Former Outcast Foods CEO Darren Burke Inspires Cancer Survivor to Pursue Entrepreneurship

In the life of Yiannis Spetsakis, a series of pivotal moments shaped his journey from adversity to entrepreneurship. His path was marked by routine exercises, brainstorming sessions under the open sky, insights from an innovative industry professor, and a fierce battle with cancer.

At 19, Yiannis faced a daunting diagnosis: Stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. As a dedicated player for the Marauders football team, his sudden weight loss and deteriorating performance during off-season training were the first signs that something was amiss. His intuition led him to seek immediate medical attention, and soon after, he found himself hospitalized, making the difficult call to inform his parents. Amidst their concern, Yiannis found unwavering support from his family throughout his treatment journey.

The following three years were marked by intense chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and dual stem cell transplants. For Yiannis, relinquishing football, a passion since childhood, was as challenging as the treatments themselves. Nevertheless, he emerged in complete metabolic remission and on the cusp of completing his degree in kinesiology, having discovered his life’s mission during his fight with cancer—to reduce suffering by improving health and wellness for others.

This newfound purpose was crystallized through brainstorming sessions with Dimitri Tsampiras, his roommate, as they sought a solution to keep a mutual friend motivated in their fitness goals. This led to the conception of Olympian, a proposed social fitness app designed to foster community and accountability among fitness enthusiasts by allowing them to share and track workouts. Recognizing a gap in the health and fitness app market, Yiannis and Dimitri set out to bring their idea to life.

Yiannis’s entrepreneurial spirit was further nurtured in a course led by Darren Burke, a former CEO known for his ventures in the nutritional supplement industry. Burke’s firsthand accounts of business launches and the encouragement he offered to his students inspired Yiannis to fully commit to his entrepreneurial aspirations. The course culminated in a pitch competition, challenging students to develop and present business ideas to a panel of judges.

Teaming up with classmates DeEmetrius Masuka and Zoe Parks, Yiannis dedicated himself to perfecting their presentation for Olympian. Their hard work and strategy paid off as they clinched first place in the competition, with Yiannis leading the pitch. This victory was a pivotal moment, solidifying his resolve to pursue entrepreneurship full-time upon graduation.

Reflecting on his journey, Yiannis credits the course and Burke’s mentorship for dispelling any doubts and confusion about starting a business, instilling a deep-seated belief in the viability of his startup vision. As he prepares to embark on further pitch competitions and devote himself to his health-focused enterprise, Yiannis carries forward the confidence and clarity gained through his experiences.

Darren Burke sees a promising future for Yiannis, commending his poised and compelling approach to business presentations. For Yiannis, the pitch competition was not just a contest but a transformative experience that honed his vision, leadership, and presentation skills. As he steps into the world of entrepreneurship, Yiannis is poised to make a significant impact, driven by his journey through adversity, his passion for health and wellness, and the mentorship that guided him towards realizing his dreams.