James Davie is the Co-founder and CEO of Miyagi, an AI-powered platform helping tech companies run more efficient and engaging online communities. In this episode, Alan sits down with James to explore what it takes to build a startup when you’ve never sold a thing in your life, and why community might just be the next frontier in customer experience.

They talk founder-led sales, credibility building on LinkedIn, and how James is navigating the messy middle between MVP and product-market fit. You’ll also hear real insights into Miyagi’s pilot customers, the importance of owning your distribution channel early, and why building your personal brand can unlock your first 100 users, even before the product is “done.”

This is essential listening for early-stage founders, community managers, and product leaders who know the power of customer engagement, but also know how hard it is to scale it.

01:44 – James’ surprising path to becoming a founder

06:39 – What is Miyagi, and who is it for?

10:30 – The hidden cost of running a community without ownership

12:45 – Founder-led sales when you’ve never sold before

13:17 – Learning to ask for the sale: how James is building muscle

15:54 – Imposter syndrome and credibility as an unknown founder

17:39 – Why LinkedIn alone won’t build your funnel

18:51 – Using small events and meetups as growth channels

21:29 – From attendee to speaker: how to build “expert magic”

24:35 – Becoming a panelist, host, or community organiser

25:58 – Why different roles across the org all touch “community”

26:56 – Founder brand vs company brand: what comes first?

👨🏻‍💻 James Davie on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-davie/

🏗️ Miyagi – https://www.linkedin.com/company/miyagi-ai/

Galah Cyber offers the Foundations of Application Security course: a practical, hands-on AppSec course built for engineers who actually ship code. Two days of real-world lessons you can apply immediately. Learn more at galahcyber.com.au/learn.

To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.

Mentioned in this episode:

Standard Ledger

Vanta PMB May 2025_01