Harold Hughes has built companies at two very different speeds: hand-drawing wireframes on paper a decade ago, and shipping AI-generated MVPs in an afternoon today. In this episode of Speed, host Keith Lucas talks with Harold — founder of NFNTE Capital and Divi, and a 30+ company angel investor — about what it actually takes to move fast without breaking trust. They cover building critical mass in the early days, how AI has changed Divi's product cycle, why speed can be both a founder's biggest edge and their biggest risk, and how Harold recovers after a bad day.

In this episode

• 0:00 — Welcome, and introducing Harold Hughes
• 2:28 — From Band Wagon to Divi: building critical mass fast
• 5:02 — Juggling product, brand, funding, and outreach without losing focus
• 7:38 — Building Divi's product with AI — from hand-drawn sketches to AI-built MVPs
• 13:21 — Balancing speed with security and trust when the product touches people's money
• 16:06 — Advice for founders: speed as a competitive edge
• 20:59 — Recovery: how Harold resets after a bad day

The Guest: Harold Hughes

Harold Hughes is the Founder & CEO of NFNTE Capital and Divi. Through NFNTE Capital, he's built entrepreneurship and AI education programs adopted by organizations like the University of Texas and the NBA; through Divi, he's building the intelligence platform for early-stage investors. A serial entrepreneur and active angel investor, Harold has backed more than 30 startups — including Liquid Death, AG1, and Partake Foods — and authored A Kids Book About Blockchain. He holds dual degrees and an MBA from Clemson University, and lives in Charlotte with his wife and two kids.

Connect with Harold:

• linkedin.com/in/haroldphughes
• https://www.instagram.com/haroldph
• https://divi.fund/
• https://nfnte.com/

A Kids Book About Blockchain by Harold Hughes (2021) — https://a.co/d/0iiyua6S

The Host: Keith Lucas

Keith Lucas joined Roblox as employee #7 and later served as CPO and CTO, leading product, engineering, and operations as the company scaled. He went on to serve as COO of Instrumental and now advises leaders across AI, gaming, creator platforms, and enterprise technology. He is also the author of IMPACT and host of Speed.

Connect with Keith:

• linkedin.com/in/kvlucas
• https://keithvlucas.com/

Get the book: Impact — https://keithvlucas.com/impact/

Contact us: speed@keithvlucas.com

CREDITS

Produced by : Leah Barnum

Social Media: Julia Guagliardi - www.stillwaters-creative.com

Editor: Jon Keur - www.wayfarerecording.com

Content Designer: Natalie Leroux - www.studioeightyseven.com

Studio lighting/Setup - www.175productions.com