The Generalists

Raz Kotler & Michael Smith Jr.

The hosts Raz Kotler & Michael Smith Jr., interview people around how they arrived in Singapore, their careers, their personal journeys and how the concept of being a Generalist influences their life and career. All episodes currently filmed F2F in the Poddster Singapore studios.

  1. Why Startups Die: The Problem-Market Fit Test (ep 70)

    6D AGO

    Why Startups Die: The Problem-Market Fit Test (ep 70)

    Episode 70: Ofir Har-Chen on Founder Alignment, Cyber GTM, and Building Under Pressure Ofir Har-Chen, co-founder of Clutch Security, breaks down what founders get wrong about VCs, co-founder alignment, and global go-to-market in cybersecurity. Learn how to validate real problem-market fit, build market pull through education, and execute fast in high-stress environments. In this conversation from Tel Aviv, Raz and Ofir go deep on fundraising mechanics, why the right VC partner matters more than brand, and how founder teams should test alignment before pressure hits. Ofir shares practical lessons on communication, decision-making, and why startup operating reality changes every quarter. They also unpack Clutch’s journey from early ideation to non-human identity security, and why agentic AI is accelerating identity and access risk. The episode closes with advice for future cyber founders on learning the domain, finding the right co-founder, and staying grounded through chaos. 📖 What You’ll Learn in This Episode • How Ofir’s view of VCs changed after fundraising • Why the partner matters as much as the fund • How to prove deep problem understanding to investors • What to stress-test before committing to co-founders • Why communication is the core operating system in founder teams • Why educational GTM can outperform hard-selling early • How to use LinkedIn to build global demand from day one • Why problem-market fit should come before product-market fit • Why non-human identities are central to modern security • How agentic AI changes identity, access, and blast radius risk 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists 🔥 Watch Our Other Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2VHfhKCfn0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H24ck-is5Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6URrTXBwPGk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZE8F6qfgt0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oybU375fZxo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf_dknB50qM 👤 Host • Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/ 👤 Guest • Ofir Har-Chen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ofirhc/ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🏢 Companies and Organizations • Clutch Security: https://www.clutch.security/ • Signia: https://www.signia.co/ • Hunters: https://www.hunters.security/ • OpenAI: https://openai.com/ • Amazon Web Services (AWS): https://aws.amazon.com/ • Google Cloud: https://cloud.google.com/ 📚 Concepts and Frameworks • VUCA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VUCA • Product-Market Fit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product/market_fit • SOC 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_and_Organization_Controls • ISO/IEC 27001: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO/IEC_27001

    47 min
  2. The Future of Protein Tests (ep 69)

    FEB 16

    The Future of Protein Tests (ep 69)

    Shavit Clein, CEO of Thrixen, breaks down what it takes to build deep tech healthcare diagnostics from Singapore. Learn how a generalist founder can navigate regulated healthcare, raise cross-border capital, and turn complex science into products people can actually use. Shavit explains why healthcare is a "level-by-level" industry, where regulation, buyer complexity, and long commercialization cycles make execution very different from traditional software startups. He shares how he transitioned from Trax into diagnostics, built domain fluency without formal medical training, and learned to translate technical depth into investor-ready narratives. Episode 69 goes deep on fundraising after the COVID diagnostics bubble, platform versus single-application strategy, and why US investors often evaluate medtech differently from local markets. It also covers antimicrobial resistance, product usability for minimally trained operators, and Singapore's role as an infrastructure and talent hub for globally oriented deep tech. 📖 What You'll Learn in This Episode • Why healthcare feels "laddered" and harder to navigate than typical tech markets • How Shavit built credibility in diagnostics without a medical degree • How Thrixen's protein-focused platform differs from PCR-first narratives • Why platform positioning mattered for valuation and venture-scale outcomes • How COVID-era market dynamics changed diagnostics fundraising • Why US investors often prefer platform technology over single applications • How to pitch deep technical products to non-technical investors • Why bacterial vs viral testing matters for antibiotic stewardship • How SMART, NRF, and local ecosystem support helped Thrixen scale • What founders should prioritize when building long-cycle deep tech companies 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists 🔥 Watch Our Other Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW2bxHjUl-Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyxPGyIQPUE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sikOVWtFedI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H24ck-is5Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2VHfhKCfn0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6URrTXBwPGk 👤 Hosts • Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/ • Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/ 👤 Guest • Shavit Clein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shavitclein/ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🏢 Companies and Organizations • Thrixen: https://www.thrixen.com/ • Trax: https://www.traxretail.com/ • SMART (Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology): https://smart.mit.edu/ • National Research Foundation Singapore (NRF): https://www.nrf.gov.sg/ • SGInnovate: https://www.sginnovate.com/ • Enterprise Singapore: https://www.enterprisesg.gov.sg/ • EDB Singapore: https://www.edb.gov.sg/ • A*STAR: https://www.a-star.edu.sg/ 📚 Concepts and Frameworks • Immunoassay: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunoassay • C-reactive protein (CRP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-reactive_protein • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymerase_chain_reaction • Biomarker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomarker_(medicine) • Antimicrobial resistance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_resistance • FDA (US Food and Drug Administration): https://www.fda.gov/ 👥 People and Profiles • Rhonda Patrick: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/ • Siddhartha Mukherjee: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_Mukherjee 📖 Books • The Emperor of All Maladies: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Emperor-of-All-Maladies/Siddhartha-Mukherjee/9781439170915 • The Gene: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Gene/Siddhartha-Mukherjee/9781476733524 • The Song of the Cell: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Song-of-the-Cell/Siddhartha-Mukherjee/9781982117368

    57 min
  3. Don't Start a Business, Buy One (ep 68)

    FEB 10

    Don't Start a Business, Buy One (ep 68)

    GenCap Partners breaks down how entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) and search-fund style investing are creating a practical path to buy and grow small businesses in Singapore and Malaysia. Instead of starting from zero, Zachary Lee and Eric Koh explain how operators can acquire existing cash-flowing SMEs, professionalize management, and scale with clearer downside protection than many early-stage startup bets. They cover how GenCap matches operators to assets, how SPV-based deal structures change incentives, and why seller motivation often determines whether a deal closes. 📖 What You’ll Learn in This Episode • How ETA and search-fund models differ from traditional VC funds • Why GenCap targets consistency over power-law outcomes • How risk, return, and loss ratios compare across VC, PE, and SME deals • The four core underwriting lenses: asset quality, valuation, team, and structure • Why seller motivation is a first-meeting diligence priority • Common SME red flags: key-man risk, customer concentration, and weak controls • How SPV structures reduce forced deployment and forced exits • How succession trends and demographics are shaping SME opportunities • Where AI and tech modernization can improve post-acquisition operations 🎧 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast](https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast) • Spotify: [https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4](https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4) • Apple Podcasts: [https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists](https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists) 🎙️ Hosts • Michael Smith Jr.: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/) • Raz Kotler: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/) 👤👤 Guests • Zachary Lee: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehuisiang/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehuisiang/) • Eric Koh: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/koheric/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/koheric/) 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🏢 Companies and Products • GenCap Partners: [https://www.gencap.asia/](https://www.gencap.asia/) • Dorje AI: [https://dorje.ai/](https://dorje.ai/) • Microsoft: [https://www.microsoft.com/](https://www.microsoft.com/) • NVIDIA: [https://www.nvidia.com/](https://www.nvidia.com/) • SGX (Singapore Exchange): [https://www.sgx.com/](https://www.sgx.com/) • Bursa Malaysia: [https://www.bursamalaysia.com/](https://www.bursamalaysia.com/) 📚 Concepts and Frameworks • Search Fund: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_fund](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_fund) • Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA): [https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/case-studies/case-search-fund-entrepreneurship-through-acquisition](https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/case-studies/case-search-fund-entrepreneurship-through-acquisition) • Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV): [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special-purpose_entity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special-purpose_entity) 👥 People and Profiles • Codie Sanchez: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/codiesanchez](https://www.linkedin.com/in/codiesanchez) 🎙️ Podcasts and Media • The Diary Of A CEO: [https://www.thediaryofaceo.com/](https://www.thediaryofaceo.com/) • The Game Of Impossible: [https://open.spotify.com/show/2pZcmJ2r4v98VqywQCFeXk](https://open.spotify.com/show/2pZcmJ2r4v98VqywQCFeXk) 📖 Books • Die With Zero (Bill Perkins): [https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/bill-perkins/die-with-zero/9780358567097/](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/bill-perkins/die-with-zero/9780358567097/)

    58 min
  4. Meta Bought a Singapore Startup for Billions (ep 67)

    FEB 2

    Meta Bought a Singapore Startup for Billions (ep 67)

    A high-signal, no-filter roundtable with Hian Goh (OpenSpace Capital), Alex Dwek (COO, Nas.io), Michael Smith Jr. (The Generalists), and Raz Kotler (The Generalists). The Manus AI acquisition by Meta just became the biggest tech acquisition of a Singapore-based entity and the table breaks down the geopolitics, the deal mechanics, and what it really means for the ecosystem. From there, the conversation moves to Level3AI's funding and why usage-based pricing is eating SaaS, Singapore's S$1 billion AI commitment, the fundraising journey of a Singapore Series A startup, why US investors are finally writing checks into Singapore, and what Wikipedia vs. Grokpedia tells us about truth infrastructure. This is the full uncut Round 3 - sharp takes, inside baseball, founder lessons, and real talk about what's working. 📖 What You'll Learn in This Episode - Why Meta acquiring Manus AI is a landmark validation for Singapore regardless of how the company got there - What China might (or might not) do about the deal, and the inside baseball on why the money may not get distributed - The "Singapore-first vs. flip" distinction and why it matters for the next wave of Chinese founders - Level3AI's raise and why pay-per-outcome pricing is replacing SaaS seats - Singapore's S$1 billion AI budget: where it goes and why S$250M/year is meaningful for a small country - Nas.io's fundraising journey: 9-day term sheet in 2021, 50+ pitches in 2025 and what changed - Why US funds are finally comfortable investing in Singapore (the "exclusion list" shift) - Hian's FOMO vs. "Screw It" framework for how venture deals actually get done - Wikipedia vs. Grokpedia: locked articles, editor cartels, and the future of truth infrastructure - Claude Code, Cowork, and building a full-stack app without writing a single line of code 🔔 Listen and Subscribe - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️ The Table - Hian Goh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiangoh/ - Alex Dwek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexdwek/ - Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/ - Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/ 🔗 Links & Mentions - Manus AI: https://manus.im - Meta: https://about.meta.com - Level 3 AI: https://www.level3.ai - Nas.io: https://nas.io - Nas Daily: https://www.youtube.com/@nasdaily - OpenSpace Capital: https://www.openspace.vc - Intercom: https://www.intercom.com - Sierra AI: https://sierra.ai - Airwallex: https://www.airwallex.com - Benchmark Capital: https://www.benchmark.com - Tiger Global: https://www.tigerglobal.com - ByteDance / TikTok: https://www.bytedance.com - Claude Code / Cowork (Anthropic): https://www.anthropic.com - Marvell Technology: https://www.marvell.com - Celestial AI: https://www.celestial.ai - Nvidia: https://www.nvidia.com - Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com - Grokpedia (xAI): https://grokpedia.com - Wikipedia: https://www.wikipedia.org - Carousell: https://www.carousell.com - SGX (Singapore Exchange): https://www.sgx.com - A*STAR: https://www.a-star.edu.sg

    1 hr
  5. COA Chocolate: Fermented Protein for Better Snacks (ep 66)

    JAN 26

    COA Chocolate: Fermented Protein for Better Snacks (ep 66)

    Eduardo Burg, founder of COA chocolate, shares his journey from corporate generalist to food tech entrepreneur in Singapore. Learn how fermented protein, whole food ingredients, and founder-led marketing are shaping the future of functional snacks. Eduardo explains his 16-year specialist career in marketing at major companies like Danone and PepsiCo, followed by his transition to becoming an ultra-generalist managing director and then food tech founder. He reflects on the importance of understanding what good looks like across functions, the risks specialists face in the AI era of going too deep into silos, and why generalists need deep domain knowledge to leverage AI effectively. The conversation dives into the food tech ecosystem in Singapore, including R&D facilities at Nurasa, manufacturing partnerships across Vietnam and Indonesia, and the challenges of building brand awareness through social media and influencer marketing. Eduardo shares candid lessons on embracing failure, dealing with rejection, the reality of being a solopreneur, and why connecting personally to the problem you're solving is essential for surviving the entrepreneurial journey. 📖 What You'll Learn in This Episode • Why generalists need deep domain knowledge to leverage AI effectively • How Singapore's food tech ecosystem enables R&D and innovation • The difference between ultra-processed protein isolates and whole food fermented protein • Why fermentation creates more bioavailable, nutrient-dense ingredients • Brand building challenges: social media, influencer marketing, and authentic storytelling • The reality of being rejected while sampling products • Why incumbents cannot create healthier versions of their iconic brands • Manufacturing and supply chain across Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore • Solopreneur mindset: embracing failure and separating business from identity • Health span vs lifespan and the growing demand for functional foods 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists 👤 Hosts • Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/ • Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/ 👤 Guest • Eduardo Burg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardo-burg-mlynarz/ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🏢 Companies and Products • COA Chocolate: https://eatcoa.com/ • Danone: https://www.danone.com/ • PepsiCo: https://www.pepsico.com/ • Nurasa (Temasek Food Tech Innovation Centre): https://nurasa.com/ • Little Farms: https://littlefarms.com/ • BFT (Body Fit Training): https://bodyfittraining.com/ • F45 Training: https://f45training.com/ • Anytime Fitness: https://www.anytimefitness.com/ • Yo-Chi: https://yochi.com.sg/ 📚 Concepts and Frameworks • Tempeh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh • Fermentation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation • Bioavailability: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioavailability • Protein isolates and concentrates: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_protein • Health span vs lifespan: https://peterattiamd.com/longevity101/ • Stoicism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoicism • Zone 2 training: https://peterattiamd.com/ • VO2 max: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VO2_max • Antifragility: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifragility 👥 People • Peter Attia: https://peterattiamd.com/ • Alex Hormozi: https://www.acquisition.com/ • Nuseir Yassin (Nas Daily): https://nasdaily.com/ 📖 Books • The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/books

    57 min
  6. Lovable for Cyber | Product-Led Growth, Not Cold Outreach (ep 65)

    JAN 19

    Lovable for Cyber | Product-Led Growth, Not Cold Outreach (ep 65)

    Guy Flechter, co-founder and CEO of Sola Security, shares how he transformed disappointment into learning opportunities while building a global product-led growth cybersecurity platform with 5,000+ customers. From getting ghosted by VCs to securing Microsoft as an investor, Guy reveals the frameworks behind his second-time founder success—including why choosing learning over disappointment became essential for managing the founder rollercoaster, and how he built Sola's global go-to-market strategy using three pillars: social networks, PLG product design, and a global-first mindset. He breaks down the B2P (Business to Practitioner) model for cybersecurity startups, why product marketing and UI/UX designers should be top-10 hires for non-American founders, how AI is creating generalist security practitioners, and practical wellness strategies like daily 7-8km walks to combat burnout. If you care about building a modern cybersecurity startup with a product-led growth motion, this episode delivers concrete mental models and playbooks you can apply. 📖 What You’ll Learn in This Episode • How reframing disappointment as a learning opportunity builds founder resilience • Why founder‑led fundraising still involves rejection and ghosting—and how to respond • The principles of product‑led growth (PLG) and why a self‑service product scales globally • How to use social networks and a B2P mindset to reach practitioners worldwide • Why early hires should include product marketing and UI/UX professionals • The case for global teams and flattening the emotional ups and downs of startup life • How AI‑powered tools will shift security from specialists toward generalists • Lessons on respectful hiring and firing from a second‑time founder • The importance of curiosity and lifelong learning for aspiring cybersecurity professionals 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists 👤 Hosts • Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/ • Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/ 👤 Guest • Guy Flechter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-flechter-ba475535/ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🧠 Concepts and Research • System and Organization Controls (SOC 2): https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/landing/system-and-organization-controls-soc-suite-of-services • Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governance,_risk_management,_and_compliance • Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): https://www.shopify.com/encyclopedia/customer-acquisition-cost • Net Revenue Retention (NRR): https://www.klipfolio.com/resources/articles/what-is-net-revenue-retention 🏢 Companies • Sola Security: https://www.solasecurity.ai • Cider Security: https://www.cidersecurity.io • AppsFlyer: https://www.appsflyer.com • LivePerson: https://www.liveperson.com • Lovable: https://www.lovable.dev • Cursor: https://www.cursor.sh • Stripe: https://stripe.com • Monday.com: https://monday.com • Notion: https://www.notion.so • Wix: https://www.wix.com • Figma: https://www.figma.com • Canva: https://www.canva.com 🎧 Podcast and Media • Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com • Pattern Breakers Podcast: https://www.patternbreakers.com/podcast 📚 Books and Articles • Pattern Breakers by Mike Maples Jr. & Peter Ziebelman: https://www.patternbreakers.com/book • The New AI Growth Playbook: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-new-ai-growth-playbook T• he Rise of Cursor: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-rise-of-cursor #ProductLedGrowth #cybersecurity #SecondTimeFounder

    49 min
  7. Hard Truths from Indonesia’s Startup Scene (ep 64)

    JAN 12

    Hard Truths from Indonesia’s Startup Scene (ep 64)

    Martyn Terpilowski shares a candid, finance-driven perspective on Indonesia’s startup ecosystem, venture capital culture, and the structural challenges facing innovation in emerging markets. Drawing on his background in hedge funds and years of operating a bootstrapped B2B company, he explains why many venture-backed businesses failed to build sustainable revenue models. The conversation explores why market size alone does not guarantee success, how unrealistic return expectations distort investment behavior, and why meritocracy and long-term thinking are essential for building resilient companies. Martyn also reflects on why Singapore has become a more attractive base for global expansion, the importance of regulatory trust, and the role of foreign investment in accelerating real innovation. 📖 What You’ll Learn in This Episode • Why revenue quality matters more than growth • The limits of TAM-driven investment logic • How retention proves real product value • Why meritocracy drives stronger companies • The role of regulation in investor trust • Why Singapore attracts global capital • How unrealistic VC expectations hurt founders • The importance of long-term execution • Why innovation needs real incentives • How market structure shapes outcomes 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast⁠ • Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4⁠ • Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists⁠ 👤 Hosts • Michael Smith Jr.: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/⁠ • Raz Kotler: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/⁠ 👤 Guest • Martyn Terpilowski: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/martyn-terpilowski-66aba850/⁠ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 📚 Concepts and Research • Venture Capital: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venture_capital⁠ • Total Addressable Market: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_addressable_market⁠ • Meritocracy: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy⁠ • Foreign Direct Investment: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_direct_investment⁠ 🏢 Companies and Products • Bhumi Varta Technology: ⁠https://bvarta.com⁠ • WeWork: ⁠https://www.wework.com⁠ • Hitachi: ⁠https://www.hitachi.com⁠ • NTT: ⁠https://group.ntt/en⁠ • Goldman Sachs: ⁠https://www.goldmansachs.com⁠ 👥 People and Profiles • Adam Neumann: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Neumann⁠ 🌏 Additional Reading • Indonesia Economy Overview (World Bank): ⁠https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/indonesia

    56 min
  8. Forget Product Market Fit (ep 63)

    JAN 3

    Forget Product Market Fit (ep 63)

    Meiran Galis (Scytale) breaks down the essential B2B SaaS metrics every founder needs to track. Learn how founder-led sales and SOC 2 compliance drive startup growth from 0 to 1. Meiran explains how founder-led selling, trust-building, and relentless learning shaped the company’s early years, and why the first phase of a startup is less about perfect strategy and more about judgment, grit, and moving fast despite uncertainty. He reflects on product-market fit vs. problem-market fit, SaaS metrics like churn and NRR, and the trade-offs between SMB and enterprise go-to-market paths. The conversation also dives into hiring mistakes, culture, solo-founder psychology, segmentation in outbound sales, and why founders must operate as generalists — doing legal reviews, negotiations, product, partnerships, and customer conversations long before teams exist. Looking ahead, Meiran shares his views on AI as the next major infrastructure wave, and Scytale’s role in trust, security, and compliance in an AI-driven world. 📖 What You’ll Learn in This Episode • Why early-stage startups operate in “survival mode” and why every deal matters • Problem-market fit vs product-market fit — and why founders should solve pain before building scale • How founders can build trust without a product by asking the right questions • Why churn, retention, CAC, and NRR shape SaaS sustainability • The trade-offs between SMB vs enterprise go-to-market paths • How segmentation, culture, and timing affect outbound sales success • Lessons from early hiring mistakes and what to look for in first employees • The reality of being a solo founder and making decisions without consensus • Why founders must become generalists across sales, product, legal, and partnerships • How AI is reshaping compliance, trust, and infrastructure at a global scale 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists 👤 Host • Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/ 👤 Guest • Meiran Galis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meiran/ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned • Scytale (Company): https://scytale.ai • SOC 2 System and Organization Controls: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_and_Organization_Controls • Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governance,_risk_management,_and_compliance • Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_acquisition_cost • Net Revenue Retention (NRR): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_revenue_retention

    51 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The hosts Raz Kotler & Michael Smith Jr., interview people around how they arrived in Singapore, their careers, their personal journeys and how the concept of being a Generalist influences their life and career. All episodes currently filmed F2F in the Poddster Singapore studios.

Information

  • Creator
    Raz Kotler & Michael Smith Jr.
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    70
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    The Generalists