The Founder to Fortune Podcast

Why 99% of Partnerships Go Nowhere (and How to Build the 1% That Win)

What if your biggest partnership was actually holding you back? Pankaj Dugar, who helped scale Databricks and drove strategy at AI21 Labs, joins Vidya Raman to share why partnerships fail right after the Press Release — and how to build ones that actually sell. This episode breaks down the uncomfortable truths behind partner ecosystems, the role of technical integration, and why “boring is where the money is.” If you’ve ever thought a partnership could change your startup’s trajectory — listen before you celebrate. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org [https://www.foundertofortune.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Is UX Dead? How Vibe Coding is Rewriting the UX Playbook

What happens when PMs, designers, and AI all start speaking the same language? In this episode, Vidya Raman sits down with Hailey Nevins (Director of UX Foundations at MongoDB) and Wenbo Wang (founding designer and former Databricks/Cloudera product designer) to explore how vibe coding is collapsing the old boundaries between design, product, and engineering. You’ll hear how GenAI is forcing UX to evolve—from pixel pushing to taste-driven orchestration—and why the best design teams now operate at startup speed without sacrificing rigor. We go deep into: * How “vibe coding” changes collaboration between PM, UX, and Engg * Why the new frontier isn’t just design systems—but design velocity * The rise of hybrid roles like “design engineer” and what they signal * How to build guardrails and evals for GenAI-powered products * When chat interfaces work—and when they absolutely don’t And just wait till you hear their hot takes on AI “killing” the wrong kind of design work, why hallucinations can actually make UX better, and what founders get wrong about hiring designers too late. If you care about product velocity, UX craft, or what “taste” means in an AI-first world—this conversation will challenge how you think about building. Relevant links: Hailey Nevins on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/haileynevins/] Wenbo Wang on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wenbowang/] Open Lovable [https://open-lovable.com/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org [https://www.foundertofortune.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Playbook for the AI-Native Chief Marketing Officer

In this engaging conversation, Kady Srinivasan, CMO of You.com [http://you.com] shares her journey from software engineering to becoming a marketing leader across various industries. She discusses the importance of defining an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) in B2B marketing, the impact of AI on marketing strategies, and the evolving role of marketers in a fast-paced environment. Kady emphasizes the need for discipline in narrowing down ICP, the significance of content creation, and the necessity of hiring the right marketing talent. She also highlights the importance of judgment in marketing and the need for continuous learning in the ever-changing landscape of marketing. Takeaways * Defining a clear Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is crucial for B2B success. * Discipline is necessary for narrowing down ICP and avoiding distractions. * AI has drastically increased the speed at which marketers must operate. * Multi-threaded marketers can drive outcomes across various disciplines. * SEO is not dead but GEO and AEO are becoming vital. * Content creation is still table stakes for differentiation in the market. * Hiring the right marketing talent depends on the go-to-market strategy. * Judgment in marketing comes from experience and learning from failures. * Sales leaders should be prioritized in early-stage startups with outbound strategies. * Continuous learning and adaptation are vital in the marketing field. Relevant links: Kady Srinivasan on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kadysrinivasan/] You.com [http://you.com] Founders of You.com [http://you.com]: Richard Socher [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardsocher/] and Bryan McCann [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmarcusmccann/] Some links to the resources that Kady referred to: Maven [https://maven.com/] GrowthX [https://growthx.ai/] Every.to [http://every.to] Watch us on YouTube here [https://youtu.be/_emGpkOA9ko]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org [https://www.foundertofortune.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Product Leadership, Cyber Startups, and Agentic AI

Ely Kahn’s career spans government, startups, and now leading product at SentinelOne. From shaping U.S. cybersecurity strategy at the White House to building one of AWS’s early security products to launching SentinelOne’s fastest-growing AI product line, his journey offers a rare vantage point on how security and product innovation intersect. In this episode, we dig into: * How AI is transforming threat hunting and investigations—and what that really means for teams on the ground. * The surprising role of “digital twins” in scaling product management. * Why cybersecurity, despite the noise and consolidation pressures, might actually be one of the best spaces for founders. * And the future of AI pricing, product velocity, and reinventing core parts of the security stack. If you’re a founder, operator, or product leader navigating the next wave of AI and security, this conversation will leave you rethinking both the challenges—and the opportunities—ahead. Links: Ely Kahn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elykahn/] on LinkedIn Listen on YouTube [https://youtu.be/Png7TAlysnY] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org [https://www.foundertofortune.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

GTM Cheat Sheet Every Founder Needs

* Veteran GTM leader Jim Fisher shares lessons from scaling Cloudera from $50M to $1B ARR and advising today’s fastest-growing startups. * The three golden KPIs that reveal the health of any go-to-market strategy. * Why most founders get ICP wrong—and how to fix it. * The surprising truth: consistency, not revenue, is the real signal your GTM is working. * When to hire a GTM advisor, fractional leader, or full-time VP—and how to know the right timing. * How AI is reshaping sales with coaching, opportunity analysis, and bias-free deal reviews. * Advice for founders on landing and learning from their first 10 customers. * Common GTM mistakes that derail growth—and how to avoid them. Links: Jim Fisher [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimrfisher/] on LinkedIn Listen on YouTube: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org [https://www.foundertofortune.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]