Validate First, Build Second: The Startup Lesson Behind an Electric Bus Company ft. John Walsh

What if the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make is building the product before they know customers actually want it?

In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, Rick Williams sits down with John Walsh, Founder and CEO of Endera, to explore what it really takes to build, validate, and scale a company in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle industry.

John shares lessons from his entrepreneurial journey, including the importance of validating customer demand before investing heavily in a product. He discusses product-market fit, learning from startup failures, building high-performing teams, raising capital, scaling manufacturing, and making better decisions as a founder.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why entrepreneurs should validate demand before building

• How to reduce startup risk through customer discovery

• The importance of product-market fit

• What startup failures can teach you about building better businesses

• How to build and scale a high-performing team

• Lessons on fundraising, delegation, and leadership

• How to navigate the opportunities and challenges of the electric vehicle industry

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, startup founder, CEO, investor, or business leader, this conversation offers practical lessons on innovation, customer validation, leadership, and building companies that solve real problems.

Guest: John Walsh

Founder & CEO of Endera

Learn more about Endera:

https://www.enderamotors.com

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