Lost in Tech

Why do AI companies attract billions while other founders must defend every number?Mamuna Oladipo and Lola Pearson compare their fundraising experiences with the AI funding boom. They discuss high valuations, investor exits, bootstrapping, funding stages, and the cost of compute.What would you ask an investor before taking their money? Share your answer in the comments.Subscribe to Lost in Tech for honest conversations about tech careers, leadership, and building a business.Chapters00:00 Why funding feels like different rules02:03 The AI revenue and spending headlines06:07 When a high valuation becomes a trap07:41 What investors want from an exit10:15 The expectations on early founders10:58 Bootstrapping and the cost of outside money11:35 Seed funding and Series A13:59 How compute changes the funding equation14:53 Who funds venture capital firms?17:14 The Partiful example20:05 Different investors, different calculations22:37 Join the conversationSource notesThe OpenAI figures discussed are reported annualized revenue estimates, not revenue already earned. The FT reported a run rate approaching $50B versus an earlier reported figure of about $70B:https://www.ft.com/content/b66a9858-f8fb-46cb-b506-44bfe26fca2aReuters reported Anthropic's infrastructure commitments. The roughly $252B discussed combines reported Google, Amazon, and Microsoft obligations:https://www.reuters.com/business/anthropics-518-billion-ai-buildout-hinges-largely-deals-that-cannot-be-canceled-2026-09-29/The quoted Partiful post was a joke from 2023. Partiful now supports paid ticketing; the discussion should not be read as its current revenue plan:https://www.wired.com/story/partiful-is-putting-ticket-payments-on-its-platform/https://help.partiful.com/en-us/articles/15525293-can-i-sell-tickets-on-partifulLost in Tech with Mamuna Oladipo and Lola Pearson.Episode 96.Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/73ZrqFocQsIqNCz32YC1yBListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lost-in-tech/id1738267185#StartupFunding #VentureCapital #LostInTech

Doing good work matters. But who knows what you can do?Lola and Mamuna discuss why waiting to be noticed can hold you back. They unpack self-advocacy at work, selling your ideas, and explaining why you are the right person for an opportunity.They also share how to handle rejection and the story of an engineer who discovered he could sell by having conversations.Subscribe to Lost in Tech for honest conversations about tech careers, leadership, and building a business.Chapters00:00 Lost in Tech01:20 Why sales feels like a dirty word02:28 You are already selling yourself03:37 Why good work does not speak for itself05:31 You still have to sell the sandwich06:39 Connect with the outcome you want08:14 A no is not a verdict on you08:49 When no means not now10:27 How your network opens doors11:10 The engineer who thought he could not sell13:23 Open the conversation, then pass it on14:03 Like, share, and subscribeLost in Tech with Mamuna Oladipo and Lola Pearson.Episode 95.Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/73ZrqFocQsIqNCz32YC1yBListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lost-in-tech/id1738267185#TechCareers #CareerGrowth #LostInTech

What opportunity are you missing because you haven't asked?Lola and Mamuna discuss why asking for help, money, a job, or a raise can feel so uncomfortable. They share personal stories about family expectations, self-sufficiency, coaching, and making the next move as a founder.Then they turn the question around: what if it goes right?Subscribe to Lost in Tech for honest conversations about tech careers, leadership, and building a business.Chapters00:00 Lost in Tech00:21 The school of life01:02 Leaving the comfort zone02:22 Asking for help and money05:14 Shame, vulnerability, and courage07:27 Family messages about asking09:27 Coaching and limiting thoughts13:26 The LinkedIn posting confession14:40 Walk to the ledge or get pushed15:21 How will you feel if you never do it?16:30 Imagine success17:40 Prepare for good news20:03 Ask for the job, raise, or opportunity21:27 What's being built22:17 What ask are you avoiding?Lost in Tech with Mamuna Oladipo and Lola Pearson.Episode 94.Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/73ZrqFocQsIqNCz32YC1yBListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lost-in-tech/id1738267185#TechCareers #CareerGrowth #LostInTech

Would you keep a brilliant engineer who makes the whole team worse?Lola and Mamuna discuss the choices that turn a founder's values into a real workplace. They cover fair pay, clear communication, team wellbeing, and the cost of keeping a talented but disengaged teammate.They also explore the difference between building a product and growing the people behind it.Subscribe to Lost in Tech for honest conversations about tech careers, leadership, and building a business.Chapters00:00 Lost in Tech00:26 A four-year refresh02:22 Walking the talk as a founder04:46 Fair pay and psychological safety07:22 Communication as care10:35 Building versus growing15:24 Small choices that build connection18:27 Retention, clients, and care20:41 The cost of penny-pinching on team wellbeing21:56 Hiring for aligned expectations23:10 Two kinds of difficult hires25:07 The brilliant teammate who drags down the team26:49 Why bad hires cost more than you think27:40 TakeawaysLost in Tech with Mamuna Oladipo and Lola Pearson.Episode 93.Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/73ZrqFocQsIqNCz32YC1yBListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lost-in-tech/id1738267185#TechCareers #Leadership #LostInTech

How do you judge what to trust when every platform tells a different story?Mamuna and Lola discuss Jacob Coxon's departure from Anthropic and the reactions they saw on X and Threads. They connect that debate with everyday decisions about AI answers, online sources, and professional credibility.Then they turn to LinkedIn. What do hiring managers check beyond your CV? Do shared connections mean someone actually knows you? Can a human-written note still get mistaken for AI?Subscribe to Lost in Tech for honest conversations about AI and tech careers.Chapters00:00 Intro00:58 Jacob Coxon's AI warning05:57 Checking AI answers06:57 Different reactions on X and Threads11:18 Silo and the stories we tell about risk (spoilers)16:04 Lanterns detour17:54 Why this founder uses X20:06 X for work and personal decisions21:55 Why LinkedIn still matters25:21 What a hiring manager checks26:32 Do LinkedIn connections know each other?27:17 Your public comments tell a story28:15 Building visibility on a crowded platform32:12 Human writing mistaken for AI33:19 Closing thoughtsContextThe opening discussion refers to Jacob Coxon's September 2026 resignation and his concerns about advanced AI. The hosts' forecasts and reactions are opinions.Coxon's original post:https://x.com/hilbertspaess/status/2097476196791709843His subsequent interview:https://www.wired.com/story/anthropic-researcher-quits-jacob-coxon-ai-fears-humanity/In that interview, Coxon distinguished Anthropic's current conduct from his concern about future competitive pressure. The conversation in this episode paraphrases his position.Spoiler warning: the Silo discussion begins around 11:18.More Lost in TechYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LostInTechPodcast/videosSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/73ZrqFocQsIqNCz32YC1yBApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lost-in-tech/id1738267185Mamuna Oladipo and Lola Pearson discuss the highs, the lows, and the WTFs of working in tech.Send your tech questions to [email protected] or @LostInTechPod.#LostInTech #TechPodcast #LinkedIn #TechCareers #ArtificialIntelligence