The Adam Jackson Show

In this episode of The Adam Jackson Show, host Adam Jackson offers a playbook for founders looking to turn their wild idea into a viral success. The Braintrust founder shares how the frustration of a cyclical business with flat growth motivated him to harness the power of AI and LLMs to create a product that transforms recruiting. Adam dives deep into each step of the process, from ideation and user research to strategic investment in product and marketing, driving explosive growth. Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5XL3gTDks8CkCAVRr3ltkg?si=ff9842a4c4824d4a⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adam-jackson-show/id1677806381⁠ Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@adamjacksonshow/⁠ About the host: Adam Jackson is a 4x venture-backed entrepreneur and the CEO of Braintrust, a user-owned talent network that connects knowledge workers and tech workers with big companies that need them on a contract or full-time basis. He is also an active angel investor in several hundred different companies over the last 15 years, all tech startups, and has co-founded a crypto hedge fund called Cambrian.

With only 6 days remaining in 2023, it's time to take stock. On this week's episode of The Adam Jackson Show, I open source my annual professional year-in-review, in hopes it can help other CEOs or professionals on their journey or inspire them to do a similar reflection. And, based on what I learned, I also jot down some of my predictions for the year ahead. I would love to hear what you learned this year, and any predictions you have for the year ahead - send me a DM @adamjacksonsf (1:56) Guiding principles for leading through a down economy (6:08) What you need to know about remote work and AI (10:32) Crypto’s tough year, and what’s next from an innovation + regulatory perspective (15:28) The future is user owned (17:05) Adam’s heroes of 2023 (book recommendations included!) (18:50) Economic outlook and what to expect in the year ahead (23:05) What’s hot in tech: wearables, crypto, NFT’s + more Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5XL3gTD... Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@adamjacksons... About the host: Adam Jackson is a 4x venture-backed entrepreneur and the CEO of Braintrust, a user-owned talent network that connects knowledge workers and tech workers with big companies that need them on a contract or full-time basis. He is also an active angel investor in several hundred different companies over the last 15 years, all tech startups, and has co-founded a crypto hedge fund called Cambrian.

Who doesn’t love a top 10 list? On this week’s episode of the Adam Jackson Show I share the ideas, products, services, and vices I’m most excited about right now. This idea came from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong who just released his list of most promising startup ideas (and mentions Braintrust!) Unsurprisingly, crypto and AI technology top my list, but I also share some investments I’ve made recently that I am really bullish on, new productivity tools (hint: it’s not Asana) and some everyday consumer goods making life a little more fun (and no, this is not sponsored!) I hope you listen and enjoy. And, if you have anything you are excited about, send me a DM @adamjacksonsf - I love learning about and trying new things (0:00) Intro (0:30) Top 10 (0:40) AI powered tools (3:26) Productivity tools (7:42) Crypto technology (13:50) New things for personal, professional growth Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5XL3gTDks8CkCAVRr3ltkg?si=ff9842a4c4824d4a⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adam-jackson-show/id1677806381⁠ Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@adamjacksonshow/⁠ About the host: Adam Jackson is a 4x venture-backed entrepreneur and the CEO of Braintrust, a user-owned talent network that connects knowledge workers and tech workers with big companies that need them on a contract or full-time basis. He is also an active angel investor in several hundred different companies over the last 15 years, all tech startups, and has co-founded a crypto hedge fund called Cambrian.

This week on the Adam Jackson Show, I share my recent experience of undergoing regenerative medicine at the RENUE Clinic in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Throughout the week I received stem cells, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, fasting, and a much-needed change of scenery. From rejuvenating treatments to cognitive improvements, this was one hell of a transformative trip. I also answer some skeptical questions from my beloved chief of staff, Anne. If you have anything you’d like me to discuss or answer on my next episode, send me a DM @adamjacksonsf (0:00) Hello from Puerto Vallarta (2:08) Treatment with stem cells (3:08) More caveats and stigmas (5:34) My itinerary for the week (8:12) Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (10:35) Sleeping well, meditating, exercising (13:23) Skeptical Q&A from Anne Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5XL3gTDks8CkCAVRr3ltkg?si=ff9842a4c4824d4a⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adam-jackson-show/id1677806381⁠ Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@adamjacksonshow/⁠ About the host: Adam Jackson is a 4x venture-backed entrepreneur and the CEO of Braintrust, a user-owned talent network that connects knowledge workers and tech workers with big companies that need them on a contract or full-time basis. He is also an active angel investor in several hundred different companies over the last 15 years, all tech startups, and has co-founded a crypto hedge fund called Cambrian.

This week’s episode of the Adam Jackson Show is going to be a little different. I'll be giving you a peek into my world, showing you what I read, watch, and listen to—all the ways I gather information to steer the ship in this fast-paced economy. Of course, I'll share insights on crypto and AI, but I also need some leisure time away from computers and money, so we'll talk about that too. If you have anything you’d like me to discuss or answer on my next episode, send me a DM @adamjacksonsf  (0:00) Intro (2:14) Daily Podcasts (3:54) Weekly Podcasts (7:48) Longer-form content (9:28) News Outlets (11:40) Books and Audiobooks (16:23) Longer-form essays (16:56) YouTube Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5XL3gTDks8CkCAVRr3ltkg?si=ff9842a4c4824d4a⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adam-jackson-show/id1677806381⁠ Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@adamjacksonshow/⁠ About the host: Adam Jackson is a 4x venture-backed entrepreneur and the CEO of Braintrust, a user-owned talent network that connects knowledge workers and tech workers with big companies that need them on a contract or full-time basis. He is also an active angel investor in several hundred different companies over the last 15 years, all tech startups, and has co-founded a crypto hedge fund called Cambrian.

On this week’s episode of the Adam Jackson Show, I discuss the recent painful decision to lay off 40% of the workforce at Braintrust. It doesn't matter how many times you do it - it's never easy. I go into the thought process behind the decision, the steps taken, and what's next. I also answer a couple of listener Q&As. Leave a comment below or tweet me @adamjacksonsf to get your questions answered on future episodes. (0:00) Intro (0:47) Difficult layoffs at Braintrust (1:36) Why have layoffs? (3:43) How do we get to this point? (5:05) The steps I took to handle them (8:04) What are the outcomes to look for? (10:03) "If you're a company, how do you avoid doing riffs?" (10:42) "Have you ever rehired someone you'd laid off or helped them find another job?" Show Notes: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ai-jobs-replace-tech-workers-8f3dc92?st=kc0u9y4c1xm1ogt&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5XL3gTDks8CkCAVRr3ltkg?si=ff9842a4c4824d4a⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adam-jackson-show/id1677806381⁠ Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@adamjacksonshow/⁠ About the host: Adam Jackson is a 4x venture-backed entrepreneur and the CEO of Braintrust, a user-owned talent network that connects knowledge workers and tech workers with big companies that need them on a contract or full-time basis. He is also an active angel investor in several hundred different companies over the last 15 years, all tech startups, and has co-founded a crypto hedge fund called Cambrian.

In our first-ever live episode we're joined by Elena Luneva, the General Manager at Braintrust. Elena is a seasoned product leader with an impressive background, having served in leadership roles at Nextdoor, LiquidSpace, and Opentable. Together, we discuss the creation of The Professional Network and its purpose, highlighting the importance of personal connections, on-the-job training, and adapting to new skill demands in the ever-evolving tech landscape. If you have anything you’d like me to discuss or answer on my next episode, send me a DM @adamjacksonsf (0:00) Intro (2:20) What is the Professional Network? (4:08) Introducing Elana Luneva (16:18) Q&A Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5XL3gTDks8CkCAVRr3ltkg?si=ff9842a4c4824d4a⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adam-jackson-show/id1677806381⁠ Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@adamjacksonshow/⁠ About the host: Adam Jackson is a 4x venture-backed entrepreneur and the CEO of Braintrust, a user-owned talent network that connects knowledge workers and tech workers with big companies that need them on a contract or full-time basis. He is also an active angel investor in several hundred different companies over the last 15 years, all tech startups, and has co-founded a crypto hedge fund called Cambrian.

In this week’s episode of The Adam Jackson Show, I tell the story of starting Doctor On Demand with Dr. Phil McGraw and his son, Jay McGraw. I go into the ups and downs, unexpected challenges, and valuable insights I gained from our partnership. If you have anything you’d like me to discuss or answer on my next episode, send me a DM @adamjacksonsf  (0:00) Intro (0:46) Starting Doctor On Demand (5:28) Our first experience filming a segment for TV (6:55) Building a two-sided Marketplace (8:19) Working with Dr. Phil (10:35) Issues along the way (14:02) Stepping down as CEO (16:44) Lessons learned Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5XL3gTDks8CkCAVRr3ltkg?si=ff9842a4c4824d4a⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adam-jackson-show/id1677806381⁠ Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@adamjacksonshow/⁠ About the host: Adam Jackson is a 4x venture-backed entrepreneur and the CEO of Braintrust, a user-owned talent network that connects knowledge workers and tech workers with big companies that need them on a contract or full-time basis. He is also an active angel investor in several hundred different companies over the last 15 years, all tech startups, and has co-founded a crypto hedge fund called Cambrian.

This week on The Adam Jackson Show I share the interactions I experienced while traveling to NYC last week, including highlights from the True Ventures LP Summit and my birthday dinner. I also answer some great questions from listeners. Send me a DM @adamjacksonsf to get your question answered on another episode. (0:00) Intro (3:11) Birthday dinner discussion (6:47) True Ventures LP Summit (12:47) This week's Q&A Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5XL3gTDks8CkCAVRr3ltkg?si=ff9842a4c4824d4a⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adam-jackson-show/id1677806381⁠ Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@adamjacksonshow/⁠ About the host: Adam Jackson is a 4x venture-backed entrepreneur and the CEO of Braintrust, a user-owned talent network that connects knowledge workers and tech workers with big companies that need them on a contract or full-time basis. He is also an active angel investor in several hundred different companies over the last 15 years, all tech startups, and has co-founded a crypto hedge fund called Cambrian.

In this week’s episode, “No Desks to Hide Under,” I share insights on how AI and the changing job landscape are shifting the way we work. I also discuss mistakes I’ve made and seen, changes hiring managers need to make, and the usefulness of hiring fast, firing fast. Plus I get to some audience Q&As. Send me a DM @adamjacksonsf to get your question answered on another episode. (0:00) Intro (2:52) The current paradigm (5:26) Live and lead by example (7:17) Hiring and firing quickly (10:38) Find a small team that works well together (13:04) Example of firing quickly (13:58) Audience Q&As Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5XL3gTDks8CkCAVRr3ltkg?si=ff9842a4c4824d4a⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adam-jackson-show/id1677806381⁠ Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@adamjacksonshow/⁠ About the host: Adam Jackson is a 4x venture-backed entrepreneur and the CEO of Braintrust, a user-owned talent network that connects knowledge workers and tech workers with big companies that need them on a contract or full-time basis. He is also an active angel investor in several hundred different companies over the last 15 years, all tech startups, and has co-founded a crypto hedge fund called Cambrian.