Zak Cole’s journey to product-market fit is unlike any other—from securing military encryption in Iraq to securing smart contracts on Ethereum. In this episode, he breaks down his early days in crypto, surviving the DAO hack, and how he built Slingshot, Code4rena, and other disruptive projects. Along the way, he shares hard-earned lessons on building in public, testing ideas, and why aggressively forgetting failures is a superpower.
We also get into the real product-market fit of Ethereum—is it really a world computer or just the best financial rail ever? Plus, the truth about audits, AI’s role in shipping faster, and why PMF is all about getting the best out of people while moving at top speed. If you’re building, iterating, or just love a good war story, this one’s for you. 🚀
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