Diwas Neupane (MSx ’25), a third-generation family business leader from Kathmandu, Nepal, shares his journey from scaling and taking his family company public to joining Stanford’s one-year MSx program. He reflects on the unique realities of building a career inside a family enterprise, including blurred boundaries between work and home and the emotional highs and lows of shared ownership. Diwas explains how the MSx experience has sharpened his leadership and storytelling skills, strengthened his self-awareness, and created a powerful sense of community for both him and his wife, as they prepare for the next chapter back home.

Felipe Lourenco (MSx ’25), a three-time entrepreneur, discusses his journey from founding startups in Brazil to joining Stanford’s one-year MSX program. He highlights the program’s global network, its tailored leadership and entrepreneurship curriculum, and the uniquely supportive ecosystem in Silicon Valley. Felipe shares lessons learned from successes, failures, and the fast-evolving VC landscape, underscoring the value of resilience, the importance of mentorship, and the transformative impact on both his and his wife’s professional ambitions.

Ann Songphatanayothin (MSx ’25) shares her transition from consulting to entrepreneurship through Stanford’s one-year MSx program. She highlights the cohort’s global diversity, details her early-parenthood care startup, and underscores how resources such as Venture Studio and founder networks helped move her from idea to execution. She also offers practical tactics for balance, prioritizing close friendships and quality time in a two-founder household.