Pitch, Build, Scale - Startup Founder Stories in the Age of AI

What happens when you take enterprise-level AI innovation and apply it to one of life’s most human experiences - travel?In this episode of Pitch, Build, Scale, we speak with Robert Coverdale, Founder of Khonsu, about how his platform blends artificial intelligence and local expertise to transform the way people experience cities like New York.Robert shares his journey from flipping a coin between photography and computer science to building innovation labs at LivePerson, and eventually launching Khonsu, a travel company that prioritizes authentic, human-driven experiences powered by AI behind the scenes.We explore the challenges of scaling human interaction with AI tools, why simplicity often wins over complexity, and how trust in real experiences is becoming more valuable in an AI-saturated world.Whether you’re a SaaS founder, software agency leader, or tech executive, Robert’s story is a blueprint for combining human value with AI scale.⏱ Chapters00:00 Robert’s Iron Man Analogy: AI as Human Empowerment01:27 Welcome and Guest Introduction02:15 Flipping a Coin into Tech: Robert’s Origin Story03:21 Early Entrepreneurship: Penny Candy Hustle04:11 Innovation Labs at LivePerson05:45 The Aha Moment: Travel Meets Technology06:09 Khonsu’s First Iterations with AI08:01 Testing the Model During the Pandemic09:46 Who Khonsu Serves: Leisure vs. Business Travelers13:47 Monetization and Local Designers14:59 Scaling City by City16:06 AI Behind the Scenes, Humans Up Front17:43 Hotel Concierges Reimagined with AI20:09 Pricing Tiers and AI vs. Human Options22:24 Growth Goals: Expanding to Washington, DC and Beyond23:16 B2B Partnerships and Perks23:59 The Challenge of Content Creation25:14 Marketing Bottlenecks in 202526:13 How to Try Khonsu Today📚 ResourcesTravel with Khonsu: https://www.askkonsu.comConnect with Robert: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertcoverdaleGrow your revenue with Big North Marketing: https://bignorthmarketing.com

What happens when a tiny startup with one client grows into a customer-funded, enterprise-ready SaaS platform in healthcare?In this episode of Pitch, Build, Scale, we sit down with Yossi Abraham, President & CEO of Zappix, to unpack how his team bootstrapped growth in one of the toughest markets: healthcare.Yossi shares insights on:- Overcoming the “pilotitis” problem in AI adoption- Building customer-funded SaaS without venture backing- Driving growth through partnerships and referrals- Hyper-personalization in digital patient engagement- Why lead generation is the single biggest constraint for SaaS founders in compliance-heavy marketsThis conversation is a playbook for founders navigating complex sales, compliance barriers, and the messy reality of AI implementation.Chapters00:00 Intro & Yossi’s Background03:25 Joining Zappix at Near Zero Revenue06:09 From Visual IVR to Digital Engagement Platform07:59 Scaling in Healthcare: Reducing No-Shows, Increasing Revenue10:03 Where AI Fits into the Process12:06 The AI “Implementation Gap” in Healthcare15:38 Future of RAG and Conversational AI in Patient Journeys18:26 Hyper-Personalization with Data19:02 Growth Goals: 50–100% in 24 Months21:30 Lead Gen Challenges & Partnerships25:03 Outbound in Healthcare vs. Other Verticals26:37 The Magic Wand: Fixing the Top of Funnel26:50 Advice for Bootstrapped SaaS FoundersResources🔗 Automate patient engagement with Zappix: https://www.zappix.com🔗 Grow your revenue with Big North Marketing: https://www.bignorthmarketing.com#healthcare #saas #podcast #ai

𝗞𝗲𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝟯𝟱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗜-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.In this episode of Pitch, Build, Scale, we sit down with Ken Francis, CEO of Actuate, to explore how AI is transforming video surveillance from a cost-heavy, false-alarm-plagued system into a scalable, efficient security solution.Ken shares lessons from his 35+ years in security and technology—starting from his military background to leading billion-dollar businesses and now driving AI adoption in commercial monitoring centers worldwide.We dig into:- Why false positive reduction is the hidden engine of scalable AI surveillance- The role of cloud vs. private infrastructure in global security deployments- How to strategically say “no” to opportunities that will sink a startup- The market forces making AI monitoring one of the fastest-growing security segments todayIf you’re scaling a SaaS company, dev shop, or enterprise solution, Ken’s perspective offers a blueprint on balancing product focus, channel strategy, and global expansion.Chapters00:00 Intro & The “No Koala AI” Story04:20 From Military to Security Tech Leadership08:00 Founding and Scaling in Competitive Markets11:45 The Real AI Advantage: False Positive Reduction15:26 LLMs and the Future of Surveillance AI17:50 Gun Detection, Healthcare & Public Safety Use Cases21:31 Cloud vs. Private Cloud in Security Infrastructure23:56 Global Regulations & Data Privacy Challenges25:46 Competing in a Crowded AI Security Market29:01 Growth Levers & Global Expansion Strategy30:59 Magic Wand: The Infrastructure Ken Wishes He HadResources🔗 Actuate: https://www.actuate.ai🔗 Big North Marketing: https://www.bignorthmarketing.com

What happens when a tech innovator with 40+ years in the industry applies AI to help mission-driven organizations work smarter, faster, and at scale?In this episode of Pitch, Build, Scale, we sit down with Chris Hanson, Co-Founder of The Databank, to explore how a pioneering nonprofit SaaS company evolved from dial-up databases in the ’90s to AI-powered CRM bots today.Chris shares how AI is unlocking efficiency for nonprofits: freeing up precious time and resources, improving data insights, and enabling faster, more impactful decisions. From early struggles in the dot-com era to bootstrapping a social mission-driven SaaS, this is a story of resilience, innovation, and staying ahead of technology curves.Whether you’re a SaaS founder, software agency leader, or simply curious about AI’s role in creating real-world change, you’ll find valuable takeaways here.Chapters:00:00 Introduction02:00 Chris Hanson’s journey into tech and nonprofits04:41 From marketing consultancy to The Databank08:41 Building a social mission into a for-profit SaaS10:42 Pivoting from fundraising software to hybrid SaaS solutions11:48 How the Sierra Club shaped The Databank’s early innovation14:20 Why AI is a perfect fit for nonprofit efficiency16:45 Overcoming adoption hurdles with AI19:21 The mindset that drives ongoing innovation20:21 Comparing AI to past tech revolutions22:37 How The Databank uses AI internally23:22 Legacy and impact stories25:54 The future of nonprofit tech in an AI-driven world28:04 The pace of AI change and ongoing learning29:01 Where to connect with The DatabankResources:🌐 The Databank – https://www.thedatabank.com🌐 Big North Marketing – https://www.bignorthmarketing.com

What does it take to build a tech consultancy that thrives for 20+ years while staying small, nimble, and deeply human?In this episode, Emmy award-winning technologist and product strategist Ming Chan shares his journey from being yelled at by Steve Jobs, to launching The1stMovement, to navigating the promise and peril of AI.Ming reveals why he intentionally limits his client base, how he’s kept enterprise partnerships for decades, and the moral questions every technologist should ask about AI’s role in society.What you’ll learn in this episode:- How early experiences with Apple shaped Ming’s vision for tech and creativity- Why being a “lifestyle entrepreneur” can be a strategic choice- The tolerance-of-risk gap between startups and enterprises when adopting AI- Practical ways agencies can use AI to boost velocity without sacrificing quality- How to build client relationships that last decadesChapters00:00 - The Morality and Perception of AI01:54 - From Music to Tech: Ming’s Origin Story04:53 - Getting Yelled at by Steve Jobs08:17 - The1stMovement’s Mission and Evolution10:49 - Client Base and Team Size Strategy15:45 - Why Stay Small? The Lifestyle Entrepreneur Approach17:15 - AI Adoption in Enterprises vs Startups21:39 - Using AI for Speed and Efficiency23:22 - Startup Clients and the Reality of MVPs25:55 - Growing vs Staying the Course28:42 - Building Without Outside Funding31:54 - The One Piece of Advice to His Younger SelfResourcesThe1stMovement: https://the1stmovement.com/Connect with Ming Chan: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mingchan/Big North Marketing: https://bignorthmarketing.com/

What happens when your AI product isn't the real product?Todd Smith, CEO of TAHO (Formerly Opnbook), shares how a year into building a business intelligence tool for AI usage tracking, his team stumbled into something bigger - a game-changing infrastructure optimization layer that boosts high-performance computing across AI, gaming, crypto, and more.In this episode, Todd walks us through:- The original idea behind Opnbook and why they shelved it- How pivoting to their infrastructure layer (TAHO) opened a massive market opportunity- Why AI-era startups can run leaner, faster, and cheaper than ever before- What most VCs get wrong about true innovation- Why the next generation of enterprise wins will be powered by software efficiencyFrom pre-IPO tours at Facebook, Snapchat, and Docker to rolling the dice on his own venture, Todd brings decades of hard-earned infrastructure insight and startup humility to the table.🧠 If you’re building in AI, high-performance compute, or B2B SaaS — this one’s essential listening.⛓️ ResourcesLearn more about TAHO: https://www.taho.is/Grow your revenue with Big North Marketing: https://bignorthmarketing.com🕒 Chapters (Timestamps)00:00 – Todd’s path from DJ gear to Silicon Valley IT03:40 – What big tech teaches you about scale07:15 – Founding Opnbook and the first AI productivity tool13:20 – Pivoting into infrastructure: the TAHO origin story17:45 – What Nvidia’s backlog says about the real market gap23:10 – How Opnbook’s tech slashes compute time and energy use29:45 – Fundraising frustrations in a risk-averse VC climate35:20 – Why most VCs can’t spot game-changing tech43:00 – The next 12 months: landing a flagship enterprise customer47:30 – The real bottlenecks: admin drag and scaling operations

In this episode of Pitch, Build, Scale, we sit down with Peter Vasilion, CEO and IT Division Lead at Facet Interactive. Peter shares his journey from tinkering with Pentium 2s in his parents’ warehouse to leading a systems-first consultancy that helps organizations multiply their team’s effectiveness through automation, AI, and enterprise-grade web apps.We dive into:- Why Peter treats AI like an employee—and what that means for practical implementations.- The generational shift changing how clients view marketing and IT partners.- How Peter built scalable processes across ventures like FlightFX (a first-party Microsoft Flight Simulator partner).- Why aligning AI with human oversight is critical for successful outcomes.- Lessons on balancing business development, delivery, and relationship-building in a volatile economy.Whether you’re a SaaS founder or run a dev agency, this conversation will reshape how you think about building systems that scale.Resources:Transform your business technology with Facet Interactive: https://facetinteractive.comGet new aircraft for flight simulator at FlightFX: https://flightfx.ioGrow your revenue with Big North Marketing: https://bignorthmarketing.comChapters00:00 Introduction to Facet Interactive and Peter Vasilion05:53 The Impact of Technology on Business10:29 Evolving Client Expectations in the Tech Landscape13:37 Leveraging AI in Business Operations16:45 Balancing AI and Human Interaction21:26 Client Expectations and AI Limitations25:57 Real-World AI Implementation Challenges28:35 Understanding Typical Clients and Relationships32:42 Customer Acquisition Strategies36:03 Navigating Diverse Industries and Custom Solutions39:18 Scaling Challenges in a Changing Economy43:17 Building Authentic Relationships Post-Pandemic

What happens when a corporate finance veteran gets tired of error-prone spreadsheets and decides to reimagine how finance teams collaborate?In this episode of Pitch, Build, Scale, we sit down with Sebastian Perez Lawrence, Co-Founder of Rockhopper, to explore how they’re building “GitHub for spreadsheets” - empowering finance teams to streamline reviews, reduce risk, and prepare for the future of AI-assisted workflows.We discuss:- Why spreadsheet chaos is still the norm in billion-dollar enterprises- The power of white-glove onboarding for early enterprise clients- Balancing hype and reality in AI adoption for sensitive financial data- Building trust with CFOs by focusing on ROI and real numbers- Rockhopper’s vision to become the auditing layer that keeps data quality high in AI-driven financeWhether you lead a SaaS company, run a dev shop, or manage a finance function, this conversation will change how you think about data integrity in an AI-powered world.Resources:Level-up your financial spreadsheets with Rockhopper: https://rockhopper.coConnect with Sebastian on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sebastian-perez-lawrenceGrow your revenue with Big North Marketing: https://bignorthmarketing.comChapters00:00 Introduction to Rockhopper and Its Mission03:44 Sebastian's Journey into Tech and Founding Rockhopper06:03 Identifying the Problem: The Need for Spreadsheet Solutions11:03 Challenges of Implementing AI in Finance17:10 Understanding CFOs' Perspectives on AI Adoption20:59 Future Vision: Integrating AI and Quality Assurance22:56 Goals for Growth and Expansion26:46 Fundraising and Building Relationships29:39 Call to Action: Join the Advisor Network