My guests today are Alex Pall and Drew Taggart, who you might know as The Chainsmokers. We explore their fascinating evolution from scrappy DJs to global superstars to serious venture capitalists with their fund Mantis. Drew and Alex share how the same high-touch, relationship-driven approach that built their music empire now defines their investment philosophy. Their framework for backing founders mirrors their artistic process: they invest in obsessive individuals who will pursue their vision regardless of external validation, much like how they've remained authentic to their sound despite industry pressures. We discuss parallels between creative iteration in music and venture investing, particularly around managing failure, maintaining intentionality in an age of abundance, and the importance of taste as a differentiating factor. Please enjoy this fascinating discussion with The Chainsmokers, Alex Pall and Drew Taggart.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Arcana. Arcana is the world’s most advanced portfolio intelligence platform, trusted by institutional investors managing trillions in AUM — including market neutral, long-short, long-only, and capital allocators.
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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:06:16) The Creative Process Behind Songwriting
(00:07:33) Exploring the Emotional Depths of Music
(00:11:50) Navigating the Music Industry and AI
(00:17:45) The Importance of World Building in Music
(00:21:27) Finding Your Creative Itch
(00:35:04) The Chainsmokers' Journey and Work Ethic
(00:40:37) The Business Side of the Chainsmokers
(00:45:43) Venturing into Tech and Investments
(00:51:39) The Evolution of Mantis
(00:53:11) Overcoming Celebrity Investor Stereotypes
(00:55:20) Supporting Founders Like Record Labels
(00:57:26) The Art of Collaboration
(01:04:02) The Grind to Success
(01:13:49) Investing Insights and Evolution
(01:26:39) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done for Drew and Alex
