Honestquo Venture Podcast

Andrew Gazdecki, founder and CEO of Acquire.com, joins the show for a candid conversation on his journey from bootstrapping Bizness Apps in college to selling startups and creating the “world’s most founder-friendly startup acquisition marketplace.” In this episode, Andrew shares how growing up outside the Ivy League shaped his founder grit, the lessons learned building multiple companies, and why...

Ever wondered what it takes to invest in the cutting-edge of biotech? In this episode, we sit down with Yaniv Sneor, a serial entrepreneur turned life science angel investor, to explore the world of early-stage biotech investing. From founding and scaling companies to building a niche angel investment group, Yaniv shares insights on: The differences between public market investing vs. angel invest...

Jordan Fliegel: (Co-CEO of Shareholder Ventures, 5x Founder, Ex-Techstars MD) unpacks his journey from professional basketball benchwarmer to serial entrepreneur—and why he’s now helping others **buy profitable businesses** instead of starting them. **🗝️ HIGHLIGHTS YOU CAN’T MISS:** - **The $5M SBA Loan Hack:** How to acquire cash-flowing businesses with 80-90% debt (even without personal capital)...

Dr. Stephen Squinto — co-founder of Alexion, early Regeneron scientist, and now biotech investor at J.P. Morgan — reflects on a 40-year journey in biotech. He shares what it was like to build Alexion from scratch, lessons from clinical failures, how to spot undervalued technologies, and what most founders get wrong. We talk about the evolution of biotech from the 1980s to the AI era, the realities...

Dr. Lydia Villa-Komaroff  — the Mexican American molecular biologist whose breakthrough  insulin gene cloning  changed medicine forever — shares her trailblazing journey. At 78, she reflects on: 🔬  Pioneering the Biotech Revolution : • The cutthroat race to clone insulin in the 1970s (and the blizzard that  almost  derailed it ❄️). • How her team’s work birthed  Genentech & Biogen  — and tran...

📍 Ex-HBS professor Thales Teixeira (consulted for Netflix, Airbnb, Facebook) reveals why startups  don't  need revolutionary tech to dominate markets. Learn: • The "Decoupling" secret behind Uber/Airbnb's rise 🚘 • How customers—NOT tech—actually disrupt industries • Why your startup should solve "ugly" problems first • MBA myths & when NOT to hire consultants • Attention-economics in the Tik...

From Barcelona to Wall Street — Dr. Josep Bassaganya-Riera’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. A veterinarian-turned-immunologist, he went on to found multiple biotech companies, take Landos Biopharma public, and lead one of the only private biotech firms with a Phase 3 asset in IBD. In this episode, we dive deep into: How Josep transitioned from academia to biotech entrepreneurship (Land...

In this episode of The Honestquo Venture Podcast , we sit down with Lacey Wismer, founder of Hunter Search Capital and one of the most experienced voices in the search fund ecosystem. She shares her journey from growing up in a small business family in Minneapolis to raising her third search fund. We dive into what makes a great searcher, red flags investors look out for, how deals fall apart, and...

In this episode, Justin sits down with Jared Holz , Managing Director and Healthcare Equity Strategist at Mizuho , to unpack the brutal truths and bright spots in today’s biotech and healthcare markets. Jared shares candid takes on why biotech has underperformed for over a decade, the dominance of Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk in the GLP-1 space, and what it’ll take for M&A, AI, and Alzheimer&#39...

Big Pharma’s about to lose $200 billion in drug revenue — and the race to replace it is reshaping biotech worldwide. On this episode, Robert Darwin, Senior Partner at global law firm Sidley Austin , joins us to explore: Why pharma’s writing massive M&A checks again How China is emerging as a leading hub for drug innovation Europe’s strengths—and where it still needs to catch up What’s stalled...

How do you build a high-value life science tools company that investors  want  to back—and acquirers  need  to buy? Dr. Mike Stadnisky, former CEO of Phitonex (acquired by Thermo Fisher) and FlowJo (acquired by BD), shares battle-tested strategies for... ✅  Pitch decks that work  – Why TAM/SAM/SOM slides are irrelevant (and what to replace them with) ✅  Investor psychology  – How to structure yo...

We discuss her journey into Cendana, discussing fund manager due diligence, portfolio construction, LP investing strategies, and more.

Tim Draper, Billionaire Venture Capitalist and Entrepreneur

🚜 Did you know that the future of China’s economy might depend on the children in its rural villages? Scott Rozelle, a Stanford economist, has spent over 40 years studying the hidden side of China’s rapid growth. While cities like Beijing and Shanghai get all the attention, it’s the rural areas—where 40% of China’s population still lives—that could largely shape the country’s future. 🌾 In our la...

Astronaut Loral O'Hara shares her incredible experiences living and working in space, conducting groundbreaking experiments on the International Space Station, and her insights into NASA's ambitious goal of reaching Mars. Discover what it's like to be at the forefront of space exploration and the future of human space travel.

Dr. Aubrey de Grey, Chief Science Officer at LEVF.

Ever thought about walking the length of the Amazon? Join me in this episode as we dive into the wild adventures of Ed Stafford , the first person to achieve this epic feat! 🚶‍♂️💨 From surviving treacherous jungles to discovering the mental challenges that come with such a monumental journey, Ed shares his incredible story of perseverance and transformation. 🗣️ What drove him to leave a stable l...

Join us as Steve Preda (former founder of an investment bank), an expert in business growth and leadership team coaching, shares actionable strategies to scale effectively and sustainably.

Wendy Kopp, the visionary behind Teach For America and Teach For All, discusses her journey of founding these organizations at just 21, her commitment to global education equity and equality, and her perspectives on how AI and EdTech will shape the future of learning worldwide

Is the digital nomad lifestyle all it’s cracked up to be? Johnny FD, a trailblazer in the movement, opens up about the highs, lows, and long-term realities of working abroad. With a 249Ksub+ YouTube channel and years of experience, he shares hard-earned lessons on freedom, investing, challenges, and shifting life perspectives

From mastering complex global rights to adopting AI in creative processes, Andrew shares how Downtown Music is building a new era in the music industry, one that’s empowering artists and simplifying distribution like never before.

Curious how to bootstrap a startup and scale to 60+ employees? I spoke with Clayton Jacobs, CEO and Founder of CreatorDB, about his journey from the US to Taipei, building a company from the ground up, and thriving in an accelerator.

Scaling Your Business: Expert Advice from Neil Patel

Looking to acquire a small business? Joel Ankney, a seasoned business lawyer, shares his expert advice on navigating the complexities of buying and protecting small businesses. Learn the legal strategies you need to ensure a smooth acquisition and safeguard your investment. Listen now for crucial tips on business growth and protection.

hat if you could get a personalized video from your favorite celebrity? Steven Galanis, co-founder of Cameo, shares his journey of revolutionizing celebrity interactions through personalized video messages. Discover the challenges he faced, the lessons learned in building a platform that connects fans with stars, and what it takes to innovate in the entertainment industry.