Do founders make good teachers? [The App Mafia case]
Over the past year, I’ve noticed more founders stepping into the “course creator” role. Some are sharing genuine frameworks, while others lean heavily on personal branding and hype.
A recent example is App Mafia: a group of young founders (Zach Yadegari, Blake Anderson, Alex Slater, Connor McLaren) who claim to have built mobile apps valued at over $100M. They just launched a $997 marketing course, and the reaction online has been… mixed.
Some praise them for being bold and building in public. Others criticize the “Andrew Tate”–style presentation, saying it feels more like a personality cult than a learning platform.
This raises an interesting question:
Does building successful companies automatically make you a good teacher?
What’s more important in a course: proof of success, or the ability to break things down for others?
And in 2025, is there still room for $1,000+ courses, or are community-driven, lower-cost models the future?
Personally, I think there’s a big difference between doing and teaching. The best educators aren’t always the most successful founders.they’re the ones who can translate complex lessons into something actionable. But clearly, there’s still a demand for premium courses when the story and brand are strong.
if you were launching a course today, what would you do differently from App Mafia?
Replies
Founders have cool stories, but not every story translates into useful teaching. @priyanka27
Founders often make great teachers because they share real-world lessons from building businesses. They teach through practical experience, not just theory, offering unique insights. The App Mafia case shows how entrepreneurial grit can inspire and guide others.
Founders often make excellent teachers because they share firsthand business experiences. The App Mafia case shows how practical lessons from building startups can guide others. Their insights go beyond theory, inspiring learners with real world problem solving.
Personally, I find it more appealing when people manage to remain humble despite all they've achieved. I always look up to such people with respect.
The problem is anybody can call themselves a founder or expert. Ship a landing page, watch a few YouTube videos, and suddenly you’re a “coach.”
But if you’re charging $1k+ for a course, you need proof. Otherwise it’s just smoke and mirrors. App Mafia gets hate because they come off more like Performers than Operators.
What people actually want is simple:
Proof (real numbers, screenshots, shipped products).
A clear path they can follow.
Student wins > founder flexing.
And in 2025, people are way more skeptical. Too many overpriced, under-delivering courses already burned them. The only way through is: show, don’t tell.
personally I’d probably lean toward smaller, community-driven models that maybe flexes numbers less and is more about making sure people actually learn and apply something. Doing and teaching are totally different muscles, and I think the you're favoured if you understand that