10 Best David Hirschfeld Podcasts in 2026

1. Agentic AI in Action: Real Stories from the Frontlines of Workflow..

Follow Play Aug 12, 2025 40:27
Website Apple Spotify
About Episode What does it really look like when Agentic AI systems are integrated into some modern software teams? In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we sit down with David Hirschfeld—founder and CEO—to unpack real-world experiences with Agentic AI, prompt engineering, and workflow automation in dev environments. This is not a theoretical discussion. David brings firsthand stories of building and deploying AI-powered agents. We explore the hands-on challenges and breakthroughs that come with treating AI like a junior developer, giving it structured workflows, and designing systems that can improve with feedback. Highlights include: Is “prompt engineering” dead? What Agentic AI is doing right now to reduce busywork and boost flow and what are the current shortcomings  How AI agents can integrate with tools like Jira and Slack  The cultural shifts needed to make AI part of your agile team Pitfalls of over-reliance on AI and the importance of confidence thresholds (e.g., big bang AI slop vs. small batch AI with verified output)   How voice and vision AI are expanding what’s possible in software development When to automate, when to augment, and when to stay manual The surprising power of “smart laziness” in engineering productivity Lessons from real teams automating their development processes Whether you’re a dev, product manager, or just AI-curious, this episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how agentic systems are being used today—not in the future—to transform engineering work. Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/cMhnIeGu3Js   MORE Podcast Title The Mob Mentality Show
Podcast Description Chris Lucian and Austin Chadwick discuss all things agile and product development from a mob programming perspective.
Guest David Hirschfeld
Producer/Network The Mob Mentality Show
Apple Rating 5.0/5 Avg Length 36 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact Get access to full database of 2.7M podcastsCreate podcast lists, export in spreadsheet or CSV file with email contacts and start your podcast outreach in minutes.Sign Up for Free with Email Continue with Google

2. Scaling AI with Ruthless Compassion

Follow Play Jun 24, 2025 56:04
Website Apple Spotify
About Episode On this episode of The Founder's Sandbox, Brenda speaks with David Hirschfeld, owner of 18 year old business Tekyz, that boasts a hyperexceptional development team building high “ticket” products in the B2B space. They speak about ways in which AI is a gamechanger, how Tekyz backs their work for clients with relentless pursuit of quality, and how Tekyz practices ruthless compassion,to protect the company and enable it to grow Having collaborated with over 90 startups, he developed the Launch 1st Method—a systematic approach that minimizes risks and accelerates software company success with reduced reliance on investor funding, after observing that many companies launch a product first and then fail at a later stage – With Tekyz approach of Launch 1st exceptional founders are in love with the problem not the product.   David's expertise bridges cutting-edge AI technologies, workflow optimization, and startup ecosystem dynamics. When not transforming business strategies, he enjoys woodworking, golfing, and drawing leadership insights from his experience raising four successful sons. You can find out more about David and Tekyz at: https://sites.google.com/tekyz.com/david-hirschfeld?usp=sharing https://tekyz.podbean.com/ - Scaling Smarter Episodes. www.scalingsmarter.net - Schedule an interview https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhirschfeld/ https://x.com/tekyzinc https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhirschfeld/ https://www.facebook.com/dmhirschfeld       transcription:  00:04 Welcome  back to the Founders Sandbox.  I am Brenda McCabe, the host here on this monthly podcast, now in its third season. This podcast reaches entrepreneurs, business owners that are scaling. 00:31 professional service providers that provide services to these  entrepreneurs, and corporate board directors who, like me, are building resilient, purpose-driven, and scalable businesses with great corporate governance. My guests to this podcast are business owners themselves, professional service providers, and corporate directors who, like me, want to  use the power of the private company to build a better 01:01 world through storytelling with each of my guests in the sandbox. My goal is to provide a fun sandbox environment where we can equip one founder at a time to build a better world through great corporate governance. So today I'm absolutely delighted to have as my guest, David Hirschfeld. David is the owner and CEO of Techies, 17 or 18 year old business now that boasts 01:29 a hyper exceptional development team that are building high ticket products in the B2B space.  Welcome David to the Founder Sandbox. Hi Brenda and thanks for having me. Great. So I'm delighted that we  actually did a dry run in February.  We've known each other for some time  and AI, we're going to be touching on AI.  And I think that the world of AI 01:58 particularly in software development,  has changed significantly since we last spoke in February. So we're going to be getting into  some, I think, novel concepts for  the listeners of the Founder Sandbox. So I wanted to, you I always talk about how I like to work with  growth stage companies  that  typically are bootstrapped  and 02:26 It's only at a later stage do they seek institutional investment  by building great corporate governance  and reducing the reliance on investor funding  until such a time that they choose the right type of investors that can help them scale. So when I found out what you do at Techies with Launch First  and the type of work you do in B2B businesses, I absolutely wanted to have you here  on the  founder sandbox. 02:56 So let's jump right in, right? I think I'm eager to learn more about how to scale your bespoke development at Techies, right? To scale my own business? Okay. So there's a lot of different aspects to scaling my business and I bootstrapped for the last 18 years. 03:25 I've never taken any investment  with techies.  And I've  done that very specifically because  it gives me a lot of freedom. I don't have  a reporting structure that I have to worry about. That doesn't mean that I can be lazy with my team.  To grow my team, I have a philosophy 03:52 that I only hire people that are smarter than I am.  And the  ones that are in a position to hire, they can only hire people that are smarter than them. And by  really sticking to this philosophy, even though sometimes it makes us grow a little slower than we would like, it means that when we bring in people, those people  contribute immediately and contribute in a way 04:21 that it's our job to get the impediments out of their way and to facilitate them  so that they can contribute and  help us grow the company. So I call it  the ball rolls uphill  here because  my job is to support everybody that is above me, which is everybody. And then the people that I support directly, their job is to support the people that are above them. 04:51 Because if we're hiring correctly, then  people that we bring in can contribute in the area that we're bringing them in way more than the person that's hiring them. Okay. Thank you for that. So before you launched Techies, you had a career in companies like,  I  believe, Computer Associates, right? Texas Experiments and TelaMotorola. 05:19 There was a period of time between your  experience in these large corporations before your launch tech is where you actually had your own startup  and  you sold it in 2000, right? And I believe you also learned perhaps with the second startup about how hard it is to find product market fit. Can you talk to that for my listeners, please? 05:46 I don't know that it's that hard to find product market fit. It depends if that's your focus or not. If your focus is to nail down product market fit, then  it's not that hard to determine whether you can achieve that or not fairly quickly.  You can do that by  selling your product to potential customers.  That sounds strange. Of course, we all want to sell our products, but 06:14 What I'm suggesting is you start selling your product before you have a product, before you have a  full product. And I don't mean an MVP, but a design prototype. You go out to the market and you start to sell it. If you have product market fit and you've identified the early adopter in your market and you know that they have a very high  need from a perception perspective  and there's a big cost to the problem that you're solving. 06:45 then you can offer them a big enough value upfront that they'll buy your product early and you can prove that there's a market for your product and they'll buy it in enough numbers that you  can achieve a measurable  metric, which I kind of call the golden ratio, which is three to one in terms of what is the lifetime value of a customer versus what does it cost to acquire that customer? And you can get to that three to one ratio. 07:13 in a prelaunch sale model before you ever started developing your product as a way of proving product market fit. Or you pivot quickly and cheaply because you're not having to rebuild a product that you've built in the wrong way. Or you  fail fast and cheap. And every entrepreneur's first goal should be to fail fast and cheap. know that sounds backwards, but that should be your goal is that you can fail fast and cheap or if you 07:42 If you fail to fail fast and cheap, that means you've found a path to revenue  and  product market fit. And now you know you have a viable business. making the investment to build the product  is a no brainer.  And you came upon this methodology, right? Yes.  because you did yourself when you had your first company, you did not understand the funding part, right?  Can you talk? 08:12 a bit about your specific example and then how that's informed now 17 years of techies and over 90 projects with startups. Okay. So my first company was Bootstrap. Okay.  And that one was successful and we grew it despite  me, it was me and a partner. And  despite ourselves, we grew it  over eight years. 08:39 where he ended up with 800 customers in 22 countries and sold it to a publicly traded firm out of Toronto. That was in the product food, snack food distribution business because that was what our product was focused on. So I started another company about five years later, not realizing the things that I did the first time. 09:08 that made it  so successful,  which really fit the launch first model to a large degree.  But the second time I built a product that would have been successful had I followed my first model,  but I didn't. So I went the route of building an MVP and getting customers on a free version of it, and then going out and trying to raise money, which is the very classic approach that the SaaS products 09:38 take now.  And the problem is with that approach is that you end up digging a really deep hole  in terms of the investment that you make to build the product with enough functionality that you can convince people it's worth putting an investment in and you're not generating any revenue at the time. And I should have just started selling the product and generating subscription revenue right from the beginning. First of all, I would have been able to  raise money much more easily. 10:08 Secondly, I would have not needed to raise money as much if I'd focused on sales. The problem with a lot of founders is they fall in love with their product. They believe that people will buy it at enough numbers and that investors will see the potential. they're afraid of sales. I've fallen into this trap before too. I've done it both ways. And I can tell you selling early 10:38 and staying focused on the customer and the problem are the way to be successful. So founders who I find are consistently successful, they are focused on the problem, they love the problem. The product is just the natural conclusion to solving the problem, not something to be in love with. They spend their time talking to customers about the problems.  So how does a potential customer find you and work with you? 11:08 Oh, they can find me at Techies or they can find me at LaunchFirst, was spelled launch1st.com. And they can find me on LinkedIn. And then to work with me, it's just give me a call, send me an email, we'll set up a Zoom. I'll start to learn about what you're trying to accomplish and what your requirements are. And I'll typically spend quite a bit of time with any potential clients. 11:39 in  one to usually multiple calls or Zooms, learning and  creating estimates and doing a lot of work in advance with the idea that there'll be a natural conclusion at the end of this that they'll wanna start working with me in a paid fashion. So there's a lot of value that my clients get from me whether they end up contracting me or not.  And how, again, back to,  thank you for that and that. 12:08 how to contact you will be in the show notes. But what types of sectors do you work in?  You know, in your introduction, I talk about high ticket B2B, right?  who are the,  so  what founder that's has some idea today?  What would be  their call to action to find techies? And what would you, is it launch first before you go down? 12:35 No, it's not necessarily. It may be an existing company that  is trying to implement AI or implement workflow automation, or they have a project and they don't have the IT team or capacity to handle it.  We love those types of projects. It might be an existing startup that is struggling with their software development team and they're not 13:04 getting  to the end goal that they're expecting and the product's buggy, it's taking too long,  there's constant delays, they're way over budget  and they  need to get this thing done. And  I call those recovery projects,  they're probably my favorite because people  recognize very quickly  the difference  that we bring. 13:33 and they really, really appreciate us.  As far as what sectors,  business sectors,  healthcare, law enforcement,  prop tech, real estate, finance,  entertainment, I mean, we work in  many, many different sectors over the last 18 years.  So  regardless in  B2B, B2B2C,  not so much e-commerce unless there's some 14:03 complex workflow associated with your particular e-commerce, but there's lots of really good solutions for e-commerce that  don't require developers to be involved.  But  mobile, web, IoT,  definitely everything is AI now. Absolutely. And in fact, when we last spoke,  I'd like to say that you started to drink your own Kool-Aid at Techies. 14:33 you're starting to actually use AI automation for internal functions as well as projects at Techies. So can you walk my listeners through how you're using  AI automation  and what's the latest with agentic AI?  So let's do the first.  Yeah,  okay.  So there are a bunch of questions there. So  let me start with 15:02 that we're building products internally  at Techies to help us with our own workflows.  These products though  are  applicable to almost any development company or any company with a development team.  Some of them are, and some of them are applicable to companies that are, well, so one product  is  putting voice capability in front of project management tool. 15:32 and we use JIRA and JIRA is an incredibly technical tool for project managers and development teams to use to  their projects, requirements, their  track bugs, all of that.  And so your relationship with what I call relationship with project management is very technical one. If you're a client, some clients are willing to  go through the learning curve so that they can enter their own... 15:59 bugs and feature requests and things like that directly into JIRA. Most don't.  They  want to send us emails, which is fine,  and just give us a list of what's going on and the problems that they're finding or the things that they need  for a future version and the planning and the documentation, everything else. This is a real technical thing. We're going to make it a very natural personal relationship by  adding voice in front of all this so that you can 16:29 be sharing your screen with your little voice app and say, just found a problem on the screen.  And  the voice app can see the screen. It knows your project. It knows your requirements. And it can identify problems on the screen that you may not have even noticed.  And it can also prevent you from reporting bugs that have already been reported and tell you when they're planned to be built.  And all of this just with a verbal discussion with the app. 16:58 that basically knows your project.  Kind of like talking to a project manager in real time, but they don't have to write down notes and  they can instantly  look up anything about your project in terms of what's been reported in terms of bugs or feature requests  and update them or create new ones for you or just report them to you and tell you when things are planned to be built and released or. 17:24 where they've already been released and maybe you need to clear your cache so you can see the change, whatever.  Yeah. So it be like an  avatar, but it's trained and it's  specific to Jira  in your case?  In the first version, it's actually being built architected so that we'll be able to add other project management tools to it besides Jira in the future.  to begin with, because we use Jira,  it's going to work directly with Jira to start. 17:54 And this, by the way, you asked about agentic workflows,  right? So we're  building an agentic workflow  in this tool where we have more  different agents  that work together to resolve these issues.  so we have an agent that reads and writes documentation to JIRA.  We have an agent that communicates with  the user and the user might be the programmer 18:23 might be a person in QA, it might be a client for a lot of different things. And we have an analyst agent that when the person talks, the voice agent says to the analyst agent, here's what I understand. Here's the information I just got. Go do your work and come back and get me the answer. And it'll speak to the JIRA agent to get the information. It will also speak directly to us. 18:52 a vector database, which is a database where all the documentation from that project  is ingested into our own  separate AI model so that the context of all the communication is about their project and doesn't go off into other directions.  And then can  get back. So this is an agentic workflow.  The idea of 19:20 agents is like everybody keeps talking about agents. Not everybody is really clear on what that even means. Can you define  that?  an agent is an AI  model  that you can interact with that is focused on  one specific area of expertise.  So if it's a travel agent, the word agent fits very well there, then their expertise would be on everything related to 19:49 travel and booking travel and looking up  options and comparing prices. And  that would be an AI  travel agent.  So that's very different from an AI project management agent, very different from an AI financial analyst agent.  So each agent specializes in its own area of expertise and may draw from specific 20:18 repositories of information that are  specific to that particular agent's area of expertise.  And they actually look from the perspective of that type of person, if it was a person. So,  and so they'll respond in a way that is consistent with how somebody who is a project manager would respond to you when you're talking to them, asking you questions about your requirements, knows what 20:46 information it needs to be able to assess it properly, things like that.  wouldn't be very good about travel because that's  not its area of expertise. Right.  So is it  common to have companies that are creating with their own large language model, right? Or their workflow processes internally to the company to create their own agent AI? 21:14 Or is there a marketplace now where you can say, want this type of agent to get in. This is a very basic question, but  do build it? Right. Or do you buy it? Or is it something in between? It's something in between.  So there are tools that allow you to  basically collect agents out there.  And there's a difference between an agent and a context.  Cause you hear a lot about model context switching and things like, don't know. 21:44 if your audience knows these things.  Or model context protocol. A context is not an agent, but it has some agent capabilities because it's kind of specializing your model in a certain area. But you would use this, but you're not, if it's a true agent, then  it's probably tied to its own vector database. 22:12 that gets trained with specific information. It might be company's information. It might be information, let's say if I'm a security agent, then I'm going to be trained on the entire NIST system as well as all of my security architecture that's currently in place. And that so that it could monitor and 22:41 assess instantly whether there's  security vulnerabilities, which you wouldn't ask Chet GPT to do that. No. Right? Because it couldn't. Because it doesn't know  anything about your organization or environment. And  it  really also doesn't know how to prioritize  what matters and what doesn't at any given moment. Whereas a  security agent, that would be what it does. 23:10 I don't know if I answered that question. Oh, bad thing about building or buying.  there are- Or something in between,  Yeah. So there are tools that you can use to build workflows  and  bring in different agents that already exist. And  you can use something like OpenAI or Claude  and  use it to create an agent and give it some intelligence and- 23:37 give it a specific, in this case, you're giving it a specific context.  You could even  tie a special machine learning database to it  and make it even more agentic in that way.  And then  build these workflows where you're  like, let's say a marketing workflow,  where you're saying you first go out and research all the people who are your  ideal customer profile. 24:07 I was going to say ICP, but I'm trying not to use acronyms because not everybody knows every acronym.  Ideal customer profile.  And then it finds all these people that fit your ideal customer profile. Then it says, well, which of these people  are  in the countries that I do business? And then it illuminates the ones that aren't. then which ones, and it may be using  the same agent or different agents to do this.  Then once it's nailed it down to the very discrete 24:37 set of customers. Now  the next step in the workflow is, okay, now  enrich their data  of these people to find their email and other ways of contacting them as well as other information about them so that I have a really full picture of what kind of activity are they active  socially? they speak? Do they post? What are they speaking about? What are they posting about? What events are they going to? Things like that. 25:07 So that would be the next step and that'd be an agent that's doing all the enriching.  And then after that, the next step would be to call basically call a writing agent to go do, am I writing an email? Am I writing a LinkedIn connection post? Am I doing both?  Set up a drip campaign and start reaching out to these people one at a time  with very customized specific language, right? That  is in your voice. 25:34 It doesn't sound like it's written by a typical AI outreach thing. All right, so these would be  steps in a workflow that you could use with several different tools to build the workflows and then calling these different agents. 25:48 Let's go back to the launched first. What would be a typical engagement with a company? you know, they, um, the founders that have the greatest success in your experiences are the ones that love the problem space and not the product. All right. So walk my listeners through. 26:17 What a typical engagement. it's staff augmentation. it  full out  outsourcing? it tech?  because it's very complex. I can touch so many. can touch high  tech and high ticket B2B products,  sector agnostic. what,  put some legs on this for my listeners, please. Sure, sure. We're not. 26:46 so much a staff augmentation company, although we'll do that if asked to, but that's not  the kind of business that we  look for.  We look for project type work. So a typical engagement for launch first would be  somebody wants to launch a product, they're in the concept phase. We help refine the concept and we build out,  help that we do the design and then we build a high fidelity prototype, which is a design prototype. 27:16 When I demo a design prototype to somebody, they think that they're looking at a finished product,  but  it's not. It doesn't actually do anything. It just looks like it  does everything.  So it's very animated set of mock-ups is another way to look at it.  And it's important because you can build out the big vision of the product this way in a couple of months, whereas 27:46 it takes instead of, you so you're looking at the two year roadmap when we're done of the product. If we were to build an MVP, then you're going to see a very limited view of the product and it's going to cost a lot more to build that MVP than it takes to build this design prototype. Now we're in the process of doing this. We're also nailing down who that early adopter is. And there's a, there's a very, 28:14 metrics driven methodology for doing this.  your launch first. Within launch first, right. Okay. All right. And then  we'll help the client build.. MORE Podcast Title The Founders Sandbox
Podcast Description The Founder's Sandbox, produced and sponsored by Next Act Advisors, is now in its fourth season. Hosted by NAA founder Brenda McCabe, each episode features in-depth conversations with founders of small and midsized, owner-operated companies, and operators that support the ecosystem including board of directors and service providers. Together, they explore how to build scalable, resilient, purpose-driven businesses underpinned by strong governance. You'll discover: - Inspiring origin stories and pivotal "aha" moments - Strategies for scaling without sacrificing your company's core values - Techniques to cultivate mission-aligned, engaged teams - Tips for balancing ambitious growth with genuine fun Intro music by Daphne Willis Artwork and graphics by Whitney Otte Learn more at https://nextactadvisors.comMORE Guest David Hirschfeld
Producer/Network Brenda McCabe
Apple Rating 5.0/5 Avg Length 43 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

3. Navigating Startup Success: Insights from David Hirschfeld on the Launch..

Follow Play May 12, 2025 52:46
Website Apple Spotify
About Episode Send us a text Welcome to the Maker Manager Money podcast! In this episode, host Kyle Ariel Knowles sits down with David Hirschfeld, the founder and CEO of Tekyz. With over 35 years of experience in software development, David shares his entrepreneurship journey, including creating the innovative Launch First methodology designed to help software startups achieve product-market fit quickly. Here are three key takeaways from our conversation that I believe every entrepreneur and aspiring startup founder should consider: Focus on Solving Real Problems: One of David's most powerful insights is the importance of building products that solve real problems you understand deeply. He emphasized that the best startups often emerge from personal experiences and frustrations. By automating tasks or addressing challenges in your own life, you can create solutions that resonate with others facing similar issues. This approach validates your idea and enhances your understanding of the market. The Value of Rapid Revenue Generation: David's Launch First methodology stresses the significance of generating revenue quickly. He pointed out that many startups fail because they invest heavily in product development without validating their market. Instead, he advocates for a lean approach—developing a minimum viable product (MVP) and testing it in the market to gauge interest and demand. This strategy allows entrepreneurs to pivot or refine their offerings based on real feedback, reducing the risk of costly missteps. Embrace AI as a Tool for Innovation: In our discussion, David highlighted how AI transforms the software development landscape. He shared exciting examples of how Tekyz Corp is leveraging AI to enhance project management, streamline processes, and improve customer interactions. As AI continues to evolve, it’s crucial for entrepreneurs to embrace these technologies, not just as a trend but as essential tools that can drive efficiency and creativity in their businesses. Join us as David discusses: The story behind the name "Tekyz" and how it reflects the company's mission. The various ways Tekyz generates revenue through contract software development and upcoming SaaS products. Insights into the importance of understanding customer problems over just focusing on the product. Pivotal moments from David's early career that sparked his entrepreneurial drive. The impact of AI on software development and how Tekyz is leveraging it for project management and product design. Valuable advice for aspiring software engineers and entrepreneurs navigating the evolving tech landscape. Whether you're an established entrepreneur or just starting your journey, this episode is packed with inspiration and practical insights. LINKS Follow David on LinkedIn David's company, Tekyz David's new SaaS product, ManageReferrals.com Learn more about Launch 1st  The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you by Rob Fitzpatrick Follow Kyle on LinkedIn Subscribe to Kyle's Substack Support the show MORE Podcast Title Maker Manager Money - Entrepreneur & Business Owner Inspiration
Podcast Description Hello there. Welcome to the Maker Manager Money podcast with Kyle Ariel Knowles. This podcast is about entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, founders, business owners, and business partnerships, from startups to stayups, to inspire entrepreneurs to keep going and future entrepreneurs to just start.MORE Guest David Hirschfeld
Producer/Network Kyle Ariel Knowles
Apple Rating 5.0/5 Avg Length 60 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

4. Launch First, Learn Faster: Workflow, AI & Startup Wisdom with David..

Follow Play May 12, 2025 30:18
Website Apple Spotify
About Episode On this episode of Venture Visionaries, Thomas Igeme sits down with David Hirschfeld—35-year tech veteran, serial entrepreneur, and the creator of the Launch 1st Method. David’s journey spans from early engineering and national sales to launching a logistics software company that served 800 customers in 22 countries and building Tekyz Inc., a firm specializing in AI-driven workflow transformation. Thomas and David dive deep into the realities of software startups, what it really takes to scale, and why founders should validate their ideas with customers before they even start building. David shares hard-won lessons on process documentation, playbooks, and leveraging AI for better project management. The conversation unpacks the practical side of entrepreneurship—building teams, serving customers, and the importance of clarity and usability. Whether you’re launching your first product, scaling a tech business, or just looking for a smarter way to work, this episode is a masterclass in building what matters, faster. MORE Podcast Title Venture Visionaries with Thomas Igeme
Podcast Description Welcome to Venture Visionaries: Behind the Business, where we journey into the heart of entrepreneurship with those who dare to reimagine our world. This isn’t just a conversation with inspiring CEOs; it's an exploration of the entire 'village'—the dedicated teams, the satisfied clients, and the collaborative spirit—fueling transformative ventures. From tech startups to educational non-profits, from local politics to global solutions, our guests are united in their pursuit to create a better tomorrow. We delve into personal stories, distill collective wisdom, and reveal the actionable strategies behind visionary success. Join us for a roadmap that not only narrates the messy, brilliant, and beautiful journey of entrepreneurship but also hands you the compass to navigate your own path to innovation.MORE Guest David Hirschfeld
Producer/Network Thomas Igeme
Apple Rating 5.0/5 Avg Length 36 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

5. Launch First: Why Startups Fail and How AI Can Save Them with David Hirschfeld

Follow Play Apr 15, 2025 43:25
Website Apple
About Episode In this insightful episode of DIY for Business, Russ and Greg chat with startup strategist and software veteran David Hirschfeld, founder of Tekyz, about why so many startups fail—and how to prevent it. David introduces his proven Launch First methodology, showing how early validation and sales before building a product can be a game-changer for founders. They dive into the power of identifying the right niche, using AI to streamline development, and even how to sell software before it’s built. The trio also tackles AI’s role in content creation and internal efficiencies, including an innovative voice-integrated Jira assistant that’s solving real developer pain points. Whether you’re launching your first startup or trying to scale smarter, this episode is packed with practical, battle-tested advice. MORE Podcast Title DIY For Business
Podcast Description DIY For Business offers guidance and support to entrepreneurs as they navigate the often-daunting process of starting and growing a company. Our hosts, Russ and Greg, are here to help start-up and established companies overcome the numerous hurdles they face every day. Our show covers a wide range of topics, including marketing, finance, leadership, legal matters, and other crucial aspects of business management. Through thoughtful discussion and insightful interviews with industry experts, we provide valuable insights and strategies to help businesses thrive. We understand that entrepreneurship can be a challenging journey, and that's why we strive to bring you not only informative content, but also some humor and levity along the way. So, tune in and join us on this exciting adventure as we explore the world of business together. See what Beezwax can build for you. Over two decades of experience and 2500+ projects. beezwax.net ‬MORE Guest David Hirschfeld
Producer/Network DIY for Business
Apple Rating 5.0/5 Avg Length 42 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

6. Pre-Sell Before You Build: Avoid Costly Startup Mistakes — with David..

Follow Play Apr 10, 2025 51:48
Website Apple Spotify YouTube
About Episode Pre-Sell Before You Build: Avoid Costly Startup Mistakes — with David Hirschfeld   Most startups fail because they build something no one wants. In this episode of Feel the Boot, I talk with David Hirschfeld, founder of Tekyz and creator of the Launch First method, about how to flip the script and pre-sell your product before you build it.   We explore how high-fidelity mockups, early customer conversations, and focused problem validation can help founders avoid wasting time, money, and effort on products that miss the mark.   If you’re an early-stage founder, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you test, sell, and refine your idea before writing a single line of code. ? What you’ll learn: ✅ Why most startup products fail ✅ How to pre-sell using mockups ✅ When to raise capital—and when NOT to ✅ The difference between building what you want vs. solving real problems ✅ Why narrowing your focus is critical in the early stages ? Thinking about raising capital? Take my free 5-question quiz to see if you’re fundable: ? https://ftb.bz/fundable ? Connect with David Hirschfeld: ? Website: https://tekyz.com/ ? Twitter/X: https://x.com/tekyzinc ? LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhirschfeld/ ? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dmhirschfeld ? Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tekyzinc ? Want more from this episode? ? Read the full blog: https://ftb.bz/119B ?️ Watch the video: https://ftb.bz/119V ? Related video: Watch my episode on pre-pivoting your startup: [Insert link here] ? Chapters 00:00 Intro — Most founders build too soon 02:09 Why solving the right problem matters 06:37 The Launch First method explained 10:27 High-fidelity mockups that look real 15:17 Validating with real customer conversations 18:07 Pre-selling before you write code 21:42 Founder mindset mistakes to avoid 27:12 Why you shouldn’t raise capital too early 31:07 Real-world examples from David’s work 34:57 Final advice for early-stage founders ? Like this episode? Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more practical startup advice!   #startups #founderadvice #productvalidation #entrepreneurship #FeelTheBoot #presell #startupfunding #startupmistakes MORE Podcast Title Feel the Boot
Podcast Description Feel the Boot delivers advice and experience to entrepreneurs, helping them create and grow successful businesses. We help founders go from overwhelmed entrepreneur to successful CEO.
Guest David Hirschfeld
Producer/Network Feel the Boot
Apple Rating 5.0/5Facebook 185 Avg Length 24 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

7. Sell Before You Build for Faster Product-Market Fit

Follow Play Mar 20, 2025 40:02
Website Apple Spotify
About Episode Send us a text In this episode of UX Leadership by Design, Mark Baldino sits down with David Hirschfeld, founder and CEO of Tekyz, about the Launch First methodology—a metrics-driven approach to de-risking product development and achieving product-market fit before building software. David shares insights from working with over 90 startups, highlighting the common pitfalls that lead to failure, particularly the mistake of waiting too long to validate revenue. He breaks down how to identify the right niche, perform root cause analysis, and use high-fidelity prototypes to pre-sell software before investing in an MVP. Whether you're a startup founder, a product leader, or iterating on a new SaaS offering, this episode offers actionable strategies to validate demand, avoid wasted development, and accelerate success. Key Takeaways The Biggest Mistake Startups Make - Most startups fail due to lack of product-market fit, not running out of money. Waiting too long to validate revenue leads to wasted resources and increased risk. Flipping the MVP Approach - Instead of using an MVP to test product-market fit, use it to validate product-solution fit—ensuring real customers will use it, not just buy it. Pre-Selling Before Building - High-fidelity prototypes that feel like real software can be used to sell the vision and secure early customers before writing a single line of code. The Power of Niche Analysis - Startups should identify a niche where pain points have both a high cost and a high perceived impact, ensuring customers are both willing and able to pay. The Scientist vs. The Believer - Founders often wear the "black robe" of belief in their vision, but success comes from adopting the "white coat" of data-driven decision-making. Speed Matters: Fail Fast, Fail Cheap - Instead of spending years and millions developing a product that may not sell, Launch First helps founders validate demand in 3-5 months. Lifetime Licenses Aren’t Crazy - For some SaaS models, offering lifetime licenses in pre-sales can be a smarter way to fund development than raising capital and losing equity. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to David Hirschfeld's Journey 03:01 Why Most Startups Fail: The Real Reason 09:31 Understanding Product-Market Fit vs. Product-Solution Fit 14:46 Sell Before You Build: The Power of Pre-Sales 19:31 Finding the Right Niche with Data-Driven Decisions 24:31 From Founder to Scientist: The Mindset Shift 28:46 Building a Sales Funnel for Early Traction 34:11 When to Start Building Your MVP Resources & Links Connect with David Hirschfeld on LinkedIn Tekyz Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Fuzzy Math - B2B & Enterprise UX Design Consultancy MORE Podcast Title UX Leadership By Design
Podcast Description A podcast by and for UX Design & Product Management Leaders. Your host Mark Baldino, Co-Founder of UX design consultancy Fuzzy Math, brings twenty+ years of experience in UX design and strategy into a series of conversations with people who lead UX design teams.MORE Guest David Hirschfeld
Producer/Network Mark Baldino
Apple Rating 5.0/5 Avg Length 39 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

8. Episode 19 - Part 2 - Launch First: How AI Drives Smarter Startups with..

Follow Play Feb 18, 2025 57:45
Website Apple Spotify
About Episode Send us a text In Part 2 of our conversation with David Hirschfeld, Founder and CEO of Tekyz, we dive even deeper into the future of AI, automation, and startup growth strategies. David shares how AI is transforming software development, why businesses must reinvent themselves constantly, and how leveraging AI-driven workflows can dramatically increase efficiency. ? Key Topics Covered: ✅ The rapid evolution of AI and its impact on businesses ✅ How startups can use AI to streamline operations and scale faster ✅ The role of AI agents in replacing traditional workflows ✅ Why “manual” processes must evolve—or be left behind ✅ The future of software development: What’s next? This episode is packed with insights for entrepreneurs, developers, and business leaders who want to stay ahead of the curve. If you’re looking for practical strategies to scale smarter with AI, this is a must-listen! ? David Hirschfeld’s Links: ? LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhirschfeld/ ? Launch 1st from Tekyz: https://launch1st.tekyz.com/ ?️ David’s Company: https://www.tekyz.com/ ? Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay on top of the AI revolution! ? Chapter Markers 00:00:00 - Intro: Welcome Back to Artificial Antics 00:01:05 - AI’s Rapid Growth: How Businesses Must Adapt 00:06:30 - Scaling Smarter: AI’s Role in Startup Efficiency 00:12:45 - Reinventing Software Development with AI Agents 00:18:20 - The Future of Business Workflows: Automation vs. Human Input 00:24:55 - Real-World AI Use Cases: How AI is Already Reshaping Business 00:32:10 - Practical AI Adoption: Overcoming Resistance & Unlocking Value 00:38:40 - The Role of AI in Decision-Making & Business Strategy 00:45:15 - Challenges of AI Implementation & How to Tackle Them 00:51:30 - The Next Big AI Disruptions: What’s Coming in the Future? 00:57:00 - Closing Thoughts: Preparing for AI’s Next Evolution Special Thanks:Episode mastered by: Nomad Studios (https://nomadstudios.pro) Description: The team behind mastering the Artificial Antics podcast audio. Big shout out to Nick and the team! ? Stay Updated: - Subscribe to our channel for more episodes like this: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXz1ADq4dDQ5yPy40GWDepQ?view_as=subscriber&sub_confirmation=1 - Follow Us: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2178171/follow Connect with Us: ? Artificial Antics Podcast Website: https://antics.tv/ ? AI Bytes Newsletter: https://artificialantics.beehiiv.com/ ? Artificial Antics Business Site: https://artificialantics.ai/ ? LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artificialantics/ ? Twitter: https://x.com/anticslab ? Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/artificial-antics/id1694398244 ? Spotify: https://open.spoti... MORE Podcast Title Artificial Antics
Podcast Description Artificial Antics is a podcast about Artificial Intelligence that caters to the skeptic and uninitiated. Join this unlikely trio Mike (the techy), Rico (the skeptic) and A.I. as they dive headfirst into the world of artificial intelligence. From debating the social implications and ethical concerns around AI to figuring out how to break into the lucrative AI market, no topic is off-limits. And with A.I. on board, you never know what kind of shenanigans are in store. Will A.I. turn out to be the brains of the operation, or will it be the source of all their problems? Tune in to Artificial Antics to find out!MORE Guest David Hirschfeld
Producer/Network Artificial Antics
Apple Rating 5.0/5 Avg Length 56 min Format Long form Get Email Contact