Podcasts Other You, Me, and Your Top Three Changing the Perception of What's Possible (wsg Ted Serbinski)

Changing the Perception of What's Possible (wsg Ted Serbinski)

Published: Sept. 9, 2020, 10 a.m.

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During this episode, You, Me and Your Top Three host, Gregg Garrett, speaks with Ted Serbinski, managing director at Techstars, about the power of pivoting and how it is needed for startups as well as enterprises trying to innovate. He discusses a wide array of topics from becoming a mobility industry luminary to investing in nearly 100 companies to being a xennial and the importance of being a sponge. Ted of course shares his Top Three who include member of the Foundry Group to fellow alumnus who help him stretch his thesis to all the founders in whom he has invested to make mentoring a two-way street. And you have to hear what he has to say about how mobility may be more about what is not moving, rather than what is, especially in a post-COVID world.

About Ted Serbinski

Ted Serbinski is a venture capitalist and managing director of TechStars with 70 global startup investments across mobility, automotive, logistics, manufacturing, fintech and AI/ML. He focuses on helping entrepreneurs succeed through mentorship and investment and seeks to establish lifelong relationships with the founders he backs.

Ted holds a degree in computer engineering from Cornell University and is a dad to four energetic kids.

Show Highlights

Segment 1: Overview

1:10\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 \\u201cPivot! Pivot!\\u201d: The criticality of change and importance of being brave to achieve it

4:18\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Ted Serbinski: His journey began as a coder and has led him across the country to becoming an investor

5:30\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Ted\\u2019s Mission: \\u201cChanging people\\u2019s perception of what\\u2019s possible\\u201d

9:24\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Being Brave: A cold email to Dan Gilbert brought him to Michigan and began his venture career

11:53\\xa0\\xa0 Success breeding success: \\u201cSpreadsheets don\\u2019t create, they measure.\\u201d

Segment 2: The \\u201cTop Three\\u201d

15:10\\xa0\\xa0 Be a sponge: Soak up everything you hear and see around you

16:46\\xa0\\xa0 Ted\\u2019s \\u201cTop Three\\u201d starts with Jason Mendelson who challenged his perception of what\\u2019s possible being a VC

18:33\\xa0\\xa0 A pattern develops: Sending the cold email, making the cold call

22:57\\xa0\\xa0 Ted\\u2019s \\u201cTop Three\\u201d expands with Gretchen Knoell, a fellow Cornell alum, who has great experience and provides great wisdom

24:43\\xa0\\xa0 Investment Thesis Challenge: \\u201cIt\\u2019s all about make and move\\u201d \\u2026 and what else?

27:12\\xa0\\xa0 Ted\\u2019s \\u201cTop Three\\u201d concludes with the group of founders he has invested in due to the depth of knowledge they provide

30:03\\xa0\\xa0 Relationship Lens: \\u201cInvesting in founders is a lifetime commitment\\u201d

Segment 3: Transformation & Disruption

37:34 \\xa0 Disruption: It\\u2019s all about timing and people\\u2019s ability to change

40:04\\xa0\\xa0 Are innovators seeing the silver lining in this post-COVID market?

41:50\\xa0\\xa0 \\u201cBuilding a startup is a lot like a game of chess\\u201d

44:48\\xa0\\xa0 Pivoting: Where are auto and mobility going?

46:58\\xa0\\xa0 \\u201cWhat is mobility?\\u201d Ted\\u2019s blog on Detroit becoming the Mobility City

51:00\\xa0\\xa0 Futurists look at the consumption market and far outside the industry

52:48\\xa0\\xa0 Mobility Spectrum: \\u201cNot moving is moving too.\\u201d

55:54\\xa0\\xa0 Drawing Parallels: Being a Xennial and Mobility

Segment 4: Wrapping Up

58:55\\xa0\\xa0 Ted\\u2019s Journey: \\u201cBeing open to [almost] anything\\u201d

1:01:02\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Copious Note Taker: What\\u2019s the process?

1:04:01\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 Meditate: \\u201cIt is a way to defrag your brain\\u201d

1:06:36\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 How to stay in contact with Ted

Additional Information

Contact Ted Serbinski:

Contact Gregg Garrett:

Contact CGS Advisors:

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