In this episode of the Wave Podcast, Tampa Bay Wave CEO Linda Olson talks with Max Echeverria, the CEO and founder of startup company Eskuad. He shares his entrepreneurial journey and the lessons he has learned along the way. Max started coding at the age of 10 and later pursued a master's degree in industrial engineering. He developed the idea for Eskuad while working at a tourism agency, where he struggled with collecting and reporting data from field workers. Eskuad is a platform that enables field workers to create reports and collect data digitally, eliminating the need for pen and paper. The target customers for Eskuad are companies in legacy industries such as mining, forestry, and maritime services.

Max discusses how Eskuad entered the US market through Tampa Bay Wave's tech diversity accelerator program in 2020 and later participated in Techstars in 2021. The company has raised $1.8 million to date. Max also shares his experience being honored at Wave's inaugural Hall of Fame event and the value of being part of an accelerator program like Tampa Bay Wave. He mentions that being accepted into the program was a milestone for Eskuad and provided a seal of approval for potential investors. Max emphasizes the importance of mentorship and how it has helped him understand the US market and build his company with a larger vision in mind. He credits Cliff Emmons, a CEO and mentor, for guiding him and helping him raise awareness of the company and improve operations.

Overall, the podcast episode highlights Max's entrepreneurial journey, the challenges he faced, and the support he received through accelerator programs like Tampa Bay Wave. It showcases the growth and success of Eskuad as a platform serving field workers in various industries.

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Tampa Bay Wave CEO and podcast host Linda Olson sits down with Dr. Andy Hafer, Executive Director of the USF Muma College of Business Center for Entrepreneurship. He is also an early ecosystem builder for Tampa Bay through his own entrepreneurial journey and support of local ESOs. He and his wife and kids run the Hafer Family Foundation.

Linda and Dr. Hafer discuss various aspects of entrepreneurship and their personal experiences. Dr. Hafer goes as far as saying that entrepreneurship is almost like a "DNA defect" that drives individuals to solve problems and have a strong determination to succeed.

Together, they talk about their history and their own entrepreneurial ventures. The conversation also touches on the importance of community and networking in entrepreneurship.

Listen in as they also discuss the birth of Synapse, an organization aimed at bringing together the elements of a strong innovation community and promoting entrepreneurship. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the rise of Tampa Bay's tech ecosystem and the factors contributing to its recent recognition, including the impact of Synapse and the appeal of entrepreneurship during uncertain times like the pandemic.

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The podcast episode features Linda Olson, the founder and CEO of Tampa Bay Wave, interviewing Paul Harris and Steve Kyler from DCE Productions. DCE Productions is a full-service production company specializing in corporate events. The episode discusses the history of DCE, its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and its involvement in the Tampa Bay innovation community.

Paul Harris explains that DCE was started about 10 years ago in Tampa with the aim of providing better audiovisual production and in-house experiences for corporate events. The idea for DCE came about when a friend had a bad experience with audiovisual services at an event in Seattle. Inspired by this, Paul and his team decided to start their own production company.

During the first few years, DCE faced challenges but managed to grow through word-of-mouth referrals. They served nearly 900 unique customers and organized around 3,200 events in their first 10 years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on their business. With the event industry coming to a halt, DCE had to adapt quickly. They shifted to virtual events and leveraged their experience in remote town halls to offer virtual meeting solutions. In 2020, they organized around 400 virtual events, and in 2021, they did nearly 375 virtual events. This transition to virtual events allowed them to form new partnerships and expand their reach beyond Tampa Bay.

The podcast also highlights DCE's involvement in the Tampa Bay innovation community. They were one of the founding partners of the Synapse Summit, a major event in the region. DCE has been supportive of various projects, including building a podcast studio for Tampa Bay Wave. They also collaborated with the USF Muma College of Business to develop a certificate program called "Post Crisis Leadership" during the pandemic. The program received overwhelming response and required DCE to create a virtual production stage in their warehouse to accommodate the participants.

Overall, the podcast episode showcases DCE Productions' journey from its inception to navigating the challenges posed by the pandemic. It highlights their commitment to innovation and their active role in the Tampa Bay community.

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