From There to Here

Mission Matters Network
Mission Matters Network
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

From There to Here explores the unconventional personal and professional journeys of entrepreneurs, leaders, and industry experts. Each conversation looks beyond career highlights to uncover the experiences, decisions, risks, failures, relationships, and unexpected opportunities that created meaningful turning points in a guest’s life and work. What makes the show different is its focus on the space between the milestones. Rather than presenting success as a straightforward series of accomplishments, Jason digs into the context behind the pivots: what was happening at the time, why someone made a particular choice, what they learned, and how one experience led to the next. The result is a more honest and nuanced look at how careers, businesses, and lives actually evolve.

  1. 3d ago

    Estefania Simon-Sasyk: An Origin of Movement

    Estefania Simon-Sasyk is the founder and principal of Mycelium Gastronomy Network, a global network using food and gastronomy as a lens for addressing complex challenges and creating change. She describes her origin story as one of movement—and that thread runs through much of our conversation. In this episode, we talk about how movement shapes perspective, finding stability in unexpected places, the education that comes from working in kitchens, seeing food as part of a much larger system, and why complex problems benefit from a diversity of experiences and perspectives. About Estefania Simon-Sasyk: Estefania Simon-Sasyk is the founder of Mycelium Gastronomy Network, a global network of practitioners using gastronomy to address complex challenges across food systems, business, communities, and society. After more than a decade working in professional kitchens around the world, she transitioned from cooking into food innovation, research, foresight, and regional development. Her work has since spanned projects with governments, universities, food companies, NGOs, farmers, and communities across multiple continents. Through Mycelium, Estefania brings together practitioners from diverse disciplines, cultures, and lived experiences to approach food not simply as something we eat, but as a system connected to health, culture, education, sustainability, economic development, and social change. She holds a Master of Science in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from HEC Paris and is an award-winning futurist. Find out more about Estefania: Website: https://www.myceliumgastronomy.com/LinkedIn: Estefania Simon-Sasyk To learn more, visit:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-shupp-18b4619b/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

  2. Sep 16

    Vasanthan Ramakrishnan: Purpose Finds a Path

    Vasanthan Ramakrishnan is the founder of Ascend HSI Advisory Partners, a firm that helps individuals and families navigate the complexities of U.S. immigration. Vas's path into immigration was anything but planned. He came to the United States from India to study engineering, found himself stranded abroad and without a job during COVID, and used that uncertainty as an opportunity to pursue a long-held desire to help others. What began as a small blog grew into an international nonprofit, work that unexpectedly shaped his own immigration journey and eventually led him to build a company around helping others navigate theirs. In this episode, we talk about the influence of his childhood, finding opportunity within disruption, turning personal experience into expertise, building credibility in an emerging space, and why you shouldn’t wait for the perfect time. About Vasanthan Ramakrishnan:Vasanthan Ramakrishnan, born in Madurai, India, is an entrepreneur, immigration consultant, technologist, and human rights activist known for developing AI-based child safety systems and founding Ascend HSI Advisory Partners, a firm specializing in U.S. employment-based visas. He began his technical career at the MIT Hackathon, where he led the development of a non-contact glucometer later deployed in rural India, and went on to found the Feminist Pen Foundation, where he created CySafe, an AI tool to detect cyberbullying across languages and platforms. He has supported over 300 immigration clients with more than 160 successful filings, received multiple honorary doctorates and awards, authored two books, and gained recognition in global media for his contributions to technology and child safety advocacy. Find out more about Vasanthan at: Website: https://ascendhsi.com/Instagram: vas_ramakrishnanLinkedIn: Vasanthan Ramakrishnan To learn more, visit:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-shupp-18b4619b/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

  3. Sep 9

    Denley McIntosh: Posture, Not Position

    Denley McIntosh is an executive coach, speaker, podcaster, and entrepreneur. In this episode, Denley talks about growing up in a low-income and remarkably diverse neighborhood in Toronto, the culture shock that came with leaving it, and how those early experiences shaped his understanding of people, empathy, and belonging. We follow his journey through engineering, manufacturing, career disruption, and ultimately into the leadership work he does today. Along the way, we talk about poverty as a teacher, resilience as a tool for reinvention, the importance of pausing before you pivot, why culture change starts with the leader, and vulnerability as a strategic advantage. About Denley McIntosh: Denley McIntosh is an award-winning culture change leader, executive coach, keynote speaker, and founder of RenewIQ. With more than two decades of experience spanning engineering, technology, public service, organizational change, and people development, Denley helps leaders build stronger, more inclusive workplace cultures and navigate change with greater intention. His work has reached organizations across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors and includes executive coaching, strategic planning, leadership development, facilitation, and culture transformation. Denley is a recipient of Ontario’s Amethyst Award for public service excellence and has contributed to leadership and inclusion initiatives both in Canada and internationally. Denley holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Master of Theological Studies from McMaster University, where his studies focused on worldviews and culture. He is also the host of The Coach’s Corner podcast, where he explores leadership, relationships, resilience, and the human side of work. Learn more about Denley at:Website: https://www.thecoachscorner.ca/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denleymcintosh To learn more, visit:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-shupp-18b4619b/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

  4. Aug 26

    Wes Rowlands: The Return on Showing Up

    Wes Rowlands learned his earliest lessons in business and finance not in a classroom, but on a golf course at eleven years old. Raised by a single mother and determined to change the trajectory of his family, he turned necessity into an education. He started first as a caddie, then college internships, Wall Street, and ultimately the wealth-management businesses he leads today. In this episode, Wes shares why showing up often matters more than credentials, why business is emotionally harder than it is intellectually complicated, and how creating value with humility became both his philosophy and his mission. We also talk about opportunity through observation, optimizing for access, and education with application. About Wes Rowlands Wesley Rowlands helps business owners build long-term net worth through strategic investing and disciplined financial planning. With nearly 20 years of experience across Wall Street, consulting, and private wealth management, Wesley specializes in translating complex financial strategies into clear, actionable guidance that supports sustainable wealth growth. Wesley is a partner and advisor at Atikan Wealth Partners, where his team manages over $570 million in assets. He holds his Series 7, Series 63, and Series 65 registrations through LPL Financial, earned his undergraduate degree in finance from Drexel University, and completed the Executive Education Wealth Management Program at The Wharton School of Business. He is currently pursuing his Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation through NYU. More from Wes at: Website: https://www.atikanwealth.com/Instagram: @wes.rowlandsLinkedIn: Wes Rowlands To learn more, visit:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-shupp-18b4619b/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

  5. Aug 19

    Matt Symes: From Trapped to Transformation

    Drawing on his journey from academia to leading transformations and investing in a portfolio of companies, Matt Symes shares how he helps founders get unstuck by reframing value and aligning personal aims with business strategy. Along the way, we talk about responsible critique, defining what matters, operating beyond the P&L, your best life, and human innovation with AI. About Matt Symes Matt Symes is a transformation strategist, AI-first architect, and founder of Levership, where he helps founder-led businesses scale without losing control of what they’ve built. His work is grounded in a core belief that growth should only happen in ways a leader can sustainably support, both mentally and operationally. Matt helps leaders identify what breaks under scale, from founder-dependent sales models to operations that haven’t evolved fast enough for the business they’ve become. Matt has worked with more than 500 organizations across various industries and contributed to over $1B in profitable growth. He’s passionate about working with high-growth smaller businesses. Since 2023, he has worked with more than a thousand leaders to turn AI from abstract potential into practical execution, focusing on how it can restructure work rather than simply add tools. Matt is the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at UNB’s TME program, a Halifax Chamber Business Leader of the Year, and a multi-year Atlantic Business Magazine Top 50 CEO. Find out more about Matt at: Website: https://levership.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-symes-8328a765/ To learn more, visit:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-shupp-18b4619b/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

  6. Aug 12

    Krista Cloud: Climbing, Community, and Kombucha

    Krista Cloud's path runs from a passion for climbing rock and riding trails in Southwest Missouri and Northwest Arkansas to brewing non alcoholic beverages for her own community. What started as home experiments to have something better than beer at bike and climbing events has grown into a brand built on natural ingredients and intentional choices. In this conversation, we talk about figuring it out, listening to customers early, outgrowing your space, leading alongside your spouse, realizing your capabilities, and understanding functional beverages. About Krista Cloud:Krista Cloud is the co-founder of Natural State Beverage Company, a Northwest Arkansas craft beverage company creating kombucha, functional sodas, and other naturally inspired drinks for people who value health, adventure, and great taste. What began as a home-brewing hobby alongside her husband, has grown into a thriving regional brand built on the belief that beverages should fuel an active lifestyle rather than work against it. Today, Krista helps lead the company through product development, brand building, and community engagement. As an entrepreneurial professional with over 10 years of experience in operations, customer relations, and marketing, she takes pride in creating thoughtful and innovative products that bring joy to others and support a healthier lifestyle. Learn more about Krista at:Website: https://www.naturalstatebeveragecompany.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krista-cloud-3b33a72b7/ To learn more, visit:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-shupp-18b4619b/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

  7. Aug 5

    Dave Behar: Values and Visibility

    Dave Behar's path runs from scrappy college ventures—selling party favors to fraternities and sororities and building a beach volleyball apparel brand—to leading Ion Network, a hyper-local media platform delivering positive, family-focused content to thousands of communities. In this episode, we talk about what he learned from starting and selling businesses, why he believes clean, values-driven ecosystems are the future of media, and how creators can still stand out in an AI-fueled, noisy world without compromising who they are. About the Guest:Dave Behar is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Executive Athlete of ION Network and Behar Brands, where he creates innovative brands in tech, media, sports, health, and food & beverage. Committed to personal branding and collaboration, he develops digital platforms that foster positive interactions and transactions. With a successful track record of building and exiting multiple companies, co-authoring two Amazon Best Sellers, and serving on the Journalism & Media Studies Advisory Board at San Diego State University, Dave focuses on legacy and knowledge transfer to help others thrive. A "thought leader of thought leaders," he inspires through insights rather than self-promotion and enjoys sports and culinary adventures in his free time. Learn more about Dave at: Website: https://ions.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebehar/ To learn more, visit:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-shupp-18b4619b/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

  8. Jul 22

    Miles Faust - Prepared, not Planned

    I’m joined by Miles Faust, the owner and CEO of Wee Ones out of St. Louis, Missouri. Miles went from a blue-collar upbringing outside New Orleans to leading major sales and marketing teams for household-name brands, and then made the leap into owning a small, family-run manufacturer. We talk about shaping a work ethic, what it really takes to shift from corporate resources to a lean team, how he turned a designer-led culture into a customer-focused business, and why peripheral vision and resilience have been foundational in his journey. About the Guest: Miles Faust is an entrepreneur and business leader whose career bridges global corporate leadership and family business ownership. This unique combination of experience has shaped a leadership style that balances strategic vision with practical execution. After building a successful career leading growth initiatives across international markets and consumer product categories, Miles transitioned into entrepreneurship and has spent the past 16 years as the owner and president of Wee Ones LLC. In that role, he has led the company's strategic direction while remaining deeply involved in product development, brand licensing, sales leadership, and day-to-day operations. Known for turning strategy into results, Miles excels at aligning people, processes, and culture to drive sustainable, profitable growth. He combines creative thinking with financial discipline and operational excellence, helping organizations strengthen their brands, capitalize on new opportunities, and compete successfully in evolving consumer markets. To learn more: Website: https://weeones.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milesfaust/ To learn more, visit:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-shupp-18b4619b/ Listen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/

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5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

From There to Here explores the unconventional personal and professional journeys of entrepreneurs, leaders, and industry experts. Each conversation looks beyond career highlights to uncover the experiences, decisions, risks, failures, relationships, and unexpected opportunities that created meaningful turning points in a guest’s life and work. What makes the show different is its focus on the space between the milestones. Rather than presenting success as a straightforward series of accomplishments, Jason digs into the context behind the pivots: what was happening at the time, why someone made a particular choice, what they learned, and how one experience led to the next. The result is a more honest and nuanced look at how careers, businesses, and lives actually evolve.

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