Ra’anan Cohen walked into the tech world with no fancy degree and no startup pedigree; just a phone call from a friend and the promise of free food and a gym membership. From day one, he felt like an outsider, constantly battling imposter syndrome. Yet, he stuck with it, learned the ropes of the startup world, and ultimately founded a billion-dollar company. In this episode, Ra’anan joins Ilana to share his wild 15-year ride: a public company on NASDAQ, a unicorn valued at $1 billion, and a board that tried to fire him at his peak. He reveals everything the startup world doesn't want you to know about the real cost of chasing unicorns.

Ra’anan Cohen is a serial entrepreneur, author, and the co-founder of Bringg, a SaaS delivery management platform that achieved unicorn status with a $1 billion valuation. He was also the founder and CEO of MobileMax, which went public on NASDAQ.

In this episode, Ilana and Ra’anan will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction 

(04:30) The Biggest False Beliefs On Entrepreneurship

(06:38) The Impact of Imposter Syndrome on Ra'anan's Career

(09:16) Quitting a Stable Job to Start a Company

(12:09) Raising Capital with No Credentials

(15:34) The $10M Mistake That Cost Him Everything

(18:55) How a Pizza Night Sparked a Billion-Dollar Idea

(24:35) Raising Capital the Second Time: The Stealth Mode Strategy

(28:47) Different Types of Modern Investors

(32:52) Why Startups Are Marathons, Not Rollercoasters

(43:43) When to Make Life-Changing Decisions (and When Not To)

(45:39) Redefining Success: The Multi-Bucket Life Philosophy

(53:36) Q&A: Handling Rejection Without Losing Your Spark

Ra’anan Cohen is a serial entrepreneur, author, and the co-founder of Bringg, a SaaS delivery management platform that achieved unicorn status with a $1 billion valuation. He was the founder and CEO of MobileMax, where he led the company to multimillion-dollar international sales and an IPO. Ra'anan is also the author of Confessions of a Unicorn Founder, a national bestseller in Israel, which is currently being adapted into a TV series.

Connect with Ra’anan:

Ra’anan’s Website: https://www.raanancohen.com 

Ra’anan’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/raananc 

Resources Mentioned:

Ra’anan’s Book,

Confessions of a Unicorn Founder: Obsession, Greed, and the Brutal Truth Behind Chasing the Startup Dream: https://www.raanancohen.com⁠