Founder Storiez

Dean Shahar (DTCP) How Venture Capitalists Make Decisions With Incomplete Information

In this episode, I sit down with Dean Shahar to discuss the reality of venture capital decision-making. Investors often have to make high-stakes decisions with incomplete information, especially when startups are reaching critical inflection points. Topics include: • The hardest part of venture capital • When startups transition from early customers to enterprise • How investors evaluate risk • Why hindsight makes investing look easier than it actually is A must-listen for founders, investors, and anyone curious about how venture capital really works.

Lia Cromwell (UpWest): What VCs Really Think After Your Pitch

Lia Cromwell, Partner at UpWest, joins us for a candid conversation about venture capital, founder psychology, and the signals most entrepreneurs misread during fundraising. We discuss: – What VCs really think after your pitch – How to know if a meeting actually went well – Israeli vs American business culture – Why conviction can’t be built in one meeting – Founder red flags investors notice immediately – The importance of equity splits and co-founder chemistry – Gut instinct vs data in venture capital Lia also shares the personal story behind turning down a job, moving to Tel Aviv in 30 days, and building her career in early-stage investing. This episode blends tactical advice with personal conviction for founders who want to build the right way.

Shay Sandler (Vega) Grit, Sales, and Security, The Founder Mindset

In this powerful conversation, We sit down with Shay Sandler, co-founder of Vega, to unpack how grit, identity, and discipline shaped his journey from immigrant kid to elite operator to cybersecurity founder.Shay shares raw lessons from his upbringing, the mental battle of running marathons, and how those experiences shaped the way he builds companies and leads teams. They dive deep into what’s broken in modern security, why “more alerts” don’t equal safety, and how Vega is giving security teams real leverage instead of more noise.You’ll also hear how radical transparency, relentless consistency, and a sales-first mindset became the backbone of Vega’s culture and growth.Whether you’re a founder, CISO, investor, or aspiring operator, this episode is a masterclass in mindset, endurance, and building with intention.Key themes:• Immigrant mindset & resilience• Marathon mentality for founders• From sales to startup founder• Why cybersecurity is broken• Building culture through transparency• How elite performers think🎙 Hosted by Ephraim Yarmak🚀 Guest: Shay Sandler (Vega)

Rom Carmel (Apono): From Nigeria to Series B. The Journey of Apono

Rom Carmel, CEO & Co-Founder of Apono, shares a deeply personal founder story from running his first business at age seven in Nigeria to leading a $54M, post-Series B cybersecurity company today.In this conversation, Rom reflects on how growing up in Lagos shaped his adaptability, how Israeli intelligence changed his leadership style, and how he evolved from perfectionist founder to empowering CEO.He also reveals the story behind meeting his co-founder Ofir, getting stuck together in Seychelles during COVID, and spending nine months speaking with 100 CISOs before building Apono.This is a masterclass in founder psychology, co-founder alignment, and what it really takes to scale a company without losing yourself.🎙 Founder Storiez. Conversations that reveal what really makes great founders. 📌 Subscribe for more founder and investor stories 📌 Leave a comment with your biggest takeaway 

Ori Barzilay (Team8): Winning Mentality, Humility, and Founder Excellence

In this episode, we sit down with Ori Barzilay, Partner at Team8, to explore what truly drives exceptional founders and investors.Ori shares his journey from elite military service and competitive sports to becoming one of the youngest partners at a tier-1 venture firm. We discuss winning mentality, humility, intuition in investing, founder-team dynamics, execution as a moat, and why Israel’s tech ecosystem continues to defy the odds.A thoughtful conversation on leadership, grit, and building long-term success—inside and outside venture capital.