Funds and Founders: Untold Journeys Behind Their Breakthroughs
Abhinav Sinha
Welcome to "Funds & Founders: Untold Journeys Behind Their Breakthroughs," where we dig deep into the stories of successful Austin founders. Instead of focusing on their successes though, we dive into their journeys, particularly the struggles and obstacles they had to overcome.
This weekly podcast is tailored for Austin founders navigating the early stages of their entrepreneurial journey and hosted by fellow Austinite Abhinav Sinha. Here’s what to expect by tuning into Funds & Founders:
🚀 Embark on a Journey to Success
Join Abhinav as he takes you behind the scenes, exploring the highs and lows of building a company. This isn't your typical success story – we dive into the failures, the struggles, and those pivotal breakthrough moments that define a founder's path.
🌟 Real Conversations, Real Insights
Abhinav's approach is refreshingly different. Rather than dwelling on success, he crafts casual conversations that unravel the untold stories. Identify the setbacks that helped them grow, the lessons learned from failures, and the breakthrough moments that fueled these founders.
🤔 Why Didn't They Quit? Learn and Apply.
At the heart of each episode, Abhinav delves into the 'why' behind the perseverance. Why didn't they throw in the towel during tough times? And, most importantly, how can you apply their insights to your own journey? Get ready to be inspired and equipped with practical takeaways for your entrepreneurial adventure.
🤝 Decoding Venture Capital
Ever wondered what goes on in the minds of Austin's venture capitalists? Abhinav sits down with local VCs to decode their criteria for investing in early-stage companies. Gain valuable insights into the world of venture capital, understand what investors look for, and appreciate the vital factor of founder-investor compatibility.
🎙️ Meet Your Host, Abhinav Sinha:
Abhinav's soft-spoken yet inquisitive style creates an intimate atmosphere, allowing guests to share their authentic stories. His genuine curiosity and insightful questions make each episode a captivating journey into the minds of Austin's most successful founders.
If you're a budding Austin entrepreneur seeking the inspiration and insight needed for building a successful company, "Funds & Founders" is your go-to podcast.
This weekly podcast is tailored for Austin founders navigating the early stages of their entrepreneurial journey and hosted by fellow Austinite Abhinav Sinha. Here’s what to expect by tuning into Funds & Founders:
🚀 Embark on a Journey to Success
Join Abhinav as he takes you behind the scenes, exploring the highs and lows of building a company. This isn't your typical success story – we dive into the failures, the struggles, and those pivotal breakthrough moments that define a founder's path.
🌟 Real Conversations, Real Insights
Abhinav's approach is refreshingly different. Rather than dwelling on success, he crafts casual conversations that unravel the untold stories. Identify the setbacks that helped them grow, the lessons learned from failures, and the breakthrough moments that fueled these founders.
🤔 Why Didn't They Quit? Learn and Apply.
At the heart of each episode, Abhinav delves into the 'why' behind the perseverance. Why didn't they throw in the towel during tough times? And, most importantly, how can you apply their insights to your own journey? Get ready to be inspired and equipped with practical takeaways for your entrepreneurial adventure.
🤝 Decoding Venture Capital
Ever wondered what goes on in the minds of Austin's venture capitalists? Abhinav sits down with local VCs to decode their criteria for investing in early-stage companies. Gain valuable insights into the world of venture capital, understand what investors look for, and appreciate the vital factor of founder-investor compatibility.
🎙️ Meet Your Host, Abhinav Sinha:
Abhinav's soft-spoken yet inquisitive style creates an intimate atmosphere, allowing guests to share their authentic stories. His genuine curiosity and insightful questions make each episode a captivating journey into the minds of Austin's most successful founders.
If you're a budding Austin entrepreneur seeking the inspiration and insight needed for building a successful company, "Funds & Founders" is your go-to podcast.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 18, 2025 • 1h 4min
This Founder Turned Colors Into an million dollar exit - Ep 66
What drives a founder to go back into the grind after a life-changing exit?In this episode, we sit down with Ganesh, a serial founder who bootstrapped his AI startup to millions in revenue, cracked the toughest enterprise clients like TCS and KPMG, and rebounded from losing 85% of revenue during COVID.We cover:- Why he didn’t raise VC early on- Building an assessment company without asking a single question- Selling into TCS, Indian Army & QSRs like Universal Studios- Losing millions in revenue overnight and still surviving- Exiting to a strategic buyer- Why he's back in stealth mode building a sales AI companyTimestamps:00:00 – Intro & how Ganesh and the host met00:21 – Why build another startup after a successful exit?01:06 – Spotting the opportunity with generative AI02:12 – Cisco days & the shift to entrepreneurship03:00 – Building culture at scale — the early inspiration04:29 – From network optimization to people analytics07:13 – Mistake: Building before validating10:03 – First break via Plug and Play, no customers yet11:08 – Breakthrough with DBS & positioning as a “cultural DNA” company12:13 – Landing TCS, Byju’s, KPMG for large-scale assessments13:25 – Pricing challenges in enterprise SaaS18:15 – First funding — how Mitsubishi Ventures found them20:32 – Crazy story of a 12-person Sunday 7AM investor meetingt26:00 – QSR boom: Universal Studios, restaurant chains, & rapid growth29:07 – COVID wiped out 85% of revenue overnight33:00 – Why founder salaries matters even in bootstrapped companies34:36 – Pivoting back to B2B — TCS saves the business38:48 – Rebuilding revenue, landing Byju’s, scaling again43:00 – Learn at Forbes, cultural learning styles, and the acquirer46:32 – Post-exit reflections on taxes, dilution & what he’d do differently51:10 – Starting again: the new stealth startup in AI Sales57:00 – Early adopters welcome: Join Ganesh’s next journey
Sep 16, 2025 • 1h 9min
The Startup That’s Taking On The Banks To Make The 99% Richer | Ep 65
In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Michael, co-founder of Q Branch and Populace, who shares how he's helping international startups enter the U.S. and launching a fintech platform to fight financial inequality. From federal contracts and government culture to empowering underserved Americans through passive investing and discount networks, Michael breaks down the hard truths of money, persistence, and building in Austin.What You’ll Learn:- Why Most Startups Fail to Enter the U.S. Market- The Broken Banking System and a Grassroots Fix- Real Talk on Financial Literacy- Startup Persistence & the 18-Month Grind- What U.S. Founders Can Learn From International BuildersTimestamps:00:00 - Intro & How They Met00:30 - What Is Q Branch?01:30 - Helping International Startups in the U.S.02:10 - Government Contracts & Go-to-Market03:20 - Populist: A Fintech for the 99%05:00 - Breaking Down Financial Literacy06:00 - How Populist Reverses the Bank Model07:40 - Making Passive Investing Accessible09:10 - Michael’s Entrepreneurship Origin Story11:00 - Lessons From Federal Contracting13:00 - How Q Branch Got Its First Deal15:00 - Founder Persistence & Mentality17:00 - Talking About Ideas Early19:00 - U.S. vs International Founders21:00 - Austin’s Startup Community25:00 - Picking the Right Ecosystem29:00 - Building Populace: From Idea to Launch32:00 - Real Cost of Building a Fintech Startup34:00 - Launch Strategy & What’s Next35:00 - Final Advice for Founders
Sep 14, 2025 • 60min
He quit Apple to sell honey jars and learn sales | Ep- 64
From building apps at Best Buy to getting into Techstars, this episode is a masterclass in startup grit. Our guest, a Toronto-based founder and ex-Apple/IBM engineer, walks us through building 35+ projects, what failed, what made money, how he learned sales from scratch, and why he’s now obsessed with solving go-to-market problems for B2B startups.We go deep into:- How to know when to kill an idea- Lessons from making $0 to 5-figure MRR- The truth about VC pressure vs bootstrapping- Building SaaS + service hybrid models- Staying sane while building soloTimestamps:00:00 - Intro: From On Deck to 35 Ideas01:00 - Why most technical founders fail at sales04:00 - Best Buy hack: Gaming ad revenue with Android apps06:30 - First “real” win: Canada Top 10 apps08:00 - Building “Spotify for News” (and shutting it down)10:30 - When to kill your startup13:00 - Side hustle to 1k MRR → quitting full-time job16:00 - Why learning sales changed everything18:00 - Selling blueberry honey to learn sales21:00 - Cold email agency that failed — what went wrong24:00 - SaaS vs. service models: What scales?28:00 - “My platform did 10 things. Users wanted 1.”31:00 - Mission-driven idea testing35:00 - The 5K/month rule & building in public38:00 - Should you raise VC or bootstrap?41:00 - Burnout, support systems & staying sane45:00 - AI tools stack: Cursor, Claude, Replit & more50:00 - What actually keeps him going after 35+ tries
Sep 12, 2025 • 47min
This Is Why Most Startups Fail at Go-To-Market Strategy | Funds and founders
Cody Anderson is back for Part 2! In this episode, we dive deep into what actually works when it comes to go-to-market (GTM) strategies — especially for early-stage startups. Cody shares lessons from scaling Carta to $9B, building Tommy Homes, and advising multiple startups on GTM, brand building, and AI-led growth.We cover:- B2B vs B2C GTM approaches- Why most startup advice is noise- Personal brand vs company brand- Building AI agents for sales, marketing & ops- The future of one-person billion-dollar companies🔗 Guest: [Cody Anderson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/codyanderson)Timestamps:00:00 – Cody's journey: From Carta to Tommy01:48 – Why Cody’s GTM perspective is unique03:38 – GTM strategies: B2B vs B2C05:45 – The myth of "funnels" and what works now08:16 – Tools, outbound, and unit economics09:55 – Personal brand vs company brand12:02 – How narrow should your ICP targeting be?15:09 – B2C GTM: Channels, content & challenges17:54 – Finding what works for you as a founder20:16 – Shift to content is greater than followers (thanks TikTok)23:13 – Niching down and the rise of shareable content24:07 – Tommy Homes: Challenges in educating the market26:34 – Building trust in a complex real estate model28:49 – Services-as-Software: AI as the co-founder31:05 – The one-person Slack-powered startup34:00 – Why personal stories is effective than generic advice38:18 – What’s next for Tommy42:10 – Final advice: Ignore the noise, trust your path
Jun 14, 2025 • 44min
The Costliest AI Mistake in Startups | Protik Mukhopadhyay - E61
How do you actually sell to enterprises? Why do most startups fail at it? In this episode, we talk to the founder of DataColor.ai — a serial entrepreneur who built and sold his last company and is now building in the enterprise AI space. We dive deep into how enterprise sales really work, how to tap into communities for feedback, and the mindset shift between your first and second startup.💡 Learn about:Enterprise sales psychologyHow to build with feedback loopsWhat most founders get wrong about VC moneyHow second-time founders think differentlyTimestamps:00:00 – Intro: From Bing to DataColor.ai01:15 – What is DataColor.ai building?02:00 – Role of community for startup founders04:00 – How to extract value from founder communities06:00 – The real way to reach out cold (and get replies)08:50 – What excites him about AI in enterprise10:30 – The real enterprise AI opportunity12:15 – What a Chief Data Officer really does13:30 – Selling to enterprise vs SMBs – explained with a car analogy15:00 – Why product matters the least in enterprise sales17:00 – Should startups even try selling to enterprise?19:00 – Smart marketing and how to build trust early21:00 – Second-time founder mindset: What he’s doing differently24:00 – The startup trap: Solving tomorrow’s problem today26:00 – Fundraising strategy: Not all money is equal29:00 – Should you avoid VCs early on?32:00 – Real stories: Founders who raised too soon34:00 – Why he chose strategic angels only37:00 – Is cap table dilution really a problem?39:00 – What’s holding back growth today?40:00 – Favorite tools, tech stack & startup habits41:00 – His big lesson from the first startup42:00 – The question every founder should answer
Jun 12, 2025 • 58min
This One Hire Nearly Killed My Business | Pat Killoren - E60
What happens when a startup sales pro burns out and decides to start a podcast? In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Pat Killoren — host of Lone Startups who shares his wild journey from scaling beer brands and influencer platforms to building community-led content in Austin.🎙 We go deep into:Building sales teams as a founderThe mistakes startups make in GTM strategyBurnout, pivots, and personal reinventionHow to monetize podcasts through real partnerships (not just ads)Whether you're a builder, creator, or investor, this episode will leave you with tangible lessons on growth, niche branding, and sustainable success.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 – Intro: Who is Pat Callaghan?01:00 – Why he chose Austin and non-tech founders03:30 – His journey from beer to blockchain06:00 – What is Go-To-Market ?08:00 – The Enterprise Trap: Why startups jump too soon10:00 – How scrappy founders should build sales14:30 – Why you shouldn’t send proposals too early16:00 – How founders waste time chasing the wrong customers18:00 – Picking the right channels: The Web3 sales story21:00 – Cold outreach vs sniper sales: What works today23:00 – How to hire your first sales hire (without getting burned)25:00 – Why he quit sales and started a podcast28:00 – The admin pain of podcasting no one talks about30:00 – The monetization struggle: why brands hesitate32:00 – Seasons vs weekly: how he’s structuring Lone Startups36:00 – Format talk: from nature podcasts to 3D LED sets40:00 – Roundtable format: a future idea for deep-dive episodes44:00 – The mental blocks of podcast production quality46:00 – Tools + Tech Stack for running the show52:00 – Why video editing has become his new obsession54:00 – Question for the next guest56:00 – Where to follow Pat & closing thoughts
Jun 10, 2025 • 56min
How He Built 3 Startups, Backed 70+ & Now Advises a $250M VC Fund | Andrew Ackerman - E59
In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Andrew Ackerman, a seasoned founder, venture studio operator, and author of The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey. Andrew shares real, gritty stories from his journey building startups, transitioning into VC, launching a venture studio, and why he decided to write a novel-style business book that actually teaches while entertaining. He breaks down the harsh truths of buyouts, mistakes first-time founders make, the fundraising game, and the one question every VC is silently asking—why now?If you're a first-time founder, a startup dreamer, or someone trying to raise your first round—this episode might just save you years of pain.Watch the full episode on @FundsAndFounders Timestamps00:00 - Intro to Why Andrew wrote The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey01:15 - The "Goal" book inspiration & startup storytelling01:59 - How Andrew actually wrote the book04:11 - Using GenAI for book marketing 08:10 - Prompt engineering and AI frustration10:56 - Andrew’s unfiltered startup journey15:00 - The myth of glamorous exits20:00 - Behind-the-scenes of sourcing Facebook stock24:15 - Portfolio performance and founder expectations26:27 - Fundraising truth bombs & understanding VC incentives28:00 - How VCs actually evaluate founders30:20 - What Andrew is up to now & why construction tech excites him32:00 - Thoughts on building standout VC firms33:30 - The #1 question VCs ask: Why now?35:05 - Should you build a better version of a mediocre product?38:00 - Who the book is really for (first-time founders & their moms!)39:13 - Fundraising advice for first-time founders41:00 - Why cold emailing VCs doesn’t work42:30 - How to actually do VC outreach the right way47:00 - Final thoughts + how to reach Andrew49:10 - Why most business books suck (and how Andrew wrote differently)50:16 - Bonus: Get access to his startup masterclasses54:06 - Closing words from Andrew#vcfunding #podcast #startup #business #entrepreneur #invest #funding
Jun 6, 2025 • 1h 22min
How he Built a $1.5M Startup Without Ads, a Website, or a Team | Rob Kaminski - E58
In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with the co-founder and CEO of FletchPMM—a company that’s helped over 350+ B2B startups fix their biggest problem: nailing positioning and messaging.We go deep into:The $1.5M journey in just 20 monthsWhat most B2B startups get wrong about value propsWhy building distribution first beats productThe real meaning of product-market fitHow to use LinkedIn to grow a 7-figure businessWhether you're bootstrapping or venture-backed, this is the episode every founder needs to hear.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro & Plug: What FletchPM does01:13 – LinkedIn as a distribution channel02:02 – The guest’s entrepreneurial journey03:14 – Origin story of FletchPM & the meaning behind the name05:30 – What is a value proposition?06:48 – Common mistakes B2B founders make10:24 – Specificity vs Scale: The 80/20 of niche selection12:06 – The importance of consistency in marketing14:33 – Distribution > Product16:47 – Building a founder brand18:09 – Lessons from being a generalist23:08 – How often should startups revisit positioning?25:13 – What is product-market fit really?27:00 – Go-to-market fit vs solution fit30:36 – DIY positioning: When & how to run the exercise32:16 – Why founders should think like marketers34:06 – Leaving a 9-5 to build a consultancy36:06 – How the co-founders met and got specific39:14 – Building distribution through a niche market map43:52 – Co-founder dynamics & communication styles46:03 – Decision-making heuristics50:35 – Competitive positioning done right52:12 – Leaving the agency & scaling up54:12 – The 3 paths they considered after early success56:48 – How the positioning evolved over time59:00 – Pricing journey: From $300 to $10K1:01:59 – What clients really get out of working with them1:05:20 – Founders can't outsource their thinking1:07:40 – Building a 7-figure business through LinkedIn1:10:14 – Tips for writing better LinkedIn content1:12:49 – Authenticity vs persona1:14:11 – Best time to post on LinkedIn?1:18:05 – 3 must-have resources for B2B founders1:19:10 – FletchPM's tech stack1:20:21 – What keeps him up at night1:21:07 – One question for the next guest1:22:03 – Final plugs & where to reach out
May 12, 2025 • 53min
How TrulyMadly Took on Tinder & Built a 100 Crore Dating App in India | Snehil Khanor - E57 Part II
In this episode, we sit down with the founder of TrulyMadly, India's most trusted dating app, to explore the startup journey, fundraising pitfalls, growth hacks, and how TrulyMadly is solving the trust problem in Indian online dating.We dive deep into:- Competing with global giants like Tinder and Bumble.- How compatibility scores and trust-based algorithms changed the game.- The dark side of fake profiles and how TrulyMadly tackled it.- Fundraising regrets and the decision to stay profitable.- Building a brand people actually trust in a highly sensitive market.Whether you’re a founder, product builder, or just curious about the business of love.This episode is packed with insights. Watch the full episode on @FundsAndFounders Timestamps:00:00 - Intro01:23 - The European backpacking trip that changed everything03:39 - Early career: From payments to dating06:35 - Building a product for Indian singles09:03 - How TrulyMadly started12:10 - Solving the dating trust problem in India15:12 - TrulyMadly vs Tinder: What makes us different17:30 - Revenue vs Users: The real startup pivot20:02 - Fundraising mistakes & hard lessons22:25 - Branding, logo, and product-market fit25:47 - Compatibility scoring & TrulyMadly algorithm28:10 - Marriage success stories from TrulyMadly30:17 - Why TrulyMadly charges users (and why it works)33:50 - Dealing with fake reviews and app store ratings36:04 - The importance of frugal innovation39:00 - Final thoughts, rapid fire & what’s next
May 11, 2025 • 1h 15min
How I Accidentally Became a Consultant & Made 1 Year’s Salary in 1 Month | Snehil Khanor - E57 Part 1
In this episode, we dive deep into a candid conversation with a founder who shares how he stumbled into consulting, earned a year's salary in a single month, and built impactful startups straight out of college. From building websites for the price of a cigarette to launching mobile products before the smartphone wave, this is a raw and relatable story for every aspiring entrepreneur and product builder. 🚀 Watch the full episode@FundsAndFoundersSnehil shares:Accidental path to consultingLessons from early startup hustleBuilding in college with zero backupLaunching India's first e-commerce mobile appConviction-led product building in the matrimony spaceTimestamps: 00:00:01 – Introduction to the Guest 00:20:10 – Earning a year’s salary in one month 00:21:10 – How I accidentally became a consultant 00:23:52 – Building websites during college 00:28:41 – Balancing college with side hustles 00:33:23 – Inspiration from "Pirates of Silicon Valley" 00:40:04 – Realizing the power of getting businesses online 00:44:49 – Building India's first mobile e-commerce site 00:50:00 – Why service businesses can hold you back 00:55:06 – Building trust in online matrimony platforms#ecommerce #consultant #business #entrepreneur #podcast #entrepreneurship #startup #webdevelopment #siliconvalley #productdevelopment
