Unlocking Entrepreneurial Success: From Whitewater Kayaking to High-Stakes Startups with Gerrit McGowan

from When Science Speaks · host When Science Speaks

In this episode of When Science Speaks, Mark talks with Gerrit McGowan, a lifelong entrepreneur and former competitive whitewater kayaker. Gerrit shares valuable insights on overcoming networking dread, gaining buy-in from stakeholders, and creating value for customers. Learn about his journey from competitive kayaking to founding a venture-backed marketing tech company used by global brands like Coca-Cola and JetBlue Airways. Discover essential principles for entrepreneurs such as curiosity, authenticity, reciprocity, and empathy, and hear inspiring stories about building successful enterprises and navigating the unpredictable world of startups, drawing fascinating parallels to the lessons learned from whitewater kayaking. 00:00 Introduction and Networking Dread 00:55 Introducing Gerrit McGowan 01:55 Key Principles for Entrepreneurial Success 03:42 The Power of Human Connection 07:18 A Story of Persistence and Innovation 14:01 Focus on Value Creation 19:28 Effective Networking Strategies 22:20 Lessons from Whitewater Kayaking 25:39 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

NOW PLAYING

0:00 26:12

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Bringing it all together.

Mar 31, 2026 ·54m

Why is the vendor role so contentious in the cyber ecosystem?

Mar 27, 2026 ·14m

I'm ok

Mar 26, 2026 ·1m

But what do you really want?

Mar 24, 2026 ·42m

Strategic approaches to talent: A practical guide.

Mar 20, 2026 ·42m

Mid season reflection with Kim Jones.

Mar 17, 2026 ·41m

Similar Podcasts

Breaking News Show | eTurboNews Juergen Thomas Steinmetz News is relevant to the global travel and tourism industry, human rights and global issues.Breaking news when it happens and only from the source. That Hoarder: Overcome Compulsive Hoarding That Hoarder Hoarding disorder is stigmatised and people who hoard feel vast amounts of shame. This podcast began life as an audio diary, an anonymous outlet for somebody with this weird condition. That Hoarder speaks about her experiences living with compulsive hoarding, she interviews therapists, academics, researchers, children of hoarders, professional organisers and influencers, and she shares insight and tips for others with the problem. Listened to by people who hoard as well as those who love them and those who work with them, Overcome Compulsive Hoarding with That Hoarder aims to shatter the stigma, share the truth and speak openly and honestly to improve lives. Solving for Change MOBIA Technology Innovations Solving for Change welcomes business and technology leaders to share stories of bold business transformation within complex organizations. In an era when technology and markets are changing around businesses, the key to staying competitive is to evolve in response to those changes. MOBIA’s Mike Reeves and Marc LeBlanc investigate business transformation, deconstructing the challenges, ambitions, and market disruptions that drive companies to embark on transformation journeys, and exploring their unique approaches to achieving meaningful outcomes. What sparks leaders to pursue business transformation? How do they overcome the challenges along the way? What are the keys to creating enduring change? Through in-depth conversations with business and technology leaders, Mike and Marc answer these questions and explore how businesses evolve by pulling four key transformation levers: people, process, technology, and culture. Invictus by Greyana, A Tomione Podfic M+G Readings Sporadic uploads thanks to gallstones.Voldemort intended the object to be used by his most loyal follower in the event that his horcruxes were destroyed, but it ended up in Hermione’s possession instead.It sent her back to a time when he was much less the monster that she’d always known him to be. Nothing could have prepared her for the intelligence and charm of Tom Riddle.He isn’t who she thought he was.Hermione discovers that it’s a dark descent into the madness of the man she should hate, but can’t… a descent she will never emerge fr

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of When Science Speaks?

This episode is 26 minutes long.

When was this When Science Speaks episode published?

This episode was published on June 14, 2024.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this When Science Speaks episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!