Builders & Doers

Serial entrepreneur and investor Peter Horan delivers unconventional insights on building and scaling successful businesses. Discover his "four-act play" framework for venture pitches, why founder-led sales eventually kills growth, and how to position yourself for the economic "apocalypse" he sees coming.Peter shares contrarian wisdom on everything from business books (he doesn't read them) to work-life balance (it's a myth) and the critical mistake that keeps entrepreneurs from exiting at the right time. Whether you're an early-stage founder or looking to scale, this conversation provides practical pieces of advice from someone who's built, sold, and invested in multiple successful ventures across media and technology.Connect with Peterhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/peterhoran/https://horanmediatech.com/⁠The Searchlight⁠ is a weekly briefing on leadership, venture, and building in the age of AI. Every Friday.Timestamps00:00 - Intro01:02 - Board Membership and Strategic Guidance03:06 - The Art of Venture Pitching05:18 - Navigating Customer Feedback and Business Viability07:53 - The Evolution from Operator to CEO10:14 - Unconventional Habits for Success11:54 - Scaling SMBs: Founder-Led Sales14:23 - Building a Business with Limited Resources15:40 - Managing Time Constraints with Side Hustles17:34 - The Myth of Work-Life Balance20:04 - Coaching and Mentoring in Business20:54 - Marketing Strategies on a Budget23:09 - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome24:29 - Navigating the Venture Capital Landscape26:31 - Navigating a Constipated Financial Market27:30 - Investment Strategies: Betting on the Jockey29:30 - Identifying Key Signals for Business Growth30:58 - Timing the Market: When to Sell vs. Grow35:14 Opportunities in an Apocalyptic Market38:40 - Harnessing AI for Business Solutions42:15 - Cultural Insights: Lessons from Japan and China

Ever feel like starting a business is impossible? Y Combinator alum Arjun Mahadevan, founder of doola, gets real about the hurdles of entrepreneurship in this exclusive interview. From getting rejected by YC three times to building a business in a box for e-commerce sellers, Arjun shares his wisdom on mindset, productivity, and what it REALLY takes to succeed. Learn why "a bold, dumb a** crushes a shy genius" and how to ignore the 'crabs' holding you back.Connect with Arjunhttps://x.com/ArjunMahadevanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mahadevanarjun/https://www.doola.com/⁠The Searchlight⁠ is a weekly briefing on leadership, venture, and building in the age of AI. Every Friday.Timestamps00:00 - Introduction00:57 - The Journey to Y Combinator03:30 - Lessons from YC: The Extraordinary Founder Mindset06:35 - Motivation vs. Training: Key to Performance08:06 - doola: Solving Entrepreneurial Challenges12:09 - From Idea to Action: Overcoming Fear in Entrepreneurship14:56 - Pitching to Investors: Common Mistakes and Insights18:00 - Maximizing Revenue: Focus on What Works19:53 - Productivity Hacks for Entrepreneurs21:01 - The Two-Minute Rule and Time Management Hacks21:42 - The Power of Boldness Over Genius23:37 - Nurture vs. Nature in Entrepreneurship25:58 - Breaking Down Goals for Success28:30 - The Importance of Niching Down30:38 - Aiming for a Billion Founders31:52 - Balancing Quality and Quantity in Business33:41 - Finding the Right Balance Between Thinking and Doing35:41 - The Future of Entrepreneurship and doola's Role37:39 - Ignore the Crabs: A Mantra for Entrepreneurs