Inner Power Particles

Kā zināt un iet savu ceļu darbā vai biznesā? Vai jēdziens "sirds ceļš darbā” vispār eksistē, vai tas ir tikai skaists mīts? Ja darbā / biznesā piedzīvo praktisku vai emocionālu iestrēgumu - šī epizode ir Tev. Ilze Švarcbaha, Signe Robinsone, Nauris Skride un Farhads Niyoz atklāti sarunājas par to, kā iziet no iestrēgumiem, atrast savu aicinājumu un nepazaudēt sevi darbā. Arī kā atšķirt īslaic...

Is your company’s growth capped by your own capacity? At a certain stage, scaling stops being about "what" you do and becomes entirely about "how" you set up your internal engine. If you feel like you're constantly putting out fires instead of executing your strategy, this Scalability Masterclass is for you. Farhad Niyoz (CEO of Cocoon) and Martins Bicevskis (Professional B...

Running a startup but can't get VCs interested? Struggling to keep co-founders aligned? Build IT's Matiss Neimanis breaks down why he's rejected promising startups, what happens when founders fight, and why sitting on two chairs (keeping your day job too long) usually kills the company. Managing 50+ early-stage investments taught him when to trust data versus gut feeling. Plus, he shares how getti...

When one founder went from 70-hour work weeks to spending days in bed, and another switched from intense corporate life to running a health tech startup, they learned energy management is as important as business management. An honest conversation about what actually drains leaders' energy (hint: it's rarely the workload), why some team dynamics are literally exhausting, and practical ways to spot...

In this episode, Kristaps, CEO of Language Inspired, reveals how he bootstrapped a thriving localization company, overcame co-founder challenges, and built a remote-first team driven by values. Discover practical insights on scaling sustainably and creating a business you love. 🔔Welcome to Inner Power Particles. We talk with entrepreneurs and leaders about their challenges and lessons learned to...

In this episode, Tõnu Vahtra, Head of Service Operations at Playtech, shares hard-won insights on scaling and preparing for acquisition from a buyer's perspective. We discuss the challenges of maintaining team morale and alignment through rapid growth, designing scalable decision-making processes, and why burnout prevention is crucial for high-performing teams. Tõnu also dives into what acquirers...

When studying to be a dentist, Sergejs parallelly became a sales person at a dental supplies company, which was way out of his comfort zone. This approach of leaving his comfort zone, coupled with seeing and taking the low-hanging fruit, has led him to find and grow multiple successful dental clinics and start investing in tech companies. In this episode, we unpack and analyse his journey to extra...

In this episode, I sit down with Madis, a former scaleup CEO who made the tough decision to step away from his company and take a sabbatical. We discussed what pushed him to leave a growing business with 400 paying customers and how he dealt with the following identity crisis.  Madis opens up about the challenges of managing expectations—his own and those of others—and how he's finding new meaning...

Discover how Nauris Skride transitioned from a software engineer to the CEO of Adaptive Media. What challenges did he face? How did he manage team dynamics and set realistic goals?  Hear about his approach to decision-making and long-term planning. There are insights on leadership and growth in a startup environment that are not to be missed. Tune in to uncover valuable lessons and inspiring stori...

In this episode, Indrek and Farhad explore balancing hands-on management with effective delegation while avoiding micromanagement.  Indrek talks about his transition to empowering his team and the strategic decision to bring on a COO. Indrek opens up about dealing with betrayals, navigating team dynamics, and keeping work-life balance in check.  Learn about his real-world insights on tackling CEO...

In this episode, we explore the art and best practices of running effective meetings tailored for C-level management and founders. Martins Bicevskis, a seasoned professional with extensive experience in both governmental and private sectors, and Farhad Niyoz, an experienced entrepreneur and business mentor, share their expertise on optimizing meetings to extract maximum potential. Learn the critic...

In this episode, we discuss how Anna switched from running startups to founding two purposeful NGOs - Riga Tech Girls and StartSchool. We explored what each organisation does for its members and the broader society. But then we went deeper into personal topics and looked at what motivated Anna to venture into this path and how she approached the downturn that followed a fast growth period. We look...

Unresolved personal conflicts impact or even block our success and well-being, especially, with the closest ones. When we have inner tension with our father, it limits our ability to achieve our goals, to know who we are and what we genuinely desire. In this episode, we explore reconciling with fathers: 1. when does it matter 2. what have been our journeys and takeaways 3. and how it has impacted...

Behind every great leader and CEO stands a team. It is high high-performing, efficient, open-minded, and united team of professionals following a common mission and vision. It is a team with the highest-class company culture where everyone feels safe and can express themselves. Culture always comes first. Nothing is personal. There is a problem - there must be a solution. In this episode, Cocoon P...

Should I pivot or keep searching for the right business model? For many founders, this dilemma feels like the final decision to make. Do we keep going or is this the end of our journey? In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Niyoz talks with COO & Co-Founder of Monetizr Martins Bratuskins. Martins tells his experience of what happens in the founder's mind when the passion for an idea i...

Want to transform the way you approach and resolve conflicts in both personal and professional life? In this video, we present a collection of valuable insights and experiences shared by our special guest Hristo Neiland, a Conflict Resolution Mentor. See more information on our platform: ⁠⁠https://www.cocoonprogram.com Welcome to the Inner Power Particles podcast. We talk with entrepreneurs and le...

Transitioning from a corporate job to a startup world comes with a price to pay and lessons to learn. This transition might be even more challenging for a female founder entering this world of entrepreneurship dominated by masculine energy and approaches to how things should be. Less emotions, more expectations, and more pressure on yourself as a leader paying your salary and being responsible for...

It is no secret that trust is the key aspect of human connection whether we talk about business or personal relationships. It is the vulnerable nature of breaking trust and honesty that often leads to many hurtful and unnecessary arguments. In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Niyoz talks with Cocoon Program mentor and professional board member Martins Bicevskis. They discuss how to build tr...

To be an entrepreneur - parent means to constantly search for a  balance between your work, your life and your wife. You know that you are in trouble when your daughter says: “Dad is spending more time with colleagues than us” but often the passion and drive for career development is so big that you miss out on learning how to be a part of the family.  In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Ni...

We tend to hear two kinds of start-up stories: ether someone just made a deal of their lifetime or scammed people to grab as much money as possible. But what happens in the middle of this ocean? What are the struggles of founders that may damage not only the company but even lead to a heart attack of years 40-year-old entrepreneur? And what about small wins - do we even know how to see and appreci...

What if burnout leads you to ego death and lack of clarity on your purpose? Will other stakeholders understand you? Is your new idea of how things work is the right one and others are missing out on it? Or maybe it opens up an opportunity for inner growth and lessons that need to be learned so that you can share them afterward with people around you… In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Niyo...

Imagine one morning waking up on the military campus and seeing 160 people laughing at you - their supposed leader. Should you run away and pretend nothing ever happened? Should you tell yourself that this is not for you and it is time to move on? Or maybe sit down for a moment, admit the brutal truth, and turn it into the most valuable leadership journey of your life?  In this episode, Cocoon Pro...

What happens when three founders cannot divide the company for 18 months? How to let go of 70% of the company to survive in the toughest times. What needs to be sacrificed before changing your vision that you cherish like your own child? How incredible is the impact a mentor can bring to you and your business?  Prepare yourself for it all!  In this episode, Cocoon Program CEO Farhad Niyoz talks wi...

For three years focusing only on work and preparing for an Ironman race. Then spending a year searching for what’s wrong and overcoming overtraining syndrome. What lessons can physical burnout teach about selfcare, leadership and priorities? How putting yourself and your feelings first will benefit everything around you and the way you show up every day?   In this episode Cocoon Program CEO Farhad...

Having $87 in bank account while being in San Francisco with one mission - figure out overnight how to get money and survive. Years later, Monetizr has raised $4M from “Change Venture”, “Ludus Ventures”, "Techstars,” and multiple angel investors. This is a story of fighting for survival as a unique startup, finally seeing some signals and taking over the US In-Game advertising market, life ch...