Tech for Non-Techies

Many startups collapse not because the idea fails, but because the pressure gets unbearable. Sadly, it’s not strategy or funding that takes them out. It’s the grind, the chaos, and the sheer mental weight of building something new. In this episode, Sophia Matveeva shares three mindset shifts that every non-technical founder needs to survive the rollercoaster.  From moving past imposter syndrome to staying calm when launches stall, these are practical tools to help you think strategically when everyone else panics. Listen in and learn how to turn pressure into your unfair advantage. In this episode, you will hear: How to flip imposter syndrome into your founder superpower Why panic kills good decisions — and the simple reset that keeps you strategic The hidden advantage of owning what you don’t know How to turn flops into fuel for innovation instead of founder burnout Resources from this Episode Free AI Mini-Workshop for Non-Technical Founders Learn how to go from idea to a tested product using AI — in under 30 minutes. Get free access here: techfornontechies.co/aiclass Follow and Review: We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/274-the-non-technical-founder-mindset-how-to-lead-when-you-can-t-code

Founders love the idea of skipping engineers and letting AI code their dream app. Sadly, that dream falls apart fast. AI can write code, but it also hallucinates, breaks in production, and leaves you with messes you can’t fix if you're not a coder. What looks like a shortcut turns into a costly detour. In this episode, Sophia Matveeva shows you where AI really helps founders—and where it doesn’t. You’ll learn how to use AI to design prototypes, validate features, and impress investors without blowing thousands on guesswork. And you’ll hear why scaling, security, and serious launches still require pros. In this episode, you will hear: Why AI won’t replace developers — and what it actually does well for founders How to turn an idea into a prototype that impresses users and investors The hidden risks of “vibe coding” every non-technical founder should know When to call in engineers, and how to avoid wasting money before you do Resources from this Episode Free AI Mini-Workshop for Non-Technical Founders Learn how to go from idea to a tested product using AI — in under 30 minutes. Get free access here: techfornontechies.co/aiclass Follow and Review: We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/273-what-ai-can-and-can-t-do-for-non-technical-founders  

For years, non-technical founders were second class citizens in tech.  Not anymore.  In this episode, Sophia Matveeva shares five reasons why today is the best time in history to start a tech venture without being a coder — and why, in some cases, non-technical founders actually have the advantage. You’ll learn: Why investors are backing non-technical founders more than ever How AI and no-code slash startup costs from $35,000 to $20 Why niche markets are exploding — and how to spot them How global talent and cheaper tools make launching safer and faster Why distribution — not code — decides which products win This episode will leave you inspired and equipped to take your next step as a founder — even if you can’t write a single line of code. 🎧 Listen now and see why this is your moment. Free AI Mini-Workshop for Non-Technical Founders Learn how to go from idea to a tested product using AI — in under 30 minutes, plus get a downloadable framework. Get free access here: techfornontechies.co/aiclass Follow and Review: We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/272-why-this-is-the-best-time-to-be-a-non-technical-founder  

Can you really lead a tech company if you’re not technical yourself? David Windley has done exactly that. He’s the former CHRO at Yahoo, held senior HR roles at Microsoft, Intuit, and Activision, scaled a startup from under $1M to $50M as CEO, and now leads HootRecruit — a recruiting tech company.  David has spent his career at the intersection of people, technology, and leadership. Listen to this episode to learn: How non-technical founders blow it when hiring their first developers Why a startup CTO is nothing like a corporate CTO The “Windley Rule” — why engineers must make sure you understand, not the other way around If you’ve ever felt shut out of the tech conversation because you don’t code, this episode will show you how to step up as a leader. Resources from this Episode Tech for Non-Technical Founders course https://www.techfornontechies.co/tech-for-non-technical-founders 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. Follow and Review: We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/271-what-big-tech-taught-me-about-leading-without-code  

Most people think you need to be a Silicon Valley insider — or have millions in funding — to start a tech venture. That’s just not true. In this episode, Sophia Matveeva shares the journeys of four Tech for Non-Techies alumni who built products and startups without writing a single line of code. You’ll learn: How a dentist turned lockdown frustration into a healthtech app (and how you can spot opportunities in your own field). Why a fund manager realised he didn’t need to code — and the mindset shift that freed him to start building. How a CFO uses tech knowledge to make smarter investment decisions (lessons every business leader can apply). The simple framework a banker used to launch her startup on the side, while keeping her day job. You’ll hear directly from Tech for Non-Techies alumni Dr. Marilyn Sandor, Musi Skosana, Gustavo Juarez, and Zahra Almahoozi — and walk away with practical takeaways you can use to move your own idea forward. If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking “someone like me couldn’t do that,” this episode is proof that you can. Resources from this Episode FREE class: Build a Startup WITHOUT Learning to Code https://www.techfornontechies.co/freeclass Tech for Non-Technical Founders course: https://www.techfornontechies.co/tech-for-non-technical-founders 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. Follow and Review: We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/270-real-people-real-startups-lessons-from-our-alumni   

Most founders think you need to be technical to build a billion-dollar company. But some of the world’s biggest tech giants were started by people who never wrote a single line of code. In this episode, Sophia Matveeva unpacks the journeys of four non-technical founders who rewrote the rules of business. In this episode, you will hear: How Steve Jobs proved that design instincts can beat coding skills Why Jack Ma’s 30 job rejections became his unfair advantage in building Alibaba The broke rent payment that sparked Airbnb’s $80B global empire What Katrina Lake’s Stitch Fix IPO teaches about trusting customers over investors Resources from this Episode https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/how-companies-really-use-ai  FREE CLASS:  Build a Startup WITHOUT Learning to Code  https://www.techfornontechies.co/freeclass   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. Follow and Review: We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/269-4-non-technical-founders-who-built-billion-dollar-tech-empires  

Most founders think securing investors will solve all their problems. But fundraising often creates a new set of challenges—misaligned expectations, endless reporting requests, and pressure that pulls focus from building the business. The truth is, raising capital isn’t just about money.  It’s about relationships, trust, and knowing when to push back. In this episode, you’ll learn from Jeffrey Fidelman, founder and managing director of Fidelman & Company, which is on Inc.’s list of America’s fastest-growing companies. Jeffrey has worked at Morgan Stanley, been a partner at a venture fund, and now advises early and mid-stage companies on growth and fundraising strategy. He shares what founders should realistically expect from investors, how to set boundaries without burning bridges, and why today’s tools—like AI and no-code—make it possible to show traction before raising a single dollar In this episode, you will hear: Why some investors secretly derail startups — and how to spot them early The hidden risk of over-delivering for your investors (and how to say no) How no-code and AI tools can replace your first $250K in funding The newsletter strategy smart founders use to turn interest into investment Resources from this Episode Free class: Build a startup without learning to code https://www.techfornontechies.co/freeclass Fidelman & Co https://fidelmanco.com/ Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection https://amzn.to/3HPMHRG Financial Times: Being an angel investor is tougher than it looks https://on.ft.com/4oDoQFD 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. Follow and Review: We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/268-how-to-align-founders-and-investors-before-things-go-wrong

Most non-technical founders dream of building a game-changing tech product—without learning to code. But bridging the gap between vision and execution? That takes more than just a good idea. In this episode, Sophia Matveeva breaks down 7 essential lessons from the rise and fall of BlackBerry, a tech company that revolutionized communication, then lost it all. You’ll learn why great engineers aren’t enough, how clueless sales pitches kill trust, and why falling in love with your invention might be your biggest risk. Whether you’re planning your first app or scaling your second startup, this episode is packed with real talk and timeless wisdom, straight from a founder who’s been there. In this episode, you will hear: How BlackBerry went from world-domination to irrelevance — and what every non-technical founder can learn from its rise and fall Why mutual respect and tech fluency between business leaders and engineers is non-negotiable How poor communication between sales and technical teams can sink even the best products The hidden risk of falling in love with your invention — and how to avoid it FREE class: Build a Startup WITHOUT Learning to Code https://www.techfornontechies.co/freeclass Follow and Review: We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. For the full transcript, go to https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/267-7-startup-lessons-from-blackberry-s-rise-and-fall

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