Tech Scenes with Jeff James Martin

"You have to make the mistakes—they cannot take the mistakes for you." — Yossi Appleboum, CEO of SepioIn this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Yossi Appleboum, CEO and Co-founder of Sepio, to explore the mindset and leadership it takes to build a deep-tech company from the ground up. Drawing on his experience in Israel’s Unit 8200 and multiple successful...

"The best teams are closing learning loops quickly." - Manish Patel In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Manish Patel, Founder of Nava Venture Partners, to unpack what truly separates high-performing startups at the Series A stage. Drawing from his time leading product at Google—on transformative platforms like AdWords and Google Maps—Manish brings a rare pers...

"The old way of selling is already dead." - Mark Walker In this episode of Tech Scenes, we sit down with Mark Walker, CEO of Nue.io, to talk about how the future of software, AI, and pricing is reshaping how go-to-market teams operate. Mark shares his lessons from leading SaaS and compliance companies, building execution-driven cultures, and navigating fast-moving tech cycles. From sales innovatio...

"You can tell someone’s values when things go badly." - Donald Davidoff In this episode, Donald Davidoff shares the journey of building REBA™, a modern analytics company changing how the rental housing industry uses data. From founding the industry-defining LRO system to launching REBA™, Donald brings a deep history of innovation, leadership, and strategic thinking. We talk about the role of core...

"Get in front of a customer and talk to them." - Brian McMahonTech Scenes with Brian McMahon, CEO and Co-founder of Pickle. In this episode, we dive into the evolution of Pickle—from a social polling app to a fast-growing peer-to-peer rental marketplace. Brian shares what he and his co-founder learned the hard way, how they kept the product lean, and what it takes to build a marketplace with stron...

"You're better off picking a big problem—and solving it better than anyone else." - Ken BagnallIn this episode of Tech Scenes Santa Monica, Jeff James Martin sits down with Ken Bagnall, CEO and Co-founder of Silent Push, to explore the changing landscape of cybersecurity and the power of preemptive threat intelligence. Ken shares his journey from founding The Email Laundry to leading product at Fi...

"Treat every human different—and build your frameworks from there." - Amos Schwartzfarb In this episode of  Tech Scenes ,  Jeff James Martin  sits down with  Amos Schwartzfarb , former managing Director of  Techstars Austin  and author of  Sell More Faster  and  Levers , to explore what it really takes to scale a startup from founder-led sales to full-blown success. Amos shares stories f...

"They have no real way to know what’s selling—we’re here to fix that." - Jason Vego, CEO and Co-founder of Bevz In this episode of Tech Scenes Studio City, Jeff James Martin sits down with Jason Vego, CEO and Co-founder of Bevz, to explore how one startup is transforming the $650B convenience store industry. Jason shares the Bevz origin story—how a fragmented, analog market inspired him...

"We’re building the digital Ellis Island—for the modern immigrant journey." - Amir HemmatIn this episode of Tech Scenes Santa Monica, Jeff James Martin sits down with Amir Hemmat, CEO and Co-Founder of Welcome Tech, to explore how technology, data, and deep cultural insight are transforming the immigrant experience in the United States. Welcome Tech, through its SABEResPODER® platform, s...

"Fundraising is a full-time job—especially when you're building something this complex."  - Karan Talati, Co-founder and CEO of First Resonance In this episode of Tech Scenes Los Angeles, Jeff James Martin sits down with Karan Talati, Co-founder and CEO of First Resonance, to explore what it takes to lead a hardware startup at the edge of advanced manufacturing and AI. From his early...

"Logistics is the secret to Amazon’s success—but it doesn’t have to be their monopoly." - Tyler ScrivenIn In this episode of Tech Scenes, Jeff James Martin sits down with Tyler Scriven, Co-founder and CEO of Saltbox, to explore how AI, logistics, and co-warehousing are shaping the future of e-commerce. Tyler shares the founding story of Saltbox, a revolutionary platform designed to empow...

"Trust your instinct—we're a startup." - Alex Lee In this episode of Tech Scenes, Jeff James Martin sits down with Alex Lee, CEO and Co-founder of Truewind, to talk about the evolution of AI in accounting, the lessons learned through Y Combinator, and how trusting your gut can be a superpower in startup leadership. A former aerospace engineer turned entrepreneur, Alex shares how True...

"We want to build refineries, not gas stations." - Bill Kleyman In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Bill Kleyman, CEO and Co-founder of Apolo.us, to discuss how Apolo is redefining the infrastructure behind AI and machine learning. With a background spanning IT consulting, digital transformation, and executive leadership in the data center space, Bi...

"It's all about relationships." - Evan Walden In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Evan Walden, CEO and Co-founder of Getro, to explore the power of warm introductions, networking, and the evolving role of platform teams in venture capital. Getro, a SaaS platform for VC firms, accelerators, and professional communities, helps organizations unlock hidden value...

"There's this massive addressable market." - Ted Mann In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Ted Mann, CEO and co-founder of CollX, to explore the booming market of trading card collecting and how mobile apps are reshaping the space. Ted shares his journey of building tech companies that leverage computer vision and AI to simplify everyday problems...

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Greg Stein, Founder and CEO of Shadowb ox , to explore how interoperability is shaping the future of healthcare technology and why manual processes in healthcare cost the industry a staggering $300 billion annually. Greg shares his entrepreneurial journey, from leading major healthcare initiatives to building a company desi...

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Brett Waikart, Co-founder & CEO of Skillfully, to discuss the future of hiring, the impact of AI on recruitment, and how traditional resumes are failing both companies and job seekers. Brett shares how Skillfully is transforming the hiring process by shifting focus from outdated resumes to dynamic, real-world simulation...

In this episode of Tech Scenes, Jeff James Martin sits down with Jennifer Henderson, Founder & CEO of Tilt, to discuss the challenges and innovations in leave management, the startup journey, and the role of female founders in venture capital. Jennifer shares her personal experiences that led to the creation of Tilt, an HR tech platform designed to automate and streamline leave of absence mana...

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Alex Jekowsky, CEO and Co-founder of Cents, to discuss the realities of startup life, building technology for unsexy industries, and transforming the laundry industry with product-led innovation. Alex shares his journey as a second-time founder, explaining how he turned his passion for simplifying everyday problems into sca...

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Ethan Austin, Founding Partner of Outside VC, to discuss venture capital, outsider founders, and the power of community and empathy in investing. Outside VC is a pre-seed venture firm dedicated to supporting founders outside traditional funding networks, with the goal of lifting 100M people to the middle class over the next...

In this episode, Jeff James Martin sits down with Jeremy Vaughan, the founder behind Start Left® Security, to explore the intersection of cybersecurity, startup culture, and leadership. Jeremy shares his approach to transforming security from a compliance burden into a competitive advantage by integrating Secure by Design thinking into software development. They discuss the cultural shifts needed...

Join Jeff James Martin as he sits down with Jason Heltzer, Managing Partner at Origin Ventures, for a deep dive into the world of venture capital, technology investments, and the importance of adaptability in rapidly changing business landscapes. Jason shares his journey from a technical background as a software engineer to becoming a venture capitalist and professor, offering unique insights into...

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with André Ferraz, Co-Founder and CEO of Incognia, to discuss the journey of building one of the world's most precise location technologies for fraud prevention. Incognia empowers industries like food delivery, ride-hailing, marketplaces, and financial services with its innovative solutions to protect reputation, retention, and...

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Jason Hable, Co-Founder and Partner at Camber Partners, to discuss the evolving SaaS landscape, the power of Product-Led Growth (PLG), and the operational strategies that drive Camber’s success. Camber Partners is a growth-equity fund focused on investing in product-led SaaS businesses, leveraging capital and operational ex...

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff Martin sits down with Rebekah Johnson, Founder and CEO of Numeracle, a company dedicated to restoring trust and transparency in voice communications. Rebekah shares her inspiring journey as a female founder navigating challenges, truth, and the complexities of creating a pioneering technology. Numeracle’s mission focuses on solving issues related to r...