Founder Shares

Hosted by Hutchison PLLC

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May 2026

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About the show

Every day, we at Hutchison PLLC work with founders and entrepreneurs as they fight and grind and stress and push to bring their visions to reality. We are inspired by their incredible stories of success, of failure, of reworking and trying again.

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60 recent

June 15, 2026Episode 6950 min

30 Years of Give First: Celebrating Hutchison's Legacy in the Triangle Startup Ecosystem

Recorded live at the Angus Barn during Hutchison's 30th anniversary celebration, this special episode of Founder Shares brings together some of the Triangle's most respected founders, investors, and ecosystem builders to reflect on three decades of what it really means to build a community — not just a law firm. Guests include Andrea Cook of NC Idea, Karl Rectanus, CEO, Really Great Reading | Co-Chair BOD, CED (Center for Entrepreneurial Development), Adam Stege, founder and CEO of Trio Labs, Tim McLoughlin of CoFounders Capital, Jason Caplain of Bull City Venture Partners, Pablo Casilimas, Managing Partner, OneSixOne Ventures, Krista Covey of First Flight Venture Center, David Mendez of Good Growth Capital, and Jim Roberts of the WAEL Angel Network - NEW (Network for Entrepreneurs of Wilmington), WALE (Wilmington Angels for Local Entrepreneurs) — all united by a single thread: that Hutchison's greatest asset has never been its legal expertise alone, but its willingness to show up, make the introduction, and put founders first before any transaction is on the table. Plus, Karl LaPan of UF Innovate shares what ChatGPT told him when he asked how to describe a law firm like Hutchison — and the answer, "ecosystem architect," just might be the most accurate two-word summary of thirty years of work anyone has offered yet.Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.

May 8, 2026Episode 6849 min

From El Camino to Kahmino: Building the Future of Neighborhood Discovery with Taylor Casey

Host Trevor Schmidt chats with Taylor Casey, Founder and CEO of Kahmino, and Hutchison partner John Rudd, about how a 500-mile pilgrimage across Spain sparked a real estate tech company built to help people truly love where they live. Taylor shares her unconventional path — from accounting major to InsureTech product manager to solo founder — and how being "product person number one" at her first startup gave her just enough confidence to do it all over again on her own terms. She breaks down how Kahmino uses over 50 data sources to match homebuyers not just to a zip code, but to a lifestyle and community vibe, and how a scrappy, zero-marketing-spend approach powered by real estate agent word-of-mouth has already carried the company into five markets across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. John Rudd adds critical legal context on entity formation, equity vesting, advisor compensation, and what founders need to know before signing their first big customer contract. Plus, Taylor opens up about the one thing nobody warned her about before starting a company — that even when you're not working, the mental load never really clocks out — and why finding sustainable practices isn't optional if you're building for the long haul.Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.

April 10, 2026Episode 6756 min

Women, Capital & Confidence: Building the Triangle's Investment Ecosystem

Host Trevor Schmidt chats with five powerhouse voices — Abha Bowers, Head of Strategic Partnerships at CED; Anna Tharrington, Partner at Hutchison PLLC; Zakiya Alta Lee, Principal at Idea Fund Partners; Seema Nand, CEO and Co-founder of South Sim Biotech; and Elizabeth Kelly, Managing Director at Pappas Capital — about what it truly takes to close the gender gap in entrepreneurship and venture capital. Recorded live on the eve of the Venture Connect Conference at the Strength in Numbers mixer, this episode captures an ecosystem mid-momentum: a community of founders, investors, and allies who are done waiting for the conversation to change and are actively changing it themselves. From Zakiya's practical framework for diversifying VC deal-flow sourcing, to Seema's first FDA meeting milestone, to Liz's candid admission that early-stage investing is lonelier than people think, the episode is a rare, unfiltered look at the real infrastructure being built to support underrepresented founders in the Triangle. Plus, Zakiya Alta Lee reframes the "only woman in the room" dynamic entirely — flipping the script on a familiar frustration into a pitch-room superpower, reminding founders that the unicorn in the room is exactly who everyone is looking for. Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.

March 5, 2026Episode 661 hr 3 min

The Creative Architect: Scaling Product and Team with Rick Carlson

Host Trevor Schmidt chats with Rick Carlson, founder and CEO of NeuroTone AI, and Hutchison attorney Jasjit Grewal about the "creative process" of building a serial startup career. Rick shares his journey from the early days of email automation at SharpSpring to his "un-retirement" to lead a ghost business back to life. He explains how having a solution to a problem isn't enough to build a business—you have to prove people want to buy it—and dives into the importance of having a "day-one" data room to streamline fundraising. Plus, Rick discusses the future of Neurotone AI, including how they are using AI to localize auditory training apps in 12 different languages to help those with hearing loss process sound better.Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC

January 28, 2026Episode 6458 min

The Heart of the Hustle: Leading with Soul in the Social Sector

Host Trevor Schmidt chats with Amber Melanie Smith, founder of Change Kit, and Danny Rosin, co-founder of Brand Fuel and Band Together, about the unique challenges and "soul" required to lead in the nonprofit and social entrepreneurship space. Amber shares her journey from a cross-country volunteering road trip to founding Activate Good, while Danny discusses his "prankster" roots and his mission to use business as a force for good through his B Corp.They dive deep into the burnout crisis facing the sector, with Amber highlighting that 70% of nonprofit staff are considering career changes, and Danny explaining how to break the "starvation cycle" of fundraising by investing in leadership as mission-critical infrastructure. The pair also explore the technical side of doing good, discussing the importance of choosing the right legal structure and finding a donor’s "love language" through AI and collaboration. Plus, Amber and Danny share moving stories of impact—from a homeless volunteer to a parent seeing their child’s life changed through music—proving that anyone can be a change-maker with the right support.Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.

November 28, 2025Episode 6348 min

Founding Vision: Mike Halpert on VR Training and Entrepreneurial Resilience

Host Trevor Schmidt chats with Hutchison law partner and former D1 athlete Anna Tharrington and Mike Halpert, CEO of Ver Coaching, about Mike's journey fueled by a sense of "calling" to develop an app that uses VR headsets for athlete vision training. Mike explains that the technology improves hand-eye coordination and performance by training the eye muscles to work better in sync with quick, measurable results. He highlights the impact on mental confidence, citing the vast improvement one athlete made; going from struggling at the plate to hitting an at-bat home run after using the app. Mike shares the honest challenge of being a founder, stressing the need for a strong support community and the mindset that you "have to be okay with failure". Plus, Anna tries out the Ver Coaching app and the results are impressive!Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.

October 31, 2025Episode 6257 min

The People Problem Solvers: HR, Compliance, and Firing Fast with Chelsey Warren & Ashley Pittman

On this episode of the Founder Shares podcast, host Trevor Schmidt is joined by Chelsey Warren, Founder and Principal of Spark People Advisory, and employment lawyer Ashley Pittman (Hutchison PLLC), who tackle the critical "people" aspect of any growing company. Chelsey shares her strategic approach to hiring, retention, and knowing when to bring in HR expertise, while Ashley provides the essential legal perspective on compliance, noting how rules change as a company crosses employee count thresholds. The discussion covers practical, tough topics for founders, including best practices for consistent interviewing to avoid costly mishires, why candid feedback is more effective than formal performance improvement plans (PIPs), and the legal best practices for termination, emphasizing the value of severance and non-disparagement agreements to mitigate risk.Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.

September 26, 2025Episode 6125 min

LIVE @ Grepbeat’s Startups to Watch

In this special edition of the Founder Shares podcast, we go on location to the 2025 Grepbeat Startups to Watch event. Host Trevor Schmidt speaks with judges and founders about what it takes to build a successful startup in North Carolina's vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. Founders share how they've leveraged everything from social media and AI to a deep understanding of their communities to achieve remarkable growth. The episode provides an inside look at the "founder special sauce" and the crucial elements—from a strong team to a data-driven approach—that turn a promising idea into a company to watch.Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.

August 29, 2025Episode 6032 min

How AI and a Global Pandemic led to a $175M Investment: Ardis Kadiu's Element451 Story

In this episode of the Founder Shares podcast, host Trevor Schmidt sits down with Ardis Kadiu, founder and CEO of Element451. Ardis shares his journey from an engineer to a successful entrepreneur, recounting how he spun off a software company from his marketing agency to solve a core problem in student recruitment. He candidly discusses the early days of grinding in a small Dumbo, Brooklyn office and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which ultimately became an "accelerant" for his company. Ardis also talks about the critical role of AI in their product, his experience navigating a multi-million dollar acquisition, and his decision to step away to pursue a new venture.

June 27, 2025Episode 5955 min

The Authenticity Advantage: How Runbin Dong's Scale Social AI Helps Small Businesses Shine

In this episode of the Founder Shares podcast, host Trevor Schmidt sits down with Runbin Dong, founder and CEO of Scale Social AI. Runbin shares his unique journey from corporate tech to small business owner, inspired by his mother's retirement and their handmade dumpling business. This experience led him to identify a critical gap in digital marketing, particularly the need for authenticity amidst a flood of AI-generated content. Discover how Scale Social AI empowers loyal customers to become a brand's biggest marketing asset by transforming real customer experiences into scalable, authentic content, and how Runbin navigates the challenges of entrepreneurship, balances work and family, and plans for the future of his rapidly growing company.