Recent Posts
Machines got smart. The premium moved to judgment, taste, and nerve. All three are foun…
Machines got smart. The premium moved to judgment, taste, and nerve. All three are founder skills. Originally posted on X
Advisors who’ve never built anything charge the most confident hourly rates.
Advisors who've never built anything charge the most confident hourly rates. Originally posted on X
First company humbled me. Second one educated me. The ones after that – compounding.
First company humbled me. Second one educated me. The ones after that – compounding. Originally posted on X
Everyone I studied with went to engineering college. I went to work fo $18/Month paycheck per month
Everyone I studied with went to engineering college. I went to work. Eighteen years old, a diploma in computer engineering,…
Done teaches you something. Perfect teaches you nothing, because it never arrives.
Done teaches you something. Perfect teaches you nothing, because it never arrives. Originally posted on X
Build a company that survives a bad year. Anyone can build one that survives a good one.
Build a company that survives a bad year. Anyone can build one that survives a good one. Originally posted on…
The moment a founder stops needing us is the moment we succeeded.
The moment a founder stops needing us is the moment we succeeded. Originally posted on X
90 days to first paying customer. Not because we’re impatient. Because your time is the…
90 days to first paying customer. Not because we're impatient. Because your time is the scarcest asset in the building….
Zero customers, zero revenue, zero believers. Every great company’s day one looks ident…
Zero customers, zero revenue, zero believers. Every great company's day one looks identical. The difference is day 1,000. Originally posted…
We don’t invest in ideas. Ideas are free. We invest in the person who refuses to put th…
We don't invest in ideas. Ideas are free. We invest in the person who refuses to put the idea down….
The best co-founder clears the path, then gets out of the way.
The best co-founder clears the path, then gets out of the way. Originally posted on X
Your resume is a rental agreement. Your company is a deed.
Your resume is a rental agreement. Your company is a deed. Originally posted on X
Growth at all costs bought a decade of startups that died at the first interest rate hi…
Growth at all costs bought a decade of startups that died at the first interest rate hike. Cash flow never…
The whole internet is funded by impulse. Agents do not have any.
The whole internet is funded by impulse. Agents do not have any. I learned the first half of that in…
Wore every hat before I could afford to hand one to someone else. Now I know exactly wh…
Wore every hat before I could afford to hand one to someone else. Now I know exactly what each hat…
Amateurs wait for motivation. Founders build systems that don’t need it.
Amateurs wait for motivation. Founders build systems that don't need it. Originally posted on X
“We’ll figure out monetization later” – later is where startups go to die.
"We'll figure out monetization later" – later is where startups go to die. Originally posted on X
We clear obstacles. You build. That’s the whole org chart.
We clear obstacles. You build. That's the whole org chart. Originally posted on X
Ideas don’t deserve loyalty. Customers deserve loyalty. Your family deserves loyalty. I…
Ideas don't deserve loyalty. Customers deserve loyalty. Your family deserves loyalty. Ideas must earn their keep. Originally posted on X
The gap between where you are and where you want to be is called work. There’s no other…
The gap between where you are and where you want to be is called work. There's no other bridge. Originally…
First they ignore your idea. Then one person says “this could work.” That person change…
First they ignore your idea. Then one person says "this could work." That person changes everything. Originally posted on X
Passion is the engine. Process is the steering.
Passion is the engine. Process is the steering. Originally posted on X
Software ate the world. AI is eating software. Ownership eats everything, eventually.
Software ate the world. AI is eating software. Ownership eats everything, eventually. Originally posted on X
The internet just stopped being a human business.
The internet just stopped being a human business. For thirty years the web ran on one trade. Publish something free….
“We’re pre-revenue” is a phase, not an identity. Some companies tattoo it on.
"We're pre-revenue" is a phase, not an identity. Some companies tattoo it on. Originally posted on X
Immigrant founder math: no network, no safety net, no excuses. It’s a brutal syllabus a…
Immigrant founder math: no network, no safety net, no excuses. It's a brutal syllabus and the best one. Originally posted…
SOPs are love letters to your future team.
SOPs are love letters to your future team. Originally posted on X
Unit economics don’t care about your narrative.
Unit economics don't care about your narrative. Originally posted on X
What founders actually need: capital, infrastructure, honest feedback, and one door the…
What founders actually need: capital, infrastructure, honest feedback, and one door they can knock on at midnight. Everything else is…
The market is the only judge that can’t be charmed. Get in front of it early.
The market is the only judge that can't be charmed. Get in front of it early. Originally posted on X
Your first company doesn’t have to be your best company. It has to be your first.
Your first company doesn't have to be your best company. It has to be your first. Originally posted on X
A founder doesn’t quit when the money runs out. A founder quits when the belief runs ou…
A founder doesn't quit when the money runs out. A founder quits when the belief runs out. Fund the belief….
Runway is time. Revenue is immortality.
Runway is time. Revenue is immortality. Originally posted on X
The safest job in 2030 is the one you own.
The safest job in 2030 is the one you own. Originally posted on X
Every liquidation preference is a person standing in front of you at your own exit.
Every liquidation preference is a person standing in front of you at your own exit. Originally posted on X
The ups look great in the story. The downs did all the teaching.
The ups look great in the story. The downs did all the teaching. Originally posted on X
No resume ever crossed my desk. She still became Infovision’s first employee.
No resume ever crossed my desk. She still became Infovision’s first employee. Early 2000s, New York. I was building my…
Talk to one customer today. It will outperform every framework you’ve bookmarked.
Talk to one customer today. It will outperform every framework you've bookmarked. Originally posted on X
A business that dies without the next round was never alive. It was on life support wit…
A business that dies without the next round was never alive. It was on life support with good PR. Originally…
Your board should feel like a corner crew, not a jury.
Your board should feel like a corner crew, not a jury. Originally posted on X
Every founder who took the risk to start is already unique from the crowd. The process …
Every founder who took the risk to start is already unique from the crowd. The process exists to aim that…
Coded HTML pages after my day job. Knew nothing about business. Started anyway. Startin…
Coded HTML pages after my day job. Knew nothing about business. Started anyway. Starting badly beats not starting. Originally posted…
You can fake conviction to investors. You cannot fake it to yourself at 2am. Build with…
You can fake conviction to investors. You cannot fake it to yourself at 2am. Build with people who've sat in…
Your idea is not your identity. Build accordingly.
Your idea is not your identity. Build accordingly. Originally posted on X
AI makes the first 80% of everything nearly free. Careers and companies are now decided…
AI makes the first 80% of everything nearly free. Careers and companies are now decided in the last 20%. Originally…
Unicorn: a company worth $1B on paper. Workhorse: a company that pays salaries from rev…
Unicorn: a company worth $1B on paper. Workhorse: a company that pays salaries from revenue. Choose your animal. Originally posted…
You don’t need permission to start. I waited too long to learn that.
You don't need permission to start. I waited too long to learn that. Originally posted on X
Perfectionism is procrastination in a nicer outfit.
Perfectionism is procrastination in a nicer outfit. Originally posted on X
First paying customer > first press mention. It’s not close.
First paying customer > first press mention. It's not close. Originally posted on X
Parenting and company building share one rule: do too much and you weaken them, do too …
Parenting and company building share one rule: do too much and you weaken them, do too little and you lose…
Quitting a dead idea isn’t giving up. It’s re-aiming. The fire stays; the target changes.
Quitting a dead idea isn't giving up. It's re-aiming. The fire stays; the target changes. Originally posted on X
Starting position matters in a sprint. Building a company is not a sprint.
Starting position matters in a sprint. Building a company is not a sprint. Originally posted on X
The loneliest stage of a startup is before the first believer shows up. Everything afte…
The loneliest stage of a startup is before the first believer shows up. Everything after that is just work. Originally…
Own something. Even something small. Especially something small.
Own something. Even something small. Especially something small. Originally posted on X
We’re entering the era of the full-stack founder: one person, ten AI tools, zero excuses.
We're entering the era of the full-stack founder: one person, ten AI tools, zero excuses. Originally posted on X
The best time to raise money is when you don’t need it. The best way to not need it is …
The best time to raise money is when you don't need it. The best way to not need it is…
What I’d tell my younger self at that desk: the “no”s aren’t a verdict. They’re a filter.
What I'd tell my younger self at that desk: the "no"s aren't a verdict. They're a filter. Originally posted on…
The 90-day founder builds while the 5-year founder plans. Guess who learns more.
The 90-day founder builds while the 5-year founder plans. Guess who learns more. Originally posted on X
A founder I backed ten years ago sent me an SOS.
A founder I backed ten years ago sent me an SOS. He wasn’t asking for more money. He was asking…
Fundraising is a means. Somewhere along the way we let it become the scoreboard.
Fundraising is a means. Somewhere along the way we let it become the scoreboard. Originally posted on X
We don’t hand founders a playbook and disappear. We’re in the room. Then, when it’s wor…
We don't hand founders a playbook and disappear. We're in the room. Then, when it's working, we get out of…
Founders don’t fear hard work. They fear wasted work. A real process removes the second…
Founders don't fear hard work. They fear wasted work. A real process removes the second fear. Originally posted on X
Startups aren’t won at incorporation. They’re won at the thousandth unglamorous decision.
Startups aren't won at incorporation. They're won at the thousandth unglamorous decision. Originally posted on X
Investors ask “what’s your traction?” A co-founder asks “what do you need?” Know the di…
Investors ask "what's your traction?" A co-founder asks "what do you need?" Know the difference before you take money. Originally…
A dream with a paying customer is called a business.
A dream with a paying customer is called a business. Originally posted on X
Every job AI touches becomes a question: will you operate the tool, or own the business…
Every job AI touches becomes a question: will you operate the tool, or own the business that uses it? Originally…
Hot take: most startups don’t need venture capital. They need a customer and 90 focused…
Hot take: most startups don't need venture capital. They need a customer and 90 focused days. Originally posted on X
Every business I’ve run had a year I don’t talk about at dinner parties. Survive those …
Every business I've run had a year I don't talk about at dinner parties. Survive those years. That's the job….
Strategy is choosing what to do. Execution is doing it before the excitement wears off.
Strategy is choosing what to do. Execution is doing it before the excitement wears off. Originally posted on X
Carta data, 45,000 startups: median founder owns 23% by Series B. Of a company still bu…
Carta data, 45,000 startups: median founder owns 23% by Series B. Of a company still burning cash. Read that twice….
The best thing we remove from a founder’s plate isn’t paperwork. It’s loneliness.
The best thing we remove from a founder's plate isn't paperwork. It's loneliness. Originally posted on X
A gate that says STOP is not failure. It’s the market returning your years to you, unsp…
A gate that says STOP is not failure. It's the market returning your years to you, unspent. Originally posted on…
The founder who starts with nothing and earns everything has something no term sheet ca…
The founder who starts with nothing and earns everything has something no term sheet can give: proof. Originally posted on…
Behind every “overnight success” is a night someone chose to believe when there was no …
Behind every "overnight success" is a night someone chose to believe when there was no evidence yet. Originally posted on…
Fall. Get up. That’s the whole resume.
Fall. Get up. That's the whole resume. Originally posted on X
The next decade belongs to small teams with big systems.
The next decade belongs to small teams with big systems. Originally posted on X
Series B founders with 23% ownership advising new founders to “protect your equity” is …
Series B founders with 23% ownership advising new founders to "protect your equity" is the quietest comedy on this app….
The silence of not knowing what you’re doing – every founder knows that silence. Build …
The silence of not knowing what you're doing – every founder knows that silence. Build through it. Originally posted on…
Your competitors can copy your idea, your design, your pricing. They cannot copy your p…
Your competitors can copy your idea, your design, your pricing. They cannot copy your pace. Originally posted on X
The most underrated growth strategy of 2026: charge money for a thing people want.
The most underrated growth strategy of 2026: charge money for a thing people want. Originally posted on X
A studio that wants to run your startup is an agency with equity. Run.
A studio that wants to run your startup is an agency with equity. Run. Originally posted on X
Conviction without a checkpoint is just stubbornness with better branding.
Conviction without a checkpoint is just stubbornness with better branding. Originally posted on X
Almost everyone has suddenly become a coder.
Over the last 10 days, I spoke with more than 100 founders. One thing surprised me. Almost everyone has suddenly…
Read 900+ founder applications this summer. The pattern is clear: talent is common. Som…
Read 900+ founder applications this summer. The pattern is clear: talent is common. Someone who believes in the talent is…
Clarity is kindness. Especially in business.
Clarity is kindness. Especially in business. Originally posted on X
Capital is being repriced: it used to buy teams. Now it buys time for one determined pe…
Capital is being repriced: it used to buy teams. Now it buys time for one determined person with leverage. Originally…
Product-market fit is not a milestone. It is a feeling founders fake to close the round…
Product-market fit is not a milestone. It is a feeling founders fake to close the round. Real PMF is when…
AI tools did not give small teams superpowers. They gave average operators the ability …
AI tools did not give small teams superpowers. They gave average operators the ability to produce average output faster. The…
A co-founder you met at a hackathon is not a co-founder. That is a stranger with shared…
A co-founder you met at a hackathon is not a co-founder. That is a stranger with shared enthusiasm. Real partnership…
Your best employee leaving is not a betrayal. It is the bill for the ceiling you put on…
Your best employee leaving is not a betrayal. It is the bill for the ceiling you put on them. You…
Founders spend 6 months fundraising to buy 18 months of runway. A paying customer takes…
Founders spend 6 months fundraising to buy 18 months of runway. A paying customer takes a week and buys forever….
Knew nothing about business when I started. Built anyway. Knowledge follows courage, no…
Knew nothing about business when I started. Built anyway. Knowledge follows courage, not the other way around. Originally posted on…
One founder with a deadline beats five founders with a vision statement.
One founder with a deadline beats five founders with a vision statement. Originally posted on X
Your startup isn’t a startup after 90 days without a paying customer. It’s a hobby with…
Your startup isn't a startup after 90 days without a paying customer. It's a hobby with a pitch deck. Originally…
Our success is your success. The way parents feel when their children succeed, that’s t…
Our success is your success. The way parents feel when their children succeed, that's the only exit we're chasing. Originally…
The thin line between “the business I dreamed” and “a business customers pay for” is in…
The thin line between "the business I dreamed" and "a business customers pay for" is invisible from inside the dream….
You don’t get strong by starting with the weights already lifted.
You don't get strong by starting with the weights already lifted. Originally posted on X
The most valuable thing in a founder’s cap table doesn’t appear on the cap table: one p…
The most valuable thing in a founder's cap table doesn't appear on the cap table: one person who believed early….
The market is the only pitch meeting that matters.
The market is the only pitch meeting that matters. Originally posted on X
AI writes the code. AI drafts the emails. AI can’t want it for you. Wanting it is still…
AI writes the code. AI drafts the emails. AI can't want it for you. Wanting it is still the moat….