Pattern Breakers

Justin Kan, a man with uncommon ideas and persuasive leadership skills, discusses the success of Justin.tv and Twitch, his fear of scarcity, and lessons learned from the failure of Atrium. The podcast delves into his innovative ventures, storytelling prowess, and embracing intrinsic motivations over external success.

Venture capitalist Mike Maples, Jr, discusses the importance of 'superbuilders' in startups, citing Kyle Vogt's remarkable impact on Justin.tv. They explore how superbuilders tackle crises, drive innovation, and attract greatness to a team, showcasing their vital role in achieving startup success.

Kyle Vogt, a problem solver with a passion for designing robots and machines, discusses his career and lessons learned with Mike Maples, Jr. topics include his journey from Justin.tv to Cruise Automation, the evolution of autonomous vehicles, importance of innovation in society, and strategies for success in startups.

Mike Maples, Jr, of Floodgate discusses the importance of savoring surprises for founders. He shares insights on how unexpected feedback can drive breakthroughs, the role of self-awareness in navigating surprises, and the value of seeking unexpected elements for enhancing success.

Emmett Shear, Co-founder of Twitch, discusses the journey from founding the platform to merging gaming with media. Topics include customer feedback importance, selling a functional calendar, birth of live streaming, challenges in management growth, and the evolution of Twitch. Shear highlights the significance of understanding user needs for success.

In the early days of a startup, finding product-market fit is paramount. Once you have it, failure is almost impossible. Without it, you can do everything else right, and still fail. In this Breakthrough Lesson, Mike Maples, Jr of Floodgate discusses three heuristics for maximizing the odds of success: Find the right North Star, offer a Delta 4 experience, and don’t fool yourself.   Check out the Pattern Breakers Blog at patternbreakers.substack.com for even more Pattern Breaking content from Mike.   Mike's book Pattern Breakers is available now wherever you buy books. Follow Mike on X!

Michael Seibel, a legendary startup founder, shares his journey from politics to co-founding Justin.tv and Twitch. He discusses finding product-market fit, navigating challenges in startups, and the importance of uniqueness in the startup world. Seibel also emphasizes the role of family support over substance use for managing stress.

Mike Maples, Jr. of Floodgate discusses the expansion of his podcast 'Pattern Breakers' and upcoming book. Topics include challenging VC pattern matching, the success of disruptive startups like Airbnb and Uber, and the importance of unconventional thinking in entrepreneurship and leadership.

Founders are naturally drawn to the tantalizing potential of their product reaching a vast market, but the route to victory starts with nailing a niche before going for the broader opportunity. In this lesson of greatness, Mike Maples, Jr of Floodgate calls on the lessons of Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek to examine how this is done: Identify a stronghold where you can dominate, deliver a Delta 4 experience, and do everything possible to create unfair advantages in your favor.   Check out the Pattern Breakers Blog at patternbreakers.substack.com for even more Pattern Breaking content from Mike.   Mike's book Pattern Breakers is available now wherever you buy books. Follow Mike on X!

When he was a little boy growing up in Sweden, Daniel Ek was obsessed with two things: the binary realm of computers and the artistry of music. As a young adult, he combined his love for both by co-founding Spotify, which became the global standard-bearer for streaming, Spotify now has more than 500 million users per month. In this episode, Mike Maples, Jr of Floodgate interviews Daniel Ek to break down the importance of recognizing technology infections, securing the perfect niche to secure early product-market fit, and how creating something radically different changed the music industry while redefining consumer listening habits.   Check out the Pattern Breakers Blog at patternbreakers.substack.com for even more Pattern Breaking content from Mike.   Mike's book Pattern Breakers is available now wherever you buy books. Follow Mike on X!