"You have to make the mistakes—they cannot take the mistakes for you." — Yossi Appleboum, CEO of SepioIn this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Yossi Appleboum, CEO and Co-founder of Sepio, to explore the mindset and leadership it takes to build a deep-tech company from the ground up. Drawing on his experience in Israel’s Unit 8200 and multiple successful startup exits, Yossi shares the power of tension, the value of mistakes, and how to foster teams that argue fiercely and trust deeply.Sepio’s unique approach to device risk management—leveraging physics, machine learning, and trafficless monitoring—has positioned the company as a leader in asset visibility and control across IT, OT, and IoT. Yossi breaks down what it takes to build a truly interdisciplinary team, how Sepio entered a skeptical market, and why it's not just about building the right product—it's about building the right team to bring it to life.Whether you’re building in cybersecurity, scaling a startup, or evolving as a leader, this conversation brings clarity to the chaos of innovation.TakeawaysDon’t be afraid to make mistakes—they teach more than success.Sepio manages the risk of connected devices with a new, clean data source.Healthy conflict is a sign of team trust—not dysfunction.Teams need both focus and flexibility to thrive.Curiosity and questioning often drive better results than certainty.The most dangerous person is the one who thinks they know everything.Building the right team is as important as building the right product.Innovation happens when tension is acknowledged, not avoided.Chapters00:00 Embracing Mistakes in Innovation00:40 Introduction to Sepio and Its Mission03:07 The Unique Approach to Device Risk Management05:10 Challenges in Technology Development07:10 Market Entry and Initial Misconceptions09:52 Lessons from Past Experiences12:05 Team Dynamics and Collaboration15:01 The Importance of Healthy Conflict16:40 Navigating Team Communication19:26 The Balance of Focus and Flexibility20:50 The Role of Trust in Team Dynamics22:54 The Value of Questions and Curiosity25:41 Reflections on Career and Passion28:51 The Evolution of Leadership Roles32:04 Navigating Market Challenges35:41 Final Thoughts and AdviceLearn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companieshttps://a.co/d/hp5JtnuVisit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System™https://www.collective-genius.com/#collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #techscenes #cybersecurity #founderjourney #venturecapital #iotsecurity #unit8200 #hardwaresecurity #startupleadership #innovation #teamdynamics #deeptech #scalingstartups #entrepreneurship #jeffjamesmartin #yossiappleboum #sepio #leadership

"The best teams are closing learning loops quickly." - Manish Patel

In this episode of Tech Scenes Unplugged, Jeff James Martin sits down with Manish Patel, Founder of Nava Venture Partners, to unpack what truly separates high-performing startups at the Series A stage. Drawing from his time leading product at Google—on transformative platforms like AdWords and Google Maps—Manish brings a rare perspective at the intersection of human experience, technology, and venture investing.

Together, they explore how fast-learning teams outperform fast-moving ones, why fewer objectives often lead to greater traction, and how founder vulnerability can actually create strength and cohesion within early teams. This isn’t a conversation about hype—it’s about precision, clarity, and scaling sustainably.

Manish also reflects on Nava’s investment philosophy and why they’re backing companies that aren’t just improving markets but rewriting them. They dig into the role of human-centered design, the misuse of OKRs in growing companies, and the dangers of capital-fueled misalignment. Whether you're an early-stage founder, operator, or investor, this conversation offers powerful insights on the habits that create long-term success.

Chapters:

00:00 The Importance of Learning Loops in Venture Capital

01:42 Understanding the Series A Stage

05:21 Focus and Alignment in Startups

10:59 The Role of Vision and Objectives

16:56 The Dangers of Rapid Growth and Capital Pressure

21:07 Human-Centered Design in Venture

28:31 The Misapplication of OKRs

33:07 The Need for Vulnerability in Leadership

Learn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies

https://a.co/d/hp5Jtnu

Visit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System™

https://www.collective-genius.com/

#collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #techscenes #nava #venturecapital #seriesA #learningloops #startups #okrs #leadership #growthstrategy #jeffjamesmartin #founderfirst #humancentereddesign #teamalignment #vc #scalingstartups #techleadership #startuplessons #buildinpublic #execution

"The old way of selling is already dead." - Mark Walker

In this episode of Tech Scenes, we sit down with Mark Walker, CEO of Nue.io, to talk about how the future of software, AI, and pricing is reshaping how go-to-market teams operate. Mark shares his lessons from leading SaaS and compliance companies, building execution-driven cultures, and navigating fast-moving tech cycles. From sales innovation to team alignment, we unpack how dynamic teams are winning in a world of rapid change.

Mark brings deep experience from his time leading Strongpoint, Blanketware, and other high-growth companies, where he’s helped teams scale through smarter systems and sharper focus. At Nue.io, he’s now tackling how RevOps can enable teams to adapt quickly, price creatively, and execute with confidence. Whether you're a founder, operator, or team lead, Mark’s playbook for managing complexity while staying customer-centric is worth taking notes on.

We also explore what it takes to build a culture that gets things done—where clarity, collaboration, and cadence replace chaos. From AI’s disruptive force to the very human elements of leadership, this episode cuts across strategy and mindset, giving you insight into the modern operating model of high-performance teams.

Chapters:

00:00 The Future of Software and AI

01:20 Introducing New: A Revolutionary System

02:33 Understanding User Personas and Use Cases

05:00 Navigating the Rate of Change in Pricing Models

08:13 The Evolution of Sales Strategies

10:02 Lessons from SaaS and System Integration

14:00 The Shift in Pricing Models

17:06 AI's Impact on Software Development

20:08 Running New: Interoperability and Flexibility

22:46 Adapting to Rapid Change in Organizations

25:59 Enabling Teams for Success

32:09 Cross-Functional Collaboration in Teams

35:13 The Importance of Pausing for Reflection

37:05 Focus and Clarity in Team Objectives

41:06 Leveraging Individual Strengths in Teams

46:54 The Seriousness of Project Management

50:55 Execution as a Core Principle

54:45 The Desert Island Album

Learn more about the book Peak Teams – Mastering the Habit of Unstoppable Venture-backed Companies https://a.co/d/hp5Jtnu

Visit Collective Genius™ to Build Your Venture-backed Team with the Peak Operating System™ https://www.collective-genius.com/

#collectivegenius #peakoperatingsystem #peakos #vbos #nueio #revops #startup #SaaS #ceo #leadership #techscenes #execution #pricingstrategy #teamalignment #growthcompany #venturebacked #jeffjamesmartin