Spanx, Facebook, Apple, Starbucks - we know their stories like the back of our hand. But what about the innovative companies that are changing the world without us even knowing it? Founder Stories delves into their trials, tribulations, and routes to success. This is your chance to peek behind the curtain of organizations, enterprises, entrepreneurs, and brands who are on the precipice of changing lives and disrupting the status quo. In the founder's own words you will gain inspiration and insights into exactly what goes into becoming a household name.
Founder Stories is hosted by Mesh Lakhani and is a production of Lola Media.
Creditbook: Transforming Lives of Mom and Pop Shops Through Fintech
We are now at the season finale of Founder Stories, but don’t worry, we’ll be back with more insightful stories soon! And to mark our last episode of the season, we couldn’t be more excited about our guests. Our founders today are bringing optimism back to small businesses. Both Hasid Malik and Iman Jamal grew up in Pakistan, studied in the UK, and returned home to start their FinTech business which focuses on digitizing small mom and pop shops in Pakistan. This couple’s dedication to their business stems from the belief that even mom and pop shops should have access to affordable financial services. This is the story of Creditbook.
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10 May 2022
Gratsi & Bellhops: From College Bookie to Creating Sustainable Bag-in-Box Wine Delivery
Today’s founder is always looking for inspiration. Steven Vlahos has built two companies from the ground up. His philosophy? Dive in and learn along the way. Steven struggled to find anything motivating about selling municipal bonds or underwriting loans for businesses so he decided to take a leap and start his own business. What he discovered would lead him to the next business and what really matters, good wine, food, and family. This is the story of Bellhops and Gratsi wine.
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3 May 2022
All the Hacks: Points Maestro Chris Hutchins Wants to Optimize Your Life
Our founder today may sound familiar to those of you who listen to his podcast. Chris Hutchins is a money optimizer who has spent a lifetime building products. He inspired his friends and family by traveling the world on a shoestring budget. He never thought his tricks for getting the most bang for his buck would lead him to being a popular podcast host. His goal? Make your money go farther than you thought possible. This is the story of All the Hacks.
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26 Apr 2022
The Well: How Messy Situations Helped Me Find Wellness
Today’s founder knew success at a young age by talking to the right people at the right time. Kane Sarhan burned the candle at both ends working long hours as a personal assistant becoming a jack of all trades. From opening bars, working in tech and launching one of the most successful new hotel brands. With the right connections and a lifelong entrepreneurial spirit Kane partnered with experts to create a wellness retreat in the heart of New York City. With locations around the world it’s becoming an operating system for wellness. This is the story of The Well.
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19 Apr 2022
Anonymoux: One of the Top NFT Collectors in the World
Where there is art, there is a collector. Today’s founder is a big name in the NFT space. And even though we don’t know his real name, he’s well respected as an investor, an advocate and a fan of digital art. With a background in investment management, online poker, and fantasy sports, this collector knows a lot about knowing how to play their cards right. But when they started collecting NFTs they found more than just high risk, high reward - they found a family. This is the story of Anonymoux.
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12 Apr 2022
Jason Scott: From Hollywood Mailroom to Launching a Namesake Clothing Line
Our founder today is bred by resilience and persistence. And on his chosen path – through the notoriously unforgiving fashion industry – he needs both. Having celebrities wear his eponymous line is a thrill, but his real success, he says, stems from the fiercely loyal customers who love his brand. With immense competition and a constantly changing retail landscape, the greatest currency is care and conviction. This is the story…of Jason Scott.
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5 Apr 2022
Grapevine: Ballet Dancer Turned Charity Disrupter
No one could have predicted the path of today’s founder. Emily Rasmussen may have grown up in a log cabin in the Sierras, but that didn’t stop her from having big city dreams. Her love of dance brought her to New York with the hope of becoming a ballerina. 9/11, coupled with an injury forced Rasmussen to rethink her path and so she opted to slip off her ballet shoes and go to college where she focused on studying international relations and interned at the UN. From there she traveled to India where she harnessed her talent for combining community and philanthropy in the form of microfinance loans, eventually starting her very own model. This is the story of Grapevine.
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29 Mar 2022
i2i Ventures: Unleashing Potential from Unexpected Places
Today’s founder, Kalsoom Lakhani, is a force to be reckoned with. She’s lived all over the world and before launching her current company, she worked for a defense contracting firm, started her own current affairs blog, and has been featured in numerous media outlets including the BBC and The Washington Post. Never taking no for an answer, she has helped build a tech ecosystem in Pakistan a decade before the world recognized the country’s promise. She also happens to be our host's sister. This is the story of i2i.
For more information on i2i Ventures, visit: https://www.i2iventures.com/
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22 Mar 2022
Atoms: A Pakistani Couple Creates All American Shoes
Our founders today ventured from across the Atlantic to start a new life in the U.S. Born and raised in Pakistan, Sidra Qasim and Waqas Ali are modern day examples of the “American Dream.” Their company soared during the pandemic thanks to their innovation and adaptability. Their masks are ubiquitous, and their shoes are as popular as they are comfy. Today, we bring you the story of Atoms.
For more information on Atoms, you can visit https://www.atoms.com/.
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15 Mar 2022
Gossamer: Embracing the Cannabis Culture
Our founder today may be Canadian, but she honed her craft in New York’s gritty, competitive media world. Verena Von Pfetten has worn many hats, including one at the Huffington Post in the early days of internet blogging. But it was the cannabis industry that had the creativity, the flexibility, and the culture, that ultimately caught her eye. While it started as a high end publication and continues to be so, it has developed into a sophisticated lifestyle brand for people who also smoke week. This is the story of Gossamer.
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8 Mar 2022
Delight Restaurant Group: Ibanker to Fry Guy
Today’s founder Andrew Krumholz was headed down a path any parent would dream of. Harvard undergrad. A first job at Goldman Sachs, followed by a gig at the Carlyle Group, one of the most prestigious asset managers in the world. But through all that, he felt drawn to a very different calling: flipping burgers. With his brother at his side, they left their jobs and invested their life savings in opening fast food franchises and realized that it’s not only lucrative – it’s life-changing. This is the story of Delight Restaurant Group
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23 Jan 2022
Introducing Founder Stories
Spanx, Facebook, Apple, Starbucks - we know their stories like the back of our hand. But what about the innovative companies that are changing the world without us even knowing it? Founder Stories delves into their trials, tribulations and routes to success. This is your chance to peek behind the curtain of organizations, enterprises, entrepreneurs and brands who are on the precipice of changing lives and disrupting the status quo. In the founders own words you will gain inspiration and insights into exactly what goes into becoming a household name.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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