The Human + AI Advantage

In this episode, I sit down with Andy Crebar, a founder who went from failing Accounting 101 to raising over $10 million and selling two companies. We unpack his journey from Macquarie Group to San Francisco, building Sapling into an employee onboarding platform used by companies like Warby Parker and Kayak, and the pandemic decision that saved his business. We also dive into the realities of impo...

In this episode, I share a candid look at what it's really like to build and scale an AI company. I reflect on the challenges of hiring, building a high-performing team, rebuilding after setbacks, and navigating rapid growth in one of the fastest-moving industries in the world. I also share my thoughts on the future of AI-native talent, why quality businesses will stand out in the AI era, and the...

Send us a text Join us as we dive into the inspiring journey of Jacob, co-founder of Altrufood, who transitioned from the dairy industry to pioneering digital solutions in the food supply chain. Discover how Jacob leveraged no-code platforms like Bubble to innovate and streamline processes, reducing inefficiencies and enhancing transparency. This episode explores the challenges and triumphs of bui...

Send us a text In this episode, we dive into the fascinating journey of Tan, the visionary behind Emotive, a groundbreaking company in the field of brain technology. From her beginnings in law to becoming a leader in neurotech innovation, Tan shares her story of transformation and the challenges she faced along the way. Discover how Emotive is revolutionizing the way we understand and interact wit...

Send us a text Join David McManus as he sits down with Scott, co-founder of Espresso, to explore the fascinating journey from a university project to a thriving startup. Discover how Scott and his team navigated the challenges of entrepreneurship, from prototyping and fundraising to scaling production amidst global disruptions. This episode is packed with insights on innovation, perseverance, and...

Send us a text In this episode, Tom and David explore the journey of creating SubJourney, a groundbreaking user journey mapping tool. Tom shares his experiences from his early days at Deloitte Digital, where he learned the intricacies of large-scale project delivery, to founding SubJourney. The conversation delves into the challenges of early influencer marketing, the evolution of design tools lik...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders, Chey discusses her passion for education and technology, particularly in early childhood education. She shares her journey from being an educator to founding software companies aimed at reducing the cognitive load on teachers through AI and no-code tools. The discussion also touches on the importance of understanding how we learn, the futu...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders, Josh shares his unconventional journey from graphic design to co-founding Hey Juno, an AI research tool. He discusses his early career in user experience design, the evolution of digital transformation in Australia, and the mission behind his previous company, Neo. Josh reflects on the challenges of transitioning to remote work, the birth...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders , Brent shares his journey from his early interactions with computers during college to his experiences with tech pioneers like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. He discusses the evolution of computing, the significance of software, and the innovative contributions of both Jobs and Gates to the tech industry. The conversation highlights the challe...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders, Kevin Holmes is the CEO and founder of Founders Network, the largest community of founders in the world. The genesis of Founders Network came from Kevin's own experience as a founder during the dot-com bubble. He realized the importance of peer mentorship and support for founders, which led to the creation of Founders Network. The network...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders , Dr. Prash discusses his journey from studying to become a surgeon to becoming a psychiatrist specializing in psychedelic therapy. He shares his experiences as an entrepreneur and the challenges he faced in starting his businesses. He also talks about his current venture, Enosis, which combines psychedelic therapy and virtual reality techn...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders ,  Kat Coate interviews Dave about the fundamentals of APIs, their real-world applications, and the benefits they bring to software development. They explore various types of APIs, share client success stories, and provide insights on how to get started with APIs, especially for non-technical founders. The discussion emphasizes the importan...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders ,  Kat Coate interviews Dave about the importance of systemizing a business from the ground up. They discuss the early days of starting a business, the need to become self-sufficient in every aspect, and the dangers of outsourcing without understanding the task yourself. Dave shares his experience of building Lightning products and the chal...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders , Dave sits down with Terry and Ryan, two extraordinary entrepreneurs and financial educators, to explore their unique journey from stable careers to creating a transformative financial education platform. With a blend of personal finance expertise and performance coaching, they share how their contrasting styles and deep insights into huma...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders Podcast, Majella Campbell, the Chief Operating Officer of Fishburners, shares her journey into entrepreneurship and innovation. She started at Fishburners as an intern and worked her way up to her current role. Majella discusses how she discovered no-code tools and the challenges she faced in building products for Fishburners. She emphasize...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders , Kelly Claus, a talented designer and Bubble developer, shares her inspiring journey into the world of design and how she discovered the power of the no-code platform, Bubble. Kelly emphasizes the importance of starting simple and encourages listeners to build their ideas, even if they aren’t perfect. She highlights the immense value of be...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders , Tonya shares her remarkable journey from a non-technical manager to becoming a CTO and investor in multiple companies. She emphasizes the importance of finding a supportive community and getting quick answers when starting with no-code tools like Bubble. Tonya walks us through her step-by-step process for building a new app, covering ever...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders , Simon, a civil engineer turned entrepreneur, shares his journey from the mining industry to launching successful ventures in real estate and software. After facing challenges in his real estate business, Simon bootstrapped his current software company, BrickRoad. He discusses the benefits of using Bubble.io to build a low-maintenance, cus...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders , we sit down with Julie Bray, a seasoned entrepreneur and IT consultant, who shares her inspiring startup journey. Julie co-founded Connective, a company that initially focused on school communications before pivoting to become a robust employee messaging app. She dives deep into the challenges she faced in selling and marketing a product...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founders , Dave shares the inspiring story behind starting the podcast, delving into his passion for tech, AI, and entrepreneurship. Along with Kat, they explore how AI can enhance human capabilities rather than replace them, and why embracing technology pushes us to lean into our humanness. Dave reflects on his journey into tech, the pivotal role o...

Send us a text In this episode of Unconventional Founder , host Dave sits down with Jian Wei Hoh, an innovative leader with over 15 years of experience across the globe. From Melbourne to Silicon Valley, Jian Wei has led groundbreaking projects at Uber and Ford Greenfield Labs and now spearheads EV Pro, an electric vehicle service company. Join us as we dive into Jian Wei’s early career lessons, t...

Send us a text Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter for more insights and updates. Visit our website at www.lightningproduct.io for additional resources and episode transcripts.

Send us a text Learn how a film director learn how to build his own software products using NoCode tools like Bubble.io. Learn about his triumphs and learnings across his journey of building his product. Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter for more insights and updates. Visit our website at www.lightningproduct.io for addit...

Send us a text Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter for more insights and updates. Visit our website at www.lightningproduct.io for additional resources and episode transcripts.

Send us a text Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter for more insights and updates. Visit our website at www.lightningproduct.io for additional resources and episode transcripts.