Why rushing to market almost killed my 4th startup — with Tanner Haas, Founder of Freedom Chat (EP 001) | Growth Under Pressure

A product rushed to market. A hack that compromised 30,000 users. And a founder forced to hit pause before it was too late.

In our debut episode, four-time founder Tanner Haas reveals how a string of challenges — from losing money on protein powder sales at 18, to driving Uber to stay afloat, to recovering from a near-fatal beta launch — shaped the disciplined approach that saved his fourth startup, Freedom Chat.

He shares the lessons every founder needs to hear about building a real foundation and making smarter bets with scarce resources.

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🌟 Highlights

• Loses money on every protein powder sale at 18 — and what it taught him about margins

• Keeps startup dreams alive by driving Uber during a brutal pivot

• Recovers from a hack that compromised 30,000 beta users

• Stops chasing growth and invests in product development first

• Stretches cash runway by hiring fractional talent instead of full-time staff

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⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters

00:00 — Intro & setup 01:30 — Discovering privacy concerns and founding Freedom Chat 03:45 — Raising $1.25M pre-seed and product validation 06:20 — First business failure and the Uber pivot 10:15 — Beta launch hack and the dark moment 14:30 — Slowing down and building the right foundation 19:00 — Managing cash burn and knowing every expense 24:20 — Fundraising realities and investor relationships 29:45 — Fractional vs full-time hiring strategies 32:00 — Book recommendations and daily CEO habits 34:00 — Wrap-up

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