A 3-minute breakdown of the storytelling framework every creator should know — hooks, conflict, and the three-act structure. With Kayvan Nikjou, live from Web Summit 2025.

To start 2026 with clarity, we’re replaying one of our most relevant conversations.

In this episode, Zivile speaks with entrepreneur and mentor Dan Tyre about goal setting, optimism, and building sustainable momentum. They explore why mindset is not “soft,” how discipline compounds over time, and why focusing on what you can control is the foundation of long-term success.

A timeless conversation for founders, leaders, and anyone setting meaningful goals.

🎧 Originally recorded ahead of a new year — still deeply relevant.

Hosted by Zivile (Zivi) Einikyte

Chapters

0:00 Introduction and Background

08:25 Dan's Entrepreneurial Journey

14:04 The Role of Goal Setting in Success

19:47 Strategies for Sticking to Goals

25:00 The Power of Trust and Belief

30:16 Empowering Underdogs and Diversity in Business

36:10 Harnessing Technology for Future Success

41:19 Final Thoughts: Setting Goals

We talk a lot about short attention spans.
But maybe the real problem isn’t attention - it’s meaning.

In this trailer, Allan Davidson -journalist, broadcaster, and creator of over 9,000 shows - reflects on how storytelling survives in an age of scrolling, noise, and shrinking formats.

We explore:– Why attention hasn’t disappeared, it’s become selective– What still holds people for hours, not seconds– How curiosity shapes the work we choose to do– Why vision matters when the path keeps changing

This is not a conversation about trends.
It’s about choosing what’s worth paying attention to - and why.

Hosted by: Zivile (Zivi) Einikyte

Everyone wants “AI for events.” But Ben Costantini argues the real issue is underneath: outdated revenue infrastructure, fixed inventory, and pricing systems that don’t match how startups actually spend.

A sharp 5-10 minute Paradox Byte recorded at Slush - for anyone building events, selling through events, or tired of conference noise.

Full episode is available on Perception Paradox podcast - E116.

Most events aren’t failing because the speakers were bad or the afterparty was weak.

They’re failing because the architecture is wrong - and the revenue model underneath is outdated.

Recorded at Slush, this episode with Ben Constantini goes behind the curtain of the event industry: the consolidation happening at the top, the rise of smaller curated formats, and the quiet shift toward founder-first design (meetings, segmentation, and outcomes - not stage hype).

Ben also shares a sharp take: everyone talks about “AI for events,” but most organizers are still running on infrastructure that wasn’t built for modern pricing, forecasting, or startup realities. If you’ve ever wondered why some events feel magnetic and others feel like expensive noise… this will click.

We also zoom out into the founder angle: what it’s like to raise, how real FOMO is, why ghosting hurts, and why you need a thicker skin than you think.

For builders, operators, and anyone who cares about designing rooms that actually move people - and markets.

About Ben:

Ben Costantini is the CEO of Sesamers, the event copilot for startups. He hosts the Selected podcast, where thought leaders from all walks of life, offer invaluable insights and foresight into the future of innovation.

Connect with Ben on LinkedIn and check out Sesamers.

Hosted by Zivile (Zivi) Einikyte

Chapters

00:00 Slush energy + Ben intro01:00 From music tours to tech/science events03:05 What “event architecture” actually means05:30 Why the sweet spot is mid-size (and why Slush caps scale)07:45 The real trend: smaller, curated gatherings inside big events09:10 Consolidation + “geo-cloning” big brands11:50 What attracts great startups (and the money tension behind it)17:00 Events and revenue: why most models don’t work18:40 The pivot: selling exhibitor inventory + what it revealed21:30 “AI in events” vs broken infrastructure underneath24:00 BNPL for booths + why timing matters for startups26:45 Founder life: fundraising, FOMO, ghosting, thick skin33:55 Final thought: events can reset the knowledge imbalance

We talk about resilience as if it’s endless motivation.It’s not.

Real resilience is about how quickly you recover when things fall apart.

In this Paradox Byte, Dan Tyre shares why setbacks aren’t the enemy - slow recovery is. From missed deals to personal doubt, this is a grounded conversation about bouncing back without burning out.

If you’ve been hard on yourself lately, this one is for you.

Hosted by Zivile (Zivi) Ein.

Europe once led consumer technology.

Today, it mostly rents it.

Tariq Krim explains how Europe went from building the tools we all used to paying for platforms owned elsewhere - and why the AI shift is a rare moment to change that.This is not about AI tools.

It’s about ownership, power, and who sets the rules.

🎧 Full conversation on Perception Paradox podcast (E115).

hosted by Zivile (Zivi) Ein

Europe once led consumer technology.

Today, it mostly rents it.

In this episode of Perception Paradox, I sit down with Tariq Krim - founder and long-time technologist - to explore what sits beneath the AI boom: power, ownership, and infrastructure.

We talk about why Europe stopped building consumer tech, how regulation replaced ambition, and why the current AI moment feels more fragile than revolutionary.

This isn’t about tools.It’s about who controls the stack — and who doesn’t.

Tarik also shares how he uses AI in his own work, why cognitive autonomy matters, and why passion - not capital - may decide what comes next.

For builders, thinkers, and anyone questioning the systems they rely on.

Connect with Tariq: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tariqkrim/

Hosted by: Zivile (Zivi) Ein

Chapters

00:00 Paris, AI & Europe’s turning point

02:10 From consumer tech leaders to digital tenants

04:47 Why enterprise-first thinking failed Europe

06:39 Scaling isn’t cultural - it’s structural

08:08 Regulation as a symptom, not a solution

09:07 Browsers, OS, and the power of small teams

10:30 The AI bubble & the coming infrastructure crunch

13:24 How Tarik actually uses AI (and what he avoids)

15:09 Why tech needs passion again (the 90s lesson)

We’ve forgotten how to listen.
And it’s costing us more than we realize.

In this paradox bytes episode from Perception Paradox podcast, Allan Davidson - veteran BBC & CBS journalist and host of SoundBytes - breaks down why asking “the right questions” is useless if you’re not actually listening.

We talk about:


– Why prepared questions often kill real conversations


– How isolation and speed are eroding our ability to listen


– Why everyone - from CEOs to bus drivers - is an expert at something


– The difference between empathy and naïveté


– How to navigate difficult, angry, and uncomfortable conversations without losing your humanity.

This is not a media lesson.
It’s a human one.

A conversation about attention, truth, and why listening might be the most underrated skill of our time.

🎧 Full episode available now on Perception Paradox.

What happens when someone has spent 35 years asking questions - and actually listening?

Recorded live at Slush, this conversation with Allan Davidson explores how media, technology, and human attention have changed - and what we’ve lost along the way. 

From the early days of BBC and CBS News to AI, startups, and today’s fractured attention economy, Allan shares why listening is a skill, why morality matters in tech, and why truth still has a way back.

This is a calm, reflective conversation about curiosity, mistakes, vision - and choosing depth over noise.

About Allan Davidson:
Allan Davidson is an internationally recognized executive strategic advisor, global connector, and founder of SoundBytes, an award-winning CBS News technology program and podcast with over 9,000 episodes across 170 countries.

With a career spanning media, technology, and entrepreneurship, Allan has interviewed many of the people who shaped the modern tech industry. He also founded and built patented software later acquired by Google and advised global companies including Apple, Cisco, SAP, Intel, and American Express.

At heart, Allan is a lifelong listener - deeply curious about people, ethics, and the stories that actually matter.

Hosted by: Zivile (Zivi) Einikyte

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Event Experience

03:06 Journey into Media and Technology

05:59 The Evolution of Media and Interviewing

08:58 Listening and Empathy in Conversations

11:55 Moral Responsibility in Technology

14:45 Finding Authenticity and Learning from Mistakes

17:48 Adapting to Changing Media Landscapes

20:47 Content Consumption and Personal Interests

23:43 Creating and Letting Go of Startups

24:46 Final Thoughts and Takeaways