"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg

Latest Episodes:

E80: Financial Plumbing with Patrick McKenzie and Erik Torenberg Sep 26, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of Upstream, Erik Torenberg interviews Patrick McKenzie (patio11) about the intricacies of the financial system, focusing on banking, money laundering, and regulatory compliance. They discuss several of Patrick’s essays from Bits About Money.

Patrick discusses the three stages of money laundering - placement, layering, and integration - and how the financial system has been deputized to act as law enforcement. The conversation touches on the unintended consequences of strict regulations, including their impact on economic growth and financial inclusion.

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SPONSORS:

💡 Level up your portfolio with access to pre-IPO companies via the Fundrise Innovation Fund. Access a $125M+ fund of cutting edge tech companies including AI frontrunners, now available to individual investors. Start your journey at Fundrise.com/upstream.

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️ Dealcraft: Insights from Great Negotiators is the brand new weekly podcast that features interviews with world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats, including Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and music industry super-lawyer John Branca, on their most challenging negotiations. Each episode, host Jim Sebenius (Harvard Business School professor and renowned negotiation expert) relates fascinating deal stories and distills useful insights for listeners to apply in their toughest deals and disputes.

Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/3CG3TbHY?sid=Turpentine

🎙️Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie

Patrick McKenzie (@patio11) talks to experts who understand the complicated but not unknowable systems we rely on. You might be surprised at how quickly Patrick and his guests can put you in the top 1% of understanding for stock trading, tech hiring, and more.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mos4VE3figVXleHDqfXOH

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/complex-systems-with-patrick-mckenzie-patio11/id1753399812

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LINKS:

Patrick’s Newsletter: https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/

Seeing Like a Bank: https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/seeing-like-a-bank/

KYC and AMI: https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/kyc-and-aml-beyond-the-acronyms/

Money Laundering and AML Compliance: https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/money-laundering-and-aml-compliance/

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FOLLOW ON X/TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg

@patio11

@turpentinemedia

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:02) Discussing 'Seeing Like a State' and big tech

(03:10) Big tech's competence and failures

(07:20) AI and centralized systems

(09:23) Crypto vs. AI: political implications

(10:58) Sponsors: Dealcraft | Fundrise

(13:03) Banking systems and customer service

(14:28) Structural issues in banking

(22:41) Future of banking and customer service

(25:14) Regulatory risks and compliance in banking

(28:21) The harsh realities of financial decisions

(29:05) Geopolitical conflicts and financial institutions

(29:53) The role of banks in delivering bad news

(31:32) Sponsors: Alts | Squad

(33:41) Understanding KYC and AML regulations

(37:35) Complexities of money laundering

(44:42) The burden of compliance on financial institutions

(51:14) Balancing financial services and crime interdiction

(53:52) Wrap

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E79: How Civilizations Cycle & Collapse | Samo Burja and Rudyard Lynch Sep 21, 2024

Show notes

This week on Upstream, we’re featuring a discussion between Samo Burja, Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg about the inherent differences between civilizations and their impact on history and politics. They explore the parallels and distinctions between ancient civilizations like Babylon and modern entities like Silicon Valley, the influence of Abrahamic religions, and how societal patterns challenge our current understanding.

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SPONSORS:

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💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️Live Players

Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg provide analysis of the news and case studies of Live Players, as well as key institutions and technologies that make up the global power landscape.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fbMTkHBnom1JIBWYNVBK1?si=01ed191c74264f55

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-players-with-samo-burja-and-erik-torenberg/id1718925188

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivePlayerswithSamoBurja

🎙️History 102 with WhatifAltHist

Every week, creator of WhatifAltHist Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg cover a major topic in history in depth -- in under an hour. This season will cover classical Greece, early America, the Vikings, medieval Islam, ancient China, the fall of the Roman Empire, and more.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/36Kqo3BMMUBGTDo1IEYihm

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-102-with-whatifalthists-rudyard-lynch-and/id1730633913

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@History102-qg5oj

🎙️This Won't Last

Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-wont-last-with-keith-rabois-kevin-ryan-logan/id1765665937

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

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LINKS:

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

Whatifalthist YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/Whatifalthist

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FOLLOW ON X/TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg

@samoburja

@whatifalthist

@turpentinemedia

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TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(01:00) A deep dive into civilizational differences

(03:06) The influence of Abrahamic religions

(07:38) Classical vs. modern western civilization

(12:16) The rise and fall of civilizations

(16:54) Literacy and its impact on societies

(20:25) Sponsors: Fundrise | Brave

(22:43) Pre-modern Feminism

(27:28) Modern civilization and its roots

(36:20) Sponsor: Squad

(37:29) Debt slavery and social breakdown

(42:58) The future of religion and technology

(54:37) Obscure civilizations and their impact

(59:21) Wrap

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E78: Fertility, Healthy Humans, and Ending Genetic Disease w/ Noor Siddiqui, CEO of Orchid Sep 19, 2024

Show notes

Erik Torenberg is joined by Noor Siddiqui, founder and CEO of Orchid, to explore groundbreaking advancements in reproductive technology, especially the world's first whole genome embryo screening. They dive into genome sequencing, IVF, and the ethical implications of these technologies, highlighting their potential to significantly reduce the incidence of major diseases. Noor shares her journey of bringing Orchid's innovative solutions from research to market, along with the importance of polygenic scores and the evolving societal views on reproductive tech.

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🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/

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SPONSORS:

💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️This Won't Last

Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-wont-last-with-keith-rabois-kevin-ryan-logan/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

🎙️History 102 with WhatifAltHist

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/36Kqo3BMMUBGTDo1IEYihm

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-102-with-whatifalthists-rudyard-lynch-and/id1730633913

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@History102-qg5oj

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LINKS:

Orchid: https://www.orchidhealth.com/

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FOLLOW:

X / TWITTER:

@noor_siddiqui_ (Noor)

@OrchidInc (Orchid)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@upstream__pod

@turpentinemedia

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TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(01:20) What is Orchid?

(04:07) Genome sequencing for embryos: What Orchid has accomplished

(06:53) The breakthrough that enabled Orchid's genome sequencing

(08:25) The impact and significance of the polygenic risk score

(11:48) What is IVF

(15:11) Sponsors: Fundrise | Brave

(17:22) Concerns and stigmas around reproductive technology

(24:19 On the Gattaca future where parents create perfect children

(26:02) Moral panic around longevity

(28:41) Anything that can improve things can be used in very hostile ways

(31:37) What are the norms around having kids going to be 30-40 years from now

(35:02) Sponsor: Squad

(36:12) Noor's thoughts on declining fertility rates

(41:33) Matchmaking and dating

(47:38) Is the decline of men a real thing?

(49:31) Increasing fertility rates, moving the culture, and the negative effects of fertility collapse

(1:06:56) Trying out Orchid and how the test works

(1:08:11) Wrap

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E77: Academic Fraud & the Spiritual Quest for Truth | Live Players w/ Samo Burja and Ben Landau-Taylor Sep 14, 2024

Show notes

Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja are joined by Ben Landau-Taylor, a Senior Analyst at Bismarck Analysis. Ben recently published an article in Palladium Magazine about the pervasive problem of fraud in academia. They discussed how fraudulent activities, particularly in medical research, often go undetected due to flawed peer review processes and institutional protectionism. They explore key cases, and possible solutions, including external watchdogs, intellectual authorities and regulatory bodies in maintaining academic integrity.

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🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/

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SPONSORS:

💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️Live Players with Samo Burja.

The "Live Players" podcast is where Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg chart the key individuals shaping our future from first principles.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-players-with-samo-burja-and-erik-torenberg/id1718925188

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fbMTkHBnom1JIBWYNVBK1

🎙️This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

🎙️History 102 with WhatifAltHist

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-102-with-whatifalthists-rudyard-lynch-and/id1730633913

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/36Kqo3BMMUBGTDo1IEYihm

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@History102-qg5oj

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LINKS:

The Academic Culture of Fraud: https://www.palladiummag.com/2024/08/02/the-academic-culture-of-fraud/

Bismarck Brief: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

Bismarck Analysis: https://www.bismarckanalysis.com/

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TIMESTAMPS:

(0:00) Intro

(2:22) Ben’s article: "The Academic Culture of Fraud"

(4:26) Examples of fraudulent studies and researchers (Sylvain Lesné case)

(6:21) Incentives and cultural factors enabling fraud

(8:24) Historical context and modern academia

(11:36) Scientific fraud and its consequences

(13:38) Intellectual authority and legitimacy

(19:50) Fundrise & Brave Ads

(28:50) External pressure on academia

(30:53) Role of journalism and other institutions in exposing academic fraud

(33:47) The need for external oversight in academia

(34:13) The complex relationship between the government and academia

(36:14) Proposals for scientific integrity

(39:03) Squad Ad

(42:59) Challenges in science and bureaucracy

(46:42) Nonprofit solutions for scientific fraud

(52:33) Venture capital & scientific integrity

(57:12) Bismarck Analysis and its work in strategic research & consulting

(1:00:04) Wrap

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E76: "The CEO is Always Responsible” | This Won’t Last w/ Logan Bartlett, Zach Weinberg, Kevin Ryan, and Keith Rabois Sep 12, 2024

Show notes

This week on Upstream, we’re dropping the first episode of Logan Bartlett, Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, and Zach Weinberg's newest podcast This Won’t Last. The show is an unfiltered backchannel where they unpack the hype cycles in venture, startup culture, and business.

In this episode they discuss Paul Graham’s essay "Founder Mode", AI valuations, the state of the venture market, and free speech concerns with Telegram and TikTok.

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RECOMMENDED PODCAST

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

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SPONSORS

💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

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LINKS

High Output Management by Andy Grove https://www.amazon.com/High-Output-Management-Andrew-Grove/dp/0679762884/

Keith Rabois' lecture notes from 2013: How to Operate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fQHLK1aIBs

Tesla vs Edison: The Last Days of Night: A Novel by Graham Moore https://www.amazon.com/Last-Days-Night-Novel/dp/0812988922

Disruptive Innovation by Clayton M. Christensen https://hbr.org/2015/12/what-is-disruptive-innovation

The Success Equation: Untangling Skill and Luck in Business, Sports, and Investing by Michael J. Mauboussin https://www.amazon.com/Success-Equation-Untangling-Business-Investing/dp/1422184234

Dark Wire by Joseph Cox https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Wire-Incredible-Largest-Operation/dp/1541702697

On railroads: Engines That Move Markets by Alistair Nairn https://www.amazon.com/Engines-That-Markets-Alisdair-Nairn/dp/0857195999/

The Kremlin has entered your chat https://www.wired.com/story/the-kremlin-has-entered-the-chat/

The Logan Bartlett Show https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCugS0jD5IAdoqzjaNYzns7w

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TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Intro

(02:20) Show origins

(03:34) Kevin comes back from Burning Man

(05:17) Paul Graham's Founder Mode, founder mode intuitive Keith, Pierre Lamond anecdote

(07:57) Keith's response to kernel of Founder Mode, Andy Grove High Output Management

(09:26) Zach asks what's unique about Founder Mode and Keith clarifies

(10:10) Manager vs. Founder

(13:55) Founder moral authority

(15:57) Investing in founder driven CEOs

(19:42) OCI | WorkOS Ads

(21:57) State of venture markets

(24:26) Driverless car future

(30:39) Revenue quality in Al valuations

(34:55) Squad Ad

(37:18) New technology being disruptive or helpful for incumbents

(40:01) Al in Biotech

(43:03) Al impacting fund AUM

(46:48) Al as the transistor

(47:39) Hurdle to return Al CapEx

(48:49) Unrealized Capital Gains Tax

(51:45) Sweden's tax vs Norway and corporation tax rates

(59:13) Medicare and Social Security, beneficial tax policies and misleading life expectancy stats

(1:05:33) Lina Khan, Antitrust effect on tech industry

(1:14:26) Perplexity shocking Google

(1:16:48) Pavel Durov and Russia's Influence in Telegram

(1:21:04) Not using TikTok & Telegram, risk in capital in Chinese companies

(1:26:44) Closing

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E75: The Future of AI-Enabled Companies with Omar Shams, CEO of Mutable AI Sep 07, 2024

Show notes

Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg are joined by Omar Shams, the founder of Mutable AI, for a deep dive into Omar’s great piece, The AI Organization. In this conversation, they explore the potential of AI to transform organizational productivity, the limitations of financial metrics in GDP, and AI's role in political processes and societal structures.

This episode was recorded for Turpentine’s show The Riff. Check it out for more like this: https://open.spotify.com/show/6rANlV54GCARLgMOtpkzKt

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🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: turpentinenetwork.co

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MORE RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

—

SPONSORS:

💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

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LINKS:

Byrne Hobart’s writing: https://thediff.co

Omar Sham’s piece: https://blog.mutable.ai/p/the-ai-organization-part-i

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FOLLOW ON X:

@byrnehobart (Byrne)

@smahsramo (Omar)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@turpentinemedia

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:22) Historical context of technological adoption

(04:47) The Al Organization

(07:15) Economic theories and Al

(13:00) Capitalism vs. Communism

(17:01) Sponsors: Brave | Squad

(19:10) Role of Al in future economies

(20:32) Al's impact on company sizes

(25:50) Al and political influence

(31:27) Effect of Al on legal services

(33:35) Complexity of GDP and human preferences

(43:36) Future of Work and Al Integration

(56:03) Al adoption in various sectors

(01:05:39) Outro

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E74: Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei Talks Scaling Laws, AI Arms Races, and Radical Abundance Aug 31, 2024

Show notes

Erik Torenberg and Noah Smith are joined by Dario Amodei, CEO and Co-founder of Anthropic. Dario talks about the economics of AI development, the comparative advantage of AI companies like Anthropic, AI safety, and his stance on California's SB 1047 bill. They also discuss the impacts of AI on global power dynamics, competition between the US and China, and inequality in an AI-powered world.

This episode was recorded this week on Turpentine’s show Econ 102. Check it out for more like this: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs?si=8fab4d65ddf5422a

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🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: turpentinenetwork.co

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MORE RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

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SPONSORS:

🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-world conversations. Get up to 60% off at https://babbel.com/torenberg

💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

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LINKS:

Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com/

Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/

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FOLLOW ON X:

@noahpinion

@eriktorenberg

@anthropicAI

@turpentinemedia

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(04:23) Dario's intellectual evolution

(06:37) Is Google the Bell Labs of Al?

(10:07) Economic moats in Al

(12:35) Scaling hypothesis and Al's future

(17:05) National security and Al

(19:04) Leopold Aschenbrenner's essay

(20:33) Al's impact on business models

(26:30) Noah's big thesis

(29:32) Sponsors: Babbel | Brave

(31:58) Al arms races?

(36:17) Al's impact on labor and skill distribution

(40:41) Sponsor: Squad

(44:35) Future of Al and a hyperscaling world

(41:42) A vision of radical abundance

(49:55) Al safety and inequality

(54:06) The SB 1047 debate

(58:56) Rabbit alignment problem

(01:01:25) Wrap

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E73: Brian Armstrong on Crypto in 2024, Politics, and Economic Freedom Aug 23, 2024

Show notes

Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, joins Erik Torenberg, Dan Romero, and Antonio Garcia Martinez on Moment of Zen in August 2024 to talk about the company's evolution and the broader crypto landscape. Armstrong discusses Coinbase's focus on product development, their efforts in Washington D.C., why he listens to Balaji Srinivasan, and strategies for increasing global crypto adoption.

Armstrong also touches on his venture into biotech with New Limit, the changing media landscape, and the future of economic freedom through decentralized technologies.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

SPONSORS:

💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

LINKS:

Base: https://www.base.org/

Coinbase Developer Platform: https://cdp.coinbase.com/

New Limit: https://www.newlimit.com/

Farcaster: https://www.farcaster.xyz/

Stand With Crypto: https://standwithcrypto.org

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:28) Brian's Current Focus Areas at Coinbase

(03:10) Coinbase's Move Towards Decentralization

(05:09) Coinbase's Approach to Innovation

(10:36) Thoughts on Mass Market Crypto Adoption

(15:01) Sponsor: Babbel | Brave

(17:44) Crypto's Implications Beyond Payments

(23:54) Experiences with Crypto Regulation in DC

(29:14) Sponsor: Squad

(30:42) Coinbase's Marketing Strategy

(34:09) Measuring Economic Freedom and Crypto Adoption

(43:08) Origins of New Limit Biotech Company

(50:12) Challenges of Shifting from Crypto to Biotech

(52:58) Reflections on Dan Romero's Contributions to Coinbase

(55:18) Thoughts on Balaji Srinivasan

(56:34) Balaji's Insights on Media Landscape

(59:24) Wrap

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E72: Eoghan McCabe on San Francisco, Tech Leadership, and Optimistic Media Aug 16, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of Upstream, Erik Torenberg sits down with Eoghan McCabe who opens up about his journey entering Silicon Valley, leading Intercom, shifting company culture, and becoming politically engaged. This episode offers a frank look at the complexities of building and scaling a tech company, coming back from personal and professional defeat, and what it will take — politically — to empower the next generation of techno-optimist builders.

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🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

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SPONSORS:

💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

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FOLLOW ON X:

@eriktorenberg

@eoghan

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:48) San Francisco's tech scene

(02:11) Moving to San Francisco

(03:32) Challenges and changes in San Francisco

(06:57) Political dynamics and tech's role

(11:43) Sponsors: WorkOS | Brave

(14:08) Intercom's journey and leadership challenges

(20:02) Reinventing Intercom

(22:10) Resetting company culture and values

(24:49) Implementing performance management systems

(28:33) Sponsors: Babbel | Squad

(30:54) Dealing with setbacks and personal growth

(32:49) The importance of therapy and self-care

(35:55) Reflections on failure and growth

(38:58) Eoghan's journey from apolitical to politically engaged

(40:45) Views on capitalism, freedom, and the Western world

(48:11) Navigating political discussions in the tech industry

(50:27) Eoghan’s Vision for more positive tech media

(51:02) Importance of inspiring young builders and innovators

(53:16) Wrap

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E71: Marc Andreessen on Higher Education and Tech Culture Aug 09, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of Upstream, we’re releasing an interview from 2021 with Marc Andreessen, Sriram Krishnan, and Aarthi Ramamurthy. They discuss the higher education system's inefficiencies, high costs and lack of competition, and explore innovative education models including cohort-based learning and unbundling education components. Marc shares personal anecdotes about his college experience and emphasizes the need for tech and internet-based educational models to educational models to evolve and meet global demand.

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(02:37) Erik on lifelong learning

(04:48) Challenges facing traditional higher education

(08:34) Marc Andreessen’s college experience

(12:31) Sponsors: Squad | Babbel | Brave

(16:20) Alternative education models

(18:57) MOOCs, Lambda and lifelong education

(25:52) Indian education system vs. US education system

(31:15) Wrap

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