In the debut episode of the Build Mode podcast, host Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Deon Nicholas, co-founder of Forethought AI, to unpack what it really takes to build a lasting company with and for your customers from day one. Build Mode is TechCrunch's new podcast that pulls back the curtain on how startups actually get built ' the messy, tactical, real-talk version. Season 1: Product, Meet Market, goes beyond product-market fit to explore every aspect of getting your product into customers' hands, from finding the right audience and earning their trust to turning early traction into lasting momentum. From the start, Nicholas and his team focused on solving real problems rather than chasing hype or inflated valuations. He is a firm believer that conviction should come from customers, not VCs, and that once Forethought delivered tangible value to real users, the hype and valuations naturally followed. The Forethought team stayed lean, obsessed over its ideal customer profile,...
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