Tactical insights for first-time founders to outsmart the burn, the churn & the breakdown.

Let’s be honest. “Don’t reinvent the wheel” sounds smart, until you realize the wheel you borrowed wasn’t made for your road.

It’s tempting to follow a proven path. But most of those playbooks? Built for different teams, in different markets, with different goals. No wonder they often fall flat.

Building a company isn’t a checklist exercise. There’s no manual, and definitely no universal “how to scale” template. What works for one business might break another.

Taking inspiration is fine. Copy-pasting without questioning? That’s where costly inefficiencies creep in. If SpaceX had played by the old rules, rocket costs wouldn’t have dropped by 90%.

Today, we’re diving into how first principles thinking helps you break down problems to their core, instead of layering on advice that doesn’t fit.

In 2009, a founder was knocking on doors in New York, not to pitch, but to listen. That founder was Brian Chesky.

Airbnb didn’t invent short-term stays. But Chesky questioned everything about how hospitality worked. Why would anyone open their home to a stranger? What builds trust when there’s no hotel brand to lean on?

He met hosts, photographed listings himself, and focused on what actually mattered: clear photos, honest listings, and responsive support. It wasn’t flashy, but it was foundational. That’s how Airbnb hit 1.5B+ guest arrivals—they didn’t follow the B&B playbook. They rewrote it for their own road.

Compare that to Homejoy. Same era, same buzz. They grabbed the “Uber for X” blueprint and tried to force-fit it into home cleaning. Raised millions, scaled fast, but skipped the basics—quality control, worker support, customer retention.

What happened? A broken experience, mounting lawsuits, and a shutdown in under five years.

One founder rebuilt the wheel with intention. The other borrowed a shiny one and hoped it would fit.

 → Gets you past surface symptoms so you're solving the real thing, not patching noise.

→ Helps you adapt faster, because you know why something works, you can rework it when the context shifts.

→ Gives you clarity in zero-to-one territory, where there's no playbook. You're building from scratch anyway.

Here’s where I see most founders going wrong (Advice to my 2015-self):

1. Strip to the Core

Tactic: Audit your product. What’s the one feature users love? Cut anything that doesn’t amplify it.

Example: Basecamp killed group chat to focus on calm, focused collaboration.

2. Break Down the Real Costs

Tactic: Pick one workflow. Map every input - time, tools, team. What’s dead weight? Remove or rethink it.

Example: Tesla cut battery costs by redesigning in-house, not paying suppliers.

3. Build for the Extremes

Tactic: Talk to your most loyal users and biggest churn risks. Double down on what delights. Fix what breaks trust.

Example: Superhuman only scaled once 50% said they'd be “very disappointed” if it disappeared.

This week’s founder gut-check:

Short answer: probably not.

Longer answer? Here’s the filter I use—and what I’ve seen work for the founders I support:

1. Gut check

If this person applied today, would you re-hire them into a key role?

If the answer is no, you already know. Don’t let performance metrics override trust.

2. Get specific

Document actions, not feelings. What have they said or done that’s damaging morale, trust, or momentum?

3. Have the conversation

Lay it out clearly, what needs to change, why it matters, and a short timeline (think 2 weeks, not 2 months).

If nothing shifts? Let them go.

Every time I’ve waited too long, it’s cost the team more than that one “rock star” ever delivered.

Send it my way, just hit reply.

Here’s a small exercise you and your team can do to implement the first principles concept in your products and services. 

When Alex Smereczniak started LaundroLab, he didn’t copy Washio or Rinse. He called them and asked what went wrong.

The answer? Cash burn. Bloated tech. No ops backbone.

So he did the opposite: simple web app, local partners, ruthless efficiency

Result? A warehouse moving thousands of pounds weekly, without setting VC money on fire.

The lesson?

Industry norms aren’t strategy.

Solve the real problem. That’s your moat.

See you next Thursday,

—Mariya

Hit reply and let me know. I read every single one (for real).

Hey, I’m Mariya, a startup CFO and founder of FounderFirst. After 10 years working alongside founders at early and growth-stage startups, I know how tough it is to make the right calls when resources are tight and the stakes are high. I started this newsletter to share the practical playbook I wish every founder had from day one, packed with lessons I’ve learned (and mistakes I’ve made) helping teams scale.

Mariya Valeva

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