Skin in the Game VC Podcast
by Florida Funders
Florida Funders Managing Partner and "Skin in the Game VC" podcast hosts Saxon Baum & Tom Wallace believes that entrepreneurs are game changers and that the companies they envision, create and build make the world a better place. FLF is a hybrid venture capital fund and investor network that discovers, funds, and builds early-stage technology companies. We combine a $300M+ venture platform with 2,000+ accredited investors to back breakout founders in B2B software, fintech, AI, health care, and cybersecurity. Beyond capital, our team of serial entrepreneurs and investors provides operating expertise, strategic introductions, and a nationwide support network that helps founders win. By unifying venture capital with an engaged investor community, we deliver exceptional outcomes for founders and LPs alike. This podcast was envisioned to educate, connect and activate accredited investors to get skin in the game and invest like a VC.
Episodes
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Samyr Qureshi: Bet on Yourself
Samyr joins us to talk about his journey from growing up as an immigrant in Tampa to becoming a founder and building Knack, a peer-to-peer learning platform that grew into a B2B education company. He shares what pushed him to leave a corporate career at just 21 to bet on himself, the early days…
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Erika Donalds: How AI & VR Are Changing Education
What does the future of education look like? In this episode, Saxon Baum sits down with Erika Donalds to talk about her unconventional path from finance and education reform to building Optima Academy Online, the world’s first virtual reality school. They discuss the challenges facing traditional...
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Bam Azizi: The Pivot That Created a Unicorn
In this episode of Skin in the Game, Saxon Baum sits down with Bam Azizi, founder and CEO of Mesh and the first unicorn founder in the FLF portfolio. Bam's story is one of grit, resilience, and relentless execution. They talk about his journey from growing up in Iran to immigrating to the U.S.,...
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Marshall Sandman: How Showing Up Built a Venture Fund
In this episode of Skin in the Game, Saxon Baum sits down with Marshall Sandman, Managing Partner of Animal Capital, for a conversation that covers everything from venture capital and founder relationships to content creation and the future of innovation. Marshall shares his journey from…
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Chad Bronstein: He Built a Sports League in Less Than a Year
In this episode of Skin in the Game, Saxon Baum sits down with entrepreneur Chad Bronstein to discuss the journey that took him from selling Beanie Babies as a kid to building one of the fastest-growing sports leagues in America. Chad shares how an early obsession with sales and entrepreneurship...
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Steven Walchek: Why the Barrier to Building Tech is Gone
In this episode of Skin in the Game, Saxon Baum sits down with Steven Walchek, Founder & CEO of Liminal, to unpack one of the most unique founder journeys in tech. Steven shares how he went from launching his first company in college—faxing loan documents by hand to building and exiting a...
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Eric Ries: The Dark Side of AI and Why Vibe Coding Could Be the Next Chernobyl
In this episode of Skin in the Game, hosts Saxon Baum and Tom Wallace sit down with Eric Ries, the founder and author of the Lean Startup Methodology, one of the most influential business frameworks in modern entrepreneurship. Eric shares his journey from coding in his parents' basement, to...
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Abe Smith on Building Zoom to $4.1B, WebEx's Rise, and Why AI Is Bigger Than the Internet
What does it actually feel like to be inside a company growing faster than anything the world had ever seen? Abe Smith knows. As one of the key leaders at Zoom during the pandemic, he watched the company go from $600M to $4.1B in revenue in just 24 months and 10 million to 300 million active…
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Brian Hollins: From Stanford & Goldman Sachs to Raising an Institutional Venture Fund
In this episode of Skin in the Game, Saxon Baum sits down with Brian Hollins, co-founder of Collide Capital, for a wide ranging conversation on venture capital, institutional fundraising, and the mindset required to build a differentiated early-stage firm. Brian’s story begins just outside...
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Suneera Madhani: The $1B Playbook They Never Taught Women
The founder behind Orlando's first unicorn, Stax, and now, Worth AI, join sus on a new episode of Skin in the Game. Suneera Madhani shares her scrappy story of turning a dream into a billion-dollar fintech business with her brother, exiting their first company together, and how they landed on the...
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Investing on the Bleeding Edge with Felix Hartmann
This episode of Skin in the Game features a deep, candid conversation with Felix Hartmann, founder of Hartmann Capital on what it really means to build and invest at the frontier of technology. Felix’s story starts long before hedge funds and venture capital. He moved to the U.S. from Germany...
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The VC Model Most Firms Get Wrong - Mike Collins Explains
In this episode, we sit down with Mike Collins, Founder and CEO of Alumni Ventures, to explore how venture capital is evolving and why network-driven investing is becoming increasingly powerful. Mike shares the origin story of Alumni Ventures and how it grew from a small alumni-based experiment...
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From Real Estate to Restaurants: Andrew Wright’s Entrepreneurial Blueprint
We sat down with Andrew Wright, founder of Franklin Street, for a fascinating conversation about market dynamics, building resilient businesses, and the future of the Tampa Bay region. Andrew shared how he launched Franklin Street at 26 and grew it into a full ecosystem of real estate services…
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Grandkids on Demand: The Origin Story of Papa with Andrew Parker
What started as one grandson helping his Papa has grown into one of the most innovative companies in healthcare today. In our latest podcast episode, we sit down with Andrew Parker, the founder and CEO of Papa, to explore how a deeply personal family moment sparked a nationwide mission to combat...
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Pre-Seed Playbook: Eric Bahn on Investing in Grit Over Pedigree
In this episode of the Skin in the Game podcast, Saxon Baum sits down with Eric Bahn, co-founder of Hustle Fund, to explore the art and science of investing in pre-seed startups. Eric shares his personal journey from growing up as the son of Korean immigrants in Detroit, Michigan, to becoming a...
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From Junk to Generational Success: The College Hunks Story with Nick Friedman and Omar Soliman
On this episode of Skin in the Game, Saxon Baum sits down with longtime friends and powerhouse entrepreneurs Nick Friedman and Omar Soliman, the co-founders of College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving and Trash Butler. From detention in high school to becoming nationally recognized leaders, Nick and...
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All Gas, No Brakes: Scott Price on Building A-lign into a Cybersecurity Powerhouse
A-lign founder and CEO Scott Price joins Tom Wallace and Saxon Baum to unpack the “all gas, no brakes” journey behind building a category leader in cybersecurity compliance. Scott traces his roots from Arthur Andersen and the Enron fallout to bootstrapping through 2009, landing the first clients,...
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The Founder Aesthetic: What Great Builders Have in Common
What separates the top 1% of venture capitalists from the rest? For Roger Ehrenberg, Managing Partner at Eberg Capital, it’s the ability — and the appetite — to invest before the crowd, before the product is built, and before there’s even proof of concept. In a recent episode of the Skin in the...
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Betting on Big Ideas with Rohan Shah
On the latest episode of Skin in the Game VC, Saxon and Tom sit down with Rohan Shah, co-founder of Extend, for a conversation that blends grit, humor, and sharp insight into building in tech. Rohan shares his journey from growing up in the Bay Area with entrepreneurial parents to launching his...
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From Broom Closet to Unicorn: Stu Sjouwerman on Building KnowBe4
In this episode of the Skin in the Game podcast, we sit down with Stu Sjouwerman, founder and CEO of KnowBe4, to discuss how he built one of the world’s most successful cybersecurity startups from the ground up. KnowBe4, headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, is a cybersecurity training company...
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From Goldman to Solo GP: Jenny Friedman’s VC Playbook
In the latest episode of Skin in the Game VC, hosts Tom Wallace and Saxon Baum sit down with Jenny Friedman, the solo General Partner of Four Acres Capital, to discuss her path into venture capital, investment strategy, and what’s happening in today’s fast-moving startup world. From Goldman Sachs...
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Charting New Frontiers: Clint Graumann on Innovating the Space Industry
What if we could map the Earth—and even the moon—with pinpoint accuracy from space? In the latest episode of Skin in the Game VC, Saxon Baum sits down with Clint Graumann, CEO of NUVIEW, to talk about how his company is making it possible. Clint’s journey into space tech started with a winding…
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Leadership, Vision, and the Future of Healthcare with Brent Saunders
In the latest episode of Skin in the Game VC, Tom Wallace and Saxon Baum welcomed Brent Saunders, Chairman and CEO of Bausch & Lomb, to share his journey and insights into leadership, healthcare innovation, and the power of investing in groundbreaking ideas. From his early days as student body...
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Startups, AI, and Sisterhood: Lessons from Amy and Shannon Wu
The latest episode of Skin in the Game VC Podcast featured an inspiring conversation with Tom Wallace, Saxon Baum, and the dynamic sister duo, Amy and Shannon Wu. As founders backed by Florida Funders, Amy and Shannon shared their unique entrepreneurial journeys, highlighting the resilience and...
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Bridging Worlds: Ann Berry on Tech, Venture, and Storytelling
In our latest episode of the Skin in the Game VC Podcast, we explored the multifaceted journey of Ann Berry, Founder and Managing Partner of Threadneedle. From Wall Street to private equity, venture capital, and operating, Ann’s career path is a testament to adaptability and innovation. Ann’s...
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Joe Hogue: From Analyst to YouTube Influencer
Joe Hogue started his career as a traditional equity analyst and venture capitalist but left the corporate world in 2013 to gain more autonomy. By 2017, he had transitioned into content creation, launching his YouTube channel, Let’s Talk Money, which now has over 650,000 followers. Joe’s mission…
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Dave Sachse: Redefining Venture with Family Offices
Dave Sachse is the founder of Family VC and a leader in the world of family office investing, where he helps family offices navigate venture capital by building networks, sharing resources, and creating opportunities for collaboration. With a background in managing his own family's single-family...
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Jeff Gigante: More Than a Meal – The Rise of Experiential Dining
In the latest episode of the Skin in the Game VC podcast, hosts Tom Wallace and Saxon Baum sit down with Jeff Gigante, co-founder of Next Level Brands and a major player in Tampa’s restaurant scene. This conversation dives deep into Jeff’s entrepreneurial journey, starting with his first pizzeria...
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General Tony Thomas: Beyond the Uniform
Ever wondered how a military leader transitions to the world of venture capital? In our latest episode of Skin in the Game, we sat down with retired Four-Star General Tony Thomas to discuss his incredible journey. From leading special operations forces to investing in cutting-edge technologies,...
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Patrick Murphy: Estimating the Future of AI & Construction
In this podcast episode, we delve into the world of AI and its transformative potential for the construction industry. Our guest, Patrick Murphy, a former U.S. Congressman and construction industry veteran, shares insights on his company Togalai, which utilizes AI to automate the estimating…
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Mayor Jane Castor: Tampa's Rise as a Tech Hub
Join us for an insightful episode of the Skin in the Game VC Podcast with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, discussing the city's thriving tech ecosystem, strategic growth during COVID, and the role of AI in governance. Mayor Castor highlights Tampa's appeal as a tech hub, the importance of organic growth...
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Beyond Bitcoin: Unveiling the Future of Finance with Zaid Rahman
The episode features Zaid Rahman, CEO of Flex, a Florida Funders portfolio company. Zaid discusses his entrepreneurial journey, Flex's rapid growth in providing financial services to small and medium businesses, and their expansion plans. He shares insights on talent acquisition, customer...
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Frank Smith: From YouTube to Multimedia Mogul
Discover the fascinating journey of Frank Smith, from YouTube sensation to Multimedia Mogul, in the latest episode of the Skin in the Game pod. Join Saxon Baum as he dives into a captivating conversation with Frank, tracing his evolution and success in the multimedia landscape. From crafting...
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Charmel Maynard: Creating a Legacy in Finance
Tune in to the latest episode of the Skin in the Game VC Podcast featuring Charmel Maynard, Chief Investment Officer of the University of Miami. Gain invaluable insights into university asset management and the journey that led Charmel to his prestigious position. Discover the strategies and...
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Delian Asparouhov: From Bulgaria to Silicon Valley
Delian Asparouhov, a Bulgarian-born, self-made software engineer, dives into the rollercoaster of a journey from being an MIT dropout to earning the Thiel Fellowship. Delian discusses his initial reservations about a career in venture capital and how early exposure to the field via an internship…
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Lucy Guo: Passes & Perspectives
In this podcast episode, Lucy Guo, a prominent entrepreneur and Thiel Fellow, shares her remarkable journey from receiving a Thiel Fellowship at the age of 20 to becoming the second wealthiest self-made female in the United States. Lucy discusses her experiences with ventures such as Scale AI…
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Steve MacDonald: International Tech Trails & Tales
This episode focuses on Steve MacDonald’s unique experience of spending a year in Florence, Italy, while exploring the cultural and historical aspects, as well as insights into the local tech scene. Steve shares that the decision to move to Florence was driven by a long-standing desire to...
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David Goldberg: Navigating the Evolving Tech Landscape
In this particular episode, Tom and Saxon touch on various subjects, such as the bankruptcy of WeWork, the impact of EVs on traditional automakers, and the changing landscape of commercial real estate due to remote work trends. Guest speaker, David Goldberg, a partner at Alpaca Ventures, talks...
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Joe Bayen: Journey From Success to Failure and Back
Joe Bayen, who was Born in Cameroon, shares his journey of moving to the United States as a three-year-old and being raised in Paris, France. Joe shares his experience in the credit industry, starting with his realization of the impact of late payments on his credit score. This led him to found a...
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Matthew & Michael Vega-Sanz: Finding Passion in the Ordinary
Founders of Lula, Michael and Matthew Vega-Sanz joins the episode of Skin In The Game VC Podcast with Tom Wallace and new co-host Saxon Baum. Matthew and Michael discuss their journey of creating a car sharing app called Lula. They talk about how they came up with the idea while in college and...
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Laura DiBella: Florida's Tech Bloom
Laura DiBella, the Secretary of Commerce for the State of Florida as well as the president of CEO of Enterprise Florida, joins us for this episode of Skin in the Game. Laura explores the robust evolution of Florida's tech industry and the state's response to COVID-19. Florida's open strategy…
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Investing in Startups with Brad Feld
Brad Feld, an avid ecosystem-builder, tech entrepreneur, and early-stage investor for over 35 years shares his insights on the venture capital, startup, and tech community in this episode of Skin in the Game VC Podcast. Brad began his journey in tech and venture capital in the ‘80s and has since...
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Building a Betr Company with Joe Levy
On this episode, Tom interviews Joey Levy. You may have seen him recently all over the news and social media alongside his business partner and top sports influencer Jake Paul. They have recently launched Betr (initially known as Instabet), the world’s first micro-betting focused app and new…
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Building a Tech Community with Lakshmi Shenoy of Embarc Collective
Lakshmi Shenoy is the CEO of Embarc Collective in Tampa, Florida. Tom Wallace discusses her story and how she ended up helping to build and lead the fastest-growing startup hub in Florida. If you like what you hear, please rate us 5 stars and check out other episodes here:...
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Lessons Learned in Early Stage Tech Investing During Market Downturns
Florida Funders partners Tom Wallace and Marc Blumenthal discuss the ups and downs of markets and the lessons learned from the past. Learn more about early-stage tech investing during these times. If you like what you hear, please rate us 5 stars and check out our site:...
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Tony DiBenedetto: Thinking Big
Hello, my name's Tom Wallace, and I'm the Managing Partner of Florida Funders. Welcome to Florida Funders podcast. Our podcast is all about how to make all of us better angel investors, or better founders or entrepreneurs. We really address two audiences here. One thing that I love about angel...
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Elias Torres: Elevating Minority Founders
When you paint a picture in your head of the American Dream, what do you see? For many of us, it involves the vision of being ‘self-made’ and designing our own destiny, no matter where we came from. For Elias Torres, the choice his mother made when she immigrated from Nicaragua to Tampa would…
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David Blumberg: From the Bay to the Magic City
It's been more than 18 months since the COVID-19 pandemic started and we experienced weeks of lockdowns, quarantines, and a total reconfiguration of the way we work. For venture capitalist David Blumberg, the pandemic took him from his ancestral home of California across the country to Florida....
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Brian Murphy: the Importance of Reinvention
What happens when a brand new tech startup finds itself in the middle of one of the worst financial crises the country has ever seen? With a little luck, some intuitiveness, and a lot of hard work, a pivot in the right direction can not only save a company, it can create major success, too. Brian...
About this show
Florida Funders Managing Partner and "Skin in the Game VC" podcast hosts Saxon Baum & Tom Wallace believes that entrepreneurs are game changers and that the companies they envision, create and build make the world a better place. FLF is a hybrid venture capital fund and investor network that discovers, funds, and builds early-stage technology companies. We combine a $300M+ venture platform with 2,000+ accredited investors to back breakout founders in B2B software, fintech, AI, health care, and cybersecurity. Beyond capital, our team of serial entrepreneurs and investors provides operating expertise, strategic introductions, and a nationwide support network that helps founders win. By unifying venture capital with an engaged investor community, we deliver exceptional outcomes for founders and LPs alike. This podcast was envisioned to educate, connect and activate accredited investors to get skin in the game and invest like a VC.
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Florida Funders
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