Masters of Scale

Latest Episodes:

Better metrics for better culture, part 2, with Kapor Capital’s Mitch Kapor & Dr. Freada Kapor Klein Jun 27, 2023

Show notes

In part 2 of this episode with veteran founders and investors Mitch Kapor & Dr. Freada Kapor Klein, we get into the data of building human-centered cultures. In part one, we heard how Mitch and Freada went all-in on investing their values, committing 100% of new investments in “gap-closing” companies that aim to improve society, even as they aim for scale and liquidity as well. Now, Mitch and Freada can share how that’s played out in practice, with both positive examples … and some negative ones as well. (Yes, they were early investors in Uber!)

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Rapid Response: How to inject AI into your core business, w/Smart Eye’s Rana el Kaliouby Jun 22, 2023

Show notes

Rapid Response with Bob Safian: Should you begin incorporating AI now or wait to see how it shakes-out for early adopters? AI pioneer Rana el Kaliouby urges business leaders to embrace their exploration mindset in order to accelerate faster. El Kaliouby takes us inside her own AI shop, Smart Eye, where she serves as deputy CEO, to share their process for adapting to the latest technology. An expert on emotional AI and its ethical boundaries, El Kaliouby argues that to succeed in the AI era, we need to focus on what makes us human. She offers key lessons about AI’s role on your core product and functions as well as the risks of overreaching.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com/

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Better metrics for better culture, part 1, with Kapor Capital’s Mitch Kapor & Dr. Freada Kapor Klein Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

Can you build with conscience and still succeed? Mitch Kapor & Dr. Freada Kapor Klein certainly think so. As tech industry veteran founders and investors, Mitch and Freada have long embraced non-traditional metrics that put humans at the center. Mitch co-founded Lotus, the 1980s software giant, and hired Freada to help make the company “the most progressive employer in the U.S.” And years later, their early-stage VC firm, Kapor Capital, aligns their portfolio with their values, investing in companies that close gaps in access and opportunity. Human-centered metrics don’t just improve cultures — they improve the bottom line.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com/

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To be first to the future, be stubbornly nimble Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

How do you balance saving capital versus taking advantage of current opportunities? How do investors and founders evaluate risk differently? And how do you embrace disruptive new technology without sending the message that you’re replacing humans with robots? Reid Hoffman and Bob Safian answer these questions and more, all posed in a special live Strategy Session by entrepreneurs across many industries and stages of scale. Plus Reid shares how playing games can revolutionize the way you strategize as a leader.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com/

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Tyler Perry and Netflix's Ted Sarandos: Amplify the untapped audience Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

To achieve true cultural impact, follow authentic storytelling and spot untapped consumer needs. Recorded live at the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, filmmaker and entrepreneur Tyler Perry and Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos talk with host Reid Hoffman about redefining culture, evaluating the playing field, and ignoring conventional wisdom. Sarandos explains how scaling the personal touch of curation and taking risks evolved Netflix into a streaming juggernaut. Perry shares insights about the importance of ownership and how creating his own seat at the table spawned the largest film production company in the U.S.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com/

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Rapid Response: Make AI your co-pilot, w/Microsoft VP of Design & AI, John Maeda Jun 08, 2023

Show notes

Rapid Response with Bob Safian: Can you truly take advantage of AI before speaking its language? Microsoft’s VP of Design and AI, Dr. John Maeda discusses AI’s common misconceptions and its misunderstood opportunities. A veteran of AI development, John shares valuable insights for entrepreneurs about how to engage with the new technology — from overcoming trepidation to making AI work harder for you — and AI’s potential to help leaders make better decisions.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com/

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Jimmy Iovine: Harness fear to drive innovation, part 2 Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

With guest host Angela Ahrendts (Burberry, Apple). To innovate, you need to build an instinct to smash through barriers — especially the ones that terrify you. Music industry legend Jimmy Iovine has done this throughout his career working with legendary artists like John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, and Dr. Dre, working in innovative tech like Beats Electronics and Apple Music, as well as in his groundbreaking work educating the next generation of creatives.

In the final installment of this two part series, we learn how fear is the tailwind that Jimmy has harnessed to break down barriers and drive creative breakthroughs.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com/

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Jimmy Iovine: Harness fear to drive innovation, part 1 May 31, 2023

Show notes

In part one of this two-part episode, we learn how fear is the tailwind that Jimmy has harnessed to break down barriers and drive creative breakthroughs.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com/

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Rapid Response: Using failure as a launchpad, w/MoviePass’s Stacy Spikes May 23, 2023

Show notes

Rapid Response with Bob Safian: After an infamous fall, MoviePass co-founder Stacy Spikes is back to try again, applying hard-earned lessons and a revamped model to meet the same goal: make theater-going a habit for a new generation. As a passionate Black entrepreneur, Stacy shares the hidden powers of being an outsider and how anyone can re-take control of their narrative to spark a new and exciting chapter.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com/

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How the word "no" inspires change, w/Princess Reema May 16, 2023

Show notes

To change the status quo, we need to lean into whatever advantages we have. Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud of Saudi Arabia has privileges that many do not: She is a member of the royal family and Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United States. But she is also a woman in a traditional culture who has encountered many obstacles — as an entrepreneur, a CEO, and in government. Princess Reema has deftly maneuvered to help expand women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, in ways few predicted. Recorded live at the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, Princess Reema talks with host Bob Safian about how anyone can use their advantages to push the boundary of what’s possible.

Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.com/

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