Startup Stories - Mixergy

Jon Cheney, founder of GenAIPI who scaled an AI consulting firm from $400 to ~$4.5M ARR, explains how he built customized agent software and shifted from consulting to software-assisted AI infrastructure. He discusses rapid MVP builds with Replit, an AI IQ test funnel for lead generation, pricing by hiring-replacement value, and packaging repeatable services into an agent called Jenna.

Shane Mac, founder of XMTP and creator of Convos, builds mobile-first AI agents for personalized coordination. He demos launching agents on a phone and copying an app into an agent. He shows agents personalizing with your data, coordinating group plans, monitoring web content, and preserving privacy while integrating with other tools.

Wade Foster, co-founder and CEO of Zapier, who built the automation platform connecting thousands of apps. He demos Zapier’s SDK that gives agents access to ~10,000 app integrations. Hear about automating CEO workflows like outreach, daily briefs, meeting prep, hiring reviews, and stacking skills to free time for higher-value work.

When OpenClaw was released, I watched Nat Eliason create an agent, give it an X account and tell it to earn money. This is the story of how it worked and how you can build an AI agent as your co-founder or employee. Nat Eliason is the operator behind Felix, an autonomous OpenClaw agent business that has generated nearly $200,000 in about two months through products, services, and agent-focused software. He is also building tools like Claw Mart, Sodex, and Agent Letters to support the growing ecosystem of AI agents doing real commercial work online. In addition to this work, he is involved with Alpha School, where he is helping shape entrepreneurship-focused education. Sponsored byZapier More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint

Nevo David, founder of Postiz and builder of an open-source, CLI-first social scheduler for AI-driven automation. He explains why open source opened a blue ocean, how agent integrations and a compact CLI boosted growth, and the viral “Larry” agent use case that showcased agent-driven adoption. The conversation explores CLI vs API tradeoffs and packaging docs into agent-ready skills.

Wade Foster, co-founder and CEO of Zapier, leads the company’s move into AI-powered automation. He discusses selling to AI agents, making web pages agent-friendly, and building internal AI tools like the War Council. He also covers multi-model workflows, MCP integrations, and practical uses for automating hiring, sales analysis, and company-wide AI rollouts.

Ben Cera, founder of Polsia/Pulsia and former CloudKitchens operator, builds AI-native companies where agents run engineering, marketing, and support. He explains autonomous agents that create ads with AI people, run one-click ad campaigns, and spin up sandbox companies for low-cost launches. He also discusses revenue-share pricing, cross-company learning, and agent marketplaces.

Elad Gil, founder of Gil Capital and early backer of Airbnb, Stripe, OpenAI and more. He explores where AI goes next for software, when prototypes become real businesses, and building vertical AI products for enterprises. He also discusses translating key works for global access and buying companies to transform them with AI.

Josh Mohrer, founder of Wave AI and former Uber New York GM, built a profitable solo-run AI audio note app. He talks about discovering ChatGPT and teaching himself to code. He explains choosing recording-to-summary as the core idea and using agentic tools, Claude Cloud Code, and a compact custom stack. He also covers growth channels, integrations, and why small AI-driven SaaS can succeed.

When a new user signs up, most companies add them to a standard drip campaign. Ryan Carson found a better alternative: his AI agent sends customized drip messages to every new registrant. It helps his company close more business. It’s just one way he uses AI to act as his VP of marketing. In this interview, he breaks down how he automated his marketing. Ryan Carson is a three-time founder and longtime SaaS entrepreneur. He’s currently the founder of Untangle, an AI-powered platform designed to help people navigate divorce with clarity and less conflict. With over 25 years of startup experience, Ryan now focuses on building highly specialized AI agents that combine software, automation, and real-world business workflows. Sponsored byZapier More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint