Shows
Masters of ScaleReplay: Bill Gates is ending his foundation — here’s how it beganBill Gates announced this week that he will shutter his philanthropic foundation in 20 years – but not before using it to give away $200 billion to fight global diseases. In this archival episode from 2019, he tells host Reid Hoffman the story of how it all started – and how he learned to scale his impact as a philanthropist.In Part 2 of this special two-part conversation, we’re talking with Bill Gates about the biggest success story ever told on the podcast. It was achieved not through Microsoft, but through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Bill and Melinda have built their founda...
2025-05-0841 minMasters of ScaleLive from SXSW: Mike and Kass Lazerow’s ‘messy’ path to successSerial entrepreneurs and investors Mike and Kass Lazerow are best known for co-founding Buddy Media, the social media marketing platform that sold to Salesforce for $745 million. Host Jeff Berman joined the Lazerows on stage at the 2025 SXSW conference to discuss their extraordinary career journey as co-founders and spouses. They’ve distilled their most meaningful business lessons into a new book: Shoveling $h!t: A Love Story About the Entrepreneur's Messy Path to Success. Book details: https://shovelingshit.com/Note: Kass Lazerow is on the board of WaitWhat — the company that makes this podcast.Read...
2025-03-2037 min
Spark & Fire: Fuel Your CreativityIntroducing: Pioneers of AIWe’re excited to launch WaitWhat's newest weekly series, Pioneers of AI — your guide to the latest technological frontier. Hosted by AI thought leader, scientist, and investor Rana el Kaliouby, tune in for insights from industry trailblazers, explore the ethical considerations of AI, and get ahead of what’s to come as the technology continues to develop. Head to the Pioneers of AI feed now to hear Rana's latest conversations alongside Masters of Scale's Reid Hoffman and Dr. Joy Boulamwini. New episodes of Pioneers of AI release every Wednesday. Pioneers of AI is made possible with support from Inflection AI.
2024-09-1801 min
Meditative StoryIntroducing: Pioneers of AIWe’re excited to launch WaitWhat's newest weekly series, Pioneers of AI — your guide to the latest technological frontier. Hosted by AI thought leader, scientist, and investor Rana el Kaliouby, tune in for insights from industry trailblazers, explore the ethical considerations of AI, and get ahead of what’s to come as the technology continues to develop. Head to the Pioneers of AI feed now to hear Rana's latest conversations alongside Masters of Scale's Reid Hoffman and Dr. Joy Boulamwini. New episodes of Pioneers of AI release every Wednesday. Pioneers of AI is made possible with support from Inflection AI.
2024-09-1801 min
Should This Exist?Introducing: Pioneers of AIWe’re excited to launch WaitWhat's newest weekly series, Pioneers of AI — your guide to the latest technological frontier. Hosted by AI thought leader, scientist, and investor Rana el Kaliouby, tune in for insights from industry trailblazers, explore the ethical considerations of AI, and get ahead of what’s to come as the technology continues to develop. Head to the Pioneers of AI feed now to hear Rana's latest conversations alongside Masters of Scale's Reid Hoffman and Dr. Joy Boulamwini. New episodes of Pioneers of AI release every Wednesday. Pioneers of AI is made possible with support from Inflection AI.
2024-09-1801 min
Offsite AdventuresIntroducing: Pioneers of AIWe’re excited to launch WaitWhat's newest weekly series, Pioneers of AI — your guide to the latest technological frontier. Hosted by AI thought leader, scientist, and investor Rana el Kaliouby, tune in for insights from industry trailblazers, explore the ethical considerations of AI, and get ahead of what’s to come as the technology continues to develop. Head to the Pioneers of AI feed now to hear Rana's latest conversations alongside Masters of Scale's Reid Hoffman and Dr. Joy Boulamwini. New episodes of Pioneers of AI release every Wednesday. Pioneers of AI is made possible with support from Inflection AI.
2024-09-1801 min
Podcast PerspectivesThe Wild West of Podcast Development with WaitWhat’s Leital MoladWhat’s the next frontier of podcasting? My guest, Leital Molad, the Head of Podcasts at WaitWhat and podcast trailblazer, has some answers. We discuss her approach to developing groundbreaking shows, like Paul McCartney’s A Life in Lyrics and A Slight Change of Plans. I also get her thoughts on AI – including her insight into WaitWhat’s Listener’s Bill of Rights in the Age of AI and their new show, Pioneers of AI.You can find Leital Molad online at LinkedIn, and you can also find her on waitwhat.com. I...
2024-09-1842 minMasters of ScaleReid Hoffman & Jeff Berman on why the future needs re-foundersReid Hoffman thinks visionary leaders should pursue a "re-founder" state of mind. In this episode he welcomes the newest host of Masters of Scale, Jeff Berman, for a dialogue that digs into a re-founder's mission: evolving an organization while staying true to core values. As the re-founder of WaitWhat, the media company that brings this podcast to life, Jeff explores with Reid their own experiences with leadership succession. And they draw on re-founding insight from all-stars like Microsoft's Satya Nadella, Uber's Dara Khosrowshahi, and Yahoo's Marissa Mayer. So reset the clock to Day 0 – because it's always a prime time fo...
2024-03-0534 minMasters of ScaleReid Hoffman confronts the AI critics, w/WaitWhat CEO Jeff BermanAre AI’s harshest critics causing irreversible harm to humanity? How far should leaders lean into AI? And just what would Reid sound like speaking Chinese with a British accent?Reid Hoffman sits down with CEO of WaitWhat and longtime friend Jeff Berman to tackle these pressing questions and more. Join them in an unguarded exploration of how the AI landscape has continued to shift in the six months since Reid published Impromptu, the book he co-authored with ChatGPT.Reid also gives a sneak peek into his work with Microsoft's unreleased AI text-to-speech tech, and di...
2023-11-0723 minMasters of ScaleHow to unite a team around a shared mission: A story from Yo-Yo Ma on Spark & FireWhat can an entrepreneur learn from a world-class musician? How to create a world-class team, and unite around a clear mission. In this special crossover episode with our sister podcast, Spark & Fire, you’ll hear world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma tell the story of co-founding The Silk Road Project — a musical collective that brings together musicians from wildly different traditions to write and perform original music.Yo-Yo Ma had to foster a collaborative atmosphere between musicians that didn’t speak the same language — literally or musically. This, of course, brought a set of unique challenges. So how did Yo-Yo buil...
2022-11-2127 min
iEDM RadioiEDM Radio Guest Mix - waitwhatTroy Skinner and Damon Dokhani, known as waitwhat, are a DJ/producer duo based in the Bay Area. Troy and Damon first met during their time at UC Berkeley as members of the same fraternity. During this time, Troy began producing as a hobby fueled by nothing more than a passion to make music. Damon, after connecting with on-campus music groups, made strides towards becoming a solo performing act under the moniker NomaD. After seeing the potential in one another, Damon joined Troy’s solo project, waitwhat, in June 2017.
waitwhat blends together their many influences into a signature sound. Growing up...
2022-04-0459 min
Spark & Fire: Fuel Your CreativityIntroducing ... Spark & FireEvery creative work you've ever loved has a hero's journey behind it. The first spark. The endless iteration. The inevitable setbacks. The magical people who appear to help. And the breakthrough idea.On each episode of Spark & Fire, an iconic creator tells their own story about the crooked path to creation. No host. No interview. It's the creator – entirely in their own words – against the backdrop of original music for the prepared piano. In this trailer, you’ll hear Season 1 guests, including the book designer Chip Kidd, author Susan Orlean, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, noveli...
2020-12-1004 minMasters of ScaleThe infinite learner, w/Barry Diller (Part 1 of our interview)Tinder. Top Gun. Roots. The Simpsons. What do they have in common? Media icon Barry Diller. We're re-airing a classic episode with some wise words. Barry is what we call an "infinite learner." He’s only interested in things he's never done before. And if they’ve never been done by ANYONE? Better yet. He succeeds by embracing that he is, in fact, a master of nothing. Entrepreneurs, take note: You just might be an infinite learner yourself, and Barry shares a lesson or two you can use.Listen to Part 2 of this interview, "Learn to unlearn": https...
2020-08-1142 minMasters of ScaleHow to price your product to scale, w/ClassPass's Payal KadakiaThe price that bleeds your business could also save it. We're revisiting a classic episode with ClassPass' Payal Kadakia to focus something every entrepreneur struggles with: pricing. When you invent something innovative, you can’t know how to price it on Day One. But you need to get people in the door — a LOT of people — even if you have to price your product fatally low at first. In this episode, ClassPass founder and chair Payal Kadakia shares the winding path to the right price — and how the journey revealed what was most valuable about their service.Read a t...
2020-08-0440 minMasters of ScaleBe a painkiller AND a vitamin, w/Clara Shih (Hearsay Systems)Some products are vitamins and some are painkillers – the best, though, are both. This is what Clara Shih, founder and CEO of Hearsay Systems, learned in the early years of her software startup. To survive, she needed to shift her platform from a nice-to-have into a can’t-live-without. And in doing so, she learned a secret to scale: Solve your customers’ urgent needs now ... while looking ahead to their future wishlists. Cameo appearances: Shellye Archambeau (MetricStream), Gary Alexander (MyImprov driving school).Read a transcript of this episode at https://mastersofscale.comSubscribe to the Masters of Scal...
2020-07-2833 minMasters of ScaleLet fires burn w/Selina Tobaccowala (Evite, SurveyMonkey, Gixo)It's the opposite of what you were taught. The best entrepreneurs — they let fires burn. Knowing which problems NOT to solve is as critical as knowing how to solve them. We're revisiting this episode with serial entrepreneur Selina Tobaccowala (Evite, SurveyMonkey, TicketMaster, Gixo) to underscore the one thing every entrepreneur needs to know right now: You have to conserve energy for the biggest blazes, and learn how to sleep easy while other fires smolder around you. Cameo appearances: Cheryl Kellond (Apostrophe, Inc.), Brian Chesky (Airbnb), Lisa Curtis (Kuli Kuli), Hadi Partovi (Code.org), Jerry Chen (Greylock Partners).Re...
2020-07-2134 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Building a bridge over troubled waters, with Spelman College president Dr. Mary Schmidt CampbellHow to keep students learning – and building their vital lifelong community bonds – in the middle of a pandemic? This is the question for Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell, president of Spelman College. Late in July, Dr. Campbell announced Spelman's plan for the upcoming academic year – with 100% online classes (and lower fees). Meanwhile, as the head of a leading HBCU, based in the protest hotbed of Atlanta, she's also been grappling with social unrest and calls for change. Spelman is taking this moment to experiment with how best to support virtual learning and community-building — combining emergent innovations and best-of-class design thinking — as they co...
2020-07-1841 minMasters of ScaleStrategy Session: How transparent should you be with your board? How do you boost morale in dark days? Is it time to blitzscale?How do you take smart risks, how can you be transparent – but inspiring – with your board and your team, how do you keep up morale in what seem like the darkest days, and what does the future of blitzscaling look like now? Reid answers all in another Strategy Session. This session is a little different – what you're about to hear is actually a portion of Reid’s virtual fireside chat with Linda Rottenberg, the CEO and co-founder of Endeavor, an organization that supports and invests in entrepreneurs worldwide, and especially in emerging markets. The fireside chat happened in the early Sp...
2020-07-1428 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Inside PayPal's $530M plan to close the racial wealth gap, with CEO Dan SchulmanThe pandemic has hurt many businesses – but PayPal isn't one of them. PayPal has boomed as e-commerce has swelled, with stock up more than 50% this year and a huge new demographic joining the platform. That doesn't mean, though, that CEO Dan Schulman has been sitting back. PayPal recently committed more than $500 million to support Black and minority-owned businesses, after facilitating some $1.9 billion in PPP loans to largely underbanked communities. Dan says PayPal has a unique opportunity to spur emerging economic recovery – and to make a longterm impact in the fight for racial justice. Interviewed by editor Bob Safian.Re...
2020-07-1130 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: What it will take for tech and Hollywood to be anti-racist, w/Color Of Change's Rashad RobinsonThere's no quick fix to 400 years of oppression, says Color Of Change president Rashad Robinson. One of the largest racial justice organizations in the US, Color Of Change works with decision-makers in business and government to enact systemic change. In 2020, Color Of Change has seen its membership swell — along with its impact. Rashad's group railed against Hollywood's reflexive pro-police agenda, forcing TV shows "Cops" and "Live PD" off the air, and launched the Stop Hate For Profit campaign to hold tech companies accountable for what happens on social platforms. By working together, says Rashad, we can make a lasting di...
2020-07-0932 minMasters of ScaleThe 4 core principles of crisis management, w/Ellen Kullman (DuPont, Carbon)To survive a crisis, you have to double down on who you already are as a company. This is something Ellen Kullman knows, having led DuPont through the 2008-2009 financial crisis, and taken the CEO role at 3D-printing unicorn Carbon only weeks before Covid hit. Through her years as a leader, Ellen has developed four crisis principles that allowed her to lead teams and thrive through pandemic, economic meltdown, and beyond. The key? Practicing the principles in calmer times, before crisis hits. Because as Reid says: there's no such thing as a crisis playbook. There's just your playbook. Cameos...
2020-07-0736 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: A new playbook for new times, w/Ford Foundation president Darren Walker"This was like 1918, 1929 and 1968 in one week," says Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation. With the pandemic, economic crisis, and civil unrest all coming together after George Floyd's death, Walker found himself flooded with calls from CEOs struggling for how to respond. Walker's advice mixes clear-eyed messages — denying the trauma borne by communities of color is no longer option — with optimism about the opportunities ahead. At the Ford Foundation, they've accelerated giving and even exceeded their own KPIs. With more leaders dedicated to making a positive impact, he says, the wind is changing, for people of color and for...
2020-07-0226 minMasters of ScaleStephen Colbert + DonorsChoose's Charles Best — The power of small goalsStartups are audacious. They’re big. They’re world-changing. But you can’t achieve scale on day one. Sometimes the best way to achieve that monumental success tomorrow is to take a teeny tiny step today. This is what Charles Best did when he founded one of the world’s first crowdfunding platforms, DonorsChoose. For 20 years, the nonprofit has been helping public school teachers get funding and supplies for classroom projects and it all started with just a handful of projects in the Bronx, where Charles was a public school teacher. Now it funds thousands of projects in all 50 states...
2020-06-3048 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Burning cash, accepting turbulence w/Delta CEO Ed BastianA surprisingly candid and upbeat interview on the industry hardest hit by the pandemic. Delta saw seat bookings fall to less than 5% of normal, had 40,000 employees go on unpaid leave, and raised $14 billion in funding – all to withstand a cash burn that still stands at $30 million a day. To rebuild traveler trust, Delta CEO Ed Bastian has enacted a slew of new safety standards, including capping flight loads at 60 percent and using hospital-grade HEPA filters on board – in fact, Bastian contends there's not a safer time to be on a plane than right now. He's also sped up forward-facing compa...
2020-06-2733 minMasters of ScaleLiberating the human spirit, w/Robert F. Smith (Vista Equity, Morehouse Commencement), Recorded live at Summit LA 2019Every great founder has a second purpose — something outside their main business they're trying to get done in the world. And every successful company is like a Trojan Horse, carrying this second purpose forward. No one knows this better than Robert F. Smith. You may know him for his legendary Morehouse commencement speech (in which he promised to pay off the student loan debt of the entire graduating class), but Robert's scaling success and philanthropic work go far beyond that. As founder, chair, and CEO of private equity firm Vista Equity Partners, Robert finds profound ways to serve both hi...
2020-06-2359 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: How business can engage against racism, w/Shellye Archambeau (MetricStream, Nordstrom, Verizon)What can your business do right now in the struggle against racism? More than you think, says Shellye Archambeau, former CEO of MetricStream, now a board member at Verizon, Nordstrom and Okta. She returns to the show with her all-too-rare perspective as a Black woman at the top of some of the world’s largest businesses. The struggle is a marathon, but businesses are uniquely poised to demand accountability and transparency from their communities. Whether you're a CEO or a citizen, Shellye has heartfelt and hard-earned wisdom for us all. Interviewed by editor Bob Safian.Learn more ab...
2020-06-1939 minMasters of ScaleBuild. Measure. Learn, w/Eric Ries of The Lean Startup and the LTSEForget writing that business plan. Design an experiment instead. So many products and companies fail because the assumptions in their beautiful business plans were just wrong. So stop writing and start testing. No one knows this better than Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup and founder of the Long-Term Stock Exchange. After his first product failed, he developed a new method of product design based on running small, fast experiments, measuring the results, and learning from them. It’s a system built on data, not assumptions, and it works with almost everything, from app development to airplane design. It...
2020-06-1645 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: GM's Mary Barra: "Going ventilator fast"GM is now reopening auto plants, after shutting them in March, temporarily reducing pay for 69,000 employees, and making a fast pivot to produce masks and ventilators. But with the killing of George Floyd, things are hardly back to normal. Chair and CEO Mary Barra speaks to her “profound feeling of sadness,” but also to her optimism that the country and her company will bounce back. Though there is work to be done, says Mary, we're poised for transformation. Interviewed by editor Bob Safian.Read a transcript of this episode at https://mastersofscale.comSubscribe to the M...
2020-06-1328 minMasters of ScaleStrategy Session: The post-pandemic business, w/questions from Village Global and co-host Bob Safian, editor-at-largeHow do you find new markets when your old ones stall? How do you stay agile when your team is overwhelmed? And do constraints always lead to creativity — really? In this Strategy Session recorded in the height of the global pandemic, Reid fields smart questions from six entrepreneurs with Village Global, and co-hosted by our own Bob Safian.Village Global is an early-stage venture capital firm backed by some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs.Read a transcript of Strategy Session 4 at https://mastersofscale.comSubscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsl...
2020-06-0939 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: BuzzFeed’s Jonah Peretti: Record-high audience, record-low revenueBuzzFeed audience is at record highs. But the pandemic's economic effects have crushed the bottom line. BuzzFeed co-founder and CEO Jonah Peretti shares how his company is making hard decisions to build long-term stability. “But the transition is painful,” he says. While BuzzFeed is leaning into food vertical Tasty, new e-commerce habits, and BuzzFeed News, he worries that businesses like his don't have more resources to support staffers of color. But, he says, there's a clarity of purpose in crisis, in bearing witness to the things that are happening in the world. Interviewed by editor Bob Safian.Read...
2020-06-0631 minMasters of ScaleBonus: Reid’s 2020 Commencement Speech: In a crisis, steer toward the emerging opportunitiesNew graduates 🎓are like entrepreneurs — standing on the edge of that cliff, ready to build their own plane and fly. But what if the blue skies and calm winds disappear? In a commencement speech for 2020 graduates — and anyone embarking on something new — our host Reid Hoffman says: Be optimistic. Be bold. But most of all, steer toward the opportunities emerging in this new world. How do you find them? Cultivate a network of people smart, curious people. This network creates a map of the world. And at uncertain times like these, you’ll definitely need that map.Read a tran...
2020-06-0328 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Danny Meyer, 10 weeks later: How to revive restaurants"Being the first to close is one thing. But I don't want to be the last to open,” says iconic restaurateur Danny Meyer in his second Rapid Response interview. After shutting his iconic New York City restaurants, laying off 2,000 staffers (with hopes to re-hire) and returning a $10m PPP, Danny finds himself reconsidering nearly everything about his business model. Even before the coronavirus lockdown, the restaurant industry had a slew of “preexisting conditions,” Danny says. Now those weaknesses have become exposed, putting at risk the future of hospitality — one of America’s core industries. Danny’s Union Square Hospitality Group is rei...
2020-05-3037 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: How "startup DNA" helped One Medical respond to Covid, with CEO Amir RubinSince One Medical’s IPO in January, CEO Amir Rubin has been forced to constantly adapt to the coronavirus pandemic, as healthcare needs, expectations, and behaviors shifted. From telemedicine to Covid-19 testing, One Medical has leaned into existing advantages to scale quickly: standing up respiratory care clinics and testing centers; revamping virtual and in-person visits; vetting labs and data. One Medical is now helping other businesses identify new practices to safely bring employees back to work. If you have a consistent platform and mission, explains Amir, that operating system can be applied to even fast-changing environments. Interviewed by editor Bob...
2020-05-2837 minMasters of ScaleA masterclass in crowdsourcing, w/Duolingo's Luis von AhnCrowdsourcing is more than a group of people interested in the same cause, it’s a way to tap skills – and scale – that you don’t have. And when it works, it can be the rocket fuel that launches you to scale further than you could have ever imagined. No one knows this better than Luis von Ahn, founder and CEO of Duolingo. Duolingo is a language app with over 300 million users worldwide, who complete over 7 billion exercises a month. It’s their passion for learning that drives them to create even more content for the app – igniting the rocket fuel t...
2020-05-2639 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: How Warby Parker is making decisions in uncertainty, with CEO Neil Blumenthal"It's like getting hit in the face over and over and over,” says Warby Parker co-CEO Neil Blumenthal. But “crisis brings out clarity.” At Warby, planning for the future has meant leaning into the present — from physical changes in their factory and stores that ensure social distancing to optimizing online vision tests. Blumenthal shares the complex factors they consider in deciding which stores to re-open and when, and relates the human challenge of inspiring their on-the-ground factory employees — at times of increased risk. For Blumenthal, it's all about recognizing new priorities (safety) and fitting them into ongoing strategy. Interviewed by editor B...
2020-05-2331 minMasters of ScaleHow to unite a team, Part 2 w/Angela Ahrendts of Burberry, AppleIn Part 2, Angela arrives at Apple, which feels like another planet after her years in fashion. In never-before heard stories, Angela shares how she learned the language of tech (the physical store is the ‘hardware’; the experience inside the ‘software’), then introduces innovations that change the face of Apple retail, from an app (The Loop) that let store managers collaborate to the landmark “Today at Apple” program, building community through free classes inside each Apple store. Throughout, Angela shows her team, through words and actions, that each person matters, and that they're all a part of something much bigger than themsel...
2020-05-1931 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Future-proofing Verizon, with CEO Hans VestbergData streaming, videoconferencing – even phone calls are way up at Verizon amid Covid-19, as digital interaction steps in for IRL. But boom times don't mean easy times for CEO Hans Vestberg, who moved over 100,000 employees remote in two weeks. As coronavirus hit and pressure on the Verizon network skyrocketed, Vestberg split his leadership team in two: one to deal with the specifics of the crisis and one to focus on pursuing present-and-future business goals. From new customer initiatives (like free bandwidth and FIOS-in-a-box) to future bets (like the acquisition of video conferencing service BlueJeans), Vestberg has championed that meeting cu...
2020-05-1629 minMasters of ScaleApple's Angela Ahrendts: How to unite a team (Part 1)The Apple logo. The iconic Burberry check. These images inspire loyalty of customers and employees alike. But it takes more than a beloved brand to power a company and motivate a team. No one knows this better than Angela Ahrendts, former SVP of retail at Apple, and the former CEO of Burberry. Angela has spent most of her career learning how to imbue those logos with meaning – and support them by down-to-earth, everyday, human connection. Why? Because to unite a team – especially one that’s large, global and dispersed – you need to turn them into mission-driven families.Read a t...
2020-05-1232 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Operating in a fishbowl w/Philly 76ers & NJ Devils CEO Scott O’NeilIn sports, everyone has an opinion on every hire, every trade, every price change. That’s the reality – and also the privilege, says Scott O'Neil, CEO of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils. When the NBA dramatically shut down its season, O'Neil's life changed in a very public way. He faced leadership challenges that include missteps, like the decision (and sudden reversal) of cutting employee salaries, and discoveries, like knowing it’s okay to tap out when you need to recharge. With no players on the court or fans in the arena, O'Neil is shifting his focus on what th...
2020-05-0933 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Crisis lessons from inside the ER, with Dr. Bon KuIn the Covid-19 storm, treating hospital patients requires constant iteration, creative information-sharing, and worst-case-scenario planning. Dr. Bon Ku, an ER physician and director of the Health Design Lab at Jefferson University in Philadelphia, takes us inside the practice and mindset required to perform under extraordinary pressure. He offers on-the-ground business insights we can all learn from, as he looks toward the future and reflects on a possible second wave of infections and the faulty incentives in the medical system. Interviewed by editor Bob Safian.Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.comSubscribe to th...
2020-05-0734 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Food security in a pandemic, w/Sara Menker of Gro IntelligenceWill the U.S. run out of food? Can the world's food supply chains survive coronavirus? Sara Menker, founder and CEO of Gro Intelligence, which parses 650 trillion agricultural data points daily, shares eye-opening insights based on real-time facts. Learn about the hidden forces that impact what we see on shelves -- and why we might be worrying about the wrong things. Interviewed by editor Bob Safian.Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.comSubscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com...
2020-05-0529 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Inside Panera’s pandemic pivot, with CEO Niren ChaudharyWhat do you do when you can’t serve customers in cafes and carry on business as usual? You try unusual things, says Panera CEO Niren Chaudhary. Forced to close cafes and restructure teams, Panera is leveraging its advantages (like a robust e-commerce system) to launch a slew of initiatives, from Panera Grocery to contactless delivery to Together Without Hunger, providing 500,000 meals to food banks across the U.S. It’s not the same Panera, says Chaudhary, but a Panera that will make it into the post-pandemic world. Interviewed by editor Bob Safian.Read a transcript of this...
2020-04-3030 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: A crisis leadership session with General Stanley McChrystalEveryone's looking for a box of crisis tricks. But the hard truth is that it simply doesn’t exist, says retired General Stanley McChrystal. Instead of looking for a new style, McChrystal says, lead with the same things that motivate people on a normal basis: Be honest about the path ahead, communicate clearly and build your team up. With calm reassurance, he encourages founders to keep their eyes on the future. Prepare for the post-pandemic world now, so you and your team can spring to action when the time comes. Retired General McChrystal is now the founder of the Mc...
2020-04-2837 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Pet adoptions: Up. Delivery business: Up. What that means to Chewy’s Sumit SinghPet adoptions have soared during the coronavirus lockdown, as people seek companionship and solace. For Chewy, the pet-supply company, that’s driving unprecedented demand. Ultra-rapid growth has its own set of challenges that CEO Sumit Singh is responding to by: hiring (at 13,000 employees, with plans to add another 6,000 to 10,000 by end of year); setting up a COVID task team that meets daily; instituting health and safety checks; rolling out customer-facing innovations in a weekend, and more. Why? Because a leader's job during a crisis, Singh says, is to first communicate with the team, and then innovate for a post-pandemic wo...
2020-04-2527 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Build government back – better, w/Jen Pahlka (Code for America, USDR)In the US, local governments are leading the response to COVID-19 – making decisions and gathering data at a speed and scale never before seen. And many of them are asking Jen Pahlka for help. The founder and past chair of Code for America, she co-founded U.S. Digital Response, a nonpartisan group that matches experts with local governments to work on tech, comms and operations. She shares what she's seeing right now – and paints a bold, big-picture vision of what a modern government could do in the years to come. Interviewed by editor Bob Safian.Read a trans...
2020-04-2337 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Target’s Brian Cornell: “I want to see retail survive this”Every day in a pandemic is different, and that’s true for people and for corporations. CEO Brian Cornell has promised Target will keep its doors open. To do that, Target is becoming "a good student," says Brian, listening to experts, collaborating with CEOs, staying flexible, and meeting daily to make decisions on an ever changing list of priorities, the first of which is to keep both the team and the guests safe. To date, they’ve made a $300 million investment in pay and benefits, back up childcare, elder care, enhanced store cleanings, and more. No one knows what will...
2020-04-2025 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: TaskRabbit's Stacy Brown-Philpot: “A pandemic doesn’t see money.”TaskRabbit remains open for business, says CEO Stacy Brown-Philpot. As the magnitude and severity of the pandemic became clear – and as workers across the U.S. were furloughed and services cut – TaskRabbit leaned into the work they do: providing services to those who need them and empowering Taskers with new opportunities for income, including virtual tasks, and Tasks for Good, which connects vulnerable individuals in need with local volunteer Taskers. TaskRabbit was founded during the 2008 financial crisis and then and now, says Stacy, the business remains a necessity, for the community, and for the gig economy. Interviewed by editor Bob S...
2020-04-1833 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Lyft’s John Zimmer: How to keep an essential business runningEverything starts with transportation, says John Zimmer, co-founder and president of Lyft. And even though ride sharing is sharply down, transportation remains key – for essential workers and for our supply chain. So Lyft is flexing some new muscles, says John. They recently launched a delivery service so they can help get supplies where they need to go – and put drivers on the road. They’ve also spent over a million dollars on protective equipment so that both drivers and riders can be protected; and began providing free and discounted rides to both essential workers and people in need of transp...
2020-04-1627 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Airbnb’s Brian Chesky: "Crisis is pushing us back to our roots"As the pandemic hit, Airbnb was preparing for an IPO. Within a matter of days, everything changed dramatically, as travel worldwide screamed to a halt. “I felt like I was captain of a ship and a torpedo hit the side,” says CEO Brian Chesky. Airbnb responded quickly, announcing that they'd override host rules and allow for guest cancellations. They went on to establish a relief fund for hosts, lobby the U.S. Congress to include hosts in the CARES stimulus package; open up a new business line of virtual experiences, and raise an astounding one billion dollars in new capi...
2020-04-1434 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Fast pivots for changing needs w/DonorsChoose Charles BestPeople are altruistic – even more so in times of uncertainty. This is what Charles Best, founder and CEO of DonorsChoose, has learned through 20 years of leading his nonprofit through the terrorist attacks of 9/11, multiple recessions, and now a pandemic. Through it all, he’s learned how to listen what to donors – and grantees – really want, and how to pivot to address changing needs. In the last few weeks DonorsChoose has completely reimagined how it connects grantees with the resources they need, and built a new platform to do it. Because the value of a donation, he says, goes far beyond w...
2020-04-0718 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Relief funding & crowdfunding in a crisis w/Karen Cahn of IFundWomenWhat are your options for emergency funding in the US? Can you use the U.S. CARES Act to get financial assistance? Should you consider crowdfunding? We talk to Karen Cahn, CEO of IFundWomen, about what you need to know. Who qualifies for the forgivable and traditional loans within this $2.2 trillion stimulus package? Do you have to apply today? How much money could you get? And is a loan a good idea? Karen gives us the details – and makes the case that now is the best time to crowdfund. Hosted by editor-at-large Bob Safian. Learn what IFW is...
2020-04-0434 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Crisis data is the story of our times, says Crisis Text Line founder"Anxiety," "grief," "mom”: These are the words surfacing at this extreme moment in time. That data comes from Crisis Text Line, whose online counselors are using both empathy and aggregated data to help people through this pandemic. Founder and former CEO Nancy Lublin makes the case for not losing sight of data — especially at extreme moments like this. Crisis Text Line provides free, confidential crisis counseling via text, 24/7 and to help counselors meet the moment, they anonymize and analyze real-time data on how their users are feeling. That data, Nancy says, is telling them the story of right now. Host...
2020-04-0227 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Hourly workers are a ‘hero class’ w/Cue Ball’s Tony TjanHourly workers are the 'hero class,' says VC Tony Tjan. And the pandemic is wreaking havoc on their financial stability. At Boston’s Cue Ball Group, Tony’s portfolio includes companies that employ hundreds of nail care workers, cooks and servers, and he's asking: How can we protect hourly workers and help them prepare for an uncertain future? And how can we plan for the long term, when the daily keeps changing? Co-hosted by Masters of Scale editor-at-large Bob Safian. Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.comSubscribe to the Masters of Scale...
2020-03-3138 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: First, be human – Thoughts on the crisis from Reid HoffmanCan you blitzscale when the world grinds to a halt? How do you do right by your team AND your investors? What will the entrepreneurial world look like on the other side of this? In this special episode, our host Reid Hoffman, sits on the other side of the mic, contextualizing the crisis and offering a hopeful viewpoint. Interviewed by editor Bob Safian.Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.comSubscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Cal...
2020-03-2633 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Danny Meyer on the wrenching decision to do layoffsLast week, Danny Meyer laid off 2,000 people – that's 80 percent of staff at Union Square Hospitality Group, representing 20+ restaurants across the country. It was a heartbreaking decision made with full understanding of the impacts, short and long-term – or as much as can possibly be known in this volatile time. In this special episode, Danny returns to the show to share why and how he acted so quickly, the process he and his team used to make this decision, the impact of the layoff, and what comes next for his industry. Interviewed by editor Bob Safian.Read a transcript of th...
2020-03-2434 minMasters of ScaleRapid Response: Remote teams, w/WordPress/Automattic CEO Matt MullenwegThe first in a series of special episodes with tools you need RIGHT NOW | Suddenly, many of us are remote workers. As companies radically reimagine their day-to-day in response to the pandemic, we all need to know what Matt Mullenweg has learned: How to thrive as a successful remote team. As founder of Automattic (creators of WordPress etc.), Matt runs a 1,000-person team that’s almost entirely remote. How do they do it? Matt shares his best practices here. It won't sound like our typical episodes. This is just Reid and Matt, sharing insights on how to run fully di...
2020-03-1817 minMasters of ScaleHow to start a revolution, w/Bitcoin pioneer Wences Casares (Xapo)What if your idea is so radical that people have trouble grasping what it is — or even believing it won't harm them? Every founder believes their product is revolutionary – and the more revolutionary their product, the more reassuring they’ll need to be to get consumers on board. No one knows this better than Wences Casares, the trailblazing entrepreneur credited with bringing crypto to Silicon Valley (and convincing Reid himself). With his unicorn startup Xapo, a Bitcoin wallet, Wences aims to reassure the masses that Bitcoin isn’t as different or as dangerous as they may think. Cameo appearances: Linda Ro...
2020-02-2736 minMasters of ScaleStrategy Session: When to replace the founder, how to be a learn-it-all, when to take the "venture bet," w/questions from Endeavor Outliers and co-host Bob Safian, editor-at-largeGrowth vs. innovation, scale vs. stability, founders vs, CEOs? Entrepreneurs want to know! In this month's Strategy Session, high-performing scale-ups from around the world ask Reid their most urgent strategic questions. This episode features Endeavor's "Outliers" – the fastest-growing, highest-performing entrepreneurs from this global incubator. They want to know: What do they do next? Co-hosted by Bob Safian, the host of our sister podcast, Masters of Scale: Rapid Response, and the former editor-in-chief at Fast Company magazine.Read a transcript of Strategy Session 3 at: https://mastersofscale.com/strategy-session-endeavor-outliers/Subscribe to the Masters of Scale wee...
2020-02-2050 minMasters of ScaleBe a platform, w/Shopify's Tobi LütkeThe secret to massive scale? Be a platform. Build a virtuous cycle where everyone wins, and you’ll emerge the biggest winner of all. This is what Tobi Lütke did when he built Shopify – and then opened it up to the world. Cameo appearances by: Bill Gates, Eric Schmidt (Google), Julia Hartz (Eventbrite), and Gustav Söderström (Spotify).Read a transcript of this interview at: https://mastersofscale.com/tobi-lutke-be-a-platform/Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy N...
2020-02-1332 minMasters of ScaleNetflix’s Reed Hastings: Why culture mattersClassic episode: You need a strong culture to build a company that will scale beyond the early days of start up. And strong company cultures only emerge when every employee feels they own the culture from day one. Here's how Reed Hastings did it – and made Netflix culture (and its “culture deck”) famous in the process. Cameo appearances: Jeff Weiner (LinkedIn), Aneel Bhusri (Workday), Margaret Heffernan (entrepreneur), Tristan Walker (Walker & Co.), Mariam Naficy (Minted).Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californ...
2020-02-0636 minMasters of ScaleWhen to zoom in, when to zoom out, w/Josh Silverman (Etsy/eBay/Skype/Evite)When do you see the forest? And when do you see the trees? Building a company to scale requires a delicate balance of macro and micro focus – and the skill to know where to focus when. Josh Silverman has built that skill in leadership roles at Evite, eBay, Skype, and now Etsy. What he’s learned: Success isn’t just about zooming in on the details or taking the long view – but about knowing when to switch between perspectives.Read Nik Money's book The Selfish Ape: Human Nature and Our Path to Extinction.Watch Scott Suko top...
2020-01-2339 minMasters of ScaleStrategy Session: When not to blitzscale, how to persuade your board to let you slow down, and: Are you in a Glengarry Glen Ross market? w/questions from Endeavor and co-host Youngme Moon of HBSWhen's the right time for hypergrowth? Should you take investment when you don’t need the money? How do you deal with an exhausted team? Global entrepreneurs facing hyperfast growth ask Reid their questions about raising capital, pivoting their product, bootstrapping vs. blitzscaling and more. Featuring six entrepreneurs from Endeavor, and cohosted by Harvard professor Youngme Moon, of the great HBS podcast After Hours.Youngme Moon is the Donald K. David Professor of Business at Harvard Business School; the author of the bestselling book Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd; and co-host of After Hours, presented by Harvard Busin...
2020-01-1738 minMasters of ScaleBonus: A Meditative Story from Reid HoffmanHow do you find joy in your life? Our host, Reid Hoffman, finds it through friendship, and the genuine, honest, and intimate conversations it brings. In this special episode of Meditative Story, from the same producers as Masters of Scale, Reid shares his passion for connecting with others by asking big questions.Read a transcript of Reid Hoffman's Meditative Story at: https://podcast.meditativestory.com/ReidHoffman/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2020-01-1328 minMasters of ScaleWhat's the hidden business behind your business? w/Rent the Runway's Jenn HymanRent the Runway co-founder Jenn Hyman knows: Behind every successful business is another business backstage, one you might not expect. Rent the Runway is known for creating a glamorous "closet in the cloud,” but as Hyman explains, it achieved unicorn status by mastering a few less glamorous businesses — including the world’s largest dry-cleaning operation, and a data insights practice that’s changing the fashion industry. Cameo appearance: Kevin Venardos (Venardos Circus); Stewart Butterfield (Slack).Read Jenn Hyman's essay on the making of this episode: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mastering-businesses-behind-our-business-jennifer-hyman/Learn more about the Venardos...
2020-01-0940 minMasters of ScaleHow to find your big idea w/Spanx's Sara BlakelyTo find your big idea? Look for it. And look for it. And be ready to act. Spanx founder Sara Blakely was actively seeking a business idea when she thought of Spanx. Then she moved fast, found help in the right places, and went all-in. The result: A billion-dollar company & women's wardrobes transformed. With cameos by National Geographic Explorer Andrés Ruzo, former director of the US Patent & Trademark Office Michelle Lee, and Endeavor CEO Linda Rottenberg.LINKS:Learn more about The Boiling River Project: http://www.boilingriver.orgRead "The Boiling River" b...
2020-01-0340 minMasters of ScaleHow to solve an impossible challenge, w/Megan Smith (US CTO, Google, shift7)Faced with an impossible challenge? Don’t reinvent the wheel. Look for someone who’s already solved the problem, and lift them up. Megan Smith calls that technique “scout and scale.” She used it as the United States' CTO. She did it as an exec at Google. She did it as CEO of PlanetOut. And she continues today with the company she co-founded, shift7. Cameo appearance: Monique Sternin (co-founder of the Positive Deviance Approach & Initiative).Read a transcript of this interview at: https://mastersofscale.com/megan-smith-how-to-solve-an-impossible-challenge/Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersof...
2019-12-1333 minMasters of ScaleLIVE! Find your Trojan horse, w/Robert F. SmithRecorded live at Summit LA: Every great founder has a second purpose — something outside their main business they're trying to get done in the world. And every successful company is like a Trojan horse, carrying this second purpose forward. No one knows this better than Robert F. Smith. You may know him for his legendary Morehouse commencement speech (in which he promised to pay off the student loan debt of the entire graduating class), but Robert's scaling success and philanthropic work go far beyond that. As founder, chairman and CEO of private equity firm Vista Equity Partners, Robert finds pr...
2019-12-0559 minMasters of ScaleRay Dalio: How to embrace conflictWant to improve any idea? Find someone who disagrees with it. This is something legendary investor Ray Dalio knows. But there’s a difference between constructive and destructive conflict – and Dalio is a master at spotting the difference. In constructive conflict, a team has a shared goal, whether or not they have differing opinions. And this is the key to success. Cameo appearances: Steve Horgan (USA Field Hockey Director of Umpiring), Daniel Amen (psychiatrist, founder of Amen Clinics).Ray's latest book, Principles for Success, is out now.Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com
2019-11-2643 minMasters of ScaleRaise more money than you need, w/Minted's Mariam NaficyThink you've raised enough money for your startup? Think again. You have to run through a minefield of unexpected expenses as an entrepreneur. And you never know where the big opportunity will come from — or if you'll need to make an unexpected, expensive pivot to stay afloat. So always, always raise more money than you think you need. Mariam Naficy shares her white-knuckle experiences founding startups that survived two financial crashes — the online cosmetic company Eve.com in the dotcom-boom ’90s, and founder and the design marketplace Minted.com today. Cameo appearances: Selina Tobaccowala (Evite, Gixo), Daniel Kahneman (Nobel-winning psycho...
2019-11-2128 minMasters of ScaleHow to set the drumbeat, w/LinkedIn's Jeff WeinerEvery leader has to set the drumbeat for their company — the culture, mission, and values that get the entire team in sync. And the rhythm has to be true to them. Jeff Weiner is a master at this. When he was the CEO of LinkedIn, Jeff grew users from 33 million to 660 million, and grew revenue to more than $7 billion. His drumbeat? Compassionate management. Cameo appearances by: Chris Tomson (Vampire Weekend), Monica Worline (Stanford's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education), and Keesa Schreane (host, "You've Been Served"). Chris Tomson is a drummer, singer, and songwriter best know...
2019-11-1539 minMasters of ScaleBill Gates: How to accelerate history (Part 1)How did Bill Gates scale BOTH a global business and a global philanthropy? He spotted an inflection point in history — and accelerated it. What does that take? A great idea, great timing and also: Great partners. Because even Bill Gates doesn’t go it alone. In Part 1 of this special two-part episode, Bill reflects with Reid on the founding and growth of Microsoft — how he not only spotted an inflection point (hello, personal computers) but accelerated it to massive scale (forget computers, let's talk platforms). There’s timeless wisdom in Bill’s ability to identify inflection points, build strategic partnershi...
2019-11-0740 minMasters of ScaleMake it epic, w/will.i.amWhat can entrepreneurs learn from a genre-crossing, multi-platinum musician? How to take a big opportunity — and leverage it into something epic. From his earliest days as a founding member of the Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am learned from mentors how to not only identify big opportunities but compound them. From the Super Bowl to the first iTunes commercial; from the founding of Beats and his tech company i.am+ to a song beamed back from Mars, his ability to bring stakeholders together to leverage partnerships and compound possibilities will inspire founders at any stage of scale. Cameo appearance: Je...
2019-10-3142 minMasters of ScaleLIVE! Patience or speed? Both. w/Tory BurchTory Burch built a billion-dollar business from the ground up, by speeding forward when others might have hit pause, and showing watchful patience when others may have gone full tilt. In our live onstage interview, Tory shows how this approach plays out in her global business – and in her impactful foundation that supports women business owners. Live audience energy and great music make this first-ever event a fun listen. Cameo appearances by the Polynesian Voyaging Society's Lehua Kamalu and Affectiva's Rana el Kaliouby.Learn more about the Tory Burch Foundation.Listen to a Meditative Story fr...
2019-10-1759 minMasters of ScaleKeep humans in the equation, w/TaskRabbit's Stacy Brown-PhilpotYou may think that to scale you need to cut humans out of the equation. The opposite is true. You can harness the power of the "human cloud" to solve almost any problem — as long as you keep the word “human” in the equation. That's what TaskRabbit CEO Stacy Brown-Philpot championed for this community of people who work with each other, teach each other, and continually learn from each other. With cameos by DeLashea Strawder (Mosaic Youth Theater in Detroit) and Whitney Johnson (Author, Build an A-Team).Read Build an A-Team: Play to Their Strengths and Lead Them Up...
2019-10-1036 minMasters of ScaleStrategy Session: How do you gain your users' trust? How do you build a team and company culture at the same time? w/questions from Entrepreneur First and co-host Jason Feifer of Entrepreneur magazineHow can I scale during a downturn? Should my company be a pirate or the navy? Reid Hoffman answers questions from early-stage entrepreneurs all over the world, like: How do you gain trust? How do you build a company culture? Co-hosted with Jason Feifer, editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine and "Problem Solvers." Featuring eight entrepreneurs from the global network Entrepreneur First.Jason Feifer is the editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine and host of the podcasts “Problem Solvers,” “Pessimists' Archive,” and "Hush Money." He’s the co-author of Mr. Nice Guy. Check him out at @HeyFeifer.Subscribe to the Masters...
2019-09-2638 minMasters of ScaleHow to build your company to last, w/Fiat's John ElkannForget being a unicorn. Learn to be a phoenix. Your company can last 100+ years — but you'll need the resilience to rise and fall, and rise again. Fiat’s chair John Elkann shares the principles that helped the "horseless carriage" company founded by his great-grandfather survive the ups and downs of a century of business — including competitor attacks, leader shakeups, financial crises and more. One key: Resilience. Another: Deciding which company traditions to keep, and which to leave in the past. Featuring cameos from Radio Flyer's Robert Pasin, Cue Ball Ventures' Tony Tjan and ABC Home & Kitchen's Paulette Cole.Read...
2019-09-1245 minMasters of ScaleTake on Goliath — and win, w/Dropbox's Drew HoustonWhen Drew Houston founded Dropbox, he knew he faced some fierce competition (hello, Google, Apple and Microsoft). But he didn’t back down. Why? Because he believed in his product, and he knew he had an advantage those big, cumbersome competitors could never exploit: Dropbox was lean, focused and fast. Hear how he outmaneuvered the big dogs – and what's next for Dropbox.Drew Houston's reading list! Books mentioned in this episode:Competing Against Luck, by Clay Christensen and Karen DillonThe Effective Executive, by Peter DruckerThe Hard Thing About Hard Thin...
2019-09-0542 minMasters of ScaleBonus: Recharge your brain with a Meditative Story by Arianna HuffingtonAs an entrepreneur, you have to find a way to recharge. This new podcast, from the creators of Masters of Scale, is designed to create calm amid an always-on schedule. The episode was inspired by Reid’s interview with Arianna Huffington, where she told a sliver of this story: it starts in the tiny Athens apartment where she grew up, and takes her to the University of Cambridge. Listen for the lesson she learned from her mother, about embracing life’s journey without being attached to the outcome — a lesson every founder needs to hear. Interspersed with the story, you'll...
2019-08-0623 minMasters of Scale23andMe's Anne Wojcicki: Embrace the gatekeepersWhen Anne Wojcicki co-founded 23andMe, she carved out a brand-new space in personal health -- helping people become experts on their bodies right down to the DNA level. Then the federal regulators came calling. But instead of trying to outwit the FDA in the name of moving fast, Wojcicki made the call to work with regulators directly and collaboratively. Hear how she embraced "red tape" as a tool to scale — not swiftly, but sustainably.Read a transcript of this interview at: https://mastersofscale.com/anne-wojcicki-how-and-why-to-embrace-gatekeepers/Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com...
2019-08-0139 minMasters of ScaleThe Big Pivot w/Slack's Stewart ButterfieldIn your company’s darkest moment, remember: You CAN pivot from failure to success. But only if you slash and burn everything that isn’t working. Slack’s co-founder and CEO, Stewart Butterfield, has twice navigated this kind of Big Pivot. He launched two different game companies, which both (surprise!) turned into game-changing communications platforms: Flickr and Slack. Hear the thinking behind making a hard left turn —and bringing your team along with you.Read a transcript of this interview at: https://mastersofscale.com/stewart-butterfield-the-big-pivot/Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscr...
2019-07-2637 minMasters of ScaleSmall changes with big impact w/Whitney Wolfe Herd of BumbleOften a small tweak, a rethink of a feature, is what helps your product break out of the pack. Just ask the founder of the Bumble dating app, Whitney Wolfe Herd. She rebounded from one dating app startup (that you may have heard of) with a brilliant idea for a whole new way of connecting. Hear how the small tweaks along the way helped her move into huge new markets. With cameo appearances by Steve Spohn (AbleGamer) and Marissa Mayer (Google, Yahoo).Read a transcript of this interview at: https://mastersofscale.com/whitney-wolfe-herd-small-changes-for-big-impact/Subscribe to t...
2019-07-1839 minMasters of ScaleEntrepreneurship as a second act, w/Gwyneth PaltrowIt’s never too late to join the entrepreneurial party. We've heard all the stories of young geniuses, but plenty of influential entrepreneurs founded companies in their 30s, 40s, 50s. There’s value to being a late-stage founder – like the fact that you’re bringing along all your life experience. That’s what Gwyneth Paltrow did when she launched Goop. Paltrow transitioned from Hollywood star to startup founder with her lifestyle brand, which now has over 8 million subscribers -- and she did it by leaning in to what she knew, embracing what she didn’t, and coming up with strategies t...
2019-07-0241 minMasters of ScaleBonus: 10 New Rules for Big Career Changes (The Graduation Episode) w/Jordan HarbingerOn Masters of Scale, we talk a lot about how businesses grow. But we also talk about how people grow: How key decisions (and happy accidents) can shape your future, and how your setbacks can actually set you up for success. On this special Graduation Episode, guest host Jordan Harbinger teams up with Reid Hoffman to share advice that will help you navigate choices in your career, with insights from Instagram's Kevin Systrom, Yahoo's Marissa Mayer, Spotify's Daniel Ek, and more. Get more from Jordan Harbinger: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/Read a transcript of this i...
2019-06-211h 14Masters of ScaleBringing a culture back from the brink, w/Uber's Dara KhosrowshahiEarly-stage startups are a lot like pirate ships – they need a buccaneering spirit to survive. But every startup needs to shed its pirate nature at some point, and evolve into something more akin to a navy – no less heroic, but more disciplined. As the new CEO of Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi took on the most extreme pirate-to-navy transition in startup history. Though Uber blitzscaled to become the most valuable startup in the world, it was also notorious for its toxic culture. Dara turned the company around. His method? Truth-telling and doing the right thing. Cameo appearances: Arianna Huffington (Thrive Global) and...
2019-06-0543 minMasters of ScaleThe case for bootstrapping, w/Mailchimp's Ben ChestnutYou can bootstrap your business to scale, but you'll have to make your own luck. Nobody knows this better than Mailchimp's Ben Chestnut. He used a DIY ethos to grow a $600M company without ever raising a dollar of outside funding. The Mailchimp story is the exception to Reid's rule (always raise more money than you think you need!). The episode explores a range of options for those who don't fit the VC-funding mold. Cameo appearances: LeVar Burton (Star Trek, Reading Rainbow, LeVar Burton Reads), Don MacKinnon (Milq), Karen Cahn (iFundWomen).Read a transcript of this interview...
2019-05-2144 minMasters of ScaleOpen or closed? The answer is both, w/Joi ItoNo organization that’s entirely closed — or entirely open — can scale as successfully as an organization that combines both. Yes, it invites a bit of chaos – but chaos breeds innovation. Joi Ito has spent his career championing radically open systems, from Creative Commons to cyber currency. As a past director of the famed MIT Media Lab, he focused on facilitating conversations that keep pace with the shifting challenges we face in our companies, institutions and societies. Cameo appearance: Megan Smith (former U.S. Chief Technology Officer).Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribe...
2019-04-3035 minMasters of ScaleBonus: When your invention becomes a weapon, from "Should This Exist?"Back when Chris Anderson launched DIY Drones, an open-source community for makers, drones were still considered a military technology. His drones were used by filmmakers, farmers and conservationists. But he believes they were also used by ISIS to drop bombs. What is Chris' responsibility here? Did he foster innovation for a community of like-minded do-gooders – or democratize a weapon? Chris, the former editor of Wired who's now CEO of 3DR, joins host Caterina Fake, Quartz editor in chief Kevin Delaney and comedian Baratunde Thurston, to explore the inventor's dilemma: What happens when you accidentally create a we...
2019-04-1100 minMasters of ScaleTake bigger risks, w/Shellye ArchambeauIf you try to avoid risk, you actually risk total failure. Or worse: mediocrity. Take it from Shellye Archambeau. She led the most stunning Silicon Valley turnaround you’ve never heard of. She took the role of CEO for a failing tech company, months from bankruptcy. Through a series of calculated risks, she led it through a complex merger, a head-spinning pivot, and grew it into MetricStream, which now boasts 1,200 employees and a valuation in the hundreds of millions. How? Clear goals and big risks — the same principles that have defined her career. With a cameo appearance by poker cham...
2019-03-2638 minMasters of ScaleCheck your blindspot, w/Sallie Krawcheck (Ellevest)If your company's dominated by one type of person, you run the risk of tunnel vision. You might move fast — but you'll often drive straight into traps. Truly scalable companies need a diverse portfolio of viewpoints to see the opportunities others miss. Sallie Krawcheck knows this well. She rose through the ranks of Wall Street and saw firsthand the challenges a lack of diversity brings. After serving as CEO of Sanford Bernstein, Smith Barney, Citi's Wealth Management and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Sallie went on to found Ellevest, an investment platform aimed at women. Her straight talk — and hilarious asid...
2019-03-1244 minMasters of ScaleThe Reid Hoffman Story (Part 2): Make everyone a heroWe’re back with Part 2 of our special turn-the-tables episode with Reid Hoffman. In this episode, we follow Reid through PayPal, LinkedIn, the Microsoft acquisition, his angel investments, Greylock, and his hosting of Masters of Scale — all the while proving our theory that you can chart an epic journey to scale if you make everyone you enlist a hero — in their OWN story and not just yours. Guest host: June Cohen, the executive producer of Masters of Scale and the cofounder of WaitWhat, the company behind it). Cameo appearances: Arianna Huffington (Thrive Global) and Jeff Weiner (LinkedIn).Read a...
2019-02-2655 minMasters of ScaleThe Reid Hoffman Story (Part 1): Make everyone a heroIn this special episode, we turn the tables on host Reid Hoffman. He’s the guest and we tell his story, while proving a theory that’s perfect for Reid: You can chart an epic journey to scale, if you make everyone a hero along the way. Our guest host is June Cohen, executive producer of Masters of Scale, CEO of WaitWhat, and former executive producer of TED Talks. Cameo: Matthew Mercer, host of the web series Critical Role.Listen to Critical Role: https://critrole.com/Read a transcript of this interview at: https://mastersofscale.com/r...
2019-01-2243 minMasters of ScaleLet your customers be your scouts, w/Eventbrite's Julia HartzThat constant roar of customer feedback? Be thankful for it. It holds all the secrets to your success, if you learn how to read the signs. Listen to what users say, sure. But also watch what they do and interpret what they need. Eventbrite's Julia Hartz embodies this principle. She believes passionately in learning from her customers, and has made rapid response to user feedback the driving force behind Eventbrite’s strategy — as it grew from a simple ticketing app to a full-service platform for event creators, offering everything from ticket sales to custom RFID readers.Read a tr...
2019-01-0834 minMasters of ScaleTo scale, you must master the skill of storytelling, w/Charity: Water's Scott HarrisonYou need a great story to build a great company. And great stories are unwaveringly true. No one embodies this principle more fully than Scott Harrison, founder of Charity: Water. A master storyteller, Scott built his nonprofit on 3 radical principles: (1) 100% of donations would go to water projects (not overhead). (2) Progress reports would be utterly transparent, sharing victories, defeats and even GPS coordinates of water wells. (3) The brand’s storytelling would lead with hope instead of guilt, inspiring joyful participation without sacrificing honesty.Read a transcript of this interview at: https://mastersofscale.com/scott-harrison-to-scale-you-must-master-the-art-of-storytelling/Subscribe to the...
2018-12-1847 minMasters of ScaleThe Millennial Episode, w/Brit + Co's Brit MorinYou can marshal the power of millennials to grow your company, but you have to redefine your concept of loyalty. To keep millennials as users (and employees), you’ll need to keep evolving — and help them evolve. Brit + Co founder Brit Morin understand this: As a maker and media creator, Brit is constantly co-evolving with her (mostly millennial) audience and team. It’s a secret to scale with the generation adapted to a world of constant change. Cameo by relationship therapist Esther Perel (bestselling author and host of the podcast “Where Should We Begin”). Esther has lately turned her eye toward...
2018-11-1937 minMasters of ScaleThe elusive formula for great hiring, w/Workday's Aneel BhusriYour first hires are your cultural cofounders. And it’s worth your time to get every one right. That's why Workday CEO Aneel Bhusri personally interviewed his first 500 employees. Today, with 8,000+ employees and $2b in annual revenue, Workday is consistently rated one of the best places to work. Learn the interview questions that can help you find the right employees to build your culture. With cameo appearances by Danny Meyer (founder, Shake Shack), Arianna Huffington (founder, Thrive Global), Michael Bush (CEO, Great Place to Work) and Joyce Nethry (founder of Jeptha Creed Distillery).Read a transcript of th...
2018-11-0540 minMasters of ScaleWhen to ignore conventional wisdom, w/Shake Shack's Danny MeyerTo revolutionize an industry, you have to cast off received wisdom. Shake Shack’s Danny Meyer knows this well. When he opened his first high-end restaurant in New York, Union Square Cafe, received wisdom told him food was the star attraction. But Danny knew to focus on how customers FEEL. And it’s this feeling – Danny calls it “enlightened hospitality” — that can scale. From his first innovative restaurants to the dramatic scale story of Shake Shack, Danny cast off received wisdom and wrote his own rules. His simple ideas have radical implications for any industry. With a cameo appearance from Rick Ba...
2018-10-2238 minMasters of ScaleWhat great founders do at night, w/Arianna HuffingtonTo survive your entrepreneurial journey, you have to learn to recharge. Knowing when to turn the lights out may be the only way to keep the lights on. Few know this better than Arianna Huffington, who dramatically scaled the Huffington Post — and then experienced profound physical burnout. Her new venture, Thrive Global, scales the idea of balance across an organization. With cameo appearances from Chris Yeh (co-author, Blitzscaling) and Dr. Matt Walker (author of Why We Sleep).Read Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Arianna Huffington: ht...
2018-10-0339 minMasters of ScaleHow to build trust fast, w/Spotify's Daniel EkNormally, trust = consistency + time. But when you're scaling fast, you have to find shortcuts to trust, with your partners and your users. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek knows a thing or two about this. When he founded Spotify, he did what few disruptors ever do: He worked with the industry he was trying to reinvent. How did Ek build a relationship with a music industry wary of piracy? He found shortcuts to trust. And not just with the music industry, but users too: 140M of them. With cameo appearances from Gustav Söderström (Spotify's Chief Research & Development Officer) and Mi...
2018-09-1937 minMasters of ScaleInstagram's Kevin Systrom: Keep it simple while scaling bigYou can scale big with a simple idea (and a tiny team!) — but only if you catch the prevailing winds. That's what Kevin Systrom did when he co-founded Instagram: The simple photo app tapped the right trends, built on larger social networks, and dodged the complexities that would have slowed them down. The result? 30M users in 18 months. And a $1B sale of a 13-person company. With a cameo by Rohan Gunatillake (Buddhify).Read a transcript of this interview at: https://mastersofscale.com/kevin-systrom-how-to-keep-it-simple-while-scaling-big/Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subs...
2018-09-0635 minMasters of ScaleHow to make the star employees you need, w/Marissa MayerCan't find the star employees you need? Then make them. That's what Marissa Mayer did when she founded the Associate Product Manager program in the early days of Google — one of the company's crown jewels. She mentored a team of young, hungry, talented employees in the ways of Google, and they helped drive its success. She followed that same mindset when she became CEO of Yahoo!, and in all of her leadership roles since then. With a cameo by Karen Kirkland (Nickelodeon). Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.comSubscribe to the Masters of S...
2018-08-0841 min