TKS: The Karnjanaprakorn Show

I have an addictive personality. When I get into something, I go all in. Health, sports cards, running, Magic, UFC, and right now Muay Thai, jiu-jitsu, and AI coding. Then a few months later I move on to the next thing. For a long time I thought that meant I was scattered. That I could not commit. I do not think that anymore. Here is what I think is actually going on. The intense phase ends, but w...

In this episode, I chat with my Magic: The Gathering coach Stanley Hartman ( Stanley2009 ) about different career paths. I flip the script and share my own advice with Stanley as we explore how to land a job at a tech startup, build a career as a content creator, and brainstorm software ideas through vibe coding. For anyone interested in career guidance, content creation, or startup ideas, this ep...

How do you know when it’s time to make a change—whether in your career, personal life, or mindset? In this episode, I sit down with Danya Shults, who shares her experiences from working at Skillshare and Patreon to becoming an executive coach. We also talk about her recent psychedelic therapy, sabbatical in Spain, and navigating changes as you get closer to 40. We discuss: The emotional and practi...

Safwaan Kay is working on a new (stealth) startup. He was previously at Founders, Inc. LINKS Safwaan's X: https://x.com/safwaankay I’m rich and have no idea what to do with my life: https://vinay.sh/i-am-rich-and-have-no-idea-what-to-do-with-my-life/ HOST Michael Karnjanaprakorn: https://mikekarnj.com/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 03:31 Post Exit Founder Essay 20:18 Open Source 29:47 AI Agents 46:5...

Reflecting on the year has always been part of my annual process — celebrating wins, learning from challenges, and planning ahead. In this essay and podcast episode, I’ll share my highlights, lessons, and goals for 2025, along with some unexpected takeaways from a year dedicated to having fun. Lessons Dropping the Mask: Letting go of the personas we build to meet others’ expectations is difficult...

In this episode of TKS, we explore how adult curiosity, independent thinking, and cognitive growth shape not only our careers but also our entire approach to life. Our guest, Andrew Conner, co-founder of Levels, shares insights from his 18-month sabbatical, where he stepped away from the day-to-day of building a startup to dive deep into unstructured learning and personal exploration. We discuss t...

I chat with Rick Foerster, who shares his journey from a fast-paced tech career to one focused on family, creativity, and fulfillment. After twelve years at Privia Health, Rick took a sabbatical when the company went public. He used that time to reassess his priorities and shift from a work-centric identity to a multi-dimensional one. We discuss diversifying your identity and finding fulfillment b...

At 41, I learned I was at high risk for heart disease despite what I thought was a healthy lifestyle. When I was diagnosed with high levels of lipoprotein(a)—a genetic risk factor—I decided to document my year-long journey of understanding and managing the condition. In the episode, I share my biomarker test results, explore heart disease risks, and discuss my lifestyle and medication plans. This...

I chat with Matt about his unconventional path to building a holding company. At just 22 years old, he has already had two successful exits. We discuss his approach to building his studio model holding company, Halation, where he focuses on creating one-of-a-kind software. Matt shares how he selects the ‘game’ he wants to play, why he chooses to work with friends, and the importance of having a 'c...

Kevin Dahlstrom might be the most balanced person I’ve ever met. He’s a 4x Founder, 3x CMO, and investor in over 55 companies. He also pursues rock climbing at an elite level — all while prioritizing his family. He says it’s only possible because of his “ideal end state” exercise. It aligns his actions with his true desires, allowing him to design a life he never needs to escape. As a result, he’s...

Dan has sold four companies throughout his career. We discuss what that was like and dive into what he’s doing next—building a venture studio. He shares his playbook and how he's leveraging his strengths, and I get his advice on navigating post-exit life. Plus, we discuss philanthropy and finding purpose and fulfillment beyond financial success. Guest Dan Reich is an entrepreneur, investor, and ph...

I chatted with Geoff Roberts about how they designed the company at Outseta, where they do things differently. Everyone makes $210,000 and can choose to work one to five days a week. They operate without budgets, targets, or OKRs, maintaining a flat hierarchy with no bosses. The company prioritizes life profitability for both the team and customers. Geoff discusses the motivation behind these deci...

In this episode, I share the cycle many former founders go through as they decide between starting another company or riding off into the sunset. Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:28 Founder Cycle 07:59 Redefining Success Podcast I am the ex-founder of Skillshare, and now exploring what's next. The Karnjanaprakorn Show (TKS) follows my journey as I share what I learn along the way. Learn more about me: http...

In this episode, I explore lifestyle design, a philosophy centered around creating a life that aligns with freedom, work-life integration, purposeful living, and income autonomy. I question the conventional path to success and explore examples of people who are doing it differently. And share steps on how you can design your own lifestyle. Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:25 Core Principles 02:57 Examples...

I had a conversation with Ryan Sneddon, who has built a successful local email newsletter in Annapolis, Maryland. We discussed the playbook for building a local business empire, and we both pitched different business ideas in real estate and YouTube. Guest Ryan Sneddon runs Naptown Scoop, a local newsletter serving Annapolis, Maryland. He's built an audience of over 18,000 (nearly half the town's...

In this episode, I share three career failures: not getting into business school, the failure of my first startup, and the ten pivots we went through at Skillshare. READ Failure Resume PODCAST After working in tech startups, I'm now exploring what's next. The Karnjanaprakorn Show (TKS) follows my journey as I explore ideas related to life, business, and technology. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:06 Busin...

Tarpit ideas seem promising but trap founders in companies that are hard to scale. The first version of Skillshare was trapped. I also share a list of common tarpit ideas. Stay away from these! CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 02:33 Skillshare 06:02 List of Tarpit Ideas READ MORE Tarpit Ideas PODCAST The Karnjanaprakorn Show (TKS) is a podcast in which I explore ideas related to life, business, and technology...

I compiled a list of my ten most important life decisions. There are many more, but these were the top decisions I made before I turned 40. I also share some thoughts on how to best make those decisions. LIFE DECISIONS Who should I marry? Should I have children? Where should I live? Which career should I pursue? How should I manage money? What healthy habits should I adopt? What calculated risks s...

In this solo episode, I share three ideas about business: 1) how to get to your first $100K, 2) playing a different game, and 3) impact. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:30 Investing in Yourself 02:38 Metagame 06:53 Legacy

In this solo episode, I share four of my favorite blog posts from the past month. This episode aims to inspire you to rethink your approach to life, creativity, and what it means to be successful. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:53 Craftsmanship 05:52 Success Addiction 09:27 Parent Stories 14:27 Assets PODCAST The Karnjanaprakorn Show is where I explore ideas across life, startups, and technology. As the...

In this episode, we discuss what happens after you sell your company. Ben sold his company to Zapier in 2021 for an undisclosed amount, but it was enough for Ben to retire from working. We discussed why he sold the company, what he did in the first year, and the wave of emotions he felt after selling the company. We also talked about how he spent the money and what he’s investing in today. I also...

In this episode, we bring back Safwaan Kay to discuss trends in technology, culture, and business. We cover polyamory, AI wearables, and buying iconic internet brands. GUEST Safwaan Kay invests and incubates in emerging tech at Founders, Inc. PODCAST The Karnjanaprakorn Show is where I explore ideas across life, startups, and technology. As the former founder of Skillshare, I am now following my c...

We reached a big milestone today. We reached the top 1% of podcasts by publishing our 21st episode. In this episode, I'll share some lessons learned, along with the future direction of the podcast. PODCAST The Karnjanaprakorn Show is where I explore unique ideas across life, startups, and technology. As the former founder of Skillshare, I am now following my curiosity and going down intellectual r...

My guest is Herbert Lui . I brought him on the podcast to talk about the creative process and developing a creative habit. There is no one-size-fits all approach but there are common frameworks that everyone can follow. We cover a lot of topics including the four-step creative process, capturing ideas, quality vs quantity, and promoting your own work. We also dive deep into the inner working of hi...

In this episode, I chat with Emi Gal who is the Founder/CEO of Ezra, which offers affordable MRI screenings to detect cancer. We talk about early cancer detection, longevity protocols, annual challenges, and technology advancements within healthcare. GUEST Emi Gal is the CEO/Founder of Ezra, an AI startup focused on creating a new way to screen for cancer using MRI & AI. LINKS For the Ezra sto...