This is Your Life in Silicon Valley
by The Bold Italic
Do you love HBO's Silicon Valley? Do you like reading about the latest technology trends? Then you'll love this show. Think of us as the real world/explain-it-how-it-is podcast for anyone with a Silicon Valley fetish. The Bay Area, San Francisco, and California in general are undergoing massive political and social change. We tackle issues like homelessness, the housing crisis, dating in the age of technology, startups, and other things you care about. How will it affect your life? It doesn't matter whether you live in New York, Texas, Arkansas, Bulgaria or Latvia - you will find something applicable to your day-to-day life from this show. And love it, or hate it the Silicon Valley/The Bay Area/California are the center of the technology universe right now. Insiders, and Valley apologists liken the Silicon Valley to Rome during the Renaissance. Others are more skeptical of the people in the Valley and their intentions. We examine life in the Valley by interviewing some of its most p
Episodes
-
Will Real Estate Ever Be Affordable Again? (Guest: Keith Wasserman, Gelt)
Keith Wasserman is a bona fide real estate mogul. He runs a billion dollar real estate portfolio for Gelt, and is a serial entrepreneur. We asked Keith a number of questions about the current real estate environment - and we ultimately ask whether real estate will ever be affordable again. If you...
-
What is Crypto and why Does it Matter? (Guest: Matt Taylor, Head of Growth at Solana)
Crypto is having its moment (again) in 2021. But why does it matter to the average person, what is it, and how will it affect your life? We spend time talking to Matt Taylor - the Head of Growth at Solana (one of the hottest crypto projects on the planet right now) to discuss these subjects and...
-
What the Hell Happened at WeWork (Part 2)?
Eilot Brown is a Wall Street Journal Reporter who covers startups and venture capital. For the past year, much of his focus has been on completing his book on WeWork. We interviewed Eliot pre-pandemic, and invited him back for our first in-person interview in over 16 months. It was epic. We…
more -
What was it Like Writing 'The' Book on Instagram? (Guest, Sarah Frier, Technology Reporter, Author of 'No Filter')
Sarah Frier is a technology journalist for Bloomberg News, and an author. Her book - 'No Filter' - released late last year highlighted the 'insider story' of Instagram. We spoke to Frier about the book, about social media in general, and covered a number of other topics for this wide-ranging...
-
Eerily Quiet on the Front Lines of the Battle (Guest, Sumit Shah, Special Edition - 'Distanced')
SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the…
more -
What Is Going on with the Stock Market? (Guest: Rohan Rangaraj, Special Edition - 'Distanced')
SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the…
more -
A snapshot into the future of life during COVID-19 (Guest, Austin Sheppard, Special Edition - 'Distanced')
SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the…
more -
Where Did We Go Wrong, and What Can We Do Better Next Time? (Guest: Ryan Panchadsaram, Special Edition - 'Distanced')
SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the…
more -
Is Education As We Know it Finished (Guest: Ryan Delk, CEO/Co-Founder, Primer)?
The pandemic has closed schools and massively affected the way we think of traditional education. How will future generations be affected by the sudden change in how we learn? We asked the CEO of Primer, Ryan Delk about this and more. Many parents are struggling with how to cope with the sudden...
-
Why are State Elections More Important than Federal elections? (Guest: Jessica Alter, Founder/CEO, Tech For Campaigns)
Jessica Alter is the Founder/CEO of Tech For Campaigns. She was also one fo the first guests we hosted on 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley'. A lot has changed in the three years since we interviewed Jessica - the organization she built grew massively. We ask Jessica why democrats are still…
more -
Is Silicon Valley Going to be a Template for the Rest of the World? (Guest: Rishi Kumar, US Congressional Candidate)
Rishi Kumar is a successful technology executive turned politician. Kumar has been in the local political scene for a long time now and is running for Congress. We ask Kumar about what he wants to bring from Silicon Valley to DC. Is Silicon Valley ultimately the template the rest of the country...
-
Is 'Indian Matchmaking' Like Actual Indian Culture? (Guest, Srinivas Rao, 'Contestant' on 'Indian Matchmaking'/Author/Speaker/Podcaster)
'Indian Matchmaking' has captured the attention of America. It's one of the top-ten most popular shows on Netflix in the month of July. How did 'Indian Matchmaking' turn into such a cultural phenomenon? We talked to Srinivas Rao - one of the shows 'contestants' about the show and what it tell us...
-
Is the Fate of all Social Media Negativity and Despair? (Guest: Charles Hudson, Managing Partner - Precursor Ventures)
Charles Hudson is a Silicon Valley-based investor. He is part of a small percentage of Black Managing Partners of Venture funds here in the Bay Area. In this incredibly insightful interview, we talk to Charles about investing in Underrepresented Founders, Media, and his take on the fate of social...
-
How Do You Fix Tech's Diversity Problem? (Guest: Kobie Fuller, General Partner - Upfront Ventures)
Kobie Fuller is a General Partner at Upfront Ventures in Los Angeles. He also started Valence Community - a Los Angeles-based online professional network for Black talent. Kobie might have the *actual* answers as to how to fix tech's long standing diversity problem. Kobie talks about his journey...
-
Can We Restore Faith in Our Institutions? (Guest: Dave Pell, Founder of NextDraft)
Dave Pell is the Founder of NextDraft - one of the most popular newsletters on the Internet. He also has an opinion or two on tech, politics, and the current state of our country. We deep-dive with Dave on numerous subjects, including BLM, the state of media, and what we can be optimistic about…
more -
What Does Tech Think of the Media? (Guest: Semil Shah, Founder/GP Haystack)
Semil Shah is the Founder of Haystack - an early-stage venture fund. He's also one of Silicon Valley's most interesting personalities - he's been a chef, a media maven, and just about everything in-between. In a wide-ranging interview, we ask Semil about the future of media and the future of…
more -
How will we remember our loved ones? (Guest, Amelia Lin, Co-Founder/CEO Saga)
Amelia Lin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Saga. She's a career technologist and is solving a very timely problem during the age of COVID - how - during a time we can't interact with our loved ones - can we share and preserve their memories? We talk to Amelia about her journey through the tech…
more -
Will You Find Love During Shelter in Place? (Guest, Dawoon Kang, Co-CEO - Coffee Meets Bagel)
Dawoon Kang is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Coffee Meets Bagel. She knows a thing or two about building a successful business, and finding love during the age of COVID. So how have relationships changed as a result of the pandemic? We dig into this and much more during this Zoom-edition of the...
-
What's it Like to Go Viral? (Guest: Jenn Takahashi, Best of Next Door)
Jenn Takahashi is a San Francisco-based PR and Comms professional. She also started a viral social media account entitled 'Best of Next Door'. We talk to Jenn about how she started Best of Next Door, the future of online dating, and much much more. Jenn starts off the interview talking a bit…
more -
What is the True Cost of Living in San Francisco? (Guest: Gina Fromer, Children's Council of San Francisco)
Gina Fromer is the CEO of the Children's Council of San Francisco. She is also a 6th generation San Franciscan. She has seen a lot of change over the years to the city and its surrounding environment. What keeps her 'addicted' to San Francisco, and what is the *true* cost of living here these…
more -
Is who you are on Twitter = who you are IRL? (Guest: Austen Allred, Founder/CEO of Lambda School)
Austen Allred is the Founder/CEO of Lambda School - a company pioneering the ISA model (Income Share Agreement) wherein students only pay for their education after they successfully land employment. Austen is also a prolific Tweeter and thought leader in Silicon Valley. We discuss the future of...
-
Why is There Tension Between Tech and Journalism? (Guest: David Pierce, Protocol)
David Pierce is the Editor-at-Large of Protocol - a new publication covering technology in a similar way Politico covers politics (with the same owner). We recorded this episode in January pre-COVID-19 - and asked David at the time - why was there increasing tension between technologists and...
-
What's the Best Way to Manage Anxiety? (Guest: Tony Hale, Emmy Award Winning Actor in Veep, Arrested Development)
Tony Hale is a world-famous actor known for his roles in Arrested Development (Buster Bluth) and Veep (Gary Walsh). You would think someone who has won numerous awards and performs in front of people for a living would feel comfortable in crowds. You might be wrong. We talk to Tony about his...
-
Will Coronavirus (COVID-19) delay the AirBnB IPO? (Guest, Cory Weinberg, Reporter, The Information)
Cory Weinberg is a reporter for The Information, covering the intersection of tech and cities. We wanted to bring Cory on the show to talk about San Franicsco housing policy, Coronavirus, and of course AirBnb. You won't want to miss this one if you're thinking about the housing crisis, or the...
-
What is Life Like After Being a Professional Athlete? (Guest: Justin Forsett, Former NFL Pro Bowler)
Justin Forsett is a former NFL Running Back who hailed from a small town in Florida. Justin's NFL career hit its pinnacle when he made the Pro Bowl. Prior to the NFL, Justin shared the backfield at Cal with Marshawn 'Beast Mode' Lynch. But what is life like after hitting the absolute pinnacle of...
-
Is Tech Helping or Hurting American Communities? (Guest: Prakash Janakiraman, Co-Founder, Nextdoor)
Prakash Janakiraman is the Co-Founder and CTO of Nextdoor - the 'other' social network that we all use, but rarely discuss publicly. Nextdoor has quietly amassed a huge userbase across multiple countries and is growing in influence. But are people using Nextdoor for more than just crime alerts?…
more -
Are Journalists Anti-Tech? (Guest: Kate Clark, Reporter, The Information)
Kate Clark is a technology reporter for The Information - a well-reputed publication read by tech industry insiders. In our first solo episode in a while - Sunil sits down with Kate to ask her about the state of journalism and tech. Are reporters inherently biased against tech companies? We talk…
more -
What's the Most Important Job in the World? (Guest: Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram)
Adam Mosseri is the CEO of Instagram - which is arguably the most important social network on the planet at the moment. Adam also ran Facebook's News Feed product. In short, Adam has been influential in your life without you even knowing it - the decisions he's made have influenced how you've...
-
Special Episode - Silicon Valley Decade In Review (Guests: Antonio Garcia Martinez, Molly Wood)
How will the 2010s be remembered in Silicon Valley? So much happened - between the rise of Instagram, Facebook's dominance, Teslas everywhere, tech going from beloved to reviled... And the 2020s should bring even more fun. We have the return of two previous podcast guests - Molly Wood and Antonio...
-
What the Hell Happened at WeWork? (Guest: Eliot Brown, Wall Street Journal)
When you look back on the decade in tech, one of the biggest stories will be the rise and fall of WeWork. And while the company is still around, it has shed around $40B in valuation in the past few months. At the forefront of the story is the mercurial Founder of WeWork - Adam Neumann. And a Wall...
-
Don't Pay Your Water Bill? Pay the Consequences. (Guest: Tiffani Bell, The Human Utility)
Tiffani Bell is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur working on a not-for-profit funded by Y Combinator. Tiffani's mission? Help people pay their water bills. The consequences are direr, and the stakes are much higher than you'd think. Tiffani is helping families in Detroit pay their water bills. You…
more -
If You're So Amazing, Why Are You Still Single? (Guest: Amanda Bradford, Founder/CEO of The League)
We hosted our second live show in San Francisco featuring Amanda Bradford - the Founder/CEO of The League. We asked Amanda about why online dating is broken, what she thinks of all the major dating websites, and how The League's approach differs. We invite audience members to share crazy online...
-
Silicon Valley Does Not Care About Female Founders (Guest: Lisa Fetterman, Founder/CEO, Nomiku)
Lisa Fetterman is here to tell it like it is. She's a gifted entrepreneur and inventor, and she cannot understand why Silicon Valley doesn't care about female founders. This is a must-listen edition of the show featuring some great insight on how to fix the diversity problem in tech. Fetterman...
-
Are Smartphones Actually That Bad For You? (Guest: Tim Kendall, CEO of Moment, Former President of Pinterest)
Tim Kendall is a Silicon Valley OG. Tim ran monetization at Facebook, and later became Head of Product At Pinterest (and eventually President). Tim is responsible for thinking through products that impact our lives on a daily basis. His latest mission is to get people to use their smartphones…
more -
Will it Take a Natural Disaster for People to Like Silicon Valley Again? (Guest: Susan MacTavish Best)
Susan MacTavish Best is a San Francisco cultural icon. Originally from Scotland and Canada, MacTavish worked in the PR business and got to know some of technology's top executives since the 90s. MacTavish now splits time between San Francisco, New York and London, and has a starkly unique...
-
Do You Prefer Starbucks, Blue Bottle, or Philz? (Guests: Philz Coffee CEO Jacob Jaber, Techcrunch Reporter Kate Clark)
Special episode alert! Techcrunch reporter Kate Clark sent a tweet out about how she hates Philz Coffee. We decided to bring her on the show with Philz CEO Jacob Jaber to convince her otherwise. Hilarity ensued. Kate's tweet said she 'hated Philz more than Starbucks'. Co-host Sunil decided to…
more
About this show
Do you love HBO's Silicon Valley? Do you like reading about the latest technology trends? Then you'll love this show. Think of us as the real world/explain-it-how-it-is podcast for anyone with a Silicon Valley fetish. The Bay Area, San Francisco, and California in general are undergoing massive political and social change. We tackle issues like homelessness, the housing crisis, dating in the age of technology, startups, and other things you care about. How will it affect your life? It doesn't matter whether you live in New York, Texas, Arkansas, Bulgaria or Latvia - you will find something applicable to your day-to-day life from this show. And love it, or hate it the Silicon Valley/The Bay Area/California are the center of the technology universe right now. Insiders, and Valley apologists liken the Silicon Valley to Rome during the Renaissance. Others are more skeptical of the people in the Valley and their intentions. We examine life in the Valley by interviewing some of its most p
Hosted by
The Bold Italic
Categories