Startup Success: A Podcast for Founders & Investors
Episodes
Q1 2026 Snapshot: The Startup Ecosystem
07 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What does the startup landscape look like right now—and what to expect in Q2?In this episode of Startup Success, Steve Lord, Chief Knowledge Officer...
The New Startup Go-To-Market Playbook
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, Kate sits down with Marlena Sarunac, co-founder and fractional CMO at The Company Advice, a marketing firm for sta...
Venture Debt: The Essential Guide for Founders
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, Kate sits down with Marshall Hawks, author of Venture Debt Deals and a venture lending leader with two decades of ...
Profitability Before Funding: How One Startup Did It
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, Kate sits down with Joseph Rutakangwa, Co-Founder and CEO of Rwazi, a decision AI platform that helps enterprise t...
A Case Study on How to Build a Mission-Driven Startup
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, Kate talks with Tanya Van Court, Founder and CEO of Goalsetter, an award-winning financial education platform tran...
Venture Capital, Reimagined: A Conversation with Mike Collins
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
VC pioneer Mike Collins built his firm around his passionate belief that venture capital investing shouldn’t be limited to a select few. In this epi...
2026 Outlook: The Startup Ecosystem
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’re kicking off 2026 with a returning favorite: Steve Lord, Burkland's COO and Head of Knowledge Share. He joins us to unpack what really happened...
How to Build Product-Market Fit Without Sacrificing Culture
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From power washing in Kansas to translating 30 languages in real time—Kevin Turpin’s entrepreneurial journey is anything but ordinary.In this epis...
Purpose-Led Growth: How this Startup Built Revenue & Social Impact
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Where innovation meets purpose—HOPE Hydration is proving that sustainability can be both smart and scalable. In this episode of Startup Success, hos...
How to Build High-Performing Teams at Every Stage of Your Startup
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
(00:00:00) How to Build High-Performing Teams at Every Stage of Your Startup (00:00:17) Introduction (00:01:00) Lidiya’s Background (00:01:44) Focus...
A Startup Story on How to Manage Rapid Growth
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to build a biotech startup tackling one of the toughest challenges in women’s health? In this episode of Startup Success, we sit ...
AI, Risk, and Why Most Startups Don’t Make It
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Startup Success, Kate sits down with Itamar Novick, Founder and General Partner of Recursive Ventures, who has been named one of Bu...
Startup Marketing 101: Digital Strategy in the Age of AI
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most founders know they need marketing to build their business—but few know where to start.In this episode of Startup Success, host Kate sits down w...
Q3 Snapshot: The Startup Ecosystem
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With Q3 behind us, the headlines continue to be pessimistic—but Steve Lord, Burkland's COO and Head of Knowledge Share, says the story is more com...
A New Take on the VC-Founder Relationship
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ivan Montoya is a venture capitalist with a fresh perspective on the typical VC–founder relationship. He and his firm, NuMundo Ventures, take an unu...
Insights for Success from a World-Changing AI Startup
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Materials development touches all startups—driving technological progress and innovation across every industry. In this episode of Startup Success...
After the Round Closes: How to Leverage Your Investors
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, host Kate Adams sits down with Julia Austin—Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, startup advisor, executive coach, and auth...
When Passion Meets Product-Market Fit
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, we sit down with Ian Bateman, co-founder and CEO of Highscore, a startup on a mission to bring more games to more ...
Using Customer Feedback to Drive Product Market Fit & Growth
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most founders say they value customer feedback—but few know how to truly hear it, let alone act on it. On today’s episode, we are excited to welc...
Q2 Snapshot: The Startup Ecosystem
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With Q2 in the rearview mirror, we welcome back one of our most popular guests, Steve Lord, COO & Head of Service Delivery at Burkland. Steve join...
What to Stop Doing Today: Real Talk with a Startup Coach
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’re thrilled to welcome back Feras Alhlou—seasoned entrepreneur, startup coach, and co-founder of Start Up With Feras—for another insightful e...
How a User-Driven Pivot Led to Product-Market Fit
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with Merrill Lutsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Graphite, a breakout startup redefining code review for the AI era. Originally...
Pitch to Deck to Close: Mastering Fundraising
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a founder gearing up to raise capital, this episode of Startup Success is your ultimate fundraising playbook. We’re joined by Nathan Bec...
Navigating Co-Founder Dynamics
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What makes a co-founder relationship thrive—or fall apart? In this episode of Startup Success, we’re joined by Tim He, Founder of Cherrytree, a co...
Your Startup Board: How to Make it a Game Changer
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What makes a startup board really effective? How do you build one that will truly benefit your startup? How do you conduct board meetings that are hel...
Think Like a Scientist: Smarter Decision-Making for Founders
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, we welcome Arielle Lechner, Executive Coach and Founder of NewPo, to discuss the crucial role of decision-making a...
Strategies for Startups Outside Silicon Valley
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Finding startup success outside of Silicon Valley is possible – it just requires some ingenuity.We couldn’t think of anyone who knows more about t...
Q1 Snapshot: The Startup Ecosystem
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for a Q1 update! Kicking off 2025, many anticipated a return to the "good old days" of economic optimism, but the reality has been more comple...
Data Privacy Considerations that Startups Can’t Ignore
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, we explore the data privacy considerations that all founders need to address, not ignore, with Katharine Tomko, Pa...
Unlocking Growth: How Startups Can Optimize Pricing & Packaging
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Pricing and packaging can make or break a startup, yet many founders struggle to get it right. In this episode of Startup Success, we sit down with F...
From Pain Point to Passion to Thriving Startup
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, we are joined by Daniel Loreto, founder of Jetify, who dives into his journey from working at tech giants like Goo...
A Customer-Driven Startup Success Story
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is no getting around the power of customer feedback in building a successful startup.In this episode of Startup Success, we sit down with Luke K...
Lessons from a VC on Series A and More
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, we're joined by Manish Patel, founding partner at Nava Ventures and self-described accidental venture capitalist....
Venture Capital and Economic Trends: What Startups Need to Know for 2025
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump 2.0 era will reshape the startup landscape. Is your startup prepared for what’s next?In this insight-packed episode of Startup Success, we...
Reimagining the Future of Work with AI Employees
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, we sit down with Surojit Chatterjee, the CEO and founder of Ema, a generative AI platform poised to transform the ...
The Story Behind the AI Startup Powering Services You Use Every Day
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, we dive into the incredible entrepreneurial journey of Russ d’Sa, Co-Founder and CEO of LiveKit, a startup that ...
A Fascinating Look at a Groundbreaking AI Startup
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, host Kate Adams sits down with Vlad Voroninski, CEO and co-founder of Helm.ai, an AI software startup that is deve...
Building a Revolutionary Biotech Startup: The Challenges & Surprises
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What if the powerful nutritional compounds in breast milk could be harnessed to improve the health of people of all ages? Today, we’re sitting down ...
A Founder Gets Candid About Fundraising & What Fueled His Startup’s Success
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What if your inspiration for starting a company came from solving a problem you experienced first-hand as an engineer at a tech giant like Uber? In ...
What Every Founder Must Know about Patents
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For startups, even software startups, figuring out what is worth patenting is one of the most important moves a founder needs to make.That’s where o...
Insights from a VC on Fundraising and the Power of Diversity
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We explore some weighty questions on this episode of Startup Success, including:What would the world look like if half the venture capital dollars wer...
The Story Behind the $3.2B Acquisition of Segment - from the Co-Founder's & CFO's Perspective
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the 100th episode of Startup Success, we have two exceptional guests: Peter Reinhardt, CEO and co-founder of Charm Industrial (and the fo...
Scaling AI: How Fireworks AI is Transforming the Industry
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the rapidly evolving world of AI, standing out requires more than just innovation; it demands leadership and a clear vision. Enter Lin Qiao, the dr...
The State of the Startup Ecosystem
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Amid high interest rates and election uncertainty, navigating the startup landscape has never been more challenging. Fortunately, our special guest, S...
From Idea to Series B: The Making of a Successful Startup
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, we welcome Jaclyn Chen, Co-Founder and CEO at Benepass, a platform that solves real-world pain points for both emp...
The Intersection of Science & Startup Entrepreneurship w/ Dr. Misti Ushio
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Misti Ushio, Managing Partner at Digitalis Ventures, joins us in the studio today. Misti’s entrepreneurial journey took flight with the formatio...
Behind the Scenes at an Impact-First VC Fund
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our guest today is Stasia Obremskey, Co-Founder and Managing Director at RH Capital, an impact-first venture capital fund that invests in the future o...
Innovating for Impact: AlleyCorp's Approach to Venture Capital and Social Change
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’re thrilled to have Tanya Beja, General Partner at AlleyCorp, in studio for the latest episode of Startup Success. Join us for a fascinating conv...
An Inside Look at How a Venture Capital Firm Operates
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Startup Success, we sit down with Josh Gilbert, CFO of the VC firm Freestyle, who unravels the intricacies of venture capital inves...
Unveiling the Future of Digital Health with Vivante Health
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us in this enlightening episode as we sit down with Bill Snyder, the CEO and Founder of Vivante Health. Propelled by a recent $31M Series B round...
Legal 101 for Startups
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today we dive into the world of legal strategy for startups with Charu Satia, startup attorney and Partner at Silicon Legal Strategy. With more than...
The Power of User Feedback, Agile Product Pivots & Organic Marketing
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our guest today, Aagya Mathur, has an inspiring story to tell. She transformed her personal health challenges into a startup that empowers people to i...
Positive Trends in the Startup Ecosystem
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The tech ecosystem in Los Angeles may not grab headlines like Silicon Valley, but over the past decade, it has gained some serious momentum and a seve...
A VC’s Optimistic Outlook on Today’s Startup Landscape
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Even though the success rates for startups today are sobering, there is reason to be optimistic. As our guest today, Venture Capitalist John Frankel ...
How Venture Capital is Helping to Innovate Healthcare
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, we have two VCs in the studio, Dr. Tara Bishop and Eileen Tanghal, co-founders of Black Opal Ventures, who discuss their strategic...
The Steps for Building an Incredible Digital Brand
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
No matter what industry you’re in, your audience is savvier than ever about digital branding and marketing. The tactics that worked 5 years ago no l...
What a Seasoned VC Looks for in Early-Stage Startups
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we have a remarkable guest in our studio, Suzanne Fletcher, the founder and general partner of Zelda Ventures. Suzanne’s career as an investo...
Startup Wind Downs: How to Come Out on Top
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Startup wind downs are not something founders usually think about until there is no other option. But for founders who find themselves in that positio...
Making Founder Mental Health & Well-Being a Priority & Why It is Important
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Startup founders are some of the most committed, hardworking, innovative people in the world. But even in the best of times, they exist in a pressure ...
Beyond the Headlines: What Founders Need to Know About 2024's Economic Outlook
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! Now, onto the million dollar question: “What to expect in 2024?” For Founders, topics like will the fundraising market improvel, t...
Why the Intersection of B2B SaaS and AI is So Exciting
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you're looking for an uplifting conversation on the intersection of SaaS and AI, look no further.Jim Gochee’s passion for B2B SaaS is real and in...
How a Media Startup is Revolutionizing an Entire Industry
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s guest, Griffin O'Brien, CEO of Estate Media, shares his journey from a traditional media background to founding a unique startup and video-f...
Mastering Your Startup's Financials with Real-Time Accounting
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Accounting as a superhero? It may sound far-fetched, but after this conversation, you’ll completely understand!Today’s guest is Sasha Orloff, Co-F...
Pitch Perfect: Mastering the Art of Startup Presentations w/ Neil Thompson
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A critical component to the fundraising process is the pitch deck. Effective pitching is crucial for startup founders who often need to convey their i...
Unlocking Your Leadership Potential w/ Jason Weeman
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Leadership Coaches seem to be a dime a dozen in this workforce landscape. There are plenty of “coaches” out there who market themselves as experts...
Navigating the PE and M&A Landscapes: Insights for Founders
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we start by diving into the complexities founders face when navigating private equity (PE) interest. Next, we discuss M&A activit...
Building the Future of AR Gaming: A Conversation with Natalie Testa and Jake Sally of Jadu
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Startup Success, the podcast for startup founders and investors. Today’s special episode is guest-hosted by Steve Lord, Managing Director...
How a VC Firm is Driving Innovation in Latin America’s Startup Ecosystem
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to another episode of Startup Success, a podcast for founders and investors hosted by Kate Adams. Today, we are joined by Maria Gutierrez Peñ...
A Story of Savvy Moves Every Startup Founder Can Learn From
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to another episode of Startup Success, a podcast for founders and investors, hosted by Kate Adams. Today we are joined by Miles Cole, Co-Found...
What NOT to Do in Your Startup with David J. Muchow, author of “The 7 Secret Keys to Startup Success”
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to another episode of Startup Success, a podcast for founders and investors. Today we are joined by David J. Muchow, the author of “The 7 Se...
Global Hiring & Onboarding Solutions for Startups from Dan Westgarth, COO at Deel
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With 2,800 employees in over a hundred different countries and more than $300M in ARR, Deel is an incredible success story. We were thrilled to have t...
A Branding & Marketing Roadmap for Startups Chris Kirsch, Co-Founder and CEO at runZero
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to another episode of Startup Success, a podcast for founders and investors. Today we sit down with Chris Kirsch, Co-Founder and CEO of runZer...
Optimizing Customer Acquisition for Startups with Scott Stouffer, CEO and Founder of scaleMatters
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to another episode of Startup Success, a podcast for founders and investors. Today we are joined by serial tech entrepreneur Scott Stouffer, C...
How Startups Can Leverage the Power of LinkedIn for Growth with Justin Rowe, Founder and CMO of Impactable
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to another episode of Startup Success, a podcast for founders and investors. Today we are joined by Justin Rowe, Founder and CMO of Impactable...
Using Demand Generation to Drive Revenue & Growth at Startups
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Startup marketing expert Scott Gelber joins us for an in-depth discussion on how startups can use demand generation and account-based marketing to ram...
Derisking & Other Critical Insights for Startup Founders with David McFarland, Founder and CEO at Coterie
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to another episode of Startup Success, a podcast for founders and investors. Today we are joined by David McFarland, Founder and CEO of Coteri...
Tips on Managing Risk from a Startup Veteran & Angel Investor with Adam Nash, CEO and Co-Founder at Daffy
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Startup Success podcast, host Kate Adams welcomes Adam Nash, the CEO & Co-Founder of Daffy, a not-for-profit platform that ...
The Playbook for Companies Looking for M&A Solutions with Lowell Ricklefs, Founder and Managing Partner of Traction Advising M&A
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to another episode of Startup Success, a podcast for founders and investors. Today we are joined by mergers & acquisitions expert Lowell R...
The Very First Step to Startup Success with Amy Volas, Founder and CEO of Avenue Talent Partners
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we dive into what it takes to build a successful startup and discuss why recruitment is such an integral part of the process. We’re joined by ...
Growth Strategies in a Turbulent Market with Keith Putnam-Delaney, Co-Founder and CEO at Primer
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are joined by Keith Putnam-Delaney, Co-Founder and CEO of Primer, a hyper-precise lead generation and targeting platform for B2B marketers.Ke...
Inside Retool's Success - Growth, Pricing, Onboarding and Using Feedback
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Kate Adams is joined by Sid Puri, the Head of Growth-India for Retool. Sid takes us through how Retool achieved hyper levels of growt...
How to Leverage Your Network for Funding & More: Plus the Scoop on Techstars
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Unlock the secrets of using your network to supercharge funding, new prospects and growth with this episode of Startup Success! Our guest this week is...
PR for Your Startup — Everything You Need to Know
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Want to know the secret to getting your startup noticed by big publications and industry media sites? You’re going to need Public Relations.In this ...
A Founder’s Candid Advice on Fundraising, Making Pivots and Using Your Network
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest, Krish Ramineni, Co-Founder and CEO at Fireflies.ai and a 2022 Fortune 30 under 30, joins us with his candid advice and insight gleaned ...
Built to Scale: The Best Optimizations for Startup Founders
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As a Founder, it’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day chaos of growing your startup. Often, you end up taking shortcuts and sacrificing the well-bei...
A Look at the Critical Priorities for Early Stage Startups and Tampa's Startup Boom
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Lakshmi Shenoy, CEO of Embarc Collective, joins us to discuss the critical areas early-stage startups must pay attention to for ...
Founders - How to Stay Focused on the Path to Success
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As a Founder, staying focused is key to achieving your startup’s success. In today’s episode, Kirin Sinha, Founder, and CEO, at Illumix, joins us ...
Hardware Startups - How to Overcome Challenges and Capitalize on Advantages
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s guest Dan White, the Co-Founder, and CMO at Clean Crop Technologies joins the show to discuss how he has overcome the challenges hardware st...
Inside a Startup’s Success - From Funding to Product Fit
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Rithvik Venna, Co-Founder & COO at OROS and member of the Forbes 30 under 30, joins us to discuss how a climb up a mountain in the Swiss Alps insp...
The Benefits of Employee Feedback Loops: Team, Culture and Productivity
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Creating a healthy work environment is vital to building a successful startup. A key part of that is empowering employees by giving them a safe space ...
How Startups Can Find Product Fit Through Product-Led Growth
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Product led growth drives customer retention and expansion through the value of your product. Today’s guest, Shannon Curran, Director of Content and...
Our Founder’s Advice — Jeff Burkland on What He’s Learned From Working With Startup Clients & Scaling His Own Company
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a very special 50th episode of Startup Success! Jeff Burkland, Founder and CEO of Burkland joins the show to discuss his in-depth experience w...
Maximizing Benefits & Culture for a Winning Team
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Benefits play an integral role in retaining and attracting employees, but for startups watching their cash runway, providing a strong benefit offering...
Advice for Solo Founders - Everything from Fundraising to Leading a Team
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Solo-founders can face major challenges, but our guest, Nathan Marz, Founder and CEO of Red Planet Labs, shows there are many advantages as well. Nath...
For Both Founders & Investors: How to Find Success
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From the football field to the board room, our guest is a former Super Bowl winning NFL player who now sits as a Managing Partner at Next Play Capital...
Founders: How to Start, How to Grow, How to Give Back
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Moving to Silicon Valley in 1998, our guest has served his time in the trenches of startup land. With several successful startups behind him, includin...
Modern Marketing for Startups
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the early stages of a startup, much is riding on the strengths of the founding team. There is critical importance on creating a marketing function,...
Fundraising Advice from a VC for the Current Market Conditions
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Alejandro Lozano, Founding Principal at Newtype Ventures, delves into the current market conditions and what founders can expect to s...
Leveraging the Government for Startup Funding & Tech Adoption
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You may not know this but the government issues all sorts of grants and funding for startups in many sectors — sectors and products that would surpr...
Insights on the Fundraising Process from a Successful Founder
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve gone through it, you know—there’s a lot of issues with the fundraising experience. And if you haven’t gone through it, you likely ha...