Bryce

What does success look like for you as a startup founder?

Building things that people want, that they can use. Founders hear it all the time, ‘make something people want.’ I’ve worked on startups before where I wasn’t super passionate about what I was doing. I was just writing code and making it work, but the passion wasn’t there. It ends up feeling like just another job. Jobs and work aren’t super fulfilling because you’re building something for people. Getting people to use it—that’s success for me.

What was going on in your life that made you first consider joining the residency? And what did that situation feel like for you, personally?

I still enjoyed it; it was better than working in a job which I did for years before that. I got into an accelerator program, and we got a little money. It definitely made me feel like, ‘this is what I want to be doing; I didn’t want to just be an engineer for the rest of my life.’ That passion was missing. Without that passion, I got to the point where I hated work. After doing a startup, I had to do a job at a big company, working on useless features. It was just terrible. I ended up quitting my job before we got any funding. I wasn’t doing my job. I just took a chance and quit and thought, ‘I’m going to have to take a risk at some point.’ It was the best thing I ever did. I met so many cool people; we got into that accelerator.

How did you first hear about Athena VC? And what made you think it might be the right fit for you?

II got a LinkedIn message. Between the last startup and Athena, it was almost a year. I was a little bit lost and spent a few weeks thinking about ‘what’s next.’ I got a message from Jerwin that said, ‘I looked at your profile, we’ll match your salary so you can go full-time.’ To me, that sounded perfect, exactly what I was looking for. My first impression was, ‘Is this for real?’ It sounded too good to be true. But after signing up for the AMA and asking Rob a few questions, I realized this could be the right fit. Talking to Rob in that first big AMA session left an impression—‘This guy’s really smart and switched on.’ Rob took his time to answer everyone’s questions, and his focus on validation really aligned with what I was missing.

Can you walk me through your daily life as part of the Athena residency?

My daily life in the residency is centered around focus and motivation. Without a co-founder, having Athena feels like someone is in my corner, which is incredibly motivating. The support from Rob and the other founders in WhatsApp and Discord has made it feel less lonely. Every day, I’m more driven to move forward with my idea because there’s this constant belief from Rob and the community that what I’m building matters.

Can you give me a specific example of a time working with the Athena team proved valuable to you? And what do you like best about being part of the Athena residency?

Just before my first 1-on-1 meeting with Rob, a couple hours before our meeting he sent me this massive brain dump about my idea. All of it was so good, and he had some amazing ideas about search and discovery in the podcast space. Rob’s a heavy podcast user, so his feedback really resonated. He was very discerning with what should be built first, like creating landing pages and comparing them all. That direction was invaluable for me. It’s given me a lot of motivation. I don’t have a co-founder, so having someone in your corner, and now I have the other Athena founders—it’s less lonely. It’s awesome to hear Rob believe in my idea.

What sort of tangible impact has being in the Athena residency had on your life?

It feels similar to an accelerator, but things are happening. I’m not just building an app at home with no users anymore. I have someone who’s super smart and has built businesses that have done millions in revenue helping me. It feels a lot more hopeful… Now with Athena, this thing is in motion, and I feel excited to wake up in the morning.

What has been the biggest benefit you’ve realized in your involvement with Athena?

It feels similar to an accelerator but things are happening. I’m not just building an app at home with no users anymore. I have someone who’s super smart and has built businesses that have done millions in revenue helping me. 0 to 1 is very tricky with startups... Feels a lot more hopeful… When I don’t have something to work for, if I’m working a job I don’t enjoy, I’m not excited to wake up in the morning. Now with Athena, this thing is in motion.

What does that mean for you? The people in your life who matter to you?

I don’t have a co-founder, so having someone in my corner—and now I have the other Athena founders—makes it feel a lot less lonely. It’s awesome to hear Rob believe in my idea, and to feel like I’m part of something bigger, surrounded by people who care about building things that matter.

If a peer asked you why they should choose Athena, what might you tell them?

Work sucks, build a company. Especially if you’re technical, you surely should be building something. Athena offers a big group of people who share that same drive and passion, which makes it even more motivating to succeed.