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My guest today is Alex Wiltschko. Alex is the founder and CEO of Osmo, a science and technology company giving computers a sense of smell. He set out on a mission to digitize our sense of smell and he describes how Osmo is teaching computers to both read and write scent. Alex was kind enough to walk me through the laboratory which you can watch in the video version of this interview on Youtube and Spotify, where he demonstrates their method to the madness. We discuss their first commercial application, Generation, which is revolutionizing the fragrance industry by dramatically accelerating the typically years-long process of custom scent creation. We discuss all of the potential business implications this technology unlocks, applications ranging from counterfeit detection to health monitoring, and creating a cutting-edge proprietary platform in a historically routine industry. Please enjoy my conversation with Alex Wiltschko.
Subscribe to Colossus Review.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
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This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:04:25) Introduction to Plum 1.0
(00:06:20) Synthetic Chemistry & OI
(00:07:09) Perfumer's Organ & Fragrance Creation
(00:08:03) Launching Generation Fragrance House
(00:09:15) The Fragrance Design Process
(00:12:04) AI and Olfactory Intelligence
(00:14:59) The GCMS Machine
(00:22:08) The Scent Printer
(00:26:47) The Journey of a Fragrance Enthusiast
(00:30:47) The Unsolved Problem of Scent
(00:32:45) Applying AI to the World of Scent
(00:33:17) Validating AI Predictions with Double-Blind Trials
(00:39:42) The Emotional Power of Scent
(00:49:01) Challenges & Future Prospects
(00:59:08) The Defining Moment: Digitizing Smell
(01:00:41) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For Alex -
My guest today is Kelly Granat. Kelly is the Co-Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director at Lone Pine Capital, one of the most storied and successful hedge fund and investment firms of the last several decades. We explore how investing has evolved since Kelly joined the industry and she shares insights into Lone Pine maintaining its edge through deep fundamental research and a collaborative culture. We discuss what makes great businesses and great investments, how leadership can transform companies, and Kelly’s perspective on evaluating management teams and identifying opportunities around corporate change that the market often misprices. Please enjoy my conversation with Kelly Granat.
Subscribe to Colossus Review.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
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This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Learn About Ramp, Alphasense, & Ridgeline
(00:06:09) Market Structure Evolution
(00:08:39)The Impact of Passive Investing
(00:10:21) Collaboration & Team Dynamics
(00:13:48) Excitement in Periods of Extreme Change
(00:14:21) The Role of Competition & Curiosity
(00:22:00) Fundamental Research & Data Integration
(00:27:34) Investment Philosophy
(00:35:31) People-Centric Investing
(00:42:24) Succession Planning
(00:49:32) Facing the Pressure of Early Success
(00:50:31) Burnout & Rediscovery
(00:57:08) Learning from Industry Leaders
(00:58:04) Evaluating Talent and Competition
(01:11:29) Lessons in Investment
(01:27:27) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For Kelly -
Fehlende Folgen?
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Devon Zuegel: How To Create A New Town - [Invest Like the Best, EP.413]
My guest today is Devon Zuegel. Devon is the founder and president of the Esmerelda Institute, and she is creating a new town called Esmerelda in California wine country. Learning of Devon and her plan, I couldn’t help but wonder why there aren’t more people building new towns. She shares the origin story of her project Esmeralda, a modern reinvention of the Chautauqua community she cherished growing up, and we explore her fascinating work building communities and reimaging how we live together. We discuss how environments fundamentally shape human behavior, how cost of space impacts creativity, the financial challenges of town-building despite their potential for strong returns, and the plans in place for Esmerelda. Please enjoy this fascinating conversation with Devon Zuegel.
Subscribe to Colossus Review.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
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This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Learn About Ramp, Ridgeline, & Alphasense
(00:06:00) The Origin of Devon's Obsession with Places
(00:08:07) Proximity and Cost of Space
(00:10:02) The Chautauqua Inspiration
(00:11:31) Building a New Town: Esmeralda
(00:13:23) Urban Design and Street Importance
(00:15:44) Community Values and Peer-to-Peer Learning
(00:18:15) Edge Esmeralda: A Prototype Community
(00:21:38) Challenges and Trust Building in Development
(00:26:45) The Role of Cars in Urban Planning
(00:31:10) Mortgages and Taxes: Shaping Communities
(00:42:11) Devon's Journey: From Stanford Review to Esmeralda
(00:43:41) Tools for Thought and Feedback Loops
(00:46:33) Urban Design and Pop-Up Villages
(00:50:06) Exploring Las Catalinas and Car-Free Living
(00:52:31) Placemaking and Organic City Development
(00:56:25) Frontier Camp and Creating Collaborative Spaces
(01:02:39) Building New Towns: Financial and Infrastructure Challenges
(01:12:05) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Done For Devon -
Welcome to this classic episode. Classics are my favorite episodes from the past 10 years published once a month. These are N of one conversations with N of one people. There's nobody I've met quite like Doug Leone.
Doug led one of the world’s most successful venture firms, Sequoia, for over 25 years after he was given responsibility for the firm by its founder, Don Valentine, in 1996. Alongside Mike Moritz, the pair managed its expansion from a single $150m early-stage fund into an $85 billion global powerhouse. It was a privilege to sit down with Doug and learn from him.
We talk about his tough start at Sequoia, get into the technicalities of great go-to-market motions, and survey his advice for other investors in the industry. A key theme that will stick with me from this conversation is Doug’s insistence on keeping things simple and clear.
I listen to this at least once a year. I hope you enjoy it.
Subscribe to Colossus Review.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Passthrough. Passthrough streamlines subscription documents, KYC, and AML compliance, so you can focus on running your fund, not managing paperwork. New SEC Update 31 CFR hits investment firms in under a year, and managers are getting ready for it now. If you think basic OFAC screening is enough, think again.
You'll need continuous monitoring of your investors and all their beneficial owners across multiple watchlists, plus a comprehensive anti money laundering program. Passthrough has already processed 50,000 LPs and built the complete solution. Don't risk SEC deficiency letters, fines, or regulatory enforcement. Visit passthrough.com to get compliant now.
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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more.
Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Show Notes
[00:00:00] Welcome to Invest Like the Best
[00:05:21] What Don Valentine’s heart was like
[00:08:30] The most productive and unproductive parts of Don’s toughness
[00:12:55] Why it’s so important to understand someone’s core motivations
[00:18:44] The most formative experiences he had prior to becoming an investor that impacted his investing the most
[00:22:37] What venture looks like to him today relative to his prior career
[00:28:37] Whether or not he’d go into venture today if he was in his late 20s
[00:34:10] Helping companies circumnavigate mediocre positioning
[00:39:15] How interacting with companies early on has changed over the ears
[00:43:12] Whether or not new entrants into venture should build firms with enterprise value
[00:48:14] Sussing out the killer gene in somebody
[00:51:04] How successful people can instill the lessons learned from hardship into their children
[00:54:30] Whether or not competitive advantage can be architected ahead of time when building a company
[00:57:21] The early 2000s clawback at Sequoia and what navigating that period was like
[01:01:06] What he’s learned about picking the right LPs and partnering with them
[01:04:18] Making sure that performance is on everyone’s minds all the time
[01:09:59] The kindest thing anyone has ever done for him -
My guest today is Chris Pedregal. Chris is the founder and CEO of Granola, an AI-powered notepad that transcribes your meetings and enhances your meeting notes. Chris shares fascinating insights on how humans have historically developed tools to extend our cognitive capabilities - from writing and mathematical notation to data visualization - and how AI represents the next frontier in this evolution. We explore competitive dynamics between model providers and application builders, and Chris shares his vision for AI tools that make us "more human and better humans" rather than replacing human altogether. Our conversation covers the product philosophy behind Granola, the challenges of building in the fast-moving AI space, and how small teams are creating outsized impact in this new paradigm. Please enjoy my conversation with Chris Pedregal.
Subscribe to Colossus Review.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
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This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Learn About Ramp, Ridgeline, & AlphaSense
(00:05:41) Historical Examples of Tools for Thought
(00:06:55) The Impact of AI on Tools for Thought
(00:09:08) Introducing Granola: AI-Powered Notetaking
(00:10:10) Granola's Unique Approach to AI Notetaking
(00:13:33) User Experiences and Future Vision
(00:15:40) Privacy and Social Norms in AI Recording
(00:20:47) Building Granola: Challenges and Innovations
(00:34:55) AI Startups and Granola's Early Adoption
(00:35:40) Unexpected Feedback from High-Profile CEOs
(00:39:53) Building Better and Faster in a Competitive Space
(00:42:09) The Future of AI-Powered Workspaces
(00:54:00) Challenges and Opportunities in AI and Education
(00:56:03) The Evolution of App Development
(00:58:01) The Potential of Small Teams in Big Businesses -
My guest today is Ravi Gupta. Ravi is a Partner at Sequoia Capital and a host on Glue Guys, a podcast on the Colossus network that intersects business and sports. I wanted to have him back on Invest Like the Best to discuss his recent most recent blog post titled “AI or Die.” As both an investor and former Instacart operator and CFO, Ravi believes we're entering an era where the constraints that historically limited small teams are dissolving, creating unprecedented opportunities for those willing to embrace change aggressively. We discuss why traditional metrics of corporate success like headcount and process adherence may become liabilities, what it means to be a world-class reactor vs predictor, and how "magic per employee" and organizational agility will emerge as crucial measures of value creation. Please enjoy my conversation with Ravi Gupta.
Subscribe to Colossus Review.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
–
This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
-----
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Learn About Ramp, Ridgeline, & Alphasense
(00:06:00) Introduction to 'AI or Die' Essay
(00:06:29) Initial Reactions to AI Advancements
(00:08:24) The Concept of 'AI or Die'
(00:10:40) Adapting to Rapid Technological Change
(00:12:02) Using AI for Real Work
(00:13:58) Evaluating Company Agility and AI Integration
(00:18:58) The Cost of Employees in the AI Era
(00:25:36) AI's Impact on Business Strategy
(00:36:55) Changing Perspectives on AI Models
(00:37:50) The Importance of Context in AI
(00:39:09) Optimism in the Age of AI
(00:40:22) Predictors vs. Reactors
(00:42:54) AI Tools in Business Operations
(00:46:07) The Future of Small Teams and Efficiency
(00:49:01) Investing in the AI Era
(00:55:11) The Role of Board Members in AI Adoption
(00:57:22) Embracing Change with Humility
(00:59:17) The Ghost of Competition
(01:05:04) Seizing the AI Opportunity -
My guest today is Marc Andreessen. Marc is a co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz and one of Silicon Valley's most influential figures. He combines deep technical knowledge from his engineering background with broad historical understanding and strategic thinking about societal patterns. He last joined me on Invest Like the Best in 2021, and the playing field looks a lot different today. Marc goes deep on the seismic shifts reshaping technology and geopolitics. We discuss DeepSeek's open-source AI and what it means for the technological rivalry between America and China, his perspective on the evolution of power structures, and the transformation of the venture capital industry as a whole. Please enjoy my conversation with Marc Andreessen.
Subscribe to Colossus Review.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
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This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
-----
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Learn about Ramp, Ridgeline, & Alphasense
(00:06:00) Introduction to DeepSeek's R1
(00:07:24) DeepSeek's Global Impact
(00:09:25) AI's Ubiquity and Future
(00:10:36) Winners and Losers in the AI Race
(00:14:22) The New AI Cold War
(00:16:34) China's Technological Ambitions
(00:21:31) Open Source and Intellectual Property
(00:27:48) The Role of Open Source in AI Development
(00:30:02) National Interests vs. Global Competition
(00:37:25) The Future of Capital Allocation
(00:45:41) Challenges of Sustaining Private Partnerships
(00:46:34) Building a Franchise Business
(00:48:27) The Role of Political Operations
(00:50:51) The Dynamics of Power and Elites
(01:01:44) Technological Change and Its Implications
(01:13:37) The Future of Robotics and Supply Chains
(01:21:09) American Dynamism and Defense Technology -
My guest today is Graham Duncan. This conversation will make you think about your life in new ways. This is a two-hour segment of a 4.5-hour interview I did with Graham last year. It stands alone as remarkable, but those who subscribe to Colossus Review will gain access to the full conversation. This will be true in future issues, too.
In 2006, in his early 30s, Graham convinced Stuart Miller, CEO of home construction company Lennar, to let him manage $50 million of his family's wealth. A year later, Miller gave him the rest of his capital outside of Lennar. That investment turned into East Rock, where Graham built an incredible investing track record managing billions for a select group of families by focusing on people.
Our conversation explores a wide range of topics—from what makes a great investment partnership to the power of positive feedback loops to starting a restaurant.
I’m thankful to Graham for showing me the way so many times and for being willing to be so incredibly open in this conversation. Please enjoy this discussion with Graham Duncan.
Subscribe to Colossus Review.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
–
This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
-----
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Learn about Ramp, Ridgeline, & Alphasense
(00:05:12) Intro to Graham
(00:05:54) Launching Colossus Review
(00:08:05) The Principal-Agent Dynamic
(00:10:47) Navigating Financial Crises
(00:13:22) The Right Grip in Investing
(00:17:32) Seeding and Investment Strategies
(00:21:37) Defining 'Commercial' and Its Implications
(00:26:31) The Role of Laziness and Prolific Output
(00:28:20) Finding the Right People and Positive Feedback Loops
(00:37:21) Navigating Career Transitions and Motivations
(00:43:05) Understanding Source Dynamics
(00:50:07) Key Criteria for a Great CIO
(00:59:43) Structuring Relationships with CIOs
(01:03:40) Managing Ambiguity and Protecting Mental Clarity
(01:15:09) The Importance of Source in Business
(01:17:49) Designing Physical Spaces for Success
(01:22:46) Launching a Restaurant: A Casting Exercise
(01:30:17) Taking Over and Transforming Existing Ventures
(01:33:08) Macro Investing and Adaptability
(01:36:06) Hierarchy of Investment Mastery
(01:44:10) The Art of Referencing
(01:52:08) Formative Experiences and Personal Growth
(02:00:12) Building a Business and Taking Risks
(02:07:46) The Origin of East Rock -
My guest today is Blake Hall. Blake is the co-founder and CEO of ID.me, a secure digital identity network with over 100 million members. He was an officer in the United States Army and served our country for four years as a a rifle platoon leader, the battalion reconnaissance platoon leader, and as the battalion logistics officer. We explore his formative years in the military and transition into entrepreneurship. Blake shares powerful stories from his time leading scout sniper missions in Iraq, including how his unit achieved a 90% success rate in high-stakes operations through relentless preparation and learning. He shares the origin and evolution of ID.me, a company dedicated to verifying digital identities to combat fraud and simplify login experiences. We also discuss the role of identity in the modern economy, frameworks for building company culture, and evaluation of executive talent. I am ridiculously inspired by Blake, and I am so grateful for him and all of the Americans who serve our country. Please enjoy this discussion with the brave and courageous Blake Hall.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
–
This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Learn about Ramp, Alphasense, and Ridgeline
(00:07:48) First Combat Experiences
(00:09:30) Leadership and Responsibility in Combat
(00:13:28) Lessons in Leadership and Grit
(00:18:32) The Importance of Credibility and Skill
(00:22:05) A Defining Moment of Leadership
(00:28:52) Transition to Civilian Life and Founding ID.me
(00:50:27) Understanding Identity Through Time
(00:51:08) Telecom Networks and Bad Actors
(00:52:38) Moving Away from Passwords
(00:54:13) The Trust Graph and Source of Truth
(00:57:25) Digital Wallets and Government IDs
(01:07:11) Challenges and Security in Digital Identity
(01:21:36) Leadership and Company Culture
(01:33:53) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done for Blake -
My guest today is Dylan Field. Dylan is the co-founder and CEO of Figma and last joined me on Invest Like the Best in 2020. A lot has changed since then and we explore the evolving landscape of design and how Figma has been navigating AI while staying true to its founding vision of eliminating the gap between imagination and reality. Despite Figma's incredible success in becoming the default design platform, Dylan remains deeply motivated by helping users achieve their goals. He shares fascinating insights about the underhyped aspects of AI reasoning capabilities, the future of design literacy, and why he believes truly great design will always require human craft and creativity. Please enjoy my discussion with Dylan Field.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
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This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Learn about Ramp, AlphaSense, and Ridgeline
(00:07:11) Current State of Technology and Optimism
(00:09:21) Entrepreneurial Mindset and Long-term Thinking
(00:10:23) Challenges of Building in Stealth Mode
(00:12:44) AI and the Future of Design
(00:14:07) Navigating AI Opportunities and Risks
(00:17:05) Design Principles and User Experience
(00:29:55) Future of Interfaces and Interaction
(00:31:45) Dark Patterns and Ethical Concerns
(00:33:42) Personal Motivations and Company Vision
(00:40:04) Balancing Responsibilities as a CEO
(00:41:54) The Future of Design and AI Integration
(00:44:48) Speculating on AI's Impact on Design
(00:46:26) Encouragement to Experiment and Innovate -
My guest today is Tal Zaks. Tal is a physician-scientist turned biotech executive and investor who served as Moderna's Chief Medical Officer during their COVID-19 vaccine development, giving him an extraordinary perspective on one of modern medicine's pivotal moments. His combination of medical expertise, platform innovation experience, and investing acumen allows us to explore the interconnected challenges of turning scientific breakthroughs into viable medicines while generating venture-scale returns. We dive deep into lessons from Moderna's mRNA platform, examine how emerging technologies might reshape drug development, and the fundamental question of what it means to make people healthier. For investors, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in the future of medicine, this discussion provides a window into both the immense potential and profound challenges of advancing human health. Please enjoy my conversation with Tal Zaks.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
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This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:08:37) State of Medicine Today
(00:09:44) Investment and Innovation in Medicine
(00:13:14) Challenges in Biotech Investment
(00:17:18) Personalized Cancer Vaccines
(00:22:58) Investing in Biotech: Process and Considerations
(00:28:38) Multidisciplinary Approach in Pharma
(00:41:35) COVID-19 Vaccine Development
(00:46:27) Funding and Manufacturing Challenges
(00:48:01) Unprecedented Vaccine Safety Measures
(00:50:38) Public Perception and Trust Issues
(00:53:54) Future of mRNA and Nucleic Acid Medicines
(00:58:04) Personalized Medicine and Data Collection
(01:04:48) AI's Role in Healthcare
(01:08:34) Investment Strategies in Therapeutics
(01:14:57) The Human Element in Medical Innovation
(01:21:58) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done for Tal -
My guests today are Dwight Churchill and Gaurav Misra, co-founders of Captions, which uses AI to generate and edit talking videos and has grown to significant scale at remarkable speed. We explore a key distinction in AI: tackling bounded problems like video generation versus unbounded problems like general intelligence and what this means for building sustainable businesses. We also explore their unique data flywheel, why video generation could reach Hollywood quality within 18 months, and why building advanced AI products doesn't require huge teams. Please enjoy this discussion with Dwight and Gaurav.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
–
This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
–
This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
-----
Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:07:49) The Evolution and Impact of AI
(00:09:14) Challenges in Video Data and AI
(00:10:36) AI in Media Generation
(00:12:07) Building a Sustainable AI Business
(00:14:56) The Journey of a Video AI Company
(00:25:41) AI Video Editing and Creation Tools
(00:29:58) Future of AI in Video and Business
(00:37:51) The Future of Likeness in Video
(00:39:25) Training Models on Human Data
(00:41:15) Competitive Landscape and Copycats
(00:44:01) The Role of Research Talent
(00:46:25) Pricing AI Software
(00:51:51) Investor Perspectives on AI
(01:02:44) Lessons from Snap
(01:07:04) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Done for Dwight & Gaurav -
My guest today is Jack Kokko. Jack is the CEO and Founder of AlphaSense, an AI-powered search engine for market intelligence. He shares how AlphaSense began by aggregating fragmented financial data sources and evolved with the advent of large language models to change the research experience completely. He speaks to their recent acquisition of Tegus earlier this year, reshaping the business and further supporting their expansion to serve all types of companies instead of exclusively investment firms. Jack has been navigating the AI revolution from its earliest days and you can feel his excitement when he talks about the future. We discuss building an agile platform, the importance of managing cultural integration, balancing AI capabilities with user trust, and the frontier for this technology. Please enjoy my conversation with Jack Kokko.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. AlphaSense provides access to over 300 million premium documents, including company filings, earnings reports, press releases, and more from public and private companies. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
–
This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:08:32) The Evolution of AlphaSense and AI Integration
(00:10:24) Impact of Large Language Models
(00:19:24) User Behavior and Trust in AI
(00:26:24) Future of AI in Investment Research
(00:28:41) The Value of Proprietary Data
(00:31:24) M&A Insights and Lessons Learned
(00:32:59) The Tegus Opportunity and Investor Insights
(00:34:41) Building Trust and Cultural Compatibility in M&A
(00:37:33) Selling to Investors vs. Corporations
(00:40:46) Personal Motivation and Entrepreneurial Journey
(00:47:24) Breaking into the Corporate Market
(00:49:28) Future of AI and Foundational Models
(00:52:04) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For Jack -
My guest today is Jared Kushner. Jared has lived more lives than just about anyone I know his age. He ran Kushner companies for years, investing in real estate in and around New York City. He owned the New York Observer. He was a senior advisor to President Trump in his first term. He now runs Affinity Partners, which we discuss in detail, a private equity firm built to find and execute unique investments around the world that stem from Jared's unique set of experiences in business and government. This is one of our longest episodes ever because there was so much to discuss. We cover real estate, negotiation, geopolitics, his work in prison reform, Operation Warp Speed, and the Abraham Accords in the Middle East, business, investing, his family, and everything in between. Jared told me I could ask him about anything--and I really enjoyed doing so. Please enjoy my conversation with Jared Kushner.
My guests today For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. AlphaSense provides access to over 300 million premium documents, including company filings, earnings reports, press releases, and more from public and private companies. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster.
–-
This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
–-
This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest growing FinTech company in history and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:08:45) Jared's Philosophy on Challenges and Success
(00:13:38) Real Estate Ventures: The 666 Fifth Avenue Story
(00:20:31) Lessons from New York Real Estate
(00:30:04) Diplomacy and the Middle East
(00:37:03) Leadership and Change
(00:41:14) Geopolitical Landscape and Future Prospects
(00:47:53) Affinity Partners: Vision and Strategy
(00:52:42) Navigating Market Shifts
(00:54:39) Case Study: Mexico Investment
(00:58:34) Global Investment Strategies
(01:02:42) Investment Philosophy and Principles
(01:07:04) Challenges and Problem-Solving
(01:23:14) Government Efficiency and Bureaucracy
(01:34:57) Stepping into the Spotlight
(01:37:19) Manifesting Success with Partners
(01:38:05) Learning from Brad Jacobs
(01:42:09) Middle East Economic Development
(01:46:08) The Qatar-Saudi Reconciliation
(01:52:25) Perceptions of Key Middle Eastern Countries
(02:07:34) Preparing for Trump's Return
(02:14:36) Early Days of Thrive Capital
(02:16:56) Helping Entrepreneurs and Building Thrive
(02:24:51) Lessons from My Father
(02:37:47) Future Vision and AI
(02:48:45) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For Jared -
My guest today is Scott Wu. Scott is the co-founder and CEO of Cognition, which is an applied AI lab that has created the first AI software engineer, which they call Devin. In just a year since founding Cognition, Devin functions at the level of a junior software engineer, capable of handling complete engineering workflows from bug fixing to submitting pull requests. He is a former competitive programming champion and describes the field as simply “the art of telling the computer what you want it to do." Scott predicts AI will surpass the world's best competitive programmer within 1-2 years and sees this technology not as replacing programmers, but as democratizing software creation. We discuss the bottleneck in software development, the future of AI in various industries, and the challenges of leveling up Devin. Towards the end, you’ll also hear Scott do an insane card trick on me. You can find the video on our X and YouTube to grasp the madness fully. Please enjoy my conversation with Scott Wu.
Watch Scott play the card game.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. AlphaSense provides access to over 300 million premium documents, including company filings, earnings reports, press releases, and more from public and private companies. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegas help you make smarter decisions faster.
—
This episode is brought to you by Ridgeline. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. I think this platform will become the standard for investment managers, and if you run an investing firm, I highly recommend you find time to speak with them. Head to ridgelineapps.com to learn more about the platform.
-----
Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:07:00) Discussion of Devin's current capabilities as a junior engineer
(00:09:00) Early use cases and customer adoption
(00:11:00) Comparison between IDE assistants and Devin's autonomous approach
(00:14:00) History of computer programming and its evolution
(00:17:00) Scott's background in competitive programming
(00:20:00) Future predictions for AI in software engineering
(00:26:00) Explanation of AI agents and their significance
(00:29:00) Technical details of how Devin is built
(00:40:00) Impact on software engineering jobs and industry
(00:47:00) Discussion of business model and pricing
(00:52:00) Thoughts on AGI and its practical implications
(00:59:00) Commentary on the competitive landscape
(01:24:00) Future of AI adoption across industries
(01:25:00) Card trick demonstration
(01:29:00) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Done For Scott -
My guest today is Micky Malka. Micky is the founder of Ribbit Capital, a global venture capital firm that focuses exclusively on financial technology investments. He is a renowned investor for his adaptability and visionary approach and a believer in killing the thing that got you to where you are in pursuit of what’s next. We discuss his perspective on fintech’s evolution and why his firm boldly declares that “fintech is dead.” We dive into his theory of the "grid," which examines how knowledge, wealth, and power are being transformed by technological changes, particularly through the rise of AI, cryptocurrency, and network states. And we also explore Micky’s deep interest in digital art and NFTs, which he sees as early indicators of broader cultural and technological shifts. You’ll soon hear how he is truly taking a generative approach on all fronts. Please enjoy this in-depth conversation with Micky Malka.
My guests today For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. AlphaSense provides access to over 300 million premium documents, including company filings, earnings reports, press releases, and more from public and private companies. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegas help you make smarter decisions faster.
—
This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest-growing FinTech company in history, and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. It’s also notable that many best-in-class businesses use Ramp—companies like Airbnb, Anduril, and Shopify, as well as investors like Sequoia Capital and Vista Equity. They use Ramp to manage their spending, automate tedious financial processes, and reinvest saved dollars and hours into growth. At Colossus and Positive Sum, we use Ramp for exactly the same reason. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
-----
Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:06:37) The Rebel Spirit of Ribbit
(00:07:36) Ribbit's Unique Structure and Philosophy
(00:08:07) The First Fund and Institutional Partners
(00:09:03) Founding Principles and No Labels Approach
(00:13:44) Early Investments and the Crypto Angle
(00:16:42) The FinTech Evolution and Market Dynamics
(00:22:30) Navigating Challenges: The Robinhood Story
(00:28:57) The Global Digital Grid Concept
(00:36:09) The Future of Digital Identity and Tokenization
(00:41:00) The Role of Stablecoins in the Modern Economy
(00:50:16) The Challenge of Adaptability
(00:53:05) The Role of Heart in Business
(00:55:19) The Walmart Partnership Story
(01:00:07) Lessons from NuBank
(01:02:49) Building a Strong Team
(01:09:28) The Importance of Brand
(01:11:52) Art and Its Future
(01:17:20) The Impact of Better Money
(01:19:27) Reflections and Future Plans
(01:28:03) Handling Crises and Embracing Movement
(01:31:40) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Done For Micky -
My guests today are Chetan Puttagunta and Modest Proposal. Chetan is a General Partner at venture firm Benchmark, while Modest Proposal is an anonymous guest who manages a large pool of capital in the public markets. Both are good friends and frequent guests on the show, but this is the first time they have appeared together. And the timing couldn’t be better - we might be witnessing a pivotal shift in AI development as leading labs hit scaling limits and transition from pre-training to test-time compute. Together, we explore how this change could democratize AI development while reshaping the investment landscape across both public and private markets. Please enjoy this discussion with Chetan Puttagunta and Modest Proposal.
My guests today For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest growing FinTech company in history and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. It’s also notable that many best-in-class businesses use Ramp—companies like Airbnb, Anduril, and Shopify, as well as investors like Sequoia Capital and Vista Equity. They use Ramp to manage their spending, automate tedious financial processes, and reinvest saved dollars and hours into growth. At Colossus and Positive Sum, we use Ramp for exactly the same reason. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
–
This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. AlphaSense provides access to over 300 million premium documents, including company filings, earnings reports, press releases, and more from public and private companies. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegas help you make smarter decisions faster.
-----
Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:05:30) Introduction to LLM Scaling Challenges
(00:07:25) Synthetic Data and Test Time Compute
(00:08:53) Implications of Test Time Compute
(00:11:19) Public Tech Companies and AI Investments
(00:16:58) Small Teams and Open Source Models
(00:29:02) Strategic Positioning of Major AI Players
(00:35:49) AGI and Future Prospects
(00:46:50) AI Application Layer and Investment Opportunities
(00:54:18) The Paradigm Shift in AI Reasoning
(00:55:34) Investing in AI-Powered Solutions
(00:58:46) Economic Impacts of AI Advancements
(01:00:19) The Future of AI and Model Stability
(01:02:52) Private Market Valuations and Compute Costs
(01:05:05) Infrastructure and Utilization in AI
(01:12:50) The Role of Hyperscalers and GPUs
(01:18:02) The Evolution of AI Applications
(01:27:56) Philosophical Questions on AGI and ASI
(01:34:31) The Importance of Innovation Hubs -
My guest today is Ronnie Fieg, founder and CEO of Kith. At age 13, Ronnie started working at David Z., an iconic New York shoe store, where he sold Timberland boots to Jay-Z and Wallabies to Wu-Tang Clan. He worked his way up from the stockroom and earned his first collaboration in 2007, when he worked with ASICS on new Gel-Lyte 3s. That collection sold out in a day after being featured in The Wall Street Journal, catching the attention of Adidas's president and launching his reputation as a cultural icon.
In 2011, he founded Kith, which has become one of the most influential brands in footwear, fashion, and culture. The business sells a unique curation of products that includes exclusive Nike sneakers, Armani suits, Versace robes, watches, cars, and even $10 ice creams.
Our conversation is one of the best examples of life's work I've ever recorded - it explores how Ronnie's pure love of product has shaped everything from a campaign with Jerry Seinfeld to his creative direction for the New York Knicks. Please enjoy this excellent conversation with Ronnie Fieg.
Sign up for the Alphasense panel discussion hosted by Patrick.
My guests today For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. AlphaSense provides access to over 300 million premium documents, including company filings, earnings reports, press releases, and more from public and private companies. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegas help you make smarter decisions faster.
–
This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest growing FinTech company in history and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. It’s also notable that many best-in-class businesses use Ramp—companies like Airbnb, Anduril, and Shopify, as well as investors like Sequoia Capital and Vista Equity. They use Ramp to manage their spending, automate tedious financial processes, and reinvest saved dollars and hours into growth. At Colossus and Positive Sum, we use Ramp for exactly the same reason. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
-----
Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:06:10) The Journey to Shoot Jerry Seinfeld
(00:09:44) Understanding Consumer Desires
(00:12:04) The Queens College Project
(00:15:51) The Evolution of Kith Stores
(00:18:03) Ronnie's Early Passion for Collecting
(00:21:56) From David Z to Kith: The Retail Journey
(00:41:36) The Birth of Kith: Friends and Family
(00:46:40) Origins of Kith: From Concept to Brand
(00:47:18) Building Community and Relationships
(00:47:51) The Birth of Kith Stores
(00:48:43) Footwear Passion and Store Design
(00:49:59) The Evolution of Kith Products
(00:50:52) Storytelling Through Film
(00:57:01) Collaborations and Iconic Partnerships
(01:03:38) The Influence of Travel on Design
(01:09:15) Balancing Business and Creativity
(01:16:06) Reflections and Future Aspirations -
My guest today is Gabe Whaley, the founder and CEO of MSCHF. What began with viral internet pranks in 2014 has evolved into one of the most singular creative companies in modern culture. MSCHF’s work ranges from microscopic handbags—the size of a grain of salt—to tax software that helps you file your returns by going on virtual dates with anime characters.
Every two weeks, they release something new that challenges our assumptions about art, commerce, and culture. MSCHF is hard to define but Gabe says their goal is to “monopolize a feeling” and subversion is the rare constant. Their most viral creation, the Big Red Boot, took over the internet in 2023.
Our conversation explores how a West Point dropout built a company that thrives on breaking rules, but it's also about something bigger - the power of unbridled creative expression and what happens when you build a business around it. I hope it inspires you to think about what your version of mischief could be. Please enjoy this fascinating discussion with Gabe Whaley.
Sign up for the Alphasense panel discussion hosted by Patrick.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest growing FinTech company in history and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. It’s also notable that many best-in-class businesses use Ramp—companies like Airbnb, Anduril, and Shopify, as well as investors like Sequoia Capital and Vista Equity. They use Ramp to manage their spending, automate tedious financial processes, and reinvest saved dollars and hours into growth. At Colossus and Positive Sum, we use Ramp for exactly the same reason. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. AlphaSense provides access to over 300 million premium documents, including company filings, earnings reports, press releases, and more from public and private companies. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegas help you make smarter decisions faster.
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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:06:50) Defining Mischief's Unique Creativity
(00:11:09) The Origin Story of Mischief
(00:12:53) Early Digital Projects and Virality
(00:20:33) Transition to Physical Products
(00:33:07) Navigating the Art World with Mischief
(00:39:52) Entering the Fashion World
(00:42:37) Mischief's Creative Process
(00:44:51) Structured Brainstorming and Idea Vetting Process
(00:46:38) The Role of Rules and Boundaries in Creativity
(00:48:39) Interacting with Venture Investors
(00:51:07) The Big Red Boots Phenomenon
(00:54:48) Supply and Demand in Creative Projects
(00:58:08) Protecting Creativity and Overcoming Challenges
(01:00:11) Lessons from West Point
(01:05:25) Fashion as Utility and Fantasy
(01:09:47) Recruiting and Team Dynamics
(01:11:56) Navigating Crossroads and Future Goals -
Today, we are replaying my conversation with Brad Jacobs. Brad’s resumé is remarkable. He has founded seven companies, all of which are billion-dollar or multibillion-dollar businesses. He has done 500 M&A transactions and raised $30 billion dollars of debt and equity capital. Currently, he is the Executive Chairman of XPO, a commercial trucking company that he started in 2011 and has grown into one of the largest logistics businesses in the world. He has also written a book that will be out in January, titled “How to Make a Few Billion Dollars”. Brad’s energy is infectious and our conversation unpacks his strategies for M&A, his propensity for speed, and methods for earning team buy-in. Please enjoy my great conversation with Brad Jacobs.
Sign up for the Alphasense panel discussion hosted by Patrick.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
-----
This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest growing FinTech company in history and it’s backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I’m aware of. It’s also notable that many best-in-class businesses use Ramp—companies like Airbnb, Anduril, and Shopify, as well as investors like Sequoia Capital and Vista Equity. They use Ramp to manage their spending, automate tedious financial processes, and reinvest saved dollars and hours into growth. At Colossus and Positive Sum, we use Ramp for exactly the same reason. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
–
This episode is brought to you by Alphasense. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Imagine completing your research five to ten times faster with search that delivers the most relevant results, helping you make high-conviction decisions with confidence. AlphaSense provides access to over 300 million premium documents, including company filings, earnings reports, press releases, and more from public and private companies. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at Alpha-Sense.com/Invest and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegas help you make smarter decisions faster.
-----
Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Show Notes
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:07:11) Identifying key factors in a market before investing
(00:10:07) Gleaning insights from early acquisition experiences
(00:13:43) Delving into the seller's mindset during a business sale
(00:17:51) Weighing pre-built against organic growth strategies in acquisitions
(00:27:49) Engaging constructively with Wall Street
(00:29:36) Discussing the substantial buyback of XPO shares
(00:33:16) Ambition as a recurring theme in entrepreneurial success
(00:35:17) Emphasizing the need to facilitate team agility
(00:37:35) Highlighting the joys of post-acquisition integration
(00:41:09) Drawing lessons from Ludwig Jesselson's principles
(00:45:34) Comparing the risks and rewards of early versus late adoption
(00:49:09) Reflecting on errors made in trend analysis
(00:53:59) Strategies for implementing new technologies in enterprises
(00:56:59) The significance of thought experiments in strategic decision-making
(01:01:00) Recalling transformative events from his early years
(01: 02:22) Outlining what makes a meeting 'electric'
(01: 06:53) Sharing experiences with exemplary leadership
(01:12:37) Deciding the right time to step away from a business
(01:23:45) Philosophies for leading a fulfilling life
(01:27:53) The kindest thing anyone has ever done for Brad - Mehr anzeigen
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