Find Your Inner Map
3 Takeaways from Episode 1 of The Art of Startups
I had the opportunity to interview a friend of mine, Evyenia Wilkins, in the first episode of the Art of Startups.
Here are three takeaways that stuck with me:
1. What felt natural when you were 10?
We all come into the world with a set of gifts, talents, and obsessions. When we’re younger, these gifts find natural expression through what we did back then.
Evy has always known she wanted to start her own companies. Her exposure to an entrepreneurial mother had her practicing presentations from a very young age. That early spark was there and never left—but like many of us, she went on to pursue something more “practical.”
Eventually, the calling returned. And this time, Evy listened.
It made me wonder: How often do we push down the voices of our younger selves just to fit into the noise of adulthood? What do we lose when we do? And what would happen if we paused long enough to let those early instincts speak again?
2. Anxiety isn’t your enemy. It’s a teacher.
Evy spoke candidly about her inner critic—the voice that told her she wasn’t enough, that made her question her worth. But rather than shut it down or avoid it, she built a relationship with it.
She didn’t wait to feel confident. She took action first. And eventually, that action gave her something solid to stand on.
This reminded me of a quote from Georges Bataille:
"Anguish, far from being a purely negative emotion, is the essential prerequisite for all profound understanding. It is the price of consciousness."
Non-linearity, especially the kind startups force you into, can trigger deep inner turbulence. But maybe that’s part of the Art. If you learn to sit with the discomfort, it begins to reveal who you truly are, and more importantly, who you are not.
3. Find the people who reflect your fire.
When I asked Evy about the process of finding the right partners, she talked about “shared passion.” Not shared skills or shiny resumes: she pointed towards deeper internal alignment.
They raised a pre-seed round from Oregon Sports Angels through a cold email, demonstrating their authenticity and faith in their mission, even as first-time founders, simply by showcasing what they stand for. This example illustrates how things develop in ways we can’t understand and predict with any degree of certainty. Trusting the universe in the world of startups feels like a must.
The lesson here is that startups test your patience. Especially when you’re looking for people to build something with. But maybe patience is the process. And perhaps the right partners are the ones who make you feel comfortable enough to be completely yourself, especially when things get weird.
That’s just a slice of the conversation.
If any of this resonates, give the full episode a listen:
And if you like where this is going, you’ll love what’s next.
– Ronen
PS – if you’re running a startup and want to share your takes on the show, reply to this email or drop me a note at ronenain@outlook.com