Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Watch the full episode here: inspiredinsider.com/andy-ruben-interview
Andy Ruben is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Trove, a re-commerce technology company that powers branded resale programs for major labels like Patagonia, Lululemon, REI, and Levi’s. Before Trove, he spent a decade at Walmart as the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, where he launched global sustainability efforts, led omnichannel and private-brand strategies, and integrated e‑commerce — including the rollout of grocery delivery.
Ruben founded Trove (originally Yerdle) in 2012 and introduced the first branded resale platform with Patagonia’s Worn Wear in 2017, helping advance the circular economy across more than 150 global brands. He advises BCG and Earthshot Ventures, serves as Lead Independent Director and ESG Committee Chair at Zevia, and has been featured on NPR, TED, and testified before Congress on sustainable business practices.
In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Andy Ruben, Founder and Executive Chairman of Trove, about transforming retail through branded resale and the circular economy. Andy shares his startup origin story, the evolution from peer-to-peer to B2B, and insights on customer retention. He also discusses business development missteps, his leadership experience at Walmart, and why speed and focus matter most when launching a new venture.
Watch the full episode here: inspiredinsider.com/andy-ruben-interview
Andy Ruben is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Trove, a re-commerce technology company that powers branded resale programs for major labels like Patagonia, Lululemon, REI, and Levi’s. Before Trove, he spent a decade at Walmart as the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, where he launched global sustainability efforts, led omnichannel and private-brand strategies, and integrated e‑commerce — including the rollout of grocery delivery.
Ruben founded Trove (originally Yerdle) in 2012 and introduced the first branded resale platform with Patagonia’s Worn Wear in 2017, helping advance the circular economy across more than 150 global brands. He advises BCG and Earthshot Ventures, serves as Lead Independent Director and ESG Committee Chair at Zevia, and has been featured on NPR, TED, and testified before Congress on sustainable business practices.
In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Andy Ruben, Founder and Executive Chairman of Trove, about transforming retail through branded resale and the circular economy. Andy shares his startup origin story, the evolution from peer-to-peer to B2B, and insights on customer retention. He also discusses business development missteps, his leadership experience at Walmart, and why speed and focus matter most when launching a new venture.
![[SaaS Series] The AI Revenue Engine Driving Hotel Profits With Rudy Ganesh](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SX9plCuUTsQ/mqdefault.jpg "[SaaS Series] The AI Revenue Engine Driving Hotel Profits With Rudy Ganesh
Anirudh (Rudy) Ganesh is the Co-founder and CEO of Hotelzify, an AI-powered hospitality technology company that helps hotels increase direct bookings, streamline operations, and grow revenue. He leads the company’s strategy and product vision, developing tools that combine booking technology, digital marketing, and AI-enabled guest engagement. Before founding Hotelzify, Rudy held software and product roles at JPMorgan Chase, Perpule, and Amazon. A National Institute of Technology Karnataka alumnus, he brings deep technical, product, and commercial experience to meaningful hospitality innovation worldwide.
In this episode… Hotels lose revenue when potential guests encounter slow websites, missed calls, poor pricing, or complicated booking experiences. AI can address these gaps while allowing hotel teams to focus on delivering better stays — but what does an effective AI revenue engine actually look like?
According to Rudy Ganesh, a software developer turned product leader, an effective AI revenue engine combines direct-booking technology, automated marketing, intelligent pricing, and personalized guest communication. He highlights how AI agents can manage campaigns, recover abandoned bookings, answer calls and chats, and adjust room rates based on demand and competitor activity. Together, these tools help hotels attract more guests, convert more inquiries, and improve profitability without proportionally expanding their teams. Rudy also applies e-commerce lessons from Amazon, such as reducing checkout friction, offering relevant payment options, and re-engaging interested customers. By automating digital tasks, hotels can dedicate more attention to on-site operations and memorable guest experiences.
In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Rudy Ganesh, Co-founder and CEO of Hotelzify, to discuss building an AI revenue engine for hotels. They explore direct-booking conversion, automated marketing and pricing, and AI concierge tools. Rudy also shares how customer feedback shapes product development and profitable growth.")
![[SaaS & AI Series] Relationship Networks as the New Pipeline With Olivier Roth](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Sswtgyh_lms/mqdefault.jpg "[SaaS & AI Series] Relationship Networks as the New Pipeline With Olivier Roth
Olivier Roth is the Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at The Swarm, a go-to-network platform that helps companies and investors map, combine, and activate relationship networks for sales, recruiting, and fundraising. He helps lead the company’s growth strategy, building systems that turn relationship data into warm introductions and stronger business opportunities. Previously, Olivier founded Timelapse, a strategic creative agency that worked with high-growth startups and brands, including LinkedIn, Lyft, and Stanford Research Park. His work focuses on helping teams use authentic relationships to create more practical, scalable paths to growth.
In this episode… Cold outbound can create opportunities, but the strongest path to a deal often starts with a trusted relationship already inside your extended network. When teams can map those relationships, identify the right connectors, and ask for introductions with care, how can they turn relationship networks into a repeatable growth channel?
Olivier Roth, a relationship intelligence leader who has spent years helping teams uncover warm introduction paths, says the key is treating networks as structured business assets rather than loose collections of contacts. He highlights the importance of mapping relationships among employees, investors, advisors, customers, partners, and industry friends to identify the most credible path to a target account. Instead of relying on cold emails or broad LinkedIn connections, Olivier explains how teams can use relationship data to identify stronger, more actionable introduction paths. The result is a more human go-to-market motion where AI helps surface the path, but people still build trust, protect social capital, and personalize the ask.
In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Olivier Roth, Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at The Swarm, to discuss how relationship networks can become a stronger source of pipeline. Olivier breaks down warm introductions, reverse-engineered intro paths, and connector-driven network graphs. He also shares how AI, Claude, Salesforce, and Klarna fit into relationship-led growth.")
![[Swim Series] Custom Swim Goggles Powered by Innovation With Rasmus Barfred](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Sv7NhWL8aKs/mqdefault.jpg "[Swim Series] Custom Swim Goggles Powered by Innovation With Rasmus Barfred
Book a Complimentary B2B Podcast Strategy Call:
https://rise25.com/bookcall
Download our B2B Podcast Strategy & Tools List PDF:
https://rise25.com/podcastcheatsheetyt
Rasmus Barfred is the Co-founder of THEMAGIC5, a company redefining athletic gear through custom-fit products powered by 3D scanning and robotic technology. He has helped grow the company into a global brand, securing investment on Shark Tank and expanding its reach worldwide. Building on this technology, he also helped launch Vayu Sleep, which applies custom-fit solutions to CPAP masks for sleep apnea patients. With a background in entrepreneurship, he focuses on scaling innovation across sports and healthcare.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
• [0:00] Intro
• [4:01] Rasmus Barfred on facial scanning technology for custom-fit swim goggles
• [11:36] The story behind evolving a product from Kickstarter roots
• [15:27] How combining hardware and software drives innovation in the industry
• [17:38] Why recreational swimmers became THEMAGIC5’s breakout audience
• [20:02] Olympic athletes joining the company as partners and investors
• [25:29] AI impact on customer service and backend operations
• [33:20] Role of paid social ads in scaling growth on Meta
• [38:27] Expansion vision beyond swimming into broader sports markets
Resources mentioned in this episode:
• Rasmus Barfred on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rasmus-barfred-38a5b636
• THEMAGIC5 - http://TheMagic5.com | $20% Discount Code: Jeremy20
• Vayu Sleep - https://vayusleep.com
• Kickstarter - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/custom-fit-interface/custom-fitted-swimming-goggles
• Rapha - https://www.rapha.cc/us/en
• “The Sharks BEG For A Deal With The Magic 5” | Shark Tank US | Shark Tank Global - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rct78Sh_weo
• Shopify - https://www.shopify.com
Special offer:
• Go to https://themagic5.com/collections/swim-goggles
• Pick your goggles and add them to your cart
• At checkout, enter code Jeremy20 in the discount field to save 20%
Sponsor for this episode
At https://rise25.com, we help B2B businesses give to and connect to your Dream 200 relationships and partnerships.
We help you cultivate amazing relationships in 2 ways:
#1 Podcasting
#2 Strategic Gifting
#1 Our Predictable Podcast ROI Program
We’re committed to helping you connect with your Dream 200 referral partners, clients, and strategic partners through our done-for-you podcast solution.
We’re a professional podcast production agency that makes creating a podcast effortless. Since 2009, our proven system has helped thousands of B2B businesses build strong relationships with referral partners, clients, and audiences without doing the hard work.
What do you need to start a podcast?
When you use our proven system, all you need is an idea and a voice. We handle the strategy, production, and distribution — you just need to show up and talk.
The Rise25 podcasting solution is designed to help you build a profitable podcast. This requires a specific strategy, and we’ve got that down pat. We focus on making sure you have a direct path to ROI — plus, our podcast production company takes any heavy lifting of production and distribution off your plate.
We make distribution easy.
We’ll distribute each episode across more than 11 unique channels, including iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon Podcasts. We’ll also create copy for each episode and promote your show across social media.
Cofounders Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran credit podcasting as being the best thing they have ever done for their businesses. Podcasting connected them with the founders/CEOs of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, YPO, EO, Lending Tree, Freshdesk, and many more.
The relationships you form through podcasting run deep. Jeremy and John became business partners through podcasting. They have even gone on family vacations and attended weddings of guests who have been on the podcast.
#2 Our Comprehensive Corporate Gifting Program
Elevate business relationships with customers, partners, staff, and prospects through gifting.
At Rise25, thoughtful and consistent gifting is a key component of staying top of mind and helps build lasting business relationships. Our done-for-you corporate gifting service ensures that your referral partners, prospects, and clients receive personalized touchpoints that enhance your business gifting efforts and provide a refined executive gifting experience.
Whether you’re looking to impress key stakeholders or boost client loyalty, our comprehensive approach makes it easy and affordable to create lasting impressions. Get started today and experience the difference a strategic gifting approach can make.
You can learn more and watch a video on how it works here: https://rise25.com/giftprogram
Contact us now at support@rise25.com or message us here: https://rise25.com/contact
Powered by Rise25 Podcast Production Company - https://rise25.com")
![[SaaS Series] AI, Global Talent, and the Future of Software Teams With Matt Watson](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TAca0f6as-g/mqdefault.jpg "[SaaS Series] AI, Global Talent, and the Future of Software Teams With Matt Watson
Matt Watson is the Founder and CEO of Full Scale, an offshore software development company that helps U.S. companies build dedicated software engineering teams in the Philippines. A four-time tech founder and longtime CTO, he previously co-founded VinSolutions, an automotive software company that AutoTrader.com acquired in 2011, and later founded the developer-tools company Stackify. Matt brings more than 20 years of engineering and startup leadership experience to helping companies build and scale high-performing software teams. He is also the author of Product Driven and host of the Startup Hustle podcast.
In this episode… As AI transforms how companies build software, they are rethinking what it takes to scale development teams without sacrificing quality, speed, or accountability. With global talent and increasingly capable AI tools changing the economics of software development, how can leaders build teams that are both more efficient and more effective?
According to Matt Watson, a serial SaaS founder and longtime software leader, companies can scale development more effectively by combining offshore talent with AI-powered workflows while keeping human judgment at the center. He highlights how staff augmentation allows Philippines-based developers to work directly within a company’s existing teams instead of operating as a separate outsourced unit. This approach can give businesses greater flexibility and access to experienced talent while maintaining stronger team integration. Matt also explains how AI tools, MCP servers, and shared plugins can streamline operations by connecting business systems, surfacing information, and standardizing repeatable workflows. As AI accelerates execution, he emphasizes that product thinking becomes even more valuable because teams still need people who can determine what to build, why it matters, and whether the outcome actually serves the customer.
In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Matt Watson, Founder and CEO of Full Scale, to discuss the future of software teams. They explore offshore staff augmentation, AI-powered business workflows, and why product thinking matters more as development accelerates. Matt also shares how AI is reshaping marketing and website development.")
![[SaaS Series] Vibe Coding Isn’t Ready for the Boardroom With Raveesh Dewan](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Tlv_tnEUHrQ/mqdefault.jpg "[SaaS Series] Vibe Coding Isn’t Ready for the Boardroom With Raveesh Dewan
Book a Complimentary B2B Podcast Strategy Call:
https://rise25.com/bookcall
Download our B2B Podcast Strategy & Tools List PDF:
https://rise25.com/podcastcheatsheetyt
Raveesh Dewan is the President and CEO of Joget Inc., a technology company that provides an open, AI-powered low-code platform for building, automating, and integrating enterprise applications. Under his leadership, Joget has continued to expand as a global enterprise platform used by Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and organizations across more than 100 countries. Before joining Joget, Raveesh held executive roles at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, helping shape its business and technology roadmaps. His work centers on digital transformation, open innovation, and responsible enterprise AI adoption.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
• [0:00] Intro
• [3:40] Raveesh Dewan on Joget’s business-outcome-first approach to application development
• [6:14] How a telecom company replaced its legacy ERP in under nine months
• [9:29] Joget’s evolution from workflow automation to visual, AI-powered application development
• [12:00] The difference between vibe coding and vibe composition in the AI era
• [16:58] Joget’s open-source and enterprise licensing model
• [21:46] Debunking the myth that low-code cant power mission-critical applications
• [27:14] How Jogets marketplace accelerates application development with reusable solutions
• [33:25] The role of community and word of mouth in scaling a global platform
In this episode…
Organizations face a critical challenge: modernizing legacy systems without sacrificing speed, security, or flexibility. As AI transforms enterprise software development, how can businesses accelerate digital transformation while staying in control?
For Raveesh Dewan, an engineer, open-source advocate, and enterprise technology leader, the answer lies in combining low-code development with AI while keeping organizations in control of their technology.
Sponsor for this episode
At https://rise25.com, we help B2B businesses give to and connect to your Dream 200 relationships and partnerships.
We help you cultivate amazing relationships in 2 ways:
#1 Podcasting
#2 Strategic Gifting
#1 Our Predictable Podcast ROI Program
We’re committed to helping you connect with your Dream 200 referral partners, clients, and strategic partners through our done-for-you podcast solution.
We’re a professional podcast production agency that makes creating a podcast effortless. Since 2009, our proven system has helped thousands of B2B businesses build strong relationships with referral partners, clients, and audiences without doing the hard work.
What do you need to start a podcast?
When you use our proven system, all you need is an idea and a voice. We handle the strategy, production, and distribution — you just need to show up and talk.
The Rise25 podcasting solution is designed to help you build a profitable podcast. This requires a specific strategy, and we’ve got that down pat. We focus on making sure you have a direct path to ROI — plus, our podcast production company takes any heavy lifting of production and distribution off your plate.
We make distribution easy.
We’ll distribute each episode across more than 11 unique channels, including iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon Podcasts. We’ll also create copy for each episode and promote your show across social media.
Cofounders Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran credit podcasting as being the best thing they have ever done for their businesses. Podcasting connected them with the founders/CEOs of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, YPO, EO, Lending Tree, Freshdesk, and many more.
The relationships you form through podcasting run deep. Jeremy and John became business partners through podcasting. They have even gone on family vacations and attended weddings of guests who have been on the podcast.
#2 Our Comprehensive Corporate Gifting Program
Elevate business relationships with customers, partners, staff, and prospects through gifting.
At Rise25, thoughtful and consistent gifting is a key component of staying top of mind and helps build lasting business relationships. Our done-for-you corporate gifting service ensures that your referral partners, prospects, and clients receive personalized touchpoints that enhance your business gifting efforts and provide a refined executive gifting experience.
Whether you’re looking to impress key stakeholders or boost client loyalty, our comprehensive approach makes it easy and affordable to create lasting impressions. Get started today and experience the difference a strategic gifting approach can make.
You can learn more and watch a video on how it works here: https://rise25.com/giftprogram
Contact us now at support@rise25.com or message us here: https://rise25.com/contact
Powered by Rise25 Podcast Production Company - https://rise25.com")
![[SaaS & AI Series] Relationships are the Real CRM With Jon Ferrara](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1NV0SJ5WXo/mqdefault.jpg "[SaaS & AI Series] Relationships are the Real CRM With Jon Ferrara
Book a Complimentary B2B Podcast Strategy Call:
https://rise25.com/bookcall
Download our B2B Podcast Strategy & Tools List PDF:
https://rise25.com/podcastcheatsheetyt
Jon Ferrara is the Founder and CEO of Nimble, a CRM company that helps businesses build and manage relationships through modern contact and relationship management tools. A pioneer in the CRM industry, he previously co-founded GoldMine Software, one of the earliest CRM platforms for small and mid-sized businesses. He has helped grow Nimble into a widely used platform with integrations across tools like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, as well as a strong presence in the Microsoft partner ecosystem. Jon is also known for his focus on authentic relationship-building, blending AI with human connection, and his journey toward purpose-driven leadership.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
• [0:00] Intro
• [3:02] Jon Ferrara explains why most CRMs fail at true relationship building
• [7:47] How Nimble automates contact enrichment from email and LinkedIn
• [10:24] Why blending AI with a human touch drives real connection
• [14:34] The small but powerful actions that make outreach feel personal
• [19:00] Lessons Jon learned after a life-changing health scare
• [20:57] Why lasting business success is built by teams, not individuals
• [32:16] The mentors and books that shaped Jon’s entrepreneurial journey
In this episode…
Managing business relationships today is a balance between efficiency and authenticity. While automation tools improve workflows, they can also make interactions feel impersonal. How can professionals use technology to grow relationships without losing the human connection?
Sponsor for this episode
At https://rise25.com, we help B2B businesses give to and connect to your Dream 200 relationships and partnerships.
We help you cultivate amazing relationships in 2 ways:
#1 Podcasting
#2 Strategic Gifting
#1 Our Predictable Podcast ROI Program
We’re committed to helping you connect with your Dream 200 referral partners, clients, and strategic partners through our done-for-you podcast solution.
We’re a professional podcast production agency that makes creating a podcast effortless. Since 2009, our proven system has helped thousands of B2B businesses build strong relationships with referral partners, clients, and audiences without doing the hard work.
What do you need to start a podcast?
When you use our proven system, all you need is an idea and a voice. We handle the strategy, production, and distribution — you just need to show up and talk.
The Rise25 podcasting solution is designed to help you build a profitable podcast. This requires a specific strategy, and we’ve got that down pat. We focus on making sure you have a direct path to ROI — plus, our podcast production company takes any heavy lifting of production and distribution off your plate.
We make distribution easy.
We’ll distribute each episode across more than 11 unique channels, including iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon Podcasts. We’ll also create copy for each episode and promote your show across social media.
Cofounders Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran credit podcasting as being the best thing they have ever done for their businesses. Podcasting connected them with the founders/CEOs of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, YPO, EO, Lending Tree, Freshdesk, and many more.
The relationships you form through podcasting run deep. Jeremy and John became business partners through podcasting. They have even gone on family vacations and attended weddings of guests who have been on the podcast.
#2 Our Comprehensive Corporate Gifting Program
Elevate business relationships with customers, partners, staff, and prospects through gifting.
At Rise25, thoughtful and consistent gifting is a key component of staying top of mind and helps build lasting business relationships. Our done-for-you corporate gifting service ensures that your referral partners, prospects, and clients receive personalized touchpoints that enhance your business gifting efforts and provide a refined executive gifting experience.
Whether you’re looking to impress key stakeholders or boost client loyalty, our comprehensive approach makes it easy and affordable to create lasting impressions. Get started today and experience the difference a strategic gifting approach can make.
You can learn more and watch a video on how it works here: https://rise25.com/giftprogram
Contact us now at support@rise25.com or message us here: https://rise25.com/contact
Powered by Rise25 Podcast Production Company - https://rise25.com")
