Our Team
Solène Oudet, Founder & CEO
The idea for Blissen started as our founder Solène Oudet saw the effects of retirement and empty-nest syndrome on one’s sense of identity in her personal circle. She began to imagine what aging could be like if older adults were empowered to stay active in their communities and contribute their skills and talents. Indeed, the adults she knew who continued to work with drive and passion past their retirement years seemed to be living their best years!
As she felt inspired by those examples and started imagining the possibilities, she also began to see all the barriers to employment and entrepreneurship that older adults face, especially women and people of color.
After working at Google for seven years in product management, business operations and online marketing, Solène felt well-equipped to pursue her calling. As she turned thirty, she decided to start her next chapter, quit her job at Google and spent time volunteering across the globe at different nonprofits and social impact organizations (e.g. Modern Elder Academy) before founding Blissen.
Our Team
Vicki Soll
Cohort coach & Technology trainer
Vicki brings 30+ years of experience as a technical instructor and course developer in the high-tech industry (GE Digital, Star One Credit Union). She was also a technological trainer at GetSetUp where she taught digital skills such as Google Apps and Social Media platforms to adults over the age of 50.
Kadidja Yansane
Small Business Expert
Kadidja brings 15+ years of experience running her own coaching business for small business owners, BloomIntoYou. She led hundreds of women’s groups, workshops, seminars, and classes to support women entrepreneurs and help them define their marketing and customer acquisition strategies.
Alex Waters
Small Business Expert
Alex brings 14 years of entrepreneurship and leadership coaching experience, facilitating workshops such as AltMBA and Akimbo. He launched and runs the first low-to-moderate income and diversity focused 4-month accelerator CONNECT ALL @ the Jacobs Center.
Eddie Tang
Small Business Expert
Eddie brings 14 years of corporate experience before starting his own management consulting company, Above Consulting, 18 years ago. He served many local non-profit organizations such as MEDA and has been running Small Business Services at SF LGBT Center for the last 4 years.
Our Advisors
Karina M. Diaz
Karina is the daughter of a Norwegian entrepreneur. Inspired by her mother’s entrepreneurial spirit, Karina launched her first venture at twenty years old and has since continued to develop and oversee successful companies in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a certified SCORE mentor and angel investor, Karina actively contributes to the growth and success of fellow entrepreneurs.
Stela Lupushor
Stela is the founder and Chief Re-framer of Reframe.Work Inc, a consulting firm advising organizations on workplace diversity and inclusion. She’s the Co-Author of Humans at Work and Humanizing Human Capital. Stela is also the Founder and Chairperson of amazing.community, a non-profit organization extending the work horizon for women aged 45+.
