Joris Van Der Gucht is the co-founder and chief executive of Ravical, a firm developing agentic AI technology for the professional services industry.
In this week’s Founder in Five Q&A, Van Der Gucht discusses why founders need to learn early on what is and is not urgent, the trap of poor communication and ruthless management of one’s own productivity.
What advice would you give to a first-time founder?
Learn to prioritise early. As a founder, everything feels urgent – and that’s the trap. In reality, not everything matters equally.
You’ll often feel like you’re running out of time, but building something meaningful takes longer than you think. The real skill is keeping momentum without rushing.
Stay close to your users and be willing to challenge your assumptions. Product-market fit almost never comes from your first idea – instead, it’s found through honest feedback, fast iteration, and real signals….
