Crucible Moments
Sequoia Capital
A podcast about the inflection points that shaped some of the most significant companies of our time. Crucible moments are pivotal decisions that determine your trajectory. In Season 2, hear from founders and leaders like Steve Chen of YouTube, Drew Houston of Dropbox, Frank Slootman of ServiceNow and Tony Xu of DoorDash, Steve Huffman of Reddit and more about how they navigated the challenges and opportunities that defined their stories. Hosted by Roelof Botha of Sequoia Capital.The content of this podcast does not constitute investment advice, an offer to provide investment advisory services or an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any investment fund.
Episodes
Mentioned books
37 snips
Nov 6, 2025 • 43min
Supercell ft Ilkka Paananen - How an Early Pivot Led to ‘Clash of Clans’ and ‘Brawl Stars’
Ilkka Paananen, Co-founder and CEO of Supercell, shares his journey of transforming the gaming industry with a unique company culture that empowers developers. He reveals the bold decision to pivot from an early cross-platform strategy to focusing solely on mobile gaming, leading to hits like Clash of Clans and Brawl Stars. Joost van Dreunen provides insights on Supercell's evolving market strategy and challenges, including their creative approach to failures and a bold reinvention for the AI era, ensuring the company remains resilient and innovative.
26 snips
Oct 23, 2025 • 46min
Zipline ft Keller Cliffton - Reinventing Delivery with Instant Drone Transport
Keller Cliffton, the Co-founder and CEO of Zipline, led a daring shift from consumer robotics to life-saving drone delivery. Joined by co-founders Keenan Wyrobek, Ryan Oxenhorn, and chief of staff Maggie Jim, they share their journey of overcoming skepticism to deliver vital medical supplies in Rwanda. The team shares insights on tackling regulatory challenges, creating efficient drone systems, and the impact of COVID on their expansion. They also discuss innovative solutions for last-mile delivery, aiming for millions of deliveries daily.
Oct 16, 2025 • 3min
Crucible Moments Season 3: Coming October 23
Previously on Crucible Moments, we explored the inflection points that shaped some of the most significant names in technology. Now, we're returning for a brand new season. Join us as leaders from Stripe, Zipline, Palo Alto Networks, Klarna, Supercell and more share what it's actually like to navigate the make-or-break decisions, early stumbles and leaps that turn scrappy startups into market defining forces.
Hosted by: Roelof Botha, Sequoia Capital
71 snips
Jan 23, 2025 • 50min
Nubank ft. David Vélez - An Outsider Upends the Brazilian Banking System
In this engaging discussion, David Vélez, the Founder and CEO of Nubank, shares his unique journey from Colombia to revolutionizing Brazil's banking system. Alongside co-founder Cristina Junqueira and Sequoia Capital's Doug Leone, they detail their battle against a banking oligopoly that imposed high fees on customers. Their story of resilience and innovation reveals how Nubank transformed the financial landscape with a strong focus on ethics and customer care, achieving over 100 million users and marking a significant milestone in fintech.
97 snips
Jan 9, 2025 • 51min
Dropbox ft. Drew Houston - How the Cloud Pioneer Reinvented Itself
Drew Houston, co-founder and former CEO of Dropbox, shares insights on navigating the chaos of startup life. Alongside fellow co-founder Arash Ferdowsi and Sequoia Capital partner Brian Schreier, they discuss their explosive growth fueled by a clever referral program. Drew reveals the trials of strategic pivots and the innovative move to 'Magic Pocket,' which transformed their data infrastructure. They delve into lessons of resilience, adaptability, and the importance of focusing on core work use cases to regain growth and profitability.
88 snips
Jan 2, 2025 • 32min
LIVE: ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott on Unlocking Elite Level Execution
Bill McDermott, CEO of ServiceNow, known for his rapid growth strategies, shares insights with Pat Grady of Sequoia Capital. They discuss ServiceNow's remarkable rise to a $225B market cap, fueled by elite-level execution. McDermott emphasizes how a people-centric approach and innovative culture have driven the company's success. The conversation also highlights the transformative role of AI in improving enterprise efficiency, showcasing practical applications that enhance productivity across various industries.
108 snips
Dec 19, 2024 • 48min
Robinhood ft. Vlad Tenev - Reinventing Finance for a New Generation
Vlad Tenev, Co-founder and CEO of Robinhood, shares insights into his journey from physics graduate to leading a financial revolution. He discusses how Robinhood transformed investing by making it accessible through mobile platforms and overcoming hurdles like regulatory challenges. Micky Malka and Andrew Reed join in to explore the rise of free trading and the meme stock phenomenon, detailing the emotional connections formed during market tumult. Together, they emphasize the necessity of resilience and adaptability in an ever-evolving financial landscape.
85 snips
Dec 5, 2024 • 49min
YouTube ft. Steve Chen - 18 Months That Changed the Internet
Steve Chen, co-founder and CTO of YouTube and former PayPal employee, shares the incredible journey of YouTube's inception. He discusses the fraught transition from a video dating site to a major platform, overcoming technical limitations and legal battles. Zahavah Levine, YouTube's General Counsel, recounts the complex negotiations with music labels and the looming legal threats that shaped their early strategies. Together, they reveal how innovative engineering and creative marketing propelled YouTube to revolutionize the internet and media landscape.
31 snips
Nov 21, 2024 • 53min
Natera ft. Matthew Rabinowitz - A Personal Mission That Led to a Biotech Revolution
In this insightful discussion, Matthew Rabinowitz, founder of Natera, shares his deeply personal journey from tragedy to revolutionizing genetic testing. Joined by co-founder Jonathan Sheena, CEO Steve Chapman, and SVP Chitra Kotwaliwale, they detail how overcoming personal loss inspired the creation of transformative technologies like Panorama for prenatal screening. The team explores advancements in oncology, highlighting their innovative Signatera test. Together, they emphasize resilience and collaboration in advancing healthcare solutions and improving global health outcomes.
20 snips
Nov 14, 2024 • 30min
LIVE: DoorDash’s Tony Xu and Miki Kuusi Talk Scaling Operational Excellence
Tony Xu, CEO of DoorDash, and Miki Kuusi, Head of International at Wolt, share their journeys of building successful delivery platforms. They delve into the challenges of scaling operational excellence and maintaining company culture during rapid growth. Insights on navigating labor law reforms in the gig economy highlight the need for modernization. The conversation also touches on urban reorganization and the balance of physical and digital ambitions, offering a forward-looking perspective on the future of commerce in cities.
