Foreign Founders

Daniela and Michelle Suarez are two Latina immigrant sisters from Peru, who have embarked on a mission to empower the world to naturally conquer stress and anxiety by guiding them towards balanced calmness and focus. They founded a company called iCalm that creates natural solutions to relieve stress, anxiety, frustration, tension, nervousness, and help people live more fulfilled lives.

Prior to iCalm, Daniela worked in Tech Sales for Amazon Web Services, and Michelle was an ex-Goldman Sachs Investment Banker.

In this episode, you’ll hear the sister talk about:

• Working for someone vs. working for yourself
• The realities of stress, and ways to be aware and reduce them
• Why store bought stress gummies don’t work
• Tips for not getting scammed when you’re a first time founder
• Advice on how to start a DTC company

Enjoy the episode!

Start your stress free journey by pre-ordering their iCalm shot! https://icalm.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icalmhealth/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1384174175855405

If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. Please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected] for any inquiries and questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pallavi Pande is a passionate Mompreneur from Portland, Oregon, and the heart behind DTOCS. Inspired by her childhood memories of dining on banana leaves in India, she introduced the concept the sustainable practice to the western world through DTOCS. She rescues fallen Areca palm leaves in India and is on a mission to replace your cheap paper, toxic plastic and expensive bamboo plates with my sustainable palm leaf alternatives. "DTOCS" echoes the essence of "Detox," symbolizes a cleaner, sustainable journey with palm leaves.

Their tableware is crafted from naturally shed palm leaves, they're eco-friendly, chemical-free, and perfect for homes and events. Not just products, but a cause – a major portion of their profits uplifts the livelihoods of their majority women workers in India. A share of their profits support equitable education in the underrepresented communities locally in Greater Than PDX (non-profit).

Their commitment to quality is in evidence, as they bagged the NEXTY award in 2019 for the most innovative sustainable product.

Every piece of DTOCS tableware is crafted with care. Cheers to healthier and greener choices!

In this episode we talk about:

• Where Pallavi grew up
• The beginning of DTOCS
• How she grew the company, and the number of sales they had!
• Advice she has for building a DTC brand and marketing the products
• What she’s optimistic about

Enjoy the episode!

Join Pallavi to a sustainable and greener future with DTOCS: https://www.dtocs.com,

DTOCS Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dtocs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dtocsplates

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dtocsplates/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pallavi-pande-bb5abb1b/

If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. Please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected] for any inquiries and questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s a lot of ways to describe, Atal Agarwal, Founder and CEO of Immigrant First AI. He’s a repeat immigrant founder, community builder, investor, content creator and ironman athlete. In many ways he likes to tackle the most challenging problem that he sees, and that’s why I wanted Atal on the show.

In the episode, Atal shared where he grew up and what he was like before reaching adulthood. He told us that heartbreak, loss of employment and visa uncertainty to lead to something extraordinary. Finally, the mission and vision he has for Immigrant First AI, going to Capitol Hill to advocate for the changes that he wants to see happen in the U.S. immigration services.

Enjoy the episode!

Immigrant First AI: https://immigrantfirst.ai

Substack: https://atal.substack.com/

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

If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.

For sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re starting of 2024 with a list of incredible guests. The first episode of the year is with Eric Melchor. He’s the founder of Innovators Can Laugh podcast, where he interviews European startup founders. He’s a self-described mediocre tennis player, and a Texan living in Romania 🤠🇷🇴

Eric’s story is powerful because you can hear from our short episode that he has gone through a lot and has went through experiences. As a boy from Houston, who found himself in the hustle and bustle of New York City, and then raising a family and starting a business in Romania, you know that this adventurous entrepreneur is just getting started.

I’m also excited to announce that Foreign Founders has joined Eric’s network of B2B podcasts. So if you want to add podcasting as a growth and marketing tactic for 2024, then you can do that here: https://www.innovatorscanlaugh.com/p/b2b-podcast-network/

If you loved Eric’s storytelling as much as I did (I have a lot to learn from him!), then you can find his podcast on all players. This episode with Aleksandrina is really funny! https://www.innovatorscanlaugh.com/beauty-startup-is-translating-science-with-aleksandrina-ikonomova/

Enjoy the episode!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CanInnovators

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovatorsCanLaugh/

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMZz4aC1lhYDlwvoOrpsUZg

If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content.

Have questions or interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please email [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before we get into the episode, I wanted to thank every one of the Foreign Founders community for an incredible 2023! This podcast started out as a way to “dog-food” our early-stage product, but I quickly saw that this platform was more valuable than the product we were building. It has been an immense pleasure and joy to be able to tell immigrant stories from all around the world, how *we are shaping our communities with the companies that we’re building. We have big plans for 2024, and will continue to tell more stories, highlight more ecosystems, and connect more immigrants together through our mastermind and meetups. If you are interested, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected]. Email is also in the description.

I’m currently recording this little bit in Okayama, Japan in a closet in my family home while they are still asleep. Thanks jetlag!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, an incredible end and start to the year, and thank you for continuing to be a part of the Foreign Founders community. Have a happy new year!

This final episode of the year is with my good friend, Lior Klisman. Lior is an incredible founder and entrepreneur, and you’ll hear that throughout the episode with his captivating stories. Lior is currently co-founder and COO of Sentant, a security and compliance company for startups and large businesses. However, Lior’s superpower is his ability to help others realize and achieve their own version of success. When he’s not working on Sentant, he is advising founders, investors, operators from all background on their operational and GTM motions, and he works with many immigrants as an advisor.

We recorded this episode in person, with one microphone, back in September of this year. Without waiting any further, I present my conversation with Lior Klisman.

Enjoy the episode!

If you to work with an advisor, Lior is always willing to help. You can reach out to him on his LinkedIn below.

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

Sentant: https://www.sentant.net/

If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. Please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected] for any inquiries and questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tania Kottoor saw her friend struggle to find an Indian wedding dress for her special day, and realized that the existing way of getting cultural clothing from India was broken. You had to fly to India, and find clothes that may not be the right fit. You could decide to go to a South Asian fabric and custom tailor, but see that their designs were outdated. There were no great and affordable option, until WEST X EAST.

Tania Kottoor, a first-generation Indian-American, is the innovative Founder and CEO of WEST X EAST, a trailblazing brand that blends tradition with innovation. She's created the world's first AI-powered platform for custom-fit cultural clothing, gaining recognition in publications like BRIDES and Vogue. With a double business degree from Saint Louis University and a fashion education from Condé Nast College, she's helped an emerging designer brand now available at Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. Tania is deeply entrenched in the startup ecosystem, earning fellowships and grants, and her mission centers on elevating cultural expression.

Tania is delivering on the promise of “high quality custom-fit cultural clothing from design to delivery in a fraction of the time”! Please visit the website for your next cultural fit!

Enjoy the episode!

Website: https://www.westxeast.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westxeast/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westxeast/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/westxeast/

If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. Please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected] for any inquiries and questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on the episode is Regina Trillo, founder of Nemi Snacks. Originally from Mexico City and now based in Chicago, Regina felt unrepresented the moment she stepped foot in Chicago grocery stores. Regina found brands portraying Mexican cultura in a stereotypical way and mostly using artificial ingredients. Nemi Snacks was founded with a mission to elevate Mexican cultura in the U.S. through high-quality Mexican snacks in sombrero-free branding. Nemi Snacks are crunchy sticks made from seeds and nopales (a.k.a. prickly pear cactus) in Mexican-inspired flavors like Mexican Lime, Smoky Chipotle, Chile Turmeric and Churro. Nemi works directly with Mexican farmers, uses real chiles and spices and no artificial colors or ingredients. Regina has spent her legal career advocating for human rights by providing legal services to immigrants and implementing programs on a range of global human rights issues in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and the United States.

Enjoy the episode!

Nemi Snacks Website: https://neminative.com/

Use code “foreignfounders” for 15% off → add the items in the cart, then proceed to checkout to find the discount code box

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nemisnacks/

If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. Please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected] for any inquiries and questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2020, like many others, Ray found that he needed to rely on alternative sources of income to make ends meet. In a short period of time, he noticed how much he loved being a freelance writer and DSLX was born.

DSLX, short for dyslexic, is a mission-driven creative content writing agency for business who want to turn readers into revenue.

In this episode we talked about DSLX’s founding story in Barcelona, how founders should think about content to grow their business, and how AI can be used to create better content.

Enjoy the episode!

Work with Ray and his team: https://dslxcontent.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dslx/

If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. Please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected] for any inquiries and questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When I think of an archaic medical procedure, I think of an invasive and incredibly painful procedure with replacement parts that are not the most natural fit. When I think of the future state, I think of 3D printing personalized implants that are ready for medical procedures.

Our guest today is Denys Gurak. He is a CEO and Co-Founder at A.D.A.M., a 3D bio-printing company with a primary focus on 3D-printed bones. Denys’s ultimate vision is to build an on-demand personalized tissue manufacturing platform that would be a one-stop shop for transplanted tissues and organs; and, hence, to cut barriers to medical treatment for millions.

Denys's passion for biotech can be traced back to 2010, when he was leading the international relations and certification, along with EU legislation adaptation at the Ukrainian medicinal products regulatory authority (official position - director of the «GMP/GDP Center» of the State Administration of Ukraine on Medicinal Products (SAUMP).

In 2014 Denys joined the Ukrainian Defense Industry (a state defense conglomerate) in 2014 as the Deputy Director-General for foreign economic activity. During his time at the company, he managed the export-import operations that amounted to USD 1 billion yearly turnover. Furthermore, Denys represented Ukraine as the Head of Ukraine’s delegation to the NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG), and led the industry transformation initiatives, including innovations development and technology JVs, as well international relations.

Denys is a Venture Partner at ff Venture Capital a high-performing early stage venture firm based in NYC and Warsaw, Poland, focusing on disruptive IT, biotechnology, aerospace and security projects in CEE region.

His passion for strategic modeling and technological disruption, as well as his outstanding networking skills and analytical mindset define Denys's active role in expert society. Besides business matters, Denys is the key member in a number of think tanks and NGOs.

Enjoy the episode!

More information on A.D.A.M.

https://adambioprinting.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ADAMbioprinting

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adambioprinting/

If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. Please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected] for any inquiries and questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Diversity Visa Program, better known as the Green Card lottery or the Visa lottery, has officially opened as of October 4th for the fiscal year 2025.

Entrants have until Tuesday, November 7th at noon EST to register online at the State Department’s official lottery website (link will be provided in the show notes).

For FY2025, the Diversity Visa program will make up to 55,000 green card numbers available through random selection, and the results will be announced in May 2024. Those who are selected then have until October 1st, 2024 to submit their green card applications.

Please be aware that there’s only one way to enter, and that’s through the official lottery website. Checking the status of your lottery is also only available through the website. Lastly, there’s no fee to enter this lottery, and fees for the application is paid at the time of your scheduled appointment at the U.S. embassy or consulate. Be aware of frauds!

Last tip. You’ll need to review the narrow set of qualifications to see if you quality. Please review that before you submit your entry and keep your unique confirmation number once you enter. You’ll need that to check the status of your entry when selections are made in May 2024.

Finally, you have until Tuesday, November 7th 2023 at noon eastern to enter the lottery for FY2025.

Individuals from countries with high rates of U.S. immigration are not eligible to register.

• This year, those born in the following countries are ineligible: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including mainland and Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
• For FY 2025, individuals from the United Kingdom and its dependent territories are eligible to participate.
• Individuals born in Macau SAR and Taiwan can participate.
• Those who cannot register because their country of birth is excluded may be able to qualify through a spouse who was born in an eligible country or, in certain circumstances, through a parent’s country of birth.

Entrants must have at least a high school education (or equivalent) or two years of qualifying work experience within the past five years.

Best of luck!

Enter the Diversity Visa 2025 here:

https://dvprogram.state.gov/

If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. Please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected] for any inquiries and questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.