Mitchell Jones went from a Goldman Sachs internship to building two FinTech companies. But the path wasn't linear, and it definitely wasn't easy. In this episode of Forward to Extraordinary, I sit down with Mitchell to discuss his journey from Dayton, Ohio to founding LendTable and now Lava, a payments platform designed specifically for AI companies navigating the complexity of subscription plus usage-based billing.
We dig into the reality of being an outsider in tech, how COVID nearly killed his first company four days after launch, the value of co-founders who challenge your assumptions, and why the most important skill in entrepreneurship is trusting your mechanics when everything feels like it's falling apart.
Mitchell's story is a masterclass in resilience, curiosity, and taking one step at a time even when you can't see the top of the mountain.
Topics covered:
- Building FinTech companies as an outsider to Silicon Valley
- How COVID shut down investor conversations and nearly killed LendTable
- The importance of co-founders who expand your perspective
- Why effective systems beat hustle every time
- Navigating the wet blanket of business pressure
- The difference between pivoting with direction versus chasing squirrels
- How to find ideas by observing the world and talking to people
- Why AI makes it easier to prototype but harder to stay focused
If you're building a startup, wondering how to find a co-founder, or trying to figure out how to keep moving when the doors keep slamming shut, this conversation is for you.Keep your eyes on the road. Trust your mechanics. Take the next step.
Website: https://www.lava.so/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchell-jones-333559a2/