Dwight Merriman, co-founder of MongoDB, and Dev Ittycheria, its current CEO, share the adventurous journey of transforming MongoDB into a leading database solution. They discuss the pivotal pivot from a platform-as-a-service to a focused database model amidst fierce competition. The conversation highlights the successful transition to the cloud with Atlas, which now dominates their revenue, and the challenges of changing their licensing model to protect their business. Their insights shed light on resilience and innovation in the tech industry.

Frank Slootman, the former CEO of ServiceNow, and company founder Fred Luddy share their compelling journey of resilience and innovation in tech. Luddy, who started over at 50 after a bankruptcy, discusses his vision for a cloud-based IT platform that transformed into a $150B enterprise. Slootman reveals the early challenges of scaling and the fear of checking emails during high-pressure times. The two recount the risky decision-making process that nearly led to a costly misstep in selling the company, ultimately emphasizing the importance of a long-term strategy.

In Season 1 of Crucible Moments, we heard from founders like PayPal’s Max Levchin, Block’s Jack Dorsey, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and more about the turning points and key decisions that shaped their journeys. Now Crucible Moments is back for another exciting season. We’ll get the unvarnished history and inside story from Tony Xu of DoorDash, Drew Houston of Dropbox, Frank Slootman of ServiceNow, Vlad Tenev of Robinhood and more. Hosted by Roelof Botha of Sequoia Capital.

Harrison Chase from LangChain discusses advancements in AI agents and their significance for the future. Topics include autonomous agents, cognitive architectures, user experience for language models, standardized interfaces, pairwise testing, and CEO advice for AI founders.

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, reveals the company's incredible journey from designing 3D graphics cards to becoming a leader in AI. He discusses their near-death experiences and their success story as the sixth most valuable company in the world. The podcast also delves into their early failures, crisis management, and their decision to embrace the AI revolution.

Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andMe, shares the journey of the company, from challenging the medical establishment to becoming the only FDA-approved product. The podcast discusses the regulatory challenges, expansion into drug discovery, and the company's evolution in redefining health tech.

Hosain Rahman, Co-founder of Jawbone, discusses the rise and fall of the first wearable technology company. Topics include the challenges faced, the birth of the wireless smart speaker market, the innovation of sensors in wearable tech, and the wisdom gained from failure.

Founders of HubSpot, Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, discuss how they revolutionized marketing with the concept of inbound marketing and turned their blog into a $20+ billion success. They share the story of founding HubSpot, focusing on small businesses, defying conventional wisdom, and their crucible moments in making key decisions for the company's growth and success.

Julia Hartz, CEO of Eventbrite, discusses the challenges of building and reinventing the events company during a global shutdown. Topics include transitioning to sustainable profitability, learning from a crisis and evaluating acquisitions, challenges faced after acquiring Ticketfly, adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, reflections on leadership and rebuilding, and the future of events in the evolving landscape.

Jack Dorsey, founder of Square, reflects on the origins and defining moments of Block. He discusses the evolution of Square, their partnership with Starbucks, and the birth of Cash App. Dorsey explains how Block succeeded by weaving new products around a core vision and taking risks. The podcast also explores the development and launch of Cash App and the importance of connecting ecosystems through acquisitions.