# The obsession that destroys startups

> In this episode, we talk about one of the most destructive mental traps founders can fall into — and how to avoid it. Host Robert Hackett sits down with Bryan Pellegrino, cofounder and CEO of LayerZero, one of the core infrastructure projects that enables blockchains to talk to one another. We cover...

- URL: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/videos/the-obsession-that-destroys-startups
- Authors: [Bryan Pellegrino](https://a16zcrypto.com/team/bryan-pellegrino), [Robert Hackett](https://a16zcrypto.com/team/robert-hackett)
- Published: 2026-01-07
- Updated: 2026-01-30
- Focus areas: company building
- Tags: Founders Summits
- Format: videos

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In this episode, we talk about one of the most destructive mental traps founders can fall into — and how to avoid it.

Host Robert Hackett sits down with Bryan Pellegrino, cofounder and CEO of LayerZero, one of the core infrastructure projects that enables blockchains to talk to one another. We cover why crypto went multichain, how it’s competing with legacy financial systems, and a firsthand lesson from Elon Musk.

[Embedded media](https://www.youtube.com/embed/vRa39DPXrxM?feature=oembed)

Highlights  
0:00 – Introduction  
0:47 – The need for interoperability  
1:04 – How crypto went multichain  
2:51 – The institutional adoption of crypto  
6:56 – Focus and conviction  
13:19 – The nature of competition  
14:43 – Elon Musk’s game-changing advice  
18:48 – The importance of self-disruption  
20:08 – Lightning round  
22:56 – Challenges in scaling a company  
26:46 – Book recommendations and productivity hacks  
28:19 – Core principles and company culture

This episode is part of a special series of interviews we recorded live at our Founders Summit in October.

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Source: [The obsession that destroys startups](https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/videos/the-obsession-that-destroys-startups) — a16z crypto. Full archive: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts