Welcome back to In the Viewfinder, the weekly insider update for supporters of The Venture Lens and The Venture Variety Show. I don’t have any new stories I’m working on this week, but I’m moving a few threads forward (see below, Reporting in Progress). Meanwhile, people often ask how I come up with story ideas. […]

What’s Inside How Viome analyzes RNA to personalize what people should eat Why to avoid even “healthy” foods like broccoli or turmeric What founders can learn from Viome’s use of AI as an interface Guru Banavar has worked at the frontier of AI for years. He helped lead IBM Watson before pivoting into healthcare. Now […]

What’s Inside Why invisible automation can create new risks for enterprises What founders must know about training and overseeing AI agents How NeuBird’s Hawkeye blends into IT teams and why that’s a strength and a concern An AI agent, unseen but active, works alongside human colleagues in a late-night enterprise setting, bringing up concerns about […]

Programming Note: Welcome to the debut of Media Shot, a new weekly post on media training and storytelling for founders and investors. On Mondays, I’ll share lessons to help you communicate your narrative more clearly, from pitch decks to interviews to real-world examples drawn from my work as a media training consultant and longtime journalist. […]

Welcome back to In the Viewfinder, a regular inside preview for supporters of The Venture Lens and The Venture Variety Show. This week, a quick note on the podcast’s name. Despite what a recent guest jokingly asked me, The Venture Variety Show is not about talent acts or circus tricks. Though to be fair, I […]

I opened this podcast conversation with an observation I hear from founders all the time about money and services from venture firms. Capital is table stakes, but what entrepreneurs want is a partner who can help them win. Scott Sage, co-founder of Crane Venture Partners, did not hesitate. Platform isn’t a perk anymore. It’s a […]

The way we see AI has changed. And so has the way we talk about it. The other day over iced coffee with a friend, I found myself saying something I never would have three years ago: “The conversation around AI has evolved.” When ChatGPT landed in late 2022, the topic of generative AI and […]

What’s Inside SaaS hits its “fast fashion” era as moats collapse Gainsight pivots from selling software to selling outcomes Jevons’ Paradox: why AI creates more work, not less The AI Express: Gainsight CEO Chuck Ganapathi says Jevons’ Paradox about coal burning and steam locomotives helps to explain how AI agents expand work instead of replacing […]

Welcome back to In the Viewfinder, the weekly insider update for supporters of The Venture Lens and The Venture Variety Show. This week is the Newsletter edition, as I share what’s on my desk, angles I’m testing and a request for sources. Reporting in progress … Read more

What’s Inside Why storytelling beats features in sales and fundraising How small teams can use AI to build and scale faster Sharmin Ali’s advice on avoiding me-too startups and founder burnout Sharmin Ali has built and sold AI startups, mentored dozens of founders and written a 70,000-word book about her journey. She argues that storytelling […]