Startup Therapy

Latest Episodes:

Startups Actually Amplify our Social Lives Oct 04, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about a founder’s social circle. Wherever you may be, you’ll always meet another founder. Surprisingly, your Startup is helping you build these connections, a space where you can meet and create relationships with people who share the same experience as you and probably have similar views as well. A founder’s space is just the right place to check how far your voice can influence and be heard.

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What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:46 Startups are the social engines for most founders
03:07 Your social circle evaporates when you sell your company
07:37 Our relationships often have consequences
11:39 Understand which relationships are worth maintaining
15:12 Startups create a magnet for interesting people to join your circle
21:12 How far your voice can influence and carry
26:12 What we do creates a social gravity
29:41 Diversity in the founder’s space

We Only Get to be Great at One Thing Sep 27, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about being the best at what you do. Oftentimes, founders are stuck in the idea that they need to add more features to make their product appealing and saleable. That it’s the added features that will reel in more customers without realizing that the focus should be on the core value of their product - to make sure that we’re doing the core product right and nothing else matters.

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What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:20 We’re lucky if we’re really good at one thing
03:11 If you can’t solve the primary problem, you can’t fix anything else
06:10 What’s the one thing that you’ll have room to add features?
11:06 The cost of doing anything but the one thing
15:28 Nothing matters when you can’t get the core product right
19:26 If your mission is pizza, stick to it
24:01 We’re always going for a market we have to condition
30:59 Being the first to a market doesn’t make you the best
36:45 It’s difficult to beat the best when you’re new in the market

Flee Your Overpriced City Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about moving to a major city. Years ago, when a business needed to expand, they often moved to a big city, brought key employees in, and raised funding to cope with a much higher cost of living. But times have changed. A lot of founders can now settle anywhere without the need to drag their employees and their families around. Remote setup is the new normal, and it’s giving Startups the advantage of growing without emptying the bank.

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What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:25 Everyone started leaving the mega cities
03:32 When you leave a major city and start your business somewhere else
06:16 An expensive city is a liability
12:14 You raise funds just so you can work within a geographic constraints
17:20 Hiring someone elsewhere for a much cheaper salary
23:37 Most people don’t necessarily want to live in an expensive city
28:19 Founders can move around and have the rest of the team settled anywhere else
31:46 Does your team need to be where you are at?
34:36 You can still show up in places when required
39:32 At this point, you don’t have to live in a major city

In Our Darkest Hour, Where Do We Find Hope? Sep 01, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about optimism. An optimistic leader creates an optimistic environment. Despite the onslaught of negativities and failures, and success seemingly slipping away, when a Founder remains optimistic, he can always redirect his focus on what to do next.

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What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:24 Blinded optimism keeps founders running
04:49 Whatever you do will be reflected throughout the organization
08:19 Founders do not have the luxury to cry over spilled milk
10:01 Distraction keeps us away from being successful
12:37 You can’t find a customer or investor in one seating
15:51 Focus on small tiny wins that build success
19:16 Building a Startup through optimism
21:32 Optimism should be left in the hands of fate

Great Ideas Start as Dumb Ideas Aug 30, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about dumb ideas. It’s no surprise that most of the successful Startups today started off as a completely bad idea. As it turns out, when given the time to evolve, the market to mature, and the target audience to be open about it, the dumbest idea can become the most profitable company.

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What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:36 How many successful Startups started as a great idea?
04:26 Founders are stuck in “my idea needs to be better”
06:07 Ideas are a process and it can change a thousand times
09:24 Why is it called Netflix?
11:46 The market matures and the idea matures, we have to give it time
13:07 This concept that the development of an idea is a linear process
16:04 There aren’t a lot of people willing to invest in Startups

Why Is Everyone Counting My Money? Aug 25, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about how some founders can’t flaunt their money. Founders worked for it, sacrificed their health and time, and at some point, even settled for less compensation for the company to grow. They earned it, and yet some people find it appalling just because they don’t have it.

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What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:46 Why is everybody counting our money?
06:09 The fact that they can’t have as much as you have pisses them off
09:17 The compensation gap will continue to increase
10:58 No one will appreciate your years of service
14:14 What people see and what the reality is are too different
19:22 You should not be ashamed of what you’ve earned
20:59 How you present your success can change the perception
25:15 Laylow in all of your personal stuff, don’t expose it
28:19 Is it an indication that things are doing better?

Beware of the Absentee Landlord in the Cap Table Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about what happens when you leave your Startup. You can’t simply assume that you’ll still be compensated for the equity without continuously providing value to the company’s growth. It’s a simplified Math problem. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid. If you’re not adding value, you won’t be compensated.

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What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:49 People that are earning but aren't’ present
03:46 The absentee landlord
07:39 Founders didn’t realize they have an option
10:04 Doing the same work with less of an outcome
12:33 Equity is compensation
16:46 How can you get compensated for staying?
20:44 You continue to work to create value for the equity
23:57 You can’t be compensated for life if you leave
28:07 Can’t be compensated daily if you aren’t contributing daily
31:58 You’ve got two options
34:56 Typical when the company is raising money, it’s already running out of money
37:00 Your contribution depreciates as time passes
40:30 The compensation you get when you stay

Startup Culture is a Reflection of its Founders Aug 18, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the kind of culture you as a founder can create within your own organization. Everything you do has implications and if you let instigators of negativity be, you’re allowing a nasty culture to spread.

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Resources:

What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
01:25 Where do cultural issues stem from?
04:48 Back channeling is worse in remote settings
08:15 This culture of talking ill about the client
11:13 When KPIs push the retention team to bash the clients
15:20 It all starts with one person, identify the ringleader
18:57 It’s easy to create a culture of overwork
23:35 A lack of maturity across the board
26:30 The spotlight is on you and anything you do has implications
28:50 But you still need to take care of your own well-being
30:52 What company culture meant years ago
33:13 You can admit you made a mistake and create a culture out of it
37:09 Founders can have so much impact, but it can be good or evil

Why Cofounders Often Don't Last Aug 16, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about cofounder breakup. Likened to marriage, having a cofounder requires commitment that comes with consequences when and if the Startup fails and coming up with an action plan when the business turns out to be a total flop.

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Resources:

What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:33 Cofounders often don’t last
02:07 Cofounders should talk about what to do when things doesn’t work out
05:36 We make a binding contract with someone when the Startup longevity is uncertain
06:57 Founders don’t consider what to do if and when cofounders leave
09:16 Making a commitment at a time we know least about the outcome
14:24 Assumptions you’re making about your cofounder
21:10 Be prepared to deal with fundamentally different decision making
25:48 Plan for divorce but hope for a successful marriage
26:54 Start with a vesting agreement
31:33 Sign a commitment that when not met has consequences

The Case for Growing Slowly Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about taking the slow growth approach. Instead of going full force too fast early on, take the time to understand whether the bets you’re paying back or not and when it’s time to change direction. Don’t follow the narrative that you need to accelerate right away. Follow the circumstances and consequences, and move at the pace that you’re supposed to take.

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Resources:

What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:32 Dispel the myth about Startups should grow fast
01:57 Why do we feel we have to grow fast?
05:56 The car analogy: why early acceleration amplifies mistakes
08:34 The assumption we often miss is the factor of time
12:37 The best you do are the ones that you didn’t do
14:34 When you start to do too many things at the same time
17:30 Don’t mistake making bets into making good decisions
23:06 We get trapped in that repeatability phase
26:24 All the time we waste is a lot of money
29:59 The cost of accelerating the wrong people

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