In this episode of the Traction Podcast, Gagan Biyani, Co-Founder and CEO of Maven, and cofounder of Udemy and Sprig shares unconventional lessons from building, failing, and scaling.

Specifically, Gagan dives into:

- Going from idea to product-market fit and scale.
- Navigating founder issues.
- When should you shutdown your startup.
- The pitfalls of over-fundraising, explaining how too much capital can lead to losing control over the company’s direction.
- Recognizing personal definitions of success, urging founders to reflect on what happiness and fulfillment mean beyond financial gain.
- Redefining “hustle” as smart work — using innovative problem-solving to create leverage and achieve more with less, rather than just putting in longer hours.
- The importance of adaptability, resourcefulness and continuous learning in successfully navigating the entrepreneurial journey.

This conversation highlights the need for founders to align their business journey with their life goals and values. It’s a call for honesty and introspection in the entrepreneurial world, reminding listeners that success is personal and multifaceted.

Resources Mentioned:

Maven’s official website: https://maven.com/
“From Grassroots to Greatness” (book): https://www.lloyedlobo.com/
Traction Community: https://tractionconf.io/

This episode is brought to you by:

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Launch Academy is one of the top global tech hubs for international entrepreneurs and a designated organization for Canada's Startup Visa. Since 2012, Launch has worked with more than 6,000 entrepreneurs from over 100 countries, of which 300 have grown their startups to seed and Series A stage and raised over $2 billion in funding. To learn more about Launch's programs or the Canadian Startup Visa, visit https://LaunchAcademy.ca

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