The Founder to Fortune Podcast

In this episode with Saket Modi, we explore: * How a college dorm-room hacker turned an idea into a global cybersecurity company * The surprising way he landed his first customers (hint: it involved live hacks) * Why he once turned down a multimillion-dollar deal—and why it was the best decision * His unconventional approach to learning (including hiring a PhD tutor just for himself) * The leadership principle he lives by: never ask your team to do what you won’t * Why SAFE is betting on Cyber AGI—and what that means for the future of security Links: Saket Modil on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samodi/] Safe Security [https://safe.security/] Listen to this and more episodes on our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1lC_6EBMcFEG3zj-ihLqBg]! Check out Founder to Fortune website [https://www.foundertofortune.org/] for all the latest! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org [https://www.foundertofortune.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

What happens when a veteran CTO jumps into the world of AI-native tools, no-code platforms, and “vibe coding”? In this episode, Michael Raybman—former Hustle Fund CTO and founder whisperer—joins Vidya to break down how building software has been turned on its head. They explore: * Why non-technical founders can go further, faster than ever before * The tools that actually deliver (with a live build of a working app in minutes!) * When to go from solo tinkering to hiring real developers * How to spot and fix a broken engineering team * And why PMs are suddenly cool again (spoiler: AI has something to do with it) You’ll walk away with a new lens on building product—from prototype to production—and a playbook for navigating early-stage chaos with clarity. ⚡ Bonus: Michael drops two hot takes on vertical AI apps and the comeback of the product manager you don’t want to miss. Watch on YouTube: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org [https://www.foundertofortune.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

What happens when two long-time product and engineering leaders—who once yelled at each other across the office—reunite on a podcast to decode the future of data and AI? In this episode, Vidya Raman hosts Anjan Kundavaram (CPO at Fivetran) and Chandler Hoisington (formerly CPO at EnterpriseDB and AWS exec) for a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation that spans: * Why the Lakehouse architecture is more than a buzzword—and how Iceberg is quietly winning the open standards race * Whether RAG, embeddings, and vector databases are already becoming yesterday’s news * What’s really holding enterprise AI adoption back (hint: it’s not just the models) * Why unstructured data is the new oil—and what most companies are missing * How the roles of PMs and engineers are being reshaped (but not replaced) by AI And a whole lot more—from the false promises of CI/CD for data to whether you’ll really need a vector DB six months from now. If you’re building, shipping, or leading in the age of intelligent infrastructure, this episode is one you won’t want to miss. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org [https://www.foundertofortune.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

What happens when one of the world’s largest asset managers decides to think like a tech company? In this episode, Diwakar Goel, Global Head of Data at BlackRock, pulls back the curtain on how his team is orchestrating one of the most ambitious data transformations in the financial world. From powering global investments with a touchless analytics “green package,” to reimagining operations through a homegrown AI-infused task platform, Diwakar shares how data governance, privacy, and automation are embedded not as afterthoughts—but as design principles. You’ll hear how they balance speed and regulation, why operational excellence isn’t just grunt work anymore, and why he believes most AI projects need to start with something far less sexy: foundational data modeling. Oh, and did we mention he manages a 3,300-person org where 80% of operations are already fully automated? This is not your average CIO playbook. 🔑 Topics Covered: * Why BlackRock treats data like code—and how it’s paying off * The surprising way AI is helping reduce employee churn in data ops * Why Diwakar prefers “boring” AI over “magical” AI * How a single-digit governance team handles massive compliance needs * What startups often get wrong when trying to sell to enterprises like BlackRock This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org [https://www.foundertofortune.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

In this episode, we go inside the minds of two powerhouse CISOs—Rinki Sethi (Upwind, ex-Twitter, Rubrik, Bill.com) and Lucas Moody (Alteryx, ex-Palo Alto Networks)—as they unpack what it really takes to secure an enterprise in today’s world of AI, multi-cloud sprawl, and constant threat exposure. They talk candidly about: * The evolving role of the CISO—from reactive firewalls to boardroom influence * Why some vendors gain trust while others get ignored * The hidden complexity behind “simple” security practices like IAM * What early-stage founders consistently get wrong—and how to fix it * The parallel lessons from cloud, mobile, and now GenAI transformations If you’re building for the enterprise, selling to CISOs, or investing in cybersecurity, this is a blueprint you can’t afford to miss. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foundertofortune.org [https://www.foundertofortune.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]