"I checked the cash balance and the number came out negative. I had to call my wife and say we might need to liquidate our entire 401k to make payroll."
In today's episode of Bricks and Bytes, we had Thiago Da Costa from DataGrid and Clifton Harness from TestFit and we got to learn about the raw truth of building construction tech startups - from pivoting at $1M ARR to nearly missing payroll.
These founders didn't hold back. They shared the moments that almost broke them and the decisions that saved their companies.
Tune in to find out about:
✅ Why Thiago pivoted his entire company after raising a Series A (and how he told his board)
✅ The morning Clifton woke up and realized he couldn't make payroll
✅ Why most construction tech companies plateau at $3-5M ARR and never break through
✅ How to know when you've actually found product-market fit versus when you're chasing a ghost
Watch now to hear the full conversation about what it really takes to build in construction tech.
Our Sponsor
Aphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.co
Archdesk - “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.com
BuildVision - streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.io
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Startup Journeys
05:47 Navigating the Pre-Seed Stage
12:47 The Importance of Pre-Sales and Pivoting
17:39 Understanding Product Market Fit
23:22 Defining Product Market Fit in Construction Tech
31:14 Facing Startup Challenges and Scary Moments
33:25 Navigating Financial Challenges
37:07 The Importance of Family in Business
39:00 Facing Fear of Failure and Pivots
40:32 Balancing Hype and Substance in Business
48:47 Endurance in Entrepreneurship
54:53 Optimizing for People in Startups
