I'm joined by Saher Shodhan, founder of Thera Travel, a startup that's disrupting the healthcare industry by providing patients with access to affordable and high-quality medical care abroad. With a background in marketing and growth, Saher has leveraged AI tools to drive growth and reduce marketing costs by 10x. In this conversation, we dive deep into the challenges of building a successful startup, the role of AI in healthcare, and how Thera Travel is making a difference in people's lives.Key Discussion Points:🔥 What sparked the idea for Thera Travel and how Saher identified a problem in the healthcare system🚀 How Saher used AI tools to reduce marketing costs by 10x and drive growth🤖 The role of AI in healthcare and how Thera Travel is disrupting the industry💡 The importance of understanding government data and using it to drive business decisions📈 How Saher built a successful startup from scratch, from idea to exit in four yearsTimecodes:0:00 - Introduction0:36 - The Spark Behind TheraTravel4:45 - The Journey of a Solo Founder7:06 - Using AI for Marketing and Content Creation16:09 - The Truth Behind Startup Valuations19:51 - Navigating the Challenges of AI in Business22:10 - Lessons from the Traktion Journey24:12 - Finding the Right Acquirer for Your Startup36:45 - Evolving Advertising Strategies in 202642:28 - Rethinking Team Size as a Success Metric43:18 - The Reality of Fundraising Celebrations44:52 - Learning from Failures in Startup Growth48:24 - Selling Growth Strategies to Startups51:11 - Analyzing Competitor Success in Marketing52:46 - Recommended Reading for Founders54:45 - Closing Remarks and Contact InformationImportant Links:You can reach Saher Shodhan at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahersVishesh, your host at https://vishesh.spaceCheckout Thera Travel at http://theratravel.co.uk/P.S. If you are writing on LinkedIn https://tryjerry.com🎙️ Subscribe for more episodes!#Episode56 #VenturingWithVishesh #Startups #Entrepreneurship

I'm joined by Scott Persinger, Co-founder and CTO of BizTrip AI, a company focused on utilizing AI technology to enhance corporate travel management. With a background in software development and a passion for innovation, Scott has led BizTrip AI from its inception to become a leader in the AI-powered travel industry. In this conversation, we dive deep into the challenges of integrating AI into legacy travel tech stacks and the strategic decision to target the B2B market.

The travel industry is ripe for transformation with AI, but it's not just about implementing technology - it's about understanding the underlying challenges and creating solutions that truly serve the needs of users. Scott Persinger, Co-founder and CTO of BizTrip AI, shares his insights on debunking AI myths, building features that customers want, and the importance of cross-functional experience in understanding different roles within a company.

Timecodes:

0:00 - Introduction

2:42 - Choosing B2B Over B2C in Travel AI

5:35 - Challenges of Integrating AI with Legacy Systems

9:08 - Scott's Engineering Background and Current Tech Stack

11:14 - The Evolution of AI Tools in Development

13:09 - Fine-Tuning AI Models for Specific Use Cases

14:38 - Misunderstanding AI's Capabilities in Software Development

20:34 - The Importance of Customer Insights in Product Development

26:32 - Future of AI in Travel Tech: Contextual Understanding

34:44 - The Importance of Historical Data in AI Recommendations

36:22 - Learning from Memorable Failures in Startups

39:33 - Evolving Leadership Styles in Tech Teams

42:07 - Advice for New Engineers: Networking Beyond Tech

47:25 - Lessons from Stripe

52:43 - Closing Remarks and Contact Information

Important Links:

You can reach Scott Persinger at https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottpersinger

Vishesh, your host at https://vishesh.space

Checkout BizTrip AI at https://biztrip.ai

P.S. If you are writing on LinkedIn https://tryjerry.com

I'm joined by Brian Leor Frankel, Growth Consultant at Ignite.Consulting, with a background in market research and over 20 years of experience in B2B campaigns. With a passion for teaching and helping startups scale, Brian brings a unique perspective on customer acquisition cost optimization and marketing strategy.

Optimizing customer acquisition costs is crucial for startups and entrepreneurs. In this conversation, we dive into the art of CAC optimization, exploring strategies for bringing down customer acquisition costs and scaling marketing efforts. We discuss the importance of understanding customer desires and fears, creating effective messaging, and leveraging AI to improve marketing performance.

Key Discussion Points:

🔥 What's the one thing that's holding you back from achieving profitable growth?

🤔 How to identify the 20% of your marketing efforts that drive 80% of your results

📈 The surprising way to bring down customer acquisition costs by 50% or more

📊 Why most founders get AI implementation completely wrong (and how to do it right)

💡 The counterintuitive way to create messaging that resonates with your target audience

📈 How to use data to inform your marketing decisions and drive real growth

Timecodes:

0:00 - Intro

2:20 - Why CAC Starts High for Startups

6:39 - Identifying the Core Value Proposition

9:27 - How to Find & Test Messaging

13:40 - Testing Angles, Hooks & Visuals

15:55 - Budgeting Ad spend

19:07 - Using AI for Quick Sentiment Analysis

21:17 - The 5-Step Consumer Purchase Process (CPP)

30:56 - How AI Enhances the Consumer Purchase Process

32:02 - Personal Section: Long COVID & Recovery Journey

36:30 - Slowing Down While Still Being Results-Driven

37:58 - Working With Keith Ferrazzi

38:40 - Lessons From “Never Eat Alone” & Networking

40:50 - Why You Must Still Learn to Know People Yourself

41:33 - Final Thoughts on Running Campaigns Across Platforms

44:24 - Where to Find Brian Online

44:54 - Closing Thanks

Important Links:

You can reach Brian Leor Frankel at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfrankel

Vishesh, your host at https://vishesh.space

Checkout Ignite.Consulting

P.S. If you are writing on LinkedIn https://tryjerry.com