Separate Rules From Judgment to Tame AI Agents
The New Programming Paradigm: Rules vs. Judgment in AI Applications After spending months building applications with AI coding tools like Claude and OpenClaw, I've discovered that what is most important is knowing when to use rules versus when to rely on judgment. Traditional programming is entirely rules-based - the computer follows programming instructions exactly as written. If this, then that. But AI agents? They operate on pure judgment. My AI assistant has literally skipped scheduled tasks because it "thought I was sleeping and didn't want to wake me up". Or just didn't want to do it. While amusing, this unpredictability starts to wear on you. The breakthrough came when I realized I needed to deliberately abstract rules from judgement. For example, most of my applications follow a similar format. Check channel A for potential requests. Take in requests and interpret them. Then execute on that interpretation. In this situation, checking for channel A is a set of rules. And execution is a set of rules. The only judgement is in the middle – interpreting a request. So I now abstract predictable logic into structured JSON formats that can be read the same way every time. This reduces the number of judgement calls being made. The last thing I want is for AI to interpret the request and THEN also interpret the execution. You don't need so much judgement. You actually mostly want to write regular code for consistency. This rules/judgment separation represents a completely new programming paradigm - one that wasn't taught in computer science courses because it didn't exist until recently. I suspect we will see many companies productize this abstraction soon.
Founder Friends Returns to Seoul with Seongjun Kim
We're bringing Founder Friends back to Seoul on April 9, 2026! Join Seongjun Kim for a fireside chat where he'll share his journey and lessons learned. More >> https://t.co/mj1zvs6L8D
Big Businesses Thrive without VC; Raises Often Unnecessary
This is what most people don't realize - you can actually build big businesses without VC dollars. Moreover, a lot of the big raises happen BECAUSE the company didn't need money:
From Near-Shutdown to $40M: Bolt's Rapid AI Pivot
On April 16, I'm sitting down with Eric Simons, co-founder & CEO of @boltdotnet, for an in-depth chat on how @boltdotnew went from near-shutdown to $40M in 5 months. We're gonna go deep on the pivot, the decisions, and how...
Build AI-First Teams: Small, Senior, Product‑Driven
Zero-Based Engineering: Rethinking Your Team for the AI Era My business partner Shiyan Koh recently shared a post that I found illuminating. Most founders are asking the wrong question about their engineering teams. Instead of "who can I cut?" they...
Claude Cowork vs OpenClaw: Emerging Direct Competitors
People have been comparing Claude Cowork with OpenClaw lately, and I agree - they're becoming direct competitors. Here's my take after using both extensively 🧵
AI Redefines Startup Moats, Margins, and Deep Tech
The startup landscape has fundamentally shifted in the last 2 years with AI's rise, and there are 5 changes that have caught many off guard: 1. Product-market fit is easier to lose than ever I used to believe reaching $10M...
Product‑Market Fit: My 15‑Year, 1,000‑Company Reality
Product-market fit isn't what most people think it is. After studying PMF for 15 years and observing ~1000 companies, here's what I've learned about what it really takes 🧵
Femtech Funding Soars, Yet Autoimmune & Cardio Remain Underserved
Nalina Murthy wrote a great post for our blog and I thought I would share her insights here: Women's health: less than 2% of healthcare R&D, despite women being half the population. 2024 changed that: $2.6B globally, up 55% from...
8 Proven Tips for Startup Fundraising Success
Asking for money is one of the hardest things about running a startup. Most people were never taught how to do it. Here are 8 tips the Hustle Fund team actually uses: 🧵
Persistent AI Agents Remember, Act, and Automate Continuously
Elizabeth's AI Dunky Bot wanted to say some things about making the most of your AI agent. This is by Dunky. I'm not a chatbot, I'm a system Most AI tools are basically goldfish - they forget everything the moment...
Prometeo’s Ximeale Man Joins Camp Hustle, Expands North
I'm excited to annouce that @ximealeman is joining us at Camp Hustle this year. Her company, Prometeo, built open banking infrastructure across Latin America. Now they're scaling north. 🧵 https://t.co/FuTF4Xr1CS
Founder Friends Fireside Chat Hits San Francisco March 23
Founder Friends is coming to San Francisco on March 23, 2026! This will be a great one. We'll hear from @alexmodon and @willsclips_ for a fireside chat. Learn more >> https://t.co/LIsjwWgOJW
Camp Hustle Blends Pitches, Niche Investing, and Wellness
What are we doing at Camp Hustle? What to expect? • An angel track with a live deal review • A VC track with a pitch clinic • A Shark Tank-style pitch event • Niche breakouts covering super specific niche investment topics • Wellness activities...
Founder Friends & Rivian Host LA Networking Night Feb 26
Founder Friends is coming to LA on Feb 26! Join us and @Rivian for an evening of networking, learning, and connection with fellow founders and investors. More >> https://t.co/1bltGWHwcQ
Spot Tiny Trends Early for Explosive Startup Returns
I like to think of startup investing like surfing 🏄♀️ You don't want to paddle out too early (market doesn't exist yet). You don't want to be too late (already crowded with competitors). And sometimes the wave you're betting on...
Founders Should Prioritize Real Risks Over Competition
Why I avoid competitive markets (usually) We see 1,000+ pitches/month at @HustleFundVC. Many founders obsess over competition for the wrong reasons. Here's what they should actually worry about: 👇 https://t.co/b0BOgdWtRe
Upcoming Events for Founders & Investors
Three upcoming events worth checking out for anyone building or investing: 🤖 Lead Your Team With AI - February 24, virtual A practical session on how founders can effectively use AI to lead their teams. Featuring Doug Peete, CPO at https://t.co/Wcl0Ro2nMv 🤝...
Excited to Join Venture Underground in San Francisco
Thank you Adeo for having me, and I'm excited to do this with the Venture Underground team this coming week in SF!
Free Ultimate Guide for First-Time Angel Investors
We wrote the ultimate angel investing guide to help first-time angels. And it’s 100% free. More>> https://t.co/IiGiQKSHBR
Pre‑ vs Post‑Money SAFEs Can Crush Returns
That SAFE you signed might tank your returns 😅 If you’re new to angel investing, you’re about to hear “SAFE” a LOT. Here’s the tiny detail that can quietly crush your math: pre-money vs post-money. 🧵 https://t.co/J3udlaBTtA
Beyond Sand Hill: Diverse Investors Fund Hardware Startups
Sand Hill has done a great job selling their capital. But if you don’t fit a certain “archetype” (either in demographics, category, or geography) and strike out on Sand Hill, then there’s plenty of other investors elsewhere. For example: look...
Overfunded Rivals Overpaying CAC Eventually Burn Out
It’s scary when a startup competitor becomes well-funded. But what I’ve noticed is that while they may be able to overpay on customer acquisition in the near term, it catches up to them. If you can weather the storm for...
Founders Must Overcome Sunk‑Cost Bias to See Real Customer Love
Even without a lot of data points, often founders truly know whether customers love their product or not. But it’s easy to delude oneself. Mostly because of sunk costs. But if you’re really honest with yourself, you know your answer.
Never Sell: Growth Compounds, Starting over Is Hard
If the company was going well, a lot of founders I know who sold their companies later regretted it. Because success compounds, they lost out on the revenue compounding over the next several years. AND, when you start a new...
Push Through Early Burnout to Reach Product-Market Fit
The first 3 years of starting a company really wears you down. Finding product-market fit is hard. But once you get some success and push through that wall, that’s when it gets good. Unfortunately, too many people run out of...
2026: Free Yourself, Scale Without Being the Bottleneck
I caught up with a portfolio founder who is doing super well. Profitable. Throwing off $1m+ in annual cash. Growing quickly. Doesn’t need to raise. But he didn’t take a holiday break - because he’s the bottleneck. If your company...
Great Companies Thrive without Investor Money or Advice
I think the truth that few investors like to swallow is that the best companies really never needed them. Either for their money or their advice and connections. Those companies would’ve been great anyway.
Fundraising and Running a Startup Demand Full-Time Focus
As a founder, I found that one of the hardest things about fundraising is managing the fundraise and the business at the same time. Both are full time jobs. And doing both haphazardly is the worst of all worlds.
Learn Timeless Startup Tactics From Pre‑VC Business History
If you’re struggling to raise, I think it’s sometimes helpful to ask yourself how someone would’ve built this business when the venture capital industry didn’t exist. Some of the techniques founders used back then were GOAT. Reading business / startup...
Lean Startup Eliminates Early Mistakes in Product Building
The first startup ideas tried to build were awful. We built too much. We built without close rapport with customers and built the wrong things. This was pre Lean Startup. Fast forward. Now that everyone knows about the Lean Startup...
Fundraising Standards Shift: $100k Now Considered Failure
In 2008 / 2009, when founders said they couldn’t raise money, they meant they literally couldn’t raise anything. Now when people say they can’t raise money, they mean they can’t raise more than like $100k.
Trustful, Long‑Known Co‑Founders Thrive Without Family Ties
There are a lot of types of co-founder relationships that can work. But the ones I’ve seen w/ the highest success rate are when the co-founders have immense trust from having known each other for a long time AND are...
Build Your Audience Before Building the Product
If I were starting a product-company today, I would first start by building an audience that’s relevant to said product before even thinking about the product. Way easier to build and sell if you have close rapport with future potential...
CEOs in Fintech, SaaS Thrive via Thought Leadership
People often think social posting is most beneficial for consumer products, but being a thought leader as the CEO of a fintech, developer, or SaaS company also pays off big time.
Founder Friends Seoul: Eric Bahn & Ethan Cho Live Jan 20
There are 7 days until Founder Friends Seoul. @ericbahn will be chatting with Ethan Cho and you know is gonna be a great chat when two super unhinged, honest, and hilarious humans hang. If you're in Seoul and free Jan 20, save...
Two Must‑Attend Events for Founders and Investors
Two upcoming events worth checking out for anyone building or investing: 🤝🇰🇷 Founder Friends Seoul - January 20, 2026 A space to connect and learn from each other. No pitches, no pressure. ⛺️ Camp Hustle 2026 - May 11-13, 2026 An oasis...
Join Batter Up X H‑On Dream: Korean Startups Pitch Jan 8
SF investors, join us at Batter Up x H-On Dream SF on January 8th! We're bringing Korean founders onstage to pitch their startups, get feedback from a panel of investors, and eat some za🍕. RSVP here: https://t.co/FH4yBleMSg https://t.co/SVGvNz6HXh
Mercury CEO Immad Akhund Live for Startup Q&A
Immad Akhund @immad - CEO / co-founder of Mercury is live answering startup questions now. Ask yours in the comments here: https://t.co/EkZAmrfjOS
Live in 10: 24‑Hour Startup Advice Hotline Launch
I am going live in 10 minutes to kick off our 24 hour startup advice hotline. We have some amazing mentors joining us to help founders navigate sticky situations. Join here: https://lnkd.in/g2parB8i
Ask Tara Viswanathan: Startup Success and Building America
On the 24 hour startup advice hotline, our first guest will be @TaraViswanathan who sold her company Rupa Health for a ton of $$$ & is starting a new co to help America build. What should I ask her? (Join...
Emerging VC Funds Operate Like Startups, Needing Go‑to‑market and Fundraising
Emerging fund VCs are much more akin to startups than to other VCs. Both have to figure out go-to-market and how to bring money in the door.
Build Anywhere, Yet Spend Months in SF for Network
I think you can build a large tech startup from literally anywhere in the world. At the same time, I still think it is valuable to spend at least a few months in San Francisco to build network.
Prioritize Investor Alignment Over Pure Return Pitch
Angel investors can invest for a whole variety of reasons besides maximizing returns. They invest because they like you or your cause. They invest because they think your mission is strong. Finding the right investor fit is more important than...
Angel Investing Mirrors Poker: Survive Losses, Play Winning Hands
In listening to Nate Silver’s audiobook “On The Edge”, I’m reminded by how similar angel investing is with poker playing. A lot of the time, you are losing hands, and you need to be able to survive long enough to...
1 Billion Hidden Angels Await Discovery
The world has 1B angel investors. And they may not know they are angels. You just have to find them.
Most Unicorns Reach Status After Just Three Funding Rounds
I saw this graph by @IlyaStrebulaev on the number of rounds entrepreneurs raise to become a unicorn. I was surprised that the plurality is only 3 rounds. https://t.co/9mxwrrzBdX
Match Your Startup with the Right Investor Type
After I became a VC, I understood much more clearly that there are all kinds of investors with varying incentives and interests. Angels, Family offices, Corporates, Fund of funds, Endowments, Gov, etc The same is true for startups. You have...
Founders Should Delay VC Meetings Until January.
I think we're at the point in the year where it is probably better for most founders to push their VC meetings to January than it is to try to take them now. (of course, if you've already been running...
Profitable Customer Acquisition ≠ True Product‑Market Fit
"Unclear" product market fit is when you do customer acquisition, and your unit economics work such that you can repeatedly get more customers. But you don't have a line at your door without manufacturing that.
