<![CDATA[First Pitch Podcast]]>Most platforms celebrate companies after they've already made it. We show up at the beginning.

We're a founder first media platform built to give early stage startups the exposure they rarely get when they need it most. The wins, the failures, the pivots, the late nights. The real journey of building from the ground up that never makes it into pitch decks or business school case studies.

Every episode, we spotlight founders in the trenches, share their unfiltered stories, and document what it actually takes to turn an idea into a real business.

We're also building toward something bigger. Connecting standout founders to investors and strategic partners, and hosting live pitch events where founders can get real feedback and compete for funding and exposure.

We root for the underdog. We believe in earned attention over bought attention. And we're building a modern school of hard knocks for the next generation of great companies.

If you're building something, or you want a front row seat to those who are, you're in the right place.

]]>https://riverside.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Sun, 05 Jul 2026 08:49:31 GMTSat, 30 May 2026 15:40:08 GMT60First Pitch Pod<p>Most platforms celebrate companies after they've already made it. We show up at the beginning.<br /></p><p>We're a founder first media platform built to give early stage startups the exposure they rarely get when they need it most. The wins, the failures, the pivots, the late nights. The real journey of building from the ground up that never makes it into pitch decks or business school case studies.<br /></p><p>Every episode, we spotlight founders in the trenches, share their unfiltered stories, and document what it actually takes to turn an idea into a real business.<br /></p><p>We're also building toward something bigger. Connecting standout founders to investors and strategic partners, and hosting live pitch events where founders can get real feedback and compete for funding and exposure.<br /></p><p>We root for the underdog. We believe in earned attention over bought attention. And we're building a modern school of hard knocks for the next generation of great companies.<br /></p><p>If you're building something, or you want a front row seat to those who are, you're in the right place.</p>episodicFirst Pitch Podyourfirstpitchpod@gmail.comno<![CDATA[She Started Selling Desserts Through Instagram DMs. Now There Are Lines Around the Block.]]>Klara Han moved from South Korea to Utah without knowing a single person, started baking Korean desserts in her dorm room just to feel less homesick, and ended up building one of Salt Lake City's most talked about dessert brands before she even graduated. In this episode Klara tells us how loneliness became the accidental business idea, how she juggled a full time corporate marketing job while running weekend production days and Sunday deliveries, why a single Instagram reel hit 126,000 views and caused her next pop up to sell out in under an hour, and what made her finally quit her nine to five to go all in. She also shares what she thinks every founder needs to hear before they let fear of failure stop them from starting.

]]>9ae270fd-9851-4ddc-8c2f-172ea5154fb9Wed, 01 Jul 2026 20:33:06 GMT<p>Klara Han moved from South Korea to Utah without knowing a single person, started baking Korean desserts in her dorm room just to feel less homesick, and ended up building one of Salt Lake City's most talked about dessert brands before she even graduated. In this episode Klara tells us how loneliness became the accidental business idea, how she juggled a full time corporate marketing job while running weekend production days and Sunday deliveries, why a single Instagram reel hit 126,000 views and caused her next pop up to sell out in under an hour, and what made her finally quit her nine to five to go all in. She also shares what she thinks every founder needs to hear before they let fear of failure stop them from starting.</p>no00:26:3112She Started Selling Desserts Through Instagram DMs. Now There Are Lines Around the Block.full<![CDATA[Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset: What Separates Founders Who Make It]]>Growth mindset and fixed mindset is one of those ideas everyone learns young and then mostly forgets to apply. In this episode Brad and Alex break down what separates founders who bounce back from rejection and what separates the ones who quietly blame the market, the investors, or their team instead. We get into why discomfort is the actual price of entry for building anything real, why your team will always mirror your mindset whether you mean for it to or not, and why the founders who ask for honest feedback instead of protecting their ego are the ones who end up scaling the fastest.

]]>85ccf670-7a64-4c11-9a29-df54ea00c52fSun, 28 Jun 2026 03:15:36 GMT<p>Growth mindset and fixed mindset is one of those ideas everyone learns young and then mostly forgets to apply. In this episode Brad and Alex break down what separates founders who bounce back from rejection and what separates the ones who quietly blame the market, the investors, or their team instead. We get into why discomfort is the actual price of entry for building anything real, why your team will always mirror your mindset whether you mean for it to or not, and why the founders who ask for honest feedback instead of protecting their ego are the ones who end up scaling the fastest.</p>no00:29:1511Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset: What Separates Founders Who Make Itfull<![CDATA[How A College Senior Built A Mobile Barbershop Empire On Campus]]>Aiden Leone was on the finance track at the University of Utah until a guest speaker's story about walking away from accounting to build a hundred million dollar firm changed everything. In this episode, Aiden tells us how a bad haircut during COVID turned into Leone's Barbershop, a mobile barbershop now operating on campus, why he turned down the safe route his peers were taking, how a single mentor at his university negotiated him a better contract than the school originally offered, and why he believes students have nothing to lose right now that they will never get back. We also get into his plan to scale to over two hundred colleges, what it actually takes to cold call universities into saying yes, and the exact mindset shift that turns a no into a yes.

]]>3c0a4073-d20a-45c6-960a-0b131766722cFri, 19 Jun 2026 17:13:11 GMT<p>Aiden Leone was on the finance track at the University of Utah until a guest speaker's story about walking away from accounting to build a hundred million dollar firm changed everything. In this episode, Aiden tells us how a bad haircut during COVID turned into Leone's Barbershop, a mobile barbershop now operating on campus, why he turned down the safe route his peers were taking, how a single mentor at his university negotiated him a better contract than the school originally offered, and why he believes students have nothing to lose right now that they will never get back. We also get into his plan to scale to over two hundred colleges, what it actually takes to cold call universities into saying yes, and the exact mindset shift that turns a no into a yes.</p>no00:30:4210How A College Senior Built A Mobile Barbershop Empire On Campusfull<![CDATA[The Brand Mistake Every Student Founder Makes Before They Even Launch]]>The conversation delves into the strategies for building credibility on social media, humanizing the business, the impact of controversial content, the importance of vulnerability, and the credibility of influencers and creators. It also explores the significance of long-form content and provides action points for building credibility.

Takeaways

  • Building credibility requires consistency and authenticity.
  • Vulnerability and strategic sharing of failures can enhance trust and credibility.
]]>dd13e1d2-d473-4ab6-b84b-7ad274f9781bFri, 12 Jun 2026 23:34:10 GMT<p>The conversation delves into the strategies for building credibility on social media, humanizing the business, the impact of controversial content, the importance of vulnerability, and the credibility of influencers and creators. It also explores the significance of long-form content and provides action points for building credibility.</p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><ul><li>Building credibility requires consistency and authenticity.</li><li>Vulnerability and strategic sharing of failures can enhance trust and credibility.</li></ul>no00:22:229The Brand Mistake Every Student Founder Makes Before They Even Launchfull<![CDATA[Should Founders Share Their Goals Publicly? We Debated It.]]>Build in public or stay quiet and grind? We went back and forth on this one. Tune in and let us know where you land. Drop your take in the comments.

]]>71e47ce3-894c-48df-8196-7ff867a78101Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:56:28 GMT<p>Build in public or stay quiet and grind? We went back and forth on this one. Tune in and let us know where you land. Drop your take in the comments.</p>no00:27:458Should Founders Share Their Goals Publicly? We Debated It.full<![CDATA[Building Alone Is Slowly Destroying Your Startup]]>If you are building alone right now, this one is for you. We talk about why isolation kills early startups and exactly who you need in your corner before you hit a wall. Doing everything alone is not strength. It is a slow burn. This episode is about building the right people around you before it costs you everything.

]]>52709739-2424-4a25-a93d-80157b11da9eThu, 04 Jun 2026 00:51:25 GMT<p>If you are building alone right now, this one is for you. We talk about why isolation kills early startups and exactly who you need in your corner before you hit a wall. Doing everything alone is not strength. It is a slow burn. This episode is about building the right people around you before it costs you everything.</p>no00:41:487Building Alone Is Slowly Destroying Your Startupfull<![CDATA[The Advice Destroying Student Startups Before They Ever Launch]]>The safest advice you are getting as a student founder might be the thing holding you back the most. We said what most people will not.

]]>e23243a1-17f3-4dfb-8540-e8f4c7717a52Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:47:30 GMT<p>The safest advice you are getting as a student founder might be the thing holding you back the most. We said what most people will not.</p>no00:29:026The Advice Destroying Student Startups Before They Ever Launchfull<![CDATA[Why Most Startup Ideas Fail Before You Ever Build Them]]>If you are sitting on a startup idea and not sure if it is worth building, this one is for you. We cover how to pressure test your idea fast and find out if real demand actually exists.

]]>a2c524ea-0d88-479a-9f83-6f7c07af3847Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:32:49 GMT<p>If you are sitting on a startup idea and not sure if it is worth building, this one is for you. We cover how to pressure test your idea fast and find out if real demand actually exists.</p>no00:37:035Why Most Startup Ideas Fail Before You Ever Build Themfull<![CDATA[The College Student Who Built a Social App for Skiers]]>This week on First Pitch we sat down with Brody, founder of Shredder, a ski based social app built by a college student who just saw a gap and went for it. If you are building something niche, this episode is for you.

]]>ffaf0de0-862f-4f59-ac33-16fc6fa68b24Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:29:37 GMT<p>This week on First Pitch we sat down with Brody, founder of Shredder, a ski based social app built by a college student who just saw a gap and went for it. If you are building something niche, this episode is for you.</p>no00:35:374The College Student Who Built a Social App for Skiersfull<![CDATA[Why Being Broke and in School Is Actually Your Biggest Edge as a Founder]]>Being broke, unknown, and in school is not a disadvantage. It is your greatest edge. Episode 3 breaks down why.

]]>993e5394-9d98-4da3-903c-20923996cc9eThu, 04 Jun 2026 00:26:19 GMT<p>Being broke, unknown, and in school is not a disadvantage. It is your greatest edge. Episode 3 breaks down why.</p>no00:37:203Why Being Broke and in School Is Actually Your Biggest Edge as a Founderfull<![CDATA[The Fake It Phase: Building a Real Startup from Nothing]]>Imposter syndrome is part of the process. We talk about why every builder goes through it and how to push through before the world knows your name. Drop this in a friend's DMs if they need to hear it.

]]>b98b58e8-9794-454b-9f14-d5b87e7b5921Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:20:34 GMT<p>Imposter syndrome is part of the process. We talk about why every builder goes through it and how to push through before the world knows your name. Drop this in a friend's DMs if they need to hear it.</p>no00:38:402The Fake It Phase: Building a Real Startup from Nothingfull<![CDATA[Why We Started a Podcast for Founders Nobody Knows Yet]]>Welcome to First Pitch, the show built for founders before they're famous.

This is where up-and-coming entrepreneurs get a platform to share their story, present their ideas, and document the earliest stages of building something meaningful. If you've ever wanted to witness a company from its very first pitch, you're in the right place.

Our mission is to highlight the next generation of entrepreneurs and explore the intersection of health, wealth, and faith in the journey of building a business.

Through interviews, founder spotlights, and raw unfiltered conversations, we create a space where builders are seen, ideas are shared, and future leaders are discovered.

This is Episode 1. Subscribe to follow the journey and witness companies from their very first pitch. You are watching something from the very beginning.

]]>0b40df01-0149-418d-9721-e8eeba1e397fMon, 01 Jun 2026 17:50:46 GMT<p><b>Welcome to First Pitch, the show built for founders before they're famous.</b><br /></p><p>This is where up-and-coming entrepreneurs get a platform to share their story, present their ideas, and document the earliest stages of building something meaningful. If you've ever wanted to witness a company from its very first pitch, you're in the right place.<br /></p><p>Our mission is to highlight the next generation of entrepreneurs and explore the intersection of health, wealth, and faith in the journey of building a business.<br /></p><p>Through interviews, founder spotlights, and raw unfiltered conversations, we create a space where builders are seen, ideas are shared, and future leaders are discovered.<br /></p><p>This is Episode 1. Subscribe to follow the journey and witness companies from their very first pitch. You are watching something from the very beginning.</p>no00:16:171Why We Started a Podcast for Founders Nobody Knows Yetfull