The Chris Yeh Podcast
By Chris Yeh
The Chris Yeh PodcastMar 30, 2020
Blitzscalable Venture Deals for February 2024
Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures returns to discuss three new deals:
- Permitflow
- Higharc
- Lapse
Blitzscalable Venture Deals for November 2023
The Blitzscaling Ventures returns to discuss a new crop of VC deals, including:
- Craftwork
- Glencoco
- Vendelux
Blitzscalable Venture Deals for October 2023
The Blitzscaling Ventures team discusses blitzscalable deals for October, including Blackbird, It's Good, Pickle, and Siro.
Blitzscalable Venture Deals for September 2023
The Blitzscaling Ventures team discusses blitzscalable venture deals for September, including Metaloop and Rocket.chat.
Holding space with Tim Taylor
Tim Taylor joins me to discuss the concept of "holding space". It's a subject for which we have strong and conflicting feelings; tune in to see how that conflict is resolved!
Dispatches from Unreasonable FUTURE - Sean Hinton
Hello from Unreasonable FUTURE! In this episode, I sit down with Canadian entrepreneur Sean Hinton and talk about his company, Skyhive.io.
Blitzscalable Venture Deals for August 2023
Scott Johnson returns to discuss blitzscalable venture deals announced in August of 2023. Today's deals include:
- Ideogram
- Modular
- Atmosfy
- Fizz
Blitzscalable Venture Deals for July 2023
Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures returns to discuss blitzscalable venture deals for July 2023, including the slowdown in the overall VC market.
Blitzscalable Venture Deals for June 2023
Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures returns to discuss the state of the venture market, and three new deals:
- Curri
- Albert Invent
- Typeface.ai
Whitney Johnson and the role of faith
Legendary management thinker and podcaster (and fellow Silicon Guild member) Whitney Johnson joins me to talk about faith, spirituality, and how it powers her work.
Guest Episode: Blitzscalable Venture Deals for April 2023, with Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures
Chris Yeh and Scott Johnson discuss the most blitzscalable venture deals announced in April 2023. Sorry for the delay--I've been traveling a lot!
Blitzscalable Venture Deals: March 2023
Scott Johnson returns to discuss venture deals announced in March. Specific startups covered are:
- Ghost Message
- Matchday
- HeadRace
Blitzscalable Venture Deals: February 2023
Scott Johnson returns to discuss blitzscalable venture deals announced in February, 2023. We discuss the slow recovery in venture financing, the potential impact of the Silicon Valley Bank run, and how the drought in venture fundraising might affect our strategy. We also discuss the following companies:
- Magma
- Tazapay
- Descope
- TipLink
Blitzscalable Venture Deals with Scott Johnson, January 2023
Scott Johnson returns to discuss the state of the venture world and help score four deals:
- Liven (liven.love)
- Paradigm (paradigm.inc)
- MacroFab (macrofab.com
- Slay (slay.cool)
Blitzscalable Venture Deals: October 2022
Scott Johnson and Jeff Abbott join me to discuss three venture deals announced in October 2022:
- Telda
- Mercantile
- Unito
Blitzscalable Venture Deals: November 2022
Scott Johnson and Jeff Abbott join me to discuss a number of deals announced in November 2022. Deals discussed include:
- Amie
- WalletConnect
- Grouping (which Chris thinks is a fraud)
- Homa
Blitzscalable Venture Deals: September 2022
Scott Johnson returns to discuss a fresh crop of venture deals. Companies covered in this episode include:
- PayAll
- HyperComply
- Emrgy
- Tract
- Fermat Commerce
Blitzscalable Venture Deals for August 2022
Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures returns to discuss another month of venture capital financings. This month, the companies discussed were:
- Incredible Health (https://www.IncredibleHealth.com)
- Sphere (https://www.getsphere.com/)
- Vetted (https://vetted.ai)
- Spectral (https://spectral.finance)
Mike Trigg, the author of "Bit Flip", discusses his book and the morality of Silicon Valley
Mike Trigg and I recorded an in-person conversation discussing his debut novel, "Bit Flip", and the changing morality of Silicon Valley. We'll also be holding an in-person event with Mehran Sahami at HanaHaus in Palo Alto on Wednesday, October 19: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hanahaus-presents-diagnosing-silicon-valleys-identity-crisis-tickets-388780130837
Blitzscalable Venture Deals with Scott Johnson and Jeff Abbott: July 2022
The entire Blitzscaling Ventures team assembles to discuss the venture downturn of summer 2022 and a few specific deals:
- Stadium Live Studios
- Merkle Manufactory
- Ghost (ghst.io)
Professor Jeff Pfeffer and The Seven Rules of Power
My friend Jeff Pfeffer, legendary Stanford professor and management thinker, joins me to discuss his new book, The Seven Rules of Power. We actually discuss all seven rules through the lens of how I live my own life!
Blitzscalable Venture Deals with Scott Johnson: June 2022
Scott Johnson and I discuss the current venture market and cover three deals from June 2022:
- Soba.xyz
- Hank
- Ledger
Andrea DiMauro-Walton and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Dre and I discuss her life, how she ended up working for Playboy, and share our love of Ted Lasso, Star Trek, and especially Strange New Worlds Season 1.
Blitzscalable Venture Deals for May 2022
Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures returns to score and discuss a fresh crop of five deals:
- Bubbles
- Switchboard
- StartPlaying
- Bravado
- Primitives
Blitzscalable Venture Deals Analysis with Scott Johnson: April 2022
Scott Johnson joins me to discuss blitzscalable venture deals for April 2022. We also touch on the collapse of Terra/Luna/UST. Companies discussed are:
- Audyo
- Chalo
- Upside
Blitzscalable Venture Deal Analysis with Scott Johnson - March 2022
Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures returns to discuss a new crop of venture-backed deals. This month's podcast covers:
- Disco
- City Mall
- Protege
- Espresso Systems
- Socket
Blitzscalable Venture Deals with Scott Johnson (February 2022)
Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures returns for another edition of our popular deal reviews. February 2022 was a record month, with 190 deals overall, and eight blitzscalable deals!
- TrialJectory
- Novi
- VendorPM
- Standard Metrics
- Flashfood
- Island
- PriorAuthNow
- Heygo
- Portals Labs
Getting to know Tom Tsao, founder of Gobi Partners, Board Member for Endeavor Malaysia
This episode, I'm joined by Tom Tsao, my older brother from another mother, as we discuss his eventful life and career. You'll hear about his childhood and growing up with Debbie Gibson, how fortune led him to Merrill Lynch and then to Asia, and much, much more. I had a great time, and I think you will too!
Blitzscalable Ventures Deals for January 2022
Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures stops by for another round of blitzscalable venture deal analysis. January's deals include:
- Buffalo Market
- Fan Controlled Football
- Gametime
- Rupifi
- Observable
- Plan Radar
- Draftea
Smart Growth with Whitney Johnson
My friend and fellow author Whitney Johnson joins me to discuss her remarkable life journey and her new book, Smart Growth. We talk about S-Curves of learning, metacognition, why improv is the perfect training for the uncertainty of launching something new, and much, much more.
Buy Whitney's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Growth-Grow-People-Company/dp/1647821150
Learn all about her here: https://whitneyjohnson.com/
Blitzscalable Venture Deals: December 2021
Scott Johnson returns to discuss a crop of six blitzscalable venture deals that were announced in December of 2021:
- Wisdom (wisdom.audio)
- Bounce (usebounce.com)
- Apex.AI
- Mysten Labs
- Sound (sound.xyz)
- Repl.it
Blitzscalable Venture Deals for November 2021
Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures returns to discuss a new crop of venture deals. November deals discussed include:
- Fintual
- Imprint
- BetDEX
- Reibus
- NFTfi
Live Episode: Building the Next Marvel with Peter Shiao and Sam Ades of Immortal Studios
Peter Shiao's dad was the Stan Lee of wuxia martial arts epics. And now his son and an all-star team of luminaries from the entertainment industry are building the next interconnected story universe around wuxia stories. The core IP of Immortal Studios has already been made into over 30 different television shows and movies, and that's just the beginning.
Peter and Sam Ades (the former GM of DC Universe) joined me for a special live session, including audience questions.
Blitzscalable Ventures Deals for October 2021
Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures is back to discuss another crop of blitzscalable venture deals. This is a particularly controversial month, with a heated debate about WorldCoin. Enjoy!
Blitzscalable Venture Deals with Scott Johnson: September 2021 Deals
Scott Johnson returns for another Blitzscalable Venture Deals podcast!
Blitzscalability Analysis with Scott Johnson: August 2021 VC Deals
Scott Johnson of Blitzscaling Ventures returns to assess another crop of blitzscalable venture deals. This months deals are:
- Bungalow
- Saturn
- Royal
- Pintu
- Balance
Love and Faith with Dr. Ken Franklin
The John Madden of Mental Samurai, Dr. Ken Franklin, returns to discuss matters of love and faith. I've long admired Dr. Ken's ability to be loving, even in the challenging environment of Facebook, and he tells the story of how he developed his faith, how it was tested, and why he won't ever stop trying to love others. And if you like the wisdom of Dr. Ken, you can get it on tap in his book, "Spit Out That Apple," which is available on Amazon as a paperback, on Audible (free with your free trial), and via Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/Spit-Out-Apple-embrace-rejecting-ebook/dp/B07XNL86MD
Blitzscalability Analysis with Scott Johnson: July 2021 VC Deals
Scott Johnson returns to discuss another crop of blitzscalable startups. The companies covered in this episode are:
- Otter (get paid to take care of one other family's children)
- Choco (digital platform for restaurant/supplier purchasing)
- Block Renovation (managed marketplace for home renovations)
- Jones (insurance compliance for construction and repair contractors)
- Valora (Venmo for crypto in Brazil)
- Nas Academy (Make your own Masterclass for influencers)
Mental Samurai Season 2 Interview: Episode 5 winner Wesley Chang
I'm pleased to welcome my first Season 2 Mental Samurai to the show (check the archives to listen to my interviews with the three other Season 1 Mental Samurai--with a slightly different definition: Nathan Gonzalez, Dr. Jackie Boehme, and Ben Bergstrom), the purple fauxhawk himself, Wesley Chang.
Wesley and I discuss the origin of his trademark look, why his dog has a similar purple fauxhawk, and where he and his fiancee plan on going for their honeymoon. Wesley also talks about strategy and how he prepared for the show. It's a great conversation, and I hope you listen in!
Blitzcalability Analysis with Scott Johnson: June 2021 Venture Deals
Scott Johnson returns to discuss five blitzscalable deals from June 2021. This episode discusses:
- XCLAIM
- Lessen
- Co-op Commerce
- Shef
- Snackpass
Mental Samurai Season 2 Episode 9 (Season Finale!): Recap with Dr. Ken
Dr. Ken Franklin returns to help me recap and break down the season finale of Mental Samurai. We discuss the individual competitors, Caroline Glymph's mental game, and reflect on the patterns we saw for the entire season. Competitors:
- Hercules Magnus, Real Estate Agent
- Caroline Glymph, Baton Twirler and Psychology Ph.D. Student
- Anya Lester, Forensic Scientist
- Jeromy Robert, Former Navy Cryptographer
- Joshua Florence, Pre-med College Student
- Laith Wallschleger, Former Pro Football Player / Voiceover Artist
Mental Samurai Season 2 Episode 7: Interview with Jamaal Williams
Episode 7 competitor Jamaal Williams stops in to discuss his childhood in German, his many college majors, and his dual careers in government service and content creation. Jamaal also reveals why so many competitors are talking it out, and how he felt about winning $10,000, but not getting a chance to go to the Circle of Samurai.
Mental Samurai Season 2 Episode 8: Recap with Dr. Ken
Dr. Ken Franklin returns to help me recap and analyze Episode 8 of Season 2 of Mental Samurai. This episode featured the fewest correct answers of any episode, and also the first Mental Samurai to wear the crown without a perfect run. We also discuss the extensive IMDB credits of two competitors, who were actually regulars on two popular unscripted shows, and our admiration for Laith Wallschleger.
Competitors:
- Krystyna Ahlers, Triple Valedictorian (Millionaire Matchmaker)
- Laith Wallschleger, NFL Player/Math Tutor/Voice Actor (Worst Cooks in America)
- David Rendon, Army Veteran / Amputee / Mountain Climber
- Charity Clark, Online Business Coach
- Shadi Ireifej, Veterinarian
- Nick Santo, Jewelry Designer / Daytrader
Mental Samurai Season 2 Episode 7: Recap with Dr. Ken
Hi folks, sorry for the delay on this episode, but I was in Monaco last week, and couldn't record until now.
Once again, Dr. Ken Franklin joined me to recap and analyze the most recent episode of Mental Samurai, which featured three perfect runs, and a down-to-the-wire finish. We also discuss why stress and sleep deprivation can lead to flameouts, and learn why Dr. Ken didn't go to Stanford for college (which is the university's loss!).
This week's competitors:
- Tony Mangione, Restauranteur
- Jennifer Jacobsen-Wood, Librarian
- Jamaal Williams, Data Analyst / Dad
- Haylee Hilton, Aquatic Mammal Trainer
- Ryan Cohen, Mechatronics Engineer (and Stanford alum)
- Nick Santo, Reigning Samurai
Mental Samurai Season 2 Episode 6: Recap with Dr. Ken
Dr. Ken Franklin returns to help me recap and analyze the action from Episode 6 of Season 2 of Mental Samurai. For the first time ever, Fox aired Mental Samurai twice in the same week, likely to avoid running into the Tokyo Olympics, so Dr. Ken and I pulled a double shift to cover the action. Competitors this week:
- Devin Collins, Stilt Walker (who also sings and as a teenager, opened for Chaka Khan, Dionne Warwick, and Roberta Flack)
- Jeff Vaughn, Professional Poker Player
- Jillian Gloria, Aspiring Astronaut
- Nick Santo, Daytrader / Jewelry Designer
- Kaitlyn Chu, USC Student
- Wes Chang, Reigning Samurai
Mental Samurai Season 2 Episode 5: Recap with Dr. Ken
Dr. Ken Franklin returns to break down Episode 5 of Season 2. Scott Perry tries to extend his reign as Mental Samurai for yet another episode, but he has some strong competitors standing in his way. Not only do we break down the action, we also hear Dr. Ken's technique for acing the Memory tower.
This week's competitors:
- Avery Kane: Surfer/Drummer
- Victor Velez: Multi-lingual Speaker
- Layci Petrakis: Hunter
- Wes Chang: Fauxhawk Enthusiast
- Courtney Evans: Dentist
- Scott Perry: The Man Who Married His Cat
Mental Samurai Season 2 Episode 4: Recap with Dr. Ken
Dr. Ken dials in from his road trip to analyze the events of Episode 4, with a focus on defending champion Scott Perry. We discuss the various contestants, my desire for a Wikipedia page, and where Dr. Ken and his wife have been.
Competititors:
- Meri J Van (model)
- Ashlea Archer (college professor)
- Jeff Ahern (sales)
- Alexa Lowery (homeschool teacher)
- Scott Perry (marketing consultant)
Blitzscalability Analysis with Scott Johnson: May 2021 VC Deals
Scott Johnson returns for a joint analysis of venture deals announced in May 2021. This month's companies include:
- Contractbook
- Skiff
- Rally
- Poparazzi
Mental Samurai Season 2 Episode 3: Recap and breakdown with Becky Eldridge
I'm joined by Season 1 competitor Becky Eldridge, who joins me to recap Episode 3 of Season 2 of Mental Samurai. We discuss how Becky's life has changed since Mental Samurai, and what she likes and doesn't like about the new format. Then we recap the action, leading up to the amazing perfection of the newest Mental Samurai reigning champion, Scott Perry.
Contestants:
- Ruby Ortega: Army veteran, antiques
- Aaron Fraley: Lab scientist, Ohioan
- Lisa Overman: Brand manager, gifted child
- Scott Perry: Marketing consultant, laughs a lot
- Don Hecht: Stuntman, Italian
- Dr. Laura Kerber: NASA scientist, Reigning Samurai
Mental Samurai Season 2 Episode 2: Interview with competitor Peter Freyer, Banker/Magician
I'm joined by Episode 2's Peter Freyer, a former entrepreneur and finance executive who was also a one-time professional magician. Tune in to learn about how I know his childhood BFF, how he earned so much money doing magic, and hear the story of how being unemployed led to appearing on 11 different game shows, including both Wheel of Fortune and The Price Is Right.