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Founder Mode

Founder Mode

Written by: Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton
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About this listen

Founder Mode is a podcast for builders—whether it’s startups, systems, or personal growth. It’s about finding your flow, balancing health, wealth, and productivity, and tackling challenges with focus and curiosity. Each week, you’ll gain actionable insights and fresh perspectives to help you think like a founder and build what matters most.Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • When Enough is Enough with Jason Fried
    Feb 19 2026

    EPISODE 44

    Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton sit down with Jason Fried, co-founder of 37signals, to unpack what it means to build software that feels less like “software” and more like a physical object you actually want to use every day. Jason explains the philosophy behind Fizzy, 37signals’ fresh take on Kanban, and why speed, fluidity, and visual joy aren’t polish but core product decisions. The conversation explores designing with human-scale constraints borrowed from the physical world (like piles on a desk), why limits often produce better tools, and how 37signals stays independent to preserve optionality. They also discuss why 40 hours a week is enough, how founders can stay deeply involved without becoming bottlenecks, and Jason’s advice to new founders: keep your surface area small and start making something real as fast as possible.


    CHAPTERS

    00:00 – Building software as objects you want to use every day

    07:04 – Fizzy and a simpler, more joyful take on Kanban

    12:21 – Piles, limits, and designing for human scale

    22:03 – 40 hours is enough: founder involvement without micromanagement

    43:22 – Undercomplicating year one: keep surface area small and start making


    LINKS

    Connect with Jason Fried

    37signals.com LinkedIn X/Twitter


    Stay Connected with Founder Mode

    Subscribe to our newsletter: gofoundermode.com


    Connect with Kevin

    LinkedInX/Twitter


    Connect with Jason

    LinkedInX/Twitter

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    49 mins
  • Scaling Multi-Location Businesses with Stephanie Joyce
    Feb 11 2026

    EPISODE 43

    Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton sit down with Stephanie Joyce, founder and operator of Attune, to unpack what it really takes to scale multi-location service businesses without losing control of culture, operations, or margins. Drawing from years of leading growth, acquisitions, and crisis turnarounds, Stephanie explains why people come first, systems second, and how scaling simply amplifies whatever you already tolerate. The conversation covers documentation and onboarding as prerequisites for consistency, how to diligence acquisitions beyond surface-level financials, and what it means to lead with clarity and integrity when everything is on fire. They also dive into the modern med spa operating stack, from CRM and automation to compensation structures that drive the right behaviors, and why the future of wellness will be defined by better data, smarter technology, and a careful balance between AI and human trust.


    CHAPTERS

    00:00 – People first, systems second: what breaks when you scale

    04:25 – Documentation, SOPs, and onboarding for multi-location consistency

    04:56 – Acquisition diligence: margins, concentration risk, and key-person dependency

    08:06 – Leading through crisis: transparency, trust, and cash discipline

    14:13 – The modern med spa playbook: systems, CRM, and incentives


    LINKS

    Connect with Stephanie Joyce

    attunemedspa.com LinkedIn


    Stay Connected with Founder Mode

    Subscribe to our newsletter: gofoundermode.com


    Connect with Kevin

    LinkedInX/Twitter


    Connect with Jason

    LinkedInX/Twitter

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    25 mins
  • From Doctor to Founder with Jay Motley
    Feb 5 2026

    EPISODE 42

    Kevin Henrikson and Jason Shafton sit down with Dr. Jay Motley, founder of MindWell Health, to explore what it takes to leave a long career in anesthesiology and build a modern mental health clinic. Jay shares how losing autonomy after his private practice was absorbed by a hospital system paired with the life-altering loss of his first wife pushed him to rethink time, care, and what getting better really means. The conversation dives into ketamine therapy as a fast-acting tool that can open a window for patients who have failed traditional treatments, and why lasting improvement depends on pairing that window with therapy and lifestyle medicine fundamentals like sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress management. They also cover the myths around expensive wellness biohacks, how AI could reduce administrative burden and expand patient access, and what Jay learned scaling from a one-person launch to multiple MindWell locations.


    CHAPTERS

    00:00 – Ketamine as a fast-acting “open window” for change

    00:50 – Health fundamentals that matter most: sleep, food, movement

    04:20 – Why Jay left anesthesiology: autonomy, loss, and control of time

    07:10 – Building MindWell: ketamine + therapy + lifestyle medicine

    19:10 – Scaling the clinic: cash-pay vs insurance, systems, and hiring


    LINKS

    Connect with Dr. Jay Motley

    mindwell.com LinkedIn Instagram X/Twitter Substack Facebook


    Stay Connected with Founder Mode

    Subscribe to our newsletter: gofoundermode.com


    Connect with Kevin

    LinkedInX/Twitter


    Connect with Jason

    LinkedInX/Twitter

    Show More Show Less
    25 mins
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