From Street Hustler to Startup CMO: Itzik Yarkoni’s Journey of Grit, Growth, and Giving Back

This episode features a raw and real conversation with Itzik Yarkoni, a man who went from selling popcorn on the streets of Bat Yam to becoming the CMO of Morning (formerly Green Invoice), recently acquired by Italian tech firm TeamSystem.

Itzik opens up about growing up in a tough neighborhood, getting into fights, and being forced into Muay Thai classes by his father. He shares how he failed nearly every subject in high school, only to be pulled through by his mother’s unwavering belief in him.

From there, he found a different kind of education—on the streets, and later through marketing. He founded BOMAH, worked with tech companies across Israel, led digital marketing at Mobileye, and helped Breezometer and Novacy scale before they were acquired.

Itzik calls himself a "street cat"—someone who had to learn everything the hard way. And it shows: in his hunger, resilience, and instinct. This episode isn’t just about startups. It’s about identity, grit, and second chances.

Highlights:

• Failing school and getting told to become a welder

• Selling popcorn illegally and losing it all to the police

• What it means to have Israeli chutzpah—and when to use it

• Why resilience built in Sderot still fuels him today)