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Real Life Superpowers

Real Life Superpowers

Written by: Real Life Superpowers
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About this listen

 In the Real Life Superpowers podcast (ranked top 10% of global podcasts), Ronen Menipaz and Noa Eshed feature conversations with people they identify as peak performers. The podcast covers their uncut, no-fluff version of their journey to the top, the challenges, pitfalls, and obstacles – the real-life version of the arc of the hero. The idea is to help the listeners bridge the gap in social media where successful entrepreneurs are put on a pedestal and seem to be surfing on a rainbow, ringing stock exchange bells, and living a distant dream. Real Life Superpowers is aimed to be a realistic reminder that there’s no such thing as an overnight success and that behind the scenes, every story is complex. The hope is to inspire the listeners to tap into their own superpowers and become the best version of themselves. Listeners can tune in from all around the world using podcast streaming services such as Spotify, Soundcloud, iTunes, and more.All rights reserved Economics
Episodes
  • E92 - Avichay Nissenbaum (Founding partner, lool Ventures)

    E92 - Avichay Nissenbaum (Founding partner, lool Ventures)
    Jan 1 2026
    In this episode we speak with Avichay Nissenbaum. A serial entrepreneur turned investor, and the founding partner of lool Ventures. He built and sold two startups - SmarTeam (acquired by Dassault Systèmes) and Yedda (acquired by AOL) - before dedicating his career to backing founders. Lool Ventures has invested over $200M and helped shape some of Israel’s standout companies, including Beewise, NoTraffic, and Eleos Health. This conversation goes deep into the psychology of decision making, the emotional reality of investing, and the mindset that helps founders and investors navigate uncertainty. What We Dig Into: Pattern Recognition as a Superpower Avichay explains why VC is about seeing patterns long before they become obvious. He shares how reviewing 400–800 startups a year sharpens intuition, and why “sensor-tuning” is one of the most important skills an investor develops. He believes founders are often the ones who intuitively sense the future first. The AI Shift: Native vs. AI-Resilient Companies Avichay breaks down a framework every founder should understand: • AI Native - companies born on AI-first architecture. • AI Resilient - deep-tech companies that won’t get erased by the next Gemini or GPT feature drop. He calls AI “the biggest shift of wealth of our generation,” and explains why resilience matters more than hype. What Makes a Founder Fundable He is blunt about what truly matters: • Tenacity • Resilience • Skin in the game • Hunger • Ability to execute under pressure He calls this the capacity to survive a “roller coaster on steroids.” He also explains why lool Ventures loves bootstrappers and founders who have already built a minimal product before fundraising. The Emotional Reality of Investing One of the most insightful parts of the discussion. Avichay describes the difficulty of shifting from builder to observer. He talks about: • Seeing founders drive straight into a wall • Knowing the solution but not owning the steering wheel • Balancing heart and logic • Acting as an advisor, not a commander His analogy: “It’s like sitting next to the driver and you can’t touch the wheel.” The Role of Naivety Avichay argues that naivety is often a hidden advantage. It creates the space for original thinking, passion, and courage - the ingredients behind unconventional breakthroughs. His Entrepreneurial Beginnings We go back to the moment he left a stable career to build something new. At 25, with no entrepreneurial experience, he pitched a radical product vision to his CEO, was turned down, and decided to do it himself. He shares how: • Most early feedback was “no.” • The first yes arrived only after many rejections. • Passion and discomfort worked together to pull him forward. His clarity is powerful: “You don’t know. But something burns inside you.” 🎧 Why This Episode Matters This episode is a blueprint for founders, operators, and anyone navigating uncertainty. You’ll walk away with: • A clearer lens for evaluating opportunities • A mental model for understanding AI-era resilience • A deeper understanding of what investors really look for • Tools to stay grounded during the inevitable ups and downs • A rare, honest window into the psychology of early-stage investing It’s packed with wisdom. It’s grounded. And it’s one of those episodes that lingers. Enjoy your listen
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    50 mins
  • E91 - Ilan Peleg (Co-founder and CEO of Lightrun)

    E91 - Ilan Peleg (Co-founder and CEO of Lightrun)
    Dec 1 2025
    In this episode, we speak with Ilan Peleg, co-founder and CEO of Lightrun Some founders jump in fast. Ilan Peleg plays the long game. Before launching Lightrun, Ilan had already built deep roots in cybersecurity and engineering leadership. A former national middle-distance champion, he was trained to move with speed - but only when the moment is right. Lightrun, the startup he co-founded with Leonid Blouvshtein, is now backed by Accel and Insight Partners with $70M raised, and is redefining how developers debug in production environments. But behind the company’s technical edge is a methodical, thoughtful story of timing, discipline, and trust. In this conversation, we explore: The startup lifecycle, broken down by phase. Ilan outlines the specific goals-and dangers-of each chapter: Years 0–2: Product-market fit. “You may come up with an amazing product… but is it delightful enough that people and organizations truly love it?” Years 2-4: Go-to-market fit. “You’ve proven value, now can you sell it repeatedly?” Years 4–6: Scaling. “This is where it gets really hard-it demands consistency, leadership maturity, and real operational backbone.” Why founders must resist the urge to scale too soon. Each stage brings its own pressures, and Ilan shares why timing is a competitive advantage few talk about. Vision vs. credibility: how to pitch like a founder who knows both. “Some investors want you to pitch a $100B story or they’ll say you’re not crazy enough. But you can’t just sell the dream-you need believable milestones.” The power of deep domain expertise. Ilan and his co-founder Leonid weren’t startup tourists-they deliberately delayed founding Lightrun until they’d spent years gaining firsthand experience with the problem space. “Once we came up with an idea in the domain we lived by, things moved magnitudes faster.” They moved fast because they’d waited to move. A co-founder story rooted in long-term alignment. Their partnership wasn’t born in a hackathon. It was built over years of shared conversations and career moves with the goal of someday launching something together. “Leonid wasn’t optimizing for salary-he was optimizing for being better skilled for what we’d eventually build.” Why good ideas come with a clock. “If the opportunity’s big enough, others will feel it too. You don’t have unlimited time to act.” How mentorship and networks compound growth. Ilan reflects on the exponential value of getting the right advice-and surrounding yourself with people who’ve failed and succeeded. It’s what helps turn lessons into leverage. Why founders must imagine more than just their company-they must imagine the market. “It’s not only about what you’re building-it’s how the market will evolve by the time you get there.” This episode is for anyone who’s still getting ready-who’s learning, building experience, and wondering when it’s their time to start. Listen in if you want to see what preparation really looks like-and what happens when long-game thinking meets the right idea.
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    43 mins
  • E90 - Yossi Barishev (Cybersecurity rising star, stealth co-founder CEO)

    E90 - Yossi Barishev (Cybersecurity rising star, stealth co-founder CEO)
    Nov 1 2025
    In this episode we speak with Yossi Barishev - one of the most watched founders in cybersecurity today. He’s led security operations and innovation at Sygnia and Fireblocks, advised Fortune 500s, and now, he’s building a stealth-mode venture focused on rethinking identity and trust in the age of AI. He’s been recognized by outlets like Business Insider, NYTech Media, and NewsBlaze as a leader shaping the future of cybersecurity. This episode is about uncertainty, self-trust, and building the internal tools to lead through volatility. In this conversation, we explore: The trap of seeking external validation. Early on, Yossi found himself chasing reassurance from more experienced founders - until he realized that the same validation could shake him when things got hard. “If you trust this external validation too much, whenever some negative signal comes in, it shakes you.” Learning to trust your internal compass. With time, his confidence shifted inward “There’s literally zero way to predict what the hell this journey throws at you… I just believed in my ability to be able to deal with it.” The power of throwing yourself into deep water His biggest moments of growth came when everything was uncertain - and the only path was forward. “The times where I usually flourish the most - it’s when my back is against the wall.” Introducing chaos - on your own terms. Rather than waiting for life to disrupt him, Yossi learned to lean into difficult, high-stakes situations. “If you’re able to introduce chaos in a controlled manner, it teaches you a lot more.” Becoming the Swiss Army knife. Yossi chose adaptability over specialization, learning how to show up confidently in any scenario. “Honestly- just throw me in the Bronx with no cash and no clothes. I’ll work it out.” Comparing yourself to others - and what to do with that. He reflects honestly on the emotional weight of watching peers raise money and start companies first. “What did they have that I lack?” Using doubt as fuel. Naysayers weren’t discouragement - they were motivation. “Even if I don't have the answers right now, I believe in my ability to find them… I was like, I’m going to show you that you’re wrong.” How he thinks about advice and mentorship. Advice, he says, is always a mix of data and subjective perspective - and the most useful mentors are those who’ve failed often. “Every single advisor I have is someone who made more mistakes than right decisions.” This episode is for anyone navigating self-doubt, forging a nonlinear path, or learning to lead without a blueprint. 🎧 Listen in- and share it with someone learning to trust themselves in uncertain waters.
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    48 mins
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