Tenacity with Sonia C.

Sonia Couto
  • 4.9 (59)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

A top 2.5% globally ranked podcast about what it takes to build in business, leadership, and life. Tenacity is the discipline to keep building when the path is unclear, refusing to let fear, pressure, or uncertainty make your decisions for you. Every conversation digs into the pivots, failures, restarts, and the growth that came from them. Guests share what happened when things fell apart, what they did next, and what they learned the hard way, with actionable takeaways founders can apply to shape long-term success. Our guests are founders and leaders who have built and rebuilt after failure, started over after major life disruption, or built success in rooms not built for them. Hosted by Sonia Couto, a Toronto-based tech founder who has been starting over her whole life, rebuilding failed products, leading three companies through a breast cancer diagnosis, and turning every restart into something stronger. New episodes weekly. Learn more at soniacouto.com

  1. Jul 10

    Burnout Isn't the Problem, Toxic Ambition Is with Bianca King

    Burnout isn't the real problem. The real problem is the kind of ambition that's driving you. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Sonia sits down with entrepreneur and agency founder Bianca B. King to unpack the difference between toxic ambition and joyful ambition, and why so many founders unknowingly build businesses from a place of survival instead of purpose. Bianca's journey began long before entrepreneurship. After leaving home at just 13 years old, she learned that ambition was about survival. That mindset helped her rise through commercial real estate, close more than $1.4 billion in transactions, and earn top industry recognition, but it also led to burnout. After leaving a successful corporate career to launch her own agency during the Great Recession, Bianca found herself with just $38 in her business bank account. That moment forced her to rethink not only how she ran her business, but why she was building it in the first place. In this conversation, Sonia and Bianca discuss: Why founder burnout often starts with survival thinkingThe hidden cost of hustle cultureHow to recognize the warning signs before burnout takes overWhy cash flow is the first system every founder should masterThe mindset shift from employee to founderWhy relationships are your greatest business assetHow to build a business that supports your life, not one that consumes itWhat "joyful ambition" looks like in practice If you're a founder, entrepreneur, or business leader feeling exhausted, questioning your definition of success, or trying to build a sustainable business without sacrificing your well-being, this episode is for you. About the Guest Bianca B. King is the founder of a boutique marketing agency with nearly two decades of experience helping businesses grow. She's also the creator of the concept of Joyful Ambition, challenging entrepreneurs to redefine success around purpose, agency, and fulfillment rather than constant hustle.

    Burnout Isn't the Problem, Toxic Ambition Is with Bianca King

  2. Jul 2

    Enterprise Buyers Don't Buy Innovation. They Buy Trust. with Larissa Schneider

    Enterprise AI is moving faster than most companies can keep up. But according to Larissa Schneider, the biggest challenge isn't the technology. It's execution. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, I sit down with Larissa Schneider, Co-Founder and COO of Unframe, to discuss what it really takes to build an enterprise AI company, earn the trust of Fortune 500 customers, and scale a startup in one of the most competitive markets in tech. Larissa shares why she and her co-founders left successful careers in enterprise technology to build Unframe, how strategic partnerships helped them break into enterprise sales, and why competing against companies like Microsoft and Google requires more than great technology. We also dive into the reality behind raising more than $100 million in venture capital. Contrary to what many founders believe, raising money doesn't reduce the pressure. It raises the stakes. Larissa talks openly about the responsibility that comes with rapid growth, hiring a global team, making decisions with incomplete information, and learning to let go as a leader so others can step up. If you're building a startup, selling into enterprise organizations, leading AI initiatives, or navigating the challenges of scaling a business, this conversation is packed with practical lessons you can apply immediately. In this episode, we discuss: • Building enterprise trust as an early-stage startup • Breaking into Fortune 500 organizations • Strategic partnerships that accelerate growth • What investors don't tell you about raising capital • Why enterprise AI projects succeed or fail • The build vs. buy decision for AI solutions • Leading high-growth teams without becoming the bottleneck • Why founders should spend less time online and more time talking to customers This episode is for founders, startup operators, technology leaders, and anyone looking to understand what it really takes to build and scale a company in today's AI-driven world. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C for more honest discussions with founders who share the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, growth, and resilience, without the highlight reel. Follow Our Socials: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/110196575/ Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech

    Enterprise Buyers Don't Buy Innovation. They Buy Trust. with Larissa Schneider

  3. May 22

    The Scaling Mistake That Nearly Cost Her Everything with Lauren Kwedar

    What happens when your business grows faster than your systems, leadership, and life can handle? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Sonia sits down with Lauren Cockerell, founder of Kaidar & Co, to unpack the scaling mistake that nearly cost her everything. After being laid off while 8 months pregnant, Lauren built her company from the ground up. But years later, rapid growth, hiring pressure, operational chaos, and leadership stress forced her to confront a hard truth: more revenue does not automatically create a better business. Lauren shares the real behind-the-scenes reality of scaling a service business, including: Growing revenue by 70% and watching systems breakMaking hiring decisions too quicklyNavigating a business partner exitBalancing leadership with motherhoodlearning why niching down creates clarityRebuilding the company around intentional growth instead of survival mode This conversation is for founders who are: overwhelmed by scaling pressureexperiencing founder burnoutstruggling with leadership decisionstrying to build a sustainable businessquestioning whether the company they built still fits their life If you are scaling fast but feeling exhausted, this episode will help you rethink what success should actually look like. https://soniacouto.com/podcast

    The Scaling Mistake That Nearly Cost Her Everything with Lauren Kwedar

  4. May 8

    Why Great Strategies Fail Without Great Leadership with Eric Dingler

    What happens when your business growth is no longer limited by strategy, but by your leadership? In this episode, Sonia sits down with Eric Dingler to unpack the leadership lessons that emerge as businesses scale. Eric shares the moment he realized his team kept having the same conversations because leadership systems and communication clarity were missing. Together, they explore: Why growing teams require different leadership stylesHow unclear communication creates confusion and inactionThe difference between brainstorming and decision-makingWhy leaders unintentionally slow executionHow accountability and ownership are built into company cultureThe importance of intentional meetings and clear outcomesWhat leaders must change about themselves to scale effectivelyThis conversation is packed with practical insights for entrepreneurs, founders, executives, and team leaders who want to improve communication, create alignment, and build organizations that execute with confidence. Whether you’re leading a startup, growing a team, or trying to move your business to the next level, this episode will challenge the way you think about leadership. 🎧 Listen now and discover why better leadership creates better businesses. https://soniacouto.com/episodes

    Why Great Strategies Fail Without Great Leadership with Eric Dingler

  5. Apr 30

    What It Really Costs to Build Something New, with Sam Berman

    What does it really take to build something new when there’s no blueprint, no certainty, and no external validation? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with Sam Berman, founder of LARC, to talk about the internal war of entrepreneurship, the emotional cost of building, and the mindset required to keep going when doubt, isolation, and pressure hit hard. Sam shares how LARC grew from a napkin sketch into a company serving some of the largest organizations in the world. He breaks down why obsession matters, when founders need to pivot, how to validate an idea early, why integrity matters more than skill when building a team, and what unresolved personal weight can do to a founder’s ability to lead. This is a practical conversation about resilience, conviction, market validation, decision-making, and the discipline required to keep building when the path is unclear. Key Takeaways The real battle in entrepreneurship is often psychological, not operational.Obsession can fuel endurance, but it does not replace market validation.If the market gives no traction, founders need to pivot honestly rather than romanticize the struggle.Big ideas require founders to dismantle “I’m not enough” thinking and stop playing small.Teams matter because founders do not need to have every skill themselves.Integrity is a stronger hiring filter than raw skill.Founders need to make decisions, move, and course-correct instead of waiting for certainty.Emotional discipline matters because fear, anger, rejection, and doubt can distort leadership.Unresolved personal weight does not disappear under pressure; building often brings it to the surface.Bold outreach can open doors, even with very large companies.

    What It Really Costs to Build Something New, with Sam Berman

  6. Apr 16

    The Visibility Strategy Helping Founders Get Funded with Liana Zavo

    Most founders think fundraising is about pitch decks, introductions, and traction. But investors are evaluating more than just that; they are also looking for credibility. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, we explore a new fundraising strategy more founders are starting to use: visibility as leverage. PR is no longer just about press coverage. It’s about positioning yourself as a credible, trustworthy founder that investors feel confident backing. We break down: Why investors often trust founders they’ve heard of before they meet themHow PR builds authority and reduces perceived riskWhy personal brand influence investor confidenceHow founders can use visibility strategically when preparing to raise capitalThe difference between marketing visibility and credibility visibility If you’re building something real but struggling to get investor traction, this episode introduces a new way to think about fundraising strategy. Because investors don’t just fund ideas, they fund founders they believe in.

    The Visibility Strategy Helping Founders Get Funded with Liana Zavo

  7. Apr 2

    The Difference Between Building a Product and Building a Company with Jon Hacker

    Tenacity with Sonia C is a podcast for founders building real companies. Each episode explores how founders decide what to build, how they prioritize, and how they navigate uncertainty as they move from idea to product and from product to growth. Most technical founders believe the hardest part is building the technology. It isn’t. In this episode, Sonia sits down with a neurotechnology founder building in the mental health space to unpack what actually makes or breaks a startup, and it’s rarely the science. They explore: • The transition from builder to CEO • Why failure is a required phase of building • How to validate before overbuilding • Why the wrong cofounder can destroy momentum • The tension between scientific credibility and startup speed • How founders get in their own way • Why revenue is the strongest signal of product value • How deep tech companies build trust in regulated markets This episode is for founders navigating: Early traction challenges, product validation questions, cofounder decisions, or credibility hurdles in complex industries. If you’re building in AI, medtech, neurotech, SaaS, or any technical vertical, this episode will help you see what investors, customers, and operators actually look for.

    The Difference Between Building a Product and Building a Company with Jon Hacker

  8. Mar 19

    From Comic Collector to Manga Expert to Entrepreneur with Rui Couto

    Tenacity with Sonia C is a podcast for founders building real companies. Each episode explores how founders decide what to build, how they prioritize, and how they navigate uncertainty as they move from idea to product and from product to growth. What happens when a childhood obsession becomes a real business? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Sonia talks with Rui Couto about how he turned collecting comic books, Pokémon cards, and rare manga into a business built on sourcing, consulting, product design, and deep trust in a niche market. Rui shares how he went from passionate collector to recognized expert, why he moved to Japan, how he built a network without relying on a traditional website, and what founders can learn from solving their own problem before the market catches up. He also breaks down the real work behind niche credibility, the cultural lessons of doing business in Japan, and why product innovation often starts with frustration. This episode is for founders, collectors, niche builders, and anyone trying to turn expertise into a business without following the standard playbook. Practical takeaways include: how to spot hidden market opportunities, why trust can outperform scale, how to build authority in a niche, and what it takes to turn passion into real revenue.

    From Comic Collector to Manga Expert to Entrepreneur with Rui Couto
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4.9
out of 5
59 Ratings

About

A top 2.5% globally ranked podcast about what it takes to build in business, leadership, and life. Tenacity is the discipline to keep building when the path is unclear, refusing to let fear, pressure, or uncertainty make your decisions for you. Every conversation digs into the pivots, failures, restarts, and the growth that came from them. Guests share what happened when things fell apart, what they did next, and what they learned the hard way, with actionable takeaways founders can apply to shape long-term success. Our guests are founders and leaders who have built and rebuilt after failure, started over after major life disruption, or built success in rooms not built for them. Hosted by Sonia Couto, a Toronto-based tech founder who has been starting over her whole life, rebuilding failed products, leading three companies through a breast cancer diagnosis, and turning every restart into something stronger. New episodes weekly. Learn more at soniacouto.com

Information

  • Creator
    Sonia Couto
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    130
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Tenacity with Sonia C.