//podcastplus.net/feed/founders-unfound~3401b124 We spotlight amazing tech entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds. Our focus right now is on black founders of African descent. Our guest tell incredible stories with lessons and insights woven in. Fri, 15 May 2026 08:33:06 +0000 https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1058129_medium.m4a?p=rss Ezinne Iroanya-Adeoye is Founder and CEO of SKNMUSE, the premium beauty brand dedicated to elevating the beauty experience for the modern black woman. Ezinne was born and raised in Nigeria. After graduating from high school at 15 and ace-ing her SATs, she came to the US for college. She thought she was going to be a petroleum engineer. Lucky for the rest of us, that didn’t happen. Ezinne never forgot the joy she found in the soothing remedies her mom and grandmother prepared for her dry skin. She’s paying it back now, with her luxurious balms, oils, and body butters. For Ezinne, beauty is culture, and she’s on a mission to make the beauty counter reflect more inclusively.Ezinne has a great story, you’ll want to listen in.In this episode Ezinne and Dan discussed:Changing majors 3 times in collegeHow her brand wants everyone to feel like "Omalicha Nwa" (beautiful one)The day her brand was featured by BeyoncéHow her mom is even more of a fashionista tha... Fri, 18 Jun 2021 22:03:37 +0000 https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1058129_medium.m4a?p=rss https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1058129_medium.m4a?p=rss Ezinne Iroanya-Adeoye is Founder and CEO of SKNMUSE, the premium beauty brand dedicated to elevating the beauty experience for the modern black woman. Ezinne was born and raised in Nigeria. After graduating from high school at 15 and ace-ing her SATs, she came to the US for college. She thought she was going to be a petroleum engineer. Lucky for the rest of us, that didn’t happen. Ezinne never forgot the joy she found in the soothing remedies her mom and grandmother prepared for her dry skin. She’s paying it back now, with her luxurious balms, oils, and body butters. For Ezinne, beauty is culture, and she’s on a mission to make the beauty counter reflect more inclusively.Ezinne has a great story, you’ll want to listen in.In this episode Ezinne and Dan discussed:Changing majors 3 times in collegeHow her brand wants everyone to feel like "Omalicha Nwa" (beautiful one)The day her brand was featured by BeyoncéHow her mom is even more of a fashionista tha... Fri, 18 Jun 2021 22:03:37 +0000 https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1058129_medium.m4a?p=rss https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1058129_medium.m4a?p=rss Ezinne Iroanya-Adeoye is Founder and CEO of SKNMUSE, the premium beauty brand dedicated to elevating the beauty experience for the modern black woman. Ezinne was born and raised in Nigeria. After graduating from high school at 15 and ace-ing her SATs, she came to the US for college. She thought she was going to be a petroleum engineer. Lucky for the rest of us, that didn’t happen. Ezinne never forgot the joy she found in the soothing remedies her mom and grandmother prepared for her dry skin. She’s paying it back now, with her luxurious balms, oils, and body butters. For Ezinne, beauty is culture, and she’s on a mission to make the beauty counter reflect more inclusively.Ezinne has a great story, you’ll want to listen in.In this episode Ezinne and Dan discussed:Changing majors 3 times in collegeHow her brand wants everyone to feel like "Omalicha Nwa" (beautiful one)The day her brand was featured by BeyoncéHow her mom is even more of a fashionista tha... Fri, 18 Jun 2021 22:03:37 +0000 https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1058129_medium.m4a?p=rss https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1054456_medium.m4a?p=rss OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event streaming from your city.In this episode Sonja and Dan discussed:growing up in Durham NCThe call to engineeringThe career arc between academia and entrepreneurshipWhy the legal system can feel riggedHow African Americans are, by necessity, innovative and entrepreneurialDr. Sonja Ebron Co-founder and CEO of Courtroom5, a company that makes an automated legal toolbox that helps people represent themselves in court. Sonja has one of the amazing backgrounds, engineering academia, a repeat entrepreneur, but it took a challenging experience of our own with the legal system to unleash your mission and passion for the startup life. She has a strong conviction that fairness and the justice system shouldn't depend on unequitable access to knowledge or resources and our conversation. She talked about the allure of engineer... Fri, 11 Jun 2021 16:15:28 +0000 https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1054456_medium.m4a?p=rss https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1054456_medium.m4a?p=rss OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:Founders Livethe global venue for entrepreneurs to experience events, content, and community.Check out founderslive.com to join and to find a live event streaming from your city.In this episode Sonja and Dan discussed:growing up in Durham NCThe call to engineeringThe career arc between academia and entrepreneurshipWhy the legal system can feel riggedHow African Americans are, by necessity, innovative and entrepreneurialDr. Sonja Ebron Co-founder and CEO of Courtroom5, a company that makes an automated legal toolbox that helps people represent themselves in court. Sonja has one of the amazing backgrounds, engineering academia, a repeat entrepreneur, but it took a challenging experience of our own with the legal system to unleash your mission and passion for the startup life. She has a strong conviction that fairness and the justice system shouldn't depend on unequitable access to knowledge or resources and our conversation. She talked about the allure of engineer... Fri, 11 Jun 2021 16:15:28 +0000 https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1054456_medium.m4a?p=rss https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1046827_medium.m4a?p=rss The PlugDelivering clear analysis and powerful insights on what's shaping the Black innovation economy.Get your annual subscription to The Plug at tpinsights.comIn this episode Amira and Dan discussed:growing up in the same town as Zach Braff and SZAThe blog that explored Bobbie Austin's ClosetHer college experience in CapeTown South AfricaHow her vision for The Folklore originated long before the companyHer great advice for other black women foundersAmira Rasool is the Founder and CEO of The Folklore, an omnichannel platform that is bringing luxury and emerging designer brands from Africa online for the first time. Amira has that fearlessness that just draws you in. She says it got her in trouble when she was younger, but we're betting it will help her succeed as a founder. She and The Folklore have been featured everywhere from Forbes and Fast Company, to Vogue and Essence. Amira has just recently completed the Techstars program here in Seattle. Dan sat down with her to talk about The Folk... Sat, 29 May 2021 00:49:54 +0000 https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1046827_medium.m4a?p=rss https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1046827_medium.m4a?p=rss The PlugDelivering clear analysis and powerful insights on what's shaping the Black innovation economy.Get your annual subscription to The Plug at tpinsights.comIn this episode Amira and Dan discussed:growing up in the same town as Zach Braff and SZAThe blog that explored Bobbie Austin's ClosetHer college experience in CapeTown South AfricaHow her vision for The Folklore originated long before the companyHer great advice for other black women foundersAmira Rasool is the Founder and CEO of The Folklore, an omnichannel platform that is bringing luxury and emerging designer brands from Africa online for the first time. Amira has that fearlessness that just draws you in. She says it got her in trouble when she was younger, but we're betting it will help her succeed as a founder. She and The Folklore have been featured everywhere from Forbes and Fast Company, to Vogue and Essence. Amira has just recently completed the Techstars program here in Seattle. Dan sat down with her to talk about The Folk... Sat, 29 May 2021 00:49:54 +0000 https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1046827_medium.m4a?p=rss https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1039353_medium.m4a?p=rss OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:Trajectory: Startup - Ideation to Product/Market FitA brand new book by entrepreneur and investor Dave Parker.This hot-off-the-presses publication is THE playbook for those at the earliest stages of the startup journey. Or even if you are just contemplating the jump to entrepreneurship. To get this great resource, go to dkparker.com or find anywhere you buy books.In this episode Stephen and Dan discussed:growing up in an Oregon suburbhow a chance elective sent his life on a new pathworking with his brother as co-founderswhy a developer's non-coding background mattersStephen Ajayi is the Co-Founder and CEO of YearOne, a company that helps individuals coming out of code schools, land incredible jobs. But getting jobs for Bootcamp grads is not all they do. YearOne also supports new employees through their early careers within technology companies - setting them up for long-term success as well. Stephen knows the journey of the YearOne community, intimately. He moved away fr... Thu, 13 May 2021 22:54:50 +0000 https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1039353_medium.m4a?p=rss https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1039353_medium.m4a?p=rss OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:Trajectory: Startup - Ideation to Product/Market FitA brand new book by entrepreneur and investor Dave Parker.This hot-off-the-presses publication is THE playbook for those at the earliest stages of the startup journey. Or even if you are just contemplating the jump to entrepreneurship. To get this great resource, go to dkparker.com or find anywhere you buy books.In this episode Stephen and Dan discussed:growing up in an Oregon suburbhow a chance elective sent his life on a new pathworking with his brother as co-founderswhy a developer's non-coding background mattersStephen Ajayi is the Co-Founder and CEO of YearOne, a company that helps individuals coming out of code schools, land incredible jobs. But getting jobs for Bootcamp grads is not all they do. YearOne also supports new employees through their early careers within technology companies - setting them up for long-term success as well. Stephen knows the journey of the YearOne community, intimately. He moved away fr... Thu, 13 May 2021 22:54:50 +0000 https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1039353_medium.m4a?p=rss https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1039353_medium.m4a?p=rss OUR SPONSORS FOR THIS EPISODE:Trajectory: Startup - Ideation to Product/Market FitA brand new book by entrepreneur and investor Dave Parker.This hot-off-the-presses publication is THE playbook for those at the earliest stages of the startup journey. Or even if you are just contemplating the jump to entrepreneurship. To get this great resource, go to dkparker.com or find anywhere you buy books.In this episode Stephen and Dan discussed:growing up in an Oregon suburbhow a chance elective sent his life on a new pathworking with his brother as co-founderswhy a developer's non-coding background mattersStephen Ajayi is the Co-Founder and CEO of YearOne, a company that helps individuals coming out of code schools, land incredible jobs. But getting jobs for Bootcamp grads is not all they do. YearOne also supports new employees through their early careers within technology companies - setting them up for long-term success as well. Stephen knows the journey of the YearOne community, intimately. He moved away fr... Thu, 13 May 2021 22:54:50 +0000 https://dl.iono.fm/epi/prov_1737/epi_1039353_medium.m4a?p=rss