Podcasts about Andreessen Horowitz

DAMION1Let's start with some shameless self-promotion: In our 'So it's theoretically possible you can NOT like someone on the board!' headline of the week. Jim Cramer Likes A Casino CEO Board Member Of AppLovin Corporation“He's also on the board of AppLovin by the way, which makes me feel like AppLovin's okay.”In our 'Of course I'm independent, you moron! I've only been on the board since Clinton was President, not like Reagan or something! Not to mention I've barely been chair for like a minute, since Obama was president, and he's still alive! And 20 million dollars is nothing! COO Jeff Williams made 27 million last year, dummy.' headline of the week. Apple's Chairman of the Board Sold More Than $20 Million in StockIn our 'Hey Ma, I just crashed our car! But if I promise to NOT do it again if you give me a million bucks?! Ask Dad.' headline of the week. The Tesla directors who just proposed giving Elon Musk a trillion dollars say it's “critical” he stay out of politicsIn our 'A college dropout and a racist walk into a bar...' headline of the week. Hot mic catches Zuckerberg admitting his $600 bn vow to Trump was a guess“Oh gosh, um, I think it is probably gonna be, something like, I don't know, at least $600 billion through 2028, in the US, yeah.”In our 'The SEC proposes "Interim CEO" to become a permanent C-suite title' headline of the week. CEO Scandals: Viral Outrage Forces Top Executives OutIn our 'Proxy votes: where morality goes to abstain' headline of the week. Korean Pension Fund Balances Profit and Principles in U.S. Proxy Votes In our 'Are you done writing your little 'book' for the day? Here's 10 dollars.' headline of the week. Anthropic agrees to pay authors over $1.5 billion for using their work to train AI, totaling around $3,000 a bookIf you include all realistic hours, an author paid $3,000 per book typically ends up with about $1.20 to $10.00 per hour, depending on how much work the project actually requires.For most full-length books the realistic band is ≈$2–$6 per hour, and for research-heavy projects it can drop to $1–$2/hr. These numbers are before agent commissions, taxes, and out-of-pocket expenses — which would reduce take-home hourly pay further.Net worth: As of September 2025, Forbes estimates Dario Amodei's net worth to be $3.7 billion In our 'In other news, water is still irritatingly wet' headline of the week. Leaked DMs Show Elon Musk Blatantly Lying About Self-Driving Safety In our 'CEO Who Created AI Startup to Cheat on Homework Complains That AI Is Destroying Education' headline of the week. CEO Who Created AI Startup to Cheat on Homework Complains That AI Is Destroying EducationCEO Chungin (Roy) Lee: college dropout“Cluely is building the ultimate conversation AI that gives you the answers you didn't study for in every conversation, without you even having to ask. We're built for students and professionals.”“We're backed by Andreessen-Horowitz, Jake Paul, and execs from companies like OpenAI (ChatGPT), Cognition, Notion, Dropbox, and Pika.” In our 'Capitalism: now featuring free WiFi!' headline of the week. The 'godfather of AI' says it will create 'massive' unemployment, make the rich richer, and rob people of their dignityGeoffrey Hinton, who won the Nobel Prize for his pioneering work on neural networks: "What's actually going to happen is rich people are going to use AI to replace workers."And finally, The Cigna CEO David Cordani Nuggets pop quiz: Here is the headline: WHO adds GLP-1 weight loss drugs to list of the world's essential medicines for the first time. Here are your Nugget-y options:Cigna CEO Cordani calls them essentially “not our problem.”WHO says GLP-1s are essential; Cordani says they're essentially a threat to his quarterly bonus.Essential means life-saving to WHO; Cordani asks, "When did Webster's change the definition of 'essential' to ‘profit-killing'?WHO says essential; Cordani says: “my yacht is essential, your pancreas is optional.”WHO says essential medicine; Cordani says essentially: “try kale, it's cheaper.”MATT1In our '"Out for themselves" sounds bad, how can we make it sound almost, like, medieval and cool?' headline of the week. What Machiavelli and St. Francis can tell us about the motivations of CEOsThere are very high correlations between desire for power and CEO motivationsIn our 'Bully who punched you in the face points way to the hospital' headline of the week. To Help Workers Losing Their Jobs to AI, OpenAI Is Launching a Jobs Platform Run By AIIn our 'Totally my bad guys, I spent the summer on Bob Niblock, our lead independent director's boat - you know we've known each other for as long as I've been on the board, going on 14 years. I mean, between the sun and the rose, I didn't notice we had no money to pay you. That's on me. I mean, you're still fired and stuff, but totally my mistake. Really, I mean wow, just totally blanked on that. Good luck with your lives, though, I really mean that.' headline of the week. I fault myself for not paying more attention,' Conoco CEO tells employees facing deep job cutsLead “Independent” director has a 16 year tenure and 13% influence, possibly wasn't paying attention since he's on two large cap boards and just quit a third, across which he had more than a half dozen committee spotsIn our 'The board released a statement suggesting that the mistress to the CEO's mistress mislead them into thinking there was no wrongdoing' headline of the week. Fired Nestlé CEO Laurent Freixe's mistress caught him cheating with another subordinate in Swiss hotel: reportIn our 'The Department of Justice has announced a new investigation into whether Amazon Alexa will only provide directions to "woke" destinations, shares of Amazon plummet' headline of the week. Tylenol-maker shares sink after report says RFK's HHS will link drug to autismIn our 'Mary Barra, CEO of GM, asks that you not think of GM as just a car company, but as a tech lifestyle company, right before asking for $1tn pay package' headline of the week. Elon Musk's $1 Trillion Pay Proposal: Redefining CEO Compensation in the 21st CenturyIn our 'Seriously, we have no shortage of cousins and nieces and distant half children, our succession process is incredibly robust and impregnating.' headline of the week. Tyson Foods says it has succession plans after executive's shock departureThe meatpacker said late on Tuesday that Chief Supply Chain Officer Brady Stewart, who has also overseen its beef, pork and prepared foods businesses, ran afoul of its code of conduct.In our 'I identify as Australian' headline of the week. Who Is Lachlan Murdoch, the Media Prince Who Would Be KingNow the global Murdoch kingdom will fall under the control of an intensely private former philosophy student, a New Yorker turned proud Australian who transplanted his family to Sydney... Mr. Murdoch has frequently talked of Australia as his spiritual home.... “I'm Australian,” Mr. Murdoch told The Australian in July 2024. “That's how I see myself.”In our 'MEN ARE BACK, BABY' headline of the week. ‘I'm Gonna Punch You in Your F--king Face': Scott Bessent Threatens an Administration RivalGay ex-democrat Soros billionaire threatens to punch nepo baby conservative in the face? In our 'MEN ARE BACK, BABY' headline of the week. Trump's Epstein letter and drawing from 'birthday book' released

Mati Staniszewski is the Co-Founder and CEO of ElevenLabs, the world's leading AI voice platform. Since launching in 2022, ElevenLabs has raised over $350M, most recently at a $3.3BN valuation, making it one of Europe's fastest AI unicorns. The company counts Andreessen Horowitz, Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, and Sequoia Capital among its backers. Today, Mati announces that the company has hit a staggering $200M ARR. ElevenLabs took 20 months to hit $100M ARR. 10 months to hit $200M ARR. Can they do $300M in 5 months… AGENDA:  [00:00] $100M in 20 Months?! ElevenLabs Untold Growth Story [12:20] Are AI Models Already Plateauing—or Just Getting Started? [14:00] Why OpenAI Can't Beat ElevenLabs  [17:30] The Talent Wars: How Do You Retain World-Class AI Researchers? [23:10] PR vs Product: Why Most Startups Botch Their Launch [36:00] Are U.S. VCs Playing a Different Game Than Europe? [44:00] The Real Cost of AI: Why ElevenLabs Built Its Own Data Centers [59:00] Voice Agents = Multi-Billion Dollar Business of the Future? [01:05:00] Buy OpenAI or Anthropic? Which Foundation Model Wins? [01:09:30] Europe: Strengths, Weaknesses and What Needs to be Done  

In this thought-provoking episode of the Venture Capital Podcast, hosts Jon Bradshaw and Peter Harris take listeners deep inside the complex financial structures that define modern venture capital. The conversation centers around a critical observation in today's industry: most VC funds can now be classified as either "2% funds", large, brand-name firms prioritizing substantial management fees, or "20% funds", smaller, more performance-driven firms focused on carry and outsized returns.Peter breaks down the economic incentives behind each type, explaining how mega-funds like Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia generate enormous management fees just by virtue of their size, while smaller funds must make riskier bets and actively chase exceptional outcomes to realize significant profits. The hosts explore the growing divide between these two models and discuss the challenges founders face in choosing the right VC partner.Jon and Peter debate the strategic trade-offs from a founder's perspective, including:The real benefits (and drawbacks) of working with large, brand-name funds versus smaller, scrappier onesHow the structure of a fund influences VC motivation, founder support, and board involvementThe evolving role of secondary markets, liquidity, and exit strategies for early-stage investorsHow asset manager dynamics and the influx of institutional capital driven by endowments and sovereign wealth funds are reshaping the VC landscapeThey also touch on trends like later-stage company scaling, the boom in private market investments, and the rise of secondary sales as an alternative to waiting for an IPO. Throughout the discussion, Jon and Peter offer candid insights and personal anecdotes, revealing the sometimes unseen incentives that drive behavior in venture capital.This episode is essential listening for founders weighing their funding options, as well as anyone curious about the changing face of the venture capital ecosystem.Follow the PodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/venturecapitalfm/Twitter: https://twitter.com/vcpodcastfmLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/venturecapitalfm/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7BQimY8NJ6cr617lqtRr7N?si=ftylo2qHQiCgmT9dfloD_g&nd=1&dlsi=7b868f1b72094351Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/venture-capital/id1575351789Website: https://www.venturecapital.fm/Follow Jon BradshawLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrbradshaw/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjonbradshaw/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrjonbradshawFollow Peter HarrisLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterharris1Twitter: https://twitter.com/thevcstudentInstagram: https://instagram.com/shodanpeteYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@peterharris2812

Smaller, advanced technology entrepreneurs are increasingly shaping the U.S. innovation landscape through what some have called the “Little Tech Agenda.” But what exactly is this agenda, and how might it influence policy debates moving forward?America has long celebrated small-scale innovators, yet questions remain about how regulatory frameworks can support entrepreneurship without stifling growth. Some policymakers argue that new parameters are needed to govern emerging technologies, while others caution that overregulation could hinder the nation’s competitive edge in the global power struggle. If “Little Tech” is critical to America’s future, how far should the United States go to defend and promote its development?Join the Federalist Society’s Regulatory Transparency Project and host Prof. Kevin Frazier for an in-depth discussion of the “Little Tech Agenda” with special guest Collin McCune, Head of Government Affairs at Andreessen Horowitz.

Michael is a recognized corporate leader who built two successful financial technology companies, which collectively report on more than $6 trillion of assets. Michael's previous ventures have helped millions of Americans meet their financial goals and asset protection needs. Michael is a financial thought leader who holds two patents for his innovations in financial technology. Both of these inventions help financial institutions and advisors better understand and manage client portfolios. Michael is a graduate of Stanford University, where he combined his love of finance and technology to earn an undergraduate degree in Economics and a Master's degree in Management Science and Engineering. While at Stanford, Michael helped manage the Charles R. Blyth Fund, a student-run investment portfolio that invests a portion of Stanford University's nearly $37 billion endowment. Michael has deep expertise in alternative investments, including experience as a Partner at Andreessen-Horowitz, a leading Venture Capital firm that manages more than $42 billion, and a General Partner at ACG, a real estate firm responsible for more than $2 billion of developed properties.   Let's Talk Now    In this episode, Karen and Michael discuss: Success Story of Michael  Commit to Get Leads Spend at least 20-25% of your budget on different things to see what works. Consult to Sell Sophisticated portfolios will be tailored to the person while maintaining many sources of diversification. Connect to Build and Grow Check your metrics regularly, every day if you can. Quarterly or even monthly doesn't allow you to pivot when needed in the moment.  Success Thinking, Activities, and Vision Block out the noise and focus on what matters most. Sweet Spot of Success   "This is a phenomenal time to be investing in real estate and take some contrarian positions."- Michael Paulus   Connect with Michael Paulus: Website: https://encoreinvestment.com/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pcm-encore/   About the Podcast Join host Karen Briscoe each month to learn how you can achieve success at a higher level by investing just 5 minutes a day! Tune in to hear powerful, inspirational success stories and expert insights from entrepreneurs, business owners, industry leaders, and real estate agents that will transform your business and life. Karen shares a-ha moments that have shaped her career and discusses key concepts from her book Real Estate Success in 5 Minutes a Day: Secrets of a Top Agent Revealed. Here's to your success in business and in life!   Connect with Karen Briscoe: Facebook: 5MinuteSuccess Website: 5MinuteSuccess.com Email: Karen@5MinuteSuccess.com   5 Minute Success Links  Learn more about Karen's book, Real Estate Success in 5 Minutes a Day Karen also recommends Moira Lethbridge's book "Savvy Woman in 5 Minutes a Day" Subscribe to the 5 Minute Success Podcast   Spread the love and share the secrets of 5 Minute Success with your friends and colleagues!   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

About Jonni Lundy:Jonni Lundy is the Co-founder and COO of Resend, the developer-first email infrastructure platform that's revolutionizing how companies handle transactional emails. After helping scale Resend from inception to an $18M Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz, Jonni has become a thoughtful voice on sustainable growth, remote team management, and the psychological transitions founders face as they scale. Under his operational leadership, Resend has built a disciplined, metrics-driven culture that prioritizes long-term sustainability over hypergrowth.About Resend:Resend is a modern email API built for developers who care about deliverability, developer experience, and scalability. Founded to solve the frustrations developers face with legacy email providers, Resend offers a simple, powerful API with React email components, real-time analytics, and enterprise-grade reliability. The company has quickly become the go-to choice for engineering teams at fast-growing startups and enterprises alike.Show Notes:00:00 Introduction to Resend's mission to revolutionize developer email infrastructure02:41 How Resend is disrupting the legacy email provider space with developer-first thinking05:44 The unexpected psychological shift from IC to founder: "Success means other people winning"10:50 Inside their Series A: Why they stayed conservative even after raising $18M from a16z14:55 The retention graph hack that changed everything: inverting data to reveal product truth21:24 Building celebration culture in a remote team: why small wins matter27:40 Remote productivity insights: managing 24/7 flexibility without burning out30:29 Creating genuine connection in distributed teams: beyond Zoom happy hours33:45 Why making space for quieter team voices drives better decisions35:06 "Thoughtful discipline": Resend's approach to sustainable growth41:14 Finding balance as a new parent and founder: the parallel journeys43:48 The one metric that matters post-Series A: ARR per head over everything

When somebody says “win-win” in Silicon Valley, check your pockets. It's usually some elaborate prelude to a sales pitch. And the only thing dodgier than a two-way win is the “win-win-win” narrative that my friend Keith Teare is selling this week. “User, Publishers and AI: Everybody Wins” is the title of Keith's That Was The Week newsletter this week. And to be fair, what he's selling is the dream of an AI world in which the publishers, consumers and manufacturers of information all win. Who wouldn't want that? Our conversation this week is built around the AI ethics showdown by Y Combinator and Andreessen Horowitz which has shaken Silicon Valley this week. The battle centers on whether AI agents should identify themselves when accessing publisher content - a seemingly technical question that reveals broader tensions about who controls information in the age of artificial intelligence. Y Combinator's Garry Tan called new authentication requirements an "axis of evil" while Andreessen Horowitz's Martin Casado argued they represent common sense infrastructure. But the ever-optimistic Keith (who seems to believe that all progress is good, even for its victims) thinks everyone can win - users, publishers and tech companies. Presumably even Garry Tan and Martin Casado. If you believe that, then I might have some beautiful, no-risk Las Vegas beachfront real-estate for you. 1. The "Axis of Evil" Fight Is Really About Anonymous Access When Y Combinator's Garry Tan attacked Cloudflare and Browserbase's AI authentication system as an "axis of evil," he revealed Silicon Valley's preference for consequence-free data harvesting. The technical dispute over AI agent identification masks a deeper question: should AI companies remain anonymous when accessing publisher content, or must they become accountable?2. Publishers Need Influence, Not Just Traffic The conversation exposed a crucial distinction between advertising models that require massive scale and sponsorship models that reward targeted influence. Quality audiences matter more than raw pageviews - an insight that could reshape how content creators think about monetization in the AI era.3. The "Virtuous Circle" Depends on AI Companies Acting Against Self-Interest Keith's vision of AI systems surfacing attribution links back to original sources requires companies to voluntarily complicate their user experience. Why would ChatGPT or Claude choose to send users away to read original articles when seamless summarization is their core value proposition?4. "Bad Publishers Deserved to Fail" Sidesteps Structural Questions Keith's argument that only inferior publishers lost to digital disruption ignores how entire categories of valuable journalism - particularly local news - faced structural economic challenges regardless of quality. This reveals the limitations of purely market-based explanations for technological displacement.5. Trust May Be Irrelevant in the Post-Truth Era My observation that "nobody cares about trust anymore" challenges the entire premise of authentication systems. If users don't demand source verification, then the economic incentives for Keith's proposed "trusted third party" infrastructure may not exist.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Venture capital has powered companies like Facebook and TikTok—but what if that same urgency fueled America's defense and industrial base? Katherine Boyle, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and cofounder of the firm's American Dynamism practice, argues this is the biggest business opportunity of our time.In this conversation from The Shawn Ryan Show, Boyle discusses the rise of defense tech startups, why optimism drives her work, and how a new generation of engineers and founders is rethinking innovation and patriotism in America. Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction 0:41 Patriotism, Optimism, and American Innovation4:27 Startups vs. Legacy Primes in Defense10:08 Venture Capital's Unique Incentives17:21 Katherine's Backstory: Family & Upbringing21:07 The Decline of Community & Family Pillars23:23 Polarization, Religion, and Social Fabric26:16 America's Birth Rate Crisis29:46 Cultural Shifts and the Family Structure42:01 Katherine's Path: Journalism to Venture Capital1:06:06 Breaking into Silicon Valley1:18:06 Investing in Defense: The Anduril Story1:37:37 The American Dynamism Movement2:04:27 Manufacturing, Space, and the Future of Defense2:14:06 Espionage, China, and National Security2:37:38 The Attack on the American Family2:48:29 Cultural Change, Suffering, and Purpose2:55:30 Closing Thoughts Resources: Find Katherine on X: https://x.com/KTmBoyleShawn Ryan Show Links YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoujZQZatbqy4KGcgjpVxQ/joinListen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shawn-ryan-show/id1492492083Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5eodRZd3qR9VT1ip1wI7xQ?si=7abec4d61c324b24 Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

On this episode, Andreessen Horowitz's Top 100 Gen AI Consumer Apps report highlights big shifts in just six months. Google scored four web entries with Gemini at #2, Grok rocketed to #4 with 20 million mobile users, coding tools like Lovable and Replit cemented their dominance, and Chinese AI firms kept expanding abroad despite home-market bans. The consumer AI space is finally settling into core categories.Brought to you by:KPMG – Discover how AI is transforming possibility into reality. Tune into the new KPMG 'You Can with AI' podcast and unlock insights that will inform smarter decisions inside your enterprise. Listen now and start shaping your future with every episode. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kpmg.us/AIpodcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blitzy.com - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://blitzy.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to build enterprise software in days, not months Vanta - Simplify compliance - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://vanta.com/nlw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Plumb - The automation platform for AI experts and consultants ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://useplumb.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Agent Readiness Audit from Superintelligent - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://besuper.ai/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to request your company's agent readiness score.The AI Daily Brief helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI. Subscribe to the podcast version of The AI Daily Brief wherever you listen: https://pod.link/1680633614Subscribe to the newsletter: https://aidailybrief.beehiiv.com/Interested in sponsoring the show? nlw@breakdown.network

Story of the Week (DR):The Cracker Barrel BSCracker Barrel scraps new logo design, keeps 'Old Timer' after listening to customersRestaurant chain's stock price sank following removal of 'Uncle Herschel' from brandingUncle Herschel wasn't just a marketing creation, he was a real person. Born Herschel McCartney, he was the younger brother of Cracker Barrel founder Dan Evins' mother and served as an early goodwill ambassador for the brand. A salesman for Martha White Flour Company for over three decades, Herschel traveled through rural America, building relationships in small-town general stores — the very kinds of places that inspired Cracker Barrel's original design and ethos.When Cracker Barrel introduced its iconic logo in 1969, the old-timer sitting beside the barrel was long thought by fans to be based on Herschel himself, though the company later clarified that this wasn't the case.In 2004, the Justice Department (during the George W. Bush administration) sued the chain for discriminating against Black customers. In 2006, they settled a lawsuit involving three of their Illinois restaurants for “discriminatory practices, racially charged language, and inappropriate touching.”Cracker Barrel's inconvenient fact: all the customers who loved its old logo had stopped going to the restaurantFounder Dan EvinsHis tone was considerably harsher when it came to defending a January 1991 directive to all the company's restaurants to fire employees “whose sexual preferences fail to demonstrate normal heterosexual values.” Mr. Evins's explanation for the edict was that gay people made customers in rural areas uncomfortable. As many as 16 openly or suspected gay employees were promptly fired.“They actually put a policy like this in writing, which was, and still is, shocking,” David Smith, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign.The New York City Employees Retirement System, which owned more than $6 million of Cracker Barrel shares, led other stock owners in using their votes and other legal means to organize resistance. In March 1991, Mr. Evins apologized and said the policy had been rescinded. But New York and its allies fought until 58 percent of the shareholders in 2002 persuaded Cracker Barrel's board to vote unanimously to explicitly forbid antigay discrimination in its equal employment policy.In July 2001, shareholders replaced Evins as CEO with Michael A. Woodhouse, who at the time was serving as the company's chief operating officer. Evins maintained his position as chairman of the board.Prior to founding the company, Dan worked for Consolidated Oil, a company founded by his grandfather.Cracker Barrel took down Pride page after rebrand fiascoCompany faced criticism over modernist redesign and support for LGBT causes before stock reboundThe website link for Cracker Barrel's Pride page, which used to boast that the company was "bringing the porch to Pride," now redirects to its "Culture and Belonging" page.Cracker Barrel previously sponsored the Nashville Pride Parade in 2024 and unveiled a line of rainbow-colored rocking chairs for Pride month. The company also has an LGBTQ employee resource group called the "LGBTQ+ Alliance," along with groups for veterans and other communities.Despite claims it's 'too woke,' Cracker Barrel actually has a fraught LGBTQ+ historyCracker Barrel received a score of zero on the inaugural index in 2002. The chain was criticized in the 1990s for discrimination against gay employees. In 1991, the company adopted a corporate policy stating that any worker who failed to demonstrate "normal heterosexual values" would be fired. Eleven employees were terminated under the rule, leading to boycotts and protests nationwide. Over time, Cracker Barrel's HRC score improved, reaching 80 in 2021 after the company took several public pro-LGBTQ stances.58 percent of the shareholders in 2002 persuaded Cracker Barrel's board to vote unanimously to explicitly forbid antigay discrimination in its equal employment policy.Proud Representation: Business Resource Groups: These voluntary, employee-led organizations are open to all employees and provide opportunities to network, develop leadership skills, and serve as cross-functional resources for our teams.AMPT (Advancing Modern Professionals for Tomorrow) aims to connect and empower modern professionals by promoting a community of inclusive, ambitious, and diverse members that unify through the Cracker Barrel to equip our community and leaders for the future. This BRG provides networking, development, and community outreach opportunities that supplement the professional and personal lives of its members.The mission of Be Bold is to cultivate and develop Black Leaders within the Cracker Barrel organization utilizing allyship, mentorship, and education to create a path to continued excellence as well as a vibrant and diverse community.B-Well: Cracker Barrel's Wellness BRG partners with the Benefits Department to improve the employee experience by sponsoring health and wellness activities that nurture employees' physical, emotional, financial, and intellectual well-being. Balance in these areas reduces distractions and allows employees to improve their focus and productivity.HOLA's mission is to promote Hispanic and Latino culture through hiring, developing, and retaining talent within Cracker Barrel. To create a culture of inclusivity and awareness through community outreach.LGBTQ+ Alliance: Supporting Home Office and Field employees to bring their whole selves to work while strengthening Cracker Barrel's relationship to the LGBTQ+ community.NeuroVerse Collective is focused on advocacy and education around Neurodiversity.Our Veteran's BRG, SERVE, is dedicated to advocating for leadership and development opportunities for its members. We foster an environment of networking and volunteerism while focusing on recruitment, retention, and advancement of Veterans at this company.Women's Connect: Our mission & goal is to inspire the women of Cracker Barrel by empowering, educating and engaging to achieve the strategic initiatives of Cracker Barrel.The anti-DEI purge continues: MMFed emphasizes its commitment to 'independence' as Lisa Cook pledges to sue over Trump's 'illegal' firingWhite House fires CDC director [Susan Monarez] who says RFK Jr. is ‘weaponizing public health'White House names RFK Jr deputy Jim O'Neill as replacement CDC directorUnlike Monarez, O'Neill, a former investment executive, does not have a medical or scientific background. He served as a speechwriter for the health department during the George W Bush administration, and went on to work for the tech investor and conservative mega-donor Peter Thiel.Trump Fires Member of Board That Approves Railroad MergersRobert E. Primus received an email from the White House terminating his position, but he said he would continue his duties.The Oligarchy Rules!: Trump makes the government Intel's largest investorIntel has entered into an agreement with the U.S. government, specifically the Department of Commerce, for an $8.9 billion investment in the company. This investment is in the form of the government purchasing Intel common stock.The U.S. government will gain a nearly 10% stake in Intel.This funding is part of the CHIPS and Science Act and the Secure Enclave program, aimed at boosting the domestic semiconductor industry.The government's ownership will be passive, with no board representation or governance rights.Each Warrant represents the right to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $20.00 per share.On August 18, 2025, Intel Corporation entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with SoftBank Group Corp. pursuant to which SoftBank agreed to purchase 86,956,522 shares of the Company's common stock for an aggregate purchase price in cash of $2.0 billion, representing a price per share of $23.00 per share.Goodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Korea passes boardroom reform, curbing chaebol power MM DRMM: Red Lobster Is Betting on Black Diners With Its Brand ComebackMM: Bluesky now platform of choice for science communityAssholiest of the Week (MM):Shareholder democracyFrom Mike Levin, host of Shareholder Primacy and writer of the Activist Investor newsletter: Followers here should recall ten current and former TSLA directors agreed to repay about $735 million in comp they received from 2017-2020 as part of a settlement of a derivative lawsuit, Detroit v. Tesla.February 25, 2025 - TSLA receives $735 million in cash and returned options from ten director defendants, five of which currently serve on the TSLA BoD, without specifying how much each defendant paidMarch 31 - We filed our opening brief, acknowledging that receipt of the damages and noting the five director defendants currently on the TSLA BoD had not filed SEC Form 4 showing a change in options holdings to reflect returned optionsApril 29 or 30 - TSLA BoD authorizes cancellation of options to reflect the settlementMay 1 - The five defendants currently on the TSLA BoD file Form 4 showing return of options as part of the settlement.It is impossible for Tesla to have received Settlement Options from Current Director Defendants by February 25, 2025 and for Current Director Defendants to have conveyed them to Tesla on May 1, 2025. Either Tesla misrepresented receipt of the Settlement Amount in a sworn affidavit or Current Director Defendants failed to timely file Form 4 with the SEC.From Kevin Barnes of K-Bar Holdings LLC, shareholder proponent at Eagle Materials:Files shareholder proposal to de-classify the board by amending the charter via Special Meeting in the June 23, 2025 proxy statementAt the AGM held August 4, 2025, Barnes wins the advisory vote… by a LOT - 92% in favor (92%!!!) - made more impressive given that 37.3% of shares are held by Fidelity, Vanguard, BlackRock, and JPM, not exactly communistsKevin emailed me Tuesday to say Eagle “has yet to notice a Special Meeting to formalize [the amendments]”On August 16th, 19 days after Samsara (where Marc Andreessen and Sue Wagner spend their time) held its AGM, the company added Gary Steele (whose company Shield AI is private and funded in large part by Andreessen Horowitz) to the boardQorvo, after John Cheveddan's shareholder proposal asking for the right of investors to call special meetings failed with 44% in favor and approved pay with just 59% in favor, ONE DAY after the annual meeting the board “approved” giant golden parachutes for the executivesMeritocracyRobert Primus: Trump Fires Member of Board That Approves Railroad Mergers“Robert Primus did not align with the president's America First agenda, and was terminated from his position by the White House.” He added, “The administration intends to nominate new, more qualified members to the Surface Transportation Board in short order.”Primus is a black man who went to Harvard and Hamton and has more than 20 year experience in politics - he was given the position originally by TrumpLisa Cook: Trump says he's removing Fed governor Lisa Cook, citing his administration's allegations of mortgage fraudLetitia Jones: Justice Dept. Abruptly Escalates Pressure Campaign on a Trump AdversaryMuriel Bowser, Karen Bass: Cities led by Black women are the first targets of Trump's political power grabKnow your surrendering boards DRCracker Barrel CEO Under Pressure To Resign After Logo U-TurnCarl Berquist (2019), Chair, ex Arthur AndersenJody Bilney (2022), ex HumanaSteve Bramlage (2025), Casey's GeneralGilbert Davila (2020), diversity marketing CEO (PoC!)John Garratt (2023), ex Dollar GeneralMichael Goodwin (2024), tech at PetSmart (PoC!)Cheryl Henry (2024), ex Ruth'sJulie Felss Masino, CEOGisel Ruiz (2020), ex Sam's Club (PoC!)Daryl Wade (2021), ex Union Square Hospitality (PoC!)Cracker Barrel board member under fire for DEI backgroundTrump makes the government Intel's largest investorFrank Yeary (2009), Chair, PE/VC tech guyJim Goetz (2019), SequoiaAndrea Goldsmith (2021), dean at PrincetonAlyssa Henry (2020), ex CEO of BlockEric Meurice (2024), ex ASML HoldingsBarbara Novick (2022), ex Blackrock founderSteve Sanghi (2024), Microchip TechnologyGreg Smith (2017), ex BoeingStacy Smith (2024), ex KioxiaDion Weisler (2020), ex HPHeadliniest of the WeekDR: Pork Industry Leader David Newman Selected as National Pork Board's Next CEOMM: Jeff Bezos Said He Would Have 'Felt Icky' Had He Taken Any More Shares Of Amazon: 'I Just Didn't Feel Good...'MM: Sam Altman says colleagues are glad he's a dad now, because they think raising a child will help him make ‘better decisions for humanity'Who Won the Week?DR: Hopeful Susan Collins slayer and oyster farmer Graham Platner: “I did four infantry tours in the Marine Corps and the army. I'm not afraid to name an enemy, and the enemy is the oligarchy. It's the billionaires who pay for it, the politicians who sell us out.”MM: Journalists who listen to Business Pants: Cracker Barrel's inconvenient fact: all the customers who loved its old logo had stopped going to the restaurant - where Dee Ann Durbin of the AP literally took my rant about foot traffic and stock movements part for partPredictionsDR: The following lines will be deleted from Cracker Barrel's next proxy statement:[The Public Responsibility Committee ] “Reviews the Company's progress in its diversity and inclusion initiatives and compliance with the Company's responsibilities as an equal opportunity employer”“ In addition, our nominees — including five (5) women and three (3) individuals who are racially or ethnically diverse — embody the diversity that we believe is critical to the effective functioning of any public company board today, particularly in a consumer-facing industry such as ours.”“Board Diversity Matrix”Or at least the following term from that matrix: “Non-Binary”“Gilbert R. Dávila, age 61, first became one of our directors in July 2020. Since 2010, Mr. Dávila has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of DMI Consulting — a leading multicultural marketing, diversity & inclusion, and strategy firm in the United States.”Cracker Barrel board member under fire for DEI background after restaurant ditches traditional logo MM: Ramon Laguarta, the CEO of Pepsi, quietly scraps a plan for their brand Quaker Oats to remove the picture of the old white quaker guy from the cartons of oats and instead asks the marketing team to make the quaker guy even older and whiter and possible they should consider adding a shotgun in his hands with “boobs rule” written on the side of it

We dive into the gritty and electrifying world of independent horror filmmaking with director and producer Joe Begos. Known for his visually arresting style and commitment to practical, in-camera effects, Joe shares the unfiltered story of how he built a career outside the traditional studio system.Joe walks us through his unconventional path, from early childhood fascination with horror to the decision to skip film school and make movies the hard way. He recounts the experience of making his first feature on credit cards and pure hustle to create a film that landed on a major festival stage and launched his career. That same DIY ethos carried through to his next projects, where he refined his skills not just as a director, but as a producer, cinematographer, and even editor, learning every part of the process.Throughout the conversation, Joe opens up about the evolving challenges of staying independent while growing as an artist. From raising money and managing crew to navigating creative control and working within tight budgets, he offers an honest look at what it takes to keep your vision intact in a collaborative—and often unpredictable—industry. He shares how each film pushed him to learn something new, and how embracing limitations often led to his most creative breakthroughs.We also explore Joe's latest film, Jimmy and Stiggs, a deeply personal project built almost entirely in his apartment over four years. What began as a response to the creative paralysis of the pandemic became a full-fledged feature, and now slated for a wide theatrical release through a major new distribution label. Join us for a raw and inspiring conversation where we explore what it truly means to stay creative and resourceful throughout the ups and downs of production.About WrapbookWrapbook is a smart, intuitive platform that makes production payroll and accounting easier, faster, and more secure. We provide a unified payroll platform that seamlessly connects your entire team—production, accounting, cast, and crew—all in one place.Wrapbook empowers production teams to manage projects, pay cast and crew, track expenses, and generate data-driven insights, while enabling workers to manage timecards, track pay, and onboard to new projects from any device. Wrapbook brings clarity and dependability to production payroll, while increasing the productivity of your whole team.For crew: The Wrapbook app eliminates the headaches of production payroll by providing a fast, transparent, and secure solution for workers to complete startwork, submit timecards, and track pay.Trusted by companies of all sizes, Wrapbook powers payroll for some of the industry's top production companies, including SMUGGLER, Tuff, and GhostRobot. Our growing team of 250+ people includes entertainment and technology experts from SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, Teamsters, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and more.Wrapbook is backed by top-tier investors, including Jeffrey Katzenberg's WndrCo, Andreessen Horowitz, and A* Capital.Get started at https://www.wrapbook.com/

ChatGPT rivals like Google's Gemini, xAI's Grok, and, to a lesser extent, Meta AI, are closing the gap to ChatGPT, OpenAI's popular AI chatbot, according to a new report focused on the consumer AI landscape from venture firm Andreessen Horowitz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marc Andreessen, cofounder Andreessen Horowitz, joins the Hermitix podcast for a conversation on AI, accelerationism, energy, and the future.From the thermodynamic roots of effective accelerationism (E/acc) to the cultural cycles of optimism and fear around new technologies, Marc shares why AI is best understood as code, how nuclear debates mirror today's AI concerns, and what these shifts mean for society and progress. Timecodes:0:00 Introduction 0:51 Podcast Overview & Guest Introduction1:45 Marc Andreessen's Background3:30 Technology's Role in Society4:44 The Hermitix Question: Influential Thinkers8:19 AI: Past, Present, and Future10:57 Superconductors and Technological Breakthroughs15:53 Optimism, Pessimism, and Stagnation in Technology22:54 Fear of Technology and Social Order29:49 Nuclear Power: Promise and Controversy34:53 AI Regulation and Societal Impact41:16 Effective Accelerationism Explained47:19 Thermodynamics, Life, and Human Progress53:07 Learned Helplessness and the Role of Elites1:01:08 The Future: 10–50 Years and Beyond Resources:Marc on X:   https://x.com/pmarcaMarc's Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/Become part of the Hermitix community:On X: https://x.com/HermitixpodcastSupport: http://patreon.com/hermitixFind James on X: https://x.com/meta_nomad Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

Can an AI reconcile your books while you sleep? Blake and David run a live experiment with ChatGPT-5's Agent Mode in Xero—watching it match transactions, stumble on prepayments, and reveal what's realistically automatable today. They also break down a flood of app news: Dext's bill pay, Ramp's mega raise, Thomson Reuters and Deloitte's agentic AI, plus Ignition–Financial Cents and Canopy portal moves. They dig into survey findings showing that 58% of employees are secretly using AI at work despite company bans, and take a look at how AI is disrupting the job market for college graduates. SponsorsTeamUp - http://accountingpodcast.promo/teamupRelay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/relayHuman at Scale - http://accountingpodcast.promo/humanMissive - http://accountingpodcast.promo/missiveChapters(01:32) - Exploring AI in Accounting (02:20) - Testing ChatGPT for Accounting Tasks (05:26) - Reconciling Transactions with AI (10:27) - App News (18:34) - AI and Automation in Accounting (23:29) - Recent Raises and Acquisitions (31:10) - Government and Regulatory Updates (35:14) - AI Agent Struggles with Prepayment (35:39) - VC Investments in Accounting Firms (37:43) - Ignition and Financial Sense Integration (40:13) - Canopy's Smart Intake and AI Innovations (42:58) - AI in the Workplace: Surveys and Insights (44:39) - AI Agent Finally Figures Out Prepayment (52:36) - AI's Limitations and Future Potential (01:01:55) - Fundraising and AI in Accounting Apps (01:12:28) - Impact of AI on the market (01:13:42) - Conclusion and CPE Information  Show NotesProduct Specialist-Accounting,AI - Xerohttps://builtinlondon.uk/job/product-specialist-accounting-ai/6683466Rillet raises $70M to replace 20th-century accounting software with AI-native ERP built by accountantshttps://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/08/06/3128328/0/en/Rillet-raises-70M-to-replace-20th-century-accounting-software-with-AI-native-ERP-built-by-accountants.htmlAI accounting startup Rillet raises $70 million in Andreessen Horowitz, ICONIQ-led roundhttps://www.investing.com/news/economy-news/ai-accounting-startup-rillet-raises-70-million-in-andreessen-horowitz-iconiqled-round-4172975Ramp Raises $500 Million at $22.5 Billion Valuation to Accelerate AI and Build the Future of Financehttps://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ramp-raises-500-million-at-22-5-billion-valuation-to-accelerate-ai-and-build-the-future-of-finance-302516953.htmlRamp hits $22.5B valuation just 45 days after reaching $16Bhttps://techcrunch.com/2025/07/30/ramp-hits-22-5b-valuation-just-45-days-after-reaching-16b/IRS, White House clashed over immigrants' data before Billy Long was oustedhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/09/trump-administration-irs-data-dispute/Trump replaces IRS Commissioner Billy Long with Scott Bessenthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/08/billy-long-irs-commissioner-bessent/Trump ousts Billy Long as IRS commissioner, names Bessent acting headhttps://www.cnn.com/2025/08/08/politics/billy-long-ousted-irs-commissionerIRS Chief Forced Out After Immigrant Tax Data Pushback—Reporthttps://www.newsweek.com/irs-chief-forced-immigrant-tax-data-pushback-report-2111292Billy Long's IRS ouster follows clashes with Treasury, sparks concernhttps://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5449180-treasury-clashes-irs-commissioner/Need CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribeApple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/OvercastWant to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Let the listeners of The Accounting Podcast know by running a classified ad. Go here to c...

This Day in Legal History: Economic Opportunity ActOn August 20, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act into law, marking a major legal milestone in the federal government's efforts to address systemic poverty. The Act authorized $1 billion to fund a wide range of social programs aimed at improving education, employment, and economic security for low-income Americans. It was the legislative backbone of Johnson's "War on Poverty" and a cornerstone of his broader Great Society agenda.The law created the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) to oversee a suite of initiatives, including Job Corps, Head Start, and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). These programs sought to address poverty through direct services, job training, and community empowerment rather than traditional welfare.Legally, the Act reflected a dramatic expansion of federal authority in the realm of economic and social rights, shifting the understanding of poverty from a local issue to a national legal and policy concern. It encouraged the formation of Community Action Agencies, which brought poor communities into the policy-making process—a novel approach for federal law at the time.Critics challenged the constitutionality and effectiveness of the programs, with some arguing the Act encroached on states' rights and created administrative overreach. Nonetheless, the Economic Opportunity Act became a model for future federal social legislation.By institutionalizing anti-poverty efforts through law, the Act marked a turning point in American legal and political history. While many of its original provisions have since been revised or repealed, its legacy continues in modern public assistance and education programs.California Republican lawmakers have filed an emergency lawsuit with the state Supreme Court to block Governor Gavin Newsom's redistricting proposal, which would create five new Democratic congressional districts. The GOP legislators argue that the state constitution requires a 30-day review period for new legislation and that Democrats cannot legally move forward with the plan until September 18 unless both legislative chambers approve it by a three-fourths vote. The lawsuit seeks either a ruling on the merits by Wednesday or a temporary halt to the legislative process.Newsom's proposal is intended as a direct response to a controversial redistricting initiative in Texas, championed by Governor Greg Abbott and supported by President Donald Trump, which is expected to yield five new Republican congressional seats. With the GOP holding a narrow 219-212 majority in the U.S. House, the outcome of these redistricting efforts could have significant national political implications ahead of the 2026 midterms.California Democrats aim to pass the redistricting bills by August 22 in order to place the revised maps on a special November ballot. They justify bypassing the state's independent redistricting process, established by voters in 2008, as a necessary emergency countermeasure to what they describe as partisan manipulation in Texas. That state's plan, criticized for potentially disenfranchising minority voters, led to a dramatic walkout by Texas House Democrats. Upon their return, Republican leaders imposed restrictions requiring lawmakers to remain under state police escort during sessions, sparking further protest.California Republicans sue to block Democratic redistricting plan | ReutersA federal appeals court has sided with Elon Musk's SpaceX and two other companies, ruling that the structure of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is likely unconstitutional. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that laws protecting NLRB board members and administrative judges from being removed at will by the president likely violate the Constitution's separation of powers. The court said these protections improperly restrict the president's authority over the executive branch.This decision is the first from a federal appeals court to challenge the NLRB's structure on these grounds, setting a precedent as similar lawsuits are pending. The ruling blocks the NLRB from continuing enforcement actions against SpaceX, Energy Transfer, and Aunt Bertha while the companies' constitutional challenges proceed. Circuit Judge Don Willett, writing for the panel, stated that the companies should not have to choose between following NLRB procedures and asserting their constitutional rights.The NLRB, an independent agency created by Congress, handles private-sector labor disputes, and its structure was designed to insulate it from political influence. However, this independence is now under scrutiny. The issue gained momentum after President Trump fired Democratic board member Gwynne Wilcox in January—a move that left the board without a quorum and marked the first time a sitting board member had been removed by a president.Musk, once an adviser to Trump, has a separate pending lawsuit against the NLRB related to another dispute. The court's panel consisted entirely of Republican-appointed judges.Musk's SpaceX, others win US court challenge to labor board's structure | ReutersNevada's Chief Justice Douglas Herndon is spearheading an initiative to establish a dedicated business court in the state, aiming to attract companies seeking an alternative to Delaware's Chancery Court. During a public hearing in Las Vegas, Herndon urged the state Supreme Court to approve a commission to draft rules for the new tribunal, which could begin hearing cases as early as 2026. The court would feature judges appointed by the chief justice to four-year terms from a vetted list, with input from legal, governmental, and business stakeholders.Currently, Nevada handles business cases through district courts in Las Vegas and Reno, where judges balance other civil and criminal matters. Herndon said the creation of a specialized court would streamline corporate litigation and provide data to inform future legislative reforms. While a constitutional amendment to establish a fully independent business court is underway, that process will take years. The commission's work would serve as an interim step.This move follows a broader trend of states competing for corporate incorporations. Nevada and Texas are positioning themselves as more business-friendly venues, especially for Big Tech and firms led by controlling shareholders. Companies like Andreessen Horowitz and AMC Networks have already opted to leave Delaware in favor of Nevada. Recent changes in Nevada law now allow companies to waive jury trials via their articles of incorporation, aligning the state more closely with Delaware's procedures.Delaware, while still the leading venue for corporate law, has faced criticism over judicial bias and repetitive judge assignments. In response, it has revised statutes and begun implementing judge rotation. Texas, meanwhile, launched its business court last year and issued its first final judgment in June. Judges there serve two-year terms and juries are allowed in some cases.Nevada's Top Judge Calls for Plan to Craft Business Court RulesInvestors suing Elon Musk over his delayed disclosure of a large Twitter stake in early 2022 are challenging his attempt to use an advice-of-counsel defense while withholding related legal documents. The plaintiffs, led by an Oklahoma firefighters pension fund, argue Musk is employing a “sword and shield” tactic—invoking legal advice to justify his actions while citing attorney-client privilege to avoid releasing relevant evidence.They've asked a federal judge in Manhattan to force Musk to formally declare whether he intends to rely on legal counsel or a good-faith defense before he testifies in late August and early September. If Musk invokes this defense, plaintiffs want access to communications with lawyers from Quinn Emanuel and McDermott Will & Emery, both of which advised Musk around the time he disclosed his 9.2% Twitter stake in April 2022.The lawsuit alleges Musk defrauded shareholders by delaying disclosure, causing them to sell stock at artificially low prices. Musk has denied wrongdoing, stating he misunderstood SEC disclosure rules and acted in good faith once he realized the mistake. Plaintiffs argue that if Musk refuses to share legal advice-related documents, the court should prevent him from using that defense at trial.A similar civil lawsuit by the SEC over the same issue remains pending. The outcome of this discovery dispute could shape the strength of Musk's defense in both cases.Musk's advice-of-counsel defense faces test in Twitter lawsuit | Reuters This is a public episode. 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AI startups in 2025 have raised $122 billion, with the United States accounting for $104 billion of the total. In the second quarter, AI companies secured $50 billion, nearly half of all venture capital invested during that period. Major deals include Meta's $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI, Anduril's $2.5 billion round led by Founders Fund, and Safe Superintelligence's $2 billion from Greenoaks, Alphabet, and Andreessen Horowitz. The sector is seeing increased investment in infrastructure-heavy AI projects, supported by a proposed $92 billion federal funding package. Overall venture capital funding has declined to $101.5 billion in the second quarter due to an ongoing IPO drought, with major AI firms such as Databricks and OpenAI remaining private. Capital is increasingly concentrated among leading AI startups, making fundraising more difficult for smaller companies, while investment firms like SoftBank, Andreessen Horowitz, Tiger Global, Sequoia, and Lightspeed continue to lead in AI investments.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this weeks episode Nick talks to Benedict EvansBenedict Evans is an independent analyst with over 25 years' experience in mobile, media, and technology. Evans recounts his career journey, from equity analysis of mobile operators, to strategic roles in media and telecoms, and later his work at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.Nick and Benedict conversations explores the evolution of artificial intelligence, clarifying definitions of AI, machine learning, and generative AI, and drawing historical parallels with past technology shifts such as smartphones, spreadsheets, and the internet. Evans discusses AI's strengths, limitations, and public misconceptions, emphasising that its current utility lies in domains like software development and marketing. He notes that while AI can produce impressive results, it operates on probabilistic reasoning rather than human-like understanding, making it well-suited for some tasks but unreliable for others requiring precise factual accuracy.The discussion also addresses societal responses to new technologies, including moral panics, misuse by bad actors, and challenges in regulation. Evans stresses the importance of distinguishing hype from genuine capability and identifying where AI adds the most value. Looking ahead, he outlines adoption patterns, the integration of AI into everyday workflows, and the ongoing debate over whether large language models represent a fundamental shift in computing or simply another software evolution.Follow Benedict and subscribe to his newsletter here. This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.

We explore the evolving landscape of interactive storytelling with Elliot Wolf, executive producer of Prime Video's On Call and co-founder of Wolf Games. With a strong background in television and a deep appreciation for narrative craft, Elliot shares how he's bringing storytelling into new territory with Public Eye, an upcoming AI-assisted daily murder mystery game. Designed to offer players a fresh case every day, Public Eye blends traditional storytelling with new technology, allowing users to step into the role of detective and work through immersive investigations.Elliot walks us through the creative and technical process behind the game's development, including how AI tools help generate dynamic content while preserving story structure and character consistency. He explains how Public Eye maintains a balance between player choice and narrative coherence, and how personalization can make interactive experiences more engaging.The conversation also highlights how generative AI is influencing creative workflows, especially in areas like writing, design, and game development. Rather than replacing human input, Elliot emphasizes how AI can support creators by enhancing productivity and enabling new formats. He also shares his thoughts on how these developments could complement more traditional media, potentially offering new ways for audiences to engage with stories and characters between major content releases.Whether you're interested in gaming, storytelling, or the future of entertainment, this is an episode you wouldn't want to miss.About WrapbookWrapbook is a smart, intuitive platform that makes production payroll and accounting easier, faster, and more secure. We provide a unified payroll platform that seamlessly connects your entire team—production, accounting, cast, and crew—all in one place.Wrapbook empowers production teams to manage projects, pay cast and crew, track expenses, and generate data-driven insights, while enabling workers to manage timecards, track pay, and onboard to new projects from any device. Wrapbook brings clarity and dependability to production payroll, while increasing the productivity of your whole team.For crew: The Wrapbook app eliminates the headaches of production payroll by providing a fast, transparent, and secure solution for workers to complete startwork, submit timecards, and track pay.Trusted by companies of all sizes, Wrapbook powers payroll for some of the industry's top production companies, including SMUGGLER, Tuff, and GhostRobot. Our growing team of 250+ people includes entertainment and technology experts from SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, Teamsters, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and more.Wrapbook is backed by top-tier investors, including Jeffrey Katzenberg's WndrCo, Andreessen Horowitz, and A* Capital.Get started at https://www.wrapbook.com/

Brett Browman is the Growth Operating Partner at Khosla Ventures, where he helps scale transformative tech companies through hands-on growth strategy and marketing. As the first growth hire at both Square and Opendoor and a former operating partner at Andreessen Horowitz, Brett brings deep experience driving customer acquisition and business growth. He's worked closely with top startups like OpenAI, Stripe, DoorDash, and Ramp, and is known for his tactical, team-focused approach. Beyond tech, he has snowboarded on all seven continents and brings a global, adventurous mindset to company building and culture. In this episode… Today's fastest-growing startups thrive by cutting through noise and building real trust across teams. But what makes a venture partner more than just an advisor — and truly hands-on in the trenches? And in an AI-driven world, do old-school tactics like direct mail still have a place? Brett Browman has helped scale some of the world's fastest-growing startups, from Square to Opendoor, by going beyond boardroom advice and working directly with teams. He partners with companies at every stage — building marketing teams, refining strategies, and driving execution. Known for his hands-on, no-ego approach, Brett empowers teams, builds trust, and focuses on fundamentals like ideal customer profiles, key metrics, and product differentiation. His work, including unconventional tactics like direct mail, shows how grounded strategies and strong teams fuel lasting growth — even in a tech world racing toward AI. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Brett Browman, Growth Operating Partner at Khosla Ventures, to talk about scaling startups, hands-on leadership, and what it really takes to drive sustainable growth. They discuss Brett's “ER-style” triage approach to diagnosing bottlenecks, the role of trust and autonomy in building high-performing teams, and why direct mail still has a surprising impact in today's digital world. Brett also shares insights on the rise of Generative Engine Optimization, and why mastering the fundamentals beats chasing growth hacks every time.

Mitch Lee, CEO of Arc Boat Company, is bringing the Tesla playbook to boating. Arc's quiet, software-powered electric boats—like the sold-out Arc Sport—deliver cleaner rides, zero fumes, and customizable wave settings. Mitch shares why electric makes more sense on water than land, how dockside charging already works, and why Arc builds full boats instead of motors. With $100M raised and an expansion into commercial vessels, Arc is leading a cleaner, better future for marine travel.Episode recorded on Aug 6, 2025 (Published on Aug 12, 2025)In this episode, we cover: [3:27] An overview of Arc Boat Company [5:07] Mitch's background and experience ⁠[6:28] The inefficiency of gas boats and fuel use[8:17] His decision to build Arc [10:54] The company's vertically integrated battery pack ⁠[12:04] Why Arc builds complete boats, not just motors⁠[13:31] Battery size, range, and charging times for Arc boats[16:36] Charging Arc boats [19:26] The traditional boat market and Arc's advantage[24:26] Safety on Arc boats ⁠[28:51] Lessons from Arc One to Arc Sport⁠[33:20] Software-driven customization for water sports⁠[39:19] Arc Coast's design and target market⁠[41:30] Expansion into commercial and hybrid-electric vessels[44:21] Why the US hasn't electrified commercial vessels like ferries ⁠[49:06] $100M raised from top VCs and celebrity investors Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Medicine stands at the threshold of a new era, where artificial intelligence and systems biology are working hand in hand to make care more personal, predictive, and precise than ever before. AI is already improving diagnostic accuracy, automating administrative tasks, and uncovering patterns in data—like retinal scans or genomics—that humans often miss. Rather than replacing doctors, AI enhances their ability to deliver more informed, precise, and efficient care. At the same time, individuals are gaining tools—from at-home diagnostics to wearable biosensors—that empower them to track and optimize their own health. This shift marks a move from reactive, disease-centered care to a proactive, data-driven model of scientific wellness. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Eric Topol, Dr. Nathan Price, Dr. Leroy Hood, Dr. Vijay Pande, and Daisy Wolf about how artificial intelligence, personalized data, and wearable technology are converging to radically transform medicine. Dr. Eric Topol is Executive Vice President of Scripps Research and founder/director of its Translational Institute, recognized as one of the top 10 most cited researchers in medicine with over 1,300 publications. A cardiologist and author of several bestselling books on the future of medicine, he leads major NIH grants in precision medicine and shares cutting-edge biomedical insights through his Ground Truths newsletter and podcast. Dr. Nathan Price is Chief Scientific Officer at Thorne HealthTech, author of The Age of Scientific Wellness, and a National Academy of Medicine Emerging Leader. He also serves on the Board on Life Sciences for the National Academies and is Affiliate Faculty in Bioengineering and Computer Science at the University of Washington. Dr. Leroy Hood is CEO and founder of Phenome Health, leading the Human Phenome Initiative to sequence and track the health of one million people over 10 years. A pioneer in systems biology and co-founder of 17 biotech companies, he is a recipient of the Lasker Prize, Kyoto Prize, and National Medal of Science. Dr. Vijay Pande is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and founder of a16z Bio + Health, managing over $3 billion in life sciences and healthcare investments at the intersection of biology and AI. An Adjunct Professor at Stanford, he is known for his work in computational science, earning honors like the DeLano Prize and a Guinness World Record for Folding@Home. Daisy Wolf is an investing partner at Andreessen Horowitz, specializing in healthcare AI, consumer health, and healthcare-fintech innovation. She previously worked at Meta and in various startups, holds a JD from Yale Law, an MBA from Stanford, and a BA from Yale, and is based in New York City. This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers. Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use code HYMAN10 to save 10%. Full-length episodes can be found here: Can AI Fix Our Health and Our Healthcare System? The Next Revolution In Medicine: Scientific Wellness, AI And Disease Reversal The Future of Healthcare: The Role of AI and Technology

In this episode of the Venture Capital Podcast, host Peter Harris sits down with Rex Salisbury, solo GP of Cambrian and former fintech partner at Andreessen Horowitz, for an in-depth conversation about the ongoing transformation of financial services. Rex shares his unique journey from investment banking to leading one of fintech's most dynamic pre-seed and seed funds, explaining how decades of inefficiency in banking have finally given way to a wave of disruptive innovation.The discussion explores recent shifts in the fintech landscape, highlighting how new fintech companies, once dismissed as serving only niche or low-value customers, are now directly competing with and winning market share from the largest legacy banks. Rex points to the rise of digital-first platforms like Robinhood and Wealthfront, which started by serving overlooked users but have evolved into sophisticated competitors for the millennial and Gen Z wealth transfer.Peter and Rex examine why B2B fintech is an especially powerful force, with vertical software companies like Toast integrating lending, payroll, and banking into a single platform that businesses can't imagine leaving for traditional banks. Rex also tackles the myth of banks' cost-of-capital advantage, arguing that technology and changing consumer expectations are steadily eroding long-held bank moats.Beyond consumer trends, the episode ventures into the investment landscape, with Rex sharing lessons from recent Cambrian investments, such as companies revolutionizing transfer agents and simplifying business shutdowns. The conversation also addresses the role of crypto and stablecoins in reshaping payment and banking infrastructure, where Rex differentiates between international and U.S. use cases but remains optimistic about crypto's role as a catalyst for industry change.Rex closes with actionable advice for aspiring founders and operators: seek out dense talent networks, work in growth-stage companies, and always surround yourself with people who teach you. The episode captures the underlying message that, as technology, business models, and capital flows shift, fintech is only just beginning to threaten incumbents and capture its share of the financial future.Follow the PodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/venturecapitalfm/Twitter: https://twitter.com/vcpodcastfmLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/venturecapitalfm/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7BQimY8NJ6cr617lqtRr7N?si=ftylo2qHQiCgmT9dfloD_g&nd=1&dlsi=7b868f1b72094351Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/venture-capital/id1575351789Website: https://www.venturecapital.fm/Follow Jon BradshawLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrbradshaw/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjonbradshaw/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrjonbradshawFollow Peter HarrisLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterharris1Twitter: https://twitter.com/thevcstudentInstagram: https://instagram.com/shodanpeteYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@peterharris2812

Immad Akhund is the CEO and co-founder of Mercury, a digital banking platform that's become the go-to financial infrastructure for startups. Before Mercury, Immad spent nearly two decades founding companies, learning the hard way what separates a good idea from a great business. In this episode, Immad shares the hard-earned lessons from launching Mercury as his third startup. He unpacks how he recognized this was the right idea to pursue, what strong product-market fit feels like, and why trying to "iterate" your way to success often leads founders astray. In this episode, we discuss: • Mercury's unusual culture playbook – and why it works • How to hire with intention • The trap of weak product-market fit • Shipping under intense pressure during the SVB crisis • And much more… References: • Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/ • Andreessen Horowitz: https://a16z.com/ • Apple: https://www.apple.com/ • Block: https://block.xyz/ • Brex: https://www.brex.com/ • Chime: https://www.chime.com/ • Gusto: https://gusto.com/ • Mercury: https://mercury.com/ • Paul Graham: https://x.com/paulg • Plaid: https://plaid.com/ • Stripe: https://stripe.com/ • SVB (Silicon Valley Bank): https://www.svb.com/ • True Link Financial: https://www.truelinkfinancial.com/ • Varo: https://www.varomoney.com/ • Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/ Where to find Immad: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iakhund/ Where to find Brett: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-berson-9986094/ • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/brettberson Where to find First Round Capital: • Website: https://firstround.com/ • First Round Review: https://review.firstround.com/ • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/firstround • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstRoundCapital • This podcast on all platforms: https://review.firstround.com/podcast Timestamps: (1:07) Hard-won lessons from serial entrepreneurship (2:02) You shouldn't copy-paste advice (6:57) Why personality trumps culture playbooks (8:48) How do you hire for cultural fit? (12:38) The values that shaped Mercury's DNA (14:08) The drivers underpinning Mercury's success (15:50) The significance of product-market fit (20:41) Don't fall into the weak product-market fit trap (25:49) How to evaluate startup ideas that scale (30:14) Mercury's unlikely origin story (33:51) Breaking into the fintech space (37:31) Mindset shift: From “This is hard” to long-term gains (39:43) Building Mercury's MVP (44:25) Overcoming early obstacles to reach launch (47:36) Navigating Mercury's rapid growth phase (51:18) Competition isn't the reason you're failing (55:58) Crisis management during the SVB collapse

How can biotech companies stay resilient and competitive when public sector funding becomes unpredictable? In this episode, host James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP, sits down with Adeyinka “Adey” Pierce-Watkins, MS, PMP—Director of Biodefense and Government Contracting at BDO USA—for a timely conversation on surviving and thriving in today's evolving federal funding landscape. From defense contracts to international partnerships, Adey shares practical guidance for life science leaders aiming to tap into strategic public funding opportunities. In this episode, you'll learn: How to identify and access alternative funding sources—including state, federal, and international opportunities. What biotech organizations need in place to be “government-ready” for grants, contracts, and urgent response funding. Why strategic planning, partnerships, and compliance infrastructure are essential to winning and executing federal awards. Whether you're pursuing BARDA grants, entering international consortia, or rethinking your risk exposure, this episode offers actionable insights to help biotech innovators chart a smarter path forward. Links: Connect with Adey Pierce, MS, PMP, and check out BDO USA. Connect with James Zanewicz, JD, LLM, RTTP and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine. Learn more about the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas, TEDCO, and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Learn more about Flagship Pioneering, Andreessen Horowitz, Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, and Roche. Learn more about HERA, Horizon Europe, AMED, and A*STAR. Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer. Check out BIO on the BAYOU and make plans to attend October 28 & 29, 2025. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU - the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

We explore how technology is transforming filmmaking workflows with John Trefry, CEO of 4WT Media. John shares how his early experiences building content teams at tech startups like Mahalo and DocStock shaped his unique approach to production—one that merges creative storytelling with the operational efficiencies of the tech world.The conversation dives deep into how modern tools are being used to streamline tasks across different stages of production. John outlines how these technologies are not just hype—they're solving real problems and saving time, especially for independent filmmakers. He also shares practical use cases, like using AI to generate pitch materials or evaluate new software, and why being early to adopt these tools can be a game-changer for content creators.We cover everything from film financing to the shifting dynamics of indie film sales and festival runs. And in a forward-looking close, John imagines a future where storytelling could become a personalized, immersive experience—without losing the human heart behind the work.Whether you're a filmmaker curious about AI, or a producer looking to future-proof your workflow, this episode is a must-listen.About WrapbookWrapbook is a smart, intuitive platform that makes production payroll and accounting easier, faster, and more secure. We provide a unified payroll platform that seamlessly connects your entire team—production, accounting, cast, and crew—all in one place.Wrapbook empowers production teams to manage projects, pay cast and crew, track expenses, and generate data-driven insights, while enabling workers to manage timecards, track pay, and onboard to new projects from any device. Wrapbook brings clarity and dependability to production payroll, while increasing the productivity of your whole team.For crew: The Wrapbook app eliminates the headaches of production payroll by providing a fast, transparent, and secure solution for workers to complete startwork, submit timecards, and track pay.Trusted by companies of all sizes, Wrapbook powers payroll for some of the industry's top production companies, including SMUGGLER, Tuff, and GhostRobot. Our growing team of 250+ people includes entertainment and technology experts from SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, Teamsters, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and more.Wrapbook is backed by top-tier investors, including Jeffrey Katzenberg's WndrCo, Andreessen Horowitz, and A* Capital.Get started at https://www.wrapbook.com/

Today in the business of podcasting: Sounds Profitable has published a new report called Driving to Action, Andreessen Horowitz is looking to pay $400k to build out a podcast network, how broadcasters are adapting to young sports fans' desire for instant clips and highlights, and a Fox affiliate in Grand Rapids is the latest Scripps TV station to assign designated neighborhood reporters. Find links to every article mentioned by heading to The Download's section of SoundsProfitable.com, or clicking here to go straight to today's installment.

Today in the business of podcasting: Sounds Profitable has published a new report called Driving to Action, Andreessen Horowitz is looking to pay $400k to build out a podcast network, how broadcasters are adapting to young sports fans' desire for instant clips and highlights, and a Fox affiliate in Grand Rapids is the latest Scripps TV station to assign designated neighborhood reporters. Find links to every article mentioned by heading to The Download's section of SoundsProfitable.com, or clicking here to go straight to today's installment.

My guest today is Ramtin Naimi. Ramtin is the founder of Abstract Ventures, one of the most talked-about seed funds in Silicon Valley. What makes Ramtin's story so compelling isn't just his firm's remarkable track record—including early investments in Rippling, Solana, and dozens of unicorns—but also the unconventional path he took to get there. From running a hedge fund straight out of high school to filing for bankruptcy at 24, then bootstrapping his way to building a $2 billion AUM venture firm using AngelList and relentless hustle. Our conversation begins in an unexpected place—the art world—where Ramtin has become a sophisticated collector, learning from mentors like Michael Ovitz about market dynamics that surprisingly mirror venture capital. We dive deep into how the art world actually works, and Ramtin explains how these lessons about "masterpieces" apply directly to identifying power-law companies in venture. We go deep on his approach to early-stage investing and how he built Abstract as a co-investment vehicle alongside firms like Sequoia, Benchmark, and Andreessen Horowitz. We explore his portfolio construction model, his philosophy on dilution-sensitive founders, and why he takes upwards of 30 pitch meetings per week to build his "frame of reference." We discuss why Abstract has the highest graduation rate from seed to Series A among all seed funds, and how this competitive advantage compounds over time. This is his first time telling his story, and we discuss the power of pattern recognition, relentless work ethic, and the unique opportunities available to those willing to start from scratch in Silicon Valley. Please enjoy this great conversation with Ramtin Naimi. Colossus Review Profile: Ramtin Naimi For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ramp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Ramp's mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ramp.com/invest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. – This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AlphaSense⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Alpha-Sense.com/Invest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster. – This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ridgeline⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. Head to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ridgelineapps.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about the platform. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Show Notes: (00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best (00:05:40) Learning from Mentors and Starting to Collect (00:08:50) Parallels Between Art and Venture Capital (00:12:57) Challenges in Art Collecting (00:20:45) The Role of Status in the Art World (00:25:00) Who Makes the Most Money in the Art World? (00:28:19) Abstract Ventures: Early Stage Investing (00:42:34) Starting a Venture Capital Firm from Scratch (00:43:12) Overcoming Bankruptcy and Early Struggles (00:50:34) Evaluating Technical Capabilities and Momentum (01:02:53) Competing for Deals and Building Relationships (01:15:25) The Role of Brand in Venture Capital (01:22:39) Early Life and Entrepreneurial Beginnings (01:28:40) Starting a Hedge Fund and Learning Hard Lessons (01:31:26) Transition to Venture Capital (01:37:19) Building Abstract and Family Life (01:52:03) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Done For Ramtin

Katherine Boyle and Erin Price-Wright are General Partners at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), leading the firm's American Dynamism practice. This episode explores how their team invests in companies tackling national imperatives—ranging from defense and manufacturing to energy and critical infrastructure. Katherine shares how American Dynamism emerged from portfolio patterns at a16z, while Erin describes how her background at Palantir informs her investment lens. Together, they unpack why the U.S. must reindustrialize, how software is now eating the physical world, and what they look for in high-capex startups. This conversation also highlights the evolving U.S.-China industrial competition, the role of government in innovation, and why talent is moving from Big Tech into “hard tech.”In this episode, we cover: ⁠[02:30]⁠ An overview of a16z⁠[04:59]⁠ Its thesis shift from defense to energy and industry⁠[07:49]⁠ How AI is transforming heavy industries[8:24] Tech stack for US vs. China[12:23]⁠ Role of government versus private capital⁠[16:14]⁠ Why software is still the core of industrial innovation[16:55]⁠ Base Power as a software-led grid infrastructure play⁠[20:42]⁠ When vertical AI-native startups beat incumbents⁠[21:48]⁠ How a16z helps startups navigate Washington⁠[27:51]⁠ Why energy problems require system-level solutions⁠[31:57]⁠ Moats in energy and manufacturing[37:51] a16z's American Dynamism 50 list⁠[40:16]⁠ Battery supply chains and the China dependency⁠[46:44]⁠ Why capital stack strategy matters for hard tech founders⁠[48:52]⁠ Looking 10 years aheadEpisode recorded on May 21, 2025 (Published on July 29, 2025) Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Elizabeth Weil, founder and managing partner of Scribble Ventures, just closed an $80 million Fund III focused on AI-native startups.She spent seven years at Twitter during hypergrowth from 60 to 2,500 employees, then built the Market Development team at Andreessen Horowitz.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comKey Topics discussed:The Scribble Network- 100+ operators and executives providing deal flow and portfolio support- Strategic angels helping companies scale- "Unfair advantages" through warm connectionsAI Investment Philosophy- Backing "AI-native" founders who "grew up" with the technology- Focus on proprietary data and unique workflows- Moat matters more than ever in a noisy landscapeBold Predictions- Every person will have a personalized tutor in their pocket- Digital immortality: preserving knowledge beyond physical existence- AI transforming healthcare, education, and daily behaviorsFounder Evaluation- Key question: "Why are you the team on this planet that is going to be able to build this company?"- Looking for "guttural desire" vs. whiteboard solutions- Warm introductions as primary signalFund Details- $80M Fund III for pre-seed and seed- $750K - $1.5M initial checks- Can lead, co-lead, or follow rounds- Intentionally generalist despite AI focusContact:- Website: scribble.vc- Email: hello@scribble.vc- X: @elizabethTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction(02:39) Elizabeth's journey from Stanford to Twitter(03:08) Early career and how she got into tech and startups(08:57) The Scribble Network and how it helps portfolio companies(12:21) Definition of AI-native companies and key characteristics of founding teams(14:17) Assessing the defensibility of a startup's data strategy(15:39) Learnings from operating at Twitter and Andreessen Horowitz(18:08) Key factors for investing at pre-seed and seed stages(20:13) Fundraising experience for Fund Three and navigating the LP landscape(23:03) Approach to valuations in the AI startup ecosystem(24:28) Exciting AI sub-sectors and areas with potential(30:15) Evaluating startups in a rapidly evolving AI landscape(31:51) Advice for early-stage founders on building their venture(34:08) Rapid fire round of questions about Scribble Ventures' investment strategyFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Episode 116 of The Prakhar Gupta Xperience features Balaji Srinivasan, a visionary entrepreneur, investor, and author known for his influential ideas on technology, decentralization, and the future of society. Based in Silicon Valley, CA, he's the former CTO of Coinbase, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz-backed startups like 21 Inc., and author of The Network State, a groundbreaking book on building digital-first nations.Recording Date: May 28, 2025This is what we talked about:00:00 - How Global Power is Shifting?07:16 - The US, China and the Internet 24:00 - How Powerful is China?53:45 - What China is NOT01:00:00 - The Internet Century 01:38:00 - What is Internet Place?01:40:00 - Concept of Network States01:47:10 - How can India Play to Win?02:19:45 - Are Dangers of AI Understated?02:26:54 - The Ignored Global Conspiracy.02:29:33 - The Truth about Human Psychology 02:35:00 - About Network School02:37:35 - Prakhar's Reflections

We sit down with Emmy-winning TV producer Clara Plestis, whose work as an executive at Smart Dog Media, helped redefine what family-friendly television can be. Clara has been instrumental in shaping formats that blend high-concept experimentation with broad appeal, from AI-powered dating shows to variety competitions. Her work demonstrates that entertainment aimed at mass audiences doesn't have to be safe or predictable—it can be surprising, ambitious, and culturally resonant.Clara walks us through the creative decisions behind Song vs. Dance, a Japanese-American co-production that combines performance, gaming, and visual flair into a highly original competition format. She also opens up about the bold choices behind Love by AI, a provocative dating experiment that hands matchmaking—and even the date experience itself—over to artificial intelligence. Through these shows, Clara reveals what it really takes to push fresh concepts through the development process: a deep understanding of global markets, strong format discipline, and the confidence to take calculated risks.Join us for a deep dive into Clara's process and what she sees on the horizon for television development.About WrapbookWrapbook is a smart, intuitive platform that makes production payroll and accounting easier, faster, and more secure. We provide a unified payroll platform that seamlessly connects your entire team—production, accounting, cast, and crew—all in one place.Wrapbook empowers production teams to manage projects, pay cast and crew, track expenses, and generate data-driven insights, while enabling workers to manage timecards, track pay, and onboard to new projects from any device. Wrapbook brings clarity and dependability to production payroll, while increasing the productivity of your whole team.For crew: The Wrapbook app eliminates the headaches of production payroll by providing a fast, transparent, and secure solution for workers to complete startwork, submit timecards, and track pay.Trusted by companies of all sizes, Wrapbook powers payroll for some of the industry's top production companies, including SMUGGLER, Tuff, and GhostRobot. Our growing team of 250+ people includes entertainment and technology experts from SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, Teamsters, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and more.Wrapbook is backed by top-tier investors, including Jeffrey Katzenberg's WndrCo, Andreessen Horowitz, and A* Capital.Get started at https://www.wrapbook.com/

Sherwood Callaway, tech lead at 11X, joins us to talk about building digital workers—specifically Alice (an AI sales rep) and Julian (a voice agent)—that are shaking up sales outreach by automating complex, messy tasks.He looks back on his YC days at OpKit, where he first got his hands dirty with voice AI, and compares the wild ride of building voice vs. text agents. We get into the use of Langgraph Cloud, integrating observability tools like Langsmith and Arize, and keeping hallucinations in check with regular Evals.Sherwood and Demetrios wrap up with a look ahead: will today's sprawling AI agent stacks eventually simplify? // BioSherwood Callaway is an emerging leader in the world of AI startups and AI product development. He currently serves as the first engineering manager at 11x, a series B AI startup backed by Benchmark and Andreessen Horowitz, where he oversees technical work on "Alice", an AI sales rep that outperforms top human SDRs.Alice is an advanced agentic AI working in production and at scale. Under Sherwood's leadership, the system grew from initial prototype to handling over 1 million prospect interactions per month across 300+ customers, leveraging partnerships with OpenAI, Anthropic, and LangChain while maintaining consistent performance and reliability. Alice is now generating eight figures in ARR.Sherwood joined 11x in 2024 through the acquisition of his YC-backed startup, Opkit, where he built and commercialized one of the first-ever AI phone calling solutions for a specific industry vertical (healthcare). Prior to Opkit, he was the second infrastructure engineer at Brex, where he designed, built, and scaled the production infrastructure that supported Brex's application and engineering org through hypergrowth. He currently lives in San Francisco, CA.// Related Links~~~~~~~~ ✌️Connect With Us ✌️ ~~~~~~~Catch all episodes, blogs, newsletters, and more: https://go.mlops.community/TYExploreMLOps Swag/Merch: [https://shop.mlops.community/]Connect with Demetrios on LinkedIn: /dpbrinkmConnect with Sherwood on LinkedIn: /sherwoodcallaway/ #aiengineering Timestamps:[00:00] AI Takes Over Health Calls[05:05] What Can Agents Really Do?[08:25] Who's in Charge—User or Agent?[11:20] Why Graphs Matter in Agents[15:03] How Complex Should Agents Be?[18:33] The Hidden Cost of Model Upgrades[21:57] Inside the LLM Agent Loop[25:08] Turning Agents into APIs[29:06] Scaling Agents Without Meltdowns[30:04] The Monorepo Tangle, Explained[34:01] Building Agents the Open Source Way[38:49] What Production-Ready Agents Look Like[41:23] AI That Fixes Code on Its Own[43:26] Tracking Agent Behavior with OpenTelemetry[46:43] Running Agents Locally with Phoenix[52:55] LangGraph Meets Arise for Agent Control[53:29] Hunting Hallucinations in Agent Traces[56:45] Off-Script Insights Worth Hearing

In this episode of The Girl Dad Show, host Young Han sits down with Jason Mok, VP and GTM leader at Brex and a devoted single dad. Jason currently serves as GM of Brex's Startups business and oversees Strategic Partnerships. Before Brex, he was an Operating Partner and GM at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), where he led the firm's first $400M Seed Fund, and spent 16 years at Silicon Valley Bank championing early- and growth-stage founders. Jason's story spans decades of leadership in banking, venture capital, and fintech—but at the heart of it is a father navigating the complexities of work, legacy, and raising good humans. In this episode, Jason opens up about teaching his kids about money, setting boundaries between work and family, and how success as a parent isn't about control—it's about the relationship you build as they grow up. ✨ All episodes of The Girl Dad Show are proudly sponsored by Thesis, helping founders go further, together. Takeaways Jason Mok is a single dad and fintech exec at Brex Brex offers a financial stack for startups and enterprises Jason's path includes SVB, a16z, and years of startup advisory Parenting requires consistent self-reflection Teaching kids about money is non-negotiable Being present matters more than being perfect Self-care supports strong parenting and leadership Boundaries between work and family take real intention Legacy is built through quality relationships, not just career wins

W sit down with Hugh Calveley, founder of Flow Capture (formerly Moxion), to discuss how a personal frustration on set evolved into a powerful cloud-based collaboration platform. From his early days as part of a film crew in New Zealand to building a production tool trusted by industry giants like Amazon Studios, Hugh shares the hard lessons of introducing new technology to an industry known for its time-honored methods–until a bold leap of faith from producer Barrie Osborne helped launch his platform onto major studio productions.We dive into the design and engineering choices that make Flow Capture stand out— microservices and real-time parallel processing that enabled lightning-fast workflows and personalized viewing formats.He also debunks myths around cloud security, arguing that centralized, enterprise-grade encryption is far safer than scattered, poorly protected assets.Looking ahead, Hugh paints an inspiring picture of AI's role in production—from intelligently breaking down scripts to unlocking vast archives of reusable footage—he offers a glimpse into a future where production is faster, smarter, and more creative than ever before.To learn more about Flow Capture, visit: https://www.autodesk.com/ca-en/products/flow-capture/overviewAbout WrapbookWrapbook is a smart, intuitive platform that makes production payroll and accounting easier, faster, and more secure. We provide a unified payroll platform that seamlessly connects your entire team—production, accounting, cast, and crew—all in one place.Wrapbook empowers production teams to manage projects, pay cast and crew, track expenses, and generate data-driven insights, while enabling workers to manage timecards, track pay, and onboard to new projects from any device. Wrapbook brings clarity and dependability to production payroll, while increasing the productivity of your whole team.For crew: The Wrapbook app eliminates the headaches of production payroll by providing a fast, transparent, and secure solution for workers to complete startwork, submit timecards, and track pay.Trusted by companies of all sizes, Wrapbook powers payroll for some of the industry's top production companies, including SMUGGLER, Tuff, and GhostRobot. Our growing team of 250+ people includes entertainment and technology experts from SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, Teamsters, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and more.Wrapbook is backed by top-tier investors, including Jeffrey Katzenberg's WndrCo, Andreessen Horowitz, and A* Capital.Get started at https://www.wrapbook.com/

I try not to write about Substack itself on Substack too often—I know it can feel a bit too meta. But as a writer in this space, I'm invested in how the platform evolves, especially as more writers are finding both a community and livelihood here. At a time when authors' salaries are shrinking, AI technologies are rapidly advancing, and many people I care about in publishing are being made redundant, it's hard to ignore how much the landscape is shifting.Yesterday, I was offered some interview time with the co-founders of Substack Hamish McKenzie and Chris Best. I don't interview many people these days—it's been years since I swapped my podcasting and journalism work to focus on writing more fiction and nonfiction books—but Substack is an interesting place, and they had some news to share.Today, Substack announced $100 million in new funding. I don't know much about the running of big companies—I'm a solo worker, and I like it that way—but I've always assumed big investment means big targets and more pressure. Still, this feels like a turning point for the platform. Clearly they're aiming to go big or go home. During the interview, I kept my focus simple: What does this mean for us writers?In their blog post today: they assure us that they want to help people build “livelihoods based on trust, quality, and creative freedom.” They want to help us protect our “independence, amplify [our] voices, and foster deep and direct relationships.”I asked them some direct questions: What do you do with $100 million investment? How do you plan to grow? What lessons are you taking from what went wrong at Twitter (X)? Are Notes cannibalizing the Substack newsletter model? And ultimately—what are you hoping to achieve longterm? How will you help writers and artists make their stuff and get paid?There are plenty of writers who are more interested in the business side of things than me and will continue to watch it all unfold—I just want to use this platform to write and live my quiet, happy life. But I'm glad I had the chance to have this conversation and share it with you, because I care deeply about the empowerment of writers and artists—and right now, we're in the middle of something pretty exciting. Hope you enjoy the interview! Big thanks to Hamish and Chris for their time xoxoInterviewing the co-founders of Substack, Hamish McKenzie and Chris Best:EMMA GANNON: First of all, I want to say thank you, because, you know, the media industry was quite demoralising before you guys came along. CHRIS BEST: Thanks, and thank you for using Substack.EMMA: Never a dull day in your offices. On that note, you've got some quite big news.CHRIS: Yeah, we're announcing $100 million in Series C funding led by investors at Bond and The Chernin Group with participation from Andreessen Horowitz and Rich Paul. You know who Rich Paul is? The CEO of Klutch Sports Group.EMMA: As in, Adele's Rich Paul? I saw her in Las Vegas last year, and then went deep into Google. CHRIS: Funny the many different paths to knowing who Rich Paul is. Also Jens Grede who's the CEO co-founder of SKIMS, and Mood Rowghani from BOND is joining the board. Basically, we're just thrilled. It's very exciting. There's something kind of special happening on Substack. We're building the plumbing for it. We're building the tools, technology and network and the bits that enable it, but it's really sort of you and everybody that's using the platform that's willing this thing into the world. Now we have this massive set of resources to make this thing the biggest and best version that it can possibly be.EMMA: Lots of people who follow my newsletter are solo entrepreneurs. They don't have teams, they don't necessarily have targets, they don't build the platforms but want to make things. For you, what happens next? Where do you put the money? I'm assuming you hire more people and make a better platform?CHRIS: Yeah, this gives us a chance to look really long term at what the biggest and best version of this thing that we're building can be. To build a company that can move fast enough and well enough to realise the biggest version of that. And so it means investing in the teams who are building the tools, building the network, helping writers and creators succeed.EMMA: What about learnings from other tech companies and learning from the past? In 2013, I was in Twitter HQ in London with my little mug with the bird on, and having an amazing time. And, well, we all know what happened to that. I was so sad about the decline of a great place. Do you keep that in mind? All of the stuff that other social networks got wrong?CHRIS: Yeah, we try to learn from what other people have done. We've learned what other people have got wrong and what other people have got right. You know, one of our core theories we have at Substack is, ultimately, you want to have a business model that's aligned with the values of what you're building. We make money when writers and creators on Substack make money. They make money when they're doing the work they believe in. I think that's maybe one of the most important lessons we've taken from some of the first generation social networks: they had these really lofty ambitions (and in many cases, quite good goals) but then wound up with these business models, which, on the one hand, were massively successful, but on the other hand, kind of pulled against the interests of the human beings who are using the networks.EMMA: How do you maintain that human element that makes everything so special at the beginning, when something grows? Because on one hand, it's like, I want everyone to know what Substack is, and on the other hand, it's like the cool band that I feel like I discovered, and I don't want people to come in and dilute it!CHRIS: We're trying to make something that is, essentially, a positive sum game. Some people have this feeling like, oh, man, if some well known person comes to Substack, or somebody else on Substack is really succeeding, that must be taking away from me, because there's this limited set of attention and money and universe. I think people (especially coming from from media over the past few decades) have this feeling of like, Alright, there's a declining share of resources, and I need to grab my piece of it. But the thing that I think is special about Substack is that it's positive, right? As more people come in, more people participate. It's this pie that's actually growing, and the more that it grows, the more benefit it can throw off for everybody. HAMISH MCKENZIE: And the better the pie tastes. It's not just a crappy pie, it's gonna be a delicious, nutritious pie.CHRIS: And it can't be just for cool people. It can't just be for any sort of one group. Not for Substack to be the place that's like, Oh, this is where the cool literary scene is, or this is where the in the know politics people hang out, or this is where the musicians are making something interesting, but rather, for us to build a platform that has enough structure that all those spaces can exist.EMMA: Yeah, that's so well put. I love that. Because even though I'm sure there is a small top percentage of people earning the most on Substack, wouldn't it be amazing if there is the ability for everyone to maybe have a lovely income stream through Substack, if they want to?CHRIS: Yeah. I mean, you want the tools to take payments, and then you want to be able to grow. We sometimes joke that the product proposition for Substack is, we'll do everything for you, except the hard part.EMMA: The hard part as in coming up with the ideas?CHRIS: Making the creative work that is actually valuable.EMMA: It's also the joyful part.CHRIS: We want to make like a machine that makes everything else magically work.EMMA: The recommendations network within Substack is the best thing. I talk about it all the time. So many of my new readers come from the inner network of Substack, and that's incredible. I have noticed a little bit of a plateau though. I know things can't grow like crazy forever. Are you working on more tools to foster this growth within the Substack eco-system?CHRIS: This is a huge focus for us. This is why the Substack app is a crucial part of the strategy. We think a lot about not just the volume of growth, but the quality of growth. Like, are you getting subscribers that are going to want to read you? Are you getting subscribers that want to pay? You know, the core of the Substack is really the value of that subscription relationship. EMMA: I do love the app, but I also want to make sure that I write and I sit at my desk and I think about things deeply. And I want to sit at my desk and write, and think about the world. On the app, sometimes I do end up mindlessly scrolling, and I'm like, ‘Oh, this is what I wanted to escape from on other social media.' Do you think Notes takes attention away from the deeper essays or long reads that we want to read?CHRIS: You know, originally the Substack app was just a quiet reader app. Instead of reading things in your inbox, you can read them in this quiet, nice space. That was kind of like a cool tool. But what it didn't do is help you discover new things, and it didn't help you grow. It just meant that you had to go to other places, like Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, and you were sort of dependent on these other networks to actually fill that need of discovering and reaching out and being part of the discourse. So the real advantage of the Substack Notes feed, is: we want to make something that's fun and engaging, that you actually want to go to and spend some time on—but so that you discover things that you fall in love with, enough that you might want to pay for them.EMMA: I love following you on Notes and what you're up to. You also get so many people being like “add this/do this/change this.” Is it cool to be in a position now where you've got, like, a shopping list of things to upgrade?HAMISH: Yeah, our build list is just going to be determined by the things that people tag us about in Notes. [laughs]EMMA: It must be annoying. [laughs]CHRIS: Well, I always appreciate getting feedback, and I always appreciate people telling us what they're feeling and how it's working. I will say that lobbying for things on Notes is not effective.EMMA: That's a good tip. Is there anything that you're excited about personally right now? To do with Substack?CHRIS: There are lots of things. One thing is this Live product that we've been building. The idea of the Live product is I can have something that basically feels like a FaceTime call. It's as simple as just calling somebody up, but it magically turns into a collaborative Live moment where we can both grow and then have a longform podcast artefact that can go in a podcast app or on YouTube. HAMISH: I'm really excited about the development of this network that is now established. It's not the largest network on the internet, but it's established, and it's growing, and it has so much potential, that could serve as the core for an entirely new cultural ecosystem (a challenger to the ones that have dominated for the last 10 years). We had high hopes for them, but they've ended up—in most cases—disappointing us or dividing us. And so that this is now established, and we get a ton of resources now to go and recruit more and more people to this revolution. That is thrilling to me.EMMA: At the Substack summer party in London, I looked around and it was full of TV presenters and radio DJs and documentary makers and authors, these amazing people. And I think it was Ted Gioia who said “the talent base of Substack is the impressive thing”. Do you want to focus on that retention of these types of people on the platform?CHRIS: Yes, it's very exciting when established names come to Substack, but it's also very exciting when a new generation of people can make those names for themselves and get their start. You know, who did not come from having some famous media job or having some being a bestselling author. If you're a young person right now who has the ambition to make something great, I think it would be very easy to look at the world and think: how can I find my way into that (media) world? EMMA: I think that's so true, and that's why the engine that you're building is so important, because we all know the feeling of starting something and then it's just in a vacuum. No one sees it, no one's engaging with it. So yeah, I love that you're focusing on making things discoverable for people. HAMISH: Yeah, that's the game. That's the game we're trying to play here. Bring people together, convene about culture, and then help them find each other.EMMA: I saw the Airmail piece about Sophia and Matt in your events team — it very cool, very chic — essentially profiling members of your team. It's basically saying “this is the cool place to be”. I love that Substack do events, is that something you want to continue doing?HAMISH: I think representing the Substack culture and values in the real world, as well as just on the internet (not that the internet's not the real world), but having a place where people come together and enjoy culture together and have these meaningful shared experiences, there's very much a continuation of the ethos that lies at the heart of the platform. Sophia Efthimiatou and Matt Starr (who have been responsible for the incredible events a large number of them, at least in New York) in particular embody the spirit of people who really value culture.EMMA: I sense a deep rooted motivation from you both, I always have, from the start, that this platform feels slightly different. There's an integrity and a really great energy. What is your ultimate goal for Substack? Is it just to continue on being a great place, or do you have a specific moment that you are hoping to reach in the next few years?CHRIS: I think we're living through a period of profound change right now. I think there's new technology coming online that's changing everything. I think there is social and cultural and geopolitical change, and those things come with problems and peril. You know, when you have massive technological shifts, there's always downsides, there's always things that come up, but there are also massive opportunity. I think of it as like building the plumbing that enables a renaissance. We want to build a successful, independent company that can power that thing to be the biggest and best version of itself.HAMISH: It's not about a particular moment. Just every day that the network gets bigger and better and then more and more people can succeed as a result is a next celebration for us. This is a long term work in progress where we're not looking for a specific business outcome or a specific even ecosystem outcome. It is a living and breathing culture.EMMA: Thanks so much for your time. I feel very invigorated at the moment, and a large part of that is the empowerment I feel to be paid for my work in such a direct way via Substack. As much as I love being traditionally published as a writer, I think one day I'm going to look back and think it is kind of crazy that I have to go into a building to record an audiobook, be ‘picked' as a person that's allowed to do that, and then be paid money in royalties. I don't think we're quite grasping how revolutionary life is for writers/creators right now. I hope you have a good week and look forward to seeing you again soon.HAMISH. Thank you, Emma. Thanks for showing the way for others as well. You're a huge leader on the Substack platform and an advocate for a different way of thinking about things. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thehyphen.substack.com/subscribe

We dive into the evolving world of content distribution and indie streaming with Bonnie Bruderer, founder and CEO of Binge Networks. A leader in the OTT space, Bonnie shares her unconventional path from corporate marketing and motivational coaching to launching a global streaming platform that champions independent filmmakers.She discusses how her early experiences producing her own talk show led to the realization that distribution was the true bottleneck for content creators. That insight sparked the creation of Binge Networks, which now helps thousands of filmmakers and producers distribute and monetize their work across platforms like Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and dozens more.Bonnie unpacks common misconceptions about monetization, the realities of today's streaming economics, and the importance of creators retaining control over their rights. She also reflects on how coaching shaped her leadership style, why adaptability has been crucial to her success, and offers practical advice to filmmakers seeking long-term sustainability in a competitive landscape.Tune in for an inspiring conversation with a media entrepreneur who's building the future of streaming, one creator at a time.About WrapbookWrapbook is a smart, intuitive platform that makes production payroll and accounting easier, faster, and more secure. We provide a unified payroll platform that seamlessly connects your entire team—production, accounting, cast, and crew—all in one place.Wrapbook empowers production teams to manage projects, pay cast and crew, track expenses, and generate data-driven insights, while enabling workers to manage timecards, track pay, and onboard to new projects from any device. Wrapbook brings clarity and dependability to production payroll, while increasing the productivity of your whole team.For crew: The Wrapbook app eliminates the headaches of production payroll by providing a fast, transparent, and secure solution for workers to complete startwork, submit timecards, and track pay.Trusted by companies of all sizes, Wrapbook powers payroll for some of the industry's top production companies, including SMUGGLER, Tuff, and GhostRobot. Our growing team of 250+ people includes entertainment and technology experts from SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, Teamsters, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and more.Wrapbook is backed by top-tier investors, including Jeffrey Katzenberg's WndrCo, Andreessen Horowitz, and A* Capital.Get started at https://www.wrapbook.com/

Katherine Boyle is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and cofounder of its American Dynamism practice, investing in sectors such as defense, aerospace, manufacturing, and infrastructure. She serves on the boards of Apex Space and Hadrian Automation, and is a board observer for Saronic Technologies and Castelion. Previously, she was a partner at General Catalyst, where she co-led the seed practice and backed companies like Anduril Industries and Vannevar Labs. She was also a reporter at The Washington Post. Katherine holds a BA from Georgetown, an MBA from Stanford, and a Master's from the National University of Ireland, Galway. She sits on the boards of The Free Press and the Mercatus Center. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://americanfinancing.net/srs NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org https://tryarmra.com/srs https://betterhelp.com/srs This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self. https://meetfabric.com/shawn https://shawnlikesgold.com https://hillsdale.edu/srs https://masachips.com/srs – USE CODE SRS https://paladinpower.com/srs – USE CODE SRS https://patriotmobile.com/srs https://rocketmoney.com/srs https://ROKA.com – USE CODE SRS https://trueclassic.com/srs https://USCCA.com/srs https://blackbuffalo.com Katherine Boyle Links: Website - https://a16z.com/author/katherine-boyle X - https://x.com/KTmBoyle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode, taken from The Ben & Marc Show, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz dive deep into the unfiltered story behind the founding of Andreessen Horowitz—and how they set out to reinvent venture capital itself. For the first time, Marc and Ben walk through the origins, strategy, and philosophy behind building a world-class venture capital firm designed for the future—not just the next fund. They reveal how they broke industry norms with a bold brand, a full-stack support model, and a long-term commitment to backing exceptional builders—anchored in the radical idea that founders deserved real support, not just checks. Joining them to guide the conversation is Erik Torenberg—Andreessen Horowitz's newest General Partner—who makes his Ben & Marc Show moderating debut. Erik is a technology entrepreneur, investor, and founder of the media company Turpentine.Together, they explore: - Why traditional VC needed reinvention - How a16z scaled with a platform model, not a partner model - The "barbell strategy" reshaping venture capital today - Why venture remains a human craft, even in the age of AI Timecodes: 00:00 - Intro 01:00 - Why Traditional Venture Capital Was Broken 03:05 - Marc on Discovering VC and Its Legends 05:12 - Surviving the Dot-Com Crash and Angel Investing Collapse 07:05 - Helping Founders Raise Venture / Fix VC Relationships 08:47 - The a16z Strategy: Building a Support Platform 12:07 - First Fund Wins: Skype, Instagram, Slack, Okta 12:50 - Building a 'World-Dominating Monster' 15:00 - The Sushi Boat VC Problem 18:07 - Treating LPs Differently 21:40 - Marc and Ben's Working Relationship 23:30 - Updating a16z's Media Strategy for the Social Era 27:20 - History of the Decentralized Media Environment30:36 - Decline of Corporate Brands and Going Direct 36:06 - Naming the Firm 40:13 - Building the a16z 'Cinematic Universe' of Talent 42:16 - Creating a Federated Model 51:02 - Deciding to Market the Firm 53:26 - Recruiting General Partners 56:33 - Evolution to Full-Stack Companies 01:03:53 - The Barbell Theory: The Death of Mid-Sized VCs01:11:50 - Why Venture Capital Should Stay Overfunded 01:19:50 - When a16z Knew It Could Be Top Tier 01:25:58 - Venture Capital is an Art, Not a ScienceResources:Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca Marc's Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Erik's Substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/

Regulating how AI is used—not how it's built—is the only way to protect innovation and give small startups a fair shot. Rob and Jackie sit down with Matt Perault, Head of Artificial Intelligence Policy at Andreessen Horowitz, to discuss the significant burden regulatory frameworks can place on smaller tech companies and the critical role of government in AI regulation. MentionedEzra Klein and Derek Thompson, Abundance, (Simon and Schuster, March 2025).Robert D. Atkinson and Meghan Ostertag, “Congress Should Fully Fund NSF's TIP Directorate to Make America More Competitive Versus China,” (ITIF, June 2025).Robert D. Atkinson, “2025 Bromley Memorial Lecture: US Science Policy at a Crossroads,” (ITIF, March 2025).RelatedMatt Perault, “A Policy Blueprint for US Investment in AI Talent and Infrastructure,” (Andreessen Horowitz, Marc 2025).

Roy Lee, founder and CEO of Cluely, discusses his AI startup's $15 million Andreessen Horowitz investment and their provocative "cheat on everything" marketing approach that has gone viral across the tech industry. They explore Cluely's real-time AI assistant that provides undetectable information during meetings and interviews, Roy's philosophy of "AI maximalism," and his vision for a post-AGI world where humans are freed from economic necessity to pursue intrinsic interests. The conversation covers his controversial stance on dissolving copyright and privacy norms for efficiency gains, the resonance of his message with young people, and how he believes society should adapt to increasingly capable AI systems. Despite the edgy messaging, Roy presents thoughtful perspectives on competing with tech giants and building technology that anticipates entirely new social contracts in an AI-dominated future. Sponsors: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is the next-generation cloud that delivers better performance, faster speeds, and significantly lower costs, including up to 50% less for compute, 70% for storage, and 80% for networking. Run any workload, from infrastructure to AI, in a high-availability environment and try OCI for free with zero commitment at https://oracle.com/cognitive The AGNTCY: The AGNTCY is an open-source collective dedicated to building the Internet of Agents, enabling AI agents to communicate and collaborate seamlessly across frameworks. Join a community of engineers focused on high-quality multi-agent software and support the initiative at https://agntcy.org NetSuite by Oracle: NetSuite by Oracle is the AI-powered business management suite trusted by over 42,000 businesses, offering a unified platform for accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR. Gain total visibility and control to make quick decisions and automate everyday tasks—download the free ebook, Navigating Global Trade: Three Insights for Leaders, at https://netsuite.com/cognitive PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing CHAPTERS: (00:00) About the Episode (03:24) Introduction and Cluey Overview (10:55) Future Rules and Privacy (13:20) Positive Vision for Future (Part 1) (18:01) Sponsors: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure | The AGNTCY (20:01) Positive Vision for Future (Part 2) (21:23) Entrepreneurship and Impact Theory (24:22) Anti-Establishment Marketing Strategy (27:26) AI in Universities (30:16) Columbia Expulsion Story (32:48) AI Maximalism Ethics (Part 1) (32:53) Sponsor: NetSuite by Oracle (34:17) AI Maximalism Ethics (Part 2) (38:29) AI Identification Debate (46:00) Output vs Input Philosophy (51:35) Learning and Skill Building (56:40) Trust and Market Effects (01:03:42) Assessment and Hiring Revolution (01:06:47) Viral Marketing Strategy (01:12:39) Long-term Company Strategy (01:15:59) High-End Talent Acquisition (01:18:56) Outro

In this episode of Quality Talks With Peggy O'Kane, NCQA President Peggy O'Kane has an energizing, constructive conversation with Dr. Will Shrank, a Venture Partner at Andreessen Horowitz.Will shares his vision for a more cohesive health care system that works based on aligned incentives, meaningful measurement of patient outcomes and savvy implementation of value-based care.Peggy and Will discuss:The ‘Systemness' Solution: Will emphasizes that while American health care has the right components—technology, talent and intent—it lacks the integration to make them work together. Systemness means aligning care delivery, data and incentives to function as a cohesive whole.Measurement Makeover: Current quality metrics often miss what matters most to patients and providers. Will calls for fewer measures that are focused on outcomes, not just process checks. Digital measurement can help, but fragmented data remains a challenge.Reimagined Reimbursement Prioritizes Primary Care: Will envisions a future where primary care providers take on meaningful financial risk for the cost and quality of care. This approach could help simplify incentives, foster collaboration with specialists and drive better outcomes.From Waste to Wellness: Health care wastes billions of dollars on administrative complexity. Meanwhile, prevention—arguably the most cost-effective strategy—struggles to gain traction due to delayed ROI. Will argues that aligning incentives around long-term health is essential to reducing waste and improving outcomes.Will concludes by assessing Medicare Advantage as a model of high-value care. Listen to the whole conversation for a warm, witty tour of quality's accomplishments and prospects.Key Quote:We just have to make this simpler. We've got to make it easy for doctors to do the right thing and to create the right relationships and to set the right paths.I think most people would agree a model where primary care docs have some meaningful accountability for the populations they serve would be better than what we have today.And if we as a system decided that's the direction we're going to go and make that the North Star, I think we in a much shorter time could get efficient, higher quality, and deliver better outcomes at lower cost, and deliver more equitable care for all Americans.”Will Shrank, MD Time Stamps:(01:06) A Systematic Approach to a Better Future(04:12) Challenges in Quality Measurement(09:24) Payment Models and Primary Care (13:55) Addressing Waste (24:49) Medicare Advantage and Value-Based Care(28:43) Peggy's Final Thoughts Links:Studies by Will Shrank (Google Scholar)Connect with Will

Joseph Woodbury Neighbor.com is changing the game for homeowners and property holders looking to generate passive income with zero hassle. In this exclusive startup founder interview, Joseph reveals how he built Neighbor.com, a disruptive peer-to-peer storage platform that empowers anyone to profit from their unused space—just like the Airbnb of storage.If you've been Googling "how to make money with extra space" or looking for scalable side hustles, this episode is tailored for you. Joseph breaks down how Neighbor.com simplifies storage solutions while giving hosts peace of mind through built-in protections like a $1M host guarantee, and how renters benefit from convenient, affordable alternatives to traditional storage units.His insights directly serve anyone seeking answers to these questions:How can I make passive income with my garage, driveway, or land?What makes peer-to-peer storage safer and easier now?Is there a low-effort way to monetize property year-round?What's the long-term vision for tech startups 2025 like Neighbor?Backed by investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Joseph's story is more than just a business case—it's a playbook for those looking to solve real problems with smart, scalable ideas. Whether you're considering listing your space or launching a startup, this episode will give you clarity, direction, and actionable advice.0:00 – Intro: Meet Joseph Woodbury & Neighbor.com1:25 – The story behind the startup3:10 – Who uses Neighbor and how they earn5:45 – Overcoming challenges of hyperlocal marketplaces7:50 – Building trust & long-term relationships9:30 – Host and renter protections explained11:45 – Minimal regulation benefits13:35 – How AI improves the platform15:45 – Venture capital backing: Andreessen Horowitz & more17:30 – Series B funding and monetization strategy19:15 – Getting started as a host21:00 – Closing thoughts & future vision#JosephWoodbury #NeighborDotCom #PassiveIncome #AirbnbOfStorage #PeerToPeerStorage #StartupFounderInterview #TechStartups2025 #SideHustles #StorageMarketplace #AndreessenHorowitz #RealEstateTech #StartupJourney #MakeMoneyWithExtraSpaceTo check out the YouTube (video podcast), visit: https://www.youtube.com/@drchrisloomdphdDisclaimer: Not advice. Educational purposes only. Not an endorsement for or against. Results not vetted. Views of the guests do not represent those of the host or show.  Click here to join PodMatch (the "AirBNB" of Podcasting): https://www.joinpodmatch.com/drchrisloomdphdWe couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:CashApp- https://cash.app/$drchrisloomdphdVenmo- https://account.venmo.com/u/Chris-Loo-4Spotify- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christopher-loo/supportBuy Me a Coffee- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chrisJxClick here to schedule a 1-on-1 private coaching call: https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/book-onlineClick here to check out our bookstore, e-courses, and workshops: https://www.drchrisloomdphd.com/shopClick here to purchase my books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PaQn4pFor audiobooks, visit: https://www.audible.com/author/Christopher-H-Loo-MD-PhD/B07WFKBG1FFollow our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/chL1357Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/drchrisloomdphdFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereal_drchrislooFollow the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NkM6US7cjsiAYTBjWGdx6?si=1da9d0a17be14d18Subscribe to our Substack newsletter: https://substack.com/@drchrisloomdphd1Subscribe to our Medium newsletter: https://medium.com/@drchrisloomdphdSubscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6992935013231071233Subscribe to our email list: https://financial-freedom-podcast-with-dr-loo.kit.com/Thank you to all of our sponsors and advertisers that help support the show!Financial Freedom for Physicians, Copyright 2025

Standard Nuclear emerged from the start-up stealth mode in early June 2025 with the announcement of successfully raising $42 million from a group of venture capitalist led by  Decisive Point with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Washington Harbour Partners, Welara, Fundomo and Crucible Capital. Though Standard Nuclear is young enough to have a single page web site, it owns and operates the largest...

On episode 518 of The Nurse Keith Show nursing and healthcare career podcast, Keith welcomes back Dr. Iman Abuzeid, the co-founder and CEO of Incredible Health, for yet another informative and fascinating interview with a frequent and dynamic guest with a great deal to share about the healthcare industry in general, and the nursing profession in particular. In the course of their conversation, Keith and Dr. Abuzeid discuss the findings from Incredible Health's sixth annual State of U.S. Nursing & Technicians 2025 Report. From AI and technology to staffing, the political climate, and job satisfaction, the numbers speak volumes, and Keith and Dr. Abuzeid together shed light on what the numbers reveal. Iman Abuzeid, M.D., is the co-founder and CEO of Incredible Health, the largest career marketplace for permanent healthcare workers, with the mission of helping healthcare professionals live better lives, and find and do their best work. The company, founded in 2017, has raised $100 million from top venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and health systems Kaiser Permanente and Johns Hopkins, and is valued at $1.65 billion, making Iman one of the few CEOs to run a “unicorn” startup (a company valued at over $1 billion). Iman is a MD, and holds an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Iman's immediate family has three surgeons, and as a doctor herself, she understands the importance of choosing the right stepping stones in a clinical career. It's what drives her belief in Incredible Health and its potential to reliably help clinicians manage their careers. Connect with Dr. Abuzeid and Incredible Health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Incredible Health website Facebook Instagram X LinkedIn Dr. Iman Abuzeid on LinkedIn Contact Nurse Keith about holistic career coaching to elevate your nursing and healthcare career at ⁠⁠⁠NurseKeith.com⁠⁠⁠. Keith also offers services as a motivational and keynote speaker and freelance nurse writer. You can always find Keith on⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠. Are you looking for a novel way to empower your career and move forward in life? Keith's wife, Shada McKenzie, is a gifted astrologer and reader of the tarot who combines ancient and modern techniques to provide valuable insights into your motivations, aspirations, and life trajectory, and she offers listeners of The Nurse Keith Show a 10% discount on their first consultation. Contact Shada at ⁠⁠⁠TheCircelandtheDot.com ⁠⁠⁠or shada@thecircleandthedot.com.

Yes, there still are some well meaning folks in Silicon Valley. Take, for example, Jimmy Chen, founder and CEO of Propel, an app designed to simplify food assistance for 41 million of the poorest Americans. Growing up food insecure himself, the Stanford educated Chen left lucrative jobs at Facebook and LinkedIn to build technology that actually serves those who need it most, proving that some Valley entrepreneurs are driven by social rather than financial ambition. Propel replaces the outdated 1-800 number system that food stamp recipients previously had to use to check their benefits, while connecting users to additional online resources and discounts. Chen's story challenges the conventional narrative that all tech founders are solely profit-motivated, and demonstrates how growing up in poverty can fuel mission-driven entrepreneurship. Five Key Takeaways1. Silicon Valley's Echo Chamber Problem Tech companies typically build for people like themselves - affluent, educated users - because founders solve problems they personally understand. This explains why so many startups focus on convenience for the already-comfortable rather than addressing real needs of vulnerable populations.2. Personal Experience Drives Authentic Mission Jimmy Chen's childhood food insecurity, including watching his father skip meals to ensure his children could eat, directly shaped his motivation to build technology for low-income families. This personal connection distinguishes mission-driven entrepreneurs from those simply claiming social impact.3. The For-Profit vs. Nonprofit Debate Chen argues that sustainable social impact requires a viable business model, not just philanthropic funding. Propel generates revenue by connecting users to vetted financial services and discounts, proving that companies can be profitable while serving society's most vulnerable.4. Technology Infrastructure Failures Hit the Poor Hardest Food stamp recipients still rely on outdated systems like calling 1-800 numbers to check balances, while criminals exploit antiquated magnetic stripe EBT cards through skimming schemes. These technological gaps disproportionately harm those who can least afford it.5. Scale Reveals Impact Potential With 41 million Americans receiving food assistance and Propel serving 5 million monthly users, Chen argues that technology solutions for underserved populations can achieve massive scale while creating genuine social good - challenging the current pessimism about “profitable” social enterprises.Jimmy Chen is the founder and CEO of Propel, an app used by over 5 million low-income households to manage their government benefits. Propel has over 500,000 five-star reviews and has been recognized by the White House, and Propel's investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Kleiner Perkins, JPMorganChase, Kevin Durant, and Serena Williams. In addition to his work at Propel, Jimmy serves on the boards of Share Our Strength, a national anti-hunger nonprofit, and TechNYC, a nonprofit coalition focused on the technology industry in New York. Jimmy holds a B.S. in Symbolic Systems from Stanford University, where he was an inaugural winner of the President's Award for the Advancement of the Common Good in 2022. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Alex Immerman, partner at Andreessen Horowitz, joins CJ to discuss the CFO role and how it's changing in the era of AI. He explains what the components of a company's AI agenda the CFO should own, how and where it should be leveraged in an organization, and why, if you're preparing to go public, AI needs to be mentioned in your S-1. He breaks down how the financial landscape differs greatly between AI-native SaaS companies and traditional B2B SaaS companies in terms of retention curves and gross margins, and how this relates to the ever-important LTV to CAC metric. As someone who has worked with prominent CFOs and interviewed many for a16z's portfolio companies, Alex also describes the qualities of a great CFO, and shares his favorite interview question, before discussing CFOs, CEO, and board dynamics.—LINKS:Alex Immerman on X (@aleximm): https://x.com/aleximmAlex Immerman on a16z: https://a16z.com/author/alex-immermanAlex Immerman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/immermanAndreessen Horowitz: https://a16z.comCJ on X (@cjgustafson222): https://x.com/cjgustafson222Mostly metrics: http://mostlymetrics.comRELATED EPISODES:So You're Looking for a “Strategic” CFO? Bloomerang's Steve Isom on What That Really Means: —TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview and Intro(02:19) Sponsor – Navan | NetSuite | Planful(05:52) What Separates Good CFOs From Great Ones(11:56) Questions Alex Asks When Interviewing CFOs for Portfolio Companies(15:17) How CFOs Should Engage With Investors During the Hiring Process(17:22) Sponsor – Tabs | Rippling Spend | Pulley(22:22) What a Great CFO-Investor Relationship Looks Like(24:46) The CFO-CEO-Board Dynamic(28:27) How the Role of a CFO Is Changing in the Era of AI(31:41) AI-Native Company Versus Incumbent for Finance Category Leader(33:49) Components of a Company's AI Agenda That the CFO Should Own(38:39) Why the LTV to CAC Metric Is So Important to Investors(41:13) LTV to CAC by Sector(42:41) The Importance of Gross Margin Adjusting Your CAC Payback(43:21 Retention and Churn Patterns in AI-Native Companies(45:23) Gross Margin in AI-Native Companies Versus Traditional B2B SaaS(50:11) What It Takes To Be a Public Company-Ready CFO Today(53:58) How IPO Expectations for the CFO Have Shifted in the Past Few Years(55:05) Wrap—SPONSORS:Navan is the all-in-one travel and expense solution that helps finance teams streamline reconciliation, enforce policies automatically, and gain real-time visibility. It connects to your existing cards and makes closing the books faster and smarter. Visit navan.com/Runthenumbers for your demo.NetSuite is an AI-powered business management suite, encompassing ERP/Financials, CRM, and ecommerce for more than 41,000 customers. If you're looking for an ERP, head to https://netsuite.com/metrics and get the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.Planful's financial planning software can transform your FP&A function. Built for speed, accuracy, and confidence, you'll be planning your way to success and have time left over to actually put it to work. Find out more at www.planful.com/metrics.Tabs is a platform that brings all of your revenue-facing data and workflows - billing, AR, payments, rev rec, and reporting - onto a single system so you can automate and be more flexible. Find out more at: tabs.inc/metrics.Rippling Spend is a spend management software that gives you complete visibility and automated policy controls across every type of spend, saving you time and money. Get a demo to see how much time your org would save at rippling.com/metrics.Pulley is the cap table management platform built for CFOs and finance leaders who need reliable, audit-ready data and intuitive workflows, without the hidden fees or unreliable support. Switch in as little as 5 days and get 25% off your first year: pulley.com/mostlymetrics.#AINativeSaaS #a16z #CFO #LTVtoCAC #AIinSaaS Get full access to Mostly metrics at www.mostlymetrics.com/subscribe

Enterprise AI is evolving quickly. Budgets are rising, agents are becoming essential, and companies demand state-of-the-art AI as soon as possible. Here are 16 insights from Andreessen Horowitz's latest analysis on how AI transforms the enterprise.Source: https://a16z.com/ai-enterprise-2025/Get Ad Free AI Daily Brief: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/AIDailyBrief⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brought to you by:KPMG – Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kpmg.com/ai⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about how KPMG can help you drive value with our AI solutions.Blitzy.com - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://blitzy.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to build enterprise software in days, not months AGNTCY - The AGNTCY is an open-source collective dedicated to building the Internet of Agents, enabling AI agents to communicate and collaborate seamlessly across frameworks. Join a community of engineers focused on high-quality multi-agent software and support the initiative at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠agntcy.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://agntcy.org/?utm_campaign=fy25q4_agntcy_amer_paid-media_agntcy-aidailybrief_podcast&utm_channel=podcast&utm_source=podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Vanta - Simplify compliance - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://vanta.com/nlw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Plumb - The automation platform for AI experts and consultants ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://useplumb.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Agent Readiness Audit from Superintelligent - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://besuper.ai/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to request your company's agent readiness score.The AI Daily Brief helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI. Subscribe to the podcast version of The AI Daily Brief wherever you listen: https://pod.link/1680633614Subscribe to the newsletter: https://aidailybrief.beehiiv.com/Join our Discord: https://bit.ly/aibreakdownInterested in sponsoring the show? nlw@breakdown.network

Paris Marx is joined by Sam Biddle to discuss how Silicon Valley is shamelessly courting government military contracts, using tactics to silence employee dissent and normalize the situation to the public, and what it all means for the future of military geopolitics.Sam Biddle is a senior technology reporter at The Intercept.Tech Won't Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon.The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson.Also mentioned in this episode:Sam wrote about how defense tech companies sought to capitalize on Trump's return to office and OpenAI's embrace of nationalism.Trae Stephens was interviewed by Wired last year, where he made his comments about the military industrial complex.Meta and Anduril teamed up to provide VR and AR devices to the US military.Trump's US Army appointee won't give up his Anduril stock.Palantir's CEO wrote the Defense Reformation report and Andreessen Horowitz launched an American Dynamism division.Support the show

What does it take to build a venture firm from scratch—and scale it across multiple waves of technological and cultural change?In this special episode recorded at the a16z LP Summit, Marc Andreessen joins Erik Torenberg for a conversation on the origins and evolution of Andreessen Horowitz. From raising Fund I during the depths of the 2008 financial crisis to shaping the firm's multistage, multi-sector strategy, Marc reflects on how the firm was built—and rebuilt—as the tech landscape shifted.They discuss the rise of “Little Tech,” why policy now matters to startups, how scale became a strategic advantage in venture capital, and why the move from generalists to vertical specialists was inevitable.Along the way, Marc shares behind-the-scenes stories on Facebook's near-sale to Yahoo, the evolution of founder archetypes, the global talent arbitrage, and what too many people still misunderstand about tech's role in society.Resources: Find Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarcaFind Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenbergStay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16zFind a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.