In this special Halloween edition of the Nothing Ventured podcast, I had the pleasure of hosting Lev Perlman, the founder and CTO of Metamind. Lev shared his journey from being an illegal waiter at bar mitzvahs to becoming a self-taught tech engineer and eventually founding Metamind, a company dedicated to helping early-stage tech companies optimize their tech stack and prepare for technical due diligence.

We kicked off the episode with a quickfire round to get to know Lev better, where he recounted his first job experiences and the various roles he held before diving into the tech and venture ecosystem. Lev explained the motivation behind starting Metamind, which stemmed from his frustrations with the quality of service provided by agencies he had worked with in the past.

As the conversation progressed, we delved into some spine-chilling founder horror stories, starting with Lev's own experience of pitching to a tier-one investor who was distractedly eating a kebab during the call. We discussed the importance of resilience in the face of such bizarre situations and how founders can learn to adapt.

Lev shared a particularly alarming tech horror story involving a health tech startup that had a major security flaw, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive patient data. This incident highlighted the critical need for thorough technical due diligence, which Lev and his team provide for both investors and founders.

We also touched on the predatory practices of some startup service providers, where non-technical founders can end up spending exorbitant amounts on MVP development without understanding the implications. Lev emphasized the importance of seeking referrals and doing proper research before engaging with service providers.

Throughout the episode, we explored the challenges founders face, including co-founder disputes and the complexities of investor relationships. Lev offered valuable advice on how to avoid common pitfalls, such as ensuring proper documentation and understanding the dynamics of venture capital.

In closing, we discussed the significance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and managing stress as a founder. Lev shared his personal strategies for coping with the pressures of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of disassociating oneself from the business and finding healthy outlets for stress.

This episode is packed with insights and cautionary tales that every founder should hear, especially as we navigate the often treacherous waters of startup life. Thank you for joining us for this Halloween special, and I hope you find the stories shared here both entertaining and enlightening!

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Introduction to the Halloween Special
00:00:10 - Meet Lev Perlman: Background and First Job
00:01:05 - Lev's Journey into Tech and Entrepreneurship
00:01:50 - The Birth of Metaminds
00:02:40 - Overview of Metaminds' Services
00:03:42 - Founder Horror Stories: A Personal Experience
00:05:05 - Handling Awkward Investor Meetings
00:06:50 - Tech Horror Stories: Security Vulnerabilities
00:08:20 - Tech Due Diligence for Founders and Investors
00:09:46 - Predatory Startup Service Providers
00:10:51 - Advice for Early-Stage Founders
00:11:19 - Weirdest Horror Stories in Startups
00:12:20 - The Importance of Distributed Access
00:13:30 - Employee Ghosting and Its Consequences
00:14:45 - Managing Anxiety as a Founder
00:19:15 - Building Resilience in the Face of Challenges
00:21:07 - The Importance of Knowledge Transfer
00:22:28 - Lessons from Personal Tech Experiences
00:24:21 - Finding Balance as a Founder
00:31:00 - Avoiding Common Founder Mistakes
00:32:05 - Understanding Investor Dynamics
00:35:12 - Horror Stories from the Investor Side
00:40:12 - Key Takeaways for Founders
00:41:36 - Final Thoughts on Startup Challenges

Find Lev Perlman online at:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justlev2
Twitter: https://x.com/lawfullylev
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justlev
Metamindz: https://www.metamindz.co.uk/

This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B.
Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/

Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
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