He got rejected by 60 VCs, burned all his savings—then grew to $100M ARR & a $2B valuation. | Kyle Hanslovan, Founder of Huntress

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

Player FM - Internet Radio Done Right

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TED Health

1
My mission to change the narrative of mental health | Glenn Close 13:44

22 weeks 전13:44

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13:44

Legendary actor and mental health advocate Glenn Close is on a quest to change how we think about mental health, starting with her decision to speak out about her own family's struggles — a brave choice considering the stigma that pervades the topic. This week, we're revisiting this sweeping conversation with TEDWomen curator Pat Mitchell, where Close shares the inspiration behind the advocacy group she founded to combat the crisis, underscoring the transformative power of community and the critical need for comprehensive mental health care systems. Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey ! Become a TED Member today at ted.com/join Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

약 1년 전 58:31

MP3•에피소드 홈

Kyle left his job as a hacker at the NSA to launch Huntress. He bootstrapped for 3 years and burned all his savings. One of his co-founders quit. He got into an accelerator program, but had to sleep in his car for 16 weeks because he couldn't afford a hotel.

Finally, 3 years in he'd hit $1.5M ARR. So he pitched 60 VCs for a Series A—and got 60 'no's. He was forced to raise a small, $1M inside round.
But then things changed:

2018: $1.5M ARR
2019: $5M ARR
2020: $10M ARR
2021: $20M ARR
2022: $40M ARR
2023: $70M ARR
2024: $100M+ ARR

Huntress is valued at $2B.

The investors who backed his $1M bridge are up 140x.

Now every VC wants to invest—and Kyle's the one saying 'no'.

Why you should listen:

How to know whether you should keep going or quit.
What it takes to get through the first few years at a bootstrapped startup.
Why revenue expansion is a huge lever for fast-growth (Huntress has 140% net revenue retention).
How starting a startup can impact your personal life and relationships.
How to work with partners to sell to long tail SMB customers.

Keywords
entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, product market fit, startup journey, military experience, SMB market, funding challenges, automation, human expertise, business growth
Timestamps:
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:2:01) Working at the NSA
(00:6:14) A big win in counter cyber terrorism
(00:10:00) What gave way to Huntress
(00:14:22) Pitching to a startup accelerator
(00:16:29) Adopting curiosity
(00:21:04) Getting ahead of cyber criminals
(00:26:00) Starting to grow
(00:32:50) Cult or conviction
(00:35:00) It takes grit
(00:39:50) Learning from people's lessons
(00:42:20) Cockroaches and underdogs
(00:46:10) Three strikes, I'm out
(00:52:56) Having a military background
(00:56:17) One piece of advice
Send me a message to let me know what you think!

챕터

1. He got rejected by 60 VCs, burned all his savings—then grew to $100M ARR & a $2B valuation. | Kyle Hanslovan, Founder of Huntress (00:00:00)

2. Working at the NSA (00:02:01)

3. Huntress origin story (00:10:00)

4. Pitching to a startup accelerator (00:14:22)

5. Starting to grow (00:26:00)

6. Cult or conviction (00:32:50)

7. It takes grit (00:35:00)

8. Learning from people's lessons (00:39:50)

9. Cockroaches and underdogs (00:42:20)

10. Three strikes, I'm out (00:46:10)

11. Having a military background (00:52:56)

12. One piece of advice (00:56:17)

192 에피소드

#Entrepreneur #Business #Mistral.vc #Tech Startups #Tech #Startup #Product Market Fit

He got rejected by 60 VCs, burned all his savings—then grew to $100M ARR & a $2B valuation. | Kyle Hanslovan, Founder of Huntress

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

15 subscribers

published 약 1년 전

MP3•에피소드 홈

Finally, 3 years in he'd hit $1.5M ARR. So he pitched 60 VCs for a Series A—and got 60 'no's. He was forced to raise a small, $1M inside round.
But then things changed:

2018: $1.5M ARR
2019: $5M ARR
2020: $10M ARR
2021: $20M ARR
2022: $40M ARR
2023: $70M ARR
2024: $100M+ ARR

Huntress is valued at $2B.

The investors who backed his $1M bridge are up 140x.

Now every VC wants to invest—and Kyle's the one saying 'no'.

Why you should listen:

How to know whether you should keep going or quit.
What it takes to get through the first few years at a bootstrapped startup.
Why revenue expansion is a huge lever for fast-growth (Huntress has 140% net revenue retention).
How starting a startup can impact your personal life and relationships.
How to work with partners to sell to long tail SMB customers.

챕터

1. He got rejected by 60 VCs, burned all his savings—then grew to $100M ARR & a $2B valuation. | Kyle Hanslovan, Founder of Huntress (00:00:00)

2. Working at the NSA (00:02:01)

3. Huntress origin story (00:10:00)

4. Pitching to a startup accelerator (00:14:22)

5. Starting to grow (00:26:00)

6. Cult or conviction (00:32:50)

7. It takes grit (00:35:00)

8. Learning from people's lessons (00:39:50)

9. Cockroaches and underdogs (00:42:20)

10. Three strikes, I'm out (00:46:10)

11. Having a military background (00:52:56)

12. One piece of advice (00:56:17)

192 에피소드

#Entrepreneur #Business #Mistral.vc #Tech Startups #Tech #Startup #Product Market Fit

모든 에피소드

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
May Startup News: Elizabeth Holmes Returns, Billion-Dollar Frauds, & the End of Tech Jobs w/ Jack Kuveke 28:43

17 hours 전28:43

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28:43

Description: Jack Kuveke returns to unpack the wildest startup news this month: from billion-dollar frauds and crypto scams, to OpenAI’s secretive $6.5 billion gadget project with Apple’s design legend Jony Ive. We dig into why big-name investors keep missing red flags, and why AI might be crushing entry-level tech jobs faster than anyone expected. Keywords startup scams, OpenAI Johnny Ive, Elizabeth Holmes, Builder AI scandal, tech IPO crash, AI job loss, crypto meme coin fraud, venture capital news, tech layoffs, Theranos lessons Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
He hit $1M ARR in 10 months—after doing of a full, 180 pivot. | Merrill Lutsky, Founder of Graphite 56:30

4일 전56:30

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56:30

After two pivots and nearly running out of runway, Merrill Lutsky found insane growth—scaling Graphite to tens of thousands of daily users and millions in ARR. He reveals exactly how Graphite landed its first massive enterprise customer, doubled revenue overnight by changing pricing, and turned user feedback into momentum. Merrill shares hard-earned lessons on recognizing true product-market fit, leveraging internal tools as a market wedge, and surviving the chaos every early-stage founder faces. If you’re building, pivoting, or scaling your startup, this is a must-listen episode. Why You Should Listen How to Know When It’s Time to Pivot—or Keep Going Landing Your First Enterprise Deal (and Getting to $1M ARR in 10 Months) Why Daily User Feedback is a Secret Weapon Finding the Real “Must-Have” Product Why Your First Pricing Model Probably Won’t Work (and How to Fix It) Keywords product market fit, developer tools, pivot, enterprise sales, startup growth, code review, pricing strategy, software startups, founder lessons, Graphite dev tool 00:00:00 Raising a seed round on Airbnb Wi‑Fi 00:10:40 Lessons from the first failed DevTool 00:16:00 Why daily‑use products win 00:24:30 Pivoting from mobile rollbacks to code review 00:31:00 Ex‑Meta engineers spark a viral wait‑list 00:40:00 Switching on pricing and racing to $1 M ARR 00:48:30 The pricing tweak that doubled revenue 00:50:00 Surviving outages, bank collapses and chaos 00:52:30 Co‑founder trust makes or breaks startups Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
PMF Observations: Why passion is more important than you think 19:51

8일 전19:51

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19:51

Most early-stage founders get trapped in the chaos of endless tasks, there's always too much to do and not enough time. We go through the last 4 episodes to see what how the best founders prioritize. We also see why you can raise millions without real traction but can’t fake product-market fit, how positioning yourself for luck is as important as having a plan, why slow initial growth might be your secret weapon, and how true passion gives you staying power. Why You Should Listen How to prioritize ruthlessly—focus is about saying no. Why you can't game product-market fit. Turning random luck into edge. When slow growth still wins Why true founder-market fit keeps you in the game longer. Keywords product-market fit, founder-market fit, startup prioritization, fundraising strategies, early-stage startups, growth strategies, startup pivot, founder lessons, bootstrapping startups, AI startups 00:00 Intro 02:58 Why Founders Need to Drop Some Balls 05:04 You Can Fake Fundraising but Not Product Market Fit 09:22 Positioning Yourself for Luck 13:33 Why Slow Initial Growth Might be OK 17:28 Why True Passion Buys Staying Power Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
He didn't raise VC for the first 7 years— then grew to $1B in ARR. | Dax Dasilva, Founder of Lightspeed 55:15

11일 전55:15

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55:15

Dax built Lightspeed into a $1B ARR public company—even though he bootstrapped for the first 7 years. In this episode, he reveals exactly how he used a 4x pricing shift to create a global reseller machine that grew him to $10M ARR. He also breaks down why obsessing over design and deep customer empathy built the foundation for success.—and how stepping away from his comfort zone as an introverted developer was the key to scale. If you’re an early-stage founder trying to nail pricing, distribution, and long-term strategic decisions, this story is your playbook. Why You Should Listen Learn how to price your product to build a distribution machine. Why early profitability can make your startup unstoppable. How bootstrapping forces clarity—and can unlock massive scale. Why the hardest move for founders is often letting go of what they’re best at. Why giving away titles and equity too soon is a trap. Keywords product market fit, pricing strategy, bootstrapping, reseller partnerships, early-stage startups, go-to-market strategy, startup scaling, founder lessons, Lightspeed POS, profitability 00:00:00 Intro 00:07:56 Landing the First Customers Without a Product 00:11:28 The Pricing Strategy that Changed Everything 00:19:20 Growth Through Partnerships 00:26:18 Why a Business Plan Can Actually Help 00:34:33 Profitable from Day One 00:42:15 From On-Premise to the Cloud 00:46:59 Finding Product-Market Fit 00:49:15 The Truth About Early Employees and Equity 00:53:18 Reinventing Your Role as Founder Every Year Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
Q1 2025: The Seed to Series A Gap is Wider Than Ever. Here's what to do. | Peter Walker, Head of Insights at Carta 48:22

15일 전48:22

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리스트

48:22

Carta just released their report for Q1 2025. Peter is Head of Insights at Carta, and the person who owns their data practice. We sit down to talk about the largest trends he saw across fundraising, industries, graduation rates and even hiring practices. Carta data shows that graduation rates from Seed to A are as low as they've ever been. Bridge rounds make you even less likely to raise an A. And why seed-strapping might be an answer for many founders. VCs read and understand all this data. If you want to operate on equal footing— you should too. Why you should listen: What the Series A gap is and what do about it. Learn what the latest data says on valuations for seed and early-stage companies, round sizes etc. Why bridges and extensions have become so popular. Why bridge rounds have lower graduation rates to Series A. Why you might not need to move to the Bay Area to raise large rounds. Keywords venture capital, AI, fundraising, market trends, valuations, startup ecosystem, early stage, late stage, investment, venture capital, bridge rounds, seed extensions, startup growth, hiring practices, AI impact, early stage funding, market trends, valuations, exits Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
He went from 0 to a $210M exit in 3 years—without inventing anything new. | Kazi Ahmed, Founder of Carbon6 45:14

18일 전45:14

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45:14

Kazi Ahmed took a small insight—seeing friends cash out from Amazon brands—and built Carbon6, a software roll-up startup, selling it for $210M just three years later. But behind the quick success was a frantic scramble to survive. Aggressive acquisitions nearly ran them out of cash, forcing a brutal pivot from burning $1M per month to profitability and explosive organic growth. This episode dives deep into Kazi’s playbook: when to ignore customer interviews, how to pivot on a dime, and why getting started immediately beats perfect planning every time. Why You Should Listen: How Kazi Ahmed built a startup from $0 to a $210M exit in just 3 years. Why chasing perfect ideas kills startups (and what to do instead). How aggressive acquisitions almost destroyed the company—and the tough pivot that saved it. Why customer interviews are overrated and sales beats surveys every time. How to identify when a roll-up strategy makes sense (and when it doesn’t). Keywords: startup growth, Amazon FBA, acquisition strategy, profitable pivot, roll-up startups, founder stories, SaaS growth, startup exits, e-commerce software, early-stage advice 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:35 How COVID Unlocked an Amazon Gold Rush 00:06:51 From Aggregating Brands to Aggregating Software 00:12:04 Funding Acquisitions with Friends and Family 00:16:18 The Art of Structuring Deals 00:21:50 Pivoting from Acquisition Spree to Profitability 00:26:35 Aggressive Cost Cutting and Cultural Reset 00:29:43 Scaling Upmarket with a Sales-Driven Approach 00:36:51 The $210 Million Acquisition by SPS Commerce 00:40:26 Reflections and Realities of a Big Exit Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
Forecasts are overrated—great founders build one step at a time. | PMF Observations 18:06

22일 전18:06

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18:06

I break down my top insights from recent conversations with four founders who won in unconventional ways. You’ll hear how Noah turned LinkedIn posts into his primary sales channel (without ever going viral), why Dan’s startup survived a brutal 95% downround but ended up at $400M ARR two years later, how Adam turned a stagnant $3M ARR business into a $25M cash cow by solving one overlooked customer pain point. Plus, and how Cleerly used a 17 day-from- bankruptcy moment as its turning point. Why You Should Listen • How to turn LinkedIn into your best sales channel without going viral • Why a 95% downround doesn’t mean your startup is over • How near-failure experiences can lead to breakthrough growth • The power of uncovering overlooked customer problems to drive massive profits • Why constraints and limited resources can become your biggest advantage Keywords product market fit, startup growth, LinkedIn lead generation, fundraising, downround, bootstrapping, founder lessons, pivoting, scaling startups, entrepreneurship 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:01 How Stacker Leveraged LinkedIn for Explosive Growth 00:04:43 Clutch’s Wild Ride from Unicorn to Nearly Bankrupt and Back 00:07:38 Navigating Market Cycles as a Founder 00:08:32 Retention.com’s Pivot from Stagnation to Massive Profits 00:13:33 Cleerly’s Near-Death Moment with Only 17 Days of Runway 00:16:21 Why Constraints Are a Secret Weapon Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
He took on Robinhood & built Public.com into a $1B company with $440M raised. | Jannick Malling, Founder of Public.com 55:12

25일 전55:12

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55:12

Public co-founder Jannick Malling shares exactly how he grew his startup from a tiny beta to millions of users—and hundreds of millions raised. He reveals why fractional shares changed the game for user acquisition, how the company cleverly seized on the GameStop moment to explode growth, and why relentless product focus was critical to scaling quickly. He explains the mindset shift needed to nail product-market fit multiple times and why you should only tackle timeless problems if you want your startup to last. Why You Should Listen • Learn how Public went from 1K beta users to millions in just 18 months by flipping the playbook. • Discover how to capture viral growth moments like GameStop and turning them into sustained growth. • Understand how intense product focus can drive massive results even with limited resources. • Hear why you need to solve timeless problems, not trendy ones. Keywords startup growth, product market fit, fractional shares, viral growth, Public investing app, fintech startup, user acquisition, scaling startups, startup advice, founder interview (00:00:00) How Public Went from 1K Users to Millions (00:09:41) Jannick’s Path from Teen Designer to Fintech Founder (00:19:03) Fractional Shares Unlock Explosive Growth (00:26:31) Why Community was Key (and How it Actually Worked) (00:31:36) Launch Day Metrics Go Off the Charts (00:35:38) Unusual Strategy Behind Public’s Word-of-Mouth Success (00:42:38) How Public Increased Average Deposits by 30x (00:49:12) How GameStop Doubled Public’s User Base in 48 Hours (00:53:00) Jannick’s Real Advice on Picking Problems That Matter Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
Adam Neumann Returns, SV Spies, AI Robots Rise | April Startup News w/ Jack Kuveke 39:53

29일 전39:53

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39:53

Corporate spies stealing Slack messages. Adam Neumann raising another $100M (for WeWork 2.0?). AI startups hitting $34B valuations with zero revenue and ordering Ben & Jerry's ice cream over 15 payments with Klarna on DoorDash. April was wild, and Jack Kuveke joins the show to unpack the chaos, controversy, and insanity behind the biggest startup headlines. This is different than our normal episodes— definitely a much lighter twist, to be taken with a grain of salt. Let us know what you think! Why You Should Listen Why Adam Neumann can raise billions—but you can’t raise your seed round How a $40B valuation for AI startups might not be as insane as it sounds Why espionage is moving from Wall St to Silicon Valley What Klarna and DoorDash teaming up says about consumer debt culture Why A16Z thinks VCs will be the last job standing when AI takes over Keywords Adam Neumann, AI startups, Silicon Valley espionage, A16Z, Klarna DoorDash, startup news, corporate spies, consumer debt, tech valuations, VC funding 00:00 Intro 01:45 Neumann’s new $500 M raise and the WeWork déjà‑vu 08:20 Deel‑vs‑Rippling spy saga uncovered 13:00 11x growth scandal and TechCrunch backlash 18:25 Marc Andreessen says only VCs are irreplaceable 20:38 ChatGPT’s $10 M “please & thank‑you” GPU bill 26:10 Safe Super‑Intelligence and the $34 B pre‑revenue club 30:00 Klarna × DoorDash lets you finance ice cream 37:40 How consumer debt became America’s default setting 41:55 Quick survival guide for founders (and a few rants) Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
1 year in he had just 3 customers—today he’s at $100M ARR. | Forrest Zeisler, Co-Founder of Jobber | Forrest Zeisler, Co-Founder of Jobber 53:13

5 weeks 전53:13

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53:13

Forrest Zeisler spent 6 months hearing “no” from every potential customer he spoke to. One year in, Jobber had just three customers—paying $29/month. Today, Jobber generates over $100M ARR, has raised $180M in VC, and employs nearly 1,000 people. In this episode, Forrest shares the brutally honest story behind Jobber’s early days: months of rejection, maxing out credit cards, and nearly quitting. You’ll learn why there are rarely any “silver bullets”, how he handled relentless investor skepticism, and how incremental daily improvements—not crazy inflection points—led to exponential growth. If you’ve ever wondered whether your startup can make it through the grind, this is a must-listen. Why You Should Listen • Learn how to persist through brutal rejection—Jobber took 6 months to land their first customer. • Understand why chasing “silver bullet” features or channels rarely works. • Find out when it makes sense to keep going despite extremely slow traction. • Hear why your first investors can shape or destroy your startup journey. • Discover why “compound growth” beats chasing short-term inflection points. Keywords product market fit, startup growth, founder stories, fundraising, bootstrapping, Jobber, vertical SaaS, early stage startups, scaling startups, startup rejection (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:55) From Freelance Devs to Startup Founders (00:07:23) Six Months of Rejection (00:15:09) Landing the First Customer and Almost Losing Hope (00:25:39) Brutal Investor Feedback and the $250K Seed Round (00:35:13) Early Growth and Near-Death Experiences (00:44:15) Hitting Customer Milestones and Finding True Product Market Fit (00:48:41) Crossing $100M ARR and Key Lessons Learned (00:51:11) When to Quit and When to Persist Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
He lost 90% of his users overnight—then grew his consumer app to $10M ARR. | Koen Droste, Founder of Polarsteps 46:30

5 weeks 전46:30

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46:30

He turned a personal travel tracker into an app with 10 million users and $10 million in revenue, with almost no funding. He reveals how ignoring conventional startup advice—like launching early, chasing revenue, or partnering for growth—was key to their viral success. He realized everything growth was about word-of-mouth. So the key to success was obsessing over a single metric: NPS. If you’re an early-stage founder deciding where to focus, this is your must-listen episode. ___ Why You Should Listen • From losing 90% of users overnight to over $10M in revenue. • Why obsessing over Net Promoter Score (NPS) instead of revenue can drive explosive organic growth. • How to stay hyper-focused on one metric—and avoid distractions. • The truth about partnerships and why most startups shouldn’t chase them. • The counterintuitive decision to build for quality first, even if it delays your launch. ____ Keywords product market fit, startup growth, net promoter score, organic growth, consumer apps, app monetization, viral growth, user retention, travel app, early-stage startup _____ (00:00:00) Losing 90% of Users Overnight (00:01:10) Turning a Personal Project Into a Travel App (00:09:36) Raising $50K and Building Before Launch (00:24:09) Launch Day and First 2000 Users (00:30:35) Why Chasing Partnerships Can Hurt Growth (00:36:40) How Polarsteps Reached $10M Revenue (00:41:00) Surviving COVID as a Travel Startup (00:42:20) Finding True Product Market Fit (00:43:26) The Moment Polarsteps Almost Failed (00:45:03) One Metric Every Founder Should Track Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
He launched a “side-project”— now it’s used by 10% of all restaurants. | Jordan Boesch, Founder of 7Shifts 40:20

6 weeks 전40:20

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40:20

Jordan Boesch started 7shifts as a teenager helping his dad manage restaurant shifts. Today, his software runs scheduling for 50,000 restaurants. This episode dives into how Jordan bootstrapped early growth, why relentless focus on solving real customer pain mattered more than funding, and how tight partnerships supercharged his expansion. Jordan also shares hard-won lessons on managing burnout, dealing with near-failure, and creating a company culture that lasts. It’s packed with practical insights every founder needs. ___ Why You Should Listen: • From side project to being used by 1 in 10 restaurant workers in the U.S. • How to use SEO and partnership strategies that drove early growth • Why customer complaints are often a good sign. • What to do when you're about to run out of cash. • See why defining clear core values early was key to building a resilient team. _____ (00:00:00) Building for Passion Not Profit (00:01:32) Solving Dad’s Restaurant Problems (00:06:01) Getting the First Real Customer (00:10:47) Taking the Leap to Full-Time Founder (00:13:07) Moving to Silicon Valley and Finding Focus (00:16:51) Growth Hacking with SEO and Partnerships (00:24:59) How to Actually Make Partnerships Work (00:27:08) Building a Big Company Outside the Bay Area (00:30:29) Raising Money and Surviving Near-Failure (00:35:49) Defining Culture to Scale Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
1st-time founder grows AI headshot app from $0 to $10M ARR in 2 years—with no funding. | Wesley Tian, Founder of Aragon 53:26

6 weeks 전53:26

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53:26

Wesley turned a simple AI headshot generator into a $10M ARR, profitable company—in just two years. He was fired from his job, broke in San Francisco, and, after getting rejected by 30 VCs, down to his last few thousand bucks. But Wesley saw a moment: generative AI was taking off, and no one was tackling AI headshots. Fast-forward two years, and he’s doing $10M in revenue, profitable, with just 10 employees. He shares every bold tactic—bundling random AI packs, hacking Google rankings, landing affiliates, and manually doing customer support until there was no time left. Wes shares insights that every founder should know, including how he navigated intense competition, handled burnout, and maintained growth without a sales team. You’ll walk away with clear, actionable strategies you can apply immediately. If you want a raw, practical take on zero-to-10M product-market fit in the AI era, this one’s unmissable. Why You Should Listen: • How Wes grew Aragon to $10M ARR—without burning any money. • The guerrilla marketing tactics Wes used to turn a $30 idea into millions of revenue. • Why starting early let him outrun lookalike competitors. • How one affiliate blog post drove more than 50% of early sales. • How he managed high early churn in the early days until the product improved. Keywords: AI startups, early-stage growth, product-market fit, AI headshots, founder stories, affiliate marketing, startup tactics, SEO for startups, guerrilla marketing, startup growth strategies (00:01:54) Zero to $10M in Two Years (00:02:34) Exploring Ideas Before AI (00:05:25) Discovering the AI Headshot Opportunity (00:07:37) How Getting Fired Led to a Startup (00:18:31) Doubling Down on Professional Headshots (00:24:11) Early Guerrilla Marketing and Traction (00:27:59) From $2K to $200K a Month (00:32:13) Affiliate Marketing as a Growth Lever (00:43:18) The Moment of True Product Market Fit (00:47:18) Surviving Near-Failure and Burnout Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
He raised $30M & failed. Then raised $0 & grew to $550M in revenue. Here's what he learned. | Mike Salguero, Founder of Butcherbox 54:56

7 weeks 전54:56

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54:56

Mike first raised $30M for a marketplace that never truly had product-market fit. Then he bet only $10K on ButcherBox. A few years later, he's doing $550M in revenue and he's profitable. The difference is in his first startup he was just catering to investors— in his second one only to customers. If you’re an early founder chasing growth, listen to how Mike ditched vanity metrics, found sustainable traction, and grew ButcherBox past $500M in revenue—with no outside funding. ____ Why You Should Listen 1. Why not raising can often be a powerful forcing function. 2. Why what VCs want is often not the same as what customers want. 3. How to differentiate in what seems like a commoditized market. 4. Why there is no stronger force in startups than true product-market fit. ______ Keywords product market fit, bootstrapping, butcherbox, direct to consumer, CPG subscription, grass fed beef, founder lessons, Kickstarter, food startup, early stage founder _____ (00:00:00) Mastering the VC Game (00:01:45) How I Raised $30M Without Product Market Fit (00:08:21) Why my VC-backed Startup Failed (00:15:34) Growing Revenue but Losing Money (00:28:07) Early Signals of Real Product Market Fit (00:34:59) Solving Supply Chain to Scale ButcherBox (00:39:43) Bootstrapping to $550M (The Power of Constraints) (00:51:18) Product Market Fit from Day One (00:52:42) Why Founders Need a Lifestyle Plan Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders

1
He invested in 30 early-stage startups. Here's what he looks for in the founders he backs. | Gopi Rangan, Founder of Sure Ventures 35:57

7 weeks 전35:57

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35:57

Gopi Rangan has invested in 29 early-stage startups from scratch. He shares a simple but powerful approach to picking the right VCs, structuring your pitch (long-term vision + short-term plan + fuzzy mid-term path), and proving you are the sort of founder every pre-seed investor craves. If you’re raising a pre-seed or seed, Gopi’s tips will make your process faster, more targeted, and a lot less painful. ___ Why You Should Listen 1. The 2-minute test for "real" pre-seed investors – Spot VCs who truly lead early rounds vs. those who waste your time. 2. His 3-step framework for finding your perfect lead – Forget the 100 investor pipeline. Zero in on 10 prospects who’ll actually write a check. 3. How to balance short-term execution with a massive mission – Win over pre-seed VCs by knowing your next 6 months and your 10-year ambition. 4. Why "business acumen" beats everything – Gopi explains how it trumps domain expertise or brand-name credentials. 5. When to be fuzzy, when to be precise – The counterintuitive approach that shows you’re open to customer feedback while still having big vision. ____ Keywords Pre-seed Funding, Early-Stage VC, Business Acumen, Go-to-Market Strategy, Founder–Investor Fit, Strategic Networking, Seed Round Pitch, Warm Introductions, Mission-Driven Startups, Conviction Investing ____ (00:00:00) Why Ruthless Prioritization Wins (00:03:29) Why Investing at Pre-seed is Personal (00:08:36) Investing When There Are Still Typos in the Pitch Deck (00:12:23) Spotting Founders with Exceptional Business Acumen (00:17:21) Great Ideas in the Hands of the Right Founder (00:26:29) The Practical Guide to Raising Your Seed Round Send me a message to let me know what you think!…

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A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders « » He got rejected by 60 VCs, burned all his savings—then grew to $100M ARR & a $2B valuation. | Kyle Hanslovan, Founder of Huntress

챕터

1. He got rejected by 60 VCs, burned all his savings—then grew to $100M ARR & a $2B valuation. | Kyle Hanslovan, Founder of Huntress (00:00:00)

2. Working at the NSA (00:02:01)

3. Huntress origin story (00:10:00)

4. Pitching to a startup accelerator (00:14:22)

5. Starting to grow (00:26:00)

6. Cult or conviction (00:32:50)

7. It takes grit (00:35:00)

8. Learning from people's lessons (00:39:50)

9. Cockroaches and underdogs (00:42:20)

10. Three strikes, I'm out (00:46:10)

11. Having a military background (00:52:56)

12. One piece of advice (00:56:17)

He got rejected by 60 VCs, burned all his savings—then grew to $100M ARR & a $2B valuation. | Kyle Hanslovan, Founder of Huntress

챕터

1. He got rejected by 60 VCs, burned all his savings—then grew to $100M ARR & a $2B valuation. | Kyle Hanslovan, Founder of Huntress (00:00:00)

2. Working at the NSA (00:02:01)

3. Huntress origin story (00:10:00)

4. Pitching to a startup accelerator (00:14:22)

5. Starting to grow (00:26:00)

6. Cult or conviction (00:32:50)

7. It takes grit (00:35:00)

8. Learning from people's lessons (00:39:50)

9. Cockroaches and underdogs (00:42:20)

10. Three strikes, I'm out (00:46:10)

11. Having a military background (00:52:56)

12. One piece of advice (00:56:17)

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The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About

The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About

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The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders와 비슷한 콘텐츠

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A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders « »
He got rejected by 60 VCs, burned all his savings—then grew to $100M ARR & a $2B valuation. | Kyle Hanslovan, Founder of Huntress