Episode 64

He quit Apple to sell honey jars and learn sales | Ep- 64

Published on: 14th September, 2025

From building apps at Best Buy to getting into Techstars, this episode is a masterclass in startup grit. Our guest, a Toronto-based founder and ex-Apple/IBM engineer, walks us through building 35+ projects, what failed, what made money, how he learned sales from scratch, and why he’s now obsessed with solving go-to-market problems for B2B startups.

We go deep into:

- How to know when to kill an idea

- Lessons from making $0 to 5-figure MRR

- The truth about VC pressure vs bootstrapping

- Building SaaS + service hybrid models

- Staying sane while building solo


Timestamps:


00:00 - Intro: From On Deck to 35 Ideas

01:00 - Why most technical founders fail at sales

04:00 - Best Buy hack: Gaming ad revenue with Android apps

06:30 - First “real” win: Canada Top 10 apps

08:00 - Building “Spotify for News” (and shutting it down)

10:30 - When to kill your startup

13:00 - Side hustle to 1k MRR → quitting full-time job

16:00 - Why learning sales changed everything

18:00 - Selling blueberry honey to learn sales

21:00 - Cold email agency that failed — what went wrong

24:00 - SaaS vs. service models: What scales?

28:00 - “My platform did 10 things. Users wanted 1.”

31:00 - Mission-driven idea testing

35:00 - The 5K/month rule & building in public

38:00 - Should you raise VC or bootstrap?

41:00 - Burnout, support systems & staying sane

45:00 - AI tools stack: Cursor, Claude, Replit & more

50:00 - What actually keeps him going after 35+ tries

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About the Podcast

Funds and Founders: Untold Journeys Behind Their Breakthroughs
Welcome to "Funds & Founders: Untold Journeys Behind Their Breakthroughs," where we dig deep into the stories of successful Austin founders. Instead of focusing on their successes though, we dive into their journeys, particularly the struggles and obstacles they had to overcome.

This weekly podcast is tailored for Austin founders navigating the early stages of their entrepreneurial journey and hosted by fellow Austinite Abhinav Sinha. Here’s what to expect by tuning into Funds & Founders:

🚀 Embark on a Journey to Success
Join Abhinav as he takes you behind the scenes, exploring the highs and lows of building a company. This isn't your typical success story – we dive into the failures, the struggles, and those pivotal breakthrough moments that define a founder's path.

🌟 Real Conversations, Real Insights
Abhinav's approach is refreshingly different. Rather than dwelling on success, he crafts casual conversations that unravel the untold stories. Identify the setbacks that helped them grow, the lessons learned from failures, and the breakthrough moments that fueled these founders.

🤔 Why Didn't They Quit? Learn and Apply.
At the heart of each episode, Abhinav delves into the 'why' behind the perseverance. Why didn't they throw in the towel during tough times? And, most importantly, how can you apply their insights to your own journey? Get ready to be inspired and equipped with practical takeaways for your entrepreneurial adventure.

🤝 Decoding Venture Capital
Ever wondered what goes on in the minds of Austin's venture capitalists? Abhinav sits down with local VCs to decode their criteria for investing in early-stage companies. Gain valuable insights into the world of venture capital, understand what investors look for, and appreciate the vital factor of founder-investor compatibility.

🎙️ Meet Your Host, Abhinav Sinha:
Abhinav's soft-spoken yet inquisitive style creates an intimate atmosphere, allowing guests to share their authentic stories. His genuine curiosity and insightful questions make each episode a captivating journey into the minds of Austin's most successful founders.

If you're a budding Austin entrepreneur seeking the inspiration and insight needed for building a successful company, "Funds & Founders" is your go-to podcast.