Nov 14, 2025
Dr. Valerie Karno is a professor and a tech entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of Ambience Search™, the very first mood-based search engine. Valerie opens up about how her time in academia drove her to tackle the growing issue of mental health and wellbeing. Dr. Karno talks about how Ambience Search™ helps people tailor their online experience based on how they want to feel. She touches on why things like personal control, being mindful, and building connections hold so much weight in our digital world today. Listen in and discover insights on coming up with new ideas, pushing through tough times, and seeing concepts from start to finish.
Timestamps:
01:11 – Meet Dr. Valerie Karno
02:32 – The Mental Health Crisis and Digital Intervention
03:57 – Mood-Based Search
05:37 – The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health
07:37 – Ambience Search™ Features and User Experience
09:28 – Building the Team
11:32 – From Academia to Tech Entrepreneur
15:33 – Modeling Behavior
17:14 – Mindfulness and Self-Care Practices
21:11 – Navigating Instability and Building Resilience
24:28 – Maintaining Human Agency
27:11 – Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
31:19 – The Power of Kindness
Links:
Dr. Karno’s Website: https://drvaleriekarno.com/
Ambience Search™: https://ambiencesearch.com/