Perception Paradox with Zivile (Zivi) Ein

Most people think venture capital is about data, pattern recognition, and being right. This conversation suggests otherwise. In this episode of Perception Paradox , Zivile Einikyte sits down with Jakob Storå , founding partner of Superhero Capital , to explore the path that built the investor: academia, law, failure, and 10+ years backing early-stage founders across Finland and the Baltics. They t...

Most people give up before it works. Chris Cunningham (ClickUp) shares how zero traction turned into millions of views -  and why AI won’t replace real content anytime soon. Full Episode on Perception Paradox podcast - E129.

Most people don’t fail at content. They quit too early. Recorded at TechChill in Riga , this conversation with Chris Cunningham (ClickUp) breaks down what it actually takes to win with content in 2026 and why most founders are getting it wrong. From consistency and creativity to the real role of AI, this is a practical look at building attention that actually converts. About Chris: Chris Cunningha...

Everyone is talking about AI. Very few are willing to admit this: No one actually knows where it’s going. In this episode of Perception Paradox , Tomas De Souza breaks down the reality behind the AI hype — why we keep getting surprised, why the conversation is stuck between extremes, and what we can learn from the early days of the internet. Will AI replace everything? Or will we find a new balanc...

Is entrepreneurship becoming more difficult - or are we simply asking the wrong questions? In this episode, Zivile sits down with Tomas De Souza , CEO of Minc in Malmö, serial founder, former corporate executive, and one of the voices thinking deeply about what founders actually need in today’s landscape. They talk about the decline in startup creation, the limits of the current innovation system,...

What happens when AI replaces most of the work inside a company? In this episode of Paradox Bytes, Petter Made - partner at EWOR and co-founder of $10B fintech giant SumUp - explains why the next generation of startups may be built by tiny teams powered by AI agents. From developers orchestrating fleets of AI tools to the possibility of a one-person billion-dollar company, the rules of building st...

What actually separates the 0.1% of founders from everyone else? In this episode of Perception Paradox, Zivile Einikyte sits down with Petter Made - co-founder of SumUp and Partner at EWOR - to explore the deeper mechanics behind exceptional entrepreneurship. After co-founding an €8.5B fintech and now reviewing 40,000 founder applications a year, Petter has a rare perspective on what truly makes f...

In this birthday solo episode, Zivile reflects on a year of bold decisions and hard-earned lessons. From why the highest-paying job isn't always the right one , to why regret weighs heavier than failure - this is an honest look at what it takes to design a life you actually mean. No guests, no script. Just real talk. Chapters 00:00 Reflections on a Year of Growth 02:39 Living in the Present05:...

In this short episode of Perception Paradox , Zivile Einikyte reflects on the rise of the “individual empire” — and why personal content is becoming more powerful than company accounts. After hosting a startup fundraising event in Vilnius and reflecting on her own journey creating content since 2018, Zivile shares lessons from building visibility, community, and opportunities through authentic com...

In a world obsessed with results, rankings, and outcomes, it’s easy to confuse performance with self-worth. In this Paradox Byte, Sem Verbeek reflects on what it really means to be an athlete — and a human — when winning isn’t guaranteed. Sem shares: Why losing is a normal part of the journey How to separate identity from performance What the underdog path teaches you about patience Why discipline...

Recorded from India, this episode of Perception Paradox is a reflection on community - and the kind of connection that makes people cross continents for each other. We first met in Poland. Reunited in Japan. And months later, half of us flew across the world to celebrate a wedding in India. Why do some communities dissolve after the program ends — while others grow stronger? Through tuk-tuk chaos,...

Europe has risen, fallen — and rebuilt itself before. In this trailer, Vincent Weir takes a long civilizational view of where Europe stands today — and why the age of AI could mark not decline, but a new renaissance . From the invention of the alphabet to the printing press, Europe’s greatest breakthroughs weren’t just technologies — they were institutions : universities, scientific societies, and...

What does it mean to be a super-connector — in a way that actually creates value? In this episode, Vincent Weir (Nordic Science Capital, Growth Minds) breaks down the mechanics behind strong networks, why rituals and commitment matter more than “networking”, and how storytelling can move people - and markets. We also go big: Europe’s cycles of rise/fall, why AI could enable a Renaissance 2.0 , and...

What if the most important skill in business isn’t coding - but knowing how to talk to AI ? In this Paradox Byte from Perception Paradox , Ethan Pierse breaks down why prompting is becoming a core skill for founders, operators, and employees - and why people who hesitate to “ask the AI” are already falling behind. This isn’t hype. It’s a practical shift in how work gets done. 👉 Full episode explo...

What does it mean to build in 2026 - when AI can do the work and humans orchestrate the system? Ethan Pierse joins Zivile (Zivi) Einikyte to break down a clear, grounded model of AI-first entrepreneurship - and why the job market is already shifting toward AI-powered builders. Ethan is the Founder of Borderless Ventures and author of the upcoming book The AI Solopreneur Economy . With experience b...

Most people try to get rid of nerves before a big moment. Sem Verbeek learned to use them. In this Paradox Byte, Sem explains why nerves and excitement are the same in the brain — and how reframing pressure changed the way he performs under competition. We talk about: Why feeling nervous means you care How to ground yourself before performance Using the audience as energy instead of distraction Tu...

How do experienced sales leaders actually use AI in 2026? In this trailer, Simon McDermott breaks down the real sales tech stack he’s using today — from AI-assisted contracts and CRM workflows to AI SDRs and pipeline intelligence. We talk about what AI genuinely replaces, where it saves time, and why human judgment, narrative, and taste still matter more than ever in sales. A practical, honest loo...

What does it mean to sell in 2026? In this episode of Perception Paradox , Zivile sits down with Simon McDermott , Head of Sales at Talentpilot and a go-to-market leader with 25 years of experience across enterprise and startups - including Cisco , Intel , and high-growth tech companies like Brandwatch and Supernova. Simon shares how AI is reshaping sales workflows, why narrative and product-marke...

Everyone talks about AI. Very few talk about what actually powers it. In this trailer, Tarik Krim explains why the current AI boom isn’t limited by money or talent - but by infrastructure: chips, energy, data centers, and political reality. From GPU shortages to rising energy costs, this conversation exposes the physical limits behind digital ambition - and why the next phase of AI may be far mess...

In this episode of Perception Paradox, Oisin Lunny shares the simple practices that help him stay grounded while living a high-intensity, global life on stage. From transcendental meditation to movement, silence, and presence — this isn’t about hacks or productivity tricks. It’s about finding what actually calms your waves. 🎙️ Presence over performance 🌊 Balance over burnout Full episode on Perce...

Oisin Lunny is one of those rare people who can slow a room down — presence, kindness, curiosity… and serious craft behind it. In this episode of Perception Paradox , we talk about: how Oisin moved from corporate life in the UK to living off-grid in Spain why events are a “petri dish for serendipity” the real, unseen work behind being a great MC (prep, time discipline, speaker care) meditation, cr...

In this trailer, Egita Polanska , Founding Partner at Outlast Fund, breaks down why every tech cycle looks the same — and why this AI wave is no exception. From early adopters, to mass experimentation, to the hard question investors care about most: who can actually build something that lasts? Her answer is clear: Trends come and go Infrastructure matters But at the early stage, it’s still about f...

In this episode of Perception Paradox , Zivile sits down with longtime friend Egita Polanska , investor and partner at Latvia-based Outlast Fund , to unpack what it really takes to build a startup that lasts. They discuss Egita’s path from accelerator and ecosystem roles to launching a fund across the Nordics and Baltics, what she looks for in founders, and why 2026 is pushing everyone back to fun...

Everyone is looking for a longevity shortcut. But there isn’t one. In this paradox byte, Erika explains why longevity is deeply personal - rooted in sleep, movement, nutrition, mental health, and self-responsibility. Science isn’t chasing a magic pill. It keeps pointing us back to the same foundations. Longevity isn’t about living forever. It’s about living well - longer. Full conversation on Perc...

Recorded live at Slush , this episode of Perception Paradox dives into the reality behind longevity-  far beyond supplements, trends, and Instagram biohacks. I’m joined by Erika Paule , founder in the longevity and biotech space, who started long before longevity became a buzzword. We talk about why most people get health optimization wrong, why longevity must be personalized , and how coming back...