Empire State Of Grind

Episode 13- What do Founders do? w Albert Wang (Bearworks) and Daniel Langer (Trackstar)

On this episode we are joined by previous guests Albert Wang, Co-Founder of Bearworks, and Daniel Langer Co-Founder of Trackstar, to catch up with what they have been up to at their startups and to learn about what Founders do. They open up about topics like fundraising, competition and how they leverage social media. We also discuss: * The role of VCs in their business * How Founders look at fundraising * Marketing tactics used to grow their businesses * The different models they are employing to foster growth * The role AI has in their respective businesses * Their takes and involvement on social media https://www.bearworks.com/ [https://www.bearworks.com/] https://www.trackstarhq.com/ [https://www.trackstarhq.com/] https://www.next-gen-law.com/ [https://www.next-gen-law.com/]

Episode 12 - AI Knows Your Business! w Ben Hills, CEO and Founder of Iris

On this episode we are joined by Ben Hills, CEO and Founder of Iris, the platform that leverages AI to find and gather data to respond to RFPs and other client due diligence requests. We dive into why this such a big pain point for companies and how generative AI is uniquely situated to solve this problem. We also discuss how Ben started the company and the inspiration he got from his grandparents. We also discuss: * The landscape of generative AI models * How investor sentiment has changed around application layer AI * Thoughs on return to office policies and in-person events * Ben's history in EdTech * Why Ben loves building in New York https://www.heyiris.ai/ https://www.next-gen-law.com/ [https://www.next-gen-law.com/]

Episode 11 - The Power of Customer Proof w Sunny Manivannan, Founder of Peerbound

On this episode we are joined by Sunny Manivannan, Founder of Peerbound, the AI platform that finds and unifies customer proof at scale. We dive into what customer proof is and why it is so powerful for influencing corporate purchases. We also discuss how Sunny discovered the power of customer stories and how his team is leveraging AI to unlock their previously hidden potential. We also discuss: * Social proof and its role in business * Sunny's different roles in tech * Why he is so bullish on AI * Lessons we've learned working at companies like Coupa, Datadog and Braze * Similarities between B2C and B2B aspects of social proof selling * The way we value wins and losses * What brought Sunny to NYC and why he loves it https://www.peerbound.com https://www.next-gen-law.com/ [https://www.next-gen-law.com/]

Episode 10- Property Transaction Transparency Thanks To The Blockchain w Alexander McGee, Co-Founder of Balcony

On this episode we are joined by Alexander McGee, Co-Founder, CRO and Head of Government Affairs at Balcony, the property management system for governments, built on the blockchain. We are joined by Co-host Kiran Bath, Product Counsel at Chainalysis, the leading blockchain analytics company. We will learn about the decades old problems that Balcony is solving in the real estate records space and why blockchain is the right technology to tackle these challenges. We also discuss: * The history and landscape of property records * The differences and difficuties of building and selling to governments * The benefits of using blockchain for transaction data * Some secrets of selling * Alex's background and thoughts on NYC * Tips for building a winning culture https://www.balcony.technology/ https://www.next-gen-law.com/ [https://www.next-gen-law.com/] https://www.kelseystreetpress.org/product-page/instructions-for-banno

Episode 9 - How to lead and scale teams (and eat) w Andrew Wojszynski, Solutions Engineering Leader at WIZ

On this episode we are joined by Andrew Wojszynski, Solutions Engineering Leader at WIZ, as well as Co-host Kim Buhay. We discuss the problems that CNAPPs solve, how WIZ's products won Andrew over, and how his natural curiosity and problem solving skills led him on a path to NYC at companies like Google, Datadog, and WIZ. We also rap about: * How Andrew got into tech and leadership * The role Solutions Engineering plays in the sales cycle * Some secrets of hiring and scaling teams * How GTM motions differ based on ICP size and profling * The difference we feel in solving problems for Enterprises vs SMBs * What makes a good leader * A few hidden gem food spots in NYC https://www.wiz.io/ https://www.next-gen-law.com/ [https://www.next-gen-law.com/] https://www.kelseystreetpress.org/product-page/instructions-for-banno