What do Airbnb, Stripe, and DoorDash have in common? They were built with support from renowned startup accelerator, Y Combinator. And Garry Tan knows exactly what made them work. In the season finale of Building One, Tomer Cohen sits down with Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, to unpack what really makes a startup succeed, and why the startup journey is more about mindset, resilience, and ruthless honesty than having the “perfect” idea. Garry shares rare insights from his dual perspective: as a former founder who went through YC himself, and now as the leader of the world’s most iconic startup accelerator. He’s seen the full spectrum of startup journeys and in this candid conversation, he breaks down what sets the enduring ones apart. In this episode, Tomer and Garry cover: The difference between playing startup vs building one Why co-founders matter more than ideas, and how to find the right one How to avoid the startup “valley of despair” What YC looks for in early-stage founders and teams How to chase user truth instead of optics or false signals How to know when to persevere, when to pivot, and when to walk away Whether you're a first-time founder or a serial entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with startup wisdom you won’t hear anywhere else. Follow Garry Tan on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter, Building LinkedIn.

What if your product design didn’t start with form or function, but with price? That’s how IKEA has built one of the most beloved and iconic retail brands in the world. In this episode of Building One, Tomer Cohen sits down with Fredrika Inger, IKEA’s Chief Product and Commercial Officer, to explore how IKEA creates affordable, high-quality products at scale. With more than two decades at IKEA, Fredrika has seen the business from all sides: materials sourcing, supply chain logistics, store experience, and now the full product range. She reveals the behind-the-scenes process that powers IKEA’s approach to innovation, design, and customer experience. Fredrika shares how IKEA: Begins product design by setting a target price first, and reverse engineers from there Uses in-home research to understand how people really live and what problems they need solved Builds immersive retail experiences by showcasing full living solutions, not just furniture Leverages the five pillars of democratic design: function, form, quality, sustainability, and low price Continuously improves product assembly to simplify the customer experience and support circular design Balances global scale with hyper-local customer insights to stay relevant across 60+ countries This episode is a deep dive into product thinking at scale: how IKEA delivers design-driven, experience-rich, affordable solutions to millions, while staying relentlessly focused on real-life needs. Follow Fredrika Inger on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter, Building LinkedIn.

How do you revive a tech giant and reshape an entire industry? AMD Chief Technology Officer Mark Papermaster joins Tomer Cohen to share how making bold bets, exiting stagnant markets, and betting on modular chip design led to one of the most remarkable comebacks in tech. They also dig into the ways in which semiconductors are powering the AI era. Mark Papermaster is the longtime CTO of AMD, where he helped lead a dramatic product and innovation strategy that changed the company’s future. Prior to working at AMD, his career spans leadership roles at IBM, Apple (where he was recruited by Steve Jobs himself), and Cisco. Mark and Tomer discuss: AMD’s comeback and product reinvention The end of Moore’s Law and rise of modular chip design Chiplets: How AMD bet on bold architecture and won What Mark learned from IBM, Apple, and Steve Jobs Why big bets need big exit strategies Semiconductors and the AI revolution Follow Mark Papermaster on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter, Building LinkedIn.

In this episode of Building One, Tomer Cohen sits down with Rohan Amin, Chief Product Officer at Chase, to discuss the evolving world of financial products and the challenges of delivering seamless, secure experiences. From his background in cybersecurity to his current role in shaping Chase’s product strategy, Rohan shares valuable insights into building products that balance privacy, security, and user-centric design. Tomer and Rohan discuss: Why security and trust are foundational at Chase—and in financial products overall The importance of designing for both happy and unhappy paths to ensure a smooth customer experience The power of incrementalism in scaling product improvements How Chase balances physical and digital products and services to create a more human-centered banking experience The strategic value of maintaining a personal touch, even in the digital age Follow Rohan Amin on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter, Building LinkedIn.

Rebuilding a company is one of the hardest challenges any founder can face. But for Justin McLeod, founder and CEO of Hinge, it was the only way forward. In today’s episode of Building One, Tomer Cohen sits down with Justin to dive into the journey of rebooting Hinge from a Tinder competitor to the fastest-growing dating app in the U.S., focused on helping people build meaningful, long-term relationships. Justin shares the lessons he learned from tearing down Hinge and starting over, emphasizing intentional product design, clear product principles, and how to avoid chasing engagement for engagement's sake. As the dating app designed to be deleted, Hinge is built around one core goal: getting people into relationships and off the app. Justin's approach to onboarding, user interaction, and product design has created a platform that fosters genuine connections while avoiding the pitfalls of shallow dating apps. In this episode, Justin reveals: Why Hinge intentionally loses 20% of new users during onboarding to ensure better quality matches How limiting user actions can improve the overall user experience and lead to more meaningful interactions The importance of finding good proxies for key metrics, especially when your core goal is difficult to measure (like getting people into relationships) The role of AI as a coach - not a replacement - for human-to-human interactions How product principles can help companies make tough decisions and stay true to their mission  Follow Justin McLeod on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter, Building LinkedIn.

WHOOP has made a name for themselves as the go-to wearable for those at the top of their game. You may have spotted elite athletes like LeBron James and Michael Phelps wearing the slim, screenless device. So what has made the device so successful? In this week’s episode of Building One, Tomer Cohen sits down with Will Ahmed, founder and CEO of WHOOP, to discuss how focusing on a narrow product vision and owning the entire user experience led to the brand’s success in the saturated fitness tracker market. Before founding WHOOP, Will was a competitive athlete and quickly recognized the need for more precise, actionable health data. WHOOP’s simplicity and dedication to providing pro athletes and everyday users with the most meaningful insights are central to the company’s approach. Tomer and Will discuss: The virtues of building a product with a narrow and deep focus. How avoiding product scope creep helped WHOOP create a best-in-class wearable. Why building original hardware was key to WHOOP’s competitive advantage. The role of restraint in showing users the data that truly matters. How WHOOP’s design for professional athletes translates to better experiences for everyday consumers. Follow Will Ahmed on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter, Building LinkedIn.

In a world where finding information at work is often more of a headache than it should be, Arvind Jain’s innovative solution is transforming the way enterprises manage and access knowledge. In this week’s episode of Building One, Tomer Cohen sits down with Arvind Jain, CEO and founder of Glean, to discuss how the AI-driven platform is reshaping the future of enterprise search. Prior to founding Glean, Arvind was a Distinguished Engineer at Google, where he honed his deep technical expertise and understanding of search products. Passionate about building products that solve real-world problems, Arvind has been a key advocate for building with scalability in mind from day one. Tomer and Arvind discuss: Why Arvind Jain’s personal frustration with information search in the workplace led to the creation of Glean. Why Glean’s team designed their product with large enterprises in mind from the very beginning. How Glean uses both explicit and implicit data to measure success and improve its platform. The challenges of staying true to your product roadmap while meeting the diverse needs of enterprise customers. Why AI’s greatest potential lies in solving enterprise-level challenges and how Glean is leveraging this technology to improve workplace efficiency. Follow Arvind Jain on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter, Building LinkedIn.

What does it take to build a brand that not only survives but thrives by prioritizing the planet over profit? In this episode of Building One, host Tomer Cohen sits down with Jenna Johnson, the President of Patagonia, to explore how the iconic brand is reshaping the future of business through innovation and sustainability. Together, they unpack how Patagonia anticipates customer needs, drives environmental change, and builds products with purpose—not just for today, but for the planet’s future. Jenna has served as the President of Patagonia for over four years, after spending a decade with the company in other roles. She has held several leadership positions with Patagonia, including Vice President of Technical Outdoor and Senior Global Director for Technical Outdoor. A passionate rock climber and outdoor enthusiast herself, Jenna brings a unique perspective to her role, using her personal experiences as an athlete to inform Patagonia’s product design and testing.  In this episode, you’ll hear about: How Patagonia anticipates customer needs and innovates beyond current market expectations The company’s mission-first approach and how they balance sustainability with product releases The challenges and rewards of leading in a circular economy and establishing a secondary-market for products Why changing the internal culture is critical for successful sustainability shifts The high stakes of moving toward a fully sustainable supply chain and the importance of long-term partnerships with producers If you’re building a business or leading a brand that seeks to prioritize sustainability, this conversation will offer actionable lessons on how to drive innovation while remaining committed to a greater purpose. Follow Jenna Johnson on LinkedIn Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter, Building LinkedIn.

In this week’s episode of Building One, Tomer sits down with Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming and Xbox. With decades of experience, Phil is at the helm of one of the largest gaming platforms on the planet, overseeing iconic franchises like Halo, Call of Duty, Minecraft, and Candy Crush. As a lifelong gamer, Phil’s passion for gaming runs deep, allowing him to bring a deeply personal approach to leadership.  In this conversation, Phil dives into how Xbox has expanded beyond consoles to create an ecosystem where games are accessible across devices, maximizing reach and convenience for players. He also discusses how the emotional connection gamers have with their platform plays a crucial role in Xbox’s success, noting that feedback—no matter how harsh—should always be seen as a gift. Phil highlights the importance of taking risks in game development, explaining how innovation thrives through bold decisions and how Xbox balances established franchises like Call of Duty with new, experimental titles. He also emphasizes that, for Xbox, success isn’t about hardware—it’s about delivering compelling games and creating an environment where developers have the creative freedom to push boundaries while still adhering to the platform’s broader goals. And for anyone looking to break into the gaming industry, Phil offers valuable advice: seek out indie studios, where creativity is abundant and there’s always a need for fresh talent. Listen now to hear more about Phil’s vision for the future of gaming, how Microsoft Gaming is shaping the next generation of interactive entertainment, and what aspiring game developers can do to get started. Follow Phil Spencer on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter, Building LinkedIn.

This week on Building One, Tomer talks to Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, about building one of the world’s most impactful educational platforms. From tutoring his cousin in 2004 to reaching over 150 million learners globally, Sal shares his approach to creating a “minimal lovable product” (MLP) that goes beyond functionality to foster trust and connection with users. Sal discusses the concept of mastery learning, both in the way Khan Academy teaches and in the way Khan Academy was built. Sal emphasizes how important it is for students to have a strong foundational understanding before moving on to the next lesson. The conversation also dives into scaling educational tools, integrating with school systems, and how AI in education can personalize learning while freeing teachers to focus on emotional support and motivation. Finally, Sal reflects on Khan Academy’s non-profit status and discusses the broader implications of building purpose-driven companies in markets that don’t function as they should. Tune in to hear how Sal built a platform that’s more than just a learning tool—it’s a relationship. Follow Sal Khan on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter, Building LinkedIn.

Since 1985, when the first pair of Air Jordan’s were released to the public, the Jordan brand has stood at the intersection of culture, design excellence, and self-expression. Today, Jason Mayden, Chief Design Officer of the Jordan brand at Nike, is ushering in the next era. Jason, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, started as an intern at Nike and worked his way up to lead the design of iconic shoes for the Jordan brand. In this episode of Building One, Tomer Cohen sits down with Jason to discuss the power of emotional connection in product design. Jason shares his philosophy that great design goes beyond product features—it’s about how a product makes people feel about themselves. He explains why emotional resonance, rather than just performance specs, is the key to building lasting brand loyalty and remaining culturally relevant. Jason also opens up about his neurodivergence, explaining how embracing his unique cognitive strengths has helped him innovate and excel in design. He shares how understanding his brain wiring allowed him to think differently and bring fresh perspectives to Nike’s product creation process. Part of Jason’s approach is fostering creativity by involving non-design functions—like HR and legal—early in the process. He believes that bringing in fresh perspectives from across the company can lead to more innovative products and a stronger sense of ownership across teams. Finally, Jason emphasizes the importance of a growth mindset, a principle he learned from Michael Jordan himself. He shares how continuously learning and evolving is crucial for long-term success, both for individuals and brands. Follow Jason Mayden on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter, Building LinkedIn

Get ready for a brand new season of Building One. Tune in Jan 14 as we kick things off with Nike’s own Jason Mayden, the Chief Design Officer of the Jordan brand. But that’s hardly all - we’ve got a great lineup of guests for you this season: Sal Khan of Khan Academy, Jenna Johnson of Patagonia, Arvind Jain of Glean, and Will Ahmed of WHOOP are just a few of the new voices we’ll hear from! And if you can’t wait, it’s never been a better time to catch up on great interviews from our past season, like our interviews with Spotify’s Gustav Söderström, Plaid’s Zach Perret, or even Michelin-starred Chef, Dan Barber.

Last week we welcomed Spotify Co-President and CPO Gustav Söderström to the show to discuss his professional journey and the evolution of Spotify. We’re back this week with a few more questions for Gustav to get to know him better. Follow Gustav Söderström on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter Building LinkedIn

For our Season 1 finale, we’ve got a real treat for you. Spotify has been bringing music to listeners' ears since 2008. Today, they are the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription, offering over 100 million tracks, 6 million podcasts titles, and 350,000 audiobooks. Spotify Co-President, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Product Officer Gustav Söderström joins us today to discuss the evolution of the platform, Spotify’s future, and his own professional journey. Over the course of his career, Gustav’s resistance to labels and entrepreneurial experience has allowed him to successfully innovate across various disciplines. He sits down with Tomer to discuss Spotify’s long term bets, why the company will never “move fast and break things,” the value of explanations, what AI means for the future of Spotify’s platform, and so much more. Follow Gustav Söderström on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter Building LinkedIn

We’ve talked a lot this season about building various apps, platforms, and software. This week, we’re discussing a different type of product: seeds. Michelin Star chef Dan Barber joins us to talk about his new venture, Row 7 Seed Company, where he’s implementing a seed-to-table approach to optimize produce for flavor while also delivering yield and disease resistance to meet today’s needs. Dan draws upon his experience as the chef behind renowned farm-to-table restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns to help influence plant breeding and pioneer new paths in gastronomy. Dan sits down with Tomer to talk about the process of making his product accessible and sustainable and Row 7’s recent partnership with Whole Foods. He shares his approach to looking at chefs and cooks as tastemakers who can influence demand, as well as his strategies for connecting farmers and cooks at either end of the value chain.  Follow Dan Barber on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter Building LinkedIn

Last week we welcomed Cerebral CPO Alex Stried to the show to discuss the benefits of directly connecting with your users. We’re back this week with a few more questions for Alex to get to know her better. Follow Alexandria Stried on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter Building LinkedIn

Technology has an undeniable impact on mental health: not just on mental health issues like anxiety and depression, but also on mental health care and the way we access it. Founded in 2020, Cerebral provides online access to psychiatrists and therapists with the aim of offering affordable, high-quality, long-term mental health care to anyone who might need it. As Chief Product Officer, Alex Stried spends a lot of time focusing on user experience. Drawing from her experience at Cerebral, as well as her time at Ellevest and Weight Watchers, Alex talks about best practices for building user-centric products. She shares strategies for directly connecting with your users, building profiles of them, and retaining users once they're on board.  Follow Alexandria Stried on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter Building LinkedIn

We're back this week with Noah Weiss, formerly the CPO of Slack. He's joining Tomer for a rapid fire round of questions. Follow Noah Weiss on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter Building LinkedIn.

Since 2013, Slack has helped teams connect and communicate seamlessly. It stood out early amongst enterprise software - which is often characterized by layered complexity - by bringing the craft and frictionless experience of consumer products into its design. As a B2B product, Slack created a messaging platform with features like channels and huddles that make it easier for businesses to collaborate internally. Slack’s former CPO Noah Weiss helmed this innovation for 8 years. He joins Tomer to talk about Slack rediscovering its market fit, the company’s core building principles, and how Noah fostered curiosity across his team. Follow Noah Weiss on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter Building LinkedIn.

We're back this week with Zoom CPO, Smita Hashim. She's joining Tomer for a rapid fire round of questions. Follow Smita Hashim on LinkedIn. Follow Tomer Cohen on LinkedIn and check out his newsletter Building LinkedIn.