How to be a Founder Entrepreneur First

Finding a co-founder, developing an idea and raising a seed round are just the first steps of what’s often a 10 year plus journey for founders. And that journey has an ongoing, steep learning curve.






What should you look for in your first hires? How do you build a high-performing culture? How should you structure your relationships with mentors and advisors? And what are the signs that you should pivot your business?






In this bonus episode of How to be a Founder, we look at the road ahead, and how founders should tackle the challenges of growing their company. Hosts Alice Bentinck and Matt Clifford:






- Reflect on their own learnings from building Entrepreneur First over the last 10 years.


- Explore the role of mentors and advisors.


- Answer questions from guest Blocktorch CEO and co-founder Gery Pollak on building a strong company culture.


- Respond to a letter from a founder deciding whether or not they should pivot their company.






For more advice on the road ahead, Matt and Alice’s book ‘How to be a Founder’ is out now. Visit howtobeafounder.com for more information and to order your copy.






Thanks to Cofruition for consulting on and producing the podcast.

Raising investment is one of the most exciting parts of building a startup - but it’s also unlike anything most people have experienced before. For a first time founder, it can feel like one of the steepest learning curves.


How do I get started? Who should I raise from? How important is valuation? How long should I wait from round to round? Should I raise investment at all?


Having helped hundreds of companies to raise capital, in this episode, Matt and Alice share their insider knowledge.


They offer their advice to guests Daniel and Moritz, who are preparing to fundraise for their web3-focused company Moonpass.AI, and answer a letter from Tasha, who is deciding whether to bootstrap or fundraise.


For more advice on how to raise investment, Matt and Alice’s book ‘How to be a Founder’ is out now. Visit howtobeafounder.com for more information and to order your copy.


Thanks to Cofruition for consulting on and producing the podcast.

“I don’t have the right idea” is one of the most common objections we hear from would-be founders. But this is also one of the biggest myths in startups; rather than an ‘aha’ moment, building a startup idea is a learnable, methodical process.


In this episode of How to be a Founder, Matt and Alice answer some of the most critical questions behind finding an idea for your startup, including how to start ideating; how to find the problem you are best suited to solve; how to get to product market fit; and when to pivot.


Along the way, they’re joined by Elaf Deyab and Kit Burgess, co-founders of Miodo, to answer their questions, and support a founder who isn’t sure whether to work on their passion, or their competitive edge.


For more insights on how to find an idea, Matt and Alice’s book ‘How to be a Founder’ is out now. Visit howtobeafounder.com for more information and to order your copy.


Thanks to Cofruition for consulting on and producing the podcast.

How do you constructively give feedback, and manage conflict in a co-founding relationship? What does genuine productivity look like? What are the non-negotiables? When is it time to break up?


In this episode, Matt Clifford and Alice Bentinck share their advice, drawn from working with hundreds of co-founding teams. They’re joined by guest founder Leonie, to discuss how she should approach trialing partnerships, and support a founder who’s doubting their co-founder’s commitment to their company.


For more insights on how to work with and test your co-founder, Matt and Alice’s book ‘How to be a Founder’ is out now. Visit howtobeafounder.com for more information and to order your copy.


Thanks to Cofruition for consulting on and producing the podcast.

What skills and behaviours should I look for in a co-founder? Should I co-found with a friend, or stranger? How many people should I co-found with? How do I find them in the first place?


Having helped hundreds of founders identify the right person to build a company with, Matt Clifford and Alice Bentinck set out to answer these questions in Episode 2 of How to be a Founder - The Podcast.


They’re joined by guest and aspiring founder Melat, to explore what she should be looking for in a future co-founder, and answer a letter from an entrepreneur wondering if they need a co-founder at all.


For more insights on how to find your co-founder, Matt and Alice’s book ‘How to be a Founder’ is out now.


Visit howtobeafounder.com for more information and to order your copy.


Thanks to Cofruition for consulting on and producing the podcast.

Founding a technology company is the most exciting and impactful career choice an ambitious person can make. But taking that leap can feel like a risky move, and raises a lot of questions - especially if you’re early in your career. 


Should I leave my job? How much experience do I need to found a company? How do I deal with cultural expectations, imposter syndrome, or the fear of failure? How do I actually get started?


In this episode, EF co-founders Matt and Alice answer.


They are joined by guest Nacho, who is preparing to start the journey; reflect on their own stories as founders; and support an aspiring founder contemplating whether to quit their job. 


For more insights on how to become a founder, Matt and Alice’s book ‘How to be a Founder’ is out now. Visit howtobeafounder.com for more information and to order your copy.


Thanks to Cofruition for consulting on and producing the podcast.