Can We Build Something Great In Our 20s & Build Our Intuition Effectively? w/ Irina Gheorghiu | Ep22

Intuition, Influence, and Startup Realities with Irina

In this episode, we spoke with Irina, the Co-Founder and CEO of ZIM Connections, a 3x award-winning startup in the telecommunications space. Irina holds an Economics degree and a Master's degree in Digital Transformation Management from ESCP. She is dedicated to creating innovative products with a positive global impact. With experience in business strategy and project management, Irina has a proven track record of bringing ideas to life and delivering successful outcomes. She constantly seeks new opportunities to grow and collaborate with like-minded individuals who share her vision for making a difference. ZIM is the Global Marketplace of eSIM plans for travellers, with a mission to connect people everywhere, simply and easily, with just one click in over 190 destinations.

This discussion explored the reliability of intuition, societal influence, startup challenges, team dynamics, and aligning life with core values.

Gut Feeling vs. Subconscious Biases

Irina discussed is our "gut feeling" is a reliable guide, or is it simply a product of our subconscious biases? This explored the complexities of intuition and decision-making.

Escaping Societal Judgments

We delved into whether we can truly escape the influence of societal judgments, or are we always performing for an audience? This prompted a discussion on authenticity and external perception.

Leading Projects Straight Out of University

The conversation addressed what are the unique challenges and rewards of leading a significant project straight out of university. This offered insights into early career entrepreneurship.

Authentic Team Environment

Irina explored whether a "family" feeling can be authentically created within a professional environment, or is it a mere illusion? This examined the dynamics of team culture.

Common Pitfalls for Talented Teams

We discussed the common pitfalls that can derail even the most talented teams. This provided practical advice on avoiding common organisational issues.

Lessons from Fundraising and Team Building

Irina shared what are the key lessons learned from the "horror stories" of fundraising and team building. This offered candid insights from startup experiences.

Living in Alignment with Values

The discussion also covered the consequences of living a life that doesn't align with our deepest values and desires. This highlighted the importance of personal authenticity.

Concern, Influence, and Control

Finally, Irina helped us understand the difference between concern, influence, and control, and discern when we can apply each. This provided a framework for managing external factors.

Watch the episode to dive deeper into these insightful topics. Subscribe on your favourite platforms and share the episode to support the growth of the show for free. Thank you for watching.