

Greymatter
Greylock Partners
How do tech startups go from idea…to iconic? Greymatter’s weekly podcast features interviews with VCs, founders, and tech visionaries on everything from AI, marketplaces, and cybersecurity as well as company-building strategies like growth, finding product-market-fit, and recruiting top talent. Founders and VCs offer candid accounts of success, failure, and adaptation. Greymatter delivers practical insights mixed with the bold optimism that defines entrepreneurship.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 30, 2021 • 53min
Peter High | Getting to Nimble
Greylock specialist Lee Haney talks with Peter High, president of Metis Strategy and author of the new book "Getting to Nimble: How to Transform Your Company into a Digital Leader." While no business is completely future-proof, companies that incorporate nimbleness into their people, practices and digital strategies are able to quickly pivot away from problems – and towards opportunities. Peter and Lee discuss tactics for nimbleness and share stories of companies that embody the concept. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 23, 2021 • 33min
Reid Hoffman | How to Decide
Entrepreneurs and executives will do all sorts of things to improve themselves, from taking a class on a particular technology, to reading a book about venture deals, to practicing intermittent fasting. Yet very few of them stop to ask the simple yet powerful question, “How can I make my decision making better?” In a discussion with Blitzscaling co-author Chris Yeh, Greylock general partner and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman describes his approach to decision-making. You can read the essay based on this discussion here: https://greylock.com/greymatter/how-to-decide/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 16, 2021 • 48min
Reid Hoffman and Michael Tubbs | Spiderman Ethics
Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman and former Stockton, CA mayor Michael Tubbs discuss how can technology be a force for good for all members of society. Hoffman and Tubbs – who was recently named by CA Governor Gavin Newsom to serve as the state's Special Advisor for Economy Mobility and Opportunity – discuss how a pervasive lack of diversity among tech founders, investors, and operators has translated to a disconnect between the industry and the rest of the world. To change the power dynamics and open opportunities for all, building a more inclusive network of founders, investors, and government leaders is a step in the right direction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 10, 2021 • 44min
Roblox | Next Generation Gaming Goes Public
Roblox CEO David Baszucki and Greylock partner David Sze discuss the future of social gaming, scaling company vision, and early company culture. Topics include user creativity, competition in the gaming industry, immersive 3D brand experiences, user-generated content, and building company culture through authentic values.

Mar 9, 2021 • 26min
Reid Hoffman | Leadership and CEO Succession
Greylock general partner and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman looks back on the career of his friend and fellow entrepreneur Jeff Bezos. Recently, Bezos announced that he would be stepping down as CEO of Amazon, the iconic blitzscaling company that he has led since 1994. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 2, 2021 • 52min
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi | Go Anywhere, Get Anything
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi sat down with Greylock general partner Reid Hoffman to discuss the past, present and future of the mobility and delivery business that now operates in 71 countries around the world and employs around 20,000 people globally. He also shared his perspective on M&A (including Uber’s recent acquisitions of Postmates and Drizly), autonomous vehicles, the complexities of working in highly regulated industries, and how his personal and professional background shaped the way he approaches leadership today. This episode was recorded during Iconversations, Greylock's new virtual speaker series event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 25, 2021 • 46min
Commerce Logistics | Mike Duboe, Casey Armstrong and Aaron Schwartz
In the second installment of Greylock’s podcast capsule series on commerce, general partner Mike Duboe talks with two experienced operators in the logistics side of the sector: Casey Armstrong, who is the Chief Marketing Officer at ecommerce fulfillment services provider Shipbob, and Aaron Schwartz, the co-founder of cross-border shipping services provider Passport Shipping. In this episode, Mike, Aaron and Casey discuss strategies and tools that ensure brands can deliver a frictionless experience to both consumers and the technology partners that power their platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 23, 2021 • 42min
Wisetack | Fintech for the Real World
Consumers now expect the option to buy now and pay later for countless products they purchase on ecommerce platforms. But paying for in-person services like home and auto repair has remained stuck in the past of credit cards and high-interest loans. Until Wisetack came along. The company developed a suite of APIs for software used by in-person service businesses, allowing them to offer consumer-friendly financings options. Greylock general partner and Wisetack board member Josh McFarland talks with company co-founders Bobby Tzekin and Liz O'Donnell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 16, 2021 • 45min
Nicole Perlroth and Glenn Chisholm | Security and the Cyber Arms Race
Obsidian Security co-founder and CTO Glenn Chisolm, whose company protects SaaS and cloud services, and New York Times cybersecurity reporter Nicole Perlroth, whose book “This is How They Tell Me the World Ends:The Cyberweapons Arms Race” published in February 2021, discuss the ever-evolving cybersecurity risk landscape and how businesses and governments can proactively protect their data. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 9, 2021 • 32min
All Raise | Rewiring for Equality
Are diversity and inclusion efforts making a difference in the male-dominated VC and tech industry? Pam Kostka, CEO of the equality-focused nonprofit All Raise, discusses the current landscape with Greylock marketing partner Elisa Schreiber. All Raise, which was launched in 2018, connects women with resources, mentorship, and a network to help them excel in the VC and tech world. Today, All Raise is a community of more than 20,000 people across four major U.S. tech hubs, and has launched a new program to support women seeking board positions at fast-growing tech companies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices