Upfront Ventures

Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Harden discuss creating their media company Hello Sunshine and developing projects that put marginalized creative voices and storytelling at the forefront - how it was started, the untraditional power structure at the head of the company, and how they're architecting the business for the next 20 years.

They also discuss how much they love data and books, about the journey of Reese's Book Club, and what it takes to change and diversify the media landscape.

Chairman of the LA Clippers and former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer sits down with Upfront Ventures partner Greg Bettinelli to discuss:

- How he got into basketball ownership and how a basketball team is like a tech company

- Why philanthropy matters and how to measure government impact

- Operating as a non-founder business lead and why he encourages everyone to drop out

- His favorite search engine

Keith Rabois of Founders Fund sits down with Dan Primack of Axios to discuss making big bets in venture, how Founders Fund operates as a partnership with unique perspectives, and his views on the upcoming election cycle.

Jackie Reses (Head of Square Capital) speaks with Upfront Ventures partner Greg Bettinelli about how Square has grown to be one of the biggest small business lenders in the country; diversity in lending; managing people and stoking creativity in companies; fragmented workforces; and the rules of engagement for operating globally.

Filmmaker Ron Howard and Jason Hirschhorn (Founder, REDEF) discuss the changing media landscape (and what hasn't changed), the evolution of Imagine Entertainment from a two-man production team to a venture-backed business, and the kinds of stories that drive Ron as a filmmaker.

Mellody Hobson (President, Ariel Investments) sits down with Jason Hirschhorn to discuss the influences and mentors over her career; the role of a board member in good times and in crisis; addressing diversity in businesses, community and content; and the future of media.

Mark Suster (Managing Partner, Upfront Ventures) presents thoughts on the state of VC, the increase in "private IPOs", how VC is now really three distinct markets and the global dynamics at play to make this a great time for investors.

Slides available here: https://www.slideshare.net/msuster/is-vc-still-a-thing-final

Scott Painter (Fair CEO), Ian Siegel (ZipRecruiter CEO), Daniel Broukhim (FabFitFun co-CEO), and Upfront Ventures' Michael Carney discuss the evolution of the Los Angeles startup ecosystem, bootstrapping versus mega-fundraising, and scaling lessons learned along the journey to unicorn status.

David Sacks (Co-Founder and General Partner, Craft Ventures) sits down with Upfront Ventures partner Kara Nortman to discuss the most exciting investment categories in tech today; the diligence and go-to-market process; the challenges to entrepreneurship today; LA as a tech ecosystem, and "dos and don'ts of a great board member."

Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA 33) and Ian Bremmer (President and Founder, Eurasia Group) discuss global issues facing the US including the erosion of trust in institutions, Russian interference in elections, China and cybersecurity, and the future of democracy. Moderated by Jeff Berman (Co-Founder, Magnet Groups).