Daivik Goel is Co-founder & CEO of Shor, a global payroll platform for startups. Traditional EOR providers charge around $7,000 per year to manage an employee earning $20,000 per year. Shor uses automation to reduce costs and embeds payroll actions into Slack and WhatsApp through AI agents, so founders can request tax documents or payment updates without opening another dashboard.
Daivik and co-founder Avi Konduru submitted their YC application at 7:59 PM, one minute before the deadline. After multiple prior rejections, they got an interview, then a follow-up call, then acceptance. They started YC with a crypto payment idea, pivoted five weeks before demo day to global payroll—a problem they'd worked on two years earlier—and shipped contractor payroll within a week. They've since raised funding and are scaling.
Key Topics Covered:
• What Shor is: global payroll/EOR rebuilt for startups; automation handles ops, AI teammates deliver docs/actions in Slack/WhatsApp.
• From clever to sellable: pivoted inside YC from crypto/fiat rails to payroll where they had access and clear pain.
• Cost math that breaks: why legacy EORs charging ~$7k/yr on a $20k salary fail SMB/unit economics—and how Shor attacks the middle.
• Ship speed as strategy: prior fintech muscle let them launch contractor payroll in one week (KYC/KYB, payouts, tax flows).
• Design → dashboards: move work to the user (chat interfaces), keep humans making decisions, let AI do the background jobs.
• Distribution as a moat: serve the massive long tail priced out by incumbents; win on affordability + responsiveness.
• YC pragmatism: plain-English interviews beat pitch theater; momentum over mockups.
• Execution after Demo Day: demand first, fundraising next, delivery always—scaling compliance/country coverage without losing speed.
• Founder operating cadence: daily inches over hype cycles; embrace “pivot hell,” but pick battles you can actually win with customers.
• Finance stack mindset: reliability and support matter most when back-office tools fail—opt for vendors who show up.
Chapters
(00:00) Cold open — the 7:59 PM YC submission
(00:37) Intro — Davik & what Shor is (affordable global payroll)
(02:51) Waterloo → founder mindset and process discipline
(06:05) YC journey and batch dynamics
(08:26) First leap without an idea + early GTM lessons
(11:56) Marketplaces are hard — takeaways that shaped Shor
(14:56) The last-day YC rush & the crypto/fiat idea
(24:49) Pivot hell inside YC → choosing global payroll
(27:28) Shipping contractor payroll in one week + why now (AI/stablecoins)
(29:33) Fundraising wrapped; AI teammates over dashboards; what’s next
Where to find Daivik Goel:
Multilink: https://bento.me/daivik
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daivikg
X: https://x.com/DaivikGoel
Instagram: https://instagram.com/daivikgoel
YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCzkRfrCXIrW1v60Wyasgq7Q
Substack: https://daivikgoel.substack.com
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@daivikgoel
Where to find Shor:
Website: https://tryshor.com
X: https://x.com/shor_pay
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shorpay
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shor.pay/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF1m1H0arYY
Brought to you by:
Fondo — All-in-one accounting for startups: https://fondo.com
Cody Schneider is the Founder & CEO of Graphed, an AI agent for marketing analytics. Graphed plugs into common data sources, manages the data warehouse, and lets marketers chat with their data to generate on-demand visuals—“stacked bar of new vs. total users week over week,” “add a line of best fit,” and similar prompts. It’s built to handle scale (Cody mentions onboarding ~25M rows of Facebook data) and to avoid rate limits and sluggish queries by owning the warehousing layer.
In this episode, Cody outlines a practical path from data sprawl to decisions: skip steep BI learning curves and ticket queues; connect sources and ask in plain English for charts and basic analyses. He also talks about how creative volume now functions as targeting—ship lots of concepts, let algorithms find buyers—and positions Graphed as the way to see what’s working without waiting on a data team. For founders and marketers, it’s a clear primer on turning raw rows into faster feedback loops.
Key Topics Covered:
• What Graphed is: an AI agent for marketing analytics that connects sources, manages the warehouse, and lets you chat to generate charts and basic analyses.
• From tickets to answers: why BI queues and tool learning curves slow teams—and how a chat interface shortens time-to-insight.
• Scale as a requirement: handling large datasets (e.g., ~25M rows of ads data) and avoiding rate limits via a managed warehousing layer.
• Roadmap preview: proactive weekly Slack briefs that summarize what changed and why (future functionality).
• Creative = targeting: in 2025 paid acquisition, high-volume creative acts as the audience filter while algorithms find buyers.
• Stacking S-curves: double down on the working channel, then layer the next before growth plateaus.
• Arbitrage windows: underpriced media (e.g., creator CPMs ≈ $2; low-cost local streaming TV CPMs) and why illiquid channels create edge.
• Unit economics discipline: CAC/ARPU/LTV/payback thinking—losing on month one can be rational if LTV justifies it.
• Validation before build: use ads and landing pages to test demand—even before a product exists.
• Founder ops stack: practical setup (e.g., Stripe Atlas, Mercury, Carta, Fondo) to keep focus on product and sales.
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction to Graphed.com
(02:12) Cody's Journey at Rupa Health
(05:36) Growth Strategies and Metrics
(11:19) Paid Advertising Insights
(15:10) Exploring Programmatic TV Advertising
(18:57) The Vision Behind Graphed.com
(21:57) Building a Financial Stack for Startups
Where to find Cody Schneider:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/codyxschneider
X: https://x.com/codyschneiderxx
Where to find Graphed:
X: https://x.com/graphed
Website: https://www.graphed.com
Where to find David Phillips:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davjphillips
Brought to you by:
Fondo — All-in-one accounting for startups: https://fondo.com
Craig Lewis is the Founder & CEO Ogentic AI, builder of Zing—an AI-native enterprise browser that turns intent → action in a secure, workflow-native workspace. Before Ogentic, he founded Gig Wage (750k contractors paid, ~$1B moved, $25M+ raised) and learned payroll inside ADP. That operator muscle fuels Ogentic’s pace: incorporated in June, alpha in July, beta in August. He also serves on the governing board at MassChallenge and angels actively.
In this episode, Craig shares velocity advice like: ship before perfect (feedback > stealth), build pro-human AI (human-in-the-loop), and treat fundraising like sales (expect 19 no’s, optimize investor–founder fit, when it’s right—TTFM). He outlines the back-office stack that keeps your startup in good shape and his board philosophy: offer perspective, not prescriptions. If you’re building enterprise AI—or just want to move in weeks, not quarters—this one’s for you.
Key Topics Covered:
Chapters
(00:00) The Rise of Ogentic AI
(13:37) Building a Strong Back Office
(17:02) Navigating Fundraising Challenges
(19:14) The Role of MassChallenge
(23:12) AI and the Future of Work
(27:40) Fundraising in the AI Era
Where to find Craig J. Lewis:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrfutureofwork
X: https://x.com/CraigJamalLewis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craigjlewis
Where to find Ogentic AI:
Website: https://ogenticai.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ogenticai
X: https://x.com/ogenticai
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ogenticai
Where to find David Phillips:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davjphillips
Brought to you by:
Fondo — All-in-one accounting for startups: https://fondo.com
Grace Gong is the Founder & CEO of Smart Venture Media, podcast host, angel investor, and author. She’s interviewed 500+ founders, investors, and operators on her podcasts, then parlayed that network into a high-signal community: curated founder–VC dinners, conferences (including the Smart AI Summit), and rooms where intros turn into customers and checks. The flywheel started during the pandemic with 5 pm Friday Zooms—and evolved into tightly curated IRL events supported by sponsors and operators.
In this episode, Grace outlines a practical approach to community-building: curate for outcomes, not optics (every seat should benefit from every other seat). Her angel filter doubles as her invite list. Online → IRL is the sequence: earn trust digitally, concentrate it offline. For founders aiming to stand out without burning cash, this is a clear primer on turning audience into deal flow.
Key Topics Covered:
Chapters
(00:00) Building Community: The Organic Approach
(02:50) Journey into Venture Capital: From Real Estate to VC
(05:44) Insights from Interviews: Lessons Learned in VC
(08:53) Angel Investing: Key Considerations
(11:51) Creating Value: The Importance of Community
(15:02) Event Planning: From Small Gatherings to Large Conferences
(17:59) The Smart AI Summit: Curating Experiences
(20:54) Future of Media: Building with AI
(23:48) Final Thoughts and Online Presence
Where to find Grace Gong & Smart Venture Media:
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/gracegong115
Where to find David Phillips:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davjphillips
Brought to you by:
Fondo — All-in-one accounting for startups: https://fondo.com
Collin Wallace is a partner at Lobby Capital with 20+ years as an engineer, inventor, operator, and investor. Before Lobby, he was Managing Director of Techstars Silicon Valley, launching the first two Bay Area accelerator programs with JPMorgan and eBay. He founded FanGo (Techstars S10)—acquired by Grubhub in 2011, where he became Head of Innovation (OrderHub + pre-IPO patents)—and later co-founded ZeroStorefront (YC W19), acquired by Thanx in 2022. Collin advises the Roelof Botha & Huifen Chan Innovation Program, co-teaches Startup Garage at Stanford GSB, has run two YC Demo Day Funds, and has invested in 80+ startups (e.g., Payjoy, Landed, Mosaic Voice, Postscript, Vellum).
In this episode, Collin gives founders some great advice: you’re running two businesses (product for customers, equity for investors). Fund math in concentrated portfolios means ~2 of ~20 bets must carry returns; with dilution to ~10% at exit, winners need multi-billion-dollar potential. Sequence your proof: Pre-seed = prove value; Seed = prove people pay (repeatably); Series A = scale what’s already repeatable. Don’t scale misses (the Steph Curry test). And match capital to your vehicle - venture is rocket fuel: perfect for rockets, destructive for "pickup trucks".
Key Topics Covered:
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction to Colin Wallace and His Journey
(02:14) The Shift in Growth Expectations for Startups
(05:03) Understanding Investor-Fit and Fundraising Dynamics
(11:12) The Importance of Founder Attributes
(17:15) Navigating the VC Landscape and Expectations
(21:03) Post-Funding Realities for Founders
(22:40) Understanding Seed Capital and Series A Expectations
(25:19) The Evolution of Funding: Series B and C
(29:05) Coaching the Next Generation of Founders
(32:09) Building the Back Office: The Unsung Hero
(35:42) Community Building and Inclusive Events
Where to find Collin Wallace:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-wallace/
Website: https://lobby.vc/people/collin-wallace/
Where to find Lobby Capital:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lobby-capital/
X: https://x.com/lobby_vc
Website: https://lobby.vc/
Where to find David Phillips:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davjphillips
Brought to you by:
Fondo — All-in-one accounting for startups: https://fondo.com
Alessandro Chesser is the founder and CEO of Dynasty, a startup focused on making Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) trust stacking accessible to founders. Before launching Dynasty, he led sales at Carta from the early days to roughly $300M in ARR, gaining hands-on insight into equity workflows, 409A dynamics, and how distribution is built around real, recurring needs. Dynasty offers a subscription service—$1,500 per year for up to four family trusts—that includes trust creation, annual administration, and tax return filing, turning a traditionally bespoke, high-cost process into something founders can set up early in their journey.
In this episode, we unpack the mechanics and timing that make—or break—QSBS outcomes. We cover the core tests (acquiring shares before $50M in assets, five-year hold, qualified C-corp status), state-level differences (New York recognizes QSBS; California does not), and why early planning can start both the QSBS and long-term capital gains clocks while avoiding later surprises.
Chesser talks about trust stacking—gifting shares into multiple family trusts so each may pursue its own QSBS exclusion—and notes practical guardrails and expert advice for dong it right. Beyond the tax planning, Chesser shares go-to-market lessons from Carta and Dynasty: using the network effect (e.g., certificates signed), creating urgency with must-do workflows (like 409A), iterating growth levers monthly, hiring decisively, and using social + creator partnerships instead of traditional cold outbound. The result is clear: tactical advice for founders on when to exercise, when to gift, how to document, and how to avoid the common QSBS pitfalls discussed in the conversation.
Key topics covered
- QSBS allows startup shareholders to sell up to $15 million tax-free.
- Most startups qualify for QSBS, but there are specific criteria.
- Holding shares for at least five years is crucial for QSBS eligibility.
- The new rules under the big beautiful bill change QSBS eligibility timelines.
- Dynasty helps founders maximize QSBS benefits through trust stacking.
- Early exercise of stock options can prevent alternative minimum tax issues.
- Filing an 83B election is essential for QSBS qualification.
- Social media is a powerful tool for startup growth and marketing.
- Building partnerships with influencers can enhance visibility and credibility.
- The cost of setting up trusts for QSBS is significantly lower with Dynasty.
In This Episode, We Cover
(00:00) Introduction to QSBS and Its Importance
(06:35) Understanding QSBS Eligibility and Benefits
(13:08) The Role of Dynasty in Maximizing QSBS Benefits
(16:29) Alessandro's Journey and the Birth of Dynasty
(18:36) Growth Strategies and Lessons from Carta
(27:14) Leveraging Social Media for Growth
Where to Find Alessandro Chesser:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandro-chesser-84763748
Where to Find Dynasty:
Website: https://www.getdynasty.com
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/getdynasty
X: https://x.com/getdynasty_com
Where to Find David Phillips:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davjphillips
Brought to you by:
Fondo — All-in-one accounting for startups: https://fondo.com
Jeff ‘Jiho’ Zirlin is a co-founder of Sky Mavis, the team behind Axie Infinity and the Ronin blockchain. At the forefront of Web3's most groundbreaking experiments, Jeff helped transform Axie from a small crypto-native community into a cultural phenomenon that onboarded millions to blockchain technology. With over $4 billion in NFT trading volume - earning a Guinness World Record - Axie didn't just talk about bringing people to crypto; it actually did it. Beyond Axie, Jeff pioneered the Ronin blockchain, which now hosts 70+ games and has proven that purpose-built infrastructure can unlock exponential growth for crypto applications.
In this episode, we trace the evolution of Web3 gaming from its origins in the CryptoKitties community to today's institutional adoption cycle. The conversation explores how manual onboarding and white-glove user acquisition laid the foundation for viral growth. Jeff shares the pivotal moments that shaped Axie's trajectory: tokenizing experience points, creating the "play-to-earn" model that democratized crypto mining, and the strategic decision to build their own blockchain when existing infrastructure couldn't scale. We also examine the current state of crypto gaming, the shift from retail mania to Wall Street adoption, and why the next wave of innovation might create entirely new cultural mediums rather than just new ways to make money.
Key topics covered:
Where to find...
Jeff 'Jiho' Zirlin:
Skymavis:
Axie
Ronin
David Phillips:
In This Episode, We Cover
(00:00) From 300 to thousands of Users: The Binance Effect
(17:41) Community-Driven Growth: The Role of Guilds
(18:38) Experimentation as a Growth Strategy
(19:52) Challenges and Advantages in Crypto Growth
(20:03) Learning Through Gaming: Onboarding to Crypto
(21:27) The Uniswap Airdrop: A Catalyst for Growth
(22:18) Onboarding and Scaling in Crypto Gaming
(23:17) The Ronin Network: A Solution for Scalability
(24:40) The Evolution of Ronin and Its Community
(25:10) Expanding the Ronin Ecosystem: New Games and Innovations
(27:02) Economic Experiments in Crypto Gaming
(28:56) The Cultural Renaissance of Crypto
(30:14) Future Innovations in Web3 Gaming
(31:36) Optimism for the Future of Crypto
Brought to you by:
Fondo — All-in-one accounting for startups: https://tryfondo.com
Parthi Loganathan is the founder and CEO of Letterdrop, a Y Combinator-backed startup that helps B2B companies build pipeline by focusing on the warmest leads and people who are actually in market. Since launching Letterdrop, he's helped companies move beyond saturated email and cold calling tactics to identify prospects who want to talk and send them highly tailored messaging. The platform analyzes public conversations, CRM data, and sales calls to segment buyers and enable personalized outreach without relying on high-volume approaches.
In this episode, we explore the fundamental shift happening in B2B sales as traditional cold outbound becomes less effective and companies invest in higher-effort tactics to stand out. The conversation covers the evolution from Letterdrop's origins as an SEO tool to its current focus on conversation intelligence, driven by market changes from ChatGPT's emergence. Parthi shares insights about the three essential components of effective outbound messaging, why customer conversations represent untapped content goldmines, and his firsthand experience being demoed by an AI sales agent. We also examine his predictions about AGI's timeline and the philosophical question facing all founders: do you build for today's market or tomorrow's technological reality?
Key topics covered:
Where to find Parthi Loganathan:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parthiloganathan/
Where to find Letterdrop:
Website: https://letterdrop.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/letterdrop/
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/43bSCi3FcFaJ28H7qEK59X?si=2f6afe15cea342ea
Where to Find David Phillips:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davjphillips/
In This Episode, We Cover
(00:00) Introduction to LetterDrop and Its Mission
(02:52) The Evolution of Outbound Sales Strategies
(06:11) Crafting Effective Outbound Messages
(09:09) Parthi's Journey as a Founder
(12:02) Leveraging Social Conversations for Sales
(14:59) Creating Content from Customer Conversations
(17:55) Back Office Operations for Startups
(20:49) The Role of AI in Sales
(23:38) The Future of Work: AGI and UBI
(26:46) Closing Thoughts and Future Questions
Brought to you by:
Fondo — All-in-one accounting for startups: https://tryfondo.com
In this episode, I sat down with John Paul Mussalli, the co-founder and COO of CareSwift, a Y Combinator-backed startup building AI-powered software to streamline documentation for EMT workers.
JP and his cofounders brings a unique blend of technical expertise and entrepreneurial drive to the healthcare technology space, having previously worked across diverse fields from real estate automation to web development.
Since co-founding CareSwift, he's helped scale the platform to serve over 2,000 EMTs in New York City alone, generating more than 90,000 automated reports. Beyond product development, JP leads go-to-market strategy and is currently pursuing EMT certification himself to deepen his understanding of the industry's challenges.
In this episode, we explore the journey from scrappy prototype to venture-backed startup and the critical lessons learned along the way.
Key topics covered:
Where to find John Paul Mussalli
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpmussalli/
- X: https://x.com/jpm1126
Where to find CareSwift:
- Website: https://careswift.ai/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/careswift/
Where to Find David Phillips:
- X: https://x.com/davj
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davjphillips/
In This Episode, We Cover
(00:00) Introduction to CareSwift and Its Founders
(02:54) The Birth of CareSwift: Addressing EMT Challenges
(06:09) Impact of CareSwift on EMT Efficiency
(09:01) Navigating the Startup Journey: Lessons Learned
(09:35) Navigating Startup Structures and Legalities
(12:14) The Journey Through Y Combinator
(15:06) Daily Life as a Founder in Y Combinator
(17:13) Building a Founder Stack: Tools and Resources
(18:57) Future Plans
Brought to you by:
Fondo — All-in-one accounting for startups: https://tryfondo.com
Reuben Torenberg is a Senior Vice President at CBRE, the world's largest commercial real estate services firm. Reuben specializes in helping startups in San Francisco navigate the complex and rapidly changing office leasing landscape. Since joining CBRE in 2014, he's represented some of the biggest names in tech - including Airbnb, Coinbase, Cruise, and Dropbox - and is widely known as the go-to broker for early-stage startups and growth-stage companies alike. Beyond real estate, Reuben is also a community builder, having founded SF Hoops and SF Links, two of the city's most exclusive and founder-heavy social sports leagues.
In this episode, we explore the dramatic transformation of San Francisco's commercial real estate market and the evolving dynamics between landlords, tenants, and the broader tech community. The conversation delves into current market trends in both office and retail spaces, examines how AI companies are reshaping demand patterns, and discusses the critical importance of community building in the tech industry through initiatives like SF Hoops. We also dive deep into pricing strategies, emerging market opportunities, and provide a comprehensive outlook for businesses seeking space in San Francisco.
Topics covered:
Where to Find Reuben Torenberg:
CBRE: https://www.cbre.com
X: https://x.com/RTorenberg021
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reuben-torenberg-b985b646
Where to Find SF Hoops:
https://sfhoopsleague.com
Where to Find David Phillips:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davjphillips/
In This Episode, We Cover
(00:00) Current Trends in San Francisco Commercial Real Estate
(02:53) Navigating the Market: Opportunities and Challenges
(05:54) The Shift in Office Space Demand
(08:43) Retail Space and Its Transformation
(11:55) Landlord Strategies and Market Dynamics
(14:52) The Rise of SF Hoops: Networking Through Sports
(17:59) Future Outlook: What to Expect in the Coming Months
Brought to you by:
Fondo — All-in-one accounting for startups: https://tryfondo.com
Stephen Llevano is the founder and CEO of Capabuild, where he helps insurance contractors navigate complex compliance requirements through innovative software solutions. With deep expertise in the insurance contracting space, Stephen specializes in compliance management, operational efficiency, and helping growing contractors optimize their business operations while managing regulatory challenges.
In this episode, Stephen breaks down his journey from "reluctant entrepreneur" to building successful compliance management software, particularly the game-changing insights about truly understanding customer needs and how contractors can leverage proper compliance tools to streamline their operations and focus on growth.
We explore the challenges that traditional compliance methods have created for contractors and dive into practical strategies for navigating these changes, including when direct customer observation makes sense and how to leverage evolving pricing strategies and operational improvements. Stephen also explains the powerful long-term benefits of supporting local service businesses and the importance of building strong community relationships for sustainable growth.
Check out Capabuild:
Brought to you by:
Where to find Stephen Llevano
Where to Find David Phillips
Takeaways
Chapters
Jake Wedig is the Director of Tax at Fondo, where he helps startups navigate complex tax legislation and maximize their tax benefits. With deep expertise in startup tax strategy, Jake specializes in R&D tax credits, Section 174 compliance, and helping growing companies optimize their tax positions while managing cash flow challenges.
In this conversation, Jake breaks down the recent changes in tax legislation that every startup founder needs to know about, particularly the game-changing provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill and how startups can leverage R&D tax credits to get substantial cash back on their development investments.
We explore the challenges that Section 174 has created for startups and dive into practical strategies for navigating these changes, including when amending tax returns makes sense and how to leverage bonus depreciation and Section 179 deductions. Jake also explains the powerful long-term benefits of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) for founder wealth optimization.
Key topics covered:
Brought to you by:
Where to find Jake Wedig
Where to Find David Phillips
In This Episode, We Cover
Nathan Latka is the founder and CEO of Founderpath, a fintech platform that has deployed nearly $200 million in non-dilutive capital to 500+ software companies. He’s also the creator of GetLatka, a massive SaaS database built off the back of his top-ranked Latka podcast, where he’s interviewed thousands of founders. Nathan’s entrepreneurial journey began at 18 with the launch of Heyo, a Facebook fan page SaaS tool he bootstrapped to $2M in ARR before raising venture capital and eventually exiting.
In this conversation, Nathan shares hard-earned lessons from building and exiting companies, explains why most founders don’t understand the true cost of raising VC, and offers a compelling case for why debt and secondaries can be a smarter option. We also explore:
Brought to you by:
Where to Find Nathan Latka
Where to Find David Phillips
In This Episode, We Cover
Referenced
Ajith Govind and Avinash Joshi are the co-founders of Cactus, an AI copilot for solopreneurs such as private chefs and caterers, helping them streamline admin tasks and grow their business. Brian Kuan, Community Manager at Vanta, hosted the conversation. Together, we explore early-stage sales, building trust, and the YC network's unique power to catalyze startup momentum. In this episode, we discuss:
Brought to you by:
Where to Find David Phillips
Where to Find the Guests:
Brian Kuan (Vanta, W18)
Ajith Govind (Cactus, X25)
Avinash Joshi (Cactus, X25)
Where to Find the Companies
In This Episode, We Cover
Referenced
Reuben Torenberg is a First Vice President at CBRE, the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm. Reuben specializes in helping startups in San Francisco navigate the complex and rapidly changing office leasing landscape. Since joining CBRE in 2014, he's represented some of the biggest names in tech — including Airbnb, Coinbase, Cruise, and Dropbox — and is widely known as the go-to broker for early-stage startups and growth-stage companies alike. Beyond real estate, Reuben is also a community builder, having founded SF Hoops and SF Links, two of the city’s most exclusive and founder-heavy social sports leagues.
In this episode, we dive into the state of commercial real estate for startups in 2025, including:
Brought to you by:
Where to Find Reuben Torenberg
Where to Find David Phillips
In This Episode, We Cover
Referenced
Roger Dickey is a serial entrepreneur and prolific angel investor with over 130 startup investments under his belt. From humble beginnings coding games as a kid to building Mafia Wars at Zynga—a game that reached a $300 million annual run rate—Roger has scaled multiple companies and exited to giants like Zynga, Home Depot, and private equity. He's also pioneered the "search lab" approach to company building, a structured yet high-velocity process for launching and validating startup ideas. In this episode, we cover:
Brought to you by:
Find the transcript at: https://www.tryfondo.com/podcast (or wherever you're hosting it)
Where to Find Roger Dickey
Where to Find David Phillips
In This Episode, We Cover
Referenced
Travis Hedge is the co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Vouch, an insurance platform purpose-built for high-growth technology companies. After growing up around a family-owned insurance agency in Columbus, Ohio, Travis spent his early career at Nationwide Insurance and SVB Capital, where he saw firsthand the gaps in insurance for startups. He co-founded Vouch in 2018, and in just a few years, the company has scaled to nearly 6,000 customers. In our conversation, we dive into:
Brought to you by:
Where to Find Travis Hedge
Where to Find David Phillips (Host)
In This Episode, We Cover
Referenced
Roy Lee is the 21-year-old founder and CEO of Interview Coder a breakout startup that has taken the internet by storm. In one year, Roy went from having his Harvard acceptance rescinded to building an AI tool used by thousands of aspiring developers to land jobs at companies like Amazon, Meta, and TikTok. His story — marked by risk-taking, resilience, and relentless building — has captivated millions on social media and sparked a firestorm of controversy in academia and Big Tech alike.
In this episode, we cover:
Brought to you by:
Where to Find Roy Lee
Where to Find David Phillips
In This Episode, We Cover
Referenced
Jay Reno is the founder and CEO of PointHound, a free platform helping hundreds of thousands of people earn and redeem credit card points for maximum value—often unlocking free business class flights. But Jay’s journey started long before PointHound. He previously founded Feather, a furniture subscription startup that redefined how millennials furnish their homes. Under Jay’s leadership, Feather scaled to $15M in annual recurring revenue, raised over $70M in funding, and was ultimately acquired in 2022.
In this conversation, Jay and David dive deep into the full founder arc—from early failures to scaling a venture-backed operation—and everything he's applying to his new startup. They discuss:
Brought to you by:
Find the transcript at: Startup Growth Podcast
Where to Find Jay Reno
Where to Find David Phillips
In This Episode, We Cover
Referenced
Tade Oyerinde is the founder and chancellor of Campus, a revolutionary online community college reimagining access to higher education. Starting with viral dorm-room startups, Tade’s journey took him from building UniRoulette and CampusWire to acquiring an accredited college and launching Campus. Today, Campus serves over 2,000 students, employs 240+ staff, and has raised $100M+ in venture capital, all while helping students graduate debt-free.
In this conversation, Tade shares the winding path to building Campus, including:
🔑 Key Takeaways
Brought to you by:
Where to Find Tade Oyerinde
Where to Find David Phillips (Host)
In This Episode, We Cover
Referenced
UniRoulette (inspired by ChatRoulette):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatroulette
The Social Network (Film):
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1285016/
Clubhouse liquidity challenges:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/11/style/clubhouse-app-decline.html
Andreessen Horowitz's investment in Clubhouse:
https://a16z.com/2021/01/24/investing-in-clubhouse/
CampusWire (Tade's previous startup):
https://www.campuswire.com/
General Catalyst:
https://www.generalcatalyst.com/
UC San Diego Transfer Admissions:
https://admissions.ucsd.edu/transfer/
FAFSA Application (for Pell Grants):
https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa