Founder's Voyage

Michael is the founder and inventor of the Kuzma Self Playing Guitar, a groundbreaking instrument that combines his lifelong passion for music with his expertise in electrical engineering and entrepreneurship. Starting as a college side project, Michael turned a wild idea into a tangible product now sought after by music lovers and innovators worldwide. His journey is not only a testament to technical ingenuity and perseverance, but also to the power of storytelling, collaboration, and fearless iteration in building something truly original.

💡 What You’ll Learn from Michael's Journey:
🔸 The Power of Asking for Help: Michael shares how consistently reaching out for advice and support accelerated his progress and solved seemingly insurmountable challenges.
🔸 Iterate Relentlessly and Embrace Failure: Discover the crucial role of rapid prototyping, learning from mistakes, and pivoting when approaches hit a dead end.
🔸 Building a Product through Community Inspiration: Michael illustrates how customer feedback, unexpected conversations, and crowd-sourced ideas shaped both his product and its unique "artist you can own" market positioning.
🔸 Turning Passion into Opportunity: See how Michael leveraged his personal love for guitar, curiosity for engineering, and desire for adventure to carve an entrepreneurial path, and how you can, too, by following what excites you.

You can connect with Michael on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow his journey.

🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services.

👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life.

🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Michael.

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Stefan Siarov is an accomplished aerospace and electromechanical engineer with a passion for systems thinking, innovation, and human-centered organizational growth. His career journey spans roles at the European Space Agency, where he worked on pioneering lunar habitat projects, to pivotal contributions in scaling early-stage startups like Valispace. Along the way, Stefan has also distinguished himself as a guest lecturer, advisor to sustainability-focused startups, and a vocal advocate for the importance of personal well-being and authentic self-expression within entrepreneurial environments.

💡 What You’ll Learn from Stefan's Journey:
🔸Embracing Systems Thinking: Stefan demonstrates how applying a systems engineering mindset not only tackles technological complexity, but also enhances team-building, organizational structure, and personal decision-making.

🔸Fostering Human Systems: Learn how Stefan’s experience building and scaling diverse teams taught him the importance of culture, communication, and empathy—crucial ingredients for startup success.

🔸Navigating Burnout & Personal Alignment: Gain insights into Stefan’s honest reflection on burnout, how self-awareness and proactive care are essential for sustainable leadership, and the courage required to realign your path with your values.

🔸Taking Radical Action & Following Flow: Be inspired by Stefan’s advice to continuously act on clarity, pursue work that energizes you, and courageously use your voice—reminding founders to prioritize meaningful action and authentic connection above all.

You can connect with Stefan on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow his journey.

🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services.

👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life.

🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Stefan.

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Joel Acevedo-Nieto, Ph.D is a doctor in neuroscience, professor at the University of Puerto Rico, and an expert in mental and emotional performance processes. He is the founder of Sharp Focus, a cognitive training platform designed to help those with concentration difficulties, and is currently involved in a pioneering fellowship research in resilience and learning in children. He uses innovative methods, including comparative studies with zebrafish, in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic.

Joel’s entrepreneurial journey is deeply rooted in scientific validation, mental health advocacy, and the application of neuroscience to real-world challenges, especially for children and those affected by ADHD and other cognitive disorders.

💡 What You’ll Learn from Joel's Journey:

🔸 Building Impactful Teams: Joel emphasizes the importance of mutual respect, complementary skills, and clearly defined co-founder roles as the foundation for entrepreneurial success.

🔸 Science-Driven Innovation: His approach demonstrates that rigorous scientific validation and adaptability are vital for translating research into tools that genuinely benefit users—never skipping the step of robust clinical evidence.

🔸 Resilience as a Mindset: Joel’s research and personal story highlight the value of embracing a growth (malleable) mindset—seeing failure as part of the learning process and an opportunity to build resilience in both business and life.

🔸 Bridging Research and Real-World Problems: From advanced cognitive training platforms to mindfulness programs for children, Joel exemplifies how cutting-edge neuroscience can be directly applied to address pressing problems like mental health, trauma, and educational disparities.

You can connect with Joel on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow his journey.

🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services.

👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life.

🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Joel.

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Jacky So is a first-generation Cambodian American leader in health equity, tech, and community innovation. With a background leading distributed, multilingual tech teams that have improved access to healthcare for millions of Americans, she brings a unique blend of hands-on data expertise, startup grit, and a relentless passion for equity. Jacky currently works in the nonprofit sector, driving systemic change at the intersection of technology, public service, and social impact. Her journey from navigating childhood as part of an immigrant family to becoming an influential voice in healthtech, community building, and AI policy, exemplifies resilience and purpose-driven leadership.

💡 What You’ll Learn from Jacky's Journey:

🔸Turning Adversity into Purpose: Jacky’s experiences facing discrimination and being “the only” in her community fueled her drive to use technology and data as tools for representation and equity, an inspiring model for entrepreneurs seeking to create impact from their lived experiences.

🔸Building with Community, Not Just for It: Throughout her career, Jacky emphasizes the importance of bringing community voices to the decision-making table, ensuring solutions are co-created and truly address real needs, a key lesson for startup founders aiming for lasting impact.

🔸 Navigating Barriers with Creativity and Grit: Despite being actively discouraged from pursuing tech, Jacky carved her unique path by combining diverse disciplines and pitching herself into new roles, showing that unconventional, self-directed learning and persistence pay off.

🔸 Equity in Data and Technology: Jacky highlights language access and culturally responsive data collection as vital to equitable innovation, and shares hard-earned insights about the risks and responsibilities of AI, advocating for intentional, ethical tech leadership.

You can connect with Jacky on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow her journey.

We wanted to thank podcast.today for featuring us recently in their entrepreneurship newsletter. It's a great way to find new hidden gems!

🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services.

👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life.

🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Jackie.

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Tyrone is a mechatronics engineer and data scientist with a passion for real-world applications of emerging technologies. As founder and lead data scientist of HomeFair AS, he developed machine learning-driven platforms to empower home sellers and buyers, culminating in the successful merger of his startup with a leading Norwegian property tech company.

Tyrone’s unique path took him from South Africa to Italy, Australia, and Norway, working on innovative projects in sensor technology, big data, and real estate analytics. His experience spans both technical and business development, and he champions ethical data use and collaborative culture in startups.

💡 What You’ll Learn from Tyrone's Journey:

🔸 Pivoting from Technical Roots to Entrepreneurship: How Tyrone leveraged his engineering and data science background to create a technology startup in a new industry, adapting his skills and learning business fundamentals along the way.

🔸 Building (and Selling) a Data-Driven Startup: Lessons on assembling a complementary founding team, iterating on product-market fit, managing funding challenges, and navigating acquisition and merger paths, even in less mature startup ecosystems.

🔸 The Ethical Edge of Data Science: Insights on why thoughtful, ethical data use matters, and how open dialogue with stakeholders can inform better, more balanced tech products and company policies.

🔸 Risk, Resilience, and Founders’ Alignment: Why understanding personal and co-founder risk tolerance, motivations, and transparent equity discussions are critical to startup health and long-term founder well-being.

You can connect with Tyrone on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow his journey.

🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services.

👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life.

🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Tyrone.

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Maria is an accomplished entrepreneur, educator, and thought leader in entrepreneurship, she is applying her knowledge and skills in the emerging field of space. With a commercial background and years of experience as both a founder and a teacher, Maria is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Space Entrepreneurship at the European Institute of Innovation and Sustainability. She founded Yellowman.dk and is an ambassador for Space Denmark. Maria is passionate about bridging the gap between technical and commercial talent, empowering students, fostering innovation, and helping teams align on purpose and values.

💡 What You’ll Learn from Maria's Journey:

🔸 The Power of Team Alignment: Maria emphasizes the importance of truly understanding each team member’s dreams and motivations, and how alignment drives lasting success in startups.

🔸 Bridging Technical and Commercial Worlds: Learn how Maria’s work connects engineering talent and business expertise, enabling the commercialization of advanced technologies and turning ideas into impactful ventures.

🔸 Learning by Doing and the Value of Education: Discover why Maria believes structured entrepreneurial education, frameworks, and a culture of experimentation are key to navigating complexity and avoiding common startup pitfalls.

🔸 Resilience, Balance, and Pursuing Meaning: Maria shares real-life strategies for managing stress, balancing family with startup life, making bold moves despite obstacles, and measuring success by the impact left for others and the ability to follow your dreams.

You can connect with Maria on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow her journey.

🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services.

👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life.

🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Maria.

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Zuby is a trailblazing entrepreneur and innovator, recognized as the inventor and founder behind Think and Zoom, an award-winning brain control assistive tech solution for the visually impaired. Zuby has received the prestigious Mass Challenge Health-Tech Startup Choice Award in 2020.

As a disability advocate and “eye for good” evangelist to the United Nations, Zuby champions inclusive innovation and the elevation of disabled user-innovators. With a background in computer engineering and a powerful lived experience of vision loss, Zuby’s journey is a testament to creativity, resilience, and impact-driven entrepreneurship.

💡 What You’ll Learn from Zuby's Journey:

🔸 Embrace Relentless Curiosity: Zuby urges aspiring founders to become “knowledge thirsty”, to develop an insatiable appetite for learning, spanning both related and unrelated fields, as groundbreaking ideas and solutions often emerge at unexpected intersections.

🔸 Persevere Through Uncertainty: His story highlights the unpredictability and setbacks faced in both life and business. Maintaining a strong sense of purpose (“your why”) is essential to navigate obstacles and keep moving forward, even when progress seems impossible.

🔸 Solve Real Problems, Start Small: Many of Zuby’s ventures, including Think and Zoom and Kowa Credit, originated from his personal challenges. He demonstrates the value of launching minimum viable products quickly and iterating based on lived experience, while also later learning the importance of diligence and research for long-term success.

🔸 Champion Inclusive Innovation: Zuby stresses the urgent need for disabled innovators to lead the creation of assistive technologies. By empowering user-innovators and investing in specialized accelerators or labs, society can develop solutions that benefit both the disabled community and mainstream users.

You can connect with Zuby on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow his journey.

🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services.

👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life.

🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Zuby.

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Selene is an MIT Boot Camp Innovation Leadership graduate, AI enthusiast, and the Chief of Staff at Chai and Velostics. With a strong background in tech and digital transformation, Selene brings an impressive breadth of experience across corporate, startup, and consulting environments. Her career demonstrates a continuous drive to learn, pivot, and empower others in fast-evolving industries.

💡 What You’ll Learn from Selene's Journey:

🔸 The Power of Lifelong Learning: Selene advocates for continuously acquiring knowledge across diverse fields, emphasizing that broad expertise opens unexpected opportunities and enables leaders to adapt in any industry.

🔸 Driving Innovation Through Challenge: Her journey illustrates how embracing new roles and challenging oneself, especially in tech and AI, can drive personal and organizational growth.

🔸 Navigating Change & Pivoting with Confidence: Selene shares insights on successfully transitioning from corporate to startups, and between industries, through a willingness to “start from scratch” and embrace change without fear.

🔸 Setting Boundaries & Balancing Life: Learn how Selene maintains well-being and productivity by setting clear boundaries, managing multiple calendars, and prioritizing self-care, providing a model for healthy remote and entrepreneurial work.

You can connect with Selene on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow her journey.

🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services.

👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life.

🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Selene.

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Frederick Van Staden is the founder of Kreet, a socially responsible boutique art store, and the co-founder of the South African fashion platform Look Like. With a background as a senior software engineer and team lead, he combines his technical expertise with a passion for art and community impact.

As a new father, Frederick is navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship while striving to make a meaningful difference in his local community.

💡 What You’ll Learn from Frederick's Journey:

🔸 Embrace Iteration: Frederick emphasizes the importance of taking action and iterating on ideas rather than waiting for the perfect moment or conditions. This mindset can lead to valuable learning experiences and eventual success.

🔸 Value-Based Pricing: Understanding the difference between value-based and cost-based pricing is crucial for entrepreneurs. Frederick highlights how recognising the value of what you offer can significantly impact profitability and growth.

🔸 Focus on Individual Impact: While initially aiming to donate all profits to charity, Frederick learned that investing in individuals can create a more significant and sustainable impact. This shift in perspective can help entrepreneurs balance their mission with business growth.

🔸 Leverage Your Network: Frederick found that reaching out to his personal network for professional services yielded better quality results than using freelance platforms. Building relationships can lead to more meaningful collaborations and support.

You can connect with Frederick on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow his journey.

🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services.

👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life.

🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Frederick's.

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Colin Banning is the current Country Director for Swiss Contact in El Salvador and the founder of team GB Consulting and Colin Banning Consulting.

With a strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and entrepreneurship, Colin has made significant contributions to the development of social entrepreneurship in Central America, particularly for vulnerable populations such as returned migrants and individuals with disabilities. His expertise in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices and his experience with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development have positioned him as a leading figure in promoting sustainable business practices across Latin America.

💡 What You’ll Learn from Colin's Journey:

🔸 The Importance of Purpose-Driven Business: Colin emphasises that running a business with a purpose not only benefits the community but also enhances the long-term viability of the business itself.

🔸 Navigating Challenges in Sustainability: He discusses the complexities of implementing sustainable practices in businesses, highlighting the need for education and understanding of the long-term benefits of sustainability.

🔸 Empowering Vulnerable Populations: Colin shares insights on how to support marginalised groups, such as people with disabilities and returned migrants, by providing them with the tools and resources to succeed in entrepreneurship.

🔸 Adaptability in Entrepreneurship: He reflects on the necessity of being prepared for unexpected changes in life and business, stressing the importance of having a clear direction while remaining flexible to adapt to new circumstances.

You can connect with Colin on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow his journey.

🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services.

👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life.

🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Colin's.

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