In this season’s finale of The Room Podcast, we're thrilled to chat with Neil Parikh, Co-Founder of Casper and current Co-Founder of Slingshot. Neil first disrupted the mattress industry by building Casper into a household name, pioneering the direct-to-consumer sleep revolution before taking the company public. Now, he's tackling an even bigger challenge with Slingshot, building a foundational AI model specifically designed for psychology and mental health therapy.In this episode, Neil takes us through his unconventional journey from medical school dropout to D2C pioneer, sharing the serendipitous moments that led to Casper's creation and the harsh realities of going public during a pandemic. We delve into the mental health crisis facing society, the limitations of current AI therapy approaches, and how Slingshot is training models on real-world human therapy data to create more effective interventions. Neil also opens up about his therapy journey, the power of taking nudges when they appear, and why he believes we're entering an era of unprecedented change that will reshape how we think about mental health access and self-actualization.(04:06) Where did Neil grow up and how has that shaped his view of the world?(04:54) Did Neil always think he was gonna become a founder?(06:06) Was entrepreneurship in the water at Brown like it is today at Stanford or Harvard?(07:38) What led to Neil's decision to drop out of medical school?(10:52) What did Neil do after dropping out of medical school?(14:20) What made Neil believe that VC was the right route for a mattress company in 2014?(16:44) What was the name before Casper?(18:46) What advice would Neil have for DTC founders during this current climate?(22:17) What did Neil learn from the later stages of fundraising and preparing for the IPO?(27:14) How did Slingshot become the idea for Neil's next exciting phase?(31:40) How did Neil get the confidence to take "the nudge"?(32:48) How is Neil thinking about data sources, model training, and ethical guardrails for psychology?(38:53) How is Neil's model specificity even better than using ChatGPT for therapy?(41:58) Who's the first person to say yes to backing Slingshot?(43:25) What does Neil think is next for Slingshot and what is he excited for?(44:55) What's next for Neil personally, and what is he excited for this year?(46:34) Who is a woman in Neil's life that has had a profound impact on himself and his career?For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

Welcome back to another episode of The Room Podcast! This week, Madison and Claudia sit down with Alex Konrad, former Senior Editor at Forbes and now Founder of Upstarts Media. After a decade covering technology and venture capital at Forbes, where he pioneered coverage from the Midas List to the Cloud 100, Alex has launched his own media company focused on telling the stories of early-stage founders and companies challenging the status quo.Throughout this conversation, Alex shares insights from his front-row seat to some of tech's most defining moments, including interviews with industry leaders like Sam Altman and Mark Benioff. He discusses the evolution of media in the age of AI, his decision to bootstrap rather than raise venture funding, and his vision for building a community-first media company. Alex also reveals how his upbringing in New York City shaped his no-nonsense approach to tech reporting and why he believes the future of media lies in creating direct, authentic connections with audiences. Tune in for a fascinating look at the changing media landscape and what it takes to build a modern media company from the ground up.(03:52) Where did Alex grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?(04:49) Did Alex always think he would become a founder?(05:35) What was the story as an intern that Alex got printed?(07:57) When Alex reflects on his Forbes interviews with tech leaders like Satya Nadella and Sam Altman, which ones stand out most?(10:04) What has Alex learned about power, vision, or vulnerability from being in the room with industry giants?(12:10) Why has Legacy Media been struggling to build an authentic connection with the startup community?(13:27) How is Alex thinking about building a foundation with Upstarts that's going to build into a legacy as lasting as Forbes?(16:03) How is Alex going to be thinking about events as a complement to media?(17:30) Is Alex seeking venture dollars to get Upstarts off the ground?(19:52) If Blue Links are dead, how does Alex think building an audience for the future is going to shift with AI?(23:57) How is Alex using AI in his workflow from editorial decisions to distribution?(29:05) What's next for Upstarts and for Alex personally?(40:06) Who is a woman in Alex's life that has had a profound impact on him and his career?For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

Welcome back to another episode of The Room Podcast! This week, we're excited to chat with Anna Kazlauskas, Co-Founder of Vana, a pioneering company creating an alternative to centralized AI monopolies. Vana uses crypto principles like ownership, incentives, and decentralization to build AI models that users collectively own and benefit from, empowering individuals to control their data while earning from its use.In this enlightening conversation, Anna takes us through her journey from growing up in cold places around the world to her time at MIT's AI lab, and how that led to her vision for data ownership. We explore fascinating concepts like Data DAOs (which Anna compares to labor unions for your data), the emergent "DataFi" category, and how Vana enables users to pool their data to create more powerful AI models than any company could build. Anna shares invaluable insights on fundraising across both crypto and AI spaces, emphasizing the importance of aligning with investors on long-term vision. Tune in for a glimpse into how the future of data ownership could revolutionize our relationship with technology.(00:00) Introduction(03:57) Where did Anna grow up, and how has that shaped her view of the world?(05:25) Did Anna always think she was going to become a founder?(06:58) How did Anna go from just building in general to building in a tech-forward way at MIT?(08:44) What research did Anna ultimately do during her time at MIT's CSAIL?(11:02) How did Anna's insight around the power of data lead to iAmbic, her YC batch 2018 startup?(14:21) How did Anna's experience at Celo shape her understanding of decentralization and data ownership?(16:52) How did Anna decide to start something again and commit to a five-to-ten-year journey?(18:14) Why should users care about Vana creating an alternative to centralized AI monopolies?(21:56) What kind of compensation models is Anna exploring for users who contribute their data?(24:30) To what extent does Anna feel big tech companies will start to empower users with their data to compete with the unionization DAO approach?(27:20) Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Anna?(31:30) How has Anna navigated constantly evolving her story and telling that to both customers and investors?(34:41) What are some of the product and company-wide milestones that Anna is excited about looking into 2025 and beyond?(37:19) What degree of technical feasibility, from a crypto native perspective, is Anna seeing from these builders?(39:15) What is something Anna is most excited for that Vana will be launching later this year?(41:13) Who is a woman in Anna's life that has had a profound impact on her and her career?For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

In this episode, we are joined by Elia Wallen, Founder and CEO of Engine (formerly Hotel Engine), the B2B travel booking platform that's streamlining how businesses manage their travel needs. From its origins as an internal tool for Elia's previous company, Travelers Haven, to becoming a $2.1 billion company, Engine has carved out a significant niche by focusing on serving SMBs with a frictionless approach to corporate travel management.In this conversation, Elia shares his unconventional path from dropping out of college to founding multiple businesses, including the fascinating story of how Engine began as a side project that he almost shut down several times. We explore his philosophy of maintaining "strong conviction loosely held," his approach to fundraising (including a nail-biting near-miss with payroll), and why staying focused on doing one thing extremely well before expanding was crucial to Engine's success. Elia also offers valuable insights on bootstrapping versus raising capital, building in a non-tech hub, and why eliminating friction for customers has been central to Engine's competitive advantage in the crowded travel tech space.(00:00) Introduction(04:20) Where did Elia grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?(04:42) Why did growing up in Naples push Elia to succeed?(05:32) Did Elia always think he was going to become a founder?(06:28) How did earlier founding experiences shape his view of leadership?(07:28) What is Engine's core product?(08:51) How does someone break into the corporate travel space?(10:05) How did Elia think about scaling the go-to-market motion?(11:59) How did Elia position Engine as it scaled?(13:55) How did Elia and his leadership team discern which was the right scaling direction to go?(15:57) How does a founder balance extreme focus while managing two businesses?(18:29) How was building a company in Denver, and what prompted the decision to move to the Bay Area?(20:42) How did fundraising begin for Engine?(22:40) What is a moment when things didn't go as planned during Elia's founder journey?(25:41) How did Engine think about building out both the integration suite and the business model?(28:25) How will AI affect Engine's business model and policies?(30:07) How is Engine thinking about diversifying customer benefits?(31:35) How is Elia feeling about corporate travel as a sector for growth and opportunity?(32:04) Where does Elia think Engine and he will be in five years?(33:20) Who is a woman in Elia's life that has had a profound impact on him and his career?For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

Welcome back to The Room Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Matan Grinberg and Eno Reyes, co-founders of Factory, a company building the command center for software development. With backgrounds in physics and computer science, this dynamic duo is unifying all engineering contexts from GitHub to Notion, empowering product and engineering teams to collaborate with autonomous AI systems. Their impressive journey has already attracted $20 million in funding from Sequoia, Lux Capital, and Mantis Ventures, positioning them at the forefront of the AI-native movement.During our conversation, Matan and Eno share their unexpected journey from Princeton classmates who barely interacted to co-founders who launched their company just eight days after reconnecting at an AI hackathon. They dive deep into how AI is shifting the center of gravity in software development from coding to understanding and planning, the challenges of enterprise adoption, and why they believe we're currently at "the lowest number of developers that will ever be for the rest of human history." Their insightful perspectives on building an AI-native company and transforming developer workflows offer valuable lessons for founders navigating the rapidly evolving AI landscape.(00:00) Introduction(03:56) Where did Matan and Eno grow up, and how did it shape their worldview?(06:29) Did Eno always think he'd become a founder?(07:01) Was it inevitable that Matan and Eno would start something together?(07:36) How did Matan and Eno end up in this room today?(09:15) Was it inevitable for them to start a company together after meeting at Princeton?(11:26) Did Matan always see himself becoming a founder?(11:33) How did Factory come to life after they reconnected?(16:05) Did the Factory demo work for their Sequoia pitch?(16:32) What was in Factory's original deck and demo?(18:29) What was the biggest challenge in getting developers to use Factory?(20:22) How does the Factory team see AI shaping the role of developers in the next five years?(22:04) What was Factory's go-to-market strategy and first big customer win?(30:06) What fundraising advice do they have for AI founders looking to raise a Series A?(32:19) What does it mean to be AI-native from Factory's perspective?(37:59) What inefficiencies did they see in developer workflows before starting Factory?(40:00) Does Factory care about chip technology like Nvidia versus Traum?(42:09) Where do they see Factory in five years?(45:06) Is Factory hiring?(45:31) What are they most excited about on Factory's roadmap?(49:18) Who is a woman that had a profound impact on Matan and his career?(50:33) Who is a woman that had a profound impact on Eno and his career?For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

This week, we're excited to speak with Tiancheng Lou, Co-Founder and CTO of Pony AI, a leading autonomous vehicle technology company that went public in November 2024. As a two-time Google Code Jam champion and former engineer at both Google X and Baidu's Autonomous Driving Division, Tiancheng brings exceptional technical expertise to his pioneering work in developing driverless technology with over 40 million kilometers of autonomous driving testing.In this episode, Tiancheng shares fascinating insights into the evolution of autonomous vehicle technology, explaining the difference between level two and level four autonomy and why highway driving is more challenging than city driving for AI. We explore Pony AI's virtual driver technology, their approach to commercialization, and how they're training AI through imitation learning and reinforcement learning in virtual environments. Tiancheng also offers valuable advice for founders on balancing technical ambition with market realities, the importance of finding the right co-founder with aligned visions, and why success can't be copied but failures can be avoided. Tune in for a deep dive into the future of transportation and the journey of building a billion-dollar autonomous technology company.(00:00) Introduction(04:09) Where did Tiancheng grow up, and how did that shape his view of the world?(04:43) Did Tiancheng always think he would become a founder?(05:11) How did Tiancheng's competitive programming background influence his approach to tech?(06:08) How did Tiancheng find out about these competitive programming competitions?(08:46) How did Tiancheng get into the autonomous vehicle space?(11:22) What advice would Tiancheng give listeners on how to break into the autonomous tech space?(13:16) What was the "aha moment' when Tiancheng realized he wanted to start Pony.ai?(14:54) What were the differences between the American and Chinese autonomous vehicle industries?(16:25) What is setting the new virtual driver technologies apart?(18:06) What sets the technologies for autonomous trucks and taxis apart from average consumer cars?(20:56) How do you prepare an autonomous car for unexpected events that may happen on the road?(23:24) When did Tiancheng first put an autonomous car on the road?(24:02) How have consumer reviews been of Pony.ai vehicles?(26:15) How does Pony.ai prioritize their developments?(29:23) Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Pony.ai?(31:02) What advice does Tiancheng have for first-time founders?\(32:30) How does Pony adapt to different regulatory environments across markets?(34:40) How important is mass production and scaling of autonomous vehicles to Pony.ai and the overall industry?(36:01) Are we now in the commercialization era of Robo Taxis?(37:05) Is there an amount of autonomous driving data or a certain metric that Pony.ai aims to collect?\(40:27) What are Tiancheng's thoughts on the future of AI?(42:03) What are Tiancheng's thoughts on Deep Seek?(43:41) What's the next market Pony.ai will be launching in, and what are their goals for global market expansion?(44:19) What's next for Tiancheng personally?(44:44) Who is a woman in Tiancheng's life that had a profound impact on him and his career?For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

In this episode, we're joined by Alexa Grabell, Co-Founder and CEO of Pocus, a company revolutionizing how sales teams work by creating AI agents that supercharge sales representatives. Pocus has developed a suite of tools that combine internal and external data to help sales teams identify opportunities, prepare for calls, and close deals more effectively, generating over half a billion dollars in pipeline for their customers in a single quarter.During our conversation, Alexa shares her journey from consulting at KPMG to Stanford Business School and eventually founding Pocus with her co-founder, Isaac, through the Lean Launchpad program. She offers valuable insights on building a sales team, navigating design partnerships, fundraising strategies for B2B startups, and the evolving landscape of AI-powered sales tools. Alexa also candidly discusses the challenges of being a female founder, the importance of finding community among peer founders, and how her mother's entrepreneurial spirit influenced her own path. Whether you're building a sales team, raising capital, or are interested in how AI is transforming business workflows, this episode delivers practical wisdom from someone who's successfully navigated these waters.(00:00) Introduction(03:52) Where did Alexa grow up and how did that shape her view of the world?(05:12) Did Alexa always think she was going to become a founder?(06:26) How were Alexa's experiences at Vanderbilt and KPMG?(08:07) Why did Alexa choose to go to business school after college?(09:07) How did Alexa's time at GSB encourage her to try becoming a founder?(12:41) What was the moment that made Alexa want to start Pocus?(14:06) How did Alexa navigate conversations with peers to find the right fit for a business partner?(15:56) What is the core product of Pocus?(17:27) How did Pocus successfully sell its product in the beginning?(18:45) What advice does Alexa have for founders in the design partnership phase?(21:16) How is Pocus helping move data from "Point A" to "Point B"?(22:34) Who was the first person to say "yes" to investing in Pocus?(23:18) What's a fundraising hot-take that Alexa has?(24:08) What advice does Alexa have for B2B founders raising their A?(25:41) How is Poucs thinking about and utilizing AI?(27:41) What can go wrong when building a marketing team?(28:59) What advice does Alexa have for PLG or B2B founders who might not feel comfortable in sales?(30:15) How should founders be thinking about the AI sales tool space and the modern tech stack?(31:56) How has the necessary startup capital changed over time?(33:06) What was a moment in founding Pocus when things didn't go as planned?(35:59) How has the experience of being a woman founder changed over time?(40:22) What's coming up for Pocus and for Alexa?(41:13) Who is a woman that has a profound impact on Alexa and her career?For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

Welcome back to another season of The Room Podcast! To kick off season 12, we are joined by Ryan Petersen, Founder and CEO of Flexport, the revolutionary digital freight forwarder transforming how goods move around the world. Launched in 2013, Flexport combines technology and logistics expertise to bring transparency and efficiency to the complex world of global trade, having grown to become the third-largest American company in the ocean freight industry.In this episode, Ryan takes us through his entrepreneurial journey, from his early days running an e-commerce business importing Chinese motorcycles to identifying the massive inefficiencies in international shipping that led to Flexport's creation. We dive into fascinating topics like building a company that combines tech talent with logistics veterans, navigating highly regulated international markets, and leveraging AI to transform an industry that still largely runs on email attachments. Ryan also shares valuable insights on fundraising strategies, responding to tariff changes, and maintaining resilience through unprecedented global disruptions like the pandemic and shipping crises. Tune in for a master class in spotting industry-wide inefficiencies and building a venture-scale business that's reshaping global trade.(04:06) Introduction(04:21) Where did Ryan grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?(06:11) Did Ryan always think he would become a founder?(07:29) What was Ryan's experience prior to Flexport, after Berkeley and Columbia?(13:06) What was doing business in China in the early 2000s like?(16:50) How did Ryan go from observing inefficiencies to creating Flexport's first product?(19:53) What's Ryan's advice on when founders should say no to customers?(25:00) When did Ryan know to hire supply chain experts versus engineers?(27:36) Who was the first person to invest in the Flexport vision?(34:54) How did Flexport navigate the highly regulated logistics market early on?(37:10) What key tech bets shaped Flexport's path in the early days?(43:02) What's Ryan's view on AI in the logistics workforce?(48:06) How is AI shaping Flexport's roadmap and what's Ryan's favorite AI release?(49:47) How is Ryan thinking about the shifts in the US tariff market?(54:24) How has Ryan handled uncertainty as a founder through unprecedented times?(58:28) Who is a woman who has had a profound impact on Ryan and his career?For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

In this special holiday episode of The Room Podcast, we sit down with Agatha Kluk and Sonia Farber, the co-founders of Clark Farber Law (now part of Perkins Coie), a specialized law firm dedicated to supporting innovative founders and startups. Their firm provides strategic legal guidance to entrepreneurs navigating the complex landscape of building and scaling companies. This candid conversation takes us through the evolution of their practice, from its founding in 2017 to its strategic partnership with Perkins Coie. Throughout our discussion, we explore the intersection of law and entrepreneurship, highlighting how the right legal partnership can empower founders to achieve their vision. At its core, Clark Farber Law provides comprehensive legal services tailored specifically for startups and emerging companies. Key topics in this episode include strategic guidance for company sales and earn-out negotiations, balancing tech automation with historically successful advisory services, and AI regulation and compliance considerations.5:07 - Where did Agatha and Sonia grow up and how did that shape their view of the world?7:10 - Did Agatha and Sonia grow up thinking they would be founders and lawyers?8:44 - How did Agatha and Sonia find themselves at the intersection of law and tech?12:24 - How did Agatha and Sonia meet?13:02 - What made Agatha and Sonia want to work together?19:29 - What was the original goal of the firm that Agatha and Sonia started?21:22 - What is the most common pitfall founders face when fundraising from VCs and, what are some of the mistakes to look out for when selling your company?23:48 - Who or what is a memorable client or case that stands out from the first few years of working together?29:17 - What encouraged Agatha and Sonia to say yes when being acquired in 2022?32:17 - What is something that is not discussed enough when it comes to acquisition?34:19 - How is tech affecting the legal sector, specifically for Agatha and Sonia?36:35 - How do Agatha and Sonia feel about the current proposed AI regulations?39:28 - Do Agatha and Sonia fund or support the founding of a venture firm?40:42 - Are Agatha and Sonia bullish or bearish on first-time fund managers in today's market?47:06 - Who is a woman in Agatha and Sonia's lives that has had a profound impact on them and their careers?For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

Welcome back to another episode of The Room Podcast! This week, we’re thrilled to chat with Wade Foster, CEO and Co-Founder of Zapier, the tool that’s revolutionized workflows by making automation accessible to anyone. Zapier helps businesses and individuals connect the apps they rely on, creating seamless integrations that save time and boost productivity.In this episode, Wade takes us through Zapier’s origins, its flagship no-code-needed automation platform, and how the company has carved out a niche as the go-to solution for streamlining business processes. We also dive into fascinating topics like growing a fully remote team before it was trendy, navigating the unique challenges of bootstrapping in a venture-driven world, and the surprising lessons Wade learned while literally counting telephone poles during a college internship. Tune in for insights on building impactful products, a behind-the-scenes look at Zapier's innovative culture, and a glimpse into what it takes to lead one of today’s most versatile SaaS companies.4:53 - Where did Wade grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?6:08 - Did Wade always think he was going to become a founder?7:01 - How did Wade develop an interest in entrepreneurship?9:58 - Why was Wade’s first internship so impactful?12:31 - How did Wade meet his cofounders and come up with the idea for Zapier?14:24 - How was Wade’s experience at YC?15:38 - What lessons has Wade learned about marketing and sales tactics?16:53 - What advice does Wade have for founders entering YC to maximize their experience?22:09 - What were some moments when Wade realized they were onto something with Zapier?22:42 - What advice would Wade give to founders looking to grow in today's market conditions?25:36 - What’s a memorable moment from the founding journey of Zapier?27:08 - How did Zapier scale while maintaining authenticity to its core values?30:37 - What is Zapier’s core product?32:07 - How has the business model of Zapier scaled alongside the product?35:24 - What lessons has Wade learned on pricing and packaging B2B SaaS products?37:58 - How is Zapier thinking about the future of their business?39:35 - What is Zapier's view on how AI and automation are coming together?42:57 - What are some things Zapier customers can look forward to in 2025?44:02 - What is Wade personally excited about for the near future?44:19 - Who is a woman in Wade’s life who has had a profound impact on him and his career?For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

In this LIVE version of The Room Podcast, we’re thrilled to chat with Immad Akhund, Co-Founder and CEO of Mercury, a fintech company built specifically for startups and tech companies. Immad walks us through his journey from founder to industry leader, and how Mercury is reimagining banking with streamlined financial tools for growing businesses. Mercury’s core product offers an intuitive digital banking experience, designed to handle startups' unique cash flow and management needs.Join us as we explore Immad’s early entrepreneurial journey, his strategic shift from gaming with Hayzap to founding Mercury, and the insights he gained along the way. This episode highlights Mercury’s goal to simplify banking for tech founders, Immad’s take on the importance of resilience and adaptability, and how Mercury’s modern approach is transforming financial services for the startup ecosystem.8:40 - Where did Immad grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?9:17 - Did Immad always think he would become a founder?10:22 - At what point did Immad move to the States?11:06 - What lessons did Immad learn when running HayZap?12:55 - How did Immad know who he wanted as cofounders when starting Mercury?14:07 - What advice does Immad have for finding a co-founder and resolving conflict with a co-founder?15:31 - Why did Immad want to tackle a problem in banking specifically?16:30 - How was Immad’s experience breaking into the fintech space?19:28 - What advice does Immad have for founders in complex regulatory spaces?21:20 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Mercury?22:46 - What’s a fundraising “hot take” that Immad has?24:39 - How did Mercury’s go-to-market strategy change as they scaled?26:39 - How does Mercury scale their feature set and their product to meet the scaling needs of their clients?28:14 - How did the liquidity crisis at Silicon Valley Bank impact Mercury and the fintech space?30:01 - What traits does Immad look for when investing in a startup?31:03 - What advice does Immad have for founders looking to be acquired in the current market?33:53 - What does Immad expect in the future of fintech?34:48 - What’s next for Mercury and for Immad personally?35:31 - Who is a woman in Immad’s life that has had a profound impact on him and his career?For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletterFollow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

Welcome back to The Room Podcast! Today, we’re thrilled to explore the fast-evolving world of B2B tech innovation with Shensi Ding, co-founder of Merge. Merge has become a leader in unified APIs, creating a category that addresses the challenges many companies face with complex integrations. Shensi’s journey is a unique one—from her coding days in Boston to Columbia, then a career at Silver Lake, all of which prepared her to tackle the 'SAAS sprawl' problem head-on. Together with her co-founder, Gil Feig, Shensi has built a powerhouse team and a product that’s essential for clients like Ramp and BambooHR. Their customer-first approach has secured $75 million in funding and a growing presence across SF and NYC.In this episode, we delve into topics like using customer insights to drive category creation, balancing skills in co-founder dynamics, and navigating fundraising from seed stage through metrics-driven growth. For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!5:04 - Where did Shensi grow up and how did that shape her view of the world?6:07 - Did Shensi always think she was going to become a founder?6:29 - How were website designers making money in the early 2000’s?7:25 - How did Shensi move from making websites to computer science?8:19 - How has finance influenced Shensi to become a founder?10:26 - Why did Shensi leave finance to join Xpanse?11:35 - How did Shensi meet her co-founder, Gil, and why did they decide to find Merge?14:20 - What was the aha moment that encouraged the start of Merge?14:57 - What is the core product of Merge?16:48 - Who was the first company to say yes to using Merge?17:53 - What are some of the ways that customers are using Merge?18:48 - How does Shensi classify the space that Merge is a part of?19:38 - How did Shensi think about building her initial team?21:00 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Merge?21:31 - How was Shensi’s experience fundraising for Merge?22:44 - What advice does Shensi have for fundraising?25:37 - What is Merge's go-to-market strategy and how did Shensi build the initial sales team?26:29 - How do you scale up after the seed round?28:19 - How is AI disrupting the unified API space and how does Merge fit into that?29:14 - What is a part of the founding journey that Shensi didn’t expect?31:17 - How is the founding landscape today? Are people looking to keep building?32:52 - What companies are a part of Merge’s tech stack?33:38 - What’s next for Merge and for Shensi?34:48 - Who is a woman in Shensi’s life that has had a profound impact on her and her career?Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

In this episode of The Room Podcast, we sit down with Jason Lee, the founder of Salt Labs and DailyPay, to explore his journey from finance to fintech entrepreneurship. Salt Labs, Jason’s latest venture, focuses on empowering workers to maximize their earnings potential, while DailyPay revolutionized the way employees access their wages. We cover a range of topics such as the need for improvement in front-line workers' payment structures, how Jason’s years in investment banking shaped his approach to entrepreneurship, his pivotal "aha" moment that led him to create DailyPay and Salt Labs, and advice to founders looking to start fundraising. For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!5:38 - Where did Jason grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?7:23 - Did Jason always think he was going to become a founder?9:11 - What attracted Jason to stay with Goldman for 16 years?10:39 - When did Jason eventually leave Goldman?14:31 - How did Jason convince employers to integrate Daily Pay into current payment structures?18:18 - How did Jason get into this nice crossover of lending and fundraising?20:34 - How has Jason scaled Daily Pay?23:50 - How has Salt Labs helped solve employee retention and turnover?27:56 - How was the experience fundraising for Salt Labs?30:03 - What advice does Jason have for early-stage founders looking to fundraise?33:24 - What was a moment in Jason’s founding journey when things didn’t go as planned?38:18 - What are the key trends in the hourly worker market that will shape the evolution of Salt Labs?41:18 - What’s next for Salt Labs?44:38 - Who is a woman in Jason’s life that had a profound impact on him and his career?Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

In this episode of The Room Podcast, we sit down with Kevin McCarthy, the CEO of Unreal, a company dedicated to creating healthier alternatives to classic candy. Unreal is known for creating delicious, better-for-you snacks that ditch artificial ingredients, offering cleaner, more natural options in the world of sweets. We discuss the intersection of entrepreneurship and health-conscious innovation, bringing a refreshing approach to an industry ripe for disruption. Kevin shares his journey to becoming CEO at just 24 years old, the pivotal changes Unreal made to become a leader in the health-conscious snack market, and how leadership lessons from his political campaign days shaped his approach to business.Key topics in this conversation include; the challenges of rebranding during and after a pandemic, what it takes to lead a company and board room through major pivots, and the value of a transparent and in-person DTC strategy. For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!5:18 - Where did Kevin grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?6:03 - Did Kevin always believe he was going to be a CEO?7:10 - How did Kevin’s early passion for government shape his career?10:02 - What lessons has Kevin learned that he employs on a day-to-day basis?11:14 - How and why did Kevin join Unreal?14:13 - When did Kevin realize he would be with Unreal for a long time?15:51 - What is the original Unreal core product?18:30 - What is Unreal’s approach to the supply chain layer?20:34 - How did Unreal incorporate a DTC approach to their business model?22:21 - How has Kevin built a relationship with the Board of Unreal without being the founder?24:08 - What advice does Kevin have for people entering a board room for the first time?25:58 - What was a moment while CEO of Unreal when things didn’t go as planned?28:11 - How does Unreal think about “URL vs. IRL” in their go-to-market and sales strategy?29:59 - What challenges can arise when running an omni-channel strategy for a business?32:22 - How is Unreal cultivating a community around their product?35:05 - What is Kevin’s favorite Unreal snack?36:36 - What’s next for Kevin personally?37:29 - Who is a woman that’s had a profound impact on Kevin and his career?Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

In this episode of The Room Podcast, we’re joined by Sami Inkinen, co-founder of Virta Health, a company transforming the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Virta Health’s mission is to not just manage, but reverse diabetes using personalized nutrition plans backed by clinical research. Sami also shares his journey from humble beginnings on a Finnish farm to co-founding the real estate platform Trulia, and ultimately, Virta Health. Key highlights include the current state and effect of GLP1 drugs in America alongside the growing prevalence of diabetes, overcoming skepticism and resistance to adopting non-traditional treatments for chronic diseases, and the intersection of technology and healthcare overall.For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!5:07 - Where did Sami grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?7:11 - Did Sami always think he would become a founder?9:12 - What was Sami’s plan when he finished college at Stanford?11:16 - When did Sami know it was time to start his journey as a founder?14:30 - What was the aha moment behind Trulia?17:57 - What were some lessons learned from Sami’s first startup journey?22:13 - How was Sami’s experience with his first startup being acquired by Zillow?25:56 - What is the core product of Virta Health?27:41 - What is Virta Health’s mission?31:43 - How does Sami feel about GLP 1 medications becoming mainstream?35:34 - What is Sami’s approach on go-to-market strategy with Virta?38:04 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Virta?40:07 - How has Virta changed its clients' lives?45:09 - What has been the hardest part of breaking into the healthcare space?47:21 - Who is a woman in Sami’s life that had a profound impact on him and his career?Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

In this episode of The Room Podcast, we sit down with Ariel Kaye, the founder of Parachute, a brand known for elevating the home essentials industry with a focus on comfort and wellness. Ariel shares her journey from a creative upbringing to her path through advertising, where she discovered her passion for building brands, eventually leading to the founding of Parachute.Join us as we dive into how Parachute taps into the wellness movement by focusing on the importance of sleep and home comfort. We explore the company's core product—bedding— and why it resonated with consumers looking for better home essentials. Ariel also shares insights on creating a brand from scratch while disrupting a market, the importance of consumer insights and communication in building a business, and the ups and downs of running a business while raising a family. For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music!4:50 - Where did Ariel grow up and how did that shape her view of the world?6:09 - Did Ariel ever think she would become a founder?7:35 - How did Ariel’s experience at NYU lead her to found Parachute?11:27 - What was the “aha moment” that encouraged the founding of Parachute?15:11 - Why did Ariel think online sales would be best?18:29 - What encouraged Ariel to take Parachute to brick and mortar?21:01 - When did Ariel realize it was time to raise capital?23:34 - What advice would Ariel give to other DTC founders?27:32 - What was a moment in Parachute’s life cycle when things didn’t go as planned?30:37 - What advice would Ariel give to founders facing uncertainties?32:24 - How does Ariel think the role of digital vs physical sales will change in the near future?35:05 - How does Ariel know when it’s time to launch a new product?37:20 - How does Ariel balance what she likes as a product vs what’s best for the business?39:06 - What advice does Ariel have for managing career and family balance?42:10 - Who is a woman in Ariel’s life that had a profound impact on her and her career?Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Productions

Welcome back to a new season of The Room Podcast! To kick off Season 11, we're joined by Johnny Ho, co-founder of Perplexity, an AI-powered platform transforming the way everyday consumers interact with search. Johnny shares his path from competitive programming to entrepreneurship and offers insights into the development of Perplexity’s core product, which aims to deliver precise, reliable answers in a simple, intuitive way.In this episode, we covered topics such as how Perplexity uses AI to deliver accurate and reliable search results using multiple LLMs, building a user-first product in a competitive tech space, and the importance of finding investors who want to work with you in the right ways. Want to work with Perplexity? Apply here!For The Room Podcast in your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.Follow us on Instagram Follow us on TikTok Check out our guide to podcasting here! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel on Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Music!5:05 - Where did Johnny grow up and how did that shape his view of the world?5:42 - Did Johnny always think he was going to be a founder?6:21 - How did Johnny get into competitive programming?7:23 - What brought Johnny to start working at Quora?8:06 - What lessons did Johnny take away from his time at Quora?8:49 - How did Johnny meet his cofounders of Perplexity?9:17 - Why did Johnny, Arvin, and Dennis decide to start a company together?10:01 - Why did Johnny think Arvin and Dennis would be good partners?10:56 - What was the “aha moment” that inspired the core product of Perplexity?12:04 - Why was user interface so important to Johnny and the team?13:26 - What was the decision-making process behind implementing a unique feature allowing consumers to choose what LLM they use?16:09 - Who was the first person to say yes to investing in Perplexity?17:06 - What advice does Johnny have regarding picking the right investors to partner with?18:11 - What’s a fun story or anecdote from founding Perplexity?19:11 - When should a founder consider trying a new idea/ altering their concept?20:32 - How is Perplexity’s go-to-market strategy changing with its success?21:39 - How is Perplexity differentiating themselves from their competitors?23:21 - Is B2B selling a part of Perplexity’s future plans?24:51 - How does Johnny get authentic reviews from customers?26:03 - What was a moment in Perplexity’s life cycle when things didn’t go as planned?27:22 - Is it possible that some of Perplexity’s partners could be future competitors?29:43 - Has Perplexity created a governing board?30:00 - What’s next for Perplexity? 30:59 - What’s next for Johnny Personally31:45 - Who is a woman in Johnny’s life that had an impact on him and his career?Brought to you by Perkins Coie and Mercury.**Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.WX Production

In this episode, we dive into the Future of DTC panel from this summer’s Inside Summit. This panel was moderated by our very own Claudia Laurie, who is also the founder of Prive, a leading eCommerce billing platform. In this discussion, the panelists explore the future of DTC, how to build authentic brand communities, building a celebrity brand, challenges and opportunities around customer acquisition and retention, and advice for brand founders and builders. This conversation includes an incredible mix of perspectives from leading brands, agencies, and tech partners. Our panelists included: Nik Sharma is widely known as “The DTC Guy,” a Forbes 30 Under 30 member, AdWeek’s Young & Influential, and a resource that brands and investors turn to for growth. Nik is the founder and CEO of Sharma Brands, where clients include Feastables, Jolie, Milk Bar, Everlane and more. Outside of Sharma Brands, Nik writes a newsletter to 50,000 investors, founders, and marketers and is also the co-host of Limited Supply, an award-winning marketing podcast.  Scout Brisson is the CEO of De Soi, a line of sparkling non-alcoholic apéritifs, co-founded by Katy Perry and Morgan McLachlan. Scout's professional journey spans over seven years in management consulting at McKinsey, and venture capital at M13.In 2020, Scout co-founded better-for-you CPG brand, DEUX, innovating a functional alternative with edible cookie dough.  Marissa Steinmetz is an accomplished digital product leader with 13+ years of eCcommerce and omnichannel expertise. She is currently the Head of Digital Product, eCommerce at Coterie and has spent her career helping well-known brands and businesses transform their digital enterprises, including Moda Operandi, Pernod Ricard, Drunk Elephant, and Target. Breana Teubner is COO of TYB, a community rewards platform with customers like Glossier, Urban Outfitters, JuneShine, and Rare Beauty. Prior to TYB, she helped scale Skillz, the first pay-to-earn gaming platform to go public - and was an executive at Walmart and Gap. She is an LP in two early-stage funds, Let’s Open the Door!

In this episode, we dive into the Future of Platforms panel from this summer’s Inside Summit. This panel was moderated by Alexandra York, Associate Editor at Forbes and a key figure behind the 30 Under 30 lists. Alexandra brings her expertise in covering young entrepreneurs and emerging brands to guide a discussion on the evolving digital platform space. In this discussion, the panelists explore the future of digital platforms, the impact of social commerce, and how they’re navigating challenges like AI integration, community engagement, and finding the right revenue models. They also share personal insights on pivoting, fundraising, and defining success in today’s competitive tech landscape. Our panelists included:• Emma Bates, CEO and co-founder of Diem, a social search engine pioneering a new, inclusive internet for women. With a background in partnerships at Away and community-building at Whalar, Emma is a recognized advocate for gender equity in the digital world.• Miri Buckland, COO and co-founder of Landing, a social commerce app revolutionizing how Gen Z interacts with shoppable content. Miri's experience spans corporate strategy and consumer tech, with a passion for fostering creativity and community.• Judy Thelen, CEO and co-founder of Beli, a platform transforming how consumers discover and recommend restaurants globally, with over 30 million ratings across 30,000 cities since its launch.• Dylan Diamond, co-founder and CEO of Saturn, a calendar platform tailored for high school students, with significant backing from top-tier investors. Dylan’s journey includes a stint as Tesla’s youngest software engineer and recognition as a Thiel Fellow. Let’s Open the Door!