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We start by asking some questions about political control over police forces before jumping into a discussion about Erebor, the new Silicon Valley bank founded by Palmer Luckey and Joe Lonsdale with backing from Peter Thiel, which leads us nicely into an exegesis of Thiel's deeply scholastic interpretation of the biblical revelations contained within One Piece—plus some choice bits from Antichrist lecture series. ••• US approves new bank backed by billionaires with ties to Donald Trump https://www.ft.com/content/202d68bd-629e-42da-a938-c612bc839bdf ••• OpenAI, Nvidia Fuel $1 Trillion AI Market With Web of Circular Deals https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-10-07/openai-s-nvidia-amd-deals-boost-1-trillion-ai-boom-with-circular-deals ••• Voyages to the End of the World | Peter Thiel, Sam Wolfe https://firstthings.com/voyages-to-the-end-of-the-world/ ••• Inside billionaire Peter Thiel's private lectures: Warnings of ‘the Antichrist' and U.S. destruction https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/10/10/peter-thiel-antichrist-lectures-leaked/ ••• Inside tech billionaire Peter Thiel's off-the-record lectures about the antichrist https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/10/peter-thiel-lectures-antichrist ••• The Real Stakes, and Real Story, of Peter Thiel's Antichrist Obsession https://www.wired.com/story/the-real-stakes-real-story-peter-thiels-antichrist-obsession/ Standing Plugs: ••• Order Jathan's new book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite ••• Subscribe to Ed's substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble ••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)
Linkedin: Post your job free at https://linkedin.com/impacttheory Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impact True Classic: Upgrade your wardrobe at https://trueclassic.com/impact Cape: 33% off with code IMPACT33 at https://cape.co/impact Incogni: Free 30 day trial and 60% off annual plan at https://incogni.com/IMPACT AirDoctor: Up to $300 off with code IMPACT at https://airdoctorpro.com Welcome to this episode of Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu. Today, Tom is joined by Congressman Ro Khanna for a deeply candid and wide-ranging conversation about the true state of the American Dream, the forces shaping today's economy, and what it will actually take to create a future where all Americans can thrive. Together, Tom and Ro dig into the causes and consequences of the government shutdown, the ever-expanding federal deficit, and the policies driving America's growing wealth inequality. With raw honesty, they debate the value—and risks—of wealth taxes, deficit spending, and the proper role of government in healthcare, education, and housing. Ro brings a unique perspective as a son of immigrants and representative of Silicon Valley, advocating for what he calls “economic patriotism” and laying out a detailed plan to reduce the national debt while investing in American families. Tom, meanwhile, challenges the idea that more spending guarantees better outcomes and presses Ro on the importance of results, personal freedom, and market-driven solutions. This episode is more than a political debate—it's an exploration of values, results, and what it means to believe in America's promise. Stay tuned as Tom and Ro grapple with big questions about policy, prosperity, and the urgent need to pull the country back to the middle, finding common ground in a time of division. If you're ready for a thoughtful, no-holds-barred conversation on the future of America, you won't want to miss this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Augusto Marietti, CEO and cofounder of Kong, has one of the most remarkable founder stories in Silicon Valley history.In this conversation with Martin Casado, Aghi shares how he went from a garage in Milan to building one of the world's leading API infrastructure companies, surviving years of rejection, living in the U.S. on $1,000 a month, and raising his first $50K while sleeping on Travis Kalanick's couch. They talk about the near-death moments that defined Kong's journey, the seven-year grind before breakout success, and how APIs became the “assembly line of software.” Aghi also explains how Kong evolved into the backbone of modern API and AI connectivity, and why the coming wave of AI agents will make APIs more essential than ever. Resources:Follow Aghi on X: x.com/sonicaghiFollow Kong on X: https://x.com/kongFollow Martin on X: x.com/martin_casado Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends!Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zListen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYXListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated:Find a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Podcast on SpotifyListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The AI Breakdown: Daily Artificial Intelligence News and Discussions
Silicon Valley spent the weekend debating whether it's time to delay AGI expectations by a decade — and what that would mean for the so-called “AI bubble.” NLW breaks down the chain reaction: Microsoft's retreat from OpenAI's infrastructure arms race, an OpenAI math gaffe that went viral, and Andrej Karpathy's take on agent timelines — plus why none of it necessarily spells doom for real-world AI adoption.Brought to you by:KPMG – Discover how AI is transforming possibility into reality. Tune into the new KPMG 'You Can with AI' podcast and unlock insights that will inform smarter decisions inside your enterprise. Listen now and start shaping your future with every episode. https://www.kpmg.us/AIpodcastsBlitzy.com - Go to https://blitzy.com/ to build enterprise software in days, not months Robots & Pencils - Cloud-native AI solutions that power results https://robotsandpencils.com/The Agent Readiness Audit from Superintelligent - Go to https://besuper.ai/ to request your company's agent readiness score.The AI Daily Brief helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI. Subscribe to the podcast version of The AI Daily Brief wherever you listen: https://pod.link/1680633614Interested in sponsoring the show? nlw@aidailybrief.ai
From Dallas Uber Rides to Uganda Motorcycles: How One Partnership Is Transforming African MobilityJoin host Henry Kaestner as he sits down with Jared Fulks, co-founder of PureFlow, for an inspiring conversation about building Kingdom businesses in emerging markets. From four consecutive Uber drivers from different African countries in Dallas to empowering thousands of motorcycle taxi drivers in Uganda, this episode reveals how God orchestrates divine appointments in everyday moments and business ventures alike.Discover how PureFlow started with just six motorcycles and $6,000 in a small Ugandan town and has grown into a hospitality-focused finance company serving thousands. Jared shares powerful lessons about the value of partnership born from prayer, the unexpected advantages of tier-two and tier-three cities, and why sometimes the best place to test a business idea isn't Silicon Valley—it's Africa.Key Topics:Divine appointments: Four African Uber drivers in 24 hours and what they reveal about staying spiritually presentStarting with six bikes: How Colin emptied his savings and received 250 applications in 24 hoursPartnership as a "God idea": Why prayer preceded partnership and the power of detailed operating agreementsTier-two and tier-three city advantages: Building trust and community away from capital citiesHospitality over finance: Reframing PureFlow as a hospitality business that creates places people want to return toLow-cost probes in Africa: Testing 100 ideas with a fraction of what it costs in the U.S.Living remotely while building locally: Managing a Uganda-based business from Atlanta through intentional engagementThe football club strategy: Winning tournaments as customer acquisition and brand buildingPressing the gas: Why not to subsidize yourself with philanthropy too soonNotable Quotes:"Partnership is not a good idea. It's a God idea. It is woven into the fabric of how we were created. Nobody would argue that we're created for people. And so why would we assume any different?" - Jared Fulks"If the business collapsed tomorrow, and it all just failed, which I hope it doesn't, I don't think it will. But if it did, the thing that I would take away most would be not the amazing people we've been able to hire, the thousands and thousands of people we serve, but it truly is the friendship and the brotherhood that I have with him." - Jared Fulks"Start with where you are, with what you have... He lost $6,000. Like to most people listening to this podcast, it's not gonna kill you to lose $6,000." - Jared Fulks
We've worked alongside people for years, only to realize that we know nothing about their personal life. And it probably affected our working relationship. Knowing your colleagues as humans reframes inevitable challenges at work. Had we known our colleagues better, would we have worked through disagreements better or found new ways to collaborate? Yeah, we sure would have. Alison Rand, who helped establish the discipline of design operations through roles at Hot Studio, Frog, Automattic, and SAP, explores building relationships at work in her new book Sentido—a term that encompasses both making sense of things and feeling them deeply. In our conversation, Alison challenges the Silicon Valley orthodoxy of radical candor with her concept of radical humanity. She also explains why designops is fundamentally heart-driven work, and draws unexpected parallels between organizational dynamics and the regenerative systems of Puerto Rico's El Yunque rainforest. Bio Alison Rand brings a unique perspective forged in the crucible of real experience. A native NewYorker who lost her mother at sixteen, she learned early that life rarely follows neat narratives. Her career trajectory—from navigating the male-dominated agency world to building design operations practices at scale—taught her that the skills needed to thrive professionally often mirror those learned navigating the New York subway in the 1980s. After being laid off the same week MIT Press accepted her book proposal, she retreated to the woods to write what became part memoir, part radical reimagining of design leadership. She makes the case that organic intelligence matters as much as academic credentials, and that the future of design leadership lies not in prescriptive frameworks but in building cultures of genuine mutualism. Whether you're wrestling with organizational transformation or questioning the artificial boundaries between personal and professional identity, Alison offers hard-won wisdom about leading with both courage and compassion in spaces that often reward neither. *** Premium Episodes on Design Better This ad-supported episode is available to everyone. If you'd like to hear it ad-free, upgrade to our premium subscription, where you'll get an additional 2 ad-free episodes per month (4 total). Premium subscribers also get access to the documentary Design Disruptors and our growing library of books: You'll also get access to our monthly AMAs with former guests, ad-free episodes, discounts and early access to workshops, and our monthly newsletter The Brief that compiles salient insights, quotes, readings, and creative processes uncovered in the show. And subscribers at the annual level now get access to the Design Better Toolkit, which gets you major discounts and free access to tools and courses that will help you unlock new skills, make your workflow more efficient, and take your creativity further. Upgrade to paid
How is it that some of the most privileged people in the world — the multimillionaire and billionaire owners of tech and finance companies — are some of the most aggrieved? Journalist Jacob Silverman reflects on the titans of Silicon Valley's rightward turn, as well as the industry's financing and its past and present deep connections to the military. Jacob Silverman, Gilded Rage: Elon Musk and the Radicalization of Silicon Valley Bloomsbury, 2025 The post Silicon Valley's Turn to the Right appeared first on KPFA.
What if your sermon prep — or your spiritual life — isn't meant to be efficient, but formative?In this episode, Mike Neglia sits down with Heath Hardesty, Lead Pastor of Valley Community Church in Pleasanton, California, and author of the forthcoming book All Things Together: How Apprenticeship to Jesus Is the Way of Flourishing in a Fragmented World.Together they explore what it truly means to preach the full counsel of God—not by checking off every verse, but by weaving the whole redemptive story of Scripture: creation, covenant, Christ, and new creation. Heath reflects on ten years of ministry at Valley Community Church, preaching through Acts and preparing for Romans, and how he seeks to unite the Old and New Testaments in every sermon.The conversation then turns to the practice of Scripture meditation—what it is, what it isn't, and how it forms both believers and preachers. Heath unpacks the Hebrew word hagah—to “chew” or “gnaw” on the Word—as a vivid picture of feasting on God's truth until it becomes part of us. He explains why we should read Scripture aloud, how attention shapes the soul, and why delight—not duty—is what keeps us returning to God's Word.For preachers, Heath cautions against seeing sermon prep as an efficiency exercise. Instead, meditation is the slow, transformative work that shapes the preacher before the sermon ever shapes the people. As he beautifully puts it: “You can't microwave an acorn into an oak tree.”This conversation will refresh anyone feeling hurried, fragmented, or spiritually dry—and rekindle a love for Scripture that is slow, deep, and Christ-centered.Resources Mentioned: All Things Together: How apprenticeship to Jesus is the way of flourishing in a fragmented world. (Forward by Jon Tyson) : https://www.heathhardesty.org/Heath's two earlier Expositors Collective appearances: https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/beholding-the-glory-of-jesus-with-heath-hardesty https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/symphonic-preaching-bad-sermons-consistent-improvement-with-heath-hardestyAbout Heath HardestyHeath Hardesty serves as Lead Pastor of Valley Community Church in Pleasanton, California, and is the founder of Inklings Coffee & Tea in downtown Pleasanton. He grew up in a blue-collar home and was a plumber's apprentice in Colorado before becoming a pastor on the edge of Silicon Valley, where he, his wife, and their four children now live.Heath holds degrees in literature, leadership, biblical studies, and theology from the University of Colorado Boulder and Western Seminary in Portland. His forthcoming book, All Things Together: How Apprenticeship to Jesus Is the Way of Flourishing in a Fragmented World (with a foreword by Jon Tyson), releases October 14, 2025.For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollectiveDonate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective
Ready to elevate your online presentations? In this episode of Speakernomics, guest Kassy LaBorie shares actionable strategies to boost connection, engagement, and authenticity in the virtual speaking world.Here's what's covered:* How Kassy's journey from Silicon Valley and WebEx to the speaking stage shaped her approach to virtual engagement* The importance of making genuine invitations for audience participation, not just surface-level chat prompts* Tips on reframing questions to encourage deeper audience interaction and connection* Why owning the digital tools—and knowing when to move beyond them—leads to better presentations* Simple ways to unleash your authentic presence and engage audiences, both online and in personTune in for practical advice you can use at your next virtual event! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Spiritual Practice That Literally Saved My Life with Regan Caruthers The Spiritual Practice That Saved My Life with Regan Caruthers What if the path to real success wasn't money, titles, or material possessions—but the ability to connect with your heart, shift your energy, and live in coherence? In this episode of Richer Soul, Regan Caruthers shares her remarkable journey from Silicon Valley executive to yoga teacher and spiritual guide—and how a daily practice of devotion and gratitude literally saved her life. Key Lessons: Money Doesn't Equal Meaning. Growing up between a wealthy but absent father and a struggling mother, Regan saw firsthand that money doesn't guarantee happiness. We Are Programmed—But We Can Reprogram. From education to cultural conditioning, much of what we believe isn't ours. Regan challenges us to reclaim sovereignty. HeartMath Made Simple. Regan explains coherence: 5/5 breath through the heart while recalling gratitude. This physiological shift unlocks higher reasoning and emotional balance. Listening to the Inner Voice. A trusted inner voice told Regan to return to St. Louis—leading her to the hospital that saved her life. Discipline and Devotion Over Distraction. Phones, screens, and noise steal our attention. Regan reminds us that devotion requires time reclaimed for silence, meditation, and love. Gratitude Shifts Energy. Listing what you're grateful for isn't enough—you must feel it. Embodied gratitude changes your frequency. Eternal Perspective Reframes Fear. Recognizing our divine and eternal nature removes the grip of fear and redefines how we live. Money Learning: Regan Caruthers shares how growing up between extremes of wealth and scarcity taught her that money doesn't guarantee happiness—and that true success comes from coherence, gratitude, and devotion. A former Silicon Valley executive turned spiritual teacher, Regan explains how practices like HeartMath, meditation, and embodied gratitude rewire our inner operating system, helping us move beyond programming, distraction, and fear. Her story—including how listening to an inner voice literally saved her life—reminds us that while money provides security, it is meaning, discipline, and divine connection that create true wealth. Key Takeaway: Success without coherence is empty. True wealth comes from disciplined devotion, daily gratitude, and listening to the inner voice that knows the way. Guest Bio: Regan Caruthers began her path with meditation and Tai Chi at the age of three, but rejected her early training in pursuit of worldly success. She rose quickly as a Silicon Valley corporate executive in educational software, but achievements couldn't heal the brokenness within. Returning to her spiritual roots, she dedicated her life to teaching discipline, devotion, and conscious connection. Today she is the founder of Aset Yoga Center in Missouri, offering one-on-one coaching, yoga classes, and her Ready to Awaken courses. Links: Website: https://regancaruthers.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/regan.caruthers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/regancaruthers/ Are you ready to align your money with meaning and create coherence in your life and business? Book a Profit & Purpose Clarity Call with Rocky to discover the next steps toward both inner peace and financial freedom. #RicherSoul #SpiritualPractice #HeartMath #TraumaHealing #InnerWealth #Meditation #DivineConnection #GratitudePractice #Purpose #Coherence Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@richersoul Richer Soul Life Beyond Money. You got rich, now what? Let's talk about your journey to more a purposeful, intentional, amazing life. Where are you going to go and how are you going to get there? Let's figure that out together. At the core is the financial well-being to be able to do what you want, when you want, how you want. It's about personal freedom! Thanks for listening! Show Sponsor: http://profitcomesfirst.com/ Schedule your free no obligation call: https://bookme.name/rockyl/lite/intro-appointment-15-minutes If you like the show please leave a review on iTunes: http://bit.do/richersoul https://www.facebook.com/richersoul http://richersoul.com/ rocky@richersoul.com Some music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.
Now on Spotify Video! Mustafa Suleyman's journey to becoming one of the most influential figures in artificial intelligence began far from a Silicon Valley boardroom. The son of a Syrian immigrant father in London, his early years in human rights activism shaped his belief that technology should be used for good. That vision led him to co-found DeepMind, acquired by Google, and later launch Inflection AI. Now, as CEO of Microsoft AI, he explores the next era of AI in action. In this episode, Mustafa discusses the impact of AI in business, how it will transform the future of work, and even our relationships. In this episode, Hala and Mustafa will discuss: (00:00) Introduction(02:42) The Coming Wave: How AI Will Disrupt Everything(06:45) Artificial Intelligence as a Double-Edged Sword (11:33) From Human Rights to Ethical AI Leadership(15:35) What Is AGI, Narrow AI, and Hallucinations of AI?(24:15) Emotional AI and the Rise of Digital Companions(33:03) Microsoft's Vision for Human-Centered AI(41:47) Can We Contain AI Before Its Revolution?(48:33) The Future of Work in an AI-Powered World(52:22) AI in Business: Advice for Entrepreneurs Mustafa Suleyman is the CEO of Microsoft AI and a leading figure in artificial intelligence. He co-founded DeepMind, one of the world's foremost AI research labs, acquired by Google, and went on to co-found Inflection AI, a machine learning and generative AI company. He is also the bestselling author of The Coming Wave. Recognized globally for his influence, Mustafa was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in AI in both 2023 and 2024. Sponsored By: Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/PROFITING Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting. Mercury streamlines your banking and finances in one place. Learn more at mercury.com/profiting. Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC. Quo - Get 20% off your first 6 months at Quo.com/PROFITING Revolve - Head to REVOLVE.com/PROFITING and take 15% off your first order with code PROFITING Framer- Go to Framer.com and use code PROFITING to launch your site for free. Merit Beauty - Go to meritbeauty.com to get your free signature makeup bag with your first order. Pipedrive - Get a 30-day free trial at pipedrive.com/profiting Airbnb - Find yourself a cohost at airbnb.com/host Resources Mentioned: Mustafa's Book, The Coming Wave: bit.ly/TheComing_Wave Mustafa's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mustafa-suleyman Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals Key YAP Links Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/ Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, ChatGPT, AI Marketing, Prompt, AI for Entrepreneurs, AI Podcast
Natalie Cochran seemed like she had it all: a good job as a pharmacist, a loving husband, and two kids. But then she quit her job to become a government contractor and started raking in dough, or so she claimed. Behind the scenes, Natalie was running a classic Ponzi scheme, scamming friends and family with fake contracts, fake government emails, and even fake cancer. But when the walls start closing in, lies alone won't be enough to save her… These are the stories of the world's most insidious Scamfluencers. And we are their prey. Every week on Scamfluencers, join co-hosts Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi as they unpack epic stories of deception from the worlds of social media, fashion, finance, health, and wellness. These influencers claim to be everything from charismatic healers to trusted financial insiders to experts in dating. They cast spells over millions. Why do we believe them, and how does our culture allow them to thrive? Listen now: Wondery.fm/SCAMSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Keith sits down with Terry Kerr and Matthew Vanhorn, the leaders of America's oldest turnkey real estate provider, Mid South Home Buyers, to unpack the practical systems that keep thousands of rental units profitable and tenants happy. With national renter mobility dropping, longer stays are now the norm. Average resident stay is 4 years—double the industry average, thanks to proactive maintenance and relationship-driven management. Instead of fighting for eyeballs on Zillow, they target HR departments at hospitals, universities, and major employers, tapping into pre-screened, income-verified tenants with stable paychecks and predictable work schedules. Invest where returns still make sense. Visit midsouthhomebuyers.com to book your investor tour and get $500 off your first property. Resources: Switch to listening to the podcast on the Apple Podcasts or Spotify app, as the dedicated GRE mobile app will be discontinued at the end of the month. Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/576 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments. For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text 1-937-795-8989 to speak with a freedom coach Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review” For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript: Keith Weinhold 0:01 welcome to GRE I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, learn about how to cut your rental property vacancies and keep tenants twice as long. Why Memphis, Tennessee stays the cash flow King, and exactly where to find really low cost, quality properties today. That make sense from day one today on, get rich education. Keith Weinhold 0:26 You know, most people think they're playing it safe with their liquid money, but they're actually losing savings accounts and bonds don't keep up when true inflation eats six or 7% of your wealth. Every single year, I invest my liquidity with FFI freedom family investments in their flagship program. Why fixed 10 to 12% returns have been predictable and paid quarterly. There is real world security backed by needs based real estate like affordable housing, Senior Living and health care. Ask about the freedom flagship program. When you speak to a freedom coach there, and that's just one part of their family of products, they've got workshops, webinars and seminars designed to educate you before you invest. Start with as little as 25k and finally, get your money working as hard as you do. Get started at Freedom family investments.com/gre, or send a text now it's 1-937-795-8989, yep, text their freedom coach, directly. Again, 1-937-795-8989, Corey Coates 1:39 you're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education. Keith Weinhold 1:49 Welcome to GRE from New York's Long Island Sound to Washington's Puget Sound and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold, and you're listening to get rich education. There's an economic trend that you need to be aware of. We're going to talk about how you can play it in this era, sources ranging from Redfin to Housing Wire and others, you know they're all in agreement that the transiency rate, that mobility rate for Americans, is down. And what that means is, when people find a place to live, whether they're a property owner or a renter, they are staying put longer. They put this big, heavy anchor down, and that kind of goes along with employment. Although the unemployment rate is low right now, there aren't very many people moving jobs or changing jobs. So the rate of hiring is low, that's bad, but the rate of employer firings is low, that's good. So on balance, Americans are keeping their job if they've already got one, and they're keeping their home if they've already got one. But because movement has slowed, as we are in this slower housing market, I'll drastically oversimplify here. All right, a few years ago, you might have had a tenant stay for two years, and then there would be a one month vacancy between tenancies today, double both of those. You're more likely to see a four year stay, but two months between vacancies. So your occupancy rate, therefore, is the same in both scenarios, but there's less movement. Again, oversimplifying, but you can see the effect a longer vacancy period is bad, a longer tenant retention period is good, all right. Well, how do you increase your tenant's length of stay and decrease that vacancy in order to be more profitable as an investor and yet give your tenant a satisfactory experience too well. One thing that you can do is list your vacant unit with an employer. Yeah, advertise it through a local stable company. You're going to end up with higher quality tenants. See, there's already this built in screening that was done for you. The employer basically did that for you. So when you work directly with especially hospitals, universities, corporate campuses or military bases, what you're doing is you're fishing from a pond of already vetted, income verified and drug screened candidates. See these tenants what they had to do. They already had to pass HR background checks and employment verification in order to get their job. So for you, that saves you both risk and time compared to the you know, the Craigslist style roll the dice crowd. Now, Of course, we cannot discriminate against certain groups of people, and we'll get into that shortly. But of course, steady employment equals steady rent tenants sourced through employers. They usually have reliable paychecks, often through direct deposit. They've got predictable work schedules, and there's going to be less income volatility. So that means that you'll have fewer late payments and lower eviction risk. And some landlords, you know what they do, they even structure rent payments through payroll deduction. I mean that essentially automates the rent collection. Yes, you can do that. Employees who move for a job, they often sign longer leases, because relocating again would be a hassle. So many will stay in your unit as long as they stay employed. That could be two years or five years, especially in the health care, education and tech sector. So less turnover means fewer make ready costs for you, fewer showings and just more ease and peace of mind. So advertising through employers that is a really low competition marketing channel as well. You know, most landlords, they blast their listings on Zillow apartments.com or maybe Facebook marketplace. Well over there, your post is just one out of hundreds, instead of all that competition, what you're doing is you're finding quiet, uncrowded channels when you utilize these employer housing boards and their HR relocation departments, and this way you can even get inside that company's internal newsletters so you're reaching renters before they can even start scrolling listings over on Zillow and see employers love this too. It's not like the employer is having to do a favor for you. They love it, because when they can help new hires or transferees find housing, it's better for that company. It reduces the employee's stress. It improves the retention at that company. If they have an employer that's satisfied and has a good place to stay, and it really boosts that company's recruiting success. So you're helping yourself, you're helping that company, and you're helping their new employee, which is your tenant. So this makes HR departments. They are surprisingly receptive to you. They might even circulate your listing internally or add you to their housing resource list. So this is a perfect fit for these hands off turnkey investors. So if you're doing that or you're managing properties remotely, this employer outreach, it really gives you a nice extra layer of reliability. And as far as the people that will be your tenants, think about nurses, engineers. IT staff, sometimes teachers, sometimes military based personnel. I mean, they are all ideal long term tenants. Now the way that you can actually do this and put it into practice is identify major employers that are near your property, that could be hospital systems, that could be universities or manufacturing plants, then contact their HR or the relocation department, and after that, it's not hard just provide them with a concise PDF or a one page flyer with your property photos and the monthly rent amount. And one thing you can do, and you should in this case, is put the distance or the time it takes to travel to the employer from your rental unit, and then add your contact info. That is exactly how you do it. You can offer a small incentive, like $50 off the first month for employees. So this is a slick way to advertise your vacancy with employers and make you more profitable over time. Keith Weinhold 7:02 Now today, we're going to talk to who is actually America's oldest turnkey real estate company. As far as we know, they're based in Memphis, Tennessee, and we'll learn how they advertise a vacant unit and screen prospective tenants and place them and maintain their units over time. They are called mid south homebuyers. You've heard them on the show before, and because of their success, both investors and other real estate companies, they actually listen in intently to what these people have to say. I mean, others study them and learn from them. These are the people other companies study, and you're still going to hear from their principal and their sales lead about reducing your vacancy time and increasing your tenant duration. And, you know, it's just kind of funny how often Memphis, Tennessee, which is where they're based, how often this comes up in cash flowing real estate conversations that you have out there over time? I mean. And Memphis consistently has the best cash flow, maybe, amongst any substantial Metro in the nation. We'll just say among metros that are big enough to have a major pro sports team. I mean, Memphis does have the NBA Grizzlies. There aren't many other cities that can even compete with Memphis as the cashflow King, although there are some that you can work into the conversation. Indianapolis, Cleveland and Oklahoma City are some of those places. Now, before we're done, you'll also learn about how, even following this generation's big inflationary wave, how purchase prices are still as affordable as they are in both Memphis and Little Rock. I mean, this is going to make you ask out loud today, how could they still be so low? We'll also talk about conventional, enduring property management techniques today, now next month here on the show, we're going to talk about how you can use AI to self manage your properties, and that show next month is going to be with an expert straight from Silicon Valley. We're going to talk to the CEO of hemlane then and their AI driven property management software. She used to work for Apple, and she's got a Harvard Business School degree. That is next month today. It's about tried and proven techniques to make you more profitable as an investor Keith Weinhold 11:24 I'd like to welcome in longtime friends of the show, with the emphasis on long time since they were first here with us, nearly 11 years ago, They are those ever steady property providers based in Memphis, mid south homebuyers. They also serve Little Rock, Arkansas. I have physically walked their offices and properties in person myself. They are, in fact, America's oldest turnkey real estate provider. And it's the return of their founder and principal, Terry Kerr and a second guest who you'll meet shortly, Terry, welcome back on of the show. Terry Kerr 12:04 Thanks so much, Keith, so glad to be back. Keith Weinhold 12:07 Congrats on your success. Your model and operation is prominent and exemplary nationally. You've now grown to 110 w2 employees there, and your 13 plus year property management guru who's been leading that entire division is now your sales director. It's terrific to introduce him to the world today. Matthew Van Horn, Matthew Vanhorn 12:31 Keith, so great to be on here. Long time listener of the show. Really great to meet you. Keith Weinhold 12:36 Yeah. Appreciate it now you'll soon be listening to yourself on the show. GRE, listeners are familiar with the turnkey real estate model. What you do is buy a distressed property, you rehab it, and then you place a tenant in the property, and you hold on to that for investors across the nation for the production of long term cash flow. Well, let's get an update between Memphis and Little Rock. How many properties do you hold under management for investors now and then? What percent are single family rentals versus other types? Terry Kerr 13:07 Right now, we're about 57 maybe a little closer to 5800 and the vast majority of them are single family houses. I'm going to say probably. What 5% are duplexes? Matthew, something like that. Yeah, something like that. So no other multis, just single family, most of them rehabs. And of course, now we're doing a new construction direct to rental as well. Keith Weinhold 13:29 Interestingly, with 58 to 5900 rentals, I mean, you can easily sort of be your own surveying outfit in an informal way, in finding out what's happening with the market, what all the dynamics are. So why don't we start at the beginning, when you're marketing and advertising and looking to place a tenant, tell us about just what you look for, just what you need to avoid. I mean checking for the tenant. That typically involves an employment check, a credit check, a rental history. Sometimes something might appear like a red flag, say, a 590 credit score. Would you always accept tenants in that condition? Because there are times when there are extenuating circumstances when a tenant with a 590 credit score actually might be a good placement. So tell us more about that screening. Terry Kerr 14:17 As you know, it is renters that drive our returns as investors, and so selecting the right renter is where the money is made in this business, for sure, we are doing as much screening as we can for our renters. There's a lot that goes into that. We actually have a whole processing department. You know some people here who spend their whole day working in the processing division. And what you really got to watch out for, as far as red flags, is just fraud. There are so many ways you can use machines to defraud, and we have people who are able to detect and weed out the bad actors there, but we know what works really well. We have, for instance, in. Arkansas, the main employer of our residents is Baptist Health Medical Center, and we love our healthcare workers there. So that's a place that, you know, starting from the marketing side, we're going to dial up our marketing in those places we're going to go to the HR department, or we're often in the HR department of Baptist Health Medical Center, pushing and asking for referrals from them, you know. And same with just referrals in general, good tenants tend to refer other good tenants. We're of course, looking for strong income that we can verify. And more than anything, we're looking for strong, credible current rental history, so someone who's paying the rent today somewhere to a verified landlord, not their sister, you know, but a very verified landlord. That's the big thing, Keith. Keith Weinhold 15:50 Tell us more about that. That's great that you're being proactive and getting right in there with a stable, steady employer. That is where our rent comes from. After all, are there any other red flags, maybe things that people would not think about identifying as a red flag when it comes to that employment, in that credit, in that rental history Matthew Vanhorn 16:11 one reason I bring up the localized marketing that some people may not think about is that renters who move from Out of state often will land in a place and then stay there for one year, which is fine, but then they often don't renew their lease and they'll move somewhere else. Now, of course, what we have to do above all is we have to be legal, you know, so we can't discriminate against someone from coming from out of town, but what we can do is dial up our localized marketing so that we're getting people who are in the neighborhood, who love the neighborhood already where they are, and so that contributes to longer residence days, and it's just little things like that. Once again, you're looking for employment that you can verify, so that you know that you're getting a quality renter. Terry Kerr 16:59 I'll also say that one of the ways that we try to attract the most potential residents we can is by having a free application. So typically, a property management company is going to charge, you know, 50 to 75 bucks per applicant. And we're very fortunate that we've get a terrific deal from Equifax, because we're also lenders, we do some lending to our investors, which gives us a really good deal on paying for credit checks. And so we waive those fees for our residents. And so a lot more folks are going to apply with us, because it doesn't cost them anything to apply. And of course, the more people that apply, you've got a much better shot at a filling the property quicker, but also finding a much better resident. Keith Weinhold 17:44 well this is a great part of building the connection. One of the first interactions they have with you is realizing that you don't have any application fee. And AI can be great for marketing and for doing things like writing listing descriptions, but you build that human connection there. For example, you do in person showings. You invite prospective tenants in current tenants into your physical office, kind of replacing society's trust crisis with humanity. Matthew Vanhorn 18:14 Yes, that's right, Keith. In the last 12 months, we've spent more money than ever on technology, so we are leaning heavily into creating the systems and processes that allow us to get to our service quickly. And at the same time, we've invested more into staffing up in the past 12 months, into inviting people into our office, you know, and we can still do everything remotely. We can do it virtually for folks who want that, we found that a lot of residents love to look us in the face, and they like to come down to our office, and they like to sit across from Karen and across from Gabby, and they just love the personalized experience that we give them. It's hard to quantify it, Keith, but I just really believe that it drives longevity, right? Keith Weinhold 19:04 Having a face behind that rental because your properties are freshly rehabbed, or, in some cases, they're new builds, so hopefully you won't have too many tenant service calls once they do become a resident, and you don't need to interact with them all the time, though you're there for them, but once you have chosen a tenant, and that tenant is placed, you know somebody has to be the adult in the lease, and we sincerely hope that the tenant is one of them. So with regard to that, how do you help ensure that tenants keep making on time payments, and you can keep tenants and not get ones that break the lease. So can you speak to us about that, how you can help identify that in the screening and then that ongoing relationship? Matthew Vanhorn 19:47 I will say that perfect vetting does not necessarily lead to perfect collections, because it turns out that every one of our residents, they are humans, and as humans, we run into things you. Know, divorce can happen. Relationship breakups can happen, job losses happen. Just very human things happen. And so we like to stay in touch with our residents as often as possible, and very much encourage an open line of communication. We very much believe in compassion based collections here at Mid South. And so when residents fall upon hard times, we are truly there for them. Memphis actually has more nonprofits per capita than any place in America then. So when residents do fall on hard times, you know, and it happens, we're actually able to reach out. We have connections with several agencies that can help with rental assistance for renters who need it, we found that by pouring into our staffing with the resident support and solutions department that we've had a lot of success in collecting just by keeping that relationship intact when the pandemic hit. For instance, and I know that's been a few years from now, and maybe we all want to forget it, our collections rate actually went up during that time, and I attribute that largely to the fact that, number one, we had a relationship in place with our renters. We staffed up, and matter of fact, we had a full time person just working to get rent assistance for those renters who kind of had been disenfranchised by the pandemic Keith Weinhold 21:26 during pandemic times or post pandemic times whenever it is us as investors, we're always interested in reducing that vacancy time. We seem to be in a period, at least nationally, where when people get a hold of a place, they want to keep it and hold on to it. In a lot of markets, the duration of a tenancy has been increasing. So despite what era that we're in, can you talk to us about some of the best practices for how you reduce the vacancy time? Because we all know vacancy and turnover is our biggest expense over time. As investors, Terry Kerr 21:58 I like to say, you know, at the heart of what we do is making sure that when a hard working, single mother comes home at the end of the day, she can give her child a hot bath. And that's not possible if the water heaters out. And that's just one example, but our main job is to give a good quality of life to the residents that we are caring for, and if we can do that, and if we can treat them with respect when they do fall on hard times, like Matthew said, they're going to want to renew the lease. So we have got a almost twice the average length of stay as the industry average, which is we've got about a four year average resident stay. And when folks move out of a mid south house, it's not because they can find a better value they're going to get. They're already in the nicest house on the street. And if something breaks, we're out there lickety split to fix it. When folks move out of a mid south house. It's either because they're downsizing. Kids are moving out, or they're going up because they're having their family increases and they've got to move up, or maybe something happens to them, like Matthew mentioned, you know, death, divorce, disability, these things happen, right? But no one's moving out because they can find a better value or because they're not getting the service or respect that they deserve. Keith Weinhold 23:25 That says a lot. Being managers of 5800 to 5900 properties, which gives you this sort of canvassing or de facto surveying ability that you have. What are we seeing for the direction of rents? We'll get into rents and prices later, because nationally, rents are just holding steady. They're really not rising very much. What do you see there? Matthew Vanhorn 23:49 Yes, we saw them fairly stable. Over the course of 2024 I have started to see an uptick here in the past few months, I will say, which is encouraging for investors, for sure, each month, I'm looking at all of the renewal rates personally, to kind of look at that, engage the market. And like you said, it really is helpful. I mean, yes, we have all the tools, Zillow, rentometer, all these things, but there's nothing like just our own data of seeing, hey, what's the house across the street renting for? You know, how long did it take for that to rent and incorporating that into our data. And right now, our houses are moving at a faster pace on the leasing tip, which rent increases tend to follow that Keith Weinhold 24:30 when it comes to optimizing rents, a lot of that coming back to reducing vacancy time. There are a number of strategies that one can employ now it's not with you guys, but I have a single family rental home in another market, and one promotion that that manager is running and encouraged me to participate in is a 50 inch flat screen TV having that and giving it away to the tenant. Somehow, that only costs $250 so I decided to do that. At for a vacancy that I have there in that market. Now, some investors might say, you know, why am I buying TVs for a tenant? I'm already providing them with a place. If the rent is 1500 bucks, a $250 TV only costs five days of vacancy, and that helps me reduce that vacancy period. Might even make a tenant want to stay longer, so sometimes you got to be thinking about how your tenant thinks, and you can come up with inventive ways to reduce vacancy. Do you have anything like that, any small concession that you've offered or have needed to offer in either market? Terry Kerr 25:33 Well, we haven't done anything like that, Keith, but what we do like to do, and Matthew mentioned this earlier, is as great tenants tend to refer other great residents, and so we have a referral bonus that we pay out to our residents that refer other folks to us, and that does not come out of the pocket of our investors, that comes out of our pocket, because it's our job to make sure that We rent these properties as quick as we can to qualified residents. Keith Weinhold 26:04 One thing that I've liked about Memphis, which few markets have, is that it's embedded within renter culture in Memphis, since it is such a renter city, that renters travel with their appliances, like the refrigerator, in their stove, in their dishwasher, which always seems crazy to me, so you're not providing those appliances. It seems like that fact alone might help with resident retention in Memphis. They're just less likely to move when they have more stuff to move. Matthew Vanhorn 26:35 Yeah, it's really true. Yeah. And the longer people stay, the longer they tend to stay as funny as that sounds. And yeah, that's something that we found even in our new construction homes where we do provide the appliances we've been finding in many instances, still the residents are coming with their own appliances. And so we're storing our appliance, our brand new appliances, in our warehouse. Keith Weinhold 26:58 Wow, yes, that's just something that you don't see in other places. And when it comes to retention, we're interested in maintaining the property like you talked about being proactive with are there some other things you do to help ensure that the maintenance expenses stay lower throughout the lifetime of that investor ownership? How do you approach that? Terry Kerr 27:16 It really starts with doing a full blown rehab, right? So every once in a while, you know, we'll have houses that, you know, have some age on the components. But when we do a rehab, everything is brand spanking new, like a new roof, gut, the kitchen, got the bathroom, you know, all new electrical, all new plumbing, all new HVAC, a new water heater the whole nine yards. So it starts there, and then when a property turns over, we go into the property, and we are looking for safe and clean, right? So we want to make sure to keep the water out. We want to make sure that everything is safe and the property is tip top and super clean. Fortunately, the folks that are maintaining the houses for our investors. The technicians are the same technicians that did the renovations on the property, right? And it's the same materials. Yeah, it's like, we have an assembly line and a junky house jumps on the assembly line, and we rip everything off, and all the same materials jump back on the house. So we're able to keep costs low because of that, and also because the labor that we end up having to pay the technicians typically is a lot less than normal, because they're used to working on the same water heater, the same HVAC system, you know, the same furnace, the same dishwasher. So our volume model kind of helps with that. Keith Weinhold 28:39 Oh, if you were listening closely, yes, what a huge efficiency that can be. You fellas, have any last thoughts about efficient property management, since that's what you've led for more than 13 years, Matthew, Matthew Vanhorn 28:51 I resonate with what you said about how many investors overlook vacancy costs when properties turn over. And so I think it's just getting your rents right on the money, maybe just a little below, can actually drive returns, as opposed to maybe trying to get an extra 25 bucks more, which takes you three weeks longer to rent. You actually did not come out ahead in that, in that scenario, Keith Keith Weinhold 29:14 today, with inflation, a $25 difference, I mean, we're down to what 12 hours of vacancy is, really how we're talking about there Property Management turning a passive income into an active lifestyle since forever. That's what they do. Property managers are the people that have never met a maintenance issue that waited until business hours. So that's why I'm grateful that my managers do what they do for me. That's what we're talking about today. More when we come back with Terry Kerr and Matthew Van Horn of mid south homebuyers, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold Keith Weinhold 29:45 if you're scrolling for quality real estate and finance info today, yeah, it can be a mess. You hit paywalls, pop ups, push alerts, Cookie banners. It's like the internet is playing defense against you. Not so fun. That's why. It matters to get clean, free content that actually adds no hype value to your life. This is the golden age of quality email newsletters, and I write every word of ours myself. It's got a dash of humor. It's direct, and it gets to the point because even the word abbreviation is too long, my letter takes less than three minutes to read, and it leaves you feeling sharp and in the know about real estate investing, this is paradigm shifting material, and when you start the letter, you'll also get my one hour fast real estate video course, completely free as well. It's called The Don't quit your Daydream letter. It wires your mind for wealth, and it couldn't be simpler to get visit gre letter.com while it's fresh in your head, take a moment to do it now at gre letter.com Visit gre letter.com Keith Weinhold 30:56 the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your pre qual and even chat with President chailey Ridge personally, while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lending group.com that's Ridge lending group.com Tom Wheelwright 31:31 this is Rich Dad Advisor Tom wheelwright. Listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream. Keith Weinhold 31:37 welcome back to get rich education. You've got the pleasure of listening to the voices of America's oldest turnkey real estate provider mid south homebuyers based in Memphis, Tennessee, and some years ago, they branched out to Little Rock, Arkansas as well, just about a two hour road trip west of Memphis. When us as investors buy a property, we've got to be cognizant of the fact that that property swims in an economic ocean, and therefore job vibrancy is, after all, how the tenant pays the rent. So tell us about economic developments in Memphis and Little Rock, because there are some exciting ones. Matthew Vanhorn 32:24 So yeah, both in Memphis and in Little Rock, we've got the roads, we've got the rivers, we've got the rails, which drives both Memphis and Little Rock as distribution hubs here in the middle of America. And so of course, FedEx famously has their headquarters here in Memphis. Many of your listeners will know it's the largest cargo airport in America. We've had a resurgence of X. AI has actually come to Memphis and built the world's largest supercomputer here in Memphis, and they're actually working hard now on building a second called Colossus two, which is going to be even larger. They're saying it may hold as many as 1 million Nvidia chips, which I can't do that math, but that's a lot of money. And so x AI is has quickly become the second largest taxpayer here in Memphis and in Shelby County. And 25% of those tax proceeds, by the way are going, they're earmarked to go right into that local community beside where the plant is, and all the development is in Little Rock. You know, of course, it's Arkansas's largest city. It's the capital city, and so by nature of that, there are many stable state government jobs there that is a bulwark of the economic development there. There is a actually Fintech startup space is big in Little Rock as well. Lockheed Martin has been doing developments there, so a lot of aerospace development around Little Rock. Folks who look at our homes will also notice that we are in Jacksonville, which is a suburb of Little Rock that's anchored by the Air Force base there in Jacksonville. And there's actually a large munitions supplier there, Sig Sauer, which provides a lot of jobs to the locals there. And our number one, I may have mentioned it earlier, our number one employer in Central Arkansas is actually Baptist Health Medical Center. And just generally speaking, health care workers make up the largest portion of our residents in Central Arkansas. So a lot of great economic drivers that we're seeing bringing renters to Little Rock and and new jobs there. As a matter of fact, not just that, but I noted recently that the cost of living in Little Rock is now 10% below the national average. I think we had a report on our website a few years ago that it was 6% and that's actually. It's only becoming more favorable to live in Central Arkansas. Keith Weinhold 35:04 You're talking about stable and growing drivers here, AI related businesses and healthcare. Let's talk about those rents and prices. Because really, this is one reason why national investors are so drawn to that area. It's that high affordability and that high ratio of rent income to purchase price. So what sort of rent and price ranges are we looking at in both markets now, Matthew Vanhorn 35:29 it's not the same as it was when I started here in 2012 Reds have increased and so, you know, average rents around here start around 900 and now we're going up to about 1700 toward the high end there. And you know, the great news is that incomes have increased as well, and so our renters are able to afford this just as well as they were before. Or maybe even better, like I mentioned, cost of living in Arkansas has actually improved. And so what that means is people are actually making more money compared to the rent, even though rents have increased, which I believe is good news for investors, and it's been good news for us as a management company, as I think that contributes to the resident longevity there, once again, Keith Weinhold 36:17 nowhere in the nation Do we hear enough about increased affordability stories, which is exactly what you have when your income rises faster than your rent, which is a harbinger of being able to increase the rent in the future. Tell us more about the rent in price ranges in both markets. Matthew Vanhorn 36:35 In Memphis, if you get a two bed, one bath, you can often find that for as low as 808 850, something like that. As you step up into a three bed one bath, that's going to be somewhere between 1000 1200, depending on where you are in the city, there in Memphis, if you're in our new construction homes, those can range between 1395 all the way up to 1850 once again, depending on the size of the construction and the location out in Arkansas, rents tend to be just a little bit higher than in Memphis. So you see the rent starting there around 950 and going up to just under 2000 Keith Weinhold 37:19 and we're interested in that capital price, because a lot of times, investors think about their purchase through that perspective of the ratio of the rent income to the purchase price. Matthew Vanhorn 37:30 As far as sales price goes, Keith, we started right around $100,000 on the low end, and those can range up to 240,000 thereabouts, on the high end, if you're talking about a new construction, three, two with a two car garage in an appreciating area. You can see that sort of range in Memphis, very similar, very similar. We have some of our smaller rehabs starting as low as 100,000 and going up to about that $215,000 range. Keith Weinhold 38:04 Now, I would imagine, in the inflationary era that we're still in, that you get investors that call in there, and you do have these robust interactions with investors, where you talk with them on the phone like a human being, and people that say, come on. How can you get a respectable tenant in a single family rehab rental home that only costs $120,000 How do you handle questions like that? Matthew Vanhorn 38:30 That's the whole job here is explaining that Sure, no where our renters are living. It's the best home that they've ever lived in, and it's it's in a affordable area. It's in an area where their friends live, where you just have workforce, just blue collar, but beautiful neighborhoods where they live. And I mean, they're proud to call these houses their home, and for many, it really is their dream home. Keith Weinhold 38:55 People mold their lawns. The streets aren't littered with trash. I know where you guys invest. I've been on the streets there with you, checking them out. What percentage of investors finance the property, and how has that changed over time? Terry Kerr 39:09 I'm going to say that it's probably about 75% finance, 25% cash. A lot of your listeners come with their own mortgage broker. The ones that don't, we have our tried and true mortgage brokers. Interest rates are not 4% anymore, and some folks are are wanting to pay cash, and they do, and some of them will pay cash, and then, you know, plan on refinancing later. But right now, that's probably about 25% cash, 75% finance. Keith Weinhold 39:36 Yeah, it's interesting to see that direction, since rates did begin to get higher in 2022 you have this robust interaction with investors, but that doesn't only have to be over the phone. You guys are so proud of what you do that you've long offered investor tours. In fact, now you're doing more of those investor tours than you ever have. I believe you're doing 11. In tours per year in Memphis, and five in Little Rock as well.So tell us about that. Terry Kerr 40:04 I guess it was maybe seven or eight years ago. We're so stoked that everybody wants to buy houses from us, and we've got, you know, a short wait list, and that's awesome, but we want folks to come visit us, and so, you know, we just started offering folks $500 off of the purchase of their first home, if they'll just come visit us. And so we know it's in our best interest to try to get to know our investors on a personal level, and the investors that do come to visit us, and we're able to pull back the curtain and show them, you know how operational efficiency benefits them as investors. I think they appreciate it, and then we do also just kind of like the nerd out on the nuts and bolts of the business. So it's fun to be able to pull that curtain back. Keith Weinhold 40:48 Now, you don't have to be an investor to come on the tour, either prospective investors or regular investors that are already there can come on the tour. Is the Tour Free? Absolutely. So the tour is free, and you get a $500 credit if you end up purchasing there. Most investors never come physically see the property at all, but you sure can do that, and they make it really easy for you. Well, this is going to help a lot of people, especially when we think about how to manage the tenant and reduce our vacancy time in today's era. Before I ask how our listeners can learn more about you. Do you have any last thoughts at all about anything that we discussed management or properties or tenants or anything else? Maybe I did not think about asking you. Matthew Vanhorn 41:32 I'll just go back to Keith talking about how well staffed we are here at Mid South. I think that's where we stand. Apart from a lot of our competitors is that we're not just two or three guys in an office here, we have over 100 employees. It takes speed to deliver good service. Service leads to satisfaction. Satisfaction leads to the residents staying. The resident staying leads to stacks of cash for you as investors, and the only way you can do that is if you're staffed up properly. And so that's something that you want to ask if you're ever vetting another property manager, is what does your staff look like? And really understand, can they actually provide the service to their residents and to their investors that they're reporting? Keith Weinhold 42:17 You have helped more of our listeners than any other provider in the nation, certainly over 100 of them, perhaps hundreds by now. I'm not really sure if listeners want to get a hold of you, what's the best way for them to do that? Terry Kerr 42:31 Invest at mid southhomebuyers.com Keith Weinhold 42:34 that's a great starting place for you. And that way you can take a look at properties, get thinking about the market. Learn more about their management and get a hold of them. Terry and Matthew, it's been valuable as usual. Thanks so much for coming out of the show. Matthew Vanhorn 42:49 Thank you, Keith. Terry Kerr 42:49 Thank you, Keith. Keith Weinhold 42:56 Oh yeah. Sharp insights from Terry and Matthew at mid south homebuyers today, waiving their application fee means more applicants, a bigger renter pool to choose from, which either shortens your vacancy time or it's going to get you a better quality tenant. Now, a lot of people, they think that real estate is unaffordable and even impossible, but few make it easier and more affordable than these people. And I think I shared with you before that, an 18 year old guy who I do know and have talked to in person, he bought his first ever rental property from mid south homebuyers. So it's kind of interesting. His goal was to own his first rental property when he was 18, and he closed just in time the day before his 19th birthday. I think he's age 20 now, but because fully renovated single family homes can be bought in a range of about 100 to 220k here, and you will put 20 to 25% of a down payment on that your monthly rent is about eight tenths of 1% of that purchase price. Okay, so that's renovated, and then new builds sell in a range of 200 to 260k rent to price ratios on those are a little lower. They're point seven five or so. Now we are here in an era where mortgage rates are in the low sixes for owner occupied that means you'll pay closer to 7% on income properties. But if you go new build, which is really something I've been suggesting to you for a while, if you can swing it, those rates are as low as five and a quarter percent for qualified buyers here, yes, at these low Memphis and Little Rock prices, they've got a few duplexes usually available as well, renting your residence. It's just something that's sort of in the culture there in Memphis, and that's why they're confident in offering a number of guarantees for investors. They just do things that. That other providers don't do in the rare event that your property is occupied and then it somehow falls vacant during your first year of ownership. Their releasing fee is free. They also have a guarantee that you will cash flow after you close. They have a one year bumper to bumper warranty on the renovations we're talking about from the doorknob to the ductwork, and there's a lifetime 90 day occupancy guarantee. What that means is, if your property were ever vacant for that long, they would start paying rent to you on day 91 but you know what's amazing? It's easy for them to offer that they'll tell you that they've never had to pay out on that, because they've never experienced the vacancy of more than 55 days. Just amazing. And all those guarantees I just told you about that is in writing on their website. So if you want to get a hold of them, there's virtually no one else in the nation that makes it easier and more affordable. I believe that's an email address that Terry gave there. Again, it is invest@midsouthhomebuyers.com their website is, as you might have guessed, midsouthhomebuyers.com that's midsouthhomebuyers.com interestingly, you can even look at their income properties. There some provider websites don't let you do that. And again, they offer free tours, and if you prefer, their phone number is 901-306-9009, this week, you learned some great techniques for reducing your vacancy and being more profitable, as well as a provider that can deliver it for you. Should you so choose? The proverb goes, give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Well, you've got the option of doing either one or both today, until next week. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream. Speaker 1 46:59 Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively you Keith Weinhold 47:27 The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building, get richeducation.com
Reid Hoffman has been at the center of every major tech shift, from co-founding LinkedIn and helping build PayPal to investing early in OpenAI. In this conversation, he looks ahead to the next transformation: how artificial intelligence will reshape work, science, and what it means to be human.In this episode, Reid joins Erik Torenberg and Alex Rampell to talk about what AI means for human progress, where Silicon Valley's blind spots lie, and why the biggest breakthroughs will come from outside the obvious productivity apps. They discuss why reasoning still limits today's AI, whether consciousness is required for true intelligence, and how to design systems that augment, not replace, people.Reid also reflects on LinkedIn's durability, the next generation of AI-native companies, and what friendship and purpose mean in an era where machines can simulate almost anything. This is a sweeping, high-level conversation at the intersection of technology, philosophy, and humanity. Resources:Follow Reid on X: x.com/reidhoffmanFollow Alex on X: x.com/arampell Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends!Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zListen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYXListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated:Find a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Podcast on SpotifyListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Max and 99 are back this week for Show Notes; they start with a little pop culture music/movie talk, and transition into Unf*cker emails where they cover why the 1% doesn’t care if the economy is gutted, what figures you can trust from the Trump administration, Technocracy in Silicon Valley and a host of other things. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:27:51 Memberships: 01:24:16 Outro: 01:30:08 Resources The Baffler: The Substance Follow Us On Social: Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Leave a Review Become a UNFTR Member The Rewatchables: ‘Sneakers’ With Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, and Joanna Robinson Jacob Riis: How The Other Half Lives Climate Disruption: Lee Zeldin Cancer Gala Paris Marx New York Times: A Plea From Doctors: Cool It on the Supplements -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Derek Champagne talks with Sramana Mitra. Sramana is the founder and CEO of One Million by One Million (1Mby1M), the world's first and only global virtual incubator/accelerator. Its goal is to help a million entrepreneurs globally reach a million dollars in annual revenue, build a trillion dollars in global GDP, and create 10 million jobs.Since its founding in 2010, 1Mby1M has become a powerful platform for democratization of entrepreneurship acceleration.Sramana also developed 1Mby1M's Incubator-in-a-Box methodology for Corporate Incubation that is used by enterprises to manage internal and external innovation endeavors.In 2015, LinkedIn named Sramana one of their Top 10 Influencers alongside Bill Gates and Richard Branson.Sramana has been an entrepreneur and a strategy consultant in Silicon Valley since 1994. Her fields of experience span from hardcore technology disciplines like Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Semiconductors, to sophisticated consumer marketing industries including e-commerce, fashion and education.As an entrepreneur CEO, Sramana founded three companies: Dais (off-shore software services), Intarka (sales lead generation and qualification software using Artificial Intelligence algorithms; VC: NEA) and Uuma (online personalized store for selling clothes using Expert Systems software; VC: Redwood). Two of these were acquired, while the third received an acquisition offer from Ralph Lauren which the company did not accept.As strategy consultant, Sramana has consulted with over 80 companies, including public companies such as SAP, Cadence Design Systems, Webex, KLA-Tencor, Best Buy, MercadoLibre and Tessera among others. Her work has also included numerous startups and VCs.Sramana has a Masters degree in EECS from MIT and a Bachelors degree in Computer Science and Economics from Smith College.From 2000 to 2004, Sramana chaired the MIT Club of Northern California's entrepreneurship program in Silicon Valley.Learn more at www.1Mby1M.comBusiness Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576
In this episode of On the Delo, David DeLorenzo welcomes investor and operator Stephen Cole back for a no-BS, practical conversation on Bitcoin for real businesses—especially restaurants. They hit family buy-in, what “21M cap” actually means, instant vs. final settlement, and how owners can allocate a small, repeatable % of revenue into BTC without wrecking their books.Stephen also breaks down why fractions (0.01 BTC) aren't “small,” how AI will demand internet-native money, and what his company Castle is building so small and medium sized businesses can automate buys and plug into tools they already use (Stripe, PayPal, Square, Clover, Shopify, QuickBooks). They cover tax basics (buy/hold vs. sell), loans against BTC, and why “high-yield” dollar accounts rarely beat inflation in the real world.Chapter Guide (Timestamps):(00:13 – 01:02) Cold open & why Stephen's back on the show (01:58 – 03:29) Getting spouse buy-in; teaching money to kids (04:22 – 06:20) Money 101 & the Lynn Alden primer to understand fiat (06:27 – 08:19) From Silicon Valley engineer to Bitcoin (since 2013) (08:55 – 12:33) Scarcity (21M / ~19M mined), settlement vs. instant layers (13:44 – 17:51) Unit-bias myth; why AI will use internet-native money (18:24 – 23:23) Corporate treasuries → Castle for SMBs; set-and-forget allocations (23:37 – 24:25) Taxes: buy/hold ≠ taxable; borrowing against BTC (responsibly)(25:27 – 30:22) Restaurants: accept vs. hold; accounting realities today (31:14 – 36:19) Inflation math for owners; “high yield” vs. real purchasing power (37:04 – 38:34) DCA mindset & the early “faucet” story (39:01 – 40:52) Mortgages, lenders, and regulators starting to acknowledge BTC (40:53 – 43:18) “No second best”: BTC vs. altcoins; how to reach Stephen (47:14 – 50:26) Rapid-fire and close
This week, Guest Host Donovan Adkisson joins Jason DeFilippo to wade through the usual tech chaos; California is attempting to regulate the inevitable AI companion chatbots, which is timely, considering ChatGPT is about to launch erotica (with age verification, natch). Turns out, most of the world is less stoked about our algorithmic future than Silicon Valley is. Speaking of chaos, Elon Musk's Boring Company racked up nearly 800 environmental violations in Vegas, and his Starlink satellites are burning up the atmosphere, validating the Kessler Syndrome predictions (and ruining backyard astronomy). On the ground, Georgia Tech is deploying drone first responders, ensuring campus security is instantly airborne, while the UK's Online Safety Act slapped 4chan with a hefty fine. We also mourn a Crypto Kingpin who met his end in a Lamborghini following a market crash. Finally, beware that "perfect" house listing, as the owner likely used AI to virtually enhance that curb appeal.It seems even the guy who coined the term "Vibe Coding" admits that relying on AI for complex software is "Net Unhelpful," proving that humans still have to do the heavy lifting—a fact Uber might ignore, as they plan to pay drivers to train AI between rides. Speaking of dumb human stunts, some genius launched the "World's First Waymo DDoS" by summoning 50 robotaxis to a dead end. On the entertainment side, it's time to binge Gen V before Season 5 of The Boys drops; also, why did Apple rename Apple TV+ to Apple TV? The guys also discuss the eternal cultural resonance of Idiocracy and the perfection of Galaxy Quest (and its fantastic documentary, Never Surrender). On the work front, Jason switched back to Things 3 because life is too short for ugly software, even as Windows 10's impending end-of-life threatens to create an e-waste disaster. Also, Wi-Fi 8 is coming soon, because the recently ratified Wi-Fi 7 just wasn't cutting it.Finally, the Grumpy Old Geeks wish a happy birthday to friends of the show and offer remembrance for the recently deceased, including screen icon Diane Keaton and KISS founding member Ace Frehley (though, honestly, no one here watched KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park). Tune in next time, and always remember to check out Anonymous: Real Stories of Alcoholism, Addiction, and Recovery; and go get some of that GOG Merch... when it becomes available.Sponsors:MasterClass - Get an additional 15% off any annual membership at MASTERCLASS.com/GRUMPYOLDGEEKSPrivate Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/718FOLLOW UPGuest Host: Donovan AdkissonCalifornia becomes first state to regulate AI companion chatbotsChatGPT erotica coming soon with age verification, CEO saysInternational Polling Shows Fear of AI Across the WorldIN THE NEWSGeorgia Tech's drone first responder program cuts emergency response time to 90 seconds or lessCrypto Kingpin Turns Up Dead in Lamborghini After Market CrashConcerns grow after spate of social media posts showing SpaceX Starlink satellites burning in the sky — we are currently seeing a ‘couple of satellite re-entries a day,' says respected astrophysicist4chan fined $26K for refusing to assess risks under UK Online Safety ActElon Musk's Boring Company Accused of Nearly 800 Environmental Violations on Las Vegas ProjectThat perfect-looking house for sale may have an owner using AI to virtually enhance the listingEven the Inventor of 'Vibe Coding' Says Vibe Coding Can't Cut ItMan Launches “World's First Waymo DDoS” by Ordering 50 Robotaxis to Dead End StreetMEDIA CANDYGEN VApple's streaming service gets harder to tell apart from its streaming app, boxThe Celebrity TraitorsThe Fortune HotelIdiocracyNever Surrender: A Galaxy Quest DocumentaryThe Missi & Brooke ShowAnonymous - Real Stories of Alcoholism, Addiction, and RecoveryMinecraft Movie 2 ReleaseAPPS & DOODADSThings 3TP-Link confirms successful Wi-Fi 8 trials — next-gen wireless standard to usher in advances in reliability and latencyThe End of Windows 10 Support Is an E-Waste Disaster in the MakingCLOSING SHOUT-OUTSDiane Keaton dead at age 79Kiss Meets the Phantom of the ParkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Is it no longer ‘borderline illegal’ to be Christian in Silicon Valley? This week, Oz and Karah are diving deep into Peter Thiel’s 4-part lecture series on the Antichrist and they unpack why the tech industry might be getting more religious. Plus, Oz spills the tea on the Dutch-China microchip drama. Space junk is falling from the sky. The cops are getting called over AI pranks gone wrong. And Karah updates Oz on the latest dating trend. For Chat and Me, one listener gets in over her head, and gives it all up. Additional Reading: Police Say People Keep Calling 911 Over an 'AI Homeless Man' TikTok Prank Christianity Was “Borderline Illegal” in Silicon Valley. Now It’s the New Religion | Vanity Fair What billionaire Peter Thiel said in his private ‘Antichrist lectures’ - The Washington Post Why has the Dutch Government taken control of Chinese Owned Chipmaker Nexperia | Al-Jazeera Elon Musk's Satellites Now Constantly Falling Out of the Sky ‘I realised I’d been ChatGPT-ed into bed’: how ‘Chatfishing’ made finding love on dating apps even weirder See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ever feel like life's moving so fast that you forget to pause and reflect on what's actually working—or what's not? We all get caught up chasing goals, juggling priorities, and trying to “do more,” but sometimes the real key to living happier isn't in doing more—it's in reflecting more. That's exactly what I unpack in this solo episode of The Happy Hustle Podcast, where I dive into one of my all-time favorite reflection practices: The Rose, Thorn, and Bud Method.This stupid-simple (yet incredibly powerful) exercise has been used by Navy SEALs, Silicon Valley founders, and high-performing entrepreneurs across the world. And it's one that I personally use to get clarity, cultivate gratitude, and stay in harmony—both in business and in life. The beauty of this practice is that it doesn't take long, but it can completely shift how you show up every day.So here's the breakdown. The Rose represents what's going well in your life—your wins, your highlights, your gratitude moments. For me, my personal rose right now is that my wife is pregnant with our baby girl (yep, I'm about to be a #GirlDad, and I couldn't be more excited!). Professionally, my rose is hosting the upcoming Optimized Life Mastermind with my buddy Ben Greenfield, which is shaping up to be an epic experience for entrepreneurs who want to level up their health, wealth, and happiness.Then comes the Thorn—the challenges, the friction points, the stuff that's testing you. I'll be real with you, my thorn lately has been not showing up as intentionally in my marriage as I'd like to. I've been on the road nonstop for masterminds and events, and it's been tough to balance that with being the husband Steph deserves—especially now that she's pregnant. Professionally, my thorn has been building out a new SaaS business that's pushing me outside my comfort zone. It's exciting, but it's also tough. And that's okay. The thorn reminds us to pay attention to what needs care, boundaries, or change.Finally, there's the Bud—what's emerging, what's next, what you're excited to nurture and grow. For me, it's watching my son step into big brother mode and seeing The Happy Hustle Club continue to blossom into a supportive brotherhood of heart-centered entrepreneurs. This community blows me away with their vulnerability, generosity, and genuine support for each other—it's proof that when you lead with love and authenticity, you attract the right tribe.If you take one thing from this episode, let it be this: reflection isn't just about slowing down—it's about tuning in. It's how you spot the blessings, transform the struggles, and plant the seeds for what's next. When you take the time to acknowledge your roses, your thorns, and your buds—personally and professionally—you gain the clarity and alignment to truly Happy Hustle your dream reality.So grab a journal, take five minutes, and write it down: What's your rose? What's your thorn? What's your bud? The answers might just change the way you show up for yourself and others.Connect with Cary!https://www.instagram.com/caryjack/https://www.facebook.com/SirCaryJackhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cary-jack-kendzior/https://twitter.com/thehappyhustlehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFDNsD59tLxv2JfEuSsNMOQ/featured Get a free copy of his new book, The Happy Hustle, 10 Alignments to Avoid Burnout & Achieve Blissful Balance https://www.thehappyhustle.com/bookSign up for The Journey: 10 Days To Become a Happy Hustler Online Coursehttps://thehappyhustle.com/thejourney/Apply to the Montana Mastermind Epic Camping Adventurehttps://thehappyhustle.com/mastermind/“It's time to Happy Hustle, a blissfully balanced life you love, full of passion, purpose, and positive impact!”Episode Sponsors:If you're feeling stressed, not sleeping great, or your energy's been kinda meh lately—let me put you on to something that's been a total game-changer for me: Magnesium Breakthrough by BiOptimizers. This ain't your average magnesium—it's got all 7 essential forms that your body actually needs to chill out, sleep deeper, and feel more balanced. I take it every night and legit notice the difference the next day. No more waking up groggy or tossing and turning all nightIf you're ready to sleep like a baby, calm your nervous system, and optimize your recovery, go grab yours now at bioptimizers.com/happy and use code HAPPY10 for 10% OFF.99 Designs- Need a killer logo, stunning website, or next-level brand design?Stop DIY-ing and start delegating like a boss with 99designs by Vista! Neurable- If you're looking to level up your focus, productivity, and mental well-being all at once, do yourself a favor and check out Neurable. You get a special hookup—just use the code HAPPY at checkout and get $100 off.
What if the next generation of computing was not something you held or wore, but something you looked through? In this special episode recorded live from GITEX Global in Dubai, I speak with Roman Axelrod, founder of EXPANCEO, a deep tech company creating AI-powered smart contact lenses designed to merge augmented reality, biosensing, and what he calls digital superpowers. Roman explains how his company moved from an ambitious idea to becoming the first deep tech unicorn in the Gulf region, now valued at more than 1.3 billion dollars. Over the past five years, his team of physicists and engineers in Dubai has built more than fifteen prototypes and secured a wide range of patents, all aimed at developing what they see as the ultimate interface for AI-driven computing. These lenses can display digital images, measure biological signals such as glucose and intraocular pressure, and may one day eliminate the need for screens altogether. He reflects on the early days of disbelief, when even friends told him to give up, and how perseverance became the deciding factor. For Roman, success meant proving that deep tech innovation is possible outside Silicon Valley. He shares how Dubai's ecosystem, low taxation, and access to world-class talent helped make that vision real. His story offers practical insight for founders who are told their ideas are impossible until they can show a working prototype. We also explore what this means for the future of human-computer interaction. Roman believes these lenses will help us communicate directly with intelligent systems, turning science fiction into everyday life. His message to entrepreneurs is simple: be stubborn, stay curious, and keep building. Could AI contact lenses redefine computing itself? Listen to the conversation and share your thoughts.
Renee Troughton: Analytics From Day One and Four Other Principles of Great POs Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "Product owners who think about their products as just a backlog that I prioritize, and I get some detailed requirements from stakeholders, and I give that to the team... that's not empowering the team. And it's probably leading you to building the wrong thing, just faster." The Bad Product Owner: The Backlog Manager Without Vision Renee describes a pattern of Product Owners who don't understand product management—they lack roadmaps, strategy, and never speak to customers. These POs focus solely on backlogs, prioritizing detailed requirements from stakeholders without testing hypotheses or learning about their market. Taking an empathetic view, Renee notes these individuals may have fallen into the role without passion, never seeing what excellence looks like, and struggling with extreme time poverty. Product ownership is one of the hardest roles from a time perspective—dealing with legislative requirements, compliance, risk, fail-and-fix work, and constant incoming demands. Drowning in day-to-day urgency, they lack breathing space for strategic thinking. These POs also struggle with vulnerability, feeling they should have all answers as leaders, making it difficult to admit knowledge gaps. Without organizational safety to fail, they can't demonstrate the confidence balanced with humility needed to test hypotheses and potentially be wrong. The result is building the wrong thing faster, without empowering teams or creating real value. Self-reflection Question: Are you managing your Product Owners' workload and supporting their strategic thinking time, or are you allowing them to drown in tactical work that prevents them from truly leading their products? The Great Product Owner: Analytics from Day One and Market Awareness "They really iterated, I think, 5 key principles quite consistently... the one thing that did really shape my thinking at that time was... Analytics from day one." Renee celebrates a Chief Product Owner who led 13 teams with extraordinary effectiveness. This PO consistently communicated five key principles, with "analytics from day one" being paramount—emphasizing the critical need to know immediately if new features work and understanding customer behavior from launch. This PO demonstrated deep market awareness, regularly spending time in Silicon Valley, understanding innovation trends and where the industry was heading. They maintained a clear product vision and could powerfully sell the dream to stakeholders. Perhaps most impressively, they brought urgency during a competitive "space race" situation when a former leader left with intellectual property to build a competing product. Despite this pressure, they never allowed compromise on quality—rallying teams with mission and purpose while maintaining standards. This combination of strategic vision, market knowledge, data-driven decision-making, and balanced urgency created an environment where teams delivered excellence under competitive pressure. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
In today's episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED's Jake Lahut to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from how satellites are leaking sensitive data to what Zoë learned after interviewing cybertruck owners. Then, Zoë and Jake dive into how federal workers ended up in the middle of a political fight that they didn't sign themselves up for. Articles mentioned in this episode: Satellites Are Leaking the World's Secrets: Calls, Texts, Military and Corporate Data | WIRED A Plan to Rebuild Gaza Lists Nearly 30 Companies. Many Say They're Not Involved | WIRED A Quarter of the CDC Is Gone | WIRED Spit On, Sworn At, and Undeterred: What It's Like to Own a Cybertruck | WIRED Federal Workers Are Being Used as Pawns in the Shutdown | WIRED Join WIRED's best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Dr. Philippe Bouissou, a Silicon Valley veteran with over 35 years of experience, is a leading authority on business alignment and growth. A former Apple executive who helped launch the Apple Online Store, he's also a successful entrepreneur, VC, and Managing Partner at Blue Dots Partners. As a TEDx speaker with over a million views and author of Aligning the Dots, Dr. Bouissou continues to guide CEOs and boards toward strategic success.Please learn more about Philippe Bouissou at www.BlueDotsPartners.comIn this episode of Mr. Biz Radio, Ken Wentworth sits down with Dr. Philippe Bouissou to uncover how precise business alignment drives sustainable growth. Drawing from his experience at Apple and as a venture capitalist, Dr. Bouissou reveals four universal alignments that help companies—from startups to Fortune 500s—minimize friction and boost success. Together, they explore real-world examples that show how aligning market strategy with customer needs can transform business performance.Key Takeaways:-Businesses must align with their target market's pain points and expectations to realize maximum growth potential.-Dr. Bouissou highlights four key alignments—customer pain versus company claim, messaging versus perception, the way customers buy versus how products are sold, and expected versus delivered delight.-These alignment principles apply to any type and size of business, from startups to mid-sized companies to Fortune 500 entities.-Insightful anecdotes from Dr. Bouissou's time at Apple showcase strategic moves and their outcomes, reinforcing the significance of direct sales and managing channel conflicts.-Successful implementation of a growth strategy hinges on overcoming internal resistance and focusing on data-driven decisions.
Jessica and Dave dive into the messy intersection of AI, culture, and the next wave of consumer tech. From the rise of “AI slop” to whether founders should build apps just for themselves, they debate what survives the model wars and what gets eaten alive. Along the way: 2025 Silicon Valley weirdness, $1B AI comp with no products, GLP-1 memes, kids treating Fortnite like the new social network, and California's crackdown on youth tech. It's part therapy session, part future forecast—the only technology podcast that you should listen to before you head into the weekend.Chapters:00:40 Intro: The first “Jave” episode01:17 The Grove lore: Ground zero of social networks03:19 What's actually working in consumer AI?12:26 The Information's mobile app and engagement lift14:51 Summarization as the killer consumer use case16:17 The “AI slop” problem in real work product19:35 2025 Silicon Valley culture: dead internet, Sora slop, $1B comp21:08 Refounding era (Handshake) and trendwatching23:01 Startup to watch: BitRig and iPhone apps that build apps25:06 Why personalized apps32:54 OpenAI Dev Day paranoia: Who gets eaten?44:32 Parenting choices: Roblox/YouTube vs curated apps58:36 Algorithmic novelty vs repetition comfort01:02:47 OpenAI recalibrates adult contentWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/Iug0dyIlpsAConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit
Silicon Satan author Cregg Lund talks with Dr. Jerome Corsi for another in a series about the book and the dark underbelly of Silicon Valley's. In this episode, Cregg and Dr. Corsi focus heavily on how the Luciferians among the Silicon Valley Elite find, seduce and groom girls and young women into their world.Warning: Aspects of the book and this interview may not be suitable for children under 18. Parental discretion is advised.Find out more about Silicon Satan and Cregg's next book on https://www.corsination.comVisit The Corsi Nation website: https://www.corsination.comIf you like what we are doing, please support our Sponsors:MyVitalC https://www.thetruthcentral.com/myvitalc-ess60-in-organic-olive-oil/Swiss America: https://www.swissamerica.com/offer/CorsiRMP.phpJoin Dr. Jerome Corsi on Substack: https://jeromecorsiphd.substack.com/Visit The Truth Central website: https://www.thetruthcentral.comGet your FREE copy of Dr. Corsi's new book with Swiss America CEO Dean Heskin, How the Coming Global Crash Will Create a Historic Gold Rush by calling: 800-519-6268Follow Dr. Jerome Corsi on X: @corsijerome1Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/corsi-nation--5810661/support.
Today we’re joined by Congressman Ro Khanna, who represents California’s 17th District located in the heart of Silicon Valley. We dive into the latest government shutdown and explore whether THE FILES are at the center of it all. From there, we discuss the rapid evolution of technology, how US innovation is shaping the future, and what social media might look like under his vision. Chris parr joins the show to talk politics and also give an update on the NFL season plus a few classic parr bros stories. LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS WHAT YOU THINK OF RO! ENJOY! More About Ro Here: https://khanna.house.gov/ We are live streaming a Fully unedited version of the pod on Twitch, if you want to chat with us while we're recording, follow here: https://www.twitch.tv/chadandjtgodeep Grab some dank merch here:https://appreeshapparel.com/ Come see us on Tour! Get your tix - http://www.chadandjt.com TEXT OR CALL the hotline with your issue or question: 323-418-2019(Start with where you're from and name for best possible advice) Check out the reddit for some dank convo: https://www.reddit.com/r/ChadGoesDeep/ Thanks to our Sponsors:Brotege: The Best Skincare products for bros - get started today for just 10$ Visit https://www.brotege.com/deep HIGHLAND STYLE CO: The Best Hair products for healthy hair Go to https://www.highland.style/deep or use code godeep at checkout and get 20% off today! PRODUCTION & EDITS BY: Jake Rohret
Is the AI boom an AI bubble? Wall Street and Silicon Valley increasingly think so.This week JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said "a lot of assets" appear to be "entering bubble territory."Earlier this month Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said the AI market was an "industrial bubble" where stock prices were "disconnected from the fundamentals" of their businesses.But big tech shows little sign of pausing its massive investments in artificial intelligence. So how is it that A-I could change the world ... and is also maybe in a bubble?Stanford economist Jared Bernstein, a former White House chief economic adviser and co-author of a recent New York Times op-ed on the subject, explains.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Brianna Scott. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Can open-source AI models really be truly neutral, or are they just another conduit for hidden agendas? Hear how the founder of Nous Research is battling Silicon Valley giants to put ethical, user-controlled AI in everyone's hands. TOpinion | The A.I. Prompt That Could End the World AI videos of dead celebrities are horrifying many of their families (20) Sam Altman on X: "We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right. Now that we have" / X The AI water issue is fake California becomes first state to regulate AI companion chatbots | TechCrunch Walmart Announces It Will Sell Products Through ChatGPT's Instant Checkout Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead AI is changing how we quantify pain Kids who use social media score lower on reading and memory tests, a study shows Social media must warn users of 'profound' health risks under new California law Google will let friends help you recover an account AI content on the net AI writing hasn't overwhelmed the web yet Karpathy tweet Humanity AI Commits $500 Million to Build a People-Centered Future for AI Sal Khan is the new TED You won't believe what degrading practice the pope just condemned Nano Banana is coming to Google Search, NotebookLM and Photos. Paper: Machines in the Crowd? Measuring the Footprint of Machine-Generated Text on Reddit THOUSANDS OF AI AUTHORS ON THE FUTURE OF AI A Twitch streamer gave birth live, with Twitch's CEO in the chat DirecTV will soon bring AI ads to your screensaver Japan wants OpenAI to stop ripping off manga and anime What Is Really Going on With All This Radioactive Shrimp? Inherently funny word Boah, Bahn! A book is being marketed with mayo-scented ink. Jealous? Me? Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Jeffrey Quesnelle Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: spaceship.com/twit pantheon.io Melissa.com/twit threatlocker.com/twit
Every major technological revolution has come with a bubble: railroads, electricity, dot-com. Is it AI's turn? With investments skyrocketing and market valuations reaching the trillions, the stakes are enormous. But are we witnessing a genuine revolution—or the early stages of a spectacular crash?Princeton professor Arvind Narayanan joins Luigi Zingales and Bethany McLean to explain why he believes AI's transformative impact is overstated. Drawing on his book AI Snake Oil, co-authored with Sayash Kapoor, Narayanan argues that capitalism's incentives can distort technological progress, pushing hype faster than reality can deliver. They examine how deregulation, geopolitical competition, and private control over data shape the trajectory of AI's development.They also explore what could happen if the bubble bursts: massive market shocks, exposed structural weaknesses in the economy, and a wave of painful restructuring that could echo the dot-com crash—but on a far larger scale. It's a conversation that cuts through the hype and asks what's at stake when an entire economy bets on one technology. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this episode, Rivers and Sam are THRILLED to welcome comedian Lisa Chanoux to the show. We kick things off with a discussion about the recent, boring movies from The Rock and Jared Leto. Next, the we try out an energy drink called "DNA," whose CEO also owns a company called "Grinder," but, like, not that one. We take a look at a Silicon Valley mogul's mysterious closed-door lectures on the Antichrist, and Lisa gives us a tour of her hometown, El Paso, Texas. Speaking of Texas, ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" is our JAM OF THE WEEK. Tune in, folks. You're gonna love it! Follow Lisa Chanoux on all forms of social media @LisaChanoux and go see Chatterbox Comedy Night every Sunday night at The Chatterbox in Covina, California. Follow our show @TheGoodsPod on absolutely everything! Rivers is @RiversLangley Sam is @SamHarter666 Carter is @Carter_Glascock Subscribe on Patreon for an UNCUT video version of the show as well as HOURS of bonus content! http://patreon.com/TheGoodsPod Pick up a Goods from the Woods t-shirt at: http://prowrestlingtees.com/TheGoodsPod
Can open-source AI models really be truly neutral, or are they just another conduit for hidden agendas? Hear how the founder of Nous Research is battling Silicon Valley giants to put ethical, user-controlled AI in everyone's hands. TOpinion | The A.I. Prompt That Could End the World AI videos of dead celebrities are horrifying many of their families (20) Sam Altman on X: "We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right. Now that we have" / X The AI water issue is fake California becomes first state to regulate AI companion chatbots | TechCrunch Walmart Announces It Will Sell Products Through ChatGPT's Instant Checkout Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead AI is changing how we quantify pain Kids who use social media score lower on reading and memory tests, a study shows Social media must warn users of 'profound' health risks under new California law Google will let friends help you recover an account AI content on the net AI writing hasn't overwhelmed the web yet Karpathy tweet Humanity AI Commits $500 Million to Build a People-Centered Future for AI Sal Khan is the new TED You won't believe what degrading practice the pope just condemned Nano Banana is coming to Google Search, NotebookLM and Photos. Paper: Machines in the Crowd? Measuring the Footprint of Machine-Generated Text on Reddit THOUSANDS OF AI AUTHORS ON THE FUTURE OF AI A Twitch streamer gave birth live, with Twitch's CEO in the chat DirecTV will soon bring AI ads to your screensaver Japan wants OpenAI to stop ripping off manga and anime What Is Really Going on With All This Radioactive Shrimp? Inherently funny word Boah, Bahn! A book is being marketed with mayo-scented ink. Jealous? Me? Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Jeffrey Quesnelle Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: spaceship.com/twit pantheon.io Melissa.com/twit threatlocker.com/twit
Welcome to another episode of Accelerate Your Business Growth! Today, host Diane Helbig sits down with Silicon Valley innovator and business strategist Kevin Surace. With decades of experience driving disruptive innovation, AI, and digital transformation across a range of industries, Kevin joins us to share powerful, practical insights for leaders navigating rapid change. In this conversation, Kevin reveals why fostering a true culture of innovation starts at the top—and why creating psychological safety for risk-taking is essential if you want more than just ideas, but real, game-changing results. He pulls back the curtain on how AI and automation are reshaping businesses, offering actionable tips for integrating these tools without overwhelming your team. Plus, Kevin tackles the biggest reasons digital transformation efforts stumble, and uncovers the human side of technological change—what holds people back, and how leaders can turn resistance into opportunity. If you are a small business owner or salesperson who struggles with getting the sales results you are looking for, get your copy of Succeed Without Selling today. Learn the importance of Always Be Curious. Accelerate Your Business Growth is proud to be included on the list of the 45 Best Business Growth Podcasts. We are also honored to be selected by FeedSpot as one of the Top 10 Growth Hacking Podcasts, Top 25 Evergreen Podcasts and Top 50 Business Growth Podcasts on the web. Each episode of this podcast provides insights and education around topics that are important to you as a business owner or leader. The content comes from people who are experts in their fields and who are interested in helping you be more successful. Whether it's sales challenges, leadership issues, hiring and talent struggles, marketing, seo, branding, time management, customer service, communication, podcasting, social media, cashflow, or publishing, the best and the brightest join the host, Diane Helbig, for a casual conversation. Discover programs, webinars, services, books, and other podcasts you can tap into for fresh ideas. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode and visit Helbig Enterprises to explore the many ways Diane can help you improve your business outcomes and results. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can open-source AI models really be truly neutral, or are they just another conduit for hidden agendas? Hear how the founder of Nous Research is battling Silicon Valley giants to put ethical, user-controlled AI in everyone's hands. TOpinion | The A.I. Prompt That Could End the World AI videos of dead celebrities are horrifying many of their families (20) Sam Altman on X: "We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right. Now that we have" / X The AI water issue is fake California becomes first state to regulate AI companion chatbots | TechCrunch Walmart Announces It Will Sell Products Through ChatGPT's Instant Checkout Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead AI is changing how we quantify pain Kids who use social media score lower on reading and memory tests, a study shows Social media must warn users of 'profound' health risks under new California law Google will let friends help you recover an account AI content on the net AI writing hasn't overwhelmed the web yet Karpathy tweet Humanity AI Commits $500 Million to Build a People-Centered Future for AI Sal Khan is the new TED You won't believe what degrading practice the pope just condemned Nano Banana is coming to Google Search, NotebookLM and Photos. Paper: Machines in the Crowd? Measuring the Footprint of Machine-Generated Text on Reddit THOUSANDS OF AI AUTHORS ON THE FUTURE OF AI A Twitch streamer gave birth live, with Twitch's CEO in the chat DirecTV will soon bring AI ads to your screensaver Japan wants OpenAI to stop ripping off manga and anime What Is Really Going on With All This Radioactive Shrimp? Inherently funny word Boah, Bahn! A book is being marketed with mayo-scented ink. Jealous? Me? Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Jeffrey Quesnelle Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: spaceship.com/twit pantheon.io Melissa.com/twit threatlocker.com/twit
History professor Mark Bray is no stranger to death threats. As the author of the book Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, published in 2017, he has received backlash and harassment from far-right circles for almost a decade. But things recently escalated after the Trump administration designated antifa as a “domestic terrorist organization,” and far-right influencers with a newfound power targeted Bray. Mike sits down with WIRED's David Gilbert and Leah Feiger to discuss what went down, how the role of far-right influencers has expanded exponentially during the past year, and what responsibility tech companies carry. Articles mentioned in this episode: He Wrote a Book About Antifa. Death Threats Are Driving Him Out of the US | WIRED Trump Wants to Take Over Cities. Influencers Are Giving Him the Fuel to Do It | WIRED The Who's Who of MAGA Influencers You Should Know About by Now | WIRED Join WIRED's best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (Ai) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Emilia D'Anzica is the Founder and Managing Partner of Growth Molecules™, a management consulting firm that helps companies protect and grow their revenue. With two decades of experience as a chief customer officer in Silicon Valley, she has been named the Top Customer Growth Advisor of 2024 by IAOTP. Emilia is also the co-author of Pressing ON as a Tech Mom. Sabina Pons is the Managing Director of Growth Molecules™ and the Co-founder of SoCalCX, a community fostering collaboration among go-to-market leaders to deliver exceptional customer experiences. As a fractional chief customer officer and tech industry thought leader, she has scaled companies from $14 million to over $100 million. Sabina is also the co-author of Pressing ON as a Tech Mom. In this episode… Women leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs often face loneliness as they navigate rejection, especially from men in similar roles. This may cause them to parallel men's leadership styles to conform to established norms and stereotypes. How can women identify and hone their personal leadership styles? Women undertake many roles, some including mother, mentor, and leader. Rather than trying to emulate men while juggling personal and professional pursuits, Emilia D'Anzica and Sabina Pons maintain that women should tap into their unique and dynamic skills. These include high levels of emotional intelligence and empathy and supportive natures. Women should also support each other in their roles and share their individual experiences to dismantle stereotypes, bias, and sexism in corporate work environments. In this week's episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show, Andrea Heuston welcomes Emilia D'Anzica and Sabina Pons of Growth Molecules™, to discuss how they broke the glass ceiling in corporate tech. Together, Emilia and Sabina share the women's stories featured in their book, the loneliness epidemic among women leaders, and how to address workplace sexism.
This week, Holly sits down with the brilliant Bree McKeen, founder and CEO of Evelyn & Bobbie — the revolutionary lingerie brand changing how women think about bras. Bree's mission is simple yet radical: confidence starts with comfort. Her company has re- engineered the bra from the inside out—no wires, no digging, no compromises.
Can open-source AI models really be truly neutral, or are they just another conduit for hidden agendas? Hear how the founder of Nous Research is battling Silicon Valley giants to put ethical, user-controlled AI in everyone's hands. TOpinion | The A.I. Prompt That Could End the World AI videos of dead celebrities are horrifying many of their families (20) Sam Altman on X: "We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right. Now that we have" / X The AI water issue is fake California becomes first state to regulate AI companion chatbots | TechCrunch Walmart Announces It Will Sell Products Through ChatGPT's Instant Checkout Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead AI is changing how we quantify pain Kids who use social media score lower on reading and memory tests, a study shows Social media must warn users of 'profound' health risks under new California law Google will let friends help you recover an account AI content on the net AI writing hasn't overwhelmed the web yet Karpathy tweet Humanity AI Commits $500 Million to Build a People-Centered Future for AI Sal Khan is the new TED You won't believe what degrading practice the pope just condemned Nano Banana is coming to Google Search, NotebookLM and Photos. Paper: Machines in the Crowd? Measuring the Footprint of Machine-Generated Text on Reddit THOUSANDS OF AI AUTHORS ON THE FUTURE OF AI A Twitch streamer gave birth live, with Twitch's CEO in the chat DirecTV will soon bring AI ads to your screensaver Japan wants OpenAI to stop ripping off manga and anime What Is Really Going on With All This Radioactive Shrimp? Inherently funny word Boah, Bahn! A book is being marketed with mayo-scented ink. Jealous? Me? Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Jeffrey Quesnelle Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: spaceship.com/twit pantheon.io Melissa.com/twit threatlocker.com/twit
Today I have the pleasure of talking with Supriya Khandelwal and Koa Tran, two members of the South Bay Youth Changemakers, and one of its co-directors, Amulya Mandava. This Asian American organization, located at the heart of Silicon Valley, seeks to both challenge and expand the label, Asian American. The SBYC directs its energy into projects that go far beyond the stereotypes of wealth, acquisition, and status associated with its location, and focuses on empowerment and social justice. Crucially, the organization recognizes the multi-ethnic, multi-racial, and multi-class components of its community. We hear about the kinds of events and activities that characterize this important and vital organization.Koa is a former youth member and summer fellow of South Bay Youth Changemakers. They are currently an undergraduate student in their senior year at UCSD. A special interest of theirs is disability justice and intersectional health. Supriya is a former youth member of South Bay Youth Changemakers. She is a freshman in college majoring in Psychology. They're a fan of internet art culture, and are interested in fair accommodations at school and work, and in labor justice—she believes people shouldn't have to work their lives away.Amulya is co-Director of South Bay Youth Changemakers. Her background is in labor organizing with the UAW, and in organizing against gender-based violence in higher ed.
Listen to 134 Future Now Show Happy birthday to Al today, aka Dr. Future! We are an acquired taste, but once acquired, we are as tasty as Guinness! This week Richard Cray discusses with us the latest with Space X’s humongus Star Ship, and it’s ground-breaking one hour flight from Texas to the Indian Ocean. Dr. Future shares his tale of losing a drone to a giant redwood in Silicon Valley. Bobby Wilder updates us on his Hawaiian adventures, and the Bitcoin flash dive, Greg Panos looks at the rise of quantum stocks and suggests we explore the free AI software, Replay AI, for cloning voices of friends, family and celebrities. Our AI, Ara, introduces a new text to video tool, IMAGINE, and Dr. F demos his use of Replay, with his Rodney Dangerfield personification, and shares a very cleverly done personalized version of the song, FAME, by Idina Menzel. Enjoy! Starship 11 in action
Tune in here to this Thursday's edition of the Brett Winterble Show! Brett dives into a powerful monologue examining the ideological evolution of the Democratic Party, tracing its shift from a working-class coalition to a technocratic, elite-driven platform. He outlines how Bill Clinton’s embrace of globalism, Wall Street, and Beijing marked the start of a neoliberal era, later fueled by Silicon Valley’s cultural influence. Brett argues that the 2008 financial crisis catalyzed a progressive uprising—Occupy Wall Street, Bernie Sanders, and AOC—pushing the party further left. He warns that identity politics has replaced class concerns and claims the Democratic leadership now appeases campus radicals promoting anti-Semitism. Highlighting recent unrest at elite universities, he criticizes figures like Chuck Schumer for political cowardice. Brett contends that the “No Kings” movement represents a deeper rejection of Western values and civilization itself. He calls this a moment of moral clarity, urging Democrats to choose between mob rule and constitutional order, before the nation's democratic foundations are irreparably damaged Listen here for all of this and more on The Brett Winterble Show! For more from Brett Winterble check out his YouTube channel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tune in here to this Thursday's edition of the Brett Winterble Show! Brett kicks off the program by talking about President Trump’s upcoming meeting with Vladimir Putin in Budapest and the broader implications for U.S. foreign policy. He reflects on the historical significance of the former Soviet bloc and praises leaders like Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Lech Wałęsa for their roles in dismantling the Iron Curtain. Brett expresses hope that Trump will remind Putin that the territory is no longer his. Later, Brett dives into a powerful monologue examining the ideological evolution of the Democratic Party, tracing its shift from a working-class coalition to a technocratic, elite-driven platform. He outlines how Bill Clinton’s embrace of globalism, Wall Street, and Beijing marked the start of a neoliberal era, later fueled by Silicon Valley’s cultural influence. Brett argues that the 2008 financial crisis catalyzed a progressive uprising—Occupy Wall Street, Bernie Sanders, and AOC—pushing the party further left. Listen here for all of this and more on The Brett Winterble Show! For more from Brett Winterble check out his YouTube channel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
With Trump's health visibly in decline, attention is shifting to Peter Thiel's invention, JD Vance, who may soon be president. Which means Thiel, a billionaire doomsday prepper who thinks the Anti-Christ is Greta Thunberg, could effectively rule the world. What does Thiel's obsession with the Anti-Christ reveal about how we can resist him? Thiel's worldview isn't just weird Silicon Valley paranoia; it's vintage fascist fan fiction. His ideas trace back to Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt, who justified Hitler's violent purges as necessary for “saving civilization.” Schmitt's argument was simple and horrifying: democracy is too weak, so we need a strongman to suspend the rules. Thiel recycles Schmitt's logic in a twenty-first-century sermon on why democracy itself is the real threat. In Thiel's version, collective action to solve global crises like man-made climate change is the definition of evil. So you know what to do, folks: double down on building collective action. In Part One of our conversation with journalist Gil Duran, of the Nerd Reich newsletter, that tracks Silicon Valley's billionaire Bond villains, we dig into Thiel's apocalyptic delusions, how they shape his politics, and why it's a very big deal that a man this afraid of democracy has his hands in everything from expanding government surveillance to election data. Part Two will be out this Thursday, with a special look at Thiel and Trump's Big Brother–their latest efforts to establish a Chinese-style surveillance state. Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Show Notes: Action alert! Send postcards to California to ensure Prop 50 passes and help support other must-win races: https://www.activateamerica.vote/postcards Action alert! Sister District x Gaslit Nation Halloween Phonebank for VA! https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrict/event/847185/ The One Trait That Predicts Trump Support (w. Matthew MacWilliams) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp19ZKI2m2w Gil Duran's The Nerd Reich: Is Peter Thiel the Antichrist? NYT Didn't Think to Ask https://www.thenerdreich.com/is-peter-thiel-the-antichrist-nyt-didnt-think-to-ask/ The Real Stakes, and Real Story, of Peter Thiel's Antichrist Obsession: Thirty years ago, a peace-loving Austrian theologian spoke to Peter Thiel about the apocalyptic theories of Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt. They've been a road map for the billionaire ever since. https://www.wired.com/story/the-real-stakes-real-story-peter-thiels-antichrist-obsession/ I Worked At Palantir: The Tech Company Reshaping Reality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ95Gmvg_D4 Why Everyone Around Trump is Paranoid Now: Michael Wolff | Inside Trump's Head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HplPf8F5NaI&t=13s Peter Thiel calls the anti-Christ as a humanitarian: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CQ5ATBoF8og Peter Thiel compares Greta Thunberg to the Anti-Christ: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4xVOOgmH3-w Thiel compares being woke to Saudi Arabia https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-873PUOq1s8 Trump's Texts to CNN Host Renew Health Speculation https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-texts-to-cnn-host-renew-health-speculation/ Has Big Brother arrived? Inside the secretive Trump effort to centralize government data on millions of Americans https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-doge-palantir-data-immigration-b2761096.html EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: October 27 4pm ET – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach – Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance. Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community
Before you can lead others, you have to know what leads you.In this episode of Remarkable People, Guy Kawasaki talks with Robert Glazer — bestselling author of The Compass Within — about the hidden forces that shape our choices, define our values, and ultimately determine our direction in life.Robert reveals how to uncover your “magnetic north,” align your work with your personal truth, and recognize when you've drifted off course. Their conversation explores the power of integrity, the origins of leadership, and the lifelong practice of staying true to yourself.---Guy Kawasaki is on a mission to make you remarkable. His Remarkable People podcast features interviews with remarkable people such as Jane Goodall, Marc Benioff, Woz, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Bob Cialdini. Every episode will make you more remarkable.With his decades of experience in Silicon Valley as a Venture Capitalist and advisor to the top entrepreneurs in the world, Guy's questions come from a place of curiosity and passion for technology, start-ups, entrepreneurship, and marketing. If you love society and culture, documentaries, and business podcasts, take a second to follow Remarkable People.Listeners of the Remarkable People podcast will learn from some of the most successful people in the world with practical tips and inspiring stories that will help you be more remarkable.Episodes of Remarkable People organized by topic: https://bit.ly/rptopologyListen to Remarkable People here: **https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/guy-kawasakis-remarkable-people/id1483081827**Like this show? Please leave us a review -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!Thank you for your support; it helps the show!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership with Ruth Haley Barton
As we wrap up our season on Taming our Technologies: [Spiritual] Practices for a Digital Age, Ruth and Jay delve into the topic of technology's impact on deep and creative work. They discuss the transformative impact of technology on creativity, productivity, and the ability to perform deep, meaningful work. Jay highlights the distinction between human creativity and artificial intelligence, and Ruth shares personal insights from her writing process, stressing the sacred and divine nature of creative endeavors. Thank you for journeying with us this season as we explored the realities of technology and its impact on various aspects of our lives. Questions to ponder this week: Ask regularly this week, “God, what have you given me to give to others?” How in touch am I with the deep work to which God has called me? Am I clear on what the work is for which I've been created and God has prepared for me? We're back for Season 27, titled “Taming our Technologies: [Spiritual] Practices for a Digital Age.” This season we have a special co-host, pastor, author, and podcast host Jay Y. Kim! Jay will be joining Ruth all season long to explore the impact technology is having on our lives with God, our attention span, our parenting, our community, and our creativity. Jay and Ruth will wrestle with their own questions and wonderings about finding balance in using technology in good and helpful ways while also acknowledging its challenges. This season aims to be gracefully thought-provoking, practically helpful, and ultimately hopeful and encouraging. Jay Kim serves as lead pastor at West Gate Church in the Silicon Valley of California. He's the author of several books including Analog Christian, Analog Church, and Listen, Listen, Speak. Jay also hosts the Digital Examen podcast and much of his work focuses on the intersection of the digital age and spiritual formation. Mentioned in the episode: Analog Church by Jay Y. Kim Analog Christian by Jay Y. Kim Deep Work by Cal Newport Music Credit: Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist Chasing Butterflies from Music in Solitude We're launching our first video series! On October 13 Ways of Praying will be available for purchase! Through reflection, guided silence, and heartfelt teaching, Ruth Haley Barton encourages leaders to move beyond “the honeymoon phase” into deeper levels of intimacy with God. Each video guides you through a different kind of prayer practice, so you can discover the rhythms that resonate with your life and leadership. You can find out more and purchase Ways of Praying HERE. Use the code BUNDLE to save $20 off the cost of the Ways of Praying video bundle. Support the podcast! This season patrons will receive special bonus episodes that incorporate a spiritual practice to help balance out the technological woes discussed in each episode. Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page! The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders. Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self! Learn more and apply HERE. *this post contains affiliate links
Jamie Daggett started his career as a mechanical engineer working for cleantech startups in Silicon Valley. But after five startups and three buyouts, Daggett saw the same story repeat itself: good technologies that worked in the lab often died before reaching commercial scale. And often they didn't fail because the science was wrong; they failed because investors couldn't trust that the performance would hold up over time. That realization eventually led him to an unexpected place: insurance. Today, Daggett is the energy storage and fuel cell lead at Ariel Green, a Lloyd's of London syndicate that provides a wide range of insurance for clean-energy projects. “Insurance is another tool that we can use to help grow the clean-energy market,” says Daggett. “I do feel like it plays an unsung role behind the scenes.” In this episode, produced in collaboration with Ariel Green, Daggett talks with Stephen Lacey about how insurance is helping the energy storage sector mature. They discuss how the bankruptcy of Powin Energy exposed the fragility of supplier warranties, what the Moss Landing fire revealed about chemistry and safety risk, and how new markets for long-duration and non-lithium storage are testing the boundaries of what can be insured. Daggett explains how technology performance insurance now allows lenders, developers, and manufacturers to move faster by transferring risk from young suppliers to a creditworthy insurer. This is a partner episode, produced in collaboration with Ariel Green. Ariel Green helps clients reduce uncertainty by providing investment-grade insurance for clean-energy projects — protecting the technologies that protect the environment. To learn more, visit arielgreen.com.
In the latest corporate integration with OpenAI, consumers can now shop at Walmart directly through ChatGPT. Internet analyst Mark Mahaney discusses the impact of corporate and AI partnerships and the future of the online landscape. In a wide-ranging interview, Silicon Valley investor and founder Brad Gerstner, CEO of Altimeter Capital, shares his perspective on China, the AI and chips arms races, and interest rates. Plus, soybeans and cooking oil are caught in the middle of the U.S.-China trade war, and Jamie Dimon has weighed in on AI. Mark Mahaney - 16:06Brad Gerstner - 25:24 In this episode:Brad Gerstner, @altcapJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Becky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinCameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
A crop of Silicon Valley startups offers the hope of eradicating disease by testing embryos for genetic abnormalities and the potential for future illness. But those tests come with a high price tag and ethical questions about the use of predictive technology to decide who gets born – or not.Host Elahe Ezadi speaks with Silicon Valley correspondent Elizabeth Dwoskin about the cutting-edge science driving fertility startups, what families who use them say, and how this trend fits into Silicon Valley's obsession with hacking our health.Today's show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Arjun Singh. It was edited by Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
It's News Day Tuesday on the Majority Report On today's show: ABC's George Stephanopoulos asks JD Vance about the $50k bribe taken by Border Czar Tom Homan and Vance refuses to answer forcing Stephanopoulos to cut him off for lying and evading. Non-resident fellow with the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, Mouin Rabbani joins the program to discuss the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestine. Check out Mouin's writing on his Substack. Journalist and author of Gilded Rage: Elon Musk and the Radicalization of Silicon Valley, Jacob Silverman joins the program to discuss his new book and the companion podcast, Making of Musk: Understood produced by the CBC. In the Fun Half: While Trump paying tribute to Miriam Adelson at his Knesset speech, Trump openly confesses to giving the Adelsons access to the White House in exchange for money. Mike Huckabee busts out his Rickenbacker bass to jam with comedian Elon Gold at a Sukkot event in Jerusalem. They play "Sweet Home Jerusalem" to the tune of "Sweet Home Alabama". Former Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd reflects on the Democratic party's failings of late and holds himself accountable for his role in poor messaging. Andrew Cuomo still cannot clarify how he will challenge Donald Trump as mayor or explain why they share so many donors. Leticia James gives a fiery speech at a Zohran Mamdani campaign rally in upper Manhattan Zohran is fine with being called an existential threat to the status quo. All that and more The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: BLUELAND: get 15% off your first order by going to Blueland.com/majority ZOCDOC: Go to Zocdoc.com/MAJORITY and download the Zocdoc app to sign-up for FREE and book a top-rated doctor SUNSET LAKE: Head to SunsetLakeCBD.com and use coupon code “Left Is Best” (all one word) for 20% off of your entire order Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.co
En este episodio nos sentamos a platicar con Alexandra Zatarain, cofundadora de Eight Sleep, la empresa de tecnología del sueño que ha revolucionado la forma en la que descansamos y que ha levantado más de 250 millones de dólares en Silicon Valley.Alexandra nos cuenta cómo pasó de estudiar comunicación a convertirse en una de las pocas mujeres que lideran una startup global en el mundo de la tecnología. Hablamos de lo que significa diseñar tu vida y perseguir lo que quieres con ambición, de los retos de ser mujer en la industria tech y de lo que realmente toma levantar capital e innovar en un ecosistema tan competitivo. También platicamos sobre la importancia de dormir bien, cómo el sueño impacta en la salud física y mental, y cómo Eight Sleep está usando inteligencia artificial y datos para ayudarnos a descansar mejor cada noche.Si te interesa el emprendimiento, el liderazgo femenino, la tecnología o simplemente quieres aprender tips para dormir mejor y cuidar tu energía, este episodio es para ti.Conoce más sobre Eight Sleep aquí. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.