What It Takes For Startups to Build a Legacy w/ Jecky Pelaez of Kickstart Ventures

Building a lasting startup takes more than rapid growth, it takes strong fundamentals, disciplined execution, and the ability to adapt. In this episode, Jecky Pelaez of Kickstart Ventures shares what separates startups that simply scale from those that build lasting legacies.

He talks about founder character, cash flow discipline, governance, the changing funding landscape, AI, and what the Philippine startup ecosystem needs to move forward.

EPISODE TIMELINE

 00:00:00 – What successful founders understand about money and character

00:03:00 – Jecky’s journey from law to venture capital

00:06:00 – Joining Kickstart and discovering the startup ecosystem

00:09:00 – Why Kickstart evolved its investment strategy

00:12:00 – CVC vs. VC and how Kickstart invests

00:18:00 – The value of fundamentals, governance, and checkpoints

00:21:00 – Understanding the post-pandemic “tech fog”

00:27:00 – What separates startups that scale from legacy builders

00:30:00 – Scaling correctly and building sustainable systems

00:33:00 – Learning from successful founders and global companies

00:36:00 – Staying humble and disciplined as a company grows

00:39:00 – The founder traits that drive long-term success

00:42:00 – Openness, transparency, and strong governance

00:45:00 – Execution, fundamentals, and building the right skills

00:48:00 – AI, talent gaps, and the future of startups

00:51:00 – What the Philippine startup ecosystem needs

00:57:00 – Cash flow, runway, and surviving a tougher funding climate

01:00:00 – How to approach Kickstart Ventures

01:03:00 – Final advice for founders building for the long term

QUOTE/S FROM JECKY PELAEZ

"They still know that like cashflow money, the money is still so important that it's not like, oh, you know, like I've raised money. I'm going to start eating fancy, living fancy, that sort of thing. The work comes first and the gains will come later when you exit."

Resources:

LinkedIn (Jecky Pelaez): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jecky-pelaez-b630b547/

LinkedIn (Kickstart Ventures): https://www.linkedin.com/company/kickstart-ventures-inc-/

Website: https://kickstart.ph/

Links/Sponsors: 

OneCFO: https://www.onecfoph.co/

PayMongo: https://www.paymongo.com/

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