Build Mode

Build Mode is back. This season we’re breaking down what it really takes to build a world-class founding team starting with your cap table, equity structures, and startup compensation strategy. 

We kick off with Yuri Sagalov, managing director at General Catalyst and former founder, YC partner, and seed investor at Wayfinder Ventures. Yuri has worked with hundreds of pre-seed and seed-stage startups, and he shares practical advice on how early-stage founders should think about startup equity, cap table design, investor selection, and compensation structures from day one. 

He breaks down: 

The 3 types of investors (and which one to avoid) 

Why your cap table is part of your team 

The 20–25% seed dilution rule 

How to split equity with a co-founder 

How to talk to early employees about risk and compensation 

No matter where you are in your startup journey, this episode will help you get the incentive structure right from the beginning.  

Chapters: 

00:00 - Why your first hires deserve more equity 
00:31 - Meet Yuri Sagalov (YC → General Catalyst) 
02:12 - Your cap table is part of your team 
02:50 - The 3 types of investors (avoid this one) 
05:02 - How to split equity with a co-founder 
07:55 - How much equity to give early employees 
09:37 - How to talk compensation and risk 
12:31 - Red flags in formation docs and vesting 
18:27 - Advisors for equity? Usually a mistake 
20:05 - The 20–25% seed dilution rule 
26:03 - The shift to 10-year stock options 
34:11 - Don’t scale before product-market fit 
39:23 - Final advice: Just start and choose your co-founder carefully 

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

It takes a village to build something great. In Season 2 of Build Mode, we go deep on how to assemble a founding team that signals ambition, execution, and long-term success. Founders and investors share candid lessons on hiring, structuring, and scaling teams that actually win. New episodes coming February 19.

n the season finale of Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Paul Irving, Partner and COO of GTMfund, to discuss go-to-market strategies for the AI era. Paul shares specific, actionable advice on how early-stage startups can win even when facing well-funded competitors who iterate at lightning speed. He also explains why distribution has become the final remaining moat when technical advantages disappear in months instead of years, and why every company needs a unique go-to-market motion tailored to their specific ICP. 

If you just can’t get enough AI-native GTM strategies, check out this episode of the GTMnow podcast: Build your AI Outbound Machine with ChatGPT 

Chapters:  

00:00 Intro 

00:44 Meet Paul Irving - GTM Fund 

04:02 Finding Competitive Edge in Specific Channels 

07:34 Matching Operators to Startups with AI 

12:08 The End of the B2B SaaS Playbook Era 

14:09 Creative GTM Strategies 

16:18 The Power of Warm Introduction Mapping 

23:04 Success Stories: Ryder and Vanta 

25:25 Red Flags in Go-to-Market Strategy 

27:29 Advice for Resource-Constrained Founders 

31:22 When to Start Hiring a GTM Team 

34:57 Outro 

Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

We're bringing you a special TechCrunch podcast crossover episode. Isabelle joins Equity Hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan to dissect the year's biggest tech developments, from mega AI funding rounds that defied expectations to the rise of "physical AI," and make their calls for 2026. 

The group tackled everything from why AI agents didn't live up to the hype in 2025 (but probably will in 2026), to how Hollywood will push back against AI-generated content, to why VCs are facing a serious liquidity crisis.  

Listen to the full episode to hear: 

Chapters:

00:00 Intro - TechCrunch Build Mode & Equity Crossover Episode

00:27 Meet the Hosts - Predictions Episode Introduction

02:49 Reviewing 2024 Predictions - The Mega Funding Rounds

05:40 AI Startup Funding Challenges and Alternative Capital Sources

08:05 2026 AI Predictions - World Models and the Next Evolution

12:41 Physical AI - The Intersection of Robotics and Intelligence

14:07 AI in Media and Content Creation

18:48 Netflix-Warner Brothers Deal and FTC Predictions

21:09 The LP Direct Investment Trend

23:26 IPOs and Deep Tech Capital Challenges

25:49 Startup Battlefield Trends - Verticalized AI Across Industries

28:08 Rapid Fire Predictions - Fashion, Self-Driving Cars, and More

30:25 The Dumb Phone Comeback and Foldable iPhones

32:51 Build Mode Season 2 Preview - People and Team Building

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Founders Gabriel Sanchez (Enspectra Health) and Tom Harries (Earth Funeral) share what it takes to build in heavily regulated industries where "move fast and break things" simply won't work. In this episode of Build Mode, they reveal the realities of navigating FDA approval processes, state-by-state regulations, and cultural taboos while building products that are literally matters of life and death. Gabriel walks through Enspectra's nearly decade-long journey to FDA clearance for their skin imaging device, while Tom discusses building a human composting service as an alternative to cremation and burial. They offer tactical advice on iterating while waiting for regulatory approval, planning your runway when success is largely out of your hands, and raising venture capital in spaces that many investors consider too taboo to touch. 

Chapters:  

00:00 Intro 

00:30 Meet Gabriel Sanchez - Enspectra Health 

02:34 The First FDA-Approved Skin Imaging Physics in 28 Years 

04:24 From Stanford Lab to Clinical Device 

06:43 Navigating FDA Clearance and Reimbursement Strategy 

43:33 Scaling While Managing Regulatory Barriers 

46:55 Where Earth is Today and Future Growth 

48:00 Outro 

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Venture capitalists Ross Fubini (XYZ Ventures) and Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker Ventures) pull back the curtain on how VCs build their own go-to-market strategies — not just how they evaluate startups, but also how they win over LPs and founders alike. In this episode of Build Mode, they share hard-won lessons from raising their first funds and how that experience allows them to empathize with founders. They discuss why "founder-market fit" applies to VCs too, how authentic thought leadership beats manufactured content, and why the best investor relationships start years before you need the money. Plus, the importance of building trust over transactions and why your network truly is your competitive advantage in venture.

Chapters:  

00:00 Intro 

01:01 Meet the VCs: From Netscape to Costa Rica 

03:06 The Horror Show of Raising a First Fund 

05:29 Building a Fund as Proof of Concept 

08:52 The Schtick: Why VCs Need a Unique Thesis 

11:44 Thought Leadership That Actually Works 

15:34 The Qualification Process: Knowing in Two Minutes 

19:06 Authentic vs. Manufactured Content 

27:59 Building Relationships Before You Need Money 

30:00 Founder-Market Fit for VCs 

32:52 Key Takeaways: Person, Firm, Terms—In That Order 

36:45 Field Notes: Creative Ways VCs Court Founders 

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Alltroo co-founders Kyle Rudolph and Jon Walburg share how they transformed their pro-athlete star power into a fundraising platform that allows their community the ability to donate to a variety of organization and win high-value prizes. In this episode of Build Mode, they reveal how they leveraged their networks to disrupt the charitable giving industry, from raising half a million dollars for the NFL in their first year to learning hard lessons about scaling too fast. They discuss the pivot from $10,000 golf tournaments to $10 sweepstakes entries, building trust with both celebrities and fans, and why your network is your greatest competitive advantage.

Chapters: 
00:00 Intro 
00:58 Meet the Founders: From NFL to Tech Startup 
03:53 The $10,000 Golf Tournament That Sparked Everything 
06:14 Navigating the Nonprofit-Tech Startup Hybrid Model 
11:44 Leveraging Star Power: The NFL Partnership Win 
15:34 Getting Athletes to Say Yes: The Trust Factor 
19:06 When Identity Crisis Hits: Scaling Too Fast 
27:59 The Mistake of Outsourcing Your Vision 
30:00 Founder Market Fit: Your Network Is Your Net Worth 
32:52 Key Takeaways: Building Thought Leadership Without Celebrity Status 

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Glīd CEO and founder Kevin Damoa shares what it takes to win Startup Battlefield 2025 and build a company solving real infrastructure problems. Fresh off his victory, De reveals how a veteran's perspective on logistics led to an autonomous solution bridging congested roads and underutilized rail. Plus, he shares how mindfulness, mission-driven culture, and $70M in early customer commitments positioned Glīd for success. 

Chapters: 

00:00 Intro 

01:13 What Glīd does: Autonomous transloading explained 

02:40 From military logistics to founding Glīd 

04:05 Moving containers: The versatility of TEUs 

04:47 $70M in commitments and five railroad partnerships 

05:01 Why Glīd launched three products at once 

08:47 The Startup Battlefield experience and preparation 

12:15 Pitching on stage: Nerves, preparation, and execution 

15:32 The camaraderie among Startup Battlefield competitors 

19:47 Veteran founders and mission-driven companies 

25:01 Post-win momentum: Customers, investors, and talent 

27:15 Hiring on vibes: Glīd's culture of God, family, self, and commitment 

28:25 Kevin's advice: Meditate, don't freak out 

29:00 Tips for aspiring Startup Battlefield applicants 

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Luna co-founder Jas Schembri-Stothart and Untapped Solutions founder Andre Peart share how they cracked go-to-market for audiences most startups avoid. In this episode of Build Mode, they reveal the guerrilla tactics, trust-building strategies, and creative experiments that helped them reach teenage girls and formerly incarcerated workers—from crashing Taylor Swift concerts to keynoting re-entry conferences. 

Chapters: 
00:00 Intro  

03:15 Getting Grilled by Teens: Luna's School Roadshow  

05:04 The Ambassador Army That Designed the App  

06:11 When Teen Content Goes Viral on TikTok  

07:32 Untapped's Origin: From Prison to Building Solutions  

11:03 The Power of Storytelling in B2B Sales  

14:02 Navigating Data Privacy with Sensitive Populations  

15:29 The Challenge of Dual Audiences: Teens and Parents  

17:43 Why Word of Mouth Beats Any Ad Campaign  

19:41 The Taylor Swift Concert That Almost Got Shut Down  

22:15 Key Takeaways for Any Founder  

22:41 Field Notes: Creative Go-to-Market from the Community  

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Forethought AI co-founder Deon Nicholas shares how he built a company that puts customers (not hype) at the center. In this episode of Build Mode, he unpacks his “7-Failure Rule,” the early experiments that shaped Forethought’s success, and why conviction should always come from your users, not your investors. 

Chapters:

00:00 Intro 

01:23 The Founder Journey: Adapting Every 6-9 Months 

05:33 From AI Research to Solving Business Problems 

11:12 Finding Your Customer: The Importance of User Conversations 

18:22 Building Demos and Landing First Paying Customers 

25:12 The Seven Failure Rule for Product Market Fit 

30:38 Preparing for and Winning TechCrunch Disrupt 

35:16 The Reality of Fundraising and Chasing Metrics 

39:07 Navigating Competition in Customer Service AI 

43:03 Stepping into Chairman and What's Next 

44:57 Outro 

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.