In this first episode of Rule of 40, Jason Serda and Josh Ayscough introduce the podcast and unpack the "misunderstood middle", the critical stage where startups must evolve into real, scalable businesses.

They explore how today's tougher funding environment demands discipline, resilience, and a focus on building sustainable companies, not just raising capital. This episode also introduces the Rule of 40 as a key metric for balancing growth and profitability.

A candid look at what it really takes to scale and why most companies get stuck along the way