Building a consumer app’s MVP and how to fundraise with Zest’s Jake Gutstein | E1889
This Week in Startups
Jason Calacanis
4.2 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 31 January 2024
⏱️ 56 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This Week in Startups is brought to you by…
Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com/twist
MEV. Tired of the dev shop rollercoaster? Mev is your reliable technical partner, offering a well-established software development process designed to consistently deliver unparalleled value to their clients. Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist!
The Paintbrush Loan is the earliest startup financing on the internet. No pitch deck, no business plan, no minimum time in business, and no warm intros. Plus, you get to keep your equity. Visit http://getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes.
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Today’s show:
Zest's Jake Gutstein joins Jason to discuss his journey in creating the cooking app Zest (1:37). The two dive into how the Zest team formed (10:29), finding the right tools for your startup (25:24), Jake's experience in the Launch Accelerator program (33:27), and more!
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Zest’s Jake Gutstein joins Jason
(1:37) What prompted the creation of Zest and the initial concept and MVP for Zest
(9:22) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist
(10:29) The product development, initial testing, and finding a technical co-founder
(17:21) The decision to go full-time with Zest, the process of raising initial funding, and the importance of overcoming ambiguity and uncertainty
(20:54) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist
(22:05) Demo of Zest’s product
(25:24) Finding the right tools and mentors and the value propositions of Zest discovered through user research
(32:35) Paintbrush - Visit http://getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes
(33:27) Product launch, approach to fundraising, and experience with the Launch Accelerator program
(46:48) Future plans and goals for Zest
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Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co
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Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university
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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
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Mentioned on the show:
https://twitter.com/jasonfried
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LK6lKCKMQM
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Follow Jake:
X: https://twitter.com/GutsteinJake LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-gutstein Check out: https://zestapp.co
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Follow Jason:
X: https://twitter.com/jason
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
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Thank you to our partners:
(9:22) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist
(20:54) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist
(32:35) Paintbrush - Visit http://getpaintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50K startup loan in less than 2 minutes
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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
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Follow TWiST:
Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Anybody that is a first time fundraiser, there is no golden goose, there is no perfect formula for going about this. |
| 0:06.1 | Everyone's an end of one, at least in my experience and I'm then going to speak for my own bias, |
| 0:09.7 | but every experience is different and so there are our best practices. |
| 0:13.7 | Launches scorecard system for sourcing investors a really good way to get on the phone |
| 0:17.3 | with 130 different people. But the way to go about doing this there is no right, and it's going to unfold the way that's meant |
| 0:24.7 | unfold. |
| 0:25.7 | It's going to be a winding road. |
| 0:28.3 | Then once you're on the tracks, if venture-backed is the way that the business should be going, |
| 0:31.6 | if that's right for your business, then various four factors start to take over a lot more. |
| 0:37.0 | This week in startups is brought to you by Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal breaker for startups to win new business. |
| 0:46.0 | Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a Sock 2 report fast. |
| 0:51.0 | Twist listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at vanta.com slash twist. |
| 0:57.0 | Mev. |
| 0:59.2 | Tired of the Dev Shop roller coaster. |
| 1:01.5 | Mev is your reliable technical partner offering a well-established software development |
| 1:06.7 | process designed to consistently deliver unparalleled value to their clients. |
| 1:12.1 | Get $30,000 off your first three months at Mev.com slash |
| 1:17.0 | twist. And the paintbrush loan is the earliest startup financing on the internet. |
| 1:23.2 | No pitch deck, no business plan, and no warm intros. |
| 1:27.2 | Plus you get to keep your equity. |
| 1:29.3 | Visit get paintbrush.com to see if you qualify for a $50,000 startup loan in less than two minutes. |
| 1:37.0 | All right, everybody, welcome back. You guys know, I like to have my portfolio founders here on the program from time to time. |
... |
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