Learn from founders and CEOs who launched their businesses in 2018

Co-founder & Chief Rainmaker
In this interview, Mid-Day Squares co-founder and Chief Rainmaker Jake Karls describes the unconventional journey of building a disruptive snack brand. Karls shares insights on defining the Rainmaker role, transitioning away from weak management positions, and using weekly mediated therapy to preserve family partnerships. He also details the operational decisions to build custom manufacturing, the strategies for retail placement in Walmart and Costco, and the lessons learned from managing burnout and raw material price shocks.

Founder & CEO
In this interview, Atoms founder and CEO Travis Kalanick shares his vision for automating the physical world through industrial robotics and AI. Kalanick reflects on his lessons from standardizing ridesharing at Uber, the complexities of international expansion in China, and the game theory behind competitive fundraising. He outlines his frameworks for maximizing management capacity, resolving the meta-problem of company scaling, and finding the line between organizational order and chaos.

Co-founder & CEO
In this interview, Skyroot Aerospace co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana details the historic orbital launch of Vikram-1, marking India's first successful private orbital flight. Chandana discusses the engineering challenges of solid and liquid propulsion stages, the optimization of small satellite launch vehicles, and the development of reusable rockets. He shares insights on fundraising for deep tech ventures, collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation, and converting national potential into kinetic innovation.

Founder & CEO
In this interview, Galaxy Digital founder and CEO Mike Novogratz discusses the evolution of cryptocurrency markets, the transition to utility-driven blockchain systems, and Galaxy's strategic expansion into artificial intelligence data centers. Novogratz shares insights on regulatory policy, tokenized real-world assets, and the dynamics of MicroStrategy's leverage. He details the development of Galaxy's gigawatt-scale Helios campus in Texas and reflects on how service, family, and physical trials build professional resilience.

Founder & CEO
In this interview, SiMa.ai founder and CEO Krishna Rangasayee discusses the transition of physical AI from early adoption to mainstream production. Speaking at the RAISE Summit in Paris, he explains the launch of their Gen 2 silicon and a pin-to-pin GPU system-on-module replacement. Rangasayee outlines their new agentic software wrapper, Palette Ne, which enables programming edge applications in plain English, and highlights strategic partnerships in automotive, robotics, and drone technology.

Founder & CEO
In this interview, Archer Aviation founder and CEO Adam Goldstein discusses the future of air taxis, the challenges of launching a new category of transportation, and his vision for making urban travel dramatically faster. He shares insights on innovation, regulation, manufacturing, scaling a new industry, and building a company that could transform how people move through cities.

Founder & CEO
In this interview, Groot Hospitality founder and CEO David Grutman shares how he built one of the most influential hospitality brands in the United States. He discusses entrepreneurship, personal growth, intellectual property, strategic partnerships, investing, and why long-term equity ownership has been the key driver of his wealth and business success.

Founder & CEO
In this interview, Patrick Söderlund discusses building Embark Studios and creating games designed for long-term player engagement. He shares insights on making difficult leadership decisions, balancing data with creative judgment, and continuously improving products through iteration. The conversation highlights efficient development through better tools and pipelines, adapting business models to market realities, respecting player time, and fostering a culture where honest feedback and disciplined execution drive sustainable success.

Founder & CEO
In this interview, entrepreneur Eman Gadzhi shares how he built a business empire before the age of 25, growing from a challenging upbringing in South London to becoming a successful investor and business owner. He discusses entrepreneurship, personal branding, digital products, relationships, wealth creation, mental health, and the lessons he learned from overcoming adversity. Eman also explains why purpose, discipline, and helping others have played a major role in his success.