# Surviving market cycles and startup lessons for founders

> Surviving the market's ups and downs, founder advice, and what it takes to build a lasting company on the web3 with a16z crypto podcast.

- URL: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/market-cycles-startup-lessons-for-founders
- Authors: [Arianna Simpson](https://a16zcrypto.com/team/arianna-simpson), [Jacquelyn Melinek](https://a16zcrypto.com/team/jacquelyn-melinek), connor
- Published: 2025-08-29
- Updated: 2025-09-15
- Focus areas: company building
- Tags: mental models & frameworks, crypto basics, podcast
- Format: podcast

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[Embedded media](https://player.simplecast.com/bd1782a7-cb5a-4e69-a8c8-cec52965835e?dark=true)

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**with [@AriannaSimpson](https://x.com/AriannaSimpson) [@jacqmelinek](https://x.com/jacqmelinek)**

Crypto is known for its high and low market cycles: What should founders know — and what can they do — to survive the swings?

In this episode, we unpack the lessons of past crypto cycles and how they shape the current wave of building — from stablecoins to AI x crypto. We also dive into the founder journey: from raising money and staying committed in 2025, to handling copycat competitors, cofounder disputes, growing too fast (or slowly), and more.

You’ll hear from a16z crypto General Partner **Arianna Simpson**, who has spent over a decade investing in crypto. She joins **Jacquelyn Melinek**, cofounder & CEO of Token Relations and host of the [Talking Tokens podcast](https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTokens), where this conversation [first aired](https://open.spotify.com/episode/0znK5r0OTqT7PTbyKXlLpj?si=AAe7XAqaQ8ydQgIJ_RSYfA), and which we’re excited to share with you here.

**Timestamps**

0:00 Introduction

1:19 Arianna Simpson’s Crypto Origin Story

3:23 Market Cycles & Investing Priorities

5:52 Interrogating the Stablecoin Trend

13:25 Intersection of AI x Crypto

17:49 The Role of Blockchains for Authenticity and Verification

23:07 Future of AI Agents and Monetization Models

27:23 Traits of Successful Crypto Founders

30:05 Challenges and Changes in Fundraising

33:57 Current State of the Market

37:33 Advice for Founders:

• Pivoting when PMF is missing  
• Raising capital after bootstrapping  
• Competing with copycats  
• Cofounder disputes and breakups  
• Growing too fast & scaling pains

47:52 Conclusion

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*As always, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.*

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Source: [Surviving market cycles and startup lessons for founders](https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/market-cycles-startup-lessons-for-founders) — a16z crypto. Full archive: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts