Hey friends 👋

This week we’re coming to you live from Global Entrepreneurship Week, and we’ve got some news - we’re officially the Traction Lab Podcast now! After counting eight different brands between us (yeah, we know), we’re consolidating everything under one roof.

We dive into the biggest mistake we see founders make: perfectionism. Honestly… if you’re asking yourself “is this good enough?” the answer is almost always yes... for the next step at least. The real questions are: good enough for who, and good enough for what?

Cameron walks us through the three things that trip up founders, while I share our infamous fake door test story from Chico (we eat our own dog food at the Lab). Nothing says “learning in public” quite like getting called out on your own methodology.

We also break down the Four Rights of traction science (doing the right thing, the right way, at the right time, for the right investment) and why most founders bet way too big, way too early. Think poker, not all-in.

Plus we tackle live questions from founders about building without tech skills, when to manufacture products, and the art of the sandbagger (etymology included).

Oh, and in Frivolous Thoughts: JDM’s toddler yelling “PEOPLE, I need more ketchup!” at restaurant staff. Parenting wins all around.

—Cam and JDM

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com

Hey friends 👋

This week we’re breaking down why the common “you need to be 10x better than the competition” advice is dangerously misleading.

Everyone says you need to be 10x better than the competition to overcome switching costs. But they’re missing a key factor: it’s not about being 10x better at something.

It’s about the ratio between the value you create and the friction of switching.

We dig into three real scenarios where founders chase this mythical 10x:

* A construction scheduling tool that’s literally 10x faster, but customers still won’t pay.

* An e-commerce support platform stuck at small customers who can’t crack mid-market.

* A freelancer financial app with great reviews but terrible conversion rates.

The common pattern is they’re all solving for the wrong equation. You need to either make switching 10x easier OR deliver 10x more value on the things that actually matter to your economic buyer.

We walk through the hidden switching costs most founders miss (and it’s not integrations), why “we’re happy with [incumbent]” is always code for something else, and how to figure out if you’re targeting the right person in the organization.

Plus: the etymology of “chip on your shoulder” and why Slow Horses is the best spy show you can watch right now.

—Cameron and JDM

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com

Hey friends 👋

We’re going deep on something that’s probably killing your startup right now: untested assumptions.

Fresh off workshops with David Bland and our GrowTECH Fest session, we’re breaking down the assumption-to-evidence cycle that separates fundable startups from wishful thinking.

Here’s what you need to know: A startup is literally just an organization searching for a business model. And this cycle—identify, define, design, measure, decide, repeat—IS that search. Master this, and you’ve cracked the code on what actually determines startup success.

We walk through three real-world scenarios (okay, Claude made them up, but they’re painfully realistic):

* The marketplace founder building supply before proving demand exists

* The SaaS team building integrations instead of validating their go-to-market

* The subscription service doubling down on “quality” without understanding why customers actually churn

Each one shows how reasonable-sounding decisions can hide fatal assumptions.

The pattern? Founders building solutions to problems they haven’t proven exist, for customers they haven’t validated will pay. Sound familiar?

We break down exactly how to proportion your effort to your evidence, why customer interviews beat surveys every time, and how to spot the difference between interest and intent.

Plus: Our Frivolous Thoughts segment covers barn burners, the Kings’ victory, and JDM’s questionable Dodgers fandom (Cameron is NOT pleased).

Join us for a live recording on November 19th at the Carlson Center during Global Entrepreneurship Week—bring your toughest questions!

—Cameron and JDM

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com

Hey friends 👋

We’re diving into one of the most dangerous traps in early-stage startups: the say-do gap. You know the one—where 41 out of 47 customer interviews say they’d “definitely use this,” so you rush off to build... only to find crickets when you launch.

This week we break down the Four Asks framework: time, money, effort, and access. These are the commitments that separate real intent from polite interest. Because here’s the thing: feedback is free, but commitment isn’t.

We walk through three real scenarios (okay, Claude made them up, but they’re painfully realistic):

* The AI procurement tool with suspiciously perfect interview results

* The compliance reporting SaaS running “feedback pilots” instead of paid ones

* The kitchen marketplace getting feature requests from “power users”

Each one has signals mixed with noise. We show you exactly how to separate them.

Key insight: You literally cannot achieve product-market fit without charging money. If you’re not asking customers to pay, you might just be building “product freeloader fit” instead.

Whether you’re in customer discovery or running pilots, this episode gives you the tactical playbook to close that gap and validate real demand.

Also: We finally offboarded Cass (he’s on “mandatory sabbatical”), welcomed Claude as our new co-host, and Cameron mourns the end of Slow Horses season 5.

See you in your ears next week,

—Cameron and JDM

P.S.: Join us November 19th for a live recording during Global Entrepreneurship Week. Bring your questions.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com

Hey friends 👋

This week we’re tackling something we see constantly: founders confusing motion with traction. You know the pattern—you’re “crazy busy” but somehow not making any real progress.

We dive into what JDM calls “procrastivity” (productivity + procrastination), where you’re doing things that feel productive but are actually just clever ways to avoid the scary work that actually matters. Think: rebuilding your onboarding flow before anyone’s even used it, or spending a week redoing your pitch deck because one advisor said it needs to “pop more.”

Here’s the reality check: Your startup won’t live or die based on your visual brand guidelines. It’ll live or die based on whether you can get customers to pay you money. Period.

We walk through real scenarios of founders caught in what we’re calling the “Over-Optimization Olympics”—endlessly polishing things before they’ve proven there’s anything worth polishing. From the two technical co-founders hiding in Figma instead of doing sales, to the founder pivoting between customer segments because they haven’t put a real offer in front of anyone.

The pattern? Founders retreat to technical work (the safe stuff) instead of adaptive work (the scary, ambiguous stuff that actually moves the needle). But here’s the thing: customers can’t tell you “no” while you’re color-coding swim lanes in Notion.

Key insight: Most procrastivity is just unprocessed fear wearing a productivity costume.

In Frivolous Thoughts, JDM shares his existential moment taking a tarmac bus at LAX and wondering if he’s living in the movie Speed. Cameron laments the Kings’ season outlook and battles with Xfinity’s AI bots (who clearly need better churn detection).

Bottom line: If it feels productive but doesn’t involve talking to customers or testing your assumptions, you’re probably just procrastinating with extra steps.

— Cameron and JDM

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com

Hey friends 👋

We’ve all been there—telling ourselves stories that feel true but are really just comfortable lies keeping us from the hard work of validation.

In this episode, Cameron and I tackle 8 of the most common lies founders tell themselves. Things like “our users say they love it, so we’re on the right track” (spoiler: interest ≠ intent) and “we just need a few more features before we can start charging” (you’re optimizing for freeloaders, not customers).

We dig into why these lies feel so good—fear of rejection, perfectionism, overconfidence — and, more importantly, how to overcome them. Because here’s the thing: a little delusion helps you start, but data is what gets you to product-market fit.

Some of our favorite reality checks from this one:

* “Nobody buys technology. People buy outcomes.”

* “Validation over vibes. Intent over interest. Data over dogma.”

* “Winners don’t never quit—they quit everything that doesn’t work.”

We wrap with Frivolous Thoughts about marathons, perseverance, and Seth Godin’s “The Dip” — because knowing when to quit is just as important as knowing when to push through.

Stop lying to yourself. Start shipping. Get the data.

— Cameron and JDM

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com

Hey friends 👋

Ever see a startup pitch with a “$120 billion TAM” and think... wait, what? This week we’re diving deep into Total Addressable Market calculations and why most founders get them hilariously wrong.

We break down the difference between top-down TAMs (”if we just get 1% of this massive market...”) and bottom-up approaches that actually mean something. From college fridge rentals claiming 50% market capture to legal platforms confusing their customers’ TAM with their own, we rate some truly wild examples.

Key insight: Your TAM should be the market you’re actually playing in, not your customer’s market. That DIY legal platform? Your TAM isn’t the entire legal services market - it’s what freelancers spend on legal tools.

We also share tactical tips for building credible, data-driven TAMs that impress investors and help you understand your real growth potential.

Plus: Cam’s history of the Boston metro, and JDM’s epic Reno road trip disaster involving flat tires, beef jerky dinners, and a Starbucks with literally zero chairs. Because sometimes startup life mirrors your TAM calculations… messier than expected.

—Cameron and JDM

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com

Hey friends 👋

Ever catch yourself nodding along to customer interviews where everyone says “yes” to your idea? Yeah, we’ve been there too.

This week we’re breaking down the classic founder trap: leading customers to tell you exactly what you want to hear. Coming fresh off our Startup Challenge (and maybe slightly sleep-deprived), we dive into the art of unbiased customer interviews using the Mom Test framework.

We play “Did they say that, or did you?” with three startup scenarios — from AI insurance tools to pet travel platforms.

No surprise… most are accidentally offering customers a “magic wand” and wondering why their beta launches flop.

Key insight: Ask about past behavior, not hypothetical interest. “Tell me about the last time you...” beats “Would you use a tool that...” every single time.

Plus, in Frivolous Thoughts: the surprising origins of origami (hint: it started in China, not Japan) and why we say “telltale signs.”

Stop building products nobody wants. Start asking better questions.

—Cameron and JDM

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com

Hey friends 👋

Ever wondered why investors ghost you after seeing your cap table? This episode might have the answer.

We dive into the messy world of founder equity splits and why most of them are recipe for disaster. From the CEO hoarding 60% while the CTO builds everything, to the “fair” 50-50 splits that avoid hard conversations, to advisors walking away with 15% for making a few intros.

Key insight: “Equity is about future value, not past value” - and most founders get this backwards.

We break down:

* Why contribution-based splits beat “vibes-based” decisions

* The vesting cliff mistake that kills deals

* What your cap table signals to Series A investors

* Real examples of equity splits that make investors run

Plus, we play “Founder’s Pie or Founder’s Crumble” - our game analyzing startup cap tables and predicting their Series A fate.

Frivolous Thoughts: JDM discovers a drag king named Oliver Clothes Off on Bake Off (seriously).

— Cameron and JDM

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com

Hey friends 👋

Ever catch yourself making massive moves based on tiny evidence?

Yeah, we've all been there.

This week we dive into the classic founder trap: escalating way too quickly on way too little evidence, from hiring three engineers because "investors said we need a mobile app" to dropping $25K on PR before you even launch (ouch).

We break down why startups can't afford awareness campaigns, when founders absolutely must stay in sales mode, and how to spot the difference between a logical next step and a delusional leap.

Key insight: "Never make big product changes based on what investors tell you. Only make them based on what the market tells you. And when those two aren’t aligned, don’t take the money."

Plus, our rating game gets spicy when we encounter some truly questionable strategic moves. Spoiler: we had to invoke the full Billy Madison treatment.

In Frivolous Thoughts: JDM's eternal productivity tool addiction strikes again, and Cameron loses his Whoop in a river (but gets amazing customer service).

— Cameron and JDM

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com