Podcasts about Runtime

When startups fail to scale, it's rarely because of bad code or bad luck. More likely, it's because they didn't hire the right people at the right time. Chris Barbin, founder and CEO of Tercera, shares a playbook for assembling your “Starting Five” — the essential leadership roles every professional services startup needs to grow from $10M to $100M and beyond. Drawing from decades as an operator and investor, he explains how to spot founder-market fit, when to swap out co-founders, and why hiring someone with a flashy resume can set you back two years. If you're building a people-first business, this episode is your blueprint for doing it right the first time. RUNTIME 35:14   EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:24) Chris explains how his career path led him to become CEO of Tercera. (6:18) The most common problems and challenges he helps founders navigate. (9:17) What stage are the professional services startups Chris typically meets with? (11:06) How he defines founder-market fit. (13:31) Red flags that indicate a founder isn't ready to work with investors. (16:15) One of the constructs of our fund is [that] none of our investments compete with each other.” (17:34) After the CEO, “ those five supporting cast members — key lieutenants — are essential.” (19:11) In most cases, three of the original Starting Five need to be replaced. (22:29) “ I've fallen into that trap myself — I hired a bunch of those that look amazing on paper.” (24:29) A framework for finding your first executive marketing hire. (27:17) Don't let your board pressure you into making rushed staffing decisions. (29:37) Managing the ripple effects associated with rebuilding the Starting Five “is really, really hard to do.” (31:29) Chris shares his preferred format for board meetings. (33:00) The one thing he wishes every founder understood before they started raising money.  LINKS Chris Barbin Tercera SUBSCRIBE

I've explored different aspects of product-market fit on the podcast, but when you're scaling an open-source business with enterprise customers and a global developer community, you also need customer–engineering fit — the ability to translate between what's being built and what the market actually needs. At Astronomer, Viraj Parekh is that bridge. He is part engineer, part strategist, and part customer advocate, working across product, sales, and engineering. In this episode of Fund/Build/Scale, Viraj explains what a Field CTO really does, how the role evolved at Astronomer, and when founders should consider creating one. He also shares lessons on customer discovery, team dynamics, and how to turn technical insight into business momentum. RUNTIME 31:16 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:20) What is Astronomer, and when did the company get started? (3:51) How the founding team came together. (6:39) How Viraj collaborated with CTO Julian LaNeve to develop the Field CTO role. (8:28) Where their roles overlap — and where they each take ownership. (11:42) “We were at a point where we were really trying to standardize our sales process.” (13:20) How the Field CTO role is different from a sales engineer or solutions architect. (15:39) “ Talking to customers is a very humbling thing every day because you just realize how much you have to learn.” (19:14) “ At a really early stage of customer development, the Field CTO role is almost like an external-facing product manager.” (21:46) Viraj talks about the processes and tools he uses to share customer feedback internally. (24:48) How to be a staunch customer advocate without losing your business focus. (26:55) What's the biggest opportunity cost associated with not having a Field CTO? (30:13)  If you were interviewing for a job with an early stage startup, what's one question the CEO would have to answer before you could take the offer?  LINKS Viraj Parekh Julian LaNeve Astronomer Apache Airflow SUBSCRIBE

Evan and Inaki dig into ALL FIFTY games from last year's retro-styled indie darling UFO 50, from Barbuta to Cyber Owls. Strap in, it's a long one. Topics include: demakes, From Software's Dark Souls (of course), and Nintendo Hard. Runtime: 2 hours, 13 minutes Direct Download RSS Feed iTunes Spotify Google Music Send us Feedback! Support us on Patreon! Join our Discord server! More episodes Show Notes Opening/Ending Song: “Blues Machine” by Scott Gratton Episode edited by Evan Minto. The Review Name drops: Nintendo, NES/Famicom, SNES/Super Famicom, Into the Breach, Splatoon, PacMan, Metroid, Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Civilization, SEGA, Nights into Dreams, WindJammers, MarioKart, Crazy Taxi, Balatro, Metal Storm, Super Smash Bros., Towerfall Ascension, Wizardry, Ghosts and Goblins (Makaimura), Final Fantasy, Maniac Mansion, Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, Metal Gear. Twitter: Ani-Gamers Twitch: David & Inaki Mastodon: Evan BlueSky: Evan Subscribe to Evan's digital manga service Azuki.

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/140536777 Beatrice speaks with “L,” “B” and Rosa from Workshops for Gaza about their work trying to redirect funds to keep people alive in Palestine, the importance of survival work in this moment, and why we all need to stand up to free the political prisoners facing persecution taking part in the Palestine solidarity movement. Runtime 2:02:13 (Note that due to the nature of this episode and the timing of the release we will be unlocking it later this week; patrons get early access today). The following links and notes have been prepared by "L," "B" and Rosa for inclusion in this episode description: 1. All of our current projects and campaigns can be viewed on our linkinbio, including calls to action to support political prisoners from the Palestine solidarity movement: https://linkin.bio/workshops4gaza/  2. Sign up for workshops, buy books, and propose new workshop on our website: workshops4gaza.com   3. A few books we recommend from our online bookstore, where all proceeds are donated to the Sameer Project: George Jackson, SOLEDAD BROTHER; Sameeh Al-Qassem et al, ENEMY OF THE SUN: POETRY OF PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE, Orisanmi Burton, TIP OF THE SPEAR; Dhoruba Bin Wahad, REVOLUTION IN THESE TIMES, Shukri Abu Baker, LIGHT FROM DEEP UNDER, Safiya Bukhari, THE WAR BEFORE, Souha Bechara, RESISTANCE: MY LIFE FOR LEBANON 4. We also want to send out a solidarity statement: “Workshops4Gaza sends our heartfelt solidarity to one of our former workshop instructors, Eman Abdelhadi, who was brutally detained by Chicago police outside Broadview ICE detention facility on October 3rd. Their workshop on speculative fiction writing recently raised over $5000 for Palestinians in Gaza and Cairo. The repression they are facing shows their dedication to multiple fronts of the struggle in both words and action. Insha'Allah you will be home soon Eman!” —W4G Show links: Get Health Communism here: https://open-books-a-poem-emporium.myshopify.com/products/w4g-adler-bolton-beatrice-artie-vierkant-health-communism Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent

On this week's episode of Coach's Corner with Ellis Johnson on the Auburn Undercover Podcast, the former Auburn defensive coordinator offered his take on the Tigers' performance at Texas A&M week, noting both areas of progress and issues still to be cleaned up as Auburn turns its focus to the bye week. Johnson also weighed in on the broader SEC picture, highlighting early-season trends and programs that have stood out through the opening weeks. As he does each week, he closed with picks across the conference, offering perspective on the weekend slate. RUN TIME: 52 minutes To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/140036403 Beatrice speaks with Nafis Hasan about how cancer research priorities shifted from environmental and industrial exposure to theories about individual genetic susceptibility, how the neoliberal turn moved cancer intervention from prevention to cure, and his book Metastasis: The Rise of the Cancer-Industrial Complex and the Horizons of Care. Runtime 1:20:33 Find Nafis's book here: https://www.commonnotions.org/metastasis Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent

Bentornati su Snap!L'avventura del video podcast continua, con errori, miglioramenti e novità; sempre in tema video, rispondo ad una domanda e ad un commento, pensando al prossimo video e quali device aggiornare con i nuovi *OS26.Colpisce il mercato la nuova collaborazione tra nVida ed Intel che apre nuove prospettive, come gli strumenti BIM 2.0 che stanno cambiando il modo di usare i software di progettazione.Buon ascolto!—>

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/139496883 Beatrice speaks with China Mills and John Pring about how the structure of welfare benefits in the United Kingdom leads to the death of disabled people, the difficulties in documenting such administrative violence and the process of “slow death,” and their project Deaths by Welfare that attempts to expose it. Runtime 1:21:55 Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent

More startups die from co-founder breakups than from running out of money. Attorney David Siegel, a partner at Grellas Shah LLP, has spent years inside these conflicts, helping founders navigate everything from equity disputes to emotional meltdowns. In this conversation, he explains: Why greed and mismatched expectations trigger so many founder breakups How minority founders can protect themselves before they're pushed out What departing founders can realistically expect to walk away with Why VCs hate “dead weight” on the cap table The emotional toll of disputes — and why lawyers often play part therapist If you're thinking about starting a company with someone else, or already rowing in that two-person boat, this episode will show you what's at stake — and what to do before it's too late. If you thought The Social Network had a happy ending, you might want to skip this one. RUNTIME 47:35 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:15) Disclaimer: “If you're looking for legal advice, that's something to talk to your own lawyer about.” (4:14) When it comes to equity distribution, “the fifty-fifties are a 5%.” (7:14) What are the most common triggers that lead to co-founder breakups? (11:35) What steps can a minority co-founder take to protect their equity in the earliest stages? (15:23) Ultimately, “the only person the lead investor knows is the majority founder.” (17:06) As long as you document all oral agreements, “you should be in good shape.” (20:04) Draw up agreements for any advisors or consultants you add to the cap table. (22:36) “The initial calls around a co-founder dispute, we play 50% lawyer, 50% therapist.” (25:17) “Breakups where it's not a surprise to the founder being kicked out are usually the smoothest.” (28:05) Once outside money comes in, minority co-founders leave with less than they agreed to. (30:09) How negotiable is retaining the co-founder title after a breakup? (32:32) Pre-agreed severance and other ideas for reducing financial pain and hard feelings. (35:05) “What a minority founder can do: you need face time with the investor.” (38:44) When should the founder with less equity contact a lawyer? (41:15) The most common mistakes founders make during a breakup. (44:43) The one thing David wishes more founders understood before picking a co-founder or investor. LINKS David Siegel Grellas Shah LLP SUBSCRIBE

Bentornati su Snap!Continua la sperimentazione video di questo podcast che, dopo la bella puntata con Luca Manelli, incomicia a regalare alcuni dietro le quinte che non posoo non raccontarti, non prima di aver risposto ad una domanda relativa al video DocFa su Mac Apple Silicon e di essermi tolto qualche sassolino derivante dalla foderatura dei libri dei miei figli.Nella seconda parte, solo audio, largo spazio alla strada intrapresa da Autodesk Forma, al ridimensionamento di Intel ed al corso sull'AI tenuto dal MVRDV alla Facoltà di Architettura a Torino!Buon ascolto!—>

What do you do when everyone loves your product but no one's paying for it? That was the challenge facing Beautiful.ai. Founder Mitch Grasso nailed the product, but to build a sustainable business, he brought in operator Jason Lapp as CEO. In this conversation, Jason shares how Beautiful.ai killed its freemium tier, introduced a credit-card-gated trial without losing momentum, and learned to serve both self-serve and enterprise customers at the same time. He also explains how to listen to customer feedback without becoming a feature factory, and why non-technical founders shouldn't try to know everything about the tech stack. If you're a founder wondering when to put up a paywall — or how to balance PLG with enterprise sales — here's a playbook. RUNTIME 46:20 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (3:35) “ The timing of us coming together was really fortuitous for beautiful because he had already built the first version of beautiful and put it in market.” (6:28) “ Microsoft and Google report that there's close to a billion people that use presentation software on a monthly basis.” (10:51) “ At a certain point after getting in market, you start to get a different set of signal.” (14:52) The free trial period is a great opportunity to learn about what customers value most. (19:56) Leverage “emotional” feedback to improve the customer experience. (23:46) “ We do have a guiding principle, which is: on the customer side, we generally don't build for one customer need.” (26:17) Beautiful.ai uses NPS surveys to gather feedback from enterprise and individual users. (28:49) Since pivoting to paid, they have separate teams for enterprise and individual customers. (23:02) “ We think about an ICP, and then we think about an IECP, meaning the enterprise as a whole.” (33:57) Capturing behavioral and attitudinal data to understand customer behavior. (37:18)  How the broader rise of generative AI has influenced GTM strategy. (42:33) Jason shares some advice for non-technical CEOs. LINKS Jason Lapp Beautiful.ai AI Isn't Coming For Jobs, It's Coming For Inefficiency Continuous Discovery Habits: Discover Products that Create Customer Value and Business Value, Teresa Torres Everything You Need to Know About Freemium Pricing, Kyle Poyar, OpenView Partners SUBSCRIBE

El programa semanal de mundoplus.tv donde hablamos de las plataformas de streaming, televisión de pago y todo lo parecido. En el nuevo formato intercalamos rumores, consultas y divagaciones entre las noticias así que para no perderte nada recomendamos ver el programa entero, pero así como destacados en el programa de hoy: 0:00:00 - Inicio, Presentación, Comentarios y Preguntas del Chat - Pluto TV anuncia por sorpresa un nuevo canal para los más nostálgicos - Runtime Clásicos se incorpora a la oferta de Samsung TV Plus - Disney+ subirá el precio del plan anual - Filmin cambia su precio estrella: así queda ahora el plan anual - Movistar Plus+ activa dos nuevos canales de prueba que apuntan a la llegada de BBC - DAZN y NBA alcanzan un acuerdo multianual para emitir partidos en España - DAZN emitirá el doble de partidos de la NBA que Amazon Prime Video y estudia fichar a Antoni Daimiel - Divagaciones varias, conclusiones y despedida FIN Este programa se graba en directo todos los Jueves a las 21H en nuestros canales de Twitch y YouTube [ / mundoplustv ]( / mundoplustv ) y [ / @mundoplustv ]( / @mundoplustv ) anímate a participar en el directo.

Description (SoundCloud — X2M.229 Katalysis) If X2M.228 Katabasis exposed the rage of the nations, then X2M.229 Katalysis marks the unraveling of their dominion. The cry of Psalm 2 is clear: *“Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us”*¹. Yet in attempting to cast off the cords of Christ's enthronement, nations dissolve their own unity. Katalysis means “dissolution” or “breaking down.” Dominion that once seemed immovable begins to melt. Systems fracture from within; cohesion collapses. Just as molten metal loses its form under heat, so the structures of kosmokratorial rule disintegrate under the scepter of Zion's enthroned King². Runtime logic: This is the second stress-test. Having been exposed in Katabasis, illegitimate thrones now experience internal destabilization. The enthroned vessel does not need to strike every blow directly; the runtime of enthronement itself erodes the integrity of false dominion³. Scriptural logic: Nations that reject the Son discover that their strength was parasitic, borrowed from kosmokrators now cast down. Dominion unravels not because of external invasion but because its foundations are hollow⁴. Katalysis is therefore both judgment and mercy. Judgment, because illegitimate dominion collapses. Mercy, because what dissolves makes room for the reign of the Son. As Paul wrote, “the rulers and authorities were disarmed and made a public spectacle” (Col. 2:15)⁵. Glorification | The Final Frontier Going boldly where the last man has gone before! Decrease time over target: PayPal or Venmo @clastronaut Cash App $clastronaut ⸻ Footnotes ¹ Psalm 2:3. ² Psalm 2:1–4; Revelation 12:8 — cosmic enthronement destabilizes dominion. ³ CR17 runtime logic: systems destabilize internally under pressure. ⁴ Cf. Daniel 2:34–35 — kingdoms dissolve when struck by the stone cut without hands. ⁵ Colossians 2:15 — Christ disarms and dissolves the powers.

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/138979001 Beatrice speaks with Andrea Ritchie about why it's now more important than ever for healthcare workers to resist ICE and refuse to participate in all forms of criminalization of the people they care for. We talk through the Beyond Do No Harm Network's 13 principles for care workers to interrupt criminalization and the many other resources the network has put together so far. Runtime 1:48:57 Find all of the Beyond Do No Harm resources mentioned in this episode here: https://www.interruptingcriminalization.com/beyond-do-no-harm Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent

What happens when you take four high school students from small-town North Carolina and drop them into the heart of Washington, DC for a week? Magic, transformation, and lifelong connections.The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has been sending students to our nation's capital for over 60 years. In this episode, we get a firsthand account from Giana Cadwallader, a Jacksonville High School senior who experienced this journey of discovery over the summer. From trading state pins with students across America to standing in awe before towering monuments that remind us "freedom isn't free," Giana's story captures the essence of what makes this program so powerful. For any high school juniors listening, applications open in December for next summer's trip. Check our website or social media for details on how you could experience this transformative opportunity. As Gianna's story demonstrates, some lessons can only be learned by walking in the footsteps of history.Run Time: 19 Minutes

In this edition of the Snake Oilers podcasts, three vendors pop in to pitch you all on their wares: Automated, AI-powered threat hunting with Nebulock Damien Lewke from Nebulock joins the show to talk about how its agentic AI platform can surface attacker activity out of all those “low” and “informational” findings your detection team doesn't have time to look at. Runtime security for hypervisors from Vali Cyber Austin Gadient from Vali Cyber stops by to talk about ZeroLock, its hypervisor security product. It's marketed as a counter-ransomware control but is just a generally useful security platform for virtualised environments. A secure mobile telco: Cape The only thing American cell providers love more than providing patchy coverage is getting their customers' data owned. Cape is here to change that. It's a security and anonymity-focussed virtual mobile network operator (MVNO) that's been spun up by a highly competent team. If we lived in the USA we would be customers, and a bunch of CISOs listening to this might want to consider Cape subscriptions for their workforce. This episode is also available on Youtube Show notes

Frontier tech startups don't fail because the science is bad — they fail because no one needs what they're building. In this episode, Roadrunner Venture Studios CEO/co-founder Adam Hammer explains how to avoid that fate.  We talk about why the U.S. struggles to turn research into startups, why being right isn't enough, and what it really takes to cross the Valley of Death between lab science and real-world demand. Along the way, Adam shares practical insights for first-time founders, including: How to test whether your problem is painful enough to sell What the studio model offers that VCs and accelerators can't Why most technical founders struggle with pitching — and how to fix it And what scientists need to unlearn to become CEOs If you're building something deep, hard, or new — don't skip this one. RUNTIME 41:11   EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:32) How a career spanning national labs, venture capital, and startup leadership led to Roadrunner Venture Studios. (7:46) “ Our goal is to compress all the mistakes that you would make in a three-year period into a year.” (8:50) The three frontier tech sectors Roadrunner focuses on: advanced energy, advanced manufacturing, and advanced compute. (10:28) Why it's so hard to translate lab science into sustainable, venture-scale businesses. (13:49) Adam shares ideas for bridging America's structural gap in commercializing frontier tech. (16:38) “ Roadrunner serves as a de-risking mechanism for ideas and for people.” (21:12) “ In science, you win by being right. But in startups, you win by being useful.” (24:23) What Adam looks for in a pitch deck. (27:15) When it comes to sourcing founders and ideas, “ we are as early as it gets.” (31:54) Why Roadrunner Venture Studios set up shop in New Mexico. (34:16) If he could fix one common founder misconception, what would it be? (36:26) “ There's nothing innate that predetermines whether somebody can or cannot be a founder.” LINKS Adam Hammer Roadrunner Venture Studios The Engine Overcoming the Valley of Death: A New Model for High Technology Startups SUBSCRIBE

You don't need a Stanford degree or a flashy deck to raise a pre-seed, seed or Series A, but you do need to show investors that you've put in the work. 645 Ventures co-founder Nnamdi Okike shares practical advice for founders who are prepping to raise capital, including what he looks for in pitch meetings, how to uncover “earned secrets,” and why chasing hot categories can backfire. We also dig into how 645 uses outbound sourcing and proprietary software to spot overlooked talent — and what it really takes to stand out if you don't fit the typical founder mold. RUNTIME 58:08 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:18) Nnamdi describes his path from operator to investor. (5:00) Stage by stage: What sets 645 Ventures apart from other firms? (12:33) What signals and sectors suggest strong alignment with 645? (21:04) “We do have some solo founders in the portfolio.” (25:49) His take on CEOs who promote a hard-charging, aggressive culture. (31:20) Why he favors founders solving real problems, not just chasing trends. (37:02) One thing he wishes more first-time founders understood about the early-stage ecosystem. (43:55) What kind of proof or evidence he looks for in companies raising capital. (49:20) Which early assumptions he and his team have since modified —or thrown out. LINKS Nnamdi Okike Aaron Holiday 645 Ventures Pattern Breakers Karen Moon SUBSCRIBE

Dan Lee co-founded what would become Nooks while on leave from Stanford. He wasn't solving sales. He was exploring remote collaboration during the pandemic. But when they noticed that some of his most active users were in sales development — and that investors were starting to reach out — he followed the signal. Today, Nooks is a sales AI platform used by teams at Seismic, Fivetran, and Modern Health, with $70 million in funding from Kleiner Perkins, Lachy Groom, and others. In this episode, we talk about how Nooks evolved from a virtual office for remote collaboration into a fast-growing AI sales assistant platform. Dan shares what it's like to raise a $43M Series B after an unplanned Series A, why he believes sales needs AI assistants, not agents, and how he built conviction in a space he had no background in. If you're an early-stage founder wondering how to navigate a pivot, build for an industry you've never worked in, or generate investor pull instead of push, listen in. RUNTIME 36:32  EPISODE BREAKDOWN (3:01) “ It started as a project, obviously became a company.” (5:13) “  Everyone here is smarter than me in some way.” (5:46) Which early signals indicated Nooks could be more than a side project? (8:01) “ And then, investors approached and said, ‘oh, you should raise some money.'” (10:11) “ I think it's a misconception to think that in the early days it's hard to do much without raising money.” (11:15) Pivoting Nooks from a virtual collaboration platform to serving sales teams. (14:26) “ At the time, it felt more like a focus than a pivot.” (16:56) “ Coming from an engineering background, it's easy to think, ‘oh, sales, that's like a dirty job.'” (20:50) “ We've been fortunate to have a very strong feedback loop with our users.” (22:20) If you don't have domain expertise, “ build a mental model of what is true north in terms of product value.” (23:22) Nooks' work culture is underpinned by two values: “ask why,” and “earn customer love.” (26:25) Customer satisfaction ≠ Customer delight (30:36) Why Nooks is building AI assistants, not AI agents. (32:41) When it comes to hiring, Dan looks for people with “motivations that align well with Nooks.” (34:39) One question Dan would have to ask a CEO if he were interviewing for a job with an early-stage startup. LINKS Dan Lee Nooks Nikhil Cheerla Rohan Suri Nooks raises $43M Series B from Kleiner Perkins and launches AI Sales Assistant Platform Forbes 30 Under 30 AI SUBSCRIBE

Welcome!

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: www.patreon.com/posts/137338165 Beatrice, Phil, and Jules speak with Claire Dunning about the complex history of how nonprofit organizations became so pervasive in US political life and the issues with how the non-profit system promises to address big, structural problems while at the same time structurally constraining what these groups are and aren't allowed to do. Note: This episode was originally released for patrons on September 4th, 2023, and is being re-released today for Labor Day. We'll be back with a new episode in the patron feed next week. Runtime 1:31:00 Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent

Transforming breakthrough research into a sustainable company is never simple — especially in hard tech. In this episode recorded in December 2024, Zero Emission Industries CEO/founder Dr. Joseph Pratt and Chief Strategy Officer John Motlow share what it takes to move hydrogen power systems from the lab to the marketplace. We talk about raising money in tough conditions, why government grants can be both a blessing and a constraint, and how to build teams that thrive under pressure. Along the way, they offer candid lessons on funding, hiring, and navigating timelines that rarely go as planned. RUNTIME 51:52   EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:11) “ I knew the path on how to solve it and knew that there was demand for it, and took the jump out of the national lab to start the company.” (6:36) “ I didn't jump into this with a big network of investors.” (8:57) How ZEI produced the world's first commercial fuel cell ferry. (10:56) Why the company's first hire was a Chief Strategy Officer. (12:53) John Motlow says he wanted to join ZEI “because it was incredibly risky.” (17:06) Crafting ZEI's GTM strategy for the FCV Vanguard, a hydrogen-powered, high-performance speedboat. (21:55) Is ZEI a transportation company, or a clean tech startup? (24:20) When it comes to deep tech, customer requirements are wayfinders for PMF. (29:47) “Government funding and their insights is sort of half the picture.” (35:30) “ To be clear, we talked to a lot of investors who did not agree with our TAM.” (39:09) Why they overindexed on hiring employees who have a background in motorsports. (42:19) Joe's advice for building specialized teams in a competitive market. (47:38) “ Don't slot someone in there and then forget about it: Where are their strengths?” (49:27) What's next for ZEI? LINKS Zero Emission Industries Dr. Joseph Pratt John Moslow FCV Vanguard — Live Demo (YouTube) ZEI Raises $8.75 Million in Series A Funding SUBSCRIBE

In this episode, Darko welcomes Mathias Buus Madsen, CEO of Holepunch and creator of Pear Runtime. Mathias shares how peer-to-peer tech and modular architecture let developers build apps without AWS or cloud lock-in.Like this episode? Be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on the podcast player of your choice and share it with your friends.

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/137338165 Beatrice and Tracy speak with journalist Rebecca Burns about how Trump's takeover of D.C. and threats to send the National Guard into U.S. cities under the auspices of fighting a “crime emergency” and “endemic” homelessness echo the policy proposals and model bills of the Cicero Institute, a right wing think tank run by a co-founder of Palantir. Runtime 1:14:24 Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent

Rob Biederman has sat on both sides of the table — first as co-founder and CEO of Catalant Technologies, and now as managing partner at Asymmetric Capital Partners. In this candid conversation, he explains why so much of the conventional wisdom around startups is actually counterproductive. He breaks down why design partners don't equal traction, why headcount growth is a vanity metric, and why Silicon Valley should stop romanticizing failure. He also shares how Asymmetric evaluates founders, what investors really care about, and the simple test every startup should use to prove they're solving a real problem. If you're a founder chasing milestones that look good on a pitch deck but don't move the business forward, this episode of Fund/Build/Scale is a reality check you won't hear anywhere else.   RUNTIME 43:43   EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:46) “ We have a probably a couple points of differentiation with the broader market.” (4:46) “ Our happiest spot is kind of in the two-to-six million range for our first check.” (5:39) “ We want to get to know people probably a year or two before they're going to found so we can really see what they're about and really understand.” (7:20) “ I think we'd hire most of our founders as investors at our firm, if we had the chance.” (10:11) What makes a startup  relevant, credible, or just differentiated? (11:32) An easy framework for self-auditing your startup idea. (13:09) “ I think our industry kind of worships at the altar of failure a little too much.” (15:08) “ We don't actually really love backing people directly from really big companies.” (17:00) Rob explains why design partners are a distraction, not a path to real traction. (21:23) “ If you're gonna get one career, why not spend it trying to trick the world into doing something differently?” (24:17) One metric founders love that does not predict success from an investor's perspective. (25:08) Inside Asymmetric Capital Partners' four-step pitch review process. (27:27) Why the best data rooms are simple: “they have no spin.” (29:46) Rob describes how his firm's advisor partner model works. (31:49) The first step in GTM: “ get to the bottom of why your customer is buying from you.” (35:18) At the start, tell investors “everything you haven't figured out” so you can start planning. (38:17) “ If you don't tell your doctor the truth, what can they do for you?” (41:02) What he would do differently if he were launching a startup today. LINKS Rob Biederman Asymmetric Capital Partners Asymmetric FAQs Catalant Technologies Democratizing Care: Announcing our Investment in Counsel Health EvolutionIQ Raises $21M Series A To Deliver AI Based Claims Guidance Across The Industry SUBSCRIBE

Pro tip: If you can't see yourself getting up every morning for the next ten years and being excited about going to work, don't launch a startup. Ajay Prakash co-founded Rinse in 2013 to take the friction out of laundry and dry cleaning — for consumers, and for the small, family-owned businesses behind the counter. Since then, Rinse has scaled into a national brand, and Ajay has become a lecturer at Stanford Graduate Business School's Startup Garage, where he teaches frameworks for validating ideas, testing business models, and knowing when it's time to take the leap into entrepreneurship. I invited him on to share what he's learned about developing domain expertise from scratch, building trust with co-founders, and avoiding the early mistakes that can derail a promising business. RUNTIME 42:38 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:22) Ajay talks about two trends that led him to co-found Rinse in 2013. (4:15) Rinse co-founder James Joun was “one of my best friends from college.” (5:29) “When we started, we spent a lot of time with James' parents in the dry-cleaning store.” (6:40) Before taking the leap, founders should identify their “passion, expertise, and market opportunity.” (9:11) “As you build a company, answering the question of ‘why now' and ‘why me' is really important.” (11:19) “We signed up 11 of our friends. We picked up their clothes.” (14:17) “Every smart investor we talked to… told us we had to be on-demand.” (17:41) Early signals led Rinse to pivot from pricing per pound to adopting a subscription model. (20:23) His approach to crafting customer personas. (22:05) “We always envisioned helping the local cleaners.” (27:11) From the start, Rinse used Net Promoter Scores and surveys to glean customer insights. (30:44) The “two general areas of lessons” Ajay teaches at Stanford's Startup Garage. (34:53) Why he encourages Startup Garage students to keep asking themselves, “Am I still excited?” (37:41) How to prepare for the mental challenges of being a startup founder. (40:01) Is Rinse's operational model adaptable to other industries and services? LINKS Ajay Prakash James Joun Rinse The Four Steps to the Epiphany, Steven G. Blank The Lean Startup, Eric Ries Startup Garage at Stanford Graduate School of Business SUBSCRIBE

Doc and Paul tackle another genre limited theatrical release with TRUST (2025), directed by Carlson Young featuring Sophie Turner, Rhys Coiro, and Billy Campbell. Synopsis: “A Hollywood actress hides in a remote cabin after a scandal, only to find herself betrayed and fighting for survival against someone she once trusted.” -IMDb Be sure to like and subscribe. TRUST stars actors Sophie Turner (“Game of Thrones,” X-Men Apocalypse), Billy Campbell (I Know What You Did Last Summer, Enough), Katey Sagal (“Married With Children,” “Sons of Anarchy”) and Gianni Paolo (Ma, Power Book II: Ghost). The film is directed by Carlson Young (Upgraded, The Blazing World) and is produced by Miles Koules, Ketura Kestin (Saw X, Jigsaw) and Oren Koules (Saw franchise). Run Time: 90 minutes. Rating: R for violence, language, some sexuality and drug content. Out in theaters, Friday, August 23, 2025. Republic Pictures.

Karthee Madasamy is the founder of VC firm MFV Partners and the founding managing partner of Harper Court Ventures, both of which focus on early-stage deep tech startups. In this episode of Fund/Build/Scale, he explains what early-stage founders get wrong about TAM, why technical validation isn't enough, and how to de-risk your company when the market barely exists. We also talk about: What MFV looks for when evaluating scientific founders The importance of “market inevitability” and strategic timing Common missteps deep tech founders make on the road to Series A If you're building ambitious technology in a complex, slow-moving market, this episode will help you speak investors' language — and build a company they can believe in.   RUNTIME 41:03   EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:24) Karthee describes his engineer–product manager–VC career path. (4:37) How does MFV Partners define deep tech? (6:35) Areas of interest include robotics, physical AI, and next-gen computing—“especially quantum.” (8:39) “We are doing anywhere from pre-seed to seed, up to all the way to Series A.” (12:17) About a third of the founders he works with are transitioning from academic or research roles. (14:01) Inside MFV's due diligence process. (16:20) The three questions Karthee uses to frame his first meeting with a founder. (17:47) Tactics for engineers and academics who want to validate their idea but lack customer experience. (19:27) “There's no fallback. You have to basically go deep on one thing.” (23:43) “A deep tech founder, in addition to all the other risks, they're taking technical risks.” (25:51) What does traction look like at an early-stage deep tech startup? (28:38) Be prepared to answer this question during your first meeting with Karthee. (30:32) “In deep tech, oftentimes, there is not a place you can just go to get a TAM.” (37:40) Why MFV accepts cold pitches. (39:24) The one question Karthee would ask the CEO if he were interviewing for a job at an early-stage startup. LINKS Karthee Madasamy MFV Partners Harper Court Ventures SUBSCRIBE

Don’t ask us how long ago we recorded this episode, just enjoy Evan and David talking about Frieren, Balatro, Cowboy Bebop, Caves of Qud, Dungeons & Dragons, and more! Topics include: staying together for the listeners, trading with glowfish, and the Ani-Gamers review of Baseball (The Sport). Runtime: 1 hour, 30 minutes Direct Download RSS Feed iTunes Spotify Google Music Send us Feedback! Support us on Patreon! Join our Discord server! More episodes Show Notes Opening/Ending Song: “Blues Machine” by Scott Gratton Episode edited by Evan Minto. Quicksave David watched Frieren Evan is playing Balatro David is watching Cowboy Bebop Evan is playing Caves of Qud Evan is playing Dungeons & Dragons Evan is playing 1000 Blank White Cards Twitter: Ani-Gamers Twitch: David & Inaki Mastodon: Evan BlueSky: Evan Subscribe to Evan's digital manga service Azuki.

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/136779075 Beatrice speaks with Kathryn Olivarius about the economy and social structure that emerged around yellow fever in antebellum New Orleans, the ecosystem of deniers, capitalists, and novel theories of "immunity" that shaped it, and her book Necropolis: Disease, Power, and Capitalism in the Cotton Kingdom. Runtime 1:42:12 Note: We're back! Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes and many kind messages during our parental leave. As we ramp production back up we'll be prioritizing the patron feed first to make sure patrons get a full new episode every week. Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent

Send us a textMy Life on a Napkin - Part VIChapter 11: Start time: 0:24; Run Time: 23:00Chapter 12: Start time 23:23; Run time:20:33Epilogue (by Andrew Crowley): Start time: 43:56; Run Time: 7:00Bonus Clips:Utah Remembers Rick MajerusSweater RetirementHOF VideoESPN PromoBook Info:Title: My Life on a Napkin: Pillow Mints, Playground Dreams, and Coaching the Runnin' Utes.By: Rick Majerus with Gene WojciechowskiCopyright: 1999 - Rick Majerus and Gene WojciechowskiPublished by: Hyperion, 114 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York, 10011Runnin' Hoops Podcast 30% Off Exclusive Deal! – FlyFitTees

Jyoti Bansal sold his first company, AppDynamics, to Cisco for $3.7 billion. Harness, his next company, reached a similar valuation a few years later. As an entrepreneur — and as a VC at Unusual Ventures — Jyoti has built and backed multiple billion-dollar startups. But despite his track record, he says technical founders often overlook the same hard truth: good ideas don't build great companies. It's all about execution. In this conversation, Jyoti explains how he helps engineers become CEOs, the leadership frameworks he uses to scale fast without breaking culture, and why each business unit inside Harness runs like a startup of its own. He also talks about what he had to unlearn as he made the leap from founder to investor, and debunks the myth that every entrepreneur needs a mentor. If you're aiming for breakout scale, this episode will give you some useful tactics — and maybe a few reality checks. RUNTIME 44:24 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (3:23) “ I started Big Labs and I call it a startup studio: it's really my lab, a research lab for me to experiment with ideas and projects that I'm excited about.” (6:15) Why Jyoti still carves out time for customer discovery and sales calls. (7:27) “ Harness is designed for kind of this next-generation, AI-based approach for DevOps.” (9:42) “ Our entire philosophy is built with this concept called ‘startups within a startup.'” (11:22) How Harness maintains cohesion and alignment across 16 different modules. (14:00) The specific traits and abilities Jyoti looks for when hiring leaders at Harness. (17:35) Why some engineers are poorly suited to make the leap into entrepreneurship. (20:55) A mental framework that helped Jyoti become a better manager and communicator. (23:59) “ I always leaned on topic-based mentorship, not generic mentorship, which is a particular problem.” (25:53) Why working with a CEO coach “didn't work very well for me.” (27:36) The sectors and types of startups that interest him the most right now. (30:10) How he prefers to be pitched — and how to apply to Unusual Academy's next cohort. (32:24) “ 30, 40% growth rates are where most startups should be looking, at least — ideally much more.” (33:53) “ If we can't see a path to $100M of revenue — or a billion of revenue — we don't invest.” (37:15) The biggest attachment he had to let go of when transitioning from founder to VC. (42:41) The one question he'd ask the CEO if he were interviewing for a job with an early-stage startup. LINKS Jyoti Bansal Harness Traceable Unusual Ventures Unusual Academy Unusual Field Guide Cisco Announces Intent to Acquire Application Performance Monitoring Leader AppDynamics, 1/24/2017 SUBSCRIBE

Brian Rothenberg, partner at Defy and former VP of Growth at Eventbrite, joins Fund/Build/Scale to share what really matters when evaluating early-stage startups. From spotting false signals of traction to building defensible business models, Brian offers practical advice for both founders and operators. He also explains why job seekers should “think like a VC” before joining a startup, how he prefers to be pitched, and what signals he looks for in AI and emerging tech companies. Whether you're raising capital, building a company, or considering your next role, this conversation will help you see the startup landscape through an investor's eyes. RUNTIME 34:28   EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:14) “ I've been fortunate to always be pretty entrepreneurial… it was just how I was wired.” (5:11) How advising friends and investing in their companies led Brian into VC. (6:45) “ The bulk of our capital goes to seed, seed plus or Series A. But we do go as early as an idea and a person.” (7:48) Defy's areas of interest and average check size. (8:53) “ We will be entering into a period where we'll see a lot of new and profoundly different consumer AI experiences.” (10:26) “ I see a lot of promise in rewiring a lot of the financial infrastructure and plumbing through use of blockchain.” (12:42) The traits and metrics Defy looks for in early-stage AI startups. (14:33) Brian loves Sean Ellis' customer satisfaction survey. (15:55)  Why proof-of-concept programs don't generate recurring revenue or reduce churn rates. (19:01) Have you noticed that we don't hear about many AI startups making a pivot? (21:00) Thanks to AI tools, “ we will see a lot more niche businesses and founders not having to dilute themselves as much as they had previously.” (22:22) How Brian grades the VC community's ability to judge AI traction. (24:42) Technology alone doesn't build a defensible startup. (26:57) How to pitch the team at Defy. (29:40) Why startup job seekers need to start thinking like investors. (32:58) The one question Brian would ask the CEO if he were interviewing for a job with an early-stage startup. LINKS Brian Rothenberg Defy Growth with Sean Ellis SUBSCRIBE

Devy Devotional Podcast Episode Notes: Next Man UpDate: August 13, 2025Hosts: John Arrington, Andy StarrNote: Aaron Wilcox was absent for this episode.IntroductionJohn Arrington hosts alongside Andy Starr, filling in for the absent Aaron Wilcox.The episode focuses on recent injuries in college football, particularly during fall camps, and discusses the "next man up" for key teams, exploring potential replacements and their impact on team dynamics and fantasy football (Devy and CFF).Key Topics and Discussions1. General Injury OverviewThe hosts discuss the impact of injuries across college football, noting that while some are minor, others could have significant long-term effects.The focus is on identifying players who could step up in the absence of injured starters, especially at running back and wide receiver positions.2. Notre Dame: Keidren Young's Season-Ending InjuryInjury: Keidren Young (RB, Notre Dame) suffered a season-ending ACL tear.Impact: Young was expected to have a role as a spell back for Jeremiah Love, particularly on early downs. His injury disrupts his development and role for 2025.Next Man Up: Aneas Williams is highlighted as a potential beneficiary, likely stepping into a larger role in the running back room. The hosts note Notre Dame's limited depth at RB, with only Jeremiah Love, Jadarian Price, and Aneas Williams listed alongside Young on the depth chart (per Our Lads).Future Outlook: Young's injury could push him to re-earn his role in 2026, especially with Love and Price potentially leaving. Concerns arise about Notre Dame recruiting over Young or adding walk-ons to bolster depth.Devy Notes: Williams is seen as an electric back with more explosiveness than Young, offering a promising 1-2 punch for 2026 if Young recovers fully. However, the hosts express caution about running back injuries in general, citing examples like Jonathan Brooks and CJ Baxter.3. Iowa: Kamari Moulton's Hamstring InjuryInjury: Kamari Moulton (RB, Iowa) is sidelined with a hamstring injury, missing practice in the week leading up to the episode.Impact: Moulton was expected to lead Iowa's backfield after Caleb Johnson's surprising 2024 season. A prolonged absence could severely hamper Iowa's already weak offense.Next Man Up: The depth chart behind Moulton is thin, with Jayzeon Patterson, Terrell Washington, Xavier Williams, and Brevin Doll listed. None have shown significant promise, with low big-time run rates and PPR points per touch.Discussion: The hosts express concern about Iowa's running game without Moulton, noting the team's historical reliance on defense and tight ends rather than offensive firepower. They discuss the addition of FCS transfer quarterback Mark Grunowski, who could add a rushing element, but doubt Iowa will shift to a spread offense under coach Kirk Ferentz.Devy Notes: Moulton's 7% big-time run rate offers some optimism if he returns healthy, but the hosts are pessimistic about Iowa's offense without him, predicting a potential struggle to reach 200 rushing yards as a team.4. Florida: Wide Receiver InjuriesInjuries:Eugene Wilson III (WR) has been limited in spring and fall practices due to an undisclosed injury.Dallas Wilson (WR, true freshman) is in a hard cast for a lower leg injury, expected to miss at least a week or two.Impact: Florida's wide receiver room is depleted, raising concerns about offensive production, especially with a tough 2025 schedule.Next Man Up:J. Michael Sturdivant (WR, transfer from Cal): Expected to fill a role similar to Kahleil Dike but has regressed since a 755-yard sophomore season at Cal (2022). His 315 yards in 2024 at UCLA raise doubts about his ability to exceed 300-500 yards in the SEC.Vernell Brown III (WR, true freshman): A five-star recruit with inconsistent camp reports but high athletic potential. He could seize a starting role if Wilson and Wilson are sidelined.Tank Hawkins (WR, true sophomore): Showed promise with a 4.6 average depth of target (A-dot) on limited routes (46) in 2024. Could step up as a possession receiver.Other Names: Aiden Mizell and Khalil Jackson are mentioned but deemed unexciting due to limited production (Jackson had 13 yards in 2024).Discussion: The hosts speculate on lineup adjustments, suggesting Eugene Wilson could move to the X-receiver role with Brown in the slot if injuries persist. They emphasize the need for quarterback DJ Lagway to elevate the offense, noting his shoulder and calf injuries as concerns. Florida's tough schedule and coach Billy Napier's job security add urgency to getting top players like Brown on the field.Devy Notes: Brown is the most exciting prospect for Devy purposes, with potential to break out if given opportunities. Sturdivant and Hawkins are less appealing, with Sturdivant's decline making him a risky bet.5. LSU: Wide Receiver InjuriesInjuries:Nick Anderson (WR, transfer from Oklahoma) is recovering from a quadriceps injury, possibly related to a car accident and concussion protocol.Aaron Anderson (WR) has been sidelined during fall camp, with limited details on the injury.Impact: LSU's deep wide receiver room mitigates the impact, but the injuries could open doors for younger players.Next Man Up:Barion Brown (WR): A former Kentucky standout with a strong freshman year, Brown has earned all-SEC preseason honors and praise in camp. He's listed as a backup flanker but could see significant snaps.Zavion Thomas (WR): Also receiving camp buzz but hasn't stood out significantly as a receiver.Chris Hilton Jr. (WR): The presumed starter at X-receiver, Hilton has big-play potential (2.5+ yards per route run in three seasons) but only 225 yards in 2024. His role is questioned due to competition from younger talent.Kylan Billiot (WR, true sophomore): A highly-touted recruit listed as third-string behind Nick Anderson. Could see snaps if injuries persist.Teron Francis (WR, true freshman): Nicknamed “Man Child,” Francis has generated hype for his athleticism and camp performance, potentially pushing for a role.Discussion: The hosts debate whether veterans like Hilton and Aaron Anderson can hold off younger talents like Billiot and Francis. LSU's passing game, led by quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, is expected to remain strong despite injuries due to the team's depth.Devy Notes: Brown and Francis are the most intriguing for Devy leagues, with Brown offering immediate production potential and Francis as a long-term upside pick. Hilton's big-play ability is noted but tempered by his limited production.6. Oklahoma: Running Back InjuriesInjuries:Taylor Tatum (RB) and Jayden Ott (RB) are dealing with minor injuries, expected to return by Week 1.Xavier Robinson (RB) is also injured, leaving only Javontae Barnes and true freshman Torrey Blaylock as healthy backs in camp.Impact: Oklahoma's running back room is described as “disgusting” due to its lack of proven talent and injury concerns.Next Man Up:Torrey Blaylock (RB, true freshman): Has impressed in camp with his speed and explosiveness, potentially earning a role in specific packages.Javontae Barnes (RB): Healthy as of recent reports but hampered by a 2023 foot injury (dead bone removed near his big toe). His 577 yards in 2024 were underwhelming (4.7 YPC).Jayden Ott (RB): A former standout at Cal, Ott struggled in 2024 but could rebound if healthy.Taylor Tatum (RB): A highly-touted recruit with better per-carry metrics than Barnes but limited by inexperience and injury.Discussion: The hosts highlight Blaylock's potential to see the field due to his explosiveness, despite being low on the depth chart. Concerns linger about Barnes' recovery from his foot injury and Ott's ability to return to form. The addition of quarterback John Mateer and new offensive coordinator could shift focus to the passing game.Devy Notes: Blaylock is a sleeper pick for Devy leagues due to his camp buzz and the weak depth chart. Tatum remains a high-upside prospect, while Ott and Barnes are less appealing due to recent struggles.Additional NotesAaron Wilcox's Absence: The hosts humorously note Aaron's absence, joking about his fear of the “Guess the Guy” segment, which was skipped for the second consecutive week.College Football Excitement: With the season two weeks away, the hosts are excited about upcoming games, noting a stronger-than-usual Week 0 and Week 1 schedule.Technical Issues: Andy experienced internet connectivity issues during the podcast, briefly dropping out. John's daughter inadvertently turned off his house lights via voice-controlled devices, adding a humorous moment.Key Devy TakeawaysHigh-Upside Prospects to Watch: Vernell Brown III (Florida), Torrey Blaylock (Oklahoma), Barion Brown (LSU), and Teron Francis (LSU) are highlighted as potential breakout players if injuries create opportunities.Injury Concerns: Keidren Young (Notre Dame), Kamari Moulton (Iowa), Eugene Wilson III (Florida), Dallas Wilson (Florida), Nick Anderson (LSU), and DJ Lagway (Florida) face varying degrees of injury risk, impacting their Devy value.Depth Chart Analysis: Teams like LSU and Florida have deeper talent pools to weather injuries, while Iowa and Oklahoma face significant challenges if their injured players miss extended time.ClosingThe hosts thank listeners for their support on Gridiron Ratings' YouTube channel and Spotify, encouraging engagement through comments and subscriptions.They promise to return with Aaron Wilcox for the next episode, as college football season approaches.Runtime: ~1 hourListen on: Gridiron Ratings YouTube, SpotifyNext Episode: TBD, with hopes of Aaron Wilcox's return and live football discussions.

When you're raising your first rounds, every cap table decision can echo for years. Give away too much equity early, lock yourself into restrictive pro rata rights, or over-optimize for valuation — and you may find yourself boxed in just when your company starts to grow. Pulley co-founder and CEO Yin Wu has seen these mistakes firsthand. In this episode of Fund/Build/Scale, she offers practical, founder-first strategies for structuring and managing your cap table so you can attract top talent, keep your options open, and stay in control of your startup's destiny. We also discuss how to compete with entrenched incumbents, why her LinkedIn profile says she works in Customer Success, and how founders can shift their role as the company scales. RUNTIME 38:44 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:46) Why her LinkedIn profile says she's in “customer success,” not CEO/co-founder. (5:43)  How much time passed between Day Zero and serving Pulley's first customer? (9:48) “ You're trying to market the product, and then you're also playing the role of customer success at the same time.” (10:04) The number-one cap table mistake founders make? “Being too greedy.” (13:55) Why are startups sticking with four-year vesting schedules when it takes 7-10 years to exit? (15:14) How founders should think about pro rata rights in early rounds. (19:04) Taking money out in a secondary “ actually releases some of the pressure and allows founders to focus.” (21:04) Founder-preferred shares “are becoming increasingly popular.” (24:15) CEO/founders need to remember “ the soft power that you have as a leader of the company.” (26:45) How Yin defines “founder mode.” (30:50) “ Every successful company has been a response to some incumbent's worldview.” (33:38) Why going public “ can actually make it tough for companies to be able to innovate.” (34:04) The one question she'd ask the CEO if she were interviewing for a job with an early-stage startup. LINKS Yin Wu Pulley How to Scale a Startup in Just 3 Months, Pulley Employee Equity, Sam Altman Will the Blockbuster Deal for Wiz Spur an M&A Wave in Cybersecurity?, WSJ Pro VC SUBSCRIBE

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/136180934 Beatrice speaks with Chanelle Gallant and Elene Lam about their book Not Your Rescue Project: Migrant Sex Workers Fighting for Justice and the solidarities required to organize at the intersection of sex work, migrant justice, and disability justice. Runtime 1:38:37 Note: We're back! Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes and many kind messages during our parental leave. We have a lot coming together soon processing current events and reacting to some big developments that happened while we were away. As we ramp production back up we'll be prioritizing the patron feed first to make sure patrons get a full new episode every week. Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent

A turbulent flight sparked Wayne Slavin's idea for Sure: let consumers buy insurance in real time. But after launching as a D2C app, he realized the bigger opportunity was powering insurance sales for others. Sure's pivot to B2B turned it into a vertical SaaS platform that lets enterprise companies embed insurance at the point of transaction. In this episode, Wayne explains how to pivot without losing your mission, why founders should lead early enterprise sales, and why he refuses to run proof-of-concept deals. He also shares why — if he could do it over — he'd avoid launching a business with so much built-in complexity. RUNTIME 51:58 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (3:16) How a turbulent flight inspired Wayne to sell insurance directly to consumers. (7:03) Why he reached out to a founder who tried (and failed) to launch an insuretech startup. (12:01) Becoming fluent in insurance industry jargon “was definitely a learning curve.” (16:05) The point when Wayne realized Sure needed to pivot. (20:16) The transition from D2C to B2B “was a slow aircraft carrier style turn.” (22:35) How to tell whether you're grinding through a rough patch or building on the wrong model. (29:21) When it was time to pitch to enterprise customers, “ most of those conversations were led by me. (32:40) “ Proofs of concept are actually the way for a big company to not do something.” (40:45) Sure is an embedded finance company, not an insurance company. (44:04) “ In hindsight, I would not want to be in another business where you are dependent on two other parties performing.” (49:08) The one question Wayne would have to ask the CEO if he were interviewing for a role with an early-stage startup. LINKS Wayne Slavin Sure "The Start-up From Hell," Inc.com SUBSCRIBE

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/135737340 Beatrice, Artie and Tracy discuss the potential impacts of a new Trump executive order called “Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets,” which threatens to dramatically expand involuntary psychiatric commitment and make it easier for the government to disappear people off the streets, allegedly in the name of “compassion.” Runtime 1:51:47 Note: We're back! Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes and many kind messages during our parental leave. We have a lot coming together soon processing current events and reacting to some big developments that happened while we were away. As we ramp production back up we'll be prioritizing the patron feed first to make sure patrons get a full new episode every week. Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent

Back. We are talkin' Slayer. This week's topic is the Great Hanneman Gear Grab: What happened to Jeff's guitar collection, mostly, and why, and how? Tune in.And unless you're a Patreon supporter, this is pretty much the end of Talkin' Slayer, Season 2: New Sh*t Has Come To Light. The episode wraps with some details on what's next in coming months.Plus a few words of gratitude and memoriam for friends past and present. Chris McMaster and Walter Novak RIP.DEEZ NOTES, as referenced in the show:Slayer's classic "War Ensemble" video, featuring Jeff's Punk Rock Jackson guitar. What I'd give for a full video of the show.Slayer's "Bloodline" video.Tween shredder phenomenon Maya Neelakantan tells how Kathryn Hanneman gave her one of Jeff's guitars.Broken Hope's "The Meek Shall Inherit Sh*t," one of the songs written & performed with Jeff Hanneman guitars, from the Mutilated and Assimilated album.Jeremy Wagner talks about the Jeff Hanneman Guitar Estate, plus his influence.Hanneman talks to an ESP video crew. You've seen this before. It bears repeating.Spotify: Me on the Booked on Rock podcast, with host and strong dude Erich Senich. It's a Slayer 101 talk, runtime 39:00.Apple: Me on the Booked on Rock podcast, with host and strong dude Erich Senich. It's a Slayer 101 talk, runtime 39:00.Me on the Bleachmouth Postscript podcast, talking about my top 5 Slayer songs, plus plenty of unrelated stuff, from research citations to Mad Magazine. Runtime about 2 hours.Larry's most metal band, Persistent Aggressor.The Walter Novak photo book.Joel McIver's Cliff Burton biography.ALSO, ALSO...Want to support the show and / or book? Here's three ways:Get it from a cool indie outlet like the Ajna Offensive, which specializes in metal, true crime, and occultism.⁠The new & improved & updated & embiggened book Ferris reads from every week, "Slayer 66 2 /3: A Metal Band Biography..., or, How Fkin' Slayer Kicked F*kin' @ss"⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — all four versions.Free listeners miss every other episode.Patreon supporters get an episode every week, plus more bonus Slaytanic content. Packages start at less than $1 an episode. Premiums include stickers, a shout-out on the show, and a free version of the audbiobook when it's finished.Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SlayerBook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ .If you want to drop some ducats in the virtual tip jar... or you'd rather make a one-time payment for a VIP all-access pass, you can do it at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ko-fi.com/slayerbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . You can order autographed books here, or pre-order the audiobook.GRATITUDE.

James Joaquin is co-founder and managing partner at Obvious Ventures, a VC firm that backs startups tackling intractable problems like climate change, chronic disease, and income inequality.  Their portfolio includes businesses that once sounded like science fiction but are reshaping billion-dollar industries. He says he's looking for technology that will “move humanity forward." But this episode isn't just about mission-driven investing.  James gets extremely tactical: he breaks down how Obvious evaluates founding teams, how he prefers to be pitched, and how your answer to “why are you building this?” can make or break your shot at getting funded. He also shares a framework for balancing ego with humility, why startups die of indigestion — not starvation — and how his experience building one of Apple's most famous failures helped him identify category-defining companies. By the end of this conversation, you'll have a clearer understanding of what top-tier VCs are looking for—and whether your startup has what it takes to earn a “yes.” RUNTIME 46:38 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:37) James unpacks the firm's origin story: “We love to say that all great ideas are obvious in hindsight.” (7:43) What “world-positive” investing looks like in practice. (10:41) When it comes to a founder's domain expertise, “I  don't think that there's one single archetype.” (13:46)  What's something you used to believe as a founder that changed dramatically after you became an investor?  (15:15) “A lot of the work that I do at Obvious is trying to sniff through the veneer and the BS to get to that authenticity.” (18:13) The most successful founders he's bet on “were weird, and they were ridiculed by whatever industry they were in at the start.” (19:40) Tactical lessons he learned while working at Apple for six years after they acquired his startup. (23:29) Why generative science has “ become a key investment thesis” for Obvious. (26:48) James is looking for startups that will “ output or generate new scientific breakthroughs.” (29:42) “ You almost cannot think too large in terms of the scale that we're going after.” (33:03) James shares the framework Obvious used to evaluate geothermal startup Zanskar. (37:58) The firm's sweet spot: startups that are “just one step away from commercialization.” (42:31) “ We don't get lost in the noise of what's going to happen in the next three and a half years.“ (43:54) What kind of startup would he launch today if he wanted to change the world? LINKS James Joaquin Obvious Ventures Biz Stone Beyond Diamond Foundry Virta Health Zanskar Geothermal & Minerals Gusto Xoom What is a B Corp? (B Lab) SUBSCRIBE Get the newsletter Follow Fund/Build/Scale on Instagram Thanks for listening! – Walter.

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/135176028 Beatrice, Artie and Phil discuss the effects the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill” will have on the healthcare system for years to come, the effects we're already seeing, and why it's one of the biggest blows to the US welfare state in modern history. Then we take a look at longtime Death Panel foil Ezekiel Emmanuel's impressively convoluted proposal for the kind of health policy he thinks Democrats should pursue in response. Runtime 1:30:44 Note: We're back! Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes and many kind messages during our parental leave. We have a lot coming together soon processing current events and reacting to some big developments that happened while we were away. As we ramp production back up we'll be prioritizing the patron feed first to make sure patrons get a full new episode every week. Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Jules' new book here: https://www.versobooks.com/products/3054-a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent

Ahead of Black Hat USA 2025, Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli sit down once again with Rupesh Chokshi, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Application Security Group at Akamai, for a forward-looking conversation on the state of AI security. From new threat trends to enterprise missteps, Rupesh lays out three focal points for this year's security conversation: protecting generative AI at runtime, addressing the surge in AI scraper bots, and defending the APIs that serve as the foundation for AI systems.Rupesh shares that Akamai is now detecting over 150 billion AI scraping attempts—a staggering signal of the scale and sophistication of machine-to-machine activity. These scraper bots are not only siphoning off data but also undermining digital business models by bypassing monetization channels, especially in publishing, media, and content-driven sectors.While AI introduces productivity gains and operational efficiency, it also introduces new and uncharted risks. Agentic AI, where autonomous systems operate on behalf of users or other systems, is pushing cybersecurity teams to rethink their strategies. Traditional firewalls aren't enough—because these threats don't behave like yesterday's attacks. Prompt injection, toxic output, and AI-generated hallucinations are some of the issues now surfacing in enterprise environments, with over 70% of organizations already experiencing AI-related incidents.This brings the focus to the runtime. Akamai's newly launched Firewall for AI is purpose-built to detect and mitigate risks in generative AI and LLM applications—without disrupting performance. Designed to flag issues like toxic output, remote code execution, or compliance violations, it operates with real-time visibility across inputs and outputs. It's not just about defense—it's about building trust as AI moves deeper into decision-making and workflow automation.CISOs, says Rupesh, need to shift from high-level discussions to deep, tactical understanding of where and how their organizations are deploying AI. This means not only securing AI but also working hand-in-hand with the business to establish governance, drive discovery, and embed security into the fabric of innovation.Learn more about Akamai: https://itspm.ag/akamailbwcNote: This story contains promotional content. Learn more.Guests:Rupesh Chokshi, SVP & General Manager, Application Security, Akamai | https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupeshchokshi/Hosts:Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine | Website: https://www.seanmartin.comMarco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine | Website: https://www.marcociappelli.com______________________ResourcesLearn more and catch more stories from Akamai: https://www.itspmagazine.com/directory/akamaiLearn more about ITSPmagazine Brand Story Podcasts: https://www.itspmagazine.com/purchase-programsNewsletter Archive: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/tune-into-the-latest-podcasts-7109347022809309184/Business Newsletter Signup: https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-business-updates-sign-upAre you interested in telling your story?https://www.itspmagazine.com/telling-your-story

A CMO Confidential Interview with Peri Hansen, Korn Ferry Leader, CMO Practice, North America. Peri discusses why the CMO position is becoming the vanguard of innovation, the importance of an "agile learner" mindset, and why there's no substitute for great leadership. Key topics include: how nothing "returned to normal" after COVID; the importance of org design; and why CMO's should own the entire customer life cycle and help drive company strategy. Tune in to hear why references matter more than ever and the importance of building a personal brand.Why the CMO Is Now the Innovation Leader | Peri Hansen, Korn Ferry CMO PracticeIn this episode of CMO Confidential, Mike Linton sits down with Peri Hansen, leader of the CMO Practice at Korn Ferry North America, to explore how the role of Chief Marketing Officer has become the new vanguard of innovation, strategy, and customer-centric growth.From org design to leadership development, Peri breaks down the key traits of successful CMOs and why companies are no longer returning to pre-COVID norms. She shares why agile learning, personal brand-building, and owning the full customer lifecycle are now non-negotiables for modern marketing leaders.Topics Covered: • Why CMOs are being tapped to drive innovation and transformation • The post-COVID shift in org design and what it means for marketing • The importance of leadership, agility, and continuous learning • Why great references still matter in the hiring process • How CMOs can (and should) influence company-wide strategySubscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.⏱️ Chapters (Optimized for 29-minute Runtime)00:00 – Intro: The Evolving Role of the CMO01:00 – Meet Peri Hansen: Korn Ferry CMO Practice Leader02:12 – Why the CMO is Now the Vanguard of Innovation04:30 – Three New Mandates for CMOs: Tech, Strategy & Lifecycle06:50 – The CMO as a Change Agent and Team Builder08:30 – Tech CMOs Are Leading—Who's Catching Up?10:15 – Building Tech Credibility as a Marketing Leader12:10 – “Nothing Returned to Normal” After COVID13:30 – Post-COVID Turnover: What CEOs and Boards Want Now15:30 – What's Replacing the Traditional CMO Role?17:10 – Why Org Design Is a Top Priority in CMO Searches19:05 – How Companies Realize They Need Org Restructuring20:45 – The AI Era: Is There a Leadership Gap Forming?22:20 – What Agile Leadership Actually Looks Like24:00 – What Resumes Reveal: Pivot Points and Risk-Taking25:10 – Why References Matter More Than Ever27:00 – Final Advice: CMOs, Build Your Own Personal Brand28:40 – Wrap Up & Where to Find More CMO Confidential Content#CMOConfidential #PeriHansen @kornferryintl #ChiefMarketingOfficer #Leadership #OrgDesign #CustomerExperience #MarketingStrategy #PersonalBrand #ExecutiveSearch #CMOInsightsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After America's strikes intended to destroy Iran's nuclear programme, one question is whether they succeeded. Another is how Iran will respond; all of its options are bad ones. In the West people have been shedding religion for decades, but that secularist shift now seems to be slowing. And what is driving the decline of inverted commas (aka “quotation marks”).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.Runtime: 22 min Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After America's strikes intended to destroy Iran's nuclear programme, one question is whether they succeeded. Another is how Iran will respond; all of its options are bad ones. In the West people have been shedding religion for decades, but that secularist shift now seems to be slowing. And what is driving the decline of inverted commas (aka “quotation marks”).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.Runtime: 22 min

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/132134082 Beatrice speaks with William C. Anderson about the liberal tendency to limit political action to voting while simultaneously blaming victims of the electoral system for their own oppression (e.g. dismissal of the south as somehow “deserving” Republican control). We also discuss how this tendency towards indirect democracy vs direct democracy can spur despair and resignation, and how to resist it. Read William's piece, Another way out: Fighting back against inaction here: https://prismreports.org/2025/06/03/inaction-voting-revolutionary-change/ Runtime 1:35:00 Note: We're back! Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes and many kind messages during our parental leave. We have a lot coming together soon processing current events and reacting to some big developments that happened while we were away. As we ramp production back up we'll be prioritizing the patron feed first to make sure patrons get a full new episode every week. Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Jules' new book here: https://www.versobooks.com/products/3054-a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/131635837 Against the backdrop of riotous anti-ICE actions in Los Angeles, Beatrice and Tracy speak with Marques Vestal about the history of property and place, eviction and forced removal in LA and how the state's policies of expulsion shaped mass evictions in 1907, the Watts Rebellion in 1965, and radical LA today. Runtime 1:41:30 Note: We're back! Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes and many kind messages during our parental leave. We have a lot coming together soon processing current events and reacting to some big developments that happened while we were away. As we ramp production back up we'll be prioritizing the patron feed first to make sure patrons get a full new episode every week. Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Jules' new book here: https://www.versobooks.com/products/3054-a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2443-abolish-rent