Today, we will be breaking down Pinduoduo. Founded in 2015, Pinduoduo used a ‘team buying’ social network concept to build what is now China’s largest e-commerce platform measured by annual active users.
In this breakdown, we’ll explore Pinduoduo’s value proposition to a niche but incredibly large merchant segment and its role in the daily lives of hundre ... Show More
Apr 24
Altius Minerals: Royalty Check - [Business Breakdowns, EP.243]
Today, we are breaking down Altius Minerals, a Canadian royalty company that stands apart from the precious metals and oil and gas names that usually define the category. 17 people in Newfoundland control royalties over Canadian potash mines that supply 90 percent of the potash u ... Show More
33m 41s
Apr 17
Givaudan: The Magic Ingredients - [Business Breakdowns, EP.242]
Today, we are breaking down Givaudan, the Swiss fragrance and flavor giant hiding in plain sight. I came away from this episode with a new way of seeing the world around me. When you learn that a single company is behind the scent of your shampoo, the taste of your burger, and th ... Show More
41m 20s
Mar 20
Apollo: Connoisseurs of Complexity - [Business Breakdowns, REPLAY]
This episode was originally recorded in March 2025. Today, we are breaking down the global alternative asset manager, Apollo. I reflected on my personal experiences with Apollo for this episode, and there's a saying that hard work can beat talent when talent doesn't work hard. W ... Show More
1h 14m
Apr 2021
Shopify: The E-commerce On-Ramp - [Business Breakdowns, EP. 01]
Welcome to the first episode of our newest show, Business Breakdowns, featuring deep-dive conversations on individual businesses. In each episode, we will dissect a new company with investors and operators that know it best. We’ve already released the first three episodes on Shop ... Show More
1h 6m
May 2022
Tobi Lütke - Embrace the Unexpected - [Invest Like the Best, EP. 278]
My guest today is Tobi Lütke, co-founder and CEO of Shopify. Having first spoken to Tobi at the beginning of the pandemic, just two months into it, this felt an opportune moment to revisit Shopify and the world through Tobi’s eyes. Among many things, we discuss Shopify’s evolutio ... Show More
1h 27m
Jan 2021
Ram Parameswaran - Internet Scale Businesses – [Invest Like the Best, EP.207]
My guest today is Ram Parameswaran, founder of Octahedron Capital. Ram started Octahedron this year after more than 5 years as a partner at Altimeter Capital where he made investments in Square, Bytedance, Pinduoduo, and Udaan. In our conversation we cover the potential for inter ... Show More
1h 27m
Feb 2022
Joey Levin - Building an Anti-Conglomerate - [Invest Like the Best, EP. 264]
My guest today is IAC’s CEO, Joey Levin. IAC is a unique business in that it’s a holding company which builds world-class digital businesses. Since Barry Diller created IAC over two decades ago, it has produced 11 public companies, including Match Group, Expedia, and Live Nation. ... Show More
1h 11m
Jul 2021
Sebastian Mejia - Mastering On-Demand Convenience - [Founder’s Field Guide, EP. 44]
My guest today is Sebastian Mejia, co-founder and president of Rappi. Founded in Bogota, Colombia in 2015, Rappi set out to create an on-demand convenience store and has expanded into nine countries and over 200 cities. In our conversation, Sebastian and I discuss what differenti ... Show More
58m 47s
Nov 2022
Parker Conrad - Building a Compound Company - [Invest Like the Best, EP.303]
My guest today is Parker Conrad, co-founder and CEO of Rippling. I wanted to speak to Parker because he is building Rippling in a way that we don’t come across often. Rather than focus narrowly on one product, he is building a suite of interrelated products simultaneously to carr ... Show More
1h 2m
Feb 2021
Scott Belsky - Focus on the First Mile – [Invest Like the Best, EP. 213]
My guest today is Scott Belsky. Scott was the co-founder and CEO of Behance, the world's largest creative network, and a prolific angel investor, having made early-stage investments in Pinterest, Uber, Carta, and Airtable. His company was acquired by Adobe in 2012, where he is cu ... Show More
56m 31s
Aug 2023
Opening The Books: Mixed By Nasrin
<p>Nasrin Jafari is the founder, designer and CEO of Mixed By Nasrin, a Brooklyn-based fashion company that's recently hit a 7-figure run rate and continues to grow rapidly–and profitably.</p>
<p>In my first ever "Opening The Books" episode, Nasrin and I essentially ... Show More
1h 56m
Nov 2023
Curiosity, Collaboration, and Confidence in Business Development - Ben Paul - S7E30
Send us a text Sales doesn't have to be a dirty word; instead, it can be organic, mutually beneficial, and a source of growth for your business. This week we're super excited to be chatting with Ben Paul, the founder of The BD Ladder, where he provides a wide range of services d ... Show More
37m 51s