ideas – Boulder Tech Podcast

Episode 040: Megan Bent, Founder/CEO, Harbinger Ventures (a WILD Interview by Stephanie Brady)

Boulder Tech Podcast

Episode 040: Megan Bent, Founder/CEO, Harbinger Ventures (a WILD Interview by Stephanie Brady)

00:00 / 00:30:33

Episode 40 of the Boulder Tech Podcast is part of a special “WILD” series of interviews recorded during the 10th annual Boulder Startup Week.

WILD (Women Inspiring Leadership Development) is a new track at Boulder StartUp Week 2019, and features candid conversations celebrating women’s startup success, diversity, power, mentoring muscle and leadership impact.

For the WILD series, I’m pleased to hand off interviewing duties to Stephanie Brady, Managing Director at iFG Studios and Board Member of The WILD Council. On today’s epsiode, Stephanie speaks with Megan Bent, Founder of Harbinger Ventures, about a number of things, including:

Startup lessons she’s learned
Megan’s passion for supporting female founders
Creating a new “shared-benefit” model of venture funding

The WILD at Boulder Startup Week podcast series is supported by 1stBank, “banking for good” to help business customers achieve their goals and provide them the resources to succeed.

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The Boulder Tech Podcast is presented by Boulder Startup Week 2019 Title sponsor, Techstars. At the core, Techstars is a company founded by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. With more than 300,000 alumni and 10,000 mentors across 150 countries, Techstars is a worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed. To learn more, go-to techstars.com.

Episode #39 of the Boulder Tech Podcast is presented by Boulder StartUp Week Product Management track sponsor, SOVRN.

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The Boulder Tech Podcast is made possible in part by Boulder StartUp Week platinum sponsors Honey, Matter and Zayo.

We’re also supported by Glider, a Colorado-based Community movement and non-profit that produces Boulder’s Ignite and TedX events, as well as Boulder Startup Week. Learn more and consider a donation at glider.com

Thanks to dojo4 for providing space for our podcast studio, and to KGNU Community Radio for recording gear and studio usage.

Our intro music is by Eccodek. Hear more at eccodek .com (that’s E-c-c-o-d-e-k).

Our outro music is by EarthRise SoundSystem. You’ll find them at earthrisesoundsystem.com

The Boulder Tech Podcast is produced by me, Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms and comments are welcome. Reach me at joel@dojo4.com

Thanks for listening. We’ll see you back here for the next episode of the Boulder Tech Podcast.

Episode 034: Irina Gladysheva, Watson Institute Scholar and Founder, LearnEx

Boulder Tech Podcast

Episode 034: Irina Gladysheva, Watson Institute Scholar and Founder, LearnEx

00:00 / 00:34:58

Our guest for Episode #34 is Irina Gladysheva, a Watson Institute scholar and founder of LearnEx, a learning platform for connecting people from her native Russia with teachers and opportunities for work and study abroad.

We cover several topics, including:

How a 9th grader living in a rural Russian village taught herself English.
Where she developed her passion for connecting other Russians with opportunities and the world beyond Russia.
How Irina’s making the most of her time at Watson Institute, developing a platform for accomplishing her mission.

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The Boulder Tech Podcast is presented by iolo.com, developers of the award-winning software suite System Mechanic, which repairs, optimizes, and protects Windows PCs. With a global sales presence in 33 countries and products in 11 languages, tens of millions of people have used iolo’s products for their PC optimization, security, and data recovery needs since 1998. Today, iolo is widely recognized by both consumers and industry experts as a worldwide leader in the system utility software market.

iolo is offering all Boulder Tech Podcast listeners a 60% discount off either Phoenix 360, System Mechanic Pro, or System Mechanic through the coupon code: BOULDERTECHPODCAST. Simply go to iolo.com, decide which product works best for you, and enter the coupon code BOULDERTECHPODCAST at checkout. The 60% discount will be automatically applied to your order.

The Boulder Tech Podcast is made possible in part by Glider, a Colorado-based Community movement and non-profit that produces Boulder’s Ignite and TedX events, as well as Boulder Startup Week. Learn more and consider a donation at glider.com

Thanks to dojo4 for providing space for the Boulder Tech Podcast HQ, and to KGNU Community Radio for studio usage.

Our intro music is by Eccodek. Our outro music is by EarthRise SoundSystem.

The Boulder Tech Podcast is produced by Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms and comments are welcome. Reach me at joel@dojo4.com.

Thank you for listening.

Episode 030: Nina Baliga, Co-Founder & CEO, diversity

Boulder Tech Podcast

Episode 030: Nina Baliga, Co-Founder & CEO, diversity

00:00 / 00:43:10

Our guest for episode #30 is Nina Baliga, co-founder and CEO of diversity, a female-founded startup focused on connecting a community of diverse tech talent with trusted, transparent companies.

Nina and I discuss many things, including:

why she’s committed to building a foundation for a stronger and more diverse tech community
her take on Boulder’s place on the diversity spectrum
what she think it will take for her company to realize its mission

Follow Nina on Twitter @nbaliga1.

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Thanks to dojo4 for providing space for the Boulder Tech Podcast HQ, and to KGNU Community Radio for studio usage.

Our intro music is by Eccodek. Our outro music is by EarthRise SoundSystem.

The Boulder Tech Podcast is produced by Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms and comments are welcome. Reach me at joel@dojo4.com.

Thank you for listening.

Episode 029: Patrick Rea, co-founder & CEO, Canopy Boulder

Boulder Tech Podcast

Episode 029: Patrick Rea, co-founder & CEO, Canopy Boulder

00:00 / 00:44:28

Our guest for episode #29 is Patrick Rea, co-founder and CEO of Canopy Boulder, a venture fund and accelerator focused on the cannabis industry.

We get Patrick’s thoughts on a number of topics, including:

the state of the legal cannabis industry today
challenges and opportunities in the canna biz (hint: both involve data)
legislative realities and prospects for expanded legalization
the coming involvement of Big Business in cannabis

Follow Patrick on Twitter @patrickrea.

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Thanks to dojo4 for providing space for the Boulder Tech Podcast HQ, and to KGNU Community Radio for studio usage.

Our intro music is by Eccodek. Our outro music is by EarthRise SoundSystem.

The Boulder Tech Podcast is produced by Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms and comments are welcome. Reach me at joel@dojo4.com.

Thank you for listening.

Episode 028: Jesse Litton & Dave Stadler, Co-Founders, Tech Friends

Boulder Tech Podcast

Episode 028: Jesse Litton & Dave Stadler, Co-Founders, Tech Friends

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00:53:34

Our guests for Episode #28 are Jesse Litton and Dave Stadler, software designers and co-founders of Boulder’s Tech Friends.

We talk about a lot of subjects, among them

the inspiration and thinking behind launching Tech Friends in the first place
their mission to promote human connection and build community in the tech space
strategies to take some of the charge out of online disagreements
the power and grace that comes with sitting down for a cup of coffee

Follow Jesse and Dave @gettechfriends.

NOTE: This episode is marked explicit for one well-placed reference to male cow feces.

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The Boulder Tech Podcast is presented by Bonusly: a fun, personal recognition and rewards program that enriches company culture and improves employee engagement.

Used by thousands of companies, Bonusly integrates with popular collaboration tools like Slack and Zappier, as well as HR software like ADP and BambooHR.

Bonusly is proudly made right here in Boulder, Colorado.

Learn more about employee recognition and try Bonusly free for two months at Bonus.ly/bouldertech.

The Boulder Tech Podcast is also made possible in part by Glider, a Colorado-based Community movement and non-profit that produces Boulder’s Ignite and TedX events, as well as Boulder Startup Week. Learn more and consider a donation at glider.com

Thanks to dojo4 for providing space for the Boulder Tech Podcast HQ, and to KGNU Community Radio for studio usage.

Our intro music is by Eccodek. Our outro music is by EarthRise SoundSystem.

The Boulder Tech Podcast is produced by me, Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms and comments are welcome. Reach me at joel@conduitmusic.co

Thank you for listening.

Episode 027: Kim White, Co-Founder, Zimbowties

Boulder Tech Podcast

Episode 027: Kim White, Co-Founder, Zimbowties

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00:36:04

Our guest for Episode #27 is Kim White, a participant in Watson Institute’s Semester Incubator in Boulder, and Co-founder of Zimbowties, a Zimbabwe-based startup making bowties from recycled fabrics. Proceeds from sales go towards putting Zimbabwean kids through school.

Kim and I touch on a number of things, such as:

his inspiration for creating a business with a social impact
Kim’s experience in Boulder and at the Watson Institute
the concept of Design Thinking
what he’s gained from working with Zimbabwean children

Follow Kim on Twitter @zimbowties.

***

The Boulder Tech Podcast is presented by Bonusly: a fun, personal recognition and rewards program that enriches company culture and improves employee engagement.

Used by thousands of companies, Bonusly integrates with popular collaboration tools like Slack and Zappier, as well as HR software like ADP and BambooHR.

Bonusly is proudly made right here in Boulder, Colorado.

Learn more about employee recognition and try Bonusly free for two months at Bonus.ly/bouldertech.

Thanks to dojo4 for providing space for the Boulder Tech Podcast HQ, and to KGNU Community Radio for studio usage.

Our intro music is by Eccodek. Our outro music is by EarthRise SoundSystem.

The Boulder Tech Podcast is produced by me, Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms and comments are welcome. Reach me at joel@conduitmusic.co

Thank you for listening.

Episode 026: Becks Boone, Robot Developer, Boulder Food Rescue

Boulder Tech Podcast

Episode 026: Becks Boone, Robot Developer, Boulder Food Rescue

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00:53:58

Our guest for Episode #26 is Becks Boone, Robot Developer at Boulder Food Rescue, and a software engineer with a focus on civic technology.

Becks and I discuss an array of topics, among them:

their perception of the USA from an American born and growing up on foreign soil, vs their actual experience upon arriving here at age 18
working with the City of Boulder on behalf of Code For America
the experience of a female-bodied person working in tech
thoughts on whether technology has a responsibility to culture and society
and the intersection of shared ownership, social justice and tech

Follow Becks on Twitter @boonrs.

NOTE: This episode is marked explicit due to one or two highly contextual uses of the “F” word.

***

The Boulder Tech Podcast is presented by Bonusly: a fun, personal recognition and rewards program that enriches company culture and improves employee engagement.

Used by thousands of companies, Bonusly integrates with popular collaboration tools like Slack and Zappier, as well as HR software like ADP and BambooHR.

Bonusly is proudly made right here in Boulder, Colorado.

Learn more about employee recognition and try Bonusly free for two months at Bonus.ly/bouldertech.

Thanks to dojo4 for providing space for the Boulder Tech Podcast HQ, and to KGNU Community Radio for studio usage.

Our intro music is by Eccodek. Our outro music is by EarthRise SoundSystem.

The Boulder Tech Podcast is produced by me, Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms and comments are welcome. Reach me at joel@conduitmusic.co

Thank you for listening.

Episode 023: Kate Catlin, Founder and CEO, Find My Flock

Boulder Tech Podcast

Episode 023: Kate Catlin, Founder and CEO, Find My Flock

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00:40:34

Our guest for Episode #23 is Kate Catlin, co-founder and CEO of Find My Flock, a tech dream-job-landing-engine built especially for underrepresented technologists.

Among many things, Kate and I discuss:

why so many women are leaving tech and how that directly inspired her to create her company
Boulder’s place on the diversity spectrum
the importance of aligning financial incentives with mission
why she’d love for her company to go out of business

Follow Kate on Twitter @Kate_Catlin.

***

The Boulder Tech Podcast is presented by Glider, a Colorado-based Community movement and non-profit that produces Boulder’s Ignite and TedX events, as well as Boulder Startup Week. Learn more and consider a donation at glider.com

Thanks to dojo4 for providing space for the Boulder Tech Podcast HQ, and to KGNU Community Radio for studio usage.

Our intro music is by Eccodek. Our outro music is by EarthRise SoundSystem.

The Boulder Tech Podcast is produced by me, Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms and comments are welcome. Reach me at joel@conduitmusic.co

Thank you for listening.

Episode 022: Bing Chou, Managing Director at MojoTech

Boulder Tech Podcast

Episode 022: Bing Chou, Managing Director at MojoTech

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00:33:18

Our guest for this episode of the Boulder Tech Podcast (our 22nd), is Bing Chou, Managing Director at MojoTech, a Boulder-based software development and design consultancy. Bing is also active in building relationships between Boulder’s tech community and the city.

We discuss a number of subjects, including:

the roots of his sense of activism and philanthropy
how the tech community might be misunderstood by Boulder’s non-tech populace
increased involvement among younger demographics in Boulder politics
and maintaining Boulder’s unique character in the face of rapid growth

Read Bing’s blog at virtuallybing.com. Follow him on Twitter at @virtuallybing.

***

Thanks to dojo4 for providing space for the Boulder Tech Podcast HQ, and to KGNU Community Radio for studio usage.

Our intro music is by Eccodek. Our outro music is by EarthRise SoundSystem.

The Boulder Tech Podcast is produced by me, Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms and comments are welcome. Reach me at joel@conduitmusic.co

Thanks for listening. We’ll see you back here for the next episode of the Boulder Tech Podcast.

Episode 021: Scott Brown, VP at Cable Labs, Executive Director at UpRamp

Boulder Tech Podcast

Episode 021: Scott Brown, VP at Cable Labs, Executive Director at UpRamp

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00:54:13

For Episode 21 of the Boulder Tech Podcast, we welcome Scott Brown, VP of Ventures and Outreach at Cable Labs, a non-profit research & development lab funded by the global cable industry. Scott is also the Executive Director at UpRamp, a platform supporting radical entrepreneurs and innovation in the cable industry.

Scott and I cover a range of topics, including (but definitely not limited to):

how acting relates to the startup biz
(C)lean Messaging
avoid being distracted by “The Why”
Scott’s greatest of many successes: the creation of the bacon-wrapped tot

Follow Scott Brown on Twitter at @sbrown.

NOTE: this episode is marked explicit due to occasional PG-13 language and un-pixelated references to bacon.

HEY! The Boulder Tech Podcast is seeking sponsors to support our mission to share the stories, passions and personalities of the people shaping Boulder’s unique tech scene. If you’d like to be part of this project and reach a growing and enthusiastic audience, shout at us via Twitter (@bouldertechcast) or send me a note at joel@conduitmusic.co.

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The Boulder Tech Podcast is presented in part by Glider, a Colorado-based Community movement and non-profit that produces Boulder’s Ignite and TedX events, as well as Boulder Startup Week. Learn more and consider a donation at glider.com

Thanks to dojo4 for providing space for the Boulder Tech Podcast HQ, and to KGNU Community Radio for studio usage.

Our intro music is by Eccodek. Hear more at eccodek.com

Our outro music is by EarthRise SoundSystem. You’ll find them at earthrisesoundsystem.com

The Boulder Tech Podcast is produced by me, Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms and comments are welcome. Reach me at joel@conduitmusic.co.