In this episode, the Tamar Ventures team dives into the rising tide of entrepreneurship far beyond the coasts. We sit down with Hannah McLean-Leonard and Benjamin Cook from the University of Wyoming to explore how a single university is helping transform an entire state into a startup engine. From grassroots mentorship networks to a bold, startup-style Venture MBA program, Wyoming is showing what it takes to build resilient innovation communities from the ground up. If you're curious about how r...
Jul 02, 2025•52 min•Ep. 56
In this episode, host Karine Sarkissian sits down with Katherine Sakovich, CMO at Mira Care, to talk about what it really takes to market a brand-new product in healthcare. Katherine shares how she helped turn a little-known fertility device into a trusted name in women’s health — all through a product-led approach, community building, and a deep focus on trust and education. If you're marketing in a regulated or complex space, her insights on early adoption, messaging, and customer behavior are...
Jun 04, 2025•38 min•Ep. 55
In this high-energy episode, host Sophie welcomes Lindsey Mignano — lawyer, entrepreneur, and fierce advocate for founders — to share her remarkable journey. Co-founder of a top startup law firm in San Francisco, Lindsey talks candidly about entrepreneurship, resilience, and why not every company should chase venture capital. She also unpacks what it takes to thrive in today’s venture landscape, especially for first-time and foreign founders. If you’re building a company — or thinking about it —...
May 07, 2025•44 min•Ep. 54
Join host Karine Sarkissian as she interviews Raida Daouk, Founder and Managing Partner at Amkan Ventures. Raida shares about her unique journey into venture and the importance of having conviction as a solo Fund of Fund GP. Her perspective into fund selection to find the right opportunities leaves us wanting more! Tune in for insights and more in this inspiring episode.
Apr 02, 2025•24 min•Ep. 53
Join host Sophie Durey as she goes deep with Lyndsey Boucherle, partner at Better Ventures , on the intersection of venture capital and impact investing. Lyndsey breaks down what it truly means to invest with purpose — from backing mission-driven founders to pushing beyond conventional patterns to unlock the next wave of sustainable innovation. Whether you're an investor, founder, or simply curious about building a better future through business, this conversation is packed with inspiring insigh...
Mar 04, 2025•42 min•Ep. 52
In this episode, host Sophie Durey sits down with Helene Le Person, the dynamic Global Marketing Director at Convivialité Ventures. Helene shares her journey of moving to the Bay Area and unpacks the key cultural differences between American and French venture landscapes. She also breaks down the distinctions between Venture Capital and Corporate Venture, offering invaluable insights and success strategies. Tune in for an inspiring conversation filled with unique perspectives and actionable advi...
Feb 05, 2025•36 min•Ep. 51
Karine Sarkissian sits down with Nazli Kandur, a talented designer at Le Studio, to explore the pivotal role of design in startups. From brand creation to development, they discuss why design is essential at every stage of a company’s journey. Tune in for practical tips, insights on collaborating with designers, and strategies to make your brand stand out.
Dec 05, 2024•22 min•Ep. 50
Join host Sophie Durey in conversation with Dr. Marc Moser, Head of Impact at Lightrock, as he shares his unique insights into the world of impact investing. A pioneer in the Swiss impact investing landscape, Marc discusses the importance of aligning investments with core values, drawing on his experience with the LGT investing firm. He also offers a glimpse into the broader European impact ecosystem. Tune in for valuable perspectives and inspiration in this insightful episode! https://www.linke...
Nov 14, 2024•45 min•Ep. 49
Sophie Durey sits down with Sacha Ledan, Director at the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Stanford GSB, to discuss his journey as a French American and his passion for supporting founders. Sacha shares his unique perspective on building programs at Stanford and highlights the school’s distinctive role in shaping Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurial spirit. Tune in to discover how Stanford’s approach continues to influence the world of startups! https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachaledan/...
Oct 31, 2024•40 min•Ep. 48
Sophie Durey sits down with Ken Vermeille, CEO and founder of Vermillion Sky, a top software development company. Ken shares key insights from his journey as a founder, from building his company to navigating fundraising. With a mission to empower entrepreneurs, Ken reveals how to create impactful products that resonate with users and drive business success. Tune in to learn how to elevate your work and make a lasting impact! https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennick/...
Oct 17, 2024•39 min•Ep. 47
Karine Sarkissian sits down with Roberto Tagliabue, founder of Alpha and Awake, to explore how AI is transforming the retail experience. Roberto shares his innovative approach to using AI for customer insights and acquisition, offering a fresh perspective from a designer, innovator, and founder. Don’t miss this exciting conversation full of forward-thinking strategies! https://www.linkedin.com/in/robtag/
Oct 03, 2024•37 min•Ep. 46
Join host Karine Sarkissian as she interviews Florent Breton, the resilient founder of Paren . Florent shares his secrets to maintaining mental health, positivity, and perseverance throughout his startup journey. Discover the importance of a supportive community and how to turn setbacks into valuable lessons. Tune in for wonderful insights and unique perspectives in this inspiring episode! https://www.linkedin.com/in/florentbreton/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/paren-inc/...
Sep 19, 2024•31 min•Ep. 45
Join Sophie Durey as she dives deep with Guillaume Taylor, a pioneer in impact investing. Guillaume shares his journey from micro-finance to impact investing, emphasizing sustainability and intentionality. Learn how to drive positive change by considering all aspects of investments and offsetting potential negative outcomes. This episode is filled with insights on leading with passion and care. Don’t miss out on this inspiring conversation! https://www.linkedin.com/in/guillaume-taylor/ https://w...
Sep 05, 2024•37 min•Ep. 45
In this episode, Sophie Durey is joined by Tracy Saad, founder and creative strategist at Trace Effect . Tracy shares the importance of reinventing how people think about politics and government. Through gamification and play, she takes individuals on a journey to make politics fun and accessible. A very timely episode today, we hope you’ll love it as much as we did! Learn more about Tracy here! Follow her on social!...
Aug 22, 2024•25 min•Ep. 43
Join Karine Sarkissian as she interviews Ed Kearny, the visionary founder of Valo, the world's first high-performance electric hydrofoiling vehicle. Ed's entrepreneurial journey is a creative, insightful adventure, from starting a graduation gown business to a photography startup, and finally achieving his dream with Valo. Discover his unique perspective on making an impact, adapting products/solutions to new generations, and finding the right support networks in the startup world. Tune in for i...
Aug 01, 2024•35 min•Ep. 42
Listen in as host, Karine Sarkissian explores the world of creative entrepreneurship with Jon Portman, designer, animator, and co-founder of Gentle Beast. In this conversation, Karine dives into Jon’s journey from art director to launching a dog training platform. Discover the challenges and triumphs he has faced, and gain insights into collaboration between creative and non-creative co-founders, navigating entrepreneurship, and leveraging storytelling in business. Whether you’re an aspiring ent...
Jul 03, 2024•35 min
Join us as we explore the world of female entrepreneur Katy Cottam, Founder and CEO of Luna Daily . In this conversation, host Sophie Durey dives into Katy’s journey from her beginnings in the cosmetics industry and a plant-based food startup to leading a pioneering brand dedicated to normalizing conversations around women's health. Discover the challenges and triumphs she has faced along the way and gain valuable insights into breaking societal stigmas, the power of being a generalist, and the ...
Jun 06, 2024•45 min
Listen in as Sophie explores the world of tech entrepreneurship with Roy Stillwell, Founder, CEO, and Chief Scientist at Nearwave. In this conversation, Sophie dives into Roy’s journey from his beginnings as an engineer to his role at the forefront of a groundbreaking company. Discover the challenges and triumphs faced along the way, and gain valuable insights into the startup landscape, fundraising strategies, and the importance of resilience in building a successful venture. Whether you’re an ...
May 02, 2024•42 min
In this episode, Sophie and Jeremy Brown, Founder of Social Impact World explore the evolving landscape of social impact in corporate environments and its importance for startups. They discuss perspectives on social impact, challenges for corporations, and the role of social impact leaders. From integrating initiatives to harnessing purpose-driven models, each discussion offers insights and advice for executives and founders alike. Whether seeking innovative strategies or aiming to embed social ...
Apr 04, 2024•40 min
Join host Karine Sarkissian as she discovers the world of entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia with Dr. Sandra Medina and Luisa Javier, founders of Wayakit. Explore their journey as female entrepreneurs, and uncover how mentorship, resilience, and acts of kindness have fueled their success. Gain valuable insights into fostering a supportive network and embracing innovation within the dynamic landscape of Saudi entrepreneurship.
Mar 21, 2024•39 min
Join Sophie Durey and Fabrice Serfati, GP and Managing Director at Ignia Partners, for an insightful discussion on the evolving venture capital landscape in Latin America. Fabrice shares valuable insights into investment trends, regional dynamics, and essential strategies for startup success. From market maturity to building a strong network, discover actionable advice for founders in this dynamic ecosystem. Tune in for expert perspectives on thriving in Latin America’s vibrant startup scene. Re...
Mar 07, 2024•38 min
Dive into the world of Omnom Chocolate with host Sophie Durey as she chats with CEO Óskar Þórðarson. From sustainable sourcing practices to expanding into global markets, Omnom is sweetening the world one bar at a time. Óskar shares insights on everything from supply chain sustainability to navigating the competitive US market. Plus, get a taste of the personal side of entrepreneurship as he discusses the importance of mental health and work-life balance. Whether you’re a chocolate enthusiast, a...
Feb 22, 2024•37 min
Explore the dynamic world of social impact and innovation with Lauren Taylor, principal at REDF. Lauren shares insights into REDF’s approach to fostering community-driven businesses. Unpack key resources needed for social entrepreneurs, from impact measurement to the art of storytelling. Dive into the challenges, opportunities, and the importance of self-care in the transformative space of triple-bottom-line businesses. Join us for an inspiring journey into the heart of social entrepreneurship, ...
Feb 08, 2024•38 min
Discover the evolving intersection of law and innovation with Emily, a skilled and experienced intellectual property (IP) lawyer. Unpack the essentials of IP for early-stage companies, ethical AI considerations, and the global challenges of content ownership. Explore how IP becomes a strategic ally in business growth as Emily highlights the dynamic creative nature of IP law and emphasizes its role as a catalyst for innovation. Join us for a concise summary of IP and technology, and let's reshape...
Jan 18, 2024•31 min
Unlock the world of AI and entrepreneurship in this riveting episode. Join host Sophie Durey as she learns about Shomit Ghose, a seasoned Silicon Valley investor, entrepreneur, and AI enthusiast. Shomit shares profound insights about the transformative evolution of AI and navigating the ethical landscape. Discover the emerging trends in AI, learn about the essential qualities for entrepreneurs, and the pivotal role of resilience. Tune in for a captivating conversation that transcends the tech wo...
Jan 04, 2024•31 min
Explore the crossroads of design, AI, and human creativity with Tara Tan, Founding Partner at Strange Ventures. Gain insights into the impact of strategic design on market leadership, the ethical considerations of AI, and the dual nature of open source technology. Tara’s unique perspective offers a compelling journey through entrepreneurship, innovation, and the delicate balance between fostering positive impacts and addressing potential challenges. Join us for a dynamic conversation that transc...
Dec 21, 2023•29 min
Dive into the world of social entrepreneurship with Whitley O’Connor, Co-Director of Social Enterprise at Curbside Enterprises. Explore the differences between running for-profit and nonprofit ventures, learn from successful models, and navigate ethical considerations in social impact. Get insights into the challenges and triumphs of building and scaling social enterprises. Whitley shares the personal side of his social impact work, discussing the importance of a long-term vision and strategies ...
Dec 07, 2023•38 min
Join us in this episode as we dive into the fascinating journey of David Dietz, a conflict journalist turned social entrepreneur, and his insights into community building and global philanthropy. Host Karine Sarkissian explores David’s personal milestones, to navigating the realms running a sustainable business. Discover the transformative power of community, as David shares stories about Nexus, a global network of change-makers spanning philanthropy, impact investment, and social innovation. Ex...
Nov 23, 2023•26 min
In this episode, we sit down with Matias Gandulfo, co-founder of Bay Padel, as he shares his incredible journey from engineer and soccer player to entrepreneur. Matias discusses his background, including his experiences prior to coming to the United States, and how a personal connection to Padel inspired the creation of Bay Padel. We delve into the challenges and triumphs they've encountered along the way and how Matias's engineering expertise has played a pivotal role in building their successf...
Nov 09, 2023•24 min
Join us in the latest episode of Under the Hood X Le Studio as Karine Sarkissian interviews Aditi Maliwal, Partner at Upfront Ventures. Aditi shares her incredible journey into the world of venture capital, along with captivating investing stories and her insights into current venture funding trends. Discover what it takes to thrive in the world of investment and entrepreneurship. Listen now!
Oct 27, 2023•42 min
