The Sherveen Show

What's the big deal with Google's Agent2Agent announcement? Why are so many new founders choosing not to raise $$ and avoiding co-founders? What's the deal with RESURRECTING DIRE WOLVES!?Welcome to Episode 024 of The Sherveen Show. :)In this episode...Google’s AI Announcements:Gemini suite updates, TPU breakthroughs, their Veo 2 video model... but everyone else is covering these updates, so let's focus on their new Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol and how it's going to supercharge cross-platform AI agent workflows. Plus, why their seemingly trivial Audio Overviews feature coming to Google Docs might be the biggest AI-driven consumer behavior modifier in 2025.Anthropic’s Claude Max:Claude’s new subscription tiers – testing whether users will pony up $100 or even $200 for access beyond usage limits... are they actually building something comparable to OpenAI's ChatGPT Pro ($200/mo), and where is AI pricing going next?Shopify’s Internal Memo:Leaked! But then said aloud. Tobi Lütke tells his team it's time to get on the AI train, and they'll even be judged for it in their performance review. Are we entering a “no headcount without AI” era?Dire Wolves Revived:Colossal Biosciences resurrects a 10,000-year-old species, hinting at future conservation (or Jurassic Park) possibilities. How cute is this!?Founders Going Solo (in more ways than one):New data from Carta shows a surprising number of tracked startups have just one founder and no VC funding. Venture capital got so popular over the past decade, so... what's the deal?Supercharged Image Generation:Midjourney v7 and OpenAI’s 4o Image Generation innovation is pushing AI generated visuals to completely new heights. Marketers and business owners can now spin out polished ads in minutes – but are the hands good enough yet?Key ThemesAI Agents & Automation: A wave of next-gen interoperability is here, promising less friction across platforms – if teams adopt new standards quickly.Enterprise AI Adoption: Memos from CEOs like Shopify’s Toby Lutke show how companies are demanding AI-first mindsets at every level.Bootstrapping & Solo Founders: Growing data reveals a shift away from multi-founder, VC-led teams – AI is enabling “leaner, meaner” businesses.Edge Cases in Bioscience: Dire wolf de-extinction signals how frontier tech can resurrect species, with broader implications for conservation – and potential ethical dilemmas.Connect with SherveenFollow Sherveen on X: https://www.x.com/sherveenConnect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherveenmEnjoyed the show? Leave a comment with your thoughts down below! :)

Get ready for a deep dive into one of the most overlooked (yet crucial) parts of startup life: back-office finances. In this founder to founder fireside chat, Sherveen speaks with Cyrus Shirazi, CEO & Co-founder of Haven, a tech-enabled bookkeeping, tax prep, and tax credit platform for startups and entrepreneurs.Most CPA firms feel stuck in the past. Attempts to automate miss the human element in the moments that matter.Cyrus is taking a different approach: he and his team are building a tech-enabled solution to "put your finances on autopilot" while still prioritizing extreme orientation around customer experience – from rapid Slack responses to AI-driven automations that simplify a founder’s life.We unpack why software alone can’t solve the complexity of startup financials, the power of human-centered support for spiky moments like fundraising and budget planning, and how to do more with less (even if you’ve raised millions). If you’re curious about navigating tax credits, building a talent-dense team of “maniac” hires, or balancing profitability vs. growth, this conversation is a must-see.This is Episode 023 of The Sherveen Show!Follow Cyrus on X: https://x.com/Cyrus845Follow Cyrus on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cy-m-sFollow Sherveen on X: https://www.x.com/sherveenFollow Sherveen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherveenmIn this episode...Tax & Accounting Redefined: Why old-school CPAs fail on experience, and how Haven flips the script for digitally native startupsFounders vs. Finances: Critical “spiky moments” (fundraising, new hires, expansions) where a hands-on partner changes everythingBootstrapping Mindset: Why starting lean fosters creativity, control, and better long-term results – even if you ultimately raise VCAI as an Assistant, Not a Substitute: The hidden ways automation can free up CPAs to give more personal, high-touch supportTalent Density & ‘Hiring Divas’: Building a culture that prizes intellectual curiosity, rapid iteration, and problem ownershipJoin us for more unfiltered founder stories every week, and subscribe to catch all the ways innovators are reshaping the future – one bold idea at a time.

Get ready for a candid chat about building a premium non-alcoholic beverage brand – without selling your soul to “growth at all costs.” In this startup founder fireside, Sherveen sits down with Lily Geiger, founder & CEO of Figlia, a mission-driven aperitivo company providing sophisticated alternatives to alcohol.From her personal journey and motivation to start the company, to cold-calling restaurants and personally handling distribution, Lily shares her journey toward creating Figlia’s flagship flavor and brand. And for those wondering after listening to this conversation: Figlia is now available in Whole Foods!Hear how she navigated formulation in the middle of COVID, managed packaging logistics from LA to NJ, and found a no-nonsense approach to balancing brand integrity, profitability, and real human connection. If you’re curious about direct outreach in CPG, the sober-curious trend, or what it takes to stand out in a crowded beverage market, this episode is for you!This is Episode 022 of The Sherveen Show!In This EpisodeMission-Driven: Lily’s personal story and pathway to starting the company, and how it shaped Figlia’s “no-alcohol analog” approachFormulating the Future of Drink: Balancing cost, shelf life, and taste for a new wave of mindful drinkersNavigating Supply Chain: Going from a scattered LA–NJ pipeline to a more efficient setup in Utah, and the trials and tribulations in betweenDTC vs. Wholesale: Why a direct outreach strategy (500+ accounts!) beat “waiting on a distributor," and the more recent changeSober-Curious Movement: Making a stylish, sophisticated product that resonates with both non-drinkers and casual drinkers alikeBootstrapping to Angels: Lily’s mindset around self-funding, strategic investors, and protecting brand integrityFollow Lily on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-geiger-1735b011b/Follow Sherveen on X: https://www.x.com/sherveenFollow Sherveen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherveenmJoin us for more unfiltered founder stories every week, and subscribe to catch all the ways innovators are reshaping the future – one bold idea at a time.

Why do some communities get left behind by public transit - and how can startups fix it? Get ready for a deep dive into public-private partnerships, govtech, and how a mobility startup is tackling “transit deserts” across underserved communities.In this episode, Sherveen sits down with Su Sanni, co-founder and CEO of Dollaride, a mobility company building digital and physical infrastructure for community transit. It's a financial services, SaaS, and IoT platform for small private transit companies in NYC with the ultimate goal to bring clean transportation to underserved communities. They offer solutions like facilitated financing, tools for payments/rides/tracking, and data and insights to help these small biz owners scale in their communities.They've raised $12M from Elemental Impact, Everywhere Ventures, Prehype, and Backstage Capital, and are the recipient of a $10M New York Clean Transportation Prize facilitating their Clean Transit Access Program (CTAP) project in NYC. This is Episode 021 of The Sherveen Show!From Su’s family roots in New York’s dollar van ecosystem to securing major insurance + EV financing deals for small fleet owners, this conversation highlights how creative problem-solving - plus a healthy dose of patience - can reshape local transportation.If you’re curious about B2G sales, turning a complex social challenge into a scalable startup, or how policy and innovation collide, you’re in the right place!From the economics of transit to the power of government collaboration, this conversation is a masterclass in turning a local need into a scalable impact.In This Episode- Transit Gaps & Underserved Communities: How local entrepreneurs fill the void and why official agencies often lag behind- Dollar Vans & Jitneys: The global phenomenon of “informal transit” and how it can be a stepping stone for regulated services- B2G Sales & RFPs: Securing large contracts, dealing with red tape, and the importance of patience in government deals- Public-Private Partnerships: The role of insurance, EV adoption, and government-backed programs that help scale private-sector solutions- Venture vs. Other Funding: How Sue pivoted from traditional VC to impact investors, grants, and creative debt vehiclesFollow Su on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sulaimansanniFollow Sherveen on X: https://www.x.com/sherveenFollow Sherveen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherveenmJoin us twice weekly on The Sherveen Show for unfiltered conversations at the intersection of tech, startups, and society! If you’re into solving big social problems through innovation (or if you just love a good founder story), hit subscribe and let’s go.

Episode 020 of The Sherveen Show takes on the latest in tech, startups, AI, and society –nothing is off-limits.This week, we’re digging into Elon Musk’s newly released Grok 3 model from xAI, dissecting the fate of Humane’s Ai Pin, and exposing how crypto power plays and political maneuvers shape our world. Get ready for unfiltered takes and some strong opinions!Stay ConnectedFollow Sherveen on X: https://www.x.com/sherveenConnect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherveenmSome of the things we discuss:- Grok and LLM benchmarks, and how to think about claims that Elon has gotten here faster than OpenAI, Google, and other players- Humane being bought by HP, why its Ai Pin failed to deliver on the hype, and how it should've just been an "imagination agitating product"- The SEC dropping its case against Coinbase, and how we should think about technologists claiming "wins" that they bought- Amazon paying a billion dollars to get the rights to create new movies and TV shows in the James Bond franchise, and what this means for content- And... some politics to wrap things out!

Get ready for a deep dive into the future of retail, e-commerce, and how brands can finally bridge that elusive gap between offline and online. In this conversation, Sherveen sits down with Kait Stephens, co-founder & CEO of Brij, a fast-growing platform that helps brands collect critical customer data and craft immersive experiences across every sales channel – whether that’s Amazon, big-box retail, or direct-to-consumer.This is Episode 019 of The Sherveen Show!From leveraging QR codes and sweepstakes, to powering product registrations and real-world brand activations, Kait explains how her team is disrupting legacy “point solutions” by building a single platform that unlocks omnichannel data and deeper customer relationships. You’ll hear how Brij landed major creator-led brands like Feastables (MrBeast’s snack empire) and Skullcandy, and why venture-backed consumer products – especially those selling through retail – now consider offline data a must-have. Whether you’re curious about influencer marketing, building a SaaS platform, or just how to break out of the direct-to-consumer bubble, this episode is for you.Follow Kait on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephensFollow Sherveen on X: https://www.x.com/sherveenFollow Sherveen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherveenmWe cover:Evolving Consumer Behavior: How the pandemic popularized QR codes, changing offline-to-online engagement foreverModern Omnichannel Strategy: Why D2C-only brands struggle to scale and how offline data solves the margin problemEnterprise Sales & Retail Partnerships: Convincing major retailers and brand buyers to share (and utilize) data in new waysSaaS Product Development: Moving from point solutions to a unifying “platform” approach that adapts to different industriesInfluencer-Backed Brands: The do’s and don’ts of building for creators with massive reachPrivate Equity to Startup: Kate’s personal journey, finding product-market fit, and becoming an “optimistic operator”Whether you’re a founder scaling a SaaS product, a CPG brand expanding into big-box retail, or just curious about bridging the online-offline divide, this episode is packed with insights on the next wave of commerce innovation. Subscribe for weekly conversations on tech, startups, business, and society – only on The Sherveen Show.Keywords: omnichannel commerce, CPG brand strategy, private equity to startup, influencer-led brands, QR codes, product registration, rebates & sweepstakes, e-commerce, brand data, offline-to-online, direct-to-consumer (D2C), retail distribution, marketing automation, SaaS platform, venture-backed startup, The Sherveen Show