The Established Podcast

Hosted by Established

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150

Latest episode

May 2026

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About the show

The Established Podcast continues to raise the bar for innovators and founders while expanding its lens to include the builders, investors, and changemakers shaping what's next. Each episode shines a light on standout startups, ideas, and trends from the Established network and beyond, uncovering the stories and lessons behind how remarkable people and companies become established.

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60 recent

May 22, 202639 min

#0150 - Charlie O'Donnell, NYC venture capitalist, community builder, and Author of Founder Unfriendly: What Investors Won't Tell You About Getting Funded

In this episode of the Established Podcast, Charlie O'Donnell, NYC venture capitalist, community builder, and Author of Founder Unfriendly: What Investors Won't Tell You About Getting Funded joins Frank Gruber, host of the podcast and Co-CEO at Established and Managing Partner at Established Ventures, for an honest conversation about venture capital, startup fundraising, and the realities founders rarely hear from investors. Charlie shares lessons from more than 20 years in venture, including his time at Union Square Ventures and as founder of Brooklyn Bridge Ventures, while discussing insights from his new book, Founder Unfriendly: What Investors Won't Tell You About Getting Funded. The discussion covers why most startups are not a fit for traditional VC, how founders should think about risk, the hidden dynamics inside partner meetings, why storytelling matters in fundraising, and how AI is changing the future of startups and investing. Charlie also shares actionable advice on customer discovery, building community-driven companies, and designing a business that aligns with the life you actually want. Get Involved! Founders, investors, startup teams, entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs), and innovators, we invite you to join the Established Network, our digital hub where creativity, capital, and collaboration collide. https://established.network Watch the episode on the Established YouTube Channel at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us Subscribe to the Established podcast: https://theestablishedpodcast.com/ Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs Connect with us on Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

April 17, 202645 min

#0149 - John Betancourt, the CEO of Humantelligence, Talks About What Happens When AI Enters the Founder's Journey

On this episode of the Established Podcast, we hear from John Betancourt, the CEO of Humantelligence, who talks about what happens when AI enters the founder's journey. This conversation was recorded by our very own Jamilah Corbitt, live at one of our Monthly Innovation Circle sessions inside the Established Network. If you're not already in, you're missing out. Go to est.us/TheMIC2026 and claim your spot. Get Involved! Founders, investors, startup teams, entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs), and innovators, we invite you to join the Established Network, our digital hub where creativity, capital, and collaboration collide. https://established.network Watch the episode on the Established YouTube Channel at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us Subscribe to the Established podcast: https://theestablishedpodcast.com/ Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs Connect with us on Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

March 25, 202645 min

#0148 - Grant Rogers, the CEO of Maven Scouts and Grind Ventures, and Holly Burrow, the CEO of EQALL Business Solutions

On this episode of the Established Podcast, we hear from Jillian Friot who is the CEO of the Global Venture Network and Donna Harris, the CEO of Builders and Backers. Today's guests are Grant Rogers, the CEO of Maven Scouts and Grind Ventures, and Holly Burrow, the CEO of EQALL Business Solutions. Grant and Holly were interviewed by our own Jamilah Corbitt as part of our Established Network, Monthly Innovation Circle, and we continue to host these events on the third Thursday of every month. Sign up today at: http://est.us/TheMIC2026 Watch the episode on the Established YouTube Channel at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us Subscribe to the Established podcast: https://theestablishedpodcast.com/ Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs Connect with us on Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

February 17, 202649 min

#0147 - 2026 Investment Outlooks and Trends with Jillian Friot and Donna Harris

On this episode of the Established Podcast, we hear from Jillian Friot who is the CEO of the Global Venture Network and Donna Harris, the CEO of Builders and Backers. Jillian and Donna were interviewed as part of our Established Network, Monthly Innovation Circle, and we continue to host these events on the third Thursday of every month. Sign up today at: http://est.us/TheMIC202 Get Involved! Founders, investors, startup teams, entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs), and innovators, we invite you to join the Established Network, our digital hub where creativity, capital, and collaboration collide. https://established.network Watch the episode on the Established YouTube Channel at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us Subscribe to the Established podcast: https://theestablishedpodcast.com/ Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs Connect with us on Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

January 29, 202657 min

#0146 - Cornel Amariei, the CEO of .lumen, Chats About Deep Tech

On this episode of the Established Podcast, we hear from Cornel Amariei, the CEO of .lumen. Cornel chats about deep tech that guides users using haptics. Get Involved! Founders, investors, startup teams, entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs), and innovators, we invite you to join the Established Network, our digital hub where creativity, capital, and collaboration collide. https://established.network Watch the episode on the Established YouTube Channel at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us Subscribe to the Established podcast: https://theestablishedpodcast.com/ Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs Connect with us on Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

January 5, 202653 min

#0145 - Promotional Strategy and Building Brand Value with Sara Lawhead and Polly Rodriguez

On this episode of the Established Podcast, we hear from our very own Jamilah Corbitt, who hosted a discussion about building brand value. She was joined by Sara Lawhead, who is the Vice President of Thacker NYC and Polly Rodriguez, who is the CEO and Co-Founder of Unbound Babes. This conversation was recorded live at one of our Monthly Innovation Circle sessions inside the Established Network. If you're not already in, you're missing out. Go to est.us/TheMIC2025 and claim your spot. Get Involved! Founders, investors, startup teams, entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs), and innovators, we invite you to join the Established Network, our digital hub where creativity, capital, and collaboration collide. https://established.network Watch the episode on the Established YouTube Channel at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us Subscribe to the Established podcast: https://theestablishedpodcast.com/ Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs Connect with us on Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

November 19, 202532 min

#0144 - Shawn D. Nelson Talks About Starting and Building Lovesac

On this episode of the Established Podcast, Frank Gruber (www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber) is joined by Shawn D. Nelson, founder and CEO of Lovesac (www.lovesac.com), the modular couch company that started in his parents' basement. He's also the author of Let Me Save You 25 Years, a book packed with lessons on leadership, resilience, and taking ownership. Get Involved! Founders, investors, startup teams, entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs), and innovators, we invite you to join the Established Network, our digital hub where creativity, capital, and collaboration collide. https://established.network Watch the episode on the Established YouTube Channel at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us Subscribe to the Established podcast: https://theestablishedpodcast.com Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs Connect with us on Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

October 28, 202557 min

#0143 - Johnny Crowder, Margo Jordan, and Hannes Bend, Chat About Mental Health

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, we hear from our very own Jamilah Corbitt, who hosted a panel discussion about mental health and resilience. She was joined by: Johnny Crowder, founder of Cope Notes, who is using daily text messages to improve mindset and emotional wellness. Margo Jordan, CEO of Enrichly, helping youth build confidence and self-worth through gamified learning. Hannes Bend, founder of Transforming AI, blending mindfulness and technology to support emotional well-being. This conversation was recorded live at one of our Monthly Innovation Circle sessions inside the Established Network. If you're not already in, you're missing out. Go to est.us/TheMIC2025 and claim your spot. Get Involved! Founders, investors, startup teams, entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs), and innovators, we invite you to join the Established Network, our digital hub where creativity, capital, and collaboration collide. https://established.network Watch the episode on the Established YouTube Channel at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: https://podcast.startupofyear.com/ Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs Connect with us on Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

October 1, 202534 min

#0142 - Jared Goralnick From Your360.ai Talks About Self-Awareness and the Future of Feedback

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, we hear from Jared Goralnick, who is a product executive and 3x founder & CEO with deep expertise in HR Tech, AI, and marketplaces. Over the past decade, he has led product organizations at category-defining companies, including LinkedIn, Microsoft, Upwork, Go1, and Articulate. Get Involved! Founders, investors, startup teams, entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs), and innovators, we invite you to join the Established Network, our digital hub where creativity, capital, and collaboration collide. https://established.network Watch the episode on the Established YouTube Channel at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: https://podcast.startupofyear.com/ Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs Connect with us on Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

September 9, 202525 min

#0141 - Eric Mathews From Start Co. Chats About Unleashing Unprecedented Potential

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, we hear from Eric Mathews, CEO of Start Co. He's a proven startup strategist, venture architect, and author. He's launched companies, coached founders, and written books that cut through the noise. This conversation was recorded live at one of our Monthly Innovation Circle sessions inside the Established Network. If you're not already in, you're missing out. Go to est.us/TheMIC2025 and claim your spot. Get Involved! Founders, investors, startup teams, entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs), and innovators, we invite you to join the Established Network, our digital hub where creativity, capital, and collaboration collide. https://established.network Watch the episode on the Established YouTube Channel at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: https://podcast.startupofyear.com/ Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) - @EstablishedUs Connect with us on Facebook - facebook.com/established.us