Snowboards, software, and scaling (with Shopify CEO)

Tobi LütkeBen Horowitz

Tobi Lütke is CEO and cofounder of the ecommerce platform Shopify. Ben Horowitz is cofounder of a16z. They discuss scaling startups; leadership strategies; how to handle emotions, corporate culture, and activism; and more.

Welcome to the web3 with a16z podcast. Today’s episode features a conversation between Tobi Lütke, CEO and cofounder of the ecommerce platform Shopify, and Ben Horowitz, cofounder of a16z, which took place at our second annual Founders Summit in November. They discuss what it takes to build a breakout startup in a crowded category; the changing face of retail; how to effect change in the workplace; and how to handle individual emotions and corporate culture — including dealing with calls for activism as well as the value of embracing negativity. They also touch on the moral imperative behind creating quality software, the symbiosis between AI and crypto, and more.

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