Tech for Non-Techies

Most founders dream of creating a product so good it sells itself. That’s the promise of product-led growth: customers discover, share, and adopt your product with little to no sales effort. Sadly that's rarely the reality. In the early stages, almost every founder has to do the hard, unglamorous work of founder-led growth: building trust, making offers and facing rejection. In this episode, you will learn from Vijay Rajendran, author of The Funding Framework: Secure Startup Funding With Confidence. Vijay previously led portfolio value at 500 Global, a venture capital firm with $2.7 billion under management, where he supported startups in more than 80 countries.  Vijay has helped hundreds of founders grow, scale, and raise capital.  Listen to learn: The difference between founder-led and product-led growth — and when each approach works best. How design partnerships and pilots can win your first customers (and even get them to fund product development). Why “influence” is a better mindset than “sales” — and how listening to customers creates trust. Stories from Airbnb to enterprise startups that reveal what growth really looks like behind the scenes. Whether you’re launching your first product, leading innovation inside a corporate, or backing founders as an investor, this episode is for you. Resources mentioned in this episode: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Robert Cialdini Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It, Chris Voss Chapters   05:24 — The seductive dream of product-led growth (and why it rarely works early on) 07:52 — Design partnerships: how customers can fund your product 13:39 — The Airbnb toilet photos story: why every founder must talk to customers 18:55 — Stop pitching, start listening: turning sales into influence 23:23 — Empathy and persuasion: the human skills behind tech success 28:48 — When to move from founder-led growth to a professional sales team FREE Course: 5 Tech Concepts Every Business Leader Needs To Know https://www.techfornontechies.co/freecourse   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/266-founder-led-vs-product-led-growth-how-to-pick-the-right-path-for-your-startup

If you’re a non-technical founder building your first product, this episode is for you. In today’s lesson, Robyn Exton shares the real story of how she went from branding agency employee to founder of a global tech company — without writing a line of code. She didn’t raise millions on day one. She learned by doing, made all the early-stage mistakes, and got her first users with vodka shots in nightclubs. Now, her app has millions of users and she’s been through Y Combinator. Robyn is the founder of HER, the dating app for queer women. Listen to this episode to learn: How to build a tech product without knowing how to code What to do when your first version fails The difference between product design and graphic design (and why it matters) How to work with developers when you don’t speak tech Whether you’re dreaming up your first MVP or struggling through version two, this is your honest guide to building in the dark — and making it work.   Chapters 00:00 — Vodka shots for downloads: the hustle begins 03:10 — From branding job to building a tech product 10:30 — The wake-up call: “You’re doing too many things” 14:00 — Fake research, failed MVP, and what she learned 27:20 — How a non-technical founder led a dev team 33:45 — Hiring a CTO, letting go of ego, and building trust 45:35 — Raising $1M before YC — and why she joined anyway 51:10 — Final audience Q&A: churn, product, and user feedback   FREE Course: 5 Tech Concepts Every Business Leader Needs To Know https://www.techfornontechies.co/freecourse   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University. For the full transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/265-from-vodka-shots-to-y-combinator-how-a-non-technical-founder-built-a-global-tech-company

If you’re the kind of leader who is “on” all the time — even on vacation — this episode is for you. In today’s lesson, Sophia Matveeva shares a practical, honest approach to taking time off without pretending you’ll fully unplug.  Because when you're in charge, not checking work emails is often a pipe dream. Listen to this episode to learn: Why inner peace isn’t realistic for early-stage founders How to structure your break without lying to yourself The one rule you must follow if you get a great idea mid-vacation Why learning to trust your team now will set you up to scale How to use downtime to spot blind spots and reset your strategy Whether you’re heading to the beach or just trying to unplug for a weekend, this is your guide to making rest work for your ambitious brain. Chapters 00:00 — The founder brain that never stops 01:50 — You don’t need inner peace, you need creativity 04:52 — Structure your vacation like a pro 07:15 — What to do when inspiration strikes on holiday 09:35 — Smart founders use vacations to train their teams  FREE Course: 5 Tech Concepts Every Business Leader Needs To Know https://www.techfornontechies.co/freecourse   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/264-the-vacation-strategy-for-people-who-can-t-switch-off

Why do so many software teams feel busy — but deliver so little value? Fractional tech leader Thanos Diacakis shares why shipping more features doesn’t always mean progress. Drawing on 25+ years in software — from startups to scaling JUMP Bikes at Uber — he explains how to escape the trap of over-planning, feature overload, and technical debt. Listen to learn: Why planning more often leads to less progress What non-technical leaders need to ask their tech teams How to find your team’s bottleneck (and why that changes over time) The 4 stages of becoming a high-velocity software team If you’re a founder, product leader, or innovation exec frustrated by slow progress, this episode will give you the mindset and tools to course-correct. Follow Thanos Diacakis on LinkedIn and on his website.    Chapters 02:01 — Stop planning, start shipping 06:16 — Software isn’t construction: you can’t forecast innovation 09:58 — The 4 stages of high-velocity teams 13:56 — Spot the bottleneck, fix the system 20:11 — How business and tech teams can actually work together   FREE Course: 5 Tech Concepts Every Business Leader Needs To Know https://www.techfornontechies.co/freecourse   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.   For the full transcript, go here: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/263-the-feature-factory-trap-when-output-doesnt-equal-progress

Most startup CEOs think they’re the visionary. But in today’s episode, you’ll learn why the CEO is often the single biggest threat to team productivity — and how to avoid becoming one. Based on a real conversation with a seasoned CTO and a sales leader who’ve scaled startups to exit, this episode dives into the blind spots that trip up even well-meaning founders. Whether you’re a CEO, part of a startup team, or investing in one — this lesson will help you lead smarter, build better, and waste less time. Listen to learn:  Why startup CEOs are more dangerous than corporate CEOs (and it’s not about ego) What “Seagull CEO Syndrome” does to your roadmap and morale How developer paralysis destroys velocity — and how to fix it What smart founders, teams, and investors can do to keep priorities on track Lesson mentioned in this episode:  Why MVPs are Always Late, Why That's Okay, and What to do About It   Chapters 00:00 — The Real Threat: Why Startup CEOs Kill Productivity 02:10 — Power Without Process: How CEO Impulses Go Unchecked 04:30 — Seagull Syndrome: How CEOs Derail Roadmaps 09:15 — Nothing to Do? Why Bored CEOs Delay MVPs 14:10 — Bottlenecks in Human Form: When CEOs Bypass Their Own Leaders   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/262-why-the-startup-ceo-is-the-biggest-risk-to-their-own-team

Some CEOs are already replacing engineers and junior staff with large language models. But what if the real risk isn’t that AI replaces your team — it’s that it doesn’t, and you’re left without a talent pipeline? In this episode, Sophia Matveeva breaks down: Why cutting junior hiring today could sabotage your company in 3–5 years What IBM’s CEO gets right that others get very wrong How the hype around “AI-first” companies is creating poor decision-making What the S-curve of innovation tells us about the real pace of AI progress And why thinking long-term — not just cutting costs this quarter — is a strategic advantage Whether you’re a government leader, innovation executive, or non-technical founder, this episode will help you make smarter, more resilient decisions in the age of AI.  Fortune: IBM’s CEO says ‘the first thing you can automate is a repetitive, white-collar job,’ but he’s not cutting workers: ‘I’ll get more’ Chapters 00:00 — The Real Risk Isn’t AI — It’s What Happens When It Doesn’t Work 02:45 — What CEOs Are Saying: Duolingo, Klarna… and IBM’s Contrarian View 06:30 — The Junior Job Crunch: Accountancy’s Mistake Repeats in Tech 09:15 — The S-Curve Explained: Why AI Progress Is Slowing 14:10 — Your Strategic Takeaways: What Smart Leaders Are Doing Now   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.   For the full transcript, go here: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/AI-wont-kill-jobs-but-short-term-thinking-will

What does it really take to lead in tech without a technical degree? In this episode, Jennifer Byrne, former CTO of Microsoft US, shares how she built a top-tier tech career starting with a psychology degree — and why understanding context, not code, is your key to success. You’ll learn: How Jennifer transitioned from nonprofit work to tech leadership The difference between digital fluency and context (and why it matters) What cloud computing really is — minus the jargon How Microsoft handled global trust issues post-Snowden What CTOs actually do at big companies (hint: it’s not coding) Whether you’re a founder, investor, or business leader, this episode will help you think more strategically about tech — and your role in it. Chapters 00:00 – Why this episode still matters 02:30 – Jennifer’s path from psychology to tech 08:55 – Cybersecurity and the WikiLeaks era 14:40 – What cloud computing really is 25:25 – Digital context vs. fluency explained 35:45 – What a CTO actually does in big tech Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/260-how-non-techies-succeed-in-tech-lessons-from-microsoft-s-cto

Think advertising is just TikTok, Instagram, or TV? Think again. At Cannes Lions, a major industry summit, Big Tech set the agenda for what’s next in AI, branding, and attention. This is your insider's summary. In this episode, you will learn: How offline spaces are powering smart digital brands  What AI personas are, and how to use them to test product and brand ideas faster (and cheaper) Why most agencies are missing half the audience — and what that means if you’re building a mass-market product If you’re building or marketing a tech product — whether you’re in a startup or a large org — this episode gives you a real-world edge, minus the fluff. Chapters FREE COURSE: 5 Tech Concepts Every Business Leader Needs To Know   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.   For the full transcript go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/259-big-tech-ai-and-the-future-of-attention-what-you-missed-in-cannes

Most founders dive straight into building — features, user flows, no-code tools — before they’ve nailed the strategy that actually drives traction: brand. In this episode, Sophia Matveeva shares why brand must come before product, especially for non-technical founders building tech-enabled businesses. You’ll learn the four brand foundations every founder needs — whether you’re launching a new venture or scaling an existing one: Clarity — Who you serve and why you exist Story — What problem you solve and what’s at stake Trust Signals — How to build credibility before or beyond your user base Voice — How to speak to your market without jargon Sophia also shares examples from Uber, Goldman Sachs, and her own company, Tech for Non-Techies, which is trusted by governments and Fortune 500s to teach non-technical leaders how to succeed in the digital economy. If you want customers, talent, and investors to take your venture seriously — and you’re not building brand strategically — this episode is for you. Chapters 00:00 – Code vs Brand 01:11 – Logos Are Not Brands 02:37 – Why Trust Matters More Than Features 04:37 – Non-Technical Founders’ Common Mistake: Features Before Brand 09:38 – Investors Back Missions, Not Apps 11:40 – Think Like an Investor 12:30 – 4 Brand Foundations Before Product 18:13 – What’s Next: Cannes Lions Insights Episodes to help you build your personal brand: 170. Advisory Boards: why join them & why have them 146. How to get headhunted   For the full transcript, go to: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/258-why-you-need-a-brand-before-you-need-an-app   FREE COURSE: 5 Tech Concepts Every Business Leader Needs To Know   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University.

Analysis paralysis is BORING. And it doesn't get you results. Most founders think they fail because of the market, the product, or the pitch. But the real killer is a slow mindset. In this episode, Sophia Matveeva shows you why bad work beats perfect ideas — and how shifting your mindset can be the difference between building real momentum and watching your venture die. You will learn:  Why perfectionism feels smart but keeps you stuck How no-code tools tempt you to tinker instead of launch Why top founders move fast and embrace imperfection How to build momentum before you’re ready — with real-world examples and a challenge for you to do today   Chapters 00:00 The Mindset Shift for Non-Technical Founders 03:07 The Importance of Speed Over Perfection 05:53 Accepting Imperfection in Innovation 09:02 Consequences of a Slow Mindset 11:47 Taking Action Before You're Ready FREE COURSE: 5 Tech Concepts Every Business Leader Needs To Know   Growth Through Innovation If your organisation wants to drive revenue through innovation, book a call with us here. Our workshops and innovation strategies have helped Constellation Brands, the Royal Bank of Canada and Oxford University. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/257-why-bad-work-wins