Startup Mindsets

Stephan Schenk is the designer-turned-entrepreneur behind Stapelstein, the German startup that is redefining children’s play through vibrant, ultra-light “stacking stones” made from 100 % recyclable EPP. Inspired by a childhood spent in a family of educators, Stephan set out to get kids moving in the classroom; what began as a dynamic chair concept in 2016 quickly evolved into an open-ended play system that lets children (and adults) build, balance, sort, and imagine without limits.

Learn more at stapelstein.comToday Stapelstein is a purpose-driven company headquartered near Stuttgart, employing 29 people and posting €40 million in annual turnover. Stephan has hard-wired social and environmental responsibility into the firm through a steward-ownership model, German-made carbon-neutral production, and a commitment to designing products that outlast trends and generations.Under his leadership, the brand’s rainbow-hued elements have earned a string of accolades, including Good Housekeeping’s Best Toy Award 2024 and multiple design honors for their minimalist aesthetic and durability. Stephan’s work has been featured at SXSW 2025, where he spoke on marrying playful design with positive societal impact.

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Alan Bautista is a good friend since high school. His career story is quite inspiring for those who feel stuck at dead end jobs maybe in the restaurant industry.

We also delve into politics, family life, and shoot the shit in this unfiltered conversation.

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What's up Startup Mindsets Nation! We've been out on the book tour in the Philippines but are BACK and better than EVER

If you've bought a copy of Startup Mindsets already, you don't know how much that means to me, thank you 🙏

If you'd like to order a copy, find it on Amazon.

Today's guest is Darren Cooke, the Chief Innovation/Entrepreneurship Officer at UC Berkeley. I was honored to have Darren on the podcast.

Time Stamps

(8:00) What does a CIO do? Coordinates resources

(15:00) Working for biotech companies

(25:00) How does Berkeley select which startups to work with

(36:00) Publishing a book

(37:25) Opinion on students pursuing entrepreneurial careers

(43:00) Experience at Columbia Law School

(45:00) Darren's Big Career Break

(47:00) What was your first job

(48:42) Book recs

Caroline Winnett is the Executive Director at Berkeley SkyDeck, a world leading startup accelerator.

We discuss

• What it is like running a startup accelerator.

• How academics make the decision to commercialize their ideas and research.

•  What Skydeck looks for in applicants.
• Advising startups on their best path forward.

About their fund _ _ _ _

The Berkeley SkyDeck Fund is the investment partner for UC Berkeley’s SkyDeck Accelerator Program. The Fund invests $200K into each startup that goes through SkyDeck, and can participate in later stage investment rounds with Berkeley founders. One of the most active seed investors in the Bay Area, the Fund has made over 130 investments in 3 years!

In a first-of-its-kind, public-private partnership, the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund shares one-half of fund profits with UC Berkeley. This unique partnership helps support UC Berkeley education and creates a source of funding for UC Berkeley’s public education mission.

The Berkeley SkyDeck Fund is run by Chon Tang, Managing Partner, and Brian Bordley, Partner. It is funded by organizations such as Sequoia Capital, Sierra Ventures, and Canvas Ventures, as well as other VC firms, individuals, and large corporations.

Learn more about Berkeley Skydeck: https://skydeck.berkeley.edu/our_team

GRAB YOUR COPY OF STARTUP MINDSETS ON AMAZON, UNLOCK VALUABLE LIFE AND BUSINESS INSIGHTS FROM OUR RESEARCH, PODCAST, AND LIFE EXPERIENCES: https://www.amazon.com/Startup-Mindsets-Blueprint-Innovation-Driven-Connected

He's debated Bill O'Reilly, our guest,Isaac Saul, started a politics newsletter called Tangle. It aims to make sense of the noise in politics by delivering straightforward journalism.

We learn about Isaac's interesting path to entrepreneurship in that it took 7 final interview job rejections to say, "Screw this, I'm starting a company."

Hear about

• Find the best cheesesteak in Philly
• When the revenue exceeded the income from his last job
• Advice for entrepreneurs and what success looks like.
• How Tangle cuts through to write fair honest news.

They have 280,000 readers and counting.

The only political news source trusted by people from all across the political spectrum. 100% independent, subscriber-supported, and non-partisan.

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Alex Londo and Mike Liu join the podcast to discuss their startup's partnership and collaboration.

In this conversation, Mike breaks down how FreeFuse is transforming customer engagement and training with interactive media, bringing a whole new level of personalization and impact to digital experiences. 🌐 Imagine being able to create paths and journeys within a single video—content that feels like it was made just for you!

But it doesn’t stop there. FreeFuse is also diving into automation with custom GPTs, helping teams streamline workflows and connect more effectively with their audiences. 📈

Check out the episode for insights into how interactive media can unlock new possibilities for businesses of any size. It’s a must-listen for founders, marketers, and anyone passionate about rethinking customer engagement!

🎧 Listen to the episode here: Startup Mindsets Podcast on Spotify📖 Dive deeper: FreeFuse x Startup Mindsets Partnership

#StartupMindsets #FreeFuse #InteractiveMedia #CustomerJourney #Automation #Podcast

Jane Mosbacher Morris stops by the podcast to share how her book and company go hand in hand in creating ethical supply chains for retail. Clients include Coca Cola, Visa, and Bloomingdales.

Jane Mosbacher Morris is the founder and CEO of To The Market, a turnkey solution for ethical manufacturing, connecting brands and retailers to a syndicated network of sustainable, story-rich suppliers. Jane started To The Market with a vision to democratize access to the global supply chain and provide makers around the world with the economic empowerment that comes from safe, dignified, fairly paid work. Our conversation covers Jane’s background in foreign relations, how To The Market is giving underrepresented entrepreneurs access to global supply chains, and the importance of sustainability and resilience in supply chains.

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Today’s guest is Torrey Smith, an eclectic entrepreneur and CEO of Endiatx, the pillbot startup. 

Watch the Pillbot in action on TedX: https://www.ted.com/talks/alex_luebke_vivek_kumbhari_how_you_could_see_inside_your_body_with_a_micro_robot?subtitle=en

My book, Startup Mindsets, is coming out on Jan. 26, 2025 reserve a copy with your email address here: https://www.startupmindsets.com/book

Your support over the years has meant a lot to me! We have eclipsed 8.1K streams on all podcast platforms this month. 

Submit questions for future guests or ask me something: https://www.startupmindsets.com/contact

Our merch store will be back up soon: startupmindsets.com/shop

Getting an investment after 3 years of email updates

4:24 Living with artists

7:00 building friendships all around the world

9:37 Endiatx name meaning

10:10 Swallowing robots

Clinical Trials in New Zealand, used in a real clinic

13:25 Handling negative feedback, keeping optimism in the face of rejection. 

33:20 Cool dialogue about venture and Silicon Valley 

36:30 90 clinics and 10 dreamers walk into a room

39:28 The nail that sticks out will get hammered down.

44:00 The least fundable startup company

47:00 Having nothing to lose, what you’re risking by not launching the company 

49:00 I innovate for the roof over my wife’s head, when I hustle I hustle for their sake, for the patients we can treat with this technology. 

Who are you fighting for? Why are you? Is your hustle pure? Are you trying to save lives?

52:00 Let’s go build some dreams! Slide Decks, Spreadsheets and Robots for the body.

Hello Startup Mindsets fam, happy October! Today's episode features Alan Bautista, a friend from high school who's had a successful career pivoting from working at restaurants to landing a meaningful career in

Recently, Alan was ranked Top 25 on SDRleader.com

This episode's especially valuable to those looking for a career change, software sales stories, and inspiration to overcome adversity.

Connect with Alan on the LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jalan4/

Join our free community of entrepreneurs, hustlers, and the like on Freefuse with the explorer tier.

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Grab some merch: https://www.startupmindsets.com/shop