First Builders
The First Builders Podcast from The Council dives into the stories of those who go first—founders, funders, and early operators who helped build category-defining companies before they were household names. Hosted by General Partner Amber Illig and Partner Rachel Tsui, each episode brings a candid, practical conversation with someone who has helped shape companies before there was a playbook.
Founders, Firestarters, and First Principles: A Month of First Builders
In this July 4th special, we’re taking a quick pause from new interviews to celebrate the sparks that launched First Builders. This 20-minute highlight reel brings together some of the most powerful moments from our first month of guests.
You’ll hear:
– Maia Bittner on resilience and scaling post-acquisition
– Nathan Baschez on frameworks, writing, and building in public
– Jason Prestinario on taking on healthcare giants
– Rohini Pandhi on scaling product and platform from the ground up
It’s a short and energizing listen—perfect for a holiday walk or weekend recharge. Thanks...
The Builder Behind the IPO: Maia Bittner on Founding Pinch and Scaling Chime
In this episode, we sit down with Maia Bittner—a three-time founder, angel investor, and early team member at Chime—to explore the arc of a builder’s journey from zero to IPO. Maia shares how she co-founded Pinch to improve financial stability for millennials, scaled at Chime after the acquisition, and has since become a backer of new founders as an investor at XFactor Ventures.
We dive into the uncommon paths to co-founder status, what made Pinch “acquirable,” and how Maia’s product instincts shaped user love across all her startups. She reflects on building wit...
From Engineer to Rebel CEO: Jason Prestinario on Fighting for Patient Rights
In this episode, we sit down with Jason Prestinario—Particle Health CEO of and former leader at Komodo Heath and Palantir Technologies —for a candid conversation about building in one of the most complex and regulated sectors in the world: healthcare. Jason talks about the difference between “product thinking” and “patient thinking,” why bundling in hospital systems leads to poor outcomes, and how startups can find leverage in a space dominated by incumbents.
We also discuss the bold legal action Particle Health is taking against Epic Systems, and what it means to push for interoperability when it’s ac...
The Media Operator’s Mindset: Nathan Baschez on Substack, Virality, and Building Ideas in Public
In this episode, we sit down with Nathan Baschez—founder of Lex, former co-founder of Every, founding team at Substack, and creator of Divinations—to unpack how he thinks about building internet-native businesses. Nathan shares the operating principles behind virality, the power of writing as leverage, and why product intuition matters more than process in the earliest startup moments. We also explore what it takes to build ideas in public—and how to know when one is worth chasing.
Make sure you follow us on all our social channels below and watch full episodes on YouTube!
Su...
The First Builder Archetype: Rohini Pandhi on Product, Platforms, and the Path to Venture
In this episode, we’re joined by Rohini Pandhi—Head of Expansion at Mercury, former product leader at Square (Block), and current partner at Transparent Collective. We explore how Rohini identified Square and Mercury early on as accelerating environments dense with opportunity, why narrative is a core tool in both product and venture, and what it means to be a true “First Builder.”
Disclaimer: Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Business banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC. Personal banking services provided...
