Our mission is to bend the curve for Founders and CEOs. At Not Another CEO, we know there’s no formula for running a business. Leadership is forged through unique journeys, real challenges, and hard lessons. Our exclusive content showcases unfiltered stories and practical guidance from those who’ve crawled through the trenches. Our platform offers the largest library of CEO insights and how-to guides, sourced directly from a diverse community of leaders. Find our full video library, detailed playbooks, deep dives, and lessons learned on our Substack here ➡️ https://notanotherceo.substack.com/
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How can founders build companies that scale without burning themselves out in the process? In this episode, Noah Shanok, Founder and former CEO of Stitcher, reflects on his entrepreneurial journey leading one of the earliest podcast platforms, which ultimately sold to SiriusXM for $325 million. He shares candid lessons from the early days of Stitcher, navigating sleepless nights, hiring versatile early employees, and learning from missteps along the way. Noah also discusses how his time at Amazo...
Do you know how essential a support system is for a CEO? In this solo episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David discusses the often overlooked, yet critical support necessary for CEO success. Ways to Tune In: Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-another-ceo-podcast/id1751581707 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NotAnotherCEOPodcast Transistor: https://podcast.notanothe...
What can founders learn from an entrepreneur who has built, scaled, and exited multiple companies while reshaping an entire city’s startup ecosystem? In this episode, David Cummings, Founder and CEO of Atlanta Ventures, reflects on his journey building ten companies, including Pardot, which sold to ExactTarget for $95 million, and investing in some of Atlanta’s most successful startups like Calendly and SalesLoft. He shares the guiding principles that shaped his entrepreneurial path, from buildi...
THE FIRST EPISODE OF INVESTORS UNFILTERED! What do venture capitalists really look for in founders, and how can CEOs build strong, lasting relationships with their investors? In this episode, Chip Hazard, Co-Founder and General Partner at Flybridge, offers an inside look at how VCs think about evaluating founders, funding opportunities, and long-term partnerships. He shares the traits that consistently stand out and explains how these factors matter as much as business metrics, especially in the...
What does it take to reinvent an entire industry that’s been rooted in tradition for decades? In this episode, Michael Jacobson, CEO of French Florist, shares his journey from corporate consulting to transforming the floral business. Michael explains how he grew a single 3,000-square-foot location into a $9 million operation by modernizing systems, cutting inefficiencies from the supply chain, and infusing emotion into every part of the customer experience. He also reflects on the challenges of ...
How can CEOs stay adaptable while leading through pivots, growth, and constant change? In this episode, Scott Voigt, Founder and CEO of Fullstory, shares his journey from a failed first product to creating the leading digital analytics platform used by thousands of companies worldwide. Scott dives into the tough realities of leadership, from making difficult people decisions to evolving as a CEO as the company scales. He opens up about the power of storytelling in fundraising and leadership, the...
Max Junestrand, co-founder and CEO of Legora, shares insights on transforming the traditional legal industry with a collaborative AI platform. He covers his unconventional path, the power of founder-led sales, and navigating rapid global expansion. The episode highlights Legora's unique approach to hiring, culture, product development, and competing with industry giants, emphasizing ambition and strategic decision-making in a fast-evolving tech landscape.
Ever wondered what to consider when hiring your first key employees beyond the founding team? Or what are the secrets to successful fundraising for startups? In this solo episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David shares his insights from CEO gatherings, trends he’s noticed in the community, and a recent family trip that emphasizes the importance of origin stories. Ways to Tune In: Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NQ9oAB2XKlgWeL8iEQXg0 Apple Po...
What does it take to build and scale a company while staying grounded in your values? In this episode, Flint Lane reflects on his journey founding and growing Billtrust and coming out of retirement to start Major League Table Tennis. He shares lessons on resilience, leadership, and the balance between personal integrity and business success. Flint also discusses the challenges of navigating growth, what he has learned about himself along the way, and the importance of staying true to purpose eve...
How does an aspiring product leader transition to the helm of a successful tech company? In this episode, Nick Patrick shares his unique perspective on leadership and growth in the tech industry. Nick discusses critical insights on how Radar's unique product strategy, company culture, and operational practices have driven their success. Takeaways: Multi-Product Strategy Innovation: Nick emphasized Radar's growth through expanding their product offerings rather than focusing on a singular solutio...
What happens when you jump from a career in finance to tackling the beauty industry? In this episode, Natalie Mackey shares her reflections on building Winky Lux, from bootstrapping to private equity. She opens up about the importance of core values, the challenges of fundraising as a female founder, and the lessons she learned navigating through different growth stages. Takeaways: Importance of Core Values: Natalie emphasizes the transformative impact of clearly defined core values in the evolu...
What does it take to leave a high-profile role at Tesla and start your own electric vehicle company? In this episode, David talks with Toby Kraus, Co-Founder and CEO of Lightship, about his journey from working on Tesla’s Model S to building an innovative electric RV startup. Toby shares insights on taking big risks, scaling early teams, and navigating the challenges of a hardware business in the EV space. They dive into lessons learned at Tesla, the importance of building trust with investors, ...
What does it take to drive significant transformation in a tech company? In this episode, David interviews Bryan Murphy, the seasoned entrepreneur and current CEO of Smartling. Murphy shares insights into his strategic decision to integrate AI rapidly at Smartling, the challenges faced in execution, and the creation of a separate R&D function to innovate without disrupting core operations. Murphy discusses his approach to leadership, the impact of meeting with hundreds of customers, and the ...
What’s it really like to build a SaaS company from scratch, not just once but twice? In this episode, David talks to Thomas Pedersen, the serial entrepreneur who co-founded OneLogin and now leads Bunny, a bootstrapped billing platform for B2B SaaS. Thomas also opens up about co-founding two companies with his brother, surviving a major security breach, and how he’s approaching company-building differently this time around. Takeaways: Why Thomas Is Bootstrapping This Time: After raising $175 mill...
Do you know the key factors for successful leadership in high growth tech companies? In this episode, CEO of commercetools Andrew Burton shares his extensive experience in building and scaling tech companies. With over 25 years in the industry, Burton details his approach to leadership since becoming CEO of commercetools in 2024. He emphasizes the paramount importance of maintaining customer focus, building strong team culture, and aligning company goals. Takeaways: Understanding Customer Needs:...
What happens when you commit to shipping a podcast episode every week for an entire year? In this solo episode, David Politis reflects on 12 months of building Not Another CEO Podcast, from humble beginnings to an ever-growing audience of Founders, CEOs, and leaders. David shares 10 of his favorite highlights from the journey so far, covering everything from guest stories and personal milestones to the behind-the-scenes evolution of the show. This episode is a heartfelt thank-you to the communit...
What does it take to transform a scrappy logistics startup into a leading supply chain platform trusted by Fortune 500 brands? In this episode, Sean Henry shares the story of founding Stord, dropping out of college to build it, and scaling a distributed logistics network from zero to national reach. He opens up about fundraising setbacks, building conviction in tough moments, keeping customer experience front and center, and navigating the pressure of rapid growth while staying anchored in purpo...
What can you learn from someone who built and sold multiple enterprise startups, led teams through acquisitions, and now mentors the next generation of Founders? In this episode, Ellen Rubin shares lessons from her journey as a serial Founder and now Operating Partner at Glasswing Ventures. She talks about building strong cultures, nurturing early career talent, supporting women in tech, and helping startups avoid hype in favor of real-world value. From lunch-and-learns to boardroom decisions, E...
What happens when you try to fund and scale a legal tech company in one of the most rigidly regulated industries in the country? In this episode, Todd Richheimer shares how he grew Lawfty into a tech-powered personal injury platform that has generated over 55,000 cases and nearly a billion dollars in recoveries. From taking his first client calls on his cell phone to surviving a last-minute funding failure, Todd speaks openly about scaling, leadership evolution, and what the legal world looks li...
What does it take to lead a global humanitarian organization through a pandemic and beyond? In this episode, Michael Nyenhuis shares how he has led UNICEF USA since March 2020, starting his role just two weeks after COVID shutdowns began. Michael talks about building strong boards and leadership teams, the balance between confidence and humility, and how to create connection in a hybrid work world. With decades of experience in humanitarian leadership, he reflects on his journey from journalist ...
What does it take to walk away from a big idea and start over inside the same company? In this episode of Not Another CEO Podcast , Adam Dell opens up about the journey behind Domain Money. A serial Founder with multiple exits, Adam reflects on making hard pivots, recruiting top talent personally, navigating investor psychology, and why execution, not ego, is what earns the right to exist. He also shares how AI is transforming financial services and why the emotional highs and lows of startup li...
What’s it really like to build a billion-dollar business with your spouse, and live to tell the story? In this special live episode, David Politis sits down with Kass and Mike Lazerow, Co-Founders of Buddy Media and authors of Shoveling $H!T : A Love Story About an Entrepreneur’s Messy Path to Success .. They open up about building cult-like culture, radical transparency, co-founder dynamics, fundraising strategies, pivots, parenting, and everything in between. With humor and honesty, the Lazero...
How do you scale yourself as your company scales? Tien Tzuo, Founder and CEO of Zuora, joins David Politis to share hard-won lessons from his journey building a category-defining SaaS company. In this candid conversation, Tien reflects on early team building, founder growth inflection points, strategic planning, and the leadership gaps many founders face as their companies mature. Drawing on his new book, Founders Keepers, he reveals why great founders often succeed in spite of themselves—and ho...
How do you grow a startup into a transformative force in a highly regulated, slow-moving industry? John Swigart, Co-Founder and CEO of Pie Insurance, joins David Politis to discuss the importance of decisive leadership, the balance between founder intuition and executive delegation, and how execution at scale can be a long-term competitive advantage. From assembling a thoughtful board to reorienting a business for profitability, John shares lessons from building a modern insurance company from s...
What happens when a strong vision, real traction, and early funding still aren’t enough? In this Failing Forward episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, Sasha Pasulka shares the journey behind her AI startup, Elka. Sasha opens up about the thrill of building, the challenge of fundraising, the reality of launching with imperfect tech, and the emotional toll of shutting down a business you deeply believe in. From her days as a software engineer to founding one of the most-read blogs of its era, Sasha ...
How do you build a global tech company from scratch—and stay married while doing it? Nicolas and Alina Vandenberghe, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of Chili Piper, join David Politis for an in-depth conversation on bootstrapping, hiring globally, handling layoffs, and building community with intention. From convincing early customers to prepay for a non-existent product to implementing a decision-making framework that replaces most meetings, they reveal what it really takes to grow a successful, remote...
What does it take to lead lasting change in an organization? Alan Masarek, a multi-time CEO with a track record of company turnarounds, shares the lessons he’s learned from transforming brands like Vonage and Avaya. In this in-depth conversation, Alan talks about building high-performing teams, the power of clear communication, succession planning, and how to lead authentically across companies of every size. Takeaways: There’s No “One Thing” — But Culture Comes Close: Alan explains that success...
What does it take to build a pioneering luxury lingerie brand? In this episode, Jennifer Zuccarini, Founder and CEO of Fleur du Mal, shares her journey from launching her second company in the lingerie space to creating a brand celebrated by celebrities and top fashion publications. Jennifer opens up about key moments in her entrepreneurial path, including nurturing team culture, expanding product lines, and overcoming financial hurdles. She also discusses the importance of community-building, t...
How do you grow a podcast into a true platform for founders and CEOs? In this solo episode of Not Another CEO Podcast, David Politis reflects on Q1 2025 and shares a behind-the-scenes look at what's next for the show. From launching a Substack and partnering with Nick Freund to rethinking content distribution and recording locations, David breaks down what's working, what he’s learning, and the goals for the next quarter. Ways to Tune In: Substack: https://notanotherceo.substack.com/ Spotify: ht...
What happens when passion, persistence, and curiosity meet the brutal realities of startup life? In this Failing Forward edition of Not Another CEO Podcast , Nick Freund sits down with Anthony Corletti, a seasoned technical founder and former CEO of Casa, to unpack his entrepreneurial journey. Anthony shares hard-won lessons from building, and ultimately shutting down, his company, discusses frameworks like the "Founder’s Care-o-Meter" and the "Personal Board of Advisors," and reflects on how fo...
