The Truth of Who You Are: Why Startup Success Begins with Self-Awareness

Discover why startup success starts with self awareness. In this episode of Epic Execution, David Kenney and Mike Parsons explore the emotional and strategic truths every founder must face, with lessons from HealthMatch founder Manuri Gunawardena.

5/26/20252 min read

In this launch episode of our Epic Execution podcast series, timed with the release of David Kenney’s new book, Epic Execution: Speed Up, Scale Up & Level Up, we go straight to Chapter One: “The Truth of Who You Are.”This is not your typical startup pep talk. It's a grounded, gritty, and deeply personal conversation about the foundation every founder needs before they raise capital, build a product, or scale.

Joined by Mike Parsons, Co-Founder of Epic Execution and a serial entrepreneur with global wins and war stories, David and Mike explore the uncomfortable and liberating truth that startups are the ultimate personal development journey.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify
👉 https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ebb17h6nrErOIwoVHy5tU

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • Why your greatest asset — and biggest liability — is you

  • The Three Foundational Truths every founder must confront:

    1. The Truth of Who You Are

    2. The Truth of Your Why

    3. The Truth of Your Circumstances

  • How to map your strengths, blind spots, and working style

  • Why your “who” might matter more than your “why”

  • How to build a high-performance team around your gaps — and turn vulnerability into your superpower

💡 Real Founder Story: Manuri Gunawardena, HealthMatch

The episode features the powerful journey of HealthMatch founder Manuri Gunawardena, who was blindsided when an investor pulled out after a signed term sheet. What could’ve been a setback became a defining moment, forcing deep self-reflection, resilience, and a reassessment of her leadership foundations. David and Mike unpack her story to reveal universal lessons for every founder facing doubt, rejection, or reinvention.

👥 Who Should Listen:

  • Founders in the idea stage, wondering if they’ve got what it takes

  • Scale-up leaders are ready to strengthen team dynamics

  • Investors and advisors looking to support founders beyond the pitch deck

  • Anyone looking to understand the real human engine behind great companies

🛠 About Epic Execution

This isn’t just a podcast. It’s your no-BS playbook for high-growth entrepreneurship. Hosted by David Kenney, Epic Execution features deep conversations with extraordinary founders and leaders. We focus on:

  • Team selection and leadership

  • Validating your way to product-market fit

  • Creating genuine customer value

  • Capital strategy and execution under pressure

Each episode delivers battle-tested frameworks, lived experience, and clarity without ego to help you build, raise, and grow smarter.

🎧 Listen Now on Spotify
👉 https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ebb17h6nrErOIwoVHy5tU

📕 Want to go deeper? Get the book → Epic Execution: Speed Up, Scale Up & Level Up
🚀 Ready to learn the tools? Enrol now at Epic Execution Academy

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