Yewande Masi and Glen Giovanucci
Pivoting Your Business
Pandemic pivots became a priority for many entrepreneurs in early 2020, but a variety of factors can influence a product change. In this episode, you’ll hear from two business leaders: Yewande Masi, CJ’09, founder of Ornami skincare and Glen Giovanucci, DMSB’83, CEO at G-Form.
This episode features a pre-recorded interview from our virtual entrepreneurship event in November. It’s moderated by Katie Hemphill, MS’19, Associate Director of the McCarthy(s) Venture Mentoring Network (VMN). This university wide resource pairs student, faculty, and alumni-owned ventures with experienced mentors to help with business challenges.
The Northeastern Next Podcast is your channel to your global alumni network. In this show, we will catch up with alumni to hear what they do every day to achieve what’s next, and learn about their journey after Northeastern.
Questions, comments, or ideas for next guests can be emailed to the host, me.brisson@northeastern.edu.
Listen and subscribe on apple podcasts, google podcasts, or spotify.
Aired on February 12, 2021
Ben Kneppers
18 billion pounds of plastic enter our oceans each year, a harrowing fact that only accounts for a portion of our planet’s pollution crisis. Northeastern innovators are tackling this problem to create sustainable solutions for cleaner oceans. Bureo, an emerging B-Corp, has created a program to recycle fishing nets into a NetPlus™ material, used in products by Patagonia and other partner companies.
Join the conversation to fight plastic pollution with Ben Kneppers, E’07, co-founder and COO of Bureo, and Maarten Eenkema van Dijk, E’14, MS’15, operations manager for Van Dyk Recycling Solutions.
The Northeastern Next Podcast is your channel to your global alumni network. In this show, we will catch up with alumni to hear what they do every day to achieve what’s next, and learn about their journey after Northeastern.
Questions, comments, or ideas for next guests can be emailed to the host, me.brisson@northeastern.edu.
Listen and subscribe on apple podcasts, google podcasts, or spotify.
Aired on Feb 2, 2021
Michael Delmonaco
After taking an introductory course to Python in high school, Michael Delmonaco, Khoury’22, got hooked into coding, program languages, and AI. He started to create his own games, digital graphics, and programs, sharpening his computer science skills and understanding for future projects to come!
This interview is a part of the Lifelong Learning: On Demand, Innovative Uses of Artificial Intelligence program running in January 2021.
Website
quasarbright.github.io
Bryan Healey
Entrepreneur, technology leader, data scientist, machine learning engineer, and author Bryan Healey, Khoury’07, doesn’t shy away from learning new things. He dives into new research on machine learning, artificial intelligence, and technology through his company, Aiera, and consulting firm, Healey Engineering.
This interview is a part of the Lifelong Learning: On Demand, Innovative Uses of Artificial Intelligence program running in January 2021.
Soumya Janardhanan
Soumya Janardhanan, MS’17, always had an interest in computer science. After working some time at an ecommerce start-up in India, she wanted to go back to the basics and strengthen her foundation at Northeastern University’s Master of Science in Computer Science program.
This interview is a part of the Lifelong Learning: On Demand, Innovative Uses of Artificial Intelligence program running in January 2021.
Ryan Drexler
Successful CEOs are not born overnight. Ryan Drexler, AS’93, grew up as the shy kid and lacked confidence in public speaking, but like every Northeastern student, he focused on finding his career path. Ryan majored in theatre, a unique choice at the time, but one that brought him outside his comfort zone to develop essential leadership skills. Fast forward to the present, Ryan is now CEO and president of MusclePharm, a publicly traded sports nutrition company, and shares his advice on leading teams, overcoming challenges, and reaching the top.
The Northeastern Next Podcast is your channel to your global alumni network. In this show, we will catch up with alumni to hear what they do every day to achieve what’s next, and learn about their journey after Northeastern.
Questions, comments, or ideas for next guests can be emailed to the host, me.brisson@northeastern.edu.
Listen and subscribe on apple podcasts, google podcasts, or spotify.
Aired December 11, 2020
Read More
musclepharmcorp.com
Vallabhi Singh
Creativity. Diversity. Changemakers. What do these buzz words really mean? Vallabhi Singh, DMSB’17, has been chasing that answer and her own curiosity since she graduated. Unexpectedly, she left her promising career in New York City to return to her home country of India, but she brought with her a deep passion for entrepreneurship, collaboration, and connection. She focused her energy and founded Creatives Around The World (CATW), in the midst of the global pandemic, to bring diverse minds together and #NetworksForGood. Hosting several virtual roundtables since May, the CATW network is growing, pushing boundaries on how we approach problems and define creativity.
The Northeastern Next Podcast is your channel to your global alumni network. In this show, we will catch up with alumni to hear what they do every day to achieve what’s next, and learn about their journey after Northeastern.
Questions, comments, or ideas for next guests can be emailed to the host, me.brisson@northeastern.edu.
Listen and subscribe on apple podcasts, google podcasts, or spotify.
Aired on October 27, 2020
Alexandra Tarzikhan
An American passport changed her life. Alexandra Tarzikhan was born in the United States to her American mom and Syrian dad. She grew up in the city of Aleppo, returning to Boston to attend Northeastern. But in 2011 at the start of the Syrian civil war, Alexandra could easily hop on a plane thanks to her passport. Her lived experience became drastically different than the refugees struggling for safety and asylum in Europe. Instead, she experienced the migrant crisis in Lesvos as a volunteer. Alexandra received a JD/MPH dual degree and is passionate about pursuing a legal career in human rights and humanitarian operations with a focus on migration and health. Her Instagram account @meetarefugee helps share stories and bring attention and awareness to the refugee crisis.
The Northeastern Next Podcast is your channel to your global alumni network. In this show, we will catch up with alumni to hear what they do every day to achieve what’s next, and learn about their journey after Northeastern.
Questions, comments, or ideas for next guests can be emailed to the host, me.brisson@northeastern.edu.
Listen and subscribe on apple podcasts, google podcasts, or spotify.
Aired on October 5, 2020
Hanadi Hamzeh
Hanadi Hamzeh, BHS’10, always knew she wanted to be a business owner but initially thought it was going to be a doctor’s practice. Hear Hanadi’s journey to opening up Boston’s premium consignment store Covet.
This interview was part of the Lifelong Learning: On Demand, Demystifying the Entrepreneurial Journey program from September 2020.
Instagram
@covetboston
Website
covetboston.com
Elina Agrawal
Coming from a large business family, it was no surprise that Elina Agrawal, DMSB’23, would find her way into the Northeastern University Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. While she does not own her own business (yet), she has embraced the entrepreneurial mindset and wants to dive deeper into this community.
This interview was part of the Lifelong Learning: On Demand, Demystifying the Entrepreneurial Journey program from September 2020.
