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Tech Pathways: Stories Behind the Screens

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by ZETA

15 episodes

Updated Daily

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Podcast Overview

Ever wonder how people dominate tech or shape the future of policy? Tech Pathways: Stories Behind the Screens brings you straight into the action with unfiltered conversations from the trailblazers making it happen. From navigating first jobs to building groundbreaking careers, these stories are your guide to carving out your own path in tech, policy and beyond. This isn’t just another podcast—it’s your backstage pass to the world you’re ready to own. Hosted by: Jose Gaona Produced by: Andres Fierro Morales & Lucas Roque Thank you for listening, for more information about ZETA visit www.connectZETA.org.

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Publishing Since

9/5/2025

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Recent Episodes

June 5, 2026

Adrian Tovalin: AI Strategist & Community Builder – Startups, World Travel, Building in Tech

Adrian Tovalin is a startup strategist, community builder, and growth operator whose career spans consulting, global development, venture-backed startups, and the fast-evolving world of AI — all driven by a belief that opportunity comes from showing up, taking risks, and building meaningful connections. Thank you for listening — for more information about ZETA, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.connectZETA.org" target="_blank">https://www.connectZETA.org</a> Today we’re joined by Adrian Tovalin — strategist at Luma AI and founder of DC Tech Parties, a startup community that grew from small gatherings of founders and builders into one of D.C.’s most recognizable tech networking communities. From growing up in California’s Santa Ynez Valley helping run his family’s Mexican restaurant, to working at Accenture, the World Bank, and startups across India, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Washington D.C., Adrian’s journey is one of curiosity, adaptability, and learning by jumping into unfamiliar environments. After years working across consulting, startups, and venture-backed companies, Adrian realized something was missing: community. What started as informal founder meetups eventually became DC Tech Parties — bringing together hundreds of entrepreneurs, builders, and creatives around the D.C. tech ecosystem. Today, Adrian works at Luma AI, helping shape strategy and operations at the frontier of video AI and creative technology. In this episode, Adrian shares how his upbringing shaped his work ethic, why he transitioned from consulting into global startup ecosystems, what traveling and living abroad taught him, and how building community became just as important as building a career. ----------------------- 📲 Connect With Adrian 🌐 Luma AI: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://lumalabs.ai/" target="_blank">https://lumalabs.ai/</a> 👔 LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriantovalin/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriantovalin/</a> ----------------------- Find ZETA: 📸 Instagram: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/connectzeta" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/connectzeta</a> 🎵 TikTok: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@connectzeta" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@connectzeta</a> 📘 Facebook: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/people/ZETA/61562518743584/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/people/ZETA/61562518743584/</a> 📺 YouTube: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@connectZETA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/@connectZETA</a> 👔 LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ConnectZETA/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/ConnectZETA/</a> ----------------------- 🕓 Timestamps 0:00 🚀 Sneak Peek 0:23 🎧 Intro 0:29 👋 Meet Adrian Tovalin 3:56 🌮 Family Restaurant Roots & Growing Up in Santa Ynez Valley 12:22 🎓 UC Berkeley, Work Ethic & Academic Success 18:46 💼 Breaking Into Consulting & Corporate Life 23:46 🌎 First-Generation Success, Burnout & Finding Purpose 32:20 ✈️ Living in India, Global Travel & Culture Shock 45:53 🤝 DC Tech Parties & Building Startup Communities 54:29 🤖 Working in AI at Luma AI & The Future of Video AI 1:04:14 🔚 Final Advice & Outro

May 7, 2026

Joe Hollier: CEO of The Light Phone – Digital Wellness, Skateboarding, Art School, & Rethinking Tech

Joe Hollier is an artist, designer, and entrepreneur whose work sits at the intersection of technology, creativity, and digital wellness — all driven by a belief that the best technology should help people live more intentionally, not consume more of their attention. Thank you for listening — for more information about ZETA, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.connectZETA.org" target="_blank">https://www.connectZETA.org</a> Today we’re joined by Joe Hollier — co-founder of Light, the company behind the Light Phone, a device designed to offer an alternative to today’s always-connected smartphone culture. From growing up between suburban New Jersey and the rural South to immersing himself in skateboarding, art, and design culture, Joe’s journey has always been shaped by curiosity, creativity, and questioning the status quo. After studying design at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Joe worked across film, animation, fine art, and freelance creative work before joining Google’s experimental incubator program, 30 Weeks. There, he gained firsthand insight into how modern apps and platforms are designed to maximize attention and retention — an experience that ultimately became the foundation for the Light Phone. What started as an artistic and philosophical challenge to smartphone culture has since grown into a movement within the digital wellness space, with over 100,000 Light Phones helping people rethink their relationship with technology. In this episode, Joe shares how skateboarding shaped his creative mindset, how art school expanded his worldview, why he became skeptical of “attention economy” tech, and what it means to design products that give people their time back. 📲 Connect With Joe / Light: 🌐 Light: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.thelightphone.com/" target="_blank">https://www.thelightphone.com/</a> 👔 Instagram: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/joehollier/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/joehollier/</a> Find ZETA: 📸 Instagram: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/connectzeta" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/connectzeta</a> 🎵 TikTok: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@connectzeta" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@connectzeta</a> 📘 Facebook: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/people/ZETA/61562518743584/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/people/ZETA/61562518743584/</a> 📺 YouTube: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@connectZETA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/@connectZETA</a> 👔 LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ConnectZETA/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/ConnectZETA/</a> 🕓 Timestamps 0:00 🚀 Sneak Peek 0:28 🎧 Music Intro 0:35 👋 Meet Joe Hollier 4:50 🌎 Growing Up Between NYC & The Rural South 14:17 🛹 Skateboarding, Creativity & Early Entrepreneurship 23:13 🎨 Art School in NYC & Expanding His Worldview 33:24 🎥 Early Creative Work & Freelancing 37:25 📱 Google’s Incubator & Rethinking Tech Culture 43:14 💡 The Origins of the Light Phone 59:47 ⏭️ The Future of The Light Phone 1:05:30 🌱 Digital Wellness & Healthy Relationships with Technology 1:17:36 🔚 Outro

April 23, 2026

Robbie Douek: CEO of BLAST – Google, Disney, Gaming, Building the Future of Entertainment

Robbie Douek is a global entertainment executive and CEO whose career spans Google, Disney, and the rapidly growing world of esports — all driven by a belief in building where the future is unfolding. Thank you for listening — for more information about ZETA, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.connectZETA.org" target="_blank">https://www.connectZETA.org</a> Today we’re joined by Robbie Douek — CEO of BLAST, a global competitive entertainment company shaping the future of gaming, esports, and live digital experiences. From a multicultural upbringing to leading teams across continents, Robbie’s journey is defined by curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to take bold leaps into emerging industries. His career has taken him from early work in mobile technology to Google through the AdMob acquisition, into the creator economy at Maker Studios and Disney, and now to the forefront of esports. At BLAST, Robbie leads a global organization delivering world-class competitive gaming experiences across titles like Fortnite, Counter-Strike 2, and Rocket League—working with major publishers and building fan-first moments for a new generation of digital audiences. In this episode, Robbie shares how early life experiences shaped his leadership, what it means to “go where things are changing,” and how he’s helping redefine entertainment in the age of Gen Z. 📲 Connect With Robbie / BLAST: 🌐 BLAST: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://blast.tv" target="_blank">https://blast.tv</a> 👔 LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbiedouek/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbiedouek/</a> Find ZETA: 📸 Instagram: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/connectzeta" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/connectzeta</a> 🎵 TikTok: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@connectzeta" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@connectzeta</a> 📘 Facebook: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/people/ZETA/61562518743584/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/people/ZETA/61562518743584/</a> 📺 YouTube: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@connectZETA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/@connectZETA</a> 👔 LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ConnectZETA/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/ConnectZETA/</a> 🕓 Timestamps 0:00 🚀 Sneak Peek 0:27 🎧 Intro 0:34 👋 Meet Robbie Douek 2:18 🌍 Multicultural Upbringing & Global Mindset 8:22 🧠 Loss, Resilience & Early Motivation 12:54 🎓 From French & Politics → Tech Career 15:52 🔮 Spotting Trends, Taking Risks & Big Opportunities 21:50 🏢 Google & Disney (Big Tech Experience) 26:55 🎮 Pivot to Esports & Gaming Industry 30:01 🚀 Building a Global Esports Company (BLAST) 33:35 🌐 The Future of Esports & Entertainment 36:08 👨‍👧‍👦 Parenting, Gen Z & Digital Culture 44:10 💬 Advice for Gen Z & Future Entrepreneurs 46:52 🔚 Outro

15 total episodes available

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What is Tech Pathways: Stories Behind the Screens?: Ever wonder how people dominate tech or shape the future of policy? Tech Pathways: Stories Behind the Screens brings you straight into the action with unfiltered conversations from the trailblazers making it happen. From navigating first jobs to building groundbreaking careers, these stories are your guide to carving out your own path in tech, policy and beyond. This isn’t just another podcast—it’s your backstage pass to the world you’re ready to own.

Hosted by: Jose Gaona Produced by: Andres Fierro Morales & Lucas Roque

Thank you for listening, for more information about ZETA visit www.connectZETA.org.
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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