Today, I’m reacting to scenes from The Office to figure out one burning question: Was Michael Scott in Founder Mode? I’ll break down Michael’s decisions, strategies, and leadership, revealing hidden lessons for founders. Let’s dive in.

Episode timestamps:

(00:00) Founder Mode explained in 60s

(01:07) Tell brutal truths

(02:42) Founders aren’t designed to be liked

(04:17) Avoid these types of meetings

(05:40) Logical vs emotional decisionmaking

(06:58) Fixing toxic work environments

(08:32) Let your team be creative

(10:03) Michael Scott is

Socials
• Website: https://www.hiten.show/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hnshah/
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Quick Links
• Share feedback: https://www.hiten.show/feedback
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• All episodes: hiten.show/episodes
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Disclaimer: Hiten Shah's "The Hiten Show" episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional.

Today I'm talking with Tim, the founder of Saasco, about his biggest challenge: How to go-to-market. During our chat, I spot a common trap that Tim's fallen into - and it’s one that keeps many founders from hitting $10K in Monthly Recurring Revenue. Let's find out what it is and how to beat it.

Timestamps:

(00:00) What’s going to come up on my call

(01:15) 5 things to know about Tim & Saasco

(01:33) Focusing on value, not price

(03:39) Rethinking Saasco’s positioning

(07:19) The art of product sequencing

(10:21) Finding the right design partners

(13:10) Aligning business goals with customer needs

(16:04) Next steps for Tim & Saasco

(17:35) The key takeaway

Where to find Hiten

• Twitter/X: https://x.com/hnshah
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hnshah/

Where to find Tim

• Twitter/X: https://x.com/timscullin

• Website: https://saasco.com/

Quick Links

• Website: https://www.hiten.show/

• Share feedback: https://www.hiten.show/feedback

• Spotify: hiten.show/spotify

• Apple: hiten.show/apple

Disclaimer: Hiten Shah's "The Hiten Show" episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional.

Today, I'm back in the lab with Walter White exploring more startup lessons from Breaking Bad. In this episode, I examine common early-stage founder pitfalls, the ego traps that can derail success, recognizing the right time to exit, and the importance of keeping your ultimate goals in sight. I break down four pivotal scenes that mirror these critical startup challenges. Let's dive in!

Where to find Part 1 & 2

• Cofounder Scenes From Breaking Bad (Part 1)

• Distribution Scenes From Breaking Bad (Part 2)

The pivotal scenes

1. Early founder mistake (Season 2, Episode 1)


2. Founder ego challenges (Season 5, Episode 6)


3. Knowing when to sell (Season 5, Episode 6)


4. Consider your ultimate goal (Season 5, Episode 6)

Episode timestamps

(00:00) Coming up on today's episode

(00:35) How much is enough

(01:35) Founder ego challenges

(02:47) Know when to sell

(04:08) Walter’s real motivation

Socials

• Website

• YouTube

• LinkedIn

• Twitter/X

Quick Links

• Share feedback

• Pitch me

• Ask a question

• Newsletter

Find the show

• All episodes

• YouTube

• Spotify

• Apple

Disclaimer: Hiten Shah's "The Hiten Show" episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional. The show's content is based on fictional scenarios from Breaking Bad and should not be taken as endorsement of illegal activities.

Today, I’m back in the lab with Walter White, cooking up more startup lessons from Breaking Bad. In this episode, I focus on two critical startup challenges: scaling operations and mastering distribution. I break down four key moments that mirror every founder's growth challenges. Let’s dive in!

Where to find Part 1

• The Business of Breaking Bad (Part 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpxN63hDEv0

The pivotal scenes

1. Sales & Distribution(Season 1, Episode 6)


2. Co-founder Disagreements (Season 2, Episode 11)


3. The Best Product Doesn’t Always Win (Season 2, Episode 11)


4. The Investor/Founder Relationship (Season 3, Episode 5)

Episode timestamps
(00:00) Coming up on today's episode

(00:31) Building a distribution engine

(01:50) Navigating co-founder disagreements

(03:37) One common founder trope

(04:23) Founders always forget this

(05:50) Finding partners

(06:55) What investors want from founders

Socials

• Website: https://www.hiten.show/


• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow


• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hnshah/


• Twitter/X: https://x.com/hnshah

Quick Links

• Share feedback: https://www.hiten.show/feedback


• Pitch me: https://www.hiten.show/pitch


• Ask a question: https://www.hiten.show/ask


• Newsletter: https://www.hiten.show/

Find the show

• All episodes: hiten.show/episodes


• YouTube: hiten.show/youtube


• Spotify: hiten.show/spotify


• Apple: hiten.show/apple

Disclaimer: Hiten Shah's "The Hiten Show" episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional. The show's content is based on fictional scenarios from Breaking Bad and should not be taken as endorsement of illegal activities.

Today, I'm breaking down scenes from Breaking Bad on Walter White’s early startup days. I’m not endorsing illegal activities, but Walt's story is surprisingly packed with startup lessons. From pivoting careers to finding the right co-founder, I've distilled four key moments that mirror every founder's journey. Ready to cook up some insights? Let's dive in.

The pivotal scenes

1. The Cancer Diagnosis (Season 1, Episode 1)


2. Walter Wants to Cook (Season 1, Episode 1)


3. Walter Shows Jesse the Cooking Equipment (Season 1, Episode 1)


4. Walter and Jesse’s First Cook (Season 1, Episode 1)


5. Walter and Jesse Argue About Business (Season 1, Episode 6)

Episode timestamps
(00:00) Coming up on today's episode

(00:26) Walter’s cancer diagnosis

(01:29) Walter and Jesse team up

(02:59) Alignment is key

(04:20) The Batman and Robin framework

(05:53) Building a quality product

(07:05) Product market fit is a “vibe”

(08:14) Setting cofounder expectations

(10:07) The hack to finding a cofounder

Socials

• Website: https://www.hiten.show/


• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow


• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hnshah/


• Twitter/X: https://x.com/hnshah

Quick Links

• Share feedback: https://www.hiten.show/feedback


• Pitch me: https://www.hiten.show/pitch


• Ask a question: https://www.hiten.show/ask


• Newsletter: https://www.hiten.show/

Find the show

• All episodes: hiten.show/episodes


• YouTube: hiten.show/youtube


• Spotify: hiten.show/spotify


• Apple: hiten.show/apple

Disclaimer: Hiten Shah's "The Hiten Show" episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional. The show's content is based on fictional scenarios from Breaking Bad and should not be taken as endorsement of illegal activities.

Today, I’m breaking down the worst Shark Tank pitches and what we can learn from them. I'll rate what went wrong, why they failed, and show you how to avoid these pitch pitfalls. Ready to see what made the sharks swim away? Let's dive in!

The pitches

1. Swimply (Season 11, Episode 15)


2. CoinOut (Season 9, Episode 23)


3. Trippie (Season 9, Episode 2)


4. Minus Cal (Season 11, Episode 1)


5. Pavlok (Season 7, Episode 9)

Episode timestamps

(00:00) Coming up on today's episode

(00:16) Swimply

(03:20) CoinOut

(06:17) Trippie

(09:16) MinusCal

(11:38) Pavlok

Socials

• Website: https://www.hiten.show


• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow


• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hnshah/


• Twitter/X: https://x.com/hnshah

Quick links

• Share feedback: https://www.hiten.show/feedback


• Pitch me: https://www.hiten.show/pitch


• Submit a question: https://www.hiten.show/ask


• Newsletter: https://www.hiten.show/

Find the show

• All episodes: https://www.hiten.show/episodes


• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow


• Spotify: https://www.hiten.show/spotify


• Apple: https://hiten.show/apple

Disclaimer: Hiten Shah's "The Hiten Show" episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional.

Today, I'm breaking down 5 unforgettable Shark Tank pitches packed with lessons for founders. I'll rate what worked, what didn't, and unpack must-know insights for your next pitch. Ready to swim with the sharks? Let's dive in!

The pitches

1. Squatty Potty (Season 6, Episode 9)


2. Jax Sheets (Season 12, Episode 13)


3. Haven Lock (Season 10, Episode 18)


4. Scrub Daddy (Season 4, Episode 7)


5. Tree-T-Pee (Season 5, Episode 7)

Episode timestamps

(00:00) Coming up on today's episode

(00:33) Squatty Potty

(03:36) Jax Sheets

(05:34) Haven Lock

(08:56) Scrub Daddy

(11:42) Tree-T-Pee

Socials

• Website: https://www.hiten.show


• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow


• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hnshah/


• Twitter/X: https://x.com/hnshah

Quick links

• Share feedback: https://www.hiten.show/feedback


• Pitch me: https://www.hiten.show/pitch


• Submit a question: https://www.hiten.show/ask


• Newsletter: https://www.hiten.show/

Find the show

• All episodes: https://www.hiten.show/episodes


• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow


• Spotify: https://www.hiten.show/spotify


• Apple: https://hiten.show/apple

Disclaimer: Hiten Shah's "The Hiten Show" episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional.

Today, I’m breaking down a storyline about mergers and acquisitions from HBO's Succession. We'll unpack intense boardroom scenes, rate their accuracy, and extract valuable lessons for founders. Why? Because for successful startups, acquisition talks are inevitable. Let's dive in.

The scenes from Succession

• Celebration (Season 1, Episode 1)


• Vaulter (Season 2, Episode 2)

Episode timestamps

(00:00) Coming up on today’s episode

(00:15) Show intro

(00:31) The founder's objection to the deal terms

(01:53) What acquirers don’t do

(02:40) Unrealistic founder dialogue

(03:35) Negotiations shouldn’t be personal

(04:36) Pitching the acquisition to stakeholders

(05:40) Unexpected challenges post-acquisition

(06:52) Gutting the company post-acquisition

(08:41) Breaking promises

(09:38) The importance of empathy in layoffs

Socials

• Website: https://www.hiten.show/


• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow


• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hnshah/


• Twitter/X: https://x.com/hnshah

Quick Links

• Share feedback: https://www.hiten.show/feedback


• Pitch me: https://www.hiten.show/pitch


• Ask a question: https://www.hiten.show/ask


• Newsletter: https://www.hiten.show/

Find the show

• All episodes: hiten.show/episodes


• YouTube: hiten.show/youtube


• Spotify: hiten.show/spotify


• Apple: hiten.show/apple

Disclaimer Hiten Shah’s “The Hiten Show” episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional.

Today, I’m reacting to Mad Men's iconic pitches and dissecting Don Draper's advertising genius. I'll break down each presentation, revealing hidden lessons for founders. Ready to level up your startup's marketing strategy? Let's dive in.

The pitches

• Hilton (Season 3, Episode 9)


• Heinz Ketchup (Season 6, Episode 4)


• Heinz Beans (Season 5, Episode 6)


• Lucky Strike (Season 1, Episode 1)


• Kodak Carousel (Season 1, Episode 13)


• Jaguar (Season 5, Episode 11)


• Belle Jolie (Season 1, Episode 8)


• Kellogg's (Unfrosted)

Episode timestamps

(00:00) Coming up on today’s episode

(00:20) Show intro

(00:36) The Hilton pitch

(01:53) The Heinz Ketchup pitch

(03:09) The Heinz Beans pitch

(04:26) The Lucky Strike pitch

(06:30) The Kodak Carousel pitch

(08:34) The Jaguar pitch

(09:53) The Belle Jolie pitch

(10:52) The Kellogg’s pitch

(12:28) That’s a wrap!

Socials

• Website: https://www.hiten.show/


• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow


• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hnshah/


• Twitter/X: https://x.com/hnshah

Quick Links

• Share feedback: https://www.hiten.show/feedback


• Pitch me: https://www.hiten.show/pitch


• Ask a question: https://www.hiten.show/ask


• Newsletter: https://www.hiten.show/

Find the show

• All episodes: hiten.show/episodes


• YouTube: hiten.show/youtube


• Spotify: hiten.show/spotify


• Apple: hiten.show/apple

Disclaimer Hiten Shah’s “The Hiten Show” episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional.

There’s a lot we can learn from the recent events with Humane, and this episode is dedicated to breaking down these events, sharing my perspective on what went wrong, and identifying a potential path forward for the company.

This video is not intended to be a hit piece or to drag the founders, employees, or anyone else involved with Humane.

Instead, I aim to uncover valuable insights we can all apply to future challenges when building our own companies.

In this episode, I cover:

• Where Humane AI went wrong


• What I would do as CEO


• Why the founders deserve empathy


• Learnings from their journey


• What each group involved in Humane is likely feeling (team, founders, board)


• What’s next for Humane

Referenced

• Bethany Bongiorno (co-founder)


• Imran Chaudhri (co-founder)


• Humane (Website)


• The potential buyout (Verge)

Episode timestamps

(00:00) Coming up on the show

(00:30) Everything you need to know about Humane AI in 30s

(01:25) Humane AI’s biggest failure

(02:48) The one thing a company can’t lose

(04:20) What I would do as CEO

(06:09) What’s going on inside Humane AI

(08:52) The only way out of this

Socials

• Website: https://www.hiten.show/


• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow


• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitenshow/


• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hitenshow

Quick Links

• Share feedback: https://www.hiten.show/feedback


• Pitch me: https://www.hiten.show/pitch


• Ask a question: https://www.hiten.show/ask


• Newsletter: https://www.hiten.show/

Find the show

• All episodes: hiten.show/episodes


• YouTube: hiten.show/youtube


• Spotify: hiten.show/spotify


• Apple: hiten.show/apple

Disclaimer Hiten Shah’s “The Hiten Show” episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional.