Inner Power Particles

Behind every great leader and CEO stands a team. It is high high-performing, efficient, open-minded, and united team of professionals following a common mission and vision. It is a team with the highest-class company culture where everyone feels safe and can express themselves. Culture always comes first. Nothing is personal. There is a problem - there must be a solution. In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Niyoz talks with a mentor at Cocoon Program and a partner of Aruma Ventures and Globus International - Jin Han. They talk about key aspects that define culture in the company; how to scale relationships within your team and also different stakeholders; and why the most important thing you might be missing is understanding what your employees believe about you and their workplace. Expect to learn lots of practical ideas and tips not only on building better relationships with team and stakeholders but also with your partner and within yourself on this journey of entrepreneurial path. Jump into the topics: 00:00 Switching continents to pursue new roles 1:35 How three simple values can guide your every choice 3:44 Consulting Fortune 500 companies: Sharing the most important scaling lesson for startups 11:17 Key to success - understanding, accepting, and mastering different business cultures 16:27 How to build a safe space for employees so that everyone can yell and scream 19:47 The problems are in the situations, not in the people 23:13 Advice for CEOs: How to deal with a situation that has escalated to become personal 27:15 Executing demotion/role change without burning relationships 30:36 Get rid of toxic employees or sacrifice your company culture 35:49 Defining “ safety in work culture” and how to build it 40:14 How employee beliefs affect their behavior 44:18 The connection between relationships and defensive mechanisms 46:25 Finding self-acceptance before seeking love 50:33 How to evaluate your self-acceptance 51:54 Advice on relationships and how to find the right partner 56:38 Difference between character and personality 57:52 Importance of living up to your values Welcome to Inner Power Particles. We talk with entrepreneurs and leaders about their challenges and lessons learned to improve their inner strength. We do this to share their journey and knowledge with you so that you can improve as a leader and a person. Resources: To learn more useful tools for CEOs and C-level managers, ➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/resources Uncover how to scale your business fast with clarity, ➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/scale Follow Jin Han's mentor at the Cocoon Program ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanjinw/ Follow Farhad Niyoz CEO of the Cocoon Program ➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/Mentors/Farhad-Niyoz

Should I pivot or keep searching for the right business model? For many founders, this dilemma feels like the final decision to make. Do we keep going or is this the end of our journey? In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Niyoz talks with COO & Co-Founder of Monetizr Martins Bratuskins. Martins tells his experience of what happens in the founder's mind when the passion for an idea is so powerful that even after several near-bankruptcies there is a fire to keep going. Both entrepreneurs share their different perspectives on what it means to be your authentic self and how meaningful connections bring honest conversations and have transformed their business into a more open and efficient work environment. Expect to hear learned lessons and practical advice on topics such as: ➡️ How to train your intuition ➡️ Why it is important to hire fast and fire fast ➡️ When to know it is time to part ways with a co-founder ➡️ What mistakes to avoid when dealing with investor money ➡️ How being your authentic self will boost your team dynamics and trust ➡️ The difference between business-oriented and personal growth-oriented mentorship Jump into the topics: 00:30 Welcome COO & Co-Founder of Monetizr Martins Bratuskins 1:19 Creating meaningful experiences inside a network of mobile games 4:41 Three steps for validating your idea 6:05 Finding a co-founder with similar problems 8:52 How to recognize the moment to pivot instead of quitting 14:42 Saving business with the right connection at the right time 17:44 Finding the perfect customer fit for one last try 20:03 Reshaping the team's mindset for the company's final push 22:39 Learning from near-bankruptcy experiences to maintain a positive mindset 25:19 Bringing innovation to one of the biggest industries in the world 27:02 Most valuable lessons from breaking up with a co-founder 29:00 How to recognize when to split with your founder 31:50 Mastering feedback for more efficient relationships 38:17 Building with passion not a goal to exit 40:29 Avoid this mistake when spending investor money 44:39 What to focus on when onboarding new team members 50:03 Balancing data with intuition driven decision making 51:17 How to train and use your intuition 53:38 Why strong relationships will scale your startup to the next level 55:29 Importance of inner growth oriented mentorship for a founder 56:45 Most impactful changes for Martins in past years Welcome to Inner Power Particles. We talk with entrepreneurs and leaders about their challenges and lessons learned to improve their inner strength. We do this to share their journey and knowledge with you so that you can improve as a leader and a person. Resources: To learn more useful tools for CEOs and C-level managers, ➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/resources Uncover how to scale your business fast with clarity, ➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/scale Follow Martins Bratuskins, COO & Co-Founder of Monetizr ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/martins-bratuskins/ Follow Farhad Niyoz CEO of Cocoon Program ➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/Mentors/Farhad-Niyoz

Transitioning from a corporate job to a startup world comes with a price to pay and lessons to learn. This transition might be even more challenging for a female founder entering this world of entrepreneurship dominated by masculine energy and approaches to how things should be. Less emotions, more expectations, and more pressure on yourself as a leader paying your salary and being responsible for a team of people. But should it be that way? Is this approach working also towards inner balance and healthier work-life relationships?

In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Niyoz talks with Kadi Saadlo, CEO & Co-Founder of HotelBuddy. Kadi tells her story of moving from Estonia to Latvia, quitting her corporate career to pursue an entrepreneurial path, and chasing smart money instead of every accessible investment. She shares her lessons learned from switching career paths and gives many valuable insights on how to take care of yourself as a founder while all the media is talking about is success stories and startup unicorns. They discuss the importance of realizing that you are not your business and where this misconception might lead entrepreneurs to health problems, relationship struggles, and negative self-talk.

Overview of the topic:

00:01 Moving to Riga for better relationships and change

2:41 Differences between two neighbors Latvians and Estonians

5:26 Kadi Saadlo, CEO & Co-Founder at HotelBuddy

11:46 Prioritising smart money: customers not investors

14:59 Balancing feminine self with masculine nature of leadership

19.35 Conquering the fear of stage and public speaking

27:51 Misleading culture of startup success stories

32:29 Switching financial mindset: From corporate employee to Co-Founder

39:01 The dark side of founders path and how to take care of yourself

43:30 How and Why to improve positive self-talk

47:29 Dealing with “founders sleep” and how to improve it

54:04 Kadi's key entrepreneurial lessons from the past 12 months

57:14 Describing the perfect investor for HotelBuddy

1:01:35 Advice for female founders

1:03:25 Importance of realising: You are not your company!

Welcome to Inner Power Particles.

We talk with entrepreneurs and leaders about their challenges and lessons learned to improve their inner strength. We do this to share their journey and knowledge with you so that you can improve as a leader and a person.

Resources:

To learn more useful tools for CEOs and C-level managers,

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/resources

Uncover how to scale your business fast with clarity,

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/scale

Follow Kadi Saadlo CEO & Co-Founder of HotelBuddy

➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kadisaadlo/

Follow Farhad Niyoz CEO of Cocoon Program

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/Mentors/Farhad-Niyoz

It is no secret that trust is the key aspect of human connection whether we talk about business or personal relationships. It is the vulnerable nature of breaking trust and honesty that often leads to many hurtful and unnecessary arguments.

In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Niyoz talks with Cocoon Program mentor and professional board member Martins Bicevskis. They discuss how to build trust within an organization, and how to reduce fear and tension between different levels of team members. Martins tells his story of how fast he grew as a professional working in a fast-paced, straightforward environment as well as his experience working with 30 to 40 years older professionals in government and leading them with courage, riks, and ambition mindset. He opens up about his inner work toward mid-life crisis and becoming a more honest and authentic version of himself while making tough but necessary sacrifices.

Overview of the topics:

2:21 Welcome Cocoon Program mentor, professional board member Martins Bicevskis

5:26 What value a professional board member brings to business organizations

6:45 Experiencing fast growth in a straightforward problem-solving environment

9:48 Martins journey of becoming a professional board member and startup mentor

13:22 Key differences between advising as a board member and advising as a mentor

16:06 Leading with courage, risk, and ambition

20:40 Turning biggest defeats and midlife crisis into life long lessons

24:16 Most dangerous lies people tell themselves

28:43 Feelings, emotions and conflicts in workplace

30:45 Undervalued importance of trust and how to build it within organization

37:24 How to reduce fear with mutual and clear agreements

42:24 The most powerful tool of a mentor: Understanding relationships

45:35 What are the main principles of organization from mentor perspective

Welcome to Inner Power Particles.

We talk with entrepreneurs and leaders about their challenges and lessons learned to improve their inner strength. We do this to share their journey and knowledge with you so that you can improve as a leader and a person.

Resources:

To learn more useful tools for CEOs and C-level managers,

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/resources

Uncover how to scale your business fast with clarity,

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/scale

Follow Martins Bicevskis mentor at Cocoon Program

➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinsbicevskis/

Follow Farhad Niyoz CEO of Cocoon Program

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/Mentors/Farhad-Niyoz

To be an entrepreneur - parent means to constantly search for a  balance between your work, your life and your wife. You know that you are in trouble when your daughter says: “Dad is spending more time with colleagues than us” but often the passion and drive for career development is so big that you miss out on learning how to be a part of the family. 

In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Niyoz talks with the COO of Stebby Roman Gnibida. Roman begins the conversation by telling a story of turning his vision from becoming a Russian language teacher to finding himself in the COO position of a startup and eventually buying it out from its founder. Their conversation explores the differences between the roles of COO and CEO, bringing up Roman’s insights into effectively dividing responsibilities and tasks within Stebby’s organizational framework. 

He opens up about the topic of being a passionate entrepreneur and eventually losing energy when it comes to family life. Roman tells his experience and key moments that opened his eyes to becoming a better parent as well as shares practical advice on how to approach work-life balance and bring colors back to the relationship without letting work dominate personal space. 

00:30 Welcome COO of Stebby Roman Gnibida 

1:58 Dealing with unknown -  buying out Stebby 

8:10 Explaining the process of Stebby MBO experience 

10:43 Growing confidence by gaining knowledge as a startupper 

11:54 Importance of startup environment 

13:30 Key differences between COO and CEO purpose 

19:20 Moving to Tartu with no language and culture understanding 

22:55 Balancing work - sports - startup - family 

25:31 Importance of dividing focus in relationships  

28:12 Lessons from three-year growth as a father and partner 

32:23 Entrepreneurs advice on relationship and parenthood

34:44 How to manage your negative thoughts and inner pressure 

38:28 Constant learning how to be a part of the family

41:18 How to bringing back colors to relationship

Welcome to Inner Power Particles.

We talk with entrepreneurs and leaders about their challenges and lessons learned to improve their inner strength. We do this to  share their journey and knowledge with you so that you can improve as a leader and a person.

Resources:

To learn more useful tools for CEOs and C-level managers, 

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/resources

Uncover how to scale your business fast with clarity, 

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/scale

Follow Roman Gnibida COO of Stebby

➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/roman-gnibida/

Follow Farhad Niyoz CEO of Cocoon Program 

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/Mentors/Farhad-Niyoz

We tend to hear two kinds of start-up stories: ether someone just made a deal of their lifetime or scammed people to grab as much money as possible. But what happens in the middle of this ocean? What are the struggles of founders that may damage not only the company but even lead to a heart attack of years 40-year-old entrepreneur? And what about small wins - do we even know how to see and appreciate them? In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Niyoz talks with the Co-Founder at Baltic Software Factory Rems Grinsteins. Listen to Rems' experience and inner struggles with merging his company with his best friend's business and how he is overcoming power struggles within himself after being the only boss for many years. Rems opens up about what happens when you ignore your authenticity as a human being. He talks about his heart attack at the age of 40 and how he committed to soul-searching and taking care of his mind before anything else. He talks about the benefits of meditation, key loopholes of making a change within oneself, and balancing the so-called “robot, perfect entrepreneur” life with being more human every day. Listen to hear an honest, vulnerable, and brave conversation between two founders searching for their inner power particles. Overview of the topic: 1:11 Welcome Co-Founder at Baltic Software Factory Rems Grinsteins 2:26 Merging a business 4:50 Transforming from sole CEO to multiple decision-makers 6:44 Small company reality check: dividing roles and becoming a sales lead 11:10 Power of clearly defined motivation for leader 13:45 Selling your team, attitude and work ethic instead of uniqueness 17:44 Constant push to make money 21:18 Overcoming the pressure of being half million in debt to friends 23:12 Rems story of having a medically unreasonable heart attack at the age 40 29:02 Turning inner lessons from near-death experience into action as a founder 34:50 Changing inner approach: benefits of practicing daily meditation 37:41 Difference between being ready to change and just wanting to 41:47 The most honest and important question to ask yourself 45:23 Breaking stereotype of being “entrepreneur - emotionless robot” 51:47 Complicity of balancing “robot” lifestyle with simply being a human 54:09 Beauty of being a human: Accepting the past and fearing the future 1:01:50 Farhads key takeaway from conversation with Rems Welcome to Inner Power Particles. We talk with entrepreneurs and leaders about their challenges and lessons learned to improve their inner strength. We do this to share their journey and knowledge with you so that you can improve as a leader and a person. Resources: To learn more useful tools for CEOs and C-level managers, ➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/resources Uncover how to scale your business fast with clarity, ➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/scale Follow Rems Grinsteins Co-Founder at Baltic Software Factory ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rems-grinsteins/ Follow Farhad Niyoz CEO of Cocoon Program ➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/Mentors/Farhad-Niyoz

Imagine one morning waking up on the military campus and seeing 160 people laughing at you - their supposed leader. Should you run away and pretend nothing ever happened? Should you tell yourself that this is not for you and it is time to move on? Or maybe sit down for a moment, admit the brutal truth, and turn it into the most valuable leadership journey of your life? 

In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Niyoz talks with Tommi Siro, Co-Founder and CGO of Jobilla. Tommi opens up about making a historical embarrassment of himself while serving in the mandatory military and how many lessons he took from it to his entrepreneurship journey as a co-founder. Learn about The Stockdale Paradox and the key steps to becoming a leader that others want to follow. Tommi also shares his experience with mentorship and advice for CEOs facing a crisis or as Tommi sees them - brutal facts. 

Overview of the topic:

01:10 Welcome Co-Founder and CGO of Jobilla Tommi Siro

2:35 Turning embarrassment around: Tommi's story of messing up badly in the military

9:42 How to approach major mistakes and turn them around

13:06 Key steps to becoming a leader that others want to follow

18:57 Undeniable impact of loving parenthood

22:29 Why and How: Transforming shortcomings into strength

27:51 How honesty and carelessness might be the key to building self-awareness

32:13 Desensitizing confrontation: Seeking WHY behind every argument

35:26 The Stockdale Paradox: Leadership growth with honesty and gratitude

40:26 Advice for crises: Face the brutal facts, take action accordingly

43:04 Using mentorship to expand your bubbles and views

47:58 Correlation between mental resilience, simplicity, and happiness

Welcome to Inner Power Particles.

We talk with entrepreneurs and leaders about their challenges and lessons learned to improve their inner strength. We do this to  share their journey and knowledge with you so that you can improve as a leader and a person.

Resources:

To learn more useful tools for CEOs and C-level managers, 

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/resources

Uncover how to scale your business fast with clarity, 

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/scale

Follow Tommi Siro CGO and Co-Founder of Jobilla

➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommi-siro-88684260/

Follow Farhad Niyoz CEO of Cocoon Program 

➡️ https://www.cocoonprogram.com/Mentors/Farhad-Niyoz

Aleksander Tõnnisson has invested in about 100 startups in his life. Working hard brought him multiple challenges that led him to find his path with heart. Now he shared his story and know-how about making decisions that include also listening to your feelings. "How it happened with me was that during the busiest time at work and things not working with my wife, we were sued by somebody who bought our apartment and that was a very nasty court case as they froze our assets. So the volume went very loud like the world was saying “If you are not listening, I’m going to talk louder.” The volume became so loud it was impossible not to hear."