In this episode of the Magic Minds podcast, we sit down with legendary entrepreneur and investor Spencer Rascoff for an unfiltered conversation on startups, leadership, and scaling through adversity. From growing up on tour with the Rolling Stones to co-founding Hotwire and Zillow, Spencer shares powerful stories from a career defined by bold pivots, world-class execution, and servant leadership. We explore what makes a great founder, why charisma and storytelling often outweigh raw technical skill, and how he’s seen passion and resilience make or break companies. Spencer also gets candid about leading through crises—including 9/11 as a young founder—and how those moments shaped his leadership style. We even dive into the underrated role of kindness in business, why sales is the hidden superpower of top CEOs, and what it takes to attract and align great talent. Whether you're a first-time founder or a seasoned operator, this is a masterclass in building, surviving, and thriving in tech. Don’t miss it.

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Chapters

00:00 Welcome & Introduction to Spencer Raskoff

01:00 Spencer’s Childhood & His Father’s Music Industry Legacy

02:28 Reinventing the Concert Touring Business Model

04:43 Spencer’s Entrepreneurial Path & Career Highlights

06:10 Why Spencer Didn’t Enter the Music Business

07:11 Spencer as a Young Founder vs. Now

09:35 The Underrated Power of Sales in Startups

12:00 Example: Picasso & the Role of Sales in Startup Success

14:16 The Ideal Founding Team: Product, Engineering, Sales

16:30 Founder Passion & Finding the Right Fit

18:53 The Importance of Fundraising Ability in Founders

21:16 How Great Founders Tell Their Story & “Read the Room”

23:36 Spencer’s Leadership Style & Servant Leadership Origins

25:57 The Defining Moment: Hotwire & 9/11

28:19 Pivoting, Survival, and Lessons from the Crisis

30:41 How Spencer Teaches Crisis Leadership at Harvard

33:03 Reconnecting to Mission After Layoffs

35:22 The Myth of the Harsh Founder & Power of Kindness

37:47 Role Models in Kind Leadership & Influence of Family

40:14 Spencer’s Wife & Modeling Empathetic Professionalism

42:39 Coachability & Active Listening in Investor Pitches

44:39 Q&A – Why Co-founder Relationships Fail

47:05 Q&A – Operator vs. Founder: Spencer’s Career Choices

48:30 Q&A – Can Sales Skills Be Learned?

49:27 Q&A – Improving Human Connection in Dating Apps

51:50 Q&A – Prioritizing User Outcomes at Match Group

53:59 Q&A – Managing Mental Health & Workload

56:22 Q&A – One Pattern Among Successful Founders

Spencer Rascoff's Social Media Accounts:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerrascoff

https://x.com/spencerrascoff

https://www.instagram.com/spencerrascoff