Show Notes:

In today’s episode, host Heidi Schalk, Co-Founder of HLH Growth Solutions, sits down with David Lipscomb (CEO & Co-Founder) and Stefan Martin (CTO & Co-Founder) of Aglow, a rapidly growing social platform designed to bring authenticity, locality, and real human connection back into the digital experience.

Aglow is challenging everything we know about traditional social media — the comparison culture, the AI-generated content flood, the pressure to perform, and the lack of genuine community. Instead, they’re building a platform that prioritizes real people, real videos, local discovery, audio-based engagement, and AI used responsibly to connect humans (not replace them).

David and Stefan share their founding story, the problem Aglow is solving, the mental-health implications of current social platforms, and how their focus on authenticity is resonating — especially with Gen Z. They also unpack their growth strategy, including campus ambassador programs, equity rewards, and creative “fight fire with fire” marketing on established platforms.

From founder mindset to go-to-market strategy to the future of meaningful social connection — this episode is packed with insight.

David Lipscomb Bio:

David Lipscomb (CEO) leads Aglow’s strategy and operations. He previously worked in private equity and corporate finance, where he led budgeting, forecasting, and KPI tracking for a $100B+ AUM platform at ICONIQ Capital. Additionally, David supported relationship-building efforts with top founders and investors. Earlier roles include on-site operational analysis and BI development for PE-backed companies in healthcare, energy, and commodities.

Stefan Martin Bio:

After seeing social media change culture - mostly for the worse - Stefan decided to launch a product designed to connect in a genuine and authentic way through proximity based short-form videos. He's a 13-year engineering veteran who's built everything from Kindle's optimized browser at AWS to Uber's ETA dispatch systems at scale. He led mobile engineering at Volta Charging from Series A to IPO. Now, Stefan's focus is to build the future of social media that is actually social.

To connect with our guest, click on the links below:

LinkedIn:

David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-lipscomb-4b578a142/

Stefan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ste00martin/

Website: https://aglow.life

Connect with me:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidischalkcoaching/