Finding Founders

When ideas are cheap, what does it take to make an idea come to life and become a thriving business? Today we answer this question in our conversation with Eric Chen, a marketing and sales whiz, boba aficionado and board game creator. Throughout his journey, Eric has been in a car accident, had a ruptured intestine but this has not slowed him down. What could have been considered sabotage for some, he turned into Sabobatage. https://sabobatage.com/ Website: findingfounders.co Follow Sam: https://www.instagram.com/samueldonner/ Follow Finding Founder IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingfounderspodcast/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Food can serve as a means to bridge culture and conflict. This episode starts our Food Conflict and Unity series, so join us in exploring the power of food with Barbara Massaad, a Lebanese-American cookbook author, photographer, food consultant, and TV host. Barbara Massaad spent the first 10 years of her life in Lebanon and moved to Florida as a result of war. Her lifelong relationship with food began with Lebanese culture and at 15, she started helping her father in the family-owned Lebanese restaurant. In 1988, her family returned to Lebanon. Flashing forward, after getting an advertising and marketing degree in college and taking 7 years away from work to start a family, Massaad embarked on a new journey in the restaurant business. Determined to pursue this dream, she trained with several renowned chefs at Lebanese, Italian, and French restaurants. Driven by her love of using cooking and photography to tell stories, Massaad began the journey of creating her first cookbook called Man'oushé: Inside the St

How does an ingredient like rice help better a community? Today we sit down with JJ Johnson, renowned chef on the African diaspora, and founder of the rice bowl restaurant, FIELDTRIP. Growing up in Harlem, surrounded by his grandmother’s cooking and international flavors, food has long formed part of JJ’s DNA. But as we follow his journey of becoming a chef, traveling to Africa, and establishing his own business, JJ’s story teaches us how food can actually break barriers, bring communities together, and celebrate cultural diversity. findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

How does a girl from SoCal go from making dumplings with her grandmother to co-hosting a TV show with Gordon Ramsey ? Today we sit with Nyesha Arrington, a former Top Chef contestant, professional chef and business owner. Growing up in a Afro-Korean household, surrounded by her grandmother, Nyesha had an early exposure to cooking and a variety of ingredients. As we discover her journey in the world of high class restaurants and TV, Nyesha’s story reminds us of the importance of mentorship and how dedication and attention to detail can take you far. findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Before Carla Hall was a Top Chef legend, she was an accountant miserable at accounting. One day she got a chance to move to Paris and pursue modeling full time. Desperate for a change, she said yes, abandoning her dull yet stable career for the notoriously competitive and fickle fashion industry. Despite her lack of language skills and threadbare safety net, she transformed herself into a successful Parisian runway model. During her modeling journey, Carla discovered her passion for cooking. When she returned to the U.S., she dove into the culinary world, first as an executive chef at high-end D.C. restaurants and then as the head of her own catering company. Then Carla said yes to another risky opportunity and joined Top Chef season 5. The chaos and public scrutiny of reality T.V. challenged her culinary skills and business acumen, but it also led her on an adventure with countless possibilities. Saying yes ultimately gave Carla the freedom to express herself across disciplines and mediums as a chef, T.V. Ho

How do we recover history that has been deliberately erased? And how does that past impact the present? Today we answer those questions in conversation with Mirna Bamieh a Palestinian artist focused on the politics of disappearance. Mirna was born in Ramallah, Palestine in 1983. Throughout her life she expressed and explored her identity through food and art. In 2017 she started the Palestine Hosting Society, to rediscover and share Palestinian recipes and cultural identity as a way of reclaiming Palestinian identity in the form of performance art. https://palestinehostingsociety.com/ https://findingfounders.co/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

In times of persecution, how do the persecuted keep their culture alive? We speak with Franco-Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan who enlightens us on what it is like to run his boutique Hosh Al Syrain and its Fawda Cafe in the heart of Bethlehem. As part of one of the “oldest Christian families in Bethlehem,” Fadi provides us with a unique perspective on his experiences as a Palestinian chef and how he wishes to revitalize Palestinian cuisine by returning it to its roots. History Shows What’s Wrong With the Idea That War Is ‘Normal’ in the Middle East.  Stephanie Mulder. January 20, 2020. https://time.com/5764119/middle-east-war-history/ Ussama Makdisi, Age of Coexistence: The Ecumenical Frame and the Making of the Modern Arab World.  Ussama Makdisi. December 20, 2019. https://www.jadaliyya.com/Details/40355 In Blind Pursuit of Racial Equality?  Evan P. Apfelbaum, Kristin Pauker, Samuel R. Sommers, Nalini Ambady. September 28, 2010. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797610384741 Israel-Gaza viole

Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive interviews and behind the scenes! https://findingfounders.co/ When asking people what they put in their coffee, butter probably wouldn’t seem like the most popular response. For health aficionados like Dave Asprey, however, it’s the key ingredient. Founder and CEO of the multi-million dollar Bulletproof empire, Dave Asprey is creator of revolutionary energy drink, Bulletproof Coffee, and 5-time New York Times bestselling author of the Bulletproof health-book series. He is renowned as the Father of Biohacking, which uses science and technology to devise dietary and lifestyle changes for improved physical and cognitive functions. Today, Dave will map out the story of his Bulletproof Empire, starting from the roots of his family’s scientific legacy, all the way to his life-changing journey to Tibet, where the concept for  Bulletproof Coffee was born. Since its inception, Bulletproof Coffee has taken the world by storm, publicly endorsed by celebrities like Jimmy Fallo

Today we talk to Duff Goldman. He is the founder and executive chef of Charm City Cakes which has been featured on the Food Network, Iron Chef America, Oprah, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and a whole bunch more. And this business is successful because Duff is a rebel.  Starting from his graffiti days, he has defied the normal path and found a success that's uniquely him. Duff.com Charm City Cakes --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Today we sit down with Amanda Slavin, co-founder of CatalystCreativ; a platform where people and brands become connected through meaningful experiences. Amanda grew up in a small town where she knew everyone, she tried to optimize for popularity. Although the initial need to be popular was misguided, it led her to focus more on human connection, something she continued to pursue throughout her life. She kept this interest through a broken education system, night life, a psychedelic experience, yoga in India, her current work with CatalystCreativ, and her book “The Seventh Level.” Links From the Episode Amanda's Website CatalystCreativ Website Summit Series Website Seventh Level Website: Tony Hsieh Richard Branson Gary Vaynerchuk Good Teaching Is Not Just About the Right Practices - Sarah Gonser, 11/17/2020 Evaluating ‘No Child Left Behind’ - Linda Darling-Hammond Why It’s Harder For Women To Say ‘No’ To Extra Work - Jenna Goudreau, 12/17/2014 Do Work That Matters - Ramsey Solutions, 02/25/2021 H

The Donut Princess of Los Angeles, Mayly Tao was born with entrepreneurial spirit in her DNA. Born to Cambodian immigrants who fled after surviving the Khmer Rouge, family has always been the most important thing in her life. And family was also the thing that got her started. Her great-uncle is Ted Ngoy, known as the ‘Donut King.’ He helped Cambodian refugees survive and prosper in America by creating donut shops all over Southern California. This would eventually lead through generations to Mayly's innovative work at her family donut shop, DK’s Donut Bakery. Mayly and her donut shop have been an influential and transformative force in LA’s food scene, creating incredible trends and culinary creations. https://www.dksdonuts.com/ findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Today we discover the story of Marcus Bullock: TED speaker, entrepreneur, justice reform advocate, and founder of Flikshop, a software company aimed towards helping incarcerated people connect with their families and the outside world. Growing up in Washington DC with his mother and sister, Marcus is no stranger to the shortage of resources and social capital surrounding many neighborhoods today. His early life was encapsulated by the pursuit of a single dream: the outer appearance of success. Having the means to buy a car and nice shoes was Marcus’ early vision of what success looked like, and he tried to achieve that vision through selling drugs and stealing cars. But luxury cars and nice shoes came with ramifications that Marcus didn’t expect. At 15, Marcus was arrested for carjacking and sent to prison. After two years of denial, Marcus began to imagine ending his days surrounded by cinder block walls and metal gates, until his mother’s letters ended up saving his life. Once released after an 8 year sen

It's a phrase programmers around the world fear... "I'll handle the business side." But today we'll talk to Myles Hunter, founder of TutorMe, who turns that phrase on its head.  Myles is a non-technical cofounder, i.e. he doesn't know how to code, but his business was growing, and growing unsustainably. He needed someone who understood tech, but he could find anyone... until he started looking in Russia. findingfounders.co tutorme.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

In today’s hyper-individualistic culture, creating community is more important than ever. In this episode, we dive into the idea of creating community with Imani Ellis, founder of The Creative Collective NYC which hosts CultureCon. Imani Ellis was driven by her competitive nature and ambition as a ballerina for 14 years, becoming the first black ballerina in the Atlanta Ballet in 75 years. After quitting ballet, track took her on a full ride to Vanderbilt University where she realized her dream of pursuing work in entertainment. Through that same tenacity that drove her athletic pursuits, Ellis started work at NBC Universal in New York City, but she struggled to find her community in the bustling city. She decided to create her own space that grew into the Creative Collective and eventually CultureCon. Links From the Episode Imani Ellis Website: https://www.imaniellis.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imaniimani/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/imaninaomi?lang=en The Creative

Hidekazu Tojo invented the California Roll, but no one knows it. Tojo was in Vancouver when he thought of an idea to attract customers. Little did he know that this idea would spread across the entire world like wildfire. findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Rahaf Harfoush is a thought leader in productivity and burnout. Immigrating from Syria as a kid, Rahaf  developed a strong work-ethic. As she developed her career, and more and more opportunity arose, she felt obligated to seize that opportunity. That's why her family came to North America! But this pursuit led to a breakdown. A fogginess that could not be slept away. Burnout. Rahaf has authored three books looking into the way technology affects us. Rahaf is a renowned digital anthropologist who knows what the rock bottom of mental burnout feels like. She's pulled herself out, and with her she's brought wisdom that she wants to share with the rest of the world. Rahaf wants to adjust modern work into something that is more symbiotic, efficient, and ultimately, better for our mental and physical well-being Links From the Episode Rahaf Harfoush: https://rahafharfoush.com/ Books: https://rahafharfoush.com/books The Artist’s Way: https://www.theartistswaybook.com/ Julia Cameron: https://jul

How does a gas station become known for the best Indian food in Los Angeles? We ask that questions to Hiram Mac, the cofounder of the Bombay Frankie Company. He gives us the story of how a world renowned restaurant can arise from anywhere. And to quote my favorite movie, "anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great..." boy is Hiram fearless! Also if you liked this episode, email me and let me know what you think! sam@findingfounders.co findingfounders.co https://www.thebombayfrankiecompany.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Iz Harris is a D.C. based filmmaker and co-founder of Bright Trip, a video-based educational platform. In the midst of processing childhood trauma, Iz started developing her filmmaking skills while running a wedding photography and videography business with her husband, Johnny. At the same time she was confronted with her son's regressive autism when doctor's didn't even understand the term. As she searched for an answer she found that she was taking on more responsibility with childcare and that there wasn't an equal partnership in her marriage. Through many conversations, she once again found her creative drive but it wasn’t satisfied by making wedding videos and branding stories. After bingeing Casey Neistat videos, she decided to become a vlogger. In a year, she went from not knowing the difference between a blog and a vlog to having a YouTube channel with 10,000 subscribers. This channel allowed Iz Harris to develop her creative voice, and her videos covered everything from travel to mental health. After

We talk with the founder of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk, about how the organization gained global attention after infiltrating a laboratory. This lab was conducting unregulated primate testing and she exposed the horrid conditions that these animals were undergoing. She tells that story along with explaining the mission behind PETA, her life's goal, and the topic of her new book. Buy Animalkind More about Ingrid --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Today, we’re visited by Albert Garcia-Romeu, one of the key members of the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Coming from Miami, Albert grew up with a thirst for knowledge and a boundless intellectual capacity to improve. He read everything he could, and developed love for poetry and philosophy from a very early age. Those intellectual pursuits took him through a college career at Tulane University before working for the Forest Service in Montana. Venturing out into the wilderness,  Albert had meditative experiences with nature that profoundly moved him. Albert began to try and study what he called Transcendent Experiences in order to merge his love of psychology and philosophy with this moving experience he had with nature. That quest took him to California, where he started to conduct his research on these seemingly mystical events. From there, he followed his results and began to work in the realm of psychedelic drugs which had him move across