The Luba Show

Today I'm talking to Jay Graber, founder and former CEOof Bluesky. Bluesky recently announced raising $100M in Series B funding to build a decentralized social protocol that could reshape how we think about online communication.Jay is a blockchain builder who accidentally became the CEO of a social media platform — one the internet cast as a protest movement whether she liked it or not.Jay's story is the opposite of a straight path. She grew up in rural Oklahoma with a Chinese immigrant mother and a Swiss-American father, went to Beijing for a year as a teenager, hitchhiked through Europe, learned to code through a bootcamp, and eventually landed on the mission that defines her work: building social media architecture that protects freedom of expression by removing centralized control. She's the rare founder who can talk equally fluently about the Cultural Revolution, decentralized protocols, Twitter's DNA, and why moderation at scale is a nearly unsolvable problem—because she's actually grappled with each of these.We talk about the relationship between technology and power, and why Jay is convinced that the internet's architecture—not good intentions—determines whether a society stays free. She opens up about the bet she's making on decentralization, the years of research that led to Bluesky, and what it actually takes to rebuild social media from first principles.• How a childhood name became destiny: "Blue Sky" in Chinese, then Jack Dorsey's unannounced Twitter project• The moment she realized: you can't change systems from the outside—you have to know how to code• Why "protocols, not platforms" could solve moderation at billion-person scale• From Zcash experiments to scuttlebutt to designing her own protocol—the long road to Bluesky• What it means to bet your career on decentralization when most of the world isn't readyand much more…Timestamps (0:00) Introduction (1:16) Early Life & Cultural Heritage (5:41) Year Abroad in China (18:34) Learning Programming & Career Transition (38:42) Getting into Cryptocurrency (47:47) Working on Zcash & Privacy Technology (58:34) Happening.app & Event Platform (1:08:30) Blue Sky Origins & Early Days (1:11:18) COVID & the Working Group (1:24:16) Becoming Blue Sky Lead (1:33:06) Decentralized Social Media Explained (1:36:09) Twitter Acquisition & Independence (1:39:19) Building a Social Media Company (2:05:17) Leadership & Management Philosophy (2:13:53) Life Philosophy & Closing ThoughtsLinksX: https://x.com/arcalineaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaygraber/Luba YudasinaInstagram: / lifeoflubaaX: https://x.com/LubaYudasinaLinkedIn: / yudasinal

Today I'm talking to Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner of Dragonfly Capital. Dragonfly just closed a 650M fund 4 with over 4B raised in total. Haseeb is a former professional poker player, self-taught engineer, Airbnb alum, and one of the most respected voices in crypto investing.We talk about manhood, meaning, and what it takes to build a life worth living. Haseeb opens up about his unlikely path — from poker tables to Silicon Valley, from viral salary blog posts to leading one of the most competitive funds in crypto — and what it's actually taken to prove himself at each step.Topics covered- How a viral salary blog post made Haseeb the most controversial new hire at Airbnb- The genealogy of his love for teaching — and why it starts with his mother- Why he thinks VC is "kind of cringe" — and how Dragonfly is different- From poker to code to crypto: how he chose his path using first principles- What makes a great co-founder partnership (and how to stress-test one)- Masculinity, strength, and responsibility in a feminized society- Greatness vs. excellence: why he stopped caring about legacySO much more!Timestamps(00:00) Intro(01:14) How We Met at Airbnb(03:00) The Viral Salary Blog Post(06:38) Imposter Syndrome and Proving Yourself(09:14) The Airbnb Culture Mismatch(17:41) Running Dragonfly Like a Championship Team(22:00) The Instinct to Teach(26:40) Learning by Teaching: How to Master Any Domain(37:40) From Poker Player to Engineer to Crypto Investor(41:13) Why He Chose Crypto Over AI(43:47) Marc Andreessen and the Danger of Role Models(48:20) Joining Metastable and Founding Dragonfly(55:00) Why VC is Cringe (But Dragonfly Isn't)(58:00) How to Stress-Test Co-Founder Trust(01:11:55) The Search for Meaning in His 20s(01:15:00) Greatness vs. Excellence vs. Flourishing(01:18:00) Legacy — and Why He No Longer Cares(01:22:00) Personal Writing and the Need to Be Witnessed(01:32:45) Masculinity, Strength, and Responsibility(01:41:50) Society's Masculinity Crisis(01:55:30) Discipline Systems and Contracts With Yourself(02:02:10) Vipassana and the Valley of Darkness(02:07:20) Goal Setting: Outcome vs. Process Goals(02:13:45) Lightning Round: Money, Mentors, Movies, and More(02:23:20) Is Crypto Happening?LinksHaseeb QureshiX: https://x.com/hosseebLuba YudasinaInstagram: https://instagram.com/lifeoflubaaX: https://x.com/LubaYudasinaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yudasinal/

Juan Benet is the founder of Protocol Labs, where he focuses on advancing humanity's knowledge systems through tech like IPFS and Filecoin, and funding projects advancing the cause. Juan dedicated his career to understanding and accelerating how humanity creates, stores, and expands knowledge. What’s unique about Juan is that he thinks in decades and has organized his ventures to represent this. Topics Covered- Early curiosity and the quest for knowledge- The three knowledge systems: genetic, neural, and digital- From Bell Labs inspiration to Protocol Labs- Building IPFS and Filecoin- Innovation networks vs traditional companies- Brain-computer interfaces and the future of human enhancement- Predictions for 10 and 50 yearsTimestamps(01:37) Early Curiosity and Encyclopedia Reading(04:18) The Internet and Information Overload(06:42) Knowledge as Capability(15:42) Morality and Scientific Understanding(28:57) Three Knowledge Systems(29:42) Genetic Knowledge System(35:42) Neural Knowledge System(42:18) Digital Knowledge System(44:42) The Tree of Knowledge(49:18) Path to Protocol Labs(51:42) Bell Labs Inspiration(54:18) Building IPFS and Filecoin(56:42) Crypto and Bitcoin(01:09:42) Innovation Networks vs Companies(01:12:18) Protocol Labs Structure(01:18:42) PL Focus Areas(01:19:18) Web3 and Digital Human Rights(01:21:42) AI and Robotics(01:24:18) Neurotech and Brain-Computer Interfaces(01:27:42) Three Cases for Neurotech(01:28:42) Medical Applications and Repair(01:33:18) Enhancing Human Experience(01:38:42) Digital Evolution and AI Coexistence(01:46:18) Consciousness and Digital Minds(01:54:42) Predictions for 2036(02:04:18) Predictions for 2076(02:11:42) Wrap upLinksJuan BenetX: https://x.com/juanbenetProtocol Labs: https://www.protocol.ai/Luba Yudasinahttps://instagram.com/lifeoflubaahttps://linkedin.com/in/yudasinal

Today I'm joined by Michelle Volz, solo GP of Pax, a VC fund focused on American Dynamism. Michelle is a Guinness World Record holder for the fastest aggregate marathon time across seven continents, a former Andreessen Horowitz investor, and a Palantir alumna.We have a wide-ranging conversation about endurance, ambition, and what it takes to build hard things. Michelle opens up about her unconventional path from biomedical engineering to running marathons on every continent, to becoming one of the most active early-stage investors in defense tech and American Dynamism.We explore the psychology of pain, the difference between process and outcome-oriented people, and why ego can be a powerful motivator when channeled correctly.It's a thoughtful look at someone who's chosen the hard path repeatedly: whether it's running 100 kilometers through Zion National Park or leaving the comfort of a16z to start her own fund and why betting on yourself is the ultimate endurance sport.Topics coveredGuinness World Record for fastest seven-continent marathon aggregate timeThe psychology of loving pain and seeking hard challengesWhy Marines and ultra-runners make great foundersEgo as a tool: using external motivation to achieve internal goalsHer path to VentureWhy talent from Palantir, SpaceX, and Anduril is reshaping hard techStarting a solo GP fund and the parallels to founding a companyand much more…Timestamps(00:00) Intro(01:16) Guinness World Record Journey(06:00) Being Process vs Outcome Orientation(10:06) Training Philosophy and Competition(13:57) The 100K Ultra Experience(16:42) Type Two Fun and Founders(17:26) The Love of Pain(18:46) Marines and Pain-Seeking Personality(25:54) High Ego, Low Discipline(28:57) From Biomedical Engineering to Tech(33:31) Working at Palantir Experience(47:41) Mission vs Loving the Game(51:10) MIT and Defense Tech Club(56:11) Getting into a16z(58:59) What is American Dynamism(01:01:57) Palantir, SpaceX, and Anduril's Impact(01:06:05) Cultural Shift Toward Hard Problems(01:09:00) Bipartisan Nature of American Dynamism(01:14:33) Working at Andreessen Horowitz(01:18:21) Starting Pax(01:20:37) Everyone Said Don't Do It(01:24:36) LP Market and Fundraising Reality(01:35:50) Time Management and Saying NoLinksMichelle VolzX: https://x.com/MichelleVolzLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellevolz1/Luba YudasinaInstagram: https://instagram.com/lifeoflubaaX: https://x.com/LubaYudaisnaLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yudasinal/

Today I’m joined by Eugene Wei. Eugene is former executive at Amazon, Hulu, Flipboard, and Oculus, a writer, a product thinker, and as I like to think about him - a renaissance man.We have a wide-ranging conversation about technology, culture, and what it means to be human in the digital age. Eugene, known for his influential long-form essays on tech and culture, opens up about stepping back from Silicon Valley's relentless pace to reconnect with what matters.The conversation moves through the performative nature of modern life, the decline of authentic community, and why Eugene believes we need to reclaim friction in our lives. They discuss the loneliness epidemic, the death of the blogging era, creator burnout, and whether we're ready to live entirely through screens.It's a thoughtful, grounded look at someone who's choosing depth over speed, real connection over virtual performance, and asking the hard questions about what technology is doing to our humanity.Topics covered:Why film festivals are his form of meditationThe "slow cancellation of the future" and cultural stagnationHow algorithms shape our perception of realityThe economics of indie film and streamingWhy tech needs better storytellersFinding community in an age of isolationThe hidden costs of frictionless livingCollective agency and hope for the futureTimestamps:(00:00) Trailer(01:16) Introduction to Eugene Wei(04:31) Film Festivals and the End of Summer(11:06) Boredom as Meditation and Creative Space(12:32) The Slow Cancellation of the Future(17:17) Rear Window and Social Media as Voyeurism(20:39) The Performative Self and Creator Burnout(21:25) Audience Capture and Writing(24:26) The Comfort of Joining a Crowd(28:48) Film Festival Economics and Indie Cinema(31:15) The Streaming Model's Impact on Hollywood(38:23) Pricing Anchors: Netflix and OpenAI(40:32) Stepping Back from Tech's Take Culture(43:55) Silicon Valley Culture(47:07) AI and Desensitization to Breakthroughs(50:17) Tech's Responsibility and Steve Jobs(59:32) Personal Technology Hygiene(01:03:25) Social Media as Our Perceptual Field(01:06:31) The Pandemic Experiment: Living Through Screens(01:09:11) Missing the Social Networking Era(01:10:50) The Blogging Era and Tech Meme(01:16:33) Writing as Therapy(01:21:05) The Decline of Community Structures(01:22:05) College as Peak Community(01:23:26) Friction, Flaking, and the Smartphone Era(01:26:45) Religious Movements and Community Sacrifice(01:28:17) Remote Work and Lost Social Structures(01:29:39) The Future is Bright: Young People at Interact(01:31:14) Hope: Collective Agency and Micro-Communities(01:35:47) Closing ThoughtsEugene Wei**https://eugenewei.substack.com/****https://x.com/eugenewei**Luba Yudasina**https://instagram.com/lifeoflubaa****https://linkedin.com/in/yudasinal**

Kathryn Cross, founder of Anja Health, and Rajya Atluri, founder of Coral AI join The Luba Show to share their unique startup journeys and insights. One has raised over 6M in funding, while the other bootstrapped her company to 1M ARR. We discuss imposter syndrome, why they think it's overrated, and how keeping a positive mindset can open up many opportunities. We compare notes on bootstrapping vs raising venture, the importance of having a supportive network, and how female friendships have played a key role in their journeys.In this episode, we dive deep into:→ Why they believe imposter syndrome is fake → The "have you raised?" trap: How bootstrapped founders get dismissed despite having more revenue → Stepping away from a profitable YC company and why investor pressure was actually self-imposed → Being unapologetically girly in tech: The "strive to be a 7" advice and why they ignore it → Lucky girl syndrome: How believing you'll be lucky actually makes you lucky → Bootstrapped to $1M ARR vs. raising millions—which path is actually better?…and much more Timestamps(00:00) Intro (00:56) Meet the Founders: Kathryn and Rajya (01:17) Dealing with Uncertainty in Startups (02:49) Therapy and Startups (05:40) The Startup Journey: From College to Launch House (10:33) Bootstrapping vs. Raising VC (20:06) The Role of Female Friendships in Their Lives (21:57) Imposter Syndrome Revisited (31:03) Choosing Positive Narratives (32:02) The Drive to Build Again (33:36) Motivations and Interests (34:07) The Intersection of Social Apps and Dating (34:51) The Joy of Creating and Founding (37:41) The Reality of Fundraising (40:20) Co-Founder Dynamics (42:51) Balancing Personal Identity and Startups (58:56) The Pressure of Raising Capital (1:09:35) Embracing Individuality and Attention (1:10:09) Women in Tech: Community and Connections (1:12:26) The YC Experience and Startup Culture (1:15:39) Living and Building in Different Cities (1:30:21) Influential Founders and Role Models (1:37:45) Reflecting on Personal Values and Friendships (1:41:36) The Importance of EQ and Marketing in Tech (1:44:11) Ending LinksKathryn CrossLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-cross/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathrynjcross/ X: https://x.com/kathrynjc7Rajya AtluriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajyaatluri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rajyaatluri/ Luba YudasinaInstagram: https://instagram.com/lifeoflubaaLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/yudasinalTikTok: https://tiktok.com/lifeoflubaX: https://x.com/lubayudasina

Jacob Peters, co-founder and CEO of Superpower, joins The Luba Show.We talk about the mindsets that push founders forward, how childhood shapes ambition, why he believes the body is a data system, and the role of delusion, intuition, and “vibes” in building a generational team. Jacob also opens up about personal transformation, transcendental meditation, and what he’s learned about co-founders, hiring, and consciousness as a performance edge.I always have such a wide range of conversations with Jacob and this one was a treat.In this episode, we discuss:• The subconscious “pre-prompts” that quietly drive founders• Clean vs. dirty fuel: why ambition built on insecurity breaks down• Why Superpower hires like a cult, and how he built a 40-person team with extreme ownership• Interoceptive awareness and using your body as an intelligence system• How to evaluate co-founders through intuition, energy, and pattern recognition• The role of delusion, confidence, and narrative in recruiting and fundraising… and much moreHighlights:(00:00) Jacob Peters (02:22) Jacob's Journey: From Childhood to Consciousness Expansion (05:24) The Power of Subconscious Awareness (08:07) The Role of Interoceptive Awareness in Health (13:51) Jacob's Entrepreneurial Beginnings with Legos (19:25) From Legos to Technology: Early Ventures (21:20) Building Communities and the Birth of Commsor (24:30) Co-Founder Relationships (28:10) Tuning into Gut Feelings and Vibes (32:39) Creating a Conscious Company Culture (38:00) Volatility as a Feature in Company Culture (39:42) Building a Mission-Driven Team (40:21) Solving the Cold Start Problem (41:34) Empowerment and Ownership in the Workplace (41:47) Recruiting the First Few Key Members (44:06) The Role of Delusion in Success (47:38) Introspection and Self-Improvement (01:06:03) The Genesis of Superpower (01:10:57) Personal Mission Statements (01:17:47) Choosing Investors and Stakeholder Alignment (01:21:13) Founders and Future AspirationsLinksJacobX - https://x.com/J__CubLinkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobdpeters/LubaLinkedin- https://liniked.com/in/yudasinalInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/lifeoflubaaX - https://www.twitter.com/LubaYudasina

Marty Kausas, co-founder & CEO of Pylon joins Luba to open up about the real cost, mindset, and psychology behind building a company in “grind mode.” Marty recently went viral after being profiled in the Wall Street Journal for his 100 hour work week lifestyle.We talk about why he works 90–100 hour weeks, how he thinks about ambition, fun, burnout, and why he sees company-building as a 10-year board game he refuses to lose. Marty also explains how he picked his co-founders, what finally worked after years of pivots, why most people start companies for the wrong reasons, and what keeps him locked into this pace.It’s a grounded, honest look into a founder who’s both extreme and surprisingly self-aware — and why, even with all the sacrifice, he’s genuinely having the time of his life.In this episode, we go deep on:Why he sleeps ~6 hours, works 6 days a week, and still feels energizedHow Pylon went from “living in the office” to a 55-person Series B companyCo-founder matching, pivots, and why the early years nearly broke himThe real motivators behind starting a company (and why most people get it wrong)Why he thinks passion for a problem is overratedWhat “Sprint the Marathon” means and how he measures “winning”Why he sees startups as a competitive board gameThe immigrant mentality, risk tolerance, and his obsession with accelerationHow he thinks about relationships, dating as a founder, and the cost of this lifestyleWhat building Pylon has taught him about leadership, culture, trust, and pacing himselfHighlights:(00:39) Introduction and Daily Schedule (03:06) Work–Life Integration (05:57) Defining Success and Win Conditions (09:10) Sustainability and Personal Sacrifice (13:10) Family Background and Upbringing (20:48) Leaving Airbnb and Starting the Journey (38:51) Finding the Right Co-founders (46:56) Deciding Roles and Company Structure (56:08) Learning from Airbnb and Role Models (01:03:56) Admiring Elon Musk’s Approach (01:09:49) Biggest Fear: Slowing Down (01:12:34) Life Outside Work and Relationships (01:16:11) Building Pylon and Providing Value (01:20:33) Regret Minimization and Priorities (01:24:07) Beliefs About Tech and Life (01:26:19) Daily Habits and Closing ThoughtsMarty Kausashttps://x.com/marty_kausashttps://www.linkedin.com/in/martykausas/Luba Yudasinahttps://instagram.com/lifeoflubaahttps://linkedin.com/in/yudasinal