5 Companies Started in 2014
Learn from founders and CEOs who launched their businesses in 2014

Kate O’Neill
Founder & CEO, KO Insights
In this interview, Kate O’Neill discusses how organizations can navigate rapid technological change through curiosity, ethical leadership, and human-centered decision-making. She explains why successful innovation requires balancing technological advancement with human needs, culture, and long-term value creation. O’Neill also shares insights on responsible AI adoption, strategic adaptability, and how leaders can build future-ready organizations that create positive outcomes for both businesses and society.

Garrett Lord
Co-founder & CEO, Handshake
In this interview, Garrett Lord discusses the journey of building Handshake into a leading career network serving millions of students and employers. He shares lessons on resilience, hiring exceptional talent, and evolving as a leader while scaling a fast-growing organization. Lord also explains why strong culture, high performance standards, and long-term conviction are critical for building enduring companies, particularly in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

Eric Siu
Founder & CEO, Leveling Up
In this interview, Eric Siu discusses how he transformed a struggling SEO agency into Leveling Up, a multi-million-dollar marketing, media, and education company. He shares lessons on focus, calculated risk-taking, and building high-performing teams while navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. Siu also explains how content, long-term thinking, and continuous learning have fueled growth across his businesses, investments, and media platforms.

Sam Stoffel
Founder & CEO
In this interview, Sam Stoffel discusses building and exiting a multi-million-pound subscription business before launching Subspot, a SaaS platform for subscription commerce. He shares insights on maintaining ethical business practices, navigating legal and competitive challenges, and building companies with strong unit economics. The conversation highlights focus, resilience, customer value, and the importance of sustainable growth, cash discipline, and long-term thinking in entrepreneurship.

Morgan DeBaun
Founder
Morgan DeBaun shares how she built Blavity from a newsletter created in response to the Ferguson protests into a multi-brand media and events company. She discusses entrepreneurship, acquisitions, fundraising, AfroTech's growth, building ecosystems instead of products, and why environment shapes ambition more than talent.