Office Hours with David Meltzer

Hayk Chakyan is the son of Armenian immigrants who fled the Soviet Union to build a better life in California. After attending UC Berkeley and gaining experience in software sales and applied AI at Silicon Valley companies, his entrepreneurial journey began with a personal frustration over what he believed was an unfair traffic ticket. As he researched the system, Hayk uncovered how billions in tr...

Martha Montoya, CEO of Agtools and a globally recognized expert in commodities and supply chains. With over 35 years of experience spanning agriculture, telecommunications, electronics, and global trade, Martha brings unparalleled insight into the journey of food, from farm to final delivery. She has worked with farmers, governments, and major buyers worldwide, moving crops such as lettuce, banana...

Marc Zionts is an executive, athlete, and environmentalist who focuses on building technology and software companies in high-growth markets. As CEO of SundaySky, a Clearhaven Partners portfolio company, he brings a disciplined, forward-looking approach to leadership while balancing business growth with social and environmental responsibility. A Georgia Tech graduate with both bachelor’s and master...

Corinne Goble, CEO of the Association of Women’s Business Centers (AWBC), shares how she has led national expansion and strengthened advocacy for women entrepreneurs across the U.S. Drawing from her personal journey and policy leadership, Corinne explains why access to capital, strong networks, and modernized funding structures aren’t just equity issues—they’re economic imperatives that drive jobs...

Adel Saad, Founder and CEO of sKora.ai, shares how AI is transforming football talent discovery by democratizing access for overlooked athletes around the world. Drawing from his background in data analytics, systems engineering, and professional sports representation, Adel reveals how purpose-driven technology can open doors where traditional systems fall short. Bart Berkey, bestselling author, k...

Johny Duval, co-founder of Sudden, shares how his years at Amazon and in startups revealed a broken economics model in streaming. After watching media companies spend more to deliver video than to create it, Johny left AWS to build a simpler edge network that cuts cloud costs by up to 80% without sacrificing quality. He discusses discipline, clarity, and building infrastructure that allows creator...

Tarun Kamath, founder of Arcady Media, shares his journey from launching an email and CRM agency in high school to scaling it into a $2M+ operation before age 25. He breaks down how e-commerce brands can drive real, lasting growth through smarter lifecycle marketing, automation, and retention—focusing on increasing customer lifetime value without relying on ever-higher ad spend. Transformational t...

Three thought leaders explore how power is being reshaped across technology, economics, and digital rights—and what it means for the future of work, privacy, and human impact. Paul Mackiewicz, Founder of Honorable Marketing and a third-generation Army veteran, shares how his experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, combined with executive leadership at two Inc. 500 fastest-growing companies, led him to...

Three leaders from vastly different worlds come together to explore resilience, discipline, and purposeful creation across military service, entrepreneurship, and business mastery. Remi Adeleke shares his powerful journey of transformation. Born into wealth in Nigeria, his life changed after his father’s death and the loss of his family’s assets, forcing a move to the Bronx. After a turbulent yout...

We explored how technology, innovation, and personal discipline intersect to create meaningful, sustainable impact in business and life. Jack Watkinson, Vice President of Sales at Outsource My IT, shares how more than 20 years in technology shaped his belief that IT should be a growth driver—not just a support function. From early programming roots to helping businesses scale with confidence, Jack...

We explored how leadership, storytelling, and values-driven decision-making can shape a more balanced and sustainable world. Our guest Shenali Rajaratnam, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Power of Women, leads a global initiative empowering women and youth while advancing peace, wellbeing, and inclusive leadership. Power of Women brings together leaders, activists, academics, and civil society fr...

We sit down with three remarkable leaders who are redefining courage, resilience, and impact in their fields. Tai Emery is a professional combat sports athlete, model, and entrepreneur known for her fearless presence in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), Power Slap, and Misfits Boxing. A former electrical engineer turned global fighter, Tai blends discipline, strategy, and authenticity—emp...

Craig Palmer is a results-driven Chief Revenue Officer and sales leader known for building and scaling high-performing teams in the medical device and life sciences space. From starting as a sales representative to helping take a medical device company public, growing its sales organization from zero to 150. Craig’s career reflects bold leadership, disciplined execution, and resilience. His journe...

We explore the important topics of environmental resilience, branding, and career development with three inspiring guests. Travis Dean is the founder of the Jackson Earth Restoration & Research Center, a nonprofit in Arizona focused on ecological resilience and land restoration amid climate change. With degrees in Anthropology and History, Travis combines his knowledge of human systems and nat...

The Human Experience brings together two worlds rarely explored side by side—global finance and elite human performance. In this episode, James St. Clair, Co-Founder and President of ViewTrade, draws on more than 36 years in financial services to reveal how 24/7 trading and cross-border investing are transforming access to global markets. He shares behind-the-scenes insight into building a self-fu...

In Episode 824 of Office Hours, David Meltzer sits down with four visionary leaders shaping innovation, entrepreneurship, finance, and global business. Roy Zwahlen and Ashlie Thomas bring a unique mix of global strategy and grassroots advocacy. Roy’s international upbringing and work advising biotech leaders inform his role as Chief Strategy Officer at Eshelman Innovation, while Ashlie, known as T...

Noelle Russell Noelle Russell is a multi-award-winning TEDx speaker, best-selling author, and pioneering AI executive known for delivering responsible, scalable AI solutions that transform organizations. Recognized as the #1 Agentic AI Leader of 2025 and a 5x Microsoft AI MVP, she is a sought-after expert in revenue growth, cost optimization, and human-centered innovation. Her work has reached mil...

David Lee Vanka AI was founded by David Lee, John Lagerling, and Satoshi Kataoka—serial entrepreneurs and technologists whose previous companies have been acquired five times, including two sales to Google, one to a top Meta Business Partner, and one to a NASDAQ-listed company. Collectively, they’ve built zero-to-one ventures serving global customers such as Amazon, Alibaba, and Lazada; led high-i...

Samika Tara Samika Tara is the co-founder of Convo and an accomplished entrepreneur who built and scaled a design and branding agency at just 21, working with both early-stage startups and Fortune 500 companies. She has contributed to the growth of entrepreneurship at USC by launching demo days, hackathons, and accelerator programs, and founded a college ambassador program with The Female Quotient...

Mark Singleton Mark Singleton is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Rudolph Foods, the world’s largest manufacturer of pork rinds and parent company to Southern Recipe Small Batch and PorkRinds.com. With extensive expertise in brand growth and consumer engagement, he oversees strategic sales initiatives and marketing innovation that continue to elevate the company’s national presence an...

Claudia Patricia Eusse Claudia Patricia Eusse is a distinguished real estate executive and the Vice President of Sales for Aria Reserve Miami, one of the most iconic and transformative residential developments in the United States. With more than two decades of experience in preconstruction and international real estate, she has led high-performance teams and driven record-breaking sales across ma...

John Lex Robinson John Lex Robinson is a bestselling author, Army veteran, and technology executive with over 30 years of leadership experience across the military, financial services, and high-stakes technology sectors. As the founder of The Viros Group, he helps executives build the clarity, systems, and resilience needed to lead effectively in a world defined by rapid change and constant disrup...

Chitra Nawbatt Chitra Nawbatt is a multidisciplinary executive known for her ability to launch, build, and scale businesses across industries. With deep expertise as a growth operator, investor, and media creator, she has established herself as a trusted voice on innovation, leadership, and value creation. She is the author of The CodeBreaker Mindset, a framework designed to strengthen professiona...

Brian T. Franco Brian T. Franco is the founder of Meritage Partners and the author of Inevitable Exit, specializing in helping business owners plan and execute smooth, profitable exits. With more than $2 billion in guided transactions, he transforms owner-run companies into scalable, high-value enterprises by focusing on four fundamentals: documenting processes, building strong leadership teams, m...

Pam Meissner Pam Meissner is a distinguished leader in finance and operations, having held CFO, COO, and CEO roles across various industries. Renowned for scaling companies to billion-dollar valuations, she specializes in transforming complex financial data into clear, strategic insights that empower executives to make confident, growth-driven decisions. Her global experience—shaped by extensive t...