Brigit Torborg’s journey, featured on the Startup Stories from the Treehouse podcast, highlights the unpredictable reality of building a startup. As the founder of Fomeno—a fashion-tech platform for secondhand clothing—Brigit faced challenges like lacking technical expertise, poor unit economics, and limited product-market fit. Rather than ignore these problems, she confronted them head-on, communicating transparently with her team and stakeholders. When Fomeno wasn’t viable, Brigit pivoted, launching Host Happy Hour, a community-driven event series. Her story underscores the value of honest self-assessment, strategic pivots, mentorship, and learning from setbacks. Brigit’s experience is a powerful reminder: face reality early, communicate openly, and treat every challenge as a growth opportunity. Subscribe to the Wildfire Labs Substack for podcast summaries and more insight on building a tech startup.