RRE POV

In this episode of RRE POV, Raju and Will sit down with Nick Leonard, co-founder and CEO of VoiceRun — the world’s fastest, most extensible voice agent platform. The guys unpack Nick’s career pivots and hard-earned startup lessons, and go deep on the business behind the technology.  They discuss why voice AI has historically fallen short, why enterprises, not startups, are driving real adoption, and how a code-first, serverless, LLM-native architecture enables speed, extensibility, observability, and trust. Nick shares what it truly takes to deploy production-grade voice agents across banks, insurers, and restaurant platforms, and why owning the code has never mattered more.

Show Notes:
(00:00) The Big Decision: College or Career?

(00:47) Introducing the Guest: Nick Leonard

(03:17) Nick's Journey from Muncie to MIT

(14:44) Early Career and Entrepreneurial Lessons

(28:56) The Evolution of People Leadership

(31:02) The Rise of Voice AI

(32:58) Building Voice Run: Challenges and Insights

(36:17) Future of Voice AI and Final Thoughts

This week on RRE POV, Raju and Will sit down with multi-hyphenate creator and founder Máuhan Zonoozy. The guys dig into how he’s woven together a career across finance, law, media, and tech to build a new kind of music software label through his latest venture, A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya. After evolving from a Tumblr-era music kid to an investment banker to his most recent role as Head of Innovation at Spotify, Máuhan is now betting on a simple idea: music should be a verb. 

This episode unpacks learnings about pairing creativity with structure, designing from first principles instead of copying what came before, and why the only real reason to start a company is when you simply can’t imagine doing anything else. At A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya, Mauhan is quietly building a world for the next generation of music makers—one centered on creating rather than just pressing play, whether you’re a producer, a DJ, or just the friend who always owns the aux.

Highlights:
(00:00) Introduction

(05:25) Máuhan's Tumblr-Era Music Blogger Origins

(08:01) What Máuhan Kept From Finance and Law

(11:33) Always Knew He'd Return to Music

(14:21) Moving to LA for Music Journalism

(18:26) Founding Bubbl

(25:09) Being Early vs. Being Wrong

(26:01) Lessons From BCG Corporate Innovation

(28:54) The Innovator's Dilemma at Scale

(31:25) Inside Spotify's Innovation Team

(35:21) Why Leave Spotify?

(37:36) Máuhan's Weekend AI Startup

(41:00) Selling a Company in LinkedIn Comments

(42:53) The Lowered Barriers to Software Creation

(45:28) Introducing A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya

(47:22) Music as a Verb, Not a Noun

(50:00) The Bop Product Launch

(59:47) Gatling gun segment

In this episode, Will and Raju pull back the curtain on what it really takes to invest in AI right now — amid trillion-dollar forecasts and valuations, and a pace of change that’s rewriting company building in real time. From “vibe coding” to AI agents that find the hottest DJ sets, they explore how the tech is reshaping daily life, work life, product roadmaps, and the venture math behind it.  Drawing from decades of pattern recognition across the PC, internet, and mobile eras, they share how to separate hype from lasting value — unpacking RRE’s framework for backing durable AI businesses. Whether you’re building the future, backing the future, or just trying to understand it, this is the episode you don’t want to miss.

Show Notes:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:41) The Staggering Numbers in AI Investment
(04:41) Should Entrepreneurs Start an AI Company?
(07:03) How Raju Uses AI
(09:16) Why AI Won't Kill the Music Industry
(12:18) Will's AI Use as 
(18:50) AI Valuations Are Bonkers
(20:54) Comparing Four Tech Inflection Points
(24:02) Three Unsolved Problems in AI Business Models
(27:47) Raju's Four Characteristics for AI Investments
(31:45) Why Nanit Is the Perfect AI Investment Example
(34:41) The Fraudulent Satellite Imagery Problem
(36:10) Data Authenticity as Investment Opportunity
(38:30) Final Advice

What happens when your company wasn't born with AI, but now has to compete with those that were? In this episode of RRE POV, Raju Rishi and Will Porteous tackle what established companies should do when AI-powered competitors start knocking at the door. They break down how to protect your business while using AI to get better at everything you do. You’ll hear real company stories and experiences, plus practical advice on which AI tools to adopt right now.

Show Highlights:
(00:00) Introduction 

(00:45) How do Old Companies Survive AI?

(02:00) Competing with Companies Built with AI from day one

(04:06) Smart Baby Monitor Beats AI-Native Competition

(07:00) Five Ways to Protect Your Business from AI 

(12:28) Using AI to Improve Sales and Marketing

(15:06) Two Examples of AI-native Tools Driving Efficiency

(18:02) How Some Founders Are Training Agents to Code like Them.

(23:01) VoiceRun’s AI Support Breakthrough

(26:32) Why Finance is the Next Frontier of AI transformation

(31:00) How AI Is Changing Fundraising Expectations

(34:36) Why SaaS Might Be Dead

(40:12) Advice for Company Leaders Navigating AI

(40:51) Gatling Gun: Will AI Replace Us?

(44:11) How to Contact Us

This episode of RRE POV turns history into a high-stakes trivia match as Raju quizzes
Will on the 20 greatest inventions of all time. From the wheel and the compass to electricity and the computer, Will puts his historical memory to the test — nailing dates, inventors, and surprising details along the way. Together, they trace humanity’s most game-changing breakthroughs, exploring how each invention reshaped the world and paved the way for today’s technological revolutions.

Show Highlights:
(0:00) Introduction
(5:29) Writing Systems & Languages: Sumerians, Egyptians, Chinese
(7:41) The Compass: Chinese invention, global navigation
(10:53) Gunpowder: Chinese alchemists, global impact
(12:13) Printing Press: Gutenberg, mass communication
(16:06) Vaccination: Edward Jenner, public health
(18:55) Sanitation Systems: Modern sewage, clean water, public health
(25:03) Light Bulb: Edison, Swan, Davy
(25:30)Automobile: Benz, mass mobility
(26:31) Airplane: Wright Brothers, first flight
(27:16) Antibiotics: Penicillin, Alexander Fleming
(28:07) Computer: Turing, Zuse, ENIAC
(33:19) Vulcanization, PlayStation, Chick-fil-A, and other fun mentions
(36:00) Wrap-up & reflections on the impact of these inventions

The hardest startup decisions are the ones you can’t undo. In this episode of RRE POV, partners Raju Rishi and Will Porteous share the critical early choices that can make or break a company, from branding and pricing to hiring, titles, and product design.
Drawing on real boardroom experiences and founder stories, they share where startups often trip up, how to avoid costly missteps, and practical frameworks for making decisions today that won’t limit your options tomorrow.

You’ve closed your funding round. The wire’s hit. Your team is pumped. Now what?  In the latest episode of RRE POV, General Partners Raju Rishi and Will Porteous dive into the crucial early days AFTER a deal is done — when expectations are fresh, possibilities seem endless, and the real work of building a high-functioning relationship between founders and investors begins.

If you're a first-time founder or just kicked off a fresh relationship with a new VC, this episode is your playbook for getting it right from day one.

Show Highlights: 
00:00 Introduction and Opening Remarks

00:58 Post-Funding Expectations

02:14 First Conversations with Entrepreneurs

04:10 Onboarding and Initial Steps

07:22 Board Meetings and Communication

12:36 Establishing Board Culture

18:52 Reality Check and Adjustments

22:19 Maximizing Board Member Contributions

23:01 Engaging with Directors Beyond Meetings

24:21 Leveraging Board Members' Superpowers

26:21 Effective Communication Strategies

30:16 Handling Bad News and Financial Literacy

33:25 Worst Board Meetings and First Dates

40:14 Fun and Final Thoughts

In this episode of RRE POV, Raju and Will sit down with Samir Dutta and Noah Faro, co-founders of Farsight, an AI platform reshaping how financial institutions operate. Raju first connected with the Farsight team through a fun coincidence they all happened to be part of the same MIT fraternity, Phi Beta Epsilon. Though they were there years apart, that shared bond made teaming up on this company a natural fit. The guys dive into how Farsight helps analysts move faster by generating slide decks and models in minutes, not weeks, and how it’s already driving real revenue for clients. With proactive AI agents on the horizon, Farsight is quickly becoming a must-have tool for modern financial workflows.

In a world reliant on Zoom, Raju and Will make the case for getting on the plane. From the boardroom to baggage claim, they break down why in-person connection still drives better outcomes—especially in venture capital and high-stakes decision-making.

These two seasoned road warriors share sharp insights on building trust, reading a room, and setting the tone for in-person meetings. Plus, they drop their best travel hacks—from packing like a minimalist to leveraging your hotel concierge—and swap stories from the road.

Whether you're building a company or just trying to beat jet lag, this episode delivers both practical wisdom and plenty of laughs.

Show Highlights:

(1:45) The relationship value of in-person meetings

(4:32) The power of body language

(7:51) In-person vs. Zoom meetings

(10:35) Basing your board meetings around a meal

(13:35) Remote-only companies

(16:25) Know how a hotel actually works

(20:10) Adjust to the time zone before you get on the plane

(24:00) Out of the ordinary things to bring when traveling

(26:44) Favorite airports

(27:39) Favorite travel experiences

(31:42) Worst travel experience

A company is only as good as the people on its team. In this episode, Raju and Will talk about what it takes to retain top talent within companies. Employee retention can be an intricate problem, and they’re breaking down the important factors founders need to keep in mind if they want to be successful. 

From the hidden costs that come with turnover to the significance of setting the right company culture, Raju and Will offer vital strategies for fostering a motivated, loyal, and high-performing workforce.

Show Highlights
(0:00) Intro

(1:27) The hidden cost of replacing employees

(11:07) Why most startups face compensation challenges

(22:11) Providing a healthy culture and a sense of purpose

(30:44) Tips and tricks to make sure you don’t lose your best people

(43:45) Gatling gun section

Links:
RRE POV Website: https://rre.com/rrepov

X: @RRE

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rre-pov/id1719689131