Ready to flip the script on how you think about intellectual property? In this episode of Ops Or Die, we dive into the world of IP with Paul Kallmes—yes, the guy who turns “paperwork” into power moves. Whether you’re a founder navigating patents, a COO wrestling with licensing, or just tired of hearing “IP strategy” tossed around like a buzzword, Paul brings the real talk. He’s sharing how to operationalize your IP: build systems, guard your innovation, and stop letting your ideas sit on the shelf collecting dust.

You’ll learn:

• What true IP operations look like (and the ops traps to avoid).
• How to make your IP work for you—not the other way around.
• War stories from the frontline of patents, licensing, and commercialization.
• The sassy truth: if you’re not operationalizing IP, your competition might be making your mistakes into their next product.

So buckle up. This isn’t your standard legal-talk episode. It’s about turning intangible assets into concrete business engine. And yes—there will be attitude. Because when your IP isn’t just “covered” but operational, someone’s going to ask, “How’d you do that?”

Tune in and get ready to level up your IP game.

Get in Touch: info@scalespark.ai

Website: www.scalespark.ai

Maria's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapienaar/

Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiewhitcraft/

Paul's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulkallmes/

Think ops is just paperwork? Cute. In this episode of Ops or Die, Tomika Anderson-Smith sets the record straight: operations isn’t overhead—it’s the engine that turns chaos into compounding growth. She spills what founders miss when they wait too long to get serious about ops, why nonprofits and startups are basically twins (minus the hype), and how weak systems can quietly wreck your company. If you’ve ever said “we’ll deal with that later,” this one’s your wake-up call.

We talk about:
- Why operations is the real growth engine hiding behind your product wins
- What startups and nonprofits share (it's more than you think)
- How invisible ops keeps your company running - and what happens when it fails
- What founders risk by waiting too long to build business operations infrastructure
- Why early operational investments prevent burnout, fraud and chaos later
- How AI is reshaping Ops - and why it won't replace leaders but boost them

If you're scaling fast (or hoping to), it's not optional listening.

Links:
Tomika Anderson-Smith LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomikaandersonsmith/

ScaleSpark: https://www.scalespark.ai
Maria's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapienaar/
Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiewhitcraft/
ScaleSpark email: info@scalespark.ai

Your brand isn’t your logo — it’s your startup’s first impression, emotional footprint, and a growth engine hiding in plain sight. In this episode, Maria and Katie sit down with brand strategist Esteban Arroba Del Castillo to talk about why even scrappy, pre-MVP startups need to show up with a clear voice, vibe, and visual identity.

We get into:

• Why branding is a system, not just surface polish
• How to craft a killer brand without torching your budget
• What founders risk when they “launch naked”
• The trust-building link between branding and fundraising
• How to blend creative chaos with operational discipline

If you're an early-stage founder trying to stand out (and not look like an AI-generated Apple clone), hit play.

Links:

Team & Tonic website: https://www.teamandtonic.com
Esteban's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esteban-a/
Esteban's email: esteban@teamandtonic.com

ScaleSpark: https://www.scalespark.ai
Maria's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapienaar/
Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiewhitcraft/
ScaleSpark email: info@scalespark.ai

Apple Think Different Ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPX9v8F547k