Maxima's Tales: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Builders
Every week, I share a folk tale from Africa, Asia, or the Americas - and extract the business lesson hidden inside.
I'm Maxima, founder of Livara, Stanford MBA student, and a storyteller who believes the best business advice doesn't come from case studies. It comes from civilizations that survived thousands of years.
Each episode brings you:
• One ancient story, told with humor and heart
• The wisdom our ancestors knew (that we forgot)
• How it applies to building businesses, raising families, and living well
This is for entrepreneurs, creators, and anyone building something that matters.
New episodes every Wednesday.
Podcasting since 2025 • 8 episodes
Maxima's Tales: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Builders
Latest Episodes
Episode 7: The Test You Don't Know You're Taking | Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters (Zimbabwe)
Have you ever been tested, and not known it? In this episode of Maxima's Tales, we travel to Zimbabwe for the story of Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters — two sisters, both stunning, both summoned to meet a king. One is cruel behind clos...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 7
•
20:09
Episode 6: Your Weakness Might Be Your Calling | The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush
Have you ever felt like you just don't belong?Like everyone else got the memo—the skill, the background, the confidence—and you're standing there wondering how long before they figure out you're not supposed to be here?Yeah. Me ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 6
•
15:25
Episode 5. The Monkey and the Crocodile: An Indian Folk Tale About Trust and Betrayal
Have you ever had a friend turn on you? Not a stranger. Not a competitor. A friend.In this episode of Maxima's Tales, we travel to India for one of the world's most powerful stories about trust, betrayal, and the quick thinking that sav...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 5
•
17:34
Episode 4: The Lion's Whisker: Why the Hardest Hearts Need the Softest Touch
What do you do when someone won't let you in? This Ethiopian folk tale follows a woman who must pluck three whiskers from a living lion to win her stepson's love. What she discovers changes everything - and reveals why the hardest hearts requir...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 4
•
33:24
Episode 3: The Stonecutter: Why Your "Ordinary" Skill Might Be Your Superpower (Japan)
THE STONECUTTER | Episode 3 "He was already powerful. He had always been powerful. He just couldn't see it from where he was standing." Have you ever watched someone else's success and felt that familiar ache? The fundin...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 3
•
34:04