Village Global Podcast

Van Jones is a political commentator, author, and former Obama White House advisor. Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins is founder and CEO of Promise, a software company transforming how governments deliver services to people in need. They joined the Village Global team to discuss what founders building in complex sectors need to know about power, narrative, and influence. Takeaways:Political people often operate on emotion and relationships, rather than rationality. When selling to the government, demonstrating genuine care matters more than demonstrating expertise.Relationships precede transactions. Government buyers want to feel like partners in solving a problem, not targets of a sales pitch. Staff them like a colleague, not a customer.Authenticity cannot be manufactured. Know your (and your company’s) deep "why" and let it show. People can always tell when you're running a script on them.Fame and brand are a hack for time. Walking into a room where people already know and trust you changes everything about the conversation that follows.Your founding story is a strategic asset. People want to belong to something meaningful. A compelling origin story turns government contacts into advocates who champion you behind closed doors.Find the sliver of alignment. Working with someone you disagree with on nine out of ten issues can still yield results if you're aligned on the one thing that matters. Principled, narrow partnerships can achieve what ideological purity cannot.For mission-driven companies, revenue is how you measure impact. If your product serves the mission, making more money means helping more people.Choose investors like you'd choose a spouse. Turning down better terms to work with people you trust pays off. When a crisis hits or you need to pivot, those relationships let you make the best decision for the company without panic.Thanks for listening — if you like what you hear, please review us on your favorite podcast platform. Check us out on the web at www.villageglobal.com or get in touch with us on X @villageglobal.Want to get updates from us? Subscribe to get a peek inside the Village. We'll send you reading recommendations, exclusive event invites, and commentary on the latest happenings in Silicon Valley. www.villageglobal.com/signup

Jennifer Tejada is CEO of PagerDuty, a public company serving 30,000+ customers worldwide. She joined Village Global GP Ben Casnocha for a masterclass on scaling in the AI era, followed by live feedback sessions with four founders building AI-native companies.Takeaways:Enterprise sentiment has shifted from “fear of missing out” to “fear of getting in.” Customers are anxious about security, resilience, and managing the people transition.Know what gets your customer promoted and what gets them fired. Different personas care about different things. A CIO has different anxieties than a developer or CMO.Pricing is a strategic foundation, not a tactical enabler. Start with value realization for the customer, then build pricing metrics that tie back to that value. Consumption-based models are popular, but predictability matters more than novelty.Transparency is becoming an expectation. Customers want instrumentation in your product that makes their consumption and costs visible. Nobody likes surprises when managing margins.The AI transformation is moving faster than any previous shift. Old playbooks don't always apply. The people willing to embrace change and experiment with new ways of operating will win faster.Build your CEO village. Having a trusted network of other CEOs who understand the unique pressures of the role makes all the difference. Invest in that community on a daily basis.Psychology matters in people transitions. Asking employees to use AI to replace themselves won't work. Think differently about how you organize to get work done while helping people transition to where they can add value.Thanks for listening — if you like what you hear, please review us on your favorite podcast platform. Check us out on the web at www.villageglobal.com or get in touch with us on X @villageglobal.Want to get updates from us? Subscribe to get a peek inside the Village. We'll send you reading recommendations, exclusive event invites, and commentary on the latest happenings in Silicon Valley. www.villageglobal.com/signup

Amjad Masad, the founder and CEO of Replit, and Yohei Nakajima, Managing Partner at Untapped Capital, dive into the evolving world of AI agents. They discuss how AI agents are becoming adept at complex tasks but still face challenges in high-context situations. The efficiency of Replit allows users to develop full applications swiftly, regardless of coding experience. They also emphasize traits like curiosity and grit over mere technical prowess. Furthermore, they explore the shift from general to specialized AI agents, predicting significant changes with the rise of artificial general intelligence.

Kristen Ostro, Founder and CEO of Strut Consulting, has a rich background in venture capital, trained under industry icon Dick Kramlich at NEA. She discusses the importance of establishing a clear mission, vision, and values (MVV) framework for venture capital firms to align their cultures and attract talent. Kristen highlights common pitfalls when firms neglect the MVV exercise and shares actionable tips for embedding these principles into hiring and branding. Her insights offer a transformative roadmap for building resilient and values-driven organizations in a competitive landscape.

Ezra Roizen, General Manager of Advsr and author of "The Magic Box Paradigm," brings deep expertise in startups and M&A to the conversation. He introduces his innovative framework that emphasizes building strategic relationships over traditional sales tactics for successful exits. Roizen shares critical lessons learned from his journey through entrepreneurship and investment banking, discusses the evolving role of technology in M&A, and highlights the importance of identifying unique value propositions. Listeners gain actionable insights on navigating the complex M&A landscape.

Abhay Parasnis, founder and CEO of Typeface and former CTO/CPO at Adobe, shares his expertise in AI strategy and enterprise sales. He explores how startups can create effective partnerships with tech giants like Microsoft and Google to enhance their market presence. Abhay discusses the importance of understanding enterprise needs and adapting to macro strategies when selling. He also emphasizes the role of consultative partnerships in AI implementation and the significance of starting small with custom data training for long-term differentiation.

Aaron Harris, a former partner at YC, shares insights from his impressive career funding top companies like Deel and OpenSea. He emphasizes that investors prioritize compelling stories over data alone, and that a focus on long-term value is crucial for successful fundraising. Harris discusses the rapid movement in AI investment, noting that hot deals can secure term sheets in just 48 hours. He also highlights the importance of managing dilution during funding rounds and using hype strategically while remaining grounded in genuine business growth.

Kathy Copic, founder of Fieldwork Partners, specializes in advising early-stage companies on technical hiring and project management. She shares insights on maintaining multiple interview touchpoints to assess candidates thoroughly. Kathy emphasizes crafting job descriptions that highlight a company's mission and first projects to attract passionate applicants. She also advocates for dynamic interviews and structured work trials, ensuring both parties gauge fit. Additionally, she discusses innovative strategies for building diverse teams and the importance of recognizing entrepreneurial talent.

Eynat Guez, Founder and CEO of Papaya Global, shares her journey in revolutionizing global workforce management. She emphasizes the importance of founder involvement in sales meetings to build trust with clients. Guez discusses avoiding over-optimism in sales prospects and the need for strategic communication to influence client behavior. She also highlights the significance of maintaining relationships post-deal and engaging with junior staff for fresh insights. Additionally, she provides insights into navigating fundraising challenges and fostering long-term partnerships.

Auren Hoffman, CEO of SafeGraph and GP of Flex Capital, chats with Ben Casnocha, co-founder of Village Global. They dive into the dynamic world of career strategy, weighing the importance of personal connections against knowledge. Discover insights on spotting undiscovered talent and the serendipity of networking. They discuss the paradox of wealth and happiness, suggesting too much can detract from joy. Plus, learn how flexibility in career choices can lead to unexpected opportunities, all while keeping an eye on personal integrity and happiness.