#69 Anna Ratala, Co-Founder of Zvook

#72 Archer Chiang, Founder of Giftpack.AI

Archer Chiang had just $100 and 30 days to pay his college tuition when he landed his first client—a 70-year-old casino owner. That desperate moment launched a journey from building IoT companies with Panasonic in Japan to creating Giftpack.ai, an AI platform helping Fortune 500 companies measure something no one else tracks: emotional trust. In this episode, Archer shares why he builds AI in NYC instead of Silicon Valley, what it's like getting shut down by the Chinese government, and how corporate gifting became the infrastructure for measuring business relationships. What You'll Learn: * How to turn financial crisis into entrepreneurial opportunity * Why emotional trust matters more than traditional CRM metrics * Building AI applications for real-world industries vs. pure algorithms * Navigating political risk as a Taiwanese founder in China * Why NYC beats Silicon Valley for AI implementation * The future of relationship intelligence in B2B * ⏰ KEY TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction: Meet Archer Chiang, Founder of Giftpack.ai 01:23 - Growing Up Across 3 Countries: Cape Town, Taiwan, and Japan 04:13 - The $100 Crisis: Mom Says Pay Your Own Tuition 07:03 - Landing a Casino Client at 19 Years Old 08:58 - From $0 to $20K/Month in 30 Days 10:14 - Running Two Companies in College: The Worst Decision Ever 12:36 - Shut Down by Chinese Government Over Taiwanese IP 14:25 - Building $10M ARR IoT Company with Panasonic 17:42 - Why Stanford for Human Interaction and Design 19:30 - The Pivot to Corporate Gifting and AI 23:05 - What is "Incentive Infrastructure"? 25:18 - Building AI Before ChatGPT: The 2020 Innovation 27:28 - How Giftpack Measures Emotional Capital 30:05 - Why Money Doesn't Lie: Real Relationship Data 32:12 - Building an AI Company in NYC, Not Silicon Valley 33:56 - What Archer's Optimistic About 🔗 Connect with Archer: Website: https://giftpack.ai [https://giftpack.ai] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/archerwindy/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/archerwindy/] 🎯 About Giftpack.ai: Giftpack transforms how enterprises engineer authentic relationships through emotional intelligence and AI. The platform automates relationship building, helping Fortune 500 companies measure emotional capital and activate human connection at scale. #Entrepreneurship #AI #EmotionalIntelligence #B2B #CorporateGifting #StartupStory #NewYorkTech #GlobalFounder ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#71 Nikhil Teja Kolli, Co-Founder of mokSa.ai

Nikhil Teja Kolli built mokSa.ai [http://mokSa.ai] after witnessing small retail businesses lose 10-15% of their revenue to theft. His solution? Privacy-first AI that catches shoplifters without facial recognition - and small business owners are obsessed with it. From collecting 20,000+ theft videos to building patent-pending AI technology, Nikhil's journey shows how turning a massive problem into data can create game-changing solutions. His AI watches actions, not faces, works with any camera (even $40 ones from 2014), and sends real-time alerts when theft happens. But here's the twist: mokSa.ai [http://mokSa.ai] doesn't just catch thieves. It predicts customer counts, optimizes employee scheduling, and provides heat maps - basically turning any security camera into a business intelligence powerhouse. 🔥 What You'll Learn: * How to build AI models from real-world data (20,000+ theft videos) * Why privacy-first AI is dominating the surveillance market * The camera-agnostic strategy that eliminates hardware costs * How to solve problems for overlooked small businesses * Building operational intelligence beyond just security * Scaling from manual monitoring to 200+ AI-powered locations ⏰ Key Moments: 00:00 - Meet Nikhil Teja Kolli, Founder of mokSa.ai [http://mokSa.ai] 02:30 - Growing Up in Family Retail Business in Hyderabad 05:45 - The Liquor Store Incidents That Sparked Everything 09:15 - How Small Businesses Lose 10-15% Revenue to Theft 12:00 - Building the 20,000 Video Dataset (The Hard Way) 15:30 - From Aeronautical Engineer to Railroad to AI Entrepreneur 18:45 - Privacy-First AI: Actions vs. Faces 21:20 - Why Any Camera Works (Even 2014 Models) 24:15 - Beyond Security: Customer Forecasting & Heat Maps 27:40 - The Camera-Agnostic Business Strategy 🔗 Connect with Nikhil: Website: moksa.ai [https://www.moksa.ai/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilteja-kolli/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilteja-kolli/] About mokSa.ai [http://mokSa.ai]: Privacy-first AI platform that detects theft, fraud, and provides operational insights for retail businesses using existing camera systems. #AI #RetailTech #SmallBusiness #Privacy #Surveillance #Entrepreneurship #StartupStory #TechFounder Enjoy the episode! If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders [https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#70 Joseph Lee, Co-Founder of Supademo

Joseph Lee went from selling electronics in parking lots at age 14 to building Supademo, the world's fastest-growing AI-powered demo platform. Born in Seoul, raised in Vancouver, and now thriving in NYC, Joseph shares his journey from creating multiple ventures to fund university, building North America's first demand-driven seafood marketplace, to discovering the power of interactive product demos. In this episode, he reveals his systematic approach to finding the right co-founder and idea, the viral growth strategies behind Supademo, and why location still matters for ambitious founders. What You'll Learn: * How to build multiple revenue streams as a student entrepreneur * The systematic approach to evaluating startup ideas and co-founders * Why product-led growth requires viral loops, not just free tiers * Creative customer acquisition strategies that don't feel spammy * How AI is transforming product demonstration and onboarding * The real truth about location for immigrant entrepreneurs ⏰ KEY TIMESTAMPS: 05:15 - The 14-Year-Old Entrepreneur: Electronics Arbitrage Business 08:45 - University Ventures: Candles, Clothing, and Web Development 12:20 - Coastline Market Origin: Why Seafood Supply Chain Needed Disruption 15:30 - The Pandemic Pivot: From Marketplace to Business-in-a-Box 18:45 - The Supademo Lightbulb: When Demo Videos Weren't Enough 21:20 - The Systematic Startup Process: March Madness for Ideas 24:15 - Product Differentiation: Speed and Ease Over Feature Wars 27:40 - Target Market: B2B SaaS Teams Across Three Key Functions 30:45 - PLG Reality Check: Viral Loops vs. Free Tiers 33:30 - Early Customer Acquisition: Network, Reddit, and Value-First Approach 36:20 - Growth Momentum: Why Speed Solves All Problems 39:15 - Location Debate: SF FOMO and the Network Effect 41:25 - Optimistic Outlook: AI's Positive Impact on Wealth Distribution 🔗 Connect with Joseph: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhylee/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhylee/] Website: https://supademo.com [https://supademo.com] Try Supademo: Start creating interactive demos without signing up 🎯 About Supademo: Supademo is the world's fastest-growing AI-powered demo platform, helping B2B SaaS companies create interactive product demos for sales, onboarding, and customer success in minutes, not hours. #Entrepreneurship #ProductLedGrowth #AITools #SaaSDemos #ImmigrantFounder #StartupGrowth #CustomerSuccess #B2BSaaS Enjoy the episode! If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders [https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#69 Anna Ratala, Co-Founder of Zvook

Anna Ratala went from running major tech events in Singapore to building Zvook, a venture-backed podcast advertising platform that she ultimately had to shut down after 4+ years. In this deeply honest conversation, she shares the emotional journey of letting go, rebuilding her identity beyond "founder," and finding her next chapter at a former competitor. What You'll Learn: * How to recognize when it's time to shut down your startup * Challenges of transitioning from founder to employee * How to use authentic storytelling as a marketing channel * The reality of fundraising struggles and investor conversations * Why failure is more accepted in America than other countries ⏰ KEY TIMESTAMPS: 02:30 - From Finland to Singapore: Running Slush Singapore 12:00 - Content Strategy: Using Founder Stories as Marketing 15:30 - The Complexity of Scaling Host-Read Advertising 18:45 - Running Out of Money: The Final Year Struggles 24:15 - The Hard Decision: Shutting Down After 4+ Years 30:45 - Identity Crisis: Who Am I Without Being a Founder? 36:20 - Joining Red Circle: Working for a Former Competitor 39:15 - Leaving Ego at the Door: Transitioning to Employee 42:30 - Current Role: Marketing Director at Red Circle 49:30 - Optimistic Outlook: Seeing Opportunities, Not Obstacles Connect with Anna: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaratala/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaratala/] * Company: https://redcircle.com/ [https://redcircle.com/] Anna's story is a reminder that entrepreneurship isn't just about the successes - it's about resilience, learning from failure, and finding new ways to contribute to the industries you're passionate about. Subscribe for more immigrant founder stories and startup insights! #Entrepreneurship #StartupFailure #PodcastAdvertising #ImmigrantFounders #StartupStories Enjoy the episode! If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders [https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

#68 Charlie Sarmiento, Co-Founder of VTX

Jose Carlos "Charlie" Sarmiento went from corporate finance executive in Guatemala to extreme triathlete competing on the world stage, ultimately building VTX Athlete - a platform that connects endurance athletes with funding and brand sponsorships. In this episode, he shares his incredible journey from losing his father at 14, overcoming depression through ultramarathons, and creating a revolutionary algorithm that ranks athletes based on performance data rather than social media followers. What You'll Learn: * How to transition from corporate executive to sports entrepreneur * Why endurance sports funding is a $100 billion untapped market * The real costs of competing internationally ($15K per race, $100K annually) * How performance data can revolutionize athlete sponsorships * The mindset system that took Charlie from depression to world championships * Immigration strategies: From O1A visa to green card in 3 months ⏰ KEY TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction: Meet Charlie Sarmiento, Ultra-Athlete & Entrepreneur 03:23 - Losing His Father at 14: The Gift That Shaped His Character 07:14 - Building VTX Athlete: The "NASDAQ for Athletes" Concept 08:47 - Why Endurance Sports? The Untapped 100 Million Athlete Market 09:44 - The Real Cost Breakdown: $15K Per Race, $100K Annual Budget 12:07 - The VTX Algorithm: Performance Data vs. Social Media Metrics 14:29 - Three-Index System: Training, Social Impact, Athletic Results 16:36 - Market Size: 100M Athletes Worldwide, 60M Target Market 17:24 - Beyond Gear: Airlines, Hotels, and Real Sponsorship Needs 19:51 - "The Real Ultraman" Book: System to Rewire Your Brain 21:43 - From Zero to 50 Miles: Using Ultra Running to Beat Depression 23:02 - Immigration Journey: O1A Visa Through Athletic Excellence 27:40 - Why Entrepreneurship is Harder Than Ultramarathons 31:49 - Favorite Race: Lavaredo Dolomites, Italy (Family Heritage) 32:55 - Living in Gratitude: What Charlie is Optimistic About 🔗 Connect with Charlie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ultrasarmiento/ [https://www.instagram.com/ultrasarmiento/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliesarmiento/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliesarmiento/] Company: www.vtxathlete.com [https://www.vtxathlete.com/] Book: https://a.co/d/33SuRkQ [https://a.co/d/33SuRkQ] 🎯 About VTX Athlete: VTX Athlete is revolutionizing endurance sports by creating the first performance-based marketplace connecting athletes with funding and brand sponsorships through data-driven algorithms. #Entrepreneurship #EnduranceSports #UltraMarathon #Immigration #PerformanceData #SportsSponsorship #Guatemala #Austin #StartupStory Enjoy the episode! If you love this episode, please share and review the podcast! It will help more immigrant and international founders find these content. You can find us here: https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders [https://linktr.ee/foreignfounders] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.