Founder Weekly (Issue 673 February 12 2025)

Welcome to issue 673 of Founder Weekly. Let's get straight to the links this week.

General

How To Get AI Startup Ideas

There’s never been a better time to launch an AI startup, but many prospective founders find themselves stuck when it comes to thinking of a good idea. In this episode, the Lightcone hosts look at different ways breakthroughs can be discovered.

Leaving Delaware

This post covers why companies are considering reincorporating from Delaware to Nevada & Texas.

Emerging Playbooks in Vertical AI

This article explores emerging strategies for building successful AI-first vertical software companies, emphasizing the importance of identifying high-impact, revenue-generating workflows and utilizing AI as an "authoring layer" for new systems of intelligence. It suggests that AI companies should focus on easy-to-adopt wedges that integrate with existing systems to maximize data ingestion and ultimately create defensible, data-driven platforms.

Your complete guide to board rooms

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of board meetings, covering participant roles, meeting structure, and the importance of pre-read materials to facilitate strategic discussions. It emphasizes preparation, clear communication, and understanding each participant's objectives to transform board meetings into collaborative sessions that drive value and align on a shared vision.

Marketing, Sales and PR

0-$5M: How to Nail Founder-Led Sales

First Round partner Meka Asonye sits down with founders and first sales hires to unpack 6 specific tactics for learning to embrace founder-led sales instead of avoiding it. This is the first installment in our “0-$5M” series.

How AI Changes Customer Acquisition

The New Playbooks for Search, Growth Marketing, and Influencer.

The Growth Maze vs The Idea Maze

Why the next wave of AI will shift the race towards distribution and growth.

Money and Finance

VCs Don't Owe You a Response or a Follow Up

This post argues that VCs are not obligated to respond to every pitch, especially after a meeting, and that founders should secure a clear next step before ending the initial meeting. Founders should directly ask for feedback and gauge the VC's level of interest in championing the deal to avoid relying on uncertain follow-ups.

Good Misses and Bad Hits

This post discusses how to identify and avoid bad investments. Some important points from the doc include: It is important to be intellectually honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses as an investor. It is also important to have a clear understanding of your value proposition to founders.