Episodes

  • Episode 46: Can Voice AI Save the Hotel Industry?

    Episode 46: Can Voice AI Save the Hotel Industry?
    Mar 30 2026
    What if you never had to hear "please hold" ever again when you call a hotel or resort? In this episode of Funded, Now What?!, host Andrew Lee Miller (@growthexpertz) sits down with Jonathan Lei, the founder of withQ. Jonathan is on a mission to make hotel phone calls efficient, profitable, and most importantly instant. By deploying the world's most sophisticated voice AI for hospitality, withQ is helping hotels capture missed bookings and provide a "white glove" guest experience that scales without increasing headcount. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The Hospitality Gap: Why traditional hotels are losing millions in missed calls and how AI bridges that gap 24/7. Selling ROI: Why B2B products that 5x revenue are the only products worth building in 2026. The Accountability Layer: How withQ uses a dedicated QA team to ensure their AI never hallucinates on a guest call. The "Famous" Strategy: Andrew’s plan to move withQ from a hidden gem to the industry standard for hospitality tech. Featured Guest: Jonathan Lei Jonathan is the founder and CEO of withQ. Based in the heart of the tech world, he has built a team dedicated to transforming how the hospitality industry interacts with its guests through seamless, revenue-generating Voice AI. Connect with Jonathan: LinkedIn Profile | X (Twitter) Learn more: https://withqconcierge.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Guest Credibility 01:18 What is withQ and Its Vision 02:14 The Evolution from Pizza to Hospitality AI 02:59 Industry Challenges: Staffing and Guest Experience 03:49 Training AI on Real Customer Calls 05:27 Tech Differentiation and Industry Trends 06:51 Proprietary Data and Continuous Improvement 07:48 Rapid Prototyping and Customer Feedback 08:49 Enhancing Guest Experience and Revenue 09:12 Fundraising Insights and Lessons Learned 10:49 Team and Leadership in Fundraising 12:45 Marketing Strategy and Digital Channels 15:48 Pre-Launch Marketing and Market Education 17:35 Future Marketing Challenges and SEO 19:25 GEO and Content Strategy for Visibility 20:36 Innovative Marketing Experiments 23:14 Market Positioning and Competitive Edge 24:05 Live Demo of AI Call in Action 26:23 Upsell Opportunities and Revenue Boost 28:08 Cost Savings and Revenue Impact 29:01 Pricing Model and ROI Focus 29:48 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks 30:55 POD OUTRO.mp4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • Episode 45: Can AI Cut Construction Material Costs by 50%?

    Episode 45: Can AI Cut Construction Material Costs by 50%?
    Mar 23 2026
    What if you could bypass every local distributor and buy your construction materials directly from the factory with a single click? In this episode of Funded, Now What?!, host Andrew Lee Miller (@growthexpertz) sits down with Hanyang Liu, CEO of Quotr.io. Hanyang has raised $5 million to solve one of the most painful, manual processes in real estate: cost estimation. By using vertical AI to automate "takeoffs" and connecting builders directly to global supply chains, Quotr isn't just saving time, it's fundamentally changing the math of real estate development. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The "Architect's Edge": Why deep industry knowledge is the ultimate "sexy story" for Silicon Valley investors. GEO Strategy: Why Andrew suggests focusing on "Unbranded" search terms to capture leads asking AI for help. The Trust Layer: Why "AI-powered service" is a better sales pitch than "AI Platform" for traditional industries. The Wikipedia Hack: A 15-year-old "secret" for building domain authority that still works for high-growth startups today. Featured Guest: Hanyang Liu Hanyang is the founder of Quotr.io and a Berkeley Skydeck alumnus. An architect by trade, he is now leading a technical team in San Francisco to disrupt the multi-trillion dollar construction estimation industry. Connect with Hanyang: LinkedIn Profile | X (Twitter) Learn more: quotr.io Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
  • Episode 44: Can "Quantum Dots" Solve the Global Food Crisis?

    Episode 44: Can "Quantum Dots" Solve the Global Food Crisis?
    Mar 13 2026
    What if you could change the color of sunlight to make plants grow 40% faster? Now you can! In this episode of The Funded, Now What?!, host Andrew Lee Miller (@growthexpertz) sits down with Hunter McDaniel, the CEO of UbiQD. Hunter is a scientist-turned-entrepreneur who has raised $35 million to commercialize quantum dots nanoparticles so small that the ratio of a dot to a golf ball is the same as a golf ball to the planet Earth. From powering the next generation of First Solar panels to glowing greenhouses in Morocco, UbiQD is proving that deep-tech doesn't have to be a hard sell if you have the right marketing wedge. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The "Ubiquitous" Vision: Why UbiQD pivoted away from the brutal display industry to dominate "frontier markets" like solar and ag-tech. Marketing Gold: How a peer-reviewed study with UC Davis showing a 40% increase in lettuce yield became their most powerful sales tool. The Payback Period: How UbiQD prices their light-shifting films to ensure a 6–12 month ROI for farmers. The @growthexpertz Playbook: Why Andrew suggests treating a platform technology as a "ground cover" brand while running niche "organism" brands for specific industries. Featured Guest: Hunter McDaniel Hunter is the founder of UbiQD and an expert in nanomaterials. His company has developed a safer, lower-cost version of quantum dots that is currently being deployed across millions of square feet of greenhouses and solar arrays worldwide. Connect with Hunter: LinkedIn Profile Learn more: ubiqd.com | ubigro.com About the Show Funded, Now What?! is the world’s only startup marketing podcast that interviews recently funded founders to uncover how they raised millions—and gives them tactical advice from @growthexpertz on how to spend it. Master your growth at: www.growthexpertz.com 00:00 Introduction to Quantum Dots and UbiQD 03:36 The Science: From Atoms to Golf Balls 05:31 Why "Ubiquity"? The Mission for Universal Tech 07:58 Surgical Marketing: Acquiring Global Clients 10:56 The UbiGro Case Studies: 40% Yield Improvements 14:35 The "Got Milk" Awareness Campaign for Quantum Dots 16:10 Pricing & ROI: The Economics of Light 21:55 The Platform Challenge: Accessing Diverse Audiences 25:06 Andrew’s Advice: Treating Niche Businesses as Separate Organisms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    53 mins
  • Episode 43 How Commander AI is Automating the $100B Waste Industry

    Episode 43 How Commander AI is Automating the $100B Waste Industry
    Mar 9 2026
    What if the secret to closing a massive B2B deal wasn't a complex digital funnel, but a simple text message and a "phantom" flight? In this episode of The Funded, Now What?!, host Andrew Lee Miller (@growthexpertz) sits down with David Berg, the founder of Commander AI. David is a former waste hauler who traded the driver's seat for the CEO's chair to solve a massive problem: one of the world’s last "pen and paper" industries is desperately looking for technology it doesn't even know exists. Fresh off a $5 million seed round, David reveals how he built a CRM that is winning head-to-head against Salesforce by keeping things "simple" for an old-school workforce. The "Reverse-Flight" Sales Hack: How David gets a 100% meeting rate with top-tier prospects by leveraging "relentless fortitude." Fundraising from Giants: The behind-the-scenes story of how David raised $5M after hundreds of "nos" and how a relationship with Adam Neumann shaped his mindset. Engineering as Marketing: Why Commander AI launched Hauler Central (a Yelp-style marketplace) to dominate SEO and capture inbound demand. The @growthexpertz "Anti-AI" Brand Hack: Why Andrew advises startups in old-school niches to avoid using ".ai" or ".io" domains to increase conversion. Google Maps Lead Generation: Andrew’s strategy for scraping 30,000+ locations to fuel hyper-targeted direct mail and AI-agent outreach. David is the CEO of Commander AI, a specialized intelligence layer for waste haulers. His platform helps haulers manage pipelines, invoicing, and quoting, generating over $34M in revenue for his customers to date. Connect with David: LinkedIn Profile Learn more: Commander.com | HaulerCentral.com Funded, Now What?! is the world’s only startup marketing podcast that interviews recently funded founders to uncover how they raised millions—and gives them tactical advice from @growthexpertz on how to spend it. Master your growth at: www.growthexpertz.com 🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Featured Guest: David Berg💡 About the Show 00:00 Introduction to Commander AI and Its Mission 03:08 The Fundraising Journey: Overcoming Challenges 06:05 Building Relationships with Investors 09:02 Current Traction and Product Development 12:00 Customer Acquisition Strategies and Marketing Insights 14:56 Leveraging LinkedIn for Growth 18:00 Future Directions and Closing Thoughts 19:15 Leveraging Ads for Effective Outreach 22:02 Hacking Google Maps for Business Intelligence 25:20 Simplifying Onboarding for Customer Success 30:01 Maximizing Conference Opportunities 35:08 Crafting Compelling PR Strategies 38:28 POD OUTRO.mp4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
  • Funded Now What?! Episode:42:Building a $41M Robotic Mobility Powerhouse with ATDev Founders Todd Roberts & Owen Kent

    Funded Now What?! Episode:42:Building a $41M Robotic Mobility Powerhouse with ATDev Founders Todd Roberts & Owen Kent
    Feb 18 2026
    “We didn’t just raise a seed round; we built a coalition.” In this episode of Funded, Now What?!, host Andrew Lee Miller (@growthexpertz) sits down with Todd Roberts and Owen Kent, the founders of ATDev. From Berkeley roommates to industry pioneers, Todd and Owen are revolutionizing physical therapy with Reflex-a smart, powered knee brace that brings clinical-grade recovery into the home. They recently secured $3 million in seed funding and a staggering $41 million federal contract to build a robotic mobility ecosystem. In this masterclass on hardware growth and government contracting, they break down exactly how they did it. In this episode, we discuss: The $41M Federal Win: The strategy behind winning a massive contract to build a robotic mobility ecosystem. Reflex & Physical AI: How ATDev is gamifying knee rehab to increase patient compliance and clinical outcomes. Raising for Hardware: The "shots on goal" approach to securing VC funding in a software-heavy market. The "Anti-AI" Outreach Hack: Andrew shares his tactical secret for getting 20% response rates in a world full of AI spam. Fractional Scaling: How founders can protect their time by layering fractional experts over junior talent. Connect with the Guests: 🔗 Website: https://assistivetech.dev/ 🤝 LinkedIn: Todd Roberts | Owen Kent Stop paying bloated full-time salaries for roles that don't need 40 hours a week. After three VC-backed exits, Andrew Lee Miller founded GrowthExpertz, the world’s leading Fractional Expert consultancy for early-stage startups. We help you scale marketing, sales, and operations using battle-tested experts at a fraction of the cost. Learn more at www.growthexpertz.com Ready to scale? 📩 Email: justin@growthexpertz.com 📅 Book a Strategy Call: https://calendly.com/growthexpertz/letschat?back=1&month=2023-06 Funded, Now What?! is the world’s only podcast that interviews recently funded founders to uncover how they raised millions-and provides them with the tactical marketing and growth advice they need to spend it wisely. About GrowthExpertzAbout the Show (00:00) Introduction to ATDev (02:46) The Reflex Product: Revolutionizing Rehab (05:47) The $41M Funding Journey (08:51) Distribution & Market Release Strategy (11:54) Hardware Fundraising & Investor Relations (14:55) The Future of Robotic Mobility (17:48) Marketing & PR for MedTech (23:50) Andrew's Cold Outreach Hack (26:56) Scaling with Fractional Experts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
  • Funded Now What?! Episode:41 : Building Your Business with AI: Woz's Revolutionary Approach

    Funded Now What?! Episode:41 : Building Your Business with AI: Woz's Revolutionary Approach
    Feb 10 2026
    Summary In this insightful episode of 'Funded. Now what?', host Andrew Lee Miller sits down with Ben Collins, CEO and Co-Founder of Woz, discussing the journey of raising $6 million to build a game-changing AI business builder. They delve into the challenges and learnings of fundraising, the vision behind Woz, and the future of AI in entrepreneurial ventures. Watch the full episode on YouTube YouTube Key Takeaways Understand the importance of a clear vision and strong team in successful fundraising. Learn how Woz is democratizing AI for entrepreneurs and business owners. Discover the potential of AI to transform the entrepreneurial landscape and create new opportunities. Recognize the value of persistence and finding the right investors who share your vision. Resources Woz Official Website withwoz.com Ben Collins LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/bentcollins/ About the Guest Ben Collins — CEO,Co-Founder, Woz Ben Collins – the guy’s a straight-up game changer in the AI world. So, he’s part of YC W25, which is already a big deal, right? But what really makes him stand out is his hustle and how he’s jumped into the deep end with AI startups that are actually crushing it. Before YC, he was involved with Woz – yeah, that’s the AI platform that’s all about making AI accessible for everyone, like a toolkit to build and scale your own AI stuff without needing a PhD. This isn’t some niche project; it’s about democratizing AI, giving regular folks and startups the power to create without the usual bullshit barriers. What’s wild is, he’s not just riding the AI wave – he’s building the damn thing. The buzz around him is clear from articles talking about how these AI startups broke into YC – that’s no small feat. It shows he’s got the skills, the vision, and the guts to jump into competitive spaces and make noise. Connect with Ben Website: https://withwoz.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bentcollins/ Twitter: https://x.com/BenjaminT007 Chapters: 0:00 - Funded. Foreign podcast features Andrew Lee Miller talking about growth and startups0:24 - Andrew Lee Miller interviews Ben Collins, founder and CEO of Woz. com1:11 - Woz is an AI business builder. Our whole goal is around removing barriers to business building1:56 - Our whole vision is around business quality software7:14 - You recently raised $6 million in seed funding for your AI startup9:08 - It was a little bit harder than people thought to raise money for AI startups10:55 - How did you get into YC? Was that goal of yours13:15 - So when you raised money, like where were you guys at client wise15:43 - What are you doing to get new customers now? Those net new customers specifically16:50 - You need to say you're the best. Obviously, the product needs to back that up18:02 - I'm curious about your strategy for testing AI prosumer products26:54 - You're an early stage startup. That means that you need a marketer28:39 - So LinkedIn marketing is a whole nother beast right now33:02 - Clutch is the help of agencies. Software development, marketing, any partner you would ever need37:07 - Using AI can help with driving inbound and outbound marketing41:38 - Don't let yourself be the bottleneck in marketing, Ben says Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Funded, Now What?! Episode 40 : How to Cut Corporate Travel Costs by 30% with Stephen Dooley (Roamr)

    Funded, Now What?! Episode 40 : How to Cut Corporate Travel Costs by 30% with Stephen Dooley (Roamr)
    Jan 29 2026
    Why pay $1,000 for a hotel when you can stay with a friend and get paid for it? In this episode of Funded, Now What?!, host Andrew Lee Miller sits down with Stephen Dooley, Founder & CEO of Roamr. Stephen shares how he raised $3M to disrupt the massive corporate travel industry by rewarding employees for staying within their personal networks. We discuss: Customer-Led Fundraising: How Stephen got potential users to lead his $3M round. The Roamr Model: Splitting savings between the company, the traveler, and the host. B2B Growth Hacks: Why a "bottoms-up" approach works better for enterprise travel than selling to the CFO. GEO vs. SEO: Andrew’s tactical advice on optimizing for AI search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity. The Return of In-Person: Why 2026 is the year business travel makes a major comeback. About Stephen Dooley: Stephen is a researcher-turned-founder who spent years studying the disruption of Uber and Airbnb before launching Roamr to bridge the gap between "work from anywhere" and "work from everywhere." Connect with us: Check out Roamr:⁠ roamr.com⁠ Work with Andrew:⁠ growthexpertz.com⁠ Follow Andrew:⁠ @andrewstartups⁠ Want in? 📩 marketing@growthexpertz.com 📅 Book a call:⁠ www.growthexpertz.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
  • Episode 39: How Menos AI is Transforming Hedge Fund Intelligence With Junchen Wu

    Episode 39: How Menos AI is Transforming Hedge Fund Intelligence With Junchen Wu
    Nov 5 2025
    In this episode of Funded, Now What?!, host Andrew Lee Miller sits down with Dr. Junchen Wu, Founder and CEO of MenosAI, an agentic AI platform revolutionizing how hedge funds and financial institutions make decisions. Menos AI brings intelligence, automation, and clarity to one of the most complex industries on earth, hedge fund investing. With deep experience in finance, data, and AI, Dr. Wu and his team are on a mission to simplify financial workflows, increase transparency, and turn information overload into precision insights that actually drive returns. In this conversation, Andrew and Dr. Wu dive into: ✅ The rise of agentic AI and its impact on hedge fund efficiency ✅ How AI can automate and enhance decision-making in finance ✅ The challenges of founder–market fit and fundraising in fintech ✅ Navigating compliance, data privacy, and institutional trust ✅ Tactical marketing and content strategies for B2B growth ✅ Why clarity beats complexity in both investing and messaging This episode is packed with practical insights for fintech founders, AI innovators, and anyone scaling a B2B company in a regulated, data-heavy space. Funded, Now What?! is the startup podcast that teaches you marketing. It’s the only show where recently funded founders get expert-level, no-fluff growth advice from 20-year startup marketing veteran Andrew Lee Miller. Each episode dives into how founders raised millions — and then delivers tactical, actionable strategies on how to spend it to scale smarter and faster. Whether you’re just starting or already scaling, Funded, Now What?! gives you the playbook for turning capital into traction. Listen now at: www.growthexpertz.com/podcast Andrew Lee Miller is a 3x-exited startup marketing expert, global growth consultant, and founder of GrowthExpertz — a leading fractional growth consultancy helping early-stage startups scale efficiently without bloated full-time costs. With two decades of experience, Andrew has helped over 100 startups achieve 8–9 figure valuations through growth strategy, GTM execution, and content-driven marketing. Learn more at: www.growthexpertz.com Menos AI is pioneering a new era of AI-driven investing. Their mission is to simplify complex financial systems, turning data noise into actionable intelligence for hedge funds and asset managers. Built by a veteran team of PhDs, financial experts, and AI innovators, Menos AI believes that less complexity leads to more impact. Discover more at: www.menos.ai Learn more about how Andrew helps startups scale at www.andrewstartups.com Grab Andrew's book: www.startupgrowthbook.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    56 mins