Beyond growth hacks: real stories of reaching untapped markets

Build Mode

Luna co-founder Jas Schembri-Stothart and Untapped Solutions founder Andre Peart share how they cracked go-to-market for audiences most startups avoid. In this episode of Build Mode, they reveal the guerrilla tactics, trust-building strategies, and creative experiments that helped them reach teenage girls and formerly incarcerated workers—from crashing Taylor Swift concerts to keynoting re-entry conferences.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro

03:15 Getting Grilled by Teens: Luna's School Roadshow

05:04 The Ambassador Army That Designed the App

06:11 When Teen Content Goes Viral on TikTok

07:32 Untapped's Origin: From Prison to Building Solutions

11:03 The Power of Storytelling in B2B Sales

14:02 Navigating Data Privacy with Sensitive Populations

15:29 The Challenge of Dual Audiences: Teens and Parents

17:43 Why Word of Mouth Beats Any Ad Campaign

19:41 The Taylor Swift Concert That Almost Got Shut Down

22:15 Key Takeaways for Any Founder

22:41 Field Notes: Creative Go-to-Market from the Community

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Build Mode is produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience Development is led by Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.