The Disruptors - Innovation, Startups and Growth

Social commerce is a rapidly emerging industry, reaching over $600B annually in China and rapidly emerging in the US. The leading platform for social commerce in the US is WhatNot. They recently raised a $260M Series D, and might be the fastest growing marketplace ever.In this conversation we chat with Whatnot founder Grant Lafontaine about the origins of Whatnot, his approach to product, his experience in Ycombinator, how he thinks about network effects and the dynamics of marketplace businesses, how he finds talent, and much more.Learn more about Whatnot here: http://whatnot.comIf you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-whatnotPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

The components manufacturing industry is the perfect example of a legacy niche ripe for disruption. But it has some interesting nuances to it, ones that Gearflow has worked hard to understand. Initially setting out as a two-sided marketplace business leveraging long-tail search to drive distribution, they quickly learned that rather than going around or cutting out the middlemen, they needed to partner with them very closely and solve their problems as well.Their willingness to listen and adapt worked, and today Gearflow plays an increasingly large role in the space. In this conversation with Gearflow cofounder Ben Preston, we discuss the origins of Gearflow, what he’s learned about how to stay close to customers and build businesses satisfying multiple constituencies, how he pivoted to use his strength in organic search to drive marketing qualified leads versus sales, and much more.Learn more about Gearflow here: http://gearflow.comFollow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpreston1/If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-gearflowPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

The stigma around couples therapy is largely gone. People are more willing than ever to talk with someone who can help them process their issues. And yet many couples reserve it for then things get really bad. While they might recognize the benefits of a more proactive approach to couples counseling, the logistical headaches and cost make it something they never quite get to.Ours is out to change that. With their unique hybrid delivery model and novel approach to delivering group counseling sessions remotely, they seek to eliminate the headaches associated with getting help.In this episode we chat with Ours cofounder Adam Putterman about the origins of the idea, how he found the right cofounders, how they’ve intentionally iterated on the product, how they approach marketing and much more.Learn more about Ours here: https://www.withours.comFollow Chris on Twitter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamputterman/If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-oursPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

Almost every organization would benefit from having better processes. But for most companies getting standard operating procedures, handbooks and other materials documented is firmly in the category of important but never urgent. The barriers of getting that content created, organized, and in front of the right people at the right time is no small feat.Trainual is trying to help with that. A software platform that makes the creation and management of SOPs and other training materials simple, Trainual has scaled to thousands of organizations. In this conversation with Trainual founder Chris Ronzio, we discuss the origins of trainual, some best practices for documenting processes inside organizations, lessons he learned about building and scaling SaaS businesses, how he thinks about community building and deliberately crafting culture, and much more.Learn more about Trainual here: http://trainual.comFollow Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrisronzioIf you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-trainualPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

Nearly 1 in 6 adults struggle with some form of infertility. And yet while the pregnancy journey is pretty well defined and understood, the process of conceiving is not. It is full of misinformation, often magnifies the feelings of shame, inadequacy, and loneliness that many people already are struggling with, and starts from the incorrect premise that infertility is a woman’s health issue. In short the process is an opaque, emotionally-taxing nightmare for millions of men and women.Lauren Berson Sugarman is trying to change that. An accomplished senior executive and former Venture capitalist at Andreessen Horowitz, Lauren has set out to make the make the process of navigating infertility simpler, more empathic, and ultimately more effective. Lauren is the founder of Conceive, a health tech startup bringing community, coaching and education together to influence infertility outcomes. In this conversation we discuss the origins of Conceive, what Lauren learned about building effective communities from her previous experience, dig into some of the biggest misconceptions about infertility, and how Conceive is helping solve these issues.Learn more about Conceive here: https://weconceive.comFollow Lauren on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenBersonIf you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-conceivePODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

While most industries have already realized the benefits of assembly-line-based, automated manufacturing processes, home building continues to be slow, built one-at-a-time, using largely the same materials we’ve used for decades.Boxabl is looking to change that. By creating a factory borrowing from many of the principles of automotive manufacturing, Boxabl has created a foldable house that can be manufactured in a day and assembled on-site in around an hour. They are fireproof, water-proof, energy efficient, and modular, eventually allowing for infinite customization.Boxabl has managed to raise over $100 million primarily through their crowd-funded model, and their customers include the Department of Defense and Elon Musk.In this conversation we chat with Galiano Tiramani, cofounder of Boxabl. We discuss the origins of the company, why building a foldable house was essential to scale, how they rapidly iterated on the product, how they’ve navigated building codes and compliance issues, how they plan to scale internationally and much more.Learn more about Boxabl and view their offering circular here: https://invest.boxabl.com/ If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-boxablPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

Only 4 in 10 employees use all of their Paid Time Off each year, leaving over 750 million days unused annually in the US. Unused PTO either sits on the balance sheet of companies as a liability, or is forfeited by employees - representing a staggering $65B in lost compensation each year.PTO Exchange is out to fit this problem. Through their platform organizations are able to offer their employees easy ways to convert unused PTO into retirement plans, charitable contributions, wellness programs and more.In this conversation, we chat with the founder of PTO Exchange, Rob Whalen. We discuss the massive impact this problem has on both employees and companies, how the landscape has shifted as a result of COVID, what the future of employee benefits looks like and much more.If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-ptoexchangePODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

Creating a new company in the food and beverage space is no small feat. While it’s relatively easy to get started, securing shelf space, managing margins, and outmaneuvering extremely large and resourced incumbents create considerable barriers to entry. Lemon Perfect has been bucking that trend, having raised over $37M and achieving national distribution in 5 short years. Founder Yanni Hufnagel was in some ways an unlikely first time founder, a former division I college basketball coach with no background in the CPG space. But in this conversation it quickly becomes clear why he’s been able to succeed where so many others have failed. We chat about the origins of Lemon Perfect, how he’s applied his unique skill set to team building and vision casting, how he’s instilled a culture of velocity and relentless execution, and much more. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-lemonperfectPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

Forward Health is a heavily tech-enabled concierge healthcare provider that is reimagining the way healthcare is provided. I’ve been a member for several years, and routinely have used them as an example of creating delightful customer experiences. There’s no waiting room. The physician isn’t typing into a laptop but is focused on you. As you talk with them, the stuff you say gets automatically added to a giant custom screen in the room. Everything about it feels better.So when Forward founder Adrian Aoun agreed to chat, I was looking forward to diving into the mechanics of the concierge model and how they think about the patient experience. But what quickly became clear was Adrian’s ambition goes far beyond providing creating a successful concierge business. His aims are nothing less than the complete reimagining of how healthcare is provided. In this colorful interview we discuss Adiran’s vision for Forward, why the current healthcare system is broken, and how he envisions for the future.Learn more about Forward at http://goforward.comIf you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-forwardPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

Companies have rapidly embracing the idea of a truly distributed global workforce, and opportunities to work from anywhere are now common. But access to great training and education remains unevenly distributed, so while digital nomads and people living in developed economies are able to benefit, many people from emerging economies lack similar opportunities.Microverse is hoping to change that. Ariel Camus is the Founder and CEO of Microverse, a YCombinator alum that has raised over $17M to create an online school that helping anyone become a software developer. And through the use of an Income Share Agreement revenue model, students don’t pay a cent until they’re employed in a meaningful programming job. In this episode we talk about the origins of Microverse, the nuances of ISA based models, how Ariel sees globally distributed teams working in the coming years and much more.Learn more about Microverse at https://microverse.comIf you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-microversePODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

The pandemic impacted many startups over the last few years. And while some failed and others survived, a few actually thrived coming out of it.One of those companies was crafty, which helps companies manage their food and beverage programs. Crafty managed to not only survive a world shaking event for their business, but actually stumbled upon a business model that allowed them to emerge with more momentum than ever.In this episode Nate Rosenstock and Ishan Daya, two of the cofounders, discuss how they build Crafty pre-pandemic, how they navigated the company through troubled waters and emerged from the other side stronger than ever, as well as how they think about management and decision making.Full disclosure - Manifold has invested in Crafty, so I’ve been able to have a front row seat to how these guys think and work, and have been incredibly impressed.Learn more about Crafty at https://craftydelivers.comIf you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-craftyPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

In the fitness and life hacking communities, ketones and ketogenesis have become an increasingly hot topic of conversation. The benefits of getting your body into ketosis and using ketones as fuel are many and varied. But the problem historically has been the amount of lifestyle change required to benefit from ketones.Health via Modern Nutrition is out to fix that. Their product Ketone IQ is the world’s first consumer-grade “exogenous ketone” that gives you the benefit of ketones in a drink. In this episode we chat with Michael Brandt, the HVMN CEO to discuss the creating origins of Ketone IQ, the benefits of ketones, how he thinks about line extensions, producing products like this at scale, and much more.Learn more about Michael at https://twitter.com/bdm_runnerIf you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-hvmnPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

In the last few years, there has been an enormous increase of interest in the science of sleep. Sleep has become recognized as a primary tool for optimizing human performance. As a result, high performers who used to pride themselves on how little sleep they get now go to great lengths to optimize the duration and quality of their sleep.One of the major players in that space has been Eight Sleep, which creates a high end mattress that optimizes your temperature and monitors your body as you sleep. They’ve grown considerably in the last few years, most recently having raised an $86M Series C in late 2021.In this episode, Eight Sleep founder and CEO Matteo Franceschetti discusses the origins of Eight sleep, how he used lean startup principles to build a physical product, how they’ve leveraged organic channels to drive growth, most notably Twitter, how he thinks about influencer and brand partnerships, his approach to leveling up his own skillset as a high growth founder, and much more.Learn more about Matteo at https://twitter.com/m_franceschettiIf you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-eight-sleepPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

The advent of syndicates, roll up vehicles, and social networking have torn down many of the gatekeepers and walls in traditional venture. And a new wave of hyper-connected operator angels and emerging managers are taking advantage.A great example is Paige Finn Doherty, who in an extremely compressed timeframe has built an incredibly broad network of founders and VCs, has syndicated several deals, stood up her own early stage fund, and even wrote a book about venture capital.In this conversation we talk about how she did it, the opportunities she sees for other emerging managers, her thesis around the future of work and play, discuss web 3, and much more.Learn more about Levels at https://twitter.com/paigefinnnIf you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-paigePODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

Most of the new tokens being launched in the DeFi ecosystem leverage what is called Proof of Stake as the mechanism to secure the networks. And critical to the Success of Proof of Stake protocols are the Stakers themselves, who lock up their tokens to secure the network in exchange and earn more tokens in the process.My guest today is Andrew Cronk, one of the cofounders of Figment, one of crypto’s largest staking organizations which recently raised a $110 Million Series C round. In this discussion we talk about the role of staking in securing networks, the how enterprise organizations can participate in crypto more than they do today, what’s necessary to drive further adoption of Web3 and DeFi, and much more.Learn more about Levels at https://figment.ioIf you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-figmentPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

Metabolic health measures how effectively our body processes energy. Measuring glucose is the primary way we assess one’s metabolic health. And there is mounting evidence that poor metabolic health leads to many chronic conditions like diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.The problem historically has been our tools for measuring glucose have been too episodic to be useful. Fasting glucose and Hemoglobin a1c show patients a snapshot, but can’t tell them why the measure is what it is, or what to do about it.Levels health is trying to change that. By using continuous glucose monitors and pairing it with a mobile app, they show you how the things you eat and the way you live your life impact your glucose. It turns out the things that influence glucose vary widely from person to person, and learning what spikes your glucose can lead to much more actionable changes. I was a very early beta tester of levels and can speak to how it changed the way I approach eating, sleep, and stress management. So I couldn’t be more share my conversation with Maz Brumand, head of business at Levels. In this conversation we discuss why Levels made the decision to go direct to consumer, why they believe a closed signup process is better for startups early on, what they’ve learned about user behavior with wearable devices, why they invested in organic channels from the beginning, and much more.Learn more about Levels at https://www.levelshealth.comIf you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review! https://kite.link/disruptors-levelsPODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

Amit Gupta is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. He was one of the early pioneers of the coworking movement, he created a photography company called Photojojo that enjoyed a rabid following and was eventually acquired. And now he’s working on Sudowrite, an AI enabled writing assistant.In this conversation we get into Amit’s background, what he learned working with Seth Godin, how he approaches building products with personality, what he’s learned about building AI-enabled products, and much more.Follow Amit on Twitter: https://twitter.com/superamitLearn more about Sudowrite at https://www.sudowrite.com/PODCAST INFOPodcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

There’s an idea in startup land around “building in public”. The idea is that taking people behind the scenes can be a fantastic way to build trust, create authenticity with your brand, and create an enthusiastic base of early customers. When I’ve talked to founders or my students at Northwestern about building in public, the example I’ve most frequently used is Amanda Goetz. Amanda is the founder of House of Wise, a DTC brand offering CBD-based products to improve women’s health.In this wide ranging conversation we discuss the origins of House of Wise, what it’s like building a DTC business from the ground floor, how Amanda developed an intuitive understanding of her customer, how startups can invest in brand early on, proactively building community, the benefits of building in public and leading with authenticity, and much more.Follow Amanda on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmandaMGoetzLearn more about House of Wise at https://houseofwise.coPODCAST INFOPodcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

The future of education is a hotly debated topic, one that was only exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. Parents, educators, and policy makers are all asking themselves what  students need to learn to compete and thrive in a rapidly changing future.One company trying to solve this is Synthesis School, an online school spun out of Space X that focuses on helping children learn how to think and solve problems in novel ways.My guests today are Chrisman Frank, one of the cofounders, and Ana Lorena Fabrega, the Chief Evangelist. And in this discussion we talk about the origins of Synthesis, why games are such a fantastic modality for facilitating learning, the importance of competition in learning, and much much more.Follow Chrisman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrismanfrankFollow Ana on Twitter: https://twitter.com/anafabrega11PODCAST INFOPodcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products

The trends around quantified self, and productivity optimization have been around for years. But when COVID arrived, many people started to reflect on their lives. One of the themes that seems to have emerged from that has been a shifting emphasis to simply hustling or working harder, to pursuing balance.Brian Fioca is the Founder of RescueTime and an alum of YCombinator. In this conversation we discuss how RescueTime started as a productivity tool, how they’ve transitioned to being more about helping customers balance their lives, and the surprising things they’ve learned about how people work. It’s a fascinating conversation.Follow Brian on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bfiocaPODCAST INFOPodcast website: https://manifold.group/podcastApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3EbkMEkSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3nqwNiDRSS: https://bit.ly/3ntcFw1Full episodes playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HqCM09dwh6otuU7TArkq8JClips playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdnqR-lZH65HrrlaeQZnf1sicFkprjpqkSOCIAL:- Sean Johnson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/intentionally- Sean Johnson on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanjohnson- Sean Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionally_- Manifold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/manifold_group- Manifold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/m/company/manifold-group- Manifold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themanifoldgroup- Manifold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manifold_group/- Manifold on Medium: https://medium.com/build-better-products