10-Minute Tech Talks: How Tech Entrepreneurs Fail & How You Can Avoid It

Jonathan Kersting

Are you an entrepreneur building a technology company and looking to grow fast? This show teaches and inspires entrepreneurs to build better companies by learning from the failures of other tech companies and entrepreneurs. If you're striving for rapid growth while avoiding the mistakes that have led others to failure, this podcast is designed to help you stay on track. Avoid the devastating mistakes that tech entrepreneurs have made, which led their businesses to collapse. Hear from tech, business, and entrepreneurial experts detailing what went wrong in famous tech busts and modern-day meltdowns so you don't follow the same path. Learn how to overcome adversity and make your tech company a long-term success. If you're ready to grow your tech venture quickly and avoid pitfalls, start with our fan-favorite episode: Don't Fall In Love With Your Technology.

  1. 20h ago

    Digital Transformation Therapy: Entrepreneurs Need to Get Aligned Before They Build

    Before your company invests in a new website, touchscreen, application or digital experience, there is one deceptively simple question to answer: Does everyone agree on what you are actually building? In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, Josh Lowery and Greg Cunneyworth of Makeway introduce what we jokingly call "digital transformation therapy." Their new Workshop as a Service offering gets stakeholders into the room, uncovers hidden assumptions and turns a complicated idea into a clear plan of action. It is not another meeting about having more meetings. This is about solving the right problem before an expensive project starts rolling in the wrong direction. Hit Play to learn how: Clarity might not sound as flashy as a new website, immersive touchscreen or digital platform, but it may be the most valuable deliverable of the entire project. Makeway's workshops are designed to align stakeholders, test assumptions and give teams a practical playbook for moving forward. A few focused hours at the beginning could prevent weeks, months and plenty of headaches later. Learn more about Josh Lowery, Greg Cunneyworth and Makeway's Workshop as a Service at Makeway's website. Watch the entire interview on TechVibe. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

  2. Jul 20

    From Prototype to Payoff: Using AI to Build, Scale and Prove ROI

    Every entrepreneur has had this moment: you have an idea, you can see the product in your head and you know there is a market problem to solve. Then reality arrives with a clipboard. How do you build it? How do you secure it? How do you scale it? How do you know whether the idea is worth a year of your life and a mountain of budget? On this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, we are back with Adam Wynne of Wynne Technologies to talk about how AI is changing that equation for founders and small businesses. Adam explains how entrepreneurs are already using vibe coding to build early versions of products. That can be a great start, but many hit a wall when it is time to move into production. This is where Adam's APES methodology comes in, helping companies turn prototypes, spreadsheets, algorithms and raw ideas into software that can be owned, operated and improved. You will also hear why AI is helping businesses prove value faster, find quick wins and avoid spending a year and a half chasing an idea that may not work. Let's swing into the second part of our conversation with Adam Wynne. Watch Adam's entire TechVibe interview here. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

  3. Jul 13

    Beyond Vibe Coding: Building AI Apps That Don't Break

    What happens when your AI-built app looks amazing, but it is not ready for real customers? That is the question we are tackling on this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks with Adam Wynne, founder of Wynne Technologies. There is a lot of excitement around vibe coding right now, where entrepreneurs can prompt their way into building apps, websites and software tools faster than ever before. But Adam makes a critical point: a great-looking demo is not the same thing as a secure, scalable, production-ready product. Adam brings about 25 years of software engineering experience to this conversation, including work at Amazon, the Department of Energy and Bosch. Now he is using that experience to build APES, which stands for AI Project Engineering with Specs. Yes, we get a few ape and banana jokes in here, but the business case is serious. This clip is all about how entrepreneurs can use AI to accelerate software development without slipping on the banana peel of weak architecture, poor documentation or systems that crash once customers start showing up. Watch the entire TechVibe interview with Adam here. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

  4. Jul 5

    Growth Code: Tech Entrepreneurs Need More Cowbell!

    Can having more fun actually help build a more serious company? In this episode of Growth Code: How to Crack the Inc. 5000, Dan Desko, Founder of Echelon Risk + Cyber, explains two of the values that make Echelon's culture stand out: more cowbell and turning pro. Dan talks about why teams doing intense cybersecurity work need room to celebrate, laugh and stay connected. He also shares why "turning pro" is not a one-time achievement, but a constant commitment to getting better for clients, teammates and the business. Listen to this episode for a memorable lesson in building a company culture that balances serious work with personality, continuous improvement and just enough cowbell to keep the whole machine humming. Listen to Dan's entire TechVibe interview here. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

  5. Jun 28

    Growth Code: Tech Entrepreneur Hiring Lessons From Echelon Risk + Cyber

    How do you build a high-growth company without hiring a team full of clones? In this episode of Growth Code: How to Crack the Inc. 5000, Dan Desko, Founder of Echelon Risk + Cyber, shares why one of Echelon's key growth values is hiring people with personality. For Dan, technical talent matters, but so does curiosity, character and the ability to work with people when the pressure climbs. He also explains why strong teams have to face issues head-on. That means building enough trust for people to speak honestly, challenge each other productively and keep the business moving forward without getting tangled in politics or fear. Listen to this episode for a smart look at how culture, trust and leadership accountability can become real growth tools for tech entrepreneurs. Watch Dan's entire TechVibe interview here. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

  6. Jun 21

    Growth Code: Tech Entrepreneur Lessons From Echelon's Inc. 5000 Growth

    What does it really take to build a company that clients trust when the stakes are sky-high? In this first episode of Growth Code: How to Crack the Inc. 5000, Jonathan Kersting talks with Dan Desko, Founder of Echelon Risk + Cyber, about the first value that helped power Echelon's rise to number 433 on the Inc. 5000: being truly client-centric. Dan explains why Echelon does not think in terms of "customers," but instead builds real client relationships rooted in trust, urgency and service. He also digs into why cybersecurity is a team sport, especially when companies are facing sophisticated threats and need partners who will show up fast. Listen to this episode for a practical reminder that growth does not start with a sales pitch. It starts with building relationships that can withstand pressure. Watch Dan's entire TechVibe interview here. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

  7. Jun 14

    Wins, Worries and Wild Cards: Huntington Bank's Economic Outlook For the Tech Entrepreneur

    We are officially at the halfway point of the year, which makes this a perfect time to pop the hood on the economy and see what is really driving the engine. For entrepreneurs, business builders and tech leaders, the economy can feel like a dashboard full of blinking lights. Inflation. Interest rates. Consumer spending. AI investment. Hiring. Global uncertainty. Every one of those indicators can change how you plan, hire, invest and grow. That is why today's 10 Minute Tech Talk features insights from Olu Omondunbi, PhD, Chief Economist for Huntington Private Bank. Olu recently broke down the national economic picture at Huntington Bank's Economic Outlook & Market Overview event, and his message is one entrepreneurs should pay attention to: despite uncertainty, the U.S. economy continues to show resilience. His outlook can be summed up in three buckets: Wins: Consumer resilience, productivity gains and business investment Worries: Inflation, interest-rate policy and consumer spending outpacing income Wild cards: Global conflict, energy prices and geopolitical disruption Host Jonathan Kesrting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council reviews five key takeaways on the economy moving forward. So, before you make your next big move, listen in. This is your midyear economic checkpoint. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

  8. Jun 8

    Father-Son Entrepreneurs Are Using AI and Gaming to Find Future Innovators

    What if the next great engineer, roboticist or AI innovator is already here in Pittsburgh, but just hasn't been discovered yet? On this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, we're featuring Damola and Wole Idowu of TOYZ Electronics, a Pittsburgh-based company blending AI, gaming, storytelling and STEAM education to help students see new futures for themselves. This clip, ripped from TechVibe, gets right to the heart of what makes TOYZ so compelling. Wole talks about being the "alpha test" for the platform, while Damola lays out why this work matters for our innovation economy. It's about finding raw talent, building pathways and making sure more people are ready to create in the Intelligence Age. TOYZ Electronics is working to scale a platform that connects students to AI, gaming, digital twins, robotics, storytelling and real career pathways. And as you'll hear, this is not theory. They are already working with students, building traction and looking for partners who want to help us unlock more of our talent. You can hear the full conversation on TechVibe. Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, this is a podcast for tech and manufacturing  entrepreneurs exploring the tech ecosystem, from cyber security and AI to SaaS, robotics, and life sciences, featuring insights to satisfy the tech curious.

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Ratings & Reviews

4.1
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Are you an entrepreneur building a technology company and looking to grow fast? This show teaches and inspires entrepreneurs to build better companies by learning from the failures of other tech companies and entrepreneurs. If you're striving for rapid growth while avoiding the mistakes that have led others to failure, this podcast is designed to help you stay on track. Avoid the devastating mistakes that tech entrepreneurs have made, which led their businesses to collapse. Hear from tech, business, and entrepreneurial experts detailing what went wrong in famous tech busts and modern-day meltdowns so you don't follow the same path. Learn how to overcome adversity and make your tech company a long-term success. If you're ready to grow your tech venture quickly and avoid pitfalls, start with our fan-favorite episode: Don't Fall In Love With Your Technology.

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