The Impact VC

Founders are constantly making decisions.
Who to hire.
Which client to take.
Which email to answer.
Which opportunity to chase.
Which problem actually needs attention.

But Dr. Seema Desai brings up an important question in this short from The Founder’s Path Podcast: What state are you making the decision from?

When your nervous system is regulated, your critical thinking skills come back online. You are able to access experience, knowledge, and intuition. You can ask better questions, like:
“Am I doing this because it serves the business?”
Or, “Am I doing this because I am afraid of missing out?”

That distinction matters.

Watch the full episode with Valerie Cobb and Dr. Seema Desai here:
https://theimpactvc.com/blog/choose-joy-first

Revenue coming in does not always mean the business is healthy.

In this short clip from The Founder’s Path, Valerie Cobb and Loren Baker talk about why cash flow matters so much for small business owners.

If it costs you a dollar to deliver something and you only charge 50 cents, the math is simple: you are not making money.

But in real businesses, this problem often gets hidden under revenue, activity, and hustle.

The question every founder needs to ask is:
Do I actually have enough cash to keep this business moving?

Watch the full episode here:
https://theimpactvc.com/blog/business-or-job

Founders—stop giving your MVP away for free.
Free users don’t validate your business.
Paying customers do.

If people are willing to pay for a pilot, that’s the market saying YES.

Watch the full episode here:
https://youtu.be/Pw-2she6jDI

Most startups fail because founders build before they validate.

They assume:
“If we build it, people will come.”

But that’s rarely how business works.

In this clip from The Founder’s Path, Mark Gambale explains why founders should:
• Test ideas before building
• Charge for pilot programs
• Validate demand before scaling
• Listen to real customer feedback

His advice is simple:
If customers won’t pay for it, they don’t believe in it.
Watch the full episode here:
👉 https://youtu.be/8A8-xv8AE60