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

If you’re young and looking to start a business with a friend, here’s the pathway to do it successfully. Chris Savage and Brendan Schwartz were friends at Brown University when they began dreaming about working together. After quitting their jobs, they created Wistia, a complete video marketing platform that helps teams create, host, and measure the impact of their videos — all in one place. Now, almost two decades into their business, Chris and Brendan still love working together and are just getting started.  Listen to Nathan chat with Chris and Brendan about: Why their college years formed their co-founding partnership The ingredients of starting a business with friends Profitability versus growth The trap of short-term focus  Why they bought out their investors Getting your team focused on the business details  The state of video marketing  And much more co-founder 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 l

Today, instead of listening to one guest, you’re going to hear from multiple renowned founders about a specific challenge that we all face on our entrepreneurship journey. The guests will share their stories, solutions, and how you can learn to build your business better.  In this episode, we’re focusing on the challenge of overcoming failure featuring:  Amy Porterfield, founder, author, and host of the Online Marketing Made Easy podcast. Jessica Rolph, co-founder and CEO of Lovevery.  Adrian Greiner co-founder of DuContra Ventures and Earth Speed Media. MaryRuth Ghiyam founder of MaryRuth Organics.  Evan Goldberg, founder of NetSuite.  Kendra Scott founder of Kendra Scott Jewelry.  And Jordy and Julia Kay, founders of Great Wrap. 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 the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of th

Brad Pedersen says the best gifts come wrapped in ugly paper. And he’s seen some ugly paper. From going bankrupt three times to getting fired from his company after a merger, Pedersen has persevered through eras of defeat. Now, he’s helping lead two startups tackling our world’s greatest challenge–climate change. So, if you’re facing rock bottom in your business, Pedersen knows how you feel. In this episode, he’ll share how he emerged stronger through the darkest moments of his career.  Listen to Nathan and Brad discuss:  Why his childhood business was perfect How he got through bankruptcy three times Learning from his mistakes to form anti-goals  The circle of control for founders  The 40/70 decision-making principle  Why AI won’t change human behavior  Why starting over is a good thing The courage flywheel  Why an airport delay led to Pela  Creating a $9 million crowdfunding campaign for Lomi  And much more advice on failure… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know

Evan Goldberg is the founder of the very first cloud software company, NetSuite. After his first failed attempt at a tech startup, he invested $2,000 into building a cloud accounting software that eventually transformed into the world's leading cloud-based business management software. Evan says his success in businesses through uncertain economic times and 25 years of tech evolution comes down to consistency.  Listen to Nathan and Evan discuss: 1998: The craziest year of his life His relationship with Oracle founder Larry Ellison The importance of consistency of vision Why mergers are like marrying a cousin Hiring people that you want to have lunch with  The tension of watching your competition  Entering a niche vs. a major market  The AI hype cycle  Getting through uncertain economic seasons And much more founder 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

For over 25 years, Philip Fierlinger has created digital products and experiences that have set new design, business, and technology standards. He was embedded in the Silicon Valley community since it started, crossing paths with the people who created products synonymous with today. In 2006, he co-founded the ASX-listed online accounting platform Xero. Three years ago, he launched the food service marketplace Upstock, a B2B marketplace for the hospitality and food service industry. He shares his UX and design-thinking advice for early startup founders.  Listen to Nathan and Philip discuss: Working at the most important startup nobody’s heard of Co-founding ASX-listed online accounting platform Xero  How to get your first customers by validating your idea  Early-stage startup UX design advice  What it means to “go slow to go fast” Create your operating system by defining your values How Upstock is innovating in the dated food service industry Why launching Upstock during Covid-19 was perfect timing 

Are you camera shy? Talia Datt says if you’re a founder, you need to be in front of the camera because it’s the most effective way to build an audience is on social channels like TikTok. In her new foundr course, she’ll teach how to make a social media content strategy that leads to growth and profits. Datt is the CEO and founder of The Social CliQ, a full-service digital marketing agency with a social media-first approach to online platforms. They leverage their group of 3,000 TikTok creators worldwide via their sister agency, The Content CliQ, to help plan, create, and execute, so founders can easily harness the fastest-growing social media platform in the world. Listen to Nathan and Talia discuss:  Why engagement is more important than followers How to use low-barrier tools to scale your content  How to drive sales through TikTok  How to work with content creators  Proactive and reactive content strategy  Why the founder needs to be in front of the camera Why relatable content wins over aspirationa

Sebastian Siemiatkowski says financial uncertainty is the best thing that can happen to you. Siemiatkowski is the CEO and co-founder of Klarna, the world’s biggest “buy now pay later” company, bringing consumers a low-cost and low-risk alternative to traditional high-cost credit. Sebastian came from humble beginnings and built Karna into a finance and banking industry disruptor that now has over 150 million users worldwide. Learn how he’s overcome negative public perception, co-founder breakups, and market lows to sustain Klarna’s influence in the industry.  Listen to Nathan and Sebastian discuss:  Starting a tech company with no coding skills Filling a gap of buy now pay for digital businesses Why profitability was their main focus early on  Why financial success ruined his co-founder relationships  What would he do differently with co-founders  Why banking is the perfect industry to disrupt  Dealing with negative public perception  Why economic uncertainty is good for entrepreneurs And much more f

In just nine years, Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic built their smile care brand into a category disruptor on track to earn over a billion in annual revenue by next year. Mirkovic and Tomic don’t want shortcuts, so they’ve remained bootstrapped since they started Hismile at ages 19 and 20. Hismile’s teeth-whitening kit has become an internet sensation, making the brand a favorite among influencers and celebrities. But the co-founders aren’t resting on success. They want to make Hismile a category champion and take on businesses with an extra century of experience. Listen to Nathan, Nik, and Alex discuss:  Why living on the Gold Coast keeps them focused Growing up together and having a passion for competition  Narrowing in on teeth whitening as a problem to solve Formulating their first product and its overnight success Bringing R&D in-house and shifting their business model Why character matters more than experience Taking on category giants like Colgate and Crest Why they have no plans to sell And much

Amy Porterfield’s first two years of starting her own business were brutal. She was burnt out, confused, and contemplating going back to her job working for Tony Robbins. 14 years later, her marketing business has earned more than $82 million in revenue, she’s served more than 50,000 students in her online courses, and her Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast receives over one million monthly downloads. Then she decided to write the book she wished she had after going off alone. In the New York Times bestselling book, Two Weeks Notice, Porterfield walks you through how to leave your 9 to 5 job and create a flourishing business.  Listen to Nathan and Amy discuss: How to “unboss” yourself and build boundaries  Why the death of an entrepreneur is starting from scratch Why your email list is the most important tool in your business Trending marketing tools like generative AI and DMs  Overcoming the fear of leaving your job  How she almost lost her business  Why you need a high capacity for zero How she lea

Linden Tibbets believes that with each new tech wave, problems will arise for entrepreneurs to solve. He says the recent AI frenzy will create opportunities for startups, creators, and early-stage businesses to differentiate and scale faster. In 2010, Tibbets rode the wave of API technology by creating IFTTT (if now, then later), an online platform that empowers you to do more with your favorite apps and smart devices by helping them automate and integrate so they can work together seamlessly. IFTTT is used by the world’s biggest brands, Google, Discord, Slack, Dropbox, Alexa, Fitbit, Stripe, Ring, and even foundr.  Listen to Nathan and Linden discuss:  How he started IFTTT with design-centric thinking The emerging gap in entrepreneurship opportunities Using AI to reach more audiences How to start an AI business Leading a tech company in tough economic climates How to reuse tools to develop a new business idea Why you should work with people who care And much more AI and automation advice… Who do y

Holly Thaggard is passionate about sun protection. That passion drove her to create her multimillion-dollar skincare company, Supergoop!, which started turning the world of suncare products on its end when it launched in 2007. Last year, Supergoop! reached $250 million in sales. She combined her sunscreen with a curriculum on the importance of sun protection, which she launched in private schools. At the same time, she kept building a luxurious yet fun brand that consumers really wanted to make a part of their morning routines—both for themselves and their children. Listen to Nathan and Holly discuss:  Her background in education Starting Supergoop! in response to her friend's cancer diagnosis Writing a curriculum instead of a business plan Speaking to the U.S. Congress about skin protection  Pitching her products door to door at private schools The unexpected partnership with Sephora Solving a problem for a customer that they didn’t know existed Having the founder of Burt's Bees as a mentor   Why y

James Chin Moody became an entrepreneur by accident. While on sabbatical from his engineering career, he developed a donate marketplace inspired by trying to donate outgrown baby clothes to those in need. While optimizing local delivery logistics, he unintentionally created a model that rivaled the national post office. In 2014, out of that happy accident, Sendle was born, unlocking the power of big business delivery networks for small businesses to make delivery simple, reliable, and affordable. Moody is an expert and thought leader on the interface between sustainability and innovation and is the co-author of The Sixth Wave: How to Succeed in a Resource-Limited World. Listen to Nathan and James discuss:  The accidental origin story of Sendle Commercializing an untapped logistics solution  Value creation milestones Creating an eco-friendly business  Why Sendles can compete with delivery monopolies  The three levels of product market fit  The philosophy of one-way decisions The 5 “H’s” of Sendle’s vi

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