This week’s Millennial Master is Oliver Yonchev, founder of cocreatd.
What does it take to break out of low-aspiration roots, ride the startup rollercoaster from failed indie rocker to Social Chain and then build a venture studio in the middle of an AI revolution? For Oliver Yonchev, the answer is relentless ambition, and a kinda toxic work ethic.
In this episode we get into everything:
* Building your self-belief when everyone around you doubts
* Why the US market nearly broke him, and how he bounced back
* How AI is raising the bar (and wiping out mediocrity fast)
* The truth about “sprints”, burnout, and why you should quit when you’re winning
* The future for founders who don’t want to play it safe
Plus: raw takes on branding, building, and why co-founders still matter in the era of agents and automations.
Tune in to the full episode, take notes, and don’t blame the country, you’ve got to raise your own bar.
🔗 Find Oliver on LinkedIn, Instagram and at cocreatd
Takeaways from Oliver’s episode
1️⃣ Self-belief is the real startup superpower
You’ll get more “no” than “yes”, so raise your aspirations, stay optimistic, and back yourself, even when nobody else does. For Oliver, self-belief turned low-aspiration beginnings into an entrepreneurial launchpad.
2️⃣ AI is raising the bar and mediocrity is over
AI isn’t just another trend. It’s killing average work, lowering the cost of building, and letting more founders move faster. If you’re not pushing for excellence, you’ll be left behind.
3️⃣ Distribution still beats product, unless your product is 50x better
Building a great product is table stakes. You need viral loops, killer branding, or something truly different to get noticed. The best distribution hacks come from building something worth sharing.
4️⃣ Quit while you’re ahead (really)
Most people stick around too long. Oliver swears by “quitting is for winners”; use momentum to move to bigger things, not as a reason to get comfortable.
5️⃣ Founders who adapt win, especially in the era of agents and automation
The old rules of loyalty and linear careers are gone. Build agency over your own life, experiment with side projects, and never outsource your drive to anyone or anything (even AI).
📚 Oliver’s book recommendations
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz — A classic on the realities of running a business, tackling the tough decisions and brutal truths most founders face.
Zero to One by Peter Thiel — Deep, occasionally complex, but packed with sharp insights for anyone building something new.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield — A short but powerful book on overcoming resistance and procrastination—especially useful for anyone who switches modes or struggles with getting started.
In this episode we cover:
00:00 Introduction to Oliver Yonchev
02:18 From Barnsley to co-founding Social Chain
06:55 The Facebook DM that built Social Chain
15:56 Expanding to the US: startup lessons learned
22:00 When to leave and start again as a founder
28:04 Building Co-Created: a venture studio for founders
36:17 The UK startup ecosystem: opportunities and challenges
38:50 Why founders are leaving the UK for Dubai
47:52 AI, distribution, and what founders get wrong
56:32 Competing in product development today
01:02:49 Balancing work, life, and productivity
01:06:03 Tech stack and books for entrepreneurs
