

The Startup Podcast
Yaniv Bernstein, Chris Saad
A guide to the unique mindset and approach that drives Silicon Valley style disruption.
Build product, raise money, and scale your startup like the best. TSP hosts Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein share practical advice based on decades of experience at Google, Uber, and their own startups.
Build product, raise money, and scale your startup like the best. TSP hosts Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein share practical advice based on decades of experience at Google, Uber, and their own startups.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 8, 2024 • 56min
Mastering Impostor Syndrome - Why Mike Scott Thinks You Belong
Impostor syndrome plagues many founders – but why? Founder and podcaster Mike Scott shares his own journey and the practical tools he's developed to overcome imposter syndrome.
In this episode, Mike Scott (SMB Mastery, 'How to be Moderately Successful') joins Chris and Yaniv to discuss:
Fool's Gold: Why impostor syndrome is common among founders, and why success often exacerbates it rather than alleviating it.
Mirror, Mirror: How to acknowledge, manage, and use imposter syndrome to grow yourself and your business.
Judge Dread: Tactical, practical steps to help you make better decisions, focus your energy, and build an incredible startup while living a fulfilling life.
The Pact
Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:
Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/
Follow us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast
Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following.
Key links
The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to www.vanta.com/tsp.
The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Rippling. Rippling is a single all-in-one platform for your global workforce, covering HR, IT, payroll, expenses, and more. For a TSP listener offer of 3 months free, go to www.rippling.com/tsp.
Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A
The Startup Podcast website: https://tsp.show
Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/
Credits
Editor: Justin McArthur
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang

Jul 3, 2024 • 37min
AI's New Reality Takes Shape: Perplexity & Google Data + Facebook AI Labeling + Regulation in CA (Reacts)
Who are the winners and losers from this week in AI? Learn how Perplexity, Google, Facebook, and the state of California are handling (or not handling) the latest developments in tech.
In this week's episode, Amir Shevat and Emil Michael join Yaniv to discuss:
License to Crawl: The ethics and practical implications of Perplexity AI ignoring the robots.txt protocol.
Corpus Bride: How Google's data licensing deals for AI grounding may become the new industry standard.
Not So Binary: After backlash from artists and photographers, Facebook change their AI content labeling rules.
The Ungovernable Machine: Why most government efforts to regulate AI will fail, including recent proposals in California.
Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion of the philosophical, technological, and regulatory challenges of AI.
The Pact
Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:
Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/
Follow us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast
Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following.
Key links
The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to www.vanta.com/tsp.
Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A
The Startup Podcast website: https://tsp.show
Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/
Credits
Editor: Justin McArthur
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang

Jun 26, 2024 • 1h 3min
Is DEI Really 'Anti-Merit'? Plus: Microsoft Teams' Antitrust, Ilya's 'Safe' AI & More (Reacts)
What lies at the intersection of 'diversity' and 'meritocracy'? Learn how Silicon Valley insiders defy polarized pop narratives to build talented teams with diverse perspectives.
In this week's episode, Amir Shevat joins Chris and Yaniv to discuss:
Tipping the Scale: The seasonal 'meritocracy vs. diversity' debate returns to Silicon Valley. Scale AI CEO Alexander Wang suggests replacing DEI with MEI ('merit, excellence and intelligence').
Thinking Cap: Ilya Sutskever takes a few parting shots at OpenAI as he launches a new startup, SSI ('Safe Super Intelligence'), focusing on AI safety. Can an AI startup move fast without breaking things?
Dig Up, Stupid: The old adage suggests that those who sell shovels get rich during a gold rush. But are there too many AI picks and shovels, and not enough miners?
Failing Vision: Apple have struggled to make a case for the Vision Pro. Has AI made AR more appealing than VR?
There's No EU in Teams: Microsoft faces an EU antitrust case over anti-competitive behaviour for bundling Teams with Office.
The Pact
Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:
Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/
Follow us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast
Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following.
Key links
The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to www.vanta.com/tsp.
The Startup Podcast is also sponsored by Rippling. Rippling is a single all-in-one platform for your global workforce, covering HR, IT, payroll, expenses, and more. For a TSP listener offer of 3 months free, go to www.rippling.com/tsp.
Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A
The Startup Podcast website: https://tsp.show
Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/
Credits
Editor: Justin McArthur
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang

Jun 22, 2024 • 16min
Hot Takes w/ Tim Doyle (Bonus)
Is marketing more art than science? Should VC-backed startups push for profitability?
Learn from Eucalyptus founder Tim Doyle as he tackles two highly debated topics in the startup world:
Brand Loyal: In the generational battle between performance marketers and brand storytellers, Tim advocates for a resurgence in compelling brand narratives.
Worshipping False Profits: Tim, Chris and Yaniv explain why it's contentious to push for profitability in venture-backed startups, emphasizing the need for bold, long-term growth over short-term gains.
Don't miss Tim’s refreshing and spicy takes on running a high-growth venture-backed business, developing effective marketing strategies, and the real economics of venture funds.
The Pact
Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:
Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/
Follow us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast
Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following
Key links
The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to www.vanta.com/tsp.
Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A
The Startup Podcast website: https://tsp.show
Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/
Credits
Editor: Justin McArthur
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang

Jun 19, 2024 • 42min
AI vs Unions, Threads vs X, People vs Machines & Key Global Threats (Reacts)
Are Amazon workers fighting the inevitable? Learn how founders, investors and industry leaders are responding to the big trends in AI.
In this week's episode, Chris and Yaniv discuss:
Amazon Warriors: The Amazon Labor Union have joined the Teamsters. But how will warehouse worker representation matter amidst rising automation and AI?
A Common Thread: How does Meta's launch of the Threads API compare to Twitter's current and former developer ecosystems?
Hey Big Vendor: Why the US might be facing 'key vendor risk' in many areas, including from NVIDIA, Elon Musk, and Israel.
My Friend Robot: How AI's capacity to replace human labor may shift our loyalties towards AI-generated content.
The Pact
Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:
Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/
Follow us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast
Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following.
Key links
The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to www.vanta.com/tsp.
The Startup Podcast is also sponsored by Rippling. Rippling is a single all-in-one platform for your global workforce, covering HR, IT, payroll, expenses, and more. For a TSP listener offer of 3 months free, go to www.rippling.com/tsp.
Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A
The Startup Podcast website: https://tsp.show
Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/
Credits
Editor: Justin McArthur
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang

Jun 17, 2024 • 1h 7min
5 Biggest Team Building Mistakes w/ Netflix Legend Patty McCord
How do the best founders build exceptional teams? Learn how a practical approach to HR can transform the culture at your startup.
In this episode, Patty McCord, former Chief Talent Officer at Netflix and author of 'Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility,' shares her wisdom on fostering a high-performance culture.
Patty, Yaniv and Chris discuss:
Finders Keepers: How the Netflix 'keeper test' can help you hire appropriately for the current stage of your startup.
All Groan Ups Here: How treating employees as adults and providing honest feedback can strengthen your workplace.
Vanishing Acts: Why eliminating 'HR theater' serves everyone in the long run.
This is a long episode, but worth every minute of your time. Don't miss it!
The Pact
Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:
Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/
Follow us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast
Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following
Key links
The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Trilligent. Trilligent is your startup's one-stop-shop for regulatory, PR, and international expansion advisory. Their unique startup-friendly offering is essential for any startup looking to go beyond their home shores or deal with complex regulatory environments. Go to https://trilligent.com and book a call with their COO Laura to learn more – tell her we sent you!
The Startup Podcast is also sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to www.vanta.com/tsp.
Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A
The Startup Podcast website: https://tsp.show
Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/
Credits
Editor: Justin McArthur
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang

Jun 12, 2024 • 59min
WWDC: Siri That Doesn't Suck, Apple + OpenAI, Plus: Porn on Twitter/X (Reacts)
Tech insiders Elli Hanson and Amir Shevat discuss Apple's new AI intelligence, Siri improvements, privacy concerns with OpenAI, and the implications of explicit content on X. They also delve into individual power in society, the importance of checks and balances, and the intersection of politics, culture, and technology.

Jun 10, 2024 • 50min
Logical Adjacencies - Can Lightning Strike Twice? (Edu)
What happens when your product has succeeded and you're finally ready to explore those adjacencies? Find out how to take your startup to the next level.
In this episode, Tim Doyle, founder of brand engine Eucalyptus (and subsidiary healthcare brands Pilot, Kin, Software, Normal, and Juniper), joins Chris and Yaniv to discuss the process of expanding your business into new products, markets, and demographics.
Topics include:
It's Business Time: Know when your business is ready to expand.
Growing On Purpose: Navigate adjacent opportunities while maintaining a clear brand identity.
Built-in Benefits: Understanding the importance of leveraging your existing infrastructure.
Pitfall Prevention: Avoid common traps like overestimating your existing capability and underestimating the complexity of managing multiple products.
The Pact
Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:
Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/
Follow us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast
Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following.
Key links
The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to www.vanta.com/tsp.
Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A
The Startup Podcast website: https://tsp.show
Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/
Credits
Editor: Justin McArthur
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang

Jun 5, 2024 • 49min
SaaS Implosion? NVIDIA Eats OpenAI's Lunch, AI Doomsday Predictions, Silicon Valley Revisited (Reacts)
What's happened to B2B SaaS – and will NVIDIA eat OpenAI's lunch? Learn the latest movements in tech startups from industry insiders.
In this week's episode, Chris, Emil and Yaniv discuss:
B2B, Or Not To Be: Disappointing guidance from industry giants like Salesforce, Cloudflare and UiPath bodes poorly for the future of enterprise B2B SaaS businesses.
Invader NIM: NVIDIA's move to cannibalize the developer platform layer may have big ramifications for companies like OpenAI, Amazon, and Meta.
The End Is AI: A NYT open letter raises questions about whether Google, OpenAI, and other AI companies are truly prioritizing safety.
Canny Valley: Chris shares his 'man on the street' perspective from San Francisco, exploring whether the physical Valley remains the heart of Silicon Valley-style thinking amidst rumors of a resurgence.
Don't miss these crucial insights for founders, investors and industry leaders!
The Pact
Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:
Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/
Follow us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast
Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following.
Key links
The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to www.vanta.com/tsp.
Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A
The Startup Podcast website: https://tsp.show
Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/
Credits
Editor: Justin McArthur
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang

Jun 3, 2024 • 45min
The Innovator's Dilemma - Outmaneuver the Dinosaurs (Edu)
Why do big, established companies struggle when faced with disruption from agile startups?
In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein explain:
Don't Look Up: How tech advancements, regulatory changes, and shifts in cultural norms create opportunities for smaller players.
Stuck in the Mud: Why entrenched cultures, rigid business models, and incremental incentives make it tough for large companies to innovate quickly.
Dinosaurs to Dynamos: The strategies that big companies can use to foster innovation and keep up with their disruptors.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, business leader, or just curious about the forces shaping today's market, this episode offers practical strategies and expert analysis to help you stay ahead of the curve.
The Pact
Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:
Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/
Follow us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast
Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following
Key links
The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Trilligent. Trilligent is your startup's one-stop-shop for regulatory, PR, and international expansion advisory. Their unique startup-friendly offering is essential for any startup looking to go beyond their home shores or deal with complex regulatory environments. Go to https://trilligent.com and book a call with their COO Laura to learn more – tell her we sent you!
The Startup Podcast is also sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to www.vanta.com/tsp.
Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A
The Startup Podcast website: https://tsp.show
Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/
Credits
Editor: Justin McArthur
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang