

POD OF JAKESep 01, 2022

#145 - NIR EYAL
Nir is a behavioral product designer and the author of two bestselling books, Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life and Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. He previously co-founded and sold two tech companies and taught at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. Follow Nir on X @nireyal.
[0:16] - How Nir’s interest in habit formation led him to work in behavioral design
[5:15] - Behavioral factors at the route of America's obesity epidemic
[12:56] - Distractions, the negative externalities of abundance
[18:09] - Combining scientific research with practical advice in writing
[22:03] - Writing as a means for thinking and a tool for iteration
[26:15] - The psychology of human motivation and distraction
[33:31] - Nir’s fundamental principles for preventing distraction
[38:16] - Why identifying and controlling internal triggers is more important than limiting external triggers in conquering distraction
[42:38] - Using timeboxing to turn distractions into periods of productivity
[52:10] - Balancing inspiration and spontaneity with timeboxing
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Thanks to Chase Devens for the show notes and Yiction for the music.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#144 - BRENT BESHORE
Brent is the founder and CEO of Permanent Equity, a long-term focused private equity firm investing (with no intention of selling) in small to midsize, privately held companies throughout North America. He is also the author of The Messy Marketplace: Selling Your Business in a World of Imperfect Buyers and previously operated several businesses as an entrepreneur. Follow Brent on X @BrentBeshore.
[0:16] - How studying poverty in college helped Brent develop a unique investing outlook
[3:07] - Brent’s takeaways from growing up in Missouri’s farmlands under the guidance of his grandmother
[6:57] - Gaining wisdom from unplanned career experiences and optimizing for optionality
[12:47] - Permanent Equity’s long-term private equity model
[15:57] - Why Brent has avoided using debt to finance Permanent Equity’s investments
[19:34] - How Permanent Equity has changed since accepting its first outside capital
[22:19] - Breaking down Permanent Equity’s operating model
[25:11] - How Brent determines whether to reinvest cash flows or make distributions
[28:28] - Considering adjacent investments for existing portfolio companies vs. newer, riskier opportunities
[33:14] - Discovering and investing in overlooked industries and businesses
[40:40] - The benefits of sourcing deals using a team-based approach
[45:45] - How Permanent Equity divides work with distinct operating and investing teams
[49:46] - Why Brent prefers buying businesses over starting them from scratch
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Thanks to Chase Devens for the show notes and Yiction for the music.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#143 - SOREN IVERSON
Soren is a designer at Cash App where he is responsible for designing the investing product. He has become well known for posting new "sometimes unhinged, sometimes useful" design ideas daily. Soren has previously held design positions at Square and Envoy while also running his own freelance design business. Follow Soren on X @soren_iverson.
[0:16] - Soren’s experience starting from scratch as a freelance designer
[3:08] - Learnings from his art/business education and early startup work
[12:56] - How Soren thinks about his creative work at Cash App
[14:45] - Why Soren has been creating and posting daily designs on X
[19:12] - Soren’s approach to prolifically producing new ideas daily
[31:46] - How Soren leverages Figma as the primary tool in his work
[37:24] - AI’s role in design work now and in the future
[39:35] - The trade-offs of going niche when building a brand online
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Thanks to Chase Devens for the show notes and Yiction for the music.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#142 - PETER DIAMANDIS
Peter is the Founder & Executive Chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation and the Executive Founder of Singularity University. He has started over 25 companies in the areas of health-tech, space, venture capital and education. Among other roles, Peter is the Co-founder and Vice-Chairman of two public companies, Celularity and Vaxxinity. He is also the Co-founder & Chairman of Fountain Life, and the Co-founder of BOLD Capital Partners, a venture capital firm focused on longevity and other exponential technologies. Peter is a bestselling author of four books: Abundance, Bold, The Future is Faster Than You Think, and Life Force which he co-authored with Tony Robbins. He was named one of the “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders" by Fortune. Follow Peter on Twitter @PeterDiamandis.
[0:16] - How Peter became fascinated by the concept of age reversal
[4:02] - Peter’s transitioning of focus from space to longevity
[10:26] - Making sacrifices to reach longevity escape velocity
[18:58] - Why underpopulation is riskier than overpopulation
[20:23] - Escaping the “pro-aging” trance
[22:22] - Peter’s take on the current state of longevity technology
[26:20] - The history and purpose of Peter’s XPRIZE competition
[35:03] - Why Peter champions the development of positive mindsets
[40:24] - How to turn a scarcity mindset into an abundance mindset
[44:15] - Why you should define your Massive Transformative Purpose (MTP)
[50:30] - How Peter manages to make progress across so many projects in parallel
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Thanks to Chase Devens for the show notes and Yiction for the music.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#141 - MIKE SOLANA
Mike is the CMO at Founders Fund and the Editor-in-Chief at Pirate Wires. Pirate Wires is a media company that focuses on the intersection of technology, politics, and culture. Follow Mike on Twitter @micsolana.
[0:16] - How Mike met Peter Thiel and got his start at Founders Fund
[2:53] - Mike’s interests in seasteading, charter cities, and local politics
[10:51] - Why he hosted Hereticon, a conference for thoughtcrime
[17:20] - Contributing to Zero to One and growing with Founders Fund
[19:23] - Why he felt compelled to create his media company, Pirate Wires
[25:10] - Technological optimism and the real meaning of progressive
[29:45] - The role of science fiction in real-world technology and progress
[36:18] - How open & honest writing accelerated Mike’s audience growth
[46:30] - Mike’s thoughts on the current state of San Francisco
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Thanks to Chase Devens for the show notes and Yiction for the music.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#140 - ANDY GALPIN
Dr. Andy Galpin is a Professor at CSU Fullerton. He is a Human Performance Scientist with a PhD in Human Bioenergetics & Muscle Physiology. Andy is a well-known fitness expert and has coached and consulted elite athletes in the NFL, NBA, MLB, PGA, and MMA. He has written a best-selling book, Unplugged, and co-founded three companies: BioMolecular Athlete, Absolute Rest, and RAPID Health and Performance. His mission is to enhance the human condition by providing the world with free and entertaining health, human performance, and nutrition education. Follow Andy on Twitter @DrAndyGalpin.
[0:00] - Why hydration is such a fundamental aspect of health
[8:21] - The risks of dehydration and overhydration
[14:02] - How salt and electrolytes factor into hydration
[19:27] - Andy’s simple rules for quality nutrition
[23:12] - How nutritional variety impacts various areas of health
[30:45] - How to know if you might be drinking too much water
[35:13] - Why eating sufficient protein is good and more is not bad
[40:23] - How nutrition relates to recovery
[43:51] - The importance of repetition in achieving physical goals
[48:24] - The present and future of human fitness technologies
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Thanks to Chase Devens for the show notes and Yiction for the music.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

REPLAY → #57 - MARK CUBAN
Mark is a billionaire entrepreneur and investor. He is the owner of the 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks and stars on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning reality TV series Shark Tank.
[0:59] - Mark's story and core skillset
[5:50] - The potential of crypto and smart contracts
[12:39] - Crypto today vs. the internet in the ‘90s
[18:01] - Mark's perspective on crypto's hype cycles
[25:09] - Hedging and long-term thinking in investing
[35:20] - Investing in companies with world-leading AI
[37:03] - Three people who Mark has looked up to
[38:37] - Mark's approach to lifelong learning
[43:44] - The role of luck in extraordinary success
[48:46] - Speed round Q&A
(Originally published April 9, 2021)

#139 - PREETHI KASIREDDY
Preethi is an entrepreneur, engineer, writer, and student. She is the Founder of DappCamp, a cohort-based Web3 development course for Web2 developers. Preethi previously founded a company called TruStory and worked as an early software engineer at Coinbase and a Partner at a16z after beginning her career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs. Follow Preethi on Twitter @iam_preethi.
[2:16] - Preethi’s unconventional path through investment banking, VC, software development, and entrepreneurship
[17:20] - Leaving a16z to follow her intuition and learn to code
[28:08] - Practices and processes Preethi finds helpful as a lifelong learner
[40:11] - Preethi’s experience transitioning into teaching at DappCamp
[44:42] - The future of education and how Web3 and AI may change it
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Thanks to Chase Devens for the show notes and Yiction for the music.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#138 - SCOTT KUPOR
Scott is the Managing Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) where he is responsible for all operational aspects of running the firm. He also invests in growth-stage companies within the bio and healthcare industries. Scott originally joined Andreessen Horowitz as the first employee, joining Marc & Ben after they founded the firm. He is the author of the bestselling book, Secrets of Sand Hill Road: Venture Capital and How to Get It. Follow Scott on Twitter @skupor.
[1:41] - The start of Scott's career, from law school to investment banking
[6:00] - The evolution of Scott's relationship with reading
[10:29] - Persisting after an initial rejection from Stanford
[14:05] - Scott’s role in shaping the amazing growth of a16z
[17:46] - Transitioning from executing tasks to managing people
[22:03] - Scott's learnings from scaling a16z from scratch
[27:25] - The development of a16z's organizational design
[36:30] - Going from a generalized investment fund to multiple specialized verticals
[39:50] - Criteria for selecting new general partners at a16z
[47:01] - The value of making media efforts as a VC firm
[51:40] - Scott’s guiding principles for success in his work
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Thanks to Chase Devens for the show notes and Yiction for the music.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#137 - ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI
Anthony is the Founder and Managing Partner of Skybridge, a global alternative investment firm. He is also the Founder and Chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. Anthony is well known for his stint as the former White House Director of Communications. He has written several books and hosts a podcast called Open Book. Follow Anthony on Twitter @Scaramucci.
[1:41] - Anthony’s story of resilience in work and in life
[6:57] - The turning point that kickstarted Anthony’s drive to success
[15:50] - Leaving his career at Goldman Sachs and betting on himself
[23:06] - How Anthony approaches life, his perspective on family
[28:27] - Anthony’s journey into crypto and why he believes in Bitcoin
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Thanks to Chase Devens for the show notes and Yiction for the music.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#136 - ASWATH DAMODARAN
Aswath is a Professor of Finance at the Stern School of Business at NYU where he teaches corporate finance and equity valuation. He is the author of several books on both subjects and is widely known as “The Dean of Valuation”. Follow Aswath on Twitter @AswathDamodaran.
[1:41] - Aswath’s interest in finance and passion for teaching
[5:53] - Why valuations are a part of every day life, not just finance
[11:04] - The outsized impact of luck on investing outcomes
[13:49] - Using stories of the future to determine valuations in the present
[17:14] - Managing one's own biases in investing
[19:21] - How to think about various valuation frameworks
[21:45] - Why large swings in a company's stock price can be good times to re-asses your valuation
[26:56] - How social media and modern communications impact trading volatility and what that means for investing
[33:56] - The role of diversification in modern portfolios
[40:01] - Aswath’s perspective on Bitcoin and Amazon
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Thanks to Chase Devens for the show notes and Yiction for the music.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#135 - MASHA BUCHER
Masha is the Founder and General Partner of Day One Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that places an emphasis on leading public relations for its portfolio companies. Prior to starting Day One, Masha was a successful angel investor and the creator of a public relations studio for startups. Follow Masha on Twitter @mashadrokova.
[1:36] - Social media’s role in kickstarting Masha’s career in entrepreneurship and investing
[9:34] - How Masha leveraged her experience in public relations to become a successful angel investor
[17:15] - Transitioning from angel investing to raising a fund
[24:26] - Masha’s reflections on her successful exits
[27:23] - Breaking down Day One’s approach to managing public relations for its portfolio companies
[34:19] - Crafting a successful media approach in the age of social networks
[40:43] - Masha’s experience working with Worldcoin and its founders
[45:51] - The roadmap for Day One Ventures
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#134 - TURNER NOVAK
Turner is the Founder of Banana Capital, a global venture capital firm. Prior to launching Banana Capital in 2021, Turner ran all venture capital investing at Gelt VC. He writes a newsletter called “The Split” and hosts a podcast called “The Peel”. Follow Turner on Twitter @TurnerNovak
[0:00] - Turner’s early interests in investing; how he ended up starting his own fund
[10:31] - Growing up and building friendships on the internet
[16:30] - Differences in fundraising from individual vs. institutional LPs
[21:36] - The importance of evaluating founders in any startup investment
[31:20] - Raising in public and Turner’s reflections on raising his first fund
[44:50] - Turner’s media strategy and his new podcast, “The Peel”
[55:19] - How Turner curates information & finds leverage in content
[1:01:22] - The importance of understanding TikTok & the latest trends
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#133 - SOPHIA AMORUSO
Sophia is a serial entrepreneur and investor who most recently launched Trust Fund, an early-stage venture capital fund. She also runs a digital course and exclusive community called Business Class through which she mentors aspiring entrepreneurs. Sophia made her entrepreneurial debut as the founder of Nasty Gal, a women’s fashion retailer which she scaled to $100M in annual revenue. She also created Girlboss Media, a professional development platform for women of the millennial generation. Sophia's best-selling autobiography, #GIRLBOSS, was adapted into a TV series of the same name by Netflix and viewed in over 100 million homes around the world. Follow Sophia on Twitter @sophiaamoruso and read the latest Trust Fund Investor Update to learn more.
[0:00] - Sophia’s story & experience scaling Nasty Gal from a small eBay store into a business with $100 million in annual revenue
[10:34] - Her best-selling book #GIRLBOSS, and its impact on women around the world
[19:10] - Evolving from angel investing to raising her first fund, Trust Fund
[27:01] - How Sophia builds excellent brands for everything she does
[37:56] - The challenges of building a company culture
[40:00] - Sophia’s strategy for success with Trust Fund
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#132 - KEVIN KELLY
Kevin is the Founding Executive Editor of Wired magazine, where he still serves as Senior Maverick. He was previously publisher and editor of the Whole Earth Review. Kevin is a co-chair of The Long Now Foundation, creator of Cool Tools, and author of multiple best-selling books, including his most recent, Excellent Advice for Living. Follow Kevin on Twitter @kevin2kelly.
[0:00] - Kevin's story and his lifelong interest in learning and disseminating knowledge
[5:08] - Key inflection points in information-related technologies
[14:49] - How to focus in a world of distraction
[20:58] - Pursuing the unknown and creating uniquely
[29:24] - Inventing your own definition of success
[36:27] - Spending time on things you love
[45:29] - Why innovation often comes from those who focus on their interests more than money
For more episodes, go to podofjake.com.
Previous guests include Mark Cuban, Vitalik Buterin, Brian Armstrong, Balaji Srinivasan, Keith Rabois, Ali Spagnola, Anthony Pompliano, Raoul Pal, Julia Galef, Jack Butcher, Tim Draper, and over 100 others alike. Learn from founders and CEOs of companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Solana, Polygon, AngelList, Oura, and Replit, and investors from Founders Fund, a16z, Union Square Ventures, and many more. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy.
Lastly, I love hearing from fans of the pod. Feel free to email me any time at jake@blogofjake.com. Thank you!

#131 - PACKY MCCORMICK
Packy is the creator of Not Boring, the #1 Business Newsletter on Substack with over 200,000 subscribers. In addition to writing, Packy invests in early-stage startups with his fund, Not Boring Capital. He also serves as an advisor to a16z crypto. Follow Packy on Twitter @packyM.
[0:00] - Packy’s journey to becoming a full-time writer
[4:18] - Packy’s decision to forego business school and work for a startup instead
[7:02] - Starting a newsletter and in-person business at the beginning of COVID
[12:25] - How Packy’s writing has evolved since starting the Not Boring newsletter
[16:00] - Modeling Not Boring after Ben Thompson and Bill Simmons’ writing
[18:25] - Not Boring's innovative monetization model with sponsored posts
[22:31] - Packy’s early experiences investing in startups with Not Boring Capital
[29:24] - Scaling Not Boring with software platforms, AI, and people
[33:10] - Why Packy does not use Twitter as much as he used to
[36:55] - How social media could be made better
[44:48] - What's next for Not Boring
[49:12] - Why Packy believes it is important to be optimistic
homeofjake.com

#130 - ANDREW HERR
Andrew is the Founder and CEO of Fount, a comprehensive health and performance program backed by Founders Fund. Prior to starting Fount, Andrew led human performance and biotech strategy efforts for the U.S. military. He has worked with the Navy Seals, US National Soccer Team, and Miami Heat, among others. Andrew is also an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University where he designed and teaches Hands-on Unconventional Weapons Technology. Follow Andrew on Twitter @AndrewHerrBio.
[0:00] - How Andrew’s family history led him to study human performance
[3:29] - Andrew’s evolving perspective on athletic performance in the military
[8:14] - Fount’s approach to improving human performance
[15:53] - The interplay between human coaching and AI-driven coaching at Fount
[18:45] - Breaking down the various components of the Fount Pro program
[22:39] - How Fount is leveraging insights from individual clients to create products for the masses
[26:13] - Understanding how Fount’s FlyKitt product prevents jet lag
[30:21] - Wearables and other human performance products that Andrew recommends
[40:40] - Andrew’s personal health and performance journey and what he does daily
[46:42] - Andrew’s perspective on radically increasing human healthspan and longevity
homeofjake.com

#129 - SAHIL LAVINGIA
Sahil is the Founder & CEO of Gumroad, a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform for online creators. He is also the Founder & CEO of Flexile, a company creating the infrastructure for operating businesses online with part-time people working remotely from around the world. Prior to starting Gumroad, Sahil was the second employee at Pinterest. He recently published a book, The Minimalist Entrepreneur, and started his own rolling fund, SHL Capital. Follow Sahil on Twitter @shl.
[0:00] - Sahil’s story, dropping out of college to join Pinterest
[5:31] - Why Sahil was comfortable taking risks early in his career
[11:57] - Breaking down Sahil’s daily routines and habits
[21:57] - Sahil’s approach to operating Gumroad without any full-time employees
[28:00] - How Sahil thinks AI will impact the way companies can operate
[33:54] - The impact of rising interest rates on business strategies
[37:23] - Sahil’s experiences living in San Francisco, Provo, and Portland
[42:50] - Differentiating digital versus physical cultures and social realities
[46:46] - Why physical location is still so critical digital-first world
[49:39] - Sahil’s strategy for growing Flexile
[54:05] - The future of equity issuance for modern businesses
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homeofjake.com

#128 - DAVID LEE
David is the Head of Samsung Next, the investment group within Samsung Electronics. Prior to his role at Samsung Next, David was a Managing Partner at both Refactor Capital and SV Angel. Follow David on Twitter @davidlee.
[0:00] - David’s background in law and venture capital
[6:54] - Do VCs and executive coaches need experience as founders to succeed?
[16:11] - How David’s investing strategy has changed over the course of his career
[22:26] - SV Angel’s innovative approach to funding YC startups with Start Fund
[28:04] - Comparing the investing approaches of Samsung Next vs. SV Angel
[32:30] - Benefits of having both a beginner’s mind and a prepared mind in investing
[38:31] - David’s current areas of focus at Samsung Next
[43:06] - How mobile phones changed the world, and what the metaverse really means
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homeofjake.com

#127 - ARIEL SEIDMAN
Ariel is the CEO & Co-Founder of Hivemapper, a decentralized mapping protocol that uses a crypto-enabled dashcam. Prior to Hivemapper, Ariel spent time working on Yahoo’s mapping product and founded a mobile mapping startup, Gigwalk. Follow Ariel on Twitter @aseidman.
[0:00] - Ariel’s extensive experience in the world of mapping
[9:10] - Learning, iterating, and finding product-market fit
[13:34] - Building a crypto protocol with real-world utility
[18:31] - The functionality, economics, and challenges of a digital mapping protocol
[24:57] - Distinguishing Hivemapper from Waze and Google Maps
[29:16] - Hivemapper’s dashcam technology and use of crypto incentives
[33:32] - Breaking down Hivemapper’s tokenomics and AI training models
[39:37] - Hivemapper the company vs. Hivemapper the protocol
[42:42] - Supply and demand for the HONEY token
[47:19] - How Hivemapper and digital mapping can be useful for augmented reality
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homeofjake.com

#126 - KEITH RABOIS 2
Keith is the CEO & Co-Founder of OpenStore and a General Partner at Founders Fund. He is an experienced technology executive and entrepreneur, a prolific investor, and a self-described contrarian. Keith previously served as a General Partner at Khosla Ventures. Before that, he was COO at Square and served in influential roles at LinkedIn. He also co-founded Opendoor. Keith began his career in technology as a senior executive at PayPal. He has since invested early in many great companies including YouTube, Airbnb, Palantir, DoorDash, Stripe, Quora, Yammer, Affirm, Eventbrite, and many others. He also served as a Board Member from inception to IPO at Yelp and Xoom. Follow Keith on Twitter @rabois.
[0:00] - OpenStore's early momentum and fundraising strategy
[5:35] - How an decentralized department store could unlock eCommerce growth
[12:33] - Introducing OpenStore Drive and why it is great for Shopify store owners
[16:49] - OpenStore's horizontal approach and why Keith believes it is best
[18:41] - OpenStore’s business acquisition strategy and thoughtful process design
[24:09] - How learnings from OpenStore’s initial acquisitions have led to improvements
[28:56] - Why OpenStore’s business is resilient in various macroeconomic environments
[35:06] - Acquisition offers and accept rates as metrics and countermetrics at OpenStore
[38:45] - Introducing Gumdrop which matches long-tail influencers to long-tail SKUs
[41:40] - The advantages of aggregation that benefit OpenStore’s business model
[45:19] - Building a great company culture; finding & developing undiscovered talent
[51:11] - The most high-leverage activities Keith allocates time to as OpenStore's CEO
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#125 - NOAH SMITH
Noah is an American economist and writer best known for his Substack, Noahpinion. He has made contributions to Bloomberg, Quartz, and The Atlantic, among other publications. Before starting his Substack, Noah wrote full-time for Bloomberg. Prior to that, he was an assistant professor of finance at Stony Brook University. Follow Noah on Twitter @Noahpinion.
[0:00] - Noah's story and how his Substack got started
[4:59] - The role of Substack and individual opinion writers in today’s media environment
[12:11] - The duality of work for college professors
[20:43] - Declining trust in mainstream media institutions
[29:40] - How opinion writing differs from traditional journalism
[35:17] - Noah’s process in researching and writing about the Silicon Valley Bank collapse
[39:22] - Noah's perspective on the ongoing banking crisis
[44:48] - Why Noah considers himself a techno-optimist
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#124 - DAVID & DANIIL LIBERMAN
David and Daniil are brothers, serial entrepreneurs, and investors. After selling their augmented reality startup Kernal AR to Snap, the brothers created a holding company, LibermansCo, to incubate their current endeavors: Product Science and Humanism. Humanism allows people to invest in people. Follow them on Twitter @DaLiberman.
[0:00] - How the Libermans’ upbringing in the Soviet Union prepared them for their entrepreneurial endeavors
[6:10] - The Libermans’ experience selling a startup to Snapchat and their subsequent role in improving the company’s performance
[11:21] - Creating LibermansCo as a holding company for future Liberman startup endeavors
[22:10] - How the idea for LibermansCo created a framework for investing in individual founders rather than direct businesses (Humanism.is)
[26:52] - Comparing the Humanism model and economics to the traditional venture capital system
[48:02] - Determining what should be included as an eligible asset under the Humanism model
[52:38] - How the Libermans iterated upon previous attempts to invest in individuals
[58:17] - Considerations around setting floors and ceilings for payouts under the Humanism model
[1:10:26] - The drive to take LibermansCo public and show the legitimacy of the Humanism model
[1:14:08] - Radical transparency and why the brothers share one life together
[1:18:51] - The desire to create Humanism as a way to provide future generations with access to wealth
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#123 - MICHAEL GIBSON
Michael is co-founder of the 1517 Fund, a venture capital fund investing in teams led by dropouts, the uncredentialed, and renegade scientists. He recently published his first book, Paper Belt on Fire: How Renegade Investors Sparked a Revolt Against the University. Previously he was vice president for grants at the Thiel Foundation and a principal at Thiel Capital, where he helped launch and run the Thiel Fellowship. Follow Michael on Twitter @William_Blake.
[2:18] - How Michael’s background in philosophy ultimately led him to venture capital
[12:06] - Michael’s brief stint as a screenwriter and how he views founders through the perspective of a storyteller
[22:49] - Analyzing the factors that contribute to individual and societal creativity, greatness, and progress
[39:08] - How Michael approaches talent attraction, identification, and development
[48:07] - The story behind the title of Michael’s book “Paper Belt on Fire”
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#122 - WILLIAM "JB55" CASARIN
Will is the Founder of damus.io, a mobile client for the decentralized social media protocol Nostr. In addition to his work on damus, Will is a regular contributor to Bitcoin Core and the Lightning Network. Follow Will on Twitter @jb55 and find him on nostr: npub1xtscya34g58tk0z605fvr788k263gsu6cy9x0mhnm87echrgufzsevkk5s.
[2:18] - Will’s early interest in the internet and experience watching it mature
[8:00] - How Will discovered Bitcoin and used it as a tool in his work
[11:25] - An introduction to internet protocols
[14:21] - The issue of self censorship
[18:21] - Breaking down the architecture and censorship resistance of the Nostr protocol
[23:41] - Building damus as a mobile client on Nostr
[26:16] - Catalysts for Nostr adoption and interoperability
[31:38] - How damus is integrating Bitcoin’s Lightning network for payments
[33:34] - Will’s approach to financing his work building damus
[37:15] - Participating in a distributed workforce and building open-source software
[40:18] - Will’s strategy to allocate donations among community contributors
[42:12] - Nostr’s competitive positioning and future outlook
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#121 - DAN SIROKER
Dan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Rewind.ai, a search engine for your life. Rewind uses artificial intelligence to help you find anything you have seen, said, or heard on your computer. Previously, Dan was the Co-Founder and CEO of Optimizely, an A/B testing software platform which he grew to over $120M ARR prior to exit.
[2:18] - How going deaf in his 20s led Dan to create Rewind
[9:55] - The creation of Optimizely and Dan’s experience in YCombinator
[15:06] - Dan’s experience taking his startups from 0 to 1
[20:42] - How Dan knew it was time to move on from Optimizely and create Rewind
[23:41] - Rewind’s background in human longevity and mind emulation
[33:54] - Introducing Rewind as the search engine for one’s life
[38:45] - Early feedback and insights from Rewind’s initial launch
[42:58] - How Rewind leverages Apple’s proprietary silicon chips for its backend processes
[44:50] - Normalizing the idea of recording all aspects of one’s digital life
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#120 - WOJCIECH ZAREMBA
Wojciech is a Co-Founder of OpenAI, where he leads both the Codex research and language teams. OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company aiming to develop and ensure that artificial general intelligence is safe and benefits all of humanity. OpenAI is known for developing GPT-3, a natural language model that creates human-like text, and DALL-E, a machine learning model to generate digital images from natural language descriptions. Follow Wojciech on Twitter @woj_zaremba.
[2:18] - Wojciech’s childhood interest in science experiments and explosives
[11:14] - How following his curiosities guided Wojciech to AI
[21:33] - Defining consciousness in the presence of AI
[27:15] - The Alignment Problem - how to ensure AI does what humans want it to
[45:13] - Why Wojciech believes AI augmentation can be powerful, and help to further advance AI itself
[49:52] - The shortcomings of AI in communication and decision-making and how these will influence future development paths
[1:03:11] - AI’s opportunity to expand human empathy
[1:10:40] - OpenAI’s role in making AI a widely-distributed public good
[1:18:10] - How Wojciech views other organizations’ approaches to developing AI for mass consumption
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#119 - ILLIA POLOSUKHIN
Illia is a Co-Founder of NEAR Protocol, a fully sharded, proof-of-stake, Layer 1 blockchain. NEAR has raised over $500 million and is widely considered one of the most promising projects in the blockchain space. Prior to NEAR, Illia managed a team of Deep Learning and Natural Language Understanding Researchers at Google Research where he worked on building TensorFlow. Follow Illia on Twitter @ilblackdragon.
[2:18] - How an early interest in computer programming led Illia down a path towards artificial intelligence and blockchains
[16:45] - Existing blockchain issues that led to the creation of the NEAR Protocol
[19:52] - NEAR’s focus on scalability and usability for long-term adoption
[26:00] - Why Illia views sharding as the superior strategy to scale blockchains
[34:47] - NEAR’s approach to encourage adoption of its tech stack
[47:20] - Governance considerations for NEAR’s decentralized ecosystem
[55:10] - The coming convergence of blockchain and artificial intelligence
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#118 - JON ERLICHMAN
Jon is a Senior Television Anchor at Bloomberg News and Co-host of Bloomberg Markets and The Open. He is also a Correspondent & Anchor at CTV National News, The #1 News Organization in Canada. Jon has interviewed many great investors and entrepreneurs as well as others like Kobe Bryant, Ice Cube, and Robert De Niro in his 25 years covering technology, business, and investing. He is also prolific on social media, where he has accumulated a significant audience. Follow Jon on Twitter @jonerlichman.
[2:18] - Jon’s origin story, TV career, and digital media explorations
[11:37] - The evolution of podcasting and other new media formats
[20:40] - How to tailor content and communication towards specific social media platforms
[31:36] - The interplay of traditional media and new media over time
[38:23] - Why Jon likes covering the stories of successful technology company founders
[47:08] - How learning the art of listening can improve the quality of conversation
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#117 - DAN ROMERO
Dan is the Co-Founder of Farcaster, a sufficiently decentralized social network. He was previously the 20th employee at Coinbase where he eventually became Vice President for International Business. Dan is also an angel investor in dozens of early-stage technology companies. Follow him on Twitter @dwr and send him a DM for an invitation to join Farcaster.
[2:18] - Dan’s origin story and experience at Coinbase
[15:59] - Finding the greatest opportunities for personal and career growth at startups
[25:18] - Taking a long-term view and gaining the conviction to take risks
[34:00] - Breaking down the core architecture of Farcaster
[46:40] - Striking the right balance between centralization and decentralization
[53:54] - The importance of a user’s right to exit
[1:01:05] - Dan’s strategy for bootstrapping a great group of people on Farcaster
[1:10:21] - Working towards a future with full-time Farcasters
[1:15:06] - The challenge of controlling your time on social networks when it's your objective to build a new one
[1:22:31] - Dan’s personal strategy for managing his information diet
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#116 - ERICK BRIMEN
Erick is the Founder & CEO of Próspera, an economic development platform enabling sustainable, profitable growth in partnership with governments and communities, starting in Honduras. Próspera is building its first charter city on the island of Roatán in Honduras. In addition to Próspera, Erick is also the CEO of NeWay Capital, a firm that invests to profitably protect property rights and promote voluntary exchange, peace, and prosperity. Follow Erick on Twitter @erickbrimen.
[2:18] - How growing up Venezuela shaped Erick’s worldview and desire to fight poverty by facilitating prosperity
[11:17] - Próspera's purpose and unique business model
[19:10] - The role that for-profit enterprises can play in promoting economic growth
[23:37] - Why Próspera targeted Honduras for its first partnership
[32:35] - How small cities with innovative governance can serve as models for larger cities & countries to copy
[38:05] - Próspera’s alignment with and incorporation of crypto
[44:06] - What Próspera’s Honduras Hub could look like in 10 years
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#115 - BRIAN ARMSTRONG
Brian is the Co-founder and CEO of Coinbase, a leading cryptocurrency company on a mission to increase economic freedom in the world. He is also a Co-founder of NewLimit, a biotechnology company working to radically extend human healthspan, and ResearchHub, which is aiming to accelerate the pace of scientific research. In 2018, Brian launched a nonprofit called GiveCrypto.org and signed the Giving Pledge, committing to give the majority of his wealth to charitable causes throughout his lifetime. Follow Brian on Twitter @brian_armstrong.
[2:18] - Brian's origin story
[9:33] - Reflections on his early career and how it prepared him to start Coinbase
[16:02] - Coinbase’s mission to increase economic freedom in the world, and why economic freedom is important
[23:34] - The challenges of building through crypto's hype cycles and scaling Coinbase at a rapid pace
[31:08] - An introduction to The RAPID Decision-Making Framework
[35:36] - How years of experience with remote employees helped Coinbase become a remote-first company
[45:24] - Repeatable innovation and the rationale for Coinbase’s 70/20/10 strategy for resource allocation
[54:34] - Coinbase’s contrarian decision to work with regulators from the beginning, and how it is increasingly leaning in on decentralization
[1:03:38] - Extending the human healthspan, an overview of NewLimit, and epigenetic reprogramming
[1:15:25] - Prioritizing "new media" over mainstream media
[1:21:12] - How ResearchHub can enable more open science and help build a bridge from scientific research to commercial products
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#114 - ANNA GÁT
Anna is the Founder and CEO of Interintellect, a platform for intelligent discourse on the internet. She is also one of Interintellect’s most active hosts, speaking on topics such as social transformations, individualism, communality, performance vs. reality, and psychological breakthroughs. Anna is an Emergent Ventures grantee. Follow her on Twitter @TheAnnaGat.
[2:18] - Anna's story & why she created Interintellect
[6:09] - Building a public square for intellectual events on the internet
[16:43] - Optimizing for full attention and engagement rather than passive entertainment and consumption
[23:02] - Reforming existing platforms vs. creating new ones
[27:50] - Anna’s approach in designing Interintellect and how it works
[32:27] - Adapting the traditional salon concept for the modern world
[41:17] - The influence of India on Interintellect and the innovations that have come from the people there
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#113 - JASON CRAWFORD
Jason is the Founder & President of The Roots of Progress, a nonprofit dedicated to establishing a new philosophy of progress for the 21st century. He is also an adviser to Our World in Data and the creator of Progress Studies for Young Scholars, an online learning program about the history of technology for high schoolers. Jason writes and speaks about the history and philosophy of progress, especially in technology and industry. Follow him on Twitter @jasoncrawford.
[2:18] - How Jason’s evolving interests have influenced his understanding of human progress
[10:53] - Jason’s experience “dropping out” of high school and choosing to learn on his own
[15:22] - Why Jason chose to transition from building tech startups to studying human progress
[18:35] - Introducing The Roots of Progress
[24:07] - The kind of CEO Jason is looking to lead The Roots of Progress foundation and its fellowship program
[28:05] - Writers and models that have inspired and influenced Jason’s studies
[32:32] - Humanism vs. Environmentalism
[39:44] - Why Jason views the invention of electricity as one of the most important drivers of human progress in the last 150 years
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#112 - ALLISON DUETTMANN
Allison is the President and CEO of the Foresight Institute, a non-profit to advance biotech, nanotech, and computing for the long-term benefit of human life. Within the Foresight Institute, she directs the Intelligent Cooperation, Molecular Machines, Biotech & Health Extension, Neurotech, and Space Groups, and leads Fellowships, Prizes, and Tech Trees. Allison also founded existentialhope.com, co-edited Superintelligence: Coordination & Strategy, co-authored Gaming the Future, and co-initiated The Longevity Prize. Follow her on Twitter @allisondman.
[2:18] - How Allison’s feelings on death drove her attention towards the future of human life
[13:38] - A philosophical perspective on the concept of aging
[20:34] - Technology as a catalyst for positive human development
[29:02] - Allison’s experience joining and working at the Foresight Institute
[33:05] - The history of the Foresight Institute and goals for the future
[40:00] - Details about the Foresight Fellowship
[43:12] - Competitions and prizes from the Foresight Institute
[47:12] - Allison’s interest in cryonics and human longevity
[52:02] - Why Allison believes crypto will revolutionize industries for decades to come
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#111 - ANDREW MILICH
Andrew is the Co-Founder and CEO of Skiff, a startup that offers privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted email, file sharing, and other collaboration software. He previously worked on crew displays for rockets at SpaceX, autonomous cars at Zoox, and researched using lasers to destroy asteroids. Andrew graduated from Stanford in 2019. Follow him on Twitter @milichab.
[2:18] - How Andrew’s early exposure to programming and robotics started him on the path to becoming a software engineer
[5:43] - The benefits of growing up in a big city like New York
[9:28] - Andrew’s interest in autonomous vehicle technology and how his care for safety led him to focus on digital privacy
[16:20] - The state of privacy technology today
[24:29] - How Skiff has evolved from a single product into an expanding suite that now includes end-to-end encrypted email
[27:37] - Andrew’s strategy for building out Skiff’s product offerings and adding product features
[33:24] - Skiff’s approach to facilitating a smooth and seamless process for people switching to Skiff
[39:41] - The advantages of having two technical co-founders
[42:26] - Skiff’s decision to cater heavily to crypto users with wallet-based features and decentralized storage infrastructure
[50:12] - The platforms that Skiff has sourced its early adopters from
[51:29] - How Skiff approaches the wide spectrum of users that value privacy to varying degrees
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#110 - NAIT JONES
Nait is the Head of Growth at Royal, a Web3 platform seeking to fix the music industry's broken business model by democratizing music ownership amongst artists and fans. Royal allows anyone to own a piece of their favorite songs and earn royalties alongside their favorite artists. Before Royal, Nait served as a partner at a16z for several years and was a serial entrepreneur before that. Follow him on Twitter @NaithanJones.
[2:18] - How Nait’s early interest in music primed him for success as an entrepreneur
[9:26] - The evolution of hip hop over time and its influence on Nait growing up
[15:42] - Nait’s transition from a16z to becoming Royal’s Head of Growth
[23:42] - Identifying talent and opportunities for viral product adoption
[32:03] - How Web3 can change business models and discovery in the music industry
[38:24] - Royal’s curation strategy for its first artists and why it plans to be an open platform
[42:12] - How Nait was inspired by Nas during his adolescence
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#109 - MATT KAEBERLEIN
Matt is a researcher and professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine. His research interests are focused on basic mechanisms of aging in order to facilitate translational interventions that promote healthspan and improve quality of life. Matt is co-Director of the Dog Aging Project, as well as the founding Director of the Healthy Aging and Longevity Research Institute at the University of Washington, Director of the Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, and Director of the Biological Mechanisms of Healthy Aging Training Program. He previously served as President of the American Aging Association and has served on their Executive Committee and Board of Directors since 2012. Follow Matt on Twitter @mkaeberlein.
[2:18] - Matt’s journey through academia and discovery of longevity research
[9:26] - The importance of being patient with personal development, considering future life extension developments
[16:21] - Forces that limit longevity, personal choices to extend life expectancy
[26:36] - Why Matt is increasingly optimistic about longevity developments
[35:58] - Comparing the ROI for investing in longevity research vs. cancer research
[45:30] - The Dog Aging Project
[50:59] - Matt’s research on rapamycin and his hope for its future applications in both humans and animals
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#108 - ALEX BLANIA
Alex is the co-founder and CEO of Worldcoin, a privacy-preserving proof-of-personhood protocol seeking to reach a billion people. Learn more about Worldcoin at worldcoin.org and follow Alex on Twitter @alexblania.
[2:18] - How Alex’s research background led him to join Sam Altman in creating Worldcoin
[10:13] - Identifying personal rates of growth
[15:14] - An introduction to how Worldcoin works
[23:26] - The role of privacy in Worldcoin’s proof-of-personhood model
[27:28] - Possible applications and narratives for Worldcoin if it can successfully scale to one billion users
[35:58] - Dissecting Worldcoin’s growth model and expectations
[44:00] - Early and prospective challenges for Worldcoin
[48:31] - Worldcoin’s upcoming roadmap
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#107 - CHARLIE SHREM
Charlie is an entrepreneur, investor, podcaster, filmmaker, and well-known early advocate of Bitcoin. He was the Founder and CEO of BitInstant, an early Bitcoin company which at one point processed one-third of all Bitcoin transactions. Charlie also founded the Bitcoin Foundation and has served in a number of other roles for companies in the crypto space since he first got involved in the industry's infancy in 2010. He currently hosts a podcast called Untold Stories, invests in web3 infrastructure and interoperability as a General Partner at Druid Ventures, and is the Founder of Crypto Investor Network at InvestorPlace. Follow Charlie on Twitter @CharlieShrem.
[2:18] - Reflecting on the early growth of Bitcoin during its first 13 years
[7:21] - How Bitcoin has changed during Charlie’s time in the industry
[15:09] - Charlie’s belief in time-locked investments
[19:23] - Bitcoin maximalism
[22:28] - Navigating the early market dynamics of Bitcoin
[26:07] - Charlie’s experience creating BitInstant
[32:30] - The common themes and developments created through Bitcoin’s bear markets
[38:00] - The power of Bitcoin’s community
[42:12] - Charlie’s personal plans for the future
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#106 - JACK BUTCHER
Jack is the founder of Visualize Value, a $1M/year product business and media platform with an audience of over 700,000 people. Prior to Visualize Value, Jack started an advertising agency after spending a decade working in Fortune 100 advertising in New York City as a designer, writer, strategist and art director for multi-billion dollar brands. His courses, including "How to Visualize Value", "Build Once, Sell Twice", and "Permissionless Apprentice" have received rave reviews and his freely shared visuals are as widely reputable as they are instantly recognizable. Follow Jack on Twitter @jackbutcher and learn more about his brand at visualizevalue.com.
[2:18] - How Jack got started with his career in graphic design
[15:47] - The joy of building a portfolio of creative work
[24:56] - Compounding work based on specific knowledge
[28:58] - Working towards non-linear growth on the internet and the importance of the butterfly effect
[38:11] - Learning how to use the leverage of the internet
[46:19] - Jack’s strategies for systematically producing content
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#105 - AMJAD MASAD
Amjad is the CEO and founder of Replit, an online coding environment that lowers the barrier to entry for computer programming and makes it more fun, approachable, and social. In December 2021, Replit raised an $80M Series B round at an $800M valuation from investors including Coatue, Peter Thiel, Paul Graham, and a16z. Prior to Replit, Amjad worked at Facebook. Before that, he was employee #1 at Codecademy. Follow Amjad on Twitter @amasad.
[2:18] - Amjad’s early fascination with computers and learning over his father’s shoulder
[13:42] - How computers used to better stimulate their users to learn programming
[17:21] - Exploring the concept that a computer could simulate a human mind
[21:56] - AI’s role in the evolution of software development
[30:17] - How AI advancements can be synergistic with Replit’s product evolution
[39:24] - What is Replit, really?
[44:17] - Possibilities for Replit as a platform to build not just software, but businesses
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#104 - HASEEB QURESHI
Haseeb is a managing partner at Dragonfly Capital, a cross-border crypto venture fund. He is also a programmer, writer, teacher, and effective altruist. Haseeb previously worked as a software engineer at Airbnb and as Director of Product at App Academy. Before that, he was a mental coach and wrote a book called The Philosophy of Poker. Haseeb was once considered to be among the top 10 strongest No-limit Heads-up Texas Hold’em players in the world, and was sponsored by Full Tilt Poker. Follow him on Twitter @hosseeb.
[2:18] - How Haseeb’s background prepared him for success in the crypto space
[9:08] - Lessons from life as a poker player
[19:32] - Parallels from poker to crypto and life in general
[26:35] - Haseeb’s focus on effective altruism and his reasoning for giving away almost all of his money to start over
[34:35] - Dragonfly Capital’s global focus
[39:30] - Haseeb’s thoughts on decentralization
---
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#103 - MIKE DUDAS
Mike is a Co-Founder of LinksDAO, an organization using web3 technologies with aspirations of building the world's greatest golf club. He is also the Founder & General Partner at 6th Man Ventures, an early stage crypto VC firm. Mike is an Advisor at Paxos where he serves as Head of Stablecoin Business Development. He previously founded and was CEO of The Block, a crypto informational services business. Before that, Mike was co-founder and CRO of Button and spent time working at Google, Braintree/Venmo, PayPal, and Disney. Follow him on Twitter @mdudas.
[2:18] - How Mike’s experience in tech and finance introduced him to the crypto universe
[12:23] - Mike’s background in golf
[14:12] - The educational process behind starting a real-world NFT project and the early growth of LinksDAO
[19:48] - Progressive decentralization for DAOs
[25:29] - Mike’s perspective on the modern MBA and getting into entrepreneurship
[28:53] - Building The Block through the crypto bear market of 2018 and 2019
[30:54] - Mike’s advice on executive hiring and how Web3 recruiting is different
[35:54] - An innovative organizational structure used by LinksDAO
[38:26] - The evolution of crypto during Mike’s time in the industry
[43:11] - New York sports
---
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#102 - JOSEPH MCKINNEY
Joseph is CEO of the Catawba Digital Economic Zone, the first private Special Economic Zone in the United States. This new crypto-friendly jurisdiction created in partnership with the Catawba Indian Nation will allow aspiring founders in the crypto space especially to create eCorporations with various benefits. Joseph previously founded the Startup Societies Foundation in 2015 and is considered a leader in the field of competitive governance and governance-as-a-service.
[2:18] - How Joseph’s desire to drive socio-political change lead him to help create the Catawba Digital Economic Zone
[13:17] - Translating an interest in economics to startup cities and special economic zones
[20:49] - Why Joseph chose to focus his efforts on working with the Catawba Indian Nation
[26:53] - Why they are starting with an emphasis on crypto
[39:33] - Bipartisan political support for Native Americans
[42:51] - How the Catawba’s eCorporations treat its companies as customers
[54:32] - Joseph’s praise for the people of the Catawba Indian Nation
[1:04:46] - Why Web 3.0 companies should incorporate in this new crypto-friendly jurisdiction
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#101 - GIL BLANDER
Gil is the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at InsideTracker. He is internationally recognized for his research in the biology of aging and translating research discoveries into new ways of detecting and preventing age-related conditions. Gil received a Ph.D. in biology from the Weizmann Institute of Science and completed his Post Doctoral fellowship at MIT where he worked in Leonard Guarente's lab alongside David Sinclair and others alike. Follow Gil on Twitter @gblander1.
[2:18] - How Gil’s early interest in biology led him to a focus on longevity
[10:01] - InsideTracker’s model for predicting lifespan using blood analytics
[16:28] - General recommendations for living a longer and healthier life
[20:07] - The importance of personalized recommendations for optimizing health
[22:34] - The difference between normal and optimal target ranges for biomarkers
[27:44] - How DNA, blood, and fitness data combine to provide a full picture for health analysis
[35:06] - Gil’s perspective on wearables, continuous glucose monitors, and other fitness trackers
[41:06] - The evolution of InsideTracker and personal health monitoring
[44:53] - Differentiating between biological and chronological age with InsideTracker's InnerAge
[49:25] - Gil’s thoughts on how long humans in existing generations might live
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#100 - JAKE
Jake tells his story, reflects on the podcast, and thanks you all for listening.

#99 - COOPER TURLEY
Cooper is an investor, advisor, and writer who has contributed to dozens of DAOs and other projects in the crypto & web3 space. He is a thought leader and influencer in a variety of areas from Music NFTs to DeFi and DAOs more broadly. Follow Cooper on Twitter @Cooopahtroopa.
[2:18] - How Cooper’s music interests and writing habits created opportunities to work for DAOs
[6:18] - What stood out about crypto when Cooper first learned about it
[8:55] - Approaching the imposter syndrome that is common in crypto
[11:25] - How Cooper has used writing to add value to crypto protocols and projects
[14:40] - Cooper’s perspective on the evolution of music and web3
[20:00] - A comparison of catalog.works vs. sound.xyz
[23:07] - Developing the secondary market for music NFTs
[24:27] - The 3 key drivers of the audio movement
[28:39] - Cooper’s advice for how anyone can find ways to contribute in crypto
[30:44] - Managing time and attention as scarce resources
[33:36] - Finding your edge in the fast moving crypto industry
[35:45] - How artists can get involved in music NFTs
[38:49] - Why some music NFT platforms start open where others start strategically curated
[42:19] - How Cooper decides who he wants to work with
[44:51] - Cooper’s 3-5 year outlook on the music NFT space
[52:08] - How crypto has changed Cooper’s relationship with money
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Join Levels and get personalized insights to learn about your metabolic health. Go to https://levels.link/jake.
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#98 - STEVE SHPILSKY
Steve is the Co-Founder and CEO of StayOpen. The startup's mission is to transform vacant commercial real estate space into affordable, flexible, and socially engaging hotels and co-living properties. StayOpen has created a DAO (staydao.io) to help jumpstart the community. Steve brings to his latest venture two decades of experience as an entrepreneur, founder, real estate fund manager, and developer, having raised and invested over $350 million in financing and developed branded hotels and commercial real estate valued at over $1 Billion. Follow Steve on Twitter @shpilsky and learn more about StayOpen and stayDAO at stayopen.com and staydao.io.
[2:18] - Steve's story
[5:30] - Personal ties to the conflict in Ukraine and perspective on related media coverage
[17:36] - Transitioning from a career in accounting to real estate
[20:57] - StayOpen’s mission to repurpose buildings into communities for digital nomads
[30:23] - The success of StayOpen’s first location in Venice Beach
[36:40] - How StayOpen is leveraging NFTs and utilizing a DAO structure to build community
[49:42] - How to get involved with stayDAO and get whitelisted for the mint
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Join Levels and get personalized insights to learn about your metabolic health. Go to https://levels.link/jake.
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#97 - ASHLEY RINDSBERG
Ashley is a novelist, media commentator, and non-fiction author of The Gray Lady Winked: How The New York Times’ Misreporting, Distortions & Fabrications Radically Altered History. He has contributed to the Los Angeles Review of Books, The Daily Beast, Huffington Post, Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post, and Publisher’s Weekly, among other publications. Ashley previously contributed to a history of science archive project for MIT and later worked at Internet Archive, where he helped bring the Internet Bookmobile to Egypt’s Library of Alexandria. Follow Ashley on Twitter @ashleyrindsberg and order a copy of his book at thegrayladywinked.com.
[2:18] - How Ashley’s odyssey at sea reframed his approach to life
[16:56] - Ashley’s motivation to write The Gray Lady Winked
[26:57] - The changing culture and media landscape which allowed Ashley to publish his book
[34:16] - The broken incentive structure and imbalanced business model of modern media
[51:39] - Defining creative destruction in the context of media
[54:16] - The New York Times’ historical patriarchy and hypocritical nepotism
[1:03:19] - Ashley’s comparison of the New York Times’ practices to other popular media institutions
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Support the show by checking out my sponsors:
Join Levels and get personalized insights to learn about your metabolic health. Go to https://levels.link/jake.
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