EP 145: Rick Smith (CEO, Axon): The Wild Ride From Near-Bankruptcy to $50B+
Rick Smith (CEO, Axon) joined Logan to share the 30-year journey of building a nearly $50B public company behind the TASER, police body cameras, and now AI-powered tools like Draft One. He talks about taking Axon public in the early 2000s, navigating intense public scrutiny, and evolving from a controversial hardware startup into a software and AI pioneer. Rick also reflects on leadership lessons, regulatory battles, and his long-term mission to make the bullet obsolete. It’s a candid and compelling conversation with one of the most unconventional founders in tech.
(00:00) Intro
(01:31) Axon: Reducing Violence Through Technology
(02:12) The Evolution of Axon: From Taser to Body Cameras
(04:56) Challenges and Triumphs: Going Public and Beyond
(07:17) The Impact of Ferguson and the Rise of Body Cameras
(11:16) Navigating Cultural and Business Shifts
(17:04) The Role of AI and Future Innovations
(25:26) The Taser: Technology and Purpose
(34:17) Making the Bullet Obsolete: Future of Law Enforcement
(37:10) Consumer Market Evolution
(37:59) Proving Taser's Viability
(40:17) Targeting Gun Owners
(41:45) Taser-Related Deaths and Media Perception
(48:07) Employee Taser Experience
(50:59) Impact of Body Cameras
(52:43) AI Innovations in Law Enforcement
(56:15) Challenges in Product Development
(01:04:27) Regulatory Hurdles
(01:11:31) Leadership and Company Culture
(01:14:58) Future Vision for Axon
Executive Producer: Rashad Assir
Producer: Leah Clapper
Mixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky
Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA
🎙 Listen to the show
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-logan-bartlett-show/id1606770839
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5WqBqDb4br3LlyVrdqOYYb?si=3076e6c1b5c94d63&nd=1
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Follow on Socials
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theloganbartlettshow
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/loganbartshow
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About the Show
Logan Bartlett is a Software Investor at Redpoint Ventures - a Silicon Valley-based VC with $6B AUM and investments in Snowflake, DraftKings, Twilio, and Netflix. In each episode, Logan goes behind the scenes with world-class entrepreneurs and investors. If you're interested in the real inside baseball of tech, entrepreneurship, and start-up investing, tune in every Friday for new episodes.
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EP 144: Jeffrey Katzenberg & Sujay Jaswa (WndrCo) on What Startup Founders Can Steal From Hollywood
Logan sits down with Jeffrey Katzenberg, Hollywood legend and co-founder of DreamWorks, and Sujay Jaswa, former CFO of Dropbox - together, the duo behind WndrCo. They talk about building enduring companies, bridging tech and media, and what makes a great CEO partnership. The conversation also touches on storytelling as a business superpower and lessons from scaling at different stages. Whether you're a founder or a media nerd, there’s something here for you.
(00:00) Intro
(04:26) The Genesis of the Partnership
(13:06) Building and Investing in Companies
(20:27) The Team and Their Roles
(26:52) Decision-Making Process
(33:25) Balancing Dreams and Skepticism
(35:06) The Dynamics of Partnerships
(37:25) Transitioning to Tech
(38:45) Cultural Differences in Industries
(41:26) The Value of Failure and Success
(44:37) Excitement in Emerging Technologies
(48:23) The Venture Capital Game
(56:42) The Dropbox Talent Network
(01:01:20) AI's Impact on Media and Creativity
(01:06:18) Transitioning to CG Animation at DreamWorks
(01:08:39) Embracing Change in the Intelligence Revolution
(01:11:52) The Role of AI in Enhancing Productivity
(01:14:11) Building a Consumer Cybersecurity Business
(01:23:49) The Mission to Protect Children Online
(01:35:17) Reflections on Partnership and Innovation
Executive Producer: Rashad Assir
Producer: Leah Clapper
Mixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky
Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA
🎙 Listen to the show
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-logan-bartlett-show/id1606770839
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5WqBqDb4br3LlyVrdqOYYb?si=3076e6c1b5c94d63&nd=1
🎥 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCugS0jD5IAdoqzjaNYzns7w?sub_confirmation=1
Follow on Socials
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theloganbartlettshow
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/loganbartshow
🎬 Clips on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theloganbartlettshow
About the Show
Logan Bartlett is a Software Investor at Redpoint Ventures - a Silicon Valley-based VC with $6B AUM and investments in Snowflake, DraftKings, Twilio, and Netflix. In each episode, Logan goes behind the scenes with world-class entrepreneurs and investors. If you're interested in the real inside baseball of tech, entrepreneurship, and start-up investing, tune in every Friday for new episodes.
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1:50:37
EP 143: Debunking Healthcare's Biggest Myths with Zach Weinberg and Derek Thompson
In this episode, Logan is joined by Zach Weinberg (Co-Founder/CEO @ Curie.Bio) and Derek Thompson (writer at The Atlantic) for a candid discussion on the state of U.S. healthcare and scientific progress. They unpack what went right, and wrong, with COVID vaccine policy, the public backlash against mRNA technology, and the ripple effects on trust in science.
The conversation also dives into the real reasons behind NIH budget cuts, the economics of drug discovery, and the business incentives in medical R&D. It’s a sharp, thought-provoking look at the intersection of policy, innovation, and public perception.
(00:00) Introduction to Drug Pricing in the US
(00:23) Broad Healthcare Topics and Open-Ended Discussion
(02:37) COVID-19 Vaccines: Successes and Public Perception
(06:21) The Evolution of COVID-19 and Vaccine Efficacy
(07:59) Public Policy and Vaccine Mandates
(13:10) Impact of School Closures and Public Sentiment
(19:23) NIH Funding and the Importance of Basic Research
(25:04) Challenges in Science Funding and Public Perception
(35:19) Government vs. Private Investment in Science
(36:40) Operation Warp Speed: A Case Study
(39:07) Antibiotic Resistance Crisis
(43:22) The Drug Pricing Debate
(44:05) Challenges in Drug Discovery
(54:06) Regulatory Hurdles in Medical R&D
(58:06) The Future of Drug Development
(01:04:19) Concluding Thoughts
Executive Producer: Rashad Assir
Producer: Leah Clapper
Mixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky
Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA
🎙 Listen to the show
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-logan-bartlett-show/id1606770839
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5WqBqDb4br3LlyVrdqOYYb?si=3076e6c1b5c94d63&nd=1
🎥 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCugS0jD5IAdoqzjaNYzns7w?sub_confirmation=1
Follow on Socials
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theloganbartlettshow
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/loganbartshow
🎬 Clips on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theloganbartlettshow
About the Show
Logan Bartlett is a Software Investor at Redpoint Ventures - a Silicon Valley-based VC with $6B AUM and investments in Snowflake, DraftKings, Twilio, and Netflix. In each episode, Logan goes behind the scenes with world-class entrepreneurs and investors. If you're interested in the real inside baseball of tech, entrepreneurship, and start-up investing, tune in every Friday for new episodes.
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EP 142: Yotam Segev (CEO, Cyera) on Growing One of the Fastest Security Startups on the Planet
Yotam Segev is the co-founder and CEO of Cyera, one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity startups in the world. In this episode, he joins Logan to talk about scaling Cyera from 100 to 550 employees in under two years, what it takes to operate at that speed, and why going slow can actually be riskier. They cover lessons from a tough go-to-market year, the emotional conviction behind choosing data security, and how Yotam thinks about platform expansion, hiring, and staying close to customers. It’s a candid look at the mindset and mechanics behind building an elite security company at breakneck pace.(00:00) Intro(01:23) Yotam's Journey in Cybersecurity(02:30) Scaling a Company with Core Values(05:02) Founding Cyera: From Military to Startup(07:59) Entering the Venture Ecosystem(18:19) Early Challenges and Lessons Learned(22:36) Achieving Product-Market Fit(33:01) Ambitious Goals and Rapid Growth(37:39) The Future of Cybersecurity(39:07) The Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift(39:47) Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Cybersecurity(40:25) The Cat and Mouse Game of Cybersecurity(42:47) Traits of Effective CISOs(43:55) Expanding the Cybersecurity Platform(52:36) The Role of AI in Cybersecurity(01:03:25) The Impact of the October 2023 Attack on Israel(01:08:27) Leadership and Company Culture at Cyera(01:12:33) Reflections on Success and Future Goals(01:21:37) Fundraising and Partnerships(01:26:07) Hiring and Company GrowthExecutive Producer: Rashad AssirProducer: Leah ClapperMixing and editing: Justin HrabovskyCheck out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA 🎙 Listen to the showApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-logan-bartlett-show/id1606770839 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5WqBqDb4br3LlyVrdqOYYb?si=3076e6c1b5c94d63&nd=1 🎥 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCugS0jD5IAdoqzjaNYzns7w?sub_confirmation=1 Follow on Socials📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theloganbartlettshow 🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/loganbartshow 🎬 Clips on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theloganbartlettshow About the ShowLogan Bartlett is a Software Investor at Redpoint Ventures - a Silicon Valley-based VC with $6B AUM and investments in Snowflake, DraftKings, Twilio, and Netflix. In each episode, Logan goes behind the scenes with world-class entrepreneurs and investors. If you're interested in the real inside baseball of tech, entrepreneurship, and start-up investing, tune in every Friday for new episodes.
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EP 141 Ben Lamm (Founder & CEO, Colossal Biosciences) On The Breakthroughs Making De-Extinction Actually Possible
Ben Lamm, founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences, joined the show to talk about the science (and business) of bringing extinct species back to life. Backed by top scientists and investors, Colossal is using advanced gene editing and synthetic biology to recreate animals like the woolly mammoth and dire wolf. Ben walks us through the technology, ethical considerations, and commercialization paths, including tech spinouts and conservation credits. It’s a wild conversation at the intersection of Jurassic Park and deep tech.
Startups grow faster and avoid costly mistakes when they learn from those who came before them. In each episode, we sit down with the people behind today’s most important startups and extract the tactics, lessons, and frameworks they’ve learned the hard way. Conversations span hiring to GTM, product, growth, fundraising and everything in between - collectively forming the ultimate playbook to make you a better CEO, investor or board member.
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