Finding Founders

In today’s hyper-individualistic culture, creating community is more important than ever. In this episode, we dive into the idea of creating community with Imani Ellis, founder of The Creative Collective NYC which hosts CultureCon. Imani Ellis was driven by her competitive nature and ambition as a ballerina for 14 years, becoming the first black ballerina in the Atlanta Ballet in 75 years. After quitting ballet, track took her on a full ride to Vanderbilt University where she realized her dream of pursuing work in entertainment. Through that same tenacity that drove her athletic pursuits, Ellis started work at NBC Universal in New York City, but she struggled to find her community in the bustling city. She decided to create her own space that grew into the Creative Collective and eventually CultureCon. Links From the Episode Imani Ellis Website: https://www.imaniellis.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imaniimani/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/imaninaomi?lang=en The Creative Collective NYC Website: https://www.theccnyc.com/ The Creative Collective NYC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theccnyc/?hl=en The Creative Collective NYC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCCnyc/ The Creative Collective NYC Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecc_nyc CultureCon Website: https://www.cultureconathome.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hidekazu Tojo invented the California Roll, but no one knows it. Tojo was in Vancouver when he thought of an idea to attract customers. Little did he know that this idea would spread across the entire world like wildfire. findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rahaf Harfoush is a thought leader in productivity and burnout. Immigrating from Syria as a kid, Rahaf  developed a strong work-ethic. As she developed her career, and more and more opportunity arose, she felt obligated to seize that opportunity. That's why her family came to North America! But this pursuit led to a breakdown. A fogginess that could not be slept away. Burnout. Rahaf has authored three books looking into the way technology affects us. Rahaf is a renowned digital anthropologist who knows what the rock bottom of mental burnout feels like. She's pulled herself out, and with her she's brought wisdom that she wants to share with the rest of the world. Rahaf wants to adjust modern work into something that is more symbiotic, efficient, and ultimately, better for our mental and physical well-being Links From the Episode Rahaf Harfoush: https://rahafharfoush.com/ Books: https://rahafharfoush.com/books The Artist’s Way: https://www.theartistswaybook.com/ Julia Cameron: https://juliacameronlive.com/ . --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does a gas station become known for the best Indian food in Los Angeles? We ask that questions to Hiram Mac, the cofounder of the Bombay Frankie Company. He gives us the story of how a world renowned restaurant can arise from anywhere. And to quote my favorite movie, "anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great..." boy is Hiram fearless! Also if you liked this episode, email me and let me know what you think! sam@findingfounders.co findingfounders.co https://www.thebombayfrankiecompany.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iz Harris is a D.C. based filmmaker and co-founder of Bright Trip, a video-based educational platform. In the midst of processing childhood trauma, Iz started developing her filmmaking skills while running a wedding photography and videography business with her husband, Johnny. At the same time she was confronted with her son's regressive autism when doctor's didn't even understand the term. As she searched for an answer she found that she was taking on more responsibility with childcare and that there wasn't an equal partnership in her marriage. Through many conversations, she once again found her creative drive but it wasn’t satisfied by making wedding videos and branding stories. After bingeing Casey Neistat videos, she decided to become a vlogger. In a year, she went from not knowing the difference between a blog and a vlog to having a YouTube channel with 10,000 subscribers. This channel allowed Iz Harris to develop her creative voice, and her videos covered everything from travel to mental health. After working as a producer on Vox Media’s Travel, Eat, Repeat,  Iz co-founded Bright Trip with her husband. With this new venture, Iz Harris is creating a community centered on learning and curiosity. External links: Bright Trip Website: https://brighttrip.com Iz Harris personal website https://www.izharris.com/ Iz Harris Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRq8WvO55Cnk6GY-WT07KHg Travel Eat Repeat https://www.eater.com/travel-eat-repeat-video RAINN, Rape Abuse & Incest National Network https://www.rainn.org/ National Sexual Violence Resource Center https://www.nsvrc.org/ Autistic Self Advocacy Network https://autisticadvocacy.org/ Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund https://dredf.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk with the founder of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk, about how the organization gained global attention after infiltrating a laboratory. This lab was conducting unregulated primate testing and she exposed the horrid conditions that these animals were undergoing. She tells that story along with explaining the mission behind PETA, her life's goal, and the topic of her new book. Buy Animalkind More about Ingrid --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we’re visited by Albert Garcia-Romeu, one of the key members of the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Coming from Miami, Albert grew up with a thirst for knowledge and a boundless intellectual capacity to improve. He read everything he could, and developed love for poetry and philosophy from a very early age. Those intellectual pursuits took him through a college career at Tulane University before working for the Forest Service in Montana. Venturing out into the wilderness,  Albert had meditative experiences with nature that profoundly moved him. Albert began to try and study what he called Transcendent Experiences in order to merge his love of psychology and philosophy with this moving experience he had with nature. That quest took him to California, where he started to conduct his research on these seemingly mystical events. From there, he followed his results and began to work in the realm of psychedelic drugs which had him move across the country, change his perspective, and set him on a path into the unknown world of psychedelic therapy. Links From the Episode Michael Pollan-How to Change Your Mind: https://michaelpollan.com/ Ken Wilber: https://integrallife.com/who-is-ken-wilber/ Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/research/BPRU/ Links to presentations by Albert: https://hopkinspsychedelic.org/garcia-romeu --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In World War II, the allies didn't have enough troops to combat the Nazis... So they came up with a weird way to scare them before they even thought of approaching. Dennis and I talk about this story and compare it to the fake it till you make it mantra common in entrepreneurial circles. We ask the question: how do we tell a compelling story while still being authentic. Check out more of Dennis on his website: https://audiencemagnet.com/ findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we discover the story of Matthew Johnson, a professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at John Hopkins University, and one of the first scientists to publish extensive research on the effect of psychedelic drugs on the brain. Specifically, how compounds like psilocybin can help cure mental illness. He is also the Associate Center Director of the Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research which recently received $17 million dollars of funding from private donors including Tim Ferriss. As a disillusioned engineering major and in the middle of a midlife crisis, Matthew’s drive to help others led him to the study of behavioral psychology. Then, as a graduate student at Hopkins, Matthew’s research took a pivotal turn towards the study of LSDs and other drugs, and to the discovery of how these chemical compounds may be the key to solving addiction and even help patients combating cancer. Now, Matthew tells us more about his scientific journey, and clues us in on how psychedelics can potentially help shape the future of mental health. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I ask Charles Read, founder of Get Payroll and a certified public accountant, about how to avoid tax fraud. He gives us insight into the weird world of taxes and some tips on how to navigate that world. findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices