In this insightful episode of Hustle & Flowchart, host Joe Fier sits down with Oji Udezue and Ezinne Udezue, powerhouse builders, investors, and tech veterans with experience at industry giants like Twitter, Typeform, and T-Mobile. The duo recently co-authored the book Building Rocket Ships and brings a wealth of perspective on entrepreneurship, crafting lasting tech products, and leveraging AI in today’s fast-moving landscape. The conversation dives deep into what it truly takes to identify perennial human needs, avoid chasing short-lived trends, and build a startup system designed for sustainable growth in the middle of the AI gold rush.
Topics Discussed
- Why the next trillion-dollar company will solve age-old human needs, not just chase trends
- Key perspectives from Oji and Ezinne’s careers across major tech and construction companies
- The mindset and approach needed to be a “patient builder” in the current AI-driven market
- Identifying “sharp problems” and perennial needs as product opportunities that transcend technology shifts
- The evolving role of prototyping and MVPs—how modern tools like AI and vibe coding change the game
- Tips on getting authentic customer feedback and finding the right early adopters for your product
- Building a “product system”: how strategy, people, and execution intersect to create repeatable innovation
- Real-world lessons from startup investing and advising—what founders consistently get wrong and right
- How to be intentional with company systems to avoid being a one-hit wonder
Resources Mentioned
- Building Rocket Ships by Oji & Ezinne Udezue: Productmind Co
- Vercel – Platform for frontend developers to build and deploy websites
- Lovable - Create apps and websites by chatting with AI
- Cursor – Modern app prototyping and development tools
- Techstars – Startup accelerator referenced for founder insights
Connect with Us
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