Middle Tech

This week, we sat down with Kendall Weihe. Kendall graduated from the University of Kentucky where he studied Computer Science with a focus on Machine Learning. Kendall loves solving problems with software and has had the opportunity to work for two of the top technology companies in Kentucky, Appriss and El Toro, before eventually landing at Yum Brands to build enterprise applications. On this episode we dove into his background, artificial intelligence, and several other culturally relevant topics related to technology like free speech, censoring, and government regulation. Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sit down with Alex Lazarow to discuss his new book, Out-Innovate: How Global Entrepreneurs--from Delhi to Detroit--Are Rewriting the Rules of Silicon Valley. Alex lives in Silicon Valley, where he is a venture capitalist with Cathay Innovation, a Kauffman Fellow, and an adjunct professor specializing in social-impact investment and entrepreneurship at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. During our conversation, we discuss the primary theme of Alex's book; that innovation is happening everywhere and it might be different than the innovation and practices happening in the Valley. Find Alex's book on Amazon here Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sit down with Kevin Kasey, who is the father of Landon Kasey. Landon founded Reach shortly before passing away. Reach is a platform that allows businesses to connect with "micro-influencers", allowing people with an average social following to get paid for promoting businesses that they're passionate about. We discuss Reach's progress, why Kevin wanted to continue building his son's business, how the Live Like Landon foundation came to be, and how Kevin wants Landon's legacy to be remembered. Visit Reach at reach-influencers.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sit down with Kyle Green, Founder and CEO of Handle Global. Kyle and his team are building a software platform that is helping hospital systems manage their supply chain using Handle’s marketplace and capital cycle management (CCM) SaaS product. The powerful combination of these two solutions will change the way hospitals manage their assets, allowing them to focus more on the care they deliver their patients. Handle is especially important today when COVID-19 has created a great deal of stress and chaos in the healthcare system. We discuss Kyle’s background, Handle’s origin story, the company’s future, and advice Kyle has for entrepreneurs solving difficult problems. Visit Handle Global at handleglobal.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sit down with Mo Sloan, founder of EZ-Chow. EZ-Chow is giving control back to restaurants when it comes to online ordering by creating a software solution that allows the customer to order directly from the restaurant's website. By using EZ-Chow's software, the restaurant controls the customer experience and does not have to pay heavy fees as they do with big names such as DoorDash & UberEats. We discuss Mo's journey from the corporate world to starting his own company, what he's learned along the way, and his experience starting a company in Louisville, Kentucky. Visit EZ-Chow at ez-chow.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sit down with AppHarvest's new Chief Marketing Officer, Geof Rochester. Prior to his position at AppHarvest, Geof worked with brands such as Comcast, WWE, and the Nature Conservancy. We discuss how Geof ended up with AppHarvest, Martha Stewart joining the board, and the future of AgTech in Appalachia.  Visit AppHarvest at appharvest.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sit down with Ethan Gill, a local software engineer with an impressive resume that includes experience working at Fooji, Accenture, and other well known startups. We discuss how Ethan worked his way to getting a job at one of the largest social media companies, the meta-verse, and some ethical dilemmas regarding tech companies.  Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we ventured out to Morehead, Kentucky to sit down with the founders of New Frontier Outfitters; Josh and Jared Ravenscraft. New Frontier was created to be the brand that represents Appalachia and all of the culture that we associate with it, while also sourcing sustainable materials for their products. We discuss why Josh and Jared are long on Appalachia, how their partnership with AppHarvest came to be, and where they see this area of the country heading into the future. Visit New Frontier Outfitters: madeforthejourney.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sat down with Albert Lukonga to have him tell the incredible story of his journey to Kentucky from the Congo, the experiences he had along the way, and why he's now building a high-end men's fashion brand in Lexington, Kentucky. Albert tells story after story about overcoming adversity and how each one equipped him with the knowledge and experience he needed to finally launch his fashion brand - Albert Couture. Learn more about Albert Couture at AlbertCouture.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter 

On this week's episode, we sat down with the co-founder of NATIVE, Sarah Sanders. NATIVE is an agricultural technology company that is focusing on allowing consumers to trace the origins of their food right back to the farm it came from. With this technology, consumers can now directly support producers who are using responsible farming methods. We discuss Sarah's move from NYC to KY, the transparency of the ag-tech industry, and our experiences as students at the University of Kentucky. Learn more about NATIVE at NativeAg.io Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sat down with Richard and Nathan Walsh, the co-founders of Continuud. Continuud is a telehealth platform that is focused on using data to improve patient retention rates, while also helping healthcare clinics gather insights on how they can improve their care. While Continuud envisions utilizing their platform to help clinics deal with all different types of chronic illnesses, they are currently focused on HIV. We discuss their experience being married LGBTQ founders, how their platform is changing HIV care, and the importance of telehealth. Learn more about Continuud at continuud.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we are releasing audio from a virtual event we put on in partnership with Startup Grind. We interview Randall Stevens about why entrepreneurship is a route new graduates should consider as they enter the job market in the middle of a pandemic. Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sat down with technology startup lawyer Brandon Johnson of The Johnson Law Group to discuss the services that an attorney can offer to a startup in its early stages. Whether you're the founder or an early employee, it's important to have an understanding of the legal side of startups to help you make informed decisions as the business progresses. Visit The Johnson Law Group at thejohnsonlawgroup.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sat down with David Cottingham and David Bertram, CBO and CRO of Wrigley Media Group. As we've been exploring companies that help businesses develop branding and design, we wanted to focus an episode on the importance of high quality digital media. Wrigley Media Group is a digital media company that covers a variety of production verticals, from aerial to animation, and works with some of the country's biggest brands to help them effectively communicate with their audiences. We got to discuss the background of Wrigley Media Group, the importance of high quality digital media, and where the Davids see digital media heading in the future. Visit Wrigley Media Group at wrigleymediagroup.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sat down with Co-Founder of the Silver Fern Group, Adam VanWingerden. Adam and his Co-Founders (Stephen VanWingerden & Kevin Short) are helping growers simplify their horticulture businesses through introducing new software and hardware aimed at improving the way their data is mined and managed. The Silver Fern Group is in a unique position to solve this problem as the VanWingerden Family has been building successful horticulture businesses for generations since moving from the Netherlands to America. We discuss Silver Fern Group's progress, the size of the problem they are addressing, and the future of the horticulture industry. Thanks for tuning in! Visit The Silver Fern Group at silverfern.group Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we sat down with Brad Flowers, one of the Founding Partners at Bullhorn Creative. We discussed how Bullhorn Creative got started, the importance & process of branding, and the release of his new book - The Naming Book. Throughout our conversation, we were able to take a deep dive into what it means to develop a good brand through the use of language and design, while also getting to pick Brad's brain about his team's creative processes.  Get The Naming Book e-book for just $1.99 (July only!) Visit Bullhorn Creative at bullhorncreative.com Visit us at middletechpod.com Watch the episode on YouTube Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Evan's Twitter Logan's Twitter

On this week's episode, we revisit an old favorite episode of ours from season 2. We sat down with Joe Barnard of BPS.space to discuss how his company that started as a project to get a job at SpaceX turned into a full-fledged business building small-scale reusable rockets. After SpaceX's successful launch of Americans into space, we felt that this episode is an important one to revisit. Visit BPS.space at BPS.space Visit us at middletechpod.com YouTube: No video this week, sorry! Twitter: www.twitter.com/middletechpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/middletechpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/middletechpod LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/middletech/ Evan: www.twitter.com/EvanKnowles_ Logan: www.instagram/lojo22

On this week's episode, we sat down with David Mann & Ron Watson of Dundee Ventures to discuss the work that their doing in Middle America, or the "Mighty Middle" as they call it. We dive into how Dundee Ventures makes the decision to invest, why they believe Middle America can and will continue to produce successful companies, and how David & Ron got into venture capital.  Visit Dundee Ventures at dundeeventurecapital.com Visit us at middletechpod.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC5CsRH8pKpWqMuj9Hpika0Q Twitter: www.twitter.com/middletechpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/middletechpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/middletechpod LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/middletech/ Evan: www.twitter.com/EvanKnowles_ Logan: www.instagram/lojo22

On this week's episode, we are joined by Ben Schecter, Founder of Feed the Front Line. Feed the Front Line collects donations, uses the money to buy meals from local restaurants that have been affected by the pandemic, and then donates those meals to front line medical workers so that they can have a healthy meal while battling Coronavirus. After starting Feed the Front Line in Houston, word spread quickly and other cities began to follow Ben's lead in their own communities. Now, Feed the Front Line operates in 6 different cities, has raised over $1 million, and provided more than 75,000 meals from local restaurants for front line medical workers. Our own Logan Jones was also one of the founding members of Feed the Front Line Kentucky, a chapter of the organization that raised over $15,000 in the Lexington community. Visit FTFL at ftfl.org Visit us at middletechpod.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC5CsRH8pKpWqMuj9Hpika0Q Twitter: www.twitter.com/middletechpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/middletechpod Fa

On this week's episode, we are joined by the Founder of Stellar Plants, Joe Cox. Stellar Plants is an indoor vertical farming company that is using sustainable hydroponics to produce high quality leafy greens for local restaurants and groceries. However, Joe's vision for Stellar Plants and the AgTech industry extends far beyond just producing basil and the like. We dive into the current state of agricultural technology and what it will take to supply the human race with enough food to survive past 2050.  Visit Stellar Plants at stellar-plants.com/ Visit us at middletechpod.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC5CsRH8pKpWqMuj9Hpika0Q Twitter: www.twitter.com/middletechpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/middletechpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/middletechpod LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/middletech/ Evan: www.twitter.com/EvanKnowles_ Logan: www.instagram/lojo22