Show Notes
Most startups don’t fail because founders lack ambition.
They fail because founders build in a vacuum, avoid the real problem, and keep operating at the wrong level for the stage of the company.
In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Sonia sits down with startup founder, investor, and author Andrew Ackerman, who has built multiple companies and invested in more than 70 early-stage startups.
Andrew shares the patterns he sees repeatedly across founders, the mistakes that quietly kill startups, and the habits that separate companies that survive from those that disappear.
One of the biggest misconceptions founders have is that building a startup is about big ideas and innovation. In reality, most founders spend the majority of their time doing whatever needs to be done just to keep the business moving forward.
Throughout the conversation, Andrew breaks down the practical lessons founders usually learn the hard way, including why startups should test ideas before building, how to identify real customer problems, and the signals investors look for when deciding whether to back a founder.
Sonia and Andrew also explore the realities of scaling a company, the pressure founders face as teams grow, and how leaders must evolve their skills at every stage of the startup journey.
This episode is a reminder that building a company isn't about avoiding mistakes, it's about recognizing signals early, learning quickly, and adapting before time and capital run out.
If you're building a startup, launching a product, or trying to turn an idea into a real business, this conversation offers insights that could save founders months, or even years, of costly mistakes.
In This Episode You’ll Learn • Why founders should test ideas before building products • The most common mistakes first-time founders make • How investors evaluate startup founders • Why coachability is one of the biggest signals of success • The importance of customer discovery in startup growth • How founders transition from operator to CEO • Why founders must constantly learn new skills as companies scale • How to identify real problems vs surface-level startup challenges
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
More from Tenacity with Sonia C.
Beth Flippo, CEO of Drone Express, shares the real story behind building a drone delivery company and earning FAA drone certification with limited funding. She explains how a five year regulatory process, intense competition, and major setbacks became the very things that built a more resilient company. In this episode: • The personal problem that inspired the creation of Drone Express. • How Beth landed Kroger as her first customer by targeting a massive market. • Why she viewed strict FAA regulations as a collaborator, not an obstacle. • The leadership strategy she used to keep her team focused during long periods without obvious progress. • How the company navigated a critical parachute testing phase while running out of money. • The challenges of raising capital as a female founder in a male dominated industry. • Why she believes having it harder ultimately builds a stronger, more successful company. Connect with Beth Flippo and learn more about Drone Express: [Insert Links] #founderstory #dronetechnology #entrepreneurship #faacertification #startuplife #womenintech #leadership #fundraising #businessstrategy #resilience #tenacitypodcast
Becoming a leader people naturally trust starts with becoming a stable, consistent presence who is confident in who they are. In this conversation, founder and medical provider Shawn Gibbs explains why the most trusted leaders are like cruise ships, not dinghies: steady and unwavering because they have done the internal work. Shawn shares lessons from his journey building companies, including GiveGowns, which redesigns hospital gowns to restore patient dignity.
Building brand authority in the age of AI requires a marketing ecosystem built on sustainable systems, not chasing the latest tools. In this conversation, branding and ecosystem strategist Laurens Tijssen explains how founders can create lasting market presence. He shares insights from his journey, which started with an online payment at age 14 and led to working with over 150 clients, including high profile entrepreneurs and global brands.
Making better founder decisions requires intentionally designing the process to include cognitive diversity and counteract common biases. In this episode, Sonia C. speaks with Kylee Ingram, a former international television producer who is now the CEO and co-founder of Wiser, a technology company focused on decision science. Kylee shares what she has learned about the science of group decision making from her work with clients like the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation and from her time inside technology accelerators.
Our brand's authentic story is its most powerful sales asset because it builds human-to-human trust before the first sales call. In this episode, video strategist Graham Kuhn explains how founders can use strategic video, specifically a "brand story video," to shorten the sales cycle, escape the noise of AI-generated content, and connect with customers on a deeper level.