(un)founded by Melissa Withers

The emergence of AI everywhere is driving a surge in demand for authenticity.  In this episode, we take a closer look at how the burden of authenticity has increased, and in some very challenging and expensive ways for early stage companies.

Bitching about inflation was something that only boomers used to do. But that’s changed over the last few years. While we hear a lot about inflation and its impact on consumers, we rarely talk about its impact on early stage companies. In this episode, we dive into the impact of inflation and how it’s changed almost everything about business building.

There are many hills in entrepreneurship…but very few of them are worth dying on. From the glorification of burnout to the “never quit” mentality, toxic narratives have deeply embedded themselves in startup culture at the expense of founders' mental health. Today, we are talking about how entrepreneurial machismo is literally killing us.

Being transparent about challenges isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s actually one of the boldest moves you can make as a leader. And when you invite your team, advisors, and even your peers into the messy middle of things, you’ll unlock trust, collaboration, and growth that not only feels real, but is sustainable. In this episode, we talk about radical transparency: What does it look like in practice? How can it strengthen teams and culture? And where does it get tricky?

Whether it's marshaling the resources to start or securing cash to fuel growth, funding a business is hard, messy, and less fun than it looks on TV.  The complexity isn’t just in finding money. It’s navigating all that comes with it.  The costs, consequences, and contortions of taking on outside capital can leave even the best founders tied up in knots. In this episode, we unpack how these “pretzel problems” get made and the consequences that come with them.

2024 was a wild ride. Packed with surprises, challenges, and more than a few moments where we had to ask, ‘Did that really just happen?’ In this episode, we look back on the big themes of 2024—the moments that shaped us, the lessons that surprised us, and how it might set the stage for a stronger, more intentional 2025.

Usually I try to come up with a light hearted, clever title for each episode. But this topic is so viscerally important that every time I tried to be clever or cute I just got more enraged that this even has to be a topic. In this episode, Jennifer Jordan—who has earned her stripes as an innovator, an investor and one of the most respected mentors on the planet—shares her experience, a little of her rage, but mostly her hopes for a future where women aren't punished for all the amazing things that come with age.

Kim Folsom has been blazing her own trail for a long time, First as a founder, as a black female engineer, as an investor and now as one of the fiercest advocates for innovation in startup funding on the map today. In this episode we look back (why did it take so long??) and forward (how do we not repeat the mistakes of the past) to take a look at the changing landscape in early stage investing.

Companies don't pop from thin air. Ask Allyson Eman, who has been working to create programs to support startups in the Atlanta area for a long time. What didn't go as planned? What can't predict about building supportive ecosystems that support entrepreneurs? Guess you'll have to listen to see what we decided!

Student entrepreneurship has changed. And for good reason. From her perch at Northeastern University, Betsy is a bridge between where we started and where are going...wherever that may be! 

When it comes to talking about partnership and business building, it’s hard to think of having this conversation with anyone other than Allan Tear. Not just because this serial entrepreneur turned investor has been a great business partner to me, but because of what he experienced in the years before we started working together. In this episode we talk a little about the everyday challenges of staying united in the face of unrelenting chaos...and what we've learned along the way.

Today, the concept of "mentorship" is canonical to startup culture. But when Raiz Labs founder, now turned super-mentor / investor Greg Raiz, was a first time founder himself, mentorship wasn't taught. It wasn't even a word founders used! So...How far have we really come? What's next for mentorship?

Identity. Archetypes. Rules. As a designer, innovator, and activist, Salina Brown has walked many miles in startup land, often knowing she was "out" even when she was "in." In this episode, we talk about the personal journey...the toll...of not "fitting in" and what changing ideas about entrepreneurs should look, act and be like means for the next generation of founders.

Branded experiences aren't just for the giants anymore. Today, even early stage companies need to deliver "branded experiences" for their customers...often before they themselves even understand what that *really* means. Whether through her work at Gillette, or with other brands both big and small, Stephanie has...well, seen some things. Things that tell us as much about the future, as they do about the past.

As the former editor-in-chief for Inc. Magazine, book author, and now publisher of FIN, where he goes deep on all things Fintech, James Ledbetter has told his fair share of stories about entrepreneurs and their big dreams. In this episode, we riff about the power and perils of archetypes in startup storytelling, and what lies ahead as the master narratives of yesteryear begin to fade away.

In her career as a founder, investor and mentor, Ilana Diamond has (literally) launched hundreds of companies. She’s also a pioneer among an important community of women: female fund managers that are changing the world of investing forever.

Clement Cazalot is a startup triple threat: Founder, Mentor, Investor, and equally amazing at all. His ability to hear a pitch, unpack it, and then make it better is unparalleled. His cybersecurity startup, docTrackr was acquired by Intralinks in 2014. That he has a great sense of humor and a warm heart is just icing on this very French Cake.

Zoë Barry is a serial entrepreneur, mentor and angel investor. Zoë and I are neighboring links on an evolutionary chain, one that shows how the experience of women entrepreneurs is changing (or not changing) over time. I've learned a lot from her...and have waited a long time for this new generation of amazing women to take startup culture by storm!

Before becoming VP of Growth at Knox Financial, Matt was employee #33 at Uber. There, he was the first Operations and Logistics Manager for Boston, where he launched and scaled Uber Black, TAXI, SUV, and uberX before leading the Operations & Logistics Analytics and Process sub-teams from 2011 through 2013. When it comes to building capacity as you grow, Matt...knows some things.

Harry is Co-Founder of venture development firm, humble ventures, where he accelerates the growth of startups in partnership with large enterprises and investors. A 4x founder he has SEEN THINGS. Whether in venture capital, education, or sports, Harry's career has always centered around inclusion...and if you don't follow him, you are missing out.

Saul Kaplan is the founder and Chief Catalyst of the Business Innovation Factory and author of The Business Model Innovation Factory: How to Stay Relevant when the World Is Changing. Saul was into Biz Model Innovation before it was cool and he remains one of the people in the world I most admire as a business builder.

In all the talk about what it means to be a "great founder" we often lose sight of what all founders have in common: Being a Human.Felix is co-founder and Chief Dad of Zoobean, which provides software to help communities, libraries and schools better engage families and facilitate reading programs for their community. He’s the kind of founder you feel lucky to work with and his take on this topic is spot on.

Sylvia is Chief Investment Officer at Ellevest, a technology-enabled financial company built by women, for women. As an innovator in wealth management for women, Sylvia has a powerful take on what's kept women out of investing, how things are changing and what the future holds for us all. Yes, I am a super fan of her work.

Three questions: One peers into the past. One speaks to the present. One looks toward the future. That’s how we do it on (Un)Founded, where RevUp Capital's Melissa Withers talks biz building and start-up culture, exploring each topic through short-form Q&A with some (very) special guests. In each segment, Melissa and a guest tackle a topic by asking each other only THREE questions. These personal vignettes offer a dash of insight and inspiration, delivered on the fly. Made by, for, and with people who believe in the power of entrepreneurship.