The Daily Bolster

Bolster

The Daily Bolster is a quick-hitting podcast for startup leaders scaling their businesses.

Every day, Matt Blumberg, Co-founder and CEO of Bolster, is joined by experienced operators and industry experts who share their real-world experiences and practical advice. Together, we discuss professional development, venture capital, startup strategy, and tips and tricks for executive growth. It’s the actionable insight you need to scale—in under 10 minutes.

The Daily Bolster is produced by Bolster, the new way to find the right executives. We supercharge startup growth by matching CEOs with transformational executives, mentors, and board members—without the hassle of traditional talent sourcing. Built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, Bolster’s on-demand marketplace is packed with diverse, highly qualified leaders ready for full-time, interim, fractional, project-based, advisory, or board roles.

Have a question for Matt or one of our guests? Email us at thedailybolster@bolster.com. Interested in learning more about Bolster? Sign up or start searching for free at bolster.com.

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It's Almost Time for Season 2 of The Daily Bolster

It's Almost Time for Season 2 of The Daily Bolster

The Daily Bolster is coming back for Season 2, with all new episodes starting September 18th. Every day, Matt Blumberg, Co-founder and CEO of Bolster, will be joined by experienced operators and industry experts who share their real-world experiences and practical advice. Follow Bolster or subscribe to make sure you don’t miss a thing. Have a question for Matt or one of our guests? Email us at thedailybolster@bolster.com.

Episodes

Deep Dive with Seth Godin

Deep Dive with Seth Godin

This is the last episode of Season 3—and it’s a good one! Tune in as Matt Blumberg interviews Seth Godin about his career, his successes and failures, and how his love of teaching and business led him to write over 20 books. Tune in as Seth talks about becoming indispensable, the role of marketing, and his thoughts on AI.

Letting Go of Structure in Interviews with Carla Vernón

Letting Go of Structure in Interviews with Carla Vernón

On today’s episode of The Daily Bolster, Matt asks Carla Vernón, CEO of The Honest Company, about why her approach to interviewing potential executives and board directors has changed. This is a thoughtful episode you don’t want to miss!

How to Handle Unexpected Change with Craig Wood

How to Handle Unexpected Change with Craig Wood

Today on The Daily Bolster, we’re joined by multi-time CEO Craig Wood. Tune in as he and Matt discuss preparing for and managing unexpected change. This is a valuable episode for any leader, but especially for CEOs. You won't want to miss it!

Using Case Studies in Interviews with Jessica Wolf

Using Case Studies in Interviews with Jessica Wolf

Today, Matt welcomes Jessica Wolf, CEO of Skye to talk about interviewing senior leaders. Tune in as Jessica shares her advice and explains how she uses case studies to assess candidates’ strengths.

Questions To Dig Deeper In Interviews with Puja Agrawal

Questions To Dig Deeper In Interviews with Puja Agrawal

Today on the podcast, Matt chats with Puja Agrawal about how to go deeper in executive interviews. Tune in to get tips for interviewing senior leaders, and learn what Puja means when she talks about looking for attitude over aptitude.

Tips for Interviewing Senior Leaders with Jenny Lawton

Tips for Interviewing Senior Leaders with Jenny Lawton

Today we’re welcoming Jenny Lawton back to the podcast! Jenny has interviewed many executives throughout her career, and today, she and Matt are talking about her approach. Tune in for takeaways you’ll use in your next interview process!

The Art of Storytelling for Startups with Laura Mather

The Art of Storytelling for Startups with Laura Mather

In today’s episode, we’re welcoming multi-time founder Laura Mather back to The Daily Bolster! Tune in as she shares storytelling tips that will help startup leaders succeed with investors, board members, and customers.

Hiring Executives for Nonprofits with Raj Vinnakota

Hiring Executives for Nonprofits with Raj Vinnakota

Today on the Daily Bolster, Matt and Raj Vinnakota discuss 4 things to look for when hiring executives in the nonprofit sector. Raj has plenty of experience in the nonprofit space and is the CEO of the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, a nonprofit focused on driving civic preparedness and engagement in young people. Tune in to hear his valuable advice!

How to Build a High Performing Exec Team with Jess Hunt

How to Build a High Performing Exec Team with Jess Hunt

Today on The Daily Bolster, Jess Hunt shares 3 necessary factors to build a high-performing executive team. CEOs (and other leaders) should:🧠 Have a “first team" mindset🧱 Recognize that growing is like a game of Tetris⌚️ Invest time in managing the leadership teamTune in to the 5-minute episode to learn more!

Becoming an Impactful Communicator with Russ Hamilton

Becoming an Impactful Communicator with Russ Hamilton

Are you an impactful communicator? Today’s guest, Russ Hamilton, is the founder and CEO of ConnectionLab, which builds and delivers high-impact presentation, communication, and leadership programs. Tune in to hear his tips for successful communication.

Balancing Life & Running a Startup with Kevin Ryan

Balancing Life & Running a Startup with Kevin Ryan

Today on The Daily Bolster, we’re welcoming Kevin Ryan, founder and CEO of AlleyCorp. He and Matt talk about taking a long-term perspective, deciding where to make sacrifices, and prioritizing family. Tune in for a great conversation about how to balance life and running a startup!

Top Advice for CEOs from an Investor with David Shapiro

Top Advice for CEOs from an Investor with David Shapiro

Tune into today’s episode of The Daily Bolster as David Shapiro, Managing Partner at Blue Ivy Ventures, shares his top advice for founders. 💰 Align your business with the proper sources of capital📖 Get proper corporate governance early on🔍 Focus on the problem, not just the solution

Navigating Continued Uncertainty as a CEO with Puja Agrawal

Navigating Continued Uncertainty as a CEO with Puja Agrawal

Today on the podcast, Matt welcomes Puja Agrawal to discuss navigating turbulent times as a CEO. Tune in to find out why Puja views periods of uncertainty as opportunities—and how to make the most of them.

Common Blindspots for Executives with Jenny Lawton

Common Blindspots for Executives with Jenny Lawton

We’re welcoming Jenny Lawton to The Daily Bolster! Jenny is an experienced operating executive and a Bolster alum, currently focused on supporting early-stage entrepreneurs. Today, she’s sharing the surprising piece of advice she gives over and over. Don’t miss this valuable 4-minute episode!

Advice Worth Paying Forward with Julie Bernard

Advice Worth Paying Forward with Julie Bernard

Tune in as Matt welcomes Julie Bernard back to The Daily Bolster! Julie is an independent board member, advisor, and career CMO. Today, she’s sharing three of the most impactful pieces of advice she’s received.

Keeping Your Leadership Team Focused with Danny Shader

Keeping Your Leadership Team Focused with Danny Shader

Today we’re welcoming Danny Shader to the podcast. Danny is a multi-time tech founder and is currently the CEO of PayNearMe. Tune in as he shares advice on how CEOs can keep their leadership teams focused and unified.

Deep Dive with Laura Mather

Deep Dive with Laura Mather

In this episode, Matt interviews Laura Mather about her career as a multi-time founder, independent board director, and startup advisor. Tune in as they talk about Laura’s first job at the NSA, her time at Encyclopedia Britannica, founding a cyber-security company with her husband, hiring diverse teams, and more.

Questions to Ask A Prospective CEO Coach with Jessica Wolf

Questions to Ask A Prospective CEO Coach with Jessica Wolf

You’ve heard about the benefits of executive coaching, but do you know how to find the right coach for your needs?Today on The Daily Bolster, Jessica Wolf shares three questions to ask when interviewing prospective coaches. Jessica is the co-founder and CEO of Skye, a platform that helps leaders achieve their goals with 1-to-1 coaching. Tune in to hear her advice!

Translating Nonprofit Board Experience to For-Profit with Raj Vinnakota

Translating Nonprofit Board Experience to For-Profit with Raj Vinnakota

In today’s episode of The Daily Bolster, Matt Blumberg interviews Raj Vinnakota, CEO of the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, a nonprofit driving civic engagement in 14 to 24-year-olds. At Bolster, we often encourage clients to consider independent board directors with non-traditional experience. Tune in as Raj and Matt discuss whether serving on a non-profit board can be good preparation for a for-profit board role.

Questions First-Time CEOs Should Ask CMO Candidates with Mark Friedman

Questions First-Time CEOs Should Ask CMO Candidates with Mark Friedman

How do you determine which CMO is the best for your leadership team? Today on The Daily Bolster, Mark Friedman, an experienced, data-driven Chief Marketing Officer, shares the top three questions you should ask before hiring a CMO.