Episode 63: Eric Marcoullier, Startup & Product Coach/Landmine Detector, BPM140 Consulting

Boulder Tech Podcast
Boulder Tech Podcast
Episode 63: Eric Marcoullier, Startup & Product Coach/Landmine Detector, BPM140 Consulting
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Our guest for Episode #63 is Eric Marcoullier, founder of several successful companies including IGN and Gnip, and orchestrator of a big turnaround at Beatport. He now coaches startups and mid-sized companies on product, fundraising and leadership issues. 

In this interview, Eric and I discuss:

  • why Eric learns more from his failures than his successes
  • the interesting creative process behind every post on his blog, Obvious Startup Advice
  • startup founders and mental health
  • Eric’s idea for completely revolutionizing email – and why it’s probably not going to work

Read Eric’s blog, Obvious Startup Advice, and follow him on Twitter @140bpm.

***

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 our podcast HQ, and to KGNU Community Radio for recording gear and 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 Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms, comments and guest suggestions are welcome. Don’t hesitate to send a note to joel@dojo4.com

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

Episode 62: Spike Ilacqua, Founder/CTO, Indra’s Net

Boulder Tech Podcast
Boulder Tech Podcast
Episode 62: Spike Ilacqua, Founder/CTO, Indra's Net
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Our guest for Episode 62 is Spike Ilacqua, Founder and CTO at Indra’s Net, one of Colorado’s first-ever Internet Service Providers. Spike’s a veteran — a pioneer, even — of the Front Range tech scene, and has a lot to say about:

  • how the focus and mission at Indra’s Net has adapted to the changing times over the last 25 years
  • what it was like to create an ISP in the early 90’s — when the internet was just a glimmer of what it’s become
  • tech’s impact on the city of Boulder, and how it might help resolve some of the many issues Boulder faces
  • the similarities and differences between the tech scene in Boulder then vs now

Follow Spike on Twitter @spikex

***

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 our podcast HQ, and to KGNU Community Radio for recording gear and 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 Joel Davis. Your feedback, criticisms, comments and guest suggestions are welcome. Don’t hesitate to send a note to joel@dojo4.com

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

Episode 051: David McCloskey, Founder and CTO, Authentic Labs

Boulder Tech Podcast
Boulder Tech Podcast
Episode 051: David McCloskey, Founder and CTO, Authentic Labs
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This is one of 20 interviews recorded in a popup backroom studio at dojo4 during the 10th annual Boulder Startup Week. When it started in 2009, Boulder Startup Week was the first event of its kind, anywhere. Now, Startup Weeks are held around the world. It’s a great example of Boulder’s position on the leading edge of tech — and the future.

Our guest for Episode 51 is David McCloskey, Founder & Chief Technical Officer at Authentic Labs. They design and build tools that connect consumers to companies by giving individuals deeper insight into the products and brands they buy.

David and I talk about a lot of things, including:

  • how a venture into toys led to David developing consumer protection technology
  • the remarkably high percentage of counterfeit goods hidden in plain sight on line and on stores shelves
  • how Authentic Labs’ Real tag protects consumers and ensures product authenticity
  • and the cool fact that the Real tag’s underlying technology is a human-made molecule

Follow Authentic Labs on Twitter @authentic_labs

***

The Boulder Tech Podcast is made possible in part by Boulder StartUp Week platinum sponsors HoneyMatter 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, comments and guest suggestions 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 042: Dan Caruso, Chairman & CEO, Zayo Group

Boulder Tech Podcast
Boulder Tech Podcast
Episode 042: Dan Caruso, Chairman & CEO, Zayo Group
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This is one of 20 interviews recorded in a popup backroom studio at dojo4 during the 10th annual Boulder Startup Week. When it started in 2009, Boulder Startup Week was the first event of its kind, anywhere. Now, Startup Weeks are held around the world. It’s a great example of Boulder’s position on the leading edge of tech — and the future.

Our guest for Episode 42 is Dan Caruso, Chairman and CEO of Zayo Group, a leading global provider of Communications Infrastructure and a major supporter of the Front Range tech and startup community.  

In our short conversation, Dan:

  • gives me a quick tutorial on communications infrastructure
  • tells us why, in the early days of the tech age, big players like Level 3 chose to locate their headquarters on the Front Range 
  • explains why ever-faster connectivity has more important applications than simply enjoying a better gaming or Netflix experience 
  • speaks with obvious passion about why Zayo Group loves to invest in the local community

Follow Dan on Twitter @DanCaruso.

Episode #42 of the Boulder Tech Podcast is presented by Boulder StartUp Week Accelerator track sponsor, UpRamp.

***

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, comments and guest suggestions 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 041: Joe Minock, Founder, AthleteProgress

Boulder Tech Podcast
Boulder Tech Podcast
Episode 041: Joe Minock, Founder, AthleteProgress
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Our guest for Episode 41 is Joe Minock, Founder of AthleteProgress – a company building software to help sports clubs, teams, and private coaches clarify and expedite athlete feedback, measure individual and team progress over time, and understand efficacy of teaching concepts.

Among many things, Joe and I get into:

  • What your child’s sports team has in common with the 2002 Oakland A’s.
  • The cultural changes Joe’s noticed through his lifelong involvement in sports
  • Why a multi-sport athlete tends to be a healthier, happier, more well-rounded person than a single-sport athlete
  • The payoffs that AthleteProgress delivers for players even when they’re off the field

Follow Joe on Twitter @JoeMinock.

***

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 #41 of the Boulder Tech Podcast is presented by Boulder StartUp Week Relationship track sponsor, Gloo.

***

The Boulder Tech Podcast is made possible in part by Boulder StartUp Week platinum sponsors HoneyMatter 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, comments and guest suggestions are welcome. I’m here; reach out anytime.

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

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

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

***

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.

***

The Boulder Tech Podcast is made possible in part by Boulder StartUp Week platinum sponsors HoneyMatter 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 039: Susan Crouse, CEO, Traxart Toys

Boulder Tech Podcast
Boulder Tech Podcast
Episode 039: Susan Crouse, CEO, Traxart Toys
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This is one of 20 interviews recorded in a popup backroom studio at dojo4 during the 10th annual Boulder Startup Week. When it started in 2009, Boulder Startup Week was the first event of its kind, anywhere. Now, Startup Weeks are held around the world. It’s a great example of Boulder’s position on the leading edge of tech — and the future.

Our guest for Episode 39 is Susan Crouse, CEO of Traxart Toys – a company founded to get kids back on the ground and playing with toys.

Among many things, Susan and I chat about:

  • What drew a long time, high-end product development manager to toys
  • Why being a product developer is great prep for becoming a CEO
  • Susan’s enthusiastic advocacy for rapid prototyping
  • And the cruel irony underlying the fundraising challenges faced by women in tech 

Follow Susan on Twitter @CEOTraxartToys.

SPECIAL NOTE: Traxart Toys is running a Kickstarter campaign through June 19, 2019. Learn more here.

***

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.

***

The Boulder Tech Podcast is made possible in part by Boulder StartUp Week platinum sponsors HoneyMatter 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 038: Kristin Darga, Founder, Impact Founder

Boulder Tech Podcast
Boulder Tech Podcast
Episode 038: Kristin Darga, Founder, Impact Founder
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This is one of 20 interviews recorded in a popup backroom studio at dojo4 during the 10th annual Boulder Startup Week. When it started in 2009, Boulder Startup Week was the first event of its kind, anywhere. Now, Startup Weeks are held around the world. It’s a great example of Boulder’s position on the leading edge of tech — and the future.

Our guest for Episode 38 is Kristin Darga, Founder of Impact Founder – a multimedia conversation sharing real successes and failures of global entrepreneurs.  

Kristin and I get into a number of topics, including:

  • Why entrepreneurs — even the successful ones — are 3 times as likely to suffer from depression as the average person.
  • The personal experience that led her to create Impact Founder.
  • How primitive human archetypes still contribute to our actions today.
  • How impact founder serves as a bridge linking capitalism with art.

Follow Kristin on Twitter @ImpactFounder.

Episode 037: Marcie Tucker, Founder/CEO, 99Agree

Boulder Tech Podcast
Boulder Tech Podcast
Episode 037: Marcie Tucker, Founder/CEO, 99Agree
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This is the first of 20 interviews recorded in a popup backroom studio at dojo4 during the 10th annual Boulder Startup Week. When it started in 2009, Boulder Startup Week was the first event of its kind, anywhere. Now, Startup Weeks are held around the world. It’s a great example of Boulder’s position on the leading edge of tech — and the future.

Our guest for Episode 37 is Marcie Tucker, CEO and founder of 99Agree – a company dedicated to helping college students live, share, and get along with each other at the highest potential possible. 

We talk about a number of issues, including:

  • the growing need — and not just among college students — for roommate compatibility forecasting
  • How agreements transform communities
  • Marcie’s perspective on the gap between the rhetoric and the real in the Front Range tech and startup community
  • what roommates and Mars Simulation have in common

Follow Marcie on Twitter @DrMSTucker.

***

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 #37 of the Boulder Tech Podcast is presented by Boulder StartUp Week Adventure track sponsor, Brandzooka.

***

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
Boulder Tech Podcast
Episode 034: Irina Gladysheva, Watson Institute Scholar and Founder, LearnEx
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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.

***

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.