In this insightful episode, we journey through the dynamic tech career of Darwyn Palenzuela, a serial founder whose beginnings in the mid-1990s were rooted in crafting fan pages and websites. Transitioning from gaming startups to top CEO roles, and almost touching the cusp of retirement, Darwyn's relentless passion led him to helm another innovative company and immerse himself in a VC program. Dive deep into his daily grind, and the challenges of startup leadership, and learn from his invaluable lessons on patience, grit, and strategy. Beyond the boardroom, Darwyn shares his sources of inspiration, from sports legends to transformative books, and gives a peek into his relaxing pursuits that range from sailing to beach outings. A poignant reflection on past mistakes, a mission to empower communities, and advice for budding entrepreneurs make this episode a treasure trove for anyone aiming to navigate the tumultuous yet rewarding world of tech entrepreneurship.

0:00 - Introduction and welcoming Darwyn as the guest speaker.

1:30 - Darwyn talks about his background and first coding projects making fan pages and websites in the mid-1990s.

3:00 - Transitioned to starting a gaming company as founding CTO, then got poached to be CEO of another company. Exited that and started another gaming company that he ran for 5-6 years before getting acquired.

5:00 - In 2018, thought about retiring but decided to start something new instead. Now runs a company as CEO and participates in a VC program.

6:30 - Describes the day-to-day activities of running a startup - having a vision, getting into the trenches, dealing with challenges, bouncing back from failures, thinking big picture but focused on the next 3 months.

8:30 - Key lessons are understanding what you're getting into, thoroughly believing in it, and having the necessary skills to execute.

10:00 - Main hobbies outside of work are going to the gym, beach, sailing, and fishing - things that help process thoughts in a different environment.

11:30 - Main influences are sports figures who succeeded through natural talent and hard work.

12:30 - Balance is more focused on work since it's like a hobby. Resting is a state of mind.

14:00 - Deals with stress by drawing from experience, and having patience combined with action.

15:30 - Early influences were Anthony Robbin's materials. Later influences were books on strategic management to improve business knowledge.

17:00 - Staying motivated by picking a mission you're passionate about and doing whatever it takes to accomplish it. Continuously learning.

18:30 - The misconception is that it's easy to be a founder/CEO/CTO. It takes real grit.

20:00 - Failure example was not structuring a deal properly and being impatient - learned to be more patient and read the other party.

21:30 - Advice to younger self would be to have more patience and better understand people/politics.

23:00 - Tech career has shifted focus to providing beneficial services to help communities like the Philippines.

24:00 - Wrap up and conclusion.