This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Karina Karn, a UK-based Fractional CMO working with startup founders in SaaS internationally to turn demand into measurable revenue. Karina's work focuses on identifying where growth breaks down across the customer journey, from first interaction through onboarding, activation and retention, and fixing the gaps between go-to-market, product experience and conversion.

Rather than adding more tactics, Karina help founders make better decisions by aligning what they’re building with how customers think, evaluate and buy. The author of two books on consumer psychology, which focus on how people make decisions and what drives them to choose a brand, she works directly with founders and teams to turn strategy into actions that impact pipeline and product adoption.

Learn more about Karina on LinkedIn.

Visit Karina’s website.

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.

Learn more about VPG here.

Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Philip (Phil) Eklem, Partner at Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg.

Phil is a patent trial lawyer with a rare combination of engineering expertise and courtroom precision. Before law, he worked as a project engineer at Mercedes-Benz and later served as a patent examiner at the USPTO — giving him an inside perspective few litigators can match. He spent over six years at Finnegan before building a practice that now spans U.S. district courts, the International Trade Commission, and the PTAB.

Phil handles every phase of patent litigation, from pre-suit investigations through trial and appeal, and advises clients on licensing strategy and patent prosecution across a wide range of technologies — including cloud storage, medical devices, blockchain, aeronautics, and automotive systems. Most recently, he secured a landmark $673 million verdict against Amazon Web Services, an accomplishment that was ranked as a top patent verdict of 2024. Phil represents both plaintiffs and defendants, crafting strategies as innovative as the inventions he protects.

Learn more about Phil on LinkedIn.

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.

Learn more about VPG here.

Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Alexian “Ali” Wines, often referred to as ‘the leader with heart.’

Ali serves as the Chief Operating Officer at BowerGroupAsia (BGA), a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific, and is also the creator and co-author of Letters to Lilly: Lessons in Leadership & Loving Yourself, a self-reflection of leadership lessons. With over 200 experts located in more than 30 markets across Asia, Africa and Washington, D.C., BGA provides unique insights into how governments, economies, companies and individuals interrelate and make decisions that impact business, countries and people. As BGA’s COO, Ali oversees the company’s operational aspects, including HR & Talent, strategy, foreign office establishment, legal and compliance, and IT security, while also navigating the organization through the complexities of international business. Prior to joining BGA, she worked for five years as Chief of Staff at BrooksBowerAsia. Ali brings to her work a unique and distinguished background, having also served for eight years at the White House, holding a range of prestigious positions under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Ali is passionate about working with students and leadership teams. As a motivational speaker, she coaches and inspires individuals to achieve their personal and professional goals. She regularly mentors fellow colleagues at BGA both in the U.S. and internationally. Previously an Executive-in-Residence at Oxford University in the UK and a speaker for Oxford's Women Transforming Leadership Program, Ali is a founding member of Chief D.C., a private network focused on connecting and supporting women executive leaders. Ali has served on multiple boards, including the Trade Impact Foundation, Women Transforming Leadership, and Patriots Four. She earned an Executive Master of Business Administration from Georgia State University and studied American Government at the University of Virginia.

Learn more about Alexian on LinkedIn.

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.

Learn more about VPG here.

Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.