Fund/Build/Scale Vouch CEO Sam Hodges on Mitigating Startup Risk and Maximizing Growth
Startups face unexpected risks every day — cyberattacks, lawsuits, market shifts —but many entrepreneurs don’t think about risk management until it’s too late.
In this episode of Fund/Build/Scale, Vouch co-founder/CEO Sam Hodges explains why risk management should be top of mind for early-stage founders. We discuss:
- Why risk management matters for early-stage startups
- How Vouch validated, built, and launched Corix as a new business unit
- The biggest mistakes founders make when managing risk
- Why work-life balance is a myth for startup leaders
- Key insurtech trends that early-stage founders should watch in 2025
- Sam also shares insights on team structuring, branding, and time management—plus the one question he’d ask an insurtech CEO before taking a job.
(2:27) “ Risk management is something that a lot of founders don't think about a lot, but when it matters, it really matters.”
(3:26) How Sam connected with co-founder Travis Hedge.
(5:53) Why Vouch’s first team member was a design lead.
(6:35) What sets Corix apart from Vouch’s core offerings.
(9:05) The process behind starting up a new business unit.
(12:42) “ At some point in scale, almost every company is going to organize around products, geographies, or market segments.”
(15:05) “ There are three very specific stakeholder groups that we talk to all the time.”
(16:26) How the team balanced quantitative metrics against qualitative insights while planning.
(18:50) Inside their messaging, branding and rollout strategy for Corix.
(21:59) “ The roots of Corix are ‘core’ and ‘risk,’ and we really do think that's what this is all about.”
(25:47) How Sam’s day-to-day work is different since launching a new BU.
(28:25) A few thoughts about time management and self-care.
(30:32) “ I am not a big fan of the term ‘work-life balance.’”
(33:22) “ When you make a decision like this, it is going to always feel like it is too early or too late.”
(35:48) Insurtech trends early-stage founders should look out for in 2025.
(40:14) The biggest risk-management mistakes Sam sees founders making.
(43:14) The one question he’d have to ask an insurtech CEO if he were interviewing for a job.
LINKS- Vouch
- Sam Hodges, co-founder/CEO
- Travis Hedge, co-founder/CRO
- Introducing Corix: An MGA from Vouch, Empowering Brokers with Tailored Insurance Products (PR Newswire)
Thanks for listening!
– Walter.