What can startup founders learn from bold leadership moves and the challenges of navigating regulatory landscapes? Join Chris Saad, Amir Shevat, Emil Michael , former Chief Business Officer of Uber, and Yaniv Bernstein in this week’s Reacts episode as they unpack the latest maneuvers shaping the tech world: Airbnb's Founder Mode Revolution : Chesky's shift to "Founder Mode" prompts founders to consider: Is direct control a winning strategy, or does it risk stifling growth? How should you balance...
Sep 04, 2024•54 min•Ep 74•Transcript available on Metacast Crafting a winning pitch isn't just about what you say—it's about how you say it. Founders often make stylistic mistakes that can sabotage their chances with investors, even if they have a great product or idea. What are these subtle yet critical errors, and how can you avoid them to secure the funding you need? In this episode, Yaniv Bernstein and Chris Saad are joined by Henry Innis, Co-Founder at Mutinex, to uncover the top 10 fatal stylistic mistakes founders make in their pitches. T...
Sep 02, 2024•41 min•Ep 73•Transcript available on Metacast Yuhki Yamashita, one of the world's top product design disruptors and Chief Product Officer at Figma, returns in this bonus episode to continue the conversation on how AI is revolutionizing the design landscape. The impact of AI on product design is becoming increasingly profound. But what does this mean for the future of designers and interfaces? And how can startups leverage AI to build products faster and more effectively? In this bonus episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein dive deeper ...
Aug 30, 2024•21 min•Ep 72•Transcript available on Metacast Can the aggressive fundraising tactics in Silicon Valley, Lynch’s mysterious yacht conspiracy, and the arrest of Telegram’s CEO help us navigate tech’s hidden dynamics of power and control? Join Chris Saad and Amir Shevat in this week’s Reacts episode as they reveal the most recent complex power plays within the tech industry: Why Silicon Valley Wins: Are VCs in Silicon Valley pushing founders to raise more to ensure success, or is it a strategic move to gain more control? Lynch’s Yacht Conspi...
Aug 28, 2024•46 min•Ep 71•Transcript available on Metacast Product design is more than just an aesthetic choice—it's a strategic asset. But many founders unknowingly sabotage their products by overlooking key design principles. How can you avoid these common pitfalls and ensure your startup stands out? In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein are joined by Yuhki Yamashita, Chief Product Officer at Figma , the world’s leading design tool, to explore the critical role of design in building successful startups. In this episode, you can: Learn th...
Aug 26, 2024•41 min•Ep 70•Transcript available on Metacast Raising capital in today's market is tough, but navigating these challenges with the right strategy can make all the difference. In this week's episode, Yaniv Bernstein and Chris Saad tackle: How you raise money in a volatile market? Why are female founders facing even steeper hurdles in securing funding? And how can AI reshape both startups and the future of education? In this episode, they dive into: Fundraising in 2024: How to adapt your approach and secure the capital you need in a r...
Aug 19, 2024•36 min•Ep 69•Transcript available on Metacast Can the latest Trump-Musk interview, Tesla’s RoboTaxi delay, and VC backlash against the FTC trigger a shift in tech innovation? Join Chris Saad and Emil Michael former Chief Business Officer of Uber, in this week’s Reacts episode as they explore how these political developments might reshape the industry. Elon and Trump: Over a billion views—Is this interview a media game-changer for tech billionaires? Tesla RoboTaxi Delay: Can Tesla overcome the challenges of scaling autonomous rides? BigCo M&...
Aug 14, 2024•48 min•Ep 68•Transcript available on Metacast In today's fast-paced digital world, capturing and retaining attention is the most valuable currency for startups. But how can you thrive in a hypercompetitive landscape where rejection is the default response? In this episode, Yaniv Bernstein and Chris Saad are joined by Ben Parr, acclaimed author of Captivology: The Science of Capturing People’s Attention , to dive deep into the attention economy. In this episode, they explore: Understanding why attention is crucial for turning intention i...
Aug 12, 2024•51 min•Ep 67•Transcript available on Metacast Can the executive shakeup at OpenAI and a historic antitrust ruling against Google reshape the future of AI and tech innovation? Dive into this week’s Reacts episode as Chris Saad and Amir Shevat explore these shifts and their ripple effects across the industry. Exodus at OpenAI: Unpacking the departures of top executives and their implications for AI development. Tech Market Volatility: Analyzing recent stock and crypto downturns—temporary blip or long-term trend? Google's Monopoly Ruling: ...
Aug 07, 2024•39 min•Ep 66•Transcript available on Metacast Ready to raise your seed round but unsure how to de-risk for investors? Discover strategies to avoid pitfalls and secure early-stage funding confidently. In this week's episode, our experts hosts Yaniv Bernstein and Chris Saad explore: What a seed round truly entails 5 areas you need to de-risk your seed round Common misconceptions and mistakes founders make Why traction is not the same as revenue How to ensure your valuation reflects your startup’s potential Investor pitch tips to share the...
Aug 05, 2024•55 min•Ep 65•Transcript available on Metacast Could the launch of SearchGPT by OpenAI and Meta's AI Bots for creators redefine search engines and social media engagement? Discover how these advancements will reshape the tech landscape in this week's Reacts episode, packed with the latest AI updates. Join Ben Parr and Jeremiah Owyang as they discuss with Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein: OpenAI's SearchGPT: Implications for Google, Perplexity, and ad networks. Adoption barriers for new search models. Meta's AI Studio: Boosting ...
Jul 31, 2024•50 min•Ep 64•Transcript available on Metacast Are you shipping faster than you learn, or learning faster than you ship? Learn the risks of practicing "agile" theater and iterating your product without direction. On this week's episode, product legend John Cutler joins Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein to discuss: Why so many teams get Agile wrong Pros and cons of Agile vs. Waterfall The dangers of practicing Agile by the book vs. based on experience Combining Agile and Waterfall: “Wagile” Book Recommendation: How Big Things Get Done The import...
Jul 29, 2024•35 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast Could the rise of Kamala Harris as the new Democratic candidate impact the tech industry in significant ways? Find out how her presidency, Crowdstrike's massive outage, and Sam Altman's UBI experiment could shape the future of your tech startup in this week's insightful Reacts episode. On this week's episode, Ben Parr and Emil Michael former Chief Business Officer of Uber, join Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein to discuss: President Harris: Her potential impact on Silicon Valley and the broader tec...
Jul 24, 2024•52 min•Ep 62•Transcript available on Metacast A strong co-founder relationship is crucial for any startup. Learn how to determine the ideal number of founders and understand the distinctions between roles and titles. Also, Chris and Yaniv explain what you must know about: The pros and cons of going solo vs. multiple founders. CEOs and Founders and the distinction between roles and responsibilities. Considerations on equity splits and vesting schedules. Co-CEO conflicts and what to do about them. How to manage breakups between founders grace...
Jul 22, 2024•51 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast There's only one big topic in the headlines this week – the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. What will it mean for the future of tech? On this week's episode, Elli Hanson joins Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein to discuss: Knee Jerk Reactions: Immediate thoughts in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Bide 'n' Seek: What (if anything) Joe Biden and the Democrats can still do to win the next election. Money Talks: How tech influencers like Elon Musk and...
Jul 17, 2024•44 min•Ep 60•Transcript available on Metacast 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 become angel investors themselves. Whether you're looking to grow your investment portfolio or w...
Jul 15, 2024•57 min•Ep 59•Transcript available on Metacast 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/Sequoia, "AI’s $600B Question": https://www.sequoiacap.com/article/ais-600b-question/ ) Zion...
Jul 10, 2024•46 min•Ep 58•Transcript available on Metacast 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 it rather than alleviating it. Mirror, Mirror: How to acknowledge, manage, and use imposter syndrome ...
Jul 08, 2024•56 min•Ep 57•Transcript available on Metacast 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's data licensing deals for AI grounding may become the new industry standard. Not So Binary: After ...
Jul 03, 2024•37 min•Ep 56•Transcript available on Metacast Do you really understand sales? Learn how great startups grow from founder led origins to dynamic regional teams while maintaining a shared company DNA. In this episode, sales team hyper-scalers Matt Loop (Rippling, Slack, LinkedIn, Salesforce) and Matt Plank (Rippling, Zenefits) explain how to build a sales team that doesn't suck. Matt, Matt, and Yaniv discuss: Culture Club: Why early stage founder-led sales should give way to a scalable sales team aligned around your company culture. Going...
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep 55•Transcript available on Metacast 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 suggests replacing DEI with MEI ('merit, excellence and intelligence'). Thinking Cap: Ilya Su...
Jun 26, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast Why is optimizing your ops crucial for startup success? Learn how your business can better bridge the gap between software and operations. On today's show, Chris and Yaniv discuss: Up And Atom: Understanding the difference between 'typical business' ops and 'product enablement' ops, including the Uber concept of 'bits and atoms'. Top of the Ops: Creating a specialized department that emphasizes continuous improvement and self-renewal, including integrating product ope...
Jun 24, 2024•43 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast 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 why it's contentious to push for profitability in venture-backed startups, emphasizing the need...
Jun 22, 2024•16 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast 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 API compare to Twitter's current and former developer ecosystems? Hey Big Vendor: Why the US migh...
Jun 19, 2024•42 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Netflix 'keeper test' can help you hire appropriately for the current stage of your startup....
Jun 17, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast 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 OpenAI? Reach For A Clean 'X': Elon Musk's plan to allow explicit content on X (formerly Twi...
Jun 12, 2024•59 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast 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, and demographics. Topics include: It's Business Time: Know when your business is ready to expand. ...
Jun 10, 2024•50 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast 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 cannibalize the developer platform layer may have big ramifications for companies like OpenAI, Amazo...
Jun 05, 2024•49 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast 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 companies to innovate quickly. Dinosaurs to Dynamos: The strategies that big companies can use to fost...
Jun 03, 2024•45 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast 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 is joined by Nathan Miller from scale-up phenomenon Dovetail and Rob White from Airtree, one of Aus...
Jun 02, 2024•38 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast 
