Startup Hypeman: The GOAT to Market Show

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This episode is brought to you by our friends at CodeLaunch! CodeLaunch is the only equity-free AND fee-free accelerator + Venturetainment platform giving founders software development, a massive pitch stage, and an opportunity at investment all for FREE. Use our unique link to apply to CodeLaunch today and cut the line for fast-track application review! https://tinyurl.com/7k7rjt6m

Best of GTM Season 3 - How to Make a Community Work with Be The Stage Founder Pablo Gonzalez

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 10 May 2026 01:00:00 GMT

We’re gearing up for Season 5 but in the meantime, here’s the best of GTM season 3!

Everyone wants to have a community.

Everyone says they have a community.

But just having a Slack or WhatsApp group doesn't actually mean you have community.

Community is more about the interactions than the medium.

And investing in community means playing the long game.

Which is why so many brands don't think it's worth the effort.

My friend Pablo Gonzalez has cracked the community code with a playbook that accrues short-term high-impact wins while waiting for the long game to play out.

Through a process he calls Experiential Content Marketing, his company, Be The Stage, generated a $40M revenue channel from scratch for one of their customers.

I've wanted to interview him for a while, and the stars finally aligned.

He steps to the mic in this week's episode to share how you should reframe your community approach, how anyone can create community regardless of brand size, the metrics to track, and how losing his brother unexpectedly 9 years ago turned into an epiphany moment.

Find Pablo online:

Find Be The Stage online:

Best of GTM Season 3 - Becoming a Household Brand Name with Foxtrot CEO Mike LaVitola

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 01:00:00 GMT

We’re gearing up for Season 5 but in the meantime, here’s the best of GTM season 3!

What does it take to turn an idea for a boutique 7-11 into a tech-driven consumer market, into a national brand that merged with one of the biggest names in grocery?

Enjoy this special episode, a replay of my interview with Foxtrot CEO & Cofounder Mike LaVitola live from the Startup Grind Chicago 4th Annual Great Chicago Food Bash in January 2024.

Mike shares overcoming rejection for his crazy idea in the early days, to raising nearly $200M and scaling up nationally.

He talks about the importance of optimizing for brand experience, identifying adjacencies in customer behavior, and why data actually isn't everything.

Original interview date: January 18, 2024

Find Mike online:

Find Foxtrot online:

Best of GTM Season 3 - Building & Investing in AI with Techstars MD Tricia Martinez-Saab

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 01:00:00 GMT

We’re gearing up for Season 5 but in the meantime, here’s the best of GTM season 3!

I think we can all agree AI is seemingly everywhere.

But what does that actually mean for a startup?

Enjoy this special episode, a replay of my interview with Techstars Managing Director Tricia Martinez-Saab live from the Startup Grind Chicago AI Showcase in November 2023.

Tricia leads the AI and deep-tech verticals at Techstars and shares her perspective on the good and bad of AI's permeation, how to approach integrating AI into your product, the ethics behind an AI-powered future, and how she makes investment decisions for AI startups at Techstars.

Find Tricia online:

Find Techstars online:

Best of GTM Season 3 - Expanding Your TAM to Increase Revenue with CEO Meesha Dogan

Startup Hypeman — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 01:00:00 GMT

We’re gearing up for Season 5 but in the meantime, here’s the best of GTM season 3!

The 3-letter acronym every startup obsesses with is TAM.

But what is your TAM comprised of, and specifically WHO makes up your TAM?

When you go to market, you may think your target is one group, but then find it includes others you weren't previously considering.

That was the case for Cardio Diagnostics, who built a solution with a clear end user but involved multiple ancillary decision makers and economic buyers, and alternative use cases.

This forced them to expand their TAM in order to successfully penetrate the market and grow revenue.

And with a team of just 10 they've managed to go public on the NASDAQ.

Their Co-founder & CEO, Meesha Dogan, steps to the mic in this week's episode to share how they have strategically charted their market and TAM to win the big deals that take a long time to close, and the small deals that turn around quickly.

Find Meesha online:

Find Cardio Diagnostic online:

Best of GTM Season 3 - Hacks to Extend Your Runway with Apologue Co-Founder Jordan Tepper

Startup Hypeman — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:16:48 GMT

We’re gearing up for Season 5 but in the meantime, here’s the best of GTM season 3!

In a down economy, runway is everything.

But it should also be everything in a boom economy.

Great companies figure out how to spend less, and make more.

Jordan Tepper cofounded the cocktail brand Apologue in 2017, and in the 7 years since he's achieved over $1M annual revenue, while raising just $2.5M in that time, and as of this writing still carrying $1M of that raise in the bank.

For a CPG brand with significant fixed expenses, Apologue's story is a clinic on meaningful growth and spend.

Jordan steps to the mic in our season premiere to share the specific hacks his team has employed to make the most of every dollar since day one.

Find Jordan online:

Find HostesCocktails online:

Instagram

Find Apologue online:

Instagram

GTM1-8: How To Become An Angel Investor (Part 1) with Lofty Ventures' Chris Deutsch

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 08:51:11 GMT

Ever say to yourself, "I want to invest in startups?".

Even if you're a founder yourself, maybe you've had that moment of 'when I make it big, I'm gonna start investing in other founders'.

Chris Deutsch wants to demystify the process for you.

As founder of Lofty Angels, he's invested in over 150 founders, 80+ startups (75% by underrepresented founders), and experienced 5 exits.

He's also started the Lofty Syndicate which acts as a vehicle to invest in rounds alongside Lofty Angels, and an educational platform to help more people become angel investors.

He steps to the mic to share HOW to become an angel investor. He even shares how his college degree directly impacts him every day in an unexpected and comical fashion.

We had so much to cover that we couldn't fit it all into one episode, so this conversation is part 1, and our next episode will be part 2.

NOTE: This episode is for educational and entertainment purposes and is NOT meant to serve as financial advice.

Find Chris online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdeutsch/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chris_deutsch

Find Lofty Ventures online:

Website: https://loftyventures.com/

Chris is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything the entire week of this episode's launch date. Got Q's you want to ask Chris personally? Join for free today!

This episode was brought to you by our friends at Akava. Akava is THE software development partner to help you go from zero to 1. Startups like Stride Health, Haveno, Olive, Side, and more trust Akava from their first dollar all the way to their billion-dollar valuation, and they're ready to help YOU become the GOAT to Market. Learn more at akava.io.

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S1E8 - Chelsea Castner: What Qualifies You To Do This?

Startup Hypeman — Mon, 25 May 2015 13:36:03 GMT

“What qualifies you to do this?”This week, we sit down with Chelsea Castner, who is reporting from the Gen Y frontline! She is also the founder of Just Ask Y, a strategic consulting company focused on helping brands better communicate and connect with members of Generation Y. We dive deep into the voice in our head that doubts our qualifications as we seek to prove ourselves in our careers.Enjoy!Chelsea Castnerhttps://twitter.com/ChelzCastnerhttp://instagram.com/chelseacastnerhttp://www.facebook.com/JustAskYAdditional topics include:+ Squelching the worlds biggest hater...our own mind!+ You’re never given things that you’re not qualified to handle+ Qualified is a synonym for confidence+ What separates the qualified from the unqualified?+ What Catch Me If You Can teaches us about qualifications+ The role of swagger+ The importance of trust, honesty and authenticity+ Knowing that everyone is an “expert” in something (RLCJ...aka. Raj Loves Cool-J)+ Sometimes we do fake it, and that’s ok+ Results vs. Credentials & the Bullshit meter!+ You probably should lie about knowing it. People like being in the know+ Everyone has their own platform and audience+ The importance of finding the teacher that speaks to you+ Different types of credentials - school vs. who you worked for/with+ Credentials get your foot in the door, but it doesn’t keep you around+ Expectations vs. reality after giving a TEDtalk+ Beyonce only has 24 hours in the day too!+ Middle school memories+ Go after the things that scare you to expand and grow like James Franco!+ Fuck the haters+ Once again we obsess over Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson+ How important it is to stick with and follow through on the things you say+ Teach what you need to learn, or have already learned!+ If I know more than you, I can teach you+ Beware of scams!+ The power of reinventing yourself+ Stick with what you feel comfortable and confident in doing and stay authentic+ How relatability plays into qualifications+ The role of intent in our self perception+ Each day get a little more qualified & enjoy the journey+ Small steps are just as important as the big ones. Don’t be so judgmental of the processKeep an ear out for the next episode of Discover Your Inner Awesome as we continue to take on life's important questions in order to help multi-passionate people understand themselves and their presence in the world.---------------------------------------Show Links:Just Ask Y - http://www.justasky.com/Catch Me If You Can - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5j1wWY-qusRamit Sethi’s How I Will Teach You To Be Rich - http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/Earl Sweatshirt Faucet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCqbOp9-hd8Chris Leamy Summertime - https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/summertime-feat.-golden-chyl/id947688749?i=947688753

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S14E4: Building KPIs Around Your Core Values with Improve It! CEO Erin Diehl

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 08:04:55 GMT

"We're really focused on revenue growth right now, so we're not as focused on core values."

Believe it or not, that's actually what a lot of companies tell their employees.

But what good are your core values if you only value them when it's convenient?

Erin Diehl's business improv training company Improve It! is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10k Small Businesses program and has worked with the likes of Kellogg's, United, Pepsico, Groupon, Motorola, and more.

They haven't come this far by tabling their values.

In fact, they've done the exact opposite and built all of their KPIs around them.

Erin steps to the mic and explains Improve It's process as well as how they've continued to live by their values even when a pandemic throws everything off.

Find Erin online:

Instagram: @keepinitrealdiehl

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erindiehl

Find Improve It! online:

Instagram: @learntoimproveit

www.learntoimproveit.com

Today's episode is brought to you by Sales Hacker. The world's smartest community of forward-thinking B2B professionals. Grab their latest expert-created articles, webinars, and podcast episodes at www.saleshacker.com

PLUS -- hear from me and 40+ other leading sales professionals this summer in the Blissful Prospecting Think Outside The Script summer virtual tour! All talks are live and interactive, sign up at tour.blissfulprospecting.com.

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S17E6: Using People Stories as a Growth Lever with Electric Sr. Comms Director JoAnn Martin

Startup Hypeman — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 23:00:41 GMT

Plain and simple, one of the best ways to grow a startup is to get the people talking — literally.

That's what ultra-fast growing startup Electric.ai has done incredibly well.

Through telling the stories of their customers, users, and even their own employees, they've managed to create a groundswell around their product that makes new customers, new users, and new users want to become part of their ecosystem.

This strategy has helped them expand from $17 million to $38 million ARR in 2021, and on pace for $80 million ARR in 2022, plus grow from 200 to 500 employees in a year, AND raise $190 million in total.

This entire season of the podcast we're featuring the different companies in the Startup Hypeman client portfolio, and it is my absolute honor to have Electric's Sr. Comms Director, JoAnn Martin, step to the mic this week to share how they've used people stories as rocket fuel towards their growth.

Find JoAnn online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannmmartin/

Find Electric online:

https://www.electric.ai/

This week's episode is sponsored by Oribi — a marketing analytics tool that shows you what your website visitors actually do while on your site, without using any code. Start your free trial at oribi.io/today and use code HYPEMAN at checkout for 20% off.

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S16E10: Building A Winning Proposal with Grow Up Sales President Joe Micallef

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 10:45:51 GMT

Most people believe deals are won or lost at the proposal stage.

But that's only true if you've done a poor job managing your sales process.

In reality, deals are confirmed or revised at the proposal stage.

This is something I fundamentally didn't understand when I was a rookie salesperson.

Then I hired Joe Micallef, President of GrowUp Sales, as my first sales coach to teach me how it should be done.

When he broke down the why, how, and what I was a brand new salesperson my close rates increased, and so did my deal sizes.

Many of the startups I work with now are a lot like I was when I was a rookie.

That's why I'm so excited to welcome Joe onto this week's podcast to share with you the makeup of a winning proposal.

Find Joe online:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/growupsales/

Find Grow Up Sales online:

https://growupsales.com/

Plus hear the elevator pitch of Startup Hypeman portfolio client Avaana using the Que PASA Elevator Pitch Formula!

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S2E5 - Marisa Nunez: How Do You Stay Passionate About Your Passions? (Portland)

Startup Hypeman — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 19:59:19 GMT

Cypress Hill put it best in "Rock/Rap Superstar" when they said, "It's a fun job, but it's still a job."We spend a lot of time pursuing our passions, but sometimes you can burn out on your passion. So how do you reclaim the fire? We sat down with champion downhill longboarder Marisa Nunez at her home in Portland and explored how to stay passionate about your passions.In this episode you'll learn:+Overcoming being the only female in a male-dominated environment+Pursuing something even if you’re not ‘born with it’+Having an addiction mindset for the things you love+How the story you tell yourself influences your behavior+Planting seeds to grow your passion+What to do when your passion feels like work+How Tony Hawk expanded from a skateboarder to a building a skateboard empire+Keeping things interesting by living in the moment+Why thinking you have to go pro in your passion is the wrong approach+Why Charles Barkley is much happier retired than Michael Jordan+Deciphering between what keeps you busy and what keeps you happy+The sweeping misperception of a “real job”+The moment when you’re winning at life+Being okay with unexpected outcomes+Treating your passion more like a job to take it seriously+Choosing themes instead of goals+Taking a reverse approach to finding exactly what you want to do+Intentionally putting yourself in environments that force your passion out+Developing ‘tunnel vision’ when you’re in a flow state+Channeling nervous energy into empowering energy+Owning that more people are on your side than you thinkFind Marisa Nunez atinstagram @cocomariihttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Marisa-Nuñezwww.daddysboardshop.comThis episode is sponsored by Under30Experiences, an amazing travel community that allows like-minded young adults to explore the world. Use promo code "idealemon" at under30experiences.com for $100 off your next booking.

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GTM 3-6: How to Build a Lasting Brand with The Squeeze Cofounder Sarah Sitz

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 05 May 2024 01:33:37 GMT

If you're a CPG or retail brand, you know by default the importance of brand.

It's what people buy into as much as the product itself.

There's a reason why you choose to pay more for a Nike shirt when you could reasonably buy the same shirt without the logo.

Brand is a promise.

It's a value system. It's a marker of trust for your community and customers that signals an understanding and expectation of the product experience.

In the software world, brand tends to get pushed to the side.

It doesn't matter as long as the product is good.

But if you want to worry less about competition, have more control over pricing, and get customers to move with you when you make pivots, your best served making brand-led decisions.

She steps to the mic in this week's episode to share how to invest wisely in your brand, position yourself for growth, and the difference between an influencer and influential strategy.

Find Sarah online:

Find The Squeeze online

Instagram

Sarah is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything this week. Got Q's you want to ask Sarah personally? Join for free today!

This episode is brought to you by our friends at ActiveCampaign, the GOATs of marketing automation. EVERY kind of business needs a newsletter. After 10 years using Mailchimp, Startup Hypeman is now a proud ActiveCampaign user, and from setup to 'send', every newsletter we've published has been a 10x easier experience since switching. Tons of integrations, automations made simple, and actually supportive customer support (not an annoying chatbot). Get your FREE 2-week trial here!(affiliate link)

This episode is also brought to you by our friends at AKAVA, the GOATs of software development. I've seen too many startups get screwed over by offshore or budget dev shops. Those groups are order takers and do the bare minimum, which often means software with gaping holes, or being forced to pay hidden 'release fees' to claim ownership of your code. Then there's Akava, who actually builds strategically for scale from day 1, helps you make product decisions, and gives you full ownership of your code by default. Want to become the GOAT to Market? Partner with the GOATs of software dev. Get GOATed at akava.io.

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GTM 3-5: How to Make a Community Actually Work with Be The Stage Founder Pablo Gonzalez

Startup Hypeman — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 19:03:45 GMT

Everyone wants to have a community.

Everyone says they have a community.

But just having a Slack or WhatsApp group doesn't actually mean you have community.

Community is more about the interactions than the medium.

And investing in community means playing the long game.

Which is why so many brands don't think it's worth the effort.

My friend Pablo Gonzalez has cracked the community code with a playbook that accrues short-term high-impact wins while waiting for the long game to play out.

Through a process he calls Experiential Content Marketing, his company, Be The Stage, generated a $40M revenue channel from scratch for one of their customers.

I've wanted to interview him for a while, and the stars finally aligned.

Find Pablo online:

Find Be The Stage online:

Pablo is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything this week. Got Q's you want to ask Pablo personally? Join for free today!

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GTM 3-3: Building & Investing in AI with Techstars MD Tricia Martinez-Saab (Live from Startup Grind Chicago!)

Startup Hypeman — Sat, 06 Apr 2024 21:26:51 GMT

I think we can all agree AI is seemingly everywhere.

But what does that actually mean for a startup?

Enjoy this special episode, a replay of my interview with Techstars Managing Director Tricia Martinez-Saab live from the Startup Grind Chicago AI Showcase in November 2023.

Find Tricia online:

Find Techstars online:

Tricia is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything this week. Got Q's you want to ask Tricia personally? Join for free today!

Get your FREE 2-week trial here! (affiliate link)

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GTM3-2: Expanding Your TAM to Increase Revenue with Cardio Diagnostics CEO Meesha Dogan

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 09:10:33 GMT

The 3-letter acronym every startup obsesses with is TAM.

But what is your TAM comprised of, and specifically WHO makes up your TAM?

When you go to market, you may think your target is one group, but then find it includes others you weren't previously considering.

That was the case for Cardio Diagnostics, who built a solution with a clear end user but involved multiple ancillary decision makers and economic buyers, and alternative use cases.

This forced them to expand their TAM in order to successfully penetrate the market and grow revenue.

And with a team of just 10 they've managed to go public on the NASDAQ.

Find Meesha online:

Find Cardio Diagnostic online:

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GTM 2-5: Making The GOAT - The NXT

Startup Hypeman — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:04:27 GMT

We've officially dropped the first-ever startup hip-hop album, GOAT To Market! Season 2 of The GTM Show is a companion podcast on the making-of, where RajNATION gets interviewed by the album's Creative Director Pablo Gonzalez (founder of Be The Stage), for an exclusive behind-the-scenes listen.

GOAT To Market is available now on all streaming platforms. Listen to the album in full then come here, or one track at a time and come here for each corresponding episode. However, you want to listen is the right way to listen.

Want to chat with RajNATION directly about the music, or about anything you’re going through with your startup — whether that’s pitching, figuring out your go-to-market, or something else — you can do that and get access to additional GTM content if you join our online founder community, The GOAT To Market CLUB at startuphypeman.com/gtm-club.

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GTM 1-12: Building A Sales Team From Scratch (Season Finale!) with SamCart GM Olivia Herron

Startup Hypeman — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 16:00:46 GMT

Trying to hire for sales?

Who you bring in first, and subsequently your next few hires after can be the deciding factor on if your company sinks or swims.

So what do you look for in a candidate?

What do you ask in an interview?

How do you prep them and set goals?

There's A LOT that can go terribly wrong, or, wonderfully right.

Olivia Herron has stood up a sales team from zero at Facebook Labs, and is now at SamCart.

She steps to the mic in our season finale to share her inside advice on getting it right the first time.

Find Olivia online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-h-088a7816/

Find Sam Cart online:

Website: https://www.samcart.com/

Olivia is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything this week. Got Q's you want to ask Olivia personally? Join for free today!

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S4E10 - Kristian Aloma: How Do You Find Meaning?

Startup Hypeman — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 12:36:33 GMT

Life is one giant quest to find meaning, and we attempt to understand it all in an hour. While we didn’t manage to cover every corner of the universe, we still got deep into several topics with Marketer Turned Social Scientist and Narrative Psychology PhD candidate, Kristian Aloma.We explore:+Reframing your narrative+Taking on too many things at once+How your family narrative dictates your personal narrative+Writing the story in your head as it’s happening+Immortality is in the memories we keep of the people we know+Treat your life like a TV show+You’re already living vicariously through the stories you consume+Don’t let life push you around+Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld’s constant study of human behavior+The comedian’s view of modern culture+The relationship of “moment” and “momentum”+Why only posting your best moments on social media is a good thing+Your baby photos are only of your best times+Why should individuals bear the burden of the effects of social media?+You have a choice to unfollow people online+How our interpretation of data points is dependent on the narrative we want to tell+Choosing your adjectives wisely+Cultural baselines impacting our emotional states+It’s okay to be sad+Duality+Understanding your opinions versus a societal agreement+Religion’s role in our understanding of the world+Journalism and media’s impact on our worldview+Dumbledore’s, “I believe one of our greatest sources of magic is the language we use.”+The difference between economic class, and social class+Beyonce’s Lemonade+How Donald Trump lowers the barrier to entry of understanding through accessible stories+Why ‘Hamilton’ is so successful+Why we play the national anthem before sporting events+How we use reactions to shape beliefs about ourselves+Gender’s role in crafting a narrative+“Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right”+The Emotional Man being the next frontier+Building communities to shape storiesFind Kristian onlineTwitter @krisalomaLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristianalomawww.brandtrust.comReferences:Alexander Hamilton--https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hamilton-original-broadway/id1025210938Season 4 Show Theme:Tia Einarsen, My Bones--https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/my-bones/id1078388013?i=1078388323 also available on Spotify

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#HYPEsession: Meet Navin Goyal from LOUD Capital (and pitch the Chicago Bulls!)

Startup Hypeman — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 15:12:58 GMT

Hey startups -- want to pitch the Chicago Bulls??

In my latest #HYPEsession I sit down with Navin Goyal, MD, Cofounder & CEO of LOUD Capital.

They recently partnered with the Bulls to launch the first ever Chicago Bulls Venture Pitch Competition where the winning company takes home a $50k investment from LOUD!

Application deadline is December 16th. Tune in to today's #HYPEsession for full details, plus:

Hear how LOUD believes in making an impact with its dollars.
Learn their investment philosophy.
And hear Navin's non-traditional path to VC.

LOUD Capital is one of my favorite investment groups, and I think you're gonna see why right here.

#HYPEsessions are provided to you here in audio format through our podcast feed, but also simulcast with video on my personal Linkedin (linkedin.com/in/rajivnathan) and IGTV via the @startuphypeman account.

If you're a partner of the startup ecosystem and want to be featured in a future #HYPEsession, email media@startuphypeman.com.

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S14E12 (Season Finale!): How To Swing An Election With $46k with Marketer In Chief Author Jason Voiovich

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 12:08:04 GMT

We've reached our season finale and boy oh boy do I have a doozy for you.

With the U.S. Presidential election less than a month away, I thought the perfect conclusion to this season would be to talk about the intersection of marketing and politics.

Jason Voiovich is an entrepreneur, fractional CMO, and creator of the Marketer In Chief project, where he analyzes every U.S. President through the lens of marketing.

I was especially intrigued by his recent article in the series highlighting Donald Trump's 2016 social media strategy that many would argue swung the election in his favor.

Jason and I go deep on this one.

We aim to keep personal bias out of the conversation and dissect Trump's 2016 strategy purely from a marketing angle.

In an election when over $1.5 billion was spent between both candidates, you will be amazed at just how much a meager $46k mattered in swaying public opinion.

Listen up, put this flavor in your ear, and remember to go out and vote on November 3rd!

Find Jason online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvoiovich/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JasonTVoiovich

Read Jason's article here: https://marketerinchief.com/donald-trump/

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S4 Bonus! LIVE From Techweek Chicago - Colt Cabana: How Do You Find Your Niche?

Startup Hypeman — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:10:30 GMT

Professional wrestler and podcaster Colt Cabana found a sense of belonging in his career and in his life. In this special bonus episode recorded in front of a live audience at Techweek Chicago, we sit down with Colt and discuss how he found his niche. We explore:+How to seize opportunities without asking for permission+Reaching a goal can be achieved through creative means; it is important to think outside the box+There are many paths to the same goal+There’s no curtain in anyone’s life+Use your authentic self but heighten it to maximize your potential+Don’t be afraid to create your own platform; if there is an audience, there is potential+Working by trial and error isn’t wrong, rather, it’s effective+Tweak as you see fit+Be discretionary and selective when you ask for feedback+Merging your interests to form one encompassing idea and project maximizes your strengths and enjoyment+Pigeonholing yourself maximizes risk and minimizes success+Diversify your projects to create contingency plans for yourself+Support is built through humility+Storytelling is integral to finding your niche; rather than telling people your story, invite people to come along the journey with you+Actively promote your brand to avoid indifference+Believing in longevity breeds complacencyFind Colt Online:The Art of Wrestling Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/coltcabanawww.coltcabana.comwww.prowrestlingtees.comLearn more about Techweek at www.techweek.com

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GTM 4-10: Finding Yourself as a Founder with The Reeder Founder Devin Reed (part 1!)

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 00:30:00 GMT

This episode was supposed to be about content creation (because Devin is a master at it — 2x Head of Content at unicorn startups Gong and Clari, 95k+ Linkedin followers, best B2B podcast in the game). But what I've always liked about the way this show runs is we don't fight momentum. Since Devin and I are so close personally, it's easy to gain momentum in unexpected places. And shortly after we began, we started going deeper into our respective journeys, our mindset, and how we've changed and grown as individuals through our businesses. As we started going in that direction, I found myself not wanting to pull away from it because I was learning a lot, and I realized you will too. So, in an unexpected twist, Devin steps to the mic this week for a conversation about figuring out WHO you are, and how that shapes WHAT you build (despite me saying during his introduction that we're talking about the future of content creation).

Devin opens up about how a significant personal loss became the catalyst for taking a big swing, we talk finding time to be present for both business and family, and detaching our personal identity from our business. Our time was cut short so enjoy part 1 this week, and we'll have part 2 of the conversation ready for you in our next episode.

Find Devin online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinreed/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereederco/

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S18E9: A VC's Take on a Potential Recession with LOUD Capital CEO Navin Goyal

Startup Hypeman — Sat, 13 Aug 2022 17:41:46 GMT

You've seen it in the news, in your Linkedin feeds, and from industry experts. Y-Combinator sent out their doomsday letter.

All the classic characteristics have started to show themselves already.

I'm talking of course about 'The R Word'.

What does a potential recession mean for you as a founder, both in running your company and raising capital?

Who better to ask than a VC. Navin Goyal is a physician turned entrepreneur turned venture capitalist.

I've gotten to know him well over the years first through networking, and even more so as LOUD Capital invested in multiple Startup Hypeman portfolio companies.

With such a broad experience and true empathy for the founder journey, I wanted to bring Navin on to share his take on a potential recession.

Spoiler alert: like me, he's an optimist!

He steps to the mic in this week's episode giving his assessment on the market and advice to founders.

Find Navin online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/navingoyalmd/

Find LOUD Capital online:

Website: https://loud.vc/

This episode is sponsored by Miquido - a full-service software development partner that supports companies in building their digital products. Learn more at miquido.com/hypeman

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S18E8: Building Culture Through Conscious Leadership with BallotReady COO Aviva Rosman

Startup Hypeman — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 20:11:30 GMT

I'm a firm believer that the majority if not all, problems that exist are ultimately a communication problem.

And as your company scales, how you communicate sets the precedent for your leadership style.

Aviva Rosman and her Cofounder Alex Niemczewski have scaled BallotReady to 100 employees with 300+ customers including names like Spotify, TikTok, Snapchat, and Levis.

But they were on the verge of this never happening because they didn't have the right model to communicate with each other.

Enter Conscious Leadership.

Once they adopted this model of leadership and communication they were able to be 100% open and honest with one another, which allowed the company to grow.

Aviva steps to the mic in this week's episode to share how both of their pent-up frustration led to a 3-hour conversation at a bar, which changed the face of their relationship for the better and paved the way for healthy company culture.

Find Aviva online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avivarosman/

Find Ballot Ready online:

Website: https://www.ballotready.org/

This episode is sponsored by Miquido - a full-service software development partner that supports companies in building their digital products. Learn more at miquido.com/hypeman

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GTM 1-6: Winning Big Money Pitch Competitions with Cyber Pop-Up Founder Dr. Christine Izuakor

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 04:00:22 GMT

One of the best feelings as a founder is being so good at pitching your company that people literally throw their money at you on the spot.

That's what Christine Izuakor has experienced in her journey pitching Cyber Pop-Up in competitions across America.

So much so that in a single year, she amassed over $250,000 in pitch competition winnings.

As a Startup Hypeman client, we had an inside look at her journey from the start.

She steps to the mic this week to give you an inside look, sharing everything from how to deliver the pitch, to stage presence, to shining during Q&A.

Find Christine online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christineizuakor/

Find CyberPop-up online:

Website: https://www.cyberpopup.com/

Christine's also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask me Anything the entire week of this episode's launch date. Got Q's you want to ask Christine personally? Join for free today!

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GTM 2-7: Making The GOAT - I Get A Round

Startup Hypeman — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:06:44 GMT

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GTM 2-6: Making The GOAT - Dry Powder

Startup Hypeman — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:05:07 GMT

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GTM 2-4: Making The GOAT - Thankless

Startup Hypeman — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:03:08 GMT

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GTM 2-3: Making The GOAT - I Can Be Anything

Startup Hypeman — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:02:59 GMT

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GTM 2-2: Making The GOAT - Intro (I Do)

Startup Hypeman — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:01:00 GMT

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GTM 2-1: Making The GOAT - Album Overview & Why We Did This

Startup Hypeman — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:00:33 GMT

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GTM 1-3: Attracting Big-Name Advisors with Cheeze Founder Simon Hudson

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 21 May 2023 04:00:00 GMT

What if you could have one of Apple's pioneering innovators, or the co-founder of Netflix, or Nike, on your Board of Advisors?

Simon Hudson, Founder of Cheeze, has Guy Kawasaki, Marc Randolph, and more on his board and cap table.

When you essentially have celebrity backing, new doors open up, more media outlets want to promote your startup, and traction becomes a little less of an uphill battle (prior to even launching, Cheeze has raised a $2.5 million pre-seed round).

Simon steps to the mic to share how he recruited the best of the best.

Find Simon online:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hudson

Find Cheeze online:

Website: https://cheeze.com/

Simon's also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask me Anything the entire week of this episode's launch date. Got Q's you want to ask Simon personally? Join for free today!

This episode brought to you by our friends at Akava. Akava is THE software development partner to help you go from zero to 1. Startups like Stride Health, Haveno, Olive, Side, and more trust Akava from their first dollar all the way to their billion-dollar valuation, and they're ready to help YOU become the GOAT to Market. Learn more at akava.io.

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Best of Season 15: S15E4 - Coaching Your Champion for Executive Buyin with SDRDefenders Cofounder Nikki Ivey

Startup Hypeman — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 14:27:10 GMT

We are gearing up for Season 19, but in the meantime, enjoy one of our favorites from Season 15!

Most conversations in B2B sales are about how you sell to the person you're speaking with.

Ask them the right questions, learn their pains, needs, and goals, give them pricing, send them proposals, etc.

There is A TON of content in this area.

The oft-overlooked part is how to navigate a multi-stakeholder deal.

Most enterprise, and many non-enterprise, sales include a main point-of-contact, influencers, the economic buyer, and the final decision-maker.

In these cases, your main point-of-contact has to become your champion, and you have to coach your champion to gain buy-in at these different levels.

Because there's not much content about how to do this, I'm especially excited to have had the opportunity to speak with Nikki Ivey, cofounder of SDRDefenders and sales rep at Emtrain, who sells a DEI product to a customer who often has to fight for budget internally.

Nikki steps to the mic in this week's episode to share the ins and outs of weaving this tangled web to ultimately win the deal.

Find Nikki online:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knownikkiivey/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-ivey/

Find SDR Defender online:

https://www.sdrdefenders.com/

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GTM 1-10: Creating Content That Actually Works with Startup Hypeman Pitch Artist Whitney Durmick

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 01:34:50 GMT

We all know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of really good content.

Whether it's a funny meme, an inspiring video, or an insightful whitepaper.

Why then, are so many startups *so bad* at CREATING content for their audience?

Is it bad source material, bad measurement, or just plain being bad at content?

Whitney Durmick spent a half-decade running content for the Oracle startup accelerator and knows a thing or two about what clicks, connects, and converts.

After several months freelancing with Startup Hypeman, she recently joined our team as FT employee #1 as a Pitch & Content Artist.

In this episode, she and I step to the mic so that YOU can get to know who's really #1 at Startup Hypeman now, and unpack what goes into creating good content.

She also was a nomad before being a nomad was cool and shares her lessons learned along the way.

Find Half Wild online

Website: https://halfwildcreative.com/

Find Whitney online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitneykdurmick/

Whitney is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything the entire week of this episode's launch date. Got Q's you want to ask Whitney personally? Join for free today!

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S18E10: Reducing CAC Through A Distribution Flywheel with Asteya CEO Hadi Radwan

Startup Hypeman — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 19:05:37 GMT

When we work on investor pitch decks, one of our questions to founders is, "What's your G2M / distribution strategy?"

Too often we hear, "Social media", "buying ads", or "SEO".

Now, it's not that these channels don't work, it's that it usually requires a ton of upfront capital to even start to figure out what's working and what's not.

Capital that you don't have yet, for CAC that won't pay you back for a long time (potentially ever).

On top of that, once you do have the keyword or targeting figured out, the platform could change its algorithm overnight, leaving you back at square one.

Hadi Radwan's insuretech startup, Asteya, has successfully raised $15 million, processed over $20M in Premiums, and achieved $5M ARR.

At the core of their success is a B2B2C distribution flywheel.

This model has significantly lower CAC than the aforementioned paths, with higher LTV, and way more control over the outcome.

He steps to the mic in this week's episode to share exactly how they've done it.

We also learn how his experience from Lebanon, to Boston, to London has shaped his communication style.

Find Hadi online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadiradwan/

Find Asteya online:

Website: https://www.asteya.world/

This episode is sponsored by Miquido - a full-service software development partner that supports companies in building their digital products. Learn more at miquido.com/hypeman

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S18E5: Embracing Conflict for Growth and Scale with Investor & Author Gabe Karp

Startup Hypeman — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 16:17:39 GMT

Imagine this: Your company accidentally prints the "C" word onto thousands of diaper packages for the largest diaper brand in the world.

What do you do?

Several years ago, as General Counsel of ePrize, Gabe Karp found himself in this exact situation.

It taught him a valuable lesson on how to approach conflict.

But not only that, as a former litigator, advisor, and active VC, Gabe has seen conflict from every angle.

His new book, "Don't Get Mad At Penguins", unpacks what he's learned over the years on how to embrace healthy conflict, and rid your company of toxic conflict.

I had the honor of being Gabe's coworker at ePrize, and saw firsthand how good he was at dealing with difficult situations.

He steps to the mic this week to give us an inside look at why we shouldn't be getting mad at penguins.

I also get him to tell the story of the time he worked literally elbow-to-elbow with Vince McMahon for 3 weeks and appeared on global television for WWE Monday Night Raw (which you know I love).

Find Gabe online:

Website: www.gabekarp.com

Link to his book: https://www.gabekarp.com/book

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabe-karp-1b772a1b/

This episode is sponsored by Miquido - a full-service software development partner that supports companies in building their digital products. Learn more at miquido.com/hypeman

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S18E3: The 6 Qualities To Look For In A CTO with TechSpeak Founder Nelly Yusupova

Startup Hypeman — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 08:41:00 GMT

"We're looking for a CTO, so if you know anyone please let me know!"

Does that sentence sound familiar?

Whether it's getting the initial product built, or taking an MVP and turning it into a scalable product, "I need a CTO!" is something I hear founders say all the time.

Nelly Yusupova is a seasoned CTO with 18 years of experience.

As Founder of TechSpeak, she trains startups on how to effectively create and run their product development strategy.

She knows exactly what to look for in a CTO, and can tell you if what you need is truly a CTO or just a developer.

She steps to the mic in this week's episode to share exactly how to find the right person for the job.

She also shares her powerful personal story of coming to the U.S. as a war refugee, not knowing any English, and signing up for a computer science class thinking it would teach her how to USE a computer!

Find Nelly online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalwoman/

Find TechSpeak online:

Website: https://www.techspeakforentrepreneurs.com/

This episode is sponsored by Miquido - a full-service software development partner that supports companies in building their digital products. Learn more at miquido.com/hypeman

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S17E11: Building Relationships with Hard-To-Reach People with MORE Founder Bambi Weavil

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 00:54:36 GMT

Trish Stratus. Kurt Angle. Lita. Larry Zbysko. Jeff Jarrett. The Steiner Brothers. Penta El Cero Miedo.

These are LEGENDARY names in pro wrestling with accomplishments like headlining stadiums around the world, performing on national television, appearing at Wrestlemania in front of 75,000 fans, and getting inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

So what would make them even take a phone call from a startup independent wrestling league?

That's what Bambi Weavil, Founder of MORE Wrestling (Masters of Ring Entertainment), has figured out in her years in the business.

Similar to trying to get on the radar of a VC, or crack into an enterprise account, pro wrestling is historically a closed-door industry where oftentimes you have to be 'born in the business' to even hold someone's sweat towel.

If you think that Silicon Valley investor is hard-to-reach, try getting in touch with someone who literally has Vince McMahon on speed dial.

In this week's episode, Bambi steps to the mic to share how she's not only broken into the business and gotten on people's radars but built RELATIONSHIPS with some of the hardest-to-reach people there are.

Find Bambi online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bambiweavil/

Find MORE online:

Website: https://mastersofringentertainment.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastersofringentertainment/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mastersofring1

Want no to NOT suck at pitching your startup? Subscribe to our Point-of-View Letter at startuphypeman.com!

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S16E3: Channel Partners as a G2M Strategy with SaaSMAX CEO Dina Moskowitz

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 05:25:01 GMT

One of the best things your company can do to grow is hedge your growth levers against one another.

Otherwise known as "Don't put all your eggs in one basket".

That's why you never see successful companies rely on just one marketing channel.

But what about on the sales side?

Sure, you can have a team of salespeople, and even divide teams by region or account type, but isn't it still ultimately a one-prong effort? Enter: Channel partners.

Companies like Dell and Microsoft make literally billions through channel partner sales, but you don't have to be at their scale to execute for your startup.

Dina Moskowitz is the CEO of SaaSMAX, whose Partner Optimizer tool identifies the best possible channel partners for any company.

She knows exactly who this strategy is good for, what conditions need to be satisfied, and how to execute and operate at scale.

She steps to the mic in this week's episode to share the inside story.

Follow Dina online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinamoskowitz/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DinaDinaDina

Follow SaaSMAX online:

https://saasmax.com/

Plus: Hear the elevator pitch of Startup Hypeman portfolio client Swish House, using the Que PASA Elevator Pitch(TM) Formula!

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S14E2: 3X'ing Lead Flow from Website Updates with Wicked Reports CEO Scott Desgrosseilliers

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 03:05:47 GMT

Every company goes through that period where they actually push people AWAY from their website, because it doesn't accurately reflect who they are and what they do.

I know that was the case for Startup Hypeman's website until recently.

Wicked Reports was in this boat as well, where they found that through piecemeal updates to their website over time, it produced crazy high bounce rates and confused leads.

Their CEO Scott took some time and followed a systematic process he learned from the book "Obviously Awesome", and rebuilt the Wicked website.

Within one month lead flow tripled, bounce rates dipped, and demo bookings, buyer readiness, and demo close rates all improved. This past Startup Hypeman client steps to the microphone in this episode to share their process.

Find Wicked Reports online

Socials: @wickedreports

www.wickedreports.com

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S13E12 - Using Story To Clarify Brand Perception with K+L Storytellers CEO Michele Kelly (season finale!)

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 21 Jun 2020 10:33:13 GMT

I didn't think it was possible, but I found someone who is as passionate about storytelling as I am.

Enter: Michele Kelly, Cofounder & CEO of K+L Storytellers, a corporate storytelling agency focused on brand development and content creation.

There was magic in the air in this conversation, as we got deep into storytelling philosophy, strategy, and execution. If you leave this episode not convinced that you should build (or rebuild) your company around your story, then we haven't done our job.

And as a special treat, Michele answers the final Entrepreneurship is ____ question with an original poem.

I couldn't have asked for a better season finale. Enjoy!

Find Michele online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelekellystorylove/

Find K+L Storytellers online

Socials: @firstcoupleofstory

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#HYPEsession: Aaron Krall from AaronKrall.io

Startup Hypeman — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 18:59:33 GMT

Want to increase your trial-to-paid conversions?Aaron Krall has become a LEGEND in this game and he steps up to the mic for a lightning chat with me in my newest #HYPEsession!Aaron shares:

Where most SaaS's experience user dropoff
Capturing the Moment of First Value
How he's building a community of thousands around this topic

Enjoy, and remember, #HYPEsessions are available here, and simulcast in video format on Linkedin at linkedin.com/in/rajivnathan and IGTV @startuphypeman!

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Season 10 Announcements, Company Updates, and More!

Startup Hypeman — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 15:07:19 GMT

Listen in as Raj shares updates, announcements, and changes to the podcast for the upcoming season!

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S7E11 - Cayla Weisberg: What Is Unconscious Gender Bias?

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 17:33:18 GMT

"A father and son are riding together in a car and get in a horrible car crash, killing the father. The son is rushed to the hospital. Just as he's about to go under the knife, the surgeon says, 'I cant operate, that boy is my son'. Explain?"Cayla Weisberg, Venture Capitalist partner at InvestHER Ventures, joins us.Full show notes available at www.discoveryourinnerawesome.com.

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S8E9 - Beth Bond: How Can You Be A Social Entrepreneur?

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 10 Dec 2017 16:37:32 GMT

"For the social entrepreneur, or the social enterprise, you are quite often changing behavior. And that is so much different than trying to get someone to buy something that would benefit them."Beth Bond, Founder of Community Startups, joins us.Full show notes available at www.discoveryourinnerawesome.com

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S5E5 - Yvonne Lyngaas: How Do You Build Accountability?

Startup Hypeman — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 04:34:17 GMT

Whether chasing a goal or simply trying to get things done, accountability can determine your success or lack thereof. This week, we sit down with Yvonne Lyngaas, founder and CEO of Monarch & Company, and discuss what goes into building accountability for yourself, and for others.We explore:+How awards provide motivation+The unpopular approach to failure+Understanding the mindsets contrary to your own+Comparing yourself to others+Accumulating knowledge versus getting good grades+Being able to flip the switch between playful and serious with others+The struggle to hold yourself accountable to you+Writing down 3, 5, and 10 year goals+Internalizing your goals+Connecting to the deeper purpose of your work+Controlling your environment by controlling yourself+Taking ownership and responsibility over your actions+Making yourself “the type of person” who does or doesn’t do something+Doing what you say you do+Having the lifestyle that supports your goals+Figuring out the little things you don’t know you’re good at+Finding your lane and sticking to itFind Yvonne at:Yvonne@monarchandcompany.comBy phone: 312-265-5840References/Resources:Ryan Holiday: Ego Is The Enemy - https://amzn.com/B015NTIXWE Anders Ericson: Peak: Secrets From The New Science of Expertise - https://amzn.com/B011H56MKSSeason 5 Theme Song:cLOUD9 - After Party-- available at www.chicagoloud9.com

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S3E8 - Levi Baer: How Do You Pick What To Work On?

Startup Hypeman — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 18:52:20 GMT

There are a million things on your mind, and 500,000 of them sound interesting. So how do you just pick one thing already and get started?In this episode we get together with our friend Levi Baer, creator of the Chicago entrepreneurship networking community Coffee & Conversation, as well as board game community Game Night Chicago, about how to choose one thing when you feel like you could do a number of things.We explore:+Finding work you love that can also make money+The importance of transferable skills+Viewing your work as outputs+Viewing your audience as one person before trying to find many people+Answering “Who would want this?”+Creating work that feeds itself and grows beyond your own input+Creating things that people want to become part of and help grow+Why consistency is perhaps more important than creativity+Building an archive of your work+How to pick an idea and get started+Breaking away from the sacrifice and trade-offs mindset in picking one thing, when you still enjoy other things+Stopping to actually congratulate yourself for your progress+Thinking constructively instead of destructively+Cleaning out your mental closet+Holding yourself back from writing everything down to find what’s really worth writing down+Finding your Mission to Mars+Following in the footsteps of Elon Musk and building rocketships for yourself+The Non-profit approach of ‘what would you do if you could make possible the impossible?”+Viewing your work as something that’s adding to the world, instead of taking from the world+Believing that YOUR way is the BEST way in order to stay convicted+Stepping on toes in order to get people on board with youFind Levi and his projects at:www.coffeeandconversation.info/www.levibaer.comOn twitter@coffeeconvochi@MysteryBaerShow credits:Show theme from Sidewalk Chalk: Lyrically Free - https://exit.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Falbum%2Flyrical%E2%80%A65011%3Fi%3D508155577

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S3E7 - John Schnettgoecke: How Do You Set Goals?

Startup Hypeman — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 13:46:17 GMT

Arguably one of the most terrifying and exciting words in the English language, it's time we talk about Goals. How do you set goals, and how do you move closer to them?In this episode, we catch up with author John Schnettgoecke about what goes into the goal-setting process, and how we can improve our chances of hitting our goals.We explore:+Navigating a quarter-life crisis+John’s motorcycle accident story that led to him writing his book+Journaling and documenting your thoughts+The need for hitting low points in order to force change+Breaking the addiction to your calendar+The Motivation Curve+Stepping away from your routine to see the bigger picture+John’s Umbrella Goal Strategy+Treating your goals and aspirations as a practice, not a single event+Writing the stupid out of your head+Knowing the difference between your own goals, and someone else’s goals for you+Being at a mental equilibrium in order to set the right goals+Creating or joining environments that enable your goals+Building a Knowledge Squad to feed your goals+Holding yourself accountable by telling people what you’re doing, before you even start+Asking for help+Not everything has to be a DYIFind John and his work at:John’s book—Pura Vida, A Thinker’s Guide to Living: http://www.amazon.com/Pura-Vida-Thinkers-Guide-Living-ebook/dp/B016GYR7F4Twitter @Schnetthappensjohn@epictravelstories.comReferences: Martin and Rajiv as guests on Jason Bay’s GenY Success Show discussing quitting— http://genysuccess.libsyn.com/rssfeedShow Credits:Show theme from Sidewalk Chalk: Lyrically Free - itunes.apple.com/us/album/lyrical…5011?i=508155577

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S2E4 - Sean Ogle: How Do You Plan For The Unexpected? (Portland)

Startup Hypeman — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 16:05:36 GMT

Unexpected things happen all the time. Maybe you get laid off. Maybe your partner breaks up with you. Maybe you have to pack up and move away from everyone you know.How you choose to view them changes everything though.In our second podcast out of Portland, we talked with Sean Ogle, founder of Location Rebel about the unexpected. Sean couldn't have been more perfect for this conversation. In 2009, he unknowingly resigned from his job (talk about unexpected). This led to him building Location Rebel, moving to Thailand for an extended period, and setting out on a quest to play the top 100 golf courses in the world.You'll also learn:+Finding a good travel buddy to have the experiences you want to have+How to deal with getting laid off when you least expect it+Identifying what you have to fall back on when thing’s don't go as planned+How to comfortably quit your job+Taking an abundance versus a limited mindset+The 3 stages of uncertainty+Identifying the things that bring you happiness+Forcing yourself to do something by talking about it more+Advancing yourself beyond being a pretender to a doer+Making yourself worthy of being helped by other people+Valuing your own time, and the importance of being called out on your BS+Breaking past the veil of forced and fake pleasantries+Planning for the now instead of planning for an uncertain future+How to move forward without a backup plan+Sean’s advice for knowing the exact right time to leave your job+Trusting yourself to make tough decisions+Forcing yourself into sink or swim scenarios to reveal your best qualities+Identifying your transferable skills to lessen negative impact, and constant positive impactFind Sean atwww.seanogle.comwww.locationrebel.comwww.breakingeighty.comThis episode is sponsored by Under30Experiences, an amazing travel community that allows like-minded young adults to explore the world. Use promo code "idealemon" at under30experiences.com for $100 off your next booking.

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S2E3 - Jason Bay: How Do You Know When You've Made It? (Portland)

Startup Hypeman — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 15:27:23 GMT

We're all hungry ambitious people, chasing after something. Sometimes that 'something' can be ambiguous for a lot of us. How many times have you heard someone say they are 'chasing the dream', but they don't really know what their dream is?As we progress through our lives and careers, there is this nebulous concept of 'making it'. You're in the midst of your chase, but just how do you know when you've made it?That's the question we answered in our latest podcast out of Portland with our new friend Jason Bay, founder of Gen Y Success.I love this episode because we explored a lot of the 'behind the curtain' aspects of chasing success that most career aficionados and 'experts' never cover.In this episode, you'll learn:+The parallels and differences between Michael Jordan and LeBron James+How having success means you’ll attract haters+The impact of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation on your +performance+How to distinguish between symbiotic versus parasitic relationships+Identifying what’s natural versus what’s forced+How “desperation mode” hinders your success+The pitfalls and benefits of being “the nice guy”+How to define fame for yourself+The Kendrick Lamar 'money & power approach'As a thank you to Discover Your inner Awesome podcast listeners, Jason Bay has a free success toolkit available for download, with over 50 free tools the best entrepreneurs use.Download the Success Toolkit here: http://www.genysuccess.com/lemonFind Jason on twitter @JasonDBaywww.genysuccess.comThis episode is sponsored by Under30Experiences, an amazing travel community that allows like-minded young adults to explore the world. Use promo code "idealemon" at under30experiences.com for $100 off your next booking.

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GTM 4-9: Making it (Nearly) Impossible for your Sales Hire to Fail with Alleyoop CEO Gabe Lullo

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 00:30:00 GMT

Most startups chase the next automation hack. Gabe Lullo built his by betting on people instead. As CEO of Alleyoop and host of the Do Hard Things podcast, he’s helped over 1,600 founders scale by focusing on one thing that never goes out of style—real human connection. From 11 million cold calls a year to rebuilding how companies hire, train, and lead SDRs, Gabe’s rethinking what growth actually looks like in the age of AI. He steps to the mic this week to talk founder-led selling, why most sales hires fail, and how to build a team that never stops doing the hard things.

Find Gabe online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lullo/

Gabe is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything this week. Got Q's you want to ask Gabe personally? Join for free today!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GTM 4-Bonus! Creativity & Betting On Yourself - Reed Between The Lines

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 00:30:00 GMT

S4 BONUS! Creativity & Betting On Yourself - Reed Between The Lines

We've got a special bonus for you this week! It's a re-airing of my appearance as a guest on the Reed Between The Lines podcast with my friend Devin Reed. I've done a lot of interviews in my life, and this is hands down my favorite one ever. We peel back the curtain on the transformation from Rajiv Nathan to 'RajNATION' and get into the REAL stuff — setbacks, insecurities, relationships, and more. The stuff that really comes into play when you decide to bet on yourself. This interview was originally recorded in March 2024 and aired on Devin's show in May 2024. This one's long, but worth every song.

Want to WATCH the show instead? We filmed on a basketball court overlooking the Chicago skyline. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/vXAQ3bf7q0c?si=n9p7tHXWs3ex9v29

Subscribe to Devin's show:

Apple

Spotify

Connect with Devin:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinreed/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereederco/

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GTM 4-7: Sales in the AI Era with Sales Expert Leslie Venetz

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 00:30:00 GMT

Most sales advice today is either outdated or outright cringe. Meanwhile AI has made its way into every corner of life and business, and sales is no exception. Leslie Venetz is a rare (and deadly) combination of being a sales maestro, and on trend with technology. She's been employee #1 at multiple startups, sold into the likes of Kraft and AT&T, grown a TikTok account (@salestipstok) to 42k+ followers, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Most recently she's launched The Sales-Led GTM Agency helping early-stage companies build their sales motions, and authored the upcoming book Profit Generating Pipeline: A Proven Formula to Earn Turst and Drive Revenue. With this experience, Leslie is who I turn to for knowing how the field evolves. She steps to the mic in this week’s episode to talk how AI fits into a sales motion. She also shares highlights from her upcoming book, her take on the "SDRS are dead" narrative, and yes — we dissect a few real, terrible cold emails along the way.

Find Leslie online:

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/leslievenetz

Website: www.salesledgtm.com

Leslie is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything this week. Got Q's you want to ask Leslie personally? Join for free today!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GTM 4-6: Why The Great Depression Matters Today with Author & Innovation Historian Jason Voioivich

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:30:00 GMT

Did you know some of the most iconic products and ideas in American history came out of the Great Depression? Not in spite of it — but because of it. In a time of scarcity, creativity thrived: Superman was born. Church bingo took off. Farmers started raising bullfrogs. And a banjo-playing dropout turned Scotch tape into a multi-million dollar business. All of this matters today as we face a period of uncertainty not too dissimilar from The Great Depression. One of the leading minds exploring the link between constraint and innovation is Jason Voiovich. Jason is a researcher, entrepreneur, and 3x author, most recently publishing his 2025 title Bullfrogs, Bingo, and the Little House on the Prairie, a book that dives deep into the entrepreneurial breakthroughs of the 1930s. He steps to the mic in this week's episode — his second time on the show! — to talk frugal innovation, what modern founders can learn from history, and how to spot opportunity in unlikely places — especially when resources are tight.

Find Jason online:

Email: jasonvoiovich@gmail.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvoiovich/

Website: https://www.repeathistory.com/

Jason is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything this week. Got Q's you want to ask Jason personally? Join for free today!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GTM 4-5: The Science of Your Voice with Opera Singer, Voice Coach, & Peacock Voices CEO Margaret Izard Oskoui

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 00:30:00 GMT

Did you know experts at Yale determined with up to 80% accuracy who would win a pitch competition purely based on the sound of their voice? It's not all about what you say, it's about how you say it. Your pitch, tone, rhythm, and even your breathing. Even a small shift can compeletely change perception. In fact, your voice might be your most overlooked go-to-market asset. One of the leading minds in the art and science of 'how you say it' is Margaret Izard Oskoui. Margaret is a professional opera singer turned voice coach and founder of Peacock Voices, where she helps leaders, speakers, and founders unlock the full power of their voice. Not just to sound better, but to be heard and understood. She steps to the mic in this week's episode to talk habits, stage presence, and how to make sure your message lands every time you speak. We even cover what makes pop music so popular, how to adjust on the fly, and practical vocal exercise you can do to get your voice ready for your next big pitch or just your next big meeting.

Find Margaret online:

Email: m.izard@peacockvoices.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-izard-oskoui/

Website: https://www.peacockvoices.com

Margaret is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything this week. Got Q's you want to ask Margaret personally? Join for free today!

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GTM 3-10: Investing in Sports, Media, and Commerce with Marquee Ventures VC Erik Hammer (Live from Startup Grind Chicago!)

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 03:18:11 GMT

Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and...venture capital? In 2023 the Chicago Cubs spun off a fund by the name of Marquee Ventures.

Marquee invests at the intersection of sports, media, commerce, and their enabling infrastructure.

Enjoy this special episode, a replay of my interview with Marquee's Cofounder & Managing Partner Erik Hammer live from the Startup Grind Chicago 2nd Annual Health & Sportstech Showcase in March 2024.

Erik covers how Marquee assesses deals, what catches their eye, his outlook on the future of sports and media tech, and more.

Original interview date: Mar 19, 2024.

Find Erik online:

Find Marquee online:

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GTM 4-2: Building a Go To CUSTOMER Strategy with Product Marketer and Content Artist Sid Khaitan

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 00:30:00 GMT

You've heard of Go To Market. But have you heard of Go To CUSTOMER? GTC is going beyond getting the product in customer's hands and being intentional about the program(s) you build around the product to ensure uptake, produce successful outcomes, lower churn, and create advocates. It's the 'hidden' stuff that hedges against friction being your rate limiting factor. Sid Khaitan is an experienced product marketer (currently with BeeKeeper). He also currently serves as Content Artist at Startup Hypeman where he helps evangelize our clients' message through Brand Manifestos, and helps them evangelize their clients through unique customer story writeups. He's even a DJ. Through everything Sid has done, he's sat shoulder-to-shoulder with the end customer. He steps to the mic in this week's episode to unpack the meaning and methods of GTC.

Find Sid online:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidktan/

Email: skhaita2@gmail.com

Sid is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything this week. Got Q's you want to ask Sid personally? Join for free today!

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GTM 4-1: Surviving a Pivot with Michelin Star Chef Soo Ahn (Season Premiere!)

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 13:30:00 GMT

If you were a PGA golfer you'd seemingly have the perfect career, right? Get paid to play golf, while playing on the best courses possible. From 5 years old, Soo Ahn worked his whole life to make it onto the PGA Tour. His hard work paid off when he got his Tour Card. He had made it into the top 1% of his field. But once he had 'made it', playing golf didn't play out as he had dreamed. So he made a huge pivot.

As entrepreneurs, sometimes we have to pivot. That pivot could mean a new audience, a new product, or it could even mean a new company altogether.

Soo's pivot took him into the culinary world where he became a chef. He started over with no network and no training but rose the ranks to some of the top kitchens in Chicago and achieved a Michelin Star, becoming a top 1%-er yet again. He's currently the Executive Chef at Adalina where he's won awards for Best Dish, Best Meal, and Best New Restaurant. He was also a contestant on Top Chef Season 21, making it to the final 7 before elimination. He steps to the mic in our season premiere to share his lessons and advice pivoting from sand wedges to sandwiches, par putts to par-boils, and some of the reality behind reality TV competitions.

Find Chef Soo online:

Instagram: @sookyoahn

Email: sookyoahn@gmail.com

website: sookyoahn.com

Chef Soo is also hopping into our member community, GOAT to Market Club, for an Ask Me Anything this week. Got Q's you want to ask Chef Soo personally? Join for free today!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GTM 3-12: The 4 Superpowers of a Successful Founder with CMO & Author Michelle Denogean (Season Finale!)

Startup Hypeman — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 05:21:54 GMT

What's your superpower? Every Founder has one.

At the same time, not every founder has the SAME one.

Which means just because Sara Blakely or Bill Gates did things one way, doesn't mean you also have to do things that way.

When you know your superpower you can better make strategic decisions, acknowledge what should stay on your plate versus what you should delegate, and perhaps most importantly, be aware of your blind spots.

Michelle Denogean has spent decades in the "Director's chair" for several startups, working as a VP and CMO.

She helped her previous company, Roadster, scale from 15 to 200 employees and exit for nearly $400M.

Through all her experiences, she's worked alongside the founder and observed their traits, quirks, and shortcomings.

She combined her experience with psychological research to author her book titled Grow Up! Take your startup to the next level.

In the book, she explains the 4 superpowers of a successful founder and how to identify yours. She steps to the mic in our season finale for a conversation on finding your cape.

Fiind Michelle online:

Find Mindtrip online:

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GTM 3-4: Becoming a Household Brand Name with Foxtrot CEO Mike LaVitola (Live from Startup Grind Chicago!)

Startup Hypeman — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 19:57:37 GMT

What does it take to turn an idea for a boutique 7-11 into a tech-driven consumer market, into a national brand that merged with one of the biggest names in grocery?

Enjoy this special episode, a replay of my interview with Foxtrot CEO & Cofounder Mike LaVitola live from the Startup Grind Chicago 4th Annual Great Chicago Food Bash in January 2024.

Mike shares overcoming rejection for his crazy idea in the early days, to raising nearly $200M and scaling up nationally.

He talks about the importance of optimizing for brand experience, identifying adjacencies in customer behavior, and why data actually isn't everything.

Original interview date: January 18, 2024

Find Mike online:

Find Foxtrot online: