Immigrants Building Companies

What Scaling a Business 40x Really Took

“Most people think founders have to sacrifice themselves.” James says that belief can make you successful, but broken. In this episode, I sit down with James - who once lived overseas building businesses as “the only foreigner in the room”, scaled a company 40x in three years, and later scaled a family recruitment business to 88 people across five countries before selling it in 2020. We talk about what growth really costs and why James chose a different definition of success: one built around presence, health, and a life that actually works. In this conversation, we get into: Why “job security” can be a dangerous illusion - and how it shaped his entire career The brutal truth about marketplaces: “the only power sellers… are bike thieves” The shift founders must make in the scaling phase: from “do more, go faster” to “do less, achieve more” Why founders chase control when they’re stressed and how it quietly wrecks teams and decisions The real value of a business coach: not advice… but a pure space to think clearly and lead better If this episode hits home, subscribe and share it with a founder who needs to hear it. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Why James is “an anomaly” guest 00:00:27 - China at 18: choosing the uncomfortable path 00:02:02 - Language, identity, and becoming a generalist 00:03:30 - The fear of losing your edge without language 00:04:44 - How culture changes business and trust 00:05:34 - The Philippines: being young in an age-hierarchy culture 00:06:44 - Jardines’ program: training “mini CEOs” 00:09:29 - “Job security is a fallacy” 00:10:12 - Scaling obsession: fast, but sustainable 00:12:02 - Flipping the playbook: people-led to product-led 00:13:07 - The lifestyle trap: “it wasn’t owned” 00:14:35 - Generalist skills as the safest bet 00:18:32 - First startup: an online bike marketplace 00:19:28 - “You don’t know what you don’t know” 00:22:04 - Attention vs product: the painful mismatch 00:22:49 - “Power sellers”… and the dark reality 00:24:38 - The hard choice: scale it or stop it 00:26:59 - When a ‘failure’ becomes a launchpad 00:27:56 - Back to family business: scaling to 88 people 00:28:46 - Why he didn’t start again after the exit 00:30:39 - Designing life first: family, stress, and priorities 00:31:06 - Coaching: combining practical + personal 00:33:23 - The “value capture” question and why he avoided it 00:35:28 - Defining success: happy wife, happy son 00:37:19 - Why founders trust ex-founders more 00:40:45 - Why founders resist coaching (and what it really is) 00:42:30 - Coaching as “time back” and better decisions 00:44:56 - The hiring belief that changed everything 00:48:23 - “Successful but broken” - the founder sacrifice myth 00:49:03 - AI anxiety, competition, and modern founder pressure 00:51:11 - James’ 3-part framework for founders right now 00:55:45 - Final question: what he’d tell his 18 year old self 00:58:38 - Closing: “We will be talking after the pod.”

Your Home Is Stressing You Out (And You Don’t Know It) | 5 Pillars Of Health & Longevity Spaces

Your stress isn’t just “in your head”, it’s built into your environment. In this episode, Karina Valencia breaks down how the spaces we live and work in quietly shape our sleep, stress, energy, and long-term health and why the “fix” isn’t more biohacking… it’s rebuilding the fundamentals. What you’ll take from this conversation: Why passport/visa limbo can delay your dream and how she used that time to iterate The moment motherhood made her say: “I’ll build my own company.” How longevity buildings work (air, water, circadian light, sleep design) - and why you “feel it” more than you see it Practical, low-cost habits you can start today: sleep rhythm, meal timing, ventilation, and stress downshifts If this hit home, subscribe for more conversations like this - and share it with someone who’s been running on empty. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Expectation vs reality moment 00:00:57 - Consistency is the real “hack” 00:01:44 - 11 years in the UK, 9 countries 00:04:06 - The fear of building 00:05:19 - Becoming British: identity + freedom 00:08:23 - Why London feels different 00:09:34 - “I never saw myself founding” 00:10:40 - Motherhood bias at work 00:12:26 - Why healthspan became the mission 00:14:17 - Stress, pregnancy, and the real cause 00:15:45 - Angina, stents, and stress reality 00:17:22 - What longevity spaces actually include 00:20:08 - Designing for sleep, nutrition, movement 00:21:33 - ROI: when developers say yes 00:24:22 - Who actually buys into this 00:26:49 - The 5 pillars of health 00:31:29 - Is the market growing fast? 00:33:05 - Clients come educated, globally 00:34:27 - Longevity hub vs your daily life 00:36:06 - You don’t “fix” - you reset fundamentals 00:39:58 - Could this work as a day clinic? 00:40:33 - What if you can’t afford it? 00:41:41 - Ventilation: the £20 upgrade 00:42:58 - Sleep as a ritual, not a need 00:44:17 - Meal timing and deep sleep gains 00:46:57 - Laughter, hugs, and real recovery 00:49:18 - What she’d tell her younger self 00:52:58 - The future: staying open 00:53:26 - Final takeaway + social presence

From War, Rejection and COVID Chaos to UK Tech Leader (with Jasmine Sayyari)

She survived a collapsing healthcare system, a rejected US visa, political turmoil, and a pandemic that nearly killed her and still built three companies from scratch. In this extraordinary episode, Jasmine Sayyari shares her journey from medical doctor in Iran to UK tech founder, community builder, and Inspiring 50 award winner. She takes us inside the fear of working through COVID with no PPE or vaccines, the grey hair that formed in six months, and the exact moment she realised she had to rebuild her entire life elsewhere. From fleeing political instability to starting a business from a Telegram channel, living out of a suitcase in Istanbul, getting rejected at the US Embassy, and finally building Chansey AI in London, Jasmine explains the resilience, creativity and raw survival instinct behind her success. In this episode you’ll learn: How crisis shaped Jasmine’s ability to build fast, lead through uncertainty, and spot opportunity Why her first “accidental startup” became a blueprint for lean, profitable growth The truth about immigration, fear, identity and belonging Why she believes upskilling will define the next decade of work How Chansey AI is rethinking employability, job matching, and internal mobility Why Jasmine says: “Don’t hide. Build in public.” If you’ve ever doubted your path, this conversation will shift something deep. Subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs inspiration today.

The Delusional Strategy That Built His Entire Life

What if being “delusional” is the only reason he made it? In this raw and revealing episode, Tobi Oluwole shares how he built his life with intention, storytelling, and a level of delusion he believes every successful immigrant needs. From moving across continents to quitting Shopify the day after buying a house, to generating over 300 million impressions on LinkedIn, Tobi explains the mindset, strategy and frameworks that transformed his life. We talk about designing your future through writing your own eulogy, applying delusion where the odds actually work, why immigrant founders succeed at higher rates, and how storytelling became the engine behind every opportunity in his career. In this conversation, you’ll learn: Why Tobi believes delusion is a strategy, not a flaw How writing his own eulogy changed every decision he made The truth about immigrant pressure, sacrifice, and ambition How storytelling on LinkedIn built a global business Why fear of judgment stops 99% of people from succeeding How to design a life you can actually live, not escape from If you’re an immigrant, an entrepreneur, or someone trying to build a life on your own terms, this episode will shift your perspective forever. Subscribe for more conversations that challenge how you think and inspire how you live. Chapters 00:00:00 — The Anomaly in the Room 00:01:06 — Growing Up on Three Continents 00:02:19 — The Football Dream Meets Reality 00:03:54 — Accepting Limitations Without Losing Ambition 00:05:35 — Why Quitting Can Be a Skill 00:07:41 — The Power of Delusion (Used Correctly) 00:09:27 — The Strategy Behind His Delusion 00:11:00 — Raised by Builders: The Family Influence 00:13:00 — Laid Off, Broke, and Rebuilding 00:14:42 — Why Shopify Became His MBA 00:16:36 — Buying a House, Then Quitting the Next Day 00:18:38 — Writing a Eulogy to Design His Life 00:20:34 — The Identity That Drives Everything 00:22:30 — Living in Your Own Design, Not Society’s 00:23:40 — Does He Believe in Manifestation? 00:25:10 — Being a Seed Sower, Not a People Pleaser 00:27:14 — Harvesting Without Apology 00:28:40 — How Shopify Taught Him the Storytelling Framework 00:30:03 — The LinkedIn Post That Changed Everything 00:31:39 — Becoming a Magnet, Not a Hunter 00:33:00 — The Real Reason People Don’t Post Online 00:35:45 — Pushing Past Judgment and Execution Barriers 00:37:45 — Why Personal Branding Feels So Hard 00:39:26 — Why LinkedIn Is a Cheat Code 00:41:09 — Why He’ll Never Be a ‘Content Creator’ 00:43:26 — One LinkedIn Lead vs Twenty Social Leads 00:45:32 — Building Businesses from Attention Alone 00:47:08 — The Toronto Conference: A New Chapter 00:49:38 — Immigration Is Not the Problem You Think It Is 00:52:50 — What No One Says About Immigrant Sacrifice 00:55:07 — Solving the Problem Instead of Complaining 00:57:48 — Need-trepreneurs vs Want-trepreneurs 01:00:47 — What He’d Tell His Younger Self 01:02:55 — Gratitude, Grounding, and the Long Game

From War Child To Founder: Tijana’s Journey To Redefining Success

She grew up in a war zone, arrived in London with nothing, and built one of the UK’s most exciting female-led creative agencies. Tijana Tamburic, co-founder and CEO of Female Narratives, shares her extraordinary immigrant journey, from bunk beds and burnout to building campaigns for global brands like Bumble and Merell. This is a story of resilience, hustle, and redefining success on your own terms. In this conversation: Growing up in Serbia during war and moving to the UK The immigrant mindset: autonomy, proving your value, and finding belonging Building Female Narratives and creating campaigns with purpose The hidden cost of overwork, burnout, and redefining success in your 30s Chapters 00:00:00 – Meet Tijana: Founder of Female Narratives 00:00:38 – Born in a country that no longer exists 00:02:36 – Returning to Serbia as war breaks out 00:05:01 – Escaping Belgrade & moving back to London 00:06:14 – Growing up fast & raised for autonomy 00:08:09 – Adapting to a new culture & proving worth 00:11:22 – Class divides & being told ‘you’re not one of us’ 00:12:59 – The drive to prove value through success 00:14:04 – Addicted to stress & chasing validation 00:16:01 – The immigrant safety net: bunk beds & starting a business 00:18:22 – Publishing comics & hustling early ventures 00:20:17 – Modeling, freelancing & never working for anyone else 00:25:00 – Moving to LA on an ‘extraordinary ability’ visa 00:29:49 – The kitchen floor idea: Female Narratives is born 00:32:11 – Building an all-female creative collective 00:35:31 – Riding the wave: Bumble, Nike & global campaigns 00:37:55 – Rebranding for inclusivity & brand intimacy 00:41:30 – Clients from female-led apps to heritage brands 00:43:41 – The power of events & being the host 00:50:44 – Scaling vs. staying sane: choosing balance 00:57:04 – Redefining success & setting financial goals 01:03:39 – The breaking point: burnout & physical collapse 01:08:35 – Lessons from burnout & learning boundaries 01:11:04 – What I’d tell my nine-year-old self