Javier Lorenzana: Startup Failure to Social Media Star and Building Influence that Lasts – E616

Javier Lorenzana: Startup Failure to Social Media Star and Building Influence that Lasts – E616

Author: Jeremy Au August 20, 2025 Duration: 32:06

Javier Lorenzana, former EdTech founder turned content creator, joins Jeremy Au to revisit their first meeting during an On Deck podcasting course and trace his journey from startup building to social media success. They discuss the creation and shutdown of his pandemic-born company Upnext, the personal and professional fallout that followed, and how he rebuilt confidence through fitness, self-work, and creative risk-taking. Javi shares how his founder mindset shapes his content strategy, why authenticity is his biggest growth lever, and how he measures long-term success through influence and connection rather than vanity metrics. Their conversation covers building product market fit for a personal brand, handling public scrutiny, and creating viral formats that blend entertainment with personal values.


00:06 Meeting in an On Deck podcasting course during the pandemic led to early discussions about creator ambitions. Javi shares how he was building his EdTech startup Upnext while Jeremy was launching the BRAVE podcast.

02:36 Upnext began as a Southeast Asia version of On Deck for live online learning during lockdown. It grew to hundreds of students with seed funding before demand collapsed post-pandemic, prompting layoffs and eventual closure.

05:09 Shutting down caused sleepless nights, weight loss, co-founder disagreements, and deep self-blame. Javi describes dragging out the process before finally accepting the need for a reset.

07:45 Returning to the University of Toronto, he skipped classes and used ChatGPT while focusing on personal growth through reading, fitness, and diet—his “villain arc” to rebuild confidence.

10:17 Choose content creation over a traditional career after months of journaling and admitting it was a long-held personal goal. The first six months brought low views until the viral “shirtless book review” series.

15:40 The series gained millions of views by combining fitness and literature, sparking reposts and online jokes about ignoring the reviews for his physique. Javi refined his approach with a mix of original ideas and adapted formats.

24:13 Measures success through influence and real-world connection rather than follower counts, believing this has the highest leverage for future opportunities. His bravest moment was posting that first shirtless review despite fear of judgment.


Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/javier-lorenzana-viral-book-muscles

Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com


WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e


TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz


Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau


LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea


English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts


Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts


Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts


Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts




There’s a unique energy building across Southeast Asia, a sense of possibility that’s palpable from Singapore’s skyscrapers to the bustling streets of Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur. BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech captures that momentum by going beyond the headlines and funding announcements. Host Jeremy Au, a venture capitalist and serial founder with a background from Harvard and Berkeley, steers these conversations with a distinct perspective-one that balances the hard metrics of growth with the very human elements of leadership and personal development. Each episode feels like a candid, in-depth dialogue, whether he’s speaking with a first-time founder navigating early traction or a seasoned investor mapping regional trends. You’ll hear genuine stories about building companies, the tough lessons learned from failures, and the often-overlooked journey of staying grounded while scaling rapidly. This isn’t about presenting a polished facade of success; it’s about the real work of creating something meaningful. With over eighty thousand regular listeners, this podcast has become a key resource for anyone invested in the region’s tech ecosystem. Jeremy brings his own experiences as a sci-fi enthusiast and a father into the mix, often exploring how broader perspectives on the future and empathy shape better leaders. Tune in for practical insights on venture capital, entrepreneurship, and management, all framed within the vibrant and complex tapestry of Southeast Asia. New conversations arrive every Monday, offering a thoughtful pause to reflect on how we build what’s next.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English)
Podcast Episodes
VC Economics & Exit Strategies: Case Studies from Seed to IPO - E689 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:30
Ever wonder how venture capitalists actually judge your startup behind closed doors? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au breaks down the brutal reality of VC economics and the math that dr…
The Hidden Strategies of Venture Capital - E687 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:39
Ever wondered how venture capitalists actually pick winning startups? In this solo breakdown on the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au pulls back the curtain on the secretive world of venture capital. Whether y…
Eugene Cheah: Open-Source AI and the Future of Work - E686 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:24
Is open source the true future of Artificial Intelligence? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au sits down with Eugene Cheah, CEO and Co-Founder of Featherless AI. They dive deep into the ar…