Notes on Taste, Systems, and What Actually Scales
Conversations with extraordinary founders building what’s next, plus curated events, talent, and opportunities
Welcome to the latest edition of Brderless - a curated newsletter for extraordinary builders, sharing high-signal insights, people, and opportunities that actually matter.
Upcoming Events
Here's a look at what's coming at Brderless:
April 7 | SF | Founder Breakfast - a private breakfast for founders (Seed+)
April 7 | NYC | *Founder Basquiat-Inspired Art Experience - self-portrait experience with immersive art + music
April 15 | NYC | Founder Breakfast - a private breakfast for founders (Seed & Series A)
April 16 | SF | *$100K AI Startup Pitch-Off @ Chargebee Beelieve - live pitch competition with real enterprise buyers + $100K cash prize
April 17 | NYC | Founder Breakfast - a private breakfast for founders (Seed+)
April 22 | SF | Founder Dinner - a private 3-course dinner (Series A founders and/or founders at $2M+ ARR)
April 30 | NYC | Flagship: The Executive Night - our private flagship in NYC, bringing together 30 high-growth founders and investors including a highly curated guest list, concierge-style introductions alongside elevated dining and activities.
(*): partner events
The Conversation: Alexy Joven on Taste, Systems, and What Actually Scales
I recently sat down with my friend Alexy Joven, Founder of Modjo, to talk about what actually creates leverage in growth today and why most people are playing the game wrong.
About Alexy
Alexy started building early, launching his first company at 22 in the events space before moving into growth and marketing. Over time, he developed a systems-driven approach to scaling - connecting the right audience, distribution, and positioning in ways that compound.
After building multiple companies and a successful agency, he’s now focused on Modjo, where he’s creating AI-powered growth systems that help companies scale more intelligently. His approach blends technical execution with creative intuition - what he repeatedly refers to as “taste.”
1. Growth is not tactics. It’s systems
Alexy doesn’t think about growth as isolated tactics. He thinks in terms of machines.
Whether it’s influencer pipelines, B2B funnels, or content systems, the goal is to build something that learns and improves over time. These systems combine data, creativity, and AI to continuously get better, not just execute once.
The shift here is important: instead of asking “what campaign should we run?”, the better question is “what system can we build that keeps producing results?”
2. Taste is the real differentiator
Alexy is very clear on this: taste is earned, not learned.
It doesn’t come from staying inside one ecosystem. It comes from exposure - traveling, experiencing culture, observing what great actually looks like across industries.
Taste is what allows you to distinguish between something that’s just “good enough” and something that actually stands out.
In a world where anyone can use AI tools, taste becomes the filter that determines what gets built and what gets ignored.
3. Start with something real - not just a “GTM idea”
If he had to start from zero today, Alexy wouldn’t begin with a GTM strategy or a tool.
He would start with something he genuinely cares about - something grounded in the real world - and build from there.
His view is that many people try to start with abstract ideas like “growth” or “AI,” instead of starting with a problem, a community, or an interest they actually understand.
That grounding is what creates long-term advantage.
4. Tools don’t win. Depth does.
One of his strongest opinions: relying too heavily on tools is a losing strategy.
Tools change constantly. What works today is outdated in weeks.
What lasts is:
Depth of understanding
Creativity under constraint
The ability to build from first principles
AI amplifies this, but only if you already have the foundation.
The Takeaways
Build systems, not tactics.
Growth doesn’t come from isolated campaigns. It comes from building machines that learn, improve, and compound over time.
Taste is a competitive advantage.
In a world where everyone has access to the same tools, taste determines what actually stands out. It’s built through exposure, curiosity, and experience beyond tech.
Start from something real.
Don’t begin with tools or abstract ideas. Start with something you genuinely understand or care about, then build from there.
Depth beats tools.
Tools change constantly. What lasts is creativity, technical understanding, and the ability to think from first principles.
Roles Worth a Look
Sprinto (raised $20M Series B) - hiring GTM lead. Reply for warm intros or reach out here. (SF)
Fluency (raised $6M Seed from Accel) - hiring Founding Account Executive. Reply for warm intros or apply here. (SF)
Granola (raised $125M Series C) - hiring multiple roles. Apply here. (SF, London)
Index Ventures - hiring Applied AI Investor. Apply here. (NYC)
Bessemer Ventures Partners - hiring Associate (AI focus). Apply here. (SF)
If you’re hiring this quarter, feel free to reply to this newsletter.
Worth Your Time This Week
Tool: HeyGen - Turns text into high-quality videos with realistic AI avatars with no filming needed.
Read: How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie - a practical guide to building trust, communicating effectively, and understanding what drives people.
Featured Partners
Multiplier - Global employment platform that helps startups hire, onboard, and pay talent in 150+ countries without setting up local entities. Book a demo.
Ramp - All-in-one spend management and corporate card platform. ($1,000 sign-up bonus, $350K+ in startup perks. Reach out to atelemtayeva@ramp.com for questions).
Chargebee - Hosting a live pitch competition at their annual conference at Fort Mason, San Francisco. 10 pre-Series A AI founders pitch to a panel of enterprise buyers - CXOs & VPs from Gong, Superhuman, Cribl, Okta, and others - get feedback from real buyers, and compete for a $100K cash prize.
Applications to pitch close April 3, and registration includes a full pass to the Beelieve conference on April 15-16. Apply or register: luma.com/beelieve.
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