Dorm Room Tycoon (DRT)

In this interview, Claire Lew talks about leadership, how to keep your team motivated and the things leaders should avoid. We also talk about the importance of building relationships with your customers and the real reasons why people buy from you.

In this interview, Bill Irvine explains what it means to be a stoic. We discuss how to evaluate and pursue worthy goals and how to keep perspective during challenging times. We examine the necessity of failure in the pursuit of greatness and uncover the value of setbacks.

In this interview, James Freeman reveals what it was like starting Blue Bottle Coffee. He explains the importance of pursuing simplicity and creating an overarching experience. We also talk about building a business that stands for something and what he does to find inspiration.

In this interview, Keith Rabois explains the importance of hard work and turning your startup into a smooth machine. We discuss management styles, the downfall of remote working and how to go about hiring talented people.

In this interview, Geoff Donaker explains the details involved in taking a company public, from hiring a CFO through to collaborating with an accounting firm. We examine the job of the COO, the role of experimentation in the shaping of business models and the principles of scaling. We finish with a discussion of his investing strategy.

In this interview, Michael Sippey explains each stage of his product management process; research, idea validation and product iteration. We discuss the evolution of Medium and how to go about defining one’s vision and strategy.

In this interview, Cal Newport argues that focus is the new I.Q. in the knowledge economy and that individuals who cultivate their ability to concentrate without distraction will thrive. He provides practical examples to escape the being caught in the frantic blur of e-mail and social media.

In this interview, Wade Foster reveals how Zapier started and the way they got their first users. We talk about the best practices of getting customer feedback and where to find your best ideas. We also look at content strategy, the benefit of having a co-founder and managing remote teams.

In this interview, Joel Gasgoine explains how to enter a competitive market and the importance of focus. We talk about experimenting with pricing, how pricing impacts churn and the best practices for launching multiple products. We also review his favourite ways to validate business ideas.

In this interview, Des Traynor reveals Intercom’s product strategy and the central role vision formation plays within his company. We discuss prioritisation and the value of saying no to new features. We conclude with a review of the jobs to be done framework and some disruptive technologies that could affect Intercom’s future.

In this interview, Jeff Atwood reveals what led to the success of Stack Overflow and how he managed to beat the incumbents. We discuss the importance of building software iteratively and how to gather the right feedback. We also talk about the vision for his new company Discourse.

In this interview, Chris Savage explains how to achieve product-market fit, and the importance of rejecting short term opportunity to build long-term value. We also discuss his principle of profitability over growth and the future of video.

In this interview, Brian Singerman explains why he doesn't have an investment thesis and why he’s agnostic to both sector and stage. We also discuss business strategy and the importance of finding a unique competitive advantage.

In this interview, Charles Hudson explains how seed investing has changed over the years. We talk about his process for raising money, the details of his new fund and the things founders should be cautious of when working with investors.

In this interview, Andy Rachleff explains why big business opportunities are based off inflexion points and why founders shouldn’t pursue the obvious problem-solving ideas. We also discuss how CEOs can best balance personal decision making with the seeking of counsel in order to thrive in times of uncertainty.

In this interview, Jon Callaghan explains the basics of running a business and why it's all about creating value for the right customer. We talk about customer acquisition, laying the right foundation and raising money from the right investors and managing expectations.

In this interview, Kevin Kelly explains why he's optimistic about the future and the inevitable technological advancements that will play a pivotal role in our lives. We also explore virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and opportunities for entrepreneurs.

In this interview, Nir Eyal explains how to build a product that sticks. We explore why engagement is initially more important than growth and the importance of user narratives to simplify the product experience.

In this interview, David Skok explains effective sale strategies and how people buy. We also discuss reducing churn, increasing retention and the importance of improving your sales funnel.

​In this interview, Andy Weissmann shares the firm's investment thesis​ and ​how they spot investment opportunities. We also discuss the obstacles founder​s​ typically face when running a startup.​

In this interview, Mike McDermont explains what it takes to build a big business and why marketing is the key driver to success. We also talk about distribution, understanding your customer and thinking differently when it comes to finding acquisition channels.

In this interview, Sarah Tavel explains the right way to grow your startup and the right way to listen to your users. She also reveals the difficulties of building a consumer-led product and how Pinterest was able to succeed.

In this interview, Alan Schaaf explains how he acquired users, built something that resonated with a large audience, and why simplicity leads to a sticky product. We also talk about investing and staying focused.

In this interview, Kevin Rose talks about his investments, pursuing new ideas, building products you love, dealing with failure and collaborating with talented designers and developers.

In this interview, Sofya Polyakov shares what it was like to build a product and business from scratch and how to handle the day to day running of a startup. We also talk about community and raising money.

In this interview, Dennis Crowley explains Foursquare’s new SDK, Pilgrim, and why location intelligence is part of the internet's infrastructure. We also talk about persistence and the importance of having a strong vision.

In this interview, Everette Taylor talks about good marketing practices, why empathy is critical and how to grow your user base through social media and testing.

In this interview, Jason Calacanis talks about his startup Inside and why the publishing/media industry is in a bad state. We also talk about his investment syndicate, how he spots opportunities and and what he expects from founders.

In this interview, Tony Conrad explains his investing thesis and what he looks for in an entrepreneur. We explore the importance of networking and having an ecosystem. He also sheds light on how about.me was built and where it is today.

In this interview, Philip Rosedale talks about the future of Virtual Reality (VR) and the role it will play in society. We also explore the business opportunities and technical challenges VR presents.

In this interview, Suhail Doshi explains what it means to be data driven, what goes into tracking metrics and why you should do it from the get go. We talk about the difficulties of fundraising and why growth can be a double edge sword.

In this interview, Scott Belsky reveals what it was like to sell Behance to Adobe and why it makes sense for certain startups to pursue funding. We talk about building a community and the importance of having empathy with your users.

In this interview, Michael Seibel explains how to gain the interest of investors. He reveals how to effectively communicate the product and the market opportunity. He also reveals the common pitfalls founders face when it comes to fundraising.

In this interview, Adam Lisagor explains how founders can communicate better and why underselling is an effective way to communicate. We look into the creative process of making a video and what’s required to make it successful.

In this interview, Ciarán O'Leary talks about his new fund, BlueYard Capital and his plans for investing in the European scene. We look into the realities of being a founder in Europe and evaluate the level of opportunity available within its startup ecosystem.

In this interview, Dave McClure ​highlights the importance of taking a niche approach when launching a ​product. We touch on the ​main ​difference​s​ between 500 Startups and Y Combinator before analysing the ​growth and customer acquisition methods that help startups grow.

In this interview, Danielle Morrill reveals what it was like pivoting to work on Mattermark. We then explore why founders should take a long term approach and be committed to an idea. We also delve into acquiring customers, pricing and raising money effectively.

In this interview, Steven Levy opens up on why he joined Medium and what it’s been like working as part of the team. We talk about the changing world of journalism and what he believes needs improving within it. We close with a discussion on storytelling and how to get better at it.

In this interview, David Cancel shares his thoughts on how to communicate with customers to gain essential and unique insights. He then evaluates the merits of working with investors vs bootstrapping, before offering his judgement on what makes for good marketing.

In this interview, Josh Elman defines what it means to grow and why it all starts with building a habit around your product. We also delve into the importance of onboarding and how to get users.

In this interview, Mark Suster covers a wide range of startup issues and the problems that can occur when fundraising. He also explains why competition is a good thing and the importance of marketing and sales.

In this interview, Esther Dyson outlines the health issues we face today and what we can do to solve them. In the second half of the interview we discuss entrepreneurship, investing and why it all begins with people.

In this interview, Jeff Clavier explains how to determine your market size and what’s required to take a company public. He also reveals what he looks for in founders and shares what a typical day looks like for a VC.

In this interview, Philip Kaplan explains how to sell a startup and the benefits of bootstrapping. He also emphasises the importance of having a strategy for getting users before pursuing an idea.

In this interview, Aarron Walter explains the importance of research and designing for emotion. He also reveals how to build things people want and how to work effectively with other people.

In this interview, Zach Sims, Co-founder of Codecamedy explains how to operate in a competitive landscape. We also take a deep look into managing growth pains and what it’s really like to be a CEO.

In this interview, Boris, Founder of The Next Web explains the business side of building a publication and how they experimented with advertising. He also shares how startups can get PR and the harsh realities of being an entrepreneur in Europe.

In this interview, Matt Mullenweg explains how he built a community and ecosystem around WordPress. He outlines the importance of connecting with users and building a simple product. We then touch on building a sustainable company and dealing with competitors.

In this interview, Malcolm Gladwell explains his writing process and where good ideas come from. He reveals what makes a great writer and why making mistakes is normal. He then outlines the importance of editing and being self-critical.

In this interview, Scott Heiferman reveals why it’s all about the product and vision. He also talks about the right types of business models to adopt and why getting early momentum is key for startup success.

In this interview, Tobias van Schneider explains the role of a product designer, competing with Apple, and pursuing stupid side projects. He also explains what he looks for in other designers and how to become a better designer.