Funds and Founders: Untold Journeys Behind Their Breakthroughs

LinkedIn promised networking. What we got instead were cold DMs, spam, and fake connections In this episode of Funds & Founders, I sit down with Krishna Dosapati, Founder & CEO of Clockout—the fastest-growing networking platform for Gen Z. Clockout crossed 350,000+ downloads, hit #19 on the App Store, and is on track to reach $1M ARR in under 10 months, all by rethinking what real networking should look like. We break down: - Why LinkedIn doesn't work for Gen Z - Why cold DMs fail at building real relationships - What authentic networking actually means - How Clockout blends communities, events, and AI-driven intros - The founder's journey from side project to venture-backed startup - What product-market fit really looks like (and why most founders get it wrong) - The biggest mistakes founders make chasing growth and virality This is a conversation about building relationships, not connections—and why the future of networking looks very different from LinkedIn. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🔗 Connect with Krishna Dosapati LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krishna-dosapati-39319986/ Clockout: https://clockoutapp.com/ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ About the Host I'm Abhinav Sinha, host of Funds & Founders—a podcast for Austin entrepreneurs navigating early-stage startups. I explore the highs, lows, and breakthrough moments of local founders through candid conversations, and sit down with VCs to uncover how they evaluate early-stage companies. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavbsinha/ Newsletter: https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Trailer 01:10 – Intro 02:36 – What Is Networking? 03:37 – Better Networking Than Cold DMs 06:55 – Building Non-Transactional Relationships 09:40 – Founder Journey Begins 13:40 – Team vs Contractors 18:32 – Going Live & Raising the First Round 21:24 – Why Raise $1.3M If You're Profitable? 22:39 – Solo Founder Team Structure 24:33 – Early Startup Challenges 35:44 – Why iOS First? 36:49 – Approval-Only App Strategy 39:01 – Onboarding Friction vs Activation 40:40 – Referral vs Approval User Engagement 55:10 – Biggest Mistake in Going Viral 56:57 – Biggest Lie About Product-Market Fit 1:02:57 – Outro ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ #GenZ #Networking #Startup #Entrepreneurship #ProductMarketFit #AppGrowth #FounderJourney #AustinStartups #FundsAndFounders #ConsumerApp.

Newsletters are not dead Dylan from Growth in Reverse breaks down how indie founders and B2B operators are building 5-figure audiences and monetizing with just email. He shares the underrated metric every newsletter creator should track, how to launch a newsletter from scratch, and why owning your distribution is your biggest unfair advantage. We also go deep on: - Sponsorships - Paid ads - Personal vs Company branding - How to stay consistent even when life gets in the way Whether you're just starting or scaling, this episode is a must-listen. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🔗 Connect with Dylan Newsletter: https://www.growthinreverse.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanredekop/ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ About the Host I'm Abhinav Sinha, host of Funds & Founders—a podcast for Austin entrepreneurs navigating early-stage startups. I explore the highs, lows, and breakthrough moments of local founders through candid conversations, and sit down with VCs to uncover how they evaluate early-stage companies. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavbsinha/ Newsletter: https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Quick intro & Dylan plugs 01:30 – The most overlooked truth about newsletters 02:55 – One North Star metric every founder should track 05:00 – Why owning your distribution is non-negotiable 06:45 – How to start a newsletter from zero 08:30 – Educate, Inform, Entertain: The content trifecta 09:40 – How to sell through newsletters without annoying your readers 11:55 – When to start thinking about sponsorships 13:45 – Monetizing early: ads, partnerships & paid growth 17:00 – Newsletter commitment: Why 10+ editions matter 20:05 – Favorite growth channels: Paid, organic, lead magnets 24:00 – Facebook ad hack that landed 20+ subscribers before launch 27:10 – Building your system: SOPs, templates & content blocks 30:00 – Should you steal playbooks? How to filter growth tactics 33:00 – Writing vs Talking: Choosing the right medium 36:00 – Guest posts, collaborations & ownership issues 38:05 – Smart ways to collect feedback from your audience 42:10 – Building brand: Personal vs Company vs Thematic 45:30 – When personal branding blocks startup acquisitions 47:00 – Behind the scenes at Growth in Reverse 50:00 – Final tips for founders building in public ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ #Newsletter #EmailMarketing #CreatorEconomy #Distribution #B2B #IndieFounder #ContentStrategy #FundsAndFounders #AustinStartups #GrowthHacking.

Building a startup can feel lonely. You make decisions with incomplete information, learn things the hard way, and hope you're moving in the right direction. In this episode, I spoke with Chelsea Cooper, Founder & CEO of Approvely, about the lessons that only come from actually building—not from books or Twitter threads. We talked about: Learning the hard way why distribution matters Building in tough, regulated industries like payments and gaming Growing a company without VC money or a technical co-founder Staying focused on revenue, customers, and real problems Trusting the process when things don't go as planned Chelsea's journey is honest, grounded, and incredibly real. If you're building something of your own—or thinking about starting—this conversation will remind you that you're not alone, and that progress comes from showing up every day. Hope this one helps you. 🔗 Connect with Chelsea Cooper LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsiemcooper/ Website: https://approvely.com About the Host I'm Abhinav Sinha, host of Funds & Founders—a podcast for Austin entrepreneurs navigating early-stage startups. I explore the highs, lows, and breakthrough moments of local founders through candid conversations, and sit down with VCs to uncover how they evaluate early-stage companies. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavbsinha/ Newsletter: https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/ ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Trailer / Hook 00:40 – Intro 01:40 – Where did your entrepreneurial journey begin? 04:19 – Did you ever have a traditional 9–5 job? 06:45 – Why onboarding felt like a problem worth solving 09:30 – Realizing distribution matters more than the product 12:17 – Building a network early & learning from mentors 14:18 – Being a woman in a traditional payments industry 16:18 – Lessons from partnerships: what worked & what didn't 18:35 – Why most founders misunderstand distribution today 20:47 – Starting Approvely (2020): the turning point 25:35 – Validating gaming as a high-risk market 30:05 – From scrappy beginnings to a full ecosystem 36:03 – Why overplanning too early hurts startups 40:01 – VC money: would it help or slow things down? 46:13 – How decisions get made without a technical co-founder 49:00 – Rapid fire: mindset, risk & habits 52:04 – Outro & final thoughts #startup #entrepreneurship #founder #startuplife #businesspodcast #austinstartups #paymentsindustry #bootstrapped #founderstories #distribution

At 19, he quit college with no safety net. Four months later, he built a $1M business. This isn't a motivational story. It's a step-by-step breakdown of what actually happened—the mistakes, near-bankruptcy moments, brutal trade-offs, and the decisions most people are too scared to make. In this episode, we go deep into: Why starting young gives you an unfair advantage (if you use it right) How a podcast with no listeners turned into real leverage The exact moment everything almost fell apart Why virality doesn't equal revenue How LinkedIn content quietly became a growth engine What scaling a team really feels like when cash is tight The uncomfortable truth about work-life balance early in your career If you're a founder, creator, or someone thinking about betting on yourself, this conversation will either push you forward or make you uncomfortable. No hype. No overnight success myths. Just the real game behind building something from nothing. 🔗 Connect with Shamus Madan YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shamusmadan Website: https://dealroompodcast.com/ Twitter: https://x.com/mbitpodcast About the Host I'm Abhinav Sinha, host of Funds & Founders, a podcast for Austin entrepreneurs navigating early-stage startups. I explore the highs, lows, and breakthrough moments of local founders through candid conversations. I also sit down with VCs to uncover how they evaluate early-stage companies and share practical insights. I create an intimate space for guests to share authentic stories, inspiring aspiring founders along their journey. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavbsinha/ Newsletter: https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/ Timestamps 00:00 – Trailer 01:02 – Intro & quick guest background 02:38 – Starting a business before content (phone repair story) 04:22 – Launching the podcast during COVID 06:53 – First pivot: why business news didn't work 08:41 – Cold emailing guests with zero credibility 10:28 – Landing big names using social proof 12:53 – How Mark Cuban said yes 15:01 – Why most podcasts fail early 17:36 – Leveraging short-form over long-form 19:10 – Being data-driven with content retention 21:21 – Why cross-posting usually fails 23:06 – Turning a podcast into a business 24:17 – Nearly running out of money 26:35 – Discovering LinkedIn as a growth channel 29:02 – Dropping out of college to go all in 31:36 – First real revenue breakthrough 33:42 – The role of community in rapid growth 36:12 – Scaling from solo founder to a team 38:53 – Avoiding churn as an agency 41:02 – What actually drives LinkedIn pipeline 43:37 – Virality vs revenue (why small posts win) 46:01 – Hiring mistakes & team-building lessons 48:50 – Onshore vs offshore hiring (controversial take) 50:13 – Why most founders are "too soft" 52:06 – Networking vs real partnerships 54:03 – Rapid-fire lessons & closing thoughts #Entrepreneurship #YoungFounder #BetOnYourself #CollegeDropout #StartupFounder #EntrepreneurMindset #LinkedInGrowth #PodcastBusiness #BuildInPublic #FundsAndFounders

In this episode, Nomiki Petrolla, founder of Theanna—a groundbreaking platform empowering women tech founders—unpacks the realities of startup success few talk about. She reveals why crossing major business milestones remains elusive for most founders and how a combination of grit, knowing your product inside out, and embracing rejection can transform your journey What's inside: - The systemic challenges and gaps women founders face in tech and funding - How to own your product vision without losing control - "Rejection therapy"—why being comfortable with failure is a superpower - The obsession and rapid experimentation mindset every entrepreneur needs - Building a supportive community that fuels growth and accountability - How to validate ideas efficiently and avoid costly missteps - Balancing cutting-edge AI tools with genuine human connection - Practical wisdom from someone leading a women-first startup revolution If you're on the path to scaling your business, breaking barriers, or fueling unstoppable growth, this episode offers a raw yet hopeful blueprint for owning your vision and reaching new heights. 📌 Perfect for: Entrepreneurs, women founders, startup enthusiasts, and changemakers committed to making an impact. 🔗 Connect with Nomiki Petrolla LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nomikipetrolla/ Website: https://theanna.io/v2 About the Host I'm Abhinav Sinha, host of Funds & Founders—a podcast for Austin entrepreneurs navigating early-stage startups. I explore the highs, lows, and breakthrough moments of local founders through candid conversations, and sit down with VCs to uncover how they evaluate early-stage companies. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavbsinha/ Newsletter: https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/ ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 - Trailer 0:58 - Intro 1:23 - Why do only 2% of VC funds go to women? What's Ana's mission to change that? 1:42 - What inspired you to build Ana? What was the defining moment? 5:00 - Why does a business fundamentals skill gap exist for women founders? 7:40 - What top 2–3 skills should women focus on when starting a business? 12:30 - What did day one of building Ana look like, from idea to first revenue? 17:35 - What goals or KPIs drive Ana's growth journey? 18:22 - How do you measure the real impact—are members actually launching? 20:11 - What key skills do founders need at each stage: launch, grow, scale? 23:08 - Why do so many founders overbuild before validating their idea? 26:20 - How do you decide when to ship or scrap an idea within 48 hours? 27:54 - What's the 60-second version of your six-step founder framework? 28:43 - How easily can founders turn your framework into action? 30:28 - Why do most productivity or milestone tools fail to feel personalized? 34:13 - What tool or system gives you back the most focus hours each week? 35:36 - What are your most-used tools for productivity and growth? 38:05 - What happens when everyone uses AI for cold outreach? 39:21 - Will authentic voices get drowned out in the AI outreach era? 40:07 - What kind of merch should Theanna create for its community? 44:20 - Beyond funding, what hidden barrier slows women founders the most? 45:41 - What mindset cues reveal if a founder will stay the course or quit early? 46:16 - How important is a risk-taking attitude in overcoming rejection and failure? 48:24 - What was your experience hitting 10K MRR and dealing with investors? 49:40 - How do you approach fundraising: safe notes, valuation, or waiting it out? 50:21 - What should founders understand about investor incentives and FOMO? 53:12 - If you could send a 60-second voice note to your past self, what would it say? 53:39 - What's the first validation step for someone with an idea in their notes app? 53:57 - Fast forward 3 years—what headline do you want to read about yourself and Theanna? 54:21 - Who's your dream podcast guest to interview next? #WomenInTech #FemaleFounders #WomenEntrepreneurs #StartupJourney #ProductLeadership #WomenWhoBuild #Entrepreneurship #TechInnovation #AustinStartups #FundsAndFounders.

In this episode of Funds & Founders, we sit down with Harry Morton, founder of Lower Street and host of Moneywise, to uncover the emotional reality behind wealth, success, and the often-overlooked emptiness that follows an exit Harry's company produces podcasts for some of the world's top brands. But his journey started with waiting tables at Buckingham Palace while bootstrapping his agency from zero. From sound engineering to building a multimillion-dollar podcast business, Harry shares his honest take on: - How to build a real podcast brand in an oversaturated space - What billionaires and millionaires really feel after success - The biggest mistake founders make after an exit - Why 70% of second startups fail—and how to avoid the trap - What founders should know before starting a podcast - The power of differentiation and authenticity in podcasting If you've ever wondered how to use podcasting strategically, or what success actually feels like once you've achieved it, this episode is a must-watch. 🔗 Connect with Harry Morton Website: https://lowerstreet.co LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrymorton/ About the Host I'm Abhinav Sinha, host of Funds & Founders—a podcast for Austin entrepreneurs navigating early-stage startups. I explore the highs, lows, and breakthrough moments of local founders through candid conversations, and sit down with VCs to uncover how they evaluate early-stage companies. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavbsinha/ Newsletter: https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/ ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 - Trailer 0:40 - Intro 1:47 - The Hidden Truth About High Net-Worth Founders 5:19 - The Dark Side of Entrepreneurship Nobody Talks About 8:02 - Redefining Success: Why a Chill Life Might Be Better Than a Billion-Dollar Company 12:55 - From Idea to First Client: The Real Startup Timeline 15:36 - Moving from Small Clients to Enterprise Deals 16:44 - Building a Face for Enterprise Podcasts 18:12 - Why Big Brands Are Turning Into Media Companies 20:28 - Rethinking Podcast Sponsorships 22:34 - The Harsh Reality of Podcast Growth 26:34 - Getting Real with Guests Without Alienating Them 29:07 - Should SaaS Founders Start a Podcast? 35:17 - Why 80/20 Episodes Perform Better 37:16 - Evergreen vs. Topical Content: What Works Better? 38:23 - What's Missing in the Podcasting Industry 42:56 - The Future of Podcast Distribution & Authentic Content #Podcasting #StartupPodcast #Entrepreneurship #FounderJourney #PodcastGrowth #ContentStrategy #MediaCompany #AustinStartups #FundsAndFounders #PodcastTips.

Most founders don’t fail because of bad ideas. They fail because they run out of money, energy, or clarity in the first six months. In this brutally honest episode, Albert Behr, Founder of Behr & Associates and a veteran with over 30 years experience in corporate strategy, strategic partner development and technology commercialization, Albert Behr brings the expertise to ensure funding, early adoption and swift market penetration for your technology. Albert Behr has helped launch and scale dozens of technology ventures across North America and Asia, driving partnerships, licensing deals, and multi-million-dollar exits. Whether you’re in your first startup cycle or planning your exit, this episode will challenge how you think about money, risk, and success. 00:00 Intro 02:00 Leaving corporate life for entrepreneurship 05:00 The 6-month deal with his wife 08:00 Why the first 6 months define everything 14:00 “Go f***ing make money” — how Albert learned his core rule 20:00 VC vs. licensing: what actually creates wealth 30:00 Healthy paranoia and staying in the game 45:00 Why America breeds fearless entrepreneurs 55:00 The #1 mistake founders keep repeating Follow Albert Behr: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albert-behr-3ab460/ 🔗 behrassociates.com Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavbsinha/

# Christian Facey Christian Facey shares Master resilience, focus, and practical strategies for building a successful, high-performance startup. ## What you'll learn: 1. How to cultivate relentless dedication: Be prepared to sacrifice everything for 10 years, even reaching a zero bank account, to build something great. 2. How to develop extreme founder resilience: Embrace inevitable obstacles as opportunities for growth, understanding that the journey is long and not always glamorous. 3. How to be a comprehensive founder: Dedicate 5-10% of your time to learning finance, legal, and HR, as these are critical areas where founders often get screwed. 4. Framework for investor and co-founder negotiations: Always assume the worst of the other party, approach emotionlessly and logically to secure the best deal, and thoroughly understand all legal documents. 5. How to build a high-performance culture: Prioritize meritocracy and clear expectations over early perks, attracting dedicated individuals focused on company growth rather than comfort. 6. How to attract investment and scale: Build an analytical interview process, establish an early investor newsletter, and strategically align your product roadmap with current market trends. ## Where to find Christian Facey: - Website: https://audiomob.com/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-facey/ ## Where to find Abhinav Sinha: - Website: https://www.abhinavsinha.com/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavbsinha/ ## In this episode, we cover: - (00:00) The Unseen Sacrifices and Hard Realities of Entrepreneurship - (02:10) Christian Facey & AudioMob: Pioneering Non-Intrusive Audio Ads and the 10-Year Sacrifice - (03:15) Navigating Startup Launch (2020) through a Pandemic: Extreme Adaptability & Growth - (06:50) The Founder's Mindset: Relentless Focus, Personal Sacrifice, and Risk-Taking - (11:45) Beyond the Hype: Personal Hardships and Financial Struggles on the Entrepreneurial Journey - (16:41) Mastering Investor Negotiations: Due Diligence, Term Sheets, and Strategic Thinking - (21:02) Why Founders Must Understand Legal, Finance, HR, and Every Business Aspect - (29:02) The Emotional Detachment Needed: Letting Go of Features and Client-Specific Revenue - (33:52) AudioMob's Pivotal Growth: Product Pivot, Major Deals (P&G), and a Competitive Series A - (37:20) Revamping Company Culture: From Early Perks to High-Performance Meritocracy - (47:19) Strategic Hiring, Investor Pitching, and Leveraging Market Trends for Growth - (51:26) Christian's Investment Philosophy: The "Struggle-Ometer" for Identifying Resilient Founders - (54:57) The Transformative Mindset: Relentless Pursuit of Self-Improvement - (58:45) Current Challenges: The Constant Demand and Supply Problem in Ad Networks ## Tools referenced: - Seed Legals: https://www.seedlegals.com/ - ChatGPT: https://openai.com/chatgpt - Luminous Spark: https://theluminouscompany.com/ ## Other references: Jordan Peterson: https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/ Russell Buckley (Founder of AdMob): https://uk.linkedin.com/in/russellbuckley Wilfrid (AudioMob Co-founder): https://uk.linkedin.com/in/wilfridobeng Harvey (Christian's friend) Ruth Porat (CFO of Google): https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-porat/ Nas Adrian (Founder Christian invested in): https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-ruiz-langan/ Supernode Global: https://supernodeglobal.com/ Makers Fund: https://makersfund.com/ AppLovin: https://www.applovin.com/ Lightspeed Ventures: https://lsvp.com/ Music Business Worldwide: https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/ Procter & Gamble: https://us.pg.com/ The Obstacle Is The Way (Book by Ryan Holiday): https://ryanholiday.com/books/the-obstacle-is-the-way/

In this episode of *Funds and Founders*, we sit down with a whiskey entrepreneur who has spent over a decade in the Scotch industry — building investment funds, luxury travel experiences, cask storage businesses, and more.From Scotch’s 600-year-old traditions to AI-driven forecasting tools, the whiskey industry is ripe for disruption.We cover:- The $6B Scotch export market & where the real money is- Why whiskey is a unique, high-value alternative asset- Tech & AI opportunities in distillation, warehousing, and customer engagement- How to break into traditional industries as an outsider- Building and exiting a whiskey private equity fundIf you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or simply a whiskey lover, this episode will change how you see the liquor business.📍 What You’ll Learn:- How forecasting works when your product takes 18+ years to make- Which markets (beyond the US) are booming for whiskey- Ways to attract a new generation of drinkers- The role of education & experience in luxury brandingTimestamps:00:00 – Intro & Guest Background00:46 – Projects in the Whiskey Industry01:33 – Scotch Whiskey Market Size & Growth03:08 – Why Forecasting is a 30-Year Game05:30 – Opportunities for Entrepreneurs & AI in Whiskey07:12 – How the Customer Experience is Changing08:48 – New Generation of Whiskey Drinkers09:45 – How Open Is the Industry to New Tech?10:53 – Building a Warehouse for Private Clients12:36 – Industry Adoption Curve: Big vs Small Players15:16 – Whiskey Trends in Global Markets (India, Taiwan, Middle East)20:12 – Go-to-Market for Selling to the Whiskey Industry24:07 – The Luxury Ladder & Aspirational Drinking25:28 – Whiskey Education as a Business Opportunity29:23 – Tastes, Palates & Evolving Preferences31:16 – The Power of Experiences in Luxury Branding33:33 – Speyside: The Napa Valley of Scotch35:30 – Building a Whiskey-Luxury Travel Vertical37:31 – Collecting, Investing & Niche Business Ideas in Whiskey39:10 – From Wine to Whiskey: Early Journey42:29 – Raising a $12M Whiskey Private Equity Fund45:47 – Legal & Fund Management Learnings48:42 – Finding the Right Team in Niche Industries50:31 – Fundraising Strategy & Deploying Capital53:01 – Turning Early Wins into More Investment56:08 – Exiting the Fund & Market Timing59:01 – Learning to Control the Exit Strategy01:03:13 – Why Whiskey is a Stable Alternative Asset01:05:08 – What Excites the Guest About the Next 5 Years in Whiskey01:06:48 – How to Work with Rare Whiskey Holdings01:07:26 – Expanding Your Business Horizons

Michael’s entrepreneurial journey started at 12 with a paper route and grew into building Thrive Pet Healthcare into a billion-dollar company. In this episode, he shares exactly how he scaled from one affordable vet clinic to 250+ locations, the mistakes and pivots along the way, and how he’s now tackling home services with the same playbook. We talk market opportunities, raising private equity, scaling operations fast, and the mindset needed to push through slow starts and build industry-leading businesses. Whether you’re building your first startup or scaling your 10th, this episode is packed with practical takeaways. Watch the full episode  @FundsAndFounders  What you’ll learn: - How to spot and validate opportunities in massive markets - The business model behind affordable pet care - Scaling from zero to $1B top line in 5 years - Why acquisition can outpace building from scratch - Lessons on being relentless as a founder Timestamps 0:00 – Intro & Michael’s first hustle at 12 3:25 – Early lessons from the paper route 7:48 – Baseball card collecting & the value of collectibles 11:40 – From M&A to starting Thrive Pet Healthcare 15:28 – Identifying the affordable pet care gap 21:02 – Building the first clinic: model, pricing & efficiency 27:44 – Surviving a slow start & hitting profitability 31:55 – Scaling to multiple locations & hiring the right team 38:19 – Raising capital & accelerating growth 42:56 – Inside the pet care market size & opportunity 48:03 – From 20M to $1B revenue in 5 years 54:32 – Challenges of scaling fast & integrating acquisitions 1:00:50 – Industry consolidation & competing with giants 1:05:24 – Why Michael moved into home services 1:10:12 – Parallels between pets & HVAC (and the crazy costs) 1:15:30 – AI opportunities in vet care & home services 1:20:15 – Michael’s 1 lesson for founders: Be relentless 1:24:07 – Where to connect with Michael

James Brewer went from being Import Yeti’s 3rd user to its co-founder—and helped scale it to 150K+ paying users and 2M monthly visitors. In this episode of Funds and Founders, he breaks down how import/export data can power sales, how to turn sweat equity into real ownership, and the systems that helped build a multi-million dollar bootstrapped SaaS. 💡 Whether you're in logistics, SaaS, or trying to break into tech—this episode is packed with actionable frameworks on: - Sales with data - Startup equity - Scaling without VC - Automation stacks that save 10+ hours/week - And the power of never taking “no” as the final answer 📬 Want to try Import Yeti’s premium tools? Watch the full episode  @FundsAndFounders  Timestamps: 00:00 – James Brewer on retention and the surprising start of Import Yeti 01:20 – From user #3 to co-founder: the cold email that changed everything 03:10 – The pitch mistake that taught James how to actually sell 05:00 – Using import/export data to close million-dollar clients 07:00 – What makes global logistics shockingly inefficient 09:00 – The sweat equity deal: how James negotiated his way in 11:15 – Building trust without funding: early growth, first users, and retention 13:30 – The automation stack that saves him 10+ hours/week 15:45 – Why James still handles support tickets personally 17:20 – Growth without VC: systems, obsession, and ownership 19:50 – Customer feedback vs. product focus: what they say “no” to 22:00 – How Import Yeti avoids getting outpaced by copycats 23:30 – The three biggest use cases driving 2M monthly visits 26:00 – Sales vs. product: how to balance short-term wins and long-term moat 28:10 – Lessons from scaling a “boring” SaaS in a niche market 30:00 – Founder conflicts, and why their partnership actually works 33:00 – Most SaaS founders get sales wrong — here’s what to fix 35:15 – How to earn founder-level equity even if you weren’t there day one 37:30 – Final advice: Build something useful. Stay in the game. Get obsessed. 39:30 – Where to find James + how to access Import Yeti’s premium features

Lucy Banks went from corporate banking to becoming a top 1% OnlyFans creator—and now runs a PR & marketing agency for adult creators In this episode, she exposes the harsh truths about building in the creator economy, why most OnlyFans accounts fail, and what it really takes to scale in the adult space. We go deep into: - The business behind OnlyFans - Why creators need more than "just looks" - Payment platform struggles in sex tech - How Lucy made $1M+ on OnlyFans without going full-time - Building tech & startups in taboo markets ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🔗 Connect with Lucy Banks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imlucybanks Agency: https://www.instagram.com/millionbillionmedia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucybanksmbm/ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ About the Host I'm Abhinav Sinha, host of Funds & Founders—a podcast for Austin entrepreneurs navigating early-stage startups. I explore the highs, lows, and breakthrough moments of local founders through candid conversations, and sit down with VCs to uncover how they evaluate early-stage companies. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavbsinha/ Newsletter: https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Intro: Lucy Banks on Funds & Founders 01:00 – What people get wrong about OnlyFans in 2025 03:30 – The myth: "Being hot = success" 06:12 – Why 99% of creators make less than $300/month 08:40 – OnlyFans approval process and creator struggles 11:20 – Meet Million Billion Media—helping adult creators 14:45 – Censorship, shadowbans & banned bank accounts 18:40 – Why Stripe and Mailchimp block this industry 21:00 – Is sex tech the next billion-dollar wave? 25:12 – How to build a Stripe alternative for adult creators 29:00 – Go-to-market in a censored industry (no ads allowed) 34:35 – How to get creators to trust your startup 38:10 – Rev share models, affiliate structures, creator feedback 42:00 – Lucy's story: From banking to OnlyFans 46:00 – Making $1M+ on OnlyFans (without going all in) 49:20 – What OnlyFans doesn't do for creators 52:05 – Breakdown of revenue streams: subs, tips, chats 55:50 – Why OnlyFans still wins despite lacking features 58:30 – Top 5 growth tactics for new creators 01:07:30 – Closing thoughts & where to find Lucy ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ #CreatorEconomy #OnlyFans #SexTech #Fintech #Entrepreneurship #AdultIndustry #Startup #PaymentProcessing #FundsAndFounders #AustinStartups.

Newsletters are not dead, Dylan from Growth in Reverse breaks down how indie founders and B2B operators are building 5-figure audiences and monetizing with just email. He shares the underrated metric every newsletter creator should track, how to launch a newsletter from scratch, and why owning your distribution is your biggest unfair advantage. We also go deep on - Sponsorships - Paid ads - Personal vs Company branding - How to stay consistent even when life gets in the way. Whether you're just starting or scaling, this episode is a must-listen. Timestamps: 00:00 - Quick intro & Dylan plugs 01:30 - The most overlooked truth about newsletters 02:55 - One North Star metric every founder should track 05:00 - Why owning your distribution is non-negotiable 06:45 - How to start a newsletter from zero 08:30 - Educate, Inform, Entertain: The content trifecta 09:40 - How to *sell* through newsletters without annoying your readers 11:55 - When to start thinking about sponsorships 13:45 - Monetizing early: ads, partnerships & paid growth 17:00 - Newsletter commitment: Why 10+ editions matter 20:05 - Favorite growth channels: Paid, organic, lead magnets 24:00 - Facebook ad hack that landed 20+ subscribers before launch 27:10 - Building your system: SOPs, templates & content blocks 30:00 - Should you steal playbooks? How to filter growth tactics 33:00 - Writing vs Talking: Choosing the right medium 36:00 - Guest posts, collaborations & ownership issues 38:05 - Smart ways to collect feedback from your audience 42:10 - Building brand: Personal vs Company vs Thematic 45:30 - When personal branding blocks startup acquisitions 47:00 - Behind the scenes at Growth in Reverse 50:00 - Final tips for founders building in public

What drives a founder to go back into the grind after a life-changing exit? In this episode, we sit down with Ganesh, a serial founder who bootstrapped his AI startup to millions in revenue, cracked the toughest enterprise clients like TCS and KPMG, and rebounded from losing 85% of revenue during COVID. We cover: - Why he didn’t raise VC early on - Building an assessment company without asking a single question - Selling into TCS, Indian Army & QSRs like Universal Studios - Losing millions in revenue overnight and still surviving - Exiting to a strategic buyer - Why he's back in stealth mode building a sales AI company Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & how Ganesh and the host met 00:21 – Why build another startup after a successful exit? 01:06 – Spotting the opportunity with generative AI 02:12 – Cisco days & the shift to entrepreneurship 03:00 – Building culture at scale — the early inspiration 04:29 – From network optimization to people analytics 07:13 – Mistake: Building before validating 10:03 – First break via Plug and Play, no customers yet 11:08 – Breakthrough with DBS & positioning as a “cultural DNA” company 12:13 – Landing TCS, Byju’s, KPMG for large-scale assessments 13:25 – Pricing challenges in enterprise SaaS 18:15 – First funding — how Mitsubishi Ventures found them 20:32 – Crazy story of a 12-person Sunday 7AM investor meetingt 26:00 – QSR boom: Universal Studios, restaurant chains, & rapid growth 29:07 – COVID wiped out 85% of revenue overnight 33:00 – Why founder salaries matters even in bootstrapped companies 34:36 – Pivoting back to B2B — TCS saves the business 38:48 – Rebuilding revenue, landing Byju’s, scaling again 43:00 – Learn at Forbes, cultural learning styles, and the acquirer 46:32 – Post-exit reflections on taxes, dilution & what he’d do differently 51:10 – Starting again: the new stealth startup in AI Sales 57:00 – Early adopters welcome: Join Ganesh’s next journey

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Michael, co-founder of Q Branch and Populace, who shares how he's helping international startups enter the U.S. and launching a fintech platform to fight financial inequality. From federal contracts and government culture to empowering underserved Americans through passive investing and discount networks, Michael breaks down the hard truths of money, persistence, and building in Austin. What You’ll Learn: - Why Most Startups Fail to Enter the U.S. Market - The Broken Banking System and a Grassroots Fix - Real Talk on Financial Literacy - Startup Persistence & the 18-Month Grind - What U.S. Founders Can Learn From International Builders Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro & How They Met 00:30 - What Is Q Branch? 01:30 - Helping International Startups in the U.S. 02:10 - Government Contracts & Go-to-Market 03:20 - Populist: A Fintech for the 99% 05:00 - Breaking Down Financial Literacy 06:00 - How Populist Reverses the Bank Model 07:40 - Making Passive Investing Accessible 09:10 - Michael’s Entrepreneurship Origin Story 11:00 - Lessons From Federal Contracting 13:00 - How Q Branch Got Its First Deal 15:00 - Founder Persistence & Mentality 17:00 - Talking About Ideas Early 19:00 - U.S. vs International Founders 21:00 - Austin’s Startup Community 25:00 - Picking the Right Ecosystem 29:00 - Building Populace: From Idea to Launch 32:00 - Real Cost of Building a Fintech Startup 34:00 - Launch Strategy & What’s Next 35:00 - Final Advice for Founders

From building apps at Best Buy to getting into Techstars, this episode is a masterclass in startup grit. Our guest, a Toronto-based founder and ex-Apple/IBM engineer, walks us through building 35+ projects, what failed, what made money, how he learned sales from scratch, and why he’s now obsessed with solving go-to-market problems for B2B startups. We go deep into: - How to know when to kill an idea - Lessons from making $0 to 5-figure MRR - The truth about VC pressure vs bootstrapping - Building SaaS + service hybrid models - Staying sane while building solo Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro: From On Deck to 35 Ideas 01:00 - Why most technical founders fail at sales 04:00 - Best Buy hack: Gaming ad revenue with Android apps 06:30 - First “real” win: Canada Top 10 apps 08:00 - Building “Spotify for News” (and shutting it down) 10:30 - When to kill your startup 13:00 - Side hustle to 1k MRR → quitting full-time job 16:00 - Why learning sales changed everything 18:00 - Selling blueberry honey to learn sales 21:00 - Cold email agency that failed — what went wrong 24:00 - SaaS vs. service models: What scales? 28:00 - “My platform did 10 things. Users wanted 1.” 31:00 - Mission-driven idea testing 35:00 - The 5K/month rule & building in public 38:00 - Should you raise VC or bootstrap? 41:00 - Burnout, support systems & staying sane 45:00 - AI tools stack: Cursor, Claude, Replit & more 50:00 - What actually keeps him going after 35+ tries

Cody Anderson is back for Part 2! In this episode, we dive deep into what actually works when it comes to go-to-market (GTM) strategies — especially for early-stage startups. Cody shares lessons from scaling Carta to $9B, building Tommy Homes, and advising multiple startups on GTM, brand building, and AI-led growth.We cover:- B2B vs B2C GTM approaches- Why most startup advice is noise- Personal brand vs company brand- Building AI agents for sales, marketing & ops- The future of one-person billion-dollar companies🔗 Guest: [Cody Anderson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/codyanderson)Timestamps:00:00 – Cody's journey: From Carta to Tommy01:48 – Why Cody’s GTM perspective is unique03:38 – GTM strategies: B2B vs B2C05:45 – The myth of "funnels" and what works now08:16 – Tools, outbound, and unit economics09:55 – Personal brand vs company brand12:02 – How narrow should your ICP targeting be?15:09 – B2C GTM: Channels, content & challenges17:54 – Finding what works for you as a founder20:16 – Shift to content is greater than followers (thanks TikTok)23:13 – Niching down and the rise of shareable content24:07 – Tommy Homes: Challenges in educating the market26:34 – Building trust in a complex real estate model28:49 – Services-as-Software: AI as the co-founder31:05 – The one-person Slack-powered startup34:00 – Why personal stories is effective than generic advice38:18 – What’s next for Tommy42:10 – Final advice: Ignore the noise, trust your path

How do you actually sell to enterprises? Why do most startups fail at it? In this episode, we talk to the founder of DataColor.ai — a serial entrepreneur who built and sold his last company and is now building in the enterprise AI space. We dive deep into how enterprise sales really work, how to tap into communities for feedback, and the mindset shift between your first and second startup.💡 Learn about:Enterprise sales psychologyHow to build with feedback loopsWhat most founders get wrong about VC moneyHow second-time founders think differentlyTimestamps:00:00 – Intro: From Bing to DataColor.ai01:15 – What is DataColor.ai building?02:00 – Role of community for startup founders04:00 – How to extract value from founder communities06:00 – The real way to reach out cold (and get replies)08:50 – What excites him about AI in enterprise10:30 – The real enterprise AI opportunity12:15 – What a Chief Data Officer really does13:30 – Selling to enterprise vs SMBs – explained with a car analogy15:00 – Why product matters the least in enterprise sales17:00 – Should startups even try selling to enterprise?19:00 – Smart marketing and how to build trust early21:00 – Second-time founder mindset: What he’s doing differently24:00 – The startup trap: Solving tomorrow’s problem today26:00 – Fundraising strategy: Not all money is equal29:00 – Should you avoid VCs early on?32:00 – Real stories: Founders who raised too soon34:00 – Why he chose strategic angels only37:00 – Is cap table dilution really a problem?39:00 – What’s holding back growth today?40:00 – Favorite tools, tech stack & startup habits41:00 – His big lesson from the first startup42:00 – The question every founder should answer

What happens when a startup sales pro burns out and decides to start a podcast? In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Pat Killoren — host of Lone Startups who shares his wild journey from scaling beer brands and influencer platforms to building community-led content in Austin. 🎙 We go deep into: Building sales teams as a founder The mistakes startups make in GTM strategy Burnout, pivots, and personal reinvention How to monetize podcasts through real partnerships (not just ads) Whether you're a builder, creator, or investor, this episode will leave you with tangible lessons on growth, niche branding, and sustainable success. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Intro: Who is Pat Callaghan? 01:00 – Why he chose Austin and non-tech founders 03:30 – His journey from beer to blockchain 06:00 – What is Go-To-Market ? 08:00 – The Enterprise Trap: Why startups jump too soon 10:00 – How scrappy founders should build sales 14:30 – Why you shouldn’t send proposals too early 16:00 – How founders waste time chasing the wrong customers 18:00 – Picking the right channels: The Web3 sales story 21:00 – Cold outreach vs sniper sales: What works today 23:00 – How to hire your first sales hire (without getting burned) 25:00 – Why he quit sales and started a podcast 28:00 – The admin pain of podcasting no one talks about 30:00 – The monetization struggle: why brands hesitate 32:00 – Seasons vs weekly: how he’s structuring Lone Startups 36:00 – Format talk: from nature podcasts to 3D LED sets 40:00 – Roundtable format: a future idea for deep-dive episodes 44:00 – The mental blocks of podcast production quality 46:00 – Tools + Tech Stack for running the show 52:00 – Why video editing has become his new obsession 54:00 – Question for the next guest 56:00 – Where to follow Pat & closing thoughts

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Andrew Ackerman, a seasoned founder, venture studio operator, and author of The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey. Andrew shares real, gritty stories from his journey building startups, transitioning into VC, launching a venture studio, and why he decided to write a novel-style business book that actually teaches while entertaining. He breaks down the harsh truths of buyouts, mistakes first-time founders make, the fundraising game, and the one question every VC is silently asking—why now?If you're a first-time founder, a startup dreamer, or someone trying to raise your first round—this episode might just save you years of pain.Watch the full episode on  @FundsAndFounders  Timestamps00:00 - Intro to Why Andrew wrote The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey01:15 - The "Goal" book inspiration & startup storytelling01:59 - How Andrew actually wrote the book04:11 - Using GenAI for book marketing 08:10 - Prompt engineering and AI frustration10:56 - Andrew’s unfiltered startup journey15:00 - The myth of glamorous exits20:00 - Behind-the-scenes of sourcing Facebook stock24:15 - Portfolio performance and founder expectations26:27 - Fundraising truth bombs & understanding VC incentives28:00 - How VCs actually evaluate founders30:20 - What Andrew is up to now & why construction tech excites him32:00 - Thoughts on building standout VC firms33:30 - The #1 question VCs ask: Why now?35:05 - Should you build a better version of a mediocre product?38:00 - Who the book is really for (first-time founders & their moms!)39:13 - Fundraising advice for first-time founders41:00 - Why cold emailing VCs doesn’t work42:30 - How to actually do VC outreach the right way47:00 - Final thoughts + how to reach Andrew49:10 - Why most business books suck (and how Andrew wrote differently)50:16 - Bonus: Get access to his startup masterclasses54:06 - Closing words from Andrew#vcfunding #podcast #startup #business #entrepreneur #invest #funding

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with the co-founder and CEO of FletchPMM—a company that’s helped over 350+ B2B startups fix their biggest problem: nailing positioning and messaging.We go deep into:The $1.5M journey in just 20 monthsWhat most B2B startups get wrong about value propsWhy building distribution first beats productThe real meaning of product-market fitHow to use LinkedIn to grow a 7-figure businessWhether you're bootstrapping or venture-backed, this is the episode every founder needs to hear.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro & Plug: What FletchPM does01:13 – LinkedIn as a distribution channel02:02 – The guest’s entrepreneurial journey03:14 – Origin story of FletchPM & the meaning behind the name05:30 – What is a value proposition?06:48 – Common mistakes B2B founders make10:24 – Specificity vs Scale: The 80/20 of niche selection12:06 – The importance of consistency in marketing14:33 – Distribution > Product16:47 – Building a founder brand18:09 – Lessons from being a generalist23:08 – How often should startups revisit positioning?25:13 – What is product-market fit really?27:00 – Go-to-market fit vs solution fit30:36 – DIY positioning: When & how to run the exercise32:16 – Why founders should think like marketers34:06 – Leaving a 9-5 to build a consultancy36:06 – How the co-founders met and got specific39:14 – Building distribution through a niche market map43:52 – Co-founder dynamics & communication styles46:03 – Decision-making heuristics50:35 – Competitive positioning done right52:12 – Leaving the agency & scaling up54:12 – The 3 paths they considered after early success56:48 – How the positioning evolved over time59:00 – Pricing journey: From $300 to $10K1:01:59 – What clients really get out of working with them1:05:20 – Founders can't outsource their thinking1:07:40 – Building a 7-figure business through LinkedIn1:10:14 – Tips for writing better LinkedIn content1:12:49 – Authenticity vs persona1:14:11 – Best time to post on LinkedIn?1:18:05 – 3 must-have resources for B2B founders1:19:10 – FletchPM's tech stack1:20:21 – What keeps him up at night1:21:07 – One question for the next guest1:22:03 – Final plugs & where to reach out

In this fundsandfounders episode, we uncover the legal blindspots most founders ignore while raising capital. From liquidation preference traps to estate planning for founders, we explore the real cost of not reading your term sheet carefully. 🎙️ Our guest shares first-hand insights on: - How he navigated a 14-day restructuring as CEO - Capital strategy gone wrong - Hidden investor clauses founders often miss - The truth about raising in India vs US - The psychology of startup burnout & founder liquidity If you're a startup founder, investor, or just building in public — this conversation will change how you look at funding and founder control forever. Thumbnail: 00:00 - The startup trap no one talks about 01:10 - Taking over a startup during a restructuring crisis 03:00 - When equity becomes the enemy 05:15 - Reverse domiciling & raising capital from India 08:00 - What founders get wrong about term sheets 11:00 - Drag along & tag along explained 14:00 - Liquidation preference horror stories 17:00 - Why Indian founders need estate planning 20:30 - How to legally protect your equity as a founder 25:00 - Convertible notes vs SAFEs: What’s best for Indian startups? 30:00 - Are Indian banks founder-friendly? 33:00 - UPI, Neobanks & India’s fintech edge 37:00 - Managing founder liquidity: My biggest learning 41:00 - The power imbalance in founder-investor dynamics 44:00 - Due diligence tips to close rounds faster 47:00 - Structuring founder salaries & equity the right way 50:00 - The myth of the unicorn & why sustainable startups win 53:00 - Mental health, team building & second-level leadership 56:00 - Building a global community of Desi founders 59:00 - First-gen Americans & the Indian diaspora support system #podcast #entrepreneur #business #america #startup #investor #ceo #india #liquidation

In this episode, we sit down with the founder of TrulyMadly, India's most trusted dating app, to explore the startup journey, fundraising pitfalls, growth hacks, and how TrulyMadly is solving the trust problem in Indian online dating.We dive deep into:- Competing with global giants like Tinder and Bumble.- How compatibility scores and trust-based algorithms changed the game.- The dark side of fake profiles and how TrulyMadly tackled it.- Fundraising regrets and the decision to stay profitable.- Building a brand people actually trust in a highly sensitive market.Whether you’re a founder, product builder, or just curious about the business of love.This episode is packed with insights. Watch the full episode on  @FundsAndFounders  Timestamps:00:00 - Intro01:23 - The European backpacking trip that changed everything03:39 - Early career: From payments to dating06:35 - Building a product for Indian singles09:03 - How TrulyMadly started12:10 - Solving the dating trust problem in India15:12 - TrulyMadly vs Tinder: What makes us different17:30 - Revenue vs Users: The real startup pivot20:02 - Fundraising mistakes & hard lessons22:25 - Branding, logo, and product-market fit25:47 - Compatibility scoring & TrulyMadly algorithm28:10 - Marriage success stories from TrulyMadly30:17 - Why TrulyMadly charges users (and why it works)33:50 - Dealing with fake reviews and app store ratings36:04 - The importance of frugal innovation39:00 - Final thoughts, rapid fire & what’s next

In this episode, we dive deep into a candid conversation with a founder who shares how he stumbled into consulting, earned a year's salary in a single month, and built impactful startups straight out of college. From building websites for the price of a cigarette to launching mobile products before the smartphone wave, this is a raw and relatable story for every aspiring entrepreneur and product builder. 🚀 Watch the full episode@FundsAndFoundersSnehil shares:Accidental path to consultingLessons from early startup hustleBuilding in college with zero backupLaunching India's first e-commerce mobile appConviction-led product building in the matrimony spaceTimestamps: 00:00:01 – Introduction to the Guest 00:20:10 – Earning a year’s salary in one month 00:21:10 – How I accidentally became a consultant 00:23:52 – Building websites during college 00:28:41 – Balancing college with side hustles 00:33:23 – Inspiration from "Pirates of Silicon Valley" 00:40:04 – Realizing the power of getting businesses online 00:44:49 – Building India's first mobile e-commerce site 00:50:00 – Why service businesses can hold you back 00:55:06 – Building trust in online matrimony platforms#ecommerce #consultant #business #entrepreneur #podcast #entrepreneurship #startup #webdevelopment #siliconvalley #productdevelopment

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Cody Anderson — early employee at Carta, investor, limited partner, and now the founder of Tommy — a startup revolutionizing shared homeownership. Cody shares his journey from growing up in a small business family in Minneapolis to building a career at Carta, why he believes co-ownership is the future of real estate, and what it really takes to start your own company today. We also dive deep into the realities of founder life, angel investing, social media pressures, and staying sane while building ambitious projects. Topics Covered: - Cody’s early exposure to entrepreneurship - Lessons from 8 years at Carta - Why co-ownership is a game-changer - How to navigate early startup roles - Dealing with perfectionism and founder mental health - Angel investing, incentives, and how venture capital really works - Building Tommy: from idea to action Timestamps: 00:20 - Cody’s entrepreneurial roots in Minneapolis 03:25 - Lessons from parents’ small businesses 04:40 - Moving to San Francisco: the leap from hometown 05:46 - Early sales job and deciding to move 07:10 - Joining Carta at 30 employees and $1M revenue 08:00 - Why Cody chose an early-stage startup 10:15 - Staying 8 years at Carta: purpose and mission 13:24 - Scaling Carta’s network through data-driven expansion 16:26 - Lessons on network effects and scaling 20:38 - Leaving Carta and early thoughts on Tommy 23:00 - First steps: building Tommy’s website and lead-gen tools 24:20 - Using AI and technology in real estate 27:30 - Social media vs. real productivity for founders 36:00 - Why understanding incentives is crucial for founders 38:00 - Lessons from venture capital and fundraising 40:00 - Building Tommy: Marketing challenges and opportunities 43:00 - Messaging, SEO, and customer education 45:00 - Testing content: blogs, social media, videos 48:00 - Future ideas: AI in conflict resolution and co-ownership 54:00 - Cody’s startup tech stack and favorite tools 57:00 - Advice for early entrepreneurs 59:00 - Final thoughts: build a life you love Watch the full episode @FundsAndFounders for more deep dives with founders shaping the future. 🚀 #startups #founderstory #entrepreneurship #realestate #fundsandfounders #ai #business

How I Hacked College Admissions to get Into Top schools!descriptionIn this episode of Fundsandfounders, we sit down with Anthony Berryhill, the founder of Elite College Hacker, to discuss the insider secrets of elite college admissions. Anthony shares his personal journey from growing up in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward to getting into Stanford and Yale, and how he now helps students from diverse backgrounds navigate the college admissions process.🔹 How do top schools really choose applicants?🔹 What are the biggest mistakes students make in their applications?🔹 How is AI and tech changing the admissions industry?🔹 How can students stand out beyond grades and test scores?If you’re a student, parent, or entrepreneur looking to understand the evolving landscape of college admissions, this episode is packed with insights, strategies, and practical advice.**** Timestamps:📌 00:00 - Intro to the episode📌 00:14 - Meet Anthony Berryhill & his company Elite College Hacker📌 01:10 - How Anthony’s journey started: From at-risk youth to Ivy League success📌 02:55 - The school-to-prison pipeline & how he escaped it📌 06:06 - The power of debate & how it changed his life📌 09:11 - What top schools REALLY look for in applicants📌 14:39 - The biggest mistakes students make in applications📌 20:44 - How he built Elite College Hacker from a side hustle to a business📌 25:24 - Is college still worth it? How the industry is changing📌 32:36 - How students can stand out in Ivy League admissions📌 39:50 - The red flags when hiring a college admissions consultant📌 48:56 - Where the real opportunities are in the college admissions industry📌 58:04 - The best resources for college admissions success📌 1:06:37 - Final thoughts & how to reach out to AnthonyConnect with Anthony: 📧 Email: [email protected]🌐 Website: www.elitecollegehacker.com📱 LinkedIn: Anthony Berryhill🔔 **Subscribe @fundsandfounders for more insights on entrepreneurship, funding, and business success!#CollegeAdmissions #EliteSchools #Stanford #Yale #IvyLeague #Entrepreneurship #AdmissionsConsulting #Fundsandfounders**

In this episode of Funds & Founders, we sit down with Ansh, co-founder of Quickreel, the AI-driven platform that helps content creators, brands, and marketers transform long-form videos into viral short-form clips.We dive deep into his entrepreneurial journey — from selling stickers in second grade to building a SaaS product with over 100K users. He shares his growth mindset, the ups and downs of building a startup, fundraising stories, and how Quickly stands out in the crowded content creation space.Ansh shares:💡 The inception of Quickreel and solving real creator problems💰 The grind of early-stage fundraising and finding the right investors🎯 Scaling from 0 to 100K+ users with minimal marketing⚡ The challenges of building in the creator economy📊 Pricing strategies, customer acquisition, and competition insightsIf you're a founder, content creator, or just love stories of building from scratch — this one's for you! Watch the full episode⏰ Timestamps:00:00 - Intro & Guest Introduction01:05 - What is Quickreel? Solving the short-form content problem02:30 - Early entrepreneurial spark: Selling stickers in 2nd grade05:00 - Choosing tech over family business08:15 - The idea behind Quickly: From agency work to product building11:45 - First MVP struggles and user feedback14:30 - Acquiring the first 500 users without ads17:20 - Fundraising journey: From self-funding to investor backing21:00 - Pricing strategies: Moving from free to paid users25:45 - Competing with Opus Clip & other clip generators29:40 - Balancing profitability vs. user growth33:00 - The future of AI in video editing36:15 - Expansion plans: APIs, agencies, and scaling globally40:00 - Rapid Fire Round: Tech stack, marketing tools & resources42:30 - Biggest startup challenges & what's next for Quickly44:20 - Advice for First-Time Founders46:00 - Question for the Next Guest

**From delivering newspapers in 4th grade to raising millions for real estate and co-founding a thriving co-working space—James Wahba’s journey is nothing short of inspiring.**🚀In this episode of Funds & Founders, James shares:✅ How his childhood paper route taught him business fundamentals 📈✅ Raising $13M at 25 for real estate development 🏗️✅ Building one of NYC’s most iconic co-working spaces 🚀✅ Lessons from working alongside startups like Uber, Instacart, Stripe, Airbnb✅ Why co-founder conflicts are one of the biggest startup killers 😨If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, real estate investor, or startup founder, you don’t want to miss this one!Timestamps:00:00 - Welcome to Funds & Founders!00:20 - James Waba’s entrepreneurial journey begins01:14 - Growing up in Connecticut and learning business from a paper route02:18 - The business lessons from his first job 📜03:14 - Learning about customer retention and revenue at a young age05:10 - From paper route to film school & shooting concerts 🎥06:35 - Starting one of the first online streaming sites (before YouTube!)07:54 - Partnering with Microsoft & early struggles of internet startups 💻09:12 - Raising funds & the early days of NYC tech12:22 - Competing in the pre-YouTube era—how streaming was built back then16:04 - Shutting down the startup and pivoting to real estate development17:08 - Converting industrial property to high-value waterfront real estate19:52 - Raising $13M for a real estate project at 2522:11 - The 2008 market crash hits—what happened next?25:46 - Lessons learned: How to survive market crashes28:49 - Bootstrapping vs. raising VC: What should startups do?31:07 - The reality of investor expectations & startup funding32:55 - Pivoting from real estate to co-working spaces 🏢35:49 - How James built one of NYC’s top co-working spaces39:32 - Uber, Instacart, and Airbnb worked here—what was it like?41:14 - Why taking equity over cash would have been the best move44:08 - The rise and fall of the co-working space model46:50 - How to build a real, engaged community (not just a Slack group)49:21 - Challenges of managing a co-working space & scaling it51:34 - What James is building in Austin & his new boutique hotel project54:45 - Rapid fire Q&A: Advice for founders, resources, and more58:07 - Best books for entrepreneurs 📚1:00:39 - What’s missing in the Austin startup ecosystem?1:01:34 - Final thoughts & where to connect with James

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Rajesh Sawhney—a seasoned investor, advisor, and the founder & CEO of GSF—who’s backed over 135 companies. Rajesh shares deep insights on what first-time founders need to know, the art of achieving product–market fit, and the unique dynamics of the Indian startup ecosystem. Whether you’re just starting out or already deep in your entrepreneurial journey, Rajesh’s practical advice on early validation, team building, and strategic execution is invaluable.Learn how Rajesh:Evaluates startup potential by spotting early traction and customer validationDetermines the right stage to raise funds and scale a businessSupports founders through hands-on mentorship and strategic guidanceNavigates the differences between local and global startup ecosystemsAdapts his investment approach in a rapidly evolving tech landscapeTimestamps: 0:00 – Introduction: Meet Rajesh Vijay and his journey as an investor and founder9:10 – From Idea to Product: How early validation sets the stage for success19:50 – Tips for First-Time Founders: Balancing passion with pragmatic execution27:45 – Understanding Product–Market Fit: Recognizing early indicators and challenges41:24 – Funding Stages: The importance of small validations before big bets51:20 – Evaluating Founders: Key traits like decision-making, team building, and adaptability63:10 – The Role of Angel Investors: Mentorship and strategic support for startups76:50 – The Indian Startup Ecosystem: Regional insights and the nuances of market dynamics87:30 – Regulatory Impact: Adapting to policy changes for sustainable growth95:45 – Final Thoughts: Embracing a long-term vision in an ever-changing landscape

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we welcome back Justin, founder of Fantasy Elect, a cutting-edge political gaming startup. Justin dives into his journey over the past year, tackling fundraising challenges, optimizing user acquisition, and building a trust-driven remote team. Gain actionable insights on scaling a startup in the political arena and preparing for upcoming elections.Learn how Justin:Navigated fundraising in a volatile marketTailored user acquisition for B2B and B2CLeveraged strategic partnerships and VC relationshipsSelected the best cities and events for growthPivoted from fantasy sports to political engagementFostered a remote team culture based on trustTimestamps: 0:00 - Introduction & Year in Review2:50 - Fundraising Challenges5:32 - Choosing the Right City9:04 - Fundraising Lessons12:47 - Cold Emailing Strategies15:09 - Current Fundraising Focus16:53 - Event Optimization21:25 - Ecosystem Insights22:29 - Pivoting Customer Acquisition24:32 - Early Lessons25:44 - First Three Months vs Now29:45 - Importance of Marketing34:09 - Continuous Marketing & Feedback38:24 - Planning for Elections42:41 - Engagement in Off-Cycles46:04 - Exploring New Marketing Channels49:12 - Time Management55:09 - Team Culture & Trust57:06 - Remote Work vs In-Person59:04 - Future Plans & InsightsFollow Funds and Founders:Website: https://www.fundsandfounders.comTwitter: @fundsandfoundInstagram: @fundsandfoundersYouTube: Funds and Founders

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Garrett and Brian from Lucid, a consulting firm specializing in pitch decks and brand clarity. Garrett and Brian share how they combined their complementary skill sets—spanning design, operations, and growth—to help founders overcome the challenge of communicating complex ideas simply.Learn how they:Refined their own co-founder “dating” process before teaming upDeveloped a framework for uncovering a company’s true mission, vision, and valuesHelp founders craft investor-ready pitch decks—even for highly technical productsDistinguish “brand” from “culture” and why both matter for scalingApproach growth strategy differently for B2B vs. B2C startupsWhether you’re an early-stage founder seeking investment or a seasoned entrepreneur refining your pitch, Garrett and Brian’s insights on clarity, branding, and storytelling are not to be missed!Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction and overview of Lucid 2:05 – How Garrett & Brian met and became co-founders 7:00 – Defining “clarity” and why founders struggle with it 12:40 – Business philosophy: getting to the “why” behind your startup 16:35 – Why technical founders need help explaining complex ideas 21:05 – When to invest in brand clarity vs. staying lean 26:10 – B2B vs. B2C: differences in messaging and traction 30:40 – Examples of effective (and ineffective) mission statements 35:50 – Branding vs. culture: how they intersect and why both matter 40:35 – The “spark moment” behind launching a startup 45:10 – Avoiding “cargo cult” thinking and learning real lessons 50:05 – Pivoting and the emotional toll of entrepreneurship 55:00 – What VCs really look for in a pitch deck 1:00:05 – Essential resources: Sequoia format, Venture Deals, and more 1:05:00 – Growth strategies: Revenue Architecture and the brand canvas 1:10:25 – The personal “why” and mental health in entrepreneurship 1:15:30 – Early-stage brand vs. Series A brand requirements 1:20:15 – Staying focused on real revenue-driving activities 1:25:05 – Wealth building, skill development, and time freedom 1:30:10 – Support systems: the Austin startup community 1:35:00 – “What would make you quit?” Parachute question from the previous guest1:38:00 – Wrap-up and where to find Lucid Consulting#entrepreneur #company #venturecapital #investors #business #pitchdeck #brand #investment

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Moby, a seasoned paid ads specialist who helps startups and established businesses alike accelerate their growth through strategic advertising. Moby shares his journey and dives deep into:Determining the right time to start running paid ads—and why timing is crucialChoosing between Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, and other platforms based on your audienceUnderstanding key metrics like CTR and conversion rates to gauge campaign successCrafting compelling offers, landing pages, and funnels that convertAvoiding common pitfalls and maximizing ROI with a data-driven approachWhether you’re looking to launch your first campaign or refine your existing strategy, Moby’s insights on funnel design, audience targeting, and the art of testing are not to be missed!Timestamps0:00 – Introduction and Moby’s paid ads background1:16 – When is the right time to invest in paid ads?2:36 – Finding product-market fit vs. message-market fit6:09 – The 80/20 of setting up your first paid ads campaign8:36 – Paid search vs. paid social: Key differences and considerations14:03 – Defining search intent and picking the right keywords18:05 – Budgeting for ads and what metrics to watch22:05 – Understanding funnels and lead qualification26:45 – Tracking ROI: Cost per lead, cost per meeting, and RoAS31:30 – Crafting offers and packaging: Why it matters36:55 – Common mistakes to avoid when running ads39:56 – Brand awareness campaigns vs. direct response tactics43:09 – The importance of creative testing and ad copy47:15 – Why landing page experience can make or break conversions50:42 – E-commerce vs. B2B: Ad strategy differences54:03 – Overcoming qualification hurdles with leads56:31 – Final tips to refine your paid ads funnel59:27 – Conclusion and wrap-up

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Aaron, a performance coach who helps founders and entrepreneurs optimize their business execution through OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). Aaron shares deep insights on goal setting, prioritization, and creating effective business frameworks. Learn how Aaron:- Helps founders set realistic yet ambitious 12-month goals- Creates frameworks for breaking down long-term vision into actionable steps- Guides teams in implementing effective OKR systems- Balances personal and business priorities for sustainable growth- Transforms company execution through priority managementWhether you're just starting your entrepreneurial journey or leading an established company, Aaron's practical approach to goal setting and execution is invaluable for any business leader!Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction & The importance of strategic planning1:24 - Fundamentals of effective goal setting3:37 - Choosing the right time horizon for goals5:48 - Setting realistic 12-month targets10:41 - Balancing ambition with reality in goal setting15:44 - Priority management and maintaining focus21:25 - Taking action vs over-planning26:50 - Understanding and implementing OKRs34:37 - Getting leadership team alignment39:19 - Quarterly planning and execution strategies46:00 - Defining and tracking success metrics55:59 - When and how to adapt your vision58:30 - Recommended resources for goal setting1:00:24 - Creating freedom through effective business systemsConnect with Aaron:Website: performancemindsetcoaching.co

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with John Davison, founder of StartupLandia, a hybrid venture studio and development shop. John shares his journey from being a Bay Area engineer to helping early-stage founders build sustainable products. Learn how John:Helps founders validate ideas before writing codeReduces engineering costs through strategic tool selectionNavigates the impact of AI on product developmentStructures development teams for optimal efficiencyBalances technical implementation with business needsWhether you're a technical founder or a business person looking to build a product, John's insights on sustainable development and founder success are invaluable!Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro & StartupLandia's Mission 2:32 - When Founders Need Technical Help 6:20 - Why Pre-Development Work Matters 9:54 - Validating Ideas Before Building 12:42 - AI's Real Impact on Development 16:40 - The Truth About Software Costs 20:35 - Importance of User Experience 29:10 - Working with Technical Founders 33:20 - Structuring Development Teams 42:37 - Global Development Perspectives 47:09 - Building Support Systems 1:02:06 - Resources for Founders 1:07:09 - Austin Tech Ecosystem 1:10:42 - Contact & Final ThoughtsConnect with John: Website: startuplandia.io Twitter: @JCDavison LinkedIn: John Davison

In this episode, we sit down with Preeya, COO of Beehive, to discuss her journey from being a VP at a large tech company to joining Beehive as employee. Learn how she helped scale the company from seed stage to Series B, growing from 8 to 80+ employees. Priya shares insights on startup operations, remote work culture, board management, and making the leap from big tech to early-stage startups.Priya shares how she:Transitioned from a VP role to an early-stage startupHelped scale Beehive from 8 to 80+ employees through Series BBuilt and maintains a successful remote-first company cultureNavigates board management and metric trackingApproaches goal setting and prioritization in a high-growth environmentWhether you're considering joining a startup or already in a leadership role, Priya's insights on scaling operations and building successful teams are invaluable!Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction and Background 3:29 - Evaluating Early-Stage Companies 6:18 - First 90 Days at a Startup 8:41 - Transitioning Industries 11:22 - Understanding the Chief of Staff Role 14:16 - Red Flags When Joining Early-Stage Companies 16:38 - Compensation Structure in Startups 21:57 - Scaling from 8 to 80 Employees 29:06 - Remote vs In-Person Work Culture 31:42 - Prioritization and Goal Setting 34:27 - Board Management and Metrics 48:39 - Importance of Mentorship 55:04 - Future of Beehive 56:15 - Book and Resource Recommendations 57:21 - Support Systems for Startup Life 58:09 - Personal Growth and FreedomConnect with Preeya: Email: [email protected] Website: https://beehive.com#startup #tech #leadership #entrepreneurship #careeradvice

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Dean Elazab, a former big law attorney who now helps startups navigate the legal landscape. Dean shares insights from both sides of the table, having built and sold his own startup before becoming a lawyer.Learn how Dean:Guides founders through critical legal decisionsHelps protect founder & employee equityNavigates complex term sheets and financing roundsDemystifies preferred stock and liquidation preferencesCreates founder-friendly legal structuresBalances growth with legal protectionWhether you're just starting out or raising your next round, Dean's practical insights on startup law and founder protection are not to be missed!Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro & Dean's Background 4:57 - When to Bring in Legal Help 10:32 - Common Legal Mistakes & Horror Stories 15:06 - Understanding IP Protection 20:48 - Initial Legal Setup for Startups 29:17 - Term Sheets & Negotiation 37:05 - Safe Notes & Bridge Rounds 45:48 - Understanding Stock Classes 54:05 - Exit Scenarios & Liquidation 1:02:42 - Resources for Founders 1:08:33 - Support Systems & Final ThoughtsConnect with Dean: Website: elazablegal.com Twitter: @DeanElazab

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Damian Longoria, founder of Hubble - a marketplace connecting artists with live event opportunities. From sleeping in his car to building a music tech startup, Damian shares his journey with raw honesty.Learn how Damian:Discovered problems in the music industry through event organizingNavigated early development setbacks with offshore teamsApproaches building without technical co-foundersBalances vision with practical executionViews Austin's evolving music sceneThinks about product development and go-to-marketKey takeaways for founders on validating ideas, working with development agencies, and building in the music industry space.Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction & Background 2:51 - Start of Entrepreneurial Journey 15:16 - Early Development Challenges 30:26 - Co-founder Search & Dynamics 41:09 - Vision for Next 12 Months 46:17 - Building in Austin's Music Scene 48:05 - Founder Resources & Support 54:01 - Tech Stack & Infrastructure 55:28 - Perception vs Reality 59:08 - Closing ThoughtsConnect with Damian: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @hubblecys Website: hubblecys.com

In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Sarthak Kaul, founder at GigPay and host of the True Calling podcast. Sarthak shares his unique perspective on finding purpose in the startup world and why the 0-to-1 journey keeps calling him back.Learn how Sarthak:Transitioned from VC in Singapore to startup operationsBuilt and managed remote teams across continentsLaunched a successful podcast exploring purpose and callingApproaches product development and team managementBalances entrepreneurship with personal growthNavigates fear and builds courage in the startup journeyWhether you're questioning your career path or building your own venture, Sarthak's insights on finding purpose while building valuable businesses are essential listening!Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction & Background 3:45 - Why Choose Startups Over Big Tech 7:16 - The Truth About 0-to-1 Stage 10:01 - Finding Insights & Building Solutions 21:25 - Balancing Passion with Practicality 27:25 - Courage vs Fear in Entrepreneurship 35:26 - Flow State & Peak Performance 42:31 - Walking as Meditation 45:46 - Three Essential Resources for Finding Your Path 50:57 - Building Your Support System 51:54 - Managing Remote Teams 56:35 - Closing ThoughtsConnect with Sarthak: Podcast: True Calling (Available on Spotify & YouTube) LinkedIn: Sarthak Kaul Company: GigPay (Now hiring!)

Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribeIn this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Ash, co-founder of Wolf.xyz, who recently closed their Series A round. Ash shares his journey from building a successful staffing platform in Chile to his current venture in B2B SaaS.Learn how Ash:Built and scaled a staffing platform to cover one-third of SantiagoNavigated international markets between Chile and the USTurned a product failure into a successful exitMade the transition from bootstrapped to VC-backedApproached hiring and team building post-fundingLearned valuable lessons through multiple startup attemptsWhether you're a first-time founder or serial entrepreneur, Ash's insights on building in different markets and knowing when to pivot are not to be missed!Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro & Early Entrepreneurial Journey 3:09 - First Failed Venture & Lessons 5:29 - Product Market Fit Definition 10:31 - Moving to Chile & Building Elephants 15:33 - Scaling in Santiago 20:48 - US Market Entry & Challenges 24:19 - Decision to Exit 29:17 - Building Wolf.xyz 37:05 - TechStars Experience 46:54 - Views on VC vs Bootstrapping 54:05 - Post-Series A Focus & Hiring 59:29 - Startup Ecosystem Differences 1:02:02 - Tech Stack & Tools 1:04:20 - Closing Thoughts

Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribeIn this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Sarah Loretta, a former nonprofit worker turned digital architect. Sarah shares her journey from making $40K at a nonprofit to building a successful digital systems business through Notion templates and consulting.Learn how Sarah:- Started freelancing with no website or business plan- Landed 40 clients in her first 6 months through strategic networking- Turned a $47 Notion template into $120K+ in revenue- Built her entire client base through referrals with zero marketing- Leverages tool certifications and partnerships for business growth- Transitioned from design work to high-ticket systems consultingWhether you're a freelancer looking to scale or an entrepreneur building systems, Sarah's insights on creating multiple revenue streams and building valuable partnerships are not to be missed!Watch the full episode  @FundsAndFounders  Timestamps:0:00 - Intro & Where to Find Sarah1:00 - Early Entrepreneurial Journey4:13 - Landing First 40 Clients in 6 Months7:46 - Video Production & Freelance Work11:34 - First Big Website Project ($1,800)15:07 - Taking the Leap from 9-520:48 - Journey from Design to Business Operations29:32 - Finding & Monetizing Notion41:03 - Building Multiple Revenue Streams46:54 - Template Business Success ($120K+)59:06 - Current Pricing Model & Strategy1:02:41 - Tech Stack & Tools Breakdown1:06:54 - Three Essential Resources for Beginners1:09:42 - Interesting Recent Learning1:13:13 - Final Thoughts & Wrap-up#entrepreneur #business #startup #podcast #marketing #notion #sale #tools #aspirations #founder #freelancing

Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribeIn this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Joshua Rosario, founder of J.Rozario, also has a luxury custom shoe brand. Joshua shares his journey from a shoe enthusiast with over 500 pairs to launching his own high-end shoe company.Learn how Joshua:- Turned his passion for quality footwear into a business- Navigates the challenges of educating customers about craftsmanship- Uses innovative hand-painting techniques to create unique designs- Leverages e-commerce and custom 3D configurators to sell bespoke shoes- Balances craftsmanship with scalability in a luxury brandWhether you're a fashion enthusiast or an aspiring entrepreneur, Joshua's insights on building a luxury brand and educating consumers are not to be missed!Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction and Joshua's background2:00 - Early entrepreneurial experiences and learning about human behavior7:22 - The journey from shoe enthusiast to brand founder12:45 - Explaining the J.Rosario brand and custom shoe process17:30 - Challenges of educating customers about shoe quality22:05 - The technology and craftsmanship behind J.Rosario shoes27:40 - Marketing strategies and early sales experiences32:15 - Balancing quality, craftsmanship, and scalability37:50 - Tech stack and tools for running an e-commerce business42:30 - Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs47:15 - Lessons learned from mentorship52:00 - The importance of hunger alignment in business56:45 - Closing thoughts and where to find J.Rosario online#entrepreneur #business #startup #podcast #marketing #ecommerce #sale #scalability #aspirations #founder

Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribeIn this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Becca, co-founder and COO of Workweek, a rapidly growing B2B media company. Becca shares her journey from customer success roles to building a multi-million dollar media business. Learn how Becca:- Transitioned from The Hustle to co-founding Workweek- Built a portfolio of niche B2B media brands- Leverages the "knowledge expert paradox" to create valuable content- Manages remote teams and builds company culture- Balances work and personal life as a founderWhether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to scale your media business, Becca's insights on content creation, audience building, and business growth are not to be missed!Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction and Becca's background1:06 - The start of Becca's entrepreneurial journey2:19 - Transitioning from employee to founder mindset4:09 - Building a strong co-founder relationship5:51 - Managing conflicts and decision-making as co-founders8:28 - From idea to launch: The birth of Workweek12:02 - The "knowledge expert paradox" in B2B media14:51 - Building and scaling niche B2B media brands18:42 - Strategies for content creation and distribution22:34 - The importance of authenticity in content26:44 - Team building and remote work culture31:35 - Insights on newsletter growth and audience building37:35 - The role of personal branding for founders41:26 - Balancing work and personal life as an entrepreneur45:54 - Tech stack and tools for running a media business50:51 - Resources for aspiring entrepreneurs56:38 - Exciting developments and future plans for Workweek59:30 - Closing thoughts and how to connect with Becca#MediaStartup #ContentCreation #B2BMarketing #Entrepreneurship #WorkweekMedia #podcast #startup #founder

Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribeIn this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Brennan Bliss, CEO of Propellic, a digital marketing agency specializing in SEO for the travel industry. Brennan shares his journey from building websites as a teenager to running a multi-million dollar agency. Learn how Brennan:- Started his entrepreneurial journey at 13 years old- Scaled his agency to 25 team members- Niched down to focus on the travel industry- Manages a remote team and builds company culture- Balances work and personal life as a CEOWhether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to scale your existing business, Brennan's insights on agency growth, hiring, and financial management are not to be missed!Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction and Brennan's background2:20 - Early entrepreneurial experiences and website building5:34 - Lessons learned from early financial mistakes10:22 - The journey from web design to SEO agency15:19 - Niching down to focus on the travel industry22:02 - Team building and managing a remote workforce26:44 - The process of scaling and hiring for an agency32:57 - Insights on the travel industry and marketing strategies41:26 - Long-term goals and future of Propellic46:36 - Marketing tests and LinkedIn conversation ads49:36 - Tech stack and tools for running an agency54:13 - AI applications in agency workflows56:32 - Book recommendations and resources for entrepreneurs59:45 - The cost of mis-hires and importance of a good hiring process1:02:42 - Balancing work and personal life as an entrepreneur1:06:07 - Closing thoughts and how to connect with Brennan#AgencyGrowth #DigitalMarketing #SEO #TravelIndustry #Entrepreneurship

Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribeIn this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Tomer, a former structural engineer turned serial entrepreneur. Tomer shares his journey from designing skyscrapers to building multiple successful businesses, including an e-commerce brand, a virtual staffing agency, and an innovative product company. Learn how Tomer:- Transitioned from a 9-to-5 job to entrepreneurship- Built a 7-figure e-commerce business- Successfully launched a product on Kickstarter- Developed and scaled a virtual staffing agency- Balances multiple businesses and projectsWhether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to scale your existing business, Tomer's insights on product development, e-commerce, and business growth are not to be missed!Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction and Tomer's background3:06 - The importance of business models in entrepreneurship7:52 - Transition from engineering to e-commerce12:02 - Insights on private labeling and wholesale18:42 - The birth of Sableflow and product development process26:28 - Balancing business relationships with family and friends31:16 - From concept to finished product: The Sableflow journey37:05 - Kickstarter campaign strategies and lessons learned42:39 - The transition to Effortless Hire and virtual staffing46:10 - Common mistakes business owners make with virtual assistants49:29 - Misconceptions about offshore hiring52:27 - The importance of hiring before creating SOPs55:24 - Three valuable resources for entrepreneurs59:20 - Startup tech stack and tools1:01:24 - Favorite entrepreneurial stories and lessons1:06:13 - Closing thoughts and where to find tomer's businesses

Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribeIn this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Jon, former CEO of Hyperlinks Media and current organizer of Tiny Talks in Austin. Jon shares his journey from starting an SEO blog in high school to building and selling a successful digital marketing agency, and eventually launching a community-driven event series. Learn how Jon:- Built a 7-figure SEO agency from his dorm room- Pivoted to content marketing and affiliate sites- Knew when it was time to exit his business- Started Tiny Talks and grew it to 200+ attendees- Balances passion projects with financial successWhether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to scale your existing business, Jon's insights on SEO, content marketing, and community building are not to be missed!Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction and Jon's background2:31 - Starting an SEO business in high school7:17 - Scaling the agency and hiring employees12:03 - Pivoting to content marketing and affiliate sites18:42 - Deciding when to exit the business22:34 - The origin of Tiny Talks27:41 - Memorable Tiny Talks stories32:25 - The importance of in-person connection37:29 - Running Tiny Talks as a passion project41:33 - Advice on finding your niche45:22 - Book recommendations for entrepreneurs49:51 - Event planning tips from "The 2-Hour Cocktail Party"54:26 - Closing thoughts and where to find Tiny Talks#podcast #digitalmarketing #seo #contentmarketing #communityservice #community #entrepreneur #business

Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribeIn this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Ryan Atkinson, CEO and co-founder of Spacebar Visuals. Ryan shares his journey from working at an aquatic center to becoming a growth specialist at HubSpot, and eventually launching his own successful video production agency.Learn how Ryan:- Started multiple podcasts to network with entrepreneurs- Built a 6-figure agency in less than a year- Uses cold outreach to land high-value clients- Manages a remote team and builds company culture- Balances multiple projects and businessesWhether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to scale your existing business, Ryan's insights on sales, marketing, and agency growth are not to be missed!Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction and Ryan's background3:45 - The power of podcasting for networking and personal growth7:22 - Transitioning from side hustle to full-time business10:15 - Building an agency vs. creating a SaaS product14:30 - Client acquisition strategies and outbound marketing19:05 - Email marketing tactics and closing deals23:40 - Pricing strategies and maintaining margins28:15 - The challenges of running a service-based business32:45 - Tech stack and tools for running an agency35:20 - Book recommendations for entrepreneurs38:30 - The importance of rereading books42:33 - Why Ryan moved to Austin and who should consider it46:37 - Exciting future technologies (AI video generation)48:47 - Podcast post-production and marketing tips53:42 - Closing thoughts and where to find Ryan online

Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribeIn this captivating episode of Funds and Founders, Catalin, co-founder and CEO of Linnify, joins us to discuss his journey as a serial entrepreneur and product development expert. Catalin shares valuable lessons from his experiences with previous startups and offers advice on avoiding "shiny object syndrome" while staying focused on long-term goals. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or an established founder, this episode is packed with practical wisdom for navigating the startup landscape. In this insightful conversation, we explore:👉 Linnify's mission to simplify life through innovation👉 The challenges of taking ideas from concept to product-market fit👉Strategies for effective product validation and market research👉Common pitfalls founders face when launching new products👉The pros and cons of focusing on personal brand vs. company brandWatch the full episode on  @FundsAndFounders  #Entrepreneurship #ProductDevelopment #StartupAdvice #RemoteWork #innovation Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction and Linnify's mission00:04:29 Product validation and market research00:11:58 Founder pitfalls and early startup experiences00:24:52 Managing remote teams and company culture00:27:33 Misconceptions about offshore development00:32:08 Future plans for Linnify00:39:52 Personal brand vs. company brand00:43:24 Catalin's support system00:45:02 Startup tech stack and tools00:47:24 Discussion on recommended resources for entrepreneurs00:48:05 Question from previous guest about entrepreneurial moment00:49:33 Catalin's question for future guest00:50:13 Host shares anecdote about previous guest's entrepreneurial moment00:50:56 Discussion on the impact of first business check00:51:17 Where to find Catalin online00:51:42 Closing remarks and future plans

Subscribe here https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/subscribeJoin us as we sit down with Hunter Burkey, Partner at Next Level Valet and CEO of Next Level Security. Hunter shares his incredible journey from living in his car to building two successful businesses in Austin, TX.👉Hunter's early struggles and how he turned his life around👉The birth of Next Level Valet and its rapid growth👉Expanding into security services during COVID-19👉Challenges of scaling a business and managing 300+ employees👉Innovative employee engagement strategies👉The importance of adaptability in entrepreneurshipWatch the full episode on  @FundsAndFounders  #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #AustinStartups #ValetService #SecurityBusiness0:00 - Introduction of Hunter Burkey and his current roles0:35 - Brief mention of failed business attempts1:10 - Hunter's experience being homeless and living in his car9:10 - Discussion about failed businesses and lessons learned17:06 - Addressing fears and challenges in the early days of the business19:07 - Major setback: losing a significant client and nearly shutting down30:40 - Handling the challenge of parking 2300 cars per night35:48 - Current size of the valet company (approximately 150 employees)41:20 - Insight into company culture and employee communication42:37 - Transition from valet services to starting a security company47:30 - Introduction to Formula One events through valet connections49:23 - Hunter's involvement with the F1 travel team50:53 - Construction Security55:08 - Scaling the company1:00:00 - Closing remarks

In this captivating episode of Funds and Founders, Nikhil, CTO and co-founder of Hylio, shares the inspiring journey of building an innovative drone company. From their initial focus on drone delivery to pivoting into agricultural applications, Nikhil reveals the challenges and triumphs of creating cutting-edge drone technology. Tune in to discover:- The evolution of Hylio from a drone delivery concept to a leader in agricultural drone solutions- Overcoming technical and regulatory hurdles in the drone industry- The importance of perseverance and adaptability in entrepreneurship- Insights into scaling hardware production and navigating complex sales processes- The role of co-founders and support systems in startup successWatch the full episode on funds and founders.

In the latest episode of Funds and Founders, Jessi, founder of Downland, reveals how agrotourism and regenerative agriculture could revolutionize land management and food production. Discover how matching landowners with next-generation land stewards can restore landscapes and create sustainable business models. Tune in to explore:- The journey of building an AgTech startup from scratch- How to leverage your unique strengths and network in entrepreneurship- The crucial balance between mission-driven goals and venture capital expectations- Strategies for validating your business model and preparing for fundraising00:46 - Entrepreneurial journey06:05 - what a land steward does and their responsibilities?09:33 - Agrotourism12:48 - Decision of taking passion to a full time job16:48 - how did you get a hundred customer interviews?20:52 - Regenerative farming26:30 - Understanding the customer wants in a business29:36 - Journey of a Solo founder33:25 - Eliminating the uncertainty and challenges in the entrepreneur journey34:47 - Crossfit journey42:34 - Product Development Strategy for a Marketplace Startup47:26 - Finding the right partners and right advisors54:13 - Fundraising process1:02:33 - Rapid fire question1:09:15 - Question for the future GuestSubscribe now and hit the notification bell to Funds and FoundersMentions:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessi-roesch-rhymes-with-fresh/Check out the Funds & Founders Community:Reach out to Abhi at [email protected]: fundsandfounderspodcast.com