Elizabeth Zalman on Why Investors Aren’t Your Friends

Elizabeth Zalman on Why Investors Aren’t Your Friends

Elizabeth Zalman is a 4x founder who’s raised ~$80M, built StrongDM, and now leads Sandgarden while also co-authoring "Founder vs Investor: The Honest Truth About Venture Capital from Startup to IPO" with Jerry Neumann. We talk about how she started as a scrappy eBay/consignment hustle that forced Elizabeth to build software before she ever “became a founder.” Then we go deep on her hard-earned lessons on how to choose investors, run boards without losing control, and why her rule is “Never send your deck.” In this episode, we cover: • The “Never Send Your Deck” rule—and how it changes your fundraising dynamics • Why investors aren’t your friends (and how to build a healthy, productive relationship anyway) • How to run board meetings that actually help (including when to use pre-reads vs live discussion) • Sandgarden’s pivot into Doc.Holiday and what AI changes about shipping code and documenting it Check out the full episode notes, transcripts, and all links on Substack: 👉 https://aggaeus.com/ [https://aggaeus.com/] SPONSORS - EXCLUSIVE FOR AGGAEUS PODCAST LISTENERS: KARDZ.BIZ BUY 2, GET 3 ON KARDZ.BIZ — UP TO $479 VALUE. [https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty] AGGAEUSB2G3PREMIUM - for PREMIUM cards AGGAEUSB2G3PRO+ - for PRO+ cards When face-to-face impressions matter, pull out Kardz.Biz, the “business card too good to give away”. Use this link: https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty [https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty] BETTER WEIGHT FOR LIFE SAVE 10% ON BETTER WEIGHT FOR LIFE’S GLP-1 PROGRAMS WITH CODE AGGAEUS10 (LIMITED TIME). [https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus] Better Weight For Life is a transformational weight loss program led by a U.S. board-certified physician—designed to keep it simple: personalized GLP-1 treatment, expert support, and discreet delivery. They offer options including Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Zepbound®, Mounjaro®, plus compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide (eligibility depends on your medical evaluation). Claim the offer here: https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus [https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus] CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH ZALMAN LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethzalman/] Sandgarden [https://www.sandgarden.com/] CONNECT WITH HAGGAI LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/klormaneraqi/] FOLLOW AGGAEUS Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aggaeus/] TikTok [ https://www.tiktok.com/@aggaeus] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@AggaeusOfficial] SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aggaeus/id1844550735] INQUIRIES 💼 Sponsorships / Business: talktous@aggaeus.com [ talktous@aggaeus.com] 🎙 Podcast: DM via Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aggaeus/] DISCLAIMER Some links may earn affiliate commissions. Offers, terms, and availability may change without notice. Aggaeus content is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should conduct your own research and consult qualified professionals before making any decisions. We may feature companies, products, or entities in which Aggaeus, its affiliates, or the author have invested or may invest, or with which they have had, have, or may have a financial, professional, or other relationship.

Eric Malka & The Art of Shaving from Start-Up to a P&G Exit

Eric Malka arrived in NYC on a Greyhound bus with no money, no education, and no green card, and then built The Art of Shaving from a single 200-sq-ft shop into a $100M+ brand acquired by Procter & Gamble. We talk about turning story + customer obsession into a premium brand from creation to exit. We unpack: • The “New York Times moment” that took sales from $10K/month to $10K/day • How to build a culture that scales (and why one bad salesperson can kill a brand) • M&A lessons: earn-outs, bankers, fear/greed, and protecting founders from themselves • What Eric does now: Strategic Brand Investments helping founders win in beauty, wellness, and grooming Check out the full episode notes, transcripts, and all links on Substack: 👉 https://aggaeus.com/ [https://aggaeus.com/] SPONSORS - EXCLUSIVE FOR AGGAEUS PODCAST LISTENERS: KARDZ.BIZ BUY 2, GET 3 ON KARDZ.BIZ — UP TO $479 VALUE. [https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty] AGGAEUSB2G3PREMIUM - for PREMIUM cards AGGAEUSB2G3PRO+ - for PRO+ cards When face-to-face impressions matter, pull out Kardz.Biz, the “business card too good to give away”. Use this link: https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty [https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty] BETTER WEIGHT FOR LIFE SAVE 10% ON BETTER WEIGHT FOR LIFE’S GLP-1 PROGRAMS WITH CODE AGGAEUS10 (LIMITED TIME). [https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus] Better Weight For Life is a transformational weight loss program led by a U.S. board-certified physician—designed to keep it simple: personalized GLP-1 treatment, expert support, and discreet delivery. They offer options including Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Zepbound®, Mounjaro®, plus compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide (eligibility depends on your medical evaluation). Claim the offer here: https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus [https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus] CONNECT WITH ERIC MALKA LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-malka-9071529/] Website [https://strategicbrandinvestments.com/] CONNECT WITH HAGGAI LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/klormaneraqi/] FOLLOW AGGAEUS Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aggaeus/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@aggaeus] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@AggaeusOfficial] SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aggaeus/id1844550735] INQUIRIES 💼 Sponsorships / Business: talktous@aggaeus.com [talktous@aggaeus.com] 🎙 Podcast: DM via Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aggaeus/] DISCLAIMER Some links may earn affiliate commissions. Offers, terms, and availability may change without notice. Aggaeus content is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should conduct your own research and consult qualified professionals before making any decisions. We may feature companies, products, or entities in which Aggaeus, its affiliates, or the author have invested or may invest, or with which they have had, have, or may have a financial, professional, or other relationship. #Entrepreneurship #Branding #Retail #Leadership #Acquisition

Ra’anan Cohen: IPOs, Unicorns & Black Swans, oh my!

Ra’anan Cohen has lived the full founder arc: he built one company to an IPO (MobileMax), built another into a unicorn (Bringg), then wrote a brutally honest memoir that became a bestselling business book in Israel—and is now being adapted into a TV series. In this episode, Ra’anan and Haggai go into the decisions that define a founder’s life: the moment Ra’anan turned down a $10M offer to take money off the table (and what it taught him about risk, ego, and timing), the “Black Swan” events you can’t predict (like the iPhone) that can erase entire business models overnight, and the messy reality of boards, investors, and secondaries—when to take chips off the table, and when to stay hungry. What you’ll learn: • How to think about “life-changing money” vs. “founder pride” • Why Black Swans hit founders harder than markets—and how to build resilience anyway • The real tradeoffs of secondaries, dilution, and investor dynamics • What Ra’anan wishes he knew from the beginning Check out the full episode notes, transcripts, and all links on Substack: 👉 https://aggaeus.com/ [https://aggaeus.com/] SPONSORS - EXCLUSIVE FOR AGGAEUS PODCAST LISTENERS: KARDZ.BIZ BUY 2, GET 3 ON KARDZ.BIZ — UP TO $479 VALUE. [https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty] AGGAEUSB2G3PREMIUM - for PREMIUM cards AGGAEUSB2G3PRO+ - for PRO+ cards When face-to-face impressions matter, pull out Kardz.Biz, the “business card too good to give away”. Use this link: https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty [https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty] BETTER WEIGHT FOR LIFE SAVE 10% ON BETTER WEIGHT FOR LIFE’S GLP-1 PROGRAMS WITH CODE AGGAEUS10 (LIMITED TIME). [https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus] Better Weight For Life is a transformational weight loss program led by a U.S. board-certified physician—designed to keep it simple: personalized GLP-1 treatment, expert support, and discreet delivery. They offer options including Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Zepbound®, Mounjaro®, plus compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide (eligibility depends on your medical evaluation). Claim the offer here: https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus [https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus] CONNECT WITH RA’ANAN COHEN LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/raananc/] Website [https://www.raanancohen.com/] CONNECT WITH HAGGAI LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/klormaneraqi/] FOLLOW AGGAEUS Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aggaeus/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@aggaeus] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@AggaeusOfficial] SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aggaeus/id1844550735] INQUIRIES 💼 Sponsorships / Business: talktous@aggaeus.com [talktous@aggaeus.com] 🎙 Podcast: DM via Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aggaeus/] DISCLAIMER Some links may earn affiliate commissions. Offers, terms, and availability may change without notice. Aggaeus content is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should conduct your own research and consult qualified professionals before making any decisions. We may feature companies, products, or entities in which Aggaeus, its affiliates, or the author have invested or may invest, or with which they have had, have, or may have a financial, professional, or other relationship. #Startups #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #Leadership #Unicorn

Neal Foard on Storytelling That Wins Trust

Haggai is a paying customer of Neal Foard’s Storyfire—and this episode is the “how it actually works” playbook. After 30+ years in advertising and sales, Neal has a simple conviction: most people don’t lose deals because their product is weak—they lose because their story is forgettable. We talk about the real mechanics behind persuasion: why the best pitches feel like show business, how to turn your messaging into a “love letter” your customers actually want to read, and why “kindness” can be a ruthless competitive advantage when everyone else sounds the same. If you sell anything—an idea, a product, a vision—this conversation will sharpen your edge. In this episode, you’ll learn: • The “Broadway” approach to building a pitch: stakes → tension → payoff • The love-letter framework that turns features into felt value • How to make every meeting “the best part of their day” (and win repeat business) • Why most marketing fails: it’s too smart and not human enough • Where AI helps—and where humans still dominate: taste, empathy, trust Check out the full episode notes, transcripts, and all links on Substack: 👉 https://aggaeus.com/ [https://aggaeus.com/] SPONSORS - EXCLUSIVE FOR AGGAEUS PODCAST LISTENERS: KARDZ.BIZ BUY 2, GET 3 ON KARDZ.BIZ — UP TO $479 VALUE. [https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty] AGGAEUSB2G3PREMIUM - for PREMIUM cards AGGAEUSB2G3PRO+ - for PRO+ cards When face-to-face impressions matter, pull out Kardz.Biz, the “business card too good to give away”. Use this link: https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty [https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty] BETTER WEIGHT FOR LIFE SAVE 10% ON BETTER WEIGHT FOR LIFE’S GLP-1 PROGRAMS WITH CODE AGGAEUS10 (LIMITED TIME). [https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus] Better Weight For Life is a transformational weight loss program led by a U.S. board-certified physician—designed to keep it simple: personalized GLP-1 treatment, expert support, and discreet delivery. They offer options including Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Zepbound®, Mounjaro®, plus compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide (eligibility depends on your medical evaluation). Claim the offer here: https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus [https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus] CONNECT WITH NEAL FOARD LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/neal-foard/⁠] Website [https://www.storyfire.net/⁠] CONNECT WITH HAGGAI LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/klormaneraqi/⁠] FOLLOW AGGAEUS Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aggaeus/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@aggaeus] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@AggaeusOfficial] SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aggaeus/id1844550735] INQUIRIES 💼 Sponsorships / Business: talktous@aggaeus.com [talktous@aggaeus.com] 🎙 Podcast: DM via Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aggaeus/] DISCLAIMER Some links may earn affiliate commissions. Offers, terms, and availability may change without notice. Aggaeus content is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should conduct your own research and consult qualified professionals before making any decisions. We may feature companies, products, or entities in which Aggaeus, its affiliates, or the author have invested or may invest, or with which they have had, have, or may have a financial, professional, or other relationship.

Stop Living in Overdraft: RiseUp CEO Yuval Samet on Cash Flow & AI

Yuval Samet helped scale Klarna from ~150 to ~2,000 people—then came back to Israel to tackle the most “quietly painful” problem in daily life: money stress. As CEO of RiseUp, he’s building financial wellbeing at scale by turning messy bank + card data into one clear picture of disposable income, plus step-by-step actions people actually follow. Yuval grew up with discussions about bank debt “as a guest at the dinner table”. That personal story became the company’s mission—and led to one of the most unconventional go-to-markets you’ll hear: sushi-and-wine house parties with customers about money, to learn how people really talk about finances, earn trust, and build a product that drives behavior change (not just dashboards). In this episode, we cover: • Why “compassionate capitalism” is more practical than it sounds • How RiseUp nudges people into real action: groceries, bills, bank fees, utilities, and more • What building on WhatsApp taught Yuval about platform risk (the hard way) • Where AI fits next: from recommendations → automated financial execution Check out the full episode notes, transcripts, and all links on Substack: 👉 https://aggaeus.com/ [https://aggaeus.com/] SPONSORS - EXCLUSIVE FOR AGGAEUS PODCAST LISTENERS: KARDZ.BIZ BUY 2, GET 3 ON KARDZ.BIZ — UP TO $479 VALUE. [https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty] AGGAEUSB2G3PREMIUM - for PREMIUM cards AGGAEUSB2G3PRO+ - for PRO+ cards When face-to-face impressions matter, pull out Kardz.Biz, the “business card too good to give away”. Use this link: https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty [https://kardz.biz/?ref=yqrmczty] BETTER WEIGHT FOR LIFE SAVE 10% ON BETTER WEIGHT FOR LIFE’S GLP-1 PROGRAMS WITH CODE AGGAEUS10 (LIMITED TIME). [https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus] Better Weight For Life is a transformational weight loss program led by a U.S. board-certified physician—designed to keep it simple: personalized GLP-1 treatment, expert support, and discreet delivery. They offer options including Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Zepbound®, Mounjaro®, plus compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide (eligibility depends on your medical evaluation). Claim the offer here: https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus [https://www.betterweightforlife.com/partners/aggaeus] CONNECT WITH YUVAL SAMET LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuvalsamet/] Website [https://www.letsriseup.com/] CONNECT WITH HAGGAI LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/klormaneraqi/] FOLLOW AGGAEUS Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aggaeus/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@aggaeus] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@AggaeusOfficial] SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aggaeus/id1844550735] INQUIRIES 💼 Sponsorships / Business: talktous@aggaeus.com [talktous@aggaeus.com] 🎙 Podcast: DM via Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aggaeus/] DISCLAIMER Some links may earn affiliate commissions. Offers, terms, and availability may change without notice. Aggaeus content is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should conduct your own research and consult qualified professionals before making any decisions. We may feature companies, products, or entities in which Aggaeus, its affiliates, or the author have invested or may invest, or with which they have had, have, or may have a financial, professional, or other relationship. #Money #Fintech #Cashflow #AI #Wellbeing