Ashley Werhun - ballet career ends, startup begins
Ashley Warhun, was at the height of her professional ballet career, when it suddenly stopped. things looked bleak. a ballet legend, mentioned in textbooks, came to her aid, and got into action. in this episode, she discusses her early fascination with the business side of ballet, the pivotal moments that led her to start Mentorly, and the role of mentorship in navigating career transitions. Ashley also reflects on the key support she received during challenging times and provides insights into balancing professional and personal growth.
this is Ashley Werhun, and her tale of human helpfulness.
SPEAKER LINKS:
Company: mentorly.co
Linkedin
Twitter
Instagram
MENTIONS:
Christina Johnson
Isaac Souweine
Notman house in Montreal
TIMESTAMPS:
02:29 Ballet career comes to halt
05:05 Overcoming Setbacks
08:47 A legends come to help
11:01 Finding New Opportunities
17:57 Settling in Montreal
19:32 Transitioning to tech
20:19 The Permissionless Nature of Entrepreneurship
21:09 Supportive Tech Culture vs. Cutthroat Ballet
21:42 The Openness of Startup Communities
23:51 Mentorship and the Startup Journey
24:12 The Peaks and Valleys of Startup Life
25:16 The Importance of Mentorship and Support
27:23 Dealing with Founder Loneliness
31:13 Balancing Work and Personal Life
38:53 The Value of Giving Back
41:12 Conclusion and Gratitude
PODCAST LINKS:
BeHelpful.Today
Youtube
ABOUT THE HOST:
i’m Vahid Jozi. i’m in love with unearthing heartwarming stories of vulnerability and helpfulness. my goal is to encourage this net positive behaviour.
i help companies with product strategy and leadership at FractionalCPO.com
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41:35
Healey Cypher - turning failure into fortune
before his many exits and becoming the COO and GP at Atomic.vc, Healey was close to losing everything. cash zero date was in sight. he was hurting.
help showed up unexpectedly, for free. in one day, he closed a $1M deal, and sold the company shortly after. those givers were at the top of the pyramid.
he shares his journey from Nebraska to Saudi Arabia, to founder and investor roles in startups. Healey believes in the importance of in-person connections in a virtual world. he also emphasizes the value of spiritual undercurrents in personal and professional growth.
This is Healey Cypher and his tale of human helpfulness.
(00:36) Healey's Background and Career Journey
(02:51) Philosophy on Life and Ambition
(05:32) Balancing Work and Family
(07:48) Facing Tough Decisions
(12:41) The Valley of Death: A Startup's Struggle
(21:57) The Three Types of Workers: Givers, Matchers, and Takers
(22:24) The Success Pyramid: Givers at the Top
(24:14) The Ultimate Productivity Model for CEOs
(28:27) The Importance of Human Connection in Remote Work
(30:47) Balancing Remote Work and In-Person Meetings
(33:52) The Future of Work: Remote and In-Person Hybrid
(38:54) Final Thoughts and Advice for Founders
SPEAKER LINKS:
Website
Companies: Atomic.vc, Boompop.com
X
Linkedin
Instagram
MENTIONS:
Brian Chesky at Airbnb
Kurzgesagt: The Last Human – A Glimpse Into The Far Future
Oak Labs, Acquired by Zivelo
Give and take book by Adam Grant
Matt Mochary, his book The Great CEO Within
Hope is not a strategy, article by Healey
PODCAST LINKS:
BeHelpful.Today
Youtube
ABOUT THE HOST:
i’m Vahid Jozi. i’m in love with unearthing heartwarming stories of vulnerability and helpfulness. my goal is to encourage this net positive behaviour.
i help companies with product strategy and leadership at FractionalCPO.com
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40:53
Isaac Souweine - won by doubling down on failure
Isaac Souweine is a product manager tuned VC. his departure form his last product role wasn’t great. his move to investment was unplanned, and a result of a person believing in him. he’s loving his new path and been on it for the past decade.
Isaac is a dear friend, and this is his tale of human helpfulness.
SPEAKER LINKS:
Website
Pender Ventures
Linkedin
Twitter
MENTIONS:
John Stokes, partner at Real Ventures
Founderfuel
Notman house
Frontrow ventues
PODCAST LINKS:
BeHelpful.Today
Youtube
ABOUT THE HOST:
i’m Vahid Jozi. i’m in love with unearthing heartwarming stories of vulnerability and helpfulness. my goal is to encourage this net positive behaviour.
i help companies with product strategy and leadership at FractionalCPO.com
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37:34
Brice Scheschuk - not coachable, to +billion exit
Brice Scheschuk sold a telecom company for over a billion. he didn’t have any mentors, wasn’t even coachable. he was lucky though to find the right comrades. they went all in, fought and won. you’ll hear the details. he doesn’t hold back. later, he did a 180 and started an organization to elevate the art of mentorship.
Brice is a role model to many, and this is his tale of human helpfulness.
SPEAKER LINKS:
Linkedin
Twitter
Companies
Globalive Capital
MindFrame Connect (NFP)
MENTIONS:
Shaw buys Wind for $1.6B
YPO
Wind Mobile co-founders, Anthony Lacavera and Simon Lockie
Naguib Sawiris, Egyptian billionaire
Founder city project by Ben Baldwin
Creative Destruction Lab
MindFrame Connect
PODCAST LINKS:
BeHelpful.TodayYoutube
ABOUT THE HOST:
I am the host, Vahid Jozi. I’m in love with unearthing heartwarming stories of vulnerability and helpfulness. My goal is to encourage this net positive behaviour.
I help companies with product strategy and leadership at FractionalCPO.com
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28:14
Kat Khosrowyar - Women, Soccer, the Taliban
Kat Khosrowyar is the soccer player who beat the Taliban. she’s a founder, but of Iran’s U-19 national women’s soccer team. She had no shortage of tough times.
she moved from Texas to Iran as a teenager, a place not known for empowering women. she barely knowing the language. she joined the national women’s team, later coached it. She also helped a the Afghan national women soccer team flee the Taliban insurgency. And, none of that is her day job.
In addition to working in the petrochemical industry now, Kat remains deeply involved in football, continuing to uplift women through her foundation.
SPEAKER LINKS:
Website
Wikipedia
Women's Equality and Soccer Foundation
Linkedin
Instagram
MENTIONS:
Joanne King Herring
Julia Robert plays her on “Charlie Wilson’s War”
Farkhunda Muhtaj - Captain of the Afghan National Women’s Football Team
website
ABOUT THE HOST:
I'm Vahid Jozi, a founder, product manager, and podcaster. I believe great things happen by randomness, serendipity and helpfulness. Those are net positive values, conjured by giving. I also help companies with product strategy and leadership at FractionalCPO.com
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