Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders (ETL)

Garrett Lord started Handshake to make it easier for students from all backgrounds to find internships. Lord discusses his own experience studying computer science at Michigan Tech and the disparities that leave so many students without exposure to recruiters at their campuses. In democratizing the job search, Lord talks about identifying a two-way marketplace and how to scale helping one student at a time.

Vinay Hiremath shares his entrepreneurial journey as the co-founder of LoomAI, a video messaging platform that grew to 30 million users and was acquired by Atlassian for nearly $1 billion. Vinay chronicles his entrepreneurial journey and its many pivots and adaptations – as well as his post-acquisition period of profound questioning and self-discovery.  This talk includes references to mental health challenges and substance use. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (also at 988lifeline.org) is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. The Crisis Text Line is a texting service for emotional crisis support, text SAVE to 741741. It is free, available 24/7, and confidential. (EDS NOTE: THIS EPISODE INCLUDES EXPLICIT LANGUAGE.)

Stanley Tang was a junior at Stanford when he started to explore technology solutions for small businesses. Working with local shops got him thinking about food delivery, and while at first the idea didn’t seem scalable, the ingredients for DoorDash began to come together. Recounting how DoorDash’s growth spanned many ups and downs including global crises, Tang shares how resilience is built from pivotal moments, and how leaning on core values in times of stress was instrumental in the success of what is now a $75 billion company.

In this 2016 conversation, Bonny Simi—Olympian, airline pilot, venture capitalist, and entrepreneur—explains how success is built on curiosity, creativity, and the courage to take risks. While in her role with JetBlue, Simi shared how setting bold intentions, building transferable skills, and leveraging parallel career moves shaped her unconventional career. Her insights aren’t just for entrepreneurs—they serve as a reminder that this mindset can be applied to any area of life. With advice like taking risks with confidence and being open to non-traditional paths, Simi—now the president of operations for Joby Aviation—highlights the power of small steps, resilience, and trusting the journey.

Payal Kadakia's 2022 conversation feels as relevant as ever, highlighting the enduring importance of authenticity in strong leadership. In this episode, the founder of ClassPass and the Sa Dance Company shares how integrating her full identity—as both a dancer and a business leader—was crucial to her success. Kadakia discusses the importance of listening to your calling, making values-driven decisions, and resisting the pressure to conform to conventional paths. Her insights on aligning passion with purpose, overcoming failure, and redefining success make this episode a must-listen for anyone aiming to build something meaningful while staying true to themselves. The episode first aired on February 16, 2022