The 11 Startup Mantras: Founder Insights From Slush 2025
By Trusted Cofounder Team | Published November 24, 2025
Sourced directly from the Slush 2025 conference, these 11 Startup Mantras are the definitive guide for modern founders. They emphasize the critical need for a technical co-founder and redefine competitive advantage around Trust and Community principles that guide our mission at Trusted Cofounder.
The 11 Principles for High-Velocity Startups
1. FOCUS & VELOCITY
Do it now, not later.
Find the few things that matter, focus on them.
Spend your time on what is unique; automate everything else.
The earlier you start the bumpy path, the quicker you learn.
2. BE THE TECHNOLOGIST
It's more important than ever to be technical.
It's the job of those who understand the tech to bring it to everyone else.
3. FIND THE DEMAND SIDE
Demand exists, you do not create it. You just find it.
Pivot towards what customers want, not the supply side.
Follow the pull of the market (e.g., customer pull = payments).
Go 'goblin mode': get sales however you can.
4. THE ONLY TRUTH IS SALES
Every single call is a sales call.
Interviews don't work; go and sit next to your customer and learn.
The truth is found in sales calls and conversations with customers.
Random advisors are bad; only listen if they've watched your sales calls.
5. WIN YOUR NICHE FIRST
Win your SMALL conference-sized niche first.
If people don't talk to each other, they are not in the same market.
Knock one market down, then use the momentum for the next one.
Customer retention is the marker of product fit.
6. THE FOUNDER IS THE BRAND
Brand = what people say about you, based on your actions.
The founder is the Chief Branding Officer.
Tell the brand DNA story; founding stories matter.
If the concept is not new, your brand is the differentiator.
7. BUILD FOR LOVE
Focus on your Customer Love Index.
Ask 30 people: "What are the 3 words you think of when you think of me?"
Build your brand to address market blockers (Trustworthy, Reliable...).
Brand building is also the internal culture you build.
8. AI HAS CHANGED THE PHYSICS
Al tools lower the barrier of entry for startups.
Building speed is NOT the moat anymore; all your competitors use Al.
The pace of change will only accelerate. Master Al to master speed.
Differentiation is the founder.
9. THE NEW MOATS
Someone can copy your code, but they cannot copy your obsession.
New Moats are: 1. Deep Integration, 2. Taste and Point of View, 3. Trust and Community, 4. Specialisation.
10. EXECUTION & FOCUS
Realize all the odds are against you. Focus only on what improves your odds.
Demo, don't memo. Build the product and demo it; don't pitch slides.
Focus on the differentiating features that are proven to bring and retain customers.
Work in weeks, not months.
11. THE FOUNDER'S RESILIENCE
Loneliness WILL creep in. Actively seek peers, even if they are competitors.
Founders are salespeople by profession (and will face rejection).
BIG emotions are guaranteed. Learn to deal with rejection.
Hacks for Sanity: Find a non-competitive hobby, pay yourself a solid salary.
These 11 Mantras are the blueprint for building a resilient, high-impact startup. The core takeaway for founders? Stop searching for a generic co-founder; start building a team based on Trust, Obsession, and Technical Expertise. Find your strategic match in the Trusted Cofounder community today.