The Scrapy Way Up - Looks Like Work, Season 1, Ep 25
What if your career wasn’t just about success—but about meaning, conversation, and Friday night pride?
In this spirited and thought-provoking episode, Chedva Ludmir sits down with Yaniv Rivlin—author of Life as a Startup, founding CEO of Bird Israel, and former leadership director at the Schusterman Foundation—for a deep dive into building a values-driven, resilient, and proudly unconventional career.
From selling Dead Sea cosmetics in American malls to launching one of the fastest-growing micromobility markets in the world, Yaniv shares lessons in scrappiness, identity, and strategy. He reflects on navigating cross-cultural life, the power of reframing setbacks as strengths, and why every founder (and human) should know their unique selling point—whether it’s on their LinkedIn or not.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone building a career that feels just as good to talk about as it does to live.
What We Talk About:
What makes work feel meaningful—and worth talking about at Friday dinner
Growing up multilingual in the Israeli periphery
The underestimated value of soft skills
Learning to sell (yourself, your product, your vision)
How the REALITY program shaped his views on leadership
Bringing Bird scooters to Tel Aviv—and turning it into a global success story
Leading through logistics, hardware, and policy in a dense city
The power of autonomy in team building
Knowing when to delegate, outsource, or move on
Yaniv’s Powerful Question:
“What’s my unique selling point—and is it visible or hiding under the surface?”
A clarity-building prompt for anyone shaping a career, pitch, or purpose.Key Lessons:
A meaningful career is one you’re proud to talk about
Soft skills and identity can be your most valuable assets
Selling is about clarity, not manipulation
Outsourcing doesn’t make you less capable—just more strategic
Reframing your story can unlock overlooked strengths
Great leaders build others, not just results
Your “portfolio of life” is made of choices that align with your values
“Every person should understand their unique selling point. It’s probably not on the surface.”
Listen to this episode on Spotify | Apple | Wherever you get your podcasts
Resources & Mentions:
Follow Yaniv on Instagram @yaniv.rivlin
Checkout Bird
Catch up on previous seasons of Looks Like Work wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify | Apple | Podbean
Subscribe to the newsletter: chedva.substack.com
Check out The Curiosity Lab and CuriosityGPT
