A drug dealer threatened to kill him—then he grew 50x in 3 Years to $50M ARR. | Brett Carlson, Found of ServiceUp

A drug dealer threatened to kill him—then he grew 50x in 3 Years to $50M ARR. | Brett Carlson, Found of ServiceUp

Author: Mistral.vc October 2, 2025 Duration: 33:28
Brett had a drug dealer's car for 13 days. By day 11, the death threats started coming. This is the reality of building ServiceUp, the "DoorDash for auto repair." Brett literally stole DoorDash's entire playbook—city launches, three-sided marketplace, everything—but discovered even if he got 90% right, 10% of B2C customers can end you. He raised from Tiger just as the firm exploded. The DoorDash partnership that seemed like salvation turned into their worst nightmare. But then th...

Behind every great company is a moment where everything clicked-when a product finally met its market. A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders is dedicated entirely to unpacking that elusive, critical phase. Hosted by Mistral.vc, conversations here aren't about broad business advice; they focus intensely on the raw, formative stages from zero to one. You'll hear founders from companies like Reddit, Gusto, and Cohere recount the real decisions, stumbles, and insights that led to their breakthrough, offering a level of detail you can actually apply. This podcast operates on a simple belief: by examining enough of these specific journeys, patterns emerge that demystify product-market fit more effectively than any theoretical framework. It’s a resource built for founders who prefer learning through concrete examples and candid stories from those who’ve navigated the same path. Tune in for deep, practical dialogues with entrepreneurs and investors, all aimed at providing tangible lessons for your own venture.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for Founders
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