"The mentor-mentee relationship often evolves into a peer relationship." — Brad Feld, Partner at Foundry and Co-founder of TechstarsIn this special Tech Scenes Unplugged episode, Jeff James Martin sits down with Brad Feld, a pioneer in early-stage investing and co-founder of Techstars, to explore the power of mentorship, the philosophy of Give First, and the evolution of entrepreneurship over the last three decades. Brad shares candid insights from his newest book Give First, reflecting on the personal lessons he's learned from mentoring, writing, and navigating both venture capital and community building.This wide-ranging conversation goes deep on how real mentorship works, why peer relationships matter more than advice, and how founders can unlock compounding impact through generosity and intentional reflection. From Boulder to boardrooms, Brad’s clarity and authenticity make this a must-listen for founders, investors, and anyone passionate about building companies—and better humans.Takeaways:Mentorship is most powerful when it becomes a peer relationship.Shared experiences create trust faster than advice.Great entrepreneurship is global—not just coastal.Give First is a philosophy that compounds over time.Community and connection are at the core of startup success.Reflection and cadence are underrated skills.Writing books can unlock deep personal growth.AI must be approached with nuance and critical thinking.Mentors don’t need all the answers—they need real experience.Bigger isn’t always better. Better is better.Chapters00:00 The Magic of Mentorship02:21 Personal Reflections and Gratitude04:45 The Evolution of Entrepreneurship07:38 The Role of Mentorship in Startups10:25 The Importance of Peer Relationships13:09 The Structure of Effective Mentorship15:44 The Philosophy of Give First18:36 Learning Through Teaching21:03 The Dynamics of Mentorship23:46 Writing and Reflecting on the Book26:10 The Balance of Public and Private Life28:17 The Future of AI and Humanity31:16 The Importance of Reflection and Cadence33:41 The Role of Community in Entrepreneurship36:00 Navigating Life's Challenges38:53 Final Thoughts on Mentorship and AILearn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companieshttps://a.co/d/hp5JtnuVisit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System™https://www.collective-genius.com/#techscenes #bradfeld #givefirst #techstars #foundrygroup #mentorship #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #founders #startupjourney #startupwisdom #ai #startupcommunity #personalgrowth #leadership #startupfounder #startupmentor #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #collectivegenius

"You have to make the mistakes—they cannot take the mistakes for you." — Yossi Appleboum, CEO of SepioIn this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Yossi Appleboum, CEO and Co-founder of Sepio, to explore the mindset and leadership it takes to build a deep-tech company from the ground up. Drawing on his experience in Israel’s Unit 8200 and multiple successful startup exits, Yossi shares the power of tension, the value of mistakes, and how to foster teams that argue fiercely and trust deeply.Sepio’s unique approach to device risk management—leveraging physics, machine learning, and trafficless monitoring—has positioned the company as a leader in asset visibility and control across IT, OT, and IoT. Yossi breaks down what it takes to build a truly interdisciplinary team, how Sepio entered a skeptical market, and why it's not just about building the right product—it's about building the right team to bring it to life.Whether you’re building in cybersecurity, scaling a startup, or evolving as a leader, this conversation brings clarity to the chaos of innovation.TakeawaysDon’t be afraid to make mistakes—they teach more than success.Sepio manages the risk of connected devices with a new, clean data source.Healthy conflict is a sign of team trust—not dysfunction.Teams need both focus and flexibility to thrive.Curiosity and questioning often drive better results than certainty.The most dangerous person is the one who thinks they know everything.Building the right team is as important as building the right product.Innovation happens when tension is acknowledged, not avoided.Chapters00:00 Embracing Mistakes in Innovation00:40 Introduction to Sepio and Its Mission03:07 The Unique Approach to Device Risk Management05:10 Challenges in Technology Development07:10 Market Entry and Initial Misconceptions09:52 Lessons from Past Experiences12:05 Team Dynamics and Collaboration15:01 The Importance of Healthy Conflict16:40 Navigating Team Communication19:26 The Balance of Focus and Flexibility20:50 The Role of Trust in Team Dynamics22:54 The Value of Questions and Curiosity25:41 Reflections on Career and Passion28:51 The Evolution of Leadership Roles32:04 Navigating Market Challenges35:41 Final Thoughts and AdviceLearn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companieshttps://a.co/d/hp5JtnuVisit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System™https://www.collective-genius.com/#collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #techscenes #cybersecurity #founderjourney #venturecapital #iotsecurity #unit8200 #hardwaresecurity #startupleadership #innovation #teamdynamics #deeptech #scalingstartups #entrepreneurship #jeffjamesmartin #yossiappleboum #sepio #leadership