Join us in our digital den and immerse yourself in the inspiration born from exploring the hidden narratives and inevitable plot twists that shape every compelling startup journey.
The Bearhug Experience Podcast
(#12) Maria Khokhlova: TraceAir, Construction Acceleration, Laser Physics to Moving Dirt on Construction Sites, Resilience, Flexibility, Merging Cultures, Joy Projects & The Power of Deep Empathy.
Maria Khokhlova is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at TraceAir, a sitework intelligence platform for Land Developers and Homebuilders. TraceAir is the #1 provider of construction site analysis and management solutions for sitework. TraceAir’s cutting-edge technology helps builders save time and money by improving efficiency, and introduces radical transparency into the process while reducing the risk of errors or delays. Before devoting her work to TraceAir, Maria did a Ph.D. in laser physics, while also running a custom development software studio. She’s now on a mission that goes far beyond empowering land development and construction teams; it’s about positively impacting society at large by providing developers with tools and data to build better infrastructure and communities faster.
(#10) Phil Dur: PeakSpan Capital, GTM Mechanization, Capital Efficiency, Responsible Value Creation, Pragmatic Optimism, Optionality, Alignment & The Power of Infectious Charisma.
Phil Dur is the Co-Founder & Managing Partner of PeakSpan Capital, a growth equity firm with over $1.5B in AUM (Assets Under Management) based in New York City and San Mateo, CA. In addition to being a graduate of Princeton University and the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Phil has served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and has been a software investor for 25 years, serving on the board of over forty growth stage companies. Prior to PeakSpan, Phil worked at Investor Growth Capital and Morgan Stanley Venture Partners on the technology and software investment teams. He’s also a graduate of two culinary arts schools, an avid tennis player, runner, husband, father, dog lover, and an infectiously charismatic leader.
(#8) Spencer Dusebout: Aidium, PropTech, Radical Self-Awareness & Objectivity in Business, Strong Convictions, Running Into Brick Walls & The Relentless Pursuit of Solving Hard Problems.
Spencer Dusebout, a serial entrepreneur, and the Founder, and CEO of Aidium, a software platform that helps mortgage professionals automate their lead conversion, transaction management, and client retention workflows and has become one of the fastest growing software companies in the prop-tech sector. Prior to starting Aidum, Spencer co founded Hands4Others a youth based non-profit aspiring to solve the world's water crisis – an idea that started on the back of a napkin, and became an international movement that provided safe water to people in 17 countries around the world. As a technologist at heart, Spencer has spent the last decade building and selling software companies spanning predictive data, machine learning, and enterprise software. He’s also a sought after speaker having graced the stage of the TED conference twice.
(#6) Samantha Burns: 3D Imaging in Land Development & Residential Construction, Challenging the Status Quo, Battling Imposter Syndrome, Scrappiness & The Superpower of Translation.
Samantha Burns, a distinguished marketing leader with over 15 years of experience in the construction industry, and the Head of Marketing at TraceAir. TraceAir is a leading Construction Technology platform that specializes in providing rapid and precise 3D data to home builders and land developers, aiming to revolutionize residential construction workflows and processes. Samantha’s current focus is on driving growth, educating the market, and enhancing engagement for TraceAir's core audience. In addition to shaping the narrative of construction marketing and empowering others to thrive in this ever-evolving landscape, she is dedicated to establishing the company as the foremost technology operating system for home builders, empowering them to operate with more speed, accuracy, and efficiency.
(#5) Steve Dell’Orto: ConCntric, Transforming Pre-Construction Workflows, Seamlessly Integrating People, Data, and Processes, Leadership Superpowers & The Accelerating Impact of Domain Expertise.
Steve Dell’Orto is the founder and CEO of ConCntric. As a seasoned Construction Executive with 28 years of industry expertise, frustrated by the disjointed and inefficient pre-construction planning process, Steve embarked on a mission to revolutionize the construction landscape. He envisioned and developed a groundbreaking software platform that seamlessly integrates people, data, and processes, offering a unified, collaborative environment and single source of truth for managing diverse projects. This innovative solution empowers modern builders to accelerate project timelines, enhance predictability, and proactively mitigate risks. By facilitating early-stage interventions and informed decision-making, Steve's platform aids in averting costly mistakes, delays, and budget overruns. The result? Potential savings amounting to tens of millions for construction companies, fostering smoother, more sustainable project execution.
(#2) Jennifer Gill Roberts: Grit Ventures, Deep Tech Investing, Insatiable Curiosity, Labs to Launch, Physical Infrastructure & The Power of Diverse Teams.
Jennifer Gill Roberts is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Grit Ventures. Jennifer, a technologist, repeat entrepreneur, and dedicated advocate for diversity, is also an early-stage venture capitalist. She specializes in sourcing and investing in groundbreaking sustainable technology innovations from the nation's top labs. These innovations tackle real-world challenges, from rebuilding our physical infrastructure to accelerating manufacturing and incorporating AI-powered robotic applications across industries like construction, agriculture, and logistics.