The Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast
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Latest episodes
Davis Bell – CEO of Canopy
In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, we interview Davis Bell, CEO of Canopy, a SaaS platform for accounting practices. They discuss Canopy’s journey, including its growth from 100 to 170 employees and a 4-5x revenue increase since Bell joined in 2019. Bell highlights the challenges of prioritizing product development, navigating COVID-19, and raising capital, including a recent $35 million funding round. They also delve into leadership lessons, emphasizing transparency, team autonomy, and the importance of listening and curiosity in achieving better results. Bell shares insights on maintaining high employee engagement and navigating market challenges.
Amelia Wilcox – Founder & CEO of Nivati
In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, host Julian Castelli interviews Amelia Wilcox, founder and CEO of Nivati. They discuss the company’s pivot during the pandemic from providing onsite massage therapy to virtual wellness services, addressing the increased need for accessible mental health resources. Amelia shares the challenges of adapting to market trends, selling to HR departments, and the impact of the economic downturn on venture-backed tech companies. She also talks about Nivati’s strategic shift to focus on healthcare and education sectors, her personal journey as an entrepreneur, and the importance of self-care and mentoring. Amelia recommends resources for personal and professional growth, including the “How I Built This” podcast and books like “Extreme Ownership.”
Dave Carruthers – Co Founder of Voxpopme
In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, we speak with Dave Carruthers the Co Founder and former CEO of Voxpopme, a leading digital insights platform for large consumer product companies. Dave describes the lessons from his journey of expanding into the US market and growing the Company into an industry leader.
For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Deepak Sindwani – Co Founder of Wavecrest Growth Partners
In this Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast episode, Deepak Sindwani, co-founder of Wave Crest Growth Partners, shares his experiences in the growth equity sector, focusing on B2B software companies. He recounts his path from Bain Capital Ventures and Comcast Ventures to establishing his own growth equity firm, emphasizing the importance of resilience and humility. Deepak explains Wave Crest’s operating platform, which offers comprehensive support to portfolio companies, and details the success stories of some of his portfolio companies.
For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Sections:
Welcome to the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast (00:00:02)
Introduction to the podcast and its purpose.
Deepak’s Journey to Wave Crest Partners (00:00:27)
Deepak Simone’s background and experience in the investing business.
Founding Wave Crest Partners (00:01:51)
Deepak’s entrepreneurial journey and the founding of Wave Crest Partners.
Initial Struggles and First Fundraising (00:05:04)
Challenges faced during the initial stages of founding the firm and raising the first round of capital.
Growth and Expansion of Wave Crest Partners (00:10:34)
The growth of Wave Crest Partners from two people to a team of 15 and the raising of their first fund.
Investment Strategy and Target Companies (00:12:04)
Defining growth equity and the target range for investment in companies.
Supporting Founders in Growth and Expansion (00:15:55)
The role of Wave Crest Partners in assisting companies in the $5 to $20 million ARR range with growth and expansion strategies.
Value-Added Support for Portfolio Companies (00:18:11)
The expertise and value-added support that Wave Crest Partners provides to portfolio companies on their growth journey.
The Wave Crest Operating Platform (00:18:55)
Deepak explains the five pillars of value and support offered to founder-led capital-efficient B2B software companies.
Impel (00:20:20)
Deepak discusses the journey of a company named Impel (formerly Spin Car) and its evolution from a digital merchandising solution to an augmented reality platform for the automotive industry.
Challenges and Adaptation during COVID-19 (00:23:15)
Deepak shares how Impel faced challenges during COVID-19, initially experiencing a downturn and then benefiting from the shift in consumer behavior.
Acquisition and Evolution (00:25:34)
Discussion on the acquisition of a conversational AI business and its integration into Impel’s product, leading to a change in the company’s vision and trajectory.
Growth and Partnership (00:28:03)
Deepak highlights Impel’s growth, diversification of risk for the founders, and the partnership between Wave Crest and the company.
Recommendations (00:30:23)
Deepak shares podcast and book recommendations, including “All In” podcast, “Smart Lists” podcast, and books by Charlie Munger and the philosophy of “Die with Zero.”
Contact Information (00:33:29)
Deepak shares how to connect with Wave Crest and himself for further discussions and collaboration.
For more resources on how to be a a better leaders in business, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Andy Barraclough – Co Founder and CEO of Voxpopme
In this episode of the Growth Elevated Leadership Podcast, we hear from Andy Barraclough – Co Founder and CEO of Voxpopme. Andy shares how he has led the innovation and R&D groups at the Company with a “Product First” approach. This has allowed the Company to be at the leading edge of real time video feedback and work with some of the largest consumer product companies in the world! Check out the podcast and let us know what you think!
For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Chris Giles – Co-Founder & CEO of FanRally
Can the SaaS model be applied to professional sports? Join me as I speak with Chris Giles, CEO of FanRally who is pioneering a new subscription service for professional sports teams. Is this the wave of the future? Hear how Chris believes subscription and club benefits provide a way for teams to build more direct connectivity with their fans, and provide those fans with a more intimate, value added experience.
For more resources on how to be a a better leaders in business, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Lonnie Mayne – Former President of InMoment
Lonnie Mayne, former President of SaaS Company InMoment shares the story of how he helped grow the Company as a member of the early founding team. Later, as the Company grew Lonnie helped with mergers and acquisitions and played a critical role in shaping the unique culture of the Company that helped it compete for large clients like McDonalds. Lonnie’s impact with culture was a hit, so much so that he was soon speaking externally about his new “Red Shoes” culture, and he eventually wrote a book about it!
For more resources on how to be a a better leaders in business, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Darren Dunn – Founder of Zartico
Darren Dunn shares the story of how he founded Zartico, and built the team that helped grow the Company into a successful data driven SaaS/DaaS company. Zartico is a Company that powers the possibility of place by helping tourism boards and destination management organizations understand the who, what, when and where of their visitors.
For more resources on how to be a a better leaders in business, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Eric Morgan – Former CEO of Workfront
Eric Morgan shares how as CEO he grew Workfront, a SaaS project management platform 5X in five years, and set the Company on a successful path to continued growth and an eventual $Billion+ strategic sale in 2020.
For more resources on how to be a a better leader in business, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Trail Marker: Cap Table Vietnam
Does closing your next round feel as hard as finding a good outcome for a losing land war in Asia? Unfortunately, you are not alone in this difficult financing environment. I have talked with so many Founders and Tech leaders who are currently struggling to get new equity financing. In this episode, we explore some of the most challenging cap table “traps” to avoid, and some strategies for ensuring you don’t get stuck in a capital trap.
For more resources on how to be a better leader, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Scott Stone – Former Chief Strategy Officer of Chargeback
Wondering how to proactively position your company to be acquired some day? Strategic partnerships are a tried and true strategy.
In this episode of the Podcast, Scott Stone, former Chief Strategy Officer of Chargeback.com, explains how Chargeback formed and grew a successful partnership with Sift that allowed them to create a repeatable sales motion with mutual customers and prospects that accelerated their sales cycle. The process worked so well that it eventually triggered strategic discussions between the companies that led to Chargeback’s acquisition by Sift in 2021.
For more resources on how to be a better leader, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Trail Marker: The Struggle
Frustrated? Exhausted? Feel like you have nobody to turn to who can understand what you are going through? Welcome to the Struggle, you are not alone but…
In this Trail Marker we explore some of the unique pains, challenges and insecurities founders and entrepreneurial leaders face and a few ideas on how to successfully manage them.
For more resources on how to be a better leader, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
John Munro – Former CEO at Chargeback.com
John Munro shares how as CEO he grew Chargeback, a company that helps retailers manage credit card disputes, into a successful SaaS company and led the Company to a successful exit in 2021.
For more resources on how to be a a better leaders in business, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Jonas Fridrichsen – Former CRO at VerityStream
What is Product Market Fit? How do you know when you have it? In this episode, Jonas Fridrichsen, a multiple time CRO shares his definition of PMF. In addition, Jonas dives deep into what it takes to build out sales teams, the relationship between sales and customer success teams and the pros and cons of hiring new sales teams vs experienced veterans.
Learn more about Jonas here.
Bassam Salem – Founder & CEO of AtlasRTX
Today we welcome Bassam Salem, the Founder & CEO of AtlasRTX, to the podcast. Bassam shares how he built one of the original AI Assistant platforms for sales and marketing departments.
Bassam also discusses some of the benefits and challenges of bootstrapping his company, and shares some key insights about how to hire the absolute best people possible by ensuring they are aligned with Company values.
Learn more about Bassam’s company AtlasRTX here.
For more resources on how to be a better leader, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Joel Inman – CEO Lexicon Travel Technologies
Joel Inman shares insights from his 5 year journey leading Lexicon Travel Technologies. Joel shares some of the highs and lows of the journey as well as some valuable lessons learned during the experience.
For more resources on how to be a better leader in business, visit us at GrowthElevated.com and follow us on LinkedIn
Scott Beck – CEO of CHG Healthcare
Scott Beck shares how as CEO he grew CHG Healthcare into a multi-billion dollar enterprise, and how culture and listening to his team were the key secrets to his success!
For more resources on how to be a a better leaders in business, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Trail Marker: Hire Slow. Fire Fast.
Julian digs deep into the well known but hard to execute concept of “Hire Slow and Fire Fast” and how to avoid the emotional temptations to do exactly the opposite.
For more resources on how to be a better leader in business, please vist us at GrowthElevated.com and LinkedIn
Maile Keone – CEO Listen Technologies
Today Julian Castelli sits down with Maile Keone, CEO of Listen Technologies, Assistive Listening and Communication Solutions for Inclusive Experiences.
Maile discusses how she moved up the Executive ladder from VP of Marketing to VP of Sales & Marketing, to CMO, to CRO, and finally to CEO and her realizations and challenges along her leadership journey.
For more resources on how to be a a better leaders in business, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Trail Marker: Who’s In Your Corner?
Julian dives deeper into the idea of having a mentor or coach. As a tech leader, its lonely at the top. Do you have a mentor or coach that can help you make better decisions? Who do you call when you need an objective, trusted voice that has your best interests at heart?
For more resources on how to be a better leader, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Ernest Oriente – Founder of PowerHour
Today Julian Castelli sits down with Ernest Oriente, author and professional coach of 28 years with his company PowerHour.
Ernest shares how he built PowerHour and some of the critical lessons he helps business leaders learn and some of the most critical skills that he helps them with, including Executive Recruiting, Onboarding, Leadership Coahcing and Executive Productivity.
Company: PowerHour
Author of the book: Smart Match Alliances
For more resources on how to become a better leader, please visit us at GrowthElevated.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Spotlighting Visionary Tech Leaders
Learn from the established leaders and innovative companies that have taken center stage on our podcast. Join us in celebrating the trailblazers who are shaping the future of technology.
Spotlighting Visionary Tech Leaders
Learn from the established leaders and innovative companies that have taken center stage on our podcast. Join us in celebrating the trailblazers who are shaping the future of technology.
What Do We Cover?
The Growth Elevated Leadership Podcasts covers technology leadership topics such as:
- The start up journey
- How to build great teams
- How to raise capital for your start up
- How to scale beyond the start up phase
- Organizational design best practices
- How to prepare yourself for exit
- How to lead your team through difficult times
- How Venture Funds Will Evaluate Your Company
- How PE Funds Think About Your Business
Our Mission
Our mission is to help as many tech leaders as possible climb the growth mountain. To us, climbing the growth mountain means building meaningful companies that have a positive impact in the world. It also means succeeding at growing these businesses so that they can create valuable returns and rewards for management teams, investors, customers, employees and communities.
ABOUT THE HOST
Julian Castelli is the founder of Growth Elevated. He has been leading Tech Companies for over 20 years as a Founder, CEO, COO, CFO, Board Chair, Board Director and Executive Coach. Julian has been hosting Tech Leaders at the annual Growth Elevated Ski + Tech Summit since 2018 and currently works helping to scale a number of exciting growth stage companies.
Be a Guest
We look forward to learning from all types of leaders, investors and advisors. We've had great discusions with Founders, CEOs,CFOs, CROs, CTOs Board Directors, Venture Capital Investors, PE Investors and Operating Partners, Executive Coaches and all sorts of Advisors. If your work involves helping Tech Companies win, we want to hear from you!
REQUEST A TOPIC
Got a burning question or a fascinating topic you'd love to hear discussed on our podcast? We want to hear from you! Share your ideas, interests, or any subject you think would make for an engaging conversation.
Your input could shape the next episode. Let's make this podcast a conversation we all want to be a part of. Drop your suggestions below and let's explore the world of ideas together!