Episode 834 | Eric Ries Revisits The Lean Startup and Discusses How to Become Incorruptible

Episode 834 | Eric Ries Revisits The Lean Startup and Discusses How to Become Incorruptible

Author: Rob Walling May 26, 2026 Duration: 39:51
Is AI actually making your build-measure-learn cycle faster, or just making your work more average?  In this episode, Rob Walling talks with Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup, to revisit what's held up in Lean Startup thinking 15 years on, why AI speeds up building but can't replace human learning, and what drove Eric to write his new book, Incorruptible. Eric also shares the story of how the Long-Term Stock Exchange nearly died before it ever launched, and why Costco is the rare example of a company that figured out how to stay incorruptible.  Topics we cover: (3:48) – Lean Startup: 15 years later (8:33) – How countercultural MVPs and pivots were (11:02) – How AI changes build-measure-learn (13:36) – Learning is still a human job (15:43) – AI makes everyone's work more average (17:39) – The Long-Term Stock Exchange story (21:03) – How LTSE was nearly destroyed (25:00) – A better definition of profit (31:45) – Companies already living this way (32:33) – The legend of Sol Price and Costco (37:36) – Incorruptible: ethos plus integrity Links from the show: TinySeed SaaS Institute The SaaS Playbook Incorruptible by Eric Ries  The Lean Startup by Eric Ries Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE)  Eric Ries | LinkedIn Eric Ries (@ericries) | X If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you'd like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Rob Walling hosts Startups For the Rest of Us, a long-running conversation focused squarely on the realities of building a company without massive venture funding. This isn't about Silicon Valley fairy tales; it's a practical, ground-level view of entrepreneurship. Each episode delves into the specific journeys of founders who are starting, acquiring, or growing their SaaS businesses, emphasizing the path of bootstrapping. You'll hear the unvarnished details-the strategic decisions, the unexpected obstacles, and the hard-won victories that define the daily life of a founder. The discussions are built on real stories, offering tangible lessons from both struggle and success. For anyone who has ever felt that the typical startup narrative doesn't reflect their own resource-constrained reality, this podcast provides a necessary and relatable perspective. It’s a deep resource for actionable advice and genuine camaraderie, connecting you with the experiences of those navigating the same challenging terrain. Tune in for honest conversations that cut through the hype and focus on building sustainable businesses.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Startups For the Rest of Us
Podcast Episodes
Episode 839 | The Journey Growing Help Scout to $35M ARR [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:15
What happens when a bootstrapper at heart raises $28 million and spends the next decade living with that decision? In this episode, Rob Walling sits down with Nick Francis, the co-founder of Help Scout, to walk through t…
Episode 838 | 6 Key Takeaways From a TinySeed Batch Kick-Off [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:42
What do 15 brand-new TinySeed founders have in common? In this solo episode, Rob Walling shares six key takeaways from the most recent TinySeed batch kickoff in New York City. He covers why asking "why" is the most under…
Episode 836 | The 5 A.I. Moats Acquirers Value Most [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:05
Is your SaaS actually protected from AI disruption, or are acquirers walking away without even looking? In this episode, Rob Walling talks with Einar Vollset of Discretion Capital for a front-lines SaaS M&A market report…
Episode 835 | The Right Way to Use AI in Your Startup Marketing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:00
Are you using AI in your marketing because it's actually good, or just because it's fast? In this episode, Rob Walling sits down with Taylor Hendricksen, a performance marketer who has managed tens of millions of dollars…