Wayne Fenton on Startup Survival, Product-Market Fit, and Becoming “Default Alive”

In this episode of Inspiring Founders, Wayne Fenton shares lessons from decades in big tech, multiple startups, and now founding a deep tech company in Santa Cruz.We explore what it really means to become “default alive” — surviving the early stages of a startup long enough to reach product-market fit.Wayne breaks down:• Why most startups fail before traction• The reality of customer discovery (beyond theory)• When technology can look for the right problem• How founders navigate risk at every stage• The evidence you need before moving to the next milestoneIf you're building something — or thinking about it — this conversation offers a grounded look at the journey from idea to survival.