OnlyFounders
What really happens when two founders hit record?
Welcome to OnlyFounders, the unfiltered podcast where Anne Gillaspie and Matt Lo—two wildly different founders with wildly good chemistry—let you eavesdrop on the conversations that usually happen behind closed doors.
From the brand therapist brain of Anne (Fix & Form) to the tech-obsessed mind of Matt (ChipBot), these are the deep dives, off-the-rails riffs, and philosophical rabbit holes that business owners crave but rarely get. Think of it as your morning coffee with two founders who aren’t afraid to disagree, throw a little shade, and get real about the humanity and science of building things that last.
Business. Branding. Technology. Psychology. Strategy. Swearing. It’s all on the table.
Grab your mug. You’re invited.
Episodes
13 episodes
013: “The Human Touch vs. The Algorithm”: How Founders Win Attention (and Avoid 'Yuck Marketing')
Anne and Matt dive into the often-underestimated challenges of podcast distribution and marketing, questioning if the hardest part of their journey has just begun. They discuss the critical role of empathy and human connection in effective mark...
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27:57
012: “The 10X Thinker vs. The 10X Doer”: Why Founders Burn Out Without Execution Partners
Anne and Matt break down the founder’s most dangerous illusion: trying to be the visionary, the operator, and the technician all at once. From E-Myth’s three roles to the brutal drain of execution on future energy, they map out why “10...
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26:10
011: "Every Founder Has a Bark Collar Story": Panic, Guilt & the Systems That Break Us
Anne and Matt kick off with a weekend disaster—Anne’s dog, Noodles, gets caught in a bark-collar meltdown that spirals into chaos (and a bite). From there, they pivot hard into founder psychology: why crises hit hardest when you’re already stre...
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43:06
010: “Do You Even Work?”: Redefining Hustle, Ownership & the Founder Headspace
Anne and Matt ask a question most founders dodge: is this still fun? They dig into what “work” even means when your job is building ideas, making money for others, or just thinking alone on a walk. Anne wrestles with whether Fix & ...
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40:24
009: “The Visionary Becomes the Director”: How Founders Win in the Age of AI
Anne and Matt map out the next frontier of creative work—and it's not copywriting, coding, or design. It’s directing. From AI-powered staffing agencies to cross-cultural startup playbooks, they explore how founders need to evolve from builders ...
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28:23
008: “Lipstick on a Pig”: Manipulation, Marketing & the Ethics of Selling
Anne and Matt go deep on the blurry line between persuasion and manipulation—and what happens when you realize you can sell absolute sh*t if you want to. They dissect the ethics of marketing vs. branding, why donation-based models might be doom...
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19:13
007: “You Don’t Need AI. You Need Customers”: The Founder Trap of Overengineering
Anne and Matt riff on the wildest ideas they’d build if they started from scratch today. From vibe coding and AI-powered branding sprints to drone-delivered popsicles at playgrounds, this episode is a firehose of innovation meets realism. Anne ...
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33:14
006: “Marketing Doesn’t Matter If You Suck”: Real Talk on Product, Trust & Growth
Anne and Matt rip apart the illusion of modern marketing—where vanity metrics and fake reviews rule, and nobody fact-checks sh*t. They debate the ethics of “fake it till you make it,” explore why good SEO doesn’t mean paying an agency forever, ...
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38:07
005: “You Have No Time to Be Racist”: How Startups Strip Bias in the Name of Growth
Anne and Matt dive headfirst into one of the rawest convos in startup land: race, bias, and who actually gets hired. From language immersion to startup hiring pipelines, they ask what’s fair, what’s real, and what’s just PR. Anne unpacks her ow...
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44:58
004: “Business Plans Are Bullsh*t”: What Founders Actually Learn by Screwing Up
Anne and Matt unload on one of the most sacred cows in startup land: the business plan. From bootstrapping to burnout, they argue that movement—not modeling—is what drives real progress. Anne unpacks how her chaotic childhood wired her to thriv...
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58:19
003: “Everything Else Is Fake”: Why People Still Crave Realness in an AI World
Anne and Matt go deep on what it means to be human in an AI-generated world. From prompt hacks to table tennis at altitude, they debate when tech adds value—and when it just fakes the funk. Anne breaks down the hormonal truth behind founder ene...
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19:43
002: “Reverse Ranking Imperfection”: Why Founders Should Embrace the Mess
Anne and Matt dive deep into the messy reality of mixing friendship and business—and why it usually doesn’t work. They unpack the emotional landmines of hiring friends, share raw confessions about sacrificing pay, and debate when founders shoul...
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31:29
001: “I Hire So I Can Look Left”: Startup Team Building Without Losing Your Mind
In the inaugural episode of OnlyFounders, Anne and Matt dive deep into the chaos and clarity that comes with running multiple ventures. Anne opens up about juggling Fix & Form, a new productized service business, a workshop on brand + exit ...
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37:44