Episodes

Dec. 28, 2021

Ep 37: Even Startup Founders Need an “Exit Rich” Mindset- with Michelle Sieler Tucker

In this episode of The Savvy Founder, I have a great conversation with Michelle Seiler Tucker, author of “Exit Rich: The 6 P Method to Sell Your Business for Huge Profit.  Founders might think building a great business begin…
Dec. 21, 2021

Ep 36: Angels and Getting Funded- Things to Know with David Friedman [Replay]

As the year winds down, and I reflect on all the conversations and brilliant guests. I realized the “founder” attitude is a remarkable mindset. Our world is changing rapidly – socially, economically, technologically.
Dec. 14, 2021

Ep 35: A Conversation on Startup Founders and Communication- with Rachel Randolph

Worried about communicating well? Worried about presenting your pitch deck? Then listen up. It’s no wonder that this episode is an easy-flowing conversation with communications coach, Rachel Randolph.  We discuss how to beco…
Dec. 7, 2021

Ep 34: Long Beach Accelerator, a Public-Private Endeavor- With Andrea White-Kjoss

In this episode, I interview Andrea White-Kjoss from the Long Beach Accelerator. The accelerator is a unique public-private partnership, that in 4-months helps the start-up identify and focus on the 3 most impactful time-bou…
Nov. 29, 2021

Ep 33: What’s the Most Important Startup Founder Skill? Communications

What is the most important startup founder skill? Communications In this episode, I talk about the 6 critical Savvy Founder “soft skills” And why I think communications is the most critical. Communications Critical Thinking …
Nov. 23, 2021

E032: Passion Lets You Connect with Amazing People with Dina Abdul Majeed

In this episode, I  sit down with Dina Abdul Majeed. Dina is a female entrepreneur, building an international startup in a male-dominated Middle East world.  She shares her inspiring startup journey and many insights.
Nov. 16, 2021

Ep:31- How to expand from Europe to the United States? With Gaetano Volpe-Latiduo40

In this interview Gaetano Volpe, CEO of Latitudo40 shares his startup journey. This episode is particularly relevant to European companies expanding into the United States; as well for those founders later in their career or…
Nov. 9, 2021

E030: How Do You Build a Scalable High-Growth B2B Business? With Sri Subramanian –ShoppinPal

In this episode Sri (short for Sriram) Subramanian, CEO of ShoppinPal shares his journey from happy PayPal employee to startup founder.  ShoppinPal today serves as the glue to stitch together web applications for the food, r…
Nov. 2, 2021

E029: How Do You Go From Idea To Accelerator? With Adam Young

In this episode I sit down with Adam Young, to understand how you go from idea to accelerator in less than 18 months. Adam shares how his drive to make an impact on the world quickly steered him away from a life pursuing phy…
Oct. 26, 2021

E028: How Do You Find Product-Market-Fit? With Rajesh Iyengar

In this episode, I interview Rajesh Iyengar. With 20 years in technology working at various startups, Rajesh shares how his deep knowledge and connections in the manufacturing industry allowed him to just ask them “What’s ar…
Oct. 19, 2021

Ep 27: How to Fix the Biggest Pitch Deck Mistake?

What is the biggest mistake founders make when pitching their startup to investors? Pitching a product, and failing to pitch an investment. I also cover the investor perspective and the two main types of investors: those inv…
Oct. 12, 2021

Ep 26: How Do You Get Investors? Build the Business First! with Nick Lynch

Do you need to raise money to build a startup? In this episode, I interview Nick Lynch CEO and Co-founder of Collidescope.io.  Nick shares his journey about building the business first rather than raising money.
Oct. 5, 2021

Ep 25: Entrepreneurship and Communications – Insights from a Digital Nomad, with Jamie Meyer

In this episode, I interview Jamie Meyer, business communication and leadership coach, and more importantly an entrepreneur and digital nomad. Listen in as we discuss the concepts of whether entrepreneurs are born or made; …
Sept. 28, 2021

Ep 24: What Does it Mean to Be a Successful Entrepreneur?

What does it mean to be a successful entrepreneur? Throughout my coaching and talking to entrepreneurs, there is a hidden expectation - “I want to be successful” - but no one really talks about success and failure.
Sept. 21, 2021

Ep 23: What Advice Do You Have for Talking to Investors?

What advice do you have for raising money and talking to investors?  I get asked this question or a variation quite often from first-time founders seeking to raise money by selling part of their company (i.e. selling equity)…
Sept. 14, 2021

Ep 22: Startup Advice – Failing forward? What does that mean? How to Move on to the Next Big Thing, When the First Thing Wasn’t so Good? with Jon Shower

“Fail fast. Fail Forward.” We have all heard that Silicon Valley saying. But what does that mean? In this show, Jon Showers, share his brutally honest journey about what it means to Fail Forward.  You’ll hear that his founde…
Sept. 7, 2021

Ep 21: Co-Founder Conflict – The Number One Reason Early Startups Fail

In this episode I share the number one problem for startups – “co-founder conflict.”  Co-founders launch their startups full of hopes and dreams, yet I’ve seen first-hand what happens.  I share three examples where none of t…
Aug. 31, 2021

Ep 20: Entrepreneurship – A decade in Review with Bill Waldo

In another unscripted conversation, this The Savvy Founder episode looks into the past 10+ years of entrepreneurship to see what we can learn from then and now.  Bill Waldo, entrepreneur turned angel investor,
Aug. 24, 2021

Ep 19: Startup Founders, Angels, Investment Bankers, and Silicon Valley with Vitaly Golomb

In this episode, I interview Vitaly Golomb, a technology investment banker. Where he shares insights for entrepreneurs and what it was like growing up in Silicon Valley, and working in a printing shop that both Wozniak and J…
Aug. 17, 2021

Ep 18: How Do I Build Investor Relationships? Networking Advice for Startup Founders with Tallal Gondal

Startup founders. Do you have trouble with networking or connecting with investors? Listen to this fantastic episode with Tallal Gondal author of  TurboCharged Networking for networking tips on building relationships and net…
Aug. 10, 2021

Ep 17: A European Perspective on Financing and Raising Money for Scalable Startups with Craig Alexander Rattray

I wanted to know if there were differences in Europe and their approach to equity and scalable startups; So in this episode, I interview Craig Alexander Rattray, a chartered accountant (that’s the UK’s version of the Certifi…
Aug. 3, 2021

Ep 16: What’s the Best Advice for a New Startup Founder?

The Savvy Founder answers the question. “What is my number one best advice for a new startup founder?”  You are the keeper of the flame. Take care of yourself. Take care of the flame. About the Host: Philip Topham is The Sav…
July 27, 2021

Ep 15: Calendars, Scheduling, and Time – A Conversation with Liam Rose on a Better Way

Someday, I might say I knew Liam Rose, CEO and Founder Catalina Seven maker of Horus when he was just starting. Join me in a fantastic discussion on calendaring and time management. What are you building? What problem are yo…
July 20, 2021

Ep 14: Startup Accelerators 101 and Success Tips with Brian MacMahon

Have you ever wondered how an accelerator works? Or what an accelerator looks for? Then this episode is for you.  I sit down with Brian MacMahon, Founder of Expert Dojo, an accelerator for early-stage high-growth potential s…