{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"305. How to build a company you're proud of \u2014 with Eric Ries","description":"Most founders start with the best intentions. And then somewhere along the way \u2014 without noticing \u2014 the company they've built becomes something they're ashamed of. Not because they're bad people. But because nobody taught them how to prevent it. Eric Ries wrote The Lean Startup \u2014 the book that changed how Silicon Valley thinks about building companies. His new book, Incorruptible, tackles the question that comes next: how do you build a company that makes money without destroying the thing that made it worth building in the first place? In this episode, Sophia Matveeva speaks with Eric about the practical techniques any founder can use today \u2014 no revolution in how business works required. Listen to learn: Why investors are not your bosses \u2014 and what happens when you treat them like they are How the most successful mission-driven companies are structured so they cannot make money any other way except by achieving their mission Why doing the right thing by your customers and employees is often the highest ROI decision you can make \u2014 just not on a short-term spreadsheet Eric also shares the story of a Texas grocery store that told customers to take their shopping home for free during an ice storm \u2014 and what that decision reveals about what it actually means to build with integrity. Resource mentioned in this episode: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries \u2014 covered on episode 111 Lessons from the Lean Start-Up by Eric Reis --- Ready to build your tech venture the right way? Book a call: https:\/\/calendly.com\/sophia-matveeva\/new-meeting Timestamps:  00:00 - Introduction: The ice storm story - When HEB gave away groceries 02:53 - How every founder starts with good intentions but ends up somewhere else 05:05 - Mission-driven vs mission-hopeful: What actually counts 08:18 - Costco's governance fortress and violating "best practices" 10:55 - Long-term vs short-term: Maximizing human flourishing 14:04 - Why business founders have a bad reputation 17:41 - Investors are not your bosses - The fundamental mistake 21:52 - The AI insurance startup hiding their nonprofit foundation 25:08 - The HEB ice storm story: When doing right pays off 28:45 - Closing and resources Free AI Mini-Workshop for Non-Technical Founders: Learn how to go from idea to a tested product using AI \u2014 in under 30 minutes. Get free access here: https:\/\/www.techfornontechies.co\/aiclass Follow and Review: We\u2019d love for you to follow us if you haven\u2019t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We\u2019d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select \u201cRatings and Reviews\u201d and \u201cWrite a Review\u201d then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Listen to our podcast on: Apple Spotify YouTube Audible Pandora Transcript: https:\/\/www.techfornontechies.co\/blog\/305-how-to-build-a-company-you-re-proud-of-with-eric-ries ","author_name":"Tech for Non-Techies \u2014 Product Thinking & Innovation for Business Leaders","author_url":"https:\/\/www.techfornontechies.co\/","html":"