In this episode of Business Owner Tell All: What It Takes host Jamie Seeker sits down with Dr. Connor Glass, Founder & CEO of Phantom Neuro, based in Austin, Texas. Connor shares his journey from aspiring military officer to medical researcher to startup founder, ultimately creating a neurotechnology company that’s revolutionizing how prosthetics connect with the human body.

With Phantom Neuro’s recent $19 million Series A raise, Connor opens up about the strategies, pivots, and process decisions behind building a company at the cutting edge of science. From learning to “translate science into business” to choosing the right partners and investors, Connor tells all about what it really takes to survive and thrive in deep tech entrepreneurship.

• The Origin Story: From ROTC to Johns Hopkins research to founding Phantom Neuro.
• From Lab to Market: The difference between academic “proof of concept” and a real business model.
• Process vs. Passion: How Connor balances chaotic startup life with regulatory demands.
• Building the Right Circle: The role of family, friends, and strategic advisors in shaping his path.
• Fundraising & Strategy: Lessons from raising nearly $30M in venture capital.
• Partnerships & Credibility: Why aligning with organizations like Ottobock and Johns Hopkins was crucial.
• Process Management: How Phantom Neuro thrives in the chaos by prioritizing people and adaptability.
• The Founder Mindset: Why survival and relentless belief are the essence of entrepreneurship.

• “What we were really seeing in those flashy YouTube videos was proof of concept, not commercial reality. Creating a product takes an entirely different mindset.”
• “So much amazing innovation just sits on the shelf in academia because nobody takes the risk to commercialize it.”
• “At the end of the day, it’s just sheer grit, trial and error, and waiting for something good to happen—getting a whole lot of no’s before you get a single yes.”
• “Neurotech is hard to explain—you can’t just give someone a slice of bread like my brother did with his startup.”
• “You are who you surround yourself with. I’ve abided by that fully in building this company.”
• “Wherever there’s red tape and process, I try to optimize it to keep the company alive while still pushing forward.”
• “What it takes is a relentless belief in what you’re doing—a desire to rather die than not succeed.”
• “There’s no playbook. It’s about staying alive long enough for something good to happen.”
• “In order to survive, you have to sprint faster toward death.” (quote from his rocket-founder friend that Connor lives by)

• Transitioning from research to entrepreneurship requires shifting mindset from academic validation to scalable business.
• Early processes should focus less on rigid operations and more on surrounding yourself with aligned people.
• In highly regulated industries, strategy means navigating process without being crushed by it—relationships matter as much as rules.
• Success in startups often comes down to grit, resilience, and embracing chaos rather than perfect plans.
• Investors and partners buy into the vision and founder as much as the product.

In this episode, Jamie Seeker talks with Dr. Damodar “Damo” Sahu, a global tech leader and philanthropist who’s turning AI into a force for good. Based in Northville, Michigan, Data Safeguard Inc. is an AI-powered data privacy and synthetic fraud prevention company helping enterprises protect digital identities before cybercriminals can exploit them.

Dr. Sahu shares his journey — from growing up in a small town in Odisha, India, to leading digital transformation at Wipro, to co-founding a company built on responsible and ethical AI. He explains why privacy is the first line of defense, how process management fuels rapid innovation, and why partnerships are key to long-term growth.

The conversation covers the staggering global cost of cybercrime, the danger of synthetic fraud, and the mindset it takes to run a business that’s driven by both mission and impact. Along the way, Dr. Sahu drops wisdom on aligning your “why” before your “what,” treating every stakeholder as a partner, and leading with purpose.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Purpose to Privacy: Dr. Sahu’s personal and professional journey into AI-driven data protection.
• The founding of Data Safeguard and the vision for AI with a conscience.
• Why privacy matters more than ever in preventing fraud and protecting identities.
• The role of process management and strategy in scaling innovation in a fast-moving tech space.
• How privacy can shift from a “checkbox” to a business enabler that builds trust.
• The importance of aligning diverse teams and partners around a mission.
• The partner ecosystem approach — why building with intent matters more than selling quickly.
• The staggering financial cost of cybercrime and the silent threat of synthetic fraud.
• Future goals: scaling to a $1B valuation, advancing fraud prevention tools, and establishing a global center for ethical AI.
• Signature Question: What it really takes to be a business owner.

Resources & Links:

• Website: www.datasafeguard.ai
• LinkedIn: Dr. Damodar Sahu
• Instagram: @dr.damodarsahu (dance videos included!)

"Privacy is the first line of defense. Security comes later."

"From purpose to privacy — that’s my journey. And I want privacy to be a global mission, not just a product feature."

"The moment you look at everyone — investors, customers, colleagues — as a partner, the game changes."

"We want enterprises to see privacy not as a cost, but as an enabler for growth."

"Why before what — that’s how you align people to a mission that matters."

"Even if a breach happens, our goal is to make that data useless to the fraudster."

"Building with intent is more important than chasing ambition."

In this episode of Business Owners Tell All: What It Takes, Jamie Seeker speaks with Seth Kamens, founder of Kamens & Associates, a full-service accounting and consulting firm based in Livingston, NJ, just 30 minutes outside New York City.

Seth’s career path wasn’t straightforward—after stints in Washington, D.C., recovering from a serious illness, and working at powerhouse firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Deloitte, and Cohn, he realized he hated working for others in environments that didn’t value people. In 2012, he launched Kamens & Associates with just six clients, a partner, and a small office. Today, the firm serves clients worldwide, from billionaires to solopreneurs.

In this candid conversation, Seth shares why CPAs should be more than tax preparers—they should be proactive strategic partners. He unpacks why regular check-ins, process simplification, and realistic growth planning are essential for entrepreneurs who want to avoid costly mistakes and scale successfully. He also highlights the emotional and professional support business owners need to thrive.

• Proactive > Reactive – Meeting with your CPA twice a year can save you from costly missteps in taxes, entity structure, and cash flow.
• Relationships Over Transactions – People remember responsiveness and respect, not page 120 of a tax return.
• Process Simplification Matters – Basic systems (QuickBooks, separate accounts, monthly check-ins) prevent financial chaos.
• Growth Requires Strategy – The bigger the goal, the more you need back-office and advisory support.
• Emotional Support is Critical – Confidence from partners, family, and peers can carry you through the hardest early years.

1. "No one’s going to know what’s on page 120 of a tax return. They’re going to know if you call them back."
2. "I’m not going to bill you for a 5-minute phone call—it just creates a negative connotation."
3. "If you want to go from $100K to $500K in three years, you’re going to need help."
4. "The idea is not to be perfect—it’s to get you in the ballpark."
5. "I see myself as an entrepreneur who happens to be a CPA."
6. "You need three or four people you intuitively trust, who will tell you no."
7. "You need guts, emotional support, and a basic business background to succeed."

• Seth’s unconventional path into accounting, including his illness and early challenges.
• The Facebook and LinkedIn outreach campaign that landed his first six clients.
• Why he targets underserved solopreneurs and startups.
• The cautionary tale of a client who jumped from $125K to $400K without proper tax planning—and ended up $60K in the hole.
• The importance of having trusted advisors outside your industry who can push back.
• Why incremental growth and controlled expansion have been keys to his firm’s success.