Startup founders are facing unprecedented challenges as a result of current events. We're seeing everything from supply chain disruptions to cancelled contracts to closures. And yet we're also hearing about founders using this as an opportunity to reevaluate their business model or pivot into new opportunities. 

In today’s podcast we explore Leadership for Today with innovation strategist and lean liftoff educator Dr. Helder Sebastiao to get insights into what startup founders can do in the near-term to navigate their ventures through this unparalleled economic storm.

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Host:

Steven Rodriguez
Regional Manager, Techstars

Steven is an international speaker and has worked with organizations such as WeWork, World Bank, Techstars, Global Entrepreneurship Network, Gallaudet University, Halcyon House, 1776 in DC, Freelancers Union Spark DC, CMX Hub, and more.

Guest:

Dr. Helder Sebastiao
Innovation Strategist and Mentor

Helder provides consulting in lean startup / lean launch, design thinking, and blue ocean strategy, and mentors startup founders in successfully applying lean startup / lean launch principles to new products / ventures. He also serves as an Instructor in the National Science Foundation's I-Corps program.

Helder previously managed the Vistage Executive Leadership Program in innovation management, a collaboration between Vistage and the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Prior to that he was a Principal Innovation Strategist at Target, providing training, consulting, and mentoring in design thinking, strategy, and lean startup / launch principles to Target product / experience design and development teams. He also served as a mentor in the Target Techstars program.

Helder spent a decade in academia researching, teaching, and mentoring startups. Before earning his PhD at the University of Oregon, he was an entrepreneur, consultant, director of economic development and entrepreneurship programs, marketing and advertising professional, and electrical engineer.