AI is changing how we build startups, but how can founders leverage it without their product becoming slop?

Too many early-stage entrepreneurs believe that faster prototyping automatically leads to better products. In reality, rushing to “ship something” can destroy product-market fit before it’s even tested.

In this Q&A episode, Yaniv Bernstein (ex-Google, ex-Airtasker) and Chris Saad (former Head of Product at Uber) answer your burning questions about startup strategy, from hiring and product design to breaking industry rules. They reveal how to separate real innovation from AI-washing and why “contrarian and right” is the only strategy that works.

In this episode:

Discover which AI-adjacent startup opportunities are attracting real investor interest (and which ones to avoid)
Learn how to rethink your MVP strategy in an AI-powered world without falling into the “build fast, fail fast” trap
Understand when and how to break conventional startup rules to gain a genuine competitive edge
Avoid the most common hiring mistakes founders make, including the “warm body” trap and hiring the wrong senior execs
Identify the difference between a great product manager and a glorified project manager (and when to hire one)

The Pact

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Key links

Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A

The Startup Podcast website: https://www.tsp.show/episodes/

Learn more about Chris and Yaniv

Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/

Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/

Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/

Producer: Justin McArthur https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcarthur

Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang https://web-strategist.com/

DAB March 16 - 2025