Warm Intro

Wefunder
  • 5.0 (11)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Warm Intro is what happens when you sit down at a dinner party and fall into the best conversation in the room.  Not an interview. A conversation. Honest, human, and sometimes weird conversation with interesting people doing big things.  Entrepreneurs, artists, politicians and chefs open up about their childhoods, hot takes and insecurities — with honesty, humor, and heart. Presented by Wefunder. Hosted by Chai Mishra.Views are our own.

Episodes

  1. A Warm Thank You

    12/31/2025

    A Warm Thank You

    A message from Chai. Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    5 min
  2. The Most Bipartisan Congressman in America

    12/02/2025

    The Most Bipartisan Congressman in America

    Congressman Mike Lawler holds a seat that no other Republican had held since the year he was born (he is a 39-year-old Republican from deep-blue New York). The reason he was able to win — and keep — that seat is the same reason he's been ranked one of the most bipartisan members of Congress: he understands the assignment. He knows politics is about persuasion, not purity. It's about talking to people you disagree with and finding areas of agreement so you can make progress. Join us for our final conversation of the season about Americans' love of flipping off the president, the worst part of campaigning, whether bipartisanship is even a virtue worth aspiring to anymore, what President George W. Bush is proudest of, and why you shouldn’t give up on America just yet. Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    55 min
  3. Silicon Valley’s Most Effective Philanthropist

    11/15/2025

    Silicon Valley’s Most Effective Philanthropist

    Matt Flannery’s work has uplifted over six million families across a hundred countries. That’s because Matt is one of the godfathers of microfinance. His creations, Kiva and Branch, have delivered billions of dollars in small loans to some of the most forgotten and overlooked people in the world. But Matt doesn’t see himself as a philanthropist. In fact, he’s pretty down on the concept of nonprofits altogether. Join us for a deeply honest conversation about Matt’s religious childhood, how he had over $8,000,000 stolen from him, how his board betrayed him, the strange magic of Bill Clinton, and why Matt keeps on going. Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    1h 14m
  4. The Founder Who Helped Startups Raise Over $1 Billion

    11/02/2025

    The Founder Who Helped Startups Raise Over $1 Billion

    Nick Tommarello has probably helped fund more American founders than almost anyone alive. But Nick’s not a businessman — he’s a founder. That distinction matters a lot to him and it defines everything about him.  See, Nick loves risk and he thrives on uncertainty and chaos. He’s good at helping founders because he literally can’t imagine having a regular job. Join us for a loose conversation about Nick’s childhood working at his dad’s nightclub, how his dad became a millionaire and went broke over and over, how Nick got congress and President Obama to sign a bill and what Nick wants his tombstone to read. Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    47 min
  5. The Startup Founder Running For Governor Of California

    10/25/2025

    The Startup Founder Running For Governor Of California

    Ethan Agarwal is the youngest and strangest candidate running for Governor. Ethan’s not a politician, he’s a founder. And a very successful one. He grew his first company to $100M in revenue, and then sold it. He then raised $50M for a second company — which he then also sold in 2025 Within months of that exit, he launched a run for governor as a proud capitalist and meritocrat (his words) to restore the entrepreneurial dream of California. Join us for a freewheelin’ conversation about how what went wrong in CA, Katie Porter’s mashed potato controversy,  how Ethan raised millions, and what it takes to succeed as a founder. Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    1h 1m
  6. The Tech Founder Who Became America’s Best Chocolate Maker

    10/18/2025

    The Tech Founder Who Became America’s Best Chocolate Maker

    Todd Masonis makes the best chocolate in America—but he took an unexpected path to get there. Todd co-founded a startup with Sean Parker (yes, that Sean Parker from The Social Network). After selling it for over $150 million, he walked away from Silicon Valley to make chocolate in his friend’s garage. Seventeen years later, that experiment became Dandelion Chocolate—considered by many to be America’s best chocolate maker (not just a chocolatier, mind you). In this conversation, we talk about: – Building fast vs. crafting slow – What makes good chocolate truly good – Chocolatiers Vs Chocolate Makers – Why Chai thinks that Dandelion is the "Mike Tyson of chocolate makers" – Why thinking in centuries, not weeks, might be the secret to building truly big things If you love stories about craftsmanship, purpose, and the pursuit of excellence—this one’s for you. Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    1h 7m
  7. The Street Artist Who Took Over An Entire City

    10/11/2025

    The Street Artist Who Took Over An Entire City

    fnnch is San Francisco's Banksy; the most loved and hated artist in the city.  People who love him believe that he made the city a more joyous, beautiful place to be. His haters think he is an outsider who helped gentrify the city. One thing is for sure — fnnch is opinionated and controversial. He is also thoughtful, whip-smart and incredibly prolific. Join us for a whirlwind conversation about the purpose of art, getting death threats for painting honey bears, and how he might just be the Andy Warhol of his generation. Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    1h 56m
  8. The Founder Helping People Buy Their First Homes

    10/02/2025

    The Founder Helping People Buy Their First Homes

    How do you find a mission actually worth spending your life on? Are most startup “mission statements” complete BS? Niles Lichtenstein wants everyone to own a home and he’s dedicating his career to making it possible. Niles lost his dad at 13. His mom rented out rooms to make ends meet. As a result, he grew up with a revolving circus of people living in his home, with his family. Decades later (and after several successful startups) Niles has turned that experience into an incredible company. Join us for a sentimental conversation about why everyone needs a home (not just a house), how to design a good life and the note that Niles’ dad wrote to him before he passed. Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    1h 8m
  9. The Founder Reinventing The Global Spice Trade

    09/23/2025

    The Founder Reinventing The Global Spice Trade

    What is the point of a business? Is it exclusively to make money? Or could there be more variables in this equation? Sana Javeri Kadri is on a mission.  She started a company at 22 to build an entirely new model for one of the oldest trades in the world. Her company, Diaspora Co is building a new Silk Route for spices. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation about what someone’s pantry tells you about them, the sheer insanity of the modern spice trade and if you were a spice, which one you’d be. Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    1h 16m
  10. The Youngest 2-Michelin Star Chef In America

    09/16/2025

    The Youngest 2-Michelin Star Chef In America

    Harrison Cheney might be the best chef of his generation. His restaurant (Sons and Daughters) recently earned its second Michelin star and a green star, and Harrison himself won the Michelin Guide’s Young Chef of the Year award. He has worked in some of the world’s greatest kitchens, from Gastrologik to Quince. And he has done all of this in record time. Harrison is just 32. At 16, he sold his Xbox to work in a fine dining restaurant. In the 16 years since, he has risen to the top of the industry. Join us for an open conversation about why so many chefs are jerks, how to give feedback in a Michelin-starred kitchen, how to get hired by your favorite chef (or startup), and how to raise kids who aren’t afraid of risks, what to do when you don't know how to pronounce a dish at a nice restaurant and why you should probably order pizza after you have a fancy meal. Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    1h 14m
  11. The 39-Year Old Challenging Nancy Pelosi

    09/09/2025

    The 39-Year Old Challenging Nancy Pelosi

    What should you work on as a young person? The smaller, achievable thing that builds your track record? Or the big bold thing that probably won't work? Saikat Chakrabarti is running to unseat Nancy Pelosi — the most powerful, feared, and respected democrat in the country. Saikat is less than half of Pelosi's age but he has big ideas and a track record to back them up. Before this, Saikat recruited AOC to run for congress, wrote the Green New Deal, ran tech for Bernie's presidential campaign and was the founding engineer at one of Silicon Valley's most legendary companies, Stripe. In this free-flowing conversation, he talks about growing up Indian-American in Texas, Going to Harvard, working on Wall Street, making millions in Silicon Valley, leaving it all behind to join Bernie, recruiting AOC, trying to recruit an entirely new Congress, writing the Green New Deal, challenging Nancy Pelosi, getting cancelled, learning from Zohran and his grand philosophy of what America needs and why more young people must run for office. Disclaimer: This is not an endorsement or a fundraiser. We host interesting people doing important things. Saikat matches both criteria. He’s a compelling person with a vision for the country and tech and he might well end up representing San Francisco in Congress. Visit Saikat's Website Here Saikat's Instagram Key Moments 0:00 Why are Indian Americans so political?1:02 The Bengali concept of "adda"3:27 How Saikat's dad got to America8:38 How immigrants think about America11:44 Saikat's childhood and upbringing14:22 Getting to Harvard17:16 Experiencing extreme wealth on Wall Street & Silicon Valley22:54 Joining Bernie Sander's 2016 presidential campaign25:59 How the DNC sabotaged Bernie27:38 Starting Justice Democrats28:57 Building a brand new congress29:33 Recruiting AOC33:17 The reaction to AOC37:51 Legislators Vs Influencers38:40 The Green New Deal41:27 Did the Green New Deal actually work?42:37 Saikat's favorite president of all time46:02 Deciding to challenge Nancy Pelosi4Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    1h 22m
  12. Welcome To Warm Intro

    SEASON 1, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    Welcome To Warm Intro

    Hey! This is Chai.  I'm a founder in Silicon Valley and I've spent a third of my life running my company.  In all those years, I found that the only cure for the pain of building something big is talking to others who are doing the same thing. I've been lucky to have a lot of these conversations and I wanted to find a way to bring them to more builders.  That's how we came up with Warm Intro. These are honest conversations with interesting people who are building big things — from entrepreneurs to artists, politicians and chefs.  As you listen, I hope you'll see how these incredible folks think. But I also hope you'll feel a little more seen yourself — less alone as you're out building. Thank you for listening, Chai Warm Intro A conversation, not an interview. Warm, sometimes weird, conversations with interesting people doing big things. Warm Intro is a video podcast. We're available on every major podcast app and YouTube. YouTube: @warmintro Instagram: @warm.intro Hosted by Chai Mishra Chai is the Founder of The Essential, an ethical commerce company funded by the leading lights of Silicon Valley. Chai served on the board of UNICEF, and has advised cities, universities, national sports teams and Fortune 500 corporations. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Chai’s work has also been covered in publications ranging from the SF Chronicle to Business Insider. Presented by Wefunder Wefunder created The Community Round. — allowing founders to raise funds directly from their communities — allowing anyone to support their favorite founders and join their success. Raise on Wefunder Views here are those of the host and the guest. Wefunder makes the show possible but doesn't control who we have on or what we say.

    4 min

Trailer

5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Warm Intro is what happens when you sit down at a dinner party and fall into the best conversation in the room.  Not an interview. A conversation. Honest, human, and sometimes weird conversation with interesting people doing big things.  Entrepreneurs, artists, politicians and chefs open up about their childhoods, hot takes and insecurities — with honesty, humor, and heart. Presented by Wefunder. Hosted by Chai Mishra.Views are our own.

Information

  • Creator
    Wefunder
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Warm Intro
  • Show Website
    Warm Intro