Varsity Ventures

Podcast by Hendrick McConnell

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

01 April 2026

From Big Tech to Founder: Nathalie Walton on Building and Exiting a Mission-Driven Startup

Nathalie Walton’s career began in big tech, with leadership roles at Google, Airbnb, and eBay. But after experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, she saw firsthand how challenging the journey into parenthood can be and felt compelled to build something that could help.

In this episode, Nathalie shares her path from tech executive to startup founder. She explains how she joined and then took over Expectful, raised $4 million in just 90 days, scaled the company, and ultimately led it through a successful acquisition.

Nathalie also breaks down how she approached fundraising, built relationships with future acquirers early, navigated uncertainty as a first-time CEO, and managed crises from industry shifts to global events. She explains how she uses AI as a strategic thinking partner, why founders should think about their exit strategy early, and why young people are uniquely positioned to build impactful companies today.

This conversation offers practical insight into leadership, resilience, and what it really takes to build a company with purpose. You can learn more about Nathalie on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathaliewalton/.

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20 November 2025

Episode 8: Michelle Stephens on What It Takes to Build Health Tech

Former pediatric nurse and Oath Care co-founder Michelle Stephens Ph.D. joins Varsity Ventures for an unfiltered breakdown of what it actually takes to build in health tech.

Michelle talks about her academic past, how she jumped from nursing to a startup, and what she learned the hard way about venture capital, product timing, and selling a healthcare vision in a world that moves faster than medicine can.

Now the Chief Revenue Officer at Felt, Michelle explains why the next wave of care won’t happen in clinics at all - it’ll happen inside the apps people already use every day. She pulls back the curtain on what’s broken, what founders get wrong, and where AI fits (and absolutely doesn’t).

If you want a real look at what building in healthcare actually demands - not the glossy version - this episode is worth your time. You can follow Michelle and her work on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-michelle-stephens/ or got https://www.feltclinic.com/.

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29 October 2025

Episode 7: How Eat Offbeat Turned Refugee Talent into an NYC Food Movement with co-founder Wissam Kahi

What started with a craving for grandma's hummus became a movement reshaping New York’s food scene.

In this episode, I talk with Wissam Kahi, co-founder of Eat Offbeat, a social venture that hires and celebrates refugee chefs bringing authentic dishes from around the world to NYC tables.

Wissam shares how his sister's school project turned into a business, the hard realities of running a food venture, and the lessons he learned about trust, family, and staying financially grounded while building something meaningful.

If you’ve ever thought about starting something that matters — this episode will challenge how you think about business, impact, and risk.

Listen to learn why passion, adaptability, and purpose—not luck—built Eat Offbeat.

You can connect with Wissam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wissamkahi/ and also learn more about Eat Offbeat at https://www.eatoffbeat.com/.

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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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