Greymatter

A re-broadcast of Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman's interview with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, recorded during Greylock's Intelligent Future summit in August 2022. Founded in 2015, OpenAI has recently released several high-profile products in quick succession: succession: its generative transformer model GPT-3 – which uses deep learning to produce human-like text – its image-creation platform DALL-E – and most recently, ChatGPT. Trained on massive large language models, the highly sophisticated chatbot can mimic human conversation and speak on a wide range of topics. You can watch a video of the interview here: https://youtu.be/WHoWGNQRXb0 You can read a transcript of this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/sam-altman-ai-for-the-next-era/

Navigating uncertain economic conditions is part and parcel of running a business. Yet, throughout challenging times, it's critical that startups stay committed to continually pushing the possibilities of what technology can deliver, says Stripe CEO Patrick Collison. That means leading with the guiding principle “micro pessimism and macro optimism.” Often, Collison says, this means having a relentless ability to be critical about the state of technology (including one's own products) while still believing in its possibilities.That viewpoint acknowledges the structural tension companies face when trying to innovate in the context of economic reality, and can be the difference between persisting through challenging times or becoming a casualty of yet another tech boom and bust cycle. Collison joined Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman on our Iconversations speaker series to discuss Stripe's early days and its evolution into the payment and financial services platform giant it is today, and his advice to startups for navigating the predictable unpredictability of business. You can watch the video of the interview here: https://youtu.be/rzic-FivMfc You can read the transcript here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/micro-pessimism-macro-optimism/

Of the many transformative possibilities of artificial intelligence, its potential to impact education is among the most exciting. It's also one of the most contentious. While it could extend the reach of over-worked teachers, offer personalized curriculums, and enhance the learning experience, it could also present many drawbacks: cheating, loss of jobs, and a reliance on technology that impedes the development of critical-thinking skills. In the latest episode of Fireside Chatbots, Reid Hoffman poses questions to OpenAI's ChatGPT on the potential impact of artificial intelligence technology in educational settings. You can read a transcript of this conversation here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/ai-in-the-classroom/

Current economic conditions have put thousands of highly qualified candidates in search of new roles. In just a few months, the population of job-seekers will further expand as a wave of fresh graduates – many of whom will be taking on the first serious role of their career – enter the market. The dearth of open roles can be discouraging to any candidate, and those at the beginning of their careers may feel this even more acutely. A bright spot is early-stage startups in need of talent to build core teams, and for many, the best match may be the newest job seeker. Yuliya Mykhaylovska, who leads university recruiting for Greylock's talent team, shares how to evaluate and recruit candidates at the earliest stages of their career, and outlines how startup founders can best structure the role to allow flexibility and growth along with the company. You can read a transcript of this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/starting-points/

Audio version of Greylock general partner Asheem Chandna's essay for Forbes "Four Tasks for CEOs in 2023: Leveraging the Downturn." As Chandna puts forth, while economic recessions can mark the end for many otherwise promising companies, they also present opportunities. Businesses that were previously in hyper-growth mode now have time to re-asses and implement tactics they couldn't in busier times. Chandna lays out several strategies to take in this scenario. This essay was read by Greylock's head of editorial Heather Mack. You can read the essay here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/asheemchandna/2023/01/18/four-tasks-for-ceos-in-2023-leveraging-the-downturn/?sh=7494f60f56cc

The second episode of Fireside Chatbots featuring Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman and ChatGPT, the large language model created by OpenAI. This week, Reid and ChatGPT talk about the ways humans and AI can work together to significantly increase productivity, scientific discovery, analytical capabilities, and creativity. As ChatGPT says, "The jobs of the future will likely be a combination of technical and human skills, requiring individuals to be adaptable and able to work with new technologies. " You can read a transcript of this conversation here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/the-human-ai-partnership/

Figma's VP of Communications Nairi Hourdajian and Greylock marketing partner Elisa Schreiber discuss how startup founders can approach their communications strategy. Whether a startup is looking to recruit talent, acquire customers, establish thought leadership, or just raise general awareness, having a well-structured communications strategy in place is crucial. This conversation is part of Greylock's Brain Trust series. You can find a transcript of the interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/startup-storytelling/

Introducing Fireside Chatbots, a miniseries featuring conversations not only about AI, but with AI. Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman talks with ChatGPT, a large language model created by OpenAI. Hoffman, who serves on OpenAI's board, poses questions to ChatGPT about the massive positive impact he believes AI will all facets of society. For this podcast, we used an AI-generated voice for ChatGPT, powered by the text-to-speech platform of Play.ht. The chat transcripts are exact, word for word, which Hoffman says, " show the magic and the current limitations of the technology. " You can read the transcript of this conversation here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/reid-hoffman-chatbots-talking-ai-with-ai

Tome CPO and co-founder Henri Liriani and Katy Amaya of the Greylock talent team discuss the rising importance of founding designers at startups and share best practices for building strong design teams. While past generations of startups could get away with focusing purely on the technical aspects of their product in the initial stages and bring design teams later, today's startups are living in the age following an explosion of consumer apps (and the subsequent push for consumerization of enterprise software) that has resulted in a heavy focus on the end user experience. Good design is now a critical part of a company's success. You can read a transcript of this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/designed-with-purpose/

A re-broadcast of our interview with Okta executive vice chairman, COO, and co-founder Frederic Kerrest, who shares stories from his earliest days as an entrepreneur starting a business in the midst of the Great Recession. The challenging experience is why Kerrest wrote Zero to IPO, a collection of some of the best actionable advice from some of the world's most influential entrepreneurs. The book, which was published earlier this year, details his early days at Okta as well as those of other iconic entrepreneurs. This interview is part Greylock's Iconversations speaker series and was originally recorded in May 2022 with former Greylock general partner Sarah Guo. You can read a transcript of this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/instructive-experiences/

A re-broadcast of our episode featuring the audio version of Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman's essay, "Human Nature in Vices and Virtues: An Adam Smith Approach to Building Internet Ecosystems and Communities," published on the Knight Foundation's website. Hoffman discusses how some of the most popular websites leverage some of humankind's less desirable attributes(e.g. "the 7 deadly sins"), and how entrepreneurs and investors can think about building based on virtuous traits. Essay read by Greylock marketing partner Elisa Schreiber. You can read the essay here: https://knightfoundation.org/human-nature-in-vices-and-virtues-an-adam-smith-approach-to-building-internet-ecosystems-and-communities/

A compilation of excerpts from 22 of our most popular podcasts of 2022. Greylock's head of editorial Heather Mack walks listeners through through interviews with industry leaders including OpenAI's Sam Altman, Cloudflare's Michelle Zatlyn, Nike's John Donahoe, and more. We're also featuring the top sought-after advice from Greylock's own team of investors such as Reid Hoffman, and tactical guidance from Greylock's talent and marketing specialists. You can read a transcript of this episode (which includes links to all full episodes from which the compilation is made) here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/2022-year-in-review/

Zoox CEO Aicha Evans speaks with Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman to discuss how the "robotaxi" company has made safety permeate into every aspect of the company culture and operations; why they are building for dense urban environments; and her vision for the future of the “people moving business.” Zoox's unique approach to autonomous driving (building all of the hardware and software in-house, from the ground up), means the entire company is oriented around the same mission and priorities. From the people building the door handles to the developers coding the software, keeping riders safe is the paramount focus for every Zoox employee. That means all teams must operate with total transparency and expect a culture of collective learning, patience, and tradeoffs, says Evans. You can read a transcript of this interview here: You can read a transcript here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/zoox-moving-people-forward/

During economic downturns, is it possible (or even wise) for startup entrepreneurs to deploy growth tactics? Will companies be able to secure funding? Should founders even consider starting a business during a bear market? "100%," says Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman. However, the specific ways startups approach high-growth strategies during high-risk economic environments is crucial, and it all depends on the leverage points they have over their competition. Hoffman and his Blitzscaling co-author Chris Yeh discuss how entrepreneurs can assess their position in the market and take action to get them to the next phase of super-charged growth. You can read a transcript from this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/reid-hoffman-bear-market-blitzscaling/

While the short-lived hype of NFTs centered on static jpeg files, there are actually far more use cases that can be deployed for the technology. Omaha-based Pinata has developed a platform that enables web3 app builders to store, manage, and build more functionality into NFTs. Pinata CEO and co-founder Kyle Tut sat down with Greylock general partner Mike Duboe to discuss the company's inception, the current web3 ecosystem, and Pinata's ultimate goal of serving content at scale for NFT projects. You can read the transcript from this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/pinata-getting-web3-creative-at-scale/

A re-broadcast of our episode featuring Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman in conversation with his Blitzscaling co-author Chris Yeh. In this episode (originally recorded in May 2022), Hoffman and Yeh discuss strategies for entrepreneurs to navigate crises - whatever that may mean at the given time. Entrepreneurship assumes an innate degree of optimism and perseverance. But even the most determined founders can feel subdued when faced with yet another crisis. That's why adaptability is a startup's strongest asset. As recent global events push us into a new era of market volatility and economic uncertainty, companies must be prepared to recalibrate their business to the new reality. Whether that means pausing their hiring plans, tempering their expansion efforts, redirecting resources, or any other number of operational activities, today's startup leaders should have a set of defensive and offensive tactics they can quickly deploy during times of crisis. You can read a transcript of this episode here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/crisis-management/

A re-broadcast of our episode featuring Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman sharing the speech he gave at the 2022 Commencement of Vanderbilt University. Hoffman discusses several key moments in his personal and professional life, including his initial foray into entrepreneurship, and the role his friends have played. As he says, "The most impactful lessons that shaped my perspective, decisions, and ultimately the actions I took came from friends." You can read the transcript of this speech here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/reid-hoffman-the-importance-of-friendship/

Greylock general partner Saam Motamedi talks with Snorkel AI CEO and co-founder Alex Ratner. As more enterprise organizations have recognized the utility of artificial intelligence technology, there's been a major push to invest in and adopt new AI and ML infrastructure to drive insights and make predictions for businesses. However, many of these solutions lack the mechanism to unlock and operationalize the data needed to train and deploy models for high quality AI projects. That pain point spawned the creation of Snorkel AI, which has developed an end-to-end data-centric machine learning platform for the enterprise.Putting the capabilities to build impactful AI in the hands of more people has been Snorkel's goal since its inception. The company spun out of Stanford's AI Lab in 2019 and has been partnered with Greylock since 2020, and just released a new set of tools that enables enterprise organizations to put foundation models to use. You can read a transcript of this conversation here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/jumpstarting-data-centric-ai/

There are millions of entrepreneurs running small retail businesses in Latin America. While they may differ in the types of products sold or specific customers they target, the challenges they face in everyday operations are common. From low credit card penetration to poor visibility into shipping logistics and pricing, the various difficulties often boil down to a singular issue: lack of data. Brazil-based Inventa has been working to change that. The company's digital marketplace steps in to fill the gaps left by the outdated modes of phone calls, paper catalogs, and in-person trade shows where much of LatAm retail commerce takes place. Greylock general partner and Inventa board member Mike Duboe talks with Inventa CEO and co-founder Marcos Salama about the company's strategy, explosive growth, and vision for the future of commerce in Latin America. You can read a transcript of this conversation here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/inventa-supplying-commerce-connections/

Audio version of Greylock investor Seth Rosenberg's essay "Bringing DeFi Lending Mainstream," read by Greylock's head of editorial Heather Mack. Crypto hype and speculation got us into the current chaotic winter. But the core infrastructure remains, and is still ripe for the innovation that will take us into the next crypto summer. There are many real use cases across financial services that can not only usher us into a more secure, inclusive, and efficient financial system, but also return trust and ownership to those for whom crypto was created in the first place – the users. Rosenberg unpacks the use case of defi lending to illustrate how this can be done. You can read the essay here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/bringing-defi-lending-mainstream/

Rubrik CEO Bipul Sinha and Steve Stone, the company's newly appointed head of its research department Zero Labs, sat down with MarketWatch reporter (and Greymatter guest host) Jon Swartz to discuss an inescapable fact of business life: Cyber attacks. They happen to pretty much everyone, but whether a company is prepared to recover from it depends on multiple factors, from their level of understanding of the risk to the data protection tools they have at their disposal. Most aren't: A recent survey conducted by Zero Labs found 92% of security and IT leaders don't feel confident they could carry on business if they experience a cyber attack. What's more, about a third of organizations surveyed said a cyber attack led to a leadership change, and many reported a misalignment between IT and security teams. Bipul, Steve, and Jon discuss the more findings from the report and outline how companies can protect their organizations. You can read a transcript of this conversation here: https://greylock.com/firm-news/building-cybersecurity-confidence/

While there may be plenty of discussion about the disparity between funding for women-led startups and those led by men, women still receive just 2% of all venture capital funding. And yet, many women are still finding success as entrepreneurs. How? CNBC Senior Media & Technology reporter Julia Boorstin dug into the stories of women entrepreneurs founding, funding, and running companies, and uncovered a variety of smart tactics and approaches. Those stories and the data are shared in her new book, "When Women Lead." Julia spoke with Greylock marketing partner Elisa Schreiber in front of a live, female-majority audience as part of Greylock's Iconversations speaker series. You can watch a video from the interview here: https://youtu.be/7moBNBLIVMA You can read a transcript here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/julia-boorstin-when-women-lead/

Rent the Runway CEO and co-founder Jennifer Hyman and Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman discuss the strategy behind the company's data-driven, online marketplace where people can rent or buy clothing. Rent the Runway launched in 2009 with the mission to democratize fashion. Over the years, the company has evolved significantly, keeping up with the many major shifts to the retail and e-commerce industries overall. From the rise of mobile and the increasingly outside influence of social media on shopping, to changes in consumer preferences from subscription models or in-person experiences, and, of course the multifaceted impact of the pandemic on shopping, Rent the Runway has continuously adapted. Rent the Runway went public in 2021 and today works with hundreds of designers. You can watch the video of this interview here: https://youtu.be/T06qHdl1sI0 You can read the transcript here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/designed-by-data/

Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott joins Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman for a discussion about the impact of AI on cognitive (or knowledge) work. Scott, whose company developed the programming assistant tool GitHub Copilot, advises people building machine learning systems (or entire companies) around AI to maintain a clear sense of responsibility and awareness of the potential negative impacts. In addition to his experience in the conception, development, and adoption of new technology in enterprise organizations, Scott is known for his dedication to figuring out how AI can level the playing field for society. This is driven by his unique perspective from his upbringing in a rural community in Virginia. His experience from his personal background and career converge in his 2020 book “Reprogramming the American Dream: From Rural America to Silicon Valley, Making AI Work for Us All,” which posits that AI can (and should) be developed to promote economic growth for all industries and individuals. This interview took place during Greylock's Intelligent Future event, a daylong summit featuring experts and entrepreneurs in artificial intelligence. You can read a transcript of the interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/kevin-scott-ai-programming-possibility/ You can watch the video from this interview on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/LYBcH3JjLxs

Autonomous driving is among the most exciting applications for artificial intelligence. It is also among the most challenging to actually pull off: from the capital-intensive combination of hardware and software to the complex coordination between multiple stakeholders to ensure safety. What will it take to get it deployed on a large scale? Aurora CEO Chris Urmson and Nuro CEO Jiajun Zhu join Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman for a discussion on the state of autonomous vehicle technology. This interview was part of Greylock's Intelligent Future event, a daylong summit featuring experts and entrepreneurs in artificial intelligence. You can watch the video from the interview here: https://youtu.be/8vjlhregfeg You can read a transcript of the interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/autonomous-vehicles-the-road-ahead/

Shopify president Harley Finkelstein sat down with Greylock general partner Mike Duboe to discuss the company's evolution along with the overall ecommerce landscape; offer advice to entrepreneurs navigating the current market conditions; and lay out his vision for the future. Shopify launched a time when there were few options for entrepreneurs to set up their online stores, sell and and market products, and manage their operations. The company struck a chord both with retail entrepreneurs in need of better solutions and app developers eager to build them. Today, Shopify works with more than a million businesses that collectively represent some 10% of e-commerce in the United States, providing tools for companies to set up, sell, market, and manage their products. You can watch the video of this interview on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/A5Zn-aP8hrI You can read the transcript from this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/shopify-catalyzing-entrepreneurship/

The more human-like artificial intelligence becomes, the more we understand about how our brains actually work. Through that discovery process, researchers are identifying ways to design artificial intelligence in ways that factor in the safety and morality of their potential impact. Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman interviews Dr. Fei-Fei Li, the co-director of Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered AI, and Mira Murati, the CTO of OpenAI. In this interview, they discuss how technology like GPT-3 is being trained with human safety in mind, and how academia, industry, and policymakers are coming together to ensure AI is developed and deployed in ways that benefit all. This interview is part of Greylock's Intelligent Future series. You can watch the video of this interview on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/9B02MzWwkSo You can read the transcript from this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/ais-human-factor/

Greylock general partner Saam Motamedi interviews David Luan, who is the co-founder of ML research and product lab Adept, and Percy Liang, who is the associate professor of computer science and statistics at Stanford. In this conversation, they discuss the major developments in working with large scale language models. This interview took place during Greylock's Intelligent Future event, a day-long summit featuring some of the leading voices in artificial intelligence. You can watch the video from this interview on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/_ydBm3tADvA You can read a transcript of the conversation on our website here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/ai-language-words-into-action/ ‎

Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman interviews OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The AI research and deployment company's primary mission is to develop and promote AI technology that benefits humanity. Founded in 2015, the company has most recently been noted for its generative transformer model GPT - 3, which uses deep learning to produce human-like text, and its image-creation platform DALL-E. This interview took place during Greylock's Intelligent Future event, a day-long summit featuring experts and entrepreneurs from some of today's leading artificial intelligence organizations. You can watch the video of this interview on our You can read a transcript of this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/sam-altman-ai-for-the-next-era/

Greylock general partners Reid Hoffman and Saam Motamedi discuss the current state of artificial intelligence, including the most recent technological advancements; top areas for investment; and the ethical considerations needed to ensure tools are developed safely. This discussion is the kickoff for Greylock's Intelligent Future series featuring conversations with experts, visionaries, and early-stage innovators across the AI ecosystem. Guests of this series include Microsoft CTO, Kevin Scott, Stanford professor, Dr. Fei-Fei Li, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and the founders of some of the most promising AI startups today. You can read a transcript from this conversation here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/the-intelligent-future/

From developing a repeatable, strategic process and continuously working to identify ways to improve it, founders can take a number of steps to build a culture of recruiting. Sometimes, that means hiring a dedicated talent-sourcing and recruiting team. Greylock talent partner Glen Evans and technical talent recruiter Dwane Hamilton discuss strategies for working with recruiters, including when to bring them on, how to screen for the position, and how founders should maintain an active recruiting role alongside a talent professional. You can read a transcript of this conversation here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/building-your-talent-strategy/

The “talent investor" Entrepreneur First was created with a mission to connect founders no matter where they are in the world, and recruits and backs them at the very earliest stages. By focusing on connecting individuals rather than defined teams, they've gained a unique perspective into what makes good ideas, and how the right co-founder dynamics can bring it into reality. Now, they've gathered some of their main insights into a book: "How to be a Founder: How Entrepreneurs Identify, Fund, and Launch Their Best Ideas." Bentinck and Clifford join Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman to discuss the book and their vision for the future of entrepreneurship. You can read a transcript of this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/how-to-be-a-founder/

A re-broadcast of our episode featuring Greylock investor Seth Rosenberg's interview with the co-founders of Espresso Systems, which provides configurable privacy and scalability tools for Web3. The company is operating at a critical time for privacy within Web3. Recently, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Tornado Cash, a mixer platform that enables cryptocurrency transactions. The regulatory action marks the first time authorities have imposed sanctions on computer protocols (code) rather than individuals or wallets. This represents a key moment for the industry and raises questions on the right approach to regulation and how developers can enable important use cases with privacy. Rosenberg originally spoke with co-founders Charles Lu and Benedikt Bunz in March, when the company came out of stealth with a Series A co-led by Greylock and Electric Capital. In light of the regulatory action on Tornado, Rosenberg caught up with co-founder Jill Gunter to discuss the increased importance for privacy tools within the web3 industry. You can read Seth's original blog post about the investment and the transcript from the podcast here: greylock.com/portfolio-news/pri…lability-for-web3/

Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman interviews Nike CEO John Donahoe as part of Greylock's Iconversations speaker series. In the interview, Donahoe discusses the iconic sports retailer's digital transformation in recent years; the lessons learned as a four-time CEO; and his “head coach” mentality to leadership. You can read a transcript of this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/the-next-play/

Known as the "AWS of Web3", Alchemy's platform powers most of the top web3 applications around the world. The idea came to founders Nikil Viswanathan and Joe Lau following their own frustration when building a crypto analytics tool. Seeing that developers around the world needed a toolkit to enable the next wave of innovation, they set out to build Alchemy. Launched in 2020, the company's platform quickly became an indispensable tool for developers creating projects with blockchain technology, including the top NFT platforms such as Open Sea and Makerspace. Greylock investor Christine Kim spoke with Viswanathan for Greymatter's new crypto-focused series Mint Condition. You can read a transcript of the conversation here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/bringing-web3-to-the-world/

Greylock investor Maya Frai outlines her perspective on design-centered products, which she believes is the now overarching driver of innovation in several industries including commerce, social, saas, web3, and more. Based on her experience on product teams at Google, Facebook, and Rent the Runway, Maya believes technology that puts people at the center are often the most successful. You can read the essay that inspired this conversation here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/the-design-first-approach/

A re-broadcast of our episode focused on one of the most critical (yet often under-analyzed) aspects of entrepreneurship: decision-making. As Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman and his Blitzscaling co-author Chris Yeh discuss, there are actually many things entrepreneurs can do to improve their decision-making skills. The central skill is learning how to be quick and decisive, and to adjust your course to avoid the worst of the mines.You can read the essay based on this discussion here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/how-to-decide/

Solv CEO and co-founder Heather Fernandez talks with Greylock marketing partner Elisa Schreiber about a unique fundraising strategy Solv undertook to add more women investors to the company's cap table. In late 2021, Solv was wrapping up its Series C round when Fernandez was encouraged by longtime investor and friend Kara Norton (Upfront Ventures) to launch a special purpose vehicle (SPV) aimed solely at women investors. Within 10 days, the SPV raised $3.5M from 75 women investors, 60% of whom were women of color and a majority were first-time investors. Fernandez and Schreiber discuss the process and provide a playbook for other entrepreneurs. You can read a transcript of this conversation here: You can watch a video of the conversation here: https://youtu.be/1KemFU4_vGo

A re-broadcast of our episode featuring Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky. Chesky joined Greylock partner Reid Hoffman on Greylock's Iconversations speaker series to talk about how he guided Airbnb from an 80% loss within the first two months of the pandemic to a record-breaking IPO by the end of 2020; why Silicon Valley needs to redefine how it measures growth; how Chesky's design background informs Airbnb's business strategy; and, ultimately, the importance of putting people first. You can read a transcript of this episode here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/airbnb-brian-chesky-people-first-capitalism/ You can watch the video of this interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKz9Aohljvw&list=PLnsTB8Q5VgnUtQ2Yc32sqgCr_pm77YGZr

A re-broadcast of our episode with Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman and his Blitzscaling co-author Chris Yeh discussing when, how, and why CEOs should speak publicly about political or social topics. Once considered strictly off limits to business leaders, speaking out about politics and social issues has become much more common. In fact, it's now often expected for a CEO to make a statement that communicates their company's values and position even on the most highly-charged or controversial topics. But getting it right requires careful consideration, as Reid and Chris discuss in detail. This conversation was recorded in 2020. You can read an essay from the conversation here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/talking-politics/

Audio version of essay written by Greylock general partner Asheem Chandna for Forbes: "Where Does AI Go Next?" Chandna and several AI experts weigh in on the potential value and risks as the technology expands. Essay read by Greylock head of editorial Heather Mack. You can read the essay on Forbes here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/asheemchandna/2022/05/31/where-does-ai-go-next/ You can also read the essay on the Greylock website here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/where-does-ai-go-next/

Greylock general partner Mike Duboe speaks with Zhuoxun Yin (Zedd) and Jack Lu, two of the co-founders of NFT marketplace Magic Eden. The company, which just raised its Series B round, provides a platform for people to discover, collect, and trade NFTs on the Solana ecosystem. You can read a transcript of this episode here: https://greylock.com/portfolio-news/magic-eden/

Greylock general partner Jerry Chen speaks with HashiCorp CEO David McJannet about the proliferation of cloud services that requires a multi-cloud approach. Founded in 2012, HashiCorp is an provider of products that are foundational to mission-critical cloud applications and infrastructure. As such, the company has become an essential partner to numerous organizations ranging from startups to the Big 3 cloud providers. It is both a competitor and a collaborator, and is perhaps the best representation of the open-source, multi-cloud paradigm in which almost all companies now operate. You can read a transcript of this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/powering-the-multi-cloudparadigm/ You can find the entire Castles in the Cloud project here: https://greylock.com/castles/

Convoy CEO and co-founder Dan Lewis discusses the current shipping landscape and how his company is upgrading the long-antiquated trucking industry. Convoy, which has developed a platform that puts drivers, shipping companies, and freight brokers on the grid has allowed all parties to operate more efficiently, resulting in saved costs and time as well as reducing pollution. Founded in 2015, Convoy now works with about 80,000 registered trucking companies (which collectively have some 400,000 trucks in their network), and in April raised $260 million in Series E funding. Greylock has been an investor since 2015, and general partner Reid Hoffman sits on the company's board. You can read a transcript of this interview here: https://greylock.com/firm-news/convoy-transporting-innovation/

Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman and his Blitzscaling co-author Chris Yey discuss the current crisis and its impact on startups. Entrepreneurship assumes an innate degree of optimism and perseverance. But even the most determined founders can feel subdued when faced with yet another crisis. That's why adaptability is a startup's strongest asset. As recent global events push us into a new era of market volatility and economic uncertainty, companies must be prepared to recalibrate their business to the new reality. Whether that means pausing their hiring plans, tempering their expansion efforts, redirecting resources, or any other number of operational activities, today's startup leaders should have a set of defensive and offensive tactics they can quickly deploy during times of crisis. You can read a transcript of this episode here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/crisis-management/

In his commencement speech to Vanderbilt University's graduating class of 2022, Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman discusses the impact and importance of friendship. "Not the Hallmark kind – not all sunshine and roses and bunny rabbits," says Hoffman. "I mean real, substantial friendship – that's sometimes really hard – and that shapes and changes our lives." In this speech, Hoffman shares some of the key decisions and actions that friends helped him figure out to take, and which significantly impacted the course of his professional and personal life. You can read the full text of the speech here: https://greylock.com/firm-news/reid-hoffman-the-importance-of-friendship/

Audio version of the latest essay by Greylock investors' Jerry Chen and Jason Risch. As part of our ongoing Castles in the Cloud project, we've compiled and analyzed VC funding data into cloud-focused startups in 2021 and Q1 2022. We are mapping the activity in the venture capital-funded startup ecosystem with that of the Big 3 Cloud providers: AWS, Azure, and GCP. You can read the essay here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/vc-funding-for-the-cloud/ You can find the entire Castles in the Cloud project here: https://greylock.com/castles/

Audio version of Greylock investor Jason Risch's article "The Next Cloud Data Platform." As part of Greylock's interactive data project Castles in the Cloud, we've analyzed new areas of opportunities for startups. Platforms within the modern data stack pose multiple points of entry for startups to innovate. VCs are already looking for “the next Snowflake” – companies that find success in the shadow of Big Cloud by reimagining the modern data stack. To solidify their staying power, the next chapter for Snowflake and other cloud data warehouses is to continue to expand as a platform company and challenge the cloud providers as the dominant cloud platforms for developers. You can read the text of this essay here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/the-next-cloud-data-platform/ You can find the entire Castles in the Cloud project here: https://greylock.com/castles/

As the saying goes, "Never let a good crisis go to waste." While running a business during times of economic and/or societal crisis is difficult, these moments can also pose opportunities for many companies. David Wadhwani, who is the Chief Business Officer of Digital Media at Adobe and a venture partner at Greylock, outlines his top strategies for staying afloat during times of crises. This episode is an audio version of the essay David first published in April 2020, shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Greylock's Head of Content and Editorial Heather Mack reads the essay. You can read the full version here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/finding-opportunity-in-crisis-what-ceos-should-do-right-now/

There are a million different ways things can go wrong when running a startup. Most founders learn the hard way. Frederic Kerrest's experience was no different. The early days of Okta, which he co-founded with Todd McKinnon in 2009, were rife with challenges. From flawed go-to-market strategies and missed sales targets to struggles with hiring, Kerrest and McKinnon dealt with it all. On top of it all, it was in the midst of the Great Recession. That experience is why Kerrest wrote Zero to IPO, a collection of some of the best actionable advice from some of the world's most influential entrepreneurs. The book, which was published earlier this year, details his early days at Okta as well as those of other iconic entrepreneurs. As part of our Iconversations speaker series, Kerrest joined Greylock general partner Sarah Guo to discuss the key themes of the book and share detailed examples of how they played out at Okta. You can watch a video of this interview on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/reEECmJ4uxU You can read a transcript of this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/instructive-experiences/

How do you advance society as a whole while still making sound business decisions? Kenneth Chenault, the celebrated former chairman and CEO of American Express who is now an investor and board director, says, "If you really are thoughtful, you should be able to have a better economic model by doing good.” Chenault is also the co-founder of OneTen, a coalition of leading executives coming together to upskill, hire and advance one million Black Americans over the next 10 years. Kenneth joined Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman as part of our Iconversations speaker series to discuss responsible innovation, what leadership looks like in times of crisis, and the reinventive potential of technology. You can watch the video from this interview here: https://youtu.be/GMPunQtyFkU You can read a transcript from this interview here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/venture-for-change/