The Social Radars

Jessica and Carolynn unveil exciting updates for Season 5, including a fresh look and new platforms. They chat about transitioning to Substack and YouTube, bringing videos into the mix. The duo reflects on their journey over the past two years, celebrating memorable guests like Tyler Schultz and Ron Conway. With a nod to their mini-series 'Founder Mode,' they tease more engaging content ahead. The conversation is light-hearted, filled with laughter about the challenges of filming and looking great on camera.

Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic, shares his groundbreaking vision for reviving commercial supersonic travel. He discusses his journey from Barcode Hero to aviation, revealing how he challenged conventional wisdom. Blake unveils the innovative concept of an all-business-class airliner and highlights the technological breakthroughs that make it feasible. He reflects on the challenges of building a top-tier team and overcoming regulatory hurdles, along with the emotional triumph of breaking the sound barrier with the XB-1.

Sajith Wickramasekara, Founder and CEO of Benchling, shares insights from his journey in life sciences software. He discusses Benchling's vital role in expediting drug development and its impact during the COVID era with rapid monoclonal antibody advancements. Sajith defines 'founder mode' as a deep sense of ownership and emphasizes the importance of leaders engaging with customers to preserve company culture. He reflects on the challenges of growth, the necessity of swift leadership corrections, and the value of embracing conflict for better decision-making.

Jen Herbach, Founder and CEO of Adventris Pharmaceuticals, is on a mission to revolutionize cancer treatment with innovative vaccines targeting the KRAS mutation. She shares how her experience at Y Combinator reshaped her approach, emphasizing hands-on leadership and accountability in her team. Jen outlines the exciting potential of cancer vaccines for prevention, particularly in localized pancreatic cancer. She also reveals the delicate balance of investor relations and decision-making power that has shaped Adventris's journey.

Andy Lapsa, Founder and CEO of Stoke Space, is revolutionizing space travel with fully reusable rockets. He discusses the mission to make space transportation as routine as air travel, emphasizing the cost savings and efficiency of reusability. Andy shares insights into the company's growth, his journey since founding in 2019, and how reusing rocket stages has transformed flight rates. He also delves into the balance between opportunism and focus for founders, highlighting the importance of ownership and urgency in startup success.

Emmett Shear, co-founder of Twitch and now CEO of Softmax, shares his innovative 'founder mode' approach to leadership. He discusses his pivot from OpenAI to launching Softmax, which focuses on AI alignment. Emmett dives deep into training AI agents to understand their collective roles and emphasizes the importance of building a virtuous, flourishing AI. He also highlights the significance of communication and org design in shaping product outcomes, ensuring decisions are synchronized across teams.

Christina Cacioppo, Founder and CEO of Vanta, shares insights on navigating the challenges of building trust and compliance in business. She delves into 'Founder Mode' and her unconventional choice to delay fundraising until Vanta achieved $100 million in ARR, defying traditional VC expectations. Christina discusses the early days of transforming spreadsheets into viable products and the balance of delegation versus control as a leader. Her experiences emphasize the importance of intuition in decision-making and the rewarding nature of enjoying the entrepreneurial journey.

Kashish Gupta, co-founder and co-CEO of Hightouch, shares insights from his journey in building a data and AI platform for marketers. He emphasizes the unique risks founders can take, which are often pivotal for innovation. The discussion covers the importance of co-founder dynamics and transparent leadership, especially during challenging times. Kashish also reflects on leveraging customer insights to pivot strategies, demonstrating how data-informed decisions can redefine marketing practices, particularly for enterprise clients.

Paul Gross, CEO of Remora Carbon, shares his innovative journey in capturing carbon emissions from vehicles. He discusses the groundbreaking technology aimed at purifying emissions from semi-trucks and the challenges of scaling this solution. Paul highlights his entrepreneurial motivations, driven by concerns over CO2 shortages in breweries, and the importance of teamwork. He also dives into delegation strategies in leadership and the intricate balance of empowerment and oversight while navigating growth as a young founder in a competitive industry.

Join Chris Best, the founder and CEO of Substack, as he shares the platform's compelling origin story and his encounters with Elon Musk. He delves into the birth of a newsletter model aimed at empowering independent creators and contrasts the unique mindset of founders with that of hired managers. Chris reflects on the challenges of navigating digital landscapes, including censorship and changing social media dynamics, while emphasizing persistence and core values like free speech. Discover the diverse user base that makes Substack a vibrant space for podcasters and writers alike!