Pour Over

About Pour Over

Welcome to "Pour Over" - a new coffee chat style podcast from Fika Ventures, where we “pour over” (Fika pun intended) the remarkable journey of inspiring founders and CEOs. In each episode, we embark on a captivating exploration of the stories and insights behind the success of today's most innovative and influential leaders. We believe that every entrepreneur, every visionary, has a unique narrative, and it's these narratives that can inspire and transform the way we think about business, leadership, and success.

Publisher

Fika Ventures

Category

business · education · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Dec 2023

Latest episode

8 Sept 2025

Latest episodes

10 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Sept 2025

   Deferred's Judd Schoenholtz on Scaling, Velocity as a Moat, and more Startup Truths for Today’s Founders

   Recorded live at Andreessen Horowitz’s Summer Speaker Series, Arteen Arabshahi, General Partner at Fika Ventures, sits down with longtime friend and portfolio founder Judd Schoenholtz, CEO of Deferred.com, to unpack how a “paper-era” corner of real estate became fertile ground for a modern fintech. A seasoned Los Angeles entrepreneur with multiple successful exits (Open Listings and Balance Homes), Judd is now modernizing a century-old tax strategy, making 1031 exchanges simpler and more accessible for all real estate investors. In this conversation, he shares how he stumbled into the world of qualified intermediaries, why he believes “velocity is the new moat,” and how Deferred is flipping a fee-based industry on its head. The discussion dives into co-founder dynamics, building and scaling growth channels, and navigating today’s capital markets in the AI era, while offering candid lessons on acquisitions and exits. The session wraps with a lively audience Q&A covering corporate VC, design partners, defensibility, and the operating principles that keep founders moving forward.

2. 

   25 Jun 2025

   Altitude and Advertising: Building MNTN with a Pilot’s Precision and a Hollywood Twist with Mark Douglas

   Mark Douglas, CEO of MNTN, discusses building a streaming TV performance marketing platform with Arteen Arabshahi, offering insights into partnerships, remote teams, AI integration, and navigating public markets in this interview.

3. 

   25 Jun 2025

   More Than a Fleet: Motive’s Mission to Redefine the Physical Economy with Shoaib Makani

   Shoaib Makani discusses Motive's evolution into a platform powering over a million drivers across North America in a conversation with TX Zhuo, highlighting hardware investments and AI, in this interview.

4. 

   5 Feb 2025

   Reimagining Contracts and LegalTech with Min-Kyu Jung

   This episode of Pour Over spotlights Min-Kyu Jung, CEO and Co-founder of Ivo, an AI legal assistant transforming contract review and negotiation. In conversation with host John Chen, General Partner at Fika Ventures, Min-Kyu shares his founder journey from corporate law in New Zealand to building a cutting-edge AI-driven startup in Silicon Valley. He reflects on the cultural differences between the two ecosystems and why he felt compelled to relocate to the Bay Area to build his company. Min-Kyu also provides an inside look at Ivo’s core offering, explaining how it optimizes the redlining process, helping legal and business teams negotiate contracts more efficiently. Zooming out, he also dives into broader AI industry shifts, discussing the impact of developments like DeepSeek, and why startups must remain agile, adaptable, and not overly reliant on any single AI model. The discussion further explores Ivo’s strategic roadmap, predictions for the future of contract law, and the evolving role of lawyers as AI becomes more sophisticated. Towards the end of their conversation, Min-Kyu shares insights into his leadership philosophy, hiring approach, and the key values that define an exceptional team member at Ivo.

5. 

   26 Sept 2024

   Revolutionizing the Employee Experience in the Age of Connected Benefits with Shannon Goggin

   This episode of Pour Over spotlights Shannon Goggin, the Co-founder and CEO of Noyo, a benefits data platform powering next-generation benefits experiences. Shannon's journey to founding Noyo spans diverse roles, from management consulting to product management at the HR tech startup, Zenefits. Shannon shares key insights from her early career experiences, describing how she has learned to challenge the status quo in environments that are often rigidly stuck in old systems and processes. While working at Zenefits, she gained insights that highlighted the need for a supportive framework. This is how Noyo was first designed. Shannon shares some of the early challenges of finding collaborative partners, describing what makes Noyo’s mission attractive for those who come from a tech background and others who know the benefits ecosystem. We discuss the common traits of high performers in her scaling team, and why she considers it an advantage, rather than a liability, that her identity is tied to that of the company. Hear why Shannon doesn’t have one role model in particular but rather embodies different styles. Sharing the future vision and challenges, Shannon highlights the efficacy of Noyo’s software and the small team behind it. She also shares the important principle of thinking of yourself as the end user of your product and the double-edged sword of taking everything personally.

6. 

   25 Jun 2024

   Bootstrap to Breakthrough: Building a Culture of Execution and Shared Values with Joseph Elias Phillips and William Corbera

   First Impressions: Jo and Will met through friends at a club in Miami and instantly connected before finding a parallel path and co-founding Payabli together. Jo’s Entrepreneurial Experiences: Growing up around entrepreneurs before working alongside influential leaders at Seamless, GrubHub, and ServiceTitan taught Jo what he needs to know about leadership. Will’s Core Team Value: A bootstrapper at heart, Will’s biggest learning at Payabli has been hiring people he describes as being a lot better than himself. Jo’s Complementary Style: Focuses on hiring the best talent and creating opportunities to make them successful. Exposed to many different people and cultures from a young age, he can empathize and relate to anyone. High-Performance Leadership: With a successful exit under his belt, Will defines a successful team as one with a culture of execution. Will reflects on the idea that when you truly love what you do, you will have the ammunition to keep going and put in the extra hours. Business and Identity: The company is entwined in every aspect of the co-founders’ lives. Entrepreneurship is in their DNA, and their identities are painted all over Payabli. Role Models: Jo’s grandfather imparted many important lessons in his life, including the philosophy of taking action. Will attributes his entrepreneurial spirit to his father, his hardworking nature to his mom, and his leadership ethic to his brother. Defining Success: Both are grateful to be able to work day in and day out with such an incredible, hardworking team and are constantly asking themselves – “Are we doing well with our [customer] love letters?” – as an indicator of the company’s health and success. Advice For Entrepreneurs: Jump in as soon as possible, and don’t be deterred by a lack of funding in the beginning as many incredible businesses start and remain bootstrapped. The founder journey will test you so always remember your strong ethical foundation, exhibit the values that you want represented across your company, and build a strong team to help get you there. QUOTES “I’ve learned to hire people that are a lot better than myself.” — Will “Whether it’s [with] our team members or our partners, being a chameleon has helped me a lot.” — Jo “If you're an entrepreneur, your building something [and] your artistry is all over the canvas of whatever you're building.” — Will “There are a lot of reasons to not start a business. But I knew if I didn't do this, at 90, I would have been really disappointed in myself. And it's not for everybody, but for me personally, I really would have had a lot of regret.”  — Jo “Great leaders do what they say they are going to do.” — Will “You can’t do it alone. You need a team to help get you there.” — Jo LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Joseph Elias Phillips on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelias621/) William Corbera on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamcorbera) Payabli (https://www.payabli.com/) Payabli on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/payabli/) Gabriella Brignardello on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriella-brignardello/) Fika Ventures (https://www.fika.vc/) Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes (http://eepurl.com/iaoksz) You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc (mailto:info@fika.vc). Thanks for listening.

7. 

   29 Apr 2024

   Unveiling the Power of Company Vision

   Leadership journey: Went from working as a consultant at Deloitte Digital to becoming CMO at Fika portfolio company, Specright. Personal Values: Learned to take pride in her work as the child of immigrants who worked in a factory. Learned by Example: Watched her father embody the principle of dreaming big, finding courage, and rejecting the limits applied by others. Specright Premise: Pioneering specification management, packaging, and category creation. Vision and Values: On a mission to contribute to a world without waste where the right thing is made every time. Growth Model: Three main levers include thought leadership, ecosystem, and network. Core Motivation: Believes in the vision and buys into the Founder’s approach to making Specright successful. Role Models: Admires her first boss, Linda Boff, Deloitte CTO, Christy Levy, and Lumen President and CEO, Kate Johnson, who taught her to be herself in business. Advice for Future CMOs: Advocates for immersing yourself in all the areas of marketing in order to understand it. QUOTES “One of the greatest joys of my life has been being able to take my passion for storytelling and apply it in the business setting to help people do things differently.” “You have to show people, not just tell them.” “The vision is to live in a world where the right thing is made every time.” “We all want a sense of belonging and community in our lives as human beings, and we want to align with people who are trying to achieve the same things we are.” “Even though specs may not feel very sexy, the outcomes are really sexy.” “The biggest gift you can give to others is to be yourself and showing them that they have permission to do the same.” LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Laura Foti on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lefoti/) Specright (https://specright.com/) Eva Ho on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/evaho1/) Fika Ventures (https://www.fika.vc/) Subscribe to Fika’s Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes (http://eepurl.com/iaoksz) You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc (mailto:info@fika.vc). Thanks for listening.

8. 

   15 Feb 2024

   Mastering the Art of Selling with Humility and a Growth Mindset with Jake Cronin

   Jake's Journey: Started in kitchen knife sales at Cutco where he learned to cold call for the first time. Siro Co-Founder: Co-founded Siro, a platform aiming to provide an AI coach for field sales. Future Vision: Envisions an AI coach like Siro inspiring salespeople, pushing them to set ambitious goals and providing targeted information for success. Universal Sales Skills: Asserts the universal relevance of sales skills in any career, emphasizing that those who embrace the sales aspect tend to thrive in their careers. Hiring Philosophy: Looks for low ego and autonomy, believing these traits contribute to a strong team culture. Team Culture: Values individuals who can aim themselves, execute great work, and exhibit passion. Leadership Lessons: Stresses the importance of humility, authenticity, and a growth mindset in leadership. Role Models: Admires Elon Musk for his bold decision-making and his girlfriend, who is recognized for fostering a culture of bringing one's full self to the team. Habits and Rituals: Maintaining stability outside of work, investing in executive coaches, and keeping a healthy network of other founders. QUOTES "Everyone, if they reach the peak of their career, becomes a salesperson” "Low ego is one of the strongest threads through our culture right now, connecting all our Siro employees” “A great salesperson is providing a service and building trust” “I was constantly humbled in my sales career with just how tough the job is” “Anyone can be successful in sales and have a life-changing outcome if they’re willing to put in the work” LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Siro (https://www.siro.ai/) Jake Cronin on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-cronin/) Joe Jordan on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-jordan-249860145/) John Chen on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnchen12/) Fika Ventures (https://fika.vc/) Subscribe to Fika's Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes (http://eepurl.com/iaoksz) You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc (mailto:info@fika.vc). Thanks for listening.

9. 

   17 Jan 2024

   Leading with Purpose, Individual Authenticity, and Community Impact with Alok Chanani

   Alok’s Journey: Insights into his unique leadership style shaped by his founder journey. Leadership Principles: Emphasizes leading by example, cultivating trust, and setting the pace. Team Building: Highlights the significance of resilience, adaptability, curiosity, and attention to detail in building the right team. Pitfalls of Arrogance: Warnings against arrogance, emphasizing the importance of disciplined, mission-driven employees. Authenticity and Individuality: Advocates for making decisions based on underlying causal factors, rejecting crowd mentality. Entrepreneurial Journey: Reflects on the critical role of early hires in shaping organizational culture and scalability. Inspiration and Roots: Traces inspiration to serve the blue-collar community back to military service and collaboration with contractors. Definition of Success: Defines success beyond traditional metrics, emphasizing community impact and career-defining moments for team members. QUOTES “It is really important to lead from the front and set the pace and the tone of your organization.” “Don't be compelled to take popular positions. Be comfortable taking difficult positions and embracing your own unique path.” "Be adaptable and really flexible, but still drive towards a vision and be somewhat unrelenting in that vision and communicate that vision to your team." "There's nothing more important than building a high performing, highly motivated team.” "Be super real. Don't try to say the right thing.” "Don't do it for the money. Life is too short. Do it because you love it and do it because you're passionate and excited about it." LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE BuildOps (https://buildops.com/) Alok Chanani on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alokchanani/) TX Zhuo on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianxiangzhuo/) Fika Ventures (https://fika.vc/) Subscribe to Fika's Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes (http://eepurl.com/iaoksz) You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc (mailto:info@fika.vc). Thanks for listening.

10. 

    12 Dec 2023

    Navigating Childcare Entrepreneurship, Leadership Evolution, and Breaking Norms with Jessica Chang

    Jessica’s Journey into Childcare: Her transition from a personal struggle with childcare to becoming a preschool owner and co-founder of Upwards. Entrepreneurial Challenges: Challenges and insights in establishing Upwards, offering a comprehensive view of childcare entrepreneurship. COVID-19 Impact: The profound impact of the pandemic on Upwards and the industry, highlighting the shared responsibility for childcare issues among employers, government, families, and providers. Leadership Evolution: Jessica's shift from a hands-on approach to focusing on vision creation and building a skilled execution team. Distinctive Leadership Style: Jessica's unique leadership style influenced by past experiences, along with the culture and qualities sought in Upwards' team members. Entrepreneurial Success Factors: The importance of personal experience, passion, risk-taking, and breaking norms for successful entrepreneurship. Working Smart: Applies the 80-20 rule for optimizing efforts, adding a practical dimension to her leadership philosophy. Role Model and Motivation: Jessica's grandmother is her greatest role model, inspiring innovation and breaking norms. Views on Leadership and Success: Insightful views on leadership and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. QUOTES "A good leader also wants to constantly learn. They want to be surrounded by people that are better than them.” “I think it would be the worst situation for me if I am the smartest person in the room. I never want to be the smartest person in the room.” "When I decided to start a family, I was put in a position that it really wasn't up to me when it should be the happiest moment in my life. That choice was taken from me. And that led me to becoming a preschool owner and operator," "It's not how you score yourself, but how others will score you." "To be an entrepreneur, you really need to be passionate about what you do. What's going to get you to the next day? What's going to get you out of bed and say, this is what I want to work on." LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Upwards (https://upwards.com/) Jessica Chang on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-chang-1010402?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAABcZJEB_O2PRdbO4gUlFSnYzSQp851s0sg&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3BNy1S59E4TRWt4Ksf8lC3eA%3D%3D) Eva Ho on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/evaho1?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAACzmXwBUsCzfpwIW3xizXKvkOF3kj6Mp9w&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_search_srp_all%3Bfa1Q8oa3QPWrnVZ%2FYthYiA%3D%3D) Fika Ventures (https://fika.vc/) Subscribe to Fika's Newsletter to receive Pour Over Episodes (http://eepurl.com/iaoksz) You’ve been listening to “Pour Over” presented by Fika Ventures. Fika is an LA-based early stage venture fund investing in b2b companies across North America. If you enjoyed this podcast and have suggestions for future guests, or general thoughts and feedback, feel free to email us at info@fika.vc (mailto:info@fika.vc). Thanks for listening.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 26 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

42

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

27

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