The Startup Podcast

Angel investing is a high-risk, high-reward investment option. But is it right for your portfolio? In this episode, Chris and Yaniv discuss: Better Angels: What makes a good angel investor, and who should consider becoming one. A Slice of Heaven: The mechanisms behind direct angel investments, syndicates, and SPVs. Under Your Wing: The challenges and benefits that founders might encounter if they...

Could the rise of robotics lead to reduced immigration in Western countries? Learn about the latest events that will affect your tech startup in this week's politically charged Reacts episode. Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein discuss: Bubble Wrap: A recent article from Sequoia summarizes the risks of a potential AI investment bubble and its implications for startups and investors. (David Cahn/Se...

Impostor syndrome plagues many founders – but why? Founder and podcaster Mike Scott shares his own journey and the practical tools he's developed to overcome imposter syndrome. In this episode, Mike Scott (SMB Mastery, 'How to be Moderately Successful') joins Chris and Yaniv to discuss: Fool's Gold: Why impostor syndrome is common among founders, and why success often exacerbates i...

Who are the winners and losers from this week in AI? Learn how Perplexity, Google, Facebook, and the state of California are handling (or not handling) the latest developments in tech. In this week's episode, Amir Shevat and Emil Michael join Yaniv to discuss: License to Crawl: The ethics and practical implications of Perplexity AI ignoring the robots.txt protocol. Corpus Bride: How Google&#39...

What lies at the intersection of 'diversity' and 'meritocracy'? Learn how Silicon Valley insiders defy polarized pop narratives to build talented teams with diverse perspectives. In this week's episode, Amir Shevat joins Chris and Yaniv to discuss: Tipping the Scale: The seasonal 'meritocracy vs. diversity' debate returns to Silicon Valley. Scale AI CEO Alexander Wang s...

Is marketing more art than science? Should VC-backed startups push for profitability? Learn from Eucalyptus founder Tim Doyle as he tackles two highly debated topics in the startup world: Brand Loyal: In the generational battle between performance marketers and brand storytellers, Tim advocates for a resurgence in compelling brand narratives. Worshipping False Profits: Tim, Chris and Yaniv explain...

Are Amazon workers fighting the inevitable? Learn how founders, investors and industry leaders are responding to the big trends in AI. In this week's episode, Chris and Yaniv discuss: Amazon Warriors: The Amazon Labor Union have joined the Teamsters. But how will warehouse worker representation matter amidst rising automation and AI? A Common Thread: How does Meta's launch of the Threads A...

How do the best founders build exceptional teams? Learn how a practical approach to HR can transform the culture at your startup. In this episode, Patty McCord, former Chief Talent Officer at Netflix and author of 'Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility,' shares her wisdom on fostering a high-performance culture. Patty, Yaniv and Chris discuss: Finders Keepers: How the...

Do we dare to imagine: what if Siri was actually good? In this week's episode, tech insiders Elli Hanson and Amir Shevat join Chris and Yaniv to discuss: AI @ WWDC2024: Apple unveils 'Apple Intelligence,' Siri improvements, and updates to products like Apple Wallet and Vision OS. Saving Private Data: How will Apple's reputation for privacy clash with their new integration with Open...

What happens when your product has succeeded and you're finally ready to explore those adjacencies? Find out how to take your startup to the next level. In this episode, Tim Doyle, founder of brand engine Eucalyptus (and subsidiary healthcare brands Pilot, Kin, Software, Normal, and Juniper), joins Chris and Yaniv to discuss the process of expanding your business into new products, markets, an...

What's happened to B2B SaaS – and will NVIDIA eat OpenAI's lunch? Learn the latest movements in tech startups from industry insiders. In this week's episode, Chris, Emil and Yaniv discuss: B2B, Or Not To Be: Disappointing guidance from industry giants like Salesforce, Cloudflare and UiPath bodes poorly for the future of enterprise B2B SaaS businesses. Invader NIM: NVIDIA's move to...

Why do big, established companies struggle when faced with disruption from agile startups? In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein explain: Don't Look Up: How tech advancements, regulatory changes, and shifts in cultural norms create opportunities for smaller players. Stuck in the Mud: Why entrenched cultures, rigid business models, and incremental incentives make it tough for large co...

This is a Sponsor Showcase episode, sponsored by Vanta. Security and compliance are so important. But as a founder, sometimes they can seem like an expensive distraction. What if we told you there are ways to massively reduce the cost of building strong security in your product? And even better, to turn that investment into a selling point to help scale your business? In this episode of TSP, Yaniv...

Can NVIDIA keep their unprecedented run going? Learn what's driving their stunning earnings – and whether they're really on track to become the biggest company in the world. In this week's episode, Emil Michael former Chief Business Officer of Uber, and Yaniv Bernstein discuss: Betting with Chips: NVIDIA's remarkable earnings continue a run of historic, Wall Street-defying growth. Grok Solid: Elon...

Are you struggling to fund your startup? Learn how to make your idea investable – and avoid the fearsome 'zombie zone'. In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein discuss: Quarter Masters: Explore a simple four-quadrant model that categorizes startups based on their margin, volume, and startup costs. Plain Old Profits: Learn when and why to consider a more traditional business model o...

Two-time unicorn founder Jason Cohen (WP Engine, Smart Bear) returns to discuss his Twitter 'koans', exploring their implications for founders. In this bonus episode, Yaniv Bernstein, Chris Saad, and Jason Cohen discuss: Half-Baked Ideas: The pitfalls of working on too many projects (or cakes). Work/Work Balance: What even is a 'lifestyle business'? The Invisible Startup: Why found...

How can Google avoid Google+ 2.0? Learn who will win the AI Game of Thrones – and why branding is only one piece of the puzzle. In this week's episode, Amir Shevat and Yaniv Bernstein discuss: The Demo Dilemma: Why OpenAI’s live demo of ChatGPT-4o was more impressive than Google’s highly polished event. G Suite Dreams: How could Google improve the integration of AI throughout their many produc...

Are you planning your founder career in a meaningful way? Two-time unicorn founder Jason Cohen (WP Engine, Smart Bear) joins Chris and Yaniv to discuss how self-knowledge can lead to a founder journey that's right for you. Passion's Fruit: Understand the importance of aligning your startup with your driving interests. Top Model: Learn how to tailor your business model to fit your personal...

Missed this week's duelling announcements from OpenAI and Google? Catch up on ChatGPT 4o, AI Search, and Project Astra, as our insiders discuss how they'll reshape the tech world. In this week's Reacts episode, insiders Chris Saad, Yaniv Bernstein, and Elli Hanson discuss: Chatting ChatGPT 4o: The new features and improvements in OpenAI's latest AI model. Search and Rescue: How do...

Is your product management approach clashing with real-world demands? Product expert John Cutler – author of the long-running newsletter The Beautiful Mess and former product evangelist at Amplitude – returns to the podcast to discuss different approaches to product management, and where they might help (or hinder) your business. Learn about: Ideal or Ordeal: The challenge of applying idealistic,...

Is your startup prepared for the next US election? Learn about the forces driving today’s tech giants and tomorrow’s political landscape. In this week's Reacts episode, insiders Chris Saad, Yaniv Bernstein, and Emil Michael former Chief Business Officer of Uber, cover: Buyback Backlash: Does Apple’s $100 billion stock buyback program signal a shift from innovation to incrementalism? RAGs to Riches...

Is firing a founder CEO ever the right move? Learn about how startup founders and their boards can work together effectively to avoid the worst. In this week's episode of The Startup Podcast, hosts Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein explain: Founder Knows Best: Why removing a founder CEO is usually undesirable, given their deep vision and commitment. All Above Board: Why board accountability is ne...

Why didn't Rabbit R1 and Humane AI live up to the hype? Learn how even the biggest names in tech – from TikTok to Tesla – can falter. In this week's Reacts episode, insiders Yaniv Bernstein, Emil Michael former Chief Business Officer of Uber, and Leah Mahtani discuss: Bad Bunny: Why Silicon Valley funding explains the disappointing launches of AI hardware Rabbit R1 and Humane AI. Bumpy Road Ahead:...

Do your plans stand strong when things go wrong? Hosts Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein discuss the concept of 'graceful degradation' and its critical role in planning for a robust business. They share tips on: Understanding Graceful Degradation: Why it's important to fail-safe your business plan to avoid collapse in a crisis. Visionary Planning: How a clear, unconstrained vision can gui...

Australia’s startup ecosystem is about to be hit by an asteroid of awesomeness, and hardly anybody is talking about it. Learn why the recent Canva secondary round means Australia finally has its own “mafia” to rival the PayPal, Google, and Facebook mafias—and what it means for tech in Australia. Also in this bonus Aussie Q&A episode: how to think about SAFE notes as a local founder or investor...