Founder Guidance

Build a sustainable approach to founder guidance that protects your focus and well-being.

Advice For Founders
Advice From Experts
Advice From Founders
Headshot of Jyl Steinback, a light-skinned woman with medium-long blonde hair wearing a black top smiling gently at the camera. A pickleball paddle and ball on a court are seen in the background.
Founder Guidance

Pickleball Dating’s founder on finding a niche and building a community

Jyl Steinback's approach to finding an audience, acting on an idea, and learning from rejection offers lessons for founders building in niche markets.

Jamila Huxtable
A headshot of Russ Layton, founder of Sparx Hockey
Founder Guidance

How a surprise layoff let this founder turn his passion for hockey into his own company

Russ Layton’s passion for playing hockey came with one longtime annoyance: the hassle of sharpening ice skates. In his late 30s, losing his job allowed him to finally focus on the solution.

Dan Latu
A portait of Kelly Phenicie, a smiling woman with long wavy blonde hair wearing a light-colored crewneck
Founder Guidance

How this founder runs two international businesses at the same time

By chance, Kelly Phenicie became the sole founder of a knitwear manufacturer in Peru, after her co-founder quit. When she started a second business, the challenge got even harder.

Dan Latu
Kristin Agee, wearing oversized glasses and a gray jacket, smiles for the camera.
Founder Guidance

How one musician composed her behind-the-scenes business future

When she was touring musician, Kristen Agee asked the Rolling Stones’s current bassist for lessons. She expanded her knowledge of the music industry that led to her company 411 Music Group.

Dan Latu
Chris Clark smiling and posing with a tennis racket and ball, wearing an athletic shirt featuring the Toss and Spin company logo.
Founder Guidance

How this entrepreneur made the move from corporate life to startup founder

Former college tennis player Chris Clark transformed his $60-per-lesson side hustle into a Chicago-based platform for tennis and pickleball players.

Dan Latu
A portrait of Bill Gross, a smiling man wearing wire-rimmed glasses and a navy suit
Founder Guidance

Bill Gross's Idealab offers aspiring founders 1.2 million startup ideas

Serial entrepreneur Bill Gross talked with us about his new resource and how AI is changing the startup scene.

Patrick Kulp
A portrait of Melissa Ben-Ishay, a smiling woman with wavy blonde hair wearing a grey sweatshirt
Founder Guidance

Last cupcake standing: The secrets to how Baked by Melissa outlasted its competition

Founder Melissa Ben-Ishay thinks having her name on the company boosts the customer connection, but it comes with the knowledge that “one rogue Instagram post” can affect your entire business.

Dan Latu

Founder Brew is our twice-weekly newsletter covering how great ideas and entrepreneurial spirit grow into real businesses. We examine what it takes to build, the tradeoffs founders face, and what keeps them going.

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