Internet History Podcast

Chris Dixon shares his journey from early programming experiences in the 1980s to becoming a prominent figure in venture capital and cryptocurrency. He discusses the founding of Site Advisor, the lessons learned from its acquisition by McAfee, and the challenges of starting Hunch. Dixon reflects on his experiences in angel investing, the creation of Founder Collective, and his role at Andreessen Horowitz, particularly in launching a crypto fund.Chapters:00:00 The Early Days of Programming02:46 Transitioning to Finance and Wall Street04:59 The Shift to Entrepreneurship09:03 Founding Site Advisor16:16 The Journey with Hunch20:50 Starting Founder Collective26:58 The Evolution of Angel Investing28:10 Joining Andreessen Horowitz30:37 Investing in Futuristic Ideas35:24 Key Investments: Oculus and Coinbase40:20 Establishing a Crypto Fund45:07 Current Landscape of Web 3 and Crypto49:41 Lessons from Mark Andreessen and Ben Horowitz51:22 New York vs. Silicon Valley: A Tech Hub Comparison

Olivier Pomel is the cofounder/CEO of Datadog. We trace his path from French open-source tinkerer to NYC founder, the dev-vs-ops friction that sparked Datadog, finding product-market fit through integrations, and the choice to stay independent en route to a 2019 IPO and S&P 500. Olivier shares scaling war stories, culture and GTM lessons, and what observability means in an AI era. If you build software—or companies—this one’s packed with playbooks, from hiring to pricing to platform bets that work.

Part 2 of the Amazing career of Susan Lyne. Working with Martha Stewart. Gilt Groupe. Becoming a VC.

I’ve maybe never interviewed anyone in my entire time as a historian and podcaster who has had a career as broad and varied as Susan Lyne. Yes, I obviously wanted to talk to Susan about her role helping startup Gilt Group, and her current role as the managing partner of the VC firm BBG Ventures. But, holy how. Susan also launched and oversaw the golden era of Premiere Magazine. She was the CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia when Martha had to step away to, you know, go to prison. And she was the President of ABC Entertainment. She oversaw the development of shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Lost. So, like, yeah. We needed to do two episodes. So this is part one, with the great, Susan Lyne.Chapters:00:00 From Boston to Berkeley: A Transformative Journey08:00 The Rise of Alternative Media: Village Voice Era16:06 Hollywood Calling: The IPC Films Experience23:12 Launching Premier Magazine: Inside Hollywood36:14 Navigating the ABC Landscape: A New Era40:28 Developing Grey's Anatomy And LostTakeawaysSusan's upbringing in Boston shaped her perspective on expectations and identity.Her time at UC Berkeley was transformative, exposing her to diverse ideas.Freelancing in journalism helped her develop a passion for storytelling.Working at City Magazine under Francis Ford Coppola was a unique experience.The Village Voice was a golden era for alternative media in New York.Susan's transition to Hollywood was driven by her love for storytelling.Premier Magazine aimed to provide in-depth insights into the film industry.At ABC, she focused on creating shows that appealed to women.Susan learned the importance of having a supportive partner in leadership.Her experience at ABC taught her valuable lessons about resilience and change.

In the more than 200 episodes I’ve done for this podcast, never has the designation “legend” been more appropriate. Esther Dyson is a legend of modern technology, having been present for so many key moments from the early PC era through to the AI era. She’s advised, interviewed and mentored basically every major tech figure over the last several decades. Dyson shares her unique journey from growing up in a family of prominent scientists to becoming a leading figure in tech investing and journalism. She discusses her philosophy of embracing mistakes, the evolution of her career, and her insights into the tech landscape, including the dot-com bubble and the rise of AI. Dyson also reflects on her experiences in Eastern Europe, health tech initiatives, and her adventures in space, culminating in a captivating story about a cosmonaut suit.Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Connection03:42 Growing Up in a Unique Environment10:12 Transitioning to Tech and Investing18:03 Creating Impactful Conferences22:35 Navigating the Dot Com Bubble27:25 Reflections on Predictions and AI32:31 Governance and the Evolution of the Internet40:03 Investment Philosophy and Learning from Experience45:19 Eastern Europe: A Tech Narrative54:42 Investing in Space: A Personal JourneyTakeawaysAlways make new mistakes to learn and grow.Understanding economics can change the world more than politics.Journalism trains you to ask the right questions.Investing is about learning, not just earning.Creating impactful conferences requires engaging formats.The dot-com bubble taught valuable lessons about business models.Investing in Eastern Europe was a rewarding experience.Health tech initiatives should aim to empower communities.AI's future is uncertain, but its impact is undeniable.Personal experiences shape investment decisions.

Henry Blodget shares his journey from a history major to a prominent figure in finance and journalism, discussing the rise of the internet, the dot-com bubble, and the lessons learned from that era. He reflects on his career, including his famous $400 price target Amazon prediction, the evolution of media with the launch of Business Insider, and the current landscape of AI and investing.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Early Life02:42 Career Beginnings in Journalism05:44 Transition to Finance and Technology08:19 Analyzing Internet Companies11:33 The Internet Boom and IPOs14:39 Lessons from the Dot-Com Bubble17:40 The Rise of Influencers in Finance20:34 The Amazon Call and Its Impact23:21 Wall Street's Perspective on Tech Companies26:45 The AOL Time Warner Lesson29:47 Merrill Lynch and Global Internet Research32:38 Post-Bubble Reflections and Reinvention35:31 The Birth of Business Insider38:39 The Evolution of Media and Journalism41:37 Building a Talented Newsroom44:28 Parallels Between AI and the Dot-Com Era47:46 Advice for Individual Investors50:33 New York City as a Startup Ecosystem53:44 Current Projects and Future Aspirations