Section

Founders

Insights, stories, and strategies for startup founders navigating the entrepreneurial journey.

Founder presenting to investors in a modern boardroom, emphasizing clear communication and strategic partnership post-funding.

How to Manage Founder-Investor Relations Post-Funding

Founders often perceive investor updates as a time sink, yet proactive communication significantly reduces ad-hoc check-ins.

Ethan Calder· Apr 18· 3 min
Founder at a crossroads, choosing between original startup vision and evolving market demands, symbolizing strategic pivoting.

How Founders Pivot Startup Strategy Based on Market Changes

On October 12, 2010, a simplified photo-sharing app called Instagram launched and racked up 25,000 downloads in its first 24 hours, a stark contrast to its struggling predecessor, Burbn.

Ethan Calder· Apr 15· 3 min
A determined startup founder in a challenging landscape, symbolizing the competitive edge gained through scarcity and adversity.

Scarcity, Not Abundance, Fuels Startup Founders' Competitive Edge

Only 15% of startups raising over $10M in seed achieved profitability within 3 years, compared to 35% of those under $2M (Crunchbase, 2023).

Ethan Calder· Aug 7· 2 min
Startup founders and investors collaborating in a modern office, emphasizing execution and strategic planning over hype.

Startup Founders Now Value Execution Over Hype, Investors Agree

In 2025, global Contech investment hit USD 6.

Ethan Calder· Jul 31· 2 min
A small, resilient ship sailing steadily on calm waters, contrasting with a larger, struggling fleet in the background.

Founders' Long-Term Vision Beats Short-Term Scale for Startup Success

Over the last decade, one maritime company expanded its fleet from three vessels to 11.

Ethan Calder· Jul 9· 2 min
Split image showing a founder with an abstract idea on one side and a thriving marketplace on the other, representing founder fit versus product fit.

Startup Founder Fit vs. Product Fit: Why Your Idea Isn't Enough

Beauty brands Ami Colé and Youthforia recently shut down.

Ethan Calder· Jul 6· 2 min
A vibrant tech incubator filled with people collaborating, symbolizing the dynamic startup ecosystem built by Joshua Baer and Capital Factory.

Joshua Baer's Capital Factory Built Austin's Startup Ecosystem: Here's How

Joshua Baer, founder and CEO of Capital Factory, died Tuesday in a private jet crash, leaving an immediate void in the Austin tech community he built, according to Firstpost .

Ethan Calder· Jun 18· 2 min
A stressed founder working late in an office, with a looming, detached board of directors in the background, symbolizing the neglect of mental health in startups.

The Founder Mental Health Crisis Is Gutting Startups. Boards Are Missing It.

A startup's board, laser-focused on quarterly financial targets, might be inadvertently signing its own death warrant by failing to recognize the founder's escalating burnout.

Ethan Calder· May 4· 2 min
A couple who are co-founders of a startup navigate the complex intersection of their personal relationship and professional business demands.

Startup Founder Spouses Face Unprecedented Challenges.

Founders Vera and Jose of Apli, an on-demand recruiting platform, faced investors who scrutinized their married status alongside standard business metrics, reports TechCrunch .

Ethan Calder· Apr 22· 2 min
A visual representation of AI disrupting traditional software development, with glowing AI elements overwhelming lines of code and data.

Build vs Buy Software Strategy: AI Is Not the Silver Bullet

In the 24 hours following Anthropic's Claude Cowork AI software feature debut, investors wiped $285 billion off the market value of tech stocks, according to Fortune .

Ethan Calder· Apr 12· 2 min