The Capital Stack

In this conversation, venture capitalist David Paul and Greg Head of Scaling Point discuss the changing landscape of funding for startups. They explore the drawbacks of relying on venture capital (VC) funding and the benefits of bootstrapping and practical founder approaches. Greg emphasizes that VC funding is not necessary for success and that there are multiple paths to building valuable softwar...

Dan Soviero , founder of Signature Lacrosse , shares his entrepreneurial journey and how he built a successful sports equipment and events company with venture capitalist David Paul . He discusses the importance of hard work, discipline, and doing what you love. Dan explains how Signature Lacrosse expanded its offerings to solve the biggest problem in youth sports: ordering custom uniforms. He hig...

In this conversation, David Paul interviews Jon Corrin , the co-founder of Xilo , a vertical SaaS company in the insurance industry. They discuss topics such as pipeline management, the evolution of the insurance industry, Xilo's value proposition, and their market segmentation. Jon shares insights on the importance of product development, the role of instinct in decision-making, and the significa...

Krista Morgan , General Partner at Stage Fund , joins venture capitalist David Paul to discuss their unique approach to investing in early-stage technology companies that are unable to raise more funding. Stage Fund focuses on control acquisitions and provides a second chance for struggling companies by offering new capital and a new path forward. They often acquire distressed assets and work clos...

Nathan Firth , founder and CEO of New Rocket , founder of LaunchPad San Diego , and current CCO of ShareLogic shares his journey as an entrepreneur and the success of his tech-enabled service company with venture capitalist David Paul . He emphasizes the importance of finding a niche market and specializing in one thing to become the best at it. Firth discusses the benefits of being a tech-enabled...

In this conversation, David Paul interviews Quentin Wendt from PadSplit , a prop-tech company that allows investors to rent out single-family homes by the room. They discuss the housing crisis, the need for affordable housing, and how PadSplit provides a solution by adding density to single-family homes. Quentin explains how the platform works, with members going through a background check and inc...

In this conversation, David Paul and Matt Ekstrom - an executive with over 10+ years in sales and marketing within the HR tech space discuss various topics related to HR tech, sales enablement, and the challenges faced in these industries. They talk about the evolution of HR tech and its impact on employee onboarding and hiring experience. They also discuss the parallel between sales enablement an...

In this conversation, David Paul interviews Seth Merritt , the founder of Welby Health , about value-based care in the healthcare industry. They discuss the challenges of implementing value-based care initiatives, the need for innovation in the healthcare system, and the difficulties faced by providers and payers. Seth shares his journey as an entrepreneur and the lessons he learned about raising...

In this conversation, David Paul interviews Nick Steinwachs about the challenges and opportunities in the healthcare industry. They discuss the importance of customer empathy, the role of founders in healthcare startups, and the need for innovative solutions. They also touch on the difficulties of commercializing healthcare products and the importance of market validation. Nick shares his insights...

In this episode, David Paul interviews Lisa Diaz , the founder of Turf Advisory , about the construction industry and the need for infrastructure investment. They discuss the challenges of government prioritization, the role of general contractors and subcontractors, and the low margins in the construction industry. They also explore the potential of construction technology to increase margins and...

In this conversation, David Paul interviews Pete Colligan , the CTO of Ariba Business Networks . They discuss various topics related to leadership, innovation, and hiring in the corporate world. Pete shares his experiences and insights on structuring teams, driving innovation in a large company, navigating change management, and conducting effective interviews. He emphasizes the importance of buil...

Vickram Pradhan , an investor at Sopris Capital , joins venture capitalist David Paul to share his background and experience in investing, as well as his role at Sopris . He discusses the importance of building relationships with portfolio companies and providing operational expertise. Vickram also highlights the advantages of Sopris ' capital allocation strategy and the flexibility it offers. He...

Jerry Colonna , executive and life coach of Reboot.io , discusses the importance of personal growth and self-inquiry for startup founders. He shares his own journey of rebooting and how it led him to become a coach. Colonna emphasizes the need for founders to confront their own brokenness and take responsibility for their actions. He also explores the challenges faced by investors and the need for...

In this episode, Al Doan , the founder of the Missouri Star Quilt Company turned investor at Rolling Fun , shares his journey as an entrepreneur and investor. He discusses starting the quilt company as a way to support his mother and how it grew into a successful business. He also talks about his transition out of the company and his ventures into tech startups, investing, and real estate. Al shar...

On this episode with host David Paul , John Lott , CEO of Predicate Wealth Managers , shares his insights and experiences in the world of finance and entrepreneurship. He emphasizes the importance of operating skills and the potential of digital currencies. John also discusses the challenges in the private equity market and the significance of alignment between investors and founders. He shares hi...

Maya Watson , co-founder of Manual , discusses her background working for companies like Netflix and Oprah Winfrey, as well as her experience during the rise and fall of Clubhouse . She explains the genesis of Manual and its mission to help individuals understand themselves better and create a more flexible and fulfilling work experience. Maya highlights the challenges with traditional learning an...

Brian Miller , Partner at Bloom Venture Partners , discusses the secondary market for private company shares and the challenges and opportunities it presents. He explains the difference between primary and secondary markets and how secondary transactions work. Brian also discusses the controversy surrounding Carta and the importance of secondaries for both employees and investors. He highlights th...

In this episode, host David Paul interviews Rahul Sidhu , the founder and CEO of Aerodome , a drone company for the public safety sector. They discuss the concept of Aerodome and its ability to send drones to 911 calls in an average of 98 seconds. They also delve into the regulatory challenges and waivers required for operating drones in the public safety space. Rahul shares his experience raising...

In this episode, David Paul interviews Matthew Pittinsky , the founder of Blackboard and CEO of Parchment , about his journey in the educational technology industry. They discuss the genesis of Blackboard and its role in revolutionizing the learning management system (LMS) industry. They also explore the shift from on-premises software to cloud-based solutions and the challenges faced in building...

In this episode, David Paul interviews Scott Garber , Managing Director of Early Light Ventures . Scott shares his background as a former CIA operative and how he transitioned into venture capital. He discusses his investment strategy, including the importance of reading founders and identifying grit. Scott also talks about the portfolio construction and his focus on smaller exits with lower failu...

Luke Harmon , founder and CEO of the Serendipity marketing agency, shares his startup journey and the challenges of bootstrapping a company. He discusses the importance of balancing sales and product development, as well as the need for founders to be involved in the sales process. Luke also highlights the significance of building strong relationships with clients and the value of nurturing prospe...

In this episode, David Paul interviews Angela Lai , the founder and CEO of Betteromics . They discuss Angela's background in the tech industry and her transition to the life sciences business. They explore the intersection of biology, chemistry, big data, and AI in the field of healthcare science. Angela explains how Betteromics serves as a regulated data lake for healthcare science data, providin...

In this episode, venture capitalist David Paul interviews Bill Horne , a 10-time CEO, the founder of 88 Keys , and an expert in turning around struggling companies. They discuss various aspects of being a fixer for early-stage companies and the challenges that come with it. The conversation covers topics such as the value destruction when founders leave, common mistakes founders make, the importan...

In this episode, David Paul interviews Matt Munson , a CEO whisperer and performance coach for startup founders at Sanity Labs . Matt shares his experience working with Jerry Colonna , a renowned coach, and the impact it had on his own coaching approach. They discuss the importance of recognizing inner complacency and the deeper challenges faced by entrepreneurs. Matt also explores the concept of...

In this episode, David Paul interviews Gregg Scoresby , the founder and CEO of CampusLogic and PHX Ventures about building a thriving startup ecosystem in Arizona. They discuss the challenges and opportunities of attracting institutional seed stage capital, the importance of community vibrancy in building a top software city, and the role of AI in the future of software companies. Greg shares his...