Trailblazers is your favorite business podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger, GP at Park Rangers Capital. Each week, Erica sits down with top investors, founders, and business icons who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways.From billion-dollar exits to scrappy early pivots, Trailblazers brings you unfiltered stories of how the next generation of firms and companies are really built.New episodes every Tuesday.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/10/27/0/0a2a29f6-b842-494a-aec6-ad8c1de74dbd_llar_startup_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_58.m4a

Tyler Denk is the co-founder and CEO of beehiiv, a platform helping creators, entrepreneurs, and independent publishers build, grow, and monetize their audiences through newsletters.In this episode of Trailblazers, Tyler shares what it takes to build and scale a successful startup, why storytelling is one of the most important skills a founder can have, and how creators are turning niche audiences into million-dollar media businesses.We also discuss how beehiiv builds products at remarkable speed, why newsletters are becoming powerful businesses, how AI could reshape the future of digital media, and how losing his co-founder changed his perspective on leadership and entrepreneurship.If you&#39;re interested in startups, entrepreneurship, the creator economy, newsletters, or building a profitable media business, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers </a>beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS3&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-22" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-22&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS3</a>0 (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers </a>*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Kalshi: <a href="http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.trailblazerspod.com🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com📲 Follow on TikTok: https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com📸 Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital: https://parkrangerscap.com Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Enjoy!Timestamps:00:00 - Intro01:50 - Losing a Co-Founder and Navigating Tragedy07:03 - Honouring Andrew&#39;s Legacy10:37 - The Secret to Building Products Faster14:45 - Why Storytelling Is a Founder&#39;s Most Important Skill16:15 - The Reality of Being a Startup CEO19:56 - How Creators Are Building Million-Dollar Media Businesses26:54 - How AI Could Disrupt the Future of Media34:39 - Supporting the Next Generation of Independent Journalism38:07 - Finding the Right Balance Between Creativity and Growth44:12 - Why Niche Audiences Are More Valuable Than You Think

Tyler Denk: The Secret to Building a Billion Dollar Startup l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 58

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/10/20/2/ed1563d4-f611-47d6-b6e1-1060cae38b45_urity_issue_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_57_.m4a

Michael Broukhim is the co-founder of FabFitFun and Deep 33, a venture capital firm focused on AI, robotics, and frontier technologies. He&#39;s also an early investor in companies like SpaceX and Stripe.In this episode of Trailblazers, Michael explains why AI is becoming a national security priority, how the US and China are competing for technological leadership, and why controlling critical technology matters more than ever.We also discuss the importance of US-Israel tech partnerships, the growing resistance to AI infrastructure, and how his experience building FabFitFun shaped his approach to investing.If you&#39;re interested in artificial intelligence, venture capital, AI infrastructure, or emerging technologies, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="http://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-21" rel="nofollow">www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-21&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers</a>*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Enjoy!Timestamps:<ul><li>00:00 - Intro</li><li>00:52 - The Year Everything Went Wrong</li><li>06:42 - Losing Control and Finding Faith</li><li>10:32 - Media Literacy and the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs</li><li>17:19 - From FabFitFun to Investing in Frontier Technology</li><li>24:50 - Why Michael Is Betting on Hard Tech</li><li>28:10 - Sovereign AI and the Race for Technological Control</li><li>34:44 - The US-China Rivalry and the Future of AI</li><li>38:04 - Why Young People Should Stop Fearing AI</li><li>46:07 - Information Warfare and the Battle for Global Power</li></ul>

Michael Broukhim: Why AI Is a National Security Issue l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 57

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/10/13/6/18026551-a181-4ab8-a5ff-caff5c90e341_e_investors_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_56_.m4a

Nichole Wischoff is the founder of Wischoff Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in overlooked industries. She&#39;s grown the firm from a $5M first fund to a $50M third fund.In this episode of Trailblazers, Nichole explains why great startup ideas can make bad investments, how she finds promising founders before other VCs, and why Silicon Valley can actually hurt early-stage investors.We also discuss her journey from growing up on food stamps to building a venture firm, her decision to leave San Francisco for Nashville, and the personal challenges of balancing motherhood, mental health, and entrepreneurship.If you&#39;re interested in venture capital, entrepreneurship, startup investing, founder evaluation, fundraising, Silicon Valley, or building a venture capital firm, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="http://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-20" rel="nofollow">http://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-20&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: http://granola.ai/trailblazers *Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Check out the episode show notes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/287d5390-612b-44e7-bfbf-51da8cde9116-00b881l8" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/287d5390-612b-44e7-bfbf-51da8cde9116-00b881l8</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Enjoy!Timestamps:<ul><li>00:00 - Intro</li><li>3:21 - Battling Perinatal Depression</li><li>9:36 - Why She Left San Francisco for Nashville</li><li>13:53 - Inside Wischoff Ventures </li><li>16:46 - How Nichole Finds and Evaluates Startups </li><li>18:54 - Why Being the First Investor Matters </li><li>21:24 - Building a Network That Shares VC Deals </li><li>25:43 - Why Venture Capital Content Is Changing </li><li>29:30 - The Problem With Scripted Podcasts </li><li>31:13 - Dealing With Online Criticism and Backlash</li><li>35:00 - The Keith Rabois Incident and Lessons in Resilience</li></ul>

Why Silicon Valley Is Bad for Early Stage Investors l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 56

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/10/5/23/870b0413-2782-4f68-b9a8-30ada2d120e3_eep_failing_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_55_.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Sara Foster and Phil Schwarz, co-founders of Oversubscribed Ventures, alongside GP Erin Foster. We discuss how celebrity, media, and traditional venture capital are coming together to build a different model for investing in consumer companies.Sara brings a background in entertainment, brand building, and consumer influence, while Phil brings decades of experience across technology, marketing, and venture capital, including serving as CMO of Tinder and Partner at Corazon Capital. Together, they break down why they started Oversubscribed Ventures, how they evaluate and support companies, and why millions of followers no longer guarantee that a product will sell.We also discuss how AI could change the value of college degrees and entry-level jobs, what founders should expect from celebrity investors, how reputation travels through venture capital, and why they see major opportunities in consumer products and women’s health.If you&#39;re interested in venture capital, entrepreneurship, consumer investing, celebrity brands, AI, startups, or the creator economy, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="http://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-19" rel="nofollow">www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-19&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers</a> *Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Check out the episode show notes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/db5d5620-36a4-4796-9ed6-408c6d55d3ad-00b881l8" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/db5d5620-36a4-4796-9ed6-408c6d55d3ad-00b881l8</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Enjoy!Timestamps:<ul><li>00:00 - Intro</li><li>6:04 - Does a College Degree Still Matter?</li><li>9:24 - How Failure Led Sara to Bumble</li><li>12:05 - Why Authenticity Builds a Stronger Audience</li><li>19:00 - How Sara &amp; Phil Started Working Together</li><li>22:14 - From Celebrity Partnerships to Startup Investing</li><li>27:30 - Why Celebrity Endorsements Are Failing</li><li>29:02 - Building Oversubscribed Ventures</li><li>35:08 - How They Choose and Support Their Investments</li><li>41:38 - Reputation, Founders &amp; Managing Other People’s Money</li><li>45:57 - The Reality of Being Famous on Social Media</li><li>51:06 - Why They’re Betting on Women’s Health &amp; Consumer Products</li></ul>

Sara Foster & Phil Schwarz: Why Celebrity Brands Keep Failing l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 55

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/9/28/22/00096c11-ba26-4c0f-ab87-5e3e4e23b4f4_when_hiring_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_54_.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with David Haber, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and former founder of Bond Street, to discuss what separates exceptional founders from everyone else.David breaks down why the best founders study those who came before them, how to stand out in crowded markets, what makes an “N of 1” company, and the biggest mistakes founders make when hiring. We also discuss building and selling Bond Street, New York vs. Silicon Valley, and how AI is changing what it takes to build a successful company.If you&#39;re interested in entrepreneurship, startups, venture capital, founder advice, hiring, AI, or building a successful company, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="http://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-18" rel="nofollow">www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-18&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers</a>*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Check out the episode shownotes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/18b4e05d-a30c-4192-85f7-f5db17f34f4f-00b881l8" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/18b4e05d-a30c-4192-85f7-f5db17f34f4f-00b881l8</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday.Enjoy!Timestamps:<ul><li>00:00 - Intro</li><li>06:22 - Why VCs Become Founders and Founders Become VCs</li><li>08:34 - Building a Venture Firm vs. Running a Fund</li><li>14:36 - How Andreessen Horowitz Operates Differently</li><li>15:44 - Why David Joined Andreessen Horowitz and Built Its NYC Office</li><li>19:53 - What the Best Investment Firms Do Differently</li><li>26:57 - Why Venture Firms Are Becoming Media Companies</li><li>28:49 - New York vs. Silicon Valley for Building Startups</li><li>33:00 - Does Domain Expertise Still Matter in the Age of AI?</li><li>41:19 - What Makes a Founder Stand Out?</li><li>43:24 - How to Win in a Crowded Market</li><li>44:48 - Why David Looks for “N of 1” Companies</li><li>46:44 - How David Became an Early Investor in Plaid</li><li>51:48 - David’s Secret Biochemistry Background</li><li>56:37 - Trailblazer Trade-Offs</li></ul>

David Haber: The Biggest Mistake Founders Make When Hiring l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 54

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/9/22/4/72d87915-cd1b-45cd-96f6-778b103d26cc_jeff_clavier_full_lf.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Clavier, founder of Uncork Capital and one of the early pioneers of seed-stage venture capital.Jeff shares what he has learned from more than two decades of investing in startups, from raising some of the earliest institutional seed funds to backing companies like Postmates and Fitbit. We get into the realities of raising a venture fund, what LPs look for in emerging managers, why DPI and returning actual capital matter more than paper markups, and how secondaries can create liquidity for investors. Jeff also breaks down his approach to deep tech and hardware investing, the opportunity he missed with Uber, and how he planned the transition of Uncork to its next generation of leadership.If you&#39;re interested in venture capital, raising a VC fund, seed investing, emerging managers, LP fundraising, startup investing, fund economics, DPI, secondaries, or building a long-term career in venture, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-17" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-17&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30 </a>(or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers </a>*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Checkout the episode shownotes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/cd9f769d-33de-4ef8-abe9-57baa929cc4f-00b881l8" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/cd9f769d-33de-4ef8-abe9-57baa929cc4f-00b881l8</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Enjoy!Timestamps:<ul><li>00:00 - Intro</li><li>03:05 - The Fundraise That Took Jeff Nearly Two Years</li><li>08:38 - How Jeff Launched One of the First Seed Funds</li><li>13:26 - Why DPI Matters More Than Paper Markups</li><li>23:28 - What LPs Actually Want From Emerging Managers</li><li>26:26 - How to Build a Venture Firm That Outlives You</li><li>30:45 - Life Outside Venture Capital</li><li>36:46 - Why Jeff Is Betting on Deep Tech and Hardware</li><li>43:08 - Why Jeff Passed on Investing in Uber</li><li>47:45 - How Jeff Led the Seed Round for Postmates</li><li>51:09 - Trailblazer Trade-Offs</li></ul>

Jeff Clavier: How To Raise Your First Fund l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 53

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/9/15/1/dd26b37c-e3e5-49f5-9c23-49b729995397_episode_2_trailblazer_lf.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy, to break down the business behind one of the most recognizable brands in travel and credit card rewards.Brian shares how The Points Guy actually makes money, why affiliate marketing became such a powerful business model, and how he built trust with an audience that credit card companies wanted to reach. We also discuss his decision to sell the company for $28 million, the advantages of bootstrapping instead of raising venture capital, using media and SEO to grow a brand, and how his experience building TPG shaped the way he now approaches angel investing. Later, Brian shares practical strategies for maximizing credit card points, finding award availability, and booking business and first-class flights for significantly less.If you&#39;re interested in entrepreneurship, affiliate marketing, online businesses, credit card rewards, travel hacking, angel investing, SEO, or building a valuable audience, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-1" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-1&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) beehiiv: <a href="http://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-16" rel="nofollow">www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-16&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers</a>*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Checkout the episode shownotes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/dad0c1f2-3590-415e-b2ee-13a7aee11e95-008umkv4" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/dad0c1f2-3590-415e-b2ee-13a7aee11e95-008umkv4</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.trailblazerspod.com🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com📲 Follow on TikTok: https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com📸 Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital: https://parkrangerscap.com Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Enjoy!Timestamps:00:00 - Intro04:58 - How Céline Dion Inspired Brian to Quit His Job08:18 - From a $50 Side Hustle to The Points Guy11:06 - How a NYT Backlink Generated $120K in One Day12:22 - Selling The Points Guy for $28 Million With No VC Funding15:59 - How Credit Card Affiliate Revenue Really Works17:51 - How Media Training Generated Millions in Free Exposure22:45 - Evolving The Points Guy for the AI Era28:49 - How Brian Kelly Became an Angel Investor35:35 - Why Brian Won’t Invest in Celebrity Beverage Brands40:24 - What Brian Looks for in Great Founders43:32 - The Last-Minute Flight Hack That Can Save You Thousands46:19 - Saving $5,000+ on Lufthansa First Class51:31 - Trailblazer Trade-Offs

Brian Kelly: How I Made $300k Per Month With Affiliate Marketing l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 52

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/9/7/20/7070ba90-53da-4dee-9f20-a6cd4baabb39__sept_8__the_truth_about_going_viral_.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Natalie Fratto, an investor, writer, and new media entrepreneur known for translating complex ideas across technology, venture capital, and culture to a growing online audience.We discuss why most content fails, how the power law drives viral growth, why Natalie doesn&#39;t consider herself a traditional content creator, and how deep tech found a massive audience on social media. We also get into the difference between thought leadership and hot takes, using AI without outsourcing your thinking, why human-made content could become more valuable in the AI era, and what companies like Red Bull and Stripe understand about building brands beyond their products.If you&#39;re interested in venture capital, technology, AI, content creation, social media, personal branding, audience growth, or how media and creativity are changing in the AI era, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-15" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-15&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers</a>*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Check out the episode show notes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/22214880-1126-4ade-b61d-4e55e4ef7ef6-00b881l8" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/22214880-1126-4ade-b61d-4e55e4ef7ef6-00b881l8</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday.Enjoy!Timestamps:<ul><li>00:00 - Intro</li><li>05:19 - The Dunning-Kruger Effect</li><li>11:30 - What Makes or Breaks a Venture Fund</li><li>12:17 - Why Natalie Doesn&#39;t Call Herself a Content Creator</li><li>15:00 - How Deep Tech Content Went Viral</li><li>17:50 - Building a Brand Bigger Than Your Product</li><li>21:04 - Why Human-Made Content Will Matter More</li><li>24:38 - Thought Leadership vs. Hot Takes</li><li>27:00 - How to Use AI Without Outsourcing Your Thinking</li><li>40:48 - What Happens When Scarcity Disappears?</li><li>43:07 - The Childhood That Shaped How Natalie Thinks</li><li>48:46 - Why You Can&#39;t Predict What Will Go Viral</li><li>51:17 - Why You Need to Own Your Audience</li><li>52:36 - Trailblazer Trade-Offs</li></ul>

Natalie Fratto: The Truth About Going Viral l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 51

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/31/22/767a073a-1a38-4386-aa28-3bf2ac1c7d10_of_being_ceo_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_50.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Nirav Tolia, co-founder and CEO of Nextdoor and a longtime Silicon Valley entrepreneur who previously co-founded Epinions, which became Shopping.com.We discuss the lonely reality of being a CEO, building and rebuilding companies through failure, why Nirav returned to Nextdoor after years away, navigating fear and self-doubt as a leader, and how established technology companies can adapt in the age of AI. We also get into his time on Shark Tank, working alongside Mark Cuban and Kevin O&#39;Leary, and what stepping away from Silicon Valley taught him about business and life.If you&#39;re interested in entrepreneurship, startups, leadership, Silicon Valley, AI, Shark Tank, building companies, or understanding what it&#39;s really like to lead a business through its hardest moments, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-14" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-14&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers </a>*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Check out the episode show notes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/55838edb-522f-4468-a139-fad215bab7ca-00b881l8" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/55838edb-522f-4468-a139-fad215bab7ca-00b881l8</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Enjoy!Timestamps:<ul><li>00:00 - Intro</li><li>01:17 - The Hardest Part of Being a CEO</li><li>04:46 - The Lonely Reality of Being a CEO</li><li>09:10 - Building Your Personal Board of Directors</li><li>10:26 - Why Nirav Returned to Nextdoor</li><li>13:45 - Building a Tech Company in the Age of AI</li><li>15:38 - Fear, Failure and Self-Doubt</li><li>21:18 - What Silicon Valley CEOs Don&#39;t Talk About</li><li>22:48 - Inside Nirav&#39;s Monthly CEO Dinners</li><li>31:04 - Why Nirav Moved His Family to Italy</li><li>36:38 - Living in Italy When COVID Hit</li><li>38:09 - Stepping Away From Silicon Valley</li><li>41:44 - Rebuilding Nextdoor</li><li>46:53 - Behind the Scenes of Shark Tank</li><li>51:37 - Mark Cuban, Kevin O&#39;Leary and Entrepreneurship</li><li>55:34 - Trailblazer Trade-Offs</li></ul>

Nirav Tolia: The Lonely Reality Of Being CEO l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 50

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/28/0/fe50deb0-d512-42d2-b6e2-aca640d1a9b1_trailblazers_lf_-_podcast_13.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Jack Raines, investor at Slow Ventures and author of Young Money, a book about navigating the career, money, and life decisions that define your 20s.We discuss how to avoid wasting your 20s, why you should spend more money while you&#39;re young, how to balance ambition with adventure, how to know when you&#39;re on the wrong career path, and why building a personal brand without real substance can become a career liability.If you&#39;re interested in careers, money, investing, entrepreneurship, venture capital, personal branding, AI, or making better decisions in your 20s, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-13" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-13&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30 </a>(or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers</a>*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Check out the episode&#39;s show notes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/5d11c7d5-3a1a-4c00-bbfa-aa06845fd977-008umkv4" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/5d11c7d5-3a1a-4c00-bbfa-aa06845fd977-008umkv4</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Enjoy!Timestamps:<ul><li>00:00 - Intro</li><li>01:04 - The Reality of Writing a Book</li><li>05:19 - Why Jack Wrote Young Money</li><li>09:13 - Why You Should Spend More in Your 20s</li><li>13:33 - Ambition vs. Adventure</li><li>17:14 - How to Know You&#39;re on the Wrong Career Path</li><li>20:00 - How a LinkedIn Joke Landed Jack a Book Deal</li><li>25:48 - Why Humor Matters in Venture Capital</li><li>30:04 - How Slow Ventures Thinks About Personal Brands</li><li>33:58 - When Personal Branding Goes Too Far</li><li>40:37 - Why Jack Is Bullish on Legal AI</li><li>46:49 - Trailblazer Trade-Offs</li></ul>

Jack Raines: How to Avoid Wasting Your 20s l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 49

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/23/4/489c5517-4f79-4d35-93e4-99aa973f3ff5__aug_22__full_podcast----.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Nadya Okamoto, serial entrepreneur and creator who founded PERIOD at 16, went on to build period care brand August, and is now Co-Founder and CMO of social app Pie.We discuss why every founder should become a creator, how building an audience can become a competitive advantage, why posting more can outperform perfect content, the unglamorous reality of building a startup, and why the next generation of companies will need to compete for attention.If you&#39;re interested in entrepreneurship, startups, content creation, social media, marketing, personal branding, or understanding how attention can become a business advantage, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="http://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-12" rel="nofollow">www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-12&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: http://granola.ai/trailblazers*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Check out the episode show notes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/744dba26-26b1-4095-aee4-3d54531745fb-008umkv4" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/744dba26-26b1-4095-aee4-3d54531745fb-008umkv4</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday.Enjoy!Timestamps:<ul><li>00:00 - Intro</li><li>01:11 - When Your Personal Life Becomes Content</li><li>03:29 - Why Nadya Posts So Much Content</li><li>06:35 - How Social Media Algorithms Have Changed</li><li>08:30 - The Cost of Building in Public</li><li>10:33 - Founder vs. Content Creator</li><li>13:56 - What Is a Social Entrepreneur?</li><li>18:58 - Building Pie With Andy Dunn</li><li>21:27 - The Myth of the “Celebrity CEO”</li><li>23:48 - Why Traditional Marketing Is Too Slow</li><li>26:06 - How Nadya Is Everywhere Online</li><li>33:52 - Mental Health in Entrepreneurship</li><li>36:58 - Building and Scaling August</li><li>38:00 - Turning a Running Club Into a Business</li><li>41:21 - Trailblazer Trade-Offs</li></ul>

Nadya Okamoto: Why Every Founder Needs to Become A Content Creator l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 48

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/17/2/d93cebe6-6a03-494b-819c-f812163c80b3__aug_18__lf_podcast_title_tbd.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Marshall Sandman, founder and Managing Partner of Animal Capital, a seed-stage venture firm whose first fund backed four unicorns and ranked in the top 1% of its vintage.We discuss how Marshall built a venture firm backed by some of the world&#39;s most recognizable celebrities and entrepreneurs, the reality of raising a fund in a down market, why most founders should bootstrap instead of raising venture capital, what separates venture capitalists from asset managers, and why he believes today&#39;s AI market is overhyped.If you&#39;re interested in venture capital, startups, fundraising, investing, AI, or understanding how top-performing venture firms are built, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-11" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-11&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers </a>*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Check out the episode shownotes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/dff2aba0-4c29-498b-a4e0-2afd6b66c6e1-00b881l8" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/dff2aba0-4c29-498b-a4e0-2afd6b66c6e1-00b881l8</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday.Enjoy!Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:43 - Balancing Name Drops With Execution01:40 - The Hardest Part of Marshall&#39;s Journey06:02 - The Reality of Fundraising09:56 - Raising a Fund in a Down Market14:18 - Building the Animal Capital Team15:36 - How Animal Capital Works With Celebrities27:08 - How Marshall Built His Celebrity Network35:26 - Celebrity Influence Beyond Social Media40:49 - The Future of Content and Emerging VC Firms46:06 - Venture Capitalists vs. Asset Managers49:00 - What&#39;s Next for Animal Capital55:40 - Trailblazer Trade-Offs

Marshall Sandman: What It Takes To Win In Venture Capital | Trailblazers Podcast Episode 47

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/10/22/77bc347e-8968-4a81-804d-add62d8993e0_lf_out_there_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_46.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Polina Pompliano, founder of The Profile and author of Hidden Genius, where she studies the lives, habits, and minds of exceptional people.We discuss what drives some of the world&#39;s most successful people, how putting yourself out there creates unexpected opportunities, why flaws and insecurities can become an advantage, the role of vulnerability in storytelling, and how to use AI without letting it think for you.If you&#39;re interested in entrepreneurship, media, AI, storytelling, personal growth, or understanding what makes exceptional people different, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-1" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-1&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) *beehiiv has a major announcement coming July 16 - can&#39;t say more, but you won&#39;t want to miss it. RSVP here: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/summer-release-2026" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/summer-release-2026</a> Granola: http://granola.ai/trailblazers *Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Check out the episode show notes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/ed6c5333-9e78-42fe-850f-8910c833df7b-00b881l8" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/ed6c5333-9e78-42fe-850f-8910c833df7b-00b881l8</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday.Enjoy!Timestamps:00:00 - Intro1:40 - The Hardest Part Of Her Journey7:07 - Transitioning To Substack Full-Time13:52 - The Art of Profiling Polarizing People23:06 - The Role of Vulnerability and Content Serendipity43:52 - The Intersection of Media and Generative AI50:01 - Personal Vulnerability: A Twin Pregnancy Story1:01:29 - Trailblazer Trade-offs

Polina Pompliano: The Power Of Putting Yourself Out There l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 46

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/3/21/517a7459-3551-4d89-a406-1adef910e1ba_great_ideas_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_45_.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Rebecca Kaden, General Partner at Union Square Ventures, where she invests in the next generation of AI, software, and technology companies shaping the future.We discuss why AI is still dramatically underhyped, how venture capitalists identify world-changing technologies before everyone else, the future of open versus closed AI ecosystems, why the best investors think in decades instead of years, and the frameworks Rebecca uses to evaluate the next wave of billion-dollar companies. If you&#39;re interested in AI, venture capital, startups, investing, or understanding how the world&#39;s best investors think, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers beehiiv: www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-9&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30 (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: http://granola.ai/trailblazers*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Check out the episode&#39;s show notes here: https://notes.granola.ai/t/53b581cd-316f-4211-967c-0a6176678e84-008umkv4 Kalshi: http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers Wispr Flow: https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers HEX: http://hex.ai/trailblazers 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.trailblazerspod.com🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com📲 Follow on TikTok: https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com📸 Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital: https://parkrangerscap.com Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Timestamps:00:00 - Intro5:28 - Market Cycles vs. Fund Cycles8:28 - The Rebel Alliance &amp; Open Ecosystems11:18 - The Four Quadrants &amp; Future Of AI12:51 - Programmable Energy Bets14:02 - Renewed Application Layer Conviction18:11 - Public Thinking as Alpha21:39 - Developing and Testing a Thesis27:16 - Changing Market Structures From The Outside In33:26 - Flexibility in Small Fund Sizes35:59 - Selling on the way up39:58 - Building Internal AI Agents47:00 - Data at the Edge Thesis51:46 - Trailblazer Trade-offs

Rebecca Kaden: The Biggest Myth About Great Ideas l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 45

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/27/22/aad11a24-bb3e-4ece-bf29-b9385d5590dd_30_employees_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_44.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with John Hu, the co-founder and CEO of Stan, the platform helping creators turn their audience into thriving businesses.We discuss how AI is changing entrepreneurship, why the best companies stay relentlessly founder-first, what it takes to build a $40M business with just 30 employees, the future of creator entrepreneurs, the importance of distribution and personal branding, and the principles behind building products people genuinely love.If you&#39;re interested in entrepreneurship, AI, startups, the creator economy, or building high-growth businesses, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-8" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-8&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers</a>*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Enjoy!Timestamps:<ul><li>00:00 - Intro</li><li>01:09 - Workplace Philosophy and Surfing Culture</li><li>05:33 - The Founder-First Northstar Value</li><li>08:23 - The Spectrum of Creator Entrepreneurs</li><li>09:57 - Durability of Personal Branding at Scale</li><li>12:40 - AI Content Creation Workflows</li><li>15:53 - Building &#34;Stanley&#34;: The Pocket AI Content Team</li><li>18:10 - Marketing Breakthroughs vs Saturated Insights</li><li>22:36 - Cold Outreach and Fundraising with Steven Bartlett</li><li>26:47 - Career Expectations and dropper-out from Stanford Business School</li><li>30:37 - Growing Up with a Single, Hardworking Immigrant Mother</li><li>31:59 - Redefining Self-Worth, Fulfillment, and Corporate Plateaus</li><li>41:14 - Creator Payout Success Stories on Stan</li><li>44:04 - Trailblazers Trade-offs</li></ul>

John Hu: How I Built A $40M Business With 30 Employees l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 44

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/23/21/b557be23-638e-4fb8-9949-7dd5d3f26519__for_advice_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_43_.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Nicole Behnam, an entrepreneur, investor, and podcast host known for interviewing some of the world&#39;s top founders, investors, and business leaders.We discuss how to build relationships with influential people, why traditional education leaves entrepreneurs at a disadvantage, the future of AI and entrepreneurship, the power of storytelling, how to build a cult-like brand, and the mindset behind building one of the strongest networks in tech.If you&#39;re interested in entrepreneurship, AI, networking, business, or learning how successful founders think, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-7" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-7&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers</a>*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Check out the episode show notes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/b7b67559-e75a-4321-a59e-fbc5bed34450-008umkv4" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/b7b67559-e75a-4321-a59e-fbc5bed34450-008umkv4</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Enjoy!Timestamps:<ul><li>00:00 - Intro</li><li>01:00 - Strengths &amp; Weaknesses </li><li>03:00 - Finding Mentors &amp; The Power of Being Bold</li><li>07:12 - Admitting Weaknesses &amp; The Sales Mindset</li><li>10:04 - Deciding to Ditch Traditional Journalism</li><li>14:58 - Spotting Generational Talent Early</li><li>18:04 - What School Forgot to Teach Us</li><li>20:58 - Getting Access to Elite Investment Circles</li><li>23:20 - Throwing a Private Event for Naval Ravikant</li><li>30:10 - Why Nicole’s Interviews Are Radically Different</li><li>32:00 - Is AI Going to Take Your Job?</li><li>37:42 - Standing Up for Human Rights in Iran</li><li>40:50 - How Algorithms Are Weaponizing Our Anger</li><li>43:40 - Why Tech Has a Serious PR Problem</li><li>46:14 - The Surprising Truth About Andrew Tate &amp; Cult Branding</li><li>49:58 - Lightning Round: Trailblazer Trade-offs</li><li>54:53 - Final Thoughts: AI Abundance vs. Chaos</li></ul>

Nicole Behnam: Stop Asking Successful People for Advice l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 43

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/21/0/3b73436f-6f1b-4941-9ad3-3c4e95bde6a4_ture_capital_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_42.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Geoff Woo, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Antifund, an unconventional venture capital firm investing in the next generation of companies across technology, consumer, defense, and culture. Geoff is also the Founder and Executive Chairman of Ketone-IQ and has built businesses alongside creators like Jake and Logan Paul, giving him a unique perspective at the intersection of venture capital, entrepreneurship, and internet culture.We discuss why venture capital is &#34;high-class begging,&#34; how Antifund uses celebrity partnerships to win the most competitive startup deals, why attention is becoming more valuable than capital, how AI is changing the future of startups and human expertise, the philosophy behind Ketone-IQ, and the mindset founders need to build category-defining companies.If you&#39;re interested in startups, venture capital, AI, entrepreneurship, creator businesses, or learning how top investors think, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-6&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30 (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) *Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers! Check out the episode show notes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/7b44b7f3-ac56-487b-befa-81d024355e49-00b881l8" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/7b44b7f3-ac56-487b-befa-81d024355e49-00b881l8</a> Kalshi: http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers Wispr Flow: https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers HEX: http://hex.ai/trailblazers 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.trailblazerspod.com🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com📲 Follow on TikTok: https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com📸 Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital: https://parkrangerscap.com Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Enjoy!Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro00:42 - Personal Strengths, Weaknesses, and Focus6:53 - IQ vs EQ in Venture Capital12:22 - The &#34;Celebrity GP&#34; Thesis &amp; Value Add23:08 - Antifund Structure &amp; Incubations29:27 - Meeting the Paul Brothers &amp; The Origins of Antifund43:13 - The Philosophy Behind the &#34;Antifund&#34; Name48:37 - Ketone-Based Nutrition &amp; Silicon Valley Fasting51:19 Rapid Fire Questions

Geoff Woo: The Ugly Truth About Venture Capital l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 42

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/14/6/efe7d55f-3cf3-4633-9fc3-19ae0b445b3c_s_still_fail_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_41.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Ann Miura-Ko, Co-Founding Partner of Floodgate and one of Silicon Valley&#39;s earliest investors in companies like Lyft, Twitch, Twitter, and Okta. After nearly two decades investing in founders at the earliest stages of company building, Ann shares how she identifies exceptional entrepreneurs long before the rest of the market. We discuss how Twitch almost never happened, the early rivalry between Uber and Lyft, why the best entrepreneurs are truth seekers, the future of AI-pilled organizations, what teaching has revealed about curiosity and character, and how Ann thinks about investing in the next generation of world-changing companies. If you&#39;re interested in startups, venture capital, AI, or understanding how the best investors think, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-5" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-5&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) *beehiiv has a major announcement coming July 16 - can&#39;t say more, but you won&#39;t want to miss it. RSVP here: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/summer-release-2026" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/summer-release-2026</a> Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers</a> *Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Check out the episode show notes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/d1fb3aec-f1c5-4681-b763-af05df15ac3d-008umkv4" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/d1fb3aec-f1c5-4681-b763-af05df15ac3d-008umkv4</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday.Timestamps:0:00 Intro 0:41 The AI Pilled Organization 6:09 The Biggest Barrier to AI Adoption8:41 The Rise of the Non-Technical Founders10:32 How To Find Super-Thinkers12:30 Why Ann Loves Teaching 13:36 Stanford Mayfield Program16:25 Getting Pitched By A 14-Year-Old18:52 Different Types Of Leadership 23:29 Early Investment In Twitter 24:42 Why Twitch Never Should Have Worked27:01 Ann’s 10,000x Return From Lyft Investment 30:00 Inside the Uber vs. Lyft Rivalry33:25 Ann’s Investment Philosophy  35:52 Investing In Lyft At $5M Valuation 39:10 Staying Disciplined On Fund Size 47:49 Evaluating Companies After The Investment51:29 Ann’s Partnership With Mike Maples 1:03:27 Rapid Fire Questions

Ann Miura-Ko: Why Great Businesses Still Fail l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 41

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/8/11/c8db9080-d87d-4e9a-9164-4a3f787e16a0_00m_investor_l_trailblazers_podcast_episode_40.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Kate McAndrew, Co-Founder and General Partner of Baukunst, a $100 million pre-seed venture fund investing in the next generation of founders. After spending more than a decade investing in over 100 early-stage companies, Kate shares how she evaluates entrepreneurs long before the rest of the market catches on. We discuss what makes a startup worth investing in, how great investors think from first principles, the traits that separate exceptional founders, how to build company cultures and institutions that last, and the unconventional path that led her into venture capital. If you&#39;re interested in startups, investing, entrepreneurship, or understanding how the best venture capitalists think, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi Sydecar: https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-4" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-4&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) *beehiiv has a major announcement coming July 16 - can&#39;t say more, but you won&#39;t want to miss it. RSVP here: https://www.beehiiv.com/summer-release-2026 Granola: http://granola.ai/trailblazers *Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Check out the episode show notes here: https://notes.granola.ai/t/860f1c91-f717-41cd-a6c1-567458bfb806-00b881l8 Kalshi: http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers Wispr Flow: https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers HEX: http://hex.ai/trailblazers 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.trailblazerspod.com🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com📲 Follow on TikTok: https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com📸 Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital: https://parkrangerscap.com Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday.Timestamps: 0:00 Intro1:37 Kate’s Biggest Struggle3:55 How Going To An All-Girls School Impacted Kate&#39;s Life8:38 What Going To An All-Girls School Is Actually Like11:21 How Kate Thinks About Investing12:41 What Makes A Great Founder14:23 How Companies Survive 100+ Years17:14 Kate’s Unconventional Path To VC23:15 The Philosophy Of Building A Great Company27:54 How Kate Got Her First Job In VC30:04 Kate’s Best Advice For Entrepreneurs33:29 What Makes A Brand’s Identity36:49 Why Kate Makes Content43:30 The Purpose Behind Baukunst48:04 How Baukunst Operates Internally52:34 What Kate’s Most Excited To Invest In54:57 Every VC Hates A Creator Business

Kate McAndrew Inside The Mind Of A $100M Investor l Trailblazers Podcast Episode 40

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/30/4/fbaa8494-187c-46fd-83c2-a831c1836091_t_tried_to_cancel_me_l_trailblazers_episode_39.m4a

In this episode, we sit down with Nas Daily, entrepreneur, creator, and founder of one of the world&#39;s largest creator brands. After building an audience of more than 70 million followers through nearly a decade of daily videos, Nas made the biggest gamble of his career by pivoting his content to AI. We discuss why he believes AI will create the next Walt Disney, how he built and manages a company with more than 100 employees, the philosophy behind Nas Daily, the family gamble that got him into Harvard, his perspective on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and how he thinks about storytelling, leadership, and the future of content. If you&#39;re interested in entrepreneurship, the creator economy, AI, or building a business that stands the test of time, this episode is for you. This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, KalshiSydecar: <a href="https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers</a> beehiiv: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30&utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-3" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=trailblazers&amp;utm_term=podcast-3&amp;stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30</a> (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF) *beehiiv has a major announcement coming July 16 - can&#39;t say more, but you won&#39;t want to miss it. RSVP here: <a href="https://www.beehiiv.com/summer-release-2026" rel="nofollow">https://www.beehiiv.com/summer-release-2026</a> Granola: <a href="http://granola.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://granola.ai/trailblazers</a> *Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Check out the episode show notes here: <a href="https://notes.granola.ai/t/153edc4e-bc9a-410d-8f94-f9aea61e8cfd-00b881l8" rel="nofollow">https://notes.granola.ai/t/153edc4e-bc9a-410d-8f94-f9aea61e8cfd-00b881l8</a> Kalshi: <a href="http://kalshi.com/r/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers</a> Wispr Flow: <a href="https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers</a> HEX: <a href="http://hex.ai/trailblazers" rel="nofollow">http://hex.ai/trailblazers</a> 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdJeTZZbmRSQ2E1eFJtc0p6RFNyMWRZaGdyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttZl9NOXJ3QjFSNnZ1OVV5bHdlbHB3NVBQeVRnNlZHN2NlTzVaX3cwaTVXY19KV3VMWE9Semx3TDI4TVUzZ3EzYV9KZU5xRzZiWHE3TUVkUUFpZS02ZDg5RE9jUXJGNElick80NllaLUU1clhJSkpjbw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://apple.trailblazerspod.com</a>🎧 Listen on Spotify:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fspotify.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnpSbjVsVnBIT0ZLUkw5Tkx5MWMzNEJObmVSUXxBQ3Jtc0trekY3TVM1Z0FrTFc1NXcxa2lqQ0tLT1pVZHhuODJ4Tk1JUTFIRWRFbEJkeHAxRjdEWTR4R3gwNXNGRW5ZeS1oQWxuNXRFQVNrOW9iQVFTVlBOalAyWS1JVElOdUdxYThpLVRDWnBHaWdaT0pJUkZ1QQ&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com</a>📲 Follow on TikTok:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmY2QmV6dTlXbHJRWWQ2WTY2RTdNUGlNbEVLd3xBQ3Jtc0tsdTVhZkszYkJFV0JWUm5Mc21YaDVwa3h6ZnJoMzMwRlQ2WlJnR3N6OXh2LTcyUndwcWt6UDJCUHc4UzBSaXNtRVl5eXlXVy1xeWgyb1VJN19iNVFPbEtsYzZTSGRKYkt6Tmo4UWFRMmtuVHhUb0kwYw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com</a>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXdQTUppcDhPMkhjV0dDZF94b2FmSTdpMUpRUXxBQ3Jtc0ttTlptbmZ5UTRxMkFyWm16WFBOdHczZmpHUlB2cHZnajJyQkdJWnBDUkxvcHlGRlNHTUxBMFpHV0hKS2VpWi1xaTB6MXBfMFhOMlBRa0d0NlloeFp2QXhSaFVzRmlzN1JfaVpaQldfMThsUGRuN0V5MA&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com</a>📸 Follow on Instagram:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.trailblazerspod.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGlRZmVfa2RWOHk5MHJJbUlDUkRuS1g2SWluUXxBQ3Jtc0tuRk9aNkttUmphSWJuM2E0ZU5fdlN4RE5QLXdtZXg0dHRUaDQ4TzVIaUpDbHFpTmwyUXdIbnluOW45MEdYcXNEeHphWXBBSEdOS1ZoVVhIY2ktNnZoRGx4WWxoY1BLbDVaUzN6WldhWDMzelNSY1R3bw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com</a>🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fparkrangerscap.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnJYZE5oUGxHcTRCUjJVakJ5Ml9fazhqLUtkUXxBQ3Jtc0ttX24xVUgtZHJKTlFweG5XZ3laWFJtOXliSHZXWlgwU1pZNlFXS0ctUmhxSmhDUGttNXJqSElaRlo2MFU2OFlINWJTa2xqQzJzeXpBQll3aUxmN2hGbVRLdENXdFAtTmozVmJqWWEtR1YzZTRrV0gzcw&v=e3Y2DN9RyYI" rel="nofollow"> https://parkrangerscap.com</a> Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:45 Nas Is Very Opinionated4:40 How To Actually Create Company Culture5:56 Nas Hasn’t Changed His T-Shirt In 9 Years 8:40 Asking People Their Net Worth Should Be Normal 9:21 How Nas Chooses What Products To Build 13:52 Why Justin Bieber’s Business Failed16:09 Predicting What Type Of Founders Will Be Successful 17:13 How Nas Daily Hires Employees 18:05 Why AI Agencies Suck21:16 The Biggest Risk Nas Daily Ever Took 24:10 How Nas Daily Closed Series A Investment 29:31 The Passing Of Zaki Djemal 32:40 The Importance Of Believing In Yourself 36:20 Why Nas Boycott YouTube For 2 Years 38:37 Discussing The Israel-Palestine Conflict 49:04 Growing Up In Israel 51:08 How Nas Ended Up Going To Harvard 52:43 North Korea Vs Israel 54:47 Rapid Fire Questions

Nas Daily: The Internet Tried To Cancel Me l Trailblazers Episode 39

Trailblazers is your favorite business podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger, GP at Park Rangers Capital. Each week, Erica sits down with top investors, founders, and business icons who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways.

From billion-dollar exits to scrappy early pivots, Trailblazers brings you unfiltered stories of how the next generation of firms and companies are really built.

New episodes every Tuesday.