Welcome to this classic episode. Classics are my favorite episodes from the past 10 years published once a month. These are N of one conversations with N of one people. This is a rare opportunity to hear from one of the best investors of the past decade—Josh Kushner, founder and managing partner of venture firm, Thrive Capital.

Josh started Thrive in 2010 and launched its first institutional fund in 2011. That first institutional fund was $40 million and, in it, Thrive led Warby Parker’s Series A, invested in Instagram, and incubated a business, which Josh co-founded, called Oscar. Their portfolio is stage agnostic and their track record includes many of the best known businesses from the past decade, including Spotify, Unity, Stripe, and Twitch among many more. Please enjoy my great conversation with Josh Kushner.

Subscribe to Colossus Review.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by WorkOS. WorkOS is a developer platform that enables SaaS companies to quickly add enterprise features to their applications. With a single API, developers can implement essential enterprise capabilities that typically require months of engineering work. By handling the complex infrastructure of enterprise features, WorkOS allows developers to focus on their core product while meeting the security and compliance requirements of Fortune 500 companies. Visit WorkOS.com to Transform your application into an enterprise-ready solution in minutes, not months.

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This episode is brought to you by Passthrough. Passthrough streamlines subscription documents, KYC, and AML compliance, so you can focus on running your fund, not managing paperwork. New SEC Update 31 CFR hits investment firms in under a year, and managers are getting ready for it now. If you think basic OFAC screening is enough, think again.

You'll need continuous monitoring of your investors and all their beneficial owners across multiple watchlists, plus a comprehensive anti money laundering program. Passthrough has already processed 50,000 LPs and built the complete solution. Don't risk SEC deficiency letters, fines, or regulatory enforcement. Visit passthrough.com to get compliant now.

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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus

Show Notes

(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best

(00:05:14) Why do this podcast

(00:08:14) The development of taste and quality 

(00:12:20) CS Lewis tweet; The Inner Ring

(00:18:14) Overview the founding story of Oscar Health

(00:25:18) Learning to identify good problems and creating a business to solve it

(00:27:43) The birth story of Thrive Capital

(00:32:14) Lessons learned from creating the first three Thrive funds

(00:39:44) Talent, recruiting and seeing potential in younger generations of people

(00:47:40) Investments he made during the early foundation of Thrive that had significant impact

(00:51:12) His analogy for investing in early versus late stage and styles of real estate investing

(00:56:22) The current macro environment

(01:00:57) Why he sold small stakes of Thrive

(01:05:10) His philosophy on what makes a good product

(01:10:10) His absence from crypto and why he refrained during the boom in 2021

(01:12:33) Thoughts about the opportunity set in FinTech today writ large

(01:15:39) Lessons learned from his time spent with Marc Andreessen

(01:17:43) Lessons learned from Stan Druckenmiller, Henry Kravis, and David Geffen

(01:22:09) Firm values he thinks are very important

(01:31:15) Vision as a key ingredient for founders

(01:34:19) His view of the investment industry in the world today writ large 

(01:44:48) The kindest thing anyone has ever done for him

My guest today is Gili Raanan. Gili is the founder of Cyberstarts, a VC firm focused on cybersecurity and the world’s first VC that is majorly backed by cyber entrepreneurs. Cyberstarts’ $50 million dollar first fund exploded to close to $2 billion in just three years. Gili describes cybersecurity today as "the perfect storm" where global conflicts and AI advancements are creating unprecedented threats. He talks about Cyberstarts' "Sunrise" methodology, which uniquely identifies customer pain points before building solutions. We discuss a focus on finding resilient talent, overcoming personal adversity, the evolution of the cybersecurity landscape, and Google's recent acquisition of Wiz, as Cyberstarts was one of Wiz's earliest investors. Please enjoy my discussion with Gili Raanan.

Subscribe to Colossus Review.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.

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This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.

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This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best

(00:06:52) AI's Impact on Cybersecurity

(00:07:51) Offensive and Defensive Tactics

(00:09:32) The Future of Cybersecurity

(00:15:42) The First Fund: A Legendary Success

(00:17:36) Building a Successful Cybersecurity Company

(00:28:24) The Sunrise Methodology

(00:31:58) Reversing the Startup Process

(00:32:53) The Sunrise Methodology

(00:33:17) Identifying Market Pain Points

(00:34:57) The Importance of Customer Actions

(00:36:58) From Conversations to Software Development

(00:38:57) The Role of Simulations in Startup Success

(00:40:12) Fundraising and Valuation Strategies

(00:42:08) Pricing and Market Dynamics

(00:46:16) The Value of Superpowers in Founders

(00:50:10) Google’s Acquisition of Wiz

(01:07:24) Personal Resilience and Tragedy

(01:10:30) Future of Cybersecurity and AI

(01:12:25) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Done For Gili

My guest today is Alex Wiltschko. Alex is the founder and CEO of Osmo, a science and technology company giving computers a sense of smell. He set out on a mission to digitize our sense of smell and he describes how Osmo is teaching computers to both read and write scent. Alex was kind enough to walk me through the laboratory which you can watch in the video version of this interview on Youtube and Spotify, where he demonstrates their method to the madness. We discuss their first commercial application, Generation, which is revolutionizing the fragrance industry by dramatically accelerating the typically years-long process of custom scent creation. We discuss all of the potential business implications this technology unlocks, applications ranging from counterfeit detection to health monitoring, and creating a cutting-edge proprietary platform in a historically routine industry. Please enjoy my conversation with Alex Wiltschko.

Subscribe to Colossus Review.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.

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This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.

–

This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

-----

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best

(00:04:25) Introduction to Plum 1.0

(00:06:20) Synthetic Chemistry & OI

(00:07:09) Perfumer's Organ & Fragrance Creation

(00:08:03) Launching Generation Fragrance House

(00:09:15) The Fragrance Design Process

(00:12:04) AI and Olfactory Intelligence

(00:14:59) The GCMS Machine

(00:22:08) The Scent Printer

(00:26:47) The Journey of a Fragrance Enthusiast

(00:30:47) The Unsolved Problem of Scent

(00:32:45) Applying AI to the World of Scent

(00:33:17) Validating AI Predictions with Double-Blind Trials

(00:39:42) The Emotional Power of Scent

(00:49:01) Challenges & Future Prospects

(00:59:08) The Defining Moment: Digitizing Smell

(01:00:41) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For Alex

My guest today is Kelly Granat. Kelly is the Co-Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director at Lone Pine Capital, one of the most storied and successful hedge fund and investment firms of the last several decades. We explore how investing has evolved since Kelly joined the industry and she shares insights into Lone Pine maintaining its edge through deep fundamental research and a collaborative culture. We discuss what makes great businesses and great investments, how leadership can transform companies, and Kelly’s perspective on evaluating management teams and identifying opportunities around corporate change that the market often misprices. Please enjoy my conversation with Kelly Granat.

Subscribe to Colossus Review.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.

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This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.

–

This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

-----

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Learn About Ramp, Alphasense, & Ridgeline

(00:06:09) Market Structure Evolution

(00:08:39)The Impact of Passive Investing

(00:10:21) Collaboration & Team Dynamics

(00:13:48) Excitement in Periods of Extreme Change

(00:14:21) The Role of Competition & Curiosity

(00:22:00) Fundamental Research & Data Integration

(00:27:34) Investment Philosophy

(00:35:31) People-Centric Investing

(00:42:24) Succession Planning

(00:49:32) Facing the Pressure of Early Success

(00:50:31) Burnout & Rediscovery

(00:57:08) Learning from Industry Leaders

(00:58:04) Evaluating Talent and Competition

(01:11:29) Lessons in Investment

(01:27:27) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For Kelly 

Devon Zuegel: How To Create A New Town - [Invest Like the Best, EP.413]

My guest today is Devon Zuegel. Devon is the founder and president of the Esmerelda Institute, and she is creating a new town called Esmerelda in California wine country. Learning of Devon and her plan, I couldn’t help but wonder why there aren’t more people building new towns. She shares the origin story of her project Esmeralda, a modern reinvention of the Chautauqua community she cherished growing up, and we explore her fascinating work building communities and reimaging how we live together. We discuss how environments fundamentally shape human behavior, how cost of space impacts creativity, the financial challenges of town-building despite their potential for strong returns, and the plans in place for Esmerelda. Please enjoy this fascinating conversation with Devon Zuegel. 

Subscribe to Colossus Review.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.

–

This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

–

This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.

-----

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Learn About Ramp, Ridgeline, & Alphasense

(00:06:00) The Origin of Devon's Obsession with Places

(00:08:07) Proximity and Cost of Space

(00:10:02) The Chautauqua Inspiration

(00:11:31) Building a New Town: Esmeralda

(00:13:23) Urban Design and Street Importance

(00:15:44) Community Values and Peer-to-Peer Learning

(00:18:15) Edge Esmeralda: A Prototype Community

(00:21:38) Challenges and Trust Building in Development

(00:26:45) The Role of Cars in Urban Planning

(00:31:10) Mortgages and Taxes: Shaping Communities

(00:42:11) Devon's Journey: From Stanford Review to Esmeralda

(00:43:41) Tools for Thought and Feedback Loops

(00:46:33) Urban Design and Pop-Up Villages

(00:50:06) Exploring Las Catalinas and Car-Free Living

(00:52:31) Placemaking and Organic City Development

(00:56:25) Frontier Camp and Creating Collaborative Spaces

(01:02:39) Building New Towns: Financial and Infrastructure Challenges

(01:12:05) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Done For Devon

Welcome to this classic episode. Classics are my favorite episodes from the past 10 years published once a month. These are N of one conversations with N of one people. There's nobody I've met quite like Doug Leone.

Doug led one of the world’s most successful venture firms, Sequoia, for over 25 years after he was given responsibility for the firm by its founder, Don Valentine, in 1996. Alongside Mike Moritz, the pair managed its expansion from a single $150m early-stage fund into an $85 billion global powerhouse. It was a privilege to sit down with Doug and learn from him.

We talk about his tough start at Sequoia, get into the technicalities of great go-to-market motions, and survey his advice for other investors in the industry. A key theme that will stick with me from this conversation is Doug’s insistence on keeping things simple and clear.

I listen to this at least once a year. I hope you enjoy it.

Subscribe to Colossus Review.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Passthrough. Passthrough streamlines subscription documents, KYC, and AML compliance, so you can focus on running your fund, not managing paperwork. New SEC Update 31 CFR hits investment firms in under a year, and managers are getting ready for it now. If you think basic OFAC screening is enough, think again.

You'll need continuous monitoring of your investors and all their beneficial owners across multiple watchlists, plus a comprehensive anti money laundering program. Passthrough has already processed 50,000 LPs and built the complete solution. Don't risk SEC deficiency letters, fines, or regulatory enforcement. Visit passthrough.com to get compliant now.

-----

Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more.

Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.

Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus

Show Notes

[00:00:00] Welcome to Invest Like the Best

[00:05:21] What Don Valentine’s heart was like

[00:08:30] The most productive and unproductive parts of Don’s toughness 

[00:12:55] Why it’s so important to understand someone’s core motivations

[00:18:44] The most formative experiences he had prior to becoming an investor that impacted his investing the most 

[00:22:37] What venture looks like to him today relative to his prior career

[00:28:37] Whether or not he’d go into venture today if he was in his late 20s 

[00:34:10] Helping companies circumnavigate mediocre positioning 

[00:39:15] How interacting with companies early on has changed over the ears

[00:43:12] Whether or not new entrants into venture should build firms with enterprise value 

[00:48:14] Sussing out the killer gene in somebody 

[00:51:04] How successful people can instill the lessons learned from hardship into their children 

[00:54:30] Whether or not competitive advantage can be architected ahead of time when building a company  

[00:57:21] The early 2000s clawback at Sequoia and what navigating that period was like 

[01:01:06] What he’s learned about picking the right LPs and partnering with them

[01:04:18] Making sure that performance is on everyone’s minds all the time 

[01:09:59] The kindest thing anyone has ever done for him

My guest today is Chris Pedregal. Chris is the founder and CEO of Granola, an AI-powered notepad that transcribes your meetings and enhances your meeting notes. Chris shares fascinating insights on how humans have historically developed tools to extend our cognitive capabilities - from writing and mathematical notation to data visualization - and how AI represents the next frontier in this evolution. We explore competitive dynamics between model providers and application builders, and Chris shares his vision for AI tools that make us "more human and better humans" rather than replacing human altogether. Our conversation covers the product philosophy behind Granola, the challenges of building in the fast-moving AI space, and how small teams are creating outsized impact in this new paradigm. Please enjoy my conversation with Chris Pedregal.

Subscribe to Colossus Review.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.

–

This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

–

This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.

-----

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Learn About Ramp, Ridgeline, & AlphaSense

(00:05:41) Historical Examples of Tools for Thought

(00:06:55) The Impact of AI on Tools for Thought

(00:09:08) Introducing Granola: AI-Powered Notetaking

(00:10:10) Granola's Unique Approach to AI Notetaking

(00:13:33) User Experiences and Future Vision

(00:15:40) Privacy and Social Norms in AI Recording

(00:20:47) Building Granola: Challenges and Innovations

(00:34:55) AI Startups and Granola's Early Adoption

(00:35:40) Unexpected Feedback from High-Profile CEOs

(00:39:53) Building Better and Faster in a Competitive Space

(00:42:09) The Future of AI-Powered Workspaces

(00:54:00) Challenges and Opportunities in AI and Education

(00:56:03) The Evolution of App Development

(00:58:01) The Potential of Small Teams in Big Businesses

My guest today is Ravi Gupta. Ravi is a Partner at Sequoia Capital and a host on Glue Guys, a podcast on the Colossus network that intersects business and sports. I wanted to have him back on Invest Like the Best to discuss his recent most recent blog post titled “AI or Die.” As both an investor and former Instacart operator and CFO, Ravi believes we're entering an era where the constraints that historically limited small teams are dissolving, creating unprecedented opportunities for those willing to embrace change aggressively. We discuss why traditional metrics of corporate success like headcount and process adherence may become liabilities, what it means to be a world-class reactor vs predictor, and how "magic per employee" and organizational agility will emerge as crucial measures of value creation. Please enjoy my conversation with Ravi Gupta.

Subscribe to Colossus Review.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.

–

This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

–

This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.

-----

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).



Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Learn About Ramp, Ridgeline, & Alphasense

(00:06:00) Introduction to 'AI or Die' Essay

(00:06:29) Initial Reactions to AI Advancements

(00:08:24) The Concept of 'AI or Die'

(00:10:40) Adapting to Rapid Technological Change

(00:12:02) Using AI for Real Work

(00:13:58) Evaluating Company Agility and AI Integration

(00:18:58) The Cost of Employees in the AI Era

(00:25:36) AI's Impact on Business Strategy

(00:36:55) Changing Perspectives on AI Models

(00:37:50) The Importance of Context in AI

(00:39:09) Optimism in the Age of AI

(00:40:22) Predictors vs. Reactors

(00:42:54) AI Tools in Business Operations

(00:46:07) The Future of Small Teams and Efficiency

(00:49:01) Investing in the AI Era

(00:55:11) The Role of Board Members in AI Adoption

(00:57:22) Embracing Change with Humility

(00:59:17) The Ghost of Competition

(01:05:04) Seizing the AI Opportunity

My guest today is Marc Andreessen. Marc is a co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz and one of Silicon Valley's most influential figures. He combines deep technical knowledge from his engineering background with broad historical understanding and strategic thinking about societal patterns. He last joined me on Invest Like the Best in 2021, and the playing field looks a lot different today. Marc goes deep on the seismic shifts reshaping technology and geopolitics. We discuss DeepSeek's open-source AI and what it means for the technological rivalry between America and China, his perspective on the evolution of power structures, and the transformation of the venture capital industry as a whole. Please enjoy my conversation with Marc Andreessen.

Subscribe to Colossus Review.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.

–

This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

–

This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.

-----

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Learn about Ramp, Ridgeline, & Alphasense

(00:06:00) Introduction to DeepSeek's R1

(00:07:24) DeepSeek's Global Impact

(00:09:25) AI's Ubiquity and Future

(00:10:36) Winners and Losers in the AI Race

(00:14:22) The New AI Cold War

(00:16:34) China's Technological Ambitions

(00:21:31) Open Source and Intellectual Property

(00:27:48) The Role of Open Source in AI Development

(00:30:02) National Interests vs. Global Competition

(00:37:25) The Future of Capital Allocation

(00:45:41) Challenges of Sustaining Private Partnerships

(00:46:34) Building a Franchise Business

(00:48:27) The Role of Political Operations

(00:50:51) The Dynamics of Power and Elites

(01:01:44) Technological Change and Its Implications

(01:13:37) The Future of Robotics and Supply Chains

(01:21:09) American Dynamism and Defense Technology

My guest today is Graham Duncan. This conversation will make you think about your life in new ways. This is a two-hour segment of a 4.5-hour interview I did with Graham last year. It stands alone as remarkable, but those who subscribe to Colossus Review will gain access to the full conversation. This will be true in future issues, too.

In 2006, in his early 30s, Graham convinced Stuart Miller, CEO of home construction company Lennar, to let him manage $50 million of his family's wealth. A year later, Miller gave him the rest of his capital outside of Lennar. That investment turned into East Rock, where Graham built an incredible investing track record managing billions for a select group of families by focusing on people.

Our conversation explores a wide range of topics—from what makes a great investment partnership to the power of positive feedback loops to starting a restaurant.

I’m thankful to Graham for showing me the way so many times and for being willing to be so incredibly open in this conversation. Please enjoy this discussion with Graham Duncan. 

Subscribe to Colossus Review.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.

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This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.

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This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.

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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Learn about Ramp, Ridgeline, & Alphasense

(00:05:12) Intro to Graham

(00:05:54) Launching Colossus Review

(00:08:05) The Principal-Agent Dynamic

(00:10:47) Navigating Financial Crises

(00:13:22) The Right Grip in Investing

(00:17:32) Seeding and Investment Strategies

(00:21:37) Defining 'Commercial' and Its Implications

(00:26:31) The Role of Laziness and Prolific Output

(00:28:20) Finding the Right People and Positive Feedback Loops

(00:37:21) Navigating Career Transitions and Motivations

(00:43:05) Understanding Source Dynamics

(00:50:07) Key Criteria for a Great CIO

(00:59:43) Structuring Relationships with CIOs

(01:03:40) Managing Ambiguity and Protecting Mental Clarity

(01:15:09) The Importance of Source in Business

(01:17:49) Designing Physical Spaces for Success

(01:22:46) Launching a Restaurant: A Casting Exercise

(01:30:17) Taking Over and Transforming Existing Ventures

(01:33:08) Macro Investing and Adaptability

(01:36:06) Hierarchy of Investment Mastery

(01:44:10) The Art of Referencing

(01:52:08) Formative Experiences and Personal Growth

(02:00:12) Building a Business and Taking Risks

(02:07:46) The Origin of East Rock