It is quite common these days to hear people talking about the creative process. Anyone from graphic designers to app designers legitimately use the phrase to describe what it takes to be successful at what they do. But a long-time area of fascination for me has been the creative process that goes into making timeless music. And when that process is done in the context of a group of people - a band - it’s nothing short of amazing. I’m immensely honored to be able to present you with this convers...
Oct 24, 2019•53 min
If you were to do a quick Google search for the phrase “stress relief products,” you’d find all kinds of things to help you deal with stress after the fact. That’s because we humans get ourselves into situations that induce stress and then we look for a way to deal with what we’ve created. It's normal. It's everyday life as we know it. But does it have to be? What if a product existed that could help you avoid many of the stressful situations common to every day? Would that be a stress relief pr...
Dec 22, 2018•48 min
As human beings, we drastically underestimate the power of change. It’s because we derive comfort from routine and habit. It feels safe, secure, and comfortable. Change is the exact opposite, it DEMANDS that we step outside of what is normal for us and do different things. My guest on this episode of Unconventional Genius is Beth Comstock. She’s one of the most powerful women in the business world right now and has recently released an amazing book that recounts her transformation from a shy pub...
Dec 18, 2018•38 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Andrew Yang about The Freedom Dividend and the future of America. Andrew is an entrepreneur, author, and founder of Venture for America, a national entrepreneurship fellowship that has helped create over 3,000 jobs in major cities across the United States. He is also running for president in 2020, with a key component of his platform being the creation of a universal basic income. During our conversation, Andrew shares his vision for the futu...
Dec 07, 2018•26 min
The Unconventional Genius podcast welcomes guest Inbal Etgar, Creative Director at frog Design, to discuss the importance of design. Inbal leads the product development team of mechanical engineers and industrial designers at frog, which has been in business for over 50 years. During our conversation, Inbal talks about her role at frog, how they help companies succeed and what she sees for the future of design. frog Design has played an instrumental role in many well-known companies and products...
Nov 19, 2018•48 min
This week on Unconventional Genius, I talk with Stuart Lombard, Founder and CEO of Ecobee about how he led his company to overcome adversity to become the smart thermostat leader. Even what sometimes seems like a victory in business can turn in to an unexpected setback. It’s not about the challenges but how you respond to them that matter. Stuart Lombard is serious about saving energy. Even with no background in the energy sector and no experience in consumer electronics, Stuart set out to creat...
Oct 02, 2018•27 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Gene Marks, author, speaker, and President of the Marks Group, about the top technology trends in business. Gene talks to entrepreneurs all around the country about the issues that impact growth and success. During this conversation, we discuss several trends in business that can improve your company. 3 technologies that will impact your business this year Gene Marks is not only a marketing genius, but he is also a CPA by trade. Because of hi...
Aug 14, 2018•30 min
On this week’s episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Zoli Honig, Founder and COO of Waivecar, about how he is building a truly free car-sharing program. By harnessing advertising capital, Zoli is seeing his dream of transporting people from place to place for free become a reality. He shares with me how he got his start in business and some of the keys to being a successful entrepreneur. Zoli’s story is one of both hard work and a little bit of luck. He has proven that even though some i...
Jul 25, 2018•57 min
Enis Hulli is on a mission to provide funding for startups. His company, 500 Startups Istanbul is looking for the best possible companies to invest money in so that those companies can achieve success while providing premium returns. However, landing an investment deal with 500 Startups Istanbul is far from easy. Listen to this episode of Unconventional Genius to hear how Enis Hulli is leading 500 Startups to make a difference in the lives of entrepreneurs around the world. The global impact of ...
Jul 17, 2018•20 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Mark Palfreeman, CEO of Nixplay about the power of doing hard things. NIxplay was founded in 2007 with a vision to use technology to connect people in a meaningful way. The company accomplishes this vision through their digital photo sharing service by which families can access and share pictures over the cloud. During our conversation, Mark shares how the military and the movie business prepared him to be a CEO of a successful tech company. ...
Jul 12, 2018•1 hr 11 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Andrew Mok, CMO of Turo about how his company is reinventing the car rental industry. Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing platform where users can list their personal vehicles for people to rent. During our conversation, Andrew shares how the company is not only changing the way people rent cars, but is also redefining car ownership. Drive the car you always wanted Unlike traditional car rental companies, Turo lets you pick the car you want to...
May 30, 2018•32 min
On today’s episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Andy Rachleff, President and CEO of Wealthfront about the advantages of automated investing. Wealthfront is the leading automated planning and investment company in the financial industry. Utilizing sophisticated software and a client-first approach, Wealthfront makes investing easier and more affordable. During my conversation with Andy Rachleff, you’ll hear how Wealthfront is maximizing the value of automated investing. You will also get...
Apr 30, 2018•41 min
One of the things I love about working in the Consumer Technology industry is the opportunity I have to hear how companies are doing product research and bringing new tech to market. My guest, today, Deena Ghazarian is an especially delightful person to talk to about those topics because she is a vital part of the TargetPath team - an accelerator that helps tech startups and established technology companies get started, scale, and become successful faster. One of the things I love about working ...
Apr 13, 2018•32 min
New immigrants to the United States do not represent a threat to “American” jobs, they represent potential, and lots of it. Manan Mehta and the team at Unshackled Ventures believe that immigrant-founded startups are one of the most amazing sources of incredible innovations that can change the course of the country and impact the world for good. I invited Manan on the podcast to hear what is happening at Unshackled and was not disappointed to find that the way his VC company has been able to help...
Mar 19, 2018•39 min
Fear is one of the most pronounced and debilitating emotions human beings face. It holds us back in all kinds of scenarios, large and small - from saying “Hi” to a stranger to starting a business. Therefore, conquering fear is one of the most important skills anyone can learn and my guest on this episode, Scott Steinberg continually addresses the issue in almost everything he writes. On this episode of Unconventional Genius, you’ll hear Scott’s recommendations for beating fear, stepping into the...
Feb 08, 2018•35 min
As the founder of a Consumer Tech PR Agency, it may seem strange that I’m interviewing the founder of Powerful Yogurt, Carlos Ramirez. But there’s a method to my madness. I believe that the same business principles and lessons that Carlos learned in starting his company from scratch, marketing his products, and working with suppliers and distributors can be modified and applied to any industry. Even my area of specialization: Consumer Tech PR. That’s why I was eager to talk with him. Carlos’ sto...
Jan 26, 2018•53 min
As the founder of a consumer technology PR agency , you can bet that I’m highly interested in the future of consumer electronics. That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to speak with my guest on this week’s edition of the Unconventional Genius podcast: Jim Sanduski, President of Sharp Home Electronics Company of America. Jim has been working in the Consumer Electronics Industry for more than 25 years. Before taking on his current role, he was an executive with a handful of companies you may have...
Dec 19, 2017•47 min
The tips you’ll learn about CES on this episode of Unconventional Genius come straight from the top. Gary Shapiro, CEO of The Consumer Technology Association, the organization that puts on CES, and Jeff Joseph, the Senior Vice President for the CTA are among the insiders featured who will provide tips on how to make the most of CES attendance. You’ll learn how to audition for Shark Tank while attending CES, how to get the media’s attention, how to get the best booth location, how to make use of ...
Dec 15, 2017•25 min
When it comes to technological innovation, no company has taken the bull by the horns better than Sony. Though Sony’s President and COO Mike Fasulo admits there have been seasons when the company did not do the best job at innovating, course corrections have been made and Sony is once again near the front of the pack. My wide-ranging conversation with Mike on this episode demonstrates how Sony is continually working to stay ahead of the technological changes that are happening all around us and ...
Dec 05, 2017•24 min
While it seems like the key to becoming a successful entrepreneur is having a great idea, you also have to have money. But If you’ve got a winning idea, getting financing should take care of itself, right? As you’ll find out during my conversation with Ross Baird, Founder and President of Village Capital, and author of the book “The Innovation Blindspot: Why We Back the Wrong Ideas and What to Do About It," it is not always that simple. In order to raise capital, you have to be able to connect w...
Nov 14, 2017•32 min
There are 16 million single-family rental investment properties in the United States. Yet, investors often only know about the limited real estate opportunities in their own local market. While many other investment opportunities have become accessible due to technological advances, real estate has remained largely analog. As the founder and CEO of a tech PR firm , I spend my days working with companies that are developing cutting-edge consumer technologies. I use technology to manage virtually ...
Oct 24, 2017•30 min
Do startups have anything valuable to teach the world’s largest companies? Can they work together to unleash innovation in a way that makes an impact in today’s world? These are the questions my guest, Jim Stengel, Former CEO of P&G and author, sought to answer in his new book, “Unleashing the Innovators: How Mature Companies Find New Life with Startups.” On today’s episode of Unconventional Genius, I have the privilege of talking to Jim about his book and the potential that business partner...
Oct 02, 2017•38 min
On today’s episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Mark Gainey, Chairman and Co-Founder of Strava about how he helped build a successful social network for athletes. What began in 2008 as a website for cycling enthusiasts has become a community of tens of millions of runners, cyclists, and triathletes around the world. Mark shares the mission of Strava and the challenges that come with leading a global social community in a niche athletic market. Men’s Journal says that Strava is “the only...
Sep 27, 2017•28 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk to an entrepreneur who is disrupting the home automation market. Alex Capecelatro is the Co-Founder and CEO of Josh.ai, a company that is looking to make the truly smart home a reality through a voice activated home automation system. During our conversation, Alex tells me about both the technological and operational side of Josh.ai. He shares what sets Josh.ai apart from other smart home systems and how he is leveraging his business and technolog...
Aug 31, 2017•24 min
As you think about the expenses required to fund your lifestyle, there is one thing you do month after month that operates unlike any other: paying your power bill. You don’t typically have any choice about where the power you use comes from, how much you pay for it, or whether or not you will work with the company in your area. Everything seems to be set in stone and you have to take what you get. But not any longer. My guest on this episode is Kiran Bhatraju and the work he’s doing through the...
Aug 18, 2017•34 min
The team at eero have created a product that is driving the traditional approach to whole home wifi to obsolescence. Nick founded Eero just three years ago when the home networking market was dominated by some of the tech industry’s biggest companies. However, he saw opportunity where they did not. Nick has turned a company that began in his apartment into one that has raised over $90 million, employs more than 150 people, and has created a new market segment. I sat down with Nick and asked him ...
Aug 09, 2017•23 min
This week on Unconventional Genius, I sit down with Dr.Jeremy Corbett to discuss how he is revolutionizing the healthcare system with his company, RocketHealth. Jeremy is an emergency room physician and entrepreneur who has made it his mission to improve how the nation’s healthcare system treats patients suffering from chronic diseases. Under the current healthcare structure, patients who have chronic conditions are typically treated reactively. For instance, people with hypertension or heart di...
Aug 04, 2017•29 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I sit down with Chance Barnett, CEO, and Co-founder of Crowdfunder, to talk about the genius behind equity crowdfunding. Entrepreneurs know that there are ups and downs in trying to start a business. Chance created a new approach to assist entrepreneurs with the specific challenge of fundraising. Along the way, he has learned a lot. Being a serial entrepreneur himself, Chance Barnett saw first hand the difficulties of securing funding. He decided that he...
Jul 03, 2017•30 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, Jaclyn Baumgarten, CEO of Boatsetter, a peer-to-peer platform for boat rentals, shares advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Boatsetter is the #1 boat sharing community and leader in the boat sharing industry. During this episode, you will hear Jaclyn tell me about how she led the company to become a provider of over 4000 boats in 2500 locations. Before starting Boatsetter, Jaclyn Baumgarten did everything from launching new divisions in Fortune...
Jun 27, 2017•43 min
On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I sit down with David Mandelbrot, CEO at Indiegogo, to find out how his company is breaking down barriers for entrepreneurship. Indiegogo is a crowdfunding platform that allows entrepreneurs to launch their companies or products with the backing of individuals who truly believe in their vision. Listen to this fascinating conversation and hear how Indiegogo is impacting the world. Since launching in 2008, Indiegogo has allowed people to back more than 800...
Apr 19, 2017•44 min
