During our summer break, we revisit an episode about resilience, pivots, and transformation. Hear Pete Flint on startup survival, Aaron Holiday on breaking into venture capital, Julie Rice on building SoulCycle, Tamara on her ballet breakthrough, Matteo Franceschetti on sleep innovation, Beverly Parenti on coding in prison, and Windy Chien on creativity through daily practice. Each story reveals how uncertainty can become the catalyst for growth.
Listen to the full episodes here:
Pete Flint
Pete Flint is a serial entrepreneur and investor who co-founded Trulia, steering the company through its IPO and a multi-billion-dollar merger with Zillow. Today, he's a General Partner at NFX, investing in early-stage companies that leverage network effects and cutting-edge technologies.
Listeners can learn more about Pete Flint at NFX, and on LinkedIn @PeteFlint
Aaron Holiday
Aaron Holiday is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of 645 Ventures, a venture capital firm backing early-stage startups led by visionary, often underestimated founders. With a background that bridges entrepreneurship, systems thinking, and institutional investing, Aaron takes a high-conviction, hands-on approach to venture capital.
Explore 645 Ventures
Connect with Aaron Holiday on LinkedIn
Julie Rice
Julie Rice is a serial entrepreneur and community-builder best known as the co-founder of SoulCycle and now Peoplehood, a platform for relational fitness and guided group conversation. Her work centers on designing experiences that build human connection at scale.
Listeners can learn more about Julie Rice through LinkedIn @julierice
Check out Julie’s latest venture Peoplehood, and learn more about Soulcycle
Tamara Rojo
Tamara Rojo is a renowned ballerina and artistic director celebrated for her passion, discipline, and vision in the world of dance. Known for breaking traditional molds, Tamara believes that true achievement in the art form isn’t reserved for the most gifted—but for those who are most honest and disciplined with themselves. In this episode, she reflects on the sacrifices required to be “first” and the inspiration she draws from other art forms, powerful friendships, and exhibitions that remind her of the woman she aspires to be. Her story is a masterclass in resilience, artistry, and leading with heart.
Learn more about Tamara Rojo and explore her work at San Francisco Ballet.
Matteo Franceschetti
Matteo Franceschetti is the Co-Founder and CEO of Eight Sleep, the sleep fitness company.Eight Sleep developed a proprietary technology which is redesigning sleep by developing cutting-edge AI and machine learning models to track bio signals during the night and optimizing body recovery and rest while asleep. The end goal of the Pod is to compress sleep and scan your body while asleep to monitor your health. Eight Sleep is currently used by pro athletes and top performers across multiple industries and was recognized as one of TIME’s “Best Inventions” in 2018 and 2019, was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” in 2018, and has raised over $150M in funding from leading investors, including Founders Fund, Softbank, Khosla Ventures, Y Combinator, Valor Equity Partners, General Catalyst, Naval Ravikant, and Patrick Collison.
Discover your perfect sleep set up - Take Quiz
Connect with Matteo Franceschetti on X @m_franceschetti
Beverly Parenti
Beverly Parenti is a veteran tech entrepreneur and innovator who co-founded The Last Mile to empower incarcerated individuals, particularly women, with marketable skills. As the first-generation daughter of Holocaust survivors, Beverly's life has been profoundly shaped by her father's experiences during World War II. Her father's story of survival became a guiding light in her life, instilling in her the values of resourcefulness, resilience, and relentless perseverance.
Learn more about The Last Mile at their website
Connect with Beverly Parenti on LinkedIn @BeverlyParenti and on X @thebev
Windy Chien
Windy Chien is an artist best known for The Year of Knots, a daily practice in 2016 ...
During our summer break, we’re revisiting a powerful episode about inherited resilience and the courage to transform beyond expectations. Host Leah Solivan explores the deeply personal stories of seven trailblazers—including Alejandra Campoverdi, Dr. Eiman Jahangir, Anne Miura-Ko, Andy Dunn, Bianca Gates, and Kevin Caldwell—who’ve navigated barriers and redefined their identities along the way. From rising to the White House from welfare, becoming an astronaut after fleeing war-torn Tehran, to embracing cultural legacies once hidden, each voice reveals how strength can be both passed down and self-forged. These stories illuminate the struggle and triumph of breaking cycles, honoring the past while forging new paths forward.
Listen to the full episodes here:
Alejandra Campoverdi
Alejandra Campoverdi is a nationally recognized women’s health advocate, an award-winning author of First Gen: A Memoir, a groundbreaking account of her journey as a first-generation college graduate and professional. Alejandra served as the White House Deputy Director of Hispanic Media during the Obama administration and is the founder of the First Gen Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to providing financial support to first-generation students.
Listeners can learn more about Alejandra at her website, and on IG @acampoverdi
Eiman Jahangir
Eiman Jahangir is a cardiologist, researcher, and NASA astronaut selected in 2021 as part of the Artemis generation of explorers. Born in Tehran during the Iran–Iraq War, Eiman immigrated to the United States at the age of four and grew up near the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama — an experience that sparked his lifelong passion for space exploration. Before joining NASA, he served as a cardiologist and faculty member at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he specialized in advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology.
Listeners can learn more about Eiman on his IG @drejahangir
Ann Miura-Ko
Ann Miura-Ko is the Co-Founder and General Partner at Floodgate, an early-stage venture capital firm known for backing iconic startups at their inception, including Lyft, Refinery29, and Twitch. Often described as one of Silicon Valley’s most respected investors, Ann is a self-proclaimed "precedent breaker"—someone who thrives in ambiguity and seeks out founders who challenge conventional wisdom.
Listeners can learn more about Ann at her website and on X.
Andy Dunn
Andy Dunn is an entrepreneur, author, and investor best known as the co-founder of Bonobos, the pioneering menswear brand that redefined modern retail. He is also the author of Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind, a candid memoir about his journey with mental health while building a high-growth company. Dunn has become a leading voice in destigmatizing conversations around bipolar disorder and neurodiversity in business and beyond.
Listeners can learn more about Andy on his IG @dunn
Bianca Gates
Bianca Gates is the CEO and co-founder of Birdies, a leading footwear brand that introduced the concept of the "social slipper." Before Birdies, Bianca built a successful career in sales at Univision, MTV, and Facebook, where she worked closely with Sheryl Sandberg. Born to Latin American immigrants, Bianca is a pioneer in combining entrepreneurial drive with a commitment to empowering women.
Learn more about Bianca Gates on her website, on IG @biancagates
Kevin Caldwell
Kevin Caldwell, CEO, Co-Founder & President of Ossium Health, has built Ossium from a small startup into a clinical-stage bioengineering company. Kevin set the company’s mission to improve human health through bioengineering and designed its platform-based model for cellular therapeutics development. Kevin has led the company’s successful pursuit, negotiation, and execution of more than 50 business relationships, including 5 successful fundraisings and dozens of supply partnerships, clinical partnerships, and commercial contracts with biopharmaceutical companies.
Listeners can learn more about Kevin Caldwell at Ossium Health
Resources:
San Francisco Ballet
Birdies (Company)
Show Notes:
(00:00) Introduction to Breaking Precedent
(00:30) Costume Changes with Alejandra Campoverdi
(01:30) Rockets and Roots with Eiman Jahangir
(02:30) The DNA of Defiance with Ann Miura-Ko
(03:30) Inheritance of Fire with Andy Dunn
(05:00) From the Head of the Table with Bianca Gates
(06:30) Legacy in the Lab with Kevin Caldwell
(07:30) “We carry resilience in our bones, and we're here to reshape what ...
During our summer break, we're revisiting a moving episode that celebrates Latino and Spanish-speaking leaders who are redefining identity, power, and belonging. Host Leah Solivan, a Puerto Rican founder and investor, shares the invisible tension of being “not Latina enough” and “not American enough”—a feeling echoed by many first-generation voices in this episode. You'll hear from Bianca Gates, co-founder of Birdies, on confidence and being underestimated; Alejandra Campoverdi, author of First Gen, on the emotional weight of being the “first and only”; and Bismarck Lepe, who went from the migrant fields to building global tech companies. These stories explore the complexity of cultural identity, the quiet strength in navigating multiple worlds, and the pride that comes from breaking cycles and setting new precedents. From Silicon Valley to the stage, this episode honors the resilience and vision of Latino leaders shaping the future.
Listen to the full episodes here:
Bianca Gates
Bianca Gates is the CEO and co-founder of Birdies, a leading footwear brand that introduced the concept of the "social slipper." Before Birdies, Bianca built a successful career in sales at Univision, MTV, and Facebook, where she worked closely with Sheryl Sandberg. Born to Latin American immigrants, Bianca is a pioneer in combining entrepreneurial drive with a commitment to empowering women.
Learn more about Bianca Gates on her website, on IG @biancagates
Bismarck Lepe
Bismarck Lepe, founder and Executive Chairman of Wizeline, is a seasoned Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor. As an early Google employee, he left to start Ooyala, an online video platform that sold for $400 million to Telstra in 2014. Passionate about economic growth and education, he has helped transform Guadalajara into a thriving tech hub through Wizeline Academy and StartupGDL, generating over 1,500 jobs and attracting significant investment. Under his leadership, Wizeline expanded to seven countries, with talent spanning 15 nations. For over a decade, he has been a key force in fostering Mexico-Silicon Valley collaboration in technology and entrepreneurship.
Learn more about Bismarck Lepe on LinkedIn @BismarckLepe
Tamara Rojo
Tamara Rojo is a renowned ballerina and artistic director celebrated for her passion, discipline, and vision in the world of dance. Known for breaking traditional molds, Tamara believes that true achievement in the art form isn’t reserved for the most gifted—but for those who are most honest and disciplined with themselves. In this episode, she reflects on the sacrifices required to be “first” and the inspiration she draws from other art forms, powerful friendships, and exhibitions that remind her of the woman she aspires to be. Her story is a masterclass in resilience, artistry, and leading with heart.
Learn more about Tamara Rojo and explore her work at San Francisco Ballet.
Alejandra Campoverdi
Alejandra Campoverdi is a nationally recognized women’s health advocate, an award-winning author of First Gen: A Memoir, a groundbreaking account of her journey as a first-generation college graduate and professional. Alejandra served as the White House Deputy Director of Hispanic Media during the Obama administration and is the founder of the First Gen Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to providing financial support to first-generation students.
Listeners can learn more about Alejandra at her website, and on IG @acampoverdi
Resources:
Carmen (Re-staging by Tamara Rojo)
Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain” (Urinal)
Show Notes:
(00:00) Introduction to Breaking Precedent
(00:30) Secret Strengths and Hidden Identities
(02:30) Assimilation, Belonging, and Cultural Tension
(04:00) Underestimated but Relentless
(05:00) Alejandra Campoverdi: First Gen and the Weight of Being First
(05:45) "Your life is not to sacrifice yourself at the altar of other people's dreams for you. To make everyone's sacrifices worth it is not the purpose of your life." - Alejandra Campoveri
(09:00) Bismarck Lepe: Breaking Tech and Cultural Barriers
(13:00) Tamara Rojo: Outsider to Ballet Trailblazer
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
During our summer break, we’re revisiting powerful conversations about breaking precedent. In this episode, we spotlight the work of three groundbreaking artists—Tamara Rojo, Windy Chien, and Trevor Paglen—whose visions challenge the status quo in art and culture. Rojo, a principal ballerina and director of the San Francisco Ballet, is rewriting ballet’s narratives to reflect more inclusive stories. Chien, who transitioned from the music industry to knot-tying art, uses her intricate creations to challenge perceptions of women’s work in fine art. Paglen, known for revealing hidden surveillance systems, uses his art to ask profound questions about visibility and ownership in the modern world.
Together, their stories show how beauty and disruption are often intertwined, offering bold new ways to understand power, labor, and identity.
Listen to the full episodes here:
Tamara Rojo
Tamara Rojo is a renowned ballerina and artistic director celebrated for her passion, discipline, and vision in the world of dance. Known for breaking traditional molds, Tamara believes that true achievement in the art form isn’t reserved for the most gifted—but for those who are most honest and disciplined with themselves. In this episode, she reflects on the sacrifices required to be “first” and the inspiration she draws from other art forms, powerful friendships, and exhibitions that remind her of the woman she aspires to be. Her story is a masterclass in resilience, artistry, and leading with heart.
Learn more about Tamara Rojo and explore her work at San Francisco Ballet.
Windy Chien
Windy Chien is an artist best known for The Year of Knots, a daily practice in 2016 where she learned a new knot each day, culminating in a striking installation of 366 knots. A former Apple music executive turned full-time artist, Windy’s work sits at the intersection of craft, design, and personal ritual. Her artistic process emphasizes discipline, flow state, and transformation—both of material and self. In this episode, she reflects on how teaching herself to tie knots became a journey of self-definition, ultimately claiming the title of “artist” through consistent creative labor.
Explore Windy’s work and learn more about The Year of Knots.
Trevor Paglen
Trevor Paglen is an artist and geographer known for pushing the boundaries of visibility, ownership, and space. His most iconic work—Orbital Reflector—was launched into space to challenge the concept of property and claim-free public art. Trevor’s work is a rainbow disruption, offering profound commentary from the artistic edge of precedent-breaking.
Learn about Orbital Reflector and explore Trevor's work here: https://www.paglen.com/.
Resources:
Carmen (Re-staging by Tamara Rojo)
Orbital Reflector
Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain” (Urinal)
Show Notes:
(00:00) – Introduction to Breaking Precedent
(01:00) – Challenging traditional gender roles and narrative endings in dance
(02:10) – How repetition turned into philosophy and large-scale art
(03:50) – How generative AI and new tools shift cultural perception
(04:23) – "Art is different than a lot of fields… it's people making stuff up… responding to the cultural, technological, and visual environment of the moment."
(06:00) – The essence of breaking precedent
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
During our summer break, we’re revisiting powerful conversations about breaking precedent. In this episode, host Leah Solivan explores the courage, vision, and persistence it takes to be the first—to make a crack in the system and let the light in. You’ll hear from artists, innovators, and leaders including Eric Ryan, Windy Chien, Tamara Rojo, Alejandra Campoverdi, and Aaron Holiday as they share their unique journeys, the sacrifices of being first, and the inspiration that keeps them moving forward.
Their stories reveal what it truly means to challenge expectations, redefine success, and create space where none existed before.
Listen to the full episodes here:
Resources:
Notes:
(00:00) – Introduction to Breaking Precedent
(00:30) – The Power of Vision: Seeing Change Before It Happens
(01:00) – Unique Journeys: The Knot Metaphor and Personal Stories
(01:30) – The Role of Art and Creativity in Society
(03:00) – Sacrifices and Scars: The Cost of Being First
(05:30) – Inspiration from Family, Friends, and Art
(07:00) – “They didn’t break precedent to be admired. They broke it to make something better.”
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
During our summer break, we’re revisiting powerful conversations from Season One of Breaking Precedent. In this episode, host Leah Sullivan explores the many forms of disruptive change—framed as sunrises, tides, and rainbows. Leah is joined by a range of precedent-breakers across disciplines, including Eric Ryan, who reimagined consumer goods; Pete Flynn, who rides the waves of market shifts; and Justice Steven Breyer, who reflects on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the case that overturned Roe v. Wade. We also hear from Patrick Brown, founder of Impossible Foods, and Kara Golden, who challenged the beverage industry with Hint Water. The episode concludes with artist Trevor Paglen, whose work uncovers hidden systems and challenges perception.
Listen to the full episodes here:
Resources:
Show Notes:
(00:00) – Introduction to Breaking Precedent
(00:30) – Sunrise Breakers: Predicting and Shaping Trends
(05:00) – Tide Breakers: Returning to Forgotten Truths
(07:30) – Rainbow Breakers: Defying Expectations
(10:30) – Conclusion: What Kind of Breaker Are You?
(14:00) – “We not only created a product…We set a new precedent in the industry.”
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
During our summer break, we’re revisiting powerful conversations from Season One of Breaking Precedent. In this episode, host Leah Solivan explores the paradox of venture capital—a system designed to fund innovation but resistant to change. Featuring Ann Miura-Ko of Floodgate, Pete Flint of NFX, and Aaron Holiday of 645 Ventures, this episode exposes the subtle forces that shape who gets funded, whose ideas are considered “viable,” and what it really takes to break into the inner circle of VC. From early Lyft experiments to navigating legality and bias, these precedent breakers challenge the notion that disruption ends with the product—sometimes, you have to disrupt the system itself.
Ann Miura-Ko is the Co-Founder and General Partner at Floodgate, an early-stage venture capital firm known for backing iconic startups at their inception, including Lyft, Refinery29, and Twitch. Often described as one of Silicon Valley’s most respected investors, Ann is a self-proclaimed "precedent breaker"—someone who thrives in ambiguity and seeks out founders who challenge conventional wisdom.
Explore Floodgate: https://www.floodgate.com
Connect with Ann Miura-Ko on X: https://x.com/annimaniac
Pete Flint is a General Partner at NFX and the Founder of Trulia, one of the most successful real estate platforms in the U.S., which IPO'd and later merged with Zillow in a multi-billion-dollar deal. Now a leading venture capitalist, Pete channels his experience as a founder into mentoring startups with world-changing potential..
Learn more about NFX: https://www.nfx.com
Connect with Pete Flint on X: https://x.com/pflint
Aaron Holiday is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of 645 Ventures, a venture capital firm backing early-stage startups led by visionary, often underestimated founders. With a background that bridges entrepreneurship, systems thinking, and institutional investing, Aaron takes a high-conviction, hands-on approach to venture capital.
Explore 645 Ventures: https://645ventures.com
Connect with Aaron Holiday on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronholiday
Listen to the full episodes here:
Resources:
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
The Precedent Spectrum: From Law to Art
During our summer break, we’re revisiting powerful conversations from Season One of Breaking Precedent, in this episode host Leah Sullivan explores how precedent shapes everything from law to art. Leah starts with Justice Steven Breyer discussing the landmark Supreme Court case Brown vs. Board of Education, which broke the 'separate but equal' precedent. The episode also features Bismarck Lepe, founder of MiSalud Health, who revolutionized healthcare access for the Hispanic community, and Kara Golden, who disrupted the beverage industry with Hint Water. Other notable guests include Eric Ryan, who transformed the consumer products market; Ann Miura-Ko, a venture capitalist with a keen eye for 'super thinkers'; and Shiza Shahid, co-founder of the Malala Fund. The episode concludes with artist Trevor Paglen, who redefines art by pushing its boundaries. Each guest’s journey illustrates how breaking precedent, though risky, can lead to significant societal advancements.
Listen to the full original episodes here:
Show Notes:
(00:00) Introduction: The Power of Precedent
(01:00) The Legal Bedrock: Precedent in Law
(04:30) Healthcare Innovation: Breaking Barriers with MiSalud
(08:30) Entrepreneurial Grit: The Story of Hint Water
(13:00) Revolutionizing Industries: Method, Ollie, and Welle
(15:30) Empowering Change: Shiza Shahid and the Malala Fund
(18:30) Art and Innovation: Challenging the Status Quo
(21:00) Conclusion: The Impact of Breaking Precedent
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: https://www.breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed - https://www.instagram.com/labunleashed/
X: @labunleashed - https://twitter.com/labunleashed?lang=en
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan sits down with Julie Rice, co-founder of SoulCycle and Peoplehood, to discuss how she helped redefine not just boutique fitness, but the modern experience of community. Julie shares how her background in theater and talent management laid the foundation for one of the most iconic wellness brands in the world. Together, they unpack the emotional blueprint behind SoulCycle’s five-part class design, the revolutionary decision to prioritize instructors as full-time talent, and the power of scaling human magic. With Peoplehood, Julie is channeling her obsession with connection into relational health designing group experiences that teach how to actively listen, support, and feel seen.
Guest Bio and Links:
Julie Rice is a serial entrepreneur and community-builder best known as the co-founder of SoulCycle and now Peoplehood, a platform for relational fitness and guided group conversation. Her work centers on designing experiences that build human connection at scale.
Listeners can learn more about Julie Rice through LinkedIn @julierice
Check out Julie’s latest venture Peoplehood, and learn more about Soulcycle
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan dives deep into the life-altering journey of Sarah Hoover, author of 'The Motherload.' Sarah discusses how her rage and postpartum depression propelled her to write a raw and honest memoir that challenges societal norms about motherhood. Leah and Sarah unpack topics such as postpartum trauma, the inadequacies of the medical system, and the unique challenges faced by working mothers. Sarah’s story doesn’t just break precedent, it dismantles the silence around maternal mental health and invites us to question the rigid norms we've long accepted.
Guest Bio and Links:
Sarah Hoover is an art historian, writer, and former director at Gagosian Gallery whose work centers around the cultural intersections of womanhood, art, and maternal identity. Her debut book The Mother Load dismantles the myths of motherhood through raw honesty and wit. She lives with her husband and two kids in Manhattan.
Listeners can learn more about Sarah Hoover on her website, and on IG @sarahhoov
Sarah’s book - The Motherload: Episodes from the Brink of Motherhood
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan sits down with Chris Redlitz and Beverly Parenti, co-founders of The Last Mile, a groundbreaking prison education program that’s transforming lives behind bars through coding, entrepreneurship, and purpose. From venture capital success stories in Silicon Valley to walking the yards of San Quentin and Indiana State Prisons, Chris and Beverly share their radical journey into social innovation. They explore how tech education is breaking generational cycles of incarceration, lowering recidivism rates, and redefining second chances. Chris and Beverly share some deeply moving stories of transformation, including a woman who declined early release to finish the program, and a man who was once cellmates with his father.
Guest Bio and Links:
Chris Redlitz is a venture capitalist and former endurance athlete who co-founded The Last Mile after a pivotal visit to San Quentin prison. With a background in growing companies like Reebok and launching digital ventures, he now channels his entrepreneurial experience into transforming prison education.
Beverly Parenti is a veteran tech entrepreneur and innovator who co-founded The Last Mile to empower incarcerated individuals, particularly women, with marketable skills. As the first-generation daughter of Holocaust survivors, Beverly's life has been profoundly shaped by her father's experiences during World War II. Her father's story of survival became a guiding light in her life, instilling in her the values of resourcefulness, resilience, and relentless perseverance.
Learn more about The Last Mile at their website
Connect with Chris Redlitz on LinkedIn @ChrisRedlitz, and on X @ChrisRedlitz
Connect with Beverly Parenti on LinkedIn @BeverlyParenti and on X @thebev
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan sits down with Matteo Franceschetti, the visionary founder and CEO of Eight Sleep, to explore how sleep is becoming the most critical, and most overlooked dimension of human performance. From growing up in an Italian town to revolutionizing sleep technology in Silicon Valley, Matteo shares a remarkable journey of grit, ambition, and innovation. He opens up about the transformation from competitive athlete to tech entrepreneur, and why he believes the future of sleep lies in compression, personalization, and AI-driven health scans. The two dive into topics like sleep fitness, temperature regulation, global expansion, and even how sleep training parallels child development.
Guest Bio and Links:
Matteo Franceschetti is the Co-Founder and CEO of Eight Sleep, the sleep fitness company.Eight Sleep developed a proprietary technology which is redesigning sleep by developing cutting-edge AI and machine learning models to track bio signals during the night and optimizing body recovery and rest while asleep. The end goal of the Pod is to compress sleep and scan your body while asleep to monitor your health. Eight Sleep is currently used by pro athletes and top performers across multiple industries and was recognized as one of TIME’s “Best Inventions” in 2018 and 2019, was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” in 2018, and has raised over $150M in funding from leading investors, including Founders Fund, Softbank, Khosla Ventures, Y Combinator, Valor Equity Partners, General Catalyst, Naval Ravikant, and Patrick Collison.
Discover your perfect sleep set up - Take Quiz
Connect with Matteo Franceschetti on X @m_franceschetti
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan dives deep with Founder of Trulia, Pete Flint. Pete opens up about his early days studying physics at Oxford and how his curiosity eventually led him into the fast-paced world of startups. He talks about his experience at lastminute.com, one of the UK’s hottest tech companies at the time, and what it was like navigating through the chaos of the dot-com crash and the aftermath of 9/11. After moving to Silicon Valley to attend Stanford, Pete shares the story behind the lightbulb moment that sparked Trulia—and how he broke into one of the most tightly regulated industries in the U.S. Now a partner at NFX, Pete reflects on what he's seeing in the next wave of startups, especially around AI, and how the rules of building and scaling companies are changing in real time.
Guest Bio and Links:
Pete Flint is a serial entrepreneur and investor who co-founded Trulia, steering the company through its IPO and a multi-billion-dollar merger with Zillow. Today, he's a General Partner at NFX, investing in early-stage companies that leverage network effects and cutting-edge technologies.
Listeners can learn more about Pete Flint at NFX, and on LinkedIn @PeteFlint
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan dives deep with Dr. Patrick Brown, the founder of Impossible Foods, who left a celebrated career in science to take on one of the most urgent issues of our time - animal agriculture. Together, they discuss how a plant-based alternative could dismantle an outdated, destructive food system and catalyze planetary restoration. Brown shares the origin story behind Impossible Foods, recounting his bold pivot from Stanford professor to food-tech pioneer. He unpacks the global environmental costs of livestock farming and o
Guest Bio and Links:
Patrick Brown is a biochemist, former Stanford professor, and founder of Impossible Foods, a company revolutionizing the way meat is made by eliminating animals from the equation. Through science, sustainability, and purpose-driven entrepreneurship, he is working to replace the global animal agriculture system by 2035.
Listeners can learn more about Patrick Brown on his website, on LinkedIn @PatrickBrown, and on Stanford Profiles
Resources:
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan is joined by Selina Tobaccowala, a pioneering tech entrepreneur whose journey began with co-founding Evite and scaling SurveyMonkey to new heights. Selina shares how her childhood fascination with computers, combined with an insatiable drive for problem-solving, led her to break boundaries in Silicon Valley. From navigating the dot-com bubble to her latest venture, HomeBoost, she reveals the principles that have guided her success, including her father’s three essential questions for career decisions. Leah and Selina explore the intersection of technology and impact, the challenges of raising venture capital as a female founder, and how AI is transforming residential energy efficiency.
Guest Bio and Links:
Selina Tobaccowala is a tech entrepreneur and innovator who co-founded Evite, served as President and CTO of SurveyMonkey, and is now revolutionizing home energy efficiency with her latest company, HomeBoost. Selina has a deep passion for using technology to solve real-world problems and she has built and led companies that have transformed industries.
Listeners can connect with Selina Tobaccowala on her IG @sootle
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan is joined by Bismarck Lepe, a serial entrepreneur who has shattered conventions at every stage of his life. From growing up as the child of Mexican migrant workers to becoming a Stanford graduate and an early Google employee, Bismarck shares his incredible journey of resilience, innovation, and leadership. He discusses his early entrepreneurial ventures, the lessons learned at Google, and the groundbreaking work of his companies, including Ooyala, WiseLine, and MiSalud. With profound expertise in business, technology, and seizing opportunity, Bismarck provides an inspiring perspective on how vision and perseverance can transform industries.
Guest Bio and Links:
Bismarck Lepe, founder and Executive Chairman of Wizeline, is a seasoned Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor. As an early Google employee, he left to start Ooyala, an online video platform that sold for $400 million to Telstra in 2014. Passionate about economic growth and education, he has helped transform Guadalajara into a thriving tech hub through Wizeline Academy and StartupGDL, generating over 1,500 jobs and attracting significant investment. Under his leadership, Wizeline expanded to seven countries, with talent spanning 15 nations. For over a decade, he has been a key force in fostering Mexico-Silicon Valley collaboration in technology and entrepreneurship.
Listeners can learn more about Bismarck Lepe on LinkedIn @BismarckLepe
MiSalud Health - Designed For Spanish-First Teams on the Move
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan sits down with Jes Wolfe, CEO of Rebel Girls, adventurer, and precedent-breaker. Jes shares her experience summiting Mount Aconcagua, one of the tallest mountains in the world, and how she found the strength to keep going after facing an unexpected tragedy on the climb. Jes then discusses the birth of Rebel Girls, and the importance of sharing real-life stories of strong women and how early biases in media, education, and parenting contribute to the confidence gap in girls. Jes shares Rebel Girls’ ambitious mission to reach 100 million girls, the launch of Rebel Girls Sport, an ESPN-style platform designed to engage young fans in women’s sports, and the one major societal norm she would change if she could.
Guest Bio and Links:
Jes Wolfe is the CEO of Rebel Girls, a global storytelling company on a mission to inspire and empower young girls. A lifelong adventurer and leader, Jes has a background in finance, international business, and entrepreneurship. Before joining Rebel Girls, she held roles at Morgan Stanley, the World Bank, and various startups, bringing a wealth of experience in scaling purpose-driven companies. An avid mountaineer, Jes recently summited Mount Aconcagua, demonstrating her philosophy of resilience and ambition. Under her leadership, Rebel Girls continues to break barriers, reaching millions of girls worldwide with stories of fearless women and redefining representation in children’s media.
Listeners can learn more about Jes Wolfe on her website, and on LinkedIn @JesWolfe
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan talks with Kara Goldin, founder and CEO of Hint Water, to talk about her journey from AOL exec to beverage industry disruptor. Kara shares how her father’s influence, a knack for asking the right questions, and a fearless approach to problem-solving led her to create an entirely new category in drinks. She also opens up about learning from visionaries like Jeff Bezos, balancing entrepreneurship with family, and refusing to compromise on product integrity—despite having no industry experience.
Guest Bio and Links:
Kara Goldin is the founder and CEO of Hint, Inc., the pioneering brand behind unsweetened flavored water. Before launching Hint in 2005, she was a Vice President at AOL, where she helped grow its e-commerce business to over $1 billion. She is the author of the bestselling book Undaunted and has been recognized as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year and one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs.
Listeners can learn more about Kara Goldin at her website, on LinkedIn @karagoldin, on IG @karagoldin
Kara’s Book: Undaunted
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan talks with Tamara Rojo, a trailblazing ballerina, choreographer, and artistic director of the San Francisco Ballet. Tamara shares her extraordinary journey from humble beginnings in Madrid to becoming one of the most celebrated dancers of her generation. Leah and Tamara touch on Tamara’s innovative approach to leadership, redefining classic stories like Carmen, and the importance of accessibility and diversity in the arts.
Guest Bio and Links:
Tamara Rojo is one of the most celebrated ballerinas of her generation. Born in Montreal and raised in Madrid, Tamara broke barriers as an outsider in the ballet world, becoming the first female Artistic Director of the English National Ballet and, more recently, the San Francisco Ballet. Known for her emotional depth, technical brilliance, and innovative leadership, she continues to push the art form forward by commissioning bold new works and amplifying diverse voices in ballet.
Listeners can learn more about Tamara at her website, and on IG @rojotamara
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan talks with Andy Dunn, founder of Bonobos, author, and advocate for mental health. They discuss Andy's groundbreaking work in retail with Bonobos, his personal experience navigating mental health challenges, and his latest venture, Pi Social, aimed at fostering in-person connections. Andy opens up about the influence of growing up in a multicultural household, the impact of his bipolar disorder diagnosis, and how he turned what many see as a weakness into a powerful aspect of his identity.
Guest Bio and Links:
Andy Dunn is an American entrepreneur and the co-founder of Bonobos Inc. Dunn served as CEO for eleven years after co-founding the Bonobos brand in 2007. In June 2017, Walmart announced purchasing the Bonobos brand for $310 million in cash.
Learn more about Andy Dunn at his website, on IG @dunn
Andy’s Book: Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind
Show Notes:
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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.
Connect with Leah:
Website: breakingprecedent.com/
Instagram: @labunleashed
