Shows
Failure DecodedLeadership Redefined: Insights with Adam KinglAdam Kingl is a globally renowned leadership expert, educator, and keynote speaker known for his insights into next generation leadership, innovation, and future trends. He has worked extensively with companies, helping navigate challenges and adapt to changing business landscapes. Adam is also an adjunct faculty at a number of institutions notable University College London, where he teaches courses on leadership, strategy, and innovation. His expertise lies in understanding the intersection of leadership and organizational dynamics in a rapidly evolving world.Adam Kingl's research focuses on understanding the work and leadership dynamics of Generation Y, a de...
2024-05-2839 minFailure DecodedBeyond Boundaries: Chris Guillebeau's Journey Navigating Failure and SuccessChris Guillebeau is more than just an author, podcast host, entrepreneur; he's a modern-day adventurer, community builder with a penchant for pushing boundaries. Renowned for accomplishing the remarkable feat of visiting every country in the world by the age of 35, Guillebeau's journey has become an inspiration to countless seekers of unconventional paths.As the prolific author of bestsellers like "The Art of Non-Conformity" and "The $100 Startup," Chris shares insights that transcend traditional norms. His work extends beyond the written word, as he hosts the "Side Hustle School" podcast, guiding aspiring entrepreneurs on their journey to turning ideas...
2023-12-1625 minFailure DecodedFailure is not for the faint-hearted and weak-willed: Power talk with Melanie ElturkMelanie Elturk. a former civil rights attorney, is the visionary CEO behind Haute Hijab, a preeminent U.S. hijab brand.A graduate of Wayne State University, Melanie's academic prowess paved the way for her to attain a Juris Doctorate from the university's esteemed law school at a remarkable age—23. Armed with a passion for social justice, she seamlessly transitioned from the realm of civil rights advocacy to the fashion industry.Melanie Elturk's entrepreneurial journey is a captivating narrative of trailblazing resilience, clarity of vision, steadfastness, honesty, leadership and pursuit of how to find contentment in the...
2023-11-1242 minFailure DecodedEmbracing Failure: the key missing piece in entrepreneurial success with David SilverbergDavid Silverberg is a freelance writer, journalist, entrepreneur, editor, poet, storytelller and writing coach. From embracing rejection to discussing the importance of failure in entrepreneurship, David's journey from reporting on Fuck Up Nights Toronto , writing to BBC, to coaching writers is a testament to resilience and niche expertise. Learn from his experiences and gain insights on lessons learned, startup ecosystems, and the power of mentoring in the entrepreneurial world.7:34 Anyone who works in the freelance space is an entrepreneur.9:14 Rejection is part of the process, just keep at it.
2023-10-0146 minFailure DecodedPower Up: Exploring new business opportunities to navigate the global financial crisis of 2023In this episode Dr Pradeep Kumar Sacitharan shares his experience and insights about the current Global Recession and how it has impacted different sections of the society and businesses. The year 2023 has seen the collapse and failure of some of the biggest banks in the United States of America and the European countries are experiencing rising cost of living that has left many people food insecure.The resilience of an economy is influenced by numerous factors, and it's important to recognize that the economic performance and resilience of a country can be influenced by a wide range o...
2023-09-1139 minFailure DecodedAllow yourself to fail, it is not the end of the world.In this episode we talk to Iman Grewal about entrepreneurship and compassion. Iman's journey is one of creativity, business, and relentless passion for helping others. She embarked on her professional life as an artist, immersing herself in the world of performance, production, and curation. Iman's artistic endeavors took her to prestigious organizations and events around the globe, including the World Economic Forum, where she left an indelible mark with her talent and creativity.Multi hyphenated, multi faceted artist, entrepreneur navigating challenges and achieving success but never at the cost of mental health. Infact, Iman i...
2023-08-0848 minFailure DecodedInvesting without the jargon with Girls That Invest's Simran KaurIn this episode of Failure Decoded we talked to Simran Kaur, Co-Founder of Girls That Invest, an award winning podcast and Masterclass in the financial education space.Simran and her Co-Founder Sonya are millennial investors who make financial literacy simple. They remove all the jargon to help people start investing and gain financial freedom.We talked about how to get started with investing, overcoming fear, handling failure and what it's like working with your best friend. Show Notes:2:25 - Simran's entrepreneurial journey 5:25 - marketing money towards women...
2023-07-2832 minFailure DecodedFrom dropout to Oxford to successful e-com business ownerPradeep Kumar Sacitharan shares his journey from high school dropout to Ph.D to successful e-commerce business owner.His resilience and persistence has carried him through many failures, including submitting 47 applications before getting accepted into Oxford and making over 250 cold calls to break into the e-commerce industry. Learn how Pradeep handles rejection, finds opportunities, delegates and does cold outreach. He also explains the importance of having a low ego and why knowledge isn't necessarily power. Show Notes:2:49 - Pradeep shares his story 7:48 - How Pradeep cultivated his...
2023-07-2133 minFailure DecodedFailure is just another opportunity to try something newNicole Teschl is the founder of a Canadian greeting card company SowSweet Greetings based in Toronto, Ontario. The cards designed by Nicole are riddled with puns and the best part is that they grow into wildflowers once you plant them.Nicole uses beautiful drawings and wordplay in her cards to bring to life every occasion and warm every heart it touches.In this episode of Failure Decoded Nicole talks about her journey, transitioning from teaching to becoming an entrepreneur. She has been featured on numerous media outlets like BlogTO, CTV News and this is j...
2023-07-1048 minFailure DecodedStarting a podcast, handling rejection and defining failure with Amanda PereiraIn this episode we talk to Amanda Pereira, an award winning podcaster about life, skills, mindset, podcasting and everything in between. Amanda is an actor, comedian, creator, and hosts a multi award-nominated podcast the Liquid Courage Podcast.This episode is for those who want to start a dream project but have been procrastinating. It is never too late to start as long as you do start. Amanda, with dignified vulnerability, walks through her mindset shift when faced with rejections or hardships.Show Notes5:13...
2023-03-0656 minFailure DecodedThe Museum of Failure with Samuel WestDr. Samuel West, a licensed psychologist, and PhD in Organizational Psychology, is the founder and curator of the Museum of Failure. He talks to us about the fear of failure, psychological safety, taking risks and how he started the museum. The Museum of Failure tours the world and showcases failed ideas, products, services and innovations. It was first launched in Sweden in 2017 and has been featured in numerous countries since. The exhibit is making its way to Brooklyn in March 2023. The museum aims to stimulate productive discussion about failure and inspire us to take m...
2023-02-2452 minFailure DecodedBecoming a model at 53 with Caroline LabouchereCaroline Labouchere, an entrepreneur, grey model and motivational speaker gives us a raw perspective of what one goes through when life throws an unexpected curveball.Caroline is now on a mission to empower women to realize their potential and take control of their lives.Show Notes:3:19 - Going into the unknown and being brave.3:44 - Working professionally as a model for the first time at 53.4:43 - Caroline Labouchere’s story that changed her life.6:21 - Navigating failure or difficult situations can me...
2023-02-1527 minFailure DecodedPassion, persistence and patience with Pilot Rizwan TajRizwan Taj talks about his viral Instagram account, his non-linear career path, and his life advice that can be applied to entrepreneurship. From flying airplanes with the best pilots in the world to working in a tire shop, Rizwan has had an unconventional career. He believes in making peace with your situation and keep on hustling towards your goals. If you fail, don't give up hope.Show Notes:2:15 - Cracking the code of going viral on Instagram.3:00 - Rizwan proclaims, “My wife is the reason behind my social me...
2023-02-1441 minFailure DecodedNew Year, New Intro: What Failure Decoded is All AboutShamsiya and Rachel are shining a light on the founder stories you don't see in the headlines. On Failure Decoded you'll hear interviews with entrepreneurs who've experienced failure, made rookie mistakes, pivoted and overcome obstacles.The show aims to decode and destigmatize failure. After all, everyone fails! So why isn't it talked about more? If there's one thing you'll take away from the conversations had on Failure Decoded it's that failure leads to success when approached the right way. Learn from founders who transform failures into opportunities for growth and how you can too.
2023-01-1023 minFailure DecodedBiggest Business Failures of 2022Shamsiya and Rachel wrap up the last episode of Failure Decoded for 2022. They discuss some of the biggest business failures of the year including crypto, Meta, Peloton and NFTs. Show Notes:1:40 - Shamsiya getting accepted into the Elizabeth Fry My Startup Training Program.3:30 - Rachel emphasizes the importance of continuous learning as an entrepreneur.4:40 - Zuckerberg lost 11 billion dollars of net worth in one day!10:54 - the volatility of Crypto currency.17:31 - Amazon’s Alexa is a huge fai...
2022-12-2933 minFailure DecodedFailure as a Service with Aaquib Hussain, Founding Partner at Freeflow Venture BuildersAaquib is the Co-founder & Chief Integrator at FreeFlow Venture, an Incubator and Accelerator for startups. Aaquib is an advisor to the prestigious Indian Institute of Management, India and Startup India. He's also a celebrated public speaker and a prominent jury member at various global tech startup events.In this episode, Aaquib deep dives into his journey as a startup founder who found astounding success really early and how the failure that followed had an impact on the way he approached his subsequent startup ventures and the genesis of his philosophy " Failure as a Service". ...
2022-12-2858 minFailure DecodedFinding your ‘why’ and giving back with Peace by Chocolate Founder Tareq HadhadTareq Hadhad is a Syrian-Canadian entrepreneur, keynote speaker and the founder of Peace By Chocolate. He is the recipient of many accolades including Start Up Canada’s National Newcomer Entrepreneur Award, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Atlantic, Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal and more. Peace by Chocolate, is a family run company echoing the spirit of resilience, hope and determination to thrive and flourish defying all odds.Passionate about peace and entrepreneurship, Tareq and his family relaunched their family’s chocolate business in Canada after their factory and home in Syria were destroyed. Tare...
2022-12-1152 minFailure DecodedLuxury custom bra maker Ruhee Rajan pivoted her business model to survive the pandemicIn this episode Ruhee Rajan, the founder of Rubies Bras, talks about how she built her business from scratch, learnt how to sew, changed the business model to survive the pandemic, leveraged government grants and also about being featured on Vogue.com.Rubies Bras specializes in luxury custom-made bras. Originally Ruhee relied on in-person fittings to deliver her products. Once the pandemic hit all in-person fittings came to a halt. Rubies Bras managed to find its footing during the tough times. The brand evolved, adapted and thrived but the journey was not easy. Hear Ruhee's story!
2022-11-3051 minFailure DecodedSolving chronic pain, health tech and avoiding burn out with Arun NijhawanIn this episode Arun Nijhawan, the co-founder of Menda Health, talks about everything from getting acquired, developing a routine to avoid burn out, co-founder relationships and tips for new entrepreneurs. He shares with us that the feeling of success is fleeting so it’s important to work towards something that serves others. His company Menda Health is on a mission to serve those who suffer from chronic pain (over 1 billion worldwide) through virtual Pain Reprocessing Therapy. Show Notes:3:03 - Arun’s struggle with c...
2022-11-1049 minFailure DecodedNegotiation Skills and Strategies with Professor George SiedelNegotiation expert, George Siedel, shared 4 key concepts for negotiating: Know your key numbers Get to know the other side on a personal levelAsk lots questionsListen carefully George is an author and professor at the University of Michigan and has taught over 1.5M students about negotiation through his online course! If negotiating feels intimidating to you you’ll enjoy this episode of Failure Decoded where Professor Siedel breaks down negotiation strategies that will set you up for success.---- Show Notes:1:40 - Shamsiya introduces Professor George Siedel
2022-11-0141 minFailure DecodedFailing the bar exam, fighting perfectionism & embracing failure with Ashley Menzies BabatundeAshley Menzies Babatunde is an attorney, graduate of Stanford and Harvard Law School, activist, disruptive thinker, a natural storyteller and podcaster.Failure, setbacks or success do not define her. She is proud of her success because she has worked extremely hard to beat failure. Her podcast, No Straight Path, is all about highlighting stories, emphasizing communities and learning from people's experiences and also helping others get access to these stories. Ashley shares her friend’s perspective about failure which helped her embrace failure as a normal part of everyone’s success story. Ash...
2022-10-2739 minFailure Decoded8 Failed Startups in 6 Years with Landon SanfordLandon Sanford is a serial entrepreneur, an ex-YCombinator/Sequoia backed founder & ex-Googler who joins us to talk about his love of building things, launching ventures, his experience with raising funds and failure. Show Notes:0:35 - Landon’s viral LinkedIn post about launching 8 startups in 6 years 1:52 - Landon talks about some of the industries he’s worked in 3:00 - Shamsiya introduces Landon 5:26 - Landon’s advice for raising funds7:45 - Raising money vs bootstrapping 8:55 - Being a non-technical founder10:15 - Classic entrepreneurial mistak...
2022-10-2044 minFailure DecodedParallels between history and new age innovations, prototyping & Elon Musk’s success with Erik EngheimErik Engheim, a software developer, educator and author, draws interesting parallels between historical events and new age innovation strategies.He also deep dives into the hands on approach with which Elon Musk is paving the way for futuristic innovations. In one of his many articles, Erik reiterates how people do not have to like Elon Musk to laud his accomplishments. Musk's approach to innovation largely involves iteration and prototyping. This strategy is perhaps why he can embrace failure with confidence, even when the odds are against him. Show Notes:
2022-10-1034 minFailure DecodedBuying real estate for Airbnb, how to keep a level head and anticipating problemsRachel shares her experience buying a rental property for Airbnb. She talks about all the things that went wrong and the mindset needed to keep a level head when things aren't going your way.Show Notes:0:35 - Rachel talks about buying an investment property for Airbnb with her husband1:35 - How and why they picked the Hilton Head market 3:20 - First hiccup - they fly to Hilton Head to tour properties but their original realtor ghosted them 5:42 - Second hiccup - making their first offer and finding...
2022-10-0429 minFailure DecodedHow To Start A PodcastRachel and Shamsiya talk about how to start a podcast, what tools they use and how they came up with the concept for Failure Decoded. They also talk about the first failure they experienced as podcast hosts. Show Notes:0:30 - Failure Decoded's first failure 3:45 - How we handle rejection and failure 8:45 - Step 1 for starting a podcast - finding a niche 11:45 - Step 2 - Finding the format, frequency and name 13:55 - Step 3 - Tips for creating a logo that pops 16:58 - Step 4...
2022-09-2934 minFailure DecodedHow to Cold Outreach Anyone and Get a ResponseBeing good at cold outreach is an extremely important skill as an entrepreneur. You can create a lot of opportunities for yourself if you master this skill and develop the confidence to face rejection. Rachel talks about her experience with door-to-door sales, selling credit cards at a gas station and starting a Holiday gift box business two months before Christmas using cold outreach techniques.--- Show Notes:1:00 - Rachel talks about her door-to-door sales jobs in University and learning to face rejection5:50 - Rachel breaks down the c...
2022-09-2131 minFailure DecodedElon Musk’s ability to handle failure, his mental stamina and polarizing personaIn this episode we give you a glimpse of how two nerdy entrepreneurs have coffee table conversations about Elon Musk. We talk about why he is so polarizing, his power to get away with trolling, his vision, mental stamina and his eccentric work-life situation.We explore how Elon Musk is that one entrepreneur who is not afraid to fail. He has built his entire prototyping, iteration and testing strategy to minimize the cost of failure.Show Notes:3:10- What is the effect of his trolling tweet about The Rings o...
2022-09-1419 minFailure DecodedPrototyping, Hiring, Finding Mentors and Working with Your Spouse with Masooma AftabMasooma, the founder of Kids Bolo, talks about prototyping, finding mentors, networking tips, enduring sleepless nights and what it’s like to work with her husband.She walks us through the initial steps she took to start Kids Bolo, the process of setting up a launch campaign and some of the businesses she tried to start that failed. Show Notes: 1:30 - Masooma tells us how she started Kids Bolo 3:20 - She talks about the tech side of Kids Bolo and the sleepless nights it took to get it launc...
2022-09-1338 minFailure DecodedTime Management and Self-Care Strategies to Reduce Burn Out and Succeed at LifeWe all have 24 hours in a day but no one has time. This leaves us feeling stressed, burnt out and like failures. In this episode we talk about looking inward to figure out what time management system works best for you. There's no one size fits all! We also talk about what self-care really means. Mastering time management and a self-care practice are essential to leading a successful and balanced life that makes you happy, healthy and fulfilled.Show Notes:1:09 - Shamsiya explains why you need to start by looking inward before you...
2022-09-0845 minFailure DecodedStarting a global design agency, the benefits of hiring a coach and networking for introverts with Nora BenNora Ben talks about starting (and stoping) her first business venture then returning to a 9-5 job before taking the plunge into entrepreneurship again and launching her current business, a global interior design agency called LivHoli.Nora shares the benefits of hiring a coach and the importance of hearing constructive criticism in order to grow. She believes in the mindset of viewing your work as an act of service to others. This mindset as enabled her to get most of her clients through referrals and helped her expand into many countries.She also shares some...
2022-08-3033 minFailure DecodedHow Sobriety, AA and Going to University Led Danijela Kovac on the Path of EntrepreneurshipDanijela Kovac shares her story of sobriety and how AA and going to University as a mature student changed her life. Danijela is the founder of Teetotaler Wines, a sober woman-owned company of award-winning nonalcoholic wines. Teetotaler’s Sparkling Rose was featured in the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That! Her years of experience working in hospitality sparked her passion for food and wine. Unfortunately her struggle with alcohol took over and she spent 9 years battling addiction. She tells us about her journey, the struggles she faced, and what inspired her to start her own...
2022-08-2538 minFailure DecodedLack of Legal Contracts, Inexperience and a Failed Food Truck Business with Shamsiya Shamsiya invested in a food truck business with a family friend in 2015. Things seemed to be going great until one day her friend called her up and told her he dissolved the business and sold the truck without consulting her! She tells us some of her biggest learnings from the experience - like having hard conversations, getting things in writing, being experienced in your industry and taking responsibility for your part in any situation. Show Notes:2:00 - Shamsiya talks about investing in a food truck with a family friend5...
2022-08-2226 minFailure DecodedNetworking Tips for BeginnersNetworking is essential for entrepreneurs, but let’s be real…it can feel awkward. In this episode we give you actionable tips you can use to meet new people and build genuine connection. Because you never know where your next customer, employee, investor or business partner might come from! Show Notes:0:42 - Intro2:28 - How to find events and niche groups to join4:25 - Start networking now. Don’t wait until you need something because it takes time9:30 - Be more interested than interesting11:35...
2022-08-1627 minFailure DecodedThe downfall of BlackBerry & why building an MVP can save you from failure with Susahosh RahmanBuilding an MVP or prototype can save you from yourself! Want an easy way to avoid failure? Find product market fit before investing too much into an idea. Susahosh is a software engineer and the Founder of Metaii, a dev shop based in Toronto. He tells us when it comes to developing an MVP it’s crucial to build for functionality at the beginning, even if it means sacrificing style. Before starting his own business he worked for BlackBerry (called RIM at the time). Get his take on why BlackBerry failed so spectacularly. Links:
2022-08-0232 minFailure DecodedThieving co-founders, giving up too much equity and losing your company with Emery BishopHe lost two businesses and his girlfriend! Emery Bishop, Founder of Space Age, talks about some of his biggest mistakes, from giving up too much equity to investors to partnering with a co-founder who tried to steal the company. Get his advice for avoiding some of the common mistakes new entrepreneurs make. -----Links:Space Age Emery's TwitterFailure Decoded InstagramFailure DecodedYour Hosts:ShamsiyaInstagramLinkedInRachelLinkedInTwitterIn...
2022-08-0257 minFailure DecodedWhy start a podcast about failure?Welcome to the intro episode of Failure Decoded! Your hosts Rachel and Shamsiya will explain why they created a podcast about failure and what you can expect to learn from tuning in. They also break down a TedTalk by Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert. Elizabeth lost her confidence after the success of Eat, Pray, Love and thought about giving up writing. She describes how extreme success can feel just as disorientating as extreme failure. So how do you find the middle ground? Tune in to find out.Your Hosts:
2022-08-0220 min