Casual Pour
Casual Pour
Casual Pour
SEASON 2 PREMIERS AUGUST 14TH: Every Thursday, two childhood friends & startup investors - Robert Harary and Sol Betesh - go head-to-head on the hottest headlines in business, media, and tech then interview some of the industry’s most impactful people over a glass of their favorite cocktail. Robert is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist with 100+ portfolio companies. Sol is an angel investor and growth strategist, launching and acquiring consumer brands across the globe.
"The Guy Who Keeps Giving David Dobrik Cars" with Ian Borthwick
Ian Borthwick - Head of Influencer Channels at SeatGeek - joins Robert and Sol for a conversation about influencer marketing, working with leading internet personalities, how creators are making money, and the future of content creation. Ian shares his stories working with creators like David Dobrik, Casey Neistat, and more.  First, Robert and Sol talk about Epic Games' suit against Apple for their massive fees on in-app purchases and how larger companies are using their marketplaces to compete with their own customers. 
Aug 20, 2020
56 min
"The Prick to Productivity Ratio" with Kara Swisher
SEASON 2 PREMIERE  Kara Swisher - Founder of Recode, Host of Recode Decode, Host of The Award Winning Pivot Podcast, and world-renowned tech journalist - sits down with Robert and Sol to talk about what some of the world's top tech executives are like when the cameras aren't rolling. Kara talks about interviewing Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates + shares her thoughts on how technology impacts a number of industries.  First, Robert and Sol talk about Tik Tok's impending ban in the United States and which companies could potentially buy the business. 
Aug 13, 2020
1 hr 2 min
Why Uber Wants a Big Bite of Grubhub
Mixing it up this week!  This episode is all Robert and Sol so hopefully, you like them enough to bear with them. The guys have a drink and talk through Uber’s potential acquisition of GrubHub, Beyond Meat’s stock price’s sudden surge, and the major financial fraud scandal at Luckin Coffee that lead to the CEO and COO being fired. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
May 13, 2020
33 min
What Journalists Actually Care About
Erin Griffith, Domestic Correspondent at the New York Times covering Venture Capital and Startups, joins us for a conversation about getting media attention for your company, what it takes to be a journalist, and what tips she has to recognize the truth in every story. First, we’ll talk about Elon Musk’s Twitter rant, its affect on the company stock price, and his role as CEO of Tesla. Afterwards, we’ll catch up with Justin Lafazan - Co CEO of NextGen HQ - to talk about how the networking and events industry is responding to COVID-19. After our interview with Erin, we’ll discuss Spotify’s growth through 2020, how COVID has affected the type of music we listen to, and how Spotify stacks up next to Apple Music. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
May 5, 2020
1 hr 14 min
How to Not Get Fat During Quarantine
Josh Bonhotal, VP of Operations at Future Fit, Zooms in to talk about how technology is making it easier than ever to work out from home. Future connects individuals with personal trainers over video chat and through their app, making working out from home easier than ever. First, we’ll discuss whether major tech companies like Amazon and Facebook are getting too big. After that, we’ll have Nina Stepanov and Amir Tehrani in for Casual Calls. Nina Stepanov: Principal at Acceleprise Amir Tehrani: Founder and CEO of Our Place --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Apr 28, 2020
1 hr 15 min
How to Make it Big Inside a Bigger Company
Mike Kurzeja, Senior Manager of Corporate Strategy, Innovation, and Sustainability at Exelon (and Sol’s former boss) sits down with us to talk about how to make a name for yourself at and how to make an impact in an enormous, global company. Mike fills us in on how huge companies like Exelon make decisions, why corporations operate the way they do, and how in-trepreneurship works. First, we’ll talk about AirBnb’s $2B raises split into two $1B tranches following a 96% dip in bookings through COVID-19. After our drink with Mike, we’ll discuss the $2 Trillion stimulus package and what reopening the economy could look like. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Apr 21, 2020
1 hr 6 min
How to Get Celebrities to Give You Money
Eman Pahlavani, Cofounder of HUNGRY, sits down with us to talk about how to raise money from A-List celebrities. HUNGRY has raised $30,000,000+ from investors like JAY-Z, Jay Brown, Usher, Kevin Hart, and more. Their platform connects independent chefs with companies looking to cater for their workplace (and, during COVID-19, their home offices). First, we’ll talk about WeWork’s $3 Billion lawsuit against SoftBank and how we feel about both of those companies. After our interview with Eman, we’ll talk about Hollywood’s response to COVID and what streaming platforms stand to gain the most from the sudden change in the way people are streaming due to sheltering in place. Our Friends this Week for Casual Calls: Kara La Forgia: Founder and CEO of KAZ Konsulting Michael Bethoney & Natanel Malkoukian: Heads of New Development at Nest Seekers, The Serhant Team --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Apr 14, 2020
1 hr 12 min
So Does Quibi Suck? Yep.
Emil Davityan, Former Cyber Security Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Australia and the Founder of Bluedot, has a (pre-recorded before Coronavirus) drink with us to talk about Geofencing - what it means, how it works, and all of the ways we’ll interact with it in our day to day. He’ll also share some lessons he learned building a team, partnering up with one of his best friends, and rising to the occasion of leading a growing company. First, we’ll talk about how we felt after using Quibi (if the episode title didn’t give it away - not great), how it stacks up next to other streaming platforms, and what they can do to compete. After our drink with Emil, we’ll break down a class action lawsuit against Zoom for allegedly giving user information to Facebook without user permission. Our Friends This Week: Marcus Stroud - Founding Partner @ TXV Partners Oliver D’Abo Hurwitz - Founder of Logos News Steve Fletcher - Venture Capital & Real Estate Investor --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Apr 7, 2020
1 hr 11 min
Coronavirus in the Age of Memes
Looks like Quarantine Week just turned into Quarantine Month! The US is still sheltering in place so we’ll be continuing our episodes over Zoom until the guidance clears. Rowan Winch and Lewis Weed jump on a Zoom call with us to talk about how to make money off of memes. Rowan and Lewis both run viral meme accounts that have landed them on the front page of the New York Times and have allowed them to make a way better living than you would think. First, we’ll talk about how the world is going to change after the Coronavirus crisis passes - what our relationship with companies and tech is going to look + how we’ll respond as a society moving forward.  After our chat with Rowan and Lewis - we’ll talk about stock buybacks, how they work, and how we feel about them. Our Friends This Week: Luv Tulsidas - CEO of Techolution and Founder of Faceopen Joseph Beyda - Financial Analyst for Google’s Data Center Real Estate Division Abie Sarway - Founder of the Sarway Group within Douglas Elliman Real Estate --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Mar 31, 2020
1 hr 11 min
We’re All Quarantined!
It’s Quarantine Week! We’re recording Casual Pour from our homes over Zoom. This week, Brett Harrison - Founder and CEO of Roomie - joins us for a conversation about how to be an entrepreneur in college without sacrificing your life as a college student. Roomie takes in your typical dorm room twin bed and rents out comfortable, full-size mattresses to students across 20+ universities and growing. First, we’ll talk about how our companies are fairing during Coronavirus and then bring in a few of our friends to talk about how their businesses, industries, portfolio companies, etc. are being impacted by the virus. Our friends this week: Eman Pahlavani - COO of HUNGRY Marketplace Dan Fleischmann - VP at KitchenFund (By Chloe, Sweetgreen, Gregory’s Coffee, and more) Majd Maksad - CEO of Status Money Kendrick Kho - Investor at Global Founders Capital (Facebook, Slack, LinkedIn, Canva, HelloFresh, and more) After our conversation with Brett, we’ll talk through the Casino stocks getting hammered and what the future of gambling looks like. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Mar 24, 2020
1 hr 12 min
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