1207: Surrounding yourself with SMARTER people, getting 1,000 cups of coffee to grow, and innovating with tech & AI w/ Ian Newell
Ian Newell brings a rare blend of battlefield intelligence, technical leadership, and entrepreneurial grit to the table. As the founder of Golden Hour Technologies, Ian is solving critical infrastructure problems in maritime autonomy and secure communication systems—pioneering solutions that affect national security, logistics, and global operations. In this episode, you'll learn how his military deployment, Space Force work, and AI-driven innovations shaped his founder journey. Whether you're just starting out or scaling your company, Ian’s story will reshape how you think about purpose, innovation, and execution.
💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business
- 🚀 Why surrounding yourself with smarter people is the secret to scaling successfully
- 🧠 How to use conversations as a tool for exponential learning and networking
- 🌊 Why maritime tech is lagging behind and what it teaches us about real-world product-market fit
- 📡 How to solve “unsexy” infrastructure problems with breakthrough impact
- 🛠️ How Ian used no technical background to lead product teams in AI and secure communications
- 🔄 The power of pivoting—how 20+ pivots led to Golden Hour Technologies’ breakthrough
- 🎯 Why understanding tech limitations helps you innovate more effectively
📝 About the Guest
Ian Newell is the Founder and CEO of Golden Hour Technologies, a company leveraging AI, secure communications, and high-performance computing to modernize defense, maritime, logistics, and homeland security operations. A former U.S. Army intelligence officer with a combat deployment to Iraq and Syria, Ian also served with the U.S. Space Force. His military background shapes his focus on delivering reliable, mission-critical tech. Post-service, he advanced quickly at BigBear.ai and Saab Inc., ultimately leading product and growth for autonomous systems. Ian holds a B.A. from Virginia Tech and an MBA from UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business. Through his “1000 Cups of Coffee” journey, he shares lessons on resilience, connection, and growth, inspiring fellow veterans and entrepreneurs.
🎯 Ian’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs
“Make sure you are mentally and physically ready to scale. People are relying on you.”
Key Takeaways from Ian's Advice:
✔ Entrepreneurship is hard—it demands readiness at every level
✔ Scaling means greater responsibility—prepare your mind and body for the pressure
✔ Culture matters—smart, happy people build powerful products
📢 Memorable Quotes
- “Happy people that are far smarter create really, really cool technology.” – Ian Newell
- “You have to create an environment where people want to stay, not just believe in the mission.” – Ian Newell
- “If you want to break the rules, you have to understand how the thing works to its core.” – Ian Newell
💡 Actionable Takeaways
- ✅ Build a recurring habit of having open-ended conversations with people from all backgrounds
- ✅ Design company culture intentionally—don’t assume the mission alone is enough
- ✅ Be curious about technical problems even if you’re non-technical—ask engineers, learn, and lead
- ✅ Focus on infrastructure problems—there’s massive opportunity in overlooked spaces
🔗 Links & Resources
