Small City Startup
Small City Startup
Ston Nguyen
How do startups build, scale, grow, and raise venture capital outside of Silicon Valley? We are here to find out.
Calvin Sedao from Awana.io
Calvin Sedao is the founder and CEO of Awana.io, a platform that is globalizing employment to create opportunities in Latin America and open a larger talent pool for US companies. In this episode we talk about the pivot from the original business idea, and we also talk about the importance of networking.  How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie Conscious Capitalism by John Mackey  Awana website Calvin Sedao
Apr 12, 2022
46 min
Nigel Sharp from Aquagga
Nigel Sharp has been a large player in the startup community for a long time. He has hosted Tedx Talks and organized startup events throughout the country. He is currently the CEO of Aquagga, which is an important Tacoma-based company focused on removing PFAS from our water streams. Listen to learn more about PFAS and Nigel's journey in the startup ecosystem.  Dark Waters John Oliver on PFAS (Youtube) Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers, and Innovators Create and Dominate Markets by Al Ramadan The Startup Way: How Modern Companies Use Entrepreneurial Management to Transform Culture and Drive Long-Term Growth by Eric Ries The Lean Startup by Eric Ries The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you by Rob Fizpatrick
Feb 22, 2022
53 min
Claudius Mbemba from Neu
Claudius Mbemba is the CTO of Neu, a solution for Airbnb hosts and cleaners to easily collaborate with one another. In this episode, we talk about Claudius' extensive entrepreneurship background and some of his challenges in his current startup.  Neu  Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday  Success Habits by Napoleon Hill  The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni  Claudius Mbemba LinkedIn
Jan 15, 2022
37 min
Branden Doyle from Violett
Branden Doyle is the founder and CEO of Violett, a startup that has a unique way of effectively purifying the air. In this episode, we discuss leaving his stable job during a pandemic, how he went from ideation to creation, and fundraising.  www.violett.com The Lean Startup Zero to One Founder's Dilemma Traction Trajectory Startup
Dec 31, 2021
38 min
Dr. Matt Tolentino from Namatad
Matt is the founder and CEO of Namatad. Namatad creates easy-to-use technology that connects people, promotes safety, and enables data driven decision making. We talk about non-dilutive funding and forming the right team. Namatad Website Matt Tolentino LinkedIn The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki Start with Why by Simon Sinek Startup Bible Dare to Lead & Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
Dec 10, 2021
39 min
Caleb Page from PropertyScout.io
Caleb Page is the Chief Executive Officer of PropertyScout.io. He is serial entrepreneur who has started and exited multiple companies. We talk about his experience in previous endeavors and how he ended up where he is today. www.propertyscout.io Caleb Page LinkedIn Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki The E-Myth Revisited by Gerber Michael Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't by Verne Harnish 
Nov 13, 2021
36 min
Will Gordon from Latchel
Will Gordon is the Chief Operating Officer at Latchel, an innovative tech solution for property managers. Latchel is a YC startup that is headquartered here in my hometown city of Tacoma, Washington. We talk about how he got started, his early funding, and his experience at Y Combinator. www.latchel.com www.startupschool.org Living With Complexity by Dan Norman Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb Antifragile by Nassim Taleb
Nov 3, 2021
32 min
Tahni McGaughy from Empathy Admin
Tahni McGaughy joins me today from Empathy Admin. She is the Chief Marketing Officer and this isn't her first rodeo into business. We talk about some of her other earlier businesses, how she ended up here, and her future plans.  www.empathyadmin.com Tahni McGaughy - LinkedIn www.thesmallcitystartup.com A Little Manual for Knowing - Esther Lightcap Meek
Sep 8, 2021
32 min
Syed Jamal from Branta and Collegey
Syed Jamal is the founder and CEO of two companies right here in my hometown city of Tacoma. In this episode we learn how Syed came to the United States with only 6 months of savings and incorporating his business after one month of living in the States. We also discuss how he is building a tech platform with no tech experience. www.branta.com www.collegey.com
Aug 14, 2021
54 min