Startup Therapy

Latest Episodes:

How Transparent Should I Be With My Staff? Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

In this Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan ask how much is too much when it comes to Founder transparency? Why many inner workings of your company should be on a need-to-know basis, how being a leader can mean holding your emotional cards close to your chest, and when being completely open can be too much.

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Never Tell People How Much Money You Have Mar 22, 2021

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In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the disadvantages of having wealth. People are drawn to Founders who are successful, who have money to spare. Most of the time, people, including family, expect you to settle their financial issues just because you have the money. It reaches a point where you’re expected to spend your money and not expect anything in return. The toxicity is just too much when it happens too often.

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Resources:

What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:26 Relationships and wealth
05:38 When people is all about wanting something from you
07:51 Some family members expect more from you
13:38 Founders are being judged by their wealth
16:41 Once you give something, you’re expected to give more
19:10 People tend to want to have your money too
23:24 Either way, you’ll be judged by how much cash you have
26:32 Assumptions are made when you have the means and resources
29:45 People with money can’t just give away what they have
33:29 The calls are now about financial matters, no more sincere connections
36:31 Everyone just wants to take from you but not willing to give back

Can Anyone Be as Committed as the Founder? Mar 15, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about commitment. There is a limit to the expectation you can set on others, and that your passion and commitment may not be as intense for the rest of your team. There are certain aspects of your Startup that you’ve got to shoulder on your own. After all, a founder’s superpower is the intensity of his commitment.

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What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:26 What is founder commitment?
03:53 The insane level of expectation founders have
07:22 Startup downside: letting go of people
12:00 Even with commitment, some people aren’t willing to deal with the downside
15:15 Not everyone shares the same expectation within the organization
19:02 Don’t set high expectations for other people
24:58 You can’t manipulate people into sharing your dream
25:57 Commitment is a founder’s superpower
27:16 There are certain things only founders should worry about

It Doesn't Matter Who Has the Bigger Startup Mar 08, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the ugly truth about comparing your success to other businesses. When founders meet, the first person to speak often sets the tone of the conversation; many don’t even want to dig deep into the hardships one must endure to attain success. And is money the only metric for growth?

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Resources:

https://www.startups.com/begin

What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:25 Drawing comparisons against other founders
03:03 The focus is often on the negative instead of what’s working
06:58 Comparing your performance to others just doesn't’ make sense
11:11 We often see the outcome but not the amount of work done
13:50 How do you perceive where you need to go?
17:04 At what point can you say, “I’m good”?
20:36 When a company grows, the focus shifts internally
23:05 Growth just for the sake of growth isn’t always true
26:12 Doing well with the things you really care about
28:50 Quit glossing over to avoid tough conversations
31:22 When things go down, which parts will matter?

How Founders Get Rich Without An Exit Mar 01, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about getting rich without selling your business. They discuss how getting too focused on getting rich causes missed opportunities, is selling your Startup necessary, the cash stacking effect, and spending money you haven’t earned yet.

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Resources:

https://www.startups.com/begin

What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:09 Myth: Build big things to get rich
03:55 You miss other avenues for growth when you’re too focused on getting rich
05:31 The cash stacking effect
11:44 Getting regular pay versus never getting paid while running a startup
13:22 Planning to spend money you haven’t earned
16:52 “Aim for the likelihood of the outcome, not the size.” - Ryan Rutan
19:11 The broken idea of how to become rich
23:07 When did you start to feel rich?
28:26 Do you need to sell to get rich?
29:19 If there isn’t a need to, don’t sell

How to Make Potential Failure Less Scary Feb 22, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about getting through a Startup failure. While your mind can make it seem bigger than it is, most people won’t remember when a business shuts down, and that processing your emotions include assessing your failure to get back up!

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Resources:

https://www.startups.com/begin

What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:10 What does failure really look like?
04:57 This is how people think about failure
09:21 When you’re focused on not failing instead of succeeding
11:19 Unpacking two filters of Startup failure
15:45 Your Startup failure isn’t as big as you think it is
20:58 What happens when you freak out
22:31 Over time, people forget about a company shutdown
26:34 Process the emotions, but get back up!
29:32 Unpack and assess your failure to manage it

Why Doesn't Anyone Understand What I'm Going Through? Feb 15, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the hard part of being a founder - nobody understands what you do. Founders need people they can talk to about their job, someone mentally and emotionally willing to support their journey, and why the lack of support can hold them back.

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Resources:

https://www.startups.com/begin

What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:12 Does anybody actually understand what founders do?
03:13 “Communication is the burden of the sender.”
04:52 Imagine being a founder is a job interview
08:25 Americans tend to ask people what they do
10:08 Only founders understand their fellow founders
13:23 It’s different when you cause everyone to lose their jobs
17:13 When you don’t get the support that you need
20:55 This is where founders are held up
25:12 Keep people who truly understand what you do

I Can't Have That, And That's Okay Feb 08, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the cost of ambition. They discuss the levels in which aspiration is achieved, how starting a business involves: a series of unique conditions, the three basic levers of ambitions, and the uncertainty of the returns a founder has to consider.

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Resources:

https://www.startups.com/begin

What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:21 There are things that you may not achieve at all
03:25 Not having something sometimes doesn’t matter
05:52 It’s not just ambitions, it involves a series of conditions to reach a certain threshold
11:44 “There are levels to which ambition alone can achieve.”
15:39 The cost of ambition becomes more than just our time
21:42 You know the cost, but what about the returns of your ambition?
26:45 Once you achieve something, how much are you willing to work for the next
32:17 The three basic levers of ambition

Many Startups Shutdown a Few Times Before They Succeed Feb 01, 2021

Show notes

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the truth about Startup shutdowns. Shutdown cycles always happen to Startup businesses, several bad decisions don’t mean a complete failure, and second chances can happen when you’ve asked the critical Why’s.

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Resources:

https://www.startups.com/begin

What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:59 Startup shutdown is always part of the process
07:05 Shutdowns had been happening even before COVID
12:15 When you assume you’re a failure because of several bad decisions
14:27 How bad was the mindset?
16:47 What was the turning point?
19:56 Rising back after a 48-hour downtime
24:59 Do-overs are what defines some of the great companies
28:46 Tips on how to restart a Startup
34:06 The looming danger when you can’t ask all the critical “Why?”
35:54 It starts with seeing a version 2 of the business to restart

When am I "too old" to Start a Startup? Jan 25, 2021

Show notes

In today’s episode of Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about when it’s too late to launch a Startup. How gained experience equips founders to get through Startup challenges, the liabilities and the stakes involved when founders start late, why our 20’s is the golden decade to test and fail.

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https://www.startups.com/newsletter

Resources:

https://www.startups.com/begin

What to Listen For

00:00 Intro
00:22 When is it too late to launch a Startup?
04:42 Deciding an end-point to your career
07:20 Our 20’s is a one-time get-out-of-jail free card
11:55 Gained experiences in building a Startup is the baseline of future endeavors
18:20 Missing important family moments
22:49 Mishaps will happen but the experience will get you through
25:09 Understanding the consequences of knowing the pattern from start to finish
28:45 You’re less employable at your peak age
31:47 Not all founders started at their 20’s
34:44 Starting in your 40’s is the most challenging times
37:00 50’s is the most expensive stage for founders
41:58 One of the challenges is, if not now, when?
43:09 Why young founders pivot so much
45:45 Passion and mastery produces different outcomes

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