Anthony Chiaravallo is the Founder and CEO of Vallo Media, a performance marketing agency that’s helped brands from startups to Fortune 500s—including Nike, Amazon, and FedEx—turn ad spend into measurable growth. With 16+ years of experience and more than $100M in media spend managed, Anthony is a recognized thought leader and PR Week 40 Under 40 honoree, known for cutting through vanity metrics to focus on real business outcomes.

With deep expertise in paid media, performance strategy, and scaling growth engines, he offers insights into how startups and established companies alike can avoid costly mistakes, build full-funnel systems, and leverage AI to stay competitive in today’s fast-changing landscape.

In this episode, he discusses the philosophy behind performance marketing, the myths that frustrate him most, and the future of paid media in the age of AI.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss:

00:00 – Anthony’s background: from sales to launching Vallo Media

01:24 – Breaking into digital marketing and moving from sales to strategy

03:20 – From big agencies to starting his own firm during COVID

05:30 – The freedom and growth potential of entrepreneurship

06:43 – Defining performance marketing and why it still matters today

07:52 – The biggest mistakes startups make with paid ads

10:31 – When startups should turn on performance marketing

12:39 – Why outsourcing to experts often saves time and money

14:20 – Case study: scaling Pliables from a sidewalk stand to a $100M+ acquisition

20:58 – Why clicks and impressions don’t equal results

22:29 – KPIs that actually matter for growth

25:59 – How to know when to scale or move on from a channel

28:03 – Best starter channels and the rise of AI-driven discovery

30:48 – How AI is reshaping paid media campaigns

34:07 – The future of search with ChatGPT, Gemini, and AI assistants

37:15 – The importance of creative in performance marketing

41:46 – Why you should start at the top of the funnel

43:40 – Balancing the art and science of marketing

45:45 – The most frustrating performance marketing myth

47:11 – The most misunderstood part of campaign attribution

49:48 – The future of paid media in the next 3–5 years

52:36 – Rapid fire wrap-up: metrics to kill, favorite brands, overrated platforms, and more

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Dr. Matthew Jones is a licensed psychologist turned startup co-founder coach and cofounder of Co-Founder Clarity. With six years of experience working with hundreds of entrepreneurs—from YC to Sequoia-backed teams—he specializes in helping founders prevent burnout, resolve conflict, and build stronger, more resilient partnerships. His work has been featured in TIME, Business Insider, and Inc., and his new book The Co-Founder Effect dives into the psychology of what makes or breaks founding teams. In this episode, he unpacks the hidden dynamics that shape co-founder relationships and offers practical tools founders can use to scale both their companies and their partnerships.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss:

00:01 – Introduction: Dr. Matthew Jones’ background as a psychologist turned co-founder coach

01:00 – From clinical psychology to startups: helping friends navigate co-founder conflict

02:15 – Couples therapy lessons applied to co-founder relationships

05:15 – The “Co-Founder Effect”: why co-founder dynamics make or break startups

07:20 – Overlooked dysfunctions during company formation and founding with friends

10:40 – Defining co-founder conflict: the three languages all teams speak

13:00 – Why surface-level disagreements often mask deeper relational issues

15:40 – Equity splits, unequal contributions, and renegotiating fairness over time

18:20 – Attachment styles and how they shape co-founder interactions

22:30 – Are startups or marriages more “saveable” with equal dysfunction?

25:40 – Recognizing burnout in founders and its impact on relationships

29:00 – Sustainable work-life balance and recalibrating founder energy

32:20 – Why what got you from 0→1 will break you at 1→100

34:30 – Turning conflict into progress: containers, reflective dialogue, and frameworks

38:40 – Preventing messy breakups: co-founder syncs and co-founder dates

40:30 – Traits of great co-founder duos vs. subtle signs of trouble

42:00 – What VCs often miss when evaluating co-founder dynamics

46:00 – Under-researched realities of co-founder breakups and the need for better data

47:30 – Surprises and lessons learned while writing The Co-Founder Effect

50:53 – Sequencing, editing, and advice for first-time authors

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Damir Ibrahimagić Kopinić is a seasoned early-stage investor, advisor, and private asset manager who has spent decades at the intersection of high finance and early-stage tech. As co-founder and CEO of G Plus Quant, he helps bridge top startups with global venture capital, LPs, and family offices. With experience spanning asset management, trading, blockchain, and beyond, Damir offers a unique perspective on how capital markets and emerging technologies shape the future of venture.

In this episode, he shares his journey from traditional asset management to early-stage investing, the rise of AI-powered startups, and the evolving dynamics between founders, VCs, family offices, and LPs. Damir also unpacks how AI is transforming due diligence, deal flow, and even the structure of venture funds themselves.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss:

00:01 – From asset management to early-stage venture: Damir’s journey

02:20 – ICOs, blockchain, and lessons from the early crypto wave

03:06 – The #1 mistake founders make when pitching investors

05:14 – Why AI dominates investor attention in 2025

07:17 – How AI is making startups leaner and more capital efficient

08:04 – The overlooked value in non-AI deals

09:56 – The risk of AI startups becoming obsolete overnight

11:19 – Vertical vs. sub-vertical AI opportunities (e.g., legal tech)

11:59 – Startups scaling to $100M ARR with tiny teams

13:19 – Family offices vs. institutional LPs: how they differ

15:54 – Why warm intros matter and cold outreach fails

17:33 – Niche vs. generalist funds: which strategy works for emerging managers

22:22 – How LPs evaluate fund decks, deal flow, and GP presentation

24:41 – Why raising a $30–50M fund can be harder than $100M+

31:27 – The “sweet spot” for funds: $50–150M at fund three

34:40 – Shifts in management fees, carry, and LP negotiations

39:51 – The rise of algorithmic VC funds and AI-powered due diligence

43:42 – Are large VC teams obsolete in the age of AI?

46:18 – Automating deal screening and data rooms with AI agents

50:19 – Back-testing with AI: learning from startup successes and failures

53:47 – How AI accelerates both VCs and founders

54:47 – Fees vs. carry: what LPs really want

57:48 – Strategies for liquidity, secondaries, and returning capital to LPs

01:01:05 – Europe vs. U.S. venture ecosystems post-2023 reset

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ga6v0YUsHotLhjap67uu5

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👂🎧 Watch, listen, and follow on your favorite platform: https://tr.ee/S2ayrbx_fL

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🔥 Club Ignite is booking fast — our next gathering of top founders, investors, and operators will be our biggest yet. Apply now before spots fill: https://teamignite.decilehub.com/e/club-ignite-25