Building, Backing, and Becoming: What It Really Takes to Win! S3 E11

On this week’s episode of Silicon Valley Impact, we sit down with Naeem Zafar, CEO Coach, Board Advisor, entrepreneur, professor, an angel investor; Ryan Green, Principle at Antler; and Stephanie El-Chakieh, Pharm.D., M.Sc., Founder/CEO of WellVerve, and Author, for a conversation at the intersection of venture, innovation, and human performance.

Naeem is a seasoned CEO advisor and board leader with deep experience building, scaling, and exiting high-tech companies. He has led five ventures as CEO and supported dozens more as a board member and strategic advisor, including TeleSense.

He is also a dedicated educator, teaching entrepreneurship at University of California, Berkeley since 2005 and at Northeastern University since 2017, where he serves as Faculty Director and Professor of the Practice. Naeem is the author of five books on entrepreneurship and is committed to sharing Silicon Valley insights with founders around the world.

He has served on multiple boards, including as Chair of OPEN Silicon Valley and AspirePK, and is the Founding President of the Brown University Club of Silicon Valley.

Ryan is a Principal at Antler, where he focuses on pre-seed investing and bringing exceptional founders into Antler’s San Francisco residency. His background spans deep-tech and AI investing, as well as go-to-market, product, and deployment leadership at early-stage startups. He began his career at Deloitte in industrial cybersecurity and holds a degree in Computer Engineering from University of Notre Dame.

Stephanie is a scientist, holistic health expert, and Founder & CEO of WellVerve. Her work bridges pharmaceutical science with integrative wellness, focusing on whole-person health, emotional intelligence, and human relationships.

She holds a Doctorate in Pharmacy and a Master’s in Advanced Pharmacotherapy from the University of Montreal and practiced as a pharmacist for 14 years. Certified in functional medicine, herbal medicine, yoga, and reiki, Stephanie combines clinical expertise with holistic approaches to advance health, mental well-being, and personal transformation.

This and much more on Silicon Valley Impact.

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About Silicon Valley Impact Silicon Valley Impact, produced by Silicon Valley Venture LLC, connects listeners to the people, ideas, and strategies shaping innovation. In partnership with MoralesHR and STAK Ventures, the platform brings access to a global network of founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders.