2 founders building for themselves first

04/08/25 • 33 min

What happens when you build a startup targeted at... yourself? On today's episode of The Feedback Loop, two founders built their business to fix issues in their own industry.

First, a longtime NYC nanny reimagines the family-caregiver dynamic – building a platform that prioritizes both sides for better, more personal childcare matches. Then, a sports-tech entrepreneur unveils a mobile-first booking and socials & replay system for sports clubs, drawing on his team's experience building a ping pong platform (yes, really) and building apps like Equinox and Nike+ Running.

Each founder has just a minute to pitch, followed by candid feedback from our resident investors. If you’re wrestling with marketplace strategy or bridging digital and physical experiences, you’ll see how to translate insider insights into a pitch that hooks investors, solves real pain, and drives adoption.

Time for Episode 065 of The Feedback Loop!

The investor feedback comes from our host, Sherveen Mashayekhi, founder and CEO of venture-backed Free Agency. He's also an angel investor and an LP in multiple venture funds. Each week, he's joined by a rotating seat featuring a guest venture investor, and this week, that's...

Guest Investor: Lauren Reeves

Lauren Reeves is an Investor at MGV, an early stage SaaS fund based in SF and NYC. She also leads the team's east coast startup ecosystem initiatives. She brings a unique technical background to the judges' table — having previously been a software engineer building in AI, ML, and at notable companies like BlackRock, Postmates, and Alto Pharmacy.

Follow Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-a-reeves

Follow Sherveen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherveenm

Follow Sherveen on X (Twitter): https://www.x.com/sherveen

What we learn on this episode...

Childcare Hiring: Traditional job boards and agencies haven’t caught up to modern families—or the caregivers who do the real work. Hear how a founder spent 12 years as a nanny in NYC, building a new, more personal approach to matching.

Sports Venue Modernization: Bookings, replays, in-venue experiences: replacing labor costs with software can transform margins and user delight. But how do you convince legacy clubs and fitness centers to “modernize”?

Real Pitch Advice for Marketplaces: Whether targeting busy parents, club owners, or any unsexy vertical, see how clarity about who pays, why they pay, and how you’re different can make or break a venture.

Want to Pitch Your Startup Live?

Apply now at afterfeedback.com and join our growing community of founders and investors.

In a Job Search?

Explore our newest channel for 2025’s ultra-competitive talent landscape:

https://youtu.be/dlbfZJmY8t8

Thank you to these intrepid founders for stepping into the spotlight. The Feedback Loop is here to help refine your pitch, sharpen your go-to-market, and share battle-tested investor perspectives. Make sure to subscribe for more real-time, no-nonsense feedback on how to pitch your startup.

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research before making any investment decision.

Amina Sako, founder of Karama: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amina-sako-a12782141

Ben Borton, co-founder of PodPlay Technologies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/borton

Drop a comment – feedback is the lifeblood of builders everywhere!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you build a startup targeted at... yourself? On today's episode of The Feedback Loop, two founders built their business to fix issues in their own industry.

Time for Episode 065 of The Feedback Loop!

Guest Investor: Lauren Reeves

Follow Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-a-reeves

Follow Sherveen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherveenm

Follow Sherveen on X (Twitter): https://www.x.com/sherveen

What we learn on this episode...

Want to Pitch Your Startup Live?

Apply now at afterfeedback.com and join our growing community of founders and investors.

In a Job Search?

Explore our newest channel for 2025’s ultra-competitive talent landscape:

https://youtu.be/dlbfZJmY8t8

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research before making any investment decision.

Amina Sako, founder of Karama: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amina-sako-a12782141

Ben Borton, co-founder of PodPlay Technologies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/borton

Drop a comment – feedback is the lifeblood of builders everywhere!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

AI-Enabled Meditation & B2B Data Management

How do startup investors really evaluate founders and their pitches? What's truly required to raise a seed round or a Series A?

On this episode of The Feedback Loop, we hear from 2 startup founders building the future and from 2 venture investors offering them feedback on their concept and storytelling – live, candid, and unfiltered!

One founder is building a secure data platform for businesses to store, share, and collect repetitive information, and another is building an AI-powered meditation companion.

It’s time for Episode 064 of The Feedback Loop!

Each founder has 1 minute to pitch. Then, they get feedback from two check-writing venture capitalists – feedback to push them forward in their early stage storytelling journey. Because even the best of founders can be held back from their ability to pitch their business, to tell a story that is compelling but not complete.

That feedback comes from our host, Sherveen Mashayekhi, founder and CEO of venture-backed Free Agency. He's also an angel investor and an LP in multiple venture funds. Each week, he's joined by a rotating seat featuring a guest venture investor, and this week, that's...

Guest Investor: Lauren Reeves

Follow Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-a-reeves

Follow Sherveen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherveenm

Follow Sherveen on X (Twitter): https://www.x.com/sherveen

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Making “Unsexy” B2B Tech Compelling

A data-sharing solution for financial institutions can feel dry. You must reveal how it saves time, reduces errors, or eliminates friction for thousands of businesses.

Differentiating in a Crowded Meditation Market

Apps like Calm & Headspace have huge brand power. Show precisely why your approach (calendar sync, AI buddy, social groups) solves the “drop-off” problem in a new, sticky way.

Highlighting Real User Journeys

In regulated or consumer-wellness spaces, point to specific workflows to bring the product to life – from compliance crises at banks to how and why users commit to a meditation routine.

Why This Team?

If you’re an ex-banker connecting Zelle & Venmo, or an ex-engineer building mindful apps, clarify how your domain expertise cements credibility, and how your daily vantage point revealed the solution.

Addressing Investor Skepticism

Founders must disarm the “Is it too trivial?” or “Aren’t there 100 others?” questions. Show market tailwinds, user data, or urgent pain that turns your product from a nice-to-have into a must-have.

Want to Pitch Your Startup Live?

Apply now at afterfeedback.com and join our growing community of founders and investors.

Kathryn Outlaw is the co-founder of Spheros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynoutlaw

Jeremy Yencer is the co-founder of Mindful Buddy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyyencer

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research before making any investment decision.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Split Your Home v Your Land, & Another AI Marketing Startup?

In Episode 066 of The Feedback Loop, we meet two ambitious startup founders pitching live – one shaking up real estate affordability, the other tackling the crowded AI marketing landscape.

First, Stuart Allan from Cedar introduces an innovative solution: splitting home ownership into house and land, aiming to cut prices in half. But can this leasehold concept, popular abroad, really work in the U.S., and is it robust enough to survive economic turbulence?

Then we dive into the crowded world of AI-driven marketing startups with Brooke Yoakam, founder of AvidAI. Her vision? Replace traditional agencies with AI agents to boost lean teams’ growth. But with so many similar pitches, how does Brooke prove her company is unique – and can she realistically deliver on fully automated marketing?

We explore:

Real Estate’s Big Unbundle: How Cedar's separation of land and home could make housing radically cheaper – and why investors may still be skeptical.
AI Marketing Saturation: AvidAI wants to eliminate the need for costly agencies and extensive marketing hires. But is a hybrid model (AI plus humans) the secret to success, or just a temporary workaround?
Navigating Pitch Challenges: Both founders face tough investor feedback – learn how they tackle legal, operational, and competitive skepticism head-on.

Want to Pitch Your Startup Live?

Apply now at afterfeedback.com and join our growing community of founders and investors.

Follow Sherveen:

LinkedIn | X (Twitter)

Thank you to Stuart Allan and Brooke Yoakam for stepping into the spotlight. The Feedback Loop is here to sharpen your pitch, refine your go-to-market strategy, and deliver real-world investor insights. Subscribe for more candid, actionable feedback for startups.

Disclaimer: This content is educational only and does not constitute investment advice. Always conduct your own research before investing.

Connect with the Founders:

Stuart Allan (Cedar)

Brooke Yoakam (AvidAI)

Drop a comment – feedback is the building block for builders everywhere!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.