Subscribe & watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zJBc0-rsnVo Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Start 00:04:26 - What VCs do & how it overlaps with Mario’s experience 00:08:00 - Why Be A Generalist vs. Specialist? 00:11:32 - Surprising characteristics of “who becomes an entrepreneur”? 00:15:52 - Average age of entrepreneurs - fact vs fiction 00:17:58 - Emerging Tech (AI, Crypto, Health) 00:22:34 - Valuations in 2023 00:24:53 - Feelings After FTX & Luna Crash 0:33:24 - Web 2.5 Companies 00:35:45 - Neo Banks vs Traditional Banks 00:37:30 - Fintech Overlap w/ Crypto 00:38:33 - ChatGPT vs. Google 00:41:55 - Types of searches & AI co-pilots 00:44:34 - Hype Cycles: Football vs. Tech 00:48:22 - Sponsor Break: Virtual Gurus 00:49:25 - Monetizing AI & Google vs. Microsoft 00:56:59 - Satya Smashing It At Microsoft 01:02:36 - What Running A $15mil Fund Looks Like 01:16:19 - Behind The Mind 01:17:08 - If you weren’t doing the generalist what would you be doing? 01:18:26 - Contrarian Opinions 01:23:08 - Subcultures, Reality TV & The Day of Judgement 01:26:14 - People That Have Impacted Your Thinking Links Mentioned https://www.generalist.com/briefing/all-the-answers https://www.generalist.com/briefing/josh-wolfe https://www.generalist.com/briefing/the-casino-and-the-genie Thank you to our sponsors: The Virtual Gurus - if you’re looking for talented remote staff on a budget, book a free consult at thevirtualgurus.com/creator  

Note: This episode was published on Dec 14, 2021, approximately a year before FTX’s subsequent meltdown. The apparent negligence, fraud and self-dealing at FTX has given us much to reflect on after we — and many others — gave Sam a platform to share his and FTX’s story with all of you. We’ve decided to leave this episode up in-full as a historical artifact of the industry’s view on FTX at the time. For a broader Acquired discussion on frauds, and specifically the similarities between FTX and Enron, see our November 2022 Enron episode.We tell the definitive (audio!) story behind FTX's "speed run" — how this upstart crypto exchange became the fastest company in history to reach a $25B valuation, just two years after founding. And to do so we're joined by not one but TWO of the very best people in the world to help: FTX's wunderkind CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, and special guest host Mario Gabriele from The Generalist, who Sam gave extensive access to FTX's internal data, employees, and investors for his canonical 36,000 word trilogy on the company this past summer. We cover it all — from the "$20m/day" trade that started everything, to Tom Brady & Gisele, to Sam testifying last week in front of Congress. Don't blink or you might miss it! Sponsors:WorkOS: https://bit.ly/workos25Huntress: https://bit.ly/acqhuntressStatsig: https://bit.ly/acquiredstatsig24More Acquired!:Get email updates with hints on next episode and follow-ups from recent episodesJoin the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2Merch Store!© Copyright 2015-2025 ACQ, LLCLinks:The Generalist's FTX Trilogy: https://www.readthegeneralist.com/briefing/ftx-1FTX: https://ftx.comFTX US: https://ftx.usSam's Twitter: https://twitter.com/SBF_FTX ‍Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.

We did an Arena Show!! This evening was so big and so special, we had to split it into two episodes for the podcast feed. First up is the Idea Dinner with our best internet buddies, Packy McCormick and Mario Gabriele (and special guest judge Shu Nyatta), followed by the story of YC Continuity with managing partner Anu Hariharan. Huge, huge thank you to PitchBook for making this night possible. Stay tuned for Part II!Sponsors:WorkOS: https://bit.ly/workos25Huntress: https://bit.ly/acqhuntressStatsig: https://bit.ly/acquiredstatsig24More Acquired!:Get email updates with hints on next episode and follow-ups from recent episodesJoin the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2Merch Store!© Copyright 2015-2025 ACQ, LLC‍Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.

In the world of tech journalism, a well-crafted narrative is part of conveying truth about the world. Mario writes weekly briefings at The Generalist, and he joins Adam and Mark to discuss his creative process for writing; what Michelin, Stripe, and WeWork have in common; and flaws in the now-popular Silicon Valley narrative of hubris and excess. Plus: how to speedrun creating conviction. Discuss this episode in the Muse community Follow @MuseAppHQ on Twitter Show notes Mario Gabriele The Generalist Telegram: How to Counter-Attack Anduril: The Business of Defense Helium: The Network of Networks Metamuse episode with Dan Shipper Metamuse episode on storytelling Aaron Sorkin – Teaches Screenwriting Whose Story Wins? Y Combinator: The Institute of Innovation Geoff Ralston WeCrashed Softbank: Twilight of an Empire Terra: The Moon Also Rises

Mario Gabriele, founder of The Generalist, discusses the evolution of tech writing, niche publication opportunities, NFT experiments, and the importance of community in growing a media business. They explore the challenges of scaling a publication, the future of content creation, and lessons learned from an NFT experiment. The podcast also emphasizes the value of risk-taking and community building in content creation.