About this episode
LinkedIn promised networking. What we got instead were cold DMs, spam, and fake connectionsIn this episode of Funds & Founders, I sit down with Krishna Dosapati, Founder & CEO of Clockout—the fastest-growing networking platform for Gen Z.Clockout crossed 350,000+ downloads, hit #19 on the App Store, and is on track to reach $1M ARR in under 10 months, all by rethinking what real networking should look like.We break down:- Why LinkedIn doesn't work for Gen Z- Why cold DMs fail at building real relationships- What authentic networking actually means- How Clockout blends communities, events, and AI-driven intros- The founder's journey from side project to venture-backed startup- What product-market fit really looks like (and why most founders get it wrong)- The biggest mistakes founders make chasing growth and viralityThis is a conversation about building relationships, not connections—and why the future of networking looks very different from LinkedIn.??????????????????????????????? Connect with Krishna DosapatiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krishna-dosapati-39319986/Clockout: https://clockoutapp.com/??????????????????????????????About the HostI'm Abhinav Sinha, host of Funds & Founders—a podcast for Austin entrepreneurs navigating early-stage startups. I explore the highs, lows, and breakthrough moments of local founders through candid conversations, and sit down with VCs to uncover how they evaluate early-stage companies.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavbsinha/Newsletter: https://newsletter.fundsandfounder.com/???????????????????????????????? Timestamps00:00 – Trailer01:10 – Intro02:36 – What Is Networking?03:37 – Better Networking Than Cold DMs06:55 – Building Non-Transactional Relationships09:40 – Founder Journey Begins13:40 – Team vs Contractors18:32 – Going Live & Raising the First Round21:24 – Why Raise $1.3M If You're Profitable?22:39 – Solo Founder Team Structure24:33 – Early Startup Challenges35:44 – Why iOS First?36:49 – Approval-Only App Strategy39:01 – Onboarding Friction vs Activation40:40 – Referral vs Approval User Engagement55:10 – Biggest Mistake in Going Viral56:57 – Biggest Lie About Product-Market Fit1:02:57 – Outro??????????????????????????????#GenZ #Networking #Startup #Entrepreneurship #ProductMarketFit #AppGrowth #FounderJourney #AustinStartups #FundsAndFounders #ConsumerApp.
