Russ returns to the University of Houston to catch up with Ken Jones, executive director of the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the C.T. Bauer College of Business. Its undergraduate entrepreneurship program and “mentor bank” gets top rankings year after year.
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Russ is recording at Station Houston, a community platform that promotes entrepreneurship and innovation, as he interviews Adrian Fortino, a partner with venture capital firm Mercury Fund. Fortino discusses where our technology is headed.
Are we entering a “golden age” of disruptive technology? Featured Guest Vivek Wadhwa, distinguished fellow at Carnegie Mellon in Silicon Valley, thinks so. And, as an expert on technologies that are changing our world, he should know! Russ visits the future.
RigUp is a web-based marketplace for oil and gas equipment and services that connects buyers and service providers through a collaborative buying network. RigUp uses workflow tools, creative financial services, technology and more than 10,000 service providers to offer better solutions. Mike Witte, co-founder and COO, explains.
Darcy Partners serves the oil and gas industry as a technology search and research firm. It’s a novel concept that matches technology solutions—and various technology startups and vendors—with client firms within the petroleum industry.
Google Dean Kamen and you will see a string of inventions. He holds 440 patents. What he REALLY wants to do, though, is get kids excited about science. He launched FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a robotics competition, to build excitement among kids. More than 46,000 schools competed last year and his 2017 competition will be held in Houston!
John Reale co-founded Station Houston as a collaborative work environment where tech startups and mentors share coffee, space, conference rooms and helpful programming. It’s a great way to support entrepreneurs and their startups.
Track and field Olympian Carl Lewis wants everyone to BE better—to run better and faster, and to be generally healthier. Russ conducts a better interview.
Russ is presenting from the seventh event of our Digital Leader Series sponsored by Comcast Business as he interviews John Frey, sustainable innovation technologist for Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Technology in most data centers is 20 years old… and it uses enormous amounts of energy for cooling and for electronics not always in use. HPE is leading the effort to free up resources and power, to use technology in a more efficient way.
He founded Scorpion Computer Services when he was 13 years old, eventually hiring a team of experts to work with clients globally and working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in a “rent-a-brain” capacity. Russ has an intriguing interview with a genius.
Even when she ran a Pilates studio, Ellen Latham couldn’t find a workout that included all the fitness components she wanted. So, she created her “Ultimate Workout,” and now has written a book. Leisa Holland-Nelson gets the specifics on this popular and growing workout.
Russ and Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance and the man who drives the ship, open the 2016 Rice Business Plan Competition, the world’s largest and richest startup competition.
How many Facebook friends do you have? (Don’t laugh; it’s a strong indicator of personal brand.) Russ visits with Amy Mifflin, founder and CEO of Global Collaborations, a global consulting firm that focuses on corporate social responsibility and diversity management.
Ric Campo, chairman and CEO of Camden Property Trust and winner of the Houston Business Journal’s 2016 Landmark Lifetime Achievement Award chats with Elyse Evans. Campo also offers a look at some of the planned 2017 Super Bowl activities.
Ever lose your documents? On a really large scale?! Featured Guest Reid Smith co-founded i2k Connect. The company uses Artificial Intelligence techniques to read, interpret and organize documents, primarily within the oil and gas, healthcare and supply chain risk management industries.
Pat Fant launched RFC Media to create custom content for what he called private radio stations. Not many people understood what he was doing. Today it’s a different story! Russ gets an update.
William G. Higgs co-founded Mustang Engineering in 1987 when the energy industry was in a severe downturn and “business as usual” simply didn’t exist. The principals at Mustang somehow found work, and they found enough of it to grow their company. Today Mustang has more than 1800 employees and is the largest engineering firm in Houston.
Would you know if your business had been hacked? Dr. Michael Siegel says there are two kinds of companies: those who’ve been hacked, and those who don’t know it yet. And we ALL use computers! Russ has an enlightening discussion with a cyber security expert.
It’s not your grandfather’s printing company. Besides offering numerous forms of print production, InfoVine can manipulate your data to meet your demographic, marketing and fulfillment objectives. It’s the print shop of the future. Russ interviews Frank Hood, founder and CEO of InfoVine.
A year ago, we visited with Maclean Smyth about her new project—a warehouse full of tools available for rental to people who make things. She has since honed her concept to function more efficiently and provide a great sense of community. Russ takes a tour with Maclean Smyth, founder and director of Houston Makerspace.
Whenever Kim Tweedel visited the nursing home, her dear grandmother would BEG to return home. Kim tried but was unable to hire a home caregiver. So she started her own home health caregiver service. That was six years ago and Kim couldn’t be happier.
Bob Metcalfe, PhD, has a list of accomplishments longer than your arm. In an interview from May 2013, Russ is at the Texas MIT Enterprise Forum with one of the greatest innovators the world has seen.
For 25 years, Zephyr Salvo has developed and programmed custom websites and now they are launching a flat fee web IT service for website maintenance and social media. Russ has a detailed chat with John Phillippe, president of Zephyr Salvo.
Road trip! Meaghan Avocato, marketing communications manager for the Enterprise Group at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, is excited to announce new events happening right after Super Bowl Sunday.
John Frey lives with one foot in the technical world, with the other foot solidly planted in the physical and constrained world. As Sustainable Innovation Technologist, he provides implementation solutions for sustainable technical practices. And he’s such an interesting guy!
Something wonderful is happening in Houston schools. Russ interviews Dr. Roopa Gir, a well-known geophysicist and energy expert working to support STEM teachers. As president of iEducateUSA, she is in a great position to make a real difference.
Becks Prime is not your standard fast food restaurant. In fact, it’s not fast food at all; everything is made from scratch. Molly Voorhees has worked for the family business—and it truly is a family business—since 2006. Her interview with Leisa is both enlightening and surprising.
Diane Roederer was on a game hunting expedition in Spain when she discovered a new passion—truffles—and made a decision that changed her life. In only a year she has begun to expand her offerings and markets.
For our first show ten years ago, Russ interviewed Rod Canion, Compaq Computer founder and PC industry pioneer. He’s still one of our favorite people. For this week’s show we revisit Episode 472, recorded live at the MIT Enterprise Forum.
If you think Virtual Reality is all about gaming, you are way out of the loop! Russ moderates a panel discussion at our DLS 6 event that includes Michael Hall, Marc Boudria, Omar Kahn and Will Womble, all from Chaotic Moon Studios in Austin.
Barbara Brandl Denson is At The Crossroads – Energy and Climate Policy Summit in Austin, where she interviews Dr. Patrick Moore, author and founding member of Greenpeace.
Barbara Brandl Denson is At The Crossroads – Energy and Climate Policy Summit in Austin, where she interviews Marc Morano, founder of ClimateDepot.com and producer of Climate Hustle.
Houston is well known as a Foodie city, a city where Uber’s ride-sharing service is gaining traction. It’s a natural market for UberEATS, Uber’s new food delivery service. Russ gets the scoop from Sarah Groen, general manager of UberEATS Houston.
Russ interviews Whitney Brady, manager, Oil and Gas Division for the Americas, Faststream Recruitment Group, a company that specializes in placements for the oil and gas energy industry for both offshore and on.
Russ interviews Atanu Basu, founder and CEO of Ayata, a software company that offers data solutions for production optimization in a variety of extraction scenarios.
They were Houston’s original small, local place in 1994. Today, Texas’ oldest craft brewery sells in three states. Amber Ambrose interviews Brock Wagner, founder of Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
Featured Guest Alex Gaudelet, founder of Invest Hospitality, looks at restaurants very differently than most of us. Russ is at La Table on Post Oak for a delicious interview.
What could possibly be better than helping a company improve performance? Russ talks consulting with Brad Deutser, founder and president of Deutser, a boutique consultancy focused on clarity.
Former astronaut Rusty Schweickart heads the B612 Foundation, a non-profit founded to protect the Earth from future asteroid impact. Russ gets the inside story from the expert and it is an incredible story indeed!
When we interviewed Carly Fiorina in 2007, she had just left Hewlett-Packard and had written Tough Choices to offer her thoughts on business based on her unique experiences. Today she is a presidential contender. Her perspectives are still very relevant, especially when viewed with an eye toward politics.
Nanotechnology–product development at the molecular level–has become a highly competitive race between countries and NanoMech is at the forefront with its lubricants, coatings and cutting tools. A few years ago, this interview could have been science fiction.
Russ interviews Howard Tellepsen, CEO of the 100+ year-old commercial construction company known by the family name. Running a family business certainly comes with its own challenges, but Howard believes his grandfather and father left him with a strong reputation and a great company culture. It’s a great story!
Russ is recording live at our Digital Leaders Series Event #5 when he interviews Mark Mills, senior fellow at Manhattan Institute and author of Shale 2.0, to discuss the intersection of energy and technology.
Rice launched its Energy and Environment Initiative two years ago, seeking to help develop transformational sustainable technologies and policies for the energy industry. Russ interviews the Initiative’s executive director, Charles McConnell.
The BusinessMakers check in with TopSpot Internet Marketing, an online marketing firm that specializes in data and analytics. Russ interviews repeat guest David Underwood, co-founder and president.
Marcus Davis’ breakfast klub is a place of culture and community. He works hard to find “local” dishes. Ever heard of fish-n-grits? And Beyonce eats here!! Marcus is not resting on his laurels—you won’t believe what he has in the works!
Marian Davenport had a great career in the energy industry, but her love for mentoring prompted her to switch to the non-profit world. As executive director of Genesys Works, she provides training to prepare at-risk high school students for the professional world. Robin Tooms conducts the interview.
U.S. businesses lose billions of dollars annually to failed mergers and acquisitions. Professional peacemaker Connie Barnaba wanted to know why. (And it’s not what you think!) Russ interviews the author of Why Business Marriages Fail.
Ten years ago, Alex Epstein became intrigued by the global warming/fossil fuels controversy and immersed himself into all things energy. His search for truth ended in his authoring The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels.
The family of Featured Guest Lidya Osadchey fled the Soviet Union in 1977. She has since spent her entire, amazing life “giving back.” Leisa interviews the CEO of Escape Family Resource Center.
Pat Fant launched RFC Media to create custom content for what he called private radio stations. Not many people understood what he was doing. Today it’s a different story! Russ gets an update.
Esther Freedman was born into an entrepreneurial family; she also worked with The BusinessMakers Show, so it was only a matter of time before we’d be interviewing her like this. And we couldn’t be more pleased. Laura Max Rose interviews the founder of Cuteheads, an online kids’ clothing boutique.
Jarrell Liner has developed an app to inspire and provide encouragement to users, an app that will also push them to perform random acts of kindness that help others. Laura Max Rose interviews an inspiring guy.
Bob & Ann Laws acquired the Monument Inn at the San Jacinto Battleground in 1990. It’s not an easy business, but they say they have it down. And the fish is monumental! Russ conducts the interview.
The BusinessMakers are at SURGE Ventures with the founders of three next generation companies. Russ interviews Matt Villarreal & Michael Tate, Infinite Composites Technology; Joaquin Altenberg, Vert Solar Finance; and Ryan Austin, In-Acuity.
Flor Dimassi grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and has always loved the study of languages. Russ interviews the woman who co-founded Global Speak Translations to facilitate communication between the technical professionals of energy companies and their international colleagues. What could be more perfect?
Years of experience with startups and technology companies resulted in Rebecca Taylor’s newest position as technology innovation advisor for Shell. Taylor identifies and mentors startups with technologies that may expand Shell’s cutting-edge capabilities.
Apparel fashionista Charlotte Neuville loved designing unusual cakes, the more challenging the better. And then Oprah called. Leisa interviews Charlotte Neuville and Michael Coffindaffer, owners of Fashion Chef.
Russ chats with Kenneth Guidry, president, PKF Texas for an exciting announcement. Guidry introduces PKF’s new venture, Joint Venture Strategic Advisors, a new division offering audit and accounting services to joint ventures.
Russ catches up on the latest excitement at UH with Ken Jones. The director of the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the C.T. Bauer College of Business, University of Houston, introduces The Spur, an incubator for business start-ups. An eco-system of all the companies operating in association with the University of Houston provides a tremendous resource of intellectual property, a resource now available to student start-ups. Cool.
Russ visits with Andy Ray, principal, Entrepreneurial Advisory Services Group at PKF Texas, to discuss Radical Impact: A Manager’s Playbook to Achieve Meaningful Results. Growth, succession and career complacency are all common scenarios that can sink a small or growing business, whether it’s a good market or a downturn. Andy Ray believes it’s the middle managers who will face these issues, and it’s the middle managers that should be empowered to resolve them. Russ discusses this new book with its author.
It’s a new world out there. Negative publicity—even on social media—can kill a team’s recruiting effort or damage a brand. Ashley De Walt, founder and managing partner of Fusion Sports Group; and Sean Richards, managing partner, offer digital marketing and branding services for athletes and sports teams.
The BusinessMakers Show is reporting from the 2015 Lemonade Day Houston Entrepreneurial Excellence Event at the University of Houston. It’s a pretty big deal and Russ calls out the leaders and winners of Houston’s Lemonade Day 2015. From Michael Hopkins, co-founder of Employer Flexible and Houston City Champion of Lemonade Day to HISD’s Lemonade Lucy Bremond and Victor Kosh, Chairman of the Board of Lemonade Day and founder of Caesar Systems. We will also hear from Jasmine Burrell, the 2015 Youth Entrepreneur of the Year and Alani Simmons, winner of Best Lemonade Day Stand. It’s an inspiring day for Houston’s kids and adults alike and we’re proud to be a part of it.
Dr. Pratt has followed the petroleum industry all his life. As the NEH-Cullen Professor of History and Business at the University of Houston, he is considered a leading historian and expert in the fossil fuels industry. He says the last five years have been great! From Beaumont to the Houston Ship Channel, the history of oil and gas is the history of Houston.
Leisa interviews Ursula Hessenflow, co-founder and CEO of myLAB Box, where “Safe is Sexy.” Girl talk—and some research into the demographics—inspired her to create an in-home testing kit for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Another innovative entrepreneur addressing an underserved need.
In the early days of the internet, he was the first to envision, create, implement and sell many of the things we take for granted today. Our technologies were (are) invented by engineers like Bob Metcalfe—and all those inventions come with great stories. We’re live at the fourth event of the Digital Leaders Series for a one-on-one with Dr. Robert Metcalfe, inventor of Ethernet, founder of 3Com and Professor of Innovation at UT Austin.
It’s an exciting time to be with Comcast! To be honest, this Featured Guest believes the last 22 years of Comcast have been pretty exciting. Leisa Holland-Nelson is at the Greater Houston Women’s 2015 Conference where she visits with Cathy Avgiris, CFO of Comcast Cable.
Since its founding in 2005, On Point Custom Homes has been building contemporary, infill homes. When John Leggett was young, his father, an airline pilot, started a construction company. After college, John entered the investment banking industry. Then the entrepreneurial bug hit. Now he builds 20-25 homes each year—and LOVES his work.
When Bennett Greenspan’s wife told him to “GET OUTTA MY KITCHEN!” he decided to focus on his genealogy work, which ultimately led him to launch this scientific endeavor. One of our favorite entrepreneurs, Bennett Greenspan, is guest speaker at the April 2015 MIT Enterprise Forum in Houston. Russ interviews the founder of FamilyTreeDNA.com in front of a live audience. Approximately 1.2 million people have been tested since the company was founded 15 years ago.
Petroleum engineering major Phillip Jefferson believes the world revolves around energy, that demand and meeting that demand are our most important challenges today. As president of the University of Houston Energy Association, he offers an interesting perspective for the new generation.
Laura Max visits with Rabbi Scott Hausman-Weiss, the spiritual leader of Congregation Shma Koleinu. The Rabbi explains how they do things a little differently than the normal “business like” congregations.
After decades of decline, crude oil production is on the upswing; exports should be as well. Dr. Currie, senior economist for ConocoPhillips, believes the export ban should be lifted, that it would encourage more production, lower gas prices and contribute to our economic growth.
Russ and Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance, open the 2015 Rice Business Plan Competition, the world’s largest and richest startup competition. Forty-two teams will offer an Elevator Pitch, with only 60 seconds to sell an investor on a startup opportunity. Exaggeration and embellishment not allowed!
Co-founder and CTO Juston Western introduces Knomatic, an early stage software company producing mobile apps for field and industrial operations. The Knomatic Studio is a browser-based platform that allows users to self serve and deploy apps based on their own needs. Juston offers his company’s beliefs and philosophies in producing products for Knomatic’s customer base.
Kanaly Trust was founded in 1975 to work with high net worth families to simplify and manage their lives and estates. The world is a rapidly changing place; CEO Bill Rankin believes focus and flexibility are important for all investors and entrepreneurs.
Three brothers survived the Holocaust, came to America and, in 1949, opened a bakery. Co-owner Janice Jucker says it’s all about memories.
Journalist, geek, author Shane Snow is also the co-founder and Chief Content Officer of Contently, an online community of writers, photographers and other talented communicators.
Russ Capper sits down with David Skinner, CEO of KCA, an energy consulting firm focused on technology and strategy. They discuss the firm’s various service offerings and KCA’s quarterly Houston Energy Breakfast, the first one scheduled for April 17th, 2015.
Bill McKeon is working to promote innovation and commercialization by advancing medical technologies in the Texas Medical Center. McKeon explains TMCx, a medical startup accelerator and one of the core components of the Medical Center’s Innovation Institute.
Russ interviews Hugh Forrest, director of SXSW Interactive. With the growth of digital and social media, Forrest has had quite a ride. He deals with rockstar techno-geeks, but is most proud of the Festival’s outside-the-box thinking.
Jewish delis are diminishing in number, but one Houston institution is going strong. Ziggy Gruber started his own cultural icon. Laura Max conducts an interview with an inspired entrepreneur.
What’s it like to LIVE on the bleeding edge? As director of the Palo Alto Innovation Center at Baker Hughes, Haroon’s excitement for technology gives him a unique insight into our future. And a unique philosophy on life.
Russ visits with Ross Baird, founder and executive director of Village Capital. Baird seeks to support for-profit companies that want to solve problems or otherwise make a positive impact on the lives around them. His managed capital fund invests on behalf of institutions, foundations and investors who want to invest in things they value.
He thought he’d be a commodities trader, but his real passion was food. For the last 30 years, he has owned operated and cooked in restaurants—since 2000, he’s done that in Houston. Leisa interviews Jonathan Levine, chef and founder of Jonathan’s The Rub. Since he grew up in the Bronx, he loves Italian food. But, being in Houston, there’s also burgers and fries and, oh, so much more!
Houston’s Offshore Technology Conference will hold its 46th event May 4-7, 2015 at NRG Park. Russ hosts Edward G. Stokes, Dr. Joe R. Fowler and Art J. Schroeder Jr. to discuss this huge event.
Steve Lufburrow was a young boy in Pittsburgh when his father accepted a job with Goodwill and moved the family to Houston. As president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Houston, Steve continues a noble family tradition. This interview provides the rest of the story.
It’s a wacky world out there, especially where gas and oil are concerned. Russ interviews energy expert Dr. Kenneth Medlock, a fellow in Energy and Resource Economics at Rice University’s Baker Institute. He is also senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at Rice. You need to hear what he has to say.
Russell Vail has co-founded an internet- and WiFi-based telecommunications and security firm, a “connections company,” in the process taking steps to update a dying industry. ipDatatel was founded in 2007 and recently won the Houston Business Journal’s “Fast Tech 50” for rapid growth.
V.J. Singal founded The Articulate Professional, a communication coaching firm, in 1993 believing that effective communicators are also more effective in their jobs. He gives a great interview—and he states his premise well!
Leisa Holland-Nelson interviews Allie Danziger, the president and founder of Integrate. Allie founded her Houston-based firm five years ago and, in 2011, was named one of Houston’s “40 Under 40” entrepreneurs.
Houston will host Super Bowl LI in 2017, an honor that didn’t come about overnight. Leisa Holland-Nelson interviews Sallie Sargent, president and CEO of Houston Super Bowl Host Committee.
Bob Metcalfe, PhD, has a list of accomplishments longer than your arm. In an interview from May 2013, Russ is at the Texas MIT Enterprise Forum with one of the greatest innovators the world has seen.
Genealogist/entrepreneur Bennett Greenspan makes a return visit to our show. Since its founding in April 2000, FamilyTreeDNA has tested and added to its database more than 600,000 people.
