Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital

I am thrilled to have James Roycraft-Davis, an investor at Evio, a venture capital firm dedicated to supporting founders who innovate at the intersection of mental health and human performance. Evio's notable portfolio includes successful companies like Calm, Grow Therapy, BetterUp, Foresight, Sway Health, Mental, and Favs.

Timestamps

00:00 Journey into Venture Capital

03:25 Mental Health and Personal Experience

06:18 Advice for the Younger Generation

09:26 Family Business Dynamics

12:30 The Future of Engineering and AI

15:33 Marketing in the Age of AI

18:27 Growth Strategies for Startups

21:29...

I am excited to have Michael Colonnese, the CEO of SV Academy, a pioneering talent platform that helps companies hire pre-trained sales and customer success professionals—with no fees and no catch.

In this conversation, Michael Colonnese, CEO of SV Academy, discusses the innovative approaches to talent acquisition and training in the sales sector. He shares insights on the skills gap, the importance of potential over experience in hiring, and the transformative impact of tech sales careers. Michael also addresses the challenges of onboarding, the role of AI in sales, and the need for a reformed education mo...

I am thrilled to have Cesare Pesci, a Junior Associate at YOBE  Ventures, where he combines a background in investment banking, sustainable finance, trading, consulting, and sales to support growth-stage and tech founders.

In this conversation, Cesare Pesci , a junior associate at Yobe Ventures, discusses his journey into venture capital, the dual role of investment and advisory, and the importance of networking. Cesare shares insights on evaluating founders, the significance of sustainability in investing, and the differences between European and US ecosystems. He emphasises the value of failure as a learning process and offers advice for aspiring ve...

I am excited to have Gaurav Gulati, co-founder and COO of Innov8, which was acquired by OYO. Gaurav is a GP at Aroa Venture Partners, which he backs startups that deliver strong returns and meaningful impact.

In this conversation, Gaurav Gulati, founder of Aroha Venture Partners, shares his journey from the US to India, his experiences in building startups, and the founding of his mission-driven VC firm. He discusses the importance of a global perspective in venture capital, the challenges of supporting founders, and the evolving landscape of AI and pricing strategies in startups. Gaurav emphasises the...

I am excited to have Clay Norris is a GP at Outlaw and founder of ConfluenceVC, known for pioneering "narrative capital"—leveraging media to build venture scale.

In this conversation, Clay Norris, a General Partner at Outlaw and founder of Confluence VC discusses his journey into venture capital, the importance of building an audience, and the concept of narrative capital. Clay shares insights on fundraising challenges for emerging managers, portfolio construction strategies, and the evolving landscape of venture capital, including the impact of AI and the role of founders in running their own funds. The discussion emphasizes th...

I am excited to have Sameer Narkar, the founder of Konnect Insights. This unified customer experience management platform brings together social listening, omni-channel ticketing, analytics, and AI under one roof.

In this conversation, Sameer Narkar, founder of Konnect Insights, shares his journey of building a successful SaaS company focused on customer experience management. He discusses the importance of bootstrapping, the role of AI in enhancing customer interactions, and strategies for global expansion. Sameer emphasises the need for effective sales teams, the evolution of product management roles, and the impact of AI on job markets. He also touches...

I am thrilled to have Dario De Wet, a VC investor and founder of LTV Capital, and managing director at Monza Group International. 

In this conversation, Dario De Wet shares his entrepreneurial journey from selling Game Boy emulators in South Africa to becoming a venture capital investor and founder of LTV Capital. He discusses the unique entrepreneurial spirit in South Africa, the balance between his passion for motorsport and his VC career, and the evolution of his investment strategies. Dario emphasises the importance of understanding the venture capital landscape, the impact of AI on startups, and the c...

I am excited to have Shashank Randev — a seasoned operator turned investor and the Founder & General Partner at 247VC, one of India’s boldest new seed funds. Before launching 247VC, Shashank co-founded 100X.VC, where he backed over 180 startups and helped pioneer the iSAFE note in India.

In this conversation, Shashank Randev, a seasoned operator and investor, discusses his journey from 100XVC to founding 247VC. We explore the evolving landscape of venture capital in India, the importance of backing diverse founders, common mistakes made by pre-seed founders, and the unique position of 247VC in the seed funding ecos...

I am thrilled to have Sachit Rajan, who is a Venture Capital Partner at Erez Capital and a Venture Partner at NetworkVC.org, specialising in early-stage startups across SaaS, fintech, and AI. With extensive experience leading multi-market operations at Charter Finco, Sachit has driven strategic growth, business scalability, and global market expansion.

In this conversation, Sachit Rajan shares his extensive journey in the world of startups and venture capital, discussing his experiences in market entry strategies, supporting early-stage startups, and navigating the evolving Middle East market. He emphasises the importance of clarity in startup ideas, the impact...

I am excited to have Michelle Denogean is the author of the book "GrowUp! Take Your Startup to the Next Level," offer a comprehensive guide to navigating the challenges of scaling a startup.  She is the CMO of Mindtrip, a travel company. Michelle Denogean earned her MBA at Pepperdine University

In this episode, Michelle Denogean, author of 'Grow Up', shares her extensive experience in startups and marketing, discussing the impact of AI on the travel industry, the importance of understanding one's superpowers as a founder, and strategies for growth in challenging markets. She emphasises the significance of r...

Ali Hafizji is the CEO of Wednesday, an engineering services company specializing in - Data Engineering, Generative AI, and Application Modernization.

In this episode, Ali Hafizji, founder of Wednesday, shares how his frustration with clunky banking APIs sparked the idea to launch a high-performance engineering services firm. He dives into building outcome-focused teams, the evolution from MVP to product-market fit, and why founders must shift from intuition to data. Ali unpacks common mistakes startups make post-MVP, tips for leveraging AI tools effectively, and why retention—not vanity metrics—matters most. He also breaks down how India’s unicor...

I am thrilled to have Tom Kelly, a global tech leader and angel investor, works as the senior director of account management at Braze.  With deep expertise in customer success, AI adoption, and GTM strategy, Tom builds high-performing teams and invests in the next wave of startups shaping the future of tech.

In this episode, Tom Kelly, Senior Director at Braze and angel investor, shares his journey from physics and hedge funds to building global technical account teams. Tom dives into launching a new services arm inside a high-growth SaaS company, how to scale AI adoption across t...

I am thrilled to have Jason Schappert, the CEO of Moola, an AI-powered stock scoring and decision engine designed to empower the next generation of investors to achieve true financial freedom. Earlier - MzeroA was named one of the Inc. 500’s top-growing private companies and recognized as a “Best Place to Work.”

In this episode, Jason Schappert, founder of Moola, shares his journey from pest control routes to an eight-figure exit. Jason dives into bootstrapping his aviation edtech startup, turning early YouTube lessons into a thriving business, and scaling with scrappy tools and mindset. He unpacks key lesson...

I am excited to have Joseph Lee, the founder of Supademo - The fastest and easiest way to create high-converting interactive demos with AI. Over 70k professionals in marketing, growth, sales, and success use Supademo to enable customers, scale product adoption and close more deals.

In this episode, Joseph Lee, founder of Supademo and former Freshline co-founder, shares his journey from seafood marketplaces to revolutionizing product demos. Joseph dives into building a product-led SaaS company, how Supademo scaled through SEO, Reddit, and handcrafted outreach, and why intuitive UX beats feature bloat. He unpacks the importance of market...

I am excited to have Vanessa Larco, who was a Partner at NEA and is now launching a fund called Premise, where she led investments in breakthrough companies like Cleo, Rocket.Chat, Mejuri, EvidentID, Greenlight Card, Feather, and Lily AI. She also served as a board observer for high-growth startups including Robinhood, Willow Pump, and OmniSci.

In this episode, Vanessa Larco, ex-Partner at NEA and founding GP of Primis, shares her journey from product management at Microsoft and Box to becoming a leading early-stage VC. Vanessa dives into how AI is reshaping product roles, what makes the...

I am thrilled to have Nick Huber, the founder of TheSweatyStartup.com, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and popular content creator focused on small business ownership. Nick cofounded and operates his primary business, Bolt Storage, a commercial real estate firm, which owns 1.9 million square feet of self-storage facilities across 62 locations in 11 states. He is the author of the new book, The Sweaty Startup.

In this episode, Nick Huber, founder of The Sweaty Startup and Bolt Storage, shares his journey from building a “boring” service business to managing 1.9 million square feet of self-storage facilities and investing in global talent throug...

Levi Velez Reed is the founder of Twig Ventures is an investment syndicate specialising in sustainable consumer products and tech startups across North America, targeting companies at the pre-seed to seed stage. 

In this episode, Levi Velez Reed, founder of Twig Ventures, shares his journey from bootstrapping a marketing agency in New York to launching an investment syndicate focused on sustainable consumer products and tech startups. He explains the impact of removing unconscious bias in VC funding, supporting underrepresented founders, and creating accessible accelerator programs like Startup425. Levi discusses the unique business model of Twig Ventures, sustainable f...

I am thrilled to have Greg Alexander, the founder of Collective 54, the first mastermind community for thriving professional services firms. Collective 54 helps founders and leaders grow, scale and exit their firms bigger and faster.

In this episode, Greg Alexander, founder of Collective 54 and author of The Boutique, shares his journey of building and scaling professional services firms. He explains the three life-cycle stages: Grow, Scale, and Exit, and the importance of moving away from trading time for money. Greg discusses the unique business model of Collective 54, monetisation strategies for boutique firms, the critical elements that make a f...

Renan Devillieres is the CEO of OSS Ventures. Renan Devillieres is a CEO who is passionate about making a positive impact on society and the environment, and who believes in using technology to drive change. Renan has a wealth of experience in areas such as manufacturing operations, SaaS, and venture capital. 

Timestamps

01:00 – Renan’s unconventional path from Google search to joining McKinsey.

03:00 – Transition from factory director to building a tech startup; early failures and pivots.

05:10 – Moving to San Francisco, finding product-market fit, and exiting the company.

06:30 – Renan’s “two-brain” perspective: manu...

Shubham Khoker was the Head of Growth at Topmate. Topmate.io is a fast-growing online platform that connects freelancers and clients, he used to lead the growth strategy and execution for the company. rifa.ai founder. IIT bombay

In this episode, Shubham Khoker, former Head of Growth at Topmate and founder of Rifa AI, shares his unconventional journey from UPSC preparation to the startup world, insights from scaling Topmate in India and the US, lessons from failed experiments, and the evolution of the creator economy. He discusses the future of AI in growth and operations, the difference...

I am thrilled to have Palash Soni, the CEO of Goldcast, an AI-powered B2B Video Campaign Platform that transforms marketing by putting video and events at the heart of the customer journey.

In this episode, Palash Soni, CEO and Co-founder of Goldcast, shares how dropping out of Harvard Business School during the pandemic led to building an AI-powered B2B video marketing platform. Palash walks us through his early failures, the moment he saw the COVID tailwind, and how Goldcast scaled from zero to $1M ARR with Drift as an early customer. He also explains the...

Kishore Ravichandran is the investor at Plug and Play, the ultimate innovation platform. Over the past 15 years, PnP has brought together 35,000+ startups, 500+ world-leading corporations, and hundreds of venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies across 20+ industries

In this episode, Kishore Ravichandran, Investor at Plug and Play Tech Center shares how a university program in Singapore sparked his passion for startups and led to a career in venture capital. Kishore explains Plug and Play’s global model—investing in over 2,000 startups, supporting them with a 550+ strong corporate partner network, and operating across verticals from mobility to sustainability.  Kishore also d...

Hugo Gomez is the co-founder and CEO of Bourgeois Bohème (BoBo), a fintech that caters to the unique needs of (U)HNWIs. Hugo has over 15 years of experience in traditional banking, including roles at HSBC and Banistmo

In this episode, Hugo Gomez, Co-founder and CEO of Bobo Fintech, shares how his background in traditional banking led him to build a luxury fintech platform tailored for high-net-worth individuals. Hugo discusses how Bobo offers customizable financial experiences—from wearable payment devices to accounts for private staff—and why legacy banks are unprepared for the $84 trillion generational wealth transfer. He delv...

Ilya Drozdov, is the CEO at Dwelly, an AI-enabled Lettings & Property Management Marketplace, that boosts 3x margins of the letting agency in 2 months only. He previously co-founded the largest tech-enabled letting company in Eastern Europe that managed 10,000+ properties and reached $50M GMV in three years.

In this episode, Ilya Drozdov, former Uber GM and CEO of Dwelly shares his journey from scaling Uber Russia to building tech-enabled property management platforms. He dives into lessons from managing fierce competition with Yandex, what made Uber’s playbook effective, and how Dwelly uses AI to transform traditional letting agencies. Ilya al...

Daniel Kang is the CEO & co-founder of Y-Combinator-backed startup Flowbo, a marketplace that provides financing to influencers and allows fans to share in their success. He is the author of his new book - The Super Upside Factor: Asymmetric Principles that Will 10x Your Life

In this episode, Daniel Kang, author of The Super Upside Factor, shares his journey from consulting at BCG to venture capital at SoftBank and ultimately founding Flowbo, a Y Combinator-backed marketplace that helps creators access capital. He discusses the challenges of building Flowbo during COVID-19, securing early customers, and the importance of a...

Kartik Dabbiru is the founder and CEO of ComplyStream, an innovative regulatory tech start-up venture dedicated to simplifying and unifying fragmented tools and compliance processes.

In this episode, Karthik Dabiru, founder and CEO of Complystream, shares his journey from product management to entrepreneurship in the FinTech space. He discusses the challenges and lessons learned while transitioning from traditional banking to a fast-paced FinTech environment, the inception of Complystream, and the importance of AI in streamlining financial crime operations. Karthik also highlights the significance of hiring the right talent, building a secure yet user-friendly platform, and the future e...

Anthony Danon is the GP of Rerail - Pre-seed / seed angel fund investing in founders that look to utilize fintech. He was earlier a partner at  Speedinvest and an investor at Anthemis

In this episode, Anthony Danon, General Partner at Rerail, shares his journey from an unpaid internship at Anthemis to building Rerail, a $24M solo GP fund focused on fintech-powered businesses. Anthony discusses his early days of investing in fintech at Anthemis and Speedinvest, the decision to co-found Coco Fund with Carmen, and why he eventually launched Rerail. He explains his “Everything is Fintech” thesis, the value...

Jenny Fielding is the co-founder and Managing Partner of  Everywhere Ventures. She is the author of the book, Venture Everywhere

In this episode, Jenny Fielding, co-founder and managing partner of Everywhere Ventures, shares her journey from corporate law and startup founder to becoming a top pre-seed investor. She discusses the transition from running startups to venture capital, the challenges of building a micro-fund, and the power of community-driven investing. She also talks about her book Venture Everywhere, highlighting inspiring founders worldwide, and much more!

Timestamps

00:30 - 01:00 - Jenny’s background as a pre-seed inv...

Jenny Rothenberg, the COO of Smooth Media, an NYC-based agency representing knowledge creators. She is the ex-director of growth at Morning Brew.

In this episode, the CEO of Smooth Media, Jenny Rothenberg shares her journey from Industry Dive and Morning Brew to founding her own media and agency powerhouse. Jenny reveals how she leveraged data-driven paid ads, referral programs, and strategic content repurposing to scale audiences and build thriving relationships with knowledge creators. She discusses pivotal lessons learned from growth experiments, from subway ad missteps to optimizing subscriber engagement and much more!

Timestamps

01:00 – 01:30

Roshan Gupta is the founder of AmplifyPM Roshan founded AmplifyPM to bridge this gap and transform Product Managers into Product Leaders.. He is the ex-product head at Google and Meta

In this episode, Roshan Gupta, founder of Amplify PM and former product leader at Google and Meta, shares his journey from software engineering to product management and leadership. Roshan discusses breaking into PM roles, scaling from team management to leading 300+ people, and key mindset shifts for product leaders. He dives into the importance of storytelling, strategic thinking, and networking for career growth. Roshan also explores the evolving A...

Bo Abrams is the founder of kommu ("koh-mu"), a connected home-sharing and travel platform that links users with their network and lets them host trusted friends, interest groups, and communities in their homes on their terms.

In this episode, Bo Abrams, founder of Kommu, shares his journey from hedge funds and VC to launching a connected home-sharing and travel platform. Bob discusses the inspiration behind Kommu, differentiating from Airbnb, and building trust in a competitive marketplace. He explores strategies for scaling, maintaining affordability, and expanding into key cities. Bob also talks about social-driven travel trends among millennials...

Saravana Kumar is the founder of Kovai - to $10 million ARR. Kovai currently employs 160 people, with offices in India and the UK.

In this episode, Saravana Kumar, founder of Kovai, shares his journey from IT consulting to building a bootstrapped SaaS business with over 200 employees. Saravana discusses identifying business gaps that led to products like BizTalk 360 and Document 360, scaling multiple SaaS products, and managing culture across global teams. He dives into the decision to bootstrap instead of seeking VC funding, the impact of AI on business operations, opportunities in India's growing tech ecosystem, and much more!

I am thrilled to have Yuriy Zaremba, CEO of AiSDR which creates and sends personalized sales emails at scale and once a prospective customer engages – automatically corresponds with them, handling objections and answering follow-up questions to book a meeting.

In this episode, Yuri Zaremba, CEO of AISDR, shares his journey from law to tech, founding multiple startups, including AXDraft and AISDR. Yuri discusses his transformative Y Combinator experience, the challenges of building AI solutions in legal tech, and why he exited AXDraft. He dives into how generative AI is revolutionizing sales, the future of SDR roles, and stri...

Stephan de Moraes (aka Stephan Morais) is the founder and Managing General Partner of Indico Capital Partners (www.indicocapital.com), a leading venture capital tech and sustainability-focused firm based in Portugal.

In this episode, Stephan De Moraes, Managing General Partner at Indigo Capital Partners, shares his journey from consulting and banking to founding a leading venture capital firm in Southern Europe. Stephan discusses the challenges of raising funds in emerging ecosystems, the traits of successful unicorn startups, and why Portuguese startups aim global from day one. He explores the intersection of sustainability and tech with Indigo’s oc...

I am excited to have Kate McAndrew, the GP of Baukunst is a collective of creative technologists advancing the art of building companies at the frontiers of technology and design. They lead pre-seed rounds, typically investing $500k-$1.5M in pre-product, pre-revenue startups. Kate is the author of the book - The Goddess Guide to Branding,

In this episode, Kate McAndrew, General Partner at Baukunst, shares her inspiring journey from art history graduate to venture capitalist. Kate discusses the unique challenges and opportunities of pre-seed investing, identifying exceptional founders, and her approach to scaling hardware startups. She delves i...

I am thrilled to have Anand Chandra, the founder of Arya.ag, India’s largest grain commerce platform which bridges the gap between sellers and buyers of agriproducts, providing complete assurance on quantity, quality, and payments. Arya Collateral has attracted funding from top-tier investors like Quona Capital, the U.S. International Development Finance Corp, Lightrock, and Stride Ventures.

In this episode, Anand Chandra, founder of Arya, India’s largest green commerce platform, shares his journey from banking to entrepreneurship. Anand discusses the challenges of financing small and marginal farmers, building trust in fragmented agri supply chains, and scal...

I am excited to have Nick Moran, the founder and General Partner of New Stack Ventures. In addition to investing, Nick founded the 1st Venture Capital podcast, The Full Ratchet.

In this episode, Nick Moran, founder and General Partner of NewStack Ventures, shares his journey from mergers and acquisitions at Danaher to pioneering venture capital podcasting with The Full Ratchet. Nick delves into the challenges of transitioning to VC, the importance of investing in "outsiders," and the long feedback cycles of venture investing. He discusses evaluating founders, the shift toward AI-first companies, navigating SaaS market corrections, and...

I am thrilled to have Mutstafa Khanwala, the founder of Mishipay. MishiPay empowers shoppers to scan and pay for shopping with their smartphones, rather than wasting time queuing at the checkout.

In this episode, Mustafa Khanwala, founder of Mishipay, shares his entrepreneurial journey from building early prototypes to raising £15 million for his innovative mobile checkout solution. Mustafa discusses the challenges of scaling internationally, securing anchor clients, and adapting leadership styles over a decade. He offers insights into leveraging AI in retail, the importance of product-market fit, strategies for entering new markets, and much more!

Timestamps

I am thrilled to have Deepak Anchala, the founder of Slintel which helped help GTM teams make smarter decisions in a buyer-driven world. He was also the VP of 6Sense and is a founder of an AI startup.

In this episode, Deepak Anchala, founder of Slintel and author of Idea to Exit, shares his entrepreneurial journey from India to Silicon Valley. Deepak discusses his early ventures, building Slintel, and navigating the SaaS ecosystem. He explores the differences between U.S. and Indian markets, traits of successful founders, and strategies for achieving product-market fit. Deepak also dives into...

I am excited to have Wes Bush, the Founder of ProductLed and author of the bestseller Product-Led Growth: How to Build a Product That Sells Itself. He is the author of the new book, The ProductLed Playbook

In this episode, Wes Bush, founder of ProductLed and author of Product-Led Growth, shares his journey into startups and the transformative power of product-led growth (PLG). Wes explores the shift from sales-led to PLG models, insights from Vidyard, and the keys to scaling SaaS businesses. He discusses freemium challenges, leveraging AI for better conversion, and mastering content marketing with books a...