4: Alex Konrad on Founders, Media, and Building Durable Companies

Seth Sternberg sits down with Alex Konrad, founder of Upstarts Media and former Forbes senior editor, to explore what actually drives startup success—and why so many companies struggle to last.Drawing on more than a decade covering founders, venture capital, and major tech shifts, Alex shares insights on what separates durable companies from hype, how media narratives shape what gets attention, and why building in overlooked spaces like aging presents unique challenges and opportunities.They explore:What actually motivates founders to start companiesWhy passion and “right to win” matter more than ideasHow media and algorithms influence what gets attentionThe difference between durable companies and hype-driven onesWhy many important industries (like aging) struggle to break throughHow technologies like AI evolve from differentiators to table stakesAs the startup landscape evolves, this conversation offers a grounded look at how founders can think about building long-term value—not just chasing short-term momentum.About Alex Konrad:Alex Konrad is the founder and editor of Upstarts Media, a publication focused on the startup ecosystem from inception through IPO.He previously spent 12 years at Forbes covering startups and venture capital, where he edited the Midas List and Cloud 100, and wrote cover stories on leaders including Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Melanie Perkins (Canva), and Assaf Rappaport (Wiz). His reporting on the Silicon Valley Bank crisis and generative AI boom earned a SABEW Honorable Mention for Best Body of Work.Follow Alex Konrad:Upstarts Media: https://www.upstartsmedia.com/Listen to The Upstarts Podcast: https://bit.ly/3PmSe63LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrkonrad/X: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrkonrad/Connect with Seth Sternberg:LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sethjsListen to Aging Intelligence:Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/41idKLJSpotify: https://bit.ly/3R6LPwcYouTube: https://bit.ly/4buRqDn