The B Sides

Founders will talk about their gym regimens and yoga practices, but rarely do we hear about the mental health struggles many entrepreneurs encounter along their journey. In this episode we hear from Tzahi Weisfeld, GM of Intel Ignite, and Yariv Ganor, Startup Psychologist, as we explore the need to destigmatize Founder Mental Health issues and encourage all parties in the startup supply chain to engage in the discussion.

Mergers and Acquisitions are typically done by larger, more established companies. But in recent years, growth-stage startups have flexed their muscles in executing small acquisitions, whether to drive TAM expansion, accelerate product roadmaps, or strategically enter a new market/geography. In this episode, Ophir Reshef, CFO of Yotpo, describes how and why the Centaur ran an M&A strategy from its early days, and the many factors that other startups should consider when pursuing a similar route. Disclaimer: this episode was recorded just before the fundraising ecosystem hit the brakes. 

Telling the right story is no less important than developing a world class product. In this episode, Carmel Yoeli, CEO of Atreo, a leading Narrative Design Agency in Israel, describes how to hone in on the right micro and macro narrative as you build your company. Crafting the right message not only to drive effective external customer communciation, but also to develop a cohesive and comprehensive vision to drive your business forward. 

Changes in the market necessitate changes to the business plan. In this episode, Eynat Guez of Papaya Global discusses how companies can best navigate choppy market conditions while maintaining a competitive edge, instilling confidence in the employee base, and positioning the business for the inevitable upswing. 

We've all heard Israeli founders joke that they live 'on the plane'. But there inevitably comes a time in every startup's journey when the executive team has to make a decision around relocation to the United States (or any target market). In this episode, Omri Cohen walks us through Yotpo's own experience in sending one founder abroad out of both necessity and opportunity. 

How do you sell a product that no one is already thinking about? In this episode, Veetahl Eilat-Raichel discusses how Sorbet is creating a category out of thin air with an emphasis on creating a brand, driving top of funnel with a sustained PR strategy, and educating the market on a win-win product. TL;DR - use your vacation days! 

"If you're not pivoting, there's something wrong with your idea..." Ronni Zehavi discusses the series of iterations Hibob, and he himself, went through to bring the business where it is today. The value of curiosity and continuous listening; and the importance of efficiency to affect changes in the business, product, and market. (disclaimer: recorded pre-market pull-back)

A startup's first customer engagements can make or break the product roadmap and deeply influence the company's future. In this episode Lior Penso, COO of Qwak, discusses how to select the optimal design partners, balance customization with your own roadmap and vision, and transition from friend-zone to paying customer. Oh, and a short intro on buying .com domain names! 

Founder dynamics can be tricky and different structures work for different teams. Gabi and Leah of Preql have founded two businesses as best friends and Co-CEOs. In this episode we explore why they chose this path, how they share or split responsibilities while tackling conflict and disagreement head on, a cultural emphasis on mental health that starts at the top, and how they hope to pioneer a new team model beyond the traditional CEO/CTO delineation. 

You've just raised a seed round - now whom do you hire? Matan Bar, CEO of Melio Payments, discusses how to identify critical first hires; how to lay the groundwork for a leadership-focused culture; and the impact of an emphasis on diversity of opportunity. 

A healthy founder relationship also has to have strong, contractual foundations. In this episode Amir Raz, Partner at GKH, discusses the importance of outlining certain terms and structure of the founding team to avoid fallout down the road. 

A dilemma that nearly every Israeli founder faces - where to legally establish their company. Amir Raz, Partner at Israeli law firm GKH, discusses the short and long term considerations of an Israeli vs. US entity. The good news is it's hard to go wrong. 

Two PhD students decide to start a company. Zohar Bronfman, CEO of Pecan.ai, discusses how to set the stage for success when delving into an entirely new subject - from choosing the right advisors and investors to asking the simple questions.

The cloud computing version of David vs. Goliath. Asaph Schulman, CMO of Firebolt, discusses the startup's bold messaging in the crowded Cloud Data Warehousing space and the company's decision to make a lot of noise in a well-established category.