Manuel Saez built an electric bike company that was working. Subscribers in New York City, real demand, a product people wanted. Then COVID hit. Twelve months of inventory sat stuck in a shipping container while the debt piled up. Without inventory or investor support, he had to exit earlier than he wanted to.

He calls it landing the plane. Not an explosion — dents and scratches, but intact.

In this episode, Manuel talks about timing as a startup variable, what investor support in words actually costs you, and even and exit can hurt. And what it means to walk away ready to fly again.