Stories by ssentially

Schuyler Vandersluis
  • 0.0 (0)
  • TECHNOLOGY

This podcast explores the intersection of leadership, technology, and problem-solving. Through case studies, industry trends, and deep dives into real-world challenges, we uncover how products are built, scaled, and transformed. Some episodes feature the journeys of founders and product leaders, while others break down systemic issues shaping the tech landscape—offering insights that go beyond individual success stories. Whether you’re in product, tech, or just curious about the forces driving innovation, this podcast brings you strategic takeaways and compelling narratives from the front lines of change.

  1. 4D AGO

    My Identity Crisis Turned Into My Leadership Philosophy

    I'm sharing something more personal than usual: my “leadership journey” — and how it’s shaped the way I’ve shown up online, built my voice, and learned (sometimes the hard way) what it means to practice agency in public. This is the longer arc behind the “why”: growing up in Colorado Springs, navigating identity and belonging, learning to “perform” a persona to fit in, and how that ultimately fed into empathy — the ability to step into other people’s shoes, understand users, and communicate with clarity. From Boulder to San Francisco, this is a story about becoming more honest, building resilience, and choosing a path that prioritizes impact, legacy, and being fully yourself. Video available at ssentially.com

    23 min

  2. 09/06/2025

    The 60-Day Clock: Priya's Story

    Key challenges highlighted: The immediate 60-day deadline to find new employment or leave the country Companies' reluctance to sponsor H-1B transfers The complex and time-sensitive visa transfer process The financial drain during unemployment (no unemployment benefits for visa holders) The emotional toll of potentially losing an entire life built over years The impact on relationships and mental health The long-term psychological effects even after finding new employment

    9 min

  3. 09/06/2025

    Stepping Into Her Shoes: A Man’s Reflection on Being a Woman Today

    A reflective narrative exploring what it means to be a woman in September 2025, as Epstein survivors break their silence and demand justice while navigating an increasingly challenging political landscape. Through the lens of a man imagining life in a woman's shoes, this piece examines the daily calculations of safety, the erosion of rights, and the fierce resilience that persists despite systemic obstacles. It captures both the exhaustion of fighting for basic dignity and the hope that emerges from collective courage—honoring the voices of those who refuse to be silenced and the underground networks of solidarity that sustain them through uncertain times. #WomenVoices #EpsteinSurvivors #SpeakTruth #WomensRights #Resilience #BreakTheSilence #JusticeForSurvivors #StandTogether #CourageousWomen #NeverQuiet #SolidatityOverSilence #BelieveSurvivors #WomenSupport #TruthTelling #Hope

    5 min

  4. 09/02/2025

    Product Flow: A Yoga & Product Management Practice

    Unique yoga practice podcast that weaves together mindful movement with product management fundamentals.

    13 min

  5. 09/02/2025

    The Market for Love

    I take you back into the red-carpeted hush of a TED stage, where Dan Pallotta walked out in sneakers and shifted the way an entire room thought about leadership, charity, and scale. You’ll hear the laughter when he joked about his triplets, the breathless silence when he called philanthropy “the market for love,” and the uneasy recognition when he dismantled the myth of overhead. With exact words from his talk, we step inside that moment as it happened—where a leader taught us that love deserves ambition, scale, and courage. This isn’t just a TED Talk; it’s what it feels like to sit in the presence of a voice that rewrites the rulebook. #DanPallotta #TEDTalk #MarketForLove #SocialInnovation #Leadership #NonprofitRevolution #Philanthropy #Storytelling #PodcastLife #ScaleWithLove

    8 min

  6. 09/02/2025

    Breaking Free: A Journey Through Vaping Addiction and Recovery

    Marcus Chen thought moving from Nebraska to San Francisco would finally let him breathe freely as a gay man in tech. Instead, he found himself unable to breathe at all—trapped in a vaping addiction that started with his first boyfriend and nearly killed him during the pandemic. In this raw and deeply personal episode, we follow Marcus’s harrowing journey through nicotine dependency, exploring how modern vaping products contain nicotine levels equivalent to 3 cartons of cigarettes and metals that poison users with every puff. When COVID-19 cost him his job and health insurance, Marcus faced chest pains, lung scarring, and 3 AM panic attacks alone in his Tenderloin studio—hitting his vape while googling heart attack symptoms. But this isn’t just another addiction story. It’s about how Marcus saved himself using evidence-based nicotine replacement therapy (those unglamorous Kirkland lozenges that actually work), and how his recovery created a ripple effect that helped six friends break free from their own dependencies. We dive deep into the research: why LGBTQ+ young adults vape at 70% higher rates, how Big Tobacco targets vulnerable communities, and what actually works for quitting. Featured: Real vaping statistics that will shock you | The 12-week lozenge protocol that saved Marcus’s life | How queer tech workers formed the “Lozenge Losers” support group | Why nicotine replacement therapy has double the success rate of going cold turkey. Content Warning: Addiction, mental health crisis, medical trauma, family rejection Whether you’re struggling with vaping, love someone who is, or just want to understand this hidden epidemic, Marcus’s story offers both a wake-up call and a roadmap to recovery. Because as he says: “You deserve to breathe freely—in every sense of that phrase.” #VapingAddiction #QuitVaping #NicotineAddiction #VapingRecovery #LGBTQHealth #QueerWellness #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealthMatters #PandemicStories #TechWorkerHealth  #VapeEpidemic #ZynPouches #DisposableVapes #2025Health #FDAWarning #LungHealth #YouthVaping #SanFrancisco  #RecoveryWarriors #SoberSupport #QueerSupport #BreakTheHabit #ShareYourStory #YouAreNotAlone #HealingJourney #ChooseBreathing​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

    18 min

  7. 08/31/2025

    The Best Work of Your Life: When Your Deepest Principles Meet Your Daily Practice

    Are you tired of proving you can make money while hiding who you really are? In this episode, we explore the radical shift from optimizing for paychecks to optimizing for principles. We dive into why the best work of your life happens when you stop compartmentalizing your values and start integrating them into everything you do. Discover how to recognize truly important work, why authenticity has become the scarcest commodity in the professional world, and what happens when you finally prioritize alignment over comfort. This isn't about following your passion blindly—it's about having the courage to bring your full self to your work and finding that the world is actually hungry for what you authentically have to offer. #MeaningfulWork #PurposeDrivenCareer #AuthenticLeadership #WorkLifeAlignment #CareerPurpose #ProfessionalAuthenticity #EthicalWork #WorkThatMatters #CareerFulfillment #PurposeOverProfit #AuthenticityAtWork #ValuesDriven #ConsciousCareer #WorkWithPurpose #IntentionalCareer #PrincipledWork #SoulfulWork #ImpactfulCareers #WorkplaceAuthenticity #MeaningfulMonday #PurposeFirst #AlignedWork #WorkLifeIntegration #AuthenticSuccess #DeepWork

    7 min

  8. 08/30/2025

    The History They Don't Teach: An American Story

    They never told us about the teenagers sleeping in San Francisco doorways in the 1950s, or the lovers denied hospital visits during the plague years. From Harvey Milk's hope to the forgotten Compton's Cafeteria riot, from Ward 5B to marriage equality—this is the American history they don't teach. A story of resilience, loss, and the long fight for dignity that shaped a movement and a city. 🏳️‍🌈 Hashtags: #LGBTQHistory #HarveyMilk #QueerHistory #SanFrancisco #CastroDistrict #AmericanHistory #UntoldStories #Pride #AIDSCrisis #MarriageEquality #LGBTQRights #QueerStories #TransHistory #StonewallWasARiot #GayHistory #LGBTQ #QueerPodcast #HistoryPodcast #RememberingHarvey #LavenderScare #QueerResilience #TheyDontTeachThis #OralHistory #QueerElders #LGBTQEducation

    11 min
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About

This podcast explores the intersection of leadership, technology, and problem-solving. Through case studies, industry trends, and deep dives into real-world challenges, we uncover how products are built, scaled, and transformed. Some episodes feature the journeys of founders and product leaders, while others break down systemic issues shaping the tech landscape—offering insights that go beyond individual success stories. Whether you’re in product, tech, or just curious about the forces driving innovation, this podcast brings you strategic takeaways and compelling narratives from the front lines of change.

Information

  • Creator
    Schuyler Vandersluis
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Stories by ssentially