Hidden Foundations

Candice Shum on Family Business, Grit, and Leading Culligan KC | Hidden Foundations Ep. 5

In this episode of Hidden Foundations, Kendall Schoenrock sits down with Candice Shum of Culligan Water in Kansas City to explore what it means to inherit, lead, and grow a third-generation family business. Candice shares how her grandfather built the company, how her mother fought her way into leadership in a male-dominated industry, and how those early lessons shaped Candice’s own approach to grit, growth, parenting, and team culture. The conversation covers family business tension, female leadership, scaling a company, working with a spouse, raising teenagers, teaching kids resilience, and why there is no perfect balance between work and home. Candice also reflects on what it means to give the next generation opportunity without handing them a shortcut. Chapters 00:00 Cold Open: Grit, Leadership, and Falling Forward 00:41 Meet Candice Shum 01:18 Growing Up Inside Culligan Water 03:08 Her Grandfather, Her Mother, and the Fight to Lead 06:07 Perseverance Through Family Business Highs and Lows 14:03 Taking Over and Driving Growth 22:07 Female Leadership in a Male-Dominated Industry 26:16 Balancing Motherhood, Business, and Family Expectations 34:19 Working With Family and Bringing Business Home 39:21 Teaching Kids Grit, Rejection, and Opportunity 53:58 The Red Thread Across Generations Hidden Foundations is a weekly podcast hosted by entrepreneur and investor Kendall Schoenrock, examining how family systems, early adversity, and childhood dynamics quietly shape high-performing adults. Each conversation uncovers the “invisible wiring” behind resilience, ambition, leadership, and grit — told through candid stories from entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, and leaders. Guided by the thesis that strength is forged early at home, the show uses a consistent framework to explore emotional environments, money narratives, family roles, conflict patterns, and early challenges. Every episode delivers at least one practical, repeatable insight for parents, leaders, and anyone seeking to understand how greatness is built long before it’s visible. Subscribe to Our Newsletter: https://hiddenfoundations.com/#newsletter Learn more or connect with Kendall: Website: https://kendallschoenrock.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schoenrock/ SilverRock Ventures: https://silverrockventures.com/about-us/ YouTube: youtube.com/@HiddenFoundationsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6VKN6BBbuVxNDl4zKh4E3O?si=0c56c9aebfaf402e Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-foundations/id1895154229 #HiddenFoundations #FamilyBusiness #Leadership

Archie Menezes on Rock Bottom and Resilience | Hidden Foundations Ep. 4

In this episode of Hidden Foundations, Kendall Schoenrock sits down with Archie Menezes to explore the life experiences that shaped his resilience, leadership, and entrepreneurial mindset. Archie shares how a head injury ended his banking career, brought him close to depression, and forced him to rebuild from rock bottom with the help of therapy, faith, family, and lifelong friendships. The conversation moves from Archie’s childhood in India and his father’s sacrifice abroad, to the lessons of gratitude, support systems, and “fail fast” thinking. Archie also breaks down his current work in microbiome science, AI, precision medicine, and how gut health may shape the future of recovery, longevity, and pharmaceutical innovation. Chapters:  00:00 Cold Open: Rock Bottom, Fail Fast, and Microbiome Science 00:52 Meet Archie Menezes 01:08 From HSBC Banker to Unexpected U.S. Journey 03:45 The Head Injury That Forced a Career Pivot 05:46 Therapy, Support Systems, and a Second Chance 12:17 Childhood in India and the Roots of Resilience 16:37 His Father’s Sacrifice and Understanding the Why 25:06 Parenting, Communication, and Teaching Toughness 28:05 Startup Signals, Trust, and the Microbiome Opportunity 48:31 Building the Right Team and Knowing What Not to Do 55:51 Gratitude, Perspective, and Final Reflections A special thank you to The Franklin on Rittenhouse for graciously allowing us to record these episodes inside their hotel. Their hospitality, atmosphere, and attention to detail gave us the perfect setting to host thoughtful conversations and bring Hidden Foundations to life in Philadelphia. Check out their hotel here: https://www.thefranklinonrittenhouse.com/ https://www.instagram.com/franklinonrittenhouse/ Hidden Foundations is a weekly podcast hosted by entrepreneur and investor Kendall Schoenrock, examining how family systems, early adversity, and childhood dynamics quietly shape high-performing adults. Each conversation uncovers the “invisible wiring” behind resilience, ambition, leadership, and grit — told through candid stories from entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, and leaders. Guided by the thesis that strength is forged early at home, the show uses a consistent framework to explore emotional environments, money narratives, family roles, conflict patterns, and early challenges. Every episode delivers at least one practical, repeatable insight for parents, leaders, and anyone seeking to understand how greatness is built long before it’s visible. Subscribe to Our Newsletter: https://hiddenfoundations.com/#newsletter Learn more or connect with Kendall: Website: https://kendallschoenrock.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schoenrock/ SilverRock Ventures: https://silverrockventures.com/about-us/ YouTube: youtube.com/@HiddenFoundationsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6VKN6BBbuVxNDl4zKh4E3O?si=0c56c9aebfaf402e Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-foundations/id1895154229 #HiddenFoundations #Entrepreneurship #Resilience

From ACL Injury to Top Real Estate Agent | Hidden Foundations Ep. 3

In this episode of Hidden Foundations, Kendall Schoenrock sits down with Andrea Desy Edrei to explore how childhood exposure to business, years of dinner-table dealmaking, and a major ACL injury at NYU helped shape the way she leads today. What started as a multigenerational real estate upbringing eventually became a career built on negotiation, resilience, relationship-building, and the ability to read people well. Andrea shares how her parents brought her into the world of real estate early, how sports shaped her ability to handle pressure, and why tearing her ACL ended up expanding her view of what her life could become beyond basketball. She also talks about New York, 9/11, her pivot into real estate full time, and what it takes to build a high-performing team and culture in a relationship-driven business. If you care about entrepreneurship, leadership, family influence, and the hidden patterns that shape success, this conversation is for you. Chapters: 00:54 Meet Andrea 01:15 Growing Up in a Real Estate Family 07:08 What Makes Andrea a Top Performer 09:39 Dinner Table Deals and Early Business Lessons 19:38 The ACL Injury That Changed Everything 24:24 From 9/11 to Real Estate 33:19 Sports, Business Resilience, and Family Balance Hidden Foundations is a weekly podcast hosted by entrepreneur and investor Kendall Schoenrock, examining how family systems, early adversity, and childhood dynamics quietly shape high-performing adults. Each conversation uncovers the “invisible wiring” behind resilience, ambition, leadership, and grit — told through candid stories from entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, and leaders. Guided by the thesis that strength is forged early at home, the show uses a consistent framework to explore emotional environments, money narratives, family roles, conflict patterns, and early challenges. Every episode delivers at least one practical, repeatable insight for parents, leaders, and anyone seeking to understand how greatness is built long before it’s visible. Subscribe to Our Newsletter: https://hiddenfoundations.com/#newsletter Learn more or connect with Kendall: Website: https://kendallschoenrock.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schoenrock/ SilverRock Ventures: https://silverrockventures.com/about-us/ YouTube: youtube.com/@HiddenFoundationsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6VKN6BBbuVxNDl4zKh4E3O?si=0c56c9aebfaf402e Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-foundations/id1895154229 #HiddenFoundations #RealEstate #Leadership

Kortne Ford: Built by Pain, Driven by Purpose | Hidden Foundations Ep. 2

In this episode of Hidden Foundations, Kendall Schoenrock sits down with former MLS soccer player Kortne Ford for a powerful conversation about childhood trauma, physical abuse, grief, resilience, career-ending injuries, faith, and purpose. Kortne shares how fleeing Kansas as a child, losing both of his brothers in a car accident, and enduring years of setbacks shaped the grit that carried him to professional soccer. He also opens up about the surgery that derailed his career, the mental toll of staying silent, and how faith ultimately helped him rebuild his life after retirement. This episode also explores parenting, youth sports politics, emotional intelligence, and the mission behind Faith First Soccer Academy in Kansas City. If you care about leadership, healing, fatherhood, sports, and the family systems that shape us, this is one of the most honest Hidden Foundations conversations yet. Hidden Foundations is a weekly podcast hosted by entrepreneur and investor Kendall Schoenrock, examining how family systems, early adversity, and childhood dynamics quietly shape high-performing adults. Each conversation uncovers the “invisible wiring” behind resilience, ambition, leadership, and grit — told through candid stories from entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, and leaders. Guided by the thesis that strength is forged early at home, the show uses a consistent framework to explore emotional environments, money narratives, family roles, conflict patterns, and early challenges. Every episode delivers at least one practical, repeatable insight for parents, leaders, and anyone seeking to understand how greatness is built long before it’s visible. Learn more or connect with Kendall: Website: https://kendallschoenrock.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schoenrock/ SilverRock Ventures: https://silverrockventures.com/about-us/ YouTube: youtube.com/@HiddenFoundationsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6VKN6BBbuVxNDl4zKh4E3O?si=0c56c9aebfaf402e Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-foundations/id1895154229 #KortneFord #HiddenFoundations #Soccer

Peanut Allergies Are Preventable? So Why Are Kids Still at Risk? | Hidden Foundations Ep. 1

In this episode of Hidden Foundations, Kendall Schoenrock sits down with Meenal Lele to explore how her son’s severe food allergies changed the course of her life and career. Meenal breaks down food allergy prevention, peanut allergy prevention, early allergen introduction, the microbiome, and why so many parents still struggle to access practical solutions. She shares how her family’s experience led her into research, writing, and building tools to make prevention easier for families. The conversation also dives into the fear and trauma food allergies create for kids, how doctors and insurers shape access, and why a preventable problem still leaves so many parents overwhelmed. This is a powerful episode about parenting, science, entrepreneurship, and the broken systems standing between families and better outcomes. Chapters: 00:00 Peanut allergies are preventable? 00:44 Meet Meenal Lele 01:56 How her son’s food allergies began 05:58 Cradle cap, eczema, and the microbiome connection 11:26 The study that changed everything 14:06 Why allergen introduction is so hard for parents 15:21 Meenal’s science background and research process 17:43 From research rabbit hole to writing a book 18:49 The idea behind Little Mixins 20:31 The science of safer allergy prevention 25:34 How her parents shaped her mindset 36:47 Why doctors, not consumers, drive this market 40:24 Insurance, legislation, and the access problem 48:11 What viewers can do to help 49:49 The fear of raising a child with food allergies 53:07 Why dirt, dogs, and microbes matter 57:00 Pushback and support from the scientific community 1:02:05 Her advice for expecting parents 1:04:42 How to start fixing healthcare 1:08:00 Her advice for future entrepreneurs Hidden Foundations is a weekly podcast hosted by entrepreneur and investor Kendall Schoenrock, examining how family systems, early adversity, and childhood dynamics quietly shape high-performing adults. Each conversation uncovers the “invisible wiring” behind resilience, ambition, leadership, and grit — told through candid stories from entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, and leaders. Guided by the thesis that strength is forged early at home, the show uses a consistent framework to explore emotional environments, money narratives, family roles, conflict patterns, and early challenges. Every episode delivers at least one practical, repeatable insight for parents, leaders, and anyone seeking to understand how greatness is built long before it’s visible. Learn more or connect with Kendall: Website: https://kendallschoenrock.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schoenrock/ SilverRock Ventures: https://silverrockventures.com/about-us/ YouTube: youtube.com/@HiddenFoundationsPod #FoodAllergies #PeanutAllergy #Parenting