Try New Things: Benjamin Davis, Founder & ceo, Trynow

What happens when an investor becomes a founder — and decides to rebuild e-commerce from the ground up?

In this episode of There Is No Alternative, Tina Bou-Saba, founder of CXT Investments, sits down with Ben Davis, Founder & CEO of TryNow, to unpack his entrepreneurial journey and the lessons learned building a company that helps shoppers “try before they buy.”

Ben shares how his background in investing shaped his view on capital efficiency, what he’s learned about leadership, and why resilience matters more than experience. Together, they explore the state of the consumer ecosystem, from CAC and LTV to platform dependency, Meta’s dominance, and what’s next in commerce.

If you care about building, funding, or scaling modern consumer brands, this is a must-listen.

In This Episode:

• How trust became the foundation for TryNow’s model

• Lessons from fundraising and early growth

• Why “grit” is the #1 hiring filter for startup teams

• The psychology behind founder resilience

• What’s next for e-commerce and the future of brand building

[00:00] Meet Ben Davis: Reinventing E-Commerce with TryNow

[01:47] From Idea to Startup: Solving for Trust in Shopping

[05:30] Fundraising Lessons: Building a Capital-Efficient Business

[08:38] Rethinking CAC and LTV in Modern Commerce

[13:50] Founder Psychology: From Therapy Roots to Behavioral Economics

[17:52] Hiring for Grit: What It Takes to Build a Great Team

[21:16] Founder Mode: Staying Close to the Customer

[28:56] Mindset and Maintenance: Staying Grounded as a Founder

[35:17] The Future of Commerce: Data, Trust, and Diversification

[43:08] Final Advice: Don’t Do It Unless You Can’t Not Do It

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🎙️ There Is No Alternative: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership with Tina Bou-Saba