10-Minute Tech Talks: How Tech Entrepreneurs Fail & How You Can Avoid It

Why do so many promising business conversations quietly disappear after a handshake? In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, we explore a problem every tech entrepreneur knows too well. You meet the right people. You have great conversations. And somehow… nothing happens next. ConfirmedApp.com Founder David Radin breaks down why networking isn't broken because of people, but because of systems. A...

What if the thing you're most proud of building… is the thing holding your business back? Today on 10 Minute Tech Talks, we're digging into a moment every tech entrepreneur eventually faces. You've got momentum, a smart team, and something that looks polished and impressive, until you realize it doesn't actually solve the problem. Host Jonathan Kersting interviewed serial entrepreneur David Radin...

If AI is everywhere, why are so many companies still struggling to make it work? In Part One "Why Tech Entrepreneurs Can't Treat AI as an Experiment Anymore", we talked about how AI crossed into the business mainstream. Now it's time for the harder question: why do so many implementations stall, underperform, or quietly fail? In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks , we talk to Justine Kasznica an...

When did AI stop being a fun experiment… and start becoming table stakes for running a business? In just a year, AI has gone from "interesting" to essential . But while nearly every company is talking about it, only a fraction are actually seeing real returns. In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks , you'll hear from Justine Kasznica and Chris Farmakis of Babst Calland on why AI adoption has expl...

What if the next breakout startup isn't powered by better software… but by better connectivity? Today's 10 Minute Tech Talk is all about removing the invisible limits that hold entrepreneurs back. We are joined by Jay Noschese from T-Mobile for Business , and this conversation flips the script on how founders should think about 5G. We're not talking faster phones. We're talking about new business...

What if the biggest threat to your startup isn't the competition, but the decisions you make in the first six months? In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks , we dive into a powerful segment from our TechVibe Radio interview with Juliana Keeling and Joe Swider of Terravive , the fast-growing company reinventing single-use products with American-made compostable materials. Their journey hasn't bee...

What if the key to better leadership, sharper decisions, and next-level strategy was sitting on a chessboard? Host Jonathan Kersting with the Pittsburgh Technology Council and TechVibe Radio dives into a conversation that every founder, innovator, and builder needs to hear. We're featuring a powerful slice of his TechVibe Radio interview with Ashley Lynn Priore, the force behind Queens Gambit and...

What does it take for a small, bootstrapped tech company to leap from building dashboards… to designing AI-powered drones for the U.S. Army? Today on 10 Minute Tech Talks, dive into one of the most unlikely — and inspiring — pivots in tech as we welcome James Julius, founder and CEO of Visimo. James reveals how his team evolved from early-stage ramen budgets to landing a $3 million defense contrac...

What if scaling your tech business was as simple—and as flexible—as snapping together a few Lego bricks? In this 10 Minute Tech Talks episode, we break down how modular, on-demand infrastructure is becoming a game-changing advantage for today's tech entrepreneurs. Dave Tomassoni of Megaport gives insights reveal why agility is no longer a luxury — it's a competitive necessity. Dave details: 1. How...

What if the secret to staying ahead in business isn't mastering every new technology — but learning how to adapt faster than it changes? In this episode, Jonathan Kersting's TechVibe Radio Cohost and Tech Council CEO Audrey Russo talk with Michelle O'Neill, Senior Director of Web Solutions and Delivery at Brunner — a marketing agency that's been fusing creativity and technology for decades. Michel...

What can earning a black belt in karate teach you about running a startup? CGI's Manoj Mishra shares how discipline, quiet confidence, and servant leadership form the backbone of strong leadership — in business and beyond. Manoj joined TechVibe Radio to dive deep on how his journey to a black belt informed his leadership and being a better human. If you have a few more minutes, click here for his...

What if your AI could help you live well — not just work better? In this episode of TechVibe , host Jonathan Kersting talks with Mike Hruska , founder of Baryons , about how his new AI platform is redefining what it means to flourish in life and work. After two decades leading Problem Solutions, Hruska's latest venture uses voice-based, human-first technology to help people reflect, reframe, and r...

What if the next breakthrough in AI doesn't come from a giant data center or another LLM, but from a small Pittsburgh startup that's building artificial intelligence modeled on the human brain? Hit PLAY to hear from Chris Paradise and Nick Retos of Digital Dynamics AI—two founders chasing an idea that could redefine what AI is capable of. In just a year, they've gone from concept to prototype, and...

10 Minute Tech Talks dives into one of the biggest transformations happening in business right now — the shift from robotic process automation to intelligent, agent-based AI. 10 Minute Tech Talks host Jonathan Kersting sat down with Bender Singh, founder of Auxiliobits, to talk about how AI agents are changing the game for industries like finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. What really stands...

What does it really take to build a tech startup from scratch — not in Silicon Valley, but in Pittsburgh — and grow it into a company that just landed $10.6 million in growth capital? On this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, we sit down with Alison Alvarez and Tomer Borenstein, the co-founders of BlastPoint , a Pittsburgh-based AI company that's spent nearly a decade perfecting how data can drive...

What if everything we thought we knew about artificial intelligence was built on an outdated model from the 1940s? On this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, we sit down with Dr. Rorry Brenner, founder of Perforated AI, whose breakthrough approach is rewriting the very foundations of neural networks. His team is showing how AI systems can be built to run smarter, faster, and far more efficiently — d...

How much is a bad hire really costing your business — and how do you know when to call in experts instead of doing it yourself? For entrepreneurs trying to grow, hiring is both the biggest opportunity and the biggest risk. Sorting résumés, screening candidates and hoping for a good fit can drain your time and budget, while the wrong hire can set back an entire team. In this episode, Anthony Bucci...

How can data and AI generate measurable value, and what lessons can you apply to your own organization right now? Many leaders are investing in analytics, machine learning, and digital transformation but still struggle to connect their projects back to business outcomes. In this episode, Mitch Kwiatkowski, Executive Vice President of Data at Techstra Solutions, who has led initiatives delivering o...

Are skyrocketing medical costs and confusing benefit plans draining your budget and frustrating your employees? You're not alone—commercial healthcare costs are rising 9–10% annually and traditional high-deductible plans rarely deliver the promised savings. This episode of 10 Minute Tech Talk explores Highmark's bold new CopayGo plan, which is designed to simplify benefits and bring real transpare...

Are you truly making the most of AI's potential? In this thought-provoking conversation ripped from the Pittsburgh Technology Council's TechVibe Radio Show , Zico Kolter and Matt Fredrickson, faculty members at Carnegie Mellon University and founders of Gray Swan AI, explore why the time to embrace AI is right now and how technology once deemed futuristic is fundamentally reshaping industries toda...

As companies race to integrate AI tools, many overlook the human side of the equation: how employees actually feel about using them, and how workplace culture shifts when new technology enters the mix. If you're leading a team or adapting to AI yourself, this episode gives you the perspective you need to navigate both the opportunities and anxieties. This episode has highlights with Nathan Wadding...

Are you maximizing the potential of your website's search visibility to drive conversions? In today's digital age, we'll know that getting your business noticed online is crucial. 10 Minute Tech Talks welcomes Meesha Gerhart of RedTree Web Design to help make it easier for you. We're going to explore how search engine optimization (SEO), Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and user experience can...

Has your market and technology evolved so much that it might make sense to rebrand your company? Maybe you acquired a company and the new services are just itching to grab a customer's attention! For security company Intertech CI this was the case on all three points. When Ron Petnuch, President and CEO of Intertech CI, stopped byTechVibe Radio, part of his conversation landed on the company's reb...

Can an entrepreneur have his proverbial cake and eat it too? Mike Vindler, co-owner of Tronix 3D , a Pittsburgh-based 3D printer, seems to be doing just that. Hit PLAY to learn how Mike is growing Tronix3D while also having a ton of fun pursuing passion projects. In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks Mike reveals how TroniX3D's profitable bread and butter defense projects pave the way for projec...

Ever see a glaring need in the marketplace not being met by a current service or technology and wanted to something about it? Entrepreneur/ad agency owner Jeff Swartz sure did when he saw an increasing interest from clients wanting to use geofencing as a marketing tool, but were scared away by the complexity and high cost. He got an idea for a tool that could be more accessible, efficient, and use...