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David Hirshfield — 35-year tech veteran, founder of Tekyz Corp, and host of the Scaling Smarter podcast — joins us to share what it really takes to build, scale, and sustain a successful startup in today’s AI-driven world.
In this deep-dive conversation, David unpacks his Launch First approach, which flips the traditional startup model by focusing on validation and sales before writing a single line of code. He explains why free beta testing doesn’t prove product-market fit — only paying customers do.
We explore how AI is transforming software development, not by replacing developers, but by accelerating what’s automatable and unleashing more space for human creativity. You’ll also hear his insights on hiring smarter (not just more skilled) people, scaling systems through distinct growth phases, and how he envisions a future of AI-driven abundance — one where even parking garages disappear.
🎧 This episode is essential for startup teams, founders, and innovators navigating the new tech economy.
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🔗 Connect with David:
✉️ david@tekys.com
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhirschfeld/
🌐 https://tekys.com
📍 Chapters
0:00 Intro
1:17 Success in a Recovery Project
6:11 Turning Around a Dying Business
11:27 The Mistake of Free Trials
14:32 From Small-Scale Idea to Major Snack Distribution Software
22:05 Building a Culture of Excellence Without Burnout
29:24 Founders, Delegation, and Cultural Leadership
35:31 Scaling Through Logarithmic Growth Principles
37:32 Visualizing Future Scale & Systemic Thinking
39:26 Recognizing a Profitable Market — The StageRite Story
42:29 Will AI Eliminate Software Jobs?
48:14 A Vision of AI-Driven Abundance
53:09 The Biggest Mistake Young Founders Make
55:53 Outro
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