The Eric Ries Show

Eric Ries
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The Eric Ries Show

Founder, entrepreneur, and best-selling author of The Lean Startup Eric Ries discusses how to build profitable companies for the long-term benefit of society. Ries talks with world-class technologists, thought leaders, executives, and others working to create a new ecosystem of trustworthy organizations with limitless potential for growth and a deep commitment to purpose. Together, they uncover the tools and methods to ensure the next generation of companies are designed to maximize human flourishing for generations.

  1. The Hired CEO with Founder Mode | Marten Mickos (MySQL, HackerOne)

    MAR 27

    The Hired CEO with Founder Mode | Marten Mickos (MySQL, HackerOne)

    In this episode of The Eric Ries Show, I sit down with Marten Mickos, a serial tech CEO who has been at the forefront of some of the most transformative moments in open-source technology. From leading MySQL through its groundbreaking journey to guiding HackerOne as a pioneering bug bounty platform, Marten's career is a masterclass in building innovative, trust-driven organizations. Our wide-ranging conversation explores Marten's remarkable journey through tech leadership, touching on his experiences building game-changing companies and, more recently, his work coaching emerging CEOs. We dive deep into the world of open source, company culture, and the nuanced art of leadership. In our conversation today, we talk about the following topics:  • How MySQL revolutionized open-source databases and became Facebook’s database • The strategic decision to make MySQL open source and leverage Linux distributions • The art of building a beloved open-source project while creating a profitable business model • How a lawsuit solidified MySQL's position in the open-source database market • The role of transparency and direct feedback in building organizational trust • Why Marten was drawn to HackerOne's disruptive approach to cybersecurity • Marten’s transition to coaching new CEOs  • Marten’s unique "contrast framework" for making complex decisions • And much more! — Brought to you by: • Wilson Sonsini – Wilson Sonsini is the innovation economy’s law firm. ⁠⁠Learn more⁠⁠. • Gusto – Gusto is an easy payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 3 months free⁠⁠⁠⁠. — Where to find Marten Mickos:  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martenmickos/ • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/martenmickos.bsky.social — Where to find Eric: • Newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericries.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • Podcast:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  — In This Episode We Cover: (00:00) Intro (03:15) The first time Eric used MySQL (07:10) The origins of MySQL and how Marten got involved  (13:22) Why MySQL pivoted to open source to leverage the power of Linux distros (17:03) Open source vs. closed  (18:56) Building profitable open-source companies  (24:52) The fearless company culture at MySQL and the Progress lawsuit (29:30) The value of not cutting any corners  (33:35) How a dolphin became part of the MySQL logo  (35:55) What it was like to build a company of true believers (38:47) Marten’s management approach emphasizes kindness and direct feedback  (42:12) Marten’s hiring philosophy (45:14) Why MySQL sold to Sun Microsystems and tried to avoid Oracle  (50:24) How Oracle has made MySQL even better (52:22) Why Marten decided to lead at HackerOne (55:41) An overview of HackerOne (59:31) How HackerOne got started and landed the Department of Defense contract (1:03:19) The trust-building power of transparency (1:08:30) Marten’s successor and the state of HackerOne now (1:09:23) Marten’s work coaching CEOs (1:14:20) Common issues CEOs struggle with  (1:16:45) Marten’s contrast framework  (1:26:12) The book of Finnish poetry that inspired Marten’s love of polarities — You can find the transcript and references at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Production and marketing by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.

    1h 33m
  2. How To Raise $125M Pre-Revenue and Why Harder Can Be Easier | Celine Halioua (Loyal)

    MAR 20

    How To Raise $125M Pre-Revenue and Why Harder Can Be Easier | Celine Halioua (Loyal)

    In this episode of The Eric Ries Show, I'm joined by Celine Halioua, founder and CEO of Loyal, a groundbreaking biotech startup developing drugs to extend dogs' healthspan and lifespan. Celine's journey combines her passion for animals with a bold scientific mission that looks beyond pets to potentially transform human longevity as well. Our conversation explores: • Why ambitious, moonshot visions can paradoxically make fundraising and team-building easier • The critical early pivot that positioned Loyal for its first drug approval • The undervalued power of listening deeply and asking the right questions • Loyal's philosophy of exceeding regulatory requirements to build trust and advance the field • Balancing the startup need for speed with scientific rigor and safety • How Celine's background led her to focus on the untapped potential of canine longevity • The competitive advantage of pursuing novel ideas before they become industry trends • Why founder conviction and scientific expertise were crucial to overcoming skepticism • Celine's approach to governance and maintaining mission control for the long-term • Navigating the challenges of Silicon Valley as a female founder in biotech • The realistic timeline and milestones for Loyal's drug development and approvals • Building for truly long-term impact beyond conventional startup timelines • And much more! — Brought to you by: • Vanta – Automate compliance, manage risk, and prove trust—continuously. ⁠⁠Save $1,000 today⁠⁠. • Explo – Explo helps teams deploy customer dashboard portals. ⁠Get Started⁠. — Where to find Celine Halioua:  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celinehh/ • X: https://x.com/celinehalioua • Website: https://www.celinehh.com/ — Where to find Eric: • Newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericries.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • Podcast:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  — In This Episode We Cover: (00:00) Intro (03:29) Early challenges Celine faced promoting Loyal (08:20) The early pivot that led to Loyal’s first drug approval (14:50) The importance of listening and asking questions (15:58) Why you have to love the mission  (18:02) Why a lofty mission makes it easier to gain support (22:30) Loyal’s commitment to regulatory frameworks—and doing more than required (29:10) How to balance speed with safety and quality  (34:36) Eric’s startup lesson on speed and compromises  (38:22) How Celine became interested in the biotech space and canine longevity  (47:32) The power of new ideas, and why it’s too late once it’s a trend (50:28) How Celine’s conviction and scientific expertise drove Loyal’s success (56:00) Celine’s advice to new founders: go deep (1:00:15) How and why Celine maintains control of Loyal (1:07:23) Breaking through the glass ceiling of Silicon Valley  (1:15:50) Challenges of building a long-term company, and Loyal’s real milestones (1:21:11) The timeline of Loyal’s drug approvals  (1:24:02) Lightning round — You can find the transcript and references at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Production and marketing by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.

    1h 40m
  3. Inside UiPath’s $1.5B ARR Journey – Bootstrapping the company, hiring challenges, and the billion-dollar pivot (Daniel Dines)

    MAR 13

    Inside UiPath’s $1.5B ARR Journey – Bootstrapping the company, hiring challenges, and the billion-dollar pivot (Daniel Dines)

    In this episode of The Eric Ries Show, I sit down with Daniel Dines, the Founder and CEO of UiPath, a company that started in robotic process automation (RPA) and is now making a bold shift into agentic AI. Dubbed “the boss of bots” by Forbes, Daniel has led UiPath from its humble beginnings to a $6.65 billion company that’s reshaping the future of automation. Daniel’s journey is anything but conventional. After working as an engineer on SQL at Microsoft, he felt a pull toward something more creative—building his own product. That decision led him back to Romania, where he founded the company that would eventually become UiPath. In our conversation today, we talk about the following topics:  • Why stepping out of your comfort zone is key to growth • The Jack London book that changed Daniel’s life  • The benefits of bootstrapping vs. raising big VC money • Why letting go is the hard part of a pivot • How failure can unlock unexpected opportunities • A case for mixing work and life to build a strong company culture  • Why empowering employees is good for business  • What Daniel learned from UiPath’s journey to IPO  • Daniel’s plans for his second stint as CEO • Why Daniel is optimistic about the impact AI will have on the future of work • And more! — Brought to you by: • Wilson Sonsini – Wilson Sonsini is the innovation economy’s law firm. ⁠Learn more⁠. • Explo – Explo helps teams deploy customer dashboard portals. Get Started. • Gusto – Gusto is an easy payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. ⁠⁠⁠Get 3 months free⁠⁠⁠. — Where to find Daniel Dines: • LinkedIn: https://x.com/danieldines • X: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieldines/ — Where to find Eric: • Newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericries.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • Podcast:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  — In This Episode We Cover: (00:00) Intro (03:11) Growing up in communist Romania (10:00) The importance of breaking out of your comfort zone (13:41) Joy as a sign you’re on the right path  (15:27) The Jack London book that made Daniel an entrepreneur  (16:40) The beginnings of UiPath (18:50) Why writing code wasn’t enough for Daniel and why coding is creative  (22:22) UiPath’s values  (24:50) Why Daniel returned to Romania (28:00) Advantages of bootstrapping  (30:50) Pivoting to become a product company from outsourcing (33:27) An early password management product that didn’t work out (34:55) The difficult pivot that led to the product that is UiPath now (39:10) How the early failures led to the big opportunity  (41:37) Hitting product market fit  (43:50) Why Daniel hired misfits, and the characteristics he looked for in hires (48:32) How Daniel protected UiPath's values and why he plans to renew the commitment (54:00) The importance of empowering employees at all levels to provide feedback (57:47) UiPath’s journey to IPO (1:01:30) Why Eric thinks he didn’t prepare Daniel psychologically for the difficulty of IPO (1:03:46) Synthetic volatility’s human cost  (1:07:01) Why Daniel stepped down as CEO and why he’s resuming CEO duties (1:11:55) Daniel’s second stint as CEO: hiring people he likes and going all in on agentic AI (1:18:20) The promise of open source (1:19:24) Daniel’s thoughts on the future of work  (1:24:36) Lightning round  — You can find the transcript and references at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Production and marketing by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.

    1h 36m
  4. From Bootstrapping to $400 Million – The Hustle Behind Hipcamp with Alyssa Ravasio

    FEB 27

    From Bootstrapping to $400 Million – The Hustle Behind Hipcamp with Alyssa Ravasio

    In this episode of The Eric Ries Show, I’m joined by Alyssa Ravasio, CEO and Founder of Hipcamp. Hipcamp is the platform that has revolutionized camping, with a mission to “get more people outside.” By making it easier for people to find camping on public lands—and then expanding to include private lands—Hipcamp significantly increased the supply of camping spots, making the outdoors more accessible to all. In our conversation, Alyssa shares how her childhood fostered a deep love of nature, and how missed opportunities ultimately led her to become a founder. We dive into Hipcamp’s mission and discuss how staying true to it has been key to the company’s success. We talk about the following:  • How a rejection led Alyssa to create her own major, Digital Democracy • The early experiences that shaped Alyssa’s respect for nature • The problem Alyssa set out to solve when she started California Camping (now Hipcamp) • Why Alyssa took a coding bootcamp and the early days of bootstrapping Hipcamp • How Hipcamp expanded the supply of camping by opening up private lands • Hipcamp’s many value-enforcing practices, including tying performance reviews to values • The power of direct feedback, and why Hipcamp seeks diverse perspectives  • The practice of treating the business as an ecosystem  • And much more! — Brought to you by: • Vanta – Automate compliance, manage risk, and prove trust—continuously. ⁠Save $1,000 today⁠. • Wilson Sonsini – Wilson Sonsini is the innovation economy’s law firm. Learn more. — Where to find Alyssa Ravasio: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-ravasio-23114717/ • X: https://x.com/alyraz — Where to find Eric: • Newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericries.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • Podcast:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  — In This Episode We Cover: (00:00) Intro (02:28) Alyssa’s entrepreneurship journey (03:40) Alyssa’s outdoorsy upbringing that fueled her desire to democratize outdoor access (06:30) How film school rejection led Alyssa to design her own major at UCLA (10:20) Alyssa’s philosophy of using technology for good (13:40) Learnings from Alyssa’s first two startups (16:05) How Alyssa prioritizes Hipcamp’s mission with her employees (19:20) Hipcamp’s hiring process  (20:24) How California Camping became Hipcamp (21:47) The initial idea behind California Camping (24:52) How Alyssa dealt with naysayers in the early days of building Hipcamp (28:00) How solving a customer’s problem on Twitter drew Alyssa’s first investor (31:22) The early days of bootstrapping Hipcamp (36:40) The power of a shared vision  (38:07) Overcoming scarcity in outdoor spaces by adding private lands (42:15) Why the business model of Hipcamp is a win-win for all  (47:10) Systems and cultural practices that keep Hipcamp aligned with its mission and values (54:15) A case for bringing teams together in nature  (56:50) The current state of Hipcamp (59:42) How Hipcamp might scale impact with a fund in the future  (1:03:15) The practice of treating the business like an ecosystem  (1:10:14) Why a positive-impact business is also good business  (1:12:41) Alyssa’s thoughts on AI, and how Hipcamp plans on utilizing it (1:17:03) Lightning round — You can find the transcript and references at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Production and marketing by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.

    1h 29m
  5. MBA thinking killed my startup, lessons on losing 98% of users, and being fired as a co-founder | Gagan Biyani (Udemy and Maven)

    FEB 20

    MBA thinking killed my startup, lessons on losing 98% of users, and being fired as a co-founder | Gagan Biyani (Udemy and Maven)

    In today’s episode of The Eric Ries Show, I’m joined by Gagan Biyani, Co-Founder and CEO of Maven, a platform that’s redefining online education with cohort-based courses. Before Maven, Gagan co-founded Udemy, now one of the largest online education marketplaces, and Sprig, a meal delivery startup. Gagan started his entrepreneurial journey at just 21, and along the way, he’s experienced both big wins and tough lessons. We get into what worked, what didn’t, and how those experiences shaped his approach to building companies today. In our conversation today, we talk about the following: • How a free truffle at Sprig revealed the pitfalls of MBA-style thinking • Why Gagan has shifted his thinking to be less metric-obsessed • The underestimated value of intuition in decision-making • Maintaining company culture at scale—onboarding new hires while preserving core values • What drives value in any marketplace • Lessons from Gagan’s exit from Udemy—and how he rebuilt his friendship with his co-founder • How to use AI to increase productivity and where it falls short • An explanation of Gagan’s concept of ‘atomic unit’ • AI’s potential to transform education • And more! — Brought to you by: • Vanta – Automate compliance, manage risk, and prove trust—continuously. Save $1,000 today. • Gusto – Gusto is an easy payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. ⁠⁠Get 3 months free⁠⁠. • Runway – The finance platform you don’t hate. Learn more. — Where to find Gagan Biyani: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaganbiyani/ • X: https://x.com/gaganbiyani • Website: https://www.gaganbiyani.com/ — Where to find Eric: • Newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericries.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • Podcast:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  — In This Episode We Cover: (00:00) Intro (03:06) MBA thinking and how taking away the free truffle impacted Sprig (13:35) Different types of trust in different industries  (19:19) How to preserve trust while balancing business costs (26:21) How Maven’s internal processes, once ideal, needed to evolve with growth (30:40) Why investing time in new hires is key to embedding company culture (32:10) Gagan’s entrepreneurship journey (35:00) The value of intuition  (37:40) Early insights at Udemy that led to the shift toward video-recorded courses (46:52) Thoughts on failure (49:40) How to build a successful marketplace  (54:42) Gagan’s exit from Udemy (1:03:01) Why Gagan founded Maven and an explanation of cohort-based education  (1:07:05) The difference between Maven and Udemy and how Maven is doing now (1:13:12) Why AI is overhyped—but still very useful  (1:16:02) The future of AI in education (1:22:36) Lightning round — You can find the transcript and references at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Production and marketing by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.

    1h 33m
  6. Lessons on creating a $17 billion learning company, going viral with an owl, and ditching short-term thinking with Luis von Ahn (Duolingo)

    FEB 10

    Lessons on creating a $17 billion learning company, going viral with an owl, and ditching short-term thinking with Luis von Ahn (Duolingo)

    In today’s episode ofThe Eric Ries Show, I am joined by Luis von Ahn, CEO and co-founder of Duolingo.  With Duolingo, his mission was simple: make language learning accessible to everyone—not to build a for-profit company. Fast forward to today, and Duolingo has grown into a $17 billion business with a reported 90% of the online daily active users in the language learning market.  In our conversation today, we discuss the following topics:  • How hiring an intern led to Duolingo’s viral mascot  • Duolingo’s revenue strategy that helped their stock be up over 100% in the past year • How only 10% of users pay but make about 30% of the revenue in the education app category • The newly published Duolingo Handbook and its critical role within the company • How turning learning into a game changed everything  • Why Duolingo spent the first five years focusing on improving retention  • Duolingo’s unique approach to experimentation and how to apply it  • Why Duolingo isn’t focused on market investors but on building a 100-year company  • And much more! — Brought to you by: • Wilson Sonsini – Wilson Sonsini is the innovation economy’s law firm.Learn more. — Where to find Luis von Ahn: • LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-von-ahn-duolingo/ • X:https://x.com/luisvonahn — Where to find Eric: • Newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericries.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • Podcast:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  — In This Episode We Cover: (00:00) Intro (03:10) How Duolingo’s passive-aggressive mascot, Duo, became an internet sensation (09:21) Why Luis took a chance on the Duo campaign—despite his doubts (11:30) Take the long view: Duolingo’s principle to build a lasting brand (12:52) Duolingo’s commitment to excellence  (14:54) Luis’s journey to entrepreneurship  (18:28) Luis’s MacArthur Fellowship “genius” award  (20:13) The inspiration behind Duolingo’s mission and how they stay in alignment with it (26:16) Early learnings that shaped Duolingo into a fun product  (29:14) How Duolingo gained an edge over Rosetta Stone (32:45) How a company with no revenue can be worth a billion dollars  (33:10) The VC who pushed Luis and Severin to monetize  (36:05) How Duolingo stays focused on long-term sustainability  (40:12) A mistake Duolingo made by focusing on the quarter rather than long term  (42:15) The importance of trust and “the cultural bank” (44:11) Duo class shares and ways Duolingo resists hyper-monetization  (46:30) A case for staying under-monetized  (48:23) Why Duolingo wrote a handbook, and the process of creating it (54:00) The cadence of evaluating the relevance of the handbook  (55:01) Eric’s “two-way reviews”  (58:34) An explanation of Duolingo’s “green machine”  (1:01:42) Product reviews and a/b testing at Duolingo  (1:06:32) Why Duolingo takes a stance against MVPs in their handbook (1:10:07) How Duolingo’s v1 meets Eric’s definition of MVP (1:11:45) Duolingo’s early strategy focused on retention  (1:16:22) Duolingo’s testing philosophy  (1:18:13) Lightning round — You can find the transcript and references at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Production and marketing by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.

    1h 29m
  7. He turned down $11 billion, here’s why | Craig Newmark (Craigslist Founder)

    FEB 6

    He turned down $11 billion, here’s why | Craig Newmark (Craigslist Founder)

    In this episode of The Eric Ries Show, I sit down with Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist—one of the internet’s most influential platforms. Despite its massive impact, Craigslist has remained intentionally minimalist, resisting the hyper-monetization strategies common in tech. Craig attributes his success to being in the right place at the right time, but his story reveals a deeper truth: a steadfast commitment to his values. We discuss how his moral compass shaped Craigslist, his approach to business sustainability, and his perspective on ethical entrepreneurship. In this episode, we cover: • The origins of Craigslist as a simple email newsletter • Why Craig resisted aggressive monetization and focused on community impact • The market research behind Craigslist’s minimal fees • How Craigslist maintained its mission even after Craig stepped back from leadership • Craig’s thoughts on AI, cybersecurity, and the future of journalism • How Craig’s strong relationship with customers kept him aligned with his values • Craig’s philanthropic work • Craig’s advice for new founders • And more! — Brought to you by: Vanta – Automate compliance, manage risk, and prove trust—continuously. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get $1,000 off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. • Gusto – Gusto is an easy payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. ⁠Get 3 months free⁠. Runway – The finance platform you don’t hate. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. — Where to find Craig Newmark: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craignewmark/ • X: https://x.com/craignewmark — Where to find Eric: • Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericries.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  — In This Episode We Cover: (00:00) Intro (03:06) The origins of Craigslist  (12:20) Why Craig used email in the beginning (14:03) Lessons from Sunday school that shaped Craig’s moral compass  (15:34) How Craigslist promoted community  (17:42) Craig’s resistance to the allure of maximum monetization (19:44) Why Craigslist became a private business, rather than a non-profit  (24:15) How monetization works at Craigslist  (27:11) Why Craigslist doesn’t need to drive engagement the way social media sites do (30:54) The size and scale of Craigslist (31:47) Current threats in cybersecurity  (33:44) How Craig became interested in cybersecurity  (35:34) How Craigslist maintained mission alignment after Craig left management  (40:54) Craig’s perspective on contentment and why he’s remained fulfilled (42:25) Advice for aspiring world-changers (47:56) Craig’s thoughts on AI  (51:08) Craig’s philanthropic work with journalism  (53:24) Problems in journalism today (54:37) Craig’s involvement with Donors Choose (57:14) Craig’s pigeon rescue work (58:58) Advice for new founders  (1:01:02) The importance of staying close to the customer (1:05:03) The case for avoiding exploitation  (1:07:16) Lightning round — You can find the transcript and references at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Production and marketing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.

    1h 11m
  8. Redefining Education in the Age of AI with Amir Nathoo (Outschool)

    JAN 30

    Redefining Education in the Age of AI with Amir Nathoo (Outschool)

    In this episode of The Eric Ries Show, I’m joined by Amir Nathoo, Co-Founder and CEO of Outschool, an education platform offering live online classes for K-12 learners. Amir’s own childhood inspired Outschool—while he went to traditional schools, his parents always encouraged his self-driven coding projects at home. Outschool is about empowering kids to take control of their learning and building a lifelong love for education. It’s a mission-driven company that’s impacting how we think about education and social change. In today’s conversation, we explore the intersection of business and social good and why education needs disruption. We talk about the following topics:  • Amir’s thoughts on AI’s role in education  • How maximizing profit and benefiting society can go hand in hand • The value of allowing children to pursue their interests  • Why engagement is the number one metric at Outschool • What Amir learned from the secular homeschool movement • How traditional investors sometimes hold back disruption and why that’s a problem • And more! — Brought to you by: Vanta – Automate compliance, manage risk, and prove trust—continuously. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get $1,000 off⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. — Where to find Amir Nathoo: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirnathoo/ • X: https://x.com/amirnathoo • Website: https://amir.io/ — Where to find Eric: • Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericries.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  • YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  — In This Episode We Cover: (00:00) Intro (02:58) Outschool’s launch at the height of the pandemic  (03:38) What a fiscal sponsorship and Outschool’s relationship with the Edward Charles Foundation (05:18) Why Amir is thinking of having kids on his board (07:40) How the pandemic was a critical moment for Outschool to launch their non-profit  (10:00) A case for tying for-profit with social missions  (17:56) Why younger generations value purpose-driven brands (20:27) Outschool’s mission-tied metrics and why Amir is against double bottom lines  (23:10) Amir’s early experiences coding  (24:50) How Amir came up with the idea of Outschool (28:52) How secular homeschooling inspired Outschool’s direction (31:22) Why engagement became Outschool’s biggest metric and guided their mission (36:55) What Amir learned from homeschoolers’ dynamic education journeys  (44:00) How systemic deficits are driving changes in education (46:40) How Outschool supports diverse educational perspectives (50:10) Outschool’s first value: stand with learner (52:38) Outschool’s unique structure and how they keep employees tied to the mission (54:45) The case for truth and open-mindedness in business leadership (58:06) Eric’s bad experience working with an unscrupulous leader  (1:02:00) Amir’s thoughts on disruption  (1:05:08) The role of alignment in Outschool’s positive investor relationships (1:08:31) The value of human-to-human interaction and AI’s role in education  (1:12:50) Amir’s thoughts on using AI to write an essay (1:13:41) Lightning round — You can find the transcript and references at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Production and marketing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.

    1h 24m
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About

Founder, entrepreneur, and best-selling author of The Lean Startup Eric Ries discusses how to build profitable companies for the long-term benefit of society. Ries talks with world-class technologists, thought leaders, executives, and others working to create a new ecosystem of trustworthy organizations with limitless potential for growth and a deep commitment to purpose. Together, they uncover the tools and methods to ensure the next generation of companies are designed to maximize human flourishing for generations.

Information

  • Creator
    Eric Ries
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Eric Ries
  • Show Website
    The Eric Ries Show

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