Bricks And Bytes "I Liquidated My Entire Savings to Make Payroll" - Startup Survival Stories - Thiago & Clifton
Jan 13, 2026
Thiago Da Costa, Co-founder of DataGrid, and Clifton Harness, CEO of TestFit, share their gripping startup survival stories. Thiago reveals the tough decision to pivot to AI and analytics after a Series A, while Clifton recounts a harrowing moment when he nearly missed payroll, contemplating liquidating his 401k. They dive into the challenges of achieving product-market fit and the common plateau many construction tech companies face. Their candid insights on resilience and navigating crises make for an engaging listen for aspiring founders.
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Sell Before You Build
- Prove a real customer will pay before you scale or raise significant capital.
- Use pre-sales or early contracts to build the product around actual commitments.
Data Is Not Value By Itself
- Data alone is not value; analytics and timely insights are what create value.
- Historical data decays, so focus on using data to produce actionable analytics quickly.
Board Panic During A Post‑A Pivot
- Thiago told his board they needed to pivot the company after raising a Series A.
- The board panicked but trusted him and backed the redirection toward analytics and AI.