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In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, welcomes Chris Lyons, President of Web3 Media at a16z Crypto, a division of Andreessen Horowitz. Chris shares his journey from music producer to tech investor and cultural connector, offering a rare perspective on how culture and innovation intersect in venture capital. You'll learn why mentorship extends beyond traditional relationships and how books, communities, and digital platforms can serve as powerful guides. Chris explains his “hide the wires” approach to driving blockchain adoption by simplifying complexity and focusing on user benefits. He also unpacks his service-first leadership philosophy, showing how adding value to others creates lasting impact. Chris also discusses the importance of staying grounded in high-stakes environments and why courage and belief are essential for turning ideas into reality.Meet Chris Lyons:Christopher Lyons is President of Web3 Media at a16z crypto, where he has shaped groundbreaking initiatives like the $400M Seed Fund and the Cultural Leadership Fund, Silicon Valley's first VC fund with all Black Limited Partners. A former sound engineer turned entrepreneur, Lyons bridges culture and technology, uplifting Black creators and fostering innovation. He serves on the boards of Yuga Labs, The James Beard Foundation, The Black Economic Alliance, and New Story Charity, while also founding Lyons Wine.
Ask Me How I Know: Multifamily Investor Stories of Struggle to Success
Performance pressure and role fatigue often make leaders shrink back. If you fear being “too much,” this episode shows how recalibration restores peace — so your full presence becomes a gift, not a burden.Have you ever held back an idea in a meeting, softened your words so they wouldn't sound “too passionate,” or dimmed your presence because you didn't want to overwhelm others? For many high-capacity humans, the fear of being “too much” quietly shapes their leadership and their life.In this episode of The Recalibration, Julie Holly unpacks why leaders shrink themselves — and how to break free. Through personal reflection on a lifetime of feeling self-conscious about her energy, and the cultural story of Marc Andreessen, who was criticized as brash and “too much” in the early internet era yet went on to shape Netscape and Andreessen Horowitz, Julie reframes what “too much” really means.From an Identity-Level Recalibration (ILR) lens, this fear usually comes from outdated roles: the Pleaser, who thinks it's safer to stay small than risk disapproval; the Peacekeeper, who confuses harmony with suppression; and the Perfectionist, who edits presence until it feels unthreatening. Neuroscience names this pattern social safety bias — the brain exaggerates the risk of rejection, so shrinking feels like safety. But what feels safe in the moment becomes suffocating over time.Here's the truth: You are not too much. You are exactly the right size for your assignment. ILR restores this identity, retraining your nervous system to hold presence without apology. Without recalibration, presence feels like performance. With recalibration, presence feels like peace.This episode is for every leader who feels role fatigue, decision fatigue, or the emptiness of success without fulfillment. It's not another mindset tactic or productivity hack — it's the root-level recalibration that makes every other tool effective.Today's Micro Recalibration:Where am I shrinking myself?What would it look like to bring my full presence without apology?How might my leadership create permission for others to expand?If this episode gave you language you've been missing, please rate and review the show so more high-capacity humans can find it. Explore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Join the waitlist for the next Recalibration cohort This isn't therapy. This isn't coaching. This is identity recalibration — and it changes everything.
The AI Breakdown: Daily Artificial Intelligence News and Discussions
A new report from Andreessen Horowitz and Mercury reveals where startups are actually putting their AI budgets — the top 50 applications, the trends driving spending, and what that means for the future of enterprise adoption. From creative tools to AI agents, we break down which categories are emerging as must-haves and why horizontal apps still dominate over niche solutions. We also explore how the next generation of “AI employees” is moving from hype to real budget line items. Plus, in the headlines: snags with OpenAI's much-anticipated AI device and the latest updates from Sora.Brought to you by:Is your enterprise ready for the future of agentic AI?Visit AGNTCY.orgVisit Outshift Internet of AgentsTry Notion AI today with Notion 3.0 https://ntn.so/nlwKPMG – 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 Insightwise - AI for the entire consulting lifecycle https://www.insightwise.ai/Robots & Pencils - Cloud-native AI solutions that power results https://robotsandpencils.com/Vanta - Simplify compliance - https://vanta.com/nlwThe 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/1680633614Interested in sponsoring the show? nlw@aidailybrief.ai
The Sunday Times' tech correspondent Danny Fortson brings on Scott Kupor, managing partner of Andreessen Horowitz, to talk about why this boom is different from 2000 (1:50), if it is easier today to start a company (6:10), and why it is harder to get big (7:50), the rise of the “mullet” (9:20), why he wrote a book (12:00), why Y Combinator is important (13:20), the investor profiles it keeps (15:40), being “frenemies” with Y Combinator (17:05), the weirdness of venture capital competition (18:25), what goes wrong (20:00), dealing with ego (22:50), what happens when companies fail (24:05), whether Facebook should be broken up (26:50), the changes coming to antitrust laws (30:30), the opportunity to build a decentralised giant (32:00), managing conflict (34:05), and the importance of the “warm intro” (35:50). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
All links and images can be found on CISO Series. This week's episode is hosted by David Spark, producer of CISO Series and Mike Johnson, CISO, Rivian. Joining them is Pavi Ramamurthy, global CISO and CIO, Blackhawk Network. In this episode: We can't promise safe, but we can promise ready Are we accidentally building security nightmares? Being held accountable for things you had no say in The safe space problem in vendor evaluation Huge thanks to our sponsor, Adaptive Security Sponsored by Adaptive Security — the first cybersecurity company backed by OpenAI. Adaptive helps security leaders defend against AI-powered social engineering threats like deepfakes, vishing, and GenAI phishing with advanced phishing simulations and next-generation security awareness training. Adaptive's new AI Content Creator enables teams to instantly convert threat intelligence and compliance updates into interactive, multilingual training — no instructional design required. Trusted by Fortune 500s and backed by Andreessen Horowitz and the OpenAI. Learn more at http://www.adaptivesecurity.com
In this raw episode of Rise and Play, we welcome back Ioana Hreninciuc, co-founder of Runware and former CPO at Huuuge Games and Homa Games. Ioana has held some of the biggest leadership roles in gaming and tech, and today she reflects openly on the founder journey, the highs and lows of VC-backed startups, and the importance of choosing yourself before burnout chooses you."It wasn't luck — it was luck with a lot of homework. Ten years of work led to that one call from Andreessen. But the real lesson is: you can build a company without losing yourself in the process. And if you feel you are — choose yourself first."From building side projects that went viral, to receiving that life-changing call from Andreessen Horowitz, to stepping away from her own company at the height of its momentum, Ioana shares the raw truths behind the glossy founder narrative.
SUB TO THE PPM PATREON TO HEAR THE EXCLUSIVE ADVANCE RELEASE OF THIS NEARLY 4 HR EPISODE NOW:patreon.com/ParaPowerMappingTo discuss the state of communist and socialist counter-propaganda and indoctrination efforts on TikTok and the possible impacts of the imminent TikTok-Oracle-Fox merger, I'm joined by James Rehwald of MeansTV, the creator of many viral, info-laden, Marxist quote heavy, anti-imperialist TikTok sketches such as:“Join the CIA Today”“The War Machine”“Is Israeli Food Even Real?”“When you ‘vote' the imperialism & fascism away”and more.James is someone whose videos I've garnered enjoyment and edification from for a few years now and I'd been planning to ask him to come on the show for a minute once I became aware we had a mutual appreciation on Twitter, but the combo of the acquisition, Leavitt's comments the other day, and a previous interaction we had re world's sometimes wealthiest man Larry Ellison hastened my decision to hit him up and congealed the idea of attacking these topics together in my mind, and I can think of no one better to do so with.This is also a bit of an impromptu AmerIsraeli Years of Lead and PAWG aka Palantir Apartheid w/ White Gov session spurred forward by said recently assembled Zio·nist consortium's imminent TikTok takeover at Trump and the Israel lobby's behest. The logic behind this episode tying into our ongoing paying of heed to the AmerIsraeli Years of Lead is due to the fact that the Trump admin seems to be using the recent Charlie Kirk assassination / deep event as a pretext for retraining TikTok's algorithm to further suppress leftist content on the platform as illustrated by Press Secretary Leavitt. Said presser also fielded questions regarding Trump's decision to have the Bigfoot-esque, cryptid "insurgent movement" called “antifa” designated a domestic terrorist organization—which is, in its present iteration, mostly a fiction or else a mask donned by Gladioperators.Amongst that and the announcement of the Autism Action Plan (lol), Press Sec Leavitt also spoke to the TikTok acquisition, stating that, if the deal as presently outlined goes through, the app's US operations would be taken over by a majority American owned consortium helmed by vampiric, Bryan Johnson-financing multibillionaire Larry Ellison and populated by a number of Zio·nist national and cybersecurity experts, that Ellison's company Oracle will serve as TikTok's “trusted security provider”, that the servers would all be physically located in the States “without access from China”, and that the algorithm would ultimately be retrained, naturally leading to even more oppressive censorship of leftist and anti-Zionist dissent on the platform.Our convo takes a three-pronged approach (in reverse order):We expend some time and energy ParaPower Mapping the acquisition consortium together and situating it within a larger geo-and-deep political context, laying out the ways in which Ellison, Oracle, Michael Dell, the Murdochs, Fox, Andreessen-Horowitz, and Silver Lake and indirect industry and congressional backers of the Ban-Tok Bill like Alex Karp and Anthony Goldbloom and Rep. Gallagher are marked by deeply entrenched Zio·nist ideology and are inextricably entangled with the gen·ocidal, apartheid EntityWe discuss our TikTok prognoses and what the deal may mean for online anti-hasbara actionAnd I also pick James's brain re his experience as a leftist content creator; how he's harnessed video-making to promulgate postcolonial, anti-Zionist, and Marxist ideology; his writing process and the development of his distinctive, whimsically DIY, Hardboiled Nerf Gun style; and any advice he's willing to give to fellow traveling creatorsSUPPORT JAMES REHWALD:https://www.patreon.com/JamesRehwaldhttps://means.tv/programs/james-rehwaldFULL NOTES ON PATREON
This week on the Newcomer Podcast, we dive into three stories that reveal how tech, politics, and media are colliding in unexpected ways. First, we look at Andreessen Horowitz's expanding media ambitions, exploring why A16z wants to shape the narrative around everything from defense tech to TikTok. Then, we turn to Trump's feud with Jimmy Kimmel, which led to Kimmel's suspension and re-hiring by Disney — a moment that highlights the uneasy dance between business leaders, politics, and late-night TV. Finally, we take a deep dive into the Klarna IPO, a $15B milestone that was more than 15 years in the making, unpacking the winners, the losers, and the lessons that investors and founders can learn from the journey.Hosted by Eric Newcomer with reporting from Madeline Renbarger, this episode offers sharp insights into how power and money are shaping the future of technology and media. Subscribe for weekly conversations at the intersection of Silicon Valley and society, and don't miss more deep dives at newcomer.co
We sit down with Ida Lee Henderson, a veteran production accountant whose career spans blockbuster films like Planet of the Apes and acclaimed series like Brothers and Sisters. Beyond her on-set work, Ida Lee is also a respected mentor and educator, having trained countless accountants through her School of Production Accounting.In this conversation, Ida Lee shares what drew her to the industry, how she's seen it evolve over the decades, and the key challenges facing producers today—particularly around union compliance, payroll, and budgeting. She discusses the importance of clear communication between accounting and production teams, and how strong relationships can prevent costly financial missteps.She also dives into the changing role of technology in production accounting, from digital start work to AI-powered invoice tools. She shares why early adoption matters, how tools like Wrapbook's rate finder can streamline budgeting, and why adaptability is essential in a fast-moving industry.Whether you're a producer, accountant, or just curious about how productions stay on budget and in compliance, this episode is a must-watch.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/
This week on the Newcomer Podcast, we dive into three stories that reveal how tech, politics, and media are colliding in unexpected ways. First, we look at Andreessen Horowitz's expanding media ambitions, exploring why A16z wants to shape the narrative around everything from defense tech to TikTok. Then, we turn to Trump's feud with Jimmy Kimmel, which led to Kimmel's suspension and re-hiring by Disney — a moment that highlights the uneasy dance between business leaders, politics, and late-night TV. Finally, we take a deep dive into the Klarna IPO, a $15B milestone that was more than 15 years in the making, unpacking the winners, the losers, and the lessons that investors and founders can learn from the journey.Hosted by Eric Newcomer with reporting from Madeline Renbarger, this episode offers sharp insights into how power and money are shaping the future of technology and media. Subscribe for weekly conversations at the intersection of Silicon Valley and society, and don't miss more deep dives at newcomer.co
This week, we are joined by Michele Kellerman, Cybersecurity Engineer for Air and Missile Defense at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab discussing Women's health apps and the legal grey zone that they create with HIPAA. Ben has the story of the potential sale of TikTok to U.S. investors. Dave's got the story of a looming deadline on renewal of a key cybersecurity information sharing bill. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney. Links to today's stories: Trump turns Biden's TikTok law into a big win Cyber threat information law hurtles toward expiration, with poor prospects for renewal Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our Caveat Briefing, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to N2K Pro members on N2K CyberWire's website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week's Caveat Briefing covers the Trump administration's approval of a long-awaited deal for ByteDance to divest from TikTok, transferring majority ownership — and control of its recommendation algorithm — to a U.S.-led group including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz. The Department of Justice also kicked off its major antitrust case against Google's ad tech business, seeking a forced divestiture of its AdX exchange and potential structural changes to restore competition in the online advertising market. Curious about the details? Head over to the Caveat Briefing for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to caveat@thecyberwire.com. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Sasha Orloff sits down with Jason Mok, VP & GM of Startups at Brex, about the company's evolution from credit cards to a comprehensive financial platform and their new partnership with Puzzle to offer "one-click accounting" that automatically sets up bookkeeping for startups during Brex onboarding, eliminating the friction that typically delays founders from getting proper financial infrastructure in place from day one. -- SPONSORS: Notion Boost your startup with Notion—the ultimate connected workspace trusted by thousands worldwide! From engineering specs to onboarding and fundraising, Notion keeps your team organized and efficient. For a limited time, get 6 months of Notion AI FREE to supercharge your workflow. Claim your offer now at https://notion.com/startups/puzzle Puzzle
Hvordan går man fra å selge capser til å hente 118 millioner kroner fra Atomico – og være med på en unicorn-exit på med Sana. Michelangelo Pagliara deler en sjelden reise fra Oslo til Nederland, Berlin, London og Silicon Valley. Han har vært sentral i både Strise og Sana, og nå står han bak sitt eget fond – i samarbeid med selveste Andreessen Horowitz.
In this episode of the Ad Tech Godpod, host AdTechGod speaks with Hillary Slattery, Senior Director of Product Management at IAB Tech Lab. They discuss Hillary's career journey, the differences between IAB and IAB Tech Lab, the rise of programmatic advertising in CTV, challenges in transparency and data sharing, innovations in live event advertising, the role of curation, and the impact of AI on the advertising industry. Hillary emphasizes the importance of transparency, the need for standards in advertising, and her motivation as a female leader in a technical role. Takeaways Hillary Slattery has a diverse background in ad tech. IAB and IAB Tech Lab serve different but complementary roles. Programmatic advertising in CTV is a growing trend. Transparency in data sharing is a significant challenge. Curation is becoming increasingly important in advertising. AI is reshaping the advertising landscape. Hillary values her role as a female technical lead. The conversations in ad tech are always evolving and interesting. There are legitimate reasons for the lack of transparency from sellers. Hillary is motivated by the impact of her work and the people she collaborates with. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Hillary Slattery and Her Journey 02:36 Understanding IAB and IAB Tech Lab 05:21 Programmatic Advertising and CTV Trends 07:57 Challenges in Transparency and Data Sharing 10:58 Innovations in Live Event Advertising 13:41 The Role of Curation in Advertising 16:38 AI's Impact on the Advertising Industry 19:18 Motivation and Leadership in Ad Tech TikTok's Fate, Rembrandt's Big Bet, and CTV's Transparency Leap This week's episode of The Refresh covers three major developments shaping advertising and adtech: the long-awaited resolution of the TikTok U.S. drama, a notable merger between Rembrandt and Spaceback, and Index Exchange's groundbreaking integration with Grace Note. Host Kate unpacks the details, implications, and what these shifts mean for advertisers, creators, and platforms heading into 2025. 5 Key Highlights: TikTok's U.S. operations are set to spin into a new company with majority American ownership (80%), including Oracle, Andreessen Horowitz, and Silver Lake, while ByteDance retains 20%. A new TikTok U.S. app is reportedly in testing, requiring users to migrate accounts, raising concerns about logins, content transfers, and algorithm performance. Rembrandt acquired Spaceback, adding scale with 3,000+ advertisers and expanding its AI-driven creative offerings to blend product placements with organic content. The merger reflects broader industry trends: AI-driven “intelligent creative,” creative functions shifting into buying platforms, and the blending of context with content. Index Exchange and Grace Note launched the first integration enabling show-level targeting and reporting in CTV, addressing long-standing transparency challenges for advertisers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon Musk's xAI has raised $10 billion at a $200 billion valuation, doubling its worth in just four months. The round includes familiar backers like Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia, and Fidelity, and gives xAI the second-highest valuation in private AI. This episode breaks down what investors are really buying into: Grok's integration with X, the push toward open-source models, plans for a massive GPU cluster, and the growing fusion of social media and AI under Musk's control. We also look at what xAI still lacks compared to OpenAI and Anthropichttps://wilwaldon.com
Sriram Krishnan is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and former senior product leader at tech giants like Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter (now X), and Snap. Born in Chennai, India, he began his career at Microsoft before moving to Silicon Valley, where he contributed to product development at leading companies and later transitioned to venture capital as a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz from 2021 to 2024, focusing on consumer and enterprise investments. In December 2024, President-elect Donald Trump appointed him as Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, tasked with advancing U.S. dominance in AI amid global competition. Krishnan co-hosted "The Aarthi and Sriram Show" podcast with his wife Aarthi Ramamurthy, interviewing tech leaders and exploring innovation topics. A prolific writer and speaker, he advocates for immigration reform to attract global talent, ethical AI development, and bridging technology with policy to foster economic growth. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: 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://bruntworkwear.com – USE CODE SRS https://calderalab.com/srs Use code SRS for 20% off your first order. https://meetfabric.com/shawn https://shawnlikesgold.com https://helixsleep.com/srs https://www.hulu.com/welcome https://ketone.com/srs Visit https://ketone.com/srs for 30% OFF your subscription order. https://moinkbox.com/srs https://patriotmobile.com/srs https://rocketmoney.com/srs https://ROKA.com – USE CODE SRS https://ziprecruiter.com/srs Sriram Krishnan Links: X personal - https://x.com/sriramk X official - https://x.com/skrishnan47 Website - https://sriramk.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Age of Transitions and Uncle 9-19-2025AoT#475The new mainstream media is social media, but the new propaganda is starting to look similar to the old War on Terror propaganda. Topics include: digital media, Truth Movement shifted into the influencer economy, emerging technologies, TikTok divestment going through, Larry Ellison Oracle, Andreessen Horowitz, TikTok ban story was a farce, social media being bought up by tech oligarchs, truth is in the details, reactionary social media distractions, new mainstream media and propaganda network is social media, billionaires in control, government controlled by Big Tech, JD Vance is a plant, transhumanism, Peter Thiel Antichrist lecture protest, common misconceptions of California, Huntington Beach, Network State ideology, destroying US Constitution, Vance guest host Charlie Kirk podcast, Stephen Miller, new War on Terror, branding the Left as violent extremist group, fractures in MAGA media world, Charlie Kirk honest in his convictions, Turning Point USA, EpsteinUtp#382Sidekick is given an ultimatum to either talk or turn the knobs. The show may be growing, but the callers are getting devilish. Topics include: the knobs, Sidekick can't talk, the topics paper, TikTak cut out for the night, callers, sports, the Baja Man, massage, Hulk Hogan death conspiracy theories, German knob technician, pro wrestling, 7 comets coming toward Earth, bad caller, cancelled by the chat, the comics, bad caller back, bing box boxing, choosing an alien liaison, Busted 82, alien telepathy, shout outsFRANZ MAIN HUB:https://theageoftransitions.com/PATREONhttps://www.patreon.com/aaronfranzUNCLEhttps://unclethepodcast.com/ORhttps://theageoftransitions.com/category/uncle-the-podcast/FRANZ and UNCLE Merchhttps://theageoftransitions.com/category/support-the-podcasts/---BE THE EFFECTEmergency help for Ochelli and The NetworkMrs.OLUNA ROSA CANDLEShttp://www.paypal.me/Kimberlysonn12 new Social Media experimentsBLUESKYhttps://bsky.app/profile/ochelli.bsky.socialTRUTH SOCIALhttps://truthsocial.com/@Ochelli---NOVEMBER IN DALLAS LANCER CONFERENCEDISCOUNT FOR YOU10 % OFF code = Ochelli10https://assassinationconference.com/Coming SOON Room Discount Details The Fairmont Dallas hotel 1717 N Akard Street, Dallas, Texas 75201BE THE EFFECTListen/Chat on the Sitehttps://ochelli.com/listen-live/TuneInhttp://tun.in/sfxkxAPPLEhttps://music.apple.com/us/station/ochelli-com/ra.1461174708Ochelli Link Treehttps://linktr.ee/chuckochelliAnything is a blessing if you have the meansWithout YOUR support we go silent.---NOVEMBER IN DALLAS LANCER CONFERENCEDISCOUNT FOR YOU10 % OFF code = Ochelli10https://assassinationconference.com/Coming SOON Room Discount Details The Fairmont Dallas hotel 1717 N Akard Street, Dallas, Texas 75201. easy access to Dealey Plaza
"One of the greatest challenges we face as African gamers has always been the right representation."The video game industry in the United States is bigger than Hollywood and the music industry combined. But Africa? Africa is the fastest-growing gaming market in the world, six times the global average. In this episode of Limitless Africa, hosts Claude Grunitzky and Dimpho Lekgeu meet with African gaming leaders and American investors who are betting big on the continent's youth, talent, and mobile-first habits. From Grammy-winning rapper Nas to Silicon Valley giants like Google and Andreessen Horowitz, US backers are helping African studios like Carry1st scale. But it's not just about growth. It's also about representation. With insights from Dom Eromosele of Carry1st and Jay Shapiro of Pan Africa Gaming Group, we explore how collaboration between Africa and America could create a powerful and secure future for global gaming.Plus: The old school hip hop legend investing in African gaming.
En la edición de hoy de Radar Empresarial, ponemos el foco en la más reciente entrevista de Donald Trump con Fox News. Durante la conversación con el periodista Peter Doocy, el expresidente reveló que Lachlan Murdoch, hijo del influyente Rupert Murdoch, podría incorporarse a la nueva junta directiva de TikTok en Estados Unidos. Tras meses de negociaciones y movimientos estratégicos, Lachlan ha tomado el control de la compañía, y su entrada en la cúpula que gestionará las operaciones de la red social en EE. UU. parece inminente. Trump también mencionó a algunos de los llamados “inversores patriotas” que podrían formar parte del órgano directivo, entre ellos Larry Ellison, fundador de Oracle, y Michael Dell, CEO de Dell Technologies. Serán en total siete los asientos que compondrán la junta estadounidense de TikTok, según confirmó la portavoz presidencial Karoline Leavitt el pasado sábado. Seis de ellos estarán en manos de empresas del país norteamericano, mientras que se prevé que el séptimo quede en control de ByteDance, la matriz china de TikTok, según declaraciones de un alto funcionario de la Casa Blanca. Hasta el momento, las empresas confirmadas incluyen a Oracle —que además tendrá el manejo de los datos—, el fondo de inversión Andreessen Horowitz y el fondo privado Silver Lake. Desde la Administración Trump aseguran que el algoritmo de TikTok también quedará bajo supervisión estadounidense, una medida que busca garantizar mayor transparencia y seguridad. No obstante, aún persisten algunos elementos sin resolver. El Ministerio de Comercio de China emitió un comunicado en el que insta a TikTok a buscar una solución que respete la legislación china y logre un equilibrio de intereses entre ambas partes. Mientras tanto, la estructura definitiva de propiedad de TikTok sigue en discusión. No está claro cuánto control seguirá teniendo China sobre el funcionamiento interno de la app. Esto ocurre tras una reunión entre Scott Bessent, secretario del Tesoro de EE. UU., y el viceprimer ministro chino en Madrid, donde avanzaron en el acuerdo de venta. Según Bessent, la amenaza de prohibición en EE. UU., aprobada por el Senado en 2024, fue clave para desbloquear las negociaciones.
Sriram Krishnan is a venture capitalist who once served as general partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Now, he serves as White House Senior Policy Advisor for AI, where he has helped to develop President Trump's American AI Action Plan. In a live interview with The Conversation host Dasha Burns at POLITICO's AI & Tech Summit, Krishnan discussed what it takes for the United States to win the AI race, how the White House wants to keep “wokeness” out of government-funded AI, and how artificial intelligence will be harnessed, regulated, and contested in the years ahead. “We want to make sure that our ecosystem has market share, and if [China's] Huawei gets market share that means revenue, that means usage, it makes their chips better, it makes them set up to start exporting to other countries,” Krishnan said. Krishnan explains that the era of artificial intelligence is still very new, and while it closely resembles the early days of the internet, the Trump White House is working to make sure everyday Americans can make good use of the technology. “What I think about is how do we get more of what people here are seeing, which is AI making your lives better, making your work better and figuring out how to get us to economic prosperity.” Plus, Playbook managing editor and in-house UK expert Jack Blanchard breaks down the significance of Trump's unprecedented second state visit to Great Britain and the president's close relationship with prime minister Keir Starmer.
The new mainstream media is social media, but the new propaganda is starting to look similar to the old War on Terror propaganda. Topics include: digital media, Truth Movement shifted into the influencer economy, emerging technologies, TikTok divestment going through, Larry Ellison Oracle, Andreessen Horowitz, TikTok ban story was a farce, social media being bought up by tech oligarchs, truth is in the details, reactionary social media distractions, new mainstream media and propaganda network is social media, billionaires in control, government controlled by Big Tech, JD Vance is a plant, transhumanism, Peter Thiel Antichrist lecture protest, common misconceptions of California, Huntington Beach, Network State ideology, destroying US Constitution, Vance guest host Charlie Kirk podcast, Stephen Miller, new War on Terror, branding the Left as violent extremist group, fractures in MAGA media world, Charlie Kirk honest in his convictions, Turning Point USA, Epstein
Ralph interviews New York Times reporter, David Gelles, about his new book, “Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away.” Then, we welcome back former IRS commissioner, John Koskinen, to update us on how the Trump Administration is dismantling the IRS and stealing your personal information.David Gelles is a reporter on the New York Times climate team and he leads the Times's “Climate Forward” newsletter and events series. He is the author of The Man Who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America—and How to Undo His Legacy, and his new book is Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away.He [Yvon Chouinard] saw Patagonia as a role model for other corporations and believed that by running Patagonia in a different way, he could show that capitalism just didn't have to suck so much.David GellesThere's a paradox that runs through the pages of Dirtbag Billionaire and it's never fully resolved…It's the fact that Chouinard is an environmentalist who wants to reduce the impact of mankind on planet earth, and yet he runs a big, complicated clothing company that is taking a toll on the environment that he's trying to protect. He runs a company that in theory, he says, and in practice is largely doing, the work of funding grassroots activists and environmental conservation. But he's doing it by participating in the very capitalist system that is responsible for so much of the damage to our natural world. And the list goes on. These contradictions are what really has animated Chouinard and his executive team for all these years. They understand their own perfections. But unlike most, they are willing to really examine their own failings, to look it square in the eye, straight in the mirror, and try to figure out how to make things better.David GellesChouinard being a “dirtbag” is something he always identified as and he still does at a certain level. The great insult in his mind is being called a “billionaire.”David GellesJohn Koskinen served as the IRS Commissioner from 2013 to 2017.Lobbyists and corporations are very good at making sure that [tax advantages] always stayed. You never hear too often of tax advantages taken out of the code, what everybody argues about as new ones being put into the code.John KoskinenThese (IRS workers) are very skilled people who in fact have given up the opportunity to make two or three times more money in the private sector because they believe in public service.John KoskinenNews 9/19/25* Just weeks after David Ellison's Skydance Media completed their $8 billion takeover of Paramount Global, Ellison is setting his sights even higher – a proposed $70 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Variety reports. If this deal proceeds, it would mean that Ellison would control CNN in addition to CBS news, the latter of which he seemingly plans to place under the supervision of “anti-woke” arch-zionist media personality Bari Weiss. While true that cable news does not possess nearly as much clout as it did just a few years ago, this would represent a nearly unprecedented consolidation in that sector. Ellison and his lieutenants would wield a tremendous amount of influence in the media, which would translate to real impacts on the political process. It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration media regulators will take any action to block this deal. Based on their actions so far, it seems unlikely.* In more media news, ABC has indefinitely suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which the comedian has hosted since 2003, after he criticized Trump and his allies for “capitaliz[ing]” on the murder of Charlie Kirk to score political points, CNN reports. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr threatened action up to and including revoking the broadcast license for ABC, which airs the program, or possibly blocking their merger with Nexstar. While Rolling Stone reports multiple executives at ABC and its parent company Disney, felt that Kimmel “had not actually said anything over the line,” they folded immediately under the threat of retaliation by the administration. This move represents a major contradiction of Carr's previously stated belief that “[the FCC] must dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans.” Democrats are incensed at this attack on free speech, Congressman Ro Khanna is seeking to subpoena Carr to testify to the House Oversight Committee. Trump, feeling confident after claiming the scalp of both Kimmel and Colbert – two outspoken critics – is now calling for NBC to remove Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, via Truth Social. Variety reports conservative media conglomerate Sinclair will “replace the Friday timeslot of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!' with a Charlie Kirk tribute special on its ABC affiliate stations — and is offering the special to all other ABC stations across the country.”* Regarding social media, the Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. and China are nearing a deal on control of TikTok, under a framework in which “an investor consortium including Oracle... Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz” would acquire an 80% stake. Oracle is of course run by David Ellison's father, Larry Ellison, one of the richest men in the world, while Andreessen Horowitz is the venture capital firm of Trump ally Marc Andreessen. Silver Lake is another Silicon Valley private equity firm. This deal would finally put an end to the nebulous legal limbo created by Congress passing the TikTok ban and Trump refusing to enforce it. According to this report, the new company that would be created to run TikTok in America, “would also have an American-dominated board with one member designated by the U.S. government.”* The administration is seeking to shore up support in corporate America in other ways too. Trump has renewed his 2018 push to eliminate the reports businesses are mandated to issue on a quarterly basis, moving to a biannual reporting system. Trump argues that this shift would “cut costs and discourage shortsightedness on the part of publicly traded companies.” Others however believe that this change could be harmful to the economy, making companies less transparent and therefore increasing potential investor risk. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it is “making Trump's proposal a priority.” This from Reuters.* More troubling signs are emerging in the U.S economy. Per Bloomberg, “Consumers in the top 10% of the income distribution accounted for 49.2% of total spending,” in the second quarter of 2025. This is the highest percentage of consumer spending accounted for by that demographic going back to 1989, according to an analysis of the Federal Reserve's Financial Accounts and Survey of Consumer Finance data conducted by Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's. Chandan Economics reports a spike in late rent payments in August, suggesting stress in the “financial health of renter households,” while for homeowners, Polymarket reports that even more people are searching "help with mortgage" on Google than during the 2008 housing crisis. This comes as only 1.3 million home building permits were issued in August, the lowest level since the Spring of 2020, according to economist and Washington Post columnist Heather Long. Taken together, this data paints a picture of an economy flailing, and kept afloat only by the very rich.* Speaking of the very rich, the first American Pope, Leo the XIV, condemned the precipitous rise in CEO pay compared to their employees. Leo remarked that CEOs now make “600 times more than what average workers are receiving," adding "What does that mean…If [money] is the only thing that has value anymore, then we're in big trouble." Specifically, Leo was referring to the proposed new compensation package for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, which could turn the billionaire into a trillionaire. This from Yahoo! Finance. Senator Bernie Sanders echoed this sentiment, writing “The Pope is exactly right. No society can survive when one man becomes a trillionaire while the vast majority struggle to just survive — trying to put food on the table, pay rent and afford health care. We can and must do better.”* Turning to Israel and Gaza, AP reports Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's is resigning from the company after 47 years. In a letter, Jerry explains that he could not “in good conscience” remain at Ben & Jerry's because their parent company – the British conglomerate Unilever – has been constraining his ability to advocate against the genocide in Gaza. Jerry writes “For more than 20 years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry's stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world…It's profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.” This is the largest, but by no means only, rupture between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever; this report notes “In March Ben & Jerry's said that its CEO was unlawfully removed by Unilever in retaliation for the ice cream maker's social and political activism.” However, as Greenfield's departure illustrates, the founders have little recourse besides their public platform and resignation.* In a sign of Israel's waning influence in the Democratic Party, POLITICO reports Democratic public affairs “megafirm” SKDK has ended their $600,000 contract with the state of Israel which was supposed to run from April 2025 through March 2026. The firm's recent focus had been “pitching guests for news shows to hear Israel's side of the war in Gaza.” The firm has been tight-lipped on this decision, saying only the work “had run its course.” Yet, this decision comes directly on the heels of reporting that Stagwell, the parent company of SKDK, was involved in “setting up a bot program ‘to amplify pro-Israel narratives on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, and other platforms,'” as revealed in a Foreign Agents Registration Act filing.* On Wednesday, Senator Bernie Sanders crossed a major rhetorical rubicon, labeling Israel's actions in Gaza a “genocide.” In an op-ed appropriate titled “It Is Genocide,” Sanders cites the casualty totals – noting that “The full toll is likely much higher, with many thousands of bodies buried under the rubble” – along with the Israeli blockade on the enclave and their systematic destruction of Gaza's infrastructure, including hospitals, water and sanitation facilities and schools. Sanders also cites the genocidal intent expressed by Israeli leaders, through quotes like “the Gaza Strip should be flattened, and there should be one sentence for everyone there — death. We have to wipe the Gaza Strip off the map. There are no innocents there.” Sanders concludes this piece by warning that if the world fails to act, as during the Holocaust, Netanyahu and other “demagogues” will feel emboldened. History, Sanders writes “demands that the world act with one voice to say: enough is enough. No more genocide.” After Sanders' announcement, Vermont Congresswoman Becca Balint came out with her own statement accepting the genocide label. Zeteo reports a total of 20 members of Congress now say Israel is committing genocide.* Finally, to end on a positive note, on Monday the House passed the bipartisan Mental Health in Aviation Act, which seeks to “break down…barriers and support the mental health of our aviation workforce by changing the current rules which prevent aviation professionals from seeking mental health care by imposing unfair penalties on those who do,” according to a press release by the bill's Republican sponsor Pete Stauber. A press release from the Democratic sponsor, Sean Casten, reads “Aviators should not be unfairly penalized for seeking mental health care…The current system perpetuates a culture of silence, and it's past time that changes.” Some observers have attributed some credit for the passage of this bill to the comedian Nathan Fielder's series The Rehearsal, the latest season of which dealt extensively with the issue of aviators' mental health. While congressional staff have downplayed the show's influence, it seems hard to deny that at the very least it raised the profile of this pressing issue. Either way, hopefully this bill will make it safer to fly by removing the stigma from pilots seeking mental healthcare. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe
Sriram Krishnan is a venture capitalist who once served as general partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Now, he serves as White House Senior Policy Advisor for AI, where he has helped to develop President Trump's American AI Action Plan. In a live interview with The Conversation host Dasha Burns at POLITICO's AI & Tech Summit, Krishnan discussed what it takes for the United States to win the AI race, how the White House wants to keep “wokeness” out of government-funded AI, and how artificial intelligence will be harnessed, regulated, and contested in the years ahead. “We want to make sure that our ecosystem has market share, and if [China's] Huawei gets market share that means revenue, that means usage, it makes their chips better, it makes them set up to start exporting to other countries,” Krishnan said. Krishnan explains that the era of artificial intelligence is still very new, and while it closely resembles the early days of the internet, the Trump White House is working to make sure everyday Americans can make good use of the technology. “What I think about is how do we get more of what people here are seeing, which is AI making your lives better, making your work better and figuring out how to get us to economic prosperity.” Plus, Playbook managing editor and in-house UK expert Jack Blanchard breaks down the significance of Trump's unprecedented second state visit to Great Britain and the president's close relationship with prime minister Keir Starmer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Story of the Week (DR):Disney Pulls Jimmy Kimmel's Show After Kirk Remarks Republicans Leverage Charlie Kirk's Death to Declare War on Free SpeechCharlie Kirk assassination reignites debate over Section 230 protections for social media companies"Section 230 needs to be repealed. If you're mad at social media companies that radicalize our nation, you should be mad," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I have a bill that will allow you to sue these people. They're immune from lawsuits."Nexstar And Sinclair, Two Largest Station Groups, Wield Influence In ABC Decision To Pull Jimmy Kimmel In Light Of His Charlie Kirk CommentsA $6.2 billion deal looms over Jimmy Kimmel's suspensionNexstar, the largest station group in the country, is a leading champion in the broadcast industry for the FCC to relax media ownership limits and has a major merger before the Trump administration, its proposed $6.2B acquisition of Tegna, creating a mega-company with 265 stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia, representing 80% of U.S. TV households.Nexstar needs the agency to ease rules that currently limit the percentage a broadcaster can reach to 39% of the nation's television households.Sinclair also is seeking deregulation, and in its statement, it praised Carr. “We appreciate FCC Chairman Carr's remarks today and this incident highlights the critical need for the FCC to take immediate regulatory action to address control held over local broadcasters by the big national networks,” Sinclair said.Nexstar: founder/Chair/CEO Perry SookSinclair: the Smith family: currently nepobaby David Smith; board is 44% SmithWhat to know about Brendan Carr, the FCC chairman who went after Jimmy KimmelIn response to an opinion column in The Washington Post by Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Facebook, outlining his ideas for removing harmful content, Carr criticized Zuckerberg's call for government regulation as a violation of the First Amendment.He later praised Zuckerberg's "instincts" to show Trump's posts that amplified COVID-19 misinformation unaltered.Carr supported Trump's "Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship" targeting Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and 4 of its journalistsTrump's NYT Lawsuit Dismissed by Republican-Appointed JudgeA federal judge on Friday dismissed Donald Trump's $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times. U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday: a lawsuit is not "a protected platform to rage against an adversary."Comcast CEO criticizes ex-MSNBC contributor's remarks about Charlie Kirk in memo to staffTrumpy Billionaires Close In on TikTok TakeoverAllies of President Donald Trump are poised to get their hands on TikTok's U.S. operations.Entrepreneur Larry Ellison, worth approximately $350 billion, and Marc Andreessen, a venture capitalist with a $2 billion net worth, have been pals with the president for years.Ellison's software giant Oracle, Andreessen's venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, and private equity firm Silver Lake are among a group of U.S. businesses said to be nearing a deal to take over the American operations of the short-form video app, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.Nestlé Chairman to Step Down After Abrupt CEO FiringNestlé investors demand chair Paul Bulcke resign over CEO churn “I have full trust in Nestlé s new leadership and firmly believe this great company is well positioned for the future,” Bulcke said. “This is the right moment for me to step aside and accelerate the planned transition, allowing Pablo and Philipp to advance Nestlé's strategy and guide the company with a fresh perspective.”Board member (2018-) Pablo Isa new chairThe company appointed Dick Boer as lead independent director and vice chairman of the board of directors as of Oct. 1, while Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch was appointed vice chair of the board.A new ally against excessive CEO Pay: Pope LeoPope Leo appears to be particularly baffled by the Tesla pay package that could turn Elon Musk into the world's first trillionaire: “What does that mean and what's that about? If that is the only thing that has value anymore, then we're in big trouble.”Dave Ramsey Says 'We're Not All Equal. It Doesn't Work That Way' — The Rich Aren't Evil, It's Just Math and Jealousy Fueling the StigmaRashida Tlaib and Bernie Sanders introduce the Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act. Proponents of the bill argue that it will incentivize large corporations to narrow their internal pay disparities by either increasing wages for their lowest-paid employees or reducing executive compensation packages Key Provisions of the Act:Tax Trigger: The new tax would apply to companies with a CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio of 50-to-1 or greater.Graduated Tax Rates: The penalty begins with a 0.5 percentage point tax increase for companies with a pay ratio between 50 and 100-to-1.Progressive Structure: The tax rate increase climbs with the pay ratio:1.0 percentage point for ratios between 100 and 200-to-1.2.0 percentage points for ratios between 200 and 300-to-1.3.0 percentage points for ratios between 300 and 400-to-1.4.0 percentage points for ratios between 400 and 500-to-1.5.0 percentage points for ratios exceeding 500-to-1.Broad Application: The act is intended to apply to both publicly and privately held companies with annual revenues of $100 million or more.Exxon to offer auto-voting to counter shareholder activism. Here's how it works:Opt-In Program: The auto-voting feature is a voluntary, opt-in program for retail investors.Automatic Voting: Once enrolled, an investor's shares will be automatically voted in accordance with the board's recommendations on all proposals at shareholder meetings.Flexibility for Investors: Despite the automated nature, investors will still receive all proxy materials and retain the right to manually override the automatic vote on any specific proposal. They can also opt out of the program at any time, free of charge.Exxon's Stated Rationale:Leveling the Playing Field: Exxon argues that this program is a matter of fairness, designed to give retail investors the same ease of voting that institutional investors have. They contend that individual investors often lack the time and resources to research and vote on complex proxy proposals.Addressing Low Turnout: The company has highlighted that while retail investors hold a significant portion of its shares (nearly 40%), their voting turnout is low (only about a quarter of them vote).Countering Activist Agendas: Exxon has explicitly stated that activist groups have exploited this low retail voter participation to advance their own agendas, which the company claims are often political and detrimental to long-term shareholder value.Texas AG probes proxy advisers Glass Lewis, ISS amid ESG backlash By ReutersExxon Urges Europe to Repeal Rules to Make Companies Track Climate PollutionGoodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Tyson is ditching corn syrupIt also plans to axe sucralose, BHA/BHT, and titanium dioxide from its food by the end of 2025MM: New Poll Finds That Americans Loathe AI53 percent of just over 5,000 US adults polled in June think that AI will "worsen people's ability to think creatively." Fifty percent say AI will deteriorate our ability to form meaningful relationships, while only five percent believe the reverse.MM: Northeast US states form health alliance in response to federal vaccine limits MMAssholiest of the Week (MM):Which capitalist is the bigger assholeBob IgerIger yanked Kimmel after pressure from affiliate owners looking to curry FCC favor in a $6bn mergerThere are comparisons being made to when Iger cancelled Roseanne:From blowhard Iger apologist Jeff Sonnenfeld: “Iger has been a fearless, equal opportunity offender in defending Disney's corporate character, whether from intrusions by the left or by the right. He was criticized harshly from many on the political right when in 2018, he cancelled Rosanne, then ABC's #1 show, when its star imploded with a cruel racial tirade about President Obama's former top advisor, Valerie Jarrett.”Sonnenfeld ignores the content of what was said obviously, since he has to make a point to kiss Iger's ass - Kimmel said MAGA didn't want the shooter to be MAGA, Barr said a black woman was from Planet of the Apes… so, very the same?This isn't about brand protection, this is about economics - and Iger the dealmaker just made a trade: short-term political expediency for cash as he tries to unload ABCIn 2023, Iger was in talks with Nexstar to buy ABC outrightAlso 2023, massive deals between Disney and NexstarNexstar's ABC agreements expire December 202614% of Nexstar stations are ABC affiliates - Tegna would add 7%Disney already was cancelled by the right for having movies that were too woke, now they just Target-ed themselves right in the groinASSHOLE ACTION ITEM:Disney's next AGM is likely March 2026 - buy Disney stock with the intention of voting out every starfucky directorBonus option: buy shares of Coca-Cola, GM, Under Armour, P&G, Reckitt Benckiser, Bristol Myers, Target, Carlyle, and Lululemon to vote the same directors out of ALL their board positions - make shit decisions in one place, you'll make them everywhereDisney's Mel Lagomasino on Coca-Cola with Carolyn Everson (twofer!), Mary Barra at GM, Everson also at Under Armour, Amy Chang at P&G, Jeremy Darroch at Reckitt Benckiser, Derica Rice at Bristol Myers, Target (anti DEI AND anti free speech!), Carlyle, Cal McDonald at LululemonVote out Sonnenfeld - on the board of Lennar Corporation - vote him out for kicks since he's so deferential to CEOs, how on earth can he hold one accountable? Is he the voice of shareholders or CEOs?Perry SookThe buyer! Nexstar looking to acquire Tegna for $6bn, which would consolidate 80% of US households local news stationsNexstar has to make nice with Brendan Carr, chair of the FCC (I miss Lina Kahn… sigh) - and Carr is purely political, so here was how they bent the knee:“Nexstar's owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the foreseeable future beginning with tonight's show. Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.”Again, if you read Kimmel's actual comment, he's saying that MAGA doesn't want the shooter to be MAGA… he actually didn't say ANYTHING ELSE about the shooting itselfSonnenfeld: “Kimmel's suggestion that “the MAGA gang (is) desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” doesn't square with the facts which are known at this point. Regardless, these comments are blatantly insensitive as political violence should never be tolerated or exploited as comedic entertainment, no matter who perpetrated it.”Except Kimmel didn't joke about political violence, he joked about the fact that MAGA is super hoping it wasn't their political violence.Perry Sook's political donations have been almost entirely to Republican candidates over the last decade (except for National Association of Broadcasters) - and it's paid offBrendan Carr, Soon To Be FCC Chair, Says Commission Will Back Local TV Stations “Even If That's In Conflict” With Broadcast NetworksNew FCC boss could unleash biggest local TV shakeup in decadesSook owns just under 6% of Nexstar stock, with Vanguard and Blackrock clocking in at a combined 21.8% - meaning about 28% of votes are guaranteed to go with managementMeaning this was all a pretense to consolidate broadcaster ownership - and Sook is one of the winners of the consolidationNow Carr has a reason he can vote for Nexstar purchase, Iger gets out of more ABCASSHOLE ACTION ITEMIt's basically too late to vote against Nexstar's board - their meeting was in June 2025, the merger will be approved by thenYou could maybe buy shares and vote against the mergerAlternatively, buy Yelp (Tony Wells), Denny's (Bernadette Aulestia), and Urban One (Geoffrey Armstrong) to vote out board elsewhereDavid Deniston SmithCEO of Sinclair, owner of 20% of ABC affiliates - the most currently, but post merger would be secondNepo baby Smith, who, with the rest of his brothers and family, own 82% of voting power, are Trump and GOP toadiesAnother mediocre conservative blowhard CEO who spent the last two decades kissing the ass of every republican he can findHe was one of Turning Point USAs biggest donors through his foundation, and issued the following statement: they would “not lift the suspension of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on our stations until formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network's commitment to professionalism and accountability,” calling on Kimmel to make a direct apology to the Kirk family, and for the network to make a “meaningful donation” to them and Turning Point USA.In the 00s, Sinclair let a paid Bush administration propagandist deliver reporting on their local news stationsIn Trump 1.0, Sinclair forced local news broadcasters to read off a script about how mainstream media was fake newsIn the 90s, Smith was caught getting a blowjob from a prostituteASSHOLE ACTION ITEMSinclair's board is dual class dictatorship, but you CAN vote out Ben Carson on the DR Horton and Covenant Logistics boards - yes, that Ben CarsonHeadliniest of the WeekDR: Elon Musk Fires 500 Staff at xAI, Puts College Kid in Charge of Training GrokMM: If You Don't Know Who the Underperforming Director Is, It Might Be You!Are the CEO, chair or committee leads soliciting my input off-cycle?Does the CEO and select members of the executive team think of me as a trusted advisor and am I able to constructively coach behind the scenes?If the answers to all of these questions are “No,” it could be a sign that you are not performing to the level expected by your company's management.YOU DON'T REPORT TO MANAGEMENTWho Won the Week?DR: I guess they just win every week: Trumpy and creepy billionaires profiting over an app used primarily by 18-34 year olds (70%): Oracle's Larry Elison, Andreessen Horowitz's Marc Andreessen.MM: Gillette, the razor company: Pete Hegseth goes to war against military beards, stresses ‘grooming standards which underpin the warrior ethos'PredictionsDR: FCC Chair Brendan Carr cancels himself when he digs up reports when he cast himself as a First Amendment purist, denouncing efforts by Democrats and Republicans to lean on TV providers and social media platforms as “censorship” and a “chilling transgression of free speech.”ure on media a ‘chilling transgression of free speech.'”MM: I wrote this on Bluesky two days ago: “The next step for Brendan Carr and the FCC is to repeal Section 230 - after which they can sue social media companies for any anti-conservative posts. Then the silencing is complete until dissent is done via snail mail.” Today, I was right: Charlie Kirk assassination reignites debate over Section 230 protections for social media companies. We're in an era of algorithmic autocracy - Microsoft changed LinkedIn's algorithm earlier this year and there
We sit down with Amy Denning Winfrey, a highly regarded payroll accountant whose career journey took her from production assistant to supervising payroll accountant. Winfrey shares candid insights into the world of payroll accounting, reflecting on the challenges, responsibilities, and often-overlooked importance of this critical role in film production.The conversation explores the evolution of payroll practices, from traditional processes to today's digital systems, and how these tools have transformed the way productions operate. Winfrey highlights the impact of remote work on payroll management, the need for updated contracts to provide clarity, and why strong payroll coordination can ultimately make or break a production.Alongside guest host Emily Rice, the discussion emphasizes the importance of community, mentorship, and recognition among production accountants. From training newcomers to building networks that provide valuable resources, both Winfrey and Rice underscore how teaching, sharing knowledge, and supporting one another are vital for the health of the industry.Listeners will also gain perspective on the realities of hiring practices, the undervaluation of payroll accountants, and why having a reliable payroll coordinator is non-negotiable. This episode shines a light on the professionals who keep productions running smoothly behind the scenes and reminds us of the human connections that sustain the industry.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/
Meta präsentiert neue AR-Brillen mit Display, während die Live-Demo spektakulär scheitert. Nvidia investiert 5 Milliarden Dollar in Intel und weitere 2 Milliarden in britische Startups. Google integriert Gemini direkt in Chrome und verhandelt mit Reddit über dynamischere Datendeals. Jimmy Kimmel verliert seinen Late-Night-Job durch politischen Druck. TikTok-Deal zwischen Larry Ellison und Andreessen Horowitz rückt näher. XAI verliert weitere Führungskräfte. DeepSeek schreibt schlechteren Code für China-kritische Gruppen. Unterstütze unseren Podcast und entdecke die Angebote unserer Werbepartner auf doppelgaenger.io/werbung. Vielen Dank! Philipp Glöckler und Philipp Klöckner sprechen heute über: (00:00:00) Intro (00:05:00) Meta AR-Brillen (00:12:10) Nvidia investiert in Intel (00:18:50) Google Gemini in Chrome (00:21:30) Reddit verhandelt mit Google (00:23:55) Jimmy Kimmel (00:41:45) TikTok-Deal Update (00:45:00) XAI-Führungskrise (00:49:35) Scale AI, Anthropic, DeepSeek Shownotes Mark Zuckerberg verspricht neue Smart Glasses für 'Superintelligenz' – ft.com Nvidia investiert $5 Mrd. in Konkurrent Intel – ft.com Nvidia investiert £2 Milliarden in britische KI-Startups – bloomberg.com Google integriert Gemini in Chrome: KI-Browser werden Mainstream – wired.com Reddit plant nächsten KI-Inhaltspakt mit Google, OpenAI – bloomberg.com TikTok, Jimmy Kimmel: Trumps mediale Gleichschaltungsstrategie – spiegel.de Trump "faktisch falsch" in Verleumdungsklage, sagt NYT-Redakteur – axios.com TikToks neue Investoren in den USA unklar – theinformation.com Konflikte zwischen xAI-Führungskräften und Elon Musks Beratern vor Abgang – wsj.com Scale AI schließt Abkommen mit Pentagon ab – axios.com AI-Firma DeepSeek schreibt unsicheren Code für von China benachteiligte Gruppen – washingtonpost.com FBI bereitet neuen Krieg gegen Trans-Personen vor – kenklippenstein.com AI-Chip-Startup Groq erhält $750 Millionen bei $6,9 Milliarden Bewertung – bloomberg.com Anthropic verärgert das Weiße Haus mit Nutzungsbeschränkungen – semafor.com Gemini AI löst Programmierproblem, das 139 menschliche Teams beim ICPC-Weltfinale überforderte – arstechnica.com
Today's Headlines: Trump touched down in the UK for a rare second state visit, where King Charles is rolling out the red carpet even as protesters projected images of Epstein, Trump, and Prince Andrew onto Windsor Castle. Back home, Trump sued The New York Times for $15 million, claiming their endorsement of Kamala Harris in 2024 was an election hit job. Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel got grilled in the Senate over Epstein, Charlie Kirk's assassination, and political meddling—he also bizarrely claimed Epstein only trafficked for himself. In Utah, the man accused of killing Kirk was charged with seven counts, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty. In New York, a judge tossed terrorism charges against the man who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO but kept a murder charge intact. In darker news, Mississippi mourned the death of 21-year-old Trey Reed, whose body was found hanging on campus, while Missouri Republicans pushed through a new congressional map that wipes out a Democratic seat, part of a broader GOP redistricting wave. Elsewhere, a court ruled Fed Governor Lisa Cook can't be fired by Trump despite his attempts, and all eyes are on the Fed board's rate decision today. TikTok's U.S. takeover deal is nearly done, with Oracle, Andreessen Horowitz, and Silver Lake set to take an 80% stake and rebrand the app under a new U.S.-based entity. And finally, the Emmys had their best ratings in years, pulling 7.4 million viewers. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Guardian: Donald Trump lands in UK for second state visit as protesters gather in Windsor NYT: Trump Sues The New York Times For Articles Questioning His Success CNN: Takeaways from FBI Director Kash Patel's Senate hearing CNN: Live updates: Charlie Kirk shooting investigation, suspect Tyler Robinson hearing AP News: New York judge tosses terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, lets murder count stand NBC News: Body of a Black student is found hanging from a tree in Mississippi NBC News: Missouri Legislature passes new Republican-drawn congressional map MO Independent: Judge hears arguments in case seeking to toss Missouri's new congressional maps CNBC: Bill Pulte's relatives claimed primary residence on two properties in two states Axios: Appeals court rules Fed governor Cook can continue to serve The Wrap: TikTok in Final Talks to Be Bought by Oracle, Silver Lake, Andreessen Horowitz Axios: Emmys hit four-year viewership high Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S&P Futures edge lower as markets await today's Fed decision and Dot Plot outlook. TikTok's U.S. stake sale nears the finish line with Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz in the mix. Chinese regulators move to block AI chip sales from NVDA, while Trump and Xi prepare for a high-stakes call covering trade, TikTok, and a possible state visit. Plus, EU sanctions, earnings from GIS and CBRL, and tonight's META Connect keynote.
En el episodio de hoy, Juan Manuel De Los Reyes y Eugenio Garibay discuten el desarrollo del juicio de TikTok en EE.UU. y las iniciativas de Amazon para mantener un espíritu emprendedor. Por un lado, TikTok, con 1.6B de usuarios globales y 40% en participación de mercado en videos de formato corto, llega a una resolución para mantener presencia en EE.UU. En donde Oracle, Silver Lake y Andreessen Horowitz obtendrán 80% de participación de las operaciones de la empresa en EE.UU. Juan Manuel y Eugenio discuten las implicaciones del trato y de la relación EE.UU. y China. Por otro lado, Amazon, quien ha reducido 27,000 roles en su empresa desde el 2022, anuncia que tiene la intención de reducir la burocracia aún más para regresar a sus raíces de ser una empresa emprendedora. Juan Manuel y Eugenio reflexionan sobre la cultura emprendedora en EE.UU. y el crecimiento de Amazon a través de los años.
On today's podcast: 1) The UK has shelved its talks with the US aimed at eliminating tariffs on British steel, in a recognition that giving Donald Trump the honor of a rare second state visit wouldn’t be enough to shake the American president off a key trade stance. 2) Federal Reserve officials are expected to backstop a faltering US labor market by lowering interest rates Wednesday, marking a shift after worries about tariff-induced inflation kept them on hold all year. 3) TikTok’s US operations would be acquired by a consortium that includes Oracle Corp., Andreessen Horowitz and private equity firm Silver Lake Management LLC under a deal President Donald Trump is set to discuss with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
All links and images can be found on CISO Series. This week's episode is hosted by David Spark, producer of CISO Series and Andy Ellis, principal of Duha. Joining us is our sponsored guest, Brian Long, CEO, Adaptive Security. In this episode: Hiring North Korean operatives on a Tuesday AI coding and the death of specifications Deepfake personas beyond video calls The middleman problem with SMS Huge thanks to our sponsor, Adaptive Security AI-powered social engineering threats like deepfake voice calls, GenAI phishing, and vishing attacks are evolving fast. Adaptive helps security leaders get ahead with an AI-native platform that simulates realistic genAI attacks, and delivers expert-vetted security awareness training — all in one unified solution. And now, with Adaptive's new AI Content Creator, security teams can instantly transform breaking threat intel or updated policy docs into interactive, multilingual training — no instructional design needed. That means faster compliance, better engagement, and less risk. Trusted by Fortune 500s and backed by Andreessen Horowitz and the OpenAI Startup Fund, Adaptive is helping security teams prepare for the next generation of cyber threats. Learn more at adaptivesecurity.com.
Ben Horowitz is the co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, Silicon Valley's largest and most influential venture capital firm, with over $46B in committed capital across multiple funds. He took Loudcloud public with just $2 million in revenue (dubbed “the IPO from hell”), sold it for $1.6 billion, and has backed companies from Facebook to Stripe to Airbnb to OpenAI to Databricks (now worth more than $100 billion). His management philosophy—forged through near-death experiences and refined through coaching hundreds of CEOs—contradicts most conventional startup wisdom.In our conversation, Ben shares:1. Why “founder mode” is half right and half dangerously wrong2. The story behind “Good Product Manager/Bad Product Manager” and why it went viral despite being written in anger3. Where the biggest AI startup opportunities remain4. Why you need to run toward fear, never away5. The one trait that predicts that a founder will fail as CEO6. Inside Paid in Full, Ben's nonprofit awarding pensions to pioneering hip-hop artists—Brought to you by:DX—The developer intelligence platform designed by leading researchers: http://getdx.com/lennyBasecamp—The famously straightforward project management system from 37signals: https://www.basecamp.com/lennyMiro—A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life: https://miro.com/lenny—Transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/46b-of-hard-truths-from-ben-horowitz—My biggest takeaways (for paid newsletter subscribers): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/i/172439345/my-biggest-takeaways-from-this-conversation—Where to find Ben Horowitz:• X: https://x.com/bhorowitz• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/behorowitz/• Website: https://benhorowitz.com/• Andreessen Horowitz's website: https://a16z.com/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Ben Horowitz(04:09) Important leadership lessons from Shaka Senghor(10:15) Running toward fear and why hesitation kills companies(19:35) Who shouldn't start a company(22:36) The Databricks story: thinking bigger(24:54) Managerial leverage and CEO psychology(28:06) When founders should be replaced as CEOs(31:20) Normalizing failure for CEOs(37:57) Counterintuitive lessons about building companies(42:31) “Good Product Manager/Bad Product Manager”(48:21) Product managers as leaders(51:16) Why a16z invested in Adam Neumann after WeWork(56:23) Is AI in a bubble?(01:02:43) The biggest opportunities in AI(01:12:51) Why U.S. leadership in AI matters(01:18:53) The Paid in Full Foundation for hip-hop pioneers(01:23:18) Lightning round: book recommendations, products, and life mottos—References: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/46b-of-hard-truths-from-ben-horowitz—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com
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
TITV Host Akash Pasricha talks with MercadoLibre CFO Martin De Los Santos about e-commerce growth and the company's massive fintech business. We also talk with Apple reporter Wayne Ma about whether AI matters for iPhone sales and reporter Natasha Mascarenhas about Andreessen Horowitz's crypto fund's massive returns.Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/andreessen-horowitzs-investment-returns-show-strength-cryptoTITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts.Subscribe to The Information: https://www.theinformation.com/subscribe_hSign up for the AI Agenda newsletter: https://www.theinformation.com/features/ai-agenda
In this episode of Generation AI, hosts JC Bonilla and Ardis Kadiu break down A16Z's fifth annual Top 100 Gen AI Consumer Applications report, revealing how the AI app ecosystem has shifted from experimentation to consolidation. They discuss Google's aggressive entry with four separate products in the rankings, including Gemini's rapid rise to second place behind ChatGPT. The conversation explores how consumer AI has moved beyond novelty to become essential productivity tools, with specialized apps dominating specific use cases like image generation (Midjourney), voice (11 Labs), and the emerging category of agentic coding platforms like Lovable and Replit. The hosts also examine the global dynamics of AI adoption, including the significant presence of Chinese-developed apps and what these consumer trends mean for higher education professionals and their students.Opening and Mediterranean Reflections (00:00:00)Ardis returns from his brother's wedding in TuscanyDiscussion about taking time away from technology and workThe value of slowing down and gaining new perspectives on AI trendsThe A16Z Top 100 Report Overview (00:08:49)Fifth edition of Andreessen Horowitz's annual consumer AI apps reportBased on monthly active users on mobile and web trafficDifference between unique web visitors vs active users explainedFocus on consumer adoption patterns rather than enterprise AIMarket Stabilization and All-Stars (00:11:54)Only 11 new names on web list vs 17 last yearMarket maturity signals with winners consolidating positionsChatGPT reaches 700-800 million weekly active users14 brands consistently dominating across categoriesGoogle's Aggressive Multi-Product Strategy (00:17:00)Gemini takes second place with 12% of ChatGPT's web visitsIntroduction of Nano Banana image editing modelFour Google products separately ranked in top 100Strategic unbundling approach to compete across categoriesThe Rise of Agentic Coding (00:25:47)Evolution from "vibe coding" to "agentic coding"Lovable reaches #22, Replit maintains strong positionIntegration with Supabase for backend developmentReal work being done on these platforms, not just experimentationRegional Dynamics and Chinese Apps (00:29:19)22 out of 50 mobile apps are Chinese-developedDiscussion of China vs rest of world classificationChinese apps being exported globallyAI as a global technology play across regionsYear-Over-Year Changes (00:32:12)Deep Seek's rise and fall (down 40% from peak)Shift from novelty (2024) to utility (2025)Apple's crackdown on ChatGPT copycatsMobile list showing more innovation and newcomersVideo Generation Maturity (00:36:15)Google's VO3 dominates over SoraConsolidation in video generation spaceWorld models like Genie 3 emergingVideo becoming integrated into general assistantsImplications for Higher Education (00:38:01)Students already using multiple consumer AI toolsPattern of utility across companions, creativity, productivityNeed for educators to understand student tool usageRecommendation to explore top apps to understand student behaviorClosing Thoughts (00:41:20)Consumer AI adoption as mirror of society's AI integrationFocus shifting from smartest models to most useful appsEncouragement to test unfamiliar apps from the listPreview of fall conference season and upcoming AI announcements - - - -Connect With Our Co-Hosts:Ardis Kadiuhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ardis/https://twitter.com/ardisDr. JC Bonillahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jcbonilla/https://twitter.com/jbonillxAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Generation AI is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.
The Twenty Minute VC: Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
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.
We head to Fort Worth, Texas—a city that's quickly becoming a key player in the film world. We sit down with Taylor Hardy, Commissioner at the Fort Worth Film Commission and Director of Video Content at Visit Fort Worth, to explore how this once-overlooked city has transformed into a go-to destination for major productions like 1883, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, and even music videos from artists like Kendrick Lamar.Taylor shares how it all started. Back in 2015, Fort Worth didn't even have a film office. Fast forward to today, and it's hosting large-scale productions and attracting top-tier talent. Taylor walks us through that journey—from scouting locations herself as an intern to building a film-friendly culture rooted in community, collaboration, and a can-do attitude.Taylor highlights the city's hands-on approach—from helping with scouting and permits to offering hotel rebates and travel support. She also touches on the city's new training initiative, the Fort Worth Film Collaborative, which helps locals jump into film work by applying existing skills to the production world. With over 200 students already enrolled, it's a clear sign of the city's investment in long-term industry growth.Taylor also breaks down the state's revamped film incentive program and shares how Fort Worth helps productions access these benefits while also offering additional support through local programs and community outreach.Whether you're a producer looking for a new filming location, a filmmaker navigating state incentives, or someone building out a local crew, 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/
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.
The AI Breakdown: Daily Artificial Intelligence News and Discussions
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
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...
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
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