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
