Every event I’ve attended in San Francisco has moved me forward—new connections, new lessons, and more momentum towards our mission: helping 10% of the Internet become AI-driven by 2035.
This time, I joined a founder lunch focused on Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies, hosted by Aquibur Rahman (CEO @ Mailmodo, YC S21). I loved the concept: our “menu” wasn’t just food, but a conversation roadmap—appetizer, entrée, dessert—each section designed to get real value out of the group.
The structure worked. We started with quick intros, shared what we’re working on right now, then dove into specifics. The “menu” created purpose and flow. After lunch, it opened up into organic networking with whoever resonated most.
One thing that stood out: there was a clear generational divide. The youngest founder—just 18, in SF to chase his startup dream—talked about social media distribution and viral tactics. Meanwhile, those with a few more cycles (and some battle scars) focused on B2B, enterprise, and partnerships. I couldn’t help but see myself in that 18-year-old; when I came to SF at 17, barely speaking English, that leap changed my life for the better. Coming back here always brings positive momentum and perspective.
The honesty in the room was refreshing. A few founders swapped stories about getting (or soon hoping to get) O-1 visas—those pivotal moments that are both stressful and full of hope for anyone building globally from the Bay.
Special thanks to Mayra Ceja and Bevis Cheng from JPMorgan for joining and supporting founders.
Key Takeaways from Aquibur
- Blend PLG and SLG: In the AI era, trial and purchase are easy—so let users try your product first, build trust with content, then funnel engaged users to sales.
- Build authority with content: Writing a book with a top authority helped Michael (Photon Commerce) build enterprise trust—relationships still matter.
- Low-budget growth hacks: Tools like reel.farm can spin up 100s of AI-generated videos for TikTok—leverage automation.
- Influencer marketing is underpriced: If you negotiate, influencer posts can cost as little as $150 with CAC as low as $15.
- Go for volume on X/Twitter: 90% of posts might flop, but the ones that hit can drive massive follower growth—persistence pays.
Who Was in the Room
- Pavel Pashkov – Founder @ SINT
- Aquibur Rahman – CEO, Mailmodo (YC S21)
- Anatoliy Kuznetsov – CEO @ AI or Not
- Ayush Pandey – Founder @ AnswerThis.io
- Dolev Algam – Founder at Stealth (Ex-IDF Cloud)
- Michael Young – Founder & CEO at Photon Commerce
- Siddha Kanthi – Building @ AppTrack AI | Stern + CS @ NYU BTE (the young founder!)
- Archit Anand – Founder, Fuelgrowth.ai
Want more behind-the-scenes from my SF founder journey? Check out previous event recaps here:
