Best Patio11 Podcasts (2024)

1
Decisions Nobody Made, policy edition, with Dave Guarino 1:22:26

2h ago1:22:26

1:22:26

In this episode of Complex System, Patrick McKenzie (aka @Patio11) is joined by Dave Guarino, a software engineer and policy wonk. They explore the complexities and challenges of public programs, focusing on SNAP aka CalFresh in California, where Dave was the founding engineer and then director. They discuss how society’s complex preferences become…

1
True Crime, banking edition 53:12

7d ago53:12

53:12

In this episode of Complex System, the tables are turned and media entrepreneur/investor Erik Torenberg interviews Patrick McKenzie (patio11) about the intricacies of the financial system, focusing on banking, money laundering, and regulatory compliance. They discuss several of Patrick’s essays from Bits About Money. Patrick discusses the three sta…

1
That time we accidentally created national healthcare infrastructure, with Dave Kasten 1:36:06

8d ago1:36:06

1:36:06

In this episode, Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Dave Kasten, to discuss their experiences building VaccinateCA, a charitable effort that collected, collated, and distributed vaccine distribution information during the COVID-19 pandemic. (If you Googled for the vaccine, the search results likely came from VaccinateCA’s data.) They cover the…

1
The mad science of drilling the earth with Austin Vernon 1:11:23

15d ago1:11:23

1:11:23

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Austin Vernon, a petroleum engineer, to discuss the technology and economics of fracking. Austin explains the evolution of drilling technology, the financial ecosystem supporting the oil industry – including the unique "doctor and lawyer money" funding model – and the complex interplay of mineral rights laws …

1
Balancing control and chaos: cybernetics, fraud, and modern organizations with Dan Davies 1:23:56

22d ago1:23:56

1:23:56

In this episode, Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Dan Davies, author of Lying for Money, and The Unaccountability Machine. They discuss how cybernetics–the study of control and communication in complex systems–applies to modern organizations and decision-making. Dan and Patrick discuss how organizations change as they grow, financial fraud a…

1
Energy economics and rocket science with Casey Handmer 1:25:18

29d ago1:25:18

1:25:18

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Casey Handmer, rocket scientist turned CEO of Terraform Industries. Casey discusses the rapid advancements in solar power, the bureaucratic challenges of NASA, the incomprehensible success of SpaceX, and the evolving energy landscape. Casey touches on his experiences at JPL revealing how the organization’s fe…

1
Bet on it: Zvi Mowshowitz on professional gambling, trading, and AI futures 1:26:22

1M ago1:26:22

1:26:22

In this episode, Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Zvi Mowshowitz (TheZvi) to discuss his wide-ranging career as a professional Magic: The Gathering player, sports gambler, equities trader, public intellectual on the covid-19 epidemic, and AI-focused journalist. They go into depth on how trading happens in less formal markets with lessons tha…

1
Betting on the future via prediction markets, with Stephen Grugett of Manifold 51:57

1M ago51:57

51:57

In this episode, Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Stephen Grugett, a co-founder of Manifold, to discuss prediction markets. They cover how prediction markets work, their efficiency in aggregating information, and why they serve as a minority report against prevailing narratives. They cover past controversies, potential risks, and the philoso…

1
Reporting on tech with Kelsey Piper 1:06:40

2M ago1:06:40

1:06:40

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Kelsey Piper, a journalist for Vox’s Future Perfect. Kelsey recently reported on equity irregularities at OpenAI in May of 2024, leading to an improvement of their policies in this area. We discuss the social function of equity in the technology industry, why the tech industry and reporters have had a frosty …

1
Writing the first draft of financial history with Byrne Hobart 50:45

2M ago50:45

50:45

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Byrne Hobart to discuss Byrne’s vantage point as writer of The Diff, a tech and finance newsletter. Byrne explains the toxicity of the 30-year mortgage, the dynamics of the finance newsletter ecosystem, how rationalist epistemics can be applied to hedge funds, and the joy of learning about an industry from sc…

1
How the Smart Money teaches trading with Ricki Heicklen 1:40:15

2M ago1:40:15

1:40:15

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) and Ricki Heicklen discuss Ricki’s innovative approaches to teaching trading. Trading is traditionally taught only by practitioners, to practitioners. The curricula that trading firms use are not published externally, to avoid empowering competitors. Ricki explains how she teaches trade mechanics, how markets and traders …

1
Kalzumeus Podcast Episode 14: Running A Business Portfolio with Jonathan Siegel 50:34

7+ y ago50:34

50:34

Jonathan Siegel is a buddy of mine who lives in Tokyo. I can’t decide whether I’m more floored by the fact that he runs five businesses at once or has eight kids. He recently wrote a book The San Francisco Fallacy, mostly to share his experience with running software businesses for the last two decades with folks who might be getting a wee bit too …

1
Kalzumeus Podcast Episode 13: Selling Online Businesses With Thomas Smale 49:44

8y ago49:44

49:44

I sold Bingo Card Creator, the business I’m probably best known for, through FEI last year. Thomas Smale, the principal of that brokerage, is now a buddy of mine, and he agreed to chat with me a bit about what goes into buying and selling online businesses. I think it is of particular interest to those of you with SaaS businesses already, but it mi…

1
Kalzumeus Podcast Episode 12: Salary Negotiation with Josh Doody 50:29

8+ y ago50:29

50:29

Several years ago I wrote a blog post on salary negotiation for engineers. This probably created more value than anything else I’ve ever written — I have a folder in Gmail with thank-you messages from people, and my running total is something north of $2.3 million in added salary per year, mostly in $15k to $25k chunks. A buddy of mine, Josh Doody,…

1
Kalzumeus Podcast Episode 11: Bootstrapping vs. Raising Money 1:01:45

9+ y ago1:01:45

1:01:45

Keith and I are joined by special guest Jay Winder, CEO of MakeLeaps, in this 11th episode of the podcast. We talk a bit about doing business in Japan, raising money vs. bootstrapping as a SaaS company, how AngelList is going to eat the world, and the usual eclectic mix of topics. [Patrick notes: The transcript below has my commentary inserted like…

1
Kalzumeus Podcast Episode 10: Putting the “Family” in Family Business 53:46

9+ y ago53:46

53:46

Keith and I are back with the 10th episode of the podcast. This time we’re talking about our wives and kids, how much they mean to us (lots!), and how we try to fit being good husbands/fathers around our mutual desire to keep growing the businesses. [Patrick notes: The transcript below has my commentary inserted like this, as usual.] What you’ll le…

1
Kalzumeus Podcast Episode 9: Customer Onboarding With Samuel Hulick 1:15:54

10y ago1:15:54

1:15:54

Samuel Hulick, one of the guys I trust most with regards to SaaS user onboarding, joined us for this episode of the podcast. I met Sam first when he was writing a book on the topic. The best evidence I can give you for the proposition “Sam knows more than the vast majority of people about user onboarding experiences” is the fact that he’s written u…

1
Kalzumeus Podcast Episode 8: High Touch Software Sales with Steli Efti 1:17:52

10y ago1:17:52

1:17:52

I recently met Steli Efti, founder of Close.io, in Palo Alto, and did a podcast episode with him. Transcript and links below as per the usual. Sidenote: I listen to a lot of podcasts and have been using Marco Arment’s Overcast app recently to do so. It was the best $5 I ever spent. Give it a whirl. [Patrick notes: The transcript below has my commen…

1
Kalzumeus Podcast Episode 7: Launching New Products 1:54:41

10+ y ago1:54:41

1:54:41

Keith and I recorded a new episode of the podcast last year, but we didn’t get around to releasing it. [Patrick notes: The transcript below has my commentary inserted like this, as usual.] What you’ll learn in this podcast: How to pick a small, self-contained product, which is good to cut your teeth on as a dev-turned-entrepreneur. How Keith extrac…

1
Hiatus - MFF035 16:23

10+ y ago16:23

16:23

Have you ever asked yourself, what happens to your business if you get hurt or really sick? We break down the necessity to build systems in your company that allow you to take a hiatus, without slowing down progress. Jack speaks about his experience with Ruby and touches on outsourcing any sections of your business that cause you stress. In the lon…

1
Good Money Bad Money - MFF034 39:17

10+ y ago39:17

39:17

In todays episode Tim and Jack discuss the differences between good money and bad money. Your host debates what type of startup money is safest, and what kind of cash can get you in a lot of trouble. Often when we start new businesses and ideas, it requires some sort of startup investment. It is easy to go directly to family or to sources of quick …

1
Apps, Advertising, and Celebrities - MFF033 41:13

10+ y ago41:13

41:13

In today’s episode we talk about the tech fad of building apps, depending on ad revenue, and using celebrity endorsements to tweet about your company. Jack tells a classroom of Penn State Telecommunications Majors, who are working on a business idea, that not all problems can be solved with apps. Your success in business should not be dependent on …

1
Losing Focus and Shiny Object Syndrome - MFF032 37:55

10+ y ago37:55

37:55

In todays episode Tim and Jack discuss placing all your eggs in one basket, and how to recognize when you are losing focus. A successful startup will require as many resources as you can divulge. Time, money, or a mixture of the two. Many new businesses find themselves chasing after short-term traction, and losing focus on long-term sustainability …

1
Surviving Product Launch Mistakes - MFF031 38:47

10+ y ago38:47

38:47

In this episode Tim and Jack discuss a few classic mistakes in their careers launching products and online companies. Every market receives information in a unique way. Understanding how to communicate with your customers is the first step to surviving a launch. Tim tells us about his huge mistake of using an email marketing campaign on a customer …

1
What Kind Of Minimum Viable Product Are You Building? - MFF030 50:49

10+ y ago50:49

50:49

How to properly execute an MVP…In todays episode we explore some common mistakes made by new businesses on a path to success. Startups often fall into the trap of trying to “do it all.” In these moments of frustration, when the wheels feel like they’re spinning in place, we must ask ourselves the following questions. Do I want to be a business owne…

1
Identify The Profitable Byproducts Hidden In Your Business - MFF029 32:23

10+ y ago32:23

32:23

Turning Waste Into Fortunes In this episode we explore ways to increase profitability by selling your waste, literally. Tim and Jack discuss the importance of understanding and locating potential wastes which your business can profit from. Jack is working on an interview training service for university students where they do a phone interview and g…

1
MFF028 - Are Online To Offline Businesses Doomed To Fail? 42:08

10+ y ago42:08

42:08

A Postmortem Of A Startup Postmortem In todays episode we examine the final “nail in the coffin” of bad business marketing, margins, mistakes, and quality control, as we dive deep into online and offline business strategies. Are you making enough money to hire contractors or employees? Which should you choose and why? We break down the necessity of…

1
MFF027 - Understanding The Entrepreneurial Mind 39:55

10+ y ago39:55

39:55

The mind of an entrepreneur is a powerful thing. Often times our brain gets far ahead of us, trying to organize and attack many ideas at once. Are you asking yourself the most important question of your business? What are the 20% of the things you do for your business that make the largest impact in growth? This question is one that haunts many bus…

1
MFF026 - Sales Funnels: Find 'em , Fix 'em, And Fill 'em 45:31

10+ y ago45:31

45:31

A sales funnel is the mechanisms you create or don’t create that guide people to your buy button. What techniques, materials, information, media, and marketing are being used to convert a potential customer into a buyer? Are you using explainer videos, info graphics, email marketing, image marketing, free books, or other free materials? What are th…

1
MFF025 - Turn Podcasting Into A Marketing Machine 44:17

10+ y ago44:17

44:17

The are many key components to creating a successful podcast. From the technicalities of recording the audio to the format of the show. Asking the right questions before you sit down to create your podcast, is the first step. Determining the information and content of your show, will ultimately determine how well it sells your products or services.…

1
MFF024 - Should You Fall In Love With Your Idea? 39:25

10+ y ago39:25

39:25

When You Came Up With Your Idea Was It Love At First Sight? Many entrepreneurs believe that their next big business plan is as easy or hard, as coming up with an original idea, and putting it down on paper. What many don’t realize is new markets don’t often blast off into riches. Many great businesses start by finding an opportunity for growth and …

1
The Long Slow SaaS Ramp Of Death - MFF023 47:25

10+ y ago47:25

47:25

Most startups enter the world of SaaS (Software as a Service) thinking everything is going to be rainbows and gold coins falling from the sky; where you upload your final code and watch the money pour passively into your Cayman Island bank account every single month without lifting a finger. Turns out this is NOT the case (Tim and I can both say fr…

1
Money Making Marketing Metrics - MFF022 53:37

10+ y ago53:37

53:37

Knowing How To Increase Your Revenue Starts With Knowing Where To Look… Many startups know to track Cost Per Click (CPC), but not what to do with that knowledge. CPC really isn't that important until a startup needs to optimize their costs. What is really important is how much a new customer costs to acquire (CAC) from that ad spend and whether the…

1
Building Profitable Lists And How To Convert Them Into Sales – MFF021 45:01

10+ y ago45:01

45:01

Because Having A List Doesn’t Mean Much If You Never Use It… As most online startups by nature require an e-mail signup, chances are you’ve already got yourself an established mailing list. In many cases though, startup founders fail to actually contact these potential or current customers, and if they do they’re usually not doing it very effective…

1
Creating A Service In A SaaS Business Without All The Headaches – MFF020 39:03

10+ y ago39:03

39:03

How To Reduce Churn By Offering A Complete Solution… On the face of it, combining a product and service-based business seems like it would solve some of the big problems many startups face. The problem is though that productizing a service and building a SaaS business can be much more difficult than it may seem, and in a lot of cases can create a m…

1
3 Simple Ways To Grow A Business From A Marketing Master - MFF019 50:23

10+ y ago50:23

50:23

Exploring Jay Abraham’s ‘3 Ways To Grow’ Concept… When it comes to growing a business, it’s easy for us to over-complicated matters and lose sight of what’s really going to bring us both short and long term results. Sometimes the best way to move forward is to forget what the internet gurus throw at us and really study what the old school marketing…

1
The Founder’s Guide To Loss Leaders And Self-Liquidating Offers – MFF018 36:27

10+ y ago36:27

36:27

Setting Up An Early Loss For A Long Term Gain… I bet there aren’t many founders out there who are happy to see the word ‘loss’ anywhere, but stick with us here. This week we’re dealing with two marketing concepts which we see most often in the retail world, but can have enormous potential when re-applied to our online businesses and startups. Altho…

1
Bridging The Gap Between Image Based And Direct Response Marketing – MFF017 40:23

10+ y ago40:23

40:23

Why You Shouldn’t Put All Your Marketing Eggs In The One Basket… It’s an age-old marketing question. As founders, should we be focusing on building our companies image and branding or should we be targeting our audience with a killer direct response strategy? There’s no doubting that both forms of marketing will prove to be beneficial over time, bu…

1
Building A Marketing Masterplan To Boost Sales And Drive More Customers – MFF016 34:14

10+ y ago34:14

34:14

Planning Ahead For Your Startup’s Long Term Success… So many startup founders love to meticulously plan out the development process of their product, from the initial stages all the way through to having a completed product. The reality is though that great marketing is still the tool which is going to convert all that hard work to money in your po…

1
A Crash Course In Creating Engaging Webinars For Your Startup – MFF015 40:21

11y ago40:21

40:21

Deliver Live, Interactive And Effective Content Directly To Your Audience… Webinars and web conferencing have come a long way since the dark days of less-than-stellar internet connections, frequent dropouts and questionable video quality. These days all it takes to educate and sell to a live audience is a smartphone and high speed internet – though…

1
Get Noticed In Your Target Market Through The Power Of Lumpy Mail – MFF014 39:37

11y ago39:37

39:37

Taking Your Direct Mail To The Next Level… We’ve talked previously on the show about the importance of implementing a direct mail strategy in to your startups marketing, so now we’re taking those concepts one step further. While sending regular flat envelopes to your target market can be super effective, it’s undeniable that receiving a piece of lu…

1
The Right Way To Build An Effective Sales Team For Your Startup – MFF013 31:49

11y ago31:49

31:49

The Best Salespeople Know Your Product Inside And Out… There is a whole lot of information out there for startups on how to sell to VC’s, but as founders, knowing how to sell to your customers can prove to be so much more valuable. Of course there will come a time when you just can’t do it all yourself, so now it’s time to consider hiring a quality…

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