After working with hundreds of startup founders, Macy Mills shares the sales mistakes that show up again and again - from pricing too low to hiring salespeople too early - and explains how to avoid the costly errors that can stall traction, lose customers, and slow momentum.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
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#sales strategy #a16zspeedrun #sales advice
5:26
After working with hundreds of startup founders, Macy Mills shares the sales mistakes that show up again and again - from pricing too low to hiring salespeople too early - and explains how to avoid the costly errors that can stall traction, lose customers, and slow momentum.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#sales strategy #a16zspeedrun #sales advice
Marketing Partner Ryan Rigney got in the booth with Kenan Saleh, Emily Bennett, Fareed Mosavat, and Troy Kirwin from the a16z speedrun investing team to talk about:
00:00 - patterns we're seeing in apps for SR007
04:50 - our process for reviewing apps
08:20 - traction signals we look for
09:10 - on teams that are a little too early for speedrun
14:26 - surprising things we've seen in interviews
20:46 - why you SHOULD NOT take vc funds
25:16 - why should founders pick speedrun?
💡 If you're building the next great company, we want to fund your new startup.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X: https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
34:48
Marketing Partner Ryan Rigney got in the booth with Kenan Saleh, Emily Bennett, Fareed Mosavat, and Troy Kirwin from the a16z speedrun investing team to talk about:
00:00 - patterns we're seeing in apps for SR007
04:50 - our process for reviewing apps
08:20 - traction signals we look for
09:10 - on teams that are a little too early for speedrun
14:26 - surprising things we've seen in interviews
20:46 - why you SHOULD NOT take vc funds
25:16 - why should founders pick speedrun?
💡 If you're building the next great company, we want to fund your new startup.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X: https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
In this a16z speedrun Office Hours, Liquid Death founder and CEO Mike Cessario breaks down his approach to building a consumer brand through entertainment, humor, and social-first marketing, and why brand can be a true competitive moat in commoditized categories.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
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X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
0:46
In this a16z speedrun Office Hours, Liquid Death founder and CEO Mike Cessario breaks down his approach to building a consumer brand through entertainment, humor, and social-first marketing, and why brand can be a true competitive moat in commoditized categories.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
In this a16z speedrun Office Hours, Liquid Death founder and CEO Mike Cessario breaks down his approach to building a consumer brand through entertainment, humor, and social-first marketing, and why brand can be a true competitive moat in commoditized categories.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
Chapters:
00:00 – Why Liquid Death Wins in a Commodity Market
00:21 – The Wild Growth Story (2019 → Hundreds of Millions)
02:08 – Turning Skeptics into Fans
04:08 – Launching the Brand Before the Product
05:18 – Early Traction That Attracted Investors
06:49 – The Red Bull Playbook: Entertainment First
07:10 – Proving the Model with Viral Content
11:07 – Why Big Companies Can’t Do Comedy
13:56 – What ‘Brand’ Actually Means
16:30 – People Buy Emotionally (Not Rationally)
18:30 – Everything is a Commodity
20:01 – The Hardest Part of Scaling a Beverage Company
23:24 – Why Distribution is a Nightmare
24:50 – Launching New Products Gets Easier
26:46 – Why Energy Drinks Are Different
29:10 – Why Brand Matters More for Younger Consumers
31:44 – What the CEO Job Actually Looks Like
32:30 – The Hardest Skill to Learn as a Founder
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
34:35
In this a16z speedrun Office Hours, Liquid Death founder and CEO Mike Cessario breaks down his approach to building a consumer brand through entertainment, humor, and social-first marketing, and why brand can be a true competitive moat in commoditized categories.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
Chapters:
00:00 – Why Liquid Death Wins in a Commodity Market
00:21 – The Wild Growth Story (2019 → Hundreds of Millions)
02:08 – Turning Skeptics into Fans
04:08 – Launching the Brand Before the Product
05:18 – Early Traction That Attracted Investors
06:49 – The Red Bull Playbook: Entertainment First
07:10 – Proving the Model with Viral Content
11:07 – Why Big Companies Can’t Do Comedy
13:56 – What ‘Brand’ Actually Means
16:30 – People Buy Emotionally (Not Rationally)
18:30 – Everything is a Commodity
20:01 – The Hardest Part of Scaling a Beverage Company
23:24 – Why Distribution is a Nightmare
24:50 – Launching New Products Gets Easier
26:46 – Why Energy Drinks Are Different
29:10 – Why Brand Matters More for Younger Consumers
31:44 – What the CEO Job Actually Looks Like
32:30 – The Hardest Skill to Learn as a Founder
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
Rahul Vorra is the founder and CEO of Superhuman, the premium email client for power users. He previously built the Gmail plug-in Reportive and sold it to LinkedIn. He began somewhere unexpected though, as a game designer on RuneScape. In this conversation, Rahul breaks down why most founders misunderstand product market fit, why premium can actually hurt your business, and how deliberate constraint can become your biggest advantage.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
0:27
Rahul Vorra is the founder and CEO of Superhuman, the premium email client for power users. He previously built the Gmail plug-in Reportive and sold it to LinkedIn. He began somewhere unexpected though, as a game designer on RuneScape. In this conversation, Rahul breaks down why most founders misunderstand product market fit, why premium can actually hurt your business, and how deliberate constraint can become your biggest advantage.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
Rahul Vorra is the founder and CEO of Superhuman, the premium email client for power users. He previously built the Gmail plug-in Reportive and sold it to LinkedIn. He began somewhere unexpected though, as a game designer on RuneScape. In this conversation, Rahul breaks down why most founders misunderstand product market fit, why premium can actually hurt your business, and how deliberate constraint can become your biggest advantage.
Chapters:
00:00 - From Game Designer to Founder
06:17 - Game Design vs. Gamification
13:56 - Pitching Email in 2014
17:48 - Building Momentum & Raising the Series B
21:05 - The Human Onboarding Strategy
33:55 - Strategy and Playing the Long Game
41:24 - The 40% “Very Disappointed” Rule
47:26 - Turning PMF Into a Repeatable Engine
53:09 - Rahul's Advice to his Younger Self
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
53:50
Rahul Vorra is the founder and CEO of Superhuman, the premium email client for power users. He previously built the Gmail plug-in Reportive and sold it to LinkedIn. He began somewhere unexpected though, as a game designer on RuneScape. In this conversation, Rahul breaks down why most founders misunderstand product market fit, why premium can actually hurt your business, and how deliberate constraint can become your biggest advantage.
Chapters:
00:00 - From Game Designer to Founder
06:17 - Game Design vs. Gamification
13:56 - Pitching Email in 2014
17:48 - Building Momentum & Raising the Series B
21:05 - The Human Onboarding Strategy
33:55 - Strategy and Playing the Long Game
41:24 - The 40% “Very Disappointed” Rule
47:26 - Turning PMF Into a Repeatable Engine
53:09 - Rahul's Advice to his Younger Self
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
Guillermo Rauch is the founder and CEO of the web development platform Vercel and the creator of Next.js, one of the most widely used frameworks on the internet. In this Fireside chat, Guillermo explains how open source can accelerate product-market fit and why ruthless focus matters more than ever in the age of AI.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
0:33
Guillermo Rauch is the founder and CEO of the web development platform Vercel and the creator of Next.js, one of the most widely used frameworks on the internet. In this Fireside chat, Guillermo explains how open source can accelerate product-market fit and why ruthless focus matters more than ever in the age of AI.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
Guillermo Rauch is the founder and CEO of the web development platform Vercel and the creator of Next.js, one of the most widely used frameworks on the internet. In this Fireside chat, Guillermo explains how open source can accelerate product-market fit and why ruthless focus matters more than ever in the age of AI.
Chapters:
00:55 - From Argentina to Silicon Valley
06:20 - Founder-Market Fit & Early Mistakes
08:02 - Open Source as a Speedrun to Product-Market Fit
11:24 - Building for Agents First
13:55 - The Focus Decision That Made Vercel
17:56 - Defining Taste in the Age of Infinite Building
22:07 - Hiring Talent in 2026
26:56 - Crafting Signal in a Noisy World
31:44 - Agents, Conviction & Playing Long-Term Games
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
38:57
Guillermo Rauch is the founder and CEO of the web development platform Vercel and the creator of Next.js, one of the most widely used frameworks on the internet. In this Fireside chat, Guillermo explains how open source can accelerate product-market fit and why ruthless focus matters more than ever in the age of AI.
Chapters:
00:55 - From Argentina to Silicon Valley
06:20 - Founder-Market Fit & Early Mistakes
08:02 - Open Source as a Speedrun to Product-Market Fit
11:24 - Building for Agents First
13:55 - The Focus Decision That Made Vercel
17:56 - Defining Taste in the Age of Infinite Building
22:07 - Hiring Talent in 2026
26:56 - Crafting Signal in a Noisy World
31:44 - Agents, Conviction & Playing Long-Term Games
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
Before co-founding a16z, Ben Horowitz was a founder and CEO himself. His bestselling book, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, tells the story of how he led enterprise software company Opsware from a stock price under a dollar to an eventual $1.6 billion acquisition by HP.
In this fireside chat, Ben discusses the real challenges founders face when scaling companies... and explains why a company’s story is actually its strategy.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
0:26
Before co-founding a16z, Ben Horowitz was a founder and CEO himself. His bestselling book, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, tells the story of how he led enterprise software company Opsware from a stock price under a dollar to an eventual $1.6 billion acquisition by HP.
In this fireside chat, Ben discusses the real challenges founders face when scaling companies... and explains why a company’s story is actually its strategy.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
Before co-founding a16z, Ben Horowitz was a founder and CEO himself. His bestselling book, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, tells the story of how he led enterprise software company Opsware from a stock price under a dollar to an eventual $1.6 billion acquisition by HP.
In this fireside chat, Ben discusses the real challenges founders face when scaling companies... and explains why a company’s story is actually its strategy.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:46 - Best Way to Attract Best Talent
03:33 - Storytelling as a Company
04:49 - The Nature of Hiring in AI Era
07:47 - Good Product Manager, Bad Product Manager
11:43 - Where The Next Opportunities Are
13:29 - When NOT to Pivot in Your Product
15:25 - Competing in the AI Age
16:50 - Advice for Successful Fundraising
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
18:54
Before co-founding a16z, Ben Horowitz was a founder and CEO himself. His bestselling book, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, tells the story of how he led enterprise software company Opsware from a stock price under a dollar to an eventual $1.6 billion acquisition by HP.
In this fireside chat, Ben discusses the real challenges founders face when scaling companies... and explains why a company’s story is actually its strategy.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:46 - Best Way to Attract Best Talent
03:33 - Storytelling as a Company
04:49 - The Nature of Hiring in AI Era
07:47 - Good Product Manager, Bad Product Manager
11:43 - Where The Next Opportunities Are
13:29 - When NOT to Pivot in Your Product
15:25 - Competing in the AI Age
16:50 - Advice for Successful Fundraising
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
Kevin Weil, Vice President for Science at OpenAI. After leading product teams at Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, Kevin is now focused on accelerating scientific discovery with AI. In this interview, he explains how AI models are pushing beyond the frontier of human knowledge, why robotic labs and long-horizon reasoning could transform research, and what founders need to understand to build successfully in the age of AI.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
0:41
Kevin Weil, Vice President for Science at OpenAI. After leading product teams at Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, Kevin is now focused on accelerating scientific discovery with AI. In this interview, he explains how AI models are pushing beyond the frontier of human knowledge, why robotic labs and long-horizon reasoning could transform research, and what founders need to understand to build successfully in the age of AI.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
Kevin Weil, Vice President for Science at OpenAI. After leading product teams at Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, Kevin is now focused on accelerating scientific discovery with AI. In this interview, he explains how AI models are pushing beyond the frontier of human knowledge, why robotic labs and long-horizon reasoning could transform research, and what founders need to understand to build successfully in the age of AI.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:48 - Career path → joining OpenAI
03:50 - AI solving frontier science problems
07:01 - The AI “world shift” moment
11:10 - Keeping up with rapid AI progress
12:25 - Robotic labs & the future of scientific discovery
16:52 - Risky product decisions at scale
18:27 - Designing UX for reasoning AI models
20:47 - Data Vs Taste
22:31 - Startup lessons, agents & emerging AI ecosystems
24:21 - Surprising builds on top of OpenAI
27:47 - Making history with AI
29:15 - Why AI is B2B-first and the consumer opportunity
31:16 - Open AI distribution
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
32:46
Kevin Weil, Vice President for Science at OpenAI. After leading product teams at Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, Kevin is now focused on accelerating scientific discovery with AI. In this interview, he explains how AI models are pushing beyond the frontier of human knowledge, why robotic labs and long-horizon reasoning could transform research, and what founders need to understand to build successfully in the age of AI.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:48 - Career path → joining OpenAI
03:50 - AI solving frontier science problems
07:01 - The AI “world shift” moment
11:10 - Keeping up with rapid AI progress
12:25 - Robotic labs & the future of scientific discovery
16:52 - Risky product decisions at scale
18:27 - Designing UX for reasoning AI models
20:47 - Data Vs Taste
22:31 - Startup lessons, agents & emerging AI ecosystems
24:21 - Surprising builds on top of OpenAI
27:47 - Making history with AI
29:15 - Why AI is B2B-first and the consumer opportunity
31:16 - Open AI distribution
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
Jack Altman is the Managing Partner of Alt Capital, a $275 million early-stage fund, and the co-founder and chairman of Lattice, which is used by more than 5,000 companies. In this interview, Jack talks about the pressure founders face to chase revenue early, how customer demands can pull teams off course on their roadmap, and how to avoid traps that stall real growth.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#a16z #speedrun #altcapital #startup
0:34
Jack Altman is the Managing Partner of Alt Capital, a $275 million early-stage fund, and the co-founder and chairman of Lattice, which is used by more than 5,000 companies. In this interview, Jack talks about the pressure founders face to chase revenue early, how customer demands can pull teams off course on their roadmap, and how to avoid traps that stall real growth.
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#a16z #speedrun #altcapital #startup
Jack Altman is the Managing Partner of Alt Capital, a $275 million early-stage fund, and the co-founder and chairman of Lattice, which is used by more than 5,000 companies. In this interview, Jack talks about the pressure founders face to chase revenue early, how customer demands can pull teams off course on their roadmap, and how to avoid traps that stall real growth.
00:00 - Introduction
01:19 - From Operator to Founder
04:44 - Developing Lattice & Finding Product-Market Fit
07:20 - Balancing Customer Requests & Company Roadmap
09:28 - Selling the Product & Raising the Bar
13:48 - Co-Founder Dynamics & Early Team
16:26 - Lessons Learned from Startup Accelerators
18:05 - Managing Hirings & Investors at an Early Stage
23:19 - Building the Machine as CEO
26:27 - What's Different from Then to Now
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#a16z #speedrun #altcapital #startup
28:00
Jack Altman is the Managing Partner of Alt Capital, a $275 million early-stage fund, and the co-founder and chairman of Lattice, which is used by more than 5,000 companies. In this interview, Jack talks about the pressure founders face to chase revenue early, how customer demands can pull teams off course on their roadmap, and how to avoid traps that stall real growth.
00:00 - Introduction
01:19 - From Operator to Founder
04:44 - Developing Lattice & Finding Product-Market Fit
07:20 - Balancing Customer Requests & Company Roadmap
09:28 - Selling the Product & Raising the Bar
13:48 - Co-Founder Dynamics & Early Team
16:26 - Lessons Learned from Startup Accelerators
18:05 - Managing Hirings & Investors at an Early Stage
23:19 - Building the Machine as CEO
26:27 - What's Different from Then to Now
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#a16z #speedrun #altcapital #startup
Chris Best is the CEO and co-founder of Substack, the platform empowering creators to build independent media businesses. In this fireside chat, Chris shares his founding story and discusses how to navigate controversy and why having strong values matters more than pleasing everyone.
#a16z #speedrun #substack
0:57
Chris Best is the CEO and co-founder of Substack, the platform empowering creators to build independent media businesses. In this fireside chat, Chris shares his founding story and discusses how to navigate controversy and why having strong values matters more than pleasing everyone.
#a16z #speedrun #substack
Chris Best is the CEO and co-founder of Substack, the platform empowering creators to build independent media businesses. In this fireside chat, Chris shares his founding story and discusses how to navigate controversy and why having strong values matters more than pleasing everyone.
0:00 - Substack CEO: Mission-Driven Startups Beat “Mercenary” Founders
2:08 - Origin Story: The Essay That Turned Into Substack
3:01 - Startup Hiring: How Values Create a “Polarizing Filter” (Culture Fit)
4:46 - Freedom of Speech on Substack: The Core Platform Philosophy
5:57 - Hard Question for Teams: Enabling Creators You Disagree With
7:28 - Building a Media Tech Company: Balancing Culture + Engineering
9:39 - AI vs Creators: Why People Call It “Slop” (Taste Still Wins)
15:18 - Will AI Replace Coding? What “Software Engineering” Becomes
17:17 - Creator Economy Explained: Substack’s “New Social Contract” Thesis
29:10 - Startup Playbook: Sci‑Fi Vision + Short-Term Plan (PMF + Growth)
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📧 Want to know what we look for in applications? Subscribe to our newsletter and find out: https://speedrun.substack.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
➡️ X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
➡️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#a16z #speedrun #substack #media
46:16
Chris Best is the CEO and co-founder of Substack, the platform empowering creators to build independent media businesses. In this fireside chat, Chris shares his founding story and discusses how to navigate controversy and why having strong values matters more than pleasing everyone.
0:00 - Substack CEO: Mission-Driven Startups Beat “Mercenary” Founders
2:08 - Origin Story: The Essay That Turned Into Substack
3:01 - Startup Hiring: How Values Create a “Polarizing Filter” (Culture Fit)
4:46 - Freedom of Speech on Substack: The Core Platform Philosophy
5:57 - Hard Question for Teams: Enabling Creators You Disagree With
7:28 - Building a Media Tech Company: Balancing Culture + Engineering
9:39 - AI vs Creators: Why People Call It “Slop” (Taste Still Wins)
15:18 - Will AI Replace Coding? What “Software Engineering” Becomes
17:17 - Creator Economy Explained: Substack’s “New Social Contract” Thesis
29:10 - Startup Playbook: Sci‑Fi Vision + Short-Term Plan (PMF + Growth)
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📧 Want to know what we look for in applications? Subscribe to our newsletter and find out: https://speedrun.substack.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
➡️ X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
➡️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#a16z #speedrun #substack #media
Kirsten Green breaks down why right now is one of the most exciting times to build a company. From healthcare to education to financial planning, the world is shifting and she’s calling it the “messy creative stage.” This is where new categories are born. Are you in?
#a16z #speedrun #a16zspeedrun #startup #founders #ai #podcast #interview #clips #shorts
0:41
Kirsten Green breaks down why right now is one of the most exciting times to build a company. From healthcare to education to financial planning, the world is shifting and she’s calling it the “messy creative stage.” This is where new categories are born. Are you in?
#a16z #speedrun #a16zspeedrun #startup #founders #ai #podcast #interview #clips #shorts
Is it still a good time to build a consumer startup? Legendary VC Kirsten Green says: Yes... it's one of the best times in 30 years.
In this Office Hours, Forerunner Ventures founder Kirsten Green shares what she’s learned from backing iconic brands like Hims&Hers, Chime, Faire, and more. She explains why founders shouldn't overlook consumer, what separates enduring brands from short-term noise, and how emotional connection, taste, and timing are the real moats.
This is a must-watch for any Founder building at the intersection of brand, technology, and culture.
Chapters:
00:00 - Why It’s Still a Great Time to Build
00:48 - Kirsten’s Journey: From Aspiring Architect to Investor
03:32 - How Great Consumer Brands Really Get Built
05:25 - What Makes a Great Pitch Stand Out
07:30 - The Future of Consumer Investing
09:51 - Why Consumer and Enterprise Are Blurring Together
12:21 - What The Best Business Leaders Are Doing
13:35 - Why Consumer Is Not Dead
17:35 - Why Startups Should Embrace the Messy Stage
22:10 - Traits of Founders Who Break Through
23:10 - Advice for Founders Who Feel “Behind”
28:00 - Final Thoughts for Founders in 2025
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#techfounder #investor #founders #ai #startup #ceo #podcast #interview #a16z #a16zspeedrun #speedrun
30:07
Is it still a good time to build a consumer startup? Legendary VC Kirsten Green says: Yes... it's one of the best times in 30 years.
In this Office Hours, Forerunner Ventures founder Kirsten Green shares what she’s learned from backing iconic brands like Hims&Hers, Chime, Faire, and more. She explains why founders shouldn't overlook consumer, what separates enduring brands from short-term noise, and how emotional connection, taste, and timing are the real moats.
This is a must-watch for any Founder building at the intersection of brand, technology, and culture.
Chapters:
00:00 - Why It’s Still a Great Time to Build
00:48 - Kirsten’s Journey: From Aspiring Architect to Investor
03:32 - How Great Consumer Brands Really Get Built
05:25 - What Makes a Great Pitch Stand Out
07:30 - The Future of Consumer Investing
09:51 - Why Consumer and Enterprise Are Blurring Together
12:21 - What The Best Business Leaders Are Doing
13:35 - Why Consumer Is Not Dead
17:35 - Why Startups Should Embrace the Messy Stage
22:10 - Traits of Founders Who Break Through
23:10 - Advice for Founders Who Feel “Behind”
28:00 - Final Thoughts for Founders in 2025
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#techfounder #investor #founders #ai #startup #ceo #podcast #interview #a16z #a16zspeedrun #speedrun
Aaron Levie shares a playbook for founders: Pick a job, Master it, Build an AI agent to replace it
He explains how nearly every industry is now a canvas for agent-first startups and why this is the blueprint for billion-dollar companies.
#aistartups #buildwithai #startupideas #shorts #clips #a16z
0:55
Aaron Levie shares a playbook for founders: Pick a job, Master it, Build an AI agent to replace it
He explains how nearly every industry is now a canvas for agent-first startups and why this is the blueprint for billion-dollar companies.
#aistartups #buildwithai #startupideas #shorts #clips #a16z
Aaron Levie explains how AI agents are giving small startups a once-impossible edge.
Forget big teams, the new power is in orchestration, not output.
Startups in 2025 don’t type faster they deploy smarter.
#aistartups #techfounders #ai #shorts #clips #podcast #a16z
1:00
Aaron Levie explains how AI agents are giving small startups a once-impossible edge.
Forget big teams, the new power is in orchestration, not output.
Startups in 2025 don’t type faster they deploy smarter.
#aistartups #techfounders #ai #shorts #clips #podcast #a16z
Founders who understand what AI agents unlock will lead the next decade of startups.
In this episode of Office Hours, Aaron Levie, CEO of Box, explains why we’re entering a radically different startup era, one where small teams armed with AI agents can outperform 100+ person companies.
He breaks down how AI agents are changing product development, distribution, company design, and the entire enterprise software landscape. If you’re building in 2025 and beyond, this is your new playbook.
🔗 Chapters
00:00 - The New Startup Advantage
01:00 - Introducing Aaron Levie of Box
01:45 - Why 2025 Startups Are Unlike Any Before
04:20 - The Power of AI Agents & Founder Leverage
07:22 - AI Agents = 100x Output Leverage
13:30 - How Startups Should Think About Building Agents
16:00 - The New Generation of Founders
19:25 - Matrix of Agent Opportunities Across Industries
21:55 - The Explosion of Demand at 1/10th the Cost
25:08 - Enterprise vs Consumer AI: What Comes Next
29:25 - Distribution Still Wins: Founders, Don’t Miss This
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#techfounder #founders #ai #startup #ceo #podcast #interview #a16z #a16zspeedrun #speedrun
33:04
Founders who understand what AI agents unlock will lead the next decade of startups.
In this episode of Office Hours, Aaron Levie, CEO of Box, explains why we’re entering a radically different startup era, one where small teams armed with AI agents can outperform 100+ person companies.
He breaks down how AI agents are changing product development, distribution, company design, and the entire enterprise software landscape. If you’re building in 2025 and beyond, this is your new playbook.
🔗 Chapters
00:00 - The New Startup Advantage
01:00 - Introducing Aaron Levie of Box
01:45 - Why 2025 Startups Are Unlike Any Before
04:20 - The Power of AI Agents & Founder Leverage
07:22 - AI Agents = 100x Output Leverage
13:30 - How Startups Should Think About Building Agents
16:00 - The New Generation of Founders
19:25 - Matrix of Agent Opportunities Across Industries
21:55 - The Explosion of Demand at 1/10th the Cost
25:08 - Enterprise vs Consumer AI: What Comes Next
29:25 - Distribution Still Wins: Founders, Don’t Miss This
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#techfounder #founders #ai #startup #ceo #podcast #interview #a16z #a16zspeedrun #speedrun
Being a founder isn’t just about building products, it’s about building mental endurance.
In this episode of Office Hours, Freestyle Capital partners Dave Samuel (former founder with $300M+ in exits) and Maria Palma (operator-turned-VC) break down the real psychological game behind startup success.
They share what most founders get wrong about mindset, how to stay grounded under pressure, and what actually separates the ones who make it from the ones who burn out. If you're fundraising, scaling, or just trying to survive the early-stage chaos, this is required listening.
From emotional resilience to real founder–investor dynamics, this conversation is full of raw insight, hard truths, and practical guidance for anyone serious about building.
🔍 Topics Covered:
- What it *really* takes to be a great founder
- The mental game behind early-stage chaos
- How to build trust with investors
- Why most founder–VC relationships break down
- What VCs actually look for before they invest
- The lies we tell founders (and ourselves)
- Why the startup playbook doesn’t work in 2026
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
00:43 – Meet the Founders Behind Freestyle VC
01:13 – What Makes a Great Early-Stage Investor
04:57 – Lessons From a $75M Toilet Startup 💩
08:50 – YouTube vs Crackle: What Dave Got Wrong
10:58 – Navigating the “Gray Areas” as a Founder
13:45 – Are Ex-Founders Actually Better VCs?
15:32 – Why Most VC Help Might Be Overrated
17:00 – The Real Value of VC-Founder Trust
19:25 – Investing in Founder Mental Health
22:10 – Behind the Scenes: The Founder Marriage Save
24:00 – How Lovable (the AI Startup) Took Off
26:30 – Why Great Startups Don’t Look Great at First
28:20 – Investing Before the Labels: Pre-Seed, Seed… Who Cares?
30:07 – What Founders Get Wrong About Fundraising
32:45 – How to Stand Out When Pitching VCs
35:50 – The Hidden Fundraising Mistake Most Founders Make
38:05 – What VCs Really Think During Your Pitch
41:11 – The Mistakes That Still Haunt These VCs
44:20 – Inside the Uber Deal They Didn’t Make
46:55 – Final Advice for Founders and Investors
#startup #founders #startupsuccess #founderadvice #interview #podcast #a16z #a16zspeedrun
47:53
Being a founder isn’t just about building products, it’s about building mental endurance.
In this episode of Office Hours, Freestyle Capital partners Dave Samuel (former founder with $300M+ in exits) and Maria Palma (operator-turned-VC) break down the real psychological game behind startup success.
They share what most founders get wrong about mindset, how to stay grounded under pressure, and what actually separates the ones who make it from the ones who burn out. If you're fundraising, scaling, or just trying to survive the early-stage chaos, this is required listening.
From emotional resilience to real founder–investor dynamics, this conversation is full of raw insight, hard truths, and practical guidance for anyone serious about building.
🔍 Topics Covered:
- What it *really* takes to be a great founder
- The mental game behind early-stage chaos
- How to build trust with investors
- Why most founder–VC relationships break down
- What VCs actually look for before they invest
- The lies we tell founders (and ourselves)
- Why the startup playbook doesn’t work in 2026
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
00:43 – Meet the Founders Behind Freestyle VC
01:13 – What Makes a Great Early-Stage Investor
04:57 – Lessons From a $75M Toilet Startup 💩
08:50 – YouTube vs Crackle: What Dave Got Wrong
10:58 – Navigating the “Gray Areas” as a Founder
13:45 – Are Ex-Founders Actually Better VCs?
15:32 – Why Most VC Help Might Be Overrated
17:00 – The Real Value of VC-Founder Trust
19:25 – Investing in Founder Mental Health
22:10 – Behind the Scenes: The Founder Marriage Save
24:00 – How Lovable (the AI Startup) Took Off
26:30 – Why Great Startups Don’t Look Great at First
28:20 – Investing Before the Labels: Pre-Seed, Seed… Who Cares?
30:07 – What Founders Get Wrong About Fundraising
32:45 – How to Stand Out When Pitching VCs
35:50 – The Hidden Fundraising Mistake Most Founders Make
38:05 – What VCs Really Think During Your Pitch
41:11 – The Mistakes That Still Haunt These VCs
44:20 – Inside the Uber Deal They Didn’t Make
46:55 – Final Advice for Founders and Investors
#startup #founders #startupsuccess #founderadvice #interview #podcast #a16z #a16zspeedrun
AI consumes massive power but is that a problem, or a breakthrough? Azeem Azhar explains why AI’s energy demand could spark the biggest wave of innovation in renewables, nuclear, storage, and infrastructure in decades. It’s not a crisis, it’s a demand signal.
#ai #energycrisis #cleanenergy #futureofenergy #podcast #clips #shorts
0:58
AI consumes massive power but is that a problem, or a breakthrough? Azeem Azhar explains why AI’s energy demand could spark the biggest wave of innovation in renewables, nuclear, storage, and infrastructure in decades. It’s not a crisis, it’s a demand signal.
#ai #energycrisis #cleanenergy #futureofenergy #podcast #clips #shorts
Everyone’s asking if AI is a bubble but how do you actually know? In this clip, tech investor and analyst Azeem Azhar breaks down the two signals that really define a bubble: a crash in market value, and a collapse in productive capital. Forget vibes, this is real analysis.
#ai #aiboom #stockmarket #founders #podcast #clips #shorts
0:58
Everyone’s asking if AI is a bubble but how do you actually know? In this clip, tech investor and analyst Azeem Azhar breaks down the two signals that really define a bubble: a crash in market value, and a collapse in productive capital. Forget vibes, this is real analysis.
#ai #aiboom #stockmarket #founders #podcast #clips #shorts
🔮 Is AI a Bubble? Azeem Azhar Breaks It Down | A16Z Speedrun Podcast
Welcome to another episode of Office Hours at a16z Speedrun, where we dive deep into the future of technology, energy, and innovation. In this special conversation, Ryan Rigney sits down with **Azeem Azhar,** tech investor, founder of *Exponential View*, and author of *The Exponential Age,* to answer one of the most important questions in tech today: Is AI a boom or a bubble?
🎯 Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Azeem Azhar
01:08 - The origins of Exponential View
06:07 - The “AI Boom vs Bubble”
10:45 - Revenue growth, capital quality & market health
14::05 - AI’s impact on energy infrastructure
16:40 - Renewables, fusion, and the exponential energy transition
20:27 - How media founders scale trust-based communities
25:22 - Outro
🚀 Why This Matters:
As AI adoption explodes and trillion-dollar bets are being placed on generative AI, investors, founders, and policymakers need to understand whether we’re in a sustainable boom or building toward a dangerous bust. Azeem offers a rigorous, data-driven look at market signals, capital flows, and energy demands shaping this moment.
💡 You’ll Learn:
- What really defines a tech bubble (beyond the hype)
- Why AI may accelerate, not hinder the energy transition
- How revenue velocity and capital quality predict tech sustainability
- The exponential rise of compute and what it means for founders
- How media businesses like Exponential View are scaling trust over reach
- Tactical advice for leveraging AI in product, sales, and operations
📈 Perfect For:
- Tech investors & VCs
- AI startup founders
- Futurists & policy thinkers
- Substack writers & media builders
- Anyone asking “Are we in another dot-com moment?”
🔗 Links Mentioned:
📩 Subscribe to [Exponential View] - https://www.exponentialview.co/
📚 Read The Exponential Age by Azeem Azhar
📊 Explore the “Is AI a Bubble?” Dashboard on Exponential View
📰 Follow a16z Speedrun on Substack: https://speedrun.substack.com/
👇 Join the conversation below:
What do YOU think? Are we in an AI bubble, or is this just the beginning? Drop your thoughts, questions, or startup stories in the comments.
🔔 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS for more future-focused conversations with today’s leading thinkers.
@ExponentialView
#ai #a16z #speedrun #podcast #interview #founders
25:47
🔮 Is AI a Bubble? Azeem Azhar Breaks It Down | A16Z Speedrun Podcast
Welcome to another episode of Office Hours at a16z Speedrun, where we dive deep into the future of technology, energy, and innovation. In this special conversation, Ryan Rigney sits down with **Azeem Azhar,** tech investor, founder of *Exponential View*, and author of *The Exponential Age,* to answer one of the most important questions in tech today: Is AI a boom or a bubble?
🎯 Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Azeem Azhar
01:08 - The origins of Exponential View
06:07 - The “AI Boom vs Bubble”
10:45 - Revenue growth, capital quality & market health
14::05 - AI’s impact on energy infrastructure
16:40 - Renewables, fusion, and the exponential energy transition
20:27 - How media founders scale trust-based communities
25:22 - Outro
🚀 Why This Matters:
As AI adoption explodes and trillion-dollar bets are being placed on generative AI, investors, founders, and policymakers need to understand whether we’re in a sustainable boom or building toward a dangerous bust. Azeem offers a rigorous, data-driven look at market signals, capital flows, and energy demands shaping this moment.
💡 You’ll Learn:
- What really defines a tech bubble (beyond the hype)
- Why AI may accelerate, not hinder the energy transition
- How revenue velocity and capital quality predict tech sustainability
- The exponential rise of compute and what it means for founders
- How media businesses like Exponential View are scaling trust over reach
- Tactical advice for leveraging AI in product, sales, and operations
📈 Perfect For:
- Tech investors & VCs
- AI startup founders
- Futurists & policy thinkers
- Substack writers & media builders
- Anyone asking “Are we in another dot-com moment?”
🔗 Links Mentioned:
📩 Subscribe to [Exponential View] - https://www.exponentialview.co/
📚 Read The Exponential Age by Azeem Azhar
📊 Explore the “Is AI a Bubble?” Dashboard on Exponential View
📰 Follow a16z Speedrun on Substack: https://speedrun.substack.com/
👇 Join the conversation below:
What do YOU think? Are we in an AI bubble, or is this just the beginning? Drop your thoughts, questions, or startup stories in the comments.
🔔 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS for more future-focused conversations with today’s leading thinkers.
@ExponentialView
#ai #a16z #speedrun #podcast #interview #founders
Everyone says AI is broken. So was the iPhone. One feature is all it takes to change everything. Ben Horowitz explains how real tech breakthroughs actually happen and why perfection is overrated.
#ai #tech #BenHorowitz #futureoftech #shorts #a16z #speedrun
0:43
Everyone says AI is broken. So was the iPhone. One feature is all it takes to change everything. Ben Horowitz explains how real tech breakthroughs actually happen and why perfection is overrated.
#ai #tech #BenHorowitz #futureoftech #shorts #a16z #speedrun
Ben Horowitz compares AI to the early internet but faster, more powerful, and with unlimited use cases. What makes AI different? It’s not a network. It’s a new kind of computer.
#a16z #speedrun #ai #tech #shorts #podcastclips #futureoftech
0:37
Ben Horowitz compares AI to the early internet but faster, more powerful, and with unlimited use cases. What makes AI different? It’s not a network. It’s a new kind of computer.
#a16z #speedrun #ai #tech #shorts #podcastclips #futureoftech
Ben Horowitz shares the truth about what it really feels like to be a founder, the fear, the pressure, and the obsession. If you're not boiling inside, you're not even trying.
#entrepreneurlife #foundermindset #motivation #shorts #a16z #speedrun
0:21
Ben Horowitz shares the truth about what it really feels like to be a founder, the fear, the pressure, and the obsession. If you're not boiling inside, you're not even trying.
#entrepreneurlife #foundermindset #motivation #shorts #a16z #speedrun
Ben Horowitz shares hard-earned lessons on startup success, fear, and the future of AI. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, the co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) opens up about the psychology of great founders, why most startups fail, and how AI is changing what it means to build a billion-dollar business.
If you're a solo founder, startup operator, or thinking about launching in the AI era, this interview is for you. Ben dives deep into the *fear test* every entrepreneur faces, the trap of hesitation, and the mindset needed to lead through chaos.
Learn:
- Why solo founders may build billion-dollar startups in the AI era
- The #1 trait every confident founder must master
- Why hesitation kills companies and how to act anyway
- How AI is replacing traditional software
- What separates the top 1% of founders from the rest
“If your guts aren’t boiling, you’re not even trying.” – Ben Horowitz
Whether you're building a company, raising a seed round, or just trying to lead your team, this is 40 minutes of startup wisdom you need to hear.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:41 - What makes a real entrepreneur
01:58 - Why AI is the new computer
04:56 - Can solo founders build billion-dollar startups?
08:00 - Will AI apps even look like apps anymore?
08:32 - What actually makes AI apps defensible?
14:50 - How will AI impact VC's
17:43 - The psychology of founder fear and self-doubt
19:47 - The trap of hesitation and how it kills startups
22:20 - How a16z is evolving with the platform shift
26:20 - Question time with Ben Horowitz
36:30 - Final advice: Ignore the doubt, do the hard thing
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#a16z #speedrun #interview #podcast #founderadvice #startup #entrepreneurship #benhorowitz #techtalks
41:11
Ben Horowitz shares hard-earned lessons on startup success, fear, and the future of AI. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, the co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) opens up about the psychology of great founders, why most startups fail, and how AI is changing what it means to build a billion-dollar business.
If you're a solo founder, startup operator, or thinking about launching in the AI era, this interview is for you. Ben dives deep into the *fear test* every entrepreneur faces, the trap of hesitation, and the mindset needed to lead through chaos.
Learn:
- Why solo founders may build billion-dollar startups in the AI era
- The #1 trait every confident founder must master
- Why hesitation kills companies and how to act anyway
- How AI is replacing traditional software
- What separates the top 1% of founders from the rest
“If your guts aren’t boiling, you’re not even trying.” – Ben Horowitz
Whether you're building a company, raising a seed round, or just trying to lead your team, this is 40 minutes of startup wisdom you need to hear.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:41 - What makes a real entrepreneur
01:58 - Why AI is the new computer
04:56 - Can solo founders build billion-dollar startups?
08:00 - Will AI apps even look like apps anymore?
08:32 - What actually makes AI apps defensible?
14:50 - How will AI impact VC's
17:43 - The psychology of founder fear and self-doubt
19:47 - The trap of hesitation and how it kills startups
22:20 - How a16z is evolving with the platform shift
26:20 - Question time with Ben Horowitz
36:30 - Final advice: Ignore the doubt, do the hard thing
💡 Are you a founder building the next big thing? Join Speedrun, the startup accelerator designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: https://speedrun.a16z.com/
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/speedrun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun/
#a16z #speedrun #interview #podcast #founderadvice #startup #entrepreneurship #benhorowitz #techtalks
