What Happens When Founders Go Into “Founder Mode”?

Founder mode, a concept popularized by Brian Chesky and Paul Graham, describes how founders can take a highly selective, hands-on approach to solving the critical problems that employees or managers alone cannot tackle. In this episode, Justus Kilian of Space Capital is joined by Matt Gjertsen of Better Every Day Studios and Brian Mejeur of AdAstra Talent Advisors to analyze what founder mode really means, how it differs from micromanagement, and why it is particularly important in space startups.

The team outlines when and where founder involvement is most valuable, how managers can adopt a similar “owner mode,” and the risks of over-involvement. They discuss examples from SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and Nvidia, and show how founder mode can empower teams, remove bureaucratic barriers, and accelerate high-stakes problem solving. Whether you are a founder, manager, or aspiring space startup leader, this episode gives a practical framework for selectively taking ownership to achieve critical milestones.

[00:00] Introduction: What founder mode is and why it matters

[02:19] How Leaders Solve Problems Employees Can’t

[04:25] Owner mode: how managers can exercise selective ownership

[08:04] Micromanagement vs. empowering involvement

[10:51] Selective engagement: choosing the right problems to dive into

[12:48] Risks of over-involvement and potential distractions

[14:49] Why founder mode is especially critical in space technology

Episode Takeaways

1. Founder mode lets leaders solve high-impact problems that employees or managers alone cannot.
2. Selective involvement prevents micromanagement while empowering teams.
3. Deep technical knowledge and intimate understanding of the business are essential for effectiveness.
4. Over-involvement or misalignment can be disempowering; prioritization is key.
5. Owner/founder mode can extend beyond founders to managers who take responsibility for outcomes.
6. High-stakes industries like space tech benefit most from these approaches.
7. Teams feel empowered when leaders remove barriers and provide immediate authority for action.

Subscribe to VHTB for more insights on the talent, culture, and finance sides of space startups.

Resources & Links:

1. Space Capital
2. Better Every Day Studios
3. AdAstra Talent Advisors
4. VHTB Podcast Channel

What happens to space startup teams after big milestones?

Big milestones in space startups, whether a Dragon 2 launch, a major funding round, or an IPO, often bring excitement, celebration, and sometimes turnover. After all the long hours and high stakes, some employees naturally take a step back, pivot, or even leave entirely. But is this a problem to solve, or a natural part of how talent flows in mission-driven startups?

In this episode, Matt Gjertsen of Better Every Day Studios is joined by Brian Mejeur of AdAstra Talent Advisors and Justus Kilian of Space Capital to dig into what happens to teams after major milestones. They discuss how founders can retain key people, structure incentives around achievements, and even leverage departures to build stronger alumni networks. Whether you are a founder, manager, or aspiring startup talent, this conversation explains how to turn milestone-driven transitions into opportunities instead of surprises.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] Introduction & talent movement after major milestones

[01:35] Why employees often leave or stay after hitting big goals

[04:42] Reloading the mission: keeping teams motivated through next big goals

[07:48] Retaining Top Talent Through Purpose

[10:40] Understanding personal motivations to prevent unexpected departures

[11:52] Leveraging alumni networks and healthy turnover for long-term company growth

[15:26] Creating open conversations about career plans and talent flow

Episode Takeaways

1. Talent movement after milestones is natural, not always a sign of failure.
2. Aligning equity and incentives with milestones can improve retention.
3. Clear mission and next-step goals keep employees motivated through big achievements.
4. Open communication and manager-level engagement help anticipate transitions.
5. Alumni networks turn departures into opportunities for referrals and industry growth.
6. Structuring transitions thoughtfully prevents operational disruption and preserves culture.

Subscribe to VHTB for more insights on the talent, culture, and finance sides of space startups.

Resources & Links:

1. Space Capital
2. Better Every Day Studios
3. AdAstra Talent Advisors
4. VHTB Podcast Channel

What’s Really Driving the Space Industry Right Now?

Q4 2025 wasn’t just another quarter; it may go down as one of the most pivotal in the modern space economy. Between Blue Origin’s New Glenn landing, massive defense-driven capital inflows, and the looming SpaceX IPO, the space startup ecosystem is facing new opportunities and new challenges at every turn.

In this episode, Brian Mejeur of AdAstra Talent Advisors, Matt Gjertsen of Better Every Day Studios, and Justus Kilian of Space Capital review the quarter’s key developments. They discuss what the new launch vehicles mean for the industry, how recent investments affect companies, and why these events matter for founders, investors, and anyone following space startups.

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or just interested in space, this episode gives a clear, practical look at recent milestones, financial trends, and talent dynamics, and what they could mean for the industry going forward.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00] Introduction & Q4 2025 space industry overview

[00:58] Blue Origin New Glenn landing: What it means for launch markets

[06:38] What K2 Space’s funding means for founders

[07:50] Golden Dome defense program & implications for space startups

[10:56] SpaceX IPO talk and what it means for founders

[15:05] Emerging commercial opportunities in space: data centers & manufacturing

[18:02] The competition heating up in the launch market

[19:15] IPO liquidity as a catalyst for Mars and deep-space ambitions

Episode Takeaways:

Abundant launch is closer than ever, but landing is only the first step; cadence and refurbishment will define real market impact.

Capital is flowing in multiple directions, and defense-focused funding introduces both opportunity and risk for commercial players.

Liquidity unlocks talent: IPOs and equity events could spark a new wave of founder-driven innovation.

New markets demand new thinking: From space-based data centers to mission design, founders must reconsider traditional constraints.

Execution remains key: Technical milestones matter, but real-world deployment and economics will separate winners from hype.

Subscribe to VHTB for more insights on space startups, talent, and finance, and follow along as we track how these trends continue into 2026.

Resources & Links:

Space Capital

Better Every Day Studios

AdAstra Talent Advisors

VHTB Podcast Channel

How Should Startups Balance Hunger, Energy, and Experience?

The space startup ecosystem attracts brilliant, ambitious people fresh out of school, people who want to build fast, learn everything at once, and take big swings early in their careers. But can raw tenacity really replace experience? And how should founders and hiring managers think about the tradeoff between youthful intensity and seasoned execution?

In this episode, the VHTB team, Justus Kilian of Space Capital, Matt Gjertsen of Better Every Day Studios, and Seyka Mejeur of AdAstra Talent Advisors, looks at the realities of hiring young, scrappy talent inside fast-moving startups. They examine why early-career founders often struggle with people leadership, how urgency exposes missing experience, and what separates teams that harness raw ambition from those that get tripped up by predictable missteps.

We also look at the other side: why experienced leaders bring crucial pattern recognition, how larger companies like SpaceX or Amazon can be the best crash course for ambitious young people, and what organizations need in place before they hire someone who’s going to learn by doing (and by making mistakes).

Whether you’re hiring, leading, or debating whether to join a startup straight out of school, this episode gives a grounded look at how experience, energy, and self-awareness shape outcomes in early-stage companies.

00:00 The young-and-scrappy appeal, and its hidden pitfalls

02:38 Why some early-career founders struggle with “wisdom gaps”

04:07 When recruiters must push back on unrealistic expectations

05:59 What fresh founders often miss about people, friction, and alignment

07:47 When companies undervalue HR until it’s too late

09:36 Developing young managers: what you can’t assume they already know

11:32 How to weigh energy vs. experience in recruiting

12:29 When high energy and low experience become a compounding problem

13:25 The value of real mistakes, and why candidates shouldn’t hide them

15:48 Why self-awareness is the real differentiator at any age

17:00 Why big-company experience can build necessary pattern recognition

1. Energy is powerful, but experience prevents avoidable pain.
2. Self-awareness can compensate for low experience, but only if mentors and guardrails exist.
3. High-tenacity early hires need space to make mistakes; not all startups can afford that.
4. Experienced leaders bring pattern recognition new founders don’t know they’re missing.
5. HR and talent fundamentals matter early, not only once things break.
6. Mistakes aren’t liabilities; they’re how wisdom is earned.
7. Joining a high-caliber company first can accelerate your trajectory when you later jump into a startup.

Subscribe to VHTB for more insights on the talent, culture, and finance sides of space startups.

Resources & Links:

1. Space Capital
2. Better Every Day Studios
3. AdAstra Talent Advisors
4. VHTB Podcast Channel

How to Actually Understand Startup Equity

Equity is one of the biggest reasons people join early-stage companies, and one of the least understood parts of any offer. In this episode, the VHTB team digs into why equity feels so opaque, what the different types of stock-based compensation actually mean, and how candidates and founders can talk about it without confusion or hype.

Matt Gjertsen of Better Every Day Studios is joined by Seyka Mejeur of AdAstra Talent Advisors and Justus Kilian of Space Capital for a practical walkthrough of the equity structures that show up in real startup offers: restricted stock, ISOs, NSOs, and RSUs. They break down how each one works, the tax traps people don’t see coming, and why liquidity and valuation paths matter more than the raw number of shares.

We also get into the human side, why candidates often feel embarrassed to ask “basic” questions, how past experiences at places like SpaceX or Amazon shape expectations, and what sophisticated founders do differently when communicating equity. Whether you’re a candidate trying to make sense of an offer or a founder trying to explain one, this episode gives you the tools to translate equity into real-world outcomes instead of guesswork.

00:00 Why equity feels confusing for almost everyone

01:47 A simple breakdown of restricted stock, ISOs, NSOs, and RSUs

04:52 Tax considerations most candidates overlook

07:26 Why liquidity plans matter more than people think

09:44 The perspective candidates bring from previous companies

11:50 How to ask “dumb questions” without feeling dumb

14:36 How great founders communicate equity and valuation paths

17:04 Building a simple spreadsheet to model potential outcomes

19:39 Using an investor mindset when evaluating job offers

• Don’t guess, get clarity: Understand how each equity type works, what it costs to exercise, and the tax implications.
• Ask about liquidity early: “When could this be worth something?” is a fair question, not a taboo one.
• Build simple scenarios, zero outcome, base case, upside case, so you know what you’re signing up for.
• Look at the company like an investor: Why this team? Why this mission? Why now?
• Equity is a portfolio: Most careers include a handful of high-risk, high-reward bets; choose them deliberately.

Subscribe to VHTB for more insights on the talent, culture, and finance sides of space startups.

Resources & Links:

• Space Capital
• Better Every Day Studios
• AdAstra Talent Advisors
• VHTB Podcast Channel

How Technical Talent Grows Into Leadership

Deeply technical founders and engineers often struggle when their jobs shift from solving problems themselves to leading people who solve problems. In this episode, the VHTB team, Seyka Mejeur of AdAstra Talent Advisors, Matt Gjertsen of Better Every Day Studios, and Justus Kilian of Space Capital, break down why this transition is so challenging and what it takes to make it successful.

Technical leaders are used to tight feedback loops, direct control, and the satisfaction of “fixing the thing.” But executive roles demand something different: longer time horizons, ambiguous feedback, strategic focus, delegation, and trust. We go over the psychological friction behind this shift, the risks of staying in the weeds, and practical ways to build the leadership capacity needed at the founder and executive level.

From developing executive presence to building trust, and from knowing when to delegate to assessing whether founders can actually let go, we share a grounded look at one of the hardest transitions in the startup journey.

00:00 Why the jump from technical expert to executive is so difficult

01:07 When strategic work feels like “not real work.”

03:22 The role of feedback loops and the loss of direct control

06:33 Turning long-term goals into clear quarterly targets

07:51 Communication, simplification, and learning to delegate

08:57 A three-part framework for understanding trust

12:24 How investors assess strategic thinking in technical founders

14:40 Red flags: under-leveling hires, decision bottlenecks, and weekend rescues

16:06 Why co-founders often outperform solo founders

17:29 “Who Not How”: hiring for leapfrog capability

21:22 The danger of being the constant bottleneck

1. Reframe the Work: Leadership problems aren’t “a distraction”—they are the job.
2. Shorten the Loop: Break long-term goals into quarterly, measurable targets.
3. Delegate Deliberately: Choose one decision a week to stop owning and hand to the team.
4. Use the Trust Framework: Assess gaps in skill, judgment, or personal connection.
5. Hire Above You: Don’t under-level—bring in people who elevate the company.
6. Beware Bottleneck Syndrome: If all paths go through you, you’re slowing the company down.
7. Let Strategy Win Over Muscle: What got you here won’t get you there.

Subscribe to VHTB for more insights on the talent, culture, and finance sides of space startups.

Resources & Links:

1. Space Capital
2. Better Every Day Studios
3. AdAstra Talent Advisors
4. VHTB Podcast Channel

The Valley of Death, Part III: Breaking Through the Other Side

In this final part of our Valley of Death series, the VHTB team, Matt Gjertsen of Better Every Day Studios, Brian Mejeur of AdAstra Talent Advisors, and Justus Kilian of Space Capital, break down how space startups can escape the treacherous middle of growth and begin to scale successfully.

After early wins and the slog of the mid-valley, companies reach a critical inflection point: delivering on commitments, scaling operations, and building the leadership capacity to sustain growth. We will outline practical steps, mindset shifts, and structural strategies that distinguish startups that stall from those that soar. From empowering frontline managers to refining processes, and from talent alignment to capital strategy, we talk through how these lessons can be put into practice.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 How to Escape the Valley of Death

01:05 Defining the Exit by Looking at Delivery, Unit Economics, and Investor Perspective  

03:33 Building Managerial Muscle in the Crucial Middle Layer of Leadership  

06:51 Scaling Teams from One-Off Hires to Cohesive Groups  

08:40 Using Process as a Growth Lever While Balancing Structure with Agility  

12:56 Considering Capital Options: Private vs. Public, Predictability, and Liquidity  

15:49 Driving Strategic Growth by Investing in Talent, Technology, and Efficiency  

18:45 Synthesizing the Three Stages through Clarity, Reflection, and Consistency  

21:14 Empowering Leadership to Prepare Teams for Sustainable Growth  

Episode Takeaways

• Execute Consistently: Deliver on contracts and scale operations while maintaining quality.
• Invest in Managers: Strong middle management is the connective tissue that turns strategy into execution.
• Build Processes Thoughtfully: Structure enables efficiency without sacrificing innovation or speed.
• Foster Open Communication: Align motivations, career paths, and expectations to retain top talent.
• Strategize Capital: Leverage private and public options wisely to support long-term growth.
• Empower Leadership Evolution: Prepare executives and managers to adapt roles as the organization scales.

Subscribe to VHTB for more insights on the talent, culture, and finance sides of space startups.

Resources & Links:

• Space Capital
• Better Every Day Studios
• AdAstra Talent Advisors
• VHTB Podcast Channel

The Valley of Death, Part II: Surviving the Middle

In this episode of VHTB, hosts Brian Mejeur of AdAstra Talent Advisors, Matt Gjertsen of Better Every Day Studios, and Justus Kilian of Space Capital continue their deep-dive series on one of the hardest stretches in the life of a space startup. the middle of the Valley of Death.

After the early wins and momentum of scaling up, this phase tests a company’s culture, leadership, and clarity of mission. The team explores how founders can maintain alignment, make difficult organizational decisions, and protect morale while navigating financial constraints and operational complexity.

From lessons on leadership cadence and communication velocity to real-world examples like True Anomaly and Ursa Major, this conversation sheds light on how experienced founders survive the mid-valley turbulence, and how a clear mission and disciplined decision-making can determine whether you climb out or stall midway.

00:00 Setting the Stage: Entering the Middle of the Valley

03:45 Reflection Cadence: When and How Often to Reevaluate

06:25 Restructuring and Accountability: Signals It’s Time for Change

09:09 Communication Velocity: The Hidden Growth Driver

12:11 When Growth Stalls: Making Tough Organizational Calls

13:27 Lessons from Ursa Major: Pivoting Through Pain

15:59 Preserving Morale Amid Layoffs and Change

18:17 The Importance of Milestones and Long-Term Vision

19:56 Selective Hiring in a Constrained Environment

23:07 Wrapping Up: Staying Lean, Aligned, and Vision-Driven

• Pause and Reflect: Build quarterly off-sites into your cadence to assess alignment, performance, and priorities.
• Structure with Clarity: Replace personality-driven org charts with accountability-based structures to prevent chaos.
• Maintain Communication Velocity: Fast information flow equals fast growth — keep communication channels tight and consistent.
• Make Hard Calls Early: Identify misalignment and address it decisively before cultural or financial decay sets in.
• Lead with Vision: A shared mission can sustain morale through layoffs, pivots, and funding crunches.
• Hire with Intention: Even in lean times, strategic hires in critical functions can make or break your path through the valley.

Subscribe to VHTB for more deep dives into the talent, culture, and finance sides of the space startup ecosystem.

Follow Space Capital, AdAstra Talent Advisors, and Better Every Day Studios for updates and insights.

Social media links for each organization can be found on their respective websites.

Resources & Links:

Websites:

• Space Capital
• Better Every Day Studios
• AdAstra Talent Advisors

VHTB YouTube:

• VHTB Podcast Channel

The Toughest Phase in Building a Space Startup

In this episode of VHTB, hosts Justus Kilian of Space Capital, Matt Gjertsen of Better Every Day Studios, and Brian Mejeur of AdAstra Talent Advisors kick off a three-part series on one of the toughest challenges in space entrepreneurship. The Valley of Death.

From defining what this critical gap really is to exploring how startups can bridge it through smart funding strategies, investor alignment, and culture-building, this discussion sheds light on how deep tech founders can survive and scale between prototype and commercialization.

Drawing from real-world examples like SpaceX, government contracting hurdles, and venture-backed startup experiences, the team dives into how planning, preparation, and disciplined execution can determine whether a company successfully crosses the Valley, or stalls within it.

00:00 Kicking Off the Conversation: Introducing the “Valley of Death” series

01:05 What Is the Valley of Death? Defining the gap from prototype to scalable business

02:56 Lessons from SpaceX and early startup survival stories

04:00 The Government’s Role: How procurement and contracting shape deep tech risk

06:01 Why the Valley Exists: Funding structures, CapEx, and operational complexity

08:53 Anchoring to a Long-Term Vision: Avoiding short-term distractions

10:57 Balancing Government Contracts with Strategic Product Development

13:05 The Leadership Challenge: Staying lean and hiring intentionally

15:35 Investor Sophistication: Understanding SBIRs, TACFI, and deep tech metrics

17:41 The Rise of Government Business Development Roles

18:58 Financial Planning for the Valley: Tools and funding mechanisms

20:36 Working with Investors, Customers, and Non-Dilutive Funding

22:30 Using Venture Debt and Strategic Equity Wisely

22:58 The Importance of Discipline and Timing When Capital Feels Abundant

24:17 Building Relationships Before You Need Capital

24:56 Knowing When to Raise and Keeping a Healthy Runway

29:00 Wrap-Up: Building the Bridge to Commercialization: Preparing for Implementation

Episode Takeaways

• Define the Valley Early: Understand where your company sits between prototype and product.
• Anchor to the Long-Term Vision: Don’t let short-term contracts or tangential revenue derail your mission.
• Plan Before You Need Capital: Build relationships and financial pathways while resources are strong.
• Leverage Non-Dilutive Funding Wisely: Use SBIR, TACFI, and strategic capital to buy down risk.
• Hire for Alignment, Not Convenience: A small, mission-driven team will carry you farther than a large, misaligned one.

Subscribe to VHTB for more deep dives into the talent, culture, and finance sides of the space startup ecosystem.

Follow Space Capital, AdAstra Talent Advisors, and Better Every Day Studios for updates and insights.

Social media links for each organization can be found on their respective websites.

Resources & Links:

Websites:

• Space Capital
• Better Every Day Studios
• AdAstra Talent Advisors

VHTB YouTube:

• VHTB Podcast Channel

How to Avoid Over‑Hiring in Startups

In this episode of VHTB, Matt Gjertsen of Better Every Day Studios, Justus Kilian of Space Capital, and Seyka Mejeur of AdAstra talk through what causes startups to grow their teams too quickly and how to keep hiring in check. They explore how to align hires with technical and financial milestones, how to set up hiring authority and decision processes, and how external pressures (funding cycles, trends) can push over‑growth.

The conversation includes what to watch for when scaling, how founders can decide which roles really matter soon vs later, and why operational structure matters even when things feel urgent. There’s also discussion about unit economics, how AI might affect company size dynamics, and what being disciplined about hiring means in practice.

00:00 What over‑hiring looks like and why it can be a problem

00:40 How startups often respond to “we need people now” vs what they actually need

03:45 The risk of letting urgency weaken hiring criteria

05:00 How decision‑making structures (who approves hires, who has veto) matter at scale

06:09 Mapping the hiring process: visibility & accountability across teams

10:22 How financial discipline and understanding unit economics tie back into a healthy hiring pace

11:11 Common Mistake: Misunderstanding the Customer

13:00 The Financial Blind Spot

14:30 Importance of Financial Discipline in Hiring

18:30 Planning for Hiring Scale Before You Scale

21:00 Should Deep Tech Aim for Smaller Teams?

22:00 AI's Role in Reducing Hiring Needs

23:45 The Diamond-Shaped Team Structure

• Start by defining what each new hire is meant to accomplish. Technical and measurable goals help you stay aligned.
• Build operational visibility: know who’s making hiring decisions and how many people are involved.
• Be aware of external influences (investment rounds, market hype) and consider whether you are reacting or planning.
• Financial grounding matters. Understanding unit economics gives a clearer sense of when hiring makes sense.
• Roles should be scoped clearly, even when someone exceptional shows up. That clarity protects against drift.
• Having a hiring process and approving structure helps prevent waste, confusion, and unexpected bottlenecks.
• Scaling too quickly can hurt long‑term stability; slower, deliberate growth tends to preserve alignment and reduce risk.