The Obsession That Destroys Startups (with LayerZero CEO)

with @PrimordialAA @rhackettIn this episode, host Robert Hackett sits down with Bryan Pellegrino, cofounder and CEO of LayerZero, one of the core infrastructure projects that enables blockchains to talk to one another. We talk about why crypto went multichain, what it means for crypto to compete with legacy financial systems, and a lesson Bryan took firsthand from Elon Musk. We also get into Bryan’s background as a professional poker player, and how that has shaped his views on competition, conviction, and focus.We go deep on founder psychology:– When founders must replace early leadership — and why no one talks about it– Why conviction matters more than advice– And why the hardest decisions are the ones no playbook prepares you forHighlights0:00 – Introduction0:47 – The need for interoperability1:04 – How crypto went multichain2:51 – The institutional adoption of crypto6:56 – Focus and conviction13:19 – The nature of competition14:43 – Elon Musk's game-changing advice18:48 – The importance of self-disruption20:08 – Lightning round22:56 – Challenges in scaling a company26:46 – Book recommendations and productivity hacks28:19 – Core principles and company cultureThis episode is part of a special series of interviews we recorded live at our Founders Summit in October. Follow a16z crypto for more...X: https://x.com/a16zcryptoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/a16zcrypto/posts/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pMZvsNXEnb0CYcPiDQywEApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/web3-with-a16z-crypto/id1622312549Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@a16zcrypto📩 Subscribe for more industry reports, trend updates, news analysis, builder guides, and other resources: https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/subscribe/🎙️ Like, subscribe, comment, share the show: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/podcast/***As always, none of the following should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice. Please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.