Evgeny Shadchnev is a founder coach and the founder & ex-CEO of Makers Academy. Evgeny is also the author of Startup CEO Succession: A Founder's Guide to Leadership Transition.  In this Founder Meditations episode, Evgeny shares his work coaching founders to end suffering in the context of a busy startup life. The discussion touches on Evgeny's failed Vipassana retreats, his wild story on psychedelics, and the role of mindfulness in personal well-being and professional development. Evgeny emphasizes the power of taking full responsibility for one's internal state for achieving happiness and well-being. 00:00 Intro01:43 Evgeny's journey as a founder 05:03 1st failed Vipassana retreat 10:01 Evgeny's spiritual journey 16:19 Transitioning from CEO to founder coach21:57 Wild psychedelics story 25:40 Recommended spiritual teachers & resources for founders 31:08 Applying meditation in founder coaching37:06 Insights into startup CEO succession 46:43 Evgeny's biggest insight 48:00 Coaching Elon Musk 51:36 Lightning round 57:23 Final thoughts on meditation and advice for founders --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/foundermeditations/message