Joseph Lee started his entrepreneurial journey at 15, flipping electronics on Craigslist to fund his education. Today, he’s the founder and CEO of Supademo, a fast-growing platform that’s transforming how teams create interactive product demos. In this episode of Off to the Valley , Joseph shares how he went from dropping out of university to launching Supademo and landing over 2,000 users in the first five months. We unpack: How doing things that don’t scale built momentum early on Why “launch”...
Jul 16, 2025•36 min•Ep. 27
In this episode of Off to the Valley , I sit down with Nida Ateeq, founder and CMO of Anagar Media, a marketing agency that helps B2B companies transition from brand confusion to pipeline clarity. Nida shares her journey of moving from India to Canada, launching a business in a new country, and landing her first clients through trust, community, and personal branding. She unpacks how she built a thriving referral engine, her top AI tools for scaling B2B marketing, and the mindset shifts required...
Jul 03, 2025•36 min•Ep. 26
What happens after the visa gets approved? In this episode of Off To The Valley , I sit down with Nino Melikidze, co-founder and CEO of Immitracker, to talk about the invisible side of immigration, the identity shifts, career resets, and emotional weight that don’t make it onto official paperwork. Nino shares what it felt like to start over in Canada, how long it really takes to feel at home, and why she created a product that helps thousands of immigrants navigate that transition. We talk about...
Jun 18, 2025•35 min•Ep. 25
What do you do when customers ask for the wrong things? Toni Hopponen, founder of LandingRabbit and previously Flockler (acquired in 2023), joins Off To The Valley to unpack what 13 years of bootstrapped SaaS taught him. From building a self-serve product without a sales team to decoding landing pages that actually convert, Toni shares real, hard-earned lessons about customer interviews, product intuition, and why founder-led growth has its limits. We also talk: His move from Finland to the UK t...
Jun 04, 2025•31 min•Ep. 24
From one rupee rentals to building Goldcast, Palash Soni’s founder story is as real as it gets. In this episode of Off to the Valley , Palash, Co-founder and CEO of Goldcast, walks us through his early entrepreneurial sparks in a small Indian town, launching a side hustle at age 10, and eventually founding a VC-backed SaaS company out of Harvard. We talk about: Building Goldcast in the middle of business school Navigating student debt while starting up How to validate SaaS ideas in a noisy AI ma...
May 22, 2025•33 min•Ep. 23
In this episode of Off To The Valley , Aashni Shah, founder and CEO of HypeDocs, opens up about hitting a breaking point and what it took to rebuild with more clarity, purpose, and joy. From navigating a tough pivot, shutting down a version of her product, and questioning everything, to rediscovering her spark through a completely new approach, this is a raw and real look at what it actually feels like to be a founder. We dive into: The emotional toll of building in public Why HypeDocs is more t...
May 07, 2025•40 min•Ep. 22
What does it really take to build something from scratch in a new country, without a blueprint or a safety net? In this episode of Off to the Valley, I sit down with Sneha Saigal, founder and CEO of Geeks and Experts, to discuss building a startup as an immigrant, navigating the hidden pressures of PR, and the often-overlooked art of knowing when to pivot. We dive into: 1. Why pivoting doesn’t need to feel like failure 2. How to build real relationships with journalists 3. The untapped ROI of po...
Apr 24, 2025•38 min•Ep. 21
In this episode, I sit down with Gorish Aggarwal, co-founder of Sybill , an AI-powered platform that helps sales teams have more authentic conversations and close deals more effectively. Gorish shares why he thinks of Sybill as the therapist salespeople didn’t know they needed, how they are standing out in a crowded AI space, and what it really means to build product-led. We also talk about the emotional ups and downs of the founder journey, staying grounded through it all, and why initiatives l...
Apr 08, 2025•32 min•Ep. 20
In this episode of Off to the Valley , I sit down with Bob Moesta, innovator, entrepreneur, and co-creator of the groundbreaking Jobs to Be Done framework, which is trusted by companies like Apple, Intercom, and GitLab. Bob shares incredible stories, including how breaking both legs as a child led him to uncover his superpower, why customers lie (and how founders can discover the truth), and the secret behind Intercom’s growth from $5M to $75M in just 18 months. We also dive deep into Bob’s late...
Mar 20, 2025•34 min•Ep. 19
You Are Not Your Startup! And Other Hard-Won Lessons from Shruti Kapoor What happens when an investment banker turns tech entrepreneur, builds a sales enablement platform, gets into Y Combinator, and then sells her company to an industry giant? You get a masterclass in navigating the founder journey. In this episode of Off to the Valley , Shruti Kapoor, founder of Wingman (acquired by Clari), shares her journey from finance to tech, the insights that shaped her approach to building a startup, an...
Mar 05, 2025•28 min•Ep. 18
Arjita Sethi’s entrepreneurial journey began at just 16 when she co-founded a vocational school that transformed the lives of over 100,000 people. Fueled by a deep passion for education and impact, she made her way to Silicon Valley, where she faced the realities of building a startup as an immigrant founder. From visa restrictions to raising venture capital, she pushed through intense challenges until burnout forced her to take a step back and reassess what success really meant. In this episode...
Feb 19, 2025•41 min•Ep. 17
In this episode of Off to the Valley , Nick Jain, CEO of IdeaScale, shares his insights on AI, innovation, and leadership. From turning around struggling businesses without layoffs to leveraging AI for creativity, Nick provides a data-driven perspective on what it really takes to foster innovation in today’s competitive landscape. Key takeaways from this episode: • The Reality of AI-Driven Creativity – How AI helps businesses generate, evaluate, and refine ideas faster than ever before. • Transf...
Feb 05, 2025•30 min•Ep. 16
In this episode of Off To The Valley , I sit down with Tara Sakhuja , Founder & CEO of Data Dumpling , to explore her transition from big tech to startup life and how she’s leveraging AI to revolutionize B2B customer acquisition . Tara’s career has taken her around the world, from Meta and Bumble to launching her own venture in London . She shares how working in Singapore, the Bay Area, and the UK shaped her understanding of building data-driven products, product-market fit, and go-to-market...
Jan 22, 2025•36 min•Ep. 15
I’m kicking off Season 2 of Off to the Valley with a special guest: Peter Loving, founder of User Active. This product design agency helps B2B SaaS companies transform user experiences and drive meaningful growth. In this episode, Peter and I explore what makes great product design and why good UX can be a game-changer for SaaS founders. We discuss how the best SaaS products focus on removing friction in the user journey and why simplicity is difficult to achieve in design. Here’s what you’ll ge...
Jan 08, 2025•31 min•Ep. 14
Welcome to a special year-end episode of Off to the Valley ! In 2024, we journeyed across borders, cultures, and industries to uncover the inspiring stories of founders and innovators who left the familiar to create something extraordinary. In this episode, we’re looking back at the most unforgettable moments from our first season. From Melissa Kwan’s bold leap with $600 in NYC to Esben Friis-Jensen’s journey scaling a 3-person startup to $4.5M ARR, and Lloyed Lobo’s game-changing community-led ...
Dec 16, 2024•12 min•Ep. 13
In this episode of Off To The Valley , we chat with Tim Grassin, a serial entrepreneur with three successful exits, including TendoPay and Candy Banners. Tim’s journey takes us through his experiences scaling businesses across Southeast Asia and beyond, with a focus on B2B startups. We explore Tim’s approach to building successful companies, highlighting his 3x exits and the importance of validation over building a full MVP. He shares why focusing on single hypotheses can save time and resources...
Sep 27, 2024•40 min•Ep. 12
In this episode of Off To The Valley , we sit down with Alessio Pieroni, founder of Scale for Impact, an agency focused on transforming online education businesses. Alessio’s journey takes us from his small town in Italy to the global stage, working with renowned authors like Tony Robbins and Jordan Peterson, and scaling Mindvalley from $25 million to $75 million in revenue as CMO. Alessio shares his early experiences in India, his rapid rise at Mindvalley, and the challenges of founding a busin...
Sep 07, 2024•38 min•Ep. 11
In this episode of Off To The Valley, I sit down with Dexter Zhuang, founder of Money Abroad, a transformative media business that empowers professionals to build wealth overseas. Dexter shares his inspiring journey from climbing the tech career ladder in Silicon Valley to discovering a deeper purpose beyond financial milestones. We dive into his experiences in different parts of the world, including Southeast Asia and Latin America, and discuss the creation of Money Abroad. Dexter challenges co...
Aug 06, 2024•43 min•Ep. 10
In this episode of Off to the Valley, I sit down with Lisa Wehden, CEO and founder of Plymouth, to explore her inspiring journey from the north of England to Silicon Valley. Lisa shares how her personal challenges with U.S. immigration led her to create Plymouth, a company revolutionizing immigration services for startups. We discuss the intricacies of various visa pathways, particularly the O1 visa, and how Plymouth’s tech-enabled solutions provide faster, more transparent processes for founder...
Jul 23, 2024•31 min•Ep. 9
In this episode of Off To The Valley, I sit down with Nitin Pachisia, founder of Unshackled Ventures. Nitin shares his inspiring journey from growing up in a one-room house in India to supporting immigrant founders in the U.S. We delve into the critical elements of immigration, community, and capital, and how these provide founders with more time to focus on what truly matters—building their companies. Discover how Unshackled Ventures is not just about funding, but about offering comprehensive s...
Jun 25, 2024•35 min•Ep. 8
Join me on this episode of “Off To The Valley” as I chat with Prateek Sharma, the founder and managing partner of Ahead VC. We dive into his incredible journey from being an engineer in India to founding MyGola, a travel startup that was eventually acquired by MakeMyTrip. Prateek shares valuable insights into navigating the cross-border startup ecosystem, discussing the challenges and opportunities of transitioning from India to the U.S. We touch on the importance of community, strategic approac...
Jun 11, 2024•41 min•Ep. 7
In this episode of Off To The Valley, join us as Vlad Gozman shares his profound journey from a childhood under communist rule in Romania to becoming a tech entrepreneur in Vienna. Vlad opens up about the often-glamorized path of entrepreneurship—revealing the real challenges and the ever-present risk of burnout that many don't see behind the success stories. His story is one of resilience, innovation, and the power of embracing change, providing valuable insights for anyone on the entrepreneuri...
May 14, 2024•31 min•Ep. 6
Embark on a deeply moving journey with Sara Powell in this heartfelt episode of 'Off To The Valley.' Discover Sara's transformative story, from overcoming personal challenges to founding Impactury, where she empowers women executives to find fulfillment and balance. Dive into the essence of creating the support system she wished for and the profound impact of addressing deep-rooted beliefs for a purposeful life. This is not just an episode; it's a beacon of hope and inspiration for anyone seekin...
Apr 09, 2024•37 min•Ep. 5
Explore Kausambi Manjita's extraordinary journey from India to Canada, revolutionizing e-commerce with Mason. Dive into the challenges and strategies of expanding a startup internationally, leveraging AI, and building a global team. Discover insights on navigating new markets, the importance of self-care, and redefining success. Join us for an inspiring tale of courage, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Mar 26, 2024•38 min•Ep. 4
In this episode, we dive into the remarkable journey of a Danish startup that scaled to $4.5 million ARR with just a three-person team. Esben Friis-Jensen, co-founder and CGO of UserFlow, shares the power of product-led growth and the strategic decisions that led to their lean success. From Silicon Valley insights to the importance of thinking big and charging accordingly, Esben's story is a masterclass in efficient, impactful startup growth. Learn how this trio defied traditional startup norms ...
Mar 12, 2024•34 min•Ep. 3
In this podcast episode, entrepreneur Lloyed Lobo shares his personal journey, from experiencing the Gulf War as a young refugee to building successful startups. He emphasizes the importance of community, positive mindset, and perseverance in overcoming challenges and finding happiness. Lobo also highlights the significance of building a strong network, exercising, and seeking therapy for mental well-being.
Feb 27, 2024•59 min•Ep. 2
In this uplifting episode of Off to the Valley, host Prateek Panda hosts an insightful conversation with Melissa Kwan, the Co-founder and CEO of eWebinar. Melissa openly discusses her personal journey of courage and determination and how stepping out of her comfort zone led her to great success. She emphasizes the importance of self-defined success over societal expectations and shares valuable advice for those grappling with the very same issues. They also delve into eWebinar's unique journey a...
Feb 13, 2024•32 min•Ep. 1
Off to the Valley celebrates the tales of intrepid individuals who've ventured beyond their comfort zones to seek new horizons. Inspired by the spirit of Silicon Valley, our podcast sheds light on the global community of founders who’ve courageously treaded the uncharted.
Feb 12, 2024•2 min
