In this episode of Start. Scale. Exit., Ivan Galvez speaks with Nick Manzek, co-founder of Elomia, an AI-powered mental health companion designed to increase access to emotional support around the world. Nick shares Elomia’s journey from early prototypes built in Ukraine to today’s scalable, clinically-informed product. Together, they explore the unique challenges of breaking two stigmas at once—AI and mental health—and what it takes to build a company rooted in mission, not hype.

Nick also gets personal about his own mental health journey, why it fuels his leadership, and what founders must ask themselves before switching products or giving up too soon.

• Why AI-powered mental health tools must be built differently than general chatbots like ChatGPT
• The importance of mission-driven design when creating solutions in high-stakes industries like mental health
• What it means to “stick with it” when building something users don’t love… yet
• Why passion for your customer, not just the product, matters for long-term founder resilience
• How physical activity, sleep, and deep relationships keep Nick grounded as a founder
• Real lessons from scrapping a project too early—only to see it succeed later… without them

“Are you passionate about the customer you serve? If not, you’ll give up too soon.”

• Elomia.com — AI mental health companion
• Tools: Cursor, Lovable (AI-powered no-code development)
• Book: Pasta (in honor of Nick’s Italian grandmother and comfort food as emotional grounding)

• LinkedIn
• Email: nick@elomia.com
• Find Elomia on the App Store or at elomia.com

Listen Now & Subscribe:

Spotify | Apple Podcast

Or find us wherever you get your podcasts.

Powered by Sintesys.us

Sintesys helps SaaS founders scale their platforms and customer experiences with high-performance development and support.

In this episode of Start. Scale. Exit., Ivan Galvez interviews Harrison Telyan, co-founder of FlowGlad, an open-source payments and billing platform built with developers in mind. Harrison shares how his journey started by redesigning apps in high school, how a cold Imgur redesign earned him a job, and why testing profitably is more valuable than raising capital. He walks us through building products post-YC, bootstrapping FlowGlad with cashflow from his design firm Numi, and what it means to build high-trust, high-performance teams without falling into the “yes-man” trap.

Whether you're early-stage, scaling, or just refining your monetization engine—this episode is packed with real-world startup frameworks, founder psychology, and actionable advice.

• Why selling before building is the golden rule of modern startup validation
• How to test ideas profitably and avoid building the wrong thing
• Why FlowGlad chose to be open source and bootstrap instead of chasing VCs
• Lessons learned from growing design agency Numi to $2M ARR
• How travel and taste-building (e.g. museums!) improve product design judgment
• Why hiring based on urgency, clarity, and values is more scalable than resumes

“We developed an allergic reaction to building before selling. Test profitably. Validate with real conversations, then build.”

• FlowGlad — Open-source billing and payments for developers
• Numi.tech — Startup design department-as-a-service
• M-Pesa — The mobile payments system that inspired global innovation
• Book: Moby Dick by Herman Melville
• Favorite App: Robinhood — Best-in-class product design meets investment tech

• LinkedIn
• FlowGlad.com
• Join the FlowGlad Discord

Listen Now & Subscribe:

Spotify | Apple Podcast

Or find us wherever you get your podcasts.

Powered by Sintesys.us

Sintesys helps SaaS founders scale their platforms and customer experiences with high-performance development and support.

In this episode of Start. Scale. Exit., Ivan Galvez speaks with Ruchi Singh, founder and CEO of iRobo, a SaaS platform revolutionizing check-in systems in hospitality and healthcare using AI and robotics. Ruchi shares her 25+ years of global tech experience, how frustrating personal travel and hospital wait times sparked her startup vision, and why thoughtful observation is an underrated entrepreneurial superpower. From MVP to pre-seed, Ruchi walks through building a solution that reduces wait times, improves customer experience, and has the potential to save lives in emergency situations.

• Why long wait times in hotels and hospitals are more than just an inconvenience—they're a global, costly problem
• How real-world frustration can be the spark for scalable innovation
• Ruchi’s journey from India to launching her startup from George Washington University
• What founders must prioritize when building AI-powered solutions for real humans
• The one mindset shift every pre-seed entrepreneur needs to succeed
• Lessons from prototyping hardware SaaS solutions with Intel support

“Be a better thinker. We’ve stopped using our minds to solve real problems. Technology should follow purpose—not the other way around.”

• iRobo (AI & Robotics platform for smart check-ins)
• Seabed Germany tech show
• George Washington University (GWU)
• Bhagavad Gita (Ruchi’s favorite book)
• Perplexity AI (AI tool recommendation)

• LinkedIn
• Email: ruchi.singh6791@gmail.com
• Phone: +1 (857) 395-0594
• Coming soon: iRobo website (currently pre-launch)

Listen Now & Subscribe:

Spotify | Apple Podcast

Or find us wherever you get your podcasts.

Powered by Sintesys.us

Sintesys helps SaaS founders scale their platforms and customer experiences with high-performance development and support.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Start. Scale. Exit., Ivan Galvez sits down with Emily Carlson—CTO, founder of PDA Consulting, host of Powered by Authenticity, and bestselling author. Emily shares her journey from assembling computers with her infant son beside her to leading digital transformation in healthcare and becoming a voice for women in STEM. She reveals the power of showing up authentically, the misconceptions around speed in tech, and what she wishes she had told her younger self before launching her own business. This is a must-listen for SaaS founders, especially in HealthTech, who want to grow with purpose, clarity, and human-centered leadership.

Key Takeaways:

• Why authenticity is a strategic advantage in leadership and tech
• The dangers of scaling without fully understanding business requirements
• Emily’s advice for introverts in tech: how to be seen without losing yourself
• The critical role of empathy and active listening in digital transformation
• Why HealthTech projects fail without including the voices of real users
• Emily’s message to women in STEM: “It’s not imposter syndrome—you are that good.”

Golden Nugget:

“A button isn’t just a button—it’s someone’s workflow. When you break that, you break revenue. Slow down and listen.”

Mentioned in the Episode:

• PDA Consulting
• The WIT Network (Women in Tech)
• Emily’s book: The Evolution of Leadership in STEM
• Recommended book: The Coffee Bean by Jon Gordon and Damon West
• Emily’s podcast: Powered by Authenticity

Connect with Emily Carlson:

• LinkedIn
• PoweredByAuthenticity.com

Listen Now & Subscribe:

Spotify | Apple Podcast

Or find us wherever you get your podcasts.

Powered by Sintesys.us

Sintesys helps SaaS founders scale their platforms and customer experiences with high-performance development and support.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Start. Scale. Exit., Ivan Galvez speaks with Bryan Wish, founder and CEO of ArcBound, about how personal branding and storytelling help founders and business leaders amplify their mission. Bryan shares his journey from grassroots community building to launching ArcBound, lessons from a near business collapse, and how authenticity is the foundation of lasting brand influence. You’ll also hear practical insights for SaaS founders on connecting product with story—and the dangers of chasing growth without sustainable foundations.

Key Takeaways:

• Why brand is more than visuals—it’s how you show up every day
• The importance of aligning business with personal values and story
• Bryan’s biggest mistake and what he learned from scaling too fast
• Actionable advice for SaaS founders on branding and storytelling
• The critical role of self-awareness and deep introspection in leadership

Golden Nugget:

“Brand is a marathon. Start from the inside out—not by chasing what you want others to see.”

Mentioned in the Episode:

• ArcBound
• Bryan’s book recommendation: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
• Connect with Bryan Wish: LinkedIn

Listen Now & Subscribe:

Spotify | Apple Podcast

Or find us wherever you get your podcasts.

Powered by Sintesys.us

Sintesys helps SaaS founders scale their platforms and customer experiences with high-performance development and support.

In this special kickoff episode of Start. Scale. Exit., host Ivan Galvez introduces the mission behind the show: helping SaaS founders and digital entrepreneurs navigate the full founder journey — from idea to exit. Ivan shares his personal story of starting multiple tech ventures, scaling with purpose, and why exiting a business changed his life and leadership. If you're building in tech, this is where your growth journey begins.

• The three phases every tech founder must master: start, scale, and exit
• How Ivan’s early ventures shaped his philosophy on building tech companies
• Why exits are often the most overlooked — but transformational — part of business
• The importance of learning from both success and failure
• Who this podcast is for: SaaS founders, tech builders, and startup dreamers

“This life isn’t long enough to make all the mistakes ourselves—so let’s start learning from others’.”

• Sintesys — Ivan’s software development and IT services company
• Ivan’s journey from college startup to successful exits

Spotify | Apple Podcast

Or find us wherever you get your podcasts.

Sintesys helps SaaS founders scale their platforms and customer experiences with high-performance development and support.