The CEO Podcast

Ryan shares updates on his startup journey in Australia, highlights from Spark Week, and insights into the Australian AI ecosystem, including funding, regulations, and local initiatives.

In this episode, Ryan Conlan explores the power of marginal gains and how small, consistent improvements can lead to significant success in startups, fitness, and life. He shares insights from James Clear's book Atomic Habits and real-world examples like British Cycling's transformation.Quick correction: In the top 3-4% of podcast, on Podseo not 2-3%.

In this episode, Ryan Conlan discusses the evolving landscape of AI in business and startups, highlighting the transition from traditional software to AI agents that perform tasks autonomously. He explores community engagement opportunities, the current funding environment for startups, and the economic implications of AI investments. The conversation emphasizes the need for startups to adapt to changing investor expectations and the importance of demonstrating ROI from AI initiatives.

This episode explores the role of the COO in startups and established companies, highlighting differences between founders, COOs, and solo entrepreneurs like Michael Dell and Elon Musk. Learn how these roles drive company growth and operational success.

The most underrated early startup hire is the person who can do everything the founder cannot. A founder associate is not an assistant, not a mini-executive, and not just another generalist - it's the role that can multiply a founder's output when a startup is still pre-seed and every hour matters.⁠Ryan Conlan⁠ breaks down what a founder associate actually does, why the role is gaining traction in startup circles, and how it compares to a chief of staff. If you're building a company, looking for your first high-leverage hire, or wondering what kind of role could fast-track you into startups, this episode gives you the clearest definition yet.You'll discover:The exact responsibilities a founder associate can own across strategy, fundraising, hiring, sales, research, partnerships, and special projectsWhy early-stage startups hire a founder associate instead of multiple function-specific leadsThe difference between a founder associate and a chief of staff, including the experience level and scope of eachHow founder associate programs can become a launchpad into founding, VC, or more strategic startup rolesWhy the best people in this role become trusted strategic partners, not just extra handsRyan also shares a simple way to think about the role: the founder sets the direction, and the founder associate makes it happen. That distinction matters, especially when a startup is moving fast and no one has the luxury of waiting for perfect structure.For founders, this episode is a practical hiring lens. For ambitious operators, it's a roadmap to one of the most powerful apprenticeship roles in the startup world. And for anyone building in the early stages, it's a reminder that the right generalist can change the trajectory of the whole company.Essential listening if you want to understand the role that sits closest to the founder and turns vision into execution.