Paul Biggar founded a billion-dollar tech company. Then he became one of Silicon Valley’s most outspoken activists against Israel’s latest war crimes in Gaza. Paul joined this episode of The Dino Podcast to discuss his experience being vocal on the issue of Palestine in an industry that has historically been anything but. We discuss the material ways in which American Big Tech is instrumental to Israel’s war machine and occupation, the historical code of silence about Palestine among venture capitalists and tech founders, and what motivated Paul to speak up now. Paul Biggar is a renowned technologist and expert on compilers. He co-founded CircleCI, a CI/CD developer tool startup that went on to be valued over $1 billion. He also recently started Tech for Palestine, an organization that supports tech builders who aim to help the Palestinian people. If you would like to further their work, please donate to Tech for Palestine: https://techforpalestine.org/donate/ . Also, consider a donation to Pal Legal, an organization which protects constitutional free speech rights of people in the U.S. who advocate for Palestine: https://palestinelegal.org/donate .
Arnaud Bertrand returns to discuss the Israeli and U.S. war with Iran. The 12-day conflict settled into an uneasy ceasefire this week. Arnaud and I explore the origins of conflict with Iran. We also reflect on how successful each side was in achieving its war aims. In the second part of the podcast, Arnaud and I discuss Thomas Piketty’s economic research report “Colonial extraction and unequal exchange have shaped two centuries of North-South inequality”. Follow Arnaud on Twitter X at @RnaudBertrand , and subscribe to his Substack: https://arnaudbertrand.substack.com/
Economist Geoffrey Woglom is back on the Dino Podcast to discuss the Trump tariffs. We cover the administration's biggest moves, from the April 2nd (so-called "Liberation Day") reciprocal tariffs to subsequent negotiations. We explore the economic causes of trade deficits, and we ask whether tariffs are an effective policy instrument to correct them. Lastly, we consider America's negotiation strategy against China. An thoughtful discussion on what is shaping up to be one of the most significant economic events in years.
The pod made it to 30 episodes! We're chatting with Iman Oubou, the co-founder of Vocable.ai, an AI-powered content marketing platform. In her incredible career, Iman has been a scientist, Miss New York pageant winner, author, content marketer, and a repeat founder. I enjoyed discussing her amazing journey and her latest venture.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald joins The Dino Podcast to discuss the Trump administration’s recent arrests of student activists across the United States. The administration has summarily canceled green cards and student visas for students who wrote op-eds critical of the war on Gaza or took part in student protests. We examine the lack of due process in these cases - and what it means for the constitutionally protected right to free speech in America. Lastly, we take Glenn on a visit to the Bodega Corner.
No recording this week, so we're unlocking one of the Patreon bonus episodes. Leadership coach and entrepreneur Alexsandra Guerra came on the pod to discuss attachment styles in romantic relationships. Recorded in December 2024, just getting out from behind the paywall now.
Robert Mazzucchelli is currently the Chairman and CMO of SportEdTV, the world’s leading online platform for sports education. We discussed his journey from tennis pro to startup founder and business executive. In his career, Robert has bootstrapped a successful startup, built a $300 million business line for a global ad agency, launched a luxury menswear line, and co-founded an online sports education business. The journey features incredible successes, as well as difficulties, setbacks, and lessons learned. Robert’s story is a must-listen for any aspiring entrepreneur.
Tatum Brandt is the founder of Brandt Creative Co., an agency that specializes in branding and websites for fitness, sports, and wellness brands. In this episode, we dive into the booming fitness and wellness industry, exploring how to build standout brands in this competitive space. Tatum shares her insights on the latest trends—from run clubs and cold plunges to the rise of athlete influencers—and how brands can effectively tap into the growing demand for community-centered, wellness-focused experiences. We also discuss the power of storytelling in branding – and look back at the female athletes who captured the world’s attention in 2024, from Caitlin Clark to Olympians Kristen Faulkner and Gaby Thomas. If you are a wellness enthusiast or building a brand in the space, check out Tatum’s agency at: www.brandtcreative.co/ and follow her on Instagram at @tatumbrandt .
Denis Beslic, AI PM of Spotify’s Personalization team, returns to the Dino Podcast. We discuss the release of the DeepSeek foundational model from China, and how it has shaken up the tech industry. Denis also lays out how to build great software products incorporating AI and generative AI – a must listen for any product manager or developer. You can follow Denis’s content on his Substack, “AI Product Guy”: https://aiproductguy.substack.com/
Geopolitical analyst and entrepreneur Arnaud Bertrand returns to the pod to discuss: Is the US-led West in strategic decline relative to rising powers? We consider this question both in concrete fields, such as economic might and technological development, as well as the decline in moral authority which previously underpinned the West’s leadership of international institutions. How are U.S. policy decisions undermining the international system established in the U.N. Charter? To what extent are we moving away from an interconnected world toward rival bloc politics? Does Donald Trump represent any substantive change to the neoliberal order, or will he simply offer more of the same in slightly different packaging? We explore all these questions and more. If you enjoy the episode, check out our bonus episode on Patreon that considers Europe’s strategic position in this emerging world of bloc politics: (https://www.patreon.com/posts/24b-arnaud-does-120059949). Follow Arnaud on Twitter (https://x.com/RnaudBertrand) for thoughtful geopolitical analysis and support his current venture Me and Qi: https://www.meandqi.com/.
Alexsandra is a leadership coach who helps founders and tech executives manage their biggest challenges at work – everything from burnout to difficulties building relationships. In this episode, we dive into the biggest challenges leaders face and effective strategies to overcome them. Prior to coaching in this field, Alexsandra was a co-founder of the Techstars green startup Nori. She has been in the founder's seat and is now helping other leaders in the same position. Reach out to Alexsandra about her services at: calmingchaoswithale.com
Our election correspondents, Ardalan Tajalli and Gustavo Menendez, are back for a post-election wrap-up. We look back at our predictions for the 2024 presidential elections vs. how it ultimately played out. We ask why Harris lost? Why Trump won? Plus we review Trump's initial appointments to his administration - the Cabinet edition of Celebrity Apprentice.
Ardalan and Gus are back! We sat down to analyze the 2024 U.S. presidential election - Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris. We looked at the polls, prediction markets, and funny campaign gaffes. Ultimately, we predict who will become the next president of the United States. The episode was recorded on Sunday, November 4th, 2024.
Is the U.S. a global empire in decline? I explore this topic with professor and political scientist Glenn Diesen. On the world stage, we examine U.S.-backed conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Are these events accelerating the decline of America's global leadership? On the home front, we look at the state of democracy and free speech across the West today.
Bruce Sokler is a prominent antitrust attorney. He joins the pod to discuss the DOJ’s case against RealPage, the company that sells algorithmic pricing recommendation software to landlords. According to the DOJ, the software is used by landlords as an indirect way to illegally collude to set rents artificially high. This single software, used by most large landlords, may be a major reason why – in the words of Jimmy McMillan – “the rent is too damn high!”.
Wendy Wen is the founder and CEO of Antelope Pets. She joined the pod to discuss her journey from investment banking to private equity, and ultimately, to becoming a repeat founder.
Valerie Tarazi swam for Palestine in the Paris 2024 Olympic games. In our interview, Valerie shared how her college swimming career at Auburn University led her to compete internationally – and to do so under the Palestinian flag. We explored her family’s roots to Palestine. We also discussed what it meant to all the Palestinian athletes to participate in the Summer Olympics, at a time when the Gaza War still raged on in their national homeland.
Kristen Faulkner won two cycling gold medals in the Paris 2024 Olympic games. In this episode, we explore her uncommon journey from venture capital analyst in New York City to professional cycling star – and ultimately, how she fulfilled her childhood dream of winning Olympic gold. Kristen also dishes her nutrition and fitness tips, which should help all you Office Athletes step up your game.
Reem Edan is an Iraqi-American stand-up comedian, content creator, and award-winning writer. On the pod, we chat about her upbringing as a first-generation American, and how her heritage influences her comedy today. We also explore her journey into comedy, and chat about Burning Man, cultural identity, & froyo. Finally, we give our hot takes on The Bodega Corner.
Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson joins the podcast to discuss America's approach to foreign affairs. He recaps how he became a skeptic of U.S. interventions abroad. We also explore whether Donald Trump represents a threat to the Washington D.C. status quo, or more of the same. This is part 2 of our discussion. Part 1 will be on Patreon, available to members of the podcast. Consider a membership today.