PEERS

What a year, peers. As 2022 comes to a close and OOO email signatures are beginning to be written, we thought it’d be the perfect time for a recap. In this very special episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, TPP Founder Michelle Akhidenor gets on the other side of the mic. Interviewed by TPP’s Business Strategist Kim Kerton, the duo shares the highs and lows of 2022, why they’re challenging t...

When did you notice that the world isn’t what you thought, peers?  For today’s guest, she grew up surrounded by strong and independent women. It wasn’t until she was 12 years-old when she realised the impact that gender inequalities have on society. But, as a result of her upbringing, Paloma Schackert now dedicates herself to creating jobs for women in the apparel manufacturing industry. In t...

What helps you get through the hard times, peers? For today’s guest, it’s remembering that his purpose is bigger than himself. By focusing on his community and ultimately, his target demographic, Austin Martin is able to get over the roadblocks and continue his mission of helping disadvantaged kids.  In this episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, we sit down with Austin Martin, the Found...

Are you feeling a bit lost at the moment, peers? Maybe you don’t know where you’re meant to go next or what this moment right here is even leading to.  This feeling can ring especially true as an entrepreneur.  In today’s episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, we hear the journey of Dr. Katherine Grill, the CEO and co-founder of Neolth, a technology company that provides personalise...

For many of us, we’re taught to move through the world “safely”. Get good grades in order to get a “good” job. Work hard as an employee in order to gain respect and value.  But what if this traditional way of work and life is outdated? What if it isn’t “safe” at all?  In today’s episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, we hear from Stephanie Michelsen, the CEO and Co-Founder of Jellat...

How many times have you felt like you’ve failed, peers?  Did you know that 20% of startups fail within their first year? This jumps to 60% if you account for the first three years. This isn’t meant to be disheartening, rather, it’s a cold, hard fact that we as entrepreneurs need to be aware of.  One person who didn’t let this statistic bring them down is Abhishek Bhattacharya, the Co-Fou...

What was the way of life you witnessed when growing up, peers?  For today’s guest, Peter Kristianto Widjaja, his parents were self-employed. It was through seeing the freedom and flexibility they had that made Peter want to take his own leap into the world of business and entrepreneurship.  In this week’s episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, we chat with the Founder of software co...

When do you know that it’s time to step out on your own, peers? For today’s guest, Kayla Castañeda, it was losing her job mid-pandemic that made her think, “When life gives you lemons, make aguas frescas.” Now, Kayla is the CEO and Co-Founder of Agua Bonita, a drinks company that sells a take on a delicious Mexican drink. In this episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, Kayla shares why there’s...

Sometimes in entrepreneurship it can be hard to know when it is the best time to take your side hustle full-time. Sometimes you can tell and other times, it may be decided for you.  That was the case for today’s guest Michael Tich, the Co-Founder of HomeRoom. In today’s episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, Michael shares his journey of working on HomeRoom while keeping a full-time job...

While many of us struggled throughout the COVID pandemic, some industries were almost completely decimated.  Today’s guest is part of one of them. Sophia Aliza Jamal is the Co-Founder and COO of Pinkcollar Employment Agency, a Malaysian professional migrant worker recruitment agency with ethical sourcing and hiring practices for employers and workers.  In this episode of Peers2Peers, pow...

When have you turned a failure into a lesson, peers?  For today’s guest it was when he thought he was doing the “right” thing that a major breakthrough arrived. A breakthrough that would change the course of his life and business.  In this fascinating episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, Shah Rafayat Chowdhury, the Co-Founder of Footsteps Bangladesh shares how he created an organi...

Were you bullied in school, peers? Are you being bullied as an adult? There’s no denying that bullying can have a profound impact on who we are and how we move through the world.  This was certainly the case for today’s guest, model-turned-filmmaker, Shreya Patel. As the only person of colour in her school in Canada, Shreya felt the cruelty of people from an early age. But rather than letting...

As a child, today’s guest Tahnee Bridson suffered from worry and anxiety. But it wasn’t until Tahnee was a medical student that she really began to take note of her mental and physical health. After pushing it too far, Tahnee ended up going from a student working in a hospital to a patient, under the care of her colleagues and friends.  This was just one of the experiences that led Tahnee to...

Too often as entrepreneurs, we can attribute our success to luck. But as this episode’s guest reminds us, the road to building something that is ours is a road paved with hard work. The hard work of finishing your university degree. The hard work of accruing the skills you’ll need in your professional journey. Maybe the hard work of climbing the corporate ladder, or making the money you’ll need to...

In a classic game of word association, perhaps some of the terms you most readily relate to being an entrepreneur are  “adventure”, “risk” and “reward”. But some terms you maybe don’t consider are “validation” and “quantifiable research”.   While taking the plunge is an essential step in going out on your own, doing the work is just as essential. Knowing that your venture will succe...

Planning a podcast takes work, peers. Planning a podcast across continents and timezones, you guessed it, even more. But sometimes when you’re celebrating a five-year anniversary, you gotta.  In a very special edition of the Peers2Peers podcast, The Peers Project CEO and Founder Michelle Akhidenor  takes us through what has to happen for an enterprise like the London Tour to come togethe...

Have you ever felt burnt out, peers? It’s an easy trap to fall into. Giving too much of yourself, or blaming yourself for failures completely beyond your control.  When you’re ambitious, like this week’s guest Josephine Liang, it’s hard to find time to unwind. Which is just one of the reasons it’s so crucial to… go to parties! Not just to unwind, according to Josephine, but to find the people...

The third guest on the London Podcast Tour had especially humble beginnings. Growing up in regional Queensland, Doone Roisin learned to hustle, and drew inspiration from her single mum who strived to not just survive, but live the best life she could. This is what drew Doone to entrepreneurship: the chance to wake up every morning and feel good about what she is doing.  In this episode of Pee...

For many peers, appreciating that you are enough is one of the most  difficult personal goals to achieve. Even if you’re a first generation immigrant who attains a PhD in law, and then goes onto successfully build a brand which unifies a shared history amongst a diverse diaspora through culturally significant jewellery. Even then, you have to be conscious to not let your bad days define your...

F*ck Being Humble isn’t just a book, it’s a global movement which is peeling away hundreds of years of repression, modesty and societal norms: the idea that certain people, specifically certain types of people, are better seen than heard.  In this episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, Stefanie Sword-Williams shares the journey of starting a provocative brand in her mid-twenties, the res...

Often when thinking about buying a home, we’re so concerned with purchasing the walls and the roof that filling it with furniture is a second-thought. But what if you could create that “home” feeling as soon as you sign the papers? This feeling is what spurred today’s guest, Audrey Joris into Co-Founding AFC Collection, a modern furniture leasing company.  In this episode of Peers2Peers, powe...

Sometimes, being a dual citizen can feel like straddling two worlds. You’re always two halves, identifying with both, and perhaps never fully feeling like you’re “home”. However, being a dual citizen, or simply a citizen of the world, can give you opportunities and values that you’d never have otherwise.  Today’s guest, Radin Rahimzadeh is an Iranian-American who credits her immigrant parents...

We all know that your experiences as a child shape the course of your adult life. But what if your childhood was made up by ranking systems, competition, and lack of recognition? This was the case for today’s guest, Dita Aisyah.  Now, Dita is the Co-Founder of learning app, Binar Academy. In this episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, Dita shares how she got out of the toxic productivity...

‘Taking the plunge’, it’s a phrase you hear often but how many examples do we have of people actually doing it? Today’s guest, Talia Datt, did just that when at 22 years old she founded The Social CliQ, a marketing agency specialising in social media. Now, Talia has two businesses, creating her second business, The Content CliQ during the pandemic.  In this episode of Peers2Peers, powered by...

Have you ever been at the forefront of something, peers? Today’s guest, Amrutha Vasan, was a pioneer of using virtual reality in education settings during her studies at Stanford University. Now, she’s the Co-Founder of Inspirit, a VR company providing K-12 science coursework for students.  In this episode of Peers2Peers, powered by Shopify, Amrutha shares how her experience at school led her...