Varun Anand is the co-founder and Head of Operations at Clay, a GTM platform that helps over 10,000 companies with data enrichment and sales outreach. Clay recently raised a $100M Series C funding at a $3.1B valuation.

In this episode of World of DaaS, Varun and Auren discuss:

• The shift from seat-based to usage-based pricing
• Why LinkedIn's data remains underutilized
• How AI agents are replacing traditional SDR work
• Building contributory data networks at scale

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Varun Anand on X at @vaanand.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

This week’s World of DaaS LM Brief covers a World Economic Forum insight that scaling AI is an organizational challenge, not a technological one, requiring data maturity, strong governance, and an integrated approach tied to core business outcomes. Culture and workforce transformation are also essential for real ROI.

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Beniamin Mincu is the CEO and co-founder of MultiversX, a next-generation blockchain protocol used by governments, enterprises, and developers. He previously co-founded Metachain Capital, which was an early investor in projects like Polkadot and Binance. He’s also the host of the Full Shard Podcast and one of the most followed voices in Web3.

In this episode of World of DaaS, Beniamin and Auren discuss:

• Why AI needs a blockchain trust layer
• AI sovereign chains and agent accountability
• The geopolitical AI arms race
• Building ambitious tech companies outside Silicon Valley

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Benjamin Mincu on X at @beniaminmincu.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

This week’s World of DaaS LM Brief covers Auren Hoffman’s guide to running a job search like a full-time commitment. Instead of vague networking, he lays out a five-step process that stresses clarity, specificity, and creating value before asking for help. From defining target roles to demonstrating impact with real work, the approach reframes job hunting as a strategic, disciplined pursuit.

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Zac Bookman is the co-founder and CEO of OpenGov, which provides cloud software and AI solutions to over 2,000 government agencies across the United States. In February 2024, OpenGov was acquired by Cox Enterprises for $1.8 billion.

In this episode of World of DaaS, Zac and Auren discuss:

• Making public data truly accessible
• Growth vs sustainability in GovTech
• How COVID transformed government digitization
• AI's potential in local government operations
  
  
  

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Zac Bookman on X at @ZacBookman and on Linkedin. 

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

This week’s World of DaaS LM Brief covers the lawsuit filed by Penske Media Corporation, parent of Rolling Stone, against Google over its AI Overviews feature. PMC argues that these AI-generated summaries siphon traffic and revenue from publishers by removing the need for users to click through to original articles. The case raises major questions around copyright, fair use, and the long-term sustainability of the publishing industry as Google positions itself as the primary “answer engine.”

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Jason Kwon is the Chief Strategy Officer at OpenAI.

In this episode of World of DaaS, Jason and Auren discuss:

• Compute bottlenecks and power infrastructure challenges
• User expectations vs AI capabilities
• Geopolitical competition in AI development
• Bringing top AI talent to the United States

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Jason Kwon on X at @jasonkwon.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

This week’s World of DaaS LM Brief covers The Only Right Way to Ask for an Intro (Everything Else Is Wrong) by Auren Hoffman. He explains why clarity of purpose, proper framing, and respect for people’s time are essential when seeking intros for jobs, partnerships, or mentorship. Getting this right makes the difference between a strong connection and a missed opportunity.

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Tyler Denk is the co-founder and CEO of beehiiv, a newsletter platform that has grown to over $20 million in annual revenue in under four years. He was the second employee at Morning Brew, where he built the growth infrastructure that helped scale the company to 3.5 million subscribers before its $75 million acquisition by Business Insider in 2020. He’s also the creator of big desk energy, a newsletter with over 100k subscribers. 

In this episode of World of DaaS, Tyler and Auren discuss:

• Why email still beats algorithmic platforms
• Building the next major advertising network
• The difference between audiences and communities
• Tech nostalgia and 90s internet culture

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Tyler Denk on X at @denk_tweets.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

This week’s World of DaaS LM Brief looks at GDPR compliance for non-EU and non-UK companies. Firms handling resident data in these regions are required to appoint local representatives who serve as points of contact for regulators and individuals exercising their data rights. This step is critical for ensuring compliance with both GDPR and UK GDPR.

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Gokul Rajaram is a founding partner at Marathon Management Partners and former product leader who helped build Google AdSense and Facebook's advertising platform. He serves on the boards of Pinterest, Coinbase, and The Trade Desk, and previously led product teams at Square and DoorDash.

In this episode of World of DaaS, Gokul and Auren discuss:

• Building massive advertising platforms at Google and Facebook
• How AI is transforming content recommendations and ads
• The transition from operator to venture investor
• Why founder mode debates miss the nuance of leadership
  
  

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Gokul Rajaram on X at @gokulr.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

This week’s World of DaaS LM Brief explores the evolving role of synthetic data in AI. Synthetic datasets are increasingly used to safeguard privacy, cut costs, and speed up model training, particularly in testing rare scenarios. But challenges remain, including risks of carrying over biases from real-world data and the need for careful validation to ensure reliable outcomes.

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Patrick Lencioni is one of the founders of The Table Group and is the pioneer of the organizational health movement. He is the author of 13 books, which have sold over 9 million copies and been translated into more than 30 languages.

As President of the Table Group, Pat spends his time speaking and writing about leadership, teamwork, and organizational health and consulting with executives and their teams.  After more than twenty years in print, his classic book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, remains a fixture on national best-seller lists.  His most recent book, The Six Types of Working Genius, was released in September 2022, and he is also the host of the popular business podcast, At The Table with Patrick Lencioni.  

In this episode of World of DaaS, Patrick and Auren discuss:

• Why smart companies fail despite having great strategy
• The six types of working genius framework
• How to run meetings that don't suck
• Building organizational health through productive conflict

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Patrick Lencioni on X at @patricklencioni, on Linkedin and on YouTube.

Take the Working Genius Assessment here: https://workinggenius.me/show

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

This week’s World of DaaS LM Brief covers Anthropic’s settlement with a group of authors over copyright claims. The case centered on the use of copyrighted works in training AI systems and reflects the mounting legal and IP challenges shaping generative AI.

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This episode is a rebroadcast of host Auren Hoffman's appearance on the CMO Confidential Podcast.

Auren shares why he believes vendor management is the #1 skill for future executives—and why most companies should rent world-class capabilities rather than hire executives they can’t fully utilize. From “scaffolding” young talent to his provocative views on procurement’s negative value, Booz Allen, MBAs, and the transformation of private equity, this episode is packed with contrarian insights for CMOs, CEOs, and founders alike.

🧠 Don’t miss Auren’s candid takes on why many traditional business functions are stuck in the past—and what leaders should do instead.

🔔 Subscribe for more insider lessons on what it really takes to thrive in the C-suite.

⏱️ Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction: Auren Hoffman’s Background & Career Path

01:45 - The Most Important Executive Skill: Vendor Management

05:22 - Why Renting Talent Beats Hiring for Most Companies

08:40 - Scaffolding: A Framework for Developing Talent

12:10 - The Case Against Procurement: “A Negative Value Function”

16:03 - Why He Would Short Booz Allen

18:35 - Private Equity’s Shift from Builders to Financial Engineers

23:14 - The Problem with MBAs and Why ROI is Often Negative

26:40 - How Executives Should Rethink Internal Capabilities

29:08 - Final Thoughts & Rapid-Fire Takes

Auren Hoffman, SafeGraph, LiveRamp, CMO Confidential, Mike Linton, vendor management, procurement, scaffolding talent, executive hiring strategy, Booz Allen, private equity critique, MBA ROI, modern leadership skills, B2B marketing, executive leadership, future of work, marketing strategy, marketing podcast, business podcast, CEO advice, CMO podcast, talent development, rent vs hire, startup strategy, enterprise strategy, marketing leadership, SafeGraph CEO, Auren Hoffman interview

This week’s World of DaaS LM Brief looks at new research from MIT, which finds that 95% of generative AI pilot programs inside companies are failing to deliver meaningful financial impact.

The issue is not model quality but enterprise integration and a steep organizational learning gap. The report shows ROI is strongest in back-office automation even as most budgets flow to sales and marketing, and that success comes from buying specialized solutions and forming strategic partnerships rather than building in-house.

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Rujul Zaparde is the co-founder and CEO of Zip, the $2.2 billion AI platform for procurement trusted by OpenAI, Anthropic, Snowflake, and hundreds of leading enterprises. He previously co-founded FlightCar, which raised over $40 million and was acquired by Mercedes-Benz. A former Airbnb product manager and Y Combinator visiting partner, Rujul has built Zip into the category-defining leader in procurement orchestration.

In this episode of World of DaaS, Rujul and Auren discuss:

• Why everyone hates procurement departments
• Building 50+ AI agents for enterprise workflows
• The future of autonomous business processes
• YC's evolution and startup quality over time

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to http://worldofdaas.com/ for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X at @worldofdaas

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Rujul Zaparde on Linkedin at @rujulz

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant https://thepodcastconsultant.com

This week’s World of DaaS LM Brief looks at a recent piece by Auren Hoffman, co-authored with Sushant Bhardwaj and Lily Petherick from Flex Capital, on a little-known but impactful clause in VC term sheets that can strip founders of their voting rights when they leave their company.

We cover how this “employment-tied voting rights” provision, often overlooked until it is too late, can leave founders as shareholders without a voice and why Flex Capital advocates for its removal to foster trust and protect true ownership.

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Brian Potter is a structural engineer and author of Construction Physics, a weekly Substack about the economics, technology, and productivity of building and infrastructure. He's also a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Progress. 

In this episode of World of DaaS, Brian and Auren discuss:

• Why construction productivity has flatlined for decades
• The failure of modular construction and automation barriers
• The unprecedented innovation at Bell Labs and modern research comparisons
• Why America dominates fracking but struggles to build 

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to http://worldofdaas.com/ for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Brian Potter on X at @_brianpotter.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Howie Liu is the co-founder and CEO of Airtable, the AI-native app platform which has raised over $1.3 billion in funding and is valued at more than $11 billion. Howie sold his first startup, Etacts, to Salesforce when he was just 21 years old.

In this episode of World of DaaS, Howie and Auren discuss:

• The evolution of the no-code/low-code movement
• How AI is transforming software development
• Pricing strategies for SaaS products
• The importance of founder mode and hands-on leadership
• The future of work in an AI-driven world

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Howie Liu on X at @howietl.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Dwarkesh Patel is the host of the Dwarkesh Podcast, where he interviews leading scientists, founders, and economists about AI, science, and progress.

In this episode of World of DaaS, Dwarkesh and Auren discuss: 

• Why experts overestimate AI capabilities  
• The continual learning bottleneck in current models 
• Japan's economic crash and global productivity stagnation 
• Spaced repetition and effective learning strategies

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.  

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Dwarkesh Patel on X at @dwarkesh_SP.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Michael Ramlet is the co-founder and CEO of Morning Consult, a global decision intelligence company with more than $100 million in annual revenue. Morning Consult conducts 30,000 daily interviews across 40+ countries and serves more than half of the Fortune 500.

In this episode of World of DaaS, Michael and Auren discuss:

• The evolution from telephone to online polling 
• Building representative polling samples in the modern era 
• Real-time data collection and economic indicators 
• AI and the democratization of survey research

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.  

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Michael Ramlet on X at @MichaelRamlet. 

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Prukalpa Sankar is the co-founder and CEO of Atlan, a data platform used by organizations like Plaid, NASDAQ and the UN to manage data collaboration at scale. Atlan has raised over $200 million and grown revenue 7x in the last two years.

In this episode of World of DaaS, Prukalpa and Auren discuss:

• AI native company transformations
• Context as the foundation for enterprise AI
• Building remote-first cultures globally
• The future of metadata for enterprise 

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.  

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Prukalpa Sankar on X at @prukalpa.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (thepodcastconsultant.com)

Amit Gupta is the CEO of Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX), a global commerce media platform that powers rewards programs with card-linked offers and enables brands to strengthen customer loyalty.

In this episode of World of DaaS, Amit and Auren discuss:

• How card-linked offers strengthen customer loyalty 
• Identity resolution and retail media
• Cardlytics' view into $5.8 trillion of annual consumer spending
• The limitations of traditional loyalty programs

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.  

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Amit Gupta on LinkedIn. 

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Fabrice Grinda is the co-founder and managing partner of FJ Labs, a venture capital firm that has invested in over 1,200 startups with more than 350 exits, including early investments in Alibaba, Flexport, and Delivery Hero. He previously built and sold three companies as CEO: Aucland (one of Europe's largest auction sites), Zingy (mobile media startup sold for $80M), and OLX (global classifieds platform operating in 90+ countries with 150M+ monthly users, acquired by Naspers).

In this episode of World of DaaS, Fabrice and Auren discuss:

• Curiosity-driven investing and founder assessment
• Diversified portfolios vs concentrated strategies
• Secondary sales and exit strategies
• AI tools transforming investment research

Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.

You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Fabrice Grinda on X at @fabricegrinda.

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)