Beyond Unicorns — Rethinking Success in Entrepreneurship | Mansi Gupta & Clôd Baumgartner

<p>What does it actually mean to build something meaningful when the dominant story of entrepreneurship is: scale fast, raise capital, and exit?</p><p><br></p><p>What if success isn&#39;t measured by valuation, but by the problems you solve?</p><p><br></p><p>What if the businesses the world most needs aren&#39;t unicorns — but something more grounded, more regenerative, and ultimately more human?</p><p><br></p><p>In this conversation, Jessica Espinoza is joined by two entrepreneurs who have spent their careers building exactly that.</p><p><br></p><p>Mansi Gupta is the founder of Unconform and a pioneer in women-centred design, exploring how products, services and systems can better reflect the lived experiences of the people they serve.</p><p><br></p><p>Clôd Baumgartner is a regenerative innovation and upcycling fashion entrepreneur who has spent years rethinking what business can look like when it works in harmony with people and planet rather than against them.</p><p><br></p><p>Together, we explore a different kind of entrepreneurship — one built around joy, purpose, circularity, and the courage to define your own metrics of success.</p><p><br></p><p>🎙️ <strong>In this episode:</strong></p><p><br></p><ul><li>Why the unicorn narrative puts pressure on all of us — and what zebras have to do with it</li><li>Why every design has consequences</li><li>Why we live in a one-size-fits-men world — and what it costs us</li><li>The difference between scaling high and scaling deep</li><li>Why joy — not hustle — is the fuel for regenerative businesses</li><li>How to define success metrics that actually reflect what you care about</li><li>Why you should never build alone</li><li>What it means to become a time millionaire</li><li>How to just start — without boiling the ocean</li></ul><p><br></p><p>⏱️ <strong>Chapters</strong></p><p><br></p><p>00:00 Trailer</p><p>00:41 Introduction — rethinking entrepreneurship</p><p>01:24 Mansi&#39;s journey: building meaningful ventures</p><p>03:03 Clôd: demystifying the unicorn — why zebras matter</p><p>05:57 Mansi&#39;s ventures: leather upcycling, women-centered design, and what came next</p><p>10:51 Every design has consequences</p><p>13:07 Clôd: regenerative innovation and the garden metaphor</p><p>20:32 What if businesses were designed circularly?</p><p>27:00 The blind spot in human-centered design — and what fixes it</p><p>34:02 We live in a one-size-fits-men world </p><p>44:58 What and how — the permaculture ethics of people, earth, and fair share</p><p>49:40 Practical advice for founders: just start, don&#39;t do it alone</p><p>53:07 Just start does not mean boil the ocean</p><p>56:27 Choosing who you build with</p><p>57:00 Circular models of collaboration</p><p>01:01:40 Redefining success metrics and vanity metrics</p><p>01:05:12 Who is an entrepreneur, really?</p><p>01:13:26 Final thoughts: start, rest, and find the balance that works for you</p><p><br></p><p>Check out Mansi Gupta&#39;s work: </p><p>Unconform &amp; women-centric design: </p><p><a href="https://www.unconformstudio.com/women-centric-learning">https://www.unconformstudio.com/women-centric-learning</a></p><p>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mansigupta/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/mansigupta/</a></p><p><br></p><p>Check out Clôd Baumgartner&#39;s work: </p><p>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpbaumgartner/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpbaumgartner/</a></p><p> </p><p>📺 <strong>Watch more episodes</strong></p><p><br></p><p><em>Catch The Upswing</em> is a podcast for people building meaningful things in a rapidly changing world. Honest conversations with leaders, founders, investors, and changemakers about what it actually takes to keep going, lead well, and stay hopeful about the future.</p><p>New episodes every week. Subscribe so you don&#39;t miss one.</p><p><br></p><p>🔗 <strong>Follow &amp; connect</strong></p><p><br></p><p>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@CatchTheUpswing">https://www.youtub