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Leap Forward

David Rusenko
Y Combinator
Airbnb
Mercury
San Francisco
Bobbie
Twitch
Fintech
Startup Banking
Jimmy Douglas
Plug
Justin.tv
Immigrant Founders
Ann Miura-Ko
Tesla

David Rusenko interviews the founders of companies like Airbnb, Y Combinator, and Twitch, alongside the people who first believed in them. A mom. An early boss. A college roommate. Together, they reveal the intimate, unpolished stories of how successful companies actually get built, and why it rarely looks the way you might expect.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes8Founded3 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessEntrepreneurship

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Artwork for Leap Forward

Latest Episodes

Scribd took off fast - then hit a wall that nearly broke the company. In this episode, Trip Adler tells the story of building the “Netflix for books,” only to face the moment every founder dreads: when everything comes tumbling down, as growth stalle... more

It’s common for a tech startup employee to start their own tech startup. It’s rarer for a startup employee to go on to build a baby formula company. 

When Laura Modi showed up at Walgreens at 11pm to buy baby formula for the first time, she felt ash... more

Jimmy Douglas didn’t learn how to fundraise in business school. He learned it at 14, selling vacuum cleaners on commission to help pay the bills after his father - an entrepreneur who once ran a semiconductor company - passed away. 

In this episode,... more

Peter Reinhardt co-founded the analytics firm Segment, and built it into a company that sold for $3.2 billion. But before it worked, everything else they tried didn’t. 

In this episode, Peter and his co-founder, Calvin French-Owen, share their humbl... more

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Recent Guests

Laura Modi
Founder of Bobbie infant formula
Bobbie
Episode: Bobbie: Laura Modi & Her Mentor
Chip Conley
Founder of Joie de Vivre; Modern Elder of Airbnb
Airbnb
Episode: Bobbie: Laura Modi & Her Mentor
Jimmy Douglas
Founder of Plug, marketplace for used electric vehicles
Plug
Episode: Plug: Jimmy Douglas & His First Investor
Ann Miura-Ko
Investing partner at Floodgate
Floodgate
Episode: Plug: Jimmy Douglas & His First Investor
Nate Blecharczyk
Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Airbnb
Airbnb
Episode: Airbnb: Nathan Blecharczyk & Their First Advisor
Sam Angus
Partner at Fenwick & West; lawyer who incorporated Airbnb
Fenwick & West
Episode: Airbnb: Nathan Blecharczyk & Their First Advisor
Immad Akhund
Founder of Mercury
Mercury
Episode: Mercury: Immad Akhund & His Mom
Amma Akhund
Immads mother, early advocate
Independent
Episode: Mercury: Immad Akhund & His Mom
Jessica Livingston
Co-founder of Y Combinator
Y Combinator
Episode: Y Combinator: Jessica Livingston & Paul Graham

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Bobbie: Laura Modi & Her Mentor
Q: How did Laura move from a big tech culture to building Bobbie?
Her experience at Google and Airbnb taught her to value progress and community, while Chip Conley helped her redefine the product around the host and the human experience, which shaped Bobbie's focus on quality, accessibility, and advocacy.
Segment: Peter Reinhardt & His College Roommate And Cofounder
Q: What was the turning point that convinced you to pivot away from the initial idea?
The team realized the classroom and professor-focused approach wasn't resonating; they shifted to analytics and products that customers actually demanded, ultimately finding traction when a separate project—Analytics.js—gained attention on Hacker News and GitHub, proving there was real demand.
Y Combinator: Jessica Livingston & Paul Graham
Q: How did you decide on the 10-minute interview format?
They iterated quickly, realizing early that five to ten minutes was enough to gauge fit, and longer interviews often wasted time; the team refined the process to focus on people, not lengthy decks.
Mercury: Immad Akhund & His Mom
Q: What was your mom's reaction when you told her you'd start a bank?
She was shocked and initially skeptical because banks are seen as almost impossible ventures, but her faith in me grew as she watched me pursue the plan and prove that I could earn trust and deliver results.
Mercury: Immad Akhund & His Mom
Q: Why did you move to Silicon Valley and pursue YC after your UK experience?
I networked extensively, found opportunities through London-based YC connections, and chose the path that offered the greatest potential to learn and scale; YC represented a doorway to mentorship, funding, and a belief that a unicorn could be built.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Leap Forward

What is Leap Forward about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show concentrates on the human, often imperfect path of building category-defining companies. Across episodes, listeners hear founder origin stories, early pivots, and the emotional toll of high-stakes entrepreneurship, often through intimate conversations with roommates, early employees, mentors, and investors who believed in the founders from day one. Expect candid reflections on fear, resilience, and breakthroughs, with recurring threads about trusted networks, mentorship (including YC and other launch ecosystems), and the long-game mindset that sustains growth through crises and pivots. A notable strength is its emphasis on the human dynamics behind iconic ventures, from dorm-room beginnings to global platforms, making it valuable f... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Leap Forward?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Leap Forward:

1. Uncapped with Jack Altman
2. Leaders with Francine Lacqua
3. Marketplace

How many episodes of Leap Forward are there?

Leap Forward launched 3 months ago and published 8 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Leap Forward?

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What guests have appeared on Leap Forward?

Recent guests on Leap Forward include:

1. Laura Modi
2. Chip Conley
3. Jimmy Douglas
4. Ann Miura-Ko
5. Nate Blecharczyk
6. Sam Angus
7. Immad Akhund
8. Amma Akhund

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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