Send us a text Alex Bean, co-founder of Divvy (acquired by BILL.com for $2.5B), joins us to share his founder journey - from teaching ski lessons at 16 to starting multiple scrappy businesses, to scaling Divvy into a fintech giant. In this episode, we talk about the lessons learned from both early failures and billion-dollar success, what not to do when launching a company, and how he's now building Factory to support other founders. This episode includes: ⢠His earliest business ideas (includin...
Jun 18, 2025â˘44 minâ˘Ep. 96
Send us a text In this episode, James Evans, co-founder of Command AI (acq by Amplitude), shares his entrepreneurial journey- from childhood ambitions to launching a startup in college and scaling it through YC. He talks about turning a side project into a venture-backed company, navigating the startup grind, and eventually getting acquired by Amplitude. James breaks down the realities of startup life, including hiring, sales vs. product-led growth, and the psychological weight of being a founde...
May 14, 2025â˘35 minâ˘Ep. 95
Send us a text Hi everyone! In this episode, Iâm doing something a little different â walking you through the three phases of self-publishing my first book , Seed to Harvest , a childrenâs book about venture capital. Iâll share the full behind-the-scenes: how I came up with the idea, what the writing and publishing process looked like, how much money I made (real numbers!), and how this book helped launch Behind Genius Ventures. In this episode, I cover: How to validate book ideas like a startup...
May 06, 2025â˘24 minâ˘Ep. 94
Send us a text Tom McLeod isnât your typical founder or investor. He bootstrapped a SaaS to 100k users, built a League of Legends app used by millions, sold it to Tencent, and now backs businesses at the intersection of identity, community, and cashflow. Think: car clubs, not cloud infra. In this episode of Seed to Harvest, Tom breaks down: ⢠The 3 founder archetypes heâs seen across cycles ⢠Why he hires founders (even though they always leave) ⢠What he learned going from bootstrapped to ventu...
Apr 24, 2025â˘1 hr 2 minâ˘Ep. 93
Send us a text In this special series of 'What It Takes,' Paige and analyst Chinwuba interview founders who have sold their companies for more than $1B. Our first episode features Mark Weiss and Jeff Weiss, the founders of NJOY, a billion-dollar e-cigarette company. They dive into the entrepreneurial journey, starting from their upbringing in a family of lawyers and athletes to the unique inception of NJOY after discovering electronic cigarettes through a mentor. Mark explains the challenges NJO...
Apr 10, 2025â˘51 minâ˘Ep. 93
Send us a text In this episode of 'Seed to Harvest,' hosted by Paige Finn Doherty, delve into the intricate world of Broadway with five-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, Sue Gilad. Sue shares her journey from a childhood love of theater to becoming a major Broadway producer. She offers a detailed look at the production process, including the roles behind-the-scenes, financing, and the impact of COVID-19 on the Broadway industry. Highlights include the making of 'Moulin Rouge! The Musica...
Feb 26, 2025â˘41 minâ˘Ep. 92
Send us a text From Mold Toxicity to Million Dollar Startup: Ariana Thacker's Inspiring Journey with MoldCo In this episode of 'Seed to Harvest,' host Paige Finn Doherty welcomes back Ariana Thacker of MoldCo. They discuss Ariana's journey from discovering toxic mold in her home while running Conscience VC to founding MoldCo, a healthcare platform tackling mold toxicity. Ariana shares her personal health struggles, the deep research into mold-related toxicity, her innovative healthcare solutions...
Feb 05, 2025â˘40 minâ˘Ep. 91
Send us a text The Technical Storyteller: A Founder Archetype In our April 2024 Fund II launch, featured in Fortune magazine, we made it clear that we back the best storytellers. Some might assume that when we say âstorytellers,â we mean people who are skilled at talking. But in our view, storytelling is far more about listening and deeply understanding context. The best storytellers help us see the invisible â they show us the unseen paths to success. To expand on this thesis, we want to dive d...
Jan 29, 2025â˘9 minâ˘Ep. 90
Send us a text Today, I am joined by Ben Lerer, the Managing Partner at Lerer Hippeau, an early stage venture firm based in New York that invests in iconic companies that rattle the status quo. Ben shares insights into his journey from founding digital media company Group Nine Media, including the creation of Thrillist, to transitioning into full-time investing after selling his business. Ben highlights how his background in media and operating companies influences his approach to venture capita...
Mar 26, 2024â˘31 minâ˘Ep. 89
Send us a text In today's episode, Missy Oei, winner of the BGV winter break college essay contest and senior at the University of Dayton studying entrepreneurship & marketing, shares her journey from realizing the significant impact of fast fashion on her generation to aspiring to break into venture capital with a focus on impact investing. Missyâs winning essay dives into the environmental ramifications of fast fashion, a topic borne out of her personal transition from a lover of shopping ...
Mar 19, 2024â˘30 minâ˘Ep. 88
Send us a text In today's episode, we discuss the transformative world of Multimodal AI, an advanced form of artificial intelligence that integrates and processes multiple data typesâtext, images, audio, and videoâto emulate human-like perception. Unlike text-based AI models such as ChatGPT, which specialize in generating text-based responses, Multimodal AI offers a more comprehensive understanding by processing diverse data inputs, mirroring the way humans utilize multiple senses to interact wi...
Mar 12, 2024â˘16 minâ˘Ep. 87
Send us a text In today's podcast, I'm thrilled to share insights from the Behind Genius Ventures winter break college essay contest, which I launched in December. We received 20 diverse essays from schools like Cornell, Georgia Tech, UNC, SDSU and more. The prompt asked students to explore impactful problems in 1800 words or fewer, engaging the audience with expert quotes and a clear explanation of the problem's significance. The range of topics varied from smartphone addiction to the future of...
Feb 06, 2024â˘31 minâ˘Ep. 86
Send us a text Today, I am joined by Cam Doody, the Co-founder & General Partner at Brickyard, a first-round venture capital firm and residency. In this episode, we explore Cam's transition to the venture side, raising ~ 115 million dollars, his principles on investing, and insights into founder residencies. Cam emphasizes the grind of entrepreneurship and the absence of overnight success, drawing parallels with the metaphor of "laying brick" to signify the continuous effort and perseverance...
Jan 23, 2024â˘28 minâ˘Ep. 85
Send us a text Today, I am joined by Jasper Stephens, a leadership coach specializing in working with CEOs and executive teams of Seed Series A and Series B companies. In this episode, the focus is on the role of executive and leadership coaches in the growth journey of founders and CEOs of early-stage startups. Jasper and I explore common questions founders may have about executive coaching, touching on team management, goal-setting, effective communication, and eventually expanding to strategi...
Jan 16, 2024â˘29 minâ˘Ep. 84
Send us a text In today's podcast, I am thrilled to announce the Behind Genius Ventures winter break college essay contest for college students. Drawing from my own experience of funding education through essay scholarships, I recognize the need for a platform that allows students to explore their passions. As the founder of a venture capital fund, I'm eager to hear from the next generation of investors and founders about the issues driving their passion. The winning essayist will receive a $500...
Jan 09, 2024â˘4 minâ˘Ep. 83
Send us a text Today, I am joined by Lloyed Lobo, Co-Founder of Boast.AI & Traction, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of "From Grassroots to Greatness." In this episode, Lloyed shares the 4 things he did to make his book a Wall Street Journal Bestseller. The podcast also explores the technical aspects of community-led growth, touching on Lloyed's journey, frugality in business, and the impact of hosting successful events to build a community that contributed to his revenue and mark...
Dec 19, 2023â˘32 minâ˘Ep. 82
Send us a text Today, I am joined by Rishi Taparia, Managing Partner of Garuda Ventures, who enthusiastically discusses the accomplishment of securing a $31 million fund. Rishi sheds light on the challenges of fundraising, providing insights into Garuda's journey from a nights-and-weekends passion project in 2018 to a full-time firm that successfully fundraised in 2021. He emphasizes the firm's dedication to early-stage B2B startup investments and its commitment to providing both capital and val...
Dec 12, 2023â˘33 minâ˘Ep. 81
Send us a text In todayâs podcast, I talk about the âSpotify Playlistâ method, discussing how the approach of naming playlists and creating the right mix extends beyond music curation to impact various aspects of business and content creation. I also explore using my playlisting methods to build an investment portfolio in the context of investment, highlighting how strong language and naming contribute to building a repeatable and explicit investment approach. Lastly, I share reflections on the ...
Dec 05, 2023â˘10 minâ˘Ep. 80
Send us a text In todayâs podcast, I talk about returning from an amazing two-week trip to Guatemala with my mom, thanks to Local Hope and Art Ambassadors for a Colorful World. During the trip, I had the incredible opportunity to contribute to art classes, witness a breathtaking sunrise hike in Tikal, and visit a fascinating ceramic studio by Lake Atitlan. These experiences not only reignited my passion for writing but also introduced me to The Magic Grid, a unique painting approach by Kevin Mac...
Nov 21, 2023â˘7 minâ˘Ep. 79
Send us a text In todayâs podcast, we're diving deep into the world of venture capital and pitch deck mastery. Over the last three years, I've assessed thousands of pitch decks and made 39 investments at the pre-seed and seed stage. Todayâs episode features a candid discussion with a close friend about the nuances of raising venture capital as an early-stage founder. We'll take a close look at what happens when you tear down a pitch deck, dispelling misconceptions about raising venture financing...
Oct 24, 2023â˘33 minâ˘Ep. 78
Send us a text Today, I'm joined by Deepak Sekar, Co-Founder and CEO of Prof Jim, bringing content to life with Generative AI. Prof Jim transforms books, websites, and other text into interactive videos â at scale. Deepak has been granted 200+ patents, making him one of the more prolific inventors in the world today. Previously, Deepak was the Founder and CEO of Chowbotics, which built the world's first fresh food-making robot named âSally.â Under Sekarâs leadership, Chowbotics was named among t...
Sep 26, 2023â˘29 minâ˘Ep. 77
Send us a text Today, I'm joined by Dhaval Patel, Founder and CEO of Lotus, a Techstars portfolio company, that makes a wearable ring to control objects at home by pointing. Unlike traditional smart home tech - no rewiring, no app, no internet. Lotus' mission is to build tech that is usable by everyone, by optimizing for disability. Previously, Patel was the VP of Hardware at PillDrill and an engineering manager at Apple for 8+ years. Seed to Harvest is a podcast focused on stories & tactics...
Sep 12, 2023â˘34 minâ˘Ep. 76
Send us a text In todayâs podcast, I talk about AIâs power to automate, optimize, and revolutionize, making AI a goldmine for opportunities. However, because of the rapidly accelerating pace of AI innovation, what seems like a cutting-edge investment today could be outdated in a few short years or even months or weeks. The excitement about the potential of AI, although warranted, needs to be supplemented with a healthy dose of discipline, caution, and diligence. In this podcast, weâll dig deeper...
Aug 29, 2023â˘16 minâ˘Ep. 75
Send us a text Today, I'm joined by Kristen Wiley, Founder of Statusphere, a influencer marketing platform that helps brands earn authentic micro-influencer posts at scale in a fraction of the time. With Statusphere, brands save 98% of the time theyâd typically spend on influencer marketing while securing dozens, hundreds or thousands of guaranteed posts. With Statusphereâs streamlined matchmaking algorithm, fulfillment technology and in-depth reporting, they help brands drive maximum results wi...
Aug 22, 2023â˘27 minâ˘Ep. 74
Send us a text Today, I'm joined by Anthony Privitelli, Founder of Creator Testing, on-demand creator-focused feedback and insights. Essentially, Creator Testing was built for teams and individuals who want to get creator feedback, whether it's podcasters, short-form video creators, long-form video creators, live streamers, bloggers, writers, etc. Previously, Anthony worked as a Product Manager at TikTok and a Product Manager at Patreon. Seed to Harvest is a podcast focused on stories & tact...
Aug 15, 2023â˘39 minâ˘Ep. 73
Send us a text Today, I'm joined by Max Echeverria, Founder & CEO of Eskuad, a field data platform built specifically for operations and compliance. Eskuad transforms the way you work in the field â whether you operate by yourself or with a team. Easily organize your work, collect data, and generate reports. In the office, gain instant real-time visibility into your field operations and communicate easily with field teams. Previously, Max worked as an Entrepreneur at Start-Up Chile and an En...
Aug 08, 2023â˘34 minâ˘Ep. 72
Send us a text Today, I'm joined by Mar Hershenson, Managing Partner at Pear VC, where seed specialists partner with founders at the earliest stages to turn great ideas into category-defining companies. Pear VC founded 10+ companies and invested early in startups now worth over $50B. In just 9 years, Pear VC has seeded 7 companies currently valued at over $1B and 3 public companies. Previously, Mar worked as co-founder/VP for Product Development at Revel Touch and an Entrepreneur in Residence fo...
Aug 01, 2023â˘33 minâ˘Ep. 71
Send us a text In todayâs podcast, I talk about my focus on the Gen Z market, which is values-focused and seeks to connect with brands that align with their ideals. I provide three key strategies for SaaS founders to reach the Gen Z market: standing for something and promoting company values, leveraging storytelling and authenticity in customer communications, and creating a memorable product experience through customer empathy and feedback. I emphasize the importance of Gen Z's role in shaping ...
Jul 25, 2023â˘8 minâ˘Ep. 70
Send us a text Join me in today's podcast as I dive into 22 of my favorite off-script podcast questions and reminisce about previous inspiring guests. Highlighting Ashley Flucas, Halle Kaplan-Allen, Nik Sharma, Beezer Clarkson, Meagan Loyst, Judith Dada, Charles Hudson, Jamie Rhode, Emily Herrera, Elana Dickman, Jaclyn Hester, Gale Wilkinson, Julia Lipton, Monique Woodard, Kelli Fontaine, Erin Harkless Moore, Rachel Braun, Arkady Kulik, Ariana Thacker, Courtney Leimkuhler. Connect with Paige đąďż˝...
Jul 18, 2023â˘4 minâ˘Ep. 69
Send us a text Today, I'm joined by Courtney Leimkuhler, Founding Partner at Springbank Collective, investing in the infrastructure serving the long-overlooked needs of women and working families. Itâs a $1 trillion opportunity hiding in plain sight. Courtney spent 20 years in the financial services industry on both the capital formation and risk management sides of the business. After starting her career at Goldman Sachs, she joined the New York Stock Exchange at a critical moment in the histor...
Jul 11, 2023â˘36 minâ˘Ep. 68
