Speaking and media
Talks that feel like a conversation.
I speak at founder events, design conferences and company offsites about building small, writing clearly and failing in public. Honest stories, real numbers and no motivational posters.
Next on stage
Northwind Founders Summit
Nov 12, 2026 · Denver, Colorado
What I talk about
- 0130 or 45 minutes
Build small, on purpose
Why staying small can be the whole plan, and how to design a company that does not eat your life.
- Pick a business model you can run in four days
- Say no to good ideas
- Know when to stop growing
- 0230 minutes
The honest postmortem
The story of Kindling, the startup I shut down, and the rules I built every company on afterwards.
- Spot the warning signs early
- Shut down with care
- Turn a failure into a playbook
- 0345 minutes or a workshop
Writing is a founder's unfair advantage
How a weekly letter became my best marketing, hiring and thinking tool, and how to start yours.
- Find your one idea a week
- Write in plain words
- Turn readers into customers
On stage
Coming up
- Nov 12, 2026Northwind Founders SummitBuild small, on purposeDenver, ColoradoKeynote (opens in a new tab)
- Feb 4, 2027Make Things SmallThe honest postmortemPortland, OregonTalk (opens in a new tab)
- Mar 18, 2027Quiet Company RetreatWriting workshopOnlineWorkshop
Past talks
- Jun 9, 2026Bootstrap WeekBuild small, on purposeChicago, IllinoisKeynote
- Mar 22, 2026Indie Makers DayWriting is a founder's unfair advantageAustin, TexasTalk
- Oct 15, 2025Studio Hours ConferenceThe honest postmortemMinneapolis, MinnesotaPanel
Podcasts and press
- Podcast guestThe Long Game ShowWhy Maya keeps her company small (opens in a new tab)
- InterviewMargin Notes MagazineThe founder who writes every Sunday (opens in a new tab)
- Podcast guestBuilders on TuesdayShutting down with grace (opens in a new tab)
- RadioThe Small Business HourPricing without panic (opens in a new tab)
For organizers
Short bio
Maya Ortiz is a founder and writer in Austin. She runs Fieldnote, writes the Second Draft newsletter and hosts Small Rooms, a podcast about tiny companies.
Long bio
Maya Ortiz is a founder, writer and podcast host based in Austin, Texas. She started Loose Threads, a recycled sock company she sold in 2018, and cofounded Kindling, a startup she shut down and wrote about openly. Today she runs Fieldnote, a calm notes app with a team of six, writes Second Draft for 41,000 readers every Sunday and hosts Small Rooms. Her book, The Unbusy Founder, is about building a company that leaves room for a life.
