Entrepreneurial Thinkers with Rob Ryan

In this warm, reflective episode recorded under the summery skies of Los Angeles, Uncle Rob dives deep into a theme that’s been following him all week: Gratitude. From unexpected blessings to navigating challenges with a clearer heart, this episode is filled with stories, insights, and powerful reminders about what it means to live and lead with intention.

You’ll hear Rob reflect on the incredible conversation he had with Jamilah Corbitt on Entrepreneurial Thinkers, and how her wisdom around storytelling, community-building, and authentic leadership has left a lasting impression — all grounded in a spirit of joy and gratitude. If you’re an entrepreneur, creator, or someone chasing big dreams, this episode will feel like a deep breath and a push forward at the same time.

Rob also opens up about the journey of building his new media company, the importance of trusted collaborators, and those beautiful, serendipitous moments that come when others believe in your vision — sometimes before the world does.

Whether you're at a turning point, on the grind, or just in need of some soul-fueling perspective, this episode is for you.

💬 Tune in, slow down, and lean into the magic of grateful expectation.

🧡 Let’s close the week out strong — together.

Who are the fastest growing entrepreneurs in the USA? How much of the USA economy is created by Small Businesses? What if the key to launching a game-changing business isn’t funding or connections—but the story behind it? In this episode, Rob sits down with his friend, storyteller and entrepreneurial ecosystem builder Jamilah Corbitt to uncover how powerful narratives can break barriers, amplify underrepresented voices, and drive real innovation—especially in rural and underserved communities. From navigating federal government and (SBA) Small Business Administration resources to building local ecosystems that truly listen, this conversation dives deep into what it really takes to build inclusive entrepreneurial support across the country.

Feel free to follow and engage with JAMILAH here:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamilahcorbitt

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamilahcorbitt/

- X: https://x.com/jamilahcorbitt?lang=en

- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JamilahCorbitt

- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamilahCorbitt/

- Website: https://jamilahcorbitt.com/

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders interested in the human stories of the Entrepreneurial Thinkers behind entrepreneurial economies worldwide.

As always we hope you enjoy each episode and Like, Follow, Subscribe or share with your friends. You can find our shows here, and our new Video Podcast, at “Entrepreneurial Thinkers” channel on YouTube. Plug in, relax and enjoy inspiring, educational and empowering conversations between Rob and our guests.

¡Cheers y gracias!,

Entrepreneurial Thinkers Team.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Entrepreneurial Thinkers

04:10 Meet Jamila Corbitt: A Force of Nature

07:02 The State of Entrepreneurship in the U.S.

09:57 Inequities in Access to Entrepreneurial Resources

13:03 Understanding the SBA and Its Role

16:00 The Importance of Storytelling in Entrepreneurship

19:06 Establish: Bridging the Gap in Entrepreneurial Support

28:59 Innovative Community Building at Established

35:02 Addressing Marginalization in Entrepreneurship

41:53 The Backbone of the Economy: Small Businesses

47:29 The Art of Storytelling in Business

52:51 Building Local Ecosystems: Key Strategies

Welcome back to Stoppage Time with Uncle Rob! After a short break to rest and recharge, we’re back with a powerful episode that brings together three remarkable entrepreneurial journeys — all rooted in vision, resilience, and pragmatic optimism.

In this full-length special, we reflect on recent conversations with three outstanding Mexican entrepreneurs:

🔹 Gaby Estrada, Co-founder of Vexi, transforming financial access in Mexico

🔹 Andres Friedman, CEO of Solfium, making solar energy easier and more accessible

🔹 Fernando Lelo de Larrea, Managing Partner at Rumbo Ventures, driving climate-focused investment across Europe

These leaders are navigating real challenges with courage and purpose. They’re building world-class businesses that tackle urgent problems — not someday, but now.

What unites them isn’t just their background or success — it’s their mindset. They are entrepreneurial thinkers and pragmatic optimists who, like us, see the world clearly and still choose to lean into what’s possible.

In a time filled with doubt and distraction, this episode is an invitation to think bigger, act boldly, and stay hopeful — even when the road ahead is tough.

Join us for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about building a better future — one choice, one business, one idea at a time.

Has the United States abdicated it’s leadership on Clean, Green energy investment? Why is the “old world” better prepared to create the next big climate breakthroughs than the new world?? In this wide ranging and compelling conversation, Rob sits down with one of the original VC leaders in Mexico and Latin America, Fernando Lelo De Larrea, to explore how venture capital is shifting toward climate solutions—and why Europe and the Spanish speaking world are uniquely positioned to lead the charge. Fernando shares powerful lessons on leadership, storytelling, and vulnerability, while offering a candid look at what it takes for Latin American founders to thrive. We learn how Rumbo Ventures is helping build a cross-border movement to fight climate change through innovation and collaboration.

Feel free to follow and engage with FERNANDO here:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ferlelo
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ferlelo/
• X: https://x.com/ferlelo
• Website: https://rumbo.ventures/

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders interested in the human stories of the Entrepreneurial Thinkers behind entrepreneurial economies worldwide.

As always we hope you enjoy each episode and Like, Follow, Subscribe or share with your friends. You can find our shows here, and our new Video Podcast, at “Entrepreneurial Thinkers” channel on YouTube. Plug in, relax and enjoy inspiring, educational and empowering conversations between Rob and our guests.

¡Cheers y gracias!,

Entrepreneurial Thinkers Team.

What if your credit card actually worked for you, not against you? Can a Mexican fintech startup take on the big bank and finance industry? In this episode of Entrepreneurial Thinkers, Rob sits down with Gabriela Estrada, CEO and co-founder of Vexi—a Mexican fintech startup that's shaking up the credit and personal finance game. Gabriela reveals how Vexi is breaking through the red tape of traditional banking, built upon her and her teams’ careers inside of the biggest banks, now earning customer trust, and making credit accessible to a new generation of Mexicans. From investor mindsets to cultural shifts in money, this conversation is packed with insight on building a business that truly empowers.

Feel free to follow and engage with GABRIELA here:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielaestradan/
• X: https://x.com/genanem
• Website: https://www.vexi.mx/

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders interested in the human stories of the Entrepreneurial Thinkers behind entrepreneurial economies worldwide.

As always we hope you enjoy each episode and Like, Follow, Subscribe or share with your friends. You can find our shows here, and our new Video Podcast, at “Entrepreneurial Thinkers” channel on YouTube. Plug in, relax and enjoy inspiring, educational and empowering conversations between Rob and our guests.

¡Cheers y gracias!,

Entrepreneurial Thinkers Team.

This week on Stoppage Time with Uncle Rob, we dive deep into the very human—and very powerful—theme of resilience. In a world full of uncertainty and transition, how do we keep showing up? How do we keep building, creating, and believing?

Rob shares insights from a heartfelt and energizing conversation with Andres Friedman, Co-founder and CEO of Solfium, a solar energy company working to revolutionize customer experience in Mexico’s clean energy sector. From his pivot from a global aviation executive to a first-time entrepreneur, Andres’ journey is a masterclass in embracing discomfort, persistence, and steady progress—despite the chaos around us.

But this episode goes beyond one story. Rob reflects on his own path of transformation—both personal and professional—and weaves in powerful lessons from recent guests on Entrepreneurial Thinkers, including Jocelyn Ramirez of Todo Verde, Roy Scott of Urban Disney, and Bismarck Lepe of MiSalud Health. The common thread? Consistency. Courage. Community.

If you’re navigating your own season of change—or just need a reminder that forward is the only way—this episode is for you. It’s raw, honest, and hopeful.

Let’s keep pushing. Let’s keep believing. And let’s do it together.

🎧 Hit play, get inspired, and share with someone who needs this today.

Why doesn’t every building, everywhere, have Solar Panels on them? What do airplanes and solar panels have in common? For Andres Friedman, the answer is everything. Join Rob as he sits down with the former Bombardier executive turned clean tech innovator to explore how his company, Solfium, is reshaping the solar energy landscape in Mexico and why he sees Mexico and Latin America as such opportune markets. From navigating VC funding to building a solar marketplace from scratch, Andres shares his journey, challenges, and bold entrepreneurial vision for a sustainable future. Whether you're into startups, clean energy, or just love a good reinvention story — this episode has something for you.

Feel free to follow and engage with ANDRÉS here:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andres-friedman/?originalSubdomain=mx
• Website: https://solfium.com/

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders interested in the human stories of the Entrepreneurial Thinkers behind entrepreneurial economies worldwide.

As always we hope you enjoy each episode and Like, Follow, Subscribe or share with your friends. You can find our shows here, and our new Video Podcast, at “Entrepreneurial Thinkers” channel on YouTube. Plug in, relax and enjoy inspiring, educational and empowering conversations between Rob and our guests.

¡Cheers y gracias!,

Entrepreneurial Thinkers Team.

In this Stoppage Time episode, Rob opens up about a week filled with tension, reflection, and ultimately, inspiration. As he grapples with the pressures of growing his media platform and the disturbing federal immigration actions taking place in Los Angeles, Rob finds clarity through a deeply personal and moving conversation with Jocelyn Ramirez—a chef, author, New York Times contributor, social justice advocate, and founder of the plant-based food brand Todo Verde.

Jocelyn’s story is one of heritage, resilience, and purpose. Born and raised in South LA to Mexican and Ecuadorian immigrant parents, she shares how food became both her expression and her activism—bringing people together, honoring culture, and creating access in underserved communities.

What unfolds is a heartfelt and timely discussion about identity, memory, and the power of food to unite us. Rob and Jocelyn reflect on how, in a city like Los Angeles—and a country built by immigrants—our shared meals and food traditions are living proof of who we are at our best.

At a time when some are trying to erase that truth, this episode stands as a celebration and a call to action: to defend our diversity, to uplift immigrant stories, and to recognize that food is more than nourishment—it’s resistance, it’s love, it’s legacy.

Pull up a chair. You’ll want to hear this one all the way through.

Do we buy more tortillas or hamburger buns in USA? Does everyone you know have access to healthy foods in their neighborhoods? What if the food you love could transform your health and your community? 🌱 In this really specific and insightful conversation, Rob sits down with Jocelyn Ramirez—chef, Author, CPG entrepreneur, New York Times Contributor, Activist and founder of Todo Verde—to explore how plant-based eating can be both deeply cultural, and radically healing. From tackling food access to preserving flavor and tradition, to talking entrepreneurship in the cut-throat competitive Consumer Packaged Goods Industry, Jocelyn shares her journey of blending activism, heritage, and deliciousness on every plate. Discover how food can be a powerful tool for change—and how you can bring this into your own life at home.Feel free to follow and engage with JOCELYN here:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelyncramirez77/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/la_yoselin/?hl=en
• Business Website: https://todoverde.org/
• Website: https://www.chefjocelynramirez.com/

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders interested in the human stories of the Entrepreneurial Thinkers behind entrepreneurial economies worldwide.

As always we hope you enjoy each episode and Like, Follow, Subscribe or share with your friends. You can find our shows here, and our new Video Podcast, at “Entrepreneurial Thinkers” channel on YouTube. Plug in, relax and enjoy inspiring, educational and empowering conversations between Rob and our guests.

¡Cheers y gracias!,

Entrepreneurial Thinkers Team.

This week on Stoppage Time with Uncle Rob, we’re diving deep into one powerful theme: transition. As the U.S. marks Independence Day, Uncle Rob reflects on a whirlwind week filled with personal, political, and cultural shifts. From the turbulent political landscape in America, to the evolving spirit of Los Angeles as it prepares for LA28, to the raw reality of climate disasters and immigration injustice—this episode tackles the times we’re living in with heart and honesty.

But it’s not all chaos and challenge. This episode also features an inspiring conversation with Roy Scott, founder and CEO of Healthy Hip Hop. Once a gangsta rapper and college basketball star, Roy completely reinvented himself—creating a groundbreaking platform that merges positive hip hop with education tech to empower the next generation. His journey is a living example of how change is not only possible, but powerful.

Uncle Rob closes with a message of hope and personal truth—urging all of us to ask the hard questions, embrace uncertainty, and step into our own transitions with courage and curiosity.

✨ If you’re navigating your own changes in life—this one’s for you.

🎧 Stay for the whole ride. It might just shift something in you.