Going Deep With Aaron Watson

Pete DeComo is the chairman and CEO of ALung Technologies. ALung is developing an artificial lung for patients suffering from Acute Respiratory Failure and has raised over $100 million to bring their product to market.    ALung’s Hemolung Respiratory Assist System is a dialysis-like alternative or supplement to mechanical ventilation that works by removing carbon dioxide directly from the blood. The medical device, which has been approved for use in 35 countries outside the U.S., has proven relevant during the 2020 Pandemic.    Prior to running ALung, Pete was the founder and CEO of Renal Solutions. Renal Solutions developed of similar product focused on kidney dialysis and was sold to Fresenius in 2007 for $200 million.   In this conversation, Pete discusses the arduous process of getting a medical device approved by regulators, how he has raised over $140 million for his companies, and his advice for all entrepreneurs.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Peter DeComo’s Challenge; Dont

Michael Mayer is the co-founder and CEO of Bottomless, a company that uses wifi connected weight sensors to do automatic home restocking. Their first, and only, offering is fresh roasted coffee.   Every customer pays an annual fee (like an Amazon Prime membership) and receives a coffee scale. The scale measures the amount of coffee remaining in your bag and automatically sends you the next one when you’re running low.    Over time, Bottomless learns your coffee preferences and sends you personalized selections.   This is not a paid endorsement.    Bottomless was founded by Seattle-based by Mayer and his wife Liana Herrera in 2016. In 2018, they were admitted into the Y Combinator accelerator program.   In this episode, Aaron and Michael discuss the constraints Bottomless has had to overcome, the future products that Bottomless might sell, and what he learned at Y Combinator.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Michael Mayer’s Challenge; Curate your inputs. Unfollow anything in your info

Teresa Whalen is the CEO of CytoAgents, a startup focused on the development of solutions to combat persistent and potentially deadly strains of Influenza, COVID19, and other viruses.   Teresa’s career spans 20 years in the healthcare industry, including health technology executive, life sciences investor, and clinical pharmacist. She has brought multiple successful life-changing healthcare products to market.   She currently leads a team of clinical drug development experts and scientific advisory board members aiming to revolutionize treatment for respiratory illnesses and viral epidemics.   In this interview, Teresa and Aaron discuss the long process of FDA approval, how Teresa came to lead the company, and the dangers of a cytokine storm. Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Teresa Whalen’s Challenge; Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.   Connect with Teresa Whalen Teresa's Linkedin CytoAgents Website   If you liked this interview, check out episode 338 with Cou

Brock Blake is the founder and CEO of Lendio, a marketplace for small business loans. Lendio offers borrowers access to loan options from more lenders than any other marketplace in the industry.    Brock has been building his company for nearly a decade and raised more than $100 million in venture capital. 2020 has stretched his team and tech to new heights, as they’ve facilitated over 100,000 PPP loan approvals and the issue of $8 Billion in funds.   In this conversation, Aaron and Blake discuss why Brock pivoted away from his first company, the challenges and constraints of scaling, and the values he’s instilled in his company culture. Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Brock Blake’s Challenge; Identify someone important in your life and go have an experience with them.   Connect with Brock Blake Linkedin Twitter Lendio Website   If you liked this interview, check out episode 434 with Henry Schuck where we discuss his recent dollar IPO and becoming a billionaire.   Text Me What You

Casey Gauss is the VP of Amazon SEO at Thrasio. Thrasio is one of the most interesting companies I’ve come across in years.   Thrasio was founded in 2018. It has gone on to raise $520.5 million and be valued at over $1 billion. The companies has acquired more than 70 businesses that sell products on Amazon.   By bundling the companies together, they aim to build the CPG powerhouse (think Unilever or Procter & Gamble) of the digital age. Casey leads the team’s efforts in optimizing Thrasio’s 6,000+ product pages on Amazon to ensure that they rank high.   This translates into lots of sales. Thrasio is profitable

Will Dzombak is a Pittsburgh native and one of the entertainment industry’s top music managers. He’s helped guide the career of Grammy-nominated rapper Wiz Khalifa and cofounded Taylor Gang Entertainment.   As a student at Penn State, Will co-founded an events company, where he booked Wiz Khalifa will he was still just a rising Pittsburgh rapper. After the first show’s turnout exceeded expectations, Khalifa sought out Dzombak’s help with booking more shows for him.    Within a few years, Dzombak has helped Khalifa create one of the most successful and consistent summer tours for the last 7 years. He’s also been one of the executive producers on Khalifa’s last three full-length releases.   Together, Wiz and Will have built Taylor Gang Entertainment, invested in the e-sports team Pittsburgh Knights, and much more.   In this conversation, Aaron and Will discuss the early days of Wiz’s career, their new restaurant Hotbox by Wiz, and the marketing strategies that they’ve been early to embrace. Sign up for a Week

Planting soil hasn’t changed much in the last 50 years. Brian Scott wants to change that.   Brian is the CEO of PittMoss, a Pittsburgh startup that creates a recycled/upcycled substitute for peat moss.    Pittmoss has been proven in greenhouse trials to outgrow all current peat-based potting soil products when mixed with these products or when plants are grown in nutrient-enriched Pittmoss alone.    He is currently leading a company pivot to the retail market. Brian originally invested in the company as an angel investor, and took over the company when the founder moved on for family reasons.   In this episode, Brian and Aaron discuss leading a company through growth, the negative environmental impact of peat moss, and the company’s fundraising history, including money from Mark Cuban.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Brian Scott’s Challenge; Let’s make Pittsburgh the first peat-free city.   Connect with Brian Scott Linkedin Instagram Twitter YouTube PittMoss Website Text Me What

Michael is the CEO and co-founder of Edge Case Research, a company focused on making autonomy safer. Edge Case Research’s ECR’s products and services are geared for customers who build autonomous systems.    The company’s offerings include software that tests for gaps in computer vision systems and consulting focused on prioritizing safety into an engineering department’s culture.   Michael’s experience with autonomous vehicles started twenty years ago at Carnegie Mellon University where he built lunar rovers for Red Whittaker, autonomous scientific robots that explored Antarctica, and self-driving technology for tackling harsh off-road terrain.   In this episode, Michael and Aaron discuss the origins of the company, how to translate ideas across organizations, and the multitude of industries that will be impacted by autonomous vehicles.    Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Michael Wagner’s Challenge; Go see the lunar rover seminar.   Connect with Michael Wagner Linkedin Edge Case Resea

Amanda Dixon is the cofounder of Barney, a mid-market M&A firm that helps entrepreneurs buy and sell digital businesses. They boast a database of more than 15,000 buyers and a dynamic portfolio of past mergers and acquisitions.    Before starting Barney, Amanda had previously started and sold two businesses. After successfully selling both businesses, Amanda became painfully aware of the challenges associated with selling a business worth less than $20 million.   Now, Amanda leverages her learnings to helping others exit their business in a way that is simple, focused, and financially advantageous. You can see the companies that are currently for sale through Barney on their website.   When she's not working, you can find Amanda with her husband and daughter at the beach or watching Frozen for the 1,000th time.   In this episode, Amanda and Aaron discuss how digital businesses get valued, why you shouldn’t share your customer list during due diligence, and what she learned selling her own businesses. Si

Dawn Dickson is a serial entrepreneur that has launched four successful cash flow positive companies since 2002. Most recently, she splits her time between Flat Out of Heels (rollable flats for women to get relief from painful heels) and PopCom (a software solution to make vending machines more intelligent).   Dawn has an expertise in raising traditional and non-traditional business capital. In 2019, Dawn became the first female CEO globally to raise over $1 million using equity crowdfunding. This style of fundraising was made available by the JOBS Act, which was signed into law in 2012.   In this conversation, Dawn and Aaron get into a deep discussion of the stairstep approach to entrepreneurship. By starting as a consultant, graduating to a product business, and then moving on to software, Dawn has been able to build upon the knowledge, reputation, and capital she earned in each business. Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Dawn Dickson’s Challenge; Hop on an equity crowdfunding platf

In 2017, Amira Valliani created Backyard Cambridge, a podcast about the City Council election in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She interviewed the candidates, produced the episodes, and built a small audience.   When she attempted to turn the show into a viable business, she found that there was no easy solution for collecting subscription revenue from listeners willing to pay for content.   So, she founded Glow. Glow makes building podcast memberships easy and has raised more than $2 million in seed funding.   In this episode, Amira and Aaron discuss why podcasters can make more money from subscriptions, Amira’s experience selling ads, and how startup life compares to the Hillary State Department. Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Amira Valliani’s Challenge; Reconnect with someone you haven’t talked to in a while.   Connect with Amira Valliani Linkedin Twitter Glow.fm Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680 Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative makes creating pod

Pierre Laguerre is the founder & CEO of Fleeting, a startup building a digital platform to increase flexibility, dynamism, and efficiency for trucking companies and commercial truck drivers.    Pierre previously built two successful trucking companies operating trucks and staffing for other trucking companies. He’s been involved in trucking for nearly two decades and has learned the industry inside and out.   Since launching Fleeting in June 2019, Pierre and the team have generated over $1.5 million in revenue and raised more than $1.8 million. Additionally, Pierre became the first black man to ever max out a crowdfunding campaign by raising the $1.07 million SEC max, via Republic.   In this conversation, Pierre and Aaron discuss how he got into trucking to escape poverty, the forces changing the trucking industry, and the harsh conditions that drivers deal with on a regular basis.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Pierre Laguerre’s Challenge; Look at the world like you only have

25 years ago, Gene Leyzarovich came to Pittsburgh as a refugee from Russia. Within two years, he founded Advanced Computer & Network Corporation to build data storage systems for clients.   Decades later, AC&NC has installed their JetStor RAID (redundant array of independent disks) systems for over 4,000 clients around the world. Those clients include NASA, the US State Department, and a majority of the United Kingdom’s police force.   Now, ACNC does over $10 million in annual revenue and assembles its devices in Pittsburgh, PA.   In this conversation, Gene and Aaron discuss how he’s gone from selling 4-gigabyte units to multiple petabyte units for clients and how the business of hardware has evolved.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Gene Leyzarovich’s Challenge; Set a weekly goal and commit to achieving it.   Connect with Gene Leyzarovich Linkedin Twitter ACNC Website sales@acnc.com   If you liked this interview, check out episode 361 with Jason Wolfe where we discuss build

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Blake Dube is the founder and CEO of Aeronics and the inventor of Pawprint Oxygen. Pawprint Oxygen is the world's first rescue oxygen supply for pets.   Blake studied oxygen as a chemical engineer at the University of Pittsburgh and expected to develop products for human medical applications. However, a chance encounter with his landlord revealed an exciting market opportunity to bring an oxygen tank product to market for animals.   Now, his tanks are manufactured in the US and sold in veterinary clinics around the country.   In this conversation, Blake and Aaron discuss the origins of the company, how Blake found the right manufacturing partner, and the ongoing improvements that are made to their product.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Blake Dube’s Challenge; Treat customer service representatives with kindness and respect.   Connect with Blake Dube Linkedin Facebook Aeronics Website Pawprint Oxygen website   If you liked this interview, check out episode 340 with Craig Markovitz

Mike Cleary is the co-founder and CEO of Huemor, a Web Design Agency that helps B2B and DTC brands communicate more clearly, connect with their target audiences, and generate revenue. His company has helped some serious brands, including Revlon, Live Nation, GEICO, United Nations, Centivo, Net2Phone, Briogeo, Glow Recipe, Square One Justice.   Mike has been in business for nearly a decade and has learned a lot about the systems of business and how to implement them as you grow.   In this conversation, Mike and Aaron discuss how Mike got started with Craiglist customers, how Mike has implemented processes for everything, and why he moved the company to Pittsburgh. Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Mike Cleary’s Challenge; Try something new that makes your uncomfortable.   Connect with Mike Cleary Linkedin Twitter Huemor Website   If you liked this interview, check out episode 438 with Ben Wilson where we discuss commercial real estate, digital agencies, and grit.   Text Me What You Th

Over a decade ago, David Kane realized that there was a painful gap in cybersecurity. He built Ethical Intruder to fill that gap.    Today, Ethical Intruder helps clients across financial services, DoD, healthcare, and nonprofits reproduce vulnerable paths a hacker may take, so they can shore up their defenses. David’s ethical hacker teams conduct simulated malicious breaches of a wide variety of business applications and web-accessible entry points.   David has built his firm to be technology-agnostic, which comes with two benefits. First, they aren’t selling a specific solution regardless of its relevance. Second, they are accustomed to evaluating a dynamic collection of tools to identify the primary point of weakness.   In this conversation, Aaron and David discuss how to seel cybersecurity to any firm, why nonprofits need to keep their data secure, and the    Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   David Kane’s Challenge; Find a way to build someone else up.   Mentioned Csoonline.com Conn

Brent Johnson is a wealth manager at Santiago Capital and a General Partner of the IceCap Strong Dollar Fund. Brent has had a multi-decade career in finance and has been responsible for managing billions of dollars.   Brent is well-known for his Dollar Milkshake Theory, where he expects a rapidly appreciating US Dollar over the next few years, relative to other world currencies.   Because the world is completely run by fiat currencies, cash whose value is not backed by some physical good such as gold or silver, Brent expects a massive devaluation of currencies across the board. Because of the U.S. is a relatively safer, stronger economy, he expects capital to flood into its domestic markets.   There are a lot of implications to the theory.   In this interview, Brent explains to Aaron what the Dollar Milkshake Theory is, how Brent’s career has unfolded, and the implications of a rising dollar for business owners and entrepreneurs.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Brent Johnson’s Chall

Dan Green is the founder and CEO of HomeBuyer, a mortgage lender designed for first-time homebuyers. It’s his 3rd company he’s built in the mortgage industry.   Dan previously founded the consumer-friendly mortgage education company "The Mortgage Reports", which was later acquired in 2014 by Full Beaker.   Dan Green is a 17-year mortgage lending veteran and was a multi-year, number-one loan officer before starting HomeBuyer. His current company utilizes intelligent personalization to deliver timely and precise advice through specific moments of a home buyer's journey and fulfills the buyer's mortgage.    He was part of the Techstars accelerator in 2020.   In this conversation, Aaron Watson and Dan Green discuss how he generated an enormous number of leads with a blog, why mortgage lenders don’t think long-term, and why private mortgage insurance is not the boogeyman.   Sign up for a Weekly Email that will Expand Your Mind.   Dan Green’s Challenge; If you think you will buy a house, reach out to a mortgage loa

Ben Wilson founded Rivers Agile in 2008, in the eye of the Great Financial Crisis. The software consulting firm started focusing on advanced quality assurance and expanded to offer custom software development.    Now, Ben is leading his team through the pandemic, an office change, and a shifting marketplace for software solutions. He believes he’s poised to take advantage of a trend of onshoring and digital reinvention that the circumstances will demand.   In this podcast, Ben and Aaron discuss building a team, what makes for good QA, and the markets that Rivers Agile sells into.   Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.   Ben Wilson’s Challenge; Challenge your vendors to find better deals.   Connect with Ben Wilson Linkedin Twitter Instagram Rivers Agile website ben@riversagile.com   If you liked this interview, check out our collection of interviews with Pittsburgh’s top entrepreneurs and leaders.   Text Me What You Think of This Episode 412-278-7680 Un