Conscious Tech with Sera Tajima

• Your Startup Needs a Growth Systems Architect: Sean Ellis on Dropbox, Eventbrite & Unicorn Growth

  Sean Ellis is the OG growth hacker who built growth engines for Dropbox, Eventbrite, LogMeIn, and two other unicorns—shares the frameworks climate tech founders actually need to scale sustainably. Learn the one question that predicts product-market fit (his famous 40% rule), why 80% organic growth beats paid acquisition, how to architect your initial growth engine in 6 months, and the critical mistake that kills startups: scaling before PMF. Perfect for climate tech founders, VCs, and operators who want actionable growth strategies and pattern recognition from someone who's taken five companies from zero to billion-dollar valuations.Connect with Sean: seanellis.me | seanellis.substack.comWork with Sera: Founders seeking PMF, growth strategy, and fundraising guidance — conscioustechventures.comResourcesChapters 📖[00:00:00] Meet the OG Growth Hacker[00:00:15] From Budapest to 5 Unicorns: The Unconventional Path[00:16:00] Why "Growth Hacking" Became a Movement[00:26:48] Product-Market Fit: The 40% Rule[00:26:48] The Lookout Story: 7% to 60% in 6 Months[00:13:07] Freemium Strategy: The $4.3B LogMeIn Playbook[00:38:20] How Dropbox Hit $1B Faster Than Any SaaS[00:30:40] Growth Systems vs. Growth Hacks[00:44:34] North Star Metrics: Avoiding Vanity Data[00:54:44] When to Scale (And When to Wait)[00:57:41] AI for Early-Stage Growth Teams[01:01:21] Chemistry with Founders & Conscious BuildingBecome a sponsor: [email protected]

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• Trading Stocks Creates Zero Impact | Carbon Equity Democratizes Climate Tech Private Equity

  Jacquelyn van den Ende and Liza Rubenstein reveal how they're providing never before seen access to exclusive private markets for climate investing. The Carbon Equity co-founders expose why trading ESG stocks creates zero real-world impact, how they overcame two years of European regulatory battles, and why 80% of new electricity is now solar purely on economics. From €100K minimums down to €20K access, discover the fund-of-funds strategy redirecting billions toward geothermal breakthroughs, EV manufacturing, and grid infrastructure—plus what Trump's policies actually mean for climate tech's unstoppable transition.⁠Connect for more good energy ⚡️⁠https://www.seratajima.com/linksChapters 📖[00:00:00] Introduction and Climate Urgency[00:02:07] Meet the Co-founders: Backgrounds and Motivations[00:03:25] The Climate Awakening: From "An Inconvenient Truth" to "The Sixth Extinction"[00:05:08] The Power of Capital: Money as the Ultimate Allocator[00:06:21] Private Markets vs Public Markets: Where Real Impact Happens[00:07:04] Democratizing Access: Breaking Down Barriers to Climate Investing[00:09:23] Building Carbon Equity: Regulatory Hurdles and the Tesla Model Approach[00:11:26] Europe vs US: Climate Awareness and Policy Differences[00:14:30] Trump Administration Impact on Climate Investment Strategy[00:16:44] The Economics of Renewables: Why the Transition is Inevitable[00:21:50] Due Diligence and Fund Selection Process[00:24:37] Investment Strategies: Technology vs Infrastructure Funds[00:27:58] Portfolio Management and Impact Methodology[00:30:57] Promising Technologies: Geothermal, EVs, and Battery Innovation[00:33:42] Red Flags and Investment Timelines in Climate Tech[00:35:49] Carbon Equity's Future: Expanding Asset Classes and Global Reach[00:37:02] Accessing Carbon Equity: Current Markets and US Expansion PlansBecome a sponsor: [email protected]

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• The Copper Shortage is Keeping This DeepTech CEO Awake at Night

  Liz Dennett, CEO of Endolith and Alaska native, reveals the hidden copper crisis threatening our digital future. Learn how biotech and microbes could solve mining's biggest challenge, why copper demand will double by 2050, and what 50% tariffs mean for tech infrastructure. From astrobiology PhD to mining innovator, discover the untold story behind every data center and electric vehicle.Connect for more good energy ⚡️https://www.seratajima.com/linksChapters 📖[00:00:00] Introduction and D-O-G-S[00:01:32] Sera's Shaolin Training Camp Experience in Germany[00:05:25] Weightlifting and Movement Practices[00:06:14] Leadership Principles and AWS Background[00:09:36] The Hidden Copper Crisis Explained[00:12:30] What Everyone Gets Wrong About Mining[00:15:05] Endless: Using Microbes for Sustainable Mining[00:18:38] Cloud-Native Mining Technology[00:19:06] Mining Ethics and Local vs Global Operations[00:24:30] Finding Your Voice as a Female CEO[00:29:58] Building Support Systems for Founders[00:33:53] Product-Market Fit in Deep Tech vs SaaS[00:38:12] Working with Mining Giants: BHP and Rio Tinto[00:41:31] Series A Fundraising Challenges[00:45:57] Macro Forces: Tariffs and Political Impact[00:49:15] North Star and Company Values[00:50:21] Lightning Round: Books, Advice, and SuccessSera TajimaFounder, Advisor & Deep Tech Investor 🤙I talk about: → Deep Tech Intel → Conscious Founders→ Investing in Climate→ Sustainable Business Blueprints

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• From $20 Billion Acquisition Death to Figma IPO: How Design Systems Can Transform Your Product Team

  After Figma's dramatic journey from a failed $20 billion acquisition to a successful IPO, the design world is buzzing. In this essential episode, renowned design systems expert Dan Mall breaks down everything product designers need to know about building scalable design systems in the Figma era. 🎯 What You'll Learn:Why most design systems fail (and how to build ones that actually get used)Dan's "pilot approach" to design systems that saves companies millionsHow to get stakeholder buy-in without building everything firstWhy Figma's success doesn't solve the designer-developer handoff problemThe future of design democratization and what it means for your careerDan Mall shares hard-won insights from 25+ years in design, including his journey from agency owner to design systems authority. He reveals why design systems should focus on "common" components rather than "foundational" ones, and how to avoid building a "design system ghost town."Connect for more good energy ⚡️https://www.seratajima.com/linksChapters 📖[00:00:00] Introduction & Figma IPO Context[00:01:22] Meet Dan Mall: From Agency Owner to Design Systems Expert[00:02:26] Origin Story: From 3D Animation Dreams to Design Reality[00:04:38] The Life-Changing Decision: Starting Super Friendly Agency[00:07:46] Work-Life Balance: The 40-Hour Agency Owner[00:09:11] The Design Systems Journey Begins[00:10:54] Design Systems Fundamentals: Beyond UI Kits[00:14:23] Getting Buy-In: The Wrong Way vs. The Right Way[00:16:53] The "Pilot Approach": Focus on Common, Not Core[00:19:33] Designers Must Learn Business Language[00:21:34] Seeing Impact: Why Designers Need User Contact[00:23:50] Agency Work vs. Tech Bubble Reality[00:24:23] Navigating Politics: Simple Frameworks for Complex Problems[00:27:07] The Staff Augmentation Trap[00:29:08] Steve Jobs vs. User-Driven Design[00:30:04] Scale Challenges: When Design Systems Get Smaller[00:33:22] Templates vs. Components: What Users Actually Want[00:36:15] Starting with Business Context, Not Audits[00:39:04] Handling Component Requests: The Three-Team Rule[00:42:12] The Collection Philosophy[00:44:14] Figma Reality Check: The Parity Problem[00:46:18] Tokens and Variables Explained[00:47:13] The Figma Incentive Misalignment[00:49:32] Getting Started: User-Centric Design Systems[00:52:22] Public Design Systems: Portfolio and Recruiting Tool[00:54:03] Future Predictions: Democratizing Design[00:56:04] Collaboration Over Gatekeeping[00:56:40] Wrap-up and ResourcesWhere to find Dan Mall 🔎Design Systems: ⁠https://designsystem.university/⁠LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmall/⁠Twitter / X: ⁠https://twitter.com/danmall⁠Website: ⁠https://danmall.com/⁠___________________________________________________________I'm Sera Tajima, Startup Advisor & Climate Tech Investor. 🤙I talk about: → Tech → Climate→ Consciousness→ Tea

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• How Microsoft's Design Manager Built Green Design Principles That Influenced Big Tech's Sustainability Strategy

  In this episode, Microsoft Design Manager Sandra Pallier reveals how she created the Green Design Principles that influenced sustainability strategies across Big Tech. From starting with a simple PowerPoint template hackathon to building a 11,000-person grassroots community at Climate Action Tech, Sandra shares insider insights on embedding climate consciousness in product design at scale. Discover why Microsoft's emissions grew 29% since 2020 despite net-zero commitments, how the AI race is driven by capitalism over societal need, and why sustainability often works as a "Trojan horse" in product development. Sandra breaks down the "Think Bigger Before You Start" and "Build Better by Default" frameworks, explains why making products more sustainable actually improves user experience, and discusses the changing landscape of tech worker activism. Perfect for founders, product designers, and anyone interested in sustainable technology, climate tech, and the intersection of design and environmental impact. Learn practical strategies for getting stakeholder buy-in on sustainability initiatives and why transparency shouldn't burden users with behavior change.Episode Brought to You By ⭐️Growth Design for a Sustainable FutureThe cohort starts July 14th. ⁠Get 20% off with code PODCAST⁠Chapters 📖[00:01:09] How Sandra joined Microsoft and Climate Action Tech within a year of each other[00:02:05] The ripple effect of Microsoft's green design principles across the industry[00:03:26] Starting small: How a simple PowerPoint template hackathon led to bigger sustainability conversations[00:05:38] Microsoft's Green Design Principles explained: "Think Bigger Before You Start" and "Build Better by Default"[00:07:07] Grid adaptability: How products can adapt to renewable energy availability[00:10:35] Why transparency shouldn't put the burden on users to change behavior[00:12:18] The misconception that sustainability compromises user experience[00:13:28] Jevons Paradox: Why making things more efficient doesn't always reduce consumption[00:21:02] Microsoft's 29% emissions increase since 2020 due to AI data centers[00:22:02] The AI race driven by capitalism vs. actual societal need[00:27:32] Why the Green Design Lab doesn't ask for funding to stay critical[00:32:36] Strong sustainability voices leaving Microsoft to push from the outside[00:34:15] How sustainability often comes as a "Trojan horse" in product development[00:39:46] How tech worker power has diminished, changing employee activism[00:52:24] Success metrics for sustainability in UX designWhere to learn more 🔎Climate Action Tech: https://www.linkedin.com/company/climateactiontech/___________________________________________________________I'm Sera Tajima —  Founder, Climate Tech Advisor & Investor. 🤙I talk about: → Product Growth Strategy (Growth, Design, AI)→ Climate Tech→ Venture Capital⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect for more good energy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⚡️Become a sponsor: [email protected]

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