The Trust Moat Podcast

Maja Perovic Baines

Technology is changing everything. Trust is the only thing that doesn't. Conversations and analysis for builders and leaders who know that how you build matters as much as what you build. In this video podcast, I give a voice to builders who implement principles as a strategy. We explore how these choices become unfair advantages—how building for user control creates word-of-mouth growth and customer loyalty, how designing for human progress reveals markets others can't see... 🎙️ New episodes dropping every Tuesday. --- Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MonkeyBusinessMediaPods?sub_confirmation=1 Subscribe to Newsletter & get these episodes first: https://majapbaines.substack.com/  Follow Maja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines/  Follow Maja on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm/ Follow Maja on X: https://x.com/lazarevic_p 

  1. 1d ago

    Can AI help kids spend less time on screens? Inside Marble | Lionel Mora

    Can AI nurture childhood curiosity instead of trapping kids in passive screen time? In this episode of The Trust Moat Pod, I sit down with Lionel Mora, co-founder of Marble—an AI mobile app designed for children ages 6 to 12. Unlike conventional consumer apps built to maximize time on screen, Marble is engineered to spark real-world curiosity, encourage active problem-solving, and push kids to go outside and create. Lionel breaks down the philosophy behind building a subscription-first, ad-free product for families, the technical challenge of deploying multi-agent safety checks in real time, and why they decided to open-source the Marble dynamic curriculum. We cover: - Why standard AI tools fall short when interacting with young children - Shifting from "edutainment" to active learning playgrounds - The decision to open-source the Marble knowledge curriculum - Why high-quality interactive screen time beats passive consumption - Real-time multi-agent safety guardrails and manual human oversight - How to measure and reward genuine curiosity over simple test scores - Building a subscription-based model to avoid advertising incentives   The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. 📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/   CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction & The Mission Behind Marble 01:56 - What Most Tech Gets Wrong About Kids & Screen Time 04:00 - Why Curiosity & Agency Matter for the Next Generation 06:16 - Active Friction vs. Instant AI Answers 11:00 - Rethinking EdTech: Playgrounds Instead of Tutors 13:37 - Why Marble Open-Sourced Its K-12 Curriculum 20:00 - Grounding the Knowledge Graph in National Standards 22:04 - Why Marble Chose Screens Over Voice-Only 23:41 - Multi-Agent Safety Layers & Real-Time Guardrails 27:08 - Human-in-the-Loop Review & Benchmark Testing 29:54 - Designing AI That Sends Kids Away From Screens 32:53 - Measuring Curiosity & Academic Research Partnerships 36:00 - Unlocking Intrinsic Motivation for 95% of Learners 38:00 - Choosing Subscriptions Over Attention-Economy Ads 43:40 - The Proximal Zone of Development in AI Education 46:00 - Early Beta Insights & Magic Moments 49:05 - Giving Parents Visibility and Direct Input 54:30 - Building With the Community & Closing Thoughts   Follow Lionel: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lionelmora/ Find out more about Marble: https://withmarble.com/ Watch The Trust Moat on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WzbXoB7pY6Q  Connect with Maja: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines X – https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm Listen to Artifakt Podcast Maja hosts, in Serbian https://www.youtube.com/@UCzv93udXqG_Pt4CKemmdWvQ

    Can AI help kids spend less time on screens? Inside Marble | Lionel Mora

  2. Sep 24

    Why AI data centers are putting new pressure on Europe’s power grid | CEO RIMAC Energy Wasim Sarwar

    As AI data centers demand gigawatts of power and the world shifts toward renewables, the global energy grid faces an unprecedented challenge: how do we stabilize intermittent power and secure energy sovereignty? In this episode of The Trust Moat Pod, I sit down with Wasim Sarwar, CEO of Rimac Energy. From engineering high-performance battery systems for hypercars to pioneering next-generation grid-scale stationary storage, Wasim shares how Rimac Energy is building software-defined batteries, why systems integration matters more than raw cell production, and what Europe must do to compete with the US and China in the race for clean energy infrastructure. The episode was supported by https://dealion.net/, a vetted circle of revenue leaders and founders built around meeting face-to-face, with a private space where the conversation continues in between.   We cover: The Transition from Supercars to the Grid: How engineering high-performance EV battery systems paved the way for next-generation grid storage. Europe’s Energy Sovereignty: Why stationary energy storage is the missing puzzle piece for renewable energy and geopolitical independence. The AI Power Crunch: How soaring electricity demand from data centers is forcing a massive rethink of power infrastructure. Software-Defined Batteries: The role of distributed inverters, modular architecture, and software in driving down long-term levelized cost of storage (LCOS). Competing on the Global Stage: What it actually takes to build a clean-tech champion in Europe against subsidized competition from the US and China. Building Deep Tech in Croatia: Attracting world-class engineering talent and staying laser-focused during 18 months in stealth mode. The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. 📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/ CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction & The Global Energy Landscape 01:40 - Why Wasim Founded Rimac Energy 03:12 - Solving Grid Intermittency with Energy Storage 07:05 - The Battle for European Energy Sovereignty 08:13 - 18 Months in Stealth: Focus on Deep-Tech Innovation 11:00 - Engineering Talent & Building in Croatia 14:05 - The "So What?" Metric: Product Differentiation 16:30 - AI Boom, Data Centers & Surging Energy Demand 20:00 - Made in Europe: Competing with China & the US 29:00 - The State of European Battery Cell Manufacturing 33:50 - Software-Defined Batteries & Distributed Inverters 39:00 - Trust, Openness, and Long-Term Unit Economics 44:15 - Strategic Forecasting & The Road Ahead Follow Wasim: LinkedIn –

    Why AI data centers are putting new pressure on Europe’s power grid | CEO RIMAC Energy Wasim Sarwar

  3. Sep 8

    Is This the End of Employees? The Rise of Autonomous AI Founders | Ben Cera

    In this episode of The Trust Moat, I sit down with Ben, the solo founder behind Polsia, one of the most talked-about and controversial startups in the AI space. With a $10M ARR and a mission to "turn everyone into a founder," Ben has captured massive attention while facing intense scrutiny over his product's delivery and Trustpilot reviews. Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, this conversation is a masterclass in distribution, attention, and the brutal reality of building at the bleeding edge of AI. We cover: The Mission: Turning non-technical people into economic contributors.  The Controversy: Addressing "scam" allegations and Trustpilot reviews.  The Business Model: Moving from high-priced subscriptions to a Shopify-style marketplace. The "Solo" Secret: How Ben leverages infrastructure partners instead of hiring a full-time team. The AI Race: Why OpenAI and Google are "scared" of releasing true autonomy. The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. 📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/   CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction: Is Polsia a brilliant experiment or "trustwashing"? 02:50 - Lessons from Travis Kalanick: Building things with a 10x improvement. 04:55 - Is AI a dangerous gamble? Ben’s take on the future of humanity. 07:05 - The $50 "Scam": Explaining the high cost of AI compute. 09:25 - Dealing with bugs and the "Loud Minority" on Twitter. 10:45 - The Pulsia Promise: Turning everyone into a founder. 13:10 - What is God Mode? The cost of real AI autonomy. 15:15 - Facing the Trustpilot reviews: 1.8 stars vs. 2,000 happy users. 22:30 - Building in Public: Breaking down the $10M ARR dashboard. 27:00 - The Pivot: Why Polsia is dropping its price to $20. 33:15 - The Shopify Parallel: Making money on transactions, not just seats. 43:00 - The Innovator's Dilemma: Why Google and OpenAI are playing it safe. 50:15 - Why Ben has zero employees (and how he scales anyway). 57:10 - Public Perception vs. Private Trust: What really matters for Polsia's future.   Follow Ben Cera: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbroca/ X – https://x.com/Bencera?lang=en Listen to The Trust Moat: 🎧 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1aLHebAw2S6DC3HLyEjuKQ 🎧 Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-trust-moat-podcast/id1895009648 🎧 Amazon Music – https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d02cd7a2-e32f-4480-8914-9a26d5c3d0ff Connect with Maja: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines X – https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm

    Is This the End of Employees? The Rise of Autonomous AI Founders | Ben Cera

  4. Aug 26

    When Implementing AI In Enterprise Workflows Is a Wrong Move, and How To Do it | Dr. Julia Stamm

    In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Julia Stamm to unpack a critical disconnect in the modern workplace: the AI "sabotage gap." While executives race to implement AI, many employees resist, mostly because of a fundamental lack of trust and agency. Dr. Stam introduces her "TRAP" framework (Trust, Relevance, Attention, and Potential) and explains how leaders can flip the script by focusing on Purpose, Agency, Responsibility, and Trust when introducing AI. We dive deep into why technology alone isn't the answer and why the future of innovation depends on reclaiming our human judgment. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Julia Stamm to unpack a critical We explore: The Sabotage Gap: Why there is a massive disconnect between executive AI trust and employee reality. The Certainty Trap: The danger of "outsourcing" critical decision-making to algorithms and losing human agency. The PART Framework: A leadership roadmap for moving from reactive fear to proactive, human-centered tech adoption. Europe’s AI Identity: Where Europe stands in the global race and why values-based governance is a competitive advantage. Human Agency vs. Automation: How to maintain judgment and responsibility in an increasingly automated world. The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. 📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/   Connect with Maja: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines  X – https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm

    When Implementing AI In Enterprise Workflows Is a Wrong Move, and How To Do it | Dr. Julia Stamm

  5. Aug 11

    Can AI protect us from dangerous humans? She Built an AI Bodyguard for Women | Ina Jovičić, eNOugh

    In this episode of The Trust Moat, Ina Jovičić, co-founder and CEO of eNOugh — shares the harrowing personal story behind the eNO badge: a smart safety wearable that uses audio, video, motion, and heart-rate detection to identify danger and alert real human dispatchers in real time. We get into why existing safety apps fail in the moments that matter, how the AI "brain" works without a single button press, and the trust decision at the core of the product — footage so private that not even the woman wearing it can access it. This is a conversation about women's safety technology, building hardware against the odds, and why trust is the real competitive moat. The episode is made possible by https://www.therecursive.com/, community-born tech media and relationship infrastructure connecting CEE, GCC, and DACH   We explore: - The inception story: how a personal attack in London led to founding eNOugh - The problem with current tech: why existing hardware and safety apps fail in high-stress moments - How the eNO badge works: the AI "brain" that detects danger with zero manual input - Privacy & trust: why the footage is encrypted and inaccessible — even to the wearer - The hardware challenge: pitching a women's safety product to a male-dominated investor landscape - The future of public safety: empowering women and helping law enforcement through better evidence.   The Trust Moat explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage — and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it.   📩 Get every episode and essay in your inbox — subscribe to The Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/   CHAPTERS 00:00 – Cold open: 1 in 3 women will face violence 01:50 – The London incident: Ina's story of survival 03:55 – Safety in Prague vs. London: the normalization of fear 07:05 – The data: 900,000 yearly crimes and why current tech fails 11:02 – Building the team: Balkan roots and finding co-founders 14:59 – Form factor: why chest-level placement is critical for deterrence 16:20 – The "AI brain": real-time threat detection (audio, video, heart rate) 17:55 – Eliminating manual steps: why phones fail in emergencies 19:11 – Accuracy & prevention: why cameras stop 70% of attacks 24:26 – The OpenAI shift: how hardware investing changed in 2025 28:20 – Conviction: why Ina refused to go "fully B2B" for investors 30:36 – Safety certifications: working with the British Transport Police 32:14 – Privacy first: why footage is encrypted and protected 34:36 – Profit vs. cause: building when you're solving your own problem 37:32 – Joining the waitlist: how to get the eNO badge 39:00 – Global impact: future plans for India, Brazil, and beyond 42:25 – The ultimate goal: the "sisterhood nod" on the London Underground ---- Follow Ina Jovičić: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ina-jovicic/ Explore eNOugh: https://www.enobadge.com/home ---- Connect with Maja: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines X – https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11 I Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/majaperovic...

    Can AI protect us from dangerous humans? She Built an AI Bodyguard for Women | Ina Jovičić, eNOugh

  6. Jul 28

    Will Asia overtake US in AI Race - The Battle for Robotics and AI Sovereignty | Wally Wang

    Wally Wong (founder of Scale Asia Ventures) joins the podcast to break down the rapidly evolving landscape of "Physical AI" and why the industry is currently at a critical crossroads between software "brains" and hardware "bodies." In this episode, we explore: The Brain vs. Body Gap: Why the US leads in AI software while Asia dominates the manufacturing of robotic hardware. The Tipping Point: What is actually holding back the mass adoption of humanoid robots in the workforce? Global Sovereignty: How the US, China, and the EU are competing for control over the future of robotics and AI regulation. Investment Realities: The market dynamics of Japan and Korea and why they are the current battlegrounds for automation. Whether you're an investor, a tech enthusiast, or just curious about how robots will integrate into our daily lives, Wally provides a sobering and insightful look at the distance between the hype and the reality of Physical AI. --- The Trust Moat Podcast explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage—and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. --   Follow Wally on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wallyyingxiaowang/  Connect with Maja on: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines X : https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm

    Will Asia overtake US in AI Race - The Battle for Robotics and AI Sovereignty | Wally Wang

  7. Jun 30

    Why AI & Automation Can't Replace a Human: Inside the Most Automated Job | Yash Tekriwal

    In this episode of The Trust Moat, I sit down with Yash Terkiwal, the founding GTM Engineer at Clay, to explore why AI and automation won't replace humans, but rather amplify our creative and strategic potential. If you're a founder or builder trying to navigate the 'AI vs. Human' question, Yash’s insights on creativity and critical thinking are essential. --- The Trust Moat Podcast explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage—and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. -- This episode was filmed at SaaStanak 2026, in Šibenik, Croatia - where SaaS meets sea and sand. More about it here https://saastanak.com/ What we cover: The GTM Engineer: Why this new role is the bridge between data systems and human strategy. The "Job Growth" Paradox: Why Yash believes AI will net-create more jobs by removing the 'non-human' tasks. Building a Learning Ecosystem: How Clay uses community and 'failing proudly' to empower users. Trust as a Moat: Why human-centric value is the ultimate competitive advantage in a world of commoditized software. Follow Yash on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yashtekriwal/ CHAPTER 1 - THE AUTOMATION PARADOX: REDEFINING WORK & THE RISE OF THE GTM ENGINEER 03:15 - The contradiction of selling automation while teaching humans 04:22 - Identifying "non-human" tasks in knowledge work 06:29 - Why human interaction remains the center of Clay’s BDR strategy 12:50 - Defining the GTM Engineer: Collapsing systems and strategy CHAPTER 2 - INSTALLING MECHANISMS FOR CRITICAL THINKING 17:42 - Why critical thinking is the most important skill in an AI world 19:21 - The "Order of Operations" for business growth 20:43 - The "Ask Why Five Times" rule for strategy 21:48 - Why strategy board games are the best business training CHAPTER 3: CLAY'S PHILOSOPHY ON LEARNING & COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEMS 28:24 - Moving beyond passive education to active ecosystems 30:17 - Content Strategy: Quick, human, and script-free 31:25 - Experiences: Creating a safe space to "fail proudly" 32:38 - Moving from "AI fear" to "AI empowerment" CHAPTER 4: PROTECTING THE TRUST MOAT AGAINST AUTONOMOUS AGENTS 44:33 - Why human relationships are the ultimate moat in a commoditized world 46:50 - Navigating the "Salesperson Fluff" problem 48:15 - Building genuine partnerships through feedback and agility 51:32 - Final Advice: Why creativity is the antidote to optimization fatigue 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1aLHebA... 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎧 Listen on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d02... Connect with Maja on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines/ X: https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm

    Why AI & Automation Can't Replace a Human: Inside the Most Automated Job | Yash Tekriwal

  8. Jun 16

    When Software Stops Being the Moat, Where Do We Go Next? | Tomislav Car

    Get this straight in your inbox -- 📩 Subscribe to the Trust Moat newsletter: https://majapbaines.substack.com/ In this episode of The Trust Moat, I sit down with Tomislav Car, founder of Productive, an all-in-one agency management platform and business software, to explore the shifting landscape of the software industry. As AI democratizes coding and "moats" built purely on software begin to evaporate, we dive into what truly creates lasting value for the SaaS companies today. Tomislav shares his journey from bootstrapping a Productive agency to navigating the complexities of scaling teams and maintaining radical transparency in the era of agentic AI. --- The Trust Moat Podcast explores why trust is the last durable competitive advantage—and the founders, investors, and builders who understand it. --   This episode was filmed at SaaStanak 2026, in Šibenik, Croatia - where SaaS meets sea and sand. More about it here https://saastanak.com/ What we cover: - The Bootstrapping Advantage: Why starting with a focus on productivity and financial freedom creates a resilient foundation. - The AI Interface Shift: Moving from horizontal tools to vertical, agentic AI interfaces that solve specific problems. - Future-Proofing Teams: How to overhaul headcount and internal structures to stay competitive as AI changes the workload. - Trust Through Transparency: The role of radical honesty in building a team that can weather massive industry shifts. - The "Founder Mode" Era: Lessons learned from the mobile boom and how to apply them to the current AI revolution. Follow Tomislav on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomislavcar/    🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1aLHebAw2S6DC3HLyEjuKQ 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-trust-moat-podcast/id1895009648 🎧 Listen on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d02cd7a2-e32f-4480-8914-9a26d5c3d0ff   Connect with Maja on: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines - X: https://x.com/lazarevic_p?s=11 - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm

    When Software Stops Being the Moat, Where Do We Go Next? | Tomislav Car
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About

Technology is changing everything. Trust is the only thing that doesn't. Conversations and analysis for builders and leaders who know that how you build matters as much as what you build. In this video podcast, I give a voice to builders who implement principles as a strategy. We explore how these choices become unfair advantages—how building for user control creates word-of-mouth growth and customer loyalty, how designing for human progress reveals markets others can't see... 🎙️ New episodes dropping every Tuesday. --- Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MonkeyBusinessMediaPods?sub_confirmation=1 Subscribe to Newsletter & get these episodes first: https://majapbaines.substack.com/  Follow Maja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zmajapbaines/  Follow Maja on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majaperovicbaines_mbm/ Follow Maja on X: https://x.com/lazarevic_p 

Information

  • Creator
    Maja Perovic Baines
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Trust Moat Podcast