CV Podcast

Why do 93% of drug candidates fail once they reach clinical trials? Chandima Bandaranayaka, CEO of Precision Quantomics, explains the hidden data gap behind failed drugs, the $2 billion cost of bringing one to market, and how proteomics and AI could help close it. On Episode 43 of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, Blake Gibson sits down with Chandima to break down how his Spokane biotech company, spun...

Why does your AI coding bill jump 5X overnight? Code Lexica co-founders Carter Bastian and Tristan Rees explain the hidden economics of AI coding tools like Claude Code, Codex and Cursor, and how their Spokane startup pivoted from codebase intelligence to cutting AI coding costs. On Episode 43 of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, Blake Gibson sits down with Carter and Tristan to unpack how a platform b...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, Blake sits down with James Connelly, CEO of My Green Lab, to break down why laboratories are some of the most energy intensive spaces in the world, more than data centers by some measures, and how his company built a certification standard now used by 43 of the top 50 biotech and pharma companies. We talk about: - Why a single fume hood can use as mu...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, Blake sits down with David Heath, founder of Lighthouse, to break down why hospitals still run nurse staffing off a shared Excel spreadsheet with 12 tabs, why turnover costs a hospital about $60,000 per nurse, and how AI is finally starting to fix a system that's stayed broken because too many vested interests benefit from it staying that way. We...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, Blake sits down with Jacob Godak, founder of Apisem, to break down how a prosthetics and orthotics clinician built a device out of two cut-up Nordic Tracks and a mountain bike to get a double amputee patient walking again, and how a business partner used a swapped signature page to remove him from the company he invented. We talk about: How Primus Ex...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, Blake sits down with Matt, founder of Project Spokane, and Isaac, who joined the team after selling his restaurant, to break down how a guy who was $37,863 in debt at 22 and failed his real estate exam three times built a company that helps investors find fix and flip and rental properties across Spokane. We talk about: How a poorly Photoshopped &quo...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, Blake sits down with Joel Robnett, Founding Partner at North by Northwest Technologies, to break down his path from law school plans and a first day of work on 9/11, through two decades in tech sales at companies like Data Domain and Nimble Storage before their acquisitions by EMC and HP, to co-founding his own company. We talk about: Why he walked a...

Lauren Trivison built an audience of more than 90,000, got featured in InStyle as a midsize fashion expert, and partnered with brands from Sephora to McDonald's to Abercrombie. Then she turned all of it into a real business. In this episode, Lauren joins the Cowles Ventures Podcast to talk about the seven-year road from freelance creator to founder of Get Lo Socials, her Spokane-based social m...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, Blake sits down with Doyle Wheeler to break down his journey from 18 years in auto body to becoming a Spokane entrepreneur, founding Kinetek Media and running First Avenue Coffee in downtown Spokane. We talk about:- How a $200 Black Friday laptop became the foundation for Kinetek Media- Landing an unpaid six-month gig running Launchpad Spokane's...

What separates content that gets ignored from content that drives real business growth? In this episode, we sit down with Andrii Mynka, New Business Director and Partner at 16x9 Video Agency, to explore the power of strategic video marketing and authentic storytelling. From growing social media channels into thriving communities to helping brands transform their identity through compelling visual...

For more than two decades, Ed Reese has helped businesses turn digital marketing data into meaningful business decisions. As Principal of Sixth Man Marketing, Executive in Residence and Adjunct Professor at Gonzaga University, Ed has built a career at the intersection of analytics, strategy, and education. In this episode, Ed shares lessons from 20+ years in digital marketing, including how analyt...

What if the roads, sidewalks, and parking lots we rely on every day could help reduce flooding and clean stormwater before it reaches our waterways? In this episode, Blake sits down with Greg Johnson, Co-Founder and CEO of AquiPor Technologies, to discuss how one Spokane startup is reinventing concrete to solve some of today's biggest infrastructure and water management challenges. In this episode...

What does it actually take to build a brand experience people remember? James Clark, founder of Wunder Beast, on the realities of building a standout brand from the ground up and why branding goes far beyond a logo. James Clark builds digital activations and brand experiences that stick. In this conversation we get into the story behind Wunder Beast, what actually separates businesses that thrive...

What does it take to build a thriving bioscience ecosystem outside of traditional innovation hubs like Boston and San Diego? In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, we sit down with Michaele Armstrong, PhD, MBA, Executive Director of Evergreen Bioscience Innovation Cluster, to discuss the future of biotech, startup innovation, and the work required to grow a life sciences economy in the In...

What happens when you combine creativity, grit, and an obsession with building memorable experiences? In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, we sit down with Njal Lundberg, founder and CEO of Modern Dreamers, to discuss her entrepreneurial journey, the realities of building a consumer brand, and the lessons she's learned scaling a business from idea to impact. Njal shares how she iden...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, I sit down with Mark Gustafson, President of Avista Development and Director of Strategic Investments at Avista. Mark brings a unique perspective from decades spent at the intersection of utilities, energy infrastructure, software, innovation, and corporate venture capital. With experience spanning CTO leadership, strategy, data science, and startup...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, I sit down with Isaac Cunnington to discuss entrepreneurship, leadership, business growth, and the realities of building in today’s rapidly changing environment. We dive into: • Isaac’s path into business and entrepreneurship • Lessons learned from scaling teams and navigating growth • How founders should think about leadership and decision making •...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, I sit down with Dylan Avatar, Co-Founder and CEO of Credential Network, to talk about building in healthcare, overcoming adversity, and what it really takes to scale a company in a complex industry. Dylan shares his journey from a life-changing wingsuit accident to building a company focused on fixing one of the most broken systems in healthcare: cre...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, I sit down with Chris Wood to talk about operational excellence, acquisition entrepreneurship, and what it really takes to improve and scale businesses. Chris shares his journey through: • Implementing Six Sigma and operational optimization frameworks • Buying and improving five separate businesses • Lessons learned inside elite environments like Sky...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, I sit down with Tom Simpson to break down his journey from early days in investment banking to managing his own venture fund, founding Green Cupboards, and helping shape the startup ecosystem through SAA, Ignite, and KickStart. We talk about:• The transition from operator to venture fund manager• How to raise and manage a venture capital fund• Lesson...

Most students treat college like a checklist. Mateo Valdez treated it like a startup. In this episode, Mateo breaks down how he founded the Gonzaga Sport Consulting Group while still in school, built real leadership experience early, and turned that momentum into a role at Microsoft. This conversation is a masterclass in leverage, initiative, and playing the long game. We talk about:• The real sto...

In this episode of the Cowles Ventures Podcast, I sit down with Jeffrey Daniels to unpack his previous long-term career and what he's doing now with Automate Intelligence AI. We talk through the moments that shaped Jeffrey’s perspective, how experience compounds over time, and why most people optimize for the wrong things early in their careers. This conversation digs into leadership under unc...

In this episode, I sit down with Brian Jorgenson to talk about career risk, long term thinking, and why relationships matter more than almost anything else in business. Brian shares the story of moving to Boise with no job, no clear plan, and a willingness to simply meet people and learn. We break down how making genuine connections without an agenda opened doors, shaped his career, and ultimately...

In this episode, we sit down with Stephanie High, founder of KaizenCX and Kaizen Catalyst, to unpack customer experience, leadership psychology, and what truly drives sustainable growth. Stephanie shares behind the scenes lessons from her time working with global brands like Sony and ASICS, how international travel shaped her leadership philosophy. This conversation goes deeper than business. Step...

In this episode, I sit down with Annie Shoen, Co-Founder of My First Nest Egg, to talk about why financial education needs to start earlier and how we can change the way young people learn about money. We dig into the gaps in traditional financial education, the real-world consequences of not learning these skills early, and how Annie is building tools and programs that actually resonate with stud...