Josh Barker, CEO of City Innovations, shares raw and hard-earned lessons from his Silicon Valley startup journey that inspired his upcoming book, Traction First. Hear how a $500K mistake taught him to “sell first, build later,” why chasing product-market fit is like riding a bike downhill, and the critical difference between solving an “aspirin problem” vs. a “vitamin problem.”

From multiple pivots to discovering rapid learning cycles and leveraging no-tech solutions, Josh reveals how founders can avoid years of struggle, validate their ideas fast, and build startups that actually gain traction.

🎧 Essential listening for founders, innovators, and anyone ready to de-risk their next big idea.

(00:00) Lessons from Silicon Valley
(04:45) The $500K Startup Mistake
(10:28) Finding Product-Market Fit
(15:50) Rapid Learning & No-Tech Validation
(20:14) Pivoting to Success
(28:33) The Myth of Silicon Valley
(35:47) Hustle Culture vs. Strategic Thinking
(41:05) Writing Traction First
(49:22) Key Takeaways for Founders