Scaling Solo Ventures with Smart Automation and AI Co-Pilots with Henrik Werdelin and Nicholas Thorne of Audos
Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures
Intro
This chapter explores the psychological benefits of smiling and its impact on energy levels, even in tough times. It also introduces co-founders of a new AI platform aimed at helping solo entrepreneurs scale their businesses and add personality to their products.
In this episode of Tank Talks, we explore the future of solo entrepreneurship powered by AI with the co-founders of Audos, Henrik Werdelin and Nicholas Thorne. Audos is pioneering a platform that helps founders start and scale one-person businesses by providing AI co-founders that guide entrepreneurs through the entire startup journey from idea validation to product development, marketing, and growth.
Henrik and Nicholas share how their experience building companies like BarkBox and their startup studio Prehype, inspired the vision for Audos. They break down why the next wave of innovation may come not from massive teams, but from solo founders armed with agents and AI workflows.
* Can AI unlock a million one-person, million-dollar businesses?
* What’s a “Donkeycorn” and why is it the new unicorn?
* How do founders build “taste at scale” in an age of auto-generated everything?
From BarkBox to Audos: Henrik’s Journey (00:02:31)
* Building a startup collective with Prehype
* Why being surrounded by misfits at MTV shaped his entrepreneurial lens
* What “between time” means for founders
Wall Street to Startup Studio: Nicholas’ Story (00:06:00)
* Starting on Wall Street during the 2008 crash
* Creating a Costco arbitrage business in college
* Meeting Henrik and becoming an “Entrepreneur in Residence”
How Audos Was Born (00:10:41)
* The problem with “idea-first” thinking
* The Prehype methodology that powers the platform
* Helping founders build relationship capital, not just apps
What is Audos? An AI Co-Founder for the Masses (00:12:26)
* The mission: a million one-person, $1M/year businesses
* How agents guide users from idea to scale
* From onboarding to revenue generation
Taste at Scale: The Founder’s Secret Sauce (00:26:54)
* Why knowing what not to do is as important as what to do
* Defining taste in a world of AI-generated content
* The power of deselecting bad-fit customers
The First 30 Seconds with Audos (00:32:01)
* How users are onboarded via Instagram and a conversational UI
* The role of AI agents across product, marketing, and founder coaching
* Where human support still plays a vital role
Capital as a Tool for Activation (00:36:26)
* Why giving early-stage founders “nudges” is more effective than full VC rounds
* Real stories of customers launching fast with small validation experiments
* Why momentum is oxygen for new businesses
Replacing Accelerators? The Role of Community (00:48:54)
* How Audos supports founders who wouldn’t otherwise build
* The loneliness of solo entrepreneurship in the AI era
* Why Audos is an “artist collective” for business builders
What’s Next: The Future of AI-Driven Founders (00:50:58)
* Inbox Zero as the new founder's workflow
* The rise of agent-based businesses with no UI or website
* Why the next big companies will be solo-agent-led
As solo entrepreneurship becomes more accessible, platforms like Audos are showing what’s possible when AI becomes a true partner in the journey. With a mission to launch a million one-person, million-dollar businesses, Henrik and Nicholas are betting big on everyday founders and proving that you don’t need a team to build something meaningful.
Audos is more than a platform; it’s a movement redefining how businesses are started, scaled, and supported. Whether you're stuck on an idea, unsure of where to begin, or simply looking for a smarter way to work, Audos might just be the co-founder you didn’t know you needed.
About Henrik Werdelin
Henrik is the co-founder of BarkBox and founding partner at Prehype, a venture studio that has launched companies like Roman and Managed by Q. With Audos, he’s focused on enabling anyone to become an entrepreneur, regardless of background or technical skill. He’s also the co-host of the podcast Beyond the Prompt and a vocal advocate for “everyday founders.”
About Nicholas Thorne
Nicholas started his career on Wall Street before teaming up with Henrik to co-build companies at Prehype. As co-founder of Audos, he’s applying more than a decade of startup experience to help others launch scalable solo ventures with AI. He brings deep operational and strategic insight to the solo founder revolution.
Connect with Henrik Werdelin on LinkedIn
Connect with Nicholas Thorne on LinkedIn
Listen to Beyond the Prompt
Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1
Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com
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