We're almost 60 episodes in and I haven't really introduced myself.
Oops.
Hi. I'm Nathan C (they/them), and I started The Tech Glow Up as my love letter to the founders and innovators I've had the privilege of meeting throughout my career. The people who are building things that matter, quietly, with everything they have, often without nearly enough support or recognition.
I saw a disconnect early on that I couldn't stop thinking about. There were so many teams putting so much passionate work into the world — and only a fraction of them were ever really breaking through.
Not because the ideas were wrong. But because there was this gap between how they wanted to show up and how they were actually landing with the enterprise leaders they were trying to reach. I saw giant enterprise organizations trying to work with startups in ways that were totally disruptive and dysfunctional for everyone involved. I saw the ROI on enterprise innovation quietly bleeding out.
I wanted to put my arms around all of them and say: hey. There's a better way. You don't have to do this blind.
So I started asking questions. Publicly. On a podcast.
The conversations I was hungry for weren't the ones I was finding. I wanted the real ones — the ones about the hard choices, the lonely stretches, the small curious questions that ended up unlocking enormous things. The human side of innovation that gets edited out of most polished founder narratives.
There aren't enough conversations about what it actually costs to lead transformational technology. The grit, the integrity, the decisions you make at 2am that nobody ever hears about.
There aren't enough stories about what it looks like when leading with heart turns out to be a really good business strategy.
And there aren't enough honest accounts of the small steps that compound into something remarkable — because those stories don't go viral, even when they're the ones most worth telling.
That's the gap I set out to fill.
From deep tech and spatial computing to healthcare, climate tech, and resilient local networks — I talk with the leaders of growth-stage companies who have been there, seen it all, and made it through the hardest parts of the journey. We look for the real stories that drive actual impact in tech innovation. Not future-state hypotheticals. What's working now, for real people, like you and me.
60 episodes in, I've spoken with over 300 leaders in tech innovation. From Sony and Meta to Cisco, Lenovo, Blockbuster, and 7-Eleven — and just as importantly, from the early-stage founders who are still figuring it out and doing extraordinary work anyway.
Every one of those conversations feeds my strategic consulting work and makes me a sharper thinker about what it takes to build something that lasts.
I want to share all of it with you.
Not a highlight reel. Not a hype machine. Just honest, grounded conversations with people who have earned their perspective.
I'm so glad you're here.
— Nathan C
A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.
At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.
In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.
If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.
Hey, it's Nathan. Welcome to The Tech Glow Up. we're almost 60 episodes in, and I haven't really introduced myself oops. Hi. It's time for an introduction. Hey, I'm Nathan C and I started The Tech Glow Up as my love letter to all of the startup founders and innovators that I've had the privilege to meet throughout my career. There's so many teams out there putting so much passionate work into the world, and yet only a fraction of them ever really make it. I saw this disconnect between how teams wanted to show up for the world and how they were really sounding to the enterprise leaders that they were trying to woo. I saw giant enterprise innovators trying to work with startups in ways that were totally disruptive and dysfunctional. I saw this gap. In the ROI on enterprise innovation, and I really wanted to help everybody put my arms around them and say, Hey, there's a better way we can do this better. You don't have to do these things blind. I started the tech Glow Up because there's so many stories in tech innovation that we don't hear enough of. I wanted to hear more of the authentic conversations that we are really missing in tech entrepreneurship, right? There are not enough authentic conversations about the human side of innovation and the hard choices and the lonely times that leaders face on their way to the top. There's not enough conversations being had about how tech innovation is really making a difference in real people's lives today. Not some future idea or end state possibility, but what's really driving value and impact for people like you and me now? There are not enough conversations about the human values, the grit, the integrity, and tough lonely decisions that truly shape the path for transformational technology. There are not enough stories about how leading with heart is a really good business strategy. There are not enough stories about the small steps and curious questions that unlock tremendous growth, so I set out to find them. From Deep tech and spatial computing to healthcare, to climate tech, and resilient local networks. I talk with the leaders of Growth Stage Innovations who have been there and seen it all and gone through the toughest challenges on their way to the top. And we look for the real stories that drive actual impact in tech innovation today. I set out to hear authentic stories about the innovator's journey from accomplished leaders, and that's what we've got so far. 60 episodes to date with the leaders of some of the most innovative global companies, right from Sony and Meta to to Cisco, Lenovo, Blockbuster, and 7-11. By asking these leaders about how they protect, learn from, and adapt their good ideas until their time comes. I try to share real examples of how leaders navigate what matters most in innovation, the mission, the people, and how you get there. In the last six years, I've talked with over 300 leaders in tech innovation, and each one of these fuels my strategic work and consulting and day. I want to share this leadership with you. I want to share these fantastic lessons learned. I share the tech Glow Up so that you too can take value from these lessons, from experienced leaders in every corner of tech innovation. My hope is that by listening to these real stories, from accomplished innovators and tech leaders. That it will inspire you that it will buoy your innovator's journey, and it will introduce you to more stories of how leaders with heart win in tech innovation. Think of subscribing to the Tech Glow Up as a mini MBA, where you get a weekly masterclass from leaders with heart who are making an impact today, solving real problems for real users like you and me on the Tech Glow up. Thanks, I'm so glad to have you here.