How I Tested That

Eddy Connors, co-founder of Goodie Bag, is revolutionizing how we tackle food waste by connecting consumers with local shops selling unsold food at discounted prices. His inspiration came during a gap year in Indonesia, witnessing plastic pollution firsthand. The discussion delves into building a sustainable marketplace, addressing food waste in Boulder, and the importance of community connections. Eddy highlights the significance of partnering with local businesses and adapting to customer needs to create a thriving ecosystem that benefits everyone.

Victoria Sakal, Head of Growth at Wonder, shares her fascinating transition from consulting to entrepreneurship. She discusses how Wonder supports small businesses with curated desk research, leveraging AI to enhance insights. Emphasizing curiosity, she highlights the need for constant customer engagement and agile research methods. Victoria also addresses the challenges of navigating AI's evolving landscape and the importance of understanding market needs, all while striving to simplify information for better decision-making.

Ali Jiwani, an entrepreneur who shifted from food delivery to education, shares his innovative journey in creating Slay School, a personalized learning platform. He discusses using data insights from past ventures to shape Slay School's success. Ali reveals his unique strategies for customer acquisition via Reddit and Discord, emphasizing the importance of swift feedback loops. He also tackles the challenges of pricing educational tools and envisions revolutionizing education through tailored learning experiences for each student.

Marc Wandler, co-founder of Susgrainable and a pioneer in transforming beer waste into sustainable flour, shares his innovative journey. He discusses launching an upcycled barley flour product stemming from a student project, the challenges of sourcing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the crucial role of consumer feedback in shaping his business. Marc dives into A/B testing methods, partnerships, and his vision for sustainability, all while navigating the unpredictable landscape of food entrepreneurship.

Maura Mitchell, a lawyer and MBA at the Women's Business Development Center, discusses her passion for supporting women-led micro businesses. She highlights the significance of the Lean Startup Method, market research, and customer interviews in validating business ideas. Through real-world examples, she demonstrates how structured conversations can enhance entrepreneurs' confidence and clarify their visions. Mitchell also emphasizes the importance of community support and mentorship in navigating early entrepreneurship challenges, aiming to foster collaboration among women entrepreneurs.

Janna Bastow, founder of ProdPad, dives into the complexities of testing pricing strategies and the B2B purchasing landscape. She shares her journey of evolving pricing models and the crucial role of customer feedback in shaping them. Janna highlights the importance of understanding different decision-makers in the procurement process and emphasizes the integration of AI to enhance efficiency in product management. Tune in for insights on balancing customer needs with business goals while leveraging technology for smarter product strategies.

Andi Plantenberg, experienced in testing for NASA missions, discusses early-stage idea testing, challenges in perfection and safety culture, fluidity in uncertainty, simulated mission control, iterative software design, and holistic problem-solving.

Aaron Eden, an expert in experimentation at Intuit, shares insights on adapting testing approaches to fit company culture, challenges of internal marketing, success with SnapTax, and the importance of continuous learning. He emphasizes understanding customer behavior, driving innovation, and reigniting the innovation catalyst group. Aaron discusses the recent success of a workshop called Speed, focusing on AI and velocity mindsets for business impact.

Brandy and Craig discuss their collaboration and the challenges they faced in teaching entrepreneurship and de-risking startups. They highlight the importance of testing and iterating through customer interviews, surveys, and landing pages. They also emphasize the need to overcome biases and consider counterfactuals when evaluating risk. The success stories they share include students winning funding at Draper University and turning down investments to pursue their own vision. They discuss the process of scaling their program and providing support to entrepreneurs through events and resources. They also touch on the importance of questioning assumptions and guiding entrepreneurs to discover the gaps in their understanding. The conversation explores the importance of feedback and testing in entrepreneurship. It emphasizes the need to be open to feedback and willing to challenge assumptions. The hosts discuss the concept of being right versus being successful and the value of honest feedback. They also touch on the importance of understanding the problem and the customer before jumping into activities like advertising and landing page optimization. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the founders' initiatives, including Founder Fridays and Help a Startup Out. Use the discount code PODCAST for $50 off a ticket to our upcoming Testing Business Ideas with ChatGPT Workshop on April 29th: www.eventbrite.com/e/1309306534089/?discount=PODCAST

Entrepreneur Kate Hopkins discusses building OneGuide for PE and VC firms, pivoting from startups to firms, challenges of selling to firms, importance of testing and adapting, and patience in business evolution.