The Long View

Jesse Marble
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  • Investing

The Long View with Jesse Marble is a podcast for builders and founders. The ones who know the game is fast but isn't won in a quarter. Every episode, I sit down with founders, investors, athletes, authors, operators, leaders who've been through it, the sleepless stretches, the bets that looked stupid until they didn't, the unsexy work that compounds when nobody's watching. We talk about conviction, survival, and what it actually looks like to build something that lasts. No hacks. No highlight reels. Guards down.

Episodes

  1. Aug 11

    Episode 5: Dot-Com to AI: Hype Cycles, Humility, and Building for the Long Run

    Welcome to The Long View — a podcast for the builders and doers. Today's guest is William Hsu, co-founder and managing partner of Mucker Capital. William's path to venture capital wasn't a straight line. At 22, he founded Buildpoint, only to be pushed out by his own board. He moved into the corporate world next, an unexpected chapter that taught him how to operate at a high level and, crucially, how to build relationships. One of those relationships was with his future Mucker Capital co-founder. From there, William built Mucker from $1 million in assets under management into one of the more recognized early-stage firms backing founders outside the traditional Silicon Valley mold. In this conversation, William draws on the dot-com boom and bust to make sense of today's AI moment. He argues the current AI hype is three times the size of 1999's, and just as capable of getting ahead of itself. He shares the ironies of fundraising then and now. He explains why patient capital matters more than ever. And he makes the case that building something customers love at a premium price is still the only durable path to success. We also get into his hardest career moment, what it taught him about humility and resilience, and how he thinks about culture and leadership as someone who still identifies more as an entrepreneur than an investor. Please enjoy this conversation with Will Hsu, current founder of Mucker Capital — an investor who will answer almost every cold email he gets. In fact, 25% of his portfolio came from cold outreach. Find William on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-hsu-032273/ Chapters 02:03 The Dot-Com Bubble and Its Lessons 03:57 Fundraising Dynamics: Then and Now 05:34 The Silicon Valley vs. LA Dynamic 08:11 Navigating the AI Hype Cycle 11:20 The Journey of Build Point: A Cautionary Tale 14:04 The Importance of Experience in Entrepreneurship 16:51 The Transition from Entrepreneur to Investor 18:50 Building a Strong Company Culture 26:53 Cultivating a Positive Company Culture 29:22 Decisiveness and Speed in Decision-Making 30:57 The Importance of Grit and Resilience 35:32 Lessons from Mucker Fund One 40:13 Preparing the Next Generation for AI 42:59 Contrarian Views on SaaS and Applications

  2. Jul 29

    Episode 4: The American Dream Runs on Startups

    Donna Harris is the Founder and CEO of Builders + Backers, the world's first AI-powered venture studio helping entrepreneurs everywhere turn ideas into real companies. Over her career as a six-time entrepreneur and top-ranked seed-stage investor, she co-founded 1776 in Washington, DC, served as Managing Director of the Startup America Partnership, and is now General Partner of 1776 Ventures — giving her a front-row seat to what actually separates thriving startup ecosystems from ones that stall out. In this episode we discuss: What's actually broken in the startup ecosystemThe truth about alternative funding options beyond venture capitalHow AI is reshaping the future of venture buildingWhy so much "startup success" is an illusionLessons from Tulsa on what makes an ecosystem workWhy human judgment is the one thing AI can't replace Find Donna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dharrisindc/ Enjoy! Timestamps:0:00 Intro04:24 Building the Startup Ecosystem in D.C.07:22 Reflections on Startup Success and Challenges09:58 Navigating Alternative Funding Options19:25 The Role of AI in Shaping the Future of Startups22:27 Evaluating Venture Building Models25:08 The Reality of Startup Growth and Expectations31:06 The Illusion of Startup Success33:17 The Reality of Entrepreneurship35:42 Rethinking Economic Development38:34 Successful Ecosystems: Lessons from Tulsa41:07 Myths in Entrepreneurship44:00 Leveraging AI Tools for Startups48:36 The Human Element in an AI World

  3. Jul 9

    Episode 3: Why Bad Culture Is a Startup Killer with Ron Schneidermann

    Welcome to The Long View, a podcast for the builders and doers. Today's guest is just that. Ron Schneidermann was the CEO of AllTrails, largely considered one of the top outdoor / adventure platforms in the world. I used it this weekend to hike a 14er with my family. He took it from six people and half a million in ARR to over 100 million registered users worldwide and an exit, which he talks about. Before that, Ron wrote the business plan for Liftopia in the early 2000's using books he bought at Barnes & Noble. Ron talks about what the unglamorous version of startups actually looks like: self-funding, brutal prioritization, and the hardest questions a CEO has to ask themselves. He has hot takes on co-founders, on when NOT to raise money, on culture as the only real competitive moat, and on why, in an age where building anything is trivially easy, human taste and judgment are the last defensible thing we have. Now he's CEO of Acley, an AI-powered standardized-test prep platform, where the same philosophy he's carried through every chapter is running the show. Ron’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schneidermann/

  4. Jun 24

    Episode 2: From Nike to VC with Melanie Strong

    Most venture capitalists have a tech or finance background but Mel Strong took a non-traditional route into the industry, from teaching first grade in West Philly to working at Nike, and ultimately becoming a pioneering VC. In this episode, she shares her unlikely journey, the lessons learned from building iconic brands, and how her diverse experiences shape her approach to investing today. You'll discover how Mel’s unconventional path, teaching, journalism, and global corporate stints, gives her a unique perspective on founder resilience, market opportunities, and leadership authenticity. We break down her approach to mentorship, the art of cold outreach, and maintaining grace in high-stakes environments. Perfect for founders, investors, and anyone curious about how extraordinary careers are built from unexpected beginnings. Check out Melanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-strong/

  5. May 21

    Episode 1: From the App Store to the Outdoors with Robin Thurston

    In this episode, entrepreneur and outdoor industry leader Robin Thurston shares the lessons behind building, scaling, selling, and reviving category-defining companies. From the rise of MapMyRide and its acquisition by Under Armour to leading the future of Outside, Robin breaks down the realities of startup timing, resilience through growth cycles, and the power of vision-driven leadership. The conversation explores storytelling, risk-taking, AI-driven innovation, outdoor community building through Outside Days, and where the next wave of fitness and outdoor tech opportunities is emerging.  The Long View with Jesse Marble is a podcast for builders and founders. The ones who know the game is fast but isn't won in a quarter. Every episode, I sit down with founders, investors, athletes, authors, operators, leaders who've been through it, the sleepless stretches, the bets that looked stupid until they didn't, the unsexy work that compounds when nobody's watching. We talk about conviction, survival, and what it actually looks like to build something that lasts. No hacks. No highlight reels. Guards down.  Check out Robin Thurston on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinthurston/

  • 5 Episodes

About

The Long View with Jesse Marble is a podcast for builders and founders. The ones who know the game is fast but isn't won in a quarter. Every episode, I sit down with founders, investors, athletes, authors, operators, leaders who've been through it, the sleepless stretches, the bets that looked stupid until they didn't, the unsexy work that compounds when nobody's watching. We talk about conviction, survival, and what it actually looks like to build something that lasts. No hacks. No highlight reels. Guards down.

Information

  • Creator
    Jesse Marble
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jesse Marble
  • Show Website
    The Long View