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Founder Mode

Founder Mode is a weekly newsletter for builders—whether it’s startups, systems, or personal growth. It’s about finding your flow, balancing health, wealth, and productivity, and tackling challenges with focus and curiosity. Each week, you’ll gain actionable insights and fresh perspectives to help you think like a founder and build what matters most.

Learn to influence decisions, build credibility, and drive change in large organizations—even without a formal leadership role or title.
Featured Post

Influence Decisions Fast—Even Without a Leadership Title

The Art of Influencing Without Authority in Larger Organizations Welcome back to Founder Mode! Navigating large organizations is tricky. You often need to move things forward without a formal title or authority. It’s not about being pushy or manipulative—it’s about influencing the right way. Influence grows when you connect with people, master your subject, and share ideas in a clear way. Understand your organization's dynamics. Identify key stakeholders. Tailor your message to resonate with...

Learn how creators can turn content into income by building systems, finding content-market fit, and owning their audience—without burning out.

The Creator CEO with Ahad Khan Welcome back to Founder Mode! In this episode, we talked to Ahad Khan, CEO of Kajabi. We explored what it means to be a creator today. He shared tips for making money from knowledge. This way, you can avoid burnout. Ahad’s big idea? The creator economy isn’t just about going viral. It’s about building a business. To do this, you need systems, ownership, and a genuine bond with your audience. The Creator Economy is Changing Millions of views don’t always equal...

Learn how embracing the 'fail forward' mentality can accelerate AI development. Understand how failures can lead to innovation and stronger.

The Power of "Fail Forward" in AI Development Welcome back to Founder Mode! Our most recent podcast with Chris hits home, as GPT-5 was just released. His "calling Steve Jobs" use case is one I've already used a few times this weekend. Today, let's talk about a key idea in AI development: "fail forward." In AI, failure is not something to fear. Instead, it’s something to embrace. When we develop AI models, we don’t expect perfection right out of the gate. What we focus on is rapid iteration,...

Prioritizing Transparency and Access in Team Collaboration Welcome back to Founder Mode! As a founder, I face a big challenge. My team needs easy access to information to work well. Being open and clear is vital for any team to work well together. Without it, things can slip away, and communication can get messy. In this week’s newsletter, we look at how transparency and access boost teamwork. A central info hub helps your team work smarter, not harder. The Importance of Transparency and...

Learn how founders can use AI the right way, build real relationships, and stand out online with Chris Winfield’s 80/20 rule and visibility system.

The Founder’s Unfair Advantage with Chris Winfield Welcome back to Founder Mode! In this episode, we covered how founders can stand out in the online world. We talked about using AI naturally. We aimed to build true, lasting connections. We talked to Chris Winfield. He is an expert in branding, visibility, and AI marketing. His advice? Be real, be strategic, and don’t expect AI to do all the work. AI Isn’t a Shortcut—It’s a Starting Point Chris explained that AI is great—but only to a point....

Healthcare AI: Scaling Go-to-Market Through Strategic Partnerships Welcome back to Founder Mode! This week, I’m happy to share a solid way to grow your healthcare AI business: strategic partnerships. Creating advanced AI technology matters, but it’s only part of the story. You need expert skills to make the most of its potential in healthcare. You also need strong networks. That’s where strategic partnerships come in. I’ve noticed that these partnerships play a vital role in boosting growth....

Learn how AI tools can enhance your sales process, from lead qualification to call overflow management.

Unlocking the "Shiny Object" Potential of AI for Sales Hey All, Welcome back to Founder Mode! This week's podcast, Jason and I unpack the systems behind their ideal weeks, why founders should prioritize health like a product launch, and how to build a ride-or-die team that spans multiple startups. From hiding jets from repo men to wearing smart glasses on the beach, they share war stories, personal rituals, and the mindset that separates cautious operators from calculated risk-takers. You can...

Kevin Henrikson shares how founders can master their schedule, embrace calculated risks, prioritize health, and build reliable, ride-or-die teams.

Founder Mode Episode 18 - Perfect Days With Your Ride-Or-Dies Welcome back to Founder Mode! Jason and I recently talked about how to manage your schedule as a founder. We talked about taking smart risks. We talked about why strong teams matter. Here’s my personal take on these topics from our chat. How I Manage My Schedule as a Founder As a founder, scheduling is key to my productivity. I rely on a system of Executive Assistants (EAs) to help me organize my day. I like to wake up at 5 AM. I...

Learn how AI tools can enhance your dev team's productivity, improve code quality, and streamline the development process.

Supercharging Your Dev Team: How AI Can Boost Efficiency Welcome back to the Founder Mode! Do you like the new logo/branding? :) I recently talked with a dev team I'm advising. We talked about how AI tools can boost the development process. Today, I want to share key takeaways to help you boost your engineering teams with AI. The "Angry Janitor" Approach to Code Quality A big challenge in development is balancing clean code and speed. As your project grows, the code gets more complex. This...

Focus on how reconnecting with former colleagues for hiring can reveal cultural fit, strengthen trust, and ensure alignment with your startup’s goals.

Interviewing a Former Colleague I recently interviewed a senior candidate I know well. The experience opened my eyes. These talks are quite unlike typical interviews. When you interview someone you’ve worked with before, the vibe changes. Now, you’re not just looking at technical skills. It becomes about reconnection and mutual fit. Welcome back to Founder Mode! In today’s newsletter, I’ll share why chats with former colleagues feel special. They can seem more natural but are just as...