Company Stats

Guest: Vladimir Baranov, Founder, Coach & Creator of Human Interfaces

Industry: Leadership Development / Startup Coaching

Company: Human Interfaces

Focus: Coaching technical founders in communication, leadership, and fundraising

Tech Stack: Fintech, aerospace, deep tech, human development, venture-backed scaling

Episode Highlights

✅ Vladimir shares his journey from engineering to finance to space tech—and why none of them felt complete until he stepped into founder coaching.

✅ Learn why many technical founders fail—not because of their product, but because of the “interface” problem: poor communication and leadership skills.

✅ Discover how fear and introversion block startup success—and how to beat both through repetition, improv, and mission-driven outreach.

✅ Vladimir explains the “doctor vs. patient” metaphor for better pitching, and why understanding others’ mental models is key to traction.

✅ Get actionable ideas for building leadership skills outside the office—from organizing birthday parties to leading nonprofit efforts.

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins sits down with Vladimir Baranov, a former engineer turned founder coach, to explore the human side of startup success. Vladimir built systems in fintech and aerospace, launched multiple startups, and even helped send instruments into space. But it wasn’t until he started working with people, not just products, that he found his true impact.

Now, through his company Human Interfaces, Vladimir helps technical founders master the one thing most of them were never taught: how to lead, pitch, connect, and communicate. This episode dives deep into his frameworks for building “human interfaces”—skills that unlock fundraising, hiring, team-building, and growth.

Whether you're a shy engineer or a scaling founder, this conversation is packed with hard-won wisdom on how to lead without faking it, pitch without panic, and grow without losing what makes you human.

Notable Questions We Asked

Q: What made you shift from building tech to coaching humans?

A: After two startups—one sold, one fizzled—I realized the most valuable leverage wasn’t in code. It was in people. Helping technical minds communicate and lead felt far more impactful.

Q: What’s the biggest communication blind spot for engineers?

A: They often assume others think like they do. But your model of the universe isn’t universal. Learning how others process info is critical to influence.

Q: How can introverts start building soft skills without feeling fake?

A: Practice safely. Toastmasters, improv, side projects—they all give you “reps” without risking your job. Skill comes before confidence.

Q: How much does fear hold people back from stepping up?

A: A lot. But you don’t defeat fear—you out-practice it. Fear shrinks as repetition grows.

Q: What’s your advice for someone who feels stuck on an island?

A: Find your co-travelers. Join communities, meetups, or even run your own event. Progress multiplies when shared.

Chapters

00:00 – Meet Vladimir Baranov & His Journey to Founder Coaching

01:40 – From Robotics to Finance to Startups

03:00 – Why Selling His Startup Felt Emotionally Empty

04:00 – Discovering Impact in the Aerospace Sector

05:00 – Where Technical Founders Get Stuck

06:50 – Building “Human Interfaces” as a Framework

08:15 – The Doctor vs. Patient...

Company Stats

Guest: Austin Sun, Co-founder of Clausey

Industry: Legal Tech / AI

Company: Clausey (clausey.ai)

Focus: AI-powered contract intelligence

Tech Stack: AI agents, NLP, legal automation, early-stage SaaS

✅ Austin shares how 10+ years in AI, tech, and energy led him to launch Clausey—an AI tool built to transform contract management.

✅ Hear why his failed 2016 startup taught him that code alone can’t win—and how business acumen changed his trajectory.

✅ Learn about the “four generations” of contract handling, and how Clausey is ushering in the fourth: AI-native contracts.

✅ Discover the three key criteria Austin uses to choose co-founders—and why trust and mindset alignment matter more than money.

✅ Austin offers a grounded take on AI’s future: it’s not here to replace everyone—but it will reward those who learn to wield it.

In this episode of The Innovators Impact, host Darnell Perkins sits down with Bo(Austin) Sun, co-founder of Clausey an AI startup aimed at simplifying contract intelligence for businesses of all sizes. With a background spanning computer science, deep tech, law, and entrepreneurship, Austin has worn many hats—but found his stride at the intersection of automation, legal tech, and practical business use cases.

Austin breaks down how Clausey isn’t just about “reading contracts”—it’s about shifting how we interact with them altogether. From saving time on post-signature obligations to closing the gap between legalese and business decisions, Clausey is designed to empower teams, not replace them.

Austin also dives deep into his personal founder journey—why his first startup failed, how he spent years finding the right co-founders, and what it means to launch with vision before chasing venture capital. If you’re a founder navigating AI, or a professional looking to adapt to this tech wave, this episode is a roadmap you’ll want to follow.

Q: What does Clausey actually do for contracts?

A: We extract key data from signed contracts—terms, parties, deadlines—and present it in a clean, intuitive UI. It’s like Notion meets Excel for contract ops.

Q: Why didn’t you raise VC early?

A: Because we didn’t need to. We wanted to build proof first—then scale. Rushing into VC too soon can hurt more than help.

Q: How do you pick a good co-founder?

A: Trust, mindset, and unique expertise. You’re basically choosing a marriage partner—only you'll spend more time with them than your spouse.

Q: Is AI going “too far”? Will it take jobs?

A: AI is a tool. Whether it replaces jobs depends more on a company’s financial health than the tech itself. But if you know how to use AI, you’ll stay relevant longer.

Q: What advice would you give to someone nervous about AI?

A: Learn the tool. Learn it now. Not knowing AI in the coming years will be like not knowing how to open a laptop.

00:00 – Meet Austin Sun & His Journey

01:00 – Academic Roots: CS, MBA, and Law

02:30 – What Clausey Actually Does

03:30 – The 4 Generations of Contracts

06:00 – Learning From a Failed Startup

08:00 – Choosing the Right Time to Launch

11:00 – Clausey's Product Timeline & Pilots

14:00 – Why They Delayed VC Funding

15:30 – The 3 Rules for Picking Co-Founders

21:00 – Sweat Equity vs. Financial Buy-In

26:00 – Can AI Go Too Far? Austin’s Take

31:00 – A Call to...

Company Stats

Guest: Aras Sheikih, Entrepreneurial Lead at UCSD, Founder & CEO of Janus Innovation Hub

Industry: Innovation / Education / Tech Incubation

Company: Janus Innovation Hub

Focus: Immigrant-founded startups, interdisciplinary innovation, early-stage incubation

Tech Stack: Distributed teams, startup incubation, cross-border venture building, early-stage mentorship

Episode Highlights

✅ Aras shares his journey across four countries and how each shaped his entrepreneurial playbook.

✅ Learn how Janus Innovation Hub is uniquely designed to support first-gen immigrant founders.

✅ Discover why “mismatch” is the root of most problems—and how reducing it unlocks opportunity.

✅ Hear why global, hybrid teams outperform local-only models in today’s innovation economy.

✅ Aras breaks down why universities must evolve—and what real-world skills matter now.

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins sits down with Aras Araie, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Janus Innovation Hub. From his roots in Iran to ventures in Dubai, Australia, and now California, Aras has built and exited companies while navigating the complex challenges of startup life as an immigrant.

Now based in San Diego and working with UC San Diego, Aras is on a mission to equip first-generation immigrant founders with the tools, mentorship, and frameworks they need to succeed. He unpacks why the “mismatch” between talent and opportunity is the root cause of entrepreneurial failure—and how Janus is closing that gap with tailored support.

From distributed team strategies to hard truths about higher education and the future of AI-driven work, Aras brings a global, pragmatic lens to the innovation conversation. Whether you’re scaling your first startup or looking to build more inclusive ecosystems, this episode offers sharp, actionable insight.

Notable Questions We Asked

Q: What inspired you to start Janus Innovation Hub?

A: I saw a gap—first-gen immigrant founders had potential but no tailored support. I wanted to build a new kind of playbook for them.

Q: Why San Diego?

A: Culture. UCSD gave me the right vibe, resources, and support. The ecosystem here is collaborative and diverse—perfect for what I do.

Q: What’s the biggest lesson you learned during COVID?

A: How to lead distributed teams. That experience became a core strength—it’s now one of our competitive advantages.

Q: Where do companies go wrong with remote work?

A: They force returns because they don’t know how to manage people virtually. It’s a communication issue, not a productivity one.

Q: What’s your best advice for founders just starting out?

A: Find your tribe. People don’t invest in your pitch—they invest in your story and your mission. Find those true believers early.

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome & Meet Aras Sheikhi

01:30 – A Global Entrepreneur’s Journey: Iran to Dubai to Australia

05:00 – Founding Janus Innovation Hub: The Immigrant Founder Gap

08:40 – UCSD & Choosing San Diego Over the Bay Area

11:30 – Team Building Across Time Zones: Lessons from COVID

14:30 – The Remote Work Debate: Why Hybrid Wins

17:20 – Culture, Trust & the San Diego Startup Ecosystem

20:00 – The “Mismatch” Theory: Root Cause of Most Business Problems

23:00 – Innovation as Problem-Solving for Real People

26:10 – The Future of Work: Virtual, AI-Driven

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