Ambition Today, Startup Stories with Kevin Siskar

Episode Description Today, we sat down with Cory Bergh, the co-founder and CEO of Crbon Labs, to talk about his journey, the hidden infrastructure problem behind the energy industry — and how climate tech is a great solution and can soon become economically viable. Cory's path into entrepreneurship is anything but traditional. After writing his master's thesis on entrepreneurship in the early 1990s, he spent nearly 30 years working across venture capital, finance, and oil & gas before eventually launching Crbon Labs. In this episode, we break down the economics of oil wells, why millions of inactive wells still exist across North America, and how Crbon Labs is turning abandoned infrastructure into measurable climate impact. Crbon Labs identifies and plugs leaking oil and gas wells while generating verified carbon credits tied directly to methane reduction. Cory also walks us through CarbonScope, the company's proprietary software platform that uses data and algorithms to identify the highest-impact projects, as well as Carbon Free, their newer product suite focused on helping businesses offset emissions tied to e-commerce, payments, and even AI workloads. Other topics we cover include: • Why many oil wells are never properly plugged or abandoned • The "lower for longer" oil era and how fracking changed the industry • How Carbon Labs validates and monetizes methane reduction • Carbon Free for Shopify, Stripe, and AI platforms • OpenClaw, AI agents, and autonomous software systems • Why AI may become one of the biggest future drivers of energy demand • The intersection of software, infrastructure, and climate innovation The Greatest Piece of Advice: 👉 "Go down as many paths as you can at the same time, because you never know which one is going to pay off." Links and show notes from this episode: Crbn Labs Website Crbn Labs on LinkedIn Cory Bergh on LinkedIn Finta ========== Visit Ambition Today on the Web: ​www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on Twitter: ​twitter.com/TheSiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Add Kevin Siskar on Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, Tony Robbins, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, and Casey Neistat. Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy).

This episode of Ambition Today is supported by: Finta, The Capital Copilot In October 2024, Finta hosted a panel for LA Tech Week called "How I Raised - Seed, Series A, Series B." Featuring founders exploringthe unique challenges and insights of securing capital at different stages of their company. Our incredible panel for this event consists of: David Kervin‍ Proteus Space ($8M Raised) - Revolutionizing satellite design with AI-driven platforms, aiming to reduce the time and cost of deploying satellites through automation and cutting-edge technology. Gaurav Bhattacharya Jeeva ($16M Raised) - Harness AI-driven customer intelligence, helping companies optimize their customer experience and reduce churn through actionable insights​. Scott Wayman Kangarootime ($37.5M Raised) - A leading innovator in the childcare management software industry, Kangarootime has risen to the forefront, providing vital solutions for daycares and preschools. Key Fundraising Insights From This Episode: 1. Getting Investor Buy-In: Confidence Over Convincing Founders emphasized that successful fundraising begins with confidence, not just pitching facts. Believing in your mission sets the tone for investor meetings, as confidence drives a stronger, more resonant narrative. ‍ 2. Parallel vs. Sequential Fundraising Processes Gaurav shared that sequential meetings can be a trap, leading to prolonged efforts. Instead, structuring outreach as a concentrated, parallel push creates urgency and FOMO among investors, leading to quicker commitments. ‍ 3. Navigating Round Dynamics with Clear Milestones For each funding stage, specific milestones are critical. Scott noted that Series B investors expect well-established product-market fit and sales efficiency, while Series A focuses on validating product intent. Seed rounds, by contrast, require strong founder conviction and a scrappy dedication. ‍ 4. Leveraging Warm Intros for Better Outcomes Cold outreach has a low conversion rate. David and Gaurav underscored the importance of warm intros, building relationships long before "the ask," as connections formed early often convert to funding opportunities. ‍ 5. Pitfalls in Equity Structure and Term Negotiations Gaurav and Scott highlighted the importance of a clean cap table and an informed approach to term sheets, particularly for liquidation preferences and convertible notes, which can heavily dilute founder control if unchecked. ‍ 6. Evolving Pitch Focus: Metrics Over Mission at Later Stages With each funding stage, the pitch shifts. For Series B, Scott mentioned that metrics and market dynamics become critical to justify high-value funding rounds, moving beyond storytelling toward quantifiable business growth. ‍ 7. The Role of Timing and Market Trends Market trends, such as the rise of AI, can be powerful, but founders caution to present technology realistically. David shared that aligning milestones with tech waves and managing investor perceptions is essential for positioning within emerging sectors. ‍ 8. Finding the Balance in Deal Terms and Equity Retention David noted that while SAFE notes and convertible debt can expedite early funding, they can also lead to significant dilution. Founders should prioritize understanding term sheets and use cap table modeling tools like Carta to project long-term equity impacts. ‍ 9. Building and Utilizing Investor Relationships Over Time David emphasized the value of maintaining relationships with VCs who may not invest immediately. Regular updates and casual interactions allow investors to track your progress and feel more comfortable when it's time to commit. ‍ 10. Strategic Use of Milestones to Drive Up Valuation Meeting critical operational or revenue milestones before the next round can significantly enhance valuation and interest. Scott's journey highlighted that proving product-market fit and high sales efficiency before Series B can allow for strong, valuation-focused negotiations. ‍ 11. Positioning Within Tech Waves for Strategic Advantage Each wave of technology (e.g., AI, blockchain) offers a unique angle for storytelling and market positioning. Scott and Gaurav recommended founders lean into tech trends authentically, showcasing how the wave aligns with their product rather than simply following hype. ‍ Hosting this event was a blast! A massive thank you to everyone who helped make this event happen and a success. We can't wait to see you all at the next one! ========== Visit Ambition Today on the Web: ​www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on Twitter: ​twitter.com/TheSiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Add Kevin Siskar on Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, Tony Robbins, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, and Casey Neistat. Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy).

We sat down with one of the most influential people in tech, Lorenzo Thione, who shares his very inspiring journey and how that led him to be where he is today. Lorenzo grew up in Milan, Italy and had a technical background at an early age. He completed his studies at the University of Texas at Austin, from which he holds a M.S. in Computer Engineering. He is now the Managing Director of Gaingels, a leading LGBTQIA+/Allies investment syndicate and one of the largest and most active private investors in North America. He is also the co-founding Chairman of StartOut, Chairman of the Board at Social Edge, and previously co-founded Powerset, a natural-language search engine startup sold to Microsoft for $100 million in 2008. Lorenzo is named one of the most influential LGBT people in tech in 2014 and 2018 and his dedication in supporting and elevating leaders of the LGBTQ+ in the venture startup is amazing. As the Managing Producer at Sing Out, Louis! Productions, he is also a Tony-Award winner (Hadestown, The Inheritance). He produced and co-created the Broadway musical, Allegiance starring George Takei and Lea Salonga. He is currently working in a new original musical, Indigo, as well as The Elephant Whisperer. We covered a lot of ground in this episode, including: Topics Discussed: Where his passion comes from and how Lorenzo found entrepreneurship. Helping others to build a diverse company by providing more than just funding. The different companies that he had a part in building. His mark on Broadway. How your descent can make a difference in your future and your thinking. How the model of angel groups is evolving to syndicates and SPV's. The role of a "Platform" strategy to help Gaingels portfolio companies. What does Lorenzo think about the future of Venture Capital. Quote of the Episode: "Strategic Value, what is all being brought to the table" The Greatest Piece of Advice: His mentor told him to, " be obsessive, about how you can add value, to your own network and relationships" Links & show notes from this episode: Lorenzo Thione on Bio Lorenzo Thione on LinkedIn Lorenzo Thione on Twitter Gaingels StartOut Shearshare Bryan Janeczko episode ========== Visit Ambition Today on the Web: ​www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on Twitter: ​twitter.com/TheSiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Add Kevin Siskar on Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, Tony Robbins, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, and Casey Neistat. Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy).

Scott Wayman's shares his epically inspiring founder story. His passion for Kangarootime is next level and the company is currently focused on winning the childcare management software space for daycares and preschools. With plans to expand to the larger "care economy" which includes not only early education & childcare but also elder & senior care. A $648B TAM in the U.S. Alone according to Melinda Gate's Pivotal Ventures. The Kangarootime team brilliantly positioned themselves throughout COVID19 as leaders in the space, by taking time to host educational sessions about how their customers can best adapt their centers, as well as quickly shipping new features such as contactless check-in/out, health checks, and more. I have personally watched Scott relentlessly grow this company from their early days at Founder Institute, through several investments from 43North, and was very excited to sit down with him for this episode. ========== Visit Ambition Today on the Web: ​www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on Twitter: ​twitter.com/TheSiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Add Kevin Siskar on Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, Tony Robbins, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, and Casey Neistat. Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy).

From growing up on a dairy farm, to a successful entrepreneur with hundreds of employees, meet our next guest, Jack Greco. Greco co-founded ACV Auctions, an online auction dealer platform, which was last valued at $1.5B. He never thought that he would be the person to co-found Buffalo's first unicorn startup in 2014. The great part is the story behind his success. He later reveals to Kevin that he has been fired from every job before he became a founder, and what kicked him in gear, was learning that he had a baby on the way. Every success story is different, and I think this is great for our audience to hear, and prove to you, never give up, or think that you are not worth something because you got fired! Pick your feet up and move on! As of 2018, Greco left ACV Auctions and is now an angel investor. To date, he has invested in over 50 companies and is trying his hardest to maintain a quality work-life balance for his son. Topics Discussed: A little background on Jack Greco Unicorn Start-Up Angel investing in 50 companies Working with others Covid effects on the world Work-life balance Mental Health Having a coach is so important Buffalo Bridge Quote of the Episode: "This [ACV Auctions] is a great learning experience, and it will shape who I am going to be as an investor, a mentor, executive, father, for the rest of my life." - Jack Greco The Greatest Piece of Advice: Checkout the podcast's back channel, The A-List where you can listen to exclusive audio clips containing the single greatest piece of advice our guests have ever learned! Links & show notes from this episode: ACV Auctions Connect with Jack on LinkedIn Connect with Jack on Twitter Buffalo Bridge Finta ========== Visit Ambition Today on the Web: ​www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on Twitter: ​twitter.com/TheSiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Add Kevin Siskar on Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, Tony Robbins, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, and Casey Neistat. Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy).

Our next guest is so amazing, we had to interview him a second time! He was on nearly 5 years ago on Episode 8! Jeff Wald is an entrepreneur who has started three technology companies, with his latest company, WorkMarket, being sold to ADP. Monday was officially his last day. He is a Board Member on the following boards: Steel Connect, Costar Technologies, TransfrVR, Peerless Systems, and Register.com. But the true reason we brought him on the podcast today was to talk about his book, "The Rise of On-Demand Workers and Agile Corporations". Tune in to hear all about his book as well as statistics regarding the workforce in 2020: Topics Discussed: What is it like to sell a company? Remote working Social Squads The goal of the meeting Mechanization Electrification Computerization Abusing Powers Quote of the Episode: "Every time {we revolutionize} we ended up with more jobs, at a higher standard of living, with working fewer hours, that is definitively clear through history." The Greatest Piece of Advice: Join the podcast's backchannel, The A-List where members can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips and get the single greatest piece of advice our guests have ever learned! Links & show notes from this episode: The End of Jobs Book on Amazon Jeff on LinkedIn Jeff on Twitter WorkMarket ========== Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By: Finta - A secure, deal room platform for early-stage companies. Quickly set up your company and you've got a blazing fast tool for organizing your fundraise and securing your sensitive company information. House your pitch deck, secure your legal documents, organize your cap table, notify target investors, and close deals faster! Finta allows you to raise more, save time, and increase your efficiency. The A-List - Join the podcast's backchannel for exclusive access to learn the single greatest piece of advice each guest has ever learned! ========== Visit Ambition Today on the Web: ​www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on Twitter: ​twitter.com/TheSiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Add Kevin Siskar on Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, Tony Robbins, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, and Casey Neistat. Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy).

Our next guest on the show, is the amazing Harold Hughes. He is the founder of Bandwagon, which helps companies discover the identity of their fans in order to increase attendance, offer personalized services, and increase revenue. Growing up, Harold made his first dollar selling AirHeads for cheaper than the school sold them at their cafeteria until he got caught! He went to Clemson University where he received a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Economics, before going back for his Masters's degree later. It was then, while he was taking his strategic management course that he realized it was a lot like being a fan at a sports event. Harold loved playing sports when he grew up, and he loved that it didn't matter your families financial status was or where you lived, you just loved to play the game. That is where Bandwagon all started. Now Harold has expanded Bandwagon from just preventing ticket fraud for fans, too also being a fan identity and data analytics company. Tune in to hear more about Harold's story and experiences going through the ups and downs of being a CEO. Quote of the Episode: "Service to others is the rent for your time on earth" Gauntlet: Listen in for Harold's amazing tips from his experience growing his business: Branding/Design Go-to-Market Product Development Hiring Revenue and Accounting Fundraising The Greatest Piece of Advice: Join the podcast's backchannel, The A-List where members can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips and get the single greatest piece of advice our guests have ever learned! Links & show notes from this episode: Bandwagon Harold's LinkedIn Harold's Twitter Never Lost Again Equity Token Audible ========== Proudly Independent & Supported By: Finta- A secure online, cloud-based, operations center for your start-up. Quickly set up your company and you've got a blazing fast tool for raising capital and securing your sensitive company information. House your pitch deck, secure your legal documents, organize your cap table, notify target investors, and close deals faster! Finta allows you to raise more, save time, and increase your efficiency. Audible - Visit www.audibletrial.com/AmbitionToday to download and keep any audiobook for free. Download your free book now! The A-List - Join the podcast's backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice each guest has ever learned! ========== Follow: Visit Ambition Today on the Web: www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on: Twitter: twitter.com/TheSiskar Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy). ========== About: Ambition Today is a podcast about entrepreneurs, creators, investors, and builders who ambitiously changed the world. Each episode explores the hardships and heroism of everyday life to reveal the key moments which leave behind a lasting legacy. Creating value in the world is hard, but you are not alone. No matter where you are in the world Ambition Today, hosted by Kevin Siskar, is here to keep you company you as you create your own incredible story. Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, Casey Neistat, and Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman.

Packing for a nice relaxing vacation, you look around, and realize, you have these beautiful plants that you have worked so hard in growing, and you wonder, are they going to be thriving when you get home? Our amazing guest today, Dan Nelson thought just that as he prepared for his honeymoon a few years back. There has to be a better way than having dead plants when you get back from vacation! This is the event that gave him a new chapter in life. After countless hours of studying under his belt, he helped create Grow Computer as it is today! Dan didn't always have the ambition to help automate agriculture, he grew up in Long Island where his father and grandfather instilled his great work ethic in him. He would help with the latest house project by wheelbarrowing supplies to them when needed. He had great hardworking role models and followed in their footsteps. Nelson graduated with a Masters Degree in accounting and an undergraduate in Economics at the University of Michigan. Before Grow Computer, he had many jobs, with one of his favorites being a virtual CFO because he has always loved helping people build better businesses. He even created a tool called Start of Economics 101. Tune in to this episode to hear more about Dan and his tips and experience in building his own company. Quote of the Episode: "If it [computer system] doesn't talk to each other, it adds layers, complexity, transaction costs and stress and hassle, and reduces the efficiency in any business" Gauntlet:Listen in for the tips, tricks, and tools that Dan shares with us! Branding/Design Go-to-Market Product Development Hiring Revenue and Accounting Fundraising The Greatest Piece of Advice: Join the podcast's backchannel, The A-List where members can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips and get the single greatest piece of advice our guests have ever learned! Links & show notes from this episode: Grow Computer Dan's LinkedIn Abundance - Peter H. Diamondis Beer School - Steve Hindey and Tom Potter The Captain Class - Sam Walker Equity Token Audible Copper - Fundraising Tool ========== Proudly Independent & Supported By: Finta- A secure online, cloud-based, operations center for your start-up. Quickly set up your company and you've got a blazing fast tool for raising capital and securing your sensitive company information. House your pitch deck, secure your legal documents, organize your cap table, notify target investors, and close deals faster! Finta allows you to raise more, save time, and increase your efficiency. Audible - Visit www.audibletrial.com/AmbitionToday to download and keep any audiobook for free. Download your free book now! The A-List - Join the podcast's backchannel for exclusive access to additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Plus, Learn the single greatest piece of advice each guest has ever learned! ========== Follow: Visit Ambition Today on the Web: www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on: Twitter: twitter.com/TheSiskar Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy). ========== About: Ambition Today is a podcast about entrepreneurs, creators, investors, and builders who ambitiously changed the world. Each episode explores the hardships and heroism of everyday life to reveal the key moments which leave behind a lasting legacy. Creating value in the world is hard, but you are not alone. No matter where you are in the world Ambition Today, hosted by Kevin Siskar, is here to keep you company you as you create your own incredible story. Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, Casey Neistat, and Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman.

Bryan Janeczko was recently named one of the Top 23 LGBTQ people in Tech, along side other notable figures such as Tim Cook, Peter Thiel, and more. He has built a strong track record for building great businesses including: NuKitchen, a food preparation service that helped people eat healthier. NuKitchen was later sold to Nutrisystem and pioneered the market long before Blue Apron or Plated even existed. Now Bryan is the Founder of Gro, an on-demand startup academy. As part of the Loeb.NYC family, a venture studio in the heart of New York City, Bryan is helping founders at all stages. In a new partnership between Tony Robbins and Loeb, they have also launched Nunbelievable Foods, a baked goods company that turns their profits into feeding the homeless. Bryan grew up in Milwaukee, started a candy selling business in High School where he would at times bribe the teachers with a candy bar in order to sell more candy bars at the beginning of each class to his fellow classmates. It was such a popular business, that he started having distributors, which eventually had the principal pulling the plug on his first entrepreneurial experience. However, that didn't stop his entrepreneurial spirit! After school, and a summer abroad in England, Bryan decided to make the big move to NY! He had a place to stay for one week and a credit card, and the rest is history! Tune in to hear more of Bryan's story: • Learning resourcefulness early on. • His life changing trip to England • Starting and selling his company, NuKitchen • Co-founding Startout • His time as the Director of Founder Institute New York • Working with Loeb NYC • Founding Gro Academy • Working with Tony Robbins and Nunbelievable Foods Quote of the Episode: "Every founder brings their unique set of traits and many of us become entrepreneurs because we may not make it in more traditional jobs…" Ambition Today Question of the Day™ : What advice can you give an entrepreneur at the beginning stages of building their first business? The Single Greatest Piece of Advice: Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list! Links from this episode: Gro Academy Bryan's LinkedIn Startout Loeb NY Nunbelievable Founder Institute We Work Audible ==========Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By: Finta - A secure, deal room platform for early-stage companies. Quickly set up your company and you've got a blazing fast tool for organizing your fundraise and securing your sensitive company information. House your pitch deck, secure your legal documents, organize your cap table, notify target investors, and close deals faster! Finta allows you to raise more, save time, and increase your efficiency. The A-List - Join the podcast's backchannel for exclusive access to learn the single greatest piece of advice each guest has ever learned! Plus additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. ========== Follow: Visit Ambition Today on the Web: www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on: Twitter: twitter.com/TheSiskar Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar ========== About: Ambition Today is a podcast about entrepreneurs, creators, investors, and builders who ambitiously changed the world. Each episode explores the hardships and heroism of everyday life to reveal the key moments which leave behind a lasting legacy. Creating value in the world is hard, but you are not alone. No matter where you are in the world Ambition Today, hosted by Kevin Siskar, is here to keep you company you as you create your own incredible story. Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, Casey Neistat, and Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman. Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy).

Today, my guest is a fellow Founder Institute Director, Benjamin Chong. Benjamin has been the director of Founder Institute in Australia since 2011 and is also well known as a partner at Right Click Capital. Right Click Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage startups. He is an active technology startup community member that has served as a mentor and guest speaker at many different entrepreneurial programs in Sydney, South East Asia, and the United States. Benjamin Chong grew up in Australia and says his life-changing entrepreneurial moment was when he was in a program called Young Achievement in High School where a few select students from multiple schools got together and created a business, they had to sell stock, and make it profitable, which was a success. He graduated from the University of South Wales and has been unstoppable. Listen in to learn more about Benjamin's successes… Early years in Australia Young Achievement program in High School Working at PWC Co-founding iMega Directing Founder Institute since 2011 Is startup life different in Australia How important mental health is Ambition Today Question of the Day™ : What was it like to make the switch from Founder to Investor? The Single Greatest Piece of Advice: Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list! Quote Of The Episode: "Relationship in businesses are critical, it takes time to build relationships…" Links from this episode: Right Click Capital Benjamin's LinkedIn Benjamin's Twitter Follow Right Click Capital Founder Institute We Work Audible ========== Ambition Today Is Proudly Independent & Supported By: Finta - A secure, deal room platform for early-stage companies. Quickly set up your company and you've got a blazing fast tool for organizing your fundraise and securing your sensitive company information. House your pitch deck, secure your legal documents, organize your cap table, notify target investors, and close deals faster! Finta allows you to raise more, save time, and increase your efficiency. The A-List - Join the podcast's backchannel for exclusive access to learn the single greatest piece of advice each guest has ever learned! Plus additional Ambition Today content, deeper guest insights, a community of fellow fans, and much more. Visit Ambition Today on the Web: www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on Twitter: twitter.com/TheSiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Add Kevin Siskar on Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, Tony Robbins, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, and Casey Neistat. Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy).

Approaching two decades later, our guest, Brian McCullough's company is still going strong. Brian is CEO of ResumeWriters.com which is the longest lasting company for this service, shout out to Brian. Not only is he a successful entrepreneur, he is also the Author of "How The Internet Happened." In 2016, he became a Ted Talk Resident, and is also known for his podcasts: Internet History Podcast and Techmeme Ride Home, which is a News Aggregator that now gives you a daily dose of tech news. Brian grew up in Florida with no entrepreneurial background as his parents were both hard working teachers. Brian went to college to get a degree in Film, which he did, however, it was when he had to write his thesis to graduate, that he ended up becoming an entrepreneur instead. Tune in to hear more about Brian's story: Life background Interviewing people for his book Internet History Podcast Techmeme Ride Home History of the internet Ambition Today Question of the Day™ : With regard to the venture capital industry whose job is to depict that future, what advice would you have for them based on the history of the internet? The Single Greatest Piece of Advice: Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list! Quote Of The Episode: "We live in the world where entrepreneurs are rock stars" Links from this episode: Techmeme Ride Home Brian's Book Brian's Ted Talk LinkedIn Twitter Techmeme Founder Institute ========== Visit Ambition Today on the Web: www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on Twitter: twitter.com/TheSiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Add Kevin Siskar on Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Follow Colors of Colleen: www.colorsofcolleen.com Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, Tony Robbins, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, and Casey Neistat. Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy).

Join the A-list backchannel to get "Single greatest piece of advice ever received": https://siskar.me/best-advice-ever Author, Blogger, Entrepreneur, Teacher, Investor, and Consultant, also known as our next guest, Nir Eyal. Well known for his blog, Nir & Far, Nir writes about "behavioral design" the intersection of psychology, technology and business. He helps companies with techniques to motivate and manipulate users. He has successfully founded and sold two businesses in the tech industry and now has his book "Hooked" on the market, with another book coming in September. Nir, originally born in Israel, moved to the US when he was just three years old and grew up in Orlando, FL. He received his MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he has since then taught. He is also an active angel investor as he believes in putting his money where his mouth is and invests in habit forming products. Listen in to learn more about Nir: Growing up in Orlando How Nir knew he would become an entrepreneur Stanford Graduate School of Business Nir & Far – the meaning behind the name of his blog "Hooked" Types of Manipulation Creating Habit Forming products His new book Ambition Today Question of the Day™ : "What are your thoughts on iPhone addiction? How do we protect ourselves from them?" The Single Greatest Piece of Advice: Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list! Quote Of The Episode: "It is not the best product that wins, it is the product that captures the monopoly of the mind." Links from this episode: Nir & Far LinkedIn Buy Hooked Twitter Founder Institute Audible ========== Visit Ambition Today on the Web: www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on Twitter: twitter.com/TheSiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Add Kevin Siskar on Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Follow Colors of Colleen: www.colorsofcolleen.com Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, Tony Robbins, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, and Casey Neistat. Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy).

Join the A-list backchannel to get "Single greatest piece of advice ever received": https://siskar.me/best-advice-ever Starting out young, today's guest, Matt Mandell, created his first company at the age of 12. Matt grew up with a supportive family full of entrepreneurs, so Matt was very comfortable with entrepreneurship from the start. He attended college in DC, where he spent the next several years developing multiple companies that were selective to college students. Matt is well known for his serial entrepreneurship and has spoken all across the nation teaching students how to become entrepreneurs themselves. He has been publicized multiple times, including New York Times, has helped start up multiple companies, and now is a managing partner with GAM Payments, a payment solution provider for mid-market companies. Interviewing Matt showed that there are different ways to look at being a leader that really make you think. Tune in to hear more: Growing up in an Entrepreneurial Family Creating his first business at the age of 12 College experiences in DC The many businesses Matt created while in College Mentoring at Founder Institute Automation and Efficiency Investing in companies instead of creating them Meaning and reasoning for GAM Payments Ambition Today Question of the Day™ : "How do you realize when automation is necessary or when you should just do the small task yourself? The Single Greatest Piece of Advice: Members of the "A-list" can listen to exclusive A-list bonus clips here! If you are not a member yet be sure to join the Ambition Today A-list! Quote Of The Episode: "If something goes wrong, it is my fault for not setting up the correct system and process for my team" Links from this episode: Matt's Blog Matt's Website Twitter Founder Institute Audible ========== Visit Ambition Today on the Web: www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday Follow Kevin Siskar on Twitter: twitter.com/TheSiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Instagram: instagram.com/thesiskar Follow Kevin Siskar on Facebook: facebook.com/kevin.siskar Add Kevin Siskar on Snapchat: snapchat.com/add/krsiskar Follow Colors of Colleen: www.colorsofcolleen.com Kevin Siskar brings you ambitious entrepreneurs inspired by Tim Ferriss Show, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Residual Income, Entrepreneur on Fire, NPR, HBR, TED Radio Hour, the StartUp podcast with Alex Blumberg by Gimlet Media, Pat Flynn, Tony Robbins, The Uncertain Hour, Bigger Pockets, Art of Charm, Dave Ramsey, Planet Money, Jocko Podcast, EntreLeadership, Zigler, APM Marketplace, This Week In Startups with Jason Calacanis, Mixergy, Seth Godin, Joe Rogan Experience, GaryVee, James Altucher, Monocle 24, How to Start a Startup, Crooked Media, and The $100 MBA Show with Omar Zenhom, and Casey Neistat. Be sure to listen and subscribe to Ambition Today in the iTunes Store for iOS (apple.co/1NRRPzL), on Google Play Music (goo.gl/LmmciJ), or on Stitcher for Android (bit.ly/1Rn01dy).