Foundr Magazine Podcast | Learn From Successful Founders & Proven Entrepreneurs, The Ultimate Startup Podcast For Business

There are not many interviews where Nathan Chan is speechless, but this is one of them. If you want to learn how to find product market fit, build a successful team, and create a lasting business, then Uri Levine has the map. Levine is the co-founder of two unicorn startups–Waze and Moovit. He’s been a founder, investor, and chairman for more than ten successful startups focusing on solving big problems. His new book “Fall In Love with the Problem, Not the Solution-a Handbook for Entrepreneurs” was called “The Bible for entrepreneurs” by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.  Listen to Nathan and Uri discuss…or Nathan learn:  How to start with solving a problem Why it took four years to get Waze right  Why you need to learn how to fire before you hire Why value creation is the purpose of entrepreneurship How to measure product market fit Convincing the “holy grail” of customers  Why most startups fail Why there are only right decisions And much more product market fit wisdom… Who do you want to see next

Manuel Mueller started his first mattress company when he was 19 years old, and since then, he has never stopped iterating to create the perfect mattress. In 2013, he launched sleepwear company Emma, one of Europe’s fastest-growing sleep innovation companies, with mattresses, beds, and pillows sold in over 30 countries to 4 million customers. Learn the marketing strategies and mindset that allowed Emma to endure the DTC mattresses boom and continually have 30% year-over-year growth.  Listen to Nathan and Manuel discuss:  Starting his first mattress company at 19 years old  Finding product market fit by doing customer service  Standing out in the competitive DTC mattress boom Approaching product development research as a startup Why you shouldn’t raise money to raise money Advice on entering a new national market  Marketing attribution hacks for small businesses How your mindset can overcome your competition And much more DTC marketing advice… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and

Ali Ghosdi was a reluctant founder. He planned to become an academic researcher and professor, not lead a successful tech startup. In 2013, alongside six other co-founders, Ghosdi helped build an open-source data product called Apache Spark, a best-of-breed future predicting code. The research project eventually became a business called Databricks. In 2016, he was picked as CEO and helped transform the open-source startup into a technology enterprise with a $38 billion valuation. Databricks boasts investors like Andreessen Horowitz, Microsoft, and Amazon.  Nathan and Ali discuss: Being a reluctant startup co-founder Partnering with Andreessen Horowitz as their first investor The pros and cons of having co-founders The pressure of living up to early success Transforming an open-source startup into a revenue enterprise  The difference between professional and founder CEOs How startups and small businesses can use AI tools right now. Why product market fit is an art How to work backward in your busines

If your business or brand has a podcast, listen up. In this episode, we’re diving into the current state of podcasting with Max Cutler, Parcast founder, Spotify’s former head of talk creator content, and The Hollywood Reporter’s most powerful people in podcasting. Cutler became a podcast pioneer when he bootstrapped his true crime network, which sold to Spotify in 2019 for $100 million according to the Financial Times. As a Spotify executive, he signed and produced the most popular podcasting personalities, including Alexandra Cooper, Joe Rogan, and Brené Brown. In the Spring of 2023, Cutler announced he was leaving Spotify to jump back into his first love–entrepreneurship. In this exclusive interview, Cutler reveals what it takes to create a successful podcast and what founders should focus on.  Listen to Nathan and Max discuss:  Launching and growing Parcast on simplicity  How the Spotify deal come about  Identifying and working with talent Knowing when it’s right to sell your business  Why he chose t

Michelle Zatlyn and her co-founders were outsiders when they moved to Silicon Valley to launch their web security startup. It was 2009, in the middle of a recession, but the team knew their visceral early-user feedback validated the need to be bold. In 2010, Cloudflare launched its first freemium product and hasn’t looked back. Today, Cloudflare has four million customers worldwide, surpassed a $1 billion revenue run rate, and employs 3,200 team members. Zatlyn currently serves as the publicly traded company’s president and CEO. She is one of the few women founders leading a public tech business.  Listen to Nathan and Michelle discuss:  A “made for TV” meeting with her co-founders Validating an idea with visceral feedback Being a Silicon Valley outsider Starting a tech business during a recession Launching a product MVP Six business reasons to have a freemium product  Being a female founder in the tech industry And much more tech founder advice…  Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment

Since 2006, Immad Akhund has been investing in and building startups. But he always struggled with working with traditional banks to run his startups, especially as a non-US resident. He figured someone else would solve it, but the issue was still on the table by the time he exited his fourth startup in 2017. So, he launched Mercury, a bank for startups that now is a fintech unicorn valued at $1.62 billion. On the side, Akhund also is an angel investor of 240-plus startups, many of which are unicorns.  Listen to Nathan and Immad discuss:  How failure hooked him onto entrepreneurship  The origins of Mercury as a fix for startup banking How he used Twitter to earn customers Why the journey is better than the end result  Where he invests in future-state startups What makes a strong entrepreneur  Why your small customers matter  Common mistakes startups make with banks And much more fintech advice… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-

Your first product won’t always be your best seller. Jessica Rolph’s organic baby food business Happy Family Organics failed twice before finding product market fit and scaling from $0 to $63M in sales. After exiting HappyFamily in 2016, Rolph launched Lovevery, a subscription brand that sells early-childhood development play kits and solutions. Lovevery has 300,000+ active subscribers and has been named one of Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies.”  Listen to Nathan and Jessica discuss:  How she discovered a market for Lovevery and Happy Family Why Happy Family failed twice before they even launched The bootstrapped early days living in New York City  Exiting to Danone and dreaming about Lovevery  Why ugly prototypes are the way to go How Happy Family’s best-seller came about by accident How to find product market fit for retail and DTC If you need a subscription product How to retain customers  And much more product advice… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and le

Adrian Grenier was a rebellious artist before he was known for his acting roles in Entourage, Devil Wears Prada, and Clickbait. Now he’s a rebellious entrepreneur, investor, and activist. Learn how Grenier’s disenchantment with fame and wealth led him to start and support social impact businesses through DuContra Ventures and Earth Speed Media with co-founder and co-CEO Bia Carminati.  Listen to Nathan and Adrian discuss: His trajectory from punk rebel artist to movie star How mortality drives our need to keep achieving  How to let go of your business to let it grow  Ba Minuzz, the business mind behind DuContra Ventures  Building trust with business partners  What he learned from his failed beer company Why sometimes you need to let go of a dream The mission of Earth Speed Media And much more social impact business advice… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy th

For ten years, we've interviewed hundreds of elite entrepreneurs who’ve started and grown the world's most successful businesses. The reason we connect with these dynamic founders is to break down their wisdom, experience, and inspirational stories to help accelerate your growth as an entrepreneur. In this episode of The Foundr Podcast, we're instead sharing the stories of everyday founders like you who are students in our foundr+ community. Foundr+ is our comprehensive platform designed to equip founders with everything they need to start and grow successful businesses. Listen to these student stories to learn:  How Maddison Danforth left her full-time job to start a social media agency servicing small businesses. How Mia Dickson used TikTok organically to build a loyal and diverse customer community.  How Mark Boxer's camera rig hack became a coveted product by content creators worldwide.  About Nicole Gaviria, the winner of the 2022 foundr startup challenge. And what Nathan Chan’s learned from a dec

Partnerships can be tricky, especially when you’re starting a business. For ​​Jean Oelwang, creating meaningful partnerships has been her focus for nearly 30 years. Oelwang is the founding CEO and President of Virgin Unite, an entrepreneurial foundation that builds collectives, incubates ideas, and re-invents systems for a better world. She’s worked with partners like Richard Branson and Peter Gabriel, Archbishop Desmond and Leah Tutu, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Ben and Jerry, and the co-founders of AirBnB. In her new book Partnering: Forge the Deep Connections That Make Great Things Happen, she shares six principles that have forged 60 extraordinary partnerships and collaborations. Listen to Nathan and Jean discuss:  Pitching Richard Branson on the concept of Virgin Unite What’s it like to work with Richard Branson Why business partnerships fail How she chooses partners to invest into Why co-founders can provide joy  How to set up a board of advisors  The six principles of meaningful partnerships Th

David Lester learned a lot from his first venture. After spending a decade in the beverage marketing industry, he teamed up with his co-founder Ben Goodwin to work on formulating a soda that’s good for you. After three years, they sold their first business but didn’t feel they’d gotten the product correct. So, they returned to their research for two years and discovered the right product market fit. In 2016, Lester and Goodwin launched OLIPOP PBC–a new kind of soda with the benefits of plant-based fiber and prebiotics. OLIPOP started in 24 independent stores in Northern California and now is stocked in 20,000 stores nationally and endorsed by celebrities like Camilla Cabello, Gweynth Paltrow, Nick Jonas, and Priyanka Chopra. Listen to Nathan and David discuss:  What he learned from his first venture Obi Probiotic Soda Starting over to make a better product in OLIPOP How humility can give you confidence as a founder Spending two years perfecting the formula with academic research The manufacturing proces

David Shein was an entrepreneur before it was in vogue. For over three decades, he’s founded, mentored, and invested in exceptional startups. He sold his first company, COMTECH, for over $1 billion–arguably Australia’s first tech unicorn. In 2021, he published his first book, The Dumbest Guy at the Table: How I Founded Australia’s First Unicorn, drawing on his experience and providing valuable advice to anyone looking to start a company. Listen to Nathan and David discuss: Leaving a stable job in 1987 to start a business  Why this current generation of founders will be the strongest The defining people in any business  Finding a pathway to profitability How to hire for attitude  Identifying the right business partners  Why your actions have to match your words How to make tough decisions Red flags when investing in startups And more lessons for founders… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wa

Jim McKelvey was a glassblower when he created the idea for the payment platform Square (now Block, Inc.). He was furious that he couldn’t accept certain credit cards as an artist and contacted a former colleague and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey to solve the problem. What took three weeks to build became a three-year journey of creating Square into a banking disruptor inspired by McKelvey’s frustrations. In the 15 years since McKelvey teamed up with Dorsey, Square has grown into a billion-dollar business and beat the world’s best company at absorbing startups—Amazon.  Listen to Nathan and Jim discuss: Hitting it off with Dorsey when he was his summer intern Realizing how many laws they were breaking with Square Convincing the banking industry to accept Square  Taking on Amazon and winning Researching unbeatable companies throughout history  Why he wrote the book The Innovation Stack How to pitch a product Why it’s better to copy than innovate His new foundr course Plus, excerpts from our live co

Kirin Sinha never wanted to run a startup. She was on a secure path in academics when her research into augmented reality (AR) showed her a vision of the future. So, at 25 years old, Sinha launched Illumix, an AR technology and media company focused on developing immersive experiences for mobile. To date, Illumix has secured $31M in venture capital funding, including investment from acclaimed director Michael Bay. In this episode, you’ll learn how to invest in the metaverse and lead a business with a vision toward the future.  Listen to Nathan and Kirin discuss:  Why Illumix is “metaverse insurance”  How Star Wars inspired her research  Getting accepted into Disney’s accelerator Creating a Fright Night at Freddy’s prototype  The hype cycle around the metaverse  Why you should invest in 3D assets over 2D How digital twins can help ecommerce businesses How director Michael Bay became an investor  Why she thinks of fundraising as dating Framing goal setting as learning  Why you should give your opin

Have you felt the pain yet? Eventually, all founders face a battle with burnout or anxiety. So, where do you go when the momentum is drained? How do you stop treading water every day? In this episode, Nathan Chan and Dan Martell open up about the pain they’ve experienced trying to build successful businesses. Martell is an entrepreneur, angel investor, thought leader, and founder of SaaS Academy, the No. 1 coaching program for SaaS companies. He’ll teach you healthy strategies from his new book BUY BACK YOR TIME, so you can learn to integrate your work and life.  Nathan and Dan discuss: How a rehab program saved his life How he first got into SaaS  The three levels of time trades Work/life integration and ​​emotional shrapnel  How to build a perfect week How to work through burnout  The “buyback” principle and loop  4 ways to create leverage in your time  The 1-3-1 method  And much more advice on founder health... Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't for

Roland Peralta was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2010. So, he researched a botanical that could keep his symptoms at bay and inadvertently improved his hair quality. Over dinner, future co-founder and friend Giorgos Tseti shared his hair loss struggles and that he was looking for an organic solution. Their initial research turned into a 10-year relationship that’s built Nutrafol into the #1 dermatology-recommended hair growth supplement in America.  Listen to Nathan and Roland discuss:  The challenges of his businesses in fashion and beauty   What is “biohacking,” and using it for Nutrafol  How stress became the problem and solution for Nutrafol  Self-funding Nutrafol by eating beans and rice Why one vulnerable article 10x Nutrafol’s monthly sales Developing a seeding strategy with health professionals  Why conferences are the best place to get product endorsements  How to temper the expectations of the customers  Fiscal responsibility as a startup  And much more clinical product advice…

How can you build a sustainability-driven business? By solving a global problem. Jordy and Julia Kay’s former careers in winemaking and architecture led to recognizing plastic waste’s impact on the planet. In 2019, the couple launched Great Wrap, working with Monash University to create the only compostable stretch wrap made from food waste. In 2022, they received $24 million in series A funding to help reach their 10-year vision of a world where plastic doesn’t exist.  Listen to Nathan discuss with Jory and Julia about:  Falling hard into a personal and business relationship Partnering with a university for commercial product research  How licensing and partnering helped Great Wrap scale faster Building a pilot factory from scratch The benefits of being both a B2B and DTC business The risk and reward of being an impact-driven business Advice for going into business with a significant other How to raise funding as a manufacturing startup  And much more impact-driven business advice… This episode

Ten years ago, Nathan Chan started Foundr Magazine to discover what it takes to build a successful business. A decade on, he’s learned the sacrifice, victories, and obstacles that it takes to create a company of value for a global community of students. In this special episode, foundr’s contributing editor, Luke Ferris, puts Chan on the hot seat to reflect on the 10-year anniversary of foundr.  Listen to Luke and Nathan discuss:  Nathan’s childhood and first jobs The origins of foundr Discovering a feeling of euphoria with foundr How he overcame burnout Memorable interviews over the decade What he’s learned from foundr students  How he’s changed as a person and leader What’s next for foundr And more founder advice… This episode is powered by 99designs by Vista, a global creative platform that makes it easy for you to work with professional freelance designers from around the world.  Together with 99designs, we’re offering you a $30 discount on your first design contest. Head to 99designs.com/fo

Kathryn Finney started her first business at age nine, selling friendship bracelets to her older brother’s friends. She’s a Yale graduate and started and exited multiple media companies, including her groundbreaking The Budget Fashionista. Even with her resume of accolades, Finney faced prejudice in the startup world just because of her gender and race. So in 2020, she used her two decades of entrepreneurship experience to start Genius Guild. This venture fund invests in black entrepreneurs building scalable businesses that serve black communities and beyond. Finney is also the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Build the Damn Thing: How to Build a Successful Company When You’re Not a Rich White Guy. In addition, she was the first black woman business author at Portfolio/Penguin Books. Listen to Nathan and Kathryn discuss:  Making $75 per week selling bracelets as a 9-year-old What her rugby career taught her about building teams Building and exiting her fashion blog during web 1.0  How digital

Jess Hatzis is the co-founder of frank body, the world's leading coffee-based skincare company, and ad agency Willow & Blake. In 10 years, Jess has built frank body from “that brand on Instagram” to a global beauty brand with over 6 million customers. Learn the origins of the #frankeffect brand voice, starting a business with friends, and shifting from ecommerce to retail. Listen to Nathan and Jess discuss:  Quitting her job and starting Willow & Blake with her best friend Starting frank body as a case study Creating the first-person #frankeffect brand voice Does influencer marketing still work? The challenge of adapting to TikTok  Mixing business and friendships When Ariana Grande copied them Moving from the “Instagram brand” stereotype  Advice for working founder moms  Copywriting fundamentals And much more beauty business advice… This episode is powered by 99designs by Vista, a global creative platform that makes it easy for you to work with professional freelance designers from around the wo