Never Too Early

In this episode of 'Never Too Early,' host Lauren Ipsen is joined by Jonathan Schneider, founder of Moderne and US Army alum. They delve into topics crucial for business leaders and operators, such as multi-year deals, pricing strategy, and knowing when to fight versus fold. Jonathan shares his journey from Netflix to founding Moderne, his insights on pricing models, challenges with enterprise deals, and the importance of aligning incentives with customers. The discussion provides valuable advice for founders, including the idea of 'planning to lose' and being prepared for rejection.

In this episode of 'Never Too Early,' host Lauren Ipsen, Talent Partner at Decibel, welcomes Maria Zhang, former VP of Engineering at Google and other major tech companies, who recently launched her startup, Palona AI. Maria discusses her new venture, her transition from corporate roles to founding a startup, key insights from talking to over a hundred customers, and the importance of building for the buyer. Maria also shares practical advice on building products, recruiting early teams, and navigating the complexities of go-to-market strategies for first-time founders.

In this episode of Never Too Early's Founder Therapy Series, Lauren Ipsen from Decibel sits down with Matt Peters, the former Chief Product Officer at Expel and now a tech entrepreneur. They discuss his journey to becoming a founder, including his early career experiences, the challenges of building his company Fixify, and the learnings from product development to managing investors. Matt shares invaluable insights on the importance of understanding customer needs, building a strong team, and maintaining emotional resilience in the startup world.

In the first episode of NTE’s Founder Therapy Series, Lauren Ipsen, Talent Partner at Decibel, interviews Navrina Singh, founder and CEO of Credo AI. Navrina shares her journey from leading AI products at Microsoft to founding Credo AI in 2020. She discusses the challenges she faced, such as creating a new category in AI governance and navigating the complexities of the startup world. The conversation also covers essential advice for new founders, the importance of trusting one's gut, and strategies for attracting and retaining talent. The episode concludes with insights into successful venture partnerships and the future of AI governance.

In this episode of 'Never Too Early,' host Lauren Ipsen from Decibel engages with Amy Kim, the Chief Revenue Officer at A.Team, discussing the strategic use of contractors for early-stage startups. Amy provides insights into the evolving gig economy, emphasizing the paradigm shift towards output-driven organizations in a rapidly changing workforce landscape. She discusses the benefits of hiring contractors, such as flexibility and cost efficiency, while addressing common concerns and misconceptions about their investment and reliability. The conversation also covers A.Team's rigorous vetting process for high-caliber talent, differences in contractor versus full-time employee compensation, and the importance of cultural fit and regular feedback. Amy shares her perspective on when it is optimal to hire contractors, stressing function over company stage, and encourages founders to overcome traditional stigmas associated with contract work as they build agile, impact-focused teams.