Tools for Adventure | Justin Guld

Описание: What does it really take to survive 8 years as a physical product startup?

In this episode, we sit down with Justin, co-founder of MODL and creator of the Infinity Tool — a modular, flexible attachment system often described as “Legos for life.” From launching a modular water bottle on Kickstarter to making a full pivot that changed the company’s trajectory, Justin shares the raw realities of building in atoms, not bits.

We dive deep into:

• Why most startups don’t fail — founders quit
• The emotional moment where they almost shut everything down
• Pivoting from a complex product to a simple, scalable one
• Manufacturing in China and managing inventory risk
• The magic of having 3 co-founders (and how they avoid killing each other)
• Why Shopify’s AI “Sidekick” is underrated
• Using AI tools like Claude for DTC copywriting
• Running EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) as a 5-person team
• Competing by building the best product, not obsessing over rivals

Justin also shares how an executive coach helped them unlock growth, how they carved clear ownership across marketing, operations, and design, and why three co-founders might actually be the ideal founding structure.

If you're a founder, operator, or finance leader navigating product-market fit, pivots, or co-founder dynamics — this episode is packed with honest lessons.---

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Our YouTube channel was created by a passionate team dedicated to making a positive impact on the world, led by:

🎙️ Daniel Kivatinos – Co-founder & CEO of JustPaid.ai, serial entrepreneur, and builder. Daniel previously co-founded DrChrono, a startup that transformed how medical practices operate and was acquired after scaling to thousands of providers. He has spent years navigating the startup world, raising capital, scaling teams, and building technology that matters.

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Together, Daniel and Harshith share insights on AI, fintech, startups, and emerging technologies—helping businesses and founders navigate the rapidly evolving landscape.

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JustPaid.ai is a Y Combinator-backed (W23) startup focused on solving one of the biggest financial bottlenecks for businesses: getting paid on time. Our platform uses AI to streamline invoicing, automate collections, and provide real-time financial insights—so businesses can focus on growth, not chasing payments.

Why JustPaid.ai?

💰 AI-Powered Cash Flow Management – Automate accounts receivable and improve payment cycles.
📊 Real-Time Financial Visibility – Gain instant insights into your cash flow, outstanding invoices, and risks.
🔗 Seamless Integrations – Works with your existing financial stack for effortless implementation.
🤖 Smart Collections & Predictive Analytics – Identify high-risk accounts and optimize revenue recovery.

JustPaid integrates with your existing tools to streamline revenue operations, invoicing, and collections, allowing you to focus on running your business. Automatically invoice and get paid effortlessly. Let AI do the heavy lifting by instantly reviewing contractual payments. JustPaid centralizes vendor relationships, ensuring you’re always in control, regardless of your organization’s stage.

🚀 To all the founders, finance teams, and business leaders—your time is better spent growing your business. Let JustPaid handle the rest.

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