What happens when the world's foremost startup accelerator rejects your business idea—not once, but twice? For most founders, it's where the dream stalls out. For Edward Haryono, it was the exact friction required to build a resilient, high-growth enterprise.

In this episode of The Founder's Growth Show, host John Hill, AKA Small Mountain, sits down with Edward Haryono, co-founder of Saudara (an AI-native international sourcing broker), to explore the raw reality of entrepreneurial perseverance.

Edward opens up about the grueling journey behind his acceptance into the Spring 2026 Y Combinator cohort, detailing how his team handled back-to-back rejections, stripping away ego to find genuine founder-market fit, and the pivotal decision to quit their stable corporate careers months before funding was ever guaranteed.

We dive deep into the immersive, fast-paced environment of a 200-company YC batch in San Francisco and unpack what it truly looks like to bring your whole self to a mission. Edward shares vital leadership insights on building an absolute ownership culture, balancing coachability with heavy conviction, and the psychological necessity of "burning your boats" to give your vision the commitment it deserves to succeed.

We also break down the complexities of scaling international manufacturing across multiple factories, the logistical vulnerabilities of chasing the cheapest production costs, and why founders "observe" their potential clients rather than seeking empty validation.

Edward shares a masterclass on how operators should filter startup advice, the necessity of absolute commitment over halfway execution, and how to deeply felt passion can push yourself further, even through rejection.

Connect with Edward Haryono:

Website: Saudara.ai

LinkedIn: Edward Haryono

Connect with John "Small Mountain" Hill:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnblanehill/

Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

Book: Selling From Scratch

In this episode of The Founder's Growth Show, John Hill, AKA Small Mountain, sits down with Dr. Corey Wilks, a Clinical Psychologist and Founder of Creator Alchemy, to bridge the gap between deep psychological insights and practical business growth. Corey shares his journey from clinical addiction treatment in rural Appalachia to executive coaching for high-level creators like Ali Abdaal.

We discuss:

• The Craftsman Mentality: How to labor your way to excellence even without "innate" talent.

• Liminal Tension: Reframing Imposter Syndrome as a necessary signal for growth.

• Permissionless Action: A tactical breakdown of how to land major opportunities by solving problems before you're even asked.

• The AI Trap: Why founders risk losing their competitive edge by outsourcing their core thinking.

• Founder Resilience: Using the reality of mortality to cut through business friction and fear.

Whether you're a newer founder struggling with the "professional veneer" or a seasoned entrepreneur looking to rediscover your authentic voice, this conversation offers a grounded guide to building a business that lasts.

Connect with Corey Wilks, PsyD:

Website: https://coreywilkspsyd.com/

LinkedIn: Corey Wilks, PsyD

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coreywilkspsyd

Connect with John "Small Mountain" Hill:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnblanehill/

Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

Book: Selling From Scratch

Transitioning from a top-tier individual producer to a resilient organizational leader requires a radical shift in mindset, clarity, and execution. In this episode, John sits down with Leslie Venetz, a 3-time Head of Sales, award-winning sales expert, USA Today Bestselling Author, SKO Speaker, and the Founder of the Sales-Led GTM Agency.

Bypassing standard corporate jargon, Leslie shares her grounded journey from scaling a bootstrap startup as employee number one to turning down a massive multi-six-figure corporate offer to build her own sustainable consulting practice.

John and Leslie pull back the curtain on the functional mechanics of founder-led growth and sustainable leadership. They dive into deeply tactical topics, including:

• Knowing what content and IP to share freely on social media, gatekeep behind a form, or sell to clients,
• Navigating the personal identity shift required when managing teams,
• And avoiding the trap of overvaluing shortcuts and undervaluing your SDRs and salespeople.

Additionally, they explore the realities of the modern B2B SaaS landscape, why full-cycle sales proficiency remains a foundational requirement for newer founders, and the critical importance of building communities to sustain professional resilience.

If you're a founder confused about what to share without "giving it all away for free," or still haven't unlocked the right leadership balance for your team, this interview is a must!

Connect with Leslie Venetz:

Company: The Sales-Led GTM Agency

LinkedIn: Leslie Venetz

Buy Her Book: Profit Generating Pipeline: A Proven Formula to Earn Trust and Drive Revenue

Connect with John:

LinkedIn: John Blane Hill

Website: Adapted Growth

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

Buy His Book: Selling From Scratch

In this episode, we sit down with Andrea Mohamed, Co-Founder of QuantumBloom, to discuss the systemic "leaky bucket" in STEM industries. Andrea shares how her organization is moving the needle on retention by treating culture as a business outcome rather than a moral initiative.

Topics Discussed:

• The STEM Exit: Why 70% of women leave technical paths by age 30 and how to stop the bleed.

• Founder-Led Sales: Andrea's transition from marketer to "relational" salesperson and the reality of a 425-day sales cycle.

• Bootstrapping vs. VC: Why QuantumBloom chose an unsecured line of credit over venture capital to maintain creative control.

• Unconscious Bias in Real-Time: How subtle meeting dynamics marginalize high-performers and what managers can do to intervene.

• The "Human-First" Model: Building a performance-based culture that respects life stages and parenthood.

Connect with Andrea:

Website: QuantumBloom

LinkedIn: Andrea Mohamed

Connect with John "Small Mountain" Hill:

LinkedIn: John Blane Hill

Website: Adapted Growth

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

Book: Selling From Scratch

What does it take to turn 26 years of deep subject matter expertise into a global brand and a lasting legacy? In this episode, we sit down with Andrea Donsky, Nutritionist and Co-Founder of Morphus, to explore the evolution of a founder who has successfully navigated three distinct businesses with the same partner for over two decades.

Andrea shares the vulnerable reality behind her 13-year journey to publish her latest book, Nourishing Menopause. We discuss the shift from being "done" with writing to realizing that true expertise requires a season of seasoning before it can be shared with the world. This conversation is a masterclass in founder alignment—balancing health, partnership, and professional purpose without succumbing to the "hustle culture" traps of friction and burnout.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Legacy Blueprint: Why Andrea's new book, Nourishing Menopause, is the culmination of 26 years of research and personal experience.

• Founder Alignment: The internal mechanics of a 20+ year partnership and how to maintain mutual respect across multiple ventures.

• The Mindset Shift: Overcoming the "Expert's Resistance" to move from promoting other brands to becoming the face of your own.

• Health as a Growth Lever: How addressing "The Silent Bottleneck" of hormonal health and nutrition can unlock a founder's focus and resilience.

• The Evolution of a Brand: Navigating the transition from bootstrapping and "coupon books" to outside investment and a global supplement line.

Guest: Andrea Donsky, Nutritionist, Author, and Co-Founder of Morphus.

Websites: https://andreadonsky.com/,

https://wearemorphus.com/

Book: Nourishing Menopause: Powerful Nutrition and Lifestyle Strategies to Feel Your Best

Connect with John "Small Mountain" Hill:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnblanehill/

Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

Book: Selling From Scratch

In this episode, John Hill, AKA Small Mountain, sits down with Brett Chotkevys, CEO and Founder of Assisted Living Mansion. Brett shares his journey from flipping 50 houses a year to revolutionizing the senior care industry through high-end memory care "mansions." We dive deep into his hands-on approach to leadership, the necessity of founder grit, and how to build a resilient culture in a high-turnover industry.

Key Topics:

• The Bottom of the Funnel: Why solving the most difficult end-of-life problems creates a waitlist of customers.

• Culture over Strategy: How Brett's wife and partner uses "life skill" training to retain staff 4x longer than the industry average.

• Operational Resilience: The "Ice Storm" reality—why founders must be willing to know at least a little bit of everything for those moments when they have to step into the trenches.

• Smart Scaling: Using SBA 7(a) and 504 loans to fund $5M+ joint ventures without personal guarantees.

• Design Thinking: Why you should design for the user, but market for the buyer.

Are you leading by design, or leading by default?

In this episode, John Hill (AKA Small Mountain) sits down with Diana Urbina, founder of Sharro Solutions and a 21-year veteran of Microsoft and Xbox. Diana's career has spanned the extremes of corporate culture—from the high-intensity Steve Ballmer era to the cultural transformation under Satya Nadella. She's seen firsthand that no amount of process optimization can fix a team if the people and the energy are misaligned.

We dive deep into why the "human element" is the ultimate bottleneck for founders and how to recode your leadership mindset to build a team that actually thrives.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The "Ready-to-Coach" Rule: Why you can't force growth on a team member (or yourself) without true buy-in.

• Culture Beyond the Perks: A simple diagnostic to find your real culture: "What is actually rewarded and what is shamed?"

• Decisions vs. Beliefs: How to use the "Spreadsheet Method" to identify and replace the limiting decisions holding your business back.

• Energy Optimization: Why "white space" and sustainable energy are the prerequisites for high performance, not the reward for it.

• The "F-Word" in Business: Moving away from the baggage of "feedback" and toward the clarity of perception and alignment.

If you feel like you're stuck in a "fog" of leadership, or if your team culture feels more reactive than intentional, Diana's grounded approach offers a clear path toward resilience and clarity.

Connect with Diana:

• Website: Sharro Solutions

• LinkedIn: Diana Urbina

Connect with John Hill, AKA Small Mountain:

• Website: AdaptedGrowth.com

• LinkedIn: John Hill

• Sign up for the Weekly Founder's Growth Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

In this episode of The Founder's Growth Show, John Small Mountain sits down with Nicholas Kirchner to discuss the complexities of running both a high-level service agency and a US-based manufacturing brand. Nicholas challenges the "optics-first" mentality of many founders, urging a return to life-alignment and data-driven decision-making.

Topics discussed include:

• Breaking through the $500k revenue ceiling by shifting founder identity and learning the art of delegation.

• The "McDonald's vs. Elite Talent" framework for systemization.

• Practical AI workflows for documenting SOPs and delegating admin work.

• The "Buy Once, Cry Once" branding strategy for premium physical products.

• The "Rehire Test" for auditing team performance and culture.

If you feel like you're stuck mid-growth or you've been eyeballing a second business (possibly because you're bored with the one you have...), this episode will help you make some of those bottleneck-breaking decisions.