Refinery Media

Learn from some of the top CEOs and leaders in the country. Read our blog and listen to our Fast Frontiers Podcast where entrepreneurs share some of the most valuable lessons learned in their journey and what it means to truly make an impact.

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“Some of the most successful entrepreneurs have a strong sense of curiosity. They ask questions, investigate, and are willing to learn. If you can describe the elite organization you want, you have to be prepared to be the leader it requires.” – Tim Schigel

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November 2023 Newsletter

Happy Thanksgiving! As our team looks forward to spending time with friends and family this week, we hope this message finds you well! We haven't slowed down since our annual meeting, and we.

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Refinery Ventures Receives CBAA Business Partnership Award

The Cincinnati Business Achievement Award, presented by the University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business Alumni Council, is the region’s longest-standing event that celebrates business achievement. The CBAA not only honors.

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Top Five Lessons Learned from the Most Listened to Podcasts from 2021 Part 2
Top Five Lessons Learned from the Most Listened to Podcasts from 2021 Part 2

We had a lot of incredible guests on the Fast Frontiers podcast in 2021. One of the most interesting things about what we do is connecting with intelligent and innovative guests and spotlighting.

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Top Five Lessons Learned from the Most Listened to Podcasts from 2021 Part 1
Top Five Lessons Learned from the Most Listened to Podcasts from 2021 Part 1

There’s no question that 2021 was a year for the history books. At Fast Frontiers, this stemmed not from a global pandemic but from amazing podcast guests who came and shared their wisdom.

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How Communication Transforms High-Growth Start-ups
How Communication Transforms High-Growth Start-ups

We all know how important communication is when it comes to interpersonal relationships, but it’s just as vital to the continued health and success of business and professional partnerships.Guest experts Jeff Bloomfield and.

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Research Institutions and Universities are Hidden Opportunities for Entrepreneurs
Research Institutions and Universities are Hidden Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

One of the most memorable scenes in cinema is taken from the movie Jerry Maguire, when the actor Cuba Gooding Jr. demands of Tom Cruise (who plays his sports agent), "Show me the.

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The Man Behind the Mic Part 2: Lessons from a Tech Entrepreneur
The Man Behind the Mic Part 2: Lessons from a Tech Entrepreneur

We are following up on the first installment of our two-part series entitled “The Man Behind the Mic,” which features Joe Kaiser, Growth Equity Investor at Mercato Partners, turning the tables on our.

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The Man Behind the Mic
The Man Behind the Mic

Recently on Fast Frontiers, we switched things up a bit as guest interviewer Joe Kaiser, Growth Equity Investor at Mercato Partners, puts the founder of both Fast Frontiers and Refinery Ventures, Tim Schigel,.

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Presenting Your Pitch Deck
Presenting Your Pitch Deck

We have written before about Raising 101: Tips for Crafting the Perfect Pitch Deck. In that article, we mentioned that amongst Venture Capitalists that you are presenting to, “Some like walking through the.

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Todd Schwarzinger On ‘Boomerangs’ and Innovation in the Midwest
Todd Schwarzinger On ‘Boomerangs’ and Innovation in the Midwest

Last fall, we wrote about how 2020 has set off many unexpected shifts in the business world, including the “boomerang” effect. Over the past few months, an increasing number of people from dense.

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Kristi Daiker on The Importance of Corporate Innovation
Kristi Daiker on The Importance of Corporate Innovation

We recently sat down with Kristi Daiker, one of our venture partners, and spoke about the importance of corporate innovation. Kristi spent 20 years working for Cardinal Health, a prominent medical wholesaler within.

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The GreenLight Fund: An Organization that Succeeds by Giving Back
The GreenLight Fund: An Organization that Succeeds by Giving Back

In this week’s episode of Fast Frontiers, I spoke to John Simon, the Managing Director at Sigma Prime Ventures and the co-founder of the GreenLight Fund. John is an active entrepreneur, creator, and.

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Hypergrowth is Not Stereotyped
Hypergrowth is Not Stereotyped

Fast Frontiers is an exploration of how innovation frontiers are emerging in surprising places. Innovators, entrepreneurars, champions of founders – these are all words that should not surprise you given the content of.

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Myth: There is a Lack of Venture Capital in the Midwest
Myth: There is a Lack of Venture Capital in the Midwest

The conventional belief from many people within the entrepreneurial ecosystem is that early-stage companies within the “flyover states” of the Midwest have little to no access to venture capital. People love to say.

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Mythbusters on Season 2 of Fast Frontiers
Mythbusters on Season 2 of Fast Frontiers

On Season 2 of Fast Frontiers, we noticed that a lot of our guests were talking about myths that they had uncovered. So we thought we would do our own version of “Mythbusters”.

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Are Entrepreneurs Better Jockeys Or Surfers?
Are Entrepreneurs Better Jockeys Or Surfers?

You may have heard of the horse and jockey analogy used for investing—some people bet on the horse, i.e., the business or the business model, and others on the jockey, i.e., the CEO.

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Refinery Welcomes Two Defense Ventures Fellows
Refinery Welcomes Two Defense Ventures Fellows

I am proud to announce that Refinery has been selected to be part of a venture capital initiative that helps the Department of Air Force solve problems and deliver better capability to warfighters,.

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Fast Frontiers Across the World
Fast Frontiers Across the World

Throughout our podcast series, we’ve talked to some fantastic people, bringing you expert insights and covering an abundance of relevant topics facing tech pioneers as they forge their ways in new frontiers across.

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Lessons in Hypergrowth: Elina Gokh

A Refinery Ventures conversation about Hypergrowth with Executive Business Leader and Strategist, Elina Gokh.

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Lessons in Hypergrowth: Marc Pretorius

Refinery Ventures welcomes Marc Pretorius, Director of Sales at Silo, for a discussion detailing how autonomy, mastery, and purpose can elevate culture and ultimately lead to Hypergrowth.

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