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Founding Journey

Latest episodes

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Oct 31, 2024 β€’ 55min

How Dara Ladjevardian Built an AI Clone Generator

This is how Dara sold his first startup to build an AI that can clone anyone online, and raised funding from Keith Rabois for it.πŸ“š 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) β†’ deck-database.carrd.coFollow Dara's journey:🐦 X β†’ x.com/daraladjeπŸ’Ό LinkedIn β†’ linkedin.com/in/dara-ladjevardianπŸš€ Startup β†’ delphi.aiFollow us:πŸŽ₯ YouTube β†’ youtube.com/@foundingjourneyπŸ“ Newsletter β†’ join.foundingjourney.comπŸ“ˆ Founder Membership β†’ upgrade.foundingjourney.comπŸ’Ό LinkedIn β†’ linkedin.com/in/michael-houckFounder Journey(00:56) β€” Dara's grandfather(03:45) β€” Dara's first encounter with LLMs(06:04) β€” Launching Friday: Dara's first company(08:10) β€” The Friday acquisition journey(08:54) β€” Working at OpenStore post-acquisition(48:03) β€” Lessons from building FridayCo-founder Dynamics(09:38) β€” Choosing the right co-founder(12:01) β€” Transitioning from solo to co-founder(13:58) β€” Co-founders: bootstrapped vs. VC-backed companiesMarketing & Positioning(14:49) β€” Positioning Delphi(21:01) β€” Delphi's product roadmap(23:38) β€” PLG growth strategy(26:30) β€” Testing paid marketing channels(27:30) β€” Differentiating in the age of AI(33:35) β€” Dara's vision for building Delphi(37:27) β€” Attracting talent to your companyMentorship & Investment(18:38) β€” Pitching Delphi to Founders Fund(38:16) β€” The importance of mentorship(40:21) β€” Lessons from Keith Rabois(41:51) β€” Effects of high-profile investors(42:57) β€” Why Keith Rabois invested in Dara(43:55) β€” Securing well-respected angels(44:44) β€” Dara’s fundraising tips(47:00) β€” Recognizing the need for VC backingAdditional Insights(29:18) β€” Future role of creators(31:02) β€” Future role of founders(35:26) β€” Passion as a priority in startups(49:35) β€” Niche focus vs. broad targetingRapid Fire(51:54) β€” Who's an investor you'd recommend?(52:32) β€” One thing you'd change about startups?(53:14) β€” Advice for first-time founders?(53:53) β€” Something you believe that most disagree with?
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9 snips
Oct 24, 2024 β€’ 1h 7min

Why Andrew Yeung Left His $300K Job at Google to Build a Startup

Andrew Yeung, a former Googler and Facebook employee, left his corporate roles to chase entrepreneurial dreams. He talks about the unexpected shift from stable tech jobs to startups and the emotional toll it took on his identity. Andrew shares insights on building trust within the founder community and networking effectively. He reveals how sobriety unexpectedly fueled his startup success and emphasizes the importance of fostering genuine connections through events. Plus, he discusses the unique challenges faced by immigrant founders navigating the startup landscape.
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Oct 17, 2024 β€’ 1h 23min

How Sam Corcos Grew Levels into a $300 Million Startup

This is how Sam raised $67M for his startup, Levels, and helped turn one of his co-founders into a successful influencer with nearly a million followers.πŸ“š 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) β†’ deck-database.carrd.coFollow Sam's journey:🐦 X β†’ x.com/samcorcosπŸ’Ό LinkedIn β†’ linkedin.com/in/samcorcosπŸš€ Startup β†’ levels.comFollow us:πŸ”” Subscribe β†’ youtube.com/@foundingjourney?sub_confirmation=1πŸ“ Newsletter β†’ join.foundingjourney.comπŸ“ˆ Founder Membership β†’ upgrade.foundingjourney.comπŸ’Ό LinkedIn β†’ linkedin.com/in/michael-houckSam's Startup Journey01:24 β€” How Sam almost didn't become an entrepreneur05:46 β€” Sam's companies before Levels09:45 β€” Early entrepreneurial lessons learnedCustomer Insights17:19 β€” Importance of understanding customers21:12 β€” Customers are directionally correct22:48 β€” Engaging with customersPR & Community11:59 β€” Power of PR for startups27:20 β€” Building community at Levels29:16 β€” Community as a growth strategyContent & SEO30:37 β€” Levels' SEO strategy33:25 β€” Focusing content efforts35:18 β€” Content as a hiring tool41:24 β€” Measuring influencer ROI58:14 β€” Creator partnerships insights59:13 β€” Increasing content breakthroughs1:02:38 β€” Pursuing a viral content strategy1:04:25 β€” Value of follower countMarket Positioning & Growth53:42 β€” Carving a niche in a crowded market56:11 β€” Sustaining growth over time1:06:04 β€” Selling before launching1:08:25 β€” Finding product-market fitNetworking & Efficiency 1:11:13 β€” Building a broader network1:14:28 β€” Network theory for investors1:16:20 β€” Creating systems & delegation1:01:15 β€” Time management in growthRapid Fire1:18:15 β€” Who's an investor you'd recommend?1:18:48 β€” One thing you'd change about startups?1:20:17 β€” Advice for first-time founders?1:20:28 β€” Something you believe that most disagree with?
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Oct 10, 2024 β€’ 1h 6min

How Steven Galanis Grew Cameo into a $1 Billion Unicorn

This is how Steven scaled his startup, Cameo, to become a $1 billion unicorn and how the company has changed since.πŸ“š 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) β†’ deck-database.carrd.coFollow Steven's journey:🐦 X β†’ x.com/Mr312πŸ’Ό LinkedIn β†’ linkedin.com/in/stevengalanisπŸš€ Startup β†’ cameo.comFollow us:πŸ”” Subscribe β†’ youtube.com/@foundingjourney?sub_confirmation=1πŸ“ Newsletter β†’ join.foundingjourney.comπŸ“ˆ Founder Membership β†’ upgrade.foundingjourney.comπŸ’Ό LinkedIn β†’ linkedin.com/in/michael-houckThe Journey to Cameo(01:33) β€”  Steven's 1st business: Spartan Entertainment(04:26) β€” Steven's pre-Cameo work experience(06:33) β€” Starting Cameo with Co-founder Martin Blencowe(11:14) β€” Cameo's founding storyFounder Mode(18:43) β€” Steven’s early insight on β€œcameos”(23:48) β€” Overcoming the cold start problem(25:46) β€” Cameo's growth tactics(27:28) β€” Cameo's eureka momentChallenges & Opportunities(31:39) β€” Changing Cameo's idea of success(36:30) β€” Navigating headcount reductions(38:57) β€” Joining the 1871 incubator(40:57) β€” Building alongside other foundersInvestor Relations & Communication(42:26) β€” How to interact with investors(44:02) β€” Co-founder communication(46:39) β€” Attracting investors without fundraising(49:00) β€” Fundraising without a pitch deck(50:33) β€” Benefits of creating an unused pitch deck(53:32) β€” Cameo's Series A experienceRapid Fire(1:01:01) β€” Who's an investor you'd recommend to other founders?(1:01:50) β€” What's one thing you'd change about the startup world?(1:02:20) β€” What's the one piece of advice first-time founders need to know?(1:03:58) β€” What's something you believe that most people disagree with you about?
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Oct 10, 2024 β€’ 49min

How Tyler Denk Raised $50 Million to Build Beehiiv

This is how Tyler raised $50 million for his startup, beehiiv, to power the newsletter revolution.πŸ“š 1,800 Pitch Decks (Free) β†’ deck-database.carrd.coFollow Tyler's journey:πŸ“ Newsletter β†’ bigdeskenergy.com🐦 X β†’ x.com/denk_tweetsπŸ’Ό LinkedIn β†’ linkedin.com/in/tyler-denkπŸš€ Startup β†’ beehiiv.comFollow us:πŸŽ₯ YouTube β†’ youtube.com/@foundingjourneyπŸ“ Newsletter β†’ join.foundingjourney.comπŸ“ˆ Founder Membership β†’ upgrade.foundingjourney.comπŸ’Ό LinkedIn β†’ linkedin.com/in/michael-houckLaunching & Competing(02:17) β€” Launching in a competitive market(04:36) β€” Tyler’s billion-dollar insight(08:12) β€” Pitching investors on beehiiv(09:54) β€” Creating a scalable roadmapFundraising(12:22) β€” Early investor pushback(14:41) β€” Tyler's venture funding decision(20:38) β€” Funding plans after $33M Series B(40:19) β€” Gaining leverage for fundraisingCompany Culture(21:58) β€” Advantages of high shipping velocity(24:45) β€” beehiiv's unique meeting culture(31:24) β€” Why beehiiv is remote-firstFounder Mode(28:48) β€” Finding focus and piece of mind(33:49) β€” Building in public for easier fundraising(38:30) β€” Addressing building in public concernsRapid Fire Questions(44:49) β€” Who's an investor you'd recommend to other founders?(46:04) β€” Favorite startup book that founders should read(46:38) β€” What's the one piece of advice I need to know as a first-time founder?(47:58) β€” What's something you believe that most people disagree with you about?
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Oct 9, 2024 β€’ 3min

Welcome to the Founding Journey podcast!

Welcome to the Founding Journey podcast!Each Thursday, Michael Houck will interview world-class startup founders about their unique paths to uncover tactical insights they've learned about how to fundraise, grow, validate, hire, scale, lead teams while building your startup.Get full access to detailed takeaways on each episode, additional case studies, and more at join.foundingjourney.com.

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