Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Video Series

Latest Episodes:

Chip Heath (Stanford University) - How Organizations Can Win Our Hearts May 07, 2018

Show notes

Stanford business Professor Chip Heath discusses how certain moments we all experience - the first day at a new job, finishing a difficult project -don't feel as special as they should, and how we can make them much more memorable with a few simple touches. In conversation with Stanford Professor of the Practice Tina Seelig, Heath shares insights from his new book, "The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact."

Tracy Chou (Project Include) - Debugging the Brogrammer Culture Apr 27, 2018

Show notes

As tech companies come under fire for mishandling our data, with one blog post, a young software engineer forced these firms to share some of the most damning information they keep: the demographics of their workforce. Tracy Chou turned concepts familiar to her profession - like open sourcing, metrics reporting and benchmarking - to push for more diversity and inclusion throughout her industry. She discusses how the uphill battle continues through Project Include and why, in this case, a top-down approach from tech leaders is needed now.

Julayne Virgil (Girls Inc.) - The Courage to Take Positive Risks Apr 20, 2018

Show notes

Julayne Virgil, CEO of Girls Inc. of Alameda County, describes how her organization provides youth with the confidence to overcome systemic gender bias, and hopefully, realize their full potential. Girls in the program are given the types of experiences that help them break through their fears and build strength for the challenges ahead. Virgil also talks about how innovation means improving what exists, not just creating something new.

David Baszucki (Roblox) - When the Platform is Your Product Apr 16, 2018

Show notes

Tech entrepreneur David Baszucki explains how Roblox is essentially the YouTube for online games, a platform that derives immense value entirely from the millions of content creators and players who come together to build and be immersed in virtual worlds for fun. He discusses how the company dictates strategy and product roadmap, while depending on its users for growth.

Marc Tessier-Lavigne (Stanford University) - Elements of Effective Leadership Mar 09, 2018

Show notes

Stanford University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne tells students that life is long and lived in chapters. Some of his include being a pioneering neuroscientist, head of research at Genentech, a co-founder of two startups, and president of two leading research universities. He shares what he's learned about how to lead organizations that turn discovery into real-world impact.

Josh McFarland (Greylock Partners) - Answering Common Startup Questions Mar 07, 2018

Show notes

How do you know when it's time to start a company? Or when to begin fundraising, and how much? And, as you grow, how do you recruit the best executives and build a culture centered on employees? Venture capitalist Josh McFarland of the firm Greylock Partners answers these questions and more through his experiences as founder and CEO of tech startup TellApart, which Twitter acquired for nearly half a billion dollars.

M. Sanjayan and Harrison Ford (Conservation International) - Scaling Sustainability Feb 27, 2018

Show notes

Actor Harrison Ford shares his longstanding commitment to preserving nature through Conservation International, joined by the organization's CEO, M. Sanjayan. In conversation with Stanford Professor of the Practice Tina Seelig, the environmental leaders urge entrepreneurs and engineers to build disruptive innovations, while describing how strategic thinking is at the heart of the self-sustaining solutions they launch around the world.

Eurie Kim (Forerunner Ventures) - How to Know if Entrepreneurship is For You Feb 20, 2018

Show notes

The key is understanding your own tolerance for risk in what you do for work, and how you pay the bills at home. At the firm Forerunner Ventures, founders must have three traits in spades to get funding: magnetism, discipline and vision. Eurie Kim, general partner at the firm, explains what it's like to work at companies of different sizes, and what skills and strengths make you best suited for each.

Chris Anderson (3D Robotics) - The Ups and Downs of a Drone Startup Feb 09, 2018

Show notes

The tale of 3D Robotics starts in the garage of a teenager in Tijuana, Mexico, who launched a drone-making factory with a $500 check from entrepreneur Chris Anderson, who then flooded the American market with their unmanned aerial vehicles and disrupted the aerospace industry through grassroots, open innovation. Then, China caught on and drove U.S. drone makers into the ground. Anderson, 3DR's CEO, shares his hard-won insights.

Sameer Dholakia (SendGrid) - Focus On People Feb 05, 2018

Show notes

Choose co-founders based on their core values. Pick investors who will be there in your darkest hour. Make hiring the best people your top priority, and treat them like owners - not employees. Sameer Dholakia, CEO of business email service SendGrid, discusses the most important strategies for a startup's success, including the concept of "servant leadership."