Listen Now

Creating Social Impact Through Entrepreneurship ft. Priya Burci | The Tomato Timer #068 What do you do when you are struck by a massive problem and feel compelled to act? For Priya Burci, the former CEO of one of the most successful refugee coding schools in Europe and the current COO of a mental health startup, the answer is to do just that: act in ways that have the potential to create sustainable social impact. Tune in to this episode as she unpacks her entrepreneurial journey and learnings. Who is Priya Burci? Priya is currently the COO of AIME, a mental health startup that offers customized guidance programs with the goal of helping people find what techniques work best for them and build a sustainable routine. She was previously the CEO of Powercoders International, an award winning social startup that runs coding courses and tech job placements for refugees. In her role, she launched Powercoders in Turkey, Italy and Spain and achieved a 90% graduate placement rate, making it one of the most successful refugee coding schools in Europe.  You can find Priya Burci on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/priya-burci Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/yZAyR6x Connect with ZNotes on Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevisionTwitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

How can we tackle the issue of underrepresentation in education? That is what James is trying to do through his activism. Listen to this episode to hear the inspiring journey of James, the co-founder of Ladder Project CIC, to teach students from lower socioeconomic and BAME communities the skills that they need to progress through academia and the world of work. Who is James? James Frater FRSA is an award winning Caribbean medical student, studying at Imperial College London. He is someone I keep running into - a fellow Diana Award recipient and we also work alongside each other on the Youth Advisory Board at the EY Foundation.  James is als co-founded The Ladder Project CIC to help holistically develop students and prepare them for life after school. You can find James on: Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-frater/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/00frater_/ Blog: https://www.jamesfrater.com/ The Ladder Project CIC: Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ladder-project-cic/ Website: https://www.theladderproject.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTphHKFgPTt/ Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/znotes Connect with ZNotes on Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

In this week episode, Zubair welcomes Harry Beard, the co-founder of Prospect100, the home of design competitions. Tune in to listen ti Harry’s advice about working towards your passion and his views on the importance of designers in our world! Who is Harry? Harry is the 22 year old co-founder of PROSPECT 100, a marketing agency focussed on youth that builds campaigns centred around global design competitions for young artists that are judged by industry leaders like Sean Wotherspoon and Steve Wozniak.  You can find Harry on : Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-b-a1075995/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harryckb/  Prospect 100 Website: https://www.prospect100.com/](https://www.prospect100.com/ Instagram: [https://www.prospect100.com/ Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community athttps://discord.gg/znotes Connect with ZNotes on Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

A lot happens in your 20s - graduation, 1st job, transition from teenagehood to adulthood - and it can be pretty daunting. But what if it could be approached more calmly? In today’s episode, Charlie Rogers shares with us his journey and his tips to navigate life in those everchanging times ! Who is Charlie? Charlie Rogers is an Entrepreneur, Athlete and Creator, focused on empowering purpose-driven, flexible organisations to treat employees as people. To do this he's building a Portfolio Career by coaching agency owners, managing projects and scaling a future of work consultancy. In his free time he's training for his first IRONMAN in July 2022, reading the best non-fiction books and sharing his journey and experiences on Linkedin. You can find Charlie on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/realcharlierogers/ Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/znotes Connect with ZNotes on Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

In this episode, Zubair has the priviledge to have a conversation with Natālija Knipše, the former Latvia’s Youth Delegate to the United Nation. Together they retrace Natalija’s journey into politics and the difficulties of seeing actual change in this field. Who is Natālija Knipše?  Natālija Knipše is a Latvian civil and political engagement activist. She was the Youth Delegate of Latvia to the United Nations (2020 - 2022), focusing on climate change, disinformation, and equality during her term. She is a master's student of law, specialising in constitutional law and human rights law, and has worked on multiple cases of importance to the LGBT community, and women's rights. She was previously head of the Presidium of the Youth Parliament of Latvia, an alumni member of the European Youth Parliament, and currently is a One Young World ambassador and engagement lead in the Baltic States. She is currently a Europe & Eurasia Fellow at Freedom House in Washington DC. You can find [Guest] on  You can find Natālija on: Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nat%C4%81lijaknip%C5%A1e/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/natalijaknipse/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/KnipseNatalija Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/znotes Connect with ZNotes on: Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

When you read Melissa’s bio, you might believe she is several people in the same body because of all the different things she’s passionate about. From creating art to a degree in Law and Politics, listen to today’s episode to hear Zubair and his guest’s view upon modelling, inclusivity and the future of art in social media’s world. Who is Melissa? Melissa Wright Katongola is a french mordern art painter born in Paris and currently based in Stirling, Scotland, where she is realizing an undergraduate in Law and Politics. Alongside with her artist career, she is also a model for Model Team Scotland as well as a singer and an actress. She tends to use her different passions to tackle contemporary issues through Global Justice Stirling. You can find Melissa on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/melissawrightoff/ Website - https://www.melissawrightofficial.com/ Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/znotes Connect with ZNotes on Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

In today’s episode, we are lucky to have a conversation with Ayan Said, a women of many talents. She is a former teacher, a entrepreuneur and a spoken word poet. Ayan created Voicing Voices in order to expand diversity and inclusion globally to create a more equitable future for marginalised communities. Listen to Zubair and her guest’s conversation to get inspired in creating changes around you! Who is Ayan? Ayan co-designs and teaches human-centred solutions that enable us all to embrace an equitable future.  With several years of experience in the education and development industry, a masters degree in gender, education and international development, Ayan created Voicing Voices to embed systemic strategies and approaches that resolve inequalities.  You can find Ayan on: Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayan-said-frsa-971735172/ Voicing Voices: Linked in - https://www.linkedin.com/company/voicing-voices/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/voicingvoices/?hl=fr Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/znotes Connect with ZNotes on Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

TW: mentions of suicide and mental illnesses. After years of struggles with her mental health, Diana decided to take her pen and write. She went on to create Letters To Strangers, a global youth-run nonprofit seeking to destigmatize mental illness and increase access to affordable, quality treatment for youth. In this episode, Zubair and Diana unwrap the benefit of writting, quality education about mental health and more!  Who is Diana? Diana is a youth mental health activist, climate scientist, conceptual fine art photographer, food & beverage entrepreneur, and a speaker/poet/writer. She is also a karaoke-fu champion who's obsessed with all things matcha and penguins' related.  You can find Diana on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-chao/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dizzodin/?hl=fr Letters To Strangers: Website: https://www.letterstostrangers.org/about  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/L2SMentalHealth/?hl=fr Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/znotes Connect with ZNotes on: Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

Listen to today’s super insipiring conversation between Zubair and his host, Alex. Alex is talking us through his difficulties as a undiagnosed child with Asperger and how he nowadays advocates for more diversity and inclusion for young people on the spectrum to have access to a better education and job market.   Who is Alex?  Alex is a neurodiversity ambassador, working as a logistics supplier at the Royal Air Force and Diana Legacy Award winner.     Connect with Alex on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexanderson644/?utm_medium=copy_link Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/znotes  Connect with ZNotes on: Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision  Connect with Zubair Junjunia on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/  #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

We hear the word “politics” everywhere and all the time, but what exactly does it mean? Luke and Zubair unpack the concept of “being political” and how to approach politic more easily. Listen today’s episode to get tips and advice on how to take action, without any pressure! Who is Luke?  Luke graduated from the University of Cambridge with a first a few months ago . He is now following the Schwarzman Scholar’s programme, a global leadership course and Master’s in Global Affairs based at Tsinghua University in China. He Co-founded the Student Think Tank for Europe Asia Relations (www.stearthinktank.com) where, together with a team of 50 volunteers working across 33 countries, he aims to strengthen relations and deepen cultural ties between Europe and Asia. You can find Luke on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-cavanaugh-208806181/  STEAR Website: https://www.stearthinktank.com/  Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/znotes Connect with ZNotes on  Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

TW: Eating Disorder, Bullying, Body Image In this episode, Zubair exchanges with Ally Zlatar on her journey through eating disorders and how she created an art movement from those difficult times. Nowadays, many artists and people learn and express themselves through the “Starvig Artist” movement. One of Ally’s mission is to make art an active tool rather than an accessory in the disussion around mental healh and eating disorder. Who is Ally?  She is the founder of the The Starving Artist. She holds a BFA in Visual Art & Art History from Queen's University & an MLitt Curatorial Practice and Contemporary Art from the Glasgow School of Art. She is now a lecturer at the University of Glasgow. In her artistic practice and activism, she is continuously interpreting, communicating and facilitating her work to make a difference in society. You can find Ally on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/allycardone/?hl=fr LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ally-zlatar-81597b120/ Website: https://allyz.cargo.site/ Starving Artist: Website: https://starvingartist.cargo.site/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestarvingartist.studio/?hl=fr   Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/znotes Connect with ZNotes on : Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

“There’s a vaccine against covid but there’s no vaccine against climate change”; in this week’s episode, Zubair and Ludo unpack their mixed feeling about COP26, half empowered by so many young people showing up for the same cause, half disappointed by leaders’ inaction. Ludo also takes us through the birth of Global Justice Stirling and how the 1st edition of the Stirling Climate Festival came to life. Let us know what you thought about this episode! Who is Ludo ?  Ludovico is a hird-year International politics student at the University of Stirling. He is the Founder and President of Global Justice Stirling.  He is interested in politics, journalism, social, and environmental justice. Ludo organised Stirling Climate Festival whose 1st edition took place in October 2021. You can find Ludo on: Instagram  Twitter LinkedIn  Facebook  Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community on Discord  Connect with ZNotes on Instagram  Twitter  Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram  Twitter  LinkedIn  #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

In this week's episode, Dinara Bach candidly shares her experiences at Minerva University, the humbling journey of living all around the world at an age of self-construction and discovery and her perspectives on social media. Zubair and Dinara discuss the difficult, yet rewarding, facets of what being in the public eye is like, and give us useful tips on how to avoid falling in the sometimes dark corners of the online world.  Who is Dinara ?  Originally from Russia, Dinara has lived in six countries across the world in the last four years. She’s a student of Minerva University, an innovating higher education program based in San Francisco, where she studies Designing Societies and Brand Management. Upon graduating next month, Dinara is planning to move to New York to pursue her next dreams. Meanwhile, she’s creating inspirational content about self-development, global living, manifesting and figuring life out as 20-something on her YouTube channel and Instagram. You can find Dinara on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Dinaraxyz And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dinaraxyz/ Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/znotes Connect with ZNotes on Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

In this episode, you will get to listen to the relaxed but super encouraging conversation between Aviva and Zubar. From how did Aviva start her amazing project to mental health and unconventional leadership, our guest is sharing her journey, unfiltered.  Who is Aviva ?  Aviva Klein is the CEO and Founder of the University Blood Initiative (UBI). Klein started the UBI as a second-year student at the University of Chicago and launched the organization nationally in April of 2020 Klein’s overall career objectives focus on finding solutions to social inequality in healthcare and strongly believes in the power of young people. She works to elevate those in her organization to their full potential so they can become great leaders during their time at UBI and beyond. She received the 2021 international Diana Award for her work. Her future plans include pursuing an MD/MBA. You can find Aviva on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aviva-klein-6b8762112/ The UBI website: https://www.universitybloodinitiative.org/ Suggest guest and send question by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/znotes Connect with ZNotes on Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevision Twitter - https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/zjunjunia LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjunjunia/ #ZNotes #Podcast #TheTomatoTimer

From the creation of new models of teaching in schools to the stress of exams, Zubair and Bilal discuss the potential future of what education could look like. Who is Bilal?  Bilal has been teaching O and A Level chemistry since 2002 and is the Founder & Director for 3 prominent private educational institutions in Karachi, Pakistan. With a background in Educational Entrepreneurship & Technology besides Chemistry, Bilal is currently leading multiple EdTech projects under the organisation Qadam. His dream is to nurture lifelong learning and ethical leadership in Pakistan's youth. Join our next live session by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/pntDdE5 Connect with ZNotes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevis Twitter: https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/zjunjunia #ZNotes #TTT

In the wake of the 4th industrial revolution, students need to be empowered to be curious and adaptable. As skills they learn today might become obsolete and careers they envision non-existent, the way they think and learn could turn out to be the most relevant while navigating through such an uncertain ecosystem. In this episode, Alex Alexandrescu discusses these questions he has been tackling through his startup, Dicey Tech. Who is Alex? Alex is a Romanian-born and Manchester-bred entrepreneur who graduated top of class with an MSc in Business Strategy from the University of Manchester. With a background in strategy consulting, he rediscovered a childhood passion for technology and digital making when he assembled a DIY 3D printer. Now he is co-founder and CEO at Dicey Tech, where he aims to inspire and enable generations of students to explore curiosities, learn, and create a better world in the 4th Industrial Revolution. Outside of work, one of his proudest achievements is having cycled from London to Bucharest in support of a UK-Romanian charity that helps orphaned children throughout primary and secondary education. Connect with Alex on LinkedIn and Twitter.  Dicey Tech: Website, LinkedIn, Twitter Join our next live session by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/pntDdE5 Connect with ZNotes on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram and Twitter #ZNotes #TTT #Podcast

The gaps in our education system, managing finances as a student, investment, embarking on a career in finance-watch this episode for a crash course into financial education! https://www.fiveandco.net/who-we-are Muna: Dr Muna holds a PhD in Islamic Finance from Durham, an MA in Investment and Finance from Hull and has over 20 years of experience in the field of finance and regulatory compliance - from the private sector to semi-government. Aminath: Sharahath holds a Bachelors in Law and Masters in Islamic Finance Practice with more than 10 years of experience in the legal and financial fields. She received national recognition for the outstanding contribution of females to develop the Islamic Finance industry in the Maldives. Muna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muna-al-mannai/ Aminath: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aminath-sharahath-b9257a122/ Join our next live session by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community at https://discord.gg/pntDdE5 Connect with ZNotes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/znotesrevis Twitter: https://twitter.com/znotesrevision Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zjunjunia/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/zjunjunia #ZNotes #TTT

When we think and learn differently, why are educational systems so linear, putting us in a box that may not be meant for us? Tune in episode 51 to catch Sergio Hunt talk about the gaps within our learning process and the need for us to take agency over it. Who is Sergio?  I'm a researcher, creator and human development anthropologist, focusing  on the intersection of culture, technology and human flourishing. I  work on social and silicon technologies that support life long learning,  and communities of practice. Connect with Sergio on Connect with ZNotes on Instagram Twitter Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram Twitter Join our next live session by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community

We are not responsible for the opportunities we happen to inherit. But we may have a responsibility as to how we utilize those to extend it the ones who don't have the same privileges; how we dedicate ourselves to causes we care about to create the positive social impact we can. Hear more about using your skills for good from James Sancto, the founder of We Make Change. Who is James Sancto? James founded We Make Change to enable anyone, anywhere to use their skills to support the causes they care about. Since launching their global online volunteering platform in 2018, they now have a community of over 25,000 ChangeMakers supporting more than 400 Social Enterprises across the world. James has also worked as a strategy consultant with local, national and international NGOs. He was selected as a 2019 EU Young Leader of Industry by the European Commission. Connect with ZNotes on  Instagram  Twitter   Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram Twitter Join our next live session by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community

An entrepreneurial venture most often involves getting the right idea at the right time. But there is so much more that goes into the eventual success after that eureka moment, much of which fades away in the background. Hear Jacob Weddernburn-Day, the co-founder of Stasher, talk about the journey that led him to establish his startup as a $12 million company. Who is Jacob?  Jacob Wedderburn-Day is the founder of Stasher — a travel tech startup that connects travellers looking to store luggage with shops and hotels providing storage space. Jacob and Anthony, friends from their time studying economics at Oxford together, co-founded the business in 2015.  They have grown it from the initial idea back when they were students to being a venture-backed company, valued at over $12 million, present in  250 cities worldwide. They were both recognised this year on Europe’s  Forbes 30 under 30 list. In addition to Stasher, Jacob and Anthony co-founded Tree points, a climate change social enterprise. They can also be heard on the Morality of Everyday Things podcast, an everyday philosophy show which ranks in the top 5% of podcasts worldwide.      Connect with ZNotes on Instagram Twitter  Connect with Zubair Junjunia on Instagram Twitter Join our next live session by becoming part of the ZNotes Discord community