MIT Professor and Stanford Grad, Rizwan Virk was CEO of a startup that created Tap Fish, now downloaded over 50 million times. He gives us some amazing startup advice and busts all the lame-sauce myths you’ve heard over and over. Plus, Justin discusses the Covid-19 blame game, bailing out retail, the fast economic recovery and folks missing the office.
Show Notes and Resources
Checking my work eh? Below is my full list of supporting links and show notes.
Covid-19 has halted many gross sharing practices
- Sample trays at Grocery stores. Gone. YAY
- Open antipasti and salad bars. Gone. YAY
- Public soup bowls. Gone. YAY
- Disinfecting planes. Uh… duh?
- Here’s the CNBC article about disinfecting planes
- Sitting on each other’s laps in communal seating? Done. YAY
- Washing our hands? Finally.
Rizwan Virk, author of Startup Myths and Models
I’ve got to say, Riz really packs this interview full of great content, but we don’t even cover a fraction of what he explains in his book. You should probably pick it up if you’re involved in your own startup.

- Topics:
- Different founders have very different motivation. Not everyone is motivated by money, a problem, or fame.
- Are partners bad? Or good? How many should we have? Do VCs like multiple partners? Why?
- How valuable is experience? Or should we look for cultural fits?
- Des passion matter? How many succcesful founders were actually passionate about their startup?
- Should we really relentlessly focus, or should we be open to change?
- Is fail fast, pivot quickly a great strategy or plain stupid?
- Buy Startup Myths and Models by Rizwan Virk
- Check out bonus content at ZenEntrepreneur.com
Hertz Continues The Covid-19 blame-game
- Read the WSJ Piece: Hertz Was Already in Terrible Shape. The Pandemic Finished It Off
- TGI Friday’s is closing 20% of it’s stores according to Bloomberg
Should we bail out retail? Absolutely not.
- Read the piece in Quartz about bailing out retail
- Here’s the article about the massive Skilled Trades Labor shortage in Entrepreneur magazine
- Here’s the piece in Bloomberg about the truck driver shortage
Economic Masochism Is Dumb. Experts Predict Fast Recovery
- Here’s Dave Ramsey’s interview with Dr. Art Laffer on The Dave Ramsey Show
Do you miss the workplace? You’re not alone.
- Apparently people are missing the office according to The Wall Street Journal