Great Chat

Welcome back to year two of Great Chat. This week, the pod covers Chinese peptides, Brexit (the fintech exit, not the UK's withdrawal from the EU), Clawdbot/Moltbot/Moltbook, and contemplates whether there is a vibe shift in just one month into the new year. Does building in public work anymore? Did it ever? What takes its place? Has tech's reaction to the Epstein files proved that there is, in fact, a line for bad behavior? There were times we weren't so sure in 2025.

Mercury is back as the headline sponsor for year two of Great Chat. Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

As we wrap up 2025, we look at the stories tech told itself—and why they worked. From the bundling of everything, knowing when to make a change yourself in a rapidly changing labor market, and a lesson that you can survive any scandal as long as you keep winning. Plus, we weigh in on the SaaS debate ("Storytelling" as a Service), those Vanity Fair photos, and whether being hot is AI-proof.

Mercury is back as the headline sponsor for season three! Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

Aubrie Pagano, GP at Alpaca VC, joins the chat! We talk about why no one is talking about what happens after AGI, and then dive into Aubrie’s mind-bending effort to tackle the subject with The Aquarius Economy: part white paper, part science fiction, part investing thesis. We also compare our Granola Crunched results (we *are* amazing at zooms, ty), contemplate why no one seems excited about Netflix’s bid to buy Warner Bros, and discuss some shocking new stats from the NYT about the sex lives of young people.

Mercury is back as the headline sponsor for season three! Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

Inspired by Sam Altman’s “code red” for ChatGPT in the wake of the Gemini 3 launch and the rumored beef between the Kalshi and Polymarket founders, we talk about legendary tech rivalries. Uber versus Lyft, Rippling versus Deel, Jobs versus Gates, and much much more. What are the different flavors, and do they make you better, or is the drama a distraction? Also: the tech industry’s response to the New York Times piece on David Sacks.

Our obligatory Thanksgiving episode, with a twist. We're sharing what we're grateful for now - even if it felt devastating at the time. The setbacks, the lucky breaks, the uncomfortable truths. Plus Nano Banana, Ryan Lizza Substack part 3, Rippling v Deel part 17, and more. Happy Thanksgiving - we're grateful for our listeners!

This week, we get real about the benefits and tradeoffs of making the transition from a traditional full-time role in tech to taking a portfolio approach to your career. And it’s not just about income—you’ll have to rethink identity, purpose, time management, and more. Should you do it, and when? On a lighter note: we thank Bill Ackman for single handedly reviving the institutions of dating and marriage with four little words: “May I meet you?”

Mercury is back as the headline sponsor for season three! Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

This week, we dare to ask the question: Are there limits to founder mode when it comes to your online persona? And when does building in public hurt more than it helps? We also unpack the latest tech Twitter drama—the monagamish guy, Marc Andreessen versus the pope—for anyone who isn’t terminally online (lucky you). Lastly: Happy 70th birthday, Kris Jenner!

Mercury is back as the headline sponsor for season three! Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

This week on Great Chat, we celebrate Election Day by talking about… talking about politics in the workplace. Yoni Rechtman, Partner at Slow Ventures and friend of the pod, joins us to discuss politics, humanoids, AI wearables, Sam Altman, and how’s he’s successfully unlocked opportunities in venture (hint: get good at having hard conversations).

Mercury is back as the headline sponsor for season three! Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

This week on Great Chat, every media company wants to be a tech company, and every tech company wants to be a media company. We unpack what has been happening in the world of media: Big M&A, streaming wars, the Ellisons are the new Murdochs, and where short dramas stand now. We also learn that Ashley has finally watched KPop Demon Hunters, we share our deepest secret (our Netflix algorithm), and riff on travel etiquette with the upcoming holiday season. Happy Halloween!

This week on Great Chat, we ask the question everyone’s whispering ... what happens if we’re in an AI bubble? We unpack the signals, the hype, and what founders and investors should be thinking about. Plus, a quick detour into the wild jewelry heist at the Louvre, the new ranking shakeup at Benchmark, and why AWS might just be the real backbone of the internet today.

Mercury is back as the headline sponsor for season three! Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.

This podcast is edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LightningPod.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.