Dustin is the founder of Troov, a meetup app built to reduce screen time by helping people connect through real-world activities — hikes, co-working sessions, slow jogs, soccer games, and more. In this conversation, he breaks down how COVID sparked the idea, why being an engineer can actually hurt your MVP, and the brutal challenge of earning user attention when 100% of it is already monopolized by giants like Instagram. We dive into founder psychology — the mix of delusion, competence, and pain tolerance required to push through rock-bottom moments — along with the realities of taking friends-and-family money, moving between cities like Austin and SF, and trying to build authentic community in a world full of noise.

We also explore how AI now powers parts of Troov, from real-time moderation to proactive activity matching, and why the future of the company might look less like a standalone app and more like a platform licensed to communities that already have traction. Dustin talks openly about loneliness as a founder, unexpected pivots, the economics of consumer social, and what he wishes he had known before starting. If you care about building in public, consumer products, or the messy middle of entrepreneurship, this is a must-watch.

LEARN MORE about Dustin

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/somedustinmybin/ - https://www.instagram.com/troov.app/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-godevais-60232229/ - https://www.linkedin.com/company/troov-app/

Website - https://troov.app/

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From corporate strategy to canned cocktails, this episode dives into Jacob’s journey from American Airlines and Princess Cruises to founding Bold Move Beverages and creating Cold Brews—his vision for “America’s boozy coffee.” He shares how growing up around entrepreneurial parents, falling in love with coffee after college, and craving a drink that could “energize and socialize” pushed him to leave the safety of Fortune 500 jobs, move to Austin for his MBA, and plug into the CPG and startup ecosystem that helped turn a kitchen experiment into a multi-state alcohol brand.

We get into the realities behind the brand: R&D in his apartment, food science and pasteurization, navigating the three-tier alcohol system, choosing the right distributors and channels, crowdfunding on Wefunder, and growing into six states while staying true to quality and community. Jacob talks candidly about burnout, failed manufacturing runs, car accidents, and what it really takes to keep going—leaning on mentors, co-founders, and a strong support network. If you’re building in CPG, beverages, or just trying to make your own “bold move,” this conversation is packed with lessons on product-market fit, brand building, and defining success beyond just the exit.

LEARN MORE about Jacob

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/boldmovebevs/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-guss/ - https://www.linkedin.com/company/bold-move-beverages/

Website - https://boldmovebeverages.com/

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Website - https://2cmedia.ca

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In this episode, we sit down with Tara, founder and CEO of Splice Software, to explore her 19-year mission of proving that data, when handled responsibly, can be used for good. Tara breaks down what trust-led personalization actually looks like, why preference design matters, and how secure, localized AI can strengthen—not replace—human connection. She shares the early influence of growing up around 1970s database systems, the psychology behind voice and language tuning, and why the biggest barrier to AI adoption isn’t compute power or infrastructure, but human comfort, privacy, and trust. From the decline of text messaging to the rise of secure chat and natural voice experiences, Tara explains how consumer behavior is shifting and what companies need to do to keep up.

We also dive into the realities of scaling: expanding into Europe too early, growing without external funding, and the massive gap between Canadian and American tech maturity. Tara talks about why security is the number-one non-negotiable for founders, why companies should only build preference systems if they’re willing to respect them, and how the next decade will feel exponentially faster than anything we’ve seen so far. Beyond technology, she opens up about volunteering, elevating the Canadian ecosystem, passing the right values to her kids, and redefining success as making the world small—people helping people. If you care about AI, personalization, entrepreneurship, trust, security, or the future of human-tech interaction, this is an interview you don’t want to miss.

LEARN MORE about Tara

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-kelly/?originalSubdomain=ca - https://www.linkedin.com/company/splice-software-incorporated/

Website - https://www.splicesoftware.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/splicesoftware/ - https://www.instagram.com/tara.kelly77/

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Website - https://2cmedia.ca

Want to raise a ruckus? Send us a message at https://www.2cmedia.ca/contact