This week on Build Mode, we’re diving back into the archives for a special best-of episode all about startup mistakes, hard-earned lessons, and the decisions founders wish they’d made differently.
Host Isabelle Johannesen and producer Maggie Nye revisit some of the most insightful conversations from past seasons to explore the missteps that shaped successful companies. Guests share candid stories about chasing product-market fit, making hiring mistakes, navigating investor expectations, managing hypergrowth, building company infrastructure, and learning what really matters in the early days of a startup.
In this episode, you’ll hear from:
Deon Nicholas, cofounder & former CEO of Forethought AI and co-founder of Espa Labs
Jasper Carmichael-Jack, cofounder & CEO of Artisan
Yuri Sagalov, partner at General Catalyst
Isaiah Granet, cofounder & CEO of Bland
Ayal Yogev, founder & CEO of Anjuna
Sarah Lucena, founder & CEO of Mappa
Whether you’re building your first startup, hiring your early team, fundraising, or figuring out how to scale sustainably, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest reflections from founders and investors who learned these lessons the hard way.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:20 Deon Nicholas (Forethought, Espa Labs): Product-market fit, iteration, and why your first product probably won’t work
05:45 Jasper Carmichael-Jack (Artisan): Hiring mistakes, logo shopping, and finding the right people
09:30 Yuri Sagalov (General Catalyst): Founder commitment, investor signals, and avoiding non-standard company structures
12:35 Isaiah Granet (Bland): Equity grants, payroll headaches, and taking care of early employees
17:25 Ayal Yogev (Anjuna): Overhiring, market shifts, and lessons from the 2022 downturn
22:55 Sarah Lucena (Mappa): Why every founder needs a great lawyer
Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.
