036 - Balancing Innovation and Integrity in the AI Era with Ming Chan, Founder, The 1st Movement

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Pitch, Build, Scale - Startup Founder Stories in the Age of AI

Chris Fanchi

52 episodes

3 days ago

That spark of innovation? It's just waiting for the perfect combination of tools and talent to bring it to life. This is "Pitch, Build, Scale": Each episode, we connect with the builders, the visionaries, and the problem-solvers who are redefining what's possible with today's technology - and pioneering the websites, apps, and software products of tomorrow. These are the conversations that transform how we build, how we sell, and how we scale technology businesses in a world where the tech evolves by the minute. Ready to stay ahead of the curve? This is "Pitch, Build, Scale".

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036 - Balancing Innovation and Integrity in the AI Era with Ming Chan, Founder, The 1st Movement

Pitch, Build, Scale - Startup Founder Stories in the Age of AI

34 minutes 47 seconds

2 months ago

036 - Balancing Innovation and Integrity in the AI Era with Ming Chan, Founder, The 1st Movement

What does it take to build a tech consultancy that thrives for 20+ years while staying small, nimble, and deeply human?

In this episode, Emmy award-winning technologist and product strategist Ming Chan shares his journey from being yelled at by Steve Jobs, to launching The1stMovement, to navigating the promise and peril of AI.

Ming reveals why he intentionally limits his client base, how he’s kept enterprise partnerships for decades, and the moral questions every technologist should ask about AI’s role in society.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How early experiences with Apple shaped Ming’s vision for tech and creativity

- Why being a “lifestyle entrepreneur” can be a strategic choice

- The tolerance-of-risk gap between startups and enterprises when adopting AI

- Practical ways agencies can use AI to boost velocity without sacrificing quality

- How to build client relationships that last decades

Chapters

00:00 - The Morality and Perception of AI

01:54 - From Music to Tech: Ming’s Origin Story

04:53 - Getting Yelled at by Steve Jobs

08:17 - The1stMovement’s Mission and Evolution

10:49 - Client Base and Team Size Strategy

15:45 - Why Stay Small? The Lifestyle Entrepreneur Approach

17:15 - AI Adoption in Enterprises vs Startups

21:39 - Using AI for Speed and Efficiency

23:22 - Startup Clients and the Reality of MVPs

25:55 - Growing vs Staying the Course

28:42 - Building Without Outside Funding

31:54 - The One Piece of Advice to His Younger Self

Resources

The1stMovement: https://the1stmovement.com/

Connect with Ming Chan: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mingchan/

Big North Marketing: https://bignorthmarketing.com/