Two Tokens Short

What happens when empty storefronts meet artists, technology, and a bold vision? In this episode of Two Tokens Short , Robert Delarosa and Mitch sit down with Evan Snow , founder of Zero Empty Spaces , to explore how vacant commercial real estate can be transformed into thriving creative ecosystems. Evan shares the origin story behind his first unconventional deal, how he convinced property owners...

In this episode of Two Tokens Short , Robert De La Rosa and Mitch sit down with Dimitrios Fyntikakis , co-founder of Hotelizer , to unpack how technology and AI are reshaping hotel and vacation-rental property management in Greece. Dimitrios shares how a front-desk job turned into a data-driven hospitality company—starting with better photos, stronger listings, and smarter channel strategy—then sc...

In this episode of Two Tokens Short , hosts Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with Glenn Gilmore , founder of Brick & Timber Collective , to unpack the comeback story of San Francisco real estate. From janitorial roots to multimillion-dollar redevelopment, Glenn shares how his team transforms historic brick-and-timber buildings into modern creative offices—and why boutique asse...

As AI’s appetite for power grows, the grid is being pushed to its limits. In this episode of Two Tokens Short , hosts Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with Dr. Kevin Davies , founder and CEO of Energy Quotient , to explore how artificial intelligence, data centers, and the electric grid are colliding in real time. Dr. Davies shares insights from his work at the Hawaii Natural Ener...

In this episode of Two Tokens Short , hosts Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with Annika Charron , founder of GritKore , to explore the intersection of mental resilience, technology, and creativity . Annika shares the inspiration behind GritKore — a mindset and lifestyle brand helping kids and adults strengthen their inner core in a world dominated by screens and social pressure....

On this episode of Two Tokens Short — where creativity, technology, and culture meet , Robert and Mitchell sit down with Dr. Kunal Shah , founder & president of LiloTree . From Intel and PNNL to bootstrapping a materials company, Dr. Shah breaks down how his team built a nickel-free, cyanide-free surface finish for PCBs that makes solder joints tougher, greener, and cheaper —crucial for aerosp...

In Episode 19, Robert and Mitchel go from hospital UX to hand-thrown vessels, Sherród’s journey is anything but linear. In this conversation, we trace his path from software design at scale to founding Deep Black —a studio where meaning, color theory, and “battle-tested” ceramics meet the kitchen table and the dining room. We talk design language, semiotics, the Kingdom Come collection, and how to...

In Episode 18, Pasquale Totaro joins Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger to talk building consumer AI that feels like a friend—not a dashboard. We get into designing agents you can text or call, why the browser layer might disappear, the privacy tradeoffs of “always-listening” devices, and Pasquale’s journey from MIT and Apple’s iPad team to launching Oddball —a bouncy ball that makes music—w...

In Episode 17 hosts Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with Lindsey Shores , founder and CEO of The Baby Go Go , to talk about turning a travel crisis into a nationwide essentials brand. After a frantic diaper run during a family trip to Mexico, Lindsey designed the world’s smallest diaper kit and the Magic Wipe , expanding convenience for traveling parents everywhere. This episode...

In Episode 16 hosts Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with Luiz Batalha , co-founder of Upstay , to explore how a small experiment in short-term rentals evolved into 450+ properties, 8 markets, and $1.1B in managed assets . Luiz shares the origin story—pivoting from Turo’s car-sharing model to vacation homes—and how Upstay scaled through AI-enhanced operations , remote-first cultur...

In this electrifying episode (#15) of Two Tokens Short , Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with Aaron Davis , co-founder of Fast Pinball , to explore how creativity, engineering, and nostalgia collide in the world of modern pinball. From designing commercial-grade control systems for homebrew builders to rekindling childhood wonder with cutting-edge hardware, Aaron shares the story...

In episode 14 of Two Tokens Short , hosts Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with Shintaro Okamoto , founder of Okamoto Studio , a New York–based collective redefining the art of ice. Shintaro shares his journey from growing up in Alaska to building one of the most respected ice studios in the world — where craftsmanship, design, and engineering meet ephemerality. The conversation e...

In episode 13 of Two Tokens Short , Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with brothers Jack & Jason Wu to talk about building a brand that puts function, natural materials, and longevity ahead of trend-chasing. From jackets and totes sewn in New York to modular lamps designed in CAD and tested in AR/VR, the pair unpack how to make beautiful things that are meant to be used for dec...

Red Light Therapy, Protocols & AI Workflows (w/ John Graham Harper, Lumaflex) In Episode 12 of Two Tokens Short , Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with John Graham Harper , founder of Lumaflex , to unpack how red light therapy (photobiomodulation) is moving from “wellness trend” to clinically-informed recovery—and where AI slots into the next phase. John traces his path from c...

In Episode 11 of Two Tokens Short , hosts Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with John Makarewicz , co-founder of Faris Capital Partners , to unpack how Canadian capital is flowing into U.S. value-add multifamily—and where AI supercharges the whole machine. John traces his path from building a residential powerhouse during the post-’08 recovery to today’s focus: buying tired Class-B...

In Episode 10 of Two Tokens Short , hosts Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with Tom Askew , founder and CEO of PanelRight , to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the world of printed circuit board design and electronic manufacturing. Tom shares his decades-long journey as an engineer and innovator, walking through how PanelRight’s AI-driven approach reduces materi...

In Episode 9 Robert & Mitch discuss wizard rooms to luxury beach escapes, Bryndee Barton breaks down how Revedy helps investors pick the right market, choose the right home, and then turn it into a top-earning short-term rental. We get into Revedy’s two-part model (acquisitions + asset optimization), what actually moves RevPAR (hot tubs vs. putt-putt… it depends!), and the ops grind of staging...

In Episode 8 of Two Tokens Short , hosts Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with Jonathan Napoli , founder of VanGarden and The Hempest , to explore the evolving intersection of cannabis cultivation, automation, and artificial intelligence . Jonathan shares his 30-year journey from hemp retail pioneer to operating one of the most advanced indoor cannabis facilities on the East Coast...

In Episode 7 of Two Tokens Short , Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with hospitality OG Eric Goldreyer—founder of BedandBreakfast.com (sold to HomeAway), co-founder of TurnKey Vacation Rentals (sold to Vacasa), and now CEO of Savvy.com , a book-direct marketplace for professionally managed vacation rentals. Eric traces the arc from dial-up B&B guides to today’s fee-heavy OTAs—...

In Episode 6 of Two Tokens Short , Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with Juan Manuel Torres , Co-Founder of Tripping Animals Brewing Co. , to explore how a basement hobby in Caracas grew into one of Florida’s most talked-about breweries. Juan shares what it takes to scale production in a competitive market, why Florida is the brand’s main focus, and how his team balances tradition...

In Episode 5 of Two Tokens Short , hosts Robert De La Rosa and Mitchell Newberger sit down with Eljas Saastamoinen , CEO of Bitwards , to explore the future of mobile access. Eljas shares the journey of building a Finland-based startup into a global digital access provider—where speed, trust, and user adoption are just as important as the tech itself. He explains why mobile credentials are followi...

In Episode 4 of Two Tokens Short , Mitchell Newberger and Robert De La Rosa sit down with Greg Gillespie , CEO of Collectiv , to unpack why most companies aren’t actually “AI-ready”—and how to fix it. Greg breaks down Collectiv’s DATA Formula (Data • Alignment • Team → Automation), showing how clean data, process alignment, and real adoption come before the shiny AI layer. From finance use cases t...

In Episode 3 of Two Tokens Short , Mitchell Newberger and Robert De La Rosa dive into the intersection of AI, healthcare, and fairness with Alaa Youssef , Chief AI Officer at Basys.ai . Alaa shares her journey from big data research at the University of Toronto to hands-on AI engineering at Stanford , and now leading AI deployment at Basys.ai. Along the way, she explains why healthcare algorithms...

In Episode 1 of Two Tokens Short , Robert De La Rosa and Money Making Mitch press start with Torrey Smith , co-founder and CEO of Endiatx , the team behind the PillBot — a swallowable surgical robot changing the future of healthcare. We dive into the startup rollercoaster, tackling one of the hardest challenges in tech and medicine: scope creep . Torrey shares the highs and lows of innovating in t...

In Episode 2 of Two Tokens Short , Robert De La Rosa and Money Making Mitch drop a token into the future of cities with Paul Doherty , architect, technologist, and global leader in smart infrastructure. Paul takes us on a wild journey from his early IBM days with young Bill Gates, to shaping Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia, to reimagining smart cities, digital twins, and decentralized infrastructure a...