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Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: Income Share Agreements

By Sam Lessin · Feb 10, 2019 5:42pm PST

In late December Erik Torenberg and I sat down to talk about the future of human capital and the long history of Income Share Agreements. I am glad we delayed releasing this episode, because the last few months have only made the topic of ISAs more relevant. Lambda School’s much-discussed January series B financing, and several other... In late December Erik Torenberg and I sat down to talk about the future of human capital and the...

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: Runaway Objective Functions & Human Agency with Tim O’Reilly

By Sam Lessin · Nov 19, 2017 6:51pm PST

Tim and I discuss some of the thinking around his new book WTF - What’s The Future and Why It’s Up To Us. We talk in particular about our world of runaway objective functions, and the role human agency must play to manage to a future we want vs. one we do not. Tim and I discuss some of the thinking around his new book WTF - What’s The Future and Why...

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: Attention and Addiction

By Sam Lessin · Nov 5, 2017 5:22pm PST

Tristan Harris fomerly of Google joins to discuss his views on attention and addiction. Tristan Harris fomerly of Google joins to discuss his views on attention and addiction. ...

Modest Conversations: The Human Side of Building Technology

By Sam Lessin · Oct 15, 2017 9:58am PDT

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: The Human Side of Building Technology

By Sam Lessin · Oct 15, 2017 9:58am PDT

Blake joins to discuss the human side of technology - growth mindset, failure, and success. How do the people who build technology, and the ways they collaborate on teams, and the culture of tech companies define the products that come out? Blake joins to discuss the human side of technology - growth mindset, failure, and success. How...

Modest Conversations

On Bitcoin Cash & New Ways Crypto-Projects Move Forward

By Sam Lessin · Aug 6, 2017 2:02pm PDT

Alexia and I discuss the last week in crypto and Bitcoin Cash. What does it look like when there is a pattern for faster innovation without 'consensus' in the cyrpto world? How does it change the power and importance of exchanges? Alexia and I discuss the last week in crypto and Bitcoin Cash. What does it look like when there...

Modest Conversations

On Product Management - Rousseau Kazi

By Sam Lessin · Jul 29, 2017 9:28am PDT · 1 comment

Rousseau was a product manager at Facebook and now is starting on a new company. He joins for a modest converstaion on product management. Rousseau was a product manager at Facebook and now is starting on a new company. He joins...

Modest Conversations

Building Platform Products - Raylene Yung of Stripe & Facebook

By Sam Lessin · Jul 23, 2017 9:37am PDT · 1 comment

Raylene currently leads the applications team at Stripe, and formerly was an engineering manager at Facebook. She joins me to discuss building platforms from a product and engineering perspective. Raylene currently leads the applications team at Stripe, and formerly was an engineering manager...

Viewpoint From The Silicon Valley Entering Class of ‘17

By Sam Lessin · Jul 16, 2017 2:54pm PDT

Modest Conversations

Viewpoint From The Silicon Valley Entering Class of ‘17

By Sam Lessin · Jul 16, 2017 2:54pm PDT

Samantha joins as a representative of the Silicon Valley entering class of 2017 having just graduated from Columbia CS and moving on to Facebook engineering. She talks about how she got interested in tech, her personal projects, and what interests her at the intersection of tech and the broader world. Samantha joins as a representative of the Silicon Valley entering class of 2017 having just...

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: Solving The Problems of Modern Cities

By Sam Lessin · Jul 9, 2017 4:08pm PDT

Eran Shir of Nexar joins me to discuss autonomy & the problem of the modern city - in particular congestion taxes for ride-sharing, inequality and autonomy. Eran Shir of Nexar joins me to discuss autonomy & the problem of the modern city - in...

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: What You Know vs. Who You Know

By Sam Lessin · Jul 1, 2017 1:00pm PDT

Auren Hoffman of SafeGraph and LiveRamp joins me to discuss whether it is better to know things or know people.. and how technology is changing the dynamic. Auren Hoffman of SafeGraph and LiveRamp joins me to discuss whether it is better to know things...

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: On Metrics & Building What Your Competitors Can’t Measure

By Sam Lessin · Jun 25, 2017 12:30pm PDT

Sriram Krishnan, formerly of Snap and Facebook, joins to discuss how metrics impact your destiny as a company and how to set good metrics to drive organizations. We talk in particular about building on metrics your competitors have trouble valuing, and ads measurement. Sriram Krishnan, formerly of Snap and Facebook, joins to discuss how metrics impact your destiny...

Modest Conversations: Jobs, Inequality, and UBI

By Sam Lessin · Jun 11, 2017 8:21am PDT

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: Jobs, Inequality, and UBI

By Sam Lessin · Jun 11, 2017 8:21am PDT

Joe Lonsdale, the founder of 8VC, joins to discuss jobs, inequality, and universal base income - as well as several other dangerous topics. Joe Lonsdale, the founder of 8VC, joins to discuss jobs, inequality, and universal base income -...

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: Cryptocurrency & ICOs vs. Venture Capital

By Sam Lessin · Jun 4, 2017 10:47am PDT · 2 comments

Alexia Tsotsis and I discuss cryptocurrencies and the evolving conversation about the future of fundraising - initial coin offerings and venture capital. Alexia Tsotsis and I discuss cryptocurrencies and the evolving conversation about the future of...

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: Building Great Relationships With Kids

By Sam Lessin · May 29, 2017 1:34pm PDT

For this holiday weekend Tod Francis shares some of the research he has done on how you build meaningful relationships with children and other important people in your life. For this holiday weekend Tod Francis shares some of the research he has done on how you build...

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: The Near Future of AI

By Sam Lessin · May 21, 2017 1:43pm PDT · 1 comment

For this week’s modest conversation we have a double header on the near future of AI. Lukas Biewald, the founder of Crowdflower and intern at OpenAI takes us through his thinking on what happens next in the land of AI.Daniel Gross, formerly of Greplin and Apple, and now partner at Y Combinator on the AI vertical shares his views of... For this week’s modest conversation we have a double header on the near future of AI....

Modest Conversations: Morning Routines of 2027 and 2047

By Sam Lessin · May 14, 2017 2:51pm PDT

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: Morning Routines of 2027 and 2047

By Sam Lessin · May 14, 2017 2:51pm PDT

Amanda and I pace out what a morning routine might look like in +10 and +30 years in the future. What will be the same about morning routines and what will technology change? Amanda and I pace out what a morning routine might look like in +10 and +30 years in the future....

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: 09 - Have We Reached The Limits of VC? - Bryce Roberts of OATV & Indie.vc

By Sam Lessin · May 7, 2017 12:10pm PDT

Bryce, a co-founder of O'Reilly AlphaTech Ventures and Indie.vc joins, to talk about the limits of traditional venture capital. What can / can’t traditional venture capital support in terms of company building in 2017? What are some financing alternatives? Bryce, a co-founder of O'Reilly AlphaTech Ventures and Indie.vc joins, to talk about...

Modest Conversations

08 - Entrepreneurial Resilience - Leila Janah, Founder Samasource and LXMI

By Sam Lessin · Apr 30, 2017 7:14am PDT · 1 comment

Leila, the founder of Samasource and LXMI, joins to talk about entrepreneurial resilience. We talk about emotional stability, balance, and the lack thereof in the startup community. We also debate when to stay the course vs. swerve. Leila, the founder of Samasource and LXMI, joins to talk about entrepreneurial resilience....

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: The Future of Real Estate

By Sam Lessin · Apr 23, 2017 1:09pm PDT

Brad Hargreaves, the founder of Common and co-founder of General Assembly joins to discuss the future of Real Estate. We focus on topics like Millennial ‘Poverty’, how the death of retail is changing real-estate financing, and - of course - self-driving technology. Brad Hargreaves, the founder of Common and co-founder of General Assembly joins to discuss the...

Modest Conversations: Is Meditation The Next Yoga?

By Sam Lessin · Apr 16, 2017 5:21pm PDT · 2 comments

Modest Conversations

Modest Conversations: Is Meditation The Next Yoga?

By Sam Lessin · Apr 16, 2017 5:21pm PDT · 2 comments

Eric Antonow, the founder of Public Meditation, and formerly of Facebook and Google, joins to discuss why meditation is either the next Yoga or toothbrush — or both. Eric Antonow, the founder of Public Meditation, and formerly of Facebook and Google, joins to...