Startup Life Show with Ande Lyons
Are you curious about how a business is born – why someone was compelled to leave a paycheck and benefits behind to head off into the wild blue yonder, without a safety net, navigating high levels of uncertainty, and risking financial ruin? Entrepreneurship is an adventure, and you will love hearing these phenomenal founders share their nail-biting moments and their uplifting wins – often occurring within hours of each other in any given day! As a 4x Founder I easily resonate with each guest's uniqe startup story and am able to bring to light the vulnerable moments from their founder journey. On the Startup Life Show you’ll find inspiration for navigating your best life through the fascinating stories of Diverse Founders who fought through obstacles and bias to change the world with their beautiful social impact businesses. Tap the link to your favorite podcast platform and get ready to hear an awe*mazing adventure that will leave you feeling exhilarated and empowered. Waving from Boston - cheers! Ande Lyons Producer + Host of the Startup Life Show
Episodes
June 26, 2023 • 61 mins
Whether you're a tech founder or a non-tech founder, you need help to successfully scale a startup.
Our guest, Software Engineer turned “The Mary Poppins of Startups”, Naily Makangu, is passionate about bringing her multi-faceted toolkit to lead complex software projects and launch products. With over ten years of experience, she has a proven track record of turning around struggling technical projects and organizations, f...
Our guest, Software Engineer turned “The Mary Poppins of Startups”, Naily Makangu, is passionate about bringing her multi-faceted toolkit to lead complex software projects and launch products. With over ten years of experience, she has a proven track record of turning around struggling technical projects and organizations, f...
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Fostering connection among employees and company leaders is hard enough to do within brick and mortar walls.
Building company culture and forging employee relationships without the four walls is a challenge many companies are failing at today.
Our guest, Dave Wilkin, is an award-winning serial LGBTQ+ entrepreneur who grew up in a small, rural town, and experienced firsthand that mentors and meaningful connections ...
Building company culture and forging employee relationships without the four walls is a challenge many companies are failing at today.
Our guest, Dave Wilkin, is an award-winning serial LGBTQ+ entrepreneur who grew up in a small, rural town, and experienced firsthand that mentors and meaningful connections ...
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June 9, 2023 • 53 mins
You are not built to do life alone.
But how do you get the real support you need to navigate the real life events you’re sailing through?
This delicious conversation on the Startup Life Show is with Tamar Blue - the fab female co-founder of MentalHappy – an online health platform that provides access to peer support and group therapy, especially for people of low-income, underrepresented populations, and people li...
But how do you get the real support you need to navigate the real life events you’re sailing through?
This delicious conversation on the Startup Life Show is with Tamar Blue - the fab female co-founder of MentalHappy – an online health platform that provides access to peer support and group therapy, especially for people of low-income, underrepresented populations, and people li...
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May 30, 2023 • 55 mins
Less than 2% of Venture Capital funds go to Women and Minority Owned Businesses.
Our guest, Professor Banu Ozkazanc-Pan, is the Founder and Director of the Venture Capital Inclusion Lab at the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship at Brown University.
With $260,000 in funding from the Kauffman Foundation, Banu launched the lab to investigate WHY this abysmal under 2% number exists and find ways to solve it.
...
Our guest, Professor Banu Ozkazanc-Pan, is the Founder and Director of the Venture Capital Inclusion Lab at the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship at Brown University.
With $260,000 in funding from the Kauffman Foundation, Banu launched the lab to investigate WHY this abysmal under 2% number exists and find ways to solve it.
...
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May 26, 2023 • 58 mins
Our guest, Tonia Jahshan, was recovering from a difficult time in her life when she had her first cup of tea… and it was love at first sip.
You will be inspired by her startup story and will love hearing how she built her direct sales wellness drink empire to extraordinary heights, by building a thriving, committed community, one sip at a time.
Tonia is the founder of Sipology, a multi-million dollar direct sales ...
You will be inspired by her startup story and will love hearing how she built her direct sales wellness drink empire to extraordinary heights, by building a thriving, committed community, one sip at a time.
Tonia is the founder of Sipology, a multi-million dollar direct sales ...
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May 23, 2023 • 55 mins
Veleké Brown is dedicated to addressing food insecurity through a program focused on ensuring access to fresh produce for those in underrepresented communities and creating systems of sustainable agriculture.
It's called Operation No Food Gap, and it's changing lives through learning how to grow and harvest and eat fresh produce, while ending food insecurity in marginalized neighborhoods.
Veleké dives de...
It's called Operation No Food Gap, and it's changing lives through learning how to grow and harvest and eat fresh produce, while ending food insecurity in marginalized neighborhoods.
Veleké dives de...
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May 16, 2023 • 56 mins
Bootstrapping is how many newly minted founders launch their startup.
Using their own savings and borrowing capability to get their business off the ground.
However, lack of funding can cause a founder to freeze, to get caught in a mindset chokehold that prevents them from moving forward... from seeing solutions.
How do you get unstuck?
Our guest, Tiana Sanchez, is the queen of dissolving mindse...
Using their own savings and borrowing capability to get their business off the ground.
However, lack of funding can cause a founder to freeze, to get caught in a mindset chokehold that prevents them from moving forward... from seeing solutions.
How do you get unstuck?
Our guest, Tiana Sanchez, is the queen of dissolving mindse...
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May 12, 2023 • 48 mins
Everyone’s chatting about ChatGPT, but how does one successfully leverage this AI to grow a startup? Without increasing the work load, distracting your engineers, disrupting the work flow and causing headaches for founders?
Our guest, Shanif Dhanani, is here to help!
He’s the founder of Locusive, where he and his team help businesses understand and build systems that connect their internal and proprietary systems...
Our guest, Shanif Dhanani, is here to help!
He’s the founder of Locusive, where he and his team help businesses understand and build systems that connect their internal and proprietary systems...
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May 9, 2023 • 56 mins
It takes a considerable amount of courage, purpose, resilence and tenacity to bring a Micro Mobility (scooter-bike!) startup to life!
With an entrepreneurial spirit that was evident from a young age, our guest – Emil Nnani - took the business world by storm when he launched his first venture at just 17 years old. His tenacity and vision led him to achieve his first million in sales by the age of 22.
A serial and s...
With an entrepreneurial spirit that was evident from a young age, our guest – Emil Nnani - took the business world by storm when he launched his first venture at just 17 years old. His tenacity and vision led him to achieve his first million in sales by the age of 22.
A serial and s...
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April 28, 2023 • 60 mins
Leveraging LinkedIn as a Startup Founder is a different strategy than when you were an employee. You need to build your authority as the leader of your new business, while appealing to potential investors, business partners and talent.
Our guest, Donna Serdula, is a leading authority on LinkedIn profile optimization. As the founder and president of Vision Board Media, a professional branding company, Donna helps individual...
Our guest, Donna Serdula, is a leading authority on LinkedIn profile optimization. As the founder and president of Vision Board Media, a professional branding company, Donna helps individual...
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April 25, 2023 • 68 mins
Knowing when to form and build a Board of Directors is a challenge for many startup founders.
Once the Board is formed, how to manage and communicate with the Board presents an additional burden on founders.
Our guest, Mahendra Ramsinghani, co-authored Startup Boards: Getting the Most of Your Board of Directors with Brad Feld, and has all the insights and advice you need to skillfully navigate this important segme...
Once the Board is formed, how to manage and communicate with the Board presents an additional burden on founders.
Our guest, Mahendra Ramsinghani, co-authored Startup Boards: Getting the Most of Your Board of Directors with Brad Feld, and has all the insights and advice you need to skillfully navigate this important segme...
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April 21, 2023 • 65 mins
With 20+ years working for the post office, our guest had a dream to one day own her own postal store with the ability to individualize customer service and provide guidance.
In the spring of 2019 that dream came true when Tiffany Townsend founded Ship Black, a logistics super center focused on serving black owned e-commerce businesses.
Ship Black is a one-stop-shop for startup businesses. It provides fulfillment ...
In the spring of 2019 that dream came true when Tiffany Townsend founded Ship Black, a logistics super center focused on serving black owned e-commerce businesses.
Ship Black is a one-stop-shop for startup businesses. It provides fulfillment ...
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April 18, 2023 • 57 mins
Social media strategies often leave you feeling like you're working for the social media platforms. Our guest and his team built an AI solution that helps make social media actually work for you and your business.
Rhys Ryan, is the Co-Founder, CEO and Chief Engineer of Ekkobar, an AI solution giving you control over social media and the narrative you want to tell.
Ekkobar uses social listening to keep an eye ...
Rhys Ryan, is the Co-Founder, CEO and Chief Engineer of Ekkobar, an AI solution giving you control over social media and the narrative you want to tell.
Ekkobar uses social listening to keep an eye ...
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April 14, 2023 • 74 mins
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.
Our guest, Rajia Abdelaziz, is the Co-Founder and CEO of invisaWear, the best safety jewelry and fashion accessories technology on the market.
From her own personal experience, Rajia understands how important it is to feel safe. She was walking to her car after an event at college, when a car full of guys pulled up next to her, yelling frightening comments a...
Our guest, Rajia Abdelaziz, is the Co-Founder and CEO of invisaWear, the best safety jewelry and fashion accessories technology on the market.
From her own personal experience, Rajia understands how important it is to feel safe. She was walking to her car after an event at college, when a car full of guys pulled up next to her, yelling frightening comments a...
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April 4, 2023 • 66 mins
To be their best selves, both professionally and personally, women need time in a welcoming space and place.
Our guest, Shubhi Rao, spent years as a senior executive at Fortune 100 companies and understands how important women-centric spaces are for professional and personal growth.
That’s why she launched Uplevyl, a global digital platform designed to transform the lives of all professional women through shared e...
Our guest, Shubhi Rao, spent years as a senior executive at Fortune 100 companies and understands how important women-centric spaces are for professional and personal growth.
That’s why she launched Uplevyl, a global digital platform designed to transform the lives of all professional women through shared e...
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March 31, 2023 • 58 mins
Having a Mentor is an essential part of career growth, especially for the under-networked tech worker.
Our guest, Kirk Fernandes, is the Co-Founder of Merit, a tech mentorship and recruiting platform for the under-networked.
Merits mission is to democratize the professional network by giving every knowledge worker in the world a world class network.
With 6,000 members, the majority of which are women an...
Our guest, Kirk Fernandes, is the Co-Founder of Merit, a tech mentorship and recruiting platform for the under-networked.
Merits mission is to democratize the professional network by giving every knowledge worker in the world a world class network.
With 6,000 members, the majority of which are women an...
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March 28, 2023 • 65 mins
Bootstrapping your startup without relying on raising capital and loans is an ideal strategy, especially given the current investor and banking landscape.
Our guest, Melissa Widner, has the best advice to help you launch and build your startup, without raising capital.
She’s the CEO of Lighter Capital, the pioneer and leader in revenue-based financing for tech startups, founders, and companies.
Previousl...
Our guest, Melissa Widner, has the best advice to help you launch and build your startup, without raising capital.
She’s the CEO of Lighter Capital, the pioneer and leader in revenue-based financing for tech startups, founders, and companies.
Previousl...
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March 21, 2023 • 61 mins
40 million drivers can't transition to electric vehicles without an affordable and convenient EV charging infrastructure.
Increasing access to affordable public charging not only encourages the adoption of EVs, but leads to cleaner air and healthier communities.
Our guest, Tiya Gordon, is Co-Founder and COO of itselectric, a cleantech startup bringing EV charging to the millions of drivers who cannot charge ...
Increasing access to affordable public charging not only encourages the adoption of EVs, but leads to cleaner air and healthier communities.
Our guest, Tiya Gordon, is Co-Founder and COO of itselectric, a cleantech startup bringing EV charging to the millions of drivers who cannot charge ...
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March 17, 2023 • 59 mins
When people are given the opportunity to take someone else’s point of view - walk a mile in someone else’s shoes - bias against stigmatized groups is reduced.
Our guest, Aubrey Grant, MD, is the Co-Founder and Chief Equity Officer of Equity Commons, where he and the team are integrating a unique blend of cross-disciplinary research, cutting edge technology, and established discussion-based learning to bring organizations h...
Our guest, Aubrey Grant, MD, is the Co-Founder and Chief Equity Officer of Equity Commons, where he and the team are integrating a unique blend of cross-disciplinary research, cutting edge technology, and established discussion-based learning to bring organizations h...
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March 14, 2023 • 63 mins
He had zero experience in the liquor industry. He didn’t have a background as a food scientist. He knew no one, had no connections, and had never worked in a bar, restaurant, or distillery.
What our guest, Jackie Summers, did have was an abundance of audacity, passion, and the ideal Mentor, who helped him quickly build the social capital and liquor industry knowledge he needed to launch a liqueur brand from Brooklyn, NY!
What our guest, Jackie Summers, did have was an abundance of audacity, passion, and the ideal Mentor, who helped him quickly build the social capital and liquor industry knowledge he needed to launch a liqueur brand from Brooklyn, NY!
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