Leading Through Uncertainty: The Three Challenges Founders Don’t Talk About
Building a company is often framed around traction, milestones, and visible wins. But beneath the surface, every founder navigates an emotional landscape that is far less discussed—and just as formative. In this conversational session, we’ll name and explore the three founder challenges that usually stay unspoken, where the most meaningful reflection and growth often happen.
Through the lens of the founder journey, this talk will examine both the highs everyone celebrates and the quieter lows that shape resilience, identity, and decision-making. Expect practical examples, tools, and reflective practices centered on self-leadership and navigating uncertainty—resources that have supported our speaker personally and that she now shares with founders across stages.
Our guest speaker is a founder and leadership facilitator, and the creator of the Ocean Notes podcast on emotional clarity, identity, and self-leadership. The session will be conversational in format (30 minutes), followed by 15 minutes of audience Q&A.
Join us for an honest, grounded discussion on what it really means to lead—especially when the path ahead is unclear.
Meet the Speaker
Svetlana Kaz is a founder and leadership facilitator who creates reflective spaces for founders, leaders, and professionals navigating uncertainty and transition. After building multiple companies across health tech, community, and sustainability—and founding a nonprofit supporting immigrant professionals—she saw that leaders’ hardest challenges are often internal, not strategic.
Her work focuses on identity, clarity, and self-leadership, helping individuals and teams make decisions from alignment rather than urgency. Svetlana facilitates conversations, workshops, and retreats, and hosts Ocean Notes, a micro-podcast on emotional clarity and inner leadership.
Berkeley Pharma Tech Foundation is a nonprofit committed to expanding biotech understanding and improving access to the industry through education, mentorship, and networking. We host roundtables, speaker panels, and community events to connect aspiring scientists and entrepreneurs with industry leaders. Our goals: launch a funded research program within two years and build a state-of-the-art lab in the Bay Area within five. Follow us on LinkedIn or reach out to Vanloan Nguyen to get involved!