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Founder Mode – Episode 29 – Private Equity + AI with Jason Friedrichs

by Cristel Baste

EPISODE 29: Private equity meets AI in a grounded, operator-first conversation with Jason Friedrichs of AEA Elevate. We cover why “no-regrets” initiatives and clear ROI gates beat hype cycles, how to build an AI-first value creation plan, and why team design—not just capital—drives repeatable growth. Jason shares his thoughts on where PE playbooks are shifting beyond spreadsheets, the small wins that compound across functions (GTM, support, back office), how to navigate macro shocks, and what sectors he believes are primed for outsized AI-enabled revenue and margin expansion.

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Founder Mode – Episode 29 –  Private Equity + AI with Jason Friedrichs

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Founder Mode – Episode 29 – Private Equity + AI with Jason Friedrichs

EPISODE 29: Private equity meets AI in a grounded, operator-first conversation with Jason Friedrichs of AEA Elevate. We cover why “no-regrets” initiatives and clear ROI gates beat hype cycles, how to build an AI-first value creation plan, and why team design—not just capital—drives repeatable growth. Jason shares his thoughts on where PE playbooks are shifting...
Founder Mode – Episode 28 –  Health Is a Team Sport

Thursday, October 9, 2025

Founder Mode – Episode 28 – Health Is a Team Sport

EPISODE 28: Jason and Kevin dig into why health isn’t a solo sport—and how founders can extend their “work span” by prioritizing community, shared rituals, and better device hygiene. They cover replacing PR-chasing with longevity metrics, carving out weekly “sensorless” time to reset attention, and using an AI “board of directors” to stress-test health decisions...
Founder Mode – Episode 27 – From AI Prototype to Production with Ankur Goyal

Thursday, October 2, 2025

Founder Mode – Episode 27 – From AI Prototype to Production with Ankur Goyal

EPISODE 27: Ankur Goyal joins Founder Mode to show how real teams get from AI prototype to production: build a two-click loop from user complaint to eval, treat observability as a driver of quality, and design iteration environments that connect production logs back to tests. Ankur explains why LLMs behave more like databases than CPUs,...
Founder Mode – Episode 26 – How Not to Run a Startup with Bobby Evans

Thursday, September 25, 2025

Founder Mode – Episode 26 – How Not to Run a Startup with Bobby Evans

EPISODE 26: Bobby Evans goes inversion-first on startup failure modes—from overhiring and bonus wars to vanity metrics, misaligned influencers, and shipping the wrong features. We dig into crypto betting’s realities, why credibility and payouts matter more than hype, the cost of public financialization, and how to protect thinking time, delegate, and avoid perfectionism that delays...

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