FS66: What does it really take to build a startup that succeeds?

What does it really take to build a startup that succeeds? In this episode of Founder Shares, Trevor Schmidt speaks with serial entrepreneur Rick Carlson, CEO of Neuroton AI and former founder of SharpSpring. Rick shares lessons from building, scaling, and exiting startups, including what founders often misunderstand about product-market fit and why solving a problem is only the beginning of building a business. The conversation explores how startups find early customers, how founders make decisions with incomplete information, and why storytelling is critical when raising capital, hiring teams, and building momentum. Rick also discusses Neuroton AI, a #healthtechnology company focused on helping people with hearing loss improve how their brain processes sound through auditory training. Founder Shares is a podcast by Hutchison PLLC, a venture-focused law firm that works with founders, startups, and investors across technology and life sciences.