This Is Creating

Sara Tavasolian

SUBSCRIBE FOR HIGH LEVERAGE FOUNDER INSIGHTS How high-impact companies are really built. I'm Sara Tavasolian — founder, interaction designer and tech strategist. Each episode breaks down the trade-offs, decisions and scaling challenges behind the world's most durable ventures across technology, AI and design, focusing on the systems, incentives and capital dynamics that determine who wins. I’ve built startups, designed award-winning products, and created immersive experiences exploring technology, design and strategy. This show is about seeing those patterns clearly before they cost you.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    How Offshore AI Teams Are Changing Business | Hugh Chichester

    Hugh Chichester (Founder & CEO of Naya) reveals how he’s building offshore AI teams that help small and medium sized businesses compete with giants without massive hiring or huge costs. From refugees to Kurdish engineers, he shares why the future of AI work may not be in Silicon Valley, but in the Global South. Hugh Chichester is the Founder and CEO of Naya, a company that builds and manages offshore AI agent teams for UK and US businesses. After starting in politics and charity work, he became obsessed with solving talent shortages and labor imbalances using AI and remote talent. In this episode, he explains: How AI agents are becoming real “coworkers” that take action, not just answer questions Why offshoring AI talent to places like South Africa, Jordan, and Kurdistan is becoming a major advantage for small and medium sized businesses The biggest risks no one talks about: security breaches, runaway costs, and prompt injection Why most companies are implementing AI completely wrong, and how to do it right The new roles emerging in the AI era: Domain Experts, AI Operators, and Engineers Lessons from multiple failed pivots and why he’s glad he didn’t raise big VC money His honest take on the future of work, youth unemployment, and creating opportunity through remote workIf you’re a founder, business owner, or anyone thinking about the future of AI and jobs, this conversation is essential. Timestamps 00:00 Intro00:24 Hugh’s Background And Early Career02:24 Falling Into Entrepreneurship03:51 From Politics To AI04:36 The Refugee Story That Shaped Hugh’s Perspective07:33 The Original Vision Behind Niya09:38 Why Skilled Migrants Struggle To Find Work10:38 Why Most People Don’t Want To Leave Home12:01 “We Were Solving A Social Problem, Not An Economic Problem”13:55 How Offshore AI Teams Actually Work16:09 Finding Talent In Overlooked Regions17:05 Why Communication And Hustle Matter Most19:13 AI Agents Are Becoming Coworkers21:10 Why Businesses Still Resist AI22:53 Why Most People Still Misunderstand AI24:34 The Opportunity AI Creates For Small Businesses26:29 How VCs Are Rebuilding Industries With AI29:48 The Biggest Risks Of AI Adoption33:13 Why Companies Are Implementing AI Too Fast35:31 AI Tools vs AI Agents38:13 How AI Changes Team Workflows41:53 Trust, Surveillance And AI In The Workplace43:13 Growing A Business Without Hiring Twice As Many People44:54 The New Roles AI Will Create47:56 Why Young People Have A Huge Advantage In AI50:51 Why AI Could Create A New Generation Of Entrepreneurs52:32 The Problem With VC Culture56:52 Building Slowly Instead Of Chasing Hype57:03 The Startup Failures That Changed Hugh’s Thinking59:45 Why You Should “Test And Approve” Everything01:01:20 The Middle Class Job Crisis & Barbell Effect01:02:58 How AI Is Lowering The Barrier To Starting A Business01:04:29 Why Company Data Is A Bigger Problem Than People Think01:06:59 Where To Start If You Want To Learn AI01:08:42 How Hugh Uses His Own AI Assistant01:10:52 What AI Agents Can Actually Do For Businesses01:14:09 Why Human Experience Still Matters01:18:57 What Companies Should Never Automate01:20:54 The Three Questions Sara Asks Every Guest01:21:19 The Best Advice Hugh Ever Received01:24:43 Why Being A Founder Is Not A Status Symbol01:26:32 The Hardest Lesson Hugh Learned01:28:02 How Hugh Thinks About Failure01:31:36 Final Thoughts

    1hr 32min

  2. 8 MAY

    What Really Happens Behind The Clothes You Buy | Vinchy Chan

    Vinchy is building a new way to produce fashion, and it starts with fixing a system most people never see. She went from finance and consulting into fashion, only to discover how broken the supply chain really is. Minimum order quantities, miscommunication, overproduction and wasted inventory are holding back new designers and damaging the industry. Now she’s building an operating system to change it. She explains: Why most fashion brands fail before they even launch How factories actually work and why small brands get rejected The hidden cost of overproduction and unsold inventory Why supply chain complexity kills creativity How small batch production could reshape fashion The role consumers play in driving waste How AI can fix communication and coordination in manufacturing What it really takes to build in a legacy industryTimestamps 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:37 From Finance To Fashion 00:03:40 The Real Problem In Fashion Supply Chains 00:07:24 Why Designing Clothes Is Harder Than It Looks 00:09:47 How Factories Actually Work And Why Small Brands Struggle 00:13:09 The Overproduction Problem No One Talks About 00:16:36 Why Most New Designers Fail 00:21:49 Small Batch Production Could Change Everything 00:23:58 Are Consumers Part Of The Problem? 00:27:51 What Really Happens Behind The Scenes In Production 00:31:24 How Makia Is Rebuilding The System 00:40:29 Why Fashion Is Still A Human Industry 00:46:34 How AI Is Changing Manufacturing 00:53:48 The Reality Of Building A Startup 00:58:46 Advice For Founders Starting From Zero Follow Vinchy Chen LinkedIn Makia Subscribe for more content here: YouTube Connect with me: Instagram LinkedIn

    1hr 8min

  3. 24 APR

    Why Most Companies Fail With AI | Ideja Bajra

    Most companies think AI adoption is a technology problem. It’s not. AI consultant Ideja explains why the real challenge in building a company with AI is not the tools, but the people, systems, and decisions behind them. Ideja works with companies across Europe, helping teams move from scattered AI pilots to real strategy, execution, and adoption. With a background outside of tech, she brings a rare perspective on why so many organizations struggle to turn technology and AI into real workflows and results. She explains: Why companies fail before they define a clear AI strategy The gap between using AI tools and integrating them into company systems Why teams resist change when adopting new technology and AI The role of human behavior, trust, and design in AI adoption What breaks inside companies when systems and data aren’t ready Why trust, not technology, is the real bottleneckTimestamps 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:25 Why She Left Cell Biology For AI 00:03:04 How Curiosity Turned Into An AI Business 00:05:14 Why Most Companies Still Don’t Understand AI 00:07:56 Why People Resist AI At Work 00:10:16 Why Education Is Falling Behind AI 00:11:40 The Biggest Misconceptions About AI Right Now 00:13:21 Why Most Companies Rush Into AI Without A Strategy 00:15:39 The Teams Most Resistant To AI 00:17:45 How To Use AI Without Losing Critical Thinking 00:20:50 Deepfakes, Guardrails, And The Risk Ahead 00:30:07 Is AI Hype Already Starting To Cool Down? 00:32:16 How She Taught Herself AI From Scratch 00:35:41 Why Humans Still Matter In An AI World 00:36:33 What Her AI Consulting Process Actually Looks Like 00:52:18 How AI Should Be Taught In Schools 00:58:34 The Advice She’d Give Herself At The Start 01:01:30 The Hardest Lesson About Self Worth And Work YouTube Signature Follow Ideja Barja LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idejabajra/ Edvance AI: https://www.edvance-ai.com Subscribe for more content here: → https://youtube.com/@tavasolian?si=HA472eJP7FAGUu3B Connect with me: → https://www.instagram.com/saratavasolian → https://linkedin.com/in/sara-tavasolian

    1hr 7min

  4. 17 APR

    Why Your Business Needs An AI Coworker | Henrik Djurestål

    What does it take to build a company when AI is changing everything? Henrik Djurestål on startup strategy, founder decisions, and scaling a company with AI. Henrik Djurestål is the founder of Vorker.AI, an AI coworker platform built for small and medium B2B businesses. With a background in robotics and defense AI at Saab, he left to build a product around a simple thesis — small companies with the right technology and AI can outexecute the enterprise. He explains: ◼️ Why too many SaaS tools kill small business execution◼️ The trade-offs of building a horizontal AI product over a vertical one◼️ How Vorker.AI turns words into action for founders running lean companies◼️ What solo founders get right that co-founder pairs often get wrong◼️ How raising capital as a solo founder changes your company strategy◼️ Why AI adoption in Sweden is growing but scaling slowly◼️ Why humanoid robots are further from market than the demos suggest Timestamps 00:00 Intro00:25 Who Henrik is and why he left defense AI to build for small business02:25 How an entrepreneurial family and robotics shaped his path04:08 Why he chose a horizontal AI product over a vertical one06:18 How small businesses are drowning in too many tools07:29 Why Microsoft Copilot failed and what AI coworkers need to do differently08:13 What Goldman Sachs research says about small business AI struggles10:46 Why the future of business is words to action12:19 Which companies get the most out of vorker.ai13:21 How vorker.ai thinks about data privacy and European storage15:16 Why ChatGPT is not built for running a business16:14 How small companies can now compete with large corporations18:00 How Swedish small businesses are actually adopting AI today19:28 Adapt or die — Henrik's take on AI, jobs, and the technology shift20:36 Where to start if you want to implement AI in your company23:53 Why AI pilots fail in big companies but work in small ones26:00 Why organizing your data is like cleaning your room27:44 The hardest lessons from building an AI startup28:37 Why co-founder fit matters more than the idea itself30:54 What Henrik actually looks for in a technical co-founder33:21 How raising pre-seed capital changes the solo founder dynamic35:15 Why Henrik ignored customer validation and built anyway40:03 How the open beta launch will be the real market test41:28 How vorker.ai collects feedback without being driven by it43:37 Why Henrik built AI labs live and what happens there48:27 Who can attend AI labs live and how to join49:54 Where Sweden is headed in AI and why startups keep leaving for the US52:14 Why European VC culture thinks differently from American investors52:34 If he could go back what Henrik would tell his younger self57:06 The one thing Henrik believes now that he didn't five years ago59:07 Why humanoid robots are further away than the demos suggest1:06:03 The hardest personal lesson from building a startup Follow Henrik:https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrik-djurestal/https://vorker.ai/ Subscribe for more content here:→ https://youtube.com/@tavasolian?si=HA472eJP7FAGUu3B Connect with me:→ https://www.instagram.com/saratavasolian→ linkedin.com/in/sara-tavasolian

    1hr 10min

  5. 3 APR

    What happens to humans when AI enters the workplace? | Evelina Dzimanaviciute

    What happens to humans when AI enters the workplace?Evelina Dzimanaviciute on workplace culture, leadership, human value, and adapting to AI. Evelina Dzimanaviciute is the founder and CEO of Elite Mind Consultancy. She helps companies design better workplaces through behavioral neuroscience, leadership development, and organizational strategy, with a focus on human performance, psychological safety, and the future of work. She explains: Why people feel threatened by AI at work How leaders can help teams adapt to change Why psychological safety drives innovation and execution How AI changes human value, purpose, and decision making What companies need to fix before scaling with AIEpisode Timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:21 Who Evelina Is And Why She Builds Human-Centered Workplaces 01:24 What Happens To Humans When AI Enters The Workplace 04:16 The 3 Human Needs That Shape Work, Purpose, And Behavior 08:30 Why So Many Employees Feel Threatened By Change 11:16 How AI Is Changing Creativity, Search, And Exploration 13:34 Why AI Still Needs Human Judgment, Context, And Direction 17:24 Why Fear Of AI Starts With Ignorance 19:40 Why The Speed Of Change Is Harder Than The Technology Itself 24:26 Why Small Improvements Won’t Be Enough In An AI World 27:41 What Leaders Must Do To Make People Feel Part Of The Change 32:36 When A Human Becomes A Liability Instead Of An Asset 37:34 The Difference Between Healthy And Toxic Workplace Culture 44:29 Evelina’s Personal Story Of Resilience, Burnout, And Reinvention 56:57 Her Advice For People Going Through A Hard Time 1:02:57 The Final Lessons On Purpose, Money, Identity, And GrowthFollow Evelina: LinkedIn WebsiteSubscribe for more content: YouTubeConnect with me: Instagram LinkedIn

    1hr 19min

  6. 13 MAR

    How Lebanese Founders Build Without Safety Nets | Christophe El-Khoury

    How do founders build and ship when the system around them can break?In this episode, Christophe, a CTO and technology advisor in Beirut, shares what building looks like after financial collapse and mass talent migration. He also co-founded The Collective, an effort to connect Lebanon’s ICT ecosystem when universities, companies, founders and government operate in silos. We talk about: What happens when senior engineers leave Why juniors get pushed into leadership Why there’s no shared data and what replaces it What “antifragile” means in practice How AI changes the speed of buildingIf you’re building a startup or leading a tech team in a fragile environment, this one will land. Episode Timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:19 What Kind Of Builder Is Chris, Really? 01:22 Why Did He Co-Found The Collective? 02:06 What Do You Do When The System Has Gaps? 03:15 Why Do Titles And Labels Hold Builders Back? 04:42 What Does “Antifragile” Mean In Practice? 09:23 How Does Someone End Up In Tech Without Planning To? 12:28 How Does A Near-Death Moment Change Your Priorities? 15:54 How Do You Choose The Work You Take On? 25:16 What Happens When Senior Engineers Leave? 26:39 What Do You Do When There’s No Shared Data? 32:59 How Should The Private Sector Get Involved? 36:07 What Advantage Does The “Wilderness” Give Founders? 52:47 Will AI Replace You Or An AI-Augmented Human Replace You?If you’re a founder or operator building real-world tech, this episode is for you. Connect with Chris: LinkedIn Website Instagram X / TwitterSubscribe for more content: YouTube @TavasolianConnect with me: Instagram LinkedIn#founder #entrepreneurship #business #creative #VC #CEO #Lebanon #AI

    1hr 6min

  7. 5 MAR

    The Top 1% Think in Systems. Here’s How To Do It | Luisa Charles

    Podcast EpisodeHow design engineers build real world impact across science, art and public systems and why playing the game does not mean losing your values.Can creative work move from speculative installation to infrastructure without losing its integrity? In this episode, Luisa, media agnostic design engineer, artist and founder of Studio LJ, shares how she works across robotics, climate systems, immersive installation and community led technology to build interventions that operate beyond the gallery. From co designing low cost water quality sensing robots in Sri Lanka and the Amazon, to developing machine learning models that predict pollution, to building regenerative robotic sculptures that generate energy and support carbon sequester, her work sits at the intersection of lived experience, engineering and public good. We talk about: ◆ The void and why every serious creative project requires discomfort ◆ Unknown unknowns and how breakthrough ideas actually emerge ◆ Community owned robotics instead of extractive tech solutions ◆ Machine learning, ethics and the limits of productivity thinking ◆ Funding across science, art and innovation without losing your core idea ◆ Co founder failure and what actually breaks startups ◆ Burnout, ambition and learning to work within human limits ◆ Why playing the game strategically can expand, not dilute, creative agencyThis conversation reframes creativity from aesthetic output to systemic intervention and explores how design, technology, culture, AI and execution systems intersect to create durable impact.If you are building at the intersection of art, engineering, entrepreneurship and public systems, this episode is for you. Timestamps00:00 Intro 01:08 How a Design Engineer Moves Between Art, Robotics and Climate Systems 03:42 Why Creative Work Must Move Beyond the Gallery 06:15 What It Means to Design for Public Systems Instead of Private Clients 08:57 The Void: Why Disorientation Is Required for Breakthrough Ideas 11:26 How Unknown Unknowns Shape Serious Innovation 14:04 Why Most Designers Misunderstand Business Model Design 16:37 How to Align With Power Without Losing Your Values 19:12 Community Owned Robotics vs Extractive Technology 21:46 Co Designing Water Quality Robots in Sri Lanka and the Amazon 24:28 How Machine Learning Can Serve Public Good Instead of Productivity 27:03 Turning Climate Data Into Immersive Public Experience 29:41 Why Playing the Game Strategically Expands Creative Agency 32:15 The Hidden Cost of Cross Disciplinary Ambition 34:52 Burnout, Limits and the Reality of Sustainable Impact 37:20 What Actually Breaks Early Stage Ventures 39:48 Why Integrity Is a Long Term Strategy, Not a Moral Pose 42:16 How Design, Technology, Culture and AI Intersect in Durable Companies 44:51 Final Reflections on Building Systems That Outlast You Follow Luisa:LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisa-charles-a58b4418a/ Website: https://luisacharles.com Subscribe for more content here:→ https://www.youtube.com/@Tavasolian Connect with me:→ https://www.instagram.com/thisiscreatingpodcast/ → https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-tavasolian/ #founder #entrepenurship #business #creative #VC #CEO

    58 min

  8. 19 FEB

    Why Emotional Impact Beats Reach Every Time | Michel Robles

    Can a single moment in public space change how millions of people feel? Outdoor strategist Michel Robles reveals how brands build emotional connection, cultural relevance and lasting impact through public space, large scale murals and unforgettable real world experiences. Michel Robles is a marketing leader working at the intersection of culture, creativity and public space. With over 10 years of experience across agencies, global brands and media, he now helps companies create campaigns that don’t just generate attention but become part of the city itself. Through Nordic Murals, Splash Media and international partnerships, he has helped some of the region’s most influential brands create landmark campaigns that shape how people experience their environment. He explains: Why digital reach alone will never create real brand loyalty How physical experiences build emotional connection faster than online ads The psychology behind moments people remember for the rest of their lives Why the strongest brands earn cultural presence instead of buying attention How growing up between two worlds shaped his vision and creative pathTimestamps 00:00 Intro 01:02 “I Create Brand Emotions in Public Places” 01:54 How Growing Up Between Two Worlds Shaped My Perspective 03:25 What Husby Taught Me About Opportunity and Identity 06:02 The Hidden Skill You Learn When You Don’t Belong in One World 08:49 Code Switching: The Survival Skill No One Talks About 10:56 Why I Quit Law School After Just Two Weeks 11:48 The Decision That Changed My Entire Career Path 13:18 How Traveling the World Changed My Ambition Forever 14:52 The Billboard Moment That Changed My Life 16:36 What Most People Don’t Understand About Equity and Ownership 17:15 What Privilege Really Means and Why It Matters 19:15 Why Most Marketing Is Forgotten Instantly 20:47 How Great Brands Earn Cultural Status Not Just Attention 23:17 Why Physical Experiences Are More Powerful Than Digital Ads 25:13 The Hidden Role of Artists Behind Iconic Campaigns 28:38 Why Rejection Is a Daily Part of Building Something Great 30:34 Why I Choose to Do Fewer Campaigns and Why They Matter More 30:58 The PlayStation Campaign That Created Lifelong Memories 32:16 How One Public Campaign Changed a Kid’s Life Forever 33:35 Why Emotional Impact Matters More Than Reach 35:02 Why the Best Art Is Temporary 36:02 What Artists Understand That Most Businesses Don’t 37:03 What I Learned After Interviewing Dozens of Founders 39:04 Why Entrepreneurship Isn’t the Only Path to Success 41:04 Why Knowing When to Quit Is a Superpower 43:39 The Advice I Wish I Could Give My Younger Self 45:23 How Fatherhood Changed My Definition of Success 46:05 The Hardest Lesson Every Founder Learns Too Late 47:53 Final ThoughtsConnect with Michel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-robles-18299b91/ https://www.nordicmurals.com/ Subscribe for more content here: https://www.youtube.com/@Tavasolian Connect with Sara Tavasolian on social media: https://www.instagram.com/saratavasolian/ https://linkedin.com/in/sara-tavasolian/

    48 min
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About

SUBSCRIBE FOR HIGH LEVERAGE FOUNDER INSIGHTS How high-impact companies are really built. I'm Sara Tavasolian — founder, interaction designer and tech strategist. Each episode breaks down the trade-offs, decisions and scaling challenges behind the world's most durable ventures across technology, AI and design, focusing on the systems, incentives and capital dynamics that determine who wins. I’ve built startups, designed award-winning products, and created immersive experiences exploring technology, design and strategy. This show is about seeing those patterns clearly before they cost you.

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  • Creator
    Sara Tavasolian
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sara Tavasolian
  • Show Website
    This Is Creating