Finding Founders

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 cover conformational and contradictory evidence and why you should try to prove yourself wrong. Joyce Mok, our scriptwriting team lead, and I do a test, analyze the results and see where these results apply in our own lives.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back for part 2 of the Mac Davis' quest for immortality! (If you haven't listened to part 1 there are links below). In the second half of the episode we'll cover a near death explosion, revolutionary discoveries, mysterious deaths, incredible experiments, and the founding of a successful company: Minicircle. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving! Listen to Part 1 Apple Podcasts Spotify Anchor --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, FF's own Adrian Tapia (editing team lead) and Samuel Donner talk about the issue with second hand information. We delve into why you can't trust any conversation that starts with "My friend did [this]." --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When was the last time you skimmed over a book or article and realized that by the time you finished, absolutely nothing stuck? Well, it turns out speed-reading isn’t as easy as 1-2-3; like any superpower, it needs to be trained. Today we sit down to talk with Jim Kwik, author of Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, & Unlock Your Exceptional Life and founder of online brain-training platform Kwik Learning, which aims to enhance memory and teach speed-reading techniques. With students from over 195 countries, Kwik Learning has become an incredibly successful way to realize Jim’s mission: “No Brain Left Behind.” In this episode, Jim will discuss his early struggles with memory and reading; the life-changing trip to California that sparked his passion for “quick” (no pun intended) learning; the origins and impact of the Kwik Learning platform; and finally, the Limitless legacy that he wanted to leave behind. So kick back, relax, and let’s learn all the ways we can each unlock our own inner genius. Feature Quotes “I tell people that their life is like an egg. That if an egg is broken by an outside force, life ends. But if it’s broken by an inside force, life begins. Great things begin on the inside, and showing people that they have greatness inside of them-- that they have genius inside of them-- is my mission. I’m gonna show people how to unleash that genius.” “If knowledge is power, learning is our superpower. And it’s a superpower we all have. We just have to learn how to unleash it.” “Your passion is what lights you up, but your purpose is how you use your passion to light other ppl up.” “It’s interesting that the boy with the broken brain could go out there, and his mission is to build better brains & a better future for people… No brain left behind.” --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Storytelling is an essential part of any business whether you are trying to sell a product, raise money, or get your team on board with a mission. And so it's essential that you know how to tell interesting stories. At Finding Founders we have a motto: "No story is boring, it's just too long." Through a method of contracting and expanding certain parts of the story we are able to make almost anyone an engaging storyteller. In this episode of Founder Wisdom, we delve into how to expand and contract stories to create riveting narratives, and how you can too!  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we talk to Andrew Warner and we start with Andrew describing the impossibly fast pace of his first business’s success. Shortly out of college, Andrew was handling millions of dollars and taking on massive risk. Only a few years later, he’d give up that frantic lifestyle, jump ship and head for a respite in the Caribbean. Andrew’s life with all the peaks and valleys of the entrepreneurial journey, mirrors that of his initial mentors who lived within the pages of books. He took those lessons, founded a few companies, and now continues to learn from entrepreneurs with his show Mixergy, asking the question what do startup founders know that you don’t?.  Today, we’ll explore Andrew’s story, a page-turner that started in Brooklyn, NY and a community infused with entrepreneurial vision. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are questions you can ask to get people more vulnerable? How can you get someone to open up to you in a short amount of time? These are questions that can help us in our personal and professional relationships. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we talk to Brad Lea and he starts with his first few weeks in LA. Not long before he was at the mercy of a crack pipe, he got kicked out of his home in Oregon at 16, convinced a friend to quit his job, and drove to California to pursue his dream of becoming a movie star. And while this dream didn’t exactly pan out, that same charisma he hoped would end up on the silver screen, has helped him become a master salesman. Today, Brad runs his multi-million dollar business, Lightspeed VT, which gives companies world-class virtual training systems with the goal of getting knowledge from those who have it to the people who need it. Brad understands the potential of knowledge to improve lives and a lot of the passion he has for his company comes from his experience growing up with less than everyone around him. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the formula for interesting storytelling? Today we discuss the essential components of a great story and how to craft narratives that matter. It's enough to just have a subject that is of consequence, you have create an interesting and unique take on that subject. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices