Tech for Non-Techies

297. The fundraising mistakes that haunt founders for years

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Giving away 10% of your company before you have a product might seem like a reasonable price for mentorship and introductions. But do the math at ex...

296. What is coding, really? A non-techie's guide

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever nodded along while someone talked about coding — secretly having no idea what they actually meant — this episode is for you. This...

295. You are your biggest investor - think like one

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Your time, energy and capital are all scarce resources. Each has an opportunity cost. And yet many founders make decisions about their ventures bas...

294. Product development is the new business literacy

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In the 20th century, financial literacy was essential. In the 21st century, it's product development. AI has made building faster and cheaper—whi...

293. Why the best products don't always win

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You can build the best product in the market and still lose to a mediocre competitor. This isn't reverse psychology—it's how markets actually work...

292: How to launch a platform when you've got no users [RERUN]

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How do you start a marketplace when you have no customers? Or a dating app with no users? This is the classic chicken-and-egg problem every platform...

291: Go-to-market strategy: what to do before you launch

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A beautiful logo won't save your startup. If you treat go-to-market as a slick website and a rebrand, you're already behind. Here's the thing. In tech...

290: Why Airbnb switched from OpenAI to Chinese AI (and what it means for your budget)

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

AI isn't just coming from Silicon Valley anymore. A growing number of startups — and companies like Airbnb — are turning to Chinese open-source AI...

289: The AI paradox (and 3 other trends shaping tech investing in 2026)

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Raising money used to be about the strength of your idea. Sadly, that's no longer true. It's now 90% cheaper to build an AI product than it was two ye...

288: Why you shouldn't become a tech founder

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Starting a tech company sounds exciting: autonomy, upside, the chance to build something meaningful. The reality is tougher. Startups demand constant ...

REPLAY: Get funded as a Non-Technical Founder

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

THIS RECORDING IS ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL MIDNIGHT ET, TUESDAY JANUARY 20 2026 We just wrapped up the live class How to Get Funded as a Non-Technical Fou...

From 0 to 1: where your tech venture will be by February

18 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you're thinking about joining Tech for Non-Technical Founders, this episode is for you. In this episode, I walk you through exactly what you'll b...

287: Why investors fund non-technical founders (and why they don't)

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It is harder to raise funding as a non-technical founder as a non-technical one. Some of this is silly stigma, but some of it is reasonable risk aware...

REPLAY: From Business Owner to Tech Founder, without the $100,000 developer disaster

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We just wrapped up the live class From Business Owner to Tech Founder, Without the $100,000 Developer Disaster and I am still buzzing! I love showin...

286: Lessons from Meta and Google for non-technical founders in 2026

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Most non-technical founders assume their biggest gap is technology. Sadly, that belief is what leads to bloated builds, slow progress, and painful spe...

285: From idea to revenue in 7 months: how this non-technical founder did it

31 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most people assume turning an idea into revenue takes years. Turns out, that belief slows more projects down than tech ever does. In just seven months...

284: The unexpected upside of becoming a tech founder (before you ever "succeed")

24 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most people think the upside of building a tech company comes after success. Turns out, a lot changes long before that. The moment you start building ...

283: Why successful business owners fail at tech

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You've built a successful business before. So why does tech feel harder than it should? Here's the uncomfortable truth. The instincts that made you su...

282: 5 skills to master before you worry about tech

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most people dive into tools, stacks, and AI hacks the moment a new idea lands. Sadly, that's the fastest way to burn cash and momentum. Here's the thi...

281: Before You Bring On a Technical Co-Founder: Listen to This

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

People often think a technical partner will solve their product problems overnight. Sadly, it rarely works that way. Before you hand over equity to so...

280: The Build-vs-Buy Framework: When Off-the-Shelf Wins — and When Custom Tech Is Worth It

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A popular debate is "build vs buy." Sadly, that's the wrong question. Here's the thing: shiny features and clever dashboards don't matter if you're so...

279: What to Do If You've Already Spent $100K on Developers and Have Nothing to Show for It

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Founders assume that if they just hire "good developers," the product will magically take shape. Sadly, that's rarely what happens. Too many non-techn...

278: The One Success Metric Every Non‑Technical Founder Must Know (Encore)

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many founders think their product's success can be measured in downloads or revenue. But here's the truth: those are business outcomes, not product go...

277: Why You Shouldn't Use AI to Build Your Product

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Every founder is looking for ways to save time and money. And right now, AI promises both. But here's the catch: while AI can write code, it can't thi...

276: How AI is Reshuffling the Rules of Business

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How many founders think AI is about faster automation? What if the real opportunity lies in reimagining how entire systems work? Sophia Matveeva sits ...

275: 5 Founder Lessons From the JP Morgan Tech Conference

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What separates founders who make it from those who stall out? After spending two days surrounded by billion-dollar CEOs and investors at JP Morgan's T...

274: The Non-Technical Founder Mindset: How to Lead When You Can't Code

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many startups collapse not because the idea fails, but because the pressure gets unbearable. Sadly, it's not strategy or funding that takes them out. ...

273: What AI Can (and Can't) Do for Non-Technical Founders

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Founders love the idea of skipping engineers and letting AI code their dream app. Sadly, that dream falls apart fast. AI can write code, but it also h...

272: Why This Is the Best Time to Be a Non-Technical Founder

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For years, non-technical founders were second class citizens in tech.  Not anymore.  In this episode, Sophia Matveeva shares five reasons why today ...

271: What Big Tech Taught Me About Leading Without Code

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can you really lead a tech company if you're not technical yourself? David Windley has done exactly that. He's the former CHRO at Yahoo, held senior H...

270: Real People, Real Startups: Lessons from Our Alumni

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most people think you need to be a Silicon Valley insider — or have millions in funding — to start a tech venture. That's just not true. In this e...

269: 4 Non-Technical Founders Who Built Billion-Dollar Tech Empires

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most founders think you need to be technical to build a billion-dollar company. But some of the world's biggest tech giants were started by people who...

268: How to Align Founders and Investors (Before Things Go Wrong)

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most founders think securing investors will solve all their problems. But fundraising often creates a new set of challenges—misaligned expectations,...

267: 7 Startup Lessons from BlackBerry's Rise and Fall

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most non-technical founders dream of building a game-changing tech product—without learning to code. But bridging the gap between vision and executi...

266. Founder-Led vs. Product-Led Growth: how to pick the right path for your startup

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most founders dream of creating a product so good it sells itself. That's the promise of product-led growth: customers discover, share, and adopt you...

265. From vodka shots to Y Combinator: how a non-technical founder built a global tech company

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a non-technical founder building your first product, this episode is for you. In today's lesson, Robyn Exton shares the real story of how sh...

264. The vacation strategy for people who can't switch off

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you're the kind of leader who is "on" all the time — even on vacation — this episode is for you. In today's lesson, Sophia Matveeva shares a p...

263. The feature factory trap: when output doesn't equal progress

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do so many software teams feel busy — but deliver so little value? Fractional tech leader Thanos Diacakis shares why shipping more features does...

262. Why the CEO is the most dangerous person in a tech startup

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most startup CEOs think they're the visionary. But in today's episode, you'll learn why the CEO is often the single biggest threat to team productivit...

261. AI won't kill jobs — but short-term thinking will

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some CEOs are already replacing engineers and junior staff with large language models. But what if the real risk isn't that AI replaces your team — ...

260. How non-techies succeed in tech: lessons from Microsoft's CTO

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it really take to lead in tech without a technical degree? In this episode, Jennifer Byrne, former CTO of Microsoft US, shares how she built...

259. Big tech, AI and the future of attention: what you missed in Cannes

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Think advertising is just TikTok, Instagram, or TV? Think again. At Cannes Lions, a major industry summit, Big Tech set the agenda for what's next in ...

258. Why you need a brand before you need an app

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most founders dive straight into building — features, user flows, no-code tools — before they've nailed the strategy that actually drives traction...

257. Why bad work wins

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Analysis paralysis is BORING. And it doesn't get you results. Most founders think they fail because of the market, the product, or the pitch. But the ...

256. Top mistakes non-technical founders make & how to avoid them

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you're building a tech product but don't have a technical background, this episode will save you months of wasted time and thousands in unnecessary...

255. What Most Startup Support Gets Wrong — and How to Fix It

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From accelerators to corporate venture capital, most startup support structures fail to deliver. Investor and entrepreneur Andrew Ackerman explains wh...

254. How to build a tech ecosystem that lasts

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it really take to build a tech ecosystem that endures — beyond PR launches and startup grants? In this episode, Sophia Matveeva shares h...

253. 4 Podcasts That Will Make You Smarter This Summer

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Want to become a better tech innovator while you sit on a beach? In this episode, Sophia Matveeva shares four podcast episodes you can learn from thr...

252. Go from Local Player to Global Tech Leader

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Phil Knight spotted better running shoes in Japan — and turned that insight into Nike, one of the world's biggest brands. In this episode, you'll le...

251: Lessons from the Dot-Com era for today's AI Hype

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is today's AI hype cycle just dot-com boom 2.0? In this episode, host Sophia Matveeva talks with David G. Ewing, who lived through the original tech b...

250. Less Tech, More Value: Why Simpler Digital Products Win

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The more technology you put into your product, the worse it can get. In this episode, Sophia Matveeva talks with Zahra Almahoozi, founder of DARB and ...

249. AI ROI: 7 Insights from the Economist Business Innovation Summit

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some companies waste millions on AI initiatives while others use it to gain serious market advantage. In this episode, you'll learn the seven insights...

257. Why bad work wins

06 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Analysis paralysis is BORING. And it doesn't get you results. Most founders think they fail because of the market, the product, or the pitch. But the ...

248. Q&A Episode: How to Keep Tech Teams On Track Without Micromanaging

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Here are the listener questions Sophia Matveeva answers in this episode: What should I be asking in product meetings if I don't have a technical back...

247. Million-Dollar Misunderstandings: How to Fix Tech-Business Disconnect

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Companies invest millions in tech projects every day. Some deliver remarkable returns while others crash and burn, wasting fortunes and careers. The d...

246. 5 Types of Innovation Leaders: From Nonsense to C-Suite

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some "Heads of Innovation" are glorified event planners while others transform entire businesses. In this episode, you'll learn how to identify which ...

245. What To Do If Your Start-up Fails

12 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Start-up failure is never pleasant, but did you know you can actually make more money and be more successful as a result? In this candid, no-nonsens...

244. The Non-Techie's Path to VC

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a non-technical founder or corporate innovator, you've likely heard the myth: venture capital is exclusively for bankers or coders. Promise ...

243. How to Work with Developers: A Guide for Non-Technical Leaders

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a non-technical founder or leader, you might find developers frustrating to work with. (They also think the same thing about you) Developers...

242. Big Tech vs Little Tech: What Non-Technical Leaders Need to Know

19 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What's good for Big Tech isn't always good for Little Tech, and vice versa. In this episode, we're breaking down the key differences between these two...

241. The 8 Types Of People You Need In Your Network

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you noticed how some people seem to know exactly the right person to call when they need something? That's not luck - it's strategic networking. ...

240. What Non-Technical Innovators Need To Do About DeepSeek

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

DeepSeek is a new AI that's 44 times cheaper than ChatGPT and completely open-source. While tech blogs obsess over the technical specs, there's a bigg...

239. Do you really need a co-founder?

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you really need a co-founder? There's intense pressure in the startup world to find co-founders, but the data tells a surprising story. MIT researc...

238. The Secret To User Growth: Turn Features Into Stories

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Want to know how Apple turns technical features into stories that make people line up around the block for new products? In this episode you will lea...

237. Introduction to crypto for smart beginners

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Cryptocurrency is becoming a bigger financial and political force in our world, especially after Donald Trump's return to the White House. This is why...

236. Combining Creativity with Data: Inside the Future of Journalism at the FT

08 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to evolve your career in the Digital Age? Meet Janina Conboye, a Financial Times journalist who added data skills to her storytell...

235. Plan Your 2025 Like a CEO: the Jeff Bezos approach

01 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a recent interview, Jeff Bezos shared that big leaders must "identify the big ideas, enforce tough execution, and grow the next generation of leade...

234. 2024 Reflections: Are You the CEO Your Career Deserves?

25 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you think year-end reviews are just about listing what you did? Think again. In this episode, you'll learn how to assess your year like a CEO - be...

233. How AI changed tech entrepreneurship and investing in 2024 and what's to come

18 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Think AI is just about adding chatbots to your business? Think again. In 2024, AI has completely transformed who can build tech companies and how they...

232. Why Governments Are Tech's Most Powerful (and Overlooked) Innovators

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Think Silicon Valley was built by brilliant founders and venture capital? Think again. Governments have been the secret force behind every major tech ...

231. Why Hardware is Hard (And When It's Worth It): Lessons from Apple, Tesla & Nvidia

04 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Every time a founder with a hardware idea comes to me for advice, I tell them they're choosing one of the toughest paths in tech. But sometimes, that ...

230. Starbucks vs LEGO: A Tale of Two Digital Transformations

27 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why do some companies nail digital transformation while others just waste millions? In this episode you'll learn from two very different case studies:...

229. The $50,000 Mistakes These Founders Almost Made (And How They Avoided Them)

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Listen to learn: How smart innovators test ideas before burning $50,000+ on development. The common tech traps that trip up even experienc...

228. Why Smart Leaders Prototype First, Strategise Later

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you think product development comes after business strategy, you're leaving money on the table and falling behind your competitors. Don't do that. ...

227. How to Use AI in Product Development: A Non-Techies Guide

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you have an idea for an app or a tech business, you can now make a test product in just 15 minutes using AI tools. But, you have to know how to use...

226. Tech Stacks Made Simple: What Non-Technical Innovators Should (and Shouldn't) Do

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered about how to work with developers effectively without becoming one yourself? It all starts with five simple, non-technical ques...

225. How To Get ROI From A Tech Conference

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You can get your dream job, your dream client or your ideal investor at a tech event. But, going to a tech conference can also be a spectacular waste ...

224. MVPs, Milkshakes & Corporate Innovation

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do you make something completely new? And does the process differ if you're in a tiny start-up or a tech giant like Google? Listen to this episode...

223. Product Management: From Start-up To Grown Up

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to understand how tech companies work from the inside, you need to know what product managers do. People who master this skillset go on to...

222. Product vs Marketing problems

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to make a successful product, or have a great career, what do you need to focus on today? Listen to this episode to find out.   Timestamp...

221. How Paypal innovates

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you want to know how one of the world's largest fintech companies stays on top? Paypal's innovation strategy is actually simpler and cheaper than y...

220. How 5 simple questions can solve your toughest problems

18 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered why some people find smart innovative solutions to problems, and others stay stuck? In this episode, you'll learn you a simpl...

219. The Hype Cycle: VCs use it, but should they?

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can you tell which innovations will last and what's just hype? Are we in a generative AI bubble? There is a methodology called the Hype Cycle that...

218. Why Uber uses Google maps: introduction to APIs (encore)

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Every time you see Login with Facebook or Pay with Paypal on an app, you're seeing a tech tool called an API. This tool allows companies to make milli...

217. When NOT to use AI in business and warfare

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If we know that ChatGPT makes things up, when should we avoid Large Language Models?  Is generative AI really safe to use when it matters? Listen to ...

216. Public vs Private innovation: when being seen to be innovative is just as important as being innovative

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Burberry was the first luxury brand to get on Facebook.   By pivoting their image from fusty old raincoat maker to social media star, the ...

215. 3 ways to learn from innovators

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to be an innovator in the Digital Age, you must learn from those who came before you. Here are Sophia Matveeva's top 3 recommendations for...

214. Business Leaders' lessons from the global IT outage

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

10,000 flight cancellations, disruptions in the UK National Health Service, and the banking sector cast into turmoil. The CrowdStrike outage sent the ...

213. How NOT to sell your company

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when an acquirer asks to buy a start-up?  The journey between the offer letter and money in the bank is long, arduous, and can sometimes...

212. How to do your Mid Year Review

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

"The success strategies for individuals and companies are remarkably similar," Reid Hoffman. You can apply product innovation and start-up principles...

211. Technology Strategy for Business Leaders

10 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

To succeed, corporates and start-ups must innovate. Learn how to manage technology strategy as a Business Leader from MBA professor Alberto Galasso. P...

210: The Rainmaking show: how to get TECH CLIENTS in professional services

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you want to have tech companies and venture capitalists as your clients? This can be very lucrative and interesting. If the answer is yes, liste...

209. Top 5 Career Skills for the Digital Age

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to have a GREAT CAREER in the Digital Age, just being good at your job isn't enough. Listen to this episode to learn the key skills every ...

208. Leadership in the Age of AI

19 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

AI is a hot topic right now. The day that this episode comes out Nvidia, has surpassed Microsoft and Apple to become the most valuable publicly listed...

207. The Business of Tech: introduction to business model innovation

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

"I believe business model innovation is more disruptive than technical innovation," - Fred Wilson, Venture Capitalist. To understand how business mode...

206. How to choose the right No Code tools for your project

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

No code tools can help you build an app for just 1% of the cost that you would pay developers. Amazing! But how do you know which no code tools to use...

205. What the No Code Revolution is and why it matters

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

No code tools have opened opportunities up for innovators, and especially for non-technical founders. But, they have their limits, and not everybody ...

204. How corporates stay successful. Lessons from The Innovator's Dilemma part 2

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As generative AI shakes up industries, those who don't choose to innovate, won't survive. Let's learn from past disruptions.  Why did Sears lose thei...

203. Why do great companies fail? Innovator's Dilemma part 1

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why did successful companies like Kodak and Blockbuster miss the digital revolution? Listen to this episode to learn why corporates ignore threats p...

202. The opportunity is NOW

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There is a gap between when a technology gets invented, and its wide adaption. In this gap, is exactly where the best opportunities lie. Listen to thi...