The Dart Board with Daniel Dart

Rock Yard Ventures

Daniel Dart is the founder and General Partner of Rock Yard Ventures, a seed-stage venture firm focused on tech across core industries. Join Daniel as he sits down with some of the world's greatest investors, operators, and entrepreneurs as he pulls back the curtain on their secrets to success, insights on the future, and how to best invest your time, reputation, and money.

  1. Chris Olsen | Drive Capital - On building a $2B firm outside of silicon valley, always accepting responsibility, and giving founders more than just money

    17H AGO

    Chris Olsen | Drive Capital - On building a $2B firm outside of silicon valley, always accepting responsibility, and giving founders more than just money

    Founder of Drive Capital, Chris Olsen, left a dream job as a partner at Sequoia to prove that billion-dollar companies could be built outside Silicon Valley. In this candid conversation, he unpacks the founding of Drive Capital, why geography no longer limits great ideas, and how authentic leadership, disciplined fundraising, and building powerful local ecosystems can drive long-term success. We also get personal, talking about failure, family, gym routines, and why comparing yourself to yesterday is the real competition. A must-listen for founders, funders, and anyone who cares about building for the long game.

    47 min
  2. Dan O'Connell | Front - On driving a ~$100m ARR startup, the evolution of pricing, and how some people never change

    JUL 9

    Dan O'Connell | Front - On driving a ~$100m ARR startup, the evolution of pricing, and how some people never change

    Meet Dan O'Connell, CEO of Front. From joining Google when it had just 300 employees, to leading AI strategy at Dialpad, to now running one of the most innovative customer support platforms in the world at Front, Dan understands tech and Silicon Valley in ways few others do. We dive into the future of AI, what it's like to be recruited as a CEO, how to empower teams at scale, and why disruption isn’t just inevitable, it’s a responsibility. We finish by digging into why you must move fast in everything you do, both in business and life, as well as why some people, for better or worse, will never change.

    43 min
  3. Mike Miller | Liquid 2 Ventures - On going from nuclear physicist to the early Y Combinator days, selling a startup to IBM, and launching a different type of VC fund

    JUN 25

    Mike Miller | Liquid 2 Ventures - On going from nuclear physicist to the early Y Combinator days, selling a startup to IBM, and launching a different type of VC fund

    Meet Mike Miller, co-founder of Liquid 2 Ventures. In this episode, we explore his journey from being a nuclear physicist to a successful entrepreneur and investor. We dig into why so much VC dogma isn't rooted in fact, and how Liquid 2 has forged it's own path - one that many new funds are copying. He shares how sometimes the worst things you go through can end up being the best thing, and how founders are often given poor advice when thinking about how to get later funding, and how there's many ways to win in venture.

    51 min
  4. John Mannes | Basis Set - On going from government and to venture, how curiosity breeds alpha, and sometimes we just need to focus on what's right in front of us

    JUN 18

    John Mannes | Basis Set - On going from government and to venture, how curiosity breeds alpha, and sometimes we just need to focus on what's right in front of us

    Meet John Mannes, Partner at Basis Set, one of the original AI-native venture funds. In this episode, he shares what he learned growing up in DC and how it applies to Silicon Valley, the importance of understanding founder psychology, and the impact of how growing up can shape the entrepreneurial mindset. He shares how he stays ahead of the technology curve and how, rather than being sector-focused as an investor, he is more focused on how big the opportunity can be, regardless of the sector. Lastly, he shares advice from his father that shapes his day-to-day outlook, and how those who learn early what hard work looks like can have a significant impact on how they approach things later in life.

    36 min
  5. Mario Schlosser | Oscar Health - On how AI will make healthcare better, his journey from upstart to IPO, and why you need to do things 100%

    JUN 11

    Mario Schlosser | Oscar Health - On how AI will make healthcare better, his journey from upstart to IPO, and why you need to do things 100%

    Meet Mario Schlosser, co-founder and CTO of the publicly traded health insurance company, Oscar Health (OSCR:NYSE). In this conversation, Mario shares the personal story that led to the founding of Oscar Health, discussing the challenges and triumphs of navigating the healthcare industry, and the imminent impact of technology and AI on all aspects of health and treatment. From his transition from gaming to healthcare, his experiences in leadership, and the importance of prioritizing mental health, we cover the best and worst advice he's ever received and how sometimes what we think are pivotal moments are just part of growing up.

    56 min
  6. Greg Lippmann | LibreMax Capital - On the 'Big Short,' finding mentors through hard work, and understanding the value in setbacks

    JUN 4

    Greg Lippmann | LibreMax Capital - On the 'Big Short,' finding mentors through hard work, and understanding the value in setbacks

    Meet Greg Lippmann. In this episode, we dig into his journey from public schools, working at summer camps, to his first day on a trading floor, and when he knew the 'Big Short' was actually going to break his way. From a challenging start in finance to becoming a prominent figure in the industry, to launching his firm LibreMax, which now manages north of $12 billion. He discusses his time as an emerging manager, the strategy of getting started, the lessons learned from the financial crisis, and why working hard is beneficial for more than just career growth.

    38 min
  7. Songyee Yoon | Principal Venture Partners - On why gaming is the frontier of tech, why tomorrow's biggest companies are starting today, and why it pays to have a thick skin

    MAY 28

    Songyee Yoon | Principal Venture Partners - On why gaming is the frontier of tech, why tomorrow's biggest companies are starting today, and why it pays to have a thick skin

    Meet Songyee Yoon, one of the most inspiring tech leaders and investors around today. In this conversation, she shares her remarkable journey from growing up in Korea to getting her PhD in computational neuroscience at MIT to becoming the President and Chief Strategy Officer at NCSoft, one of the world's biggest gaming companies. She discusses her transition from academia to industry, the evolution of gaming technology, and why understanding it is essential to understanding the future. And why she made the jump to launch a new venture capital firm, Principal Venture Partners, which focuses on investing in AI native companies. Throughout the discussion, she shares valuable lessons about overcoming adversity, why it pays to have a thick skin, and why there is no single type of perfect founder.

    36 min
  8. Barry Ritholtz | Bloomberg & Ritholtz Wealth Management - On 'How Not To Invest,' being both a specialist and generalist, and turning his ADHD into a superpower

    MAY 23

    Barry Ritholtz | Bloomberg & Ritholtz Wealth Management - On 'How Not To Invest,' being both a specialist and generalist, and turning his ADHD into a superpower

    Meet Barry Ritholtz, the founder, chairman, and CIO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, as well as a long-time contributor at Bloomberg Media. In this episode, he shares his journey from a trading desk to establishing a successful wealth management firm. He discusses his new book, 'How Not to Invest,' which explores the pitfalls of investing and the importance of understanding behavioral finance. Barry emphasizes the balance between being a specialist and a generalist, the challenges of starting a business, and how writing helps him clarify his thoughts. He also reflects on his personal journey with ADHD and how it has shaped his approach to work and life.

    41 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Daniel Dart is the founder and General Partner of Rock Yard Ventures, a seed-stage venture firm focused on tech across core industries. Join Daniel as he sits down with some of the world's greatest investors, operators, and entrepreneurs as he pulls back the curtain on their secrets to success, insights on the future, and how to best invest your time, reputation, and money.

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