AI for Founders – 50 Episode Recap

Show Notes

Ryan Estes and Fernanda celebrate 50 episodes of AI for Founders with a candid check-in on how far the podcast has come. From its humble beginnings in February to more than 50 episodes, 22,000+ subscribers, and countless hours of interviews with global startup founders—this episode is part recap, part roadmap for what’s next.

Key Takeaways

• Pivot to AI Focus: The show started as “Lift” but shifted focus due to overwhelming AI demand.
• Global Founder Trends: Many early-stage AI founders are based in Europe and Asia, reflecting global democratization of tech.
• Pet Rock Tech: Simple, single-function AI tools are gaining mass traction.
• DIY Microproduct Strategy: Ryan is shipping weekly novelty AI products to test adoption and monetization.
• Newsletter Growth: Over 22,000 subscribers joined since February.
• Memorable Guests: Nikhil (Vapi), Mariana (Hackerverse), Aaron (Nametag), and more.
• Representation: Strong presence of women AI founders featured.
• Deep Conversations: Meditation, philosophy, and even UFOs come up regularly.
• Stoicism: Most founders reference it as a guiding life philosophy.
• YouTube Growth: Ryan is experimenting with thumbnails, hooks, and formats to grow audience.
• Next Goals: Feature unicorn founders, reach 50K subscribers, and publish more expert-driven short-form content.

Resources & Featured Guests

• AI for Founders Podcast
• Newsletter: AIforFounders.co
• RyanEstes.info
• Vapi.ai – Nikhil Gupta
• Hackerverse.ai – Mariana Padilla
• GetNametag.com – Aaron Painter
• Tonita.co – Siva
• Hatter.ai – Jenna Hannon
• CodeStory.co – Noah Labhart
• Kitcaster.com – Sponsor
• Moburst.com - Sponsor

Subscribe and Learn More

AIforFounders.co

RyanEstes.info