TWiST News: Headphones.com, How Sound Takes Down Drones, TollBit Secures Series A | E2031
This Week in Startups
AI's Role in Workforce Downsizing
This chapter explores the effects of artificial intelligence on workforce reductions, with notable examples from companies like Amazon and Disney. It examines the trend of annual downsizing and the implications for future job markets as technology continues to evolve.
This Week in Startups is brought to you by…
LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups
Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at https://www.vanta.com/twist
Beehiiv. Power your newsletters with AI tools, referral programs, and ad network features—all in one platform. Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist
*
Todays show:
Jason and Alex dive into the latest updates from Claude AI, exploring the new “Use Computer” feature and its implications. Next, Andrew Lissimore of headphones.com shares the journey of turning a side hustle into a thriving business, highlighting the advantages of owning a premium domain and leveraging YouTube for customer acquisition. The team from Prandtl Dynamics then joins to showcase their handcrafted, anti-drone technology. Finally, the episode concludes with an in-depth discussion on TollBit’s Series A funding and their strategies for scaling in the competitive marketplace space.
*
Timestamps:
(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show
(2:52) Anthropic's latest launch, Claude 3.5 Sonnet capable of "Computer use".
(8:33) Future of AI assistants and employment effects
(10:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups
(11:36) AI's impact on white-collar jobs and economic implications
(21:12) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist
(22:13) Andrew Lissimore from headphones.com joins the show
(30:38) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist
(32:06) Deep dive into high-end audio and audiophile community
(38:03) The role of reviews and content at headphones.com
(47:00) Leveraging Organic search and YouTube for brand growth
(50:11) Prandtl Dynamics team on anti-drone technology
(55:21) Building cost-effective anti-drone solutions
(1:03:42) Prandtl Dynamics business potential and funding
(1:09:04) TollBit's Series A funding news and AI data marketplace
*
Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com
Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com
*
Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
*
Check out Prandtl Dynamics: https://prandtl.ca
*
Follow Andrew:
X: https://x.com/andrewlissimore
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlissimore
Website: https://www.headphones.com
*
Follow Alex:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
*
Follow Jason:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
*
Thank you to our partners:
(10:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups
(21:12) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist
(30:38) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist
*
Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
*
Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
*
Follow TWiST:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
*
Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
The AI-powered Podcast Player
