Motion Blur

Grant and Hammad discuss how the act of creating a company is like surfing a monster 100 foot wave. Grant begins by sharing a surfing metaphor that explains what it’s like to build a company. Hammad steps in to share his pushback, and then the conversation transitions to some stories about John Doerr, Tesla, and Navy SEALs and sledgehammers. They conclude the show by discussing some of the deep currents they’re focusing on today. 🔗 Show Resource Links 100 foot wave tweet Deep Currents Not Dead, Can’t Quit (Let’s get our sledgehammer on) 🎙️ Podcast Links ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠⁠⁠X (FKA Twitter)⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Subscribe⁠⁠ 🌀 About Motion Blur Exploring what makes great companies and technologies work. Brought to you by Grant Gregory & Hammad Aslam. Grant is an investor at ⁠⁠Cantos⁠⁠ where he focuses on physical world technologies. Hammad is a Partner at Kivu Ventures, ⁠⁠Susa⁠⁠’s growth fund. Learn more about the hosts: Grant Gregory, ⁠⁠⁠@grant__gregory⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Embers⁠⁠⁠ Hammad Aslam, ⁠⁠⁠@_hammad_aslamh⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Susa Ventures⁠⁠ If you're interested in the real inside baseball of tech, entrepreneurship, and start-up investing, tune in every week for new episodes. Intro music credit: ⁠⁠⁠Will Harrison⁠⁠⁠ Thanks for reading and listening to Motion Blur! ⁠⁠Subscribe⁠⁠ to get notified for future episodes.

The discussion contrasts the roles of insiders and outsiders in venture capital, emphasizing how these identities shape opportunities. Insights on personal journeys reveal biases and the importance of authentic connections. The conversation also explores the dynamics of empire building, highlighting the insider's maintenance focus versus the outsider's quest for growth. Listeners gain perspectives on navigating the entrepreneurial landscape, learning that perseverance and collaboration are vital for success.

This special Thanksgiving chat dives into personal gratitudes, spotlighting a must-read book and a game-changing app. The hosts reflect on travel stories enhanced by tech and celebrate a founder's inspiring journey of resilience. Listeners can feel the camaraderie as they share laughs and insights about friendship, personal growth, and the importance of community. It's a heartwarming reminder of what truly matters as the holiday season kicks off!

Explore the intriguing concept of 'IBMification' and its chilling effects on innovation within technology and venture capital. Discover how major firms are shifting towards risk-averse strategies, impacting startup growth and creativity. The discussion balances radical innovation against incremental progress, revealing the challenges companies face in staying competitive. Insights into founder stories illustrate the historical context of venture practices and the need for renewed boldness in entrepreneurship to sustain market relevance.

The discussion kicks off with the vital phrase 'How can I be helpful?' and its impact on venture capital dynamics. Listeners learn about navigating the competitive landscape of investor-founder relationships and the importance of authenticity in support. Emotional stability is spotlighted, particularly in tough times, showing how calm can guide better decisions. The value of clear communication is emphasized in cultivating partnerships. Lastly, the transformative power of dinner conversations for networking and discovery is explored, proving true connections can blossom over a meal.

Discover the explosive rise and fall of software investments, particularly in the SaaS space, as financial dynamics shift. Explore the transformative role of AI in reshaping investment strategies and the need for innovative thinking in a saturated market. The discussion on the scarcity of impactful tech companies highlights the necessity for unique solutions to stand out. Unconventional investment methods used by successful startups like TikTok reveal new avenues for growth. What does the future hold for the evolving landscape of software investment?

You know the saying: Hardware is hard! In today’s episode, Grant and Hammad discuss why that’s the case. They examine the software investing frameworks that also apply to hardware, and also explore new frameworks that offer some predictability in the built world. Hammad closes us out with some thoughts on his perspective on the Near Frontier / Dynamism categories, and gets us ready for an upcoming episode on his software world view. We’re iterating on this as we go. Please let us know what you think. 🎙️ Podcast Links Spotify Apple Podcasts ⁠X (FKA Twitter)⁠ Subscribe 🌀 About Motion Blur Exploring what makes great companies and technologies work. Brought to you by Grant Gregory & Hammad Aslam. Grant is an investor at Cantos where he focuses on physical world technologies. Hammad is a Partner at Kivu Ventures, Susa’s growth fund. Learn more about the hosts: Grant Gregory, ⁠@grant__gregory⁠, ⁠Embers⁠ Hammad Aslam, ⁠@_hammad_aslamh⁠, ⁠Susa Ventures If you're interested in the real inside baseball of tech, entrepreneurship, and start-up investing, tune in every Wednesday for new episodes. Intro music credit: ⁠Will Harrison⁠ Thanks for reading and listening to Motion Blur! Subscribe to get notified for future episodes.