This is Your Life in Silicon Valley

Keith Wasserman is a bona fide real estate mogul. He runs a billion dollar real estate portfolio for Gelt, and is a serial entrepreneur. We asked Keith a number of questions about the current real estate environment - and we ultimately ask whether real estate will ever be affordable again. If you are in the market for a single family home in the Bay Area, or any other city for that matter, you won't want to miss this episode. We dig into Keith's beginnings in Fresno, where he purchased his first unit. And how things have changed since then both in California and the broader real estate market. We ask Keith about California politics and how they've affected real estate here. And whether San Francisco real estate is a good investment.We talk about Miami, Austin and other trendy areas of the country - and whether they are going to continue on a tear, or cool down at all in the future. Keith talks about tech and companies he's interested in following/investing in. And we ask Keith about his favorite social media follows.Ultimately, if you care at all about the real estate market, this episode is for you. Keith's a real estate OG and knows what he's talking about - we hope you enjoy! 

Crypto is having its moment (again) in 2021. But why does it matter to the average person, what is it, and how will it affect your life? We spend time talking to Matt Taylor - the Head of Growth at Solana (one of the hottest crypto projects on the planet right now) to discuss these subjects and more.  LISTENER NOTE  - we apologize for audio choppiness during this episode - nevertheless there is a ton of good content in here if you can bear with us. We will record all our episodes IRL going forward.Matt Taylor is the Head of Growth at Solana and a pioneer in the cryptocurrency space. We asked Matt what cryptocurrency is - he spent a good deal of time discussing the promise and its potential applications. But what about the differences between Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and others? Matt makes an attempt at explaining the complexity and nuances of the different ecosystems - including their different philosophies.We discuss NFTs, DeFi and some of the terms you've always wanted to learn about. This is such an expansive topic that we're likely to invite others on to discuss at some point. But you don't want to miss this episode with Matt - one of our best and most in depth yet. 

Eilot Brown is a Wall Street Journal Reporter who covers startups and venture capital. For the past year, much of his focus has been on completing his book on WeWork. We interviewed Eliot pre-pandemic, and invited him back for our first in-person interview in over 16 months. It was epic. We talked to Eliot about the book and the (possible?) resurgence of WeWork because of the pandemic/hybrid work in general. We dig into more of the details as to what went wrong at the company, and Eliot provides some juicy details. Eliot talks about his views on the current market environment and just how things have changed in the past 16 months of covering startups. We talk extensively about crypto, the market, and just how crazy and unpredictable things have been post pandemic. Eliot covers a bunch of ground here with us, and this is a great 'return' for us to in person podcasting post pandemic. If you're a longtime fan of the show, or new to 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' - this is a great place to start. We hope you enjoy! 

Sarah Frier is a technology journalist for Bloomberg News, and an author. Her book - 'No Filter' - released late last year highlighted the 'insider story' of Instagram. We spoke to Frier about the book, about social media in general, and covered a number of other topics for this wide-ranging interview. The episode was recorded late last year, around the time of the California wildfires and near the actual release date of the book. We spoke to Frier about the role of Instagram in modern social media relative to the other platforms. And how Instagram plays its own unique roll in how we communicate to others.Frier, Jascha and I spoke at length about the potential for misinformation on Instagram due to - at the time - the upcoming presidential election. And of course we spoke at length about 'No Filter', her reporting process, and how she was able to gain so much access to Instagram.We spoke about the power of Facebook and the way in which Facebook exerts control over Instagram. And how decisions are made at the organization. We speculate on whether Facebook is in the drivers seat for the next decade as it relates to social media and how/if things will change at all.If you're at all into social media - particularly in light of the recent release of 'fake famous' on Netflix, you'll enjoy this interview. 

SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the next few weeks. Sumit Shah is a Doctor at Stanford, where he treats cancer patients. Sumit is atop his field and is highly concerned about the effect COVID can have on the vulnerable population - which is literally everyone he treats. I talk to Sumit about testing and why it is important. We get a detailed glimpse into what life is like in the hospital. Eerily, it's quieter than usual. But is it the calm before the storm? Many are waiting for an influx of patients that may or may not come.And strangely - the normal patient population - people who would have otherwise showed up to the hospital are not there anymore. What has happened to that group of people? We ask Sumit this and more.Sumit describes the day to day risks frontline workers have to take in this environment - and their outlook and attitude on potentially catching COVID and exposing their families.We ask Sumit about day to day life - including questions around food delivery and quarantine.  Don't miss this informative episode of distanced. 

SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the next few weeks. Rohan Rangaraj is a Miami-based investment professional. Rohan started his career at Cascade Investments LLC, which is an investment holding company controlled by Bill Gates and managed by various investment professionals. He also started his own hedge fund. I ask Rohan - what the hell is going on with the stock market?Rohan is currently based in Miami, where he sets the scene of how things are in the Brickell neighborhood of the city. We talk about the notorious videos circulated during Spring Break in Florida, and what the mentality of people is right now in the Miami area. Rohan provides some of his own personal views of when he thinks things will end, and potentially get (somewhat) back to normal.We spend most of the episode talking about what is going on with the economy and the stock market. Are you curious what negative interest rates are and how they arise? We talk about that, the misnomer of stimulus and what the government is doing right now to preserve the economy. You will walk away way smarter from this episode. Enjoy! *Nothing in this episode should be construed as financial advice of any sort. Invest in the stock market, or anywhere else for that matter, at your own risk. 

SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the next few weeks. Americans are just getting used to life in quarantine during the age of the Coronavirus. But China has an 8-week head start. The first episode of 'distanced./ explores what our future holds through a lengthy interview with an American expat in China. What will life look like for us in the future?  Austin Sheppard works in the software industry and has been in China for many years. He recounts the moment he first knew COVID-19 was going to be a big deal. And what the immediate ramifications were after.Austin talks about how life immediately changed. And the American media's misperception that China's lockdown measures were 'draconian'. Austin talks about what a return to normalcy may look like, and how many years it may take til things get back to the way they were. We learn about the effect of COVID on small businesses in China. And Austin talks about his love for Orangetheory and Taco Bell. What does the future hold for all of us? The first episode if distanced explores this and more. 

SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the next few weeks. Ryan Panchadsaram was Deputy CTO at the Obama White House, where he helped launch Healthcare.gov. He has an opinion or two on how we can react better to the next pandemic, and what we can to do stave off the worst effects of the current one. Ryan talks about the different agencies involved in pandemic response, and explains to the layperson how agencies potentially respond in a pandemic. He talks about data and why it varies from place to place, and whether it means anything or not as it relates to our response in the United States to COVID-19. We talk about the potential short and long term effects the Coronavirus will have on our economy, on the future of tech, and on the future of our social interactions. Ryan spends some time talking about how he is volunteering his time toward a project spearheaded by journalist Alexis Madrigal.Ryan talks about his own life experience as a new father, and what his hopes/fears are for life in a post-COVID era. 

The pandemic has closed schools and massively affected the way we think of traditional education. How will future generations be affected by the sudden change in how we learn? We asked the CEO of Primer, Ryan Delk about this and more. Many parents are struggling with how to cope with the sudden changes surrounding the pandemic. Kids are at home all the time, and most public school districts in the state of CA (and many other states) are fully remote.  This is causing parents to rethink education choices in general - public vs. private, homeschooling vs online learning, and numerous other logistics considerations.Ryan Delk is an expert on this subject. His startup - Primer is making the process of transitioning to homeschooling easier for parents. We hear Ryan's perspective on homeschool vs 'traditional' school, state by state regulations, and what it takes to raise kids during the age of the pandemic.We talk to Ryan about colleges, sports, building a sense of collegiality with classmates and the effect of constant Zoom on kids. We ask about social skills for kids and how they might change, the importance of STEM and numerous other topics.If you're a parent and you're wading through this period, you don't want to miss this episode of TIYLISV. 

Jessica Alter is the Founder/CEO of Tech For Campaigns. She was also one fo the first guests we hosted on 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley'. A lot has changed in the three years since we interviewed Jessica - the organization she built grew massively. We ask Jessica why democrats are still way behind on technology, and why we should be worried about state elections. We ask Jessica about why Democrats are perceived to be tech-savvy, yet spend very little money on digital tactics to help boost their campaigns. Jessica shares some shocking anecdotes of just how behind the Democratic party is when it comes to digital strategy, and why that's concerning for the long term future of the party (unless something is done now). We dig into the importance of state elections, and why in many cases they ultimately determine the entire fate of the country. And how Republicans understood this early and invested accordingly. We ask how Tech For Campaigns is potentially turning the tide in this regard. The podcast covers a lot of heavy subject matter, including the future of the country, climate change, and the current political environment. If you are a politics buff, and want to know more about the dynamics of elections, you won't want to miss this episode of This is Your Life in Silicon Valley. 

Rishi Kumar is a successful technology executive turned politician. Kumar has been in the local political scene for a long time now and is running for Congress. We ask Kumar about what he wants to bring from Silicon Valley to DC. Is Silicon Valley ultimately the template the rest of the country will emulate? We ask Kumar about Saratoga, CA where he has been a city council member. We talk about the pressures high school students face in the area, and the STEM focused curriculum of the Bay Area. We spend time talking about the evolution of the Bay, and how things have changed since the 1980s. Kumar talks about the national political scene, and what he's seeing and interpreting as a California Democrat. He describes his vision for the future and the parts of Silicon Valley he wants to emulate and get DC to buy into. Ultimately, listeners are left with a really important question - is Silicon Valley the template we want to take to the rest of the world - why or why not? It's an important question, with far reaching implications. Kumar provides thoughtful responses. If you're into politics ,you don't want to miss today's episode of TIYLISV. 

'Indian Matchmaking' has captured the attention of America. It's one of the top-ten most popular shows on Netflix in the month of July. How did 'Indian Matchmaking' turn into such a cultural phenomenon? We talked to Srinivas Rao - one of the shows 'contestants' about the show and what it tell us about Indian culture. Srinivas recounts his days in the Bay Area at Cal Berkeley, and reminisces about his connections with one of our show's co-hosts. We talk about the oft-discussed and true stereotype that many Indians in America are either directly connected, or only one degree away from each other. Srinivas talks about what he does for a living, and how he possibly undersold it during the making of the show.We talk to Srinivas about why he decided to take part in the show and how it all came about. We discuss social media bullying and how it's played a factor after the shows release. And the fate of the contestants' love lives. Srinivas talks about the shows after-effects on his own life, his business, and whether the show perpetuates untrue stereotypes about the Indian community. The conversation takes some fantastic twists and turns. You don't want to miss the 50th episode of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley'!

Charles Hudson is a Silicon Valley-based investor. He is part of a small percentage of Black Managing Partners of Venture funds here in the Bay Area. In this incredibly insightful interview, we talk to Charles about investing in Underrepresented Founders, Media, and his take on the fate of social media. We talk to Charles about his career in the Valley, which he has seen through multiple boom and bust cycles (from his time at Excite @ Home, to Google, to his early days as a venture investor). Charles provides his take on the events surrounding BLM and national recognition of racial inequality, and whether society can continue the momentum around some of the progress that's been made in the past several weeks. Charles provides his take on the media vs. tech issues that are coming to a head, and what they mean for both the tech industry and the media industry. His take is extremely objective, and anyone who cares about this issue should listen to his narrative. We talk to Charles about Clubhouse and what it means for social media. And whether social media platforms can ultimately grow if they build moderation tools early. Is the fate of social media bifurcated - where if you moderate too early you can't grow? And if you grow too much, it naturally turns into a cesspool? We talk about this topic extensively. If you're looking for a sober, level-headed explanation on hot topics, you don't want to miss this episode. One of the best we've ever recorded. 

Kobie Fuller is a General Partner at Upfront Ventures in Los Angeles. He also started Valence Community - a Los Angeles-based online professional network for Black talent. Kobie might have the *actual* answers as to how to fix tech's long standing diversity problem. Kobie talks about his journey into Venture Capital and his perspectives and feelings on San Francisco. We get into a good discussion about LA vs. San Francisco as a tech hub, and whether Los Angeles is long-term viable as a tech community (and the differences between LA and San Francisco startups). We talk to Kobie about his perspective - as one of the few black GPs in venture capital - on how to fix tech's long standing diversity problem. Beyond just talking about it, Kobie built Valence Community, which is creating a pipeline of Black talent and founders for tech companies to hire and fund. You don't want to miss today's episode of This is Your Life in Silicon Valley - everyone in business who cares at all about increasing diversity at their companies will want to listen. 

Dave Pell is the Founder of NextDraft - one of the most popular newsletters on the Internet. He also has an opinion or two on tech, politics, and the current state of our country. We deep-dive with Dave on numerous subjects, including BLM, the state of media, and what we can be optimistic about at the moment. We recorded this interview shortly after the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests. Dave talks about the protests that took place in Marin County (where he lives) and what his take was on how effective they were. We ask Dave about Marin in general, and the perception that it is not a 'safe place' for minorities. Dave provides his take on the destruction of media and our lack of faith in it as an institution. And how Trump played a role, but was one part of the destruction of media. We ask Dave about NextDraft - his popular newsletter - and some of the hate mail he's received over the years. We learn a bit about Dave's ancestors and their perception of Trump. We have an extensive conversation with Dave about the future and the election, and how things could potentially play out. This is a 'heavy', but pithy episode of This is Your Life in Silicon Valley, which we hope you enjoy. Dave is one of the smartest and strongest voices on the Internet. 

Semil Shah is the Founder of Haystack - an early-stage venture fund. He's also one of Silicon Valley's most interesting personalities - he's been a chef, a media maven, and just about everything in-between. In a wide-ranging interview, we ask Semil about the future of media and the future of tech. We talk about quarantine life with Semil, and what he enjoys cooking most while sheltered in place (and what it's like to be sheltered in place with a full house). We talk about the gradual opening up of the economy and taking more risks like meetings with friends - and the overall sustainability of remaining in closed quarters constantly. Semil is a Twitter celebrity of sorts, so we talk about the role of Twitter in breaking news about the pandemic. Particularly the role of Balaji Srinivasan (@balajis) in sharing early news about the pandemic with people on Twitter. And whether he deserves an award for doing so.Semil provides candid feedback to people in the media world about what the industry will need to do to survive. Semil has written for Techcrunch, run a show for them, and written for various other outlets so he has a unique take on the subject. You don't want to miss today's episode of This is Your Life in Silicon Valley. 

Amelia Lin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Saga. She's a career technologist and is solving a very timely problem during the age of COVID - how - during a time we can't interact with our loved ones - can we share and preserve their memories? We talk to Amelia about her journey through the tech world, including her experience in online education (which has obviously seen an enormous boom in the past few months). We ask whether it's really possible for people to receive the same quality of education online, and whether online learning is really the great equalizer. We talk about credentialing and whether the social skills you get from colleges really matter right now. Amelia talks about her current project, Saga, which exploded overnight. Saga helps our older relatives document their history in a user friendly way, and essentially recreate it in podcast form. We talk about the products' potential applications. Is there a possible future where AI can recreate how our loved ones interact? What if 50 years from now you could chat with your grandmother or grandfather as if you were having a conversation with them live today? Amelia talks about this and more during this very cool edition of TIYLISV. 

Dawoon Kang is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Coffee Meets Bagel. She knows a thing or two about building a successful business, and finding love during the age of COVID. So how have relationships changed as a result of the pandemic? We dig into this and much more during this Zoom-edition of the podcast. We learn more about the origins of Coffee Meets Bagel, which is one of the most successful dating apps on the planet. We learn how hard it is to start a business with family, but some of the rewards that come alongside it. We ask Dawoon the magic question - how will dating change during Coronavirus? Will human relationships fundamentally change forever, and if so how? Dawoon provides insightful answers to how she's seeing dating change, and whether if you're looking it's actually a good time.We talk about video dating, Zoom fatigue and whether it's even possible to build meaningful connections during this time. And what things may be like when we re-open. Enjoy today's episode of the show. 

Jenn Takahashi is a San Francisco-based PR and Comms professional. She also started a viral social media account entitled 'Best of Next Door'. We talk to Jenn about how she started Best of Next Door, the future of online dating, and much much more. Jenn starts off the interview talking a bit about dating during the pandemic. We ask what the future may hold for interpersonal relationships post COVID, and what it's like going on a 'Zoom' date. Jenn provides some pretty good insight and ideas for those looking to continue to remain on the dating pool during shelter-in-place.We ask Jenn about Best of Next Door, which she is now very famous for. Best of Next Door started as a social media account with a small following, but grew immensely popular. What were the origin stories of Best of Next Door and how does Nextdoor vary by neighborhood (we dig into SOMA specifically). We ask Jenn about the Seattle cannon, how she sources posts for Best of Next Door, and much much more. If you're looking for a pandemic project and want to start something that goes viral, you definitely do not want to miss this episode of TIYLISV. Enjoy our first Zoom podcast episode! 

Gina Fromer is the CEO of the Children's Council of San Francisco. She is also a 6th generation San Franciscan. She has seen a lot of change over the years to the city and its surrounding environment. What keeps her 'addicted' to San Francisco, and what is the *true* cost of living here these days? We talk about that and more in today's episode of TISLISV. Gina talks about her childhood in San Francisco and some of the adversity she and her family faced growing up in the city. She talks about her first encounter with the Children's Council of SF. Childcare is expensive and essentially unaffordable for most people in San Francisco. We talk about what Gina and the Children's Council are doing to get women back to work. Gina talks about the interconnectedness of the city and the importance of community. And how it is important for the tech community to remain engaged in community in order to ultimately make the city a better place. And to keep people in San Francisco. The city will lose out if we can't figure out how to get middle class families the help they need to afford to live in the Bay Area. Gina makes this point in an incredibly eloquent and poignant way. You don't want to miss today's episode of TISLISV. 

Austen Allred is the Founder/CEO of Lambda School - a company pioneering the ISA model (Income Share Agreement) wherein students only pay for their education after they successfully land employment. Austen is also a prolific Tweeter and thought leader in Silicon Valley. We discuss the future of Lambda, the future of journalism and more in this wide ranging interview. Austen is spending quarantine in Southern Utah - we talk to him a bit about his perspective on how long things will last, and how life is in Utah, away from Silicon Valley. We talk to Austen about differences between peoples' online personalities and offline personalities. Notably, Austen does throw in a controversial tweet here and there - we ask him about his thought process before tweeting and what his expected responses generally are.Austen share his perspective on the future of education, shares his thoughts on why some consider the model of Lambda to be controversial, and the potential unbundling of education. We talk to Austen about the growing rift between technology and technology journalism and whether there is a 'path' to resolve conflict amongst both sides. We ask Austen about journalists he respects and follows on a regular basis.All in all this is an incredibly lively interview with lots of fun tidbits about education, tech, VC and everything in-between. Enjoy the latest episode and apologies for audio issues - we recorded this remotely with two people joining via phone. 

David Pierce is the Editor-at-Large of Protocol - a new publication covering technology in a similar way Politico covers politics (with the same owner). We recorded this episode in January pre-COVID-19 - and asked David at the time - why was there increasing tension between technologists and journalists? David was clearly highly concerned about COVID-19 a couple of months ago - we dig in on why at the time he was concerned, which is a unique snapshot in time as to what we were all thinking just a few weeks ago. David talks about tension between founders and journalists. And how both sides can continue to do better. In an authentic moment, David recounts some of his own mistakes in covering companies and individuals and what he might have done differently. We talk about Protocol - the new publication David is working on and what it's like working on a publication during what many perceive to be a time where media is dying. David talks about the investment in great people and great content as a competitive advantage.David talks about life in the Bay, including his horrendous commute. We cover a wide range of topics in this very interesting, and constantly engaging interview with David Pierce - enjoy! 

Tony Hale is a world-famous actor known for his roles in Arrested Development (Buster Bluth) and Veep (Gary Walsh). You would think someone who has won numerous awards and performs in front of people for a living would feel comfortable in crowds. You might be wrong. We talk to Tony about his struggles with anxiety, and a bunch of other subjects in this can't miss edition of TIYLISV. Tony talks about his temporary move to San Francisco for a play with the American Conservatory Theater and what it was like to adjust to life up here. We learn about what Tony did for outings, how he passed the time, and most important - his motivation behind doing the play to begin with (which might surprise you). We talk about Arrested Development and how it was one of the first shows everyone 'binge watched'. Tony talks about growing up in Florida and how that affected his view of the world. Tony currently resides in LA, so we talked about his Instagram and social media usage, and what people usually do when they recognize him on the street. Overall - if you're looking to limit social media use, you should take a page out of Tony's book. We ask Tony about fame, anxiety, technology and what apps he'd recommend to people. You'll love this episode if you're into pop culture. 

Cory Weinberg is a reporter for The Information, covering the intersection of tech and cities.  We wanted to bring Cory on the show to talk about San Franicsco housing policy, Coronavirus, and of course AirBnb. You won't want to miss this one if you're thinking about the housing crisis, or the looming AirBnb IPO. We learn a bit about Cory's background and why he emigrated to San Francisco. Cory talks a bit about his status as possibly one of the foremost experts in the Bay Area on the housing crisis. We ask Cory whether he's going to use the reporting platform he has to write a book an AirBnB (not to dissimilar to what Eliot Brown did with WeWork, or Mike Isaac with Uber). Cory  plays it cool. We ask about the affect of Coronavirus on Airbnb business and whether it's decimating enough to actually postpone their projected IPO. Cory explains some technical dynamics which may explain why they have to IPO soon despite having a (presumably) bad quarter post COVID-19. We ask Cory about his favorite social follows and who some of his favorite local reporters are. This is an awesome episode you won't want to miss. 

Justin Forsett is a former NFL Running Back who hailed from a small town in Florida. Justin's NFL career hit its pinnacle when he made the Pro Bowl. Prior to the NFL, Justin shared the backfield at Cal with Marshawn 'Beast Mode' Lynch. But what is life like after hitting the absolute pinnacle of professional sports? Justin talks about his second act as an entrepreneur. Justin talks about his days at Cal, and what it was like moving from Florida to Berkeley and the culture shock that ensued. Justin talked about his experience as a student athlete at Cal, which commands both high performance in academia, and high performance on the field.  Justin came from abject poverty, and he talks about life in FL, where he was homeless for parts of his childhood. We talk to Justin about his second act post NFL as an entrepreneur and the Founder of Hustle and Clean - a direct to consumer brand. Justin talks about his motivation behind starting the company while he was still in the NFL. We hear Justin's take on life in the NFL and what it's like to travel with a team full of athletes who have to keep a curfew. We ask Justin his honest take on whether Jimmy G can help the 49ers win a Super Bowl, and who the toughest guys in the NFL are. You don't want to miss this special episode of This is Your Life in Silicon Valley. If your'e an entrepreneur, a sports fan, or just a fan of hearing stories about people 'making it' after huge amounts of adversity, this one is for you. 

Prakash Janakiraman is the Co-Founder and CTO of Nextdoor - the 'other' social network that we all use, but rarely discuss publicly. Nextdoor has quietly amassed a huge userbase across multiple countries and is growing in influence. But are people using Nextdoor for more than just crime alerts? We explore this and more on today's episode of TIYLISV. We talk to Prakash about his time growing up in Hayward, CA and his HS mascot. Prakash talks about his time at Berkeley during Jason Kidd's tenure in Cal Sports, and the influence tech had on his life from a young age. He talks about living at home in college and joining Cal as a 16 year old. Prakash talks about his early career, and the first dot com boom. Prakash talks about the original idea that pivoted into Nextdoor - focused on sports. And how it morphed into ND based on the power of a NYT column from Charles Blow. We learn what people use Nextdoor for, and whether people use it for just crime alerts or more. It turns out the number one use case is not what you'd expect. We talk about competition in the space, and how FB and Amazon may be thinking about communities. We discuss Bay Area sports and whether Andrew Wiggins would make a great Warrior. Or whether Kyle Shanahan should have just run the ball in the 4th quarter. You'll enjoy this fun episode of the pod. 

Kate Clark is a technology reporter for The Information - a well-reputed publication read by tech industry insiders. In our first solo episode in a while - Sunil sits down with Kate to ask her about the state of journalism and tech. Are reporters inherently biased against tech companies? We talk to Kate about her transition from Techcrunch to The Information, and she dives deep into her first story - about Lambda School. Kate explains what Lambda is, and explains the concept of ISAs (Income Share Agreements). Kate talks about her beat - Venture Capital - and what about VC makes it worth covering. We ask Kate whether she thinks things have veered too far in an 'anti tech' direction, to which she provides a thoughtful response. Kate talks about Philz Coffee vs. Starbucks, what the future holds for her, and does a great job in her 2nd appearance on the show. If you're interested in tech companies and venture capital, this episode is for you. 

Adam Mosseri is the CEO of Instagram - which is arguably the most important social network on the planet at the moment. Adam also ran Facebook's News Feed product. In short, Adam has been influential in your life without you even knowing it - the decisions he's made have influenced how you've viewed your social media feeds over the past decade. We talk to Adam about how he wound up in San Francisco from New York - and what role a bad relationship my have planed. We ask him about his outlook on San Francisco overall - and whether government can fix the problems that ail the city at the moment. Adam voted for Mayor Breed over other choices and talks about that for a bit. We asked Adam about big product decisions he may have coming up over the next year, and he talks about the potential for election interference perhaps even over Instagram. This is a must-listen interview that covers a great deal of ground. We even asked Adam what his favorite startups are, and Lambda School made an appearance. 

How will the 2010s be remembered in Silicon Valley? So much happened - between the rise of Instagram, Facebook's dominance, Teslas everywhere, tech going from beloved to reviled... And the 2020s should bring even more fun. We have the return of two previous podcast guests - Molly Wood and Antonio Garcia Martinez - to discuss some of the decade's biggest milestones. We discuss whether the 2010s will be the decade that will be remembered for killing off love through dating apps. AGM and Molly talk about their own experiences both with dating apps and covering the whole concept of 'swipe dating' as journalists.We discuss some of YouTube's most popular videos - including the streams of cabs from Russia. And Rebecca Black's Friday. We talk about the whole concept of celebrity in general in the 2010s and the short and long term effects on media. We make some predictions on what the largest companies in the world will be 10 years from now, and speculate on Facebook's position over that period. We talk about cultural artifacts of San Francisco and some popular trends. It was a short amount of time, but we did our best to cover as much ground as we could. 

When you look back on the decade in tech, one of the biggest stories will be the rise and fall of WeWork. And while the company is still around, it has shed around $40B in valuation in the past few months. At the forefront of the story is the mercurial Founder of WeWork - Adam Neumann. And a Wall Street Journal Reporter named Eliot Brown - who broke some of the now-infamous stories about the company. Today, we hosted Eliot as a guest on This is Your Life in Silicon Valley. We talked to Eliot about numerous topics, including why WeWork was valued like a high flying tech company even though the core of its product was basic real estate. We ask Eliot to explain WeWork's basic business model, and what Adam did in order to sell the vision of the company to employees and investors. Eliot recalls his first meeting with Adam and what it was like to be at WeWork HQ in 2013. Eliot goes on to talk about corporate governance (or lack thereof) at the company, explaining the amount of power Adam had over the board. We get into escalation of committment, and how it played a major part in how the story unfolded. We dig into the myths and realities around whether Adam really wants to live forever, whether he really had Run DMC in the office after a layoff, and some of the other nuances of the story. Eliot talks about his perspective on Silicon Valley valuations, whether he wants to stick around here, and how he approaches reporting in the Bay Area. You do not want to miss this special holiday edition of This is Your Life in Silicon Valley.

Tiffani Bell is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur working on a not-for-profit funded by Y Combinator. Tiffani's mission? Help people pay their water bills. The consequences are direr, and the stakes are much higher than you'd think. Tiffani is helping families in Detroit pay their water bills. You will walk away absolutely shocked with what the consequences are if you skip paying your bills - on what everyone considers to be a basic human right. We talk to Tiffani about her journey to Silicon Valley and her first startup. Tiffani talks about her experience on a CNN show, and what it was like having cameras follow her around every hour of every day. And how the experience changed her and her perspective. We talk to Tiffani about bias in Silicon Valley and how she would explain bias in simple terms to investors and other entrepreneurs. Tiffani talks about pattern recognition being a massive driver of bias, and what the ramifications are. Tiffani provides a detailed explanation of water rights, how they work, and how the water rights could be the next major battleground in the Bay Area. This is a fascinating, informative episode of the podcast which may scare you a bit. Enjoy and tweet us @subes01 or @kaykas if you have future guest suggestions!

We hosted our second live show in San Francisco featuring Amanda Bradford - the Founder/CEO of The League. We asked Amanda about why online dating is broken, what she thinks of all the major dating websites, and how The League's approach differs. We invite audience members to share crazy online dating stories at the end of this episode - it's a must-listen. Amanda explains her love for data, which she developed during her time at Salesforce. She talks about Marc Benioff's influence on her life as an entrepreneur, and how she employed data to find her current boyfriend. She even goes into details behind the 'funnel' stats and how many people she had to meet in order to find her current beau. What we discover in the process is that most people constrain their preferences quite extensively. We ask Amanda about what she thinks of other popular dating websites such as 'Bumble', which she calls a 'fake startup'. It's a provocative section of the podcast for sure which you don't want to miss. We learn about how The League filters prospective candidates, and we learn Amanda's motivations behind starting the site. We ask Amanda why people are searching for the near impossible when they date, and what it will take to find 'the one'. We invite random audience members up on stage to discuss their online dating stories. The second story is almost too unbelievable to be true.

Lisa Fetterman is here to tell it like it is. She's a gifted entrepreneur and inventor, and she cannot understand why Silicon Valley doesn't care about female founders. This is a must-listen edition of the show featuring some great insight on how to fix the diversity problem in tech. Fetterman started her current company with her husband, and when we asked her about an anecdote about the company, we heard the horrible tale of an investor who had other intentions when he put money in the company. We hear from Lisa about how her experience is fairly common, but it's what motivates her ultimately. Lisa shout-outs some of her favorite female founders (including Jessica Scorpio from Getaround, and Sara Mauskopf from Winnie. We hear about the groups that Lisa runs, and what female founders say about VCs and male founders when they are not in the room. We learn the ultimate, and easiest solution to fix the diversity problem Silicon Valley is plagued with. A lot of ground covered on this episode, so please do give it a listen!

Tim Kendall is a Silicon Valley OG. Tim ran monetization at Facebook, and later became Head of Product At Pinterest (and eventually President). Tim is responsible for thinking through products that impact our lives on a daily basis. His latest mission is to get people to use their smartphones less through an app called Moment. We talk to Tim about how he ended up joining Facebook, his meeting with Peter Thiel, and what he worked on in the early days of the company. Tim met Eric Schmidt through a Stanford lunch that very few others attended, which is what ultimately led to this life and career changing opportunity. We ask Tim about the Chris Hughes NYT OpEd and his opinion on the matter. Tim talks about whether Facebook knew what it would be capable of in the early days, and what it was like in DT Palo Alto back in the day. Tim talks about Pinterest and why it gets less media scrutiny than other competitors in the social media space. He talks about Pinterest's culture, and it's ability to respond to crises such as the anti-vax hoaxes that were being spread on the platform in the not-too-distant past. We spend a lot of time asking Tim why he decided to focus on a company that tries to get people to use smartphones less given that he built some of the technologies that actually make us want to use our phones more. His answers may suprise you. We ask Tim about the growing movement of people in the Valley sounding the alarm about smartphone usage. Please check out this must-listen episode of the podcast.

Susan MacTavish Best is a San Francisco cultural icon. Originally from Scotland and Canada, MacTavish worked in the PR business and got to know some of technology's top executives since the 90s. MacTavish now splits time between San Francisco, New York and London, and has a starkly unique perspective on how life in the Bay Area has changed in recent decades. Susan talks about her time in San Francisco in the 90s, her move to India, and her view of life in San Francisco vs. New York vs. LA vs. London. Susan is famous for her dinner parties, but we learn that she is surprisingly an introvert. We ask Susan what it takes to become a cultural figure in San Francisco, and ask her to share some of the prominent guests she's hosted at her house (from Michael Pollan to the Founders of Yelp). 'Salons' are becoming trendy in part because of Susan's influence. We ask Susan how they became a thing, and about her upcoming book wherein Susan will be branded as the 'Marie Kondo' of salons. We talk to Susan about the growing rift between media and tech's elite, and ask her for her opinion on what it will take to fix San Francisco's PR crisis. Her answer will definitely surprise you, but is absolutely thought provoking. Enjoy this wide-ranging conversation from one of San Francisco's most beloved cultural figures. You'll listen to the episode and feel like being invited to Susan's house for a salon.

Special episode alert! Techcrunch reporter Kate Clark sent a tweet out about how she hates Philz Coffee. We decided to bring her on the show with Philz CEO Jacob Jaber to convince her otherwise. Hilarity ensued. Kate's tweet said she 'hated Philz more than Starbucks'. Co-host Sunil decided to reach out on the thread since he is a Philz fan and tag the official Philz corporate account along with CEO Jacob Jaber. Jaber agreed to join Sunil, Jascha and Kate for a special edition of the show. Jacob served Kate, Sunil and Jascha special drinks before the show to convince Kate that she just had a bad experience in the past. To begin with, Kate shares her thoughts about the drinks she tasted, and compares them to her favorite coffee beverage at Starbucks (iced vanilla latte). She also talks about her pre-disposition to love Starbucks because of its brand. Clark talks about her journey from Seattle to San Francisco and her relatively recent arrival to San Francisco. While Jaber talks about how he was born in South San Francisco and can't envision living in another region. Jaber explains the number of varities of Philz drinks that are possible. The guests talk about different regions, their favorite Twitter accounts, and whether they are optimistic about the future of San Francisco. The answers will likely surprise you. Jaber essentially plays customer service rep as Kate talks about her frustration around the Philz queuing system. This is a hilarious special edition of the podcast that you don't want to miss.

The podcast is growing. So we decided to take it to the next level by hosting our first ever live event - in San Francisco - where we hosted Oakland's charismatic mayor Libby Schaaf. We were nervous that we'd screw up somehow and forget to hit the 'record' button, but thankfully the conversation is intact. Mayor Schaaf is a great, great interview - for longtime listeners - or first-time listeners - this episode is a great place to start on our podcast. We cover a lot of ground - including homelessness, the 2020 Presidential Race, Sports, and more. We spoke to Mayor Schaaf about her view of the 2020 race, and which candidate she's supporting. We speculate on which tech CEOs may be considering a 2020 run, and spend some time talking about both sides of Prop C (Mayor Schaaf weighs in on the Jack vs. Benioff debate). We talk extensively about the growing homeless problem in San Francisco, and what Oakland is doing to address the issue. We talk to Mayor Schaaf about the recent Oakland Teachers' strike and the numerous strikes that occurred around the country. What does the future hold in terms of country-wide strikes? How can the issue of underpaid teachers be solved? We ask the Mayor about this and more. Of course, we talk sports - the Warriors, the Raiders (cough) and the A's. What does the future of professional sports look like in Oakland, and what's the Mayor's view of each team? We get very candid takes from the Mayor on each of the teams. We try to convince Mayor Schaaf to share her favorite two Oakland restaurants, and we find some compromise. The event was hosted at The Battery in San Francisco. Special thanks to El Sur Restaurant, Erica Terry Derryck, Carissa Torres-Cruz, Tyler Hafer, Max Savage, Marianne Despres, Colleen Curlin, Stacy Horne, The Battery and others for supporting this episode.

Pam MacKinnon is a Tony Award-winning Director. She's spent decades atop the theater world, directing shows on and off-Broadway. Andy Donald is a west-coast native but has spent recent years on the East Coast as an artistic director. Both are now part of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco (as Artistic Director and Associate Artistic Director respectively). But what is it like running a high profile theater in the technology epicenter of the universe? We talk to Pam and Andy about their journeys to San Francisco, their times on the East Coast and the ongoing SF/LA rivalry. We have a deep conversation about what it's like to run a show to audiences with short attention spans who are looking at smartphones constantly. What does theater need to do in order to evolve to the Instagram age? What about the arts scene in San Francisco? Andy and Pam pontificate on both and describe what it's like to be in San Francisco at this day/age and time. We talk about the American Conservatory Theater, its mission, and its most recent show (listener note - this episode was recorded last year, and the show discussed during the interview is not currently running). If you're into the arts, theater, and looking for insight on where it's all headed, this episode is for you. It's a fascinating discussion.

Jessica Powell ran communications at Google. She's now a bestselling author. We asked Jessica - who has seen her fair share of PR crises over the years - how she would handle communications issues facing some of the top tech companies in the world. You might be surprised where she stands on various issues plaguing some of technology's top players. We asked her about Jack Dorsey's now infamous 'tweetstorm' about his meditation retreat to Myanmar and her reaction to it. We examined the broad spectrum of reactions that played out on social media. We dig into Jessica's journey to San Francisco, which started in sunny So Cal, and the 'fake' Los Angeles San Francisco rivalry. Jessica dishes on some of her favorite athletes and sports teams. As a communications exec, we had the opportunity to ask Jessica how she would handle PR crises at Facebook. And what was inherently different about Facebook and Google culture. We also asked Jessica about where change needs to occur at these companies - whether regulation will work, or how lasting change will really take place. Jessica talks about why she began writing satire, and how people reacted to it. She talks about her recent interview on Fox News with Tucker Carlson and what that experience was like. Enjoy this broad, amazing interview with one of tech's top marketing execs!

Kara Swisher needs no introduction. She is one of the top business journalists, and covers technology for various outlets. More recently, Swisher became a contributor for the New York Times Opinion section - and she has a lot to say about Facebook. In this episode, we learn a lot about Swisher's background, where she grew up, and what her thoughts are on San Francisco. Swisher provides us with her perspective on Facebook's problems, and whether one individual can even solve them at this point. We have an extensive discussion with Kara about ethics and technology. We talk about the next wave of big innovation, and/or the lack thereof. We talk to Kara about whether she likes Scooters or not. And who her favorite social media follows are. We discuss Chrissy Teigen and why she's a great follow. You don't want to miss this episode - Kara is a living legend, is candid, and opens up to us about a wide variety of subects.

Mike Isaac is in charge of covering Uber for the New York Times. He’s covered the company extensively for the past several years and is publishing what will be considered the definitive book on the company. He’s also hilarious on Twitter. We host Mike and ask him how press leaks occur - what the anatomy of a press leak is and how information gets communicated (and why). Mike explains why leaks are sometimes just symptoms of much larger problems at companies. We also have a long chat about journalism in general, and how stories inevitably lead to other stories. We speak extensively with Mike about Uber - and why the company receives such bad press relative to its competitors. We talk about his upcoming book, the Uber IPO, and what he would ask Travis Kalanick if he agreed to a sit-down interview.

Dennis Herrera is the elected City Attorney of San Francisco. He's also a straight shooter. In this can't-miss episode, we talk to Dennis about which company is the most harmful to San Francisco (we get a surprisingly candid answer). We also ask him about the growing divide between tech and government. Herrera spends some time talking about the perceptions tech may have about government and vice versa, and how to fix them. He talks about what CEO is a force for good within the city and spends time recounting his journey from the East Coast to San Francisco. Herrera talks about his mayoral bid in one of the most famous San Francisco elections of all time. We spend time talking to Dennis about public transportation in San Francisco - and what issues are specific to the city, and which issues are more overarching.

Christina Stembel is from a small town in Indiana. She's now the CEO and Founder of Farmgirl Flowers - a popular flower company that gained notoriety as part of the 'Instagram generation' of brands. But Christina's story isn't very typical of Silicon Valley - she completely debunks typical Founder mythology. We talk to Christina about the start to her career, which was in the hospitality industry. If you've ever stayed at a hotel, or plan on doing it in the future, you'll want to know the inner-workings from Christina. We talk about staying at hotels versus staying at Airbnbs, and what the nicest places to stay in San Francisco are. Christina talks about why she originally moved to San Francisco (for love), but what made her stay. She spends some time debunking Founder mythology in Silicon Valley - that you need to be passionate in order to start a company. Christina shares some shocking facts about flowers that you weren't aware of. This is a great episode.

David White is a San Francisco legend. He is the CEO of Ne Timeas Restaurant Group, which owns Flour + Water, Central Kitchen and Trick Dog. He also has a knack for telling it how it is. In the latest episode of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley', we sat down with David to ask him about the restaurant industry in San Francisco, social media, and... did Steve Jobs really get turned away at Flour + Water? David talks about his long, roundabout journey to San Francisco involving boats and international adventure. He fills us in on some of the latest difficulties running a San Francisco restaurant - most notably the labor shortage and its potentially crippling effect on owning an operating a restaurant in San Francisco. We hear David his thoughts on tech cafeterias, and why he wishes more local workers would stop to enjoy the local eating scene. David fills us in on some of his political perspectives, being a longtime resident of San Francisco, and of course the infamour Steve Jobs Flour + Water incident. Did Jobs really get turned away? You'll have to listen to know the answer, but it was certainly great press for the restaurant.

Suhas Patil is a Silicon Valley legend, and an immigrant. He is a multiple-time successful Founder, and created the largest networking organization in the Valley - The Indus Entrepreneurs. Like father, like son - DJ - Suhas' son, is one of the most influential figures in technology today. We learn a bit more about Suhas' legacy, and how he paved the way for the success for generations to come. We learn in this interview how hard it was for Suhas to make it as an immigrant. The perceptions that came with being an immigrant in the late 60s, and the nuances of his journey. It was not easy. DJ in turn gained an appreciation of what it took to replicate the success of his father. DJ went on to become the first ever Chief Data Scientist of the United States. But the path wasn't a straight line for DJ - what did his father teach him along the way, and what was it like to witness the creation of TiE? This podcast was originally piloted with NPR - we are releasing today on This is Your Life in Silicon Valley. It's a must-listen for anyone who is interested in immigration, technology, entrepreneurship, and the slow/arduous journey to success. We even get the opportunity to ask DJ some fun questions in the end.

Veronica Belmont is an Internet superstar and San Francisco resident. She also just got a tattoo. We talk to Veronica about everything San Francisco - from scooters to philanthropy to who our benevolent dictator should be. Veronica is a true Internet native. She was podcasting before it was a thing, and she was one of the first social media superstars. We talk to Veronica about virtual connections vs. 'real' connections and if it's even possible to draw a distinction anymore. What's it like to make friends online, and meet someone in real life after years? Are those relationships any less authentic? We talk about a wide variety of civic issues, including the amount of money big tech has. And everyone's favorite discussion - the 'scooter' problem, and what we should do with them. Veronica spends some time talking about the mayoral race (this was recorded just prior to the mayoral election), and gives her vote as to who would could fix San Francisco. We hear about Veronica's new tattoo, and her favorite social media follows. Enjoy this lighthearted episode of 'This is Your Life'!

Molly Wood is one of the top journalists in the Bay Area. We talk to Molly about her journey here from Montana, who it's absolutely impossible to cover, and whether tech billionaires are just like 'regular people'. Molly has covered some of the top personalities, and the top companies in technology. She knows just about everyone in the world of tech, and has seen some pretty interesting things. Molly talks about why it's hard to cover Apple, Jeff Bezos, and why Elon Musk is the 'white whale' for most journalists. We even talk to Molly about running afoul of Apple's PR and what it's like when someone who keeps secrets from her 'switches sides'. Molly provides her perspective on Montana, which has changed quite a bit since when she grew up. We talk about the infamous lawmaker who body slammed a reporter - and his own roots being a technology billionaire, and entrepreneur. Molly is trying to sell her car. We also an invent a new business term with her, which we are hoping to patent at some point. You don't want to miss this episode - Molly is engaging, charismatic, and no subjects are off limits.

Patti Stanger is internationally famous - she is Bravo's 'Millionaire Matchmaker'. In part 2 of our series on 'matchmaking' in Silicon Valley, Patti explains why it's so hard to find love in the Bay Area. Patti didn't just turn into The Millionaire Matchmaker overnight. She talks about her background, her roots, and what caused her to end up in the cutthroat world of matchmaking. She did not always have millionaire clients, and it took work to get up to that point. Patti talks about why the Clinton years were great, and why the first tech boom was a boon for her business. She even talks about how hackers make her feel. Patti gets into the nitty gritty of why there are so many 'fake' matchmakers in the game, and how to sort the real from the unreal. The Silicon Valley has some work to do to fix the difficult trials and tribulations that come with dating here. Patti explains why your next match could be at another SoulCycle, and why you need to commit to driving if you want to find true love. This is a blockbuster episode that you won't want to miss.

Sam Lessin is one of the top minds in the technology world. He was VP of Product at Facebook, where he was instrumental in building the Facebook timeline. He's now working on a new company called Fin. But Sam is also a San Francisco resident, and has given a lot of thought as to whether the city can be fixed (and where it's headed). . A common question people have inside of, and outside of San Francisco is: why don't people in technology use their talents toward civic responsibility and fixing some of the problems that ail San Francisco? Why is it not easy to fix homelessness, the housing crisis, transportation, and other issues that everyone talks about daily (given that the city's residents have virtually unlimited resources)? Sam puts together some pretty compelling thoughts on San Francisco's infrastructure, down to when the city was chartered, to make an argument on how things can be fixed. A lot of what Sam describes in San Francisco is applicable to many cities in the country. Sam describes why half of the residents of San Francisco want it to be Paris, and the other half New York. If you want to go out and make a difference and fix San Francisco - or wherever you live - consider listening to this episode first.

Amy Andersen is the Founder of Linx dating and a legend in Silicon Valley lore. Amy was profiled in Vanity Fair Magazine in a now-famous article about 'Cougar Night' at The Rosewood Hotel. What you don't know about Amy is that she is one of the smartest entrepreneurs you will ever meet. In this episode, we explore the beginnings of Amy's entrepreneurial career, and how she grew to become the most famous matchmaker in the area. We learn from Amy a bit about some of the 'quirks' of the San Francisco dating scene, and why you may be better off dating someone from the Peninsula. Amy talks about the now infamous article in Vanity Fair, and how it affected her business. We gain insight into how a matchmaker actually works, what they charge, and everything in between.

Antonio García Martínez is no stranger to controversy. He sold a company, was a key architect of Facebook's advertising products, wrote a bestselling book (which was critical of some of his old colleagues), and now lives in a yurt in Washington. Put lightly, he has some strong opinions. García Martínez eloquently explains some of his own experiences in San Francisco, how he would solve some of the city's biggest problems, and how privilege doesn't insulate you from problems. The conversation bounces from subject to subject in frenetic style. We hear about García Martínez' upbringing in Miami, his time at Goldman Sachs, and his experience at Facebook. García Martínez finds himself - at times - in the position of defending his old employer (whereas in his book he comes off as critical of Facebook). This is a must-listen interview.