You’d think that anyone working in the volatile crypto market would be constantly on edge. But judging by his cool demeanor, Edward Woodford, co-founder and CEO of Seed CX, is a man at the edge of his industry but not his nerves. At a time when cryptocurrency is rising in popularity, while also coming under…
There’s a lot of hype in tech. But despite what press releases and TED Talks like to tell us, most tech companies will not disrupt the industry — much less the world — into an unrecognizable new form. Dan Novaes, on the other hand, might be the guy who actually changes everything. Dan’s company Current…
If there’s one thing that drives tech workers completely nuts, it’s those awful, automated recruitment emails. You know the type: a generic opener with your name inserted in a different font, for a job you’re not looking for, in a field that might not even be relevant to you. So many of these recruiting emails…
John Chambers knows how to kick off an interview. “How can we make this the best interview you do this year?” he asks. That kind of inquisitive, progressive push forward is why John is a legend. John has been innovating tech since the ‘80s. He spent 25-plus years serving as the CEO,…
Chicago wasn’t built in a day, as the saying nearly goes, reminding us that everything worth doing takes time, patience and unwavering hard work. Stuart Frankel learned that lesson over nearly a decade of experience. In the nine years since he co-founded Narrative Science — which creates software that translates headache-inducing data into useful information…
Craft whiskey used to be the exclusive domain of snobs. That was the perception, at least. Think of a person who nerds out on craft whiskey and you might fall asleep at the very thought of a lecture on tasting notes and aging processes. But that’s not Dannie Strable, co-founder of RackHouse Whiskey, a subscription…
Utter the name “Malnati” and every Chicagoan in earshot will immediately sit up a little taller. And Will Malnati is, indeed, from that Malnati family. His great-grandfather Adolpho ‘Rudy’ Malnati, Sr. was a deep dish pioneer at Pizzeria Uno, and his grandfather Lou opened his eponymous restaurant in 1971 — the first in a chain…
When Dana Todd decided to do a major wardrobe update, she had no idea she was about to hit on the idea for her next business. Dismayed with the availability of fashionable options for women who don’t fall into the very young or very thin categories, Dana saw an opportunity to offer custom-made clothing…
Spotivity founder Montana Butsch is what Malcolm Gladwell would call a “connector” –– someone who’s a natural hub between people of different worlds and affects change by bringing his network together. Chicago-born Montana calls himself a “chameleon,” because he has been blending in for most of his life. He grew up in a loft…
White Sox fans have an especially close connection to Guaranteed Rate — the company that purchased the naming rights to the team’s stadium in 2016. The company’s founder, Victor Ciardelli, is happy to keep it that way. Victor grew up in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook. Back then, classmates wouldn’t have predicted Victor would…