Shakin' Hands

Jack sits down with the co-founder and CTO of Darien Technologies, Norman Coburn, in Panama City to unpack 11 years of building a “software factory” across banking, fintech, and startups. They contrast capital-rich comfort in the U.S. with the scrappy, bootstrapped edge of LATAM, then dig into how AI shifts the craft from deterministic builds to generative experiments, plus when to use each. Beyond code, they cover senior product c...

Jack sits down in Panama City with Andrés Iglesias, founder of Convierte Panamá, a zero-landfill recycling company focused on transforming both waste systems and mindsets. He traces the spark back to traveling the country, witnessing pollution, and deciding to build a service that keeps material out of landfills while educating people to change behavior. The conversation delves into partner selection, alignment, loyalty, and emotio...

Jack Moran sits down with Panamanian entrepreneur and financial educator Juan Hun, co-founder of Fyros and founder of JHG Media, to unpack how he built a thriving business around simplifying money management. Juan shares how he transformed a pandemic-era YouTube hobby into a multi-stream brand, leveraging TikTok consistency, content repurposing, and financial education for Latin America. The conversation explores building a team, d...

Jack sits down in Panama City with a co-founder of Happy Caapi to unpack why nervous-system regulation, not hustle, is the real unlock for clearer work and calmer relationships. Listeners will hear how he discovered the caapi vine and transformed it into a legal, non-inebriating daily ritual, as well as what it takes to source, produce, and educate responsibly in Panama. The two explore simple protocols that align with real life, f...

Jack sits down with Paco Vazquez in Panama City for an honest conversation about aligning who you are with what you build, so strategy feels simpler and more sustainable. Together, they explore why service over spectacle fosters genuine trust, how recognizing recurring patterns and embracing reality more quickly leads to better decisions, and how your environment and inputs subtly influence outcomes. They also explore using clear g...

In this episode, Jack sits down with Mary Quintero, founder of I Am Undercover, to distill practical, repeatable lessons from building a culture-led product brand. The conversation emphasizes the importance of protecting creative integrity and setting clear, non-negotiable boundaries, including saying no to misaligned capital and partnerships. Operational takeaways include validating demand with pre-sales, aligning design with logi...

This episode follows Rob Gordon, a Charleston real-estate operator who graduated from college, detoured through agency/PE marketing, and rebuilt his path, doubling down on discipline (literally running every day) and networking. He breaks into the investing game by offering value first, taking over project management, scopes, bids, timelines, and finishes for an established flipper, and scales from a handful of projects to under a ...

Cristóbal is a Panama City entrepreneur behind Degusta, a restaurant discovery platform, and he now focuses on a B2B reservation product. He walks through the building from B2C into B2B, explaining why WhatsApp is a real competitor in LatAm, and how treating marketing as a science and prioritizing retention features actually moves the needle for restaurants. The conversation becomes tactical, focusing on unit economics, making the ...

In this episode, Jack sits down in Panama City with a Forbes 30 Under 30 social impact founder who leads ISTMO, a movement that turns recycled plastic and community action into a lifestyle brand and platform. The conversation touches on the creative agency, the recycling operation, the Impact Festival, and an app that rewards responsible actions. They dive deep into Panama’s early stage path to find funding, why bootstrapping, and ...

In this episode of Shakin’ Hands, Jack Moran sits down in Panama City with international lecturer and illusionist Juan David Guardia to unpack the art of impactful communication. Juan reveals how he uses magic as a tool to captivate audiences, shares techniques for crafting stories that stick, and explains the psychology behind leaving a lasting impression. From performing in 12 countries to training Fortune 500 teams, he outlines ...

In this episode of Shakin’ Hands, Jack Moran sits down with Craig Stahlecker, a former finance professional who transformed his life and career by launching OptiMale, a coaching platform for men focused on naturally optimizing testosterone and reclaiming their health. Craig shares how burnout and neglecting his own well-being catalyzed a major personal shift, leading him to explore health and high-performance routines. The conversa...

In this powerful and personal episode, Jack sits down with Sydney Sprenger—content creator, former Miss Charleston County, and founder of the nonprofit Fear To Faith. Sydney opens up about her journey from a college grad working in visual communications to becoming a single mother and building a vibrant platform that uplifts moms in Charleston. She discusses the value of storytelling, the grit required to rebuild when life doesn’t ...

This week on Shakin' Hands, Jack sits down in Panama City with entrepreneur and problem-solver Diego Quque. From food trucks to software, Diego’s journey has always been about experimentation, learning, and building. Today, his energy is fully behind The Leap, a platform designed to transform the way entrepreneurs launch their businesses. Powered by AI, The Leap helps founders validate ideas, break limiting beliefs, and take f...

In this episode, Jack sits down with César Jiménez in Panama City, a high energy operator who’s driven commercial success across Latin America and built a massive personal brand in the process. They talk about what it really takes to launch sales strategies and how to influence people in sales through relationships. He shares how he transitioned from leading corporate sales teams to launching his own men’s style and consulting proj...

In this episode of Shakin' Hands, Jack sits down with Felipe Milanes, a Panama-born chef whose global culinary journey has taken him from working under legends like José Andrés in Washington, D.C., to competing internationally, before returning home. While Felipe shares pieces of his story, the heart of this conversation delves into the realities of building something authentic in an industry fraught with pressure and expectat...

In this episode of Shakin’ Hands, Jack Moran sits down in Panama City with Boris Weinberg, the entrepreneurial force behind PanamaStartups. The conversation explores the raw realities of starting a business in a country where institutional support for startups is still lacking. Boris shares the grassroots beginnings of PanamaStartups, a founder-led movement focused on peer mentorship, community support, and shared knowledge. They u...

In this episode, Jack sits down with Karen Gibbs, founder of Scholar Shine, a platform revolutionizing how students choose careers. Karen shares her journey from a decade in corporate marketing to launching an EdTech company in Panama. She explains how Scholar Shine uses AI and expert advice to match students with career paths and help schools better guide their students. The conversation dives into challenges in the Latin American...

In this episode of Shakin’ Hands, Jack Moran interviews Felipe Echandi, the co-founder and CEO of Cuanto. The conversation dives deep into Latin America’s fragmented digital economy and how Cuanto is building tools to empower small merchants to sell online and through social media. Felipe also shares his experience serving on Panama’s Banking Superintendency, helping reform outdated regulations to match the speed of internet innova...

Jack Moran sits down in Panama with the co-founder of Bocao, Jaime Pérez, a chocolate company that takes the "bean to bar" model to heart. Rooted in a family farm and driven by youthful ambition, Bocao was built to showcase Panama's rich cacao to the world. The conversation dives deep into the agricultural strengths of the region, the painstaking process of sourcing and manufacturing, and the brand's commitment ...