Stanford MSx Insider

Diwas Neupane (MSx ’25), a third-generation family business leader from Kathmandu, Nepal, shares his journey from scaling and taking his family company public to joining Stanford’s one-year MSx program. He reflects on the unique realities of building a career inside a family enterprise, including blurred boundaries between work and home and the emotional highs and lows of shared ownership. Diwas explains how the MSx experience has sharpened his leadership and storytelling skills, strengthened his self-awareness, and created a powerful sense of community for both him and his wife, as they prepare for the next chapter back home.

Felipe Lourenco (MSx ’25), a three-time entrepreneur, discusses his journey from founding startups in Brazil to joining Stanford’s one-year MSX program. He highlights the program’s global network, its tailored leadership and entrepreneurship curriculum, and the uniquely supportive ecosystem in Silicon Valley. Felipe shares lessons learned from successes, failures, and the fast-evolving VC landscape, underscoring the value of resilience, the importance of mentorship, and the transformative impact on both his and his wife’s professional ambitions.

Ann Songphatanayothin (MSx ’25) shares her transition from consulting to entrepreneurship through Stanford’s one-year MSx program. She highlights the cohort’s global diversity, details her early-parenthood care startup, and underscores how resources such as Venture Studio and founder networks helped move her from idea to execution. She also offers practical tactics for balance, prioritizing close friendships and quality time in a two-founder household.

Caleb Huber (MSx '25), a former US Army Special Forces officer and Green Beret, shares his transformative experience at Stanford GSB. Diving deep into his pivot towards defense technology product management, Caleb reveals how the MSx program has equipped him with skills to bridge technology and military strategy. With candid insights on veteran resources, startup courses, and balancing family life with academic pursuits, he offers an inspiring narrative of career reinvention and the unique value of the one-year MSx experience.

Jing Lin (MSx '25) shares her transformative journey from healthcare investor to Stanford GSB student, discussing family support, academic challenges, and her passion for women's health innovation. She explores how the MSx program empowers professionals to take risks, expand their knowledge, and pursue ambitious career goals while integrating personal and professional growth.

Antoine Gamberini (MSx '25) reveals his dynamic Stanford GSB experience, transforming from a European telecom executive to a multifaceted student. He emphasizes the importance of reflection, community engagement, and seizing diverse opportunities. His journey demonstrates how the MSx program enables professionals to explore personal passions, develop leadership skills, and create meaningful impact across diverse domains.

Jateen Kooverjee (MSx '24) discusses his MSx journey and how the program's flexibility and resources, including an independent study, enabled him to explore entrepreneurship. He highlights the support from his wife, who also engaged in Stanford's academic and entrepreneurial opportunities, and emphasizes the value of challenging conventional career paths, developing leadership skills, and forming lasting relationships.

Sasha Gidwani (MSx '24) shares her journey from a long-standing career in finance to exploring new opportunities through the Stanford MSx program. She discusses how the program's flexibility allowed her to challenge conventional career paths. Sasha emphasizes the value of leadership development, diverse experiences, and lasting relationships formed during the program. Her story highlights the transformative nature of the MSx experience and encourages current and prospective students to approach the program with an open mind, ready to explore various industries and roles.    

On the season finale, we are joined by Scott Brady, Sloan Fellow and Lecturer at the GSB. Scott served as the chair of the MSx Advisory Board and has overseen the program's transformation into one of the world's premier programs for experienced leaders. Scott shares his journey from being a student to becoming a lecturer at the GSB. 

Jed Simon shares his inspiring journey of pursuing a career in music through an unconventional path. His stories highlight how he created opportunities and challenged conventional wisdom. He also discusses his passion for business and how it fueled the creation of his most recent FinTech venture.

We explore the dynamic career of Julia Vasconcelos, a master of professional pivots in Brazil. Beginning her journey as a skilled M&A lawyer, Julia successfully transitioned into Corporate Development and Product roles at a NASDAQ-listed FinTech company. Now, she's setting her sights on venture capital. Julia shares valuable insights on leveraging the power of the Stanford network and offers a glimpse into her strategic approach to career development post-GSB. 

Abraham Ogoubou started his journey in Benin and has become a true global citizen after building his career at EY across Europe and the USA. He shares how he structured his time at Stanford to maximize his learning and how he ultimately wants to make an impact on his home continent of Africa.

Daulins shares his perspective on his storied career, which spans from being a mechanical engineer to earning a PhD in Microeconomics, and culminates in transforming and listing a business on the NASDAQ.

Parul Gupta, a Class of '24 member, shares her journey of exploring a new career in sustainability at Stanford, balancing her roles as a mother, spouse, and former founder.

Cayla Marvil, a member of the class of '24, an outdoor adventurer, and brewery owner, joins us on our podcast to discuss how she's using her time at Stanford as a springboard for changing the future of food.

Class of '24 MSx member Joseph Kao who graduated with a Ph.D. in Material Science from Berkeley shares his experience on how his childhood exposure shaped his entrepreneurial dreams. 

Alex Mermod, a founder, former CEO, and MSx class of '24 member joins us for our first episode of the podcast. He shares his journey from the south of France to Stanford and reflects on what it's been like to move across the world with his family.