Latest Episodes
All Episode Summaries
Episode 88: A Journey in Finance, to at Mission Fixing Homeownership with Frank Rhode
Episode 88. How do you put yourself in the position as a founder to solve a really big and complex problem—while building a great company along the way?
In this episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, host Greg Martin interviews Frank Rohde, founder and CEO of Ownify, about his diverse career in financial services and his mission to make homeownership more accessible for first-time buyers.
Frank discusses his early life in Germany, his transition from banking and consulting to launching financial startups, and the challenges he faced during the .com bust. He explains the impetus behind Ownify and how the company aims to reduce barriers to homeownership through innovative financing solutions.
The conversation also covers the broader economic factors affecting housing affordability and the balance of creating impactful work that also yields financial returns.
Episode 87: Building and Buying E-Commerce Businesses with Neil Twa
Episode 87. Neil Twa has built the type of business that can be repeated again and again. He’s in the world of e-commerce and has lots to share after trying again and again, failing and finding the way.
In this episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, host Greg Martin interviews Neil Twa, CEO of Voltage Holdings. Neil shares his unconventional career journey, from learning about the internet to having to file for personal bankruptcy for a failed venture to working his way up in the corporate tech world at Sprint and IBM.
Following a personal tragedy, Neil made the leap to entrepreneurship, building a successful e-commerce business through innovative product strategy rather than invention. They discuss the evolution of e-commerce, the importance of automation, and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. He emphasizes the need for a purpose-driven approach and strategic thinking in building a sustainable and profitable business.
Episode 86: Don’t Waste Time, Work That’s Worth It with Georgina Enthoven
Episode 86. If we each have 90,000 hours to work, what’s the best use of this time? What is the best way to balance the “feel good” part of your work with the “making money” park?
In this episode of the Lifetime at Work Podcast, host Greg Martin welcomes Georgina Enthoven, a venture capitalist and author of 'Work That's Worth It'. They discuss Georgina's global career experience, the struggle of balancing income with meaningful impact, and the importance of finding a job that aligns with personal values.
Key topics include the effective altruism movement, the societal pressures young professionals face, and strategies for finding fulfilling career paths that combine income and impact. Georgina also shares insights from her book and personal journey, highlighting the need for rewarding career choices that align with both financial and altruistic goals.
The conversation touches on the influence of having children, the role of role models, and provides practical advice for young professionals aiming to make a positive difference in the world through their careers.
Episode 85: Going to Work at a “Rocket Ship” Startup to Make it Rich with Nahed Khairallah
Episode 85. Finding a fast growing business that is ready to grow like a rocket is tough, but we’ve all heard the stories of employees who join early and cash-in big with stock options on an exit. The nuances behind finding, nurturing and growing those companies is hard. Sometimes the great ideas with lots of momentum go to zero.
In this episode of the Lifetime at Work Podcast, host Greg Martin interviews Nahed Khairallah, an HR expert and former founder who has worked with over 100 companies. Karela shares his unique journey from IT to HR, driven by curiosity about why successful companies fail.
They discuss the common pitfalls of scaling startups, particularly issues with founders hoarding work and rapid, unmanaged hiring. Karela offers insights into identifying when to hire, fixing internal processes first, and engaging employees in the company’s vision. Learn valuable lessons on building strong organizational infrastructure and the importance of effective communication from an HR professional who emphasizes process improvement over immediate hiring.
Episode 77: A Career Investing and Making an Impact with Mike Winterfield of Active Impact Investments
Episode 77. We’re all driven to have an impact of some sort or another at work. Likewise, when we invest, having an impact is a very nice bonus as well. In this episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, host Greg Martin interviews Mike Winterfield, founder of Active Impact Investments, Canada’s largest climate tech seed fund.
They discuss Mike's journey from recruitment to founding a clean technology venture capital fund, the types of companies he invests in, and how these companies are addressing climate change while generating financial returns. Mike shares his strategies for evaluating potential investments and the importance of having a high-functioning board.
He also offers career advice for those looking to make an impact and resources for learning more about climate tech.
Episode 76: Starting a Venture Capital Career with a Founder and CTO Mindset with Mistral’s Raif Barbaros
Episode 76. Those with careers in Venture Capital live an exciting life, trying to discover young founders who can create the next great product and company to drive incredible returns. In this episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, Greg Martin interviews Rafe Barbaros, a venture capital partner at Mistral Venture Partners.
Rafe shares his journey from being a CTO and founder of various startups to becoming a venture capitalist. The conversation covers strategies for success in venture capital, the Canadian venture capital landscape compared to the US, and the importance of understanding market size and having founder empathy.
Rafe also offers advice for young founders and aspiring tech professionals. The episode provides valuable insights into what it takes to thrive in the VC world and the tech industry.
Episode 75: The Farmers and Brands Behind Your Cup of Coffee with Martin Mayorga
Episode 75. In this episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, host Greg Martin interviews Martin Mayorga, the founder of Mayorga Coffee. They discuss Martin's journey from growing up in Latin America to discovering the coffee disconnect between its origin and its sale in North America.
The conversation delves into Martin's challenges and achievements in building his company, his commitment to supporting small farmers, the complexities of the coffee industry, and his perspectives on the responsibilities of businesses and consumers. Martin also shares personal insights, anecdotes about his family, and travel tips. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the coffee trade and the importance of sustainable practices.
Episode 73: A Comedian, A Salon Business and A Software Geek with Erika Wasser
Episode 73. In this episode of the Lifetime at Work Podcast, host Greg Martin interviews Erika Wasser, co-founder of Prospr, a software tool designed to manage frontline employees across multiple locations.
Erica shares her journey from starting a salon chain to co-founding a software company, discussing the challenges faced by non-technical founders, the social importance of salons and barbershops, and the common issues in managing deskless workforces. The conversation delves into the significance of well-informed teams for customer experience, the power of culture-building tools, and strategies for overcoming communication barriers in large-scale businesses.
Erika also provides insights on the role of AI in frontline operations, the importance of inclusivity and flexibility for employees, and her personal experiences with failure and resilience in entrepreneurship.
Episode 71: A Wild Ride on Venture Capital and Mushrooms with Adam DeMartino
Episode 71. In this episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, host Greg Martin interviews Adam DeMartino, co-founder of the once very hot venture capital backed mushroom startup called Smallhold.
DeMartino shares his entrepreneurial journey to get him to starting Smallhold, from discovering his love for early stage business, to the highs of raising significant venture capital and facing the challenges that led to the company's bankruptcy and restructuring.
They discuss the intricacies of mushroom farming, the impact of venture capital, and the values that drive DeMartino's work. This candid conversation offers insights and lessons for current and aspiring entrepreneurs as they question what it means to be successful and to fail.
Episode 35: Taking the Leap to Start Your Own Business with William Buist
Episode 35. It’s an incredibly challenging step to leave a career or a well paying job to start your own business. The leap is huge. It’s risky. But many of us do it. Why start your own business? How do you get the most out of the experience? How do you be really good?
In this episode host Greg Martin joins William Buist to share stories about taking the leap and starting a business. Both Greg and William have done it themselves and work everyday with entrepreneurs who have times where they love and hate their choice.
Episode 24: The Modern Engineering Career Strategy with Adrien Beyk
Adrien Beyk is an engineer and entrepreneur on a mission. Instead of a down payment on a home, he started a business and never looked back.
The company he created is working hard to revolutionize socks and gloves, with an app that controls their temperature. But, his goals are beyond that. He thinks you don’t learn enough with a typical degree at university and the true way to get ahead in the world is starting something and learning by doing. The world is moving too fast and all the knowledge is right there, but how you learn it makes all the difference.
Technology and engineering should be about being different, thinking in new ways and changing the way we do things. This episode is all about that.
Episode 15: The Reasons to Start Your Own Business with Jordan & Chelsea
Jordan and Chelsea run an outerwear fashion brand called CAALO. The two are life partners who also run a business together.
Starting and running your own business is never easy and brings lots of challenges, but the couple is driven trying to build a brand they can be proud of that looks great is made sustainably.
We discuss the pros and cons of starting your own business but in the end starting a business is a passion and there’s never the perfect time.