The Journey Beneath the Headlines

We hear about the milestones—reached $20M ARR, closed Series A during a pandemic, acquired by dream companies like Intuit. But rarely do we hear what it actually felt like to be in the thick of it. The doubts. The exhaustion. The moments where everything felt like it could unravel.

In this video series, successful first-time founders—those who’ve raised millions, built award-winning workplaces, and secured major customers—reveal the raw, behind-the-scenes stories of their toughest moments in the 0-1 phase of building their startups. Not just the wins, but the vulnerable experiences that shaped them along the way.

These are stories first-time founders and startup leaders need to hear. Stories that show that success isn’t a smooth ride and that it’s normal to struggle, question yourself, and feel overwhelmed. It’s a different kind of founder story—one that gives you hope and helps you keep going.

Founder's Blend Preview

Kyle (CEO, Co-founder at Proper) successfully exited with an acquisition by Intuit. He shares what it felt like in the early days of Proper after YC demo day, raising a seed round and hiring the initial team.

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