Is Silicon Valley really back? In this episode of Tech Jobber Podcast, we sit down with Eric Jones, founder of Memberly, to break down what’s actually happening in tech right now — from the AI funding gold rush to the post-pandemic revival of San Francisco.

 

Eric shares his unconventional journey from fashion into tech entrepreneurship, how identifying a real-world pain point led to building a community-driven events startup, and why bootstrapping is becoming the default path for founders without access to venture capital. We also dive deep into why human connection and live events are becoming more valuable — not less — in an AI-dominated world.

 

This conversation is packed with real founder insights, including:

- Why today’s tech cycle feels eerily similar to the dot-com era

- What investors are actually funding in 2026 (hint: it’s AI)

- Why only ~2% of startups succeed — and how founders can beat the odds

- The resurgence of opportunity in Silicon Valley and San Francisco

- How to bootstrap a startup without VC money

- Free startup resources (including AWS for Startups) most founders overlook

- Why community, IRL events, and subscriptions are the future of tech businesses

 

Whether you’re a founder, aspiring entrepreneur, tech professional, or career switcher, this episode delivers an unfiltered look at the real startup landscape — beyond the hype.

 

👇 Watch now and learn how founders are building resilient businesses in the AI era.

 

Silicon Valley comeback, tech startups 2026, AI startup funding, bootstrapping a startup, founder advice, San Francisco tech scene, live events startup, community-driven business, AWS for startups, tech entrepreneurship, startup failure rates, AI and human connection 
 

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