Introducing TechCrunch's new podcast: Build Mode

Equity

TechCrunch

Founders, Silicon Valley, Finance, Ipo, Vc, Technology, Business News, Startups, Business, Venture Capital, News, Stock Market, Entrepreneurship, Techcrunch

4.2 • 365 Ratings

🗓️ 15 November 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

TechCrunch has new podcast! Build Mode brings you candid startup wisdom from the people who build, break, and build again. Build Mode is hosted by our very own Startup Battlefield Editor, Isabelle Johannessen who is joined by founders, investors, and operators to dig into the uncomfortable truths about startup life. Think cap table drama, co-founder breakups, and pivot panic.We're sharing their first episode with Forethought AI co-founder, Deon Nicholas as a weekend bonus to your feed. He shares how he built a company that puts customers (not hype) at the center and unpacks his “7-Failure Rule,” the early experiments that shaped Forethought’s success. Episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday, and you can subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to check out the video version on TechCrunch’s YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This is a paid ad by Fidelity Private Shares.
0:03.2	A messy or missing cap table might not just slow you down.
0:05.8	It could cost you your next fundraising round.
0:08.3	Welcome to our brand new podcast, Build Mode, the founder's survival guide.
0:12.3	I'm Isabel Johanison, TechCrunch's startup battlefield editor and your host.
0:16.4	On this podcast, I'm sitting down with founders and VCs who are ready to share some startup wisdom.
0:21.6	Each season will dive into a different facet of building an early stage startup.
0:25.6	And for season one, we're digging into everything about going from zero to one.
0:29.6	Everything from ideation to problem validation, to finding your customers, and how to build the thing and get it in the market.
0:36.6	For our first episode, I'm so excited to have Dion Nicholas and get it in the market. For our first episode, I'm so excited
0:38.6	to have Dionne Nicholas here with us in the studio. He is the co-founder and chairman of Forthought
0:43.8	AI. Today, Forthought AI is a very well-established company they just recently raised their
0:49.2	series D earlier this year, but they started off just like any other company with a dream and a few lines of code.
0:56.2	Forthought AI launched on the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield stage when they won in 2018.
1:01.9	But to even get to that point, there were many lessons learned along the way.
1:05.6	They had to find their customers, identify the problem, build the product, and get it into
1:10.1	customers' hands,
1:11.0	all while trying to fundraise and preparing for the pitch of a lifetime at Battlefields.
1:15.5	In our conversation, Dion shared a lot of tangible advice from his experience building forethought
1:20.8	that we hope will be relevant and a good learning for everyone listening today.
1:24.8	So enough from me and let's get into it.
1:33.1	Thank you. for everyone listening today. So enough from me and let's get into it. Hi, Dion. Good to see you again.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from TechCrunch, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of TechCrunch and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.