This Week in Startups

Jason Calacanis
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Oct 27, 2021 • 1h 4min

Sequoia’s new structure, $HOOD and $TWTR earnings + Bolt’s Ryan Breslow: 4-day work week | E1313

First, Jason covers Sequoia's VC-redefining transition to an evergreen fund (1:54). He continues Q3 earnings coverage with Robinhood (13:38) and Twitter (21:10). Then, Ryan Breslow from Bolt joins to discuss transitioning to a 4-day work week, open-sourcing their company handbook and running a startup effectively (28:07).
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Oct 26, 2021 • 1h 18min

Facebook’s Q3 earnings breakdown: revenue, user growth, rumored rebrand + Italic’s Jeremy Cai | E1312

First, Jason breaks down Facebook's Q3 earnings, including: growing revenue and profits, slowing user growth, AR investment and its new reporting structure (2:00). He also covers Facebook's potential rebrand as a metaverse-focused company and its declining usage amongst US teens and young adults. (11:35) Then, Italic's Jeremy Cai joins the show to discuss his innovative new e-commerce concept, ruffling feathers with incumbents, supply chain insights, and more! (25:58)
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Oct 25, 2021 • 18min

Growth & Retention: Why Subscription is the Holy Grail | Customer Basics with Salesforce’s Tiffani Bova | E1311

This Startup Basics is all about growth & retention. Tiffani Bova from Salesforce joins to talk about how startups should measure customer health, the pitfalls of high churn, the best kind of growth, how to earn trust by saying "no" & more.
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Oct 22, 2021 • 1h 47min

Trump SPAC, WeWork SPAC, GitLab IPO w/ Eric Newcomer + Quick Commerce w/Matt Newberg | E1310

Tech journalist Eric Newcomer joins to talk the Trump SPAC (8:26), WeWork SPAC (15:58), and the behind the scenes funding story of GitLab's IPO (25:41). Then, HNGRY's Matt Newberg joins to talk innovations in the quick commerce space, the growing impact of ghost kitchens, and more! (1:01:10)
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Oct 21, 2021 • 1h 18min

Inflation warnings and hedge strategy, Bitcoin ETF, Hindenburg’s Tether bounty + Startup Checklist E3 | E1309

First, Jason reacts to CNBC's Paul Tudor Jones interview, where PTJ warned about inflation and called Bitcoin (and crypto) a better hedge than gold (2:10). Then, Jason covers the new Bitcoin ETF and Hindenburg putting a bounty out for information on Tether (21:34). We wrap with episode three of the Startup Checklist, where Jason covers "Finding and Delighting Customers" in points 21-30 (34:41).
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Oct 20, 2021 • 1h 39min

Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson: the next $60B, Engage, Segment acquisition & more + Who actually uses Oculus? | E1308

It was great to have Jeff back on the pod! But first, Producer Rachel gives some updates on TWIST Founder Meetups (01:54) and Jason talks a bit about Oculus (14:12). Then, Jeff Lawson from Twilio joins (24:42) to discuss their new mission to build the leading customer engagement platform, the launch of their new product Twilio Engage, lessons from scaling & their big acquisitions, San Francisco and more!
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Oct 19, 2021 • 1h 37min

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire on USDC, Tether & more + Jason reacts to Apple’s new M1 chips & MacBooks | E1307

First, Jason reacts to the most recent Apple event announcing new M1 chips & Macbooks (1:26). Then, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire (23:85) joins to discuss how USDC, what makes Circle different from Tether, regulation, and more.
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Oct 18, 2021 • 19min

How to manage customer relationships | Customer Basics with Salesforce’s Tiffani Bova | E1306

This Startup Basics is all about managing customer relationships. Tiffani Bova from Salesforce joins to talk about the ways startups can improve customer interactions, transforming one-time transactions to reoccurring relationships. Jason and Tiffani give practical tips better serve customers and keep them coming back.
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Oct 15, 2021 • 1h 41min

Coinbase chases NFT billions + Peter Thiel “The Contrarian” with author Max Chafkin | E1305

First, Jason covers Coinbase's announcement of their new NFT platform (2:06). Then, Bloomberg's Max Chafkin joins to discuss his book, "The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley's Pursuit of Power" (19:57). It's a wide-ranging discussion about Peter's life, business, and politics as well as a debate over the way Max framed him in the book.
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Oct 14, 2021 • 1h 12min

Is Netflix over cancel culture? + Startup Checklist: Choosing a Business Model | E1304

First, Jason covers the blowback Netflix is facing from Dave Chappelle's new special "The Closer" and the masterful response from Co-CEO Ted Sarandos (2:09). Then, continuing our startup checklist series, Jason explains 10 items founders need to go through before choosing a business model (25:08).

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