Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur | Start and Grow Your Own Business 1333: This Ex-Googler Is Fixing Your Broken Group Chats w/ Ankit Dave
Ever get lost in a chaotic group chat trying to plan a simple trip or event? Ankit Dave, a former Google software engineer and product manager, saw this exact problem and left his "golden handcuffs" to build the solution. In this episode, he unveils Farflung.ai, his AI-native platform designed to transform messy conversations into organized, actionable plans. This episode is a masterclass for any entrepreneur on how to identify a universal problem and leverage cutting-edge technology to solve it. Drawing from his decade of experience building billion-user products at Google, Ankit shares invaluable insights on product development, go-to-market strategy, and the founder's mindset needed to thrive in the fast-paced world of AI.
💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business
- AI for Real-World Problems: Learn how to spot friction in everyday life (like fragmented group chats) and apply AI to create a seamless, valuable solution.
- User-Centric AI Design: Discover the core principles of building an AI product that empowers users by keeping them in control, rather than letting AI become an interruption.
- Niche-First Market Strategy: Understand why focusing on a single, powerful use case (like travel planning) is a brilliant way to gain initial traction and build a network effect for your app.
- Bootstrapping to Beta at Lightning Speed: Learn how Ankit went from an idea in March to a live beta on the app stores in just a few months, proving that rapid execution is key.
- Building Trust Through Privacy: Get tactical advice on how to design an AI platform with user privacy at its core, a crucial step for gaining customer trust and adoption.
- Seizing the AI Opportunity: Ankit makes a powerful case for why the current vacuum created by AI presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for entrepreneurs to build something new.
📝 About Ankit Dave
Ankit Dave is the Founder and CEO of Farflung.ai. His journey is a testament to scrappy innovation, having moved from India to the U.S. and carving a path to Google, where he spent a decade as both a software engineer and a product manager. He played a key role in developing major projects like the Fuchsia OS and worked with Gemini, giving him a front-row seat to the AI revolution. In 2024, Ankit took the ultimate entrepreneurial leap, leaving his secure role at Google to build farflung.ai, an AI-native platform that turns talk into action. His unique blend of big-tech experience and a relentless founder’s spirit makes him an incredible guide for navigating the new AI landscape.
🎯 Ankit’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs
“Don't wait for the perfect time. If there's something that you want to do, do it. Jump, take that jump, because the perfect time may or may not come.”
📢 Memorable Quotes
- “I personally believe that if you want to do something, don't let anything come in your way. There are always ways or things you can find out which will help you build the things that you want.” – Ankit Dave
- “Every single product that we are using today will go through this change, and I'm not sure when this type of opportunity will come in the future... It's a very good time to go out and build something.” – Ankit Dave
- "Any company which is trying to adapt quickly, I think would be more successful than people who are rigid to their roadmaps." – Ankit Dave
🔗 Links & Resources