The ProFiles Podcast

The $310 Million Difference: Robert Alvarez on How Culture Creates Change

Robert Alvarez is a distinguished business leader and former CFO and COO of BigCommerce, a leading e-commerce platform. With a remarkable track record, he played a crucial role in scaling the company’s revenue from $7 million to over $317 million during his tenure. Alvarez is celebrated for his strategic financial expertise and ability to foster high-performing teams and strong company cultures. In this episode, we explore Alvarez's leadership philosophy, including his unique approach to team dynamics, decision-making, and mentorship. He shares valuable insights on navigating growth challenges and fostering innovation, making this conversation a must-listen for aspiring leaders in the tech industry.

#NEXTUP w/ Crawford Arnow

Hello and welcome to this conversation with Crawford Arnow, a multifaceted talent and Yale student who has achieved remarkable success as a social media influencer, scholar, and performer. Crawford’s journey from a high school valedictorian to a near-million-follower TikTok creator, combined with his academic pursuit of the effects of social media on masculinity, makes him a fascinating guest. Through our engaging discussion, Crawford shares his insights on:
Starting, building and growing a large social media following
His exploration of social media’s effect on happiness
Spreading positivity on the internet
Finding and doing what you love
Balancing diverse interests
And much, much more.

#NEXTUP w/ Miriam Laeky

In this episode, we welcome Miriam Laeky, the dynamic Government Affairs Director for Equality Texas, who has also been recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30. A trailblazer in community organizing and public policy, Miriam’s work is fueled by her passion for social justice and equality.
In this conversation we touch on :
Navigating imposter syndrome
The zig-zag of Miriam’s young career
The marathon of social change
What college does not prepare your for
Technology's impact on politics
The shifting work culture.
And much, much more

#NEXTUP w/ Adam Abu Ghaida

In this episode, we talk with Adam Abu Ghaida, an award-winning developer and passionate advocate for integrating technology into education. Adam has created multiple SaaS applications using Flutter, iOS, and web development, including an app that won the UAE National iOS Design Challenge. He is an incoming freshman at Harvard university. Join us as we explore his insights on the future of education and the power of technology to drive positive change.
We talked about…
The intersection between education and emerging technologies
The application of AI in advancing society
Effective development of software applications
Making positive societal change
Identifying one’s quiddity
The dichotomy between tradition and modernity
And much much more.

#NEXTUP w/ Samuel Crowson and Walter Richard

Welcome to this episode of the #NextUp series! Today, we have the pleasure of talking to two exceptional young entrepreneurs, Walter Richard and Samuel Crowson. They are the co-founders of Tarrytown Turf LLC, a groundbreaking business in the sustainable landscaping industry.
As high school seniors, Walter and Samuel have managed to balance their academic responsibilities with running a successful business that has reached impressive milestones, including growing to $500k in revenue within a year. Their journey is a testament to their dedication, innovation, and the ability to work cohesively as a team.
In this conversation, we will explore the 'What, How, and Why' behind Tarrytown Turf LLC. We'll delve into the origins of their idea, their roles as co-founders, and how they have navigated the challenges of gaining credibility and respect in an industry where they work with people and contractors much older than themselves.
We'll also talk about the specific aspects of their business, such as upfront costs, their hit rate, and the financial aspects of maintaining their lawns. Moreover, we'll discuss the role of mentorship, their experience with Capital Factory, and their tactical approaches to growing their business.
Additionally, we'll get personal insights from Samuel and Walter on their other ventures under the sustainable landscaping umbrella—LawnIQ and Electric Lawn. We'll learn how they stay motivated as teenagers and their biggest failures along the way.
To wrap up, we'll ask them some consistent questions about advice they would give to their freshman selves, what message they would put on a billboard, and what they would talk about if given a 10-minute TED Talk notice. We'll also get their definitions of success and a 60-second pitch for social media.
Finally, we'll discuss who they recommend for future interviews, their advice on improving the podcast, and their thoughts on its growth.
Stay tuned for an engaging and insightful conversation with Walter Richard and Samuel Crowson.

The Rise of 'Our Future'---Lessons from Michael Sikand's Success

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Today, we have Michael Sikand, the visionary behind Our Future. When COVID-19 hit, Michael launched Our Future from his bedroom as a sophomore at the University of Michigan, interviewing top business leaders like the CEOs of Chipotle and Spotify. Recognizing the power of short-form video, Michael pivoted Our Future to platforms like TikTok, amassing over 1 billion views and 1 million subscribers, making it the #1 business content source for Gen Z. In 2023, Morning Brew acquired Our Future, where Michael now leads content production and hosts the new Our Future Podcast. This episode is full of incredible insights and takeaways. Michael is an incredibly thoughtful guy and I had a phenomenal time talking with him. I hope you enjoy!

#NEXTUP w/ Truitt Flink

Welcome to the first ever episode of the #NEXTUP series that explores the best thinkers, leaders, and doers that GenZ has to offer. This is a conversation with Truitt Flink, a rising freshman at Stanford. Truitt’s resume consists of creating and hosting the curiositeen podcast, founding and growing a large youtube channel, living a year abroad in spain, and much much more. Truitt and I talked about the pressure on kids nowadays to specialize, vulnerability as a teenager, finding curiosity, and balancing our lives. This interview is a bunch of firsts for me. It’s the first in-person conversation I have had on this podcast, it’s the first young adult I’ve interviewed, and its the first episode on the #NEXTUP series. I really hope you enjoy and take as much away from this conversation as I did. Without further adieu, here is Truitt Flink.

The Legendary Ben Crenshaw: Masters Memories, Meaningful Mentors, and Muny

Today I'm so pleased to welcome the legendary Ben Crenshaw, two-time Masters Champion, Hall of Fame Golfer, and a personal idol of mine, to the ProFiles podcast. For those who don’t know, I’m a competitive golfer in Austin, Texas, the same hometown as Mr. Crenshaw. I learned to play golf at Lions Municipal Golf Course, the same place where Ben grew up playing. During his incredible career, Ben has racked up 19 wins on the PGA tour, including two major championships. Now, Ben works as a golf-course architect with his firm Coore and Crenshaw and is fighting to save Lions Municipal golf course through the Save Muny Campaign. I decided to shuffle around the order of the interview to make it as captivating as possible, so topics like battling Augusta, lessons from Harvey Penick, and what makes championship mindsets will be at the end of the podcast. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have my first real in-person interview, and I still can’t believe this happen. I really hope you enjoy this wonderful interview. Without further ado, and En Media Res, here is my conversation with Ben Crenshaw

Designing the Future: Chris Flink on Creativity, Curiosity, and Innovation

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Chris Flink is an interdisciplinary creative leader who is a founding faculty member of the esteemed "d.school" at Stanford University where he currently serves as an adjunct professor. He spent 6 years as the Executive Director and CEO of the Exploratorium, San Francisco's premier museum and a global leader in STEM education. Under his guidance, the Exploratorium pioneered inquiry-based learning experiences, earning recognition as one of the "Top 10 Coolest Museums in the World." He’s also spent time in the corporate sphere with IDEO, the renowned design firm. Chris's journey is characterized by a relentless commitment to driving positive change through design and education. He is an incredible person with so many fascinating insights surrounding creativity and the role it plays in all of our futures. Regardless of who you are, this interview is a must listen. I hope you enjoy!

Quantum Leaps, AI Dreams, and Tomorrow's World: The Legendary WHURLEY

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William Hurley, AKA Whurley—pretty sweet nickname by the way—is an investor and tech entrepreneur who founded Chaotic Moon Studios, Ecliptic Capital, Honest Dollar, and Strangeworks. On top of his successful entrepreneurial ventures, Whurley is a renowned thought-leader in the tech space and a leading advocate for the convergence of AI and quantum computing. Just a short story to illustrate his commitment to innovation: During his widely attended South by Southwest speech on quantum and AI in 2023 he went through an entire speech and then shocked the audience by revealing that the entire thing was fully generated by AI. I had a phenomenal time interviewing WHURLEY. He is a truly remarkable character whose intelligence shines through right from the get go. He has had a phenomenal career and continues to be a trailblazer motivated to change the world for generations to come. I hope you enjoy this wonderful interview!