Most founders think the first step to growth is raising money and spending on marketing. According to serial entrepreneur and pioneering marketer David T. Scott, that mindset can quietly destroy your startup before it ever finds product-market fit. In this episode of The Untrapped Entrepreneur, David shares the three traps he sees founders fall into again and again: spending capital too fast, chasing customer acquisition before understanding the funnel, and assuming you are your own customer.

Drawing on experience from multiple startups, leadership roles at companies like Amazon Web Services and Twitter, and the sale of his comedy streaming platform to Kevin Hart and Lionsgate, David breaks down practical lessons about cash discipline, product-market fit, and truly understanding the customer journey. If you're building a startup, raising capital, or trying to scale your first product, this conversation will help you avoid some of the most common and costly mistakes founders make.

Thank you to our sponsor The Gents Place:

http://tgpfranchising.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/thegentsplace/