Best Grounded Geeks Podcasts (2025)

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The Future of Issuing with Marqeta’s CEO 30:49

Play Pause

12h ago30:49

30:49

Welcome back to the Fintech Takes podcast. I’m Alex Johnson, joined by Mike Milotich, CEO of Marqeta (who stepped into the role after serving as CFO,) and now leads a cloud based issuing platform approaching 400B in annual payment volume. First up, we focus on Marqeta’s platform. It’s built out of configurable building blocks, and Mike gets specifi…

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The Beauty and the Geek Star Accused of Murder 13:20

6d ago13:20

13:20

In this episode, Wayne Flower unpacks one of the strangest cases to come out of South Australia this year. Tamika Chesser, a once familiar face from the reality TV show Beauty and the Geek, now stands accused of murdering her boyfriend, Julian Story, whose headless body was discovered in Port Lincoln earlier this year. Senior crime reporter Candace…

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GTA 6’s Delay Hits Xbox Extra Hard – Unlocked 715 1:34:56

6d ago1:34:56

1:34:56

In a jam-packed episode of our Xbox show, we discuss Grand Theft Auto 6's delay and how it hits Xbox harder than any other publisher. Plus: Valve's new Steam Machine will seemingly be competing directly with Xbox's next-gen console/PC hybrid efforts, Halo Infinite's support is in fact finite, why we think Mass Effect 5 is BioWare's last chance as a…

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The $455B Reality of Financial Health 52:05

8d ago52:05

52:05

Welcome back to the Fintech Takes podcast. I’m Alex Johnson, joined by Jennifer Tescher, founder and CEO of the Financial Health Network (who’s spent the last two decades measuring, defining, and holding the industry accountable for consumers’ financial well-being). We dig into the latest FinHealth Spend Report, which found that U.S. households pai…

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#176 - Building a Research Program from the Ground Up ft. Microsoft Azure Data 36:30

8d ago36:30

36:30

Erin is joined by Samira Jain, Serena Hillman, and Jackie Ianni from Microsoft Azure Data to discuss how they built the Swift Research Lab over the past two years. The team shares their systematic five-step approach for creating research programs that result in stakeholder satisfaction while delivering insights every 1.5 weeks. The Azure Data team …

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Fintech Takes x Fundbox presents Engineering the SMB Capital Stack Episode 2: Distribution (with Tanay Jaeel at Stripe) 48:05

9d ago48:05

48:05

Welcome back to our Engineering the SMB Capital Stack, sponsored by our friends at Fundbox. In this four-part series, we’re exploring small businesses, small business lending, and the forces shaping how small businesses access capital. I’m joined by Prashant Fuloria, CEO of Fundbox, as cohost. In Episode 1, we explored why small business lending is…

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Erin Patterson - Mushrooms, Motives and a “Miscarriage of Justice”: Patterson’s Seven Grounds of Appeal 28:15

13d ago28:15

28:15

Erin Patterson’s story isn’t over yet. After being sentenced to life in prison, the convicted “mushroom killer” is fighting back, entering a notice of appeal and calling for a retrial. In this episode, Wayne Flower is joined by top Melbourne lawyer George Balot to unpack Patterson’s seven grounds of appeal, from claims of jury irregularities to all…

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The Outer Worlds 2’s Game Director Joins the Podcast! – Unlocked 714 50:04

13d ago50:04

50:04

Our special guest this week is Obsidian's Brandon Adler, the Game Director on The Outer Worlds 2. He tells us about how the team's new RPG has been received so far, what kind of stuff hit the cutting room floor, what got prototyped but never made it into the game, how other games influence them, getting advice from the RPG legends in the building, …

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Fintech Recap: AI, Stablecoins, and Live Money20/20 Energy! 28:04

15d ago28:04

28:04

Welcome back to Fintech Takes. I’m Alex Johnson, joined (as always) by my Jason Mikula, my partner in recapping, but this time we recorded live from the floor of Money20/20 in Vegas! Expect a shorter and more caffeinated episode where we riff topic to topic, grab bag style. First up, no surprise that AI was the buzzword, especially agentic AI. Conv…

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Fintech Takes x Fundbox presents Engineering the SMB Capital Stack Episode 1: The State of SMB Lending 57:56

16d ago57:56

57:56

Welcome to our new miniseries, Engineering the SMB Capital Stack, sponsored by our friends at Fundbox. This four-part series digs into small businesses, small business lending, and the forces reshaping how small businesses access capital. In Episode 1, I sit down with Prashant Fuloria, CEO of Fundbox (and my cohost for the episodes that follow). We…

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The Alleged Wombat Killer 16:56

20d ago16:56

16:56

One morning earlier this year, Venus Bay locals woke up to find 9 dead wombats in the streets- and now they claim they’re dealing with a mass wombat killer. The 9 wombats were found lying by the roadside, some with tyre marks, some moved into strange positions. Investigators found CCTV showing multiple utes driving around that night, swerving acros…

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From Playing Mortal Kombat to Preserving It – Unlocked 713 1:36:50

20d ago1:36:50

1:36:50

Old-school Xbox fans will get a little extra enjoyment out of this week's episode, which welcomes Ryan's old Official Xbox Magazine podcasting partner Dan Amrich, now a developer at Digital Eclipse, for a KOXM Radio reunion to discuss his team's comprehensive new release, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection. Dan goes into great detail about how much m…

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Risk, Rules, and the Gaps in Open Banking 56:07

22d ago56:07

56:07

Welcome back to the Fintech Takes podcast. I’m Alex Johnson, joined in this episode by three guests — Steve Smith (Co-founder and CEO of Invela; former Co-founder of Finicity and Founder of the Financial Data Exchange), Todd Taylor (Co-head of Intellectual Property; Co-head of Commercial & Technology Transactions at Moore & Van Allen), and Dan Murp…

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#175 - The Scourge of Wasted Research with Jake Burghardt of Integrating Research 50:18

22d ago50:18

50:18

Ben sits down with Jake Burghardt from Integrating Research to discuss his new book Stop Wasting Research and how organizations can maximize the product impact of their customer insights. Jake breaks down the critical problem of research waste, where valuable insights from studies get left behind instead of informing future decisions and planning c…

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A hello and update from Caroline & Liz 5:52

23d ago5:52

5:52

It's been a while since Caroline & Liz had time to catch up and say hello to you all, and with the launch of our exciting new Crime Desk newsletter, thought now was as good a time as any! sign up to the newsletter at newsletter.thecrimedesk.com for free. Become a full member of The Crime Desk with a month’s free trial at www.thecrimedesk.com The Tr…

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Fintech Takes x Pipe Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts Episode 6: Scaling Up 44:56

24d ago44:56

44:56

In the finale of our new miniseries, Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts (sponsored by our friends at Pipe), we confront the biggest questions yet, like: How can maturing vertical SaaS companies scale without losing the obsessive focus that made them indispensable? Should they expand into adjacent markets, or double down on their n…

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What We Think of Ninja Gaiden 4 and the Halo 1 Remake – Unlocked 712 1:38:36

26d ago1:38:36

1:38:36

We remember original Xbox Ninja Gaiden director Tomonobu Itagaki upon the unfortunate news of his passing before discussing the first new mainline Ninja Gaiden game in 13 years, NInja Gaiden 4. Plus: Ryan went on a field trip to Halo Studios and brought back hands-on impressions of Halo: Campaign Evolved, the just-announced remake of Halo: Combat E…

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# 174 - Qualitative Research's Enduring Impact with Nancy Baum of C+R Research LIVE 50:14

27d ago50:14

50:14

The popularity of AI moderation tools, increased attention on "big" data sets (and streams), and the ongoing uncertainty in the research job market have (understandably) led some to wonder about the future of qualitative research. Our guest today, however, is bullish, and explains why. Nancy Baum leads the qualitative research practice at C+R Resea…

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Gangs, Firebombs and Deadly Violence: Inside Melbourne's Tobacco Wars 24:09

27d ago24:09

24:09

In this episode, Wayne is delving into the surge of violence in Melbourne as part of the ongoing tobacco wars. Targeted attacks, drive-bys, firebombings, even the death of innocent civilians caught in the middle; and the violence is showing no signs of stopping. Joining Wayne is Ryan Naumenko, a former crook turned independent journalist who has ma…

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The Launch of Facing Credit 1:10:06

29d ago1:10:06

1:10:06

Welcome back to the Fintech Takes podcast. I’m Alex Johnson, joined by Kevin Moss (Senior Advisor at Baselayer, former CRO) to help launch Facing Credit, a new series where we unpack what’s happening in lending right now. We start with student loans. Repayment data is finally flowing back to credit bureaus after years of paused reporting (which hav…

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Fintech Takes x Pipe presents Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts Episode 5: Go To Market 42:40

1M ago42:40

42:40

Welcome back to our new miniseries Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts, sponsored by our friends at Pipe. In episode 5, hosts Alex Johnson and Luke Voiles (CEO of Pipe) sit down with Lacey Ford, CMO at ABC Fitness, to unpack how vertical SaaS companies go to market (through the lens of fitness tech, of course). ABC Fitness is a vSa…

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Keeper Devs Tim Schafer and Lee Petty Stop By! – Unlocked 711 1:12:14

1M ago1:12:14

1:12:14

Game design legend and Double Fine Productions Studio Head Tim Schafer returns to Unlocked along with Keeper Project Director Lee Petty to talk about their new living-lighthouse game, Keeper! It's out now and it's awesome. In our spoiler-free conversation, Lee and Tim tell us about the project's origins, using Unreal Engine 5, the importance of mak…

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The Mystery of Gus Lamont 21:49

1M ago21:49

21:49

On September 27, four-year-old Gus Lamont disappeared without a trace from a remote sheep station in South Australia. Despite the largest search operation in the state's history, there’s still no sign of him. In this episode, Wayne is joined by Daily Mail senior reporter Karleigh Smith, who’s been on the ground covering the case. Together, they cut…

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Not Fintech Investment Advice: EtherFi, Lunos AI, Circuit & Chisel, & Figure 58:52

1M ago58:52

58:52

Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice, where Simon Taylor and I do what we do best: talk about fintech startups we’re absolutely not giving investment advice on. First up is EtherFi Cash, a DeFi-native credit card (from Ether.fi) that flips banking math. You load stablecoins onto the card as collateral. From there, you can either spend them…

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Research Ops 2.0, Episode 5: The People of ResearchOps 54:03

1M ago54:03

54:03

In just ten years, ResearchOps has transformed from an obscure Silicon Valley speciality into a vibrant global profession. Despite economic headwinds, ResearchOps roles are emerging across industries far beyond tech, and the field is evolving at breathtaking speed. But where have we come from, and where are we going? In this five-part audio documen…

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Fintech Takes x Pipe presents Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts Episode 4: Build, Buy, or Partner? 50:07

1M ago50:07

50:07

Welcome back to our new miniseries Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts, sponsored by our friends at Pipe. In episode 4, we attempt to tackle the age-old question: build, buy, or partner? Hosts Alex Johnson and Luke Voiles (CEO of Pipe) sit down with A.J. Axelrod, VP Payments & Financial Services at Clio) to explore how Clio’s uniqu…

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Erin Patterson - Appealing The "Manifestly Inadequate" Sentence 40:36

1M ago40:36

40:36

In this episode of The Trial Australia, Caroline is returning to join Wayne for a dive deep into the latest bombshell developments in the Erin Patterson case. The Victorian DPP is now appealing Patterson's sentence, calling the 33 year non-parole period for three murders and one attempted murder "manifestly inadequate." Wayne and Caroline unpack th…

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How We’d Fix Xbox’s Game Pass Pricing Problem – Unlocked 710 1:32:06

1M ago1:32:06

1:32:06

More fallout from last week's Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price hike as DLC discounts on Game Pass get eliminated in favor of Rewards points, as well as a possible cause of the 50% price increase. We discuss how we'd fix this pricing problem Microsoft's created. Plus: Microsoft squashes a rumor about its future hardware intentions, a free version of Xb…

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Fintech Takes: Gambling is the Biggest Threat to Consumers’ Financial Health 33:51

1M ago33:51

33:51

Welcome back to Fintech Takes. Listeners may remember my first audiobook experiment…well, we’re back, by popular demand! In our second ever Fintech Takes audiobook podcast episode, I take on the subject I can’t stop writing, thinking, and podcasting about (if you know, you know): gambling. In March, I published my deep dive essay on The Biggest Thr…

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Fintech Takes x Pipe presents Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts Episode 3: Fintech Strategy 57:24

1M ago57:24

57:24

Welcome back to our new miniseries Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts, sponsored by our friends at Pipe. In episode 3, we dig even deeper into the fintech strategy behind embedded finance within vertical SaaS (platforms that are the IDEAL distribution channel for B2B financial products). But how does the process of embedding fina…

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Tom Phillips: Finding the Fugitive Father 25:24

2M ago25:24

25:24

In 2021, Tom Phillips disappeared into the bush with his three children. They remained hidden for years, and despite a mammoth police hunt, headline news, and even an $80,000 reward, their whereabouts remained unknown. But that suddenly changed when a police encounter with Phillips quickly escalated into a shootout, and the fugitive father was shot…

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And Now Game Pass Prices Are Going Up Too – Unlocked 709 1:28:48

2M ago1:28:48

1:28:48

It's all about dollars and cents (sense?) on this week's episode of IGN's weekly Xbox show, as we're discussing Microsoft's massive price hike on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, along with the final tough-to-stomach price of the Xbox ROG Ally X, and EA's record-breaking $55 billion go-private deal. 00:00:00 - Intro00:01:53 - Xbox ROG Ally X Price Revealed…

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Fintech Recap: Plaid Pays Chase, FBI Circles BaaS, and FICO Tries AI 1:05:22

2M ago1:05:22

1:05:22

Welcome back to Fintech Takes. I’m Alex Johnson, joined (as always) by my partner-in-recapping, Jason Mikula. First up: the uneasy détente in open banking is over. Jason and I haven’t had a chance to debrief on Plaid’s deal with JPMorgan Chase to pay for API access (so we do). Payments use cases remain the most expensive, Plaid is eating the fees (…

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FT x Nova Credit Fintech Takes x Nova Credit Presents Cash Flow Conversations Episode 4: The Cash Flow Bureau of the Future 45:19

2M ago45:19

45:19

Hello, and thanks for joining us for the fourth and final episode of Cash Flow Conversations, a new miniseries sponsored by Nova Credit. In episode 4, I sit down with Chris Hansen, GM, Cash Atlas Solutions at Nova Credit. Chris has probably thought more than anyone I know about how cash flow data is going to reshape the credit data and analytics ec…

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Research Ops 2.0, Episode 4: Building Enduring Systems Amidst Constant Change 48:33

2M ago48:33

48:33

In just ten years, ResearchOps has transformed from an obscure Silicon Valley speciality into a vibrant global profession. Despite economic headwinds, ResearchOps roles are emerging across industries far beyond tech, and the field is evolving at breathtaking speed. But where have we come from, and where are we going? In this five-part audio documen…

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Fintech Takes x Nova Credit Presents Cash Flow Conversations Episode 3: Saying “Yes” to More Underserved Consumers 40:52

2M ago40:52

40:52

Hello, and welcome back to Cash Flow Conversations, a new miniseries sponsored by Nova Credit. Episode 3 is my conversation with Matt Zalubowski, Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Atlanticus, a subprime lender focused on offering credit cards and personal loans. The challenge in this market is finding more ways to fairly and r…

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Fintech Takes x Pipe presents Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts Episode 2: Customer Centricity 45:22

2M ago45:22

45:22

Welcome back to our new miniseries, Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts, sponsored by our friends at Pipe. Vertical SaaS platforms are experiencing major growth; they’ve become the operating system for every industry (with financial products and services baked right into workflows that SMBs already live in every day). Vertical SaaS…

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Fintech Takes x Nova Credit Presents Cash Flow Conversations Episode 2: Experimenting With (and Scaling Up the Use of) Cash Flow Data 43:44

2M ago43:44

43:44

Hello, and welcome back to Cash Flow Conversations, a new podcast miniseries sponsored by Nova Credit. We’re exploring how cash flow data moves from theory (“this is intriguing”) to practice (“wow, that worked!”) across the consumer lending lifecycle. It’s risky to try something new; especially when said new thing has the potential to increase cred…

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Fintech Takes x Nova Credit Presents Cash Flow Conversations Episode 1: How Do Credit Risk Executives Think About Cash Flow Data? 35:25

2M ago35:25

35:25

Hello, and welcome to Cash Flow Conversations, a new podcast miniseries sponsored by Nova Credit. If you’ve followed my work, you’ll know that I’m obsessed with cash flow data (and underwriting more specifically). That’s because it has enormous potential to positively reshape consumer lending in the U.S. As banks, credit unions, and fintechs move f…

1
Shania Lee: “Belief is one thing, evidence is another” 15:20

2M ago15:20

15:20

In this episode, Wayne Flower is looking at the heartbreaking and tragic house fire that claimed the lives of two children and injured a third- and the mother of all three who now faces charges of negligent manslaughter. Shania Lee’s lawyer says that there was no way, and no evidence, that she could have known what was going to happen that night. B…

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Xbox Raises Console Prices…Again – Unlocked 708 1:17:16

2M ago1:17:16

1:17:16

Our main topic is one we'd rather not have to discuss, but unfortunately, here we go again with Xbox console price hikes. We talk about our thoughts on the bigger picture of these higher-than-ever prices five years into this console generation. Plus: we've got fun stuff to talk about too, such as Forza Horizon 6's reveal and Japan setting, plus Hid…

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Startup Truths and Reality Checks 53:38

2M ago53:38

53:38

Welcome back to the Fintech Takes podcast. I’m Alex Johnson, joined by David Roos, Partner at Core Innovation Capital — an early-stage fintech investor (founded in 2010) that backs scalable businesses built to drive financial inclusion for low- and middle-income consumers. We dig into how Core really sizes up founders and business models, what’s sh…

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Episode 74: 'Palestine 36' Review and the Echoes of the Past 41:33

2M ago41:33

41:33

The more things change, the more they stay the same. This is a reverberating ethos through Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir's latest film, Palestine 36, which chronicles the last days of the British Mandate of Palestine and its lasting ramifications. Produced by Philistine Films, BBC Film, BFI, Doha Film Institute, Watermelon Pictures and more,…

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Fintech Takes x Pipe presents Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts Episode 1: A Crash Course in vSaaS 55:25

2M ago55:25

55:25

Welcome to our new miniseries, Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts, sponsored by our friends at Pipe. This six-part miniseries explores how Vertical SaaS (vSaaS) platforms are becoming the operating systems for every industry. They’re experiencing tremendous growth because they solve the challenges unique to SMB owners. Increasingl…

1
Interview – Writer Scott Wojcik at Hamilton Comic Con

2M ago

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At Hamilton Comic Con, JStew spoke with Scott about his comics including the just released Probed and loaded. We also discus who has inspired him. Check out his work at https://www.instagram.com/scott.wojcik.14

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The Manhunt for Dezi Freeman 18:28

2M ago18:28

18:28

In the first of our weekly episodes, Wayne Flower looks at the gripping and ongoing manhunt for Dezi Freeman, a sovereign citizen fugitive accused of killing two Victorian police officers. With Australia’s largest tactical police operation underway, Paul Cale, known as the country’s toughest soldier, joins the podcast to analyse the manhunt. He exp…

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GTA 6: How Big Will its Pop Culture Impact Be? – Unlocked 707 1:07:44

2M ago1:07:44

1:07:44

We begin IGN's Xbox show this week by discussing the alleged (but still unconfirmed as of recording) pricing of the Xbox ROG Ally X handheld gaming PC, including what the huge apparent gap in price between the base model and the top-end model means for each one. And then our main topic is around GTA 6: a new Rockstar job listing makes a big but fai…

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Not Fintech Investment Advice: Welcome Tech, Bumper, Scalar Field, & Structify 57:38

2M ago57:38

57:38

Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice, where Simon Taylor and I riff about fintech companies we’re absolutely not giving investment advice on. (Speaking of Simon, he’s got a new day job: he’s joining Tempo, a payments-first blockchain incubated by Stripe and Paradigm. Will this lead to spicier payment takes? We shall see!) We kick things of…

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Research Ops 2.0, Episode 3: Taking a Platform Approach to ResearchOps 46:00

2M ago46:00

46:00

In just ten years, ResearchOps has transformed from an obscure Silicon Valley speciality into a vibrant global profession. Despite economic headwinds, ResearchOps roles are emerging across industries far beyond tech, and the field is evolving at breathtaking speed. But where have we come from, and where are we going? In this five-part audio documen…

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#173 - Prototyping AI in Live Research with Bold Insight & Panasonic Well 54:31

2M ago54:31

54:31

Erin May sits down with Larry Becker and Gavin Lew of Bold Insight to explore how researchers can prototype AI experiences that don't exist yet. They're joined by Katie Johnson, Global Head of Research for Panasonic Well. All share their methods for testing everything from voice interfaces for blind users to family wellness bots using low fidelity …