IPO freeze & new exit pathways and timeframe 16:49 - Capital vs. Opportunity: Where the biggest disconnects lie 21:07 - Impact vs. Harm (e.g., the crypto-climate paradox) 24:14 - Practical guide on how to allocate capital while “future-proofing”  26:37 - Are we optimistic? The Next-Gen & AI dilemma 28:19 - Q&A: What they’re NOT investing in? Panelists: Chris Rynning, Managing Partner, AMYP Ventures Anulika Malomo, Non-Executive Director, HarbourVest Global Private Equity Hosted by: Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter In this episode, we sit down with Chris Rynning (AMYP Ventures; Piëch/Porsche family office) and Anulika Malomo (HarbourVest & impact advisor) to unpack what it really takes to future-proof portfolios in 2025 and beyond.

From AI’s existential risks to global liquidity crunches, China’s DeepSeek shock, secondaries, midstream renewable opportunities, and the rise of long-term family office strategies — this conversation cuts through hype and surfaces where capital and opportunity are truly misaligned.
If you’re an LP, GP, family office, or allocator thinking long-term, this is a must-listen.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro: A modern Piëch/Porsche family office and PE global investment lens

04:26 - Why future-proofing portfolios matters in 2025 and beyond 

09:14 - How LPs and family offices are navigating liquidity crunch: Secondaries, IPO freeze & new exit pathways and timeframe

16:49 - Capital vs. Opportunity: Where the biggest disconnects lie

21:07 - Impact vs. Harm (e.g., the crypto-climate paradox)

24:14 - Practical guide on how to allocate capital while “future-proofing” 

26:37 - Are we optimistic? The Next-Gen & AI dilemma

28:19 - Q&A: What they’re NOT investing in?


Panelists:
Chris Rynning, Managing Partner, AMYP Ventures
Anulika Malomo, Non-Executive Director, HarbourVest Global Private Equity

Hosted by:

Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion


-


Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network


In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.

From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.


Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.


This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 2131 no Betting on Yourself: How Anne Mahlum Built a $100M Empire From a North Dakota childhood shaped by reinvention to a $100M exit and a $35M investing run, Anne Mahlum’s story is a masterclass in conviction, resilience, and ownership. In this powerful episode, the founder of Back on My Feet and solidcore pulls back the curtain on the defining moments that shaped her rise. In this episode, you’ll learn: The unconventional decisions that shaped Anne’s rise What conviction looks like when the stakes are high Lessons from scaling solidcore far beyond virality How to turn adversity into fuel — not fear The ownership mindset every founder, investor, and leader needs to hear Whether you’re a founder, operator, or investor, Anne's philosophy is a blueprint for betting on yourself — loudly, unapologetically, and with full skin in the game. Before we dive in, a special thank you to our episode sponsor, ⁠Newton Street⁠ — a women-led strategic communications firm that brings people and ideas together to change the world. They advise global health organizations, philanthropies, family offices, high-profile leaders, social impact groups, and forward-looking companies tackling some of the most complex issues of our time. Their work sits at the intersection of influence and impact — and we’re proud to have them support this episode. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:42 - North Dakota beginnings and how her father’s gambling addiction shaped her drive 03:40 - From running to purpose: The birth of Back on My Feet 05:51 - Reinvention & “This is my next thing” — solidcore 09:09 - “I went all in”: turning down the $75K offer & fighting against lawsuits while scaling 12:49 - Bootstrapping to 25 studios; the first PE deal with nearly $60M valuation 15:24 - “I wanted $100M and I did it,” — the exit from solidcore 18:43 - Growing $35M from the $100M; Anne’s investment playbook 23:03 - Billion Dollar Questions with Anne Mahlum 25:37 - Recap: conviction, ownership, and leadership that lasts About Anne Mahlum Anne Mahlum is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and keynote speaker. She founded Back on My Feet in 2007 — a nonprofit that uses running and community to help individuals experiencing homelessness achieve self-sufficiency.  In 2013, she launched solidcore, a boutique fitness company; she bootstrapped it with her life savings (~US$175,000), scaled it to over 100+ studios, raised more than US$200 million, and eventually sold her shares in 2023.  A self-made entrepreneur with a net worth exceeding US$100 million, Anne is now focused on investing, advisory work, writing, and speaking on leadership, boldness, and social change. FOLLOW ANNE: https://www.instagram.com/annemahlum https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-mahlum https://x.com/AnneMahlum - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 20 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 3 8 Sarah Chen-Spellings From a North Dakota childhood shaped by reinvention to a $100M exit and a $35M investing run, Anne Mahlum’s story is a masterclass in conviction, resilience, and ownership. In this powerful episode, the founder of Back on My Feet and solidcore pulls back the curtain on the defining moments that shaped her rise. In this episode, you’ll learn: The unconventional decisions that shaped Anne’s rise What conviction looks like when the stakes are high Lessons from scaling solidcore far beyond virality How to turn adversity into fuel — not fear The ownership mindset every founder, investor, and leader needs to hear Whether you’re a founder, operator, or investor, Anne's philosophy is a blueprint for betting on yourself — loudly, unapologetically, and with full skin in the game. Before we dive in, a special thank you to our episode sponsor, ⁠Newton Street⁠ — a women-led strategic communications firm that brings people and ideas together to change the world. They advise global health organizations, philanthropies, family offices, high-profile leaders, social impact groups, and forward-looking companies tackling some of the most complex issues of our time. Their work sits at the intersection of influence and impact — and we’re proud to have them support this episode. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:42 - North Dakota beginnings and how her father’s gambling addiction shaped her drive 03:40 - From running to purpose: The birth of Back on My Feet 05:51 - Reinvention & “This is my next thing” — solidcore 09:09 - “I went all in”: turning down the $75K offer & fighting against lawsuits while scaling 12:49 - Bootstrapping to 25 studios; the first PE deal with nearly $60M valuation 15:24 - “I wanted $100M and I did it,” — the exit from solidcore 18:43 - Growing $35M from the $100M; Anne’s investment playbook 23:03 - Billion Dollar Questions with Anne Mahlum 25:37 - Recap: conviction, ownership, and leadership that lasts About Anne Mahlum Anne Mahlum is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and keynote speaker. She founded Back on My Feet in 2007 — a nonprofit that uses running and community to help individuals experiencing homelessness achieve self-sufficiency.  In 2013, she launched solidcore, a boutique fitness company; she bootstrapped it with her life savings (~US$175,000), scaled it to over 100+ studios, raised more than US$200 million, and eventually sold her shares in 2023.  A self-made entrepreneur with a net worth exceeding US$100 million, Anne is now focused on investing, advisory work, writing, and speaking on leadership, boldness, and social change. FOLLOW ANNE: https://www.instagram.com/annemahlum https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-mahlum https://x.com/AnneMahlum - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter From a North Dakota childhood shaped by reinvention to a $100M exit and a $35M investing run, Anne Mahlum’s story is a masterclass in conviction, resilience, and ownership.

In this powerful episode, the founder of Back on My Feet and solidcore pulls back the curtain on the defining moments that shaped her rise. In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • The unconventional decisions that shaped Anne’s rise
  • What conviction looks like when the stakes are high
  • Lessons from scaling solidcore far beyond virality
  • How to turn adversity into fuel — not fear
  • The ownership mindset every founder, investor, and leader needs to hear

Whether you’re a founder, operator, or investor, Anne's philosophy is a blueprint for betting on yourself — loudly, unapologetically, and with full skin in the game.


Before we dive in, a special thank you to our episode sponsor, ⁠Newton Street⁠ — a women-led strategic communications firm that brings people and ideas together to change the world. They advise global health organizations, philanthropies, family offices, high-profile leaders, social impact groups, and forward-looking companies tackling some of the most complex issues of our time. Their work sits at the intersection of influence and impact — and we’re proud to have them support this episode.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:42 - North Dakota beginnings and how her father’s gambling addiction shaped her drive

03:40 - From running to purpose: The birth of Back on My Feet

05:51 - Reinvention & “This is my next thing” — solidcore

09:09 - “I went all in”: turning down the $75K offer & fighting against lawsuits while scaling

12:49 - Bootstrapping to 25 studios; the first PE deal with nearly $60M valuation

15:24 - “I wanted $100M and I did it,” — the exit from solidcore

18:43 - Growing $35M from the $100M; Anne’s investment playbook

23:03 - Billion Dollar Questions with Anne Mahlum

25:37 - Recap: conviction, ownership, and leadership that lasts


About Anne Mahlum

Anne Mahlum is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and keynote speaker. She founded Back on My Feet in 2007 — a nonprofit that uses running and community to help individuals experiencing homelessness achieve self-sufficiency. 

In 2013, she launched solidcore, a boutique fitness company; she bootstrapped it with her life savings (~US$175,000), scaled it to over 100+ studios, raised more than US$200 million, and eventually sold her shares in 2023. 

A self-made entrepreneur with a net worth exceeding US$100 million, Anne is now focused on investing, advisory work, writing, and speaking on leadership, boldness, and social change.


FOLLOW ANNE:

https://www.instagram.com/annemahlum

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-mahlum

https://x.com/AnneMahlum


-


Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network


In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.

From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.


Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.


This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 1805 no Inside India’s $1 Trillion Venture Revolution w/ Kalaari Capital, General Catalyst, DM Gupta & Lightspeed India India’s venture ecosystem is at a turning point — and women are leading the charge. In this powerful conversation recorded live in Bangalore, we brought together four trailblazers shaping the future of innovation and capital: Vani Kola (Managing Director, Kalaari Capital), Priya Mohan (Former Partner, General Catalyst), Aarti Gupta (CIO, Family Office DM Gupta & Anikarth Ventures), and Shuvi Shrivastava (Partner, Lightspeed India).  Together, we unpack how India’s venture model must evolve, what democratizing opportunity truly means, and how the rise of women investors and family offices is reshaping where the next billion dollars will go. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:35 - Priya Mohan: India’s unique evolution and democratizing opportunities 05:01 - Vani Kola: Reflections on being an outlier and building Kalaari Capital 12:45 - Aarti Gupta: Inside India’s $1 trillion wealth moment as family offices 17:27 - Shruvi Shrivastava: India’s tech evolution, premiumization, and inclusion 21:49 - Rethinking the venture model; the General Catalyst–Venture Highway merger  24:44 - The power of smaller funds; lessons from Silicon Valley’s evolution 30:15 - Final takeaways Panelists: Dr. Aarti Gupta CIO, Family Office DM Gupta & Anikarth Ventures  Shuvi Shrivastava Partner, Lightspeed India Vani Kola Founder & Managing Director, Kalaari Capital Priya Mohan Former Partner, General Catalyst Hosted by: Sarah Chen-Spellings Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion Full Recap: https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brunch-dell-bangalore-2024/ - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 13 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 3 7 Sarah Chen-Spellings India’s venture ecosystem is at a turning point — and women are leading the charge. In this powerful conversation recorded live in Bangalore, we brought together four trailblazers shaping the future of innovation and capital: Vani Kola (Managing Director, Kalaari Capital), Priya Mohan (Former Partner, General Catalyst), Aarti Gupta (CIO, Family Office DM Gupta & Anikarth Ventures), and Shuvi Shrivastava (Partner, Lightspeed India).  Together, we unpack how India’s venture model must evolve, what democratizing opportunity truly means, and how the rise of women investors and family offices is reshaping where the next billion dollars will go. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:35 - Priya Mohan: India’s unique evolution and democratizing opportunities 05:01 - Vani Kola: Reflections on being an outlier and building Kalaari Capital 12:45 - Aarti Gupta: Inside India’s $1 trillion wealth moment as family offices 17:27 - Shruvi Shrivastava: India’s tech evolution, premiumization, and inclusion 21:49 - Rethinking the venture model; the General Catalyst–Venture Highway merger  24:44 - The power of smaller funds; lessons from Silicon Valley’s evolution 30:15 - Final takeaways Panelists: Dr. Aarti Gupta CIO, Family Office DM Gupta & Anikarth Ventures  Shuvi Shrivastava Partner, Lightspeed India Vani Kola Founder & Managing Director, Kalaari Capital Priya Mohan Former Partner, General Catalyst Hosted by: Sarah Chen-Spellings Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion Full Recap: https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brunch-dell-bangalore-2024/ - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter India’s venture ecosystem is at a turning point — and women are leading the charge. In this powerful conversation recorded live in Bangalore, we brought together four trailblazers shaping the future of innovation and capital: Vani Kola (Managing Director, Kalaari Capital), Priya Mohan (Former Partner, General Catalyst), Aarti Gupta (CIO, Family Office DM Gupta & Anikarth Ventures), and Shuvi Shrivastava (Partner, Lightspeed India). 


Together, we unpack how India’s venture model must evolve, what democratizing opportunity truly means, and how the rise of women investors and family offices is reshaping where the next billion dollars will go.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:35 - Priya Mohan: India’s unique evolution and democratizing opportunities

05:01 - Vani Kola: Reflections on being an outlier and building Kalaari Capital

12:45 - Aarti Gupta: Inside India’s $1 trillion wealth moment as family offices

17:27 - Shruvi Shrivastava: India’s tech evolution, premiumization, and inclusion

21:49 - Rethinking the venture model; the General Catalyst–Venture Highway merger 

24:44 - The power of smaller funds; lessons from Silicon Valley’s evolution

30:15 - Final takeaways


Panelists:

Dr. Aarti Gupta

CIO, Family Office DM Gupta & Anikarth Ventures 


Shuvi Shrivastava

Partner, Lightspeed India


Vani Kola

Founder & Managing Director, Kalaari Capital


Priya Mohan

Former Partner, General Catalyst


Hosted by:

Sarah Chen-Spellings

Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion


Full Recap:

https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brunch-dell-bangalore-2024/


-


Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network


In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.

From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.


Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.


This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 2073 no Rebuilt From Rejection Into a Billion-Dollar Model w/ Michael Loeb Fired at 36 from his dream job at Time Inc., Michael Loeb turned rejection into the billion-dollar spark behind Synapse and Priceline.com.  A true serial entrepreneur, Michael shares how he reinvented industries—from magazine subscriptions to online travel to healthcare—and why he believes the entrepreneurial gene shows up long before the first startup pitch. In this week's episode, we unpack the mind of a founder who built and sold multiple ventures, now running Loeb.nyc, a venture collective redefining how startups are scaled.  Packed with wisdom on resilience, reinvention, and legacy, this episode is a masterclass in building with capital and conviction you won't want to miss! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:48 - From Firing to Fortune: Turning a corporate setback into an $800 million exit 05:12 - The Entrepreneurial Gene: Why the lemonade stand still predicts success 09:30 - Synapse to Priceline: Inside one of the internet’s most iconic startups 12:03 - Betting on Healthcare Before GoodRx: How ScriptRelief scaled to millions 14:39 - Reinventing the Model: Building The Loeb.nyc — a venture collective under one roof 17:44 - Legacy & Family: Raising entrepreneurs and building impact that lasts 20:23 - Billion Dollar Questions About Michael Loeb Michael Loeb is a serial entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Loeb.nyc. After starting his career at Time, Inc., Michael co-founded the Synapse Group with then partner, Jay Walker. Under Michael’s direction, Synapse grew to become the largest seller of consumer magazine subscriptions worldwide, with its revolutionary and patented Continuous Service Model. Michael and Jay went on to form and incubate Priceline.com together at Synapse, leveraging a shared team of operators and capital. When Synapse Group was sold to Time Warner in 2006, Michael formed Loeb Enterprises with partner, Rich Vogel to ideate and develop new business concepts. The largest of those ventures was ScriptRelief, a pharmacy discount provider that has a membership in excess of 12 million Americans. In 2019, Loeb Enterprises rebranded to Loeb.nyc and boasts a portfolio of over 18 direct investments, most of which execute from Loeb.nyc headquarters in Manhattan. Under Michael’s visionary leadership, Loeb.nyc has established a new model for startup investments. By pairing exceptional strategic and executional talent with passionate founders, Loeb.nyc significantly de-risks startup launches. Michael sits on the board of several non-profit organizations and is an avid philanthropist. He currently resides in New York City with his wife and children. Follow Michael: LinkedIn https://www.loeb.nyc/ - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 06 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 3 6 Sarah Chen-Spellings Fired at 36 from his dream job at Time Inc., Michael Loeb turned rejection into the billion-dollar spark behind Synapse and Priceline.com.  A true serial entrepreneur, Michael shares how he reinvented industries—from magazine subscriptions to online travel to healthcare—and why he believes the entrepreneurial gene shows up long before the first startup pitch. In this week's episode, we unpack the mind of a founder who built and sold multiple ventures, now running Loeb.nyc, a venture collective redefining how startups are scaled.  Packed with wisdom on resilience, reinvention, and legacy, this episode is a masterclass in building with capital and conviction you won't want to miss! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:48 - From Firing to Fortune: Turning a corporate setback into an $800 million exit 05:12 - The Entrepreneurial Gene: Why the lemonade stand still predicts success 09:30 - Synapse to Priceline: Inside one of the internet’s most iconic startups 12:03 - Betting on Healthcare Before GoodRx: How ScriptRelief scaled to millions 14:39 - Reinventing the Model: Building The Loeb.nyc — a venture collective under one roof 17:44 - Legacy & Family: Raising entrepreneurs and building impact that lasts 20:23 - Billion Dollar Questions About Michael Loeb Michael Loeb is a serial entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Loeb.nyc. After starting his career at Time, Inc., Michael co-founded the Synapse Group with then partner, Jay Walker. Under Michael’s direction, Synapse grew to become the largest seller of consumer magazine subscriptions worldwide, with its revolutionary and patented Continuous Service Model. Michael and Jay went on to form and incubate Priceline.com together at Synapse, leveraging a shared team of operators and capital. When Synapse Group was sold to Time Warner in 2006, Michael formed Loeb Enterprises with partner, Rich Vogel to ideate and develop new business concepts. The largest of those ventures was ScriptRelief, a pharmacy discount provider that has a membership in excess of 12 million Americans. In 2019, Loeb Enterprises rebranded to Loeb.nyc and boasts a portfolio of over 18 direct investments, most of which execute from Loeb.nyc headquarters in Manhattan. Under Michael’s visionary leadership, Loeb.nyc has established a new model for startup investments. By pairing exceptional strategic and executional talent with passionate founders, Loeb.nyc significantly de-risks startup launches. Michael sits on the board of several non-profit organizations and is an avid philanthropist. He currently resides in New York City with his wife and children. Follow Michael: LinkedIn https://www.loeb.nyc/ - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Fired at 36 from his dream job at Time Inc., Michael Loeb turned rejection into the billion-dollar spark behind Synapse and Priceline.com. 


A true serial entrepreneur, Michael shares how he reinvented industries—from magazine subscriptions to online travel to healthcare—and why he believes the entrepreneurial gene shows up long before the first startup pitch.


In this week's episode, we unpack the mind of a founder who built and sold multiple ventures, now running Loeb.nyc, a venture collective redefining how startups are scaled. 


Packed with wisdom on resilience, reinvention, and legacy, this episode is a masterclass in building with capital and conviction you won't want to miss!


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:48 - From Firing to Fortune: Turning a corporate setback into an $800 million exit

05:12 - The Entrepreneurial Gene: Why the lemonade stand still predicts success

09:30 - Synapse to Priceline: Inside one of the internet’s most iconic startups

12:03 - Betting on Healthcare Before GoodRx: How ScriptRelief scaled to millions

14:39 - Reinventing the Model: Building The Loeb.nyc — a venture collective under one roof

17:44 - Legacy & Family: Raising entrepreneurs and building impact that lasts

20:23 - Billion Dollar Questions


About Michael Loeb

Michael Loeb is a serial entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Loeb.nyc.
After starting his career at Time, Inc., Michael co-founded the Synapse Group with then partner, Jay Walker. Under Michael’s direction, Synapse grew to become the largest seller of consumer magazine subscriptions worldwide, with its revolutionary and patented Continuous Service Model. Michael and Jay went on to form and incubate Priceline.com together at Synapse, leveraging a shared team of operators and capital.
When Synapse Group was sold to Time Warner in 2006, Michael formed Loeb Enterprises with partner, Rich Vogel to ideate and develop new business concepts. The largest of those ventures was ScriptRelief, a pharmacy discount provider that has a membership in excess of 12 million Americans.
In 2019, Loeb Enterprises rebranded to Loeb.nyc and boasts a portfolio of over 18 direct investments, most of which execute from Loeb.nyc headquarters in Manhattan. Under Michael’s visionary leadership, Loeb.nyc has established a new model for startup investments. By pairing exceptional strategic and executional talent with passionate founders, Loeb.nyc significantly de-risks startup launches.
Michael sits on the board of several non-profit organizations and is an avid philanthropist. He currently resides in New York City with his wife and children.


Follow Michael:

LinkedIn

https://www.loeb.nyc/


-


Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network


In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.

From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.


Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.


This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 1550 no Redefining Wealth, Power, & Impact: Lessons in Leadership and Legacy w/ Sarah Chen-Spellings When you build beyond yourself — what does legacy really look like? In this special crossover episode, our own host Sarah Chen-Spellings joins The Jasmine Star Show for a candid conversation on leadership, investing, and the power of women building boldly. From cutting million-dollar checks in her 20s to co-founding Beyond The Billion, Sarah shares how she turned a question “Where are the women?”, into a global movement mobilizing over $1.4 billion towards women-founded companies. Tune in to hear how to think bigger, do hard things, and build for generations. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:09 - From Instagram DM to real-life connection 05:36 - How Sarah’s mother inspired her journey from Kuala Lumpur to boardrooms and billion-dollar funds 13:20 - Becoming an “accidental feminist” in venture capital: Lean In Malaysia & Beyond The Billion (launched as Billion Dollar Fund for Women) 17:11 - Moving to the U.S., and starting over without a network 20:47 - From volunteer to co-founding Beyond The Billion 23:59 - Hitting the $1B goal in nine months & the updated impact numbers 29:25 - Funding 101: How founders should think about capital 35:16 - How the business of venture capital works 37:25 - How to sell your dream to investors: Sarah’s 3-step framework to pitch with conviction 42:07 - Challenge yourself to do the hard things Watch the original episode here About Jasmine Star A world-class speaker, thought leader, podcast host, CEO, and entrepreneur dedicated to helping you reach your fullest potential - After getting her start in the entrepreneurial world as an internationally recognized wedding photographer, Jasmine became a speaker and business strategist for creative entrepreneurs - and spent almost a decade helping business owners across the world take risks and live their lives to the fullest.  Jasmine then went on to found tech company Social Curator: a monthly subscription that serves as a digital marketing agency in your pocket, complete with an A.I. social media manager providing customized marketing content. As a top podcast host and keynote speaker, her goal is simple: to empower you to change the way you approach your professional and personal ambitions. Her approach is rooted in the desire to help you build the future you want and help you see your own potential - regardless of whatever stands in your way. Follow Jasmine: https://www.instagram.com/jasminestar/ https://www.youtube.com/@officialjasminestar https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jasmine-star-show/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-star/ - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 30 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 3 5 Sarah Chen-Spellings When you build beyond yourself — what does legacy really look like? In this special crossover episode, our own host Sarah Chen-Spellings joins The Jasmine Star Show for a candid conversation on leadership, investing, and the power of women building boldly. From cutting million-dollar checks in her 20s to co-founding Beyond The Billion, Sarah shares how she turned a question “Where are the women?”, into a global movement mobilizing over $1.4 billion towards women-founded companies. Tune in to hear how to think bigger, do hard things, and build for generations. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:09 - From Instagram DM to real-life connection 05:36 - How Sarah’s mother inspired her journey from Kuala Lumpur to boardrooms and billion-dollar funds 13:20 - Becoming an “accidental feminist” in venture capital: Lean In Malaysia & Beyond The Billion (launched as Billion Dollar Fund for Women) 17:11 - Moving to the U.S., and starting over without a network 20:47 - From volunteer to co-founding Beyond The Billion 23:59 - Hitting the $1B goal in nine months & the updated impact numbers 29:25 - Funding 101: How founders should think about capital 35:16 - How the business of venture capital works 37:25 - How to sell your dream to investors: Sarah’s 3-step framework to pitch with conviction 42:07 - Challenge yourself to do the hard things Watch the original episode here About Jasmine Star A world-class speaker, thought leader, podcast host, CEO, and entrepreneur dedicated to helping you reach your fullest potential - After getting her start in the entrepreneurial world as an internationally recognized wedding photographer, Jasmine became a speaker and business strategist for creative entrepreneurs - and spent almost a decade helping business owners across the world take risks and live their lives to the fullest.  Jasmine then went on to found tech company Social Curator: a monthly subscription that serves as a digital marketing agency in your pocket, complete with an A.I. social media manager providing customized marketing content. As a top podcast host and keynote speaker, her goal is simple: to empower you to change the way you approach your professional and personal ambitions. Her approach is rooted in the desire to help you build the future you want and help you see your own potential - regardless of whatever stands in your way. Follow Jasmine: https://www.instagram.com/jasminestar/ https://www.youtube.com/@officialjasminestar https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jasmine-star-show/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-star/ - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter When you build beyond yourself — what does legacy really look like?

In this special crossover episode, our own host Sarah Chen-Spellings joins The Jasmine Star Show for a candid conversation on leadership, investing, and the power of women building boldly.


From cutting million-dollar checks in her 20s to co-founding Beyond The Billion, Sarah shares how she turned a question “Where are the women?”, into a global movement mobilizing over $1.4 billion towards women-founded companies.


Tune in to hear how to think bigger, do hard things, and build for generations.


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

02:09 - From Instagram DM to real-life connection

05:36 - How Sarah’s mother inspired her journey from Kuala Lumpur to boardrooms and billion-dollar funds

13:20 - Becoming an “accidental feminist” in venture capital: Lean In Malaysia & Beyond The Billion (launched as Billion Dollar Fund for Women)

17:11 - Moving to the U.S., and starting over without a network

20:47 - From volunteer to co-founding Beyond The Billion

23:59 - Hitting the $1B goal in nine months & the updated impact numbers

29:25 - Funding 101: How founders should think about capital

35:16 - How the business of venture capital works

37:25 - How to sell your dream to investors: Sarah’s 3-step framework to pitch with conviction

42:07 - Challenge yourself to do the hard things


Watch the original episode here


About Jasmine Star

A world-class speaker, thought leader, podcast host, CEO, and entrepreneur dedicated to helping you reach your fullest potential -

After getting her start in the entrepreneurial world as an internationally recognized wedding photographer, Jasmine became a speaker and business strategist for creative entrepreneurs - and spent almost a decade helping business owners across the world take risks and live their lives to the fullest. 

Jasmine then went on to found tech company Social Curator: a monthly subscription that serves as a digital marketing agency in your pocket, complete with an A.I. social media manager providing customized marketing content.

As a top podcast host and keynote speaker, her goal is simple: to empower you to change the way you approach your professional and personal ambitions. Her approach is rooted in the desire to help you build the future you want and help you see your own potential - regardless of whatever stands in your way.


Follow Jasmine:

https://www.instagram.com/jasminestar/

https://www.youtube.com/@officialjasminestar

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jasmine-star-show/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-star/


-


Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network


In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.

From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.


Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.


This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 2906 no Alpha’s New Timeline: Rethinking Alternatives with Family Offices The rules of private market investing are shifting; and so is the timeline for generating alpha. In this conversation from Arctic15 LP Summit earlier this year, leading allocators Selale Zaim (third-generation family business leader and venture investor) and Kim Groop (Co-Founder, First Fellow Partners) joined us to unpack how family offices and institutions are rethinking their playbooks. From compressed market cycles and delayed liquidity to the rise of co-investments, secondaries, and specialized family offices, we dive into how investors are navigating volatility, reshaping allocation strategies, and re-defining what it means to create long-term value. A must-listen for LPs, GPs, and founders who want to stay ahead in an increasingly dynamic private markets landscape. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 01:56 - Meet the Investors: From Family Conglomerates to Founder-Led Funds 04:43 - Returns, compression, and the shifting VC cycle 07:10 - Why family offices are splitting and specializing 09:06 - One unicorn in every 10 investments: Founder-first approach to investing 11:04 - Cracking the code on direct investments and avoiding negative selection 13:24 - Liquidity engineering: co-investments, secondaries, and partial exits 17:20 - Finland’s ecosystem and the rise of homegrown unicorns 18:42 - Cross-border collaboration among family offices 21:52 - Lessons learned: family business vs. financial returns 24:05 - AI and the new investment frontiers 26:57 - Audience Q&A; final takeaways Panelists: Kim Groop, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at First Fellow Partners Selale Zaim, Board Member at Inci Holding & Head of Investment Committee at Vinci Venture Capital Hosted by: Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 23 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 3 4 Sarah Chen-Spellings The rules of private market investing are shifting; and so is the timeline for generating alpha. In this conversation from Arctic15 LP Summit earlier this year, leading allocators Selale Zaim (third-generation family business leader and venture investor) and Kim Groop (Co-Founder, First Fellow Partners) joined us to unpack how family offices and institutions are rethinking their playbooks. From compressed market cycles and delayed liquidity to the rise of co-investments, secondaries, and specialized family offices, we dive into how investors are navigating volatility, reshaping allocation strategies, and re-defining what it means to create long-term value. A must-listen for LPs, GPs, and founders who want to stay ahead in an increasingly dynamic private markets landscape. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 01:56 - Meet the Investors: From Family Conglomerates to Founder-Led Funds 04:43 - Returns, compression, and the shifting VC cycle 07:10 - Why family offices are splitting and specializing 09:06 - One unicorn in every 10 investments: Founder-first approach to investing 11:04 - Cracking the code on direct investments and avoiding negative selection 13:24 - Liquidity engineering: co-investments, secondaries, and partial exits 17:20 - Finland’s ecosystem and the rise of homegrown unicorns 18:42 - Cross-border collaboration among family offices 21:52 - Lessons learned: family business vs. financial returns 24:05 - AI and the new investment frontiers 26:57 - Audience Q&A; final takeaways Panelists: Kim Groop, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at First Fellow Partners Selale Zaim, Board Member at Inci Holding & Head of Investment Committee at Vinci Venture Capital Hosted by: Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter The rules of private market investing are shifting; and so is the timeline for generating alpha.
In this conversation from Arctic15 LP Summit earlier this year, leading allocators Selale Zaim (third-generation family business leader and venture investor) and Kim Groop (Co-Founder, First Fellow Partners) joined us to unpack how family offices and institutions are rethinking their playbooks.

From compressed market cycles and delayed liquidity to the rise of co-investments, secondaries, and specialized family offices, we dive into how investors are navigating volatility, reshaping allocation strategies, and re-defining what it means to create long-term value.

A must-listen for LPs, GPs, and founders who want to stay ahead in an increasingly dynamic private markets landscape.

TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

01:56 - Meet the Investors: From Family Conglomerates to Founder-Led Funds

04:43 - Returns, compression, and the shifting VC cycle

07:10 - Why family offices are splitting and specializing

09:06 - One unicorn in every 10 investments: Founder-first approach to investing

11:04 - Cracking the code on direct investments and avoiding negative selection

13:24 - Liquidity engineering: co-investments, secondaries, and partial exits

17:20 - Finland’s ecosystem and the rise of homegrown unicorns

18:42 - Cross-border collaboration among family offices

21:52 - Lessons learned: family business vs. financial returns

24:05 - AI and the new investment frontiers

26:57 - Audience Q&A; final takeaways


Panelists:
Kim Groop, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at First Fellow Partners


Selale Zaim, Board Member at Inci Holding & Head of Investment Committee at Vinci Venture Capital


Hosted by:

Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion


-


Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network


In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.

From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.


Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.


This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 1889 no Inside the Fund Fueling Aussie Unicorns: Canva, SafetyCulture, and Culture Amp w/ Rick Baker, Blackbird VC What does it take to build a billion-dollar fund from Australia — and back global unicorns like Canva, SafetyCulture, and Culture Amp? In this episode, we sit down with Rick Baker, Co-Founder of Blackbird VC, to unpack the journey from 530 investor rejections to becoming one of the most successful venture firms in the Southern Hemisphere. Rick shares the real stories behind meeting and backing Canva’s Melanie Perkins, scaling a multi-generational VC franchise, and why storytelling and diversity are key to building enduring funds. This is a masterclass on conviction, culture, and capital. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 00:00 Intro 02:01 The early days of Australia’s startup scene: Atlassian & the incoming of US VC firms: Sequoia, Accel, Benchmark, a16z and more. 05:27 From founder to investor: lessons from two failed startups 07:28 How 530 meetings led to Blackbird’s first $29M fund 11:02 The first Canva meeting and what convinced Rick to invest in Melanie Perkins 15:01 Luck vs pattern recognition; turning a $29M fund into 40x returns 17:43 Why funds should last longer than 10 years 19:39 Building a multi-generational VC franchise 21:22 Inside Blackbird’s blind hiring and bias-free investing 24:41 The future of AI and deep tech in Australia 29:02 The thesis of Blackbird VC and portfolio construction 32:00 Lessons from the Kiki incident: investing and accountability 35:13 Gender-lens investing, transparency, and joining Beyond The Billion’s pledge 43:02 “Would you have built Blackbird differently?” 44:25 Billion Dollar Questions About Rick Baker Rick Baker is a co-founder of Blackbird Ventures, a venture capital firm focussed on investing in the best global tech startups being formed in Australia. Rick has led the firm’s investments such as Canva, SafetyCulture, Baraja, Gilmour Space and Ovira. Prior to Blackbird, Rick ran MLC’s venture capital portfolio with investments of over half a billion dollars. Prior to MLC, Rick co-founded two successful software companies: IDC Global and Right Party Connect. Blackbird partners with founders at the very beginning and surrounds them with a community of other founders who have built successful technology companies before. The firm was founded in 2012 and currently manages $1.3 billion dollars. Follow Rick: - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 16 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 3 3 Sarah Chen-Spellings What does it take to build a billion-dollar fund from Australia — and back global unicorns like Canva, SafetyCulture, and Culture Amp? In this episode, we sit down with Rick Baker, Co-Founder of Blackbird VC, to unpack the journey from 530 investor rejections to becoming one of the most successful venture firms in the Southern Hemisphere. Rick shares the real stories behind meeting and backing Canva’s Melanie Perkins, scaling a multi-generational VC franchise, and why storytelling and diversity are key to building enduring funds. This is a masterclass on conviction, culture, and capital. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 00:00 Intro 02:01 The early days of Australia’s startup scene: Atlassian & the incoming of US VC firms: Sequoia, Accel, Benchmark, a16z and more. 05:27 From founder to investor: lessons from two failed startups 07:28 How 530 meetings led to Blackbird’s first $29M fund 11:02 The first Canva meeting and what convinced Rick to invest in Melanie Perkins 15:01 Luck vs pattern recognition; turning a $29M fund into 40x returns 17:43 Why funds should last longer than 10 years 19:39 Building a multi-generational VC franchise 21:22 Inside Blackbird’s blind hiring and bias-free investing 24:41 The future of AI and deep tech in Australia 29:02 The thesis of Blackbird VC and portfolio construction 32:00 Lessons from the Kiki incident: investing and accountability 35:13 Gender-lens investing, transparency, and joining Beyond The Billion’s pledge 43:02 “Would you have built Blackbird differently?” 44:25 Billion Dollar Questions About Rick Baker Rick Baker is a co-founder of Blackbird Ventures, a venture capital firm focussed on investing in the best global tech startups being formed in Australia. Rick has led the firm’s investments such as Canva, SafetyCulture, Baraja, Gilmour Space and Ovira. Prior to Blackbird, Rick ran MLC’s venture capital portfolio with investments of over half a billion dollars. Prior to MLC, Rick co-founded two successful software companies: IDC Global and Right Party Connect. Blackbird partners with founders at the very beginning and surrounds them with a community of other founders who have built successful technology companies before. The firm was founded in 2012 and currently manages $1.3 billion dollars. Follow Rick: - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter What does it take to build a billion-dollar fund from Australia — and back global unicorns like Canva, SafetyCulture, and Culture Amp?


In this episode, we sit down with Rick Baker, Co-Founder of Blackbird VC, to unpack the journey from 530 investor rejections to becoming one of the most successful venture firms in the Southern Hemisphere.


Rick shares the real stories behind meeting and backing Canva’s Melanie Perkins, scaling a multi-generational VC franchise, and why storytelling and diversity are key to building enduring funds. This is a masterclass on conviction, culture, and capital.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

00:00 Intro
02:01 The early days of Australia’s startup scene: Atlassian & the incoming of US VC firms: Sequoia, Accel, Benchmark, a16z and more.
05:27 From founder to investor: lessons from two failed startups
07:28 How 530 meetings led to Blackbird’s first $29M fund
11:02 The first Canva meeting and what convinced Rick to invest in Melanie Perkins
15:01 Luck vs pattern recognition; turning a $29M fund into 40x returns
17:43 Why funds should last longer than 10 years
19:39 Building a multi-generational VC franchise
21:22 Inside Blackbird’s blind hiring and bias-free investing
24:41 The future of AI and deep tech in Australia

29:02 The thesis of Blackbird VC and portfolio construction
32:00 Lessons from the Kiki incident: investing and accountability
35:13 Gender-lens investing, transparency, and joining Beyond The Billion’s pledge
43:02 “Would you have built Blackbird differently?”
44:25 Billion Dollar Questions


About Rick Baker

Rick Baker is a co-founder of Blackbird Ventures, a venture capital firm focussed on investing in the best global tech startups being formed in Australia. Rick has led the firm’s investments such as Canva, SafetyCulture, Baraja, Gilmour Space and Ovira. Prior to Blackbird, Rick ran MLC’s venture capital portfolio with investments of over half a billion dollars. Prior to MLC, Rick co-founded two successful software companies: IDC Global and Right Party Connect. Blackbird partners with founders at the very beginning and surrounds them with a community of other founders who have built successful technology companies before. The firm was founded in 2012 and currently manages $1.3 billion dollars.


Follow Rick:







-


Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network


In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.

From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.


Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.


This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 2931 no Catalytic Capital for Climate: Rules for the Next Economy With record outflows from ESG funds and rising political scrutiny, the climate investing conversation is shifting dramatically. In this episode, we sit with Anna Herlin (KONE Family, Tiina and Antti Herlin Foundation) and Dr. Krista Halttunen (Halton Ventures) — two next-generation family office leaders driving sustainable innovation in the built environment. We asked: what comes next at the intersection of climate tech, venture capital, and LP strategies? Together, they unpack what it means to deploy patient and catalytic capital in an era of ESG fatigue; from decarbonizing steel and transforming HVAC systems to building data-driven frameworks that measure planetary boundaries. As allocators face rising pressure to balance returns, reputation, and regulation, this candid conversation explores how to future-proof portfolios and redefine value in the next economy. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 – Intro 02:23 – ESG backlash and geopolitical landscape 05:25 – Where the capital is flowing now 08:20 – Efficiency as the new climate strategy 11:24 – Systems change vs. incremental innovation 14:12 – Building the Planetary Boundaries framework; beyond box-ticking and science-based investing 18:38 – How to spot Greenwashing & find true additionality 22:22 – Defining “Catalytic Capital for the New Economy” 25:55 – AI and Energy 28:19 – Hardware renaissance: Clean Energy, Green Steel & HVAC; “The Future Is Circular” 32:04 – Audience Q&A 37:06 – Where should Family Offices start in climate investments? Panelists: Anna Herlin, Board Member at TAH Foundation & Vice Chair at Security Trading Krista Halttunen, CEO of Halton Ventures Hosted by:  Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Beyond The Billion Video Credit: Arctic15 LP Summit 2025 - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you’re chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.   PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 09 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 3 2 Sarah Chen-Spellings With record outflows from ESG funds and rising political scrutiny, the climate investing conversation is shifting dramatically. In this episode, we sit with Anna Herlin (KONE Family, Tiina and Antti Herlin Foundation) and Dr. Krista Halttunen (Halton Ventures) — two next-generation family office leaders driving sustainable innovation in the built environment. We asked: what comes next at the intersection of climate tech, venture capital, and LP strategies? Together, they unpack what it means to deploy patient and catalytic capital in an era of ESG fatigue; from decarbonizing steel and transforming HVAC systems to building data-driven frameworks that measure planetary boundaries. As allocators face rising pressure to balance returns, reputation, and regulation, this candid conversation explores how to future-proof portfolios and redefine value in the next economy. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 – Intro 02:23 – ESG backlash and geopolitical landscape 05:25 – Where the capital is flowing now 08:20 – Efficiency as the new climate strategy 11:24 – Systems change vs. incremental innovation 14:12 – Building the Planetary Boundaries framework; beyond box-ticking and science-based investing 18:38 – How to spot Greenwashing & find true additionality 22:22 – Defining “Catalytic Capital for the New Economy” 25:55 – AI and Energy 28:19 – Hardware renaissance: Clean Energy, Green Steel & HVAC; “The Future Is Circular” 32:04 – Audience Q&A 37:06 – Where should Family Offices start in climate investments? Panelists: Anna Herlin, Board Member at TAH Foundation & Vice Chair at Security Trading Krista Halttunen, CEO of Halton Ventures Hosted by:  Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Beyond The Billion Video Credit: Arctic15 LP Summit 2025 - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you’re chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.   PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter With record outflows from ESG funds and rising political scrutiny, the climate investing conversation is shifting dramatically. In this episode, we sit with Anna Herlin (KONE Family, Tiina and Antti Herlin Foundation) and Dr. Krista Halttunen (Halton Ventures) — two next-generation family office leaders driving sustainable innovation in the built environment.


We asked: what comes next at the intersection of climate tech, venture capital, and LP strategies? Together, they unpack what it means to deploy patient and catalytic capital in an era of ESG fatigue; from decarbonizing steel and transforming HVAC systems to building data-driven frameworks that measure planetary boundaries.


As allocators face rising pressure to balance returns, reputation, and regulation, this candid conversation explores how to future-proof portfolios and redefine value in the next economy.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

00:00 – Intro 02:23 – ESG backlash and geopolitical landscape 05:25 – Where the capital is flowing now 08:20 – Efficiency as the new climate strategy 11:24 – Systems change vs. incremental innovation 14:12 – Building the Planetary Boundaries framework; beyond box-ticking and science-based investing 18:38 – How to spot Greenwashing & find true additionality 22:22 – Defining “Catalytic Capital for the New Economy” 25:55 – AI and Energy 28:19 – Hardware renaissance: Clean Energy, Green Steel & HVAC; “The Future Is Circular” 32:04 – Audience Q&A 37:06 – Where should Family Offices start in climate investments?


Panelists:

Anna Herlin, Board Member at TAH Foundation & Vice Chair at Security Trading

Krista Halttunen, CEO of Halton Ventures


Hosted by: 

Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Beyond The Billion


Video Credit: Arctic15 LP Summit 2025


-


Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network

In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.

From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.

Whether you’re chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.

This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.

 

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 2429 no Turning a Dream Into a Nine-Figure Deal w/ Beatrice Dixon, The Honey Pot From living in motels and battling recurring infections to leading one of the fastest-growing feminine care brands in America, Beatrice Dixon’s story is as unlikely as it is inspiring. In this episode, Bea reveals how a dream sparked the formula for The Honey Pot, how she scaled from kitchen batches to Target’s Super Bowl ads, and why she walked away from a higher $450M offer to exit on her own terms. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or leader, this is a masterclass in resilience, conviction, and building generational wealth without selling your soul. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 Intro 01:45 Chapter 1: Rock Bottom to Mindset Shift 03:26 Chapter 2: The Genesis of Honey Pot — a dream of grandmother’s recipe turned the formula that changed her life 07:01 Chapter 3: From Kitchen Batches to Target Super Bowl Ad 13:46 Chapter 4: Scaling with Capital — Why every founder must master money and Bea’s lessons on raising responsibly 16:36 Chapter 5: The Exit & Walking Away From $450M 18:05 Chapter 6: Modern Matriarch & Legacy Builder — on scrutiny, social media storms, and leading Honey Pot into the future 23:13 Bea Dixon’s 5 lessons: invest early, stay authentic, raise with clarity, exit on your terms, and scale with soul ABOUT BEA DIXON Beatrice Dixon is the CEO, cofounder, and chief innovation officer of The Honey Pot Company—the first complete personal wellness brand “made by humans with vaginas, for humans with vaginas.”® She has been named one of Goldman Sachs’s 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs, Worth’s Worthy 100, Forbes’ Top 100 Female Founders, Inc.’s Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs, Ebony’s Power 100, and Create & Cultivate’s 100. FOLLOW BEA: LinkedIn | Instagram Source: Healing from the Earth with The Honey Pot Founders | Black America | CUNY TV Honey Pot Founder Beatrice Dixon Talks Wellness, Black-Owned Business, & Shares Her Five Minute Face The Business of Making Money w/ Bea Dixon - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 02 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 3 1 Sarah Chen-Spellings From living in motels and battling recurring infections to leading one of the fastest-growing feminine care brands in America, Beatrice Dixon’s story is as unlikely as it is inspiring. In this episode, Bea reveals how a dream sparked the formula for The Honey Pot, how she scaled from kitchen batches to Target’s Super Bowl ads, and why she walked away from a higher $450M offer to exit on her own terms. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or leader, this is a masterclass in resilience, conviction, and building generational wealth without selling your soul. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 Intro 01:45 Chapter 1: Rock Bottom to Mindset Shift 03:26 Chapter 2: The Genesis of Honey Pot — a dream of grandmother’s recipe turned the formula that changed her life 07:01 Chapter 3: From Kitchen Batches to Target Super Bowl Ad 13:46 Chapter 4: Scaling with Capital — Why every founder must master money and Bea’s lessons on raising responsibly 16:36 Chapter 5: The Exit & Walking Away From $450M 18:05 Chapter 6: Modern Matriarch & Legacy Builder — on scrutiny, social media storms, and leading Honey Pot into the future 23:13 Bea Dixon’s 5 lessons: invest early, stay authentic, raise with clarity, exit on your terms, and scale with soul ABOUT BEA DIXON Beatrice Dixon is the CEO, cofounder, and chief innovation officer of The Honey Pot Company—the first complete personal wellness brand “made by humans with vaginas, for humans with vaginas.”® She has been named one of Goldman Sachs’s 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs, Worth’s Worthy 100, Forbes’ Top 100 Female Founders, Inc.’s Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs, Ebony’s Power 100, and Create & Cultivate’s 100. FOLLOW BEA: LinkedIn | Instagram Source: Healing from the Earth with The Honey Pot Founders | Black America | CUNY TV Honey Pot Founder Beatrice Dixon Talks Wellness, Black-Owned Business, & Shares Her Five Minute Face The Business of Making Money w/ Bea Dixon - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter From living in motels and battling recurring infections to leading one of the fastest-growing feminine care brands in America, Beatrice Dixon’s story is as unlikely as it is inspiring. In this episode, Bea reveals how a dream sparked the formula for The Honey Pot, how she scaled from kitchen batches to Target’s Super Bowl ads, and why she walked away from a higher $450M offer to exit on her own terms.

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or leader, this is a masterclass in resilience, conviction, and building generational wealth without selling your soul.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 Intro 01:45 Chapter 1: Rock Bottom to Mindset Shift 03:26 Chapter 2: The Genesis of Honey Pot — a dream of grandmother’s recipe turned the formula that changed her life

07:01 Chapter 3: From Kitchen Batches to Target Super Bowl Ad 13:46 Chapter 4: Scaling with Capital — Why every founder must master money and Bea’s lessons on raising responsibly

16:36 Chapter 5: The Exit & Walking Away From $450M 18:05 Chapter 6: Modern Matriarch & Legacy Builder — on scrutiny, social media storms, and leading Honey Pot into the future

23:13 Bea Dixon’s 5 lessons: invest early, stay authentic, raise with clarity, exit on your terms, and scale with soul


ABOUT BEA DIXON

Beatrice Dixon is the CEO, cofounder, and chief innovation officer of The Honey Pot Company—the first complete personal wellness brand “made by humans with vaginas, for humans with vaginas.”® She has been named one of Goldman Sachs’s 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs, Worth’s Worthy 100, Forbes’ Top 100 Female Founders, Inc.’s Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs, Ebony’s Power 100, and Create & Cultivate’s 100.


FOLLOW BEA:

LinkedIn | Instagram


Source:

Healing from the Earth with The Honey Pot Founders | Black America | CUNY TV

Honey Pot Founder Beatrice Dixon Talks Wellness, Black-Owned Business, & Shares Her Five Minute Face

The Business of Making Money w/ Bea Dixon


-


Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network


In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies.

From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond.

Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder.

This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 1622 no The Purpose-Driven Power Player Behind Silicon Valley’s Quiet Money w/ Mike Anders, ICONIQ From Wall Street to Silicon Valley's inner circle—this is the untold story behind one of tech’s most trusted capital stewards. In this episode, we sit down with Mike Anders, Partner at ICONIQ, the quiet powerhouse managing over $80B for tech’s most iconic names. Mike opens up about his activist roots, Wall Street disillusionment, and the journey to building a purpose-driven financial empire. We go behind the curtain of ICONIQ’s rise, the venture bets that paid off, the AI wave, and why collaborative philanthropy is their next big frontier. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 02:11 - Roots & Activism: Academic upbringing and activist parents; “Start outside politics” 04:25 - Disillusionment & Reinvention: donor-advised funds (DAFs), discovering purpose in philanthropy & the pivotal first coffee with Divesh Makan 07:37 - Building ICONIQ: From Alibaba to enterprise software to data centers; the power of collective wisdom from founder clients 15:09 - Market, AI, & Culture: Surviving financial crises and market cycles; ICONIQ’s bet on AI; reflections on culture 26:31 - The Shift to Impact: The genesis of ICONIQ Impact and the CoLab model 31:06 - The Cost & The Legacy: Leadership, humility, and enduring values READ MORE: ICONIQ Impact Half a Billion Report Michael Anders | Partner, ICONIQ Michael Anders is a founding partner of ICONIQ, a global investment firm that channels ideas, talent, and capital to initiatives that advance society. Michael is also the founder and Chairman of ICONIQ Impact, which convenes ICONIQ’s extraordinary community of families, founders, and organizations to catalyze collaborative philanthropy for giving at scale. To-date, ICONIQ Impact has advised on nearly $600M in grants, tackling the world’s most urgent challenges, including climate change, education and economic mobility, ocean health and other impact areas. FOLLOW MIKE: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Matti Navellou | Head of ICONIQ Impact, ICONIQ  Matti Navellou is the Head of ICONIQ Impact, ICONIQ’s platform for collaborative philanthropy, which convenes ICONIQ’s extraordinary community of families, founders, and organizations to catalyze collaborative philanthropy for giving at scale. To-date, ICONIQ Impact has advised on nearly $900M in grants, tackling the world’s most urgent challenges, including climate change, mental health, women’s health and rights, refugee resettlement and poverty relief. Across her career, Matti has developed and launched several global human rights campaigns, including most recently at UNICEF HQ in New York, leading public advocacy campaigns for child rights. FOLLOW MATTI: LinkedIn | X/Twitter - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 24 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 136 Sarah Chen-Spellings From Wall Street to Silicon Valley's inner circle—this is the untold story behind one of tech’s most trusted capital stewards. In this episode, we sit down with Mike Anders, Partner at ICONIQ, the quiet powerhouse managing over $80B for tech’s most iconic names. Mike opens up about his activist roots, Wall Street disillusionment, and the journey to building a purpose-driven financial empire. We go behind the curtain of ICONIQ’s rise, the venture bets that paid off, the AI wave, and why collaborative philanthropy is their next big frontier. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 02:11 - Roots & Activism: Academic upbringing and activist parents; “Start outside politics” 04:25 - Disillusionment & Reinvention: donor-advised funds (DAFs), discovering purpose in philanthropy & the pivotal first coffee with Divesh Makan 07:37 - Building ICONIQ: From Alibaba to enterprise software to data centers; the power of collective wisdom from founder clients 15:09 - Market, AI, & Culture: Surviving financial crises and market cycles; ICONIQ’s bet on AI; reflections on culture 26:31 - The Shift to Impact: The genesis of ICONIQ Impact and the CoLab model 31:06 - The Cost & The Legacy: Leadership, humility, and enduring values READ MORE: ICONIQ Impact Half a Billion Report Michael Anders | Partner, ICONIQ Michael Anders is a founding partner of ICONIQ, a global investment firm that channels ideas, talent, and capital to initiatives that advance society. Michael is also the founder and Chairman of ICONIQ Impact, which convenes ICONIQ’s extraordinary community of families, founders, and organizations to catalyze collaborative philanthropy for giving at scale. To-date, ICONIQ Impact has advised on nearly $600M in grants, tackling the world’s most urgent challenges, including climate change, education and economic mobility, ocean health and other impact areas. FOLLOW MIKE: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Matti Navellou | Head of ICONIQ Impact, ICONIQ  Matti Navellou is the Head of ICONIQ Impact, ICONIQ’s platform for collaborative philanthropy, which convenes ICONIQ’s extraordinary community of families, founders, and organizations to catalyze collaborative philanthropy for giving at scale. To-date, ICONIQ Impact has advised on nearly $900M in grants, tackling the world’s most urgent challenges, including climate change, mental health, women’s health and rights, refugee resettlement and poverty relief. Across her career, Matti has developed and launched several global human rights campaigns, including most recently at UNICEF HQ in New York, leading public advocacy campaigns for child rights. FOLLOW MATTI: LinkedIn | X/Twitter - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal From Wall Street to Silicon Valley's inner circle—this is the untold story behind one of tech’s most trusted capital stewards. In this episode, we sit down with Mike Anders, Partner at ICONIQ, the quiet powerhouse managing over $80B for tech’s most iconic names.

Mike opens up about his activist roots, Wall Street disillusionment, and the journey to building a purpose-driven financial empire. We go behind the curtain of ICONIQ’s rise, the venture bets that paid off, the AI wave, and why collaborative philanthropy is their next big frontier.


Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

02:11 - Roots & Activism: Academic upbringing and activist parents; “Start outside politics”

04:25 - Disillusionment & Reinvention: donor-advised funds (DAFs), discovering purpose in philanthropy & the pivotal first coffee with Divesh Makan

07:37 - Building ICONIQ: From Alibaba to enterprise software to data centers; the power of collective wisdom from founder clients

15:09 - Market, AI, & Culture: Surviving financial crises and market cycles; ICONIQ’s bet on AI; reflections on culture

26:31 - The Shift to Impact: The genesis of ICONIQ Impact and the CoLab model

31:06 - The Cost & The Legacy: Leadership, humility, and enduring values


READ MORE:

ICONIQ Impact Half a Billion Report


Michael Anders | Partner, ICONIQ

Michael Anders is a founding partner of ICONIQ, a global investment firm that channels ideas, talent, and capital to initiatives that advance society. Michael is also the founder and Chairman of ICONIQ Impact, which convenes ICONIQ’s extraordinary community of families, founders, and organizations to catalyze collaborative philanthropy for giving at scale.

To-date, ICONIQ Impact has advised on nearly $600M in grants, tackling the world’s most urgent challenges, including climate change, education and economic mobility, ocean health and other impact areas.


FOLLOW MIKE:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter


Matti Navellou | Head of ICONIQ Impact, ICONIQ 

Matti Navellou is the Head of ICONIQ Impact, ICONIQ’s platform for collaborative philanthropy, which convenes ICONIQ’s extraordinary community of families, founders, and organizations to catalyze collaborative philanthropy for giving at scale.

To-date, ICONIQ Impact has advised on nearly $900M in grants, tackling the world’s most urgent challenges, including climate change, mental health, women’s health and rights, refugee resettlement and poverty relief. Across her career, Matti has developed and launched several global human rights campaigns, including most recently at UNICEF HQ in New York, leading public advocacy campaigns for child rights.


FOLLOW MATTI:

LinkedIn | X/Twitter


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2130 no Why Australia’s Leading Family Offices Are Backing ALIAVIA Ventures’ Cross-Border VC Strategy w/ Marisa Warren How do you build a cross-border VC fund that backs female founders before the world sees their value? In this #MeritIn Motion series, we sit down with Marisa Warren, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of ALIAVIA Ventures and Founder of the ELEVACAO. A former Microsoft and SAP exec turned entrepreneur and investor, Marisa shares how she’s rewriting the rules of venture, by backing high-growth female founders across the U.S. and Australia before they're on anyone else’s radar. Backed by Carol Schwartz, the Forrest Family Office, the Denholm family and more, Marisa and co-founder Kate Vale (ex-Google, Spotify) are proving that investing in diverse teams isn’t charity—it’s smart capital. Tune in now to learn more about generating cross-border alpha, and why Aussie startups may just be VC’s best-kept secret. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:21 - From teenage hustles to Microsoft, SAP, and Workday; built SAP’s SME channel and scaled Microsoft cloud partner revenue 07:35 - The gender gap in VC; founded ELEVACAO to support women in tech 14:24 - Building ALIAVIA: a cross-border VC fund amid the pandemic; creative loan structure to beat the “no track record” barrier 18:38 - Fund strategy & the edge of cross-border dynamics: Australian startups are often undervalued, capital-efficient, growth-ready 24:48 - LP co-investment as a value driver; founder red flags & must-haves 31:14 - Portfolio focus & the influence of AI on Future of Work and HealthTech 35:10 - The maturity of Australian startup scene; LP alignment and stakeholder management 39:52 - Looking ahead: Fund II at $25M; Fund III to follow with potential growth fund 42:41 - Billion Dollar Questions ABOUT MARISA WARREN Marisa Warren is the Founder and Managing Partner of ALIAVIA Ventures, investing in female-founded tech startups across the U.S. and Australia. Established in 2021, ALIAVIA has delivered it's first exit, Loupe Art to Stingray, and invested in 12 early stage companies. She’s also the founder of ELEVACAO, a not-for-profit that helped 175 women raise over $120 million in funding, leading to 5 exits. FOLLOW MARISA: https://www.aliavia.vc/ https://www.elevacao.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisawarren - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 17 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 134 Sarah Chen-Spellings How do you build a cross-border VC fund that backs female founders before the world sees their value? In this #MeritIn Motion series, we sit down with Marisa Warren, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of ALIAVIA Ventures and Founder of the ELEVACAO. A former Microsoft and SAP exec turned entrepreneur and investor, Marisa shares how she’s rewriting the rules of venture, by backing high-growth female founders across the U.S. and Australia before they're on anyone else’s radar. Backed by Carol Schwartz, the Forrest Family Office, the Denholm family and more, Marisa and co-founder Kate Vale (ex-Google, Spotify) are proving that investing in diverse teams isn’t charity—it’s smart capital. Tune in now to learn more about generating cross-border alpha, and why Aussie startups may just be VC’s best-kept secret. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:21 - From teenage hustles to Microsoft, SAP, and Workday; built SAP’s SME channel and scaled Microsoft cloud partner revenue 07:35 - The gender gap in VC; founded ELEVACAO to support women in tech 14:24 - Building ALIAVIA: a cross-border VC fund amid the pandemic; creative loan structure to beat the “no track record” barrier 18:38 - Fund strategy & the edge of cross-border dynamics: Australian startups are often undervalued, capital-efficient, growth-ready 24:48 - LP co-investment as a value driver; founder red flags & must-haves 31:14 - Portfolio focus & the influence of AI on Future of Work and HealthTech 35:10 - The maturity of Australian startup scene; LP alignment and stakeholder management 39:52 - Looking ahead: Fund II at $25M; Fund III to follow with potential growth fund 42:41 - Billion Dollar Questions ABOUT MARISA WARREN Marisa Warren is the Founder and Managing Partner of ALIAVIA Ventures, investing in female-founded tech startups across the U.S. and Australia. Established in 2021, ALIAVIA has delivered it's first exit, Loupe Art to Stingray, and invested in 12 early stage companies. She’s also the founder of ELEVACAO, a not-for-profit that helped 175 women raise over $120 million in funding, leading to 5 exits. FOLLOW MARISA: https://www.aliavia.vc/ https://www.elevacao.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisawarren - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal How do you build a cross-border VC fund that backs female founders before the world sees their value?


In this #MeritIn Motion series, we sit down with Marisa Warren, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of ALIAVIA Ventures and Founder of the ELEVACAO. A former Microsoft and SAP exec turned entrepreneur and investor, Marisa shares how she’s rewriting the rules of venture, by backing high-growth female founders across the U.S. and Australia before they're on anyone else’s radar.
Backed by Carol Schwartz, the Forrest Family Office, the Denholm family and more, Marisa and co-founder Kate Vale (ex-Google, Spotify) are proving that investing in diverse teams isn’t charity—it’s smart capital.
Tune in now to learn more about generating cross-border alpha, and why Aussie startups may just be VC’s best-kept secret.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

02:21 - From teenage hustles to Microsoft, SAP, and Workday; built SAP’s SME channel and scaled Microsoft cloud partner revenue

07:35 - The gender gap in VC; founded ELEVACAO to support women in tech

14:24 - Building ALIAVIA: a cross-border VC fund amid the pandemic; creative loan structure to beat the “no track record” barrier

18:38 - Fund strategy & the edge of cross-border dynamics: Australian startups are often undervalued, capital-efficient, growth-ready

24:48 - LP co-investment as a value driver; founder red flags & must-haves

31:14 - Portfolio focus & the influence of AI on Future of Work and HealthTech

35:10 - The maturity of Australian startup scene; LP alignment and stakeholder management

39:52 - Looking ahead: Fund II at $25M; Fund III to follow with potential growth fund

42:41 - Billion Dollar Questions


ABOUT MARISA WARREN

Marisa Warren is the Founder and Managing Partner of ALIAVIA Ventures, investing in female-founded tech startups across the U.S. and Australia. Established in 2021, ALIAVIA has delivered it's first exit, Loupe Art to Stingray, and invested in 12 early stage companies. She’s also the founder of ELEVACAO, a not-for-profit that helped 175 women raise over $120 million in funding, leading to 5 exits.


FOLLOW MARISA:

https://www.aliavia.vc/

https://www.elevacao.org

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisawarren


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2799 no Leading Guild After a $4.4B Rise: New CEO Bijal Shah Reshaping the Future of Workforce Education When Guild Education’s co-founder Rachel Romer suffered a life-threatening stroke, the company’s future rested in the hands of Bijal Shah — then on maternity leave, recovering from a traumatic birth. In this intimate and deeply strategic conversation, Guild’s now-CEO shares what it took to step up, scale a mission-driven business, and guide 70,000+ employees toward career mobility. From building slum workforce programs in India to powering skills transformation for giants like Walmart, Chipotle, and Disney—Bijal unpacks what it means to lead through adversity, design with empathy, and operate for long-term resilience. This episode is for anyone thinking about the future of workforce development, durable marketplaces, or leadership when it matters most. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:11 - From Visa to slum development in India to scaling Guild 03:58 - Joining Guild: The founding vision, team conviction, and social enterprise thesis 07:51 - Evolution of the business model from content creation to a scalable marketplace 09:11 - Customer-led transformation: Meeting both employer and employee skill demands 12:41 - Workforce shifts: Aging population, AI disruption, and the half-life of skills 14:58 - Measuring impact: 70,000 learners, 2.6x retention boost, customized talent solutions 18:03 - Building long-term partnerships over short-term revenue: Walmart, Chipotle, Disney and more major clients 27:40 - Stepping into the CEO role: Permission to lead, guidance from the board, Rachel’s trust 39:45 - Billion Dollar Questions ABOUT BIJAL SHAH Bijal Shah is the CEO of Guild, a talent development company partnering with leading employers to help them build the talent needed for today and the resilient workforce of tomorrow. Guild works with organizations like Chipotle, Discover, Target, and Providence Health to provide seamless pathways for talent mobility that enhance the employee experience and activate internal talent to achieve business goals. Bijal has been named a CNBC Changemaker, and Guild has been recognized as one of TIME’s Most Influential Companies, CNBC’s Disruptor 50, LinkedIn’s Top Startups, and received Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas award. Prior to Guild, Shah held leadership roles across data analytics at Ibotta and corporate strategy at Visa. She served on the Board of Directors of Girls Inc. and was named one of Denver Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. Shah graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and the MIT Sloan School of Management. She lives in Denver with her husband and children. FOLLOW BIJAL LinkedIn  | Instagram  - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 10 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 133 Sarah Chen-Spellings When Guild Education’s co-founder Rachel Romer suffered a life-threatening stroke, the company’s future rested in the hands of Bijal Shah — then on maternity leave, recovering from a traumatic birth. In this intimate and deeply strategic conversation, Guild’s now-CEO shares what it took to step up, scale a mission-driven business, and guide 70,000+ employees toward career mobility. From building slum workforce programs in India to powering skills transformation for giants like Walmart, Chipotle, and Disney—Bijal unpacks what it means to lead through adversity, design with empathy, and operate for long-term resilience. This episode is for anyone thinking about the future of workforce development, durable marketplaces, or leadership when it matters most. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:11 - From Visa to slum development in India to scaling Guild 03:58 - Joining Guild: The founding vision, team conviction, and social enterprise thesis 07:51 - Evolution of the business model from content creation to a scalable marketplace 09:11 - Customer-led transformation: Meeting both employer and employee skill demands 12:41 - Workforce shifts: Aging population, AI disruption, and the half-life of skills 14:58 - Measuring impact: 70,000 learners, 2.6x retention boost, customized talent solutions 18:03 - Building long-term partnerships over short-term revenue: Walmart, Chipotle, Disney and more major clients 27:40 - Stepping into the CEO role: Permission to lead, guidance from the board, Rachel’s trust 39:45 - Billion Dollar Questions ABOUT BIJAL SHAH Bijal Shah is the CEO of Guild, a talent development company partnering with leading employers to help them build the talent needed for today and the resilient workforce of tomorrow. Guild works with organizations like Chipotle, Discover, Target, and Providence Health to provide seamless pathways for talent mobility that enhance the employee experience and activate internal talent to achieve business goals. Bijal has been named a CNBC Changemaker, and Guild has been recognized as one of TIME’s Most Influential Companies, CNBC’s Disruptor 50, LinkedIn’s Top Startups, and received Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas award. Prior to Guild, Shah held leadership roles across data analytics at Ibotta and corporate strategy at Visa. She served on the Board of Directors of Girls Inc. and was named one of Denver Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. Shah graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and the MIT Sloan School of Management. She lives in Denver with her husband and children. FOLLOW BIJAL LinkedIn  | Instagram  - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal When Guild Education’s co-founder Rachel Romer suffered a life-threatening stroke, the company’s future rested in the hands of Bijal Shah — then on maternity leave, recovering from a traumatic birth.


In this intimate and deeply strategic conversation, Guild’s now-CEO shares what it took to step up, scale a mission-driven business, and guide 70,000+ employees toward career mobility. From building slum workforce programs in India to powering skills transformation for giants like Walmart, Chipotle, and Disney—Bijal unpacks what it means to lead through adversity, design with empathy, and operate for long-term resilience.


This episode is for anyone thinking about the future of workforce development, durable marketplaces, or leadership when it matters most.

Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro

02:11 - From Visa to slum development in India to scaling Guild

03:58 - Joining Guild: The founding vision, team conviction, and social enterprise thesis

07:51 - Evolution of the business model from content creation to a scalable marketplace

09:11 - Customer-led transformation: Meeting both employer and employee skill demands

12:41 - Workforce shifts: Aging population, AI disruption, and the half-life of skills

14:58 - Measuring impact: 70,000 learners, 2.6x retention boost, customized talent solutions

18:03 - Building long-term partnerships over short-term revenue: Walmart, Chipotle, Disney and more major clients

27:40 - Stepping into the CEO role: Permission to lead, guidance from the board, Rachel’s trust

39:45 - Billion Dollar Questions


ABOUT BIJAL SHAH

Bijal Shah is the CEO of Guild, a talent development company partnering with leading employers to help them build the talent needed for today and the resilient workforce of tomorrow. Guild works with organizations like Chipotle, Discover, Target, and Providence Health to provide seamless pathways for talent mobility that enhance the employee experience and activate internal talent to achieve business goals.

Bijal has been named a CNBC Changemaker, and Guild has been recognized as one of TIME’s Most Influential Companies, CNBC’s Disruptor 50, LinkedIn’s Top Startups, and received Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas award.

Prior to Guild, Shah held leadership roles across data analytics at Ibotta and corporate strategy at Visa. She served on the Board of Directors of Girls Inc. and was named one of Denver Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. Shah graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and the MIT Sloan School of Management. She lives in Denver with her husband and children.


FOLLOW BIJAL

LinkedIn  | Instagram 


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2537 no Reframing Growth: How to Win in A Minority-Majority World w/ Jeffrey Bowman, Reframe AI This week we sit down with Jeffrey L. Bowman — former Ogilvy senior partner turned founder of Reframe Consulting and Reframe AI Technologies — for a bold, unfiltered look at what it really means to future-proof your business.  Jeffrey doesn’t just talk about diversity as a moral imperative; he reframes it as a growth strategy rooted in data, market opportunity, and long-overdue correction. From revealing how legacy data sets exclude entire populations to unpacking the $100 billion blind spots companies ignore when they leave women and people of color out of their TAM, he challenges conventional thinking on every front. He pulls no punches—calling out performative DEI, synthetic AI datasets, and the emerging “woe is me” narrative among young men.  Whether you’re a founder, investor, or operator, this is a provocative, insight-rich conversation on how to build boldly for the world that is, not the one that was. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:53 - Why Reframe? Widening the lens on TAM (Total Addressable Market) and reevaluating go-to-market strategies that exclude women and minorities 06:08 - This is a business risk, not a moral issue - exclusion is leaving billions on the table 08:01 - MetLife case study: refocusing segmentation led to 2x growth in digital product lines 11:04 - Historical data sets, current AI and most TAMs are inherently biased 18:14 - Future-proofing for brands; ELF Beauty case study 23:23 - Global lens on consumers today; How exclusive is your TAM? 27:53 - Monocultural vs. cross/polycultural strategy; Amazon case study in addressability 33:38 - Responsible AI & women in tech 37:06 - Power and capitalism: “To build the America we love, we must accept the new America: diverse, cross-cultural, and polycultural.” 39:49 - Masculinity and the “Lost Boy Syndrome” 43:24 - Billion Dollar Questions About Jeffrey L. Bowman Jeffrey L. Bowman is the CEO and founder of Reframe AI Technologies and Reframe Consulting Services. He is an inventor, pioneer of a change operating system and inclusive experience design approach that helps leaders accelerate and operationalize inclusive change and growth at scale. Bowman is a two-time award-winning Wiley published author and Campaign US 40 Over 40. A former senior partner and managing director at Ogilvy & Mather in New York City, one of the world’s largest advertising and communications agencies. It was there Bowman pioneered the industry’s first cultural practice that modernized the marketing and communications industry. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Campaign, The Economist, Fast Company, NBC (Today Show), Fortune to name a few and he speaks frequently at industry and trade events across the United States, Europe, and South America. FOLLOW JEFFREY: https://jeffreylbowman.com LinkedIn | Instagram - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 03 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 132 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week we sit down with Jeffrey L. Bowman — former Ogilvy senior partner turned founder of Reframe Consulting and Reframe AI Technologies — for a bold, unfiltered look at what it really means to future-proof your business.  Jeffrey doesn’t just talk about diversity as a moral imperative; he reframes it as a growth strategy rooted in data, market opportunity, and long-overdue correction. From revealing how legacy data sets exclude entire populations to unpacking the $100 billion blind spots companies ignore when they leave women and people of color out of their TAM, he challenges conventional thinking on every front. He pulls no punches—calling out performative DEI, synthetic AI datasets, and the emerging “woe is me” narrative among young men.  Whether you’re a founder, investor, or operator, this is a provocative, insight-rich conversation on how to build boldly for the world that is, not the one that was. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:53 - Why Reframe? Widening the lens on TAM (Total Addressable Market) and reevaluating go-to-market strategies that exclude women and minorities 06:08 - This is a business risk, not a moral issue - exclusion is leaving billions on the table 08:01 - MetLife case study: refocusing segmentation led to 2x growth in digital product lines 11:04 - Historical data sets, current AI and most TAMs are inherently biased 18:14 - Future-proofing for brands; ELF Beauty case study 23:23 - Global lens on consumers today; How exclusive is your TAM? 27:53 - Monocultural vs. cross/polycultural strategy; Amazon case study in addressability 33:38 - Responsible AI & women in tech 37:06 - Power and capitalism: “To build the America we love, we must accept the new America: diverse, cross-cultural, and polycultural.” 39:49 - Masculinity and the “Lost Boy Syndrome” 43:24 - Billion Dollar Questions About Jeffrey L. Bowman Jeffrey L. Bowman is the CEO and founder of Reframe AI Technologies and Reframe Consulting Services. He is an inventor, pioneer of a change operating system and inclusive experience design approach that helps leaders accelerate and operationalize inclusive change and growth at scale. Bowman is a two-time award-winning Wiley published author and Campaign US 40 Over 40. A former senior partner and managing director at Ogilvy & Mather in New York City, one of the world’s largest advertising and communications agencies. It was there Bowman pioneered the industry’s first cultural practice that modernized the marketing and communications industry. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Campaign, The Economist, Fast Company, NBC (Today Show), Fortune to name a few and he speaks frequently at industry and trade events across the United States, Europe, and South America. FOLLOW JEFFREY: https://jeffreylbowman.com LinkedIn | Instagram - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal https://x.com/sarahchenglobal This week we sit down with Jeffrey L. Bowman — former Ogilvy senior partner turned founder of Reframe Consulting and Reframe AI Technologies — for a bold, unfiltered look at what it really means to future-proof your business. 


Jeffrey doesn’t just talk about diversity as a moral imperative; he reframes it as a growth strategy rooted in data, market opportunity, and long-overdue correction. From revealing how legacy data sets exclude entire populations to unpacking the $100 billion blind spots companies ignore when they leave women and people of color out of their TAM, he challenges conventional thinking on every front. He pulls no punches—calling out performative DEI, synthetic AI datasets, and the emerging “woe is me” narrative among young men. 


Whether you’re a founder, investor, or operator, this is a provocative, insight-rich conversation on how to build boldly for the world that is, not the one that was.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:53 - Why Reframe? Widening the lens on TAM (Total Addressable Market) and reevaluating go-to-market strategies that exclude women and minorities

06:08 - This is a business risk, not a moral issue - exclusion is leaving billions on the table

08:01 - MetLife case study: refocusing segmentation led to 2x growth in digital product lines

11:04 - Historical data sets, current AI and most TAMs are inherently biased

18:14 - Future-proofing for brands; ELF Beauty case study

23:23 - Global lens on consumers today; How exclusive is your TAM?

27:53 - Monocultural vs. cross/polycultural strategy; Amazon case study in addressability

33:38 - Responsible AI & women in tech

37:06 - Power and capitalism: “To build the America we love, we must accept the new America: diverse, cross-cultural, and polycultural.”

39:49 - Masculinity and the “Lost Boy Syndrome”

43:24 - Billion Dollar Questions


About Jeffrey L. Bowman

Jeffrey L. Bowman is the CEO and founder of Reframe AI Technologies and Reframe Consulting Services. He is an inventor, pioneer of a change operating system and inclusive experience design approach that helps leaders accelerate and operationalize inclusive change and growth at scale. Bowman is a two-time award-winning Wiley published author and Campaign US 40 Over 40. A former senior partner and managing director at Ogilvy & Mather in New York City, one of the world’s largest advertising and communications agencies. It was there Bowman pioneered the industry’s first cultural practice that modernized the marketing and communications industry. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Campaign, The Economist, Fast Company, NBC (Today Show), Fortune to name a few and he speaks frequently at industry and trade events across the United States, Europe, and South America.


FOLLOW JEFFREY:

https://jeffreylbowman.com

LinkedIn | Instagram


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2829 no [REPLAY] Melinda French Gates $1Bn for Women | Erin Harkless Moore, Pivotal Ventures Named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women, Melinda French Gates needs no introduction. Over the last twenty years through her work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one thing has become clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you must invest in women. This week's replay featured Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investment for Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates company created to do exactly that. To accelerate social progress in the U.S by investing in women’s power and influence. As a member of Pivotal’s Executive Leadership Team, Erin leads the organization’s fund, and direct investment decisions, overseeing a diverse portfolio of investments that drive breakthrough innovations and drive impact for people in the US. With nearly 20 years of investment experience, building customized portfolios for endowed institutions and family offices, serving most recently as Managing Director at Cambridge Associates, we talk about everything from challenging the status quo to her investment strategy. You don’t want to miss this! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro 02:04 - Erin's career, passion, profit, purpose 05:53 - The premium of 'track record' 07:58 - Investment in diversity initiatives under attack 10:53 - Where does the resistance come from? 12:30 - The role of consultants 16:01 - Melinda French Gates' point of impact 18:20 - Investing in women is not charity 24:24 - Getting to a 'yes' as an LP 30:22 - Cracking the patterns of history Pivotal Ventures | A Melinda French Gates Company Investing | Pivotal Ventures Breaking With Tradition | Pitchbook - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 26 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 131 Sarah Chen-Spellings Named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women, Melinda French Gates needs no introduction. Over the last twenty years through her work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one thing has become clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you must invest in women. This week's replay featured Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investment for Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates company created to do exactly that. To accelerate social progress in the U.S by investing in women’s power and influence. As a member of Pivotal’s Executive Leadership Team, Erin leads the organization’s fund, and direct investment decisions, overseeing a diverse portfolio of investments that drive breakthrough innovations and drive impact for people in the US. With nearly 20 years of investment experience, building customized portfolios for endowed institutions and family offices, serving most recently as Managing Director at Cambridge Associates, we talk about everything from challenging the status quo to her investment strategy. You don’t want to miss this! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro 02:04 - Erin's career, passion, profit, purpose 05:53 - The premium of 'track record' 07:58 - Investment in diversity initiatives under attack 10:53 - Where does the resistance come from? 12:30 - The role of consultants 16:01 - Melinda French Gates' point of impact 18:20 - Investing in women is not charity 24:24 - Getting to a 'yes' as an LP 30:22 - Cracking the patterns of history Pivotal Ventures | A Melinda French Gates Company Investing | Pivotal Ventures Breaking With Tradition | Pitchbook - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women, Melinda French Gates needs no introduction. Over the last twenty years through her work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one thing has become clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you must invest in women.

This week's replay featured Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investment for Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates company created to do exactly that. To accelerate social progress in the U.S by investing in women’s power and influence. As a member of Pivotal’s Executive Leadership Team, Erin leads the organization’s fund, and direct investment decisions, overseeing a diverse portfolio of investments that drive breakthrough innovations and drive impact for people in the US.

With nearly 20 years of investment experience, building customized portfolios for endowed institutions and family offices, serving most recently as Managing Director at Cambridge Associates, we talk about everything from challenging the status quo to her investment strategy. You don’t want to miss this!


TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro

02:04 - Erin's career, passion, profit, purpose

05:53 - The premium of 'track record'

07:58 - Investment in diversity initiatives under attack

10:53 - Where does the resistance come from?

12:30 - The role of consultants

16:01 - Melinda French Gates' point of impact

18:20 - Investing in women is not charity

24:24 - Getting to a 'yes' as an LP

30:22 - Cracking the patterns of history


Pivotal Ventures | A Melinda French Gates Company

Investing | Pivotal Ventures

Breaking With Tradition | Pitchbook


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2472 no Scaling with Purpose: Antler’s Global Thesis on Intentionality & Outlier Returns w/ Rosalind Bazany In this episode of our mini series #MeritInMotion, we’re joined by Rosalind Bazany, Head of ESG and Impact at Antler, one of the world’s most active and selective early-stage VCs. As a pledge partner of Beyond The Billion, Antler has helped deploy capital into nearly 3,000 women through its founder residencies—without any diversity quotas. From her childhood to managing hedge funds through the global financial crisis, Ros brings systems-level thinking to investing in outliers. We explore how Antler is rewriting the rules of venture by backing overlooked markets and underestimated founders across 27 offices and six continents—with a third of its capital going to women-led startups. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:11 - Ros’ global roots that shaped her adaptability & curiosity; joining Antler 06:21 - Inside Antler’s highly selective global model: 160,000+ applications annually, 27 offices on 6 continents, 1500+ investments made 08:03 - Antler VS Y Combinator; backing PEOPLE before ideas: commercial viability and adaptability as key early traits 12:55 - Female founders with real returns under Antler’s portfolio; driving returns with intentionality, not hard quotas nor mandates 24:22 - Impact ≠ Concessionary Returns 27:46 - Exits and long-term view with liquidity on horizon 30:19 -  Sustainability as strategy: backing the outliers; leveraging Antler’s global programs to source the best of the best 39:35 - Looking ahead for Antler 42:26 - Gender lens is not a filter but a strategic aperture 46:07 - Billion Dollar Questions Read Beyond The Billion's Our Next Billion Momentum Report 2025 here. About Rosalind Bazany Ros Bazany is Head of ESG and impact at Antler and currently based in Singapore. Ros is responsible for leading the overall strategy design and implementation of Antler’s ESG and impact proposition to deliver long-term value for Antler’s stakeholders. This includes oversight of firm level practices, founder engagement and investment decision making processes.  Prior to this, she worked at the global asset manager Schroders for over 10 years, working with institutional and retail clients, including on a number of strategic ESG initiatives, across Europe and Asia. She started her career at the hedge fund BlueCrest and holds an MSc in Chemistry.  She is passionate about making ESG and impact a tool to create value for our founders, Antler and the industry more broadly. Read more about Antler’s 2024 ESG and Impact Report: https://www.antler.co/sustainability Follow Ros & Antler: https://www.antler.co/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosalind-bazany-a225275/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 19 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 130 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this episode of our mini series #MeritInMotion, we’re joined by Rosalind Bazany, Head of ESG and Impact at Antler, one of the world’s most active and selective early-stage VCs. As a pledge partner of Beyond The Billion, Antler has helped deploy capital into nearly 3,000 women through its founder residencies—without any diversity quotas. From her childhood to managing hedge funds through the global financial crisis, Ros brings systems-level thinking to investing in outliers. We explore how Antler is rewriting the rules of venture by backing overlooked markets and underestimated founders across 27 offices and six continents—with a third of its capital going to women-led startups. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:11 - Ros’ global roots that shaped her adaptability & curiosity; joining Antler 06:21 - Inside Antler’s highly selective global model: 160,000+ applications annually, 27 offices on 6 continents, 1500+ investments made 08:03 - Antler VS Y Combinator; backing PEOPLE before ideas: commercial viability and adaptability as key early traits 12:55 - Female founders with real returns under Antler’s portfolio; driving returns with intentionality, not hard quotas nor mandates 24:22 - Impact ≠ Concessionary Returns 27:46 - Exits and long-term view with liquidity on horizon 30:19 -  Sustainability as strategy: backing the outliers; leveraging Antler’s global programs to source the best of the best 39:35 - Looking ahead for Antler 42:26 - Gender lens is not a filter but a strategic aperture 46:07 - Billion Dollar Questions Read Beyond The Billion's Our Next Billion Momentum Report 2025 here. About Rosalind Bazany Ros Bazany is Head of ESG and impact at Antler and currently based in Singapore. Ros is responsible for leading the overall strategy design and implementation of Antler’s ESG and impact proposition to deliver long-term value for Antler’s stakeholders. This includes oversight of firm level practices, founder engagement and investment decision making processes.  Prior to this, she worked at the global asset manager Schroders for over 10 years, working with institutional and retail clients, including on a number of strategic ESG initiatives, across Europe and Asia. She started her career at the hedge fund BlueCrest and holds an MSc in Chemistry.  She is passionate about making ESG and impact a tool to create value for our founders, Antler and the industry more broadly. Read more about Antler’s 2024 ESG and Impact Report: https://www.antler.co/sustainability Follow Ros & Antler: https://www.antler.co/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosalind-bazany-a225275/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal In this episode of our mini series #MeritInMotion, we’re joined by Rosalind Bazany, Head of ESG and Impact at Antler, one of the world’s most active and selective early-stage VCs. As a pledge partner of Beyond The Billion, Antler has helped deploy capital into nearly 3,000 women through its founder residencies—without any diversity quotas.

From her childhood to managing hedge funds through the global financial crisis, Ros brings systems-level thinking to investing in outliers. We explore how Antler is rewriting the rules of venture by backing overlooked markets and underestimated founders across 27 offices and six continents—with a third of its capital going to women-led startups.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

02:11 - Ros’ global roots that shaped her adaptability & curiosity; joining Antler

06:21 - Inside Antler’s highly selective global model: 160,000+ applications annually, 27 offices on 6 continents, 1500+ investments made

08:03 - Antler VS Y Combinator; backing PEOPLE before ideas: commercial viability and adaptability as key early traits

12:55 - Female founders with real returns under Antler’s portfolio; driving returns with intentionality, not hard quotas nor mandates

24:22 - Impact ≠ Concessionary Returns

27:46 - Exits and long-term view with liquidity on horizon

30:19 -  Sustainability as strategy: backing the outliers; leveraging Antler’s global programs to source the best of the best

39:35 - Looking ahead for Antler

42:26 - Gender lens is not a filter but a strategic aperture

46:07 - Billion Dollar Questions


Read Beyond The Billion's Our Next Billion Momentum Report 2025 here.

About Rosalind Bazany

Ros Bazany is Head of ESG and impact at Antler and currently based in Singapore. Ros is responsible for leading the overall strategy design and implementation of Antler’s ESG and impact proposition to deliver long-term value for Antler’s stakeholders. This includes oversight of firm level practices, founder engagement and investment decision making processes. 

Prior to this, she worked at the global asset manager Schroders for over 10 years, working with institutional and retail clients, including on a number of strategic ESG initiatives, across Europe and Asia. She started her career at the hedge fund BlueCrest and holds an MSc in Chemistry. 

She is passionate about making ESG and impact a tool to create value for our founders, Antler and the industry more broadly.


Read more about Antler’s 2024 ESG and Impact Report: https://www.antler.co/sustainability


Follow Ros & Antler:

https://www.antler.co/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosalind-bazany-a225275/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3096 no From Viral Videos to Brain Chips: The Future of Human-AI Evolution w/ Taryn Southern What happens when a viral creator becomes a deep tech investor—and then starts working on brain chips? In this episode, we go beyond the hype with Taryn Southern—early YouTube pioneer, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and now a leading voice in neurotechnology and AI.  From releasing the world’s first AI-generated music album to working at the frontier of brain-computer interfaces with Blackrock Neurotech, Taryn opens up about redefining creativity and investing in future-defining tech.  You’ll walk away with a practical AI prompt framework, hard truths about what it takes to bet smart on deep tech—and a powerful reminder of what it really means to be human in an age of machines. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:43 - From Anthropology to youtube stardom—then diving into AI & Neurotech 07:04 - The first artist to release a full AI-generated music album: why AI enhances creativity, not threatens it 12:45 - Upskilling for the AI era; The G.R.I.P.E. framework: How to prompt ChatGPT like a pro 16:18 - The science and reality behind BCI; Blackrock Neurotech’s critical technologies for ALS patients, funding and capital 26:47 - The future of AI for women; AI investment advice & the questions you should be asking 32:24 - Billion Dollar Questions with Taryn Southern About Taryn Southern "Deeply thoughtful yet boundlessly optimistic." Taryn Southern is an award-winning storyteller and creative technologist exploring the intersection of emerging tech and human potential. Her groundbreaking creative experiments offer unique insights into how technology can help us unleash creativity, joy, wellbeing and productivity. Originally from Kansas, Taryn’s first foray into entertainment began at 17 when she competed in the semi-finals of American Idol. In 2007, after obtaining degrees in journalism and anthropology, Taryn uploaded her first video onto YouTube. Ten years and 750 million views later, this early YouTuber produced more than 1500 internet videos, at the forefront of the online content revolution. In 2007, she hosted and produced a TV series documenting her travels to meet her MySpace friends and uploaded her first viral video to YouTube. Over the next decade, she created over 1500 videos garnering more than 1 billion views, served as an early advisor to YouTube, Google VR and Snapchat product teams, and consulted for companies like Conde Nast and Marriott on digital content strategy and narrative design. FOLLOW TARYN https://tarynsouthern.com/ https://www.instagram.com/tarynsouthern/ https://www.youtube.com/TarynSouthern - PODCAST INFO: ⁠Podcast website⁠ | Watch on Youtube⁠ | ⁠Join the community⁠ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter Thu, 12 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 129 Sarah Chen-Spellings What happens when a viral creator becomes a deep tech investor—and then starts working on brain chips? In this episode, we go beyond the hype with Taryn Southern—early YouTube pioneer, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and now a leading voice in neurotechnology and AI.  From releasing the world’s first AI-generated music album to working at the frontier of brain-computer interfaces with Blackrock Neurotech, Taryn opens up about redefining creativity and investing in future-defining tech.  You’ll walk away with a practical AI prompt framework, hard truths about what it takes to bet smart on deep tech—and a powerful reminder of what it really means to be human in an age of machines. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:43 - From Anthropology to youtube stardom—then diving into AI & Neurotech 07:04 - The first artist to release a full AI-generated music album: why AI enhances creativity, not threatens it 12:45 - Upskilling for the AI era; The G.R.I.P.E. framework: How to prompt ChatGPT like a pro 16:18 - The science and reality behind BCI; Blackrock Neurotech’s critical technologies for ALS patients, funding and capital 26:47 - The future of AI for women; AI investment advice & the questions you should be asking 32:24 - Billion Dollar Questions with Taryn Southern About Taryn Southern "Deeply thoughtful yet boundlessly optimistic." Taryn Southern is an award-winning storyteller and creative technologist exploring the intersection of emerging tech and human potential. Her groundbreaking creative experiments offer unique insights into how technology can help us unleash creativity, joy, wellbeing and productivity. Originally from Kansas, Taryn’s first foray into entertainment began at 17 when she competed in the semi-finals of American Idol. In 2007, after obtaining degrees in journalism and anthropology, Taryn uploaded her first video onto YouTube. Ten years and 750 million views later, this early YouTuber produced more than 1500 internet videos, at the forefront of the online content revolution. In 2007, she hosted and produced a TV series documenting her travels to meet her MySpace friends and uploaded her first viral video to YouTube. Over the next decade, she created over 1500 videos garnering more than 1 billion views, served as an early advisor to YouTube, Google VR and Snapchat product teams, and consulted for companies like Conde Nast and Marriott on digital content strategy and narrative design. FOLLOW TARYN https://tarynsouthern.com/ https://www.instagram.com/tarynsouthern/ https://www.youtube.com/TarynSouthern - PODCAST INFO: ⁠Podcast website⁠ | Watch on Youtube⁠ | ⁠Join the community⁠ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter What happens when a viral creator becomes a deep tech investor—and then starts working on brain chips?

In this episode, we go beyond the hype with Taryn Southern—early YouTube pioneer, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and now a leading voice in neurotechnology and AI.  From releasing the world’s first AI-generated music album to working at the frontier of brain-computer interfaces with Blackrock Neurotech, Taryn opens up about redefining creativity and investing in future-defining tech. 

You’ll walk away with a practical AI prompt framework, hard truths about what it takes to bet smart on deep tech—and a powerful reminder of what it really means to be human in an age of machines.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:43 - From Anthropology to youtube stardom—then diving into AI & Neurotech

07:04 - The first artist to release a full AI-generated music album: why AI enhances creativity, not threatens it

12:45 - Upskilling for the AI era; The G.R.I.P.E. framework: How to prompt ChatGPT like a pro

16:18 - The science and reality behind BCI; Blackrock Neurotech’s critical technologies for ALS patients, funding and capital

26:47 - The future of AI for women; AI investment advice & the questions you should be asking

32:24 - Billion Dollar Questions with Taryn Southern


About Taryn Southern

"Deeply thoughtful yet boundlessly optimistic."

Taryn Southern is an award-winning storyteller and creative technologist exploring the intersection of emerging tech and human potential. Her groundbreaking creative experiments offer unique insights into how technology can help us unleash creativity, joy, wellbeing and productivity.

Originally from Kansas, Taryn’s first foray into entertainment began at 17 when she competed in the semi-finals of American Idol. In 2007, after obtaining degrees in journalism and anthropology, Taryn uploaded her first video onto YouTube.

Ten years and 750 million views later, this early YouTuber produced more than 1500 internet videos, at the forefront of the online content revolution. In 2007, she hosted and produced a TV series documenting her travels to meet her MySpace friends and uploaded her first viral video to YouTube.

Over the next decade, she created over 1500 videos garnering more than 1 billion views, served as an early advisor to YouTube, Google VR and Snapchat product teams, and consulted for companies like Conde Nast and Marriott on digital content strategy and narrative design.


FOLLOW TARYN

https://tarynsouthern.com/

https://www.instagram.com/tarynsouthern/

https://www.youtube.com/TarynSouthern


-


PODCAST INFO:

⁠Podcast website⁠ | Watch on Youtube⁠ | ⁠Join the community⁠

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

]]> 2270 no Why 8 in 10 LPs Still Don’t Back Women—And What Ankita’s Doing About It Venture capital is changing—and so is India. In this episode, we dive deep with Ankita Vashistha, the trailblazing investor behind Saha Fund and Arise Ventures. From building Singapore’s first government-backed fund to leading a ₹500 Crore gender-lens powerhouse, Ankita’s story is one of grit, foresight, and redefining alpha. With 5 unicorns, 50+ investments, and a global accelerator reaching 5,000+ founders a year—this is more than investing. It’s revolution. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:50 - #1 From Copycat to Category Creator – The Rise of India as a Global Builder 08:32 - #2 Gender Lens ≠ Charity. It’s Alpha. 17:53 - #3 The Venture Capital Playbook Needs a Reboot—For India 19:42 - #4 From Capital Allocator to Company Builder 21:47 - #5 Be Loud. Be Clear. Be Your Own Champion. 22:47 - Closing Remark:Legacy in Motion ABOUT ANKITA With over 16 years of experience in private equity, venture capital, innovation, diversity and impact investing, Ankita is a passionate and visionary venture capital investor and entrepreneur.  Ankita founded and led two pioneering funds, StrongHer Ventures and Saha Fund, that invest in and promote women engagement, empowerment and entrepreneurship through digital technology and now leading her third fund - Arise Ventures.  Ankita also co-authored of the book "Innovation at Scale", which covers how digital is transforming industries and creating opportunities for women.  FOLLOW ANKITA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankitavashistha/ https://www.instagram.com/ankitasvashistha/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 128 Sarah Chen-Spellings Venture capital is changing—and so is India. In this episode, we dive deep with Ankita Vashistha, the trailblazing investor behind Saha Fund and Arise Ventures. From building Singapore’s first government-backed fund to leading a ₹500 Crore gender-lens powerhouse, Ankita’s story is one of grit, foresight, and redefining alpha. With 5 unicorns, 50+ investments, and a global accelerator reaching 5,000+ founders a year—this is more than investing. It’s revolution. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:50 - #1 From Copycat to Category Creator – The Rise of India as a Global Builder 08:32 - #2 Gender Lens ≠ Charity. It’s Alpha. 17:53 - #3 The Venture Capital Playbook Needs a Reboot—For India 19:42 - #4 From Capital Allocator to Company Builder 21:47 - #5 Be Loud. Be Clear. Be Your Own Champion. 22:47 - Closing Remark:Legacy in Motion ABOUT ANKITA With over 16 years of experience in private equity, venture capital, innovation, diversity and impact investing, Ankita is a passionate and visionary venture capital investor and entrepreneur.  Ankita founded and led two pioneering funds, StrongHer Ventures and Saha Fund, that invest in and promote women engagement, empowerment and entrepreneurship through digital technology and now leading her third fund - Arise Ventures.  Ankita also co-authored of the book "Innovation at Scale", which covers how digital is transforming industries and creating opportunities for women.  FOLLOW ANKITA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankitavashistha/ https://www.instagram.com/ankitasvashistha/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Venture capital is changing—and so is India. In this episode, we dive deep with Ankita Vashistha, the trailblazing investor behind Saha Fund and Arise Ventures.

From building Singapore’s first government-backed fund to leading a ₹500 Crore gender-lens powerhouse, Ankita’s story is one of grit, foresight, and redefining alpha. With 5 unicorns, 50+ investments, and a global accelerator reaching 5,000+ founders a year—this is more than investing. It’s revolution.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:50 - #1 From Copycat to Category Creator – The Rise of India as a Global Builder

08:32 - #2 Gender Lens ≠ Charity. It’s Alpha.

17:53 - #3 The Venture Capital Playbook Needs a Reboot—For India

19:42 - #4 From Capital Allocator to Company Builder

21:47 - #5 Be Loud. Be Clear. Be Your Own Champion.

22:47 - Closing Remark:Legacy in Motion


ABOUT ANKITA


With over 16 years of experience in private equity, venture capital, innovation, diversity and impact investing, Ankita is a passionate and visionary venture capital investor and entrepreneur. 


Ankita founded and led two pioneering funds, StrongHer Ventures and Saha Fund, that invest in and promote women engagement, empowerment and entrepreneurship through digital technology and now leading her third fund - Arise Ventures. 


Ankita also co-authored of the book "Innovation at Scale", which covers how digital is transforming industries and creating opportunities for women. 


FOLLOW ANKITA:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankitavashistha/

https://www.instagram.com/ankitasvashistha/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1617 no The Rise of the Solo Capitalist: How One-Person Funds Are Winning Big w/ Itamar Novick, Recursive Ventures With 25 years across engineering, operating, and venture capital, Itamar Novick knows what it takes to build billion-dollar companies—because he’s done it. From betting his life savings on Life360 (now $4.5B public) to helping 60+ startups raise Series A, Itamar shares the unfiltered playbook on solo capital, Pre-Seed power moves, and why he’s staying small in a mega-fund world.  Tune in for tactical insights on fundraising, AI investing, and VC truths founders should know! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:10 - From Sandhill Road to solo GP: Itamar’s founder-focused philosophy 06:14 - Itamar’s bet on Life360: investing life savings and the $4.5B IPO journey 10:00 - Pivoting framework: ‘Time is money and money is time’ 13:42 - The birth of Recursive Ventures 15:14 - Rise of solo GPs: How Tech, AI, & LPs making it more feasible 18:02 - AI’s role in venture — replacing VCs? 21:18 - Pre-Seed investing strategy: Staying small, focused, and lean. 24:44 - Trend of Mega Funds as financial services firms 27:35 - Returning capital before IPOs: Liquidity and Secondaries 33:54 - AI investing deep dive: Infra vs. application layer; importance of Moat 40:14 - Founders’ pitfalls: dilution, anti-patterns, and mispriced valuations 44:03 - Billion Dollar Questions About Itamar Novick Itamar is a solo capitalist and the founder of Recursive Ventures, a pre-seed fund focused on fintech, AI and emerging tech startups. Itamar has been on all sides of the startup table: as a founder and executive, an institutional VC, and an angel investor.  He has supported over 50 successful startups, including Deel, Honeybook, Placer, Credible (IPO), MileIQ (acquired by Microsoft), Automatic Labs (acquired by SiriusXM), Tile (acquired by Life360), SafeGraph, and Armory. He’s been recognized by Business Insider as a Top 100 global seed investor. As an operator, he helped take Life360 from Seed to IPO, scaling the business to over $250m in revenue.  Before that, Itamar was a founding team member and head of Product at Gigya (acquired by SAP). He holds an MBA from Berkeley Haas and an undergraduate degree in computer science from the Tel-Aviv Jaffa College. FOLLOW ITAMAR: https://www.itamarnovick.com https://x.com/Itamar_Novick https://www.linkedin.com/in/itamarnovick/ About Recursive Ventures Recursive Ventures is a San Francisco based VC fund investing in US Pre-seed and Seed Tech Startups disrupting industries through use of Data and Artificial Intelligence. Recursive is managed by Itamar Novick with support from a seasoned group of Founders, Operators, and go-to-market experts. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 29 May 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 127 Sarah Chen-Spellings With 25 years across engineering, operating, and venture capital, Itamar Novick knows what it takes to build billion-dollar companies—because he’s done it. From betting his life savings on Life360 (now $4.5B public) to helping 60+ startups raise Series A, Itamar shares the unfiltered playbook on solo capital, Pre-Seed power moves, and why he’s staying small in a mega-fund world.  Tune in for tactical insights on fundraising, AI investing, and VC truths founders should know! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:10 - From Sandhill Road to solo GP: Itamar’s founder-focused philosophy 06:14 - Itamar’s bet on Life360: investing life savings and the $4.5B IPO journey 10:00 - Pivoting framework: ‘Time is money and money is time’ 13:42 - The birth of Recursive Ventures 15:14 - Rise of solo GPs: How Tech, AI, & LPs making it more feasible 18:02 - AI’s role in venture — replacing VCs? 21:18 - Pre-Seed investing strategy: Staying small, focused, and lean. 24:44 - Trend of Mega Funds as financial services firms 27:35 - Returning capital before IPOs: Liquidity and Secondaries 33:54 - AI investing deep dive: Infra vs. application layer; importance of Moat 40:14 - Founders’ pitfalls: dilution, anti-patterns, and mispriced valuations 44:03 - Billion Dollar Questions About Itamar Novick Itamar is a solo capitalist and the founder of Recursive Ventures, a pre-seed fund focused on fintech, AI and emerging tech startups. Itamar has been on all sides of the startup table: as a founder and executive, an institutional VC, and an angel investor.  He has supported over 50 successful startups, including Deel, Honeybook, Placer, Credible (IPO), MileIQ (acquired by Microsoft), Automatic Labs (acquired by SiriusXM), Tile (acquired by Life360), SafeGraph, and Armory. He’s been recognized by Business Insider as a Top 100 global seed investor. As an operator, he helped take Life360 from Seed to IPO, scaling the business to over $250m in revenue.  Before that, Itamar was a founding team member and head of Product at Gigya (acquired by SAP). He holds an MBA from Berkeley Haas and an undergraduate degree in computer science from the Tel-Aviv Jaffa College. FOLLOW ITAMAR: https://www.itamarnovick.com https://x.com/Itamar_Novick https://www.linkedin.com/in/itamarnovick/ About Recursive Ventures Recursive Ventures is a San Francisco based VC fund investing in US Pre-seed and Seed Tech Startups disrupting industries through use of Data and Artificial Intelligence. Recursive is managed by Itamar Novick with support from a seasoned group of Founders, Operators, and go-to-market experts. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal With 25 years across engineering, operating, and venture capital, Itamar Novick knows what it takes to build billion-dollar companies—because he’s done it. From betting his life savings on Life360 (now $4.5B public) to helping 60+ startups raise Series A, Itamar shares the unfiltered playbook on solo capital, Pre-Seed power moves, and why he’s staying small in a mega-fund world. 

Tune in for tactical insights on fundraising, AI investing, and VC truths founders should know!


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

02:10 - From Sandhill Road to solo GP: Itamar’s founder-focused philosophy

06:14 - Itamar’s bet on Life360: investing life savings and the $4.5B IPO journey

10:00 - Pivoting framework: ‘Time is money and money is time’

13:42 - The birth of Recursive Ventures

15:14 - Rise of solo GPs: How Tech, AI, & LPs making it more feasible

18:02 - AI’s role in venture — replacing VCs?

21:18 - Pre-Seed investing strategy: Staying small, focused, and lean.

24:44 - Trend of Mega Funds as financial services firms

27:35 - Returning capital before IPOs: Liquidity and Secondaries

33:54 - AI investing deep dive: Infra vs. application layer; importance of Moat

40:14 - Founders’ pitfalls: dilution, anti-patterns, and mispriced valuations

44:03 - Billion Dollar Questions


About Itamar Novick

Itamar is a solo capitalist and the founder of Recursive Ventures, a pre-seed fund focused on fintech, AI and emerging tech startups. Itamar has been on all sides of the startup table: as a founder and executive, an institutional VC, and an angel investor. 


He has supported over 50 successful startups, including Deel, Honeybook, Placer, Credible (IPO), MileIQ (acquired by Microsoft), Automatic Labs (acquired by SiriusXM), Tile (acquired by Life360), SafeGraph, and Armory. He’s been recognized by Business Insider as a Top 100 global seed investor. As an operator, he helped take Life360 from Seed to IPO, scaling the business to over $250m in revenue. 


Before that, Itamar was a founding team member and head of Product at Gigya (acquired by SAP). He holds an MBA from Berkeley Haas and an undergraduate degree in computer science from the Tel-Aviv Jaffa College.


FOLLOW ITAMAR:

https://www.itamarnovick.com

https://x.com/Itamar_Novick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/itamarnovick/


About Recursive Ventures

Recursive Ventures is a San Francisco based VC fund investing in US Pre-seed and Seed Tech Startups disrupting industries through use of Data and Artificial Intelligence. Recursive is managed by Itamar Novick with support from a seasoned group of Founders, Operators, and go-to-market experts.


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2904 no [BITE] The Big Bet Mindset: Building Bold, Lasting Change w/ Dr. Raj Shah, The Rockefeller Foundation Summer’s almost here—and with it, a moment to reflect on what it really takes to spark lasting, meaningful change. In a world where progress often feels slow and the stakes impossibly high, Dr. Rajiv Shah has spent his career proving that bold, system-shifting bets can work. From leading global vaccine efforts at the Gates Foundation, to reshaping food security policy at USAID, to now powering innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation—Raj’s story is one of grit, vision, and conviction. This conversation is a masterclass on making big bets: how to build unlikely alliances, act with urgency, and stay grounded in optimism—even when the odds feel stacked. If you’re a leader wondering “Where do we go from here?”—this one’s for you. Let’s dive in. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:32 - Key Takeaway #1: The 3 key elements of big bets: 04:38 - Key Takeaway #2: It is realistic to be optimistic about grand-scale changes. 09:22 - Key Takeaway #3: Keep taking the risks, keep reinventing. 12:05 - Key Takeaway #4: Crossing boundaries IS part of the process 15:08 - A powerful reminder: every billion-dollar move starts with conviction, clarity, and courage. About Dr Rajiv Shah Dr. Rajiv J. "Raj" Shah was born to Indian immigrant parents who settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the late 1960s. He joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2001, serving in a range of leadership roles including Director of Agricultural Development, Director of Strategic Opportunities, Deputy Director of Policy and Finance and Chief Economist. During his time in Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he was also responsible for developing the International Finance Facility for Immunization, which raised more than $5 billion for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). Throughout Obama administration, Raj was nominated to serve United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID). As Administrator of USAID, he restructured $2.9 billion of global health investments to focus on cost-effective ways to save lives of children under the age of five in priority countries. On January 5, 2017, Raj Shah was sworn to serve as the 13th president of the Rockefeller Foundation, continuing the mission of the foundation to improve the lives of humanity around the world. In 2023, he authored the book "Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Occurs,”, offers insights into some of his experiences in philanthropic and public service work, as well as the lessons he has learned throughout his career on how to drive transformational change through a big-goal mindset. FOLLOW DR. RAJ Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter Rockefeller Foundation - Big Bets https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/bigbets - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 22 May 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 126 Sarah Chen-Spellings Summer’s almost here—and with it, a moment to reflect on what it really takes to spark lasting, meaningful change. In a world where progress often feels slow and the stakes impossibly high, Dr. Rajiv Shah has spent his career proving that bold, system-shifting bets can work. From leading global vaccine efforts at the Gates Foundation, to reshaping food security policy at USAID, to now powering innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation—Raj’s story is one of grit, vision, and conviction. This conversation is a masterclass on making big bets: how to build unlikely alliances, act with urgency, and stay grounded in optimism—even when the odds feel stacked. If you’re a leader wondering “Where do we go from here?”—this one’s for you. Let’s dive in. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:32 - Key Takeaway #1: The 3 key elements of big bets: 04:38 - Key Takeaway #2: It is realistic to be optimistic about grand-scale changes. 09:22 - Key Takeaway #3: Keep taking the risks, keep reinventing. 12:05 - Key Takeaway #4: Crossing boundaries IS part of the process 15:08 - A powerful reminder: every billion-dollar move starts with conviction, clarity, and courage. About Dr Rajiv Shah Dr. Rajiv J. "Raj" Shah was born to Indian immigrant parents who settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the late 1960s. He joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2001, serving in a range of leadership roles including Director of Agricultural Development, Director of Strategic Opportunities, Deputy Director of Policy and Finance and Chief Economist. During his time in Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he was also responsible for developing the International Finance Facility for Immunization, which raised more than $5 billion for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). Throughout Obama administration, Raj was nominated to serve United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID). As Administrator of USAID, he restructured $2.9 billion of global health investments to focus on cost-effective ways to save lives of children under the age of five in priority countries. On January 5, 2017, Raj Shah was sworn to serve as the 13th president of the Rockefeller Foundation, continuing the mission of the foundation to improve the lives of humanity around the world. In 2023, he authored the book "Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Occurs,”, offers insights into some of his experiences in philanthropic and public service work, as well as the lessons he has learned throughout his career on how to drive transformational change through a big-goal mindset. FOLLOW DR. RAJ Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter Rockefeller Foundation - Big Bets https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/bigbets - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Summer’s almost here—and with it, a moment to reflect on what it really takes to spark lasting, meaningful change. In a world where progress often feels slow and the stakes impossibly high, Dr. Rajiv Shah has spent his career proving that bold, system-shifting bets can work.

From leading global vaccine efforts at the Gates Foundation, to reshaping food security policy at USAID, to now powering innovation at The Rockefeller Foundation—Raj’s story is one of grit, vision, and conviction.

This conversation is a masterclass on making big bets: how to build unlikely alliances, act with urgency, and stay grounded in optimism—even when the odds feel stacked.

If you’re a leader wondering “Where do we go from here?”—this one’s for you.

Let’s dive in.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:32 - Key Takeaway #1: The 3 key elements of big bets:

04:38 - Key Takeaway #2: It is realistic to be optimistic about grand-scale changes.

09:22 - Key Takeaway #3: Keep taking the risks, keep reinventing.

12:05 - Key Takeaway #4: Crossing boundaries IS part of the process

15:08 - A powerful reminder: every billion-dollar move starts with conviction, clarity, and courage.


About Dr Rajiv Shah

Dr. Rajiv J. "Raj" Shah was born to Indian immigrant parents who settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the late 1960s. He joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2001, serving in a range of leadership roles including Director of Agricultural Development, Director of Strategic Opportunities, Deputy Director of Policy and Finance and Chief Economist. During his time in Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he was also responsible for developing the International Finance Facility for Immunization, which raised more than $5 billion for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI).

Throughout Obama administration, Raj was nominated to serve United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID). As Administrator of USAID, he restructured $2.9 billion of global health investments to focus on cost-effective ways to save lives of children under the age of five in priority countries.

On January 5, 2017, Raj Shah was sworn to serve as the 13th president of the Rockefeller Foundation, continuing the mission of the foundation to improve the lives of humanity around the world.

In 2023, he authored the book "Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Occurs,”, offers insights into some of his experiences in philanthropic and public service work, as well as the lessons he has learned throughout his career on how to drive transformational change through a big-goal mindset.


FOLLOW DR. RAJ

Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter


Rockefeller Foundation - Big Bets

https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/bigbets


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1043 no Breaking VC Stereotypes: Power, Privilege, and Purpose w/ Jesse Draper, Halogen Ventures Her great-grandfather helped birth the VC industry. Her father, Tim Draper, made game-changing bets on Tesla, Hotmail, and Skype.  But Jesse Draper? She’s carved her own path—first as a Nickelodeon actress, then as the creator of The Valley Girl Show, and now as the founding partner of Halogen Ventures. With over 75 female-founded companies under her belt, Jesse is proving that investing in women isn't charity—it's just good business.  From battling biases in the boardroom to rewriting what venture capital looks like through the lens of the modern family, this episode is Jesse Draper like you've never heard her before. Let’s dive in! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:52 - Jesse Draper’s early aspirations; family legacy & "Nepo Baby" pushback 05:21 - Starting a Tech talk show — The Valley Girl Show from her parents’ garage 10:16 - Pivoting to venture; early angel investments led to major returns: Laurel & Wolf with 26X return 13:17 - From Valley Girl persona to founding Halogen Ventures 21:28 - Thesis and conviction: Fund 1 raised $10.4M 27:27 - Childcare economy; Halogen doubling down on future of family 34:43 - Challenges with fundraising & biases; advice to women navigating wealth and power 47:50 - Billion Dollar Questions About Jesse Jesse Draper is a mother of 3 boys and founding partner of Halogen Ventures. Halogen Ventures is a Los Angeles based Venture Capital firm focused on early stage investing in consumer technology and strategic B2B software companies with a female in the founding team. Draper, the first solo female GP in Los Angeles, is also a 4th generation venture capitalist, the creator and host of Emmy nominated television series, The Valley Girl Show, and host of the MOMumental Podcast. She is a fierce advocate for investing in women and the opportunity for using technology and innovation to solve some of the biggest issues facing women and families today. Among her 70+ portfolio companies, are theSkimm, Babylist, ThirdLove, HopSkipDrive, The Flex Company, Squad (acquired by Twitter), Eloquii (sold to Walmart) and This is L (sold to P&G). Selected as one of the top 10 early stage female investors by Business Insider, Draper was also listed by Marie Claire magazine as one of the ‘50 Most Connected Women in America’, nominated by the NRF as a DealMakeHers, Variety’s Holly’s New Leaders, and Refinery29 30 Rising Stars.” Draper has been a contributor to Marie Claire, Forbes, and is a regular investor and tech personality showcased on Cheddar, CNBC, CNN. Following Jesse’s viral Medium piece, Investing in Women Isn’t a F*cking Charity, she’s become a leading voice of women in technology. Draper is also a Kauffman Fellow. FOLLOW JESSE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessedraper/ https://www.instagram.com/jessecdraper/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 15 May 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 125 Sarah Chen-Spellings Her great-grandfather helped birth the VC industry. Her father, Tim Draper, made game-changing bets on Tesla, Hotmail, and Skype.  But Jesse Draper? She’s carved her own path—first as a Nickelodeon actress, then as the creator of The Valley Girl Show, and now as the founding partner of Halogen Ventures. With over 75 female-founded companies under her belt, Jesse is proving that investing in women isn't charity—it's just good business.  From battling biases in the boardroom to rewriting what venture capital looks like through the lens of the modern family, this episode is Jesse Draper like you've never heard her before. Let’s dive in! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:52 - Jesse Draper’s early aspirations; family legacy & "Nepo Baby" pushback 05:21 - Starting a Tech talk show — The Valley Girl Show from her parents’ garage 10:16 - Pivoting to venture; early angel investments led to major returns: Laurel & Wolf with 26X return 13:17 - From Valley Girl persona to founding Halogen Ventures 21:28 - Thesis and conviction: Fund 1 raised $10.4M 27:27 - Childcare economy; Halogen doubling down on future of family 34:43 - Challenges with fundraising & biases; advice to women navigating wealth and power 47:50 - Billion Dollar Questions About Jesse Jesse Draper is a mother of 3 boys and founding partner of Halogen Ventures. Halogen Ventures is a Los Angeles based Venture Capital firm focused on early stage investing in consumer technology and strategic B2B software companies with a female in the founding team. Draper, the first solo female GP in Los Angeles, is also a 4th generation venture capitalist, the creator and host of Emmy nominated television series, The Valley Girl Show, and host of the MOMumental Podcast. She is a fierce advocate for investing in women and the opportunity for using technology and innovation to solve some of the biggest issues facing women and families today. Among her 70+ portfolio companies, are theSkimm, Babylist, ThirdLove, HopSkipDrive, The Flex Company, Squad (acquired by Twitter), Eloquii (sold to Walmart) and This is L (sold to P&G). Selected as one of the top 10 early stage female investors by Business Insider, Draper was also listed by Marie Claire magazine as one of the ‘50 Most Connected Women in America’, nominated by the NRF as a DealMakeHers, Variety’s Holly’s New Leaders, and Refinery29 30 Rising Stars.” Draper has been a contributor to Marie Claire, Forbes, and is a regular investor and tech personality showcased on Cheddar, CNBC, CNN. Following Jesse’s viral Medium piece, Investing in Women Isn’t a F*cking Charity, she’s become a leading voice of women in technology. Draper is also a Kauffman Fellow. FOLLOW JESSE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessedraper/ https://www.instagram.com/jessecdraper/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Her great-grandfather helped birth the VC industry. Her father, Tim Draper, made game-changing bets on Tesla, Hotmail, and Skype. 

But Jesse Draper? She’s carved her own path—first as a Nickelodeon actress, then as the creator of The Valley Girl Show, and now as the founding partner of Halogen Ventures. With over 75 female-founded companies under her belt, Jesse is proving that investing in women isn't charity—it's just good business. 

From battling biases in the boardroom to rewriting what venture capital looks like through the lens of the modern family, this episode is Jesse Draper like you've never heard her before. Let’s dive in!


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:52 - Jesse Draper’s early aspirations; family legacy & "Nepo Baby" pushback

05:21 - Starting a Tech talk show — The Valley Girl Show from her parents’ garage

10:16 - Pivoting to venture; early angel investments led to major returns: Laurel & Wolf with 26X return

13:17 - From Valley Girl persona to founding Halogen Ventures

21:28 - Thesis and conviction: Fund 1 raised $10.4M

27:27 - Childcare economy; Halogen doubling down on future of family

34:43 - Challenges with fundraising & biases; advice to women navigating wealth and power

47:50 - Billion Dollar Questions


About Jesse

Jesse Draper is a mother of 3 boys and founding partner of Halogen Ventures. Halogen Ventures is a Los Angeles based Venture Capital firm focused on early stage investing in consumer technology and strategic B2B software companies with a female in the founding team. Draper, the first solo female GP in Los Angeles, is also a 4th generation venture capitalist, the creator and host of Emmy nominated television series, The Valley Girl Show, and host of the MOMumental Podcast.

She is a fierce advocate for investing in women and the opportunity for using technology and innovation to solve some of the biggest issues facing women and families today. Among her 70+ portfolio companies, are theSkimm, Babylist, ThirdLove, HopSkipDrive, The Flex Company, Squad (acquired by Twitter), Eloquii (sold to Walmart) and This is L (sold to P&G).
Selected as one of the top 10 early stage female investors by Business Insider, Draper was also listed by Marie Claire magazine as one of the ‘50 Most Connected Women in America’, nominated by the NRF as a DealMakeHers, Variety’s Holly’s New Leaders, and Refinery29 30 Rising Stars.” Draper has been a contributor to Marie Claire, Forbes, and is a regular investor and tech personality showcased on Cheddar, CNBC, CNN. Following Jesse’s viral Medium piece, Investing in Women Isn’t a F*cking Charity, she’s become a leading voice of women in technology. Draper is also a Kauffman Fellow.

FOLLOW JESSE:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessedraper/

https://www.instagram.com/jessecdraper/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3137 no Leadership Redefined: Inside the Playbooks of AANHPI Founders and Funders In this AANHPI Heritage Month special, we go beyond the headlines to uncover the real strategies behind extraordinary leaders who happen to be Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander.  From billion-dollar founders to high-conviction investors, this episode dives into the mindset, grit, and quiet strength that drive lasting impact—not just success. You'll hear unfiltered insights from Melanie Perkins, Canva; Steve Chen, YouTube; Cathy Gao, Sapphire Venture; Kimberly Yao, CloudEats; Lisa Su, AMD; Momei Qu, PSP Partner; and James Rhee, the red helicopter; as they redefine what it means to lead in today’s world.  This isn’t just about representation—it’s about outperformance. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 0:52 - Key Takeaway #1: Entrepreneurial Grit and Innovation 09:06 - Key Takeaway #2: Leadership Lessons 15:37 - Key Takeaway #3: The Quiet Power of Humility 20:28 - Final takeaway: Treat grit as an input. Identity as insight. And never underestimate the quiet builders. WATCH THE FULL EPISODES: Journey after YouTube w/ Steve Chen, Draco Evolution https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/journey-after-youtube-steve-chen-draco/ Enterprise is Eating The World with Cathy Gao, Sapphire Ventures https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/enterprise-is-eating-the-world-cathy-gao-sapphire-ventures/ Bite: Evolving as a CEO That Your Company Needs with Kim Yao, CloudEats https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/bite-evolving-CEO-scaling-company-kim-yao-cloudeats/ Investing with Penny Pritzker and Building a Robust Venture & Growth Practice with Momei Qu, MD, PSP Partners https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/building-robust-venture-growth-practice-with-momei-qu-md-psp/ CEO Series: Lisa Su, AMD https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-lisa-su-amd/ CEO Series: Melanie Perkins, Canva https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-melanie-perkins-canva/ Leading with Kindness: The Power of Goodwill with James Rhee, Owner, Red Helicopter, TEDTalk Speaker https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/leading-with-kindness-the-power-of-goodwill-james-rhee-red-helicopter/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 08 May 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 124 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this AANHPI Heritage Month special, we go beyond the headlines to uncover the real strategies behind extraordinary leaders who happen to be Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander.  From billion-dollar founders to high-conviction investors, this episode dives into the mindset, grit, and quiet strength that drive lasting impact—not just success. You'll hear unfiltered insights from Melanie Perkins, Canva; Steve Chen, YouTube; Cathy Gao, Sapphire Venture; Kimberly Yao, CloudEats; Lisa Su, AMD; Momei Qu, PSP Partner; and James Rhee, the red helicopter; as they redefine what it means to lead in today’s world.  This isn’t just about representation—it’s about outperformance. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 0:52 - Key Takeaway #1: Entrepreneurial Grit and Innovation 09:06 - Key Takeaway #2: Leadership Lessons 15:37 - Key Takeaway #3: The Quiet Power of Humility 20:28 - Final takeaway: Treat grit as an input. Identity as insight. And never underestimate the quiet builders. WATCH THE FULL EPISODES: Journey after YouTube w/ Steve Chen, Draco Evolution https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/journey-after-youtube-steve-chen-draco/ Enterprise is Eating The World with Cathy Gao, Sapphire Ventures https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/enterprise-is-eating-the-world-cathy-gao-sapphire-ventures/ Bite: Evolving as a CEO That Your Company Needs with Kim Yao, CloudEats https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/bite-evolving-CEO-scaling-company-kim-yao-cloudeats/ Investing with Penny Pritzker and Building a Robust Venture & Growth Practice with Momei Qu, MD, PSP Partners https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/building-robust-venture-growth-practice-with-momei-qu-md-psp/ CEO Series: Lisa Su, AMD https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-lisa-su-amd/ CEO Series: Melanie Perkins, Canva https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-melanie-perkins-canva/ Leading with Kindness: The Power of Goodwill with James Rhee, Owner, Red Helicopter, TEDTalk Speaker https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/leading-with-kindness-the-power-of-goodwill-james-rhee-red-helicopter/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal In this AANHPI Heritage Month special, we go beyond the headlines to uncover the real strategies behind extraordinary leaders who happen to be Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander. 


From billion-dollar founders to high-conviction investors, this episode dives into the mindset, grit, and quiet strength that drive lasting impact—not just success. You'll hear unfiltered insights from Melanie Perkins, Canva; Steve Chen, YouTube; Cathy Gao, Sapphire Venture; Kimberly Yao, CloudEats; Lisa Su, AMD; Momei Qu, PSP Partner; and James Rhee, the red helicopter; as they redefine what it means to lead in today’s world. 


This isn’t just about representation—it’s about outperformance.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

0:52 - Key Takeaway #1: Entrepreneurial Grit and Innovation

09:06 - Key Takeaway #2: Leadership Lessons

15:37 - Key Takeaway #3: The Quiet Power of Humility

20:28 - Final takeaway: Treat grit as an input. Identity as insight. And never underestimate the quiet builders.


WATCH THE FULL EPISODES:

Journey after YouTube w/ Steve Chen, Draco Evolution

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/journey-after-youtube-steve-chen-draco/


Enterprise is Eating The World with Cathy Gao, Sapphire Ventures

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/enterprise-is-eating-the-world-cathy-gao-sapphire-ventures/


Bite: Evolving as a CEO That Your Company Needs with Kim Yao, CloudEats

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/bite-evolving-CEO-scaling-company-kim-yao-cloudeats/


Investing with Penny Pritzker and Building a Robust Venture & Growth Practice with Momei Qu, MD, PSP Partners

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/building-robust-venture-growth-practice-with-momei-qu-md-psp/


CEO Series: Lisa Su, AMD

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-lisa-su-amd/


CEO Series: Melanie Perkins, Canva

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-melanie-perkins-canva/


Leading with Kindness: The Power of Goodwill with James Rhee, Owner, Red Helicopter, TEDTalk Speaker

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/leading-with-kindness-the-power-of-goodwill-james-rhee-red-helicopter/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1293 no The LP-to-GP Journey: Rewriting VC Playbook With A Marketing Edge w/ Laurel Mintz, Fabric VC Laurel Mintz is not your typical VC. At just 26, she stepped in to run her father’s Bassett Furniture business — managing 60 employees and learning leadership the hard way. From there, she launched ⁠Elevate My Brand⁠, a marketing powerhouse behind hundreds of consumer brands — many of which went on to raise capital. Today, she’s rewriting the VC playbook with ⁠Fabric VC⁠, a seed-stage fund turning marketing into a superpower for picking and growing winners. In this episode, Laurel opens up about her first LP check, flipping the script on fundraising, using proprietary diligence tools, and why investing in diverse founders isn’t charity — it’s a smart business model. If you’re a founder, funder, or future GP — this one’s a masterclass. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:12 - From lawyer to founder: interim CEO for Bassett Furniture; founded Elevate My Brand 05:19 - 16 years of marketing experience; first LP check into Halogen Ventures’ Jesse Draper 09:56 - Why Fabric VC? The data-backed diversity bet 13:00 - AI hype; secondary diligence layer using marketing listening software 17:27 - Sweat equity + marketing as a VC edge 21:32 - Fundraising lessons: the mindset shift and the rolling raise / rolling deploy strategy 23:31 - Empowering new female LPs & destigmatizing money talk 27:58 - Laurel’s exit strategy philosophy & her bets for the future 31:58 - Billion Dollar Questions ABOUT LAUREL As founder of Elevate My Brand, Laurel has spent 16 years turning bold ideas into measurable growth for over 400 powerhouse brands like Verizon, Paw Patrol, Zendesk, Geico and Squishmallows. Their marketing strategies don’t just look good—they drive visibility, profitability, and real results. In parallel, as General Partner at Fabric VC, Laurel invests in the next wave of consumer-tech, health, and fintech founders. With a marketer’s lens and a strategist’s mindset, she helps visionary startups scale smart and stay seen. Across both roles, her mission is simply described as fuel innovation and impact, elevate bold ideas, and build what’s next. FOLLOW LAUREL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurel-mintz - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 01 May 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 123 Sarah Chen-Spellings Laurel Mintz is not your typical VC. At just 26, she stepped in to run her father’s Bassett Furniture business — managing 60 employees and learning leadership the hard way. From there, she launched ⁠Elevate My Brand⁠, a marketing powerhouse behind hundreds of consumer brands — many of which went on to raise capital. Today, she’s rewriting the VC playbook with ⁠Fabric VC⁠, a seed-stage fund turning marketing into a superpower for picking and growing winners. In this episode, Laurel opens up about her first LP check, flipping the script on fundraising, using proprietary diligence tools, and why investing in diverse founders isn’t charity — it’s a smart business model. If you’re a founder, funder, or future GP — this one’s a masterclass. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:12 - From lawyer to founder: interim CEO for Bassett Furniture; founded Elevate My Brand 05:19 - 16 years of marketing experience; first LP check into Halogen Ventures’ Jesse Draper 09:56 - Why Fabric VC? The data-backed diversity bet 13:00 - AI hype; secondary diligence layer using marketing listening software 17:27 - Sweat equity + marketing as a VC edge 21:32 - Fundraising lessons: the mindset shift and the rolling raise / rolling deploy strategy 23:31 - Empowering new female LPs & destigmatizing money talk 27:58 - Laurel’s exit strategy philosophy & her bets for the future 31:58 - Billion Dollar Questions ABOUT LAUREL As founder of Elevate My Brand, Laurel has spent 16 years turning bold ideas into measurable growth for over 400 powerhouse brands like Verizon, Paw Patrol, Zendesk, Geico and Squishmallows. Their marketing strategies don’t just look good—they drive visibility, profitability, and real results. In parallel, as General Partner at Fabric VC, Laurel invests in the next wave of consumer-tech, health, and fintech founders. With a marketer’s lens and a strategist’s mindset, she helps visionary startups scale smart and stay seen. Across both roles, her mission is simply described as fuel innovation and impact, elevate bold ideas, and build what’s next. FOLLOW LAUREL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurel-mintz - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Laurel Mintz is not your typical VC. At just 26, she stepped in to run her father’s Bassett Furniture business — managing 60 employees and learning leadership the hard way. From there, she launched ⁠Elevate My Brand⁠, a marketing powerhouse behind hundreds of consumer brands — many of which went on to raise capital.

Today, she’s rewriting the VC playbook with ⁠Fabric VC⁠, a seed-stage fund turning marketing into a superpower for picking and growing winners. In this episode, Laurel opens up about her first LP check, flipping the script on fundraising, using proprietary diligence tools, and why investing in diverse founders isn’t charity — it’s a smart business model.

If you’re a founder, funder, or future GP — this one’s a masterclass.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

02:12 - From lawyer to founder: interim CEO for Bassett Furniture; founded Elevate My Brand

05:19 - 16 years of marketing experience; first LP check into Halogen Ventures’ Jesse Draper

09:56 - Why Fabric VC? The data-backed diversity bet

13:00 - AI hype; secondary diligence layer using marketing listening software

17:27 - Sweat equity + marketing as a VC edge

21:32 - Fundraising lessons: the mindset shift and the rolling raise / rolling deploy strategy

23:31 - Empowering new female LPs & destigmatizing money talk

27:58 - Laurel’s exit strategy philosophy & her bets for the future

31:58 - Billion Dollar Questions


ABOUT LAUREL


As founder of Elevate My Brand, Laurel has spent 16 years turning bold ideas into measurable growth for over 400 powerhouse brands like Verizon, Paw Patrol, Zendesk, Geico and Squishmallows. Their marketing strategies don’t just look good—they drive visibility, profitability, and real results.


In parallel, as General Partner at Fabric VC, Laurel invests in the next wave of consumer-tech, health, and fintech founders. With a marketer’s lens and a strategist’s mindset, she helps visionary startups scale smart and stay seen. Across both roles, her mission is simply described as fuel innovation and impact, elevate bold ideas, and build what’s next.


FOLLOW LAUREL:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurel-mintz


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2208 no [REPLAY] Pivot or Persevere? Being a Growth Company CEO w/ Jeff Maggioncalda, Former CEO of Coursera Our guest today is none other than Jeff Maggioncalda, a visionary leader whose journey spans not just one but two groundbreaking fields. For 18 years, Jeff worked side by side with Nobel Prize winner and economist Bill Sharpe, as the founding CEO of Financial Engines, one of the earliest pioneers in the world of robo-advisors and algorithm-driven investment strategies that became the largest independent online retirement advice platform with more than $100 billion under management. sold for you know, a casual $3 billion. Fast forward to today, Jeff is at the helm of another HIGH IMPACT endeavor. As the former CEO of Coursera, he had led the charge to redefine education for the digital age; since joining in June 2017 and had helped the company grow to over 120 million learners and 7,000+ institutions, served by high-quality learning content from 300+ of the world’s top universities and industry educators. From what a good CEO is and how a game of Monopoly really started Jeff on this journey, our power-packed conversation is a CEO masterclass you need to buckle up for. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 00:00 - Intro 01:55 - From a game of Monopoly to Monte Carlo simulations 09:26 - Pivoting is important, but knowing when is difficult 12:55 - Jeff's take on AI: another form of technology, impact, and social concerns 16:18 - Using GPT to predict business strategies 19:10 - Coursera; Digital platform business models in online learning: why massive online open courses (MOOCs)? 29:20 - Being a growth company CEO: challenges & lessons. 32:40 - Technology, globalization, and AI drive future change. 38:10 - Billion Dollar Questions What is Coursera? Coursera Inc. is a publicly listed U.S.-based massive open online course provider founded in 2012 by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. Coursera works with universities and other organizations to offer online courses, certifications, and degrees in a variety of subjects. About Jeff Maggioncalda Jeff Maggioncalda is an American business executive and was the chief executive officer of Coursera until January 29th, 2025.  FOLLOW JEFF: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmagg/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... FOLLOW SARAH: Instagram @sarahchenglobal  LinkedIn @sarahchenglobal   https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 24 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 122 Sarah Chen-Spellings Our guest today is none other than Jeff Maggioncalda, a visionary leader whose journey spans not just one but two groundbreaking fields. For 18 years, Jeff worked side by side with Nobel Prize winner and economist Bill Sharpe, as the founding CEO of Financial Engines, one of the earliest pioneers in the world of robo-advisors and algorithm-driven investment strategies that became the largest independent online retirement advice platform with more than $100 billion under management. sold for you know, a casual $3 billion. Fast forward to today, Jeff is at the helm of another HIGH IMPACT endeavor. As the former CEO of Coursera, he had led the charge to redefine education for the digital age; since joining in June 2017 and had helped the company grow to over 120 million learners and 7,000+ institutions, served by high-quality learning content from 300+ of the world’s top universities and industry educators. From what a good CEO is and how a game of Monopoly really started Jeff on this journey, our power-packed conversation is a CEO masterclass you need to buckle up for. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 00:00 - Intro 01:55 - From a game of Monopoly to Monte Carlo simulations 09:26 - Pivoting is important, but knowing when is difficult 12:55 - Jeff's take on AI: another form of technology, impact, and social concerns 16:18 - Using GPT to predict business strategies 19:10 - Coursera; Digital platform business models in online learning: why massive online open courses (MOOCs)? 29:20 - Being a growth company CEO: challenges & lessons. 32:40 - Technology, globalization, and AI drive future change. 38:10 - Billion Dollar Questions What is Coursera? Coursera Inc. is a publicly listed U.S.-based massive open online course provider founded in 2012 by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. Coursera works with universities and other organizations to offer online courses, certifications, and degrees in a variety of subjects. About Jeff Maggioncalda Jeff Maggioncalda is an American business executive and was the chief executive officer of Coursera until January 29th, 2025.  FOLLOW JEFF: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmagg/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... FOLLOW SARAH: Instagram @sarahchenglobal  LinkedIn @sarahchenglobal   https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Our guest today is none other than Jeff Maggioncalda, a visionary leader whose journey spans not just one but two groundbreaking fields. For 18 years, Jeff worked side by side with Nobel Prize winner and economist Bill Sharpe, as the founding CEO of Financial Engines, one of the earliest pioneers in the world of robo-advisors and algorithm-driven investment strategies that became the largest independent online retirement advice platform with more than $100 billion under management. sold for you know, a casual $3 billion.


Fast forward to today, Jeff is at the helm of another HIGH IMPACT endeavor. As the former CEO of Coursera, he had led the charge to redefine education for the digital age; since joining in June 2017 and had helped the company grow to over 120 million learners and 7,000+ institutions, served by high-quality learning content from 300+ of the world’s top universities and industry educators.


From what a good CEO is and how a game of Monopoly really started Jeff on this journey, our power-packed conversation is a CEO masterclass you need to buckle up for.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways


00:00 - Intro

01:55 - From a game of Monopoly to Monte Carlo simulations

09:26 - Pivoting is important, but knowing when is difficult

12:55 - Jeff's take on AI: another form of technology, impact, and social concerns

16:18 - Using GPT to predict business strategies

19:10 - Coursera; Digital platform business models in online learning: why massive online open courses (MOOCs)?

29:20 - Being a growth company CEO: challenges & lessons.

32:40 - Technology, globalization, and AI drive future change.

38:10 - Billion Dollar Questions


What is Coursera?


Coursera Inc. is a publicly listed U.S.-based massive open online course provider founded in 2012 by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. Coursera works with universities and other organizations to offer online courses, certifications, and degrees in a variety of subjects.


About Jeff Maggioncalda


Jeff Maggioncalda is an American business executive and was the chief executive officer of Coursera until January 29th, 2025. 


FOLLOW JEFF:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmagg/

-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol...


FOLLOW SARAH:

Instagram @sarahchenglobal 

LinkedIn @sarahchenglobal  

https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2564 no How Family Offices Are Redefining Impact: Investing in Women & the Future w/ Evan & Ariel Segal, Segal Ventures This week, we sat down with father-daughter duo Evan and Ariel Segal of Segal Ventures, pulled back the curtain on how modern family offices can drive real impact. From investing in 94% women-led funds to creatively deploying donor-advised funds, the Segals share how they're rewriting the playbook on values-aligned investing.  Tune in as they discuss building an ecosystem of trust, navigating today’s venture landscape, and why being additive—not extractive—is the future of capital! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:18 - Evan Segal's journey: from Pittsburgh roots, CEO at 27, CFO at USDA, to impact investing and philanthropy 05:10 - Ariel Segal's path inspired by her father’s entrepreneurial journey 05:35 - Inside Segal Ventures’ over 50 venture funds (94% women-led), 180+ direct investments, spanning 800 startups 08:15 - Segal Ventures’ strategic check-writing; additive relationships over passive capital 09:14 - Weathering the political changes; “for us, making an impact is the key driver; that legacy becomes so much greater than just simply an investment” 14:51 - Portfolio growth from family offices view: balancing profit and purpose 22:38 - Post-2021 downturn: challenges in fundraising; importance of storytelling during fundraises; founder strategies to reallocate resources 29:27 - Creative use of capital, Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), and marketing 34:11 - Setbacks and barriers in venture to achieve purposeful investing; ‘smashing the patriarchy’ 41:46 - Final takeaways; Segal Ventures as a model for next-gen family offices: blending profit with purpose About Segal Ventures Segal Ventures is an early stage investment firm focused on women-led venture capital funds and companies. They provide capital in three ways: Intellectual: Strategic and tactical guidance to address business challenges with innovative approaches Social: Warm introductions to potential customers, vendors, investors & partners to expand your network Financial: Investment capital, plus advice for current or future rounds of funding About Evan Segal Evan J. Segal is a business leader, philanthropist, angel investor, social entrepreneur, author and adjunct professor. He was the President/ Owner of Dormont Manufacturing Company, the inventor and world's largest manufacturer of flexible stainless steel gas appliance connector.  After a successful exit, Mr. Segal served as the Chief Financial Officer at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Nominated by President Obama and confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate, Mr. Segal also served on The White House Innovation and Information Policy Task Force and was the Co-Chair of the Federal CFO Council.  In addition to leading The Segal Family Foundation, Evan serves as Founder & General Partner of Segal Ventures, Co-Founder of The 412 Venture Fund, Founder of Kiva Pittsburgh and Venture For America Pittsburgh.  FOLLOW EVAN | LinkedIn About Ariel Segal Eck As Managing Director of Segal Ventures, Ariel advises fund managers and founders on strategies to fuel growth, providing valuable resources and cultivating community. With 15+ years of experience as an operator at tech startups, Ariel most recently led marketing at Foursquare, where she developed deep expertise across content, events, customer insights, social media, email, paid advertising and more.  FOLLOW ARIEL | LinkedIn - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 17 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 121 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week, we sat down with father-daughter duo Evan and Ariel Segal of Segal Ventures, pulled back the curtain on how modern family offices can drive real impact. From investing in 94% women-led funds to creatively deploying donor-advised funds, the Segals share how they're rewriting the playbook on values-aligned investing.  Tune in as they discuss building an ecosystem of trust, navigating today’s venture landscape, and why being additive—not extractive—is the future of capital! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:18 - Evan Segal's journey: from Pittsburgh roots, CEO at 27, CFO at USDA, to impact investing and philanthropy 05:10 - Ariel Segal's path inspired by her father’s entrepreneurial journey 05:35 - Inside Segal Ventures’ over 50 venture funds (94% women-led), 180+ direct investments, spanning 800 startups 08:15 - Segal Ventures’ strategic check-writing; additive relationships over passive capital 09:14 - Weathering the political changes; “for us, making an impact is the key driver; that legacy becomes so much greater than just simply an investment” 14:51 - Portfolio growth from family offices view: balancing profit and purpose 22:38 - Post-2021 downturn: challenges in fundraising; importance of storytelling during fundraises; founder strategies to reallocate resources 29:27 - Creative use of capital, Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), and marketing 34:11 - Setbacks and barriers in venture to achieve purposeful investing; ‘smashing the patriarchy’ 41:46 - Final takeaways; Segal Ventures as a model for next-gen family offices: blending profit with purpose About Segal Ventures Segal Ventures is an early stage investment firm focused on women-led venture capital funds and companies. They provide capital in three ways: Intellectual: Strategic and tactical guidance to address business challenges with innovative approaches Social: Warm introductions to potential customers, vendors, investors & partners to expand your network Financial: Investment capital, plus advice for current or future rounds of funding About Evan Segal Evan J. Segal is a business leader, philanthropist, angel investor, social entrepreneur, author and adjunct professor. He was the President/ Owner of Dormont Manufacturing Company, the inventor and world's largest manufacturer of flexible stainless steel gas appliance connector.  After a successful exit, Mr. Segal served as the Chief Financial Officer at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Nominated by President Obama and confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate, Mr. Segal also served on The White House Innovation and Information Policy Task Force and was the Co-Chair of the Federal CFO Council.  In addition to leading The Segal Family Foundation, Evan serves as Founder & General Partner of Segal Ventures, Co-Founder of The 412 Venture Fund, Founder of Kiva Pittsburgh and Venture For America Pittsburgh.  FOLLOW EVAN | LinkedIn About Ariel Segal Eck As Managing Director of Segal Ventures, Ariel advises fund managers and founders on strategies to fuel growth, providing valuable resources and cultivating community. With 15+ years of experience as an operator at tech startups, Ariel most recently led marketing at Foursquare, where she developed deep expertise across content, events, customer insights, social media, email, paid advertising and more.  FOLLOW ARIEL | LinkedIn - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal This week, we sat down with father-daughter duo Evan and Ariel Segal of Segal Ventures, pulled back the curtain on how modern family offices can drive real impact. From investing in 94% women-led funds to creatively deploying donor-advised funds, the Segals share how they're rewriting the playbook on values-aligned investing. 


Tune in as they discuss building an ecosystem of trust, navigating today’s venture landscape, and why being additive—not extractive—is the future of capital!


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

02:18 - Evan Segal's journey: from Pittsburgh roots, CEO at 27, CFO at USDA, to impact investing and philanthropy

05:10 - Ariel Segal's path inspired by her father’s entrepreneurial journey

05:35 - Inside Segal Ventures’ over 50 venture funds (94% women-led), 180+ direct investments, spanning 800 startups

08:15 - Segal Ventures’ strategic check-writing; additive relationships over passive capital

09:14 - Weathering the political changes; “for us, making an impact is the key driver; that legacy becomes so much greater than just simply an investment”

14:51 - Portfolio growth from family offices view: balancing profit and purpose

22:38 - Post-2021 downturn: challenges in fundraising; importance of storytelling during fundraises; founder strategies to reallocate resources

29:27 - Creative use of capital, Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), and marketing

34:11 - Setbacks and barriers in venture to achieve purposeful investing; ‘smashing the patriarchy’

41:46 - Final takeaways; Segal Ventures as a model for next-gen family offices: blending profit with purpose


About Segal Ventures


Segal Ventures is an early stage investment firm focused on women-led venture capital funds and companies. They provide capital in three ways:

  • Intellectual: Strategic and tactical guidance to address business challenges with innovative approaches
  • Social: Warm introductions to potential customers, vendors, investors & partners to expand your network
  • Financial: Investment capital, plus advice for current or future rounds of funding


About Evan Segal


Evan J. Segal is a business leader, philanthropist, angel investor, social entrepreneur, author and adjunct professor. He was the President/ Owner of Dormont Manufacturing Company, the inventor and world's largest manufacturer of flexible stainless steel gas appliance connector. 


After a successful exit, Mr. Segal served as the Chief Financial Officer at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Nominated by President Obama and confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate, Mr. Segal also served on The White House Innovation and Information Policy Task Force and was the Co-Chair of the Federal CFO Council. 


In addition to leading The Segal Family Foundation, Evan serves as Founder & General Partner of Segal Ventures, Co-Founder of The 412 Venture Fund, Founder of Kiva Pittsburgh and Venture For America Pittsburgh. 


FOLLOW EVAN | LinkedIn


About Ariel Segal Eck


As Managing Director of Segal Ventures, Ariel advises fund managers and founders on strategies to fuel growth, providing valuable resources and cultivating community. With 15+ years of experience as an operator at tech startups, Ariel most recently led marketing at Foursquare, where she developed deep expertise across content, events, customer insights, social media, email, paid advertising and more. 


FOLLOW ARIEL | LinkedIn


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2686 no Inside France’s €54B Climate Investment Drive w/ Raphaele Leyendecker, Techstars Sustainability Paris In this episode, we dive into France's bold €54 billion climate investment plan with Raphaele Leyendecker, Managing Director of Techstars Sustainability Paris.  As France positions itself as a leader in sustainable innovation, this massive initiative spans sectors from green energy to clean transportation. Raphaele unpacks how Techstars Sustainability Paris fits into this movement, the evolving role of European startups in climate tech, and the tangible ways global founders can engage with France’s green transition.  With practical insights on market access, regulatory alignment, and ecosystem support, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone building for the climate era! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:40 - Raphaele’s background & motivation to align career with meaningful sustainability work 04:24 - Techstars Sustainability Paris: The launch & vision 07:08 - European funding landscape: France’s €54B climate investment plan; BPI France 08:42 - Software VS Hardware Clean Tech companies in Europe; Deep Tech & Hardware in Climate Innovation 10:48 - European Climate Tech landscape & regulatory advantage; Techstars' role in facilitating soft landing and long-term expansion support 14:34 - Growing trends in Climate and Sustainability and the challenges in European market 19:00 - Profit & purpose alignment;  21:41 - The thrive of female founders in Clean Tech; how Techstars Paris is designing program around founder needs in deep tech 24:51 - 3 Key takeaways from Raphaele & Billion Dollar Questions About Raphaele Raphaele Leyendecker is the Managing Director of Techstars Sustainability Paris. Raphaele is a sustainability and digital entrepreneur, startup board member and early stage investor in over 40 startups. She is also versed in strategic innovation and venture building, working with 55+ corporations such as Engie, Suez, Schneider Electric, L’Oreal or Nespresso over the years. FOLLOW RAPHAELE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaeleleyendecker/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 10 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 120 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this episode, we dive into France's bold €54 billion climate investment plan with Raphaele Leyendecker, Managing Director of Techstars Sustainability Paris.  As France positions itself as a leader in sustainable innovation, this massive initiative spans sectors from green energy to clean transportation. Raphaele unpacks how Techstars Sustainability Paris fits into this movement, the evolving role of European startups in climate tech, and the tangible ways global founders can engage with France’s green transition.  With practical insights on market access, regulatory alignment, and ecosystem support, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone building for the climate era! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:40 - Raphaele’s background & motivation to align career with meaningful sustainability work 04:24 - Techstars Sustainability Paris: The launch & vision 07:08 - European funding landscape: France’s €54B climate investment plan; BPI France 08:42 - Software VS Hardware Clean Tech companies in Europe; Deep Tech & Hardware in Climate Innovation 10:48 - European Climate Tech landscape & regulatory advantage; Techstars' role in facilitating soft landing and long-term expansion support 14:34 - Growing trends in Climate and Sustainability and the challenges in European market 19:00 - Profit & purpose alignment;  21:41 - The thrive of female founders in Clean Tech; how Techstars Paris is designing program around founder needs in deep tech 24:51 - 3 Key takeaways from Raphaele & Billion Dollar Questions About Raphaele Raphaele Leyendecker is the Managing Director of Techstars Sustainability Paris. Raphaele is a sustainability and digital entrepreneur, startup board member and early stage investor in over 40 startups. She is also versed in strategic innovation and venture building, working with 55+ corporations such as Engie, Suez, Schneider Electric, L’Oreal or Nespresso over the years. FOLLOW RAPHAELE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaeleleyendecker/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal In this episode, we dive into France's bold €54 billion climate investment plan with Raphaele Leyendecker, Managing Director of Techstars Sustainability Paris. 


As France positions itself as a leader in sustainable innovation, this massive initiative spans sectors from green energy to clean transportation. Raphaele unpacks how Techstars Sustainability Paris fits into this movement, the evolving role of European startups in climate tech, and the tangible ways global founders can engage with France’s green transition. 


With practical insights on market access, regulatory alignment, and ecosystem support, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone building for the climate era!


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:40 - Raphaele’s background & motivation to align career with meaningful sustainability work

04:24 - Techstars Sustainability Paris: The launch & vision

07:08 - European funding landscape: France’s €54B climate investment plan; BPI France

08:42 - Software VS Hardware Clean Tech companies in Europe; Deep Tech & Hardware in Climate Innovation

10:48 - European Climate Tech landscape & regulatory advantage; Techstars' role in facilitating soft landing and long-term expansion support

14:34 - Growing trends in Climate and Sustainability and the challenges in European market

19:00 - Profit & purpose alignment; 

21:41 - The thrive of female founders in Clean Tech; how Techstars Paris is designing program around founder needs in deep tech

24:51 - 3 Key takeaways from Raphaele & Billion Dollar Questions


About Raphaele


Raphaele Leyendecker is the Managing Director of Techstars Sustainability Paris. Raphaele is a sustainability and digital entrepreneur, startup board member and early stage investor in over 40 startups. She is also versed in strategic innovation and venture building, working with 55+ corporations such as Engie, Suez, Schneider Electric, L’Oreal or Nespresso over the years.


FOLLOW RAPHAELE:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaeleleyendecker/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1834 The Power of Diverse Leadership in Driving Billion-Dollar Growth w/ SISTAFUND, Korelya Capital, Xtramile, & Dell Technologies In this insightful episode, we sit down with industry leaders dive deep into the challenges and opportunities for women in the venture capital realm. From the evolving investment landscape in Europe, strategies for securing funding, and the power of diverse leadership in driving billion-dollar growth — we’ve covered it all.  With firsthand accounts from these funders and founders who are driving the future, get ready for actionable insights on how to navigate the startup ecosystem, overcome biases, and how to create a more inclusive future for innovation and capital. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 03:56 - Fleur Pellerin: former French minister turned investor; current state of women in venture capital and French ecosystem 07:29 - Tatiana Jama: from an exited founder to SISTAFUND; data-driven insights on funding disparities and progress made 12:53 - Stephanie Nenta: founder driving the future with AI; challenges faced by women founders and structural biases in investment decisions 16:19 - Liz Matthews: corporate supporting diversity initiatives; why diversity in leadership is a winning strategy 18:42 - Difficulties faced while diversifying portfolio; Le French Tech and incentives as solutions 22:38 - The role of institutional investors & policymakers in solving the gender gap in funding 26:22 - Overcoming biases: strategies for fundraising & growth 29:58 - Leveraging AI and tech to drive long-term impact 31:45 - Audience Q&A 46:47 - Final takeaways and calls to action for funders and founders Panelists: Fleur Pellerin  Former Minister of Culture of France Founder & Managing Partner, Korelya Capital Stephanie Nenta Mbianda Directrice Générale & Co-Founder, Xtramile Liz Matthews  Senior Vice President, Brand and Advertising, Dell Technologies Tatiana Jama Founder & Managing Partner, SISTAFUND Moderator: Sarah Chen-Spellings Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion Read Full Recap:  https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brew-paris-edition/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal Wed, 02 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 119 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this insightful episode, we sit down with industry leaders dive deep into the challenges and opportunities for women in the venture capital realm. From the evolving investment landscape in Europe, strategies for securing funding, and the power of diverse leadership in driving billion-dollar growth — we’ve covered it all.  With firsthand accounts from these funders and founders who are driving the future, get ready for actionable insights on how to navigate the startup ecosystem, overcome biases, and how to create a more inclusive future for innovation and capital. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 03:56 - Fleur Pellerin: former French minister turned investor; current state of women in venture capital and French ecosystem 07:29 - Tatiana Jama: from an exited founder to SISTAFUND; data-driven insights on funding disparities and progress made 12:53 - Stephanie Nenta: founder driving the future with AI; challenges faced by women founders and structural biases in investment decisions 16:19 - Liz Matthews: corporate supporting diversity initiatives; why diversity in leadership is a winning strategy 18:42 - Difficulties faced while diversifying portfolio; Le French Tech and incentives as solutions 22:38 - The role of institutional investors & policymakers in solving the gender gap in funding 26:22 - Overcoming biases: strategies for fundraising & growth 29:58 - Leveraging AI and tech to drive long-term impact 31:45 - Audience Q&A 46:47 - Final takeaways and calls to action for funders and founders Panelists: Fleur Pellerin  Former Minister of Culture of France Founder & Managing Partner, Korelya Capital Stephanie Nenta Mbianda Directrice Générale & Co-Founder, Xtramile Liz Matthews  Senior Vice President, Brand and Advertising, Dell Technologies Tatiana Jama Founder & Managing Partner, SISTAFUND Moderator: Sarah Chen-Spellings Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion Read Full Recap:  https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brew-paris-edition/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal In this insightful episode, we sit down with industry leaders dive deep into the challenges and opportunities for women in the venture capital realm. From the evolving investment landscape in Europe, strategies for securing funding, and the power of diverse leadership in driving billion-dollar growth — we’ve covered it all. 


With firsthand accounts from these funders and founders who are driving the future, get ready for actionable insights on how to navigate the startup ecosystem, overcome biases, and how to create a more inclusive future for innovation and capital.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

03:56 - Fleur Pellerin: former French minister turned investor; current state of women in venture capital and French ecosystem

07:29 - Tatiana Jama: from an exited founder to SISTAFUND; data-driven insights on funding disparities and progress made

12:53 - Stephanie Nenta: founder driving the future with AI; challenges faced by women founders and structural biases in investment decisions

16:19 - Liz Matthews: corporate supporting diversity initiatives; why diversity in leadership is a winning strategy

18:42 - Difficulties faced while diversifying portfolio; Le French Tech and incentives as solutions

22:38 - The role of institutional investors & policymakers in solving the gender gap in funding

26:22 - Overcoming biases: strategies for fundraising & growth

29:58 - Leveraging AI and tech to drive long-term impact

31:45 - Audience Q&A

46:47 - Final takeaways and calls to action for funders and founders



Panelists:


Fleur Pellerin 

Former Minister of Culture of France

Founder & Managing Partner, Korelya Capital


Stephanie Nenta Mbianda

Directrice Générale & Co-Founder, Xtramile


Liz Matthews 

Senior Vice President, Brand and Advertising, Dell Technologies


Tatiana Jama

Founder & Managing Partner, SISTAFUND


Moderator:


Sarah Chen-Spellings

Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion


Read Full Recap: 

https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brew-paris-edition/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3246 no CEO Series: Susan Wojcicki, YouTube Susan Wojcicki didn’t just lead YouTube—she shaped the digital age. From being Google’s 16th employee to orchestrating YouTube’s $1.65 billion acquisition, her vision transformed the platform into a global powerhouse. In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series, we honor Susan’s legacy—from her groundbreaking leadership in tech to her unwavering commitment to innovation. As we reflect on her impact, her story remains a masterclass in bold decision-making, resilience, and the power of long-term vision. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 03:35 - Key Takeaways #1: Spotting Unconventional Opportunities 06:49 - Key Takeaways #2: Navigating Controversy with Strategy and Empathy 09:51 - Key Takeaways #3: Empowering Others to Succeed 12:20 - Key Takeaways #4: Balancing Personal Challenges with Professional Resilience 14:41 - Key Takeaways #5: Betting on Long-Term Growth and Building Stakeholder Buy-In 18:18 - Mental Models to Think, Lead, Invest and Build Like Susan Wojcicki About Susan Wojcicki Susan Diane Wojcicki was an American business executive who was the chief executive officer of YouTube from 2014 to 2023. Her net worth was estimated at $765 million in 2022. Wojcicki worked in the technology industry for over twenty years. LEARN MORE ABOUT SUSAN: https://www.youtube.com/susanwojcicki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Wojcicki Sources: A conversation with YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki Susan Wojcicki on: How to Avoid Burnout In A Leadership Role & Learning To Celebrate the Small Wins YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki on Recode Decode Davos Annual Meeting 2022 - A Conversation with Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 27 Mar 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 118 Sarah Chen-Spellings Susan Wojcicki didn’t just lead YouTube—she shaped the digital age. From being Google’s 16th employee to orchestrating YouTube’s $1.65 billion acquisition, her vision transformed the platform into a global powerhouse. In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series, we honor Susan’s legacy—from her groundbreaking leadership in tech to her unwavering commitment to innovation. As we reflect on her impact, her story remains a masterclass in bold decision-making, resilience, and the power of long-term vision. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 03:35 - Key Takeaways #1: Spotting Unconventional Opportunities 06:49 - Key Takeaways #2: Navigating Controversy with Strategy and Empathy 09:51 - Key Takeaways #3: Empowering Others to Succeed 12:20 - Key Takeaways #4: Balancing Personal Challenges with Professional Resilience 14:41 - Key Takeaways #5: Betting on Long-Term Growth and Building Stakeholder Buy-In 18:18 - Mental Models to Think, Lead, Invest and Build Like Susan Wojcicki About Susan Wojcicki Susan Diane Wojcicki was an American business executive who was the chief executive officer of YouTube from 2014 to 2023. Her net worth was estimated at $765 million in 2022. Wojcicki worked in the technology industry for over twenty years. LEARN MORE ABOUT SUSAN: https://www.youtube.com/susanwojcicki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Wojcicki Sources: A conversation with YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki Susan Wojcicki on: How to Avoid Burnout In A Leadership Role & Learning To Celebrate the Small Wins YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki on Recode Decode Davos Annual Meeting 2022 - A Conversation with Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Susan Wojcicki didn’t just lead YouTube—she shaped the digital age. From being Google’s 16th employee to orchestrating YouTube’s $1.65 billion acquisition, her vision transformed the platform into a global powerhouse.


In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series, we honor Susan’s legacy—from her groundbreaking leadership in tech to her unwavering commitment to innovation. As we reflect on her impact, her story remains a masterclass in bold decision-making, resilience, and the power of long-term vision.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

03:35 - Key Takeaways #1: Spotting Unconventional Opportunities

06:49 - Key Takeaways #2: Navigating Controversy with Strategy and Empathy

09:51 - Key Takeaways #3: Empowering Others to Succeed

12:20 - Key Takeaways #4: Balancing Personal Challenges with Professional Resilience

14:41 - Key Takeaways #5: Betting on Long-Term Growth and Building Stakeholder Buy-In

18:18 - Mental Models to Think, Lead, Invest and Build Like Susan Wojcicki


About Susan Wojcicki


Susan Diane Wojcicki was an American business executive who was the chief executive officer of YouTube from 2014 to 2023. Her net worth was estimated at $765 million in 2022. Wojcicki worked in the technology industry for over twenty years.


LEARN MORE ABOUT SUSAN:

https://www.youtube.com/susanwojcicki

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Wojcicki


Sources:

A conversation with YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki

Susan Wojcicki on: How to Avoid Burnout In A Leadership Role & Learning To Celebrate the Small Wins

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki on Recode Decode

Davos Annual Meeting 2022 - A Conversation with Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1367 no Lightspeed’s $500M Bet on India’s Tech Boom w/ Shuvi Shrivastava India’s startup ecosystem is at a tipping point. With unicorn valuations correcting and global VCs recalibrating their bets, what does the future hold?  In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, we sit down with Shuvi Shrivastava, Partner at Lightspeed, one of the world’s most influential venture firms, to unpack India’s rise, venture capital shifts, and the billion-dollar opportunities ahead. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or just someone tracking the next big global tech shift—this episode is packed with insights, bold plays, and lessons from the frontlines of India's venture boom. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:00 - How Shuvi landed at Lightspeed; The evolution of india’s startup ecosystem 04:47 - Privatisation in India and the cultural shifts 07:17 - India’s unicorn boom and global market corrections 11:47 - Lightspeed’s India strategy & forth fund at $500M 16:19 - The rise of India in the global supply chain; the blooming advance engineering industries 17:44 - India’s robust IPO pipeline and exit landscape 19:42 - The surprising slow AI adoption in India; what makes a venture-backable company in India 24:18 - Billion Dollar Questions About Shuvi At Lightspeed India Partners, Shuvi Shrivastava invests in early-stage consumer and fin-tech startups in India and Southeast Asia. In a previous role she sourced DarwinBox at its Series A and also sourced ed-tech startup Byju's which was recently valued at $8 billion. She has also worked as a consultant with Bain & Co., led business development and operations at an early-stage computer vision startup, Drishti Tech, in Silicon Valley (raised close to $15 million from Andreessen Horowitz and Emergence Cap), and ran her own startup Uttr Labs. FOLLOW SHUVI: https://x.com/shuvi https://www.linkedin.com/in/shuvi-shrivastava/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 20 Mar 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 117 Sarah Chen-Spellings India’s startup ecosystem is at a tipping point. With unicorn valuations correcting and global VCs recalibrating their bets, what does the future hold?  In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, we sit down with Shuvi Shrivastava, Partner at Lightspeed, one of the world’s most influential venture firms, to unpack India’s rise, venture capital shifts, and the billion-dollar opportunities ahead. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or just someone tracking the next big global tech shift—this episode is packed with insights, bold plays, and lessons from the frontlines of India's venture boom. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:00 - How Shuvi landed at Lightspeed; The evolution of india’s startup ecosystem 04:47 - Privatisation in India and the cultural shifts 07:17 - India’s unicorn boom and global market corrections 11:47 - Lightspeed’s India strategy & forth fund at $500M 16:19 - The rise of India in the global supply chain; the blooming advance engineering industries 17:44 - India’s robust IPO pipeline and exit landscape 19:42 - The surprising slow AI adoption in India; what makes a venture-backable company in India 24:18 - Billion Dollar Questions About Shuvi At Lightspeed India Partners, Shuvi Shrivastava invests in early-stage consumer and fin-tech startups in India and Southeast Asia. In a previous role she sourced DarwinBox at its Series A and also sourced ed-tech startup Byju's which was recently valued at $8 billion. She has also worked as a consultant with Bain & Co., led business development and operations at an early-stage computer vision startup, Drishti Tech, in Silicon Valley (raised close to $15 million from Andreessen Horowitz and Emergence Cap), and ran her own startup Uttr Labs. FOLLOW SHUVI: https://x.com/shuvi https://www.linkedin.com/in/shuvi-shrivastava/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal India’s startup ecosystem is at a tipping point. With unicorn valuations correcting and global VCs recalibrating their bets, what does the future hold? 

In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, we sit down with Shuvi Shrivastava, Partner at Lightspeed, one of the world’s most influential venture firms, to unpack India’s rise, venture capital shifts, and the billion-dollar opportunities ahead.

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or just someone tracking the next big global tech shift—this episode is packed with insights, bold plays, and lessons from the frontlines of India's venture boom.


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

02:00 - How Shuvi landed at Lightspeed; The evolution of india’s startup ecosystem

04:47 - Privatisation in India and the cultural shifts

07:17 - India’s unicorn boom and global market corrections

11:47 - Lightspeed’s India strategy & forth fund at $500M

16:19 - The rise of India in the global supply chain; the blooming advance engineering industries

17:44 - India’s robust IPO pipeline and exit landscape

19:42 - The surprising slow AI adoption in India; what makes a venture-backable company in India

24:18 - Billion Dollar Questions


About Shuvi


At Lightspeed India Partners, Shuvi Shrivastava invests in early-stage consumer and fin-tech startups in India and Southeast Asia. In a previous role she sourced DarwinBox at its Series A and also sourced ed-tech startup Byju's which was recently valued at $8 billion. She has also worked as a consultant with Bain & Co., led business development and operations at an early-stage computer vision startup, Drishti Tech, in Silicon Valley (raised close to $15 million from Andreessen Horowitz and Emergence Cap), and ran her own startup Uttr Labs.


FOLLOW SHUVI:

https://x.com/shuvi

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shuvi-shrivastava/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1763 no From Family Offices to Private Equity Power Plays w/ Joel Sandhu, Top Tier Access In this episode, we take you inside Europe’s private equity pilgrimage at SuperReturn in Berlin, where the biggest names in venture capital and private equity gather to shape the future of investing. Featuring Joel Sandhu, co-founder of Top-Tier Access, a platform that connects family offices with the world’s top private equity and venture capital managers. With years of experience navigating the complexities of private markets, Joel shares his candid insights on the industry’s evolution, the changing role of family offices, and what separates the best investors from the rest. We dive into the latest trends in private capital—from market shifts and liquidity challenges to the rise of secondaries and why profitability is now king. Whether you’re an investor, founder, or just curious about how private capital really works, this episode is packed with unfiltered insights you won’t want to miss. Let’s dive in! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:00 - The Private Equity pilgrimage in Berlin; networking and market trends 06:55 - From ’20-’21 deal activity to a historical norm; performance across asset classes 09:40 - Who is Joel Sandhu? The story behind co-founding Top Tier Access 13:34 - The evolution of Venture Capital & Family Offices; how Family Offices think about risk, returns, and impact 17:57 - Takes on impact and purposeful investment; investing in Private Equity vs. Venture Capital; growth vs. buyout funds 23:20 Building a winning investment portfolio 28:21 - Selecting emerging managers and the impact of diversity 30:38 - What makes a good GP? 34:16 - The rise of secondaries: LP-led vs. GP-led 40:49 - The landscape and opportunities of Mid-Market; AI’s impact on Private Equity 41:47 - Billion Dollar Questions - About Joel Sandhu Joel is the founder and Managing Partner of TTA, a Brussels based fund of funds in Private Equity. TTA brings institutional grade PE to the family office and HNWI segment. FOLLOW JOEL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelsandhu/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 13 Mar 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 116 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this episode, we take you inside Europe’s private equity pilgrimage at SuperReturn in Berlin, where the biggest names in venture capital and private equity gather to shape the future of investing. Featuring Joel Sandhu, co-founder of Top-Tier Access, a platform that connects family offices with the world’s top private equity and venture capital managers. With years of experience navigating the complexities of private markets, Joel shares his candid insights on the industry’s evolution, the changing role of family offices, and what separates the best investors from the rest. We dive into the latest trends in private capital—from market shifts and liquidity challenges to the rise of secondaries and why profitability is now king. Whether you’re an investor, founder, or just curious about how private capital really works, this episode is packed with unfiltered insights you won’t want to miss. Let’s dive in! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:00 - The Private Equity pilgrimage in Berlin; networking and market trends 06:55 - From ’20-’21 deal activity to a historical norm; performance across asset classes 09:40 - Who is Joel Sandhu? The story behind co-founding Top Tier Access 13:34 - The evolution of Venture Capital & Family Offices; how Family Offices think about risk, returns, and impact 17:57 - Takes on impact and purposeful investment; investing in Private Equity vs. Venture Capital; growth vs. buyout funds 23:20 Building a winning investment portfolio 28:21 - Selecting emerging managers and the impact of diversity 30:38 - What makes a good GP? 34:16 - The rise of secondaries: LP-led vs. GP-led 40:49 - The landscape and opportunities of Mid-Market; AI’s impact on Private Equity 41:47 - Billion Dollar Questions - About Joel Sandhu Joel is the founder and Managing Partner of TTA, a Brussels based fund of funds in Private Equity. TTA brings institutional grade PE to the family office and HNWI segment. FOLLOW JOEL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelsandhu/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In this episode, we take you inside Europe’s private equity pilgrimage at SuperReturn in Berlin, where the biggest names in venture capital and private equity gather to shape the future of investing.


Featuring Joel Sandhu, co-founder of Top-Tier Access, a platform that connects family offices with the world’s top private equity and venture capital managers. With years of experience navigating the complexities of private markets, Joel shares his candid insights on the industry’s evolution, the changing role of family offices, and what separates the best investors from the rest.


We dive into the latest trends in private capital—from market shifts and liquidity challenges to the rise of secondaries and why profitability is now king. Whether you’re an investor, founder, or just curious about how private capital really works, this episode is packed with unfiltered insights you won’t want to miss. Let’s dive in!


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

02:00 - The Private Equity pilgrimage in Berlin; networking and market trends

06:55 - From ’20-’21 deal activity to a historical norm; performance across asset classes

09:40 - Who is Joel Sandhu? The story behind co-founding Top Tier Access

13:34 - The evolution of Venture Capital & Family Offices; how Family Offices think about risk, returns, and impact

17:57 - Takes on impact and purposeful investment; investing in Private Equity vs. Venture Capital; growth vs. buyout funds

23:20 Building a winning investment portfolio

28:21 - Selecting emerging managers and the impact of diversity

30:38 - What makes a good GP?

34:16 - The rise of secondaries: LP-led vs. GP-led

40:49 - The landscape and opportunities of Mid-Market; AI’s impact on Private Equity

41:47 - Billion Dollar Questions


-


About Joel Sandhu


Joel is the founder and Managing Partner of TTA, a Brussels based fund of funds in Private Equity. TTA brings institutional grade PE to the family office and HNWI segment.


FOLLOW JOEL:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelsandhu/


-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2739 no Women, Wealth, & Innovation: Female Founders and Funders Driving the Future In today’s world, the conversation around meritocracy and diversity remains more critical than ever. Last November at The Billion Dollar Brew (London Edition), hosted at RUSI, we tackled these pressing issues head-on with female founders and funders who are driving the future of innovation. Brought to you by Beyond The Billion, Dell Technologies and Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN), our panel explored the financial pathways fueling women-led innovation—from venture capital and debt to non-dilutive funding and the evolving LP landscape. We dove into how emerging fund managers can navigate today’s capital environment, the rising influence of family offices, and why investing in female founders in AI, FinTech, and deep tech isn’t just about equity—it’s about smart business. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:32 - Ella Jade (ROOBBA): AI-driven furniture business & disruptive marketing 06:15 - Fatou Diagne (Bootstrap Europe): Venture debt as an alternative to equity financing 08:27 - Mohadeseh Abdullahi (Molten Ventures): Investing in 81 funds to support early-stage startups & the rise of women-led funds 12:33 - Wiem Gharbi (Ankar AI): Inefficiencies in AI and intellectual property & the solutions ahead 15:47 - Venture debt; “Women are more risk-averse” 20:44 - Ella Jade’s fundraising strategy 25:03 - LP’s view: Specialised funds, rise of female GPs, & 2025 outlook 28:16 - AI investment strategy; the pressure to transform into AI-driven startups 32:08 - Q&A: Academia and entrepreneurship 35:37 - Q&A: The Billion Dollar opportunity for female founders 39:08 - Q&A: Blockchain and funding 40:46 - Final takeaways Panelists Ella Jade CEO & Co-Founder, ROOBBA Mohadeseh Abdullahi Investor, Molten Ventures Fatou Diagne Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Bootstrap Europe Wiem Gharbi Co-Founder, Ankar AI Moderated by: Sarah Chen-Spellings Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion Read full recap here: https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brew-london-edition/ PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 06 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 115 Sarah Chen-Spellings In today’s world, the conversation around meritocracy and diversity remains more critical than ever. Last November at The Billion Dollar Brew (London Edition), hosted at RUSI, we tackled these pressing issues head-on with female founders and funders who are driving the future of innovation. Brought to you by Beyond The Billion, Dell Technologies and Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN), our panel explored the financial pathways fueling women-led innovation—from venture capital and debt to non-dilutive funding and the evolving LP landscape. We dove into how emerging fund managers can navigate today’s capital environment, the rising influence of family offices, and why investing in female founders in AI, FinTech, and deep tech isn’t just about equity—it’s about smart business. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:32 - Ella Jade (ROOBBA): AI-driven furniture business & disruptive marketing 06:15 - Fatou Diagne (Bootstrap Europe): Venture debt as an alternative to equity financing 08:27 - Mohadeseh Abdullahi (Molten Ventures): Investing in 81 funds to support early-stage startups & the rise of women-led funds 12:33 - Wiem Gharbi (Ankar AI): Inefficiencies in AI and intellectual property & the solutions ahead 15:47 - Venture debt; “Women are more risk-averse” 20:44 - Ella Jade’s fundraising strategy 25:03 - LP’s view: Specialised funds, rise of female GPs, & 2025 outlook 28:16 - AI investment strategy; the pressure to transform into AI-driven startups 32:08 - Q&A: Academia and entrepreneurship 35:37 - Q&A: The Billion Dollar opportunity for female founders 39:08 - Q&A: Blockchain and funding 40:46 - Final takeaways Panelists Ella Jade CEO & Co-Founder, ROOBBA Mohadeseh Abdullahi Investor, Molten Ventures Fatou Diagne Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Bootstrap Europe Wiem Gharbi Co-Founder, Ankar AI Moderated by: Sarah Chen-Spellings Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion Read full recap here: https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brew-london-edition/ PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In today’s world, the conversation around meritocracy and diversity remains more critical than ever. Last November at The Billion Dollar Brew (London Edition), hosted at RUSI, we tackled these pressing issues head-on with female founders and funders who are driving the future of innovation.


Brought to you by Beyond The Billion, Dell Technologies and Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN), our panel explored the financial pathways fueling women-led innovation—from venture capital and debt to non-dilutive funding and the evolving LP landscape.


We dove into how emerging fund managers can navigate today’s capital environment, the rising influence of family offices, and why investing in female founders in AI, FinTech, and deep tech isn’t just about equity—it’s about smart business.


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

02:32 - Ella Jade (ROOBBA): AI-driven furniture business & disruptive marketing

06:15 - Fatou Diagne (Bootstrap Europe): Venture debt as an alternative to equity financing

08:27 - Mohadeseh Abdullahi (Molten Ventures): Investing in 81 funds to support early-stage startups & the rise of women-led funds

12:33 - Wiem Gharbi (Ankar AI): Inefficiencies in AI and intellectual property & the solutions ahead

15:47 - Venture debt; “Women are more risk-averse”

20:44 - Ella Jade’s fundraising strategy

25:03 - LP’s view: Specialised funds, rise of female GPs, & 2025 outlook

28:16 - AI investment strategy; the pressure to transform into AI-driven startups

32:08 - Q&A: Academia and entrepreneurship

35:37 - Q&A: The Billion Dollar opportunity for female founders

39:08 - Q&A: Blockchain and funding

40:46 - Final takeaways


Panelists

Ella Jade

CEO & Co-Founder, ROOBBA


Mohadeseh Abdullahi

Investor, Molten Ventures


Fatou Diagne

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Bootstrap Europe


Wiem Gharbi

Co-Founder, Ankar AI


Moderated by:

Sarah Chen-Spellings

Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion


Read full recap here:

https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brew-london-edition/


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2803 no CEO Series: Serena Williams, Serena Ventures https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-serena-williams-serena-ventures/ As we celebrate Black Excellence this month, Serena Williams is the perfect feature for our Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series, where we unpack the strategic plays behind the world’s most iconic leaders. Serena Williams is more than a tennis legend—she’s a blueprint for reinvention, resilience, and generational impact. With 23 Grand Slam titles, four Olympic gold medals, and a net worth exceeding $340 million, Serena’s dominance on the court is undeniable. But here’s the real game-changer: only $95 million of that fortune came from tennis. The rest? Built through strategic investments, brand partnerships, and a deep commitment to empowering the next generation. From breaking barriers in a country-club sport to becoming a powerhouse in business and venture capital, Serena has mastered the art of winning—both in sport and in wealth creation. Let's dive in to her #BillionDollarMoves! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 04:46 - Key Takeaway #1: Owning Who You Are, Your Trajectory & Staying The Course 10:08 - Key Takeaway #2: Unbreakable Resilience: Rising from Adversity 16:13 - Key Takeaway #3: The Business of Serena: From Court to Commerce— You Are Your Biggest Product 20:26 - Key Takeaway #4: Investing with Purpose 26:49 - Key Takeaway #5: Reclaiming Joy, Redefining Power at your own pace 29:10 - Recap: Serena William’s Billion Dollar Moves ABOUT SERENA WILLIAMS Serena Williams is widely regarded as the greatest women’s tennis player of all time, with 23 Grand Slam titles and an unmatched legacy in the sport. Beyond tennis, Serena has built an empire that extends into business, fashion, and philanthropy. She founded Serena Ventures, investing in women- and minority-led businesses, and has used her platform to advocate for gender equity in sports and maternal healthcare awareness. Her impact led to changes in WTA ranking policies for mothers returning to the sport, and her personal journey—from overcoming injuries to becoming a mother and business leader—continues to inspire generations.  FOLLOW SERENA: https://www.instagram.com/serenawilliams/ https://x.com/serenawilliams https://www.youtube.com/@SerenaWilliams Resource: The BoF Podcast | Serena Williams: ‘Pressure Is a Privilege’ The Story Behind Serena Williams | the Score Serena Williams’ opening monologue for The 2024 ESPYS What Serena Williams Gave the World | TIME Serena Ventures Raises $111 Million to Invest in Diversity | Amanpour and Company Life after tennis: Serena Williams on business ventures, family and her farm Serena (2016) | Full Documentary | Universal Documentaries Game, Set, Legacy: Serena Williams on Her Impact in Sports and Beyond #SerenaSaturday with Bryan Stevenson of Equal Justice Initiative How Serena Williams Wants to Conquer Wall Street | The Deal Game, Set, Legacy: Serena Williams on Her Impact in Sports and Beyond - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 27 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 114 Sarah Chen-Spellings As we celebrate Black Excellence this month, Serena Williams is the perfect feature for our Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series, where we unpack the strategic plays behind the world’s most iconic leaders. Serena Williams is more than a tennis legend—she’s a blueprint for reinvention, resilience, and generational impact. With 23 Grand Slam titles, four Olympic gold medals, and a net worth exceeding $340 million, Serena’s dominance on the court is undeniable. But here’s the real game-changer: only $95 million of that fortune came from tennis. The rest? Built through strategic investments, brand partnerships, and a deep commitment to empowering the next generation. From breaking barriers in a country-club sport to becoming a powerhouse in business and venture capital, Serena has mastered the art of winning—both in sport and in wealth creation. Let's dive in to her #BillionDollarMoves! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 04:46 - Key Takeaway #1: Owning Who You Are, Your Trajectory & Staying The Course 10:08 - Key Takeaway #2: Unbreakable Resilience: Rising from Adversity 16:13 - Key Takeaway #3: The Business of Serena: From Court to Commerce— You Are Your Biggest Product 20:26 - Key Takeaway #4: Investing with Purpose 26:49 - Key Takeaway #5: Reclaiming Joy, Redefining Power at your own pace 29:10 - Recap: Serena William’s Billion Dollar Moves ABOUT SERENA WILLIAMS Serena Williams is widely regarded as the greatest women’s tennis player of all time, with 23 Grand Slam titles and an unmatched legacy in the sport. Beyond tennis, Serena has built an empire that extends into business, fashion, and philanthropy. She founded Serena Ventures, investing in women- and minority-led businesses, and has used her platform to advocate for gender equity in sports and maternal healthcare awareness. Her impact led to changes in WTA ranking policies for mothers returning to the sport, and her personal journey—from overcoming injuries to becoming a mother and business leader—continues to inspire generations.  FOLLOW SERENA: https://www.instagram.com/serenawilliams/ https://x.com/serenawilliams https://www.youtube.com/@SerenaWilliams Resource: The BoF Podcast | Serena Williams: ‘Pressure Is a Privilege’ The Story Behind Serena Williams | the Score Serena Williams’ opening monologue for The 2024 ESPYS What Serena Williams Gave the World | TIME Serena Ventures Raises $111 Million to Invest in Diversity | Amanpour and Company Life after tennis: Serena Williams on business ventures, family and her farm Serena (2016) | Full Documentary | Universal Documentaries Game, Set, Legacy: Serena Williams on Her Impact in Sports and Beyond #SerenaSaturday with Bryan Stevenson of Equal Justice Initiative How Serena Williams Wants to Conquer Wall Street | The Deal Game, Set, Legacy: Serena Williams on Her Impact in Sports and Beyond - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal As we celebrate Black Excellence this month, Serena Williams is the perfect feature for our Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series, where we unpack the strategic plays behind the world’s most iconic leaders.


Serena Williams is more than a tennis legend—she’s a blueprint for reinvention, resilience, and generational impact. With 23 Grand Slam titles, four Olympic gold medals, and a net worth exceeding $340 million, Serena’s dominance on the court is undeniable. But here’s the real game-changer: only $95 million of that fortune came from tennis. The rest? Built through strategic investments, brand partnerships, and a deep commitment to empowering the next generation.


From breaking barriers in a country-club sport to becoming a powerhouse in business and venture capital, Serena has mastered the art of winning—both in sport and in wealth creation. Let's dive in to her #BillionDollarMoves!


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

04:46 - Key Takeaway #1: Owning Who You Are, Your Trajectory & Staying The Course

10:08 - Key Takeaway #2: Unbreakable Resilience: Rising from Adversity

16:13 - Key Takeaway #3: The Business of Serena: From Court to Commerce— You Are Your Biggest Product

20:26 - Key Takeaway #4: Investing with Purpose

26:49 - Key Takeaway #5: Reclaiming Joy, Redefining Power at your own pace

29:10 - Recap: Serena William’s Billion Dollar Moves


ABOUT SERENA WILLIAMS


Serena Williams is widely regarded as the greatest women’s tennis player of all time, with 23 Grand Slam titles and an unmatched legacy in the sport.

Beyond tennis, Serena has built an empire that extends into business, fashion, and philanthropy. She founded Serena Ventures, investing in women- and minority-led businesses, and has used her platform to advocate for gender equity in sports and maternal healthcare awareness. Her impact led to changes in WTA ranking policies for mothers returning to the sport, and her personal journey—from overcoming injuries to becoming a mother and business leader—continues to inspire generations. 


FOLLOW SERENA:

https://www.instagram.com/serenawilliams/

https://x.com/serenawilliams

https://www.youtube.com/@SerenaWilliams


Resource:


The BoF Podcast | Serena Williams: ‘Pressure Is a Privilege’

The Story Behind Serena Williams | the Score

Serena Williams’ opening monologue for The 2024 ESPYS

What Serena Williams Gave the World | TIME

Serena Ventures Raises $111 Million to Invest in Diversity | Amanpour and Company

Life after tennis: Serena Williams on business ventures, family and her farm

Serena (2016) | Full Documentary | Universal Documentaries

Game, Set, Legacy: Serena Williams on Her Impact in Sports and Beyond

#SerenaSaturday with Bryan Stevenson of Equal Justice Initiative

How Serena Williams Wants to Conquer Wall Street | The Deal

Game, Set, Legacy: Serena Williams on Her Impact in Sports and Beyond


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1980 no The 10.8X Playbook: Scaling with Speed w/ Prasad Vanga, Anthill Ventures India is on the move. Now the world’s fifth-largest economy, it’s on track to hit $5 trillion in GDP by 2027, fueled by over 900 million people under the age of 35.  And yet, despite delivering outsized returns and capital efficiency, women-led startups still receive less than 10% of total venture funding. That’s why Beyond The Billion launched in India last year—to catalyze capital at scale for women-founded companies and reshape the future of wealth creation. As the founder & CEO of Anthill Ventures, Prasad has built a global portfolio of 75 companies spanning India, the U.S., Europe, Israel, and Southeast Asia. With two unicorns, an IPO, and an impressive 10.8x multiple over seven years, Anthill is redefining speed scaling across media, healthtech, and urbantech. Now, as Beyond The Billion’s newest consortium member, Prasad and Anthill are doubling down on fueling the next wave of game-changing startups.  In this episode, we unpack his journey—from his unique approach in blending corporate scalability with startup agility to the success of his portfolio with over 40% being female founders/co-founders. Let’s dive in! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:26 - “To scale with speed, you don’t need capital” 05:00 - Prasad’s unique lens as a founder and investor; Anthill’s framework to drive success in early stage companies 09:16 - Platform strategy: from corporate to VC 11:41 - Anthill’s portfolio with female representation at 45% 14:15 - The rise of Family offices in India 16:55 - The investment landscape in India; the powerful young generation 19:11 - Anthill’s playbook to achieve 10.8X multiples; the exit opportunities in India 22:22 - Billion Dollar Question About Prasad Prasad Vanga is the founder & CEO of Anthill Ventures, a speed scaling platform for early growth stage startups in Urban Lifestyle. Anthill has built a global portfolio of 75 companies across India, US, Europe, Israel and SE Asia. With 2 unicorns, 1 Spac and 1 IPO, Anthill is at a 11.6X multiple over 7 years. In his current role Prasad leads global strategy, fund management and venture building at Anthill Prasad has over 20 years of experience in helping senior executives from large organizations like Nike, Nestle, Novartis and Google to drive business transformations. His expertise is to help senior leaders discover the core competence of their organisations and design a change management framework that allows them to leverage their culture to drive large transformations.  FOLLOW PRASAD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prasadvanga/ About Anthill Anthill is a Speed Scaling Ecosystem that invests in, and scales, early-stage companies in Media, Urban Tech and Health Tech. Our DNA lies in our ability to make targeted and timely interventions to scale startups and transport them to stronger growth trajectories. Driven by a strong team across USA, Singapore, and India as well as Venture Partners and Mentors across the globe, Anthill has partnered with some of the most innovative Corporations and Governments in Asia to give startups valuable connections and resources needed to achieve rapid growth. MORE INFO: https://anthillventures.com - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 20 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full Sarah Chen-Spellings India is on the move. Now the world’s fifth-largest economy, it’s on track to hit $5 trillion in GDP by 2027, fueled by over 900 million people under the age of 35.  And yet, despite delivering outsized returns and capital efficiency, women-led startups still receive less than 10% of total venture funding. That’s why Beyond The Billion launched in India last year—to catalyze capital at scale for women-founded companies and reshape the future of wealth creation. As the founder & CEO of Anthill Ventures, Prasad has built a global portfolio of 75 companies spanning India, the U.S., Europe, Israel, and Southeast Asia. With two unicorns, an IPO, and an impressive 10.8x multiple over seven years, Anthill is redefining speed scaling across media, healthtech, and urbantech. Now, as Beyond The Billion’s newest consortium member, Prasad and Anthill are doubling down on fueling the next wave of game-changing startups.  In this episode, we unpack his journey—from his unique approach in blending corporate scalability with startup agility to the success of his portfolio with over 40% being female founders/co-founders. Let’s dive in! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:26 - “To scale with speed, you don’t need capital” 05:00 - Prasad’s unique lens as a founder and investor; Anthill’s framework to drive success in early stage companies 09:16 - Platform strategy: from corporate to VC 11:41 - Anthill’s portfolio with female representation at 45% 14:15 - The rise of Family offices in India 16:55 - The investment landscape in India; the powerful young generation 19:11 - Anthill’s playbook to achieve 10.8X multiples; the exit opportunities in India 22:22 - Billion Dollar Question About Prasad Prasad Vanga is the founder & CEO of Anthill Ventures, a speed scaling platform for early growth stage startups in Urban Lifestyle. Anthill has built a global portfolio of 75 companies across India, US, Europe, Israel and SE Asia. With 2 unicorns, 1 Spac and 1 IPO, Anthill is at a 11.6X multiple over 7 years. In his current role Prasad leads global strategy, fund management and venture building at Anthill Prasad has over 20 years of experience in helping senior executives from large organizations like Nike, Nestle, Novartis and Google to drive business transformations. His expertise is to help senior leaders discover the core competence of their organisations and design a change management framework that allows them to leverage their culture to drive large transformations.  FOLLOW PRASAD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prasadvanga/ About Anthill Anthill is a Speed Scaling Ecosystem that invests in, and scales, early-stage companies in Media, Urban Tech and Health Tech. Our DNA lies in our ability to make targeted and timely interventions to scale startups and transport them to stronger growth trajectories. Driven by a strong team across USA, Singapore, and India as well as Venture Partners and Mentors across the globe, Anthill has partnered with some of the most innovative Corporations and Governments in Asia to give startups valuable connections and resources needed to achieve rapid growth. MORE INFO: https://anthillventures.com - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal India is on the move. Now the world’s fifth-largest economy, it’s on track to hit $5 trillion in GDP by 2027, fueled by over 900 million people under the age of 35. 


And yet, despite delivering outsized returns and capital efficiency, women-led startups still receive less than 10% of total venture funding. That’s why Beyond The Billion launched in India last year—to catalyze capital at scale for women-founded companies and reshape the future of wealth creation.


As the founder & CEO of Anthill Ventures, Prasad has built a global portfolio of 75 companies spanning India, the U.S., Europe, Israel, and Southeast Asia. With two unicorns, an IPO, and an impressive 10.8x multiple over seven years, Anthill is redefining speed scaling across media, healthtech, and urbantech. Now, as Beyond The Billion’s newest consortium member, Prasad and Anthill are doubling down on fueling the next wave of game-changing startups. 


In this episode, we unpack his journey—from his unique approach in blending corporate scalability with startup agility to the success of his portfolio with over 40% being female founders/co-founders. Let’s dive in!


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

02:26 - “To scale with speed, you don’t need capital”

05:00 - Prasad’s unique lens as a founder and investor; Anthill’s framework to drive success in early stage companies

09:16 - Platform strategy: from corporate to VC

11:41 - Anthill’s portfolio with female representation at 45%

14:15 - The rise of Family offices in India

16:55 - The investment landscape in India; the powerful young generation

19:11 - Anthill’s playbook to achieve 10.8X multiples; the exit opportunities in India

22:22 - Billion Dollar Question



About Prasad


Prasad Vanga is the founder & CEO of Anthill Ventures, a speed scaling platform for early growth stage startups in Urban Lifestyle. Anthill has built a global portfolio of 75 companies across India, US, Europe, Israel and SE Asia. With 2 unicorns, 1 Spac and 1 IPO, Anthill is at a 11.6X multiple over 7 years. In his current role Prasad leads global strategy, fund management and venture building at Anthill


Prasad has over 20 years of experience in helping senior executives from large organizations like Nike, Nestle, Novartis and Google to drive business transformations. His expertise is to help senior leaders discover the core competence of their organisations and design a change management framework that allows them to leverage their culture to drive large transformations. 


FOLLOW PRASAD:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/prasadvanga/


About Anthill


Anthill is a Speed Scaling Ecosystem that invests in, and scales, early-stage companies in Media, Urban Tech and Health Tech. Our DNA lies in our ability to make targeted and timely interventions to scale startups and transport them to stronger growth trajectories.

Driven by a strong team across USA, Singapore, and India as well as Venture Partners and Mentors across the globe, Anthill has partnered with some of the most innovative Corporations and Governments in Asia to give startups valuable connections and resources needed to achieve rapid growth.


MORE INFO: https://anthillventures.com


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1590 no La French Tech & Beyond: Shaping France’s 25K Startup Boom w/ Fleur Pellerin, Korelya Capital From shaping France’s digital transformation as a government minister to leading a €750 million investment fund, Fleur Pellerin is a force to be reckoned with. In this episode, recorded in the heart of Paris, we sit down with Fleur, the founder of Korelya Capital, to explore her extraordinary journey—from her early days as an adopted child from Korea to breaking barriers in politics, tech, and venture capital. Timestamps / Key Takeaways   0:00 - Intro   01:56 - Billion Dollar Questions   03:44 - From an adopted child in Korea to a former minister of France; the influence of Fleur’s mother   07:30 - The journey from business school to politics; her impact on digital, cultural, and communications policies in France   10:22 - Three key factors behind La French Tech: Station F, policy initiatives, and ecosystem building   12:23 - The state of the French startup ecosystem today; Bpifrance and the government's role in the investment industry   15:11 - Fleur’s decision to transition into investing; building Korelya Capital   17:59 - Growing global interest in Europe, particularly from Asia   19:50 - Investment strategy: from tech to consumer brands, and backing Bolt   24:24 - The challenge of limited exits in European and Asian markets   26:48 - The role of family offices in the French investment landscape   28:38 - Emerging trends, strategies, and structures shaping the industry   30:21 - Lessons learned from mistakes and partnerships   33:56 - A message for funders and capital allocators on funding women; incentives for driving positive change   36:41 - One key takeaway for funders and founders worldwide About Fleur Fleur Pellerin is a French businesswoman, former civil servant and Socialist Party politician who served as a French government minister from 2012 to 2016 CEO & Founder of Korelya Capital, European VC Fund. French Junior Minister for SMEs, Innovation and the Digital Economy FOLLOW FLEUR: https://www.instagram.com/fleurpellerin/?hl=en https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleur_Pellerin https://www.linkedin.com/in/fleurpellerin/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 13 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 112 Sarah Chen-Spellings From shaping France’s digital transformation as a government minister to leading a €750 million investment fund, Fleur Pellerin is a force to be reckoned with. In this episode, recorded in the heart of Paris, we sit down with Fleur, the founder of Korelya Capital, to explore her extraordinary journey—from her early days as an adopted child from Korea to breaking barriers in politics, tech, and venture capital. Timestamps / Key Takeaways   0:00 - Intro   01:56 - Billion Dollar Questions   03:44 - From an adopted child in Korea to a former minister of France; the influence of Fleur’s mother   07:30 - The journey from business school to politics; her impact on digital, cultural, and communications policies in France   10:22 - Three key factors behind La French Tech: Station F, policy initiatives, and ecosystem building   12:23 - The state of the French startup ecosystem today; Bpifrance and the government's role in the investment industry   15:11 - Fleur’s decision to transition into investing; building Korelya Capital   17:59 - Growing global interest in Europe, particularly from Asia   19:50 - Investment strategy: from tech to consumer brands, and backing Bolt   24:24 - The challenge of limited exits in European and Asian markets   26:48 - The role of family offices in the French investment landscape   28:38 - Emerging trends, strategies, and structures shaping the industry   30:21 - Lessons learned from mistakes and partnerships   33:56 - A message for funders and capital allocators on funding women; incentives for driving positive change   36:41 - One key takeaway for funders and founders worldwide About Fleur Fleur Pellerin is a French businesswoman, former civil servant and Socialist Party politician who served as a French government minister from 2012 to 2016 CEO & Founder of Korelya Capital, European VC Fund. French Junior Minister for SMEs, Innovation and the Digital Economy FOLLOW FLEUR: https://www.instagram.com/fleurpellerin/?hl=en https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleur_Pellerin https://www.linkedin.com/in/fleurpellerin/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal From shaping France’s digital transformation as a government minister to leading a €750 million investment fund, Fleur Pellerin is a force to be reckoned with.


In this episode, recorded in the heart of Paris, we sit down with Fleur, the founder of Korelya Capital, to explore her extraordinary journey—from her early days as an adopted child from Korea to breaking barriers in politics, tech, and venture capital.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways  

0:00 - Intro  

01:56 - Billion Dollar Questions  

03:44 - From an adopted child in Korea to a former minister of France; the influence of Fleur’s mother  

07:30 - The journey from business school to politics; her impact on digital, cultural, and communications policies in France  

10:22 - Three key factors behind La French Tech: Station F, policy initiatives, and ecosystem building  

12:23 - The state of the French startup ecosystem today; Bpifrance and the government's role in the investment industry  

15:11 - Fleur’s decision to transition into investing; building Korelya Capital  

17:59 - Growing global interest in Europe, particularly from Asia  

19:50 - Investment strategy: from tech to consumer brands, and backing Bolt  

24:24 - The challenge of limited exits in European and Asian markets  

26:48 - The role of family offices in the French investment landscape  

28:38 - Emerging trends, strategies, and structures shaping the industry  

30:21 - Lessons learned from mistakes and partnerships  

33:56 - A message for funders and capital allocators on funding women; incentives for driving positive change  

36:41 - One key takeaway for funders and founders worldwide


About Fleur


Fleur Pellerin is a French businesswoman, former civil servant and Socialist Party politician who served as a French government minister from 2012 to 2016


CEO & Founder of Korelya Capital, European VC Fund. French Junior Minister for SMEs, Innovation and the Digital Economy


FOLLOW FLEUR:

https://www.instagram.com/fleurpellerin/?hl=en

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleur_Pellerin

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fleurpellerin/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2418 no The Billionaire Mindset: Robert Herjavec on Risk, Wealth & Scaling to $1B From a small Croatian village to building billion-dollar businesses, Robert Herjavec knows what it takes to turn risk into reward. In this special episode, recorded at Biban 2024 and brought to you by Monsha’at, we dive into Robert’s journey—bootstrapping his first company from his basement, making strategic exits to giants like AT&T and Nokia, and mastering the art of wealth creation. Whether you're aiming for your first million or your next billion, Robert’s insights on resilience, risk, and reinvention will leave you inspired to make your own Billion Dollar Moves. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:46 - First impressions of Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurial spirit; perspective on wealth 02:55 - Critical strategies for Saudi Arabia entrepreneurs to succeed in Western markets 04:11 - Building a $1 million versus $100 million business 05:41 - The influence of Robert’s immigrant background on his leadership 06:24 - How to choose an idea to double down on 08:07 - Unexpected lessons learned from 21 years of Shark Tank 12:32 - Investment made through Shark Tank; are those good deals? 14:02 - The opportunity for women-led innovation in Saudi Arabia About Robert Herjavec Robert Herjavec is a Croatian-Canadian businessman, investor, and television personality. Herjavec founded BRAK Systems, a Canadian integrator of Internet security software, and sold it to AT&T Canada in 2000 for $30.2 million. FOLLOW ROBERT: Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 06 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 111 Sarah Chen-Spellings From a small Croatian village to building billion-dollar businesses, Robert Herjavec knows what it takes to turn risk into reward. In this special episode, recorded at Biban 2024 and brought to you by Monsha’at, we dive into Robert’s journey—bootstrapping his first company from his basement, making strategic exits to giants like AT&T and Nokia, and mastering the art of wealth creation. Whether you're aiming for your first million or your next billion, Robert’s insights on resilience, risk, and reinvention will leave you inspired to make your own Billion Dollar Moves. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:46 - First impressions of Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurial spirit; perspective on wealth 02:55 - Critical strategies for Saudi Arabia entrepreneurs to succeed in Western markets 04:11 - Building a $1 million versus $100 million business 05:41 - The influence of Robert’s immigrant background on his leadership 06:24 - How to choose an idea to double down on 08:07 - Unexpected lessons learned from 21 years of Shark Tank 12:32 - Investment made through Shark Tank; are those good deals? 14:02 - The opportunity for women-led innovation in Saudi Arabia About Robert Herjavec Robert Herjavec is a Croatian-Canadian businessman, investor, and television personality. Herjavec founded BRAK Systems, a Canadian integrator of Internet security software, and sold it to AT&T Canada in 2000 for $30.2 million. FOLLOW ROBERT: Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal From a small Croatian village to building billion-dollar businesses, Robert Herjavec knows what it takes to turn risk into reward. In this special episode, recorded at Biban 2024 and brought to you by Monsha’at, we dive into Robert’s journey—bootstrapping his first company from his basement, making strategic exits to giants like AT&T and Nokia, and mastering the art of wealth creation.


Whether you're aiming for your first million or your next billion, Robert’s insights on resilience, risk, and reinvention will leave you inspired to make your own Billion Dollar Moves.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:46 - First impressions of Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurial spirit; perspective on wealth

02:55 - Critical strategies for Saudi Arabia entrepreneurs to succeed in Western markets

04:11 - Building a $1 million versus $100 million business

05:41 - The influence of Robert’s immigrant background on his leadership

06:24 - How to choose an idea to double down on

08:07 - Unexpected lessons learned from 21 years of Shark Tank

12:32 - Investment made through Shark Tank; are those good deals?

14:02 - The opportunity for women-led innovation in Saudi Arabia


About Robert Herjavec

Robert Herjavec is a Croatian-Canadian businessman, investor, and television personality. Herjavec founded BRAK Systems, a Canadian integrator of Internet security software, and sold it to AT&T Canada in 2000 for $30.2 million.


FOLLOW ROBERT:

Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1094 no Best of 2024: Masterclass in Leadership, Innovation, and Resilience https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/best-of-2024/ As we step into 2025, let’s pause to reflect on the lessons that shaped us in 2024. This week on Billion Dollar Moves, we’re bringing you a curated collection of the most impactful insights from our incredible guests over the past year. From overcoming rejection and pioneering in business to purposeful investing, bold leadership, and breaking stereotypes, this episode is packed with strategies and stories that defined a year of transformation. Get ready to relive these moments and glean inspiration to make your own #BillionDollarMoves in 2025! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 0:40 - Key Takeaway 1: Resilience Through Rejection and Growth – Failure is but part of the process 01:11 - Melanie Perkins: From over 100 VC rejections to building Canva into a $26B startup 02:07 - Iman Abuzeid: Rejection is the norm; tips for selective fundraising 04:09 - Key Takeaway 2: Pioneering in Business 04:43 - Julie Wainwright: Just because something hasn’t been done doesn’t mean it can’t 06:24 - Anjali Sud: Pivoting Vimeo into a SaaS platform and navigating public listing 09:15 - Steve Chen: The ‘One-Way Ticket’: “If I have an idea, I'm just going to regret it if I don't take this opportunity now to actually try it out.” 11:01 - Key Takeaway 3: Purposeful Investing 11:40 - Jack Selby: Impact of capital and investing in art, film, and women in tech 13:27 - Beyond ChatGPT: Balancing advancement with ethics in AI investments. 17:10 - Key Takeaway 4: Leadership and Strategic Vision 17:33 - Glenda McNeal: Building partnerships and consumer focus as a growth leader 19:20 - Key Takeaway 5: Breaking Stereotypes 19:40 - Shama Amalean Skinner: Redefining women’s health and addressing stigma through advocacy 22:06 - Closing Remarks Best of 2024 Full Episodes: CEO Series: Melanie Perkins https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-melanie-perkins-canva/ [BITE] Iman Abuzeid: Rise of A Rare Unicorn https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/resilience-black-female-unicorn-iman-abuzeid-incredible-health/ Anjali Sud: From Vimeo to Tubi https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/vimeo-tubi-anjali-sud-leveraging-disruption/ CEO Series: Julie Wainwright https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-julie-wainwright-the-realreal/ Steve Chen: Journey After YouTube https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/journey-after-youtube-steve-chen-draco/ Jack Selby: Purposeful Investing in AI https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/purposeful-investing-in-ai-jack-selby-thiel-capital/ Beyond ChatGPT: AI Insights and Impact w/ OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Trill Impact https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/beyond-chatgpt-openai-google-deepmind-trill-impact/ Glenda McNeal: The Power of Influence and The Art of Partnerships https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/power-of-influence-art-of-partnerships-glenda-mcneal-american-express/ Shama Amalean Skinner: Why ‘Taboo’ Brands Win https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/breaking-barriers-taboo-brands-shama-amalean-skinner-former-coo-thinx/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 30 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 110 Sarah Chen-Spellings As we step into 2025, let’s pause to reflect on the lessons that shaped us in 2024. This week on Billion Dollar Moves, we’re bringing you a curated collection of the most impactful insights from our incredible guests over the past year. From overcoming rejection and pioneering in business to purposeful investing, bold leadership, and breaking stereotypes, this episode is packed with strategies and stories that defined a year of transformation. Get ready to relive these moments and glean inspiration to make your own #BillionDollarMoves in 2025! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 0:40 - Key Takeaway 1: Resilience Through Rejection and Growth – Failure is but part of the process 01:11 - Melanie Perkins: From over 100 VC rejections to building Canva into a $26B startup 02:07 - Iman Abuzeid: Rejection is the norm; tips for selective fundraising 04:09 - Key Takeaway 2: Pioneering in Business 04:43 - Julie Wainwright: Just because something hasn’t been done doesn’t mean it can’t 06:24 - Anjali Sud: Pivoting Vimeo into a SaaS platform and navigating public listing 09:15 - Steve Chen: The ‘One-Way Ticket’: “If I have an idea, I'm just going to regret it if I don't take this opportunity now to actually try it out.” 11:01 - Key Takeaway 3: Purposeful Investing 11:40 - Jack Selby: Impact of capital and investing in art, film, and women in tech 13:27 - Beyond ChatGPT: Balancing advancement with ethics in AI investments. 17:10 - Key Takeaway 4: Leadership and Strategic Vision 17:33 - Glenda McNeal: Building partnerships and consumer focus as a growth leader 19:20 - Key Takeaway 5: Breaking Stereotypes 19:40 - Shama Amalean Skinner: Redefining women’s health and addressing stigma through advocacy 22:06 - Closing Remarks Best of 2024 Full Episodes: CEO Series: Melanie Perkins https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-melanie-perkins-canva/ [BITE] Iman Abuzeid: Rise of A Rare Unicorn https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/resilience-black-female-unicorn-iman-abuzeid-incredible-health/ Anjali Sud: From Vimeo to Tubi https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/vimeo-tubi-anjali-sud-leveraging-disruption/ CEO Series: Julie Wainwright https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-julie-wainwright-the-realreal/ Steve Chen: Journey After YouTube https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/journey-after-youtube-steve-chen-draco/ Jack Selby: Purposeful Investing in AI https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/purposeful-investing-in-ai-jack-selby-thiel-capital/ Beyond ChatGPT: AI Insights and Impact w/ OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Trill Impact https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/beyond-chatgpt-openai-google-deepmind-trill-impact/ Glenda McNeal: The Power of Influence and The Art of Partnerships https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/power-of-influence-art-of-partnerships-glenda-mcneal-american-express/ Shama Amalean Skinner: Why ‘Taboo’ Brands Win https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/breaking-barriers-taboo-brands-shama-amalean-skinner-former-coo-thinx/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal As we step into 2025, let’s pause to reflect on the lessons that shaped us in 2024. This week on Billion Dollar Moves, we’re bringing you a curated collection of the most impactful insights from our incredible guests over the past year.


From overcoming rejection and pioneering in business to purposeful investing, bold leadership, and breaking stereotypes, this episode is packed with strategies and stories that defined a year of transformation.


Get ready to relive these moments and glean inspiration to make your own #BillionDollarMoves in 2025!


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

0:40 - Key Takeaway 1: Resilience Through Rejection and Growth – Failure is but part of the process

01:11 - Melanie Perkins: From over 100 VC rejections to building Canva into a $26B startup

02:07 - Iman Abuzeid: Rejection is the norm; tips for selective fundraising

04:09 - Key Takeaway 2: Pioneering in Business

04:43 - Julie Wainwright: Just because something hasn’t been done doesn’t mean it can’t

06:24 - Anjali Sud: Pivoting Vimeo into a SaaS platform and navigating public listing

09:15 - Steve Chen: The ‘One-Way Ticket’: “If I have an idea, I'm just going to regret it if I don't take this opportunity now to actually try it out.”

11:01 - Key Takeaway 3: Purposeful Investing

11:40 - Jack Selby: Impact of capital and investing in art, film, and women in tech

13:27 - Beyond ChatGPT: Balancing advancement with ethics in AI investments.

17:10 - Key Takeaway 4: Leadership and Strategic Vision

17:33 - Glenda McNeal: Building partnerships and consumer focus as a growth leader

19:20 - Key Takeaway 5: Breaking Stereotypes

19:40 - Shama Amalean Skinner: Redefining women’s health and addressing stigma through advocacy

22:06 - Closing Remarks


Best of 2024 Full Episodes:


CEO Series: Melanie Perkins

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-melanie-perkins-canva/


[BITE] Iman Abuzeid: Rise of A Rare Unicorn

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/resilience-black-female-unicorn-iman-abuzeid-incredible-health/


Anjali Sud: From Vimeo to Tubi

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/vimeo-tubi-anjali-sud-leveraging-disruption/


CEO Series: Julie Wainwright

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-julie-wainwright-the-realreal/


Steve Chen: Journey After YouTube

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/journey-after-youtube-steve-chen-draco/


Jack Selby: Purposeful Investing in AI

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/purposeful-investing-in-ai-jack-selby-thiel-capital/


Beyond ChatGPT: AI Insights and Impact w/ OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Trill Impact

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/beyond-chatgpt-openai-google-deepmind-trill-impact/


Glenda McNeal: The Power of Influence and The Art of Partnerships

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/power-of-influence-art-of-partnerships-glenda-mcneal-american-express/


Shama Amalean Skinner: Why ‘Taboo’ Brands Win

https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/breaking-barriers-taboo-brands-shama-amalean-skinner-former-coo-thinx/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1375 no CEO Series: Lisa Su, AMD https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-lisa-su-amd/ Happy 2025, movers and shakers! We're back for the 2025 season, and let me tell you—this is not just another episode.  We’re kicking off the new year and the highly anticipated return of the Billion Dollar CEO Series! You asked for it, and we’re delivering—bigger and better than ever. To launch the series, we’re deconstructing #billiondollarmoves of none other than the unstoppable Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD. From spearheading game-changing innovations to orchestrating one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in tech history, Lisa’s story is one of resilience, vision, and leadership at its finest. So grab your coffee (or your GPU-powered supercomputer) and tune in, because this is an episode you do not want to miss. Let’s dive in! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:24 - The Engine Behind Today’s Digital World 04:52 - Lisa Su’s MIT and the Early Career Years 07:16 - The AMD Turnaround 10:56 - Pioneering Supercomputing with El Capitan 13:24 - The Challenges Ahead: Chip Industry and AMD 16:26 - Lisa Su’s Leadership Philosophy and Style 18:29 - 5 Questions for Leaders Inspired by Lisa Su’s Journey About Lisa Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD, has spearheaded the company’s transformation into a global leader in high-performance and adaptive computing, driving advancements in computing and AI to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. Since joining AMD in 2012, she has held pivotal roles, including Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and later CEO, where she unified AMD’s operations, product strategy, and market execution into a cohesive, industry-leading organization. Lisa is TIME's CEO of the Year, one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI, received the 2024 Bower Award for Business Leadership, has been honored in multiple "most powerful women" lists for several years, and received the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Committee for Economic Development (CED).  Learn more about Lisa: Wikipedia FOLLOW LISA ON X | FOLLOW LISA ON LINKEDIN Resources: Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD | Behind the Tech with Microsoft's CTO Kevin Scott https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd65Ok379ZI AMD's CEO Wants to Chip Away at Nvidia's Lead | The Circuit with Emily Chang https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ve5SAFPYZ8 CEO of the Year Lisa Su Talks Competition and Collaboration in the Semiconductor Industry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIokM_4i1i0  How to Build a Thriving AI Ecosystem with Lisa Su, CEO of AMD https://a16z.com/how-to-build-ai-ecosystem-lisa-su-ceo-of-amd/ AMD CEO Lisa Su on the AI revolution | Decoder with Nilay Patel https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amd-ceo-lisa-su-on-the-ai-revolution/id1011668648?i=1000629660416  Lisa Su CEO of AMD | In Good Company with Nicolai Tangen https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-good-company-with-nicolai-tangen/id1614211565?i=1000581623355  How Chip Giant AMD Finally Caught Intel | CNBC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gLm0Jo0cnk - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 23 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 109 Sarah Chen-Spellings Happy 2025, movers and shakers! We're back for the 2025 season, and let me tell you—this is not just another episode.  We’re kicking off the new year and the highly anticipated return of the Billion Dollar CEO Series! You asked for it, and we’re delivering—bigger and better than ever. To launch the series, we’re deconstructing #billiondollarmoves of none other than the unstoppable Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD. From spearheading game-changing innovations to orchestrating one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in tech history, Lisa’s story is one of resilience, vision, and leadership at its finest. So grab your coffee (or your GPU-powered supercomputer) and tune in, because this is an episode you do not want to miss. Let’s dive in! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:24 - The Engine Behind Today’s Digital World 04:52 - Lisa Su’s MIT and the Early Career Years 07:16 - The AMD Turnaround 10:56 - Pioneering Supercomputing with El Capitan 13:24 - The Challenges Ahead: Chip Industry and AMD 16:26 - Lisa Su’s Leadership Philosophy and Style 18:29 - 5 Questions for Leaders Inspired by Lisa Su’s Journey About Lisa Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD, has spearheaded the company’s transformation into a global leader in high-performance and adaptive computing, driving advancements in computing and AI to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. Since joining AMD in 2012, she has held pivotal roles, including Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and later CEO, where she unified AMD’s operations, product strategy, and market execution into a cohesive, industry-leading organization. Lisa is TIME's CEO of the Year, one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI, received the 2024 Bower Award for Business Leadership, has been honored in multiple "most powerful women" lists for several years, and received the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Committee for Economic Development (CED).  Learn more about Lisa: Wikipedia FOLLOW LISA ON X | FOLLOW LISA ON LINKEDIN Resources: Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD | Behind the Tech with Microsoft's CTO Kevin Scott https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd65Ok379ZI AMD's CEO Wants to Chip Away at Nvidia's Lead | The Circuit with Emily Chang https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ve5SAFPYZ8 CEO of the Year Lisa Su Talks Competition and Collaboration in the Semiconductor Industry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIokM_4i1i0  How to Build a Thriving AI Ecosystem with Lisa Su, CEO of AMD https://a16z.com/how-to-build-ai-ecosystem-lisa-su-ceo-of-amd/ AMD CEO Lisa Su on the AI revolution | Decoder with Nilay Patel https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amd-ceo-lisa-su-on-the-ai-revolution/id1011668648?i=1000629660416  Lisa Su CEO of AMD | In Good Company with Nicolai Tangen https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-good-company-with-nicolai-tangen/id1614211565?i=1000581623355  How Chip Giant AMD Finally Caught Intel | CNBC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gLm0Jo0cnk - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Happy 2025, movers and shakers! We're back for the 2025 season, and let me tell you—this is not just another episode. 


We’re kicking off the new year and the highly anticipated return of the Billion Dollar CEO Series! You asked for it, and we’re delivering—bigger and better than ever.


To launch the series, we’re deconstructing #billiondollarmoves of none other than the unstoppable Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD. From spearheading game-changing innovations to orchestrating one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in tech history, Lisa’s story is one of resilience, vision, and leadership at its finest.


So grab your coffee (or your GPU-powered supercomputer) and tune in, because this is an episode you do not want to miss. Let’s dive in!


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:24 - The Engine Behind Today’s Digital World

04:52 - Lisa Su’s MIT and the Early Career Years

07:16 - The AMD Turnaround

10:56 - Pioneering Supercomputing with El Capitan

13:24 - The Challenges Ahead: Chip Industry and AMD

16:26 - Lisa Su’s Leadership Philosophy and Style

18:29 - 5 Questions for Leaders Inspired by Lisa Su’s Journey


About Lisa


Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD, has spearheaded the company’s transformation into a global leader in high-performance and adaptive computing, driving advancements in computing and AI to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. Since joining AMD in 2012, she has held pivotal roles, including Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and later CEO, where she unified AMD’s operations, product strategy, and market execution into a cohesive, industry-leading organization.


Lisa is TIME's CEO of the Year, one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI, received the 2024 Bower Award for Business Leadership, has been honored in multiple "most powerful women" lists for several years, and received the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Committee for Economic Development (CED). 


Learn more about Lisa:

Wikipedia

FOLLOW LISA ON X | FOLLOW LISA ON LINKEDIN


Resources:


Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD | Behind the Tech with Microsoft's CTO Kevin Scott

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd65Ok379ZI


AMD's CEO Wants to Chip Away at Nvidia's Lead | The Circuit with Emily Chang

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ve5SAFPYZ8


CEO of the Year Lisa Su Talks Competition and Collaboration in the Semiconductor Industry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIokM_4i1i0 


How to Build a Thriving AI Ecosystem with Lisa Su, CEO of AMD

https://a16z.com/how-to-build-ai-ecosystem-lisa-su-ceo-of-amd/


AMD CEO Lisa Su on the AI revolution | Decoder with Nilay Patel

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amd-ceo-lisa-su-on-the-ai-revolution/id1011668648?i=1000629660416 


Lisa Su CEO of AMD | In Good Company with Nicolai Tangen

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-good-company-with-nicolai-tangen/id1614211565?i=1000581623355 


How Chip Giant AMD Finally Caught Intel | CNBC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gLm0Jo0cnk


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1348 no [BITE] Redefining CVC with Intel Capital's $20B Portfolio w/ Nick Washburn, Intel Capital This week, we're taking you back into the dynamic world of corporate venture capital with a must-listen conversation featuring Nick Washburn, Senior Managing Director at Intel Capital — one of the most prolific and impactful CVCs, with over $20 billion invested across the tech ecosystem. Why now? Gearing up for 2025 — after the rollercoaster of recent years, investor sentiment is shifting dramatically. Institutional giants like pension funds and family offices are reportedly increasing their VC allocations by as much as 33% in the next 12 months! If you missed out the original episode, or would like to revisit these key takeaways — this episode is for you. Whether you're a founder, an innovator, or a capital allocator, Nick's wisdom is packed with actionable takeaways, and life lessons really, that will leave you energized and ready to seize the opportunities 2025 has to offer. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:15 - Key takeaway #1: "Chasing the Puck" 02:55 - Key Takeaway #2: "The Anti-Pattern Matcher" 05:11 - Key Takeaway #3: "Building Legendary Companies" 08:51 - Key Takeaway #4: "Patience and Discipline in Venture" 12:06 - Key Takeaway #5: "Focus on What You Can Control" 13:55 - Closing Remarks Full Episode: Inside Intel Capital: How a Multi-Billion Dollar Portfolio Sets the Standard for CVCs w/ Nick Washburn, Intel Capital About Nick Washburn Nick Washburn is a Senior Managing Director of Intel Capital located in Denver, CO. He joined Intel Capital in 2014. Nick is a voting member of Intel Capital’s investment committee and co-manages Intel Capital’s cloud investment domain. He focuses on early-stage investments in cloud-native infrastructure, developer tools, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and data platforms. Nick currently serves as a director or observer on the boards of Augtera Networks, Fly.io, Freshpaint, Moderne, OtterTune, and Tetrate. He also works closely on Intel Capital’s investments in Anyscale and Upbound. In addition, Nick currently serves as a director on the board of the National Venture Capital Association, and he is a member of the Kauffman Fellows, Class 25. He is a proud father to amazing twin boys, he loves playing ice hockey, and he is an avid lover of all things outdoors, including skiing, mountain biking and rock climbing. FOLLOW NICK: LinkedIn PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 108 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week, we're taking you back into the dynamic world of corporate venture capital with a must-listen conversation featuring Nick Washburn, Senior Managing Director at Intel Capital — one of the most prolific and impactful CVCs, with over $20 billion invested across the tech ecosystem. Why now? Gearing up for 2025 — after the rollercoaster of recent years, investor sentiment is shifting dramatically. Institutional giants like pension funds and family offices are reportedly increasing their VC allocations by as much as 33% in the next 12 months! If you missed out the original episode, or would like to revisit these key takeaways — this episode is for you. Whether you're a founder, an innovator, or a capital allocator, Nick's wisdom is packed with actionable takeaways, and life lessons really, that will leave you energized and ready to seize the opportunities 2025 has to offer. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:15 - Key takeaway #1: "Chasing the Puck" 02:55 - Key Takeaway #2: "The Anti-Pattern Matcher" 05:11 - Key Takeaway #3: "Building Legendary Companies" 08:51 - Key Takeaway #4: "Patience and Discipline in Venture" 12:06 - Key Takeaway #5: "Focus on What You Can Control" 13:55 - Closing Remarks Full Episode: Inside Intel Capital: How a Multi-Billion Dollar Portfolio Sets the Standard for CVCs w/ Nick Washburn, Intel Capital About Nick Washburn Nick Washburn is a Senior Managing Director of Intel Capital located in Denver, CO. He joined Intel Capital in 2014. Nick is a voting member of Intel Capital’s investment committee and co-manages Intel Capital’s cloud investment domain. He focuses on early-stage investments in cloud-native infrastructure, developer tools, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and data platforms. Nick currently serves as a director or observer on the boards of Augtera Networks, Fly.io, Freshpaint, Moderne, OtterTune, and Tetrate. He also works closely on Intel Capital’s investments in Anyscale and Upbound. In addition, Nick currently serves as a director on the board of the National Venture Capital Association, and he is a member of the Kauffman Fellows, Class 25. He is a proud father to amazing twin boys, he loves playing ice hockey, and he is an avid lover of all things outdoors, including skiing, mountain biking and rock climbing. FOLLOW NICK: LinkedIn PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week, we're taking you back into the dynamic world of corporate venture capital with a must-listen conversation featuring Nick Washburn, Senior Managing Director at Intel Capital — one of the most prolific and impactful CVCs, with over $20 billion invested across the tech ecosystem.


Why now? Gearing up for 2025 — after the rollercoaster of recent years, investor sentiment is shifting dramatically. Institutional giants like pension funds and family offices are reportedly increasing their VC allocations by as much as 33% in the next 12 months!


If you missed out the original episode, or would like to revisit these key takeaways — this episode is for you. Whether you're a founder, an innovator, or a capital allocator, Nick's wisdom is packed with actionable takeaways, and life lessons really, that will leave you energized and ready to seize the opportunities 2025 has to offer.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways


0:00 - Intro

01:15 - Key takeaway #1: "Chasing the Puck"

02:55 - Key Takeaway #2: "The Anti-Pattern Matcher"

05:11 - Key Takeaway #3: "Building Legendary Companies"

08:51 - Key Takeaway #4: "Patience and Discipline in Venture"

12:06 - Key Takeaway #5: "Focus on What You Can Control"

13:55 - Closing Remarks


Full Episode:


Inside Intel Capital: How a Multi-Billion Dollar Portfolio Sets the Standard for CVCs w/ Nick Washburn, Intel Capital


About Nick Washburn


Nick Washburn is a Senior Managing Director of Intel Capital located in Denver, CO. He joined Intel Capital in 2014.

Nick is a voting member of Intel Capital’s investment committee and co-manages Intel Capital’s cloud investment domain. He focuses on early-stage investments in cloud-native infrastructure, developer tools, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and data platforms.

Nick currently serves as a director or observer on the boards of Augtera Networks, Fly.io, Freshpaint, Moderne, OtterTune, and Tetrate. He also works closely on Intel Capital’s investments in Anyscale and Upbound.

In addition, Nick currently serves as a director on the board of the National Venture Capital Association, and he is a member of the Kauffman Fellows, Class 25. He is a proud father to amazing twin boys, he loves playing ice hockey, and he is an avid lover of all things outdoors, including skiing, mountain biking and rock climbing.


FOLLOW NICK:

LinkedIn


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 942 no $150M Revenue & $500M Capital: Transforming Mobility Markets with Financial Inclusion w/ Tingting Peng, Moove This week, we sit down with Tingting Peng, the Chief Transformation Officer of Moove, the African-born fintech tackling financial inclusion through innovative mobility solutions. With over $500 million raised in equity and debt financing, and a customer base of 30,000 drivers across global markets, Moove is redefining vehicle ownership and creating pathways to economic empowerment. Tingting shares her incredible journey — from navigating the high-stakes world of hedge funds to embracing purpose-driven leadership at Moove. She opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped her career, including the global financial crisis and her mid-career pivot into social enterprise. We also dive into her role in scaling Moove’s operations to $150 million in annual recurring revenue, building strategic partnerships with giants like Uber, and driving innovation in emerging markets. Get ready for a masterclass on resilience, leadership, and the power of purpose in building a successful business! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:36 - Billion Dollar Questions 04:52 - The pivots in Tingting’s career - from hedge fund manager to yoga teacher to today’s Moove 08:46 - The journey of becoming the first executive hired of a Nigerian-founded startup 11:10 - Leadership qualities to seek in founders; the co-founder dynamics 15:56 - Driving financial inclusion in mobility industry; obstacles faced and solutions provided in Nigeria 22:03 - Surprising learnings from gender analysis; managing volatility in different markets 27:03 - Pulling out from Egypt and Kenya: key learnings 31:40 - Strategic partnership with Uber and beyond 34:38 - Building a global business from early - partnership with OEM and making impact 40:23 - Hardest lessons learned; “always in fundraising mode” About Tingting Tingting is Chief Capital, Strategy, and Impact Officer at Moove, a mobility fintech focused on revenue-based financing for gig workers globally. She is also an angel investor and advisor to startups across healthtech, climate tech, HR tech and fintech. As a former investment banker, hedge fund analyst and private equity investor, Tingting has extensive experience across private markets asset classes and a passion for building and scaling impactful businesses at the intersection of tech, finance, and wellbeing. She is a graduate of MIT with an MBA from London Business School. Tingting is a member of the Milken Institute’s Young Leaders Circle and has been recognised by Fintech Magazine as a Top 100 Women in Fintech 2023 and by the Financial Technology Report as a Top 25 Women Leader in Financial Technology of 2022. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 19 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 107 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week, we sit down with Tingting Peng, the Chief Transformation Officer of Moove, the African-born fintech tackling financial inclusion through innovative mobility solutions. With over $500 million raised in equity and debt financing, and a customer base of 30,000 drivers across global markets, Moove is redefining vehicle ownership and creating pathways to economic empowerment. Tingting shares her incredible journey — from navigating the high-stakes world of hedge funds to embracing purpose-driven leadership at Moove. She opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped her career, including the global financial crisis and her mid-career pivot into social enterprise. We also dive into her role in scaling Moove’s operations to $150 million in annual recurring revenue, building strategic partnerships with giants like Uber, and driving innovation in emerging markets. Get ready for a masterclass on resilience, leadership, and the power of purpose in building a successful business! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 02:36 - Billion Dollar Questions 04:52 - The pivots in Tingting’s career - from hedge fund manager to yoga teacher to today’s Moove 08:46 - The journey of becoming the first executive hired of a Nigerian-founded startup 11:10 - Leadership qualities to seek in founders; the co-founder dynamics 15:56 - Driving financial inclusion in mobility industry; obstacles faced and solutions provided in Nigeria 22:03 - Surprising learnings from gender analysis; managing volatility in different markets 27:03 - Pulling out from Egypt and Kenya: key learnings 31:40 - Strategic partnership with Uber and beyond 34:38 - Building a global business from early - partnership with OEM and making impact 40:23 - Hardest lessons learned; “always in fundraising mode” About Tingting Tingting is Chief Capital, Strategy, and Impact Officer at Moove, a mobility fintech focused on revenue-based financing for gig workers globally. She is also an angel investor and advisor to startups across healthtech, climate tech, HR tech and fintech. As a former investment banker, hedge fund analyst and private equity investor, Tingting has extensive experience across private markets asset classes and a passion for building and scaling impactful businesses at the intersection of tech, finance, and wellbeing. She is a graduate of MIT with an MBA from London Business School. Tingting is a member of the Milken Institute’s Young Leaders Circle and has been recognised by Fintech Magazine as a Top 100 Women in Fintech 2023 and by the Financial Technology Report as a Top 25 Women Leader in Financial Technology of 2022. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week, we sit down with Tingting Peng, the Chief Transformation Officer of Moove, the African-born fintech tackling financial inclusion through innovative mobility solutions. With over $500 million raised in equity and debt financing, and a customer base of 30,000 drivers across global markets, Moove is redefining vehicle ownership and creating pathways to economic empowerment.


Tingting shares her incredible journey — from navigating the high-stakes world of hedge funds to embracing purpose-driven leadership at Moove. She opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped her career, including the global financial crisis and her mid-career pivot into social enterprise. We also dive into her role in scaling Moove’s operations to $150 million in annual recurring revenue, building strategic partnerships with giants like Uber, and driving innovation in emerging markets.


Get ready for a masterclass on resilience, leadership, and the power of purpose in building a successful business!


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

02:36 - Billion Dollar Questions

04:52 - The pivots in Tingting’s career - from hedge fund manager to yoga teacher to today’s Moove

08:46 - The journey of becoming the first executive hired of a Nigerian-founded startup

11:10 - Leadership qualities to seek in founders; the co-founder dynamics

15:56 - Driving financial inclusion in mobility industry; obstacles faced and solutions provided in Nigeria

22:03 - Surprising learnings from gender analysis; managing volatility in different markets

27:03 - Pulling out from Egypt and Kenya: key learnings

31:40 - Strategic partnership with Uber and beyond

34:38 - Building a global business from early - partnership with OEM and making impact

40:23 - Hardest lessons learned; “always in fundraising mode”


About Tingting


Tingting is Chief Capital, Strategy, and Impact Officer at Moove, a mobility fintech focused on revenue-based financing for gig workers globally. She is also an angel investor and advisor to startups across healthtech, climate tech, HR tech and fintech.

As a former investment banker, hedge fund analyst and private equity investor, Tingting has extensive experience across private markets asset classes and a passion for building and scaling impactful businesses at the intersection of tech, finance, and wellbeing. She is a graduate of MIT with an MBA from London Business School. Tingting is a member of the Milken Institute’s Young Leaders Circle and has been recognised by Fintech Magazine as a Top 100 Women in Fintech 2023 and by the Financial Technology Report as a Top 25 Women Leader in Financial Technology of 2022.


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2876 no [REPLAY] Rise from Failure: Living Your Purpose w/ Suneel Gupta, Best-Selling Author, Everyday Dharma As the year comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the lessons learned, the challenges faced, and the habits that have shaped our journey. This week, we are revisiting an episode that dives deep into these themes with Suneel Gupta. Once labeled the "face of failure" in *The New York Times,* Suneel turned his setbacks into powerful lessons, going on to become the founding CEO of RISE, a wellness company named App of the Year by Apple. Now a bestselling author, renowned speaker, and Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, Suneel studies the habits of extraordinary individuals to help us all lift our performance and deepen our sense of purpose. In this replay, Suneel shares actionable insights on building resilience, finding purpose, and creating habits that sustain us—perfect reflections to carry into the new year. Tune in for an inspiring conversation to help you close out this year strong and step into the next with clarity and intention. TIMESTAMP 0:00 Intro 04:00 The face of failure on The New York Times 06:46 The alignment and arrival fallacy 08:15 Behind the success with Rise app 11:24 Deeper questions from the next generation: meaning or money? 15:30 Burnout among successful people 17:13 The role of resting and paradox of productivity 19:55 The need to perform and living up to expectations 21:43 Chisel back to dharma through questions 26:07 The struggle to monetise while living up to purpose 29:32 Expressions of dharma 34:18 Work and play as adults 37:29 Jealousy as an indicator of your dharma 40:28 Takes on racial hate and identity in US 43:01 Billion Dollar Questions About Suneel Gupta “Today I write, speak and teach about the changing world of work and what we do internally in order to succeed externally.” Once seen as the “face of failure” in the New York Times, Suneel Gupta understands that the road to success is not always smooth. Suneel learned from his mistakes and went on to become a founding CEO of RISE, a breakthrough wellness company named App of the Year by Apple. As an author and visiting scholar at Harvard Medical School, Suneel studies the most extraordinary people on the planet to discover and share simple, actionable habits to lift our performance and deepen our daily sense of purpose. His work has been featured by major outlets including CNBC, TED, and the New York Times.  Now a bestselling author, renowned speaker, Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, and host of a global Documentary Series, Suneel studies, discovers and shares simple, actionable habits that lift our performance and deepen our state of well-being. FOLLOW SUNEEL: Website | https://www.suneelgupta.com/ LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneelkgupta/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/suneelgupta/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 12 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 106 Sarah Chen-Spellings As the year comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the lessons learned, the challenges faced, and the habits that have shaped our journey. This week, we are revisiting an episode that dives deep into these themes with Suneel Gupta. Once labeled the "face of failure" in *The New York Times,* Suneel turned his setbacks into powerful lessons, going on to become the founding CEO of RISE, a wellness company named App of the Year by Apple. Now a bestselling author, renowned speaker, and Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, Suneel studies the habits of extraordinary individuals to help us all lift our performance and deepen our sense of purpose. In this replay, Suneel shares actionable insights on building resilience, finding purpose, and creating habits that sustain us—perfect reflections to carry into the new year. Tune in for an inspiring conversation to help you close out this year strong and step into the next with clarity and intention. TIMESTAMP 0:00 Intro 04:00 The face of failure on The New York Times 06:46 The alignment and arrival fallacy 08:15 Behind the success with Rise app 11:24 Deeper questions from the next generation: meaning or money? 15:30 Burnout among successful people 17:13 The role of resting and paradox of productivity 19:55 The need to perform and living up to expectations 21:43 Chisel back to dharma through questions 26:07 The struggle to monetise while living up to purpose 29:32 Expressions of dharma 34:18 Work and play as adults 37:29 Jealousy as an indicator of your dharma 40:28 Takes on racial hate and identity in US 43:01 Billion Dollar Questions About Suneel Gupta “Today I write, speak and teach about the changing world of work and what we do internally in order to succeed externally.” Once seen as the “face of failure” in the New York Times, Suneel Gupta understands that the road to success is not always smooth. Suneel learned from his mistakes and went on to become a founding CEO of RISE, a breakthrough wellness company named App of the Year by Apple. As an author and visiting scholar at Harvard Medical School, Suneel studies the most extraordinary people on the planet to discover and share simple, actionable habits to lift our performance and deepen our daily sense of purpose. His work has been featured by major outlets including CNBC, TED, and the New York Times.  Now a bestselling author, renowned speaker, Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, and host of a global Documentary Series, Suneel studies, discovers and shares simple, actionable habits that lift our performance and deepen our state of well-being. FOLLOW SUNEEL: Website | https://www.suneelgupta.com/ LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneelkgupta/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/suneelgupta/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal As the year comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the lessons learned, the challenges faced, and the habits that have shaped our journey. This week, we are revisiting an episode that dives deep into these themes with Suneel Gupta.


Once labeled the "face of failure" in *The New York Times,* Suneel turned his setbacks into powerful lessons, going on to become the founding CEO of RISE, a wellness company named App of the Year by Apple. Now a bestselling author, renowned speaker, and Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, Suneel studies the habits of extraordinary individuals to help us all lift our performance and deepen our sense of purpose.


In this replay, Suneel shares actionable insights on building resilience, finding purpose, and creating habits that sustain us—perfect reflections to carry into the new year. Tune in for an inspiring conversation to help you close out this year strong and step into the next with clarity and intention.


TIMESTAMP

0:00 Intro

04:00 The face of failure on The New York Times

06:46 The alignment and arrival fallacy

08:15 Behind the success with Rise app

11:24 Deeper questions from the next generation: meaning or money?

15:30 Burnout among successful people

17:13 The role of resting and paradox of productivity

19:55 The need to perform and living up to expectations

21:43 Chisel back to dharma through questions

26:07 The struggle to monetise while living up to purpose

29:32 Expressions of dharma

34:18 Work and play as adults

37:29 Jealousy as an indicator of your dharma

40:28 Takes on racial hate and identity in US

43:01 Billion Dollar Questions


About Suneel Gupta


“Today I write, speak and teach about the changing world of work and what we do internally in order to succeed externally.”


Once seen as the “face of failure” in the New York Times, Suneel Gupta understands that the road to success is not always smooth.

Suneel learned from his mistakes and went on to become a founding CEO of RISE, a breakthrough wellness company named App of the Year by Apple.


As an author and visiting scholar at Harvard Medical School, Suneel studies the most extraordinary people on the planet to discover and share simple, actionable habits to lift our performance and deepen our daily sense of purpose. His work has been featured by major outlets including CNBC, TED, and the New York Times. 


Now a bestselling author, renowned speaker, Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, and host of a global Documentary Series, Suneel studies, discovers and shares simple, actionable habits that lift our performance and deepen our state of well-being.


FOLLOW SUNEEL:

Website | https://www.suneelgupta.com/

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneelkgupta/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/suneelgupta/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2914 no Fishburners’ $2Bn Impact: Building Australia’s Startup Ecosystem w/ Martin Karafilis, Fishburners This week we’re diving into the journey of Martin Karafilis, CEO of Fishburners, Australia's largest and longest-standing startup community. Since 2011, Fishburners has supported over 45,000 entrepreneurs and facilitated more than $2 billion in capital raised.  In our conversation, Martin shares his insights on Australia's evolving venture landscape, the importance of community in startup success, and why global ambitions are essential for local founders. Tune in for stories about pitching at Fishburners’ iconic events, investing in women founders, and lessons learned from building a tech startup to exit! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 00:00 - Intro 02:06 - The journey of Fishburners and its impact on Australian startups 04:21 - Takes on women-led startups; Why investing in women founders is a smart business decision. 06:41 - Australia’s startup ecosystem: challenges, opportunities, and the rise of domestic capital flow 13:01 - Lessons from a founder-turned-investor; blooming tech scene in Australia startups 17:44 - Importance of community; success stories of Fishburners 21:29 - Martin’s journey as a founder: from funding to exits 30:20 - Billion Dollar Questions About Martin Karafilis Critically acclaimed speaker and author with a wealth of knowledge across technology, business, startups, entrepreneurship and investment. As featured in publications such as Forbes, TechCrunch, Business Insider, The Financial Review. Having founded multiple companies, scaled operations globally, and developed some of the worlds most innovative products, Martin is widely known as one of Australia's leading serial entrepreneurs and business advisors.  Martin maintains a unique lens on end to end operations leveraging both his technical and non-technical backgrounds. A leader for innovation who has a proven track record in strategic & operational planning, sales growth & customer acquisition, capital raising & funding, product design & management, people & culture, marketing, branding & public relations. Striving to drive emerging technologies, Martin uses his experience from large global corporates and growing startups to introduce world leading technology on local, regional and global levels. Martin follows a strict range of core values when carrying out business with a strong focus on creating environmental and social impact, ultimately trying to shape the world for the better through technology and innovation. Martin has strong expertise in growing businesses and building exceptional teams with a deep understanding of how political, cultural, social, economic and technological impacts shape international markets. FOLLOW MARTIN https://www.instagram.com/martinkarafilis/ https://www.instagram.com/martinkarafilis/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 05 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 105 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week we’re diving into the journey of Martin Karafilis, CEO of Fishburners, Australia's largest and longest-standing startup community. Since 2011, Fishburners has supported over 45,000 entrepreneurs and facilitated more than $2 billion in capital raised.  In our conversation, Martin shares his insights on Australia's evolving venture landscape, the importance of community in startup success, and why global ambitions are essential for local founders. Tune in for stories about pitching at Fishburners’ iconic events, investing in women founders, and lessons learned from building a tech startup to exit! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 00:00 - Intro 02:06 - The journey of Fishburners and its impact on Australian startups 04:21 - Takes on women-led startups; Why investing in women founders is a smart business decision. 06:41 - Australia’s startup ecosystem: challenges, opportunities, and the rise of domestic capital flow 13:01 - Lessons from a founder-turned-investor; blooming tech scene in Australia startups 17:44 - Importance of community; success stories of Fishburners 21:29 - Martin’s journey as a founder: from funding to exits 30:20 - Billion Dollar Questions About Martin Karafilis Critically acclaimed speaker and author with a wealth of knowledge across technology, business, startups, entrepreneurship and investment. As featured in publications such as Forbes, TechCrunch, Business Insider, The Financial Review. Having founded multiple companies, scaled operations globally, and developed some of the worlds most innovative products, Martin is widely known as one of Australia's leading serial entrepreneurs and business advisors.  Martin maintains a unique lens on end to end operations leveraging both his technical and non-technical backgrounds. A leader for innovation who has a proven track record in strategic & operational planning, sales growth & customer acquisition, capital raising & funding, product design & management, people & culture, marketing, branding & public relations. Striving to drive emerging technologies, Martin uses his experience from large global corporates and growing startups to introduce world leading technology on local, regional and global levels. Martin follows a strict range of core values when carrying out business with a strong focus on creating environmental and social impact, ultimately trying to shape the world for the better through technology and innovation. Martin has strong expertise in growing businesses and building exceptional teams with a deep understanding of how political, cultural, social, economic and technological impacts shape international markets. FOLLOW MARTIN https://www.instagram.com/martinkarafilis/ https://www.instagram.com/martinkarafilis/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week we’re diving into the journey of Martin Karafilis, CEO of Fishburners, Australia's largest and longest-standing startup community. Since 2011, Fishburners has supported over 45,000 entrepreneurs and facilitated more than $2 billion in capital raised. 


In our conversation, Martin shares his insights on Australia's evolving venture landscape, the importance of community in startup success, and why global ambitions are essential for local founders. Tune in for stories about pitching at Fishburners’ iconic events, investing in women founders, and lessons learned from building a tech startup to exit!


Timestamps / Key Takeaways


00:00 - Intro

02:06 - The journey of Fishburners and its impact on Australian startups

04:21 - Takes on women-led startups; Why investing in women founders is a smart business decision.

06:41 - Australia’s startup ecosystem: challenges, opportunities, and the rise of domestic capital flow

13:01 - Lessons from a founder-turned-investor; blooming tech scene in Australia startups

17:44 - Importance of community; success stories of Fishburners

21:29 - Martin’s journey as a founder: from funding to exits

30:20 - Billion Dollar Questions


About Martin Karafilis


Critically acclaimed speaker and author with a wealth of knowledge across technology, business, startups, entrepreneurship and investment. As featured in publications such as Forbes, TechCrunch, Business Insider, The Financial Review.


Having founded multiple companies, scaled operations globally, and developed some of the worlds most innovative products, Martin is widely known as one of Australia's leading serial entrepreneurs and business advisors. 


Martin maintains a unique lens on end to end operations leveraging both his technical and non-technical backgrounds. A leader for innovation who has a proven track record in strategic & operational planning, sales growth & customer acquisition, capital raising & funding, product design & management, people & culture, marketing, branding & public relations.


Striving to drive emerging technologies, Martin uses his experience from large global corporates and growing startups to introduce world leading technology on local, regional and global levels. Martin follows a strict range of core values when carrying out business with a strong focus on creating environmental and social impact, ultimately trying to shape the world for the better through technology and innovation.


Martin has strong expertise in growing businesses and building exceptional teams with a deep understanding of how political, cultural, social, economic and technological impacts shape international markets.


FOLLOW MARTIN

https://www.instagram.com/martinkarafilis/

https://www.instagram.com/martinkarafilis/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2269 no Building Impact-Driven Hospitality: Shruti Shibulal On Balancing Profit And Purpose Today’s episode of #BillionDollarMoves is truly special—the first-ever brother-sister co-hosted episode on this how!  Sarah and Brian sit down with Shruti Shibulal, the visionary CEO of Tamara Leisure Experiences. From her roots in the Infosys legacy to building a trailblazing hospitality brand, Shruti shares her insights on scaling a purpose-driven business, leading with impact, and redefining sustainability in the luxury travel sector. Tamara Leisure Experiences has reported a threefold increase in revenue and is aiming for a 50% growth in its property count within the next few years. This is a conversation about shaping the future of tourism with innovation and purpose - you won’t want to miss it! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 2:01 - Action in Shruti’s kitchen: Food, tradition, and family values 11:44 - Serving the Ornam Sadhya; food and sustainability 14:17 - From India to US, Shruti’s first touch of entrepreneurship 17:36 - Influence of her parents - S.D. & Kumari Shibulal 20:27 - How Shruti build her own path as the second generation; “We need to be thoughtful in the way we’re building,” 21:56 - The 3Ps - people, planet, and profitability 25:22 - Why Tamara? Building upon concepts of Eco-Tourism 29:39 - Shruti’s leadership and the Shibula family’s philanthropic initiatives 32:07 - Key challenges in the hospitality industry 37:01 - What is success for Shruti Shibulal? Job creation as one tangible way for change 40:23 - Takes on global view of India’s food and culture 45:29 - Sambal Survey 48:15 - Billion Dollar Questions About Shruti Shruti Shibulal is CEO and Director of Tamara Leisure Experiences. She strives to make Tamara synonymous with responsible tourism by incorporating principles of sustainability into the development and operations of each of Tamara's properties and creating impactful employment within their respective communities. Tamara operates resorts and hotels in South India, and has interests in Germany as well. Shruti is a Trustee of the Advaith Foundation and SD Foundation, organizations involved in providing educational opportunities and healthcare assistance to underprivileged sections of society. She is also a Trustee of WEP - Women's Education Project, which focuses on educating and uplifting young women from vulnerable backgrounds. Shruti is on the Governing Board of ATREE - Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment. In 2019, Shruti launched SAATHIYA - a hospitality skilling program which enables young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to become employable within the restaurant and hotel industries. Focussing on industry-relevant skilling, building careers, and creating a community, SAATHIYA has already shown positive results in improving the lives and prospects of its graduates. —  FOLLOW SHRUTI: https://www.instagram.com/shruti_shibulal/ https://tamaraleisureexperiences.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 28 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 104 Sarah Chen-Spellings Today’s episode of #BillionDollarMoves is truly special—the first-ever brother-sister co-hosted episode on this how!  Sarah and Brian sit down with Shruti Shibulal, the visionary CEO of Tamara Leisure Experiences. From her roots in the Infosys legacy to building a trailblazing hospitality brand, Shruti shares her insights on scaling a purpose-driven business, leading with impact, and redefining sustainability in the luxury travel sector. Tamara Leisure Experiences has reported a threefold increase in revenue and is aiming for a 50% growth in its property count within the next few years. This is a conversation about shaping the future of tourism with innovation and purpose - you won’t want to miss it! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 2:01 - Action in Shruti’s kitchen: Food, tradition, and family values 11:44 - Serving the Ornam Sadhya; food and sustainability 14:17 - From India to US, Shruti’s first touch of entrepreneurship 17:36 - Influence of her parents - S.D. & Kumari Shibulal 20:27 - How Shruti build her own path as the second generation; “We need to be thoughtful in the way we’re building,” 21:56 - The 3Ps - people, planet, and profitability 25:22 - Why Tamara? Building upon concepts of Eco-Tourism 29:39 - Shruti’s leadership and the Shibula family’s philanthropic initiatives 32:07 - Key challenges in the hospitality industry 37:01 - What is success for Shruti Shibulal? Job creation as one tangible way for change 40:23 - Takes on global view of India’s food and culture 45:29 - Sambal Survey 48:15 - Billion Dollar Questions About Shruti Shruti Shibulal is CEO and Director of Tamara Leisure Experiences. She strives to make Tamara synonymous with responsible tourism by incorporating principles of sustainability into the development and operations of each of Tamara's properties and creating impactful employment within their respective communities. Tamara operates resorts and hotels in South India, and has interests in Germany as well. Shruti is a Trustee of the Advaith Foundation and SD Foundation, organizations involved in providing educational opportunities and healthcare assistance to underprivileged sections of society. She is also a Trustee of WEP - Women's Education Project, which focuses on educating and uplifting young women from vulnerable backgrounds. Shruti is on the Governing Board of ATREE - Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment. In 2019, Shruti launched SAATHIYA - a hospitality skilling program which enables young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to become employable within the restaurant and hotel industries. Focussing on industry-relevant skilling, building careers, and creating a community, SAATHIYA has already shown positive results in improving the lives and prospects of its graduates. —  FOLLOW SHRUTI: https://www.instagram.com/shruti_shibulal/ https://tamaraleisureexperiences.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Today’s episode of #BillionDollarMoves is truly special—the first-ever brother-sister co-hosted episode on this how! 


Sarah and Brian sit down with Shruti Shibulal, the visionary CEO of Tamara Leisure Experiences. From her roots in the Infosys legacy to building a trailblazing hospitality brand, Shruti shares her insights on scaling a purpose-driven business, leading with impact, and redefining sustainability in the luxury travel sector.


Tamara Leisure Experiences has reported a threefold increase in revenue and is aiming for a 50% growth in its property count within the next few years. This is a conversation about shaping the future of tourism with innovation and purpose - you won’t want to miss it!


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

2:01 - Action in Shruti’s kitchen: Food, tradition, and family values

11:44 - Serving the Ornam Sadhya; food and sustainability

14:17 - From India to US, Shruti’s first touch of entrepreneurship

17:36 - Influence of her parents - S.D. & Kumari Shibulal

20:27 - How Shruti build her own path as the second generation; “We need to be thoughtful in the way we’re building,”

21:56 - The 3Ps - people, planet, and profitability

25:22 - Why Tamara? Building upon concepts of Eco-Tourism

29:39 - Shruti’s leadership and the Shibula family’s philanthropic initiatives

32:07 - Key challenges in the hospitality industry

37:01 - What is success for Shruti Shibulal? Job creation as one tangible way for change

40:23 - Takes on global view of India’s food and culture

45:29 - Sambal Survey

48:15 - Billion Dollar Questions


About Shruti


Shruti Shibulal is CEO and Director of Tamara Leisure Experiences. She strives to make Tamara synonymous with responsible tourism by incorporating principles of sustainability into the development and operations of each of Tamara's properties and creating impactful employment within their respective communities. Tamara operates resorts and hotels in South India, and has interests in Germany as well.

Shruti is a Trustee of the Advaith Foundation and SD Foundation, organizations involved in providing educational opportunities and healthcare assistance to underprivileged sections of society. She is also a Trustee of WEP - Women's Education Project, which focuses on educating and uplifting young women from vulnerable backgrounds. Shruti is on the Governing Board of ATREE - Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment.

In 2019, Shruti launched SAATHIYA - a hospitality skilling program which enables young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to become employable within the restaurant and hotel industries. Focussing on industry-relevant skilling, building careers, and creating a community, SAATHIYA has already shown positive results in improving the lives and prospects of its graduates. — 



FOLLOW SHRUTI:

https://www.instagram.com/shruti_shibulal/

https://tamaraleisureexperiences.com/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3355 no From Breaking Into Y Combinator to Reshaping A $58Bn Furniture Resale Industry w/ Reham Fagiri, AptDeco From Breaking Into Y Combinator to Reshaping A $58Bn Furniture Resale Industry w/ Reham Fagiri, AptDeco In this episode, we’re joined by Reham Fagiri, co-founder and CEO of AptDeco, the trailblazing furniture resale platform that’s transforming a $58 billion industry. What started as Reham’s frustration with selling furniture on Craigslist has grown into a powerhouse business with over $100 million in sales, innovative logistics, and booming B2B growth. As the first Black female founder to break into Y Combinator, Reham has raised more than $70 million while building a platform that’s redefining how we buy and sell furniture. From her beginnings at Goldman Sachs to launching a game-changing startup, this conversation is packed with billion-dollar insights and inspiration. Don’t miss it! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:50 - Billion Dollar Question 04:15 - From business school to Goldman Sachs to the conceptualize of AptDeco 08:57 - The Co-Founder relationship with Kalam Davis 13:53 - Deficiency in the now, $58Bn furniture resale industry; breaking through Y Combinator 18:48 - Growth hacking; the journey to hit the J-curve; AptDeco’s in-time delivery 26:39 - The explosive growth between 2014-2017; unsuccessful attempt to raise Series A 29:19 - Expanding through B2B partnerships; building warehouse return solutions for brands 35:54 - Key factors to raise $19M capital; being the first black female to break into Y Combinator 41:30 - What needs to change in venture ecosystem for minority founders? 44:20 - Final message to founders alike ABOUT REHAM Reham Fagiri is the co-founder and CEO of AptDeco, the leading furniture resale platform that makes buying and selling furniture easy, efficient, and sustainable. AptDeco, built the first of its kind suite of resale technology and logistics solutions tailored to the furniture industry. Prior to starting AptDeco Reham worked at Goldman Sachs in various engineering and management positions focusing on designing, building, and launching new software applications for the firm. Reham holds a BSc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania. She has served on the Fast Company Impact Council and Rewriting the Code advisory board, which works to advance women in business and tech. FOLLOW REHAM https://www.linkedin.com/in/reham-fagiri-97683b1/ PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 21 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 103 Sarah Chen-Spellings From Breaking Into Y Combinator to Reshaping A $58Bn Furniture Resale Industry w/ Reham Fagiri, AptDeco In this episode, we’re joined by Reham Fagiri, co-founder and CEO of AptDeco, the trailblazing furniture resale platform that’s transforming a $58 billion industry. What started as Reham’s frustration with selling furniture on Craigslist has grown into a powerhouse business with over $100 million in sales, innovative logistics, and booming B2B growth. As the first Black female founder to break into Y Combinator, Reham has raised more than $70 million while building a platform that’s redefining how we buy and sell furniture. From her beginnings at Goldman Sachs to launching a game-changing startup, this conversation is packed with billion-dollar insights and inspiration. Don’t miss it! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:50 - Billion Dollar Question 04:15 - From business school to Goldman Sachs to the conceptualize of AptDeco 08:57 - The Co-Founder relationship with Kalam Davis 13:53 - Deficiency in the now, $58Bn furniture resale industry; breaking through Y Combinator 18:48 - Growth hacking; the journey to hit the J-curve; AptDeco’s in-time delivery 26:39 - The explosive growth between 2014-2017; unsuccessful attempt to raise Series A 29:19 - Expanding through B2B partnerships; building warehouse return solutions for brands 35:54 - Key factors to raise $19M capital; being the first black female to break into Y Combinator 41:30 - What needs to change in venture ecosystem for minority founders? 44:20 - Final message to founders alike ABOUT REHAM Reham Fagiri is the co-founder and CEO of AptDeco, the leading furniture resale platform that makes buying and selling furniture easy, efficient, and sustainable. AptDeco, built the first of its kind suite of resale technology and logistics solutions tailored to the furniture industry. Prior to starting AptDeco Reham worked at Goldman Sachs in various engineering and management positions focusing on designing, building, and launching new software applications for the firm. Reham holds a BSc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania. She has served on the Fast Company Impact Council and Rewriting the Code advisory board, which works to advance women in business and tech. FOLLOW REHAM https://www.linkedin.com/in/reham-fagiri-97683b1/ PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal From Breaking Into Y Combinator to Reshaping A $58Bn Furniture Resale Industry w/ Reham Fagiri, AptDeco


In this episode, we’re joined by Reham Fagiri, co-founder and CEO of AptDeco, the trailblazing furniture resale platform that’s transforming a $58 billion industry.


What started as Reham’s frustration with selling furniture on Craigslist has grown into a powerhouse business with over $100 million in sales, innovative logistics, and booming B2B growth.


As the first Black female founder to break into Y Combinator, Reham has raised more than $70 million while building a platform that’s redefining how we buy and sell furniture. From her beginnings at Goldman Sachs to launching a game-changing startup, this conversation is packed with billion-dollar insights and inspiration. Don’t miss it!


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

01:50 - Billion Dollar Question

04:15 - From business school to Goldman Sachs to the conceptualize of AptDeco

08:57 - The Co-Founder relationship with Kalam Davis

13:53 - Deficiency in the now, $58Bn furniture resale industry; breaking through Y Combinator

18:48 - Growth hacking; the journey to hit the J-curve; AptDeco’s in-time delivery

26:39 - The explosive growth between 2014-2017; unsuccessful attempt to raise Series A

29:19 - Expanding through B2B partnerships; building warehouse return solutions for brands

35:54 - Key factors to raise $19M capital; being the first black female to break into Y Combinator

41:30 - What needs to change in venture ecosystem for minority founders?

44:20 - Final message to founders alike


ABOUT REHAM


Reham Fagiri is the co-founder and CEO of AptDeco, the leading furniture resale platform that makes buying and selling furniture easy, efficient, and sustainable. AptDeco, built the first of its kind suite of resale technology and logistics solutions tailored to the furniture industry. Prior to starting AptDeco Reham worked at Goldman Sachs in various engineering and management positions focusing on designing, building, and launching new software applications for the firm.

Reham holds a BSc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania. She has served on the Fast Company Impact Council and Rewriting the Code advisory board, which works to advance women in business and tech.


FOLLOW REHAM

https://www.linkedin.com/in/reham-fagiri-97683b1/


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2881 no [REPLAY] Why Serial Entrepreneurs Make Top VCs: Google & Groupon Exits; Ōura & Kickstarter Investments w/ Jyri Engeström In this replay episode, we’re thrilled to spotlight Jyri Engeström, a serial entrepreneur whose early ventures led to successful exits to Google and Groupon. Now a General Partner at Yes VC, the fund he co-founded with Caterina Fake of Flickr, Jyri continues to shape the future of startups. He's also investing in bold new ventures alongside Petteri Koponen at Lifeline Ventures, one of Finland’s leading VC firms. Join us as we explore the cutting-edge opportunities shaping tomorrow, insights from Jyri’s time in Silicon Valley, and why Finland could soon be a global startup hub! Watch the full video here. TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:41 - The Innovator’s Dilemma, Sociology, & bi-continental life in Finland & the US 06:20 - Working in Nokia to founding Jaiku 08:56 - Google’s acquisition of Jaiku 12:52 - Selling Ditto to Groupon; “I knew to kill the app immediately after the acquisition,” 16:09 - Lessons learned as a serial entrepreneur; leadership 19:01 - New chapters with True Ventures and Yes VC; patterns of success in portfolio  25:04 - Yes VC’s super early stage approach; thoughts on legacy 32:06 - Identifying the potential unicorns; how to be curiosity-driven, continuously 37:00 - Minting the unicorns & the anti-portfolios 39:37 - The founder product fit; Petteri Koponen’s pattern of success 44:48 - Raising children; parallel entrepreneurship 49:58 - The liquidity & exit landscape and deal flow in Finland today 54:11 - Jyri's trajectory for the next five years; messages to global investors 56:29 - Billion Dollar Questions - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 15 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 102 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this replay episode, we’re thrilled to spotlight Jyri Engeström, a serial entrepreneur whose early ventures led to successful exits to Google and Groupon. Now a General Partner at Yes VC, the fund he co-founded with Caterina Fake of Flickr, Jyri continues to shape the future of startups. He's also investing in bold new ventures alongside Petteri Koponen at Lifeline Ventures, one of Finland’s leading VC firms. Join us as we explore the cutting-edge opportunities shaping tomorrow, insights from Jyri’s time in Silicon Valley, and why Finland could soon be a global startup hub! Watch the full video here. TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:41 - The Innovator’s Dilemma, Sociology, & bi-continental life in Finland & the US 06:20 - Working in Nokia to founding Jaiku 08:56 - Google’s acquisition of Jaiku 12:52 - Selling Ditto to Groupon; “I knew to kill the app immediately after the acquisition,” 16:09 - Lessons learned as a serial entrepreneur; leadership 19:01 - New chapters with True Ventures and Yes VC; patterns of success in portfolio  25:04 - Yes VC’s super early stage approach; thoughts on legacy 32:06 - Identifying the potential unicorns; how to be curiosity-driven, continuously 37:00 - Minting the unicorns & the anti-portfolios 39:37 - The founder product fit; Petteri Koponen’s pattern of success 44:48 - Raising children; parallel entrepreneurship 49:58 - The liquidity & exit landscape and deal flow in Finland today 54:11 - Jyri's trajectory for the next five years; messages to global investors 56:29 - Billion Dollar Questions - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In this replay episode, we’re thrilled to spotlight Jyri Engeström, a serial entrepreneur whose early ventures led to successful exits to Google and Groupon. Now a General Partner at Yes VC, the fund he co-founded with Caterina Fake of Flickr, Jyri continues to shape the future of startups. He's also investing in bold new ventures alongside Petteri Koponen at Lifeline Ventures, one of Finland’s leading VC firms.


Join us as we explore the cutting-edge opportunities shaping tomorrow, insights from Jyri’s time in Silicon Valley, and why Finland could soon be a global startup hub!


Watch the full video here.


TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS


0:00 - Intro

02:41 - The Innovator’s Dilemma, Sociology, & bi-continental life in Finland & the US

06:20 - Working in Nokia to founding Jaiku

08:56 - Google’s acquisition of Jaiku

12:52 - Selling Ditto to Groupon; “I knew to kill the app immediately after the acquisition,”

16:09 - Lessons learned as a serial entrepreneur; leadership

19:01 - New chapters with True Ventures and Yes VC; patterns of success in portfolio 

25:04 - Yes VC’s super early stage approach; thoughts on legacy

32:06 - Identifying the potential unicorns; how to be curiosity-driven, continuously

37:00 - Minting the unicorns & the anti-portfolios

39:37 - The founder product fit; Petteri Koponen’s pattern of success

44:48 - Raising children; parallel entrepreneurship

49:58 - The liquidity & exit landscape and deal flow in Finland today

54:11 - Jyri's trajectory for the next five years; messages to global investors

56:29 - Billion Dollar Questions


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3569 Women, Wealth, & Legacy: Purposeful Investing in AI w/ Jack Selby, Thiel Capital https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/purposeful-investing-in-ai-jack-selby-thiel-capital/ In this episode, we're diving into an engaging, power-packed conversation with Jack Selby, an investment leader of "PayPal Mafia" fame. Joining us from Beyond The Billion family office event in Singapore earlier this year, Jack brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective on venture capital and film production alike. Join us as we discuss everything from strategic investing to the intersections of art and finance, exploring the bold moves that define Jack’s career. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 1:49 - Wealth & Legacy: Investing in Art and Film 4:48 - The Significance of Purposeful Investing 6:08 - The Rising Wave of AI Technologies and Women in Tech 8:15 - The Catalytic Impact of Capital: Work with Thiel Capital About Jack Selby Jack Selby is a prominent venture capitalist and independent film producer known for his early work with PayPal and ongoing leadership roles in tech and investment. He gained fame as one of the original “PayPal Mafia” members, having helped scale PayPal before its sale to eBay in 2002. After the acquisition, Selby co-founded the macro hedge fund Clarion Capital Management with Peter Thiel. Selby now leads Thiel Capital, Thiel's Los Angeles-based family office, from Arizona, and he also heads AZ-VC, a venture capital firm he launched in 2021 to invest in high-potential tech startups in Arizona. In addition to his investment career, Selby has a passion for film production, with credits as an independent producer on movies like Memory starring Jessica Chastain and His Three Daughters starring Elizabeth Olsen, showcasing his interests beyond the tech world. His diversified work across venture capital, finance, and film illustrates his adaptability and broad industry interests, influencing both business and media landscapes. FOLLOW JACK: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackselby/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 14 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0000 bonus 2 101 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this episode, we're diving into an engaging, power-packed conversation with Jack Selby, an investment leader of "PayPal Mafia" fame. Joining us from Beyond The Billion family office event in Singapore earlier this year, Jack brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective on venture capital and film production alike. Join us as we discuss everything from strategic investing to the intersections of art and finance, exploring the bold moves that define Jack’s career. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 1:49 - Wealth & Legacy: Investing in Art and Film 4:48 - The Significance of Purposeful Investing 6:08 - The Rising Wave of AI Technologies and Women in Tech 8:15 - The Catalytic Impact of Capital: Work with Thiel Capital About Jack Selby Jack Selby is a prominent venture capitalist and independent film producer known for his early work with PayPal and ongoing leadership roles in tech and investment. He gained fame as one of the original “PayPal Mafia” members, having helped scale PayPal before its sale to eBay in 2002. After the acquisition, Selby co-founded the macro hedge fund Clarion Capital Management with Peter Thiel. Selby now leads Thiel Capital, Thiel's Los Angeles-based family office, from Arizona, and he also heads AZ-VC, a venture capital firm he launched in 2021 to invest in high-potential tech startups in Arizona. In addition to his investment career, Selby has a passion for film production, with credits as an independent producer on movies like Memory starring Jessica Chastain and His Three Daughters starring Elizabeth Olsen, showcasing his interests beyond the tech world. His diversified work across venture capital, finance, and film illustrates his adaptability and broad industry interests, influencing both business and media landscapes. FOLLOW JACK: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackselby/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In this episode, we're diving into an engaging, power-packed conversation with Jack Selby, an investment leader of "PayPal Mafia" fame. Joining us from Beyond The Billion family office event in Singapore earlier this year, Jack brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective on venture capital and film production alike.


Join us as we discuss everything from strategic investing to the intersections of art and finance, exploring the bold moves that define Jack’s career.


Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

1:49 - Wealth & Legacy: Investing in Art and Film

4:48 - The Significance of Purposeful Investing

6:08 - The Rising Wave of AI Technologies and Women in Tech

8:15 - The Catalytic Impact of Capital: Work with Thiel Capital


About Jack Selby


Jack Selby is a prominent venture capitalist and independent film producer known for his early work with PayPal and ongoing leadership roles in tech and investment. He gained fame as one of the original “PayPal Mafia” members, having helped scale PayPal before its sale to eBay in 2002. After the acquisition, Selby co-founded the macro hedge fund Clarion Capital Management with Peter Thiel.


Selby now leads Thiel Capital, Thiel's Los Angeles-based family office, from Arizona, and he also heads AZ-VC, a venture capital firm he launched in 2021 to invest in high-potential tech startups in Arizona. In addition to his investment career, Selby has a passion for film production, with credits as an independent producer on movies like Memory starring Jessica Chastain and His Three Daughters starring Elizabeth Olsen, showcasing his interests beyond the tech world.


His diversified work across venture capital, finance, and film illustrates his adaptability and broad industry interests, influencing both business and media landscapes.


FOLLOW JACK:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackselby/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 695 no “I Built a Multi-Million Dollar Business—and Then Got Fired” w/ Mary Seats ' Mz Skittlez" https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ Get ready for a story that redefines resilience. This week, we're sitting down with Mary Seats, aka Mz Skittlez, the unstoppable entrepreneur who transformed a $300 hustle into the multimillion-dollar fashion brand, Cupcake Mafia. Mary's story defies the conventional startup path, and that’s exactly what makes it worth hearing. From building a multimillion-dollar brand to being fired from her own company, Mary has seen it all. After losing control of Cupcake Mafia, she bounced back stronger than ever, reclaiming her brand and launching The Icing Agency, a marketing powerhouse that has since grossed over $16 million. Her journey isn’t just about personal triumph—it's about inspiring all of us to invest in women-led businesses and redefine what’s possible. Buckle up for an episode that will challenge your patterns of success and leave you fired up to make your own #BillionDollarMoves! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:07 - Billion Dollar Questions with Mz Skittlez 07:46 - The $50K order that led to “you have to find a distribution company” 09:50 - From a dream-come-true to “you no longer own this company” 15:54 - 3 lessons learned: Involve your lawyer, understand your value, and plan your exits 20:39 - Mz Skittlez on pivoting: what moves the cash register and my customers’ experience? 24:14 - The Icing Agency: the upward spiral to $16 million in revenue 27:23 - Tips on building an effective brand and separating from personality: ‘Value over Price’ 30:53 - The Bakery CoWork: creating a space for all women regardless of background 34:15 - Strategies that allows The Bakery CoWork to strive: #1 building a community 36:22 - The Bakery CoWork: #2 Create multiple revenue streams from a single space 38:02 - People-centered businesses: is it truly scalable? 41:18 - Mz Skittlez’s Billion Dollar Move and legacy About Mary Seats 'Mz Skittlez' Meet Mary Seats, aka Mz Skittlez, a dynamic force in the business world. From marketing genius to resilient founder, she's made her mark. Despite facing challenges with her multimillion-dollar brand, Cupcake Mafia, Mary's resilience shone through. After setbacks and even dismissal from her own company, she didn't give up. Instead, she bounced back stronger. Fuelled by determination, Mary orchestrated a remarkable comeback. She not only regained control of her company but also launched The Icing Agency, a marketing powerhouse that grossed over $16 million. But Mary's impact goes beyond business success. Passionate about empowering women, she founded The Bakery Cowork, the largest female-focused co-working space in the U.S. Mary Seats's story is one of resilience, ambition, and lifting others up. She continues to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs, proving setbacks are just stepping stones to success. Mz Skittlez is shaping the business landscape with her fearless approach, leaving an indelible mark on entrepreneurship. FOLLOW MZ SKITTLEZ https://www.instagram.com/mzskittlez/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-seats-aa38419a https://www.youtube.com/@thesecretrecipetv - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 07 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 100 Sarah Chen-Spellings Get ready for a story that redefines resilience. This week, we're sitting down with Mary Seats, aka Mz Skittlez, the unstoppable entrepreneur who transformed a $300 hustle into the multimillion-dollar fashion brand, Cupcake Mafia. Mary's story defies the conventional startup path, and that’s exactly what makes it worth hearing. From building a multimillion-dollar brand to being fired from her own company, Mary has seen it all. After losing control of Cupcake Mafia, she bounced back stronger than ever, reclaiming her brand and launching The Icing Agency, a marketing powerhouse that has since grossed over $16 million. Her journey isn’t just about personal triumph—it's about inspiring all of us to invest in women-led businesses and redefine what’s possible. Buckle up for an episode that will challenge your patterns of success and leave you fired up to make your own #BillionDollarMoves! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:07 - Billion Dollar Questions with Mz Skittlez 07:46 - The $50K order that led to “you have to find a distribution company” 09:50 - From a dream-come-true to “you no longer own this company” 15:54 - 3 lessons learned: Involve your lawyer, understand your value, and plan your exits 20:39 - Mz Skittlez on pivoting: what moves the cash register and my customers’ experience? 24:14 - The Icing Agency: the upward spiral to $16 million in revenue 27:23 - Tips on building an effective brand and separating from personality: ‘Value over Price’ 30:53 - The Bakery CoWork: creating a space for all women regardless of background 34:15 - Strategies that allows The Bakery CoWork to strive: #1 building a community 36:22 - The Bakery CoWork: #2 Create multiple revenue streams from a single space 38:02 - People-centered businesses: is it truly scalable? 41:18 - Mz Skittlez’s Billion Dollar Move and legacy About Mary Seats 'Mz Skittlez' Meet Mary Seats, aka Mz Skittlez, a dynamic force in the business world. From marketing genius to resilient founder, she's made her mark. Despite facing challenges with her multimillion-dollar brand, Cupcake Mafia, Mary's resilience shone through. After setbacks and even dismissal from her own company, she didn't give up. Instead, she bounced back stronger. Fuelled by determination, Mary orchestrated a remarkable comeback. She not only regained control of her company but also launched The Icing Agency, a marketing powerhouse that grossed over $16 million. But Mary's impact goes beyond business success. Passionate about empowering women, she founded The Bakery Cowork, the largest female-focused co-working space in the U.S. Mary Seats's story is one of resilience, ambition, and lifting others up. She continues to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs, proving setbacks are just stepping stones to success. Mz Skittlez is shaping the business landscape with her fearless approach, leaving an indelible mark on entrepreneurship. FOLLOW MZ SKITTLEZ https://www.instagram.com/mzskittlez/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-seats-aa38419a https://www.youtube.com/@thesecretrecipetv - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Get ready for a story that redefines resilience. This week, we're sitting down with Mary Seats, aka Mz Skittlez, the unstoppable entrepreneur who transformed a $300 hustle into the multimillion-dollar fashion brand, Cupcake Mafia.


Mary's story defies the conventional startup path, and that’s exactly what makes it worth hearing. From building a multimillion-dollar brand to being fired from her own company, Mary has seen it all. After losing control of Cupcake Mafia, she bounced back stronger than ever, reclaiming her brand and launching The Icing Agency, a marketing powerhouse that has since grossed over $16 million.


Her journey isn’t just about personal triumph—it's about inspiring all of us to invest in women-led businesses and redefine what’s possible. Buckle up for an episode that will challenge your patterns of success and leave you fired up to make your own #BillionDollarMoves!


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

02:07 - Billion Dollar Questions with Mz Skittlez

07:46 - The $50K order that led to “you have to find a distribution company”

09:50 - From a dream-come-true to “you no longer own this company”

15:54 - 3 lessons learned: Involve your lawyer, understand your value, and plan your exits

20:39 - Mz Skittlez on pivoting: what moves the cash register and my customers’ experience?

24:14 - The Icing Agency: the upward spiral to $16 million in revenue

27:23 - Tips on building an effective brand and separating from personality: ‘Value over Price’

30:53 - The Bakery CoWork: creating a space for all women regardless of background

34:15 - Strategies that allows The Bakery CoWork to strive: #1 building a community

36:22 - The Bakery CoWork: #2 Create multiple revenue streams from a single space

38:02 - People-centered businesses: is it truly scalable?

41:18 - Mz Skittlez’s Billion Dollar Move and legacy


About Mary Seats 'Mz Skittlez'


Meet Mary Seats, aka Mz Skittlez, a dynamic force in the business world. From marketing genius to resilient founder, she's made her mark.


Despite facing challenges with her multimillion-dollar brand, Cupcake Mafia, Mary's resilience shone through. After setbacks and even dismissal from her own company, she didn't give up. Instead, she bounced back stronger.


Fuelled by determination, Mary orchestrated a remarkable comeback. She not only regained control of her company but also launched The Icing Agency, a marketing powerhouse that grossed over $16 million.


But Mary's impact goes beyond business success. Passionate about empowering women, she founded The Bakery Cowork, the largest female-focused co-working space in the U.S.


Mary Seats's story is one of resilience, ambition, and lifting others up. She continues to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs, proving setbacks are just stepping stones to success. Mz Skittlez is shaping the business landscape with her fearless approach, leaving an indelible mark on entrepreneurship.


FOLLOW MZ SKITTLEZ

https://www.instagram.com/mzskittlez/?hl=en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-seats-aa38419a

https://www.youtube.com/@thesecretrecipetv


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2797 no Unicorns, Legacy, and The Billion-Dollar Boom: Inside Australia’s Venture Revolution https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/inside-australia-venture-revolution-sydney-2024/ In this episode, we’re thrilled to bring you an inspiring panel discussion from The Billion Dollar Series by Beyond The Billion, in partnership with Dell Technologies. On this global tour to fuel women-led innovation, we dive into Australia’s rapidly evolving venture landscape with some of the country’s top industry leaders. Featuring Carol Schwartz, Director of Trawalla Group; Alex Schuman, CEO of Carla Zampatti; Kristy Chong, Founder of Modibodi; and Rick Baker, Co-Founder of Blackbird VC — this powerhouse panel explores why the coming decade could be a game-changer for venture in Australia. We discussed why investing in women-led businesses is both smart and strategic, and how Australia’s unique mix of patience and passion is powering some of the most exciting opportunities in venture capital today. Tune in for insights that could inspire your own #BillionDollarMoves! TIMESTAMPS/KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 - Intro 02:59 - Rick Baker: Growth of the Australian venture industry over the last 12-13 years; the ongoing challenges in funding women entrepreneurs 07:00 - Carol Schwartz: Opportunities for female entrepreneurs within family offices 11:00 - Kristy Chong: Evolution from founder to investor 15:11 - Challenges face by female founders in scaling businesses 18:22 - Alex Schuman: Reestablishing the business based on their mother’s legacy with her sisters 21:29 - Challenges in scaling a vertically integrated business in Australia 23:39 - Diversity criticism against Blackbird and the VC ecosystem; The “Kiki incident” and commitment to improved diversity 32:56 - Shift from personal direct investments to seeking women-managed funds 39:39 - Track record issues for women leaving large VC firms; achieving significant portfolio support for female founders 43:15 - Gender bias in the venture ecosystem; maintain perseverance admidst the hardship. 48:41 - Government’s role in supporting diversity and entrepreneurship 54:09 - Industry bias and potential within aged care 57:12 - Gender investment gaps and how female founders could persevere; industry-wide programs: Giants, Foundry, and positive trends in female-led companies 1:01:15 - Key takeaways Full event recap: The Billion Dollar Brunch™ (Sydney 2024 Edition) About Our Guests Carol Schwartz AO Founder, Female Led Ventures Kristy Chong OAM Founder, Modibodi Alex Schuman CEO, Carla Zampatti Rick Baker Co-Founder, Blackbird VC - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 31 Oct 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 99 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this episode, we’re thrilled to bring you an inspiring panel discussion from The Billion Dollar Series by Beyond The Billion, in partnership with Dell Technologies. On this global tour to fuel women-led innovation, we dive into Australia’s rapidly evolving venture landscape with some of the country’s top industry leaders. Featuring Carol Schwartz, Director of Trawalla Group; Alex Schuman, CEO of Carla Zampatti; Kristy Chong, Founder of Modibodi; and Rick Baker, Co-Founder of Blackbird VC — this powerhouse panel explores why the coming decade could be a game-changer for venture in Australia. We discussed why investing in women-led businesses is both smart and strategic, and how Australia’s unique mix of patience and passion is powering some of the most exciting opportunities in venture capital today. Tune in for insights that could inspire your own #BillionDollarMoves! TIMESTAMPS/KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 - Intro 02:59 - Rick Baker: Growth of the Australian venture industry over the last 12-13 years; the ongoing challenges in funding women entrepreneurs 07:00 - Carol Schwartz: Opportunities for female entrepreneurs within family offices 11:00 - Kristy Chong: Evolution from founder to investor 15:11 - Challenges face by female founders in scaling businesses 18:22 - Alex Schuman: Reestablishing the business based on their mother’s legacy with her sisters 21:29 - Challenges in scaling a vertically integrated business in Australia 23:39 - Diversity criticism against Blackbird and the VC ecosystem; The “Kiki incident” and commitment to improved diversity 32:56 - Shift from personal direct investments to seeking women-managed funds 39:39 - Track record issues for women leaving large VC firms; achieving significant portfolio support for female founders 43:15 - Gender bias in the venture ecosystem; maintain perseverance admidst the hardship. 48:41 - Government’s role in supporting diversity and entrepreneurship 54:09 - Industry bias and potential within aged care 57:12 - Gender investment gaps and how female founders could persevere; industry-wide programs: Giants, Foundry, and positive trends in female-led companies 1:01:15 - Key takeaways Full event recap: The Billion Dollar Brunch™ (Sydney 2024 Edition) About Our Guests Carol Schwartz AO Founder, Female Led Ventures Kristy Chong OAM Founder, Modibodi Alex Schuman CEO, Carla Zampatti Rick Baker Co-Founder, Blackbird VC - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In this episode, we’re thrilled to bring you an inspiring panel discussion from The Billion Dollar Series by Beyond The Billion, in partnership with Dell Technologies.


On this global tour to fuel women-led innovation, we dive into Australia’s rapidly evolving venture landscape with some of the country’s top industry leaders. Featuring Carol Schwartz, Director of Trawalla Group; Alex Schuman, CEO of Carla Zampatti; Kristy Chong, Founder of Modibodi; and Rick Baker, Co-Founder of Blackbird VC — this powerhouse panel explores why the coming decade could be a game-changer for venture in Australia.


We discussed why investing in women-led businesses is both smart and strategic, and how Australia’s unique mix of patience and passion is powering some of the most exciting opportunities in venture capital today. Tune in for insights that could inspire your own #BillionDollarMoves!


TIMESTAMPS/KEY TAKEAWAYS


00:00 - Intro

02:59 - Rick Baker: Growth of the Australian venture industry over the last 12-13 years; the ongoing challenges in funding women entrepreneurs

07:00 - Carol Schwartz: Opportunities for female entrepreneurs within family offices

11:00 - Kristy Chong: Evolution from founder to investor

15:11 - Challenges face by female founders in scaling businesses

18:22 - Alex Schuman: Reestablishing the business based on their mother’s legacy with her sisters

21:29 - Challenges in scaling a vertically integrated business in Australia

23:39 - Diversity criticism against Blackbird and the VC ecosystem; The “Kiki incident” and commitment to improved diversity

32:56 - Shift from personal direct investments to seeking women-managed funds

39:39 - Track record issues for women leaving large VC firms; achieving significant portfolio support for female founders

43:15 - Gender bias in the venture ecosystem; maintain perseverance admidst the hardship.

48:41 - Government’s role in supporting diversity and entrepreneurship

54:09 - Industry bias and potential within aged care

57:12 - Gender investment gaps and how female founders could persevere; industry-wide programs: Giants, Foundry, and positive trends in female-led companies

1:01:15 - Key takeaways


Full event recap:

The Billion Dollar Brunch™ (Sydney 2024 Edition)


About Our Guests


Carol Schwartz AO

Founder, Female Led Ventures


Kristy Chong OAM

Founder, Modibodi


Alex Schuman

CEO, Carla Zampatti


Rick Baker

Co-Founder, Blackbird VC


-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3934 no CEO Series: Julia Hartz, Eventbrite This CEO leads the world’s largest ticketing platform, powering millions of events globally and driving substantial revenue—$326.1 million in 2023 alone. Julia Hartz, as the co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite, she took Eventbrite public, only to face a near-collapse when the pandemic brought in-person events to a sudden halt. Despite the unforeseen challenge, Julia steered Eventbrite through turbulent times, and the company continues to thrive today as a publicly listed entity. This resilience and leadership are why she’s our next feature in the Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series! TIMESTAMPS/KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 01:47 - Key Takeaway #1: Sometimes you need to just trust the flow of life 09:24 - Key Takeaway #2: Stay focused through the abundance of opportunities. 11:55 - Key Takeaway #3: Know your nutrients 13:22 - Nutrient 1 - Your First Customers 15:25 - Nutrient 2 - Capital but not using it 16:46 - Nutrient 3 – Talent as fuel 19:15 - Key Takeaway #4: Find the Right Habitat 20:51 - Key Takeaway #5: Cultivate Healthy Paranoia 26:14 - Some actionable questions for you About Julia Julia Hartz is an American entrepreneur, investor, and the co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite, a global ticketing and event technology platform. She is known for her leadership of Eventbrite during the COVID-19 pandemic and empowering women in the technology industry. Sources: Eventbrite ft. Julia Hartz - A thriving events company took 14 years to build and nearly disappeared in 14 days | Crucible Moments How I Built This with Guy Raz: Eventbrite - Julia Hartz Julia Hartz: Crucial Startup Nutrients Stanford Seminar - Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders: Kevin and Julia Hartz of Eventbrite What Eventbrite Did Early to Create ‘Sustainable’ Success | Review First Round - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 24 Oct 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 98 Sarah Chen-Spellings This CEO leads the world’s largest ticketing platform, powering millions of events globally and driving substantial revenue—$326.1 million in 2023 alone. Julia Hartz, as the co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite, she took Eventbrite public, only to face a near-collapse when the pandemic brought in-person events to a sudden halt. Despite the unforeseen challenge, Julia steered Eventbrite through turbulent times, and the company continues to thrive today as a publicly listed entity. This resilience and leadership are why she’s our next feature in the Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series! TIMESTAMPS/KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 01:47 - Key Takeaway #1: Sometimes you need to just trust the flow of life 09:24 - Key Takeaway #2: Stay focused through the abundance of opportunities. 11:55 - Key Takeaway #3: Know your nutrients 13:22 - Nutrient 1 - Your First Customers 15:25 - Nutrient 2 - Capital but not using it 16:46 - Nutrient 3 – Talent as fuel 19:15 - Key Takeaway #4: Find the Right Habitat 20:51 - Key Takeaway #5: Cultivate Healthy Paranoia 26:14 - Some actionable questions for you About Julia Julia Hartz is an American entrepreneur, investor, and the co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite, a global ticketing and event technology platform. She is known for her leadership of Eventbrite during the COVID-19 pandemic and empowering women in the technology industry. Sources: Eventbrite ft. Julia Hartz - A thriving events company took 14 years to build and nearly disappeared in 14 days | Crucible Moments How I Built This with Guy Raz: Eventbrite - Julia Hartz Julia Hartz: Crucial Startup Nutrients Stanford Seminar - Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders: Kevin and Julia Hartz of Eventbrite What Eventbrite Did Early to Create ‘Sustainable’ Success | Review First Round - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This CEO leads the world’s largest ticketing platform, powering millions of events globally and driving substantial revenue—$326.1 million in 2023 alone.


Julia Hartz, as the co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite, she took Eventbrite public, only to face a near-collapse when the pandemic brought in-person events to a sudden halt. Despite the unforeseen challenge, Julia steered Eventbrite through turbulent times, and the company continues to thrive today as a publicly listed entity.


This resilience and leadership are why she’s our next feature in the Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series!


TIMESTAMPS/KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

01:47 - Key Takeaway #1: Sometimes you need to just trust the flow of life

09:24 - Key Takeaway #2: Stay focused through the abundance of opportunities.

11:55 - Key Takeaway #3: Know your nutrients

13:22 - Nutrient 1 - Your First Customers

15:25 - Nutrient 2 - Capital but not using it

16:46 - Nutrient 3 – Talent as fuel

19:15 - Key Takeaway #4: Find the Right Habitat

20:51 - Key Takeaway #5: Cultivate Healthy Paranoia

26:14 - Some actionable questions for you


About Julia

Julia Hartz is an American entrepreneur, investor, and the co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite, a global ticketing and event technology platform. She is known for her leadership of Eventbrite during the COVID-19 pandemic and empowering women in the technology industry.


Sources:

Eventbrite ft. Julia Hartz - A thriving events company took 14 years to build and nearly disappeared in 14 days | Crucible Moments


How I Built This with Guy Raz: Eventbrite - Julia Hartz


Julia Hartz: Crucial Startup Nutrients


Stanford Seminar - Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders: Kevin and Julia Hartz of Eventbrite


What Eventbrite Did Early to Create ‘Sustainable’ Success | Review First Round


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1883 The Power of Influence & The Art of Partnerships w/ Glenda McNeal, American Express https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/power-of-influence-art-of-partnerships-glenda-mcneal-american-express/ Last month at INBOUND 2024 in Boston, we took the main stage with Glenda McNeal, Chief Partner Officer at American Express, to explore how partnerships are transforming innovation and driving sustained business growth. In this episode, we dive into how American Express builds and leverages its global strategic partnerships to enhance customer value and stay competitive. Tune in to discover key insights into successful partnership strategies and learn how to create relationships that lead to extraordinary results. TIMESTAMPS/KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 03:20 - Quick rapid fire with Glenda 04:13 - Skill sets learned since childhood: communication, resilience & values 07:57 - The power of influence 09:37 - Deep focus on Gen Z and millennials as consumer targets; Formula One 13:44 - Strategy to understand Gen Z and millennials as consumers: AI tools and data analysis 15:28 - Lessons learned building a strategic partnership across the world 18:02 - Advice to smaller brands to build business relationships 20:42 - The next trend to watch out for 22:59 - The art of partnership: It takes a long time to build it. It takes seconds to actually lose it.  25:16 - Call to action for growth leaders; being centered as who I am 28:53 - One final takeaway: THE Billion Dollar Move About Glenda McNeal Glenda McNeal is the company’s first Chief Partner Officer. She defines American Express’ partnership strategy and leads key strategic initiatives and negotiations for the company across travel, technology, retail, media, sports, and entertainment. She leverages partnerships to bring innovation and additional value to American Express’ suite of products, services, capabilities, and experiences that engage customers and drive generational relevance of American Express Membership. Glenda has a track record of success in managing complex global relationships, negotiating critical partner agreements, and leading business development initiatives that drive growth and innovation. She previously served as President of Strategic Partnerships. Prior to this role, she was Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Global Client Group, where she drove transformative outcomes for both direct-to-consumer and B2B companies. She is a member of the American Express Executive Committee and is an Officer of the company. She serves on the boards of Nordstrom, Inc. and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is on the Board of Councilors for the USC Marshall School of Business.  FOLLOW GLENDA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glendamcneal - Original Video: Inbound - Building Bridges: The Power of Partnership - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 17 Oct 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 97 Sarah Chen-Spellings Last month at INBOUND 2024 in Boston, we took the main stage with Glenda McNeal, Chief Partner Officer at American Express, to explore how partnerships are transforming innovation and driving sustained business growth. In this episode, we dive into how American Express builds and leverages its global strategic partnerships to enhance customer value and stay competitive. Tune in to discover key insights into successful partnership strategies and learn how to create relationships that lead to extraordinary results. TIMESTAMPS/KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 03:20 - Quick rapid fire with Glenda 04:13 - Skill sets learned since childhood: communication, resilience & values 07:57 - The power of influence 09:37 - Deep focus on Gen Z and millennials as consumer targets; Formula One 13:44 - Strategy to understand Gen Z and millennials as consumers: AI tools and data analysis 15:28 - Lessons learned building a strategic partnership across the world 18:02 - Advice to smaller brands to build business relationships 20:42 - The next trend to watch out for 22:59 - The art of partnership: It takes a long time to build it. It takes seconds to actually lose it.  25:16 - Call to action for growth leaders; being centered as who I am 28:53 - One final takeaway: THE Billion Dollar Move About Glenda McNeal Glenda McNeal is the company’s first Chief Partner Officer. She defines American Express’ partnership strategy and leads key strategic initiatives and negotiations for the company across travel, technology, retail, media, sports, and entertainment. She leverages partnerships to bring innovation and additional value to American Express’ suite of products, services, capabilities, and experiences that engage customers and drive generational relevance of American Express Membership. Glenda has a track record of success in managing complex global relationships, negotiating critical partner agreements, and leading business development initiatives that drive growth and innovation. She previously served as President of Strategic Partnerships. Prior to this role, she was Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Global Client Group, where she drove transformative outcomes for both direct-to-consumer and B2B companies. She is a member of the American Express Executive Committee and is an Officer of the company. She serves on the boards of Nordstrom, Inc. and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is on the Board of Councilors for the USC Marshall School of Business.  FOLLOW GLENDA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glendamcneal - Original Video: Inbound - Building Bridges: The Power of Partnership - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Last month at INBOUND 2024 in Boston, we took the main stage with Glenda McNeal, Chief Partner Officer at American Express, to explore how partnerships are transforming innovation and driving sustained business growth.


In this episode, we dive into how American Express builds and leverages its global strategic partnerships to enhance customer value and stay competitive. Tune in to discover key insights into successful partnership strategies and learn how to create relationships that lead to extraordinary results.


TIMESTAMPS/KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

03:20 - Quick rapid fire with Glenda

04:13 - Skill sets learned since childhood: communication, resilience & values

07:57 - The power of influence

09:37 - Deep focus on Gen Z and millennials as consumer targets; Formula One

13:44 - Strategy to understand Gen Z and millennials as consumers: AI tools and data analysis

15:28 - Lessons learned building a strategic partnership across the world

18:02 - Advice to smaller brands to build business relationships

20:42 - The next trend to watch out for

22:59 - The art of partnership: It takes a long time to build it. It takes seconds to actually lose it. 

25:16 - Call to action for growth leaders; being centered as who I am

28:53 - One final takeaway: THE Billion Dollar Move


About Glenda McNeal


Glenda McNeal is the company’s first Chief Partner Officer. She defines American Express’ partnership strategy and leads key strategic initiatives and negotiations for the company across travel, technology, retail, media, sports, and entertainment. She leverages partnerships to bring innovation and additional value to American Express’ suite of products, services, capabilities, and experiences that engage customers and drive generational relevance of American Express Membership.


Glenda has a track record of success in managing complex global relationships, negotiating critical partner agreements, and leading business development initiatives that drive growth and innovation. She previously served as President of Strategic Partnerships. Prior to this role, she was Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Global Client Group, where she drove transformative outcomes for both direct-to-consumer and B2B companies.


She is a member of the American Express Executive Committee and is an Officer of the company. She serves on the boards of Nordstrom, Inc. and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is on the Board of Councilors for the USC Marshall School of Business. 


FOLLOW GLENDA:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/glendamcneal


-


Original Video:

Inbound - Building Bridges: The Power of Partnership


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1960 no Data & Disruption: From MySQL to Truecaller w/ Tom Henrikkson, OpenOcean https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/mysql-to-truecaller-tom-henrikkson-openocean/ In this episode, we sit down with Tom Henriksson, General Partner at OpenOcean, to dive into the world of venture capital and scaling groundbreaking software companies. From his pivotal role in growing MySQL into a billion-dollar exit to leading Nokia’s mobile ad business, Tom shares invaluable insights on what it takes to navigate the competitive VC landscape and drive success for data-driven software companies reshaping industries today. We also explore the unique challenges of venture investing, the critical importance of scaling early, and even how fatherhood has influenced his approach to leadership. If you're curious about building category-defining startups in Europe or just craving an inspiring conversation with one of the best in the game, this episode is for you! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 01:49 - Parenting: risk taking and philosophy as a VC 05:17 - “Entrepreneurship is the worst thing that you can do”; the evolution of entrepreneurship in Finland 09:10 - How to go on after failing first four investments 12:38 - Investing in software; MySQL 15:44 - Joining Nokia back in 2002; what made Nokia ahead of the others? 20:38 - Jyri Engerstrom & the innovator’s dilemma; Podia, the now Twitter 25:01 - From Nokia to OpenOcean 30:20 - Venture is tough business - how do we win in venture? 33:12 - Why invest out of Finland and operate out of Finland? 35:10 - Outlook for data software; the AI craze 38:03 - An anti-portfolio 39:52 - Billion Dollar Questions About Tom Henriksson Tom is a General Partner at OpenOcean and passionate about data-intensive software that is quick to love and built on strong technology. He is a big believer in accurate consumer profiling, marketing technologies, and intelligent automation of the enterprise. After recently driving strongly profitable exits for OpenOcean in Truecaller, LoopMe, Passfort, and TapDaq, Tom now holds board seats in Cambri, Leadoo Marketing Technologies, Operations1, and Workfellow. Tom’s previous experience includes investing in MySQL Ab, running Nokia’s Corporate BD, and launching and leading Nokia Interactive Advertising – the leading first-generation premium mobile ad-network. Tom scaled the business from scratch to $50 million in revenues in less than three years, including the acquisition of Boston-based Enpocket Inc. FOLLOW TOM: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-henriksson-63532/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 10 Oct 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 96 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this episode, we sit down with Tom Henriksson, General Partner at OpenOcean, to dive into the world of venture capital and scaling groundbreaking software companies. From his pivotal role in growing MySQL into a billion-dollar exit to leading Nokia’s mobile ad business, Tom shares invaluable insights on what it takes to navigate the competitive VC landscape and drive success for data-driven software companies reshaping industries today. We also explore the unique challenges of venture investing, the critical importance of scaling early, and even how fatherhood has influenced his approach to leadership. If you're curious about building category-defining startups in Europe or just craving an inspiring conversation with one of the best in the game, this episode is for you! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 01:49 - Parenting: risk taking and philosophy as a VC 05:17 - “Entrepreneurship is the worst thing that you can do”; the evolution of entrepreneurship in Finland 09:10 - How to go on after failing first four investments 12:38 - Investing in software; MySQL 15:44 - Joining Nokia back in 2002; what made Nokia ahead of the others? 20:38 - Jyri Engerstrom & the innovator’s dilemma; Podia, the now Twitter 25:01 - From Nokia to OpenOcean 30:20 - Venture is tough business - how do we win in venture? 33:12 - Why invest out of Finland and operate out of Finland? 35:10 - Outlook for data software; the AI craze 38:03 - An anti-portfolio 39:52 - Billion Dollar Questions About Tom Henriksson Tom is a General Partner at OpenOcean and passionate about data-intensive software that is quick to love and built on strong technology. He is a big believer in accurate consumer profiling, marketing technologies, and intelligent automation of the enterprise. After recently driving strongly profitable exits for OpenOcean in Truecaller, LoopMe, Passfort, and TapDaq, Tom now holds board seats in Cambri, Leadoo Marketing Technologies, Operations1, and Workfellow. Tom’s previous experience includes investing in MySQL Ab, running Nokia’s Corporate BD, and launching and leading Nokia Interactive Advertising – the leading first-generation premium mobile ad-network. Tom scaled the business from scratch to $50 million in revenues in less than three years, including the acquisition of Boston-based Enpocket Inc. FOLLOW TOM: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-henriksson-63532/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In this episode, we sit down with Tom Henriksson, General Partner at OpenOcean, to dive into the world of venture capital and scaling groundbreaking software companies.


From his pivotal role in growing MySQL into a billion-dollar exit to leading Nokia’s mobile ad business, Tom shares invaluable insights on what it takes to navigate the competitive VC landscape and drive success for data-driven software companies reshaping industries today.


We also explore the unique challenges of venture investing, the critical importance of scaling early, and even how fatherhood has influenced his approach to leadership. If you're curious about building category-defining startups in Europe or just craving an inspiring conversation with one of the best in the game, this episode is for you!


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS


0:00 - Intro

01:49 - Parenting: risk taking and philosophy as a VC

05:17 - “Entrepreneurship is the worst thing that you can do”; the evolution of entrepreneurship in Finland

09:10 - How to go on after failing first four investments

12:38 - Investing in software; MySQL

15:44 - Joining Nokia back in 2002; what made Nokia ahead of the others?

20:38 - Jyri Engerstrom & the innovator’s dilemma; Podia, the now Twitter

25:01 - From Nokia to OpenOcean

30:20 - Venture is tough business - how do we win in venture?

33:12 - Why invest out of Finland and operate out of Finland?

35:10 - Outlook for data software; the AI craze

38:03 - An anti-portfolio

39:52 - Billion Dollar Questions



About Tom Henriksson


Tom is a General Partner at OpenOcean and passionate about data-intensive software that is quick to love and built on strong technology. He is a big believer in accurate consumer profiling, marketing technologies, and intelligent automation of the enterprise. After recently driving strongly profitable exits for OpenOcean in Truecaller, LoopMe, Passfort, and TapDaq, Tom now holds board seats in Cambri, Leadoo Marketing Technologies, Operations1, and Workfellow. Tom’s previous experience includes investing in MySQL Ab, running Nokia’s Corporate BD, and launching and leading Nokia Interactive Advertising – the leading first-generation premium mobile ad-network. Tom scaled the business from scratch to $50 million in revenues in less than three years, including the acquisition of Boston-based Enpocket Inc.


FOLLOW TOM:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-henriksson-63532/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2716 no CEO Series: Julie Wainwright, The RealReal https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-julie-wainwright-the-realreal/ In today’s episode, we are amplifying the story of a resilient and visionary entrepreneur, Julie Wainwright. Known for her dramatic turnaround from overseeing the epic failure of Pets.com during the dot-com bust to creating the billion-dollar luxury consignment powerhouse, The RealReal, Julie’s journey is an inspiring tale of innovation, resilience, and strategic brilliance. And while we'll also talk about her departure from the reveal and the challenges reported today – it is unquestionable that her journey from absolute failure to growing and scaling is a testament to her resilience and innovation. This is why she's next in the Billion Dollar Moves CEO series. This conversation explores the valuable lessons from Julie’s storied career, her fearless approach to failure, and her bold steps in founding Ahara, her latest venture in personalized nutrition at age 67. Get ready to uncover actionable insights on turning setbacks into comebacks, understanding untapped markets, and always putting the customer first. Let’s get started! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 00:00 - Intro 02:30 - Key Takeaway 1: Failure is just the cost of success— be one with it 07:27 - Key Takeaway 2: Just because it’s never been done before, doesn’t mean it can’t be done 11:56 - Key Takeaway 3: Just get started. Do the damn thing, expand and stay focused. 14:50 - Key Takeaway 4: “Your customers vote everyday with their purchases. Pay attention”. Customer-Centric Approach 18:35 - Key Takeaway 5: “Your business is an opportunity for you to make an impact.”  23:06 - Post-note: Initially successful, The RealReal's market cap dropped significantly - why? About Julie Wainwright Julie Wainwright began her illustrious career at Clorox as one of their first undergraduate hires in brand management, providing her with a solid foundation in profit and loss management and data analysis. Transitioning to the tech industry at the young age of 25, she joined Software Publishing amid the competitive landscape of Microsoft and Visicalc. Demonstrating remarkable initiative, Julie volunteered to handle international operations, leading efforts to establish international distribution from London by the age of 27. Her early experiences laid the groundwork for a dynamic career characterized by innovation and leadership. Sources: #80 - Julie Wainwright - Founder & CEO of The RealReal and Former Founder of Pets.com How Julie Wainwright Built The RealReal To Be A Billion-Dollar Business | Forbes Greycroft Co-Founder Ian Sigalow on Investing $1 Billion Right Now | StrictlyVC Download - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 03 Oct 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 95 Sarah Chen-Spellings In today’s episode, we are amplifying the story of a resilient and visionary entrepreneur, Julie Wainwright. Known for her dramatic turnaround from overseeing the epic failure of Pets.com during the dot-com bust to creating the billion-dollar luxury consignment powerhouse, The RealReal, Julie’s journey is an inspiring tale of innovation, resilience, and strategic brilliance. And while we'll also talk about her departure from the reveal and the challenges reported today – it is unquestionable that her journey from absolute failure to growing and scaling is a testament to her resilience and innovation. This is why she's next in the Billion Dollar Moves CEO series. This conversation explores the valuable lessons from Julie’s storied career, her fearless approach to failure, and her bold steps in founding Ahara, her latest venture in personalized nutrition at age 67. Get ready to uncover actionable insights on turning setbacks into comebacks, understanding untapped markets, and always putting the customer first. Let’s get started! Timestamps / Key Takeaways 00:00 - Intro 02:30 - Key Takeaway 1: Failure is just the cost of success— be one with it 07:27 - Key Takeaway 2: Just because it’s never been done before, doesn’t mean it can’t be done 11:56 - Key Takeaway 3: Just get started. Do the damn thing, expand and stay focused. 14:50 - Key Takeaway 4: “Your customers vote everyday with their purchases. Pay attention”. Customer-Centric Approach 18:35 - Key Takeaway 5: “Your business is an opportunity for you to make an impact.”  23:06 - Post-note: Initially successful, The RealReal's market cap dropped significantly - why? About Julie Wainwright Julie Wainwright began her illustrious career at Clorox as one of their first undergraduate hires in brand management, providing her with a solid foundation in profit and loss management and data analysis. Transitioning to the tech industry at the young age of 25, she joined Software Publishing amid the competitive landscape of Microsoft and Visicalc. Demonstrating remarkable initiative, Julie volunteered to handle international operations, leading efforts to establish international distribution from London by the age of 27. Her early experiences laid the groundwork for a dynamic career characterized by innovation and leadership. Sources: #80 - Julie Wainwright - Founder & CEO of The RealReal and Former Founder of Pets.com How Julie Wainwright Built The RealReal To Be A Billion-Dollar Business | Forbes Greycroft Co-Founder Ian Sigalow on Investing $1 Billion Right Now | StrictlyVC Download - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In today’s episode, we are amplifying the story of a resilient and visionary entrepreneur, Julie Wainwright. Known for her dramatic turnaround from overseeing the epic failure of Pets.com during the dot-com bust to creating the billion-dollar luxury consignment powerhouse, The RealReal, Julie’s journey is an inspiring tale of innovation, resilience, and strategic brilliance.


And while we'll also talk about her departure from the reveal and the challenges reported today – it is unquestionable that her journey from absolute failure to growing and scaling is a testament to her resilience and innovation. This is why she's next in the Billion Dollar Moves CEO series.


This conversation explores the valuable lessons from Julie’s storied career, her fearless approach to failure, and her bold steps in founding Ahara, her latest venture in personalized nutrition at age 67.


Get ready to uncover actionable insights on turning setbacks into comebacks, understanding untapped markets, and always putting the customer first. Let’s get started!


Timestamps / Key Takeaways


00:00 - Intro

02:30 - Key Takeaway 1: Failure is just the cost of success— be one with it

07:27 - Key Takeaway 2: Just because it’s never been done before, doesn’t mean it can’t be done

11:56 - Key Takeaway 3: Just get started. Do the damn thing, expand and stay focused.

14:50 - Key Takeaway 4: “Your customers vote everyday with their purchases. Pay attention”. Customer-Centric Approach

18:35 - Key Takeaway 5: “Your business is an opportunity for you to make an impact.” 

23:06 - Post-note: Initially successful, The RealReal's market cap dropped significantly - why?


About Julie Wainwright

Julie Wainwright began her illustrious career at Clorox as one of their first undergraduate hires in brand management, providing her with a solid foundation in profit and loss management and data analysis. Transitioning to the tech industry at the young age of 25, she joined Software Publishing amid the competitive landscape of Microsoft and Visicalc. Demonstrating remarkable initiative, Julie volunteered to handle international operations, leading efforts to establish international distribution from London by the age of 27. Her early experiences laid the groundwork for a dynamic career characterized by innovation and leadership.



Sources:

#80 - Julie Wainwright - Founder & CEO of The RealReal and Former Founder of Pets.com

How Julie Wainwright Built The RealReal To Be A Billion-Dollar Business | Forbes

Greycroft Co-Founder Ian Sigalow on Investing $1 Billion Right Now | StrictlyVC Download


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1739 no Unveiling the Power Shift: Private Wealth’s Impact on Venture Capital https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/private-wealth-impact-on-venture-capital-family-offices-arctic15/ This week, we’re bringing you an exclusive panel discussion from the Arctic15 LP Summit 2024. Moderated by Sarah Chen-Spellings, this conversation dives deep into the evolving venture capital landscape, driven by the influx of private wealth. Joining Sarah are Tor-Oskar Karlberg, Investment Director at Stephen Industries; Ville Solja, Owner & Investor at Kiilto Ventures; and Nydia Zhang, Investment Director at Ferretto Capital. Together, the panel explores how family offices and high-net-worth individuals are transforming the venture space, the driving factors behind this shift, and the unique opportunities it presents for both investors and entrepreneurs. Tune in now for insights into the strategies family offices are using to shape the future of venture capital! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 04:02 - Where do venture stands in family offices’ portfolio?  07:53 - Building the portfolio; using funds as an entry point to deal flow 09:55 - The investment landscape of family offices in Asia; “we need to know who we are before we start to look for what we like” 14:01 - Involvement in direct investments as a next-gen in family offices; “we need to be more active; not only because we find strong purpose, we actually need to do in order to survive.” 16:42 - Purposeful investing and making impact as family offices 21:54 - Outlook for the current and the next cycle; how is Asia faring as a region 27:16 - Audience questions Full Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKnKGKd_4WI Panelists: Tor-Oskar Karlberg- Investment Director, Stephen Industries Ville Solja – Owner & Investor, Kiilto Ventures Nydia Zhang – Investment Director, Ferretto Capital Moderator:  Sarah Chen-Spellings – Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 26 Sep 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 94 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week, we’re bringing you an exclusive panel discussion from the Arctic15 LP Summit 2024. Moderated by Sarah Chen-Spellings, this conversation dives deep into the evolving venture capital landscape, driven by the influx of private wealth. Joining Sarah are Tor-Oskar Karlberg, Investment Director at Stephen Industries; Ville Solja, Owner & Investor at Kiilto Ventures; and Nydia Zhang, Investment Director at Ferretto Capital. Together, the panel explores how family offices and high-net-worth individuals are transforming the venture space, the driving factors behind this shift, and the unique opportunities it presents for both investors and entrepreneurs. Tune in now for insights into the strategies family offices are using to shape the future of venture capital! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 04:02 - Where do venture stands in family offices’ portfolio?  07:53 - Building the portfolio; using funds as an entry point to deal flow 09:55 - The investment landscape of family offices in Asia; “we need to know who we are before we start to look for what we like” 14:01 - Involvement in direct investments as a next-gen in family offices; “we need to be more active; not only because we find strong purpose, we actually need to do in order to survive.” 16:42 - Purposeful investing and making impact as family offices 21:54 - Outlook for the current and the next cycle; how is Asia faring as a region 27:16 - Audience questions Full Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKnKGKd_4WI Panelists: Tor-Oskar Karlberg- Investment Director, Stephen Industries Ville Solja – Owner & Investor, Kiilto Ventures Nydia Zhang – Investment Director, Ferretto Capital Moderator:  Sarah Chen-Spellings – Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week, we’re bringing you an exclusive panel discussion from the Arctic15 LP Summit 2024. Moderated by Sarah Chen-Spellings, this conversation dives deep into the evolving venture capital landscape, driven by the influx of private wealth.


Joining Sarah are Tor-Oskar Karlberg, Investment Director at Stephen Industries; Ville Solja, Owner & Investor at Kiilto Ventures; and Nydia Zhang, Investment Director at Ferretto Capital.


Together, the panel explores how family offices and high-net-worth individuals are transforming the venture space, the driving factors behind this shift, and the unique opportunities it presents for both investors and entrepreneurs.


Tune in now for insights into the strategies family offices are using to shape the future of venture capital!


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS


0:00 - Intro

04:02 - Where do venture stands in family offices’ portfolio? 

07:53 - Building the portfolio; using funds as an entry point to deal flow

09:55 - The investment landscape of family offices in Asia; “we need to know who we are before we start to look for what we like”

14:01 - Involvement in direct investments as a next-gen in family offices; “we need to be more active; not only because we find strong purpose, we actually need to do in order to survive.”

16:42 - Purposeful investing and making impact as family offices

21:54 - Outlook for the current and the next cycle; how is Asia faring as a region

27:16 - Audience questions


Full Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKnKGKd_4WI

Panelists:

Tor-Oskar Karlberg- Investment Director, Stephen Industries

Ville Solja – Owner & Investor, Kiilto Ventures

Nydia Zhang – Investment Director, Ferretto Capital

Moderator: 

Sarah Chen-Spellings – Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1874 no Building Billion Dollar Unicorns: How To Pitch, Overcome Rejection, & Succeed As A Modern Entrepreneur w/ Sarah Chen-Spellings | iDigress Podcast https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/building-billion-dollar-unicorns-sarah-chen-spellings-idigress-podcast/ This week, our host Sarah Chen-Spellings, venture capitalist, strategist, and co-founder of Beyond the Billion, takes the hot seat on the iDigress podcast, hosted by Troy Sandige! Sarah shares her insights on what it truly takes to build billion-dollar unicorns—from mastering the pitch to overcoming rejection and navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Tune in to learn how she’s helping entrepreneurs thrive in today’s fast-paced market, and discover the critical strategies that turn setbacks into success. Original aired on iDigress Podcast with Troy Sandige: Building Billion Dollar Unicorns: How To Pitch, Overcome Rejection, & Succeed As A Modern Entrepreneur With Sarah Chen-Spellings [Masterclass] - Struggling to land that big pitch? Wondering why your path to success is filled with setbacks? Join us as we uncover what it really takes to build billion-dollar unicorns! Learn how to navigate failure, overcome rejection, stay resilient, and empower yourself—and others—in today’s competitive market with insights from venture capitalist and strategist Sarah Chen-Spellings in this masterclass episode. In this episode, we delve into the high-stakes world of entrepreneurship with Sarah Chen-Spellings, a venture capitalist, strategist, and co-founder of Beyond the Billion. Join us as we explore the journey of building billion-dollar unicorns, where success is not just about having a great idea, but mastering the art of pitching, navigating the inevitable rejections, and persisting through the toughest challenges. Sarah shares her unique insights on what it truly takes to succeed in today’s fast-paced entrepreneurial landscape. From her experience leading a global consortium investing over $1 Billion in women-founded companies to her work as a seasoned strategist and host of the "Billion Dollar Moves" podcast, Sarah offers invaluable advice for entrepreneurs aiming to make their mark. Whether you’re an emerging entrepreneur or a seasoned founder, this episode is your masterclass on how to pitch, overcome rejection, and ultimately succeed in the billion-dollar game. Learn the critical strategies that differentiate those who thrive from those who fall short, and discover the mindset needed to turn risk into reward. Key Takeaways: The art of pitching: How to craft a compelling pitch that stands out in a crowded market. Overcoming rejection: Proven strategies for turning setbacks into opportunities and building resilience. Navigating risk: Insights on how to manage and mitigate the risks inherent in scaling a business to unicorn status. The modern entrepreneur's mindset: What it takes to succeed in today’s competitive and rapidly evolving business environment. Entrepreneurial diversity: Strategies for bringing more diverse entrepreneurs—women, Black, Latina, Asian, and others—to the table and ensuring they have the resources and support needed to succeed in the billion-dollar game. Sarah's personal journey: Lessons from her experience co-founding Beyond the Billion and her role in shaping the future of venture capital. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain actionable insights from one of the leading voices in venture capital and entrepreneurship.  Connect With Troy:  Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/Reviews Follow Troy's LinkedIn @FindTroy Get Strategy Solutions & Services: GrowWithTroy.com Follow Troy's Instagram @FindTroy - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 19 Sep 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 93 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week, our host Sarah Chen-Spellings, venture capitalist, strategist, and co-founder of Beyond the Billion, takes the hot seat on the iDigress podcast, hosted by Troy Sandige! Sarah shares her insights on what it truly takes to build billion-dollar unicorns—from mastering the pitch to overcoming rejection and navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Tune in to learn how she’s helping entrepreneurs thrive in today’s fast-paced market, and discover the critical strategies that turn setbacks into success. Original aired on iDigress Podcast with Troy Sandige: Building Billion Dollar Unicorns: How To Pitch, Overcome Rejection, & Succeed As A Modern Entrepreneur With Sarah Chen-Spellings [Masterclass] - Struggling to land that big pitch? Wondering why your path to success is filled with setbacks? Join us as we uncover what it really takes to build billion-dollar unicorns! Learn how to navigate failure, overcome rejection, stay resilient, and empower yourself—and others—in today’s competitive market with insights from venture capitalist and strategist Sarah Chen-Spellings in this masterclass episode. In this episode, we delve into the high-stakes world of entrepreneurship with Sarah Chen-Spellings, a venture capitalist, strategist, and co-founder of Beyond the Billion. Join us as we explore the journey of building billion-dollar unicorns, where success is not just about having a great idea, but mastering the art of pitching, navigating the inevitable rejections, and persisting through the toughest challenges. Sarah shares her unique insights on what it truly takes to succeed in today’s fast-paced entrepreneurial landscape. From her experience leading a global consortium investing over $1 Billion in women-founded companies to her work as a seasoned strategist and host of the "Billion Dollar Moves" podcast, Sarah offers invaluable advice for entrepreneurs aiming to make their mark. Whether you’re an emerging entrepreneur or a seasoned founder, this episode is your masterclass on how to pitch, overcome rejection, and ultimately succeed in the billion-dollar game. Learn the critical strategies that differentiate those who thrive from those who fall short, and discover the mindset needed to turn risk into reward. Key Takeaways: The art of pitching: How to craft a compelling pitch that stands out in a crowded market. Overcoming rejection: Proven strategies for turning setbacks into opportunities and building resilience. Navigating risk: Insights on how to manage and mitigate the risks inherent in scaling a business to unicorn status. The modern entrepreneur's mindset: What it takes to succeed in today’s competitive and rapidly evolving business environment. Entrepreneurial diversity: Strategies for bringing more diverse entrepreneurs—women, Black, Latina, Asian, and others—to the table and ensuring they have the resources and support needed to succeed in the billion-dollar game. Sarah's personal journey: Lessons from her experience co-founding Beyond the Billion and her role in shaping the future of venture capital. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain actionable insights from one of the leading voices in venture capital and entrepreneurship.  Connect With Troy:  Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/Reviews Follow Troy's LinkedIn @FindTroy Get Strategy Solutions & Services: GrowWithTroy.com Follow Troy's Instagram @FindTroy - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week, our host Sarah Chen-Spellings, venture capitalist, strategist, and co-founder of Beyond the Billion, takes the hot seat on the iDigress podcast, hosted by Troy Sandige!


Sarah shares her insights on what it truly takes to build billion-dollar unicorns—from mastering the pitch to overcoming rejection and navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.


Tune in to learn how she’s helping entrepreneurs thrive in today’s fast-paced market, and discover the critical strategies that turn setbacks into success.


Original aired on iDigress Podcast with Troy Sandige:

Building Billion Dollar Unicorns: How To Pitch, Overcome Rejection, & Succeed As A Modern Entrepreneur With Sarah Chen-Spellings [Masterclass]


-


Struggling to land that big pitch? Wondering why your path to success is filled with setbacks? Join us as we uncover what it really takes to build billion-dollar unicorns! Learn how to navigate failure, overcome rejection, stay resilient, and empower yourself—and others—in today’s competitive market with insights from venture capitalist and strategist Sarah Chen-Spellings in this masterclass episode.


In this episode, we delve into the high-stakes world of entrepreneurship with Sarah Chen-Spellings, a venture capitalist, strategist, and co-founder of Beyond the Billion. Join us as we explore the journey of building billion-dollar unicorns, where success is not just about having a great idea, but mastering the art of pitching, navigating the inevitable rejections, and persisting through the toughest challenges.


Sarah shares her unique insights on what it truly takes to succeed in today’s fast-paced entrepreneurial landscape. From her experience leading a global consortium investing over $1 Billion in women-founded companies to her work as a seasoned strategist and host of the "Billion Dollar Moves" podcast, Sarah offers invaluable advice for entrepreneurs aiming to make their mark.


Whether you’re an emerging entrepreneur or a seasoned founder, this episode is your masterclass on how to pitch, overcome rejection, and ultimately succeed in the billion-dollar game. Learn the critical strategies that differentiate those who thrive from those who fall short, and discover the mindset needed to turn risk into reward.


Key Takeaways:

  • The art of pitching: How to craft a compelling pitch that stands out in a crowded market.
  • Overcoming rejection: Proven strategies for turning setbacks into opportunities and building resilience.
  • Navigating risk: Insights on how to manage and mitigate the risks inherent in scaling a business to unicorn status.
  • The modern entrepreneur's mindset: What it takes to succeed in today’s competitive and rapidly evolving business environment.
  • Entrepreneurial diversity: Strategies for bringing more diverse entrepreneurs—women, Black, Latina, Asian, and others—to the table and ensuring they have the resources and support needed to succeed in the billion-dollar game.
  • Sarah's personal journey: Lessons from her experience co-founding Beyond the Billion and her role in shaping the future of venture capital.


Don’t miss this opportunity to gain actionable insights from one of the leading voices in venture capital and entrepreneurship. 


Connect With Troy: 

Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/Reviews

Follow Troy's LinkedIn @FindTroy

Get Strategy Solutions & Services: GrowWithTroy.com

Follow Troy's Instagram @FindTroy


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3118 [BITE] $5Bn Supply Chain Giant Building Under the Radar w/ Johanna Småros, RELEX Solutions https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/5-billion-supply-chain-giant-building-under-radar-johanna-smaros-relex-solutions/ This week, we are resurfacing our conversation with Johanna Småros, co-founder of RELEX Solutions, one of Finland's leading unicorns. In our conversation, we delve into the unique path of RELEX Solutions, which was bootstrapped for more than 10 years and built “The Finnish Way” - practical and transparent. From bootstrapping for over a decade to transforming the company into a global leader, her story is a testament to innovation, resilience, and strategic vision. This is why, Johanna is next on the list of #BillionDollarMoves we should all learn from. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:29 - Lesson #1: Don't Underestimate Academic Foundations 05:16 - Lesson #2: Do It Your Way: The Finnish Way of Building 07:03 - Lesson #3: Find Your Unique Approach in a Saturated Space 10:56 - Lesson #4: Leverage Existing Champions to Drive Global Ambition 15:11 - 3 Actionable Questions for You If you enjoyed this, tune in to full episode with Johanna! From Bootstrapped Startup to Finnish Tech Unicorn: RELEX Solutions' Rise w/ Johanna Småros, RELEX Solutions 🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-johanna  🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3moRBN0M5r0 🌐 Website: https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/from-bootstrap-to-finnish-tech-unicorn-relex-solutions-johanna-smaros/  - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 12 Sep 2024 04:00:00 -0000 bonus 2 92 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week, we are resurfacing our conversation with Johanna Småros, co-founder of RELEX Solutions, one of Finland's leading unicorns. In our conversation, we delve into the unique path of RELEX Solutions, which was bootstrapped for more than 10 years and built “The Finnish Way” - practical and transparent. From bootstrapping for over a decade to transforming the company into a global leader, her story is a testament to innovation, resilience, and strategic vision. This is why, Johanna is next on the list of #BillionDollarMoves we should all learn from. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:29 - Lesson #1: Don't Underestimate Academic Foundations 05:16 - Lesson #2: Do It Your Way: The Finnish Way of Building 07:03 - Lesson #3: Find Your Unique Approach in a Saturated Space 10:56 - Lesson #4: Leverage Existing Champions to Drive Global Ambition 15:11 - 3 Actionable Questions for You If you enjoyed this, tune in to full episode with Johanna! From Bootstrapped Startup to Finnish Tech Unicorn: RELEX Solutions' Rise w/ Johanna Småros, RELEX Solutions 🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-johanna  🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3moRBN0M5r0 🌐 Website: https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/from-bootstrap-to-finnish-tech-unicorn-relex-solutions-johanna-smaros/  - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week, we are resurfacing our conversation with Johanna Småros, co-founder of RELEX Solutions, one of Finland's leading unicorns. In our conversation, we delve into the unique path of RELEX Solutions, which was bootstrapped for more than 10 years and built “The Finnish Way” - practical and transparent.


From bootstrapping for over a decade to transforming the company into a global leader, her story is a testament to innovation, resilience, and strategic vision.

This is why, Johanna is next on the list of #BillionDollarMoves we should all learn from.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

02:29 - Lesson #1: Don't Underestimate Academic Foundations

05:16 - Lesson #2: Do It Your Way: The Finnish Way of Building

07:03 - Lesson #3: Find Your Unique Approach in a Saturated Space

10:56 - Lesson #4: Leverage Existing Champions to Drive Global Ambition

15:11 - 3 Actionable Questions for You


If you enjoyed this, tune in to full episode with Johanna!

From Bootstrapped Startup to Finnish Tech Unicorn: RELEX Solutions' Rise w/ Johanna Småros, RELEX Solutions

🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-johanna 

🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3moRBN0M5r0

🌐 Website: https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/from-bootstrap-to-finnish-tech-unicorn-relex-solutions-johanna-smaros/ 


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1068 no Inside Intel Capital: How a Multi-Billion Dollar Portfolio Sets the Standard for CVCs w/ Nick Washburn, Intel Capital https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/inside-intel-capital-multi-billion-dollar-portfolio-sets-standard-cvcs-nick-washburn/ This week’s episode features Nick Washburn, Senior Managing Director at Intel Capital. If you're an investor—or aspire to be—this conversation is a masterclass you won't want to miss. For those who might not be familiar, Intel Capital is the venture capital arm of Intel Corporation, and it's long been considered the gold standard in the industry. They've backed legendary companies like Red Hat, VMware, and DocuSign, among others. Over the past three decades, they've seen more than 250 of their portfolio companies go public and have had another 500 successful exits. And since 2018 alone, Intel Capital has seen approximately $12 billion in market cap companies hit the public markets. From the intricacies of reserve strategies to the common pitfalls that even seasoned VCs can stumble into, we’ve covered it all. This insider look at the art and science of venture investing, especially from someone with Nick's experience, is packed with valuable insights. So, trust me, this is one conversation you don't want to miss! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 01:32 - Lessons from ice hockey: “Go to where the puck was going” 02:39 - Shaping founders to be less output-focused; “All of the biggest outcomes are extreme outliers and there is no path.” 04:26 - Pattern matching; “Try to not focus necessarily on the background, but more of their understanding of the problem statement and why they feel best position to solve it.” 06:45 - The two sins in venture: sins of omission and commission 10:06 - The hyped AI field and what matters more to the devs and customers? 13:43 - Cybersecurity; singular platform versus best tools 16:10 - Core competency of Intel Capital in investment; “I invest both in developer tools and infrastructure software; if I don't look at them in the right aperture, I get it wildly wrong.” 19:49 - Inside Intel Capital: north of 250 IPOs and 500 exits in the past 30 years 24:19 - What has Intel Capital done right in structuring?; “You should lead with the goal and then reverse it in the process.” 27:48 - Nick’s personal journey from law school to investments; the imposter syndrome 31:44 - The anti-portfolio; FreshPaint: “They have not pivoted. They just reposition because that's where the market demand was coming.” 35:06 - On guiding founders; Charles Hudson’s “When to Intervene” 38:43 - The dynamics of Intel’s investment committee and strategy framework 42:17 - Takes on current market conditions 43:38 - Billion Dollar Questions About Nick Washburn Nick Washburn is a Senior Managing Director of Intel Capital located in Denver, CO. He joined Intel Capital in 2014. Nick is a voting member of Intel Capital’s investment committee and co-manages Intel Capital’s cloud investment domain. He focuses on early-stage investments in cloud-native infrastructure, developer tools, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and data platforms. Nick currently serves as a director or observer on the boards of Augtera Networks, Fly.io, Freshpaint, Moderne, OtterTune, and Tetrate. He also works closely on Intel Capital’s investments in Anyscale and Upbound. In addition, Nick currently serves as a director on the board of the National Venture Capital Association, and he is a member of the Kauffman Fellows, Class 25. He is a proud father to amazing twin boys, he loves playing ice hockey, and he is an avid lover of all things outdoors, including skiing, mountain biking and rock climbing. FOLLOW NICK: LinkedIn | X/Twitter - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 05 Sep 2024 05:10:00 -0000 full 2 91 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week’s episode features Nick Washburn, Senior Managing Director at Intel Capital. If you're an investor—or aspire to be—this conversation is a masterclass you won't want to miss. For those who might not be familiar, Intel Capital is the venture capital arm of Intel Corporation, and it's long been considered the gold standard in the industry. They've backed legendary companies like Red Hat, VMware, and DocuSign, among others. Over the past three decades, they've seen more than 250 of their portfolio companies go public and have had another 500 successful exits. And since 2018 alone, Intel Capital has seen approximately $12 billion in market cap companies hit the public markets. From the intricacies of reserve strategies to the common pitfalls that even seasoned VCs can stumble into, we’ve covered it all. This insider look at the art and science of venture investing, especially from someone with Nick's experience, is packed with valuable insights. So, trust me, this is one conversation you don't want to miss! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 01:32 - Lessons from ice hockey: “Go to where the puck was going” 02:39 - Shaping founders to be less output-focused; “All of the biggest outcomes are extreme outliers and there is no path.” 04:26 - Pattern matching; “Try to not focus necessarily on the background, but more of their understanding of the problem statement and why they feel best position to solve it.” 06:45 - The two sins in venture: sins of omission and commission 10:06 - The hyped AI field and what matters more to the devs and customers? 13:43 - Cybersecurity; singular platform versus best tools 16:10 - Core competency of Intel Capital in investment; “I invest both in developer tools and infrastructure software; if I don't look at them in the right aperture, I get it wildly wrong.” 19:49 - Inside Intel Capital: north of 250 IPOs and 500 exits in the past 30 years 24:19 - What has Intel Capital done right in structuring?; “You should lead with the goal and then reverse it in the process.” 27:48 - Nick’s personal journey from law school to investments; the imposter syndrome 31:44 - The anti-portfolio; FreshPaint: “They have not pivoted. They just reposition because that's where the market demand was coming.” 35:06 - On guiding founders; Charles Hudson’s “When to Intervene” 38:43 - The dynamics of Intel’s investment committee and strategy framework 42:17 - Takes on current market conditions 43:38 - Billion Dollar Questions About Nick Washburn Nick Washburn is a Senior Managing Director of Intel Capital located in Denver, CO. He joined Intel Capital in 2014. Nick is a voting member of Intel Capital’s investment committee and co-manages Intel Capital’s cloud investment domain. He focuses on early-stage investments in cloud-native infrastructure, developer tools, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and data platforms. Nick currently serves as a director or observer on the boards of Augtera Networks, Fly.io, Freshpaint, Moderne, OtterTune, and Tetrate. He also works closely on Intel Capital’s investments in Anyscale and Upbound. In addition, Nick currently serves as a director on the board of the National Venture Capital Association, and he is a member of the Kauffman Fellows, Class 25. He is a proud father to amazing twin boys, he loves playing ice hockey, and he is an avid lover of all things outdoors, including skiing, mountain biking and rock climbing. FOLLOW NICK: LinkedIn | X/Twitter - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week’s episode features Nick Washburn, Senior Managing Director at Intel Capital. If you're an investor—or aspire to be—this conversation is a masterclass you won't want to miss.

For those who might not be familiar, Intel Capital is the venture capital arm of Intel Corporation, and it's long been considered the gold standard in the industry. They've backed legendary companies like Red Hat, VMware, and DocuSign, among others. Over the past three decades, they've seen more than 250 of their portfolio companies go public and have had another 500 successful exits. And since 2018 alone, Intel Capital has seen approximately $12 billion in market cap companies hit the public markets.

From the intricacies of reserve strategies to the common pitfalls that even seasoned VCs can stumble into, we’ve covered it all.

This insider look at the art and science of venture investing, especially from someone with Nick's experience, is packed with valuable insights. So, trust me, this is one conversation you don't want to miss!


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

01:32 - Lessons from ice hockey: “Go to where the puck was going”

02:39 - Shaping founders to be less output-focused; “All of the biggest outcomes are extreme outliers and there is no path.”

04:26 - Pattern matching; “Try to not focus necessarily on the background, but more of their understanding of the problem statement and why they feel best position to solve it.”

06:45 - The two sins in venture: sins of omission and commission

10:06 - The hyped AI field and what matters more to the devs and customers?

13:43 - Cybersecurity; singular platform versus best tools

16:10 - Core competency of Intel Capital in investment; “I invest both in developer tools and infrastructure software; if I don't look at them in the right aperture, I get it wildly wrong.”

19:49 - Inside Intel Capital: north of 250 IPOs and 500 exits in the past 30 years

24:19 - What has Intel Capital done right in structuring?; “You should lead with the goal and then reverse it in the process.”

27:48 - Nick’s personal journey from law school to investments; the imposter syndrome

31:44 - The anti-portfolio; FreshPaint: “They have not pivoted. They just reposition because that's where the market demand was coming.”

35:06 - On guiding founders; Charles Hudson’s “When to Intervene”

38:43 - The dynamics of Intel’s investment committee and strategy framework

42:17 - Takes on current market conditions

43:38 - Billion Dollar Questions


About Nick Washburn


Nick Washburn is a Senior Managing Director of Intel Capital located in Denver, CO. He joined Intel Capital in 2014.

Nick is a voting member of Intel Capital’s investment committee and co-manages Intel Capital’s cloud investment domain. He focuses on early-stage investments in cloud-native infrastructure, developer tools, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and data platforms.

Nick currently serves as a director or observer on the boards of Augtera Networks, Fly.io, Freshpaint, Moderne, OtterTune, and Tetrate. He also works closely on Intel Capital’s investments in Anyscale and Upbound.

In addition, Nick currently serves as a director on the board of the National Venture Capital Association, and he is a member of the Kauffman Fellows, Class 25. He is a proud father to amazing twin boys, he loves playing ice hockey, and he is an avid lover of all things outdoors, including skiing, mountain biking and rock climbing.


FOLLOW NICK:

LinkedIn | X/Twitter


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2912 no [REPLAY] Faith, Finance, & Technology w/ Fara Abdullah, Bitsmedia https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/r-faith-finance-technology-fara-abdullah-bitsmedia/ Muslims are projected to constitute more than 25% of the world's total population this year. To many in the industry, this isn't just a statistic; it represents a vast array of opportunities for the markets. This week, we are revisiting our conversation with Fara Abdullah, CEO of Bitsmedia, the brains behind the immensely popular Muslim lifestyle app, Muslim Pro.  With a fresh injection of $20 million from its Series A funding round, featuring participation from Gobi Partners, alongside continued backing from existing investors CMI Capital Partners and Bintang Capital Partners, Bitsmedia is poised to enhance the faith experience through cutting-edge technologies. Our discussion delves into various aspects, including the business landscape, the potential in faith-driven markets, and the interception of faith, finance, and technology.    TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Intro 02:52 - Market opportunities in the Muslim community; Bitsmedia’s business model 07:39 - Challenging the misconceptions and templatization of Muslims 10:49 - Thesis behind the 160 million annual downloads of Muslim Pro: faith in challenging times and the modern Muslim lifestyle 15:13 - Bitsmedia’s ideal consumer profile and the growth of user base 20:30 - Business models and the biggest revenue drive for Bitsmedia 24:11 - Decision making and resource distribution as the CEO 26:52 - The role of technology in shaping faith and vice versa 30:31 - The idea of moderation and ethical interpretations with use of technologies 32:41 - Bitsmedia’s role in the interception of faith, finance and technology 34:35 - Observed trends of religious behaviors and attitudes; the socialization of faith 37:01 - Fundraising and choosing the right partners 39:46 - Billion dollar questions 3 Key Insights: 1/ The market is HUGE and there’s something for everyone. With the global Muslim population surpassing 2 billion as we’re speaking now, the market needs continue to evolve. Beyond facilitating religious practices, there's a plethora of avenues to explore, from educational content for children to virtual community building and financial services.   2/ Infusion of technology is inevitable in today’s world; we cannot simply steer away from it. “Regardless of how afraid we are of it, how much we want to preserve certain things, this technology wave is coming,” Despite concerns, the inevitable wave of technology presents significant opportunities. According to Fara, embracing this wave requires courage while prioritizing community safety and moderation.   3/ See the market potential beyond complexity. While the complexity of faith-related businesses may deter some, more and more investors recognize the immense potential within this market. And just like any business, expertise and strategic vision are essential to harnessing these opportunities effectively. ABOUT BITSMEDIA Bitsmedia is a Singapore-based, technology company known globally as the developer and publisher of the Muslim Pro app – a highly-rated and comprehensive Muslim lifestyle app with more than 150 million downloads globally to date. The company is also the publisher of Qalbox, a global subscription video on demand (SVoD) entertainment streaming service aimed at the global Muslim community. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 29 Aug 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 90 Sarah Chen-Spellings Muslims are projected to constitute more than 25% of the world's total population this year. To many in the industry, this isn't just a statistic; it represents a vast array of opportunities for the markets. This week, we are revisiting our conversation with Fara Abdullah, CEO of Bitsmedia, the brains behind the immensely popular Muslim lifestyle app, Muslim Pro.  With a fresh injection of $20 million from its Series A funding round, featuring participation from Gobi Partners, alongside continued backing from existing investors CMI Capital Partners and Bintang Capital Partners, Bitsmedia is poised to enhance the faith experience through cutting-edge technologies. Our discussion delves into various aspects, including the business landscape, the potential in faith-driven markets, and the interception of faith, finance, and technology.    TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Intro 02:52 - Market opportunities in the Muslim community; Bitsmedia’s business model 07:39 - Challenging the misconceptions and templatization of Muslims 10:49 - Thesis behind the 160 million annual downloads of Muslim Pro: faith in challenging times and the modern Muslim lifestyle 15:13 - Bitsmedia’s ideal consumer profile and the growth of user base 20:30 - Business models and the biggest revenue drive for Bitsmedia 24:11 - Decision making and resource distribution as the CEO 26:52 - The role of technology in shaping faith and vice versa 30:31 - The idea of moderation and ethical interpretations with use of technologies 32:41 - Bitsmedia’s role in the interception of faith, finance and technology 34:35 - Observed trends of religious behaviors and attitudes; the socialization of faith 37:01 - Fundraising and choosing the right partners 39:46 - Billion dollar questions 3 Key Insights: 1/ The market is HUGE and there’s something for everyone. With the global Muslim population surpassing 2 billion as we’re speaking now, the market needs continue to evolve. Beyond facilitating religious practices, there's a plethora of avenues to explore, from educational content for children to virtual community building and financial services.   2/ Infusion of technology is inevitable in today’s world; we cannot simply steer away from it. “Regardless of how afraid we are of it, how much we want to preserve certain things, this technology wave is coming,” Despite concerns, the inevitable wave of technology presents significant opportunities. According to Fara, embracing this wave requires courage while prioritizing community safety and moderation.   3/ See the market potential beyond complexity. While the complexity of faith-related businesses may deter some, more and more investors recognize the immense potential within this market. And just like any business, expertise and strategic vision are essential to harnessing these opportunities effectively. ABOUT BITSMEDIA Bitsmedia is a Singapore-based, technology company known globally as the developer and publisher of the Muslim Pro app – a highly-rated and comprehensive Muslim lifestyle app with more than 150 million downloads globally to date. The company is also the publisher of Qalbox, a global subscription video on demand (SVoD) entertainment streaming service aimed at the global Muslim community. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Muslims are projected to constitute more than 25% of the world's total population this year. To many in the industry, this isn't just a statistic; it represents a vast array of opportunities for the markets.


This week, we are revisiting our conversation with Fara Abdullah, CEO of Bitsmedia, the brains behind the immensely popular Muslim lifestyle app, Muslim Pro. 


With a fresh injection of $20 million from its Series A funding round, featuring participation from Gobi Partners, alongside continued backing from existing investors CMI Capital Partners and Bintang Capital Partners, Bitsmedia is poised to enhance the faith experience through cutting-edge technologies. Our discussion delves into various aspects, including the business landscape, the potential in faith-driven markets, and the interception of faith, finance, and technology. 

 

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Intro

02:52 - Market opportunities in the Muslim community; Bitsmedia’s business model

07:39 - Challenging the misconceptions and templatization of Muslims

10:49 - Thesis behind the 160 million annual downloads of Muslim Pro: faith in challenging times and the modern Muslim lifestyle

15:13 - Bitsmedia’s ideal consumer profile and the growth of user base

20:30 - Business models and the biggest revenue drive for Bitsmedia

24:11 - Decision making and resource distribution as the CEO

26:52 - The role of technology in shaping faith and vice versa

30:31 - The idea of moderation and ethical interpretations with use of technologies

32:41 - Bitsmedia’s role in the interception of faith, finance and technology

34:35 - Observed trends of religious behaviors and attitudes; the socialization of faith

37:01 - Fundraising and choosing the right partners

39:46 - Billion dollar questions


3 Key Insights:

1/ The market is HUGE and there’s something for everyone.

With the global Muslim population surpassing 2 billion as we’re speaking now, the market needs continue to evolve.

Beyond facilitating religious practices, there's a plethora of avenues to explore, from educational content for children to virtual community building and financial services.

 

2/ Infusion of technology is inevitable in today’s world; we cannot simply steer away from it.

“Regardless of how afraid we are of it, how much we want to preserve certain things, this technology wave is coming,”

Despite concerns, the inevitable wave of technology presents significant opportunities.

According to Fara, embracing this wave requires courage while prioritizing community safety and moderation.

 

3/ See the market potential beyond complexity.

While the complexity of faith-related businesses may deter some, more and more investors recognize the immense potential within this market.

And just like any business, expertise and strategic vision are essential to harnessing these opportunities effectively.


ABOUT BITSMEDIA


Bitsmedia is a Singapore-based, technology company known globally as the developer and publisher of the Muslim Pro app – a highly-rated and comprehensive Muslim lifestyle app with more than 150 million downloads globally to date.

The company is also the publisher of Qalbox, a global subscription video on demand (SVoD) entertainment streaming service aimed at the global Muslim community.


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2621 no Why Serial Entrepreneurs Make Top VCs: Google & Groupon Exits; Oura & Kickstarter Investments w/ Jyri Engeström https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/serial-entrepreneur-top-vc-google-groupon-exits-oura-kickstarter-investment-jyri-engestrom/ We’re thrilled to feature Jyri Engeström, a serial entrepreneur who found early success with exits to Google and Groupon. Now an investor, Jyri continues to shape the startup landscape as a General Partner at Yes VC, the fund he co-founded with his partner, Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr. At the same time, Jyri makes significant strides in building and investing in startups alongside Petteri Koponen at Lifeline Ventures in Finland. We delve into the opportunities and technologies shaping the future, lessons Jyri has learned from his time in Silicon Valley, and how Finland is positioning itself as a global startup hub. Jyri’s deep understanding of network theory, social dynamics, and his curiosity about emerging markets—from space colonization to geopolitical shifts—makes this an episode you won’t want to miss. TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:41 - The Innovator’s Dilemma, Sociology, & bi-continental life in Finland & the US 06:20 - Working in Nokia to founding Jaiku 08:56 - Google’s acquisition of Jaiku 12:52 - Selling Ditto to Groupon; “I knew to kill the app immediately after the acquisition,” 16:09 - Lessons learned as a serial entrepreneur; leadership 19:01 - New chapters with True Ventures and Yes VC; patterns of success in portfolio  25:04 - Yes VC’s super early stage approach; thoughts on legacy 32:06 - Identifying the potential unicorns; how to be curiosity-driven, continuously 37:00 - Minting the unicorns & the anti-portfolios 39:37 - The founder product fit; Petteri Koponen’s pattern of success 44:48 - Raising children; parallel entrepreneurship 49:58 - The liquidity & exit landscape and deal flow in Finland today 54:11 - Jyri's trajectory for the next five years; messages to global investors 56:29 - Billion Dollar Questions Brought to you by Helsinki Partners The third edition of Founders to Finland Program helps international scale-up founders build their business network in the Nordics. This 7-day program takes place in Helsinki in November, and its 15 selected participants get to experience the magic of the Slush startup conference and valuable side events with a free ticket. Expect hyper-relevant networking, personal introductions to local companies, and tailored info sessions to learn more about the innovative spirit of the Finnish scale-up culture. Learn more and apply by September 1! ABOUT JYRI Jyri has invested in several unicorns including Unity, Oura, Iceye and Boom Supersonic. Jyri’s entrepreneurial journey began with Jaiku, a mobile social networking service he co-founded with Petteri Koponen and sold to Google in 2007. He sold his second company Ditto, a recommendation service, to Groupon in 2012. In 2020 he founded Primary Diagnostics, a healthcare platform serving tens of millions of people across the U.S. For four years Jyri was at True Ventures, a leading Silicon Valley venture fund, where he invested in e.g. Iceye, the world’s largest radar satellite constellation, with Lifeline. Alongside Lifeline Ventures Jyri is Partner at Yes VC, a venture firm he co-founded with Caterina Fake in San Francisco. Yes VC has notable investments in carbon capture, post-fossil energy, space and AI. Jyri combines company-building with venture investing. “Entrepreneurship is a skill. It takes discipline and practice. Each company we build improves our hit rate going forward.” FOLLOW JYRI: LinkedIn | X/Twitter | Instagram | Podcast: Startup-Ministeriön - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 22 Aug 2024 14:31:00 -0000 full 2 89 Sarah Chen-Spellings We’re thrilled to feature Jyri Engeström, a serial entrepreneur who found early success with exits to Google and Groupon. Now an investor, Jyri continues to shape the startup landscape as a General Partner at Yes VC, the fund he co-founded with his partner, Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr. At the same time, Jyri makes significant strides in building and investing in startups alongside Petteri Koponen at Lifeline Ventures in Finland. We delve into the opportunities and technologies shaping the future, lessons Jyri has learned from his time in Silicon Valley, and how Finland is positioning itself as a global startup hub. Jyri’s deep understanding of network theory, social dynamics, and his curiosity about emerging markets—from space colonization to geopolitical shifts—makes this an episode you won’t want to miss. TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:41 - The Innovator’s Dilemma, Sociology, & bi-continental life in Finland & the US 06:20 - Working in Nokia to founding Jaiku 08:56 - Google’s acquisition of Jaiku 12:52 - Selling Ditto to Groupon; “I knew to kill the app immediately after the acquisition,” 16:09 - Lessons learned as a serial entrepreneur; leadership 19:01 - New chapters with True Ventures and Yes VC; patterns of success in portfolio  25:04 - Yes VC’s super early stage approach; thoughts on legacy 32:06 - Identifying the potential unicorns; how to be curiosity-driven, continuously 37:00 - Minting the unicorns & the anti-portfolios 39:37 - The founder product fit; Petteri Koponen’s pattern of success 44:48 - Raising children; parallel entrepreneurship 49:58 - The liquidity & exit landscape and deal flow in Finland today 54:11 - Jyri's trajectory for the next five years; messages to global investors 56:29 - Billion Dollar Questions Brought to you by Helsinki Partners The third edition of Founders to Finland Program helps international scale-up founders build their business network in the Nordics. This 7-day program takes place in Helsinki in November, and its 15 selected participants get to experience the magic of the Slush startup conference and valuable side events with a free ticket. Expect hyper-relevant networking, personal introductions to local companies, and tailored info sessions to learn more about the innovative spirit of the Finnish scale-up culture. Learn more and apply by September 1! ABOUT JYRI Jyri has invested in several unicorns including Unity, Oura, Iceye and Boom Supersonic. Jyri’s entrepreneurial journey began with Jaiku, a mobile social networking service he co-founded with Petteri Koponen and sold to Google in 2007. He sold his second company Ditto, a recommendation service, to Groupon in 2012. In 2020 he founded Primary Diagnostics, a healthcare platform serving tens of millions of people across the U.S. For four years Jyri was at True Ventures, a leading Silicon Valley venture fund, where he invested in e.g. Iceye, the world’s largest radar satellite constellation, with Lifeline. Alongside Lifeline Ventures Jyri is Partner at Yes VC, a venture firm he co-founded with Caterina Fake in San Francisco. Yes VC has notable investments in carbon capture, post-fossil energy, space and AI. Jyri combines company-building with venture investing. “Entrepreneurship is a skill. It takes discipline and practice. Each company we build improves our hit rate going forward.” FOLLOW JYRI: LinkedIn | X/Twitter | Instagram | Podcast: Startup-Ministeriön - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal We’re thrilled to feature Jyri Engeström, a serial entrepreneur who found early success with exits to Google and Groupon. Now an investor, Jyri continues to shape the startup landscape as a General Partner at Yes VC, the fund he co-founded with his partner, Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr. At the same time, Jyri makes significant strides in building and investing in startups alongside Petteri Koponen at Lifeline Ventures in Finland.


We delve into the opportunities and technologies shaping the future, lessons Jyri has learned from his time in Silicon Valley, and how Finland is positioning itself as a global startup hub. Jyri’s deep understanding of network theory, social dynamics, and his curiosity about emerging markets—from space colonization to geopolitical shifts—makes this an episode you won’t want to miss.


TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

02:41 - The Innovator’s Dilemma, Sociology, & bi-continental life in Finland & the US

06:20 - Working in Nokia to founding Jaiku

08:56 - Google’s acquisition of Jaiku

12:52 - Selling Ditto to Groupon; “I knew to kill the app immediately after the acquisition,”

16:09 - Lessons learned as a serial entrepreneur; leadership

19:01 - New chapters with True Ventures and Yes VC; patterns of success in portfolio 

25:04 - Yes VC’s super early stage approach; thoughts on legacy

32:06 - Identifying the potential unicorns; how to be curiosity-driven, continuously

37:00 - Minting the unicorns & the anti-portfolios

39:37 - The founder product fit; Petteri Koponen’s pattern of success

44:48 - Raising children; parallel entrepreneurship

49:58 - The liquidity & exit landscape and deal flow in Finland today

54:11 - Jyri's trajectory for the next five years; messages to global investors

56:29 - Billion Dollar Questions


Brought to you by Helsinki Partners


The third edition of Founders to Finland Program helps international scale-up

founders build their business network in the Nordics. This 7-day program takes place

in Helsinki in November, and its 15 selected participants get to experience the magic

of the Slush startup conference and valuable side events with a free ticket. Expect

hyper-relevant networking, personal introductions to local companies, and tailored

info sessions to learn more about the innovative spirit of the Finnish scale-up culture.


Learn more and apply by September 1!



ABOUT JYRI


Jyri has invested in several unicorns including Unity, Oura, Iceye and Boom Supersonic. Jyri’s entrepreneurial journey began with Jaiku, a mobile social networking service he co-founded with Petteri Koponen and sold to Google in 2007. He sold his second company Ditto, a recommendation service, to Groupon in 2012. In 2020 he founded Primary Diagnostics, a healthcare platform serving tens of millions of people across the U.S.


For four years Jyri was at True Ventures, a leading Silicon Valley venture fund, where he invested in e.g. Iceye, the world’s largest radar satellite constellation, with Lifeline. Alongside Lifeline Ventures Jyri is Partner at Yes VC, a venture firm he co-founded with Caterina Fake in San Francisco. Yes VC has notable investments in carbon capture, post-fossil energy, space and AI. Jyri combines company-building with venture investing. “Entrepreneurship is a skill. It takes discipline and practice. Each company we build improves our hit rate going forward.”


FOLLOW JYRI:

LinkedIn | X/Twitter | Instagram | Podcast: Startup-Ministeriön


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3689 no Journey after YouTube w/ Steve Chen, Draco Evolution https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/journey-after-youtube-steve-chen-draco/ This week's episode is proudly brought to you by Tatler Gen.T. On July 12th, we celebrated the groundbreaking launch of Draco Evolution Corp’s AI-driven ETF, now trading on the NYSE. We had the privilege to speak with the visionary co-founders, Jack Fu and Steve Chen, about their innovative ideas and the future of finance. This week, we dive deeper into Steve Chen’s journey co-founding and leaving YouTube, and why we should all take bold leaps in life. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:42 - The ‘One-Way Ticket’: “If I have an idea, I'm just going to regret it if I don't take this opportunity now to actually try it out.” 04:16 - The real story of YouTube: “it was a dating video site”; “it was through these changes as you're pivoting around and figuring out exactly where this path is going to take you” 09:00 - Google’s acquisition of YouTube; “He said, we’re making the largest acquisition ever made by Google,” 11:48 - Behind key decisions: “The answer usually is in our heads already.”; the hardest lesson learned 14:40 - Building legacy and impact; “What brings you happiness?” About Steve Chen Steve Chen is a Taiwanese-American Internet entrepreneur who is one of the co-founders and previous chief technology officer of the video-sharing website YouTube. After he co-founded the company AVOS Systems, Inc. and built the video-sharing app MixBit, he joined Google Ventures in 2014. TUNE IN TO PART 1 Building Legacy & The Future of Finance w/ Steve Chen & Jack Fu, Draco Evolution 🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-draco 🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzjmFfRequ8 🌐 Website: https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/the-future-of-finance-steve-chen-jack-fu-draco-evolution-nyse/  READ MORE: DRACO EVOLUTION’S STEVE CHEN AND JACK FU ON BUILDING LEGACY AND THE FUTURE OF FINANCE | Tatler Gen.T - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 15 Aug 2024 10:47:00 -0000 full 2 88 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week's episode is proudly brought to you by Tatler Gen.T. On July 12th, we celebrated the groundbreaking launch of Draco Evolution Corp’s AI-driven ETF, now trading on the NYSE. We had the privilege to speak with the visionary co-founders, Jack Fu and Steve Chen, about their innovative ideas and the future of finance. This week, we dive deeper into Steve Chen’s journey co-founding and leaving YouTube, and why we should all take bold leaps in life. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:42 - The ‘One-Way Ticket’: “If I have an idea, I'm just going to regret it if I don't take this opportunity now to actually try it out.” 04:16 - The real story of YouTube: “it was a dating video site”; “it was through these changes as you're pivoting around and figuring out exactly where this path is going to take you” 09:00 - Google’s acquisition of YouTube; “He said, we’re making the largest acquisition ever made by Google,” 11:48 - Behind key decisions: “The answer usually is in our heads already.”; the hardest lesson learned 14:40 - Building legacy and impact; “What brings you happiness?” About Steve Chen Steve Chen is a Taiwanese-American Internet entrepreneur who is one of the co-founders and previous chief technology officer of the video-sharing website YouTube. After he co-founded the company AVOS Systems, Inc. and built the video-sharing app MixBit, he joined Google Ventures in 2014. TUNE IN TO PART 1 Building Legacy & The Future of Finance w/ Steve Chen & Jack Fu, Draco Evolution 🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-draco 🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzjmFfRequ8 🌐 Website: https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/the-future-of-finance-steve-chen-jack-fu-draco-evolution-nyse/  READ MORE: DRACO EVOLUTION’S STEVE CHEN AND JACK FU ON BUILDING LEGACY AND THE FUTURE OF FINANCE | Tatler Gen.T - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week's episode is proudly brought to you by Tatler Gen.T.


On July 12th, we celebrated the groundbreaking launch of Draco Evolution Corp’s AI-driven ETF, now trading on the NYSE. We had the privilege to speak with the visionary co-founders, Jack Fu and Steve Chen, about their innovative ideas and the future of finance.


This week, we dive deeper into Steve Chen’s journey co-founding and leaving YouTube, and why we should all take bold leaps in life.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS


0:00 - Intro

02:42 - The ‘One-Way Ticket’: “If I have an idea, I'm just going to regret it if I don't take this opportunity now to actually try it out.”

04:16 - The real story of YouTube: “it was a dating video site”; “it was through these changes as you're pivoting around and figuring out exactly where this path is going to take you”

09:00 - Google’s acquisition of YouTube; “He said, we’re making the largest acquisition ever made by Google,”

11:48 - Behind key decisions: “The answer usually is in our heads already.”; the hardest lesson learned

14:40 - Building legacy and impact; “What brings you happiness?”


About Steve Chen


Steve Chen is a Taiwanese-American Internet entrepreneur who is one of the co-founders and previous chief technology officer of the video-sharing website YouTube. After he co-founded the company AVOS Systems, Inc. and built the video-sharing app MixBit, he joined Google Ventures in 2014.


TUNE IN TO PART 1


Building Legacy & The Future of Finance w/ Steve Chen & Jack Fu, Draco Evolution

🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-draco

🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzjmFfRequ8

🌐 Website: https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/the-future-of-finance-steve-chen-jack-fu-draco-evolution-nyse/ 


READ MORE:

DRACO EVOLUTION’S STEVE CHEN AND JACK FU ON BUILDING LEGACY AND THE FUTURE OF FINANCE | Tatler Gen.T


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1061 no CEO Series: Adi Tatarko, Houzz https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-adi-tatarko-houzz/ This week, we're diving into the remarkable journey of Adi Tatarko, Co-Founder and CEO of Houzz, a story that epitomizes resilience, innovation, and the strength of community.  Adi and her husband, Alon Cohen, turned their personal frustration into a global leader in the home renovation and design industry. What began as a side project evolved into a multi-billion dollar enterprise, now serving over 3 million professionals and 70 million users worldwide.  Let's unpack Adi’s #billiondollarmoves in today's CEO Series! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 1:44 - Lesson #1: Don’t underestimate the power of being open to opportunities 4:52 - Lesson #2: Bootstrapping in the beginning is not the worst Idea 8:50 - Lesson #3: Build for scale AND RESILIENCE by focusing on sound foundations 13:38 - Billion Dollar Questions About Adi Tatarko Adi Tatarko is the co-founder and CEO of Houzz, an online platform for home remodeling and design she and her husband, Alon Cohen, started in 2009. The couple launched the website after they had trouble finding ideas for remodeling their house. Under her leadership, the company has become an influential marketplace in the design industry, connecting millions of homeowners with home professionals globally. Alon replaced Adi as CEO of the company in January 2024.  Prior to founding Houzz, Adi worked in international finance. She holds a BA in Economics from Tel Aviv University. Adi’s entrepreneurial acumen and deep understanding of the technology-driven consumer market make her a valuable addition to any venture capital portfolio. FOLLOW ADI | LinkedIn Source: How I Built This with Guy Rap | Adi Tatarko  'Maybe I'm Not A Typical Founder But So What?': How Houzz Cofounder Adi Tatarko Leads Uniquely | Forbes Women Outsider Insight: Adi Tatarko | Sequoia Capital Adi Tatarko (Houzz) at Startup Grind Silicon Valley Houzz CEO on how she took her idea to help homeowners remodel homes and turned it a global business | Yahoo Finance Houzz CEO: Empowering Users | Mad Money | CNBC - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 08 Aug 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 85 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week, we're diving into the remarkable journey of Adi Tatarko, Co-Founder and CEO of Houzz, a story that epitomizes resilience, innovation, and the strength of community.  Adi and her husband, Alon Cohen, turned their personal frustration into a global leader in the home renovation and design industry. What began as a side project evolved into a multi-billion dollar enterprise, now serving over 3 million professionals and 70 million users worldwide.  Let's unpack Adi’s #billiondollarmoves in today's CEO Series! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 1:44 - Lesson #1: Don’t underestimate the power of being open to opportunities 4:52 - Lesson #2: Bootstrapping in the beginning is not the worst Idea 8:50 - Lesson #3: Build for scale AND RESILIENCE by focusing on sound foundations 13:38 - Billion Dollar Questions About Adi Tatarko Adi Tatarko is the co-founder and CEO of Houzz, an online platform for home remodeling and design she and her husband, Alon Cohen, started in 2009. The couple launched the website after they had trouble finding ideas for remodeling their house. Under her leadership, the company has become an influential marketplace in the design industry, connecting millions of homeowners with home professionals globally. Alon replaced Adi as CEO of the company in January 2024.  Prior to founding Houzz, Adi worked in international finance. She holds a BA in Economics from Tel Aviv University. Adi’s entrepreneurial acumen and deep understanding of the technology-driven consumer market make her a valuable addition to any venture capital portfolio. FOLLOW ADI | LinkedIn Source: How I Built This with Guy Rap | Adi Tatarko  'Maybe I'm Not A Typical Founder But So What?': How Houzz Cofounder Adi Tatarko Leads Uniquely | Forbes Women Outsider Insight: Adi Tatarko | Sequoia Capital Adi Tatarko (Houzz) at Startup Grind Silicon Valley Houzz CEO on how she took her idea to help homeowners remodel homes and turned it a global business | Yahoo Finance Houzz CEO: Empowering Users | Mad Money | CNBC - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week, we're diving into the remarkable journey of Adi Tatarko, Co-Founder and CEO of Houzz, a story that epitomizes resilience, innovation, and the strength of community. 


Adi and her husband, Alon Cohen, turned their personal frustration into a global leader in the home renovation and design industry. What began as a side project evolved into a multi-billion dollar enterprise, now serving over 3 million professionals and 70 million users worldwide. 


Let's unpack Adi’s #billiondollarmoves in today's CEO Series!


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS


0:00 - Intro

1:44 - Lesson #1: Don’t underestimate the power of being open to opportunities

4:52 - Lesson #2: Bootstrapping in the beginning is not the worst Idea

8:50 - Lesson #3: Build for scale AND RESILIENCE by focusing on sound foundations

13:38 - Billion Dollar Questions


About Adi Tatarko


Adi Tatarko is the co-founder and CEO of Houzz, an online platform for home remodeling and design she and her husband, Alon Cohen, started in 2009. The couple launched the website after they had trouble finding ideas for remodeling their house. Under her leadership, the company has become an influential marketplace in the design industry, connecting millions of homeowners with home professionals globally. Alon replaced Adi as CEO of the company in January 2024. 


Prior to founding Houzz, Adi worked in international finance. She holds a BA in Economics from Tel Aviv University. Adi’s entrepreneurial acumen and deep understanding of the technology-driven consumer market make her a valuable addition to any venture capital portfolio.


FOLLOW ADI | LinkedIn


Source:


How I Built This with Guy Rap | Adi Tatarko 


'Maybe I'm Not A Typical Founder But So What?': How Houzz Cofounder Adi Tatarko Leads Uniquely | Forbes Women


Outsider Insight: Adi Tatarko | Sequoia Capital


Adi Tatarko (Houzz) at Startup Grind Silicon Valley


Houzz CEO on how she took her idea to help homeowners remodel homes and turned it a global business | Yahoo Finance


Houzz CEO: Empowering Users | Mad Money | CNBC


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 966 no Building Legacy & The Future of Finance w/ Steve Chen & Jack Fu, Draco Evolution https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/the-future-of-finance-steve-chen-jack-fu-draco-evolution-nyse/ This week's episode is proudly presented by Tatler Gen.T. Join us for an exclusive conversation recorded live at the New York Stock Exchange with Jack and Steve, the visionary co-founders of Draco Evolution Corp.  On July 12th, We were on site to celebrate the groundbreaking launch of their AI-driven ETF, now trading on the NYSE. From the electrifying atmosphere of the closing bell ceremony to their journey of building global startups across Taiwan and Asia, and the innovation behind the Draco ETF designed to shape the future of finance—we cover it all in this episode.  Don’t miss this deep dive into the future of finance! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:18 - Draco Evolution at the NYSE Closing Bell Ceremony for their first ETF listing 03:16 - Jack’s new chapter; Draco ETF: technology and risks 06:47 - Steve’s moves back to Taiwan after YouTube; why Draco ETF? 11:09 - The partnership; hedge fund background versus consumer-focused strategies 15:31 - What’s next for Draco? 20:07 - Building a global company from Taiwan; “they read about all the financial news and what are the ways and the bridges that we can connect outside of our island or outside of our Asia region?” 22:54 - Lessons learned; “sometimes we focus on what we know, but we just have to leave our comfort zone,” Read more on: DRACO EVOLUTION’S STEVE CHEN AND JACK FU ON BUILDING LEGACY AND THE FUTURE OF FINANCE | Tatler Gen.T About Draco Capital Partners In 2020, Jack Fu partnered with YouTube co-founder Steve Chen to establish Draco Capital Partners. They developed low-volatility artificial intelligence investment strategies with a team of economists and engineers, shaping the fund’s operational policies. Since its founding, the team have managed over US$220 million in funds, achieving remarkable investment results. Draco Capital Partners goes public on the New York Stock Exchange in early 2024, introducing two products: AI Active Management ETF (DRAI ETF) and AI Matched Quantitative Trading Platform. The former employs AI for intelligent investment, offering unique growth opportunities and risk protection for investors through AI technology and active management strategies. The latter provides a platform for investment strategy experts and general investors to share professional knowledge and innovative investment tools, creating a unique and open quantitative investment ecosystem, bringing more opportunities and value to both parties. More on: https://www.dracocp.com/ ABOUT JACK FU Managing Director, Draco Capital Partners Prior to founding Draco Capital, Jack was the Pacific Rim Managing Director of All Sun Group, where he managed a portfolio of $1.8 billion. Previously, Jack was a Senior Financial Consultant at Linsco & Private Ledge managing family offices and institutional clients. Jack began his career as a Financial Advisor at Union Bank Investment Services. ABOUT STEVE CHEN Managing Partner & Chief Technology Officer, Draco Capital Partners Steve builds massive strategy data center for Draco, provides algorithm, and leads the programming process for investment strategies and trading. Steve was the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of YouTube. He was instrumental in building YouTube into a viral video phenomenon. He helped lead YouTube through the Google acquisition for $1.65 billion less than a year after launching the site. From 2014-2016, Steve served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Google Ventures. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 01 Aug 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 86 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week's episode is proudly presented by Tatler Gen.T. Join us for an exclusive conversation recorded live at the New York Stock Exchange with Jack and Steve, the visionary co-founders of Draco Evolution Corp.  On July 12th, We were on site to celebrate the groundbreaking launch of their AI-driven ETF, now trading on the NYSE. From the electrifying atmosphere of the closing bell ceremony to their journey of building global startups across Taiwan and Asia, and the innovation behind the Draco ETF designed to shape the future of finance—we cover it all in this episode.  Don’t miss this deep dive into the future of finance! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:18 - Draco Evolution at the NYSE Closing Bell Ceremony for their first ETF listing 03:16 - Jack’s new chapter; Draco ETF: technology and risks 06:47 - Steve’s moves back to Taiwan after YouTube; why Draco ETF? 11:09 - The partnership; hedge fund background versus consumer-focused strategies 15:31 - What’s next for Draco? 20:07 - Building a global company from Taiwan; “they read about all the financial news and what are the ways and the bridges that we can connect outside of our island or outside of our Asia region?” 22:54 - Lessons learned; “sometimes we focus on what we know, but we just have to leave our comfort zone,” Read more on: DRACO EVOLUTION’S STEVE CHEN AND JACK FU ON BUILDING LEGACY AND THE FUTURE OF FINANCE | Tatler Gen.T About Draco Capital Partners In 2020, Jack Fu partnered with YouTube co-founder Steve Chen to establish Draco Capital Partners. They developed low-volatility artificial intelligence investment strategies with a team of economists and engineers, shaping the fund’s operational policies. Since its founding, the team have managed over US$220 million in funds, achieving remarkable investment results. Draco Capital Partners goes public on the New York Stock Exchange in early 2024, introducing two products: AI Active Management ETF (DRAI ETF) and AI Matched Quantitative Trading Platform. The former employs AI for intelligent investment, offering unique growth opportunities and risk protection for investors through AI technology and active management strategies. The latter provides a platform for investment strategy experts and general investors to share professional knowledge and innovative investment tools, creating a unique and open quantitative investment ecosystem, bringing more opportunities and value to both parties. More on: https://www.dracocp.com/ ABOUT JACK FU Managing Director, Draco Capital Partners Prior to founding Draco Capital, Jack was the Pacific Rim Managing Director of All Sun Group, where he managed a portfolio of $1.8 billion. Previously, Jack was a Senior Financial Consultant at Linsco & Private Ledge managing family offices and institutional clients. Jack began his career as a Financial Advisor at Union Bank Investment Services. ABOUT STEVE CHEN Managing Partner & Chief Technology Officer, Draco Capital Partners Steve builds massive strategy data center for Draco, provides algorithm, and leads the programming process for investment strategies and trading. Steve was the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of YouTube. He was instrumental in building YouTube into a viral video phenomenon. He helped lead YouTube through the Google acquisition for $1.65 billion less than a year after launching the site. From 2014-2016, Steve served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Google Ventures. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week's episode is proudly presented by Tatler Gen.T.


Join us for an exclusive conversation recorded live at the New York Stock Exchange with Jack and Steve, the visionary co-founders of Draco Evolution Corp. 


On July 12th, We were on site to celebrate the groundbreaking launch of their AI-driven ETF, now trading on the NYSE. From the electrifying atmosphere of the closing bell ceremony to their journey of building global startups across Taiwan and Asia, and the innovation behind the Draco ETF designed to shape the future of finance—we cover it all in this episode. 


Don’t miss this deep dive into the future of finance!


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS


0:00 - Intro

02:18 - Draco Evolution at the NYSE Closing Bell Ceremony for their first ETF listing

03:16 - Jack’s new chapter; Draco ETF: technology and risks

06:47 - Steve’s moves back to Taiwan after YouTube; why Draco ETF?

11:09 - The partnership; hedge fund background versus consumer-focused strategies

15:31 - What’s next for Draco?

20:07 - Building a global company from Taiwan; “they read about all the financial news and what are the ways and the bridges that we can connect outside of our island or outside of our Asia region?”

22:54 - Lessons learned; “sometimes we focus on what we know, but we just have to leave our comfort zone,”


Read more on:

DRACO EVOLUTION’S STEVE CHEN AND JACK FU ON BUILDING LEGACY AND THE FUTURE OF FINANCE | Tatler Gen.T


About Draco Capital Partners


In 2020, Jack Fu partnered with YouTube co-founder Steve Chen to establish Draco Capital Partners. They developed low-volatility artificial intelligence investment strategies with a team of economists and engineers, shaping the fund’s operational policies.


Since its founding, the team have managed over US$220 million in funds, achieving remarkable investment results. Draco Capital Partners goes public on the New York Stock Exchange in early 2024, introducing two products: AI Active Management ETF (DRAI ETF) and AI Matched Quantitative Trading Platform.


The former employs AI for intelligent investment, offering unique growth opportunities and risk protection for investors through AI technology and active management strategies. The latter provides a platform for investment strategy experts and general investors to share professional knowledge and innovative investment tools, creating a unique and open quantitative investment ecosystem, bringing more opportunities and value to both parties.


More on: https://www.dracocp.com/


ABOUT JACK FU

Managing Director, Draco Capital Partners


Prior to founding Draco Capital, Jack was the Pacific Rim Managing Director of All Sun Group, where he managed a portfolio of $1.8 billion. Previously, Jack was a Senior Financial Consultant at Linsco & Private Ledge managing family offices and institutional clients. Jack began his career as a Financial Advisor at Union Bank Investment Services.


ABOUT STEVE CHEN

Managing Partner & Chief Technology Officer, Draco Capital Partners


Steve builds massive strategy data center for Draco, provides algorithm, and leads the programming process for investment strategies and trading.


Steve was the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of YouTube. He was instrumental in building YouTube into a viral video phenomenon. He helped lead YouTube through the Google acquisition for $1.65 billion less than a year after launching the site. From 2014-2016, Steve served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Google Ventures.


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1590 no Liquidity Crunch Fuels $100Bn Secondary Market: Here's What You Need To Know https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/liquidity-crunch-100bn-secondary-market-arctic15-lp-summit/ "Secondaries are just deals with a discount?" Think again. In this episode, we explore how the secondary market has surged to a staggering $100 billion in transaction volume, driven by the pressing need for liquidity. Featuring Martin Fleischer, Principal of Coller Capital, and Ku Kay-Mok, Senior Partner at Gobi Partners, we talked about the explosive growth of continuation vehicles and the challenges general partners (GPs) face in navigating this dynamic market.  Tune in now as we unravel the complexities of the secondary market, its great opportunities, and the strategic moves that can make or break investment portfolios in these volatile times. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:04 - Introduction: Martin Fleischer, Coller Capital & Ku Kay-Mok, Gobi Partners 04:20 - What really is the secondaries opportunity? The 100bn secondaries transaction volume driven by liquidity 06:18 - Structures for LPs and GPs in secondaries; the market growth of continuation vehicles 08:41 - Challenges for GPs in secondaries: pricing and carry split 10:20 - “I think we are the necessity in this market; people want liquidity for various reasons”; CV as the third exit route for GPs 12:50 - GP’s view: structuring exits; “theme is important for VC”; being strategic with co-investors and building liquidity 15:17 - “Be patient if you don't want to sell”; price drop in consumer space and outdated valuations 17:09 - Discount premium, implied valuation multiples, patient capital, and plans to drive returns 19:51 - “The secondary market will become more and more specialized”; “the biggest constraint is capital” 22:41 - Advice for LPs building base in the Nordics; re-industrialization and opportunities in global south - Arctic15 LP Summit 2024 PANEL: Secondaries & Exits for This Venture Cycle Martin Fleischer - Principal, Coller Capital Ku Kay-Mok - Senior Partner, Gobi Partners Moderator: Sarah Chen-Spellings - Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 25 Jul 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 85 Sarah Chen-Spellings "Secondaries are just deals with a discount?" Think again. In this episode, we explore how the secondary market has surged to a staggering $100 billion in transaction volume, driven by the pressing need for liquidity. Featuring Martin Fleischer, Principal of Coller Capital, and Ku Kay-Mok, Senior Partner at Gobi Partners, we talked about the explosive growth of continuation vehicles and the challenges general partners (GPs) face in navigating this dynamic market.  Tune in now as we unravel the complexities of the secondary market, its great opportunities, and the strategic moves that can make or break investment portfolios in these volatile times. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:04 - Introduction: Martin Fleischer, Coller Capital & Ku Kay-Mok, Gobi Partners 04:20 - What really is the secondaries opportunity? The 100bn secondaries transaction volume driven by liquidity 06:18 - Structures for LPs and GPs in secondaries; the market growth of continuation vehicles 08:41 - Challenges for GPs in secondaries: pricing and carry split 10:20 - “I think we are the necessity in this market; people want liquidity for various reasons”; CV as the third exit route for GPs 12:50 - GP’s view: structuring exits; “theme is important for VC”; being strategic with co-investors and building liquidity 15:17 - “Be patient if you don't want to sell”; price drop in consumer space and outdated valuations 17:09 - Discount premium, implied valuation multiples, patient capital, and plans to drive returns 19:51 - “The secondary market will become more and more specialized”; “the biggest constraint is capital” 22:41 - Advice for LPs building base in the Nordics; re-industrialization and opportunities in global south - Arctic15 LP Summit 2024 PANEL: Secondaries & Exits for This Venture Cycle Martin Fleischer - Principal, Coller Capital Ku Kay-Mok - Senior Partner, Gobi Partners Moderator: Sarah Chen-Spellings - Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal "Secondaries are just deals with a discount?" Think again.


In this episode, we explore how the secondary market has surged to a staggering $100 billion in transaction volume, driven by the pressing need for liquidity. Featuring Martin Fleischer, Principal of Coller Capital, and Ku Kay-Mok, Senior Partner at Gobi Partners, we talked about the explosive growth of continuation vehicles and the challenges general partners (GPs) face in navigating this dynamic market. 


Tune in now as we unravel the complexities of the secondary market, its great opportunities, and the strategic moves that can make or break investment portfolios in these volatile times.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS


0:00 - Intro

02:04 - Introduction: Martin Fleischer, Coller Capital & Ku Kay-Mok, Gobi Partners

04:20 - What really is the secondaries opportunity? The 100bn secondaries transaction volume driven by liquidity

06:18 - Structures for LPs and GPs in secondaries; the market growth of continuation vehicles

08:41 - Challenges for GPs in secondaries: pricing and carry split

10:20 - “I think we are the necessity in this market; people want liquidity for various reasons”; CV as the third exit route for GPs

12:50 - GP’s view: structuring exits; “theme is important for VC”; being strategic with co-investors and building liquidity

15:17 - “Be patient if you don't want to sell”; price drop in consumer space and outdated valuations

17:09 - Discount premium, implied valuation multiples, patient capital, and plans to drive returns

19:51 - “The secondary market will become more and more specialized”; “the biggest constraint is capital”

22:41 - Advice for LPs building base in the Nordics; re-industrialization and opportunities in global south


-


Arctic15 LP Summit 2024

PANEL: Secondaries & Exits for This Venture Cycle

Martin Fleischer - Principal, Coller Capital

Ku Kay-Mok - Senior Partner, Gobi Partners

Moderator: Sarah Chen-Spellings - Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1686 no From Bootstrapped Startup to Finnish Tech Unicorn: RELEX Solutions' Rise w/ Johanna Småros, RELEX Solutions https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/from-bootstrap-to-finnish-tech-unicorn-relex-solutions-johanna-smaros/ This week, we have the pleasure of speaking with Johanna Småros, co-founder of RELEX Solutions, one of Finland's leading unicorns. In our conversation, we delve into the unique path of RELEX Solutions, which was bootstrapped for more than 10 years and built “The Finnish Way” - practical and transparent. Tune in to today’s episode to learn more about the intricacies of global supply chain solutions, the Finnish entrepreneurial ecosystem, and why it's important to “stop stupid things”. Brought to you by Helsinki Partners Venture Nordics Program Now in its second edition, this 7-day program is designed for international VCs and LPs. It features exclusive networking events, introductions to Finnish LPs and VCs, curated meetings with top-performing companies, and a free ticket to Slush 2024, including LP track and access to exclusive side-events. Learn more and apply by 18/8! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:53 - Johanna pursuing engineering encouraged by her family; road to becoming a researcher at Helsinki University of Technology 06:18 - The shift from academia to practical implications; starting RELEX with co-founders Mikko Kärkkäinen and Michael Falck 11:07 - The supply chain scene in 2005 and building the infrastructure with forecasting and replenishment solutions 15:13 - RELEX’s market entry in Finland: every client is an R&D project 17:05 - Scaling up with Finland as an R&D hub; “You have to generalize almost at the start, which gives you an upper hand because then you're versatile.” 20:09 - Complexities faced when starting RELEX; “it's not very helpful to have three tires in stock,” Johanna’s shift to sales, venturing into countries outside Finland 23:17 - Choosing the right partners; “we were never like friends in that sense.” 25:57 - The supply chain scene today with advancements in AI technology 28:36 - From bootstrapped to private equity: one of the only Finnish companies that has raised over €800 million 30:19 - Building and scaling a company in Finland: language and picking funders 33:13 - The Finnish entrepreneurial ecosystem 36:15 - The five elements of the RELEX culture; the future of RELEX 41:29 - Billion Dollar Questions ABOUT JOHANNA It all started when Johanna joined the Logistics Research Group at Helsinki University of Technology in the late 1990s. During her years in academia, she studied several aspects of supply chain management, including inter-company collaboration, forecasting and replenishment, e-commerce, and value-added services. Her doctoral dissertation focused on collaboration between grocery retailers and suppliers, which then led her to the practical solutions that RELEX Solutions later provided for the world. ABOUT RELEX SOLUTIONS Together with two fellow researchers, Mikko Kärkkäinen and Mikael Falck, Johanna founded RELEX in 2005. RELEX has provided a means for turning research innovations into practice and further developing them by making use of the latest developments in technology, such as in-memory computing. RELEX helps retailers and consumer brands drive profitable growth across all sales and distribution channels by maximizing customer satisfaction and minimizing operative costs. Leading brands like Ahold Delhaize USA, Stokke, Kwik Trip, and Rossmann trust RELEX to optimize their supply chain and retail planning. MORE ON: https://www.relexsolutions.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 84 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week, we have the pleasure of speaking with Johanna Småros, co-founder of RELEX Solutions, one of Finland's leading unicorns. In our conversation, we delve into the unique path of RELEX Solutions, which was bootstrapped for more than 10 years and built “The Finnish Way” - practical and transparent. Tune in to today’s episode to learn more about the intricacies of global supply chain solutions, the Finnish entrepreneurial ecosystem, and why it's important to “stop stupid things”. Brought to you by Helsinki Partners Venture Nordics Program Now in its second edition, this 7-day program is designed for international VCs and LPs. It features exclusive networking events, introductions to Finnish LPs and VCs, curated meetings with top-performing companies, and a free ticket to Slush 2024, including LP track and access to exclusive side-events. Learn more and apply by 18/8! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:53 - Johanna pursuing engineering encouraged by her family; road to becoming a researcher at Helsinki University of Technology 06:18 - The shift from academia to practical implications; starting RELEX with co-founders Mikko Kärkkäinen and Michael Falck 11:07 - The supply chain scene in 2005 and building the infrastructure with forecasting and replenishment solutions 15:13 - RELEX’s market entry in Finland: every client is an R&D project 17:05 - Scaling up with Finland as an R&D hub; “You have to generalize almost at the start, which gives you an upper hand because then you're versatile.” 20:09 - Complexities faced when starting RELEX; “it's not very helpful to have three tires in stock,” Johanna’s shift to sales, venturing into countries outside Finland 23:17 - Choosing the right partners; “we were never like friends in that sense.” 25:57 - The supply chain scene today with advancements in AI technology 28:36 - From bootstrapped to private equity: one of the only Finnish companies that has raised over €800 million 30:19 - Building and scaling a company in Finland: language and picking funders 33:13 - The Finnish entrepreneurial ecosystem 36:15 - The five elements of the RELEX culture; the future of RELEX 41:29 - Billion Dollar Questions ABOUT JOHANNA It all started when Johanna joined the Logistics Research Group at Helsinki University of Technology in the late 1990s. During her years in academia, she studied several aspects of supply chain management, including inter-company collaboration, forecasting and replenishment, e-commerce, and value-added services. Her doctoral dissertation focused on collaboration between grocery retailers and suppliers, which then led her to the practical solutions that RELEX Solutions later provided for the world. ABOUT RELEX SOLUTIONS Together with two fellow researchers, Mikko Kärkkäinen and Mikael Falck, Johanna founded RELEX in 2005. RELEX has provided a means for turning research innovations into practice and further developing them by making use of the latest developments in technology, such as in-memory computing. RELEX helps retailers and consumer brands drive profitable growth across all sales and distribution channels by maximizing customer satisfaction and minimizing operative costs. Leading brands like Ahold Delhaize USA, Stokke, Kwik Trip, and Rossmann trust RELEX to optimize their supply chain and retail planning. MORE ON: https://www.relexsolutions.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week, we have the pleasure of speaking with Johanna Småros, co-founder of RELEX Solutions, one of Finland's leading unicorns. In our conversation, we delve into the unique path of RELEX Solutions, which was bootstrapped for more than 10 years and built “The Finnish Way” - practical and transparent.


Tune in to today’s episode to learn more about the intricacies of global supply chain solutions, the Finnish entrepreneurial ecosystem, and why it's important to “stop stupid things”.


Brought to you by Helsinki Partners


Venture Nordics Program

Now in its second edition, this 7-day program is designed for international VCs and LPs. It features exclusive networking events, introductions to Finnish LPs and VCs, curated meetings with top-performing companies, and a free ticket to Slush 2024, including LP track and access to exclusive side-events.


Learn more and apply by 18/8!


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS


0:00 - Intro

02:53 - Johanna pursuing engineering encouraged by her family; road to becoming a researcher at Helsinki University of Technology

06:18 - The shift from academia to practical implications; starting RELEX with co-founders Mikko Kärkkäinen and Michael Falck

11:07 - The supply chain scene in 2005 and building the infrastructure with forecasting and replenishment solutions

15:13 - RELEX’s market entry in Finland: every client is an R&D project

17:05 - Scaling up with Finland as an R&D hub; “You have to generalize almost at the start, which gives you an upper hand because then you're versatile.”

20:09 - Complexities faced when starting RELEX; “it's not very helpful to have three tires in stock,” Johanna’s shift to sales, venturing into countries outside Finland

23:17 - Choosing the right partners; “we were never like friends in that sense.”

25:57 - The supply chain scene today with advancements in AI technology

28:36 - From bootstrapped to private equity: one of the only Finnish companies that has raised over €800 million

30:19 - Building and scaling a company in Finland: language and picking funders

33:13 - The Finnish entrepreneurial ecosystem

36:15 - The five elements of the RELEX culture; the future of RELEX

41:29 - Billion Dollar Questions


ABOUT JOHANNA


It all started when Johanna joined the Logistics Research Group at Helsinki University of Technology in the late 1990s. During her years in academia, she studied several aspects of supply chain management, including inter-company collaboration, forecasting and replenishment, e-commerce, and value-added services. Her doctoral dissertation focused on collaboration between grocery retailers and suppliers, which then led her to the practical solutions that RELEX Solutions later provided for the world.


ABOUT RELEX SOLUTIONS


Together with two fellow researchers, Mikko Kärkkäinen and Mikael Falck, Johanna founded RELEX in 2005. RELEX has provided a means for turning research innovations into practice and further developing them by making use of the latest developments in technology, such as in-memory computing.


RELEX helps retailers and consumer brands drive profitable growth across all sales and distribution channels by maximizing customer satisfaction and minimizing operative costs. Leading brands like Ahold Delhaize USA, Stokke, Kwik Trip, and Rossmann trust RELEX to optimize their supply chain and retail planning.


MORE ON: https://www.relexsolutions.com/



-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2694 no The Power of Multigenerational Female Leadership w/ Ida Liu, Global Head, Citi Private Bank https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/the-power-of-multigenerational-female-leadership-ida-liu-citi-private-bank-wharton This week’s episode comes to you from the Wharton Women in Investing Conference 2024. On January 26, Wharton Women in Investing held its third annual conference at Convene in New York City. The conference theme was growth and good governance as investors. “The Wharton Women in Investing Conference epitomizes our dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion within the investment community. Our goal at the Harris Family Alternative Investments Program is not only to facilitate a rich learning environment but also to highlight the vital role of women in shaping the future of the investment landscape. By bringing together a distinguished lineup of speakers and panelists, the conference has provided our MBA students and attendees with unparalleled insights into the complexities of investing and leadership. It presented an opportunity to engage, inspire, and empower the next generation of investment leaders.”  - Burcu Esmer, Academic Co-Director of the Harris Family Alternative Investments Program The closing keynote speakers featured Global Head of Citi Private Bank Ida Liu, WG, and Sarah Chen-Spellings, Beyond The Billion Co-Founder and Managing Partner. Event Recap: https://altinvest.wharton.upenn.edu/wharton-women-in-investing-conference-2024/ About Ida Liu Ida Liu is the Global Head of Citi Private Bank and a member of the Global Wealth Management Leadership team. Ida leads the Private Banking activities in 50 offices across 18 countries and delivers wealth management solutions to ultra-high net worth families and their businesses globally. Before becoming the Global Head, she was the Head of Citi Private Bank North America and held numerous other leadership roles. Ida created Citi Private Bank’s North America Asian Clients Group, and she started her career at Citi by launching and heading the Fashion, Retail and Entertainment Group. Before joining Citi, Ida was at Vivienne Tam, a women’s wear design house, where she was Global Head of Sales, Marketing, Public Relations and Business Development. Prior to this, Ida spent seven years in investment banking with Merrill Lynch’s mergers and acquisitions and technology, media and telecommunications investment banking groups in New York and Hong Kong. She started her career in mergers and acquisitions at BT Wolfensohn (now Deutsche Bank). Ida has received many industry accolades including Barron’s 10 Most Influential Women in Wealth Management, Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance, Crain’s Notable Women on Wall Street and American Banker’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance. Additionally, Ida is a Young Global Leader (YGL) of the World Economic Forum, a member of The Committee of 100 (C100) and Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). Ida serves on the UCLA Health Advisory Board as well as the Asia Society Board. Ida holds a BA with honors from Wellesley College and an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and conversant in Russian. FOLLOW IDA | https://www.linkedin.com/in/idaliu/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 11 Jul 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 83 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week’s episode comes to you from the Wharton Women in Investing Conference 2024. On January 26, Wharton Women in Investing held its third annual conference at Convene in New York City. The conference theme was growth and good governance as investors. “The Wharton Women in Investing Conference epitomizes our dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion within the investment community. Our goal at the Harris Family Alternative Investments Program is not only to facilitate a rich learning environment but also to highlight the vital role of women in shaping the future of the investment landscape. By bringing together a distinguished lineup of speakers and panelists, the conference has provided our MBA students and attendees with unparalleled insights into the complexities of investing and leadership. It presented an opportunity to engage, inspire, and empower the next generation of investment leaders.”  - Burcu Esmer, Academic Co-Director of the Harris Family Alternative Investments Program The closing keynote speakers featured Global Head of Citi Private Bank Ida Liu, WG, and Sarah Chen-Spellings, Beyond The Billion Co-Founder and Managing Partner. Event Recap: https://altinvest.wharton.upenn.edu/wharton-women-in-investing-conference-2024/ About Ida Liu Ida Liu is the Global Head of Citi Private Bank and a member of the Global Wealth Management Leadership team. Ida leads the Private Banking activities in 50 offices across 18 countries and delivers wealth management solutions to ultra-high net worth families and their businesses globally. Before becoming the Global Head, she was the Head of Citi Private Bank North America and held numerous other leadership roles. Ida created Citi Private Bank’s North America Asian Clients Group, and she started her career at Citi by launching and heading the Fashion, Retail and Entertainment Group. Before joining Citi, Ida was at Vivienne Tam, a women’s wear design house, where she was Global Head of Sales, Marketing, Public Relations and Business Development. Prior to this, Ida spent seven years in investment banking with Merrill Lynch’s mergers and acquisitions and technology, media and telecommunications investment banking groups in New York and Hong Kong. She started her career in mergers and acquisitions at BT Wolfensohn (now Deutsche Bank). Ida has received many industry accolades including Barron’s 10 Most Influential Women in Wealth Management, Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance, Crain’s Notable Women on Wall Street and American Banker’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance. Additionally, Ida is a Young Global Leader (YGL) of the World Economic Forum, a member of The Committee of 100 (C100) and Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). Ida serves on the UCLA Health Advisory Board as well as the Asia Society Board. Ida holds a BA with honors from Wellesley College and an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and conversant in Russian. FOLLOW IDA | https://www.linkedin.com/in/idaliu/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week’s episode comes to you from the Wharton Women in Investing Conference 2024. On January 26, Wharton Women in Investing held its third annual conference at Convene in New York City. The conference theme was growth and good governance as investors.


“The Wharton Women in Investing Conference epitomizes our dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion within the investment community. Our goal at the Harris Family Alternative Investments Program is not only to facilitate a rich learning environment but also to highlight the vital role of women in shaping the future of the investment landscape. By bringing together a distinguished lineup of speakers and panelists, the conference has provided our MBA students and attendees with unparalleled insights into the complexities of investing and leadership. It presented an opportunity to engage, inspire, and empower the next generation of investment leaders.” 

- Burcu Esmer, Academic Co-Director of the Harris Family Alternative Investments Program


The closing keynote speakers featured Global Head of Citi Private Bank Ida Liu, WG, and Sarah Chen-Spellings, Beyond The Billion Co-Founder and Managing Partner.


Event Recap:

https://altinvest.wharton.upenn.edu/wharton-women-in-investing-conference-2024/


About Ida Liu


Ida Liu is the Global Head of Citi Private Bank and a member of the Global Wealth Management Leadership team. Ida leads the Private Banking activities in 50 offices across 18 countries and delivers wealth management solutions to ultra-high net worth families and their businesses globally. Before becoming the Global Head, she was the Head of Citi Private Bank North America and held numerous other leadership roles.


Ida created Citi Private Bank’s North America Asian Clients Group, and she started her career at Citi by launching and heading the Fashion, Retail and Entertainment Group. Before joining Citi, Ida was at Vivienne Tam, a women’s wear design house, where she was Global Head of Sales, Marketing, Public Relations and Business Development. Prior to this, Ida spent seven years in investment banking with Merrill Lynch’s mergers and acquisitions and technology, media and telecommunications investment banking groups in New York and Hong Kong. She started her career in mergers and acquisitions at BT Wolfensohn (now Deutsche Bank).


Ida has received many industry accolades including Barron’s 10 Most Influential Women in Wealth Management, Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance, Crain’s Notable Women on Wall Street and American Banker’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance. Additionally, Ida is a Young Global Leader (YGL)

of the World Economic Forum, a member of The Committee of 100 (C100) and Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). Ida serves on the UCLA Health Advisory Board as well as the Asia Society Board.


Ida holds a BA with honors from Wellesley College and an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and conversant in Russian.


FOLLOW IDA | https://www.linkedin.com/in/idaliu/


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2174 no [REPLAY] The Power of Making Big Bets with Dr. Rajiv Shah, Rockefeller https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/r-the-power-of-making-big-bets-with-dr-rajiv-shah-rockefeller/ Dr. Raj Shah's journey comprises numerous transformative endeavors, spanning his roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, to his current position as President of the Rockefeller Foundation.  In his publication, "Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens," he illuminates the power of the big bet mindset—a belief that addressing problems boldly, rather than settling for incremental improvements, attracts partners capable of achieving transformational change.  In this week's episode, we had the honor of exploring the significant big bets he made throughout his career. The shared big bet mindset aims to inspire leaders at every level to reimagine possibilities on a grand scale. You won't want to miss this. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Intro 02:23 - Who is Raj Shah? From med school to volunteering at Al Gore’s presidential campaign, joining the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Obama’s administration, and then the Rockefeller Foundation 07:44 The big bet mindset: avoiding aspiration trap 10:03 Status of global philanthropy in US today 13:37 Revolutionary technologies and innovative solutions to address hunger and poverty in countries like India, Nigeria, and parts of Latin America 17:14 Risk-taking and building unlikely partnerships and alliances; overstepping authority at Gates Foundation 20:06 The 3 core ingredients of a big bet mindset 22:06 Leadership and taking a stand; working with Mitch Landrieu and the Confederate statues 25:05 Risk-taking and adopting the big bet mindset to solve global issues; e.g., the child refundable tax credit in the US 27:43 Role of charity: where do philanthropists get things wrong? 31:03 What does rejection feel like for Raj Shah? And how to keep going? 35:48 Billion Dollar Questions - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 04 Jul 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 82 Sarah Chen-Spellings Dr. Raj Shah's journey comprises numerous transformative endeavors, spanning his roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, to his current position as President of the Rockefeller Foundation.  In his publication, "Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens," he illuminates the power of the big bet mindset—a belief that addressing problems boldly, rather than settling for incremental improvements, attracts partners capable of achieving transformational change.  In this week's episode, we had the honor of exploring the significant big bets he made throughout his career. The shared big bet mindset aims to inspire leaders at every level to reimagine possibilities on a grand scale. You won't want to miss this. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Intro 02:23 - Who is Raj Shah? From med school to volunteering at Al Gore’s presidential campaign, joining the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Obama’s administration, and then the Rockefeller Foundation 07:44 The big bet mindset: avoiding aspiration trap 10:03 Status of global philanthropy in US today 13:37 Revolutionary technologies and innovative solutions to address hunger and poverty in countries like India, Nigeria, and parts of Latin America 17:14 Risk-taking and building unlikely partnerships and alliances; overstepping authority at Gates Foundation 20:06 The 3 core ingredients of a big bet mindset 22:06 Leadership and taking a stand; working with Mitch Landrieu and the Confederate statues 25:05 Risk-taking and adopting the big bet mindset to solve global issues; e.g., the child refundable tax credit in the US 27:43 Role of charity: where do philanthropists get things wrong? 31:03 What does rejection feel like for Raj Shah? And how to keep going? 35:48 Billion Dollar Questions - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Dr. Raj Shah's journey comprises numerous transformative endeavors, spanning his roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, to his current position as President of the Rockefeller Foundation. 

In his publication, "Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens," he illuminates the power of the big bet mindset—a belief that addressing problems boldly, rather than settling for incremental improvements, attracts partners capable of achieving transformational change. 

In this week's episode, we had the honor of exploring the significant big bets he made throughout his career. The shared big bet mindset aims to inspire leaders at every level to reimagine possibilities on a grand scale. You won't want to miss this.


TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Intro

02:23 - Who is Raj Shah? From med school to volunteering at Al Gore’s presidential campaign, joining the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Obama’s administration, and then the Rockefeller Foundation

07:44 The big bet mindset: avoiding aspiration trap

10:03 Status of global philanthropy in US today

13:37 Revolutionary technologies and innovative solutions to address hunger and poverty in countries like India, Nigeria, and parts of Latin America

17:14 Risk-taking and building unlikely partnerships and alliances; overstepping authority at Gates Foundation

20:06 The 3 core ingredients of a big bet mindset

22:06 Leadership and taking a stand; working with Mitch Landrieu and the Confederate statues

25:05 Risk-taking and adopting the big bet mindset to solve global issues; e.g., the child refundable tax credit in the US

27:43 Role of charity: where do philanthropists get things wrong?

31:03 What does rejection feel like for Raj Shah? And how to keep going?

35:48 Billion Dollar Questions

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2454 no Beyond ChatGPT: AI Insights and Impact w/ OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Trill Impact https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/beyond-chatgpt-openai-google-deepmind-trill-impact This week’s episode is fresh out of the oven! The Family Office Alliance Stockholm Symposium took place about a week ago. In one of the panels titled "Purposeful Investing in AI," Sarah Chen-Spellings moderated a discussion on AI and impact investing with an emphasis on women's perspectives. She was joined by esteemed panelists Dorothy Chou from Google DeepMind, Sandro Gianella from OpenAI, and Nina Rawal from Trill Impact Ventures. In this discussion, we delve into the fascinating world of AI and its impact on various industries. We explore the rise of generative AI like ChatGPT, the importance of identifying AI-centered innovations that are genuinely impactful, and the potential risks associated with AI's rapid growth. We've covered it all. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 5:16 - Where AI is Today: Discussing generative AI such as ChatGPT and more scientific applications. 10:26 - Is This a Hype Cycle?: How are we positioning ourselves as investors? 13:21 - Identifying AI-Centered Innovations: How to spot innovations that are truly grounded in power and committed to purpose. 16:17 - The Extinction Risk with AI Growth: What guardrails and institutions are needed? Comparing OpenAI and Google. 27:12 - Accountability in Investments: Balancing financial returns with meaningful outcomes. 32:51 - API Version of AI: Is it better or worse? 35:06 - Balancing Advancement and Ethics 37:50 - Closing Remarks: Building trust between humans and the digital world, redefining what constitutes a safe or good investment in AI, and discussing the incentives created by investments. - Quotables from the event: "As a life science investor, I see the endless opportunities AI offers when it comes to understanding human disease. I would argue that it's unethical to not explore AI in making the untreatable diseases treatable." —Nina Rawal, Trill Impact "There's a lot of fear around AI, but as someone close to the work, I'm not worried. The lesson of the last decade isn't to avoid the tech platforms—it's to structure them the right way with the right people around the table, and that's a constant learning." —Sandro Gianella, OpenAI “Let’s not forget what’s important is also not what gets invested but who gets invested in.” —Dorothy Chou, Google DeepMind  About Family Office Alliance The Family Office Alliance is established by Principals of Family Offices in Europe and Singapore. We believe that with resilience and common purpose, global challenges can be transformed into uncommon opportunities. It is a bridge of trust for radical collaboration between Family Offices in Europe and Asia. -- Family Office Alliance The Family Office Alliance Stockholm Symposium | Event Recap - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 27 Jun 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 81 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week’s episode is fresh out of the oven! The Family Office Alliance Stockholm Symposium took place about a week ago. In one of the panels titled "Purposeful Investing in AI," Sarah Chen-Spellings moderated a discussion on AI and impact investing with an emphasis on women's perspectives. She was joined by esteemed panelists Dorothy Chou from Google DeepMind, Sandro Gianella from OpenAI, and Nina Rawal from Trill Impact Ventures. In this discussion, we delve into the fascinating world of AI and its impact on various industries. We explore the rise of generative AI like ChatGPT, the importance of identifying AI-centered innovations that are genuinely impactful, and the potential risks associated with AI's rapid growth. We've covered it all. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 5:16 - Where AI is Today: Discussing generative AI such as ChatGPT and more scientific applications. 10:26 - Is This a Hype Cycle?: How are we positioning ourselves as investors? 13:21 - Identifying AI-Centered Innovations: How to spot innovations that are truly grounded in power and committed to purpose. 16:17 - The Extinction Risk with AI Growth: What guardrails and institutions are needed? Comparing OpenAI and Google. 27:12 - Accountability in Investments: Balancing financial returns with meaningful outcomes. 32:51 - API Version of AI: Is it better or worse? 35:06 - Balancing Advancement and Ethics 37:50 - Closing Remarks: Building trust between humans and the digital world, redefining what constitutes a safe or good investment in AI, and discussing the incentives created by investments. - Quotables from the event: "As a life science investor, I see the endless opportunities AI offers when it comes to understanding human disease. I would argue that it's unethical to not explore AI in making the untreatable diseases treatable." —Nina Rawal, Trill Impact "There's a lot of fear around AI, but as someone close to the work, I'm not worried. The lesson of the last decade isn't to avoid the tech platforms—it's to structure them the right way with the right people around the table, and that's a constant learning." —Sandro Gianella, OpenAI “Let’s not forget what’s important is also not what gets invested but who gets invested in.” —Dorothy Chou, Google DeepMind  About Family Office Alliance The Family Office Alliance is established by Principals of Family Offices in Europe and Singapore. We believe that with resilience and common purpose, global challenges can be transformed into uncommon opportunities. It is a bridge of trust for radical collaboration between Family Offices in Europe and Asia. -- Family Office Alliance The Family Office Alliance Stockholm Symposium | Event Recap - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week’s episode is fresh out of the oven! The Family Office Alliance Stockholm Symposium took place about a week ago.

In one of the panels titled "Purposeful Investing in AI," Sarah Chen-Spellings moderated a discussion on AI and impact investing with an emphasis on women's perspectives. She was joined by esteemed panelists Dorothy Chou from Google DeepMind, Sandro Gianella from OpenAI, and Nina Rawal from Trill Impact Ventures.

In this discussion, we delve into the fascinating world of AI and its impact on various industries. We explore the rise of generative AI like ChatGPT, the importance of identifying AI-centered innovations that are genuinely impactful, and the potential risks associated with AI's rapid growth. We've covered it all.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

5:16 - Where AI is Today: Discussing generative AI such as ChatGPT and more scientific applications.

10:26 - Is This a Hype Cycle?: How are we positioning ourselves as investors?

13:21 - Identifying AI-Centered Innovations: How to spot innovations that are truly grounded in power and committed to purpose.

16:17 - The Extinction Risk with AI Growth: What guardrails and institutions are needed? Comparing OpenAI and Google.

27:12 - Accountability in Investments: Balancing financial returns with meaningful outcomes.

32:51 - API Version of AI: Is it better or worse?

35:06 - Balancing Advancement and Ethics

37:50 - Closing Remarks: Building trust between humans and the digital world, redefining what constitutes a safe or good investment in AI, and discussing the incentives created by investments.

-

Quotables from the event:


"As a life science investor, I see the endless opportunities AI offers when it comes to understanding human disease. I would argue that it's unethical to not explore AI in making the untreatable diseases treatable." —Nina Rawal, Trill Impact


"There's a lot of fear around AI, but as someone close to the work, I'm not worried. The lesson of the last decade isn't to avoid the tech platforms—it's to structure them the right way with the right people around the table, and that's a constant learning." —Sandro Gianella, OpenAI


“Let’s not forget what’s important is also not what gets invested but who gets invested in.” —Dorothy Chou, Google DeepMind 


About Family Office Alliance

The Family Office Alliance is established by Principals of Family Offices in Europe and Singapore. We believe that with resilience and common purpose, global challenges can be transformed into uncommon opportunities. It is a bridge of trust for radical collaboration between Family Offices in Europe and Asia.

-- Family Office Alliance


The Family Office Alliance Stockholm Symposium | Event Recap


-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2573 no [Replay] LP view: The Art & Science of Building in Venture w/ Lisa Edgar, Top Tier Capital https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/lp-view-building-in-venture-lisa-edgar-top-tier-capital/ What distinguishes the standout figures in the world of venture capital from those who aren’t? "𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞." Currently serving as the Partner Emeritus at Top Tier Capital Partners, Lisa describes her journey as "serendipitous" and filled with unexpected twists. Join us as we explore the realm of venture capital through Lisa Edgar's eyes. It's about nurturing relationships, establishing a solid foundation, and going beyond. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 01:15 - Views on current global venture market, Finland & ecosystem in Europe 03:15 - Lisa's journey from hospitality to venture 06:57 - Common mistakes when starting and the importance of relationship building 09:23 - Hard & soft skills that make GP successful 10:07 - Lisa's time at Horsley Bridge Partners; access plays and transitions 11:05 - What makes an enduring franchise; Benchmark's strategy in building 14:57 - Lisa's move to build Top Tier Capital Partners 17:46 - Living up to the name "Top Tier" and the mantra "leadership, trust, transparency and Respect 22:45 - Key to building infrastructure 24:40 - Access focused strategy, portfolio diversification 27:22 - Vision in fund evaluation and checklist for portfolio 32:15 - Strategies in fund of funds; criteria for success as fund manager 35:16 - Is fund of funds worth it? 39:32 - Access play: key learning and mistakes 43:19 - Lisa's thoughts on current market and how to cope as a team 46:28 - LP's view on ensuring GP's ethics 50:41 - Opportunities for people of color in the LP's world 51:50 - Lisa' next move - ORIGINAL EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY94C26V0Vs - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 20 Jun 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 80 Sarah Chen-Spellings What distinguishes the standout figures in the world of venture capital from those who aren’t? "𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞." Currently serving as the Partner Emeritus at Top Tier Capital Partners, Lisa describes her journey as "serendipitous" and filled with unexpected twists. Join us as we explore the realm of venture capital through Lisa Edgar's eyes. It's about nurturing relationships, establishing a solid foundation, and going beyond. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 01:15 - Views on current global venture market, Finland & ecosystem in Europe 03:15 - Lisa's journey from hospitality to venture 06:57 - Common mistakes when starting and the importance of relationship building 09:23 - Hard & soft skills that make GP successful 10:07 - Lisa's time at Horsley Bridge Partners; access plays and transitions 11:05 - What makes an enduring franchise; Benchmark's strategy in building 14:57 - Lisa's move to build Top Tier Capital Partners 17:46 - Living up to the name "Top Tier" and the mantra "leadership, trust, transparency and Respect 22:45 - Key to building infrastructure 24:40 - Access focused strategy, portfolio diversification 27:22 - Vision in fund evaluation and checklist for portfolio 32:15 - Strategies in fund of funds; criteria for success as fund manager 35:16 - Is fund of funds worth it? 39:32 - Access play: key learning and mistakes 43:19 - Lisa's thoughts on current market and how to cope as a team 46:28 - LP's view on ensuring GP's ethics 50:41 - Opportunities for people of color in the LP's world 51:50 - Lisa' next move - ORIGINAL EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY94C26V0Vs - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal What distinguishes the standout figures in the world of venture capital from those who aren’t?

"𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞."

Currently serving as the Partner Emeritus at Top Tier Capital Partners, Lisa describes her journey as "serendipitous" and filled with unexpected twists.

Join us as we explore the realm of venture capital through Lisa Edgar's eyes. It's about nurturing relationships, establishing a solid foundation, and going beyond.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

01:15 - Views on current global venture market, Finland & ecosystem in Europe

03:15 - Lisa's journey from hospitality to venture

06:57 - Common mistakes when starting and the importance of relationship building

09:23 - Hard & soft skills that make GP successful

10:07 - Lisa's time at Horsley Bridge Partners; access plays and transitions

11:05 - What makes an enduring franchise; Benchmark's strategy in building

14:57 - Lisa's move to build Top Tier Capital Partners

17:46 - Living up to the name "Top Tier" and the mantra "leadership, trust, transparency and Respect

22:45 - Key to building infrastructure

24:40 - Access focused strategy, portfolio diversification

27:22 - Vision in fund evaluation and checklist for portfolio

32:15 - Strategies in fund of funds; criteria for success as fund manager

35:16 - Is fund of funds worth it?

39:32 - Access play: key learning and mistakes

43:19 - Lisa's thoughts on current market and how to cope as a team

46:28 - LP's view on ensuring GP's ethics

50:41 - Opportunities for people of color in the LP's world

51:50 - Lisa' next move

-

ORIGINAL EPISODE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY94C26V0Vs

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

 

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


]]> 3116 no From Idea to Impact: Creating a $20 Million Fund During Crisis w/ Mike Moradi, Cortado Ventures https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/creating-$20-mil-fund-during-crisis-mike-moradi-cortado-ventures 𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐨 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 $𝟐𝟎𝐌 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 - how did this happen? This week’s episode features Mike Moradi, one of the GPs of Cortado Ventures, also the co-founder and also a portfolio company CEO, the CEO of Sensulin, where the company Sensulin is developing a glucose responsive insulin which will drastically reduce the number of injections diabetes patients will have to take. Our conversation is wide ranging from how he first got the entrepreneurial bug, which landed him a $10 million exit at 25 years old, to then leading $10 million in six weeks for Cortado’s fund one, and what's broken in America's health care system. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 2:17 - Growing up with diversity and the entrepreneurial bug 5:26 - The culture and diversity scene in mid-continent America; Oklahoma VS Bay Area 8:52 - From dentistry to failing first company, then landed a $10 million exit at 25 years old 11:35 - The key to successful exit and ‘superpower’ as a serial entrepreneur 13:14 - Addressing diabetes and insulin: building Sensulin 18:23 - Challenges as the CEO of Sensulin 20:52 - Where life sciences is today: innovation and it’s consequences; AI and healthcare 24:24 - Why is healthcare broken in America? 25:40 - James Rogers; incentive structures between different stakeholders  28:19 - Advice to entrepreneurs building B2B SaaS company; be the clock maker 29:34 - Cortado Ventures: raising $10 million in six weeks during pandamic 32:05 - Reason behind Cortado fund I success; the room for innovation In times of great disruption 34:29 - What makes a good fund? Common mistakes made by fund managers 39:24 - Takeaways from both sides of the table: GP for Cortado Ventures and CEO of Sensulin 41:56 - Billion Dollar Questions  About Mike Moradi Mike Moradi is an American biochemist, entrepreneur and diabetes advocate. Mike is a co-founder / CEO of Sensulin, a company that strives to provide a once-a-day solution for type I/II diabetics. He has founded or helped establish more than a dozen nanotechnology and biotechnology companies. MORE ABOUT MIKE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemoradi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Moradi - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 13 Jun 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 80 Sarah Chen-Spellings 𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐨 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 $𝟐𝟎𝐌 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 - how did this happen? This week’s episode features Mike Moradi, one of the GPs of Cortado Ventures, also the co-founder and also a portfolio company CEO, the CEO of Sensulin, where the company Sensulin is developing a glucose responsive insulin which will drastically reduce the number of injections diabetes patients will have to take. Our conversation is wide ranging from how he first got the entrepreneurial bug, which landed him a $10 million exit at 25 years old, to then leading $10 million in six weeks for Cortado’s fund one, and what's broken in America's health care system. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 2:17 - Growing up with diversity and the entrepreneurial bug 5:26 - The culture and diversity scene in mid-continent America; Oklahoma VS Bay Area 8:52 - From dentistry to failing first company, then landed a $10 million exit at 25 years old 11:35 - The key to successful exit and ‘superpower’ as a serial entrepreneur 13:14 - Addressing diabetes and insulin: building Sensulin 18:23 - Challenges as the CEO of Sensulin 20:52 - Where life sciences is today: innovation and it’s consequences; AI and healthcare 24:24 - Why is healthcare broken in America? 25:40 - James Rogers; incentive structures between different stakeholders  28:19 - Advice to entrepreneurs building B2B SaaS company; be the clock maker 29:34 - Cortado Ventures: raising $10 million in six weeks during pandamic 32:05 - Reason behind Cortado fund I success; the room for innovation In times of great disruption 34:29 - What makes a good fund? Common mistakes made by fund managers 39:24 - Takeaways from both sides of the table: GP for Cortado Ventures and CEO of Sensulin 41:56 - Billion Dollar Questions  About Mike Moradi Mike Moradi is an American biochemist, entrepreneur and diabetes advocate. Mike is a co-founder / CEO of Sensulin, a company that strives to provide a once-a-day solution for type I/II diabetics. He has founded or helped establish more than a dozen nanotechnology and biotechnology companies. MORE ABOUT MIKE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemoradi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Moradi - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal 𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐨 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 $𝟐𝟎𝐌 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 - how did this happen?

This week’s episode features Mike Moradi, one of the GPs of Cortado Ventures, also the co-founder and also a portfolio company CEO, the CEO of Sensulin, where the company Sensulin is developing a glucose responsive insulin which will drastically reduce the number of injections diabetes patients will have to take.

Our conversation is wide ranging from how he first got the entrepreneurial bug, which landed him a $10 million exit at 25 years old, to then leading $10 million in six weeks for Cortado’s fund one, and what's broken in America's health care system.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

2:17 - Growing up with diversity and the entrepreneurial bug

5:26 - The culture and diversity scene in mid-continent America; Oklahoma VS Bay Area

8:52 - From dentistry to failing first company, then landed a $10 million exit at 25 years old

11:35 - The key to successful exit and ‘superpower’ as a serial entrepreneur

13:14 - Addressing diabetes and insulin: building Sensulin

18:23 - Challenges as the CEO of Sensulin

20:52 - Where life sciences is today: innovation and it’s consequences; AI and healthcare

24:24 - Why is healthcare broken in America?

25:40 - James Rogers; incentive structures between different stakeholders 

28:19 - Advice to entrepreneurs building B2B SaaS company; be the clock maker

29:34 - Cortado Ventures: raising $10 million in six weeks during pandamic

32:05 - Reason behind Cortado fund I success; the room for innovation In times of great disruption

34:29 - What makes a good fund? Common mistakes made by fund managers

39:24 - Takeaways from both sides of the table: GP for Cortado Ventures and CEO of Sensulin

41:56 - Billion Dollar Questions 


About Mike Moradi

Mike Moradi is an American biochemist, entrepreneur and diabetes advocate. Mike is a co-founder / CEO of Sensulin, a company that strives to provide a once-a-day solution for type I/II diabetics. He has founded or helped establish more than a dozen nanotechnology and biotechnology companies.

MORE ABOUT MIKE:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemoradi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Moradi

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2755 no Funding Founders Forward: Fueling Women-Led Innovation https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/funding-founders-forward/ Let’s make things tangible - how do we challenge the status quo with actions? Beyond The Billion returned to Austin earlier this year in partnership with Dell Technologies, Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network, Dell For Startups, and Intel, to convene some of America’s leaders in both venture capital and entrepreneurship to kick off SXSW and International Women’s Day. Against the backdrop of a decline in VC funding to all-women founding teams in 2023, funders and founders convened to discuss key strategies to continue to address what needs to be done. In this episode, we feature esteemed speakers from the panel, including Dr. Molly Morse of Mango Materials, Dr. Lana Feng of Huma AI, Lisa Song Sutton of The Veteran Fund, and Lizanne Atherly of Beyond The Billion, who generously shared their journey — the highs, lows, and the lessons learned along the way. Key takeaways from the Funding Founders Forward panel: Are your investment strategies contributing to the growth of women entrepreneurs? Who are your stakeholders and their stakeholders? Are you assertive enough? Do you understand your clients' needs? Full Recap: https://beyondthebillion.com/dell-austin2024/ About Beyond The Billion Led by Co-Founders and Managing Partners Shelly Porges and Sarah Chen-Spellings, Beyond the Billion (BTB) mobilized over US $1billion in its first nine months from their original 86 Fund Partners who today number 123 including Texas-based True Wealth Ventures, Ajim Capital, and the Artemis Fund. Within the first two years, BTB’s Fund Partners around the world invested over US $638million into almost 800 women-founded companies (WFCs), with fourteen of those now having been identified as unicorns, including a notable few with Austin roots: Everly Health and Canva. As importantly, a subset of those almost 800 deals (479) went on to raise almost US $4billion, demonstrating the catalytic effect of breaking the funding barrier for so many early-stage WFCs. MORE ABOUT BTB: https://beyondthebillion.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 06 Jun 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 78 Sarah Chen-Spellings Let’s make things tangible - how do we challenge the status quo with actions? Beyond The Billion returned to Austin earlier this year in partnership with Dell Technologies, Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network, Dell For Startups, and Intel, to convene some of America’s leaders in both venture capital and entrepreneurship to kick off SXSW and International Women’s Day. Against the backdrop of a decline in VC funding to all-women founding teams in 2023, funders and founders convened to discuss key strategies to continue to address what needs to be done. In this episode, we feature esteemed speakers from the panel, including Dr. Molly Morse of Mango Materials, Dr. Lana Feng of Huma AI, Lisa Song Sutton of The Veteran Fund, and Lizanne Atherly of Beyond The Billion, who generously shared their journey — the highs, lows, and the lessons learned along the way. Key takeaways from the Funding Founders Forward panel: Are your investment strategies contributing to the growth of women entrepreneurs? Who are your stakeholders and their stakeholders? Are you assertive enough? Do you understand your clients' needs? Full Recap: https://beyondthebillion.com/dell-austin2024/ About Beyond The Billion Led by Co-Founders and Managing Partners Shelly Porges and Sarah Chen-Spellings, Beyond the Billion (BTB) mobilized over US $1billion in its first nine months from their original 86 Fund Partners who today number 123 including Texas-based True Wealth Ventures, Ajim Capital, and the Artemis Fund. Within the first two years, BTB’s Fund Partners around the world invested over US $638million into almost 800 women-founded companies (WFCs), with fourteen of those now having been identified as unicorns, including a notable few with Austin roots: Everly Health and Canva. As importantly, a subset of those almost 800 deals (479) went on to raise almost US $4billion, demonstrating the catalytic effect of breaking the funding barrier for so many early-stage WFCs. MORE ABOUT BTB: https://beyondthebillion.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Let’s make things tangible - how do we challenge the status quo with actions?

Beyond The Billion returned to Austin earlier this year in partnership with Dell Technologies, Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network, Dell For Startups, and Intel, to convene some of America’s leaders in both venture capital and entrepreneurship to kick off SXSW and International Women’s Day.

Against the backdrop of a decline in VC funding to all-women founding teams in 2023, funders and founders convened to discuss key strategies to continue to address what needs to be done.

In this episode, we feature esteemed speakers from the panel, including Dr. Molly Morse of Mango Materials, Dr. Lana Feng of Huma AI, Lisa Song Sutton of The Veteran Fund, and Lizanne Atherly of Beyond The Billion, who generously shared their journey — the highs, lows, and the lessons learned along the way.


Key takeaways from the Funding Founders Forward panel:

  • Are your investment strategies contributing to the growth of women entrepreneurs?
  • Who are your stakeholders and their stakeholders?
  • Are you assertive enough?
  • Do you understand your clients' needs?


Full Recap: https://beyondthebillion.com/dell-austin2024/


About Beyond The Billion

Led by Co-Founders and Managing Partners Shelly Porges and Sarah Chen-Spellings, Beyond the Billion (BTB) mobilized over US $1billion in its first nine months from their original 86 Fund Partners who today number 123 including Texas-based True Wealth Ventures, Ajim Capital, and the Artemis Fund.

Within the first two years, BTB’s Fund Partners around the world invested over US $638million into almost 800 women-founded companies (WFCs), with fourteen of those now having been identified as unicorns, including a notable few with Austin roots: Everly Health and Canva. As importantly, a subset of those almost 800 deals (479) went on to raise almost US $4billion, demonstrating the catalytic effect of breaking the funding barrier for so many early-stage WFCs.

MORE ABOUT BTB: https://beyondthebillion.com/

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2149 no Unlocking $500Bn Market Opportunity: Cybersecurity w/ Sidra Ahmed Lefort, Munich Re Ventures https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/vc-cybersecurity-healthcare-sidra-ahmed-lefort-munich-reventures Munich Re Ventures is the venture capital group of Munich Re, the world's largest reinsurance company and a leading global provider of primary insurance and insurance related resolutions.  Now Munich Re Ventures is a billion plus platform that is financially driven while focusing on the strategic interests of Munich Re. In this episode, Sidra Ahmed Lefort, Investment Director, Munich Re Ventures, takes us on a deep dive into the landscape of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and health care. Tune in to today’s episode to learn about everything from pricing mistakes VCs make, market trends, access, acquisitions on the ground, and how valuations and mindsets are shifting. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:15 - What makes Sidra changed the trajectory of her career 06:28 - What do investors from the East get wrong in investing in America? 08:30 - The dual mandate of EDBI; lessons learned from government’s technology investment strategy 11:08 - The structure and mandate of Munich Re Ventures; what works in the structure? 15:20 - Interest in adopting AI in cybersecurity and healthcare; market size for cyber 20:09 - Opportunities at the intersection of health tech and FinTech; Quantile Health 22:29 - The anti-portfolio: missing out on CrowdStrike 23:41 - Strategy for portfolio construction; follow-on funding 27:48 - Valuations in cyber and healthcare; how investors should be thinking about this investment cycle 31:01 - Exits landscape for cyber and healthcare 34:06 - What needs to change in venture? What is holding women from rising to the senior ranks? 36:05 - Billion Dollar Questions About Sidra Sidra focuses on cybersecurity, digital health, and insurtech opportunities globally. Previously, she was with the VC arm of Singapore Economic Development Board (EDBI). While at EDBI, she served on the board of directors of Gobalto (acquired by Oracle) and served as a board observer to Shape Security (acquired by F5), Livongo (NASDAQ: LVGO), and MetricStream. She joined EDBI from Nanostart, supporting investments in nanotechnology companies in Europe and Asia. Sidra started her technology-focused career in intellectual property at the National University of Singapore, where she played an instrumental role in identifying key technologies for the Life Science department. She received her degree in biomedical science from National University of Singapore and is based in San Francisco. FOLLOW SIDRA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidra-ahmed-lefort/  https://www.munichre.com/  https://edbi.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 30 May 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 77 Sarah Chen-Spellings Munich Re Ventures is the venture capital group of Munich Re, the world's largest reinsurance company and a leading global provider of primary insurance and insurance related resolutions.  Now Munich Re Ventures is a billion plus platform that is financially driven while focusing on the strategic interests of Munich Re. In this episode, Sidra Ahmed Lefort, Investment Director, Munich Re Ventures, takes us on a deep dive into the landscape of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and health care. Tune in to today’s episode to learn about everything from pricing mistakes VCs make, market trends, access, acquisitions on the ground, and how valuations and mindsets are shifting. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:15 - What makes Sidra changed the trajectory of her career 06:28 - What do investors from the East get wrong in investing in America? 08:30 - The dual mandate of EDBI; lessons learned from government’s technology investment strategy 11:08 - The structure and mandate of Munich Re Ventures; what works in the structure? 15:20 - Interest in adopting AI in cybersecurity and healthcare; market size for cyber 20:09 - Opportunities at the intersection of health tech and FinTech; Quantile Health 22:29 - The anti-portfolio: missing out on CrowdStrike 23:41 - Strategy for portfolio construction; follow-on funding 27:48 - Valuations in cyber and healthcare; how investors should be thinking about this investment cycle 31:01 - Exits landscape for cyber and healthcare 34:06 - What needs to change in venture? What is holding women from rising to the senior ranks? 36:05 - Billion Dollar Questions About Sidra Sidra focuses on cybersecurity, digital health, and insurtech opportunities globally. Previously, she was with the VC arm of Singapore Economic Development Board (EDBI). While at EDBI, she served on the board of directors of Gobalto (acquired by Oracle) and served as a board observer to Shape Security (acquired by F5), Livongo (NASDAQ: LVGO), and MetricStream. She joined EDBI from Nanostart, supporting investments in nanotechnology companies in Europe and Asia. Sidra started her technology-focused career in intellectual property at the National University of Singapore, where she played an instrumental role in identifying key technologies for the Life Science department. She received her degree in biomedical science from National University of Singapore and is based in San Francisco. FOLLOW SIDRA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidra-ahmed-lefort/  https://www.munichre.com/  https://edbi.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Munich Re Ventures is the venture capital group of Munich Re, the world's largest reinsurance company and a leading global provider of primary insurance and insurance related resolutions. 


Now Munich Re Ventures is a billion plus platform that is financially driven while focusing on the strategic interests of Munich Re. In this episode, Sidra Ahmed Lefort, Investment Director, Munich Re Ventures, takes us on a deep dive into the landscape of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and health care.


Tune in to today’s episode to learn about everything from pricing mistakes VCs make, market trends, access, acquisitions on the ground, and how valuations and mindsets are shifting.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

02:15 - What makes Sidra changed the trajectory of her career

06:28 - What do investors from the East get wrong in investing in America?

08:30 - The dual mandate of EDBI; lessons learned from government’s technology investment strategy

11:08 - The structure and mandate of Munich Re Ventures; what works in the structure?

15:20 - Interest in adopting AI in cybersecurity and healthcare; market size for cyber

20:09 - Opportunities at the intersection of health tech and FinTech; Quantile Health

22:29 - The anti-portfolio: missing out on CrowdStrike

23:41 - Strategy for portfolio construction; follow-on funding

27:48 - Valuations in cyber and healthcare; how investors should be thinking about this investment cycle

31:01 - Exits landscape for cyber and healthcare

34:06 - What needs to change in venture? What is holding women from rising to the senior ranks?

36:05 - Billion Dollar Questions


About Sidra

Sidra focuses on cybersecurity, digital health, and insurtech opportunities globally. Previously, she was with the VC arm of Singapore Economic Development Board (EDBI). While at EDBI, she served on the board of directors of Gobalto (acquired by Oracle) and served as a board observer to Shape Security (acquired by F5), Livongo (NASDAQ: LVGO), and MetricStream. She joined EDBI from Nanostart, supporting investments in nanotechnology companies in Europe and Asia. Sidra started her technology-focused career in intellectual property at the National University of Singapore, where she played an instrumental role in identifying key technologies for the Life Science department. She received her degree in biomedical science from National University of Singapore and is based in San Francisco.


FOLLOW SIDRA:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidra-ahmed-lefort/ 

https://www.munichre.com/ 

https://edbi.com/

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2429 no Vimeo to Tubi: Anjali Sud Leveraging Disruption to Build Billion-Dollar Companies https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/vimeo-tubi-anjali-sud-leveraging-disruption/ Tubi is the most-watched free TV and movie streaming service in the U.S. to date, with the world's largest content library of over 200,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of originals, and nearly 250 Fox channels. The powerhouse behind Tubi’s success is no stranger to the media industry: Anjali Sud, CEO of Tubi. Prior to Tubi, Anjali led Vimeo to become a public company following its spin-off from Barry Diller's IAC Internet Conglomerate. When Anjali took over as CEO of Vimeo, she halted all prior initiatives to reinvent Vimeo as a software company serving the B2B market. Under her leadership, Vimeo achieved around $400 million in annual recurring revenue when she left. Now, as Anjali takes on the role of CEO at Tubi, will she apply the same strategic disruption to her leadership of Tubi? In this week’s episode, we discuss her rise to leadership, the role of media and culture, and much more. TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 03:14 - Who is Anjali Sud? Crucible moments that led Anjali onto entrepreneurial journey 08:22 - Being rejected by investment banks; Anjali’s career path in her 20s and pivoting into media 10:08 - Filling the market gap as Vimeo CEO; “I was willing to bet on myself and on the idea” 12:21 - Vimeo’s transition from ad-free version of YouTube to B2B SaaS model; the challenges and how to see the “signals” 18:06 - Vimeo going public as a spinoff; the tradeoffs of IPO 21:38 - Anjali’s advice to CEOs getting ready to be listed or for an exit event; importance of revenue predictability 23:44 - Changes are the only constant; growth strategies that worked for Vimeo 25:40 - The virality opportunity and word of mouth 26:31 - Anjali’s nine years in Vimeo and her transition to Tubi; “Media is going through significant disruption.” 29:10 - The future of media and content; Tubi as the free entertainment for the cordless generation 31:29 - The product-led mindset; strategy to combat stereotypes towards media ads 33:49 - Quality content with cultural relevance amidst the competition for attention; Tubi original series: Boarders & Big Mood 35:26 - The role of media and culture; influence of AI on media and content 39:31 - Billion Dollar Questions About Anjali “I believe in the power of video. No other medium has the ability to bring stories to life in a deeply personal way, while simultaneously reaching every corner of the globe." Anjali Sud is an American businesswoman and technology and media executive. She is the CEO of Tubi, the entertainment platform and free ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox Corporation. Sud was previously CEO of Vimeo for six years, until August 2023. FOLLOW ANJALI: https://www.instagram.com/anjsud/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anjali_Sud https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjalisud - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 23 May 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 76 Sarah Chen-Spellings Tubi is the most-watched free TV and movie streaming service in the U.S. to date, with the world's largest content library of over 200,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of originals, and nearly 250 Fox channels. The powerhouse behind Tubi’s success is no stranger to the media industry: Anjali Sud, CEO of Tubi. Prior to Tubi, Anjali led Vimeo to become a public company following its spin-off from Barry Diller's IAC Internet Conglomerate. When Anjali took over as CEO of Vimeo, she halted all prior initiatives to reinvent Vimeo as a software company serving the B2B market. Under her leadership, Vimeo achieved around $400 million in annual recurring revenue when she left. Now, as Anjali takes on the role of CEO at Tubi, will she apply the same strategic disruption to her leadership of Tubi? In this week’s episode, we discuss her rise to leadership, the role of media and culture, and much more. TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 03:14 - Who is Anjali Sud? Crucible moments that led Anjali onto entrepreneurial journey 08:22 - Being rejected by investment banks; Anjali’s career path in her 20s and pivoting into media 10:08 - Filling the market gap as Vimeo CEO; “I was willing to bet on myself and on the idea” 12:21 - Vimeo’s transition from ad-free version of YouTube to B2B SaaS model; the challenges and how to see the “signals” 18:06 - Vimeo going public as a spinoff; the tradeoffs of IPO 21:38 - Anjali’s advice to CEOs getting ready to be listed or for an exit event; importance of revenue predictability 23:44 - Changes are the only constant; growth strategies that worked for Vimeo 25:40 - The virality opportunity and word of mouth 26:31 - Anjali’s nine years in Vimeo and her transition to Tubi; “Media is going through significant disruption.” 29:10 - The future of media and content; Tubi as the free entertainment for the cordless generation 31:29 - The product-led mindset; strategy to combat stereotypes towards media ads 33:49 - Quality content with cultural relevance amidst the competition for attention; Tubi original series: Boarders & Big Mood 35:26 - The role of media and culture; influence of AI on media and content 39:31 - Billion Dollar Questions About Anjali “I believe in the power of video. No other medium has the ability to bring stories to life in a deeply personal way, while simultaneously reaching every corner of the globe." Anjali Sud is an American businesswoman and technology and media executive. She is the CEO of Tubi, the entertainment platform and free ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox Corporation. Sud was previously CEO of Vimeo for six years, until August 2023. FOLLOW ANJALI: https://www.instagram.com/anjsud/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anjali_Sud https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjalisud - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Tubi is the most-watched free TV and movie streaming service in the U.S. to date, with the world's largest content library of over 200,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of originals, and nearly 250 Fox channels.

The powerhouse behind Tubi’s success is no stranger to the media industry: Anjali Sud, CEO of Tubi. Prior to Tubi, Anjali led Vimeo to become a public company following its spin-off from Barry Diller's IAC Internet Conglomerate.

When Anjali took over as CEO of Vimeo, she halted all prior initiatives to reinvent Vimeo as a software company serving the B2B market. Under her leadership, Vimeo achieved around $400 million in annual recurring revenue when she left.

Now, as Anjali takes on the role of CEO at Tubi, will she apply the same strategic disruption to her leadership of Tubi? In this week’s episode, we discuss her rise to leadership, the role of media and culture, and much more.


TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

03:14 - Who is Anjali Sud? Crucible moments that led Anjali onto entrepreneurial journey

08:22 - Being rejected by investment banks; Anjali’s career path in her 20s and pivoting into media

10:08 - Filling the market gap as Vimeo CEO; “I was willing to bet on myself and on the idea”

12:21 - Vimeo’s transition from ad-free version of YouTube to B2B SaaS model; the challenges and how to see the “signals”

18:06 - Vimeo going public as a spinoff; the tradeoffs of IPO

21:38 - Anjali’s advice to CEOs getting ready to be listed or for an exit event; importance of revenue predictability

23:44 - Changes are the only constant; growth strategies that worked for Vimeo

25:40 - The virality opportunity and word of mouth

26:31 - Anjali’s nine years in Vimeo and her transition to Tubi; “Media is going through significant disruption.”

29:10 - The future of media and content; Tubi as the free entertainment for the cordless generation

31:29 - The product-led mindset; strategy to combat stereotypes towards media ads

33:49 - Quality content with cultural relevance amidst the competition for attention; Tubi original series: Boarders & Big Mood

35:26 - The role of media and culture; influence of AI on media and content

39:31 - Billion Dollar Questions


About Anjali

“I believe in the power of video. No other medium has the ability to bring stories to life in a deeply personal way, while simultaneously reaching every corner of the globe."

Anjali Sud is an American businesswoman and technology and media executive. She is the CEO of Tubi, the entertainment platform and free ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox Corporation. Sud was previously CEO of Vimeo for six years, until August 2023.

FOLLOW ANJALI:

https://www.instagram.com/anjsud/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anjali_Sud

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjalisud

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2840 no The Power of Data Science to Revolutionize Impact w/ Danil Mikhailov, DataDotOrg https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/data-science-revolutionize-impact-danil-mikhailov-data.org In the age of AI and rapid technological advances, what does it mean to leverage data for good? And in the face of the digital divide, what can we as investors do to address it? With over 20 years of experience in founding multiple start-ups and leading initiatives across diverse sectors, Danil is dedicated to exploring and innovating at the intersection of technology, culture, and society. As the Executive Director of data.org, he drives the platform’s mission to build partnerships committed to advancing the field of data science for social impact. This week's episode we had the honor to discuss topics from combating climate change to promoting equitable access to education and healthcare. Danil and his team at data.org are catalyzing positive change through data-driven solutions. You don’t want to miss this. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:51 - Who is Danil Mikhailov? Background in computer science and anthropology 03:54 - Merging impact: human centricity in data and technology; Wellcome Trust and DataDotOrg 09:41 - DataDotOrg’s mission as a collaboration between Rockefeller Foundation and MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth. 11:23 - The Epiverse and the pandemic 16:16 - The gap in data science related investments between the private and the public sectors; partnership with universities 19:21 - The role of DataDotOrg as a consortium: philosophy of localism 23:23 - Takes on ChatGPT and large language models 26:50 - Digital divide and biases in generative AI tools 29:17 - Nurturing data science talents in emerging countries 31:25 - The next “gray rhino” obvious risk in society from the perspective of data 34:25 - Billion Dollar Questions About DataDotOrg data.org is a platform for partnerships committed to building the field of data science for social impact. https://www.linkedin.com/company/datadotorg/ https://data.org/news/from-data-for-good-to-data-for-impact/ FOLLOW DANIL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danilmikhailov/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 16 May 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 75 Sarah Chen-Spellings In the age of AI and rapid technological advances, what does it mean to leverage data for good? And in the face of the digital divide, what can we as investors do to address it? With over 20 years of experience in founding multiple start-ups and leading initiatives across diverse sectors, Danil is dedicated to exploring and innovating at the intersection of technology, culture, and society. As the Executive Director of data.org, he drives the platform’s mission to build partnerships committed to advancing the field of data science for social impact. This week's episode we had the honor to discuss topics from combating climate change to promoting equitable access to education and healthcare. Danil and his team at data.org are catalyzing positive change through data-driven solutions. You don’t want to miss this. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:51 - Who is Danil Mikhailov? Background in computer science and anthropology 03:54 - Merging impact: human centricity in data and technology; Wellcome Trust and DataDotOrg 09:41 - DataDotOrg’s mission as a collaboration between Rockefeller Foundation and MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth. 11:23 - The Epiverse and the pandemic 16:16 - The gap in data science related investments between the private and the public sectors; partnership with universities 19:21 - The role of DataDotOrg as a consortium: philosophy of localism 23:23 - Takes on ChatGPT and large language models 26:50 - Digital divide and biases in generative AI tools 29:17 - Nurturing data science talents in emerging countries 31:25 - The next “gray rhino” obvious risk in society from the perspective of data 34:25 - Billion Dollar Questions About DataDotOrg data.org is a platform for partnerships committed to building the field of data science for social impact. https://www.linkedin.com/company/datadotorg/ https://data.org/news/from-data-for-good-to-data-for-impact/ FOLLOW DANIL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danilmikhailov/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In the age of AI and rapid technological advances, what does it mean to leverage data for good? And in the face of the digital divide, what can we as investors do to address it?


With over 20 years of experience in founding multiple start-ups and leading initiatives across diverse sectors, Danil is dedicated to exploring and innovating at the intersection of technology, culture, and society. As the Executive Director of data.org, he drives the platform’s mission to build partnerships committed to advancing the field of data science for social impact.


This week's episode we had the honor to discuss topics from combating climate change to promoting equitable access to education and healthcare. Danil and his team at data.org are catalyzing positive change through data-driven solutions. You don’t want to miss this.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

02:51 - Who is Danil Mikhailov? Background in computer science and anthropology

03:54 - Merging impact: human centricity in data and technology; Wellcome Trust and DataDotOrg

09:41 - DataDotOrg’s mission as a collaboration between Rockefeller Foundation and MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth.

11:23 - The Epiverse and the pandemic

16:16 - The gap in data science related investments between the private and the public sectors; partnership with universities

19:21 - The role of DataDotOrg as a consortium: philosophy of localism

23:23 - Takes on ChatGPT and large language models

26:50 - Digital divide and biases in generative AI tools

29:17 - Nurturing data science talents in emerging countries

31:25 - The next “gray rhino” obvious risk in society from the perspective of data

34:25 - Billion Dollar Questions


About DataDotOrg

data.org is a platform for partnerships committed to building the field of data science for social impact.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/datadotorg/

https://data.org/news/from-data-for-good-to-data-for-impact/

FOLLOW DANIL:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danilmikhailov/

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2394 no Bite: Evolving as a CEO That Your Company Needs with Kim Yao, CloudEats https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/bite-evolving-CEO-scaling-company-kim-yao-cloudeats “As long as you're open to what's next, as long as you're open to the unknown, then there's an opportunity for you to improve yourself.” - Kimberly Yao, Co-Founder & CEO of CloudEats. From selling booze online and working in Philippine F&B to creating a revolutionary cloud kitchen concept, Kimberly Yao’s entrepreneurial journey has not been a walk in the park, to say the least. Fueled by her passion and interest in food and e-commerce, Kim continues to evolve and adapt as the leader of CloudEats, which, simultaneously, is on a strong growth trajectory since its establishment. How can you become the CEO that your company really needs? And what are the differences when you’re growing from 10 to 100, and then 100 to 1000? Tune in now to learn more about Kim’s leadership at each stage of her entrepreneurial journey! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:50 - Takeaway #1: Passion-fueled vision 05:45 - Takeaway #2: Each experience you have is building you up for the next 08:31 - Takeaway #3: You need to be ready to grow and evolve as a CEO. 10:56 - Takeaway #4: The power of the Time Machine theory, but don’t forget to adapt in building in other markets. 13:26 - Sub-takeaway: Be sure of your local advantages  16:56 - Takeaway #5: Not taking a risk, is the biggest risk 19:26 - Closing remarks - Full Episode | Becoming the CEO Your Company Actually Needs to Scale & The Future of Virtual Kitchens with Kim Yao, CloudEats 🌐 Website: https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/future-of-virtual-kitchens-kim-yao-cloudeats/ 🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68-0ifhk3ZI About Kim Yao Co-founder and CEO, CloudEats Kim is building the leading tech-powered food service ecosystem in Southeast Asia through digitally native restaurant brands and proprietary smart kitchen technology. By revolutionizing a massive yet traditional food service industry, her mission at CloudEats is to create the largest cloud restaurant group in the region, challenging brick and mortar heavyweights in F&B. With almost $14m in funding for CloudEats to date, Kim is known to have raised the largest amount of venture capital for a female Filipina led startup. She hopes to inspire female, underrepresented founders to keep dreaming big and work together to pave the way for more women entrepreneurs.  Already a veteran in the food and beverage industry, Kimberly Yao opted to “evolve and futureproof” her career by going digital. CloudEats eschews physical restaurants and focuses its 50-plus in-house brands and customised kitchens on delivery. Established in May 2019, the company was recognised by Tech in Asia as one of Southeast Asia’s top 50 rising startups. CloudEats has thrived during Covid-19, opening a new kitchen and donating 55,000 meals to first responders. FOLLOW KIM: https://ph.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyyao https://www.instagram.com/kimyaoza/ https://www.instagram.com/cloud.eats/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 09 May 2024 04:00:00 -0000 bonus 2 74 Sarah Chen-Spellings “As long as you're open to what's next, as long as you're open to the unknown, then there's an opportunity for you to improve yourself.” - Kimberly Yao, Co-Founder & CEO of CloudEats. From selling booze online and working in Philippine F&B to creating a revolutionary cloud kitchen concept, Kimberly Yao’s entrepreneurial journey has not been a walk in the park, to say the least. Fueled by her passion and interest in food and e-commerce, Kim continues to evolve and adapt as the leader of CloudEats, which, simultaneously, is on a strong growth trajectory since its establishment. How can you become the CEO that your company really needs? And what are the differences when you’re growing from 10 to 100, and then 100 to 1000? Tune in now to learn more about Kim’s leadership at each stage of her entrepreneurial journey! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:50 - Takeaway #1: Passion-fueled vision 05:45 - Takeaway #2: Each experience you have is building you up for the next 08:31 - Takeaway #3: You need to be ready to grow and evolve as a CEO. 10:56 - Takeaway #4: The power of the Time Machine theory, but don’t forget to adapt in building in other markets. 13:26 - Sub-takeaway: Be sure of your local advantages  16:56 - Takeaway #5: Not taking a risk, is the biggest risk 19:26 - Closing remarks - Full Episode | Becoming the CEO Your Company Actually Needs to Scale & The Future of Virtual Kitchens with Kim Yao, CloudEats 🌐 Website: https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/future-of-virtual-kitchens-kim-yao-cloudeats/ 🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68-0ifhk3ZI About Kim Yao Co-founder and CEO, CloudEats Kim is building the leading tech-powered food service ecosystem in Southeast Asia through digitally native restaurant brands and proprietary smart kitchen technology. By revolutionizing a massive yet traditional food service industry, her mission at CloudEats is to create the largest cloud restaurant group in the region, challenging brick and mortar heavyweights in F&B. With almost $14m in funding for CloudEats to date, Kim is known to have raised the largest amount of venture capital for a female Filipina led startup. She hopes to inspire female, underrepresented founders to keep dreaming big and work together to pave the way for more women entrepreneurs.  Already a veteran in the food and beverage industry, Kimberly Yao opted to “evolve and futureproof” her career by going digital. CloudEats eschews physical restaurants and focuses its 50-plus in-house brands and customised kitchens on delivery. Established in May 2019, the company was recognised by Tech in Asia as one of Southeast Asia’s top 50 rising startups. CloudEats has thrived during Covid-19, opening a new kitchen and donating 55,000 meals to first responders. FOLLOW KIM: https://ph.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyyao https://www.instagram.com/kimyaoza/ https://www.instagram.com/cloud.eats/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal “As long as you're open to what's next, as long as you're open to the unknown, then there's an opportunity for you to improve yourself.” - Kimberly Yao, Co-Founder & CEO of CloudEats.

From selling booze online and working in Philippine F&B to creating a revolutionary cloud kitchen concept, Kimberly Yao’s entrepreneurial journey has not been a walk in the park, to say the least.

Fueled by her passion and interest in food and e-commerce, Kim continues to evolve and adapt as the leader of CloudEats, which, simultaneously, is on a strong growth trajectory since its establishment.

How can you become the CEO that your company really needs? And what are the differences when you’re growing from 10 to 100, and then 100 to 1000?

Tune in now to learn more about Kim’s leadership at each stage of her entrepreneurial journey!


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS


0:00 - Intro

02:50 - Takeaway #1: Passion-fueled vision

05:45 - Takeaway #2: Each experience you have is building you up for the next

08:31 - Takeaway #3: You need to be ready to grow and evolve as a CEO.

10:56 - Takeaway #4: The power of the Time Machine theory, but don’t forget to adapt in building in other markets.

13:26 - Sub-takeaway: Be sure of your local advantages 

16:56 - Takeaway #5: Not taking a risk, is the biggest risk

19:26 - Closing remarks

-

Full Episode | Becoming the CEO Your Company Actually Needs to Scale & The Future of Virtual Kitchens with Kim Yao, CloudEats

🌐 Website: https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/future-of-virtual-kitchens-kim-yao-cloudeats/

🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68-0ifhk3ZI


About Kim Yao

Co-founder and CEO, CloudEats


Kim is building the leading tech-powered food service ecosystem in Southeast Asia through digitally native restaurant brands and proprietary smart kitchen technology. By revolutionizing a massive yet traditional food service industry, her mission at CloudEats is to create the largest cloud restaurant group in the region, challenging brick and mortar heavyweights in F&B. With almost $14m in funding for CloudEats to date, Kim is known to have raised the largest amount of venture capital for a female Filipina led startup. She hopes to inspire female, underrepresented founders to keep dreaming big and work together to pave the way for more women entrepreneurs. 


Already a veteran in the food and beverage industry, Kimberly Yao opted to “evolve and futureproof” her career by going digital. CloudEats eschews physical restaurants and focuses its 50-plus in-house brands and customised kitchens on delivery. Established in May 2019, the company was recognised by Tech in Asia as one of Southeast Asia’s top 50 rising startups. CloudEats has thrived during Covid-19, opening a new kitchen and donating 55,000 meals to first responders.


FOLLOW KIM:

https://ph.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyyao

https://www.instagram.com/kimyaoza/

https://www.instagram.com/cloud.eats/


-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1283 no CEO Series: Melanie Perkins, Co-founder & CEO of Canva https://www.billiondollarmoves.com/ceo-series-melanie-perkins-canva/ As of January 2024, Canva’s design platform attracted around 170 million monthly global users from 190 countries. BUT it was not too long ago that now 36-year-old Canva founder Melanie Perkins was rejected by 100 VCs.  Just like some of the best companies today, Canva took awhile to get to an inflection point: between the first idea in 2006, to launching 2013, that was a span of 7 good years. Today, Canva is a $26 billion design startup is ready to take on Microsoft and Google and compared to other behemoths; and people have created over 3 billion designs since. This week, we are taking a deep dive into Melanie Perkin’s story of building the online designing empire Canva.  TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:13 - Canva: from being rejected by over 100 VCs to a $26 billion design startup 05:00 - Lesson #1: Solve the problem you know intimately first: don’t be afraid to niche down, in the beginning 07:34 - Lesson #2: Good things take time—stay grounded, lean and persistent 11:19 - Lesson #3: Focus on what you can change, not what you can’t 15:07 - LESSON #4: Get comfortable going against the grain 17:44 - Lesson #5: You can do it all, but not all at once 21:17 - 3 Actionable Questions for You About Melanie Perkins Melanie Perkins is an Australian billionaire technology entrepreneur, who is the CEO and co-founder of Canva.  Perkins is one of the youngest female CEOs of a tech start-up valued over A$1 billion. As of May 2021, Perkins was one of Australia's richest women. Credit/Source: Canva makes staff instant millionaires after $3.6b share sale https://thenightly.com.au/business/canva-makes-staff-instant-millionaires-after-36b-share-sale-c-14205704 Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People: Melanie Perkins: CEO of Canva https://guykawasaki.com/melanie-perkins-canva-ceo/ Carmine Gallo and Canva CEO, Melanie Perkins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xysjW_wZgxM Sunrise Australia Day 1 - Melanie Perkins Keynote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXtGE811GCw Melanie Perkins of Canva on Dealing with Rejection https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e31uR1WhrEQ Melanie Perkins - Canva - Founder stories from The Sunrise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1uyh2IRWWM How Canva CEO Melanie Perkins turned her small Australian college startup into global unicorn | E939 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TBSg79Gf0M - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 02 May 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 73 Sarah Chen-Spellings As of January 2024, Canva’s design platform attracted around 170 million monthly global users from 190 countries. BUT it was not too long ago that now 36-year-old Canva founder Melanie Perkins was rejected by 100 VCs.  Just like some of the best companies today, Canva took awhile to get to an inflection point: between the first idea in 2006, to launching 2013, that was a span of 7 good years. Today, Canva is a $26 billion design startup is ready to take on Microsoft and Google and compared to other behemoths; and people have created over 3 billion designs since. This week, we are taking a deep dive into Melanie Perkin’s story of building the online designing empire Canva.  TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:13 - Canva: from being rejected by over 100 VCs to a $26 billion design startup 05:00 - Lesson #1: Solve the problem you know intimately first: don’t be afraid to niche down, in the beginning 07:34 - Lesson #2: Good things take time—stay grounded, lean and persistent 11:19 - Lesson #3: Focus on what you can change, not what you can’t 15:07 - LESSON #4: Get comfortable going against the grain 17:44 - Lesson #5: You can do it all, but not all at once 21:17 - 3 Actionable Questions for You About Melanie Perkins Melanie Perkins is an Australian billionaire technology entrepreneur, who is the CEO and co-founder of Canva.  Perkins is one of the youngest female CEOs of a tech start-up valued over A$1 billion. As of May 2021, Perkins was one of Australia's richest women. Credit/Source: Canva makes staff instant millionaires after $3.6b share sale https://thenightly.com.au/business/canva-makes-staff-instant-millionaires-after-36b-share-sale-c-14205704 Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People: Melanie Perkins: CEO of Canva https://guykawasaki.com/melanie-perkins-canva-ceo/ Carmine Gallo and Canva CEO, Melanie Perkins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xysjW_wZgxM Sunrise Australia Day 1 - Melanie Perkins Keynote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXtGE811GCw Melanie Perkins of Canva on Dealing with Rejection https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e31uR1WhrEQ Melanie Perkins - Canva - Founder stories from The Sunrise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1uyh2IRWWM How Canva CEO Melanie Perkins turned her small Australian college startup into global unicorn | E939 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TBSg79Gf0M - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal As of January 2024, Canva’s design platform attracted around 170 million monthly global users from 190 countries. BUT it was not too long ago that now 36-year-old Canva founder Melanie Perkins was rejected by 100 VCs. 

Just like some of the best companies today, Canva took awhile to get to an inflection point: between the first idea in 2006, to launching 2013, that was a span of 7 good years.

Today, Canva is a $26 billion design startup is ready to take on Microsoft and Google and compared to other behemoths; and people have created over 3 billion designs since.

This week, we are taking a deep dive into Melanie Perkin’s story of building the online designing empire Canva. 


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

02:13 - Canva: from being rejected by over 100 VCs to a $26 billion design startup

05:00 - Lesson #1: Solve the problem you know intimately first: don’t be afraid to niche down, in the beginning

07:34 - Lesson #2: Good things take time—stay grounded, lean and persistent

11:19 - Lesson #3: Focus on what you can change, not what you can’t

15:07 - LESSON #4: Get comfortable going against the grain

17:44 - Lesson #5: You can do it all, but not all at once

21:17 - 3 Actionable Questions for You


About Melanie Perkins

Melanie Perkins is an Australian billionaire technology entrepreneur, who is the CEO and co-founder of Canva. 

Perkins is one of the youngest female CEOs of a tech start-up valued over A$1 billion. As of May 2021, Perkins was one of Australia's richest women.


Credit/Source:

Canva makes staff instant millionaires after $3.6b share sale

https://thenightly.com.au/business/canva-makes-staff-instant-millionaires-after-36b-share-sale-c-14205704

Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People: Melanie Perkins: CEO of Canva

https://guykawasaki.com/melanie-perkins-canva-ceo/

Carmine Gallo and Canva CEO, Melanie Perkins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xysjW_wZgxM

Sunrise Australia Day 1 - Melanie Perkins Keynote

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXtGE811GCw

Melanie Perkins of Canva on Dealing with Rejection

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e31uR1WhrEQ

Melanie Perkins - Canva - Founder stories from The Sunrise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1uyh2IRWWM

How Canva CEO Melanie Perkins turned her small Australian college startup into global unicorn | E939

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TBSg79Gf0M


-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1393 no CEO Series: Whitney Wolfe Herd, Co-Founder of Bumble You may have heard the news: as of January 2nd, 2024, Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd has stepped down as chief executive after nearly a decade leading the dating app company. Despite challenges ahead - a more conservative revenue forecast highlighting the need for a dating-app revamp - let’s not overlook the journey that brought Whitney and Bumble to this point. Not to down play that Whitney Wolfe Herd is a recognizable name, at 31 years old becoming the youngest female CEO who had taken a company public in 2021. To call her career trajectory a “comeback” is an understatement and this is why, Whitney makes first on the list of Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series - enjoy! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 2:18 - Whitney Wolfe Herd stepped down from Bumble CEO position; her exit from Tinder and then becoming the youngest women ever to take a company public 5:40 - Lesson #1 Don’t be afraid to make radical bets, especially on yourself 9:15 - Lesson #2 Success can be built on personal setbacks and challenges 10:27 - Lesson #3 Building and upholding a purpose-driven brand identity 14:11 - 3 actionable questions you can ask yourself to think like Whitney About Whitney Wolfe Herd Whitney Wolfe Herd is the founder, executive chair, and former CEO of publicly traded Bumble, an online dating platform, launched in 2014. Co-founded with Russian billionaire Andrey Andreev, Bumble, the dating app, was known for women making the first move. Whitney who owns a 17% stake in Bumble, became the youngest self-made woman billionaire after it went public in February 2021 for ten months. Prior to Bumble, she was the co-founder of Tinder and was previously its Vice President of Marketing.  Read More: Calling out inappropriate user behavior on Bumble: “An Open Letter to Conner”  Whitney's journey from Tinder to Bumble, then IPO: “She sued Tinder, founded Bumble and now, at 30, is the CEO of a $3 billion dating empire” “How Whitney Wolfe Herd Turned a Vision of a Better Internet Into a Billion-Dollar Brand” Stepping down from CEO position as of January 2024: “Whitney Wolfe Herd Is Stepping Down as Bumble’s C.E.O. After a Decade” Credits: Bumble Founder's Business Lessons For Entrepreneurs | Forbes Bumble's Whitney Wolfe Herd: The Story of Bumble Former Billionaire Whitney Wolfe Herd Out As Bumble CEO Rewriting the Rules of Business and Life With Whitney Wolfe Herd - Official Trailer - MasterClass Bumble Founder: The Truth About My Explosive Tinder Exit Secrets To Dating And Making A Billion By 31 From Bumble’s Whitney Wolfe Herd | MSNBC Summit Series Thu, 25 Apr 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 72 Sarah Chen-Spellings You may have heard the news: as of January 2nd, 2024, Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd has stepped down as chief executive after nearly a decade leading the dating app company. Despite challenges ahead - a more conservative revenue forecast highlighting the need for a dating-app revamp - let’s not overlook the journey that brought Whitney and Bumble to this point. Not to down play that Whitney Wolfe Herd is a recognizable name, at 31 years old becoming the youngest female CEO who had taken a company public in 2021. To call her career trajectory a “comeback” is an understatement and this is why, Whitney makes first on the list of Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series - enjoy! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 2:18 - Whitney Wolfe Herd stepped down from Bumble CEO position; her exit from Tinder and then becoming the youngest women ever to take a company public 5:40 - Lesson #1 Don’t be afraid to make radical bets, especially on yourself 9:15 - Lesson #2 Success can be built on personal setbacks and challenges 10:27 - Lesson #3 Building and upholding a purpose-driven brand identity 14:11 - 3 actionable questions you can ask yourself to think like Whitney About Whitney Wolfe Herd Whitney Wolfe Herd is the founder, executive chair, and former CEO of publicly traded Bumble, an online dating platform, launched in 2014. Co-founded with Russian billionaire Andrey Andreev, Bumble, the dating app, was known for women making the first move. Whitney who owns a 17% stake in Bumble, became the youngest self-made woman billionaire after it went public in February 2021 for ten months. Prior to Bumble, she was the co-founder of Tinder and was previously its Vice President of Marketing.  Read More: Calling out inappropriate user behavior on Bumble: “An Open Letter to Conner”  Whitney's journey from Tinder to Bumble, then IPO: “She sued Tinder, founded Bumble and now, at 30, is the CEO of a $3 billion dating empire” “How Whitney Wolfe Herd Turned a Vision of a Better Internet Into a Billion-Dollar Brand” Stepping down from CEO position as of January 2024: “Whitney Wolfe Herd Is Stepping Down as Bumble’s C.E.O. After a Decade” Credits: Bumble Founder's Business Lessons For Entrepreneurs | Forbes Bumble's Whitney Wolfe Herd: The Story of Bumble Former Billionaire Whitney Wolfe Herd Out As Bumble CEO Rewriting the Rules of Business and Life With Whitney Wolfe Herd - Official Trailer - MasterClass Bumble Founder: The Truth About My Explosive Tinder Exit Secrets To Dating And Making A Billion By 31 From Bumble’s Whitney Wolfe Herd | MSNBC Summit Series You may have heard the news: as of January 2nd, 2024, Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd has stepped down as chief executive after nearly a decade leading the dating app company.

Despite challenges ahead - a more conservative revenue forecast highlighting the need for a dating-app revamp - let’s not overlook the journey that brought Whitney and Bumble to this point.

Not to down play that Whitney Wolfe Herd is a recognizable name, at 31 years old becoming the youngest female CEO who had taken a company public in 2021.

To call her career trajectory a “comeback” is an understatement and this is why, Whitney makes first on the list of Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series - enjoy!


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

2:18 - Whitney Wolfe Herd stepped down from Bumble CEO position; her exit from Tinder and then becoming the youngest women ever to take a company public

5:40 - Lesson #1 Don’t be afraid to make radical bets, especially on yourself

9:15 - Lesson #2 Success can be built on personal setbacks and challenges

10:27 - Lesson #3 Building and upholding a purpose-driven brand identity

14:11 - 3 actionable questions you can ask yourself to think like Whitney


About Whitney Wolfe Herd

Whitney Wolfe Herd is the founder, executive chair, and former CEO of publicly traded Bumble, an online dating platform, launched in 2014. Co-founded with Russian billionaire Andrey Andreev, Bumble, the dating app, was known for women making the first move. Whitney who owns a 17% stake in Bumble, became the youngest self-made woman billionaire after it went public in February 2021 for ten months.

Prior to Bumble, she was the co-founder of Tinder and was previously its Vice President of Marketing. 


Read More:

Calling out inappropriate user behavior on Bumble:

“An Open Letter to Conner” 

Whitney's journey from Tinder to Bumble, then IPO:

“She sued Tinder, founded Bumble and now, at 30, is the CEO of a $3 billion dating empire”

“How Whitney Wolfe Herd Turned a Vision of a Better Internet Into a Billion-Dollar Brand”

Stepping down from CEO position as of January 2024: “Whitney Wolfe Herd Is Stepping Down as Bumble’s C.E.O. After a Decade”


Credits:

Bumble Founder's Business Lessons For Entrepreneurs | Forbes

Bumble's Whitney Wolfe Herd: The Story of Bumble

Former Billionaire Whitney Wolfe Herd Out As Bumble CEO

Rewriting the Rules of Business and Life With Whitney Wolfe Herd - Official Trailer - MasterClass

Bumble Founder: The Truth About My Explosive Tinder Exit

Secrets To Dating And Making A Billion By 31 From Bumble’s Whitney Wolfe Herd | MSNBC Summit Series

]]> 1017 no LP Panel: Deployment in Private Equity w/ Tomi Viia, OP Financial Group & Marko Hara, Decile Capital Revisiting a clip from the LP Summit co-hosted by Beyond the Billion and Arctic15 in Helsinki in 2023, we have curated this brief but insightful episode for GPs, LPs, or even founders. This week’s guests are two European LP veterans - Marko Hara, formerly the director of Elo, one of Finland's largest employee pensions, and Tomi Viia, currently the head of investments at OP Financial Group, managing assets totaling €14.2 billion. Our conversation delved into the trends and opportunities in private equity and highlighted the winning strategies for LPs during uncertain times. Let’s get started! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 03:57 - Takes on current market conditions; advice for LPs during venture slumps 07:48 - The shifts in portfolio diversity; the weighing in private equity 12:28 - Opportunities in US market for European LPs 15:14 - Advice for LPs and portfolio construction during uncertain times 17:25 - The winning factors in investment opportunities 20:22 - Huge platform shift with the explosion of AI; emerging managers are not off the table 23:02 - Q&A: Where are the best soft skills and hard skills that you are looking for in GPs in this environment? 24:53 - Key takeaway for LPs and GPs - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 18 Apr 2024 04:00:00 -0000 bonus 2 71 Sarah Chen-Spellings Revisiting a clip from the LP Summit co-hosted by Beyond the Billion and Arctic15 in Helsinki in 2023, we have curated this brief but insightful episode for GPs, LPs, or even founders. This week’s guests are two European LP veterans - Marko Hara, formerly the director of Elo, one of Finland's largest employee pensions, and Tomi Viia, currently the head of investments at OP Financial Group, managing assets totaling €14.2 billion. Our conversation delved into the trends and opportunities in private equity and highlighted the winning strategies for LPs during uncertain times. Let’s get started! Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 03:57 - Takes on current market conditions; advice for LPs during venture slumps 07:48 - The shifts in portfolio diversity; the weighing in private equity 12:28 - Opportunities in US market for European LPs 15:14 - Advice for LPs and portfolio construction during uncertain times 17:25 - The winning factors in investment opportunities 20:22 - Huge platform shift with the explosion of AI; emerging managers are not off the table 23:02 - Q&A: Where are the best soft skills and hard skills that you are looking for in GPs in this environment? 24:53 - Key takeaway for LPs and GPs - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Revisiting a clip from the LP Summit co-hosted by Beyond the Billion and Arctic15 in Helsinki in 2023, we have curated this brief but insightful episode for GPs, LPs, or even founders.

This week’s guests are two European LP veterans - Marko Hara, formerly the director of Elo, one of Finland's largest employee pensions, and Tomi Viia, currently the head of investments at OP Financial Group, managing assets totaling €14.2 billion.

Our conversation delved into the trends and opportunities in private equity and highlighted the winning strategies for LPs during uncertain times. Let’s get started!


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

03:57 - Takes on current market conditions; advice for LPs during venture slumps

07:48 - The shifts in portfolio diversity; the weighing in private equity

12:28 - Opportunities in US market for European LPs

15:14 - Advice for LPs and portfolio construction during uncertain times

17:25 - The winning factors in investment opportunities

20:22 - Huge platform shift with the explosion of AI; emerging managers are not off the table

23:02 - Q&A: Where are the best soft skills and hard skills that you are looking for in GPs in this environment?

24:53 - Key takeaway for LPs and GPs

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1613 no Bite: Delivering Alpha with Kindness, The Red Helicopter Way w/ James Rhee "Goodwill should mean a whole lot more than accounting concept, is earned and cannot be bought; but if done correctly, can be worth a whole lot." As we step into Q2, there's no better time to pause, reflect, and realign our goals for the year ahead. This week, we revisit an episode that continues to inspire, which talks about creating real value with kindness and math, as advocated by James Rhee and his new book red helicopter. In this conversation, we talked about money, reality, true alpha and transformation -- leveraging kindness. This as he saw in his tenure as the unlikely “least qualified CEO” of Ashley Stewart, where he reinvented the company from the brink of bankruptcy. Ahead of your full read, here are some key takeaways from our conversation last year. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Intro 02:30 - Takeaway #1: You don't make money with just zeros and ones. 06:07 - Takeaway #2: Kindness is one of the things you never have to hedge. It's never wrong to be kind. 10:14 - Takeaway #3: Don’t underestimate the power of appreciating the quiet leaders. 12:00 Takeaway #4: “I'm more proud of the way we did it than what the result was.” 13:44 - Takeaway #5: The scarcity mindset and why the richest aren’t always the happiest 17:23 - Closing remarks: the red helicopter Full Episode: Leading with Kindness | James Rhee 🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-jamesrhee  🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YYr6ZRQPdI red helicopter - James Rhee Imagine, a clear path forward told as a deeply felt human story. A poignant and uplifting celebration of humanity, red helicopter—a parable for our times is a tale of struggle and triumph, compelling for its honesty and relatability as much as for the instructions we can all use to balance the books of our lives. Grab your copy here! Learn more about James Rhee and red helicopter:  https://www.redhelicopter.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 11 Apr 2024 04:00:00 -0000 bonus 2 70 Sarah Chen-Spellings "Goodwill should mean a whole lot more than accounting concept, is earned and cannot be bought; but if done correctly, can be worth a whole lot." As we step into Q2, there's no better time to pause, reflect, and realign our goals for the year ahead. This week, we revisit an episode that continues to inspire, which talks about creating real value with kindness and math, as advocated by James Rhee and his new book red helicopter. In this conversation, we talked about money, reality, true alpha and transformation -- leveraging kindness. This as he saw in his tenure as the unlikely “least qualified CEO” of Ashley Stewart, where he reinvented the company from the brink of bankruptcy. Ahead of your full read, here are some key takeaways from our conversation last year. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Intro 02:30 - Takeaway #1: You don't make money with just zeros and ones. 06:07 - Takeaway #2: Kindness is one of the things you never have to hedge. It's never wrong to be kind. 10:14 - Takeaway #3: Don’t underestimate the power of appreciating the quiet leaders. 12:00 Takeaway #4: “I'm more proud of the way we did it than what the result was.” 13:44 - Takeaway #5: The scarcity mindset and why the richest aren’t always the happiest 17:23 - Closing remarks: the red helicopter Full Episode: Leading with Kindness | James Rhee 🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-jamesrhee  🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YYr6ZRQPdI red helicopter - James Rhee Imagine, a clear path forward told as a deeply felt human story. A poignant and uplifting celebration of humanity, red helicopter—a parable for our times is a tale of struggle and triumph, compelling for its honesty and relatability as much as for the instructions we can all use to balance the books of our lives. Grab your copy here! Learn more about James Rhee and red helicopter:  https://www.redhelicopter.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal "Goodwill should mean a whole lot more than accounting concept, is earned and cannot be bought; but if done correctly, can be worth a whole lot."

As we step into Q2, there's no better time to pause, reflect, and realign our goals for the year ahead.

This week, we revisit an episode that continues to inspire, which talks about creating real value with kindness and math, as advocated by James Rhee and his new book red helicopter.

In this conversation, we talked about money, reality, true alpha and transformation -- leveraging kindness. This as he saw in his tenure as the unlikely “least qualified CEO” of Ashley Stewart, where he reinvented the company from the brink of bankruptcy.

Ahead of your full read, here are some key takeaways from our conversation last year. Enjoy!


TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Intro

02:30 - Takeaway #1: You don't make money with just zeros and ones.

06:07 - Takeaway #2: Kindness is one of the things you never have to hedge. It's never wrong to be kind.

10:14 - Takeaway #3: Don’t underestimate the power of appreciating the quiet leaders.

12:00 Takeaway #4: “I'm more proud of the way we did it than what the result was.”

13:44 - Takeaway #5: The scarcity mindset and why the richest aren’t always the happiest

17:23 - Closing remarks: the red helicopter


Full Episode:

Leading with Kindness | James Rhee

🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-jamesrhee 

🎞️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YYr6ZRQPdI


red helicopter - James Rhee

Imagine, a clear path forward told as a deeply felt human story. A poignant and uplifting celebration of humanity, red helicopter—a parable for our times is a tale of struggle and triumph, compelling for its honesty and relatability as much as for the instructions we can all use to balance the books of our lives.

Grab your copy here!

Learn more about James Rhee and red helicopter: 

https://www.redhelicopter.com/


-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1156 no Faith, Finance, Technology w/ Fara Abdullah, Bitsmedia Muslims are projected to constitute more than 25% of the world's total population this year. To many in the industry, this isn't just a statistic; it represents a vast array of opportunities for the markets. This week, we had the pleasure of speaking with Fara Abdullah, CEO of Bitsmedia, the brains behind the immensely popular Muslim lifestyle app, Muslim Pro.  With a fresh injection of $20 million from its recent Series A funding round, featuring participation from Gobi Partners, alongside continued backing from existing investors CMI Capital Partners and Bintang Capital Partners, Bitsmedia is poised to enhance the faith experience through cutting-edge technologies.  Our discussion today delves into various aspects, including the business landscape, the potential in faith-driven markets, and the interception of faith, finance, and technology.  TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:52 - Market opportunities in the Muslim community; Bitsmedia’s business model 07:39 - Challenging the misconceptions and templatization of Muslims 10:49 - Thesis behind the 160 million annual downloads of Muslim Pro: faith in challenging times and the modern Muslim lifestyle 15:13 - Bitsmedia’s ideal consumer profile and the growth of user base 20:30 - Business models and the biggest revenue drive for Bitsmedia 24:11 - Decision making and resource distribution as the CEO 26:52 - The role of technology in shaping faith and vice versa 30:31 - The idea of moderation and ethical interpretations with use of technologies 32:41 - Bitsmedia’s role in the interception of faith, finance and technology 34:35 - Observed trends of religious behaviors and attitudes; the socialization of faith 37:01 - Fundraising and choosing the right partners 39:46 - Billion dollar questions ABOUT BITSMEDIA Bitsmedia is a Singapore-based, technology company known globally as the developer and publisher of the Muslim Pro app – a highly-rated and comprehensive Muslim lifestyle app with more than 150 million downloads globally to date. The company is also the publisher of Qalbox, a global subscription video on demand (SVoD) entertainment streaming service aimed at the global Muslim community. About Muslim Pro Muslim Pro's journey started with its inception as a utility app dedicated to fulfilling the daily spiritual and practical needs of Muslims worldwide. Under Fara's guidance, Muslim Pro has undergone a significant transformation, evolving from its original utility focus to become a pioneering platform catering to the diverse facets of the Muslim community. Fara's strategic foresight has been vital to transitioning Muslim Pro into a holistic ecosystem for Muslims. Beyond spiritual and religious guidance, the platform now encompasses educational resources, AI-driven tools, and robust partnerships with key enablers, brands, and organizations within the Muslim sector. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 04 Apr 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 69 Sarah Chen-Spellings Muslims are projected to constitute more than 25% of the world's total population this year. To many in the industry, this isn't just a statistic; it represents a vast array of opportunities for the markets. This week, we had the pleasure of speaking with Fara Abdullah, CEO of Bitsmedia, the brains behind the immensely popular Muslim lifestyle app, Muslim Pro.  With a fresh injection of $20 million from its recent Series A funding round, featuring participation from Gobi Partners, alongside continued backing from existing investors CMI Capital Partners and Bintang Capital Partners, Bitsmedia is poised to enhance the faith experience through cutting-edge technologies.  Our discussion today delves into various aspects, including the business landscape, the potential in faith-driven markets, and the interception of faith, finance, and technology.  TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:52 - Market opportunities in the Muslim community; Bitsmedia’s business model 07:39 - Challenging the misconceptions and templatization of Muslims 10:49 - Thesis behind the 160 million annual downloads of Muslim Pro: faith in challenging times and the modern Muslim lifestyle 15:13 - Bitsmedia’s ideal consumer profile and the growth of user base 20:30 - Business models and the biggest revenue drive for Bitsmedia 24:11 - Decision making and resource distribution as the CEO 26:52 - The role of technology in shaping faith and vice versa 30:31 - The idea of moderation and ethical interpretations with use of technologies 32:41 - Bitsmedia’s role in the interception of faith, finance and technology 34:35 - Observed trends of religious behaviors and attitudes; the socialization of faith 37:01 - Fundraising and choosing the right partners 39:46 - Billion dollar questions ABOUT BITSMEDIA Bitsmedia is a Singapore-based, technology company known globally as the developer and publisher of the Muslim Pro app – a highly-rated and comprehensive Muslim lifestyle app with more than 150 million downloads globally to date. The company is also the publisher of Qalbox, a global subscription video on demand (SVoD) entertainment streaming service aimed at the global Muslim community. About Muslim Pro Muslim Pro's journey started with its inception as a utility app dedicated to fulfilling the daily spiritual and practical needs of Muslims worldwide. Under Fara's guidance, Muslim Pro has undergone a significant transformation, evolving from its original utility focus to become a pioneering platform catering to the diverse facets of the Muslim community. Fara's strategic foresight has been vital to transitioning Muslim Pro into a holistic ecosystem for Muslims. Beyond spiritual and religious guidance, the platform now encompasses educational resources, AI-driven tools, and robust partnerships with key enablers, brands, and organizations within the Muslim sector. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Muslims are projected to constitute more than 25% of the world's total population this year. To many in the industry, this isn't just a statistic; it represents a vast array of opportunities for the markets.

This week, we had the pleasure of speaking with Fara Abdullah, CEO of Bitsmedia, the brains behind the immensely popular Muslim lifestyle app, Muslim Pro. 

With a fresh injection of $20 million from its recent Series A funding round, featuring participation from Gobi Partners, alongside continued backing from existing investors CMI Capital Partners and Bintang Capital Partners, Bitsmedia is poised to enhance the faith experience through cutting-edge technologies. 

Our discussion today delves into various aspects, including the business landscape, the potential in faith-driven markets, and the interception of faith, finance, and technology. 


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

02:52 - Market opportunities in the Muslim community; Bitsmedia’s business model

07:39 - Challenging the misconceptions and templatization of Muslims

10:49 - Thesis behind the 160 million annual downloads of Muslim Pro: faith in challenging times and the modern Muslim lifestyle

15:13 - Bitsmedia’s ideal consumer profile and the growth of user base

20:30 - Business models and the biggest revenue drive for Bitsmedia

24:11 - Decision making and resource distribution as the CEO

26:52 - The role of technology in shaping faith and vice versa

30:31 - The idea of moderation and ethical interpretations with use of technologies

32:41 - Bitsmedia’s role in the interception of faith, finance and technology

34:35 - Observed trends of religious behaviors and attitudes; the socialization of faith

37:01 - Fundraising and choosing the right partners

39:46 - Billion dollar questions


ABOUT BITSMEDIA

Bitsmedia is a Singapore-based, technology company known globally as the developer and publisher of the Muslim Pro app – a highly-rated and comprehensive Muslim lifestyle app with more than 150 million downloads globally to date.

The company is also the publisher of Qalbox, a global subscription video on demand (SVoD) entertainment streaming service aimed at the global Muslim community.

About Muslim Pro

Muslim Pro's journey started with its inception as a utility app dedicated to fulfilling the daily spiritual and practical needs of Muslims worldwide. Under Fara's guidance, Muslim Pro has undergone a significant transformation, evolving from its original utility focus to become a pioneering platform catering to the diverse facets of the Muslim community.

Fara's strategic foresight has been vital to transitioning Muslim Pro into a holistic ecosystem for Muslims. Beyond spiritual and religious guidance, the platform now encompasses educational resources, AI-driven tools, and robust partnerships with key enablers, brands, and organizations within the Muslim sector.

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2741 no LP View: Breaking Bias to Drive Returns w/ Joanna Kuang, Illumen Capital “We believe an inclusive and optimal asset management industry will be the cornerstone of an equal and equitable future.” - Illumen Capital While organizations explore ways to embody diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), authenticity and clear, measurable outcomes are essential for effectiveness.  This week, we're joined by Joanna Kuang, Senior Vice President of Product Development and Impact at Illumen Capital. We delve into the significance of impact investing and strategies to ensure tangible efforts are made to drive meaningful change in venture, in our society. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:18 - Joanna’s backstory as the daughter of immigrants; living experience in Mississippi Delta that drove her to join Illumen Capital 04:02 - Genesis of Illumen Capital as a fund of funds 05:42 - Study alongside Stanford SPARQ: Race influences professional investors’ financial judgments (2019) 09:16 - Diversity efforts in venture today; DEI policies 13:10 - Quantitative data to drive accountability; best practices to remove biases in pitching and diligence processes 18:06 - Illumen Capital’s stand under the backdrop of many anti-DEI laws 21:19 - Diversity drives performance: investment strategies and performance measurements 24:41 - Established and emerging managers as the next key strategy for Illumen Capital 28:18 - Portfolio construction as a fund of funds and ticket sizes 30:42 - The winning factors versus common mistakes in diverse fund managers; impact washing 32:47 - Looking ahead 2024 private market; advice for fund managers 35:38 - Billion Dollar Questions - About Illumen Capital Illumen Capital is an impact fund of funds addressing systemic inequity by reducing racial and gender bias in investing. Working closely with the world’s leading social psychologists at Stanford SPARQ, they combine investment capital with evidence-based tools and training designed to reduce implicit racial and gender bias in order to unlock latent return and multiply impact. More about Illumen Capital: https://www.illumencapital.com - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 28 Mar 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 68 Sarah Chen-Spellings “We believe an inclusive and optimal asset management industry will be the cornerstone of an equal and equitable future.” - Illumen Capital While organizations explore ways to embody diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), authenticity and clear, measurable outcomes are essential for effectiveness.  This week, we're joined by Joanna Kuang, Senior Vice President of Product Development and Impact at Illumen Capital. We delve into the significance of impact investing and strategies to ensure tangible efforts are made to drive meaningful change in venture, in our society. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 02:18 - Joanna’s backstory as the daughter of immigrants; living experience in Mississippi Delta that drove her to join Illumen Capital 04:02 - Genesis of Illumen Capital as a fund of funds 05:42 - Study alongside Stanford SPARQ: Race influences professional investors’ financial judgments (2019) 09:16 - Diversity efforts in venture today; DEI policies 13:10 - Quantitative data to drive accountability; best practices to remove biases in pitching and diligence processes 18:06 - Illumen Capital’s stand under the backdrop of many anti-DEI laws 21:19 - Diversity drives performance: investment strategies and performance measurements 24:41 - Established and emerging managers as the next key strategy for Illumen Capital 28:18 - Portfolio construction as a fund of funds and ticket sizes 30:42 - The winning factors versus common mistakes in diverse fund managers; impact washing 32:47 - Looking ahead 2024 private market; advice for fund managers 35:38 - Billion Dollar Questions - About Illumen Capital Illumen Capital is an impact fund of funds addressing systemic inequity by reducing racial and gender bias in investing. Working closely with the world’s leading social psychologists at Stanford SPARQ, they combine investment capital with evidence-based tools and training designed to reduce implicit racial and gender bias in order to unlock latent return and multiply impact. More about Illumen Capital: https://www.illumencapital.com - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal “We believe an inclusive and optimal asset management industry will be the cornerstone of an equal and equitable future.” - Illumen Capital

While organizations explore ways to embody diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), authenticity and clear, measurable outcomes are essential for effectiveness. 

This week, we're joined by Joanna Kuang, Senior Vice President of Product Development and Impact at Illumen Capital. We delve into the significance of impact investing and strategies to ensure tangible efforts are made to drive meaningful change in venture, in our society.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

02:18 - Joanna’s backstory as the daughter of immigrants; living experience in Mississippi Delta that drove her to join Illumen Capital

04:02 - Genesis of Illumen Capital as a fund of funds

05:42 - Study alongside Stanford SPARQ: Race influences professional investors’ financial judgments (2019)

09:16 - Diversity efforts in venture today; DEI policies

13:10 - Quantitative data to drive accountability; best practices to remove biases in pitching and diligence processes

18:06 - Illumen Capital’s stand under the backdrop of many anti-DEI laws

21:19 - Diversity drives performance: investment strategies and performance measurements

24:41 - Established and emerging managers as the next key strategy for Illumen Capital

28:18 - Portfolio construction as a fund of funds and ticket sizes

30:42 - The winning factors versus common mistakes in diverse fund managers; impact washing

32:47 - Looking ahead 2024 private market; advice for fund managers

35:38 - Billion Dollar Questions

-

About Illumen Capital

Illumen Capital is an impact fund of funds addressing systemic inequity by reducing racial and gender bias in investing.

Working closely with the world’s leading social psychologists at Stanford SPARQ, they combine investment capital with evidence-based tools and training designed to reduce implicit racial and gender bias in order to unlock latent return and multiply impact.

More about Illumen Capital: https://www.illumencapital.com

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2362 no Building Billion Dollar Business with Strategic Marketing w/ Ross Simmonds, Foundation Marketing Berkshire Hathaway and the famed investor Warren Buffett himself are often the topic of discussion when it comes to achieving success in the world of venture.  Nevertheless, despite the almost unassuming marketing strategies compared to today’s eye-catching everything, Berkshire Hathaway illustrated incomparable strategic marketing that yielded loyalty and reputation. This inspired today's Billion Dollar Bite, where we delve into the topic of strategic marketing and how us in the venture world can learn a thing or two. Ross Simmonds is the founder of today's leading content marketing firm, Foundation. Ross leads the team at Foundation, specializing in helping B2B and SaaS brands build content marketing engines that generate millions of visits a year, resulting in millions worth of new business. We covered a range of topics from A.I. and marketing reskilling your workforce to breaking down some amazing case studies from billion-dollar businesses like MasterClass and Berkshire Hathaway. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 2:47 - AI for marketer; takes on AI replacing marketer’s job 6:24 - Biggest lessons from MasterClass: building around Google search intent 10:33 - MasterClass’ marketing strategy 12:18 - Glassdoor’s content creation and SEO strategies 13:33 - Leveraging AI, the best approach to expand globally as B2B business 16:36 - Mr.Beast; Berkshire Hathaway; should all businesses be creators? 19:11 - Leaders as the voices on platform like LinkedIn 21:32 - Content creation in leadership position is a waste of time? 23:30 - How do we engage with public reaction on social media? 24:42 - Takes on nonpolitical versus political leader; common mistakes made by companies on social initiatives 28:00 - Billion dollar questions - About Ross Simmonds A marketer, keynote speaker, SaaS & B2B tech investor, writer and the CEO of Foundation. Ross is multitalented and devoted his work to help, inspire and teach the underdogs of the world how to use research, creation, distribution and optimization to unlock new levels of growth and opportunities. Ross’ content marketing agency, Foundation, offers content marketing services to a diverse clientele spanning the globe. We’ve worked some of the most successful SaaS companies in the world and work as partners for multiple publicly traded cloud companies who have redefined entire industries.  More about Ross and Foundation: https://rosssimmonds.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 21 Mar 2024 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 67 Sarah Chen-Spellings Berkshire Hathaway and the famed investor Warren Buffett himself are often the topic of discussion when it comes to achieving success in the world of venture.  Nevertheless, despite the almost unassuming marketing strategies compared to today’s eye-catching everything, Berkshire Hathaway illustrated incomparable strategic marketing that yielded loyalty and reputation. This inspired today's Billion Dollar Bite, where we delve into the topic of strategic marketing and how us in the venture world can learn a thing or two. Ross Simmonds is the founder of today's leading content marketing firm, Foundation. Ross leads the team at Foundation, specializing in helping B2B and SaaS brands build content marketing engines that generate millions of visits a year, resulting in millions worth of new business. We covered a range of topics from A.I. and marketing reskilling your workforce to breaking down some amazing case studies from billion-dollar businesses like MasterClass and Berkshire Hathaway. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 2:47 - AI for marketer; takes on AI replacing marketer’s job 6:24 - Biggest lessons from MasterClass: building around Google search intent 10:33 - MasterClass’ marketing strategy 12:18 - Glassdoor’s content creation and SEO strategies 13:33 - Leveraging AI, the best approach to expand globally as B2B business 16:36 - Mr.Beast; Berkshire Hathaway; should all businesses be creators? 19:11 - Leaders as the voices on platform like LinkedIn 21:32 - Content creation in leadership position is a waste of time? 23:30 - How do we engage with public reaction on social media? 24:42 - Takes on nonpolitical versus political leader; common mistakes made by companies on social initiatives 28:00 - Billion dollar questions - About Ross Simmonds A marketer, keynote speaker, SaaS & B2B tech investor, writer and the CEO of Foundation. Ross is multitalented and devoted his work to help, inspire and teach the underdogs of the world how to use research, creation, distribution and optimization to unlock new levels of growth and opportunities. Ross’ content marketing agency, Foundation, offers content marketing services to a diverse clientele spanning the globe. We’ve worked some of the most successful SaaS companies in the world and work as partners for multiple publicly traded cloud companies who have redefined entire industries.  More about Ross and Foundation: https://rosssimmonds.com/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Berkshire Hathaway and the famed investor Warren Buffett himself are often the topic of discussion when it comes to achieving success in the world of venture. 

Nevertheless, despite the almost unassuming marketing strategies compared to today’s eye-catching everything, Berkshire Hathaway illustrated incomparable strategic marketing that yielded loyalty and reputation.

This inspired today's Billion Dollar Bite, where we delve into the topic of strategic marketing and how us in the venture world can learn a thing or two.

Ross Simmonds is the founder of today's leading content marketing firm, Foundation. Ross leads the team at Foundation, specializing in helping B2B and SaaS brands build content marketing engines that generate millions of visits a year, resulting in millions worth of new business.

We covered a range of topics from A.I. and marketing reskilling your workforce to breaking down some amazing case studies from billion-dollar businesses like MasterClass and Berkshire Hathaway.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

2:47 - AI for marketer; takes on AI replacing marketer’s job

6:24 - Biggest lessons from MasterClass: building around Google search intent

10:33 - MasterClass’ marketing strategy

12:18 - Glassdoor’s content creation and SEO strategies

13:33 - Leveraging AI, the best approach to expand globally as B2B business

16:36 - Mr.Beast; Berkshire Hathaway; should all businesses be creators?

19:11 - Leaders as the voices on platform like LinkedIn

21:32 - Content creation in leadership position is a waste of time?

23:30 - How do we engage with public reaction on social media?

24:42 - Takes on nonpolitical versus political leader; common mistakes made by companies on social initiatives

28:00 - Billion dollar questions

-

About Ross Simmonds

A marketer, keynote speaker, SaaS & B2B tech investor, writer and the CEO of Foundation. Ross is multitalented and devoted his work to help, inspire and teach the underdogs of the world how to use research, creation, distribution and optimization to unlock new levels of growth and opportunities.

Ross’ content marketing agency, Foundation, offers content marketing services to a diverse clientele spanning the globe. We’ve worked some of the most successful SaaS companies in the world and work as partners for multiple publicly traded cloud companies who have redefined entire industries. 

More about Ross and Foundation: https://rosssimmonds.com/

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1915 no Unveiling Unicorn Pathways: How to Become a Unicorn w/ Leah Barto, Endeavor Global In venture capital, pattern recognition is a valuable skill.  Investors often analyze various pieces of a puzzle, employing pattern recognition to assess whether a company might be on the path to success. This week’s Billion Dollar Bite features Leah Barto, Senior Director of Research at Endeavor Global, who leads a team to redefine pattern recognition through the lens of data journalism. Endeavor has dedicated its mission to uncover unicorns worldwide, employing a data-driven approach and producing a comprehensive study titled “Where Do Unicorns Come From?” We’ve discussed the intriguing findings of this robust research, unveiling the factors that drive entrepreneurial ecosystems to thrive, and challenging stereotypes about what success should look like.  You won't want to miss this! Timestamps/ Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 2:15 - Endeavor’s mission, data journalism, “Where Do Unicorns Come From?” & the multiplier effect in startup ecosystems 5:37 - Takeaway #1: Educational backgrounds & debunking the myth of the elite educational pedigree. 6:29 - Takeaway #2: Entrepreneurial experience & age  7:58 - Takeaway #3: Global citizens - mostly with a migration background & advice for funders 9:35 - Takeaway #4: Pattern recognition - backgrounds and innovation made by unicorn founders from US versus emerging markets 11:30 - Takeaway #5: Solution to underrepresentation of female founders 14:33 - Takeaway #6: Hande Cilingir’s success story 16:32 - Takeaway #7: Scaling & paying it forward  About Endeavor Insight Endeavor Insight is the research division of Endeavor that provides data-driven analysis and visualizations showing what makes entrepreneurial ecosystems thrive. Our research team of economists, data scientists, and policy analysts specialize in understanding the needs of high-impact entrepreneurs and evaluating the networks that enable them to scale and pay it forward. Where Do Unicorns Come From? Link: https://endeavor.org/unicornpathways - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 14 Mar 2024 04:00:00 -0000 bonus 2 66 Sarah Chen-Spellings In venture capital, pattern recognition is a valuable skill.  Investors often analyze various pieces of a puzzle, employing pattern recognition to assess whether a company might be on the path to success. This week’s Billion Dollar Bite features Leah Barto, Senior Director of Research at Endeavor Global, who leads a team to redefine pattern recognition through the lens of data journalism. Endeavor has dedicated its mission to uncover unicorns worldwide, employing a data-driven approach and producing a comprehensive study titled “Where Do Unicorns Come From?” We’ve discussed the intriguing findings of this robust research, unveiling the factors that drive entrepreneurial ecosystems to thrive, and challenging stereotypes about what success should look like.  You won't want to miss this! Timestamps/ Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 2:15 - Endeavor’s mission, data journalism, “Where Do Unicorns Come From?” & the multiplier effect in startup ecosystems 5:37 - Takeaway #1: Educational backgrounds & debunking the myth of the elite educational pedigree. 6:29 - Takeaway #2: Entrepreneurial experience & age  7:58 - Takeaway #3: Global citizens - mostly with a migration background & advice for funders 9:35 - Takeaway #4: Pattern recognition - backgrounds and innovation made by unicorn founders from US versus emerging markets 11:30 - Takeaway #5: Solution to underrepresentation of female founders 14:33 - Takeaway #6: Hande Cilingir’s success story 16:32 - Takeaway #7: Scaling & paying it forward  About Endeavor Insight Endeavor Insight is the research division of Endeavor that provides data-driven analysis and visualizations showing what makes entrepreneurial ecosystems thrive. Our research team of economists, data scientists, and policy analysts specialize in understanding the needs of high-impact entrepreneurs and evaluating the networks that enable them to scale and pay it forward. Where Do Unicorns Come From? Link: https://endeavor.org/unicornpathways - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In venture capital, pattern recognition is a valuable skill. 

Investors often analyze various pieces of a puzzle, employing pattern recognition to assess whether a company might be on the path to success.

This week’s Billion Dollar Bite features Leah Barto, Senior Director of Research at Endeavor Global, who leads a team to redefine pattern recognition through the lens of data journalism.

Endeavor has dedicated its mission to uncover unicorns worldwide, employing a data-driven approach and producing a comprehensive study titled “Where Do Unicorns Come From?”

We’ve discussed the intriguing findings of this robust research, unveiling the factors that drive entrepreneurial ecosystems to thrive, and challenging stereotypes about what success should look like. 

You won't want to miss this!


Timestamps/ Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

2:15 - Endeavor’s mission, data journalism, “Where Do Unicorns Come From?” & the multiplier effect in startup ecosystems

5:37 - Takeaway #1: Educational backgrounds & debunking the myth of the elite educational pedigree.

6:29 - Takeaway #2: Entrepreneurial experience & age 

7:58 - Takeaway #3: Global citizens - mostly with a migration background & advice for funders

9:35 - Takeaway #4: Pattern recognition - backgrounds and innovation made by unicorn founders from US versus emerging markets

11:30 - Takeaway #5: Solution to underrepresentation of female founders

14:33 - Takeaway #6: Hande Cilingir’s success story

16:32 - Takeaway #7: Scaling & paying it forward 


About Endeavor Insight

Endeavor Insight is the research division of Endeavor that provides data-driven analysis and visualizations showing what makes entrepreneurial ecosystems thrive. Our research team of economists, data scientists, and policy analysts specialize in understanding the needs of high-impact entrepreneurs and evaluating the networks that enable them to scale and pay it forward.


Where Do Unicorns Come From?

Link: https://endeavor.org/unicornpathways

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1140 no Unlocking Venture Capital through Private Wealth w/ Samir Kaji, Allocate This week's guest is Samir Kaji, a prolific writer and host of Venture Unlocked, a podcast and blog that dives into the inner workings of venture capital, and the CEO and co-founder of Allocate. With over 20 years of experience in VC and private equity ecosystem, Samir's work has guided many investors, entrepreneurs, and fund managers on how to navigate and succeed in the private markets. Our conversation covers everything from the scale of private wealth funding, venture capital to the explosion of emerging managers and why the track record trap is one we need to be mindful of. Whether you are a GP, LP, or founder tuning in, this episode is full of gems. TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 2:54 - Who is Samir Kaji? 04:41 - How are banks different moving forward in 2024; interest rate and the end of ZIRP era 09:49 - Allocate: to provide opportunities to private markets & to invest with more visibility and transparency 13:34 - Business model of Allocate; bridging venture gap or beyond? 17:00 - Trends in venture from 2022 onwards 21:23 - How should LPs be thinking about misinformation of performance; portfolio construction as LPs 27:45 - Generating alphas and diversifying networks 32:49 - The track record trap; Pejman, Pear VC  36:54 - Fundraising, building enduring franchise and common mistakes of emerging managers; Kirsten Green, Forerunners 40:55 - Diversity in the realm of venture 42:30 - Predictions for 2024 44:46 - Billion dollar questions - About Allocate Alternative investments have become a growing staple in investor portfolios as investors continue to seek better portfolio diversification and higher returns. However investing in and alongside the most promising venture funds is primarily limited to institutional investors and industry insiders. We are here to change that.  Allocate is a digital investment platform that provides all types of investors with a programmatic and efficient way to discover and invest in high quality emerging and established venture capital funds, while providing fund managers with a streamlined way to access the fragmented private wealth market.   - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 07 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 65 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week's guest is Samir Kaji, a prolific writer and host of Venture Unlocked, a podcast and blog that dives into the inner workings of venture capital, and the CEO and co-founder of Allocate. With over 20 years of experience in VC and private equity ecosystem, Samir's work has guided many investors, entrepreneurs, and fund managers on how to navigate and succeed in the private markets. Our conversation covers everything from the scale of private wealth funding, venture capital to the explosion of emerging managers and why the track record trap is one we need to be mindful of. Whether you are a GP, LP, or founder tuning in, this episode is full of gems. TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 2:54 - Who is Samir Kaji? 04:41 - How are banks different moving forward in 2024; interest rate and the end of ZIRP era 09:49 - Allocate: to provide opportunities to private markets & to invest with more visibility and transparency 13:34 - Business model of Allocate; bridging venture gap or beyond? 17:00 - Trends in venture from 2022 onwards 21:23 - How should LPs be thinking about misinformation of performance; portfolio construction as LPs 27:45 - Generating alphas and diversifying networks 32:49 - The track record trap; Pejman, Pear VC  36:54 - Fundraising, building enduring franchise and common mistakes of emerging managers; Kirsten Green, Forerunners 40:55 - Diversity in the realm of venture 42:30 - Predictions for 2024 44:46 - Billion dollar questions - About Allocate Alternative investments have become a growing staple in investor portfolios as investors continue to seek better portfolio diversification and higher returns. However investing in and alongside the most promising venture funds is primarily limited to institutional investors and industry insiders. We are here to change that.  Allocate is a digital investment platform that provides all types of investors with a programmatic and efficient way to discover and invest in high quality emerging and established venture capital funds, while providing fund managers with a streamlined way to access the fragmented private wealth market.   - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week's guest is Samir Kaji, a prolific writer and host of Venture Unlocked, a podcast and blog that dives into the inner workings of venture capital, and the CEO and co-founder of Allocate. With over 20 years of experience in VC and private equity ecosystem, Samir's work has guided many investors, entrepreneurs, and fund managers on how to navigate and succeed in the private markets.

Our conversation covers everything from the scale of private wealth funding, venture capital to the explosion of emerging managers and why the track record trap is one we need to be mindful of. Whether you are a GP, LP, or founder tuning in, this episode is full of gems.


TIMESTAMP / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 - Intro

2:54 - Who is Samir Kaji?

04:41 - How are banks different moving forward in 2024; interest rate and the end of ZIRP era

09:49 - Allocate: to provide opportunities to private markets & to invest with more visibility and transparency

13:34 - Business model of Allocate; bridging venture gap or beyond?

17:00 - Trends in venture from 2022 onwards

21:23 - How should LPs be thinking about misinformation of performance; portfolio construction as LPs

27:45 - Generating alphas and diversifying networks

32:49 - The track record trap; Pejman, Pear VC 

36:54 - Fundraising, building enduring franchise and common mistakes of emerging managers; Kirsten Green, Forerunners

40:55 - Diversity in the realm of venture

42:30 - Predictions for 2024

44:46 - Billion dollar questions

-

About Allocate

Alternative investments have become a growing staple in investor portfolios as investors continue to seek better portfolio diversification and higher returns. However investing in and alongside the most promising venture funds is primarily limited to institutional investors and industry insiders. We are here to change that. 

Allocate is a digital investment platform that provides all types of investors with a programmatic and efficient way to discover and invest in high quality emerging and established venture capital funds, while providing fund managers with a streamlined way to access the fragmented private wealth market.  

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3021 no Behind the IPO: ACV Auctions & ASV w/ Somak Chattopadhyay & Vikas Mehta This week we had not one but two esteemed guests - a funder and his founder of choice to talk through everything from building trust and partnership to getting to that IPO. Featuring Somak Chattopadhyay, founder of Armory Square Ventures, and Vikas Mehta, COO of ACV Auctions. Their paths beautifully overlapped after their MIT days when Somak recognized ACV's potential in B2B automobile marketplaces and recruited Vikas to lead the operation. The rest is history, but in today’s episode, we delve deep into how Somak identifies potential in companies like ACV and, alongside Vikas, continues to drive value and scale to today, one of the most exciting marketplaces that investors are closely watching on the NASDAQ. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 Intro 3:00 Where the paths crossed: Somak’s journey with Armory Square Ventures; and Vikas’s prior to ACV Auctions 7:55 Takeaway 1: How did Somak identified and surfaced ACV as a tech unicorn 11:34 Vikas saying yes to Somak’s pitch on ACV Auctions 15:31 Takeaway 2: Breaking down business model of ACV Auctions from digitalising to scaling; “it was basically to get a level of trust and transparency on the asset that was previously unimaginable,” 21:07 Takeaway 3: Bringing in mentor who guides and fits well with the team and hiring the best talent 25:10 Takeaway 4: Adding value versus overstepping your bounds as a VC 28:11 Takeaway 5: Navigating through pandemic and building infrastructure under hyper growth 30:57 Takeaway 6: “What else could we do to leapfrog everyone else“; building and maturing a system that fills the industry gap 36:24 Takeaway 7: Vikas’ reflection: be more risk taking and hiring key unlockers of acceleration at early stage 37:53 Takeaway 8: Somak’s reflection: every time frame is different and about false positives on people 39:49 Looking forward #1: the automotive industry in 2024 40:46 Looking forward #2: 2024 as the best vintage year? 42:41 Takeaway 9: Vikas to founders: "How the world is predicted to be is rarely how it ends up being" 43:49 Takeaway 10: Somak: "Don't rely on zoom and teams or whichever tool you have as a crush for everything"  - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 29 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 64 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week we had not one but two esteemed guests - a funder and his founder of choice to talk through everything from building trust and partnership to getting to that IPO. Featuring Somak Chattopadhyay, founder of Armory Square Ventures, and Vikas Mehta, COO of ACV Auctions. Their paths beautifully overlapped after their MIT days when Somak recognized ACV's potential in B2B automobile marketplaces and recruited Vikas to lead the operation. The rest is history, but in today’s episode, we delve deep into how Somak identifies potential in companies like ACV and, alongside Vikas, continues to drive value and scale to today, one of the most exciting marketplaces that investors are closely watching on the NASDAQ. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 Intro 3:00 Where the paths crossed: Somak’s journey with Armory Square Ventures; and Vikas’s prior to ACV Auctions 7:55 Takeaway 1: How did Somak identified and surfaced ACV as a tech unicorn 11:34 Vikas saying yes to Somak’s pitch on ACV Auctions 15:31 Takeaway 2: Breaking down business model of ACV Auctions from digitalising to scaling; “it was basically to get a level of trust and transparency on the asset that was previously unimaginable,” 21:07 Takeaway 3: Bringing in mentor who guides and fits well with the team and hiring the best talent 25:10 Takeaway 4: Adding value versus overstepping your bounds as a VC 28:11 Takeaway 5: Navigating through pandemic and building infrastructure under hyper growth 30:57 Takeaway 6: “What else could we do to leapfrog everyone else“; building and maturing a system that fills the industry gap 36:24 Takeaway 7: Vikas’ reflection: be more risk taking and hiring key unlockers of acceleration at early stage 37:53 Takeaway 8: Somak’s reflection: every time frame is different and about false positives on people 39:49 Looking forward #1: the automotive industry in 2024 40:46 Looking forward #2: 2024 as the best vintage year? 42:41 Takeaway 9: Vikas to founders: "How the world is predicted to be is rarely how it ends up being" 43:49 Takeaway 10: Somak: "Don't rely on zoom and teams or whichever tool you have as a crush for everything"  - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week we had not one but two esteemed guests - a funder and his founder of choice to talk through everything from building trust and partnership to getting to that IPO.


Featuring Somak Chattopadhyay, founder of Armory Square Ventures, and Vikas Mehta, COO of ACV Auctions. Their paths beautifully overlapped after their MIT days when Somak recognized ACV's potential in B2B automobile marketplaces and recruited Vikas to lead the operation.


The rest is history, but in today’s episode, we delve deep into how Somak identifies potential in companies like ACV and, alongside Vikas, continues to drive value and scale to today, one of the most exciting marketplaces that investors are closely watching on the NASDAQ.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS


0:00 Intro

3:00 Where the paths crossed: Somak’s journey with Armory Square Ventures; and Vikas’s prior to ACV Auctions

7:55 Takeaway 1: How did Somak identified and surfaced ACV as a tech unicorn

11:34 Vikas saying yes to Somak’s pitch on ACV Auctions

15:31 Takeaway 2: Breaking down business model of ACV Auctions from digitalising to scaling; “it was basically to get a level of trust and transparency on the asset that was previously unimaginable,”

21:07 Takeaway 3: Bringing in mentor who guides and fits well with the team and hiring the best talent

25:10 Takeaway 4: Adding value versus overstepping your bounds as a VC

28:11 Takeaway 5: Navigating through pandemic and building infrastructure under hyper growth

30:57 Takeaway 6: “What else could we do to leapfrog everyone else“; building and maturing a system that fills the industry gap

36:24 Takeaway 7: Vikas’ reflection: be more risk taking and hiring key unlockers of acceleration at early stage

37:53 Takeaway 8: Somak’s reflection: every time frame is different and about false positives on people

39:49 Looking forward #1: the automotive industry in 2024

40:46 Looking forward #2: 2024 as the best vintage year?

42:41 Takeaway 9: Vikas to founders: "How the world is predicted to be is rarely how it ends up being"

43:49 Takeaway 10: Somak: "Don't rely on zoom and teams or whichever tool you have as a crush for everything" 

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2890 [REPLAY] Investing with Penny Pritzker & Building a Robust Venture & Growth Practice w/ Momei Qu, PSP Partners “If you can show strong growth in this environment, that means you’re getting corporate budgets at a time when corporate budgets are tightening.” As we continue to emerge from the belt-tightening era in investment and venture, now is an opportune moment to revisit an episode featuring Momei Qu, Managing Director of PSP Growth. Momei carved her own path in leadership, having worked with one of the trailblazers, the esteemed Penny Pritzker, former United States Secretary of Commerce and American billionaire businesswoman known for family investments in Hyatt Hotels and Marmon Group. Today, Momei, who leads PSP's venture capital and growth equity initiative, shares her leadership lessons, from collaborating with a trailblazer to building a robust venture and growth practice and focusing on the future of B2B SaaS despite the valuation slashes we've witnessed. TIMESTAMPS / KEYTAKEAWAYS 0:00 Intro 0:55 Recognizing the gap in commercializing technology 2:40 Joining Merrill Lynch and stepping into venture 06:01 Skillset as both engineer and venture investor; upbringing and exposure to deals 8:10 Working with Penny Pritzker's private investment group; “If you don't ask for something, you might not get it.” 12:28 PSP’s collaborative strategies: ventures, multi-family and industrial properties, private equity, etc; “I've been pleasantly surprised, the unexpected piece of how collaborative everyone has been, and how much better it has been to unlock the power of the whole platform.” 17:07 Takes on allocation and balancing investments for family offices 19:11 Investing in adversed time and building a robust venture practice; on me too companies 21:28 Solutions that go hand in hand with the market and the focus on B2B SaaS  24:44 Notable patterns in SaaS 27:42 Takes on B2B SaaS application and AI technologies: security and responsibilities 30:50 Takes on founder’s limits and ethics in AI tech innovation 32:45 Diligence as an investor 34:24 Billion Dollar Questions 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 is THE show for the audacious next-gen leaders.  Unfiltered. Personal. Inspirational.  Tune in to learn from world's foremost funders and founders, and their unicorn journey in the dynamic world of venture and business. From underestimated to iconic, YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 22 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 63 Sarah Chen-Spellings “If you can show strong growth in this environment, that means you’re getting corporate budgets at a time when corporate budgets are tightening.” As we continue to emerge from the belt-tightening era in investment and venture, now is an opportune moment to revisit an episode featuring Momei Qu, Managing Director of PSP Growth. Momei carved her own path in leadership, having worked with one of the trailblazers, the esteemed Penny Pritzker, former United States Secretary of Commerce and American billionaire businesswoman known for family investments in Hyatt Hotels and Marmon Group. Today, Momei, who leads PSP's venture capital and growth equity initiative, shares her leadership lessons, from collaborating with a trailblazer to building a robust venture and growth practice and focusing on the future of B2B SaaS despite the valuation slashes we've witnessed. TIMESTAMPS / KEYTAKEAWAYS 0:00 Intro 0:55 Recognizing the gap in commercializing technology 2:40 Joining Merrill Lynch and stepping into venture 06:01 Skillset as both engineer and venture investor; upbringing and exposure to deals 8:10 Working with Penny Pritzker's private investment group; “If you don't ask for something, you might not get it.” 12:28 PSP’s collaborative strategies: ventures, multi-family and industrial properties, private equity, etc; “I've been pleasantly surprised, the unexpected piece of how collaborative everyone has been, and how much better it has been to unlock the power of the whole platform.” 17:07 Takes on allocation and balancing investments for family offices 19:11 Investing in adversed time and building a robust venture practice; on me too companies 21:28 Solutions that go hand in hand with the market and the focus on B2B SaaS  24:44 Notable patterns in SaaS 27:42 Takes on B2B SaaS application and AI technologies: security and responsibilities 30:50 Takes on founder’s limits and ethics in AI tech innovation 32:45 Diligence as an investor 34:24 Billion Dollar Questions 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 is THE show for the audacious next-gen leaders.  Unfiltered. Personal. Inspirational.  Tune in to learn from world's foremost funders and founders, and their unicorn journey in the dynamic world of venture and business. From underestimated to iconic, YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal “If you can show strong growth in this environment, that means you’re getting corporate budgets at a time when corporate budgets are tightening.”


As we continue to emerge from the belt-tightening era in investment and venture, now is an opportune moment to revisit an episode featuring Momei Qu, Managing Director of PSP Growth.


Momei carved her own path in leadership, having worked with one of the trailblazers, the esteemed Penny Pritzker, former United States Secretary of Commerce and American billionaire businesswoman known for family investments in Hyatt Hotels and Marmon Group.


Today, Momei, who leads PSP's venture capital and growth equity initiative, shares her leadership lessons, from collaborating with a trailblazer to building a robust venture and growth practice and focusing on the future of B2B SaaS despite the valuation slashes we've witnessed.


TIMESTAMPS / KEYTAKEAWAYS


0:00 Intro

0:55 Recognizing the gap in commercializing technology

2:40 Joining Merrill Lynch and stepping into venture

06:01 Skillset as both engineer and venture investor; upbringing and exposure to deals

8:10 Working with Penny Pritzker's private investment group; “If you don't ask for something, you might not get it.”

12:28 PSP’s collaborative strategies: ventures, multi-family and industrial properties, private equity, etc; “I've been pleasantly surprised, the unexpected piece of how collaborative everyone has been, and how much better it has been to unlock the power of the whole platform.”

17:07 Takes on allocation and balancing investments for family offices

19:11 Investing in adversed time and building a robust venture practice; on me too companies

21:28 Solutions that go hand in hand with the market and the focus on B2B SaaS 

24:44 Notable patterns in SaaS

27:42 Takes on B2B SaaS application and AI technologies: security and responsibilities

30:50 Takes on founder’s limits and ethics in AI tech innovation

32:45 Diligence as an investor

34:24 Billion Dollar Questions


𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 is THE show for the audacious next-gen leaders. 

Unfiltered. Personal. Inspirational. 

Tune in to learn from world's foremost funders and founders, and their unicorn journey in the dynamic world of venture and business.

From underestimated to iconic, YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2495 no Bite: Driving Returns through Diversity with Erin Harkless Moore, Pivotal Ventures Investing in women is the smartest thing you could do right now.  Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investments at Pivotal Ventures, a company founded by Melinda French Gates to promote social equity in the realm of investment, eloquently expressed this notion with her work. Whereas in numerous regions across the globe today, it's surprising to consider that such a statement could be contentious. However, we must stand firm: progress is never linear. This week, we're revisiting Erin's episode from last year, delving into discussions ranging from the mission of Pivotal Ventures and her investment strategy to understanding why Melinda French Gates continues to invest $1 billion in women. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 Intro 02:50 Takeaway 1: on Pivotal Ventures and driving societal change 06:43 Takeaway 2: Investment in diversity initiatives under attack - what are the solutions? 11:32 Takeaway 3: Melinda French Gate’s $1B commitment, investment strategies & getting to a 'yes' as an LP Full Episode with Erin: 🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-pivotal 🎞️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/rlnpoq9bgH8 About Pivotal Ventures Pivotal ventures engage in strategic investments in funds and early-stage companies, aiming to accelerate social progress by putting more capital in the hands of women and people of color, unlocking new market-based solutions to social problems, and demonstrating that historically under-resourced founders and investors deliver market returns. Learn more about Pivotal Ventures: Pivotal Ventures | A Melinda French Gates Company Investing | Pivotal Ventures Breaking With Tradition Melinda Gates: Here's Why I'm Committing $1 Billion to Promote Gender Equality - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 15 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0000 bonus 2 62 Sarah Chen-Spellings Investing in women is the smartest thing you could do right now.  Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investments at Pivotal Ventures, a company founded by Melinda French Gates to promote social equity in the realm of investment, eloquently expressed this notion with her work. Whereas in numerous regions across the globe today, it's surprising to consider that such a statement could be contentious. However, we must stand firm: progress is never linear. This week, we're revisiting Erin's episode from last year, delving into discussions ranging from the mission of Pivotal Ventures and her investment strategy to understanding why Melinda French Gates continues to invest $1 billion in women. TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 Intro 02:50 Takeaway 1: on Pivotal Ventures and driving societal change 06:43 Takeaway 2: Investment in diversity initiatives under attack - what are the solutions? 11:32 Takeaway 3: Melinda French Gate’s $1B commitment, investment strategies & getting to a 'yes' as an LP Full Episode with Erin: 🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-pivotal 🎞️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/rlnpoq9bgH8 About Pivotal Ventures Pivotal ventures engage in strategic investments in funds and early-stage companies, aiming to accelerate social progress by putting more capital in the hands of women and people of color, unlocking new market-based solutions to social problems, and demonstrating that historically under-resourced founders and investors deliver market returns. Learn more about Pivotal Ventures: Pivotal Ventures | A Melinda French Gates Company Investing | Pivotal Ventures Breaking With Tradition Melinda Gates: Here's Why I'm Committing $1 Billion to Promote Gender Equality - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Investing in women is the smartest thing you could do right now. 

Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investments at Pivotal Ventures, a company founded by Melinda French Gates to promote social equity in the realm of investment, eloquently expressed this notion with her work.

Whereas in numerous regions across the globe today, it's surprising to consider that such a statement could be contentious. However, we must stand firm: progress is never linear.

This week, we're revisiting Erin's episode from last year, delving into discussions ranging from the mission of Pivotal Ventures and her investment strategy to understanding why Melinda French Gates continues to invest $1 billion in women.


TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS

0:00 Intro

02:50 Takeaway 1: on Pivotal Ventures and driving societal change

06:43 Takeaway 2: Investment in diversity initiatives under attack - what are the solutions?

11:32 Takeaway 3: Melinda French Gate’s $1B commitment, investment strategies & getting to a 'yes' as an LP


Full Episode with Erin:

🎙️Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-pivotal

🎞️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/rlnpoq9bgH8


About Pivotal Ventures

Pivotal ventures engage in strategic investments in funds and early-stage companies, aiming to accelerate social progress by putting more capital in the hands of women and people of color, unlocking new market-based solutions to social problems, and demonstrating that historically under-resourced founders and investors deliver market returns.

Learn more about Pivotal Ventures:

Pivotal Ventures | A Melinda French Gates Company

Investing | Pivotal Ventures

Breaking With Tradition

Melinda Gates: Here's Why I'm Committing $1 Billion to Promote Gender Equality


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1264 no Surfacing Unicorns in Emerging Markets w/ Allen Taylor, Endeavor Catalyst This week's episode features Allen Taylor, managing partner at Endeavor Catalyst, one of the earliest supporters at the Billion Dollar Fund for Women (now Beyong The Billion). Allen also sits on the global leadership team at Endeavor, a mission driven organization focused on supporting high growth companies in emerging and underserved markets. We discuss everything from how Reid Hoffman inspired the design of a rules-based fund that in its beta already made LPs eight times their money on an 8.5x DPI to his personal journey with Endeavor to have grown to support over 2,000 high impact entrepreneurs all over the world. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 Intro 02:47 The beginning of Allen’s journey with Endeavor 04:49 Takeaway 1: Endeavor’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit business model - top down and bottom up approaches 10:29 Takeaway 2: What it means to build a firm and a franchise 13:32 Takeaway 3: Backing talented founder in emerging markets 19:57 Takeaway 4: Endeavor's rule-based fund & selection criteria 22:48 Takeaway 5: Takes on “copycat models”  26:40 Takeaway 6: The secret formula to making a mark in underserved markets 30:54 Takeaway 7: Emerging markets landscape for 2024  33:16 Billion Dollar Questions - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 08 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 61 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week's episode features Allen Taylor, managing partner at Endeavor Catalyst, one of the earliest supporters at the Billion Dollar Fund for Women (now Beyong The Billion). Allen also sits on the global leadership team at Endeavor, a mission driven organization focused on supporting high growth companies in emerging and underserved markets. We discuss everything from how Reid Hoffman inspired the design of a rules-based fund that in its beta already made LPs eight times their money on an 8.5x DPI to his personal journey with Endeavor to have grown to support over 2,000 high impact entrepreneurs all over the world. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 Intro 02:47 The beginning of Allen’s journey with Endeavor 04:49 Takeaway 1: Endeavor’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit business model - top down and bottom up approaches 10:29 Takeaway 2: What it means to build a firm and a franchise 13:32 Takeaway 3: Backing talented founder in emerging markets 19:57 Takeaway 4: Endeavor's rule-based fund & selection criteria 22:48 Takeaway 5: Takes on “copycat models”  26:40 Takeaway 6: The secret formula to making a mark in underserved markets 30:54 Takeaway 7: Emerging markets landscape for 2024  33:16 Billion Dollar Questions - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week's episode features Allen Taylor, managing partner at Endeavor Catalyst, one of the earliest supporters at the Billion Dollar Fund for Women (now Beyong The Billion). Allen also sits on the global leadership team at Endeavor, a mission driven organization focused on supporting high growth companies in emerging and underserved markets.

We discuss everything from how Reid Hoffman inspired the design of a rules-based fund that in its beta already made LPs eight times their money on an 8.5x DPI to his personal journey with Endeavor to have grown to support over 2,000 high impact entrepreneurs all over the world.


Timestamps/Key Takeaways


0:00 Intro

02:47 The beginning of Allen’s journey with Endeavor

04:49 Takeaway 1: Endeavor’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit business model - top down and bottom up approaches

10:29 Takeaway 2: What it means to build a firm and a franchise

13:32 Takeaway 3: Backing talented founder in emerging markets

19:57 Takeaway 4: Endeavor's rule-based fund & selection criteria

22:48 Takeaway 5: Takes on “copycat models” 

26:40 Takeaway 6: The secret formula to making a mark in underserved markets

30:54 Takeaway 7: Emerging markets landscape for 2024 

33:16 Billion Dollar Questions

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2241 no Rise with Resilience: Becoming a Rare Unicorn Iman Abuzeid, Incredible Health "It's probably not a good idea to overlook female CEOs or Black CEOs. Because they're driving an enormous amount of value in business. And you overlook it at your own expense." - Iman Abuzeid, Co-founder & CEO of Incredible Health This week's Billion Dollar Bite is from an event held in Austin, hosted by Beyond the Billion and Brown Advisory, among a crowd of family offices and other investors. Featuring Iman Abuzeid, who upon raising her 80 million Series B funding round, valued her healthcare career marketplace startup at $1.65 billion. Iman exists in rarified air: she is one of only a handful of Black female founders to run a company valued at more than $1 billion. And yet! Rejection, inequality, and leadership pitfalls remain a reoccurring theme in her journey. Tune in as we covered a few topics from fundraising, shifting mindsets to focusing on the fundamentals in a challenging environment. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 Intro 2:08 Takeaway 1: Rejection is the norm 2:49 Takeaway 2: Fundraising tips: be very selective about who you pursue  3:28 Takeaway 3: Fundraising tips: Focus on your vision and mission despite the stats 4:19 Takeaway 4: Financing strategies are personal decisions 5:02 Takeaway 5: Focusing on the fundamentals: market and strategy 7:23 Takeaway 6: A common mistake among leaders: the people - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 01 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0000 bonus 2 60 Sarah Chen-Spellings "It's probably not a good idea to overlook female CEOs or Black CEOs. Because they're driving an enormous amount of value in business. And you overlook it at your own expense." - Iman Abuzeid, Co-founder & CEO of Incredible Health This week's Billion Dollar Bite is from an event held in Austin, hosted by Beyond the Billion and Brown Advisory, among a crowd of family offices and other investors. Featuring Iman Abuzeid, who upon raising her 80 million Series B funding round, valued her healthcare career marketplace startup at $1.65 billion. Iman exists in rarified air: she is one of only a handful of Black female founders to run a company valued at more than $1 billion. And yet! Rejection, inequality, and leadership pitfalls remain a reoccurring theme in her journey. Tune in as we covered a few topics from fundraising, shifting mindsets to focusing on the fundamentals in a challenging environment. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 0:00 Intro 2:08 Takeaway 1: Rejection is the norm 2:49 Takeaway 2: Fundraising tips: be very selective about who you pursue  3:28 Takeaway 3: Fundraising tips: Focus on your vision and mission despite the stats 4:19 Takeaway 4: Financing strategies are personal decisions 5:02 Takeaway 5: Focusing on the fundamentals: market and strategy 7:23 Takeaway 6: A common mistake among leaders: the people - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal "It's probably not a good idea to overlook female CEOs or Black CEOs. Because they're driving an enormous amount of value in business. And you overlook it at your own expense." - Iman Abuzeid, Co-founder & CEO of Incredible Health


This week's Billion Dollar Bite is from an event held in Austin, hosted by Beyond the Billion and Brown Advisory, among a crowd of family offices and other investors. Featuring Iman Abuzeid, who upon raising her 80 million Series B funding round, valued her healthcare career marketplace startup at $1.65 billion.

Iman exists in rarified air: she is one of only a handful of Black female founders to run a company valued at more than $1 billion. And yet! Rejection, inequality, and leadership pitfalls remain a reoccurring theme in her journey.

Tune in as we covered a few topics from fundraising, shifting mindsets to focusing on the fundamentals in a challenging environment.


Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 Intro

2:08 Takeaway 1: Rejection is the norm

2:49 Takeaway 2: Fundraising tips: be very selective about who you pursue 

3:28 Takeaway 3: Fundraising tips: Focus on your vision and mission despite the stats

4:19 Takeaway 4: Financing strategies are personal decisions

5:02 Takeaway 5: Focusing on the fundamentals: market and strategy

7:23 Takeaway 6: A common mistake among leaders: the people


-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 675 no Breaking Barriers: Why “Taboo” Brands Win with Shama Amalean Skinner (Former COO, Thinx Inc.) From a market that was almost nonexistent in 2015, hitting double digits with a ~25% CAGR by 2018, Femtech and women's health industry have been long underestimated until the rise of Thinx and similar brands revolutionized the industry. Today’s guest is Shama Amalean Skinner, an entrepreneur, a trailblazer in the world of feminine care, and a business leader who has broken barriers and challenged societal norms with her previous position as COO at Thinx Inc. Shama played a pivotal role in transforming Thinx into a household name, ultimately paving the way for the mass adoption of reusable products in an industry dominated by single-use disposables. For the first time, Shama reveals how she would have done things differently from an operator's standpoint and expresses real frustration about how the Femtech market is still grossly underfunded, despite its massive potential. Whether you're looking to finally crack mass retail this year for your product or working through some challenging personal questions and navigating startup life, this is another episode I think you'll love. - TIMESTAMPS & Key Takeaways 0:00 Intro 03:15 Takeaway 1: Three potential opportunities Shama saw in Thinx 04:48 Takeaway 2: Changing consumer behaviour and skepticism regarding period underwear #1: Create a movement destigmatizing periods  06:26 #2: Increase brand awareness with controversial subway ads 08:32 #3: Converting followship into purchases and revenue with product education and word of mouth effect 10:17 Takeaway 3: Changing mind and creating loyalty globally with advocacy work  13:01 Takeaway 4: Business model and revenue numbers for feminine care market 14:05 Takeaway 5: Framework for a successful brand: branding, product, and team 15:32 Takeaway 6: Shama’s take on what should COOs have in mind as priorities 17:13 Takeaway 7: Strategies against supply chain issues 19:44 Takeaway 8: Create redundancy in supply chain 20:27 Takeaway 9: What makes a good COO? 21:40 Takeaway 10: Business opportunities in Femtech and women health 24:33 Takeaway 11: What needs to change for women to progress in the capital spectrum in getting that innovation funding? 25:47 Takeaway 12: Founder’s lens: rejections at funding stage 28:39 Takeaway 13: Key to decision-making as Thinx going into retail 30:22 Takeaway 14: When is right time for founders or top performers to move on? 31:46 Takeaway 15: 3 questions you ask yourself to decide if you were to step away  32:30 Billion Dollar Questions - About Shama Amalean Skinner Shama Amalean Skinner is an entrepreneur and executive working at the intersection of sustainability and consumer markets. She is the former chief operating officer of Thinx Inc, the revolutionary period and incontinence underwear company. At Thinx, she played a key role in launching, growing, and ultimately selling the company to a publicly listed corporation — effectively catalyzing the mass adoption of a reusable product in a category dominated by single-use disposables. Shama is an engaged consultant, board member, and advisor to innovative start-ups, venture funds, and nonprofit organizations. She is deeply committed to advocating for gender equity and helping solve the climate crisis. Shama | LinkedIn - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 25 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 59 Sarah Chen-Spellings From a market that was almost nonexistent in 2015, hitting double digits with a ~25% CAGR by 2018, Femtech and women's health industry have been long underestimated until the rise of Thinx and similar brands revolutionized the industry. Today’s guest is Shama Amalean Skinner, an entrepreneur, a trailblazer in the world of feminine care, and a business leader who has broken barriers and challenged societal norms with her previous position as COO at Thinx Inc. Shama played a pivotal role in transforming Thinx into a household name, ultimately paving the way for the mass adoption of reusable products in an industry dominated by single-use disposables. For the first time, Shama reveals how she would have done things differently from an operator's standpoint and expresses real frustration about how the Femtech market is still grossly underfunded, despite its massive potential. Whether you're looking to finally crack mass retail this year for your product or working through some challenging personal questions and navigating startup life, this is another episode I think you'll love. - TIMESTAMPS & Key Takeaways 0:00 Intro 03:15 Takeaway 1: Three potential opportunities Shama saw in Thinx 04:48 Takeaway 2: Changing consumer behaviour and skepticism regarding period underwear #1: Create a movement destigmatizing periods  06:26 #2: Increase brand awareness with controversial subway ads 08:32 #3: Converting followship into purchases and revenue with product education and word of mouth effect 10:17 Takeaway 3: Changing mind and creating loyalty globally with advocacy work  13:01 Takeaway 4: Business model and revenue numbers for feminine care market 14:05 Takeaway 5: Framework for a successful brand: branding, product, and team 15:32 Takeaway 6: Shama’s take on what should COOs have in mind as priorities 17:13 Takeaway 7: Strategies against supply chain issues 19:44 Takeaway 8: Create redundancy in supply chain 20:27 Takeaway 9: What makes a good COO? 21:40 Takeaway 10: Business opportunities in Femtech and women health 24:33 Takeaway 11: What needs to change for women to progress in the capital spectrum in getting that innovation funding? 25:47 Takeaway 12: Founder’s lens: rejections at funding stage 28:39 Takeaway 13: Key to decision-making as Thinx going into retail 30:22 Takeaway 14: When is right time for founders or top performers to move on? 31:46 Takeaway 15: 3 questions you ask yourself to decide if you were to step away  32:30 Billion Dollar Questions - About Shama Amalean Skinner Shama Amalean Skinner is an entrepreneur and executive working at the intersection of sustainability and consumer markets. She is the former chief operating officer of Thinx Inc, the revolutionary period and incontinence underwear company. At Thinx, she played a key role in launching, growing, and ultimately selling the company to a publicly listed corporation — effectively catalyzing the mass adoption of a reusable product in a category dominated by single-use disposables. Shama is an engaged consultant, board member, and advisor to innovative start-ups, venture funds, and nonprofit organizations. She is deeply committed to advocating for gender equity and helping solve the climate crisis. Shama | LinkedIn - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal From a market that was almost nonexistent in 2015, hitting double digits with a ~25% CAGR by 2018, Femtech and women's health industry have been long underestimated until the rise of Thinx and similar brands revolutionized the industry.


Today’s guest is Shama Amalean Skinner, an entrepreneur, a trailblazer in the world of feminine care, and a business leader who has broken barriers and challenged societal norms with her previous position as COO at Thinx Inc. Shama played a pivotal role in transforming Thinx into a household name, ultimately paving the way for the mass adoption of reusable products in an industry dominated by single-use disposables.


For the first time, Shama reveals how she would have done things differently from an operator's standpoint and expresses real frustration about how the Femtech market is still grossly underfunded, despite its massive potential. Whether you're looking to finally crack mass retail this year for your product or working through some challenging personal questions and navigating startup life, this is another episode I think you'll love.

-

TIMESTAMPS & Key Takeaways

0:00 Intro

03:15 Takeaway 1: Three potential opportunities Shama saw in Thinx

04:48 Takeaway 2: Changing consumer behaviour and skepticism regarding period underwear #1: Create a movement destigmatizing periods 

06:26 #2: Increase brand awareness with controversial subway ads

08:32 #3: Converting followship into purchases and revenue with product education and word of mouth effect

10:17 Takeaway 3: Changing mind and creating loyalty globally with advocacy work 

13:01 Takeaway 4: Business model and revenue numbers for feminine care market

14:05 Takeaway 5: Framework for a successful brand: branding, product, and team

15:32 Takeaway 6: Shama’s take on what should COOs have in mind as priorities

17:13 Takeaway 7: Strategies against supply chain issues

19:44 Takeaway 8: Create redundancy in supply chain

20:27 Takeaway 9: What makes a good COO?

21:40 Takeaway 10: Business opportunities in Femtech and women health

24:33 Takeaway 11: What needs to change for women to progress in the capital spectrum in getting that innovation funding?

25:47 Takeaway 12: Founder’s lens: rejections at funding stage

28:39 Takeaway 13: Key to decision-making as Thinx going into retail

30:22 Takeaway 14: When is right time for founders or top performers to move on?

31:46 Takeaway 15: 3 questions you ask yourself to decide if you were to step away 

32:30 Billion Dollar Questions

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About Shama Amalean Skinner

Shama Amalean Skinner is an entrepreneur and executive working at the intersection of sustainability and consumer markets. She is the former chief operating officer of Thinx Inc, the revolutionary period and incontinence underwear company. At Thinx, she played a key role in launching, growing, and ultimately selling the company to a publicly listed corporation — effectively catalyzing the mass adoption of a reusable product in a category dominated by single-use disposables. Shama is an engaged consultant, board member, and advisor to innovative start-ups, venture funds, and nonprofit organizations. She is deeply committed to advocating for gender equity and helping solve the climate crisis.

Shama | LinkedIn

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2372 LP Special: How Emerging Managers can win in 2024 with Adam Street Partners, IFC, Capria Ventures The global economic uncertainty and a shift in focus towards sustainable growth are widely expected to impact the fundraising prospects for new vehicles, especially those focused on emerging markets or launched by first-time managers.  As Asia continues to present key growth opportunities, how are dynamics between LPs and GPs evolving? In the current environment, how should emerging managers approach LPs? Will the going be tougher for first-time fund managers raising debut vehicles? Will operating across different cycles prove to be an advantage? Key Takeaways/Timestamps 0:00 Intro 3:12 Opening: Tsubasa Suruga (Moderator) 3:46 Takeaway 1: Tendency to just go re-ups & familiarity as part of assessment for investment 6:21 Takeaway 2: Bifurcation between first-time funds  7:40 Takeaway 3: Attributes of successful first-time fundraisers 12:36 Takeaway 4: LP’s view on first- or second-time fund managers 15:05 Takeaway 5: Diversifying strategies and portfolio: 2 types of LPs 17:54 Takeaway 6: Takes on new investors venturing into Asia market 20:04 Takeaway 7: How can GPs differentiate themselves in this current environment #1: Finding your niche 24:15 Takeaway 8: How can GPs differentiate themselves in this current environment #2: Seek diversity in team 26:03 Takeaway 9: Blending private sector capital with DFI capital in emerging market to create sustainable investments 30:32 Takeaway 10: Takes on impact and sustainable investing 32:11 Takeaway 11: How can GPs differentiate themselves in this current environment #3: Relationship building and identifying strengths 33:50 Takeaway 12: Sarah's Takes on US market - This is a snippet from a panel took place at PEVC Summit 2022, titled Backing Emerging Market and First Time Managers in Adverse Time. An insightful discussion was carried out on the VC market trends in Asia, challenges and what it takes for first time managers in this ever changing environment. Speakers: Soo Yar-Ping, Partner, Primary Investments, Adams Street Partners Huai Fong Chew, Regional Lead, East Asia & the Pacific PE Funds, IFC Dave Richards, Managing Partner, Capria Ventures Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion (launched as The Billion Dollar Fund for Women) Tsubasa Suruga, Staff Writer, Nikkei Asia (Moderator) FULL VIDEO: The LP View - Backing Emerging Managers in Adverse Times | PEVC Summit 2022 - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 18 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 58 Sarah Chen-Spellings The global economic uncertainty and a shift in focus towards sustainable growth are widely expected to impact the fundraising prospects for new vehicles, especially those focused on emerging markets or launched by first-time managers.  As Asia continues to present key growth opportunities, how are dynamics between LPs and GPs evolving? In the current environment, how should emerging managers approach LPs? Will the going be tougher for first-time fund managers raising debut vehicles? Will operating across different cycles prove to be an advantage? Key Takeaways/Timestamps 0:00 Intro 3:12 Opening: Tsubasa Suruga (Moderator) 3:46 Takeaway 1: Tendency to just go re-ups & familiarity as part of assessment for investment 6:21 Takeaway 2: Bifurcation between first-time funds  7:40 Takeaway 3: Attributes of successful first-time fundraisers 12:36 Takeaway 4: LP’s view on first- or second-time fund managers 15:05 Takeaway 5: Diversifying strategies and portfolio: 2 types of LPs 17:54 Takeaway 6: Takes on new investors venturing into Asia market 20:04 Takeaway 7: How can GPs differentiate themselves in this current environment #1: Finding your niche 24:15 Takeaway 8: How can GPs differentiate themselves in this current environment #2: Seek diversity in team 26:03 Takeaway 9: Blending private sector capital with DFI capital in emerging market to create sustainable investments 30:32 Takeaway 10: Takes on impact and sustainable investing 32:11 Takeaway 11: How can GPs differentiate themselves in this current environment #3: Relationship building and identifying strengths 33:50 Takeaway 12: Sarah's Takes on US market - This is a snippet from a panel took place at PEVC Summit 2022, titled Backing Emerging Market and First Time Managers in Adverse Time. An insightful discussion was carried out on the VC market trends in Asia, challenges and what it takes for first time managers in this ever changing environment. Speakers: Soo Yar-Ping, Partner, Primary Investments, Adams Street Partners Huai Fong Chew, Regional Lead, East Asia & the Pacific PE Funds, IFC Dave Richards, Managing Partner, Capria Ventures Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion (launched as The Billion Dollar Fund for Women) Tsubasa Suruga, Staff Writer, Nikkei Asia (Moderator) FULL VIDEO: The LP View - Backing Emerging Managers in Adverse Times | PEVC Summit 2022 - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal The global economic uncertainty and a shift in focus towards sustainable growth are widely expected to impact the fundraising prospects for new vehicles, especially those focused on emerging markets or launched by first-time managers. 


As Asia continues to present key growth opportunities, how are dynamics between LPs and GPs evolving? In the current environment, how should emerging managers approach LPs? Will the going be tougher for first-time fund managers raising debut vehicles? Will operating across different cycles prove to be an advantage?


Key Takeaways/Timestamps

0:00 Intro

3:12 Opening: Tsubasa Suruga (Moderator)

3:46 Takeaway 1: Tendency to just go re-ups & familiarity as part of assessment for investment

6:21 Takeaway 2: Bifurcation between first-time funds 

7:40 Takeaway 3: Attributes of successful first-time fundraisers

12:36 Takeaway 4: LP’s view on first- or second-time fund managers

15:05 Takeaway 5: Diversifying strategies and portfolio: 2 types of LPs

17:54 Takeaway 6: Takes on new investors venturing into Asia market

20:04 Takeaway 7: How can GPs differentiate themselves in this current environment #1: Finding your niche

24:15 Takeaway 8: How can GPs differentiate themselves in this current environment #2: Seek diversity in team

26:03 Takeaway 9: Blending private sector capital with DFI capital in emerging market to create sustainable investments

30:32 Takeaway 10: Takes on impact and sustainable investing

32:11 Takeaway 11: How can GPs differentiate themselves in this current environment #3: Relationship building and identifying strengths

33:50 Takeaway 12: Sarah's Takes on US market

-

This is a snippet from a panel took place at PEVC Summit 2022, titled Backing Emerging Market and First Time Managers in Adverse Time. An insightful discussion was carried out on the VC market trends in Asia, challenges and what it takes for first time managers in this ever changing environment.


Speakers:

Soo Yar-Ping, Partner, Primary Investments, Adams Street Partners

Huai Fong Chew, Regional Lead, East Asia & the Pacific PE Funds, IFC

Dave Richards, Managing Partner, Capria Ventures

Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion (launched as The Billion Dollar Fund for Women)

Tsubasa Suruga, Staff Writer, Nikkei Asia (Moderator)


FULL VIDEO:

The LP View - Backing Emerging Managers in Adverse Times | PEVC Summit 2022

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2326 no [BONUS] Living Under the Gun: Son of Pablo Escobar, Juan Pablo Escobar As we step into the new year of 2024, we bring you a conversation that challenges the very essence of legacy.  In this short and impromptu episode, Juan Pablo Escobar (now known as Sebastián Marroquín), the son of the notorious drug cartel leader Pablo Escobar, shares insights that will challenge preconceptions and spark hope. Join us as we explore how one man's choice to embrace a path of peace is reshaping the legacy that has defined his life.  Key Takeaways: 1/ Always seek your own identity; nothing grows under a big shadow. 2/ Closing the cycle of violence by choosing peace and embracing forgiveness. 3/ Define your legacy by choosing your path. Special thanks to Datuk Nicol David, Izzana Salleh and Mariana de Reyes for recording this in an impromptu moment over dinner in Tatler Gen.T Summit 2023, Hong Kong. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 11 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0000 bonus 2 57 Sarah Chen-Spellings As we step into the new year of 2024, we bring you a conversation that challenges the very essence of legacy.  In this short and impromptu episode, Juan Pablo Escobar (now known as Sebastián Marroquín), the son of the notorious drug cartel leader Pablo Escobar, shares insights that will challenge preconceptions and spark hope. Join us as we explore how one man's choice to embrace a path of peace is reshaping the legacy that has defined his life.  Key Takeaways: 1/ Always seek your own identity; nothing grows under a big shadow. 2/ Closing the cycle of violence by choosing peace and embracing forgiveness. 3/ Define your legacy by choosing your path. Special thanks to Datuk Nicol David, Izzana Salleh and Mariana de Reyes for recording this in an impromptu moment over dinner in Tatler Gen.T Summit 2023, Hong Kong. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal As we step into the new year of 2024, we bring you a conversation that challenges the very essence of legacy. 


In this short and impromptu episode, Juan Pablo Escobar (now known as Sebastián Marroquín), the son of the notorious drug cartel leader Pablo Escobar, shares insights that will challenge preconceptions and spark hope.


Join us as we explore how one man's choice to embrace a path of peace is reshaping the legacy that has defined his life. 


Key Takeaways:

1/ Always seek your own identity; nothing grows under a big shadow.

2/ Closing the cycle of violence by choosing peace and embracing forgiveness.

3/ Define your legacy by choosing your path.


Special thanks to Datuk Nicol David, Izzana Salleh and Mariana de Reyes for recording this in an impromptu moment over dinner in Tatler Gen.T Summit 2023, Hong Kong.

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 595 no End of Creator Economy? Monetizing Impact & Influence with Scott Clary, Success Story Podcast While many professionals have in the past belittled the creator economy, according to Goldman Sachs, the creator economy was worth about 250 billion in 2023 and is set to nearly double by 2027.  And that is just one of the myriad reasons why you should tune in to our conversation today with Scott Clary, who is living this very trend. An entrepreneur, investor, author and podcaster today with a combined following of about 2 million! Join us as we dove deep into Scott's journey and the importance of personal brand monetizing influence and the nuances of the creator economy.  Key Takeways 1/ Focusing on things that really fit the “right now”. 2/ Be proud of your own work; and stay long enough to see it through. 3/ Building companies is more than building jobs - think about transfer of power, hiring the right person, and think beyond the face value. 4/ Always validate product market fit. 5/ Trust yourself more. About Scott Scott D. Clary is a Canadian entrepreneur, business executive, author, educator, speaker & podcaster. He is the host of the 'Success Story' Podcast where he interviews inspirational people, mentors and leaders, and the founder of a weekly business newsletter with over 100,000 subscribers. He's sold and marketed to the most iconic F500 / F100 brands throughout his career. His work has been featured in over 100+ news sites and publications. He speaks globally at industry conferences and has had articles and insights featured in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Hackernoon, The Startup and others. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 04 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 56 Sarah Chen-Spellings While many professionals have in the past belittled the creator economy, according to Goldman Sachs, the creator economy was worth about 250 billion in 2023 and is set to nearly double by 2027.  And that is just one of the myriad reasons why you should tune in to our conversation today with Scott Clary, who is living this very trend. An entrepreneur, investor, author and podcaster today with a combined following of about 2 million! Join us as we dove deep into Scott's journey and the importance of personal brand monetizing influence and the nuances of the creator economy.  Key Takeways 1/ Focusing on things that really fit the “right now”. 2/ Be proud of your own work; and stay long enough to see it through. 3/ Building companies is more than building jobs - think about transfer of power, hiring the right person, and think beyond the face value. 4/ Always validate product market fit. 5/ Trust yourself more. About Scott Scott D. Clary is a Canadian entrepreneur, business executive, author, educator, speaker & podcaster. He is the host of the 'Success Story' Podcast where he interviews inspirational people, mentors and leaders, and the founder of a weekly business newsletter with over 100,000 subscribers. He's sold and marketed to the most iconic F500 / F100 brands throughout his career. His work has been featured in over 100+ news sites and publications. He speaks globally at industry conferences and has had articles and insights featured in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Hackernoon, The Startup and others. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal While many professionals have in the past belittled the creator economy, according to Goldman Sachs, the creator economy was worth about 250 billion in 2023 and is set to nearly double by 2027. 

And that is just one of the myriad reasons why you should tune in to our conversation today with Scott Clary, who is living this very trend. An entrepreneur, investor, author and podcaster today with a combined following of about 2 million!

Join us as we dove deep into Scott's journey and the importance of personal brand monetizing influence and the nuances of the creator economy. 


Key Takeways

1/ Focusing on things that really fit the “right now”.

2/ Be proud of your own work; and stay long enough to see it through.

3/ Building companies is more than building jobs - think about transfer of power, hiring the right person, and think beyond the face value.

4/ Always validate product market fit.

5/ Trust yourself more.


About Scott

Scott D. Clary is a Canadian entrepreneur, business executive, author, educator, speaker & podcaster. He is the host of the 'Success Story' Podcast where he interviews inspirational people, mentors and leaders, and the founder of a weekly business newsletter with over 100,000 subscribers.


He's sold and marketed to the most iconic F500 / F100 brands throughout his career. His work has been featured in over 100+ news sites and publications. He speaks globally at industry conferences and has had articles and insights featured in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Hackernoon, The Startup and others.

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3258 no [REPLAY] “To Fail in Such A Public Way"—The Cost of Influence & Billion Dollar Ambitions with Vivy Yusof, FV Group In light of the nostalgic festive period, this week, we are diving back into one of our favorite episodes this year with the one and only Vivy Yusof. Social media platforms and creator-focused startups haven’t looked too hot coming into 2023, with companies like Meta, Snapchat waging layoffs along with the rest of the tech industry. BUT the creator and influencer economy are more than just buzzwords losing interest among venture capitalists. Despite challenges on a platform level, blogger-turned-entrepreneur Vivy Yusof is a case study of just how retained attention is a currency that will continue to be important in 2023 and beyond. FashionValet.com, an online marketplace that once stocked over 400 brands across Southeast Asia, became a major regional player in the fashion industry but, by 2022, she had wound the venture down, shifting her focus to her own in-house modest fashion brands, dUCK and Lilit. The silver lining? By 2022, Yusof had built a network of 14 physical stores across Malaysia and Singapore and sold more than 3 million scarves from just one of her brands. Today, we unpack Vivy’s journey, the cost of building a brand around herself, her regret on not acting on her gut and her BILLION DOLLAR AMBITIONS for her next decade in the modest fashion industry. Key Takeaways 1/ Grow your career by embracing your passion and the support of your loved ones. 2/ Engagement and loyalty come from authentic, organic growth with your audience. 3/ Fame comes with consequences; it’s a personal choice you made, so pick your battles. 4/ Ride the waves when they hit; obsession is really needed to make something successful. 5/ Pivot when it doesn’t make business sense. 6/ When you find a co-founder, try to find someone who's the opposite of you. 7/ Know your niche; never try to be like your competitor. - Originally aired: January 27, 2023 Watch this on Youtube: https://bit.ly/3mPihUI - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 28 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 55 Sarah Chen-Spellings In light of the nostalgic festive period, this week, we are diving back into one of our favorite episodes this year with the one and only Vivy Yusof. Social media platforms and creator-focused startups haven’t looked too hot coming into 2023, with companies like Meta, Snapchat waging layoffs along with the rest of the tech industry. BUT the creator and influencer economy are more than just buzzwords losing interest among venture capitalists. Despite challenges on a platform level, blogger-turned-entrepreneur Vivy Yusof is a case study of just how retained attention is a currency that will continue to be important in 2023 and beyond. FashionValet.com, an online marketplace that once stocked over 400 brands across Southeast Asia, became a major regional player in the fashion industry but, by 2022, she had wound the venture down, shifting her focus to her own in-house modest fashion brands, dUCK and Lilit. The silver lining? By 2022, Yusof had built a network of 14 physical stores across Malaysia and Singapore and sold more than 3 million scarves from just one of her brands. Today, we unpack Vivy’s journey, the cost of building a brand around herself, her regret on not acting on her gut and her BILLION DOLLAR AMBITIONS for her next decade in the modest fashion industry. Key Takeaways 1/ Grow your career by embracing your passion and the support of your loved ones. 2/ Engagement and loyalty come from authentic, organic growth with your audience. 3/ Fame comes with consequences; it’s a personal choice you made, so pick your battles. 4/ Ride the waves when they hit; obsession is really needed to make something successful. 5/ Pivot when it doesn’t make business sense. 6/ When you find a co-founder, try to find someone who's the opposite of you. 7/ Know your niche; never try to be like your competitor. - Originally aired: January 27, 2023 Watch this on Youtube: https://bit.ly/3mPihUI - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In light of the nostalgic festive period, this week, we are diving back into one of our favorite episodes this year with the one and only Vivy Yusof.


Social media platforms and creator-focused startups haven’t looked too hot coming into 2023, with companies like Meta, Snapchat waging layoffs along with the rest of the tech industry. BUT the creator and influencer economy are more than just buzzwords losing interest among venture capitalists. Despite challenges on a platform level, blogger-turned-entrepreneur Vivy Yusof is a case study of just how retained attention is a currency that will continue to be important in 2023 and beyond.


FashionValet.com, an online marketplace that once stocked over 400 brands across Southeast Asia, became a major regional player in the fashion industry but, by 2022, she had wound the venture down, shifting her focus to her own in-house modest fashion brands, dUCK and Lilit. The silver lining? By 2022, Yusof had built a network of 14 physical stores across Malaysia and Singapore and sold more than 3 million scarves from just one of her brands. Today, we unpack Vivy’s journey, the cost of building a brand around herself, her regret on not acting on her gut and her BILLION DOLLAR AMBITIONS for her next decade in the modest fashion industry.


Key Takeaways

1/ Grow your career by embracing your passion and the support of your loved ones.

2/ Engagement and loyalty come from authentic, organic growth with your audience.

3/ Fame comes with consequences; it’s a personal choice you made, so pick your battles.

4/ Ride the waves when they hit; obsession is really needed to make something successful.

5/ Pivot when it doesn’t make business sense.

6/ When you find a co-founder, try to find someone who's the opposite of you.

7/ Know your niche; never try to be like your competitor.

-

Originally aired: January 27, 2023

Watch this on Youtube: https://bit.ly/3mPihUI

-

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 4019 no The Power of Making Big Bets with Dr. Rajiv Shah, Rockefeller Dr. Raj Shah's journey comprises numerous transformative endeavors, spanning his roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, to his current position as President of the Rockefeller Foundation.  In his recent publication, "Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens," he illuminates the power of the big bet mindset—a belief that addressing problems boldly, rather than settling for incremental improvements, attracts partners capable of achieving transformational change.  In this week's episode, we had the honor of exploring the significant big bets he made throughout his career. The shared big bet mindset aims to inspire leaders at every level to reimagine possibilities on a grand scale. You won't want to miss this. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1/ 3 key elements of big bets: innovative solutions, unlikely partnerships and alliances, and a real focus on data results, measurement, and tracking. 2/ It is realistic to be optimistic about grand-scale changes. 3/ We know we can be successful, but it takes a big bet mindset to embark on these efforts. 4/ Keep taking the risks you took in your twenties and thirties as you get a little older; so that you can give yourself a chance to earn those rewards. 5/ Crossing boundaries and taking risks to reach your goals, to make things work. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 21 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 54 Sarah Chen-Spellings Dr. Raj Shah's journey comprises numerous transformative endeavors, spanning his roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, to his current position as President of the Rockefeller Foundation.  In his recent publication, "Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens," he illuminates the power of the big bet mindset—a belief that addressing problems boldly, rather than settling for incremental improvements, attracts partners capable of achieving transformational change.  In this week's episode, we had the honor of exploring the significant big bets he made throughout his career. The shared big bet mindset aims to inspire leaders at every level to reimagine possibilities on a grand scale. You won't want to miss this. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1/ 3 key elements of big bets: innovative solutions, unlikely partnerships and alliances, and a real focus on data results, measurement, and tracking. 2/ It is realistic to be optimistic about grand-scale changes. 3/ We know we can be successful, but it takes a big bet mindset to embark on these efforts. 4/ Keep taking the risks you took in your twenties and thirties as you get a little older; so that you can give yourself a chance to earn those rewards. 5/ Crossing boundaries and taking risks to reach your goals, to make things work. - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Dr. Raj Shah's journey comprises numerous transformative endeavors, spanning his roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, to his current position as President of the Rockefeller Foundation. 


In his recent publication, "Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens," he illuminates the power of the big bet mindset—a belief that addressing problems boldly, rather than settling for incremental improvements, attracts partners capable of achieving transformational change. 


In this week's episode, we had the honor of exploring the significant big bets he made throughout his career. The shared big bet mindset aims to inspire leaders at every level to reimagine possibilities on a grand scale. You won't want to miss this.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

1/ 3 key elements of big bets: innovative solutions, unlikely partnerships and alliances, and a real focus on data results, measurement, and tracking.


2/ It is realistic to be optimistic about grand-scale changes.


3/ We know we can be successful, but it takes a big bet mindset to embark on these efforts.


4/ Keep taking the risks you took in your twenties and thirties as you get a little older; so that you can give yourself a chance to earn those rewards.


5/ Crossing boundaries and taking risks to reach your goals, to make things work.


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2424 no Billion Dollar Bite: Choosing Your Investors & Navigating No's in Business with Kendra Scott Rejection has been a recurring theme on this show, serving as a powerful catalyst for success. This week's Billion Dollar Bite features Kendra Scott's appearance in Austin, hosted by Beyond The Billion and Brown Advisory. From her initial setbacks in business to the journey of building a billion-dollar jewelry empire and the challenging decisions made along the way, we invite you to catch a glimpse of Kendra's success and the hardships she faced in this brief episode. Key Takeaways 1/ Failure serves as a real-life business school: when you fail, you learn, and then you rise. 2/ Prioritize hiring based on core values rather than titles. 3/ Concentrate on building the best business; opportunities and resources will naturally follow. 4/ Pivoting and taking risks are essential for achieving breakthroughs. 5/ Select your investors as carefully as you would choose a spouse. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 14 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0000 bonus 2 53 Sarah Chen-Spellings Rejection has been a recurring theme on this show, serving as a powerful catalyst for success. This week's Billion Dollar Bite features Kendra Scott's appearance in Austin, hosted by Beyond The Billion and Brown Advisory. From her initial setbacks in business to the journey of building a billion-dollar jewelry empire and the challenging decisions made along the way, we invite you to catch a glimpse of Kendra's success and the hardships she faced in this brief episode. Key Takeaways 1/ Failure serves as a real-life business school: when you fail, you learn, and then you rise. 2/ Prioritize hiring based on core values rather than titles. 3/ Concentrate on building the best business; opportunities and resources will naturally follow. 4/ Pivoting and taking risks are essential for achieving breakthroughs. 5/ Select your investors as carefully as you would choose a spouse. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Rejection has been a recurring theme on this show, serving as a powerful catalyst for success.


This week's Billion Dollar Bite features Kendra Scott's appearance in Austin, hosted by Beyond The Billion and Brown Advisory. From her initial setbacks in business to the journey of building a billion-dollar jewelry empire and the challenging decisions made along the way, we invite you to catch a glimpse of Kendra's success and the hardships she faced in this brief episode.


Key Takeaways

1/ Failure serves as a real-life business school: when you fail, you learn, and then you rise.

2/ Prioritize hiring based on core values rather than titles.

3/ Concentrate on building the best business; opportunities and resources will naturally follow.

4/ Pivoting and taking risks are essential for achieving breakthroughs.

5/ Select your investors as carefully as you would choose a spouse.


--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1041 Recap 2023: Redefining Success At Billion Dollar Moves, our ultimate goal has always been showcasing the often untold stories of what it really takes to achieve that coveted ‘unicorn status’ beyond what’s often humble-bragged about; to challenge today’s status quo of what ‘patterns of success’ looks like, that often does not look like you or me. Join us in our latest recap episode as we dive deep into the meaningful conversations that reshape the traditional definition of success. Let's embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment as we relive these beautiful inspiring snippets from this season.  TIMESTAMPS Nirvana Chaudhary Inside a Billionaire's Mind: Nirvana Chaudhary, CG Group—Making Your Mark 8:51-9:51 Rachel Lim Coming into her own: Rachel Lim, Co-Founder, Love Bonito 41:47-42:25 Eric Toda Meta's Eric Toda on Building World-Class Brands & Rising with Authenticity 30:55-31:59 Gola Turning Fear into Power: with Gola, Exiled Iranian Singer 21:14-21:39 Nathaniel Harding Investing in the Midcontinent with Nathaniel Harding, Cortado Ventures 44:56-47:29 Jeff Maggioncalda Pivot or Persevere? | Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda 34:50-35:44 Lisa Edgar  Investing in Venture Capital Funds | Lisa Edgar, Top Tier Capital 09:38-10:14 -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 07 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0000 bonus 2 52 Sarah Chen-Spellings At Billion Dollar Moves, our ultimate goal has always been showcasing the often untold stories of what it really takes to achieve that coveted ‘unicorn status’ beyond what’s often humble-bragged about; to challenge today’s status quo of what ‘patterns of success’ looks like, that often does not look like you or me. Join us in our latest recap episode as we dive deep into the meaningful conversations that reshape the traditional definition of success. Let's embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment as we relive these beautiful inspiring snippets from this season.  TIMESTAMPS Nirvana Chaudhary Inside a Billionaire's Mind: Nirvana Chaudhary, CG Group—Making Your Mark 8:51-9:51 Rachel Lim Coming into her own: Rachel Lim, Co-Founder, Love Bonito 41:47-42:25 Eric Toda Meta's Eric Toda on Building World-Class Brands & Rising with Authenticity 30:55-31:59 Gola Turning Fear into Power: with Gola, Exiled Iranian Singer 21:14-21:39 Nathaniel Harding Investing in the Midcontinent with Nathaniel Harding, Cortado Ventures 44:56-47:29 Jeff Maggioncalda Pivot or Persevere? | Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda 34:50-35:44 Lisa Edgar  Investing in Venture Capital Funds | Lisa Edgar, Top Tier Capital 09:38-10:14 -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal At Billion Dollar Moves, our ultimate goal has always been showcasing the often untold stories of what it really takes to achieve that coveted ‘unicorn status’ beyond what’s often humble-bragged about; to challenge today’s status quo of what ‘patterns of success’ looks like, that often does not look like you or me.


Join us in our latest recap episode as we dive deep into the meaningful conversations that reshape the traditional definition of success. Let's embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment as we relive these beautiful inspiring snippets from this season. 


TIMESTAMPS

Nirvana Chaudhary

Inside a Billionaire's Mind: Nirvana Chaudhary, CG Group—Making Your Mark 8:51-9:51

Rachel Lim

Coming into her own: Rachel Lim, Co-Founder, Love Bonito 41:47-42:25

Eric Toda

Meta's Eric Toda on Building World-Class Brands & Rising with Authenticity 30:55-31:59

Gola

Turning Fear into Power: with Gola, Exiled Iranian Singer 21:14-21:39

Nathaniel Harding

Investing in the Midcontinent with Nathaniel Harding, Cortado Ventures 44:56-47:29

Jeff Maggioncalda

Pivot or Persevere? | Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda 34:50-35:44

Lisa Edgar 

Investing in Venture Capital Funds | Lisa Edgar, Top Tier Capital 09:38-10:14


--


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 530 no From Bankruptcy to Building the Finnish Startup Ecosystem with Taneli Tikka, Serial Entrepreneur & Investor In keeping with the theme of my material from Helsinki, Finland just as one of the biggest events in Finland happens: Slush, today’s episode is with my friend, Taneli Tikka, truly one of the OGs of the Finnish startup ecosystem, who also actually started the Foundation that owns Slush! Taneli founded his first startup Taika Technologies at the tender age of 21. Before going bankrupt, Taika akin to Silicon Valley startup General Magic, had patented technology that helped companies like Nokia and Linux in their core development. A serial entrepreneur and investor, Taneli has had more than 10 exits with several highlights in his career from schooling Mark Zuckerberg about social media when he was CEO of IRC-Galleria, then Finland’s largest youth social media platform; to serving as CEO of a State Development Company, which today is known as the Finnish Climate Fund with something like~3.5B Euros in assets. From being raised by a single mom, to building and bankrupting a company and rising from the ashes to become Finland’s favorite and trusted veteran entrepreneur, let’s just say Part One of my conversation with Taneli Tikka is nothing short of inspirational.  -- FOLLOW TANELI: Twitter: https://twitter.com/tanelitikka/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taneli_Tikka PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 30 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 51 Sarah Chen-Spellings In keeping with the theme of my material from Helsinki, Finland just as one of the biggest events in Finland happens: Slush, today’s episode is with my friend, Taneli Tikka, truly one of the OGs of the Finnish startup ecosystem, who also actually started the Foundation that owns Slush! Taneli founded his first startup Taika Technologies at the tender age of 21. Before going bankrupt, Taika akin to Silicon Valley startup General Magic, had patented technology that helped companies like Nokia and Linux in their core development. A serial entrepreneur and investor, Taneli has had more than 10 exits with several highlights in his career from schooling Mark Zuckerberg about social media when he was CEO of IRC-Galleria, then Finland’s largest youth social media platform; to serving as CEO of a State Development Company, which today is known as the Finnish Climate Fund with something like~3.5B Euros in assets. From being raised by a single mom, to building and bankrupting a company and rising from the ashes to become Finland’s favorite and trusted veteran entrepreneur, let’s just say Part One of my conversation with Taneli Tikka is nothing short of inspirational.  -- FOLLOW TANELI: Twitter: https://twitter.com/tanelitikka/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taneli_Tikka PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In keeping with the theme of my material from Helsinki, Finland just as one of the biggest events in Finland happens: Slush, today’s episode is with my friend, Taneli Tikka, truly one of the OGs of the Finnish startup ecosystem, who also actually started the Foundation that owns Slush!

Taneli founded his first startup Taika Technologies at the tender age of 21. Before going bankrupt, Taika akin to Silicon Valley startup General Magic, had patented technology that helped companies like Nokia and Linux in their core development.


A serial entrepreneur and investor, Taneli has had more than 10 exits with several highlights in his career from schooling Mark Zuckerberg about social media when he was CEO of IRC-Galleria, then Finland’s largest youth social media platform; to serving as CEO of a State Development Company, which today is known as the Finnish Climate Fund with something like~3.5B Euros in assets. From being raised by a single mom, to building and bankrupting a company and rising from the ashes to become Finland’s favorite and trusted veteran entrepreneur, let’s just say Part One of my conversation with Taneli Tikka is nothing short of inspirational. 

--

FOLLOW TANELI:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tanelitikka/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taneli_Tikka


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2595 Rise from Failure: Living Your Purpose with Suneel Gupta, Best-Selling Author, Everyday Dharma What is our 'true dharma' and how can we build without burnout? -- Once seen as the face of failure on the New York Times, Suneel Gupta understands the road to success is not always smooth and requires more than unrelenting grit. Things of course turned around for him, where as CEO of RISE Suneel helped thousands of people in their physical and mental health journey. The company was named “App of the Year” and partnered with then first lady Michelle Obama before being acquired by the NASDAQ-listed company One Medical Group. In 2022, with its acquisition of One Medical Group, RISE is now part of Amazon. Now, a bestselling author, renowned speaker, Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, Suneel helps others achieve sustainable peak performance by embracing simple habits to bolster emotional resilience and engagement. Core to that is what he captures in his book “Everday Dharma”; today we unpack the wisdom of the pages on mindfulness, play in work, and how we can rise to our essence as leaders.  -- Links: Everyday Dharma by Suneel Gupta FOLLOW SUNEEL: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneelkgupta/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneelgupta/  Website: https://www.suneelgupta.com/ PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 23 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0000 Rise from Failure: Living Your Purpose with Suneel Gupta full 2 50 Sarah Chen-Spellings What is our 'true dharma' and how can we build without burnout? -- Once seen as the face of failure on the New York Times, Suneel Gupta understands the road to success is not always smooth and requires more than unrelenting grit. Things of course turned around for him, where as CEO of RISE Suneel helped thousands of people in their physical and mental health journey. The company was named “App of the Year” and partnered with then first lady Michelle Obama before being acquired by the NASDAQ-listed company One Medical Group. In 2022, with its acquisition of One Medical Group, RISE is now part of Amazon. Now, a bestselling author, renowned speaker, Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, Suneel helps others achieve sustainable peak performance by embracing simple habits to bolster emotional resilience and engagement. Core to that is what he captures in his book “Everday Dharma”; today we unpack the wisdom of the pages on mindfulness, play in work, and how we can rise to our essence as leaders.  -- Links: Everyday Dharma by Suneel Gupta FOLLOW SUNEEL: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneelkgupta/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneelgupta/  Website: https://www.suneelgupta.com/ PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal What is our 'true dharma' and how can we build without burnout?

--

Once seen as the face of failure on the New York Times, Suneel Gupta understands the road to success is not always smooth and requires more than unrelenting grit. Things of course turned around for him, where as CEO of RISE Suneel helped thousands of people in their physical and mental health journey. The company was named “App of the Year” and partnered with then first lady Michelle Obama before being acquired by the NASDAQ-listed company One Medical Group. In 2022, with its acquisition of One Medical Group, RISE is now part of Amazon.

Now, a bestselling author, renowned speaker, Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, Suneel helps others achieve sustainable peak performance by embracing simple habits to bolster emotional resilience and engagement. Core to that is what he captures in his book “Everday Dharma”; today we unpack the wisdom of the pages on mindfulness, play in work, and how we can rise to our essence as leaders. 

--

Links:

Everyday Dharma by Suneel Gupta

FOLLOW SUNEEL:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suneelkgupta/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suneelgupta/ 

Website: https://www.suneelgupta.com/


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2909 LP view: The Art & Science of Building in Venture with Lisa Edgar, Top Tier Capital Lisa Edgar has been a trailblazer in the venture industry, a veteran with over two decades in the business backing many of the brand name venture firms we know today from Accel to Benchmark.  We chat about: Her journey in building Top Tier Capital Partners — a leading fund of funds and direct investing platform What it takes to build an enduring firm Current venture markets, challenges and opportunities This episode is brought to you by Helsinki Partners. Whether you’re looking to set-up or expand your company, find quality deal flow and investment opportunities, the best location for your event or congress, visit or find your new career in Finland’s capital, Helsinki, they’re your go-to! PS: Helsinki Partners is unveiling an exclusive 2-week program at Slush for international VC fund managers and LPs eager to dive into the dynamic Nordics and embrace the Finnish venture ecosystem! 📣 Be the FIRST to know when applications open:  https://tinyurl.com/bdm-helsinki - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 16 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 49 Sarah Chen-Spellings Lisa Edgar has been a trailblazer in the venture industry, a veteran with over two decades in the business backing many of the brand name venture firms we know today from Accel to Benchmark.  We chat about: Her journey in building Top Tier Capital Partners — a leading fund of funds and direct investing platform What it takes to build an enduring firm Current venture markets, challenges and opportunities This episode is brought to you by Helsinki Partners. Whether you’re looking to set-up or expand your company, find quality deal flow and investment opportunities, the best location for your event or congress, visit or find your new career in Finland’s capital, Helsinki, they’re your go-to! PS: Helsinki Partners is unveiling an exclusive 2-week program at Slush for international VC fund managers and LPs eager to dive into the dynamic Nordics and embrace the Finnish venture ecosystem! 📣 Be the FIRST to know when applications open:  https://tinyurl.com/bdm-helsinki - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Lisa Edgar has been a trailblazer in the venture industry, a veteran with over two decades in the business backing many of the brand name venture firms we know today from Accel to Benchmark. 


We chat about:

  • Her journey in building Top Tier Capital Partners — a leading fund of funds and direct investing platform
  • What it takes to build an enduring firm
  • Current venture markets, challenges and opportunities


This episode is brought to you by Helsinki Partners. Whether you’re looking to set-up or expand your company, find quality deal flow and investment opportunities, the best location for your event or congress, visit or find your new career in Finland’s capital, Helsinki, they’re your go-to!


PS: Helsinki Partners is unveiling an exclusive 2-week program at Slush for international VC fund managers and LPs eager to dive into the dynamic Nordics and embrace the Finnish venture ecosystem!


📣 Be the FIRST to know when applications open: 

https://tinyurl.com/bdm-helsinki


-


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3081 Melinda French Gates $1Bn for Women with Erin Harkless Moore, Pivotal Ventures Named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women, Melinda French Gates needs no introduction. Over the last twenty years through her work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one thing has become clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you must invest in women. In comes our next guest, Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investment for Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates company created to do exactly that. To accelerate social progress in the U.S by investing in women’s power and influence. As a member of Pivotal’s Executive Leadership Team, Erin leads the organization’s fund, and direct investment decisions, overseeing a diverse portfolio of investments that drive breakthrough innovations and drive impact for people in the US. With nearly 20 years of investment experience, building customized portfolios for endowed institutions and family offices, serving most recently as Managing Director at Cambridge Associates, we talk about everything from challenging the status quo to her investment strategy. You don’t want to miss this! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro 02:04 - Erin's career, passion, profit, purpose 05:53 - The premium of 'track record' 07:58 - Investment in diversity initiatives under attack 10:53 - Where does the resistance come from? 12:30 - The role of consultants 16:01 - Melinda French Gates' point of impact 18:20 - Investing in women is not charity 24:24 - Getting to a 'yes' as an LP 30:22 - Cracking the patterns of history Links: Pivotal Ventures | A Melinda French Gates Company: https://www.pivotalventures.org/ Investing | Pivotal Ventures: https://www.pivotalventures.org/investing Breaking With Tradition: https://www.pivotalventures.org/articles/breaking-with-tradition-pitchbook-venture-capital PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 09 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0000 full 2 48 Sarah Chen-Spellings Named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women, Melinda French Gates needs no introduction. Over the last twenty years through her work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one thing has become clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you must invest in women. In comes our next guest, Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investment for Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates company created to do exactly that. To accelerate social progress in the U.S by investing in women’s power and influence. As a member of Pivotal’s Executive Leadership Team, Erin leads the organization’s fund, and direct investment decisions, overseeing a diverse portfolio of investments that drive breakthrough innovations and drive impact for people in the US. With nearly 20 years of investment experience, building customized portfolios for endowed institutions and family offices, serving most recently as Managing Director at Cambridge Associates, we talk about everything from challenging the status quo to her investment strategy. You don’t want to miss this! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro 02:04 - Erin's career, passion, profit, purpose 05:53 - The premium of 'track record' 07:58 - Investment in diversity initiatives under attack 10:53 - Where does the resistance come from? 12:30 - The role of consultants 16:01 - Melinda French Gates' point of impact 18:20 - Investing in women is not charity 24:24 - Getting to a 'yes' as an LP 30:22 - Cracking the patterns of history Links: Pivotal Ventures | A Melinda French Gates Company: https://www.pivotalventures.org/ Investing | Pivotal Ventures: https://www.pivotalventures.org/investing Breaking With Tradition: https://www.pivotalventures.org/articles/breaking-with-tradition-pitchbook-venture-capital PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women, Melinda French Gates needs no introduction. Over the last twenty years through her work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one thing has become clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you must invest in women. In comes our next guest, Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investment for Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates company created to do exactly that. To accelerate social progress in the U.S by investing in women’s power and influence. As a member of Pivotal’s Executive Leadership Team, Erin leads the organization’s fund, and direct investment decisions, overseeing a diverse portfolio of investments that drive breakthrough innovations and drive impact for people in the US. With nearly 20 years of investment experience, building customized portfolios for endowed institutions and family offices, serving most recently as Managing Director at Cambridge Associates, we talk about everything from challenging the status quo to her investment strategy. You don’t want to miss this!


TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro

02:04 - Erin's career, passion, profit, purpose

05:53 - The premium of 'track record'

07:58 - Investment in diversity initiatives under attack

10:53 - Where does the resistance come from?

12:30 - The role of consultants

16:01 - Melinda French Gates' point of impact

18:20 - Investing in women is not charity

24:24 - Getting to a 'yes' as an LP

30:22 - Cracking the patterns of history


Links:

Pivotal Ventures | A Melinda French Gates Company: https://www.pivotalventures.org/

Investing | Pivotal Ventures: https://www.pivotalventures.org/investing

Breaking With Tradition: https://www.pivotalventures.org/articles/breaking-with-tradition-pitchbook-venture-capital


PODCAST INFO:


Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com


Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries



FOLLOW SARAH:


LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal


Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal


Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2562 Leading with Kindness: The Power of Goodwill with James Rhee, Owner, Red Helicopter, TEDTalk Speaker True to the saying 'nice guys finish last'; so many of us have accepted that as in the case of Steve Jobs, 'abrasiveness' was part of his genius. But what if there was another way? What if leaders could be kind; and that there is a tangible value to kindness in business? Now all of us probably know the term “goodwill” from an accounting context:  In this capitalistic world in many ways; this value is decided by the buyer. Now our next guest argues that in reality, goodwill which should mean a whole lot more than an accounting concept,  is earned and cannot be bought; and that if done correctly — can be worth a whole lot. This as he saw in his tenure as the unlikely “least qualified CEO” of Ashley Stewart, a popular plus-sized clothing brand serving and employing predominantly Black women: where he reinvented the co from the brink of bankruptcy: with what he argues was a recipe of “kindness” that shocked the world. PROFILE: James Rhee: https://www.redhelicopter.com/ James Rhee is an acclaimed impact investor, founder, CEO, goodwill strategist, and educator who empowers people, brands, and organizations by marrying capital with purpose. He is an award-winning thought leader on topics such as multidimensional transformation, the intersection of capital, race, and gender, the future of capitalism, and values-based investing and leadership. The story of the remarkable transformation and re-imagination of Ashley Stewart, one of the country’s largest clothing brands serving plus-sized Black women, under James’s enlightened leadership as chairman, CEO and investor (2013-2020), has served as proof to millions of people, as well as the world’s leading businesses and organizations, that one can do better by being better. James bridges seemingly unconnected people, communities, and industries under an inclusive and innovative umbrella. James serves as a member of the Advisory Council of JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways, a Founding Member of Ashoka E-to-E, and the Advisory Board of CEO Action for Racial Equity. He is a Strategic Advisor to start-ups creating the world in which we want our children to live, and formerly served as Chair of the Innovation Committee of the National Retail Federation, and a board member of Conscious Capitalism and the American Repertory Theater. He is a client of both UTA and LGR Literary. As an investor, James helped manage billions of dollars of growth and distressed capital at two leading Boston-based institutions before ultimately founding his own impact platform called FirePine Group, where he has stewarded the capital of some of the world’s most sophisticated investors. He has been the lead investor and a board director across multiple successful platform investments. Before his career in business and finance, James Rhee was a high school teacher and an editor of the Harvard Law Review. He is writing a book and devotes time to Howard University as the Johnson Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship. He also serves on the faculty at MIT Sloan School of Management as a Senior Lecturer and EIR @ MIT Leadership Center. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 26 Oct 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 47 Sarah Chen-Spellings True to the saying 'nice guys finish last'; so many of us have accepted that as in the case of Steve Jobs, 'abrasiveness' was part of his genius. But what if there was another way? What if leaders could be kind; and that there is a tangible value to kindness in business? Now all of us probably know the term “goodwill” from an accounting context:  In this capitalistic world in many ways; this value is decided by the buyer. Now our next guest argues that in reality, goodwill which should mean a whole lot more than an accounting concept,  is earned and cannot be bought; and that if done correctly — can be worth a whole lot. This as he saw in his tenure as the unlikely “least qualified CEO” of Ashley Stewart, a popular plus-sized clothing brand serving and employing predominantly Black women: where he reinvented the co from the brink of bankruptcy: with what he argues was a recipe of “kindness” that shocked the world. PROFILE: James Rhee: https://www.redhelicopter.com/ James Rhee is an acclaimed impact investor, founder, CEO, goodwill strategist, and educator who empowers people, brands, and organizations by marrying capital with purpose. He is an award-winning thought leader on topics such as multidimensional transformation, the intersection of capital, race, and gender, the future of capitalism, and values-based investing and leadership. The story of the remarkable transformation and re-imagination of Ashley Stewart, one of the country’s largest clothing brands serving plus-sized Black women, under James’s enlightened leadership as chairman, CEO and investor (2013-2020), has served as proof to millions of people, as well as the world’s leading businesses and organizations, that one can do better by being better. James bridges seemingly unconnected people, communities, and industries under an inclusive and innovative umbrella. James serves as a member of the Advisory Council of JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways, a Founding Member of Ashoka E-to-E, and the Advisory Board of CEO Action for Racial Equity. He is a Strategic Advisor to start-ups creating the world in which we want our children to live, and formerly served as Chair of the Innovation Committee of the National Retail Federation, and a board member of Conscious Capitalism and the American Repertory Theater. He is a client of both UTA and LGR Literary. As an investor, James helped manage billions of dollars of growth and distressed capital at two leading Boston-based institutions before ultimately founding his own impact platform called FirePine Group, where he has stewarded the capital of some of the world’s most sophisticated investors. He has been the lead investor and a board director across multiple successful platform investments. Before his career in business and finance, James Rhee was a high school teacher and an editor of the Harvard Law Review. He is writing a book and devotes time to Howard University as the Johnson Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship. He also serves on the faculty at MIT Sloan School of Management as a Senior Lecturer and EIR @ MIT Leadership Center. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal True to the saying 'nice guys finish last'; so many of us have accepted that as in the case of Steve Jobs, 'abrasiveness' was part of his genius.

But what if there was another way?


What if leaders could be kind; and that there is a tangible value to kindness in business?

Now all of us probably know the term “goodwill” from an accounting context: 

In this capitalistic world in many ways; this value is decided by the buyer.

Now our next guest argues that in reality, goodwill which should mean a whole lot more than an accounting concept, 

is earned and cannot be bought; and that if done correctly — can be worth a whole lot.


This as he saw in his tenure as the unlikely “least qualified CEO” of Ashley Stewart, a popular plus-sized clothing brand serving and employing predominantly Black women: where he reinvented the co from the brink of bankruptcy: with what he argues was a recipe of “kindness” that shocked the world.


PROFILE: James Rhee: https://www.redhelicopter.com/

James Rhee is an acclaimed impact investor, founder, CEO, goodwill strategist, and educator who empowers people, brands, and organizations by marrying capital with purpose. He is an award-winning thought leader on topics such as multidimensional transformation, the intersection of capital, race, and gender, the future of capitalism, and values-based investing and leadership. The story of the remarkable transformation and re-imagination of Ashley Stewart, one of the country’s largest clothing brands serving plus-sized Black women, under James’s enlightened leadership as chairman, CEO and investor (2013-2020), has served as proof to millions of people, as well as the world’s leading businesses and organizations, that one can do better by being better.


James bridges seemingly unconnected people, communities, and industries under an inclusive and innovative umbrella. James serves as a member of the Advisory Council of JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways, a Founding Member of Ashoka E-to-E, and the Advisory Board of CEO Action for Racial Equity. He is a Strategic Advisor to start-ups creating the world in which we want our children to live, and formerly served as Chair of the Innovation Committee of the National Retail Federation, and a board member of Conscious Capitalism and the American Repertory Theater. He is a client of both UTA and LGR Literary.


As an investor, James helped manage billions of dollars of growth and distressed capital at two leading Boston-based institutions before ultimately founding his own impact platform called FirePine Group, where he has stewarded the capital of some of the world’s most sophisticated investors. He has been the lead investor and a board director across multiple successful platform investments. Before his career in business and finance, James Rhee was a high school teacher and an editor of the Harvard Law Review.


He is writing a book and devotes time to Howard University as the Johnson Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship. He also serves on the faculty at MIT Sloan School of Management as a Senior Lecturer and EIR @ MIT Leadership Center.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries



FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3791 Building Founder & Funder Alignment with Elodie Dupuy, Founding Partner, Full In Partners What are some key factors that contribute to a successful exit for a company? How can investors and founders align valuations with realistic outcomes? How have market conditions affected the fundraising landscape for companies? What opportunities exist for quality companies with strong fundamentals? What is the service mindset founders need to be really zooming in on? How does this differentiate successful companies? This week, we cover these crucial questions in a Billion Dollar Bite with Elodie Dupuy, Founding Partner of $200M growth equity firm, Full In Partners. Full episode: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-elodie FOLLOW FULL IN PARTNERS: https://fullinpartners.com/ Full In Partners is a premier NYC-based growth equity firm founded in 2019. The firm is focused on backing high-velocity, high-efficiency software and internet businesses while building better outcomes through proactive operational and strategic support. -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 19 Oct 2023 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 46 Sarah Chen-Spellings What are some key factors that contribute to a successful exit for a company? How can investors and founders align valuations with realistic outcomes? How have market conditions affected the fundraising landscape for companies? What opportunities exist for quality companies with strong fundamentals? What is the service mindset founders need to be really zooming in on? How does this differentiate successful companies? This week, we cover these crucial questions in a Billion Dollar Bite with Elodie Dupuy, Founding Partner of $200M growth equity firm, Full In Partners. Full episode: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-elodie FOLLOW FULL IN PARTNERS: https://fullinpartners.com/ Full In Partners is a premier NYC-based growth equity firm founded in 2019. The firm is focused on backing high-velocity, high-efficiency software and internet businesses while building better outcomes through proactive operational and strategic support. -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal What are some key factors that contribute to a successful exit for a company? How can investors and founders align valuations with realistic outcomes?


How have market conditions affected the fundraising landscape for companies? What opportunities exist for quality companies with strong fundamentals?


What is the service mindset founders need to be really zooming in on? How does this differentiate successful companies?


This week, we cover these crucial questions in a Billion Dollar Bite with Elodie Dupuy, Founding Partner of $200M growth equity firm, Full In Partners.


Full episode: https://link.chtbl.com/bdm-elodie


FOLLOW FULL IN PARTNERS: https://fullinpartners.com/

Full In Partners is a premier NYC-based growth equity firm founded in 2019. The firm is focused on backing high-velocity, high-efficiency software and internet businesses while building better outcomes through proactive operational and strategic support.

--

On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader.

Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic.

Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you.

This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 740 Trauma to Transformation: Tackling Global Mental Health with Elisha London https://sarah-chen.com/global-mental-health-elisha-london-prospiral-global/ On Billion Dollar Moves we don't shy away from difficult conversations. A heads up, in today's conversation we will be talking about mental health, including suicide. Know that if you are struggling with your own mental health you are not alone, please reach out to a local mental health provider for support. For a list of free support lines available around the world, we recommend: https://bekind.findahelpline.com We’re all about surfacing what we call the unexpected leader; unicorn founders and funders across the globe in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. But one thing I’ve always known beneath these conversations that I don’t always get to bring to the fore are the inevitable dark moments along the way, and the immense cost to our mental health. The anxiety and toll on our personal relationships, the toll on ourselves in taking these risks, So, in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, I’m thrilled to be bringing you a slightly different but very special episode that I think will be important to you as you build, lead, and invest better. Elisha and I cover so much in this conversation from: - What it means to really struggle with mental health and why we need to all pay attention - The need to address systemic issues, 'structural determinants' in mental health - Where capital can drive impact on mental health, the challenges and opportunities LINKS Cotton On Foundation campaign in support of Born This Way Foundation: https://cottonon.com/US/co/charity-gi... Elisha London https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisha-lo... Prospira Global https://prospira.global/ Kate Spade New York Social Impact: https://www.katespade.com/social-impact PROFILE Elisha London is an entrepreneur and global mental health advocate. She is an advisor to leading global companies, donors, investors, brands and influential individuals on mental health and regularly speaks and writes on the topic. Across her career Elisha has established a number of national and global initiatives, and worked for organisations including the UK Department for International Development, PWC, the Overseas Development Institute and The World Bank. She was the founding UK Director of the Global Poverty Project (now “Global Citizen”), and following her own personal experience of mental ill health she was appointed as Campaign Director for the Head Together Campaign, spearheaded by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. In 2017 Elisha drew upon her experience to understand the huge gap that exists in addressing mental health around the world and founded United for Global Mental Health. She holds an MBA from TRIUM (NYU New York, LSE London, HEC Paris), and an MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics. Elisha Co-Chaired the Global Futures Council on Neuro technologies in 2019 has been a regular member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Futures Council on Mental Health. In 2020 she was honoured for her leadership in global mental health when she was appointed as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar... Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 12 Oct 2023 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 45 Sarah Chen-Spellings On Billion Dollar Moves we don't shy away from difficult conversations. A heads up, in today's conversation we will be talking about mental health, including suicide. Know that if you are struggling with your own mental health you are not alone, please reach out to a local mental health provider for support. For a list of free support lines available around the world, we recommend: https://bekind.findahelpline.com We’re all about surfacing what we call the unexpected leader; unicorn founders and funders across the globe in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. But one thing I’ve always known beneath these conversations that I don’t always get to bring to the fore are the inevitable dark moments along the way, and the immense cost to our mental health. The anxiety and toll on our personal relationships, the toll on ourselves in taking these risks, So, in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, I’m thrilled to be bringing you a slightly different but very special episode that I think will be important to you as you build, lead, and invest better. Elisha and I cover so much in this conversation from: - What it means to really struggle with mental health and why we need to all pay attention - The need to address systemic issues, 'structural determinants' in mental health - Where capital can drive impact on mental health, the challenges and opportunities LINKS Cotton On Foundation campaign in support of Born This Way Foundation: https://cottonon.com/US/co/charity-gi... Elisha London https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisha-lo... Prospira Global https://prospira.global/ Kate Spade New York Social Impact: https://www.katespade.com/social-impact PROFILE Elisha London is an entrepreneur and global mental health advocate. She is an advisor to leading global companies, donors, investors, brands and influential individuals on mental health and regularly speaks and writes on the topic. Across her career Elisha has established a number of national and global initiatives, and worked for organisations including the UK Department for International Development, PWC, the Overseas Development Institute and The World Bank. She was the founding UK Director of the Global Poverty Project (now “Global Citizen”), and following her own personal experience of mental ill health she was appointed as Campaign Director for the Head Together Campaign, spearheaded by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. In 2017 Elisha drew upon her experience to understand the huge gap that exists in addressing mental health around the world and founded United for Global Mental Health. She holds an MBA from TRIUM (NYU New York, LSE London, HEC Paris), and an MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics. Elisha Co-Chaired the Global Futures Council on Neuro technologies in 2019 has been a regular member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Futures Council on Mental Health. In 2020 she was honoured for her leadership in global mental health when she was appointed as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar... Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal On Billion Dollar Moves we don't shy away from difficult conversations. A heads up, in today's conversation we will be talking about mental health, including suicide. Know that if you are struggling with your own mental health you are not alone, please reach out to a local mental health provider for support. For a list of free support lines available around the world, we recommend: https://bekind.findahelpline.com


We’re all about surfacing what we call the unexpected leader; unicorn founders and funders across the globe in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture.


But one thing I’ve always known beneath these conversations that I don’t always get to bring to the fore are the inevitable dark moments along the way, and the immense cost to our mental health.

The anxiety and toll on our personal relationships, the toll on ourselves in taking these risks,


So, in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, I’m thrilled to be bringing you a slightly different but very special episode that I think will be important to you as you build, lead, and invest better.


Elisha and I cover so much in this conversation from:

- What it means to really struggle with mental health and why we need to all pay attention

- The need to address systemic issues, 'structural determinants' in mental health

- Where capital can drive impact on mental health, the challenges and opportunities


LINKS

Cotton On Foundation campaign in support of Born This Way Foundation: https://cottonon.com/US/co/charity-gi...

Elisha London https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisha-lo...

Prospira Global https://prospira.global/

Kate Spade New York Social Impact: https://www.katespade.com/social-impact



PROFILE

Elisha London is an entrepreneur and global mental health advocate.

She is an advisor to leading global companies, donors, investors, brands and influential individuals on mental health and regularly speaks and writes on the topic.

Across her career Elisha has established a number of national and global initiatives, and worked for organisations including the UK Department for International Development, PWC, the Overseas Development Institute and The World Bank. She was the founding UK Director of the Global Poverty Project (now “Global Citizen”), and following her own personal experience of mental ill health she was appointed as Campaign Director for the Head Together Campaign, spearheaded by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.


In 2017 Elisha drew upon her experience to understand the huge gap that exists in addressing mental health around the world and founded United for Global Mental Health.


She holds an MBA from TRIUM (NYU New York, LSE London, HEC Paris), and an MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics.


Elisha Co-Chaired the Global Futures Council on Neuro technologies in 2019 has been a regular member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Futures Council on Mental Health. In 2020 she was honoured for her leadership in global mental health when she was appointed as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar...

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries



FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2578 Unleashing Africa's Tech Potential: Investing in Emerging Markets with Eunice Ajim Today’s guest speaking to the African continent is none other than Eunice Ajim, Cameroonian-American tech entrepreneur and investor who's changing the game. With her fund, Ajim Capital, she seeks to invest in Africa’s best startups at the pre-seed and seed level; leveraging her experience as a former repeat founder herself, including leading a $10M+ tech startup. But what many may not know is her story of becoming homeless while building what she calls the African dream. Eunice’s story is not just a cheatsheet into investing in Africa (which by the way has had 51 Private Equity exits in the last 10 years, with 478 deals worth $8.6 billion), but real talk on how hard it still is to build in the emerging markets. -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated, long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- FOLLOW EUNICE: https://www.ajimcapital.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/euniceajim/ PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/ Watch on Youtube : tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 28 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 414 Sarah Chen-Spellings Today’s guest speaking to the African continent is none other than Eunice Ajim, Cameroonian-American tech entrepreneur and investor who's changing the game. With her fund, Ajim Capital, she seeks to invest in Africa’s best startups at the pre-seed and seed level; leveraging her experience as a former repeat founder herself, including leading a $10M+ tech startup. But what many may not know is her story of becoming homeless while building what she calls the African dream. Eunice’s story is not just a cheatsheet into investing in Africa (which by the way has had 51 Private Equity exits in the last 10 years, with 478 deals worth $8.6 billion), but real talk on how hard it still is to build in the emerging markets. -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated, long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- FOLLOW EUNICE: https://www.ajimcapital.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/euniceajim/ PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/ Watch on Youtube : tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Today’s guest speaking to the African continent is none other than Eunice Ajim, Cameroonian-American tech entrepreneur and investor who's changing the game. With her fund, Ajim Capital, she seeks to invest in Africa’s best startups at the pre-seed and seed level; leveraging her experience as a former repeat founder herself, including leading a $10M+ tech startup. But what many may not know is her story of becoming homeless while building what she calls the African dream.

Eunice’s story is not just a cheatsheet into investing in Africa (which by the way has had 51 Private Equity exits in the last 10 years, with 478 deals worth $8.6 billion), but real talk on how hard it still is to build in the emerging markets.

--

On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader.

Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated, long before they became iconic.

Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you.

This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture.

--

FOLLOW EUNICE:

https://www.ajimcapital.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/euniceajim/


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/

Watch on Youtube : tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Build like a CEO: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/ceoseries


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2370 Building Conviction: Investing in the Midcontinent with Nathaniel Harding, Cortado Ventures From $50 million in circulation annually in venture capital to about $500 million; this 10x growth in a short amount of time in Oklahoma caught my attention. So when Nathaniel Harding of Cortado Ventures invited me out to Oklahoma City for the MidContinent VC Summit earlier this year—my answer was yes! Today’s conversation is with a leader unlike any other I’ve had on the show— a former Air Force captain stationed at the US-NATO headquarters in Afghanistan, Nathaniel transitioned from military service to become a successful oil entrepreneur, leading a venture that ultimately exited for a staggering $120 million. Today he serves as Managing Partner at Cortado Ventures, which has just announced its oversubscribed close of Fund 2, investing in early-stage startups in the Midcontinent region of America. -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated, long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- FOLLOW Nathaniel: linkedin.com/in/nathanielharding/ Cortado Ventures PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/ Watch on Youtube : tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 21 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 43 Sarah Chen-Spellings From $50 million in circulation annually in venture capital to about $500 million; this 10x growth in a short amount of time in Oklahoma caught my attention. So when Nathaniel Harding of Cortado Ventures invited me out to Oklahoma City for the MidContinent VC Summit earlier this year—my answer was yes! Today’s conversation is with a leader unlike any other I’ve had on the show— a former Air Force captain stationed at the US-NATO headquarters in Afghanistan, Nathaniel transitioned from military service to become a successful oil entrepreneur, leading a venture that ultimately exited for a staggering $120 million. Today he serves as Managing Partner at Cortado Ventures, which has just announced its oversubscribed close of Fund 2, investing in early-stage startups in the Midcontinent region of America. -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated, long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- FOLLOW Nathaniel: linkedin.com/in/nathanielharding/ Cortado Ventures PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/ Watch on Youtube : tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal From $50 million in circulation annually in venture capital to about $500 million; this 10x growth in a short amount of time in Oklahoma caught my attention. So when Nathaniel Harding of Cortado Ventures invited me out to Oklahoma City for the MidContinent VC Summit earlier this year—my answer was yes! Today’s conversation is with a leader unlike any other I’ve had on the show—

a former Air Force captain stationed at the US-NATO headquarters in Afghanistan, Nathaniel transitioned from military service to become a successful oil entrepreneur, leading a venture that ultimately exited for a staggering $120 million.

Today he serves as Managing Partner at Cortado Ventures, which has just announced its oversubscribed close of Fund 2, investing in early-stage startups in the Midcontinent region of America.

--

On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader.

Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated, long before they became iconic.

Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you.

This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture.

--

FOLLOW Nathaniel: linkedin.com/in/nathanielharding/

Cortado Ventures

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/

Watch on Youtube : tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3021 "Admiring someone else's gifts without questioning your own" with Rachel Lim, LoveBonito In 2005, three Singaporean teenagers set up a secondhand clothes blog. They didn't realize it at the time, but it laid the framework for this multi-million dollar empire, one of the largest omnichannel womenswear brands in Southeast Asia, that has gone global, delivering to 18 countries with its most recent pop up store in SoHo New York. This week we dive into the story of Love, Bonito, in the business of serving the modern Asian women; which last raised a $50M Series C in 2021 led by Primavera Capital Group, China’s second-largest private-equity firm which previously invested in Alibaba and ByteDance. We chat with Love Bonito’s co-founder Rachel Lim about risking her mother’s entire savings to overcoming jealousy of her new CEO and finding herself as a leader even as they scale profits, revenues and markets, and build to an exit for their investors. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss.  -- TIMESTAMPS: 00:28 - Love Bonito: From Secondhand Clothes Blog to Multimillion-Dollar Empire 05:44 - Family struggles, financial crisis, Rach dropping out and betting on herself 14:50 - Bonito Chico to Love Bonito. The business of women beyond fashion, building with co-founders 23:22 - Rach bringing in a CEO, accepting her limitations, hiring to scale 34:29 - "Everything rises and falls on leadership" 40:33 - Taking venture money, the pressure for an investor return -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated, long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- FOLLOW RACHEL: LoveBonito: https://www.lovebonito.com/ LinkedIn Instagram Rach Reflects Podcast PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/ Watch on Youtube : tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 42 Sarah Chen-Spellings In 2005, three Singaporean teenagers set up a secondhand clothes blog. They didn't realize it at the time, but it laid the framework for this multi-million dollar empire, one of the largest omnichannel womenswear brands in Southeast Asia, that has gone global, delivering to 18 countries with its most recent pop up store in SoHo New York. This week we dive into the story of Love, Bonito, in the business of serving the modern Asian women; which last raised a $50M Series C in 2021 led by Primavera Capital Group, China’s second-largest private-equity firm which previously invested in Alibaba and ByteDance. We chat with Love Bonito’s co-founder Rachel Lim about risking her mother’s entire savings to overcoming jealousy of her new CEO and finding herself as a leader even as they scale profits, revenues and markets, and build to an exit for their investors. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss.  -- TIMESTAMPS: 00:28 - Love Bonito: From Secondhand Clothes Blog to Multimillion-Dollar Empire 05:44 - Family struggles, financial crisis, Rach dropping out and betting on herself 14:50 - Bonito Chico to Love Bonito. The business of women beyond fashion, building with co-founders 23:22 - Rach bringing in a CEO, accepting her limitations, hiring to scale 34:29 - "Everything rises and falls on leadership" 40:33 - Taking venture money, the pressure for an investor return -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated, long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- FOLLOW RACHEL: LoveBonito: https://www.lovebonito.com/ LinkedIn Instagram Rach Reflects Podcast PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/ Watch on Youtube : tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In 2005, three Singaporean teenagers set up a secondhand clothes blog.

They didn't realize it at the time, but it laid the framework for this multi-million dollar empire, one of the largest omnichannel womenswear brands in Southeast Asia, that has gone global, delivering to 18 countries with its most recent pop up store in SoHo New York.

This week we dive into the story of Love, Bonito, in the business of serving the modern Asian women; which last raised a $50M Series C in 2021 led by Primavera Capital Group, China’s second-largest private-equity firm which previously invested in Alibaba and ByteDance. We chat with Love Bonito’s co-founder Rachel Lim about risking her mother’s entire savings to overcoming jealousy of her new CEO and finding herself as a leader even as they scale profits, revenues and markets, and build to an exit for their investors. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss. 

--

TIMESTAMPS:

00:28 - Love Bonito: From Secondhand Clothes Blog to Multimillion-Dollar Empire

05:44 - Family struggles, financial crisis, Rach dropping out and betting on herself

14:50 - Bonito Chico to Love Bonito. The business of women beyond fashion, building with co-founders

23:22 - Rach bringing in a CEO, accepting her limitations, hiring to scale

34:29 - "Everything rises and falls on leadership"

40:33 - Taking venture money, the pressure for an investor return

--

On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader.

Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated, long before they became iconic.

Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you.

This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture.

--

FOLLOW RACHEL:

LoveBonito: https://www.lovebonito.com/

LinkedIn

Instagram

Rach Reflects Podcast


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/

Watch on Youtube : tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2838 "When given a rare opportunity—rise to the occasion"—Bonus: Sarah Chen-Spellings in the Hot Seat I realized for many of you, I’ve yet to formally introduce myself, why I do the work I do, and why, Billion Dollar Moves exists to serve you today.  Fact: I was often in rooms I felt I didn’t deserve to be in. I was too young, too unqualified, and heck, looked and sounded different from everyone else. I knew I had two choices: to crumble into myself or to step up and honor my potential. The tables are turned in this episode where I'm in the hot seat, interviewed by my friends at Beyond Barriers. Enjoy! -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 07 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 41 Sarah Chen-Spellings I realized for many of you, I’ve yet to formally introduce myself, why I do the work I do, and why, Billion Dollar Moves exists to serve you today.  Fact: I was often in rooms I felt I didn’t deserve to be in. I was too young, too unqualified, and heck, looked and sounded different from everyone else. I knew I had two choices: to crumble into myself or to step up and honor my potential. The tables are turned in this episode where I'm in the hot seat, interviewed by my friends at Beyond Barriers. Enjoy! -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal I realized for many of you, I’ve yet to formally introduce myself, why I do the work I do, and why, Billion Dollar Moves exists to serve you today. 

Fact: I was often in rooms I felt I didn’t deserve to be in.

I was too young, too unqualified, and heck, looked and sounded different from everyone else.

I knew I had two choices: to crumble into myself or to step up and honor my potential.

The tables are turned in this episode where I'm in the hot seat, interviewed by my friends at Beyond Barriers. Enjoy!

--

On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader.

Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic.

Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you.

This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2702 Pivot or Persevere? Being a Growth Company CEO with Coursera's CEO Jeff Maggioncalda Our guest today is none other than Jeff Maggioncalda, a visionary leader whose journey spans not just one but two groundbreaking fields. For 18 years, Jeff worked side by side with Nobel Prize winner and economist Bill Sharpe, as the founding CEO of Financial Engines, one of the earliest pioneers in the world of robo-advisors and algorithm-driven investment strategies that became the largest independent online retirement advice platform with more than $100 billion under management. sold for you know, a casual $3 billion. Fast forward to today, Jeff is at the helm of another HIGH IMPACT endeavor. As the CEO of Coursera, he's leading the charge to redefine education for the digital age; since joining in June 2017 and has helped the company grow to over 120 million learners and 7,000+ institutions, served by high-quality learning content from 300+ of the world’s top universities and industry educators. From what a good CEO is and how a game of Monopoly really started Jeff on this journey, our power-packed conversation is a CEO masterclass you need to buckle up for. -- TIMESTAMPS 04:20 From a game of Monopoly to Monte Carlo simulations 10:23 Pivoting is important, but knowing when is difficult 13:50 AI: another form of technology, impact, and concerns 17:09 GPT to predict business strategies 23:44 Digital, platform business models in online learning, massive online open courses (MOOCs) 35:56 Technology, globalization, and AI drive future change. Being a growth company CEO ON COURSERA: https://www.coursera.org/ -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 31 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 40 Sarah Chen-Spellings Our guest today is none other than Jeff Maggioncalda, a visionary leader whose journey spans not just one but two groundbreaking fields. For 18 years, Jeff worked side by side with Nobel Prize winner and economist Bill Sharpe, as the founding CEO of Financial Engines, one of the earliest pioneers in the world of robo-advisors and algorithm-driven investment strategies that became the largest independent online retirement advice platform with more than $100 billion under management. sold for you know, a casual $3 billion. Fast forward to today, Jeff is at the helm of another HIGH IMPACT endeavor. As the CEO of Coursera, he's leading the charge to redefine education for the digital age; since joining in June 2017 and has helped the company grow to over 120 million learners and 7,000+ institutions, served by high-quality learning content from 300+ of the world’s top universities and industry educators. From what a good CEO is and how a game of Monopoly really started Jeff on this journey, our power-packed conversation is a CEO masterclass you need to buckle up for. -- TIMESTAMPS 04:20 From a game of Monopoly to Monte Carlo simulations 10:23 Pivoting is important, but knowing when is difficult 13:50 AI: another form of technology, impact, and concerns 17:09 GPT to predict business strategies 23:44 Digital, platform business models in online learning, massive online open courses (MOOCs) 35:56 Technology, globalization, and AI drive future change. Being a growth company CEO ON COURSERA: https://www.coursera.org/ -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Our guest today is none other than Jeff Maggioncalda, a visionary leader whose journey spans not just one but two groundbreaking fields. For 18 years, Jeff worked side by side with Nobel Prize winner and economist Bill Sharpe, as the founding CEO of Financial Engines, one of the earliest pioneers in the world of robo-advisors and algorithm-driven investment strategies that became the largest independent online retirement advice platform with more than $100 billion under management. sold for you know, a casual $3 billion.

Fast forward to today, Jeff is at the helm of another HIGH IMPACT endeavor. As the CEO of Coursera, he's leading the charge to redefine education for the digital age; since joining in June 2017 and has helped the company grow to over 120 million learners and 7,000+ institutions, served by high-quality learning content from 300+ of the world’s top universities and industry educators.

From what a good CEO is and how a game of Monopoly really started Jeff on this journey, our power-packed conversation is a CEO masterclass you need to buckle up for.

--

TIMESTAMPS

04:20 From a game of Monopoly to Monte Carlo simulations

10:23 Pivoting is important, but knowing when is difficult

13:50 AI: another form of technology, impact, and concerns

17:09 GPT to predict business strategies

23:44 Digital, platform business models in online learning, massive online open courses (MOOCs)

35:56 Technology, globalization, and AI drive future change. Being a growth company CEO


ON COURSERA: https://www.coursera.org/

--

On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader.

Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic.

Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you.

This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2566 Receptionist to $200M AUM: Elodie Dupuy, Full In Partners on SAAS Investing & 'Pushing Through Pain' I’m so excited about this week’s guest! If you’ve been following our work at Beyond The Billion; there’s no better snapshot of why we do the work we do than this episode; where Elodie Dupuy represents the kind of fund manager we are so bullish on. Starting as a receptionist at Insight Venture Partners, she is today betting on herself. Elodie founded Full In Partners, a software-focused $200M growth equity fund based in New York City, getting into deals like Canva, and Vinted. How she got there? You’d have to tune in. TIMESTAMPS 03:33 - Gymnast "Pushing through the pain' grounding Elodie's journey 08:21 - Iconiq chapter, but not really? 09:03 - 'I didn't know I want to be a CEO, until I couldn't be' 09:30 - 'Why don't I have my own fund? That's rude' 15:29 - Lagging indicators in fund management? 20:41 - Trust vs ownership in equity 25:56 - Usercentrics & Cookiebot - THE deal 36:28 - 'When the tide goes out, it's easy to see who doesn't have a bathing suit on' 40:38 - Will the growth stage sustain? Distributions vs valuations? 48:17 - 'B2B SAAS will not go anywhere' FOLLOW FULL IN PARTNERS: https://fullinpartners.com/ Full In Partners is a premier NYC-based growth equity firm founded in 2019. The firm is focused on backing high-velocity, high-efficiency software and internet businesses while building better outcomes through proactive operational and strategic support. -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Wed, 23 Aug 2023 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 39 Sarah Chen-Spellings I’m so excited about this week’s guest! If you’ve been following our work at Beyond The Billion; there’s no better snapshot of why we do the work we do than this episode; where Elodie Dupuy represents the kind of fund manager we are so bullish on. Starting as a receptionist at Insight Venture Partners, she is today betting on herself. Elodie founded Full In Partners, a software-focused $200M growth equity fund based in New York City, getting into deals like Canva, and Vinted. How she got there? You’d have to tune in. TIMESTAMPS 03:33 - Gymnast "Pushing through the pain' grounding Elodie's journey 08:21 - Iconiq chapter, but not really? 09:03 - 'I didn't know I want to be a CEO, until I couldn't be' 09:30 - 'Why don't I have my own fund? That's rude' 15:29 - Lagging indicators in fund management? 20:41 - Trust vs ownership in equity 25:56 - Usercentrics & Cookiebot - THE deal 36:28 - 'When the tide goes out, it's easy to see who doesn't have a bathing suit on' 40:38 - Will the growth stage sustain? Distributions vs valuations? 48:17 - 'B2B SAAS will not go anywhere' FOLLOW FULL IN PARTNERS: https://fullinpartners.com/ Full In Partners is a premier NYC-based growth equity firm founded in 2019. The firm is focused on backing high-velocity, high-efficiency software and internet businesses while building better outcomes through proactive operational and strategic support. -- On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader. Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic. Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you. This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal I’m so excited about this week’s guest! If you’ve been following our work at Beyond The Billion; there’s no better snapshot of why we do the work we do than this episode; where Elodie Dupuy represents the kind of fund manager we are so bullish on. Starting as a receptionist at Insight Venture Partners, she is today betting on herself. Elodie founded Full In Partners, a software-focused $200M growth equity fund based in New York City, getting into deals like Canva, and Vinted. How she got there? You’d have to tune in.


TIMESTAMPS

03:33 - Gymnast "Pushing through the pain' grounding Elodie's journey

08:21 - Iconiq chapter, but not really?

09:03 - 'I didn't know I want to be a CEO, until I couldn't be'

09:30 - 'Why don't I have my own fund? That's rude'

15:29 - Lagging indicators in fund management?

20:41 - Trust vs ownership in equity

25:56 - Usercentrics & Cookiebot - THE deal

36:28 - 'When the tide goes out, it's easy to see who doesn't have a bathing suit on'

40:38 - Will the growth stage sustain? Distributions vs valuations?

48:17 - 'B2B SAAS will not go anywhere'


FOLLOW FULL IN PARTNERS: https://fullinpartners.com/

Full In Partners is a premier NYC-based growth equity firm founded in 2019. The firm is focused on backing high-velocity, high-efficiency software and internet businesses while building better outcomes through proactive operational and strategic support.

--

On Billion Dollar Moves, we travel across the globe in search of the unexpected leader.

Every week, it is our job to deconstruct the Billion Dollar Moves of unicorn founders & funders; many of them, underestimated long before they became iconic.

Many of them, unexpected leaders, just like you.

This show is about unfiltered conversations about success, failure, fear, and courage in the pursuit of the next big thing in tech and venture.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2854 Sequoia Capital, LetsVenture, Sayurbox on Actually Bridging The Gender Gap in Venture "But how can women actually be good operators?" This is a special episode from my work archives—in reflecting on my work this summer, I realized that this conversation in particular needed more air for the important angles raised by some real heavyweights in our industry. Featuring GV Ravishankar, MD at Sequoia India or now known as Peak XV; Sunitha from LetsVenture, India’s largest tech platform for early-stage startup investing and Nacitta from Sayurbox, Indonesia based distribution platform of fresh produce backed by Indonesian e-commerce Tokopedia From removing the pitch process to changing mindsets in angel investingm to challenging our own assumptions, this is your crash course on why the gender venture funding gap exists; and the Billion Dollar Moves these leaders are championing to change the status quo. You’re tuning into the Bridging the Funding Gap in SEA Panel at DSA’s 2021 PEVC Conference. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 17 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 38 Sarah Chen-Spellings "But how can women actually be good operators?" This is a special episode from my work archives—in reflecting on my work this summer, I realized that this conversation in particular needed more air for the important angles raised by some real heavyweights in our industry. Featuring GV Ravishankar, MD at Sequoia India or now known as Peak XV; Sunitha from LetsVenture, India’s largest tech platform for early-stage startup investing and Nacitta from Sayurbox, Indonesia based distribution platform of fresh produce backed by Indonesian e-commerce Tokopedia From removing the pitch process to changing mindsets in angel investingm to challenging our own assumptions, this is your crash course on why the gender venture funding gap exists; and the Billion Dollar Moves these leaders are championing to change the status quo. You’re tuning into the Bridging the Funding Gap in SEA Panel at DSA’s 2021 PEVC Conference. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal "But how can women actually be good operators?"

This is a special episode from my work archives—in reflecting on my work this summer, I realized that this conversation in particular needed more air for the important angles raised by some real heavyweights in our industry.

Featuring GV Ravishankar, MD at Sequoia India or now known as Peak XV; Sunitha from LetsVenture, India’s largest tech platform for early-stage startup investing and Nacitta from Sayurbox, Indonesia based distribution platform of fresh produce backed by Indonesian e-commerce Tokopedia

From removing the pitch process to changing mindsets in angel investingm to challenging our own assumptions, this is your crash course on why the gender venture funding gap exists; and the Billion Dollar Moves these leaders are championing to change the status quo.

You’re tuning into the Bridging the Funding Gap in SEA Panel at DSA’s 2021 PEVC Conference.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2191 What Does the Next Generation Workforce Want from Leaders? Redefining the Workforce: lessons from Niels Christiansen, Group CEO at Lego, Cathy Gao, VC at Sapphire Partners, Josh Reeves, Founder at Gusto & others “Give them some purpose, unlimited vacation time, free food, and beanbags.” 🙄 Yet why are workers still unhappy and disengaged? 😳 40% of workers say they're likely to leave their current job in the next 3-6 months In this Billion Dollar Bite I explore a question I get asked often: "What exactly does the next generation workforce want from me?" EPISODES REFERENCED: Silvia Wiesner, former MD at Unilever on "really listening" Niels Christiansen, Group CEO at Lego and Stanley Bergman, CEO at Henry Schein on "the non-political leader" Cathy Gao, Partner at Sapphire Partners on "building culture from day one" PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 10 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 37 Sarah Chen-Spellings “Give them some purpose, unlimited vacation time, free food, and beanbags.” 🙄 Yet why are workers still unhappy and disengaged? 😳 40% of workers say they're likely to leave their current job in the next 3-6 months In this Billion Dollar Bite I explore a question I get asked often: "What exactly does the next generation workforce want from me?" EPISODES REFERENCED: Silvia Wiesner, former MD at Unilever on "really listening" Niels Christiansen, Group CEO at Lego and Stanley Bergman, CEO at Henry Schein on "the non-political leader" Cathy Gao, Partner at Sapphire Partners on "building culture from day one" PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal “Give them some purpose, unlimited vacation time, free food, and beanbags.”

🙄 Yet why are workers still unhappy and disengaged?

😳 40% of workers say they're likely to leave their current job in the next 3-6 months

In this Billion Dollar Bite I explore a question I get asked often:

"What exactly does the next generation workforce want from me?"

EPISODES REFERENCED:



PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 592 Not Your Token Woman with First Female NFL Coach Dr. Jen Welter: Billion Dollar Bite https://sarah-chen.com/overcoming-adversity-with-first-female-nfl-coach-dr-jen-welter/ I’ve been enjoying the Women's FIFA World Cup, and I’m so thrilled to see the conversation on gender equity that has arisen alongside the excitement of the sport. As we continue to be in awe of the performance of so many of the teams, I was inspired to bring this week’s Billion Dollar Bite to a candid conversation with Coach Jen Welter who tackled her football career with tenacity and an unprecedented track record of pioneering firsts. What does it mean to be the first and the only? How do you turn being seen as the 'token' woman to being taken seriously as a team player? From building on her career in women’s football, which included 2 Gold medals with Team USA, to breaking through the biggest boys club of all, the NFL, as the first female coach in the league, I thought her Billion Dollar Moves deserved a listen this week. Original full episode Follow Dr. Jen Welter PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 27 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 36 Sarah Chen-Spellings I’ve been enjoying the Women's FIFA World Cup, and I’m so thrilled to see the conversation on gender equity that has arisen alongside the excitement of the sport. As we continue to be in awe of the performance of so many of the teams, I was inspired to bring this week’s Billion Dollar Bite to a candid conversation with Coach Jen Welter who tackled her football career with tenacity and an unprecedented track record of pioneering firsts. What does it mean to be the first and the only? How do you turn being seen as the 'token' woman to being taken seriously as a team player? From building on her career in women’s football, which included 2 Gold medals with Team USA, to breaking through the biggest boys club of all, the NFL, as the first female coach in the league, I thought her Billion Dollar Moves deserved a listen this week. Original full episode Follow Dr. Jen Welter PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal I’ve been enjoying the Women's FIFA World Cup, and I’m so thrilled to see the conversation on gender equity that has arisen alongside the excitement of the sport. As we continue to be in awe of the performance of so many of the teams, I was inspired to bring this week’s Billion Dollar Bite to a candid conversation with Coach Jen Welter who tackled her football career with tenacity and an unprecedented track record of pioneering firsts.

What does it mean to be the first and the only? How do you turn being seen as the 'token' woman to being taken seriously as a team player? From building on her career in women’s football, which included 2 Gold medals with Team USA, to breaking through the biggest boys club of all, the NFL, as the first female coach in the league, I thought her Billion Dollar Moves deserved a listen this week.


Original full episode

Follow Dr. Jen Welter


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

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]]> 1044 The Unstoppable Power of Web3, Scaling Amazon with Jeff Bezos and the Future of Online Identity with Sandy Carter https://sarah-chen.com/web3-sandycarter/ From building emerging tech in IBM to working with Jeff Bezos and Andy Jessy, being a part of scaling Amazon from a $12 Billion to $80 Billion company; tech pioneer and trailblazer, CNN’s Top 10 Most Powerful Women in Tech Sandy Carter is now betting big on Web3: as COO of Unstoppable Domains, a platform for user-owned digital identity that hit the unicorn status last year led with a round led by Pantera Capital. Today we break some exciting news by Unstoppable Domains launching, discuss the viability of Web 3.0 and how it is creating new business opportunities and reshaping the way we think about commerce, entertainment, and social interaction. ABOUT SANDY CARTER: Sandy Carter is Chief Operating Officer and Head of Business Development at Unstoppable Domains, a platform for user-owned digital identity. As COO, she is responsible for driving growth and developing business strategies in pursuit of the company’s mission to provide user-owned identity for the world. She also drives partnerships and integrations for Web3 and the Metaverse. Prior to Unstoppable, Sandy was a VP at AWS where she created and grew businesses in emerging tech, leveraging AI, blockchain, and AR/VR. Before that, she was a General Manager at IBM and a Silicon Valley start-up founder. Sandy is a leading voice in technology, social media, Web3 and the metaverse who has been recognized as a Top 10 Most Powerful Woman in Tech by CNN and as a top AI influencer per Onalytica. Sandy Carter is a Board Member at Altair, an AI company, Chairman of the Board for the non-profit Girls in Tech, a past member of the Diversity Committee at the World Economic Forum, the founder of Unstoppable Women of Web3 and a founding member of Blockchain Friends Forever (BFF). She has won numerous awards including 2023 Crunchbase Influential Women in Sales List, 2023 CRN Channel Chief, Top 100 Global Thought Leader by Awards Magazine, Top 150 Business Transformational Leaders, a Top 100 Chief Tech Leader, Top 115 Most Inspirational Women of Web3/Metaverse, 100 Women Davos, Two Lovies Awards for Best Metaverse HQ, Top 14 Edge Leader, Federal 100 Award Winner, Top 100 Women of the Future, and PwC Game Changer. She is a member of Fortune Most Powerful Women. She is fluent in eight programming languages and is the author of five books, which won the Platinum MarCom Award and the Silver Marketing Sherpa award. About Unstoppable: Launched in 2018, Unstoppable Domains is a Web3 domain name provider and digital identity platform working to onboard the world onto Web3. Unstoppable Domains offers Web3 domains minted on the blockchain that give people full ownership and control of their digital identity, with no renewal fees. With Unstoppable Domains, people can replace lengthy alphanumeric crypto wallet addresses with a human-readable name and log into and transact with more than 720 apps, wallets, exchanges and marketplaces. The company was named by Forbes as one of America's Best Startup Employers in 2022. Media Contact: press@unstoppabledomains.com FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Mon, 17 Jul 2023 09:01:00 -0000 full 2 35 Sarah Chen-Spellings From building emerging tech in IBM to working with Jeff Bezos and Andy Jessy, being a part of scaling Amazon from a $12 Billion to $80 Billion company; tech pioneer and trailblazer, CNN’s Top 10 Most Powerful Women in Tech Sandy Carter is now betting big on Web3: as COO of Unstoppable Domains, a platform for user-owned digital identity that hit the unicorn status last year led with a round led by Pantera Capital. Today we break some exciting news by Unstoppable Domains launching, discuss the viability of Web 3.0 and how it is creating new business opportunities and reshaping the way we think about commerce, entertainment, and social interaction. ABOUT SANDY CARTER: Sandy Carter is Chief Operating Officer and Head of Business Development at Unstoppable Domains, a platform for user-owned digital identity. As COO, she is responsible for driving growth and developing business strategies in pursuit of the company’s mission to provide user-owned identity for the world. She also drives partnerships and integrations for Web3 and the Metaverse. Prior to Unstoppable, Sandy was a VP at AWS where she created and grew businesses in emerging tech, leveraging AI, blockchain, and AR/VR. Before that, she was a General Manager at IBM and a Silicon Valley start-up founder. Sandy is a leading voice in technology, social media, Web3 and the metaverse who has been recognized as a Top 10 Most Powerful Woman in Tech by CNN and as a top AI influencer per Onalytica. Sandy Carter is a Board Member at Altair, an AI company, Chairman of the Board for the non-profit Girls in Tech, a past member of the Diversity Committee at the World Economic Forum, the founder of Unstoppable Women of Web3 and a founding member of Blockchain Friends Forever (BFF). She has won numerous awards including 2023 Crunchbase Influential Women in Sales List, 2023 CRN Channel Chief, Top 100 Global Thought Leader by Awards Magazine, Top 150 Business Transformational Leaders, a Top 100 Chief Tech Leader, Top 115 Most Inspirational Women of Web3/Metaverse, 100 Women Davos, Two Lovies Awards for Best Metaverse HQ, Top 14 Edge Leader, Federal 100 Award Winner, Top 100 Women of the Future, and PwC Game Changer. She is a member of Fortune Most Powerful Women. She is fluent in eight programming languages and is the author of five books, which won the Platinum MarCom Award and the Silver Marketing Sherpa award. About Unstoppable: Launched in 2018, Unstoppable Domains is a Web3 domain name provider and digital identity platform working to onboard the world onto Web3. Unstoppable Domains offers Web3 domains minted on the blockchain that give people full ownership and control of their digital identity, with no renewal fees. With Unstoppable Domains, people can replace lengthy alphanumeric crypto wallet addresses with a human-readable name and log into and transact with more than 720 apps, wallets, exchanges and marketplaces. The company was named by Forbes as one of America's Best Startup Employers in 2022. Media Contact: press@unstoppabledomains.com FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves From building emerging tech in IBM to working with Jeff Bezos and Andy Jessy, being a part of scaling Amazon from a $12 Billion to $80 Billion company; tech pioneer and trailblazer, CNN’s Top 10 Most Powerful Women in Tech Sandy Carter is now betting big on Web3: as COO of Unstoppable Domains, a platform for user-owned digital identity that hit the unicorn status last year led with a round led by Pantera Capital.

Today we break some exciting news by Unstoppable Domains launching, discuss the viability of Web 3.0 and how it is creating new business opportunities and reshaping the way we think about commerce, entertainment, and social interaction.


ABOUT SANDY CARTER:

Sandy Carter is Chief Operating Officer and Head of Business Development at Unstoppable Domains, a platform for user-owned digital identity. As COO, she is responsible for driving growth and developing business strategies in pursuit of the company’s mission to provide user-owned identity for the world. She also drives partnerships and integrations for Web3 and the Metaverse. Prior to Unstoppable, Sandy was a VP at AWS where she created and grew businesses in emerging tech, leveraging AI, blockchain, and AR/VR. Before that, she was a General Manager at IBM and a Silicon Valley start-up founder.


Sandy is a leading voice in technology, social media, Web3 and the metaverse who has been recognized as a Top 10 Most Powerful Woman in Tech by CNN and as a top AI influencer per Onalytica. Sandy Carter is a Board Member at Altair, an AI company, Chairman of the Board for the non-profit Girls in Tech, a past member of the Diversity Committee at the World Economic Forum, the founder of Unstoppable Women of Web3 and a founding member of Blockchain Friends Forever (BFF). She has won numerous awards including 2023 Crunchbase Influential Women in Sales List, 2023 CRN Channel Chief, Top 100 Global Thought Leader by Awards Magazine, Top 150 Business Transformational Leaders, a Top 100 Chief Tech Leader, Top 115 Most Inspirational Women of Web3/Metaverse, 100 Women Davos, Two Lovies Awards for Best Metaverse HQ, Top 14 Edge Leader, Federal 100 Award Winner, Top 100 Women of the Future, and PwC Game Changer. She is a member of Fortune Most Powerful Women. She is fluent in eight programming languages and is the author of five books, which won the Platinum MarCom Award and the Silver Marketing Sherpa award.


About Unstoppable:


Launched in 2018, Unstoppable Domains is a Web3 domain name provider and digital identity platform working to onboard the world onto Web3. Unstoppable Domains offers Web3 domains minted on the blockchain that give people full ownership and control of their digital identity, with no renewal fees. With Unstoppable Domains, people can replace lengthy alphanumeric crypto wallet addresses with a human-readable name and log into and transact with more than 720 apps, wallets, exchanges and marketplaces. The company was named by Forbes as one of America's Best Startup Employers in 2022.

Media Contact:

press@unstoppabledomains.com


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2977 From Underestimated to 50 Million+ Users: Leveraging AI to Empower with Vu Van, ELSA https://sarah-chen.com/vu-van-elsa-ai/ Long before AI became a buzzword, Vu Van recognized its transformative potential. Combining her deep understanding of language learning with her AI expertise, Vu Van founded ELSA (English Language Speech Assistant) in 2015. ELSA, an AI-powered learning app, provides users with an interactive and personalized approach to improving English pronunciation, 50 million users later, over $27 million dollars raised, with investors including Gradient Ventures, Google’s dedicated AI fund, this is a conversation not to be missed. ABOUT VU VAN: Vu Van is Co-founder & CEO of Silicon Valley-based ELSA, the world’s best and smartest English pronunciation app. She worked with leading speech scientists, machine learning scientists, and linguists from around the world to create ELSA. Powered by the company’s proprietary AI and speech recognition technology, ELSA scores a learners' speech to pinpoint individual syllable and phoneme level mistakes with real time feedback. Prior to founding ELSA, Vu lived and worked in Vietnam, Singapore, Denmark where she experienced the challenges of an English language learner abroad. She served as an Engagement Manager at Booz & Co, one of the top four global management consulting firms. Vu earned an MBA and a Masters in Education from Stanford University and is originally from Vietnam. FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Thu, 13 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0000 From Underestimated to 50 Million+ Users: Leveraging AI to Empower with Vu Van, ELSA full 2 34 Sarah Chen-Spellings Long before AI became a buzzword, Vu Van recognized its transformative potential. Combining her deep understanding of language learning with her AI expertise, Vu Van founded ELSA (English Language Speech Assistant) in 2015. ELSA, an AI-powered learning app, provides users with an interactive and personalized approach to improving English pronunciation, 50 million users later, over $27 million dollars raised, with investors including Gradient Ventures, Google’s dedicated AI fund, this is a conversation not to be missed. ABOUT VU VAN: Vu Van is Co-founder & CEO of Silicon Valley-based ELSA, the world’s best and smartest English pronunciation app. She worked with leading speech scientists, machine learning scientists, and linguists from around the world to create ELSA. Powered by the company’s proprietary AI and speech recognition technology, ELSA scores a learners' speech to pinpoint individual syllable and phoneme level mistakes with real time feedback. Prior to founding ELSA, Vu lived and worked in Vietnam, Singapore, Denmark where she experienced the challenges of an English language learner abroad. She served as an Engagement Manager at Booz & Co, one of the top four global management consulting firms. Vu earned an MBA and a Masters in Education from Stanford University and is originally from Vietnam. FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Long before AI became a buzzword, Vu Van recognized its transformative potential. Combining her deep understanding of language learning with her AI expertise, Vu Van founded ELSA (English Language Speech Assistant) in 2015. ELSA, an AI-powered learning app, provides users with an interactive and personalized approach to improving English pronunciation,

50 million users later, over $27 million dollars raised, with investors including Gradient Ventures, Google’s dedicated AI fund, this is a conversation not to be missed.


ABOUT VU VAN:

Vu Van is Co-founder & CEO of Silicon Valley-based ELSA, the world’s best and smartest English pronunciation app. She worked with leading speech scientists, machine learning scientists, and linguists from around the world to create ELSA. Powered by the company’s proprietary AI and speech recognition technology, ELSA scores a learners' speech to pinpoint individual syllable and phoneme level mistakes with real time feedback.

Prior to founding ELSA, Vu lived and worked in Vietnam, Singapore, Denmark where she experienced the challenges of an English language learner abroad. She served as an Engagement Manager at Booz & Co, one of the top four global management consulting firms. Vu earned an MBA and a Masters in Education from Stanford University and is originally from Vietnam.


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2746 Maximizing Your First 90 Days: Head Coach vs CEO with Tiwa York, Kaidee (largest C2C Marketplace in Thailand) While the IPO window feels closed for many; what we’re still seeing are interesting mergers, acquisitions and strategic exits: many of which create the scenario of leaders at the helm of new teams. And so, for this week’s Billion Dollar Bite; I’m bringing a question I’m off late being asked a lot: how do leaders make maximum impact in the first 90 days? A concept; from one of my fav book of all time— by Michael Watkins where as Watkins brilliantly illustrates the first 90 days present a unique window for leaders to establish their vision, build influence and actually set the foundation to make things happen. It is a period that demands precision, clarity, and swift action, political savvy. I couldn’t think of a better episode than that of Tiwa York to highlight: a visionary leader who has made waves in the e-commerce industry like no other. Tiwa was handpicked by industry giants, Naspers and Tencent, to revolutionize their e-commerce portfolio in Thailand. And boy, did he deliver in the first 100 days and more. Full episode: On Apple: https://apple.co/3sXNtkz On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3UpAbcV On Youtube: https://youtu.be/fBmTNT4G-20 -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top GLOBAL funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar... Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... Fri, 07 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 33 Sarah Chen-Spellings While the IPO window feels closed for many; what we’re still seeing are interesting mergers, acquisitions and strategic exits: many of which create the scenario of leaders at the helm of new teams. And so, for this week’s Billion Dollar Bite; I’m bringing a question I’m off late being asked a lot: how do leaders make maximum impact in the first 90 days? A concept; from one of my fav book of all time— by Michael Watkins where as Watkins brilliantly illustrates the first 90 days present a unique window for leaders to establish their vision, build influence and actually set the foundation to make things happen. It is a period that demands precision, clarity, and swift action, political savvy. I couldn’t think of a better episode than that of Tiwa York to highlight: a visionary leader who has made waves in the e-commerce industry like no other. Tiwa was handpicked by industry giants, Naspers and Tencent, to revolutionize their e-commerce portfolio in Thailand. And boy, did he deliver in the first 100 days and more. Full episode: On Apple: https://apple.co/3sXNtkz On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3UpAbcV On Youtube: https://youtu.be/fBmTNT4G-20 -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top GLOBAL funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar... Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... While the IPO window feels closed for many; what we’re still seeing are interesting mergers, acquisitions and strategic exits: many of which create the scenario of leaders at the helm of new teams. And so, for this week’s Billion Dollar Bite; I’m bringing a question I’m off late being asked a lot: how do leaders make maximum impact in the first 90 days?


A concept; from one of my fav book of all time— by Michael Watkins where as Watkins brilliantly illustrates the first 90 days present a unique window for leaders to establish their vision, build influence and actually set the foundation to make things happen. It is a period that demands precision, clarity, and swift action, political savvy.


I couldn’t think of a better episode than that of Tiwa York to highlight: a visionary leader who has made waves in the e-commerce industry like no other. Tiwa was handpicked by industry giants, Naspers and Tencent, to revolutionize their e-commerce portfolio in Thailand. And boy, did he deliver in the first 100 days and more.


Full episode:

On Apple: https://apple.co/3sXNtkz

On Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3UpAbcV

On Youtube: https://youtu.be/fBmTNT4G-20


--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top GLOBAL funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar...

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol...

]]> 991 Leaving a $250 Million Fund: Ollen Douglass Speaks Out about being a Black Man in Venture Capital, the Power of Diversity to Drive Returns https://sarah-chen.com/ollen-douglass/ Ollen Douglass is a name that many have come to recognize in the venture industry, in particular for building the first venture fund for the Motley Fool; a popular news and media platform providing investing insights and financial advice to millions of people for over 25 years. But his story takes an unexpected twist as he walks away from a $250 million outfit he helped start. His abrupt departure left industry insiders hungry for answers. And today, he's here to reveal in his own words what happened and why; and importantly we’ll chat about his mission to challenge the status quo as a Black man in this industry. FOLLOW OLLEN: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ollendouglass/ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top GLOBAL funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar... Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... Thu, 22 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 32 Sarah Chen-Spellings Ollen Douglass is a name that many have come to recognize in the venture industry, in particular for building the first venture fund for the Motley Fool; a popular news and media platform providing investing insights and financial advice to millions of people for over 25 years. But his story takes an unexpected twist as he walks away from a $250 million outfit he helped start. His abrupt departure left industry insiders hungry for answers. And today, he's here to reveal in his own words what happened and why; and importantly we’ll chat about his mission to challenge the status quo as a Black man in this industry. FOLLOW OLLEN: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ollendouglass/ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top GLOBAL funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar... Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... Ollen Douglass is a name that many have come to recognize in the venture industry, in particular for building the first venture fund for the Motley Fool; a popular news and media platform providing investing insights and financial advice to millions of people for over 25 years. But his story takes an unexpected twist as he walks away from a $250 million outfit he helped start. His abrupt departure left industry insiders hungry for answers. And today, he's here to reveal in his own words what happened and why; and importantly we’ll chat about his mission to challenge the status quo as a Black man in this industry.


FOLLOW OLLEN:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ollendouglass/


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top GLOBAL funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar...

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol...

]]> 3016 Why Early Specialization doesn't Guarantee Career Success with David Epstein, Global Bestselling Author, Range https://sarah-chen.com/david-epstein-range/ A head start doesn't always ... well, help you get ahead. With examples from sports, technology and economics, journalist David Epstein shares how specializing in a particular skill too early in life may undermine your long-term development -- and explains the benefits of a "sampling period" where you try new things and focus on building a range of skills. Learn how this broader, counterintuitive mindset (and more forgiving timeline) could lead to a more fulfilling life, personally and professionally: even in our world of venture and business. Special thanks to Cortado Ventures for setting this up in the beautiful First National Center in Oklahoma City: https://cortado.ventures/ FOLLOW DAVID: Get his book, Range: https://amzn.to/3Nrht3c Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidEpstein LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-epstein-5a37ba25/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidepstein/ https://davidepstein.com/ David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times best seller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, and of the New York Times best seller The Sports Gene, both of which have been translated in more than 30 languages. (To his surprise, the latter was purchased not only by his sister but also by President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.) He was previously the host of Slate‘s popular “How To!” podcast, and a science and investigative reporter at ProPublica. Prior to that, he was a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, where he co-authored the story that revealed Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had used steroids. His writing has been honored by an array of organizations, from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, to the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Center on Disability and Journalism, and has been included in the Best American Science and Nature Writing anthology. His story “Following the Trail of Broken Hearts,” on sudden cardiac death in athletes, was chosen as one of the top 100 stories of the last 100 years by Columbia Journalism alumni. FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top GLOBAL funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar... Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... Thu, 15 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0000 Why Early Specialization doesn't Guarantee Career Success with David Epstein, Global Bestselling Author, Range full 2 31 Sarah Chen-Spellings A head start doesn't always ... well, help you get ahead. With examples from sports, technology and economics, journalist David Epstein shares how specializing in a particular skill too early in life may undermine your long-term development -- and explains the benefits of a "sampling period" where you try new things and focus on building a range of skills. Learn how this broader, counterintuitive mindset (and more forgiving timeline) could lead to a more fulfilling life, personally and professionally: even in our world of venture and business. Special thanks to Cortado Ventures for setting this up in the beautiful First National Center in Oklahoma City: https://cortado.ventures/ FOLLOW DAVID: Get his book, Range: https://amzn.to/3Nrht3c Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidEpstein LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-epstein-5a37ba25/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidepstein/ https://davidepstein.com/ David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times best seller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, and of the New York Times best seller The Sports Gene, both of which have been translated in more than 30 languages. (To his surprise, the latter was purchased not only by his sister but also by President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.) He was previously the host of Slate‘s popular “How To!” podcast, and a science and investigative reporter at ProPublica. Prior to that, he was a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, where he co-authored the story that revealed Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had used steroids. His writing has been honored by an array of organizations, from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, to the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Center on Disability and Journalism, and has been included in the Best American Science and Nature Writing anthology. His story “Following the Trail of Broken Hearts,” on sudden cardiac death in athletes, was chosen as one of the top 100 stories of the last 100 years by Columbia Journalism alumni. FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top GLOBAL funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar... Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... A head start doesn't always ... well, help you get ahead.


With examples from sports, technology and economics, journalist David Epstein shares how specializing in a particular skill too early in life may undermine your long-term development -- and explains the benefits of a "sampling period" where you try new things and focus on building a range of skills. Learn how this broader, counterintuitive mindset (and more forgiving timeline) could lead to a more fulfilling life, personally and professionally: even in our world of venture and business.


Special thanks to Cortado Ventures for setting this up in the beautiful First National Center in Oklahoma City: https://cortado.ventures/


FOLLOW DAVID:

Get his book, Range: https://amzn.to/3Nrht3c

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidEpstein

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-epstein-5a37ba25/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidepstein/

https://davidepstein.com/



David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times best seller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, and of the New York Times best seller The Sports Gene, both of which have been translated in more than 30 languages. (To his surprise, the latter was purchased not only by his sister but also by President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.)


He was previously the host of Slate‘s popular “How To!” podcast, and a science and investigative reporter at ProPublica. Prior to that, he was a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, where he co-authored the story that revealed Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had used steroids. His writing has been honored by an array of organizations, from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, to the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Center on Disability and Journalism, and has been included in the Best American Science and Nature Writing anthology. His story “Following the Trail of Broken Hearts,” on sudden cardiac death in athletes, was chosen as one of the top 100 stories of the last 100 years by Columbia Journalism alumni.


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top GLOBAL funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar...

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol...

]]> 603 Investing with Penny Pritzker and Building a Robust Venture & Growth Practice with Momei Qu, MD, PSP Partners https://sarah-chen.com/investing-with-penny-pritzker-and-building-a-robust-venture-growth-practice-with-momei-qu/ This week I am so pumped to be speaking with Momei Qu, Managing Director of PSP Growth, where she leads PSP’s venture capital and growth equity initiative, working closely with the esteemed Penny Pritzker, former United States Sec of Commerce and American billionaire businesswoman with family investments in the Hyatt Hotels and Marmon Group. From Momei’s leadership lessons working with a trailblazer to building a robust venture and growth practice to the future of B2B SAAS despite valuation slashes we’ve seen, we cover it all. ABOUT MOMEI: Momei Qu is a Managing Director at PSP Growth, and leads PSP’s venture capital and growth equity initiatives. She is responsible for strategy development, new deal sourcing, and portfolio company oversight. Prior to joining PSP Growth in 2018, she was a Vice President at Baird Capital where she invested in healthcare and technology companies. Prior to joining Baird, she was at Independence Equity (IE), a technology focused venture capital firm. Before IE, she worked as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch & Co. Qu earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. She currently serves on the Board of The Goldie Initiative, an organization dedicated to elevating the careers of high potential women in real estate, and on the Board of CRETI (Center for Real Estate Technology and Innovation). In her spare time, Momei enjoys traveling with her husband and 2 kids, running by the lake, and finding deals at wine auctions. FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Thu, 08 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 30 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week I am so pumped to be speaking with Momei Qu, Managing Director of PSP Growth, where she leads PSP’s venture capital and growth equity initiative, working closely with the esteemed Penny Pritzker, former United States Sec of Commerce and American billionaire businesswoman with family investments in the Hyatt Hotels and Marmon Group. From Momei’s leadership lessons working with a trailblazer to building a robust venture and growth practice to the future of B2B SAAS despite valuation slashes we’ve seen, we cover it all. ABOUT MOMEI: Momei Qu is a Managing Director at PSP Growth, and leads PSP’s venture capital and growth equity initiatives. She is responsible for strategy development, new deal sourcing, and portfolio company oversight. Prior to joining PSP Growth in 2018, she was a Vice President at Baird Capital where she invested in healthcare and technology companies. Prior to joining Baird, she was at Independence Equity (IE), a technology focused venture capital firm. Before IE, she worked as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch & Co. Qu earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. She currently serves on the Board of The Goldie Initiative, an organization dedicated to elevating the careers of high potential women in real estate, and on the Board of CRETI (Center for Real Estate Technology and Innovation). In her spare time, Momei enjoys traveling with her husband and 2 kids, running by the lake, and finding deals at wine auctions. FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves This week I am so pumped to be speaking with Momei Qu, Managing Director of PSP Growth, where she leads PSP’s venture capital and growth equity initiative, working closely with the esteemed Penny Pritzker, former United States Sec of Commerce and American billionaire businesswoman with family investments in the Hyatt Hotels and Marmon Group. From Momei’s leadership lessons working with a trailblazer to building a robust venture and growth practice to the future of B2B SAAS despite valuation slashes we’ve seen, we cover it all.


ABOUT MOMEI:

Momei Qu is a Managing Director at PSP Growth, and leads PSP’s venture capital and growth equity initiatives. She is responsible for strategy development, new deal sourcing, and portfolio company oversight.

Prior to joining PSP Growth in 2018, she was a Vice President at Baird Capital where she invested in healthcare and technology companies. Prior to joining Baird, she was at Independence Equity (IE), a technology focused venture capital firm. Before IE, she worked as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch & Co. Qu earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. She currently serves on the Board of The Goldie Initiative, an organization dedicated to elevating the careers of high potential women in real estate, and on the Board of CRETI (Center for Real Estate Technology and Innovation).

In her spare time, Momei enjoys traveling with her husband and 2 kids, running by the lake, and finding deals at wine auctions.


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2465 After the Exit: Finding and Decoupling Your Identity from your Firm/Startup https://sarah-chen.com/the-exit-i-am-more-than-my-startup-with-rana-el-kaliouby/ This week's Billion Dollar Bite features the big question: Who am I beyond the company I built? This has become a theme that has emerged in so many of my conversations with both founders and funders at the helm of their businesses — an inspired this week’s Billion Dollar Bite about finding identity and decoupling your identity from your business. Tune in to what Rana el-Kaliouby who sold her emotional AI startup, Affectiva to publicly listed Smart Eye for $73.5 Million has to say: Full episode: (Season 2 Episode 1; 11/03/22) Rana el-Kaliouby: https://tinyurl.com/2p94hmyy About Rana (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliouby/) FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Thu, 01 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 29 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week's Billion Dollar Bite features the big question: Who am I beyond the company I built? This has become a theme that has emerged in so many of my conversations with both founders and funders at the helm of their businesses — an inspired this week’s Billion Dollar Bite about finding identity and decoupling your identity from your business. Tune in to what Rana el-Kaliouby who sold her emotional AI startup, Affectiva to publicly listed Smart Eye for $73.5 Million has to say: Full episode: (Season 2 Episode 1; 11/03/22) Rana el-Kaliouby: https://tinyurl.com/2p94hmyy About Rana (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliouby/) FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves This week's Billion Dollar Bite features the big question:

Who am I beyond the company I built?

This has become a theme that has emerged in so many of my conversations with both founders and funders at the helm of their businesses — an inspired this week’s Billion Dollar Bite about finding identity and decoupling your identity from your business. Tune in to what Rana el-Kaliouby who sold her emotional AI startup, Affectiva to publicly listed Smart Eye for $73.5 Million has to say:

Full episode:

(Season 2 Episode 1; 11/03/22) Rana el-Kaliouby: https://tinyurl.com/2p94hmyy

About Rana (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliouby/)

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top global funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 418 Scaling to $2 Billion, backed by Oprah, Katy Perry to solve the Global Food Waste Issue: a Conversation with James Rogers, Founder & CEO, Apeel Sciences https://sarah-chen.com/james-rogers-apeel-billiondollarmoves/ Our next guest is tackling the food waste problem by applying what he and his team have learned from nature. They created a plant-based protective coating that can make fruits and vegetables last longer. When the average household wastes over 30% of their food and throws $1,500 of the food they buy into the trash, you can see how it’s crucial to work to reduce this impact on our planet and our pocketbooks.  Apeel is commercially available for avocados, organic apples, cucumbers and citrus fruits (lemons, limes, mandarins, oranges and grapefruit)- so they can stay fresher longer in the supply chain and in our homes. I chatted with my friend, James Rogers, Founder & CEO of Apeel when we were together in Oklahoma City about his journey over the last decade, and how he’s finally getting closer to his “why” in the first place. ABOUT JAMES: Dr. James Rogers is Founder and CEO of Apeel, a company that’s fighting the global food waste crisis by using materials found in nature to help food last longer — a sustainable approach to enable a more abundant future for the entire supply chain. Apeel’s mission has enabled Dr. Rogers to learn from and collaborate with thought leaders from all segments of the global food system. Founded in 2012, Apeel works with a global network of suppliers to serve retail customers across the globe with longer-lasting organic and conventionally grown produce, ensuring a fresher experience for customers at home. Apeel also invests its expertise in biological and data science toward helping retailers solve their fresh challenges and securing new opportunities for growth. www.apeel.com FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Fri, 26 May 2023 19:10:00 -0000 full 2 28 Sarah Chen-Spellings Our next guest is tackling the food waste problem by applying what he and his team have learned from nature. They created a plant-based protective coating that can make fruits and vegetables last longer. When the average household wastes over 30% of their food and throws $1,500 of the food they buy into the trash, you can see how it’s crucial to work to reduce this impact on our planet and our pocketbooks.  Apeel is commercially available for avocados, organic apples, cucumbers and citrus fruits (lemons, limes, mandarins, oranges and grapefruit)- so they can stay fresher longer in the supply chain and in our homes. I chatted with my friend, James Rogers, Founder & CEO of Apeel when we were together in Oklahoma City about his journey over the last decade, and how he’s finally getting closer to his “why” in the first place. ABOUT JAMES: Dr. James Rogers is Founder and CEO of Apeel, a company that’s fighting the global food waste crisis by using materials found in nature to help food last longer — a sustainable approach to enable a more abundant future for the entire supply chain. Apeel’s mission has enabled Dr. Rogers to learn from and collaborate with thought leaders from all segments of the global food system. Founded in 2012, Apeel works with a global network of suppliers to serve retail customers across the globe with longer-lasting organic and conventionally grown produce, ensuring a fresher experience for customers at home. Apeel also invests its expertise in biological and data science toward helping retailers solve their fresh challenges and securing new opportunities for growth. www.apeel.com FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Our next guest is tackling the food waste problem by applying what he and his team have learned from nature. They created a plant-based protective coating that can make fruits and vegetables last longer. When the average household wastes over 30% of their food and throws $1,500 of the food they buy into the trash, you can see how it’s crucial to work to reduce this impact on our planet and our pocketbooks. 

Apeel is commercially available for avocados, organic apples, cucumbers and citrus fruits (lemons, limes, mandarins, oranges and grapefruit)- so they can stay fresher longer in the supply chain and in our homes. I chatted with my friend, James Rogers, Founder & CEO of Apeel when we were together in Oklahoma City about his journey over the last decade, and how he’s finally getting closer to his “why” in the first place.


ABOUT JAMES:

Dr. James Rogers is Founder and CEO of Apeel, a company that’s fighting the global food waste crisis by using materials found in nature to help food last longer — a sustainable approach to enable a more abundant future for the entire supply chain. Apeel’s mission has enabled Dr. Rogers to learn from and collaborate with thought leaders from all segments of the global food system. Founded in 2012, Apeel works with a global network of suppliers to serve retail customers across the globe with longer-lasting organic and conventionally grown produce, ensuring a fresher experience for customers at home. Apeel also invests its expertise in biological and data science toward helping retailers solve their fresh challenges and securing new opportunities for growth.

www.apeel.com


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2943 Shocking Tips to Lead and Build Influence with Behavioral Expert, Phill Agnew What’s the secret to becoming more likable and influential as a leader? How do we actually build and scale by appealing to our consumers in a sustainable way? Why are we more likely to eat an imperfect cookie? This week’s episode will have you taking copious notes from Phill Agnew, a behavioral science expert and my podcast brother in the network, where he hosts one of the top Marketing podcasts, Nudge and shares tips of the trade you can start applying to win business and yes influence people today. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 03:42 - Why sharing your imperfection is key to being likeable 11:04 - Does this apply to gender stereotypes? 15:36 - Why is Tony the Tiger on Frosties, Ronald McDonald? 19:56 - Because you're worth it? Language matters 23:33 - Articulating value to your stakeholders 30:23 - Are marketers responsible for our culture? Will AI disrupt marketing? 35:27 - Showcasing labor to influence others SHOW NOTES Aronson’s pratfall effect study is: Aronson, E., Willerman, B., & Floyd, J. (1966). The effect of a pratfall on increasing interpersonal appeal. Psychonomic Science (link) J Sylvester study: Unfair Discrimination in the Selection Interview: An Attributional Account (link) Christoph Bartneck icat study https://youtu.be/7Kf9coMuVuI April Dunfords book obviously awesome: https://www.aprildunford.com/books FOLLOW PHILL LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ NUDGE Podcast: The consumer psychology podcast - listen to the researchers, authors, and pioneers in behavioral science and learn small nudges you can use to improve your work. NudgePodcast.com FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Thu, 18 May 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 27 Sarah Chen-Spellings What’s the secret to becoming more likable and influential as a leader? How do we actually build and scale by appealing to our consumers in a sustainable way? Why are we more likely to eat an imperfect cookie? This week’s episode will have you taking copious notes from Phill Agnew, a behavioral science expert and my podcast brother in the network, where he hosts one of the top Marketing podcasts, Nudge and shares tips of the trade you can start applying to win business and yes influence people today. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 03:42 - Why sharing your imperfection is key to being likeable 11:04 - Does this apply to gender stereotypes? 15:36 - Why is Tony the Tiger on Frosties, Ronald McDonald? 19:56 - Because you're worth it? Language matters 23:33 - Articulating value to your stakeholders 30:23 - Are marketers responsible for our culture? Will AI disrupt marketing? 35:27 - Showcasing labor to influence others SHOW NOTES Aronson’s pratfall effect study is: Aronson, E., Willerman, B., & Floyd, J. (1966). The effect of a pratfall on increasing interpersonal appeal. Psychonomic Science (link) J Sylvester study: Unfair Discrimination in the Selection Interview: An Attributional Account (link) Christoph Bartneck icat study https://youtu.be/7Kf9coMuVuI April Dunfords book obviously awesome: https://www.aprildunford.com/books FOLLOW PHILL LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ NUDGE Podcast: The consumer psychology podcast - listen to the researchers, authors, and pioneers in behavioral science and learn small nudges you can use to improve your work. NudgePodcast.com FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves What’s the secret to becoming more likable and influential as a leader? How do we actually build and scale by appealing to our consumers in a sustainable way?

Why are we more likely to eat an imperfect cookie? This week’s episode will have you taking copious notes from Phill Agnew, a behavioral science expert and my podcast brother in the network, where he hosts one of the top Marketing podcasts, Nudge and shares tips of the trade you can start applying to win business and yes influence people today.


TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

03:42 - Why sharing your imperfection is key to being likeable

11:04 - Does this apply to gender stereotypes?

15:36 - Why is Tony the Tiger on Frosties, Ronald McDonald?

19:56 - Because you're worth it? Language matters

23:33 - Articulating value to your stakeholders

30:23 - Are marketers responsible for our culture? Will AI disrupt marketing?

35:27 - Showcasing labor to influence others


SHOW NOTES



FOLLOW PHILL

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/

NUDGE Podcast: The consumer psychology podcast - listen to the researchers, authors, and pioneers in behavioral science and learn small nudges you can use to improve your work. NudgePodcast.com


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2181 Unleashing AI —Too Soon? with VC Martina Welkhoff, WXR Fund https://sarah-chen.com/unleashing-ai-the-future-of-xr-with-martina-welkhoff/ Unless you’re living under a rock, you know that ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm. And with it, a whole conversation surrounding AI, it’s opportunities and yes perils. Well, to go deeper in this, I’m excited to speak with someone who has been working in this space of AI, VR and XR, immersive and extended reality long before it was the hype it is today. Martina Welkhoff, Managing Partner of WXR fund, an early stage fund that invests in two of the greatest opportunities of our time: the next wave of computing + female entrepreneurs; with companies like Obsess AI, BODs and Embodied labs in her portfolio. Before that, Martina first founded her first startup over a decade ago in mobile gaming and after exiting that, she went on to found a VR production studio called ConveneVR. In this convo, Martina shares how she sees this cycle and the market shakeout, the danger of humanizing AI to the business opportunity of XR, we'll cover it all. Buckle up! About Martina Welkhoff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwelkhoff/ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Thu, 11 May 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 26 Sarah Chen-Spellings Unless you’re living under a rock, you know that ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm. And with it, a whole conversation surrounding AI, it’s opportunities and yes perils. Well, to go deeper in this, I’m excited to speak with someone who has been working in this space of AI, VR and XR, immersive and extended reality long before it was the hype it is today. Martina Welkhoff, Managing Partner of WXR fund, an early stage fund that invests in two of the greatest opportunities of our time: the next wave of computing + female entrepreneurs; with companies like Obsess AI, BODs and Embodied labs in her portfolio. Before that, Martina first founded her first startup over a decade ago in mobile gaming and after exiting that, she went on to found a VR production studio called ConveneVR. In this convo, Martina shares how she sees this cycle and the market shakeout, the danger of humanizing AI to the business opportunity of XR, we'll cover it all. Buckle up! About Martina Welkhoff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwelkhoff/ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Unless you’re living under a rock, you know that ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm. And with it, a whole conversation surrounding AI, it’s opportunities and yes perils. Well, to go deeper in this, I’m excited to speak with someone who has been working in this space of AI, VR and XR, immersive and extended reality long before it was the hype it is today. Martina Welkhoff, Managing Partner of WXR fund, an early stage fund that invests in two of the greatest opportunities of our time: the next wave of computing + female entrepreneurs; with companies like Obsess AI, BODs and Embodied labs in her portfolio.


Before that, Martina first founded her first startup over a decade ago in mobile gaming and after exiting that, she went on to found a VR production studio called ConveneVR. In this convo, Martina shares how she sees this cycle and the market shakeout, the danger of humanizing AI to the business opportunity of XR, we'll cover it all. Buckle up!


About Martina Welkhoff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwelkhoff/


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2567 Battling Disinformation while Young, Black and Female with Phumzile Van Damme, Former MP, South Africa This week I’m chatting with a Billion Dollar Mover who absolutely captivated me when I first met her, but for a change, from the world of politics. Phumzile Van Damme is a former Member of Parliament of South Africa, winning multiple awards for her work counter-electoral disinformation, digital rights and platform accountability focusing on Africa. Phumzile’s first foray in the fight against disinformation centered on the rise and fall of the controversial global PR firm Bell Pottinger, who ran a race based campaign to ignite the differences between the people of South Africa, digging into its painful history of apartheid. She presented the case on behalf of South Africa, and 2 weeks later, they shut shop, basically toppling one of the most powerful PR firms in the world. What does it take to be a young Black Woman in politics, to build influence and lead with your principles still intact? Her Billion Dollar Moves is one I needed to deconstruct, that I thought all of us leaders could learn from. You don't want to miss it. FOLLOW PHUMZILE: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phumzile-van-damme/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/zilevandamme FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Thu, 04 May 2023 04:00:00 -0000 full 2 25 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week I’m chatting with a Billion Dollar Mover who absolutely captivated me when I first met her, but for a change, from the world of politics. Phumzile Van Damme is a former Member of Parliament of South Africa, winning multiple awards for her work counter-electoral disinformation, digital rights and platform accountability focusing on Africa. Phumzile’s first foray in the fight against disinformation centered on the rise and fall of the controversial global PR firm Bell Pottinger, who ran a race based campaign to ignite the differences between the people of South Africa, digging into its painful history of apartheid. She presented the case on behalf of South Africa, and 2 weeks later, they shut shop, basically toppling one of the most powerful PR firms in the world. What does it take to be a young Black Woman in politics, to build influence and lead with your principles still intact? Her Billion Dollar Moves is one I needed to deconstruct, that I thought all of us leaders could learn from. You don't want to miss it. FOLLOW PHUMZILE: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phumzile-van-damme/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/zilevandamme FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves This week I’m chatting with a Billion Dollar Mover who absolutely captivated me when I first met her, but for a change, from the world of politics.


Phumzile Van Damme is a former Member of Parliament of South Africa, winning multiple awards for her work counter-electoral disinformation, digital rights and platform accountability focusing on Africa.

Phumzile’s first foray in the fight against disinformation centered on the rise and fall of the controversial global PR firm Bell Pottinger, who ran a race based campaign to ignite the differences between the people of South Africa, digging into its painful history of apartheid.

She presented the case on behalf of South Africa, and 2 weeks later, they shut shop, basically toppling one of the most powerful PR firms in the world.


What does it take to be a young Black Woman in politics, to build influence and lead with your principles still intact? Her Billion Dollar Moves is one I needed to deconstruct, that I thought all of us leaders could learn from. You don't want to miss it.


FOLLOW PHUMZILE:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phumzile-van-damme/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zilevandamme



FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2724 What Makes A Billion Dollar Founder? According to Cathy Gao, Sapphire Ventures & Jack Smith, sold Vungle for $780M Welcome to Billion Dollar Bite! Between the SVB collapse (and now First Republic Bank on the edge, with stock now down 95% for the year to date!), ChatGPT taking over and the "SAAS-cre", where valuations of Software-As-A-Service companies have taken a dive, for some, as high as 60%; it’s been a lot. A question that I get asked in this environment is: how will we find outliers? My answer: surface the unexpected leaders. The ones who have been underestimated, who may not come from a “cookie-cutter”, but are not afraid to be the first & only in many rooms, who know that rejection is part of the process and remain grounded to their vision, even if others don’t see it yet. But don't only take it from me! Tune in to what unicorn funder, Cathy Gao, Partner at Sapphire Ventures and unicorn founder, Jack Smith, who sold Vungle for about $780M have to say. Full episodes: Jack Smith "SOLD MY STARTUP FOR $780M: Good, bad, ugly": https://spoti.fi/420sqgL Cathy Gao "ENTERPRISE EATING THE WORLD: https://spoti.fi/3NeWcu9 Thu, 27 Apr 2023 15:46:00 -0000 full 2 24 Sarah Chen-Spellings Welcome to Billion Dollar Bite! Between the SVB collapse (and now First Republic Bank on the edge, with stock now down 95% for the year to date!), ChatGPT taking over and the "SAAS-cre", where valuations of Software-As-A-Service companies have taken a dive, for some, as high as 60%; it’s been a lot. A question that I get asked in this environment is: how will we find outliers? My answer: surface the unexpected leaders. The ones who have been underestimated, who may not come from a “cookie-cutter”, but are not afraid to be the first & only in many rooms, who know that rejection is part of the process and remain grounded to their vision, even if others don’t see it yet. But don't only take it from me! Tune in to what unicorn funder, Cathy Gao, Partner at Sapphire Ventures and unicorn founder, Jack Smith, who sold Vungle for about $780M have to say. Full episodes: Jack Smith "SOLD MY STARTUP FOR $780M: Good, bad, ugly": https://spoti.fi/420sqgL Cathy Gao "ENTERPRISE EATING THE WORLD: https://spoti.fi/3NeWcu9 Welcome to Billion Dollar Bite!

Between the SVB collapse (and now First Republic Bank on the edge, with stock now down 95% for the year to date!), ChatGPT taking over and the "SAAS-cre", where valuations of Software-As-A-Service companies have taken a dive, for some, as high as 60%; it’s been a lot.

A question that I get asked in this environment is: how will we find outliers?

My answer: surface the unexpected leaders. The ones who have been underestimated, who may not come from a “cookie-cutter”, but are not afraid to be the first & only in many rooms, who know that rejection is part of the process and remain grounded to their vision, even if others don’t see it yet.

But don't only take it from me! Tune in to what unicorn funder, Cathy Gao, Partner at Sapphire Ventures and unicorn founder, Jack Smith, who sold Vungle for about $780M have to say.

Full episodes:

Jack Smith "SOLD MY STARTUP FOR $780M: Good, bad, ugly": https://spoti.fi/420sqgL

Cathy Gao "ENTERPRISE EATING THE WORLD: https://spoti.fi/3NeWcu9

]]> 449 Leveraging Community to Invest in the Future with VC Jenny Fielding, Everywhere Ventures Founder turned Funder, from Head of Digital Ventures of the BBC to Managing Director of Techstars, to now Managing Partner of Everywhere Ventures with 250 portfolio companies and counting, Jenny Fielding is the ultimate community builder and investor. Together with Scott Hartley, Jenny is today pursuing a global strategy, as U.S. venture capitalists have taken a step back from deals abroad; launching a new $25M fund, to be the first-check in for startups building in the future of money, health and work. What does investing as a community mean, what do we think about the upset we’re hearing about Y Combinator’s new terms, how do you manage 500 Limited Partner investors in your fund and what is Jenny’s deepest insecurity? We cover it all and more. About Jenny Fielding: Pre-seed investor and mentor to hundreds of founders around the world. 2x entrepreneur and knows how challenging it is to build great products, inspire a team and keep the lights on. So she spends her time working to surround founders with the resources they need to thrive. First check into 200+ startups including: Chainalysis, Alloy, Latch, Tempo Automation, Headway, Supergreat, Contra, Particle Health, Pair Eyewear, Solo Funds, Halp, Minded, Rupa Health, Morty, Wagmo, Smarthop, Solid, PathSpot, Remesh, Cube, OnePipe, Season, Parsley Health and so many more: https://angel.co/jenny-fielding When not investing in companies... she's teaching (but really learning from) the next generation of future founders as an adjunct professor at Columbia University and Cornell Tech. Twitter @jefielding FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:16:05 -0000 full 2 23 Sarah Chen-Spellings Founder turned Funder, from Head of Digital Ventures of the BBC to Managing Director of Techstars, to now Managing Partner of Everywhere Ventures with 250 portfolio companies and counting, Jenny Fielding is the ultimate community builder and investor. Together with Scott Hartley, Jenny is today pursuing a global strategy, as U.S. venture capitalists have taken a step back from deals abroad; launching a new $25M fund, to be the first-check in for startups building in the future of money, health and work. What does investing as a community mean, what do we think about the upset we’re hearing about Y Combinator’s new terms, how do you manage 500 Limited Partner investors in your fund and what is Jenny’s deepest insecurity? We cover it all and more. About Jenny Fielding: Pre-seed investor and mentor to hundreds of founders around the world. 2x entrepreneur and knows how challenging it is to build great products, inspire a team and keep the lights on. So she spends her time working to surround founders with the resources they need to thrive. First check into 200+ startups including: Chainalysis, Alloy, Latch, Tempo Automation, Headway, Supergreat, Contra, Particle Health, Pair Eyewear, Solo Funds, Halp, Minded, Rupa Health, Morty, Wagmo, Smarthop, Solid, PathSpot, Remesh, Cube, OnePipe, Season, Parsley Health and so many more: https://angel.co/jenny-fielding When not investing in companies... she's teaching (but really learning from) the next generation of future founders as an adjunct professor at Columbia University and Cornell Tech. Twitter @jefielding FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Founder turned Funder, from Head of Digital Ventures of the BBC to Managing Director of Techstars, to now Managing Partner of Everywhere Ventures with 250 portfolio companies and counting, Jenny Fielding is the ultimate community builder and investor. Together with Scott Hartley, Jenny is today pursuing a global strategy, as U.S. venture capitalists have taken a step back from deals abroad; launching a new $25M fund, to be the first-check in for startups building in the future of money, health and work.

What does investing as a community mean, what do we think about the upset we’re hearing about Y Combinator’s new terms, how do you manage 500 Limited Partner investors in your fund and what is Jenny’s deepest insecurity? We cover it all and more.


About Jenny Fielding:

Pre-seed investor and mentor to hundreds of founders around the world. 2x entrepreneur and knows how challenging it is to build great products, inspire a team and keep the lights on. So she spends her time working to surround founders with the resources they need to thrive.

First check into 200+ startups including: Chainalysis, Alloy, Latch, Tempo Automation, Headway, Supergreat, Contra, Particle Health, Pair Eyewear, Solo Funds, Halp, Minded, Rupa Health, Morty, Wagmo, Smarthop, Solid, PathSpot, Remesh, Cube, OnePipe, Season, Parsley Health and so many more: https://angel.co/jenny-fielding

When not investing in companies... she's teaching (but really learning from) the next generation of future founders as an adjunct professor at Columbia University and Cornell Tech.

Twitter @jefielding


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we deconstruct the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2156 You Are What You Risk—Unpacking the Silicon Valley Bank Collapse & Gray Rhino with Global Best-Selling Author & Risk Expert Michele Wucker https://sarah-chen.com/are-you-a-business-leader-in-denial-gray-rhino-with-michele-wucker/ For the Billion Dollar Mover that you are, this is not new news: Silicon Valley Bank; what was said to be the epicenter of Silicon Valley tech and small businesses collapsed on March 10th after a run on the deposits doomed the banks plans to raise fresh capital. At first, there was major concern that this crash will take the VC and startup ecosystem with it, but the gov swooped in and provided a backstop, and scraps of SVB was purchased by First Citizens Bank. Catastrophe averted? Not quite. Today’s episode is by no means a full breakdown of what happened, but answers this one question : “Was this truly a Black Swan event? as Nassim Taleb explains it or really, a Gray Rhino, as Best-Selling Author, my friend Michele Wucker writes? And today we have her on the show exactly to speak to this - How should you be thinking about risk and what next? About Michele: Strategic advisor and best-selling author Michele Wucker coined the term “gray rhino” as a call to take a fresh look at how we respond to obvious, probable, impactful risks. She founded the Chicago-based advisory firm Gray Rhino & Company and is a former media and think tank executive. Her four influential books include the influential global bestseller THE GRAY RHINO: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore and the recently released sequel, YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK: The New Art and Science of Navigating an Uncertain World. Digital links: Twitter @wucker website thegrayrhino.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/wucker/ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Thu, 13 Apr 2023 12:31:00 -0000 full 2 22 Sarah Chen-Spellings For the Billion Dollar Mover that you are, this is not new news: Silicon Valley Bank; what was said to be the epicenter of Silicon Valley tech and small businesses collapsed on March 10th after a run on the deposits doomed the banks plans to raise fresh capital. At first, there was major concern that this crash will take the VC and startup ecosystem with it, but the gov swooped in and provided a backstop, and scraps of SVB was purchased by First Citizens Bank. Catastrophe averted? Not quite. Today’s episode is by no means a full breakdown of what happened, but answers this one question : “Was this truly a Black Swan event? as Nassim Taleb explains it or really, a Gray Rhino, as Best-Selling Author, my friend Michele Wucker writes? And today we have her on the show exactly to speak to this - How should you be thinking about risk and what next? About Michele: Strategic advisor and best-selling author Michele Wucker coined the term “gray rhino” as a call to take a fresh look at how we respond to obvious, probable, impactful risks. She founded the Chicago-based advisory firm Gray Rhino & Company and is a former media and think tank executive. Her four influential books include the influential global bestseller THE GRAY RHINO: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore and the recently released sequel, YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK: The New Art and Science of Navigating an Uncertain World. Digital links: Twitter @wucker website thegrayrhino.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/wucker/ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves For the Billion Dollar Mover that you are, this is not new news:

Silicon Valley Bank; what was said to be the epicenter of Silicon Valley tech and small businesses collapsed on March 10th after a run on the deposits doomed the banks plans to raise fresh capital.

At first, there was major concern that this crash will take the VC and startup ecosystem with it, but the gov swooped in and provided a backstop, and scraps of SVB was purchased by First Citizens Bank.

Catastrophe averted? Not quite.

Today’s episode is by no means a full breakdown of what happened, but answers this one question :

“Was this truly a Black Swan event? as Nassim Taleb explains it or really, a Gray Rhino, as Best-Selling Author, my friend Michele Wucker writes?

And today we have her on the show exactly to speak to this - How should you be thinking about risk and what next?


About Michele:

Strategic advisor and best-selling author Michele Wucker coined the term “gray rhino” as a call to take a fresh look at how we respond to obvious, probable, impactful risks. She founded the Chicago-based advisory firm Gray Rhino & Company and is a former media and think tank executive. Her four influential books include the influential global bestseller THE GRAY RHINO: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore and the recently released sequel, YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK: The New Art and Science of Navigating an Uncertain World.


Digital links:

Twitter @wucker

website thegrayrhino.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wucker/


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2193 Inside a Billionaire's Mind: Nirvana Chaudhary—Making Your Mark, The Teacher Appears When The Student Is Ready, Selling 3 Billion Noodle Packets Yearly https://sarah-chen.com/inside-a-billionaires-mind-nirvana-chaudhary/ We’re bringing our next billionaire on Billion Dollar Moves; this time from Nepal, my friend Nirvana Chaudhary who is at the helm of Nepal’s first and only company listed on the Forbes list of Billionaires since 2015, valued in excess of $2.5 Billion. What started in 1935 has today become a conglomerate of 136 companies and 76 brands spread across 30 different countries with over 24,000 employees. From FMCG, Hospitality, Finance, Real estate, Education, Retail; they cover the gamut. Most notably, they’re the brain behind the famous Wai Wai brand of noodles. The eldest Asian son in a family empire, Nirvana was early to make his mark, founding his first independent company at the age of 19; and has continued to grow the businesses from strength to strength; being featured on Forbes to Tatler’s most influential. But what does it really mean to lead as the face of the next generation? How messy does family business get? And with friends like Bill Gates to Jack Ma, how has that informed what next for him? We cover it all in this episode. -- EPISODE LINKS: Nirvana's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirvanachaudhary/ More about Chaudhary Group: https://www.chaudharygroup.com/ -- FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Thu, 06 Apr 2023 16:40:00 -0000 Inside a Billionaire's Mind: Nirvana Chaudhary—Making Your Mark, The Teacher Appears When The Student Is Ready, Selling 3 Billion Noodle Packets Yearly full 2 21 Sarah Chen-Spellings We’re bringing our next billionaire on Billion Dollar Moves; this time from Nepal, my friend Nirvana Chaudhary who is at the helm of Nepal’s first and only company listed on the Forbes list of Billionaires since 2015, valued in excess of $2.5 Billion. What started in 1935 has today become a conglomerate of 136 companies and 76 brands spread across 30 different countries with over 24,000 employees. From FMCG, Hospitality, Finance, Real estate, Education, Retail; they cover the gamut. Most notably, they’re the brain behind the famous Wai Wai brand of noodles. The eldest Asian son in a family empire, Nirvana was early to make his mark, founding his first independent company at the age of 19; and has continued to grow the businesses from strength to strength; being featured on Forbes to Tatler’s most influential. But what does it really mean to lead as the face of the next generation? How messy does family business get? And with friends like Bill Gates to Jack Ma, how has that informed what next for him? We cover it all in this episode. -- EPISODE LINKS: Nirvana's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirvanachaudhary/ More about Chaudhary Group: https://www.chaudharygroup.com/ -- FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves We’re bringing our next billionaire on Billion Dollar Moves; this time from Nepal, my friend Nirvana Chaudhary who is at the helm of Nepal’s first and only company listed on the Forbes list of Billionaires since 2015, valued in excess of $2.5 Billion.

What started in 1935 has today become a conglomerate of 136 companies and 76 brands spread across 30 different countries with over 24,000 employees. From FMCG, Hospitality, Finance, Real estate, Education, Retail; they cover the gamut. Most notably, they’re the brain behind the famous Wai Wai brand of noodles. The eldest Asian son in a family empire, Nirvana was early to make his mark, founding his first independent company at the age of 19; and has continued to grow the businesses from strength to strength; being featured on Forbes to Tatler’s most influential.

But what does it really mean to lead as the face of the next generation? How messy does family business get? And with friends like Bill Gates to Jack Ma, how has that informed what next for him? We cover it all in this episode.


--

EPISODE LINKS:

Nirvana's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirvanachaudhary/

More about Chaudhary Group: https://www.chaudharygroup.com/

--

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2825 From Lab to Table: The Startup Founder Revolutionizing the Seafood Industry with Sandhya Sriram, Shiok Meats https://sarah-chen.com/revolutionizing-the-seafood-industry-sandhya-sriram-shiok-meats/ What does it take to sell and execute on what feels like an impossible vision? This, is the task of a stem-cell scientist turned founder who is tapping into the multi-billion opportunity to create lab-grown crustacean meat. Under Dr. Sandhya Sriram's leadership, Shiok Meats today is the world’s first cultivated shellfish meat company, and Southeast Asia’s first cultivated seafood and meat company. The startup’s mission is to bring delicious, sustainable, and healthy seafood to your table, using the cellular agriculture technology to grow meat from stem cells instead of slaughtering animals. Since its inception in 2018, they have grown from 2 to over 50 employees today, made a strategic acquisition themselves, raised over USD 30 Million dollars from big names from Y Combinator to Korean Conglomerate CJ’s Food Arm. -- EPISODE LINKS: Sandhya's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandhyasriram/ Sandhya's Twitter: https://twitter.com/sriramt_sandhya More about Shiok Meats: https://shiokmeats.com/ -- FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Thu, 30 Mar 2023 21:01:00 -0000 full 2 20 Sarah Chen-Spellings What does it take to sell and execute on what feels like an impossible vision? This, is the task of a stem-cell scientist turned founder who is tapping into the multi-billion opportunity to create lab-grown crustacean meat. Under Dr. Sandhya Sriram's leadership, Shiok Meats today is the world’s first cultivated shellfish meat company, and Southeast Asia’s first cultivated seafood and meat company. The startup’s mission is to bring delicious, sustainable, and healthy seafood to your table, using the cellular agriculture technology to grow meat from stem cells instead of slaughtering animals. Since its inception in 2018, they have grown from 2 to over 50 employees today, made a strategic acquisition themselves, raised over USD 30 Million dollars from big names from Y Combinator to Korean Conglomerate CJ’s Food Arm. -- EPISODE LINKS: Sandhya's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandhyasriram/ Sandhya's Twitter: https://twitter.com/sriramt_sandhya More about Shiok Meats: https://shiokmeats.com/ -- FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves What does it take to sell and execute on what feels like an impossible vision?

This, is the task of a stem-cell scientist turned founder who is tapping into the multi-billion opportunity to create lab-grown crustacean meat.

Under Dr. Sandhya Sriram's leadership, Shiok Meats today is the world’s first cultivated shellfish meat company, and Southeast Asia’s first cultivated seafood and meat company. The startup’s mission is to bring delicious, sustainable, and healthy seafood to your table, using the cellular agriculture technology to grow meat from stem cells instead of slaughtering animals.

Since its inception in 2018, they have grown from 2 to over 50 employees today, made a strategic acquisition themselves, raised over USD 30 Million dollars from big names from Y Combinator to Korean Conglomerate CJ’s Food Arm.

--

EPISODE LINKS:

Sandhya's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandhyasriram/

Sandhya's Twitter: https://twitter.com/sriramt_sandhya

More about Shiok Meats: https://shiokmeats.com/

--

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2206 Getting Users Hooked & Regaining Control of Your Attention with Nir Eyal, WSJ Best-Selling Author of 'Hooked' & 'Indistractable' A ping on your phone takes you out of a conversation with a friend. At the office, a colleague interrupts your work on a project. At home, screens intrude on time with your partner. Your goals don’t get done and it feels like someone (or something) is constantly pulling you away from what you really want to do. Why does it seem we’re no longer in control of our attention or our lives? How different would your life be if you were “indistractable”? In today's conversation, Nir shatters the narrative that the problem is our gadgets, but a symptom of a deeper dysfunction, as he examines in his book 'Indistractable'. We also discuss his earlier book 'Hooked', what it takes to build habit-forming products, where your users come back again and again without maxing out that ad spend! You don't want to miss this. About Nir: Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by The M.I.T. Technology Review as, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” Bloomberg Businessweek wrote, “Nir Eyal is the habits guy. Want to understand how to get app users to come back again and again? Then Eyal is your man.” He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. In addition to blogging at NirAndFar.com, Nir’s writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review, Time Magazine, and Psychology Today. Nir invests in habit-forming products that improve users’ lives. Some of his past investments include Eventbrite (NYSE:EB), Anchor.fm (acquired by Spotify), Kahoot! (KAHOOT-ME.OL), Canva, Homelight, Product Hunt, Marco Polo, Byte Foods, FocusMate, Dynamicare, Wise App, and Sunnyside. EPISODE LINKS: Nir Eyal's Twitter: https://twitter.com/nireyal Nir's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nireyal/ A schedule maker tool Nir referenced here: https://nirandfar.com/schedule-maker/ -- FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.-- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves #billiondollarmoves #venturecapital #investing #startupstories #productivity #leadership Thu, 23 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 19 Sarah Chen-Spellings A ping on your phone takes you out of a conversation with a friend. At the office, a colleague interrupts your work on a project. At home, screens intrude on time with your partner. Your goals don’t get done and it feels like someone (or something) is constantly pulling you away from what you really want to do. Why does it seem we’re no longer in control of our attention or our lives? How different would your life be if you were “indistractable”? In today's conversation, Nir shatters the narrative that the problem is our gadgets, but a symptom of a deeper dysfunction, as he examines in his book 'Indistractable'. We also discuss his earlier book 'Hooked', what it takes to build habit-forming products, where your users come back again and again without maxing out that ad spend! You don't want to miss this. About Nir: Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by The M.I.T. Technology Review as, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” Bloomberg Businessweek wrote, “Nir Eyal is the habits guy. Want to understand how to get app users to come back again and again? Then Eyal is your man.” He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. In addition to blogging at NirAndFar.com, Nir’s writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review, Time Magazine, and Psychology Today. Nir invests in habit-forming products that improve users’ lives. Some of his past investments include Eventbrite (NYSE:EB), Anchor.fm (acquired by Spotify), Kahoot! (KAHOOT-ME.OL), Canva, Homelight, Product Hunt, Marco Polo, Byte Foods, FocusMate, Dynamicare, Wise App, and Sunnyside. EPISODE LINKS: Nir Eyal's Twitter: https://twitter.com/nireyal Nir's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nireyal/ A schedule maker tool Nir referenced here: https://nirandfar.com/schedule-maker/ -- FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.-- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves #billiondollarmoves #venturecapital #investing #startupstories #productivity #leadership A ping on your phone takes you out of a conversation with a friend. At the office, a colleague interrupts your work on a project. At home, screens intrude on time with your partner.

Your goals don’t get done and it feels like someone (or something) is constantly pulling you away from what you really want to do.

Why does it seem we’re no longer in control of our attention or our lives?

How different would your life be if you were “indistractable”?

In today's conversation, Nir shatters the narrative that the problem is our gadgets, but a symptom of a deeper dysfunction, as he examines in his book 'Indistractable'. We also discuss his earlier book 'Hooked', what it takes to build habit-forming products, where your users come back again and again without maxing out that ad spend!

You don't want to miss this.


About Nir:

Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford.

Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by The M.I.T. Technology Review as, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” Bloomberg Businessweek wrote, “Nir Eyal is the habits guy. Want to understand how to get app users to come back again and again? Then Eyal is your man.”

He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.

In addition to blogging at NirAndFar.com, Nir’s writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review, Time Magazine, and Psychology Today.

Nir invests in habit-forming products that improve users’ lives. Some of his past investments include Eventbrite (NYSE:EB), Anchor.fm (acquired by Spotify), Kahoot! (KAHOOT-ME.OL), Canva, Homelight, Product Hunt, Marco Polo, Byte Foods, FocusMate, Dynamicare, Wise App, and Sunnyside.


EPISODE LINKS:

Nir Eyal's Twitter: https://twitter.com/nireyal

Nir's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nireyal/

A schedule maker tool Nir referenced here: https://nirandfar.com/schedule-maker/

--

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


#billiondollarmoves #venturecapital #investing #startupstories #productivity #leadership

]]> 3377 "Let's Take Our Chips Off The Table"—Riding the Venture Downcycle: Investing in Southeast Asia with Dmitry Levit, Cento Ventures (Part 2) https://sarah-chen.com/riding-the-venture-downcycle-investing-in-southeast-asia-with-dmitry-levit-cento-ventures/ In today's Billion Dollar Moves, we bust some myths about Southeast Asia's VC activity and the narratives driving the expansion seen in the region. The key question: will the momentum survive this downcycle? I chat with Dmitry Levit, Founding Partner of Cento Ventures, a venture capital firm specialized in under-invested emerging digital markets, primarily Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. In today’s Part 2 we go a little bit more 'micro' — what Dmitry is still excited by in building his portfolio. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:50 - What Dmitry is excited by in 2023: the future of digital 04:50 - How founders are building in 2023 06:11 - Trade exits getting dicey? 08:49 - The disappointment of Grab? 11:29 - Rocket Internet "burned the region for many investors for the next 10 years"? 16:47 - The future of the food delivery space 18:06 - How has Ukraine-Russia played out in Southeast Asia? 25:46 - What next for Dmitry after more than a decade with Cento? 27:17 - Billion Dollar Questions Really power-packed, you need to be taking notes for these two episodes if you want to understand SEA; you don’t want to miss it. -- ABOUT DMITRY LEVIT: Dmitry is the Founder of Cento Ventures. He is responsible for overseeing all investment and fund activities in Southeast Asia. Dmitry formerly served as an advisor to several investment groups and corporations pursuing technology and media opportunities across developing Asia, with Media Development Authority of Singapore, Singtel, ru-Net, IDG Ventures Vietnam, SUP Media, Livejournal.com, Chinese Founders Fund, VIVA Media and Nusantara Ventures among his clients. In 2008-2009, Dmitry was part of the investment team at IDG Ventures, where he provided extensive operational support to portfolio companies in Vietnam and was in charge of sourcing and assessment of investment opportunities in Indonesia and Singapore. Prior to that, Dmitry spent several years in business development roles with Yahoo! Southeast Asia, negotiating a series of content, distribution, monetisation and technology deals for Yahoo! in Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. Dmitry also acted as a business strategist for the regional Managing Director, working on vertical strategies for e-commerce, gaming, travel, finance, telecom and other sectors. EPISODE LINKS: Cento Ventures Twitter: https://twitter.com/cento_ventures Dmitry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levit/ Dmitry's report references: https://www.cento.vc/news-insights/ -- FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves #billiondollarmoves #venturecapital #southeastasia #digital #investing #startupstories Wed, 15 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0000 full 2 18 Sarah Chen-Spellings In today's Billion Dollar Moves, we bust some myths about Southeast Asia's VC activity and the narratives driving the expansion seen in the region. The key question: will the momentum survive this downcycle? I chat with Dmitry Levit, Founding Partner of Cento Ventures, a venture capital firm specialized in under-invested emerging digital markets, primarily Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. In today’s Part 2 we go a little bit more 'micro' — what Dmitry is still excited by in building his portfolio. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:50 - What Dmitry is excited by in 2023: the future of digital 04:50 - How founders are building in 2023 06:11 - Trade exits getting dicey? 08:49 - The disappointment of Grab? 11:29 - Rocket Internet "burned the region for many investors for the next 10 years"? 16:47 - The future of the food delivery space 18:06 - How has Ukraine-Russia played out in Southeast Asia? 25:46 - What next for Dmitry after more than a decade with Cento? 27:17 - Billion Dollar Questions Really power-packed, you need to be taking notes for these two episodes if you want to understand SEA; you don’t want to miss it. -- ABOUT DMITRY LEVIT: Dmitry is the Founder of Cento Ventures. He is responsible for overseeing all investment and fund activities in Southeast Asia. Dmitry formerly served as an advisor to several investment groups and corporations pursuing technology and media opportunities across developing Asia, with Media Development Authority of Singapore, Singtel, ru-Net, IDG Ventures Vietnam, SUP Media, Livejournal.com, Chinese Founders Fund, VIVA Media and Nusantara Ventures among his clients. In 2008-2009, Dmitry was part of the investment team at IDG Ventures, where he provided extensive operational support to portfolio companies in Vietnam and was in charge of sourcing and assessment of investment opportunities in Indonesia and Singapore. Prior to that, Dmitry spent several years in business development roles with Yahoo! Southeast Asia, negotiating a series of content, distribution, monetisation and technology deals for Yahoo! in Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. Dmitry also acted as a business strategist for the regional Managing Director, working on vertical strategies for e-commerce, gaming, travel, finance, telecom and other sectors. EPISODE LINKS: Cento Ventures Twitter: https://twitter.com/cento_ventures Dmitry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levit/ Dmitry's report references: https://www.cento.vc/news-insights/ -- FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves #billiondollarmoves #venturecapital #southeastasia #digital #investing #startupstories In today's Billion Dollar Moves, we bust some myths about Southeast Asia's VC activity and the narratives driving the expansion seen in the region.

The key question: will the momentum survive this downcycle? I chat with Dmitry Levit, Founding Partner of Cento Ventures, a venture capital firm specialized in under-invested emerging digital markets, primarily Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

In today’s Part 2 we go a little bit more 'micro' — what Dmitry is still excited by in building his portfolio.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

02:50 - What Dmitry is excited by in 2023: the future of digital

04:50 - How founders are building in 2023

06:11 - Trade exits getting dicey?

08:49 - The disappointment of Grab?

11:29 - Rocket Internet "burned the region for many investors for the next 10 years"?

16:47 - The future of the food delivery space

18:06 - How has Ukraine-Russia played out in Southeast Asia?

25:46 - What next for Dmitry after more than a decade with Cento?

27:17 - Billion Dollar Questions


Really power-packed, you need to be taking notes for these two episodes if you want to understand SEA; you don’t want to miss it.

--

ABOUT DMITRY LEVIT:

Dmitry is the Founder of Cento Ventures. He is responsible for overseeing all investment and fund activities in Southeast Asia.


Dmitry formerly served as an advisor to several investment groups and corporations pursuing technology and media opportunities across developing Asia, with Media Development Authority of Singapore, Singtel, ru-Net, IDG Ventures Vietnam, SUP Media, Livejournal.com, Chinese Founders Fund, VIVA Media and Nusantara Ventures among his clients.


In 2008-2009, Dmitry was part of the investment team at IDG Ventures, where he provided extensive operational support to portfolio companies in Vietnam and was in charge of sourcing and assessment of investment opportunities in Indonesia and Singapore.


Prior to that, Dmitry spent several years in business development roles with Yahoo! Southeast Asia, negotiating a series of content, distribution, monetisation and technology deals for Yahoo! in Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. Dmitry also acted as a business strategist for the regional Managing Director, working on vertical strategies for e-commerce, gaming, travel, finance, telecom and other sectors.


EPISODE LINKS:

Cento Ventures Twitter: https://twitter.com/cento_ventures

Dmitry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levit/

Dmitry's report references: https://www.cento.vc/news-insights/

--

FOLLOW SARAH:


LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia funders & founders. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves



#billiondollarmoves #venturecapital #southeastasia #digital #investing #startupstories

]]> 1747 "Narratives Driving Substance" —Riding the Venture Downcycle: Investing in Southeast Asia with Dmitry Levit, Cento Ventures (Part 1) https://sarah-chen.com/riding-the-venture-downcycle-investing-in-southeast-asia-with-dmitry-levit-cento-ventures/ In today's Billion Dollar Moves, we bust some myths about Southeast Asia's VC activity and the narratives driving the expansion seen in the region. The key question: will the momentum survive this downcycle? I chat with Dmitry Levit, Founding Partner of Cento Ventures, a venture capital firm specialized in under-invested emerging digital markets, primarily Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro 02:07 - Russian born Israeli citizen, now the expert investing in Southeast Asia 06:30 - Predictability of the Southeast Asia startup ecosystem through 2014 08:23 - Narratives driving Southeast Asia 12:43 - Masoyoshi Son breaking the 'time machine' theory? 14:31 - E-commerce: a case study 16:25 - The evolution of capital players holding up the markets 21:28 - Market corrections and institutional capital 24:54 - Market slowdown, deals vs deployments 26:37 - Weakening capital markets and expensive bets -- ABOUT DMITRY LEVIT: Dmitry is the Founder of Cento Ventures. He is responsible for overseeing all investment and fund activities in Southeast Asia. Dmitry formerly served as an advisor to several investment groups and corporations pursuing technology and media opportunities across developing Asia, with Media Development Authority of Singapore, Singtel, ru-Net, IDG Ventures Vietnam, SUP Media, Livejournal.com, Chinese Founders Fund, VIVA Media and Nusantara Ventures among his clients. In 2008-2009, Dmitry was part of the investment team at IDG Ventures, where he provided extensive operational support to portfolio companies in Vietnam and was in charge of sourcing and assessment of investment opportunities in Indonesia and Singapore. Prior to that, Dmitry spent several years in business development roles with Yahoo! Southeast Asia, negotiating a series of content, distribution, monetisation and technology deals for Yahoo! in Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. Dmitry also acted as a business strategist for the regional Managing Director, working on vertical strategies for e-commerce, gaming, travel, finance, telecom and other sectors. EPISODE LINKS: Cento Ventures Twitter: https://twitter.com/cento_ventures Dmitry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levit/ Dmitry's report references: https://www.cento.vc/news-insights/ -- FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves #billiondollarmoves #venturecapital #southeastasia #digital #investing #startupstories Mon, 13 Mar 2023 20:16:00 -0000 full 2 17 Sarah Chen-Spellings In today's Billion Dollar Moves, we bust some myths about Southeast Asia's VC activity and the narratives driving the expansion seen in the region. The key question: will the momentum survive this downcycle? I chat with Dmitry Levit, Founding Partner of Cento Ventures, a venture capital firm specialized in under-invested emerging digital markets, primarily Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro 02:07 - Russian born Israeli citizen, now the expert investing in Southeast Asia 06:30 - Predictability of the Southeast Asia startup ecosystem through 2014 08:23 - Narratives driving Southeast Asia 12:43 - Masoyoshi Son breaking the 'time machine' theory? 14:31 - E-commerce: a case study 16:25 - The evolution of capital players holding up the markets 21:28 - Market corrections and institutional capital 24:54 - Market slowdown, deals vs deployments 26:37 - Weakening capital markets and expensive bets -- ABOUT DMITRY LEVIT: Dmitry is the Founder of Cento Ventures. He is responsible for overseeing all investment and fund activities in Southeast Asia. Dmitry formerly served as an advisor to several investment groups and corporations pursuing technology and media opportunities across developing Asia, with Media Development Authority of Singapore, Singtel, ru-Net, IDG Ventures Vietnam, SUP Media, Livejournal.com, Chinese Founders Fund, VIVA Media and Nusantara Ventures among his clients. In 2008-2009, Dmitry was part of the investment team at IDG Ventures, where he provided extensive operational support to portfolio companies in Vietnam and was in charge of sourcing and assessment of investment opportunities in Indonesia and Singapore. Prior to that, Dmitry spent several years in business development roles with Yahoo! Southeast Asia, negotiating a series of content, distribution, monetisation and technology deals for Yahoo! in Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. Dmitry also acted as a business strategist for the regional Managing Director, working on vertical strategies for e-commerce, gaming, travel, finance, telecom and other sectors. EPISODE LINKS: Cento Ventures Twitter: https://twitter.com/cento_ventures Dmitry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levit/ Dmitry's report references: https://www.cento.vc/news-insights/ -- FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves #billiondollarmoves #venturecapital #southeastasia #digital #investing #startupstories In today's Billion Dollar Moves, we bust some myths about Southeast Asia's VC activity and the narratives driving the expansion seen in the region.

The key question: will the momentum survive this downcycle? I chat with Dmitry Levit, Founding Partner of Cento Ventures, a venture capital firm specialized in under-invested emerging digital markets, primarily Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.


TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro

02:07 - Russian born Israeli citizen, now the expert investing in Southeast Asia

06:30 - Predictability of the Southeast Asia startup ecosystem through 2014

08:23 - Narratives driving Southeast Asia

12:43 - Masoyoshi Son breaking the 'time machine' theory?

14:31 - E-commerce: a case study

16:25 - The evolution of capital players holding up the markets

21:28 - Market corrections and institutional capital

24:54 - Market slowdown, deals vs deployments

26:37 - Weakening capital markets and expensive bets

--

ABOUT DMITRY LEVIT:

Dmitry is the Founder of Cento Ventures. He is responsible for overseeing all investment and fund activities in Southeast Asia.


Dmitry formerly served as an advisor to several investment groups and corporations pursuing technology and media opportunities across developing Asia, with Media Development Authority of Singapore, Singtel, ru-Net, IDG Ventures Vietnam, SUP Media, Livejournal.com, Chinese Founders Fund, VIVA Media and Nusantara Ventures among his clients.


In 2008-2009, Dmitry was part of the investment team at IDG Ventures, where he provided extensive operational support to portfolio companies in Vietnam and was in charge of sourcing and assessment of investment opportunities in Indonesia and Singapore.


Prior to that, Dmitry spent several years in business development roles with Yahoo! Southeast Asia, negotiating a series of content, distribution, monetisation and technology deals for Yahoo! in Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. Dmitry also acted as a business strategist for the regional Managing Director, working on vertical strategies for e-commerce, gaming, travel, finance, telecom and other sectors.


EPISODE LINKS:

Cento Ventures Twitter: https://twitter.com/cento_ventures

Dmitry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levit/

Dmitry's report references: https://www.cento.vc/news-insights/

--

FOLLOW SARAH:


LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves



#billiondollarmoves #venturecapital #southeastasia #digital #investing #startupstories

]]> 1760 "When The S**t Hits The Fan"—Scaling to a $4.2 Bn Global Business with Nicole Sahin, G-P (Globalization Partners) https://sarah-chen.com/nicole-sahin-globalization-partners/ While scaling globally seems often to be part of the 'Billion Dollar Plan', it is hardly as simple as it is thought to be. Nicole Sahin who founded and scaled G-P, a global PEO leader from an idea to over $4Bn in value chats with me in Davos on her thoughts on the future of work, the challenges of globalization and some of her own hard lessons in scaling. Watch this live interview filmed in Davos on Youtube. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 01:28 - Crucible moments 08:53 - Is Globalization really for you? 12:53 - Hiring top talent, and knowing when to let go 20:43 - What you have to do, you already know 21:58 - The unexpected trends on the future of work -- FOLLOW NICOLE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolesahin/ About G-P: https://www.globalization-partners.com/ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Tue, 28 Feb 2023 16:24:00 -0000 full Sarah Chen-Spellings While scaling globally seems often to be part of the 'Billion Dollar Plan', it is hardly as simple as it is thought to be. Nicole Sahin who founded and scaled G-P, a global PEO leader from an idea to over $4Bn in value chats with me in Davos on her thoughts on the future of work, the challenges of globalization and some of her own hard lessons in scaling. Watch this live interview filmed in Davos on Youtube. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 01:28 - Crucible moments 08:53 - Is Globalization really for you? 12:53 - Hiring top talent, and knowing when to let go 20:43 - What you have to do, you already know 21:58 - The unexpected trends on the future of work -- FOLLOW NICOLE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolesahin/ About G-P: https://www.globalization-partners.com/ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves While scaling globally seems often to be part of the 'Billion Dollar Plan', it is hardly as simple as it is thought to be. Nicole Sahin who founded and scaled G-P, a global PEO leader from an idea to over $4Bn in value chats with me in Davos on her thoughts on the future of work, the challenges of globalization and some of her own hard lessons in scaling.


Watch this live interview filmed in Davos on Youtube.

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

01:28 - Crucible moments

08:53 - Is Globalization really for you?

12:53 - Hiring top talent, and knowing when to let go

20:43 - What you have to do, you already know

21:58 - The unexpected trends on the future of work

--

FOLLOW NICOLE:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolesahin/

About G-P: https://www.globalization-partners.com/


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2092 Multi-Billion Firms' Chief Investors, CPP Investments, CVC Capital Partners, EPF, CD&R on Actually Aligning Profit & Purpose in Private Equity — Davos Takeaway 3 {BONUS} Private Equity has a tremendous role to play in the real economy: with about $10Trillion assets under management, robust returns relative to public market measures, a reach that touches the lives of many (some say 1/3, 2/3 of global GDP by 2030) and with maximizing impact across the risk/return continuum becoming a fast-growing trend within the investing industry. I chat with veterans of the industry: Suyi Kim, Global Head of Private Equity CPP Investments Amir Hamzah Azizan, CEO, EPF Malaysia, Vindi Banga, Partner, Clayton Dubilier & Rice, Rob Lucas, Partner, CVC Capital Partners with combined almost $1Tn in AUM on what it means to: (1) drive returns through diversity (2) how enterprises built through generations have the opportunity to uplift the standards of governance & sustainability of the communities they touch (3) and how values alignment driven by stakeholders is core: beyond a reactionary approach is also an opportunity to create change PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Sun, 19 Feb 2023 21:00:00 -0000 full 2 15 Sarah Chen-Spellings Private Equity has a tremendous role to play in the real economy: with about $10Trillion assets under management, robust returns relative to public market measures, a reach that touches the lives of many (some say 1/3, 2/3 of global GDP by 2030) and with maximizing impact across the risk/return continuum becoming a fast-growing trend within the investing industry. I chat with veterans of the industry: Suyi Kim, Global Head of Private Equity CPP Investments Amir Hamzah Azizan, CEO, EPF Malaysia, Vindi Banga, Partner, Clayton Dubilier & Rice, Rob Lucas, Partner, CVC Capital Partners with combined almost $1Tn in AUM on what it means to: (1) drive returns through diversity (2) how enterprises built through generations have the opportunity to uplift the standards of governance & sustainability of the communities they touch (3) and how values alignment driven by stakeholders is core: beyond a reactionary approach is also an opportunity to create change PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Private Equity has a tremendous role to play in the real economy: with about $10Trillion assets under management, robust returns relative to public market measures, a reach that touches the lives of many (some say 1/3, 2/3 of global GDP by 2030) and with maximizing impact across the risk/return continuum becoming a fast-growing trend within the investing industry.


I chat with veterans of the industry:

Suyi Kim, Global Head of Private Equity CPP Investments

Amir Hamzah Azizan, CEO, EPF Malaysia,

Vindi Banga, Partner, Clayton Dubilier & Rice,

Rob Lucas, Partner, CVC Capital Partners


with combined almost $1Tn in AUM on what it means to:


(1) drive returns through diversity

(2) how enterprises built through generations have the opportunity to uplift the standards of governance & sustainability of the communities they touch

(3) and how values alignment driven by stakeholders is core: beyond a reactionary approach is also an opportunity to create change


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2826 Former Unilever MD, Silvia Wiesner on Quiet Quitting, Paranoia of Productivity - Davos Takeaway 2 {BONUS} Quiet quitting, a recession looming, a polycrisis declared at Davos 2023 — how can leaders navigate this uncertainty? Silvia Wiesner, former Managing Director at Unilever who was with me in Davos joins me to weigh in on the 53rd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SILVIA: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvia-wiesner/ IMAGINE Oxford Experience Silvia is Building: https://imagine.one/oxford-experience/ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Tue, 07 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0000 full 2 14 Sarah Chen-Spellings Quiet quitting, a recession looming, a polycrisis declared at Davos 2023 — how can leaders navigate this uncertainty? Silvia Wiesner, former Managing Director at Unilever who was with me in Davos joins me to weigh in on the 53rd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SILVIA: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvia-wiesner/ IMAGINE Oxford Experience Silvia is Building: https://imagine.one/oxford-experience/ FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Quiet quitting, a recession looming, a polycrisis declared at Davos 2023 — how can leaders navigate this uncertainty?

Silvia Wiesner, former Managing Director at Unilever who was with me in Davos joins me to weigh in on the 53rd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum.

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SILVIA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvia-wiesner/

IMAGINE Oxford Experience Silvia is Building: https://imagine.one/oxford-experience/


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2269 Global CEO of LEGO, Deloitte & Chair of Henry Schein debate the Non-Political Company Leader - Davos Takeaway 1 {BONUS} https://sarah-chen.com/the-non-political-leader-with-global-ceo-lego-deloitte/ The 'non-political' company leader. In 2020/2021, we saw feathers ruffled when leaders like those from Google, Coinbase declared certain "political activism" was a distraction. Employees walked out since of course, in many ways, we're in a generation that have been told to bring "our full selves to work", including our belief systems. But how do we as leaders, manage what feels like a double bind? I ask global leaders, Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of the LEGO Group, Stanley Bergman, Chair of Henry Schein, Joseph Ucuzoglu, Global CEO Deloitte to weigh in at #Davos2023 World Economic Forum. Here's what they said, do you agree? -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 02 Feb 2023 13:01:00 -0000 full 2 11 Sarah Chen-Spellings The 'non-political' company leader. In 2020/2021, we saw feathers ruffled when leaders like those from Google, Coinbase declared certain "political activism" was a distraction. Employees walked out since of course, in many ways, we're in a generation that have been told to bring "our full selves to work", including our belief systems. But how do we as leaders, manage what feels like a double bind? I ask global leaders, Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of the LEGO Group, Stanley Bergman, Chair of Henry Schein, Joseph Ucuzoglu, Global CEO Deloitte to weigh in at #Davos2023 World Economic Forum. Here's what they said, do you agree? -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal The 'non-political' company leader.


In 2020/2021, we saw feathers ruffled when leaders like those from Google, Coinbase declared certain "political activism" was a distraction.


Employees walked out since of course, in many ways, we're in a generation that have been told to bring "our full selves to work", including our belief systems.


But how do we as leaders, manage what feels like a double bind?


I ask global leaders,

Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of the LEGO Group,

Stanley Bergman, Chair of Henry Schein,

Joseph Ucuzoglu, Global CEO Deloitte to weigh in at #Davos2023 World Economic Forum.


Here's what they said, do you agree?

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 684 "To Fail in Such A Public Way"—The Cost of Influence & Billion Dollar Ambitions with Vivy Yusof, FV Group https://sarah-chen.com/the-cost-of-influence-billion-dollar-ambitions-with-vivy-yusof-fashion-valet-group/ Social media platforms and creator-focused startups haven’t looked too hot coming into 2023, with companies like Meta, Snapchat waging of layoffs along with the rest of the tech industry. BUT the creator and influencer economy are more than just buzzwords losing interest among venture capitalists. Despite challenges on a platform level, blogger turned entrepreneur Vivy Yusof is a case study of just how retained attention is a currency that will continue to be important in 2023 and beyond. FashionValet.com, an online marketplace that once stocked over 400 brands across Southeast Asia, became a major regional player in the fashion industry but, by 2022, she had wound the venture down, shifting her focus to her own in-house modest fashion brands, dUCK and Lilit. The silver lining? By 2022, Yusof had built a network of 14 physical stores across Malaysia and Singapore and sold more than 3 million scarves from just one of her brands. Today, we unpack Vivy’s journey, the cost of building a brand around herself, her regret on not acting on her gut and her BILLION DOLLAR AMBITIONS for her next decade in the modest fashion industry. Watch this on Youtube: https://bit.ly/3mPihUI -- Find out more about Vivy And get her book now on Amazon -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 27 Jan 2023 12:58:00 -0000 full 2 12 Sarah Chen-Spellings Social media platforms and creator-focused startups haven’t looked too hot coming into 2023, with companies like Meta, Snapchat waging of layoffs along with the rest of the tech industry. BUT the creator and influencer economy are more than just buzzwords losing interest among venture capitalists. Despite challenges on a platform level, blogger turned entrepreneur Vivy Yusof is a case study of just how retained attention is a currency that will continue to be important in 2023 and beyond. FashionValet.com, an online marketplace that once stocked over 400 brands across Southeast Asia, became a major regional player in the fashion industry but, by 2022, she had wound the venture down, shifting her focus to her own in-house modest fashion brands, dUCK and Lilit. The silver lining? By 2022, Yusof had built a network of 14 physical stores across Malaysia and Singapore and sold more than 3 million scarves from just one of her brands. Today, we unpack Vivy’s journey, the cost of building a brand around herself, her regret on not acting on her gut and her BILLION DOLLAR AMBITIONS for her next decade in the modest fashion industry. Watch this on Youtube: https://bit.ly/3mPihUI -- Find out more about Vivy And get her book now on Amazon -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Social media platforms and creator-focused startups haven’t looked too hot coming into 2023, with companies like Meta, Snapchat waging of layoffs along with the rest of the tech industry. BUT the creator and influencer economy are more than just buzzwords losing interest among venture capitalists. Despite challenges on a platform level, blogger turned entrepreneur Vivy Yusof is a case study of just how retained attention is a currency that will continue to be important in 2023 and beyond.

FashionValet.com, an online marketplace that once stocked over 400 brands across Southeast Asia, became a major regional player in the fashion industry but, by 2022, she had wound the venture down, shifting her focus to her own in-house modest fashion brands, dUCK and Lilit. The silver lining? By 2022, Yusof had built a network of 14 physical stores across Malaysia and Singapore and sold more than 3 million scarves from just one of her brands. Today, we unpack Vivy’s journey, the cost of building a brand around herself, her regret on not acting on her gut and her BILLION DOLLAR AMBITIONS for her next decade in the modest fashion industry.

Watch this on Youtube: https://bit.ly/3mPihUI

--

Find out more about Vivy

And get her book now on Amazon

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3989 Diverse Hires ≠ Diverse Goals: MLK Special with Sonia Thompson Data shows that building with diversity in mind just makes business sense. Yet, we’ve not moved the dial nearly enough: bringing it to our investment world, as of Sep 2021 according to Knight Research only 1.4% of US AUM are managed by diverse firms, and at a startup level, we all know the abysmal numbers: women get less than 3% of funding, and Black founders hovering at about 1.2 - 1.3%. What can we do, and how do we tactically address this issue? Today, I take this opportunity to not just celebrate with you the power of diversity; which many of you know my work centers around BUT HOW we can tactically make #BillionDollarMoves by building inclusion and diversity as our lever of growth. To do so I’m calling in an expert, my friend Sonia Thompson, who has worked with brands from Johnson&Johnson to GSK who weighs in on what it takes to actually build a productive diverse team, how messaging to a broader stakeholder base helps you win and grow and why you shouldn’t be tasking that one diverse team member with your diversity goals. -- Find out more about Sonia Thompson The Inclusion Marketing Podcast -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Mon, 16 Jan 2023 09:00:00 -0000 full 2 11 Sarah Chen-Spellings Data shows that building with diversity in mind just makes business sense. Yet, we’ve not moved the dial nearly enough: bringing it to our investment world, as of Sep 2021 according to Knight Research only 1.4% of US AUM are managed by diverse firms, and at a startup level, we all know the abysmal numbers: women get less than 3% of funding, and Black founders hovering at about 1.2 - 1.3%. What can we do, and how do we tactically address this issue? Today, I take this opportunity to not just celebrate with you the power of diversity; which many of you know my work centers around BUT HOW we can tactically make #BillionDollarMoves by building inclusion and diversity as our lever of growth. To do so I’m calling in an expert, my friend Sonia Thompson, who has worked with brands from Johnson&Johnson to GSK who weighs in on what it takes to actually build a productive diverse team, how messaging to a broader stakeholder base helps you win and grow and why you shouldn’t be tasking that one diverse team member with your diversity goals. -- Find out more about Sonia Thompson The Inclusion Marketing Podcast -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Data shows that building with diversity in mind just makes business sense.

Yet, we’ve not moved the dial nearly enough: bringing it to our investment world, as of Sep 2021 according to Knight Research only 1.4% of US AUM are managed by diverse firms, and at a startup level, we all know the abysmal numbers: women get less than 3% of funding, and Black founders hovering at about 1.2 - 1.3%. What can we do, and how do we tactically address this issue?

Today, I take this opportunity to not just celebrate with you the power of diversity; which many of you know my work centers around BUT HOW we can tactically make #BillionDollarMoves by building inclusion and diversity as our lever of growth.

To do so I’m calling in an expert, my friend Sonia Thompson, who has worked with brands from Johnson&Johnson to GSK who weighs in on what it takes to actually build a productive diverse team, how messaging to a broader stakeholder base helps you win and grow and why you shouldn’t be tasking that one diverse team member with your diversity goals.

--

Find out more about Sonia Thompson

The Inclusion Marketing Podcast

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves



FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2586 Meta's Global Head of Social Marketing, Eric Toda on Building World-Class Brands & Rising with Authenticity Phil Knight, the founder of Nike famously said “Nike is a marketing company, and our product is our most important marketing tool.” But what does it take to build a world-class brand, and rise above the noise? I dive deep with Eric Toda, former Global Digital Brand Marketing Director at Nike, now Global Head of Social Marketing at Meta and Founder of Meta Prosper who has worked with little upstarts like Facebook, Snapchat and AirBNB in building their brand messaging long before they became the goliaths they are today. Our conversation ranges from what he thinks founders get wrong to how he is choosing to stand out and use his megaphone in his career to uplift the Asian American community. You don’t want to miss this. -- About Eric Eric Toda is the current Global Head of Social Marketing at Meta and the Founder/Head of Meta Prosper, a community support program from Meta serving the Asian and Pacific Islander community of small businesses, creators, and non-profits. He has held previous brand and digital marketing leadership roles at Stitch Fix, Gap Inc, Airbnb, Snapchat, and Nike and his work has been awarded by Cannes Lions, Webbys, Clios, amongst others for combining purpose, creativity, and business results. As an Investor at Hyphen Capital and an independent advisor, Eric has helped build disruptive brands like Yumi, Wardrobe, Upaway, Fyllo, amongst many others. He sits on he Board of Directors for Reimagine and LAAUNCH (Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change), the advisory council for TAAF (The Asian American Foundation), the advisory board of directors for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, and most recently has been using his voice and platform for the #StopAsianHate movement, with a viral piece in Adweek “My People Are Dying In Silence — And I’m Here With A Megaphone”. More about Eric here -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 12 Jan 2023 09:00:00 -0000 Meta's Global Head of Social Marketing on Building World-Class Brands & Rising with Authenticity full 2 10 Sarah Chen-Spellings Phil Knight, the founder of Nike famously said “Nike is a marketing company, and our product is our most important marketing tool.” But what does it take to build a world-class brand, and rise above the noise? I dive deep with Eric Toda, former Global Digital Brand Marketing Director at Nike, now Global Head of Social Marketing at Meta and Founder of Meta Prosper who has worked with little upstarts like Facebook, Snapchat and AirBNB in building their brand messaging long before they became the goliaths they are today. Our conversation ranges from what he thinks founders get wrong to how he is choosing to stand out and use his megaphone in his career to uplift the Asian American community. You don’t want to miss this. -- About Eric Eric Toda is the current Global Head of Social Marketing at Meta and the Founder/Head of Meta Prosper, a community support program from Meta serving the Asian and Pacific Islander community of small businesses, creators, and non-profits. He has held previous brand and digital marketing leadership roles at Stitch Fix, Gap Inc, Airbnb, Snapchat, and Nike and his work has been awarded by Cannes Lions, Webbys, Clios, amongst others for combining purpose, creativity, and business results. As an Investor at Hyphen Capital and an independent advisor, Eric has helped build disruptive brands like Yumi, Wardrobe, Upaway, Fyllo, amongst many others. He sits on he Board of Directors for Reimagine and LAAUNCH (Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change), the advisory council for TAAF (The Asian American Foundation), the advisory board of directors for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, and most recently has been using his voice and platform for the #StopAsianHate movement, with a viral piece in Adweek “My People Are Dying In Silence — And I’m Here With A Megaphone”. More about Eric here -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Phil Knight, the founder of Nike famously said “Nike is a marketing company, and our product is our most important marketing tool.” But what does it take to build a world-class brand, and rise above the noise?

I dive deep with Eric Toda, former Global Digital Brand Marketing Director at Nike, now Global Head of Social Marketing at Meta and Founder of Meta Prosper who has worked with little upstarts like Facebook, Snapchat and AirBNB in building their brand messaging long before they became the goliaths they are today.

Our conversation ranges from what he thinks founders get wrong to how he is choosing to stand out and use his megaphone in his career to uplift the Asian American community. You don’t want to miss this.

--

About Eric

Eric Toda is the current Global Head of Social Marketing at Meta and the Founder/Head of Meta Prosper, a community support program from Meta serving the Asian and Pacific Islander community of small businesses, creators, and non-profits. He has held previous brand and digital marketing leadership roles at Stitch Fix, Gap Inc, Airbnb, Snapchat, and Nike and his work has been awarded by Cannes Lions, Webbys, Clios, amongst others for combining purpose, creativity, and business results. As an Investor at Hyphen Capital and an independent advisor, Eric has helped build disruptive brands like Yumi, Wardrobe, Upaway, Fyllo, amongst many others. He sits on he Board of Directors for Reimagine and LAAUNCH (Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change), the advisory council for TAAF (The Asian American Foundation), the advisory board of directors for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, and most recently has been using his voice and platform for the #StopAsianHate movement, with a viral piece in Adweek “My People Are Dying In Silence — And I’m Here With A Megaphone”.

More about Eric here

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3258 Becoming the CEO Your Company Actually Needs to Scale & The Future of Virtual Kitchens with Kim Yao, CloudEats We've heard a lot about scaling tactics for businesses, but have we paused to think about what it takes to scale ourselves as leaders at the helm? In this episode, Kim Yao, shares with us about how each chapter of her companies demanded different versions of her as a leader, and the future of 'virtual' or 'ghost' kitchens, i.e. delivery-only restaurants that proliferated during the pandemic and is set to be a $1 trillion industry by 2030. About Kim Kim is building the leading tech-powered food service ecosystem in Southeast Asia through digitally native restaurant brands and proprietary smart kitchen technology. By revolutionizing a massive yet traditional food service industry, her mission at CloudEats is to create the largest cloud restaurant group in the region, challenging brick and mortar heavyweights in F&B. With almost $14m in funding for CloudEats to date, Kim is known to have raised the largest amount of venture capital for a female Filipina led startup. She hopes to inspire female, underrepresented founders to keep dreaming big and work together to pave the way for more women entrepreneurs.  Find out more about Kim here, and CloudEats here. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 05 Jan 2023 09:00:00 -0000 full 2 9 Sarah Chen-Spellings We've heard a lot about scaling tactics for businesses, but have we paused to think about what it takes to scale ourselves as leaders at the helm? In this episode, Kim Yao, shares with us about how each chapter of her companies demanded different versions of her as a leader, and the future of 'virtual' or 'ghost' kitchens, i.e. delivery-only restaurants that proliferated during the pandemic and is set to be a $1 trillion industry by 2030. About Kim Kim is building the leading tech-powered food service ecosystem in Southeast Asia through digitally native restaurant brands and proprietary smart kitchen technology. By revolutionizing a massive yet traditional food service industry, her mission at CloudEats is to create the largest cloud restaurant group in the region, challenging brick and mortar heavyweights in F&B. With almost $14m in funding for CloudEats to date, Kim is known to have raised the largest amount of venture capital for a female Filipina led startup. She hopes to inspire female, underrepresented founders to keep dreaming big and work together to pave the way for more women entrepreneurs.  Find out more about Kim here, and CloudEats here. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal We've heard a lot about scaling tactics for businesses, but have we paused to think about what it takes to scale ourselves as leaders at the helm? In this episode, Kim Yao, shares with us about how each chapter of her companies demanded different versions of her as a leader, and the future of 'virtual' or 'ghost' kitchens, i.e. delivery-only restaurants that proliferated during the pandemic and is set to be a $1 trillion industry by 2030.


About Kim

Kim is building the leading tech-powered food service ecosystem in Southeast Asia through digitally native restaurant brands and proprietary smart kitchen technology. By revolutionizing a massive yet traditional food service industry, her mission at CloudEats is to create the largest cloud restaurant group in the region, challenging brick and mortar heavyweights in F&B. With almost $14m in funding for CloudEats to date, Kim is known to have raised the largest amount of venture capital for a female Filipina led startup. She hopes to inspire female, underrepresented founders to keep dreaming big and work together to pave the way for more women entrepreneurs. 

Find out more about Kim here, and CloudEats here.

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2885 no Reinventing Your Career at Every Age & Building a Top Performing Corporate VC with Paul Ark, Former MD, Digital Ventures, Siam Commercial Bank In this episode, Paul Ark shares how "when you take that big leap of faith, what's waiting for you on the other side is not necessarily a bad thing". From investment banker with global banks Deutsche Bank and Citigroup in Asia and New York, to facilitating Apple and Microsoft's Retail’s market entry into Asian markets, rolling out a US$100 million global corporate venture capital fund, producing one of the top performing fintech CVC funds globally for its vintage and advising pan-Asian venture capital firm, Gobi Partners as Head of ESG, Paul has certainly had his different career chapters you'd want to hear about! 4 things you'll learn: (1) The power of going with the flow of your career (2) The nascent VC ecosystem in Southeast Asia, and the opportunities that presents (3) Failures & successes in building a $100M CVC for Siam Commercial Bank, what strategically hiring means (4) ESG and shifting mindsets About Paul: Find more about Paul here. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the next generation global leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 29 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000 full 2 8 Sarah Chen-Spellings In this episode, Paul Ark shares how "when you take that big leap of faith, what's waiting for you on the other side is not necessarily a bad thing". From investment banker with global banks Deutsche Bank and Citigroup in Asia and New York, to facilitating Apple and Microsoft's Retail’s market entry into Asian markets, rolling out a US$100 million global corporate venture capital fund, producing one of the top performing fintech CVC funds globally for its vintage and advising pan-Asian venture capital firm, Gobi Partners as Head of ESG, Paul has certainly had his different career chapters you'd want to hear about! 4 things you'll learn: (1) The power of going with the flow of your career (2) The nascent VC ecosystem in Southeast Asia, and the opportunities that presents (3) Failures & successes in building a $100M CVC for Siam Commercial Bank, what strategically hiring means (4) ESG and shifting mindsets About Paul: Find more about Paul here. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the next generation global leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In this episode, Paul Ark shares how "when you take that big leap of faith, what's waiting for you on the other side is not necessarily a bad thing".

From investment banker with global banks Deutsche Bank and Citigroup in Asia and New York, to facilitating Apple and Microsoft's Retail’s market entry into Asian markets, rolling out a US$100 million global corporate venture capital fund, producing one of the top performing fintech CVC funds globally for its vintage and advising pan-Asian venture capital firm, Gobi Partners as Head of ESG, Paul has certainly had his different career chapters you'd want to hear about!


4 things you'll learn:

(1) The power of going with the flow of your career

(2) The nascent VC ecosystem in Southeast Asia, and the opportunities that presents

(3) Failures & successes in building a $100M CVC for Siam Commercial Bank, what strategically hiring means

(4) ESG and shifting mindsets


About Paul:

Find more about Paul here.

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the next generation global leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3777 no Turning Fear into Power: with Exiled Iranian Singer, Gola https://sarah-chen.com/turning-fear-to-power-golazin-iran-singer/ What if at the edge of your deepest fear lays your greatest potential? Exiled from the only place she knew to be home, Iranian singer, Gola (Golazin) shares her story on how her first hand experiences of life under the oppressive Iranian Regime shaped her as a fearless, international women’s rights advocate. Fighting everyday to have her voice heard since female solo singers are not allowed to release songs or perform publicly in Iran, Gola shows us what pushing boundaries and true bravery means; and how at the edge of your deepest fear is your greatest potential. View the full video on https://youtu.be/I0hGCtLqbS8 -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- About Gola Golazin, known internationally as Gola, is an exiled Iranian singer and women's rights activist. Her first hand experiences of life under the oppressive Iranian Regime have effectively shaped her as a fearless, international women’s rights advocate while living in exile from her home country; female solo singers are not allowed to record and release songs or perform publicly in Iran. Known by Iranian citizens as the Lioness of Iran, she irrefutably lives up to her reputation as she delivers a divine manifestation of bravery, advocacy, and justice with her historic album ‘CHANGE.’ Gola pushes to usher in an era of peace, gender equality, and reparations for those that have suffered at the hands of the Iranian Regime. Gola and her work have caught the attention of major media outlets such as The Times and The Sunday Times UK, i-D Magazine, C-Heads, and Hunger Magazine, while she continues releasing projects that amplify her mission to spread empowerment, peace, and love. She is among the first Iranian women to professionally sing in Farsi and English, as well as one of the most influential Iranian women to have been born and raised in Iran, and have a pop English track in the UK Club chart. Beyond this, Gola's record label, ZAN Recordings, is dedicated to serving as a vessel of empowerment for other young female creatives. Zan Recordings is currently in search of the perfect collaborator to partner with and sponsor the label's growth and impact. Through Gola's personal artist project and her work with Zan Recordings, the songstress is determined to create an accessible safe space encouraging more women and girls to feel empowered to express themselves through music. Find Gola on: @gola_official To support her record label, please reach out to Gola/Sarah below. EPISODE LINKS: Gola's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gola_official/ Gola's label: https://zanrecordings.com/ -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Mon, 19 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000 full 2 7 Sarah Chen-Spellings Hear Me Now, I am Not One: I am Iran What if at the edge of your deepest fear lays your greatest potential? Exiled from the only place she knew to be home, Iranian singer, Gola (Golazin) shares her story on how her first hand experiences of life under the oppressive Iranian Regime shaped her as a fearless, international women’s rights advocate. Fighting everyday to have her voice heard since female solo singers are not allowed to release songs or perform publicly in Iran, Gola shows us what pushing boundaries and true bravery means; and how at the edge of your deepest fear is your greatest potential. View the full video on https://youtu.be/I0hGCtLqbS8 -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- About Gola Golazin, known internationally as Gola, is an exiled Iranian singer and women's rights activist. Her first hand experiences of life under the oppressive Iranian Regime have effectively shaped her as a fearless, international women’s rights advocate while living in exile from her home country; female solo singers are not allowed to record and release songs or perform publicly in Iran. Known by Iranian citizens as the Lioness of Iran, she irrefutably lives up to her reputation as she delivers a divine manifestation of bravery, advocacy, and justice with her historic album ‘CHANGE.’ Gola pushes to usher in an era of peace, gender equality, and reparations for those that have suffered at the hands of the Iranian Regime. Gola and her work have caught the attention of major media outlets such as The Times and The Sunday Times UK, i-D Magazine, C-Heads, and Hunger Magazine, while she continues releasing projects that amplify her mission to spread empowerment, peace, and love. She is among the first Iranian women to professionally sing in Farsi and English, as well as one of the most influential Iranian women to have been born and raised in Iran, and have a pop English track in the UK Club chart. Beyond this, Gola's record label, ZAN Recordings, is dedicated to serving as a vessel of empowerment for other young female creatives. Zan Recordings is currently in search of the perfect collaborator to partner with and sponsor the label's growth and impact. Through Gola's personal artist project and her work with Zan Recordings, the songstress is determined to create an accessible safe space encouraging more women and girls to feel empowered to express themselves through music. Find Gola on: @gola_official To support her record label, please reach out to Gola/Sarah below. EPISODE LINKS: Gola's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gola_official/ Gola's label: https://zanrecordings.com/ -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal What if at the edge of your deepest fear lays your greatest potential?

Exiled from the only place she knew to be home, Iranian singer, Gola (Golazin) shares her story on how her first hand experiences of life under the oppressive Iranian Regime shaped her as a fearless, international women’s rights advocate.

Fighting everyday to have her voice heard since female solo singers are not allowed to release songs or perform publicly in Iran, Gola shows us what pushing boundaries and true bravery means; and how at the edge of your deepest fear is your greatest potential.

View the full video on https://youtu.be/I0hGCtLqbS8

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--


About Gola

Golazin, known internationally as Gola, is an exiled Iranian singer and women's rights activist. Her first hand experiences of life under the oppressive Iranian Regime have effectively shaped her as a fearless, international women’s rights advocate while living in exile from her home country; female solo singers are not allowed to record and release songs or perform publicly in Iran. Known by Iranian citizens as the Lioness of Iran, she irrefutably lives up to her reputation as she delivers a divine manifestation of bravery, advocacy, and justice with her historic album ‘CHANGE.’ Gola pushes to usher in an era of peace, gender equality, and reparations for those that have suffered at the hands of the Iranian Regime. Gola and her work have caught the attention of major media outlets such as The Times and The Sunday Times UK, i-D Magazine, C-Heads, and Hunger Magazine, while she continues releasing projects that amplify her mission to spread empowerment, peace, and love. She is among the first Iranian women to professionally sing in Farsi and English, as well as one of the most influential Iranian women to have been born and raised in Iran, and have a pop English track in the UK Club chart. Beyond this, Gola's record label, ZAN Recordings, is dedicated to serving as a vessel of empowerment for other young female creatives. Zan Recordings is currently in search of the perfect collaborator to partner with and sponsor the label's growth and impact. Through Gola's personal artist project and her work with Zan Recordings, the songstress is determined to create an accessible safe space encouraging more women and girls to feel empowered to express themselves through music.


Find Gola on: @gola_official


To support her record label, please reach out to Gola/Sarah below.


EPISODE LINKS:

Gola's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gola_official/

Gola's label: https://zanrecordings.com/

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3840 no Playing to Your Unique Advantage & Rising from Insecurity: Episode Recap Despite Lu Zhang’s accelerated path from researcher to founder to investor — by age 30 —she still reveals how she feels like a failure everyday! This episode is one you'd want to tune into. Full episode here. About Lu Zhang: Lu Zhang, Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, is a renowned Silicon Valley based investor, a serial entrepreneur, and a Stanford Engineering alumna. Lu is a World Economic Forum (Davos) Young Global Leader and was recently selected as a Best 25 Female Investor by Business Insider. She has also garnered other accolades including the Featured Honoree in VC of Forbes 30 Under 30, Silicon Valley Women of Influence, and Town & Country 50 Modern Swans – Entrepreneurship Influencer. Lu is also on the Jury Board of Cartier Young Leader Award. Prior to starting Fusion Fund, she was the Founder and CEO of a medical device company focused on non-invasive technology for the early diagnosis of Type II diabetes (acq. 2013). Lu is a frequent speaker at tech events and conferences such as Davos Economic Forum, Future Investment Initiative (FII), Forbes, Web Summit, SuperReturn, etc. and also serves as a mentor and advisor to several tech innovation programs in Silicon Valley. Lu is the board member of the Youth Council of Future Forum and Future Science Award. She received her M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University. https://www.fusionfund.com/ -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 09 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000 full 2 6 Sarah Chen-Spellings ICYMI: Lu Zhang Episode Recap Despite Lu Zhang’s accelerated path from researcher to founder to investor — by age 30 —she still reveals how she feels like a failure everyday! This episode is one you'd want to tune into. Full episode here. About Lu Zhang: Lu Zhang, Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, is a renowned Silicon Valley based investor, a serial entrepreneur, and a Stanford Engineering alumna. Lu is a World Economic Forum (Davos) Young Global Leader and was recently selected as a Best 25 Female Investor by Business Insider. She has also garnered other accolades including the Featured Honoree in VC of Forbes 30 Under 30, Silicon Valley Women of Influence, and Town & Country 50 Modern Swans – Entrepreneurship Influencer. Lu is also on the Jury Board of Cartier Young Leader Award. Prior to starting Fusion Fund, she was the Founder and CEO of a medical device company focused on non-invasive technology for the early diagnosis of Type II diabetes (acq. 2013). Lu is a frequent speaker at tech events and conferences such as Davos Economic Forum, Future Investment Initiative (FII), Forbes, Web Summit, SuperReturn, etc. and also serves as a mentor and advisor to several tech innovation programs in Silicon Valley. Lu is the board member of the Youth Council of Future Forum and Future Science Award. She received her M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University. https://www.fusionfund.com/ -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Despite Lu Zhang’s accelerated path from researcher to founder to investor — by age 30 —she still reveals how she feels like a failure everyday! This episode is one you'd want to tune into. Full episode here.

About Lu Zhang:

Lu Zhang, Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, is a renowned Silicon Valley based investor, a serial entrepreneur, and a Stanford Engineering alumna. Lu is a World Economic Forum (Davos) Young Global Leader and was recently selected as a Best 25 Female Investor by Business Insider. She has also garnered other accolades including the Featured Honoree in VC of Forbes 30 Under 30, Silicon Valley Women of Influence, and Town & Country 50 Modern Swans – Entrepreneurship Influencer. Lu is also on the Jury Board of Cartier Young Leader Award.

Prior to starting Fusion Fund, she was the Founder and CEO of a medical device company focused on non-invasive technology for the early diagnosis of Type II diabetes (acq. 2013).

Lu is a frequent speaker at tech events and conferences such as Davos Economic Forum, Future Investment Initiative (FII), Forbes, Web Summit, SuperReturn, etc. and also serves as a mentor and advisor to several tech innovation programs in Silicon Valley. Lu is the board member of the Youth Council of Future Forum and Future Science Award. She received her M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University.

https://www.fusionfund.com/

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 627 no Rising from Insecurity: Material Scientist to Unicorn Backer Lu Zhang, Founding Partner, Fusion Fund Despite Lu Zhang’s accelerated path from researcher to founder to investor — by age 30 —she still reveals how she feels like a failure everyday! This episode is one you'd want to tune into. About Lu Zhang: Lu Zhang, Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, is a renowned Silicon Valley based investor, a serial entrepreneur, and a Stanford Engineering alumna. Lu is a World Economic Forum (Davos) Young Global Leader and was recently selected as a Best 25 Female Investor by Business Insider. She has also garnered other accolades including the Featured Honoree in VC of Forbes 30 Under 30, Silicon Valley Women of Influence, and Town & Country 50 Modern Swans – Entrepreneurship Influencer. Lu is also on the Jury Board of Cartier Young Leader Award. Prior to starting Fusion Fund, she was the Founder and CEO of a medical device company focused on non-invasive technology for the early diagnosis of Type II diabetes (acq. 2013). Lu is a frequent speaker at tech events and conferences such as Davos Economic Forum, Future Investment Initiative (FII), Forbes, Web Summit, SuperReturn, etc. and also serves as a mentor and advisor to several tech innovation programs in Silicon Valley. Lu is the board member of the Youth Council of Future Forum and Future Science Award. She received her M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University. https://www.fusionfund.com/ -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:49:00 -0000 full 2 5 Sarah Chen-Spellings Despite Lu Zhang’s accelerated path from researcher to founder to investor — by age 30 —she still reveals how she feels like a failure everyday! This episode is one you'd want to tune into. About Lu Zhang: Lu Zhang, Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, is a renowned Silicon Valley based investor, a serial entrepreneur, and a Stanford Engineering alumna. Lu is a World Economic Forum (Davos) Young Global Leader and was recently selected as a Best 25 Female Investor by Business Insider. She has also garnered other accolades including the Featured Honoree in VC of Forbes 30 Under 30, Silicon Valley Women of Influence, and Town & Country 50 Modern Swans – Entrepreneurship Influencer. Lu is also on the Jury Board of Cartier Young Leader Award. Prior to starting Fusion Fund, she was the Founder and CEO of a medical device company focused on non-invasive technology for the early diagnosis of Type II diabetes (acq. 2013). Lu is a frequent speaker at tech events and conferences such as Davos Economic Forum, Future Investment Initiative (FII), Forbes, Web Summit, SuperReturn, etc. and also serves as a mentor and advisor to several tech innovation programs in Silicon Valley. Lu is the board member of the Youth Council of Future Forum and Future Science Award. She received her M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University. https://www.fusionfund.com/ -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Despite Lu Zhang’s accelerated path from researcher to founder to investor — by age 30 —she still reveals how she feels like a failure everyday! This episode is one you'd want to tune into.

About Lu Zhang:

Lu Zhang, Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, is a renowned Silicon Valley based investor, a serial entrepreneur, and a Stanford Engineering alumna. Lu is a World Economic Forum (Davos) Young Global Leader and was recently selected as a Best 25 Female Investor by Business Insider. She has also garnered other accolades including the Featured Honoree in VC of Forbes 30 Under 30, Silicon Valley Women of Influence, and Town & Country 50 Modern Swans – Entrepreneurship Influencer. Lu is also on the Jury Board of Cartier Young Leader Award.

Prior to starting Fusion Fund, she was the Founder and CEO of a medical device company focused on non-invasive technology for the early diagnosis of Type II diabetes (acq. 2013).

Lu is a frequent speaker at tech events and conferences such as Davos Economic Forum, Future Investment Initiative (FII), Forbes, Web Summit, SuperReturn, etc. and also serves as a mentor and advisor to several tech innovation programs in Silicon Valley. Lu is the board member of the Youth Council of Future Forum and Future Science Award. She received her M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University.

https://www.fusionfund.com/

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious next generation leader; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2666 no Outgrowing Your Dreams & Not Every Check is Made Equal: November Recap https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/ ICYMI: November Recap Due to popular request since many of my episodes are a little bit long, this season, I’ll be serving up recaps at the end of each month. It features my quick thoughts on the top 3 things that left an impression on me and a short clip from each convo in one place so you can get a feel of both the episode and guest AND you can always dig deeper (which I highly recommend) by going to the actual episodes themselves which will be listed BELOW: -- Timestamps & episode links : Rana el Kaliouby (Egyptian American Emotional AI Technologist & Founder, Affectiva, Status: Acquired): 0050 Tiwa York (Former CEO, Kaidee - largest Thailand C2C Marketplace, Status: Acquired): 0820 Jamal Bujang (MD, Gobi Partners & Former CEO, MAVCAP): 1545 -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 25 Nov 2022 00:58:00 -0000 full 2 4 Sarah Chen-Spellings ICYMI: November Recap Due to popular request since many of my episodes are a little bit long, this season, I’ll be serving up recaps at the end of each month. It features my quick thoughts on the top 3 things that left an impression on me and a short clip from each convo in one place so you can get a feel of both the episode and guest AND you can always dig deeper (which I highly recommend) by going to the actual episodes themselves which will be listed BELOW: -- Timestamps & episode links : Rana el Kaliouby (Egyptian American Emotional AI Technologist & Founder, Affectiva, Status: Acquired): 0050 Tiwa York (Former CEO, Kaidee - largest Thailand C2C Marketplace, Status: Acquired): 0820 Jamal Bujang (MD, Gobi Partners & Former CEO, MAVCAP): 1545 -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal ICYMI: November Recap

Due to popular request since many of my episodes are a little bit long, this season, I’ll be serving up recaps at the end of each month. It features my quick thoughts on the top 3 things that left an impression on me and a short clip from each convo in one place so you can get a feel of both the episode and guest AND you can always dig deeper (which I highly recommend) by going to the actual episodes themselves which will be listed BELOW:

--

Timestamps & episode links :

Rana el Kaliouby (Egyptian American Emotional AI Technologist & Founder, Affectiva, Status: Acquired): 0050

Tiwa York (Former CEO, Kaidee - largest Thailand C2C Marketplace, Status: Acquired): 0820

Jamal Bujang (MD, Gobi Partners & Former CEO, MAVCAP): 1545

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1182 no Reluctant CEO to Managing Director of $1.2 Bn Fund, Gobi Partners: The Power of Trust & The LP View of VC Funds https://sarah-chen.com/jamal-bujang-billiondollarmoves/ From reluctant CEO, to seeding and scaling the original generation of venture capital funds in Malaysia as a limited partner investor to Managing Director of $1.2 Billion Pan-Asian VC fund, Jamal Bujang covers it all from how he took different leaps in his career, to how new venture capital funds can actually succeed with trust at the center of partnership, to the potential of Malaysia as the country heads into elections. 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: Why taking leaps in your career is important: even when it’s ‘not cool’ The role of limited partner investors in building a nascent venture capital ecosystem (through the lens of Malaysia’s largest government-owned venture firm) Trust and the power of luck in business About Jamal Bujang: Jamaludin Bujang is the Managing Director, Malaysia at Gobi Partners. Gobi Partners is one of the longest standing venture capital firms with a Pan-Asian presence across North Asia, South Asia, and ASEAN with over USD 1.1bn in assets under management (AUM). Jamal joined Gobi after a combined 23 years of experience in the private and public sector, including being CEO and Board Member of Malaysia Venture Capital Management Bhd. (MAVCAP); Malaysia's largest government owned venture firm responsible for spurring the VC ecosystem with over $1Bn in AUM today. Prior to joining MAVCAP, Jamaludin was the Director of Investments at Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC); and worked with 2 foreign-based finance institutions for a cumulative period of 3 years and spent 13 years in Malaysia's leading investment bank, with extensive exposure to investment banking, particularly in equity research, asset and investment evaluation, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions. Jamaludin graduated with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration (Economics) from Wichita State University, Kansas, United States and a Masters degree in Business Law (Executive) from International Islamic University, Kuala Lumpur. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamaludin-bujang-a7b96458/ -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 17 Nov 2022 20:18:00 -0000 Reluctant CEO to Managing Director of $1.2 Bn VC Fund, Gobi Partners: The Power of Trust & The LP View of VC Funds full 2 3 Sarah Chen-Spellings From reluctant CEO, to seeding and scaling the original generation of venture capital funds in Malaysia as a limited partner investor to Managing Director of $1.2 Billion Pan-Asian VC fund, Jamal Bujang covers it all from how he took different leaps in his career, to how new venture capital funds can actually succeed with trust at the center of partnership, to the potential of Malaysia as the country heads into elections. 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: Why taking leaps in your career is important: even when it’s ‘not cool’ The role of limited partner investors in building a nascent venture capital ecosystem (through the lens of Malaysia’s largest government-owned venture firm) Trust and the power of luck in business About Jamal Bujang: Jamaludin Bujang is the Managing Director, Malaysia at Gobi Partners. Gobi Partners is one of the longest standing venture capital firms with a Pan-Asian presence across North Asia, South Asia, and ASEAN with over USD 1.1bn in assets under management (AUM). Jamal joined Gobi after a combined 23 years of experience in the private and public sector, including being CEO and Board Member of Malaysia Venture Capital Management Bhd. (MAVCAP); Malaysia's largest government owned venture firm responsible for spurring the VC ecosystem with over $1Bn in AUM today. Prior to joining MAVCAP, Jamaludin was the Director of Investments at Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC); and worked with 2 foreign-based finance institutions for a cumulative period of 3 years and spent 13 years in Malaysia's leading investment bank, with extensive exposure to investment banking, particularly in equity research, asset and investment evaluation, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions. Jamaludin graduated with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration (Economics) from Wichita State University, Kansas, United States and a Masters degree in Business Law (Executive) from International Islamic University, Kuala Lumpur. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamaludin-bujang-a7b96458/ -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal From reluctant CEO, to seeding and scaling the original generation of venture capital funds in Malaysia as a limited partner investor to Managing Director of $1.2 Billion Pan-Asian VC fund, Jamal Bujang covers it all from how he took different leaps in his career, to how new venture capital funds can actually succeed with trust at the center of partnership, to the potential of Malaysia as the country heads into elections.


👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

  • Why taking leaps in your career is important: even when it’s ‘not cool’
  • The role of limited partner investors in building a nascent venture capital ecosystem (through the lens of Malaysia’s largest government-owned venture firm)
  • Trust and the power of luck in business


About Jamal Bujang:

Jamaludin Bujang is the Managing Director, Malaysia at Gobi Partners. Gobi Partners is one of the longest standing venture capital firms with a Pan-Asian presence across North Asia, South Asia, and ASEAN with over USD 1.1bn in assets under management (AUM).

Jamal joined Gobi after a combined 23 years of experience in the private and public sector, including being CEO and Board Member of Malaysia Venture Capital Management Bhd. (MAVCAP); Malaysia's largest government owned venture firm responsible for spurring the VC ecosystem with over $1Bn in AUM today. Prior to joining MAVCAP, Jamaludin was the Director of Investments at Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC); and worked with 2 foreign-based finance institutions for a cumulative period of 3 years and spent 13 years in Malaysia's leading investment bank, with extensive exposure to investment banking, particularly in equity research, asset and investment evaluation, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions.

Jamaludin graduated with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration (Economics) from Wichita State University, Kansas, United States and a Masters degree in Business Law (Executive) from International Islamic University, Kuala Lumpur.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamaludin-bujang-a7b96458/


--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


]]> 3038 no Building through Startup Chaos with Tiwa York, Kaidee (Thailand's leading C2C marketplace) https://sarah-chen.com/building-in-chaos-tiwa-york/ Tiwa York was brought in by the likes of Naspers and Tencent to clean up their e-commerce portfolio in Thailand; which resulted in the birth of Kaidee, Thailand`s largest C2C marketplace, serving at its peak over 35 million users who list close to 10 million products across 250+ categories from automotive to property for sales every year. Tune in to this fascinating conversation where we dive into why Tiwa tanked the title "CEO" for "Head Coach" to the challenges of bridging cultures in leading high-performing teams. --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Rethinking bridging cultures from East to West - Incentivizing startup teams: how to make that work - The intricacies of doing business in a fragmented Southeast Asia: and why that matters About Tiwa York: Tiwa York is an active angel investor and was the Founder and Head Coach of Kaidee (a.k.a CEO), Thailand’s largest C2C (Customer to Customer) marketplace. Kaidee, started in 2011 by Tiwa, has now become a C2C online marketplace serving over 30M users who list close to 10M products across 250+ categories from automotive to property for sales every year. Kaidee was recently acquired by Emerging Markets Property Group (EMPG), a Dubai-based bespoke online classified solutions provider, as part of its strategy to expand its footprint. Tiwa has been recognized for his leadership and efforts to build the team and culture at Kaidee. He currently is a board member at Seven Peaks Software, Seekster, Skootar, and Hubba. Prior to his current role, he worked in digital advertising with leadership roles in Admax Network and Omnicom Media Group. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiwayork/ -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Thu, 10 Nov 2022 23:11:00 -0000 full 2 2 Sarah Chen-Spellings Tiwa York was brought in by the likes of Naspers and Tencent to clean up their e-commerce portfolio in Thailand; which resulted in the birth of Kaidee, Thailand`s largest C2C marketplace, serving at its peak over 35 million users who list close to 10 million products across 250+ categories from automotive to property for sales every year. Tune in to this fascinating conversation where we dive into why Tiwa tanked the title "CEO" for "Head Coach" to the challenges of bridging cultures in leading high-performing teams. --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Rethinking bridging cultures from East to West - Incentivizing startup teams: how to make that work - The intricacies of doing business in a fragmented Southeast Asia: and why that matters About Tiwa York: Tiwa York is an active angel investor and was the Founder and Head Coach of Kaidee (a.k.a CEO), Thailand’s largest C2C (Customer to Customer) marketplace. Kaidee, started in 2011 by Tiwa, has now become a C2C online marketplace serving over 30M users who list close to 10M products across 250+ categories from automotive to property for sales every year. Kaidee was recently acquired by Emerging Markets Property Group (EMPG), a Dubai-based bespoke online classified solutions provider, as part of its strategy to expand its footprint. Tiwa has been recognized for his leadership and efforts to build the team and culture at Kaidee. He currently is a board member at Seven Peaks Software, Seekster, Skootar, and Hubba. Prior to his current role, he worked in digital advertising with leadership roles in Admax Network and Omnicom Media Group. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiwayork/ -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Tiwa York was brought in by the likes of Naspers and Tencent to clean up their e-commerce portfolio in Thailand; which resulted in the birth of Kaidee, Thailand`s largest C2C marketplace, serving at its peak over 35 million users who list close to 10 million products across 250+ categories from automotive to property for sales every year. Tune in to this fascinating conversation where we dive into why Tiwa tanked the title "CEO" for "Head Coach" to the challenges of bridging cultures in leading high-performing teams.

--

 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- Rethinking bridging cultures from East to West

- Incentivizing startup teams: how to make that work

- The intricacies of doing business in a fragmented Southeast Asia: and why that matters


About Tiwa York:

Tiwa York is an active angel investor and was the Founder and Head Coach of Kaidee (a.k.a CEO), Thailand’s largest C2C (Customer to Customer) marketplace. Kaidee, started in 2011 by Tiwa, has now become a C2C online marketplace serving over 30M users who list close to 10M products across 250+ categories from automotive to property for sales every year. Kaidee was recently acquired by Emerging Markets Property Group (EMPG), a Dubai-based bespoke online classified solutions provider, as part of its strategy to expand its footprint.

Tiwa has been recognized for his leadership and efforts to build the team and culture at Kaidee. He currently is a board member at Seven Peaks Software, Seekster, Skootar, and Hubba. Prior to his current role, he worked in digital advertising with leadership roles in Admax Network and Omnicom Media Group.


https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiwayork/


--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 4125 no The Exit: Decoupling My Identity from My Startup with Rana el Kaliouby, Founder, Affectiva & Emotional AI Pioneer https://sarah-chen.com/the-exit-i-am-more-than-my-startup-with-rana-el-kaliouby/ And we are back with a bang! This week we dive deep into discussion on the ethics of AI, finding inspiration and executing on that founder's vision while finding purpose along the way, even post-exit, with the global pioneer of Emotional AI, Rana el Kaliouby! -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Why ownership of your own career path is key - Managing career transitions & how to dissociate your identity/worth with your career  - Rethink again: how do you know you've made the right decision? -- About Rana (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliouby/) A pioneer in artificial emotional intelligence (Emotion AI), Dr. Rana el Kaliouby is Deputy CEO at Smart Eye and formerly, Co-Founder and CEO of Affectiva, an MIT spinoff and category-defining company. Rana realized a successful exit for Affectiva in June 2021 when the company was acquired by Smart Eye, where she teams with Martin Krantz, Smart Eye’s CEO to scale the company to a global AI powerhouse. Rana is the bestselling author of the newly released book Girl Decoded: A Scientist’s Quest to Reclaim Our Humanity by Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Technology. She raised over $50 million in venture and strategic funding for Affectiva, where the company’s technology is used by automotive OEMs and tier 1 suppliers to improve road safety and the in-cabin experience, in addition to 25% of the Fortune Global 500 companies. Prior to founding Affectiva, Rana was a research scientist at MIT Media Lab. A TED speaker, Rana has been recognized on Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list, Forbes' Top 50 Women in Tech, Inc.'s Female Founders 100 list, and named one of the three Global Business pioneers by Bloomberg in 2017. Rana is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders and a Young Presidents' Organization member. Rana holds a BSc and MSc in Computer Science from the American University in Cairo, a PhD from the Computer Laboratory at the University of Cambridge and a Post Doctorate at MIT. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves Thu, 03 Nov 2022 21:00:00 -0000 The Exit: Decoupling My Identity from My Startup with Rana el Kaliouby, Founder, Affectiva & Emotional AI Pioneer full 2 1 Sarah Chen-Spellings And we are back with a bang! This week we dive deep into discussion on the ethics of AI, finding inspiration and executing on that founder's vision while finding purpose along the way, even post-exit, with the global pioneer of Emotional AI, Rana el Kaliouby! -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Why ownership of your own career path is key - Managing career transitions & how to dissociate your identity/worth with your career  - Rethink again: how do you know you've made the right decision? -- About Rana (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliouby/) A pioneer in artificial emotional intelligence (Emotion AI), Dr. Rana el Kaliouby is Deputy CEO at Smart Eye and formerly, Co-Founder and CEO of Affectiva, an MIT spinoff and category-defining company. Rana realized a successful exit for Affectiva in June 2021 when the company was acquired by Smart Eye, where she teams with Martin Krantz, Smart Eye’s CEO to scale the company to a global AI powerhouse. Rana is the bestselling author of the newly released book Girl Decoded: A Scientist’s Quest to Reclaim Our Humanity by Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Technology. She raised over $50 million in venture and strategic funding for Affectiva, where the company’s technology is used by automotive OEMs and tier 1 suppliers to improve road safety and the in-cabin experience, in addition to 25% of the Fortune Global 500 companies. Prior to founding Affectiva, Rana was a research scientist at MIT Media Lab. A TED speaker, Rana has been recognized on Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list, Forbes' Top 50 Women in Tech, Inc.'s Female Founders 100 list, and named one of the three Global Business pioneers by Bloomberg in 2017. Rana is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders and a Young Presidents' Organization member. Rana holds a BSc and MSc in Computer Science from the American University in Cairo, a PhD from the Computer Laboratory at the University of Cambridge and a Post Doctorate at MIT. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves And we are back with a bang! This week we dive deep into discussion on the ethics of AI, finding inspiration and executing on that founder's vision while finding purpose along the way, even post-exit, with the global pioneer of Emotional AI, Rana el Kaliouby!

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- Why ownership of your own career path is key

- Managing career transitions & how to dissociate your identity/worth with your career 

- Rethink again: how do you know you've made the right decision?

--

About Rana (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliouby/)

A pioneer in artificial emotional intelligence (Emotion AI), Dr. Rana el Kaliouby is Deputy CEO at Smart Eye and formerly, Co-Founder and CEO of Affectiva, an MIT spinoff and category-defining company. Rana realized a successful exit for Affectiva in June 2021 when the company was acquired by Smart Eye, where she teams with Martin Krantz, Smart Eye’s CEO to scale the company to a global AI powerhouse. Rana is the bestselling author of the newly released book Girl Decoded: A Scientist’s Quest to Reclaim Our Humanity by Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Technology. She raised over $50 million in venture and strategic funding for Affectiva, where the company’s technology is used by automotive OEMs and tier 1 suppliers to improve road safety and the in-cabin experience, in addition to 25% of the Fortune Global 500 companies. Prior to founding Affectiva, Rana was a research scientist at MIT Media Lab. A TED speaker, Rana has been recognized on Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list, Forbes' Top 50 Women in Tech, Inc.'s Female Founders 100 list, and named one of the three Global Business pioneers by Bloomberg in 2017. Rana is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders and a Young Presidents' Organization member. Rana holds a BSc and MSc in Computer Science from the American University in Cairo, a PhD from the Computer Laboratory at the University of Cambridge and a Post Doctorate at MIT.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

]]> 2394 no Billion Dollar Breakdown Pakistan: Valuations, Copycats or Innovators, Exits with i2i Ventures In today's Billion Dollar Moves Breakdown, we bust some myths on the startup and venture capital landscape with i2i Ventures General Partners, Misbah Naqvi and Kalsoom Lakhani. --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Valuations merited or inflated by foreign players? - The triple threat of startups rising in the region: Edtech, Fintech, Ecommerce - The secret sauce of Pakistan's recent rise -- More about i2i Ventures, Kalsoom Lakhani & Misbah Naqvi https://www.i2iventures.com/ -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal #venturecapital #scaleup #startup #innovation Fri, 03 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0000 Billion Dollar Breakdown Pakistan: Valuations, Copycats or Innovators, Exits with i2i Ventures full 1 21 Sarah Chen-Spellings In today's Billion Dollar Moves Breakdown, we bust some myths on the startup and venture capital landscape with i2i Ventures General Partners, Misbah Naqvi and Kalsoom Lakhani. --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Valuations merited or inflated by foreign players? - The triple threat of startups rising in the region: Edtech, Fintech, Ecommerce - The secret sauce of Pakistan's recent rise -- More about i2i Ventures, Kalsoom Lakhani & Misbah Naqvi https://www.i2iventures.com/ -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal #venturecapital #scaleup #startup #innovation In today's Billion Dollar Moves Breakdown, we bust some myths on the startup and venture capital landscape with i2i Ventures General Partners, Misbah Naqvi and Kalsoom Lakhani.

--

 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- Valuations merited or inflated by foreign players?

- The triple threat of startups rising in the region: Edtech, Fintech, Ecommerce

- The secret sauce of Pakistan's recent rise

--

More about i2i Ventures, Kalsoom Lakhani & Misbah Naqvi https://www.i2iventures.com/

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


#venturecapital #scaleup #startup #innovation

]]> 2322 no Mental Health & the Cost of Winning with Susie Rodgers MBE, British Swimmer & Paralympics Gold Medalist This week we dive deep (pun intended) with Paralympics Gold Medalist Susie Rodgers on winning, mental health, reinventing yourself and so much more.  --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Why ownership of your career path matters - Managing career transitions & how to dissociate your identity/worth with your career  - Managing mental health & the pressures of constant "high-performance" -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 03:12 - How Susie found sport with the intention of connection  05:50 - A practical upbringing to be told "you just have to adapt" 08:07 - Finding her 'Ikigai' 13:54 - Mental health: Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles, the expectation to win and perform 17:58 - Career and Identity 20:16 - Taking stock of winning  27:59 - Billion Dollar Questions -- About Susie: (https://www.susannahrodgers.com/) Susie wears prosthetic limbs on her left side and orthotics for her right foot. She has lived a life of disability since birth. She understands the complexity of inclusion, but is a strong believer in ability and capability, having used her determination to succeed in every aspect of her life. Susie believes that no one should be left behind; in education, work and in government and public life, as well as in society in general. Susie is an advocate and speaker on inclusion and diversity and is a role model and mentor to other people with disabilities, showing what is possible, through openly speaking about her own experiences as a disabled woman.  Susie is also a former professional athlete who competed at two Paralympic Games winning a total of 30 international medals including 17 Gold. She became Paralympic Champion in the 50m Butterfly at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, her first, she came away with three Bronze medals, British and European records. She went on to become multiple European and World Champion across her disciplines including 50m, 100m and 400m Freestyle, 50m Butterfly and 100m Backstroke. It wasn't until eight years after the start of her journey as a professional athlete, that she finally won individual Gold in the women's S7 classification 50m Butterfly at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. She set a European record of 35.07 and her shocked expression and reaction became a media highlight of the Games. Susie conducted her entire career as an athlete whilst still maintaining her professional career with a part-time role at the British Council as well as sitting on various Boards as a Director.  -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 26 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0000 The Cost of Winning with Susie Rodgers MBE, British Swimmer & Paralympics Gold Medalist full 1 20 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week we dive deep (pun intended) with Paralympics Gold Medalist Susie Rodgers on winning, mental health, reinventing yourself and so much more.  --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Why ownership of your career path matters - Managing career transitions & how to dissociate your identity/worth with your career  - Managing mental health & the pressures of constant "high-performance" -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 03:12 - How Susie found sport with the intention of connection  05:50 - A practical upbringing to be told "you just have to adapt" 08:07 - Finding her 'Ikigai' 13:54 - Mental health: Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles, the expectation to win and perform 17:58 - Career and Identity 20:16 - Taking stock of winning  27:59 - Billion Dollar Questions -- About Susie: (https://www.susannahrodgers.com/) Susie wears prosthetic limbs on her left side and orthotics for her right foot. She has lived a life of disability since birth. She understands the complexity of inclusion, but is a strong believer in ability and capability, having used her determination to succeed in every aspect of her life. Susie believes that no one should be left behind; in education, work and in government and public life, as well as in society in general. Susie is an advocate and speaker on inclusion and diversity and is a role model and mentor to other people with disabilities, showing what is possible, through openly speaking about her own experiences as a disabled woman.  Susie is also a former professional athlete who competed at two Paralympic Games winning a total of 30 international medals including 17 Gold. She became Paralympic Champion in the 50m Butterfly at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, her first, she came away with three Bronze medals, British and European records. She went on to become multiple European and World Champion across her disciplines including 50m, 100m and 400m Freestyle, 50m Butterfly and 100m Backstroke. It wasn't until eight years after the start of her journey as a professional athlete, that she finally won individual Gold in the women's S7 classification 50m Butterfly at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. She set a European record of 35.07 and her shocked expression and reaction became a media highlight of the Games. Susie conducted her entire career as an athlete whilst still maintaining her professional career with a part-time role at the British Council as well as sitting on various Boards as a Director.  -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week we dive deep (pun intended) with Paralympics Gold Medalist Susie Rodgers on winning, mental health, reinventing yourself and so much more. 

--

 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- Why ownership of your career path matters

- Managing career transitions & how to dissociate your identity/worth with your career 

- Managing mental health & the pressures of constant "high-performance"

--

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

03:12 - How Susie found sport with the intention of connection 

05:50 - A practical upbringing to be told "you just have to adapt"

08:07 - Finding her 'Ikigai'

13:54 - Mental health: Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles, the expectation to win and perform

17:58 - Career and Identity

20:16 - Taking stock of winning 

27:59 - Billion Dollar Questions

--

About Susie: (https://www.susannahrodgers.com/)

Susie wears prosthetic limbs on her left side and orthotics for her right foot. She has lived a life of disability since birth. She understands the complexity of inclusion, but is a strong believer in ability and capability, having used her determination to succeed in every aspect of her life. Susie believes that no one should be left behind; in education, work and in government and public life, as well as in society in general. Susie is an advocate and speaker on inclusion and diversity and is a role model and mentor to other people with disabilities, showing what is possible, through openly speaking about her own experiences as a disabled woman. 


Susie is also a former professional athlete who competed at two Paralympic Games winning a total of 30 international medals including 17 Gold. She became Paralympic Champion in the 50m Butterfly at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, her first, she came away with three Bronze medals, British and European records. She went on to become multiple European and World Champion across her disciplines including 50m, 100m and 400m Freestyle, 50m Butterfly and 100m Backstroke. It wasn't until eight years after the start of her journey as a professional athlete, that she finally won individual Gold in the women's S7 classification 50m Butterfly at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. She set a European record of 35.07 and her shocked expression and reaction became a media highlight of the Games. Susie conducted her entire career as an athlete whilst still maintaining her professional career with a part-time role at the British Council as well as sitting on various Boards as a Director. 


--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2076 no Fortune 500 C-Suite to Startup: What It Really Takes with John Brisco, Coherent https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/ "My biggest fear? Not achieving the potential of what I think this business can do, and achieving this vision I see" This week, we dive deep with John Brisco, CEO and Co-Founder of Coherent, Hong-Kong grown insurtech startup on a mission to to build next-in-class technology platforms and data intelligence engines to help insurers and their partners transform and grow. From sales enablement to product development, Coherent is helping the insurers move away from legacy backend challenges.  Building on their success in closing their series A round of funding in late 2020, Coherent is now expanding their business from Asia to the world. --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to transition from C-suite corporate executive to an entrepreneur: is it worth it? - What it takes to disrupt problems in an age-old industry? - Taking an Asian-grown product global - Hiring and scaling great teams from day one - Choosing the right investor for the long-run -- On Coherent: https://www.coherent.global/ More on John Brisco: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbrisco/) John is the leader and co-founder of Coherent. Every day, John works to inspire the Coherent team to create a brighter, more inclusive future for the insurance industry. Having started his career in AXA and EY, John has accumulated a wealth of global experience in the insurance sector, most recently as COO and CIO at Manulife Asia. In his career to date, he has led teams in more than 45 countries across 5 continents. With less than 10% of Asia’s population having any form of insurance, John is committed to helping the insurance industry become more inclusive. He believes that Coherent’s technology-enabled and data-intelligent products will help our customers to drastically improve the level of insurance penetration across Asia and other parts of the world. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 08 Oct 2021 13:00:00 -0000 Fortune 500 C-Suite to Startup: What It Really Takes with John Brisco, Coherent full 1 19 Sarah Chen-Spellings "My biggest fear? Not achieving the potential of what I think this business can do, and achieving this vision I see" This week, we dive deep with John Brisco, CEO and Co-Founder of Coherent, Hong-Kong grown insurtech startup on a mission to to build next-in-class technology platforms and data intelligence engines to help insurers and their partners transform and grow. From sales enablement to product development, Coherent is helping the insurers move away from legacy backend challenges.  Building on their success in closing their series A round of funding in late 2020, Coherent is now expanding their business from Asia to the world. --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to transition from C-suite corporate executive to an entrepreneur: is it worth it? - What it takes to disrupt problems in an age-old industry? - Taking an Asian-grown product global - Hiring and scaling great teams from day one - Choosing the right investor for the long-run -- On Coherent: https://www.coherent.global/ More on John Brisco: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbrisco/) John is the leader and co-founder of Coherent. Every day, John works to inspire the Coherent team to create a brighter, more inclusive future for the insurance industry. Having started his career in AXA and EY, John has accumulated a wealth of global experience in the insurance sector, most recently as COO and CIO at Manulife Asia. In his career to date, he has led teams in more than 45 countries across 5 continents. With less than 10% of Asia’s population having any form of insurance, John is committed to helping the insurance industry become more inclusive. He believes that Coherent’s technology-enabled and data-intelligent products will help our customers to drastically improve the level of insurance penetration across Asia and other parts of the world. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal "My biggest fear? Not achieving the potential of what I think this business can do, and achieving this vision I see"


This week, we dive deep with John Brisco, CEO and Co-Founder of Coherent, Hong-Kong grown insurtech startup on a mission to to build next-in-class technology platforms and data intelligence engines to help insurers and their partners transform and grow. From sales enablement to product development, Coherent is helping the insurers move away from legacy backend challenges. 

Building on their success in closing their series A round of funding in late 2020, Coherent is now expanding their business from Asia to the world.

--

 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- How to transition from C-suite corporate executive to an entrepreneur: is it worth it?

- What it takes to disrupt problems in an age-old industry?

- Taking an Asian-grown product global

- Hiring and scaling great teams from day one

- Choosing the right investor for the long-run

--

On Coherent:

https://www.coherent.global/

More on John Brisco: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbrisco/)

John is the leader and co-founder of Coherent. Every day, John works to inspire the Coherent team to create a brighter, more inclusive future for the insurance industry.

Having started his career in AXA and EY, John has accumulated a wealth of global experience in the insurance sector, most recently as COO and CIO at Manulife Asia. In his career to date, he has led teams in more than 45 countries across 5 continents.

With less than 10% of Asia’s population having any form of insurance, John is committed to helping the insurance industry become more inclusive. He believes that Coherent’s technology-enabled and data-intelligent products will help our customers to drastically improve the level of insurance penetration across Asia and other parts of the world.

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


]]> 2857 no Family Offices & VC, Ownership of Your Own Career with Field Pickering, Vulpes "The hardest lesson for me as a leader? I've chosen to be in this position. I chose to build this business. So it starts with me and it ends with me" The family office was initially created to look after the wealth of ultra high net worth families. But today, the modern-day family office does far more than that and is in fact, acting a whole lot more like a venture investor. Today we talk to Field Pickering, COO, General Counsel and Head of Venture Investing at Vulpes, a family office built off the wealth of Stephen Diggle, who founded Artradis Fund Management. Artradis was an Asian long volatility biased multi strategy alternative asset manager, and at its helm grew assets under management from US$4 million to US$4.7 billion at its peak in 2008. --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to ask and advocate for what you want in your career - The evolution of family offices, particularly in Southeast Asia - How Vulpes is taking a hunting, uninhibited approach to venture and reaping the rewards -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro, what's on tap for this week 02:48 - Why you need to advocate for your own career - Field's journey from an unwilling lawyer turned venture investor 07:13 - Artradis making $3Bn from the Asian Financial Crisis, and how the family office began 09:55 - The growth of family offices in Asia Pacific 12:54 - Dealflow, building pipelines 13:06 - An unfettered approach to venture investing: too early, too late? 15:39 - Vulpes Special Opportunities Fund 20:06 - Portfolio construction and strategies 30:50 - Billion Dollar Questions -- More on Field Pickering: (https://vulpesinvest.com/teams/field-...) -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 01 Oct 2021 12:00:00 -0000 Family Offices & Venture Capital Strategy with Field Pickering, Vulpes full 1 18 Sarah Chen-Spellings "The hardest lesson for me as a leader? I've chosen to be in this position. I chose to build this business. So it starts with me and it ends with me" The family office was initially created to look after the wealth of ultra high net worth families. But today, the modern-day family office does far more than that and is in fact, acting a whole lot more like a venture investor. Today we talk to Field Pickering, COO, General Counsel and Head of Venture Investing at Vulpes, a family office built off the wealth of Stephen Diggle, who founded Artradis Fund Management. Artradis was an Asian long volatility biased multi strategy alternative asset manager, and at its helm grew assets under management from US$4 million to US$4.7 billion at its peak in 2008. --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to ask and advocate for what you want in your career - The evolution of family offices, particularly in Southeast Asia - How Vulpes is taking a hunting, uninhibited approach to venture and reaping the rewards -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro, what's on tap for this week 02:48 - Why you need to advocate for your own career - Field's journey from an unwilling lawyer turned venture investor 07:13 - Artradis making $3Bn from the Asian Financial Crisis, and how the family office began 09:55 - The growth of family offices in Asia Pacific 12:54 - Dealflow, building pipelines 13:06 - An unfettered approach to venture investing: too early, too late? 15:39 - Vulpes Special Opportunities Fund 20:06 - Portfolio construction and strategies 30:50 - Billion Dollar Questions -- More on Field Pickering: (https://vulpesinvest.com/teams/field-...) -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal "The hardest lesson for me as a leader? I've chosen to be in this position. I chose to build this business. So it starts with me and it ends with me"


The family office was initially created to look after the wealth of ultra high net worth families. But today, the modern-day family office does far more than that and is in fact, acting a whole lot more like a venture investor. Today we talk to Field Pickering, COO, General Counsel and Head of Venture Investing at Vulpes, a family office built off the wealth of Stephen Diggle, who founded Artradis Fund Management. Artradis was an Asian long volatility biased multi strategy alternative asset manager, and at its helm grew assets under management from US$4 million to US$4.7 billion at its peak in 2008.

--

 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- How to ask and advocate for what you want in your career

- The evolution of family offices, particularly in Southeast Asia

- How Vulpes is taking a hunting, uninhibited approach to venture and reaping the rewards

--

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro, what's on tap for this week

02:48 - Why you need to advocate for your own career - Field's journey from an unwilling lawyer turned venture investor

07:13 - Artradis making $3Bn from the Asian Financial Crisis, and how the family office began

09:55 - The growth of family offices in Asia Pacific

12:54 - Dealflow, building pipelines

13:06 - An unfettered approach to venture investing: too early, too late?

15:39 - Vulpes Special Opportunities Fund

20:06 - Portfolio construction and strategies

30:50 - Billion Dollar Questions


--

More on Field Pickering: (https://vulpesinvest.com/teams/field-...)

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2217 no Making Relationships Work: Kamarul Muhamed & Azita Azizan, Aerodyne Group "When times are hard, hold on to your vision. Remember why you started in the first place." In a never-before like interview, we dive deep into the business of drones with the Malaysian power couple Kamarul A Muhamed and Azita Azizan who founded Aerodyne group, which is set to be the global leading provider of drone-based enterprise solutions, with over $30M raised, presence in over 35 countries, and over 350,000 assets inspected. -- 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Why picking your co-founder is the most important choice you can make, the secret in choosing people to work with - What it takes to build a global footprint, can you expand too fast? - The future of drones and aerial robotics, should you be afraid? -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:29 - Why this idea, why now? 06:16 - Acquiring new customers, and proving the business case 10:52 - Taking the leap - how the power couple came to be 14:08 - Validating outside the country? 23:36 - Building for global growth - what strategy worked? 26:08 - Choosing the right partners and leaning into your intuition 30:52 - Rising expectations of the industry, aerial robotics and more 36:54 - Opportunity out of a crisis 39:12 - Billion Dollar Questions On Aerodyne: Aerodyne Group (https://aerodyne.group) is a DT3 (Drone Tech, Data Tech, and Digital Transformation) drone-based enterprise solutions provider, and a pioneer in the use of artificial intelligence as an enabling technology for large-scale data operations, analytics, and process optimization. Aerodyne is ranked second in the world by Drone Industry Insights (DII) in its ‘Drone Service Provider Ranking 2020’; was named Frost & Sullivan’s ‘Asia Pacific UAV Services Company of 2019’; and is a recipient of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) Malaysia’s ‘Industry Excellence Gold Award 2019’. The company’s founder and Group CEO, Kamarul A Muhamed, is 'EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020'. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 24 Sep 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Making Relationships Work: Kamarul Muhamed & Azita Azizan, Aerodyne Group full 1 17 Sarah Chen-Spellings "When times are hard, hold on to your vision. Remember why you started in the first place." In a never-before like interview, we dive deep into the business of drones with the Malaysian power couple Kamarul A Muhamed and Azita Azizan who founded Aerodyne group, which is set to be the global leading provider of drone-based enterprise solutions, with over $30M raised, presence in over 35 countries, and over 350,000 assets inspected. -- 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Why picking your co-founder is the most important choice you can make, the secret in choosing people to work with - What it takes to build a global footprint, can you expand too fast? - The future of drones and aerial robotics, should you be afraid? -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:29 - Why this idea, why now? 06:16 - Acquiring new customers, and proving the business case 10:52 - Taking the leap - how the power couple came to be 14:08 - Validating outside the country? 23:36 - Building for global growth - what strategy worked? 26:08 - Choosing the right partners and leaning into your intuition 30:52 - Rising expectations of the industry, aerial robotics and more 36:54 - Opportunity out of a crisis 39:12 - Billion Dollar Questions On Aerodyne: Aerodyne Group (https://aerodyne.group) is a DT3 (Drone Tech, Data Tech, and Digital Transformation) drone-based enterprise solutions provider, and a pioneer in the use of artificial intelligence as an enabling technology for large-scale data operations, analytics, and process optimization. Aerodyne is ranked second in the world by Drone Industry Insights (DII) in its ‘Drone Service Provider Ranking 2020’; was named Frost & Sullivan’s ‘Asia Pacific UAV Services Company of 2019’; and is a recipient of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) Malaysia’s ‘Industry Excellence Gold Award 2019’. The company’s founder and Group CEO, Kamarul A Muhamed, is 'EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020'. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal "When times are hard, hold on to your vision. Remember why you started in the first place."


In a never-before like interview, we dive deep into the business of drones with the Malaysian power couple Kamarul A Muhamed and Azita Azizan who founded Aerodyne group, which is set to be the global leading provider of drone-based enterprise solutions, with over $30M raised, presence in over 35 countries, and over 350,000 assets inspected.

--

👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- Why picking your co-founder is the most important choice you can make, the secret in choosing people to work with

- What it takes to build a global footprint, can you expand too fast?

- The future of drones and aerial robotics, should you be afraid?

--

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

02:29 - Why this idea, why now?

06:16 - Acquiring new customers, and proving the business case

10:52 - Taking the leap - how the power couple came to be

14:08 - Validating outside the country?

23:36 - Building for global growth - what strategy worked?

26:08 - Choosing the right partners and leaning into your intuition

30:52 - Rising expectations of the industry, aerial robotics and more

36:54 - Opportunity out of a crisis

39:12 - Billion Dollar Questions


On Aerodyne:

Aerodyne Group (https://aerodyne.group) is a DT3 (Drone Tech, Data Tech, and Digital Transformation) drone-based enterprise solutions provider, and a pioneer in the use of artificial intelligence as an enabling technology for large-scale data operations, analytics, and process optimization. Aerodyne is ranked second in the world by Drone Industry Insights (DII) in its ‘Drone Service Provider Ranking 2020’; was named Frost & Sullivan’s ‘Asia Pacific UAV Services Company of 2019’; and is a recipient of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) Malaysia’s ‘Industry Excellence Gold Award 2019’. The company’s founder and Group CEO, Kamarul A Muhamed, is 'EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020'.


--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


]]> 3065 no Executing On Your Purpose with Arturo Elizondo, Founder, EVERY https://sarah-chen.com/executing-on-your-purpose-making-eggs-without-chickens-clarafoods-arturo/ "If not now, then when? I had no job, nowhere to stay but I had to try. Even if I failed, I would have the peace of mind that at least I tried. I would have always wondered, what if?" --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to execute on a vision, as a non-technical founder: including dealing with imposter syndrome - Career transitions and deciding to take that leap - How eggs could be made without a chicken! (P.s. a $200B opportunity) - Plant-based foods, alternative proteins and the scale of food technology today - Building for the long run in biotech and leveraging the first mover advantage -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:14 - Intro, what's on tap for this week 02:04 -Arturo finding his purpose, and taking a one-way ticket to San Francisco, obsessing about eggs 05:26 - Personal revelation to action and building a startup 11:05 - Non-technical founder on the hunt for a team  15:38 - Wait, but how are you making chicken-less eggs again? 23:58 - Breaking news! The world's first animal-free protein? 27:26 - The landscape for alternative proteins 30:30 - Building moats! 32:09 - Where to expand to first? 37:57 - Abundance mentality and the future of alternative proteins -- More on Arturo: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/arturoe/) Arturo is the founder and CEO of biotech food company, Clara Foods (now called EVERY), based in Silicon Valley that has raised over $50M in funding and makes real animal protein without the use of a single animal – starting with the world's first chickenless egg proteins. Prior to founding Clara in 2014, Arturo served under Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Credit Suisse. He has been named to Forbes 30 Under 30, the 2019 Person of the Year by the National Hispanic Institute, and one of 10 Latinos who inspire the United States by BBC World News. Arturo hails from Laredo, Texas, and grew up living on both sides of the US-Mexico border. He -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 17 Sep 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Executing On Your Purpose with Arturo Elizondo, EVERY full 1 16 Sarah Chen-Spellings "If not now, then when? I had no job, nowhere to stay but I had to try. Even if I failed, I would have the peace of mind that at least I tried. I would have always wondered, what if?" --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to execute on a vision, as a non-technical founder: including dealing with imposter syndrome - Career transitions and deciding to take that leap - How eggs could be made without a chicken! (P.s. a $200B opportunity) - Plant-based foods, alternative proteins and the scale of food technology today - Building for the long run in biotech and leveraging the first mover advantage -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:14 - Intro, what's on tap for this week 02:04 -Arturo finding his purpose, and taking a one-way ticket to San Francisco, obsessing about eggs 05:26 - Personal revelation to action and building a startup 11:05 - Non-technical founder on the hunt for a team  15:38 - Wait, but how are you making chicken-less eggs again? 23:58 - Breaking news! The world's first animal-free protein? 27:26 - The landscape for alternative proteins 30:30 - Building moats! 32:09 - Where to expand to first? 37:57 - Abundance mentality and the future of alternative proteins -- More on Arturo: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/arturoe/) Arturo is the founder and CEO of biotech food company, Clara Foods (now called EVERY), based in Silicon Valley that has raised over $50M in funding and makes real animal protein without the use of a single animal – starting with the world's first chickenless egg proteins. Prior to founding Clara in 2014, Arturo served under Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Credit Suisse. He has been named to Forbes 30 Under 30, the 2019 Person of the Year by the National Hispanic Institute, and one of 10 Latinos who inspire the United States by BBC World News. Arturo hails from Laredo, Texas, and grew up living on both sides of the US-Mexico border. He -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal "If not now, then when? I had no job, nowhere to stay but I had to try. Even if I failed, I would have the peace of mind that at least I tried. I would have always wondered, what if?"

--

 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- How to execute on a vision, as a non-technical founder: including dealing with imposter syndrome

- Career transitions and deciding to take that leap

- How eggs could be made without a chicken! (P.s. a $200B opportunity)

- Plant-based foods, alternative proteins and the scale of food technology today

- Building for the long run in biotech and leveraging the first mover advantage

--

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:14 - Intro, what's on tap for this week

02:04 -Arturo finding his purpose, and taking a one-way ticket to San Francisco, obsessing about eggs

05:26 - Personal revelation to action and building a startup

11:05 - Non-technical founder on the hunt for a team 

15:38 - Wait, but how are you making chicken-less eggs again?

23:58 - Breaking news! The world's first animal-free protein?

27:26 - The landscape for alternative proteins

30:30 - Building moats!

32:09 - Where to expand to first?

37:57 - Abundance mentality and the future of alternative proteins

--

More on Arturo: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/arturoe/)

Arturo is the founder and CEO of biotech food company, Clara Foods (now called EVERY), based in Silicon Valley that has raised over $50M in funding and makes real animal protein without the use of a single animal – starting with the world's first chickenless egg proteins. Prior to founding Clara in 2014, Arturo served under Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Credit Suisse. He has been named to Forbes 30 Under 30, the 2019 Person of the Year by the National Hispanic Institute, and one of 10 Latinos who inspire the United States by BBC World News. Arturo hails from Laredo, Texas, and grew up living on both sides of the US-Mexico border. He

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


]]> 3128 no Indonesia's Startup Ecosystem with Shinta Dhanuwardoyo, Angel Investor & Founder, Bubu https://sarah-chen.com/bdm-building-unicorns-indonesia-with-shinta-dhanuwardoyo/ Indonesia’s startups have been making headlines in the last few years, including most recently the news that online mall Bukalapak is set to raise $1.5 billion in the country’s largest-ever initial public offering - setting the stage for a wave of tech listings, with fellow unicorns GoTo and Traveloka to follow suit. Home to the region’s largest population, it is no surprise, Indonesia is in it’s primetime for entrepreneurs. This week, we begin to scratch the surface of the Indonesian startup storyline with veteran digital entrepreneur and evangelist Shinta Dhanuwardoyo. --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - The IPO scene in Indonesia - what's going on? Bukalapak, raksasa GoTo and more - Primetime Indonesia: the opportunity for digitization  - The secret sauce of building unicorns in Indonesia - Indonesia’s rising youth spending power - Building in Indonesia: challenges and opportunities -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro, what's on tap this week 04:17 - Architect turned entrepreneur, an Indonesian girl's curiosity 07:29 - Teaching herself to code and build websites 09:45 - Bubu's initial go to market 17:27 - Indonesia's startup growth story - how do we think about Indonesia? 21:29 - Domestic/dual listings, are the fundamentals there - Bukalapak, Gojek + Tokopedia 25:26 - Secret sauce of Indonesian unicorns? 29:56 - 17,000 islands - what about underserved markets? 35:03 - Billion Dollar Questions with Shinta!  -- More about Shinta (@shintabubu): Shinta is a tech industry veteran and trailblazer. Since the inception of her first company Bubu.com in 1996, the award-winning entrepreneur has impacted Indonesia's digital landscape in countless ways. Her first company, Bubu.com, started as a web development company that now houses multiple ventures targeting the Indonesian youth— from the hottest gaming competition to a collaboration agency bridging brands. At the end of December 2019, she launched a new venture called Startupindonesia.co, which is an online platform to help connect all the startup ecosystems in Indonesia. The online platform is looking to democratize network and knowledge for Indonesia's tech startup ecosystem, especially those with a strong socio-economic impact. It is developed as Indonesia's online startup directory and online education center for tech-entrepreneurship. Shinta is currently the Head of the permanent committee for Digital Business, e-Commerce and Startups Development at Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Indonesia (KADIN) and she is also on the Board of Trustees of The Nature of Conservancy (TNC Indonesia). -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 10 Sep 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Building Indonesian Unicorns with Shinta Dhanuwardoyo, Angel Investor & Founder, Bubu full 1 15 Sarah Chen-Spellings Indonesia’s startups have been making headlines in the last few years, including most recently the news that online mall Bukalapak is set to raise $1.5 billion in the country’s largest-ever initial public offering - setting the stage for a wave of tech listings, with fellow unicorns GoTo and Traveloka to follow suit. Home to the region’s largest population, it is no surprise, Indonesia is in it’s primetime for entrepreneurs. This week, we begin to scratch the surface of the Indonesian startup storyline with veteran digital entrepreneur and evangelist Shinta Dhanuwardoyo. --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - The IPO scene in Indonesia - what's going on? Bukalapak, raksasa GoTo and more - Primetime Indonesia: the opportunity for digitization  - The secret sauce of building unicorns in Indonesia - Indonesia’s rising youth spending power - Building in Indonesia: challenges and opportunities -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro, what's on tap this week 04:17 - Architect turned entrepreneur, an Indonesian girl's curiosity 07:29 - Teaching herself to code and build websites 09:45 - Bubu's initial go to market 17:27 - Indonesia's startup growth story - how do we think about Indonesia? 21:29 - Domestic/dual listings, are the fundamentals there - Bukalapak, Gojek + Tokopedia 25:26 - Secret sauce of Indonesian unicorns? 29:56 - 17,000 islands - what about underserved markets? 35:03 - Billion Dollar Questions with Shinta!  -- More about Shinta (@shintabubu): Shinta is a tech industry veteran and trailblazer. Since the inception of her first company Bubu.com in 1996, the award-winning entrepreneur has impacted Indonesia's digital landscape in countless ways. Her first company, Bubu.com, started as a web development company that now houses multiple ventures targeting the Indonesian youth— from the hottest gaming competition to a collaboration agency bridging brands. At the end of December 2019, she launched a new venture called Startupindonesia.co, which is an online platform to help connect all the startup ecosystems in Indonesia. The online platform is looking to democratize network and knowledge for Indonesia's tech startup ecosystem, especially those with a strong socio-economic impact. It is developed as Indonesia's online startup directory and online education center for tech-entrepreneurship. Shinta is currently the Head of the permanent committee for Digital Business, e-Commerce and Startups Development at Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Indonesia (KADIN) and she is also on the Board of Trustees of The Nature of Conservancy (TNC Indonesia). -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Indonesia’s startups have been making headlines in the last few years, including most recently the news that online mall Bukalapak is set to raise $1.5 billion in the country’s largest-ever initial public offering - setting the stage for a wave of tech listings, with fellow unicorns GoTo and Traveloka to follow suit. Home to the region’s largest population, it is no surprise, Indonesia is in it’s primetime for entrepreneurs. This week, we begin to scratch the surface of the Indonesian startup storyline with veteran digital entrepreneur and evangelist Shinta Dhanuwardoyo.

--

 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- The IPO scene in Indonesia - what's going on? Bukalapak, raksasa GoTo and more

- Primetime Indonesia: the opportunity for digitization 

- The secret sauce of building unicorns in Indonesia

- Indonesia’s rising youth spending power

- Building in Indonesia: challenges and opportunities

--

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro, what's on tap this week

04:17 - Architect turned entrepreneur, an Indonesian girl's curiosity

07:29 - Teaching herself to code and build websites

09:45 - Bubu's initial go to market

17:27 - Indonesia's startup growth story - how do we think about Indonesia?

21:29 - Domestic/dual listings, are the fundamentals there - Bukalapak, Gojek + Tokopedia

25:26 - Secret sauce of Indonesian unicorns?

29:56 - 17,000 islands - what about underserved markets?

35:03 - Billion Dollar Questions with Shinta! 

--

More about Shinta (@shintabubu):

Shinta is a tech industry veteran and trailblazer. Since the inception of her first company Bubu.com in 1996, the award-winning entrepreneur has impacted Indonesia's digital landscape in countless ways.

Her first company, Bubu.com, started as a web development company that now houses multiple ventures targeting the Indonesian youth— from the hottest gaming competition to a collaboration agency bridging brands.


At the end of December 2019, she launched a new venture called Startupindonesia.co, which is an online platform to help connect all the startup ecosystems in Indonesia. The online platform is looking to democratize network and knowledge for Indonesia's tech startup ecosystem, especially those with a strong socio-economic impact. It is developed as Indonesia's online startup directory and online education center for tech-entrepreneurship. Shinta is currently the Head of the permanent committee for Digital Business, e-Commerce and Startups Development at Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Indonesia (KADIN) and she is also on the Board of Trustees of The Nature of Conservancy (TNC Indonesia).

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2410 no Billion Dollar Breakdown Emerging Markets: SuperApps, SPACs, Multi-Billion Showdowns with Mikal Khoso, Wavemaker Partners https://sarah-chen.com/venturecapital-emergingmarkets-mikalkhoso/ In today's Billion Dollar Moves Breakdown, we bust some myths on the emerging markets and venture capital with THE emerging markets analyst, Mikal Khoso, VC at Wavemaker Partners, a cross border venture capital firm dual headquartered in Los Angeles and Singapore and has raised over $580M across multiple funds. --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - GoTo, Grab, Shopee - who will win in this multi-billion e-commerce showdown? - Primetime Emerging Markets: the opportunity for digitization, leapfrogging - The secret sauce of emerging markets - Byjus, the best kept secret in edtech? - SPACs: Real deal or a cover for the lack of fundamentals -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro: what's on tap this week? 01:25 - Why emerging markets, why now? 03:34 - Exploding population 05:39 - Leapfrogging 08:35 - Political uncertainty? What's the risk premium here? 10:55 - Golden era of startups - analyst top picks 23:00 - GoTo: marriage of convenience? 29:16 - The exit story for emerging markets More about Mikal (@mikalkhoso): Mikal is based in LA with Wavemaker, focused on sourcing new deals, collaborating with partners on diligence and further iterating on the investment process and tech stack. He writes a popular weekly newsletter Emergent on the fastest-growing businesses in emerging markets. (reademergent.com) Prior to joining Wavemaker Mikal was a partner at First Round’s Dorm Room Fund, a student-led venture firm that invests exclusively in student-founded companies. In his time at Dorm Room Fund he led two investments that have collectively raised $45 million in follow on funding. Prior to that he was an Associate at Underscore VC in 2017 where he led two investments as well that collectively have raised $40 million in funding. Prior to that he worked at the New Ventures Team at Northeastern University, a corporate innovation team tasked with building Edtech companies for the university. Mikal graduated with a B.S. in Economics and Philosophy from Northeastern University. ---- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 03 Sep 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Billion Dollar Breakdown Emerging Markets: SuperApps, SPACs, Multi-Billion Showdowns with Mikal Khoso, Wavemaker Partners full 1 14 Sarah Chen-Spellings In today's Billion Dollar Moves Breakdown, we bust some myths on the emerging markets and venture capital with THE emerging markets analyst, Mikal Khoso, VC at Wavemaker Partners, a cross border venture capital firm dual headquartered in Los Angeles and Singapore and has raised over $580M across multiple funds. --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - GoTo, Grab, Shopee - who will win in this multi-billion e-commerce showdown? - Primetime Emerging Markets: the opportunity for digitization, leapfrogging - The secret sauce of emerging markets - Byjus, the best kept secret in edtech? - SPACs: Real deal or a cover for the lack of fundamentals -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro: what's on tap this week? 01:25 - Why emerging markets, why now? 03:34 - Exploding population 05:39 - Leapfrogging 08:35 - Political uncertainty? What's the risk premium here? 10:55 - Golden era of startups - analyst top picks 23:00 - GoTo: marriage of convenience? 29:16 - The exit story for emerging markets More about Mikal (@mikalkhoso): Mikal is based in LA with Wavemaker, focused on sourcing new deals, collaborating with partners on diligence and further iterating on the investment process and tech stack. He writes a popular weekly newsletter Emergent on the fastest-growing businesses in emerging markets. (reademergent.com) Prior to joining Wavemaker Mikal was a partner at First Round’s Dorm Room Fund, a student-led venture firm that invests exclusively in student-founded companies. In his time at Dorm Room Fund he led two investments that have collectively raised $45 million in follow on funding. Prior to that he was an Associate at Underscore VC in 2017 where he led two investments as well that collectively have raised $40 million in funding. Prior to that he worked at the New Ventures Team at Northeastern University, a corporate innovation team tasked with building Edtech companies for the university. Mikal graduated with a B.S. in Economics and Philosophy from Northeastern University. ---- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal In today's Billion Dollar Moves Breakdown, we bust some myths on the emerging markets and venture capital with THE emerging markets analyst, Mikal Khoso, VC at Wavemaker Partners, a cross border venture capital firm dual headquartered in Los Angeles and Singapore and has raised over $580M across multiple funds.

--

 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- GoTo, Grab, Shopee - who will win in this multi-billion e-commerce showdown?

- Primetime Emerging Markets: the opportunity for digitization, leapfrogging

- The secret sauce of emerging markets

- Byjus, the best kept secret in edtech?

- SPACs: Real deal or a cover for the lack of fundamentals

--

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro: what's on tap this week?

01:25 - Why emerging markets, why now?

03:34 - Exploding population

05:39 - Leapfrogging

08:35 - Political uncertainty? What's the risk premium here?

10:55 - Golden era of startups - analyst top picks

23:00 - GoTo: marriage of convenience?

29:16 - The exit story for emerging markets


More about Mikal (@mikalkhoso):

Mikal is based in LA with Wavemaker, focused on sourcing new deals, collaborating with partners on diligence and further iterating on the investment process and tech stack. He writes a popular weekly newsletter Emergent on the fastest-growing businesses in emerging markets. (reademergent.com)


Prior to joining Wavemaker Mikal was a partner at First Round’s Dorm Room Fund, a student-led venture firm that invests exclusively in student-founded companies. In his time at Dorm Room Fund he led two investments that have collectively raised $45 million in follow on funding. Prior to that he was an Associate at Underscore VC in 2017 where he led two investments as well that collectively have raised $40 million in funding.


Prior to that he worked at the New Ventures Team at Northeastern University, a corporate innovation team tasked with building Edtech companies for the university. Mikal graduated with a B.S. in Economics and Philosophy from Northeastern University.

----

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


]]> 2047 no Never Too Late To Startup: Building Insurtech with Rosaline Koo, CXA Group https://sarah-chen.com/never-too-late-to-startup-building-insurtech-with-rosaline-koo/ "You can imagine the guilt - here I was building my startup when my actual baby was not coping well in school; with a learning disability, and recent epilepsy incident." We love rooting for the underdog- but what does it really take to rise despite the odds, as THE underdog? Rosaline Koo founded CXA Group from her living room in 2013 after a storied career with multinationals, with ambitions to transform health benefits for employees. Tune in to her story from risking all her family savings to build her startup; to scaling to over a million users, raising over $50M from the likes of Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin's B Capital Group, EDBI, Openspace Ventures and more. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the top US-Asia funders, founders and execs.    From building a unicorn to IPO, and scaling a VC firm - all of these efforts require vision from the leaders at the helm.  --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How an underdog emerged to challenge global insurance players - The opportunity for digitization in insurtech - How to actually expand into new markets - The sacrifice of a founder- the toll on personal relationships - Building for the long run -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro, what's on tap for this week 03:24 - Rosaline's life "a series of accidents", from a father that came to the US on a Dragon Boat 12:34 - "I think I needed to help execute" - startup journey begins in Malaysia 13:11 - A mother's guilt  15:29 - Coming to a hard decision 18:50 - Taking all of the family's savings to start CXA 22:52 - Taking the leap: being bold enough to solve an industry problem 29:28 - Acquisition strategy: going head to head as a no-name brand 50:18 - Billion Dollar Questions! -- More on Rosaline: Rosaline is the founder and CEO of CXA group, Asia’s only integrated flex and wellness portal (https://www.cxagroup.com/) Rosaline invested $5M of her savings and borrowed another $5M to build CXA after 5 years trying to convince her previous firm to invest in Asia. Now CXA has over a million users across 20 countries in Asia and is being white-labelled as the SME bancassurance SAAS platform. CXA has been awarded Insurtech of the Year, Top CEO, Global Innovations in Healthcare, Asian Human Capital Leadership Award, Asian Insurance Innovations and HR Vendor of the Year for Corp Wellness and Comp & Benefits.   Rosaline supervised Procter & Gamble factory lines in Iowa and then worked at Bankers Trust on Wall Street. She launched two dot-com start-ups before moving to ACE insurance. Rosaline also grew Mercer Marsh Benefits' 14 APAC countries 800% over 8 years. She graduated from UCLA Cybernetics and Columbia Business School. -- -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 27 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Never Too Late To Startup: Building Insurtech with Rosaline Koo, CXA Group full 1 13 Sarah Chen-Spellings "You can imagine the guilt - here I was building my startup when my actual baby was not coping well in school; with a learning disability, and recent epilepsy incident." We love rooting for the underdog- but what does it really take to rise despite the odds, as THE underdog? Rosaline Koo founded CXA Group from her living room in 2013 after a storied career with multinationals, with ambitions to transform health benefits for employees. Tune in to her story from risking all her family savings to build her startup; to scaling to over a million users, raising over $50M from the likes of Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin's B Capital Group, EDBI, Openspace Ventures and more. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the top US-Asia funders, founders and execs.    From building a unicorn to IPO, and scaling a VC firm - all of these efforts require vision from the leaders at the helm.  --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How an underdog emerged to challenge global insurance players - The opportunity for digitization in insurtech - How to actually expand into new markets - The sacrifice of a founder- the toll on personal relationships - Building for the long run -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro, what's on tap for this week 03:24 - Rosaline's life "a series of accidents", from a father that came to the US on a Dragon Boat 12:34 - "I think I needed to help execute" - startup journey begins in Malaysia 13:11 - A mother's guilt  15:29 - Coming to a hard decision 18:50 - Taking all of the family's savings to start CXA 22:52 - Taking the leap: being bold enough to solve an industry problem 29:28 - Acquisition strategy: going head to head as a no-name brand 50:18 - Billion Dollar Questions! -- More on Rosaline: Rosaline is the founder and CEO of CXA group, Asia’s only integrated flex and wellness portal (https://www.cxagroup.com/) Rosaline invested $5M of her savings and borrowed another $5M to build CXA after 5 years trying to convince her previous firm to invest in Asia. Now CXA has over a million users across 20 countries in Asia and is being white-labelled as the SME bancassurance SAAS platform. CXA has been awarded Insurtech of the Year, Top CEO, Global Innovations in Healthcare, Asian Human Capital Leadership Award, Asian Insurance Innovations and HR Vendor of the Year for Corp Wellness and Comp & Benefits.   Rosaline supervised Procter & Gamble factory lines in Iowa and then worked at Bankers Trust on Wall Street. She launched two dot-com start-ups before moving to ACE insurance. Rosaline also grew Mercer Marsh Benefits' 14 APAC countries 800% over 8 years. She graduated from UCLA Cybernetics and Columbia Business School. -- -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal "You can imagine the guilt - here I was building my startup when my actual baby was not coping well in school; with a learning disability, and recent epilepsy incident."


We love rooting for the underdog- but what does it really take to rise despite the odds, as THE underdog? Rosaline Koo founded CXA Group from her living room in 2013 after a storied career with multinationals, with ambitions to transform health benefits for employees. Tune in to her story from risking all her family savings to build her startup; to scaling to over a million users, raising over $50M from the likes of Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin's B Capital Group, EDBI, Openspace Ventures and more.

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the top US-Asia funders, founders and execs. 

 

From building a unicorn to IPO, and scaling a VC firm - all of these efforts require vision from the leaders at the helm. 

--

 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- How an underdog emerged to challenge global insurance players

- The opportunity for digitization in insurtech

- How to actually expand into new markets

- The sacrifice of a founder- the toll on personal relationships

- Building for the long run

--

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro, what's on tap for this week

03:24 - Rosaline's life "a series of accidents", from a father that came to the US on a Dragon Boat

12:34 - "I think I needed to help execute" - startup journey begins in Malaysia

13:11 - A mother's guilt 

15:29 - Coming to a hard decision

18:50 - Taking all of the family's savings to start CXA

22:52 - Taking the leap: being bold enough to solve an industry problem

29:28 - Acquisition strategy: going head to head as a no-name brand

50:18 - Billion Dollar Questions!

--

More on Rosaline:

Rosaline is the founder and CEO of CXA group, Asia’s only integrated flex and wellness portal (https://www.cxagroup.com/)

Rosaline invested $5M of her savings and borrowed another $5M to build CXA after 5 years trying to convince her previous firm to invest in Asia. Now CXA has over a million users across 20 countries in Asia and is being white-labelled as the SME bancassurance SAAS platform. CXA has been awarded Insurtech of the Year, Top CEO, Global Innovations in Healthcare, Asian Human Capital Leadership Award, Asian Insurance Innovations and HR Vendor of the Year for Corp Wellness and Comp & Benefits.

 

Rosaline supervised Procter & Gamble factory lines in Iowa and then worked at Bankers Trust on Wall Street. She launched two dot-com start-ups before moving to ACE insurance. Rosaline also grew Mercer Marsh Benefits' 14 APAC countries 800% over 8 years. She graduated from UCLA Cybernetics and Columbia Business School.

--

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal


]]> 3537 no Learning Or Earning & Beyond Series A: Asian Startups on Overdrive with Rajive Keshup, Cathay Innovation https://sarah-chen.com/beyond-series-a-asian-startups-in-overdrive/ This week, we dive deep with Rajive Keshup in Singapore, Investment Director at Cathay Innovation, an early and growth stage venture capital firm with $1.5B AUM across San Francisco, Paris, Shanghai and Singapore, and closely affiliated with Cathay Capital Private Equity, a global private equity firm with $3B in AUM. From the lens of a management consultant turned operator turned funder, Rajive talks about what it takes to be an entrepreneur’s first phone call in great and not-so-great times, and the real landscape of growth stage companies in SEA.  --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - If you're not learning, you better be earning - The current state of play of venture in Asia: are we drinking our own kool-aid in Asia? Inflated valuations, the hype of SPACs - How to actually expand into new markets - The arbitrage opportunity of Asia-US - Building for the long run -- More on Rajive: Rajive is an Investment Director at Cathay Innovation, based out of the Singapore office. (https://cathayinnovation.com/) Prior to joining Cathay, Rajive played instrumental roles in scaling a number of Southeast Asian startups. Before moving to Singapore, Rajive was a Managing Director at PwC Strategy (formerly Booz & Co.) in New York City where he led the TMT sector for the firm’s Private Equity practice. Rajive started his career at AT&T doing corporate strategy & development in Dallas, Texas. He is also a former-founder having built, scaled and successfully exited a US-based startup in the pet services space. Rajive earned an MBA from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and a Bachelor of Science from Bentley University in Waltham, MA. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 20 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Learning Or Earning & Beyond Series A: Asian Startups on Overdrive with Rajive Keshup, Cathay Innovation full 1 12 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week, we dive deep with Rajive Keshup in Singapore, Investment Director at Cathay Innovation, an early and growth stage venture capital firm with $1.5B AUM across San Francisco, Paris, Shanghai and Singapore, and closely affiliated with Cathay Capital Private Equity, a global private equity firm with $3B in AUM. From the lens of a management consultant turned operator turned funder, Rajive talks about what it takes to be an entrepreneur’s first phone call in great and not-so-great times, and the real landscape of growth stage companies in SEA.  --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - If you're not learning, you better be earning - The current state of play of venture in Asia: are we drinking our own kool-aid in Asia? Inflated valuations, the hype of SPACs - How to actually expand into new markets - The arbitrage opportunity of Asia-US - Building for the long run -- More on Rajive: Rajive is an Investment Director at Cathay Innovation, based out of the Singapore office. (https://cathayinnovation.com/) Prior to joining Cathay, Rajive played instrumental roles in scaling a number of Southeast Asian startups. Before moving to Singapore, Rajive was a Managing Director at PwC Strategy (formerly Booz & Co.) in New York City where he led the TMT sector for the firm’s Private Equity practice. Rajive started his career at AT&T doing corporate strategy & development in Dallas, Texas. He is also a former-founder having built, scaled and successfully exited a US-based startup in the pet services space. Rajive earned an MBA from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and a Bachelor of Science from Bentley University in Waltham, MA. -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week, we dive deep with Rajive Keshup in Singapore, Investment Director at Cathay Innovation, an early and growth stage venture capital firm with $1.5B AUM across San Francisco, Paris, Shanghai and Singapore, and closely affiliated with Cathay Capital Private Equity, a global private equity firm with $3B in AUM.


From the lens of a management consultant turned operator turned funder, Rajive talks about what it takes to be an entrepreneur’s first phone call in great and not-so-great times, and the real landscape of growth stage companies in SEA. 

--

 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- If you're not learning, you better be earning

- The current state of play of venture in Asia: are we drinking our own kool-aid in Asia? Inflated valuations, the hype of SPACs

- How to actually expand into new markets

- The arbitrage opportunity of Asia-US

- Building for the long run

--

More on Rajive:

Rajive is an Investment Director at Cathay Innovation, based out of the Singapore office. (https://cathayinnovation.com/)


Prior to joining Cathay, Rajive played instrumental roles in scaling a number of Southeast Asian startups. Before moving to Singapore, Rajive was a Managing Director at PwC Strategy (formerly Booz & Co.) in New York City where he led the TMT sector for the firm’s Private Equity practice. Rajive started his career at AT&T doing corporate strategy & development in Dallas, Texas. He is also a former-founder having built, scaled and successfully exited a US-based startup in the pet services space. Rajive earned an MBA from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and a Bachelor of Science from Bentley University in Waltham, MA.

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3386 no Leaning into Your Voice with Walgreens' SVP, ESG & Chief DEI Officer Alethia Jackson https://sarah-chen.com/corporate-america-in-the-fight-the-healthcare-battle-of-our-generation/ “If I was being invited into a room, it was for a reason. So it's about being confident in that I had something to offer. I wasn't going to sit at the periphery of the table and not speak” — Alethia Jackson This week, we make a trip to The Hill with America’s Top Lobbyist, Alethia Jackson making some #BillionDollarMoves​!  As VP of Federal Relations & Head of Advocacy for Walgreens (and now Chief DEI Officer!), Alethia is expanding patient access to pharmacy services while advancing the role of pharmacy in the healthcare system. As Chair of the Vaccine Equity Taskforce, she sees first hand, Corporate America’s healthcare battle especially during this time we are all living in.  We unpack what it means to lead with your voice, the complex healthcare landscape and how to build partnerships that matter. --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to be heard, and help others feel heard - What it takes to make it in Corporate America - The healthcare battle of our generation - The quadruple aim of healthcare & how senior executives are thinking about it - How digitization is affecting the future of healthcare -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:11 - What's on tab for this week: the healthcare battle of our generation,  02:29 - Alethia's DRIVE and where it came from 04:55 - The disparity of care 07:09 - How to find your voice, and come back from being perceived not in a way you'd like 11:14 - On power in Washington DC 15:11 - The quadruple aim of healthcare, the challenges 19:57 - Politics vs government; the politicization of healthcare? 24:08 - The retailization of healthcare 26:53 - Guest CAMEO! Nur Afifah & Renwei Chung - fake news, reimagining healthcare's front door 39:04 - BILLION DOLLAR QUESTIONS -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 13 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Leaning Into Your Voice with Walgreens' SVP, ESG & Chief DEI Officer Alethia Jackson full 1 11 Sarah Chen-Spellings “If I was being invited into a room, it was for a reason. So it's about being confident in that I had something to offer. I wasn't going to sit at the periphery of the table and not speak” — Alethia Jackson This week, we make a trip to The Hill with America’s Top Lobbyist, Alethia Jackson making some #BillionDollarMoves​!  As VP of Federal Relations & Head of Advocacy for Walgreens (and now Chief DEI Officer!), Alethia is expanding patient access to pharmacy services while advancing the role of pharmacy in the healthcare system. As Chair of the Vaccine Equity Taskforce, she sees first hand, Corporate America’s healthcare battle especially during this time we are all living in.  We unpack what it means to lead with your voice, the complex healthcare landscape and how to build partnerships that matter. --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to be heard, and help others feel heard - What it takes to make it in Corporate America - The healthcare battle of our generation - The quadruple aim of healthcare & how senior executives are thinking about it - How digitization is affecting the future of healthcare -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:11 - What's on tab for this week: the healthcare battle of our generation,  02:29 - Alethia's DRIVE and where it came from 04:55 - The disparity of care 07:09 - How to find your voice, and come back from being perceived not in a way you'd like 11:14 - On power in Washington DC 15:11 - The quadruple aim of healthcare, the challenges 19:57 - Politics vs government; the politicization of healthcare? 24:08 - The retailization of healthcare 26:53 - Guest CAMEO! Nur Afifah & Renwei Chung - fake news, reimagining healthcare's front door 39:04 - BILLION DOLLAR QUESTIONS -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal “If I was being invited into a room, it was for a reason. So it's about being confident in that I had something to offer. I wasn't going to sit at the periphery of the table and not speak” — Alethia Jackson


This week, we make a trip to The Hill with America’s Top Lobbyist, Alethia Jackson making some #BillionDollarMoves​! 

As VP of Federal Relations & Head of Advocacy for Walgreens (and now Chief DEI Officer!), Alethia is expanding patient access to pharmacy services while advancing the role of pharmacy in the healthcare system. As Chair of the Vaccine Equity Taskforce, she sees first hand, Corporate America’s healthcare battle especially during this time we are all living in. 


We unpack what it means to lead with your voice, the complex healthcare landscape and how to build partnerships that matter.

--

 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- How to be heard, and help others feel heard

- What it takes to make it in Corporate America

- The healthcare battle of our generation

- The quadruple aim of healthcare & how senior executives are thinking about it

- How digitization is affecting the future of healthcare

--

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:11 - What's on tab for this week: the healthcare battle of our generation, 

02:29 - Alethia's DRIVE and where it came from

04:55 - The disparity of care

07:09 - How to find your voice, and come back from being perceived not in a way you'd like

11:14 - On power in Washington DC

15:11 - The quadruple aim of healthcare, the challenges

19:57 - Politics vs government; the politicization of healthcare?

24:08 - The retailization of healthcare

26:53 - Guest CAMEO! Nur Afifah & Renwei Chung - fake news, reimagining healthcare's front door

39:04 - BILLION DOLLAR QUESTIONS

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2644 no Enterprise is Eating The World with Cathy Gao, Sapphire Ventures https://sarah-chen.com/enterprise-eating-venture-capital-cathy-sapphire/ Enterprise technology companies attracted $30 billion in funding, outpacing their consumer-tech peers (by a third) for the first time in five years. This trend reflects a deeper evolution at play, at the intersection of software development, adoption of cloud technology, and data analysis—and as many investors have said we’re still at the early stages of this massive sea change.  But how did we arrive at this inflection point and what next? --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to actually manage diversity & not falling into the culture 'fit' trap - What makes a billion dollar founder? - Ethics in investing - where do you draw the line? More on Cathy: As a daughter of a software engineer and a small business owner, Cathy has been steeped in technology and entrepreneurship from an early age and today Cathy focuses on B2B SaaS, digital healthcare, and data businesses as partner at Sapphire Ventures, a leading venture capital firm that partners with visionary teams and venture funds to build companies of consequence. For nearly two decades, Sapphire has been investing capital, resources and expertise in innovative startups and technology-focused venture funds around the world with more than $6.8B in AUM across Sapphire Ventures, Sapphire Partners and Sapphire Sport, and with team members in Austin, London, Palo Alto and San Francisco. (https://sapphireventures.com/) -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 06 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Enterprise is Eating The World with Cathy Gao, Sapphire Ventures full 1 10 Sarah Chen-Spellings Enterprise technology companies attracted $30 billion in funding, outpacing their consumer-tech peers (by a third) for the first time in five years. This trend reflects a deeper evolution at play, at the intersection of software development, adoption of cloud technology, and data analysis—and as many investors have said we’re still at the early stages of this massive sea change.  But how did we arrive at this inflection point and what next? --  👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to actually manage diversity & not falling into the culture 'fit' trap - What makes a billion dollar founder? - Ethics in investing - where do you draw the line? More on Cathy: As a daughter of a software engineer and a small business owner, Cathy has been steeped in technology and entrepreneurship from an early age and today Cathy focuses on B2B SaaS, digital healthcare, and data businesses as partner at Sapphire Ventures, a leading venture capital firm that partners with visionary teams and venture funds to build companies of consequence. For nearly two decades, Sapphire has been investing capital, resources and expertise in innovative startups and technology-focused venture funds around the world with more than $6.8B in AUM across Sapphire Ventures, Sapphire Partners and Sapphire Sport, and with team members in Austin, London, Palo Alto and San Francisco. (https://sapphireventures.com/) -- Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Enterprise technology companies attracted $30 billion in funding, outpacing their consumer-tech peers (by a third) for the first time in five years. This trend reflects a deeper evolution at play, at the intersection of software development, adoption of cloud technology, and data analysis—and as many investors have said we’re still at the early stages of this massive sea change. 

But how did we arrive at this inflection point and what next?

--

 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- How to actually manage diversity & not falling into the culture 'fit' trap

- What makes a billion dollar founder?

- Ethics in investing - where do you draw the line?

More on Cathy:

As a daughter of a software engineer and a small business owner, Cathy has been steeped in technology and entrepreneurship from an early age and today Cathy focuses on B2B SaaS, digital healthcare, and data businesses as partner at Sapphire Ventures, a leading venture capital firm that partners with visionary teams and venture funds to build companies of consequence. For nearly two decades, Sapphire has been investing capital, resources and expertise in innovative startups and technology-focused venture funds around the world with more than $6.8B in AUM across Sapphire Ventures, Sapphire Partners and Sapphire Sport, and with team members in Austin, London, Palo Alto and San Francisco. (https://sapphireventures.com/)

--

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3536 no Tolerate Failure, Not Incompetence: Building Biotech Startups with Brian Conn, Quantapore https://sarah-chen.com/building-biotech-with-brian-conn/ "Tolerate failure but don't tolerate incompetence. Till this day, I regret how I let a company go bankrupt— I've learned from that" From microbiome manipulation, to genomic sequencing, biotechnology promises an unprecedented future. But what does it really take to build a biotech company that will last? This week, we chat with, Brian Conn, serial biotech CFO, who has raised over $300M, completed 20 M&A deals and is currently CFO of genomic sequencing company, Quantapore, co-founder of synthetic biology company, Levadura and advisor to VC firm, General Inception. --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How a non-technical founder can play a big role in building biotech - How an unfocused strategy, is a strategy - The evolution of biotech - have we leapfrogged? - Navigating competition - Key fundraising tips - should you care about dilution? -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro: What's on tab for this week: biotech, role of startup CFO, fundraising 02:49 - Brian's lucky start in biotech 07:47 - The lousy accountant turned CFO 11:49 - The long road of biotech 14:45 - Biotech vs non-biotech 19:34 - Dilution, funding "and then we're done" - hard lessons 24:10 - Evolution of biotech, have we leapfrogged? 33:01 - Dealing with competition 36:20 - Special! Cameo from Dr. Sarah Richardson, CEO, MicroByre 50:20 - Billion Dollar Questions -- -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 30 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Tolerate Failure, Not Incompetence: Building Biotech Startups with Brian Conn, Quantapore full 1 9 Sarah Chen-Spellings "Tolerate failure but don't tolerate incompetence. Till this day, I regret how I let a company go bankrupt— I've learned from that" From microbiome manipulation, to genomic sequencing, biotechnology promises an unprecedented future. But what does it really take to build a biotech company that will last? This week, we chat with, Brian Conn, serial biotech CFO, who has raised over $300M, completed 20 M&A deals and is currently CFO of genomic sequencing company, Quantapore, co-founder of synthetic biology company, Levadura and advisor to VC firm, General Inception. --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How a non-technical founder can play a big role in building biotech - How an unfocused strategy, is a strategy - The evolution of biotech - have we leapfrogged? - Navigating competition - Key fundraising tips - should you care about dilution? -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro: What's on tab for this week: biotech, role of startup CFO, fundraising 02:49 - Brian's lucky start in biotech 07:47 - The lousy accountant turned CFO 11:49 - The long road of biotech 14:45 - Biotech vs non-biotech 19:34 - Dilution, funding "and then we're done" - hard lessons 24:10 - Evolution of biotech, have we leapfrogged? 33:01 - Dealing with competition 36:20 - Special! Cameo from Dr. Sarah Richardson, CEO, MicroByre 50:20 - Billion Dollar Questions -- -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal "Tolerate failure but don't tolerate incompetence. Till this day, I regret how I let a company go bankrupt— I've learned from that"

From microbiome manipulation, to genomic sequencing, biotechnology promises an unprecedented future.

But what does it really take to build a biotech company that will last?


This week, we chat with, Brian Conn, serial biotech CFO, who has raised over $300M, completed 20 M&A deals and is currently CFO of genomic sequencing company, Quantapore, co-founder of synthetic biology company, Levadura and advisor to VC firm, General Inception.

--

 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- How a non-technical founder can play a big role in building biotech

- How an unfocused strategy, is a strategy

- The evolution of biotech - have we leapfrogged?

- Navigating competition

- Key fundraising tips - should you care about dilution?

--

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro: What's on tab for this week: biotech, role of startup CFO, fundraising

02:49 - Brian's lucky start in biotech

07:47 - The lousy accountant turned CFO

11:49 - The long road of biotech

14:45 - Biotech vs non-biotech

19:34 - Dilution, funding "and then we're done" - hard lessons

24:10 - Evolution of biotech, have we leapfrogged?

33:01 - Dealing with competition

36:20 - Special! Cameo from Dr. Sarah Richardson, CEO, MicroByre

50:20 - Billion Dollar Questions

--

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3360 no Not Your Token Woman with First Female NFL Coach Dr. Jen Welter https://sarah-chen.com/overcoming-adversity-with-first-female-nfl-coach-dr-jen-welter/ From leveraging the $500Bn impact investing opportunity to building a unicorn to IPO, and scaling a VC firm - all of these efforts require vision from the leaders at the helm, and most importantly the willingness to PLAY IT BIG, as athletes in our own fields. This week, we took a different turn in examining high-performance and went deep with Dr.Jen, the first female NFL Coach on what's not playing big right now in the world of sport. Dr. Jen Welter tackled her football career with tenacity and an unprecedented track record of pioneering firsts. Building on her career in women’s football, that included 2 Gold medals with Team USA, 4 World Championships and 8 All-Star selections, Dr. Jen busted into the men’s game, as the first female running back signed to a men’s professional team. She broke through the biggest boys club of all, the NFL, as the first female coach in the league and the Madden NFL 20 video game. Now that's some #BillionDollarMoves​ we all want in on. 👊🏻 FIVE THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to defy crazy odds, even when you're told you can't - How to not let fear define you - How to turn being seen as the 'token' woman to being taken seriously as a team player - Getting to the big table and bringing your voice - The disparity between men and women's sport and what we must do ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 05:14 - Being Told She Wasn't Going To Be Good Enough 07:33 - Shifting Mindset Through Negativity 11:00 - Dr. Jen's Epiphany 13:29 - Getting The Call From Texas Revolution 18:16 - Are Companies Doing The Right Thing in Diversity Drives? 20:41 - Developing Allies 23:13 - Being The First & Only 23:58 - NCAA, Sedona Prince, The Disparity In Sports -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 23 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Not Your Token Woman with First Female NFL Coach Dr. Jen Welter full 1 8 Sarah Chen-Spellings From leveraging the $500Bn impact investing opportunity to building a unicorn to IPO, and scaling a VC firm - all of these efforts require vision from the leaders at the helm, and most importantly the willingness to PLAY IT BIG, as athletes in our own fields. This week, we took a different turn in examining high-performance and went deep with Dr.Jen, the first female NFL Coach on what's not playing big right now in the world of sport. Dr. Jen Welter tackled her football career with tenacity and an unprecedented track record of pioneering firsts. Building on her career in women’s football, that included 2 Gold medals with Team USA, 4 World Championships and 8 All-Star selections, Dr. Jen busted into the men’s game, as the first female running back signed to a men’s professional team. She broke through the biggest boys club of all, the NFL, as the first female coach in the league and the Madden NFL 20 video game. Now that's some #BillionDollarMoves​ we all want in on. 👊🏻 FIVE THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How to defy crazy odds, even when you're told you can't - How to not let fear define you - How to turn being seen as the 'token' woman to being taken seriously as a team player - Getting to the big table and bringing your voice - The disparity between men and women's sport and what we must do ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 05:14 - Being Told She Wasn't Going To Be Good Enough 07:33 - Shifting Mindset Through Negativity 11:00 - Dr. Jen's Epiphany 13:29 - Getting The Call From Texas Revolution 18:16 - Are Companies Doing The Right Thing in Diversity Drives? 20:41 - Developing Allies 23:13 - Being The First & Only 23:58 - NCAA, Sedona Prince, The Disparity In Sports -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal From leveraging the $500Bn impact investing opportunity to building a unicorn to IPO, and scaling a VC firm - all of these efforts require vision from the leaders at the helm, and most importantly the willingness to PLAY IT BIG, as athletes in our own fields. This week, we took a different turn in examining high-performance and went deep with Dr.Jen, the first female NFL Coach on what's not playing big right now in the world of sport.


Dr. Jen Welter tackled her football career with tenacity and an unprecedented track record of pioneering firsts. Building on her career in women’s football, that included 2 Gold medals with Team USA, 4 World Championships and 8 All-Star selections, Dr. Jen busted into the men’s game, as the first female running back signed to a men’s professional team. She broke through the biggest boys club of all, the NFL, as the first female coach in the league and the Madden NFL 20 video game.


Now that's some #BillionDollarMoves​ we all want in on.


👊🏻 FIVE THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- How to defy crazy odds, even when you're told you can't

- How to not let fear define you

- How to turn being seen as the 'token' woman to being taken seriously as a team player

- Getting to the big table and bringing your voice

- The disparity between men and women's sport and what we must do


⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

05:14 - Being Told She Wasn't Going To Be Good Enough

07:33 - Shifting Mindset Through Negativity

11:00 - Dr. Jen's Epiphany

13:29 - Getting The Call From Texas Revolution

18:16 - Are Companies Doing The Right Thing in Diversity Drives?

20:41 - Developing Allies

23:13 - Being The First & Only

23:58 - NCAA, Sedona Prince, The Disparity In Sports

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1805 no Southeast Asia Startups Winning with Michael Lints, Golden Gate Ventures https://sarah-chen.com/venture-capitalist-view-startups-winning-in-southeast-asia-with-michael-lints/ From our live show Apr 16th 2021, we went deep on the rise of startups in Southeast Asia, fresh of Grab's announcement that week valuing it at close to $40Bn, Bukalapak netting $234M and more! Michael shares some #BillionDollarMoves​​​ we all will want in on. 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How venture capitalists are viewing Southeast Asia right now - The impact post-pandemic on markets, and how startups are innovating - How the racial reckoning is affecting others around the globe -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 01:29 - Michael's personal journey through resilience 09:11 - Southeast Asia's hot week: Grab's SPAC, Bukalapak's raise & more 14:20 - The challenge of building & investing in Emerging Asia 18:59 - 700+ startup exits in Southeast Asia? 21:07 - Post-Pandemic view on markets 24:15 - Michael's view on the moment in time, and the racial reckoning 27:50 - Michael's advice to founders -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 16 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Southeast Asia Startups Winning with Michael Lints, Golden Gate Ventures full 1 7 Sarah Chen-Spellings From our live show Apr 16th 2021, we went deep on the rise of startups in Southeast Asia, fresh of Grab's announcement that week valuing it at close to $40Bn, Bukalapak netting $234M and more! Michael shares some #BillionDollarMoves​​​ we all will want in on. 👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How venture capitalists are viewing Southeast Asia right now - The impact post-pandemic on markets, and how startups are innovating - How the racial reckoning is affecting others around the globe -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 01:29 - Michael's personal journey through resilience 09:11 - Southeast Asia's hot week: Grab's SPAC, Bukalapak's raise & more 14:20 - The challenge of building & investing in Emerging Asia 18:59 - 700+ startup exits in Southeast Asia? 21:07 - Post-Pandemic view on markets 24:15 - Michael's view on the moment in time, and the racial reckoning 27:50 - Michael's advice to founders -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal From our live show Apr 16th 2021, we went deep on the rise of startups in Southeast Asia, fresh of Grab's announcement that week valuing it at close to $40Bn, Bukalapak netting $234M and more!

Michael shares some #BillionDollarMoves​​​ we all will want in on.

👊🏻 3 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- How venture capitalists are viewing Southeast Asia right now

- The impact post-pandemic on markets, and how startups are innovating

- How the racial reckoning is affecting others around the globe

--

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

01:29 - Michael's personal journey through resilience

09:11 - Southeast Asia's hot week: Grab's SPAC, Bukalapak's raise & more

14:20 - The challenge of building & investing in Emerging Asia

18:59 - 700+ startup exits in Southeast Asia?

21:07 - Post-Pandemic view on markets

24:15 - Michael's view on the moment in time, and the racial reckoning

27:50 - Michael's advice to founders

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2064 no BONUS: The Golden Era of Southeast Asia Startups https://sarah-chen.com/venture-capitalist-view-startups-winning-in-southeast-asia-with-michael-lints Dive into our post-show Clubhouse discussion Apr 16th 2021 with fellow VCs in the region, where we went deep on the rise of startups in Southeast Asia, fresh of Grab's announcement that week valuing it at close to $40Bn, Bukalapak netting $234M and more! Special cameo by: Rajive Keshup, Investments Director, Cathay Innovation Gail Wong, Managing Partner, Her Capital Carlo Delantar, Head of Circular Economy, Gobi Partners Venture capitalist, Michael Lints of Singapore-based Golden Gate Ventures shares some #BillionDollarMoves​​​ we all will want in on. 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How Southeast Asia's startup scene came to be - How venture capitalists are viewing Southeast Asia right now - The unique challenges of building & investing in Southeast Asia - The impact post-pandemic on markets, and how startups are innovating - How the racial reckoning is affecting others around the globe More on Michael: Michael Lints has over 20 years of experience helping innovative businesses obtain the resources, insights, and expertise they need in order to be successful. Michael has been a startup operator, investor, and mentor, and is currently a Partner at the Singapore-based venture capital firm Golden Gate Ventures. He joined the firm in 2013 and is currently leading growth venture efforts, which include LP fundraising and portfolio management for Golden Gate Venture's investments at Series B and beyond. Outside of work, sport is an essential part of Michael’s life. He is a former member of the Dutch karate team and the former ambassador for Treknology (Trek bikes distributor in Singapore). Michael actively participates in Ironman 70.3 races and marathons. He is also passionate about social justice and uses sport as a vehicle to raise awareness for important issues such as civil rights, economic opportunity, and education. Besides sport, Michael is an active writer and writes articles regarding life, balance, and venture capital on michaellints.com. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 16 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0000 BONUS: The Golden Era of Southeast Asia Startups bonus 1 7 Sarah Chen-Spellings Dive into our post-show Clubhouse discussion Apr 16th 2021 with fellow VCs in the region, where we went deep on the rise of startups in Southeast Asia, fresh of Grab's announcement that week valuing it at close to $40Bn, Bukalapak netting $234M and more! Special cameo by: Rajive Keshup, Investments Director, Cathay Innovation Gail Wong, Managing Partner, Her Capital Carlo Delantar, Head of Circular Economy, Gobi Partners Venture capitalist, Michael Lints of Singapore-based Golden Gate Ventures shares some #BillionDollarMoves​​​ we all will want in on. 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How Southeast Asia's startup scene came to be - How venture capitalists are viewing Southeast Asia right now - The unique challenges of building & investing in Southeast Asia - The impact post-pandemic on markets, and how startups are innovating - How the racial reckoning is affecting others around the globe More on Michael: Michael Lints has over 20 years of experience helping innovative businesses obtain the resources, insights, and expertise they need in order to be successful. Michael has been a startup operator, investor, and mentor, and is currently a Partner at the Singapore-based venture capital firm Golden Gate Ventures. He joined the firm in 2013 and is currently leading growth venture efforts, which include LP fundraising and portfolio management for Golden Gate Venture's investments at Series B and beyond. Outside of work, sport is an essential part of Michael’s life. He is a former member of the Dutch karate team and the former ambassador for Treknology (Trek bikes distributor in Singapore). Michael actively participates in Ironman 70.3 races and marathons. He is also passionate about social justice and uses sport as a vehicle to raise awareness for important issues such as civil rights, economic opportunity, and education. Besides sport, Michael is an active writer and writes articles regarding life, balance, and venture capital on michaellints.com. -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Dive into our post-show Clubhouse discussion Apr 16th 2021 with fellow VCs in the region, where we went deep on the rise of startups in Southeast Asia, fresh of Grab's announcement that week valuing it at close to $40Bn, Bukalapak netting $234M and more!


Special cameo by:

Rajive Keshup, Investments Director, Cathay Innovation

Gail Wong, Managing Partner, Her Capital

Carlo Delantar, Head of Circular Economy, Gobi Partners


Venture capitalist, Michael Lints of Singapore-based Golden Gate Ventures shares some #BillionDollarMoves​​​ we all will want in on.


👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- How Southeast Asia's startup scene came to be

- How venture capitalists are viewing Southeast Asia right now

- The unique challenges of building & investing in Southeast Asia

- The impact post-pandemic on markets, and how startups are innovating

- How the racial reckoning is affecting others around the globe


More on Michael:

Michael Lints has over 20 years of experience helping innovative businesses obtain the resources, insights, and expertise they need in order to be successful. Michael has been a startup operator, investor, and mentor, and is currently a Partner at the Singapore-based venture capital firm Golden Gate Ventures. He joined the firm in 2013 and is currently leading growth venture efforts, which include LP fundraising and portfolio management for Golden Gate Venture's investments at Series B and beyond.


Outside of work, sport is an essential part of Michael’s life. He is a former member of the Dutch karate team and the former ambassador for Treknology (Trek bikes distributor in Singapore). Michael actively participates in Ironman 70.3 races and marathons. He is also passionate about social justice and uses sport as a vehicle to raise awareness for important issues such as civil rights, economic opportunity, and education. Besides sport, Michael is an active writer and writes articles regarding life, balance, and venture capital on michaellints.com.

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1373 no Future of Work: How To Lead in 2021 with Brian Elliott, Slack https://sarah-chen.com/leading-distributed-teams-slack-brian-elliott/ This week, we went deep on the new reality that is remote work with none other than Brian Elliiott, former GM of Platform at Slack, and now Head of Future Forum — reimagining work. From building for inclusivity to sending the right message from the top - he shares some #BillionDollarMoves​​ we all will want in on. 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Why 83% of knowledge workers DO NOT WANT to return to the office - How executive leaders can lead effectively remotely in 2021 and beyond - The unique challenges of work from home for different groups and what leaders can do - The impact post-pandemic for the future of work - How to rethink productivity metrics to bring out the best in your distributed teams ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:36 - Brian's career mantra 04:26 - The Lift & Shift - 83% of knowledge workers do not want to return to the office 08:00 - Social isolation affecting different groups differently 11:42 - Leaders rethinking culture, tackling different challenges including systemic racism 14:12 - Global work and distributed teams 16:50 - The future of work 21:36 - Power dynamics, trust and empathy in the C-suite -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 09 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Future of Work: How To Lead in 2021 with Brian Elliott, Slack full 1 6 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week, we went deep on the new reality that is remote work with none other than Brian Elliiott, former GM of Platform at Slack, and now Head of Future Forum — reimagining work. From building for inclusivity to sending the right message from the top - he shares some #BillionDollarMoves​​ we all will want in on. 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Why 83% of knowledge workers DO NOT WANT to return to the office - How executive leaders can lead effectively remotely in 2021 and beyond - The unique challenges of work from home for different groups and what leaders can do - The impact post-pandemic for the future of work - How to rethink productivity metrics to bring out the best in your distributed teams ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:36 - Brian's career mantra 04:26 - The Lift & Shift - 83% of knowledge workers do not want to return to the office 08:00 - Social isolation affecting different groups differently 11:42 - Leaders rethinking culture, tackling different challenges including systemic racism 14:12 - Global work and distributed teams 16:50 - The future of work 21:36 - Power dynamics, trust and empathy in the C-suite -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week, we went deep on the new reality that is remote work with none other than Brian Elliiott, former GM of Platform at Slack, and now Head of Future Forum — reimagining work.

From building for inclusivity to sending the right message from the top - he shares some #BillionDollarMoves​​ we all will want in on.

👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- Why 83% of knowledge workers DO NOT WANT to return to the office

- How executive leaders can lead effectively remotely in 2021 and beyond

- The unique challenges of work from home for different groups and what leaders can do

- The impact post-pandemic for the future of work

- How to rethink productivity metrics to bring out the best in your distributed teams


⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

02:36 - Brian's career mantra

04:26 - The Lift & Shift - 83% of knowledge workers do not want to return to the office

08:00 - Social isolation affecting different groups differently

11:42 - Leaders rethinking culture, tackling different challenges including systemic racism

14:12 - Global work and distributed teams

16:50 - The future of work

21:36 - Power dynamics, trust and empathy in the C-suite

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community


FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 1640 no The Rise of Superapps & The Fear of a Meaningless Life with Muneeb Maayr, Bykea https://sarah-chen.com/superapps-bykea-muneeb-maayr/ “Even if you’re drowning, give it one last shot” Ride-hailing giant Gojek and marketplace Tokopedia, Indonesia’s two largest startups, said a couple of days ago that they’ve merged their businesses to form GoTo Group, on track for a $35-$40B IPO end year. This sets more fuel to the fire of SuperApps rising in Southeast Asia: a trend that is actually moving from East to West. But is it all that it's cut out to be? Muneeb Maayr, Founder of Bykea joins us this week on #BillionDollarMoves to unpack the news & share his game plan for Bykea, Pakistan's hyper-local marketplace powered by a network of Motorcycles (p.s, there are 17 million in Pakistan!) From the rise of SuperApps to the unique challenges of the two-wheeler opportunity in a country like Pakistan, to the fear of a meaningless life, Muneeb Maayr and I cover it all! --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Will everything eventually be a Superapp & why? - What a hyper-local strategy actually means - The immense competition of global brands & how that impacts a local startup - The payments revolution - cash on delivery in the East? - How Bykea is thinking about the future of digitization and building trust More on Bykea: https://www.bykea.com/ -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 02 Jul 2021 04:00:00 -0000 The Rise of Superapps & The Fear of a Meaningless Life with Muneeb Maayr, Bykea full 1 5 Sarah Chen-Spellings “Even if you’re drowning, give it one last shot” Ride-hailing giant Gojek and marketplace Tokopedia, Indonesia’s two largest startups, said a couple of days ago that they’ve merged their businesses to form GoTo Group, on track for a $35-$40B IPO end year. This sets more fuel to the fire of SuperApps rising in Southeast Asia: a trend that is actually moving from East to West. But is it all that it's cut out to be? Muneeb Maayr, Founder of Bykea joins us this week on #BillionDollarMoves to unpack the news & share his game plan for Bykea, Pakistan's hyper-local marketplace powered by a network of Motorcycles (p.s, there are 17 million in Pakistan!) From the rise of SuperApps to the unique challenges of the two-wheeler opportunity in a country like Pakistan, to the fear of a meaningless life, Muneeb Maayr and I cover it all! --  👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - Will everything eventually be a Superapp & why? - What a hyper-local strategy actually means - The immense competition of global brands & how that impacts a local startup - The payments revolution - cash on delivery in the East? - How Bykea is thinking about the future of digitization and building trust More on Bykea: https://www.bykea.com/ -- PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal “Even if you’re drowning, give it one last shot”


Ride-hailing giant Gojek and marketplace Tokopedia, Indonesia’s two largest startups, said a couple of days ago that they’ve merged their businesses to form GoTo Group, on track for a $35-$40B IPO end year. This sets more fuel to the fire of SuperApps rising in Southeast Asia: a trend that is actually moving from East to West. But is it all that it's cut out to be?


Muneeb Maayr, Founder of Bykea joins us this week on #BillionDollarMoves to unpack the news & share his game plan for Bykea, Pakistan's hyper-local marketplace powered by a network of Motorcycles (p.s, there are 17 million in Pakistan!)

From the rise of SuperApps to the unique challenges of the two-wheeler opportunity in a country like Pakistan, to the fear of a meaningless life, Muneeb Maayr and I cover it all!

--

 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- Will everything eventually be a Superapp & why?

- What a hyper-local strategy actually means

- The immense competition of global brands & how that impacts a local startup

- The payments revolution - cash on delivery in the East?

- How Bykea is thinking about the future of digitization and building trust


More on Bykea: https://www.bykea.com/

--

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3752 no The End of Impact Washing & Stakeholder Capitalism with Regional President, BNY Mellon, Karen Wawrzaszek https://sarah-chen.com/the-end-of-impact-washing-with-karen-wawrzaszek/ Over a decade ago, JPMorgan and the Rockefeller Foundation, published a report claiming that impact investment was an emerging asset class that would reach between $400 billion and $1 trillion in assets under management by 2020. Many thought this was an ambitious prediction but fast forward, we now see how those doubts were misplaced with markets hitting $715 billion in assets under management in 2020.  Against the backdrop of the reckoning of 2020, our lens on impact dollars has become tremendously important. But is there far too much sensationalization of impact? How do we stay grounded on metrics that really matter?  We talked with Karen Wawrzaszek to unpack this, in March 2021 on our very first episode recorded! From growing up in poverty to advising some of the wealthiest families, endowments & foundations; having held roles including MD of Rockefeller Capital Management to now Chair of the Meyer Foundation and BNY Mellon Regional President- we learn from her #BillionDollarMoves and challenge how impact investing has gone wrong — and what more needs to be done. In this episode, you will learn: - What it means to have lived in poverty, and how you can channel personal scars into purpose - Impact washing and this moment in time - The triple threat of inequality - How do we DESIGN & measure impact – is doing no harm, good enough? - Key investment trends arising from the rise of millennials and environmental, social, governance (ESG) — Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 25 Jun 2021 04:00:00 -0000 The End of Impact Washing with Regional President, BNY Mellon, Karen Wawrzaszek full 1 4 Sarah Chen-Spellings Over a decade ago, JPMorgan and the Rockefeller Foundation, published a report claiming that impact investment was an emerging asset class that would reach between $400 billion and $1 trillion in assets under management by 2020. Many thought this was an ambitious prediction but fast forward, we now see how those doubts were misplaced with markets hitting $715 billion in assets under management in 2020.  Against the backdrop of the reckoning of 2020, our lens on impact dollars has become tremendously important. But is there far too much sensationalization of impact? How do we stay grounded on metrics that really matter?  We talked with Karen Wawrzaszek to unpack this, in March 2021 on our very first episode recorded! From growing up in poverty to advising some of the wealthiest families, endowments & foundations; having held roles including MD of Rockefeller Capital Management to now Chair of the Meyer Foundation and BNY Mellon Regional President- we learn from her #BillionDollarMoves and challenge how impact investing has gone wrong — and what more needs to be done. In this episode, you will learn: - What it means to have lived in poverty, and how you can channel personal scars into purpose - Impact washing and this moment in time - The triple threat of inequality - How do we DESIGN & measure impact – is doing no harm, good enough? - Key investment trends arising from the rise of millennials and environmental, social, governance (ESG) — Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Over a decade ago, JPMorgan and the Rockefeller Foundation, published a report claiming that impact investment was an emerging asset class that would reach between $400 billion and $1 trillion in assets under management by 2020. Many thought this was an ambitious prediction but fast forward, we now see how those doubts were misplaced with markets hitting $715 billion in assets under management in 2020. 

Against the backdrop of the reckoning of 2020, our lens on impact dollars has become tremendously important. But is there far too much sensationalization of impact? How do we stay grounded on metrics that really matter? 

We talked with Karen Wawrzaszek to unpack this, in March 2021 on our very first episode recorded!

From growing up in poverty to advising some of the wealthiest families, endowments & foundations; having held roles including MD of Rockefeller Capital Management to now Chair of the Meyer Foundation and BNY Mellon Regional President- we learn from her #BillionDollarMoves and challenge how impact investing has gone wrong — and what more needs to be done.


In this episode, you will learn:


- What it means to have lived in poverty, and how you can channel personal scars into purpose

- Impact washing and this moment in time

- The triple threat of inequality

- How do we DESIGN & measure impact – is doing no harm, good enough?

- Key investment trends arising from the rise of millennials and environmental, social, governance (ESG)

—

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2369 no Sold My Startup for $780M: the Good, Bad, Ugly with Jack Smith, Vungle https://www.sarah-chen.com/sold-my-startup-for-780m/ This week we went deep on the growing pains of a startup, from PR nightmares to co-founder breakups, the challenge of shifting from a scarcity to growth mindset, and so much more with Jack Smith, serial entrepreneur & investor. @_jacksmith has co-founded multiple startups: Vungle, Coin, Shyp and advised many others. We talk everything from his startup outgrowing him to his lack of focus getting him to the right place & right time. -- 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How Jack's curiosity from a tender age carried him through as an entrepreneur - The value of an incubator - should you join one? - What it takes to get to product-market fit, and then scale - What it means to outgrow your startup, and what you can do - The harsh reality of a startup's PR nightmare ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00​ - Intro 02:29​ - Jack's early start in entrepreneurship 05:03​ - Mediaroots evolution into Vungle 08:36​ - Hacking screen record & how that led to San Francisco 10:49​ - Should I join an incubator? Jack's learning from AngelPad 16:31​ - The crappy engineer, launching to the next few stages 21:33​ - What metrics mattered, that affirmed the Vungle vision? 24:42​ - Jack's reflection on how the startup outgrew him 28:06 - Micromanaging to enabling others 30:50​ - Handling a PR nightmare, and standing by his co-founder 32:40 - Jack's reflection on "making it" with the BIG exit — Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 18 Jun 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Sold My Startup for $780M: the Good, Bad, Ugly with Jack Smith, Vungle full 1 3 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week we went deep on the growing pains of a startup, from PR nightmares to co-founder breakups, the challenge of shifting from a scarcity to growth mindset, and so much more with Jack Smith, serial entrepreneur & investor. @_jacksmith has co-founded multiple startups: Vungle, Coin, Shyp and advised many others. We talk everything from his startup outgrowing him to his lack of focus getting him to the right place & right time. -- 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - How Jack's curiosity from a tender age carried him through as an entrepreneur - The value of an incubator - should you join one? - What it takes to get to product-market fit, and then scale - What it means to outgrow your startup, and what you can do - The harsh reality of a startup's PR nightmare ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00​ - Intro 02:29​ - Jack's early start in entrepreneurship 05:03​ - Mediaroots evolution into Vungle 08:36​ - Hacking screen record & how that led to San Francisco 10:49​ - Should I join an incubator? Jack's learning from AngelPad 16:31​ - The crappy engineer, launching to the next few stages 21:33​ - What metrics mattered, that affirmed the Vungle vision? 24:42​ - Jack's reflection on how the startup outgrew him 28:06 - Micromanaging to enabling others 30:50​ - Handling a PR nightmare, and standing by his co-founder 32:40 - Jack's reflection on "making it" with the BIG exit — Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website Watch on Youtube Join the community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week we went deep on the growing pains of a startup, from PR nightmares to co-founder breakups, the challenge of shifting from a scarcity to growth mindset, and so much more with Jack Smith, serial entrepreneur & investor. @_jacksmith has co-founded multiple startups: Vungle, Coin, Shyp and advised many others. We talk everything from his startup outgrowing him to his lack of focus getting him to the right place & right time.

--

👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- How Jack's curiosity from a tender age carried him through as an entrepreneur

- The value of an incubator - should you join one?

- What it takes to get to product-market fit, and then scale

- What it means to outgrow your startup, and what you can do

- The harsh reality of a startup's PR nightmare


⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00​ - Intro

02:29​ - Jack's early start in entrepreneurship

05:03​ - Mediaroots evolution into Vungle

08:36​ - Hacking screen record & how that led to San Francisco

10:49​ - Should I join an incubator? Jack's learning from AngelPad

16:31​ - The crappy engineer, launching to the next few stages

21:33​ - What metrics mattered, that affirmed the Vungle vision?

24:42​ - Jack's reflection on how the startup outgrew him

28:06 - Micromanaging to enabling others

30:50​ - Handling a PR nightmare, and standing by his co-founder

32:40 - Jack's reflection on "making it" with the BIG exit

—

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website

Watch on Youtube

Join the community

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2419 no BONUS: Building a $780M Startup with Jack Smith —offline discussion with the audience https://www.sarah-chen.com/sold-my-startup-for-780m/ “Never build a startup without a technical founder” “Never go to a VC without a well thought out pitch deck” “Never hire people from Craigslist” From breaking all these rules and more, this week's guest, serial entrepreneur and now investor, Jack Smith, somehow turned a terrible idea into a $780M+ exit. This snippet reveals Jack in his rare raw form being brutally honest with the audience on Clubhouse. @_jacksmith has co-founded multiple startups: Vungle, Coin, Shyp and advised many others. We talk everything from his startup outgrowing him to his lack of focus getting him to the right place & right time. — Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 18 Jun 2021 04:00:00 -0000 BONUS: Building a $780M Startup with Jack Smith —offline discussion with the audience bonus 1 3 Sarah Chen-Spellings “Never build a startup without a technical founder” “Never go to a VC without a well thought out pitch deck” “Never hire people from Craigslist” From breaking all these rules and more, this week's guest, serial entrepreneur and now investor, Jack Smith, somehow turned a terrible idea into a $780M+ exit. This snippet reveals Jack in his rare raw form being brutally honest with the audience on Clubhouse. @_jacksmith has co-founded multiple startups: Vungle, Coin, Shyp and advised many others. We talk everything from his startup outgrowing him to his lack of focus getting him to the right place & right time. — Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal “Never build a startup without a technical founder”

“Never go to a VC without a well thought out pitch deck”

“Never hire people from Craigslist”


From breaking all these rules and more, this week's guest, serial entrepreneur and now investor, Jack Smith, somehow turned a terrible idea into a $780M+ exit. This snippet reveals Jack in his rare raw form being brutally honest with the audience on Clubhouse. @_jacksmith has co-founded multiple startups: Vungle, Coin, Shyp and advised many others. We talk everything from his startup outgrowing him to his lack of focus getting him to the right place & right time.

—

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2117 no Big Tech & The Global Entrepreneurial Revolution with Chris Schroeder https://www.sarah-chen.com/global-entrepreneurial-revolution-chris-schroeder-investor/ This week, we went deep on the Global Entrepreneurial Revolution shaping our future with renowned American investor & entrepreneur, Christopher Schroeder. From the dominance of big tech, to the digital divide to startups rising in the Middle East - we cover it all with Chris. Chris is the co-founder of Next Billion Ventures, a venture capital (VC) fund focused on the next billion digital consumers across global emerging markets and is also a Network Partner for Village Global, an early VC fund backed by Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sara Blakely, Jeff Bezos, Reid Hoffman et al. Chris started in politics with the George W Bush (Senior) presidential campaign before becoming the CEO of the Washington Post/ Newsweek interactive. He then co-founded Health Central which was backed by the likes of Sequoia, Polaris Ventures and the Carlyle Group and was acquired by Remedy Health in 2012. In 2013, Chris published the first book on the Middle East & North Africa’s entrepreneurship scene called: Startup Rising — The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East — with a forward by renowned investor Marc Andreessen. -- 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - What it takes to shift from being an intrapreneur to entrepreneur - How entrepreneurship has become a global lingua franca - Startups thriving across the world and yet a growing digital divide - The challenge of big tech and increasing monopoly, can markets self-correct? - Landscape of innovation in different regions: the rise of superapps ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:49 - Chris' personal chapters as founder to funder & actualizing multiple visions 04:49 - Are entrepreneurs born or made? 06:16 - Shifting from intrapreneur to entrepreneur 12:06 - The lens of a venture capitalist and the lingua franca of entrepreneurship 17:06 - The Venn diagram between impact and profit closing in on each other 18:39 - The role of government and entrepreneurship, big tech 25:33 - Copycat models or real innovation? 27:50 - Chris' interest in Middle East and the startup revolution in the region 31:33 - Chris' advice for founders — Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 11 Jun 2021 04:00:00 -0000 Big Tech & The Global Entrepreneurial Revolution with Chris Schroeder full 1 2 Sarah Chen-Spellings This week, we went deep on the Global Entrepreneurial Revolution shaping our future with renowned American investor & entrepreneur, Christopher Schroeder. From the dominance of big tech, to the digital divide to startups rising in the Middle East - we cover it all with Chris. Chris is the co-founder of Next Billion Ventures, a venture capital (VC) fund focused on the next billion digital consumers across global emerging markets and is also a Network Partner for Village Global, an early VC fund backed by Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sara Blakely, Jeff Bezos, Reid Hoffman et al. Chris started in politics with the George W Bush (Senior) presidential campaign before becoming the CEO of the Washington Post/ Newsweek interactive. He then co-founded Health Central which was backed by the likes of Sequoia, Polaris Ventures and the Carlyle Group and was acquired by Remedy Health in 2012. In 2013, Chris published the first book on the Middle East & North Africa’s entrepreneurship scene called: Startup Rising — The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East — with a forward by renowned investor Marc Andreessen. -- 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - What it takes to shift from being an intrapreneur to entrepreneur - How entrepreneurship has become a global lingua franca - Startups thriving across the world and yet a growing digital divide - The challenge of big tech and increasing monopoly, can markets self-correct? - Landscape of innovation in different regions: the rise of superapps ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:49 - Chris' personal chapters as founder to funder & actualizing multiple visions 04:49 - Are entrepreneurs born or made? 06:16 - Shifting from intrapreneur to entrepreneur 12:06 - The lens of a venture capitalist and the lingua franca of entrepreneurship 17:06 - The Venn diagram between impact and profit closing in on each other 18:39 - The role of government and entrepreneurship, big tech 25:33 - Copycat models or real innovation? 27:50 - Chris' interest in Middle East and the startup revolution in the region 31:33 - Chris' advice for founders — Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal This week, we went deep on the Global Entrepreneurial Revolution shaping our future with renowned American investor & entrepreneur, Christopher Schroeder.

From the dominance of big tech, to the digital divide to startups rising in the Middle East - we cover it all with Chris.

Chris is the co-founder of Next Billion Ventures, a venture capital (VC) fund focused on the next billion digital consumers across global emerging markets and is also a Network Partner for Village Global, an early VC fund backed by Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sara Blakely, Jeff Bezos, Reid Hoffman et al. Chris started in politics with the George W Bush (Senior) presidential campaign before becoming the CEO of the Washington Post/ Newsweek interactive. He then co-founded Health Central which was backed by the likes of Sequoia, Polaris Ventures and the Carlyle Group and was acquired by Remedy Health in 2012. In 2013, Chris published the first book on the Middle East & North Africa’s entrepreneurship scene called: Startup Rising — The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East — with a forward by renowned investor Marc Andreessen.

--

👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- What it takes to shift from being an intrapreneur to entrepreneur

- How entrepreneurship has become a global lingua franca

- Startups thriving across the world and yet a growing digital divide

- The challenge of big tech and increasing monopoly, can markets self-correct?

- Landscape of innovation in different regions: the rise of superapps


⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

02:49 - Chris' personal chapters as founder to funder & actualizing multiple visions

04:49 - Are entrepreneurs born or made?

06:16 - Shifting from intrapreneur to entrepreneur

12:06 - The lens of a venture capitalist and the lingua franca of entrepreneurship

17:06 - The Venn diagram between impact and profit closing in on each other

18:39 - The role of government and entrepreneurship, big tech

25:33 - Copycat models or real innovation?

27:50 - Chris' interest in Middle East and the startup revolution in the region

31:33 - Chris' advice for founders

—

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 2182 no {EXTENDED} Big Tech & The Global Entrepreneurial Revolution with Renowned American Investor, Chris Schroeder https://www.sarah-chen.com/global-entrepreneurial-revolution-chris-schroeder-investor/ [BONUS] Includes the post-show discussion on Clubhouse this week where we went deep on the Global Entrepreneurial Revolution shaping our future with renowned American investor & entrepreneur, Christopher Schroeder. From the dominance of big tech, to the digital divide to startups rising in the Middle East - we cover it all. Chris is the co-founder of Next Billion Ventures, a venture capital (VC) fund focused on the next billion digital consumers across global emerging markets and is also a Network Partner for Village Global, an early VC fund backed by Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sara Blakely, Jeff Bezos, Reid Hoffman et al. Chris started in politics with the George W Bush (Senior) presidential campaign before becoming the CEO of the Washington Post/ Newsweek interactive. He then co-founded Health Central which was backed by the likes of Sequoia, Polaris Ventures and the Carlyle Group and was acquired by Remedy Health in 2012. In 2013, Chris published the first book on the Middle East & North Africa’s entrepreneurship scene called: Startup Rising — The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East — with a forward by renowned investor Marc Andreessen. -- 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - What it takes to shift from being an intrapreneur to entrepreneur - How entrepreneurship has become a global lingua franca - Startups thriving across the world and yet a growing digital divide - The challenge of big tech and increasing monopoly, can markets self-correct? - Landscape of innovation in different regions: the rise of superapps -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:49 - Chris' personal chapters as founder to funder & actualizing multiple visions 04:49 - Are entrepreneurs born or made? 06:16 - Shifting from intrapreneur to entrepreneur 12:06 - The lens of a venture capitalist and the lingua franca of entrepreneurship 17:06 - The Venn diagram between impact and profit closing in on each other 18:39 - The role of government and entrepreneurship, big tech 25:33 - Copycat models or real innovation? 27:50 - Chris' interest in Middle East and the startup revolution in the region 31:33 - Chris' advice for founders 34:34 - Post show discussion with VCs+wider audience — Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal Fri, 11 Jun 2021 04:00:00 -0000 {EXTENDED} Big Tech & The Global Entrepreneurial Revolution with Renowned American Investor, Chris Schroeder full 1 2 Sarah Chen-Spellings [BONUS] Includes the post-show discussion on Clubhouse this week where we went deep on the Global Entrepreneurial Revolution shaping our future with renowned American investor & entrepreneur, Christopher Schroeder. From the dominance of big tech, to the digital divide to startups rising in the Middle East - we cover it all. Chris is the co-founder of Next Billion Ventures, a venture capital (VC) fund focused on the next billion digital consumers across global emerging markets and is also a Network Partner for Village Global, an early VC fund backed by Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sara Blakely, Jeff Bezos, Reid Hoffman et al. Chris started in politics with the George W Bush (Senior) presidential campaign before becoming the CEO of the Washington Post/ Newsweek interactive. He then co-founded Health Central which was backed by the likes of Sequoia, Polaris Ventures and the Carlyle Group and was acquired by Remedy Health in 2012. In 2013, Chris published the first book on the Middle East & North Africa’s entrepreneurship scene called: Startup Rising — The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East — with a forward by renowned investor Marc Andreessen. -- 👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN: - What it takes to shift from being an intrapreneur to entrepreneur - How entrepreneurship has become a global lingua franca - Startups thriving across the world and yet a growing digital divide - The challenge of big tech and increasing monopoly, can markets self-correct? - Landscape of innovation in different regions: the rise of superapps -- ⏳ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:49 - Chris' personal chapters as founder to funder & actualizing multiple visions 04:49 - Are entrepreneurs born or made? 06:16 - Shifting from intrapreneur to entrepreneur 12:06 - The lens of a venture capitalist and the lingua franca of entrepreneurship 17:06 - The Venn diagram between impact and profit closing in on each other 18:39 - The role of government and entrepreneurship, big tech 25:33 - Copycat models or real innovation? 27:50 - Chris' interest in Middle East and the startup revolution in the region 31:33 - Chris' advice for founders 34:34 - Post show discussion with VCs+wider audience — Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal [BONUS] Includes the post-show discussion on Clubhouse this week where we went deep on the Global Entrepreneurial Revolution shaping our future with renowned American investor & entrepreneur, Christopher Schroeder. From the dominance of big tech, to the digital divide to startups rising in the Middle East - we cover it all.


Chris is the co-founder of Next Billion Ventures, a venture capital (VC) fund focused on the next billion digital consumers across global emerging markets and is also a Network Partner for Village Global, an early VC fund backed by Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sara Blakely, Jeff Bezos, Reid Hoffman et al. Chris started in politics with the George W Bush (Senior) presidential campaign before becoming the CEO of the Washington Post/ Newsweek interactive. He then co-founded Health Central which was backed by the likes of Sequoia, Polaris Ventures and the Carlyle Group and was acquired by Remedy Health in 2012. In 2013, Chris published the first book on the Middle East & North Africa’s entrepreneurship scene called: Startup Rising — The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East — with a forward by renowned investor Marc Andreessen.

--

👊🏻 5 THINGS YOU'LL LEARN:

- What it takes to shift from being an intrapreneur to entrepreneur

- How entrepreneurship has become a global lingua franca

- Startups thriving across the world and yet a growing digital divide

- The challenge of big tech and increasing monopoly, can markets self-correct?

- Landscape of innovation in different regions: the rise of superapps

--

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

02:49 - Chris' personal chapters as founder to funder & actualizing multiple visions

04:49 - Are entrepreneurs born or made?

06:16 - Shifting from intrapreneur to entrepreneur

12:06 - The lens of a venture capitalist and the lingua franca of entrepreneurship

17:06 - The Venn diagram between impact and profit closing in on each other

18:39 - The role of government and entrepreneurship, big tech

25:33 - Copycat models or real innovation?

27:50 - Chris' interest in Middle East and the startup revolution in the region

31:33 - Chris' advice for founders

34:34 - Post show discussion with VCs+wider audience

—

Billion Dollar Moves is THE show for the audacious; featuring the top US-Asia founders, funders and execs. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, we cover it all in the world of venture & business. Learn from the crème de la crème so YOU too, can make #billiondollarmoves — in venture, in business, in life.

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes

Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves

FOLLOW SARAH:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

Instagram: instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Twitter: twitter.com/sarahchenglobal

]]> 3068 no TRAILER: Billion Dollar Moves: Get from underestimated to iconic. https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar-episodes/ Get smarter, get inspired. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, to building empires in new markets; all of these efforts require vision from the leaders at the helm. Join venture capitalist & strategist, Sarah Chen-Spellings as she asks the hard questions, and learn through the triumphs, failures and hard lessons of the crème de la crème — so you too, can make #BillionDollarMoves in venture, in business & in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar... Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... Tue, 01 Jun 2021 17:05:00 -0000 TRAILER: Billion Dollar Moves trailer Sarah Chen-Spellings Get smarter, get inspired. From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, to building empires in new markets; all of these efforts require vision from the leaders at the helm. Join venture capitalist & strategist, Sarah Chen-Spellings as she asks the hard questions, and learn through the triumphs, failures and hard lessons of the crème de la crème — so you too, can make #BillionDollarMoves in venture, in business & in life. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar... Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... Get smarter, get inspired.


From the growing pains of a unicorn journey to IPO, scaling a venture capital firm, to building empires in new markets; all of these efforts require vision from the leaders at the helm. Join venture capitalist & strategist, Sarah Chen-Spellings as she asks the hard questions, and learn through the triumphs, failures and hard lessons of the crème de la crème — so you too, can make #BillionDollarMoves in venture, in business & in life.


PODCAST INFO:

Podcast website: https://sarah-chen.com/billion-dollar...

Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol...

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