Getting2Alpha

In this episode, Descript CEO Laura Burkhauser talks about what it means to build a human-forward AI video company in a world flooded with synthetic content. Laura came to Descript by an unlikely path — German literature, then product management at companies like Salesforce — and became CEO because she believed in what Descript was building: tools that keep the story in human hands while AI handle...

Chelsea Howe is the Chief Product Officer at Sunblink, the studio behind the hit cozy life sim Hello Kitty Island Adventure. With deep experience in licensed games, live ops, & design leadership, she brings a sharp, systems-driven lens to how teams build, scale, & innovate. Listen as Chelsea shares how Sunlink is exploring AI in game development, what works & what absolutely falls apar...

Lisha Li is the founder of Rosebud AI, a groundbreaking platform that makes game creation accessible to anyone. With roots in pure math & AI research, she’s transformed cutting-edge technology into creative tools that empower people to build, remix & share games in entirely new ways. Listen as we explore Lisha’s journey from academia & venture capital to launching Rosebud AI, & how...

Hansohl Kim is an engineer at Anthropic, where he focuses on reinforcement learning & AI safety for models like Claude. With experience spanning computer science, biotech, & machine learning, he brings a unique perspective to the fast-changing world of artificial intelligence. Listen as Hansohl unpacks the challenges of alignment, the importance of guardrails, & what it takes to design...

Hugo Alves is the co-founder of Synthetic Users, a startup helping teams accelerate product development with AI-powered user feedback. What began as a bold idea evolved through iteration & a surprising pivot on the way to product-market fit. In this conversation, we explore where synthetic users shine—and where they fall short. You’ll hear Hugo’s lessons on using AI to simulate real users, plu...

Amy Bucher is a leading voice in behavioral science & the author of Engaged , with a passion for designing systems that help people thrive—especially in health & wellness. Join us as we dive into Amy’s insights on what really drives behavior change, why personalization matters, & how her work at Lirio is bringing customized healthcare nudges to life. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/...

Nate Bosshard is a visionary brand builder and entrepreneur who’s helped shape iconic companies like Burton, Tonal, and hims & hers through a rare blend of taste, intuition, and strategic insight. Join us as we explore Nate’s perspective on what makes a brand truly resonate, from crafting emotional worlds to resisting the pull of algorithmic influence. He shares hard-earned lessons on launchin...

Vicki Tan is a seasoned product designer whose work spans Lyft, Headspace, & Pinterest. With a background in behavioral psychology, she brings a unique lens to decision-making and design. Join us as we explore Vicki’s journey, how she turned curiosity into a powerful creative tool, & why her new book "Ask This Book a Question" reimagines cognitive bias as a pathway to insight.

Jason Hreha is a leading expert in behavioral science & a serial entrepreneur who has helped shape the way we understand habit-building and human behavior. Join us as we catch up with Jason on what really matters when it comes to building lasting habits. From his groundbreaking work in applied behavioral science to launching & scaling multiple businesses, Jason shares key insights on desig...

Andy Budd is a designer, entrepreneur, and investor making waves with his new book, The Growth Equation . With a background in UX design, web standards, and startup advising, Andy now helps founders navigate the complex world of venture funding and product growth. Listen as we explore Andy’s journey from building one of the first UX agencies in the UK to shaping the next generation of startups at...

Nana Janashia is a pioneering force in DevOps education and founder of TechWorld with Nana, a seven-figure training powerhouse that's transformed how people learn DevOps engineering. Listen as we explore Nana's remarkable path from teaching English in Georgia to building a global tech education platform with over 1 million YouTube subscribers. She shares invaluable insights on structurin...

Mark Jacobstein is a renowned figure in the gaming and tech universe, with three decades of experience building and leading companies at the forefront of new technologies. Having transitioned from a successful career as a Game Executive to becoming a Venture Builder, Mark offers a unique perspective on innovation and leadership. Listen as we explore his journey from the gaming world to venture bui...

Ryan Douglas is the co-founder of DeepWell DTx, a digital therapeutics venture lab dedicated to creating immersive experiences that address mental health challenges. Recently, DeepWell DTx achieved a major milestone: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared five mental health apps, including DeepWell's software development kit (SDK). This marks the first time digital therapeutics have be...

Gina Pell, a digital media pioneer, runs an exclusive Facebook group with 27K members and a private professional women's network featuring world-class leaders, from early-stage entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 executives. Gina has built companies, audiences, and communities. She observes a significant shift happening online that will impact us all. Discover why she believes social media is transf...

Julie Dirksen is an author and learning strategy consultant, renowned for her expertise in creating impactful learning solutions. She wrote the bestselling book Design For How People Learn, and her latest release, Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change, is gaining significant attention. Julie’s diverse clientele includes Fortune 500 companies, international NGOs, tech startups,...

Mike Maples is a pioneering Silicon Valley investor who founded Floodgate Ventures in 2005, introducing the concept of seed investing. He achieved major successes with early investments in Twitter, Twitch, and Lyft. His curiosity about what it takes to create a world-changing startup led him to explore how revolutionary ideas often appear crazy at first. This journey inspired his new book, "P...

Jillian Ahrens is the CPO at Realized Care, a digital therapeutics company specializing in VR solutions. She was formerly Associate Director of Product R&D at Pear Therapeutics, where she led a project developing a CBT-based AI chatbot. Discover what Jillian learned at Pear about patient engagement with AI chatbots, and how she's taking those lessons into her cutting-edge work delivering...

Ryan Douglas is the co-founder of DeepWell DTx, a digital therapeutics Venture Lab focused on creating immersive experiences that address mental health concerns. Ryan has created numerous medical devices, along with several profitable startups. He has deep experience with the regulatory landscape for digital therapeutics, and is pushing to get digital therapeutics accepted by the medical community...

Long before World of Warcraft, there was Ultima Online, the first MMO. How did this highly innovative & influential game come to be? And what can we learn from its successes and failures?  Starr Long is a game designer and producer who directed the team that built Ultima Online, the first popular Massively Multiplayer Online game. In this in-depth interview, you'll learn how a theater maj...

Samuel Hulick, a renowned UX consultant and leading authority in user onboarding, operates the well-known website useronboard.com. Through this platform, he expertly deconstructs the initial experiences of popular apps and services, showcasing his insights into effective user onboarding processes. Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/YFFw5u_Aq-s

Jason Hreha is a behavioral scientist, formerly Global Head of Behavioral Sciences at Walmart, who uses his knowledge of human behavior to build better products. With a decade of applying behavioral science to tech challenges, he co-founded Walmart's Behavioral Science Team and pioneered Behavioral Strategy as an interdisciplinary approach. He studied human biology and neuroscience at Stanfor...

Alfie Kohn is an American author and lecturer in education, parenting, and human behavior. The author of fourteen books and hundreds of articles, he is a proponent of progressive education and a strong critic of competition and rewards. Kohn has been described by Time magazine as “perhaps the country’s most outspoken critic of education’s fixation on grades [and] test scores.” Check out the video...

Adrian Hon is an English writer and game designer, known for his expertise in alternate reality games and transmedia storytelling. As the CEO of Six to Start, he created the bestselling fitness game "Zombies, Run!" and authored books like "You've Been Played" (2022) and "A History of the Future in 100 Objects" (2020). He studied neuroscience at Cambridge, UCSD, a...

Robin Allenson is a serial entrepreneur who studied AI at University of Edinburgh in the early 90s, and went on to found a series of AI-powered ventures. His current venture Similar.ai uses AI to automate the important and often laborious process of optimizing web sites for SEO.  Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/H6P746iG2VM

Douglas Hofstadter is a professor of Cognitive Science and Comparative Literature at Indiana University in Bloomington. His research into cognitive science includes concepts such as the sense of self in relation to the external world, consciousness, artistic creation, literary translation, and discovery in mathematics and physics. His 1979 book Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid won both...