PROCO360 | Best Podcast for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners

The Shadowy Side of AI

“People are willing to ignore security policies in order to gain the productivity benefits (of AI).”  

Steven Walchek, CEO & Co-founder, Liminal 

Using Balloons to Beat Satellites

“Owning the stratospheric data layer is where the majority of our revenue will live.”  

Andrew Antonio, Co-founder & CEO, Urban Sky 

 

Flattening the Climate Change Curve

“Our goal is to flatten the methane curve, and we can actually achieve it.”

- Craig Rieker, Co-founder & CTO

I had no idea how exciting this episode would become while I was preparing for it. LongPath is the story of a company that emerged from Nobel Prize winning technology developed at NIST and University of Colorado.  You may have never cared about what a “frequency comb” is, and you WILL after listening to how this now little, soon to be big company enabled by a $195 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy, can have a massive impact on climate change.  Listen now – and you’ll be able to tell your friends, “I’ve been watching them since this all started!”

"DIALED IN" with BOA, LIVE

“We wanted to change the company from a closure system to a high-performance fit system to change the way athletes perform – and prove it scientifically.”

Shawn Neville, CEO, BOA

Most guests on ProCO360 cut me some slack.  Not Shawn Neville of BOA, and not even in front of a live audience at BOA’s world headquarters.  From the start Shawn showed how determined he is that the world recognize that BOA technology is NOT to replace shoelaces, or even to be a better closure system.  It’s a “PERFORMANCE FIT SYSTEM,” period. 

If you really want to be intrigued, listen to why BOA is choosing to not maximize profits. Several in attendance at this LIVE event were discussing BOA’s strategy around this afterwards – add your comments about this!

"Like a Fist Bump for Your Soul"

“Give someone who wants to work hard a chance and they will give you everything they’ve got.”

Jamie Repenning, CEO, R&R Head Labs

Cheaper Than New, Better Than eBay

“The default for most manufacturers and retailers before we came along was to destroy returns.”

Kristin Langenfeld, Co-founder and CEO, GoodBuy Gear

My expectations were completely wrong entering this episode with Kristin Langenfeld.  I’d expected she would tell me the story of a woman who started selling her own used baby gear, then slowly expanded the activity into a basement enterprise, and so on until it was a real company.  Nope.  And she’s out to dominate a market sector with those whom I’d have expected were unlikely partners. 

People Started to Not Laugh at Me as Much

“I sent them an article, Vangst raises $2.5M from a Tier 1 VC in New York, and people started to not laugh at me as much.”  

Karson Humiston, Founder and CEO, Vangst 

 

"I'll Quit My Job to Work Here!"

“If you love a band that’s coming to Red Rocks and you’re 21 years old, I'll find a way to give you that time off.”  

Tom Luersen, President, CoralTree Hospitality 

 

This episode came together because a longtime friend, Dani Stern, now an executive at CoralTree told me over beers recently that he quit his last job to come to CoralTree.  In fact, that he’d told his prior employer, before taking that job, that if Tom Luersen called, he (Dani) would quit to go work for Tom.  Dani was EMPHATIC that the culture at CoralTree is THAT different, that special.  Of course, I wanted to do this episode!  And during it, I told Tom, “YOU CAN’T SAY IT’S YOUR PEOPLE.”  I thought he’d argue – he didn’t.  Have a listen! 

Building Houses Like Cars

“We’re building homes in about 9 days at 20 stations, so every house stays at a station about 4 hours.”

Charlie Chupp, Founder and CEO, Fading West

This is the second recent episode about a Colorado company building alternatives to traditional single-family homes (see also Studio Shed – Still Leading the ADU Industry).  It’s because the lack of attainable housing is such an important issue and Colorado companies are addressing it with innovation and value.  This episode with Charlie Chupp of Fading West describes the problems and challenges, and how applying Charlie’s LEAN manufacturing background is effectively driving a fast-evolving industry.  I was fascinated by some surprises about workforce in this episode!

The Concrete Business is HARD

“I EXPLAIN TO CUSTOMERS HOW I WORK, AND THEY TRUST ME.”

Fernando Ledezma, Ledezma Concrete

This episode is out of my comfort zone – and refreshingly so.  Generally, I’m with high-flying entrepreneurs leading business that have raised tens of millions of dollars and are pursuing hockey stick growth.  Tia and Fernando Ledezma charmed me when they replaced a sidewalk at my house.  They reminded me of my great grandparents who came to the United States with a trade (tailors) and having to learn the language, assimilate, and make their own way.  Ledezma Concrete is a wonderful story of initiative, risk taking and hard work.