Season 3 Episode 44: (Originally Recorded March 2024)

In this final episode of Season 3 of Onwards!Infonauts, we welcome Donna Laquintano who shares her journey from property management to managing startup management as the executive assistant to Ron Berg and Van Morris. She leaped into startup life juggling executive travel arrangements, never-ending office reconfigurations and professional growth while maintaining kindness, respect, humility and a wonderful sense of humor.

Donna dives into her fondest memories at Infonautics, from the legendary Friday Frolics and her karaoke performances to the profound sense of unity experienced during the 9/11 tragedy. She shares humorous anecdotes and reflects on the strong bonds formed with colleagues across various departments, emphasizing the family-like atmosphere that permeated the company.

Beyond Infonautics, Donna discusses her career transitions, highlighting the importance of networking and building lasting relationships. She shares her passion for driving, her love for St. Augustine, Florida, and ducks. Donna imparts valuable advice to young professionals, emphasizing the importance of kindness, adaptability, and a strong work ethic.

Contacts:

Donna Laquintano can be reached on LinkedIn and at her email address: dalaquint@gmail.com.

Jim and Sean can be reached at Onwards! Infonauts.

Sponsors:

JMX Advisors for Interim or Fractional CFO work

Disclaimer:

None of these discussions are to be relied upon as professional advice.

Season 3 Episode 3: (Originally Recorded February 2024) What happens when inspiration strikes and leads to an unexpected journey? In this episode of Onwards! Infonauts, we sit down with Michael Holland, who shares how a chance encounter with Infonautics founder Marvin Weinberger during his time at Cornell University changed the trajectory of his career forever. From hopping on a tiny plane for a last-minute interview to his first day on the job bumping into a Cornell fraternity brother in the hallway, Michael’s introduction to Infonautics was anything but ordinary.

Michael takes us on a whirlwind ride through his time at one of the pioneering internet startups of the ’90s. Whether it was navigating job roles, working on groundbreaking projects like Encyclopedia.com, or helping launch innovative products like Company Sleuth, Michael’s stories reflect the excitement, chaos, and ingenuity that defined the early internet era. We hear behind-the-scenes anecdotes, including the hilariously unconventional interview questions from his hiring process and some legendary office pranks that scream startup culture.

With wisdom honed through years of experience as a product management executive, Michael shares insights on leadership, adaptability, and the art of storytelling in technology. He reflects on the simplicity of early metrics, the lessons learned from building platforms, and the power of clarity in product development. This episode is a treasure trove of anecdotes, nostalgia, and actionable advice for anyone in tech or curious about what it was like to be at the forefront of the internet revolution.

Contacts:

Michael Holland can be reached on LinkedIn.

Jim and Sean can be reached at Onwards! Infonauts.

Sponsors:

JMX Advisors for Interim or Fractional CFO work

Disclaimer:

None of these discussions are to be relied upon as professional advice.

Season 3 Episode 2: Marvin Weinberger

In this episode of "Onwards! Infonauts" we chat with Marvin Weinberger, one of the founders of Infonautics Corporation. Marvin’s story started well before Infonautics, at another data-centric company called Telebase Systems. Telebase was an online information company, providing customer access to databases around the world using telex machines with 75 baud speed, as Marvin jokes with Sean and Jim. Later, Marvin was featured in Business Week, where they took a picture of Marvin in front of the computer room… giant computers with only 1 Gigabyte of capacity on them.

In the 1990s, technology was very different than it is today. Cloud computing was in its infancy. People had to decide whether to make more powerful PCs or do it in the cloud. Today, it’s clear that the cloud can do everything. And Marvin has been there to influence many of these changes.

Marvin started Infonautics as a project to bring education to children throughout the world. He was fortunate to have been a friend to a successful inventor and businessman, Herman Fialkov. Marvin met Herman’s grandson, Joshua, at a Klezmer concert a few years prior. Later, Marvin and that kid, Joshua Kopelman, were reunited when Marvin mentioned to Herman that he was seeking some help with his new venture.

Marvin gives wonderful insights to the technology scene in the 1980s and 1990s. He reflects on the influence of some significant mentors, like Lloyd Morissett who was one of the founders of Children’s Television Workshop, the creator of “Sesame Street” as well as Howard Morgan and Israel “Mel” Melman. All of the early mentors were important to the start and growth of the business.

Please join us in this episode as we discuss the Good Business Pledge, Stella D’Oro Swiss Fudge cookies, and how to take advice from people who are older and wiser.

Contacts:

Marvin Weinberger can be reached at marvin@innovationfactory.com or on LinkedIn.

Innovation Factory

Jim and Sean can be reached at Onwards! Infonauts.

Sponsors:

JMX Advisors for Interim or Fractional CFO work

Disclaimer:

None of these discussions are to be relied upon as professional advice.