Intro

Today’s show: Jason and Alex dive into the startup world’s latest chaos — from Nasdaq’s slide and Trump’s tariffs to Klarna’s IPO pause and Rippling’s $16B target. They break down what founders really need to know: tightening CIO budgets, longer sales cycles, but easier hiring. Plus, TikTok’s ban gets another delay (with Bezos possibly lurking?). In Office Hours, they chat with two sharp founders: Luke Belbina from PodEngine, who's building AI for podcasters and doubling revenue, and David Moscatelli from Abacus, who’s bringing secure, on-prem AI to banks and just hit $1M ARR. Don’t miss it! 👇

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Jason kicks off the show!

[3:37] Cloud stocks dip: What it means for startups

[5:31] Trump's tariffs: A new startup recession?

[7:01] Retail’s reaction to tariff pressure

[10:16] LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

[12:35] Supply chains & startup struggles

[14:53] What’s still getting funded in VC

[17:21] Layoffs looming? What founders should prep for

[19:10] AI, macro takes & market signals

[21:32] Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

[23:21] European tech cooling off?

[24:36] Hiring freezes vs. easier recruiting

[27:39] Startup strategies in tough markets

[29:34] Vapi - Go to https://vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.

[31:38] How to communicate tough changes

[33:33] TikTok ban delayed… again

[39:38] Trump’s China playbook: Startup impact

[42:12] Office Hours: Luke from PodEngine

[47:31] Automating with AI & driving sales

[55:53] Pricing, lead gen & scaling tips

[1:06:30] Office Hours: David from Abacus

[1:08:32] On-prem AI for banks + hitting $1M ARR

[1:14:42] Team building & founder strategy

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Links from the show:

Check out PodEngine: https://www.podengine.ai/

Check out Abacus: https://www.goabacus.co/

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Follow Luke:

X: https://x.com/lukebelbina

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukebelbina/

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Follow David:

X: https://x.com/DaveMoscatelli

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Follow Alex:

X: https://x.com/alex

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm

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Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/Jason

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

Thank you to our partners:

[10:16] LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

[21:32] Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist

[29:34] Vapi - Go to https://vapi.ai/twist and get 1000 minutes free per month - for life.

Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916