Fyxer.ai is an AI-powered assistant that helps users reclaim hours of their day by managing their inboxes, writing replies, and taking meeting notes. But Fyxer didn’t start with AI. It started with a decade-long executive assistant agency that gave them a treasure trove of data and insight that became the foundation for integrating AI.

Fyxer CEO and Co-Founder Rich Hollingsworth joins Madrona Managing Director Karan Mehandru on this episode of Founded & Funded to share how Fyxer went from $1M to $10M ARR in six months with just 30 employees.

In this episode, Rich shares:
Why great startups start with real-world pain
How there is still room for disruption with email
Why quality data matters more than quantity
The PLG-to-enterprise playbook that actually works
The rowing team mindset that drives their decision-making

Whether you're a founder, operator, or investor, this is a masterclass in AI execution, startup focus, and scaling fast without breaking.

Full Transcript: www.madrona.com/fyxer-ai-productivity-tools-for-email-and-meetings

Chapters
(00:00 ) Intro 
(01:00 ) From EA Agency to AI Assistant
(03:00 ) Lessons from Building Workflow-Driven AI
(04:00 ) Growth: $1M to $10M ARR in 6 Months
(05:00 ) Planning for Success vs. Failure
(06:00 ) Frameworks for Prioritization
(07:00 ) PLG + Enterprise Motion
(09:00 ) What's Broken in AI Productivity
(10:00 ) The Quality of Data Edge
(12:00 ) Hiring: Execs Who Do the Grunt Work
(14:00 ) Building with Family: Founding with His Brother
(16:00 ) The Co-Founder Pitch That Landed Matt
(18:00 ) What Startups Get Right vs. Big Tech
(19:00 ) Founder Self-Work: Execution vs. Promotion
(20:00 ) The Kindest Thing