Build In Public Podcast

Welcome to yet another episode of the Build In Public Podcast! 🎉

Today's episode was live recorded in Austin where I interviewed Chris Cunningham at the SaaStock conference in May 2024.  Chris is a Founding Member and Head of Social Marketing for Clickup which is a workforce productivity platform that was last valued at $4b based in San Diego.

Despite his massive social audience and influence across X, Linkedin and TikTok, Chris is one of my favorite people to talk to because he's fun, energetic and always experimenting with cool marketing moves.  
 
In this episode, Chris and I talk about how Clickup succeeds in standing out in the noisy B2B social world, how to gain 30m views on TikTok, the "ABCD" framework he uses and his POV on brand building in general. Enjoy our authentic and curious conversation! 

Relevant links:
My Twitter: https://x.com/thisiskp_
Chris's Twitter: https://x.com/ChrisClickUp
Chris's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisclickup/
Clickup Website: https://clickup.com/

Past guests on the Build In Public podcast include Gary Vaynerchuk (CEO of Vayner Media), Sahil Lavingia (CEO of Gumroad), Alexis Ohanian (co-founder of Reddit), Sheel Mohnot (Better Tomorrow Ventures), Gina Bianchini (CEO of Mighty Networks), Adam Draper (MD of BoostVC), Arvid Kahl (Author of Zero To Sold), Tiago Forte (author of Building A Second Brain), Mariam Hakobyan (CEO of Softr), Kat Cole (COO of Athletic Greens) and more

Welcome to yet another episode of the Build In Public Podcast! 🎉

Today's episode was live recorded in Austin where I interviewed Jason Cohen at the SaaStock conference in May 2024.  Jason Cohen is a four-time entrepreneur across 24 years who has built both bootstrapped and VC-funded businesses in his career. He had two exits and two unicorns and has been writing for 17 years on the Internet. You may have seen him on X as @asmartbear or read one of his articles at this blog: asmartbear.com

Jason is currently the Chief Innovation Officer of WP Engine which is a startup unicorn that he started in 2010. The company raised over $300m in funding, has over 1,200 employees globally and serves billions of web requests daily for 200,000 customers as one of the top-ten largest web platforms in the world. 
 
In this episode, Jason and I discuss why "strategy" matters, how it is the key driver to help you win at every stage as a startup, how to get your team rallied around this, what signs tell you it's working vs it's not and Jason's advice on evaluating feedback coming from multiple sources.

Relevant links:
My Twitter: https://x.com/thisiskp_
Jason's Twitter: https://x.com/asmartbear
https://longform.asmartbear.com/jason-cohen 

Past guests on the Build In Public podcast include Gary Vaynerchuk (CEO of Vayner Media), Sahil Lavingia (CEO of Gumroad), Alexis Ohanian (co-founder of Reddit), Sheel Mohnot (Better Tomorrow Ventures), Gina Bianchini (CEO of Mighty Networks), Adam Draper (MD of BoostVC), Arvid Kahl (Author of Zero To Sold), Tiago Forte (author of Building A Second Brain), Mariam Hakobyan (CEO of Softr), Kat Cole (COO of Athletic Greens) and more

Welcome to yet another episode of the Build In Public Podcast! 🎉

Today's episode is a fun one where the tables have turned and I got to be interviewed by my friend and a fellow podcaster Andrew Tsao. This episode was originally recorded in February 2024 and the publishing step got delayed due to other priorities until now (May 2024).

In this conversation, Andrew and I discuss the winding down story of my last startup "BIPF", my reflections and rationale behind the decision, founder lessons learned for the future, how my "build in public" efforts led to my new role at Paddle, my excitement for the AI Launchpad program and more.

Relevant links:
Paddle's AI Launchpad: https://www.paddle.com/ai-launchpad
My Twitter: https://x.com/thisiskp_
Andrew's Twitter: https://x.com/atsaotsao

Past guests on the Build In Public podcast include Gary Vaynerchuk (CEO of Vayner Media), Sahil Lavingia (CEO of Gumroad), Alexis Ohanian (co-founder of Reddit), Sheel Mohnot (Better Tomorrow Ventures), Gina Bianchini (CEO of Mighty Networks), Adam Draper (MD of BoostVC), Arvid Kahl (Author of Zero To Sold), Tiago Forte (author of Building A Second Brain), Mariam Hakobyan (CEO of Softr), Kat Cole (COO of Athletic Greens) and more.

Welcome to yet another episode of the Build In Public Podcast! 🎉

Today's episode features Tharshan Thavaharan who leads Partnerships at Paddle, a fintech company last valued at $1.4b where I also work now.

In 2023, he started the AI Launchpad, a global founder program at Paddle which attracted 59 AI startups from 21 countries and in 6 weeks helped them accelerate their journey to find product-market fit, reach target audiences, and establish a financial base for scaling. Now he's passing the captain's armband to me and I'll be running this year's cohort. Applications open now, check out our site: https://www.paddle.com/ai-launchpad

In this episode, Tharshan and I discuss the behind-the-scenes story of winding down my previous edtech startup (BIPF),  how I ended up at Paddle,  what lessons Tharshan learned by running the AI accelerator, the types of companies who were part of it, the big focus for 2024 for us and more.

Relevant links:
AI Launchpad website: https://www.paddle.com/ai-launchpad
Tharshan on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tharshant/
KP on X: https://twitter.com/thisiskp_
KP on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karthikpuvvada/

Past guests on the Build In Public podcast include Gary Vaynerchuk (CEO of Vayner Media), Sahil Lavingia (CEO of Gumroad), Alexis Ohanian (co-founder of Reddit), Sheel Mohnot (Better Tomorrow Ventures), Gina Bianchini (CEO of Mighty Networks), Adam Draper (MD of BoostVC), Arvid Kahl (Author of Zero To Sold), Tiago Forte (author of Building A Second Brain), Mariam Hakobyan (CEO of Softr), Kat Cole (COO of Athletic Greens) and more.

Welcome to yet another episode of the Build In Public Podcast! 🎉

Today's episode features Ariel Renous, co-founder and CEO of Augment.org.  

Augment is a modern online alternative to the traditional MBA program. Augment's approach is to reshape education by leveraging online tools to offer high-quality business knowledge straight from the minds of the brightest business leaders. Partnering with experts in business education and world-class entrepreneurs from companies like Wikipedia, YouTube, Waze, and Shazam, they crafted an innovative MBA program. The fast-growing startup based out of Paris raised a $6 million funding round from top tier investors in 2023.

In this episode, Ariel and KP discuss the founding story of Augment, the evolution of business education over the years, the power of cold emailing influential people in Silicon Valley, lessons from building in public and more. 

The list of topics covered and relevant timestamps are:
00:00  Introduction
03:09  Origin Story of Augment
08:35  Cold Emailing Everyone in Silicon Valley
12:20  The Power of Mission and Storytelling
29:45  The Upside of Building in Public
30:04  Lessons from Fundraising
33:07  Building Augment
36:14  Non-Zero Sum Game
39:45  Finding the Right Idea
45:09  Challenges Before Starting Augment
52:04  Building a Team and Managing Challenges

Relevant links:
Ariel's handle on X: https://twitter.com/ArielRenous
Augment's website: https://augment.org/
KP handle on X: https://twitter.com/thisiskp_
KP's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/KarthikPuvvadaKP

Past guests on the Build In Public podcast include Gary Vaynerchuk (CEO of Vayner Media), Sahil Lavingia (CEO of Gumroad), Alexis Ohanian (co-founder of Reddit), Sheel Mohnot (Better Tomorrow Ventures), Gina Bianchini (CEO of Mighty Networks), Adam Draper (MD of BoostVC), Arvid Kahl (Author of Zero To Sold), Tiago Forte (author of Building A Second Brain), Mariam Hakobyan (CEO of Softr), Kat Cole (COO of Athletic Greens) and more.

Other episodes you might enjoy: 

• Episode 4 with Gary Vaynerchuk
• Episode with Alexis Ohanian (Co-Founder of Reddit and 776 Fund)
• The Must-Have Qualities For You To Become A Successful Entrepreneur (feat. Sheel Mohnot
• Episode 10 with Kat Cole
• Life After One Of India's Biggest Startup Exits (feat. Phanindra Sama)

Welcome to 2024's 1st episode of the Build In Public Podcast! 🎉

Today's episode features Jason Cohen, four-time entrepreneur across 24 years who has built both bootstrapped and VC-funded businesses in his career. He had two exits and two unicorns and has been writing for 17 years on the Internet. You may have seen him on X as @asmartbear or read one of his articles at this blog: asmartbear.com

Jason is currently the Chief Innovation Officer of WP Engine which is a startup unicorn that he started in 2010. The company raised over $300m in funding, has over 1,200 employees globally and serves billions of web requests daily for 200,000 customers as one of the top-ten largest web platforms in the world. 

In this episode, Jason and KP discuss the significance of passion, the role of writing in personal growth, and the story behind Jason's beef with the term "MVP" in startups :) The conversation touches on challenges entrepreneurs face, the difference between missionaries and mercenaries in business, and strategies for finding great startup ideas.

The list of topics covered and relevant timestamps are:

00:00 Intro
05:26 Jason's Writing Routine
08:34 Redefining Product Development: From MVP to SLC
23:25 The Power of Being Mission-Driven in Building a Company
27:48 Finding Great Startup Ideas
30:48 How to Select Between Multiple Business Ideas Effectively
40:48 Finding the Perfect Work Companion: Balancing Strengths and Weaknesses in Hiring
41:38 Tips for Maximizing Productivity and Authentic Engagement on Twitter
51:38 Wrap-Up

Build In Public Podcast is an interview show where KP chats with ambitious startup founders, CEOs, and top Internet creators to unpack their stories, insights, and lessons.

Note: If you loved the conversation or had questions/comments to share, please post on X or DM me directly :) Always hungry for feedback. Thank you!

Links:
Jason's handle on X: https://twitter.com/asmartbear
Jason's blog:  https://longform.asmartbear.com/
KP handle on X: https://twitter.com/thisiskp_
KP's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/KarthikPuvvadaKP

Welcome to another episode of the Build In Public Podcast.

Today's episode features Gale Wilkinson, founder and Managing Partner at VITALIZE, a seed fund and angel community investing in transformative WorkTech software and currently deploying capital out of a $23.4M Fund II and their 500+ member angel community.

Previously founded IrishAngels, one of the largest angel groups in the world. Gale has led $70M+ in early-stage deals across 125+ portfolio companies, and she has made 50 personal angel investments.

In this interview, Gale and KP delve into all-things VC and share their insights on topics such as:

00:00 Intro
03:02 The Work Tech Thesis
04:53 The Kauffman Fellowship Experience
05:47 Traits of a Great Investor
07:26 The Shift in the Venture Landscape
08:54 The Future of Venture Capital
09:46 Investment Strategy and Criteria
11:38 Lessons Learned from Fundraising
13:04 Choosing the Right Problem to Solve
18:32 The Discrepancy in Funding for Underrepresented Groups
25:28 Advice for Founders
34:53 Focus for the Future

Build In Public Podcast is an interview show where KP chats with ambitious startup founders, CEOs, and top Internet creators to unpack their stories, insights, and lessons.

Share your thoughts on this episode. Thanks for listening!

Links:
Gale on X: https://twitter.com/galeforceVC
VITALIZE on X: https://twitter.com/VitalizeVC
VITALIZE Venture Capital: https://www.vitalize.vc/
KP on X: https://twitter.com/thisiskp_
KP's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/KarthikPuvvadaKP

Welcome to another episode of the Build In Public Podcast.

Today's episode features Jess Chan, founder of Backbone, a platform designed to streamline email marketing for small eCommerce teams. She is one of the top retention marketing experts, with expertise in retention marketing through email and SMS.

She previously founded Longplay Brands, a full-service retention & lifecycle marketing agency for DTC e-commerce brands. Jess bootstrapped the agency scaling to 7-figures in revenue in the first 18 months.

In this interview, Jess and KP discuss various topics related to entrepreneurship and e-commerce such as:

00:00 Intro
02:18 Inflection Points and Drive to be an Entrepreneur
05:22 Transition from CMO to Entrepreneur
06:49 De-risking the Decision to Become an Entrepreneur
09:18 The Pressure to Succeed and the Importance of Long-Term Thinking
11:00 The Value of Failure and Learning from Mistakes
12:19 The Perception of Risk in Entrepreneurship
15:16 The Emotional Experience of Being an Entrepreneur
17:12 The Importance of Long-Term Growth and Avoiding Short-Term Thinking
19:20 Building Strong Foundations for Long-Term Success
21:21 The Journey from Agency to Product Business
24:21 Discovering the Opportunity for Backbone
28:21 The Emotional Intensity of Running an Agency
30:39 Appreciating the Malleability of Service-Based Businesses
34:41 The Slow Compounding of Software Businesses
35:56 The Role of Agencies and Services in Cash Flow
36:23 Optimizing for Exit vs. Agency Model
42:02 Retention Marketing Strategies
46:33 Mistakes in Email Marketing
48:27 Building a Strong Foundation for Business
51:50 Ideal E-commerce Business to Purchase
55:05 Rapid Fire Round

Build In Public Podcast is an interview show where KP chats with ambitious startup founders, CEOs, and top Internet creators to unpack their stories, insights, and lessons.

Share your thoughts on this episode. Thanks for listening!

Links:
Jess on X: https://twitter.com/jjesschan

Longplay Brands: https://www.longplaybrands.com/

Backbone: https://www.gobackbone.co/
KP on X: https://twitter.com/thisiskp_
KP's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/KarthikPuvvadaKP

Welcome to another episode of the Build In Public Podcast.

Today's episode features Michael Girdley, CEO of a $100m/yr holding company and a serial entrepreneur for 20 companies over 30 years in San Antonio. Michael is also a partner at the Geekdom Fund, a seed-stage tech venture capital fund that has invested in over 50 high-growth tech companies. He has also built a 195k+ Twitter following and a newsletter with over 20k readers. Now he enjoys teaching and helping founders online and created The Complete HoldCo Course

In this interview, Michael and KP go through a series of interesting topics such as:
●     (00:00) Intro
●     (04:11) How Michael got into entrepreneurship
●     (05:43) Being a geek and its definition
●     (08:33) Web programming with Java - first book Michael wrote
●     (11:11) How it felt after writing a book
●     (12:31) Michael as compared to a young Bill Gates
●     (13:52) Working hard vs Doing what you love
●     (14:58) Maintaining great output simultaneously
●     (17:29) Going all in on one company
●     (19:21) Michael’s experiences and lessons from Silicon Valley
●     (21:39) Community as a necessity for founders
●     (24:29) Michael’s favorite business heroes
●     (27:19) Looking back through decisions and regrets
●     (29:11) Advice to his 18 year old self
●     (32:11) Rapid Fire Round with Michael Girdley

Build In Public Podcast is an interview show where KP chats with ambitious startup founders, CEOs, and top Internet creators to unpack their stories, insights, and lessons.

Share your thoughts about this episode. Thanks for listening!

Links:
Michael on X: https://twitter.com/girdley
Michael’s website: https://girdley.com/

Michael’s Holdco course: https://holdco.girdley.com/
KP’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisiskp_
KP's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/KarthikPuvvadaKP

Welcome to another episode of the Build In Public Podcast.

Today's episode features Champ Bennett, co-founder and CEO of Capsule, an AI-powered video editor for content and marketing teams. Previously, Champ also co-founded a startup called “Phhhoto” that was widely used by celebrities like Katy Petty and Beyonce.

In this interview, Champ and KP dive into multitudes of lessons and topics such as:
●     Intro (00:00)
●     One challenging aspect of creative tools (03:36)
●     Picking a great idea to pour your time into (04:32)
●     Adapting to the dynamics of idea execution (06:34)
●     The mindset of an inspiring founder (09:27)
●     Capsule’s Ideal Customer Profile (13:21)
●     Mitigating the challenges of enterprise sales (17:07)
●     Champ’s previous startups (22:47)
●     How a company he built took off by accident (26:42)
●     The framework of making a startup work (30:10)
●     Rapid Fire Round (38:52)

Build In Public Podcast is an interview show where KP chats with ambitious startup founders, CEOs, and top Internet creators to unpack their stories, insights, and lessons.

Share your thoughts on this episode.
Thanks for listening!

Links:
Champ on X: https://twitter.com/doyouknowchamp
Capsule: https://capsule.video/
KP on X: https://twitter.com/thisiskp_
KP on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KarthikPuvvadaKP