EPISODE 18

In this candid, fast-paced solo episode, Jason and Kevin 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.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – The Casino Story That Saved FedEx

01:04 – Building Your Perfect Week

05:14 – Big Company Constraints Are (Mostly) Self-Imposed

10:00 – Health Is Your Only Asset

16:08 – Boomerangs vs. Boomer Rides

LINKS

Connect with Kevin

LinkedIn • X/Twitter

Connect with Jason

LinkedIn • X/Twitter

RESOURCES

Meta Ray Ban Wayfarer

Tune Up Fitness

Myo

EPISODE 17

Water‑tech pioneer Ravi Kurani explains how a floating pool‑chemistry robot became the ultimate hardware moat, why proprietary water data unlocks service marketplaces, and where trillion‑dollar opportunities lie at the water‑energy nexus. He recounts two years on Shenzhen factory floors perfecting Sutro, selling the startup before mass production, and now plotting to buy it back to tackle agriculture, cooling towers, and AI data centers. Hosts Jason Shafton and Kevin Henrikson unpack story‑driven design, founder persistence, and the future of “smart” water.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – From Pools to Robotics: Ravi’s origin story

03:44 – Hardware Moats & Proprietary Water Data

07:11 – Sutro as the “Nest Cam” for Your Pool

09:01 – Water as Tech’s Next Trillion‑Dollar Frontier

16:36 – Founder Mode in China: Two Years on the Factory Floor

LINKS

Connect with Ravi

Sutro • Liquid Assets Podcast • LinkedIn • X/Twitter

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Connect with Kevin

LinkedIn • X/Twitter

Connect with Jason

LinkedIn • X/Twitter

EPISODE 16

From living two years out of a suitcase to shipping AI products at Microsoft-scale, Angus Logan joins Kevin and Jason to unpack how “failing forward” accelerates learning. He explains why product teams should break things early each morning, how to shield a fast-moving startup culture inside a corporate giant, and the importance of weekly shipping cadences. Angus also shares his “LifeOps” playbook—100 travel-buddy rules, zero checked bags, and decision templates that free up brainpower—plus how culture-soaking trips and five-year-old Android phones keep him designing for real-world users everywhere.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Why failure is fuel

03:34 – Angus on rapid AI experimentation

06:50 – Integrating startups into Microsoft

10:58 – LifeOps: travel hacking & decision systems

18:47 – Global perspective and takeaways

LINKS

Connect with Angus

LinkedIn • Newsletter

Stay Connected with Founder Mode

Subscribe to our newsletter: foundermode.kit.com

Connect with Kevin

LinkedIn • X/Twitter

Connect with Jason

LinkedIn • X/Twitter