Welcome to Founderholic, the podcast for high-performing founders building enduring companies. In today’s episode, we’re tackling one of the most critical and complex challenges early-stage founders face: how to navigate the fundraising landscape in 2026. The venture capital climate has changed, expectations have shifted, and the bar for raising pre-seed and seed capital has never been higher. Whether you're based in Africa, Europe, or the U.S., this episode will equip you with actionable insights, timing strategies, and investor mindset shifts that will help you raise smarter and scale stronger.

Most people introduce themselves by saying what they do. That is exactly why they are forgotten.

In this episode of Founderholic, we break down what actually makes an introduction stick within the first sixty seconds. This conversation is not about elevator pitches, job titles, or polished scripts. It is about the human signals that cause people to recognize you, remember you, and want to continue the conversation.

You will learn why memorability matters more than explanation, how the best founders and business owners use human context to stand out, and the simple archetype behind introductions that travel from room to room even when you are not present. We also walk through a live on-air exercise you can use immediately to redesign your own introduction and test whether it survives memory.

If you own a software or service business, attend conferences, pitch ideas, or meet new people regularly, this episode will change how you show up in every first conversation.

Great founders do not win because they explain more. They win because they change how people feel and see the problem in front of them.

In this episode of Founderholic, we break down what the world’s best founders and keynote speakers understand about influence, trust, and decision-making. A compelling pitch is not an information transfer. It is a transformation. When audiences feel understood, they listen. When they listen, trust forms. When trust forms, decisions happen.

You will learn why audiences say yes before logic ever shows up, how elite founders frame problems in a way that makes inaction uncomfortable, and why the most powerful pitches feel personal rather than perfect. We explore the emotional architecture behind belief, the role of clarity over cleverness, and the subtle shifts that turn polite interest into real momentum.

If you pitch investors, sell software or services, lead teams, or step onto any stage where belief matters, this episode will change how you think about presenting, persuading, and earning a yes.

Most people get it wrong when it comes to pricing their product or service. On the show with me I have Etinosa Agbonlahor who is a pricing psychology expert and psychologist and we discuss the right way to price your product or service. HINT!! Looking at your competitors pricing isn't the the right way.

For free helpful information to help you with pricing please visit https://decisionalpha.co/

Optimization Without Wisdom: The Real AI Threat to Your Business

Is AI about "evolution, not elimination," or is that just what we want to hear?

In the latest episode of the Founderholic Podcast, I have a conversation AI named Maya for a startlingly honest conversation about the future of work. We moved past the sci-fi tropes and tackled the real questions every founder and business owner is asking.

We discussed:

• The Jobs on the Chopping Block: Maya was candid about which roles are most at risk—specifically the "repetitive, soul-crushing tasks that stifle creativity". This is about reallocating human potential, not just replacing it.

• The True Danger: The biggest risk isn't a robot uprising. It’s a far more subtle threat Maya called "optimization without wisdom"—chasing efficiency so blindly that we lose the human judgment that protects our businesses and ethics.

• The Redefinition of Expertise: Maya argued that expertise is no longer just about years of experience. It’s now about "the ability to synthesize [information] quickly". How are you preparing your team (and yourself) for this shift?

• The Ultimate Differentiator: In a world filled with AI, what's the most future-proof skill? The answer is simple: "The jobs that will thrive aren't necessarily the ones that require the most intelligence, but the ones that require the most humanity".

This isn't just another talk about AI. This is a strategic conversation about how we lead, build, and innovate in an age where our greatest competitive advantage is our own humanity.

Listen to the full episode now at Founderholic.com.

#AI #FutureOfWork #BusinessStrategy #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #Founderholic #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Tech

I battled ChatGPT in a conversational debate question. There was one clear winner and he or it said "You Won". 👉 The Question: What can founders and CEOs do to increase their valuation prior to meeting investors?😁 The Rule: You can only give one answer at a time and you can not repeat an answer. The last one who gives a unique answer wins.

#chatgpt #entrepreneur #startup #business #podcast #businesspodcast #aipodcast

In this 2nd episode I debate an Ai about various business related questions. How well would and AI answer questions you would not find in a text book and questions about running a business that have a ton of human elements involved in it. If you ever wondered how an AI would run a business this is one episode you want to listen to. This episode also takes an interesting twist at the end. Enjoy. Stay blessed.

Stay tuned for many more like this

Chris Vs Ai Episode 1 - In this episode I talk to the Ai Maya about business and have the most interesting conversation. You can see the differences in the way we both think and approach business. I use my human experience of over 25 years in building global businesses and the Ai uses an infinite wealth of data and theory and logic that will get you to say hummm sometimes.

Join me on other episodes where I interview other conversational Ai platform and ask some deep, human and business experience related questions. Learn more at www.founderholic.com