Startup Therapy

Startups.com

The "No BS" version of how startups are really built, taught by actual startup Founders who have lived through all of it. Hosts Wil Schroter and Ryan Rutan talk candidly about the intense struggles Founders face both personally and professionally as they try to turn their idea into something that will change the world.

  1. 3 gg fa

    The Death of the Technical Cofounder

    What if you could build a working prototype without giving away half your company? The episode argues that tools like Claude have ended the old “technical co-founder as early-stage gatekeeper” dynamic: founders used to need a developer to cross the first binary hurdle from idea to product, and some investors also pushed for technical co-founders before funding. Now, founders can ship prototypes in a weekend with an AI subscription, pushing the vulnerability window later and repricing equity. The hosts stress technical talent still matters—especially for scaling and real engineering—but AI exposes the difference between people who only had scarce, auditable-by-no-one skills and those with true product, systems, and architecture value. They compare this shift to past disruptions like TemplateMonster commoditizing million-dollar websites, predicting a sorting of technical roles and a “new” bionic technical co-founder focused more on architecture than gatekeeping.What to listen for:00:47 Claude Ends the Requests03:14 The Old Quest for Coders07:50 When Coding Got Too Hard10:16 VC Bias Toward Technical21:59 Prototype Value Myth29:32 Chaff Skills Explained31:04 Builders Get The Rocket42:27 Golden Era For Founders42:50 Bionic Co Founder Future Resources:Startup Therapy Podcasthttps://www.startups.com/community/startup-therapyWebsitehttps://www.startups.com/beginLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/startups-co/ Join our Network of Top FoundersWil Schroterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/wilschroter/Ryan Rutanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rutan/

  2. 14 lug

    We Do What Other's Won't

    What are you actually willing to do to get what you want as a founder? Using Will’s 6:00 a.m., 15-degree framing session and a dumpster-diving Bobcat mishap as metaphors, this episode breaks down what separates founders from everyone else: an “unreasonable” willingness to do hard, risky, uncomfortable things repeatedly—often without any guarantee of payoff. The conversation explores the real price founders pay (uncertainty, rejection, sacrifice, and daily grind), why high achievers used to clear reward loops can struggle in startup chaos, and why outsized outcomes tend to follow people who endure what others won’t. They also unpack common misconceptions about wealth and merit through examples like Jason Calacanis, Elon Musk, and elite athletes, and argue that the deeper reward isn’t money—it’s autonomy and ownership of your outcome. What to listen for:02:13 Nothing I'm Not Willing to Do04:41 Why Founders Get Paid09:47 Rejection and Being Wrong12:31 High Achievers vs Founders15:58 Building the Willingness Muscle18:45 Willingness Beats Talent29:36 Real Reward Is Autonomy32:51 Aspiring Founder Reality Check34:52 Worth It in the End Resources:Startup Therapy Podcasthttps://www.startups.com/community/startup-therapyWebsitehttps://www.startups.com/beginLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/startups-co/ Join our Network of Top FoundersWil Schroterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/wilschroter/Ryan Rutanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rutan/

  3. 6 lug

    Everyone is a startup... Again

    What happens when AI turns your hard-won moat into a weekend project? This episode argues that AI has effectively forced established companies back into “startup mode,” wiping out long-held assumptions about products, staffing, and competitive advantage. Will and Ryan break the reset into three shifts: the cost to build and operate has collapsed, big teams and legacy systems have become liabilities, and “everything is buildable” faster than incumbents can adapt. They warn that competitors can now reach product parity quickly and survive with tiny teams that don’t have payroll to protect, making old “wait them out” strategies obsolete. The hardest part is the human reset: org charts, roles, and business models must change even when it means cannibalizing what currently pays the bills. The companies that survive are those willing to restart deliberately, think like founders again, and use experience as the edge. 01:09 Moats Filled Overnight02:57 Three Switches Flipped04:07 Startups.com Case Study06:48 Speedrun Not Disruption10:01 Competitors That Never Die16:45 The Staffing Reckoning17:28 Answers Already Exist18:00 AI Pivot People Fallout20:05 Hard Reset Reality23:10 Big Company Politics34:09 Level One With XP36:03 Founders Win Again Resources:Startup Therapy Podcasthttps://www.startups.com/community/startup-therapyWebsitehttps://www.startups.com/beginLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/startups-co/ Join our Network of Top FoundersWil Schroterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/wilschroter/Ryan Rutanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rutan/

  4. 30 giu

    Where were you when I was broke?

    Ever notice how people show up loudest after you’ve already won? This episode digs into why founders often get the least support when the risk is highest—and the most opinions once success is “de-risked.” Will shares early moments of having virtually no safety net (including starting with $19, dropping out, and getting doubted), contrasted with the few timely “bricks” that actually changed his trajectory—like a risky $10K loan and a friend’s family offering a place to stay for the holidays. They unpack how funding wins, press, and exits attract late-arriving fans, opportunists, and advice that can derail post-success decisions, and why founders should take inventory of who truly showed up when things looked impossible—and be that kind of support for other founders. 00:39 Elon Money Opinions02:55 Guidance Counselor Doubt04:13 Early Support Matters05:44 Nineteen Dollars Start06:53 Ten Thousand Loan09:55 Wide Angle Victory10:38 Doubt Chokes Founders11:38 Young Founder Respect14:59 I Told You So Bias18:49 Funding Round Whiplash20:20 Recruiters Disappear21:30 Success Rewrites History23:03 Sam Altman Backlash25:40 Founders After Success28:32 Timing Is Support32:00 Must Be Nice Myth35:56 Bricks in Foundation Resources:Startup Therapy Podcasthttps://www.startups.com/community/startup-therapyWebsitehttps://www.startups.com/beginLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/startups-co/ Join our Network of Top FoundersWil Schroterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/wilschroter/Ryan Rutanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rutan/

  5. 23 giu

    What if I'm the Best, but don't know it?

    What if building a company is the fastest way to find out what you’re actually capable of? This episode explores how startups don’t just get built by founders—startups build founders by forcing them into new roles like finance, sales, marketing, design, legal, and leadership, often before they feel ready. Will shares how real stakes (like cash flow and payroll) turned “I’m bad at math” into practical financial skill, and why getting to ~80% proficiency across key areas creates leverage, better decision-making, and protection against getting bullshitted. The conversation digs into how exposure and environment unlock hidden potential (from Lars Ulrich’s story to personal career turning points), why most “I can’t” is really “I haven’t,” and how repeated reps, feedback, and humility turn competence into confidence—plus a cautionary backup-dancer story about confidence without practice. What to listen for:02:10 Creating Your Own Role03:59 From Math Failure to Finance07:04 Asking Dumb Money Questions09:35 Become What Company Needs10:47 The 80 Percent Rule11:42 Agency Skills Stack15:12 Cross Skill Superpowers16:44 No One Can Bullshit You19:05 AI as Private Tutor20:13 Exposure Creates Greatness27:03 Defining Moments Reframed29:18 Dad Versus Computers32:48 Reinventing Your Identity39:26 Founder Reinvention Loop42:27 Craftsmanship And Parenting45:36 Dance Off Reality Check52:28 What If And Keep Moving Resources:Startup Therapy Podcasthttps://www.startups.com/community/startup-therapyWebsitehttps://www.startups.com/beginLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/startups-co/ Join our Network of Top FoundersWil Schroterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/wilschroter/Ryan Rutanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rutan/

  6. 15 giu

    Founders Don't Retire

    What if “retirement” for founders isn’t about stopping work, but finally getting relief? The conversation unpacks why builders rarely stop building: founders are wired to create, not to consume, and the fantasy of beach life usually shows up at a low-energy point when what’s really needed is recovery. They compare founder burnout to wanting the finish line without running the race, and note how exits often lead from “margaritas” to “domain names” within months because the calling returns once the nervous system resets. The key reframe: separate a recovery plan from a retirement plan, and define “retirement” as creating on your own terms—less panic, fewer hated parts (like investor pressure or endless hours), more control, and a sustainable way to keep doing the work you love. What to listen for:00:49 Builder DNA and Relief00:57 Carpenter Story and Pain03:06 Four Minute Founder Brain04:31 Broken Retirement Dream05:13 Reload and Retire Again06:31 Beach Metaphor Explained09:58 Athletes vs Founder Longevity12:00 Vacation Checklist Trap15:35 No Substitute for Mission17:29 Finish Line Fantasy18:45 Recovery Not Retirement20:35 Builders Need Purpose25:14 Retired But Uncharged27:00 Creation Over Consumption30:16 Retirement On Your Terms32:26 Design Better Circuits Resources:Startup Therapy Podcasthttps://www.startups.com/community/startup-therapyWebsitehttps://www.startups.com/beginLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/startups-co/ Join our Network of Top FoundersWil Schroterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/wilschroter/Ryan Rutanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rutan/

  7. 8 giu

    The Right Time to Start is Right Now

    Ever feel like you’re “almost ready” to launch—just one more feature, plan, or credential away? This episode argues that “ready” isn’t a prerequisite for startups; it’s the result of starting and getting real market feedback. Using examples like selling early software for $1,500, learning web building on the fly, a disastrous (but educational) client pitch moment, and even an impulsive scuba dive, the discussion shows why planning can become productive-looking theater when nothing is being tested. The real cost of waiting isn’t just lost time—it’s lost learning, missed customers, and negative compounding versus competitors who take action. Planning has value only when it directly leads to action, because failure and iteration are the mechanism that reveals what works. What to listen for:01:14 Plans Meet Reality02:00 Readiness Comes After02:34 First Founder Breakthrough07:41 Micro Center Origin Story10:07 Cost of Waiting11:14 Planning Versus Theater12:23 Test With Customers14:09 Ecommerce Pitch Fail16:41 Whiteboard Versus Field18:48 Learning By Building19:35 Learn By Doing20:05 Founder Skill Stack20:45 Econ 101 Mindset Shift22:45 Human Potential Unlocks24:27 Momentum Beats Certainty25:58 Plan To Learn Fast30:26 Conditioned To Avoid Failure34:34 Cost Of Waiting35:50 Action Over Perfection36:47 Stop Waiting Start Now Resources:Startup Therapy Podcasthttps://www.startups.com/community/startup-therapyWebsitehttps://www.startups.com/beginLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/startups-co/ Join our Network of Top FoundersWil Schroterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/wilschroter/Ryan Rutanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rutan/

  8. 1 giu

    The Most Expensive Equity Doesn't go to Investors

    Why do founders fight over giving an investor 15% but hand out huge chunks to co-founders, employees, and advisors with far less certainty of return? The episode argues that investor dilution is often the cleanest trade because cash and terms are clear, while “everyone else pays in maybes and promises.” It warns that early-stage equity feels worthless but represents 100% of a company’s future value, so giving away 50% to a near-stranger can become a permanent cap table problem that also costs speed, optionality, and sanity. Practical fixes include vesting, cliffs, tying equity to real value creation, defining what happens if someone stops contributing, and putting breakup terms in writing early. The discussion also critiques employee equity as time-based rather than performance-based, and advisor equity as often unaccountable, where tiny percentages can hide very expensive outcomes. What to listen for:00:00 Investor vs Founder Equity01:26 Equity Is Priceless03:43 Co-Founder Split Hangover06:04 Why People Underperform11:15 Fairness Turns To Resentment12:44 Will's Unsubscribe Story15:53 Vesting And Breakup Terms18:17 Early Employees Option Pool20:26 Equity As Compensation Trade21:59 Paying Twice With Equity22:14 Does Equity Change Effort23:10 Lottery Ticket Reality27:23 Equity Rewards Three Things27:37 Advisor Equity Math31:00 Reputation Versus Contribution33:30 Network Intros Social Capital35:56 Advice Has Shelf Life40:24 Pricing Advisor Time44:06 Treat Shares Like Cash Resources:Startup Therapy Podcasthttps://www.startups.com/community/startup-therapyWebsitehttps://www.startups.com/beginLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/startups-co/ Join our Network of Top FoundersWil Schroterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/wilschroter/Ryan Rutanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rutan/

Elenco completo (342)

Descrizione

The "No BS" version of how startups are really built, taught by actual startup Founders who have lived through all of it. Hosts Wil Schroter and Ryan Rutan talk candidly about the intense struggles Founders face both personally and professionally as they try to turn their idea into something that will change the world.

Informazioni

  • Creatore
    Startups.com
  • Anni di attività
    2019 - 2026
  • Puntate
    342
  • Classificazione
    Contenuti espliciti
  • Copyright
    © 2019
  • Sito web del podcast
    Startup Therapy

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