Chris Hladczuk - Tactical advice you need to know to build a fintech startup in stealth!
The Undefeated Underdogs
Intro
This chapter delves into the essential hard skills needed to thrive in the early stages of a startup. It also addresses the challenges faced by founders in role transitions and features insights on the business selling process and valuable resources for aspiring founders.
ππΌ About the Guest:
Chris (300K+ followers on Linkedin and Twitter) went to Yale and played in the Men's Lacrosse team, then to investment banking at Goldman Sachs, then joined the tech startup world, and is now the founder of his own startup. Now, he's bringing together his backgrounds in finance, tech, and startups to create Hanover, with $1 billion in assets under administration.
ππΌ About the Host:
Sharath is a founder, creator, and community builder. He is also a serial maker who built and shipped 15+ projects using no-code tools. His SaaS product Shoutout generated $30k ARR, which was sold to a UK-based product studio. Prev, Sharath worked for world-changing startups like Product Hunt and On Deck, where he helped build and nurture communities. He also grew his audience on Twitter from 200 to 24,000 using give-first principles and creating high-value content. He recently sold his second SaaS product, GuestLab, and he is working on a startup idea while hosting this show.
ππΌ Sponsor Corner:
Shoutout to Acquire.com for sponsoring The Undefeated Underdogs podcast! Theyβre the best online marketplace to buy/sell startups and I know many founders who have sold their businesses there. If you're looking to wind down your business and cash in some of your founder chips, check them out - https://try.acquire.com/sharath/
ππΌ Description:
Listen in as Sharath and Chris discuss content creation, why Chiefs of Staffs aren't great for early-stage startups, and more!
ππΌ Timestamps:
- 00:00: Episode Highlight
- 00:40: Shoutout to Acquire.com
- 03:08: Introduction to Chris Hladczuk - Yale alum, investment banker, content creator, founder
- 07:00: Chris' lessons learned as a content creator
- 10:37: The tactical stuff: going from idea -> first draft -> finished content
- 14:00: A starter guide to becoming a content creator
- 17:45: Benefits of writing content for 4+ years
- 19:30: What the early days of content creation are like
- 21:55: Chris' journey from Yale to Goldman Sachs to tech startups
- 24:17: How to start questioning the status quo
- 25:54: How Chris deals with lows, failures, and rejection
- 28:22: Why sports & startups are the same
- 31:35: Chris' experience at Goldman Sachs
- 33:15: Why Chris left Goldman Sachs
- 34:20: How Goldman Sachs actually helped Chris build a startup
- 37:25: Why Chris chooses not to be a full-time content creator
- 38:49: How to pick which startup to work at
- 40:30: Being an individual contributor vs a Chief of Staff
- 42:25: The best hard skills to learn
- 44:50: Chris' experience at Meow
- 47:52: How Chris developed the conviction to start his own company
- 51:22: The experience of building a complete product
- 54:20: Chris' new startup, Hanover: a co-pilot for VCs
- 57:09: Building in public vs building in stealth
- 58:14: Fundraising 101
- 59:15: How AI is changing the world in 2024
- 1:01:04: Defining excellence in startups
ππΌ Resources:
- Link to Acquire.com: https://try.acquire.com/sharath/
- Jack Butcher: https://twitter.com/jackbutcher
- Paul Graham: https://paulgraham.com/
- Meow: https://www.meow.com/
- Tim Ferriss: https://tim.blog/
ππΌ Where to find Chris:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrishlad
- Website: https://chrishlad.com/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hladczuk-b09204153
- Hanover: https://www.hanover.co/
ππΌ Where to find Sharath:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/5harath
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@5harath
- Website: https://5harath.com/
- Newsletter: https://5harath.substack.com/
- Founder Gigs: https://foundergigs.com/
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