Unboxed Show

From India, to Dubai, to Durham NC. A truly world-class citizen, business owner, and architect, Vandana Dake and Nick Jordan sit down to discuss her career journey, her passion for helping empower and inspire women in developing nations, and finding your why. Vandana provides a broad range of experience in design and construction — both locally and internationally. Vandana is currently the Owner o...

In this conversation, Eric Porper, Nick Jordan, and Rachel Walter delve into the complexities of chronic pain, exploring its psychological roots and the mind-body connection. They discuss personal experiences with pain management and healing, emphasizing the importance of emotional well-being in physical health. The dialogue transitions into health and wellness transformations, including lifestyle...

In this conversation, Nick and Eric outline their ambitious plan to establish a $1 billion venture studio in the Raleigh-Durham area with Unboxed Venture Studio. They delve into the motivations driving their goal, such as the need for more successful startups and lucrative exits in the region. Their vision for the venture studio involves channeling experience, expertise, resources, and capital int...

Sumit Vohra is a passionate entrepreneur and founder of Lonerider Brewing & Distillery Owner, known for creating a distinctive brand identity within the craft beer community. In this episode, he shares insights on the enduring enthusiasm required to run a successful business, drawing inspiration from legendary figures in the industry like Jim Cook. This discussion highlights Sumit’s deep perso...

In this episode, Pardees shares insights on the evolving landscape of remote work and ecosystem development. With a focus on fostering strategic partnerships and effective leadership, Pardees discusses the importance of finding the right approach to contribute positively within both local and global markets. The conversation emphasizes taking intentional steps toward collaboration while maintainin...

Jenn Summe is a startup enthusiast who excels at connecting people and scaling ideas and businesses. At Primordial, she invests in early-stage tech startups within the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of NC. Jenn is a well-known figure in the Triangle, with a robust background in entrepreneurship and marketing. She currently collaborates with Joe Colopy of Primordial Ventures. In this episode, we d...

The Durham Art Guild (DAG), a nonprofit visual arts organization established in 1948, has been a cornerstone of the community for 75 years. Dedicated to supporting artists and the arts, DAG's mission is to enrich and unite Durham's communities by creating opportunities and providing leadership for both current and future visual artists and art enthusiasts. In today's show, we have t...

Rich Belsky is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur, investor, and coach who excels in navigating complex strategic landscapes. With a unique blend of entrepreneurial, legal, and mentoring experience, he has a particular affinity for M&A, product ownership, corporate development, and venture portfolio support. Rich has a proven track record as a company builder and is a trusted advisor to founde...

Tobi is a venture capitalist for Cofounders Capital, a Triangle-based VC that invests in B2B SaaS companies in early stages. Prior to Cofounders, Tobi was a cofounder of Shoeboxed, a SaaS fintech startup that empowered business owners to manage receipts, invoices and automated bookkeeping.  He later moved to the Triangle to co-found Shoeboxed, a SaaS fintech startup that enabled business owners to...

Will Barfield, is a seasoned builder of sales teams and is currently the founder and principal of Barfield Revenue Consulting which helps companies of all sizes identify talent, build teams, and scale the revenue side of their companies. In this episode we discuss our local ecosystem and what we are best at as it relates to scaling sales organizations, key tips for founders adding sales to their s...

In this episode, Nick and Eric talk all venture studios, venture development, venture building, venture capital, and more.  Settle in and get ready for an in depth discussion on all things venture! 

In this episode of The Unboxed Show, Nick and Eric sit down with the Director of Primordial, Jenn Summe. Jenn describes herself as a startup junkie that loves to connect people and bring ideas and businesses to scale. Primordial is an early stage venture fund that invests in startups in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of NC.

In this episode of The Unboxed Show, Nick and Eric sit down with Will McGuire, founder and CEO of Incolo. Since 2019, Incolo has helped 30+ founders grow their startups with those who believe in their vision. $10M+ has been raised by the founders who pursued investment with 55%+ coming from the crowd propelling their growth. Collectively, the founders’ businesses are valued at $150M+ and have crea...

In this episode of The Unboxed Show, Nick Jordan and Eric Porper sit down with Tom Simon, an entrepreneur with nearly a decade of experience in the tech industry.  In a preview of the upcoming special edition of The Unboxed Show, "Things Guys Measure", they unpack why venture capital deployed to our area saw a 70% decline from 2022 to 2023 and what 2024 and future years might look like.

In this episode of The Unboxed Show, Nick Jordan and Eric Porper sit down with Carlos O'Briant, the visionary artist, entrepreneur, and CEO of Family Bizness, hailing from Durham, North Carolina. In this enlightening conversation, Carlos shares his transformative journey from navigating the challenges of the entertainment industry to founding Ambianz Studios, a creative sanctuary designed to...