Startup Builders & Backers

HBX Group and What Startup Founders Can Learn From AI’s Transformation of the Travel Industry

What does it take to build, scale, sell a company, step away from business, and then return because you believe an entire industry is about to be reinvented by AI? In this episode of Startup Builders and Backers, I spoke with David Amsellem, founder of luxury concierge company John Paul and now Chief Distribution Officer at HBX Group, about entrepreneurship, innovation, and why the next generation of founders will win by orchestrating ecosystems rather than simply building standalone products. David’s story is particularly fascinating because it spans two very different startup eras. He launched his first company at a time when entrepreneurs still had to justify why they weren’t pursuing traditional careers. Today, he sees a completely different environment where speed, agility, AI, and access to capital are changing how startups compete against much larger organizations. But despite all the technology shifts, he believes the entrepreneurial mindset itself remains remarkably unchanged. Founders still need resilience, conviction, adaptability, and the willingness to keep moving when nobody else believes in the vision yet. A major theme throughout our conversation was how AI is reshaping entire industries faster than many business leaders realize. David explained how travel is moving away from the traditional “search, compare, book” model and toward conversational, agentic experiences powered by AI assistants. But rather than seeing this as a threat, he believes the biggest opportunity for founders lies in combining AI efficiency with deeply human experiences that technology alone cannot replicate. For startup founders, there are valuable lessons here about positioning, timing, and differentiation. David argued that modern startups increasingly succeed by connecting fragmented ecosystems and reducing friction rather than inventing entirely new categories from scratch. In his view, the companies most likely to win in the AI economy will be those capable of simplifying complexity behind the scenes while creating highly personalized customer experiences at the front end. We also explored the realities of balancing startup agility inside larger organizations. David spoke candidly about joining HBX Group as an entrepreneur entering a global corporate environment and the tensions that naturally emerge between operational consistency and rapid experimentation. His perspective on how founders and enterprises can work together without suffocating innovation offers some particularly useful insight for anyone navigating partnerships, acquisitions, or scale-up growth phases. One of the strongest moments in the conversation came when David discussed failure, risk, and founder psychology. He believes too many investors and corporations publicly celebrate innovation while privately punishing failure. Real innovation, he argues, requires giving people room to experiment, fail fast, adapt quickly, and learn without fear. It is a mindset he compares to raising children: creating structure and support while still allowing enough freedom for creativity and growth. David also shared a piece of advice many early-stage founders need to hear. Looking back, he believes startups often try to scale internationally far too early before securing a dominant position in their home market. The temptation to chase rapid expansion can distract founders from building operational strength, focus, and sustainable foundations. This episode is packed with practical insight for founders, operators, investors, and anyone building businesses in rapidly evolving industries. From AI disruption and ecosystem thinking to founder resilience and scaling strategy, David offers a refreshingly honest perspective on what it really takes to build companies in an era defined by acceleration and constant change.

Scaling AgTech Across Europe Lessons From eAgronom CEO Robin Saluoks

What does it take to transform one of the world’s oldest industries using some of the newest technologies available today? In this episode of Startup Builders and Backers, I sit down with Robin Saluoks, CEO and Co-Founder of eAgronom, to explore how a childhood connection to farming evolved into one of Europe’s fastest-growing climate-tech platforms. Robin shares how building a simple tool for his family farm at just 17 laid the foundation for a business now supporting more than 3,500 farms across 14 countries, helping them improve soil health, reduce emissions, and unlock new revenue streams through carbon credits. We spend time unpacking why agriculture has remained one of the least digitized industries for so long, and what is finally changing. From AI and satellite monitoring to real-time data collection, Robin explains how technology is beginning to fit into the realities of farm life without adding friction. He also brings clarity to one of the toughest challenges in climate tech today, measuring soil carbon accurately, and why poor data can undermine even the most advanced models. The conversation also explores the growing role of carbon markets and how farmers can participate without taking on unnecessary complexity or risk. Robin offers a practical view of how regenerative practices can improve profitability over time, why starting small matters, and how trust, local partnerships, and real-world results play a role in driving adoption. As farming becomes more data-driven, we also touch on the implications for data ownership, control, and the shifting balance of power across the agricultural ecosystem. So as technology reshapes how food is produced and how carbon is managed, are we building systems that truly work for farmers, or simply adding another layer of complexity to an already demanding industry?

How Founder-Led Thinking Creates Faster AI Innovation

What happens when the best AI hires are not AI specialists at all, but founders? In this episode of Startup Builders and Backers, I sat down with Fran Loftus, Chief Experience Officer at EliseAI, to talk about a hiring philosophy that goes against the grain. At a time when so many companies are chasing the same technical talent, EliseAI is betting on people with founder DNA, generalists who can move fast, solve problems across functions, and take ownership from day one. Fran brings a rare perspective to that conversation. She has lived both sides of it, first as a PropTech founder and now as an executive helping scale one of the most interesting vertical AI companies in the market. EliseAI supports operations for one in six U.S. apartments and is also automating workflows in healthcare, so this is not theory. It is a real-world look at how AI companies are being built, staffed, and scaled right now. We talked about why generalist founders can often outperform narrow specialists in fast-moving AI environments, and how EliseAI structures teams more like micro-companies than traditional departments. Fran explained why engineers need to stay close to customers, why speed means very little if you are heading in the wrong direction, and how shorter feedback loops can lead to better products and better outcomes. We also got into the bigger picture around leadership, org charts, and what happens as AI starts flattening layers of management. Fran shared why she believes strategy and execution are increasingly being owned by the same people, and why companies should stop fearing entrepreneurial employees who may one day leave to build something of their own. In her view, that mindset does not weaken a business, it makes it stronger. If you are building, funding, or scaling an AI company, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on what talent really looks like in 2026. It is about flexibility, customer obsession, and giving ambitious people the room to build inside your business before they build something of their own. What kind of team do you think will win in the AI era, and do you agree with Fran’s view that founder-minded talent is one of the biggest advantages a company can have? Share your thoughts.

The Hidden Cost Of A Bad Hire In Early Stage Startups

For founders moving fast and feeling pressure to scale, that insight alone could save months of frustration and lost momentum. We also explore how to balance urgency with long-term fit. Darren makes a strong case for clarity before speed. Know exactly what you are hiring for. Separate cultural alignment from core competency. And resist the temptation to drag out decisions when the fundamentals are not working. His perspective is grounded in experience, including lessons learned from hires that did not close deals or deliver results. Another standout theme in this episode is partnership. Darren explains how Vader-Rey positions itself beyond transactional recruiting. From executive succession planning to long-term workforce strategy, he describes what it really means to be trusted by leadership teams from the warehouse floor to the boardroom. For founders who want to build companies that last, long-term thinking is worth listening to. We also dig into modern workforce models. Darren discusses his approach to building distributed teams using virtual professionals, many based in the Philippines, and how treating them as valued team members rather than outsourced support changes performance and loyalty. There is also a practical conversation around using AI for contracts, process design, and operational efficiency, something many early-stage founders will find immediately actionable. And because no Startup Builders episode is complete without a little personality, we also touch on the story behind the Vader-Rey name, pro wrestling, hot sauce, Rocky movie montages, and the creative balance required to build a business without losing yourself in the process. If you are a first-time founder about to make your first three hires, or a startup leader wrestling with scale, culture, and delegation, this episode offers grounded advice from someone who has built the plane while flying it. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts. What was the most expensive hiring mistake you have seen, or made, and what did it teach you?

From Founder to Educator: How Danielle Vogel Is Shaping the Next Generation of Builders

What if entrepreneurship were not only about starting companies, but about shaping how a generation thinks about impact, ownership, and responsibility? In this episode of Startup Builders and Backers, I’m joined by Danielle Vogel, Assistant Director of the Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship at American University, where she works at the intersection of sustainability, entrepreneurship, and education. Danielle brings a rare perspective to the conversation, shaped by experience as a founder, an investor, and an educator supporting the next wave of builders long before they pitch a deck or incorporate a company. Before stepping into academia, Danielle founded and operated Glen's Garden Market, a climate-motivated grocery store in Washington, DC, that became a launchpad for local food entrepreneurs. Through that venture, she helped support more than 90 local businesses, with a strong emphasis on women founders and founders of color. That lived experience informs how she now thinks about access, capital, and what it really takes to build something sustainable, both financially and socially. We talk about her journey from founder to investor, including her direct investments, support for founders through the AccelerateHERdc grant program, and involvement with SoGal Ventures. Danielle shares how her approach to investing is shaped by values as much as returns, and why early belief, mentorship, and community can matter just as much as capital in the earliest stages of a startup’s life. The conversation also dives into her work at the Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship, where she supports students across undergraduate and graduate programs, including sustainable entrepreneurship courses, incubators, competitions, and speaker series. We explore how young people are redefining what it means to be entrepreneurial today, and why the mindset itself is becoming just as important as founding a company. This episode is not only about startups, funding, or accelerators. It is about expanding the definition of entrepreneurship, lowering the barriers to entry, and helping first-time builders take that initial step with clarity and confidence. As more young founders look for purpose alongside opportunity, how should we rethink what entrepreneurship really means, and who it is actually for? Useful Links * The Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship's LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/veloric-center/] * Follow Danielle Vogel on LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-vogel-015853222/] * Follow the Kogod School of Business on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-kogod-school-of-business-at-american-university/] * Kogod School of Business entrepreneurship website [https://kogod.american.edu/insights-and-impact/entrepreneurship] Thanks to our sponsors, Alcor, [https://alcor.com/podcast/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=tech_talks_daily&utm_content=tech_talks_network] for supporting the show.