In this soulful and illuminating finale of Season 1, ⁠Victoria⁠ sits down with ⁠Jacques Anderson⁠—Harvard Law graduate, former co-founder of a $29M-backed startup, and now an intuitive guide and first-time CEO helping founders align with their Human Design.

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What started as a side passion during her high-powered tech career became a full-blown calling. Jacques shares how she traded prestige for purpose, left behind the corporate climb, and stepped into her role as a solopreneur helping others reclaim their energy, intuition, and authenticity through Human Design.

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Episode 10 dives deep into:

• 
  
• Making the leap from corporate stardom to soulful solopreneurship
• 
  
• What Human Design really is—and why it matters for leadership
• 
  
• Why most burnt-out founders are swimming upstream
• 
  
• Releasing the pressure to perform and choosing inner alignment instead
• 
  
• How your birth chart might reveal your startup sweet spot
• 
  
• The biggest mistake Jacques made as a new CEO—and what it taught her about voice, branding, and real connection
• 
  
• The power of intuition in business strategy
• 
  
• Networking as a 4/6 profile and the magic of “shaking trees”
• 
  
• Why silence is the most underrated business strategy of all, and more

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Whether you're building a company, rediscovering your truth, or simply seeking more flow in your work, this episode offers real, practical inspiration on what it means to lead from the inside out.

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This marks the end of Season 1—but Victoria will be back after a short break with Season 2 and the pre-orders of her upcoming book featuring 50 interviews with first-time CEOs.

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References:

Align

Boomerang

MixMax

Free Human Design Bodygraph

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Find Jacques here:

Website

LinkeIn

Instagram

Newsletter

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Find Victoria here:

⁠Book a Demo of Olympia AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with Victoria

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In this heartfelt and empowering episode, ⁠Victoria⁠ is joined by ⁠Iryna Savytska⁠, a Ukrainian entrepreneur, former corporate dealmaker, and now co-founder and first-time CEO of ⁠Bank of Memories⁠. What began as a deeply personal response to the loss of a loved one evolved into a global mission to preserve the voices, values, and memories that shape us.

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Iryna shares how an emotional family crisis sparked the creation of a private, secure platform to store life’s most precious moments—from heartfelt voice messages to digital time capsules and legacy assets. Along the way, she opens up about the unexpected twists of startup life, raising $500K, building during wartime, and balancing personal trauma with purpose-driven innovation.

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Episode #9 offers a raw and inspiring conversation about:

• Transforming grief into a global memory-tech company

• Building a family-first business in the middle of a war zone

• What fundraising really looks like as a first-time female CEO

• Replacing “nice girl” instincts with bold leadership

• Creating meaningful tech without ads or algorithmic pressure

• How modern memorials and augmented reality can heal communities

• Iryna’s approach to sales, government partnerships, and B2G2C growth

• And the one trait every founder needs before launching

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Tune in for a moving story of resilience, community, and building tech that’s not about attention, but about meaning. Whether you’re a founder, a dreamer, or someone preserving memories of your own, this conversation is for you.

-

References:

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispenza

YCombinator Resources

Orrick

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Find Iryna here:

Bank of Memories

LinkedIn

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Find Victoria here:

Book a Demo of Olympia AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with Victoria

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In this episode, Victoria sits down with ⁠Nicole Casperson⁠, an award-winning journalist-turned-founder and CEO of ⁠Fintech is Femme⁠. They explore Nicole's path from telling stories in traditional media to shaping a bold, feminist future in fintech. Nicole shares how her frustration with sidelined women’s narratives led her to build an audience of over 50,000, launch a thriving media brand, host major fintech summits, and publish her debut book, Fintech Feminists. Along the way, she reveals how embracing storytelling, authenticity, and community helped her become a first-time CEO and a force for inclusive innovation in the finance world.

_

Episode #8 dives into:

• Nicole’s transformation from finance journalist to media entrepreneur and CEO

• How she built a loyal audience and monetized across platforms

• The power of founder-led marketing and niche storytelling

• Why representation isn’t just a moral imperative—it’s a smart business strategy

• Lessons from building in a male-dominated industry—and how she’s changing the game

• How politics, privilege, and purpose shape the fintech ecosystem today, and more

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Tune in for an energizing and unapologetically real conversation on building a mission-driven business, amplifying underrepresented voices, and rewriting what leadership looks like in fintech—and beyond.

-

Refferences:

Fintech Feminists by Nicole Casperson

⁠Slow Productivity⁠ by Cal Newport

⁠Level Up⁠ by Stacey Abrams and Lara Hodgson

⁠Elizabeth Warren⁠

⁠Gloria Steinem⁠

Otter AI

Grammarly

Riverside

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Find Nicole here:

Fintech Is Femme Leadership Summit (April 23, 2025, in NYC)

Website

Humans of Fintech podcast

Academy of Fintech (member community)

Newsletter

LinkedIn

Instagram

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Find Victoria here:

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In this episode, Victoria interviews Oleg Tarasyuk, Co-founder and CEO of CodeGeeks, to explore his journey from employee to first-time CEO. Oleg shares how he leveraged his experience in project management and software development to build and scale his own company, growing from just 5 employees to 50—all while navigating the unprecedented challenges of war in Ukraine. He opens up about the resilience it took to keep his business running, the leadership strategies that kept his team strong, and how he adapted to uncertainty while still delivering high-quality software solutions.

_

Episode #7 explores:

• The leap from employee to founder—what Oleg learned along the way

• How he scaled CodeGeeks from a small team to a thriving tech company, even during wartime

• The resilience and leadership strategies that helped him and his team push through uncertainty

• Key insights into understanding customers and building the right solutions

• The biggest challenges first-time CEOs face when growing a company, and more

  -

Tune in for an inspiring and practical conversation about what it really takes to build and scale a tech company, especially when faced with extreme adversity.

-

References:

Structured Chaos by Victor Saunders

The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday

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Find Oleg here:

Linkedin

CodeGeeks

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Find Victoria here:

Book a Demo of Olympia AI⁠⁠⁠ with Victoria

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In this episode, ⁠⁠Victoria⁠⁠ and Jonathan Treussard, Ph.D., founder of Treussard Capital Management, discuss his unconventional journey from being a jazz musician in Paris to becoming a wealth manager for multi-billion-dollar family offices in the US. Jonathan shares key insights on market psychology, risk management, and how first-time CEOs can make smart financial decisions.

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Episode #6 explores:

• Jonathan's bold journey from being a Parisian musician to becoming one of America's best wealth managers

• The biggest financial mistakes first-time CEOs make—and how to avoid them

• Why market psychology matters as much as financial strategy

• How to find a financial advisor you can actually trust

Tune in for a deep dive into the world of wealth management, designed to help first-time and scaling CEOs navigate the financial side of success!

-

References:

The Algebra of Wealth by Scott Galloway

WISE (Women Investing in Security and Education)

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Find Jonathan here:

Website

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In this episode, ⁠Victoria⁠ sits down with ⁠Jessie Collier⁠, a creative industry recruiter and founder of the Working Women Agency. The conversation delves into the nuances of the creative job market, the importance of personal branding, and the unique challenges faced by women in the industry. Jessie discusses her agency's focus on empowering female creatives and helping them build their personal brands. The episode also covers the significance of community over culture in business, the evolving landscape of recruitment, and the impact of AI on the arts and fashion sectors. Jessie emphasizes the importance of genuine connections and patience in entrepreneurship, among other things.

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Episode #5 explores:

• The growing importance of personal branding for creative professionals and businesses
• How to leverage social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn for career growth and business development
• The power of organic growth and genuine connections in building a thriving community
• Navigating the changing landscape of the creative industry, including the rise of remote work and the integration of AI
• Actionable tips for job seekers, including how to position themselves effectively and stand out in a competitive market, and more

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Tune in for an inspiring and practical conversation designed to empower first-time and aspiring CEOs with real-world insights!

-

References:

Day Trading Attention by Gary Vaynerchuk

The Third Door by Alex Benayan

Apple Cider Vinegar⁠ series mentioned by Victoria

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Find Jessie here:

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Working Women Agency (WWA)

WWA newsletter

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In this episode of The First-Time CEO podcast, Victoria sits down with Marion Siboni, the founder of La Creme de la STEM. Marion opens up about her bold transition from Paris to New York City, unveiling the striking cultural differences in community building and how they shaped her journey as a first-time CEO. In a candid conversation, she reveals the secrets behind building a thriving global community for female founders, the power of authentic personal branding, and the smart strategies she’s used to navigate the challenges of legal, financial, and tech transitions in the fast-paced startup world.

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Episode #4 explores:

• Marion’s journey from Paris to New York and how cultural differences impact relationship building
• The art of building and sustaining a global community for early-stage female founders
• The power of authentic storytelling and personal branding to attract organic opportunities
• Strategies to overcome the challenges of legal and financial decisions without cutting corners
• How leveraging tools like CRMs and AI-driven marketing can accelerate sustainable growth, and more

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Tune in for an inspiring and practical conversation designed to empower first-time and aspiring CEOs with real-world insights!

-

References & Resources:

Elephants, Not Unicorns

Venture Deals by Bred Feld and Jason Mendelson (Techstars)

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

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Find Marion here:

LinkedIn

Newsletter

La Creme de la STEM

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In this episode of The First-Time CEO podcast, host ⁠Victoria Loskutova⁠ interviews ⁠Marco Mendoza⁠, founder and CEO of ⁠Wizerlink⁠. Marco recounts his bold journey from Venezuela to Mexico City, where challenges sparked the accidental creation of a high-performing marketing agency. He shares how overcoming economic and political turbulence honed his skills in sales, lead generation, and building specialized teams.

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During our chat, Marco delves into:

• Navigating the instability of Venezuela and reinventing himself in a new market
• Developing innovative communication strategies and hyper-targeted campaigns
• Establishing clear, mission-driven business practices that drive real results
• Introducing HiLuca, an AI tool designed to empower marketing managers in building seamless communication systems
• Practical insights for first-time CEOs on maintaining focus, and embracing a winner's mindset

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If you’re a first-time, aspiring CEO, or an entrepreneur seeking real-world marketing tactics, strategic clarity, and the courage to redefine success, this episode offers invaluable lessons and inspiration.

-

References & Resources:

⁠Playing to Win by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin⁠

⁠Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin⁠

⁠Huberman Podcast⁠

-

Find Marco here:

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⁠Wizerlink

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Find Victoria here:

Join the ⁠⁠Olympia⁠⁠⁠ AI ⁠⁠demo webinar⁠⁠ Victoria hosts on Feb 26 at 1 pm CST!

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If you are a first-time CEO leading a company for 1-5 years and want to be a TFT CEO podcast guest, feel in this form: ⁠⁠⁠Podcast Guest Application Form⁠⁠⁠ Victoria will contact you shortly should it be a good fit!

In this episode of The First-Time CEO podcast, host Victoria Loskutova interviews Julia Arpag, founder and first-time CEO of Aligned Recruitment. Julia shares her inspiring journey from being laid off just five weeks postpartum to building a thriving HR agency that generated $750K in revenue within 15 months while staying fully bootstrapped and profitable from day one. Julia connects mission-driven SaaS startups to top-tier tech talent. Her approach is about building engineering teams that drive success.

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Episode #2 explores:

• Julia's journey from being laid off five weeks postpartum to becoming the CEO of Aligned Recruitment
• her insights on leveraging LinkedIn for business growth, personal branding, and client acquisition
• how she scaled her agency to $750K in revenue within 15 months without prior sales experience
• the role of AI in recruitment, where it helps, and where the human touch remains essential
• her strategies for balancing work, family, and self-care as a founder and foster parent
• the importance of mindset shifts, resilience, and leveraging warm leads for first-time CEOs
• and more

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Julia's story is a testament to trusting your intuition, leveraging your strengths, and staying adaptable as a founder. If you're a first-time CEO looking for actionable insights on growth, recruitment, and mindset, this episode is a must-listen!

-

References & Resources:

Diane Prince

Toby Oluwole

The Four-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer

We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rogers

TFT CEO Previous Newsletter⁠

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As Founder and a first-time CEO, Kirk Marple identified the need for Graphlit during his tenure at General Motors, STATS, and Kespry, where he focused on building in-house unstructured data platforms. With over 25 years of experience in developing and architecting applications, Kirk has a strong background in creating scalable SaaS platforms. He previously founded, bootstrapped, and successfully exited a video transcoding startup, RadiantGrid. His products have been sold to notable organizations, including ESPN, Fox, NBCUniversal, PBS, and the Library of Congress.

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Episode #1 explores:

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The discussion also touches on the evolution of Kirk's company, Graphlit, and its approach to integrating AI with data. Key sections of the episode include Kirk's background, the challenges of being a first-time CEO, the importance of customer feedback, and future plans for Graphlit. Overall, the episode provides valuable lessons for new and aspiring CEOs and highlights the dynamic nature of the tech industry.

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Find Kirk here:

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I'm the CEO of Olympia

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Fill in this form if you want to be my podcast guest.