))
Soul Venture Stories: Startup Lessons You Won’t Learn from Business School
Manage episode 493137279 series 3590766
Content provided by Nikki and Nikki Walton. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Nikki and Nikki Walton or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.
⏱️ Timestamped Show Notes
[00:00] Intro – Meet Ashwin Gulati, author of Soul Venture, and his global journey from India to Silicon Valley
[01:30] Ashwin’s personal backstory: early jobs, college in the U.S. and U.K., and what led him to startups
[03:45] From side hustles in Europe to launching his first U.S. company in 1997
[05:20] Why writing Soul Venture wasn’t just a business move—it was deeply personal
[06:50] The cost of vulnerability: publishing a book after decades of privacy
[08:05] Explaining startup culture to solopreneurs—what it really means to “start something big”
[10:00] Freedom vs. fantasy: how startup founders often create 20 bosses instead of one
[11:25] Tips from the trenches – why self-care should be part of your business model
[13:10] Core Dream Team vs. Business Dream Team: the therapists and coaches behind sustainable success
[14:45] Timing: the invisible killer of startups
[16:15] Customers, cashflow, and chaos – hard truths about what breaks a business
[17:10] Solopreneur vs. entrepreneur: defining the difference and pros/cons of each
[19:00] Nikki shares her story: how her accidental business still challenges her daily
[21:30] Burnout, drive, and trauma: what your body knows that your business ignores
[23:40] Why personal growth matters more than perfection in business
[25:10] The hardest kind of startup? Restaurants—and why they fail so often
[27:30] Tech startups vs. hospitality: comparing chaos and complexity
[30:00] Team conflict, expectations, and the reality of startup HR
[33:00] Managing people vs. managing a product—where most founders fall short
[35:10] Ashwin’s first startup: a 1997 research tool that predated Pinterest
[37:00] The dot-com bust, pivoting, and surviving as a founder
[38:30] Music talk – from disco kids to Taylor Swift and staying power in both business and pop culture
[40:30] Closing thoughts – the need for honest conversations in the startup world
[41:15] Where to find Soul Venture and connect with Ashwin
38 episodes
Share
