In this episode, the CEO of Octopus Energy US, Nick Chaset, shares his bold vision for the future of energy—one built on manufacturing, not extraction. From navigating the rapid growth of electricity demand driven by AI, to leveraging smart tech and AI for better customer service, he breaks down how Octopus is revolutionizing renewable energy in the U.S. With insights from his time advising the California Public Utilities Commission and leading community energy initiatives, he explains the challenges of affordability, infrastructure, and innovation in today’s energy market—and what it will take to build a cleaner, more reliable grid for everyone.

Timestamps:
00:07 - Introduction and Background
00:17 - Nick's Career Journey
01:18 - Future of Energy
03:29 - Consumer Engagement in Energy
04:49 - A Day in the Life of a CEO
05:58 - Octopus Energy's Presence in the US
06:41 - AI Integration in Operations
09:26 - Current Energy Market Overview
12:11 - Experience at California Public Utilities Commission
14:00 - Impact of Tariffs on Energy Prices
16:00 - Leadership Lessons
17:34 - Acknowledging Mentorship
18:35 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, Clint sits down with Gwen Lighter, the CEO and founder of GoAERO, a groundbreaking global emergency response competition supported by industry giants like RTX, NASA, Boeing, and Honeywell. Gwen shares her inspiring journey from a personal emergency to leading a multi-million-dollar initiative aimed at revolutionizing emergency response through innovative aviation technology.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:17 - Gwen's background and the inception of GoAERO
00:38 - The mission of GoAERO
01:10 - Personal story that inspired GoAERO
03:04 - The golden age of aviation and breakthrough technologies
03:54 - Partnering with industry giants
06:22 - Stages of the GoAERO Prize competition
10:02 - Insights from the Go Fly competition
11:51 - A day in the life of Gwen as CEO
13:48 - Building a community and ecosystem
16:08 - Technical challenges and innovations
20:40 - Gwen's legacy and vision
22:17 - The importance of giving and taking chances

In this episode of the CEO Podcast, we sit down with Bill Smith, the founder and CEO of Landing, the leading network for flexible lease apartments. Bill shares his incredible journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial family to dropping out of high school at 16, starting multiple businesses, and eventually founding Landing.

Bill discusses the challenges and triumphs he faced while building his companies, including the pivotal moments at Shipt and Landing. He also delves into the importance of unit economics, the impact of AI on business operations, and the significance of maintaining a consistent customer experience.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:16 - Bill's entrepreneurial journey
01:16 - Founding Landing and the inspiration behind it
02:04 - The tech and business community in Birmingham
03:30 - Lessons from Shipt applied to Landing
04:46 - The impact of COVID-19 on Landing's business model
06:12 - Target market and consumer needs
07:13 - A day in the life of a CEO
08:46 - The role of AI in business operations
10:44 - Reading recommendations
11:22 - Recruiting and maintaining company culture
14:34 - Competitors and market positioning
17:22 - Funding the business and building relationships
20:10 - Market outlook and economic cycles
22:19 - Thoughts on the AI bubble
24:29 - Ensuring consistency in customer experience
26:19 - The importance of giving and receiving chances

In this episode, Clint sits down with the President and CEO of TIGER 21, a premier peer membership organization for high-net-worth individuals. Discover the fascinating story behind TIGER 21, its mission, and the unique community it fosters. Our guest shares his personal journey, from his early career in leveraged buyouts to leading global education companies, and ultimately, to his current role at TIGER 21.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and Overview
00:20 - History and Founding of TIGER 21
01:57 - Joining TIGER 21 and Initial Impressions
03:42 - Career Background Before TIGER 21
05:55 - Profile of a TIGER 21 Member
08:22 - Origin of the Name TIGER 21
09:52 - Membership Requirements and the Five Cs
12:07 - Pivotal Moments in Personal and Professional Life
15:49 - Core Values and Decision-Making
19:01 - Desired Legacy
21:08 - Typical Day as CEO
23:41 - The Power of Network Effect
26:38 - Impact of AI on Human Connections
29:16 - Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

In this episode, Clint sits down with Todd Marks, the founder, president, and CEO of Mindgrub Technologies. Todd shares his journey from a high school math teacher to leading a digital innovation agency that has worked with major brands like Wendy's, Geico, and Yamaha.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:14 - What is Mindgrub Technologies?
00:54 - Industry Outlook
02:08 - AI Agents and Automation
04:09 - Working with Startups
06:01 - Startup Advice for VCs
10:21 - AI Agents in Various Industries
12:29 - Todd's Greatest Life Hack
13:43 - What is the EOS System?
16:06 - A Day in the Life of Todd Marks
17:10 - Reading Recommendations
19:02 - The Baltimore Tech Scene
24:13 - Maintaining Culture in a Remote World
28:37 - Macroeconomic Environment
33:40 - Final Thoughts and Mentorship

In this episode, Clint sits down with Scott Voigt, the co-founder and CEO of Fullstory, a leading behavioral intelligence platform. Scott shares the fascinating journey of how Fullstory was founded, the innovative approach they took to capture and structure data, and how they help over 3000 customers worldwide improve their digital experiences.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
0:17 - What is FullStory?
1:15 - Founding FullStory
4:09 - Product Evolution
5:49 - AI Integration
9:52 - Company Culture
14:17 - Atlanta Tech Scene
16:37 - Scott's Daily Routine
18:16 - Reading Recommendations
20:14 - Understanding Customers
22:40 - Macroeconomic Environment
23:58 - Who Gave Scott a Chance?

In this episode of our podcast, we sit down with Bryan Murphy, the CEO of Smartling, to discuss the transformative power of AI in the translation and localization industry. With a rich background that includes a successful tenure at eBay, Bryan shares his journey to leading Smartling, an AI-driven translation platform that's revolutionizing the $50 billion translation market.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:16 - Bryan’s journey to becoming CEO of Smartling
00:30 - Overview of Smartling and its impact on the translation market
01:18 - The state of the translation market and Smartling’s advantages
01:55 - The role of AI in translation and Smartling’s innovations
03:54 - The future of AI and its impact on productivity
05:27 - AI as a productivity tool and its implications for the workforce
07:10 - Bryan’s daily routine and operating plan
07:52 - Book recommendations
08:14 - Company culture and remote work
09:35 - Expanding into international markets
11:30 - Company mission and values
13:50 - Lessons from eBay
15:20 - Economic outlook and global trade
16:37 - The importance of giving and receiving chances

In this episode, Clint sits down with Blima Ehrentreu, the inspiring founder and CEO of The Designers Group. Blima shares her incredible journey from a childhood fascination with construction to leading a world-renowned interior design firm. Discover how The Designers Group, with offices in Toronto, New York, and Miami, is transforming spaces across North America with a mission-driven approach to design.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:13 - Blima's journey to becoming CEO
01:03 - Early inspiration and passion for design
02:14 - The impact of COVID-19 on workplace design
04:15 - Realizing the success of The Designers Group
05:32 - A typical day in the life of Blima Ehrentreu
07:06 - Creating collaborative and well-designed environments
09:11 - The role of AI in the design process
11:14 - The mission and values of The Designers Group
13:30 - The TDG Furniture Exchange initiative
17:00 - Misconceptions about interior design
19:11 - Balancing mental health and wellness
22:02 - Navigating economic challenges
24:33 - The importance of giving and receiving chances

In this episode of the CEO.com podcast, Clint Betts sits down with Ben Borodach, the co-founder and CEO of april, the first AI-powered embedded tax platform. Ben shares his journey from an NYU student to a successful entrepreneur, his insights on integrating AI into the tax industry, and the challenges and triumphs of building a groundbreaking company.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:17 - The Need for AI in Taxes
00:39 - Embedding Tax in Financial Decisions
01:42 - AI's Role in april's Development
03:24 - Ben's Background and Journey
07:45 - Fundraising and Series B Announcement
10:23 - Business and Personal Tax Solutions
11:23 - Future of AI in Business
14:32 - A Day in the Life of a CEO
15:47 - Maintaining Company Culture
18:00 - Thoughts on Recent Legislation
18:42 - Macroeconomic Perspectives
21:25 - NYC's Startup Ecosystem
24:07 - Final Thoughts and Gratitude

In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Boyd, the Co-CEO of The Digital Dept., to discuss her incredible journey from fashion PR to leading a top influencer marketing agency. Sarah shares her experiences, the evolution of her career, and the strategic acquisitions that shaped The Digital Dept. into what it is today.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:15 - Sarah's career journey and becoming CEO
00:59 - The formation of The Digital Dept.
02:10 - Importance of social presence for CEOs and influencers
05:01 - Types of influencers and pairing them with opportunities
06:57 - What makes a great event and experience
08:52 - Impact of AI on influencer marketing
11:32 - A typical day in the life of Sarah
14:25 - Maintaining company culture in a remote environment
16:11 - Economic challenges and strategic shifts
17:33 - The importance of giving and taking chances

In this episode of the CEO Podcast, Clint we sits down with Blake Garrett, the founder and CEO of Aceable, a company dedicated to transforming mandatory education into engaging, mobile, and gamified experiences. Blake shares his journey from management consulting to raising $115 million and building a profitable, impactful business.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and Welcome
00:14 - What is Aceable?
01:31 - Blake's Entrepreneurial Journey
03:42 - Fundraising and Financial Growth
05:58 - Impact of AI on Aceable
07:40 - A Day in the Life of a CEO
09:13 - Company Culture and Values
10:56 - Reading and Learning Recommendations
13:40 - Vibe Coding and AI Projects
16:28 - Sales Cycle in EdTech
17:18 - Macroeconomic Impact on Business
18:33 - Austin as a Tech Hub
19:54 - Acknowledging Key Supporters
21:08 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, Clint sits down with Philip Brittan, the CEO of Bloomfire, to discuss his impressive career journey and the innovative work being done at Bloomfire in the knowledge management and enterprise search space. From his early days at Google to leading Crux Informatics and now Bloomfire, Philip shares his insights on the evolving landscape of AI, the importance of enterprise intelligence, and the future of technology in business.

Timestamps:
00:06 - Introduction and Guest Background
00:36 - Overview of Bloomfire
01:40 - Philip's Journey to Bloomfire
03:07 - Concept of Enterprise Intelligence
05:27 - AI's Impact on Bloomfire
08:27 - Practical Applications of AI
09:35 - Future of AI
12:00 - Challenges with AI Implementation
17:25 - A Day in the Life of a CEO
19:16 - Life on a Ranch
19:41 - Montana's Tech Ecosystem
24:58 - Remote Work and Company Culture
30:56 - Economic Outlook for Tech and SaaS
35:15 - Importance of Giving and Receiving Chances
37:58 - Closing Remarks

In this episode of the CEO.com Podcast, Clint engages in a riveting conversation with Prashant Fuloria, the CEO of Funbox. Prashant shares his incredible journey from being an early product manager at Google to leading Funbox, a capital platform dedicated to empowering small businesses.

Timestamps:
00:07 - Introduction and Career Overview
00:32 - Early Career at Google
01:14 - Transition to Facebook and Flurry
01:35 - Joining Fundbox
01:56 - Fundbox's Mission and Services
03:44 - Importance of Small Businesses
05:09 - Fundbox's Strategy
05:52 - Impact of AI on Fundbox
08:01 - Future of AI in Business
10:41 - A Day in the Life of a CEO
12:33 - Importance of Sleep for Leaders
12:47 - Company Culture and Values
15:15 - Economic Outlook for Small Businesses
19:02 - AI's Role in Supporting Small Businesses
21:57 - Final Thoughts and Acknowledgements

In this episode, Clint sits down with Michael Litt, the co-founder and CEO of Vidyard, a leading video platform for businesses. Michael shares his incredible journey from being a Systems Design Engineering student at the University of Waterloo to building a successful tech company that has been thriving for over a decade.

Timestamps:
00:06 - Introduction and Background
00:23 - University of Waterloo Experience
01:06 - Early Work Experiences and Entrepreneurial Drive
01:50 - Starting Vidyard
02:22 - Initial Business Model and Early Challenges
03:24 - Developing Video Technology
03:46 - Y Combinator Application and Experience
05:01 - Becoming the CEO
05:38 - Lessons from Y Combinator
08:37 - Fundraising and Demo Day
10:49 - Early Investors and Series A
11:15 - Evolution of Vidyard's Product
14:53 - Inflection Points and Product Market Fit
17:17 - AI and the Future of Video
22:17 - Building Vidyard in Canada
26:28 - Reflecting on Key Support and Personal Story
28:28 - Conclusion and Thanks

In this episode, we sit down with Hamza Alsmaraee, an extraordinary young entrepreneur who has already achieved more than most do in a lifetime. At just 22, he's a published author, a Stanford undergrad, and the Co-founder and CEO of NewForm. Join us as we dive deep into his journey from writing a calculus book at 16 to building a multimillion-dollar business while still in college.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and Hamza's Background  
00:17 - Publishing a Calculus Book at 16  
01:04 - Marketing the Calculus Book  
01:25 - Starting a Math Page on Instagram  
01:46 - Growing the Instagram Page  
02:07 - Book Sales and Revenue  
02:36 - Documentary and Stanford  
03:02 - Founding NewForm  
03:12 - Shift from Social Media to Interest Media  
03:44 - New Form of Marketing  
04:15 - Content-First Marketing Strategy  
05:08 - Scaling a Consumer App with TikTok Ads  
06:01 - NewForm's Role in Growth Marketing  
07:03 - Simplifying Complex Software Marketing  
07:27 - Effective Short-Form Content  
08:09 - Visual Appeal in Ads  
09:08 - Misconceptions About Marketing in Tech  
10:00 - The Importance of Marketing in Tech  
11:06 - Evolution of Marketing in Tech  
12:20 - Elon Musk and Marketing  
12:52 - Typical Day of a 22-Year-Old Entrepreneur  
14:19 - Implementing AI in Marketing  
15:02 - AI in Marketing Workflows  
16:05 - Woolbot: AI Performance Marketer  
17:08 - AI-Assisted Workflows vs. AI-Generated Content  
18:24 - Future Vision for Nuform  
19:08 - Woolbot's Role in Marketing  
21:01 - Connecting Media and Creative Teams  
21:58 - Great vs. Good Short-Form Ads  
23:30 - Social Media Celebrities vs. Traditional Media  
24:47 - The Importance of IRL Experiences  
25:03 - The Chance That Made a Difference  
26:19 - Majoring in Math at Stanford  
26:57 - Conclusion and Farewell

In this episode, Clint sits down with Veer Gidwaney, the founder and CEO of Ansel Health, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and the mission behind Ansel Health. Veer shares insights into the challenges of the U.S. healthcare system, the importance of supplemental health insurance, and how his company aims to alleviate the financial burden of health distress.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:16 - Veer's Background and Entrepreneurial Journey
00:37 - The Mission of Ansel Health
01:08 - Challenges in the Healthcare System
01:51 - Understanding Supplemental Health Insurance
03:21 - The State of Healthcare in the U.S.
05:28 - Leadership Lessons and Company Culture
07:13 - Managing Stress and Work-Life Balance
08:19 - A Day in the Life of a CEO
09:33 - The Role of AI in Insurance
11:27 - Advice for Success
12:19 - Reading Recommendations
13:31 - Finding Purpose and Motivation
14:11 - Learning from Failure
15:09 - Company Values
17:32 - The State of the Economy
19:08 - The Importance of Giving Chances
20:23 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, we sit down with Dinakar Munagala, the co-founder and CEO of Blaize, a pioneering company in the realm of physical world AI. Blaize is revolutionizing industries such as agriculture, healthcare, smart cities, and defense with their novel chip processor architecture and software solutions.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:17 - Dinakar's background and Blaize's mission
01:02 - The rise of AI and its impact on various industries
03:23 - AI's potential to transform jobs and productivity
04:11 - Advice for CEOs on implementing AI
06:40 - A day in the life of Blaize's CEO
08:08 - Leadership and managing a hybrid workforce
10:05 - Democratizing AI and making it accessible
12:34 - Downsides and risks of AI
13:51 - Reading recommendations and staying informed
15:09 - Economic perspectives and navigating challenges
16:03 - The importance of mentorship and support

In this episode, we sit down with Max Ma, the founder and CEO of 7thOnline, a company revolutionizing the retail industry with cutting-edge AI solutions. Max shares his incredible journey from identifying inefficiencies in the retail supply chain to building a global enterprise that partners with top brands like Birkenstock, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Patagonia.

Timestamps:
00:06 - Introduction and Background
00:21 - Founding 7thOnline
01:26 - Business Evolution and Leadership
03:25 - Daily Routine and AI Integration
04:54 - AI in Retail and Supply Chain
06:30 - AI Growth and Industry Impact
08:21 - Moving Beyond Excel
09:55 - Work-Life Balance
11:15 - Reading Recommendations
13:32 - Economic Outlook and Tariffs
15:00 - Mentorship and Support
16:39 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, we sit down with the CEO of Solutions by Text, Dave Baxter,  to hear his incredible journey — from turning down a board seat to leading one of the most innovative companies in fintech.

Dave shares how he scaled a small, founder-led family business into a fintech powerhouse by combining mobile messaging, AI, and compliance-driven solutions for the financial industry. We dive into his leadership lessons, the lonely reality of being a first-time CEO, how he leverages AI to drive better outcomes for clients, and how he balances family, work, and personal growth along the way.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:06 - Dave's Background and Career Path
02:08 - The Aha Moment and Vision for Solutions by Text
06:45 - Leadership Lessons Learned
10:38 - AI Integration in Solutions by Text
13:39 - A Day in the Life of a CEO
16:15 - Reading Recommendations
18:34 - The Importance of Mentorship
22:00 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, Clint sits down with Somia Farid Silber. They dive into the incredible journey of how a young girl dipping strawberries in her family's store grew up to become the CEO of one of the most recognizable gifting brands in the world — Edible Arrangements.

She shares how she’s leading the next chapter of the company, from expanding into new wellness markets with Edibles.com to innovating the in-store experience with Edible Next Gen. We also discuss leadership lessons, balancing family and business, using AI to personalize customer experiences, and how to future-proof a brand in both retail and e-commerce.

Timestamps:
00:07 - Introduction and Early Business Experience
01:32 - Running a Family Business
02:48 - Launch of Edibles.com
04:37 - Sourcing and Product Selection
05:08 - Integrating AI in Business
07:20 - A Day in the Life of a CEO
08:28 - Mental Health and Well-being Strategies
09:48 - Impact of Tariffs
11:18 - Leadership Lessons
12:29 - Brick and Mortar vs. E-commerce
14:36 - Customer Response to Cannabis Industry Entry
15:44 - The Importance of Giving Chances
16:52 - Closing Remarks and Gratitude