Varsity Ventures

AI and other emerging tools have made it easier than ever for the next generation to start a business. But launching something and building something people actually use? That’s a whole different game. I’m Hendrick McConnell, and this is Varsity Ventures — a podcast where I interview both rising and seasoned entrepreneurs to uncover what it really takes to create something that lasts. This show is for teens who are dreaming of starting a business, now or in the future.

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Latest episodes

03 October 2025

Episode 6: Brewing Resilience and Building Wealth - Entrepreneurship Lessons with Vicki Davitashvili

In this episode of Varsity Ventures, I sit down with Vicki Davitashvili—a leader with 20+ years in financial services and two-time founder of Still Essence Tea and Wealthy and Unstoppable.

After a life-altering event in 2022, Vicki turned to tea as both a healing ritual and the spark for her first business. She later discovered a deeper gap around women’s financial confidence, leading her to launch a second venture. In this episode, she shares how resilience, customer obsession, and scrappy MVPs helped her bring both ideas to life.

You’ll hear:

How to move from idea to launch with minimal resources
Why leadership is about psychological safety, honesty, and a servant mindset
How fear never disappears—but you can build resilience to keep going forward
Why customers, not your initial idea, should guide your product

Vicki's story is a masterclass in grit, adaptability, and courage.

You can follow Vicki on LinkedIn( https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-davitashvili/ ) or learn more about her businesses:

Stille Essence: https://stilleessence.com/

Wealthy and Unstopable: https://victoria-davitashvili.kit.com/a103060af3

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16 September 2025

Episode 5: Behind the Music: Bringing Order to Live Events with Ben Ikwuagwu

From the stage to the startup world — today’s guest is Ben Ikwuagwu, founder of Soundcheck Live. After a decade as a performer in the music industry, Ben saw the chaos behind live events firsthand: spreadsheets, endless texts, disorganized planning. Instead of putting up with it, he built a platform to fix it. In this episode, Ben shares what it’s like going from musician to founder, why his lived experience gives him an edge, and how Soundcheck Live is changing the way artists, venues, and entertainment companies connect.

If you want to learn more about Soundcheck Live or about Ben, you can connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminikwuagwu/

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03 September 2025

Ideas That Matter: How Liesl Leach Turns Problems into Platforms

Welcome back to Varsity Ventures. I’m your host, Hendrick McConnell.

Today, we’re talking with Liesl Leach — a builder who’s never been afraid to take the hard road. She’s worked in global finance, launched startups, and led teams through digital transformation. But more importantly, she’s turned real-world problems — from supporting aging parents to helping underrepresented founders raise capital — into platforms that make a difference.

In this episode, Liesl shares how she went from teaching in rural Thailand with the Peace Corps, to raising money for her own ventures, to creating Backable, a company that’s challenging the myths of fundraising and opening doors for founders who don’t fit the Silicon Valley stereotype.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to start something, to pivot, and to fight for your ideas — this conversation is packed with lessons for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Connect to Liesl on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lieslleach/

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06 August 2025

Episode 3: From Students to Climate Leaders: Jacob & Ari Bushler on Powering Tomorrow

In this episode, I interview Jacob and Ari, students and founders of Powering Tomorrow, a non-profit focused on climate education. In this conversation we talk about outreach strategies, finding that first client and persevering through the growing pains. To learn more you can contact them at: jjbushler@gmail.com or on Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-bushler-9b94062a3/)

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20 July 2025

Episode 2: Interview with James Pereira-Stubbs on Building a Fintech Startup in Behavioral Finance

In this episode, I talk with James Pereria-Stubbs, the Chief Client Officer at Oxford Risk, a fintech startup focused on behavioral finance. He gives career advice on the skills needed for working in small and big companies, and for building a start-up including finding market fit.

You can learn more about James on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-pereira-stubbs-bab6632/) and Oxford Risk here (https://www.oxfordrisk.com/).

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14 July 2025

Episode 1: Adrien Treuille, Co-founder of Streamlit, Shares his Journey Building and Selling an AI Business

In this episode of Varsity Ventures, I talk with Adrien Treuille, co-founder of Streamlit — a platform that lets developers turn data into powerful web apps, no web dev experience required. In 2022, Streamlit was acquired by Snowflake, one of the world’s biggest data companies.

Adrien shares what it really takes to go from idea to product, and what he’s learned about building something people actually use. If you’re a teen thinking about launching something of your own, this conversation might be the spark you need to get started.

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