Yana Welinder, founder and CEO of Kraftful, shares her dynamic journey from law professor at Stanford to a product leader whose company was acquired by Amplitude. In this episode, Yana discusses Kraftful's evolution, the importance of pivoting, and the steps involved in a successful acquisition. She underscores the significance of leveraging user feedback, optimizing fundraising speed as a solo founder, and maintaining product focus amid growth. With actionable insights for founders, Yana sheds light on the strategic considerations and personal resilience required to navigate the startup landscape.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:37 Yana Weller's Journey to Kraft Full

02:31 The Birth and Evolution of Kraft Full

06:01 Product Hunt Success and Fundraising

12:39 Navigating Acquisition Offers

21:49 The Acquisition Process

24:18 Post-Acquisition Reflections

35:59 Lightning Round and Closing Thoughts

Links & Resources

• Check out the products Yana built at Kraftful & Amplitude
• Kraftful's Acquisition Announcement
• Follow Yana on LinkedIn and X
• Yana's insights on getting into Y Combinator

Khadijah Robinson’s entrepreneurial journey didn’t begin in a startup accelerator — it began in her childhood home, where her parents were intentional about shaping how she saw beauty, possibility, and Black excellence. That foundation led her to build the Nile List as a “therapeutic exercise” during her full-time legal career, eventually growing it into a platform supporting thousands of Black-owned businesses around the world.

In this episode, she traces the purposeful thread from her mom’s early entrepreneurial success, to launching the Nile List during a pandemic from Nigeria, to navigating an unexpected acquisition. Today, that same thread shows up in her roles as GP at Fictive Ventures, leader of the LIFT Incubator, and community architect behind The Pit in Atlanta.

For founders across industries and backgrounds, Khadijah offers something rare: a blueprint for building rooted in identity, community, and clarity — not hype.

Show Notes:
In this episode:

• The childhood lessons that shaped how she sees community, beauty, and entrepreneurship
• Why her mom’s early business success quietly set the stage for her own founder journey
• How the Nile List began as a spreadsheet for stress relief during a painful clerkship
• Launching March 1, 2020 — and why that timing unexpectedly accelerated growth
• Bootstrapping, burning personal savings, and learning she had a real business
• Subscription boxes, early customers, and community pulling the product forward
• Navigating valuation, negotiation, and leadership through her legal lens
• The realities of being a Black woman founder leading inside a larger org
• What she brought forward into investing — and what she refuses to repeat
• How she now supports founders through Fictive, LIFT, and The Pit

Links & resources mentioned:

• Khadijah Robinson on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/khadijahrobinson/
• Fictive Ventures – fictiveventures.com
• The Pit Atlanta – thepitatlanta.com
• Center for Black Entrepreneurship + LIFT Incubator – cbecenter.org

What does it look like to build a social app from an Instagram project into a VC-backed global community — and then let it go?

In this episode of Founded On Purpose, Kt McBratney talks with Kel Rakowski, artist, strategist, writer, and founder of Lex, the beloved queer social app acquired by 9Count in 2024. Kel opens up about the origins of Lex in vintage lesbian personal ads, the early explosive growth, and the challenges of scaling a community-centered product inside a venture-backed structure.

Kel also shares the deeply personal side of stepping back as CEO, navigating burnout, building with love, and finding the courage — and clarity — to start a new chapter after the acquisition.

We talk about:

• The moment Kel knew Lex was bigger than a side project
• How the community shaped the app’s evolution
• Burnout, identity, and the stigma around stepping back
• What it really means to hand your company to someone else
• Why love — in all forms — has always been Kel’s purpose
• The return to creativity through writing, Herstory, and storytelling
• Redefining success after an exit

This conversation is honest, tender, and expansive — perfect for founders navigating identity, impact, burnout, and reinvention.

Resources & Links

• Lex – https://www.lex.lgbt/
• Herstory (Kel's Instagram project) – https://www.instagram.com/h_e_r_s_t_o_r_y/
• Kel’s Substack: Work Unseen – https://rakowwwski.substack.com/
• NTS Radio – https://www.nts.live/

What really happens after your startup gets acquired?
In the first episode of season 2's After the Exit series, Kt talks with Amelia Lin, cofounder and former CEO of Honeycomb, the AI-powered family photo platform acquired in 2024, and cofounder of VC Backed Moms, the global community for venture-backed founders navigating motherhood.

Amelia shares the real story behind Honeycomb’s journey — from building safe AI image generation for kids before it was mainstream, to going viral on TikTok, to scaling through millions of family photos across the world. She opens up about the parts of M&A founders rarely talk about: preparing (or not preparing) for an exit, culture fit with an acquiring team, and the identity shift that happens when you go from founder to employee again.

We also dig into:

• Her family’s powerful story of education as opportunity
• Why she believes founders should learn about exit paths far earlier
• How viral growth is never as overnight as it seems
• What changed in her day-to-day once the deal became public
• Why she sees VC Backed Moms as a lifelong purpose, not a side project

This episode pulls back the curtain on what “after the exit” really looks like — human, honest and deeply useful for any founder mapping their own journey.

Resources & Links Mentioned

• Honeycomb – https://medium.com/joinhoneycomb/introducing-honeycomb-94395b5950f8
• Ello (AI reading coach) – https://www.ello.com/
• VC Backed Moms – https://vcbackedmoms.com

• Follow Amelia on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/amelialin/
• Renew Venture Capital – https://renewvc.com

Kesha Stickland's mission is clear: to make healthy food accessible and delicious. After a life-changing health crisis, she turned to mushrooms as a powerful tool for healing—and now she's revolutionizing the meat alternative industry. Discover how her journey from software engineer to food innovator is transforming consumer behavior and building healthier communities.

Episode Summary:
Kesha Stickland, CEO and co-founder of The Mushroom Meat Co., shares her journey from software engineering and consulting to food innovation. Following a severe health crisis and personal journey to recovery, Kesha discovered the healing power of mushrooms. Her commitment to health drove her to develop award-winning beef and pork alternatives using functional mushrooms as the star ingredient.

In this episode, Kesha breaks down the science behind mushrooms, their nutritional power, and why they outperform many meat alternatives in both health benefits and sustainability. She also explores how she's working with farmers to grow mushrooms as a profitable alternative to traditional livestock, unlocking new economic opportunities and utilizing existing supply chains. Throughout the conversation, Kesha opens up about her leadership journey, her role as a visible role model, and how she embraces every learning as a powerful tool for innovation and growth.

Listen in to hear how Kesha's dedication to health is driving impactful change in the food industry and what we put in the center of our plates.

Key Themes:

• How Kesha Stickland's health journey inspired her to build The Mushroom Meat Co.
• The powerful nutritional benefits of mushrooms and their role in overall health
• Why reducing friction is key for changing consumer behavior, even when health is the motivating factor
• Why Kesha doesn't believe in failure and sees everything as a learning moment
• How a successful career in software, engineering, and consulting translates to her role and strengths as a founder
• Why celebrating wins and finding moments of laughter are key to her success

Links & Resources

• Connect with Kesha Stickland and our host Kt McBratney
• Learn more about Kesha's work with The Mushroom Meat Co.
• Follow The Mushroom Meat Co. on Instagram for chef-driven recipes and more
• Want more founder stories? Subscribe to Founded on Purpose
• Learn more about Renew VC, and follow on LinkedIn to stay in the know

Jilea Hemmings isn’t just ahead of the curve — she’s defining it. From pioneering meatless meals before the plant-based boom to transforming food access with AI-driven retail, Jilea is proving that innovation and impact go hand in hand. In this episode, she shares how she navigates resistance to change, the importance of asking the right questions, and why laughter is her secret to sustainable entrepreneurship.

Episode Summary:
Jilea Hemmings, co-founder & CEO of Nourish + Bloom, has spent her career pioneering solutions before the market even realizes it needs them. In this conversation, she shares how her early adoption of trends — from plant-based nutrition to AI-driven retail — has positioned her at the forefront of innovation.

Jilea discusses the power of asking questions and learning from customers, highlighting how initial skepticism can shift when people experience the benefits of new technology firsthand. She breaks down how AI enables Nourish + Bloom to serve communities that big box retailers often ignore, proving that automation can be a force for social good.

Beyond business, Jilea opens up about the role of joy and play in entrepreneurship. She and her husband, Jamie, have built not only a thriving company but also a resilient partnership, grounded in humor and shared purpose. Whether it’s navigating setbacks or celebrating wins (something she admits she needs to do more), Jilea emphasizes the importance of perspective, patience, and asking the right questions. Listen in to learn how Nourish + Bloom is redefining retail, reshaping perspectives, and proving that impact-driven businesses can also be highly profitable.

Key Themes:

• The market and impact opportunity at the intersection of food, retail, and innovation
• Overcoming resistance to change and shifting consumer behavior
• What it means to dare to fail up
• The realities of building a company by community, for community
• The power of laughter and celebrating milestones in business
• Why asking the right questions is an essential leadership and life skill

Resources & Mentions:

• Connect with Jilea Hemmings and Kt McBratney
• Learn more about Nourish + Bloom Market and Technologies, including their Purpose Round
• More information about food access, including terminology and USDA food access data
• Follow Nourish + Bloom on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose
• Explore other initiatives from Renew VC and follow on LinkedIn for more

Entrepreneurship is rarely a straight path. Walter Ley breaks down how he forged his own, built his own playbook, and learned to trust his instincts as he celebrates his company, Branch, hitting the 1 million user milestone.

Episode Summary:
Walter Ley didn’t follow a prewritten script — he built his own playbook for success with his company, Branch. In this episode, we dive into his journey as a founder, the pivotal moments that shaped his career, and how he navigates the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship. From embracing uncertainty to making bold decisions, Walter shares insights that can help any entrepreneur carve their own path.

Walter and host Kt McBratney discuss bootstrapping and VC funding, the joy and challenges in growing a team, learning from failures, and the different ways we can define success for ourselves. His approach to building a company without a fixed framework provides valuable lessons for anyone looking to break conventional molds and build something truly unique and impactful.

Key Themes & Takeaways:

• How Walter developed his own entrepreneurial framework
• The power of adaptability and trusting your instincts
• Lessons from building a company without a set playbook
• Strategies for navigating uncertainty and making tough decisions
• What hills would Walter and Kt die on? (Hint: they involve alternative milks and punctuation)

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Learn more about Branch, including upcoming elections near you
• Connect with Walter Ley and follow Branch on LinkedIn
• Connect with Kt McBratney on LinkedIn and Bluesky
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose
• Explore other initiatives from Renew VC

What does it take to fully integrate impact into entrepreneurship? Laurie Lane-Zucker has spent decades shaping a new paradigm where business drives measurable social and environmental good.

Episode Summary: In this episode of Founded on Purpose, host Kt McBratney sits down with Laurie Lane-Zucker, founder and CEO of Impact Entrepreneur, a pioneering force in the impact economy. Laurie shares his journey from environmental NGO leadership to spearheading a global community of systems-minded entrepreneurs, investors, and scholars. He discusses the significance of shifting from a single bottom line to a triple bottom line framework, the evolution of the term "impact entrepreneur," and how branding can shape movements. Laurie also reflects on the importance of wisdom traditions in business, the role of community in effecting real change, and why the concept of "healing" is at the core of his purpose. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or purpose-driven leader, Laurie’s insights will inspire you to rethink success and embrace business as a tool for real impact.

Key Themes & Takeaways:

• Defining the Impact Economy: The shift from profit-only models to sustainable, socially responsible business practices.
• Building a Movement: How the term "impact entrepreneur" became a global identity for change-makers.
• Ancient Wisdom & Modern Impact: The unexpected role of historical and esoteric wisdom traditions in shaping the future of impact-driven entrepreneurship.
• The Power of Community: Why networks, mentorship, and shared knowledge are critical to systemic change.
• Rethinking Success: Beyond Profits to Purpose: Laurie’s perspective on success beyond profits, including long-term systemic transformation.

Mentioned Resources & Links:
• Impact Entrepreneur
• Laurie Lane Zucker’s 2023 Textbook: Sustainability, Business, and Investment Implications
• Orion Magazine
• Wendell Berry’s Works

Connect with Us:

• Connect with Laurie and Impact Entrepreneur on LinkedIn
• Connect with Kt and Renew VC
• Subscribe to Founded on Purpose
• Explore other initiatives from Renew VC