Today’s show: Jason and Alex break down the latest head-scratching SEC ruling on meme coins—did they just legalize pump-and-dumps to protect Trump’s token? Plus, they dive into why venture debt can destroy startups, the rise of AI-driven companies, and how Tesla is gearing up to challenge Waymo in the self-driving car race. Then, Brandon Brown from GRIN joins the show to talk about scaling to 8-figure revenue, surviving brutal market corrections, and why he’s stepping down as CEO after a decade. This one’s packed with insights for founders, investors, and anyone watching the future of crypto, startups, and AI unfold.*
Timestamps:
(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show!(1:39) Palmer Luckey feud, and supporting Trump in Silicon Valley(9:36) AI's impact on startup growth and job displacement
(10:11) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period.(12:20) Product market fit and Salesforce productivity(15:01) Howey Test and its application to cryptocurrencies
(20:07) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(26:13) Jason's libertarian views on meme coins
(31:13) Hubspot for Startups. Get up to 75% off plus 3 months of Perplexity AI for free. Go to https://www.hubspot.com/startups(32:16) Meme coin regulation and political implications(37:22) GRIN's Brandon Brown interview and company evolution(46:10) Leadership changes and challenges at GRIN(53:28) Venture debt risks and business cycle preparedness(59:00) Leadership skills and defining reality(1:04:13) Updates on Waymo and autonomous rides(1:09:06) Tesla and the global autonomous vehicle market
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Check out GRIN: https://grin.co/
Checkout Angel University with Jason Calacanis & Mike Savino: https://www.angel.university/
Check out the Founder Friday City Competition: https://www.founderfridays.tech/city-competition
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Follow Brandon
X: https://x.com/Brandon_Brown
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-brown-0898731/
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Follow Alex:
X: https://x.com/alex
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
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Follow Jason:
X: https://twitter.com/Jason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
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Thank you to our partners:
(10:11) Paddle. Go to https://www.paddle.com/twist to get started with your exclusive listener fee-free period.(20:07) LinkedIn Ads. Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups(31:13) Hubspot for Startups. Get up to 75% off plus 3 months of Perplexity AI for free. Go to https://www.hubspot.com/startups
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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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