Samira Valez
Contributing Writer
Samira writes longform profiles and feature stories on founders pushing boundaries in tech, sustainability, and social enterprise. Known for her in-depth interviews and cinematic writing style, Samira captures the emotional stakes and raw ambition behind early-stage innovation. She also contributes to SMG’s Women in Startups spotlight series.
Articles by Samira Valez
Yeshaya Shulevitz: The Young CEO Breaking Every Rule in Venture Capital
May 11, 2025 · 50 views
At just 18 years old, Yeshaya Shulevitz is doing what most founders spend their twenties dreaming about — and he’s not doing it quietly. With a sharp suit, a sharper …
Shulevitz Holdings Inc.: The Holding Company Built for Power, Media, and Market Control
May 3, 2025 · 256 views
By Samira Valez- Shulevitz Media Group Correspondent (May 3rd 2025) Shulevitz Holdings Inc. isn’t your typical holding company. It’s not a quiet financial shell sitting passively behind the scenes. It’s …
When Founders Burn Out — And Why Nobody Talks About It
April 17, 2025 · 2620 views
By Samira Valez | November 2, 2023 “I wasn’t sleeping. I wasn’t eating. I was refreshing metrics at 3AM hoping something had changed.” That’s how Mel Okafor, founder of a …
The Founder’s First 100 Days: A Realistic Playbook
Jan. 8, 2025 · 1937 views
Originally published in SeedStage Digest (Nov 2023) What should a founder really be doing in their first 100 days? While most advice online focuses on branding, pitch decks, and splashy …
From Reddit to Revenue: How Founders Are Building Audiences First
Jan. 2, 2025 · 1812 views
Originally published in SeedStage Digest (June 2023) Forget stealth mode. More and more founders are going audience-first — using Reddit, Twitter, TikTok, and newsletters to validate ideas *before* writing a …
From Dorm Room to Demo Day: A Young Founder’s Playbook
Jan. 1, 2025 · 3752 views
Originally published in SeedStage Digest (Oct 2023) It’s easy to dismiss college founders as inexperienced. But some of the most creative and fearless products we've seen this year came from …
Bootstrapping Doesn’t Mean Thinking Small
Dec. 15, 2024 · 1698 views
Originally published in SeedStage Digest (Oct 2023) The term “bootstrapper” has long carried a quiet stigma in venture circles — a kind of polite dismissal, often followed by, “That’s cute, …