Swurl Radio

Ayka Williams, Eric Williams
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Welcome to the Swurl community, find us at swurl.io (https://swurl.io/). This is the podcast where real people come together to share, connect, and just talk. Swurl Radio is hosted by Eric and Ayka Williams. Each episode we interview a tech or creative leader and get into the real story. The pivot after failure. The decision nobody understood. The years of figuring it out that didn't make it to LinkedIn. We focus on backstory, failures, and process. We ask about childhood, culture, identity, and the hard truths that shaped how our guests build and create today. Every episode is different but the core stays the same: what do you do when it doesn't work out? This is for international professionals in transition. People who feel like they're in the dumps and need a real human story. Not another course. Not another ten tips video. Just honest conversations with people who've been there.

  1. The Hardest Pivot: Walking Away from Something That Works w/ Dan Mall | Ep 19

    18 APR

    The Hardest Pivot: Walking Away from Something That Works w/ Dan Mall | Ep 19

    Dan Mall built SuperFriendly into a successful agency, working with brands like Google and scaling a network of 700+ freelancers. Then he walked away, not because it failed, but because it no longer aligned with the life he wanted. This episode goes deeper than business. Dan opens up about leadership mistakes, letting people down, navigating tough decisions, identity, and what it really means to build and walk away from something meaningful. Support Swurl  Swurl is building a new kind of networking platform focused on real connections, not self-promotion.   "Music by Vlvt. If you are working on a podcast, get your Swurl Radio discount code and save 20% on anything at Vlvt.fm"

    1hr 16min
  2. Identity Shifts, Failure, and Pricing Your Worth w/ Jonathan Stark| Ep 18

    6 APR

    Identity Shifts, Failure, and Pricing Your Worth w/ Jonathan Stark| Ep 18

    Jonathan Stark didn’t start as a pricing expert—he started as a musician chasing a dream, then pivoted into software, and eventually rebuilt his entire career around one idea: hourly billing is broken. In this episode, he shares the real journey behind that transformation—identity shifts, failed projects, career pivots, and the moment he realized businesses reward value, not effort. This is a conversation about unlearning, reinvention, and building a career that actually works. Support Swurl  Swurl is building a new kind of networking platform focused on real connections, not self-promotion.   "Music by Vlvt. If you are working on a podcast, get your Swurl Radio discount code and save 20% on anything at Vlvt.fm"

    1hr 5min
  3. From Building a Computer From Scratch to Scaling a Business w/ Maestro Stevens | Ep 17

    27 MAR

    From Building a Computer From Scratch to Scaling a Business w/ Maestro Stevens | Ep 17

    Maestro Stevens, founder of Iconic Expressions, shares how he went from failed ventures to building a scalable business. This episode breaks down branding vs marketing, using AI to automate workflows, choosing the right clients, and the real sacrifices behind entrepreneurship. Support Swurl  Swurl is building a new kind of networking platform focused on real connections, not self-promotion.   "Music by Vlvt. If you are working on a podcast, get your Swurl Radio discount code and save 20% on anything at Vlvt.fm"

    52 min
  4. Building a Business From Scratch: Storytelling, Burnout, and Side Hustles That Scale w/ Melody Beuzelin | Ep 16

    20 MAR

    Building a Business From Scratch: Storytelling, Burnout, and Side Hustles That Scale w/ Melody Beuzelin | Ep 16

    Melody Beuzelin joins Swurl Radio to talk about building a career from scratch storytelling, startup lessons, burnout, and when a side hustle deserves your full attention. We get into identity, resilience, client boundaries, and why “failure” is just data. Support Swurl  Swurl is building a new kind of networking platform focused on real connections, not self-promotion.   "Music by Vlvt. If you are working on a podcast, get your Swurl Radio discount code and save 20% on anything at Vlvt.fm"

    51 min
  5. Why Discipline Beats Talent w/ Amit Patel | Ep 15

    1 FEB

    Why Discipline Beats Talent w/ Amit Patel | Ep 15

    What actually separates good from great when titles, resumes, and LinkedIn profiles disappear? In this episode of Swurl Radio, Eric and Ayka sit down with Amit, a visionary educator who has shaped the careers of over 3,000 tech professionals, trained teams at Spotify, the United Nations, PwC, and built one of London’s most respected design schools from a side project into a global consultancy. Together, they explore the intangibles that don’t show up on a resume: discipline, curiosity, presence, coachability, and the willingness to put in the reps when no one is watching. Drawing from sports, design, education, and Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mentality, Amit breaks down why hard work consistently outpaces raw talent, how great coaches create growth environments, and why “learning by doing” is the only path to real mastery. This conversation is for anyone navigating a career pivot, building a company, mentoring others, or trying to stand out in a crowded, AI-driven job market — without losing their humanity. Support Swurl  Swurl is building a new kind of networking platform focused on real connections, not self-promotion.   "Music by Vlvt. If you are working on a podcast, get your Swurl Radio discount code and save 20% on anything at Vlvt.fm"

    46 min
  6. Swahili Identity, Third Culture Life & Decolonizing Design w\ Husna Abubakar | Ep 14

    13 JAN

    Swahili Identity, Third Culture Life & Decolonizing Design w\ Husna Abubakar | Ep 14

    Eric and Ayka sit down with multimedia artist, researcher, and storyteller Husna Abubakar to talk about what it really means to be Swahili in a world that keeps getting it wrong. Husna shares her experience as a third culture Swahili woman from Mombasa, Kenya, growing up between the Swahili coast and the U.S., and how that tension pushed her to question Western ideas of success, identity, and “the right way” to live. She breaks down Occidental vs. Orientalist frameworks, talks honestly about being a woman of color at RISD in a deeply colonial city, and why she set out to decolonize her own design practice. They get into her shift from graphic design into film, textiles, and installation, her powerful work around Swahili homes, motherhood, and matrifocal culture, and the responsibility she feels as the first in her family to earn a graduate degree. Husna closes with a message for creatives caught between cultures: your indigeneity isn’t a problem to fix—it’s your power. Support Swurl  Swurl is building a new kind of networking platform focused on real connections, not self-promotion.   "Music by Vlvt. If you are working on a podcast, get your Swurl Radio discount code and save 20% on anything at Vlvt.fm"

    55 min
  7. Surviving Today’s Animation Industry w/ Edmund Earle | Ep 13

    16/12/2025

    Surviving Today’s Animation Industry w/ Edmund Earle | Ep 13

    Eric and Ayka sit down with Edmund Earle, a veteran 3D animator and motion designer whose work spans PBS, National Geographic, Hulu, and John Oliver. Edmund breaks down what it really takes to survive today’s animation industry — from pricing and client management to choosing between being a generalist or specialist. They also talk AI, short-form content, and the hard lessons new animators need to hear. Support Swurl  Swurl is building a new kind of networking platform focused on real connections, not self-promotion.   "Music by Vlvt. If you are working on a podcast, get your Swurl Radio discount code and save 20% on anything at Vlvt.fm"

    53 min
  8. Why Discomfort Creates Growth: Chris Do on Confidence, Culture, and Reinvention | Ep 12

    06/12/2025

    Why Discomfort Creates Growth: Chris Do on Confidence, Culture, and Reinvention | Ep 12

    In this episode of Swurl Radio, Eric and Ayka sit down with Emmy Award–winning designer and educator Chris Do. Chris opens up about reinventing yourself after failure, growing up between cultures, battling introversion, and the mentors who shaped his life. We talk about unlearning old rules, overcoming fear, rebuilding identity, and why discomfort is the real path to growth. Chris shares powerful insights on navigating mistakes, finding confidence, and discovering who you are after everything falls apart. If you’re in a season of reinvention, self-doubt, or rebuilding your story — this episode is for you. “Music by Vlvt. If you are working on a podcast, get your Swurl Radio discount code and save 20% on anything at Vlvt.fm”  Support Swurl  Swurl is building a new kind of networking platform focused on real connections, not self-promotion.   "Music by Vlvt. If you are working on a podcast, get your Swurl Radio discount code and save 20% on anything at Vlvt.fm"

    47 min
See All (19)

About

Welcome to the Swurl community, find us at swurl.io (https://swurl.io/). This is the podcast where real people come together to share, connect, and just talk. Swurl Radio is hosted by Eric and Ayka Williams. Each episode we interview a tech or creative leader and get into the real story. The pivot after failure. The decision nobody understood. The years of figuring it out that didn't make it to LinkedIn. We focus on backstory, failures, and process. We ask about childhood, culture, identity, and the hard truths that shaped how our guests build and create today. Every episode is different but the core stays the same: what do you do when it doesn't work out? This is for international professionals in transition. People who feel like they're in the dumps and need a real human story. Not another course. Not another ten tips video. Just honest conversations with people who've been there.

Information

  • Creator
    Ayka Williams, Eric Williams
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 © 2025 Level Up
  • Show Website
    Swurl Radio