From MySpace to Liquid Death: Mike Jones on Building Brands People Love

It's our annual tradition—venture capitalists and startup founders share the books that shaped them. From sci-fi and civil rights to artificial intelligence and management, this year's reading list offers insight into the minds of Silicon Valley’s most thoughtful leaders.Highlights include:Master of the Senate by Robert Caro, recommended by Casber Wang of Sapphire Ventures for its deep exploration of power and politicsTraffic by Ben Smith, cited by Joe Alalou of Daring Ventures as essential reading on how the social web shaped our modern worldThe Sentence by Louise Erdrich, praised by Initiate Ventures’ Jessica Owens for its emotional depth and powerful storytellingRead Write Own by Chris Dixon, a pick from Bobby Franklin of the NVCA to better understand the potential of blockchain beyond cryptoEven Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins, a personal favorite of Wharton’s Lori Rosenkopf for its message on turning perceived flaws into strengthsMindset by Carol Dweck, currently on Larry Gadea’s reading listThe Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov, a longtime source of inspiration for Imvaria's Joshua ReicherHigh Output Management by Intel legend Andy Grove, recommended by Avery Pennarun of TailscaleTomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, the book Amit Kumar of Accel is gifting to friendsPrediction Machines by Ajay Agrawal, a favorite of Terry Doyle from TELUS Ventures for making AI approachable—even for his 89-year-old motherAnd anything by Isaac Asimov, says James Joaquin of Obvious Ventures, who’s now funding a factory that grows diamondsMore than just a beach read list, these titles reflect the philosophies and obsessions of today’s investors. Dive into the full episode of Sand Hill Road for all the recommendations—and check our archives for past years’ picks.Sand Hill Road is produced by Andrew Mendez under the leadership of Sara Bueno and Stephanie Adrouny

Stanford lecturer and venture investor Robert Siegel argues the lone-wolf CEO is not just outdated—but dangerous. In this episode, he joins Scott to explain why today's most effective leaders are those who can hold competing truths at once: acting with empathy and accountability, being tactical and strategic, thinking locally and globally. Drawing from his new book The Systems Leader, Siegel shares stories from Silicon Valley and beyond, reflects on the next generation of founders, and explains what it really takes to lead in a world defined by constant crisis and accelerating change.Sand Hill Road is produced by Andrew Mendez under the leadership of Sara Bueno and Stephany Adrouny

(Encore! Encore!)  Mike Jones has helped launch some of the most unexpected breakout brands in consumer goods—from canned water with a death metal vibe to subscription underwear and a prayer app. The former CEO of MySpace and founder of Science Inc. joins Sand Hill Road to talk about why creating fans matters more than just getting customers, what he learned navigating the rise of Facebook, and how LA’s culture engine gives his ventures a creative edge. Plus: why iced tea was the right move—and the one piece of branding advice every founder needs to hear.This episode first aired April 2024Sand Hill Road is produced by Andrew Mendez under the leadership of Sara Bueno and Stephanie Adrouny.

Joseph Alalou of Daring Ventures says too many VCs  choose "performance" over discovery — prioritizing brand-building over finding overlooked talent. In this episode, he shares how his journey from washing cars at Enterprise to investing in underdog founders shaped his contrarian view of venture capital. We talk about cultural gatekeeping, the myth of meritocracy, and why cereal in a rental car's back seat might teach you more about resilience than any Ivy League seminar. Sand Hill Road is produced by Andrew Mendez under the leadership of Sara Bueno and Stephanie Adrouny.

   Jessica Owens of Initiate Ventures joins Scott McGrew to talk biotech, bold bets, and what happens when venture capital meets whiteboard-stage science. From her early days in a CDC biohazard lab to co-founding an $8 billion cancer detection company, Owens shares inside stories from the front lines of public health and startup investing. It’s a candid, fascinating conversation about the science that doesn’t make headlines, what founders really need to “own,” and why the next big breakthroughs require engineers and biologists to speak the same language.Sara Bueno manages NBC Bay Area's digital platforms. Stephanie Adrouny is the station's news director. If you'd like to get in touch, email us at [email protected] or on any social media platform at @nbcbayarea.

This week on Sand Hill Road, a remarkable conversation at the kitchen table of Masha Bucher. Scott McGrew talks with the founder of Day One Ventures about her transformation from PR powerhouse to unicorn-spotting investor, the emotional toll of exile from her homeland, and what it means to align your life's work with your deepest values.Sara Bueno manages NBC Bay Area's digital platforms. Stephanie Adrouny is the station's news director. If you'd like to get in touch, email us at [email protected] or on any social media platform at @nbcbayarea.

 Sand Hill Road Host Scott McGrew speaks with Wharton Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship Lori Rosenkopf, author of Unstoppable Entrepreneurs: 7 Paths for Unleashing Successful Startups and Creating Value through Innovation.  They talk about breaking the mold of the "typical" founder, why the median age of successful startup founders is older than you think, and how economic dislocation may actually fuel the next wave of innovation.Rosenkopf reflects on the myth of the 20-something founder with a Stanford degree and a Greylock check, and predicts how ex-government workers could help reinvent the public sector from the outside.To learn more about Wharton's Venture Lab, visit venturelab.upenn.edu.Sara Bueno manages NBC Bay Area's digital platforms. Stephanie Adrouny is the station's news director. If you'd like to get in touch, email us at [email protected] or on any social media platform at @nbcbayarea.

Sand Hill Road Host Scott McGrew spoke with Navin Chaddha, managing partner at Mayfield Fund, to learn more about what the world of entrepreneurship really is. Chaddha has placed in the Top 10 of Forbes' Midas List four times and is hoping to make that list again.  Sand Hill Road is hosted by Scott McGrew. Sara Bueno manages NBC Bay Area's digital platforms. Stephanie Adrouny is the station's news director. If you'd like to get in touch, email us at [email protected] or on any social media platform at @nbcbayarea.

Sand Hill Road Host Scott McGrew spoke with Larry Gadea, CEO and founder of Envoy, to learn more about his early days at Twitter, now known as X, and Google and what led him to make the entrepreneurial jump. Sand Hill Road is hosted by Scott McGrew. Sara Bueno manages NBC Bay Area's digital platforms. Stephanie Adrouny is the station's news director. If you'd like to get in touch, email us at [email protected] or on any social media platform at @nbcbayarea.

Just like Godzilla and Frankenstein were misunderstood, so is the case with tax breaks on carried interest, according to those who benefit from it. Some would characterize venture capital as a high-risk business, and the economic incentives of carried interest make it worthwhile.Congress has attempted to kill the carried interest tax loophole, but Bobby Franklin, president and CEO of the National Venture Capital Association, has used his role to interrupt those measures. Sand Hill Road Host Scott McGrew spoke with Franklin to learn more about the state of the industry and why carried interest tax breaks are so important to venture capital. Sand Hill Road is hosted by Scott McGrew and produced and edited by Andrew Mendez. Sara Bueno manages NBC Bay Area's digital platforms. Stephanie Adrouny is the station's news director. If you'd like to get in touch, email us at [email protected] or on any social media platform at @nbcbayarea.