Ideas Last

The Dangers of Growth

Danielle Gillespie — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 21:28:20 +0000

Jason Sherman, founder of the first beer distributor to deliver directly to people’s doorsteps, comes on to discuss the dangers of growing a startup too quickly.

In this episode, we discuss...

Ways that founders accidentally overwhelm their infrastructures and shrink their profits
Uncommon methods for easing expansion and controlling the pitfalls of rapid growth
How to use crowdfunding to build a loyal customer fan base
How you might be unwittingly affecting your social image

About Jason Sherman...

Jason Sherman is TapRm’s Founder & CEO. TapRm is a platform for everything beer. By collapsing the supply chain, TapRm enables beer brands to sell to their consumers more directly through licensing that allows them to act as the wholesaler, retailer, delivery courier, and marketer. Prior to TapRm, Jason managed investments and acquisitions decisions into a host of beverage businesses including e-commerce, CPG, technology and logistics startups at Zx Ventures, the global incubator and venture capital team funded by Anheuser Busch InBev, the leading global brewer. Jason also holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. from Harvard in economics.

Connect with me to learn more about how the Ideas Last methodology can help you turn your product into a successful business venture, regardless of product stage: paper napkin, beta, V1 or established product already released into the wild. Danielle Gillespie’s Ideas Last website (https://www.daniellegillespie.net/) An introduction to Ideas Last (https://bit.ly/2W08GgM) Email: dg@daniellegillespie.net LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellegillespie/ Medium: https://medium.com/@dgillespie_irl If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast!

The Building Blocks of Startup Success

Danielle Gillespie — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 21:27:44 +0000

Passion is what drives the entrepreneur to create and innovate, but it must be managed and balanced with dedication, open-mindedness, and patience. Nicos Vekiarides delves into the importance of building a stable foundation within a startup to guarantee its longevity.

In this episode, we discuss...

Why it’s ok...sometimes even preferable...for a startups to grow slowly
The fundamental pillars that every startup must adhere to, regardless of the industry
The qualities to look for when building your team
Why you should always look beyond your initial idea and your original product

About Nicos Vekiarides...

Nicos Vekiarides is the Chief Executive Officer & co-founder of Attestiv. He has spent the past 20+ years in enterprise IT and cloud, as a CEO & entrepreneur, bringing innovative new technologies to market. His previous startup, TwinStrata, an innovative cloud storage company where he pioneered cloud-integrated storage for the enterprise, was acquired by EMC in 2014. Before that, he brought to market the industry’s first storage virtualization appliance for StorageApps, a company later acquired by HP.

Nicos holds 6 technology patents in storage, networking and cloud technology and has published numerous articles on new technologies. Nicos is a partner at Mentors Fund, an early-stage venture fund, a mentor at Founder Institute Boston, where he coaches first-time entrepreneurs, and an advisor to several companies. Nicos holds degrees from MIT and Carnegie Mellon University. Danielle Gillespie’s Ideas Last website (https://www.daniellegillespie.net/) An introduction to Ideas Last (https://bit.ly/2W08GgM) Email: dg@daniellegillespie.net LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellegillespie/ Medium: https://medium.com/@dgillespie_irl If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast!

How a Steady Paycheck Can Change the World

Danielle Gillespie — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 21:26:36 +0000

James Herbert started Hastee in an attempt to reduce financial stress and empower individuals. He figured out a way to use technology to distribute money to workers in real time so they wouldn't have to wait for a paycheck. What he didn’t realize was how much effort it would take to educate people that this was possible...and important.

In this episode, we discuss...

How to succeed by making sure your employees know you’re taking care of them
How to figure out when the market is ready for what you’re offering
Financial education as the key to improving quality of life
How more stable income increases productivity and mental health

About James Herbert...

James Herbert is a serial entrepreneur and CEO of Hastee, the financial wellbeing benefit that helps employers get the best from their workers and workers get the most from their money. James set up his first business, Brightsparks, while studying Economics at Durham University. Connecting students with work opportunities through Brightsparks, James was inspired to find a fairer way for people to access their pay so they don’t have to miss out on life’s opportunities or get into debt when unexpected bills pop up. Hastee was founded in 2017. Danielle Gillespie’s Ideas Last website (https://www.daniellegillespie.net/) An introduction to Ideas Last (https://bit.ly/2W08GgM) Email: dg@daniellegillespie.net LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellegillespie/ Medium: https://medium.com/@dgillespie_irl If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast!

The Importance of a Balanced Business Model

Danielle Gillespie — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 20:59:08 +0000

The source of inspiration for a startup is often more important than the idea itself. Erich Ko founded his startup to make public transport more accessible and to make daily life easier for working class people. He emphasizes the importance of having a business model flexible enough to turn every challenge into an opportunity.

In this episode, we discuss...

The stepping stones necessary for launching your own start-up
How obstacles can expand your business model
The true meaning of balance in the start-up world
How to stay focused on your business goals by finding the right mentors

About Erich Ko...

Erich Ko is the CEO and Co-Founder of Hop In. What started as a business idea discussed between a few friends, evolved into a startup with a real purpose: to improve economic development issues and make transportations more accessible for workers everywhere. Hop In is a DMZ Incubator company that provides logistics software services to offer customized corporate shuttle solutions for the daily commute. The startup helps companies retain more talent and access a larger hiring pool while providing employers with a comfortable and efficient commute to work. Erich is a former athlete whose background stretches from public sector PR all the way to fintech. Erich has a Bcomm in Law & Business from the ed Rogers School of Management with a Bilingual Certificate in French. Danielle Gillespie’s Ideas Last website (https://www.daniellegillespie.net/) An introduction to Ideas Last (https://bit.ly/2W08GgM) Email: dg@daniellegillespie.net LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellegillespie/ Medium: https://medium.com/@dgillespie_irl If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast!