School for Startups Radio

June 10, 2026 - Steve Jobs in Exile Geoffrey Cain and The Back Nine P. Scott Bening

Geoffrey Cain – Author of Steve Jobs in Exile: The Untold Story of NeXT and the Remaking of an American Visionary
I would have never gotten where I am in life or business ifI hadn’t had people mentoring me.
Geoffrey Cain is an award-winning author, investigative journalist, foreign correspondent, and expert on technology, innovation, and leadership. He is the author of Steve Jobs in Exile: The Untold Story of NeXT and the Remaking of an American Visionary, a deeply researched account of the twelve years Steve Jobs spent outside Apple and how failure, setbacks, and reinvention shaped the entrepreneur who would ultimately lead one of the greatest comebacks in business history. Over the course of his career, Geoffrey has interviewed world leaders, technology founders, corporate executives, investors, dissidents, and innovators at pivotal moments in history. His reporting and research have taken him around the world, producing acclaimed books that explore the forces shaping technology, business, and society. His previous books include Samsung Rising, which was longlisted for the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award, and The Perfect Police State, which was named NPR’s Book of the Day and received a citation from the Overseas Press Club for the Cornelius Ryan Award. Geoffrey’s work has been praised by leading publications including the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Forbes, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus Reviews. Known for combining investigative rigor with compelling storytelling, he specializes in uncovering the hidden struggles, failures, and turning points behind remarkable success stories. In addition to his writing, Geoffrey is a frequent guest on CNN, NPR, Bloomberg Television, and other major media outlets, where he provides analysis on technology, business, global affairs, and innovation. He has also testified before the United States Senate and advised leaders seeking to communicate complex ideas and build lasting influence. As Managing Partner of Alembic Partners, Geoffrey works with founders, investors, and executives to develop thought leadership, strategic positioning, and powerful narratives that help them stand out in competitive markets. Whether writing about global technology giants or entrepreneurial reinvention, his work explores a central theme: how people recover from failure, adapt to change, and ultimately achieve extraordinary success.
P. Scott Being – CEO of MonoSol, LLC and Author of The Back Nine: Inspiration and Insights on Retaining Relevance, Purpose, and Integrity in Retirement
A lot of what the wilderness is, is learning to work with thelimitations of the world and finding your place within it.
P. Scott Bening is an accomplished entrepreneur, business leader, author, and former CEO of MonoSol, LLC, the company that pioneered and commercialized water-soluble film technology used in single-dose detergent products around the world. During his tenure as President and CEO, Scott helped grow MonoSol from a small startup operation into a global industry leader serving the multibillion-dollar consumer goods market. Under his leadership, water-soluble unit-dose packaging became the worldwide standard for laundry and household cleaning products, transforming consumer behavior and reshaping an entire industry. Drawing on expertise in innovation, strategic partnerships, marketing, manufacturing, and business development, Scott built a reputation for guiding companies through rapid growth while maintaining a strong focus on customer needs and long-term value creation. His success earned widespread recognition, including induction as a Fellow of The Society of Innovators of Indiana, recognition by the United States Congress, and membership in the Chicago Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. Today, Scott serves as CEO of MBS2 Advisors, where he mentors entrepreneurs, executives, and business leaders on growth strategy, leadership, innovation, and organizational development. He is also the author of The Back Nine: Inspiration and Insights on Retaining Relevance, Purpose, and Integrity in Retirement, a book that explores how successful professionals can continue to find meaning, contribution, and fulfillment during the later stages of life and career. A graduate of St. Lawrence University and the University of Illinois Chicago, Scott also serves on the Board of Trustees at Butler University. Through his advisory work, writing, and speaking, he continues to share lessons learned from building a global company while helping others navigate leadership, personal growth, and purposeful transitions in business and life.

June 9, 2026 – Radio AI Riply Jen Austin and American Financial History Joseph Moore

Jen Austin – Founder & President of Riply, the first AI-powered newsroom designed for local radio
As long as we have it as a human-led entity, then it can be very effective.
Jen Austin is a three-decade radio veteran and on-air personality who has been heard on more than 100 stations across the U.S., reaching over 10 million listeners through Townsquare Media, Virtual News Center, Global 1 Media, Mountain Dog Media, iHeart, Baroka Broadcasting, and others. After decades in the business, Jen saw the same challenge again and again: shrinking staffs, tighter budgets, and local communities losing reliable news coverage. That experience led her to found Riply, a full-service, ready-to-air newsroom built specifically for radio stations, podcasters, and content creators. Riply delivers local and regional news, weather, sports, lifestyle, and entertainment content using a powerful blend of AI speed and human editorial oversight. Stations can choose human or AI voices, add new voices without new hires, and fill programming gaps across mornings, afternoons, nights, weekends, and holidays. Jen is not a tech founder who discovered radio. She is a broadcaster who built the platform she always wished existed. As president of Riply, she remains hands-on with editorial standards, sound quality, and ensuring every piece of content is natural, accurate, credible, and broadcast-ready. Riply was created to support local radio, not replace it. Its mission is simple: help stations expand their on-air presence quickly, affordably, and responsibly, while giving teams more time and flexibility to focus on the content that matters most to their communities.Joseph Moore PhD – Author of How to Get Rich in American History: 300 Years of Financial Advice that Worked (& Didn’t)
The lesson of history is clear: upward mobility is as alive as ever before.
Joseph Moore is the author of How to Get Rich in American History: 300 Years of Financial Advice that Worked (& Didn’t). He is an author, historian, and investor whose research into America’s 300-year pursuit of wealth helped make him financially independent in his mid-40s. Moore spent more than a decade studying the financial strategies Americans have used to get ahead, from stocks and real estate to scams, speculation, crypto, and wild get-rich schemes. He even tested some of history’s strangest ideas himself, including buying land on the moon, founding a cryptocurrency, shorting Jim Cramer’s stock picks, and renting out every room in his house. His writing combines serious historical research with sharp humor and unforgettable stories, including tales like Teddy Roosevelt’s wife taking away his checkbook. His work has appeared through HarperCollins, The New York Times, Oxford University Press, and other major outlets. His first book was praised as “extraordinary” and “witty,” and his newest book has been described as one that “leaves you believing in the American Dream again.”

June 8, 2026 – Legacy On The Line Andrea Baumann Lustig and Hunter Kurt Belding

Andrea Baumann Lustig – Manager Partner at Fischer Stralem Advisors and Author of Legacy on the Line: Overcome Blind Spots to Grow and Transfer Your Wealth
The same hustle that built your business can actuallywork against you when it comes time to sell it.
Andrea Baumann Lustig is Managing Partner of Fischer Stralem Advisors, where she helps entrepreneurs, executives, and multigenerational families build, protect, and transfer wealth with long-term purpose and strategy. With more than 30 years of experience in wealth management, investment banking, and management consulting, Andrea specializes in guiding founders through the often-overlooked transition from business success to lasting personal wealth. A sixth-generation wealth adviser whose family legacy in finance dates back to Banque Levy in 1810, Andrea has been repeatedly recognized on the Forbes list of Top Women Wealth Advisors. She is also the author of the upcoming book Legacy on the Line, which explores why founders should begin wealth planning long before a business sale or liquidity event occurs. Andrea believes many entrepreneurs make a costly mistake by delaying wealth planning until after they exit their business. By then, critical decisions involving taxes, estate strategy, ownership structures, philanthropy, and family wealth transfer may already be fixed, limiting flexibility and reducing long-term outcomes. Her work focuses on helping founders think strategically years before a sale so they can maximize both financial opportunity and family legacy. At Fischer Stralem Advisors, Andrea leads a multi-generational advisory firm that coordinates closely with attorneys, accountants, and insurance professionals to create highly personalized wealth strategies. Clients rely on her team not only for investment management, but also for integrated planning that aligns financial decisions with long-term goals and values. Andrea earned BA and MPA degrees in International Relations from Princeton University and an MBA from Yale University. Beyond her professional work, she is deeply involved in philanthropic and educational organizations, serving in leadership roles with institutions including Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Weizmann Institute of Science, and Park Avenue Synagogue. Andrea is a sought-after speaker on entrepreneurship, wealth stewardship, succession planning, philanthropy, and the historic transfer of wealth now underway in America.Kurt Belding – Founder of Western Obsessions TV
The biggest thing videos do is pop and exposure, exposing more peopleto what we do, and then also starts to build trust within the brand.
Kurt Belding is the founder and host of Western Obsession TV and the driving force behind Hunt Adventures, a company dedicated to connecting hunters with exceptional guided experiences across North America and beyond. A lifelong outdoorsman with a deep respect for the fair chase tradition, Kurt has built his reputation on authenticity, integrity, and a passion for the hunting lifestyle. Through Western Obsession TV, he shares real world hunting adventures, showcasing the people, places, and wildlife that make the outdoors so compelling. Kurt and his team personally evaluate every outfitter and destination featured through Hunt Adventures, ensuring that each experience meets the same standards viewers have come to expect from the show: genuine hunting opportunities, quality outfitters, and unforgettable adventures. His mission is simple: help hunters create lasting memories in the field while preserving the traditions and values that define the hunting community.

June 5, 2026 - Elephant in the Family Room Rene Sonneveld and Greatest Hits Brian Smith

Rene Sonneveld – Author of The Elephant in the Family Room: Managing the Complexities of Legacy Businesses
The less we talk about those things that are hard but are necessary to talk about, the bigger the elephant gets.
René Sonneveld is an executive coach, educator, former international executive, and author of The Elephant in the Family Room: Managing the Complexities of Legacy Businesses. For more than 25 years, he has worked with business families, entrepreneurs, and ultra high net worth family enterprises around the world, helping them navigate the often-unspoken emotional dynamics that shape succession, governance, leadership, and long-term family unity. René began his career as an international tax lawyer, working across the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Curaçao before moving into senior leadership positions with major global financial institutions. At UBS, Deutsche Bank, and Citibank, he advised some of the world’s most successful family enterprises and wealthy families, leading initiatives in wealth management, family governance, succession planning, fiduciary structures, and family office strategy. Through that work, he discovered that even the most sophisticated governance systems fail when they ignore the human side of family relationships. Drawing on those experiences, René developed Enterprise Family Coaching, an approach that combines governance expertise with the psychological and relational realities that determine whether family businesses thrive across generations. Since 2012, he has advised family controlled companies and business families worldwide, helping them address issues that are often difficult to discuss openly but critical to preserving both family harmony and business success. A Master Certified Coach and Vice Chairman of the International Coaching Federation’s Global Board of Coaching Education, René also teaches leadership coaching and organizational performance at American University, Rutgers University, and North Carolina State University. His work spans six continents and focuses on helping leaders, families, and organizations address what others leave unsaid. Through his writing, teaching, and advisory work, René provides a rare inside perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing multi-generational family enterprises.Brian Smith – Keynote Speaker & Founder of UGG
If you did all the research and knew what was ahead, you would never start.
Brian Smith is an Australian born entrepreneur, bestselling author, and keynote speaker best known as the founder of the UGG Australia brand, the iconic sheepskin footwear that grew into a global fashion and lifestyle phenomenon. After graduating as a chartered accountant in Australia and studying at the UCLA Graduate School of Management, Brian left public accounting and moved to California driven by his passion for surfing and business. Noticing that there were no sheepskin boots available in the United States, he and a friend imported a small number of pairs from Australia and began building what would become the UGG brand, growing it into a national business over seventeen years before selling it to Deckers Outdoor Corporation, where it continued to expand into a billion dollar global brand. Drawing on his experience building and selling UGG, Brian became a sought after business speaker, sharing lessons on entrepreneurship, brand building, leadership, resilience, and company culture with audiences around the world. He is also the author of The Birth of a Brand, and his talks combine personal stories with practical insights to inspire business owners and leaders of all ages.

June 3, 2026 - Unframe AI Larissa Schneider and Greatest Hits Kay Koplovitz

Larissa Schneider –  Co-Founder & COO of Unframe AI
We didn’t want to be this company that is just sitting in a corneror basement and thinking about what the market wants.
Larissa Schneider is a global enterprise technology executive and co-founder of Unframe, an AI company helping large organizations turn artificial intelligence from an expensive experiment into a practical business tool. With more than a decade of leadership experience in enterprise technology, Larissa has helped scale high-growth companies through IPOs, acquisitions, and major expansion phases, including senior leadership roles at Nutanix and Noname Security. Throughout her career, Larissa worked at the intersection of complex enterprise technology and the real-world business teams expected to use it. After watching companies struggle with clunky AI tools, painful integrations, and unclear ROI, she co-founded Unframe to solve the gap between AI’s promise and actual enterprise value. At Unframe, Larissa leads strategy and operations as the company builds an AI layer designed to make existing enterprise systems genuinely intelligent without forcing companies to rip out and replace their current infrastructure. The company raised $50 million to help enterprises deploy AI solutions that integrate quickly, deliver measurable outcomes, and reduce the friction that has slowed AI adoption across large organizations. Larissa discusses why so many enterprise AI projects fail, what businesses actually need from AI tools, how to bridge the gap between experimentation and execution, and why the future of enterprise AI will depend less on hype and more on seamless integration, usability, and measurable business impact.Kay Koplovitz – Chairman of Koplovitz & Co, Founder of USA Network & Sci Fi Channel and Author of Been There, Run That
People actually do treat you in the end the way you treat yourself
Kay Koplovitz started her amazing career by using geosynchronous orbiting satellites to broadcast the Thrilla in Manila between Ali and Frazier, opening the world to global communications. She launched the first satellite delivered basic cable network, USA Network, creating the two revenue stream model – advertising and licensing – that still exists today. It is the model that makes the cable networks so profitable. During her tenure, she built USA into the #1 ranking in prime time viewership among cable networks, for 13 consecutive years. The Company was sold in 1998 for $4.5 Billion and became a publicly listed company. Today, she is devoted to helping women build their companies and create jobs. As Chairman of Springboard Enterprises, the nation’s premier platform for connecting women with venture capital, Kay helped 481 companies raise over $5.5 billion in new capital. Springboard partners with Angel Funds, VC’s and corporations to grow great female owned companies that have yielded extraordinary growth levels and positive liquidity events for investors including IPO’s. Her latest passion is joining thought leaders at Singularity University and XPrize to brainstorm ways to bring technology innovation to commercial enterprise and better the lives of the 7 billion people around the globe.

June 2, 2026 – Remote Leverage Abbas Mohammed and Franchise Guru Giuseppe Grammatico

Abbas Mohammed – Founder of Remote Leverage – Recruiting Agency Helping Businesses Hire English Speaking Virtual Assistants From Latin America & The Philippines for 70% Less Than U.S. Employees.
Whatever that reason is, I would just go and hire more people tofill that gap, and then I would move on to the next reason.
Abbas Mohammed is the founder of Remote Leverage, a global recruiting agency that helps businesses hire English-speaking virtual assistants and remote team members from Latin America and the Philippines at a fraction of traditional U.S. hiring costs. Starting with less than $5,000 at age 18, Abbas scaled the company to more than $1.5 million in monthly revenue in under two years, building a team of more than 120 people across 25 countries. 3x Founder. Rather than inventing something completely new, Abbas focused on executing a proven business model better than anyone else. After recognizing that successful entrepreneurs were already leveraging virtual assistants to scale operations, he built systems, processes, and recruiting infrastructure that made global hiring simpler, faster, and lower risk for growing companies. Today, Remote Leverage helps businesses build remote teams without the overhead and financial pressure of traditional local hiring. Abbas is a strong advocate for practical entrepreneurship, proving that business success does not require groundbreaking creativity or massive startup capital. Instead, he emphasizes disciplined execution, strong systems, and hiring the right people.
Giuseppe Grammatico – Founder of GG The Franchise Guide
Do not chase someone else’s version of success.
Giuseppe Grammatico is a franchise veteran, consultant, author, speaker, and founder of GG The Franchise Guide, where he helps corporate professionals, executives in transition, and military veterans evaluate franchise ownership as a pathway to business ownership, income diversification, and long-term freedom. With more than two decades of experience spanning corporate leadership, franchise ownership, and master franchising, Giuseppe brings real-world perspective and hands-on experience to the franchise industry. He is the author of Franchise Freedom and host of the highly ranked Franchise Freedom Podcast, where he shares practical insights on entrepreneurship, semi-passive franchise models, and building financial security outside traditional investments. Since 2018, Giuseppe has appeared on numerous podcasts and media platforms discussing franchising as an alternative to stocks, crypto, and even real estate investing. Known for simplifying the franchise process, Giuseppe guides candidates through a structured, personalized approach to finding business models that align with their goals, lifestyle, and desired level of involvement. His expertise includes franchise evaluation, career-transition planning, scalable business models, and helping professionals create a “career safety net” through business ownership. Giuseppe’s content resonates strongly with audiences interested in entrepreneurship, wealth-building, alternative investing, and late-career pivots. He also maintains a strong online presence with more than 18,000 LinkedIn followers and actively promotes podcast appearances and collaborations across his network.

June 1, 2026 – Laptop Lifestyle Lawyer Kara Vaval and Greatest Hits Joe Abraham

Kara Vaval, Esq. – Attorney, Keynote Speaker, Transformational Coach,The Laptop Lifestyle Lawyer and Author of From Clearance to Priceless
Kara Vaval, Esq. is a Florida-based personal injury attorney, keynote speaker, transformational coach, author, and the creator of The Laptop Lifestyle Lawyer® brand. Born in Haiti, Kara overcame the loss of her father at age 14 and her grandmother four years later, using those early hardships as fuel to build a life rooted in purpose, resilience, and freedom. She is the CEO of Vaval Law, a personal injury law firm, and The InPowerment Institute, LLC, an educational and empowerment platform offering courses, coaching, retreats, and training for women who want to create fuller, freer, more intentional lives. Through her Laptop Lifestyle Lawyer Community, Kara helps women lawyers build virtual law practices, achieve financial independence, protect their well-being, and pursue success on their own terms. Kara is the author of 28,000 Days…Make Yours Count! and From Clearance to Priceless, which features a foreword by Lisa Nichols and became a bestseller in three categories within 24 hours of its March 2026 release. Through her Main Karacter™ framework, she encourages high-achieving women to step into the lead role of their lives, professionally and personally. She is also the founder and host of The Unfiltered with Kara Podcast and The Laptop Lifestyle Lawyer Podcast. Above all, Kara is most proud of being mom to her two children, Luc and Lia, who continue to inspire the life and business she has intentionally created.Joe Abraham – Serial Entrepreneur and Author of Entrepreneurial DNA: The Breakthrough Discovery that Aligns Your Business to Your Unique Strengths
Joe is founder/CEO of bosiDNA.com and it’s award-winning Accelerator. A serial entrepreneur himself, Joe has started up, grown and exited three companies of his own and invested in over 20 growing startups. He is author of Entrepreneurial DNA: The Breakthrough Discovery That Aligns Your Business to Your Unique Strengths (McGraw Hill 2011). He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and on FoxNews, CBS, NBC, CNN, ABC, WGN and numerous nationally syndicated radio shows on topics related to entrepreneurship and small business growth – and serves as advisor to  entrepreneurship programs domestically and around the world. In 2005, Joe launched a boutique startup incubator/SMB accelerator in Chicago where he launched a dozen startups with various entrepreneurs. Every one of those startups are still in business today. In the fall of 2008, while working with some of those companies, he stumbled across the discovery of Entrepreneurial DNA and proceeded to call itBOSI (for Builder, Opportunist, Specialist and Innovator). Two-and-a-half years of R&D later, the book Entrepreneurial DNA laying out the discovery and findings was complete. Joe runs bosiDNA.com (a tech venture) and BOSI Performance Institute that provides training and consulting services surrounding BOSI.

May 29, 2026 – 96% AI No ROI Cheryl Einhorn and Nearshore Business Eric Tabone

Cheryl Einhorn – Consultant, Academic, Journalist and Author of The Human Edge, Smarter Decisions In the Age of AI
AI doesn’t care about the consequences
Cheryl Strauss Einhorn is the creator of the AREA Method, a research and decision-making system designed to help individuals, companies, and nonprofits solve complex problems with greater clarity and confidence. Her framework is widely used for business strategy, organizational decision-making, leadership development, and communication, helping leaders make smarter choices in high-stakes environments. Cheryl is the founder and CEO of Decisive, a decision-sciences company that provides leadership training, executive coaching, curriculum design, and professional development services. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Cornell University and previously taught at Columbia Business School and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. An award-winning investigative journalist, Cheryl has earned recognition for her reporting on business, international politics, and economic issues. Her expertise in research and analytical thinking led her to develop the AREA Method, which combines structured inquiry with behavioral psychology to improve both personal and professional decision-making. Cheryl is the author of several acclaimed books, including Problem Solved, Investing in Financial Research, Problem Solver, and Problem Solver Profiles. Her newest book, The Human Edge: Smarter Decisions in the Age of AI, explores how human judgment and emotional intelligence remain essential in an increasingly AI-driven world. Through her writing, teaching, consulting, and widely viewed TED Talk, Cheryl continues to help leaders and organizations improve the quality of their decisions while navigating uncertainty, complexity, and rapid technological change.Eric Tabone – Founder and Managing Director of Nearshore Business Solutions
The more you get your hands dirty, the easier you see the problem,and you could create the solution.
Eric Tabone is the Founder and Managing Director of Nearshore Business Solutions, a recruiting firm that helps U.S. companies build high-performing remote teams across Latin America. Over the last 16 years, Eric has lived and worked throughout the region, helping growth-stage and mid-market businesses hire vetted professionals in countries including Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and Costa Rica. Originally from the United States, Eric moved to Bogota with limited resources and no Spanish, expecting only a short stay. Instead, the experience became the foundation for a career spent building companies, leading cross-border teams, and helping U.S. businesses navigate international hiring and remote operations. Since then, he has supported more than 200 successful hires while developing a practical understanding of both Latin American business culture and the operational demands of U.S. companies. Through Nearshore Business Solutions, Eric and his team combine AI-powered sourcing with in-country recruiting expertise to help companies identify, vet, and onboard top talent in under 30 days. His leadership philosophy is shaped by firsthand experience adapting to unfamiliar environments, building businesses across cultures, and learning how to lead effectively through uncertainty and rapid growth. Outside of work, Eric is a father of two daughters, an avid traveler who has visited more than 30 countries, a foodie, amateur sommelier, and dedicated runner. Ironically, the only class he ever failed in school was Spanish, a language he now uses every day.

May 27, 2026 – People-Friendly Tech Erin Rollenhagen, Summer Struggle Jodi Grant & Gigi Anton and Comcast Bret Perkins

Erin Rollenhagen – Founder and CEO of People-Friendly Tech
No one’s looking to download a new app, so you have to stakeyour claim to why this is worth space on someone’s home screen
Erin Rollenhagen is the Founder and CEO of People-Friendly Tech and the author of Love at First Launch: A visionary’s guide to bringing extraordinary tech to life. With nearly two decades of experience guiding visionary executives, Erin has led over 200 successful technology launches spanning startups, healthcare, finance, and other highly regulated industries. Her work has been featured in TechCrunch and Axios, earned national awards, and positioned her as a trusted partner for leaders determined to build more than just functional products. Erin’s approach centers on preserving the magic of the original vision, balancing compliance with creativity, and designing experiences that spark deep emotional connection. Whether working with C-suite innovators or fast-growth entrepreneurs, Erin helps transform bold ideas into platforms that delight users, reshape businesses, and redefine industries.
Jodi Grant – Executive Director at Afterschool Alliance & Gigi Antoni – Vice President, Youth Development, at The Wallace Foundation
When their parents are working, they are going to be learning. Thequestion is just what are they learning, and where are they doing it?
Jodi Grant has spent two decades making afterschool and summer learning a national priority. As Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance, she has secured billions in federal and state investments, built a network of nearly 30,000 partners, and positioned afterschool and summer learning programs as essential supports for children, families, and communities.
Gigi Antoni leads The Wallace Foundation team responsible for its work on summer learning and after-school system building. Before joining Wallace, Antoni served as president and CEO of Big Thought, a nonprofit that today serves 130,000 of Dallas’s most marginalized young people with school and community-based programming during the school day, after school, and over the summer.Bret Perkins – Senior Vice President of Community Growth and Economic Development at Comcast
Every entrepreneur that takes that step makes astatement about taking a risk on themselves.
Bret Perkins serves as Senior Vice President of Community Growth and Economic Development. He shapes and advances Comcast’s economic development efforts in partnership with government and business organizations to support investment, drive business growth, and strengthen regional economies. Bret joined Comcast in 2001 and most recently was Senior Vice President of External and Government Affairs, guiding the company’s growth from 2,500 to serving more than 6,000 communities. He helped create Internet Essentials, which has become the nation’s largest and most comprehensive internet adoption program for low-income Americans.

May 26, 2026 – Lean Startup Eric Ries and Stanford Basketball Coach Eric Reveno

Eric Ries – Author of Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad… and How Great Companies Stay Great
An organization that cannot be trusted cannot accumulate the most underrated asset in the world today, which is trustworthiness
Eric Ries is an entrepreneur, author, and creator of the Lean Startup movement, whose work has transformed how modern companies approach innovation, growth, and long term sustainability. Over the last two decades, his ideas on continuous innovation, adaptive management, governance, and long term thinking have influenced startups, Fortune 500 companies, investors, and public institutions around the world. He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Lean Startup, The Startup Way, and The Leader’s Guide, books that have become foundational texts for entrepreneurs and executives seeking to build resilient, innovative organizations. Beyond his writing, Ries has founded and helped lead several influential companies and initiatives, including IMVU, where the principles that became the Lean Startup methodology were first developed; the Lean Startup Company; Virgil, a legal services startup; Answer.AI, an artificial intelligence research and development lab; and the Long Term Stock Exchange, an effort to align capital markets with long term value creation. He has also served as an entrepreneur in residence at Harvard Business School and IDEO, advising leaders on innovation, organizational transformation, and sustainable growth. Ries is also the host of The Eric Ries Show, where he interviews world class founders, technologists, executives, and thinkers about the future of business, technology, and society. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and three children. His latest book, Incorruptible, explores why successful companies lose their way and how organizations can protect themselves from corruption, short term incentives, and institutional decay. Drawing on decades of experience working with founders, CEOs, investors, and policymakers, the book presents a framework for building companies that prosper financially while remaining aligned with human values, trust, and long term societal benefit.Eric Reveno – James C. Gaither Associate Head Coach and General Manager for Stanford Men’s Basketball
The one thing that’s common about them is theirvalues are pretty squared away.
Eric Reveno is the James C. Gaither Associate Head Coach and General Manager for Stanford Men’s Basketball, bringing more than 28 years of Division I coaching experience and a reputation for transforming teams from the inside out. A former head coach at the University of Portland and a key leader at Stanford, Georgia Tech, and Oregon State, Reveno has built his career on one core belief: great leaders emerge from great teammates. Reveno’s framework flips the traditional leadership narrative. Instead of focusing on titles or hierarchy, he teaches individuals how to elevate the people around them — showing up with energy, building strong relationships, owning their influence, and staying relentlessly mission‑focused. His approach has shaped championship‑caliber cultures and offers a powerful blueprint for organizations navigating today’s collaborative, fast‑changing workplace. Whether speaking to executives, HR leaders, or managers, Reveno brings an “inside‑the‑huddle” perspective on what truly drives performance: trust, accountability, shared purpose, and the everyday behaviors that turn talented individuals into exceptional teams.