Technori Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Robinhood Drops a Nuke, Republic Reinvents The Forward Contract, and Rocket Dollar Founder Henry Yoshida On Self-Directed Private Investing Jul 02, 2025

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In this episode of The Scott Show, Scott sits down with Henry Yoshida, founder of Rocket Dollar and now head of Retired.com, to talk about the massive wave of innovation coming to the $18 trillion retirement market. From launching Rocket Dollar to help everyday investors use their IRAs to invest in real estate, startups, and crypto — to now running Retired.com with a vision for a fully self-directed retirement future — Henry breaks down how we’re on the verge of a generational unlock in private market access. Scott and Henry dive deep into the rise of private equity for retail investors, the shrinking public markets, and why the 401(k)-only model is bleeding out. Bonus: Scott unpacks the implications of Robinhood’s tokenized stock announcement and Republic’s tokenized forward contract product “Mirrors”, and debate whether tokenization is a feature or the product. What You’ll Learn: - Why your IRA is the smartest way to invest in alternatives - How Rocket Dollar lets you deploy dormant dollars into private equity, real estate, and crypto - What Robinhood’s tokenized stock move really means - Why Republic’s “Mirror” might be the most innovative product in fintech right now - The real future of tokenization: stablecoin rails, 24/7 trading, and AI-powered portfolios. Support the show by creating a free account at Kingscrowd.com Follow Henry at Retired.com Follow Scott on IG/Twitter @Kitun

The Business of Buying Businesses with Acquire.com CEO Andrew Gazdecki Jun 25, 2025

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In this episode of The Scott Show, Scott sits down with Acquire.com founder and CEO Andrew Gazdecki to explore the fast-growing world of micro acquisitions. From his early Twitter rise to landing the premium domain Acquire.com, Andrew shares how he built a breakout marketplace where anyone—from side hustlers to solopreneurs—can buy or sell profitable businesses with ease. Scott and Andrew dive into the future of entrepreneurship in a post-AI economy, where owning digital assets like newsletters, SaaS products, or niche content brands may be the new path to self-employment. They break down how Acquire.com works, why niche is the new scale, and how the platform unlocks liquidity for founders who might otherwise have no path to exit. Plus, Andrew shares his brand-building playbook: bootstrapped growth, the art of founder-led marketing, and how a he bought an entire category for $200K. What You’ll Learn: - Why micro acquisitions are the future of entrepreneurship - How Acquire.com is changing the game for bootstrapped founders - The power of premium domains and founder-led branding - Why the “dream” phase of a startup often beats early revenue - What solopreneurs should build, buy, or sell in a post-AI world Support the show by creating a free account at Kingscrowd.com. Follow Andrew on Twitter @agazdecki Follow Scott on IG/Twitter @Kitun

Why Jeff Bezos, Coatue Launched a New Billion Dollar Private Fund For Individual Investors May 07, 2025

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This week, something seismic happened in private markets. Jeff Bezos, Michael Dell, and Coatue’s Philippe Laffont announced a $1B tech fund that’s now accessible to individual investors — with minimums starting at just $50K. Let that sink in. The floodgates are opening. What used to require millions and insider access is now coming to retail. First Hamilton Lane launched the first truly retail private fund exclusively on Repubic with a $500 minimum and now Coatue offering access to its own unique offering at $50k (funds like these typically have minimums in the millions). In this episode, Scott is joined by KingsCrowd's Head of Product, Brian Belley, to unpack the real impact of this new "public-private" trend — and how everyday investors (and fintech bros) can take advantage of this radically evolving market. What they discussed: - Why this marks the official arrival of the retail private equity era - The pros, cons, and potential traps for new investors - How to build a modern portfolio without getting wrecked by fees, hype, or fine print - Why the next generation of private investing will blur the lines between public and private assets Support the show (and your wallet) by creating a free account at Kingscrowd.com. Follow Brian @ Linkedin.com/in/brianbelley Follow Scott on IG/Twitter @Kitun

RIP Venture Factory and The State of VC 2025 with Sam Lessin May 02, 2025

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Scott sits down with venture capitalist, essayist, and Slow Ventures GP Sam Lessin for a candid, high-signal conversation about the state of venture capital—and why the old playbook is officially dead. Sam unpacks the ideas behind his viral VC25 manifesto, including why the startup conveyor belt model is broken, how today’s founders are flying blind, and what it really takes to build something worth betting on in a post-factory era. Together, Scott and Sam dive deep into the evolving role of seed investors, the myth of the “10x engineer,” and why most unicorns are now zombified corpses soaking up capital and talent. They riff on founder delusion, LP dysfunction, the commoditization of software, and how a new generation of operators must be built for long-term reality—not short-term hype. It’s a provocative, honest, and sometimes brutal look at how we fund, build, and believe in companies today—and why SFD (Straight F*cking Down) might be the new north star for modern venture. What You’ll Learn: -- Why the “VC Factory” model is gone for good -- How to survive as a seed fund in the mega-fund era -- Why great companies must now be built for forever, not acquisition -- What matters more than tech: story, founder, deal Support the show (and your wallet) by creating a free account at Kingscrowd.com Follow Sam Lessin on Twitter @lessin Follow Scott on IG/Twitter @Kitun

Surviving The Grift Economy with Pop Culture Journo John McDermott Apr 24, 2025

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Scott sits down with longtime friend, journalist, and cultural critic John McDermott for a no-holds-barred conversation on the rise of the grift economy. John and Scott re-trace the evolution of modern hustle culture to unpack the cult of tech founders, the blurred lines between personal branding and deception, and why irrational self-confidence is both a feature and a bug of startup life. Along the way, the duo riff on everything from J.R. Smith’s delusional greatness to Mark Zuckerberg's masculinity arc, fake wellness routines, and the eerie emergence of AI-driven misinformation. John shares what it was like to go toe-to-toe with Jay Shetty, the media’s retreat from accountability, and how we're all becoming lone agents in a broken information ecosystem. It’s a sharp, funny, and sobering look at an era where everything is a grift—and everyone’s a brand. What You’ll Learn: -- Why the “rise and grind” founder archetype is built on delusion -- How fake personas thrive in a media landscape with no referees -- Why we’re only at the beginning of the grift era—and how AI will amplify it -- What snake oil salesmen of the 1900s can teach us about today’s digital hucksters Support the show (and your wallet) by creating a free account at Kingscrowd.com Follow John McDermott on Twitter @McDermott Follow Scott on IG/Twitter @Kitun

Craig Kilborn's Gorgeous Life, All-Time Sandwich Rankings, and Scott's Masters Weekend Recap Apr 14, 2025

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In this episode, Scott sits down with legendary host and comedic trailblazer Craig Kilborn for a wide-ranging conversation on life after late night, creative independence, and what it really means to stay above the fray. From his iconic runs at ESPN, The Daily Show, and The Late Late Show, Craig reflects on the highs of fame, why he walked away, and how he found peace (and punchlines) off-camera. Scott and Craig share their philosophies on aging gracefully, drinking in moderation, and never chasing the night. They riff on Frasier, Scotch, the Reuben sandwich, and their favorite rewatchable movies—from Predator to North by Northwest. Plus, Craig shares what he’s up to now with his podcast The Life Gorgeous, his love for California road trips, and why leadership and attitude matter more than ever. Lessons Learned: - Why Craig Kilborn left late night at the top—and doesn’t regret it. - How to craft a creative life without burnout or bitterness. - Why being genuinely happy is a competitive advantage. - What makes a sandwich truly great. Support the show by signing up for a free account at KingsCrowd.com Subscribe to Craig’s podcast: The Life Gorgeous Follow Craig on Instagram: @mrcraigkilborn Follow Scott: @kitun

Markets Tank, Stop Listening to Noise, “Private Equitification” of Venture and the New Media Universe with Eric Newcomer Apr 07, 2025

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In this episode, Scott sits down with journalist-turned-operator Eric Newcomer for a wide-ranging conversation about building in public, the evolution of venture capital, and what it’s really like to run a media business. Eric shares the backstory of launching Newcomer, from a solo Substack to a $2M+ revenue business with marquee events like Cerebral Valley. The two reflect on the blurred lines between media and entrepreneurship, how trust and access shape great reporting, and the surprisingly human side of building a company. Then, Scott and Eric dive deep into the state of venture capital: the private-equity-ification of mega-funds, the uncertain future for emerging managers, and why it’s getting harder to find the next generation of category-defining companies. Eric offers sharp takes on AI, fundraising hype, and what LPs really want. It’s a thoughtful, honest, and often funny look at what happens when a journalist steps behind the curtain and becomes a founder himself. What You’ll Learn: - Why Newcomer leaned into events—and how it became a real business. - The unspoken truth about founder glorification (and how hard building really is). - How venture capital is shifting—and why SaaS may have spoiled the party. - What separates good journalism from performative puff pieces. - What it feels like to lead a small team and be responsible for real livelihoods. Bonus: Invest with your eyes not your ears. Markets tank following Trump tariffs. Support the show by signing up for a free account @ Kingscrowd.com Subscribe to Eric’s newsletter and podcast: Newcomer.co Follow Eric: @ericnewcomer Follow Scott: @kitun

Darren Marble on Going Public, Market Convergence, and the Retail Renaissance Mar 31, 2025

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In this episode, Scott sits down with Darren Marble — the creator of Going Public and founder of Issuance — for a wide-ranging conversation on the rise of retail investors, the evolution of equity crowdfunding, and why he believes the best days of this industry are still ahead. Darren shares the inside story of launching Going Public, a groundbreaking series now partnered with X (formerly Twitter), where everyday people can invest in startups while watching. He opens up about the challenges of getting mainstream media to understand the vision, the value of showmanship in a complex industry, and how they’re landing major talent like Baron Davis, Floyd Mayweather, and Steve Aoki to bring visibility to private investing. Scott and Darren go deep into the early days of crowdfunding, the Elio Motors deal that kicked it all off, the philosophy behind Issuance’s white-label platform, and why building a frictionless checkout for investing (complete with Apple Pay and USDC) was always the obvious play. This episode is full of gems on what it really takes to build trust, media attention, and infrastructure in a space often ignored by institutions — until now. Support the show by signing up for a free account @ Kingscrowd.com Learn more about Darren's work @ goingpublic.com, issuance.com Follow Darren: @darrenmarble Follow Scott: @kitun

Scott Has a New Show, Republic Launches "True Retail" Private Equity Fund w/ Hamilton Lane and Why Tokenize Private Equity w/ Republic Founder Kendrick Nguyen Mar 19, 2025

Show notes

In the inaugural episode of The Scott Show, host Scott Kitun welcomes his good friend and Founder of Republic, Kendrick Nguyen, to break some BIG news and to discuss the game-changing shift towards retail happening across private markets. Key Takeaways: → Republic’s Major Announcement – A new partnership with Hamilton Lane, bringing institutional-grade private equity to retail investors via blockchain tokenization. → The Power of Private Equity – Unlike volatile public markets, private equity has outperformed 19 of the last 20 years. Retail investors now have access to previously exclusive assets. → Why Tokenization Matters – It enables greater accessibility, easier tracking, and future liquidity, potentially allowing private investments to trade more like public stocks. → Republic’s Vision – To become the go-to platform for investing in private assets that power the world—whether infrastructure, AI, sports ownership, or alternative funds. → Scott and Kendrick dive into how the financial landscape is evolving, why retail investors have been historically locked out of high-performing assets, and what the future holds for tokenized investments and online private markets. 🔗 Learn more at https://republic.com/private-equity or https://republic.com/hlpif

From Mechanical Engineering to Studio Head: Jeff Annison's Legion M Story Nov 25, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of the Technori podcast, host Scott Kitun interviews Jeff Annison, the co-founder and president of Legion M. They discuss Annison's journey from mechanical engineering to entrepreneurship, highlighting his experiences in various startups, including a streaming mobile television venture and a music-related startup. Annison shares insights into his career transitions, the challenges he faced, and the evolution of his ventures.

Key Highlights:

Quibi chat: despite failures, a quick look at its innovative content creation and distribution model. (5:52)
Legion M proposition as a fan-owned movie studio. (9:09)
Hollywood strikes and the future of entertainment. (15:11)
Hollywood's shift to streaming and Legion M's fan-owned model. (24:12)
Using fan funding for Hollywood movies. (28:09)
Investing in fan-funded content. (37:59)

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