No-Code, Community Building, and the Leap to Full-Time Founder with Sharath Kuruganty

Growth Leap

Send us a text

In the latest episode of the Growth Leap Podcast, I had a great chat with Sharath Kuruganty. Sharath’s a serial maker, a successful SaaS founder, and a key player in various online communities. He’s the brain behind projects like Guest Lab, an AI research assistant that helps podcast hosts streamline guest research.
You’ve probably seen his influence across platforms like Product Hunt, Draft Bit, On Deck, and Threado, where he’s been instrumental in driving community engagement. On top of that, he’s also the host of two popular podcasts: Undefeated Underdogs and YC Founder Stories.

We dove deep into the art of building authentic communities and audiences—a space where Sharath truly excels. We talked about the challenges podcasters face, especially when it comes to the often time-consuming task of guest research. That’s where his project, Guest Lab, comes in handy, offering a solution to make this process smoother. We also covered his use of no-code tools, his work with technical co-founders, and his journey through Y Combinator, sharing the lessons he’s learned along the way.

We covered

• Guest Lab: From a Spark to a Full-Fledged Tool
• Podcasting Pains and How to Overcome Them
• No-Code Development: Challenges and Winning Strategies
• Y Combinator: The Application and What’s Next
• Sharath’s Playbook for Community and Audience Growth
• Should Every Company Invest in Community Building?
• Top Tips for Creating a Thriving Community
• Why Founders Should Lead Community Building
• Balancing Audience Growth with Daily Life
• Sharath’s Podcasting Journey: The Inside Story
• Unforgettable Podcast Guests and Their Stories
• Podcasting Takeaways and Future Ambitions
• Looking Forward: Goals and Final Thoughts

Where to find Sharath:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarath-kuruganty
• X: https://x.com/5harath
• Website: 5harath.com
• GuestLab: https://guestlab.ai/
• Podcast: undefeatedunderdogs.com

‍

Where to find Michel:

• Newsletter: https://www.stunandawe.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
• X: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon

Support the show

• Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
• You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
• Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
• For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [e-mail].
• Support the show on Patreon

Follow us:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

Kapitler

1. No-Code, Community Building, and the Leap to Full-Time Founder with Sharath Kuruganty (00:00:00)

2. Guest Lab: From a Spark to a Full-Fledged Tool (00:01:14)

3. Podcasting Pains and How to Overcome Them (00:03:28)

4. No-Code Development: Challenges and Winning Strategies (00:05:03)

5. Y Combinator: The Application and What’s Next (00:08:50)

6. Sharath’s Playbook for Community and Audience Growth (00:17:29)

7. Should Every Company Invest in Community Building? (00:26:31)

8. Top Tips for Creating a Thriving Community (00:28:16)

9. Why Founders Should Lead Community Building (00:30:37)

10. Balancing Audience Growth with Daily Life (00:31:50)

11. Sharath’s Podcasting Journey: The Inside Story (00:36:30)

12. Unforgettable Podcast Guests and Their Stories (00:43:03)

13. Podcasting Takeaways and Future Ambitions (00:46:32)

14. Looking Forward: Goals and Final Thoughts (00:49:03)