Meet Alda Leu Dennis, managing partner at Hawktail VC.
From her start at Disney and Wilson Sosini to working alongside Peter Thiel at Founders Fund and Garry Tan at Initialized, Alda shares what she’s learned from two decades in venture.
From backing exceptional founders to why smaller funds often outperform to the power of clear expectations with LPs and founders alike, she also discusses what she's building, why she's building it, along with understanding resilience, and why her guiding philosophy is: “Be bold, and all the mighty forces will come to your aid.”
Meet General Stan McChrystal, former commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan and one of the most respected military leaders of our time. From a career that spanned 34 years in uniform to the Rolling Stone article that ended it overnight, his journey is a story of leadership, resilience, and character.
In this episode, he shares why credibility and long-term thinking matter more than winning at all costs, and how the toughest setbacks can become defining moments for growth.
We explore his path from a rocky start at West Point to leading elite forces, the lessons he’s carried into business and teaching at Yale, and why empathy, persistence, and values are the true markers of great leadership.
Meet Samara Hernandez, founder of Chingona Ventures. From growing up under the poverty line to breaking into Goldman Sachs and launching a fund named after the Spanish word for “badass woman,” her journey is nothing short of inspiring.
In this episode, she shares why resilience—what she calls the Chingona Factor—matters more than pedigree, and how underestimated founders often build the most transformative companies.
We explore her path from engineering to venture, the lessons she’s learned raising funds as a solo GP in the Midwest, and why betting on grit, creativity, and values-alignment is the future of venture capital.
Meet Nitish Maini, chief strategy officer at WorldQuant. From a small town in India to rising through the ranks of finance to help steer one of the world's most significant quantitative hedge funds, his journey is nothing short of amazing.
In this episode, he shares why the worst advice he ever got was "don't take the risk," and why he believes the wildest leaps often turn out to be the safest.
We explore WorldQuant's global footprint and how their initiatives, like WorldQuant BRAIN and the International Quant Championship, are democratizing opportunity by tapping into talent in every corner of the world.
It's a conversation about creativity and adaptability, and what it really takes to build at scale, told through the lens of someone who's lived it.
Meet Brad Feld, one of the investors and firm builders I look up to the most. From exited founder, to angel investor, to firm builder, to author, to marathon runner, Brad is truly prolific.
In this conversation, we touch a bit on all of that, and so much more. From going through the internet bubble, to starting over, to managing the third 1/3 of life, to his favorite type of characters, all the way to what a Brad Feld fiction book might look like. No matter what you are interested in, this conversation has something for you.
Meet Finn Meeks, partner at South Park Commons (SPC), one of the most unique communities and funds in VC. In this conversation, we dig into how SPC supports technologists so early, they call it the 'minus one' stage, and they mean it. From being surrounded by the best people, to putting bad ideas to rest, their approach is unlike any other early-stage ecosystem out there.
We also learn how Finn's journey from rowing at the highest level, to having to start over from nothing, helps paint his approach to supporting founders, and why empathy is something everyone can use a bit more of.
Founder of Drive Capital, Chris Olsen, left a dream job as a partner at Sequoia to prove that billion-dollar companies could be built outside Silicon Valley. In this candid conversation, he unpacks the founding of Drive Capital, why geography no longer limits great ideas, and how authentic leadership, disciplined fundraising, and building powerful local ecosystems can drive long-term success.
We also get personal, talking about failure, family, gym routines, and why comparing yourself to yesterday is the real competition.
A must-listen for founders, funders, and anyone who cares about building for the long game.
Meet Dan O'Connell, CEO of Front. From joining Google when it had just 300 employees, to leading AI strategy at Dialpad, to now running one of the most innovative customer communication platforms at Front.
We dive into the future of AI, what it's like to be recruited as a CEO, how to empower teams at scale, and why disruption isn’t just inevitable, it’s a responsibility.
We finish by digging into why you must move fast in everything you do, both in business and life, as well as why some people, for better or worse, will never change.
Meet Mike Miller, co-founder of Liquid 2 Ventures. In this episode, we explore his journey from being a nuclear physicist to a successful entrepreneur and investor. We dig into why so much VC dogma isn't rooted in fact, and how Liquid 2 has forged it's own path - one that many new funds are copying.
He shares how sometimes the worst things you go through can end up being the best thing, and how founders are often given poor advice when thinking about how to get later funding, and how there's many ways to win in venture.
Meet John Mannes, Partner at Basis Set, one of the original AI-native venture funds. In this episode, he shares what he learned growing up in DC and how it applies to Silicon Valley, the importance of understanding founder psychology, and the impact of how growing up can shape the entrepreneurial mindset.
He shares how he stays ahead of the technology curve and how, rather than being sector-focused as an investor, he is more focused on how big the opportunity can be, regardless of the sector.
Lastly, he shares advice from his father that shapes his day-to-day outlook, and those who learn early what hard work looks like can have a significant impact on how they approach things later in life.
Meet Mario Schlosser, co-founder and CTO of the publicly traded health insurance company, Oscar Health (OSCR:NYSE).
In this conversation, Mario shares the personal story that led to the founding of Oscar Health, discussing the challenges and triumphs of navigating the healthcare industry, and the imminent impact of technology and AI on all aspects of health and treatment.
From his transition from gaming to healthcare, his experiences in leadership, and the importance of prioritizing mental health, we cover the best and worst advice he's ever received and how sometimes what we think are pivotal moments are just part of growing up.
Meet Greg Lippmann. In this episode, we dig into his journey from public schools, working at summer camps, to his first day on a trading floor, and when he knew the 'Big Short' was actually going to break his way.
From a challenging start in finance to becoming a prominent figure in the industry, to launching his firm LibreMax, which now manages north of $12 billion. He discusses the intricacies of asset management, the lessons learned from the financial crisis, and why working hard is good for more than just career growth.
Meet Songyee Yoon, one of the most inspiring tech leaders and investors around today. In this conversation, she shares her remarkable journey from growing up in Korea to getting her PhD in computational neuroscience at MIT to becoming the President and Chief Strategy Officer at NCSoft, one of the world's biggest gaming companies.
She discusses her transition from academia to industry, the evolution of gaming technology, and why understanding it is essential to understanding the future. And why she made the jump to launch a new venture capital firm, Principal Venture Partners, which focuses on investing in AI native companies.
Throughout the discussion, she shares valuable lessons about overcoming adversity, why it pays to have a thick skin, and why there is no single type of perfect founder.
Meet Barry Ritholtz, the founder, chairman, and CIO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, as well as a long-time contributor at Bloomberg Media. In this episode, he shares his journey from a trading desk to establishing a successful wealth management firm.
He discusses his new book, 'How Not to Invest,' which explores the pitfalls of investing and the importance of understanding behavioral finance.
Barry emphasizes the balance between being a specialist and a generalist, the challenges of starting a business, and how writing helps him clarify his thoughts. He also reflects on his personal journey with ADHD and how it has shaped his approach to work and life.
Meet Ron Biscardi, founder and CEO of iConnections - a platform that connects and convenes asset owners and managers that collectively control over $50 trillion in AUM.
In this episode, we discuss Ron's journey from engineering to entrepreneurship and the lessons it taught him about taking action, as well as the evolution of iConnections as a capital introduction platform that was initially built as a solution to a problem he faced himself.
We dig into the challenges and successes of building a remote team, as well as insights on hiring strategies, company culture, and why people should avoid overanalyzing and just get into it.
Ron also shares how he learned through loss how every day is a blessing, and how we can all turn profit into purpose.
Meet Stacey Gerber, partner at Sequoia Capital, where she leads operations and experiences. In the episode, we delve into the distinctive role of operations in venture capital, the significance of community, and the value of being prepared for both the big and little things.
Stacey shares insights on creating meaningful connections, the concept of a 'through line' for all experiences, and how in-person gatherings are the key to building genuine community.
She closes with powerful lessons on growing through tough times and offers valuable advice on giving and why it's the most powerful way to win.
Meet Job Bradford, Managing Partner of Dynamo Ventures, a leading supply chain-focused seed stage venture capital fund based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
In this conversation, we discuss his journey from accountant to “The Godfather of European Accelerators”, how access to information makes now a great time to be a founder, and why the best salespeople come from Utah.
We also discuss scaling teams, how Dynamo Ventures thinks about its tech stack, and what the rebirth of American manufacturing might look like in the age of AI.
Meet Chris Farmer, founder & CEO of SignalFire, a data-driven venture capital firm using its proprietary AI platform to support early-stage startups across sectors like AI/ML, SaaS, fintech, and healthcare.
In this conversation, we discuss his journey to VC, SignalFire’s rise to now managing approximately $3 billion in AUM, and how the firm leverages data and AI to track 80 million opportunities and provide full-lifecycle value to their founders.
We also discuss the importance of vision and differentiation for emerging managers, building ‘structural advantages’, and identifying the right LPs.
This episode is must-listen for both emerging and established VCs looking to stand out in a crowded ecosystem.
Meet Henry Ward, CEO & co-founder at Carta, a platform that connects founders, investors, and LPs, helping over 40,000 companies in 160+ countries manage cap tables, valuations, equity, compensation, and more.
In this conversation, we talk about how he ‘fell in love’ with being a founder, how he grew Carta from a simple cap table tool into a one-stop shop for private market companies and funds, and the scaling challenges and lessons he learned along the way.
We also explore his approach to hiring, the challenges of fundraising in 'non-hype' sectors, and how he stays accountable while keeping Carta customer-centric, while taking care of one's mental health along the way.
Meet Nolan Bean, chief investment officer at FEG Investment Advisors, an investment advisory firm managing and advising on more than $90 billion in assets on behalf of foundations, endowments, healthcare, systems, and other institutional investors.
In this conversation, we discuss his 20-year journey from associate to CIO at FEG, how baseball informs his investment process, and tactical advice for emerging managers seeking their first institutional LP.
We also discuss his philosophy on firm culture, the importance of ‘anti-fragile’ portfolio construction, building lasting professional relationships, and why the client isn’t always right.
