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In this episode, Austin, co-founder of the sales platform Topsail, shares his startup journey. He explains how his team pivoted multiple times after realizing their customer acquisition costs were too high, eventually finding success by simplifying their product to a single button that boosts sales productivity. The conversation also dives into startup cosplay—the act of pretending to be a founder without doing the hard, uncomforta...

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We discuss the rise of AI-generated virtual actors like Tilly Norwood and the broader implications for entertainment and reality itself. As deepfake technology becomes indistinguishable from real life, we explore how society must adapt, the urgent need for algorithmic choice, and why being intentional with our technology use is more important than ever.

The weekly episodes are...

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Have you ever paid for an app, only for it to betray you with ads and unwanted features later on? It’s a frustrating reality of the digital world, and it highlights a harsh truth: you don't actually own your software, you only rent it.

This week, we use the recent Pocket Casts controversy as a launchpad to explore the broken promises of modern software subscripti...

We're now on YouTube https://youtu.be/kXYZf9bq4Fs !

In our first-ever video episode, we explore the myth of the 8-hour workday and the secrets to true productivity. We then pull back the curtain on social media, exposing how algorithms can feel like a Ponzi scheme for creators. Finally, we tackle the modern loneliness epidemic, discussing the dangers of AI companions and a controversial new theory on why polyamory is on the ris...

Dr. James Lloyd, Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space discusses his journey from rural England to the forefront of synthetic biology. He explains his innovative work on "gene circuits," a technology that offers more flexible and precise control over plant genetics than traditional methods like CRISPR. Instead of making a single, permanent change, these circuits ...

With an abrupt start after Part 1, do you ever feel like your brain is short-circuiting from the constant digital noise? It’s not just you. This episode unpacks the anxiety of our hyper-connected world, revealing how social media was just the warm-up act for a much bigger challenge: Artificial Intelligence.

We explore how technology is changing society faster than our brains can adapt, leaving entire generations behind and makin...

In this episode, Andrew and Nathan explore how modern life, saturated with endless communication channels and choices, is leading to a breakdown in basic interactions. Starting with a personal story about team dysfunction in a government accelerator program, they use the "cereal aisle" analogy to explain how having too many options makes everything more complicated. They then share relatable anecdotes—from unhelpful restaurant staf...

In this episode, Andrew and Nathan dive into the art of getting things done, both individually and as a team. They start with a simple but powerful philosophy for personal productivity: break down every goal into small, single-day tasks. This approach prevents overwhelm and the "scope creep" that plagues so many projects.

They expand this idea to team management, especially in tech, arguing that a manager's primary role is to pr...

In this episode, Nathan details his innovative project: a low-cost, modular headband for transcranial direct current stimulation. The goal is to build a platform for large-scale remote studies on brain activity, potentially aiding in treatments for depression and Alzheimer's, and ultimately presenting this data to the FDA. Andrew provides an update on his podcast post-production tool, "Seeeks," which is nearing a public preview, an...

This week, Andrew and Nathan explore the mental cost of living in an age of information overload. They discuss the power of disconnecting—trading multitasking for singular focus—to boost creativity and combat cognitive fatigue. The conversation then shifts to the crucial role of publicly funded basic science, using examples from AI-powered wildfire prediction to the development of mRNA vaccines. Andrew also shares a powerful story ...

Dmitri Kalashnikov is a climate scientist and National Science Foundation postdoctoral research fellow at the University of California-Merced. Having created Convolutional Neural Network-based predictive models for lightning in the western United States; he is currently working on applying these predictive models to climate models to project future changes in the climatology of lightning storms in the western United States.

Ever...

Ever feel like you're creating for an audience of one? In this episode, Andrew and Nathan pull back the curtain on the confusing world of podcasting metrics. Andrew reveals a surprising discovery: while his server bandwidth has doubled, platforms like Spotify report almost no new listeners. This mystery sparks a candid conversation about the real reasons to create, the power of a "back catalog" of content, and the modern creator's ...

What do Aristotle's 'First Principles' and a 'Growth Mindset' have to do with building great products? Andrew and Nathan dive deep into how these concepts fuel modern innovation, emphasizing rapid iteration, embracing failure, and learning from constant customer feedback. But when is this fast-moving approach dangerous? The conversation takes a fascinating turn into high-stakes environments, with stories from an advanced materials ...

What is "vibe coding"? Andrew and Nathan kick off by exploring this new trend of building software with plain English, a revolution that allows almost anyone to create an app in hours. But this incredible new power quickly leads to a bigger, more urgent conversation. They dive into the critical issue of AI bias and how it's becoming a political battleground. Using the stark example of how different AI models describe the Tiananmen ...

Is "build it and they will come" a dead strategy? In this deep dive on modern entrepreneurship, Nathan and Andrew argue that it is. They explore why validating your idea before you build is the key to success. Drawing on personal experience and concepts like "The Mom Test" and the innovator's dilemma, they break down the delicate dance of building something new. The conversation covers the challenge of getting honest user feedback,...

Join Andrew and Nathan for part 1 of a wild ride that starts on the open road and ends in a goblin's theater camp. Fresh off a cross-country drive, Andrew recounts his journey through the American mountain states, including a stop at a bizarre city block and an eye-opening deep dive into the world of AM radio. From political talk shows to the digital divide, they explore what it’s like in the parts of the country the internet somet...

In this episode, Andrew and Nathan kick things off by switching to a weekly schedule, using their own process as a springboard to explore professional workflows. They dive into the value of agile "sprints" and the absolute necessity of clear, written communication to keep teams aligned and avoid constant, unproductive meetings.

The conversation then shifts to the darker side of professional life, tackling the broken hiring proce...

The LFG episodes are the fortnightly recorded checkins between Andrew and Nathan, that they hope help inspire your curiosity and creativity. These are different from typical guest episodes as they are less focused on conversation.

This episode delves into the future of work and education, significantly impacted by the rise of AI. Andrew and Nathan challenge the traditional four-year college degree, highlighting its exorbitant co...

The LFG episodes are the fortnightly recorded checkins between Andrew and Nathan, that they hope help inspire your curiosity and creativity. These are different from typical guest episodes as they are less focused on conversation.

In this episode, Andrew and Nathan confront the intense hype and "fear, uncertainty, and doubt" (FUD) surrounding Artificial Intelligence, drawing strong parallels to the exaggerated promises of past t...