Glue Guys

Greg Olsen joins the Glue Guys to dive deep into what it really means to compete — as a player, a coach, and a parent.

Ravi Gupta and Shane Battier sit down with tech visionary Bret Taylor, co-founder of Sierra AI and former CTO of Facebook, co-CEO of Salesforce, and chairman of OpenAI. Taylor shares his philosophy on career evolution, explaining why he refuses to let an "ossified version of his past self limit his future self." The conversation covers his journey from Google Maps co-creator to AI entrepreneur, insights on parenting in the AI era, the importance of communication and clear thinking, and his partnership with co-founder Clay Bavor.

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This week, former pro athlete and Head of Menlo School, Than Healy, joins The Glue Guys a heartfelt and insightful conversations on parenting, leadership, and resilience.

In this episode of Glue Guys, Alex Smith, Shane Battier, and Ravi Gupta dive deep into the concept of aging - both professionally and personally. They explore how different industries favor youth over experience, the power of compounding growth versus explosive success, and finding sustainable urgency in your career. Shane shares his "Imperial Period" concept using music analogies, Alex discusses the challenges of staying relevant in sports media, and Ravi breaks down why consistent 20% growth beats sporadic 80% spikes. The conversation covers everything from health anxiety to maintaining authenticity as you age, choosing whose opinions matter, and balancing professional opportunities with being present for family. A honest discussion about mortality, legacy, and the wisdom that comes with getting older.

Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith joins Ravi Gupta for an in-depth conversation about the massive differences between high school, college, and NFL football - and how those transitions mirror the challenges of building a business. Alex reveals how he went from running just 15 plays at Utah to learning 200+ plays as an NFL rookie, the brutal reality of playing against elite defenders like Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu, and why most NFL passes are thrown "blind." He shares insights on processing speed, preparation methods, and how great coaches like Urban Meyer and Norv Turner pushed him to evolve. The discussion draws fascinating parallels between quarterback development and founder journeys, exploring themes of mentorship, handling failure, and the importance of finding the right leadership environment to thrive.

Teams that gel. It’s every leader’s ambition. And legendary college football coach ⁠Urban Meyer⁠’s specialty. His approach earned him 17 championship titles, 3 perfect seasons, 5x coach of the year, and one of the most winning records in history (187-32). What does it take to go from a collection of players to a winning institution? Alex and Coach reflect on their time together at Utah. Coach Meyer opens up about the personal toll of his obsessive pursuit of excellence. The conversation gets into the heart, mind, and soul of one the greatest coaches of all time to unpack what it takes to stay on top of your game and win as one team. 

Meta CFO Susan Li joins Glue Guys to share her incredible journey from an immigrant to becoming one of the youngest Fortune 100 CFOs. Susan discusses joining Facebook in 2008 when it had only 400 employees and was smaller than MySpace, her unique childhood experiences, and the sacrifices her parents made coming to America. She reveals insights about Meta's culture of fast learning, succession planning, mentorship philosophy, and working alongside Mark Zuckerberg. Susan reflects on feeling different growing up, the power of books in connecting with others, and how great mentors gave her opportunities rather than just advice. A fascinating conversation about leadership, identity, gratitude, and building one of the world's largest companies.

Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal, hosts of the mega-hit podcast Acquired, join Glue Guys to share their incredible journey from side hobby to multi-million dollar business. They reveal how they've doubled their audience every year for 10 years through organic growth and discuss their intense research process. The duo opens up about David's leap from venture capital to full-time podcasting, their "game day" recording rituals, and how they've redefined podcast monetization by focusing on quality over quantity. From grading tech acquisitions to telling the stories of business legends, Ben and David explain how they've created a unique product through obsessive craftsmanship and authentic chemistry.

Alex Smith, Shane Battier, and Ravi Gupta dive deep into Scottie Scheffler's controversial "What's the point?" press conference before the British Open. The world's #1 golfer questioned his purpose despite dominating the sport, sparking debates about competition, family priorities, and what drives elite performers. The guys explore how Scheffler's vulnerability contrasts with the Michael Jordan mentality, discuss Tom Brady's response, and examine whether this mindset is actually Scheffler's competitive superpower.

Shane Battier and Ravi Gupta dive deep into the art of risk-taking. They explore when to "swing big" versus playing it safe, drawing from Shane's NBA career and Ravi's venture capital experience. The duo discusses earning the right to take risks, avoiding financial and opportunity ruin, and why standing pat can sometimes be the riskiest move of all. From basketball strategy to startup decisions, they break down how to evaluate upside potential, overcome loss aversion, and separate identity from outcomes. Plus, practical advice on lifestyle choices, the "nobody cares" principle, and why great stories never start with "I went home after dinner."