10x Unicorns Podcast

How does a kid obsessed with ancient Rome end up building rocket software for startups? In this episode, Shane Austrie sits down with Mark Stokes, CEO of Magdrive, a space-tech startup building high-performance propulsion systems to move satellites and spacecraft through orbit and beyond.With a background in physics and a deep curiosity about how the world (and universe) works, Mark shares how he went from reading classics to pioneering electric plasma engines for New Space companies.In this wide-ranging conversation, you'll hear:– Why most small satellites today are “floating bricks” with no way to maneuver– How Magdrive is enabling a new layer of autonomy for satellites– The shift from university labs to venture-backed space startups– What it's like fundraising in a high-risk deep-tech field– Why space propulsion isn’t about fuel, but control and precision– The mental shift from research scientist to company CEO– How to hire in aerospace when you’re competing with SpaceX– The unexpected intersections between classic literature and startup leadership– What the future of space logistics looks like—and why Mark believes “mobility is freedom” even in orbit– The role of the UK space ecosystem in the next decadeA blend of philosophy, physics, and founder grit—this episode captures the ambition behind making space tech more accessible, precise, and commercially viable.

In this episode, Shane Austrie sits down with Kameale Terry, co-founder and CEO of ChargerHelp, to explore the overlooked crisis in the electric revolution: broken EV chargers. Born and raised in South Central LA to Belizean immigrants, Kameale shares how resilience, curiosity, and community shaped her path from tech ops to climate startup founder.They cover:– The hidden issue of EV charger maintenance—and why no one budgeted for it– How her dad’s repair skills shaped her approach to IoT infrastructure– Raising venture capital as a Black woman founder during a pandemic– The importance of focus—why ChargerHelp only fixes chargers– Scaling reliability operations across 17+ states– Why EVs are “computers on wheels”—and what that means for identity and payments– ChargerHelp’s “Reliability as a Service” model and uptime guarantees– The value of saying “I don’t know” as a founder– Balancing belief vs. delusion when building from zero– How solving infrastructure creates jobs and long-term impactFor anyone building in climate, hardware, or overlooked corners of tech—this one’s a masterclass in resilience and focus.

In this episode, Shane Austrie sits down with Braxton Bragg, VP of Growth at Revel, a social app turning creators into tradable digital collectibles. Braxton walks us through how Revel blends gamification, community, and crypto—without the hype—to reshape what it means to be a creator in the Web3 era.Together, they explore:– How Revel works and why creators make digital "trading cards"– Why Revel isn’t chasing speculation—and how that shapes UX– The platform’s roots in social media and gaming culture– Lessons from Braxton’s time at Zynga, Slice, and McKinsey– Gamification tricks (like “Daily Shake”) that keep users coming back– How new artists build community from scratch on Revel– Why even casual users can be “collected” by friends and family– What makes good product leadership in scrappy startups– Balancing vision with practical constraints in fast-moving teams– Why Braxton believes fans should benefit too—not just influencersWhether you're a builder, creator, or Web3 skeptic, this conversation dives into the creative and economic layers behind the next wave of social apps.

In this episode, Shane Austrie chats with Jonas Guenther, co-founder of We Are the New Farmers, a startup turning spirulina—a climate-resilient superfood—into a mainstream nutritional product. From farming algae on a Brooklyn rooftop to pitching to sustainability VCs, Jonas shares the gritty realities of building in climate tech.What’s inside:– How spirulina could replace meat, dairy, and soy in the climate diet– What Jonas learned from running a rooftop farm in NYC– The trade-offs between bootstrapping and raising capital– How to market a product people don’t understand yet– Lessons from selling spirulina cubes door-to-door– Why community and culture matter in food startups– A candid take on burnout, founder loneliness, and staying grounded– What climate founders can learn from nature’s pace– How climate messaging can inspire—not guilt—consumers– The spiritual side of resilience in mission-driven workA deeply honest episode about food, the planet, and the internal life of a founder trying to do both justice.

In this powerful episode, Shane Austrie sits down with Andres Klaric, co-founder of Fuse, a fintech startup transforming how banks and credit unions handle loan origination. Born and raised in Bolivia, Andres shares his unconventional journey from growing up in South America to building software that’s reshaping financial access in the U.S.They cover:– What Fuse actually does (and doesn’t do)– How growing up in Bolivia shaped Andres’ thinking on money and credit– Lessons on startup discipline, pivoting with data, and building with conviction– Why time—not talent—is the real startup advantage– The two founder traits Andres sees over and over againA must-listen for anyone curious about building real infrastructure, not just buzzwords.

Justice on a Budget: George Simons on Making Legal Help Affordable with SoloSuitIn this episode, Shane Austrie sits down with George Simons, co-founder of SoloSuit, a startup helping everyday Americans fight back against debt lawsuits—without needing to hire a lawyer. From a law school project to a venture-backed platform serving users across the U.S., George shares how SoloSuit is turning legal defense into a product.This episode covers:– The $1B+ debt lawsuits SoloSuit has helped users respond to– Why traditional lawyers avoid debt collection cases—and how SoloSuit fills the gap– How George’s bad car purchase inspired a startup– Why court fees in 20 U.S. states punish the poor– The surprising factors that influence how much you can settle a debt for– From art to law to tech: George’s unconventional path– Early wins in marketing through YouTube and SEO– How the team scaled SoloSuit from Utah to nationwide– Getting into Y Combinator and TechCrunch Battlefield– George’s take on what traits great founders really haveFor anyone building in access-to-justice, fintech, or who just loves a good underdog story—this one’s for you.

In this episode, Shane Austrie speaks with Renee Fry, co-founder and CEO of Gentreo, a platform bringing estate planning into the digital age. Born from personal experience and frustration with costly legal systems, Gentreo empowers families to protect their health, assets, and loved ones—without $10K lawyer fees.They cover:– The origin of “Gentreo” and its three-generation mission– Why estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy– How digital vaults and asset sharing are changing the game– COVID’s impact on awareness of healthcare proxies– How Gentreo blends B2B2C to meet users at life inflection points– Fundraising transparency and building a mission-led team– The overlooked value of digital assets and passwords– How Renee’s family inspired (and sells) the product– Pricing and why estate planning should be a living, ongoing process– What boundless energy and embracing failure taught her as a founderThis is an episode for anyone building trust-driven products, selling into emotional moments—or just trying to understand the real meaning behind legacy tech.

Health benefits for small businesses are broken—and Marshall Darr is trying to fix them. In this episode, Shane Austrie speaks with the CEO and co-founder of StretchDollar, a startup that helps small businesses offer pre-tax health funding without the red tape of traditional group plans.Marshall shares how a deep background in health tech (Gusto, Decent) and a post-layoff rally with a like-minded team led to StretchDollar’s formation. Together, they’re flipping the model—empowering employees to choose their own plans while saving time and money for business owners.In this episode:– Why traditional small-group insurance is expensive, clunky, and often pointless– How StretchDollar turns a 60-hour process into a $15/month subscription– What the ICHRA regulation enabled—and why few founders know about it– Lessons from marketing benefits at Gusto and building infrastructure from scratch– What email automation gets right (and wrong) in health tech– The team origin story: a "healthcare mafia" born from layoffs– Wrestling, body image, and what cutting weight taught Marshall about systems and control– Cold email skepticism, warm email obsession– Why small businesses should be the best places to work—and what’s holding them back– The two traits Marshall believes every founder must haveA personal and practical episode about rebuilding a broken system with empathy, grit, and infrastructure thinking.

In this episode, Shane Austrie talks with Natalie Barbu, YouTuber turned founder of Rella, a startup reshaping the way content creators manage their businesses. With over a decade of experience building an audience, Natalie shares how she went from filming lifestyle vlogs to raising VC funding for a platform built specifically for the creator economy.They cover:– The moment she realized creators needed a “business OS”– How her YouTube background sharpened her founder instincts– Balancing transparency with leadership as a young CEO– The unique mental health challenges creators face– Why building in public helped her build trust– Fundraising lessons from turning audience into advocates– What she wishes more VCs understood about Gen Z founders– Creator economy myths vs. realities– Why Rella focuses on daily workflow, not just social metrics– What’s next for Natalie and her mission to empower creatorsWhether you’re a founder, a marketer, or a creator yourself—this episode offers a raw and refreshing look at building from the inside out.

In this episode, Shane Austrie speaks with Eli Wachs, CEO and co-founder of Footprint, a fast-rising startup tackling one of the internet’s oldest problems—proving who you are. Footprint combines KYC, identity, and passwordless authentication into one secure layer, so companies can onboard users safely without asking them for the same data over and over again.Together, they dig into:– How Footprint unifies identity, authentication, and compliance– Why onboarding is the new product moat– What data Footprint actually stores—and what it doesn’t– How to rethink trust in an AI-generated world– Lessons from building at 20, failing early, and finding focus– What it means to “play to the long-term” in VC-backed startups– Why security and UX shouldn’t be a tradeoff– The role of storytelling in pitching a technical product– How Footprint handles risk scoring and bad actors– Advice for founders navigating 0 to 1If you’re thinking about building in fintech, privacy, or user infrastructure, this episode is your cheat code

Episode #2 - Joshua discusses his journey starting his sixth CPG brand.Things Discussed:* What led Joshua to become an entrepreneur* The importance of DTC + the need to expand past Amazon* His seed round is already over 50% filled before it’s even opened

Episode Details:* What got Steph into the biology space* What was it like having an international team* What is "on-demand" alternative protein and how it relates to collagen

Episode Topics: * The unlicensed hair industry * What investors think of a husband & wife duo * The importance of verbalizing a grand vision when speaking to investors

Episode #1 - Myles' journey for raising his first $1M from VCs like a16z.Things Discussed:* What led Myles to become an entrepreneur* Why food is considered the perfect non-software product* What defines this new generation of CPG/DTC startup (like Myles' startup & Shane's stealth startup)