In this episode of the [A] Growth Ventures Podcast, Hamlet Azarian sat down with Dennis Mortensen, a serial entrepreneur with four exits and a deep passion for building AI-powered products that solve real, tangible problems.
As the founder of Launchbrightly, Dennis is tackling a unique but widespread issue in the SaaS world: outdated help docs caused by constant product updates.
Beyond that, this episode is packed with powerful lessons for founders who want to build, validate, and scale startups correctly.
What We Discussed with Dennis
Don’t Fall in Love with the Solution
Too many founders start with a technology and then try to find a problem. Dennis flips that script: find a genuine customer pain, validate it deeply, and then apply the best tool—AI or duct tape—to solve it. Tech is the “how,” not the “why.”
Validate the Pain, Not Just the Idea
Before Launchbrightly ever became a product, Dennis spent months confirming the problem was real. The key? Get uncomfortable. Talk to users. Sit in their world. Live their problems. Only build once you know the pain exists.
“You should over-invest in the research phase so you don’t waste 4 years chasing the wrong idea.”
Start Uncomfortably Small
Most founders try to do too much, too soon. Dennis says to cut the product so thin it almost doesn’t look like a business. Solve one micro-problem perfectly, and you earn the right to expand.
Launchbrightly’s entire focus? Automating product screenshots to keep help docs up to date. That’s it.
Know What Kind of Startup You’re Building
Are you solving a technology problem (like self-driving cars)? Or a sales and marketing problem (like Airbnb convincing people to let strangers into their homes)? Knowing which one changes everything: your team, strategy, pitch.
Team Commitment Is Built Through Obstacles
To build resilient co-founders and early teams, Dennis introduces friction on purpose:
- Have co-founders buy their shares with their own money
- Require quitting high-paying jobs
- Even enforced a six-day workweek until a business milestone was hit
The result? Actual ownership and grit from day one.
Pricing: Make It Obvious, Not Just Logical
Launchbrightly charges by screenshot, not server time, even though compute cost is the actual expense. Customers understand screenshots, not cloud billing. Pricing should match perceived value, not just internal cost structures.
Final Thoughts: Obsess Over the Problem, Not the Pitch
Dennis’ approach is mastering fundamentals.
His playbook is a masterclass in the startup discipline, covering everything from profound customer discovery to building resilient teams and nailing product-market fit.
Whether launching your first venture or refining your tenth, the lesson is clear: pain is the path. Everything else—tech stack, pricing, growth—is just execution.
Connect with Dennis
Find him everywhere online under Dennis Mortensen or connect with him on LinkedIn.
Key Takeaways
01:22 – How to spot real startup opportunities in your everyday life
05:40 – The pain point that inspired Launchbrightly
08:15 – Why validating pain matters more than building fast
17:02 – How to test commitment with co-founders
24:55 – Why narrow products win early
29:23 – Identify if your startup is a tech or marketing problem
37:00 – Startup culture: the value of a six-day workweek
41:06 – How to price based on value, not cost
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