The Bear Roars

Dan chats with Bob Yates, a prominent figure in the Boulder, Colorado community. Bob has 40 years of experience leading companies, civic organizations, and nonprofits. He is known  for his leadership and deep commitment to public service through local engagement. With a background in law and business, overlapping with Dan at Level3 communications, Bob brings a unique blend of expertise and practicality to his work in the community, balancing the needs of a rapidly growing city with the values of its residents. A former Boulder City Council member, Bob has been a vocal advocate for sustainable growth, environmental preservation, and the economic vitality of the region.  In this episode, Dan and Bob dive into his life after Level 3, commitment to public service, the Boulder mayoral race and his return back to the nonprofit space with CU Boulder. To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan sits down with Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. Weiser was previously the dean of the University of Colorado Law School and the founder of Silicon Flatirons, a CU Boulder organization that focuses on the intersection of law, innovation and entrepreneurship, and public interest. Early in his career, he was part of the federal initiative that shaped the Telecom Act of 1996. Phil and Dan’s discussion covers all these topics, including a specific focus on how to have civil discourse on sensitive topics such as Roe versus Wade. Join us as we dive into Silicon Flatirons,  civil discourse in the current political climate and the importance of bi-partisan legislation. To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan sits down with Dr. Stefanie Johnson, Director of the University of Colorado Boulder’s Center for Leadership and Associate Professor at CU Boulder’s Leeds School of Business, to dive into her valuable insights on leadership and management. Stefanie’s role with the Center for Leadership is aimed at fostering the next generation of leaders. With a strong commitment to advancing the field, Stefanie has secured federal and other grant funding to support her extensive research on leadership dynamics. She has also pioneered several innovative leadership development programs at CU, aimed at fostering the next generation of leaders. In addition to her academic contributions, Stefanie is the author of Inclusify, a book that explores the transformative leadership skills that distinguish the best leaders. Through her work, she highlights the common traits shared by exceptional leaders and provides a framework for cultivating inclusivity and effectiveness in leadership practices. In this episode, Dan and Stefanie cover a range of topics, from Stefanie's journey and passion for leadership to the impact of AI on students and professionals throughout their careers.  To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan sits down with Seth Sternberg, Founder and CEO of Honor, a company revolutionizing home care by providing high-quality care for older adults and supporting the caregivers who make it possible. With a background that spans from tech innovation to improving the aging experience, Seth is passionate about using technology to make life better for millions. Hailing from Silicon Valley, Seth co-founded Meebo, which was acquired by Google in 2012. At Google, he served as Product Management Director, first for Google+ and later at X. He led the team that launched Google Sign-In, enabling users to log in to third-party websites using their Google accounts. Join us as we dive into a wide range of topics, including Seth’s entrepreneurial journey and the care economy. Click here to learn more about Honor: https://www.honorcare.com/ To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan sits down with Mario Ciabarra, Founder and CEO of Quantum Metric and one of Colorado’s Endeavor Entrepreneurs. Mario has been at the forefront of shaping the digital experience landscape, helping some of the world's largest brands unlock customer insights and optimize their success. With a passion for data-driven decision-making and a visionary approach to problem-solving, Mario has revolutionized how companies understand their customers in real time. More than anything, Mario defines Quantum Metric’s success by how he can continuously invest in its employees because at the end of the day, it’s people that are Quantum Metric’s greatest legacy. Mario has a lengthy DevOps and entrepreneurial background, previously founding DevStream, Intelliborn, Rock Your Phone, & others.  Join us as we dive into his entrepreneurial journey, the future of digital transformation, and what it takes to lead in a constantly evolving tech world. Click here to learn more about Quantum Metric: https://www.quantummetric.com/ To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan sits down with Steve Halstedt, known as the father of venture capital in Colorado. Steve founded Centennial Ventures in 1982, which he led through several successful funds over 35 years. Steve shares stories about the early days of Cable TV, the bandwidth industry, and wireless networks, all areas where he was a pioneering investor. Zayo Group was among his most successful investments.  Before starting Centennial Ventures, Steve was president of Daniels & Associates, an investment bank focused on the cable TV industry, and a leadership team member at its parent company, Daniels Properties, Inc. He also worked as an investment manager at Travelers Insurance and served as a combat engineer platoon leader and assistant operations officer in the U.S. Army during Vietnam. In this episode, learn more about Steve’s venture journey, the many chapters of investing, and wise words for those looking to break into venture capital.  To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan sits down with Sam Alexander, CEO and Co-Founder of bitewell, the nutrition intelligence company on a mission to improve the world's health through food. Sam has built a platform that connects consumers to healthier food options tailored to their unique dietary needs, making personalized nutrition more accessible. Her background in marketing and entrepreneurship, coupled with her passion for health tech, has driven bitewell’s mission to make informed food choices easier. As a podcast guest, Sam shares insightful perspectives on the intersection of technology, wellness, and the future of food, offering practical tips for anyone looking to improve their relationship with what they eat. Sam brings experience from Bridgewater and Estee Lauder companies and a passion for food’s impact on health. In this episode, Sam shares more about why she started bitewell, the FoodHealth Score and her passion for Food As Medicine. Click here to learn more about bitewell and the FoodHealth score: https://www.bitewell.com/ To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan sits down with Boulder Colorado Innovator Pete Burridge, the Founder and CEO of Greenhouse Scholars. An entrepreneur his entire career, he has been a part of starting seven companies. Pete founded Greenhouse Scholars in order to create a Whole Person program that makes a broad and lasting impact by helping students to become community leaders that create change that will last through the generations. He believes that each of us is accountable to give back to the community. In this episode, Pete shares his love for Colorado, his entrepreneurial journey and the impactful work of Greenhouse Scholars. Click here to learn more about Greenhouse Scholars: https://greenhousescholars.org/ To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan sits down with Steve Kaplan, Neubauer Family Distinguished Service Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance and Kessenich E.P. Faculty Director at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.  Professor Kaplan co-founded the entrepreneurship program at Booth, including the Edward L. Kaplan New Venture Challenge, which has launched companies like GrubHub and Braintree/Venmo and created over $8 billion in market value. A leading scholar in private equity and venture capital, Steve shares insights on his work at Chicago Booth, his research on private equity and corporate finance, and what makes a successful CEO. Click here to learn more about Steve Kaplan:  https://www.chicagobooth.edu/faculty/directory/k/steven-neil-kaplan To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

In this episode of The Bear Roars, Dan sits down with Dr. Scott Davis, CEO and co-founder of Vescent, a developer and manufacturer of novel electro-optic and precision laser technologies. Vescent, which applies Nobel Prize Winning Frequency Combs technology, is a great example of a “pick-and-shovels” play in Quantum Technology.  Scott is a physics trained entrepreneur with an emphasis on new technology transition from the laboratory to manufacturing. He has spent his career inventing, developing, and commercializing a wide variety of technologies. He has over 50 papers published, has co-authored two book chapters, and has twenty-seven patents pending and/or issued. Prior to starting Vescent Photonics, Scott worked in the industry as an optical engineer, served as an NRC postdoc in the laboratories of David Plusquellic at NIST in Gaithersburg MD, and obtained his Ph.D. from JILA under the tutelage of David Nesbitt. In this episode, Scott shares more about his entrepreneurial journey, practical applications of quantum technology, and his passion for the quantum ecosystem. Click here to learn more about Vescent: https://vescent.com/ To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan sits down with former pro cyclist and Colorado native Robin Thurston, CEO of Outside, the world’s leading active lifestyle content and experiences platform.  Before Outside, Robin co-founded MapMyFitness, later acquired by Under Armour, and led Helix, a consumer genomics company. In this episode, Robin shares his journey from racing bikes to building industry-shaping companies, and discusses how enjoying the outdoors is connected to your well-being. Click here to learn more about Outside, Inc.: https://www.outsideinc.com/ To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan sits down with Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic, who is designing a supersonic airliner. Blake founded Boom Supersonic in September 2014 with the goal of making high-speed travel mainstream and enabling a new world of human connection.  Prior to founding Boom, Blake held leadership roles at Amazon and Groupon and co-founded mobile technology startup Kima Labs. At Groupon, Blake held multiple executive roles, culminating in responsibility for relevance, email, and search. In this episode, learn about the history of commercial flight, Blake’s experiences with Groupon and AWS, his past work with Boom Supersonic and the vision for the company's future. Find out when you can travel supersonic.  Click here to learn more about Boom Supersonic: https://boomsupersonic.com/. To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan has a chat with Josh and Jason Chapman, co-founders and managing partners of Konvoy Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests exclusively in the on-line video gaming industry. With deep expertise in gaming, technology, and entrepreneurship, they have built Konvoy into a leading investor in early-stage gaming startups worldwide. Konvoy is known for its strategic insights, hands-on approach, and commitment to fostering innovation in the gaming ecosystem. Prior to Konvoy, Josh worked at BlackRock and Morgan Stanley in New York City and Jason worked in the artificial intelligence division of IBM, focusing on natural language process, machine learning, and computer vision solutions.  Josh and Jason recount their journeys to Boulder, dive into their experiences with video games, and share their insights on the future direction of the gaming industry, including how AI, Virtual and Augmented Reality, and Blockchain intersect with gaming. Click here to learn more about Konvoy: https://www.konvoy.vc/ To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.

Dan chats with Mayor Mike Johnston, the 46th mayor of Denver, Colorado. Elected in 2023, he brings a background in education, law, entrepreneurship, and public service to the role. A former Colorado state senator, Johnston is known for his work on education reform and for applying an entrepreneurial approach to tackling our most vexing public sector challenges.  Before his political career, he was an educator and school principal, and he later led Gary Ventures, a nonprofit focused on social impact. As mayor, Johnston is focused on affordable housing, public safety, and economic development to build a more inclusive and sustainable Denver. In this episode, Mayor Mike shares his vision for Denver, how AI can solve city problems, his role in ending homeless encampments and why you should bring your innovation to the city. Click here to learn more about the Mayor and his priorities: https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Mayors-Office To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please send an email to contact@loudbearproductions.com.