EPISODE 37

Kevin and Jason sit down with Austin Boer, co-founder of Sleke, to unpack what it takes to build a “dumb phone” that still supports modern life. Austin shares how a simple insight from the r/dumbphone subreddit shaped Sleke’s mission: people want fewer distractions, not less utility. The conversation covers founder-led customer discovery, why Sleke is built around intentional constraints like banning infinite scroll, and how the team balances privacy, usability, and real-world needs like QR codes, maps, and music. They also explore the bigger question of what replaces the phone by 2030 and why digital minimalism should be accessible to everyone, not a luxury product.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – The dumb phone problem people actually have

03:50 – Why Austin built Sleke and what the product is

04:30 – Founder-led discovery: 200+ ICP calls and shifting ICP

08:20 – The “fatal flaw” of dumb phones and preventing app creep

16:30 – Digital minimalism shouldn’t be a luxury

LINKS

Connect with Austin Boer

sleke.io • Instagram • X/Twitter

Special Offer: Use code FOUNDERS5 for a discount on a Sleke device.

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Connect with Kevin

LinkedIn • X/Twitter

Connect with Jason

LinkedIn • X/Twitter