Founder Mode
Founder Mode
Podcast Description
Founder Mode is a podcast for builders—whether it’s startups, systems, or personal growth. It’s about finding your flow, balancing health, wealth, and productivity, and tackling challenges with focus and curiosity. Each week, you’ll gain actionable insights and fresh perspectives to help you think like a founder and build what matters most.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes of entrepreneurship, personal growth, and effective decision-making. Episodes cover topics like health management for founders, relationship maintenance during intense work periods, and creating opportunities through strategic risk-taking. For instance, Episode 1 discusses the concept that luck can be manufactured, while Episode 2 delves into the challenges of balancing health and hustle for entrepreneurs.
Founder Mode is a podcast for builders—whether it’s startups, systems, or personal growth. It’s about finding your flow, balancing health, wealth, and productivity, and tackling challenges with focus and curiosity. Each week, you’ll gain actionable insights and fresh perspectives to help you think like a founder and build what matters most.
EPISODE 23
In this episode of Founder Mode, John Hancock joins us to break down the gap between startup hype and reality. From building Stonks—the largest angel syndication platform on AngelList—to walking away when the mission no longer fit, John shares what he’s learned about fundraising, pivots, and rebuilding with first principles. He introduces Validate, a tool designed to help founders and “idea people” kill bad ideas fast before wasting time or money, and explains why most AI features are “better shoes, not wings.” The conversation dives into validating ideas, writing as a way to sharpen thinking, and the most common founder mistake—stopping customer conversations. John closes with the raw truth: most people shouldn’t be founders, and that’s okay.
CHAPTERS
00:36 – The hype fades: AI as leverage + anyone-can-build moment
07:42 – From Stonks to walking away: the pivot and why it didn’t fit
10:31 – Validate: kill bad ideas fast (landing pages, plans, comps)
13:46 – Don’t bolt on AI no one wants (“better shoes, not wings”)
27:07 – The uncomfortable truth about being a founder
LINKS
Connect with John Hancock
Special Offer
Email [email protected] to get Validate free forever. John is offering this exclusive deal to Founder Mode listeners—validate your ideas quickly, save time, and avoid building what no one wants.
Cool Thing
Jason’s vibe-coded app
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Connect with Kevin
Connect with Jason
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
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