Episodes
#480 The Dangerous Gap: Why Startups Fail After MVP – Insights from A…
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet , we’re joined by Ali Hafizji, founder of the product development agency Wednesday , for a candid look into one of the most overlooked phases in startup growth: the dangerous gap be...
#479 Rewriting the Music Playbook: Jeremy Sirota on Innovation, AI, a…
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet , we dive into the transformation of the global music industry with Jeremy Sirota , CEO of Merlin , the world’s leading digital licensing partner for independent music labels. Jerem...
#478 100x Outcomes, Not 10x Hype: AI Execution Strategies with Matt L…
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet , we dive deep into what it really takes to implement AI that works —not just experiments, but systems that scale. Joining us is Matt Leta , founder & CEO of Future Works, an AI-nat...
#477 The Singularity of Hope: Sam Sammane on Amplifying Humanity with…
In this thought-provoking episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet , we welcome Sam Sammane , physicist, serial entrepreneur, and author of The Singularity of Hope . With a background in nanotechnology, life sciences, and AI, Sam ...
#476 Stop Pitching Tech, Start Selling Outcomes: Josh Dorfman’s Advic…
In this episode, Mehmet is joined by Josh Dorfman , CEO of Supercool and host of the Supercool podcast. Josh is a serial sustainability entrepreneur, former investor, and media trailblazer with two decades of experience scali...
#475 Focus, Grit, and Product-Market Fit: Lessons from Anya Cheng’s S…
In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Anya Cheng , the founder and CEO of Taelor , a fashion-tech startup revolutionizing how busy men dress—without shopping or doing laundry. With past leadership roles at Meta, eBay, and Mc...
#474 Execution Over Ideas: Andy Cwik on Building and Scaling
Episode Overview In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet , Andy Cwik—co-founder and CEO of Hubub—shares his lessons from three startups, including the painful failures and meaningful wins. From crashing his first startup ...
#473 AI Won’t Replace Jobs, It Will Replace Companies — Anthony Franc…
In this episode of The CTO Show , serial entrepreneur and podcast host Anthony Franco joins Mehmet to unpack how AI is fundamentally reshaping how businesses operate—beyond the hype. With six exits under his belt and decades ...
#472 Reinventing Cooling: Faizan Ahmed’s Solid-State Revolution
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet , we dive into the world of deep tech and hardware innovation with Faizan Ahmed , founder and CEO of Invensify . From solving his father’s insulin storage problem to building a pate...
#471 The Future Needs Soul: Mona Bavar on Human-Centered AI and Brand…
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet , we dive into the intersection of technology, creativity, and brand authenticity with Mona Bavar — founder of DLISH and BlueApples.ai . From a childhood shaped by cultural resilien...
#470 Solving Your Own Problem at Scale: Rahul Swaminathan’s Journey w…
What happens when a developer in Dubai decides to solve his own problem—and ends up building a 300M SKU e-commerce engine? In this episode, I speak with Rahul Swaminathan , the founder of Desertcart , one of the region’s most...
#469 From SDRs to AI Agents: Frank Sondors on Redefining Outbound Sal…
In this episode, I sit down with Frank Sondors , founder of Salesforge , to explore how AI is reshaping outbound sales, why traditional sales hiring models are broken, and how modular tools are empowering leaner, more efficie...
#468 Scaling Smarter: Tyler Dunagin on Building 7-Figure Service Busi…
In this episode, Mehmet is joined by Tyler Dunagin, Founder & CEO of Turnserv, a platform powering multiple tech-enabled service brands in the multifamily housing sector. Tyler has scaled five brands to 7-figure revenue, secu...
#467 From Engineer to Entrepreneur: Tom Basey on Reinventing Career P…
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet , we sit down with Tom Basey , a former engineer and project manager turned entrepreneur, to unpack what it really takes to pivot from corporate life to a lean, scalable business in...
#466 What Founders Miss Most: Moataz Mukhaimer on Strategy, Pricing, …
In this episode, Mehmet sits down with strategy and finance advisor Moataz Mukhaimer , joining from Jordan, to unpack the most overlooked blind spots in early-stage startups. From pricing pitfalls to financial illiteracy, Moa...
#465 Building Startups That Outlive You: Steve Endacott on AI, Legacy…
In this bold and thought-provoking episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet , UK-based serial entrepreneur and investor Steve Endacott joins the show to discuss the intersection of AI, entrepreneurship, and legacy . From backing d...
#464 The Resume is Dead: Garrett Rice & Philippe Cailloux on Reinvent…
In this episode, I’m joined by two tech veterans, Garrett Rice (former Apple) and Philippe Cailloux (former Head of Product Design at Adobe), co-founders of Callings.ai —a platform that’s rethinking how we search for jobs in ...
#463 From Corporate to Startup: How DXwand is Driving AI-Powered Busi…
In this inspiring episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet , I sit down with Ahmed Mahmoud (Founder & CEO) and Ahmed Elshahawy (CTO) of DXwand , a MENA-born AI startup reshaping how businesses unlock growth with generative AI, kno...
#462 Framed by the Algorithm: Tim O’Hearn on the Dark Psychology of S…
What happens when the very platforms meant to connect us instead manipulate us? In this eye-opening conversation, Tim O’Hearn — former black-hat growth engineer, bestselling author of Framed: A Villain’s Perspective on Social...
#461 Investing in the Future of Healthcare: Cameron Sabet on AI, Spac…
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet , we dive into the unique intersection of venture capital, healthcare innovation, and frontier tech with Cameron Sabet , a Georgetown medical student and Principal at Multifaceted C...
#460 Radical Reconnection: Sam Rad on Thriving in a Post-Human World
In this deeply reflective episode, Mehmet welcomes futurist, bestselling author, and technologist Sam Rad to explore how we navigate—and thrive—in a world reshaped by exponential tech. From AI and quantum computing to deepfak...
#459 Hiring Like a Poker Pro: Joel Quintela’s POKER Framework for Bet…
In this thought-provoking episode, Mehmet sits down with Joel Quintela , a business psychologist and former computer systems engineer, to break down the biggest hiring blind spots—and how to fix them. Joel shares how psycholo...
#458 Lucas Lovell on SaaS Growth, Global Payments, and the Future of …
🔍 Episode Overview In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Lucas Lovell , VP of Product at Paddle , to unpack the powerful yet often overlooked role of payments in SaaS growth. From navigating tax compliance and pricing locali...
#457 Why Founder-Led Growth Isn’t Optional: Jess Schultz on Early-Sta…
In this high-impact episode, Mehmet sits down with Jess Schultz , a fractional CRO/CMO and angel investor, to unpack what truly drives early-stage startup success. From the importance of founder-led sales to building a go-to-...