Join me as I chat with Ben Benkhin, Creator of WOMBO, about how he built mobile apps that achieved over 250 million downloads by identifying emerging AI technologies and making them accessible through simple, user-friendly interfaces. His first app, Wombo, allowed users to animate selfies to sing popular songs, while Dream was an early art generator that predated tools like Midjourney. Ben emphasizes the importance of studying viral content formats and creating apps that help users easily produce shareable content.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
02:00 - The "Copy What Works" Strategy
05:15 - Competition is GOOD
07:13 - WOMBO Demo
08:15 - Engineering for Virality
11:53 - Steps to creating viral mobile app
15:20 - WOMBO Story Continued
21:26 - Monetization strategy
23:57 - Optimization and Evolution of Wombo
29:22 - Advice for building an AI Mobile Apps
30:07 - Viral Content Creation and Studying Trends
Key Points:
• Ben created viral AI apps including Wombo and Dream by identifying open-source AI models and making them accessible through simple mobile interfaces
• His strategy involves studying what's already working in the market and putting his own spin on it ("mimesis")
• The most successful apps have a viral content creation loop where users create shareable content that drives new user acquisition
• Monetization came through subscriptions and ads, with only 2% of users paying while the other 98% drive virality
The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com
LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/
Boringmarketing - Vibe Marketing for Companies: boringmarketing.com
The Vibe Marketer - Join the Community and Learn: thevibemarketer.com
Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.skool.com/startupempire/about
FIND ME ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/
FIND BEN ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://x.com/benzion_b
W AI: https://w.ai
WOMBO: https://wombo.com/m/home
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Master Cursor AI in 29 Minutes with Their VP
Join me as I chat with Lee Robinson, VP of Developer Experience at Cursor, as he shares practical tips for maximizing productivity with Cursor's AI coding tools. He demonstrates how to structure prompts, create custom commands, and leverage agents for everything from bug fixes to code reviews. The conversation highlights how AI tools are making software development more accessible while enabling developers to build higher quality products with less effort.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:49 - Using AI Agents in Cursor
08:21 - Custom Rules within Cursor
11:49 - BugBot and code review automation
17:19 - CLI and headless options for Cursor agents
19:29 - Tips for getting the most out of Cursor
21:09 - Examples of innovative software built with Cursor
Get Your Complete Financial OS at https://dub.sh/brex-sip
Key Points:
• Lee demonstrates how to effectively use Cursor's AI agents for discrete coding tasks
• Setting up proper linting, formatting, and testing helps agents self-correct their outputs
• Custom commands and rules can be created to enhance code reviews and writing quality
• Cursor offers CLI and headless options for running agents in automation workflow
The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com
LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/
Boringmarketing - Vibe Marketing for Companies: boringmarketing.com
The Vibe Marketer - Join the Community and Learn: thevibemarketer.com
Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.skool.com/startupempire/about
FIND ME ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/
FIND LEE ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://x.com/leeerob
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leerob
Personal Website: https://leerob.com
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Turning Vibe Coding Into Real Money (Google/Meta Ads, HeyGen etc)
Join me as I chat with Cody Schneider, where we go through a comprehensive marketing playbook for founders of "vibe-coded" startups, focusing on paid acquisition strategies that deliver immediate results. He walks through the exact process of setting up Google Ads campaigns with proper keyword targeting and conversion tracking, then explains how to create effective Facebook/Instagram ads using AI-generated content. The emphasis throughout is on testing multiple creative variations and optimizing for actual conversions.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
03:29 - Validate Demand
07:00 - Google Ads Overview
11:43 - Finding Keywords
15:59 - Setting Up Google Ads Campaign
17:16 - Landing page best practices
19:25 - Google Tag Manager Tutorial
24:38 - Why RUN Paid Ads
28:29 - How to structure the funnel
31:04 - Meta Ads Overview
33:26 - Finding Pain Points with Perplexity
34:25 - Writing the script for the Ad
40:34 - Creating AI avatar with HeyGen and ElevenLabs
44:01 - Setting Conversion Tracking for Meta Ads
46:04 - Setting Conversion Tracking for Meta Ads
Key Points:
• Focus on transactional marketing (immediate signups) when starting out rather than long-term strategies like SEO
• Google Ads setup with phrase match keywords and conversion tracking is essential for SaaS products
• Facebook/Instagram ads work differently than search ads - they disrupt users rather than fulfill search intent
• AI avatar videos with compelling hooks perform best for SaaS marketing currently
The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com
LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/
Boringmarketing - Vibe Marketing for Companies: boringmarketing.com
The Vibe Marketer - Join the Community and Learn: thevibemarketer.com
Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.skool.com/startupempire/about
FIND ME ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/
FIND CODY ON SOCIAL
Cody’s startup: https://www.graphed.com
X/Twitter: https://x.com/codyschneiderxx
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@codyschneiderx
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Google's Nano Banana is an INSANE AI Image Editor (FULL Demo)
Join me as I chat with Logan Kilpatrick about Google's new Gemini 2.5 Flash Image model (Nano Banana), he showcases its capabilities for image generation and editing. We explore practical applications including creating marketing assets, product placement, and interactive experiences, all accessible through Google's AI Studio platform. The conversation highlights both the technical capabilities and business opportunities for developers or vibe coders to build innovative products with this technology.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro 02:34 - Nano Banana Overview
04:55 - Demo of AI-generated product ads
10:06 - Demo of Social Assets
11:41 - Demo AI-Generated Mockup Generator
15:05 - How to edit image with prompting
18:45 - Best Practices for Prompting
21:18 - Product placement demonstration
23:04 Three Levels of Using the Model
25:54 - Why you should start using Nano Banana now
Try Nano Banana: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/nano-banana
Key Points:
• Logan Kilpatrick demonstrates Google's new Gemini 2.5 Flash Image model (nicknamed "Nano Banana")
• The model excels at fast image generation and editing with impressive quality at low cost (about 4 cents per image)
• Multiple product applications are showcased including ad creation, image editing, and interactive experiences
• AI Studio provides free access to experiment with the model through chat and pre-built applications
• Developers can "vibe code" custom applications using the model's capabilities
The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com
LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/
Boringmarketing - Vibe Marketing for Companies: boringmarketing.com
The Vibe Marketer - Join the Community and Learn: thevibemarketer.com
Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.skool.com/startupempire/about
FIND ME ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/
FIND LOGAN ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://x.com/OfficialLoganK
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LoganKilpatrickYT
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/logankilpatrick/
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Are We in an AI Bubble? (Sam Altman Warns YES + Your 2-Path Playbook)
On this episode I breakdown whether we're experiencing an AI bubble by examining arguments on both sides. I discuss how AI startups are receiving unprecedented funding despite potential economic weaknesses, while also acknowledging the genuine utility and adoption of AI technologies. I also share practical advice for founders navigating this landscape, emphasizing that fundamentals like user engagement and profitable pricing remain essential regardless of market conditions.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:33 - Yes it's a bubble
07:06 - No it's not a bubble
10:31 How to play the AI Wave
14:26 - What happens in a bubble
15:07 - The benefits of a bubble
Key Points:
• The case for an AI bubble includes excessive hype around startups, inflated valuations (seed rounds of $20-30M), similar base models across companies, and questionable unit economics
• Arguments against a bubble include demonstrable utility in workflows, falling training and inference costs, increasing adoption rates, and development of new competitive moats
• Different strategies are recommended for founders depending on whether they believe it's a bubble or not
• Historical patterns show that even in bubbles, truly valuable companies emerge and thrive long-term
The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com
LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/
Boringmarketing - Vibe Marketing for Companies: boringmarketing.com
The Vibe Marketer - Join the Community and Learn: thevibemarketer.com
Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.skool.com/startupempire/about
FIND ME ON SOCIAL
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/
Get your creative juices flowing with The Startup Ideas Podcast. Published twice a week, we bring you free startup ideas to inspire your next venture. Hosted by Greg Isenberg, CEO of Late Checkout and former advisor to Reddit and TikTok. Subscribe so you don't miss out.
For more startup ideas, we created a database of 30+ startup ideas you can take at https://gregisenberg.com/30startupideas