Shows
The {Closed} SessionBuilding a Billion-Dollar AI StartupMost AI 'innovation' is just workflow automation disguised as intelligence. Benjamin Shapiro, founder of I Hear Everything and creator of AI-powered podcast production systems, talks with Tom Chavez about the brutal realities of building defensible AI companies versus riding the hype cycle. Tom and Ben dissect why proprietary data virtuosity trumps LLM wrappers, how outcome-oriented AI solutions kill traditional left-to-right workflows, and why founders must quintuple their execution speed or face extinction in the compressed imagination-to-execution timeline.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2025-12-1522 minThe {Closed} SessionHow to build a global AI infrastructure companyMost enterprises burn millions on idle GPUs while developers wait weeks for access. Haseeb Budhani, CEO of Rafay Systems, built a global GPU orchestration platform after exits at Soha Systems (acquired by Akamai) and brings deep infrastructure expertise to solving the $100B GPU waste crisis. He reveals why 93% of Fortune 500 companies achieve sub-85% GPU utilization, how sovereign AI requirements are driving hundreds of "Neo clouds" globally, and the specific multi-tenancy frameworks that transform expensive compute from sunk cost into competitive advantage.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com...
2025-12-0134 min
Ayna InsightsBrish Bhan Vaidya: The Future of Industrial ProcurementIn this episode of the Titanium Economy Podcast, host Vivek Sharma speaks with Brish Bhan Vaidya, Global Procurement Executive at Uber, on how procurement is evolving from a cost function to a strategic growth enabler. Brish highlights the shift toward multi-tier supplier diversification, AI-driven intelligence, ESG integration, and proactive scenario planning to build resilient, agile sourcing models aligned with business objectives.
Brish leads APAC Strategic Sourcing and the Global Buying Center at Uber, bringing 20+ years of experience across BT, Accenture, and American Express. He has driven large-scale procurement transformations, strengthening supplier partnerships, embedding digital and...
2025-12-0142 minThe {Closed} SessionHow operator scars build defensible AI startupsMost operators fail as investors because they can't scale their expertise beyond one-on-one advice calls. Leyla D. Seka, former Salesforce EVP who built the multi-billion dollar AppExchange ecosystem, explains how Operator Collective structures 200+ operators as LPs with carry to systematically deploy operational knowledge across portfolio companies. She reveals why she never invests in founders who think they're going public, how 30-minute operator calls save companies three months of execution time, and why the current AI gold rush mirrors the early cloud adoption cycle at Salesforce.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice...
2025-11-1738 minThe {Closed} SessionBehind Finix’s self‑serve payment platformMost payment startups treat compliance like a checkbox instead of survival strategy. Richie Serna, CEO of Finix, sold his previous payments company to Stripe and now competes directly against them, winning 60% of head-to-head deals. In this conversation with Tom Chavez, Richie breaks down why payments requires 95% feature completeness before product-market fit clicks, how to build abstraction layers that prevent vendor lock-in with legacy processors, and why focusing on non-technical power users beats pure developer experience when scaling payment infrastructure.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com...
2025-11-0342 minThe {Closed} SessionHow AI accelerates enterprise software developmentMost enterprise AI pilots fail because companies treat agent development like legacy software projects. Woodson Martin, CEO of OutSystems and former Salesforce executive who led the Krux acquisition, explains why deterministic platforms beat "vibe coding" for production deployments. He breaks down agentic workflow architecture that gives enterprises control over which processes stay human-supervised versus fully automated, shares specific productivity metrics from oil rig safety inspections that prove ROI, and reveals why mortgage underwriting automation hits 98% straight-through processing while preserving customer relationships.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com...
2025-10-2036 minThe {Closed} SessionHow AI is rewriting startup growth playbooksMost AI pilots fail because founders are retrofitting old playbooks instead of rebuilding revenue architecture. Mark Roberge, founding CRO at HubSpot who scaled from $0 to $100M revenue, breaks down how AI compresses traditional sales cycles and transforms go-to-market execution. He reveals why selling time will jump from 25% to 75% of a rep's week, how AI enables real-time ICP refinement and account targeting, and why sustainable moats now depend on owning the point of work rather than systems of record.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2025-10-0641 minThe {Closed} SessionGrowth lessons from consumer tech operator‑investorMost vertical AI companies fail because they're building features, not businesses. Rachel ten Brink, GP at Red Bike Capital and former Scentbird co-founder (scaled to 500K+ subscribers, $29M raised), breaks down how to build defensible vertical AI that survives the regulatory gauntlet. She reveals her operator's test for distinguishing product businesses from services wrappers, explains how winning data network effects emerge from proprietary processing of public data, and shares the specific go-to-market playbook that works for enterprise AI sales cycles.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy...
2025-09-1539 minThe {Closed} SessionIs AI in Investment Banking a Replacement or Revolution?Most AI adoption in finance is just automation theater—real transformation requires rethinking entire workflows. George Lee, former CTO and M&A head at Goldman Sachs, explains why AI won't replace bankers but will compress deal cycle times from weeks to days. He breaks down how junior talent using AI companions can eliminate rote tasks while expanding analytical surface area, and why the "Boyle's law" principle means human capital will always find new problems to solve for clients.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2025-09-0305 minThe {Closed} SessionHow AI Transforms Different Corners of EarthMost AI investment flows to infrastructure while founders ignore energy constraints that will determine who survives. George Lee, Co-Head of Goldman Sachs Global Institute, breaks down the bottlenecks choking AI deployment from silicon to grid capacity.George reveals flexible demand management frameworks that could unlock 75-125 gigawatts of slack capacity, eliminating energy bottlenecks. He and Tom go on to discuss why Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds are building strategic energy advantages, and how nondeterministic AI systems require continuous sampling protocols.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice...
2025-09-0228 minThe {Closed} SessionCommon threads through 25 years of VC investingAI startups fail because founders obsess over models, not company building. Harrison Miller is a former VP/GM from Amazon.com’s early years, and former MD of Summit Partners, which over 40+ years has invested $40B in more than 550 tech companies. He explains why execution, not algorithms, determines survival.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2025-08-1938 min
Morning BriefTariffs On Canada And Mexico Reshape The Auto IndustryThe Trump Administration has imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, while granting a temporary reprieve to the auto industry. The one-month pause under the USMCA trade agreement offers short-term relief, but rising costs and supply chain disruptions are forcing automakers to reassess production, innovation, and investment strategies. As companies navigate tighter margins and shifting trade policies, Vivek Vaidya, Associate Partner and Senior Vice President of Mobility at Frost & Sullivan, joins us to unpack the broader implications for the industry.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2025-03-0910 min
The {Closed} SessionThe Brothers Chavez In Conversation: Tom & Marty Chavez on AI, Investing, + MoreTom Chavez, Founding General Partner at super{set}, in conversation with his brother - R. Martin Chavez, Partner and Vice Chairman, Sixth Street, Board Member at Google, and former CFO of Goldman Sachs.Tom and Marty discuss their brief stint as roommates, their brotherly relationship, and R. Martin's experiences as an investor, entrepreneur, and corporate leader. Listen for insights on startups, leadership, investing, artificial intelligence, ethical technology, and being part of the early LGBTQ+ community on Wall Street.Listen to The Brothers Chavez in Conversation!Watch the full conversation here.***
2024-06-251h 04
The {Closed} Sessionsuper{set} Celebrates First Exit: LiveRamp Acquires Habu for $200Msuper{set} Celebrates First Exit: LiveRamp to Acquire Data Collaboration Software Startup Habu for $200M!Joining Tom and Vivek in the studio today are Habu co-founders Matt Kilmartin (CEO) and Mike Moreau (COO) to give the full story behind how Habu was conceived, built out, scaled, and sold.Habu is a leader in the data collaboration category with innovative data clean room technology. Habu enables companies to share, make sense of, and act on insights on decentralized data without compromising privacy or data ownership – enabling companies to realize the full value of their data regardless of...
2024-04-2659 min
The {Closed} Sessionsuper{set} Fund II: Intensifying Our Serial Focus on Data+AI Company BuildingAnnouncing super{set} Fund II!The world has tilted in our favor. We’ve been building companies in the data+AI space for 25 years, mostly while it was niche and nerdy. With the AI revolution fully upon us, we’re thrilled to announce that super{set} has closed a $90 million second fund to invest in companies at inception.Since launching our first fund, super{set} has founded, funded and scaled 16 data+AI startups. Fund II brings our committed capital in active funds to $176M and comes on the heels of super{set}’s first exit: the ac...
2024-03-2842 min
The {Closed} SessionCreating a People-First Performance Culture for StartupsTalent and career development in startups is typically nonexistent - so at super{set}, we're changing that. While a startup’s opportunities for rapid growth and trial by fire are incredible, we believe startup employees can still benefit from intentional mentorship and development. No - it's not about bringing in professional coaches who lack hands-on company-building expertise. And no, it's more than advice from the balcony unmarried to what life is actually like in the startup trenches.Joining Tom and Vivek in the studio are the first graduates of super{set}’s coaching program for its employees: Jen...
2024-02-0750 min
The {Closed} SessionRachel Gollub on Engineering, Entrepreneurship & Leading Healthcare AIRachel Gollub is a distinguished engineer, programmer, and entrepreneur with a storied career in Silicon Valley: she started her career as part of the founding team behind the Java programming language and ended it as CTO of healthcare giant Optum. Along the way, Rachel managed to start several companies on top of a quick stopover at Stanford.In this episode, Rachel reflects on her experiences working alongside tech luminaries like James Gosling and dives into the challenges and triumphs she encountered while navigating the male-dominated field of technology. What does it take to build a successful team...
2023-12-2035 min
Paleo Ad Tech10. Chris O’Hara – getting to the Krux of DMPs and ad data
Chris O’Hara is V.P. of Global Product Marketing at Salesforce, focusing on the data and identity suite of products including Audience Studio (a DMP) and the Salesforce CDP. A well-known speaker, pundit and author, Chris has written eight titles including six on culinary pursuits (listen to the episode for more on this fascinating jaunt in his personal journey), “Data Driven” with Krux co-founders Tom Chavez and Vivek Vaidya and “Customer Data Platforms: Use People Data to Transform the Future of Marketing Engagement,” co-written with Paleo Ad Tech co-host Martin Kihn. The latter is the #1 book on the hottest ca...
2023-12-1030 min
The {Closed} SessionHow OpenAI Can Build an Ethical and Effective BoardEveryone’s talking about what went down at OpenAI - but what does it mean for ethical and responsible AI, and what are the lessons for entrepreneurs on startup board governance? With the abrupt dismissal of CEO Sam Altman, questions loom over the stability and direction of one of AI's most influential entities. Let’s uncover the twists and turns in this high-stakes boardroom drama.Why was Sam Altman abruptly dismissed - only to be brought back again? What role did board member Helen Toner and the responsible AI community play in the firings? Who is on deck...
2023-12-0129 min
The {Closed} SessionWhat Consumers Think of AI and Their PrivacyEveryone’s talking about AI - so The Ethical Tech Project decided to listen. Joining forces with programmatic privacy and data+AI governance platform Ketch, The Ethical Tech Project surveyed a representative sample of 2,500 U.S. consumers and asked them about AI, the companies leveraging AI, and their sentiment and expectations around AI and privacy. On the latest episode of The {Closed} Session, get an inside look at the survey results in a deep-dive conversation with the team at The Ethical Tech Project.Are Americans aware of the rapid pace of change in AI? How do they fee...
2023-11-2829 min
The {Closed} SessionSpotlight Series: Lindsey Meyl, Co-founder of RevAmpThe {Closed} Session Spotlight Series showcases a different co-founder from the super{set} portfolio in every episode. Today's guest is Lindsey Meyl, Co-founder at RevAmp (rev-amp.ai), a "Datadog for RevOps" platform that offers observability across the revenue engine, monitoring performance, flagging when something is amiss, and determining the root cause of how to fix it.Lindsey Meyl is an “entrepreneur by accident” - a serial startup employee who joined Tom and Vivek across multiple builds at Krux, Habu, Ketch, and more, who typically swooped in at the Series, A, B and beyond to lead direct sales, sale...
2023-11-2009 min
The {Closed} SessionRingside Tales from Serial Startup Champion Omar TawakolLike Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed, the fiercest competitors can sometimes become friends. Omar Tawakol is a prime example. As the founder and CEO of BlueKai, he went head-to-head with Tom, Vivek, and the 'Krux mafia' for dominance in the Data Management Platform arena. A serial entrepreneur with roots in New York and Egypt, Omar eventually steered BlueKai to a successful acquisition by Oracle before creating Voicea, which Cisco acquired. Today, he's pioneering a new venture called Rembrand (rembrand.com), which innovates in product placement through generative fusion AI.Have you ever heard of a 5-year-old CEO...
2023-11-0931 min
The {Closed} SessionPhilosophy, Data, and AI Ethics with NYT Best-selling Author + Data Scientist Seth Stephens-DavidowitzHow does Google search data reveal hidden human truths and behaviors? What philosophical challenges arise when interpreting big data? In what ways does data reflect societal biases and preconceived notions? What's the potential of data science in revealing patterns that might be invisible to human analysts?Seth Stephens-Davidowitz is a data scientist, New York Times bestselling author, and sought-after keynote speaker. His 2017 book, Everybody Lies, on the secrets revealed in internet data, was a New York Times bestseller; a PBS NewsHour Book of the Year; and an Economist Book of the Year. His 2022 book, Don’t Trust Yo...
2023-10-2531 min
The {Closed} SessionSpotlight Series: Andrew Marshak, Co-founder of Headlamp HealthHeadlamp makes it easy for clinicians and their patients to access their universal medical records, while also providing advanced AI tools to support more personalized health insights and decision-making. Lean more about Headlamp Health at Headlamp.com: https://www.headlamp.com/Find Andrew Marshak on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-marshak/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2023-10-1816 min
The {Closed} SessionMarketing in the Age of AI with Rex BriggsMarketing has always been about connection, but what happens when AI becomes the mediator? With vast strides in AI-driven campaigns, how do marketers ensure they remain true to their brand and their audience? Who ensures that campaigns are not just data-driven but also ethical and impactful? As we stand on the precipice of an AI revolution in advertising, how does one navigate the intricate balance between personalization and consumer control over their data?Rex Briggs, a luminary in marketing measurement, envisions a future where AI-driven campaigns resonate deeper and more personally with audiences. With vast industry experience...
2023-10-1152 min
Energi TalksThe rise to dominance of China's EV industryMarkham interviews Vivek Vaidya, principal and global client leader at Frost & Sullivan,
2023-10-0337 min
The {Closed} SessionSpotlight Series: Gal Vered, Co-founder of Checksum.aiChecksum automatically generates and maintains end-to-end tests based on user sessions so you can move fast without breaking things. Learn more about Checksum at checksum.ai .Gal Vered's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gal-vered/www.theclosedsession.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2023-09-2217 min
The {Closed} SessionHarvard Computer Scientist James Mickens on The Ethical Tech ProjectAre we walking a tightrope with AI, jeopardizing humanity's ethical core? Is AI more than just algorithms, acting as a mirror to our moral values? And when machine learning grapples with ethical dilemmas, who ultimately bears the responsibility? Harvard's Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science, James Mickens, joins Tom Chavez and Vivek Vaidya on "The {Closed} Session." Together, they dive deep into The Ethical Tech Project (a think-and-do tank crafting blueprints for ethical data use), Harvard's Institute for Rebooting Social Media, the art of data stewardship, privacy engineering, and the evolving landscape of AI regulation. P...
2023-09-0659 min
The {Closed} SessionAI Hot Takes: Deepfakes, The Big Stakes, and What to MakeIs AI our salvation or is it going to kill us all? Tom and Vivek roam widely on others’ takes about artificial intelligence, adding their insight and experience to the mix. Along the way they consider Descartes, Ray Kurzweil, Salt Bae, Marc Andreessen among others. If you are looking for a down to earth conversation that tempers the extremes at either end of the debate, this is the one you’ve been waiting for.Hosts Tom Chavez and Vivek Vaidya delve into the multifaceted world of generative AI, examining its effects on truth, deepfakes, business integration, and the...
2023-08-0928 min
The {Closed} SessionAI Alignment with Brian Christian of 'The Alignment Problem'What does ‘AI alignment mean? Can philosophy help make AI less biased? How does reinforcement learning influence AI's unpredictability? How does AI's ‘frame problem’ affect its ability to understand objects? What role does human feedback play in machine learning and AI fine-tuning?An acclaimed author and researcher who explores the human implications of computer science, Brian Christian is best known for his bestselling series of books: "The Most Human Human" (2011), "Algorithms to Live By" (2016), and "The Alignment Problem" (2020). The latter explores the ethical issues in AI, highlighting the biases and unintended outcomes in these systems and the crucia...
2023-07-2533 min
The {Closed} SessionThe Future of Work and Talent in TechDoes it matter where you go to college? Should the SAT be abolished? Do you have to have a degree in computer science to work in tech? What are the differences between higher education in the US and in India? Why did Tom and Vivek ban Harvard and Stanford degrees from working at their first company?Even though both Tom and Vivek have – in their own words – fancy degrees themselves, they also acknowledge that they came into the job market when there were fewer graduates in computer science than there are today. So what do the thousands of f...
2023-07-1133 min
The {Closed} SessionMIT Professor Rama Ramakrishnan on How ChatGPT WorksFew technologies have captured the attention of the general public as well as seasoned software engineers and entrepreneurs like ChatGPT. But how does it work? How can humans use it to increase productivity and output? And how is it likely to evolve? Our guest for this episode is Rama Ramakrishnan, Professor of the Practice, Data Science and Applied Machine Learning, at MIT Sloan School of Management. He joins Vivek for a wide-ranging conversation about ChatGPT and generative AI, with amusing asides into why Vivek rejected a job offer from Rama at one of his early start ups, w...
2023-06-2746 min
The {Closed} SessionGenerative AI + Creative Work with Big Technology's Alex KantrowitzAlex Kantrowitz, journalist and author of Big Technology, joins Tom and Vivek in the studio to discuss his road to journalism, ad tech, and the business and ethical considerations of generative AI.Alex recounts his career shift and discusses the impact of generative AI on journalism, drawing from an incident where AI tools were used to plagiarize his work. The discussion also covers the role of AI in improving performance across fields like journalism and software engineering, and its applications in law and music. AI can simply automate specific tasks, but is it likely to replace the n...
2023-06-1335 min
The {Closed} SessionBuilding the Creator Platform for Music Makers at Boombox.ioOn the heels of boombox.io's $7M seed fundraise led by Forerunner, Tom Chavez and Vivek Vaidya sit down with boombox co-founders India Lossman and Max Mathieu for a special episode straight from super{summit} 2023 in New Orleans!Tom, Vivek, India and Max discuss their backgrounds as musicians and techies building a platform where music producers can store, version, and track all of their music files; collect time-stamped feedback on audio files; communicate on the go with iOS/Android apps; manage splits for songwriting and recordings; and create simple legally-binding contracts for song ownership.The...
2023-05-2539 min
The {Closed} SessionPrivacy & Data Security Law with Alysa Hutnik, Chief Privacy and Data Security Architect @ KetchWe are delighted to share our new episode of the {Closed} Session podcast with guest Alyssa Hutnik. Alyssa looms large in the privacy world, and she’s been thinking deeply about the intersections of data, technology and the law for nearly two decades. She’s also the Chief Privacy and Data Security Architect at Ketch, a super{set} company, as well as a lawyer. Listen to the episode and read the transcript at superset.com***The {closed} session - Season 4, Episode 2Guest, Ayssa Hutnik, Chief Privacy and Data Security Architect at Ketch...
2023-05-0839 min
The {Closed} SessionAI and Bias in Hiring with Frida Polli, CEO and co-founder of pymetricsThe {closed} session - Season 4, Episode 1Kicking off the fourth season of the {Closed} Session podcast with a great topic and guest: Frida Polli, CEO and co-founder of pymetrics, which was recently acquired by Harver, joins us to talk about the critical role that technology and specifically AI and neuroscience can play in eliminating bias in hiring and beyond.Listen to the episode and read the transcript at superset.com***Listen to more episodes at www.theclosedsession.comTwitter: @closedseshpodLearn more about super{set} at www...
2023-04-1837 min
The {Closed} SessionArthur Patterson on Company BuildingTwice a month, the super{set} community comes together for a weekly call - often featuring fireside chats with outside speakers and friends of the super{set} Hive. On one such call, we were pleased to welcome Arthur Patterson - founder of the venture capital firm Accel and an investor in Tom and Vivek’s previous companies, Rapt and Krux.Arthur Patterson is one of the greatest VCs of all time, founding Accel as an upstart in 1983 and building out the firm to become the powerhouse it is today. He’s an investor - not an operator hims...
2023-03-2032 min
Oh Ship! ShowBuilding Businesses In A Data & AI-Driven WorldOn this episode of @OhShipShow Freddie is joined by guest Vivek Vaidya, cofounder, general partner and CTO of SuperSet, a startup studio focused on founding and building data-driven software companies. As the world becomes more data-driven and automated, it's more important than ever to have a strong understanding of data and AI. In this episode, Vivek shares his insights on how to build businesses in this rapidly changing landscape. Tune in to learn how to power your business with data and AI!#ohshipshow #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #ai #datadriven
2023-03-0138 min
The {Closed} SessionArthur Patterson on Venture InvestingTwice a month, the super{set} community comes together for a weekly call - often featuring fireside chats with outside speakers and friends of the super{set} Hive. On one such call, we were pleased to welcome Arthur Patterson - founder of the venture capital firm Accel and an investor in Tom and Vivek’s previous companies, Rapt and Krux.At super{set}, we adamantly are not VCs. That said, we partner with VCs during our company build-outs, and there’s a lot to learn from the best venture capitalists. Arthur Patterson is perhaps one of the grea...
2023-02-0238 min
The {Closed} SessionStartup Boards 101As serial founders, we’ve seen a lot of board meetings.Tom has even been in board meetings where the board has referred to him in the third person, in reference to how great his replacement was going to be! Not a great time (side note: Tom narrowly avoided dismissal - nobody else was crazy enough to take the job of CEO).A board isn’t a thing to be managed, but it also isn’t an opportunity to be “your authentic self.” Founders must thread the needle and effuse optimism while also seeing things as they truly are...
2022-12-0839 min
The {Closed} SessionWhen and Why to Bring on VCsWe have a venture fund at super{set} but aren’t Venture Capitalists. What’s the difference? We’re operators, while the VCs are helpers. The best VCs come in asking the catalytic questions that encapsulate risks and delineate opportunities, but they aren't hands-on with the company. They know when they are needed and when they are not.In the over-caffeinated recent years, seed investments have started to look like Series A. And it reminds us a lot of Tom and Vivek’s first foray into entrepreneurship - Rapt, which began in 1999. Rapt’s Series B was much large...
2022-11-1636 minThe {Closed} SessionCalling BULLSHITA core value at super{set} is passion. Life is too short to phone it in. We bring our authentic selves to work and give our employees the opportunity to do their best. Yes, this extends to the podcast, too - so Tom and Vivek bring their most authentic selves to the pod this episode with some hot takes as they call BULLSHIT.Whether it’s VCs, remote work and productivity, or fetishizing the CEO - we got the takes in this episode. Listen to what’s on Tom and Vivek’s “fuck-it list.”Learn more about...
2022-11-0225 min
The {Closed} SessionThe super{set} CEOAt super{set}, the money from our venture fund exists exclusively to fund the companies emerging from our studio at inception and give the early team the time and focus to build. At inception, the last thing we want is the wrong CEO showing up, kicking up dust with too much certainty: the art in our model is finding the right CEO at the right time.The average CEO isn’t suited for the early stage - the soul-crushing ambiguity, the need for collaboration and humility rather than go-it-alone decisiveness. At super{set}, we look for CEOs th...
2022-10-1046 minThe {Closed} SessionEarly Stage Customerssuper{set} is in the business of solving real-world problems, meaning disentangling actual customer problems - not building a product in a vacuum because it looked cool to us. You can’t wait for every feature of your product to be built before you start having conversations - and testing the market-message fit. As your product launches, early customers are less about maximizing revenue streams (mistakes will be made along the way: customers will fire you) and more about earning valuable product feedback before the scale stage for your company. Metrics like ACV and ARR don’t matter in the...
2022-09-0652 minThe {Closed} SessionThe Product Heistsuper{set} is unabashedly all about building great products. We have to be: all the low-hanging fruit has been plucked, and the easy things in tech have all been done before. It used to be a couple of engineers (or even a lone engineer), a bunch of functional and technical specs, and six months later you’ve built something. Doesn’t work that way anymore. The ecosystems, the platforms, and the problems to be solved are much more complex - and on top of this, the speed at which product has to be built and evolve has never been fast...
2022-07-2945 minThe {Closed} SessionPeople, First: Co-founding at super{set}Everything we do, every company we build is based on a philosophy of “People, Product, Customers” - in that order. We mean it: people first. We don’t build alone. At every company we start, we do it alongside a talented product-oriented co-founder whom we recruit to join us. Our success is predicated on starting with the best outside talent.Tom and Vivek share what they look for in the very first hire for every super{set} company: a Head of Product Co-founder with grit, humility, organized thinking, and clock speed. They discuss why the Head of Produc...
2022-06-1330 minThe {Closed} SessionNew Venture IdeationGood ideas are hard work.Nobody plucks tech startup ideas out of the air like butterflies. Ideas actualize over time. It takes hard work and persistence to ideate a new formation opportunity that will have the wherewithal to become a company. Tom and Vivek make the distinction between ideas rooted in data versus software, and why super{set} pursues only these data-driven ideas.Not all ideas are easily comprehensible from the get-go. Some ideas are straightforward and clear - like making kids' boxed mac and cheese - and others take a bit more w...
2022-05-0233 minThe {Closed} SessionThe Studio ModelWhat's a startup studio? Is it just "venture capital" with another name?It's still early for the studio model - case in point, people still are asking "you have a fund right? aren't you just a venture capital firm with a different label?"Tom and Vivek detail just what we're doing at super{set} - what the model is, how we're different from VC, craftsmanship versus critique, what's in it for LP's, and most of all what's in it for co-founders?Learn more about how we at super{set} found and fund data-driven...
2022-04-1334 min
Frost & Sullivan PodcastsWoven Planet Holdings’ vision of Mobility for allWondering what it really takes to achieve and sustain growth in challenging times? Welcome to Frost Growth Talks! A series of hard hitting, digestible yet casual conversations about “Growth” with business leaders, who have achieved it!!Conversations meant to inspire you and guide you on your quest for profitable growth.Hear Mandali Khalesi, Vice President of Automated Driving Strategy and Mapping at Woven Planet share their vision of “Mobility for all”.Shahed Amanullah, VP – Customer Experience and Vivek Vaidya, Partner & Global Client Leader- Mobility, in a candid conversation with Mandali, to underst...
2021-08-2728 minThe {Closed} SessionTo SPAC or not to SPACHarpal Sandhu, a Silicon Valley veteran and friend of super{set}, joins Vivek and Tom and explains what the excitement about SPAC's is all about. How did we get from IPO's to SPAC's? What's a PIPE? And why does the $10 price show up? In this episode you'll understand why entrepreneurs might prefer a SPAC and how they navigate its possibilities and pitfalls with investors.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2021-06-1938 minThe {Closed} SessionBack to the Office, Kinda SortaWith vaccines on the horizon, the idea of getting back to the workplace doesn't seem so far-fetched anymore. In this episode of The Closed Session, Tom and Vivek discuss what it's been like working from home, their likes, dislikes, and lessons learned. What pandemic habits are here to stay, and what pre-pandemic routines are likely to re-emerge? Between the 'back-to-workers' and the 'work-from-homers,' Tom and Vivek wonder whether a middle course is within reach.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2021-04-1042 minThe {Closed} SessionBig Tech and RegulationThe drums are beating for Big Tech, and for good reason. In this episode, Tom and Vivek break it all down and explain why you need to watch your wallet, or at least raise your antenna, whenever Google or Facebook say they're making a new product decision "to protect user privacy." Exactly how do their product decisions erode competitive markets and our own data dignity? Recorded at the tail end of 2020 before all of the post-election events unfolded, this episode explains exactly how the major platforms abuse data, why you should care, and what we can do to fix it.
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2020-11-0637 minThe {Closed} SessionEquity and InclusionTom and Vivek talk about inclusion and reflect on their personal experiences as brown guys in tech. Inclusion feels like a moral imperative, but does it really make for stronger, better companies? Are there unintended consequences of acting on good intentions to 'fix' an inclusion problem at a company? Why is tech so lacking in diversity, and what can we do to get it right?
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2020-08-0740 min
The Marketing CloudcastMoment Makers: Walking the Data TightropeData is the key to creating great customer experiences. And with a great amount of data comes great responsibility. In this episode Elyse Blouin, Sr. Director Digital Marketing at Lowe’s discusses how to be clever (and not creepy) when creating marketing moments. We can’t talk about data and not cover how to keep it secure, so we asked two security experts at Salesforce, Saikat Saha and Miku Konsolas, to walk us through how marketers can be more mindful of protecting data and complying with ever-evolving regulations. Resources: Book: Data Driven by Chris O'hara, Tom Chav...
2020-07-3100 minThe {Closed} SessionQuarantine Edition: Let the Rants UnfurlIf you came to this edition for deep company-building wisdom, prepare to be disappointed. Being cooped up in a pandemic has turned Tom and Vivek into a couple of curmudgeons, and they're in need of catharsis. Why is Jared Kushner in charge of COVID response, and what makes rich people think they're so smart? Why does Siri perfectly nail the pronunciation of Vivek's name, but she can't retrieve a contact or anything useful on the web when you need it? How long will it take for new entrepreneurs to unlearn all the bad lessons they've picked up on the heels...
2020-06-0528 minThe {Closed} SessionTo Sell or Not to SellShould you sell your company—or keep building? In this episode, Tom and Vivek break down the timeless founder’s dilemma with lessons from their own exits at Rapt and Krux. They explore the frameworks entrepreneurs can use to decide, from evaluating whether you have a feature, a product, or a category to weighing investor, employee, and personal motivations. Along the way, they share candid stories of near misses, tough boardroom conversations, and what it really takes to “land the plane” when opportunity knocks.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https...
2020-03-0636 min
Notepad with Ibrahim SaniCar Industry with Frost & SullivanIn this annual Mobility Outlook, Vivek Vaidya, Associate Partner and Senior Vice President of Mobility at Frost & Sullivan shares his views and predictions for the Malaysian Automotive Industry in 2020.
2020-02-1925 minThe {Closed} SessionAnd, we’re live at super{set}!Welcome to Season 2 of The Closed Session! In this first episode of 2020, Tom and Vivek talk about the five companies super{set} launched in 2019 and the lessons they’re learning as they go.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2020-02-0734 minThe {Closed} SessionIs Tech Stingy? The Case for Doing Well *and* Doing GoodIn the last episode of this season, Tom and Vivek take up the question of philanthropy and giving back in the context of tech. Are tech companies stingy? If they are, what explains it and how did we get here? Should tech companies even engage in or care about philanthropy? Least important, what's the best burrito joint in SF?
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-12-0632 minThe {Closed} SessionHow to Interview for a StartupSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-10-0426 minThe {Closed} SessionWomen in TechSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-09-2729 minThe {Closed} SessionBuilding a Kickass Product & Technology EngineSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-09-0632 minThe {Closed} SessionCreating a Winning Culture: Must-Haves, Memes, and TipsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-08-0228 minThe {Closed} SessionEarly Team FormationNow that you've written the business plan and raised money, it's time to recruit your early team. In this episode, Tom and Vivek cover the do's and dont's of building a high-output team - who to hire, how to build chemistry and throughput, how to think about talent when your company is a toddler versus when it's an adolescent.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-07-0530 minThe {Closed} SessionEarly-Stage Funding Do’s and Dont’sIn this episode of The Closed Session, Tom and Vivek talk about dilution, methods, mindset, benchmarks and best practices for raising investment capital for a new tech startup.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-05-0328 minThe {Closed} SessionThe Business Plan – Why, What, and HowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-04-0528 minThe {Closed} SessionStarting From ScratchIn episode 2 of The Closed Session, Tom and Vivek discuss the framework for starting your own company from scratch. Within this framework, there are three dimensions you should take into account; keep listening to find out what they are and to see if you have what it takes to be a tech entrepreneur.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-03-0132 min
Embark On The Spellbinding Full Audiobook Experience!Data Driven by Tom Chavez, Chris O'Hara, Vivek VaidyaPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/41056to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Data Driven
Author: Tom Chavez, Chris O'Hara, Vivek Vaidya
Narrator: LJ Ganser
Format: mp3
Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins
Release date: 02-19-19
Ratings: 4 out of 5 stars, 116 ratings
Genres: E-Commerce
Publisher's Summary:
The team behind the data management platform that helps fuel Salesforce - the number one customer relationship management (CRM) company in the world - presents this indispensable guide to data-powered marketing. You’ll discover the three principles for building a successful data strategy and the five sources of data-driven power. You’ll hear how top companies put these data...
2019-02-196h 17Fuel Your Mind With A Full Audiobook That Is Simply Edge-Of-Your-Seat.Data Driven by Tom Chavez, Chris O'Hara, Vivek VaidyaPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/2/audible/41056to listen full audiobooks.
Title: Data Driven
Author: Tom Chavez, Chris O'Hara, Vivek Vaidya
Narrator: LJ Ganser
Format: mp3
Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins
Release date: 02-19-19
Ratings: 4 out of 5 stars, 116 ratings
Genres: E-Commerce
Publisher's Summary:
The team behind the data management platform that helps fuel Salesforce - the number one customer relationship management (CRM) company in the world - presents this indispensable guide to data-powered marketing. You’ll discover the three principles for building a successful data strategy and the five sources of data-driven power. You’ll hear how top companies put these data...
2019-02-196h 17The {Closed} SessionIntroduction to The Closed SessionSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-02-0124 min