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Startup Founder Ethics

2026-04-21 · 15:35 UTC ·Dalton + Michael ·0 min read

Brief

Dalton + Michael (hosts Dalton Caldwell and Michael Seibel) released a throwback podcast-style episode on 2026-04-21 that examines founder ethics, specifically condemning revenue exaggeration and the trend of some AI startups labeling metrics as 'recurring revenue.' They argue that prioritizing short-term optics over long-term value is damaging; the episode is sponsored by Standard_Cap and teases a new studio.

Why it matters

Dalton Caldwell and Michael Seibel (Dalton + Michael) published a throwback episode on 2026-04-21 arguing that exaggerating revenue—including claims of 'recurring revenue' by some AI startups—is unethical and undermines long-term value creation.

Key details

  • They warned that chasing short-term optics (e.g., inflated metrics or headline-friendly revenue claims) instead of building sustainable businesses is a losing strategy for founders and investors.
  • The episode was recorded in the original style, is sponsored by Standard_Cap, and notes a new studio is coming; video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgcdvIj5I-k.
Cleaned source text

Is exaggerating your revenue numbers just part of being a startup founder? We don’t think so.

There’s been a lot of discussion about how some AI startups report “recurring revenue,” but the issue points to a bigger question about founder ethics and startup norms. Chasing short-term optics at the expense of long-term value creation is a losing strategy.

This is a throwback episode of Dalton + Michael, recorded in the style of the original episodes. A new studio is coming soon.

Dalton Caldwell on X: https://x.com/daltonc

Michael Seibel on X: https://x.com/mwseibel

Channel: Dalton + Michael

Published: 2026-04-21

Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgcdvIj5I-k