

A LIFE OF SURRENDER: From Leaving his own Startup to Finding Deep Awareness | Carlo Alberto Gaetaniello
Trust the Process
- Shift your focus from the outcome to the process.
- Trust the process, and the outcome will come naturally.
Be Your Best Self
- Focus on being your best self, regardless of the outcome.
- This principle allows you to take what life gives you and make the most of it.
Initial Startup Journey
- Carlo's initial startup journey was driven by present moment focus and self-trust.
- He prioritized personal fulfillment, even taking an unconventional path with low initial pay.






Carlo Alberto Gaetaniello is an entrepreneur who, after raising millions and scaling his startup, found his identity deeply tied to the business.
When market shifts forced a new direction, misaligned with his expectations, he faced a severe mental breakdown.
In this episode, we explore Carlo’s journey of stepping away from his startup and embracing a new life philosophy: "A Life of Surrender".
Not a passive life, actually quite the opposite. It’s about aligning with the universe, trusting the process, and allowing life to flow through you.
This shift has brought him greater presence, awareness, and fulfillment.
Other topics covered in this episode:
- Meditation
- Neuroscience & mental health
- Science vs. Spirituality
- Teachings from Carlo’s spiritual masters
- And so much more!
📲 FOLLOW CARLO ON LINKEDIN
Today, Carlo is the Director of Business Development at Serenis, one of Italy’s leading mental health platforms. He is also the Co-Founder of Wiseair and a mentor at Techstars, one of the world’s top startup accelerators. Beyond his career, he’s an active member of the Vipassana Meditation Association in Italy and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Neuroscience and Meditation.
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Enjoy the show and have a great adventure!
Carlitos 🐎🌊
CHAPTERS
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:02:37) Are there too many podcasts
(00:07:35) Who is Carlo Alberto
(00:09:30) Life and career cannot be planned
(00:11:40) Living a Life of Surrender
(00:14:30) The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life by Boyd Varty
(00:18:32) My first principle
(00:21:00) Mental breakdown journey as a Founder
(00:34:50) Discovering the principle
(00:40:00) Our brain is wired for survival, not for happiness
(00:42:00) Letting go your thoughts
(00:48:58) Skepticism with spiritual masters
(00:54:43) Is formal meditation needed?
(00:55:45) First meditation retreat
(00:59:50) Meditation VS Mindfulness
(01:05:22) Becoming aware
(01:08:19) Connection between Science and Spirituality
(01:09:20) Galileo Galilei was a spiritual master?
(01:14:57) How Emotions Are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett
(01:17:08) Scientific experiments revealing the flaws of the
mind
(01:23:40) Identification VS Awareness
(01:28:44) Satipatthana Sutta by Siddharta
(01:32:55) Is being a founder a spiritual path?
(01:47:30) Everything is perfect without your intervention
(01:50:42) Advice for the listener