Ben Laifsky interviews Sean Gigremosa, CEO of Claritiv, about how Claritiv helps trade show and conference exhibitors capture conversation context at scale. Sean explains the pivot from a product-management tool to a white-glove, hardware-plus-platform solution that records booth conversations, extracts intent and pain points, and produces prioritized, personalized follow-ups and performance insights. They also cover Claritiv’s multi-model AI architecture, Sean’s background and move to Las Vegas during COVID, the company’s branding journey, and the realities of fundraising and defining an MVP.

Topics Covered

• Claritiv solves a trade show exhibitor pain: lots of conversations, but little usable context for follow-up beyond business cards.
• The product includes a lanyard-style capture device that auto-records conversations in noisy environments, plus a platform that analyzes them.
• Claritiv delivers white-glove onsite operations (device handling, uploads) and daily/end-of-show reporting.
• Outputs include prospect summaries, questions/pain points, sentiment/engagement signals, and prioritized follow-up guidance.
• Claritiv can evaluate exhibitor staff performance and recommend improvements to increase ROI from shows.
• The tech stack is modular (LLMs/NLP + sentiment/tonality + theme detection + aggregation/synthesis) and designed to stay model-agnostic.
• Sean describes “extreme hospitality” as a differentiator versus app-only tools.
• Fundraising/valuation at early stage is framed as uncertain; Sean emphasizes traction via signed contracts and seeking investor-partners, not just capital.

Key Quotes

• “The main problem that they have is context from conversations.”
• “At the end of the day I get like a stack of business cards with little to no context.”
• “As long as you’re good at talking… and asking the right questions… everything else is handled by the platform.”
• “The important thing for us… is that aggregation… that synthesis.”
• “Extreme hospitality… you go not just above and beyond, but you go even past that.”
• “The best feedback is real feedback… regardless if it’s perfect or not.”

Ben sits down with longtime Las Vegas mortgage professional David Yurkovchak to talk about his 20+ year journey in the industry, his passion for financial literacy, the realities of qualifying for a home in a unique market like Las Vegas, and how the city itself has evolved from a transient casino town into a true community and sports hub.

Highlighted Topics

• David’s background in mortgages and 20+ years of industry experience
• Truth-first approach and setting realistic expectations with clients
• How buyers misunderstand income, credit, and affordability
• Unique financial and employment landscape in Las Vegas
• David’s early life, work ethic, and quirky first jobs
• Transition from broadcast journalism aspirations to mortgage banking
• The importance of financial literacy and credit education
• Problems with online mortgage misinformation
• Market cycles, interest rates, and why 2008–style crashes are unlikely
• Buyer psychology, competition, and emotional home shopping
• David’s partnerships with CPAs, estate planners, and credit coaches
• Community involvement, networking groups, and nonprofits in Las Vegas
• Personal recommendations for food, views, and Las Vegas life

Welcome to Connect Vegas, the podcast that interviews the leaders and creators who build our community—the people who make Las Vegas into the best place to live, work, and visit.

I’m your host, Ben Laifsky, and in this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with my friend Gina Yager, CEO and founder of GYC Vegas. Gina is one of the most respected PR professionals in town, with over 25 years of experience helping businesses, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs tell their stories and gain visibility.

In our conversation, Gina shares insights into the art of public relations, her personal journey from Southern California to building a successful agency in Las Vegas, and how she continues to give back to the community through nonprofits and mentorship.

Key Comments from the Conversation

• Gina describes her agency’s ideal clients: innovative businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits of all sizes.
• She explains the value of PR in today’s fast-moving world, helping brands control narratives, build trust, and stay relevant.
• She shares her personal background, from wanting to be a fashion designer as a child to unexpectedly finding her path in PR.
• Gina recounts the challenge and fear of starting her own firm, and how networking through the Chamber of Commerce gave her early momentum.
• She highlights misunderstandings about PR—many think it’s just parties, red carpets, or press releases—while in reality it’s a strategic and creative process.
• Gina emphasizes the importance of integrated marketing, noting that PR works best alongside advertising, social media, and other efforts.
• She talks about Vegas as a community, how it feels like a small town where connections are vital and everyone is willing to help.

Notable Quotes

• “Every business has a compelling story to tell, but they often struggle to effectively communicate it. That’s where PR becomes invaluable.”
• “Perception can shift in an instant. PR helps you control that narrative, stay relevant, and build trust.”
• “I always say we just love telling really cool stories.”
• “I was terrified when I started my own agency. But walking into that Chamber expo gave me my first client—and they’re still with me today.”
• “People trust what others say about you more than what you say about yourself. PR helps you earn that trust.”
• “If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on PR.” – quoting Bill Gates
• “Vegas is still a small town. Everyone is one degree away from knowing the right person to connect you with.”