Full Stack

What happens when three Stanford GSB students spend the summer at the frontier of AI, moonshots, and startups, and one of them decides not to come back?

In Episode 5 of Full Stack, David, Garrett, and Ryan debrief their summers and the career decisions that came out of them.

David explains why he decided to drop out of Stanford GSB after his first year to join Google DeepMind as a research PM working on world models and interactive media.

He talks through the actual calculus behind leaving business school, why the decision was much harder emotionally than professionally, and why he still believes an MBA can be enormously valuable.

The conversation also goes deep on world models, physical AI, robotics, and the idea of using simulated worlds as scalable training grounds for intelligent machines.

Garrett shares what he learned working at X, Alphabet’s Moonshot Factory, including how X thinks about 10x and 100x ideas, spinning moonshots into independent companies, and why choosing the right manager and mentors can matter more than choosing the “perfect” job.

He also reflects on building a personal board of directors and the role relationships play in shaping a career.

Ryan reflects on moving from investing into an operating role as a forward deployed engineer at Paragrin, what he learned from owning customer relationships in public safety, and why FDEs are becoming increasingly important as AI companies try to bridge the gap between powerful technology and real-world deployment.

The three discuss ownership, customer empathy, the difference between investing and operating, and why the human layer may become even more valuable as more work gets automated.

They close by reflecting on what business school is actually for: self-awareness, relationships, mentorship, experimentation, and figuring out what kind of career, and person, you want to build.

Full Stack is a podcast about technology, startups, investing, AI, and the people building what comes next.

In this episode of the Full Stack Podcast, the team goes virtual to interview the legendary Collin Wallace. Currently a General Partner at Lobby Capital and a lecturer at Stanford GSB, Collin walks us through his incredible career trajectory, from being in the very first Techstars class to selling his company to GrubHub and entering the world of Venture Capital.Collin shares deeply personal stories about the emotional roller coaster of entrepreneurship, including the time he had to sell his car to make payroll just weeks before life-changing acquisition.We dive deep into:The concept of "Perishable Knowledge" and how to find advantages that keep you from being replaced by AI.The raw story of the GrubHub acquisition and overcoming a devastating deal collapse.The true value proposition of accelerators like Techstars and Y Combinator.Why the best founders lead with curiosity rather than conviction.Advice for MBA students on avoiding premature career optimization.Whether you are a student, an aspiring founder, or an investor, Collin’s fountain of wisdom offers actionable insights on resilience, decision-making, and maintaining a growth mindset.If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it with a friend!#Startups #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #Techstars #YCombinator #GrubHub #FounderAdvice #StanfordGSB

In Episode 3 of The Full Stack, Ryan Chandra, David Pantera, and Garrett Clinton are joined by classmate Coco Wang, the visionary behind Version Up. Coco shares her unconventional transition from high-stakes tech investing at TPG and investment banking at Moelis to teaching herself to sew and launching a machine-washable workwear brand.In this episode, we dive into:

• The "Asking" Framework: How Coco landed Miss USA as a brand ambassador through persistence.

• Bootstrapping in China: Navigating international supply chains and cold-calling 50+ factories.

• The Solo Founder Reality: Managing the mental toll of entrepreneurship and building a support system.

• Fashion Meets AI: Coco’s outlook on how AI fashion labs are revolutionizing digital assets and content creation for small brands.

• The Stanford Strategy: Leveraging the GSB as a "risk-hedging" tool and a direct-to-consumer testing ground.Whether you are building in software or physical goods, Coco’s insights on discipline, agency, and target marketing are essential for any aspiring founder.

Welcome to the Full Stack Podcast with your hosts David, Garrett, and Ryan.

On this episode, we sit down with James, an investor at Makena Capital, to pull back the curtain on the venture capital ecosystem.

James shares his journey from investment banking and private equity to becoming a capital allocator, explaining exactly how capital flows to venture funds.

We dive deep into the current saturated venture market, the rising importance of secondary markets for liquidity, and why investing in existential global issues like healthcare and power generation is crucial for the future.

Plus, James gives his honest advice for students trying to break into VC today and answers our rapid fire questions about his favorite books, music, and his take on the Harvard vs Stanford debate.

Subscribe to the Full Stack channel for more conversations on technology, venture capital, and AI!

In the inaugural episode of Full Stack, Stanford GSB classmates Ryan Chandra, Garrett Clinton, and David Pantera introduce a new forum for campus-led innovation. The team discusses the "two-year time warp" of the MBA experience and the unique opportunity to analyze emerging technologies from the Stanford vantage point.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Mission: Why student-led perspectives are vital for understanding the future of tech.

• Industry Deep Dives: Initial thoughts on the AI infrastructure stack, trust in technology, and the "retreat from financial mediocrity".

• Looking Ahead: Our goals for archiving the most important tech transformations of our time.

Subscribe to follow our journey through the Stanford ecosystem and beyond.