The High Flyers Podcast with Vidit Agarwal

Vidit Agarwal
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Founded 6.5+ years ago by Vidit Agarwal, The High Flyers Podcast is a global top ranked show exploring the personal and professional journeys behind the most relatable role models shaping our world. Enjoy 275+ in-depth (and often rare) conversations with the world’s most influential and relatable role models in business, tech, finance, government and sport -- going beyond the headlines to explore their life and work including their formative years, inflection points, industry insights, and how they think, lead and build. Episodes are listened to by CEOs, C-Suite Executives, Investors, Founders, and Government Leaders across Australia, USA, India, UK, Singapore, Canada and New Zealand. Alongside the podcast, we host an annual High Flyers Growth Summit in Sydney and San Francisco. This podcast is one of five products under our parent company, Curiosity Centre. We're proud that more than 60% of our 275+ guests have trusted us for their first-ever public interview — or to go in-depth on their personal story for the first time. These include: Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Jason Collins (CEO, BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Keith Rabois (MD, Khosla Ventures), Aleks Spaseska (CEO, Kmart), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Cotaue), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Ryan Beiermeister (Partner, Founders Fund), Jesse Zhag (CEO, Decagon), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), Mel Silva (Managing Director, Google), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica), Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador to India), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear) and more. Engage with us via: Email: contact@curiositycentre.com Website: https://highflyerspodcast.com X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/vidags10 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast/ Follow us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  1. 1d ago

    #288 Justin Lopas: Midwest Roots, Building SpaceX’s Starbase, Anduril Lessons, Co-Founding Base Power with Zach Dell

    This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ What does it take to go from an introverted kid obsessed with robotics to building rockets at SpaceX and co-founding a $13 billion energy company? And what happens when an intense, no-BS operator decides to build a company of his own? Justin Lopas is Co-founder and COO of Base Power, one of America's fastest-growing energy companies, which has raised over US$2 billion since launching in 2023. Previously, he helped build SpaceX's Starbase manufacturing operations in Texas and led manufacturing at Anduril, one of America's leading defence technology companies. In this unusually candid conversation with Vidit, Justin reveals how volunteering for a job in a town he'd never heard of led him to help build SpaceX's Starbase, the leadership mistakes he made under intense pressure, and why he eventually walked away. He reflects on his childhood, his father's influence, and the lessons from SpaceX and Anduril that shaped his approach to building and leading teams. They explore how an unlikely partnership with Zach Dell became Base Power, a $13 billion company reimagining America's electricity grid through home batteries and distributed energy infrastructure. Justin shares what it takes to scale manufacturing at extraordinary speed, why he and Zach argue constantly, and the unconventional culture behind Base's rapid growth, from starting all-hands meetings with failures to the infamous "hot potato" rule. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. _______ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan and more.  Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Intense, direct and no-BS01:30 – How his wife's family ended up cooking for hundreds of Base employees03:00 – Midwest America childhood and his father's influence08:15 – Growing up antisocial, obsessed with robotics and uninterested in fitting in10:00 – The strict routines behind Justin's intense personality16:00 – Inside SpaceX and what separates its exceptional engineering talent21:15 – Volunteering to build Starbase24:00 – SpaceX burnout and leadership mistakes28:45 – Becoming COO and why titles matter less than execution31:30 – Making choices and finding his next chapter at Anduril38:00 – How SpaceX and Anduril hire, develop and challenge exceptional people41:00 – Building supplier relationships and scaling manufacturing at extraordinary speed47:15 – Why Base Power is building electricity infrastructure, not just home batteries48:45 – Meeting his co-founder Zach Dell and the origins of Base Power51:00 – Why Justin and Zach argue, and how their partnership works54:00 – Starting all-hands with failures and the “hot potato” rule55:40 – Why negative feedback motivates Justin and how he adapts his leadership style58:45 – Navigating America's complicated electricity regulations1:03:40 – Testing Base's earliest batteries in an investor's home1:04:15 – Base's next products and expansion plans1:10:40 – Justin's family life and the person tougher than him ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Aleks Spaseska (CEO, Kmart) David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Coatue), Venky Ganesan (Managing Partner, Menlo Ventures), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

    #288 Justin Lopas: Midwest Roots, Building SpaceX’s Starbase, Anduril Lessons, Co-Founding Base Power with Zach Dell

  2. 3d ago

    #287 Unpacking the DNA of "Rainmakers" with Global Business Leaders Neil Plumridge & Robert Nason (EY, Kearney, PwC)

    This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ What separates the world's most successful business people from everyone else? Intelligence, charisma, connections, or something less obvious? Neil Plumridge and Robert Nason are co-founders of RAYN Group and authors of Rainmaker (available here), bringing decades of global leadership experience across Kearney, EY, PwC, KPMG and Telstra. Robert shares his unlikely journey from leaving school at 15 to helping transform Telstra, while Neil reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped his international career. In this conversation with Vidit, they unpack why exceptional performers are made, not born, how major business deals are won long before the pitch, and the five levels of trust that separate good performers from extraordinary ones. From a hair-raising motorbike ride through Mumbai to turning one idea into 14 global consulting engagements, they reveal the hidden habits behind lasting success and why AI could make human relationships more valuable than ever. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. Purchase Robert and Neil's book, Rainmaker: How the Best Consultants Think, Act, and Win in an AI-Accelerated World: https://www.amazon.com.au/Rainmaker-Consultants-Think-AI-Accelerated-World/dp/1394440677 _______ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan and more.  Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Meet the Rainmakers: Neil Plumridge & Robert Nason01:40 First jobs and the unsung high flyers07:45 Robert: From school dropout to global business leader10:45 Taking on the 'worst corporate job' at Telstra12:00 Neil's ife-changing US move14:00 Climbing the ranks at Kearney, EY and PwC16:15 How a LinkedIn post became the book Rainmaker19:00 Writing a book together: Harder than expected28:15 A terrifying Mumbai motorbike ride and a business revelation31:15 Are rainmakers born or made?35:00 How the world's biggest consulting deals are won39:15 The five levels of trust that separate the best41:15 How one idea became 14 global deals44:30 The mistakes even top performers make48:00 Why networking isn't really about networking50:45 Building RAYN Group and the secret to high performance54:30 Will AI upend the consulting industry?57:00 Rapid fire: Burnout, reinvention and life beyond work ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Aleks Spaseska (CEO, Kmart) David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Coatue), Venky Ganesan (Managing Partner, Menlo Ventures), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

    #287 Unpacking the DNA of "Rainmakers" with Global Business Leaders Neil Plumridge & Robert Nason (EY, Kearney, PwC)

  3. Oct 20

    #286 Malcolm Turnbull: Australia's 29th Prime Minister on Confronting Bullies, Defeating British Govt & Being Raised by His Dad

    This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  Welcome to this classic episode. Classics are our favorite episodes from our back catalogue, published as frequently as possible. These are N of 1 conversations with N of 1 people. This is a replay of Episode 200, originally released in April 2025— one of our most loved classics. ________ Malcolm Turnbull is one of the most fascinating figures in modern politics and business. He served as Australia's 29th Prime Minister (2015–2018), and previously built a career as a Goldman Sachs partner, successful technology investor, entrepreneur and lawyer. Earlier in his career as a barrister, he famously defeated Margaret Thatcher's British government in the landmark Spycatcher legal battle. In this uniquely candid conversation, former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joins Vidit to share his remarkable journey from a difficult childhood to the highest office in the country. He reveals how he became the trusted lawyer to billionaire Kerry Packer at just 28, defeated Margaret Thatcher's British government in the landmark Spycatcher case, and what working with powerful figures like Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch taught him about standing up to bullies. They also explore the personal setbacks that nearly broke him, the lessons from losing political power, why financial independence mattered more than becoming a billionaire, and how his relentless curiosity shaped his career across law, business, technology and politics. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. _______ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG,, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan and more.  Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Meet Malcolm Turnbull01:39 – Life after politics04:30 – A difficult childhood and school bullies08:00 – Growing up without his mother13:45 – The ambition to conquer the world15:30 – Becoming Kerry Packer's lawyer at 2820:30 – Standing up to Packer and Trump24:30 – Does ruthlessness drive success?27:00 – Mentors and the power of curiosity30:00 – Why he never chased billions32:30 – Defeating Margaret Thatcher's government37:00 – Taking on the British establishment40:30 – Lessons from his 250,000-word memoir43:00 – His darkest political setback45:00 – Bringing innovation into government47:00 – What Australia gets right and wrong50:00 – AI, leadership and habits51:15 – Watching Packer gamble away millions53:00 – How to become Prime Minister ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Aleks Spaseska (CEO, Kmart) David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Coatue), Venky Ganesan (Managing Partner, Menlo Ventures), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

    #286 Malcolm Turnbull: Australia's 29th Prime Minister on Confronting Bullies, Defeating British Govt & Being Raised by His Dad

  4. Oct 13

    #285 Aleks Spaseska: Kmart's CEO on Her Macedonian Upbringing, Taking Uncomfortable Career Risks and Why Retail Is Rewarding

    This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________Aleks Spaseska is the CEO of Kmart Group, an A$11.8 billion (US$8 billion) retail giant behind Kmart, Target and the global Anko brand, operating 445 stores with over 48,000 employees. This is a rare in-depth interview with Aleks. In this rare public conversation, Aleks Spaseska joins Vidit to share how she went from struggling to find her confidence at school to becoming CEO of one of the region’s largest retailers. She reveals the career move that changed everything, how she returned from maternity leave into a bigger leadership role, and what really helped her stand out from her peers. They also explore the realities of running a retail giant, the leadership mistakes that shaped her, why she never had a 10-year career plan, and how her childhood continues to influence the decisions she makes as CEO. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. _______ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG,, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan and more.  Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Meet Aleks Spaseska02:20 Why store managers are underrated leaders05:50 Growing up in Macedonia08:45 No English10:15 Why she never planned her career11:15 How childhood shaped her view of affordability13:10 From university to a finance PhD17:45 The career move that changed everything20:50 Lessons from her early Wesfarmers years25:30 Taking uncomfortable career risks28:00 Transforming Target's business33:50 Learning empathy as a leader37:15 Maternity leave, relocation and COVID39:15 Making decisions without rigid plans41:20 How Kmart operates within Wesfarmers46:00 From CFO to CEO of Kmart49:10 The Anko business model and global expansion54:00 Kmart's next chapter of growth56:40 Rapid fire round ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Aleks Spaseska (CEO, Kmart) David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Coatue), Venky Ganesan (Managing Partner, Menlo Ventures), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

    #285 Aleks Spaseska: Kmart's CEO on Her Macedonian Upbringing, Taking Uncomfortable Career Risks and Why Retail Is Rewarding

  5. Sep 29

    #284 Venky Ganesan: Menlo Ventures Partner on early Anthropic investment, moving from India to rural America at 16 and more

    This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ Venky Ganesan is a Partner at Menlo Ventures, one of Silicon Valley’s oldest venture capital firms, where he has helped lead its push into AI and backed companies including Anthropic, Abnormal AI and Palo Alto Networks. He has spent 20+ years in venture capital, after starting his career as an entrepreneur and co-founding Trigo Technologies, which was acquired by IBM in 2004. In this rare public conversation, Venky joins Vidit to unpack a journey that began in India before he moved alone to rural Washington State at 16. He shares the culture shock of arriving in America, working through college, choosing a $39,000 McKinsey job over a far more lucrative offer, and eventually becoming an entrepreneur — co-founding Trigo Technologies and selling the company to IBM in 2004. They also explore Venky’s 20+ years in venture capital, from backing Palo Alto Networks early in its journey to becoming a Partner at Menlo Ventures and helping drive the firm’s push into AI. Venky shares what separates good founders from great ones, why “propensity for action” has become one of his strongest signals, how he thinks about position sizing and why VCs often end up with more money in their worst companies than their best. He also unpacks today’s extraordinary AI market, investing in Anthropic, and why he believes the industry is moving from innovators to “imitators and idiots.”   Venky reflects on the role his wife has played in his life, the stroke that nearly killed him and changed his perspective, what more than two decades of investing have taught him about ambition, and more. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. _______ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG,, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan and more.  Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ TIMESTAMPS 01:17 — The 15-year-old who talked his way into a job03:21 — Growing up in India with big ambitions08:08 — An unexpected lesson from Nelson Mandela10:05 — Leaving India alone at 1614:10 — Why technology became his path to freedom22:41 — McKinsey, entrepreneurship and selling to IBM31:13 — From founder to venture capitalist39:57 — The signal Venky looks for in great founders44:02 — How he backed Palo Alto Networks early47:00 — Reinventing Menlo for the AI era53:14 — AI’s “innovators, imitators and idiots”59:25 — The most disorienting market of his career1:06:05 — The stroke that nearly killed him1:08:20 — Rapid fire ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Coatue), Venky Ganesan (Managing Partner, Menlo Ventures), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

    #284 Venky Ganesan: Menlo Ventures Partner on early Anthropic investment, moving from India to rural America at 16 and more

  6. Sep 25

    #283 David Schneider: Co-Leading Coatue’s Growth Fund, Scaling ServiceNow from $100M to $5B, Why Frank Slootman changed his life

    This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ David Schneider is a General Partner at Coatue, where he co-leads the firm’s Growth Fund. Previously, he was President at ServiceNow, helping scale the company from roughly $100M to $5B in revenue, after helping take another software company in Data Domain from zero customers to more than $1B in revenue. David is widely regarded as one of Silicon Valley’s most successful go-to-market, sales, revenue and business building executives of all time. In this rare public conversation, David joins Vidit to unpack a career spent building some of enterprise software’s defining companies. He shares how he was initially rejected by Data Domain for not being “aggressive enough”, only to join when it had zero customers and around 18 employees and help scale it beyond $1 billion in revenue — revealing the intensity, hiring philosophy and relentless focus on execution that shaped him as a leader.   They also explore David’s decade at ServiceNow, where he helped scale the business from roughly $100 million to $5 billion, what he learned working alongside legendary CEO Frank Slootman, and the painful customer failure that fundamentally changed how he thought about leadership. David then opens up about leaving operating at the height of his career to become a General Partner at Coatue, where he now co-leads its Growth Fund, and the surprisingly difficult transition from being the person making decisions to the investor sitting beside the founder. Along the way, he reflects on building exceptional sales teams, spotting future leaders, the future of enterprise go-to-market, flying 250,000–350,000 miles a year, the impact that ambition had on his family, and why curiosity has remained a constant throughout his life. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. _______ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG,, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan and more.  Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Left Field Questions01:24 – The founder David is betting on04:01 – Growing up in Silicon Valley before the boom08:25 – How David became obsessed with winning24:45 – Rejected by Data Domain for not being “aggressive enough”28:40 – From zero customers to a billion-dollar business40:00 – What David learned working with Frank Slootman50:23 – The customer failure David never forgot52:25 – How David helped scale ServiceNow from $100M to $5B59:04 – Why he walked away from operating01:00:29 – From operator to investor at Coatue01:08:00 – What David looks for in breakout companies today01:11:00 – 350,000-mile years01:13:30 – Left-field questions: grit, pet peeves and what matters now ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), Kevin Hartz (Partner, A*; Founder, Eventbrite), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

    #283 David Schneider: Co-Leading Coatue’s Growth Fund, Scaling ServiceNow from $100M to $5B, Why Frank Slootman changed his life

  7. Sep 22

    #282 Paul Grosmann: R.M.Williams CEO on learning Mandarin, cold emails, rising through Nike and how to listen well

    This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ Paul Grosmann is the CEO of R.M.Williams, the 94-year-old heritage bootmaker whose handcrafted leather boots have become one of Australia’s most recognisable cultural exports, worn from the outback to boardrooms around the world. He is leading the next phase of growth for the business, which generates hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue, expanding it as a global premium brand while preserving its manufacturing roots in Adelaide. Before R.M.Williams, Paul built an unusually international career across PwC and McKinsey, before leading strategy and digital growth for Nike in Greater China. In this rare public conversation, Paul joins Vidit to unpack an unusually global career, from Sydney to New York and China, including quitting his job and spending a year learning Mandarin to earn a role with McKinsey in Shanghai. He shares what he learned working inside Brett Blundy’s private business group, how he pitched his way into Nike and helped lead its retail and digital growth across Greater China, and why decision-making changes across public companies, private businesses and founder-led organisations. They also explore Paul’s return to Australia to lead R.M.Williams, the 94-year-old heritage brand whose handcrafted boots have become one of the country’s most recognisable cultural exports. Paul explains how the company has doubled its production capacity and created 350 Australian jobs, while expanding online, attracting younger and female customers, and building an international retail presence through an unconventional UK strategy. Along the way, he reflects on cold emails, considered decision-making, living across cultures, balancing ambition with family, and the role his wife Sophie has played throughout the journey. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. _______ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG,, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan and more.  Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Cold emails04:32 Growing up in a loud Italian family07:35 Becoming a global citizen13:55 Quitting work to learn Mandarin18:29 Learning to operate in China20:31 Choosing mentors over promotions22:11 Paul’s cold-email playbook23:57 The leadership power of pausing27:09 Why Paul left McKinsey28:57 Learning retail from Brett Blundy34:28 Public versus private companies40:39 Rising rapidly at Nike China45:38 Pitching for the R.M.Williams CEO role47:51 Returning to China during COVID49:12 The partner behind the career50:24 Rebuilding an Australian icon53:53 Taking R.M.Williams global55:47 Winning younger customers58:00 Rethinking women’s footwear01:00:44 The unconventional UK expansion strategy01:03:30 Rapid-fire lessons and quirks ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), Kevin Hartz (Partner, A*; Founder, Eventbrite), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Paul Grosmann (CEO, RM Williams), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

    #282 Paul Grosmann: R.M.Williams CEO on learning Mandarin, cold emails, rising through Nike and how to listen well

  8. Sep 18

    #281 Mike Vernal: Early Facebook with Zuck to Sequoia Investor to Conviction | Why This Tech Wave Is Different

    This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ Mike Vernal is a General Partner at Conviction and one of Silicon Valley’s most respected operator-turned-investors. He joined Facebook very early, spent eight years there working closely with Mark Zuckerberg and ultimately became VP of Product and Engineering, before becoming a partner at storied venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, where he backed companies including Notion, Rippling, Clay and Statsig. In this conversation, Mike joins Vidit to unpack the journey from Microsoft to joining Facebook when it was still only a few hundred people, helping scale it through one of the most important periods in technology, and later becoming a partner at Sequoia before joining Conviction. He shares what he learned working closely with Mark Zuckerberg, why Facebook’s obsession with speed became such an advantage, how he learned to spot exceptional founders, and why ambition remains one of the traits he values most. They also explore why Mike believes people risk “overfitting” to a job after seven years, what Sequoia taught him about great businesses, why he came back to venture after some of the most enjoyable years of his life with his family, and what changes when the cost of creating software starts approaching zero. Along the way, Mike shares the habits, quirks and principles behind his reputation as a “nerd’s nerd”, from obsessive curiosity and inbox zero to the belief that the best leaders make the people around them better. Please enjoy exploring your curiosity. _______ Get in touch with us via email at contact@curiositycentre.com Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG,, Allens, Macquarie Capital, Xero, JP Morgan and more.  Show notes and more episodes here Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram Get in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly here Contact us via our website This episode is supported by Xero, helping businesses use AI with more control through JAX, its in-platform AI finance partner. Get 90% off your plan for your first 6 months at xero.com/highflyers.  ________ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — The Nerd’s Nerd04:00 — Growing Up in New York08:00 — Power, Internet and Caffeine13:00 — Working at a Startup in High School14:00 — Why Harvard Became the Goal18:00 — Meeting His Wife24:00 — What Microsoft Taught Him31:00 — Why Strategy Can Go Wrong33:00 — How Facebook Built High-Impact Teams37:00 — The Moment Facebook Felt Different43:00 — Facebook’s Speed Advantage49:00 — Why Mike Left Facebook54:00 — Why Sequoia56:00 — Learning What Makes a Great Business59:00 — Why He Doesn’t Take Notes01:01:00 — What Mike Looks for in Founders01:07:00 — Leaving Sequoia01:09:00 — Why He Joined Conviction01:14:00 — How Mike Spots What’s Next01:16:00 — When Software Costs Approach Zero01:18:00 — What Makes Products Go Viral01:20:00 — Coaching His Kids01:22:00 — Inbox Zero and Productivity01:25:00 — What Mike Is Experimenting With01:27:00 — The Advice That Changed His Career ________ The High Flyers Podcast features in-depth interviews with the world’s most influential figures in business, tech, finance, government and sport. Launched in 2020, it has ranked in the global top ten for past three years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200+ episodes released, and featured in Forbes, Daily Telegraph, and at SXSW. Our guests include -- Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Keith Rabois (Managing Director, Khosla Ventures), Jason Collins (Head of BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), Kevin Hartz (Partner, A*; Founder, Eventbrite), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Jesse Zhang (CEO, Decagon), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Peter Varghese (Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Australian Government), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica) and Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador/High Commissioner to India).

    #281 Mike Vernal: Early Facebook with Zuck to Sequoia Investor to Conviction | Why This Tech Wave Is Different
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About

Founded 6.5+ years ago by Vidit Agarwal, The High Flyers Podcast is a global top ranked show exploring the personal and professional journeys behind the most relatable role models shaping our world. Enjoy 275+ in-depth (and often rare) conversations with the world’s most influential and relatable role models in business, tech, finance, government and sport -- going beyond the headlines to explore their life and work including their formative years, inflection points, industry insights, and how they think, lead and build. Episodes are listened to by CEOs, C-Suite Executives, Investors, Founders, and Government Leaders across Australia, USA, India, UK, Singapore, Canada and New Zealand. Alongside the podcast, we host an annual High Flyers Growth Summit in Sydney and San Francisco. This podcast is one of five products under our parent company, Curiosity Centre. We're proud that more than 60% of our 275+ guests have trusted us for their first-ever public interview — or to go in-depth on their personal story for the first time. These include: Malcolm Turnbull (Prime Minister of Australia), Jason Collins (CEO, BlackRock, Asia Pacific), Brad Banducci (CEO, Woolworths), Keith Rabois (MD, Khosla Ventures), Aleks Spaseska (CEO, Kmart), Michael Schneider (CEO, Bunnings), Elena Verna (Head of Growth, Lovable), David Haber (a16z Partner), David Schneider (Growth Fund Co-Lead Partner, Cotaue), Vandita Pant (CFO, BHP), Jodie Auster (Uber's Global Head of Travel), Shiv Rao (CEO, Abridge), Ryan Beiermeister (Partner, Founders Fund), Jesse Zhag (CEO, Decagon), Rob Giglio (CCO, Canva), Gautam Chari (Head of Capital Commitments, Bank of America), Mel Silva (Managing Director, Google), Jean-Michel Limieux (CTO, Shopify and Atlassian), David Eckstein (CFO, Legora), Stevie Case (CRO, Vanta), John Haddock (CBO, Harvey), Mark Suster (Partner, Upfront Ventures), Niki Scevak (Partner, Blackbird), Craig Tiley (CEO, USA Tennis), Jeanne DeWitt Grosser (COO, Vercel), Paul Bassat (Partner, Square Peg), Bowen Pan (Creator, Facebook Marketplace), Sam Sicilia (CIO, Hostplus), Jack Zhang (CEO, Airwallex), Tim Doyle (CEO, Eucalyptus), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (CEO, Xero), Sanjeev Gandhi (CEO, Orica), Philip Green (Australia's Ambassador to India), Vivek Bhatia (CEO, MUFG), Cristina Cordova (COO, Linear) and more. Engage with us via: Email: contact@curiositycentre.com Website: https://highflyerspodcast.com X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/vidags10 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehighflyers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehighflyerspodcast/ Follow us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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