
38 segments available
Founder of Buildspace, Farza Majeed joins our group of young founders on THE PATH PODCAST from the Founders Inc. studio in San Francisco. The Path is the #1 podcast in the world for young founders, entrepreneurs, and creators, hosted by Alex Schachne and Arib Khan, with special guest host Imran Muthuvappa, co-founder of Kayyo (https://kayyo.co). We discuss everything from Farza's early days as a founder, starting Buildspace + raising $10m from YCombinator and a16z, creating a new life path for builders and creatives, finding mentors, faith, failure, finding meaning & more… Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:21 Buildspace + creating a new school 2:30 Getting into YCombinator 3:40 Reflecting on startup life 4:37 Buildspace's vision 6:52 Changing the culture of education 8:14 Imran’s path from restaurant server into startups 10:10 The history of the school system 11:33 A new path for young builders 12:35 Scaling Buildspace to 100,000 students 16:20 Finding the mentor that changes your life 17:35 How Farza met Furqan + Sharif at F.inc 19:50 How Imran met his cofounder on TikTok 21:05 How Alex found Farza + F.inc 22:40 Farza giving his brother 10k to move to SF 24:00 How Arib joined Buildspace + F.inc 26:25 Serendipity + taking chances 27:45 Faith and the spiritual journey for founders 29:30 Imran’s relationship with Islam + mental health 38:08 Farza’s journey with failure + faith 42:50 Imran on designing his life 45:20 Suffering + finding meaning in life
Farza Majeed reflects on his personal growth from age 21 to 24, emphasizing the shift from trying to emulate successful figures like Steve Jobs to embracing his own unique path. He discusses how clarity in his goals and desires has shaped his journey as a founder, highlighting the importance of authenticity in pursuing one's ambitions.
"I don't think that I got smarter to be honest with you I just think that um what, I, wanted, to, do, became, clearer back, then, when, I, was 21, I, was, trying, to impressed somebody else I was like ..."
In this segment, Farza introduces Buildspace, describing it as a school for individuals who prefer not to follow traditional job paths. He outlines the unique majors offered, such as web 3 and machine learning, and shares his vision of creating a system that empowers students to build their own careers through creativity and innovation.
"explain you know what is build space What are you guys building and you know how's it going so far uh build space a school for people who don't want to get a job um today we offer two majors they're n..."
Farza shares his experience applying to YCombinator, discussing the challenges he faced and the rejections he received. He reflects on how his understanding of startups evolved over time and what ultimately led to his acceptance, emphasizing the importance of clarity in his goals and the skills he developed along the way.
"summertime and what do you think it was that had gotten as a solo founder right uh silver founder yeah yeah and why do you think you know what what moved the needle like why was it that time that you ..."
Farza discusses the distinction between being a creative individual and a business person. He expresses that his primary motivation is to create and innovate rather than to achieve traditional business milestones like an IPO. This segment highlights the mindset of creative entrepreneurs who prioritize passion over conventional success metrics.
"place because that sounds like a kind of big personal growth journey to be able to switch that up and we talked about this remember that one time you kind of asked like what motivates you to do a star..."
In this thought-provoking segment, Farza critiques the traditional education system, suggesting that it limits the paths available to young people. He argues for the need to shift cultural perceptions around education and entrepreneurship, advocating for alternative routes that empower creativity and innovation in young builders.
"the alternate Life app but like the Hogwarts what happened to Hogwarts for Builders oh bro we throwing comparisons all day what's like the road map because I I really see it and that's what I love abo..."
Farza elaborates on the cultural barriers that prevent young people from pursuing alternative educational paths like Buildspace. He emphasizes the need for a cultural shift to validate and support non-traditional routes, particularly in communities where conventional education is heavily prioritized.
"right it's like a business or like or like making it something or like a startup it's like these are scary words now, right, and, um I, think, most, people, are like I'm 18. I wanna I wanna make rap m..."
Farza discusses the importance of creating engaging content that resonates with potential students. He compares his approach to Disney's storytelling, emphasizing that simply providing educational material is not enough; it must inspire and change perceptions to effectively shift culture and encourage new paths.
"like you gotta you gotta change the culture yeah yeah and you think you do that through content I mean you're doing a really interesting you know approach of like you said it's education but like on t..."
Farza shares a personal story about how he found mentorship while working at Halal Shack. He reflects on the impact of observing a successful entrepreneur and how that experience shaped his understanding of business and creativity, illustrating the value of mentorship in the entrepreneurial journey.
"years like these institutions so yeah um you have to do both which is very difficult as like a startup of like nine people to one actually create another product that people love but then too like you..."
In this segment, Farza discusses his background in cybersecurity and how it influenced his perspective on traditional systems, including education and employment. He explains how understanding these systems allows him to identify opportunities for innovation and create alternative paths for aspiring builders.
"he's like you want to work here I was like yeah let's do it so the next day I like came I started working in this guy was like probably like my first like mentor and like business-ish stuff um he was ..."
Farza outlines the vision for Buildspace as a platform that empowers young builders to circumvent traditional career paths. He emphasizes the importance of aligning personal interests with market needs, encouraging students to develop skills that will enable them to thrive in emerging fields like AI and web 3.
"Ivy League right that's if you didn't know it's like it's like a pre-civil war Sports league right yeah so if you're calling I think if your college or university was around before the Civil War yeah ..."
In this segment, Farza shares his vision for Buildspace, which aims to democratize education and training in fields like MMA and tech. He contrasts traditional systems with a new approach that allows anyone with a smartphone to start learning and building. This innovative model is designed to empower individuals globally, breaking down barriers to entry in competitive fields.
"right well one thing that you guys that I would love that be amazing uh one thing the build space does that I think is really important is you guys host the nights and weekends and you culminate it wi..."
Farza explains how Buildspace is designed to scale beyond small cohorts, aiming to reach millions of learners simultaneously. He reflects on the importance of accessibility in education, especially for those in developing countries. This segment underscores the mission of Buildspace to create opportunities for talented individuals regardless of their background, fostering a diverse community of builders.
"are playing League of Legends I would I would have waged without even 25 of them are doing it because they have this dream of one day going pro I had the dream going pro too I for years like grinded L..."
Farza shares his personal journey of finding mentors who believed in him and how these relationships shaped his path as a founder. He highlights the significance of having someone who encourages you to pursue your dreams, illustrating how mentorship can be a game-changer for young entrepreneurs. This segment emphasizes the role of community and support in the startup ecosystem.
"space if anything when you give someone that seems kind of driven and crazy a shot they will always almost always surprise you um and I think software like actually let's lets you do that like at scal..."
In this engaging segment, Farza recounts how he met his co-founder Furqan through a simple DM on social media. He reflects on the importance of networking and building relationships in the startup world, sharing anecdotes about their journey together. This story highlights the unexpected connections that can lead to significant collaborations and innovations.
"for a con real quick what was the story it's actually it's actually really quick I'll give it to real quick I love telling the story uh I met you know Sharif Sharif is the founder of um what is in Ale..."
Farza discusses his early experiences in startups, including the challenges and lessons learned while working on various projects. He emphasizes the importance of resilience and passion in the entrepreneurial journey, sharing insights on how to navigate setbacks. This segment serves as an inspiration for young founders to embrace their unique paths and keep pushing forward.
"all through a DM to a person right that just as well I think everything that's happened to me in my life that's been good has been from just complimenting someone like truly from like the heart right ..."
Imran narrates how he met Farza through a tweet about a builder meetup. He describes the serendipitous nature of their connection and how it led to him visiting San Francisco, ultimately influencing his decision to drop out of college to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams.
"so I kind of similar to how I met farza so I met farza through a tweet when he was doing zip school what was it 20 21 16 21 20 20 the show yeah and uh I was starting to build paths but I was like I ne..."
Farza discusses his decision to support his brother financially as he navigates his post-college life. He reflects on the importance of taking risks and how his brother's journey from uncertainty to finding his passion in pet sitting illustrates the value of believing in oneself.
"I'm literally incubating projects four I think so it's pretty it's pretty wild I think I think it's like every story revolves around you just trusting yourself in a way right yeah take shots man yeah ..."
Farza emphasizes the significance of taking chances in life and entrepreneurship. He shares insights on how the worst-case scenario is often not as daunting as it seems, encouraging others to trust themselves and seize opportunities.
"like otherwise you know what he was doing before that six months ago he was like applying to jobs getting rejected every time because he's a [ __ ] programmer right like in terms of like your classic ..."
The conversation shifts to the role of serendipity in entrepreneurship. Farza and Imran discuss how unexpected encounters and opportunities can lead to significant breakthroughs, highlighting the importance of being open to new experiences.
"because you know Arab showed up off the street to build space nice weekends one and now he is literally in the build space to tick tock like I I mean do you want to just tell the story real quick beca..."
Imran recounts his first experience at Founders Inc. and how it sparked his interest in the startup ecosystem. He reflects on the serendipitous moments that led him to become more involved in the community and the impact it had on his entrepreneurial journey.
"office until I was like that's downstairs and uh like 18 by the way yeah did farza comes up to me and he's like oh you're here for Knights and weekends I was like no uh and then you and then you asked..."
Farza discusses the importance of consistency in achieving success. He shares insights on how regular effort and dedication can lead to significant results, drawing parallels to the experiences of artists and entrepreneurs alike.
"amount of serendipity required for me to just I did like a 30 minute presentation every day during those times yeah uh during those three days so you walked in at a good time um yeah tall Pakistani du..."
The hosts delve into the internal journeys of founders, exploring how personal beliefs and practices, such as faith and meditation, shape their entrepreneurial paths. They discuss the balance between external success and internal growth.
"happen so it's kind of like I remember I was looking at a tick tock it was like I forgot the exact metric but it's like um 60 or almost all the main the artists who um have more than I think like 100 ..."
Imran shares his journey with Islam and how it has influenced his life and work. He reflects on the importance of grounding practices and how faith can provide structure and support in the chaotic world of entrepreneurship.
"dude I'm curious bro I have no idea actually so Iran is is bro it's actually just a role model for men for men just real quick like when, when uh, when, I, saw, this, guy, like praying I was like what..."
Farza Majeed shares his upbringing in a religious household, balancing spiritual practices with community service. He reflects on his weekends filled with mosque activities and volunteer work, highlighting the influence of both his parents in shaping his values. This segment explores the duality of his early experiences and how they set the stage for his later journey.
"um so, I, had, this, like, Dad, that, was, like very like spiritual very religious my mom was also very religious but she was more focused on like the uh like boots on the ground volunteer work um and..."
Farza discusses a pivotal moment in his life when his father fell seriously ill, leading him to reflect on the role of trauma in personal development. He emphasizes how significant life events can serve as catalysts for change, prompting deeper introspection and a search for meaning. This segment delves into the psychological aspects of growth and the importance of finding outlets during tough times.
"on um and at this time like when my father was super sick like I just needed to outlet I had a lot of alone time I used to sit in my room make music right but like the music like wouldn't like like it..."
After moving to California, Farza reconnects with his faith by frequenting the mosque, which becomes a central part of his life. He describes how this community provided structure and support during a chaotic time, especially during the pandemic. This segment highlights the importance of community and spirituality in navigating life's challenges.
"day yeah um then the pandemic happened and all of that amazing progress I made just got reversed I was back home I was in my room alone the sense of community was gone um I, just, was, not, practicing..."
Farza recounts his introduction to a non-profit organization during the pandemic, which reignited his passion for community service. He shares how working with this group allowed him to blend his religious beliefs with hands-on help for those in need. This segment emphasizes the transformative power of service and the importance of engaging with one's community.
"distributions with like a four-man Team all fully self-funded one donor like in Sacramento and they were just doing it so I got connected with this guy and I was just hungry I was like yo like I like ..."
In this segment, Farza reflects on his mentorship experience with Imam Yasser Khan, who combines spirituality with community service. He describes the profound impact of one-on-one learning and how it shaped his understanding of faith and service. This highlights the significance of mentorship in personal and professional growth.
"both like super religious dude but also serving the community and serving people so when I moved to Sacramento I was basically just like I was like yo I want to learn everything I can from this guy an..."
Farza discusses his spiritual journey and the importance of finding a deeper meaning in life beyond business success. He shares insights on how personal struggles and loneliness led him to explore spirituality and mindfulness practices. This segment captures the essence of self-discovery and the quest for purpose.
"like did was your journey into I guess spirituality meditate whatever you want to call it Faith um also triggered by a Breaking Point or something else no, for, sure, first, of, all crazy, story, bro ..."
In this reflective segment, Farza talks about integrating spirituality into his daily routine, emphasizing the balance between personal beliefs and professional ambitions. He shares how simple practices, like meditation, have transformed his perspective and well-being. This segment underscores the importance of mindfulness and spirituality in achieving a fulfilling life.
"you learn stuff you got to like have that period right yeah dude literally I mean maybe not to like the same like spiritual level but even like with work on like I just pulled up like and for almost t..."
Farza Majeed shares his transformative experience with Zen Buddhism and the concept of a 'beginner's mind.' He discusses how dedicating an hour a day to quiet reflection changed his perspective and routine, emphasizing the profound impact of simplicity and mindfulness on personal growth.
"and I remember I uh I just read the most basic Zen Buddhism book to this day and I read it I'm just like I'm gonna do exactly what this is what was it it was called a beginner's mind um and uh just re..."
In this segment, Farza reflects on the motivations behind entrepreneurship, suggesting that the drive to build a successful company often stems from deeper personal experiences. He encourages young founders to explore their true motivations and the underlying reasons for their ambitions.
"yeah by the way sorry Islam is not incompatible with a lot of these teachings exactly that's why I can't here and be like yo like I want to try that yeah this is this is also why when he, talks, about..."
Farza discusses the importance of self-discovery for founders, highlighting how understanding one's personal journey can enhance creativity and leadership. He emphasizes that the path to becoming a better founder involves introspection and recognizing the influences that shape one's aspirations.
"so you got to figure it out right and I think uh I don't know I see a lot of I still have people even walk into I think that are like 1918 type and they're like oh I'm like what's your what are you wh..."
Imran Muthuvappa shares his experience of finding a community that aligns with his values and aspirations. He discusses the significance of surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals who share a passion for entrepreneurship and personal growth, creating a supportive environment for success.
"so yeah wow, I, mean, I, mean, we might, have, to, leave it there that was Imran any closing words yeah Imran would you have any any closing words to say on on that yeah I mean for me um but before I ..."
Imran reflects on his journey to find a career that aligns with his personal values and lifestyle. He discusses the importance of pursuing work that resonates with one's identity and the fulfillment that comes from being part of a team that shares similar goals and passions.
"I want to have in my life the type of people I want to meet the type of team I want to build like the type of things I want to be known for there's only like three or four things that actually are at ..."
In this candid discussion, Imran shares a personal story of facing challenges and panic during his entrepreneurial journey. He emphasizes the necessity of finding meaning in struggles and how such experiences can lead to personal growth and resilience in the face of adversity.
"want to be right and I think this is where like like our on a Saturday night like he could have been out anywhere like and we were just in like a like a super dank office in Santa Clara with no window..."
Farza introduces the concept of the 'hero's journey' as a metaphor for the entrepreneurial experience. He discusses the importance of overcoming obstacles and finding transformation through challenges, highlighting how this journey contributes to personal and professional development.
"ARB and I drive an hour away exactly like every hour and 30 minutes you an hour and 30 minutes maybe an hour yeah I think it's like it's like also important here is like the path here for each person ..."
The conversation shifts to the significance of faith and mental health in the lives of entrepreneurs. Farza and Imran discuss the importance of finding meaning beyond business success and how nurturing personal values can lead to a more fulfilling and balanced life.
"cooler so much cooler there's a book I'm reading uh the hero's journey or the hero with a thousand faces called by Joseph yeah and it's it talks about this basically everyone is the hero in their own ..."