John-Miguel Mitchell
@jmitchell38.bsky.social
Workplace Culture Leader For Startups & VC Community
Capital is an amplifier.
It scales trust… or speeds up the corrosion that was already happening.
If you want durable growth, invest in culture design before you invest the money.
It scales trust… or speeds up the corrosion that was already happening.
If you want durable growth, invest in culture design before you invest the money.
November 19, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Capital is an amplifier.
It scales trust… or speeds up the corrosion that was already happening.
If you want durable growth, invest in culture design before you invest the money.
It scales trust… or speeds up the corrosion that was already happening.
If you want durable growth, invest in culture design before you invest the money.
Wild stat from Stripe: AI startups hit $1M ARR in 11.5 months.
What they don’t hit that fast?
Leadership alignment, trust systems, and culture maturity.
Hypergrowth isn’t the victory—surviving it is.
What they don’t hit that fast?
Leadership alignment, trust systems, and culture maturity.
Hypergrowth isn’t the victory—surviving it is.
November 18, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Wild stat from Stripe: AI startups hit $1M ARR in 11.5 months.
What they don’t hit that fast?
Leadership alignment, trust systems, and culture maturity.
Hypergrowth isn’t the victory—surviving it is.
What they don’t hit that fast?
Leadership alignment, trust systems, and culture maturity.
Hypergrowth isn’t the victory—surviving it is.
Retention bonuses are 🚩 for bad management.
If you have to pay people to stay, you’re not fixing culture — you’re delaying churn.
Culture risk = financial risk. 💸
If you have to pay people to stay, you’re not fixing culture — you’re delaying churn.
Culture risk = financial risk. 💸
November 17, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Retention bonuses are 🚩 for bad management.
If you have to pay people to stay, you’re not fixing culture — you’re delaying churn.
Culture risk = financial risk. 💸
If you have to pay people to stay, you’re not fixing culture — you’re delaying churn.
Culture risk = financial risk. 💸
Strong teams fail because culture goes unmeasured + mispriced.
The “magic beans economy” isn’t forgiving. 🌪️
Measure culture or watch execution crumble.📚
joinekipo.com/2025/11/14/u...
The “magic beans economy” isn’t forgiving. 🌪️
Measure culture or watch execution crumble.📚
joinekipo.com/2025/11/14/u...
Unless You Measure Culture: The Lorax’s Warning for Today’s Founders and Investors
Growth will destroy the system meant to support it. Culture intelligence is the antidote—the ability to read signals, align leadership, and build stability during high-pressure phases.
joinekipo.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Strong teams fail because culture goes unmeasured + mispriced.
The “magic beans economy” isn’t forgiving. 🌪️
Measure culture or watch execution crumble.📚
joinekipo.com/2025/11/14/u...
The “magic beans economy” isn’t forgiving. 🌪️
Measure culture or watch execution crumble.📚
joinekipo.com/2025/11/14/u...
If your team can only be “vulnerable” from 2:15–2:30 next Thursday, that’s not culture — that’s theater.
Trust isn’t a scheduled event.
It’s a leadership habit.
Trust isn’t a scheduled event.
It’s a leadership habit.
November 13, 2025 at 7:13 PM
If your team can only be “vulnerable” from 2:15–2:30 next Thursday, that’s not culture — that’s theater.
Trust isn’t a scheduled event.
It’s a leadership habit.
Trust isn’t a scheduled event.
It’s a leadership habit.
Culture risk is financial risk — it just hits later.
Most investors measure what’s easy. Few measure what matters.
Founders who ignore culture aren’t saving time; they’re compounding risk.
Most investors measure what’s easy. Few measure what matters.
Founders who ignore culture aren’t saving time; they’re compounding risk.
November 12, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Culture risk is financial risk — it just hits later.
Most investors measure what’s easy. Few measure what matters.
Founders who ignore culture aren’t saving time; they’re compounding risk.
Most investors measure what’s easy. Few measure what matters.
Founders who ignore culture aren’t saving time; they’re compounding risk.
💀 Just 51.6% of U.S. startups make it to year five (BLS 2024).
The real risk isn’t market conditions — it’s misaligned leadership.
No region outperforms bad culture.
Culture-market fit > product-market fit.
Investors, stop underwriting chaos.
Founders, build infrastructure that lasts.
The real risk isn’t market conditions — it’s misaligned leadership.
No region outperforms bad culture.
Culture-market fit > product-market fit.
Investors, stop underwriting chaos.
Founders, build infrastructure that lasts.
November 11, 2025 at 7:26 PM
💀 Just 51.6% of U.S. startups make it to year five (BLS 2024).
The real risk isn’t market conditions — it’s misaligned leadership.
No region outperforms bad culture.
Culture-market fit > product-market fit.
Investors, stop underwriting chaos.
Founders, build infrastructure that lasts.
The real risk isn’t market conditions — it’s misaligned leadership.
No region outperforms bad culture.
Culture-market fit > product-market fit.
Investors, stop underwriting chaos.
Founders, build infrastructure that lasts.
AI won’t replace your CEO.
It’ll just expose which ones were already running on autopilot.
Take a listen or ready my take: ⚾ “Trust, Not Tactics”
It’ll just expose which ones were already running on autopilot.
Take a listen or ready my take: ⚾ “Trust, Not Tactics”
Trust, Not Tactics: What Startup Founders Can Learn from Dave Roberts — Before AI Replaces You
While founders obsess over product-market fit, they ignore leader-culture fit: the alignment between a founder’s decision-making philosophy and the company culture they’re actually buil…
joinekipo.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:00 PM
AI won’t replace your CEO.
It’ll just expose which ones were already running on autopilot.
Take a listen or ready my take: ⚾ “Trust, Not Tactics”
It’ll just expose which ones were already running on autopilot.
Take a listen or ready my take: ⚾ “Trust, Not Tactics”
𝗜𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 — 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.
Disagreement is a feature of strong teams, not a flaw.💣
Disagreement is a feature of strong teams, not a flaw.💣
November 6, 2025 at 6:19 PM
𝗜𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 — 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.
Disagreement is a feature of strong teams, not a flaw.💣
Disagreement is a feature of strong teams, not a flaw.💣
🔥 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗸𝘀 — 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽.
The water cooler’s dead. Replace it with purpose, not policy.
💥 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 — 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.
The water cooler’s dead. Replace it with purpose, not policy.
💥 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 — 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.
November 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
🔥 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗸𝘀 — 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽.
The water cooler’s dead. Replace it with purpose, not policy.
💥 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 — 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.
The water cooler’s dead. Replace it with purpose, not policy.
💥 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 — 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.
AI money didn’t dry up — it consolidated.
Welcome to the era of fewer bets, bigger egos.
Welcome to the era of fewer bets, bigger egos.
November 4, 2025 at 6:54 PM
AI money didn’t dry up — it consolidated.
Welcome to the era of fewer bets, bigger egos.
Welcome to the era of fewer bets, bigger egos.
💥 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹 isn’t in your all-hands slides — it’s in your term sheet. It reveals what you 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚: control, trust, or fear.
🤝 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗩𝗖𝘀 — if capital drives behavior, then your deal terms shape the culture long before your first hire.
🤝 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗩𝗖𝘀 — if capital drives behavior, then your deal terms shape the culture long before your first hire.
November 3, 2025 at 7:39 PM
💥 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹 isn’t in your all-hands slides — it’s in your term sheet. It reveals what you 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚: control, trust, or fear.
🤝 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗩𝗖𝘀 — if capital drives behavior, then your deal terms shape the culture long before your first hire.
🤝 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗩𝗖𝘀 — if capital drives behavior, then your deal terms shape the culture long before your first hire.
Everyone talks about “runway.”
Few talk about what actually runs out first — trust.
The next decade won’t reward speed or hype.
It’ll reward discipline, endurance, and conviction.
Part 3 of our series: why weathering the cycle requires cultural infrastructure.
joinekipo.com/2025/10/31/p...
Few talk about what actually runs out first — trust.
The next decade won’t reward speed or hype.
It’ll reward discipline, endurance, and conviction.
Part 3 of our series: why weathering the cycle requires cultural infrastructure.
joinekipo.com/2025/10/31/p...
Part 3: Weathering the Cycle Requires Cultural Infrastructure
Startups don’t fail from lack of funding; they fail from lack of alignment. Funds don’t lose from poor timing; they lose from poor integrity. And the solution to both begins with treati…
joinekipo.com
October 31, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Everyone talks about “runway.”
Few talk about what actually runs out first — trust.
The next decade won’t reward speed or hype.
It’ll reward discipline, endurance, and conviction.
Part 3 of our series: why weathering the cycle requires cultural infrastructure.
joinekipo.com/2025/10/31/p...
Few talk about what actually runs out first — trust.
The next decade won’t reward speed or hype.
It’ll reward discipline, endurance, and conviction.
Part 3 of our series: why weathering the cycle requires cultural infrastructure.
joinekipo.com/2025/10/31/p...
Every founder scales something — product, hype, chaos. The rare ones scale trust.
Culture isn’t a perk. It’s the infrastructure of endurance. ⚙️
Culture isn’t a perk. It’s the infrastructure of endurance. ⚙️
October 30, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Every founder scales something — product, hype, chaos. The rare ones scale trust.
Culture isn’t a perk. It’s the infrastructure of endurance. ⚙️
Culture isn’t a perk. It’s the infrastructure of endurance. ⚙️
𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗽. 🛵
𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻 — 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣, 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙.
𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻 — 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣, 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙.
October 29, 2025 at 4:57 PM
𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗽. 🛵
𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻 — 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣, 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙.
𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻 — 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣, 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙.
𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗲. 📉
𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼.
𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 is the only 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 when markets stall.🌱
𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼.
𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 is the only 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 when markets stall.🌱
October 28, 2025 at 6:32 PM
𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗲. 📉
𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼.
𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 is the only 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 when markets stall.🌱
𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼.
𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 is the only 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 when markets stall.🌱
𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. 💰
Oversized checks magnify cultural dysfunction — fast growth without alignment breaks trust
Oversized checks magnify cultural dysfunction — fast growth without alignment breaks trust
October 28, 2025 at 6:24 PM
𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. 💰
Oversized checks magnify cultural dysfunction — fast growth without alignment breaks trust
Oversized checks magnify cultural dysfunction — fast growth without alignment breaks trust
𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀.
𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗲.
𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘁 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. ⏳
𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗲.
𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘁 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. ⏳
October 28, 2025 at 5:47 PM
𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀.
𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗲.
𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘁 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. ⏳
𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗲.
𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘁 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. ⏳
𝘽𝙖𝙮 𝘼𝙧𝙚𝙖 💸 funds ambition.
𝘽𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣 🧠 funds endurance.
𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙔𝙤𝙧𝙠 🗽 funds grit.
𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙣𝙚 🤝 funds 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵?
𝘽𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣 🧠 funds endurance.
𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙔𝙤𝙧𝙠 🗽 funds grit.
𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙣𝙚 🤝 funds 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵?
October 28, 2025 at 5:41 PM
𝘽𝙖𝙮 𝘼𝙧𝙚𝙖 💸 funds ambition.
𝘽𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣 🧠 funds endurance.
𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙔𝙤𝙧𝙠 🗽 funds grit.
𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙣𝙚 🤝 funds 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵?
𝘽𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣 🧠 funds endurance.
𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙔𝙤𝙧𝙠 🗽 funds grit.
𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙣𝙚 🤝 funds 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵?
🧠 If your AI strategy makes your people feel replaceable, you’re not innovating — you’re eroding trust.
AI won’t kill culture. ⚙️
Leaders who use it wrong will.
AI won’t kill culture. ⚙️
Leaders who use it wrong will.
October 27, 2025 at 5:56 PM
🧠 If your AI strategy makes your people feel replaceable, you’re not innovating — you’re eroding trust.
AI won’t kill culture. ⚙️
Leaders who use it wrong will.
AI won’t kill culture. ⚙️
Leaders who use it wrong will.
🎰 Founders play the hand.
Investors build the table.
But most still treat culture like a side bet.
In venture, the real winners aren’t chasing jackpots — they’re managing the odds.
🎙️ Why culture — not capital — is the house edge in venture.
Investors build the table.
But most still treat culture like a side bet.
In venture, the real winners aren’t chasing jackpots — they’re managing the odds.
🎙️ Why culture — not capital — is the house edge in venture.
Part 2: The Culture Risks That Quietly Undermine VC Portfolios
Investors bet on founders. We protect those bets.
joinekipo.com
October 24, 2025 at 8:09 PM
🎰 Founders play the hand.
Investors build the table.
But most still treat culture like a side bet.
In venture, the real winners aren’t chasing jackpots — they’re managing the odds.
🎙️ Why culture — not capital — is the house edge in venture.
Investors build the table.
But most still treat culture like a side bet.
In venture, the real winners aren’t chasing jackpots — they’re managing the odds.
🎙️ Why culture — not capital — is the house edge in venture.
𝗩𝗖 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 — 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁.
Founder churn and burnout aren’t random — they mirror the investor’s operating culture.
If your portcos keep imploding, maybe it’s not them.
Maybe it’s you.
💭 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.
Founder churn and burnout aren’t random — they mirror the investor’s operating culture.
If your portcos keep imploding, maybe it’s not them.
Maybe it’s you.
💭 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.
October 23, 2025 at 5:16 PM
𝗩𝗖 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 — 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁.
Founder churn and burnout aren’t random — they mirror the investor’s operating culture.
If your portcos keep imploding, maybe it’s not them.
Maybe it’s you.
💭 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.
Founder churn and burnout aren’t random — they mirror the investor’s operating culture.
If your portcos keep imploding, maybe it’s not them.
Maybe it’s you.
💭 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.
In a world chasing growth, execution dies cultureless.
𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 hides cracks. Execution exposes them.
𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 like infrastructure — not like a marketing line.
𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 hides cracks. Execution exposes them.
𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 like infrastructure — not like a marketing line.
October 22, 2025 at 5:05 PM
In a world chasing growth, execution dies cultureless.
𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 hides cracks. Execution exposes them.
𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 like infrastructure — not like a marketing line.
𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 hides cracks. Execution exposes them.
𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 like infrastructure — not like a marketing line.
64% of VC dollars now chase AI.
But the next scarcity isn’t GPUs — it’s human focus.
Efficiency ≠ clarity. Productivity ≠ purpose.
But the next scarcity isn’t GPUs — it’s human focus.
Efficiency ≠ clarity. Productivity ≠ purpose.
October 21, 2025 at 8:31 PM
64% of VC dollars now chase AI.
But the next scarcity isn’t GPUs — it’s human focus.
Efficiency ≠ clarity. Productivity ≠ purpose.
But the next scarcity isn’t GPUs — it’s human focus.
Efficiency ≠ clarity. Productivity ≠ purpose.
$𝟱𝗕+ valuations keep climbing — but exits aren’t.
𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻e calls it “discipline.” It’s really delayed accountability.
The 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 isn’t founder ego — it’s investor denial.
At Ekipo, we map cultural risk 🚨 before it becomes valuation risk.
𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻e calls it “discipline.” It’s really delayed accountability.
The 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 isn’t founder ego — it’s investor denial.
At Ekipo, we map cultural risk 🚨 before it becomes valuation risk.
October 20, 2025 at 5:41 PM
$𝟱𝗕+ valuations keep climbing — but exits aren’t.
𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻e calls it “discipline.” It’s really delayed accountability.
The 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 isn’t founder ego — it’s investor denial.
At Ekipo, we map cultural risk 🚨 before it becomes valuation risk.
𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻e calls it “discipline.” It’s really delayed accountability.
The 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 isn’t founder ego — it’s investor denial.
At Ekipo, we map cultural risk 🚨 before it becomes valuation risk.