Founder's Voyage

Spencer Walker-Fooks, Nancy Nash
  • 5.0 (3)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY

Founder’s Voyage is a podcast for the ones building in the dark, the ones failing forward, and the ones figuring it out as they go. We bring you unfiltered conversations with founders who’ve faced the highs, and the lows. Just real lessons from the people in the arena. Whether you're scaling a startup or sketching your first idea on a napkin, these are the stories that remind you you're not alone—and the insights that help you move forward. We are an entrepreneurial community united by a shared mission of shared learning and supporting each other.

  1. 160 - The Founder at NeuroX is Pioneering the Future of Cognitive Health - Anoop Antony

    2 DAYS AGO

    160 - The Founder at NeuroX is Pioneering the Future of Cognitive Health - Anoop Antony

    Anoop Antony is a neuroscientist, tech founder, and CEO of NeuroX, where he leads innovations in brain mapping, neurofeedback, and photobiomodulation. With academic credentials spanning psychology and cognitive neuroscience, Anoop has transformed his expertise into building cutting-edge neuro-technology and clinical services, including pioneering early detection methods for dementia and wearable EEG devices. Under his leadership, NeuroX has received government grants, published influential research, and is reshaping approaches to brain health, merging deep science with product development and public accessibility. 💡 What You’ll Learn from Anoop's Journey: 🔸 Grit Through Adversity: Anoop emphasizes the importance of perseverance, especially at moments when giving up seems easiest, encouraging founders to use setbacks as catalysts for working even harder. 🔸 Bootstrapping Lessons: By building NeuroX with minimal external funding, Anoop developed a comprehensive understanding of business operations, which has increased both investor confidence and his own resourcefulness. 🔸 User-Centered Innovation: Anoop highlights the necessity of listening to users and evolving product design for real-world adoption, pivoting from a headband to in-ear EEG devices to better integrate with user's lifestyles. 🔸 The Power of Mission-Driven Teams: He stresses recruiting for shared vision over financial motivation, fostering a culture where team members are united by purpose and incentivized through equity and ownership. You can connect with Anoop on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow his journey. 👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life. 🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Anoop. #FoundersVoyage #Entrepreneurship #Podcast

    48 min
  2. 159 - Founder's Vision for 3d Printing Ceramics - Yu-Wei (Wayne) Tang

    5 FEB

    159 - Founder's Vision for 3d Printing Ceramics - Yu-Wei (Wayne) Tang

    Wayne is the co-founder of 3Dceramet, a pioneering company in the field of ceramic 3D printing, dedicated to enabling high flexibility and sustainable design for industrial-grade ceramics. With a strong background in data expertise and entrepreneurial experience across multiple countries, Wayne has helped build a family-driven business that empowers designers to rapidly prototype and iterate ceramic products through innovative technology. Under his leadership, 3Dceramet has attained patents in Taiwan and China and launched the TMEI platform to support artistic and industrial designers. Wayne’s journey is shaped by a commitment to continuous learning, collaboration, and bold experimentation. 💡 What You’ll Learn from Wayne's Journey: 🔸 Move Fast and Iterate: Wayne emphasizes the importance of acting quickly and continually experimenting, rather than waiting for perfect outcomes, to stay ahead in innovation-driven fields. 🔸 Leverage Family and Complementary Skills: By building a business alongside family members with diverse expertise, Wayne demonstrates the power of complementary skills and open collaboration—even in a family startup. 🔸 Top-Down and Bottom-Up Problem Solving: Wayne’s path highlights how innovation sometimes begins with technology searching for a market, while still being informed by customer feedback and MVP-driven learning. 🔸 Turning Setbacks into Growth: From early business failures to navigating new markets, Wayne shows how to treat setbacks as learning opportunities and iterate toward eventual success. You can connect with Wayne on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow his journey. 🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services. 👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life. 🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Wayne. #FoundersVoyage #Entrepreneurship #Podcast

    45 min
  3. 158 - Youth Football Coach and Founder - James Doubtfire

    29 JAN

    158 - Youth Football Coach and Founder - James Doubtfire

    James is the Director at Digital Twin Build and Managing Director at Format Design London, with over 15 years of entrepreneurial experience at the intersection of design, technology, and the built environment. Having started as a graphic designer and eventually carved a path into business ownership, James’s journey spans building creative agencies, leading multidisciplinary teams, and pioneering data-driven solutions for the construction and property sectors. His work bridges creative problem-solving, digital transformation, and leadership, making him a valuable resource for aspiring founders interested in both creative industries and emerging tech. 💡 What You’ll Learn from James's Journey: 🔸 Embracing Evolution Over Perfection: James’ career demonstrates that you don’t need a perfect plan to succeed, cultivating adaptability and taking opportunities as they arise can lead to rewarding, unexpected outcomes. 🔸 Commercial Thinking from Day One: He underscores the importance of developing a commercial mindset early, connecting creative or technical skillsets to real-world business needs and client value. 🔸 Leading with Standards and Self-Reflection: James shares candid lessons on building and leading teams, including the necessity of clear communication, maintaining high standards, and evolving your leadership style through self-awareness and feedback. 🔸 Work-Life Integration, Not Just Balance: As both an entrepreneur and a parent, James emphasizes structuring your time, forming healthy habits, and being present in both work and family life, recognizing that success is a dynamic, deeply personal measure. You can connect with James on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow his journey. 👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life. 🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like James. #FoundersVoyage #Entrepreneurship #Podcast

    50 min
  4. 157 - From Cyber Security for POTUS to Repeat Founder - Roselle Safran

    22 JAN

    157 - From Cyber Security for POTUS to Repeat Founder - Roselle Safran

    Roselle is an accomplished cybersecurity founder and executive, with a unique journey from civil engineering at Princeton to leading cybersecurity efforts at the White House and launching multiple startups, including Uplevel Security (acquired by McAfee) and Key Caliber. With over two decades in technology and security, she is recognized for her deep expertise in computer forensics, commitment to mission-driven entrepreneurship, and advocacy for alignment between security and business outcomes. Roselle has also navigated the challenges of being a female founder, balancing motherhood, personal health, and leadership in a rapidly evolving, high-stakes industry. 💡 What You’ll Learn from Roselle's Journey:🔸 Embracing Nonlinear Paths: Roselle shows that you don’t need a straight path to success in entrepreneurship, her journey weaves through civil engineering, cybersecurity, government, and startups, demonstrating the power of curiosity, adaptability, and opportunism.🔸 Mission-Driven Innovation: She highlights how identifying core gaps in your industry, and solving them with novel technology, can be a powerful differentiator, especially against big players with larger marketing budgets.🔸 The Importance of Prioritization & Wellbeing: Roselle shares candidly about balancing entrepreneurship with family and personal health, emphasizing that founders must put on their own “oxygen mask” first to sustain their ventures for the long haul.🔸 Community & Resilience in Entrepreneurship: She underscores the necessity of founder communities for support, learning, and collaboration, as well as a founder’s need for resilience in weathering constant setbacks and uncertainty. You can connect with Roselle on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow her journey. 🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services. 👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life. 🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Roselle. #FoundersVoyage #Entrepreneurship #Podcast

    47 min
  5. 156 - Advise for Founders from Both Sides of the Table - Maria Luque Antigue

    15 JAN

    156 - Advise for Founders from Both Sides of the Table - Maria Luque Antigue

    Maria is an accomplished AI researcher, community builder, and talent investor based in London. She co-founded the YAMLRG community, bringing together AI researchers and engineers to discuss advances in machine learning. Maria was a Founder in Residence, and now a Talent Investor at Entrepreneurs First, where she identifies and mentors exceptional individuals to build startups from scratch. With rich experience ranging from AI research to startup investing, Maria exemplifies a unique blend of technical depth, leadership, and community-building prowess. 💡 What You’ll Learn from Maria's Journey: 🔸 The Power of Bias to Action: Maria highlights the importance of acting on ideas instead of just talking, demonstrating bias to action through personal projects and encouraging founders to show evidence of initiative. 🔸 Building and Leading Communities: She shares her experience organizing high-quality, intimate communities for learning and networking, emphasizing the value of connection and knowledge sharing in career growth. 🔸 Navigating Founder-Investor Dynamics: Drawing from her dual roles, Maria reveals insights on understanding both founder and investor perspectives, reminding entrepreneurs of the emotional journey and the critical importance of team fit. 🔸 Staying Ahead in AI & Entrepreneurship: Maria demystifies keeping up with fast-changing technology, recommending hands-on experimentation, leveraging your unique “edge,” and the value of seeking out challenging, unconventional paths. You can connect with Maria on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow her journey. 🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services. 👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life. 🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Maria. #FoundersVoyage #Entrepreneurship #Podcast

    47 min
  6. 155 - Founder Siblings Solving AI Safety - Arul and Shirali Nigam

    8 JAN

    155 - Founder Siblings Solving AI Safety - Arul and Shirali Nigam

    Arul and Shirali Nigam are the sibling co-founders behind Circuit Breaker Labs, a pioneering venture focused on detecting mental health vulnerabilities in AI-powered applications. Blending Arul's technical expertise in AI with Shirali's background in Business Administration and Science, the duo have tackled the growing issue of self-harm and “AI psychosis” stemming from unsafe AI interactions. Their journey includes impactful philanthropic and technical projects, from delivering thousands of meals to frontline workers during the pandemic to building an app supporting travelers with food allergies. Now, with Circuit Breaker Labs, they’re at the forefront of AI safety in mental health, driven by a strong ethical commitment and an ability to iterate quickly based on customer and clinician feedback. 💡 What You’ll Learn from Arul and Shirali's Journeys: 🔸 Leverage Complementary Strengths: Arul and Shirali’s partnership thrives on leveraging their unique backgrounds in AI and business, highlighting the value of co-founders with diverse yet complementary expertise. 🔸 Embrace Rapid Iteration & Feedback: Their pivot from post-deployment guardrails to proactive, development-phase AI red teaming shows the importance of shipping MVPs quickly, gathering feedback, and iterating to meet real customer needs. 🔸 Center Real-World Impact: Staying closely connected to the problem, by talking to end-users, clinicians, and those impacted by unsafe AI, ensures your solution remains meaningful and effective. 🔸 Seek Help & Don’t Fear "No": Consistent outreach and asking for feedback or assistance, even from unexpected sources, is essential, "the worst they can say is no," and the connections you build can be invaluable for both product and mission growth. You can connect with Arul and Shirali on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow their journeys. 🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services. 👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life. 🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like this exceptional duo Shirali and Arul. #FoundersVoyage #Entrepreneurship #PodcastAdd more Introduction

    51 min
  7. 154 - Dual Insight into Founders and Investors - Simon Olson

    2 JAN

    154 - Dual Insight into Founders and Investors - Simon Olson

    Simon is a serial entrepreneur and investor known for applying cutting-edge AI to real-world problems, with a track record spanning over a decade across diverse verticals. As CEO and founding partner of Togi AI, he leads initiatives to bring autonomous intelligence to manufacturing, building on a legacy of transformative startups, successful exits, and hands-on hardware-software integration. Simon has also co-founded one of the world’s largest AI hackathon platforms and accelerators, and actively manages a venture fund investing in deep tech across Europe. His approach blends rapid prototyping, deep technical expertise, and a unique talent for recognising and capitalising on industry transformation opportunities. 💡 What You’ll Learn from Simon's Journey: 🔸 Embrace the Pain and Keep Moving: Building a startup is never a smooth ride, expect setbacks, frustration, and self-doubt. Simon emphasises developing resilience and learning to love the process of continual challenge and adaptation. 🔸 Build, Iterate, and Validate Fast: Simon stresses the importance of rapid prototyping and relentless iteration. Launch early, get real-world feedback, and use it to guide your product and business decisions rather than waiting for perfection or outside funding. 🔸 Chase Deep Value, Don’t Settle for Surface Solutions: For lasting impact and defensability, look for opportunities where you can integrate deeply into verticals (like manufacturing), control more of the value chain, and solve core, not peripheral, problems. 🔸 Choose Investors Strategically, Not Just for Capital: Simon explains that most investors provide little value beyond money. Seek out partners who offer operational leverage, industry insight, and real networks, especially those who've truly experienced your target sector. You can connect with Simon on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow his journey. 🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services. 👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life. 🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Simon. #FoundersVoyage #Entrepreneurship #Podcast

    40 min
  8. 153 - Founder Leverage AI to Transform Local Government Efficiency - Erica Olsen

    28/12/2025

    153 - Founder Leverage AI to Transform Local Government Efficiency - Erica Olsen

    Erica Olsen is an accomplished entrepreneur, strategic planning expert, and the co-founder and CEO of OnStrategy, a strategic planning software and consulting firm. With over 20 years dedicated to helping organizations worldwide execute their vision, Erica recently launched Madison AI, a fast-growing govtech startup spun out of OnStrategy. Under her leadership, Madison AI has rapidly scaled to 40 government clients in just 18 months, pioneering responsible and user-centric AI solutions for cities and counties. Erica is also the author of "Strategic Planning for Dummies" and a popular creator of practical business content on YouTube, known for her approachable, effective strategies and authentic leadership journey. 💡 What You’ll Learn from Erica's Journey: 🔸 Resilience Through Change: Erica’s openness about weathering economic downturns, personal health crises, and the rapid evolution of technology highlights how resilience and adaptability are critical traits for entrepreneurial longevity. 🔸 The Power of Product-Market Fit: Learn why genuine product-market fit is unmistakable, and essential for scalable growth, as Erica contrasts the grind of professional services with the rocket-ship trajectory of Madison AI. 🔸 Responsible Innovation in GovTech: Discover how Erica’s partnership with government clients and focus on responsible, accessible AI is enabling even small jurisdictions to unlock efficiency through technology without being left behind. 🔸 Redefining Success & Leadership: Erica shares the importance of personal wellbeing, team-first leadership, and redefining entrepreneurial success beyond just financial outcomes, offering a holistic and human perspective on building lasting businesses. You can connect with Erica on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ to follow her journey. 🎥 Big thanks to VidOps for supporting Founders Voyage. Use code voyage at ⁠vidops.io⁠ for 10% off expert audio, video, animation, and photography services. 👏 Props to the stellar crew: Nancy Nash, Daniel M. Melo, Carlos Javier Chacón Sánchez, Matthew Ray, and host Spencer Walker-Fooks. You bring this show to life. 🥂 Want to support the journey? Join us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and help amplify more voices like Erica. #FoundersVoyage #Entrepreneurship #Podcast

    51 min
See All (160)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Founder’s Voyage is a podcast for the ones building in the dark, the ones failing forward, and the ones figuring it out as they go. We bring you unfiltered conversations with founders who’ve faced the highs, and the lows. Just real lessons from the people in the arena. Whether you're scaling a startup or sketching your first idea on a napkin, these are the stories that remind you you're not alone—and the insights that help you move forward. We are an entrepreneurial community united by a shared mission of shared learning and supporting each other.

Information

  • Creator
    Spencer Walker-Fooks, Nancy Nash
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    160
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Spencer Walker-Fooks, Nancy Nash
  • Show Website
    Founder's Voyage