Episode Summary:

In this episode of Start. Scale. Exit., Ivan Galvez speaks with Nick Manzek, co-founder of Elomia, an AI-powered mental health companion designed to increase access to emotional support around the world. Nick shares Elomia’s journey from early prototypes built in Ukraine to today’s scalable, clinically-informed product. Together, they explore the unique challenges of breaking two stigmas at once—AI and mental health—and what it takes to build a company rooted in mission, not hype.

Nick also gets personal about his own mental health journey, why it fuels his leadership, and what founders must ask themselves before switching products or giving up too soon.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Why AI-powered mental health tools must be built differently than general chatbots like ChatGPT
• The importance of mission-driven design when creating solutions in high-stakes industries like mental health
• What it means to “stick with it” when building something users don’t love… yet
• Why passion for your customer, not just the product, matters for long-term founder resilience
• How physical activity, sleep, and deep relationships keep Nick grounded as a founder
• Real lessons from scrapping a project too early—only to see it succeed later… without them

Golden Nugget:

“Are you passionate about the customer you serve? If not, you’ll give up too soon.”

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Elomia.com — AI mental health companion
• Tools: Cursor, Lovable (AI-powered no-code development)
• Book: Pasta (in honor of Nick’s Italian grandmother and comfort food as emotional grounding)

Connect with Nick Manzek:

• LinkedIn
• Email: [email protected]
• Find Elomia on the App Store or at elomia.com

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