Finding Founders

Many founders love the feeling of being able to work for themselves. Today, we sit down with Maxwell Nee, founder of online coaching service High-Performing Coach, who felt that working for himself was the only option. With Malaysian Chinese parents, Maxwell recalls that high standards for himself were always present, whether he achieved them or not. After suppressing his dreams for the sake of a stable career, Maxwell came face to face with the realization that he had to take the steps to do what he loves. Join us as we learn how Maxwell explored what he truly needed from his career, and networked with people around the world to make what he wanted a reality. High-Performing Coach Website: https://highperforming.coach/ Socials: Instagram: @maxwellnee LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwellnee/?originalSubdomain=uk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaxwellNeeCoach/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/maxwellneecoach?s=20 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I talk with Eric Twiggs about procrastination and a simple trick to combat it. Eric Twiggs, is your procrastination prevention expert. He's conducted 20,000+ hours of procrastination consulting, and in that time has learned the tricks of the trade. In this episode of Founder Wisdom we give you the tools you need to get more done and be more successful. findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's face it, you aren't inspired when you hear about success. Real inspiration, comes from hearing someone's lowest moments, the point where they almost broke, and then rising with their success. I'm your host Samuel Donner, and on each episode of Finding Founders we interview the founders behind companies, movements, and even drug cartels. We tell their whole life story to reveal vulnerability so you can learn from victory. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Update: So last week, we finished our drug dealer series and wow what an incredible experience. It was so interesting to dive into this underground world and it was awesome to see so many new listeners come to the podcast. Finding Founders is growing more and more every day and if you’d like to support us, just share with a friend or post a screenshot to your socials. It really helps. Anyway, finishing up this series reminded me of first one that we ever did. I actually traveled over to Puerto Rico to interview leaders in the community and hear how the entrepreneurial community recovered after the 2017 hurricanes. Today I wanted to do a rebroadcast of the 1st episode in a three part series on Puerto Rico. I hope you enjoy. Puerto Rico Series Part 2 Puerto Rico Series Part 3 When all is smooth sailing, community is something that we often take for granted. But when the waves get rocky, there’s truth in the saying “it takes a village” -- after all, difficult times are made easier when we know we have others to lean on. Today, we sit down with Nelson Colón, CEO of the Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Community Foundation) and Honorary Recipient of the 2014 Martin Luther King and Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” Awards for his work in social responsibility and justice. In his 20-year role as President of the Puerto Rico Community Foundation, Nelson has effectively spearheaded disaster-relief strategies throughout Puerto Rico, from community restoration in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and María, to providing critical medical response during COVID-19. Tune in now as we have a candid conversation with Nelson about the racial and socio-economic challenges he faced growing up as a black Puerto-Rican; how his upbringing in a protective, tight-knit family inspired a lifelong dedication towards helping others in need; the experiences that continue to mold his passion for community-service-oriented projects in afflicted, at-risk areas of Puerto Rico; and personal advice on how we can each foster stronger communities in times of trial through continual provisions of compassion, support, and hope. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we tell a story of a battle between Microsoft and Apple. This incident would start a war between the two computer giants that would rage for years to come. After the story, I'll ask business lawyer, Asha Wilkerson, what we can learn from this and how we can apply these lessons. findingfounders.co http://www.ashawilkerson.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the last episode of the drug dealer series, we sit down with Frederick Hutson, founder of Pigeonly, a platform that helps people connect with incarcerated loved ones. Of course, such an idea was not created without due experience. Growing up around the world of drugs, Frederick knew that the biggest money makers in town were drug dealers. However, Frederick did not turn out to be your average "small town hero" drug dealer. After working in the Air Force, he grew an underground marijuana operation that would move $22 million dollars of product a year. His knack for fine-tuning and calibrating a business ended up taking him much farther than he ever anticipated. Join us as we learn how Frederick’s journey through culture shock, intense contemplation, and a desire to problem-solve led him to founding Pigeonly. Links From the Episode Pigeonly Site: https://pigeonly.com/ Socials: Twitter: @IAMFastFreddy Instagram: @iamfastfreddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederickhutson/ Long-Term Recidivism Studies Show High Arrest Rates (Prison Legal News, 05/2019): https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2019/may/3/long-term-recidivism-studies-show-high-arrest-rates/#:~:text=Two%20reports%20on%20long%2Dterm,over%20an%20eight%2Dyear%20period. The Social Order of the Underworld by David Skarbek: https://www.amazon.com/Social-Order-Underworld-Prison-American/dp/0199328501#:~:text=David%20Skarbek's%20The%20Social%20Order%20of%20the%20Underworld%3A%20How%20Prison,tapestry%20of%20first%2Dhand%20accounts. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode has a little update on the Finding Founders community and then goes straight into a rebroadcast of Founder Wisdom #001 -- You’ve probably been giving your team the wrong criticism. This is the Founder Wisdom. Where we’ll answer that question by distilling advice from our founders and the books they recommend. I asked MasterClass founder David Rogier what book I should read if I’m trying to manage people more effectively. He recommended “The Man Who Lied to His Laptop" by Clifford Nas. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we hear the story of Juan Bedoya, who grew up working on the sugarcane fields of Guatemala. Growing up in poverty, Juan was determined to never return to a life with nothing. To make this happen, he traveled to the US and turned to the drug business, which dazzled him with promises of immense riches and a carefree life. At his peak in the drug business, Juan was moving about $150 million of drugs per year. Undoubtedly, he achieved his goal of living a lavish lifestyle, but his ambition prevented him from realizing he had more than enough. Juan shares with us a story of flying too close to the sun, but while falling down receiving the chance to grow a new pair of wings. So sit down with us as Juan reveals how motivation, faith, and reflection allow for a true success story, where money is not the hallmark of a meaningful life. 1976 Guatemala Earthquake:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Guatemala_earthquake --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we reconnect with Mike Kiamanesh, founder of Oval.bio, a company creating a life extension pod. A few weeks ago, Finding Founders hosted a virtual summit on Biohacking and Mike was one of our panelists. In his panel he talked about a lot of interesting stuff, (click here for the entire live virtual summit), and he touched briefly on a really interesting part of his business: the company structure. Today we look at how a decentralized company can make sure the power of life extension technology isn't just for the elite. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Growing up in the streets of Harlem, David Norman faced childhood trauma, drug addiction, and incarceration. He dealt heroin and even killed a man. After years of imprisonment, David never thought he would be challenging his mind and graduating from one of the world’s most prestigious universities -- until he did. David kicks off part two of our Drug Dealer series—a compilation of stories about a different kind of entrepreneur—one who demonstrates the same independence, hustle, and perseverance of our previous founders, but whose attributes evolved under different circumstances.  Sonia Sanchez poem: https://poets.org/poem/not-small-voice  Columbia Article: https://gs.columbia.edu/news/david-normans-journey-incarceration-ivy-league  Learned Helplessness: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/learned-helplessness  Harlem in the 60s and 70s (in pictures): https://medium.com/the-cool/forever-beautiful-harlem-in-the-1970s-d45523262a09 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices