Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders

Mark Gainey, Strava

How Strava Found its Niche

Winning a small niche can lead to massive opportunities.

Podcast 50 minutes

Mark Gainey, Strava

How Strava Found its Niche [Entire Talk]

Winning a small niche can lead to massive opportunities.

Video 49 minutes

Mark Gainey, Strava

How Strava Found its Niche [Entire Talk]

Winning a small niche can lead to massive opportunities.

Video Clips

Mar Hershenson, Pear VC

Strategies for Student Entrepreneurs

Beat imposter syndrome and build confidence by learning from failure, facing the hard questions, and always “playing up.”

Podcast 47 minutes

Mar Hershenson, Pear VC

Strategies for Student Entrepreneurs [Entire Talk]

Beat imposter syndrome and build confidence by learning from failure, facing the hard questions, and always “playing up.”

Video 47 minutes

Mar Hershenson, Pear VC

Strategies for Student Entrepreneurs [Entire Talk]

Beat imposter syndrome and build confidence by learning from failure, facing the hard questions, and always “playing up.”

Video Clips

Omar Tawakol, Voicea

The Future of Voice

To build a successful B2B venture driven by voice recognition technology, Omar Tawakol leaned on his network, recruited a stellar tech team, set clear expectations with customers, and found new ways to generate competitive advantages.

Podcast 49 minutes

Omar Tawakol, Voicea

The Future of Voice [Entire Talk]

To build a successful B2B venture driven by voice recognition technology, Omar Tawakol leaned on his network, recruited a stellar tech team, set clear expectations with customers, and found new ways to generate competitive advantages.

Video 48 minutes

Omar Tawakol, Voicea

The Future of Voice [Entire Talk]

To build a successful B2B venture driven by voice recognition technology, Omar Tawakol leaned on his network, recruited a stellar tech team, set clear expectations with customers, and found new ways to generate competitive advantages.

Video Clips

Kate Rosenbluth, Cala Health

A Needs-Based Innovation Framework

Successful breakthrough innovation requires deeply understanding and processing the needs of customers.

Podcast 50 minutes

Kate Rosenbluth, Cala Health

A Needs-Based Innovation Framework [Entire Talk]

Successful breakthrough innovation requires deeply understanding and processing the needs of customers.

Video 49 minutes

Kate Rosenbluth, Cala Health

A Needs-Based Innovation Framework [Entire Talk]

Successful breakthrough innovation requires deeply understanding and processing the needs of customers.

Video Clips

Kulveer Taggar, Zeus Living

Scaling with Purpose

Thinking long-term — on a scale of decades rather than years — can drive a principles-driven culture and sustainable growth.

Podcast 52 minutes

Kulveer Taggar, Zeus Living

Scaling with Purpose [Entire Talk]

Thinking long-term — on a scale of decades rather than years — can drive a principles-driven culture and sustainable growth.

Video 51 minutes

Kulveer Taggar, Zeus Living

Scaling with Purpose [Entire Talk]

Thinking long-term — on a scale of decades rather than years — can drive a principles-driven culture and sustainable growth.

Video Clips

Melinda Thomas, Octave Bioscience

The Courage to Begin

For many entrepreneurs, confidence doesn’t emerge out of thin air, but instead comes from building a concrete skillset over the course of the career.

Podcast 43 minutes

Melinda Thomas, Octave Bioscience

The Courage to Begin [Entire Talk]

For many entrepreneurs, confidence doesn’t emerge out of thin air, but instead comes from building a concrete skillset over the course of the career.

Video 42 minutes

Melinda Thomas, Octave Bioscience

The Courage to Begin [Entire Talk]

For many entrepreneurs, confidence doesn’t emerge out of thin air, but instead comes from building a concrete skillset over the course of the career.

Video Clips

Sam Yam, Patreon

Surviving the Startup Grind

Scaling a startup isn’t a linear path. Sometimes you can launch with the wrong assumptions, fail to attract initial users, miss some big opportunities, and still succeed if you stay committed.

Podcast 46 minutes

Sam Yam, Patreon

Surviving the Startup Grind [Entire Talk]

Scaling a startup isn’t a linear path. Sometimes you can launch with the wrong assumptions, fail to attract initial users, miss some big opportunities, and still succeed if you stay committed.

Video 46 minutes

Sam Yam, Patreon

Surviving the Startup Grind [Entire Talk]

Scaling a startup isn’t a linear path. Sometimes you can launch with the wrong assumptions, fail to attract initial users, miss some big opportunities, and still succeed if you stay committed.

Video Clips

Laura Gomez, Atipica

The Need for Inclusive AI

Data can be a powerful tool in the push for diversity and inclusion.

Podcast 43 minutes

Laura Gomez, Atipica

The Need for Inclusive AI [Entire Talk]

Data can be a powerful tool in the push for diversity and inclusion.

Video 42 minutes

Laura Gomez, Atipica

The Need for Inclusive AI [Entire Talk]

Data can be a powerful tool in the push for diversity and inclusion.

Video Clips

Arlan Hamilton, Backstage Capital

Underestimated

Founders from underrepresented communities are reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape.

Podcast 48 minutes

Arlan Hamilton, Backstage Capital

Underestimated [Entire Talk]

Founders from underrepresented communities are reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape.

Video 47 minutes

Arlan Hamilton, Backstage Capital

Underestimated [Entire Talk]

Founders from underrepresented communities are reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape.

Video Clips

Aileen Lee, Cowboy Ventures

Unicorn Lessons

There’s no one path to a job in venture capital, and there’s a growing movement to make the VC world more representative of the real world.

Podcast 43 minutes

Aileen Lee, Cowboy Ventures

Unicorn Lessons [Entire Talk]

There’s no one path to a job in venture capital, and there’s a growing movement to make the VC world more representative of the real world.

Video 43 minutes

Aileen Lee, Cowboy Ventures

Unicorn Lessons [Entire Talk]

There’s no one path to a job in venture capital, and there’s a growing movement to make the VC world more representative of the real world.

Video Clips

Srin Madipalli, Airbnb

The Future is Accessible

An estimated one billion people live with some sort of disability. Accessibility solutions represent a massive opportunity to make a huge difference and reach an underserved market.

Podcast 47 minutes

Srin Madipalli, Airbnb

The Future is Accessible [Entire Talk]

An estimated one billion people live with some sort of disability. Accessibility solutions represent a massive opportunity to make a huge difference and reach an underserved market.

Video 46 minutes

Srin Madipalli, Airbnb

The Future is Accessible [Entire Talk]

An estimated one billion people live with some sort of disability. Accessibility solutions represent a massive opportunity to make a huge difference and reach an underserved market.

Video Clips

ETL Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Podcast

Edith Harbaugh, LaunchDarkly

Software is Hard Work

Stay focused on your customers — even if there are only a few of them — and celebrate the small wins.

Podcast 45 minutes

Edith Harbaugh, LaunchDarkly

Software is Hard Work [Entire Talk]

Stay focused on your customers — even if there are only a few of them — and celebrate the small wins.

Video 44 minutes

Edith Harbaugh, LaunchDarkly

Software is Hard Work [Entire Talk]

Stay focused on your customers — even if there are only a few of them — and celebrate the small wins.

About this Series

The Latest

Finding the Right Motivation [Entire Talk]

All media

How Strava Found its Niche

How Strava Found its Niche [Entire Talk]

How Strava Found its Niche [Entire Talk]

Video Clips

Inch Wide, Mile Deep

Strava Finds its Niche

Vision vs. Go-To-Market

Be a Niche #1

The Art of Leveraging Customer Feedback

Strategies for Student Entrepreneurs

Strategies for Student Entrepreneurs [Entire Talk]

Strategies for Student Entrepreneurs [Entire Talk]

Video Clips

Beating Imposter Syndrome

Failure is Hard, and Okay

Hardest Question First

Confidence Without Arrogance

The Future of Voice

The Future of Voice [Entire Talk]

The Future of Voice [Entire Talk]

Video Clips

A Strategy for B2B Disruption

A Voice-First Moment

Setting User Expectations for AI

Coping with Copycats

Surfing or Sculpting?

Empowerment and Accountability

A Needs-Based Innovation Framework

A Needs-Based Innovation Framework [Entire Talk]

A Needs-Based Innovation Framework [Entire Talk]

Video Clips

Start with the “Why?”

Follow Your “No”s

Embrace Ethics

Recognize the Diversity of Leadership Styles

Scaling with Purpose

Scaling with Purpose [Entire Talk]

Scaling with Purpose [Entire Talk]

Video Clips

Think Long Term

Scalability vs. Infrastructure

Value Tradeoffs

Culture Eats Strategy For Lunch

The Courage to Begin

The Courage to Begin [Entire Talk]

The Courage to Begin [Entire Talk]

Video Clips

Persevere Through the Fog

The Power of Patient HR

The Number One Startup Skill

Orchestrate a Meeting

Surviving the Startup Grind

Surviving the Startup Grind [Entire Talk]

Surviving the Startup Grind [Entire Talk]

Video Clips

Nobody Cares About Your Problem

Your Plan is Wrong

You’ll Miss Big Opportunities

One Path at a Time

The Need for Inclusive AI

The Need for Inclusive AI [Entire Talk]

The Need for Inclusive AI [Entire Talk]

Video Clips

The Rise of People Analytics

Algorithms Against Ageism

Tech's Ethical Challenges

Building Founder Confidence

Underestimated

Underestimated [Entire Talk]

Underestimated [Entire Talk]

Video Clips

Three Years of “No”

The Power of Being Underestimated

Investing in Black Women Founders

Turning Down Money on Principle

Growth and Social Impact