EPISODE SUMMARY

Sahand Dilmaghani is the CEO & founder of Terra Kaffe, a cutting-edge espresso machine that transforms the entire experience of making coffee at home. Sahand started out in the corporate world working as an analyst at DC Advisory for two years before joining micro-mobility, Berlin-based startup unu. In 2017 Sahand started Terra Kaffe, which has raised over $14M to date.

EPISODE NOTES

Sahand chats with Blaine and Ramon about the idea behind Terra Kaffe and building a hardware company. He also discusses decision making frameworks, leveraging market trends, how Terra Kaffe had to pivot from B2B sales to DTC, raising capital, his philosophy on leading and growing a team, and much more (listen in for a surprise!).

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

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11:29 - 11:48
The Essential Trait Every Entrepreneur Needs...

If there’s one thing I can impart on new founder it is equanimity. Equanimity through it all. Like you’re going to have highs and you’re going to have lows. And I think having that balance is incredibly important. It’s a little Scott Galowayian in a way.. I don't know if that's the right way to refer to that but nothing is ever as good or bad as it seems.

38:50 - 39:18
Why EQ Is So Valuable For Startups

Competence is not thinking or infallible, it's knowing you're not and holding yourself in high regard. I think that's an insanely valuable headspace to live in for everybody that's going into a startup and it connects back to that equanimity. Hold your head up, communicate effectively, communicate early, communicate often, be self aware, have that IQ and have that EQ you really need to have that EQ when it comes to a start up. And I think you're gonna do your best work.

19:59 - 20:33
Knock On Doors

I still remember you know getting the first two prototypes, and I just actually moved back to the US got to New York, and never lived in New York didn't know much about it, and was just told that cool stores are in Soho. So I had two prototypes, and I knocked on 100 doors inn Soho and said can I serve coffee to weekend crowds? And you knock on 100 doors and 5 people say yeah, and that's how it started and frankly I’m actually weirdly appreciative of that moment. I felt like I was living the pursuit of happiness in reverse, you know he starts off schlepping machines on the subway.

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