Founder Mode

Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton
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Founder Mode is a podcast for builders—whether it’s startups, systems, or personal growth. It’s about finding your flow, balancing health, wealth, and productivity, and tackling challenges with focus and curiosity. Each week, you’ll gain actionable insights and fresh perspectives to help you think like a founder and build what matters most.

  1. AI Agents Are the New Employees

    VOR 5 TAGEN

    AI Agents Are the New Employees

    EPISODE 47 In Episode 47 of Founder Mode, Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton unpack why AI agents should no longer be thought of as simple tools, but as a new kind of workforce that founders can hire, coach, evaluate, and orchestrate. They explore how the founder role is shifting from building and doing toward designing systems, managing agent workflows, and making the judgment calls that still require human trust, taste, and strategic thinking. Along the way, they discuss AI-first operating habits, what this means for hiring and team design, why small teams may become dramatically more powerful, where human oversight still matters most, and why the real moat in an AI-native world is not the agents themselves but distribution, proprietary workflows, and unique data. CHAPTERS 00:00 – The founder’s job has changed 00:32 – AI agents as a new staffing model 06:29 – What AI-first workflows look like in practice 16:48 – Hiring and scaling in the age of agents 24:06 – The new moat: data, workflows, and distribution LINKS Connect with Founder Mode Founder Mode Stay Connected with Founder Mode Stay Connected with Founder Mode Subscribe to our newsletter Connect with Kevin LinkedIn • X/Twitter Connect with Jason LinkedIn • X/Twitter

    27 Min.
  2. Bring Back BlackBerry with Kevin Michaluk

    5. MÄRZ

    Bring Back BlackBerry with Kevin Michaluk

    EPISODE 46 CrackBerry Kevin, founder of Clicks, explains why building hardware in a software-obsessed world is suddenly the opportunity again and how “intentional tech” is creating room for focused devices that complement, not replace, your iPhone. He shares the arc from launching CrackBerry.com and Mobile Nations to turning years of product coverage into an unfair advantage for building, then breaks down Clicks’ strategy: validate demand with accessories first, frame Communicator as a purpose-built “people phone” category instead of a smartphone competitor, and use CES storytelling to create momentum months before launch. The conversation also digs into how Clicks approached fundraising without relying on traditional VC, leveraged community as both customers and megaphone, and avoided the classic Kickstarter trap by sequencing products, aligning supply-chain incentives, and refusing to overpromise on timelines. CHAPTERS 00:00 – The “people phone” idea: why Communicator won’t compete with iPhone 04:14 – From CrackBerry to builder: compounding reps and community advantage 06:56 – Naming a category: Communicator as a purpose-built device, not a smartphone 18:58 – CES momentum: how storytelling and launch mechanics are engineered early 21:43 – Bootstrapping, community funding, and avoiding the Kickstarter failure loop LINKS Connect with CrackBerry Kevin Clicks • LinkedIn • X/Twitter Stay Connected with Founder Mode Stay Connected with Founder Mode Subscribe to our newsletter Connect with Kevin LinkedIn • X/Twitter Connect with Jason LinkedIn • X/Twitter

    36 Min.
  3. Modernizing Prenups with Ronke Oyekunle

    26. FEB.

    Modernizing Prenups with Ronke Oyekunle

    EPISODE 45 Ronke Oyekunle, co-founder of Neptune, explains how modern prenups have evolved from taboo paperwork into a structured process that helps couples talk honestly about money, values, and “what if” scenarios before marriage. She shares why millennials and Gen Z are approaching financial planning differently, how Neptune combines vertical AI with top family-law experts to guide difficult conversations safely, and why the hardest clauses, like spousal support and even pet custody, often end up strengthening relationships rather than undermining them. The conversation also expands beyond prenups into estate planning and the idea of Neptune as a “financial legal concierge” for couples, ending with Ronke’s vision for an AI-plus-humans future and a promo code for the Founder Mode audience. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Why prenups can reduce the odds of divorce 03:30 – From taboo to empowerment: modern money conversations in relationships 05:42 – Neptune’s model: vertical AI plus human family-law experts 12:06 – The clauses that matter most: spousal support, “what if” scenarios, and pet custody 19:05 – Beyond prenups: estate planning, “financial legal concierge,” and the future of the category LINKS Connect with Ronke Oyekunle Neptune • LinkedIn Promo code: RONKE100 ($100 off any Neptune services) Stay Connected with Founder Mode Subscribe to our newsletter Connect with Kevin LinkedIn • X/Twitter Connect with Jason LinkedIn • X/Twitter

    26 Min.
  4. When Enough is Enough with Jason Fried

    19. FEB.

    When Enough is Enough with Jason Fried

    EPISODE 44 Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton sit down with Jason Fried, co-founder of 37signals, to unpack what it means to build software that feels less like “software” and more like a physical object you actually want to use every day. Jason explains the philosophy behind Fizzy, 37signals’ fresh take on Kanban, and why speed, fluidity, and visual joy aren’t polish but core product decisions. The conversation explores designing with human-scale constraints borrowed from the physical world (like piles on a desk), why limits often produce better tools, and how 37signals stays independent to preserve optionality. They also discuss why 40 hours a week is enough, how founders can stay deeply involved without becoming bottlenecks, and Jason’s advice to new founders: keep your surface area small and start making something real as fast as possible. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Building software as objects you want to use every day 07:04 – Fizzy and a simpler, more joyful take on Kanban 12:21 – Piles, limits, and designing for human scale 22:03 – 40 hours is enough: founder involvement without micromanagement 43:22 – Undercomplicating year one: keep surface area small and start making LINKS Connect with Jason Fried 37signals.com • LinkedIn • X/Twitter Stay Connected with Founder Mode Subscribe to our newsletter: gofoundermode.com Connect with Kevin LinkedIn • X/Twitter Connect with Jason LinkedIn • X/Twitter

    49 Min.
  5. Scaling Multi-Location Businesses with Stephanie Joyce

    11. FEB.

    Scaling Multi-Location Businesses with Stephanie Joyce

    EPISODE 43 Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton sit down with Stephanie Joyce, founder and operator of Attune, to unpack what it really takes to scale multi-location service businesses without losing control of culture, operations, or margins. Drawing from years of leading growth, acquisitions, and crisis turnarounds, Stephanie explains why people come first, systems second, and how scaling simply amplifies whatever you already tolerate. The conversation covers documentation and onboarding as prerequisites for consistency, how to diligence acquisitions beyond surface-level financials, and what it means to lead with clarity and integrity when everything is on fire. They also dive into the modern med spa operating stack, from CRM and automation to compensation structures that drive the right behaviors, and why the future of wellness will be defined by better data, smarter technology, and a careful balance between AI and human trust. CHAPTERS 00:00 – People first, systems second: what breaks when you scale 04:25 – Documentation, SOPs, and onboarding for multi-location consistency 04:56 – Acquisition diligence: margins, concentration risk, and key-person dependency 08:06 – Leading through crisis: transparency, trust, and cash discipline 14:13 – The modern med spa playbook: systems, CRM, and incentives LINKS Connect with Stephanie Joyce attunemedspa.com • LinkedIn Stay Connected with Founder Mode Subscribe to our newsletter: gofoundermode.com Connect with Kevin LinkedIn • X/Twitter Connect with Jason LinkedIn • X/Twitter

    25 Min.
  6. From Doctor to Founder with Jay Motley

    5. FEB.

    From Doctor to Founder with Jay Motley

    EPISODE 42 Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton sit down with Dr. Jay Motley, founder of MindWell Health, to explore what it takes to leave a long career in anesthesiology and build a modern mental health clinic. Jay shares how losing autonomy after his private practice was absorbed by a hospital system paired with the life-altering loss of his first wife pushed him to rethink time, care, and what getting better really means. The conversation dives into ketamine therapy as a fast-acting tool that can open a window for patients who have failed traditional treatments, and why lasting improvement depends on pairing that window with therapy and lifestyle medicine fundamentals like sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress management. They also cover the myths around expensive wellness biohacks, how AI could reduce administrative burden and expand patient access, and what Jay learned scaling from a one-person launch to multiple MindWell locations. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Ketamine as a fast-acting “open window” for change 00:50 – Health fundamentals that matter most: sleep, food, movement 04:20 – Why Jay left anesthesiology: autonomy, loss, and control of time 07:10 – Building MindWell: ketamine + therapy + lifestyle medicine 19:10 – Scaling the clinic: cash-pay vs insurance, systems, and hiring LINKS Connect with Dr. Jay Motley mindwell.com • LinkedIn • Instagram • X/Twitter • Substack • Facebook Stay Connected with Founder Mode Subscribe to our newsletter: gofoundermode.com Connect with Kevin LinkedIn • X/Twitter Connect with Jason LinkedIn • X/Twitter

    25 Min.
  7. Best of Founder Mode II

    29. JAN.

    Best of Founder Mode II

    EPISODE 41 After forty episodes, Founder Mode pauses to look at the decisions founders actually struggle with once the playbooks stop working. This episode stitches together clips across healthcare, AI, pricing, capital, aviation, and personal health to show how judgment forms under pressure. You hear why go-live is the start of real work, how trust gets broken when tools ship before problems are understood, why usage outlasts any value narrative, and how busyness becomes a substitute for thinking. Across every domain, the pattern is consistent: systems fail quietly, discipline erodes downstream, and founders are forced to make calls without clean data, perfect timing, or consensus. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Why the same founder problems keep repeating 01:01 – Go live is not the finish line 01:42 – Teaching interpersonal skills too late 02:34 – Adding AI before earning user trust 03:17 – When users reject AI and features get rolled back 03:57 – Why pricing complexity grows with mature markets 04:34 – Busyness as avoidance for founders 05:14 – Protecting thinking time before the business outgrows you 05:55 – Turning user complaints into learning fast 06:33 – Building a personal board of directors for health 07:27 – AI as a problem-solving lever, not a starting point 08:20 – Governance as the unlock for enterprise AI adoption 08:20 – When “magic” becomes table stakes for customers 09:10 – Why software being cheaper doesn’t make it easier 09:59 – Hybrid aviation as a trust bridge to electrification 10:51 – Measuring whether conference presence actually works 11:38 – Why AI scribes exploded in healthcare adoption 12:28 – Defaulting to venture capital and silent dilution 12:28 – Designing products that force focus and community 13:06 – Stress, judgment, and risk in aviation 13:43 – Unlimited pricing as a math problem 13:43 – Learning faster by removing safety nets 14:31 – Making decisions when there is no right answer LINKS Stay Connected with Founder Mode Stay Connected with Founder Mode Subscribe to our newsletter Connect with Kevin LinkedIn • X/Twitter Connect with Jason LinkedIn • X/Twitter

    15 Min.
  8. Move Fast & Brake Things with Allen Berg

    22. JAN.

    Move Fast & Brake Things with Allen Berg

    EPISODE 40 Recorded at Laguna Seca Raceway, this episode takes Founder Mode out of the studio and onto the track. Jason and Kevin spend the day driving open-wheel formula cars and sit down with Allen Berg, founder of Allen Berg Racing Schools, to talk about learning through feel, momentum, and control. Berg walks through his path into racing, what makes formula cars such an effective teaching platform, and how racing schools function as the entry point to professional motorsport. The conversation draws clear parallels between racing and building companies: managing risk without automation, carrying momentum through corners, and knowing where the limits actually are. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Growing up with racing and early influences 01:05 – Driving formula cars at Laguna Seca 02:52 – Racing as a model for building companies 05:40 – Building and operating a racing school 09:44 – Advice for founders building niche businesses LINKS Connect with Allen Berg Allen Berg Racing Schools • LinkedIn Stay Connected with Founder Mode Subscribe to our newsletter Connect with Kevin LinkedIn • X/Twitter Connect with Jason LinkedIn • X/Twitter

    14 Min.
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Info

Founder Mode is a podcast for builders—whether it’s startups, systems, or personal growth. It’s about finding your flow, balancing health, wealth, and productivity, and tackling challenges with focus and curiosity. Each week, you’ll gain actionable insights and fresh perspectives to help you think like a founder and build what matters most.

Informationen

  • Erstellt von
    Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton
  • Jahre aktiv
    2025 - 2026
  • Folgen
    47
  • Bewertung
    Unbedenklich
  • Copyright
    © Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton
  • Sendungswebsite
    Founder Mode

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