From child refugee to chart-topping pop star, and now a mentor to thousands, Christian Ray Flores’ journey is one of resilience, reinvention, and unshakable hope.

Born in Moscow to a Chilean father and Russian mother, his earliest memories were shaped by displacement after a brutal coup left his father imprisoned in a concentration camp. By the age of seven, Christian had lived in four countries, speaking four languages while navigating war, exile, and cultural upheaval.

Out of that adversity, he rose to global stages, with his music once becoming the anthem of freedom during Russia’s pivotal presidential campaign. Today, Christian channels that same passion into mentoring high-achievers, leading nonprofits in Mozambique and Ukraine, and equipping leaders to build personal brands that multiply both income and impact through his company, Xponential Life.

From Security Systems to Scaling Startups: Meet the Engineer-Turned-CEO Powering Fashion’s Digital Backbone

This week, we interview Harish Chandramowli, the brilliant mind behind Flaire a lightweight, intuitive ERP system that’s quietly transforming how fashion brands manage inventory, purchasing, and operations. Before stepping into the world of fashion tech, Harish built his reputation in elite engineering circles leading cloud infrastructure teams at MongoDB, securing sensitive systems at Bloomberg, and co-founding India’s first P2P bike-sharing platform, Ridengine. With over a decade of technical leadership under his belt, he’s now steering a venture-backed startup in New York that bridges deep tech with business empathy.

Flaire isn’t just software, it’s a founder-led, customer-first movement that’s reshaping how emerging brands scale with clarity and control. And Harish isn’t your typical CEO. He codes, jumps on sales calls, rolls out productivity tools like Greptile, and builds remote-first teams with care and culture in mind.
In this interview, we go beyond the product. We unpack his immigrant journey, his childhood curiosity, and how he found the courage to shift from code to customer balancing resilience, reinvention, and the business of listening.

What does it take to go from not knowing how to hail a cab in Manhattan… to becoming a Vice President of Technology Strategy at a global company? In this deeply moving and energizing episode, we sit down with Gustavo “Guga” Netto, who shares his remarkable journey from São Paulo to New York City with no English, no connections, and no safety net.

Gustavo opens up about the early years in survival mode working as a dishwasher, waiter, and roller-skating through Fifth Avenue to stay mentally afloat. But what makes his story extraordinary is the mindset shift he made: choosing growth over fear, and vision over circumstance. From discovering healing routines at Barnes & Noble to becoming a self-taught programmer during the internet boom

Whether you’re an immigrant navigating a new beginning or someone dreaming of a seat at the table, Gustavo’s story proves this: you don’t need to have it all figured out, you just need to keep building. Because, as he says, “Survival is just the first stage. Then comes growth. Then comes abundance—and giving back.”

In this soul-stirring episode of The Zaka Podcast, we sit down with Rwandan-born author Cedric Muhikira, the brilliant mind behind Grow Your Roots Where You Land and Libaax. A self-taught writer and former youth leader, Cedric shares his deeply personal journey of immigration, identity, and the resilience it takes to carve out belonging in a new country. From his early days in Rwanda to rebuilding his life in America at age 25, Cedric opens up about navigating cultural fusion, loneliness, and the power of storytelling to humanize the immigrant experience.

This conversation is packed with insight for anyone who has ever felt caught between two worlds. Cedric reflects on the importance of mingling across communities, advocating for yourself as a creator, and finding your voice no matter your background

Robenson Lauvince is a pioneer Haitian filmmaker, who’s redefining the narrative around Haiti and proving that purpose, passion, and persistence can shatter any ceiling. From secretly filming after hours while working a day job to becoming the first to bring a Haitian Creole-language film to the U.S. and Canadian box offices, Robenson opens up about the immigrant hustle, the courage to create without permission, and why he never starts anything he doesn’t finish. If you're a creative just getting started or a dreamer questioning your path, Robenson’s story will remind you: don’t wait for a seat build your own table. "Imagine it. Achieve it."

Patrice Washington is a first-generation American, award-winning podcaster, author, transformational speaker, and one of SUCCESS Magazine’s Top 25 Influential Leaders in Personal Development. She joins to unpack her remarkable journey from real estate mogul to global financial wholeness leader.

Patrice built a seven-figure real estate business by the age of 25, but a devastating fall during pregnancy, the 2007 recession, and the heartbreaking loss of her first child forced her into the most difficult surrender of her life. Bible and journal in hand, she learned that surrendering isn’t giving up, it’s releasing what was never ours to control. That pivotal moment became the seed for her reinvention, leading her to create the Redefining Wealth movement and inspire millions to see wealth as well-being, purpose, and freedom.

In this episode, Patrice opens up about breaking generational cycles, navigating family expectations as a Caribbean American, and building confidence not from accolades, but from the lives she’s touched. She shares how to distinguish knowledge from wisdom, how to honor your own story, and why listening to life’s “nudges” can lead you exactly where you’re meant to be.

This week, we reconnect with our brother and classmate, Frandy Peña, founder of Mission Barbers and Mission Haircraft. Known for his ever-present smile and generous heart, Frandy is one of those rare souls who makes everyone feel seen. In this vulnerable and uplifting conversation, he opens up about growing up in a Dominican immigrant household where family meant everything and giving even when there was little to give was a way of life. We explore how those early lessons shaped his values, his journey from IT project management to barbering, and how his barbershop became more than a place for fresh fades it became a sanctuary for emotional healing and connection.

Frandy speaks candidly about his mental health journey, the power of vulnerability, and why barbers are often the unofficial therapists in our communities. We also dive into his mission-driven grooming brand, Mission Haircraft, which provides affordable, high-quality products while giving back to youth in foster care through personalized gift boxes.

Joubert Joseph is a Haitian immigrant, civic entrepreneur, cultural curator, and founder of FOCO Digital and SocialPay. Joubert takes us back to his earliest lessons in business and community, watching his mother bring life and joy to a flea market stall, prioritizing people over profit. Those childhood experiences became the blueprint for his purpose-driven leadership today.

Through stories of grit, generosity, and growth, Joubert shares how he transformed grassroots marketing skills into a career rooted in impact building platforms that empower communities, bridge culture, and fuel civic engagement. We explore his immigrant journey, the values that shaped him, and the mindset that drives him to lead with empathy, creativity, and courage. This episode is a masterclass in turning heritage into innovation and struggle into strength.