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Listen "Start before you are ready - Isabelle Dijkhorst"
Episode Synopsis
In this episode of the 301 Podcast, Marcus Engel sits down with 18 year old entrepreneur Isabelle Dijkhorst, the founder of Foundity, a fast-growing startup built at Berkeley through LaunchX.
While most people her age are figuring out what to study, Isabelle is pitching at Web Summit, building tech, and flying across continents. But this conversation isn’t just about early success, it’s about what drives someone that young to think globally, build intentionally, and challenge the default path.
We talk about ambition, identity, and what it means to create your own opportunities, especially when you're not waiting for permission.
You'll hear about:
Growing up between two cultures and how that shaped her worldview
What she learned at 17 from pitching in front of thousands
The moment she knew she wanted to build something real
How she thinks about confidence, discipline, and failure
Why young founders might just be the least afraid of all
What it takes to build a global network before you can drink legally
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & Meet Isabelle Dijkhorst
02:00 – Growing Up Dutch-Ukrainian
08:00 – The First Sparks of Entrepreneurship
13:00 – Flying Solo to Berkeley for LaunchX
18:30 – Building Foundity & Finding Product-Market Fit
28:00 – Speaking at Web Summit & TEDx
35:00 – Confidence, Rejection & What Drives Her
45:00 – Advice to Young Builders & What’s Next
Connect with Isabelle Dijkhorst:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-dijkhorst/
Foundity: https://foundity.com/
Follow the 301 Podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/301podcast
Marcus: https://www.instagram.com/themarcusengel
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts
💌 Business inquiries: [email protected]
Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe, it helps us bring more bold, young founder stories like Isabelle’s to life.
While most people her age are figuring out what to study, Isabelle is pitching at Web Summit, building tech, and flying across continents. But this conversation isn’t just about early success, it’s about what drives someone that young to think globally, build intentionally, and challenge the default path.
We talk about ambition, identity, and what it means to create your own opportunities, especially when you're not waiting for permission.
You'll hear about:
Growing up between two cultures and how that shaped her worldview
What she learned at 17 from pitching in front of thousands
The moment she knew she wanted to build something real
How she thinks about confidence, discipline, and failure
Why young founders might just be the least afraid of all
What it takes to build a global network before you can drink legally
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & Meet Isabelle Dijkhorst
02:00 – Growing Up Dutch-Ukrainian
08:00 – The First Sparks of Entrepreneurship
13:00 – Flying Solo to Berkeley for LaunchX
18:30 – Building Foundity & Finding Product-Market Fit
28:00 – Speaking at Web Summit & TEDx
35:00 – Confidence, Rejection & What Drives Her
45:00 – Advice to Young Builders & What’s Next
Connect with Isabelle Dijkhorst:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-dijkhorst/
Foundity: https://foundity.com/
Follow the 301 Podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/301podcast
Marcus: https://www.instagram.com/themarcusengel
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts
💌 Business inquiries: [email protected]
Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe, it helps us bring more bold, young founder stories like Isabelle’s to life.
In God we trust