Podcasts about Postmates

Fertility, startups, and fitness are the three forces reshaping how entrepreneurs build in their lives and businesses. In this special episode with our VIP Mastermind guests, Courtney Saye, founder of the Functional Fertility Clinic, who helps couples conceive by addressing root-cause health issues, Sarina Virk Torrendell, startup advisor and founder of Seed28, who helps early stage companies launch and scale with precision, and Ashley Ansuini, founder of The Good Place Pilates, who is building inclusive, high-performing fitness studios. We dive into functional medicine breakthroughs for reproductive health, go-to-market strategies that position startups to win, and the culture-building habits that make businesses thrive. Tune in to learn how purpose-driven founders are creating impact, profitability, and legacy in totally different industries. This episode is part of a sponsored collaboration, brought to you in part by today's guests. Check out our Sponsors: SKIMS - I finally tried SKIMS and I get all the hype. Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at SKIMS.com and let them know we sent you in the dropdown after checkout. Brevo - the all-in-one marketing and CRM platform designed to help you connect with customers and grow your business. Get started for free today - go to www.brevo.com/happy Blinds.com - Blinds.com makes it easy to get the designer look without the showroom markups. Get an exclusive $50 off when you spend $500 or more with code EARN at checkout. Shopify - Try the ecommerce platform I trust for Glōci, Sign up for your $1/month trial period at Shopify.com/happy Headway - the #1 daily growth app that delivers key insights from the world's best non fiction books in bite sized 15 minute reads and audio. Save 25% off when you go to makeheadway.com/happy. Airbnb - Start making money by listing your home on Airbnb with an experienced Co-host, find a co-host at airbnb.com/host HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 How do you help couples achieve pregnancy through functional fertility? 03:00 How gut health issues and yeast overgrowth block conception. 09:45 The profile of driven entrepreneurs and why stress impacts fertility. 14:30 The top five factors that sabotage conception. 16:15 Courtney's free course on the Functional Fertility method. 19:30 Sarina's journey from early Postmates to Apple, Meta, and Amazon. 22:00 Lessons on solving the “cold start problem” when building marketplaces. 25:30 What most founders get wrong about go-to-market strategy. 30:45 The mindset shift from operator to founder. 34:00 How do you balance being a founder while raising two young kids? 37:00 What are the startup trends in AI, lean teams, and building in public? 41:15 Why running a physical studio is harder than an online business. 43:45 The biggest risks and rewards of signing a lease. 48:00 How to train staff to see clients as more than just customers. 51:30 Why Pilates instructors need 450+ hours of training. 01:00:00 Advice to anyone intimidated by Pilates. RESOURCES Get Courtney Saye's FREE Course HERE!  Learn more about Sarina Virk Torrendell and Seed28 HERE! Experience Ashley Ansuini's The Good Place Pilates in Las Vegas HERE! Join the 30 Day Audacity Challenge HERE! Join the most supportive mastermind on the internet HERE! Check out our FREE 90-Day Business Blueprint HERE! Listen to my free SECRET PODCASTS SERIES - Operation: Rekindle This B*tch Get glōci HERE Use code: HAPPY at checkout for 25% off! FOLLOW Follow me: @loriharder Follow Chris: @chriswharder Follow glōci: @getgloci Follow Courtney: @courtneylsaye Follow Sarina: @withsarina Follow Ashley: @_ashleysue_

You can't build a business that lasts if your health, your launch plan, or your culture is broken. In this special episode, Lori and I sit down with three of our VIP Mastermind members. Courtney Saye, founder of the Functional Fertility Clinic, breaks down how she helps couples conceive by solving what conventional medicine overlooks. Sarina Virk Torrendell, a startup veteran from Postmates to Apple to Meta, shares what most founders get wrong about launching and scaling. Ashley Ansuini, founder of The Good Place Pilates, breaks down how to train your team to deliver a brand experience that builds loyalty and community. We dive into product-market fit, team culture, and bold moves that drive growth. Get ready to build a business with both impact and income!   HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 How do you help couples achieve pregnancy through functional fertility? 03:00 How gut health issues and yeast overgrowth block conception. 09:45 The profile of driven entrepreneurs and why stress impacts fertility. 14:30 The top five factors that sabotage conception. 16:15 Courtney's free course on the Functional Fertility method. 19:30 Sarina's journey from early Postmates to Apple, Meta, and Amazon. 22:00 Lessons on solving the “cold start problem” when building marketplaces. 25:30 What most founders get wrong about go-to-market strategy. 30:45 The mindset shift from operator to founder. 34:00 How do you balance being a founder while raising two young kids? 37:00 What are the startup trends in AI, lean teams, and building in public? 41:15 Why running a physical studio is harder than an online business. 43:45 The biggest risks and rewards of signing a lease. 48:00 How to train staff to see clients as more than just customers. 51:30 Why Pilates instructors need 450+ hours of training. 01:00:00 Advice to anyone intimidated by Pilates.   RESOURCES Get Courtney Saye's FREE Course HERE!  Learn more about Sarina Virk Torrendell and Seed28 HERE! Experience Ashley Ansuini's The Good Place Pilates in Las Vegas HERE! Join the most supportive mastermind on the internet - the Mentor Collective Mastermind! Make More Sales in the next 90 days - GET THE BLUEPRINT HERE! Check out upcoming events + Masterminds: chrisharder.me Text DAILY to 310-421-0416 to get daily Money Mantras to boost your day.   FOLLOW Chris: @chriswharder Lori: @loriharder Frello: @frello_app Follow Courtney: @courtneylsaye Follow Sarina: @withsarina Follow Ashley: @_ashleysue_

In this episode, I'm joined by Ali Kashani, Co-Founder and CEO of Serve Robotics. Serve is pioneering autonomous sidewalk delivery at scale—with hundreds of robots already operating in major U.S. cities and thousands more on the way.Ali and I dive into the complexity of autonomy: the technical challenges, the economics, the regulatory and consumer adoption hurdles, and the leadership required to make sense of it all. He shares how Serve is approaching innovation, why their technology and go-to-market path is unique, and what it takes to attract, empower, and retain world-class talent in such a fast-moving space.We also talk about the bigger picture—why last-mile delivery has lagged so far behind other logistics revolutions, and why the sidewalk may hold the key to a generational leap in productivity and sustainability.About Ali KashaniAli Kashani is the Co-Founder and CEO of Serve Robotics, the leading autonomous sidewalk delivery company. He previously co-founded and led robotics efforts at Postmates, which was later acquired by Uber, before spinning out Serve as an independent company in 2021. Under Ali's leadership, Serve has scaled to one of the largest fleets of urban delivery robots in the world and became a publicly traded company in 2023. Ali is a repeat entrepreneur with a deep background in AI and robotics, and he has been a leading voice on the future of autonomy, urban mobility, and responsible AI deployment.Connect with AliLinkedIn: Ali KashaniServe Robotics: serverobotics.comConnect with MeLinkedIn: Brandon BartneckPodcast: Building Better with Brandon BartneckPJ Wallbank Springs: pjws.comEdison Manufacturing & Engineering: edison-mfg.com

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper sit down with Siqi Chen, founder and CEO of Runway. Siqi opens up about the challenges he faced understanding finance as a founder, and how those frustrations led him to build a more intuitive platform. The conversation explores what's broken in traditional finance tools and how better design can make finance easier to grasp for everyone in the business, not just the experts.Siqi is a builder and investor with a background that spans NASA, gaming, and high-growth startups. Before Runway, he led products at Zynga and Postmates, served as CEO of Sandbox VR, and invested in companies like Clubhouse and Amplitude. His journey gives him a unique perspective on how product design can solve real business pain points, especially in finance.Expect to Learn:Why traditional finance tools are often disliked.The common spreadsheet struggles growing teams face.How user-friendly design improves collaboration.Why Runway focuses on clarity and flexibility over complexity.What it means to build a thinking tool, not just a planning tool.Siqi shares practical, hard-earned insights on what it takes to build a truly useful finance platform, one that prioritizes clarity, flexibility, and collaboration. If you're frustrated by rigid systems or drowning in spreadsheet chaos, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how thoughtful design and a new approach to financial modeling can help you make better, faster decisions.Follow Siqi:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/siqic/Company - https://www.linkedin.com/company/runway/Twitter - https://x.com/bladerJoin hosts Glenn and Paul as they unravel the complexities of AI in finance:Follow Glenn:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiiiFollow Paul: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguyFollow QFlow.AI:Website - https://bit.ly/4i1EkjgFuture Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai. Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.In Today's Episode:[01:05] - Origin of Runway[03:00] - Early Challenges & First Users[04:10] - Early Demo & Launch Delay[05:29] - User-Friendly Design[11:43] - Winning by Being Different[15:53] - Powerful Tech, Simple Design[16:33] - From Workflow to Thinking Tool

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper welcome Siqi Chen, founder and CEO of Runway, a finance platform built to help operators understand their business without needing a degree in finance. The discussion explores how traditional FP&A tools fall short, and why Runway is reimagining financial modeling by combining flexibility, design, and deeper thinking. Siqi is the founder and CEO of Runway, a modeling platform designed for operators and finance professionals who need flexible, intuitive tools to manage business complexity. He previously served as CEO of Sandbox VR, VP of Product at Postmates, and Head of Product at Zynga. Siqi has also invested in over 100 startups, including Clubhouse, Amplitude, Pipe, and Italic. Early in his career, he worked at NASA, where he was awarded a Congressional Space Act Award while still in school for his work on the Mars Exploration Rover.In this episode, you will discover:Why FP&A platforms often fail to replace spreadsheets for financial modeling.How Runway is addressing the core pains of collaboration, complexity, and data integration.Why flexibility and speed of thought matter more than workflow automation.How Siqi thinks about AI's role in making finance tools more usable and accessible.A remarkable story of how a meme coin helped fund life-saving research for his daughter's brain tumor.Siqi shared his remarkable journey from NASA engineer and tech executive to founder of a finance platform built for modern operators. His experiences across product leadership, startup growth, and personal resilience highlight why tools like Runway are redefining how finance professionals think, plan, and collaborate. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to move beyond outdated systems and embrace a more flexible, human-centered approach to financial modeling and decision-making.Follow Siqi:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/siqic/Company - https://www.linkedin.com/company/runway/Join hosts Glenn and Paul as they unravel the complexities of AI in finance:Follow Glenn:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiiiFollow Paul:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguyFollow QFlow.AI:Website - https://bit.ly/4i1EkjgFuture Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai. Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.In Today's Episode:[01:48] - Siqi's Background[04:41] - Runway Journey So Far[07:11] - Approachable Finance Tools[14:28] - UX & What Makes Runway Unique[20:26] - Thinking Tool Idea[24:28] - Excel Flexibility Trade-Offs[33:46] - AI as a Financial Exoskeleton[40:21] - The Meme Coin Surprise[44:40] - Wrap-Up

Larry Aschebrook is the Founder and Managing Partner of G Squared in what is one of the wildest stories of venture capital. Larry started G Squared with nothing, dialling for dollars having personally invested in Twitter and Uber. In his first fund, Larry made sizable bets into SpaceX, Palantir, Alibaba and Twitter. Larry has also had mega losses along the way (discussed in the show) in Getir, 23andme and more. Today, Larry manages over $5BN and has invested in all the best from Wiz to Spotify to Revolut and Anthropic.  Agenda: 00:00 – From Broke to Billion-Dollar Bets 03:40 – The $800M Coursera Windfall 06:10 – Lyft Made Millions, Uber Lost $50M 09:05 – “We Fcked Up”: The Billion-Dollar Vintage 11:50 – How a $150M Spotify Bet Made a Billion 15:10 – The Gut Call That Dodged Theranos 18:00 – Vampires vs Zombies: The Coming Startup Purge 20:30 – When Success Almost Killed the Firm 24:20 – DPI Is King, MOIC Is Bullsht 27:40 – Why I'd Buy Anthropic at $61BN Today 30:05 – Losing $70M on 23andMe 32:10 – The Janitor of Venture Capital 34:00 – The Getir Deal That Nearly Broke Me 36:25 – Does Money Actually Make You Happy? 39:00 – What Cal Ripken Jr. Taught Me About Venture  

Cyan Banister is an angel investor and entrepreneur renowned for her early investments in transformative tech companies such as Uber, SpaceX, DeepMind, and Postmates. Banister's path to success was unconventional, she experienced homelessness as a teenager and dropped out of high school.Through self-education and determination, she became a self-taught engineer, holding key roles at a cybersecurity startup acquired by Cisco for $850 million.Cyan emphasises themes of empathy, love, and personal growth, and the healing power of philosophy in overcoming adversity and trauma.Learn more about CyanKeep up to date with Peter on SubstackKeep up to date with Kasia!If you would like to support the podcast please consider our PatreonExecutive Producer: Rachel BarrettThanks to our volunteer researchers Hendrik Dahlmeier and Mihika Chechi, and Chris van Ryn!And special thanks to Suzi Jamil! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your company's unsellable inventory could become a lifeline for nonprofits instead of ending up in a landfill? In this episode of Disruptive CEO Nation, host Allison K. Summers talks with Disney Petit, founder and CEO of LiquiDonate, a groundbreaking platform turning excess retail goods and customer returns into powerful tools for social impact. From building the tech to power smarter giving to literally digging through dumpsters to understand waste, Disney shares how she's creating a new supply chain for good—and why reconnecting to your mission might be the most powerful business strategy of all.   Here are highlights: -Turning Returns into Resources: LiquiDonate matches excess or returned retail inventory with schools and nonprofits in need, saving goods from landfills and cutting reverse logistics costs by 50%. -Hands-On, Mission-Driven Leadership: Disney shares how she reconnects with purpose by making deliveries herself, ensuring she stays grounded in the impact of the work. -Scalable Tech with a Social Impact: From Shopify integrations to a custom-built AI-powered donation platform, LiquiDonate makes giving easier than discarding for retailers and event organizers. -Culture Over Convenience: Built as the “anti-Amazon,” LiquiDonate empowers nonprofits and educators to “shop” for free essential goods. They offer dignity, choice, and sustainability. -Growth, Grit, and 11 Million Wins: With over 11 million items already diverted from landfills, Disney reflects on startup challenges, team building, and staying aligned with the mission during hard days.   About the guest: Disney Petit is the Founder and CEO of LiquiDonate, a sustainable social impact software company that matches excess inventory from retailers, brands, and businesses with nonprofits and schools to help recover sunk logistics costs. LiquiDonate combines her years of experience working with tech companies reverse to implement social impact programs that leverage their existing business model and evolving technologies with her love for the work and people of nonprofits.   Prior to LiquiDonate Disney was employee 15 at Postmates. She built the customer service team from the ground up, launched new markets such as Seattle, New York, DC, and Chicago, co-built their sales team, adding a new stream of revenue for the company through the Postmates Partner program. Disney also created the Civic Labs team, Postmates' social responsibility arm.     Connect with Disney:   Website: https://www.liquidonate.com/   Connect with Allison: Feedspot has named Disruptive CEO Nation as one of the Top 25 CEO Podcasts on the web, and it is ranked the number 6 CEO podcast to listen to in 2025! https://podcasts.feedspot.com/ceo_podcasts/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonsummerschicago/ Website: https://www.disruptiveceonation.com/    #CEO #leadership #startup #founder #business #businesspodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Susan MacTavish Best interviews Ali Kashani, CEO and co-founder of last mile robot delivery company Serve Robotics (NASDAQ: SERV). Musicians Queen Esther and friends perform live. About Ali Kashani: Dr. Ali Kashani is the co-founder and CEO of Serve Robotics, the maker of Level 4 autonomous sidewalk delivery robots that has received investments from Uber and NVIDIA.  Founded in 2017 as the robotics division of Postmates, Serve has completed tens of thousands of deliveries for enterprise partners such as Uber Eats and 7-Eleven.Ali is a serial founder with multiple exits, including smart-home hardware maker Neurio (sold to Generac) and Lox (sold to Postmates). Following Postmates acquisition of his venture, Ali launched Postmates X, the internal innovation unit that created Serve's award-winning robot.Ali received his Ph.D. in Robotics from the University of British Columbia in 2012. He is the recipient of Canada's premier scholarship, the Alexander Graham Bell Fellowship, and has been awarded over 15 patents. 

Ali Kashani, Co-Founder & Serve Robotics joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss how sidewalk delivery robots are transforming the economics and experience of last-mile delivery. Ali shares the origin story of Serve Robotics, which was incubated within Postmates and later spun out of Uber into a publicly traded company. What began as a simple idea, delivering small items with small autonomous robots has grown into a rapidly scaling business operating in cities across the U.S., including Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas. As Serve Robotics continues to expand, the company is evolving into a full-fledged robotics platform with multiple revenue streams spanning advertising, delivery, licensing, and potentially something even bigger in the future.Episode Chapters0:00 Founding of Serve Robotics2:07 Deliveries4:26 Deploying Sidewalk Robots9:53 Deployment Markets15:11 A Robotics Company19:37 Wing Partnership21:20 Restaurant Deliveries & Packaging27:53 Comparing Gen 2 to Gen 3 Robots29:59 Testing Before Deploying32:37 New Markets33:49 Advertising Business37:33 Growing Delivery Volume39:37 The Evolution of Sidewalk Robots42:07 Key TakeawaysRecorded on Wednesday, May 14, 2025--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy provides market intelligence and strategic advisory services to institutional investors and companies, delivering insights needed to stay ahead of emerging trends in the autonomy economy™. To learn more, say hello (at) roadtoautonomy.com.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/autonomy-economy/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One-on-one pod today, Chris is in New York, and TJ is home in Glendale. We chat about edging produce, participatory desserts, milk drinking on Netflix's Love is Blind, every pill has its own flavor, a new ick, Matty Healey's house party, Chris rode his first CityBike, we predict "Songs Summer," when you order Postmates to the wrong address, luxiry fashion courrier services, Jax's sixth sense for finding cocaine, Gwyneth is back on the boule, MJ Lenderman needs a haircut, and Chris is driving a Benz EV from Atlanta to Miami for F1. howlonggone.com twitter.com/donetodeath twitter.com/themjeans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to this classic episode. Classics are my favorite episodes from the past 10 years, published once a month. These are N of 1 conversations with N of 1 people. There aren't many people like Cyan Banister. Her life story is remarkable. She was homeless at a young age, dropped out of high school, and five years ago she suffered an extremely rare stroke. Yet, in spite of everything, she is one of the most optimistic and curious people you can hope to meet. Cyan is also one of the great angel investors of this era, having invested early in SpaceX, Uber, Postmates, and Deepmind to name a few winners. She became the first female investing partner at Peter Thiel's Founders Fund and now invests at Long Journey Ventures. Our conversation is as much about investing as it is about the essence of life and how connecting with that will help us in our professional pursuits. It is also full of awesome stories about people and companies like SpaceX and Bill Murray. Please enjoy this great conversation with Cyan Banister. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here. ----- Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.  Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more. Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Show Notes: [00:00:00] Welcome to Invest Like the Best [00:04:06] Contrarian Thinking in Investing [00:05:30] Joining Founders Fund and Learning from Peter Thiel [00:11:15] Investing in Companies that Change Lives [00:14:00] The Importance of Overcoming Adversity for Founders [00:16:02] Personal Journey and Choosing Hope [00:20:56] Embracing Curiosity and Wonder in the Face of Adversity [00:21:20] Reconnecting with Our Inner Child [00:24:46] The Interruption and Resumption of the Conversation [00:27:20] The Power of Intuition in Business Decisions [00:32:28] The Story Behind the Investment in Uber [00:38:46] Conclusion: Following the White Rabbit of Curiosity [00:39:08] Investing in Uber: The Beginning [00:41:50] The Impact of Success: Personal Wealth and Privacy [00:50:22] The Intersection of Spirituality and Investing [00:59:34] The Bill Murray Experience: A Lesson in Presence [01:09:54] The Violin Kid: A Tale of Curiosity and Generosity [01:12:43] The Evolution of Investing: A Personal Journey [01:16:34] The Philosophy of Giving: The Universe's Return [01:17:36] The Spirit of a Venture Firm: Founders Fund [01:23:09] The Power of Integral Family Systems [01:28:41] The Trillion Dollar Question: Disrupting Hollywood [01:36:05] The Future of Artistry: AI and Creativity [01:41:39] The Power of Kindness

My guest for Episode #302 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Tash Doherty, a British-Irish-American author, blogger, and podcaster currently based in Mexico City. A graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Tash previously worked in analytics for Postmates and Vox Media. Episode page with video, transcript, and more Today, she is the creator of Miss Educated—a popular blog and podcast covering business, pleasure, and women's health. Tash is also the author of the coming-of-age young adult novel These Perfectly Careless Things, self-published in 2023. She gained viral attention on TikTok by openly sharing her experiences with birth control. Fresh out of Wharton at age 23, Tash joined Postmates in San Francisco, working in analytics. When offered a team change, Tash ignored her gut instinct and reluctantly joined a team run by a manager whose working style clashed sharply with her own. Within months, their professional relationship deteriorated, leading to Tash's unexpected firing just two weeks before the company conducted widespread layoffs. Initially painful, this mistake forced Tash to reassess her career direction, ultimately opening the door to writing, entrepreneurship, and creative independence—turning a devastating setback into her favorite mistake. In this episode, we also discuss Tash's insightful critique of technology companies and their unintended contributions to economic inequality, her process of transforming a teenage passion project into a published novel, and practical advice on balancing creativity with financial sustainability. Questions and Topics: What's your favorite mistake? Were there early signs of trouble with your boss, Sumit, or did problems develop later? How did you choose Postmates as your first job after graduating from Wharton? Did your poor relationship with Sumit impact your job performance? Was it hard to trust another company or manager after that experience? Did you ever consider starting your own company again after leaving Postmates? Do entrepreneurs have a responsibility to reduce economic inequality, or is that up to policymakers? What specific mistakes do you see tech companies making right now? What led you to write your article, "How Tech Is Ruining the World"? Can you elaborate on how tech companies like Postmates worsen inequality? What did you mean when you described tech workers as being "incurious about the machine"? Is the tech industry truly improving society or causing greater harm? How should entrepreneurs or policymakers handle technologies that cause harm when scaled? Tell us about writing your book, These Perfectly Careless Things—how did it evolve over time? How do you decide when your writing is finished and ready to publish?

What do Postmates, Airbnb, and Twitch all have in common? They're wildly successful startups that got a major boost by joining accelerator programs. Now, you don't need to be chasing unicorn status to benefit from an accelerator. There are countless programs out there, each with different benefits, requirements, and growth expectations—so finding the right fit for your business is key. So, why join an accelerator? The short answer: being prepared is the best way to get funded. Accelerators push you to get your ducks in a row—fast. In today's episode, I'm sharing what I've seen founders do well (and not so well) when it comes to joining and making the most out of accelerator programs. I've been through an accelerator myself, and I've mentored at several across Southern California. I can confidently say that the right accelerator, paired with real effort, can change the game for your startup. A good program should offer: Strong mentorship Access to seasoned founders and industry experts A direct line to investors Bottom line: if you're serious about growing your startup and raising money to grow, joining an accelerator might be the best decision you ever make. In this episode, you'll learn:

Jessica Huang is a seasoned restaurant marketing expert with over 10 years of experience in brand strategy, digital marketing, and third-party delivery optimization. She has worked with a diverse range of restaurant concepts, from quick-service and fast-casual brands to full-service and multi-unit operators, helping them develop strong, sustainable marketing strategies that drive growth and customer engagement. As the founder of Restaurant Marketing, Jessica leads a team specializing in comprehensive marketing solutions for the hospitality industry. Her expertise includes brand development and management, social media strategy, food photography and media production, influencer and partnership marketing, and third-party delivery strategy. She has consulted for renowned brands such as Yogurtland, Wood Ranch, and Finney's, among many others. Additionally, she has orchestrated high-impact co-marketing initiatives with major brands including Cheetos Corporate, Bear Naked, Inc., and DreamWorks, bringing innovative collaborations to life. Before launching her agency, Jessica was a key part of the Postmates team, where she worked closely with enterprise brands such as Panda Express, Papa John's, Applebee's, IHOP, and The Halal Guys. She played a crucial role in executing national and regional co-marketing campaigns, developing go-to-market strategies, and optimizing restaurant performance on the Postmates platform, ensuring maximum visibility and profitability for partner brands. With a deep understanding of restaurant operations and consumer behavior, Jessica and her team continue to help brands navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape, create compelling brand narratives, and implement data-driven marketing strategies that elevate their presence in a competitive market. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

Guest: Dr. Ali Kashani, co-founder and CEO of Serve Robotics (Nasdaq: SERV)Website: https://www.serverobotics.com/Bio:Dr. Ali Kashani co-founded Serve in January 2021 and has served as Chief Executive Officer since. Prior to co-founding Serve, he served as Vice President of Postmates Inc., an on-demand food delivery platform. Prior to Postmates, Dr. Kashani was the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Neurio Technology, Inc., a smart home technology company acquired by Generac Power Systems (NYSE: GNRC). Dr. Kashani is an inventor with 15 granted or pending patents. Dr. Kashani received both his Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and his Doctorate in Robotics from the University of British Columbia and was awarded Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship.

As the complexity and demands of technology continue to rise in our business lives, CEOs need to explore all available avenues of how to identify and attract top talent. This is where nearshoring comes in. Nearshoring is a valuable vehicle to augment existing teams, support rapid scaling, or bring new knowledge into an organization quickly.   To learn more about nearshoring we turned to Brian Samson, an entrepreneur who has lived and established multiple companies in Latin America. Because of this he holds unparalleled insight into leveraging untapped talent pools of highly educated individuals in Central and South America. Brian holds a passion for helping businesses thrive by introducing great talent to great companies but along the way we also learned he is a caring human who will always be found rooting for the Chicago Cubs.   Here are highlights of our conversation:   -      Nearshore Defined: Moving jobs or tasks within the same time zone, as opposed to offshoring which involves moving across an ocean. The benefit of nearshoring is finding highly skilled talent regardless of the location that speaks English and works the same business day as the US.   -      Challenging Latin America Misconceptions: The discussion focused on myth busting some perceptions of Latin America, particularly Mexico, based on media portrayals and personal experiences.   -      Fostering Children: Brian shared his personal experience of becoming a foster family after hearing about the challenges faced by children in the foster care system. He punctuated the need for more good homes for the 440,000 children in the foster care system in the US, adding that less than 3% ever make it to college.   Brian Samson is a seasoned entrepreneur with a nine-year track record as the founder and CEO in the Nearshore (LATAM) industry. Having lived in Argentina and established multiple companies throughout Latin America that serve the U.S. market, Brian has an unparalleled insight into leveraging untapped talent pools. His journey includes raising $2 million as a founder, scaling his company to 80 team members, and achieving three successful exits. He has held significant roles such as Department Head at Lending Club during its pre-IPO phase, which IPO'd with a $10 billion valuation, and was part of the executive team at Sosh before its acquisition by Postmates and eventually Uber. Brian holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson and leads as a General Partner at Hang10X Capital, making numerous investments in promising ventures. Away from his professional endeavors, Brian's personal life is equally fulfilling. He and his wife are licensed foster parents and have adopted a baby girl from foster care, now raising two toddlers along with a Boston Terrier puppy in their Oahu home. A Chicago native and a staunch Cubs fan, Brian enjoys the island life, which includes the beautiful weather and vibrant community. With a passion that wakes him every day since 2015, Brian is committed to connecting exceptional talent across the Americas with hyper-growth companies in the U.S.   Connect with Brian: Website: www.plugg.tech LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briansamson/   Connect with Allison: Feedspot has named Disruptive CEO Nation as one of the Top 25 CEO Podcasts on the web, and it is ranked the number 6 CEO podcast to listen to in 2025! https://podcasts.feedspot.com/ceo_podcasts/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonsummerschicago/  Website: https://www.disruptiveceonation.com/  X: @DisruptiveCEO     #CEO #brand #startup #startupstory #founder #business #businesspodcast #podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Le 14 mars 2025, un tribunal du comté de Los Angeles a condamné Starbucks à verser 50 millions de dollars à Michael Garcia, un livreur gravement brûlé par une boisson chaude dont le couvercle était mal fixé. Cet incident, survenu le 8 février 2020, a eu des conséquences majeures sur la vie de la victime.Les faitsLe 8 février 2020, Michael Garcia, livreur pour Postmates, se rend au drive-in d'un Starbucks à Los Angeles pour récupérer une commande de trois boissons chaudes "Medicine Ball" (un mélange de thés, de limonade et de miel). Selon la plainte, l'une des boissons, mal fixée dans le porte-gobelets, s'est renversée sur ses jambes dès qu'il a pris le plateau, provoquant des brûlures au troisième degré au niveau de l'entrejambe.Conséquences médicalesLes brûlures ont entraîné des lésions graves, notamment aux organes génitaux, nécessitant plusieurs interventions chirurgicales, dont des greffes de peau. Michael Garcia souffre depuis de douleurs chroniques, de défiguration et de troubles psychologiques liés à l'incident.Procédure judiciaireAccusant Starbucks de négligence pour ne pas avoir correctement sécurisé le couvercle de la boisson, Michael Garcia a porté l'affaire en justice. Après délibération, le jury a reconnu la responsabilité de Starbucks et a ordonné le versement de 50 millions de dollars en dommages et intérêts.Réaction de StarbucksStarbucks a exprimé sa sympathie envers Michael Garcia mais a contesté le verdict, jugeant le montant des dommages et intérêts excessif. La chaîne a annoncé son intention de faire appel de la décision.ImplicationsCette affaire rappelle l'importance pour les entreprises de veiller à la sécurité de leurs produits et services. Elle souligne également les conséquences potentielles d'une négligence, tant sur le plan humain que financier. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

This week, we chat with Siqi Chen!Siqi is the founder and CEO of Runway, a next generation FP&A platform that makes finance actually understandable and accessible to the entire team.As an operator and founder, he served as the CEO of Sandbox VR (a16z), VP of Product and Growth at Postmates (later acquired by Uber), CEO of Hey, Inc (Google-funded, acquired by Postmates), Head of Product at Zynga (IPO 2011) and CEO of Serious Business (funded by Lightspeed, acquired by Zynga). In addition to his operational roles, Siqi is an investor in nearly a hundred companies, including notable names like ElevenLabs, Amplitude, Pipe, and Mercury.Prior to his entrepreneurial ventures, Siqi made significant contributions at NASA JPL, where he achieved the distinction of being the sole recipient of a Congressional Space Act award while still in school. This recognition was a result of his contributions to machine vision technology on the Mars Exploration Rovers.Follow Us!Siqi Chen: @bladerRunway: @runwaycoErica Wenger: @erica_wengerDear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week, against all better judgment, Jessica has procured a hamster and things are not going well. Plus, June falls victim to the Postmates system while Jessica’s dad has career advice for Jake Cornell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest: Miki Kuusi, head of international at Doordash + CEO & co-founder of Wolt + co-founder of Slush tech conferenceBefore Miki Kuusi launched the Finnish delivery startup Wolt, which DoorDash acquired in 2022, he wasn't just another startup entrepreneur. From 2011 to 2015, Miki was the CEO of the hugely influential European tech conference Slush, which brings thousands of founders and VCs to Helsinki every winter. “You could argue that Slush was my university for things leading up to Wolt, and what I do today,” Miki says. “That's where I learned most of the core lessons that I put into action.” One thing he remembers thinking in those early days: Everything was going to be redefined by the internet.“I just wanted to get a shot at building one of these services of the next hundred years,” he says. “And that was the driving motivator for me. If the driving motivator had been money, I don't think we would be here today.”Chapters:(01:14) - Act 3 (03:36) - Unlocking local commerce (06:13) - Selling Wolt (09:27) - The competition (14:20) - DoorDash's and Wolt's origins (17:50) - “Maybe we're the idiots in the room” (22:44) - Difficult years (25:13) - Startups in Europe vs. U.S. (28:56) - Learning from DoorDash (31:51) - Market correction (35:24) - Delivery around the world (39:17) - “ Glorified recruiting companies” (42:31) - Convincing restaurants (44:11) - Slush (48:21) - The next mountain (54:13) - Ambition and concentration (59:58) - Family and distractions (01:04:34) - Email overload (01:07:07) - Time as currency (01:09:25) - Priorities and onboarding (01:15:49) - The power of culture (01:19:32) - Who Wolt and DoorDash are hiring (01:20:39) - What “grit” means to Miki Mentioned in this episode: Tony Xu, Uber, Lyft, Uber Eats, Postmates, Delivery Hero, GrubHub, DeepSeek, OpenAI, Anthropic, Kees Koolen and Booking.com, 83North, Supercell, DashPass, Wolt+, Microsoft Excel, Amazon, Parker Conrad and Rippling, Andreeseen Horowitz, Fortnite, WhatsApp, Barry's Bootcamp, and Slack.Links:Connect with MikiLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. Dan McCarthy, Professor of Marketing at Maryland. Dan returns for the third time to share research on the food delivery business and how marketers can "bend the growth curve" by implementing a subscription model. He discusses the engineering behind various subscription models and why most marketers should "at least" consider these programs. Key topics include: the difference between "promiscuous" and "heavy" buyers; balancing the "give versus the get," and how AI may drive the implementation of more models. Tune in to hear why charging for membership is a good idea.Are subscription models the future of business growth?

Aaron Stupple (@astupple) is the author of The Sovereign Child: How a Forgotten Philosophy Can Liberate Kids and Their Parents. Naval Ravikant (@naval) is the co-founder of AngelList. He has invested in more than 100 companies, including many mega-successes, such as Twitter, Uber, Notion, Opendoor, Postmates, and Wish.Stick around after the end of our three-person conversation to listen to an exclusive bonus segment that Naval and Aaron recorded with extra practical tips, as well as incremental, day-to-day experiments you can test and apply. It's super tactical, so you won't want to miss it. It begins at 02:17:01.Sponsors:Sundays for Dogs ultra-high-quality dog food: https://sundaysfordogs.com/tim (save 50% on your first order) Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic broad spectrum 24-strain probiotic + prebiotic: https://Seed.com/Tim (Use code 25TIM for 25% off your first month's supply)ShipStation shipping software: https://www.shipstation.com/tim (60-day free trial!)*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim's email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim's books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shervin Pishevar is a serial entrepreneur and investor. Shervin is famed for leading Uber's Series B at Menlo alongside leading Warby Parker's Series A and investing in Tumblr, all in just 18 months at Menlo. Following Menlo, Shervin co-founded Sherpa Capital and today Shervin is averaging over 73x on his investments. As an angel investor, Shervin made over 100 investments in the likes of Dollar Shave Club, Postmates, Facebook and more.  In Today's Episode with Shervin Pishevar: 08:09 Meeting Travis Kalanick: The Start of a Game-Changing Partnership 11:08 The Uber Series B: Securing a Billion-Dollar Deal 12:49 The Rise of Uber: Global Expansion and Strategic Moves 19:01 The Lyft Rivalry: Missed Opportunities and Lessons Learned 20:57 Recruiting Emil Michael: Building a Strong Leadership Team 24:29 Uber China: The Challenges and Triumphs 27:19 The $15 Billion Raise: Fueling Uber's Global Dominance 30:57 The Beginning of the End: Betrayal by Benchmark 35:33 Sam Altman's Coup and Lessons from the Past 36:22 The Uber War: Legal Battles and Boardroom Drama 37:36 Fusion GPS and Fabricated Reports 39:43 The Me Too Movement and Its Impact 40:51 The SoftBank Investment and Leadership Changes 41:29 The Downfall of Uber's Visionaries 51:09 The Future of Venture Capital 57:01 Quantum Computing and AI: The Next Frontier      

Former TechStuff co-host Lauren Vogelbaum comes back to TechStuff to talk about the chaotic, absurd, and sometimes infuriating world of food delivery apps. Are they good for restaurants? (No). Are they good for drivers? (Nope). Are they good for the companies themselves? (Not really).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Day in Legal History: Nazi War Criminals HangedOn October 16, 1946, ten high-ranking Nazi war criminals were executed by hanging after being convicted by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg. This landmark trial held key figures of Adolf Hitler's regime accountable for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide committed during World War II. Among those executed was Joachim von Ribbentrop, the former German Foreign Minister, who had played a significant role in Nazi diplomacy, including the negotiation of the non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union. Others included Wilhelm Keitel, head of the German Armed Forces, and Alfred Jodl, a top military strategist.The Nuremberg trials were a historic moment in international law, establishing the precedent that individuals—even heads of state and military leaders—could be held criminally responsible for war crimes. The tribunal addressed the atrocities of the Holocaust, the invasion of neighboring countries, and the brutal treatment of civilians and prisoners of war. The executions followed months of legal proceedings and were seen as a step toward justice for millions of victims. Two of the condemned, Hermann Göring and Martin Bormann, avoided the gallows—Göring by committing suicide the night before the executions, and Bormann being sentenced in absentia, as he was never captured. These trials helped shape modern principles of international law, including the concepts of crimes against humanity and the rule of law in war. Meta Platforms Inc. must face claims by 34 state attorneys general accusing the company of contributing to a youth mental health crisis by getting children hooked on Facebook and Instagram. A federal judge in California ruled that some claims in the lawsuit could proceed, while others were dismissed under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields internet companies from liability over user-generated content. The states allege Meta's platforms cause mental health issues, like depression, in young users and that the company unlawfully collected data from children under 13. The lawsuit is part of a broader legal push against social media companies like TikTok, YouTube, and Snap, all of which are accused of profiting from the addiction of young users. Meta's spokesperson defended the company's actions, pointing to tools for parental controls and recent changes to Instagram's teen accounts. However, the judge noted that Meta's alleged “public campaign of deception” about the dangers of social media addiction could violate state and federal laws. The ruling also allows claims challenging features like “appearance-altering filters” but limits challenges to infinite scroll and likes. The decision comes alongside similar lawsuits by public school districts alleging social media companies create a public nuisance.Meta Can't Escape States' Claims It Hooked Kids on Platforms (4)The US Supreme Court declined to revive a challenge by Uber and Postmates to California's employment classification law, AB 5, leaving in place a Ninth Circuit ruling. AB 5 requires most workers to be classified as employees, giving them broader protections and benefits compared to independent contractors. Although Uber and other app-based companies are exempt from AB 5 under Proposition 22, which voters approved in 2020, they faced penalties for alleged violations before Prop 22 took effect.Uber and Postmates argued that AB 5 unfairly targeted their industries, claiming the law violated their equal protection rights by exempting other sectors. However, the Ninth Circuit ruled that lawmakers had rational reasons for distinguishing between industries, suggesting that ride-hailing companies were perceived as larger contributors to worker misclassification. The companies petitioned the Supreme Court, but the justices allowed the lower court's decision to stand, effectively ending their constitutional challenge to the law.Supreme Court Stymies Uber's Challenge to California Labor LawCourts in key battleground states are implementing procedures to expedite election-related lawsuits ahead of the November 2024 election to avoid delays in finalizing results. Arizona's Supreme Court recently ordered trial courts to prioritize election disputes, ensuring any challenges, such as those concerning recounts or presidential electors, are resolved quickly. This comes as both Republicans and Democrats have filed numerous lawsuits ahead of the election, and experts predict more legal battles on Election Day over vote counting and certification.Similar measures have been adopted in other battleground states, including Pennsylvania, which shortened the timeframe for appeals to three days, and Michigan, which introduced protocols for handling emergency election-related rulings. These actions are seen as a proactive response to the legal chaos of the 2020 election, when former President Donald Trump and his allies unsuccessfully challenged results with claims of widespread voter fraud. Courts are also preparing for potential security risks, with warnings of increased threats to judges during periods of national tension. Legal experts praise these steps as a way to ensure smooth and timely election litigation.Courts in US battleground states move to swiftly decide election cases | ReutersMy column for Bloomberg this week discusses how the IRS can solve the issue of stolen tax-refund checks, increasingly a major issue, by embracing technology. Despite the availability of direct deposit, many taxpayers still rely on paper checks, which are vulnerable to theft. I argue that the IRS should offer secure digital refund cards, similar to the electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards used in welfare programs, for taxpayers without bank accounts. These cards can be mailed securely, with separate deliveries for the card and its PIN, reducing theft risks.For those who prefer physical checks, I suggest allowing taxpayers to pick them up at secure locations like post offices, where the checks could be activated upon identity verification. This method would work like a software kill switch for smartphones, rendering checks useless if stolen before activation. Additionally, an optional mobile app could provide tracking, security, and refund management features for tech-savvy taxpayers.These solutions would enhance refund security while ensuring flexibility and accessibility. The IRS should also collaborate with local organizations to help taxpayers navigate these new systems, ensuring no one is left behind in the transition to a more secure refund process.Secure Digital Tax Refund System Can Solve Stolen Check Problem This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Send us a textWondering how Las Vegas is managing record heat while still thriving as a real estate hotspot? Join us as Tiana Carroll and guest Mia Wolfe explore the intersection of weather, nostalgia, and market dynamics in our latest episode of Vegas Realty Check. Discover how the recent heat wave isn't just extending pool seasons but also transforming the landscape of our daily lives. We also take a moment to bid a heartfelt farewell to the iconic Tropicana hotel, sharing personal memories and the spectacle of its implosion, all while standing in solidarity with hurricane-stricken Floridians from our stable desert oasis.Curious about how Las Vegas' dry climate offers unexpected perks for hair and skin care? Our conversation also touches on intriguing lifestyle changes post-pandemic, from altered store hours to the convenience of delivery services like Postmates and Uber Eats. We share some amusing anecdotes about kids creatively using these services and even entertain the idea of summoning food trucks to our doorsteps. Then, we shift gears to analyze the current real estate trends, from rising inventory and pricing shifts to the renewed buyer interest sparked by recent drops in interest rates.Is Las Vegas really the thriving opportunity city for transplants from pricier locales like New York and San Francisco? Absolutely. Dive into the vibrant dynamics of our real estate market, where starter homes and townhomes are turning over quickly, and the luxury market continues to flourish. We discuss Las Vegas' allure for investors and outdoor enthusiasts alike, and we invite you to engage with us on social media to uncover the mystery of the "second spring" phenomenon in our city. Whether you're planning a move or considering an investment, we promise insights and local wisdom to help you navigate the ever-evolving Las Vegas real estate landscape.Support the showWelcome to Vegas Realty Check, the informative podcast that dives deep into the world of Las Vegas real estate. Our expert hosts break down the complexities of the ever-changing Las Vegas property market, analyze market trends, economic indicators, and unique property features to provide you with valuable insights on timing your home sale or purchase. Don't miss out on the fun! New episodes drop every Thursday! Stay in the know about Las Vegas real estate with insights straight from the pros . Thanks for watching, listening, and sharing! If you LOVE our content , Please subscribe to our show here https://www.buzzsprout.com/1428685/support Linktree https://linktr.ee/vegasrealtycheck?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=665d8181-2204-45fb-b56f-e8ed3efbfd18Send Listener Questions to : VegasRealtyCheck@gmail.comAccess All Episodes at RealtyCheck.VegasWatch Live on Facebook Thursdays @9:30am PST https://www.facebook.com/VegasRealtyCheck Linktree https://linktr.ee/vegasrealtycheck?utm_sourc...

Shoot us a Text.Q4 is here, along with the start of spooky season. Today we're giving you an update on the port strike and hurricane relief efforts, plus we're sharing how EVs are shifting from luxury to non-luxury. We'll cap the show by covering Uber's new partnership with Spirit Halloween.Show Notes with links:Dealerships across the Southeast are assessing damage after Category 4 Hurricane Helene. Many dealerships remain closed, particularly in hard-hit areas like Asheville and Boone, NC.Dealership employees are reporting significant personal losses, including homes and vehicles.CarMax offers up to $1,500 in tax-free financial aid to employees through its disaster relief fund.As we reported yesterday, port workers across the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts went on strike this morning, threatening significant disruptions to the automotive supply chain. Key terminals like New York and Houston shut down, halting vehicle shipments.In the last 24 hours, the U.S. Maritime Alliance offered a nearly 50% wage increase to the union, but the International Longshoremen's Association rejected it as "unacceptable." Both parties exchanged new proposals, but negotiations remain at an impasse.The strike could cost the U.S. economy $5 billion per day, stalling car and truck imports..The electric vehicle landscape is shifting, with non-luxury EVs growing their market share to 26.6% in Q2 2024, up from 22.7% in 2023, according to Experian.Luxury EVs still dominate, but more affordable models are gaining traction.Ford leads non-luxury market share at 21.9%, behind them are Hyundai: 19.3%, Volkswagen: 11.2%, Kia: 12.5%, Chevrolet: 13.2%.77.4% of EV owners who replaced their vehicles in 2024 chose another EV.EVs are often used alongside gas-powered vehicles, with 81% of households that own an EV also having a gasoline vehicle. "EVs have become a compelling choice... but consumers are still relying on their gasoline-powered vehicles," said Experian's Kirsten Von Busch.Uber Eats is partnering with Spirit Halloween to offer costumes and decor for on-demand delivery just in time for the spooky season.Spirit Halloween's 1,525 stores are now accessible via Uber Eats, Postmates, and the Uber app.Customers can enjoy the same prices as in-store for deliveries in the US and Canada.This move follows Uber Eats' recent deal with Olive Garden and expands its retail delivery focus.Beryl Sanders, Uber's retail partnerships director shared “households across the country are looking to on-demand delivery to get what's needed—now.”Hosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle MountsierGet the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/ Read our most recent email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-email

Live show Dec 5 in Oxnard! Tickets here! LIFELINE ✨LUXURY✨ is available at patreon.com/lifelineluxury. Extra episodes every month, no advice, all for $5. Also has a full live show.

Ali Kashani, CEO of Serve Robotics ($SERV), discusses how the company's fleet of self-driving robots is transforming the economics of the food delivery business. The Uber and Nvidia-backed company, which spun out of Postmates in 2021, handles several hundred restaurants via the Uber Eats and 7-Eleven platform in LA and recently struck a partnership with Shake Shack. Hosted by Ann Berry. The content of the video is for general and informational purposes only. All views presented in this show reflect the opinions of the guest and the host. You should not take a mention of any asset, be it cryptocurrency or a publicly traded security as a recommendation to buy, sell or hold that cryptocurrency or security. Guests and hosts are not affiliated with or endorsed by Public Holdings or its subsidiaries. You should make your own financial and investment decisions or consult respective professionals. Full disclosures are in the channel description. Learn more at Public.com/disclosures. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. There is a possibility of loss with any investment. Historical or hypothetical performance results, if mentioned, are presented for illustrative purposes only. Do not infer or assume that any securities, sectors or markets described in the videos were or will be profitable. Any statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements are strictly based on the current views, opinion, or assumptions of the person presenting them, and should not be taken as an indicator of performance nor should be relied upon as an investment advice.

Should aspiring entrepreneurs get an MBA? Bridget Pujals, University of California Berkeley Haas MBA '24 and Co-Founder of Saelo, shares her experience being an active founder during her Full-time MBA. What resources did she find most helpful? What should active and aspiring entrepreneurs consider before and during their MBA? And finally, what differentiates the MBA as a launchpad for founders? Bridget shares specific steps she (and other entrepreneurs at Berkeley) took to de-risk their startups and increase their odds of success. After listening to this conversation, you'll get a much clearer picture of whether an MBA makes sense for your entrepreneurial goals. Topics Introduction (0:00) How Bridget's entrepreneurial plans evolved during her MBA (4:00) Lean launchpad at Berkeley Haas (7:50) Co-founder dating (9:45) What entrepreneurial resources Bridget found most useful at Haas (14:30) Professors as an influential resource for MBA founders (18:40) How other active & aspiring entrepreneurs approached the MBA (25:00) Tips for active & aspiring founders to make the most of their MBA investment (30:15) Importance of student culture for MBA entrepreneurs (33:30) Should aspiring entrepreneurs get an MBA? (39:00) About Our Guest Bridget Pujals graduated from University of California's Berkeley's Haas School of Business Full-time MBA program in 2024, where she focused on building her startup. She is Co-Founder and CEO of Saelo in San Francisco, which offers high-tech, clinical skin treatments. Before getting her MBA, Bridget worked for Meta as a Senior Product Manager (Messenger) and Product Lead (Privacy for Instagram Direct), and before that, Postmates in business development and product management roles. Bridget graduated from University of California Irvine with a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry. Show Notes Follow Bridget Pujals on LinkedIn #196 How I Got Into UC Berkeley Haas MBA (and HBS, Wharton, UCLA too!) & Breaking into Product Management with Bridget Pujals Saelo University of California Berkeley Haas MBA Berkeley MBA Resources for Entrepreneurs Berkeley's Lean Launchpad Accelerator Y Combinator's Co-Founder Matching Platform Search Funds & Entrepreneurial Acquisitions by Jan Simon Growth Marketing with Bill Pierce MBA Application Resources Get free school selection help at Touch MBA Get pre-assessed by top international MBA programs Get the Admissions Edge Course: Proven Techniques for Admission to Top Business Schools Our favorite MBA application tools (after advising 4,000 applicants)

Last week in a major shakeup, Starbucks announced the appointment of Brian Niccol as its new chairman and CEO. Niccol, then CEO of Chipotle, will succeed Starbucks's Laxman Narasimhan, who is stepping down immediately from the position he's held for only 17 months. For a company that has aggressively claimed it does not make fast food, this could signal a shift in how Starbucks views itself . . . and how it attempts to regain the 20% in market cap that it's lost. ‘Fast Company' contributing writer Clint Rainey discusses the coffee chain's past mission and values, and how different leadership has shifted the brand's focus. Also, we talk with rapper Saweetie about her successful brand partnerships with Postmates and McDonald's, and her perspective on growing her own brand and image. And Candace Bushnell, author of ‘Sex and the City' (the book!), chats about looking back on her writing and TV career and what stories she wants women to see today.

Last week in a major shakeup, Starbucks announced the appointment of Brian Niccol as its new chairman and CEO. Niccol, then CEO of Chipotle, will succeed Starbucks's Laxman Narasimhan, who is stepping down immediately from the position he's held for only 17 months. For a company that has aggressively claimed it does not make fast food, this could signal a shift in how Starbucks views itself . . . and how it attempts to regain the 20% in market cap that it's lost. ‘Fast Company' contributing writer Clint Rainey discusses the coffee chain's past mission and values, and how different leadership has shifted the brand's focus. Also, we talk with rapper Saweetie about her successful brand partnerships with Postmates and McDonald's, and her perspective on growing her own brand and image. And Candace Bushnell, author of ‘Sex and the City' (the book!), chats about looking back on her writing and TV career and what stories she wants women to see today.

Last week in a major shakeup, Starbucks announced the appointment of Brian Niccol as its new chairman and CEO. Niccol, then CEO of Chipotle, will succeed Starbucks's Laxman Narasimhan, who is stepping down immediately from the position he's held for only 17 months. For a company that has aggressively claimed it does not make fast food, this could signal a shift in how Starbucks views itself . . . and how it attempts to regain the 20% in market cap that it's lost. ‘Fast Company' contributing writer Clint Rainey discusses the coffee chain's past mission and values, and how different leadership has shifted the brand's focus. Also, we talk with rapper Saweetie about her successful brand partnerships with Postmates and McDonald's, and her perspective on growing her own brand and image. And Candace Bushnell, author of ‘Sex and the City' (the book!), chats about looking back on her writing and TV career and what stories she wants women to see today.

@blader (Runway, Sandbox VR, Postmates, Hey) @kevingibbon (Shyp, Airhouse)

SummaryIn this episode, Brent Peterson interviews Diz Petit, the co-founder and CEO of Liquid Donate, a sustainable social impact software company. They discuss the importance of corporate social responsibility, the issue of excess inventory and waste, and how Liquid Donate is matching excess inventory with schools and nonprofits in need. Diz shares her journey from working at Postmates to starting Liquid Donate and highlights the impact they are making in the lives of people in need. The conversation also touches on the power of unrestricted grants to nonprofits and the need for better communication and understanding between executive teams and warehouse managers.Keywordscorporate social responsibility, excess inventory, waste, social impact, nonprofit, sustainability, unrestricted grantsTakeawaysLiquid Donate is a sustainable social impact software company that matches excess inventory with schools and nonprofits in need.Unrestricted grants are crucial for nonprofits as they provide autonomy and allow organizations to allocate funds where they are most needed.The issue of excess inventory and waste is a significant problem, and technology can play a crucial role in solving it.There is a need for better communication and understanding between executive teams and warehouse managers to address the disconnect in decision-making.The donation market and volunteering sector continue to evolve, with a growing emphasis on matching needs with existing resources.Sound Bites"There's a trillion dollar deficit in need on the nonprofit side.""80% of returns end up in the landfill.""Our goal is to have enough supply, enough retailers that have products that are being donated on a regular basis that nonprofits that want to receive product every day are able to receive product every day."Chapters00:00Introduction and Passion for Matching Excess Inventory09:10Liquid Donate's Focus on Oversized Inventory15:53Connecting Retailers with Nonprofits and Local Communities32:36Challenges of Taking Donations and Importance of Unrestricted Grants

Next in Media spoke with Megan Ramm Global Director, Head of CPG Partnerships at Uber about how the ride share app has looked to turn Uber Eats into the next great ad platform. Ramm also talked about the tradeoffs inherent in building versus buying ad tech, and how Uber is looking to play both sides of the performance vs. branding markets. Takeaways• Uber Ads was born out of the pandemic, which accelerated their delivery business while ride-sharing was temporarily halted.• Uber Ads offers a range of advertising solutions, leveraging their large user base and extensive data sets.• Partnerships with companies like Google and Criteo help Uber Ads scale quickly.• Uber Ads has seen success in driving new-to-brand and market share for advertisers.• The challenge for Uber Ads is scaling their product and engineering teams and improving measurement and attribution capabilities in a crowded ad network landscape. Guest: Megan RammHost: Mike ShieldsSponsored by: EpsilonProduced by: Fresh Take

On this episode of This Magic Life, join Andrea as she interviews an MBA student who turned an unconventional job opportunity into a successful side hustle on TikTok that has rapidly grown to reach over 260k followers (and she started that unconventional job in the midst of COVID, by the way!). 25-year-old Elena Brown flashes back to her days as a new grad in the spring of 2020 working as a terrified PostMates delivery driver with no plan or next move in place, to receiving a serendipitous message on a job-seeking website that led to an incredible and super unique career opportunity. Listen to the full episode on Apple or Spotify, or watch it on YouTube, where Elena shares how taking bold risks and not being afraid to fail can lead you to achieve anything you want to pursue… As well as the powerful advice she's gotten from her mom, the one time your college major actually matters (and all the times it doesn't), and the advice she offers to listeners about what they can do right now to attract more magic and serendipity into their lives. Tune in to the next episode of This Magic Life on June 12th to discover the path an American hedge-fund manager, New York Times bestselling author, and podcaster took to create his most magical life.   More Magic with Andrea: Watch This Magic Life on YouTube Sign up for Andrea's newsletter Connect with Andrea on LinkedIn Follow Andrea on ‍Instagram Join Andrea on Facebook Follow Andrea on TikTok   In this episode, you'll discover: How sheer serendipity led Elena to a unique career opportunity she couldn't refuse. The importance of having a positive attitude, especially while exploring opportunities. How the level of inspiration Elena took from the team of creatives around her influenced her own next career step. The transferable skills Elena's sociology major gave her that she uses in her everyday life and career. How powerful being part of clubs and communities outside of school can be for your wellbeing and creativity. The key factors that allow you to push through the unknown. How Elena has successfully married her many interests into one brand to truly dive deep. Elena's biggest lessons straight from the TikTok Trenches. The mindset you need to cultivate to build courage that'll carry you through fear. Why saying “yes and” to what you truly want can help you get closer to it. What spirituality means to Elena and how it influences her life. Elena's 3 life lessons that allow each and every one of us to become more magical.   Resources to go deeper: Connect with Elena on TikTok Follow Elena on Instagram Join Elena on LinkedIn

Musician/Actor/Dancer Kat Cunning joins us this week for a candid and poetic conversation around gender, pronouns and dispelling the binary. Kat interweaves their journey from dance to music and acting, and how these artforms empowered their queerness. Kat emphasizes the importance of existing beyond binary constructs and setting boundaries around asking people to respect your pronouns. Follow our guest @katcunning and check out their music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0THdxk7bYWo6wciF1gInBK?si=Tm77tMWiSaCfIE-8X8gk6g Single? Looking for love? Maybe just friends? Download Hinge and show off your full self using the new LGBTQIA+ Prompts today! https://hin.ge/MadeItOut Please don't forget to rate us on Spotify, write a review on Apple, and share this episode with your Postmates driver! For all other inquiries, email madeitout@mgmt-entertainment.com

Casey Winters is a legendary advisor on scaling, product and growth. He's worked with companies like Airbnb, Faire, Canva, Whatnot, Thumbtack, Tinder, and Reddit. Until recently, Casey was the Chief Product Officer at Eventbrite, and has also led growth and product teams at Pinterest and Grubhub. – In today's episode, we discuss: What every marketplace founder should think about Why marketplaces are different Finding product market fit Key ingredients to scaling a marketplace Strategies for acquiring demand and supply – Referenced: Airbnb: https://airbnb.com/ Bill Gurley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billgurley/ Blue Apron: https://www.blueapron.com/ Booking.com: https://www.booking.com/ DoorDash: https://www.doordash.com/ eBay: https://ebay.com/ Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/ Expedia: https://www.expedia.com/ Faire: https://www.faire.com/ Fermat Commerce: https://www.fermatcommerce.com/ Grubhub: https://www.grubhub.com/ Lyft: https://www.lyft.com/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ Postmates: https://postmates.com/ Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/ Simon Rothman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonrothman/ Square: https://squareup.com/ Tony Xu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xutony/ Turo: https://turo.com/ Uber: https://www.uber.com/ Zillow: https://www.zillow.com/ – Where to find Casey Winters LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseywinters/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/onecaseman Website: https://caseyaccidental.com/ – Where to find Brett Berson: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-berson-9986094/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/brettberson – Where to find First Round Capital: Website: https://firstround.com/ First Round Review: https://review.firstround.com/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/firstround YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstRoundCapital This podcast on all platforms: https://review.firstround.com/podcast – Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:30) Ingredients for a successful marketplace (05:34) Creating scalable growth loops (08:42) Emerging marketplaces in 2024 (10:56) 2 ways to acquire supply and demand (15:39) What's unique about building a marketplace (18:27) When to focus on the demand side (23:10) Who to hire (26:22) Finding sticky customers (26:27) What Grubhub should've done (30:19) Uber versus Lyft (34:23) One thing all marketplace founders should know (34:45) Finding product market fit (40:45) Single versus multi-category marketplaces (43:02) When to expand (44:22) The best low-frequency marketplace (46:00) The product is supply, not software (50:48) No value in car-sharing (56:11) Improving supply and demand over time (61:04) The “setup, aha, and habit” framework (66:27) Avoid these marketplace mistakes (71:16) 2 people who influenced Casey's thinking

LiquiDonate is a VC-backed software platform that matches and moves reclaimable items (such as online returns and unsold inventory) into the hands of nonprofits who need them, thereby saving retailers millions of dollars and keeping tons of waste out of landfills. Disney is a social impact innovator who started as employee number 15 at PostMates. She helped grow the company's customer service and Civic Labs divisions and won awards from TIME Magazine and FAST company. She's also a feminist, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and an animal rights activist working to be a better-practicing ally for marginalized communities. In this episode, you'll learn these four important takeaways and much more. How online returns and excess inventory cost retailers $800B per year in losses Why you should create a Google Doc that tracks your hundreds of small and big wins in career and life What it's like being a queer women CEO raising VC investment capital How they designed their product matching algorithm and logistics systems to optimize donations, tax credits, and low operating costs

MORNING HACK: Tanya has a guest hack for us! How to get moisture out of brown sugar! RYAN'S ROSES - In Downey - She found an additional delivery address in their Postmates account. There's no reason for it…and she doesn't like what she found when she did a little digging...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brett has a new saying, that he keeps repeating over and over, it's a variation of the title of this episode. Watch it catch on in your household too. I do a deep dive on the Fiona Harvey (aka Martha from Baby Reindeer) interview with Piers Morgan. We talk about the Eras Tour Paris night one, plus the new Nespresso drink I accidentally made that was so good. We had drama with Postmates, you know I love drama with a business + I cry while preparing for vacation.

Join sisters Alex and Sabrina as they bring the heat to this weeks episode of Hey Sis, Eat This. Fireworks explode as these two dynamic women dish out tales of meals, Momma, and memories from their vastly different perspectives. Alex, a powerhouse in Los Angeles real estate, and Sabrina, a trendsetting fashion influencer, both share a drive for success and independence. Where they do differ is recounting what it was like around their dinner table given their "debatable" 7 year age gap. The sisters fill us in on Momma Kathy who was an extraordinary homemaker who passed down her art of cooking and entertaining to Alex but Sabrina prefers Postmates. We learn that Kathy was the Queen of Casseroles and if you didn't know any better you would think she was a Texan from the taste of her Tamale pie. Alex and Sabrina share that Momma Kathy always taught them to be kind and inclusive. Whether times were good or bad, everything can be fixed with a Momma Kathy casserole. For All Things Sabrina Chazen: www.shopltk.com/explore/SabrinaChazen Follow Sabrina on Instagram: @sabrinachazen For All Things Alex:https://pfeiferproperties.com/ Follow Alex on Instagram: @pfeiferproperties About Hey Sis, Eat This We are two sisters, born and raised in Texas, who share a love of food, friends, and a wicked sense of humor! On the Hey Sis, Eat This podcast, we celebrate moms and meals, inspired by our very own Momma Ashley, a former chef and always the hostess with the mostess! What you'll hear: What we've been cookin', who we've been entertainin', and any kitchen conundrums of the week... often in our Momma's Texas accent Chatting with siblings about what it was like around their dinner table growing up, favorite family recipes and stories that celebrate moms Interviews with celebrity chefs, restaurateurs, and culinary entrepreneurs about the influence and inspiration from their moms Weekly recipes from us and our guests posted out the Hey Sis, Eat This website We want to hear from Y'all! - Website: https://www.heysiseatthis.com - Recipes from our Us and Our Guests: https://www.heysiseatthis.com/our-rec... - Call into the Hey Sis Hotline: 1-866-4 HEY SIS or 1-866-443-9747 - Email: hello@heysiseatthis.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heysiseatthis/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heysiseatthis - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heysiseatthis

Welcome back to the World Class Podcast. Today's conversation is with my friend, Jack Abraham. Jack is a legendary entrepreneur, investor & pioneer in the technology space. He's co-founded over a dozen companies, including Replicant, OpenStore and Hims & Hers which became one of the fastest multi billion dollar public companies in history. Jack is the Founder & Managing Partner of Atomic, a wildly successful venture studio that incubates and and invests in its own companies. He's also an early investor in tech giants like Pinterest, Postmates and Uber. In this conversation, Jack demystifies the art and the science of coming up with ideas and turning them into billion dollar businesses.

Basti Lehmann is the co-founder and former CEO of Postmates, the on-demand delivery service that raised over $900M from the likes of Tiger Global, Founders Fund, Spark Capital and Andreesen Horowitz. Following Uber's $2.65BN acquisition in 2020, Basti founded TipTop, a platform for fast tech sales which Marc Andreesen led the $20M seed round for. In Today's Episode with Basti Lehmann We Discuss: From US Immigrant to Billion Dollar Founder How did Basti start his career hacking AT&T? How did early hardships shape Basti's work ethic? What were Basti's biggest challenges building Postmates? Lessons from Raising $900M How did Basti raise $20M from Marc Andreesen? How does Basti select which VCs to work with? Why does Basti think 99% of VCs are sheep? Why does Basti think great VCs add no value? Why does Basti think having to educate investors is a massive red flag? Selling Postmates for $2.65BN Why did Basti sell Postmates to Uber? How did the acquisition happen? Was there anything Basti would have done differently? What does Basti think makes Dara Khosrowshahi a great CEO? What is Basti's biggest advice to founders on acquisitions? Future of AI: Startups or Incumbents? What does Basti think is the biggest challenge of LLMs today? Why does Basti think inference computing will be the future of AI? Why does Basti think incumbents can be replaced? Why does Basti think the biggest companies are being born today?  

Follow me @samirkaji for my thoughts on the venture market, with a focus on the continued evolution of the VC landscape.We are thrilled to bring you a conversation with David Sacks, Founder and Partner of Craft Ventures. Based in San Francisco, Craft was founded in 2017 and currently has over 3 billion in assets under management.Across the last three decades, David has been incredibly influential as an investor, entrepreneur, and public thought leader. When starting Craft, he was able to draw from his deep operating background, having worked as an early leader at PayPal, and then later founding Yammer, which he sold to Microsoft for $1.2 Billion. He is also one of the hosts of the All In Podcast, one of the most listened podcasts in the world.We had a wide-ranging dialogue that took us through the evolution of Craft Ventures from its initial days to today, the strategic decision-making behind scaling fund sizes and team growth, and his overall views on the current outlook of venture capital.If you're a VC investor, then I'm sure you already know about Sydecar, the go-to platform for emerging VCs to manage their SPVs and funds. Sydecar is on a mission to make private markets more accessible, transparent, and liquid by standardizing how investment vehicles are created and executed. Their powerful software allows VCs to launch SPVs and funds instantaneously, track funding in real time, and offer hassle-free opportunities for early liquidity.Whether you're syndicating your first or fiftieth deal, Sydecar acts as your silent operating partner, handling all back-office functions in a single place. Sydecar always has your back, so that you never have to worry about chasing subscription docs, lost wires, or late K-1s.With all the recent ups and downs in the private markets, the last thing you want to worry about is whether your back office is operating smoothly. Sydecar's responsive and proactive customer support team is there to assist, helping you build trust with your investors and tackle the challenges of building your firm.Visit sydecar.io/ventureunlocked to learn more.About David Sacks:David Sacks is Co-Founder and Partner at Craft. He has been a successful founder and investor for over two decades, building and investing in some of the most iconic companies in tech. David has invested in over 20 unicorns, including Affirm, AirBnB, Bird, ClickUp, Eventbrite, Facebook, Houzz, Lyft, OpenDoor, Palantir, Postmates, Reddit, Slack, SpaceX, Twitter, Uber, and Wish.David first got involved in the technology industry in 1999 when he joined early-stage startup Confinity, later renamed PayPal. Serving as the company's first product leader and then as COO, David built and ran many of the company's key teams, including product management and design, sales and marketing, business development, international, customer service, fraud operations, and HR. He pivoted the product from beaming money on Palm Pilots to emailing money on the web, and introduced the business model. When the company IPO'd on the Nasdaq in 2002, David was 29 — the median age of the “PayPal Mafia” executives listed on the S-1. PayPal was later acquired by eBay and eventually spun back out into a publicly traded company (under ticker symbol PYPL).David is well-known in Silicon Valley for his product acumen. AngelList's Naval Ravikant has called David “the world's best product strategist.” And has received acclaim as one of the Besties on the All In Podcast.In this episode, we discuss:(02:56) David Sacks discusses transitioning from being an entrepreneur with experiences at PayPal and Yammer to founding Craft Ventures, emphasizing the focus on SaaS and leveraging operational expertise to support startups.(04:56) The growth of Craft Ventures from its initial fund to managing $3.5 billion, focusing on SaaS and marketplaces, and how fund size affects strategy(08:15) Portfolio construction and the strategic shift towards reserving more for follow-ons to maintain company ownership and align fund size with venture focus(10:10) The VC market's evolution shifting towards sustainable investment strategies following the 2020-2021 bubble and its correction.(13:39) Advice for entrepreneurs to focus on capital efficiency and realistic growth expectations due to the changing investment landscape(17:33) Predicting a continued reset in valuations and funding availability in 2024, and how startups can adjust their strategies accordingly(34:05) Parallels and distinctions between running a venture firm and a startup, emphasizing the importance of creating a stable, transparent environment at Craft Ventures(36:10) The significance of firm culture and talent acquisition, focusing on collective success and providing transparent, valuable support to portfolio companiesI'd love to know what you took away from this conversation with David. Follow me @SamirKaji and give me your insights and questions with the hashtag #ventureunlocked. If you'd like to be considered as a guest or have someone you'd like to hear from (GP or LP), drop me a direct message on Twitter.Podcast Production support provided by Agent Bee This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ventureunlocked.substack.com

Dan and comedian Ahmed Al-Kadri (A Special Not Special, Monday Funday Podcast) dish about the best skincare routines you can find in your kitchen & the worst foods to break fasts, and Ahmed shares secrets as a former Postmates driver. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is Cyan Banister. Cyan's life story is remarkable. She was homeless at a young age, dropped out of high school, and five years ago she suffered an extremely rare stroke. Yet, in spite of everything, she is one of the most optimistic and curious people you can hope to meet. Cyan is also one of the great angel investors of this era, having invested early in SpaceX, Uber, Postmates, and Deepmind to name a few winners. She became the first female investing partner at Peter Thiel's Founders Fund and now invests at Long Journey Ventures. Our conversation is as much about investing as it is about the essence of life and how connecting with that will help us in our professional pursuits. It is also full of awesome stories about people and companies like SpaceX and Bill Murray. Please enjoy this great conversation with Cyan Banister. Listen to Founders Podcast For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here. ----- This episode is brought to you by Tegus, the only investment research platform built for the investor. With traditional research vendors, the diligence process is slow, fragmented, and expensive. That leaves investors competing on how well they can aggregate data — not on their unique ability to analyze insights and make great investment decisions. Tegus offers an end-to-end platform with all the data you need to get up to speed on a company or market: up-to-the-minute financials, customizable models, management and culture checks, and, of course, our vast and growing library of expert call transcripts. Tegus is changing the world of expert research. Learn more and get your free trial at tegus.com/patrick. ----- Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.  Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more. Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Show Notes: (00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best (00:04:03) First question - Spirituality as an Investable Category (00:06:51) Journey to Founders Fund (00:12:13) Overcoming Adversity and Embracing Optimism (00:14:28) The Power of Authenticity and Curiosity (00:25:28) The Skill of Feeling in Business (00:30:26) Investing in Uber (00:36:18) The Changing Dynamics of Early-Stage Investment (00:39:07) The Philosophy of 'Set it and Forget It' (00:42:24) The SpaceX Story: A Leap of Faith (00:48:02) Cyan's Spiritual Awakening (00:61:34) Her Story of the Violin Kid (01:05:36) The Art of Trusting Your Gut in Business (01:07:47) The Spirit of Founders Fund and the Future of Venture Firms (01:15:16) What She Would Do With 1 Trillion Dollars (01:24:05) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For Cyan

Along with his office rebrand, Wells has a new computer and is more excited about it than he should be. But hey, whatever brings you joy. Your hosts are also super excited about their new YouTube channel, especially Brandi, who says that since she's laid off the Botox her facial expressions have really come back to life! Your hosts chat BIP and fave things, PLUS the fan-favorite Amazon review is back with a vibrator that will have you feeling all kinds of things. Then, in their news segment that really needs a name, Wells dishes on all the Jada Pinkett Smith drama. He then shares his shame around his Postmates consumption, his new favorite trend on TikTok, and the Ted Cruz smear campaign that sounds a little too familiar. Don't forget to rate, review, and follow Your Favorite Podcast! Plus, keep up with us between episodes on our Instagram page, @yftpodcast and be sure to leave us a voicemail with your fave things at 858-630-1856! Thanks to our awesome sponsors for supporting this episode! Check out these deals just for you, YFTers: ShipStation —  Go to ShipStation.com and use code yourfavoritething today and sign up for your FREE 60-day trial Factor — Head to FACTORMEALS.com/yft50 and use code yft50 to get 50% off Skims — The Cotton collection and more are available now at SKIMS.com. Plus, get free shipping on orders over $75! If you haven't yet, be sure to let them know we sent you! After you place your order, select "podcast" in the survey and select our show in the dropdown menu that followsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.