From Start-Up to Grown-Up – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Technical and general information from the podcast's RSS feed.

From Start-Up to Grown-Up

From Start-Up to Grown-Up

Alisa Cohn

Business
Business
Business

Frequency: 1 episode/15d. Total Eps: 117

Buzzsprout
One of the top startup coaches in the world, Alisa Cohn, talks to founders, creators, advisors, investors and builders of all kinds about their insights and experiences in growing from Start-up to Grown-up.
Site
RSS

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

    No recent rankings available

Spotify

    No recent rankings available

RSS feed quality and score

Technical evaluation of the podcast's RSS feed quality and structure.

See all
RSS feed quality
To improve

Score global : 52%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

Episodes published by month in

Latest published episodes

Recent episodes with titles, durations, and descriptions.

See all

#106 Kass and Mike Lazerow— Serial Married Founders Sold their Company to Salesforce for $750M on Loving the Journey (Encore)

Episode 106

lundi 1 décembre 2025 • Duration 01:28:55

Kass and Mike Lazerow who are serial entrepreneurs, seasoned investors, and co-authors of Shoveling Sh!t: A Love Story About the Entrepreneur’s Messy Path to Success joined me for one of the most honest conversations I’ve had about what it really takes to build companies and build a life. They share the unvarnished truth about their journey: surviving the dot-com crash, buying Golf.com back from bankruptcy, founding and scaling Buddy Media (eventually acquired by Salesforce for $745 million), and raising three kids while raising capital. They talk about the choices that shaped them, including why they walked away from a bigger offer from Google and how radical transparency kept their team committed during a three-month period when they couldn’t make payroll.

We also dive into the patterns they see in the 100+ startups they’ve backed like how ego, secrecy, and shiny-object syndrome derail founders along with the essential habits that help leaders stay grounded. And because they work together and live together, they open up about how they divide responsibilities, handle stress, and stay connected through exits, pivots, health scares, and everything in between. Their upcoming book distills 50 hard-earned lessons about leadership, resilience, and building a life that actually works. This episode gives you a powerful preview and a reminder that the entrepreneurial path is messy, human, and absolutely worth it.


Where to find Kass and Mike:


Timestamps:

(00:00) The beauty in the struggle: why entrepreneurship is a love story

(01:10) Resilience as identity and getting punched 10 times for one win

(19:19) Creating a workplace people stay in through loyalty and learning

(20:16) Radical transparency: telling the team you might not make payroll

(21:06) Bad news vs. surprises: the leadership rule that protects trust

(22:21) Benevolent dictatorship vs. democracy: choosing decisive leadership

(23:53) Honesty as the most valuable currency in a downturn

(37:30) The pivot mindset: knowing when to throw things away

(52:23) Life after a big exit and leaving ego at the door

(53:45) Why working under others made Mike a stronger leader

(58:26) Founders and the guilt tax: the emotional cost of ambition

(01:08:45) The long-term power of paying it forward

(01:10:01) When cofounding goes wrong: misalignment, fallout, and repair

(01:12:50) Picking the right partner—in life and in business

(01:13:29) Cofounder “prenup” talks: values, work ethic, commitment

(01:14:05) No shortcuts: filtering for grit and willingness to shovel

(01:15:16) Why overlapping founder roles create conflict

(01:21:12) A simple lens for evaluating opportunities without the jargon

(01:22:14) Imposter syndrome and grounding yourself under pressure

(01:24:22) What they wish they’d known: focus, ph

Connect with Alisa!

Follow Alisa Cohn on 

Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) 

Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

#105 Randy Komisar— Legendary Kleiner Perkins Investor Shares the 3 “Whys” Every Founder Must Answer (Encore)

Episode 105

mardi 18 novembre 2025 • Duration 01:09:46

Randy Komisar is an entrepreneur and investor at Kleiner Perkins.

Previously, he was a co-founder of Claris Corp., served as CEO for LucasArts Entertainment and Crystal Dynamics, and acted as “virtual CEO” for such companies as WebTV and GlobalGiving. Randy also served as CFO of GO Corp. and as senior counsel for Apple Computer, following a private practice in technology law.

Randy is a founding director of TiVo and serves on the Roadtrip Nation Advisory Board and Orrick’s Women’s Leadership Board. He is the author of the best-selling book,The Monk and the Riddle, as well as several articles on leadership and entrepreneurship. He is also the co-author of Straight Talk for Startups, the insider best practices for entrepreneurial success, Getting to Plan B, on managing innovation, and I F**king Love that Company, on building consumer brands.

This conversation with Randy Komisar is just spectacular! We dive right into how he turned his interview with Neil Young from disaster to success, why growing up with a professional gambler sharpened his communication skills, the way that luck factors into your career, and the way to maximize your chances of serendipity coming your way.

You’ll learn pearl after pearl of wisdom from Randy in our conversation, including a crucial question he asks as an investor to any entrepreneur to assess what they’re made of.

Randy’s such a great storyteller, and this discussion is not to be missed!


Where to find Randy:



Timestamps:

(00:00) The Neil Young interview disaster—and how Randy saved it

(02:00) Throwing away the script and learning to “follow the spark”

(03:15) Reading people: Randy’s people-sense and street upbringing

(04:00) Growing up with a salesman and professional gambler father

(05:20) Lessons from watching gamblers: losing stories, tells, and ego

(07:00) How his father’s instincts shaped Randy’s BS-detector in VC

(12:35) Self-awareness, delusion, and Buddhism’s core teaching

(13:40) Coaching as holding up a mirror

(14:20) Randy’s winding path: from upstate NY to Brown University

(15:55) Finding paradise at Brown: curiosity and lifelong learning

(21:30) How meaningful small acts of encouragement can be

(23:00) Enter Bill Campbell: how they met at Apple

(34:00) The inner conflict: purpose vs. title

(37:00) Managing through influence, not authority

(39:30) Bringing the virtual-CEO model into venture capital

(40:50) Success, skepticism, and earning trust at Kleiner

(43:10) Why this? Why you? Why now?

(44:30) “Is this worth failing at?”—the most important founder question

(46:00) The gambler’s wisdom: inviting luck

(48:30) How to make yourself luckier (excellence, flexibility, humility)

(50:10) Most great companies succeed with Plan B, not Plan A

(51:30) A painful miss: the Juicero story

(53:00) PR mismatch, press backlash, and the fatal Bloomberg article



Connect with Alisa!

Follow Alisa Cohn on 

Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) 

Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

#96: David Heinemeier Hansson, Co-Owner of 37signals— Creating with first principles, acting with courage, and working in a world with no managers (Repost)

Episode 96

jeudi 17 juillet 2025 • Duration 01:20:28

David is the creator of Ruby on Rails, Co-Owner of 37signals, best-selling author, Le Mans class-winning racing driver, antitrust advocate, investor in Danish startups, frequent podcast guest, and family man.

He writes regularly on HEY World and speaks on The REWORK Podcast. 

Hundreds of thousands of programmers around the world have built amazing applications using Ruby on Rails, an open-source web framework he created in 2003, and continues to develop to this day. Some of the more famous include Github, Shopify, Airbnb, Square, Coinbase, and Zendesk.

For my newest episode of From Start-Up to Grown-Up, I talk with David Heinemeier Hansson, Co-Founder of 37signals, to explore his journey of innovation, remote work, and unconventional management.

Learn more about DHH | Website
https://dhh.dk/

Connect with Alisa!

Follow Alisa Cohn on 

Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) 

Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

#6: Jeff Wald, WorkMarket

lundi 15 novembre 2021 • Duration 01:10:08

Jeff Wald is a serial entrepreneur,  Board Member, Best Selling author, Keynote speaker and investor.   Jeff is co-founder and Chairman of two new technology startups, Bento Engine (toolkit for financial advisers) and Sonero (AI tool that provides summaries and action items from meetings).  Jeff’s previous company, Work Market, an enterprise software platform that enables companies to manage freelancers was acquired by ADP in 2018, where he served on the Senior Leadership Team until 2020.  Mr. Wald has founded several other technology companies, including Spinback, a social sharing platform (eventually purchased by salesforce.com). He began his career in finance, serving as Managing Director at activist hedge fund Barington Capital Group, a Vice President at venture capital firm GlenRock and various roles in the M&A Group at JP Morgan.

Jeff has served on numerous public and private Boards of Directors including Steel Connect (NASDAQ: STCN), Costar Technologies (OTC: CSTI) and venture-backed TransfrVR.   Mr. Wald serves as an adviser to several companies and entities including the X-Prize’s Rapid Reskilling Initiative.

Jeff is the author of the #1 Amazon Best Seller, The End of Jobs: The Rise of On-Demand Workers and Agile Corporations and The Birthday Rules: A Fun and Flexible Framework for Raising Children in a Technology Enabled World.

In this episode, Jeff talks about cofounder drama, his depression when his first startup failed, and what he said to his investors when they told him to get a coach, frameworks, and what he now looks for as an investor.

[02:48] How Jeff started

[13:44] Sign of Weakness

[20:37] Getting a Coach 

[27:33] Working Habit

[37:28] Lifeline

[45:05] Achievements

[47:28] Jeff’s Imposter Syndrome

[55:23] Advice

[01:07:57] Conclusion

To hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter at alisacohn.com/5scripts

Connect with Alisa!

Follow Alisa Cohn on 

Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) 

Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

#5: Sadie Lincoln, Barre3

lundi 8 novembre 2021 • Duration 42:17

Sadie Lincoln is the co-founder and CEO of the fitness franchise company, Barre3.

Sadie is on Inc.’s Female Founders 100 list and the MO100 Impact list, has been featured on NPR’s How I Built This, and speaks regularly on the topics of mindful leadership, the power of body wisdom, and the movement to redefine what success in fitness means. Beyond running her company and being a global spokesperson, Sadie still enjoys teaching barre3 classes to many of her founding clients in her hometown of Portland, Oregon.


In this episode, Sadie shares how their in-person business had to pivot during the pandemic, why she views running her business as a spiritual practice, the worst feedback she ever received, and the importance of having the right team around her.

[2:17] Building business was a spiritual practice

[5:14] Micro practices that bring her closer to her spiritual practices

[7:46] Shifting into a more confident state

[9:45] The founding story of Barre3

[16:39] During the pandemic

[33:26] A circle in Sadie’s leadership group

[37:41] Female leadership

[39:55] What else does Sadie wish she had known earlier on her journey?

[41:04] Sadie’s Advice


To hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter at http://alisacohn.com/5scripts

Connect with Alisa!

Follow Alisa Cohn on 

Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) 

Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

#4: Chris Hsu, Azibo

lundi 1 novembre 2021 • Duration 01:02:24

Chris Hsu is the CEO & Co-Founder of Azibo, a VC-backed real estate fintech startup focused on simplifying the rental property experience. Prior to Azibo, Chris served as an Advisory Partner at a16z and previously was CEO of Micro Focus, a $4B enterprise software company. He also was COO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, where he successfully led the largest corporate separation in history. Chris spent the earlier part of his career in leadership roles at top consulting firms, including KKR and McKinsey. A military veteran, Chris graduated as a Distinguished Cadet from the United States Military Academy at West Point and completed his U.S. Army tenure as a Captain. He also has an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

In this episode of From Start Up to Grown Up, our guest is Chris Hsu. Chris is the CEO and Co-Founder of Azibo, a financial service for rental property owners. He has various work experience with a variety of companies, namely: General Mills, McKinsey, KKR, HP, and Andreessen Horowitz. He also has an MBA from Kellogg School of Management.

In this episode, we cover:

[1:59] Chris’ Personal Life

[7:33] Chris’ Experience on Ranger School

[13:55] Azibo Founding Story 

[18:17] Co-Founding Azibo

[22:02] Culture of the Company that Chris wrote down

[33:40] Chris on Leadership 

[37:43]The Struggles of Chris in his journey

[46:44] Chris as a CEO 

[54:09] Challenges in Talking to Employees and Executives

[59:48] What Chris Wished He Had Known Earlier

[1:02:02] Advice for other Founders

To hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter at http://alisacohn.com/5scripts

Connect with Alisa!

Follow Alisa Cohn on 

Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) 

Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

#3: Jake Stein, Common Paper

mardi 19 octobre 2021 • Duration 01:01:27

Jake Stein is the cofounder and CEO of Common Paper. Previously, he was the co-founder of RJMetrics (acquired by Magento, then Adobe) and Stitch (acquired by Talend). Before RJMetrics, Jake worked in venture capital, started a landscaping business in high school, and was the 44th ranked table tennis player under 21 in New Jersey; achievements of which he is equally proud.

In this episode, Jake discusses the pros and cons of distributed teams, the questions that he and his co-founder asked before they started their company, and the challenges he ran into once his former company was acquired. You'll also hear Jake's biggest mistake, how he invites company feedback parties, and all about Whale Wednesdays.

[01:27] Entrepreneurship Origins

[03:32] Aligning Company Plans

[11:33] The Emotional Battle of Running a Business

[28:03] Written Feedback vs. Verbal Feedback

[33:23] Fostering Company Culture

[45:36] Jake’s Biggest Professional Blunder

[58:05] The Importance of Self-Care

[58:51] Advice for New Business Owners

To hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter at http://alisacohn.com/5scripts

Connect with Alisa!

Follow Alisa Cohn on 

Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) 

Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

#2: Zvi Band, Contactually

vendredi 15 octobre 2021 • Duration 01:04:00

Zvi Band is the co-founder and CEO of Contactually, which has been acquired by Compass. He is also the author of Success is In Your Sphere. His new venture is called Talk Social, which is focused on bringing humanity back together.

In this episode, Zvi and I had a conversation about how he got onto the path of entrepreneurship, how he learned to see himself as the leader, and the limits of transparency. Zvi and I also get into a real talk discussion about co-founder dynamics, mental health, and his surprising advice to founders who are getting ready to sell their business.

To hear more from Alisa, sign up for her newsletter!

Connect with Alisa!

Follow Alisa Cohn on 

Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) 

Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

#1: Matt Blumberg, Bolster

lundi 11 octobre 2021 • Duration 01:13:21

Matt Blumberg is the founder and CEO of Bolster, a new talent marketplace for on-demand executives launched in 2020. Before Bolster, he was the CEO of Return Path. He has authored two books, namely: The Startup CEO and The Startup CXO.

In this episode, Matt will take us through his entrepreneurship journey. He will give us in-depth details on how they founded Return Path, how they built the company culture, as well as their exit from the company. Matt also shares how he creates a support system, learned to say ”no,” and became a two-time CEO.

If you were to sell your company today, would you feel like you are giving away your child? Today, I’m joined by a man who founded a company, built it up, attempted selling it and failed, went back to rebuilding it, and sold it years later. Meet Matt Blumberg!

Matt is a founder and CEO of Bolster, a new talent marketplace for on-demand executives launched in 2020. Before Bolster, he was the CEO of Return Path. Also, he has authored two books, namely: The Startup CEO and The Startup CXO.

In this episode, Matt will take us through his entrepreneurship journey. He will give us in-depth details on how they founded Return-path, how they built the company culture, and their exit from the company. Also, he will tell us how he creates a support system, his journey to learning to say, "no” and how he became a second-time CEO.

Key Talking Points of the Episode:

[01:36] Getting to know Matt

[03:27] Matt’s growth path in leadership

[09:30] How Matt learned to say NO

[12:39] How to build a support system

[13:23] What’s the difference between a coach and a mentor?

[15:10] How Matt handles difficult conversations with his employees

[21:20] Coaching someone is about to get fired

[29:30] How Matt built the company culture at Return Path and how it evolved

[40:16] How Matt deals with difficult setbacks and bad moments in his day-to-day life

[41:57] Transparency and authenticity

[43:27] Matt’s favorite failure

[51:05] How Matt sold Return Path

[56:25] What is it like to be a second-time CEO for Matt?

[01:02:58] The most challenging role for Matt in his current role

[01:04:42] Matt’s book, Startup CXO and why it is important 

[01:10:43] What Matt wishes he knew earlier on his journey

[01:11:15] Matt’s message to other founders, as they embark on their journey to grow into leaders

Quotes from the Episode:

“You’re never done growing as a leader all of us are works in progress.”

“The most important conversation to have with an employee or an executive who is not doing well is the conversation you have before the one you fire them.”

“The best way to deal with a bad moment is to wait a few minutes. Something else is going to come along and replace it.”

“When you make the hard conversation early, that means the later conversation is easier.”

“Don’t be shy about asking for help. There are a lot of people around you who know a lot more than you do about a lot of things that you’re doing.”

 Grab Matt’s Books:

 Startup CEO:

Connect with Alisa!

Follow Alisa Cohn on 

Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) 

Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

#0: A Welcome Message from Alisa

jeudi 15 juillet 2021 • Duration 01:28

Learn about Alisa's new podcast, From Start-Up to Grown-Up, where she interviews founders about the journey from their beginnings as a fledgling business to thriving companies that are leading the way.

Connect with Alisa!

Follow Alisa Cohn on 

Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better) 

Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Discover shows related to From Start-Up to Grown-Up, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
Génération Do It Yourself
The Informed Life
UI Breakfast: UI/UX Design and Product Strategy
REWORK
Design Thinking 101
Did I Do That?
Marketing Against The Grain
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
Research in Action | A podcast for faculty & higher education professionals on research design, methods, productivity & more
This Is So Awkward
© My Podcast Data
About usPrivacy Policy