Welcome to the very first episode of UnicornPrn, the only podcast that peels back the glossy veneer of startup life and roasts it over a flaming pile of pitch decks.

Hosted by Melissa Kwan and Lloyed Lobo, two founder friends who’ve seen the startup world from the inside out, upside down, and on fire… we’re here to talk about what it’s actually like to build a company (spoiler: it’s not all oat milk lattes and billion-dollar exits).

In this episode, we dive into the unicorn myth — how it hijacked founders’ brains, turned venture capital into a fix more addictive than doomscrolling, and what no one tells you before you sign that first term sheet and trade your sanity (and maybe your weekends, your marriage, and your gut health).

Highlights:

• How chasing unicorns became a socially acceptable addiction
• Our own founder delusions, burnout, and near-glorious meltdowns
• Why fundraising is a lifestyle trap disguised as ambition
• The brutal math of dilution, valuation, and exits
• What real success looks like—spoiler: it’s not always on TechCrunch

Hot Takes:

• “If you need a $100M raise to feel worthy, therapy’s cheaper.”
• “VC money gives you runway and a front-row seat to everyone else’s expectations.”
• “Think you’re the player, but don’t know the rules? You’re the entertainment.”

If your days are spent pitching, posting, and pretending everything’s fine... you’re not alone.

Listen. Question. Reflect. Rethink.

Contact UnicornPrn

• Find show notes of each episode on UnicornPrn.com - hit subscribe like it owes you money

About our hosts

• Melissa Kwan is Cofounder and CEO of eWebinar, and a 3X bootstrapper who has spent the last 14 years building companies without ever raising a cent of venture capital.
• Lloyed Lobo is a WSJ bestselling author, Cofounder of Boast.AI and Traction founder community, startup advisor, angel investor, board member, and LP in multiple VC funds — he’s seen startup chaos from both sides of the term sheet.
• LinkedIn: Melissa Kwan and Lloyed Lobo
• Instagram: @themelissakwan and @lloyedlobo⁠⁠
• YouTube: @themlissakwan and @StartupTraction
• Subscribe to 'your founder next door' at melissakwan.com, Melissa's bi-monthly newsletter on how to build a company without an abundance of resources and fr...