Podcast — SHACK15

SHACK15 CONVERSATIONS PODCAST

Deep dive with the founders, investors, artists, athletes, and astronauts who contribute to the shack15 community. We'll explore the 'why' that motivates these individuals to build their businesses, and look closer at the mechanics behind 'how' they do what they do, surfacing some key insights and entertaining anecdotes along the way.

All episodes are recorded in front of a live audience of our friends and community at shack15 in San Francisco, or, live online as part of the ongoing programming series shack15 conversations.

On October 9th, SHACK15 hosted a roundtable discussion led by California State Senator Scott Wiener, which focused on artificial intelligence, regulation, and creating local impact within the Bay Area. Senator Wiener, who actively put forth legislation with backing from a few of the Bay Area's largest tech and AI companies, took questions from SHACK15 members working in AI and other fields. The event was hosted by Michael Seiler, whose impact acceleration consulting firm, Collective Impact, leverages growth marketing and new technology for those working on the frontlines of social and environmental challenges, introduced by SHACK15 programming manager Jaron Gandelman.

San Francisco has established itself as the global center for AI innovation, with an unparalleled concentration of builders, VCs, and AI-focused funding. As AI continues to shape industries and societal structures, there is an urgent need to consider the regulatory framework that governs its development and use, particularly in ways that create meaningful local impact. Senator Wiener’s forthcoming AI regulation bill aims to address these challenges, and this discussion serves as a platform to gather critical feedback from the builder community.

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Join us for an exclusive Author Talk with Guy Kawasaki. Guy needs no introduction but here we go - the chief evangelist of Canva and the creator of the Remarkable People podcast, who recently launched his book Think Remarkable. He is an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley), and adjunct professor of the University of New South Wales. He was the chief evangelist of Apple and a trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation. He has written Wise Guy, The Art of the Start 2.0, The Art of Social Media, Enchantment, and eleven other books.

In this podcast, SHACK15 member, founder and first CEO of Shazam - Chis Barton - is in conversation with us. Three-time startup founder, pioneer of mobile ecosystems at Google and Dropbox, and inventor of 12 patents including one found within the Google search algorithm, Chris is an incredibly charming personality. Shazam has been downloaded 2 billion times and was acquired by Apple in 2018 for a reported $400 million, making it Apple’s 6th largest acquisition of all time. Chris is now building his third startup company which will detect drowning in swimming pools using artificial intelligence and computer vision. Tune in, and enjoy!

In this conversation, we have an illuminating discussion with Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov moderated by Sebastian Thrun who started the Google Self-Driving Car project back in the day, and is also the founder of GoogleX, Google Brain, Waymo and Udacity. Tune in as they dive into the story behind Waymo's fully autonomous cars, and the road that lies ahead in this fascinating industry that is changing the way we move in the world.

One year after a stimulating panel discussion with the climate justice org People Over Plastic, SHACK15 hosted an evening of conversation featuring anti-GMO activist specializing in traditional Hawaiian farming Josh Mori and Bay Area-based Native educator, cultural arts advocate and CEO of The Cultural Conservancy Sara Moncada. They shared their unique perspectives on food sovereignty as a pathway toward climate justice, including indigenous-led solutions to heal and restore the land. The conversation was moderated by People over Plastic Managing Director Yvonne Chen with opening remarks by SHACK15 member Shilpi Chhotray, who is also co-founder and executive director of People over Plastic.

Today, over 100 billion garments are produced annually for less than 8 billion people worldwide, a massive overproduction that places fashion in critical opposition with the planet’s natural capacity to support life on earth. On December 5th, SHACK15 hosted Remake Founder and CEO Ayesha Barenblat and a special guest, the labor activist Kalpona Akter, Founder and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity, who is known globally for her engagement with various international organizations including United Nations agencies, to bring greater respect to garment workers in Bangladesh. She is now one of the most high-profile union organizers in the global garment industry. Together, Ayesha and Kalpona brought attention to the injustices within the fashion industry, centered the voices of garment workers, and shared ways that you can advocate for a more ethical, sustainable future of fashion. The conversation was introduced by SHACK15 member and founder and CEO of Dhana Inc., Shamini Dhana.

After decades of suppression, psychedelic medicine is having a pivotal moment. At the forefront is soap company Dr. Bronner’s, which is among the first companies in the U.S. to offer Ketamine-Assisted Therapy as part of its employee healthcare benefits. Together with Enthea, which provides insurance coverage for psychedelic healthcare, and Flow Integrative, Dr. Bronner’s is helping to change the perception of psychedelic medicine in the workplace, and the world. A recent panel discussion about the future of employee-supported psychedelic wellness included Elizabeth Kost, who works in branding and packaging for Dr. Bronner’s, Sherry Rais, who leads Enthea, and Christie Myers, who heads up Flow Integrative. Jen Nguyen of Teamwerc moderated the conversation. Let’s listen to their inspiring conversation.

Eleven months, nine tournaments, and $1.6 million in prize money all came down to one thing: the finals of the award-winning Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. SHACK15 hosted the Opening Ceremony in San Francisco's iconic Ferry Building on November 10th before the final battle to be the world's #1 online chess player began, hosted by Play Magnus Group and Meltwater, the title sponsor of the tour that has taken the chess world by storm. As part of the evening’s lineup, World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen spoke with Meltwater founder Jorn Lyseggen about what it takes to be the world's best. They explored what it means to cultivate the mindset of a champion, and the parallels between the worlds of chess and business. Let’s listen to their conversation.

The African tech scene has witnessed an explosion of innovation and growth in recent years with several impressive startups springing up all across the continent, a staggering influx of global talent and over 5 billion dollars raised in investment. From artificial intelligence, to the Internet of things, to blockchain, SHACK15 placed the spotlight on Africans using technologies in exciting ways to solve everyday problems and foster inclusivity. The conference on October 18 was presented in collaboration with MEST Africa in Ghana. MEST Africa is the non-profit arm of the software company Meltwater, and was established in Ghana in 2008. It has trained and developed thousands of software entrepreneurs and provided seed investment to a lot of them. The conference highlighted the success stories and investment opportunities for technology startups in Africa, and why it’s important that Silicon Valley pays attention now.

Part 2 focuses on How to Navigate Investments in African Startups, with panelists Lexi Novitske (General Partner, Norrsken22, Lagos Nigeria), Pardon Makumbe (Co-Founder and Managing Partner at CRE Venture Capital), and Aadil Mamujee (Founder, Musha Ventures, Kenya), as well as pitch sessions by Wi-flix Co-Founder and CCO Louis Manu, Smile Identity CTO Cameron Gray, and Omnibiz CEO Deepankar Rustagi.

The African tech scene has witnessed an explosion of innovation and growth in recent years with several impressive startups springing up all across the continent, a staggering influx of global talent and over 5 billion dollars raised in investment. From artificial intelligence, to the Internet of things, to blockchain, SHACK15 placed the spotlight on Africans using technologies in exciting ways to solve everyday problems and foster inclusivity. The conference on October 18 was presented in collaboration with MEST Africa in Ghana. MEST Africa is the non profit arm of the software company Meltwater, and was established in Ghana in 2008. It has trained and developed thousands of software entrepreneurs and provided seed investment to a lot of them. The conference highlighted the success stories and investment opportunities for technology startups in Africa, and why it’s important that Silicon Valley pays attention now.

Part 1 focuses on African Business Success Stories, with panelists Chika Nwobi (founder of Decagon), Omosalewa Adeyemi (Global Head of Expansion and Partnerships, Flutterwave), and Ngozi Dozie (Co Founder, Carbon).

On September 8, SHACK15 hosted the internationally recognized choreographer and the first black female choreographer to make works for the New York City Ballet, Sidra Bell, who was also a 2022 Djerassi Artist In Residence, in conversation with Alexander Djerassi, the program’s acting director, as well as Kristine Elliot, a former soloist of the American Ballet Theater. Sidra Bell’s career has spanned over 20 years and her choreography has been seen throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. She has created over 100 works, notably for BODYTRAFFIC, Ailey II, The Juilliard School, the Boston Conservatory at Berklee College, among many others. The Djerassi Resident Artists Program was founded by the late Dr. Carl Djerassi, the father of the birth control pill. Located in Woodside, California, the program sits on a 600-acre ranch established in a land trust for the program which is recognized internationally for its pre-eminence as an artist residency, and has provided over 2,500 artists with the gift of time and space to create since 1979.

Flying cars, teleporters, robot butlers, and geostationary metropolises are just a few of the tropes that have long been used as pop culture markers for cities of the future. But those imaginative notions rarely address some of the most pressing issues experienced by cities now, including an expanding income gap, growing homelessness and global climate change. Can we surmount today’s pernicious challenges and realize a shared, ideal future? Will tomorrow’s cities be more reminiscent of the shiny utopia of Star Trek or the bleak dystopia of Blade Runner? Will future cities even be identifiable as such? SHACK15, Manny's, and SPUR presented a conversation diving head first into this pertinent question, with leading architects and urban planners Peter Calthorpe, Kristen Hall and Shilpi Kumar. Here to introduce the panel is Manny Yekutiel.

How do we mainstream the story about plastic, climate, and environmental justice? SHACK15 hosted the People Over Plastic BIPOC Storytelling Collective’s first story salon with leading voices in the fight for a more just and equitable future. With 99% of plastic coming from fossil fuels, People Over Plastic believes conversations about the climate crisis AND the plastic crisis must center people of color and indigenous voices who are most impacted from it. At a recent panel discussion, we listened to stories from renowned environmental attorney and thought leader Patrice Simms, river protector and Trump border wall plaintiff Tricia Cortez, and a community organizer defeating big oil, Goldman Prize winner Sharon Lavigne. The conversation was moderated by globally recognized communicator and plastic pollution expert Shilpi Chhotray.

On February 15th, SHACK15 hosted a panel conversation about the current state of innovation, legalization, history, and opportunity of the burgeoning psychedelic field. The ongoing progress toward the legalization of psychedelic-assisted therapies in the United States is arguably one of the most important scientific and societal revolutions of our generation. Listen to experts from the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies, Journey Colab, Mimosa Therapeutics, and Mindlumen.

SHACK15 collaborators Nkechi Njaka and Cory Tauber, who goes by the artist name Tauwoo, speak about their background and what led them to create the RESONANCE meditation series that is currently being offered bi-monthly at SHACK15. With respective backgrounds in music and neuroscience, Cory and Nkechi talk about what meditation means to them, and the importance of practicing mindfulness. They spoke about how the wellness field has changed in San Francisco and beyond in recent years, and how Nkechi prefers the term “well-being” in describing what she and Cory offer with RESONANCE.

SHACK15 hosted a conversation with member Shamini Dhana about circular fashion and the launch of her new company, D/Sphere, with filmmaker Greg Hemmings and Investor Somshankar Das. The panelists discussed turning the $500 billion dollar value of global textile waste into circular fashion, while propelling the next digital fashion movement.

SHACK15 Member Emma Riley moderated a conversation on climate displacement and creative impact with leaders in entertainment, media, and tech. The conversation focused on how storytellers can highlight this crisis and be a part of future solutions. Panelists included author Jesse Byrd, Daily Overview founder Benjamin Grant, and People Over Plastic producer Shilpi Chotray.

Who’s profiting off of your personal data? Listen in on a timely discussion between Gil Ruiz, Senior Advisor to New York Senator Kirsten Gilibrand, Lou-lee Sanney, Policy & Strategic Communications Advisor with the Day One Project and Matt Prewitt, President global non-profit, RadicalxChange Foundation as they shed light on the importance of protecting your data and the dangers of clicking those “I agree” boxes too quickly. Moderated by Erik Rind, Founder & CEO of ImagineBC.

Award winning engineer, activist, author and economist, James Felton Keith joins Erik Rind, Founder & CEO of data privacy company ImagineBC, to unpack the fascinating and timely global movement aimed at creating a more ethical and equitable data economy. James and Erik share their expertise while empowering our audience to take the reins on their personal information online and provide them with the tools to control and even monetize it.

Remote work has increased overall interest and reliance on digital tools that enhance collaborative and individual productivity however, not all of them are created equally. In this episode, founder and CEO of new mindfulness and productivity app Centered, Ulf Schwekendiek speaks with engineer, founder and author of popular business advice newsletter, Lenny Rachitsky to discuss his new holistic approach to productivity, the reason why his app proudly stands at the intersection of productivity and mindfulness, the ever-evasive idea of flow state and the widely untapped power behind the combination of mindfulness, productivity and tech.

How can we make diversity more than just a buzzword? Pamela Newkirk, award-winning author of 'Diversity, Inc.' and time-honored journalist with The Guardian, The Washington Post and The New York Times shines a bright light on the diversity industry, asking the tough questions about what has been effective–and why progress has been so slow. Along with moderator Charles Trevail, host of the 'Outside In' podcast, Pamela discusses the vast gap between the rhetoric of inclusivity and real achievements, opportunities to deliver on the promise of true equality, and how we can all contribute to combatting enduring racial attitudes.

Latinx advocate, visionary social entrepreneur and founder of New York-based non-profit, We Are All Human Foundation, Claudia Romo Edelman has spent years unifying the U.S. Hispanic community by promoting gender and racial equality through advocacy, events, content creation and training. In this episode, she is joined by Paola Correa, co-founder of global community of LatinX Founders, La NUBE LatinX in Cloud Technologies to discuss the past, present and future of Latinx entrepreneurship. Together, they will unpack the challenges that Hispanic-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers are facing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and ways that we all can be part of economic growth and recovery.

It’s no secret that employers in the COVID-19 era have faced a profound set of challenges. In this conversation, creative staffing specialist, Sara Eide unpacks the unprecedented challenges that employers have had to face during COVID-19 and draws on her expertise to share how this pandemic has changed both the labor market and the work environment in more ways than one. In conversation with Regional VP of The Creative Group, Cristina De La Cruz, Sara will discuss today’s employment trends, how employers can optimize recruiting efforts, and the hiring landscape before, during and after the COVID era.

With similar tasting notes, history and terroir, it’s no surprise that coffee and chocolate often go hand-in-hand. In this episode, we’re joined by two legendary leaders in coffee and chocolate innovation: Todd Masonis, CEO and co-founder of SF-based Dandelion Chocolate and Tim Wendelboe of Tim Wendelboe coffee in Oslo, Norway, who is SHACK15's exclusive coffee supplier. With moderator Marcus Colombano, Tim and Todd will unravel the ethos and passion behind creating high-quality products while upholding production transparency, ethical ingredient sourcing and creating deeply supportive relationships with farmers.

Many people are left out of capital markets and the paths to prosperity that they bring -- specifically Latinx communities, women, and other minority groups. In this episode, Latinx entrepreneur and founder of financial media company Pandocap, Laura Moreno Lucas dives into the why's and how's behind her passion to create access to capital markets within all communities by distilling market complexities into easy-to-understand information. In conversation with Latinx serial tech entrepreneur, Jesse Martinez, Laura will discuss how Pandocap is leveling the playing field and creating equal access to financial insights, with curated, aggregated, bilingual market intelligence and how her career at NASDAQ inspired the work she is doing today.

It’s no secret that young girls are severely underestimated and one of the biggest contributors to this social dilemma is the unrealistic narrative of female characters in the media all around us. Jes Wolfe, CEO of girl-driven edutainment company Rebel Girls, is on a mission to revolutionize girlhood by providing young women with real-life narratives of diverse and inspiring female role models and breaking the chain of male heroes in children’s books. With a goal to instil confidence in 50 million girls over the next 5 years, Jes's groundbreaking conversation teaches us the importance of creating media that is culturally accessible for all kids and how the stories we choose to tell foster inspiration and self identity in their young, bright minds.

For the past few months, we’ve all been watching as our beloved local businesses board up their windows in the fight against COVID-19. Local non-profit arts initiative, Paint the Void, has brought power and inspiration back into the streets of San Francisco by connecting Bay Area artists with local businesses behind boards to create colorful murals as a reminder of hope until they can open their doors once again. In only 3 months, Paint the Void has facilitated and funded a total of 96 murals, connecting 79 artists with 84 storefronts and small business owners. In this episode, hear from the powerhouse panel of female founders Inga Bard, Meredith Winner, Shannon Riley and Lisa Vortman as they share the inspiration behind this initiative and talk about the emotional importance of public art in challenging times.

Every so often, a gentle reminder on the importance of community and mentorship presents itself. In this episode, we witness just that as entrepreneur and three-time National Collegiate Boxing Champion, Mike Steadman, guides us through his entrepreneurial journey and mission behind IRONBOUND Boxing, a free inner-city boxing program in Newark NJ, that empowers inner-city youth to strive for greatness. In combination with his newly launched small business accelerator, THRIVE, which empowers young athletes to think like entrepreneurs and learn creative ways to generate income for themselves and their families, Mike is reminding us of the importance behind uplifting young minds and members of our communities and the true definition of paying it forward.

Even though their end goals are often the same, business professionals and creative teams speak vastly different languages in the conference room, making productive communication seemingly impossible at times. Experienced designer, researcher and author, Audrey Crane draws on her years of experience in Silicon Valley to break this language barrier in her new book, "What CEOs Need To Know About Design". Listen in as she showcases the power of design in the world of business while giving CEOs the inside-scoop on how to harness the strength of their creative teams. Don’t miss this conversation as her book has been described as the “secret weapon” in building brilliant consumer-driven products and services.

Join us for a panel discussion on the intersection of cannabis and technology with leaders in cannabis who are innovating in this rapidly-growing and evolving industry. Talented innovators from leading players Eaze, Meadow, LEVEL and Poseidon Asset Management share their thoughts on the changing face of the cannabis industry and how they are bringing world-class products to market. Learn about the technological, cultural, financial, legal and political ecosystems that are shaping the cannabis-focused enterprises of today and tomorrow.

Today's leaders often find themselves asking the “why” and “how” questions that will help drive their teams to success. Rimma Boshernitsan, who advises Fortune 500 CEOs as founder of strategy advisory DIALOGUE, explores these questions and focuses on connection and empathy as key elements needed for leaders and businesses to thrive. In this episode, Rimma and moderator Laura Guido-Clark uncover connections between leadership, emotion, motivation and intention and how we all can inspire others through challenging times.

Have you ever given thought to the carbon footprint that we collectively leave behind on our planet or what companies and individuals can do to combat this? It’s no secret that corporate sustainability is fast becoming a pillar of today's top companies, with many leaders in these efforts based here in the SF Bay Area. Join us for a conversation dedicated to the latest innovations in corporate sustainability led by a panel of change-makers who have led sustainability at major companies like Google, Gap and the City and County of San Francisco. In this conversation, learn how innovative organizations are reshaping the future of our planet and how we all can leave our world in better shape than we inherited it…

Imagine a world where everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, has the ability to access quality legal representation. That’s exactly what Adrian Tirtanadi has created within his award-winning SF-based non-profit, Open Door Legal. In this episode, Adrian addresses how information and opportunity is distributed unfairly in American culture and how the invention of new paths to quality, timely and free legal help is one of the key ingredients missing to create an equitable and thriving society…

Internationally acclaimed humanitarian photographer and master storyteller, Lisa Kristine, has harnessed the power of a photograph to amplify the human experience found in the furthest corners of the world. She has spent her life documenting and raising awareness around crucial humanitarian causes including modern slavery, human trafficking, ongoing refugee crises, and more. With the guidance of moderator Monika Szamko, Lisa walks us through an audio tour of her gallery in Sonoma, California, creating an unforgettable sensory experience unlike any other. She shares the incredible stories behind a few of the favorite images captured over the course of her career and dives into conversation with Monika about the ongoing cultural shift happening all around us…

Ellie Pritts is an internationally recognized photographer, director, and producer, whose work has been featured in WIRED and TIME Magazine, who in 2016 named her one of the top photographers to follow in the U.S. In conversation with Marcus Colombano, founder of leading creative studio Pineapple, Ellie goes deep on her work, philosophy, and how she uses photography to capture…

New York Times best-selling author Ian Urbina and renowned ambient soundscape artist Christopher Willits explore the nexus between journalistic eco-activism and musical exploration. Ian is the author of the best-selling book "Outlaw Ocean", which chronicles five years spent at sea among smuggling, drilling, and dumping pirates in international waters. Christopher is the San Francisco-based…

Forbes senior editor Zack O'Malley Greenburg's new book "A-List Angels: How a Band of Actors, Artists, and Athletes hacked Silicon Valley” looks at the rise of celebrity investors and their impact on today's top companies. In this conversation with Chris Lyons, Zack discusses the collision of Silicon Valley with the worlds of music, entertainment, and sports, and how venture capital…

Alissa Carpenter is a coach, consultant, and author of the new book “How To Listen and How To Be Heard: Inclusive Conversations At Work”. Alissa's book is a masterclass on how to empower yourself and others to communicate with more confidence, candor, and authenticity. In this conversation with moderator Jen Oleniczak Brown, two friends and piers hold nothing back…

Accomplished chef, author, and editor Fanny Singer, daughter of famed chef Alice Waters, talks about her timely new book Always Home: A Daughter's Recipes & Stories. In conversation with Marcus Colombano, Fanny discusses what it was like growing up on the farms of Northern California, and in the kitchens of Chez Panisse, the family's infamous Berkeley farm-to-table restaurant…

Dr. Markos Kounalakis is a veteran foreign affairs correspondent, columnist, and committed lifetime journalist focused on sociopolitical revolution. Recorded during the early days of the international COVID-19 pandemic, Markos speaks on global media's critical role in finding truth, and shaping the narrative amid evolving international crises. Markos cut his teeth researching…

Manny Yekutiel is the Founder of Manny’s, the social gathering and civic event space housed in the Mission district of San Francisco. Manny’s is committed to inclusivity, affordability, and service to the local community. Since opening doors less than 2 years ago, Manny’s has hosted over 500 events with countless thought leaders, activists, and politicians, including Vice President Kamala Harris…

Bridget Watson Payne's new book How Time is on Your Side explores how to make time to do it all: the passion projects, the to-do list, or simply time for self-care and mental health. In conversation with Lucie Charkin, Bridget shares practical tips for optimizing your relationship with time, and how this can improve your creative, spiritual, emotional, and mental wellness.

David Sax the award-winning writer, reporter, and author of the timely new book "The Soul of an Entrepreneur". In conversation with Jon Steinberg, he explores the deeply personal questions of entrepreneurship, addressing the vast spectrum of small and family-owned businesses that make up a significant portion of the North American economy. Drawing from an encyclopedic knowledge of…