Founders Unfound

Rica Elysee is the founder and CEO of BeautyLynk, a company transforming the on-demand, in-home beauty market.

FULL EPISODE drops February 13th!

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Dan previews what to expect from Founders Unfound in 2020.

We would love your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, feedback. Please DM us today!

social:

instagram : linkedin : youtube : twitter

podcast:

apple : spotify : soundcloud : sticher

web:

www.foundersunfound.com

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AK Ikwuakor, or "Coach AK" as he prefers, is a man of many talents. He’s been both a collegiate and Olympic athlete. Motivational speaker. Educator and Social impact entrepreneur. And even dabbled in some standup. In this podcast episode, however, Dan spoke with him as Co-Founder and CEO of ELETE Styles - a startup on a mission to create professional attire with fit, function, and fashion for the athlete build.

ELETE takes the broadest view of the value it adds. From athletes to first responders to returning war vets who need adaptive apparel. Men, women, casual, formal...and everything in between. 

AK's life journey has included Olympic trials, world travel, and even a stint of being homeless. How does all this connect with an eCommerce startup?

Listen in and find out!

• (04:14) How ELETE works to bring consumers custom attire 
• (09:00) How AK's love of his mom's homecooking led to ELETE's origin story
• (15:05) The challenges of making ONLY one piece (vs. 1000) for a custom design
• (16:55) Complexities of tariffs and currencies for a global business
• (23:35) Powerful origin story of AK's NGO startup Empower 2 Play
• (33:10) The 400M race as a metaphor for life 
• (41:21) AK's adventures as an Olympic athlete
• (46:44) Personal choices, perspectives, and growth
• (50:00) Sources of influence: mentors, friends, enemies, and books

AK's Youtube Channel, company site, and linkedin

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In this episode Dan has a great conversation with Bara Cola, founder and CEO of Carbice. Bara's startup is revolutionizing the new standard for thermal cooling in the global electronics market. What does this mean to you and me?

We are surrounded by a global infrastructure - from power plants and satellites to your Amazon Echo - that is powered by electronics. Electronics generate heat. If they kick out too much, well, then they shut down or at least slow down. Carbice's magic material manages the heat better - so full performance can be realized. Bara makes the case that everything from Arab Spring to high end gaming is all made possible by better thermal management.

Listen in to hear how and why!

(02:42) EVERYTHING that generates heat must regulate it 

(06:14) Carbice has invented the first new cooling material class in 100 years!

(12:58) Bara connects thermal management to the Arab Spring

(14:56) Bara talks Carbice's current traction

(19:44) Homebase: the choice between Atlanta and Silicon Valley

(21:22) Closing a lead investor on a Sunday afternoon walk around the neighborhood 

(26:00) Growing up in Pensacola, Florida...AKA "lower Alabama"

(31:28) Early entrepreneurial aspirations

(32:35) Meeting President Obama at the White House

(37:44) What Bara considers the most important skill

(40:41) Bara gives advice to his 22-year-old self

(42:31) Important mentors

(44:02) props to TechSquare Labs - Paul Judge and Allen Nance

Check out more about Carbice: carbice.com, @carbice, @baratundecola

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

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

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

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

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