Startup Founder Ethics

Is exaggerating your revenue numbers just part of being a startup founder? We don’t think so. There’s been a lot of discussion about how some AI startups report “recurring revenue,” but the issue points to a bigger question about founder ethics and startup norms. Chasing short-term optics at the expense of long-term value creation is a losing strategy. This is a throwback episode of Dalton + Michael, recorded in the style of the original episodes. A new studio is coming soon. Dalton + Michael is brought to you by @Standard_Cap Dalton Caldwell on X: https://x.com/daltonc Michael Seibel on X: https://x.com/mwseibel

Dalton CaldwellhostMichael Seibelhost

Apr 21, 202612mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: April 21, 2026
Duration: 12m
Channel: Dalton + Michael
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Is exaggerating your revenue numbers just part of being a startup founder? We don’t think so. There’s been a lot of discussion about how some AI startups report “recurring revenue,” but the issue points to a bigger question about founder ethics and startup norms. Chasing short-term optics at the expense of long-term value creation is a losing strategy. This is a throwback episode of Dalton + Michael, recorded in the style of the original episodes. A new studio is coming soon. Dalton + Michael is brought to you by @Standard_Cap Dalton Caldwell on X: https://x.com/daltonc Michael Seibel on X: https://x.com/mwseibel

SPEAKERS

Dalton Caldwell
host
Startup founder and investor; co-host of Dalton + Michael, discussing startup ethics and YC-style advising.
Michael Seibel
host
Startup founder and investor; co-host of Dalton + Michael, leading the episode intro and co-host discussion on founder ethics.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Dalton + Michael, featuring Dalton Caldwell and Michael Seibel, Startup Founder Ethics explores why integrity, not hype, determines startup success at reckoning They argue startups operate in a trust-based ecosystem where misrepresentation to investors, customers, or peers becomes compounding and often career-ending.

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