About this episode
In this episode of Funds and Founders, we sit down with Cody Anderson — early employee at Carta, investor, limited partner, and now the founder of Tommy — a startup revolutionizing shared homeownership.
Cody shares his journey from growing up in a small business family in Minneapolis to building a career at Carta, why he believes co-ownership is the future of real estate, and what it really takes to start your own company today. We also dive deep into the realities of founder life, angel investing, social media pressures, and staying sane while building ambitious projects.
Topics Covered:
- Cody’s early exposure to entrepreneurship
- Lessons from 8 years at Carta
- Why co-ownership is a game-changer
- How to navigate early startup roles
- Dealing with perfectionism and founder mental health
- Angel investing, incentives, and how venture capital really works
- Building Tommy: from idea to action
Timestamps:
00:20 - Cody’s entrepreneurial roots in Minneapolis
03:25 - Lessons from parents’ small businesses
04:40 - Moving to San Francisco: the leap from hometown
05:46 - Early sales job and deciding to move
07:10 - Joining Carta at 30 employees and $1M revenue
08:00 - Why Cody chose an early-stage startup
10:15 - Staying 8 years at Carta: purpose and mission
13:24 - Scaling Carta’s network through data-driven expansion
16:26 - Lessons on network effects and scaling
20:38 - Leaving Carta and early thoughts on Tommy
23:00 - First steps: building Tommy’s website and lead-gen tools
24:20 - Using AI and technology in real estate
27:30 - Social media vs. real productivity for founders
36:00 - Why understanding incentives is crucial for founders
38:00 - Lessons from venture capital and fundraising
40:00 - Building Tommy: Marketing challenges and opportunities
43:00 - Messaging, SEO, and customer education
45:00 - Testing content: blogs, social media, videos
48:00 - Future ideas: AI in conflict resolution and co-ownership
54:00 - Cody’s startup tech stack and favorite tools
57:00 - Advice for early entrepreneurs
59:00 - Final thoughts: build a life you love
Watch the full episode @FundsAndFounders for more deep dives with founders shaping the future. ?
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