Episodios

  • Behavioral AI and the compatibility advantage with Sarah Lucena, Mappa

    Behavioral AI and the compatibility advantage with Sarah Lucena, Mappa
    Feb 26 2026
    This season on Build Mode, we’re breaking down what it really takes to build a world-class team and that starts with hiring the right people the first time. This week, we’re joined by Sarah Lucena, founder and CEO of Mappa, a behavioral intelligence platform that uses voice AI to decode human behavior in under 60 seconds. After rebuilding teams over and over again early in her career, Sarah set out to answer the question: why do “great on paper” candidates fail to flourish after their hired? In this episode, she explains how Mapa analyzes thousands of voice biomarkers, from speech patterns to linguistic signals, to build behavioral profiles and match candidates based on compatibility, not just the on-paper credentials. They help their clients make the right hired the first time, saving crucial time and money. She breaks down: • Why most hiring decisions are still a gamble • Compatibility vs. similarity (and why it matters) • How voice biomarkers reveal behavioral traits • How to reduce bias without lowering the bar • How founders should think about building aligned teams Whether you’re hiring your first employee or scaling a fast-growing startup, this episode will change the way you think about talent, team dynamics, and what it really means to be a “fit.” Chapters: 00:00 – Why great hires still fail 00:47 – Meet Sarah Lucena (Founder & CEO, Mappa) 01:39 – What Mappa does: voice → behavioral intelligence 04:22 – Why voice (not video) is the best signal 06:03 – The proprietary dataset & real-life outcomes 12:30 – Mapping companies, not just candidates 14:27 – Compatibility vs. similarity 16:10 – Bias, diversity & better hiring signals 23:53 – Expanding beyond hiring (VCs, finance, insurance) 30:16 – Using Mappa to evaluate investors 33:02 – Building Mappa’s own team 35:49 – Founder advice: patience, compatibility & lawyers 39:16 – Startup Battlefield experience 41:29 – Outro New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
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    44 m
  • Compensation, culture, and cap tables with Yuri Sagalov, General Catalyst

    Compensation, culture, and cap tables with Yuri Sagalov, General Catalyst
    Feb 19 2026
    Build Mode is back. This season we’re breaking down what it really takes to build a world-class founding team starting with your cap table, equity structures, and startup compensation strategy. We kick off with Yuri Sagalov, managing director at General Catalyst and former founder, YC partner, and seed investor at Wayfinder Ventures. Yuri has worked with hundreds of pre-seed and seed-stage startups, and he shares practical advice on how early-stage founders should think about startup equity, cap table design, investor selection, and compensation structures from day one. He breaks down: The 3 types of investors (and which one to avoid) Why your cap table is part of your team The 20–25% seed dilution rule How to split equity with a co-founder How to talk to early employees about risk and compensation No matter where you are in your startup journey, this episode will help you get the incentive structure right from the beginning. Chapters: 00:00 - Why your first hires deserve more equity 00:31 - Meet Yuri Sagalov (YC → General Catalyst) 02:12 - Your cap table is part of your team 02:50 - The 3 types of investors (avoid this one) 05:02 - How to split equity with a co-founder 07:55 - How much equity to give early employees 09:37 - How to talk compensation and risk 12:31 - Red flags in formation docs and vesting 18:27 - Advisors for equity? Usually a mistake 20:05 - The 20–25% seed dilution rule 26:03 - The shift to 10-year stock options 34:11 - Don’t scale before product-market fit 39:23 - Final advice: Just start and choose your co-founder carefully New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
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    44 m
  • Build Mode is back: Building world-class founding teams

    Build Mode is back: Building world-class founding teams
    Feb 12 2026
    It takes a village to build something great. In Season 2 of Build Mode, we go deep on how to assemble a founding team that signals ambition, execution, and long-term success. Founders and investors share candid lessons on hiring, structuring, and scaling teams that actually win. New episodes coming February 19.
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    1 m
  • It’s time to throw away the old go-to-market playbook with Paul Irving from GTMfund

    It’s time to throw away the old go-to-market playbook with Paul Irving from GTMfund
    Jan 8 2026
    n the season finale of Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Paul Irving, Partner and COO of GTMfund, to discuss go-to-market strategies for the AI era. Paul shares specific, actionable advice on how early-stage startups can win even when facing well-funded competitors who iterate at lightning speed. He also explains why distribution has become the final remaining moat when technical advantages disappear in months instead of years, and why every company needs a unique go-to-market motion tailored to their specific ICP. If you just can’t get enough AI-native GTM strategies, check out this episode of the GTMnow podcast: Build your AI Outbound Machine with ChatGPT Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:44 Meet Paul Irving - GTM Fund 04:02 Finding Competitive Edge in Specific Channels 07:34 Matching Operators to Startups with AI 12:08 The End of the B2B SaaS Playbook Era 14:09 Creative GTM Strategies 16:18 The Power of Warm Introduction Mapping 23:04 Success Stories: Ryder and Vanta 25:25 Red Flags in Go-to-Market Strategy 27:29 Advice for Resource-Constrained Founders 31:22 When to Start Hiring a GTM Team 34:57 Outro Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
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    37 m
  • 2026 predictions from LP-lead investments to IPO mania: Equity crossover

    2026 predictions from LP-lead investments to IPO mania: Equity crossover
    Jan 1 2026
    We're bringing you a special TechCrunch podcast crossover episode. Isabelle joins Equity Hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan to dissect the year's biggest tech developments, from mega AI funding rounds that defied expectations to the rise of "physical AI," and make their calls for 2026. The group tackled everything from why AI agents didn't live up to the hype in 2025 (but probably will in 2026), to how Hollywood will push back against AI-generated content, to why VCs are facing a serious liquidity crisis. Listen to the full episode to hear: Why world models are the next big thing in AI and how they're different from large language models The death of "stealth mode" for AI startups and the rise of alternative funding sources Predictions on regulatory chaos around AI policy and what Trump's recent executive order means for startups Hot takes on IPOs: Will OpenAI and Anthropic actually go public in 2026? Rapid-fire predictions including Johnny Ive and Sam Altman's inevitable public breakup, the return of dumb phones, and why everyone will be calling themselves "AI native" What's coming in Build Mode season 2: A deep dive into team building, hiring, and finding co-founders Chapters: 00:00 Intro - TechCrunch Build Mode & Equity Crossover Episode 00:27 Meet the Hosts - Predictions Episode Introduction 02:49 Reviewing 2024 Predictions - The Mega Funding Rounds 05:40 AI Startup Funding Challenges and Alternative Capital Sources 08:05 2026 AI Predictions - World Models and the Next Evolution 12:41 Physical AI - The Intersection of Robotics and Intelligence 14:07 AI in Media and Content Creation 18:48 Netflix-Warner Brothers Deal and FTC Predictions 21:09 The LP Direct Investment Trend 23:26 IPOs and Deep Tech Capital Challenges 25:49 Startup Battlefield Trends - Verticalized AI Across Industries 28:08 Rapid Fire Predictions - Fashion, Self-Driving Cars, and More 30:25 The Dumb Phone Comeback and Foldable iPhones 32:51 Build Mode Season 2 Preview - People and Team Building New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
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    35 m
  • Making life (and death) better despite regulatory barriers

    Making life (and death) better despite regulatory barriers
    Dec 18 2025
    Founders Gabriel Sanchez (Enspectra Health) and Tom Harries (Earth Funeral) share what it takes to build in heavily regulated industries where "move fast and break things" simply won't work. In this episode of Build Mode, they reveal the realities of navigating FDA approval processes, state-by-state regulations, and cultural taboos while building products that are literally matters of life and death. Gabriel walks through Enspectra's nearly decade-long journey to FDA clearance for their skin imaging device, while Tom discusses building a human composting service as an alternative to cremation and burial. They offer tactical advice on iterating while waiting for regulatory approval, planning your runway when success is largely out of your hands, and raising venture capital in spaces that many investors consider too taboo to touch. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:30 Meet Gabriel Sanchez - Enspectra Health 02:34 The First FDA-Approved Skin Imaging Physics in 28 Years 04:24 From Stanford Lab to Clinical Device 06:43 Navigating FDA Clearance and Reimbursement Strategy 43:33 Scaling While Managing Regulatory Barriers 46:55 Where Earth is Today and Future Growth 48:00 Outro New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
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    50 m
  • Capital is a commodity (but your investor relationships aren’t)

    Capital is a commodity (but your investor relationships aren’t)
    Dec 11 2025
    Venture capitalists Ross Fubini (XYZ Ventures) and Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker Ventures) pull back the curtain on how VCs build their own go-to-market strategies— not just how they evaluate startups, but how they win over LPs and founders alike. In this episode of Build Mode, they share hard-won lessons from raising their first funds and how that experience allows them to empathize with founders. They discuss why "founder-market fit" applies to VCs too, how authentic thought leadership beats manufactured content, and why the best investor relationships start years before you need the money. Plus, the importance of building trust over transactions and why your network truly is your competitive advantage in venture. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:01 Meet the VCs: From Netscape to Costa Rica 03:06 The Horror Show of Raising a First Fund 05:29 Building a Fund as Proof of Concept 08:52 The Schtick: Why VCs Need a Unique Thesis 11:44 Thought Leadership That Actually Works 15:34 The Qualification Process: Knowing in Two Minutes 19:06 Authentic vs. Manufactured Content 27:59 Building Relationships Before You Need Money 30:00 Founder-Market Fit for VCs 32:52 Key Takeaways: Person, Firm, Terms—In That Order 36:45 Field Notes: Creative Ways VCs Court Founders New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
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    45 m
  • Your network is your first go-to-market strategy

    Your network is your first go-to-market strategy
    Dec 4 2025
    Alltroo co-founders Kyle Rudolph and Jon Walburg share how they transformed their pro-athlete star power into a fundraising platform that allows their community the ability to donate to a variety of organization and win high-value prizes. In this episode of Build Mode, they reveal how they leveraged their networks to disrupt the charitable giving industry, from raising half a million dollars for the NFL in their first year to learning hard lessons about scaling too fast. They discuss the pivot from $10,000 golf tournaments to $10 sweepstakes entries, building trust with both celebrities and fans, and why your network is your greatest competitive advantage. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:58 Meet the Founders: From NFL to Tech Startup 03:53 The $10,000 Golf Tournament That Sparked Everything 06:14 Navigating the Nonprofit-Tech Startup Hybrid Model 11:44 Leveraging Star Power: The NFL Partnership Win 15:34 Getting Athletes to Say Yes: The Trust Factor 19:06 When Identity Crisis Hits: Scaling Too Fast 27:59 The Mistake of Outsourcing Your Vision 30:00 Founder Market Fit: Your Network Is Your Net Worth 32:52 Key Takeaways: Building Thought Leadership Without Celebrity Status New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
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    36 m