In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran sits down with Wais Jalali, founder and CEO of XNRGY, to discuss the explosive growth of data centers and the critical role of thermal management in the AI infrastructure boom. Wais shares his journey from thermal engineering to building XNRGY, a company tackling energy efficiency and reliability challenges for hyperscalers. They explore the shift from air to liquid cooling, the role of innovation in power reduction, and the importance of reliability in mission-critical environments. Wais breaks down how XNRGY's cutting-edge systems solve ambient temperature and water usage challenges while keeping pace with the demands of a rapidly evolving industry. The conversation closes with leadership insights and lessons from building a fast-scaling company in a high-stakes environment.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran is joined by Bipul Sinha, co-founder and CEO of Rubrik, and a founding investor in Nutanix and Hootsuite. They explore Bipul’s multi-faceted journey from engineer to venture capitalist to entrepreneur. The conversation examines the rise of Rubrik, the evolving threat landscape in an AI-driven world, and the frameworks that guide Bipul’s decision-making. He shares insights on building a resilient company culture, creating counter-consensus value, and why intuition—not knowledge—is the future of work. A must-listen for founders, operators, and anyone intrigued by the intersection of technology, security, and scale.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran speaks with Nima Ghamsari, founder and head of Blend Labs, Inc., a company transforming how financial institutions serve customers. Nima shares his path from nearly joining a quant desk to working at Palantir, where he learned to prioritize customer ROI, and then founding Blend to modernize mortgage technology. They discuss Blend’s unique outcome-based pricing model, product expansion beyond mortgages, and the company’s disciplined approach to growth and hiring. Nima also offers candid advice for entrepreneurs, explains why Blend avoids traditional C-suite titles, and explores how domain-specific AI can reshape the financial industry over the next decade.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran sits down with longtime friend and serial entrepreneur David Steinberg, founder and CEO of Zeta Global. David recounts his evolution from selling insurance post-college to building a multi-billion-dollar enterprise that powers marketing for Fortune 100 giants. The discussion covers his early ventures in wireless communications, the inception of Zeta Global, and the strategy behind its expansive data cloud and AI-powered marketing platform. David also reflects on the principles that shaped his leadership style and offers practical advice on entrepreneurship, risk, and business intelligence.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran chats with Will Wu, former VP of Product at Snap and Chief Technology Officer at Match Group. Will shares his journey from a childhood fascination with technology to shaping iconic consumer products like Snapchat and Tinder. He discusses the significance of meticulous design decisions, insights from scaling Snapchat’s innovative features, and his learnings from Match Group's business-oriented culture. Will also analyzes the evolving dating app landscape and highlights the transformative potential of AI in consumer products.
In this episode of the Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran sits down with Tad Smith, former CEO of Sotheby's and Madison Square Garden. Now a partner at 1RoundTable Partners and 10T Holdings, Tad walks through his career path, spanning consulting, media, and technology, and breaks down his latest work in crypto and deep tech. The conversation explores the underlying forces driving value in art, sports, and digital assets, as well as the impact of AI on knowledge work and the broader economy. Tad also shares reflections on monetary policy, inflation, and how he thinks about long-term stores of value in today’s financial system.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran sits down with Evan Spiegel, co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc for a conversation spanning Snapchat's early prototyping at Stanford to wearable technology and the future of computing. Evan reflects on pioneering well-known products, such as Stories and augmented reality (AR) Lenses, and explains his vision for Spectacles, Snap’s AR-powered glasses, to make computing more human. He also offers candid insights on finding inspiration, thinking long term, and staying true to a vision.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran reconnects with legendary tech entrepreneur Scott McNealy, co-founder and longtime CEO of Sun Microsystems. Scott recounts the early days of building Sun alongside Vinod Khosla, Andy Bechtolsheim, and Bill Joy, explaining how theypioneered key technologies like Java, TCP/IP adoption, and open-source platforms. He reflects on pivotal decisions, including near-misses with Apple, building a culture that developed over 200 future CEOs, and how his post-Sunlife has evolved. They also tackle open vs. closed source in today’s AI landscape and Scott’s no-holds-barred advice for founders and CEOs navigating today’s Silicon Valley.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran sits down with Dave Penski, CEO of Publicis Connected Media. The conversation tracks Dave's career from politics to leading one of the largest media groups in the world. Together, they explore the advertising industry’s most significant shifts —from the dominance of newspapers to today’s AI-driven strategies. Topics include the evolution of video advertising, future of streaming, the role of trust and brand safety in the digital era, and the implications of AI on media, creativity, and search. Dave also provides insight into industry consolidation and what the future holds for global agencies.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran sits down with Jeremy Liew, a leading investor in consumer venture capital and a nine-time Midas List investor. Jeremy recounts his early internet career and his pivotal investments in companies like Snap, Affirm, and Giphy. They explore the state of consumer tech, the rise of AI as a platform, and whether we're at the dawn of another transformative era. Jeremy also opens up about what he got right, what he missed, and the investment principles that guided his two-decade career. The conversation spans valuations, solo VCs, and the evolution of the venture capital industry itself.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran speaks with Jason Wilk, the founder and CEO of Dave, a fintech company redefining neobanking. Jason recounts his early entrepreneurial pursuits, from selling golf gear online to launching venture-backed startups. He shares the origin story behind Dave, the unique strategy of micro-lending without credit checks, and how he leveraged AI and data to build a profitable digital bank. Jason also reflects on going public, overcoming a dramatic stock collapse, and his plans to expand into new credit verticals. Tune in to hear how resilience and focus powered one of the most impressive comebacks in the fintech world.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran sits down with Andy Browne, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and former China Editor at The Wall Street Journal. Now a partner at Brunswick Group, Andy shares his deep-rooted history with China, from growing up in Hong Kong to decades of reporting across Asia. The conversation spans China’s transformation since the Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiaoping’s reforms, and Xi Jinping’s rise as a dominant geopolitical force. They probe the strategic complexities of U.S.-China relations, China's global economic influence, and the rising tensions surrounding Taiwan. A timely and comprehensive look at how China is reshaping the global order.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imransits down with Tom Lee, founder of Fundstrat and a veteran strategist with decades of experience across market cycles. Tom shares his top five learnings from 30+ years in finance, from understanding the collective intelligence of markets to avoiding overreliance on P/E ratios. He discusses how execution, asset turnover, and structural themes drive stock performance, and why emotional discipline matters in investing. The conversation then dives into Tom’s early conviction in Bitcoin, its rise as a digital store of value, andwhere it could go in the next decade. Tom also breaks down today’s macroeconomic environment and explains why he believes the market has largely priced in risk.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imranspeaks with Adam Singolda, founder and CEO of Taboola. From coding in Israel’s elite cyber unit to raising funds at a bat mitzvah, Adam recounts his unique path to building one of the largest adtech companies on the open web. He sharesthe highs and lows of Taboola’s early days, the pivotal moments that defined the company, and how he introduced a guaranteed revenue model that transformed publisher relationships. The conversation also explores Taboola’s publicjourney, recent product expansion into performance advertising, and Adam’s take on the future of the adtech industry.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imransits down with Michael Strain, professor at Georgetown University and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, for a deep conversation on U.S. trade policy. Together, they explore the implications of tariffs, how global manufacturing and employment trends have evolved, and why common narratives around outsourcing and trade deficits may miss the mark. Michael challenges widely held beliefs on American manufacturing decline, discusses the politicalversus economic weight of trade debates, and offers perspective on strategic reshoring of critical industries. The two also probe market reactions, including bond yields and currency movements, and the potential fallout of ongoing trade tensions.
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran sits down with Somesh Dash,General Partner at IVP, to reflect on two decades of venture capital experience. Somesh shares his early days in the industry, IVP's growth, and the traits of enduring founders. They explore venture trends, including IPO timing, the rise of SPVs, and the impact of AI. Imran and Somesh dive into lessons from Snap, Discord, and Rubrik, while examining the balance between investor influence, founder evolution, and long-term company building. An honest, thoughtful take on tech investing from two long-time friends and insiders.
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[00:00:00] Introduction and early friendship between Imran and Somesh.
[00:01:25] Somesh’s experience investing in Snap and working with Evan Spiegel.
[00:06:04] What makes a great founder: evolution, grit, and leadership.
[00:10:04] The importance of optimism and instinct in building companies like Discord.
[00:14:12] Somesh’s origin story: growing up in Silicon Valley and discovering venture capital.
[00:18:56] Why Somesh stayed at IVP for over 20 years and how the firm has evolved.
[00:23:04] How globalization and distributed workforces have changed venture.
[00:28:04] Why more companies are delaying IPOs and Somesh’s take on going public.
[00:36:15] Reflecting on Snap’s IPO journey and its long-term impact.
[00:39:14] The downside of too much capital and the rise of SPVs in venture.
[00:43:21] Scout programs in venture: benefits, risks, and IVP’s approach.
[00:49:28] The AI wave: Somesh’s view on where it's going and how IVP is participating.
Links:
Imran Khan on X: https://x.com/dottkhan
Imran Khan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dotkhan
Somesh Dash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/someshdash
IVP: https://www.ivp.com/
In this episode of The Khanversation with Imran Khan, Imran speaks with Andrew Dudum, founder and CEO of Hims & Hers Health. Andrew shares the journey from his early entrepreneurial days—dropping out of Wharton and co-founding Atomic—to launching one of the fastest-growing digital health companies. He explains how a regulatory shift opened the doors to virtual care, the tech stack powering scalable patient outcomes, and how Hims & Hers is redefining access and quality across healthcare. Andrew also digs into the company's bold vision, how AI will reshape the patient experience, and why he’s building for a 20-year horizon
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(00:00:00) Andrew's early background and journey to entrepreneurship
(00:01:34) Identifying the consumer healthcare gap and launching Hims & Hers
(00:03:08) Dropping out of Wharton and shifting from music to business
(00:06:03) Early career at Talkbox and lessons from its acquisition
(00:08:54) Learning the importance of focus and conviction
(00:10:42) Regulatory trigger that sparked the digital health opportunity
(00:13:05) Naming Hims & Hers and building a brand around inclusivity
(00:14:28) Raising early capital and articulating the long-term vision
(00:16:00) Using data and tech to improve patient outcomes
(00:20:20) Delivering personalized care through technology and scale
(00:22:06) What drives Hims & Hers' rapid growth
(00:25:09) Strategy for scaling from 2 to 10+ million members
[00:28:06] Deciding which care categories to launch next
(00:30:53) International expansion plans and timing
(00:33:14) Weight loss market strategy and debunking GLP-1 hype
(00:36:47) Comparing the platform to Netflix for healthcare
(00:38:06) Generic medications and structural problems in access
(00:39:49) Thoughts on competition and market dynamics
(00:42:36) How AI will transform diagnostics and provider tools
(00:45:33) Operating as a fully remote company and hiring strategy
(00:49:15) Talent scaling and performance management philosophy
(00:51:48) What’s misunderstood about Hims & Hers and Andrew’s long-term vision
Links:
Imran Khan on X: https://x.com/dottkhan
Imran Khan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dotkhan
Andrew Dudum on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewdudum
Hims & Hers: https://www.hims.com/
Imran’s illustrious career as a Wall Street heavy hitter, C-Suite tech operator, and hedge fund founder has been powered by a quest to learn. With the help of his guests, Imran will dive deep into areas outside his own expertise to have Khanversations that spark curiosity and inspire learning.
