In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Jill Foley is joined by co-host Rick Giese, Chief Growth Officer at Flexion, for a conversation with Michael Narea, CEO and General Partner at Transcend Fellowship. Michael has spent the last decade working alongside early-stage founders in education and the future of work, helping them navigate product-market fit, partnerships, funding, and long-term company building.

Michael shares why he believes the traditional startup playbook often fails education founders and explains Transcend’s alternative approach. Rather than treating founders as bets and pushing them toward fundraising too early, he advocates for strong founder communities, co-building with customers, transformative partnerships, and generating sustainable revenue before pursuing outside capital. He also explains why the rise of generative AI makes a compelling vision and deep understanding of customer problems more important than ever.

The conversation goes beyond products and funding to explore the human side of entrepreneurship. Michael discusses founder loneliness, the importance of protecting the “soul” behind a company, and why founders need to be thoughtful about the first partnerships they build. If you’re curious about what it takes to build an education company around meaningful transformation rather than simply selling another tool, this conversation is a must-listen.