<p><strong>Make sure to subscribe to our new channel at </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@bizdevpod" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">@bizdevpod</a><strong> for more deep dives into innovation, growth, and startup strategy.</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>David Hirshfield — 35-year tech veteran, founder of Tekyz Corp, and host of the </strong><em><strong>Scaling Smarter</strong></em><strong> podcast — joins us to share what it </strong><em><strong>really</strong></em><strong> takes to build, scale, and sustain a successful startup in today’s AI-driven world.</strong></p><p>In this deep-dive conversation, David unpacks his <em>Launch First</em> approach, which flips the traditional startup model by focusing on validation and sales <strong>before</strong> writing a single line of code. He explains why free beta testing doesn’t prove product-market fit — only paying customers do.</p><p>We explore how AI is transforming software development, not by replacing developers, but by accelerating what’s automatable and unleashing more space for human creativity. You’ll also hear his insights on hiring smarter (not just more skilled) people, scaling systems through distinct growth phases, and how he envisions a future of AI-driven abundance — one where even parking garages disappear.</p><p>🎧 This episode is essential for startup teams, founders, and innovators navigating the new tech economy.</p><p><strong>✨ Get weekly business growth hacks every Friday:</strong><br><a href="https://thesearchlight.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://thesearchlight.com/subscribe</a></p><p><strong>🔗 Connect with David:</strong><br>✉️ <a href="" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">[email protected]</a><br>💼 <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhirschfeld/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhirschfeld/</a><br>🌐 <a href="https://tekys.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://tekys.com</a></p><p><strong>📍 Chapters</strong><br>0:00 Intro<br>1:17 Success in a Recovery Project<br>6:11 Turning Around a Dying Business<br>11:27 The Mistake of Free Trials<br>14:32 From Small-Scale Idea to Major Snack Distribution Software<br>22:05 Building a Culture of Excellence Without Burnout<br>29:24 Founders, Delegation, and Cultural Leadership<br>35:31 Scaling Through Logarithmic Growth Principles<br>37:32 Visualizing Future Scale &amp; Systemic Thinking<br>39:26 Recognizing a Profitable Market — The StageRite Story<br>42:29 Will AI Eliminate Software Jobs?<br>48:14 A Vision of AI-Driven Abundance<br>53:09 The Biggest Mistake Young Founders Make<br>55:53 Outro</p><p>#HorizonSearchPodcast #StartupSuccess #ProductMarketFit #AIinBusiness #FoundersAdvice #SaaS #TechLeadership #RemoteTeams #LaunchStrategy #ScaleSmarter #DavidHirshfield #TechInnovation #Automation #SmartHiring #DigitalProducts #NoCode #StartupTips #BusinessGrowth #EntrepreneurMindset #StartupMistakes</p><p><br></p>