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In this final episode of Billion Dollar Moves for a bit, I sit down with Jake Karls, Co-Founder and Rainmaker of Midday Squares, for a candid conversation about building one of North America’s boldest founder-led consumer brands. Jake shares how he, his sister, and his brother-in-law went from making 50 bars a day in a Montreal condo kitchen to building an automated factory capable of producing more than 150,000 bars daily. We talk about why the co-founders committed to therapy from day one, how founder-led storytelling helped turn customers into a community, and why great marketing is not simply content—it is making people feel part of something. Jake also opens up about burnout, anxiety, his decision to step down as CMO, Midday Squares’ pivot beyond chocolate, and the work required to build a company that can eventually stand without its founders. For founders, funders, family businesses, and consumer investors, this is a conversation about trust, brand, resilience, and what it really takes to build for the long term. Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more discussions at the intersection of capital, leadership, and long-term value. 00:00 - Intro: Building something that can outlast you01:20 - Meet Jake Karls and Midday Squares02:15 - From a Montreal condo kitchen to 150,000 bars a day03:35 - Why build another snack brand?04:20 - Finding white space in a crowded market05:20 - Building a company with family06:00 - Why the co-founders committed to therapy07:15 - The two best investments they ever made08:00 - Communication as protection against founder conflict09:20 - Asking, “How are you really feeling?”10:00 - When the CEO stepped away for her mental health11:00 - Building structure without losing the soul12:05 - The product differentiation behind Midday Squares13:00 - The cocoa crisis that threatened the company14:00 - Betting on the no-bread PB&J pivot15:20 - The road from $40M to $100M16:00 - Why the founders work in three-year tours16:40 - Raising equity and government-backed debt17:15 - Scaling manufacturing without growing too fast19:00 - Building US retail distribution strategically20:00 - Why attention matters as much as product-market fit21:00 - Turning a snack company into a “band”22:00 - Why content is not marketing22:35 - How community helped Midday Squares break into Costco24:10 - Selling community, not just a product24:40 - Building a memorable founder persona26:00 - The roles each founder plays in the brand27:15 - Why Jake stepped down as CMO28:00 - Becoming the company’s Rainmaker29:00 - The risk of building a founder-led brand30:00 - Making the company less dependent on its founders30:30 - From anxiety and tears to trust in the team31:20 - Hiring people better than the founders32:30 - Building a brand that can stand on its own33:30 - Why overnight success often takes 10 to 20 years34:00 - Jake’s burnout and nervous breakdown35:40 - The warning signs he ignored36:20 - What recovery taught him about ambition36:45 - The Wall Street meeting that changed how he showed up38:15 - Authenticity, memorability, and having fun38:40 - Taste-testing the no-bread PB&J39:20 - Why the journey matters even if the outcome is uncertain39:55 - Final reflections from Billion Dollar Moves About Jake Karls Jake Karls is Co-Founder and Rainmaker of Midday Squares, a better-for-you snack company founded in Montreal alongside his sister, Lezlie Karls, and brother-in-law, Nick Saltarelli. The company began in a condo kitchen producing 50 bars a day and has since grown into a major North American consumer brand with a fully automated manufacturing facility, millions of customers, and ambitions to become a global afternoon snacking platform. Jake leads relationship-building, brand momentum, media, retail partnerships, and investor engagement. He is widely known for Midday Squares’ founder-led storytelling strategy and its unfiltered approach to documenting the realities of entrepreneurship. Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies—and the capital behind them—are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation—beyond headlines and hype. Built for those who take the long view. FOLLOW SARAH: Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal

In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, I sit down with Suneera Madhani, founder of Stax and Worth, for a candid conversation about building, scaling, exiting, and knowing when it is time to begin again. Suneera shares how a rejected idea became a billion-dollar payments company, why focus and customer obsession mattered more than any single formula, and what she learned from raising capital as a young Pakistani-American woman building outside Silicon Valley. We also talk about liquidity, private equity, rolling too much equity into a deal, losing control after a majority recap, and the difficult truth that a company can stop feeling like yours long before you officially leave. For founders, funders, and family offices, this is a conversation about conviction, ownership, wealth, and the discipline to know when to hold on—and when to let go. Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more discussions at the intersection of capital, leadership, and long-term wealth. 00:00 - Intro: Building, letting go, and a new chapter02:35 - Growing up in an immigrant entrepreneurial family04:40 - The confidence her father gave her07:25 - Risk, family expectations, and becoming a reluctant entrepreneur09:30 - The rejected idea that became Stax11:30 - Reinventing payments through a subscription model14:00 - Being laughed out of the room15:15 - Quitting her job and starting Fattmerchant16:20 - From $5M to $5B in payments17:00 - Building a memorable brand18:10 - From Fattmerchant to Stax21:10 - Scaling from $100M potential to a billion-dollar company22:00 - Why everything breaks as a company grows24:30 - Focus, customer obsession, and a winning culture26:15 - Raising capital as a minority woman founder27:30 - Scrappiness, rejection, and the first investor yes30:00 - Why she chose to build in Orlando31:35 - Preparing for an exit34:00 - Revenue growth and the majority recap35:30 - Selling at the height of the market36:00 - What founders get wrong about diligence38:15 - Creating a competitive private equity process39:00 - Choosing the right buyer40:30 - The deal terms she would rethink41:30 - Why she wishes she had taken more cash43:20 - The reality behind her exit44:00 - When the company stops feeling like yours46:00 - Why founders should sometimes sell and walk away47:10 - Building again after exit49:00 - Why Worth became the next fintech50:00 - Solving business credit and underwriting54:00 - Why onboarding is a revenue problem55:00 - Eliminating bias with better business data58:30 - The vision for the Worth wallet59:45 - Reaching $10M ARR in 18 months01:00:30 - Raising capital differently the second time01:01:00 - Rapid fire01:02:00 - Know your worth and take chips off the table01:02:35 - Why funding women is a billion-dollar move01:03:00 - CEO School and building the next generation of women-led companies About Suneera Madhani Suneera Madhani is a fintech entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Stax, a payments platform that reached unicorn status after processing tens of billions of dollars in transactions. After exiting Stax, she co-founded Worth, a financial technology company focused on modernizing business underwriting, onboarding, and credit intelligence. She is also the founder and host of CEO School, a platform and community supporting women entrepreneurs as they build, scale, and create wealth. Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies—and the capital behind them—are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation—beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly.Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.comWatch on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobalJoin the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... FOLLOW SARAH:Instagram: @sarahchenglobalLinkedIn: @sarahchenglobal

Erika Aquino is a next-generation family office allocator and angel investor building on a Filipino family business legacy. In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, Erika shares how her family moved beyond wealth preservation to deploy capital with purpose across wellness, education, sustainability, and the future of work. We discuss how she allocates to venture, why she prefers pre-seed and seed-stage companies, what she looks for in founders, and why proximity to the problem matters. Erika also speaks candidly about mental health, personal resilience, fiduciary responsibility, and the lessons she carries from supporting more than 25 early-stage companies around the world. 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Erika Aquino’s Family Legacy 03:00 Success as a Community Measure 04:10 From Wealth Preservation to Purpose 07:20 Allocating 25% to Venture 08:45 Building a Global Investment Mandate 09:35 Direct Investments vs. Funds 11:00 Why Erika Invests at Pre-Seed and Seed 11:35 Backing Scrappy Founders 13:00 Expanding Access to Angel Investing 14:00 Investing in Solutions Close to Home 15:15 What Erika Looks for in Founders 16:20 Building a Global Founder Ecosystem 17:30 Investing Across Different Markets 19:00 Fiduciary Duty and Venture Debt 20:20 Erika’s Mental Health Journey 23:10 How Personal Experience Shapes Her Investing 24:40 Supporting Underdog Founders 26:20 Advice for New Family Office Investors 28:20 The Role of Angel Investors 29:40 The Rise of the Modern Matriarch 31:00 Lessons on Money, Ambition, and Vulnerability 32:00 Own Your Confidence, Purpose, and NumbersAbout Erika Aquinohttps://www.erika-aquino.com/ -- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

Latasha Gillespie, former global executive at Amazon, shares how culture, customers, and risk were evaluated inside one of the world’s most powerful companies. We discuss Amazon’s six-page decision process, what Latasha learned from Jeff Bezos, why diversity is a growth strategy, and how greenlight decisions determine which stories, audiences, and ideas are able to scale. For founders, investors, and leaders, this is a conversation about reducing blind spots, protecting brand trust, and building for the customers of tomorrow. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 01:35 From Caterpillar to Amazon 03:35 The Career Lesson That Changed Everything 06:15 Diversity as a Growth Strategy 10:10 Tying Leadership Incentives to Outcomes 13:00 Knowing When It Was Time to Leave 15:10 Building Amazon’s Global Strategy 17:00 Presenting a Six-Page Memo to Jeff Bezos 19:00 Why Jeff Bezos Spoke Last 20:40 Building for Tomorrow’s Customers 22:20 Moving Into Amazon Studios 24:20 Where Power Sits in the Greenlight Process 29:00 Turning Values Into Systems 30:20 The Three Greenlight Questions 33:00 Identifying Reputational Risk 35:00 Media’s Role in Shaping Culture 37:00 Building Better Decision Frameworks 41:00 Leadership Lessons and Closing Advice -- About Latasha Gillespie As Founder and CEO of Logos Media Group Holdings LLC, Latasha Gillespie leads a purpose-driven media holding company dedicated to creating impactful brands, platforms, and experiences at the intersection of faith, culture, and commerce. Through thoughtful storytelling, meaningful engagement, and strategic partnerships, the company aims to elevate culture while fostering connection and leadership across both digital and physical spaces. With more than a decade of leadership experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion, along with expertise in business analysis, financial analysis, and project management, Latasha has contributed to global organizations including Amazon and Caterpillar. Her commitment to transformational leadership also extends to her service as an Executive Board Member of the Getty House Foundation, where she supports initiatives designed to create meaningful community impact. -- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondol... FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, I sit down with David Berry, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Averin Capital, for a conversation about building billion-dollar breakthroughs in healthcare. David has founded more than 30 companies, including seven valued over $1B, and has helped shape companies across biotech, AI drug discovery, microbiome therapeutics, agriculture, and health infrastructure. From losing a childhood friend to brain cancer, to asking why the hardest problems are worth pursuing, David shares how mission, science, and capital come together to create venture-scale healthcare companies. For founders, funders, and family offices investing in the future of health, this is a conversation about conviction, ethics, and building for impact at scale. Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more discussions at the intersection of capital, governance, and long-term wealth. 00:00 - Intro: Why go after the biggest problems? 01:12 - Truth vs. belief in science 03:00 - The myth that humans only use 10% of their brains 04:28 - Rethinking cancer and inherited assumptions 05:38 - How big ideas emerge from questioning “truth” 06:30 - Entrepreneur vs. investor: The N of one 08:10 - Building Seres Therapeutics and the microbiome frontier 11:00 - Turning strange science into a venture-scale company 12:20 - Why drug development does not always have to take 10–15 years 14:10 - Valo Health and AI-powered drug discovery 17:15 - Product-investor fit in biotech 20:30 - Why companies fail: Teams, resilience, and near-death moments 22:15 - Averin Capital and the transformation of health through technology 23:20 - BioLink and the future of continuous health monitoring 26:00 - Ozempic, access, and ethics in healthcare 31:10 - Women’s health, clinical trials, and bias in medical data 35:00 - David’s vision for Averin Capital 39:00 - How family offices should think about investing in health 40:00 - The next billion-dollar moves in healthcare 40:35 - Rapid fire About David Berry David is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Averin. As an innovator and a company builder, he has been driven by the power of technology to transform industries. David has been a founder of over 30 companies, including 7 that have been valued at over $1B. David was previously a General Partner at Flagship Pioneering. He was also founder and CEO of Valo Health, where he raised over $500M and executed a transformative partnership with Novo Nordisk. David received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School and his Ph.D. from MIT through the biological engineering division, where he worked with Professors Robert Langer and Ram Sasisekharan. David works closely with Biolinq amongst other Averin companies. --- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

Jaclyn Johnson built Create & Cultivate into one of the most recognized platforms for women in business—scaling it to eight-figure revenue before exiting in a multi-million dollar deal. But what happens after the exit is where the real story begins. From navigating private equity, burnout, and the loss of control over the company she built… to making one of the rarest moves in business—buying it back. In this episode, we unpack: * Why selling isn’t always the win * What private equity gets wrong in community-driven businesses * The trade-offs between bootstrapping and raising capital * How to think about ownership, control, and long-term value This is a conversation about capital, consequence—and coming back with clarity. About Jaclyn Johnson With $25 million in successful exits to her name, Jaclyn has mastered the art of bootstrapping businesses, building thriving communities, and driving meaningful results. Recognized as one of Adweek's Disruptors, Forbes 30 under 30 and a WSJ Woman of note, she stands out as one of the industry's leading marketing minds. Her unwavering focus on value creation and community-first marketing has been imitated countless times, yet never truly matched. -- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

In this rare conversation, Jim Sorenson breaks down what happens after liquidity—when building a company turns into building systems of capital. We start with the moment everything nearly fell apart: losing $1M a month during the dot-com crash, and the unexpected pivot that transformed Sorenson Communications into a near $1B exit—by aligning technology with regulation and real, underserved demand. From there, Jim unpacks how that experience reshaped his approach to investing. From deploying early, risk-tolerant capital through Program-Related Investments (PRIs)… to ultimately rethinking an entire foundation—aligning 100% of its assets toward both financial returns and long-term impact. This isn’t a conversation about philanthropy. It’s about how sophisticated capital actually works—where risk is priced, how systems scale, and why impact and alpha aren’t opposites. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intro 01:30 – Sorenson Communications 05:30 – Pivoting Under Pressure 09:20 – An Overlooked Community 14:50 – Scale & Capital Design 21:30 – The Mechanics of PRI 27:05 – The 95% Transition 38:40 – ESG & Fiduciary Duty 45:30 – Stewardship After Liquidity About Jim SorensonJames Lee Sorenson (Jim) serves as chairman of the Sorenson Impact Foundation, which funds sustainable, scalable endeavors that maximize positive impact on the lives and societies they touch. Sorenson endowed the Sorenson Impact Center at the University of Utah. Sorenson is also Chairman of the Board of Village Capital and a member of the National Advisory Board of Impact Investing. Sorenson was instrumental in developing several new industry categories, including digital compression software that helped usher in the online video revolution at Sorenson Media, where he serves as Chairman of the Board and video relay services which transformed opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing individuals through Sorenson Communications. Jim has served on many community boards, including Utah's David Eccles School of Business, University Venture Fund, Art Works for Kids, Gallaudet University, and the Utah Sports Commission.--Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders.Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built.Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype.New episodes weekly.Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.comWatch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobalJoin the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH:https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobalhttps://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal

In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, Sarah sits down with Ariana Pareja for a conversation about exit timing, liquidity, and the difference between valuation and real wealth. Ariana speaks candidly about building and exiting Remine, why she believes “an exit isn’t real until it’s liquid,” and the lesson she learned the hard way: selling before Series B might have created more wealth with less dilution and less exhaustion. We unpack what founders often miss such as the hidden cost of growth capital taken at the wrong moment, how some investors price rounds you’re not meant to hit and why the movie doesn’t end until it ends She also shifts forward into how markets are actually evolving. TikTok as infrastructure, not just culture. Community as the new distribution moat. Bootstrapping as strategic leverage rather than constraint. For those seeking liquidity without delusion, operators transitioning into allocators, and family offices listening for judgment rather than inspiration, this isn’t an episode you’ll want to miss. Watch the full conversation and subscribe for even more discussions at the intersection of capital, governance, and long-term wealth. 00:00 - Intro 02:44 - Maintaining relationships while building a business 03:20 - Advice to my younger self: Buy and hold real estate 03:52 - The golden rule of investing: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is 08:29 - Learning the power of a "pitch deck" as a teenager 11:32 - Getting started in real estate at 18 years old 13:50 - The origin of Remind: Solving the public record data problem 17:33 - Raising $48 million in venture capital through word of mouth 19:01 - Pivoting the revenue model and identifying the right customer avatar 22:54 - Biggest regrets and lessons learned from the series of exits 25:28 - The "200 Million" goal: Why I'm still working About Ariana Pareja Ariana Pareja is an investor and serial entrepreneur dedicated to helping others build wealth and embrace reinvention. As the exited co-founder of Remine, a real estate technology company that sold for $55 million, she has firsthand experience scaling ventures from startup to acquisition. Ariana today is the co-founder of Mighty Minis, a spin-off of the No Sugar Company. Ariana has mentored more than 100 small businesses through programs including Microsoft AI Latam Accelerator and Target Forward Founders. -- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal https://x.com/sarahchenglobal

We’re back—kicking off our 2026 season live from SXSW Austin with the Ayana Foundation. Featuring: Allison Ellsworth on scaling Poppi from kitchen experiment to a $1.95B sale to Pepsi; Rachel Roy on creative control, brand ownership, and navigating legal battles; Theresa Fette on the identity shift after exit—and choosing yourself over the title. From Shark Tank moments to hard decisions behind the scenes, this is a candid look at what happens after the spotlight. If you're building, scaling, or thinking about your next move—this one’s for you. Timestamps/Key Takeaways 00:00 Panel Introduction: Women of the New Frontier 01:40 Meet the Panelists: Origins in Soda, Fashion, and FinTech 04:14 The Poppy Story: From Oil & Gas to Probiotic Soda 06:16 Launching in a Pandemic: The Rebrand and the Power of TikTok 09:19 Why Embarrassment is a Secret Weapon for Success 10:20 Rachel Roy on 25 Years of Creative-First Design 12:22 Lessons from a Namesake Brand: Why Names Matter in Business 15:25 Theresa Fette on Luck, Law, and the 50% Opportunity 18:28 Understanding Self-Directed IRAs and the Bitcoin IRA Pivot 21:05 Fighting for Your Name: Rachel Roy’s New York Supreme Court Battle 25:26 The Shark Tank Turning Point: Getting the Deal with Rohan Oza 27:14 Founder Advice: Knowing Your Value and Staying the Face of the Brand 31:36 Negotiating the Exit: Turning a $27M Offer into $100M 34:48 Choosing Partners: Aligning Core Values and Saving Your Soul 37:19 The Power of the Board Seat: Retaining Control vs. Valuation 40:45 Can You Scale and Stay Authentic? The Future of Poppy and Pepsi 43:08 The Identity Crisis After an Exit: Life as an Intuitive Leader 48:42 Audience Q&A: What Investors Really Look for in a Founder 51:21 Testing for Resilience: The Number One Marker for Success 53:14 Advice to a Younger Self: Navigating Stress, Lawsuits, and Motherhood 56:04 Final Takeaways: Why Failure is Inevitable and Fun is Fuel -- About the speakers Allison Ellsworth is the founder of Poppi, a prebiotic soda brand she scaled from her home kitchen to a massive $1.95 billion exit to Pepsi. Rachel Roy is a world-renowned designer and the founder of her namesake brand, Rachel Roy Design, who has spent over 25 years navigating the complexities of creative control and brand ownership. Theresa Fette a serial entrepreneur and tax attorney who pioneered the self-directed IRA space in FinTech, successfully exiting three companies and currently leading Bitcoin IRA and Digital Trust. -- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global Venture & Business Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network Conversations with billionaires, unicorn founders, and the world’s leading funders. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, Billion Dollar Moves examines how enduring companies — and the capital behind them — are built. Through long-form conversations, the show explores decision-making under uncertainty, capital allocation, and the inflection points that shape category-defining businesses. From early platform backstories to allocator frameworks used across private markets, the focus is on judgment, incentives, and long-term value creation — beyond headlines and hype. New episodes weekly. Built for those who take the long view. PODCAST INFO: ⁠Podcast Website⁠ |⁠ Watch on Youtube⁠ |⁠ Join the Community⁠ FOLLOW SARAH: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ |⁠ Instagram⁠

The future of food and climate resilience in Southeast Asia is being shaped as much in cassava fields and starch factories as it is in boardrooms. In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, Ho Ren Hua, CEO of Thai Wah Public Company Limited, joins Sarah to unpack how he is reinventing a 77-year-old family starch business into a regional agri-food and bio-materials platform built on “innovation and sustainability from farm to shelf.” We go inside his operator playbook: leading 3,500 people through crisis with the principle “I can lose money, but I cannot lose a life,” transforming legacy vermicelli and tapioca products into higher-value ingredients and using distribution as a moat across Asia and beyond. For investors, founders, and family-business leaders thinking in decades, this is a rare look at what long-term, values-led execution really takes. Timestamps/Key Takeaways02:10 – Legacy, trees & being “rooted”06:10 – Stepping into a 77-year-old family business12:32 – F4 framework: Farm, Factory, Family, Food15:15 – Making circularity real: factories, water, solar & biogas19:48 – Managing talent across China & Southeast Asia + AI workforce23:24 – From noodles & starch to circular-economy platform26:51 – Innovation & ROSECO: building new revenue engines28:26 – Rockefeller Foundation, deployment & blended finance32:19 – Time horizons, synthesis & “go slow to go fast” --About Ho Ren HuaHo Ren Hua is CEO of Thai Wah Public Company Ltd, a leading Southeast Asian starch and consumer foods group founded in 1947, now expanding across multiple markets in Asia. Previously, he was Executive Director and Country Head, China for Banyan Tree Holdings, helping cement its position as a leading luxury hospitality brand in China, and began his career at Bain & Company in New York, Hong Kong, and China in private equity and strategy. He has served on boards including UN Women Singapore and Wharton China Alumni Club, and currently sits on the boards or advisory councils of Banyan Tree Holdings, the Asia Pacific Agri-Innovation Summit, and Singapore Management University. He holds a BS in Economics (Hons) from The Wharton School and is a graduate of the CEIBS Advanced Management Programme. --Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

The biggest industrial transformation of our lifetime is happening now and it’s not AI. It’s climate industrialism. Shawn Xu, Partner at Lowercarbon Capital (founded by Chris Sacca), discuss how Lowercarbon backs outlier founders, why “cheaper, better, faster” wins over green premiums, and where the biggest opportunities are emerging: energy, carbon removal, fusion, materials, resilience, and the AI-power bottleneck. If you’re an investor, founder, or operator ; or just tracking where smart money is moving- this episode is a must-watch. ---- Join Venture Nordics, the top investor program in Europe, designed for international GPs, LPs and Family Offices eager to explore opportunities in the New Nordics (Scandinavia & Baltics). Taking place in Helsinki, Finland, alongside Slush, the world's largest venture capital gathering. The 7-day program offers: Exclusive networking with Finnish and Nordic investors Deep insights into the Finnish startup and venture ecosystem Complimentary Slush ticket with access to curated side events A cottage getaway with the fellow participants to further bond and create long-lasting connections The program is free of charge, powered by Helsinki Partners (backed by the City of Helsinki). Participants only cover their travel and accommodation. Only 10 investors will be selected. Register your interest now at www.venturenordics.vc to be the first to know when applications open. ---- Timestamps / Key Takeaways 03:36 – The climate industrial revolution & “u****k the planet” 12:30 – AI, energy demand & the $500 billion program 17:00 – From Silicon Valley kid to VC 23:23 - Becoming a climate investor in a trillion dollar market  37:32 - “Greedy capitalist” & a Series A $900M fusion round 44:54 - 40-Page memo, the biggest lessons on conviction 57:41 - Q&A: The one “billion dollar move” takeaway ---- About Shawn Xu Shawn is a Partner at Lowercarbon Capital, focused on backing audacious founders building bold solutions to the climate crisis. An accomplished early-stage investor, he was previously a Partner at On Deck’s venture fund and accelerator, backing companies across 20+ countries and earning a founder NPS of 100. He also invested at Floodgate and First Round Capital’s Dorm Room Fund, was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 (Venture Capital), and has partnered with ~50 companies, helping founders go from zero to one—from ideation to product-market fit. Follow Shawn: https://lowercarbon.com/team/shawn-xu/ Resources: Chris Sacca — How to Succeed by Living on Your Own Terms | Tim Ferriss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIBo69EsAzw Chris Sacca Interview (Full Episode) | The Tim Ferriss Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqaXz2BPsfY Chris Sacca: Drifting Back to Real | Dialectic with Jackson Dahl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acwhhgGGdX8 ---- Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

In this Billion Dollar Bite, Joel Sandhu (Co-Founder of Top-Tier Access; Partner at Investors Capital) breaks down the forces reshaping private markets.  From the great normalization post-2021, to how LPs actually underwrite managers, to why family offices are rewriting their approach to access and alignment. We unpack the real liquidity picture, the rise of GP-led secondaries, and why the “elastic mid-market” may be the most compelling place to generate outsized returns in the decade ahead.  If you’re a GP, LP, or allocator navigating this cycle, this is a must-listen. Watch the full episode here: https://billiondollarmoves.com/podcast-episode/from-family-offices-to-private-equity-power-plays-w-joel-sandhu-top-tier-access/ Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:40 - Key Takeaway #1: The market reset & picking managers 11:09 - SCS’s takeaway: Underwriting & selection is KEY 12:48 - Key Takeaway #2: The Family Office advantage & why they need a new model 18:18 - Key Takeaway #3: The future of venture, secondaries & the “elastic” mid-market 28:48 - Closing remarks About Joel Sandhu Joel is co-founder and Partner at Investors Capital, a Riyadh-based fund of funds. With an investment strategy primarily focused on buyout, the platform offers investors across the globe access to top decile funds that is well-diversified. Prior to this, Joel co-founded TTA, a Brussels based fund of funds in Private Equity. TTA brings institutional grade PE to the family office and HNWI segment.    FOLLOW JOEL:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelsandhu/  - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Rynning (AMYP Ventures; Piëch/Porsche family office) and Anulika Malomo (HarbourVest & impact advisor) to unpack what it really takes to future-proof portfolios in 2025 and beyond. From AI’s existential risks to global liquidity crunches, China’s DeepSeek shock, secondaries, midstream renewable opportunities, and the rise of long-term family office strategies — this conversation cuts through hype and surfaces where capital and opportunity are truly misaligned. If you’re an LP, GP, family office, or allocator thinking long-term, this is a must-listen. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro: A modern Piëch/Porsche family office and PE global investment lens 04:26 - Why future-proofing portfolios matters in 2025 and beyond  09:14 - How LPs and family offices are navigating liquidity crunch: Secondaries, IPO freeze & new exit pathways and timeframe 16:49 - Capital vs. Opportunity: Where the biggest disconnects lie 21:07 - Impact vs. Harm (e.g., the crypto-climate paradox) 24:14 - Practical guide on how to allocate capital while “future-proofing”  26:37 - Are we optimistic? The Next-Gen & AI dilemma 28:19 - Q&A: What they’re NOT investing in? Panelists: Chris Rynning, Managing Partner, AMYP Ventures Anulika Malomo, Non-Executive Director, HarbourVest Global Private Equity Hosted by: Sarah Chen-Spellings, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

From a North Dakota childhood shaped by reinvention to a $100M exit and a $35M investing run, Anne Mahlum’s story is a masterclass in conviction, resilience, and ownership. In this powerful episode, the founder of Back on My Feet and solidcore pulls back the curtain on the defining moments that shaped her rise. In this episode, you’ll learn: The unconventional decisions that shaped Anne’s rise What conviction looks like when the stakes are high Lessons from scaling solidcore far beyond virality How to turn adversity into fuel — not fear The ownership mindset every founder, investor, and leader needs to hear Whether you’re a founder, operator, or investor, Anne's philosophy is a blueprint for betting on yourself — loudly, unapologetically, and with full skin in the game. Before we dive in, a special thank you to our episode sponsor, ⁠Newton Street⁠ — a women-led strategic communications firm that brings people and ideas together to change the world. They advise global health organizations, philanthropies, family offices, high-profile leaders, social impact groups, and forward-looking companies tackling some of the most complex issues of our time. Their work sits at the intersection of influence and impact — and we’re proud to have them support this episode. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:42 - North Dakota beginnings and how her father’s gambling addiction shaped her drive 03:40 - From running to purpose: The birth of Back on My Feet 05:51 - Reinvention & “This is my next thing” — solidcore 09:09 - “I went all in”: turning down the $75K offer & fighting against lawsuits while scaling 12:49 - Bootstrapping to 25 studios; the first PE deal with nearly $60M valuation 15:24 - “I wanted $100M and I did it,” — the exit from solidcore 18:43 - Growing $35M from the $100M; Anne’s investment playbook 23:03 - Billion Dollar Questions with Anne Mahlum 25:37 - Recap: conviction, ownership, and leadership that lasts About Anne Mahlum Anne Mahlum is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and keynote speaker. She founded Back on My Feet in 2007 — a nonprofit that uses running and community to help individuals experiencing homelessness achieve self-sufficiency.  In 2013, she launched solidcore, a boutique fitness company; she bootstrapped it with her life savings (~US$175,000), scaled it to over 100+ studios, raised more than US$200 million, and eventually sold her shares in 2023.  A self-made entrepreneur with a net worth exceeding US$100 million, Anne is now focused on investing, advisory work, writing, and speaking on leadership, boldness, and social change. FOLLOW ANNE: https://www.instagram.com/annemahlum https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-mahlum https://x.com/AnneMahlum - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter

India’s venture ecosystem is at a turning point — and women are leading the charge. In this powerful conversation recorded live in Bangalore, we brought together four trailblazers shaping the future of innovation and capital: Vani Kola (Managing Director, Kalaari Capital), Priya Mohan (Former Partner, General Catalyst), Aarti Gupta (CIO, Family Office DM Gupta & Anikarth Ventures), and Shuvi Shrivastava (Partner, Lightspeed India).  Together, we unpack how India’s venture model must evolve, what democratizing opportunity truly means, and how the rise of women investors and family offices is reshaping where the next billion dollars will go. Timestamps / Key Takeaways 0:00 - Intro 01:35 - Priya Mohan: India’s unique evolution and democratizing opportunities 05:01 - Vani Kola: Reflections on being an outlier and building Kalaari Capital 12:45 - Aarti Gupta: Inside India’s $1 trillion wealth moment as family offices 17:27 - Shruvi Shrivastava: India’s tech evolution, premiumization, and inclusion 21:49 - Rethinking the venture model; the General Catalyst–Venture Highway merger  24:44 - The power of smaller funds; lessons from Silicon Valley’s evolution 30:15 - Final takeaways Panelists: Dr. Aarti Gupta CIO, Family Office DM Gupta & Anikarth Ventures  Shuvi Shrivastava Partner, Lightspeed India Vani Kola Founder & Managing Director, Kalaari Capital Priya Mohan Former Partner, General Catalyst Hosted by: Sarah Chen-Spellings Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion Full Recap: https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brunch-dell-bangalore-2024/ - Billion Dollar Moves Podcast | The Top Global VC Podcast for Founders & Funders | Backed by HubSpot Podcast Network In venture, every move can make—or break—a billion-dollar outcome. Hosted by Sarah Chen-Spellings, award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and venture insider, Billion Dollar Moves pulls back the curtain on the strategies, stumbles, and breakout moments that define the world’s most iconic companies. From boardroom power plays to investor backchannels, you’ll hear the untold stories behind iconic companies like YouTube, Canva, and Vimeo, and go inside the minds of those moving capital at firms like Sequoia, Lightspeed, and beyond. Whether you're chasing your first $10M—or your next billion—this show is your front-row seat to how the smartest founders and funders win. Think raw, unfiltered, no-BS insight—designed to help you move faster, smarter, and bolder. This isn’t just another business podcast. This is your billion-dollar playbook. PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website | Watch on Youtube | Join the Community FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter