patchperfect

Kirin Sennik

Technology is changing fast, and it’s not always easy to keep up. Through expert guests and solo episodes, patchperfect explains what’s happening in emerging tech in clear, accessible language, whether you work in tech or not. Each episode also spotlights the people behind the technology, closing with a short lifestyle segment on the daily habits, books, and work styles that shape how they show up feeling their best. Hosted by Kirin Sennik.

  1. Oct 14

    formula that runs in the family + lab fits

    We’re back for season four, and I knew I wanted our first episode to be a special one. Flavia Zhamo is the founder of Everyday Chemist, a Toronto skincare brand she built with her chemical engineer mom. They’re also part of Sephora Accelerate, a beauty brand incubator that gives founders access to mentorship, industry experts, and an opportunity to launch at Sephora. One of the things that drew me to Everyday Chemist was how much research goes into the products. Lip Grease started as something Flavia’s mom made for her dry skin, and they gave it to friends for years before bringing it to market. We get into the formulation process, why sourcing matters, and how ingredients from around the world make their way into the products on your shelf. And of course, we close with the lifestyle segment. This is the patch: Flavia’s Albanian roots, moving to Toronto at ten, and building a skincare brand with her momThe R&D behind Lip Grease, from trying different formulas to sourcing 50 different lanolins across three continentsWhy innovation starts at the ingredient level and how they use research and supplier studies to make sourcing decisionsThe science behind Silky Water, its seawater ingredient from France, and the thinking behind its two-phase formulaThe persistence behind getting into Sephora Accelerate and what the program is helping Flavia figure out as a founderLab fits, everyday essentials, and Flavia’s ideal Saturday in Toronto Follow Flavia (@flaviaisonline) and Everyday Chemist (@everydaychemist.studios) on Instagram and explore Everyday Chemist. All views expressed are my own.

  2. Apr 2

    built different: canva's grandmaster move

    This week I'm getting into the woman behind the tool you probably used to make your last pitch deck. Melanie Perkins is the co-founder and CEO of Canva, and her story is one of the most interesting in tech right now. We get into how a frustrating Photoshop class at a Perth university became a design platform used by 170 million people, how democratizing design means that a freelancer in Lagos or a student in São Paulo now has access to the same professional tools as anyone in New York or London, and why she got rejected by over a hundred investors before anyone said yes. This is the patch: from Perth to everywhere: how Melanie built a billion dollar company with no Bay Area network, no fancy connections, and over a hundred no'sthe yearbook company nobody talks about and why it built the foundation for everything Canva became92% of business leaders now expect design skills from every employee, not just creatives. what that means for your career right nowthe grandmaster move: why chess grandmasters are making deliberately imperfect moves to beat AI, and what that means for anyone building a creative careerWe close with the lifestyle segment: Melanie used to work seven days a week and has been open about how unsustainable that was. We get into her 100km walking habit, her AI walks with AirPods, and why the most ambitious women in tech are starting to talk about rest as seriously as they talk about results. All views expressed are my own.

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Technology is changing fast, and it’s not always easy to keep up. Through expert guests and solo episodes, patchperfect explains what’s happening in emerging tech in clear, accessible language, whether you work in tech or not. Each episode also spotlights the people behind the technology, closing with a short lifestyle segment on the daily habits, books, and work styles that shape how they show up feeling their best. Hosted by Kirin Sennik.