In this episode of the Blind Ambition Podcast, we welcome May Mobility’s CEO and cofounder Edwin Olson and chief people officer Tom Tang. May Mobility is an autonomous vehicle technology company focused on working with cities to make transit more sustainable and beautiful with shared mobility.

Ed and Tom share how they are hiring the best talent to help execute their mission and their methodical approach to their operation, and how optimized convenience trumps risk aversion toward innovative products.

David Cohen is the cofounder and CEO of Techstars, a global startup accelerator and venture capital firm.

In this episode of the Blind Ambition podcast, David gives us an inside look of how his firm supports and mentors tech founders and has the willingness to bet early on. He emphasizes that successful investments often seem counterintuitive at first. David notes that there are rarely "aha" moments in investing, and ideas that initially sound bad can turn out to be the most valuable opportunities. This approach has led Techstars to invest in unicorn companies like Uber.

He emphasizes the critical role of startups in driving job growth, challenging the traditional notion that large corporations are the primary employment engines. Lastly, David talks about growing his startup community and how he plans to scale tech hubs on the ground everywhere.

Norm Ashkenas, a financial services veteran with over 30 years of experience, transitioned from traditional investment banking to the financial technology sector, becoming Robinhood's Chief Compliance Officer

In this episode, Norm discusses what it was like making the jump and the importance of candidates evaluating potential employers during interviews. He emphasizes how diverse backgrounds lend to new ways of thinking, enhancing team dynamics and growth. Additionally, Norm explains his approach to balancing fostering innovation while maintaining regulatory adherence.

He describes compliance as an integral part of all operations and shares how it has evolved over time. Norm also highlights how compliance efforts contribute significantly to the fight against terrorism, human trafficking and arms trafficking, among other major concerns. Lastly, he addresses the challenges faced by those in non-revenue-generating roles, stressing the importance of demonstrating personal and departmental value.