First Builders
The Council
The First Builders Podcast from The Council dives into the stories of those who go first—founders, funders, and early operators who helped build category-defining companies before they were household names. Hosted by General Partner Amber Illig and Partner Rachel Tsui, each episode brings a candid, practical conversation with someone who has helped shape companies before there was a playbook.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 10, 2025 • 55min
The Media Operator’s Mindset: Nathan Baschez on Substack, Virality, and Building Ideas in Public
In this episode, we sit down with Nathan Baschez—founder of Lex, former co-founder of Every, founding team at Substack, and creator of Divinations—to unpack how he thinks about building internet-native businesses. Nathan shares the operating principles behind virality, the power of writing as leverage, and why product intuition matters more than process in the earliest startup moments. We also explore what it takes to build ideas in public—and how to know when one is worth chasing.Make sure you follow us on all our social channels below and watch full episodes on YouTube!Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episode drops in your inbox.Your Hosts:Amber & RachelInstagram: @thecouncilcapitalTwitter/X: @first_builders_LinkedIn: The CouncilTikTok: @firstbuilderspod
Jun 4, 2025 • 48min
The First Builder Archetype: Rohini Pandhi on Product, Platforms, and the Path to Venture
In this episode, we’re joined by Rohini Pandhi—Head of Expansion at Mercury, former product leader at Square (Block), and current partner at Transparent Collective. We explore how Rohini identified Square and Mercury early on as accelerating environments dense with opportunity, why narrative is a core tool in both product and venture, and what it means to be a true “First Builder.”Disclaimer: Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Business banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC. Personal banking services provided through Choice Financial Group; Member FDIC.Make sure you follow us on all our social channels below and watch full episodes on YouTube!Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episode drops in your inbox.Your Hosts:Amber & RachelInstagram: @thecouncilcapitalTwitter/X: @first_builders_LinkedIn: The CouncilTikTok: @firstbuilderspod
