From Finance to Founding a Tech Startup

In this episode, Amir sits down with Trevor Lee, Co-founder and CEO of Myko AI, to unpack his unconventional leap from the finance world to building a cutting-edge tech company. Trevor shares how he navigated leaving a comfortable corporate job, using an MBA to break into tech, and the iterative process of finding product-market fit, including pivotal moments and lessons learned while bootstrapping and scaling his business.

🔥 Key Takeaways:

Trust Your Gut & Bet on Yourself: Trevor realized early that traditional corporate environments weren't for him. His dissatisfaction pushed him toward entrepreneurship.

Using an MBA as a Pivot Point: While some may dismiss the value of an MBA in tech, Trevor leveraged it to gain exposure, experiment, and network, ultimately identifying his ideal role as a tech founder.

Product-Market Fit is a Journey, Not a Destination: Trevor candidly discusses how his company pivoted multiple times, emphasizing constant customer discovery and iteration.

Bootstrapping Builds Grit: Failing to raise initial capital didn’t stop Trevor; instead, he bootstrapped MyKo, learning key lessons about resilience and resourcefulness.

Sales > Code (Sometimes): As CEO, Trevor unexpectedly found himself deeply involved in sales – a critical part of driving growth even for a technical product.

Location Isn’t Everything: Based in Florida, Trevor highlights how being outside Silicon Valley hasn’t limited his access to capital, mentors, or customers—especially in a post-remote world.

🕒 Timestamped Highlights:

00:28 – Trevor’s background: from finance to founding MyKo

01:36 – The motivation to leave a comfortable corporate job

03:05 – Why Trevor pursued an MBA to break into tech

05:36 – How the idea for Myko originated and evolved during business school

07:56 – Navigating pivots and recognizing when to change direction

09:58 – Aligning a small team during a pivot decision

11:38 – Confidence in the current product and growth focus

12:57 – The story behind bootstrapping vs. early fundraising struggles

14:54 – Shifting roles as CEO: From product to sales leadership

15:28 – Skills Trevor wishes he had focused on earlier (sales & technical chops)

17:02 – How mentors and investors have guided his journey

18:52 – Founding outside a traditional tech hub: Advantages and challenges

20:35 – Trevor’s vision for Myko's future: Hybrid remote growth strategy

21:40 – How to connect with Trevor for advice or collaboration

💡 Memorable Quote:

“You don’t truly appreciate how much chewing glass being a founder is and the level of unsexy, terrible work you have to do all the time.” – Trevor Lee

🎯 Audience Note:

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who is considering making the leap into entrepreneurship, especially those outside traditional tech hubs or without prior technical backgrounds.

💬 Connect with Trevor:

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorlee20