Disruptive Ceo Nation

Skye is a maestro of philanthropic capitalism, blending venture capital tools with philanthropic principles to tackle global challenges while making a profit. Did that sound like a mouthful? Well, Skye makes it sound much easier than that. We caught up with Skye at his home in Puerto Rico, and here is just some of what we covered: -Venturing Beyond Profit: The mission of Philanthroinvestors is to prove that one can both make money and contribute to solving global issues simultaneously. -Diverse Impactful Verticals: Delving into the diverse projects, Skye outlines Philanthroinvestors' focus on ten essential life verticals. From air and water to health, housing, and education, each vertical aims to address critical global needs, making a meaningful difference in people's lives. -Housing for Families in Need: Skye discusses the housing initiatives, sharing their success in providing homes for underprivileged families in the U.S. market. With an average cap rate of 11.93%, Philanthroinvestors is striving to cre

Joe Meyer is a man on a mission to elevate the ease with which executives connect to opportunities. As founder and CEO of ExecThread, he has grown a platform that is transforming the executive job search game. In this conversation, Joe shares the secrets behind ExecThread's success and discusses the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship. VIP Access to Career Opportunities: ExecThread serves nearly a million professionals with exclusive access to confidential career opportunities. From VP to C-suite, including board-level positions, ExecThread leverages a unique crowd-sourcing approach to unlock hidden career paths. Founding Philosophy: Joe reflects on the inspiration behind starting ExecThread. Frustrated with being approached only for opportunities aligned with his past experiences, he envisioned a community where executives could confidentially share opportunities beyond the recruiter's radar. Leveling the Playing Field: Joe explains the limitations of traditional networking and job boards and ho

What a great year of guests on the Disruptive CEO Nation Podcast! In this episode, Allison K. Summers breaks down her experiences of 2023 highlighting where she has been and what she has been doing. This episode also contains a shout-out to insights gained from some of the great guest conversations, featuring: - Roger Krulak, Founder of FullStack Modular - Sanchali Pal, Founder and CEO of Commons - Dr Sophia Yen, Co-Founder and CEO of Pandia Health - Chloe Duckworth, Co-Founder and CEO of Valence Vibrations - Ivan Anz, Founder of CAPITANZ Family Office - Jeffrey Klubeck, Founder and President of Get a Klu Inc and author of The Integrity Game - Dr Jeffrey Magee, Founder of Performance Media Group - Przmek Szleter, Co-Founder and CEO of DAC.digital Allison closes by challenging listeners to set their sights on elevating their personal brand presence in 2024 setting their sights on developing how they will raise their voice and what beautiful things they can share with others. She reminds the listener to und

Have you ever wondered what is really on the mind of an ambitious startup founder? For this episode, we turned to the incredible Cari Jacobs-Crovetto, CEO and founder of The Force Majeure and a Stanford University Graduate School of Business executive coach and T-Group facilitator. Based in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area, Cari has been a part of multiple startup teams and today is on a mission to ensure that leaders are tapping into the human side of business goals and relationships while on their path to success. When talking about the realities of begin a founder we touched on: - Loneliness at the Top: Cari shares how many young CEOs, especially those under 40, grapple with the loneliness of leadership and the challenges that may come from guiding a company without a personal support system. - The Fear of Being Found Out: Unveiling the second layer of vulnerability, Cari discusses the fear many CEOs harbor—the fear of being found out for what they don't know. Learn how young CEOs navigate the pressure o

Meet Simon, the CEO and Co-Founder of Ling. Simon shares the journey of creating Ling, highlighting its unique features, playful brand, and the cultural experience of being an entrepreneur in Thailand. The episode covers Ling's motivation to stand out in a competitive market, its bootstrapped journey, and the company's vibrant corporate culture. Simon also discusses Ling's diverse user base and future plans, including integrating AI for an interactive language learning experience. - Gamified Language Learning: Explore Ling's unique features as a gamified language learning app supporting hard-to-learn languages like Thai and Chinese. - From Prototype to Platform: Simon shares the inspirational journey of starting Ling from a small prototype to becoming a comprehensive language learning platform. - Playful Branding: Learn about Ling's playful branding, featuring a monkey named Ming, symbolizing both the app's connection to linguistics (Ling) and the fun, approachable nature of language learning. - Entrepreneu

Meet Satyam Kantamneni, the managing partner and chief experience officer at UX Reactor in the San Francisco Bay Area. Satyam shares insights on the work of UX Reactor and why he believes focusing on 'experience' should be considered a powerful superpower in a CEO's toolkit.  Here are five high points from our conversation: - Satyam emphasizes the importance of the human-centered design process in making technology more user-friendly and efficient. UX Reactor specializes in bringing human experiences to technology, making products easier and more efficient to use. - Key considerations when working with enterprise clients in the software space, such as ServiceNow, Nokia, VMware, and Compass. The focus is on creating seamless experiences for complex products used across different contexts and modalities. - Satyam introduces a test for leaders to determine if they are truly user-centric. The four key questions are: Do you know who your user is? Do you know the top pain points? Do you know what you're doing abou

Meet Sanchali, a woman on a mission to help everyone be a good climate-conscious citizen. In this episode, we cover Sanchali's business story and discuss the trajectory for Commons, an app that places sensible choices in the palm of the consumer's hand. We caught up with Sanchali as Common is on its way to scale to one million users. The app's data demonstrates that users can reduce emissions by 20% in the first year alone. This is all part of the company's goal to help everyone 'decarbonize their life' by the 2050 planet targets. Here are highlights of our conversation: - Sanchali shares her journey from working in international development to founding Commons, including her thoughts on what it takes to build, scale, and grab hold of consumer attention in the app space. - We gain insights into the impact the app has on reducing emissions and how users can save money while shopping sustainably. She explains how none of the companies on the app have paid to be there but that all are vetted independently ba

In this episode, we take time to connect with the exceptional Frank Husman, founder of Maxiality and an expert in authority marketing for B2B SaaS companies. Frank shares his insights into the dynamic realm of authority marketing and offers practical ideas that can elevate your approach to authority marketing. Here are the key takeaways:   - Frank emphasizes the significance of showcasing your company's journey and thought leadership. By documenting your experiences, challenges, and successes, you can build trust and authenticity in the eyes of your audience.    - In the evolving landscape of content marketing, business leaders must shift from traditional blogs to engaging multimedia content. Leveraging platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn for short, impactful videos can captivate your audience and make your brand more relatable.   - Frank shares his experiences working with European SaaS companies targeting both local and international markets. Understanding the nuances of each country and tailoring your mark

Meet Jessica Young, the founder of Bubble Goods, who is on a mission to change the way we think about buying food products. In this episode, we dive into the world of food innovation, consumer choice, and the disruptive business model of Bubble Goods.   Building on her view as a trained chef, Jessica matched gained business skills with passion and great technology to design a business ecosystem supporting the needs of independent health-conscious food producers with health-conscious humans.   Here are highlights of our conversation: - How Bubble Goods serves as an online marketplace for emerging and "better for you" food brands, offering consumers a curated selection of unique and health-conscious products.   - Unlike competitors like Thrive Market, Bubble Goods operates like an Etsy for food, giving vendors and food makers direct access to a targeted audience, offering a unique alternative to the traditional bulk-buying model.   - The platform curates and filters collections based on current food trends, h

Meet Daniella Green, a TEDx speaker and globally acclaimed authority in coaching the C-suite. Daniella shares her expertise in helping professionals break through the glass ceiling and advance their careers while addressing issues of diversity and pay disparity. She also provides insight into why CEOs and business builders need to consciously care about valuing diversity on their teams.   Daniella is a passionate advocate for closing the wealth gap in Black households and tackling pay disparities among women of all backgrounds. She emphasizes the importance of individual contributions to bring about these positive changes.   Here are some of the keypoints in this episode:   - Importance of Diversity in Leadership: The conversation delves into the significance of diversity in the C-suite. It's not just about appearing socially responsible but it’s also a risk avoidance strategy. Having a diverse leadership team helps organizations avoid ignorance, reputational risks, and misunderstandings in an increasingly di

In this episode, Allison welcomes Jonathan Keyser, the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller You Don't Have to Be Ruthless to Win. Jonathan is the founder and managing partner of Keyser, a global commercial real estate firm, where he has been recognized in USA Today as an "Industry Disruptor". He is also an expert on the topic of business trust and how a company can be positioned to be a business partner of choice in today's fast-paced world.   The episode touches on Jonathan's personal journey, lessons learned, and the principles that have made his company, Keyser, one of the most trusted in the industry. Highlights include:   - The Journey to Success: Jonathan shares his unique journey, starting as a Christian missionary kid in Papua New Guinea and entering the cutthroat world of commercial real estate to achieve financial success. - Selfless Leadership: The discussion highlights the importance of selfless service and how success can be achieved by helping others succeed. Jonathan's company focuses o

On today's episode, we're joined by creativity coach and podcaster Melissa Llarena. Melissa discusses her mission to empower working moms through her book "Fertile Imagination" and podcast "Unimaginable Wellness." She shares how she developed the concept of "fertile imagination" and some big names she's interviewed. Melissa also offers insight into waking up your imagination when it's feeling dormant. Plus, she recalls a piece of memorable life advice involving intergenerational connections. Tune in to learn Melissa's techniques for tapping into your imagination and living an unimaginable life.   Here are the key points of our conversation: - Melissa's mission is to ensure that every working mom doesn't feel left out of the world of business and commerce. - Her podcast, Unimaginable Wellness, explores creativity, imagination, and wellness via interviews with entrepreneurs, creators, and founders including Gary Vee, Beth Comstock, and David Roberts. - The book, Fertile Imagination: Every Mom's Superpower, focu

In this episode, we explore the correlation of the importance of caring for women’s health to her success in business. For this, we turn to Dr. Sophia Yen, one of the top authorities in this space in the US. Dr. Yen also shares her journey in founding Pandia Health and its mission to revolutionize women's hormonal and reproductive health. When you listen to this episode you will recognize why Dr. Yen was named one of Inc's Female Founders 200 in 2023.   Here are the key points of our conversation:   - Breaking Down Taboos: Dr. Yen discusses the need to break the taboo surrounding women's health and why women must seek help and not "suck it up." - The Intersection of Women's Health and Business Success: Discover how women's health, including menstrual care, impacts professional success, and why it's essential for businesses to care about these issues. - The Birth Control Revolution: How Pandia Health is focused on transforming the landscape of women's health by providing an end-to-end solution for hormonal hea

One of our values at Disruptive CEO Nation is doing business while still being able to deliver social good, but in a cluttered market and constant noise, how do change agents get the attention they deserve? Enter Eric Ressler, the founder and creative director of Cosmic, a social impact creative agency based in Santa Cruz, California. Cosmic serves non-profits, B Corps, funders, and organizations dedicated to advancing humanity.   Eric discusses the importance of authentic messaging and their team's unique approach to creative design and he even shares insights into an organization that they are currently helping in Morroco.   Here are some of the stops we made in our conversation: -Introduction to Cosmic and its mission to serve social impact organizations. -The concept of the attention economy and its relevance in today's digital world. -The why behind Cosmic’s manifesto and tips your organization can take in developing your own. - Balancing the creative process with sustainable work-life balance. Think re

217 Eleanor Kaye, Executive Director of Newton Venture Program; London, England   As the Executive Director of the Newton Venture Program (affiliated with the London Business School and in partnership with Local Globe VC), Eleanor Kaye focuses on diversifying the venture capital (VC) ecosystem. The discussion highlights the importance of representation in the VC industry and the need to empower individuals from overlooked backgrounds.   Eleanor also discusses the challenges and opportunities specifically for women entrepreneurs seeking investments and the impact of remote work on diversity and inclusion. The interview concludes with Eleanor sharing insights from her own career journey, emphasizing the value of diverse backgrounds and the importance of self-awareness and adaptability in leadership.   Take a listen and learn...   - Newton Venture Program's mission is to diversify the VC landscape to better represent the world's diversity. - The program uses blind hiring to ensure a diverse cohort of learners,

This week’s high-powered episode provides valuable insights for entrepreneurs from founder and CEO Adam Robinson. Adam discusses his journey from a career in finance to founding multiple successful companies, including his most recent business retention.com. Retention.com helps solve a major problem for e-commerce businesses by using innovative technology to capture deliverable emails for a significant portion of anonymous website visitors.   Adam opens up about his background and experiences scaling previous ventures. He shares practical lessons learned around maintaining financial independence and exposing yourself to opportunities through experimentation. Adam also gives a glimpse into the operations at retention.com, including how he approaches scaling the team while upholding integrity as a core value.   Here are the highlights of our discussion: - Building retention.com after successfully exiting his previous company, which identified a valuable feature for retention. - Retention.com can capture deliver

Today's healthcare system is insanely complicated and on average patients wait 25 days just to get a doctor's appointment. Enter UBERDOC and its mission to reduce barriers and red tape for individuals who need (and deserve) a fast pass to the appropriate medical care.   In this episode we speak with Brianna Socci who is an emerging industry leader in digital healthcare. Working with co-founder and surgeon Dr. Paula M. Muto, Brianna has skillfully built up UBERDOC as a nationwide direct-to-doctor platform for individuals to get immediate access to doctors without insurance obstacles and extensive network wait times.   Loving what she does, Brianna shared insights into their business story highlighting:   - The motivation behind building a healthcare access model that would allow a consumer to go online, choose the physician that they needed and pay one single transparent price. - How the model also benefits physicians who are still in private practice. - Their growth journey; scaling from a startup in 2016 to

Shireen Muhiudeen, Founder and Principal Corston-Smith-Asset Management - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Shireen Muhiudeen is an extraordinary individual. She was the first female chair of the Malaysian Stock Exchange and the former CEO of AIG Investment Corporation (Malaysia). She is an ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) trailblazer, encouraging organizations to become ESG-sustainable, either as investors or as board members.  Shireen’s book, We Are All Stakeholders, was named by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top books to read for entrepreneurs who want to break the mold.  We sat down with Shireen and here are highlights of what we discussed. - Why companies can be even more profitable and sustainable with proper governance structures and systems. - That a focus on environment, social and governance (ESG) does not require consultants or increased overhead, it just requires the right vision.  - Founders and leaders must set the tone from the top.  - Founders m

This week we come back to the USA with Hanieh Sigari, a serial entrepreneur with a lifelong passion for the aging industry. Hanieh shares how her interest in longevity started at a young age when she befriended elderly neighbors and worked in a nursing home. This early passion led her to found multiple healthcare businesses focused on aging issues over her career. Hanieh goes into detail about her current company Qyral, a telehealth platform launched to make treatments for aging more accessible. Qyral offers prescription skincare, weight loss products, and educational resources through a direct sales model. Hanieh explains how this unique approach empowers women financially by compensating consultants directly. She also opens up about lessons learned from past ventures that informed Qyral's scalable business model. Here is what we explored: - Founding multiple healthcare companies focused on aging, including a home health care company. - Qyral; a telehealth platform that offers prescription skincare, weight

Welcome to Placecube, a company that helps organizations work with modern technology on tight budgets, primarily in the UK public sector. The founder and CEO, Jason Fahy, discusses Placecube’s approach of building technology in a modular way using "cubes" or digital building blocks.   Allison and Jason discuss Placecube’s use of open source technology and how it builds security around these systems. Jason also shares his background before founding Place Cube and what motivated him to start the company. He outlines Placecube’s vision, values and culture as the company has grown internationally.   Here is what we explored: - An overview of what Placecube does, which is helping organizations work with modern technology on tight budgets. - An example case study of how Placecube built a customer relationship management system for a local authority. - How Placecube approaches building technology stacks in a modular way. - Placecube’s values and culture. - The vision for where Placecube could be in 5-10 years.   J