2D AGO

How a Female Founder Builds Real Human Connection Beyond the Swipe with Marsha Goei | Ep. 149

How do you build a tech company that prioritizes real human connection over the endless swipe? In this episode, female founder Marsha Goei, Head of Brand at Breeze Social, shares her journey of disrupting the dating industry. By removing the chat function entirely, Marsha and her team have created a platform that skips the small talk and goes straight to face-to-face dates. We dive deep into the philosophy of human-centric tech, exploring how Marsha’s background in Industrial Design Engineering helped her build a product that solves the core problem of “app fatigue.” You’ll also hear the raw reality of navigating a seven-person founding team as the only woman and how to transition a startup culture from “family” to “professional team.” Key Takeaways from Marsha Goei: The “No-Chat” Model: How to validate a disruptive business model by focusing on real-world outcomes (dates) over app engagement metrics.Human-Centric Design: Using engineering frameworks to solve emotional and social problems in tech.Founder Resilience: Lessons on burnout prevention, identifying misalignment, and the power of heart-centered leadership.Operational Excellence: Why a high-performing “professional team” mindset is more sustainable than a “family” dynamic for scaling startups.Women in Leadership: Navigating gender dynamics in the 2026 tech ecosystem and building a culture of radical feedback.About Women Disrupting Tech: Hosted by Dirkjan Hupkes, Women Disrupting Tech features female founders, tech leaders, and women in STEM who are building the next generation of technology. We provide the actionable strategies and proven frameworks female entrepreneurs use to succeed. Connect with Marsha and Breeze Social: Connect with Marsha Goei on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshagoei/Visit: ⁠https://breeze.social⁠Follow: @breeze.social on Instagram and TikTokChapters:00:00 Introduction02:20 Introducing Marsha Goei and Breeze05:22 The Journey to Entrepreneurship07:58 Building Breeze: The Concept of a Dating App11:14 Safety Features and User Commitment in Dating14:11 Validating the Breeze Concept17:05 From Concept to App Development19:55 Business Model Evolution and User Experience23:00 Design Philosophy and User-Centric Approach25:56 Success Metrics and User Feedback29:06 Navigating Gender Dynamics in Entrepreneurship35:18 Building a Feedback Culture38:24 The Shift from Family to Team41:11 Navigating Roles and Responsibilities45:07 The Journey of Self-Discovery52:39 Recognizing and Overcoming Burnout57:17 The Role of Investors in Growth1:03:55 Empowering Female Founders through Community 👉 Subscribe to Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for weekly insights from women reshaping the industry.

1h 8m

APR 16

The Startup Operator’s Playbook: Turning Founder Vision into Reality with Eliza Moore | Ep 148

Every visionary founder needs a disciplined operator to translate "big ideas" into functional reality. In this episode, host Dirkjan Hupkes sits down with Eliza Moore, EVP of Client Experience & Operations at Prizeout, to deconstruct the unique mental models required to scale a startup from the ground up. Eliza shares her journey from New York financial services to the fast-paced world of fintech, offering a rare look at the "how" behind successful execution. We dive deep into the Data Chain Mental Model, a framework for better business decisions, and discuss why the most successful Women in Tech aren't just building products—they are building the systems that allow those products to thrive. What You’ll Learn The Founder-Operator Dynamic: Why the "Why" and the "How" must work in perfect symbiosis.The Data Chain: A 7-step mental model to move from raw data to impactful business decisions.Scaling Smart: When to lean on "generalists" and when it’s time to bring in the "specialists."The Power of 'No': Why saying no is the most important skill for an operator during a growth phase.Fintech & Credit Unions: Why traditional financial institutions are becoming a surprising hub for innovation and female leadership.Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:33 Eliza Moore's Journey to Prizeout 09:36 Understanding Prizeout's Unique Fintech Model 13:58 The Role of Credit Unions in Financial Services 20:34 The Operator vs. Founder Dynamic 26:40 Lessons from Mentorship and Leadership 35:03 The Importance of Operators in Business 43:08 Mental Models for Success in Funding 44:28 Closing Thoughts and Where to Connect Connect with Eliza Moore and Prizeout Eliza Moore on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizamoore/⁠ Prizeout website: ⁠⁠https://www.prizeout.com/⁠⁠ The Data Chain Framework: https://medium.com/data-science/12-mental-models-for-data-science-f2e2133d85ea About Women Disrupting Tech Hosted by Dirkjan Hupkes, this show features the female founders and tech leaders building the next generation of technology companies. We provide actionable strategies for female entrepreneurs, startup leaders, and advocates for diversity in STEM. Subscribe & Review If you enjoyed this "Operator’s Playbook," please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps us reach more women disrupting the tech landscape!

46 min

APR 9

The Anatomy of a Female Founder Story That Drives Action with Jennifer Cloer | Ep 147

Whoever controls the narrative holds the power to influence others. But for female founders, storytelling isn't just about marketing — it's a leadership tool that can reshape how you're seen, heard, and followed. In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Jennifer Cloer, founder of Story Changes Culture and creator of the Chasing Grace Project, about why storytelling is a leadership imperative that requires embracing tension, emotion, and your own lived experience. Jennifer explains how her decade at the Linux Foundation taught her the anatomy of a great story, why "narrative power is cultural power," and what it takes to architect an origin story that connects with investors, teams, and customers. This episode is for female founders, women in tech, startup leaders, and entrepreneurs who want to understand how to use their personal stories to lead, influence, and drive real business growth. What you'll learn in this episode: Why narrative power is cultural power, and why whoever tells the story holds influenceHow to architect your founder origin story (characters, tension, stakes, and resolution)Why humans don't change behavior unless emotionally triggered, and what that means for leadershipThe "dreams and nightmares" framework for understanding what your audience truly wants and fearsWhy the personal is the professional, and how your lived experience is your most powerful assetWhat "agency" in storytelling means and why stories fall flat without itHow the Chasing Grace Project became "rocket fuel" for women in tech to ask for raises and leave toxic jobsChapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:07 The Birth of Story Changes Culture 07:20 The Chasing Grace Project: Empowering Women Through Storytelling 12:13 The Importance of Storytelling in Leadership 18:51 Authenticity in Storytelling: Balancing Personal and Professional 21:13 Embracing Emotion in Storytelling 21:23 Harnessing Tension in Storytelling 22:56 Filling the Gap: Story Changes Culture Masterclass 25:39 Elements of a Compelling Story 28:42 Overcoming Skepticism in Art and Storytelling 31:26 The Role of Agency in Storytelling 32:59 Choosing the Right Perspective 35:33 Underused Storytelling Elements for Women Founders Connect with Jennifer Cloer and Story Changes Culture Jennifer Cloer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercloer/ Personal Website: https://www.jennifercloer.com/ Story Changes Culture website: https://www.storychangesculture.com/ Story Changes Culture on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storychangesculture/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/story_changesculture/ Substack: https://storychangesculture.substack.com/ More about Women Disrupting Tech The full show notes on the website: https://womendisruptingtech.blog/2026/04/09/episode-147/ Our Substack Newsletter: https://open.substack.com/pub/womendisruptingtech/p/episode-147 🎧 Listen to Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with women building the future of tech through storytelling and leadership.

39 min

APR 2

How a Female Founder Restores Dignity for Brain Injury Patients with Faviola Dadis | Ep. 146

What people lose first after a brain injury isn't intelligence. It's confidence, autonomy, and dignity. In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Faviola Dadis, CEO and co-founder of BrainBoostXR, about how she's building AI-powered virtual reality rehabilitation that restores dignity for people recovering from acquired brain injuries. Faviola explains why traditional cognitive rehab often fails — not because the exercises don't work, but because 50% of patients don't complete their protocols. Her solution combines gamified VR experiences with AI-driven personalization to solve the adherence problem while addressing the emotional and social aspects of recovery that traditional rehab ignores. We also explore the concept of digital twins in healthcare, how AI can personalize rehabilitation without reinforcing bias, and why loneliness erodes dignity faster than cognitive decline ever will. This episode is for female founders, women in tech, health tech entrepreneurs, and anyone building products that need to balance clinical effectiveness with human dignity. What you'll learn in this episode Why cognitive rehabilitation alone isn't enough — and what's missingHow gamified VR improves patient adherence in brain injury recoveryWhat digital twins are and how they personalize rehabilitation protocolsWhy loneliness is a bigger threat to dignity than cognitive declineHow to build AI systems that avoid reinforcing existing biases in healthcareWhat female founders should know about the investor relationship and funding expectationsChapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:55 Journey to BrainBoostXR 08:36 Understanding Acquired Brain Injury 14:39 The Role of Gamification in Rehabilitation 20:32 The Importance of Dignity in Recovery 26:21 Innovations in AI and Digital Twins 32:44 The Power of AI in Personalization 36:08 Ethics and Bias in AI Development 45:12 Commercializing BrainBoostXR 57:39 Defining Success in Cognitive Care 1:03:30 The Gender Funding Gap 1:05:11 Investor Expectations and Early-Stage Challenges 1:09:25 The Founder-Investor Relationship 1:14:55 Personal Health and Entrepreneurship 1:21:31 Building an AI Funding Coach Connect with Faviola Dadis and BrainBoost XR Faviola Dadis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/favioladadis/ BrainBoostXR Website: https://www.brainboostxr.com/ BrainBoostXR on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brainboostxr/ BrainBoostXR on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brainboostxr/ Connect with Dirkjan Hupkes Dirkjan Hupkes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkjan-hupkes/ Women Disrupting Tech Website: https://womendisruptingtech.blog/ Women Disrupting Tech Substack: https://womendisruptingtech.substack.com/ 🎧 Listen to Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with women building the future of tech.

1h 30m

MAR 26

Scaling Your Startup Without Losing Its Soul with Relinde Boerman | Ep. 145

Most startups hire fast. But is that the right hiring strategy? In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Relinde Boerman, lead recruiter at PolarSteps. This travel app startup scaled from 20 to nearly 100 employees while maintaining the culture that made it special. We explore why PolarSteps ignores time-to-hire as a metric, how they assess culture fit beyond vague feelings, and what it takes to build a talent-dense team that doesn't compromise on values. Relinde explains how clearly defined values become hiring criteria, why curiosity matters more than perfect clarity in a scaling environment, and how their "day at the office" interview process reveals what traditional interviews miss. This episode is for female founders, startup leaders, and anyone building a team who wants to understand how to scale without sacrificing the culture that makes your company special. What you'll learn in this episode - Why time-to-hire is the wrong metric for culture-driven startups - How to translate abstract company values into concrete hiring behaviors - What "talent density" means and why it matters more than headcount - Why hiring "overqualified" people for first-of-kind roles is a smart strategy - How a full-day interview reveals what 3 rounds of traditional interviews can't - What it takes to maintain culture while scaling from 20 to 100 employees Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:02 Relinde's Journey to Polarsteps 04:47 The Growth of Polarsteps 07:20 Maintaining Company Culture During Rapid Growth 10:23 The Importance of Values in Recruitment 12:54 Hiring for Culture Fit15:38 Assessing Cultural Drift 17:54 Defining Company Values 20:05 Embedding Values in the Hiring Process 22:15 Curiosity as a Cultural Element 25:12 Balancing Clarity and Ambiguity in a Fast-Paced Environment 27:58 The Role of Leadership in Culture 30:14 High Impact, Talent Density, and Values 33:10 Navigating Commercial Pressures in Hiring 35:43 Addressing Hiring Mistakes 38:15 The Day at the Office: A Unique Hiring Approach 40:59 Onboarding and Settling In 43:42 Fostering Belonging in a Hybrid Setup 46:51 Career Growth and Internal Mobility 49:23 Hiring a New CEO 52:19 Advice for Female Founders 55:15 Closing Thoughts and Resources Connect with Relinde Boerman and PolarSteps Relinde Boerman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/relindeboerman/ Polarsteps on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polarsteps/ Polarsteps website: https://www.polarsteps.com/ Polarsteps careers: https://careers.polarsteps.com/ 🎧 Listen to Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations on building sustainable, culture-driven tech companies.

1h 11m

MAR 19

How Power and Design Shape the Technology We Use With Dr. Christine Miller | Ep. 144

Most people think technology is neutral. It’s not. In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Dr. Christine Miller, Professor of Design Management at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and author of “Tools, Totems, and Totalities.” She studies how power and cultural values get embedded into the technology we use every day. We explore why so many modern tools feel like systems we have to submit to rather than products we choose, how AI and platforms are designed to ensure “the house always wins,” and what it takes to build technology that empowers human imagination instead of exploiting it. Chris introduces the framework of tools, totems, and totalities — a lens for understanding why there’s such a gap between what technology promises and what it actually delivers. We also talk about the unique systemic challenges female founders face when trying to build outside the gravity of existing tech totalities. This episode is for female founders, women in tech, and startup leaders who are building products and want to understand how design choices embed power dynamics into technology. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why modern technology reflects power dynamics, not just functionalityThe difference between tools that work with you vs. tools that work for youHow “totalities” like venture capital force founders into predefined rolesWhy profitability should be measured in infrastructure, social, and cultural capital — not just financial returnsThe “dreams and nightmares” framework for designing technology that people actually trustHow to stay on the “pirate trajectory” — plundering a system’s resources without being pulled into its gravityChapters: 00:00 Introduction 05:34 Exploring Hegemony in Technology 08:28 The Nature of Technology and Trust 11:18 The Concept of Neutrality in Technology 14:17 Understanding Tools, Totems, and Totalities 17:03 The Impact of Totalities on Technology 19:53 Women Founders and Systemic Challenges 22:59 Alternatives in Technology: Blue Sky 25:54 Profitability and Societal Progress 34:38 Measuring Societal Benefit and Design Value 37:52 Identity-Shaping Technology and Brand Influence 41:12 Addiction to Technology and Design Principles 44:59 Conviviality and Sustainable Technology 48:48 The Challenge of Perspective in Corporate Culture 52:07 Building Support Networks for Founders 55:45 Designing for Creativity and Imagination Connect with Christine Miller LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-z-miller-ph-d-b4735350/ Order her book Tools, Totems, and Totalities: The Modern Construction of Hegemonic Technology On Amazon On Bol 🎧 Listen to Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations on building tech that empowers, not exploits.

1h 3m

MAR 12

How a Female Founder Tackles Invisible Labor and Startup Burnout with Jamie Albaum | Ep. 143

Burnout doesn't happen because people work too hard. It happens because half their work is invisible. In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Jamie Albaum, co-founder of Kellotime, a platform that helps organizations understand how their teams actually spend their time. We explore how invisible labor — the operational work, coordination, and care tasks that keep companies running — quietly builds up inside teams and contributes to burnout and structural bias. Jamie explains how unmeasured workload distorts promotions, recognition, and retention, and why founders who want to build sustainable companies need to understand the gap between assumed workload and real workload. This episode is for female founders, startup leaders, and women in tech who want to understand how invisible labor creates burnout before it's too late. What you'll learn in this episode: Why burnout often starts in the gap between assumed workload and real workloadHow time tracking helps founders identify overload before it becomes a crisisWhat data reveals about gendered labor patterns inside teamsWhy invisible labor shapes promotions, recognition, and retentionHow workload visibility improves pricing, fundraising, and project planningChapters: 02:10 The Birth of Kello Time: Addressing Burnout in Organizations 05:03 Understanding the Importance of Timekeeping 07:55 Cultural Implications of Invisible Labor 10:54 The Impact of Burnout on Employee Engagement 13:49 Identifying Patterns of Burnout Across Organizations 16:55 The Role of Data in Shaping Workplace Culture 19:51 Kello Time's Unique Approach to Timekeeping 22:45 The Gender Dynamics of Invisible Labor 25:35 Kello Time's Functionality and Benefits 28:27 Strategic Resource Management with Kello Time 31:19 Building Trust and Avoiding Micromanagement 34:25 Cultural Shifts and Employee Wellbeing 37:33 Recognizing Signs of Employee Disengagement 40:24 The Importance of Open Communication 43:22 Encouraging Time Off for Better Productivity 46:31 Implementing Sabbatical Policies for Employee Retention 49:35 Advice for Founders on Managing Workloads 52:16 The Invisible Labor of Fundraising 55:14 Practicing Public Speaking as a Founder 58:17 Connecting with Jamie and Kello Time Connect with Jamie Albaum and Kellotime: Jamie Albaum on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiealbaum/ Website: https://www.kellotime.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kellotime Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kello_time/ 🎧 Listen to Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with women building sustainable tech companies.

1h 4m

MAR 5

How a Female Founder Builds a Tech Startup During War in Ukraine with Oryna Starkina | Ep. 142

Starting a tech company is hard. Starting one during a war requires a different kind of resilience. In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Oryna Starkina, founder and CEO of Starksoft, a mobile development company she built during the pandemic and has kept running through the war in Ukraine. We explore how distributed teams create operational resilience, why the pandemic was actually a "golden window" for tech startups, and how Oryna turned her natural anxiety into a risk management advantage. This episode is for female founders, women in tech, and entrepreneurs building companies in uncertain times who want to understand how resilience is both a business architecture and a personal practice. What you'll learn in this episode: * Why 2020 was an opportunity window for tech, not just a crisis • How a distributed team structure keeps a company running during power outages and war • Why working with SMEs provided more stability than enterprise clients during crisis • How naturally anxious founders can leverage overthinking as scenario planning • Why physical routines break the "thinking loop" and create space for better decisions • What's shifting for women in tech leadership roles in Ukraine — and why it's likely permanent Chapters: 02:05 Navigating Crisis: The Birth of Starksoft 04:49 Building a Resilient Business Model 07:56 Client Relationships and Support During Turbulence 10:29 Overcoming Personal Challenges: Anxiety and Imposter Syndrome 13:26 Networking and Attracting Clients 16:16 The Role of Routine in Managing Anxiety 18:58 Mindfulness and Focus Through Physical Activity 22:01 Leveraging Overthinking for Business Success 24:52 Coping with Uncertainty in a War Zone 30:49 Impact of War on Workforce Dynamics 35:09 Women in Tech: Rising Opportunities 39:52 Long-Term Changes in Female Entrepreneurship 41:55 Lessons from Uncertainty: Insights for Founders 44:16 Preparing for the Unknown: Practical Strategies 48:43 Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: Realizations and Growth More about the episode Check the show notes for magic moments, practical takeaways and insights. More about Oryna Starkina and Starksoft Connect with Oryna Starkina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arastark/ Learn more about Starksoft: https://www.starksoft.online/ 🎧 Listen to Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with women building the future of tech.

56 min

Women Disrupting Tech

Episodes

How a Female Founder Builds Real Human Connection Beyond the Swipe with Marsha Goei | Ep. 149

The Startup Operator’s Playbook: Turning Founder Vision into Reality with Eliza Moore | Ep 148

The Anatomy of a Female Founder Story That Drives Action with Jennifer Cloer | Ep 147

How a Female Founder Restores Dignity for Brain Injury Patients with Faviola Dadis | Ep. 146

Scaling Your Startup Without Losing Its Soul with Relinde Boerman | Ep. 145

How Power and Design Shape the Technology We Use With Dr. Christine Miller | Ep. 144

How a Female Founder Tackles Invisible Labor and Startup Burnout with Jamie Albaum | Ep. 143

How a Female Founder Builds a Tech Startup During War in Ukraine with Oryna Starkina | Ep. 142

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