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Founders In Motion follows Thea Ngo, a Wharton grad and aspiring founder, as she learns how to actually get a company off the ground. Through unfiltered conversations with builders across Asia, she digs into the fear, failures, and tiny wins that define the 0→0.5 journey. No hype. No polished narratives. Just the real stuff founders never say publicly. New Episodes every other Thursday
21 Episodes
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Andy Miller didn’t just start a beer company, he helped spark a cultural shift. In this episode, he shares how Heaps Normal grew from a lockdown experiment into a $50M non-alcoholic beer brand loved across Australia. We unpack building a product for the “sober curious,” turning pandemic challenges into momentum, landing the first 200 customers, designing a category-defining brand, scaling a premium CPG business, and becoming a B Corp from day one.Perfect for founders, brand builders, CPG operators, marketers, and anyone curious about the mindful drinking movement.
Most AI dev tools can write code but they fall apart in production.In this episode, the founders of VibeFlow (YC S24) explain why they bet their entire company on fixing that exact problem. We break down the real bottleneck in AI development (maintainability), how they built a platform that’s ready for real-world use, and how they gained 6,000 users in their first three weeks.Perfect for engineers, product builders, technical founders, or anyone trying to ship faster in the AI era.
StrongRoom AI was once hailed as a healthtech rising star then came the collapse. Joe Zhou stepped in to buy the company out of administration and rebuild from chaos. We dive into the lawsuits, leadership shifts, and the hard lessons behind bringing a broken startup back to life.A must-listen for healthtech founders, investors, and anyone curious about startup resilience.
What if AI could take over the most painful parts of fraud detection?In this episode, Satya Tumati, co-founder and CTO of Socratix AI, shares how he went from tuning cars with code to building AI coworkers that automate fraud analysis for banks and fintechs.We unpack the early MVP that landed his first customers, how they got into Y Combinator with nothing, and why confidence isn’t required to start up.Perfect for: founders, engineers, and anyone curious about how AI is quietly transforming the financial crime industry.
Hamish McKay built a Shopify app for MrBeast and turned it into one of Shopify’s fastest-growing startups. In this episode, he shares the scrappy early days, his 3 pillars to hit $1M ARR FAST, and building in public on LinkedIn.Perfect for founders, personal brand builders and just anyone obsessed with e-commerce growth and startup building.
Jason Ma turned down offers from Google and Meta to build Dyna Robotics, a $600M startup making AI robots that actually work. We cover the 800-napkin breakthrough, taking robots from lab demos to laundromats, and what it means to power the physical economy. Perfect for founders, operators, and anyone curious about applied AI beyond the hypeIf you want a live demo, check out the full episode on youtube
Making friends as an adult is tough and Sam built Butter to change that. With over 10,000 young adults already using, Butter makes it easy to find new friends through dinners, coffees, runs, and real-world social plans. In this episode, Sam shares her founder story: why existing friend-making apps don’t work, how she shipped fast to build community, and Butter’s bold vision to solve modern loneliness. Perfect for founders, product builders, and anyone curious about adult friendships.
Ever wonder how a late-night party idea can become a startup that sells out in 48 hours? That’s exactly what happened with Sip Hrd, the Asian-inspired alcohol brand whose lychee vodka seltzer vanished after its first 150 cases.In this episode, Phung, Daniel and Hanson share how they built from scratch: recipe testing, dodging alcohol regulations, branding and packaging hurdles, and creative go-to-market strategies.Perfect for founders building physical products, marketers tackling regulated industries, or anyone curious about turning a wild idea into a fast-selling startup.
They got into Y Combinator with an idea that the partners disliked?In this episode, the Affil founders share what really happens inside YC, the surprising power of doing things that don’t scale, and how they’re solving compliance pain points in financial affiliate marketing with AI.Perfect for early-stage founders, builders in regulated industries, and anyone wondering if their startup idea sucks
We accidentally started a podcast and now we can’t stop. In this behind-the-scenes episode, we reflect on how a random shower thought turned into a real startup media brand. From perfectionism to metrics obsession, quitting fantasies to growing ambitions, we unpack the chaos of building something from scratch while trying to stay sane. If you're curious how media gets made, this one's for you.
He brought cutting-edge AI from Stanford to Vietnam — and flopped. But after just 3 months of rebuilding, he's now leading one of Vietnam’s most exciting edtechs, with 40,000 users and entering 23,000 schools. In this episode, we dive into how he redesigned the product around students' real stressors and learned to ship unpolished versions without shame. We also chat founder psychology, what it takes to bounce back, and why education innovation must center local context.🎯 Perfect for early-stage founders, edtech builders, and anyone recovering from a messy launch.
Floriye Elmazi, co-founder of Sisterwould, didn’t mean to start a haircare brand - she just wanted to help her dad’s skin. Fast forward: she’s stocked in Revolve and Chemist Warehouse, with celeb fans like Lindsay Lohan and Dua Lipa. In this episode, Flo shares how she bootstrapped a business as a single mom, landed retail deals, and built a community-first brand centered on inclusion and purpose - before launchTopics: Celebrity marketing, inclusive product design, bootstrapped beauty brands, CPG manufacturing, community-led growth, accessible packaging, and retail expansionPerfect for: Beauty founders, DTC builders, brand marketers, and anyone starting with nothing but conviction
Brian Pham, founder of LiteCard, is betting big on your Apple Wallet. In this episode, he shares how he turned a niche idea into a global platform by ditching loyalty apps and using what’s already in your pocket. We dive into his agency-first GTM strategy, global expansion lessons, and how AI is transforming how brands engage customers.Topics: Digital marketing transformation, mobile wallet strategy, global scaling, agency partnerships, and rapid-fire founder insights.Perfect for entrepreneurs, marketers, and retail executives.
Robert Huynh built Nook, a blue-collar job marketplace in Vietnam, through Y Combinator. He hit 50,000 users, raised at a $20M valuation, then watched it all crumble. This is his brutally honest post-mortem.In this raw conversation, Robert reveals:The growth hack that got 50K users FASTWhy a $20M valuation couldn't fix broken unit economicsThe cultural blindspots that killed the businessHow to tell your team you're shutting downHis mental health struggles during the crisisWhy co-founder selection makes or breaks everythingHis comeback story with Reforged LabsThis isn't another success story. It's the unfiltered truth about startup failure, the hidden costs of building in unfamiliar markets, and what it really takes to bounce back.Perfect for entrepreneurs, startup employees, or anyone curious about what happens when the Silicon Valley dream meets harsh reality.Guest: Robert Huynh - Harvard MBA, 2x Y Combinator alum, Co-Founder of Nook (acquired users but failed) and Reforged Labs (AI marketing agents)
Ben Wood, co-founder of Waste in Progress, joins us to talk about how a random old tent sparked a design business built on upcycling, sustainability, and community partnerships. In this episode, we explore how creative founders can scale impact, balance craft with cash flow, and turn circular design into a viable business model—without burning out. Whether you're building a mission-led brand or bootstrapping a product business, this one’s for you⏱️ Chapters:00:00 - Introduction to WipWrk and Textile Upcycling01:25 - Backstory: How WipWrk Was Born02:51 - First Product: Chalk Bags for Rock Climbers04:33 - Partnership with Off Track and the Second Life Project06:36 - From Prototype to Commercial Business09:04 - Two Pillars of the Business: Consumer & Commercial10:41 - Biggest Challenge: Maintaining Mental Balance12:29 - Creative vs Business: Working with a Partner14:44 - Why Technical Textiles Are Hard to Recycle16:55 - Advice for Creative Entrepreneurs18:49 - Balancing Creative Vision with Business Needs20:44 - Quick Fire Questions23:34 - Preventing Burnout as a Founder24:34 - Ben's Question for the Next Founder25:32 - Closing Thoughts💡 If you enjoyed this episode, follow Founders in Motion and leave us a rating — it really helps us reach more future founders like you.
How do you build a fintech startup in Vietnam—where regulation is murky and trust in new financial products is low? In this episode of Founders in Motion, we sit down with Nhi Nguyen, CEO of MaiMoney, to talk about her journey from personal frustration to building a platform that now manages over $2M in investments and serves thousands of everyday users.If you're into emerging markets, fintech innovation, or female founder stories, this one’s for you.⏱️ Chapters:00:00 – Intro & Why Banks Aren’t Enough01:00 – How Vietnamese People Invest Today02:00 – Vietnam vs. Australia: Key Market Differences05:00 – The Real Gap in Vietnam’s Financial System06:00 – Financial Literacy & Retail Investing09:00 – MaiMoney’s Flagship Products: MaiCash & MaiGreen12:00 – Why Financial Literacy Matters14:00 – Nhi’s Personal Story & Founding Inspiration19:00 – How Nhi Secured Major Fund Partnerships21:00 – Challenges Building a Fintech Startup in Vietnam23:00 – What’s Next for MaiMoney in 202526:00 – Outro & Final Reflections💡 If you enjoyed this episode, follow Founders in Motion and leave us a rating — it really helps us reach more future founders like you.
Quit your job to start food brand? Build in public? Grow 10k followers in months? That’s exactly what Kiki and Elan did. These Stanford besties left private equity and big tech to launch Beny Yogurt. From co-founder dynamics to pop-up strategies and shelf-life nightmares, this convo is startup gold (and a whole lot of fun).💡 If you enjoyed this episode, follow Founders in Motion and leave us a rating — it really helps us reach more future founders like you.
In this episode, Nate Spiteri, co-founder of Shopfront, shares his experience raising $800K for an AI-powered secondhand fashion tool — including what it’s like to pitch 1,000 investors and close a round over Christmas (while getting engaged). We talk founder resilience, the power of accelerators like Antler, and the future of sustainable resale. If you're fundraising or building in ecomm, this one’s for you.💡 If you enjoyed this episode, follow Founders in Motion and leave us a rating — it really helps us reach more future founders like you.
In this episode of Founders In Motion, we dive into the world of crypto with Nam Vuong, the founder of Spine Finance. We break down:✅ Building the best performing use store with over $70 Million in total value locked✅ The challenges of bringing crypto to the masses✅ Building narratives in crypto (e.g., Real World Assets)✅ How Spine Finance is bringing fixed rates to the volatile crypto lending marketIf you're into crypto, DeFi, or Web3 innovation, this episode is a must-watch! 🚀💡 If you enjoyed this episode, follow Founders in Motion and leave us a rating — it really helps us reach more future founders like you.
In this episode of Founders in Motion, we dive into the startup journey of Selina Li, founder of Gymii.ai, an AI-powered nutrition tracking platform revolutionizing the way we log food. As a former pro golfer turned AI founder, Selina shares how she built her MVP in just 2 months, the power of open-source LLMs in software development, and the real struggles of bootstrapping a tech startup.Whether you’re an early-stage founder, an aspiring entrepreneur, or an avid listener of startup journeys, this episode is packed with insights on AI, building in in the consumer space, and finding the right co-founder.⏱️ Chapters:00:00 Intro 00:31 Overview of gymii.ai 02:40 Motivation behind gymii.ai 04:48 Making nutrition logging social 08:52 The impact of AI in health & wellness 12:24 Transition from non-tech to coder 16:36 Startup funding journey 22:55 Solo entrepreneurship vs co-founding 26:46 Tips for finding the right co-founder 30:55 Launching gymii 32:57 Marketing strategies for startups 34:49 Outro💡 If you enjoyed this episode, follow Founders in Motion and leave us a rating — it really helps us reach more future founders like you.
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