What separates founders who ship, sell, and scale from those who stall? In this episode, former 500 Global leader and author of "The Funding Framework", Vijay Rajendran breaks down a practical system for building startups that last—from validating with customers (not code), to crafting investor-ready stories, to running a tight 10–12 week fundraise. We also dig into why teams really fail (spoiler: trust and communication), how to shift from Chief Everything Officer to Chief Enablement Officer, and the mindset that turns early traction into durable momentum.What you’ll learnThe Funding Framework: systems (not serendipity) for raising capital with confidenceHow to use the hero’s journey to make your customer the hero—and your product their superpowerFounder-led sales: listening for value cues that write your pitch for youWhen “customer education” is a trap—and what to do insteadThe three CEO phases: Everything → Enablement → ExecutiveLinks & resourcesVijay’s website: https://www.mystartupsystem.com/Ask Vijay’s AI Twin anything: https://askwizly.ai/vijay-rajendranBook — The Funding Framework: https://tinyurl.com/hmvetnfjVijay’s Substack: https://startupsystem.substack.com/Free bonus for Produck Podcast listeners — Vijay’s Founder-Led Sales presentation: https://www.sierraventures.com/ascend/founder-led-salesVijay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijayarajendran/Want to be featured on the show? Email leesensei12@gmail.com.Follow for early drops and clips: Instagram: @produckpodcastConnect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/produck-podcast/#startupfunding, #founderstory, #venturecapital, #entrepreneurship, #pitching, #storytelling, #productstrategy, #foundercoach, #startuplessons, #produckpodcast, #founders, #scalingstartups, #fundraising