<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:psc="http://podlove.org/simple-chapters" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Founder f**K ups]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Instead of Humble bragging and sharing wins. lets dive deep into the Mistakes that shaped us along the way. Tune into Founder f**k ups!</p>]]></description><link>www.founderfuckups.co</link><generator>Riverside.fm (https://riverside.com)</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 01:48:43 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://api.riverside.com/hosting/2wQ0rLuu.rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><author><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></author><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2025 01:46:24 GMT</pubDate><copyright><![CDATA[2025 Ben Bagg]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><ttl>60</ttl><category><![CDATA[Business]]></category><category><![CDATA[How To]]></category><itunes:author>Ben Bagg</itunes:author><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Instead of Humble bragging and sharing wins. lets dive deep into the Mistakes that shaped us along the way. Tune into Founder f**k ups!&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Ben Bagg</itunes:name><itunes:email>ben@benbagg.com</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:category text="Business"/><itunes:category text="Education"><itunes:category text="How To"/></itunes:category><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><item><title><![CDATA[The Hidden Cost of Shiny Object Syndrome with Adam Chambers]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Are you a founder constantly looking for the "next big thing"? You might be suffering from Shiny Object Syndrome. In this episode of Founder F**k Ups, Ben Bagg sits down with Adam Chambers, serial entrepreneur and founder of Nurse Recruitment Experts, to discuss the dangerous trap of chasing new ideas instead of focusing on what actually works.<br /><br />Adam shares his costly $7,500 mistake of investing in a new job board that yielded zero results, and how it distracted him from his core business engine. We dive deep into the opportunity cost of lost focus, the importance of doubling down on proven strategies, and why the most boring advice in business is often the most profitable.<br /><br />If you're a founder struggling with focus, hiring mistakes, or knowing when to kill a failing experiment, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you stay on track.<br /><br />Key Takeaways:<br />•Why doubling down on your core engine beats chasing new channels.<br />•The real cost of Shiny Object Syndrome isn't just money—it's lost time and focus.<br />•How to know when to pull the plug on a failing experiment or bad hire.<br />•The importance of matching your offer to market demand (and the Mexican Fish &amp; Chips analogy!).<br />•A practical framework for calculating ROI and the cost of inaction before starting new projects.<br /><br />Chapters<br />0:00 - Introduction: The Trap of Shiny Object Syndrome<br />0:37 - Adam's $7,500 Mistake: Investing in the Wrong Job Board<br />2:29 - Why Doubling Down Beats Chasing New Platforms<br />4:13 - The Role of Emotion vs. Logic in Sales and Investments<br />5:21 - Recognizing Vanity Metrics and Failing Experiments<br />7:11 - Hiring Mistakes: The Cost of Distracting Your Team<br />9:06 - The Real Tragedy: Lost Time and Compound Effects<br />11:25 - The $5 vs. $500 Task Framework for Founders<br />12:23 - How to Know When to Pull the Plug on a Bad Hire<br />15:16 - Interviewing for Culture and Behaviors<br />17:48 - The Most Important Thing: Supply, Demand, and Your Offer<br />19:50 - The Mexican Fish &amp; Chips Analogy: Market Misalignment<br />21:44 - Why Founders Avoid Speaking to Customers<br />23:49 - A Framework for Calculating ROI on New Initiatives<br />26:34 - Valuing Your Time and the Cost of Inaction<br />30:14 - Final Advice for Founders: Protect Your Profits and Do the Math<br /><br />#ShinyObjectSyndrome #FounderMistakes #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #StartupAdvice #Focus #ROI #HiringMistakes #FounderFuckups #BusinessStrategy #AdamChambers #BenBagg<br /><br /></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">b2e1b40d-fe08-43ce-b9f3-ad65e623b45f</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 01:43:55 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/7ee7c748eb00eea311409acc3eda76ec940f01dcccc821e213c4fcc8c4b7cf03/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJiMmUxYjQwZC1mZTA4LTQzY2UtYjlmMy1hZDY1ZTYyM2I0NWYiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjljYzk5NDg4OGM1NDgyMThiMDJmZWU5L2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi00LTFfXzYtNC0yNC5tcDMifQ==.mp3" length="41309143" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/episodes/b2e1b40d-fe08-43ce-b9f3-ad65e623b45f/transcripts.txt" type="text/plain"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Are you a founder constantly looking for the &quot;next big thing&quot;? You might be suffering from Shiny Object Syndrome. In this episode of Founder F**k Ups, Ben Bagg sits down with Adam Chambers, serial entrepreneur and founder of Nurse Recruitment Experts, to discuss the dangerous trap of chasing new ideas instead of focusing on what actually works.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Adam shares his costly $7,500 mistake of investing in a new job board that yielded zero results, and how it distracted him from his core business engine. We dive deep into the opportunity cost of lost focus, the importance of doubling down on proven strategies, and why the most boring advice in business is often the most profitable.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you&apos;re a founder struggling with focus, hiring mistakes, or knowing when to kill a failing experiment, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you stay on track.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Key Takeaways:&lt;br /&gt;•Why doubling down on your core engine beats chasing new channels.&lt;br /&gt;•The real cost of Shiny Object Syndrome isn&apos;t just money—it&apos;s lost time and focus.&lt;br /&gt;•How to know when to pull the plug on a failing experiment or bad hire.&lt;br /&gt;•The importance of matching your offer to market demand (and the Mexican Fish &amp;amp; Chips analogy!).&lt;br /&gt;•A practical framework for calculating ROI and the cost of inaction before starting new projects.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Chapters&lt;br /&gt;0:00 - Introduction: The Trap of Shiny Object Syndrome&lt;br /&gt;0:37 - Adam&apos;s $7,500 Mistake: Investing in the Wrong Job Board&lt;br /&gt;2:29 - Why Doubling Down Beats Chasing New Platforms&lt;br /&gt;4:13 - The Role of Emotion vs. Logic in Sales and Investments&lt;br /&gt;5:21 - Recognizing Vanity Metrics and Failing Experiments&lt;br /&gt;7:11 - Hiring Mistakes: The Cost of Distracting Your Team&lt;br /&gt;9:06 - The Real Tragedy: Lost Time and Compound Effects&lt;br /&gt;11:25 - The $5 vs. $500 Task Framework for Founders&lt;br /&gt;12:23 - How to Know When to Pull the Plug on a Bad Hire&lt;br /&gt;15:16 - Interviewing for Culture and Behaviors&lt;br /&gt;17:48 - The Most Important Thing: Supply, Demand, and Your Offer&lt;br /&gt;19:50 - The Mexican Fish &amp;amp; Chips Analogy: Market Misalignment&lt;br /&gt;21:44 - Why Founders Avoid Speaking to Customers&lt;br /&gt;23:49 - A Framework for Calculating ROI on New Initiatives&lt;br /&gt;26:34 - Valuing Your Time and the Cost of Inaction&lt;br /&gt;30:14 - Final Advice for Founders: Protect Your Profits and Do the Math&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;#ShinyObjectSyndrome #FounderMistakes #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #StartupAdvice #Focus #ROI #HiringMistakes #FounderFuckups #BusinessStrategy #AdamChambers #BenBagg&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:28:41</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>23</itunes:episode><itunes:title>The Hidden Cost of Shiny Object Syndrome with Adam Chambers</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[Building the wrong solution with Jingjing Zhong]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>The conversation delves into the proven hypothesis trap, the challenges of solving the scheduling problem, the pivotal moment of pivoting the business, and the strategy of building in public. Jing Jing shares insights on the pitfalls of assuming a proven hypothesis, the complexities of scheduling solutions, the need for pivoting to address customer needs, and the benefits of building a business in public.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Proven hypothesis trap</li><li>Solving the scheduling problem</li><li>Pivoting the business</li><li>Building in public</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 The Proven Hypothesis Trap</li><li>11:07 Pivoting the Business</li><li>20:06 Building in Public</li></ul>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">3d3b5e65-a980-4881-b8c4-493c4149a358</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 04:30:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/55a4ed1aed69fa80f8092cce33fb0ea6cf296a5d9236d2038db14c1d43e819d2/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiIzZDNiNWU2NS1hOTgwLTQ4ODEtYjhjNC00OTNjNDE0OWEzNTgiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjliYzhiNThkN2MxYmVhMjQ0MTU0ZjQwL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0zLTIwX18wLTQ4LTQwLm1wMyJ9.mp3" length="35274858" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/episodes/3d3b5e65-a980-4881-b8c4-493c4149a358/transcripts.txt" type="text/plain"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;The conversation delves into the proven hypothesis trap, the challenges of solving the scheduling problem, the pivotal moment of pivoting the business, and the strategy of building in public. Jing Jing shares insights on the pitfalls of assuming a proven hypothesis, the complexities of scheduling solutions, the need for pivoting to address customer needs, and the benefits of building a business in public.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Takeaways&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Proven hypothesis trap&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Solving the scheduling problem&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Pivoting the business&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Building in public&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chapters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;00:00 The Proven Hypothesis Trap&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;11:07 Pivoting the Business&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;20:06 Building in Public&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:24:30</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>22</itunes:episode><itunes:title>Building the wrong solution with Jingjing Zhong</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[5 Red Flags Killing Your Startup (Before You Even Know It) - With Admond Lee]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Admond Lee, founder of The Runway Ventures, shares insights on the five most common red flags that signal a startup's path to failure. These red flags include growing too fast, spending too much, pivoting too slow, an unsustainable business model, and lack of governance. Admond provides examples and practical advice for founders to avoid these pitfalls.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Pattern recognition is crucial for identifying red flags in startup failure.</li><li>The impact of lack of governance can be significant, especially when dealing with multiple stakeholders.</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 Identifying Red Flags</li><li>07:08 Spending Too Much</li><li>15:04 Pivoting Too Slow</li><li>23:05 Unsustainable Business Model</li><li>30:25 Lack of Governance</li></ul>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">b70eaa42-a080-4fc3-8736-5634d811bb65</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 03:23:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/953d6764df3521df304fe923091d78e20827ca3ab8dc36efb29a4ea99c326ba1/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJiNzBlYWE0Mi1hMDgwLTRmYzMtODczNi01NjM0ZDgxMWJiNjUiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjliMjJkYWJiODk1OTJlNDI5ZjZlMzdjL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0zLTEyX180LTYtMTkubXAzIn0=.mp3" length="46108987" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/episodes/b70eaa42-a080-4fc3-8736-5634d811bb65/transcripts.txt" type="text/plain"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Admond Lee, founder of The Runway Ventures, shares insights on the five most common red flags that signal a startup&apos;s path to failure. These red flags include growing too fast, spending too much, pivoting too slow, an unsustainable business model, and lack of governance. Admond provides examples and practical advice for founders to avoid these pitfalls.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Takeaways&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Pattern recognition is crucial for identifying red flags in startup failure.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The impact of lack of governance can be significant, especially when dealing with multiple stakeholders.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chapters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;00:00 Identifying Red Flags&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;07:08 Spending Too Much&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;15:04 Pivoting Too Slow&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;23:05 Unsustainable Business Model&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;30:25 Lack of Governance&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:32:01</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>22</itunes:episode><itunes:title>5 Red Flags Killing Your Startup (Before You Even Know It) - With Admond Lee</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[The "Firefighter" Trap Killing Your Startup - With Tiffany Khoo
]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Tiffany, the founder of WeAssist, shares her experience with the Founder's Fix-It Trap, the process of restructuring her company, and the shift in leadership and empowerment. The conversation delves into the challenges faced by early-stage founders and the transformation of leadership style to build a successful team.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Founder's Fix-It Trap</li><li>Building a Team</li><li>Leadership and Empowerment</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 Introduction to WeAssist</li><li>11:11 Restructuring the Company</li><li>19:56 Skill Gap Analysis and Restructuring</li><li>28:02 Leadership and Empowerment</li></ul>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">3b5852e0-6280-4c06-a05a-9ff1fd998a77</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:11:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/997375864e827afdcb20e9ce164530b6ae75710478a5f4478176f33088959a9f/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiIzYjU4NTJlMC02MjgwLTRjMDYtYTA1YS05ZmYxZmQ5OThhNzciLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjlhN2UwMTljNzRlMWY3MTRiNmZmMjY2L2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0zLTRfXzgtMzItNDEubXAzIn0=.mp3" length="41890316" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/episodes/3b5852e0-6280-4c06-a05a-9ff1fd998a77/transcripts.txt" type="text/plain"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Tiffany, the founder of WeAssist, shares her experience with the Founder&apos;s Fix-It Trap, the process of restructuring her company, and the shift in leadership and empowerment. The conversation delves into the challenges faced by early-stage founders and the transformation of leadership style to build a successful team.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Takeaways&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Founder&apos;s Fix-It Trap&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Building a Team&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Leadership and Empowerment&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chapters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;00:00 Introduction to WeAssist&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;11:11 Restructuring the Company&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;19:56 Skill Gap Analysis and Restructuring&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;28:02 Leadership and Empowerment&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:29:05</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>20</itunes:episode><itunes:title>The &quot;Firefighter&quot; Trap Killing Your Startup - With Tiffany Khoo
</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Hustle Culture Lie: Why Your Startup is Failing - with Donald Ng]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Stop burning out and start building—hustle culture is a recipe for disaster that leads to poor sales and hiring chaos.<br /><br />Get your AI Founder Coach at: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.ai.founderfuckups.co" target="_blank">www.ai.founderfuckups.co</a><br /><br />In this episode of Founder F**k Ups, we break down why most founders fail by choosing "hustle" over sustainable business fundamentals. We explore the common startup mistake of scaling too fast and how AI automation can help SEA-based entrepreneurs maintain a lean, profitable model without the traditional hiring pressure.<br /><br />Key Takeaways:<br /><br />Why "Hustle Culture" is actually a hangover for your bottom line.<br />The real cost of burnout and how it leads to poor hiring decisions.<br />Using AI and automation to keep your business lean and sustainable.<br />Why culture fit is more important than raw skills in a startup.<br /><br />Memorable Moments:<br /><br />"Burnout is a recipe for disaster."<br />"You have to really know your shit."<br />"Making mistakes is how you grow."<br /><br />Chapters:<br />00:00 The Journey of a First-Time Founder<br />12:03 The Illusion of Hustle Culture<br />23:59 Lessons Learned from Burnout<br />32:56 Building a Sustainable Business<br /><br />#Podcast #Startups #Founder #Entrepreneurship #SEA #HustleCulture</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">a7e82b1f-da4c-459c-b9b5-59fb9b030942</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 03:13:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/cdb72423adf958171beb8db80b49867a3865bcb6bd993b9fe8e70b84fea1ae71/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJhN2U4MmIxZi1kYTRjLTQ1OWMtYjliNS01OWZiOWIwMzA5NDIiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk5ZWFiZDg5YzllZjZmNzczY2MwYzM3L2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0yLTI1X184LTU5LTIwLm1wMyJ9.mp3" length="40454626" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Stop burning out and start building—hustle culture is a recipe for disaster that leads to poor sales and hiring chaos.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Get your AI Founder Coach at: &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;http://www.ai.founderfuckups.co&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;www.ai.founderfuckups.co&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In this episode of Founder F**k Ups, we break down why most founders fail by choosing &quot;hustle&quot; over sustainable business fundamentals. We explore the common startup mistake of scaling too fast and how AI automation can help SEA-based entrepreneurs maintain a lean, profitable model without the traditional hiring pressure.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Key Takeaways:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Why &quot;Hustle Culture&quot; is actually a hangover for your bottom line.&lt;br /&gt;The real cost of burnout and how it leads to poor hiring decisions.&lt;br /&gt;Using AI and automation to keep your business lean and sustainable.&lt;br /&gt;Why culture fit is more important than raw skills in a startup.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Memorable Moments:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Burnout is a recipe for disaster.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;You have to really know your shit.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&quot;Making mistakes is how you grow.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Chapters:&lt;br /&gt;00:00 The Journey of a First-Time Founder&lt;br /&gt;12:03 The Illusion of Hustle Culture&lt;br /&gt;23:59 Lessons Learned from Burnout&lt;br /&gt;32:56 Building a Sustainable Business&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;#Podcast #Startups #Founder #Entrepreneurship #SEA #HustleCulture&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:28:06</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>19</itunes:episode><itunes:title>The Hustle Culture Lie: Why Your Startup is Failing - with Donald Ng</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA["I gave away 50% equity to the wrong partner" - With Reuben Liu]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>The conversation delves into the pitfalls of early equity distribution, its impact on company operations, and the transition to a new partnership. Reuben's experience highlights the importance of shared vision and values in partnerships, as well as the emotional and financial costs of ending a partnership. The key takeaways emphasize the significance of careful equity distribution and the impact of partnership dynamics on company growth and operations.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Early equity distribution can lead to misaligned visions and values</li><li>Partnership dynamics can impact company growth and operations</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 The Equity Trap: Early Mistakes</li><li>05:45 Impact on Company Operations</li><li>16:11 Transition and Lessons Learned</li></ul>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">f8128c23-cf6f-4f10-887c-9c11a322c13d</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 07:45:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/b7704c0667bceade9a0a6a57312ac54b23d8e4d5251f40b301a85e6610d91531/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJmODEyOGMyMy1jZjZmLTRmMTAtODg3Yy05YzExYTMyMmMxM2QiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk4YzBmYTJkNjQ4YWUzZTlkMjhmZjBkL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0yLTExX182LTEyLTIubXAzIn0=.mp3" length="44139772" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;The conversation delves into the pitfalls of early equity distribution, its impact on company operations, and the transition to a new partnership. Reuben&apos;s experience highlights the importance of shared vision and values in partnerships, as well as the emotional and financial costs of ending a partnership. The key takeaways emphasize the significance of careful equity distribution and the impact of partnership dynamics on company growth and operations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Takeaways&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Early equity distribution can lead to misaligned visions and values&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Partnership dynamics can impact company growth and operations&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chapters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;00:00 The Equity Trap: Early Mistakes&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;05:45 Impact on Company Operations&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;16:11 Transition and Lessons Learned&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:30:39</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>18</itunes:episode><itunes:title>&quot;I gave away 50% equity to the wrong partner&quot; - With Reuben Liu</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[The EXPENSIVE "Applause" Trap. Why Your Customers Love you, BUT WONT PAY - with Simone Macario]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>The conversation delves into the challenges of building a company on the frontier, the discovery of Sharly, the gravity gap, the challenges of building from Malaysia, the pivot from B2C to B2B, the impact of distance, the shift to San Francisco, and advice for founders. It provides insights into the strategic decisions and challenges faced by the founder, Simon Macario, as he navigates the complexities of building a global company.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Building on the frontier requires proximity to value</li><li>Pivoting from B2C to B2B can be a strategic move</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 Building on the Frontier</li><li>05:35 Pivoting from B2C to B2B</li><li>12:16 The Impact of Distance</li><li>23:49 The Shift to San Francisco</li></ul>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">00b9e63e-d413-4399-bb7b-2f17015e8de2</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:43:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/c9f61d54270c4782372da320e8e8887abc1fecc7568be695575f89a0b1477a7a/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiIwMGI5ZTYzZS1kNDEzLTQzOTktYmI3Yi0yZjE3MDE1ZThkZTIiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk4YjNmYjY1ZDkyMGYxZTU3YWRmNDdmL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0yLTEwX18xNS0yNC01NC5tcDMifQ==.mp3" length="39103573" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;The conversation delves into the challenges of building a company on the frontier, the discovery of Sharly, the gravity gap, the challenges of building from Malaysia, the pivot from B2C to B2B, the impact of distance, the shift to San Francisco, and advice for founders. It provides insights into the strategic decisions and challenges faced by the founder, Simon Macario, as he navigates the complexities of building a global company.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Takeaways&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Building on the frontier requires proximity to value&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Pivoting from B2C to B2B can be a strategic move&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chapters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;00:00 Building on the Frontier&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;05:35 Pivoting from B2C to B2B&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;12:16 The Impact of Distance&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;23:49 The Shift to San Francisco&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:27:09</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>16</itunes:episode><itunes:title>The EXPENSIVE &quot;Applause&quot; Trap. Why Your Customers Love you, BUT WONT PAY - with Simone Macario</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stop Building Zombie Startups: How I Learned to Give Up Fast - With Daniel Cerventus Lim]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Success is the ultimate blindfold. Daniel Cerventus Lim reveals how a 20-year track record of winning almost led him off a cliff—and why the smartest founders are the ones who know how to give up fast.<br /><br />👉 Join the mission: We are helping 1,000 founders break the meta-cycle of team chaos and lack of focus. Subscribe to Founder F**K Ups and stop making mistakes in a vacuum.<br /><br />In this episode of Founder F**k Ups, serial entrepreneur Daniel Cerventus Lim breaks down the "Success Trap" and why past wins often lead to future startup mistakes. As a prominent figure in SEA Tech, Daniel shares raw leadership lessons on the dangers of zombie startups—businesses that aren't growing but refuse to die. We dive deep into the sunk cost fallacy, exploring how the fear of "wasted" time and money prevents founders from scaling a business effectively.<br /><br />The conversation tackles the generational divide in the workplace and why modern founders must master the "Art of Strategic Giving Up" to survive. Whether you're a first-time founder or an experienced CEO, these founder interviews offer a vulnerable look at the grit required to navigate business failure in the Malaysian ecosystem and beyond. Learn how to identify red flags early, manage team chaos, and reclaim your most valuable resource: time.<br /><br />Chapter Timestamps:<br /><br />00:00 The Fatal Mistake: When Success Becomes a Trap <br />03:01 Why Past Wins Blind You to New Red Flags <br />06:09 Zombie Startups: The True Cost of Stagnation<br />08:59 The Generational Divide: Working with Gen Alpha &amp; "The Strawberry Generation"<br />12:02 Sunk Cost Fallacy: Why "Pushing Through" is Often a Mistake <br />16:12 The Decision Framework: When to Pivot vs. When to Quit <br />24:45 Work-Life Balance is a Myth for Founders<br />29:50 The Art of Strategic Giving Up: Reclaiming Your Momentum<br /><br />#startups #FounderLife #BusinessFailure #Entrepreneurship #SEATech #SuccessTrap #FounderFuckUps #ScalingUp</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">601d5144-651e-4676-9d87-abaec19de84a</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 06:37:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/bab1933d0f7ef333c1f966100aa3aa0f4fcfd733e8ab52179745abf65f4592c4/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI2MDFkNTE0NC02NTFlLTQ2NzYtOWQ4Ny1hYmFlYzE5ZGU4NGEiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk4MmQ1MDNkYTRkZGRjZTI1N2NhMDBjL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0yLTRfXzYtMTEtMzEubXAzIn0=.mp3" length="42347354" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Success is the ultimate blindfold. Daniel Cerventus Lim reveals how a 20-year track record of winning almost led him off a cliff—and why the smartest founders are the ones who know how to give up fast.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;👉 Join the mission: We are helping 1,000 founders break the meta-cycle of team chaos and lack of focus. Subscribe to Founder F**K Ups and stop making mistakes in a vacuum.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In this episode of Founder F**k Ups, serial entrepreneur Daniel Cerventus Lim breaks down the &quot;Success Trap&quot; and why past wins often lead to future startup mistakes. As a prominent figure in SEA Tech, Daniel shares raw leadership lessons on the dangers of zombie startups—businesses that aren&apos;t growing but refuse to die. We dive deep into the sunk cost fallacy, exploring how the fear of &quot;wasted&quot; time and money prevents founders from scaling a business effectively.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The conversation tackles the generational divide in the workplace and why modern founders must master the &quot;Art of Strategic Giving Up&quot; to survive. Whether you&apos;re a first-time founder or an experienced CEO, these founder interviews offer a vulnerable look at the grit required to navigate business failure in the Malaysian ecosystem and beyond. Learn how to identify red flags early, manage team chaos, and reclaim your most valuable resource: time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Chapter Timestamps:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;00:00 The Fatal Mistake: When Success Becomes a Trap &lt;br /&gt;03:01 Why Past Wins Blind You to New Red Flags &lt;br /&gt;06:09 Zombie Startups: The True Cost of Stagnation&lt;br /&gt;08:59 The Generational Divide: Working with Gen Alpha &amp;amp; &quot;The Strawberry Generation&quot;&lt;br /&gt;12:02 Sunk Cost Fallacy: Why &quot;Pushing Through&quot; is Often a Mistake &lt;br /&gt;16:12 The Decision Framework: When to Pivot vs. When to Quit &lt;br /&gt;24:45 Work-Life Balance is a Myth for Founders&lt;br /&gt;29:50 The Art of Strategic Giving Up: Reclaiming Your Momentum&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;#startups #FounderLife #BusinessFailure #Entrepreneurship #SEATech #SuccessTrap #FounderFuckUps #ScalingUp&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:29:24</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>16</itunes:episode><itunes:title>Stop Building Zombie Startups: How I Learned to Give Up Fast - With Daniel Cerventus Lim</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#15 "I built THEIR brand with my BLOOD & SWEAT - But they tried to sue" - With Selina Chew
]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>The conversation with Dr. Selina Chew revolves around the journey of transitioning from a franchise to an independent brand. It explores the challenges, realizations, and strategic decisions involved in building and owning a brand. The key takeaways highlight the risks of building a brand on someone else's equity and the importance of careful planning and execution when transitioning to an independent brand.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Building a brand on someone else's equity can lead to loss of control and potential risks.</li><li>Transitioning from a franchise to an independent brand requires careful planning and strategic execution.</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 Building a Brand on Someone Else's Equity</li><li>05:04 Realizing the Need for Independence</li><li>14:12 Transitioning to an Independent Brand</li><li>19:50 Owning 100% of the Brand</li></ul>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">14bc930e-63f9-404c-b24b-722440d86bb3</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:08:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/16bb6064c1735b407d44d61916732774138f70de95119a73a514409bd97a0438/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiIxNGJjOTMwZS02M2Y5LTQwNGMtYjI0Yi03MjI0NDBkODZiYjMiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk3YWYyNzgyNjhhYzdjY2M1YmE2NzVlL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0xLTI5X182LTM5LTQubXAzIn0=.mp3" length="15898259" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;The conversation with Dr. Selina Chew revolves around the journey of transitioning from a franchise to an independent brand. It explores the challenges, realizations, and strategic decisions involved in building and owning a brand. The key takeaways highlight the risks of building a brand on someone else&apos;s equity and the importance of careful planning and execution when transitioning to an independent brand.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Takeaways&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Building a brand on someone else&apos;s equity can lead to loss of control and potential risks.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Transitioning from a franchise to an independent brand requires careful planning and strategic execution.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chapters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;00:00 Building a Brand on Someone Else&apos;s Equity&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;05:04 Realizing the Need for Independence&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;14:12 Transitioning to an Independent Brand&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;19:50 Owning 100% of the Brand&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:26:20</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>15</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#15 &quot;I built THEIR brand with my BLOOD &amp; SWEAT - But they tried to sue&quot; - With Selina Chew
</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#14 "Venture Capital is a People Business (AND MOST PEOPLE ARE F**KING UP)" With Kevin Brockland

]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>The conversation delves into the world of venture capital, exploring the complexities of betting on people, misjudging human nature, the psychological trap of the savior complex, the reputational cost of a bad bet, and the strategy of moving slow to move fast.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Betting on people in venture capital</li><li>Misjudging human nature</li><li>Psychological trap of the savior complex</li><li>Reputational cost of a bad bet</li><li>Moving slow to move fast</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 Betting on People in Venture Capital</li><li>05:59 The Psychological Trap of the Savior Complex</li><li>15:54 Moving Slow to Move Fast</li></ul>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">5aa58308-8408-4630-9dc6-74f4dd45c47f</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 22 Jan 2026 02:37:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/cf5c82e5b4ae5b533d5eafd6a1aa4c1033d7039b0ad2a1775950bbed6e47f282/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI1YWE1ODMwOC04NDA4LTQ2MzAtOWRjNi03NGY0ZGQ0NWM0N2YiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk3MDdlMmM4YjVjY2UwN2NjOGVjMmQ4L2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0xLTIxX184LTIwLTEyLm1wMyJ9.mp3" length="22610922" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;The conversation delves into the world of venture capital, exploring the complexities of betting on people, misjudging human nature, the psychological trap of the savior complex, the reputational cost of a bad bet, and the strategy of moving slow to move fast.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Takeaways&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Betting on people in venture capital&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Misjudging human nature&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Psychological trap of the savior complex&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Reputational cost of a bad bet&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Moving slow to move fast&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chapters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;00:00 Betting on People in Venture Capital&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;05:59 The Psychological Trap of the Savior Complex&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;15:54 Moving Slow to Move Fast&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:29:43</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>14</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#14 &quot;Venture Capital is a People Business (AND MOST PEOPLE ARE F**KING UP)&quot; With Kevin Brockland

</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#13 "My team was 66% sales, & 33% product, and we still couldn't scale" with Max Armbruster]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>The conversation delves into the drive of entrepreneurs to control their own destiny and the strategic blind spot in non-technical founders. It also explores a decade of hiring mistakes and the impact on business growth and profitability.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Strategic Blind Spot</li><li>Hiring Mistakes</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 Decade of Hiring Mistakes</li></ul>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">920e1ec8-52b0-4b5e-bf22-29b2c797a202</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:52:44 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/93911749186385b506cfb5769a1043d80ac15a9e4d084a39eef46658db534345/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI5MjBlMWVjOC01MmIwLTRiNWUtYmYyMi0yOWIyYzc5N2EyMDIiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk2NGZhMjViODk0NzMzMWQ1Mzc2Y2I0L2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0xLTEyX18xNC00MS01Ny5tcDMifQ==.mp3" length="14794102" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;The conversation delves into the drive of entrepreneurs to control their own destiny and the strategic blind spot in non-technical founders. It also explores a decade of hiring mistakes and the impact on business growth and profitability.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Takeaways&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Strategic Blind Spot&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Hiring Mistakes&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chapters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;00:00 Decade of Hiring Mistakes&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:17:49</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>13</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#13 &quot;My team was 66% sales, &amp; 33% product, and we still couldn&apos;t scale&quot; with Max Armbruster</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#12 "I Didn’t Ask for Help… and Paid for It as a Founder" with Joseph Chin
]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Joseph Chin shares his journey of self-reliance and the hidden costs associated with it. He discusses the challenges of realizing the mistake, the process of delegation, and the turning point in his approach to recruiting and managing a team. He also provides valuable advice for founders based on his experiences.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>The hidden cost of self-reliance</li><li>The value of delegation and hiring around your strengths</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 The Cost of Self-Reliance</li><li>08:04 The Process of Delegation</li><li>14:03 The Turning Point</li><li>27:31 Advice for Founders</li></ul>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">49d1c875-bcd9-4691-963c-a2c427166789</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:57:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/6cb3e66ad1b7bf2523452bbaa7ca182518a20b8f3b2b0b38cf3b2a607e9bee69/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI0OWQxYzg3NS1iY2Q5LTQ2OTEtOTYzYy1hMmM0MjcxNjY3ODkiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk1ZTE3MTQxNWMyM2JmMjVlZGVjNGQyL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0xLTdfXzktMTktMzIubXAzIn0=.mp3" length="20474538" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Joseph Chin shares his journey of self-reliance and the hidden costs associated with it. He discusses the challenges of realizing the mistake, the process of delegation, and the turning point in his approach to recruiting and managing a team. He also provides valuable advice for founders based on his experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Takeaways&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;The hidden cost of self-reliance&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The value of delegation and hiring around your strengths&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chapters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;00:00 The Cost of Self-Reliance&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;08:04 The Process of Delegation&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;14:03 The Turning Point&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;27:31 Advice for Founders&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:26:29</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>12</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#12 &quot;I Didn’t Ask for Help… and Paid for It as a Founder&quot; with Joseph Chin
</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#11 "We got so focused on distribution that our product caused high churn" with Ashvin Praveen]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>The conversation delves into the challenges of achieving sustainable growth and the importance of user retention as a key metric for product success. It explores the illusion of growth through virality, the reality of churn, the pivotal moment of product realization, and the balance between growth and product focus.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Virality without a durable product isn't growth</li><li>User retention is a key metric for product success</li></ul><p></p><p>Chapters</p><ul><li>00:00 The Growth Illusion</li><li>09:31 The Churn Reality</li><li>16:31 The Product Pivot</li><li>24:05 Balancing Growth and Product</li></ul>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">3bd9b4a3-7103-4a02-8eca-b54b75dbcc10</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 30 Dec 2025 01:40:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/0effdf2e0d13809ca4ec7c27312a582c65780b1ed4bae69df13812e8d4de0ed3/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiIzYmQ5YjRhMy03MTAzLTRhMDItOGVjYS1iNTRiNzVkYmNjMTAiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk0MGYyNTAzODVjNDBhMTNjYWUwM2JjL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNS0xMi0xNl9fNi00Ni01Ni5tcDMifQ==.mp3" length="18093971" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;The conversation delves into the challenges of achieving sustainable growth and the importance of user retention as a key metric for product success. It explores the illusion of growth through virality, the reality of churn, the pivotal moment of product realization, and the balance between growth and product focus.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Takeaways&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Virality without a durable product isn&apos;t growth&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;User retention is a key metric for product success&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chapters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;00:00 The Growth Illusion&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;09:31 The Churn Reality&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;16:31 The Product Pivot&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;24:05 Balancing Growth and Product&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>yes</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:24:39</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>11</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#11 &quot;We got so focused on distribution that our product caused high churn&quot; with Ashvin Praveen</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#10 "I didn’t protect my IP, and lost to my own materials in a pitch” with Adrian Waters]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Join us as we dive into the entrepreneurial journey of Adrian, founder of Whizbang Idea and partner at Nexia Corporate Innovation. Discover the lessons he learned the hard way about intellectual property and the importance of protecting your business assets. From his early career in corporate strategy to the challenges of entrepreneurship, Adrian shares his story of resilience and growth.</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">b830dcbb-ff6f-4748-80aa-01737a9efda3</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2025 04:51:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/362a1470b3f6ed9ce47957b9aceac22f5be3cc243fdc8f0666a5138e1b9bae59/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJiODMwZGNiYi1mZjZmLTQ3NDgtODBhYS0wMTczN2E5ZWZkYTMiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk0MGYxNmUwNWQ3NzI4NmVjNGNhMmEwL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNS0xMi0xNl9fNi00My0xMC5tcDMifQ==.mp3" length="13542531" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Join us as we dive into the entrepreneurial journey of Adrian, founder of Whizbang Idea and partner at Nexia Corporate Innovation. Discover the lessons he learned the hard way about intellectual property and the importance of protecting your business assets. From his early career in corporate strategy to the challenges of entrepreneurship, Adrian shares his story of resilience and growth.&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:19:02</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>10</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#10 &quot;I didn’t protect my IP, and lost to my own materials in a pitch” with Adrian Waters</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#9 "I accidentally built a charity that nearly burnt all our cash away" with Le Yi Khor
]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Join us as we dive into the entrepreneurial journey of Lei Ye, founder of OttoDot, a company revolutionizing education through math and science on Roblox. Discover the challenges faced, lessons learned, and the pivotal moments that led to a successful business pivot. From financial missteps to strategic overhauls, Lei shares invaluable insights for founders and educators alike. Don't miss this engaging conversation filled with real-world experiences and practical advice. Subscribe for more inspiring stories from industry leaders!</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">84ad314f-f1c7-43ee-a698-77c9bce19168</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2025 04:50:55 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/1bf9b0edc0a029785ec93edb6b861c3c302ef7a1179e92eb5a2ff2f99dbcc510/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI4NGFkMzE0Zi1mMWM3LTQzZWUtYTY5OC03N2M5YmNlMTkxNjgiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjkzOGNiOTdmYzdhNmY4YmY0NDI0YTg5L2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNS0xMi0xMF9fMi0yMy0zNS5tcDMifQ==.mp3" length="13038354" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Join us as we dive into the entrepreneurial journey of Lei Ye, founder of OttoDot, a company revolutionizing education through math and science on Roblox. Discover the challenges faced, lessons learned, and the pivotal moments that led to a successful business pivot. From financial missteps to strategic overhauls, Lei shares invaluable insights for founders and educators alike. Don&apos;t miss this engaging conversation filled with real-world experiences and practical advice. Subscribe for more inspiring stories from industry leaders!&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:20:10</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>9</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#9 &quot;I accidentally built a charity that nearly burnt all our cash away&quot; with Le Yi Khor
</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#8 "Trust Too Early, Autonomy Too Fast — When “Hands Off” Becomes the F**k Up" with Deric Yee
]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>In this episode, Ben Bagg interviews Deric Yee, founder of Sigma School, about the challenges and lessons learned in scaling a startup. Deric shares his experience of hiring too quickly and delegating responsibilities before establishing a solid business model, leading to a dip in sales and culture. He emphasizes the importance of building a strong foundation, setting clear KPIs, and aligning team values to ensure sustainable growth.</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">b75dad3c-5aaf-4ca4-a6be-c86c6925c9b1</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:48:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/f1ce8e12e6d95e0066f63e899617c5ac3a7f7f85225b3b274cb33a935e70f8ae/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJiNzVkYWQzYy01YWFmLTRjYTQtYTZiZS1jODZjNjkyNWM5YjEiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjkyZWEzYzZlODFjNGVhZWE0ZGFhYzViL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNS0xMi0yX185LTMxLTIubXAzIn0=.mp3" length="21036306" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;In this episode, Ben Bagg interviews Deric Yee, founder of Sigma School, about the challenges and lessons learned in scaling a startup. Deric shares his experience of hiring too quickly and delegating responsibilities before establishing a solid business model, leading to a dip in sales and culture. He emphasizes the importance of building a strong foundation, setting clear KPIs, and aligning team values to ensure sustainable growth.&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:25:22</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>8</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#8 &quot;Trust Too Early, Autonomy Too Fast — When “Hands Off” Becomes the F**k Up&quot; with Deric Yee
</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#7 "Building businesses purely to make money burnt me out" with Serena Lam]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Is your startup idea actually aligned with who you are? In this episode, Serena Lam, founder of <b>Fuzzy AI</b>, gets candid about the messy reality of entrepreneurship.<br /></p><p>Serena opens up about her early struggles attempting to build "sexy" B2C dating apps, the mental toll of toxic business partnerships, and how she finally found her stride by building a product she actually uses.<br /></p><p><b>Tune in to learn:</b></p><ul><li><b>The Co-Founder Trap:</b> Why a bad partnership ruins everything and how to choose wisely.</li><li><b>B2C vs. B2B:</b> Why chasing trendy consumer ideas can be draining.</li><li><b>Passion vs. Profit:</b> How to transition from grinding to enjoying the journey.<br /></li></ul><p>Join us for a raw look at what it takes to build a meaningful venture from the ground up.</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">5f68caf1-406a-4b29-b7e8-8ffc92d33084</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 27 Nov 2025 05:15:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/24e1820909c71b1964f50b99129d1db2acc4a5524f6460b80c48615e98fa2189/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI1ZjY4Y2FmMS00MDZhLTRiMjktYjdlOC04ZmZjOTJkMzMwODQiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjkyN2RjZjllOWNlMWY1OGEyOTkyYjI1L2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNS0xMS0yN19fNi05LTEzLm1wMyJ9.mp3" length="17916904" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Is your startup idea actually aligned with who you are? In this episode, Serena Lam, founder of &lt;b&gt;Fuzzy AI&lt;/b&gt;, gets candid about the messy reality of entrepreneurship.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Serena opens up about her early struggles attempting to build &quot;sexy&quot; B2C dating apps, the mental toll of toxic business partnerships, and how she finally found her stride by building a product she actually uses.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Tune in to learn:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Co-Founder Trap:&lt;/b&gt; Why a bad partnership ruins everything and how to choose wisely.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;B2C vs. B2B:&lt;/b&gt; Why chasing trendy consumer ideas can be draining.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Passion vs. Profit:&lt;/b&gt; How to transition from grinding to enjoying the journey.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join us for a raw look at what it takes to build a meaningful venture from the ground up.&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:23:18</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>7</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#7 &quot;Building businesses purely to make money burnt me out&quot; with Serena Lam</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#6 "Running out of runway, whilst NOT focusing on distribution" with Thalia Bondoc]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>In this episode, we sit down with Thalia, the founder of Eduloco, who shares her journey from burning cash on a promising idea to transforming her business by focusing on sales and mentorship. Thalia opens up about the challenges of pivoting her business model, the emotional toll of letting go of her team, and the lessons learned from her entrepreneurial journey. Join us as we explore the importance of commercialization and the hard truths of startup life.<br /><br /> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etr9PsXiBcU">00:00:00</a> </p><ul><li>Introduction to Talia and Edgyloco</li></ul><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etr9PsXiBcU&amp;t=180s">00:03:00</a> </p><ul><li>The Early Days and Challenges</li></ul><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etr9PsXiBcU&amp;t=360s">00:06:00</a> </p><ul><li>Pivoting the Business Model</li></ul><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etr9PsXiBcU&amp;t=540s">00:09:00</a> </p><ul><li>Lessons Learned and Moving Forward</li></ul>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">8254b234-4a8b-490b-990e-15a15c272593</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 19 Nov 2025 09:27:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/2584d33a69986d23ab80041960ebd3cd6fbe4bfeed66d8d35de280bd23f98c1e/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI4MjU0YjIzNC00YThiLTQ5MGItOTkwZS0xNWExNWMyNzI1OTMiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjkxYzUzMjUyMTZiMDY1MDJjZmI4ZTlmL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNS0xMS0xOF9fMTItNi0xMy5tcDMifQ==.mp3" length="16533718" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;In this episode, we sit down with Thalia, the founder of Eduloco, who shares her journey from burning cash on a promising idea to transforming her business by focusing on sales and mentorship. Thalia opens up about the challenges of pivoting her business model, the emotional toll of letting go of her team, and the lessons learned from her entrepreneurial journey. Join us as we explore the importance of commercialization and the hard truths of startup life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etr9PsXiBcU&quot;&gt;00:00:00&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Introduction to Talia and Edgyloco&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etr9PsXiBcU&amp;amp;t=180s&quot;&gt;00:03:00&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;The Early Days and Challenges&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etr9PsXiBcU&amp;amp;t=360s&quot;&gt;00:06:00&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Pivoting the Business Model&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etr9PsXiBcU&amp;amp;t=540s&quot;&gt;00:09:00&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Lessons Learned and Moving Forward&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:23:02</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:title>#6 &quot;Running out of runway, whilst NOT focusing on distribution&quot; with Thalia Bondoc</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#5 "Expanding too quickly nearly broke us" with Michael Helfman
]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Join us as we dive into the entrepreneurial journey of Michael Helfman, the visionary behind Mikey's, one of Malaysia's most iconic pizza brands. Discover how Michael scaled rapidly, faced challenges like cannibalization and debt, and ultimately turned chaos into a disciplined success story. Learn valuable insights on diversification, discipline, and the real math behind restaurant growth. Whether you're in the F&amp;B industry or just love a good founder story, this episode is packed with lessons and inspiration. Don't forget to subscribe for more founder stories and insights!<br /><br /> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM">0:00</a> Introduction - Michael Helfman, founder of Mikey's, is introduced.<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;t=31s">00:31</a> Chaos to Turnaround - From initial chaos to a disciplined turnaround. </p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;t=78s">01:18</a> Starting the Concept - Being the first pizzeria in Malaysia. </p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;t=219s">03:39</a> Lightning in a Bottle - Rapid success and expansion. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;t=361s">06:01</a> Product Positioning - Challenges of positioning on the higher end. </p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;t=494s">08:14</a> Financial Decisions - Taking out loans for expansion. <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;t=550s">09:10</a> Emotional Roller Coaster - Emotional challenges during expansion. </p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;t=720s">12:00</a> Strategic Plays - Diversification and stabilization strategies. </p><p><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;t=1063s">17:43</a> Impact of COVID-19 - Effects of COVID-19 and delivery service advantage.</p><p> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;t=1343s">22:23</a> Advice for Entrepreneurs - Patience and managing growth.</p><p></p><p>#Founder #Mistakes </p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">8888ace6-a5cf-482f-aeda-8bde1b1ebf81</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2025 02:59:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/bbcf76252a4d4f47ce52d4de904b3a82de92e093e8132439f7a020adb728aca8/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI4ODg4YWNlNi1hNWNmLTQ4MmYtYWVkYS04YmRlMWIxZWJmODEiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjkxNTJlZGFlNGJmNzAyM2U5MDQ3OWQwL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNS0xMS0xM19fMi01LTMwLm1wMyJ9.mp3" length="21202288" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Join us as we dive into the entrepreneurial journey of Michael Helfman, the visionary behind Mikey&apos;s, one of Malaysia&apos;s most iconic pizza brands. Discover how Michael scaled rapidly, faced challenges like cannibalization and debt, and ultimately turned chaos into a disciplined success story. Learn valuable insights on diversification, discipline, and the real math behind restaurant growth. Whether you&apos;re in the F&amp;amp;B industry or just love a good founder story, this episode is packed with lessons and inspiration. Don&apos;t forget to subscribe for more founder stories and insights!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&quot;&gt;0:00&lt;/a&gt; Introduction - Michael Helfman, founder of Mikey&apos;s, is introduced.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;amp;t=31s&quot;&gt;00:31&lt;/a&gt; Chaos to Turnaround - From initial chaos to a disciplined turnaround. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;amp;t=78s&quot;&gt;01:18&lt;/a&gt; Starting the Concept - Being the first pizzeria in Malaysia. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;amp;t=219s&quot;&gt;03:39&lt;/a&gt; Lightning in a Bottle - Rapid success and expansion. &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;amp;t=361s&quot;&gt;06:01&lt;/a&gt; Product Positioning - Challenges of positioning on the higher end. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;amp;t=494s&quot;&gt;08:14&lt;/a&gt; Financial Decisions - Taking out loans for expansion. &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;amp;t=550s&quot;&gt;09:10&lt;/a&gt; Emotional Roller Coaster - Emotional challenges during expansion. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;amp;t=720s&quot;&gt;12:00&lt;/a&gt; Strategic Plays - Diversification and stabilization strategies. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;amp;t=1063s&quot;&gt;17:43&lt;/a&gt; Impact of COVID-19 - Effects of COVID-19 and delivery service advantage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvkBPTfFmJM&amp;amp;t=1343s&quot;&gt;22:23&lt;/a&gt; Advice for Entrepreneurs - Patience and managing growth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;#Founder #Mistakes &lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:29:13</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:title>#5 &quot;Expanding too quickly nearly broke us&quot; with Michael Helfman
</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#1 “The Horizontal Monster" with Shuk Huay Koh (Jensi.io)]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>in this episode, I sit down with Shuk Huay Koh, Co-Founder of <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Jensi.io" target="_blank">Jensi.io</a>, a project management tool built with big ambitions — and an even bigger lesson. Shuk and her team set out to create a flexible, powerful product that could serve everyone. But instead of finding traction, they found themselves stretched thin turned into a horizontal monster, why customer discovery went sideways, and what she’d do differently if she could build again.</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">93836e10-4ff9-44e6-b38a-3aab40899da7</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2025 01:57:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/32ca1bc562757510c88cd7a54fca7de032bf05b9a2990a8be63750fd367a31d5/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI5MzgzNmUxMC00ZmY5LTQ0ZTYtYjM4YS0zYWFiNDA4OTlkYTciLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjhmNmY1YmY2YzkxNjhlMjZiMWZmNGJjL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNS0xMC0yMV9fNC01My01MS5tcDMifQ==.mp3" length="22415208" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;in this episode, I sit down with Shuk Huay Koh, Co-Founder of &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;http://Jensi.io&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Jensi.io&lt;/a&gt;, a project management tool built with big ambitions — and an even bigger lesson. Shuk and her team set out to create a flexible, powerful product that could serve everyone. But instead of finding traction, they found themselves stretched thin turned into a horizontal monster, why customer discovery went sideways, and what she’d do differently if she could build again.&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>yes</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:29:20</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>1</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#1 “The Horizontal Monster&quot; with Shuk Huay Koh (Jensi.io)</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#2 "Bad advice leads to Pivot Nightmare" With Ajinkya Bhat
]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Join us on Founder Fuckups as we dive into the journey of Ajinkya, a deep tech founder in healthcare. Discover the challenges faced during a pivotal moment in his startup, Seamless, and learn how to navigate advice, align mentor relationships, and maintain momentum. Ajinkya shares insights on building a device to objectively assess touch sensation loss in patients, and the importance of filtering signals from noise in the startup world. Timestamps: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk">00:00</a> Introduction <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;t=75s">01:15</a> Ajinkya's Background and Startup Journey <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;t=330s">05:30</a> The Consumer Pivot and Its Challenges <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;t=645s">10:45</a> Lessons Learned from Mentorship <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;t=900s">15:00</a> Developing a Diagnostic Device <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;t=1200s">20:00</a> Aligning Advisor Relationships <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;t=1530s">25:30</a> The Importance of Context and Competence <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;t=1800s">30:00</a> Structuring Advisor Incentives 35:00 Final Thoughts and Contact Information <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/startup">#Startup</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/healthcare">#Healthcare</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship">#Entrepreneurship</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/mentorship">#Mentorship</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/innovation">#Innovation</a></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">955a1f85-3b9f-4ddb-a923-89c3a7bb7eca</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2025 01:56:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/c1f856e68815c40e753772fcd4f76af27c282c4ecce03ab0b8a044d3b9c2531d/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI5NTVhMWY4NS0zYjlmLTRkZGItYTkyMy04OWMzYTdiYjdlY2EiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjkwN2Y0OTk4NzQ3NjRiOWE2Y2NjMDAyL2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNS0xMS0zX18xLTE3LTI5Lm1wMyJ9.mp3" length="25637641" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Join us on Founder Fuckups as we dive into the journey of Ajinkya, a deep tech founder in healthcare. Discover the challenges faced during a pivotal moment in his startup, Seamless, and learn how to navigate advice, align mentor relationships, and maintain momentum. Ajinkya shares insights on building a device to objectively assess touch sensation loss in patients, and the importance of filtering signals from noise in the startup world. Timestamps: &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&quot;&gt;00:00&lt;/a&gt; Introduction &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;amp;t=75s&quot;&gt;01:15&lt;/a&gt; Ajinkya&apos;s Background and Startup Journey &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;amp;t=330s&quot;&gt;05:30&lt;/a&gt; The Consumer Pivot and Its Challenges &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;amp;t=645s&quot;&gt;10:45&lt;/a&gt; Lessons Learned from Mentorship &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;amp;t=900s&quot;&gt;15:00&lt;/a&gt; Developing a Diagnostic Device &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;amp;t=1200s&quot;&gt;20:00&lt;/a&gt; Aligning Advisor Relationships &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;amp;t=1530s&quot;&gt;25:30&lt;/a&gt; The Importance of Context and Competence &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zeG5bhoDk&amp;amp;t=1800s&quot;&gt;30:00&lt;/a&gt; Structuring Advisor Incentives 35:00 Final Thoughts and Contact Information &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/startup&quot;&gt;#Startup&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/healthcare&quot;&gt;#Healthcare&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship&quot;&gt;#Entrepreneurship&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/mentorship&quot;&gt;#Mentorship&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/innovation&quot;&gt;#Innovation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:33:27</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:title>#2 &quot;Bad advice leads to Pivot Nightmare&quot; With Ajinkya Bhat
</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#3 "A Partnership that turned into a cash flow nightmare" with Reuben Chn'g
]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>oin us as Reuben Chung, founder of Daily CMO and Underdog Con, shares his inspiring journey from a failed partnership to creating a successful community-led event. Discover the power of storytelling in business, the importance of transparency in partnerships, and how setbacks can be transformed into opportunities. Reuben emphasizes the value of purpose over profit and the role of storytelling in building trust and engagement. Timestamps: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8">00:00:00</a> Introduction to Reuben Chung <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8&amp;t=180s">00:03:00</a> The Importance of Storytelling <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8&amp;t=540s">00:09:00</a> Challenges in Partnerships <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8&amp;t=900s">00:15:00</a> Turning Failures into Opportunities <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8&amp;t=1260s">00:21:00</a> Purpose Over Profit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8&amp;t=1620s">00:27:00</a> Building Community-Led Events Key Takeaways: Storytelling is crucial in business success. Transparency in partnerships is essential. Turning failures into opportunities is key. Purpose should drive business decisions. Building trust is fundamental in marketing. Sound bites: "Storytelling is huge in business." "People buy from people they know, like, and trust." "Turning lemons into lemonade." "Purpose over profit." "Transparency is key in partnerships." Keywords: Reuben Chung, Daily CMO, Underdog Con, storytelling, business transparency, partnership challenges, purpose over profit, community-led event, marketing strategies, entrepreneurship Hashtags: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/storytelling">#Storytelling</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/businesssuccess">#BusinessSuccess</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship">#Entrepreneurship</a></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">5a818484-491f-46d2-9855-70a81b6da56e</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2025 01:55:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/27ac2da23e2ba08430a0387b38651945afdb90b756999549a4ec33c61acf2a9d/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI1YTgxODQ4NC00OTFmLTQ2ZDItOTg1NS03MGE4MWI2ZGE1NmUiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjkwZGE4YmU5MzllMTlmMmI0OTdlMmI0L2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNS0xMS03X185LTctMjYubXAzIn0=.mp3" length="20811348" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;oin us as Reuben Chung, founder of Daily CMO and Underdog Con, shares his inspiring journey from a failed partnership to creating a successful community-led event. Discover the power of storytelling in business, the importance of transparency in partnerships, and how setbacks can be transformed into opportunities. Reuben emphasizes the value of purpose over profit and the role of storytelling in building trust and engagement. Timestamps: &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8&quot;&gt;00:00:00&lt;/a&gt; Introduction to Reuben Chung &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8&amp;amp;t=180s&quot;&gt;00:03:00&lt;/a&gt; The Importance of Storytelling &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8&amp;amp;t=540s&quot;&gt;00:09:00&lt;/a&gt; Challenges in Partnerships &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8&amp;amp;t=900s&quot;&gt;00:15:00&lt;/a&gt; Turning Failures into Opportunities &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8&amp;amp;t=1260s&quot;&gt;00:21:00&lt;/a&gt; Purpose Over Profit &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ3EJeKhAG8&amp;amp;t=1620s&quot;&gt;00:27:00&lt;/a&gt; Building Community-Led Events Key Takeaways: Storytelling is crucial in business success. Transparency in partnerships is essential. Turning failures into opportunities is key. Purpose should drive business decisions. Building trust is fundamental in marketing. Sound bites: &quot;Storytelling is huge in business.&quot; &quot;People buy from people they know, like, and trust.&quot; &quot;Turning lemons into lemonade.&quot; &quot;Purpose over profit.&quot; &quot;Transparency is key in partnerships.&quot; Keywords: Reuben Chung, Daily CMO, Underdog Con, storytelling, business transparency, partnership challenges, purpose over profit, community-led event, marketing strategies, entrepreneurship Hashtags: &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/storytelling&quot;&gt;#Storytelling&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/businesssuccess&quot;&gt;#BusinessSuccess&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship&quot;&gt;#Entrepreneurship&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>yes</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:27:27</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>3</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#3 &quot;A Partnership that turned into a cash flow nightmare&quot; with Reuben Chn&apos;g
</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[#4 "Burning cash to keep my scaled chaos alive" with Pradesh Raj
]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>oin us in this insightful conversation with Pradesh from Stratos Trading as he shares his journey of rapid growth and the hard lessons learned from scaling too quickly without structure. Discover how he transformed chaos into a disciplined system, emphasizing the importance of documentation, KPIs, and building a sustainable business model. This episode is packed with valuable lessons for any entrepreneur looking to scale their business effectively. Timestamps: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA">0:00</a> - Introduction and Early Wins <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA&amp;t=135s">2:15</a> - Challenges of Rapid Scaling <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA&amp;t=330s">5:30</a> - Realization and Restructuring <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA&amp;t=525s">8:45</a> - Importance of Documentation and KPIs <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA&amp;t=720s">12:00</a> - Advice for Entrepreneurs <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA&amp;t=930s">15:30</a> - Conclusion and Contact Information <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship">#Entrepreneurship</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/businessgrowth">#BusinessGrowth</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/scaling">#Scaling</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/oilandgas">#OilAndGas</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/stratostrading">#StratosTrading</a> Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more insightful content!</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">a9793dae-5923-4953-932a-0d842041483a</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Bagg]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2025 01:47:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/9df5f4c6023449c38c5a37b53fc6e17942d9d639273ffa615017b2c56f3154bf/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJhOTc5M2RhZS01OTIzLTQ5NTMtOTMyYS0wZDg0MjA0MTQ4M2EiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIzOTYzZjE0ZC03ZjIwLTRlMWUtYTY1Zi0xOWZlOWE1MjNjNDIiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGU0ODQ3MDNiZGMwN2QzOTgzOWU1ZDMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjkxMTc1ODY3NzdjZjYwNTY3NWIyMDg2L2Jlbi1iYWdncy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNS0xMS0xMF9fNi0xNy01OC5tcDMifQ==.mp3" length="25625793" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;oin us in this insightful conversation with Pradesh from Stratos Trading as he shares his journey of rapid growth and the hard lessons learned from scaling too quickly without structure. Discover how he transformed chaos into a disciplined system, emphasizing the importance of documentation, KPIs, and building a sustainable business model. This episode is packed with valuable lessons for any entrepreneur looking to scale their business effectively. Timestamps: &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA&quot;&gt;0:00&lt;/a&gt; - Introduction and Early Wins &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA&amp;amp;t=135s&quot;&gt;2:15&lt;/a&gt; - Challenges of Rapid Scaling &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA&amp;amp;t=330s&quot;&gt;5:30&lt;/a&gt; - Realization and Restructuring &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA&amp;amp;t=525s&quot;&gt;8:45&lt;/a&gt; - Importance of Documentation and KPIs &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA&amp;amp;t=720s&quot;&gt;12:00&lt;/a&gt; - Advice for Entrepreneurs &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWc5elvVjA&amp;amp;t=930s&quot;&gt;15:30&lt;/a&gt; - Conclusion and Contact Information &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship&quot;&gt;#Entrepreneurship&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/businessgrowth&quot;&gt;#BusinessGrowth&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/scaling&quot;&gt;#Scaling&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/oilandgas&quot;&gt;#OilAndGas&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a rel=&quot;noopener noreferrer nofollow&quot; href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/stratostrading&quot;&gt;#StratosTrading&lt;/a&gt; Don&apos;t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more insightful content!&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>yes</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:32:58</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/3963f14d-7f20-4e1e-a65f-19fe9a523c42/logos/6f51648e-b5df-4a89-a1ce-1ed148b062e8.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>4</itunes:episode><itunes:title>#4 &quot;Burning cash to keep my scaled chaos alive&quot; with Pradesh Raj
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