Best Sunil Rajaraman Podcasts (2024)

1
Will Real Estate Ever Be Affordable Again? (Guest: Keith Wasserman, Gelt) 43:46

2y ago43:46

43:46

Keith Wasserman is a bona fide real estate mogul. He runs a billion dollar real estate portfolio for Gelt, and is a serial entrepreneur. We asked Keith a number of questions about the current real estate environment - and we ultimately ask whether real estate will ever be affordable again. If you are in the market for a single family home in the Ba…

1
What is Crypto and why Does it Matter? (Guest: Matt Taylor, Head of Growth at Solana) 55:22

2+ y ago55:22

55:22

Crypto is having its moment (again) in 2021. But why does it matter to the average person, what is it, and how will it affect your life? We spend time talking to Matt Taylor - the Head of Growth at Solana (one of the hottest crypto projects on the planet right now) to discuss these subjects and more. LISTENER NOTE - we apologize for audio choppines…

1
What the Hell Happened at WeWork (Part 2)? 57:55

3y ago57:55

57:55

Eilot Brown is a Wall Street Journal Reporter who covers startups and venture capital. For the past year, much of his focus has been on completing his book on WeWork. We interviewed Eliot pre-pandemic, and invited him back for our first in-person interview in over 16 months. It was epic. We talked to Eliot about the book and the (possible?) resurge…

1
What was it Like Writing 'The' Book on Instagram? (Guest, Sarah Frier, Technology Reporter, Author of 'No Filter') 35:43

3y ago35:43

35:43

Sarah Frier is a technology journalist for Bloomberg News, and an author. Her book - 'No Filter' - released late last year highlighted the 'insider story' of Instagram. We spoke to Frier about the book, about social media in general, and covered a number of other topics for this wide-ranging interview. The episode was recorded late last year, aroun…

1
Eerily Quiet on the Front Lines of the Battle (Guest, Sumit Shah, Special Edition - 'Distanced') 45:30

3+ y ago45:30

45:30

SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the next few weeks. Sumit Shah is a Doctor at Stanford, wher…

1
What Is Going on with the Stock Market? (Guest: Rohan Rangaraj, Special Edition - 'Distanced') 55:11

3+ y ago55:11

55:11

SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the next few weeks. Rohan Rangaraj is a Miami-based investme…

1
A snapshot into the future of life during COVID-19 (Guest, Austin Sheppard, Special Edition - 'Distanced') 1:02:40

3+ y ago1:02:40

1:02:40

SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the next few weeks. Americans are just getting used to life …

1
Where Did We Go Wrong, and What Can We Do Better Next Time? (Guest: Ryan Panchadsaram, Special Edition - 'Distanced') 51:30

3+ y ago51:30

51:30

SPECIAL EDITION: We recorded several conversations with people from around the world at the start of the pandemic. They were originally released as part of a separate podcast called 'Distanced', but we are releasing those conversations as part of 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley' over the next few weeks. Ryan Panchadsaram was Deputy CTO at the …

1
Is Education As We Know it Finished (Guest: Ryan Delk, CEO/Co-Founder, Primer)? 39:10

3+ y ago39:10

39:10

The pandemic has closed schools and massively affected the way we think of traditional education. How will future generations be affected by the sudden change in how we learn? We asked the CEO of Primer, Ryan Delk about this and more. Many parents are struggling with how to cope with the sudden changes surrounding the pandemic. Kids are at home all…

1
Why are State Elections More Important than Federal elections? (Guest: Jessica Alter, Founder/CEO, Tech For Campaigns) 37:45

3+ y ago37:45

37:45

Jessica Alter is the Founder/CEO of Tech For Campaigns. She was also one fo the first guests we hosted on 'This is Your Life in Silicon Valley'. A lot has changed in the three years since we interviewed Jessica - the organization she built grew massively. We ask Jessica why democrats are still way behind on technology, and why we should be worried …

1
Is Silicon Valley Going to be a Template for the Rest of the World? (Guest: Rishi Kumar, US Congressional Candidate) 37:28

3+ y ago37:28

37:28

Rishi Kumar is a successful technology executive turned politician. Kumar has been in the local political scene for a long time now and is running for Congress. We ask Kumar about what he wants to bring from Silicon Valley to DC. Is Silicon Valley ultimately the template the rest of the country will emulate? We ask Kumar about Saratoga, CA where he…

1
Is 'Indian Matchmaking' Like Actual Indian Culture? (Guest, Srinivas Rao, 'Contestant' on 'Indian Matchmaking'/Author/Speaker/Podcaster) 43:28

3+ y ago43:28

43:28

'Indian Matchmaking' has captured the attention of America. It's one of the top-ten most popular shows on Netflix in the month of July. How did 'Indian Matchmaking' turn into such a cultural phenomenon? We talked to Srinivas Rao - one of the shows 'contestants' about the show and what it tell us about Indian culture. Srinivas recounts his days in t…

1
Is the Fate of all Social Media Negativity and Despair? (Guest: Charles Hudson, Managing Partner - Precursor Ventures) 42:06

4y ago42:06

42:06

Charles Hudson is a Silicon Valley-based investor. He is part of a small percentage of Black Managing Partners of Venture funds here in the Bay Area. In this incredibly insightful interview, we talk to Charles about investing in Underrepresented Founders, Media, and his take on the fate of social media. We talk to Charles about his career in the Va…

1
How Do You Fix Tech's Diversity Problem? (Guest: Kobie Fuller, General Partner - Upfront Ventures) 31:53

4y ago31:53

31:53

Kobie Fuller is a General Partner at Upfront Ventures in Los Angeles. He also started Valence Community - a Los Angeles-based online professional network for Black talent. Kobie might have the *actual* answers as to how to fix tech's long standing diversity problem. Kobie talks about his journey into Venture Capital and his perspectives and feeling…

1
Can We Restore Faith in Our Institutions? (Guest: Dave Pell, Founder of NextDraft) 41:07

4y ago41:07

41:07

Dave Pell is the Founder of NextDraft - one of the most popular newsletters on the Internet. He also has an opinion or two on tech, politics, and the current state of our country. We deep-dive with Dave on numerous subjects, including BLM, the state of media, and what we can be optimistic about at the moment. We recorded this interview shortly afte…

1
What Does Tech Think of the Media? (Guest: Semil Shah, Founder/GP Haystack) 42:24

4y ago42:24

42:24

Semil Shah is the Founder of Haystack - an early-stage venture fund. He's also one of Silicon Valley's most interesting personalities - he's been a chef, a media maven, and just about everything in-between. In a wide-ranging interview, we ask Semil about the future of media and the future of tech. We talk about quarantine life with Semil, and what …

1
How will we remember our loved ones? (Guest, Amelia Lin, Co-Founder/CEO Saga) 42:00

4y ago42:00

42:00

Amelia Lin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Saga. She's a career technologist and is solving a very timely problem during the age of COVID - how - during a time we can't interact with our loved ones - can we share and preserve their memories? We talk to Amelia about her journey through the tech world, including her experience in online education (which…

1
Will You Find Love During Shelter in Place? (Guest, Dawoon Kang, Co-CEO - Coffee Meets Bagel) 32:19

4y ago32:19

32:19

Dawoon Kang is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Coffee Meets Bagel. She knows a thing or two about building a successful business, and finding love during the age of COVID. So how have relationships changed as a result of the pandemic? We dig into this and much more during this Zoom-edition of the podcast. We learn more about the origins of Coffee Meet…

1
What's it Like to Go Viral? (Guest: Jenn Takahashi, Best of Next Door) 28:26

4y ago28:26

28:26

Jenn Takahashi is a San Francisco-based PR and Comms professional. She also started a viral social media account entitled 'Best of Next Door'. We talk to Jenn about how she started Best of Next Door, the future of online dating, and much much more. Jenn starts off the interview talking a bit about dating during the pandemic. We ask what the future …

1
What is the True Cost of Living in San Francisco? (Guest: Gina Fromer, Children's Council of San Francisco) 28:51

4y ago28:51

28:51

Gina Fromer is the CEO of the Children's Council of San Francisco. She is also a 6th generation San Franciscan. She has seen a lot of change over the years to the city and its surrounding environment. What keeps her 'addicted' to San Francisco, and what is the *true* cost of living here these days? We talk about that and more in today's episode of …

1
Miami, FL: What Is Going on with the Stock Market? 54:09

4y ago54:09

54:09

Rohan Rangaraj is a Miami-based investment professional. Rohan started his career at Cascade Investments LLC, which is an investment holding company controlled by Bill Gates and managed by various investment professionals. He also started his own hedge fund. I ask Rohan - what the hell is going on with the stock market? Rohan is currently based in …

1
Is who you are on Twitter = who you are IRL? (Guest: Austen Allred, Founder/CEO of Lambda School) 51:15

4y ago51:15

51:15

Austen Allred is the Founder/CEO of Lambda School - a company pioneering the ISA model (Income Share Agreement) wherein students only pay for their education after they successfully land employment. Austen is also a prolific Tweeter and thought leader in Silicon Valley. We discuss the future of Lambda, the future of journalism and more in this wide…

1
Oakland, CA: What Will Become of the Media? (Guest: Molly Wood) 49:47

4y ago49:47

49:47

Molly Wood is an Oakland, CA-based journalist. She is a pioneer in both public radio and the podcasting industry. I ask Molly candidly - what is going on with media right now, and what will the future hold? Molly talks about her current situation in Oakland, where she has been largely WFH for the past several years anyway. But has quarantine driven…

1
New York, NY: What Will Normal Even Look Like? (Guest: Marisa Miller Wolfson) 47:13

4y ago47:13

47:13

Marisa Miller Wolfson is a New York-based filmmaker, author and mom. She produced the hit Netflix documentary, Vegucated which nearly convinced the host of this podcast to turn vegan years ago. As a storyteller, Marissa has a unique perspective on how the pandemic is unfolding in New York. Marisa sets the stage by offering a picture of what New Yor…

1
San Diego, CA: Managing Life Under Quarantine is Hard Enough, But with Four Kids? (Guest: Kate Rossettie) 37:58

4y ago37:58

37:58

Most of us are having a hard enough time handling life without some basic comforts and amenities. But can you imagine shelter in place with 4 kids? Kate Rossettie and her husband are managing with two jobs and four kids. I talk to Kate about life in San Diego at the moment. Are Californians really flooding beaches and state parks in defiance of she…

1
Boston, MA: What do the Most Severe COVID Patients Experience? (Guest, Alex Sheng, MD) 35:16

4y ago35:16

35:16

Alex Sheng is an ER Doc at Boston Medical Center, the busiest ER in New England, and the 8th busiest ER in the country. Alex is really, truly at the frontlines of the COVID crisis - I asked Alex about what he's seeing with patients, and what he's experiencing in Boston. Alex and his wife both work in healthcare - his wife is at a hospice care cente…

1
Grand Rapids, MI: What will be the fate of Small Business in America? (Guest, Natalie Hawkins) 45:37

4y ago45:37

45:37

Natalie Hawkins is a designer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She's lived in CA, and recently moved back to the midwest. I ask Natalie how Michigan is handling the COVID crisis. Natalie talks about her experiences both living in CA and MI and whether there is a place she'd prefer to live at this particular moment. We get a sense of Grand Rapids - …

1
Why is There Tension Between Tech and Journalism? (Guest: David Pierce, Protocol) 47:24

4y ago47:24

47:24

David Pierce is the Editor-at-Large of Protocol - a new publication covering technology in a similar way Politico covers politics (with the same owner). We recorded this episode in January pre-COVID-19 - and asked David at the time - why was there increasing tension between technologists and journalists? David was clearly highly concerned about COV…

1
San Francisco, CA: Where Did We Go Wrong, and What Can We Do Better Next Time? (Guest: Ryan Panchadsaram) 50:27

4y ago50:27

50:27

Ryan Panchadsaram was Deputy CTO at the Obama White House, where he helped launch Healthcare.gov. He has an opinion or two on how we can react better to the next pandemic, and what we can to do stave off the worst effects of the current one. Ryan talks about the different agencies involved in pandemic response, and explains to the layperson how age…

1
Stanford, CA: Eerily Quiet on the Front Lines of the Battle (Guest, Sumit Shah) 44:29

4y ago44:29

44:29

Sumit Shah is a Doctor at Stanford, where he treats cancer patients. Sumit is atop his field and is highly concerned about the effect COVID can have on the vulnerable population - which is literally everyone he treats. I talk to Sumit about testing and why it is important. We get a detailed glimpse into what life is like in the hospital. Eerily, it…

1
Shanghai, China: A snapshot into the future of life during COVID-19 (Guest, Austin Sheppard) 1:01:37

4y ago1:01:37

1:01:37

Americans are just getting used to life in quarantine during the age of the Coronavirus. But China has an 8-week head start. The first episode of 'distanced./ explores what our future holds through a lengthy interview with an American expat in China. What will life look like for us in the future? Austin Sheppard works in the software industry and h…

1
distanced. Trailer. 0:37

4y ago0:37

0:37

Welcome to distanced - a podcast about life during the age of the Coronavirus. My goal for distanced is to give listeners a view into how life is changing in various cities around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic.By Sunil Rajaraman

1
What's the Best Way to Manage Anxiety? (Guest: Tony Hale, Emmy Award Winning Actor in Veep, Arrested Development) 38:07

4y ago38:07

38:07

Tony Hale is a world-famous actor known for his roles in Arrested Development (Buster Bluth) and Veep (Gary Walsh). You would think someone who has won numerous awards and performs in front of people for a living would feel comfortable in crowds. You might be wrong. We talk to Tony about his struggles with anxiety, and a bunch of other subjects in …

1
Will Coronavirus (COVID-19) delay the AirBnB IPO? (Guest, Cory Weinberg, Reporter, The Information) 40:31

4y ago40:31

40:31

Cory Weinberg is a reporter for The Information, covering the intersection of tech and cities. We wanted to bring Cory on the show to talk about San Franicsco housing policy, Coronavirus, and of course AirBnb. You won't want to miss this one if you're thinking about the housing crisis, or the looming AirBnb IPO. We learn a bit about Cory's backgrou…

1
What is Life Like After Being a Professional Athlete? (Guest: Justin Forsett, Former NFL Pro Bowler) 47:18

4y ago47:18

47:18

Justin Forsett is a former NFL Running Back who hailed from a small town in Florida. Justin's NFL career hit its pinnacle when he made the Pro Bowl. Prior to the NFL, Justin shared the backfield at Cal with Marshawn 'Beast Mode' Lynch. But what is life like after hitting the absolute pinnacle of professional sports? Justin talks about his second ac…

1
Is Tech Helping or Hurting American Communities? (Guest: Prakash Janakiraman, Co-Founder, Nextdoor) 41:47

4y ago41:47

41:47

Prakash Janakiraman is the Co-Founder and CTO of Nextdoor - the 'other' social network that we all use, but rarely discuss publicly. Nextdoor has quietly amassed a huge userbase across multiple countries and is growing in influence. But are people using Nextdoor for more than just crime alerts? We explore this and more on today's episode of TIYLISV…

1
Are Journalists Anti-Tech? (Guest: Kate Clark, Reporter, The Information) 37:14

4y ago37:14

37:14

Kate Clark is a technology reporter for The Information - a well-reputed publication read by tech industry insiders. In our first solo episode in a while - Sunil sits down with Kate to ask her about the state of journalism and tech. Are reporters inherently biased against tech companies? We talk to Kate about her transition from Techcrunch to The I…

1
What's the Most Important Job in the World? (Guest: Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram) 36:34

4+ y ago36:34

36:34

Adam Mosseri is the CEO of Instagram - which is arguably the most important social network on the planet at the moment. Adam also ran Facebook's News Feed product. In short, Adam has been influential in your life without you even knowing it - the decisions he's made have influenced how you've viewed your social media feeds over the past decade. We …

1
Special Episode - Silicon Valley Decade In Review (Guests: Antonio Garcia Martinez, Molly Wood) 1:08:37

4+ y ago1:08:37

1:08:37

How will the 2010s be remembered in Silicon Valley? So much happened - between the rise of Instagram, Facebook's dominance, Teslas everywhere, tech going from beloved to reviled... And the 2020s should bring even more fun. We have the return of two previous podcast guests - Molly Wood and Antonio Garcia Martinez - to discuss some of the decade's bi…

1
What the Hell Happened at WeWork? (Guest: Eliot Brown, Wall Street Journal) 51:49

4+ y ago51:49

51:49

When you look back on the decade in tech, one of the biggest stories will be the rise and fall of WeWork. And while the company is still around, it has shed around $40B in valuation in the past few months. At the forefront of the story is the mercurial Founder of WeWork - Adam Neumann. And a Wall Street Journal Reporter named Eliot Brown - who brok…

1
Don't Pay Your Water Bill? Pay the Consequences. (Guest: Tiffani Bell, The Human Utility) 40:06

4+ y ago40:06

40:06

Tiffani Bell is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur working on a not-for-profit funded by Y Combinator. Tiffani's mission? Help people pay their water bills. The consequences are direr, and the stakes are much higher than you'd think. Tiffani is helping families in Detroit pay their water bills. You will walk away absolutely shocked with what the consequ…

1
If You're So Amazing, Why Are You Still Single? (Guest: Amanda Bradford, Founder/CEO of The League) 55:04

4+ y ago55:04

55:04

We hosted our second live show in San Francisco featuring Amanda Bradford - the Founder/CEO of The League. We asked Amanda about why online dating is broken, what she thinks of all the major dating websites, and how The League's approach differs. We invite audience members to share crazy online dating stories at the end of this episode - it's a mus…

1
Silicon Valley Does Not Care About Female Founders (Guest: Lisa Fetterman, Founder/CEO, Nomiku) 36:32

5y ago36:32

36:32

Lisa Fetterman is here to tell it like it is. She's a gifted entrepreneur and inventor, and she cannot understand why Silicon Valley doesn't care about female founders. This is a must-listen edition of the show featuring some great insight on how to fix the diversity problem in tech. Fetterman started her current company with her husband, and when …

1
Are Smartphones Actually That Bad For You? (Guest: Tim Kendall, CEO of Moment, Former President of Pinterest) 40:00

5y ago40:00

40:00

Tim Kendall is a Silicon Valley OG. Tim ran monetization at Facebook, and later became Head of Product At Pinterest (and eventually President). Tim is responsible for thinking through products that impact our lives on a daily basis. His latest mission is to get people to use their smartphones less through an app called Moment. We talk to Tim about …

1
Will it Take a Natural Disaster for People to Like Silicon Valley Again? (Guest: Susan MacTavish Best) 34:17

5y ago34:17

34:17

Susan MacTavish Best is a San Francisco cultural icon. Originally from Scotland and Canada, MacTavish worked in the PR business and got to know some of technology's top executives since the 90s. MacTavish now splits time between San Francisco, New York and London, and has a starkly unique perspective on how life in the Bay Area has changed in recen…

1
Do You Prefer Starbucks, Blue Bottle, or Philz? (Guests: Philz Coffee CEO Jacob Jaber, Techcrunch Reporter Kate Clark) 39:14

5y ago39:14

39:14

Special episode alert! Techcrunch reporter Kate Clark sent a tweet out about how she hates Philz Coffee. We decided to bring her on the show with Philz CEO Jacob Jaber to convince her otherwise. Hilarity ensued. Kate's tweet said she 'hated Philz more than Starbucks'. Co-host Sunil decided to reach out on the thread since he is a Philz fan and tag …

1
Is Homelessness Easier To Solve Than We Think? (Guest: Libby Schaaf, Mayor of Oakland) 42:36

5y ago42:36

42:36

The podcast is growing. So we decided to take it to the next level by hosting our first ever live event - in San Francisco - where we hosted Oakland's charismatic mayor Libby Schaaf. We were nervous that we'd screw up somehow and forget to hit the 'record' button, but thankfully the conversation is intact. Mayor Schaaf is a great, great interview -…

1
Can Theater Survive in the Age of Instagram? (Guests: Pam MacKinnon and Andy Donald, American Conservatory Theater) 29:02

5+ y ago29:02

29:02

Pam MacKinnon is a Tony Award-winning Director. She's spent decades atop the theater world, directing shows on and off-Broadway. Andy Donald is a west-coast native but has spent recent years on the East Coast as an artistic director. Both are now part of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco (as Artistic Director and Associate Artistic…

1
Should You Tweet About Your Meditation Retreat to Myanmar? (Guest: Jessica Powell, Author, Former Head of Communications at Google) 38:43

5+ y ago38:43

38:43

Jessica Powell ran communications at Google. She's now a bestselling author. We asked Jessica - who has seen her fair share of PR crises over the years - how she would handle communications issues facing some of the top tech companies in the world. You might be surprised where she stands on various issues plaguing some of technology's top players. …

1
Who Should Run Facebook? (Guest: Kara Swisher, Journalist, Co-Founder of Recode, New York Times Contributor) 42:02

5+ y ago42:02

42:02

Kara Swisher needs no introduction. She is one of the top business journalists, and covers technology for various outlets. More recently, Swisher became a contributor for the New York Times Opinion section - and she has a lot to say about Facebook. In this episode, we learn a lot about Swisher's background, where she grew up, and what her thoughts …

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Sunil Rajaraman Podcasts

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