Latest Interviews
Showing 2011–2025 of 2,157 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Goldman Sachs15 min
Talks at GS – Robert Smith: The Fourth Industrial Revolution
Vista Equity Partners Chairman and CEO Robert Smith leveraged his early Bell Labs experience and Goldman Sachs tenure to launch a private equity firm that redefines enterprise software investment by shifting focus from single products to long-term ecosystem control. Operating within the framework of the fourth industrial revolution, Smith's strategy prioritizes building platform moats over decades to dominate specific geographic or sectoral markets rather than competing for short-term product advantages. His approach combines a rigorous evaluation of industry equilibrium with a cultural emphasis on innovation, aiming to transform capital deployment from asset aggregation into deep, value-creating partnerships with software leaders.
- Y Combinator8 min
Know Why You're Starting a Company - Danae Ringelmann of Indiegogo
The company leverages a deeply rooted mission to democratize access to capital, which guided a strategic pivot from an offline model to a global online "perk space" that empowers creators worldwide. This authentic "why" attracted high-caliber talent and co-founders, enabling the team to endure a three-and-a-half-year fundraising drought caused by the 2008 financial crisis while developing a platform with diverse funding structures and regulatory flexibility. Successful outcomes include validating the model through major projects like uBiome and helping passion-driven engineers raise millions, proving that a belief-based core drives both talent acquisition and long-term operational resilience.
- Goldman Sachs12 min
Talks at GS – John Mackey: Conscious Capitalism, Conscious Eating
This event details the strategic expansion of Whole Foods from a small collective to a 470-store global enterprise while presenting a comprehensive case for plant-based nutrition and environmental sustainability. Speakers advocate for the "Conscious Capitalism" framework, arguing that purpose-driven leadership and stakeholder focus drive both human health recovery in corporate wellness programs and long-term business viability. The discussion concludes that reducing animal food consumption is essential for ecological balance and that successful entrepreneurship relies on cultivating team-based communities rather than relying solely on individual heroism.
- Goldman Sachs13 min
Talks at GS – The #FindMike Campaign: Rethinking Mental Health
Jonny Benjamin, Neil Laybourn, Johnny, Tanya Cushman
Johnny, a young man struggling with severe mental illness and suicidal ideation, was rescued in 2008 by stranger Neil after an intervention on London's Waterloo Bridge that led to six years of separation. Johnny's viral "Find My Neil" campaign eventually reconnected the two men, sparking a global partnership dedicated to dismantling mental health stigmas in schools, prisons, and workplaces across multiple continents. Their collaborative advocacy emphasizes the critical importance of early conversation, practical workplace accommodations, and the power of dialogue in preventing suicide and supporting recovery.
- Y Combinator6 min
Jessica Livingston's Advice For Founders
The speaker emphasizes determination, empathy, and extreme focus as foundational qualities for achieving product-market fit while advising financial prudence to extend startup runway. Addressing the unique challenges women face, the discussion highlights the significant trade-offs between the demanding hours required for building a company and the responsibilities of raising children, noting that starting before parenthood is substantially easier. Despite these hurdles, the event confirms that accelerators remain committed to funding founders of all family statuses, offering practical strategies like outsourcing non-core tasks to help those with children manage the competing forces of entrepreneurship and parenting.
- Goldman Sachs9 min
Talks at GS - Marc Metrick: Authenticity, the “New Luxury”
Saks Fifth Avenue is pivoting from traditional ostentation to a strategy of "new luxury" defined by authenticity, personalized technology, and open retail environments that mirror the service standards of brands like Starbucks. This agile approach includes the launch of amenity-driven standalone men's locations featuring barber shops and coffee bars, alongside a rapid, entrepreneurial product model that enabled a LeBron James-collaborated sweatshirt to sell out in 45 minutes. By ensuring a seamless omni-channel experience where 75% of sales are digitally influenced, the retailer is effectively shifting from exclusivity to accessibility to meet modern consumer demands.
- Goldman Sachs12 min
Talks at GS – David Robinson: “The Admiral” on Leading From the Front
Ten-time NBA All-Star and Naval Academy graduate David Robinson details his transformation from a developing athlete to a transformative leader who built the San Antonio Spurs into a perennial championship franchise. He explains how his military discipline and faith guided the creation of the Admiral Capital venture fund and the Carver Academy partnership, which now operates 14 schools serving 5,500 students with plans to expand to 20. Robinson concludes by outlining his philosophy that true greatness involves a "rising tide" effect, where leaders foster an environment of mutual elevation through unconditional love and strategic sacrifice.
- Goldman Sachs12 min
Talks at GS - Dr. Ellen Chesler: Toward Work-Life Balance – Feminism’s Next Wave?
Dr. Ellen Chesler, Peter van de Ven
Historian Tanya Cushman outlines the historical trajectory of the modern women's movement, highlighting how economic necessity and landmark legislation like the 1964 Civil Rights Act initially accelerated female participation in education and the workforce. While global advancements in literacy and reproductive rights have improved child welfare and national development, the United States currently faces stagnation in upward mobility and political representation due to a lack of paid leave and childcare infrastructure. Cushman proposes that future progress requires statutory mandates such as legislative quotas, universal paid leave for both genders, and cultural shifts to dismantle patriarchal structures preventing career continuity.
- The Economist15 min
The deep ocean is the final frontier on planet Earth
Bobby Moore, Greg stone, Jim Delgado
Utilizing the US government vessel *Okeanos Explorer* and its advanced *Deep Discover* ROV, an international team is investigating the World War I-era submarine wreck of the S-19 while contending with extreme pressures and critical technical failures. Although scientists hope to uncover clues about the origins of life in deep-sea ecosystems and assess the economic potential of rare earth mineral mining, they simultaneously document pervasive marine debris to underscore the urgency of stewarding these fragile environments. This mission highlights the accelerating race to explore the uncharted depths, balancing historical discovery and resource extraction against the need to protect the ocean's closed-system integrity.
- Y Combinator7 min
Kat Manalac's Whale AMA
The Winter '17 YC batch features early-stage companies like Simple Habit while continuing a trend of female-led ventures such as Flex and Vote.org from previous cohorts. YC prioritizes direct user validation and evaluates teams based on historical co-founder dynamics to mitigate relationship-driven failures, leveraging an internal alumni network that actively supports current founders. Regional diversity is highlighted by Australian success stories like Proxy.co and Go1, alongside strategic guidance that encourages founders to visualize massive market scale during the application review process.
- Goldman Sachs13 min
Talks at GS – Altuzarra and the Art of Fashion
Designer Joséphine Altuzarra launched her New York-based brand in 2008 to provide fashion-forward, feminine professional attire for women across their adult lifecycles. The collection merges French sophistication with American practicality, featuring themes of protection inspired by Macbeth and designs tailored for active lifestyles like commuting and childcare. By prioritizing commercial longevity and brand integrity over fleeting trends or contractual celebrity placements, the label has established a unique aesthetic that balances artistic expression with daily wearability.
- Goldman Sachs18 min
Talks at GS - Dr. Richard Haass: “World Order 2.0”
The event analyzes the escalating global disarray driven by the mismatch between rapid globalization and outdated Westphalian sovereignty, highlighting acute crises in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Speakers assess specific threats from Vladimir Putin's unconstrained foreign policy and China's nuclear ambitions while proposing a "World Order 2.0" framework where states accept obligations to prevent cross-border harm from activities within their territories. Strategic recommendations conclude that the United States must recalibrate its approach to avoid total disengagement in the Middle East while prioritizing the preservation of European stability against the rising chaos.
- Y Combinator15 min
Dalton Caldwell's Whale AMA
This session outlines strategic guidance for early-stage founders, emphasizing that success in sectors like healthcare and content relies on validating product utility and securing early revenue rather than chasing growth metrics or networking with investors. Experts advise that Y Combinator admissions depend on clear application narratives and tangible progress, while founders are urged to minimize hiring until growth bottlenecks appear and to assume failure as a default to rigorously test their assumptions. The discussion further warns against expecting industry-wide revenue recoveries, suggesting instead that startups build lean models capable of thriving within permanently altered market sizes.
- The Economist17 min
Corals: can they be saved from climate change?
Darwin, Dr. Ruth Gates, Ginny, Yimnang Golbu, Craig
With over half of global coral reefs already dead and climate change outpacing natural adaptation, scientists are racing to preserve marine biodiversity through a global "Noah's Ark" project led by researchers like Dr. Ruth Gates and Dr. Mary Hagedorn. Utilizing cryopreservation technology to bank genetic material and developing "super corals" via assisted evolution, these efforts aim to deploy heat-resistant strains to critical ecosystems in Hawaii and Palau. Despite logistical challenges limiting species collection, the initiative seeks to prevent the irreversible loss of habitats that support one-quarter of marine life and sustain 500 million people.
- Y Combinator7 min
Sam Altman's Whale AMA
The speaker outlines a strategy for high-growth entrepreneurship rooted in Paul Graham's philosophy, asserting that high school students can successfully launch startups while attending school and that mastery requires a decade of constant collaboration. Looking ahead, the event details Y Combinator's plans to expand its influence through a new online course, funding for non-profits like the ACLU, and a specific focus on addressing economic inequality caused by automation. Additionally, the discussion covers practical operational advice, including the use of Stripe Atlas for international founders, personal productivity tactics involving a vegetarian diet, and the persistence needed to navigate enterprise sales cycles.