Startup Mindset

In this episode, Kristina Subbotina sits down with Kate McAndrew, founder of Baukunst, to talk about what really separates great founders from the rest. From the hiring decisions that make or break a startup, to what VCs actually think about founder salaries—this one doesn't hold back. What you'll learn: → How your first hires reveal everything about you as a founder → Why the best investo...

In this episode, we sit down with Amber Illig, General Partner at The Council, to unpack what it really takes to become a founder in the age of AI.Amber shares hard truths about why not everyone should start a company, why the first 1–2 years of founding are the most psychologically brutal, and how operators can transition into founders without romanticizing the struggle. 00:00 Why not everyone sh...

In this conversation, Kristina Subbotina sits down with Itamar Novick , founder and solo GP of Recursive Ventures , a pre-seed fund focused on AI and emerging tech. Itamar has sat on every side of the startup table— founder, operator, institutional VC, and now solo capitalist . He’s helped scale companies like Life360 from seed to IPO and has backed over 100 startups , including breakout names lik...

In this conversation, venture investor Martin Tobias shares his insights on the startup journey, emphasizing the importance of resilience, understanding investor motivations, and the necessity of hiring the right team. He discusses the challenges founders face, the significance of mindset, and how AI is transforming the startup landscape. We also touch on the legal aspects of starting a business a...

How Shamak and Kristina grew from 0 to 40k followers on Instagram while being introverts Follow ‪@shamakinusa‬ and ‪@KristinaSubbotinaEsq‬

Content creators are no longer just influencers—they're building high-growth startups, securing venture funding, and scaling into billion-dollar businesses. In this session with Megan Lightcap (investor at Slow Ventures), and Kristina Subbotina (ex-Cooley startup lawyer and founder of Lexsy) you will learn what separates those who succeed at scale from the rest. What you’ll learn: ✅ How content c...

In this session, Josh Constine (Venture Partner at SignalFire, former TechCrunch Editor-At-Large) joins Kristina Subbotina (ex-Cooley startup lawyer and founder of Lawlace & Lexsy) to walk you through what really matters in early-stage fundraising—how to get investor attention and tell a compelling story. You’ll learn: How to build a targeted investor funnel What makes a pitch deck effective (...

In this episode of Kristina's podcast, Kristina sits down with Ankur Nagpal, who is in his early thirties with a net worth north of nine figures. He started making money in college with his Facebook App business, but his real life-changing moment was when he sold his company Teachable for a quarter billion dollars . Now, he's the founder of the fintech company Carry . Ankur shared what it was like...

In this episode, Kristina talks with Adam Spector, founder and CEO of Levy, about the game-changing benefits of outsourcing back-office tasks for startups. Adam shares his 14-year journey in Silicon Valley, where he learned the value of focusing on core competencies while outsourcing everything else, a strategy he calls “startup plumbing.” They dive into the inefficiencies of traditional business...

In this episode of Kristina's podcast, Andre Gharakhanian, founder and partner of Silicon Legal Strategy, shares his inspirational journey from working in Big Law to building one of the most successful law firms in the U.S. Andre and Kristina discuss the importance of mentorship, the legacy of impactful work, the challenges of managing and hiring people, and the significance of authenticity in...

In this episode, I interview Vaik Mugunthan, a co-founder and CEO of DynamoAI. He raised $19.4M from top-tier venture investors to enable large enterprises to deploy generative AI models in a compliant manner. We discuss his founder journey, the role of San Francisco in building a successful startup, the meaning of life, how to live a happy life, and the impact of AI on various aspects of life and...

Everything you need to know about taxes: capital gains tax, QSBS, 83(b), and other gibberish that really matters. We sat down with Alex Roytenberg, a CPA for startups and venture investors.

In this episode, I'm interviewing my client and friend Aris Yeager aka the european kid.

Besides bootstrapping, selling the company, or declaring bankruptcy, you've got two options: a down round or a cram down, aka "pay-to-play" or a recap. In this episode, I'll explore how to initiate and carry out this process without landing in legal hot water.

When it comes to raising venture funding, startups have several popular instruments at their disposal: SAFEs, convertible notes, and NVCA documents for priced equity rounds. In this episode, we will focus on SAFEs.

This decision hinges on whether you plan to raise venture funds, how well you understand common legal pitfalls, and how much time you’re willing to invest in the process. In this episode, I compare the options you might consider, to help you decide which one suits your situation best.

Embarking on a startup journey is exhilarating. With numerous critical decisions to make, selecting the right legal structure from the outset is paramount. A Delaware C-Corp is a popular choice for venture-backed startups, and there are several compelling reasons why.

In this episode, you will learn a step-by-step guide to help you come up with a startup name that is legally available for use.

In this episode, I'll be sharing valuable tips on how to create an engaging and well-structured pitch deck for your startup. A great pitch deck is the key to capturing the attention of potential investors and getting the funding you need.

Starting a startup is an exciting journey that must be done correctly from the beginning. Early-stage startups often make legal mistakes that can be costly in the long run. It's crucial for startup founders to be aware of these mistakes and take the necessary steps to avoid them. In this episode, you will learn about five common legal mistakes that startups should avoid.