Proof of Concept

Proof of Concept

by Isar Saxena and Austin Kennedy

Self-Improvement Society & Culture

Season 2

Ep. 20 What 6 Months of Post-College Life Teaches You (w/ Rohan Hirani)

On this week of Proof of Concept, Rohan Hirani returned to the podcast. We discussed his recent ventures, Skybolt and Beam, as well as his travels throughout Europe. All of this excess time has allowed for much reflection on his college experience.

Ep. 19 Pitching Whole Foods as a 19 Year Old Founder (w/ Austin Majors)

Austin explains how he founded BrothersNuts in 2017 with his brother, struggles they've encountered along the way and experiences throughout; Whether that be talks with Shark Tank's producer, pitching whole foods, or flying to LA for the artist he is currently managing, Austin is an all-around founder and more importantly, person.

Ep. 18 Why You Should Step Outside Your Cultural Comfort Zone

On this episode of Proof of Concept, Isar and myself sat down for a conversation reflecting on my past weekend. Last Saturday I attended a Latin-hip hop concert by Eladio Carrión with my close friend Jose. We talked about I stumbled into Spanish and Latin culture, how I met Jose, and our thoughts on getting out of our comfort zones. We closed identifying that Jose is for his future kids what our grandfathers were to us. Thank you and I hope you all enjoy.

Ep. 17 Why You Should Give Back in Your 20s (w/ M'laah Singh)

On this week of Proof of Concept we had M'laah Singh. M'laah is a junior prelaw student at UIUC who grew up with some crazy experiences. From growing up in Hollywood as an actress in the Avengers to starting a nonprofit to help those in need across 7 states. During our talk with Mlaah we also spent some time expressing the importance of the people that surround us and how that has impacted us.

Ep. 16 How to Bring Energy Into Every Room (w/ Chik Egbuna)

Hello everyone, during this week of Proof of Concept we had Chik Egbuna. A sophomore at UIUC, he has grown his fitness account “kvngchikfitness” to 26 thousand followers. He is a personal trainer at the ARC and a truly radiant personality. We talked about what it means to bring energy to a room, as well as breaking through our shells of shyness. It’s always a great time sitting down for a conversation with Chik. Enjoy

Ep. 15 Talk to People for Who They Are, Not the Roles They Play

On this episode of Proof of Concept, we recorded an episode with just the two of us. Our motivation for this episode came from an event the two of us had come from right before and we had some thoughts on our mind we wanted to share. We talked about the importance of talking to people for who they are and not for the roles they play, while also touching on some of the ways we interact with people. We hope you enjoy it!

Ep. 14 Why Every Entrepreneur Needs an Ego (w/ Avi Patel)

On this episode of Proof of Concept, we had Avi Patel. He is the founder of Nitrility, “the world’s first intellectual property marketplace.” Nitrility has just reached a 10 million dollar valuation, and just a year ago, he was a sophomore studying Computer Science at the University of Illinois. We talked how the vision for Nitrility was crystallized, but more importantly Avi’s unique perspectives on business and outlook on life. In order to be different, you must think differently, and this has most definitely propelled not only Nitrility’s success, but his as well. Enjoy the conversation.

Ep. 13 How to Actually Find Balance in College (w/ Nikunj Tyagi)

On this episode of Proof of Concept, we sat down for a conversation with Nikunj Tyagi. Nikunj has recently launched an app, called "What's the Move?" On top of this, he also balances a job at an AI Startup, a business frat, as well as the CS Major Curriculum. On top of all this, he is also incredibly relatable and personable. All of this is on full display in this episode of Overdue.

Ep. 12 Isar's Internship Bootcamp and Podcast Plans for Year 2

Welcome to Season 2 of Proof of Concept! In the first episode of Overdue for Season 2, we discussed our summers and how they have impacted us and set us up for the future. Tune in to hear about how Isar went to a competitive internship bootcamp and got an internship from it. Also, listen to us as we talk about our personal and podcast goals for this semester. We hope you enjoy it!

Season 1

Ep. 11 Making the Most of Every College Opportunity (w/ Eileen Drew)

On this episode of Proof of Concept, we had UIUC graduate Eileen Drew. We talked about how Eileen's experience in college and some of the lessons she learned. She spoke about how she is a massive advocate for studying abroad, some of her experiences in student groups, and why taking advantage of every opportunity in college is important. Tune in for a great episode.

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