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Latest Episodes:

Inspiring the Next Generation to Build Great Money Habits (Whatever Those Are) | Tim Hong (CPO of MoneyLion) Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

What is a good money habit in 2025? And how do you actually help someone build one—without boring them, shaming them, or losing them in the first five seconds?

Chief Product Officer Tim Hong shares how MoneyLion designs for emotion and creates content and products that inspire people to take action.

MoneyLion is a personal finance platform used by millions of mostly younger Americans who are just getting started with their money, so, as Tim says: “It's actually less about bad habits that we fight. It's about having no habits.”

Tim also shares how AI could create a truly personalized (1 of 1) financial advisor, why most financial apps are “like going to the DMV”, and how things like open banking and embedded finance can change that…

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Chapters:

(01:30) - Tim has literally measured how short our attentions spans are at a brainwave startup
(03:49) - What MoneyLion does and why content and storytelling are so important
(08:30) - What even are good money habits today?
(12:00) - How MoneyLion uses AI to create personalized content
(13:40) - "Talking to your money" with AI
(16:30) - How building with GenAI is different
(20:30) - Building with non-deterministic systems
(24:30) - "Self-driving money": Tim's not so sure people want to fully give up control
(29:30) - Why so many financial apps feel like "going to the DMV" — and how that's changing with open banking and embedded finance

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Looking for your next episode? Here’s another fintech one you might enjoy:

“You Have to Invest Into Change.” Startup Lessons from Fintech OG and VC Daniel Kimerling, Founder of Deciens Capital and Standard Treasury

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For all CRAFTED. episodes and to subscribe to the CRAFTED. newsletter 👉 crafted.fm

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Oh, and see how Dan and Modern Product Minds can help you build better products.

3 years in a row! The Webby Awards say we're a top tech podcast! Here are some show highlights... Apr 17, 2025

Show notes

Fun news! The Webby Awards have honored CRAFTED. for the third year in a row as a top tech podcast. Thank you — yes, you! — for listening!

This episode features the highlight reel we gave the Webbys. It features great moments from 2024 episodes, including (listed in the order mentioned):

The full show archive is at crafted.fm, where I hope you'll also subscribe to the CRAFTED. newsletter.

And please share CRAFTED. with a friend. Just one. Text them right now!

Thanks... and onward!

We're Still in AI's “Fart App” Era… And Other Deep Thoughts from SXSW, With Rob Kenedi Apr 10, 2025

Show notes

On a rooftop at SXSW, fellow startup advisor and podcaster Rob Kenedi joins me as we discuss why:

AI models are becoming commodities…
AI companies need to differentiate at the application layer, with brand, and by earning trust…
B2B creators are all the rage
Podcasts are so intimate and how video changes things
We’re in the “fart app” era of AI…

Enjoy this uncrafted CRAFTED.!

And if you enjoy this more casual format, please share your feedback. DM me on LinkedIn or email me: dan@modernproductminds.com

Where to find Rob:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rkenedi/
Decelerator podcast: https://decelerator.media/

More CRAFTED.:

Subscribe to the CRAFTED. newsletter: https://www.crafted.fm
Learn how Dan and Modern Product Minds can help you discover, build, and test new products: https://www.modernproductminds.com

Why the "Mary Poppins of Computing" Says We Must Change the Way We Teach Tech | Linda Liukas (Author of "Hello Ruby") Apr 03, 2025

Show notes

Linda Liukas is a programmer, children’s book author, and the creator of Hello Ruby, a whimsical series that teaches computing concepts through stories and play. She’s also the force behind a one-of-a-kind playground in Helsinki—designed to teach kids how computers work without them ever touching a screen.

In this episode, Linda shares why, especially with the rise of AI and code-writing copilots, we need to rethink the way we teach tech.

Linda, a.k.a. the “Mary Poppins of Computing”, is on a mission to bring more whimsy, creativity, and fearlessness to kids and grown-ups alike. Enjoy this very fun episode!

You’ll learn:

Why physical play helps us grasp abstract computing concepts
How software makers can benefit from thinking like educators
What “unplugged computing” looks like—and why it works
How to cultivate creativity, curiosity, and fearlessness in tech teams
Why learning through play isn’t just for kids
What Linda’s AI experiments with tiny personal datasets reveal about the future of learning

Chapters

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:42) - What it means to be the “Mary Poppins of Computing”
(02:18) - Designing the Computer Playground
(05:43) - Why play is an ideal way to teach programming
(09:26) - Why software organizations should embrace play
(13:19) - AI and play
(14:47) - Learn to code vs. learn to program; how to become future-proof
(21:20) - Hello Ruby: how Linda accidentally became a children’s book author
(25:35) - Building more playgrounds and more fun ideas on teaching through play

Links & Resources

Linda’s website
Linda’s Newsletter
Hello Ruby – Linda’s book series and learning platform
The Computer Playground in Helsinki

More on Dan and CRAFTED.

Quantum & Coffee: SXSW 2025 Impressions, With Kwaku Aning Mar 27, 2025

Show notes

Educator, innovator, super-connector, and conference champion Kwaku Aning and I have coffee and discuss a few things that struck us at SXSW, including:

Why we’re in a “pre-mainframe” moment in quantum computing — and why you should prepare for what comes next
Bioengineering: are we headed for a Westworld-style mix of human musculature and AI?
Robot choreography, e.g. how to train a self-driving car to drive non-aggressively (but also should they be allowed to speed?)
Mind control via inaudible noises and Severance-style brain implants
Whether or not I had enough breakfast tacos in Austin…

Where to find Kwaku:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwaku-aning/
Clickpoint podcast: https://clickpoint.transistor.fm/

Where to find Dan and get more CRAFTED.:

Sign up for the CRAFTED. newsletter: https://www.crafted.fm
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dblums/
Learn how Dan and Modern Product Minds can help you discover, build, and test new products: https://www.modernproductminds.com

How Google Built a Moonshot Factory — And How You Can, Too | Astro Teller (Captain of Moonshots at X, The Moonshot Factory) Mar 20, 2025

Show notes

How do you build a system for turning wild ideas into world-changing innovations? Astro Teller, Captain of Moonshots at X, The Moonshot Factory, has spent over 15 years leading Google’s audacious innovation lab—the birthplace of Waymo, Google Brain, and other breakthrough projects.

In this special episode, recorded live in Austin at SXSW, Astro shares the playbook to create a moonshot factory.

You’ll Learn:
🐵 The “Train the Monkey First” approach to innovation
🚀 Why audacity, humility, and intellectual honesty are key to moonshots
💡 How your org can get more 10x (not +10%) outcomes — and how to avoid the “innovator’s dilemma”
🔴 Why you should “greenlight everything” and then redlight most projects quickly, following kill criteria you’ve agreed to in advance
🌍 Where X is placing bets today, including climate-tech, modernizing the electric grid and bioengineering

(00:00) - Introduction
(02:12) - "Greenlight everything!"
(03:22) - Redlighting is the real work: how to do so quickly and effectively
(06:21) - "Train the monkey" — start with the hardest problem
(11:00) - Diverse teams are more creative
(13:45) - The "factory" — and why that metaphor matters
(15:17) - I try to hire Astro to build a moonshot factory for my 200yr old company
(19:25) - Avoiding the innovator's dilemma
(22:00) - Where X is investing today: bioengineering, modernizing the electric grid, and more
(24:00) - Why biology and engineering are merging
(27:00) - "AI will be in everything, but it's not the solution to everything"
(28:00) - Solving the climate crisis: Astro's optimistic take

Links:

X, The Moonshot Factory: https://x.company/
The Moonshot Podcast: https://x.company/moonshotpodcast/

Support CRAFTED.

Sign up for the CRAFTED. newsletter: https://www.crafted.fm
Learn how Dan and Modern Product Minds can help you discover, build, and test 10x products: https://www.modernproductminds.com

Big Drones, Big Dreams: Elroy Air’s Quest to Revolutionize Air Delivery (David Merrill, Co-founder) Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

What if we could deliver supplies anywhere, no roads or runways needed?

Elroy Air has built a really big drone. One that can carry 300 pounds of stuff 300 miles or more. And it takes off like a helicopter, but flies like a plane, meaning it can get in and out of all sorts of hard to reach places.

In this episode, we sit down with David Merrill, co-founder, executive chairman, and former CEO of Elroy Air, to explore how these hybrid-electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft are set to transform express delivery, humanitarian aid, and military logistics.

David shares the lean prototyping and rapid iteration strategies that helped bring Elroy Air’s vision to life, the biggest technical challenges they’ve tackled, and what the future of autonomous aerial logistics could look like.

Plus, we dive into the Jetsons-inspired origins of Elroy Air and whether flying taxis are still on the horizon.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🚀 How Elroy Air’s Chaparral drone could redefine logistics

🔋 Why hybrid-electric propulsion is key to making cargo drones viable

🛠️ The power of physical prototypes and rapid iteration in hardware development

🌍 How autonomous air delivery could impact e-commerce, disaster relief, and defense

💡 What it takes to push the envelope—literally—in aviation innovation

Episode Highlights:

00:00 – Introduction

01:25 – The game-changing potential of autonomous cargo drones

04:30 – How David went from building digital games to big drones

07:30 – From concept to takeoff: Prototyping Elroy Air’s Chaparral

13:40 – Why hybrid-electric systems beat battery-powered drones for long-haul delivery

15:30 – Rapid prototyping of sub-systems

19:30 – Why David loves the intersection of hardware and software

20:44 – Flying cars, when!?

📩 Subscribe to the CRAFTED. newsletter! crafted.fm

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend who loves innovation! 🚁✨

AI, Psychedelics, the Gut-Brain Axis, and New Frontiers in BioTech | From SXSW's Next Stage (Re-release) Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

CRAFTED. host Dan Blumberg will be at SXSW this year. Will you? If so, please reach out! DM me on LinkedIn or go to crafted.fm where you can email me. Let's get a taco!

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Software, hardware, and biotechnology are playing an increasingly transformative role in our mental health and wellness. On this episode of CRAFTED., recorded live on the “Next” stage at SXSW 2024, we discuss what investors look for in these new companies and how they separate what’s real — and what’s near-term — from what’s hype.

On stage with host Dan Blumberg are:

Amy Kruse, General Partner & Chief Investment Officer at Satori Neuro, and a trained neuroscientist
Matias Serebrinsky, Co-founder and General Partner at PsyMed Ventures, and the host of Business Trip, which is a great podcast if you want to go even deeper on these topics. Listen at businesstrip.fm
Christie Nicholson, Founder of Studio Lumina, and the co-host for this panel

We’ll explore AI-powered tools for mental health, the new area of “enerceuticals” (energy replacing the “pharma”), psychedelics, and why what’s in your gut is so important to your mental state. Hear from investment experts who have a wide view of this growing startup landscape and better understand which new ventures are likely to succeed.

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Key Moments:

01:38] Recent advances in biotech and why advances in data and AI are helping biology become a more “mature” science
[04:00] Why AI is overhyped, but also where it’s not
[07:37] Why psychedelics are overhyped, but also where they’re not
[10:04] What’s real and amazing: brain-computer interfaces, e.g. humans controlling robotic arms with the minds
[11:25] What’s real and amazing: precision psychiatry and neuroscience
[14:12] The emerging field of “enerceuticals” -- using energy instead of drugs, e.g. low intensity focused ultrasound
[16:17] Neuroplasticity: our brains can change!
[21:31] Mental health, the gut-brain axis, and food as medicine
[32:38] The business models of bio tech startups and how to know when a company is making progress on a years-long effort

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CRAFTED. is produced by Modern Product Minds, where my team and I can help you take a new product from zero to one... and beyond. We specialize in early stage product discovery, growth, and experimentation. Learn more at modernproductminds.com

Subscribe to CRAFTED., follow the show, and sign up for the newsletter 👉 CRAFTED.fm

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Check out Tech Now, the free "podcast mixtape" that host Dan Blumberg curates on Hark. Each week, Dan selects and introduces great moments from other podcasts that speak to the latest on artificial intelligence and its implications, new product innovations, the relationship between the Trump administration and Big Tech, and much more.

The Deep Tech Innovations That Could Save the World | Pablos Holman (Inventor & Investor) Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

Software is eating the world, right? We've all heard this phrase by now, but inventor and investor Pablos Holman has something important to add: “The world can't eat software.”

That’s why Pablos focuses on “deep tech”, i.e. how to invent new solutions to real world problems like energy, water, waste, construction, and sanitation. Pablos says we’re still mostly using version 1.0 technology for these fundamental systems, but recent advances, including AI and the ability to prototype and test in software, are enabling incredible innovation in hardware.

Pablos has worked with Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and more. He's kind of a mad scientist and in this episode we’ll discuss things that sound like science fiction, but that Pablos says are coming soon, such as solar panels in outer space that can beam clean energy down to earth, autonomous cargo ships blown by the wind across the ocean, and tiny nuclear reactors buried a mile underground that power the world above.

At Deep Future, Pablos is on a mission to solve the world's biggest problems, and he's hoping more people will make the jump that he did from software to hardware and into deep tech, because, as he says, “ all the people who've been building software their entire career, those are the ones who are going to save the world.”

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