Grocery Shopping App – Phone2Table’s Austin Startup Journey from First Users to First Pivot
Building a grocery shopping app sounds simple—until you start talking to real customers. In this episode of the Rebellious Times Podcast, I sat down with Joey Waid, Founder of Phone2Table, to discuss startup life in Austin, finding product-market fit, learning from early users, and why the willingness to pivot is often what separates successful founders from everyone else.
Why Building a Grocery Shopping App Starts With Customer Problems
Joey didn’t begin with technology. He began with a question: How can we make grocery shopping and meal planning easier? Rather than assuming he knew the answer, he spent time talking to potential customers, testing ideas, and refining the product based on real feedback. That mindset continues to shape Phone2Table today.
From Family Influence to Startup Founder
Entrepreneurship was part of Joey’s upbringing. Watching his father run a business planted the seed early, while Baylor University helped develop the skills and confidence to pursue his own venture. Those experiences eventually led him to Austin’s thriving startup ecosystem, where he continues building Phone2Table.
Why Every Startup Should Stay in Testing Mode
One of Joey’s best pieces of advice was simple: always be in the testing phase. Customer needs evolve, markets change, and assumptions are often wrong. Instead of chasing perfection, Joey believes founders should continuously learn, adapt, and improve their products through real-world feedback.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Joey Waid and His Journey
05:08 The Entrepreneurial Mindset and Family Influence
10:39 Identifying Problems and Creating Solutions
16:01 Building the Product and Finding Users
21:03 The Austin Startup Scene and Capital Factory
24:12 Balancing Family Life and Entrepreneurship
Building at Capital Factory
Austin has become one of America’s leading startup hubs, and Joey credits Capital Factory with providing a collaborative environment where founders learn from one another. Being surrounded by entrepreneurs tackling different problems creates opportunities to exchange ideas, test assumptions, and accelerate growth.
Entrepreneurship Is a Family Journey
Beyond product development, we also discussed the human side of entrepreneurship. Joey spoke about the importance of having a supportive wife and family while navigating the uncertainty of startup life. Building a company requires long hours and difficult decisions, but having people who believe in your mission makes the journey much more sustainable.
Joey Waid Social links:
LinkedIn
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