Beyond Unicorns — Rethinking Success in Entrepreneurship | Mansi Gupta & Clôd Baumgartner

What does it actually mean to build something meaningful when the dominant story of entrepreneurship is: scale fast, raise capital, and exit?What if success isn't measured by valuation, but by the problems you solve?What if the businesses the world most needs aren't unicorns — but something more grounded, more regenerative, and ultimately more human?In this conversation, Jessica Espinoza is joined by two entrepreneurs who have spent their careers building exactly that.Mansi Gupta is the founder of Unconform and a pioneer in women-centred design, exploring how products, services and systems can better reflect the lived experiences of the people they serve.Clôd Baumgartner is a regenerative innovation and upcycling fashion entrepreneur who has spent years rethinking what business can look like when it works in harmony with people and planet rather than against them.Together, we explore a different kind of entrepreneurship — one built around joy, purpose, circularity, and the courage to define your own metrics of success.🎙️ In this episode:Why the unicorn narrative puts pressure on all of us — and what zebras have to do with itWhy every design has consequencesWhy we live in a one-size-fits-men world — and what it costs usThe difference between scaling high and scaling deepWhy joy — not hustle — is the fuel for regenerative businessesHow to define success metrics that actually reflect what you care aboutWhy you should never build aloneWhat it means to become a time millionaireHow to just start — without boiling the ocean⏱️ Chapters00:00 Trailer00:41 Introduction — rethinking entrepreneurship01:24 Mansi's journey: building meaningful ventures03:03 Clôd: demystifying the unicorn — why zebras matter05:57 Mansi's ventures: leather upcycling, women-centered design, and what came next10:51 Every design has consequences13:07 Clôd: regenerative innovation and the garden metaphor20:32 What if businesses were designed circularly?27:00 The blind spot in human-centered design — and what fixes it34:02 We live in a one-size-fits-men world 44:58 What and how — the permaculture ethics of people, earth, and fair share49:40 Practical advice for founders: just start, don't do it alone53:07 Just start does not mean boil the ocean56:27 Choosing who you build with57:00 Circular models of collaboration01:01:40 Redefining success metrics and vanity metrics01:05:12 Who is an entrepreneur, really?01:13:26 Final thoughts: start, rest, and find the balance that works for youCheck out Mansi Gupta's work: Unconform & women-centric design: https://www.unconformstudio.com/women-centric-learningLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mansigupta/Check out Clôd Baumgartner's work: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpbaumgartner/ 📺 Watch more episodesCatch The Upswing is a podcast for people building meaningful things in a rapidly changing world. Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, and changemakers about what it actually takes to keep going, lead well, and stay hopeful about the future.New episodes every week. Subscribe so you don't miss one.🔗 Follow & connectYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswingInstagram: https://instagram.com/CatchTheUpswingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@catchtheupswing