In Check with Fintech · 2025-05-28 · 51 min
Founding a fintech isn’t just about product-market fit, it’s about resilience, timing, and making brutal calls when the stakes are high. In this episode of In Check with Fintech , host Rogier Rouppe van der Voort sits down with Thomas Vles , Founder of GoDutch , to unpack the emotional and strategic reality of startup life - from raising funding to walking away from a near-exit. Key topics covered: Startup Setbacks & Survival - Why Thomas compares founding a company to climbing a mountain, and what it takes to keep going when the summit keeps moving Funding Without VC - How GoDutch raised €500K+ from users, and why traditional VC wasn’t the right fit When the Deal Falls Through - The hard lesson Thomas learned after celebrating too early Building Again After Burnout - How previous exits, near-failures, and becoming a parent changed his leadership style Founder Vulnerability & Truth-Telling - Why we need more honesty in startup storytelling and what it unlocks for teams and investors Thomas brings candid reflections from his journey building Poopy Cat, We Do I Do, and now GoDutch, including how he rebuilt after nearly losing everything.
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