START - LAUNCH - GROW

Verena and Simon tackle one of the biggest reasons non-technical founders waste time and money on AI-built apps: 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴. Drawing on data from over 𝟮,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, they unpack why a strong scope makes you 𝟱𝟯% 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 to ship a successful app - and why the temptation to dive straight into Lovable or Replit is the fastest path to a product nobody wants. They walk through the 𝟱-𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽...

Verena and Simon tackle three of the biggest concerns founders raise about AI-assisted and no-code builds: 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗚𝗗𝗣𝗥 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. In a 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲-𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁, Verena steps into the shoes of a non-technical founder firing the questions every business leader is asking, while Simon shares what they actually explain behind the scenes. They unpack why 𝗔𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀 o...

Verena and Simon tackle one of the most misunderstood concepts in the startup world: 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗩𝗣? With 𝟰𝟮% 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 due to no market need, they unpack why so many MVPs fall apart not because the idea was wrong, but because the product never delivered enough value for users to care. Using 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝗯𝗻𝗯 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆, they break down the three things every MVP needs t...

Verena and Simon revisit one of the foundational frameworks in startup building - the Lean methodology - and ask whether it still holds up in the age of vibe coding and no-code . In this episode they explore how Eric Ries' build-measure-learn loop has been reshaped now that building a product is up to 10 times faster and 10 times cheaper than the traditional 100k, 12-to-18-month build. They dig in...

Verena and Simon tackle one of the most common pitfalls they see in startup advisory calls: the vague Ideal Customer Persona (ICP) . In this episode they explore why founders instinctively cast their net too wide, trying to include everyone in their target market, and why this "shotgun" approach actually hurts growth. They break down how startups that nail down a specific ICP and geography are 55-...

Verena and Simon discuss the dramatic shift in app development: moving from Legacy Builds to "Vibe Coding." Drawing on data that shows traditional projects often cost $100k and take 18 months , they explore why the "old world" of 200-page specifications is now a liability. They break down the three biggest pitfalls of modern development: poor specification, underestimating QA, and the hidden costs...

Verena and Simon discuss the most underrated founder skill: knowing when to quit . Drawing on data that shows 42% of startups fail because of a lack of market need , they explore why founders often fall into the "sunk cost" trap and how to differentiate between a challenge that requires grit and a signal that an idea simply doesn't work . They introduce the 30-Day Kill Test : a practical, data-dri...

Verena and Simon discuss why most MVPs fail and why founders often jump into building before validating what customers actually want. Drawing on their experience working with more than 2,000 startups , they explore the common mistakes founders make - from skipping customer research to leaving marketing and distribution too late . Verena speaks with Kausar Tahir , who transitioned from pharmacist t...

Verena and Simon introduce the Start Launch Grow podcast . After working with more than 2,000 businesses , their motivation is to share real innovation journeys . We often hear about the Ubers of the world - but how did the next generation of rising companies actually get started? This podcast focuses on the practical steps you can take to turn ideas into reality . Catch-Up We discuss the rise of...