Lessons from My Podcast Conversation on Startup Leadership
I recently had the chance to sit down for a podcast interview where we explored my journey from engineering into fintech, aerospace, and ultimately coaching founders. These conversations always remind me why I chose this path: helping technical founders move from building products to building companies and, just as importantly, building themselves as leaders.
My Path from Engineer to Coach
I began as an electrical engineer and spent eight years in fintech before co-founding a company that grew from just two people to 150 before we sold it. After that, I moved into aerospace, where I launched satellites and worked with cutting-edge technology. Yet despite the thrill, I felt the impact was too narrow. That realization pushed me toward coaching. Coaching lets me use everything I’ve learned to multiply impact across dozens of founders and companies—what I like to call my Archimedes lever.
Startups Beyond the Headlines
One theme I highlighted in the interview is how distorted our view of startups can become. Media loves to showcase unicorns or flameouts, but most companies exist somewhere in between. For first-time founders, this distortion often leads to chasing perfection instead of testing, learning, and adapting. My advice is simple: focus on experimentation and listen to your market more than your own opinions. Success rarely comes from polishing a product in isolation—it comes from engaging with customers and solving their real problems.
The Challenge for Technical Founders
I know this firsthand: engineers are trained to communicate with computers, not people. That creates a natural blind spot. Many technical founders put all their energy into building, when in reality the harder challenge is understanding human dynamics—customers, teammates, and investors. Leadership requires curiosity, empathy, and the ability to connect. These are skills you can learn, but they require just as much practice as coding or design.
Finding the Right Co-Founder
We also talked about co-founders, because who you choose to build with matters enormously. I suggested resources like Y Combinator’s network or StartHock.io, but the real point is to approach co-founder search like hiring for a critical role. Look at job specifications, benchmark multiple people, and learn enough about areas outside your expertise so you can make informed choices. The right partner complements your blind spots and helps you see from perspectives you’d otherwise miss.
A Final Thought on Perspective
If there’s one lesson I want first-time founders to take away, it’s this: learn to see the world through other people’s eyes. Whether it’s your customer, your co-founder, or your team, leadership is about understanding perspectives beyond your own. That’s where empathy starts, and empathy is what allows you to scale not just a business, but a culture that lasts.
