S2 E2 - Dr. John Baird, Local Legend and Author and Alex Hult, CEO and Founder of Aio

On this week’s episode of Silicon Valley Impact, we speak with Dr. John Baird about insights into the heart and mind of top leaders in startups, and Alex Hult, CEO and Founder of Aio, an ex-professional hockey player turned successful restaurateur. Dr. John Baird is one of Silicon Valley’s premier executive coaches. Over the past 25 years, he has worked with top leaders at startups like DoorDash, MasterClass, and Bombas, as well as at Fortune 500 companies such as Apple, Nike, and Twitter. He has founded several companies, including ExecutivEdge, Edgeman Coaching, and the Velocity Group, where he currently serves as chairman. Additionally, he is a fellow at Sapphire Ventures and a member of the San Jose State University Tower Board. John is the co-author, with Edward Sullivan, of the best-selling book Leading with Heart and is currently working on his second book with Matt Hunter. He holds a PhD in Organizational Communication and Leadership from Purdue University. Alex Hult played professional ice hockey worldwide from 2000 to 2010. He later transitioned to the restaurant industry, founding Hults in 2013. Since then, he has opened 10 restaurants, nightclubs, and bars in two states under the Flights Restaurant Group. During the pandemic, Alex began developing a tech company aimed at fixing the broken restaurant tech ecosystem. He is now poised to disrupt the industry with the world’s first AI platform for restaurants. Catch this and much more on Silicon Valley Impact, airing on KPCR 92.9 FM in Los Gatos and 101.9 FM in Santa Cruz, Tuesdays at 3 PM! Not in the South Bay or Santa Cruz? Listen online at: https://kpcr.org/ Follow us and listen to all our episodes on: 🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/68L4RPfMizjxnKBsmcFb1J 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/silicon-valley-impact/id1776876823 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@siliconvalleyimpact Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the host and guests on Silicon Valley Impact are for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered financial advice or a solicitation. Listeners are encouraged to consult with a professional before making any financial or business decisions.