Running Through Walls

Venrock's Megan Blewett speaks with Harvard chemistry professor EJ Corey about his childhood growing up in the Great Depression, what led him to pursue chemistry as a career, and how he became interested in human health. They discuss the day Professor Corey found out he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1990, and he shares his perspective on mentorship, having mentored more than 700 students over the years.

Daphne Koller, co-founder of Coursera and professor of Computer Science at Stanford, joins Venrock's Tom Willerer to discuss her experience as a first-time founder. Daphne shares how her desire to make the world a better place led her to found Coursera, providing broader access to education for millions of users. She also discusses the decision to create a for-profit company vs. non-profit and why knowing your weaknesses helps when hiring a diverse team.

Dr. Bob Harrington, an interventional cardiologist and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Stanford University, speaks with Venrock's Dr. Bob Kocher about his passion for coagulation and thrombosis (seriously, he loves it) and his involvement with Gusto, a clinical trial that changed the way doctors treat heart attack patients. Bob also talks about working with an executive coach to develop new skills, when he found himself managing teams at Duke Clinical Research Institute.

Maria Eitel, founder and co-chair of the Nike Foundation, joins Venrock's Bryan Roberts to discuss the Time's Up movement and recent cultural shifts in the workplace. Maria shares her journey from working in the White House to founding The Girl Effect, and the simple formula girls need to be successful. She also discusses the importance of creating shared spaces where men are involved in the conversation.

Venrock partner Brian Ascher speaks with Randy Womack, a seasoned executive who has served as both COO and CEO in several companies, including his current role as co-founder and CEO at Socrates.ai. They discuss the "Sheryl" effect, what to look for when hiring a COO, and when is the best time to introduce the COO role into a company. As CEO at Socrates.ai, he shares the difference between the two roles and discusses common misconceptions about what a COO really does.

Jessica Lessin, founder and editor-in-chief of The Information, joins her college roommate, Venrock's Racquel Bracken, to discuss the evolution of journalism and how she created one of the most successful subscription news sites in Silicon Valley. Jessica shares her journey from the middle school newspaper all the way to the Wall Street Journal and breaking out on her own to start the Information. She also shares her views on journalism's role in the #metoo movement.

Part two of the discussion between former Netflix Chief Talent Officer Patty McCord and Venrock's Tom Willerer focuses on Patty's time at Netflix, where she created an acclaimed culture and learned how to encourage collaboration amongst colleagues. She and Tom also discuss the myths surrounding startup culture and why being on time was so important at Netflix.

In the first part of her conversation with Venrock's Tom Willerer, former Netflix Chief Talent Officer Patty McCord shares her experiences at Netflix and how she helped build a culture that startups and large corporations continue to emulate. Elaborating on the concepts mentioned in her book, Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility, Patty discusses what it takes to develop trust in the workplace and why being "nice" isn't always the best approach for delivering constructive feedback.

John Katzman, CEO and founder of the Noodle Companies, joins David Pakman to discuss the evolution of edtech. He shares what he learned from his time as founder and CEO of The Princeton Review, including hard lessons he learned as a first-time CEO. John shares with David the two values that all successful entrepreneurs must hold sacred, and why his focus on metrics has become a worthwhile obsession.

Ben Anderson, CEO and co-founder of Amino, joins Venrock's David Pakman to discuss how Amino brings people together to share their passions. Amino is a mobile app where users join communities based on their interests, whether it's Game of Thrones, robotics or modern art (to name a few). Unlike most gathering places on the Internet, Amino is rare in that it's a positive place, almost always free of trolls. Being a first-time CEO, Ben tells David about the nuances of managing millennials and the importance of creating a constant stream of positive reinforcement. Ben shares how hustle, willpower, and perseverance have helped his team create one of the most highly rated apps in the App Store today.