StarZero All shows Try the podcast clipper →

Jul 17, 2015 · 21m · 20vc

Founders Friday 004: Life As A Non-Technical Co-Founder with Will Sacks, The Fertility King @ Kindara

Will Sachs · 14m spoken Harry Stebbings · 4m spoken
0:00 / 0:00

gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions

In this episode of The 20VC, host Harry Stebbings interviews Will Sacks, founder and CEO of Kindara, to discuss his journey as a non-technical startup leader in the reproductive health space. Sacks shares key learnings on rapid prototyping, lean growth, male leadership in female health tech, and fundraising strategy.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Harry holds 23.1% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Harry as informed peer 2.0 Guest teaching 4.4 Guest disagreement 1.2 Harry pushing back 1.4
05100:0010:0020:003:14–5:43 · Harry as informed peer 1/10 Navigating Startup Leadership as a Non-Technical Founder Harry asks straightforward questions about coding versus hiring a CTO. Will explains how focusing on company-building, team motivation, and fundraising was a better use of his strengths than developing.5:43–9:45 · Harry as informed peer 3/10 Product Conceptualization and Wireframing Strategies Harry gently probes Will on the dynamics of being a male CEO for a female fertility product and asks if a lack of personal experience impedes empathy. Will educates on fertility charting science while acknowledging his limitations and emphasizing his female team.9:45–12:12 · Harry as informed peer 2/10 Community-Driven Growth and Lean Startup Iteration Harry asks how Kindara built its community from 50 early users. Will references Gabriel Weinberg's Traction and Seth Godin's product-centric framework to explain their lean MVP feedback loop.12:19–15:51 · Harry as informed peer 2/10 Fundraising Insights and Preparation Strategies for Founders Will shares detailed fundraising advice, referencing essential readings by Paul Graham and Marc Andreessen on startup fundability. Harry remains supportive, noting links will be provided in show notes.15:51–18:06 · Harry as informed peer 2/10 Transitioning to Hardware and Articulating Company Mission In response to an investor's question relayed by Harry, Will explains the operational realities of shifting from app development to hardware before delivering Kindara's core mission statement on empowering women's health.3:14–5:43 · Guest teaching 4/10 Navigating Startup Leadership as a Non-Technical Founder Harry asks straightforward questions about coding versus hiring a CTO. Will explains how focusing on company-building, team motivation, and fundraising was a better use of his strengths than developing.5:43–9:45 · Guest teaching 5/10 Product Conceptualization and Wireframing Strategies Harry gently probes Will on the dynamics of being a male CEO for a female fertility product and asks if a lack of personal experience impedes empathy. Will educates on fertility charting science while acknowledging his limitations and emphasizing his female team.9:45–12:12 · Guest teaching 4/10 Community-Driven Growth and Lean Startup Iteration Harry asks how Kindara built its community from 50 early users. Will references Gabriel Weinberg's Traction and Seth Godin's product-centric framework to explain their lean MVP feedback loop.12:19–15:51 · Guest teaching 5/10 Fundraising Insights and Preparation Strategies for Founders Will shares detailed fundraising advice, referencing essential readings by Paul Graham and Marc Andreessen on startup fundability. Harry remains supportive, noting links will be provided in show notes.15:51–18:06 · Guest teaching 4/10 Transitioning to Hardware and Articulating Company Mission In response to an investor's question relayed by Harry, Will explains the operational realities of shifting from app development to hardware before delivering Kindara's core mission statement on empowering women's health.3:14–5:43 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Navigating Startup Leadership as a Non-Technical Founder Harry asks straightforward questions about coding versus hiring a CTO. Will explains how focusing on company-building, team motivation, and fundraising was a better use of his strengths than developing.5:43–9:45 · Guest disagreement 2/10 Product Conceptualization and Wireframing Strategies Harry gently probes Will on the dynamics of being a male CEO for a female fertility product and asks if a lack of personal experience impedes empathy. Will educates on fertility charting science while acknowledging his limitations and emphasizing his female team.9:45–12:12 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Community-Driven Growth and Lean Startup Iteration Harry asks how Kindara built its community from 50 early users. Will references Gabriel Weinberg's Traction and Seth Godin's product-centric framework to explain their lean MVP feedback loop.12:19–15:51 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Fundraising Insights and Preparation Strategies for Founders Will shares detailed fundraising advice, referencing essential readings by Paul Graham and Marc Andreessen on startup fundability. Harry remains supportive, noting links will be provided in show notes.15:51–18:06 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Transitioning to Hardware and Articulating Company Mission In response to an investor's question relayed by Harry, Will explains the operational realities of shifting from app development to hardware before delivering Kindara's core mission statement on empowering women's health.3:14–5:43 · Harry pushing back 1/10 Navigating Startup Leadership as a Non-Technical Founder Harry asks straightforward questions about coding versus hiring a CTO. Will explains how focusing on company-building, team motivation, and fundraising was a better use of his strengths than developing.5:43–9:45 · Harry pushing back 3/10 Product Conceptualization and Wireframing Strategies Harry gently probes Will on the dynamics of being a male CEO for a female fertility product and asks if a lack of personal experience impedes empathy. Will educates on fertility charting science while acknowledging his limitations and emphasizing his female team.9:45–12:12 · Harry pushing back 1/10 Community-Driven Growth and Lean Startup Iteration Harry asks how Kindara built its community from 50 early users. Will references Gabriel Weinberg's Traction and Seth Godin's product-centric framework to explain their lean MVP feedback loop.12:19–15:51 · Harry pushing back 1/10 Fundraising Insights and Preparation Strategies for Founders Will shares detailed fundraising advice, referencing essential readings by Paul Graham and Marc Andreessen on startup fundability. Harry remains supportive, noting links will be provided in show notes.15:51–18:06 · Harry pushing back 1/10 Transitioning to Hardware and Articulating Company Mission In response to an investor's question relayed by Harry, Will explains the operational realities of shifting from app development to hardware before delivering Kindara's core mission statement on empowering women's health.

speaking balance: gold is Harry, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Harry 43.9% · guest 56.1%0:00 · Harry 43.9% · guest 56.1%3:00 · Harry 10.9% · guest 89.1%3:00 · Harry 10.9% · guest 89.1%6:00 · Harry 11.6% · guest 88.4%6:00 · Harry 11.6% · guest 88.4%9:00 · Harry 21.3% · guest 78.7%9:00 · Harry 21.3% · guest 78.7%12:00 · Harry 15.9% · guest 84.1%12:00 · Harry 15.9% · guest 84.1%15:00 · Harry 11.4% · guest 88.6%15:00 · Harry 11.4% · guest 88.6%18:00 · Harry 41.7% · guest 58.3%18:00 · Harry 41.7% · guest 58.3%21:00 · Harry 100% · guest 0%21:00 · Harry 100% · guest 0%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 8:28 Dispelling the Rhythm Method Misconception

Will counters common skepticism around natural fertility tracking by explaining how he initially assumed it was ineffective rhythm method BS until textbook research proved its clinical equivalence to the birth control pill.

 Hardest push from Harry ▶ 9:07 Challenging Male CEO Empathy

Harry directly questions whether Will's inability to personally experience a female cycle creates an empathy barrier when leading a women's health platform.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 14:42 Educating on VC Fundability Criteria

Will breaks down Marc Andreessen's framework regarding why VCs reject startups, educating listeners on fixing team, market size, and competitive flaws prior to pitching.

 Harry holds his own ▶ 6:32 Validating Wireframing Tech

Harry shows immediate familiarity with software tooling by validating Balsamiq's web evolution when the guest hesitates.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicHarry as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementHarry pushing backWhy
Navigating Startup Leadership as a Non-Technical Founder 1411 Harry asks straightforward questions about coding versus hiring a CTO. Will explains how focusing on company-building, team motivation, and fundraising was a better use of his strengths than developing.
Product Conceptualization and Wireframing Strategies 3523 Harry gently probes Will on the dynamics of being a male CEO for a female fertility product and asks if a lack of personal experience impedes empathy. Will educates on fertility charting science while acknowledging his limitations and emphasizing his female team.
Community-Driven Growth and Lean Startup Iteration 2411 Harry asks how Kindara built its community from 50 early users. Will references Gabriel Weinberg's Traction and Seth Godin's product-centric framework to explain their lean MVP feedback loop.
Fundraising Insights and Preparation Strategies for Founders 2511 Will shares detailed fundraising advice, referencing essential readings by Paul Graham and Marc Andreessen on startup fundability. Harry remains supportive, noting links will be provided in show notes.
Transitioning to Hardware and Articulating Company Mission 2411 In response to an investor's question relayed by Harry, Will explains the operational realities of shifting from app development to hardware before delivering Kindara's core mission statement on empowering women's health.

Statements from this episode (11)

Assertion Supported
Sacks: Kindara's fertility tracking method is as effective as the pill
“The method that we use has been shown to be as effective as the pill”
Will Sachs Jul 17, 2015 ▶ 1:56
Disclosure
Kindara Launched with a Few Thousand Dollars Before Hiring CTO
“It was me, my wife, and an idea, and a few thousand dollars, and so we wrote a posting for CTO, and we were looking around, and one of our friends said, hey, I can do this”
Will Sachs Jul 17, 2015 ▶ 4:00
Disclosure
Will Sacks used fertility charting for birth control for five years
“And so we have a personal experience now of using this as our method of birth control for the last five years.”
Will Sachs Jul 17, 2015 ▶ 8:53
Disclosure
Will Sacks reveals Kindara's team is 70% female
“And we've got a 70% female team, and I think that's important.”
Will Sachs Jul 17, 2015 ▶ 9:33
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Kindara launched initial iOS app in 2012 after two weeks coding
“What we did is we spent two weeks coding and then launched what we had. So it barely did anything. It was like a very initial version of the app on iOS only had two screens and barely did anything and like 50 people downloaded it.”
Will Sachs Jul 17, 2015 ▶ 10:54
Disclosure
Kindara raised $1.7M in angel and VC funding
“Yeah, we've raised about 1.7 million in angel and BC funding thus far.”
Will Sachs Jul 17, 2015 ▶ 12:21
Disclosure
Kindara is about to announce a new funding round
“And we're just about to announce some more funding.”
Will Sachs Jul 17, 2015 ▶ 13:40
Insight
Sacks: Hardware creates a stronger competitive advantage than software apps
“I think ultimately it builds more of a competitive advantage just because hardware is hard. Like, It's not easy. People can't rip you off in a weekend hackathon like they can with an app, potentially.”
Will Sachs Jul 17, 2015 ▶ 16:31
Opinion
Sacks: The Lean Startup is a condensed Four Steps to the Epiphany
“I think Four Steps to the Epiphany by Steve Blank is that, that, and Lean Startup by Eric Ries. They're kind of the same book. One is like condensed and one is much longer.”
Will Sachs Jul 17, 2015 ▶ 18:32
Insight
Sacks: Defining MVP viability is the hardest part of Lean Startup
“Yeah, I mean, the V, the, in MVP, viable. Like, that's the hard one, because how do you know what's viable? Maybe something, maybe what you think is your MVP is not, not quite viable. Like, it needs just a little bit more polish in order to be viable, and then…”
Will Sachs Jul 17, 2015 ▶ 18:52
Prediction Didn’t hold up
Sacks aims for Kindara to be the global women's health app
“So in five years, I want Kindara to be the go-to women's health app for women all over the world for women from when they get their period all the way through to menopause. I want us to be able to offer value and help them understand their cycles better and to…”
Will Sachs Jul 17, 2015 ▶ 20:14
Made with StarZero

Turn any episode into a week of clips.

This entire site, over 1,200 episodes transcribed, diarized, checked and made playable, runs on the StarZero media pipeline. Drop in your own episode and the podcast clipper finds the moments worth sharing, cuts them, captions them, and reframes them for every feed.

Try the podcast clipper Learn more