Equity Introducing TechCrunch's new podcast: Build Mode
10 snips
Nov 15, 2025 Deon Nicholas, co-founder and chairman of Forethought, dives into the transformative world of AI in customer service. He shares key lessons from his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of evolving priorities as a startup grows. Deon discusses the '7-Failure Rule' and how early experiments led to product-market fit. He also highlights innovative strategies like minimal demos to gauge market demand. With insights on launching successfully and navigating the competitive landscape, Deon offers a masterclass in building tech that truly serves customers.
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Evolve With Your Company Rhythm
- The company should tangibly feel different every six to nine months to match growth stages.
- Founders must evolve fast and learn new roles as company needs shift frequently.
From Kid Coder To NLP Founder
- Deon traced his interest in NLP from coding as a kid through internships at Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute and Waterloo.
- He started tinkering with breakthrough NLP papers in 2017 and wondered where the tech would be applied in business.
Find Your Ideal Customer By Listening
- Do talk to users early and often to find the real problem and ideal customer profile.
- Stop building features and listen if users show no real pain or willingness to pay.
