1. EachPod

256. Top mistakes non-technical founders make & how to avoid them

Author
Sophia Matveeva
Published
Tue 27 May 2025
Episode Link
https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/256-top-mistakes-non-technical-founders-make-how-to-avoid-them

If you’re building a tech product but don’t have a technical background, this episode will save you months of wasted time and thousands in unnecessary spend.

In this re-release of one of our most popular early episodes, Tech for Non-Techies founder Sophia Matveeva shares the 5 biggest mistakes non-technical founders make — and how to avoid them.

Whether you’re a  founder, a corporate innovator, or leading a new digital venture, these lessons will help you lead product teams effectively and build better tech businesses.

You will learn:
  • Why hiring a developer first is a mistake — and who to bring in instead

  • The crucial difference between product metrics and business metrics (and how to use both wisely)

  • How Facebook and WhatsApp built great products by focusing on engagement before monetisation

  • What non-technical leaders must know about giving clear, measurable instructions to product teams

  • What success looks like in the early stages — and why early growth shouldn’t be the goal

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Non-Technical Founders' Challenges 02:26 The Importance of User Experience Design 10:36 Understanding Product vs. Business Metrics 16:21 Setting Clear Goals for Product Teams 20:13 Embracing Flexibility in Product Development 24:32 The Journey of Product Improvement Over Growth

 

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For the episode transcript, go here: https://www.techfornontechies.co/blog/256-top-mistakes-non-technical-founders-make-how-to-avoid-them

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