Alexandra Eidens is the Co-Founder and CEO of Big Life Journal.

In this episode, Alexandra shares her entrepreneurial and spiritual journey, offering insights into her visualization and manifestation techniques. She explains how these practices have helped her shape a reality filled with startup success and abundance.

Some may see this as a controversial episode full of "woo-woo". However, keep an open mind and you may find our conversation deeply relevant and valuable for entrepreneurs and business owners alike.

00:00 Meet Alexandra Eidens: Co-Founder of Big Life Journal
02:18 The Journey of Big Life Journal: From Failure to Success
04:11 Social Media Master Class 
10:35 The Power of Visualization and Meditation
18:24 Understanding Reality and Spiritual Practices
49:15 The Power of Belief in Startups
50:43 Rewiring Your Brain and Energy
52:31 Manifestation and Success Stories
56:59 Visualization Techniques for Entrepreneurs
01:04:26 Managing Teams with Visualization
01:12:54 Parenting with a Visualization Mindset
01:18:10 No Free Will
01:31:54 Final Thoughts and Advice for Entrepreneurs

Jason Tan is the founder and executive chairman of Sift, a unicorn YC startup. Despite Sift's rocketship growth, Jason, as CEO, was secretly battling depression.

In this episode of Founder Meditations, Jason shares candidly about struggling with depression, the pressure of success, and how psychedelics and spiritual practices helped him rediscover happiness and purpose. Jason also shares his unique approach to love-based leadership and creating a mindful, positive company culture.

Whether you're a founder, aspiring entrepreneur, or simply curious about the intersection of mental health, spirituality, and business, this conversation offers plenty of insights and inspiration.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:45 Jason’s Journey: From Immigrant to Entrepreneur

02:18 Early Career Struggles and Finding Success at Zillow

04:40 Building Sift: Challenges and Triumphs

06:24 Battling Depression

16:49 Psychedelics and Healing: LSD, MDMA, and Ayahuasca

22:44 Lessons from Jason's Psychedelic Experiences

28:40 Advice for Founders Interested in Psychedelics 

35:53 Healing Trauma Through Psychedelics 

38:12 Spiritual Insights from Psychedelics

41:49 Burning Man

43:41 Love-Based vs. Fear-Based Leadership

52:30 Balancing Work and Rest

59:26 Rethinking Capitalism: A More Loving Future

01:01:43 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Why should intellectuals care about Manifestation? As Stanford professor Dr. Jim Doty shared on this episode of Founder Meditations, manifestation is not pseudoscience and goes beyond the claims made by The Secret and the Law of Attraction.

Dr. James Doty is a neurosurgeon, entrepreneur, and bestselling author. He is a professor of neurosurgery at Stanford and the founder of The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), of which His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the founding benefactor. Dr. Doty is a successful inventor, entrepreneur, and NY Times bestselling author with two books: Into the Magic Shop, and Mind Magic.

We dive into the science of manifestation, contrasting it with pseudoscience, and discuss the ethical obligations of wealth and leadership in tech entrepreneurship. Learn about the impact of collective intentions, the essence of true success, and how a balanced approach to life can lead to profound personal and societal change. Featuring insights from global spiritual leaders, this episode invites you to rethink conventional views on wealth, purpose, and community service.

Join us in this enlightening episode as we delve into the journey and teachings of Dr. James Doty, a Stanford neurosurgeon and best-selling author. Discover his inspiring story of overcoming poverty and personal struggles to become a renowned figure in neurosurgery, mindfulness, and humanitarian efforts. 

00:00 Introducing Dr. James Doty
02:44 Dr. Doty’s Early Life and Challenges
03:38 Into the Magic Shop
08:24 Visualization Techniques  
11:00 Neuroscience Behind Manifestation
13:23 Hedonic vs Eudaimonic Happiness
22:47 From Self-Centered to Service-Oriented
30:07 Losing Everything and Gaining Spiritual Wealth
37:12 The Alphabet of the Heart
41:31 Story of the Compassion Beads
44:14 Meeting Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu
46:05 Manifesting vs. Overachieving
48:50 The Toxic Nature of Venture Capital
01:04:13 Creating a Compassionate Work Environment
01:06:01 The Importance of Collective Manifestation
01:13:57 Contrarian Views on Manifestation
01:22:54 Advice for Founders

Ryan Vaughn is a three-time startup founder turned executive coach at Inside Out Leadership.

Ryan discusses the challenges tech people face in accessing spiritual concepts and introduces tools to understand the psychological development process. He shares his journey from aspiring basketball player to founder, his battles with addiction, and the profound identity crisis that led to his exploration of spirituality.

Ryan talks about his meditative practices, the importance of authenticity in leadership, and practical advice for founders looking to integrate mindfulness into their hectic lives.

Whether you’re a seasoned meditator or a curious beginner, this conversation offers insights into aligning personal growth with professional success.

00:00 Intro
01:47 Ryan's Journey from Startup Founder to Coach
05:44 The Challenges and Transformations of a CEO
07:53 Transitioning to a New Identity and Career
11:18 Coaching Founders Through Their Journey
15:01 Exploring Spiritual Practices and Psychedelics
21:22 Interweaving Spirituality with Foundership
32:46 Integrating Meditation into Daily Life
37:02 Meditation as a Tool for Organizational Change
41:18 Resources for Meditation and Mindfulness
46:04 Authenticity in Leadership
51:29 Balancing Ego and Vulnerability
53:02 Practical Meditation Techniques for Founders
57:34 Final Thoughts and Advice for Busy Founders

Stephen Zerfas is the co-founder & CEO of Jhourney, a tech startup scaling life-changing meditation with a data-driven approach. 

Jhourney's mission is fascinating. The company helps novices experience "Jhana", a life-changing meditative state akin to MDMA without the drug, in under a week. 

Stephen shares his personal journey from a struggling moment in life to mastering Jhanas, and explains how his company aims to make these profound states accessible to millions. Learn about the science, methodology, and real-life impacts of Jhourney’s retreats, which combine modern technology with ancient practices.

00:00 Introduction to Jhourney
03:06 Stephen's journey and Jhana experiences
17:33 Starting Jhourney
22:47 Retreat structure and techniques
27:38 Future vision and technological integration
31:33 Jhourney retreats vs others 
33:21 Life-changing experiences and benefits
33:53 Working smart in meditation
36:40 Personal transformation stories
40:37 Fun anecdotes from retreats
45:06 Secularizing meditation practices
54:27 Non-Duality 
56:30 Advice for founders 

Henry Shukman and Jack Shukman are the co-founders of The Way (thewayapp.com), a meditation app designed for those seeking a deeper meditation experience.
Henry Shukman is an authorized Zen Master in the Sanbo Zen lineage. Jack Shukman is the co-founder and CEO of The Way. Together, they embarked on a unique journey to create an app that offers a much more in-depth meditation practice than what is currently available.

What happens when a Zen Master starts a tech startup? That’s exactly what Henry Shukman did. Together with his nephew, Jack, they launched The Way, an app that integrates Zen philosophy into its core.

In this episode, we delve into the intersection of tech and meditation. Henry and Jack share how they infused Zen principles into their startup, discuss how a Zen Master would pitch to Silicon Valley VCs, and explore the importance of awakening for knowledge workers in tech. I also had the chance to ask Henry about his views on manifestation.

I’m very grateful for this episode, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as well.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
04:00 - Why a Zen Master wants to start a meditation app
10:12 - The founding story of ‘The Way’ meditation app
17:15 - Awakening and non-duality
23:00 - “Sales pitch” for Awakening: Why should founders meditate?
32:00 - Is Awakening for everyone?
41:32 - The Way’s four zones
54:45 - Inside “The Way” the startup
01:00:30 - Mission & metrics
01:07:34 - TAM of meditation apps
01:15:18 - Awakening and its impact on entrepreneurs
01:36:34 - Manifestation and wealth: A Zen perspective
01:39:01 - Advice for busy startup founders on meditation

Evgeny Shadchnev is a founder coach and the founder & ex-CEO of Makers Academy. Evgeny is also the author of Startup CEO Succession: A Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition. 

In this Founder Meditations episode, Evgeny shares his work coaching founders to end suffering in the context of a busy startup life. The discussion touches on Evgeny's failed Vipassana retreats, his wild story on psychedelics, and the role of mindfulness in personal well-being and professional development. Evgeny emphasizes the power of taking full responsibility for one's internal state for achieving happiness and well-being.

00:00 Intro
01:43 Evgeny's journey as a founder 
05:03 1st failed Vipassana retreat 
10:01 Evgeny's spiritual journey 16:19 Transitioning from CEO to founder coach
21:57 Wild psychedelics story 25:40 Recommended spiritual teachers & resources for founders 
31:08 Applying meditation in founder coaching
37:06 Insights into startup CEO succession 
46:43 Evgeny's biggest insight 48:00 Coaching Elon Musk 51:36 Lightning round 
57:23 Final thoughts on meditation and advice for founders

James Hu is the co-founder and CEO of Jobscan, a profitable, globally distributed startup.

In this episode, James discusses the pressure of startup culture and how this led to a moment of reckoning about what truly matters in life. James’s turning point came with a one-year sabbatical from his own company (!) and a transformative 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat, radically changing his approach to life, work, and leadership.

James offers insights into the power of meditation, the importance of letting go of fear-based motivations, and how ancient wisdom can guide modern entrepreneurs toward a more peaceful and purpose-driven life.

(00:00) Introduction

(01:00) James’ First Startup

(06:06) Founding Story of Jobscan

(09:08) James’ 1-year Sabbatical

(15:54) Discovering Meditation: A Journey to Inner Peace

(18:52) The Profound Impact of a 10-Day Vipassana Meditation Retreat

(26:41) Exploring the Depths of Pain and Equanimity

(29:45) Diet and Sensory Changes Post-Retreat

(32:35) Impact on Business and Management Style

(33:51) Maintaining Meditation Practice and Its Benefits

(35:36) Incorporating Meditation into Leadership and Decision-Making

(42:23) Personal Growth and the Shift in Motivation

(48:40) Finding Balance: Health as a New KPI

(51:34) Advice for Founders

(57:08) Rapid Fire Questions and Final Thoughts

Chandan Lodha is the co-founder of CoinTracker, a top YC company with a $1.3B valuation. 

Chandan is a startup founder who exemplifies how incorporating mindfulness practices can lead to significant worldly success. In this episode of Founder Meditations, Chandan delves into his journey through a 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat, highlighting the pivotal role his mindfulness practice has played in scaling CoinTracker to its status as a unicorn company.

(00:00) Introduction 

(01:33) Chandan’s Early Years 

(08:02) Founding Story of CoinTracker

(10:47) First Meditation Experience with Headspace 

(14:43) Psychedelics: A Life-Changing Experience 

(22:20) Chandan’s 10-Day Vipassana Retreat 

(27:35) Applying Vipassana Learnings to Daily Life & Business 

(30:09) Maintaining a Meditation Practice Post-Retreat

(33:36) Recommendations for Startup Founders

(34:18) Integrating Mindfulness into Startup Culture and Leadership

(38:23) The Impact of Meditation on Decision-Making and Compassion

(42:20) Meditation, Hiring Practices, and Team Dynamics

(45:02) Correlation Between Meditation and Performance

(50:24) Personal Growth and Startup Motivation Through Mindfulness

(54:10) Founders losing motivation after deep meditation experiences 

(58:09) Lightning Round

Michael Shuffett is the founder & CEO of Compose AI, an AI startup backed by Y Combinator, Sequoia, and Craft Ventures.

In this episode of Founder Meditations, Michael shares his multifaceted journey from academia and martial arts to the entrepreneurial world, emphasizing how meditation, lucid dreaming, and spirituality profoundly influence his personal and professional life.

*Alert* This can be a fairly esoteric episode, as Michael & Weiting, being scientifically minded tech founders, discuss lucid dreaming and out-of-body experiences.

(00:00 Introduction

(05:00) Michael’s Early Career and Projects

(07:25) How Michael Started Compose AI

(12:15) Michael’s Spiritual Journey

(16:35) Exploring Lucid Dreaming and Out-of-Body Experiences

(33:51) Understanding Ego and Self-Identity

(49:42) Understanding Ego and Identity

(50:30) Experiencing Egolessness

(52:46) The Power of Fluid Identity

(54:05) The Dangers of Misaligned Identity

(56:28) Exploring the State of Non-Duality

(56:56) The Concept of Self in Meditation

(01:00:56) The Human Mind as a Language Model

(01:08:25) The Impact of Meditation on Entrepreneurship

(01:11:33) The Role of Morality in a Simulated Universe

(01:18:40) The Importance of Meditation for Founders

(01:29:49) Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Yura Riphyak is the founder of YouTeam and Heart. Yura is a Y Combinator alum and serial entrepreneur who has founded 4 companies since 2010. 

In this episode of Founder Meditations, Weiting & Yura discussed the integration of mindful practices into their day-to-day operations and decision-making as founders, investigating how this shifts viewpoints on success, fulfillment, and how they approach challenges. 

(00:00) Introduction
(01:50) Yura's Entrepreneurial Journey
(12:11) Competition and Collaboration
(21:41) War of Ukraine
(33:16) Exploration of AI and Its Potential
(45:18) Meditation and Its Role in Life
(50:33) The Human Condition and Happiness
(52:03) Mindfulness and Meditation
(54:58) Sam Harris' Waking Up App 
(59:55) Role of Culture and Religion in Mindfulness
(01:04:11) Intersection of Mindfulness and Startups
(01:08:30) Impact of Mindfulness on Decision-Making
(01:29:17) Role of Mindfulness in Leadership and Hiring
(01:33:26) Reflecting on Yura's Personal Growth from Mindfulness

This is the inaugural episode of Founder Meditations, featuring Weiting the host himself! The purpose of the podcast is to interview startup founders and explore the intersection between entrepreneurship, mindfulness, and spirituality.

Weiting shares his own spiritual journey, including his experiences with meditation and the impact it has had on his life. Weiting is a startup founder and spiritual finder. 

(00:04) Introduction
(01:41) Weiting's Spiritual Journey
(02:05) Ray Dalio got me started
(04:47) Benefits of Meditation
(06:17) Suffering
(07:10) Life-changing Books: Anthony de Mello's Awareness & Sam Harris' Waking Up
(13:03) 10-day Vipassana Retreat
(18:03) 1st Taste of Shift in Consciousness
(20:47) Spiritual Teachers: Angelo Dillulo & Michael Taft 
(24:13) Quarterly Retreats 
(25:27) 2023 Summer Trips with Family 
(26:52) Life-Changing Trip back to SF  
(29:04) Spontaneity, Surrendering, Synchronicity 
(35:07) Free Will
(37:22) Spirituality x Entrepreneurship