In the Beginning

Terrydale Capital is a commercial real estate financing firm based in Dallas (with ties in Kansas City) that helps borrowers source debt capital across a broad array of property types (multifamily, retail, industrial, self-storage, land, etc.). They also provide advisory and structuring services, helping clients with due diligence, capital planning, and navigating non-standard deals. Terrydale Liv...

From its founding in the wake of 9/11 by Peter Thiel, Alex Karp, and their team, to its early CIA-backed growth with Gotham, and expansion into the commercial world with Foundry. We trace its pivotal role in intelligence operations, government contracts, and crisis responses, alongside its push into AI with AIP. The episode also explores Palantir ’s ethical controversies, privacy debates, and the...

This episode tells the full story of Lemonade , the insurtech startup that set out to disrupt a century-old industry. Founded in 2015 by Daniel Schreiber and Shai Wininger—outsiders to insurance—they built an AI-first, mission-driven company offering renters, homeowners, car, pet, and life insurance. We explore their early funding , rapid launch, and standout innovations like AI-powered claims in...

This episode tells the full story of  Brandless , the direct-to-consumer startup founded in 2016 with the mission of offering high-quality household and grocery essentials at “honest prices” by eliminating the so-called “brand tax.” With a sleek, minimalist identity and a bold “everything for $3” model, Brandless raised over $200 million, gained early buzz, and expanded rapidly. However, the flat...

This episode tells the full rise-and-fall story of  DeadHappy , the UK insurtech that set out to make life insurance bold, simple, and even fun. Founded in 2017 by Phil Zeidler and Andy Knott—both shaped by personal experiences with mortality—DeadHappy disrupted the market with its “Deathwish” concept, a short four-question application, and cheeky branding. The company grew quickly, reaching 25,00...

MSCHF  is a Brooklyn-based art collective and product studio founded in 2016 by  Gabriel Whaley ,  Lukas Bentel ,  Kevin Wiesner , and  Stephen Tetreault . They specialize in “structured chaos”—launching unpredictable, provocative “drops” every few weeks that blur the line between art, commerce, and internet culture. Their work spans viral products like  Jesus Shoes  (Nike sneakers with holy water...

Every great company starts with an itch. For Acquired, it was two operators—Ben and David—who kept having the same conversations with friends: “Wait,  how  did Instagram sell for a billion?” “Why did Berkshire buy a railroad?” The early episodes were short, conversational, and, let’s be honest, recorded on gear you would not use to land a rocket. But they had the thing that matters: curiosity pair...

HawkSoft, a privately-owned insurance agency management system founded by Paul Hawkins in 1995. From its roots in a small apartment to becoming a cloud-native platform trusted by agencies across the U.S.. Are you happy with your CRM? If not, we have an AI-infused one that is really good and talks you. Try ⁠My Lindy⁠ Add custom AI to your business. Try ⁠Strawberry Antler

This episode of  In The Beginning  tells the origin story of  Duck Commander , founded by Phil Robertson in Louisiana. It covers how Robertson, an avid hunter dissatisfied with existing duck calls, invented a more realistic-sounding double-reed version in his home workshop. Starting as a seasonal side hustle selling from his truck, the company grew through word-of-mouth among serious hunters. In t...

If you follow AI, you’ve probably heard their name. If you don’t follow AI… well, you’ve probably still heard their name. And for good reason. Anthropic’s story has all the elements of a great Silicon Valley saga: a founding team of ex-OpenAI researchers, a moral disagreement over the direction of the industry, a David-and-Goliath competition with the very company they helped build, and a mission...