Jason Bordoff is an expert on geopolitics, energy security and the clean energy transition. He is the Founding Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and he also held senior roles in the Obama administration, including on the National Economic Council, and the National Security Council.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Jason discuss:
- The future of solar
- How shale oil transformed US energy
- Critical minerals and energy security
- Realities of the clean energy transition
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 on X at @JasonBordoff.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Chris is the co-founder and CEO of Substack. Prior to Substack, he co founded the messaging service Kik.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Chris and Auren discuss:
- Attention, quality, and gatekeepers in media
- The state of freedom of speech
- Building an audience
- AI as a creative tool
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 Chris Best on Substack at @cb and on X at @cjgbest.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Robert Cialdini is a world renowned psychologist and author. His seminal work, "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion," published in 1984, is a classic in the field. He taught marketing, business and psychology at Stanford and he is the Regents' Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Robert and Auren discuss:
- The science of influence
- Persuasion in tech and marketing
- Guarding against deception
- Persuasive technology and algorithms
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 Robert Cialdini on X at @RobertCialdini.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Ben Miller is the co-founder and CEO of Fundrise, an online investment platform that gives retail investors access to private assets like real estate and venture capital. Fundrise has invested over $7B in real estate and has 385,000+ investors on its platform.
In this episode, Auren and Ben discuss:
- Real estate data adoption
- Public/private market convergence
- “Soft” SEC regulations on retail investment
- Data centers, warehouses & single family rental
Looking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to WorldofDaaS.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Ben on X at @BenMillerrise. World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Harley Finkelstein is the President of Shopify ($SHOP), a leading ecommerce platform valued at over $80 billion. Shopify powers over 2 million ecommerce stores in 175 countries.
On this episode, Harley and Auren discuss:
- Entrepreneurial renaissance & record business creation
- Nonobvious brand success stories
- Shopify's ecosystem and partnerships playbook
- Canadian entrepreneurship and ambition
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 Harley on X at @harleyf. World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Brent Beshore is the founder and CEO of Permanent Equity, a unique private equity firm that buys cash-generating small and mid-sized businesses— with the intention to hold them indefinitely.
Permanent Equity owns over a dozen businesses in diverse sectors including aerospace, building and construction, and martech.
On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Brent discuss:
- Secrets to good acquisitions
- Running a PE firm with no leverage and no fees
- Incentives and efficiency in business
- Building in Flyover County
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 Brent Beshore on X at @BrentBeshore. World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Mark Gerson co-founded Gerson Lehrman Group, the world’s largest expert network. He’s also the co-founder and Chairman of United Hatzalah and the African Mission Healthcare Foundation.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Mark discuss:
- Measuring charity impact and ROI
- Real philanthropy vs “fake charities”
- Building GLG and expert networks
- Marriage and religion in the US
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 Mark Gerson on X at @markgerson. World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Michael Batnick is a managing partner and Director of Research at Ritholtz Wealth Management. He’s also the host of the excellent investing and finance podcast network The Compound.
In this episode, Auren and Michael discuss:
- Mega caps, crypto and retail investors
- Impact of index funds on the stock market
- Fintech vs legacy financial institutions
- Investing mistakes and life lessons
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Michael on X at @michaelbatnick.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Anand Sanwal is the founder of CB Insights, a business analytics platform and global database of intel on technology companies. Anand was CEO of CB Insights for 14 years and recently stepped into the role of executive chairman.
In this episode, Auren and Anand discuss:
- Tech and venture capital narratives vs data
- AI integration and workflows
- Future of data businesses
- CEO transitions at 1 to N companies
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Anand Sanwal on X at @asanwal.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Scott Lynn is the founder and CEO of Masterworks, the first company to securitize art. Masterworks manages $940 million in art assets and has nearly 900,000 investors on its platform. Scott is also a multitime founder– prior to Masterworks, he founded companies in online gaming, advertising and fintech including AdKnowledge, Virtumundo, V2 Ventures and Payability.
In this episode, Scott and Auren discuss:
- Data insights on the art market
- Art trends and investing strategies
- NFTs and other collectibles
- Fraud, money laundering and art scams
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit safegraph.com/podcasts.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Scott Lynn on LinkedIn.
Follow World of DaaS @WorldOfDaaS
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Dmitri Alperovitch is the co-founder and former CTO of Crowdstrike, and he’s currently the chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator, a national security think tank. He’s also the author of the new book World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Dmitri discuss:
- Taiwan's strategic importance in Asia
- China's potential timeframe for invading Taiwan
- Chip dominance and global semiconductor markets
- Endgames in the Ukraine-Russia Conflict
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Dmitri on X at @DAlperovitch
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Jonathan Ross is the founder and CEO of Groq, a company that develops high performance microchips purpose built for AI and machine learning. Prior to founding Groq, Jonathan invented Google’s AI processor, the TPU.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Jonathan and Auren discuss:
- Future of industry in the AI era
- Evolution of AI processing hardware
- Semiconductor supply chains
- Challenges and innovations in chip development
- Prompt writing tips from an AI pro
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Jonathan on X at @JonathanRoss321.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Greg Isenberg is the CEO and Founder of Late Checkout Studio, a holding company for online community businesses. Greg has founded three venture-backed startups and he was also an advisor to TikTok and Reddit.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Greg and Auren discuss:
- Changes to startup + VC ecosystem
- Startup studio model vs. private equity
- ChatGPT businesses in 2024
- Building without venture funding
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Greg at @gregisenberg
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Saagar is the co-host of the podcast and web series Breaking Points, which has over a million subscribers on Youtube. He was previously a White House correspondent for the Daily Caller.
On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Saagar discuss:
- Media business models and revenue streams
- Bias and anti-establishment media
- Parallels in US history to today
- Aliens, conspiracies and DC parties
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Saagar on X at @esaagar.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Ryan Petersen is the founder and CEO of Flexport, a unicorn international freight forwarding business. He’s also a Venture Partner at Founders Fund.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Ryan and Auren discuss:
- Supply chain breakdowns
- Geopolitics of commercial shipping
- Scaling freight forwarding businesses 10X
- Deglobalization vs international trade
- Returning to Flexport after stepping down as CEO
- Why good CEOs micromanage
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Ryan on X at @typesfast.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Bill Magnuson is the co-founder and CEO of Braze ($BRZE), a publicly traded customer engagement platform valued at over $5 billion.
In this episode of World of DaaS:
- Growth of mobile technology
- Power of first-party relationships
- Modern martech mindset vs traditional advertising
- Tech company IPOs
- How SMS spam and fraud works
- Build vs buy martech strategies
- Toxic tech workplace culture and “family”
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Bill Magnuson on X at @billmag
Follow World of DaaS @WorldOfDaaS
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Steve was CEO of AOL during its meteoric rise from 1991 to 2003. He’s also the chairman and CEO of Revolution, which has invested over $1 billion in startups, and the author of several books, including Rise of the Rest and The Third Wave.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Steve discuss the early days of the internet and the challenges of getting people to embrace it. Steve highlights the importance of community in AOL's success and the launch of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). Steve also shares his vision for the third wave of the internet, where the internet meets the real world and disrupts industries like healthcare.
Auren and Steve also discuss Steve’s extensive investments with his firm Revolution and his Rise of the Rest Initiative, which seeks to bring venture funding and innovation to non-coastal cities. They close out the conversation with a discussion about the power of optimism in entrepreneurship and the importance of partnerships and policy in driving change.
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Steve Case on X at @SteveCase.
Follow World of DaaS @WorldOfDaaS
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Blake Hall is the co-founder and CEO of ID.me, a secure digital identity network with over 100 million members.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Blake dive into online security, passwords, AI, and geopolitics. Blake explains the concept of identity wallets and their potential to streamline access to services and benefits. He also breaks down why identity wallets are like VISA and Mastercard, and explains where there’s untapped opportunity for a trillion-dollar company in the identity space.
In the second half of the conversation, Auren and Blake discuss espionage in the digital age, the influence of Iran in the Middle East, and adapting to changing warfare tactics. They close with insights into Blake’s framework for hiring executives and assessing strategic thinking, and questioning conventional wisdom in entrepreneurship.
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Blake Hall on X at @Blake_Hall
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Daniel Diermeier is the Chancellor of Vanderbilt University. He’s a world-renowned scholar of business management and political science. Before joining Vanderbilt, he was Provost of the University of Chicago.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Daniel engage in a thought-provoking discussion on free speech, academic freedom and the state of higher education at large. They explore the sources behind requests to curtail free speech, the principles guiding free expression at Vanderbilt, and how Daniel has developed programs to teach students about civil discourse.
Daniel and Auren also discuss the influence of universities on broader culture to the evolving challenges faced by liberal arts colleges. Daniel shares insightful perspectives on the changing landscape of higher education and insights into the impact of rising student loan costs, the balance between teaching and research, and the rise in mental health challenges among students.
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Daniel Diermeier on X at @VU_Chancellor.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Daniel Lurie is currently running for mayor of San Francisco. Prior to running for mayor, he was the founder and CEO of Tipping Point Community, a charitable organization that distributed over $30 million to organizations fighting poverty throughout the Bay Area last year.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Daniel discusses tackling crime, homelessness and cost of living in San Francisco. He breaks down the structural factors in the city’s governance and explains how they’re enabling corruption and inefficiency. In particular, Daniel outlines how he would reform the city’s massive $700 million homelessness efforts to better support drug recovery.
Daniel and Auren also discuss Daniel’s background in philanthropy in New York and San Francisco. Daniel shares his insights on what makes a charity effective and efficient, and how he evaluates charities. They also discuss the impact of ranked choice voting, and how it changes campaigning.
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Daniel on X at @DanielLurie
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Sarah Tavel is a general partner at Benchmark Capital. She serves on the board of Chainalysis, Hipcamp, Medely, Rekki, and Cambly.
On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Sarah discuss the concept of selling work in the SaaS industry and how it differs from selling traditional productivity software. Sarah explains how selling work could unlock whole new verticals for software penetration and disrupt existing SaaS giants. Auren and Sarah explore the areas where these new, leaner software companies could flourish and discuss the broader impacts of AI in SaaS.
As one of the earliest hires at Pinterest, Sarah also has deep expertise with consumer social, which is set to be transformed by AI. She and Auren talk chatbots, AI avatars, and the responsibilities founders have as AI begins to replace more human interaction. The conversation wraps up by touching on Harvard as an institution, conspiracy theories about UAPs and TikTok, and questioning conventional wisdom about fundraising and growth.
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit worldofdaas.buzzsprout.com, and follow us @WorldOfDaaS.
Follow World of DaaS @WorldOfDaaS
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Sarah Tavel on X at @sarahtavel.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Meb Faber is the co-founder and CIO of Cambria Investment Management, which has over $2B in assets under management. He’s also the host of the excellent financial podcast the Meb Faber Show.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Meb discuss global portfolio allocation, bitcoin ETFs, controversial investing strategies, and little-known financial industry secrets. They discuss the most common mistakes Meb sees in investment portfolios, the importance of global diversification and tax efficiency strategies for founders.
This is a high-level investing strategy discussion, with Auren and Meb diving deep on the relative safety of different assets, ETFs vs mutual funds, and Meb's learnings from angel investing. They close out the conversation with Meb’s thoughts on the role of optimism in investing in startups, conspiracy theories, and his views on conventional wisdom in investing.
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit safegraph.com/podcasts.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Meb on X at @MebFaber
Follow World of DaaS @WorldOfDaaS
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Dr. Neil Buddy Shah is the CEO of the Clinton Health Access Initiative and the former managing director of GiveWell.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Buddy dive into all things data, public health, and AI. Buddy discusses innovative solutions for data scarcity in low-income countries, such as using machine learning algorithms to better target social and medical aid. He also explores the potential of low-cost surveys and the role of cell phones in data collection.
Buddy is a longtime member of the effective altruism movement and the former managing director of GiveWell, a EA-focused organization that evaluates charities based on their cost-effectiveness. He shares some nuanced insights on the EA movement’s strengths and weaknesses, and where he’d like to see it improve.
Auren and Buddy also discuss the impact of economic growth and governance on public health, the decline in HIV/AIDS lethality, the decline in trust of experts, and the Forbes Under 30 list.
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit safegraph.com/podcasts.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Buddy on X at @NeilBuddyShah
Follow World of DaaS @WorldOfDaaS
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
Dan Siroker is the co-founder and CEO of Rewind AI. He also co-founded Optimizely, and he was the Director of Analytics at Obama’s first presidential campaign.
On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Dan discuss how Rewind raised its Series A in public, and how the unconventional move benefited the company. Dan shares insights on creating a compelling pitch and the importance of practicing and honing the pitch through meetings with investors.
Dan also discusses the challenges and opportunities in building screenless wearable devices, and what future wearables could look like. Auren and Dan explore how wearable AI tech could affect cancel culture, transparency, and surveillance. The conversation closes with Dan’s advice for parent founders and his thoughts on conventional wisdom and advice.
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit safegraph.com/podcasts.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Dan Siroker on X at @dsiroker.
Follow World of DaaS @WorldOfDaaS
Emil Michael was the Chief Business Officer at $UBER during its hyperscale period from 2013 to 2017. He’s currently the CEO of DPCM Capital, and he’s also a strategic advisor to a number of amazing companies, including Codecademy, GroupMe and Taser.
On this episode of World of DaaS, Auren and Emil cover everything from tech IPOs and Uber's stock performance to the future of AI, the relationship between Uber and Benchmark, and more.
Emil shares insights into the reasons behind the delay in tech IPOs, the profitability of ridesharing companies, and the future for Uber and Lyft as they expand their food delivery businesses and explore new verticals. He also discusses the impact of higher interest rates on startups and the nuances of launching and operating marketplace businesses.
Emil and Auren also have a candid conversation about Uber’s relationship with Benchmark Capital and how it affected the trajectory of the company– Emil thinks Uber could have been 2 or 3 times as large as it is now. He offers key advice for founders on choosing your VCs and keeping execs and the board in alignment.
To close out, Emil also shares some counterintuitive management advice and insights from conducting over 3,000 interviews at Uber.
World of DaaS is brought to you by SafeGraph & Flex Capital. For more episodes, visit safegraph.com/podcasts.
You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Emil on X at @emilmichael.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)
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Jason Bordoff - Shale, Solar, and Global Energy Futures
52:32
Substack CEO Chris Best - Building a New Engine for Culture
47:41
Dr. Robert Cialdini - 7 Principles of Influence Explained
46:39
Fundrise CEO Ben Miller: Democratizing Private Investing
47:35
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Shopify President Harley Finkelstein - The Ecommerce Entrepreneur Class
54:06
Brent Beshore - Private Equity for “Boring” Businesses
47:30
Mark Gerson - Founder of GLG: Better Philanthropy
50:41
Michael Batnick - Common Investing Mistakes
38:01
CB Insights Founder Anand Sanwal - Data Business & AI
51:11
Masterworks CEO Scott Lynn - Data-Driven Art Investing
44:44
Dmitri Alperovitch - The New Cold War
58:21
Groq CEO Jonathan Ross - Next Gen AI Hardware
51:44
Greg Isenberg - Startup Studios vs Traditional VC
41:48
Breaking Points Host Saagar Enjeti - Anti-Establishment Media
55:42
Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen: Global Shipping and Logistics
52:32
Bill Magnuson, CEO of Braze $BRZE : Future of Mobile
59:17
Steve Case: AOL, AI & American Innovation
46:31
ID.me CEO Blake Hall: Identity & Security
59:10
Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier: Future of Higher Ed
44:05
Daniel Lurie, Running for Mayor of San Francisco
36:38
Sarah Tavel, Benchmark Capital GP: Selling Work in SaaS
47:31
Meb Faber: Controversial Investing Insights
50:06
Neil Buddy Shah, Clinton Health CEO: AI, Data & Public Health
41:00
RewindAI CEO Dan Siroker: AI Wearables & Fundraising in Public
45:58
Emil Michael, Fmr Uber CBO: Ridesharing and Picking VCs
37:29