Varsity Ventures

AI and other emerging tools have made it easier than ever for the next generation to start a business. But launching something and building something people actually use? That’s a whole different game.I’m Hendrick McConnell, and this is Varsity Ventures — a podcast where I interview both rising and seasoned entrepreneurs to uncover what it really takes to create something that lasts.This show is for teens who are dreaming of starting a business, now or in the future.

Varsity Ventures is a business podcast hosted by Hendrick McConnell, with 11 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Hendrick McConnell hosts Varsity Ventures, a business show with 11 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #10

  Episode 10: From College Project to 30-Year Tech Company: Dallas Kashuba's DreamHost Story

  Jun 9, 202626 minS1

  <p>What does it take to build a technology company that lasts nearly 30 years?</p><p>In this episode of Varsity Ventures, I sit down with Dallas Kashuba, co-founder of DreamHost, one of the world's largest web hosting companies. Dallas shares how DreamHost started as a college project, why the company chose to remain bootstrapped, and how it grew into a business supporting millions of websites.</p><p>We discuss the early days of the internet, the rise of AI, the importance of open-source software, lessons from decades of entrepreneurship, and why founders should carefully think before raising venture capital.<...

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  Episode #9

  Episode 9: From Big Tech to Founder: Nathalie Walton on Building and Exiting a Mission-Driven Startup

  Jun 9, 202627 minS1

  <p>Nathalie Walton’s career began in big tech, with leadership roles at Google, Airbnb, and eBay. But after experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, she saw firsthand how challenging the journey into parenthood can be and felt compelled to build something that could help.</p><p>In this episode, Nathalie shares her path from tech executive to startup founder. She explains how she joined and then took over Expectful, raised $4 million in just 90 days, scaled the company, and ultimately led it through a successful acquisition.</p><p>Nathalie also breaks down how she approached fundraising, built relationships with future acquirers early, na...

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  Episode #8

  Episode 8: Michelle Stephens on What It Takes to Build Health Tech

  Nov 19, 202531 minS1

  <p>Former pediatric nurse and Oath Care co-founder Michelle Stephens Ph.D. joins Varsity Ventures for an unfiltered breakdown of what it actually takes to build in health tech.</p><p>Michelle talks about her academic past, how she jumped from nursing to a startup, and what she learned the hard way about venture capital, product timing, and selling a healthcare vision in a world that moves faster than medicine can.</p><p>Now the Chief Revenue Officer at Felt, Michelle explains why the next wave of care won’t happen in clinics at all - it’ll happen inside the apps people already use every day. She pulls back the curtain on what’s broken, what found...

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  Episode #7

  Episode 7: How Eat Offbeat Turned Refugee Talent into an NYC Food Movement with co-founder Wissam Kahi

  Oct 28, 202529 minS1

  <p>What started with a craving for grandma's hummus became a movement reshaping New York’s food scene.</p><p>In this episode, I talk with Wissam Kahi, co-founder of Eat Offbeat, a social venture that hires and celebrates refugee chefs bringing authentic dishes from around the world to NYC tables.</p><p>Wissam shares how his sister's school project turned into a business, the hard realities of running a food venture, and the lessons he learned about trust, family, and staying financially grounded while building something meaningful.</p><p>If you’ve ever thought about starting something that matters — this e...

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  Episode #6

  Episode 6: Brewing Resilience and Building Wealth - Entrepreneurship Lessons with Vicki Davitashvili

  Oct 2, 202531 minS1

  <p>In this episode of Varsity Ventures, I sit down with Vicki Davitashvili—a leader with 20+ years in financial services and two-time founder of Still Essence Tea and Wealthy and Unstoppable.</p><p>After a life-altering event in 2022, Vicki turned to tea as both a healing ritual and the spark for her first business. She later discovered a deeper gap around women’s financial confidence, leading her to launch a second venture. In this episode, she shares how resilience, customer obsession, and scrappy MVPs helped her bring both ideas to life.</p><p>You’ll hear:</p>How to move from i...

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