Going Direct Conversations

Jordan Wolfe
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  • TECHNOLOGY
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Going Direct explores the decentralization of the real economy and how new technologies can bring us closer to the products we buy and the people who make them. goingdirect.substack.com

  1. #52 Meta Prime: Rebuilding The Social Structure in America

    1D AGO

    #52 Meta Prime: Rebuilding The Social Structure in America

    I sit down with Meta Prime, a writer and online network builder whose work I discovered on Substack. Meta Prime and I do a deep dive into a recent essay he wrote titled, “The Necessity of Rebuilding the Social Structure in America.” We explore how and why America’s social fabric broke down, what rebuilding it looks like in practice, and how the Going Direct economy can play a central role in restoring it. Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Recording Date: January 08, 2026 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 04:51 Meta Prime’s Essay: The Necessity For Rebuilding Social Structure 12:11 Defining Social Structure 20:31 How To Start Rebuilding The Social Structure 27:23 Meta Prime Project Background 35:42 Building Parallel Systems 42:50 Going Direct And Rebuilding The Social Structure 47:16 Building Strong Networks In The Digital Age 49:58 Decentralization And The Future Of Systems 01:00:53 Building Practical Solutions 01:04:41 Understanding Fraternal Networks 01:08:27 Rapid Fire Follow Jordan on X: * https://x.com/jrwolfe Links to Meta Prime’s Work: * Website – https://metaprime001.com/ * Substack – https://substack.com/@metaprime001 * X (Twitter) – https://x.com/MetaPrime001 * Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/@metaprime001 Resources Mentioned: * Area 2 Farms – https://www.area2farms.com/ * Article: “On The Necessity of Rebuilding Social Structure” - https://metaprime.substack.com/p/on-the-necessity-of-rebuild-social Remember to go direct! Jordan P.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com

    1h 16m
  2. #51 Sam Lessin: A VC’s Take On Why Decentralization Is Inevitable

    FEB 3

    #51 Sam Lessin: A VC’s Take On Why Decentralization Is Inevitable

    I sit down with Sam Lessin, Cofounder and General Partner at Slow Ventures, to unpack why he believes decentralization is inevitable. Sam is an original thinker and really fun to talk to. He and the Slow team have built an impressive track record of being early and right. They’ve made early investments in Robinhood, Pinterest, Nextdoor, Solana, Airtable, and more. In this wide-ranging and entertaining conversation, we discuss: * How the Internet ironically became the greatest centralizing machine ever * How the, “Physics of Technology” make centralization and decentralization inevitable cycles * Why capitalism serves dollars, not people * Why Slow Ventures invests in unpopular ideas and refuses to be specialists * The brittle food system * VC’s broken incentives Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Recording date: December 17, 2025 Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:44 Slow Ventures Approach To Investing 04:41 The Role Of Content In Venture Capital 07:41 Is Decentralization Inevitable? 15:24 Why The Internet Centralized Everything 17:43 Technology As Leverage To Decentralize 23:59 Incentive Structures In Decentralized Models 31:23 Early Facebook Days 32:09 Current Narrative In Silicon Valley 34:54 Delusion Of Greatness in Tech 37:09 Birth Of Slow Ventures 39:01 VC Challenges In Funding Decentralization 42:45 How AI Is Changing Seed Investing 45:47 Concept Of Memetic Warfare 49:33 Slow Ventures Etiquette School 51:32 Rapid Fire Follow Jordan on X: * https://x.com/jrwolfe Links to Sam’s Work: * X – https://x.com/lessin * Slow Ventures – https://slow.co/ * The Slow Ventures Guide to Etiquette – https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Etiquette-Technology-Finance-Society/dp/B0G43P4PBD Resources Mentioned: * Meme Lord – https://www.memelord.com/ Remember to go direct! Jordan P.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com

    55 min
  3. #50 Onye Ahanotu: Reinventing The World’s Oldest Wine

    JAN 27

    #50 Onye Ahanotu: Reinventing The World’s Oldest Wine

    I sit down with Onye Ahanotu, founder of Ikenga Wines, to unpack his wild idea of creating an entirely new beverage category in the U.S. Onye has invented a way to make palm wine, one of the oldest beverages on earth and a staple across the global South, without the palm tree. By bio-designing a “molecular palm sap” from different plant sources, Onye produces palm wine locally in Berkeley, California. Ikenga is a powerful example of how new forms of science can enable more decentralized production. In this episode, we discuss: * Why palm wine is one of the oldest wine categories most people have never heard of * Why traditional palm wine must be consumed within 1–2 days * How Onye bio-designs molecular palm sap from plants * Ikenga’s decentralized, local production model * Palm wine’s flavor profile * Why the middle market in wine is getting squeezed * How palm wine could become the missing pairing for global Southern cuisines Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Recording date: December 8, 2025 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:51 What Is Palm Wine? 02:47 Traditional Production Of Palm Wine 07:54 Making Palm Wine Without The Palm Tree 13:24 Onye's Journey To Making Palm Wine 19:48 Creating A New Beverage Category 21:28 Dialing In Different Flavor Profiles 24:10 Current Production Capacity 26:42 Understanding Shelf Life And Flavor Evolution 29:10 Distribution Challenges In The Alcohol Industry 32:38 Navigating Consumer Trends 38:20 Future Of Beverages 43:34 Pricing Strategy: Accessible Luxury 45:59 Developing A Technical Expertise Follow Jordan on X * https://x.com/jrwolfe Links to Onye’s Work: * Website – https://ikengawines.com/ * Email – info@ikengawines.com * LinkedIn (IKENGA Wines) – https://www.linkedin.com/company/ikenga-wines/ * Instagram (IKENGA Wines) – https://instagram.com/ikengawines * Instagram (Onye) – https://instagram.com/onyeahanotu * LinkedIn (Onye) – https://www.linkedin.com/in/onyeahanotu Resources Mentioned: * The False Promise of Optimization by Coco Krumme - https://www.amazon.com/Optimal-Illusions-False-Promise-Optimization/dp/0593331117 Remember to go direct! Jordan P.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com

    50 min
  4. #49 Oren Falkowitz: Moving The Farm, Not The Food

    JAN 20

    #49 Oren Falkowitz: Moving The Farm, Not The Food

    I sit down with Oren Falkowitz, co-founder and CEO of Area 2 Farms, to discuss how he’s working to fix America’s food system by building hyper-local, soil-based, automated indoor farms that bring food production back to where people live. Oren has a very unique approach that combines local production and local distribution under one roof. We explore why moving the farm, not the food, is the future. Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Recording date: November 26, 2025 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:03 What’s Wrong With Our Soil? 03:35 The Importance Of Soil Health 07:24 Problems With The Current Food System 10:17 Area 2 Farms Model 21:36 Soil vs Hydroponics 23:28 Operational Insights From The First Farm 30:57 Robotics & Automation In Vertical Farming 34:10 Area 2 Farms Product Mix 38:53 Understanding The Economics Of Community Farming 42:08 Scaling Farming Operations 51:37 Role Of Real Estate 55:33 Oren’s Journey From Cybersecurity To Community Farming 59:56 Rapid Fire Follow Jordan on X: * https://x.com/jrwolfe Links to Oren’s work: * Area 2 Farms website – https://www.area2farms.com/ * Area 2 Farms X - https://x.com/area2farms * Oren´s X – https://x.com/orenfalkowitz This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com

    1h 3m
  5. #48 Brett Bivens: Production Capital For The New Industrial Age

    JAN 13

    #48 Brett Bivens: Production Capital For The New Industrial Age

    I sit down with Brett Bivens, an active angel investor and Research Partner at July Fund, a venture capital firm focused on backing new technologies that improve the real world. We unpack a recent essay Brett wrote titled The Production Capital Mosaic, where he outlines 11 emerging financing models purpose-built for industrial technology. We explore why traditional venture and infrastructure capital fall short in this space, what it means to be a production capitalist, and how a new breed of firms is blending the DNA of Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and Washington, D.C. to rebuild Western industrial capacity. Enjoy! Recording Date: November 19, 2025 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 03:04 Defining Production Capital 06:28 Carlota Perez & Technology Cycles 10:17 Different Production Capital Models 17:03 Defining Production Capitalists 23:00 Do We Have A Shortage Of Capital Or Demand? 25:08 Challenges In Scaling New Technologies 31:21 Production Capital Models 31:49 Model 1: Venture & Capital Markets Connectivity 35:20 Model 2: GAP Capital (Growth & Project Finance) 37:09 Model 3: Modern Merchant Banks 39:46 Model 4: SPAC’s & PIPE’s 41:09 Model 5: Venture Turnarounds 45:01 Model 6: Techno-Industrial Holding Companies 49:11 Model 7: Digital Capital Markets Orchestration 50:51 Model 8: Growth Buyouts 52:13 Model 9: Super Developers 55:13 Model 10: Industrial Franchises 01:03:10 Model 11: DePIN Projects 01:07:15 Rapid Fire Follow Jordan on X: * https://x.com/jrwolfe Links to Brett’s Work: * Venture Desktop (Substack) – * LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettbivens/ Resources Mentioned: * Article: “The Production Capital Mosaic” Remember to go direct! Jordan P.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com

    1h 14m
  6. #47 Andy Hunter: Anti-Amazon Tech Platform Reviving Independent Bookstores

    JAN 6

    #47 Andy Hunter: Anti-Amazon Tech Platform Reviving Independent Bookstores

    I sit down with Andy Hunter, founder and CEO of Bookshop.org, to unpack how their e-commerce platform operates as one big affiliate network to support independent bookstores. It’s the classic “David vs. Goliath” story where the company is giving small retail businesses a way to compete directly with Amazon. Against all odds, Bookshop.org is working. They’ve already raised over $43 million for indie bookstores and are just getting started. In this conversation we discuss: * The “Silver Lining” of Amazon’s dominance and the resurgence of local bricks-and-mortar bookstores. * How Bookshop.org handles logistics and supply chains for bookstores * How Bookshop.org operates like one big affiliate network * Expanding into eBooks * Why publishers and tranditional media outlets are important for book culture * The difference between algorithmic recommendations and human curation * Expanding this decentralized model to other industries to support local retail Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Recording Date: November 19, 2025 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:06 David vs. Goliath 02:10 Silver Lining Of Amazon’s Dominance 06:24 Chipping Away At Amazon And Supporting Independent Bookstores 11:46 How Bookshop.org Works 20:33 One Big Affiliate Network: From Influencers to New York Times 24:08 Role of Book Publishers And Wholesalers 26:03 Launching During COVID-19 32:32 Breaking Down the Economic Business Model 37:53 Importance Of Staying Lean 41:25 Expanding Into eBooks 44:05 Supporting Independent Authors 46:13 Media’s Role In Book Culture 52:11 Optimizing For Human Happiness 57:00 Applying Bookshop.org’s Model To Other Industries 59:45 Rapid Fire * Follow Jordan on X: https://x.com/jrwolfe * Links to Andy’s Work: * Website - Bookshop.org * Email – andy@bookshop.org Remember to go direct! Jordan P.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com

    1h 8m
  7. #46 INSIDE GOING DIRECT: Diving Into Industrial Bio-manufacturing

    12/23/2025

    #46 INSIDE GOING DIRECT: Diving Into Industrial Bio-manufacturing

    I sit down with my co-host Reiss to break down different decentralized production models - 3D printing, mini-mills, upcycling, and bio-manufacturing - and dive deeper into the world of bio-manufacturing. We explore how biology can create much more decentralized, cleaner forms of production and discuss the following topics: * Decentralized production methods: 3D Printing, Mini Mills, Upcycling, & Bio-manufacturing. * How synthetic biology uses sugar instead of petroleum to create all types of products. * The large infrastructure gap between high-value pharmaceuticals and lower-value Industrial biotech. * Importance of “sterility” in scaling bio-manufacturing. * Using insects as living bioreactors to produce proteins. * Advancements in trait-modified crops. * What’s needed to make bio-based products cost-competitive. Enjoy!Watch on Youtube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts Recording date: November 14, 2025 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:30 Decentralized Production Breakdown 09:31 Explaining How Bio-manufacturing Works 12:29 Important Role Of Feedstocks 14:32 Pharma vs. Industrial Biotech 18:17 Challenges In Scaling Bio-manufacturing 23:55 Using Insects As Bioreactors 28:55 Infrastructure Needed To Make Industrial Biotech Competitive 33:06 Trait Modified Crops & Decentralized Farming 35:58 Decentralizing Crop Production 36:56 Cell-Based Chocolate Example 42:23 Scaling Laws in Industrial Biotech 51:18 Other Advancements In Crop Modification 53:18 Bio-manufacturing Wishlist Follow Jordan on X * https://x.com/jrwolfe Resources Mentioned: * California Cultured (Cell-based Chocolate/Coffee) – https://www.cacultured.com/ Remember to go direct!Jordan P.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com

    1h 1m
  8. #45 Kary Bheemaiah: Robotics Hype vs. Reality

    12/16/2025

    #45 Kary Bheemaiah: Robotics Hype vs. Reality

    I sit down with Kary Bheemaiah, VP and Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at Capgemini Invent, to unpack the real-world challenges behind next-generation robotics and industrial automation. We break down what actually happens when new robots hit messy, legacy production floors and the ugly economics of automation that most people never talk about. We also dive into Edge AI and why Kary firmly believes it’s the missing piece that will finally make generalized automation usable and deployable. Topics we cover: * How Edge AI acts as a “universal protocol translator” for legacy factories * The “BLOPE” problem (Bandwidth, Latency, Operational constraints, Privacy, Economics) in manufacturing * Why integration costs are 6-12x higher than the actual robot * The concept of, “asset-based consulting” and importance of getting hands dirty in the lab * China’s dominance in robotics Enjoy! Watch on YouTube; listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Recording date: November 12, 2025 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:36 What Is Capgemini Invent? 06:33 Breaking Down Edge AI 12:13 The “Dirty Secret”: Why Integration Costs 6x The Robot 12:43 Integration Challenges In Robotics 20:25 Data Is #1 Main Bottleneck in Robotics 25:12 Collecting Data By Vertical 29:04 Keys To A Successful Robotics Implementation 33:17 True Cost of Downtime In A Factory 35:23 Evolving Landscape Of Robotics And AI 42:46 Role Of Teleoperation In Training Robots 48:33 Creative Destruction 56:17 China’s Supply Chain Advantage 01:02:16 Rapid Fire Follow Jordan on X * https://x.com/jrwolfe Links to Kary’s Work: * Capgemini Invent: https://www.capgemini.com/about-us/who-we-are/our-brands/capgemini-invent/ * LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/karybheemaiah/ Other Resources Mentioned * Deep dive into Robotics watch this conversation with @PhysicalIntelligence : https://goingdirect.substack.com/p/38-karol-hausman-and-kevin-black-4b6 Remember to go direct! Jordan P.S. Build with love This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goingdirect.substack.com

    1h 5m
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Going Direct explores the decentralization of the real economy and how new technologies can bring us closer to the products we buy and the people who make them. goingdirect.substack.com

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