Perception Paradox with Zivile (Zivi) Ein

In this episode of Perception Paradox, created in partnership with Superhero Capital, I sit down with Markku Vuorinen, co-founder and CEO of Homie.

We talk about why cold outreach is broken, why warm introductions still work, and how Homie is building a systematic way for B2B teams to use trust as a growth channel.

Markku also shares what early PMF signals look like, how he thinks about building through the AI noise, and why focus matters more than seven-day weeks — especially with a one-and-a-half-year-old at home.

Homie is a Superhero Capital portfolio company.

Natalini became CEO of a global nonprofit before 30. She found herself in Davos with Tony Blair, surrounded by heads of state, celebrities and some of the world’s most influential people.

From the outside, she had made it.

But her body was telling her something completely different.

In this deeply personal episode of Perception Paradox, Natalini shares what happened when she began questioning a life built around achievement, expectations and an identity that, she eventually realised, wasn’t entirely her own.

We talk about losing her father, leaving a seven-year relationship and a decade-long career, confronting childhood trauma, psychedelic-assisted therapy, taking a year away from work — and ultimately changing her name as an act of reclaiming herself.

But this isn’t only a story about healing. It’s about what comes after.

Today, Natalini is Co-Founder and CEO of KOKO Foundation in London, bringing creativity to marginalised communities and exploring what it means to stay deeply human in the age of AI.

What happens when you stop building the life you were taught to want — and start discovering the one that’s actually yours?

Guest: Natalini from Koko Foundation: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justnatalini/

About Koko Foundation: www.kokofoundation.com

Hosted by Zivile https://www.linkedin.com/in/zivileeinikyte/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction - Who Is Natalini?

01:33 How They Met & The Art of Real Connection

06:38 When The Body Says No - The Moment Everything Changed

09:00 The Death That Cracked Everything Open

14:19 The Tools That Healed Her - Psychedelics, Therapy & Eboga

27:26 The Grandmother - A Destiny Imposed In Communist Bulgaria

38:48 Changing Her Name - Reclaiming Her Identity

46:57 One Year Of Not Working - The Hardest Gift

54:49 Discovering Her Own Creativity For The First Time

57:18 KOKO Foundation - Building From The Ground Up As Herself

1:09:23 AI & Human Creativity - The Collective Reckoning

1:21:30 Breaking The Model - Designing A Life On Her Own Terms

1:28:12 Final Thought - Are You Creative?

Naomie Amzallag Halioua spent years training to become a technical specialist - then watched AI make that specialization nearly worthless overnight.

As co-founder and CEO of Cleo Labs, she's building an AI-powered product compliance company in a world where technical skill alone is no longer a moat. In this episode, she explains why she believes generalists - not specialists - will win the next decade, why human judgment is now the only real competitive advantage, and why Cleo walked away from a profitable product that nobody actually used.

We also get into:

• Why AI is quietly making deep technical training less valuable

• The difference between using AI and thinking with it

• How Cleo found a problem worth solving after abandoning one that wasn't

• Building a company (and a family) without waiting for the "right" moment

• What confidence actually requires - and where it comes from

If you've ever wondered whether your hard-won expertise still matters, this conversation will change how you think about it.

Naomie Halioua is the technical co-founder of Cleo Labs, a Paris-based startup that uses AI to help brands sell their products around the world without getting blocked by regulation. She's a Polytechnique-trained engineer, and she built the multi-agent architecture behind the product. Before Cleo, she co-founded Women in Web3, Europe's largest community for women in Web3. Cleo raised a 1.5 million euro pre-seed and counts Decathlon among its clients.

Connect with Naomie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomiehalioua/

Hosted by Zivi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zivileeinikyte/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Naomie's Journey

02:03 Pregnancy and Fundraising: Naomie's Experience

04:15 Role Models and Inspiration for Women in Tech

05:34 Naomie's Background in Web3 and Community Building

08:12 Pivot from AI Education to Product Compliance

13:34 How Naomie Onboards Clients for Compliance

15:45 Human in the Loop as a Competitive Advantage

17:06 Risks and Perceptions of AI Usage

20:14 Evolving Workflows and Team Skills in AI Era

21:50 Hiring for Technical and Legal Expertise

23:35 Learning and Adapting to AI Tools

25:54 Bridging the Educational Gap in AI Skills

27:31 Community Building and Support for Women

31:21 Starting the Day with Positivity and Purpose

33:24 Final Thoughts: The Power of Now and Self-Bermission

Opportunities often look like luck from the outside. But usually, there is intention, preparation and a lot of invisible work behind them.

Anne-Maria Salmela shares how she built communities across continents, approached relationships through value, and deliberately positioned herself for the opportunities she wanted - including joining Resolve AI in San Francisco.

How can you expand your surface area of luck - and will you be ready when the right opportunity appears?

Watch the full episode of Perception Paradox.

How do you build a life where opportunities keep finding you?

In this episode of Perception Paradox, Zivile sit down with Anne Maria Salmela - former Finnish Math Olympian, competitive dancer, community builder, venture investor, and now part of Resolve AI, one of Silicon Valley's fastest-growing AI companies.

But this conversation isn't just about AI.

It's about designing a life with intention.

They explore how Anne navigated three continents, built startup communities from scratch, found her way into venture capital, and ultimately joined one of the most exciting AI companies in the world. Along the way, we talk about ambition, curiosity, resilience, purpose, and why luck is often something we create ourselves.

They also dive into:
• How to create opportunities instead of waiting for them
• What top founders look for in people
• AI, the future of work, and the skills that will matter most
• Building communities that change careers
• Why "where is home?" is a more powerful question than "where are you from?"
• The idea of living life in seasons instead of chasing perfect balance

Whether you're building a startup, navigating a career change, or simply trying to create a more intentional life, this episode will leave you with practical ideas—and a few questions you'll keep thinking about long after it ends.

🎙 Guest: Anne Maria Salmela

Anne is a Finnish-army-knife at Resolve.AI (AI production engineer, $1.5B val), founded the Middle East's largest youth tech community (AI hackathons, conferences, VC pipeline), founding team for $30M hedge fund & $60M VC fund in Saudi Arabia, represented Finland in Maths, national #1 & world-champion #2 dancer.

Connect with Anne-Maria: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-maria-salmela/

Learn more about Resolve AI: https://resolve.ai/ 

Podcast host:

Zivile Einikyte: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zivileeinikyte/

If you enjoyed this conversation, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone designing their own path.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Anne's diverse background

01:59 From dancing and math to impact investing

04:00 Anne's journey through different countries and cultures

08:01 Transition into venture capital and startups

10:52 Defining impact in investment and personal life

16:07 Moving to the Middle East and studying abroad

20:03 Building communities and entrepreneurial ecosystems

25:08 Joining Resolve AI and the importance of team and culture

30:13 Resolve AI's focus on production problems with AI

34:54 Adapting to technological changes and future skills

39:57 Balancing work, health, and personal growth

44:04 Final thoughts: small actions for impact

Most founders obsess over the pitch deck. Rodrigo Sepulveda Schulz — venture capitalist who has seen 15,000 startups — says the real filter is something most people overlook entirely. In this clip he breaks down the three non-negotiables he looks for in every founder: ambition, integrity, and groundedness. And why in the age of AI, soft skills are the only thing that truly can't be replaced. Watch the full episode to hear everything else he's learned from four careers and 15,000 startup pitches.

Full episode with Rodrigo on Perception Paradox podcast.

guest Rodrigo:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsepulveda/

hosted by Zivile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zivileeinikyte/

Rodrigo Sepulveda Schulz has lived five careers in one lifetime. Born in Chile, raised in Thailand, 36 years in Paris, now Madrid.

He's been a management consultant, a serial entrepreneur, a venture capitalist who screened 15,000 startups and backed 50, a broadcaster with hundreds of episodes, and today the CEO of a European AI company he believes is genuinely worth fighting for.

In this episode we get into what it actually takes to build across decades without losing yourself, why Europe is being digitally colonised and what needs to happen before it's too late, the three things he looks for in every founder, and why a wine exam made him happier than any multimillion dollar deal ever did.

And what does he love more than tech or wine? You'll find out at the end.

Connect with Rodrigo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsepulveda/

rodrigosepulveda.com

Hosted by Zivile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zivileeinikyte/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction - Who Is Rodrigo Sepulveda Schulz?
02:42 Reunion & The Lisbon Breakfast Memory
03:32 Leaving Paris After 36 Years - What It Really Felt Like
05:21 Wanderlust & Living in 87 Countries
07:05 The Career Nobody Plans - How It All Started
08:24 From Consulting to Entrepreneur: The Netflix Copycat
11:00 Inventing Himself as an Angel Investor
12:09 The Broadcaster Nobody Talks About - 800 Episodes
14:11 Why He Became a CEO Again at This Stage of Life
14:42 The Wine Exam That Made Him Happier Than Any Deal
16:53 Nature vs. Zeros and Ones - Why Wine Changed Everything
17:25 How to Turn Around a Company That's Stagnating
20:11 What He Actually Looks For in a Founder
22:01 Solo Founders vs. Co-Founders - Has the Game Changed?
25:31 The Question He's Been Trying to Answer for Years
27:00 Europe Is Being Digitally Colonised - And Most Don't See It
29:28 If You Were Starting a Company in Europe Today
31:00 The 5 Stages of AI - Where the Real Opportunity Is
32:25 Final Thought - The One Language That Connects Us All

But what if uncertainty isn't the problem?

In this Paradox Byte, innovation strategist and technology leader Bas Wouterse shares why embracing uncertainty has shaped both his career and his life - and why the things we fear often become less intimidating once we understand them.

Would you rather have certainty - or possibility?

Full conversation with Bas is available on Perception Paradox podcast.

Connect with Bas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baswouterse/Hosted by Zivile (Zivi): https://www.linkedin.com/in/zivileeinikyte/

What if success isn't about becoming a unicorn - but simply making the world a little better?

In this episode of Perception Paradox, Zivile sit down with Bas Wouterse - technology leader, innovation strategist, magician, and one of the most thoughtful people she met through the startup ecosystem.

Over the past two decades, Bas has built technologies that save lives - from augmented reality systems for spinal surgeons to healthcare innovations that received FDA approval and a TIME Magazine Innovation Award. Yet this conversation quickly becomes about something much bigger than technology.

They explore:

• Why your own mind can become your biggest prison• Why not every startup needs to become a unicorn• What AI will never replace about being human• The surprising lesson he learned after flying 48 hours to the Amazon - only to discover someone had unplugged his cables• How augmented reality is making operating rooms safer• Raising children, redefining success, and what money actually buys you• Why you should stop looking at the next mountain - and appreciate the one you're already standing on

This episode is about innovation, curiosity, purpose, and the stories we tell ourselves.

Because sometimes the biggest breakthroughs aren't technological. They're personal.

Connect with Bas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baswouterse/Hosted by Zivile (Zivi): https://www.linkedin.com/in/zivileeinikyte/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Connection

02:59 The Role of Magic in Life

05:49 Technology and Engineering Journey

10:46 Impact-Oriented Technology Development

17:17 Augmented Reality in Surgery

20:48 The Importance of Human Interaction

24:30 Navigating Development Challenges

28:12 Startup Patterns and Insights

33:44 The Pursuit of Happiness vs. Wealth

35:46 Reinventing Yourself: The Five-Year Cycle

37:59 Embracing Uncertainty in Life

39:13 Demystifying Technology for the Masses

41:46 Proud Innovations and Their Impact

42:48 Unlearning Authority and Finding Your Path

44:26 Teaching Values to the Next Generation

45:59 Breaking Free from Mental Constraints

46:34 Defining Identity Beyond Work

47:43 Accidental Journeys: Lessons from Brazil

57:16 Starting Over: Insights for New Beginnings

01:00:33 Living in the Present: Enjoying the Journey

01:03:39 Relationships and Shared Goals

Can you ever truly observe a culture without changing it?

In this Paradox Byte, anthropologist, entrepreneur, and author Valerie Won Lee shares the story of spending a month living with a remote Pacific Island community - and the unexpected lesson that completely changed the way she thinks about people, leadership, and human behavior.

What began as a journey to understand another culture became a lesson in observation, influence, and the invisible ways we shape the environments we enter.

🎙️ This is a Paradox Byte - a short story that changes the way you see the world.

Watch the full conversation with Valerie Won Lee on the Perception Paradox Podcast.

#Anthropology #HumanBehavior #Leadership #Culture #PerceptionParadox