Startup Wisconsin Podcast
Startup Wisconsin Podcast
Podcast Description
Discover the untold stories of innovation across Wisconsin's growing tech startup ecosystem. From Madison to Milwaukee and everywhere in between, we go behind the scenes with the founders, investors, and community builders shaping Wisconsin's entrepreneurial future.
Each episode features in-depth conversations with entrepreneurs who are leveraging Wisconsin's unique advantages to build sustainable, impactful companies across industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture. You'll hear from ecosystem builders creating opportunities statewide, investors backing the next generation of Wisconsin companies, and community leaders connecting talent, resources, and ideas.
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, seasoned founder, or simply curious about Wisconsin's startup scene, this podcast showcases the real stories of innovation happening right in our backyard.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on various topics surrounding entrepreneurship and innovation, including episodes that explore new approaches to sales training, thought leadership strategies, community building in startups, and educational programs enhancing entrepreneurial practice. For instance, one episode discusses the innovative AI-powered sales training provided by Syrenn, while another features insights from Dan Fogarty on authentic thought leadership.
Discover the untold stories of innovation across Wisconsin’s growing tech startup ecosystem. From Madison to Milwaukee and everywhere in between, we go behind the scenes with the founders, investors, and community builders shaping Wisconsin’s entrepreneurial future.
Each episode features in-depth conversations with entrepreneurs who are leveraging Wisconsin’s unique advantages to build sustainable, impactful companies across industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture. You’ll hear from ecosystem builders creating opportunities statewide, investors backing the next generation of Wisconsin companies, and community leaders connecting talent, resources, and ideas.
Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, seasoned founder, or simply curious about Wisconsin’s startup scene, this podcast showcases the real stories of innovation happening right in our backyard.
“There’s no reason every small business in Wisconsin shouldn’t use this.”
In this episode, I chat with Russell From, President and Co-Founder of WayFi Wireless, a company revolutionizing connectivity for businesses and nonprofits across Wisconsin and the world. He shares the inspiring journey of how WayFi Wireless uses cutting-edge technology to fix cellular dead zones by leveraging wifi, without the hefty costs traditionally associated with infrastructure.
From working at Verizon to tech founder, Russell discusses WayFi Wireless’ 10,000+ global deployments powered by PassPoint technology, bridging the digital divide by offering free connectivity to users that’s funded entirely by carriers. He also shares their recent “Best Open Roaming Deployment” award, their work with the Coverage Across America Program in Wisconsin, and the hard-earned lessons he’s gathered while building a startup from the ground up.
Tune in to learn:
- How cell phone carriers pay for Wi-Fi to reduce churn and enhance customer experience
- How Passpoint/Hotspot 2.0 ensures seamless, secure connections without popups or apps
- What it takes to go from MVP to scale through partner strategy, support, and distribution
Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Intro
(00:36) Meet Russ of WayFi Wireless
(02:03) From Verizon engineer to founder
(06:38) Why Passpoint and open roaming took off
(12:40) Pivoting to Wi-Fi and scaling to 1,200 locations
(22:22) The business of Wi-Fi monetization
(28:41) How blockchain speeds up carrier payments
(35:57) Lessons from corporate to startup life
(42:05) The transition from funding to self-sustaining growth
(46:08) Big wins and international expansion
Connect
Connect with Russell From: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russfr/
Check out WayFi Wireless: https://wayfiwireless.com/
Follow
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-wisconsin/
Subscribe to the Startup Wisconsin Newsletter: https://www.startupwi.org
Check out Headway: https://www.headway.io
Connect with Jacob Miller:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kineticbear
🔻 Connect With Us 🔻
Subscribe to the Startup Wisconsin Newsletter
Upcoming Tech and Startup Events in Wisconsin (400+ every year)
https://www.startupwi.org/events
Follow us on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-wisconsin/
Connect with Jacob Miller:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kineticbear
Interested in being a guest? Reach out!
Startup Wisconsin’s mission is to connect, educate, inspire, and grow tech startup communities across the state, not just during events, but year-round. This podcast is part of that vision, creating deeper connections and sharing the knowledge that helps Wisconsin’s startup ecosystem thrive.
This podcast is made by your friends at Headway.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.