StartOut Podcast
Hear from the voices of our community.
StartOut Innovation Table
StartOut Innovation Table is on a mission to amplify the stories of LGBTQ+ founders shaping a more equitable future. Harnessing the power of storytelling, we connect, learn, and inspire, advocating that everyone deserves a seat at the table.
Our podcast showcases diverse founders and leaders sharing their unique journeys across industries. From the discovery phase to team building and overcoming adversity with grace, these stories illustrate the transformative power of empowering LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. By providing support and resources, we unlock untapped business value, driving inclusivity and economic progress for all.
Listen to the StartOut Innovation Table on your preferred platform:
Spotify | Apple | Audible | iHeartRadio | Castbox
StartOut Awards Sneak Peek with Perrin Quarshie
October 2, 2024
Perrin Quarshie, Founder of RealBlocks and 2024 StartOut Awards Next Generation recipient, joins us for this special sneak peek episode into our signature event coming up on October 10th in NYC!
Perrin was most recently the Founder & CEO of RealBlocks, an alternative investments platform that helps managers expand their firm’s distribution footprint and automating manual processes for onboarding investors. The firm raised over $23M in venture capital over three rounds and serviced over $77B in assets before being acquired in early 2024.
Prior to RealBlocks, Perrin completed his MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Business, during which time he worked at Barclays as a summer associate in Real Estate Investment Banking, conducting M&A Transactions for various REIT and Private Equity sponsors.
Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple | Audible | iHeartRadio | Castbox
StartOut Awards Sneak Peek with Vivienne Ming
September 26, 2024
Our 13th Annual StartOut Awards is right around the corner! Check out our special episode with Vivienne Ming, recipient of our 2024 Trailblazer Award and founder of Socos Labs. Join us on October 10 in NYC as we honor Vivienne along with our LGBTQ+ entrepreneur community.
About Vivienne Ming:
Vivienne Ming, theoretical neuroscientist, entrepreneur, author, and mother of two, is featured frequently for her research and inventions in The Financial Times, The Atlantic, and the New York Times. Her AI inventions have launched a dozen companies and nonprofits with a focus on human potential: education, workforce, and health.
Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple | Audible | iHeartRadio | Castbox
Equity Summit Sneak Peek with Keynote Tracy Chan
June 6, 2024
Tracy Chan, CEO of Splash, joins us for this special #PrideMonth episode to give you a sneak peek of our 5th Annual Equity Summit coming up on June 20th!
Tracy Chan began his career as a product manager at YouTube and has led creator-focused product and development at Spotify, Twitch, and SoundCloud. Now, he is the CEO of Splash, the world’s most advanced music company specializing in AI-based tools and games for music creation and performance.
He has been named to Billboard Indie Power Players (2023), Billboard’s Movers and Shakers list (2023), Billboard Power List (2022), Fast Company’s Inaugural ‘Creator 25’ List (2022), and Rolling Stone’s Future 25 (2020).
Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple | Audible | iHeartRadio | Castbox
Jonathan Mentor on His Scientific Approach to Growing Revenue for Underrepresented Startups
March 26, 2024
Jonathan Mentor is the founder and CEO of Successment, a revenue growth partner for startups that empowers disadvantaged tech entrepreneurs.
We discuss the various methodical processes Jonathan has created in order to help founders “go slow to grow fast,” enabling them to execute and achieve measurable success for their ventures.
Checkout Jonathan’s website here: jonathanjmentor.co
Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple | Audible | iHeartRadio | Castbox
Dylan Lew’s Reflections on Growth Lab and the Power of Authenticity in Business
March 19, 2024
Dylan Lew is the co-founder and CEO of Ecotone Renewables, a company tackling the problem of food waste with creativity and efficiency.
We discuss Dylan’s time in the StartOut Growth Lab and how the unique experience served as catalyst for many of his core learnings as a founder, including the importance of bringing one’s identity to the table.
Find out more about Dylan and Ecotone Renewables: www.ecotonerenewables.com
On social media: @ecotonerenew
The StartOut Growth Lab is a startup accelerator that offers top quality mentoring, education, and networking opportunities for companies that happen to be founded or cofounded by LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs.
Find out more about the StartOut Growth Lab.
Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple | Audible | iHeartRadio | Castbox
Gold Hood on Solving Problems Not Projects and Harnessing Technology to Stay True to Human Connection
March 12, 2024
Gold Darr Hood (she/they) is a former StartOut Growth Lab participant and the founder and CEO of Full, a company on a mission to put clean air back into major metro areas to reignite human connection and transform communities. We talk about how as a serial entrepreneur, Gold has “followed the problem” which has led her to different nexus points, improving the nutrition, air quality, and way of life for many communities.
Connect with Gold on LinkedIn.
Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple | Audible | iHeartRadio | Castbox
Robert Mison on the Key Differences Between Mentorship and Management and the Art of Prioritization
March 5, 2024
As a legal consultant and StartOut mentor, Robert Mison discusses how to embrace vulnerability, mentor with purpose and prioritize effectively.
Find Robert on LinkedIn.
Find out more about the StartOut mentorship program: www.startout.org/mentors
Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple | Audible | iHeartRadio | Castbox
Patrick Driscoll on Managing Through Adversity and Human-First Leadership
February 27, 2024
In addition to serving as a StartOut Board Member and Mentor, Patrick Driscoll is a General Partner at Chasing Rainbows, a VC firm committed to empowering and investing in LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. We discuss the hurdles that confront LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, the importance of being a human-first leader, and how his life has been enriched by his involvement in StartOut.
Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple | Audible | iHeartRadio | Castbox
Jo Norris Talks About Ideation, Pivoting and Collaboration
February 20, 2024
Jo Norris talks to StartOut about ideation, navigating a pivot, participating in the StartOut Growth Lab, and collaborating with a cofounder. Jo is the CEO and Co-founder at Carbon Reform, and a 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. Find out more about Carbon Reform at carbonreform.com.
Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple | Audible | iHeartRadio | Castbox
Brian Richardson on LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurship
February 13, 2024
Hear from StartOut CEO Brian Richardson on how social justice has guided his career, the importance of cultivating and empowering queer entrepreneurs, and how the three pillars of StartOut are revolutionizing our world.
Listen on your preferred platform: Spotify | Apple | Audible | iHeartRadio | Castbox
Meet Our Team
Host
Caroline Rotenstreich (she/her)
Caroline is a volunteer with StartOut. She is the Host and Executive Producer of Innovation Table, StartOut’s podcast, where listeners can learn more about the community from our founders, mentors, and team members. Caroline first stepped into the podcasting world during her undergraduate years at Brown University, where she synthesized her entrepreneurial curiosity and love of storytelling to develop Dive In, a founders-focused podcast interviewing entrepreneurs across a myriad of industries. Caroline holds a B.A. in Business Entrepreneurship and Organizational Studies from Brown and is currently a Mid-Market Account Manager at Google specializing in Lead Generation.
Advisor
Irene Tang (she/they)
Irene is a Director at StartOut where she oversees research and insights on queer entrepreneurs’ impact on the United States economy. Irene has spoken about LGBTQ entrepreneurship at the US Census Bureau, the Department of Commerce, and other organizations and foundations. Prior to StartOut, Irene managed programs at Google and CBS Interactive and advises the nonprofit project Nice Queer Pals. Irene holds dual BA’s in Economics and Psychology from the University of California – Berkeley, and a Product Management certification from the Haas School of Business.