Validating Your Startup Idea w/ Iñaki Gonzalez of Climatta

Summary

In today’s episode, Iñaki unpacks his nonlinear journey through early growth roles, venture-backed startups, and the decision to become a founder. He reflects on the power of saying “yes” to opportunities that weren’t perfectly polished but were high in energy and learning potential. From his days in consulting to his shift into scrappy startups, Iñaki shares how those early decisions taught him adaptability and exposed him to the mechanics of building from the inside.

We explore how Iñaki evaluates ideas based on energy, not just confidence, and why momentum—not perfection—is the secret weapon for early-stage builders. He breaks down his approach to self-awareness, founder-market fit, and keeping identity separate from startup success or failure. Through stories about early hires, fundraising lessons, and managing co-founder dynamics, he delivers unfiltered insights into what it takes to make the leap and keep going.

This is a conversation for anyone in the trenches of building, or on the edge of deciding. Iñaki offers a grounded, human look at entrepreneurship—not as a highlight reel, but as a deeply personal, high-stakes game of consistency and clarity. If you’re overthinking the next step or trying to find perfect timing, this episode will help you act before you’re ready—and trust that momentum follows movement.

Takeaways

1. Energy is a better filter than confidence. If an idea energizes you consistently, it’s worth pursuing.
2. Say yes early. Those messy growth roles and undefined problems are where compound learning begins.
3. You can’t outsource conviction. Even if you’re not technical, you need deep belief in the solution.
4. Founders need separation from their startups. Your worth isn’t tied to your traction.
5. Fundraising is emotional, not just strategic. You need to reframe rejection and stay focused.
6. Momentum beats planning. Build something small each week and stack progress.
7. Co-founder fit is everything. Shared energy, values, and rhythm matter more than resumes.
8. Validate with people, not spreadsheets. Talk to users early and often.
9. It’s okay to quit early experiments. Failure teaches faster than perfection.
10. Don’t build for optics. Ignore the noise, avoid startup theater, and do the work that actually matters.

Chapters

• [00:01] Early career transitions
  • Iñaki shares his journey from consulting to startup operations and what clicked along the way.
• [03:38] Why saying yes early matters
  • He reflects on taking roles without perfect clarity and how that paid off over time.
• [06:52] Getting exposure to building
  • The first moments when he felt drawn toward product and ownership.
• [09:44] Evaluating ideas through energy
  • He explains why ideas that energize you beat the ones that only sound smart.
• [12:15] Founder-market fit redefined
  • Iñaki talks about matching your personal psychology to the problem you’re solving.
• [14:48] Leaving stability for chaos
  • What made him walk away from a solid career path to found something himself.
• [17:36] Fundraising mindset
  • He shares stories of emotional ups and downs in raising money and learning resilience.
• [20:27] Building momentum from scratch
  • Why doing something every week matters more than having the perfect strategy.
• [23:50] Identity vs. startup
  • He explores the danger of over-attaching self-worth to business performance.
• [27:11] Co-founder dynamics
  • Iñaki reflects on alignment, honesty, and how he approaches partnership.
• [30:38] Hiring lessons and early team mistakes
  • The trade-offs he faced in those first few critical hires.
• [33:12] Avoiding startup theater
  • He critiques the performative nature of “entrepreneurship” and staying focused on real value.
• [36:24] What he tells first-time builders
  • Just start. Don’t wait for clarity—momentum will create it.