Founding Journey

Arjun built a $100M startup by helping other founders incorporate and start their own. Along the way he went through Y Combinator and built an audience of over 80,000 people on X and LinkedIn.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Arjun’s journey:🐦 X → x.com/ArjunMahadevan 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/mahadevanarjun 🚀 Startup → doola.comFollow us: 🔔 Subscribe →youtube.com/@callmehouck?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com 📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckIn this conversation we discuss:Founder Mode(00:00) — Intro(04:09) — Fundraising skills applications to life(05:07) — Creating a founder brand(06:35) — How Arjun is thinking about AI(12:07) — Advice to a first-time founder(24:31) — What Arjun took from working at Dropbox(26:35) — Dealing with failure as a 1st-time founderFundraising(01:13) — How to raise $1M in 2 minutes(14:45) — Going through OnDeck & Y Combinator(17:59) — doola’s value prop(21:03) — doola’s pivot during YC batchStartup Strategy & Operations(08:01) — Why doola niched down to E-commerce(10:21) — Why data isn’t as actionable as we think(30:25) — Importance of asymmetric upside(44:08) — How to know when to build vs. partner with external vendors(46:36) — Incorporation(50:38) — Importance of bookkeepingGrowth(32:38) — The content funnel(35:25) — Creating content for systems(37:45) — Content platforms to be excited about(41:09) — Why any problem can be solved by talking to customersRapid Fire(53:23) — Who is one investor you’d recommend?(53:44) — One thing you’d change about startups?(54:29) — Advice for first-time founders?(55:33) — Something you believe that most disagree with?

Stella has worked in startups her entire career. She started previous companies and even got the opportunity to join Trello as an early employee. She scaled with the company all the way through it’s acquisition by Atlassian. She then founded Hoop and raised $5M to solve productivity.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Stella’s journey:🐦 X → x.com/startupstella💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/stellagarber🚀 Startup → hoop.appFollow us:🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@foundingjourney?sub_confirmation=1📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckIn this conversation we discuss:Trello Journey & Early Growth(00:00) — Intro(01:48) — How Stella became an early Trello team member(03:27) — Marketing changes during Trello’s growth(07:28) — Trello’s marketing success & applications to HoopMarketing & Product Growth(11:07) — Marketing from a user-centric lens(12:45) — Unique approach to organic growth(14:06) — AI’s impact on product growth(15:55) — Product tastePivoting(17:27) — The future of productivity & Hoop(21:32) — Pivoting after ChatGPT’s launch(24:51) — The conflicting pivot advice(26:15) — When to know you need to pivotStartups & Launch Tips(29:14) — Transitioning from founder to an early team member(32:38) — Successful Product Hunt launch tipsRemote Work & Team Dynamics(37:11) — Remote work & 4-day work week(42:08) — Asynchronous remote work(44:41) — “Burstiness”(47:41) — How to create a successful remote teamRapid Fire(52:51) — Who is one investor you’d recommend?(53:28) — One thing you’d change about startups?(55:55) — Advice for first-time founders?(56:34) — Something you believe that most disagree with?

Sahil Chopra left his medical practice after being trained at Harvard and UCLA to become a startup founder. Now, he's solving the silent sleep epidemic alongside his brother. 📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.co Follow Sahil’s journey: 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/sahilchopramd 🚀 Startup → empowersleep.com Follow us: 🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@callmehouck?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com 📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houck In this conversation we discuss: Founder Mode (00:00) — Intro (01:12) — Becoming a doctor before a founder (02:46) — Convincing his brother to start a company with him (05:08) — Starting a company with your brother (06:52) — Working alongside a complementary co-founder (08:20) — Transitioning to his brother becoming CEO (10:57) — The fundraising process (13:15) — Transitioning from fundraising to building (14:36) — Hiring good people early on (37:37) — Having the right founder mindset (39:03) — Staying even-keeled as a founder (41:17) — Solving your own problems (42:27) — Why sleep is a venture-scale opportunity (43:31) — Importance of a frictionless user experience Health & Sleep (16:46) — Why sleep is so important (18:33) — How much sleep people should get (19:10) — Why people don't prioritize sleep (20:59) — How many people are sleep deficient (23:51) — Sahil diagnoses Michael Houck (32:55) — Defining sleep opportunity vs. sleep (30:48) — The Empower Sleep vision (33:44) — Drive to conquer sleep (35:41) — How broken the healthcare system is Rapid Fire (46:01) — Who is one investor you’d recommend? (47:21) — One thing you'd change about startups? (48:30) — Advice for first-time founders? (48:45) — Something you believe that most disagree with?

Adam Nathan raised $45M at a $150M valuation for his startup, Almanac. But then he realized he needed to pivot…  and he pulled it off. He's now on track to go from 0 - $10M in revenue in just 15 months with the pivoted company, Blaze.ai📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) →deck-database.carrd.coFollow Adam’s journey:🐦 X →x.com/adampnathan💼 LinkedIn →linkedin.com/in/adampnathan🚀 Startup →blaze.aiWant to hear more from Adam? Get Startup Tycoon in your inbox weekly →startuptycoon.comFollow us:🔔 Subscribe →youtube.com/@foundingjourney?sub_confirmation=1📝 Newsletter →join.foundingjourney.com📈 Founder Membership →upgrade.foundingjourney.com💼 LinkedIn →linkedin.com/in/michael-houckIn this conversation we discuss:Intro & Background(00:00) — Intro(01:11) — Shutting down Almanac(04:24) — Starting BlazeFounder Mode(16:54) — Prioritization during hyper growth(24:32) — Knowing when to delegate(30:02) — Not being the "idea guy"(33:48) — Second mover advantage(42:28) — Intentional branding(49:34) — Overbuilding product features(55:53) — How fundraising changes a businessRapid Fire(1:03:41) — Who is one investor you’d recommend?(1:04:25) — One thing you'd change about startups?(1:04:45) — Advice for first-time founders?(1:05:20) — Something you believe that most disagree with?

This is how Luke got a $100,000 investment to drop out of college and turned it into a $27 million startup. He breaks down how to identify and build your own vertical SaaS business too.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Luke’s journey: 🐦 X → x.com/lukesophinos 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/lukesophinos 🚀 Startup → coursekey.com📝 Newsletter → newsletter.lukesophinos.com 📔 Vertical SaaS Bible → verticalsaasbible.comFollow us: 🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@foundingjourney?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com 📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckIn this conversation we discuss:Founder Mode(00:00) — Intro (01:18) — Luke's first business(03:32) — Joining a VC firm in college(06:33) — Becoming a Thiel Fellow(11:26) — Dropping out of college & going all in(15:33) — Why traditional education is broken(18:04) — Why founders should target boring industries(19:53) — Building trust(21:04) — When to pivotVertical SaaS(22:46) — Differences between vertical & horizontal SaaS(23:53) — Why vertical SaaS has better opportunities going forward(26:53) — What makes for a venture-scale vertical SaaS product(32:38) — Why vertical SaaS is criticized for not being venture scale(34:30) — AI's impact on vertical software(37:37) — Why Luke is sharing the vertical SaaS playbook(39:00) — The vertical SaaS bible(39:53) — Where to start building vertical SaaS businesses(41:53) — Raising venture funding & debt financingRapid Fire(44:50) — Who is one investor you’d recommend?(45:08) — One thing you'd change about startups?(45:38) — Advice for first-time founders?(46:00) — Something you believe that most disagree with?

Aleksandr helped one person hire an engineer. A few years later, it's turned into a $16 million, largely bootstrapped business.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Aleksandr’s journey: 🐦 X → x.com/volodarik 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/volodarik 🚀 Startup → lemon.ioFollow us: 🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@callmehouck?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com 📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckIn this conversation we discuss:Founder Mode(00:00) — Intro(01:07) — Lemon.io founding story(04:15) — How Aleksandr knew Lemon.io was a big opportunity(06:15) — Lemon.io's differentiator(07:49) — Why founders miss opportunities right in front of them(42:00) — Aleksandr’s first 2 businessesRebranding & Growth(09:49) — Intentional rebranding efforts(14:42) — Tactically executing a rebrand(16:25) — Building in public in 2025(18:48) — 2025 social media plan(22:19) — Building in public's impact early on(23:58) — Using Quora as a growth channel(24:22) — 2025's growth channel opportunity(26:34) — Utilizing the podcast growth channel(31:06) — Going all in with early-stage advertisingHiring(34:31) — Making first sales hire(43:50) — The benefit of paid work trials(46:11) — What founders should evaluate when hiring(47:06) — How non-technical founders can evaluate technical talent(48:50) — Laying off employees while growingInvestment(35:54) — The wrong way to take on venture investment(39:38) — Buying out existing investors(40:07) — Why there’s no need to raise more for Lemon.ioRapid Fire(52:58) — Who is one investor you’d recommend?(53:58) — One thing you'd change about startups?(54:41) — Advice for first-time founders?(55:36) — Something you believe that most disagree with?

Pujun Bhatnagar dropped out of Stanford, Harved, and MIT to build startups. He decided to build in an unsexy industry and it worked. He doubled Kintsugi’s valuation to $75M in 3 months.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Pujun’s journey: 🐦 X → x.com/pujun_ai 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/pujun 🚀 Startup → trykintsugi.comFollow us: 🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@callmehouck?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com 📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckIn this conversation we discuss:Kintsugi(00:00) — Intro(00:57) — What Kintsugi does & why it's successful(14:22) — What Kintsugi meansFounder Mode(03:15) — Why Pujun did an "unsexy" business(09:40) — AM frequency vs. Pujun's FM frequency(12:29) — What happens to ambition when success comes(26:20) — Pujun's mindset shifts over time(32:20) — Pujun's toughest situation with co-founders(59:10) — Dropping out of academia 3x(1:07:20) — What Pujun does when not performing at his best(1:10:00) — Pujun's spicesAI & Technology(05:36) — What problems AI can solve(19:44) — Successfully building AI PLG(21:44) — The future of AI models(51:14) — Differences between the ML & LLM gold rush(54:46) — How to identify AI snake oilGrowth & Strategy(17:06) — Focusing on building good software(24:31) — Tradeoffs that come with scale(34:51) — Having conviction & discipline(36:11) — Who Pujun & Kintsugi looks for in teammates(38:09) — Doubling valuation in 3 months time(42:04) — Optimizing for minimal dilution(43:53) — Ruthless prioritization when scalingRapid Fire(1:12:09) — Who is one investor you’d recommend?(1:13:33) — One thing you'd change about startups?(1:16:22) — Advice for first-time founders?(1:16:55) — Something you believe that most disagree with?

This is how Tibo Louis-Lucas built a new startup every month... until one took off and turned into a $10 million exit.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → https://deck-database.carrd.coFollow Tibo's journey: 🐦 X → x.com/tibo_maker 🚀 Website → tmaker.ioFollow us: 🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@foundingjourney?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com 📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckIn this conversation we chat about:Founder Mode(00:00) — Intro(01:24) — Being a venture-backed founder(02:41) — Learnings from early business failures(24:00) — Identifying scalable business opportunities(33:20) — Goal of getting 5 companies to $100k MRR in 3 years(41:35) — How to unlock different versions of yourself(43:02) — Identifying opportunities while building multiple companiesGrowth & Scaling(05:14) — The advantage of quickly shipping(08:36) — Pros and cons of building in public(10:28) — Alternatives to building in public(11:24) — The moats that exist today(15:31) — Utilizing micro-influencers for growth(37:56) — Keeping 2-person companies at scale(39:18) — Working alongside a complementary co-founderProduct & Acquisition Strategy(12:55) — Platform risk(18:32) — How founders can learn to kill products(20:35) — Outsourcing to external developers(21:57) — Buying small products(25:26) — Deciding how much to invest into micro-acquisitions(27:47) — Buying & selling assets rather than companies(30:42) — Buying a tool to compete with the newsletter giants(36:46) — AI’s unique software enablement(44:08) — Deciding when and how to sell your company(48:10) — How to decide how and whom to sell your company toAdvice & Insights(49:04) — Founder Tips for Negotiating Deals(49:57) — Bootstrapping vs. raising VC(52:08) — The future of SaaS(55:58) — Taking a job after being a founder(58:21) — Founders don’t know when they need to quitRapid Fire(59:18) — Who is one investor you’d recommend?(59:46) — One thing you'd change about startups?(1:00:20) — Advice for first-time founders?(1:00:51) — Something you believe that most disagree with?

This is how Adam raised over $3 million for his hiring startup Pangea.app, and why he won’t need to raise again.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Adam's journey: 🐦 X → x.com/the_pangean 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/adamalp 🚀 Startup → pangea.appFollow us: 🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@foundingjourney?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com 📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckAccelerators & Fundraising00:00 — Intro01:10 — Incubators/accelerators05:56 — YC application experience1:03:11 — Fundraising isn't the goal1:07:02 — When you don’t get immediate fundingFounder Mode:09:42 — The founder mindset & validation38:19 — Tough decisions & losing customers43:22 — Knowing when to change course46:07 — When you're too niched down59:01 — What gave Adam conviction to go all in1:10:51 — Why founders should explore stoicismProduct Development14:55 — MVP Versus SVP20:53 — Getting to #1 on Product HuntCommunity & Growth22:14 — Product Hunt launch impact25:18 — Long-term growth strategies26:45 — Getting customers through ChatGPT30:17 — SEO & AI/LLMs34:49 — Growth channels & niching down49:27 — Why community is keyFounding & Leadership Insights50:48 — NYC Founders Club52:17 — Vision for the future55:46 — Focus areas when hiringRapid Fire1:12:29 — Who's an investor you'd recommend?1:13:40 — One thing you'd change about startups?1:14:22 — Advice for first-time founders?1:14:35 — Something you believe that most disagree with?

Founders who've collectively raised $450 million for their startups explain how their success came from their network and community.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.co(02:00) — Michael Houck from Founding Journey: Creating a Community(03:12) — Tyler Denk from Beehiiv: Encouraging early investors to become customers(05:50) — Andrew Yeung from Fibe: Creating a sense of community by hosting parties(09:57) — Steven Galanis from Cameo: Having a product that innately enables community building(13:48) — Dara Ladjevardian from Delphi: The “big, small, big” framework(16:13) — Sam Corcos from Levels: Speaking to customers enables community building(17:43) — Zayd Ali from Valley: Joining founder communities to get startups off the groundFollow Tyler's journey:📝 Newsletter → bigdeskenergy.com🐦 X → x.com/denk_tweets💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/tyler-denk🚀 Startup → beehiiv.comFollow Andrew's journey:🐦 X → x.com/andruyeung💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/andyeung🚀 Startup → meetfibe.comFollow Steven's journey:🐦 X → x.com/Mr312💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/stevengalanis🚀 Startup → cameo.comFollow Dara's journey:🐦 X → x.com/daraladje💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/dara-ladjevardian🚀 Startup → delphi.aiFollow Sam's journey:🐦 X → x.com/samcorcos💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/samcorcos🚀 Startup → levels.comFollow Zayd's journey:🐦 X → x.com/zaydsyedali💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/zayd-syed-ali-4201101a9🚀 Startup → joinvalley.coFollow us:🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@foundingjourney📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houck

This is how Adam raised $137 million for his startup, Pitch, but then turned it into a cashflowing business instead.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Adam's journey:🐦 X → x.com/adamrenklint💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/adam-renklint🚀 Startup → pitch.comFollow us:🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@foundingjourney📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckCompany Founding & Leadership Insights(00:45) — Starting Pitch with 8 Co-founders(16:06) — The Pitch founding story(04:26) — Product-led CEO: pros and cons(07:19) — Transitioning from CTO to CEO(31:39) — Keeping the team motivated during chaos(38:23) — Balancing mourning after layoffs with future focusCompany & Product Strategy(10:25) — Product usability as a differentiator(13:21) — Shipping quickly within a framework(20:21) — Changing the aspirations of Pitch(26:08) — Discussing aspirational change with investors(28:16) — Identifying early investorsPitching Best Practices(42:07) — Common pitch deck mistakes(46:36) — The pitch for well-designed decksRapid Fire(48:57) — Recommended investors?(49:30) — One change you’d make in startups?(49:56) — Advice for first-time founders?

This is how James raised $24 million and reached 20 million users for his startup, Command AI, with contrarian ideas.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow James's journey:🐦 X → x.com/dazzeloid💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/james-evans-7086b3126🚀 Startup → command.aiFollow us:🎥 YouTube → youtube.com/@foundingjourney📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckFounder Journey(01:00) — James’s founder origin story(04:04) — Command AI origin story(25:15) — Gaining conviction to build Command AIFounder Mindset(06:39) — Recognizing pivot opportunities(08:23) — The overrated nature of creating new categories(11:06) — The myth of necessitating truly new creationsGrowth Strategies(15:17) — Engaging in activities that probably don’t scale(22:37) — Can anyone become a founder?(41:53) — Prioritization strategies for foundersNetworking & Resources(29:18) — Effectively using the YC experience(33:07) — Using Loom as a fundraising cheat code(35:53) — Well-designed decks vs. substance(39:10) — James’ angel investing learnings(44:03) — Securing big logos earlyRapid Fire(47:25) — Recommended investors?(48:33) — Advice for first-time founders?(49:08) — Favorite SaaS tools?(50:03) — One change you’d make in startups?

This is how Zayd Ali sold his first company in high school and immediately started a new one in AI, called Valley, that has raised over $3 million already.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Zayd's journey:🐦 X → x.com/zaydsyedali💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/zayd-syed-ali-4201101a9🚀 Startup → joinvalley.coFollow us:🎥 YouTube → youtube.com/@foundingjourney📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckFounder's Journey(01:19) — Selling a company in high school(07:03) — The feeling after selling a company(09:09) — Community accelerator programs(21:30) — Bootstrapped vs. venture-backed startups(34:58) — Selling before building(52:34) — Risk of startup life in your 20sThe Art of Pivoting(14:51) — Executing a pivot(17:39) — Advice for reluctant founders(18:54) — Founder market fit & "why now"Investor Dynamics(23:11) — High-profile investors’ impact(24:52) — High energy in investor meetings(28:23) — Creating urgency for investors(38:03) — Investor response to customer LOIs(38:47) — Pre-read deck strategy(41:45) — Analyst to partner transition(44:01) — Anticipating investor pushbacks(45:10) — Avoiding introductions from investors who passed(47:30) — Challenges for AI startups(50:44) — Raising in a hot marketRapid Fire(54:56) — Who's an investor you'd recommend?(55:47) — One thing you'd change about startups?(56:44) — Advice for first-time founders?(57:38) — Something you believe that most disagree with?

This is how Dara sold his first startup to build an AI that can clone anyone online, and raised funding from Keith Rabois for it.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Dara's journey:🐦 X → x.com/daraladje💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/dara-ladjevardian🚀 Startup → delphi.aiFollow us:🎥 YouTube → youtube.com/@foundingjourney📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckFounder Journey(00:56) — Dara's grandfather(03:45) — Dara's first encounter with LLMs(06:04) — Launching Friday: Dara's first company(08:10) — The Friday acquisition journey(08:54) — Working at OpenStore post-acquisition(48:03) — Lessons from building FridayCo-founder Dynamics(09:38) — Choosing the right co-founder(12:01) — Transitioning from solo to co-founder(13:58) — Co-founders: bootstrapped vs. VC-backed companiesMarketing & Positioning(14:49) — Positioning Delphi(21:01) — Delphi's product roadmap(23:38) — PLG growth strategy(26:30) — Testing paid marketing channels(27:30) — Differentiating in the age of AI(33:35) — Dara's vision for building Delphi(37:27) — Attracting talent to your companyMentorship & Investment(18:38) — Pitching Delphi to Founders Fund(38:16) — The importance of mentorship(40:21) — Lessons from Keith Rabois(41:51) — Effects of high-profile investors(42:57) — Why Keith Rabois invested in Dara(43:55) — Securing well-respected angels(44:44) — Dara’s fundraising tips(47:00) — Recognizing the need for VC backingAdditional Insights(29:18) — Future role of creators(31:02) — Future role of founders(35:26) — Passion as a priority in startups(49:35) — Niche focus vs. broad targetingRapid Fire(51:54) — Who's an investor you'd recommend?(52:32) — One thing you'd change about startups?(53:14) — Advice for first-time founders?(53:53) — Something you believe that most disagree with?

This is how Andrew left his dream job at Google to become the Gatsby of NYC's startup scene, all while securing a permanent visa.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Andrew's journey:🐦 X → x.com/andruyeung💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/andyeung🚀 Startup → https://meetfibe.comFollow us:🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@foundingjourney?sub_confirmation=1📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckTransitioning to Startups(01:03) — Transition from big tech to startups(09:05) — Finding time for the non-founder parts of life(10:45) — Leveraging the founder community(12:35) — Getting connected to a Lyft Co-founder(21:09) — Giving up alcoholImmigrant Founders(17:11) — Extraordinary Alien Visa(19:27) — Why immigrants are frequent foundersGrowth & Press(23:48) — Accidentally creating a business opportunity(25:24) — Building trust (26:50) — Andrew’s growth flywheel(34:42) — Advantages of getting press(36:41) — Avoiding traditional media’s downsides(40:14) — Traditional media vs. social mediaEvents & Engagement(45:34) — Weighing if founders should host events(47:25) — Making an event attractive to sponsors(49:38) — When founders should sponsor events(50:47) — When founders should attend eventsAndrew’s Businesses(53:19) — Engineering serendipitous connections(54:55) — Weighing fundraising for Fibe(55:52) — Investing in startups(59:16) — Unexpected learnings from founder lifeRapid Fire(1:01:26) — Who's an investor you'd recommend?(1:02:18) — One thing you'd change about startups?(1:04:15) — Advice for first-time founders?(1:04:41) — Something you believe that most disagree with?

This is how Sam raised $67M for his startup, Levels, and helped turn one of his co-founders into a successful influencer with nearly a million followers.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Sam's journey:🐦 X → x.com/samcorcos💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/samcorcos🚀 Startup → levels.comFollow us:🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@foundingjourney?sub_confirmation=1📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckSam's Startup Journey01:24 — How Sam almost didn't become an entrepreneur05:46 — Sam's companies before Levels09:45 — Early entrepreneurial lessons learnedCustomer Insights17:19 — Importance of understanding customers21:12 — Customers are directionally correct22:48 — Engaging with customersPR & Community11:59 — Power of PR for startups27:20 — Building community at Levels29:16 — Community as a growth strategyContent & SEO30:37 — Levels' SEO strategy33:25 — Focusing content efforts35:18 — Content as a hiring tool41:24 — Measuring influencer ROI58:14 — Creator partnerships insights59:13 — Increasing content breakthroughs1:02:38 — Pursuing a viral content strategy1:04:25 — Value of follower countMarket Positioning & Growth53:42 — Carving a niche in a crowded market56:11 — Sustaining growth over time1:06:04 — Selling before launching1:08:25 — Finding product-market fitNetworking & Efficiency 1:11:13 — Building a broader network1:14:28 — Network theory for investors1:16:20 — Creating systems & delegation1:01:15 — Time management in growthRapid Fire1:18:15 — Who's an investor you'd recommend?1:18:48 — One thing you'd change about startups?1:20:17 — Advice for first-time founders?1:20:28 — Something you believe that most disagree with?

This is how Steven scaled his startup, Cameo, to become a $1 billion unicorn and how the company has changed since.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Steven's journey:🐦 X → x.com/Mr312💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/stevengalanis🚀 Startup → cameo.comFollow us:🔔 Subscribe → youtube.com/@foundingjourney?sub_confirmation=1📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckThe Journey to Cameo(01:33) —  Steven's 1st business: Spartan Entertainment(04:26) — Steven's pre-Cameo work experience(06:33) — Starting Cameo with Co-founder Martin Blencowe(11:14) — Cameo's founding storyFounder Mode(18:43) — Steven’s early insight on “cameos”(23:48) — Overcoming the cold start problem(25:46) — Cameo's growth tactics(27:28) — Cameo's eureka momentChallenges & Opportunities(31:39) — Changing Cameo's idea of success(36:30) — Navigating headcount reductions(38:57) — Joining the 1871 incubator(40:57) — Building alongside other foundersInvestor Relations & Communication(42:26) — How to interact with investors(44:02) — Co-founder communication(46:39) — Attracting investors without fundraising(49:00) — Fundraising without a pitch deck(50:33) — Benefits of creating an unused pitch deck(53:32) — Cameo's Series A experienceRapid Fire(1:01:01) — Who's an investor you'd recommend to other founders?(1:01:50) — What's one thing you'd change about the startup world?(1:02:20) — What's the one piece of advice first-time founders need to know?(1:03:58) — What's something you believe that most people disagree with you about?

This is how Tyler raised $50 million for his startup, beehiiv, to power the newsletter revolution.📚 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) → deck-database.carrd.coFollow Tyler's journey:📝 Newsletter → bigdeskenergy.com🐦 X → x.com/denk_tweets💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/tyler-denk🚀 Startup → beehiiv.comFollow us:🎥 YouTube → youtube.com/@foundingjourney📝 Newsletter → join.foundingjourney.com📈 Founder Membership → upgrade.foundingjourney.com💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-houckLaunching & Competing(02:17) — Launching in a competitive market(04:36) — Tyler’s billion-dollar insight(08:12) — Pitching investors on beehiiv(09:54) — Creating a scalable roadmapFundraising(12:22) — Early investor pushback(14:41) — Tyler's venture funding decision(20:38) — Funding plans after $33M Series B(40:19) — Gaining leverage for fundraisingCompany Culture(21:58) — Advantages of high shipping velocity(24:45) — beehiiv's unique meeting culture(31:24) — Why beehiiv is remote-firstFounder Mode(28:48) — Finding focus and piece of mind(33:49) — Building in public for easier fundraising(38:30) — Addressing building in public concernsRapid Fire Questions(44:49) — Who's an investor you'd recommend to other founders?(46:04) — Favorite startup book that founders should read(46:38) — What's the one piece of advice I need to know as a first-time founder?(47:58) — What's something you believe that most people disagree with you about?

Welcome to the Founding Journey podcast!Each Thursday, Michael Houck will interview world-class startup founders about their unique paths to uncover tactical insights they've learned about how to fundraise, grow, validate, hire, scale, lead teams while building your startup.Get full access to detailed takeaways on each episode, additional case studies, and more at join.foundingjourney.com.