Every unicorn started with a first check. First Money In takes you behind the scenes of the most critical and anxiety-filled moment in a startup's journey - rai...
From Door-to-Door Sales to Raising Over $100M | The Story of Adam Turner (Founder, Postscript)
This week I sat down for conversation with Postscript Founder/CEO Adam Turner as he shares his remarkable journey from selling solar panels door-to-door to building a venture-backed tech powerhouse. Adam candidly discusses the early struggles of startup life, including living in questionable apartments and surviving on Costco corn dogs, before revealing the strategic moves that led to Postscript's acceptance into Y-Combinator and their path to generating significant revenue.The episode dives deep into the brutal realities of competing in a cutthroat tech market, including shocking stories of competitors offering $100,000 to poach customers and the critical importance of early hiring decisions. Adam provides invaluable insights on startup growth, the future of mobile marketing, and the delicate balance between profitability and fundraising.00:00 Introduction and Early Challenges00:28 Interview with Adam: Background and Early Career00:51 Founding the First Startup04:01 Lessons Learned and Moving Forward04:54 The Birth of Postscript06:40 YC Experience and Early Growth12:27 Navigating the Competitive Market18:45 Fundraising Journey22:00 Impact of AI and Future Plans26:22 Reflections and Final Thoughts
--------
27:58
From Hand Model to a Billion-Dollar Real Estate Empire | The Life of Ryan Serhant
I sat down with Ryan Serhant as he shares his remarkable journey from struggling actor and hand model making just $9,000 a year to building one of New York City's most successful real estate empires. He reveals how his father's tough love rule against taking "survival jobs" pushed him to aim higher, and how riding a purple Vespa to client meetings marked his humble beginnings in the industry.The conversation takes an unexpected turn as Ryan discusses how COVID-19 became his biggest break, creating the perfect opportunity to launch his own company. He also opens up about personal challenges, including his ongoing battle with "Friday scaries" and the therapeutic journey of learning to be a "human being" rather than just a "human doing."00:00 Introduction and Early Life01:40 College and Early Career Aspirations05:22 Struggles and Breakthrough in Real Estate12:48 Rise to Fame and Million Dollar Listing19:32 Starting His Own Brokerage26:03 Raising Venture Capital and Starting a Brokerage27:36 Challenges of Starting Fresh29:05 Inflection Points and TV Shows32:22 Personal Life and Work Balance38:24 Innovations and Future Plans
--------
52:05
From Anduril to Base Power | Justin Lopas on The Future of Energy Storage
This week I sat down with Justin Lopas—Co-Founder/COO of Base Power—a former SpaceX and Anduril engineer who shares incredible stories from the early days of Starship development in Boca Chica. He speaks on how his team ingeniously leveraged water tower construction techniques to build rockets, transforming an empty field into what would become Starbase.The discussion also explores the critical relationship between energy access and human prosperity, leading to Justin's current mission with Base—Revolutionizing grid storage. He provides unique insights into the challenges of American manufacturing, how Texas has become the perfect testing ground for grid innovation, and the war for manufacturing between the US and China.00:47 Meet Justin Lopez: Co-Founder of Base Power Company01:33 Justin's Journey: From SpaceX to Anduril09:04 The Birth of Base Power Company11:10 Base Power's Vision and Strategy15:49 Why Texas? Strategic Insights19:50 Funding and Scaling Challenges22:35 The Future of Manufacturing in the U.S.29:56 Training and Workforce Development31:42 The Role of AI in Energy Solutions33:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
--------
33:25
From Wall Street to Flying Cars (eVTOLs) | Adam Goldstein, Founder/CEO Archer Aviation
In this episode, Adam Goldstein (Founder/CEO Archer Aviation) shares his extraordinary journey from witnessing 9/11 as a young investment banker, to founding Archer Aviation, a pioneering electric aircraft company. After experiencing the tragic events of September 11th firsthand, Goldstein navigated through six failed startups before building a successful company, learning invaluable lessons about product-market fit and sustainable business models along the way.The conversation takes a dramatic turn as Goldstein reveals the intense legal battle with Boeing—That nearly destroyed Archer Aviation before its IPO—Offering rare insights into high-stakes corporate litigation. He also discusses how the Russia-Ukraine war exposed opportunities in modern defense, leading to Archer's strategic pivot into autonomous military solutions. Throughout the episode, Goldstein shares fascinating details about raising $2 billion for a flying car startup and why tackling massive, world-changing problems can actually be easier than building smaller companies.00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome00:41 Meet Adam Goldstein: From Finance to Tech01:43 The Birth of Vettery02:54 Investment Banking and 9/11 Experience04:36 Lessons from the Hedge Fund World06:44 Building and Scaling Vetteri11:24 The Acquisition of Vettery15:26 Founding Archer: A New Venture19:27 The Challenge of Raising Capital]19:47 Navigating the eVTOL Industry21:20 Building a Credible Team22:30 The Impact of COVID-1923:12 Securing Initial Funding24:40 Developing the First Prototype24:53 Entering the SPAC Market29:18 The Boeing Lawsuit32:38 Future Prospects and Defense Opportunities36:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
--------
36:14
Conquering Wall Street And Raising $300M with Peter Thiel’s Backing | Keri Findley
In this episode, former Third Point executive Keri Findley takes us behind the scenes of Wall Street's intense culture in the 2000s, sharing raw stories about her life navigating the world of finance. From learning to chug beer in Morgan Stanley conference rooms to being handed control of $200 million at age 25, Findley's journey offers a rare glimpse into the high-stakes world of Wall Street capital markets.The conversation takes an fascinating turn when Findley reveals how a casual dinner conversation led to Peter Thiel becoming the sole investor in her $300M fund. She also provides valuable insights into why she ultimately rejected venture capital, and how the 2008 financial crisis created a massive opportunity in private credit that continues to shape markets today.01:14 Carrie Finley's Background02:00 Early Career and Challenges05:54 Journey to Third Point11:04 Founding Tacora Capital14:47 Raising Funds and Peter Thiel's Support20:13 Current Focus and Future Plans
Every unicorn started with a first check. First Money In takes you behind the scenes of the most critical and anxiety-filled moment in a startup's journey - raising their first capital. Each episode uncovers the raw, unfiltered stories of now-legendary companies and the decisive moments that kicked off their trajectory.
España