Your Cell Phone is Already Using This Tech (You Just Don't Know It) with Russell From of WayFi Wireless

“There’s no reason every small business in Wisconsin shouldn’t use this.” In this episode, I chat with Russell From, President and Co-Founder of WayFi Wireless, a company revolutionizing connectivity for businesses and nonprofits across Wisconsin and the world. He shares the inspiring journey of how WayFi Wireless uses cutting-edge technology to fix cellular dead zones by leveraging wifi, without the hefty costs traditionally associated with infrastructure. From working at Verizon to tech founder, Russell discusses WayFi Wireless' 10,000+ global deployments powered by PassPoint technology, bridging the digital divide by offering free connectivity to users that’s funded entirely by carriers. He also  shares their recent "Best Open Roaming Deployment" award, their work with the Coverage Across America Program in Wisconsin, and the hard-earned lessons he’s gathered while building a startup from the ground up. Tune in to learn: How cell phone carriers pay for Wi-Fi to reduce churn and enhance customer experience How Passpoint/Hotspot 2.0 ensures seamless, secure connections without popups or apps What it takes to go from MVP to scale through partner strategy, support, and distribution Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Intro (00:36) Meet Russ of WayFi Wireless (02:03) From Verizon engineer to founder (06:38) Why Passpoint and open roaming took off (12:40) Pivoting to Wi-Fi and scaling to 1,200 locations (22:22) The business of Wi-Fi monetization (28:41) How blockchain speeds up carrier payments (35:57) Lessons from corporate to startup life  (42:05) The transition from funding to self-sustaining growth (46:08) Big wins and international expansion Connect Connect with Russell From: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russfr/ Check out WayFi Wireless: https://wayfiwireless.com/ Follow Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-wisconsin/ Subscribe to the Startup Wisconsin Newsletter: https://www.startupwi.org Check out Headway: https://www.headway.io Connect with Jacob Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kineticbear Podcast SponsorValency FundFlexible funding solutions designed for sustainable growth of Wisconsin companies.Learn more at https://www.valencyfund.com/🔻 Connect With Us 🔻Subscribe to the Startup Wisconsin Newsletterhttps://www.startupwi.org/Upcoming Tech and Startup Events in Wisconsin (400+ every year)https://www.startupwi.org/eventsFollow us on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-wisconsin/Connect with Jacob Miller:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kineticbearInterested in being a guest? Reach [email protected] Wisconsin's mission is to connect, educate, inspire, and grow tech startup communities across the state, not just during events, but year-round. This podcast is part of that vision, creating deeper connections and sharing the knowledge that helps Wisconsin's startup ecosystem thrive.This podcast is made by your friends at Headway.https://www.headway.io