Lost in Tech

Lola is nine weeks into building her own startup and nothing is going according to plan in the best possible way. She and Mamuna get honest about what it actually takes to go from a corporate idea to a real business, why raising money is about way more than the cash, and the startup Lola built and walked away from that someone should probably still build today.

💡 We cover:

Why Lola treated her startup idea as a real business from day one instead of another work project, and what that decision changed

The real reason to raise investment is not the money, it is who you get on the same side of the table as you

Why taking VC money means choosing your overlords and how Steve Jobs getting fired from Apple is the ultimate cautionary tale

Building a health product for people with chronic conditions and why the problem space is so underserved by tech

The TV fashion startup Lola built, nearly pitched to Netflix, and ultimately walked away from, and why somebody should still build it

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCUvzve_1iY

🔔 Like, share & subscribe for more honest tech talk.

🎧 Listen on Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📩 Email us: [email protected]

🐦 Follow on X/Twitter: @LostInTechPod

Show Notes

- Subscribe to Lost in Tech: Letters — https://open.substack.com/pub/lostintechletters

Workplace angst is at an all time high and most leaders have no idea how to handle it. Lola and Mamuna get honest about the difference between what employees say they need and what they actually need, and why your manager cannot fix the fear you are carrying.

💡 We cover:

Why workplace anxiety right now is not just about performance it is existential and tied to job security in the age of AI

The difference between needing direction from your leader and needing safety and security which nobody can give you but yourself

How people disguise emotional vulnerability as work questions and why leaders need to spot the difference

Why holding ambiguity is one of the most valuable and underrated skills in tech right now

The historical parallel between AI displacement and the miners strikes of the 1980s and why this has always happened

Why this moment might actually be the biggest entrepreneurial opportunity of your lifetime if you are willing to sit with the discomfort

Watch the full episode on YouTube.🔔 Like, share & subscribe for more honest tech talk.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.💌 Email us at [email protected]💬 Follow on X/Twitter: @lostintechpodShow Notes: • Subscribe to Lost in Tech: Letters - https://open.substack.com/pub/lostintechletters/p/coming-soon?

Stablecoins are about to create a hiring boom and most tech workers have no idea it is coming. Lola breaks down why people with payments, UX, and content experience are about to become the most valuable people in the room if they move now.

💡 We cover:

What stablecoins actually are and why they matter right now in plain English

Why sending money across borders in 2026 is still painful and how blockchain is about to fix that

Why payments professionals are terrified and why they absolutely should not be

The massive gap between blockchain companies and payments knowledge that nobody is filling

Why UX designers and content writers are sitting on a goldmine they do not know about yet

Watch the full episode on YouTube.🔔 Like, share & subscribe for more honest tech talk.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.💌 Email us at [email protected]💬 Follow on X/Twitter: @lostintechpodShow Notes: • Subscribe to Lost in Tech: Letters - https://open.substack.com/pub/lostintechletters/p/coming-soon?

Mamuna got banned by Anthropic mid task with zero explanation, and it sparked a conversation nobody in tech wants to have. When AI becomes your business infrastructure, who is actually in control?

💡 We cover:

• Getting banned by Anthropic with no reason given and how to appeal when you do not even know what you did wrong

• Why human behaviors are increasingly being flagged as bot behaviors by AI platforms

• The real risk of building your business on AI tools that can be switched off without warning

• Why AI is not the solution to every problem and why judgment still matters more than any tool

• The concerning parallel between Sam Altman and OpenAI and the 2007 banking crisis

Watch the full episode on YouTube.🔔 Like, share & subscribe for more honest tech talk.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.💌 Email us at [email protected]💬 Follow on X/Twitter: @lostintechpodShow Notes: • Subscribe to Lost in Tech: Letters - https://open.substack.com/pub/lostintechletters/p/coming-soon?

Sometimes there is no career advice. Sometimes life just gets real and you have to figure out how to keep going. Lola opens up about navigating work, parenting, and uncertainty while living through a genuinely scary situation, and what it means to still show up every day.

💡 We cover:

• Parenting through fear when you cannot control the situation around you

• Showing up to work when your brain has completely shifted its priorities

• Managing the well-meaning people who flood your inbox with news and worry

• Finding small anchors like books, cinema, and routine when the world feels unstable

• Why being kind to your colleagues matters more than you will ever know

Watch the full episode on YouTube.🔔 Like, share & subscribe for more honest tech talk.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.💌 Email us at [email protected]💬 Follow on X/Twitter: @lostintechpodShow Notes: • Subscribe to Lost in Tech: Letters - https://open.substack.com/pub/lostintechletters/p/coming-soon?

The tech landscape is fracturing into two distinct universes: one built by humans and one dominated by AI. Mamuna and Lola dive into the "WTF" of current industry shifts, exploring why the entry-level role is disappearing and how your value as a human creator is being redefined.

💡 We cover:

• The AI Divide: Understanding the two emerging universes of product development.

• The Death of Junior Roles: Why companies are skipping the "learning phase" and what it means for new talent.

• Human-Centric Value: How to position yourself when the "baseline" work is now automated.

• The "Summary" Trap: Why relying on AI to read the books for you is a career-limiting move.

Watch the full episode on YouTube.🔔 Like, share & subscribe for more honest tech talk.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.💌 Email us at [email protected]💬 Follow on X/Twitter: @lostintechpodShow Notes: • Subscribe to Lost in Tech: Letters - https://open.substack.com/pub/lostintechletters/p/coming-soon?

Tech is no longer just a department—it’s the engine driving the modern world, yet the disconnect between engineers and business leaders has never been wider. Mamuna and Lola dive deep into why technical expertise alone isn't enough anymore and how to speak the language of "real-world" impact to truly succeed.

💡 We cover:

• The Translation Gap: Why your brilliant technical solution might be failing to impress the C-suite.

• Outcome over Output: Shifting the focus from "shipping code" to solving actual human and business problems.

• Modern Leadership: How to navigate the shift from being a technical expert to becoming a strategic business partner.

• The Future of Tech Roles: Why "product-minded" engineering is the new standard for career longevity.

Watch the full episode on YouTube.🔔 Like, share & subscribe for more honest tech talk.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.💌 Email us at [email protected]💬 Follow on X/Twitter: @lostintechpodShow Notes: • Subscribe to Lost in Tech: Letters - https://open.substack.com/pub/lostintechletters/p/coming-soon?

What would you tell your 20-year-old self if you could go back in time? Mamuna and Lola get personal as they reflect on the pivotal moments, missed opportunities, and the "lessons learned the hard way" from their combined 35 years in thetech industry.

💡 We cover:

·       The Performance Review Trap: Why "perfect" results don't always lead to promotions and how to manage the discussion effectively.

·       The Power of Sabbaticals: A look back at why taking a break isn't career suicide, but a necessity for long-termgrowth.

·       Navigating Conflict: Moving from being a "firebrand" to a collaborative leader who knows when to pick theirbattles.

·       Relationship Capital: Why the people you work with are more important than the code you write or the products you build.

Watch the full episode on YouTube.🔔 Like, share & subscribe for more honest tech talk.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.💌 Email us at [email protected]💬 Follow on X/Twitter: @lostintechpodShow Notes: • Subscribe to Lost in Tech: Letters - https://open.substack.com/pub/lostintechletters/p/coming-soon?

Ready to stop reacting and start leading? Mamuna and Lola break down why you need to be planning for 2026 right now, offering a high-level masterclass on strategic foresight and operational roadmapping.

💡 We cover:

• The 2026 Horizon: Why top-tier leaders are already looking two years ahead to stay competitive.

• Building a Strategic Template: How to structure your year for maximum impact and clarity.

• The Masterclass Mindset: Shifting from daily "firefighting" to long-term architectural planning.

• Operational Excellence: Practical tips on how to share your vision with your team and stakeholders.

Watch the full episode on YouTube.🔔 Like, share & subscribe for more honest tech talk.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.💌 Email us at [email protected]💬 Follow on X/Twitter: @lostintechpodShow Notes: • Subscribe to Lost in Tech: Letters - https://open.substack.com/pub/lostintechletters/p/coming-soon?• Link to Outcomes Template 2026: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Mm2H_B_E3d0eLZQmQzVjYmTNYGul0ydHM-N3vvi-8qc/edit?usp=sharing

Mamuna is officially in builder mode with her new venture, Theme Health. In this minisode, Lola and Mamuna discuss why solving "messy" problems—like chronic health—requires a unique mix of systems thinking and scientific rigor. If you've ever wondered how to turn chaotic inputs into a navigable product, this episode is for you.

💡 We cover:

• From Chaos to Systems: How Mamuna’s background in music tech, GovTech, and Shopify prepared her to solve high-stakes, "messy" problems.

• The Problem Space of Chronic Illness: Why managing health is like running a daily experiment on your own body without a control group.

• The Power of Scientific Thinking: Why product execution in health tech must move beyond guesswork and toward structured data.

• Founder Market Fit: Why being a "builder" means finding the signal in the noise of high-cost human problems.

Watch the full episode on YouTube.🔔 Like, share & subscribe for more honest tech talk.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.💌 Email us at [email protected]💬 Follow on X/Twitter: @lostintechpodShow Notes: • Subscribe to Lost in Tech: Letters - https://open.substack.com/pub/lostintechletters/p/coming-soon?