Unconventional Genius

If you were to do a quick Google search for the phrase “stress relief products,” you’d find all kinds of things to help you deal with stress after the fact. That’s because we humans get ourselves into situations that induce stress and then we look for a way to deal with what we’ve created. It's normal. It's everyday life as we know it. But does it have to be?

What if a product existed that could help you avoid many of the stressful...

As human beings, we drastically underestimate the power of change. It’s because we derive comfort from routine and habit. It feels safe, secure, and comfortable. Change is the exact opposite, it DEMANDS that we step outside of what is normal for us and do different things.

My guest on this episode of Unconventional Genius is Beth Comstock. She’s one of the most powerful women in the business world right now and has recently release...

On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Andrew Yang about The Freedom Dividend and the future of America. Andrew is an entrepreneur, author, and founder of Venture for America, a national entrepreneurship fellowship that has helped create over 3,000 jobs in major cities across the United States.

He is also running for president in 2020, with a key component of his platform being the creation of a universal basic incom...

The Unconventional Genius podcast welcomes guest Inbal Etgar, Creative Director at frog Design, to discuss the importance of design. Inbal leads the product development team of mechanical engineers and industrial designers at frog, which has been in business for over 50 years. During our conversation, Inbal talks about her role at frog, how they help companies succeed and what she sees for the future of design.

frog Design has play...

This week on Unconventional Genius, I talk with Stuart Lombard, Founder and CEO of Ecobee about how he led his company to overcome adversity to become the smart thermostat leader. Even what sometimes seems like a victory in business can turn in to an unexpected setback. It’s not about the challenges but how you respond to them that matter.

On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Gene Marks, author, speaker, and President of the Marks Group, about the top technology trends in business. Gene talks to entrepreneurs all around the country about the issues that impact growth and success. During this conversation, we discuss several trends in business that can improve your company.

On this week’s episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Zoli Honig, Founder and COO of Waivecar, about how he is building a truly free car-sharing program. By harnessing advertising capital, Zoli is seeing his dream of transporting people from place to place for free become a reality. He shares with me how he got his start in business and some of the keys to being a successful entrepreneur.

Enis Hulli is on a mission to provide funding for startups. His company, 500 Startups Istanbul is looking for the best possible companies to invest money in so that those companies can achieve success while providing premium returns. However, landing an investment deal with 500 Startups Istanbul is far from easy. Listen to this episode of Unconventional Genius to hear how Enis Hulli is leading 500 Startups to make a difference in t...

On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Mark Palfreeman, CEO of Nixplay about the power of doing hard things. NIxplay was founded in 2007 with a vision to use technology to connect people in a meaningful way. The company accomplishes this vision through their digital photo sharing service by which families can access and share pictures over the cloud.

On this episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Andrew Mok, CMO of Turo about how his company is reinventing the car rental industry. Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing platform where users can list their personal vehicles for people to rent. During our conversation, Andrew shares how the company is not only changing the way people rent cars, but is also redefining car ownership.

On today’s episode of Unconventional Genius, I talk with Andy Rachleff, President and CEO of Wealthfront about the advantages of automated investing. Wealthfront is the leading automated planning and investment company in the financial industry. Utilizing sophisticated software and a client-first approach, Wealthfront makes investing easier and more affordable.

One of the things I love about working in the Consumer Technology industry is the opportunity I have to hear how companies are doing product research and bringing new tech to market. My guest, today, Deena Ghazarian is an especially delightful person to talk to about those topics because she is a vital part of the TargetPath team - an accelerator that helps tech startups and established technology companies get started, scale, and ...

New immigrants to the United States do not represent a threat to “American” jobs, they represent potential, and lots of it. Manan Mehta and the team at Unshackled Ventures believe that immigrant-founded startups are one of the most amazing sources of incredible innovations that can change the course of the country and impact the world for good. I invited Manan on the podcast to hear what is happening...

Fear is one of the most pronounced and debilitating emotions human beings face. It holds us back in all kinds of scenarios, large and small - from saying “Hi” to a stranger to starting a business. Therefore, conquering fear is one of the most important skills anyone can learn and my guest on this episode, Scott Steinberg continually addresses the issue in almost everything he writes. On this episode ...

As the founder of a Consumer Tech PR Agency, it may seem strange that I’m interviewing the founder of Powerful Yogurt, Carlos Ramirez. But there’s a method to my madness. I believe that the same business principles and lessons that Carlos learned in starting his company from scratch, marketing his products, and working with suppliers and distributors can be modified and applied to any industry. Even my area of specialization: Consu...

As the founder of a consumer technology PR agency, you can bet that I’m highly interested in the future of consumer electronics. That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to speak with my guest on this week’s edition of the Unconventional Genius podcast: Jim Sanduski, President of Sharp Home Electronics Company of America. Jim has been working in the Consumer Electronics Industry for more than 25 years.

The tips you’ll learn about CES on this episode of Unconventional Genius come straight from the top. Gary Shapiro, CEO of The Consumer Technology Association, the organization that puts on CES, and Jeff Joseph, the Senior Vice President for the CTA are among the insiders featured who will provide tips on how to make the most of CES attendance. You’ll learn how to audition for Shark Tank while attending CES, how to get the media’s a...

When it comes to technological innovation, no company has taken the bull by the horns better than Sony. Though Sony’s President and COO Mike Fasulo admits there have been seasons when the company did not do the best job at innovating, course corrections have been made and Sony is once again near the front of the pack.

While it seems like the key to becoming a successful entrepreneur is having a great idea, you also have to have money. But If you’ve got a winning idea, getting financing should take care of itself, right? As you’ll find out during my conversation with Ross Baird, Founder and President of Village Capital, and author of the book “The Innovation Blindspot: Why We Back the Wrong Ideas and What to Do About It," it is not always that si...