Epic Execution Podcast

In this week’s episode, we cut through the noise on start-up funding, no fluff, just the core strategies founders need to raise capital from a position of strength. We unpack why preparation is everything, how to define traction beyond revenue, and the power of customer validation in proving market demand.

From avoiding common fundraising pitfalls to mastering the art of storytelling in your pitch, this conversation offers a clear roadmap for founders who want to attract the right investors and keep them. You’ll learn why timing your raise, understanding your cash runway, and building a repeatable business model matter more than chasing quick wins.

This episode is anchored around the Start-up Funding Without the Fluff course, a proven system to strip away distractions and focus on what truly drives investor confidence and business growth. If you’re ready to sharpen your pitch, boost your traction, and raise on your terms, this is your starting point.

Epic Execution is the definitive podcast for entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators seeking to build companies, raise capital, and deploy it effectively. Our central themes are team selection and leadership, validating your way to Product Market Fit, and creating genuine customer value and enduring engagement.

Hosted by David Kenney, we bring you unfiltered conversations with people who have built extraordinary companies from the ground up. We dive deep, asking the hard-hitting questions that unlock the secrets behind explosive growth, effective team leadership, strategic capital management, and groundbreaking product development. Each episode features actionable insights and strategies designed to maximise your business potential. 

Check out StartWithEpic⁠ for more. 

The One Lesson Catherine Lacavera Learned at Google, and Why Founders Need to Hear It:

If you can’t protect it, don’t bother building it.

Catherine spent 16 years inside Google, fighting legal battles that shaped the future of tech from billion-dollar copyright fights to AI’s legal grey zones. She saw brilliant ideas lose value because no one thought about IP until it was too late.

Founders need to know this:

In AI, everything can be copied. Execution matters, but defensibility is what makes it last.

This episode goes deep on:

• What founders get wrong about IP and legal strategy

• How to scale without handing your moat to the market

• Legal tech trends reshaping AI, privacy, and compliance

• What founders need to pitch with clarity and conviction

• Why execution beats ideas and how to act on it, and would you believe

• How lawyers can become growth partners, not just risk managers

If you’re building fast and ignoring the legal layer,  this is your wake-up call.

From navigating the complexities of the U.S. legal system to building trust in high-stakes AI environments, Catherine brings sharp insight and actionable advice for founders, legal teams, and investors alike.

Stay tuned for our signature lightning round of rapid-fire insights on investment, legal readiness, and scaling smart.

Epic Execution is the definitive podcast for entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators seeking to build companies, raise capital, and deploy it effectively. Our central themes are team selection and leadership, validating your way to Product Market Fit, and creating genuine customer value and enduring engagement.

Hosted by David Kenney, we bring you unfiltered conversations with people who have built extraordinary companies from the ground up. We dive deep, asking the hard-hitting questions that unlock the secrets behind explosive growth, effective team leadership, strategic capital management, and groundbreaking product development. Each episode features actionable insights and strategies designed to maximise your business potential. Check out StartWithEpic⁠ for more.

What does it take to go from the Australian tech scene to making waves in Silicon Valley? 

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Michael Harries, an Aussie kicking ass in the world of robotics and deep tech. With a track record of shaping frontier technologies in AI and quantum computing, Michael shares his journey, insights, and hard-won lessons from the global innovation frontlines.

We explore the fast-paced evolution of AI, the engineering realities that many startups often overlook, and why deep tech ventures require an entirely different playbook, from funding to talent acquisition to risk mitigation. Michael doesn’t hold back on what it takes to get from the lab bench to boardroom, and how Australian startups can punch above their weight with better commercialisation strategies.

Key Takeaways:

Hosted by David Kenney, we bring you unfiltered conversations with CEOs who have built extraordinary companies from the ground up. We dive deep, asking the hard-hitting questions that unlock the secrets behind explosive growth, effective team leadership, strategic capital management, and groundbreaking product development. Each episode features actionable insights and strategies designed to maximise your business potential.

Check out startwithepic for more.

In today’s episode, we dive deep into Chapter 5 of Epic Execution and its powerful companion course, The Million Dollar Business Map. Designed for founders, this course is the essential toolkit for building a business that not only launches but also works.

Whether you're building a five-million-dollar SME or dreaming of the next unicorn, this episode shows why the first million in revenue is the ultimate rite of passage.

Inside the episode and the course:

• How to build your million-dollar plan with clarity — pricing, acquisition, and retention included.

• Why “having a CFO” isn’t enough — every founder needs financial fluency to steer the ship.
• Three practical worksheets from the course that force real-world traction and focus.

• What most founders get wrong about traction — and why 100 paying customers is your real MVP.How to test if you're solving a problem worth solving, and why 10x solutions beat 10% tweaks.
• The validation checklist: interviews, usage data, NPS, viral coefficients, and more

• The mindset shift: stop guessing, start learning, and fall in love with your customer's pain, not just your idea.

Epic Execution is the definitive podcast for entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators seeking to build companies, raise capital, and deploy it effectively. Our central themes are team selection and leadership, validating your way to Product Market Fit, and creating genuine customer value and enduring engagement.

Hosted by David Kenney, we bring you unfiltered conversations with CEOs who have built extraordinary companies from the ground up. We dive deep, asking the hard-hitting questions that unlock the secrets behind explosive growth, effective team leadership, strategic capital management, and groundbreaking product development. Each episode features actionable insights and strategies designed to maximise your business potential.

About the course:

The Million Dollar Business Map is Course 5 in the Start With Epic curriculum — a hands-on, plain-English program guiding founders through business design, validation, and execution. Packed with templates, examples, and frameworks, it helps you build with intent and accelerate with confidence.

👉 Enroll now at startwithepic.com and build the business you were meant to lead.

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with fellow builders.

This week’s episode is about really knowing the who's who of your startup. It's based on the fourth course at StartWithEpic and the fourth chapter of David’s book, Epic Execution. 

Founders often rush past the foundational work of deeply understanding their target audience. We break down the three critical worksheets from the Know Who’s Who course that every founder must complete before building or launching anything.

You’ll learn:

• Why customer empathy is the superpower behind great startups

• How to align your personal mission with your customer’s deepest needs

• What happens when founders skip real conversations with their audience

• The value of specificity in customer profiles (and how it drives better messaging)

• How emotional connection leads to loyalty, traction, and real product-market fit

• Lessons from successful pivots that nailed this alignment

  
  

This episode is not just about knowing your customer — it’s about understanding them so well that your product becomes the obvious solution.

Epic Execution isn’t just a book — it’s a toolkit. Follow along at Start With Epic to access the course and complete the worksheets yourself.

Epic Execution is the definitive podcast for entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators seeking to build companies, raise capital, and deploy it effectively. Our central themes are team selection and leadership, validating your way to Product Market Fit, and creating genuine customer value and enduring engagement.

Hosted by David Kenney, we bring you unfiltered conversations with CEOs who have built extraordinary companies from the ground up. We dive deep, asking the hard-hitting questions that unlock the secrets behind explosive growth, effective team leadership, strategic capital management, and groundbreaking product development. Each episode features actionable insights and strategies designed to maximise your business potential.

In today's episode, focusing on the course "Obsess over the Customer Problem," David and Mike explore one of the most mission-critical aspects of building a successful business: understanding your customer’s problem both superficially and deeply.

Listeners will gain powerful insights into defining effective problem statements that build trust, why market sizing using TAM, SAM, and SOM is more than just investor fodder, and how to uncover the root causes behind customer pain points. David and Mike also unpack how to validate whether customers are willing to pay for your solution, and why that matters more than any feature you build.

This conversation explores the founder’s journey from assumptions to insight, emphasising the role of smart capital allocation, strategic communication, and customer-driven product development. It’s about shifting from selling a product to creating real value.

Key takeaways for founders:

• The problem is the product — nothing else matters if you don’t understand it.

• A sharp problem statement can unlock customer trust and team alignment.

• Root cause analysis is your unfair advantage in product design.

• Willingness to pay is the real market test, not just feedback.

• Excellent communication helps customers feel understood and engaged.

• Data-rich customer insights inform smarter capital decisions.

• Value creation goes beyond features — it starts with the right questions.

  
  

Epic Execution is the definitive podcast for entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators aiming to build companies, raise capital, and deploy it. Our central themes are team selection and leadership, validating your way to Product Market Fit, and creating genuine customer value and enduring engagement.

Hosted by David Kenney, we bring you unfiltered conversations with CEOs who have built extraordinary companies from the ground up. We dive deep, asking the hard-hitting questions that unlock the secrets behind explosive growth, effective team leadership, strategic capital management, and groundbreaking product development. Each episode features actionable insights and strategies designed to maximise your business potential.

Enrol now https://www.startwithepic.com/products/courses/03-obsess

Obsess over the Customer Problem

Learn how to identify, size, and solve a meaningful problem with Chapter 3 of Epic Execution. A no-fluff course for founders who want to stop pitching ideas and start building what matters.

What really separates great founders from the rest?

In today's episode, focusing on the course Your Startup Grows as Fast as You Do, David breaks down the six core traits he’s seen time and again in the most successful founders: growth mindset, ambition, obsession, curiosity, work ethic, and conviction

David and Mike dive deep into what it really takes to lead a startup through uncertainty, build trust through execution, and drive relentless progress — even when the odds are stacked against you.

Top 5 Takeaways for Founders:

1. The Six Traits That Matter Most

   Successful founders consistently demonstrate a growth mindset, ambition, obsession, curiosity, work ethic, and conviction, and these can all be developed.
   

2. Execution > Ideas

   Customers, teams, and investors trust execution. It’s not about what you plan to do, it’s what you actually ship and learn from.
   

3. Learning Is Your Superpower

   In the early stages, your ability to learn faster than competitors and alongside your customers is your most important metric.
   

4. Conviction Needs Self-Awareness

   Strong beliefs drive progress, but great founders know when to question their own assumptions and adapt based on evidence.
   

5. Discipline Builds Momentum

   Saying no to distractions and staying customer-focused helps you build the right product, not just a busy roadmap.

   
   

Epic Execution is the definitive podcast for entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators seeking to build companies, raise capital, and deploy it effectively. Our central themes are team selection and leadership, validating your way to Product Market Fit, and creating genuine customer value and enduring engagement.

Hosted by David Kenney, we bring you unfiltered conversations with CEOs who have built extraordinary companies from the ground up. We dive deep, asking the hard-hitting questions that unlock the secrets behind explosive growth, effective team leadership, strategic capital management, and groundbreaking product development. Each episode features actionable insights and strategies designed to maximise your business potential.

If you want to go deeper, enrol at ⁠https://www.startwithepic.com

In today's episode, David sits down with John Hardy, renowned sales strategist and customer engagement expert, for a deep dive into the critical foundations of sales, entrepreneurship, and team culture. Together, they explain why validating customer problems must precede any product launch and how direct customer conversations are the most powerful tool in product development.

John shares battle-tested insights on the future of retail, the undeniable value of human connection in sales, and why AI will never replace empathy, belief, or charisma. The duo discusses how price versus value, first impressions, and effective capital allocation can make or break early-stage companies. With real-world examples, proven sales frameworks, and a passion for excellence, this episode serves as a masterclass on what it takes to build a successful sales team and drive business growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Validate customer problems before building solutions.

• Sales starts with listening, preparation, and problem-solving.

• Retail isn’t dead—it’s evolving.

• Charisma and belief are irreplaceable in sales.

• Team culture and capital discipline drive startup success.

• Boards should enable, not hinder, execution.

• Rejection is a learning opportunity, not a setback.
  

Epic Execution is the definitive podcast for entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators seeking to build companies, raise capital, and deploy it effectively. Our central themes are team selection and leadership, validating your way to Product Market Fit, and creating genuine customer value and enduring engagement.

Hosted by David Kenney, we bring you unfiltered conversations with CEOs who have built extraordinary companies from the ground up. We dive deep, asking the hard-hitting questions that unlock the secrets behind explosive growth, effective team leadership, strategic capital management, and groundbreaking product development. Each episode features actionable insights and strategies designed to maximise your business potential.

With the release of David Kenney’s new book Epic Execution: Speed Up, Scale Up & Level Up, this episode launches a powerful new series for founders ready to build businesses that matter. Joined by Mike Parsons, Co-Founder of Epic Execution & Serial Entrepreneur, David and Mike delve into Chapter One: The Truth of Who You Are — the critical foundation every entrepreneur must establish before building a high-growth company.

They examine the emotional and strategic journey of HealthMatch founder Manuri Gunawardena, whose experience of being ghosted after a term sheet became a defining moment of clarity, resilience, and self-assessment.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why startups are the ultimate personal development journey

• The Three Foundational Truths every founder must confront: Who you are, Why you're doing this, and What your real circumstances are

• How to uncover your strengths, blind spots, and working style

• Why your “who” may matter more than your “why”

• How to build teams around your gaps — and why that’s your hidden superpower

  
  

Whether in the idea stage or deep in scale mode, this episode is packed with honest insights, strategic frameworks, and lessons from the trenches to help you reflect, prepare, and execute with intent.

Epic Execution is the definitive podcast for entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators aiming to build companies, raise capital, and deploy it. Our central themes are team selection and leadership, validating your way to Product Market Fit, and creating genuine customer value and enduring engagement.

Hosted by David Kenney, we bring you unfiltered conversations with CEOs who have built extraordinary companies from the ground up. We dive deep, asking the hard-hitting questions that unlock the secrets behind explosive growth, effective team leadership, strategic capital management, and groundbreaking product development. Each episode features actionable insights and strategies designed to maximise your business potential.

If you want to go deeper, enrol at https://www.startwithepic.com

In today’s episode, David sits down with Aly Madhavji, Tech Entrepreneur and Blockchain Investor, to explore what truly sets successful founders apart. From the grit and resilience needed to thrive to the nuanced world of blockchain and crypto, this conversation uncovers the heart of effective startup execution.

Aly shares his ideological entry into the crypto space and offers a candid take on what founders often get wrong and what they must get right. Together, David and Aly unpack the dual tracks of product development and fundraising, the evolving role of VCs, and how accelerators must shift to stay relevant.

Whether you're a founder, investor, or simply fascinated by the future of startups and Web3, this episode delivers sharp insights and actionable wisdom on navigating the fast-paced world of innovation.

Key Takeaways:

• Founders need hunger, resilience, and clarity of purpose.

• Blockchain holds massive potential when applied thoughtfully.

• Execution post-fundraising is where most startups falter.

• Tokens can build sticky, engaged communities.

• Structured fundraising and investor updates are game-changers.

• Accelerators must evolve to meet startups where they are.

Epic Execution is the definitive podcast for entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators aiming to build companies, raise capital and deploy it. Our central themes are team selection and leadership, validating your way to Product Market Fit and creating genuine customer value and enduring engagement.

Hosted by David Kenney, we bring you unfiltered conversations with CEOs who have built extraordinary companies from the ground up. We dive deep, asking the hard-hitting questions that unlock the secrets behind explosive growth, effective team leadership, strategic capital management, and groundbreaking product development. Each episode has actionable insights and strategies designed to maximise your business potential.