Futures in the Making

Inside the Mind of an AI Optimist | The VC Behind Perplexity AI | Marina Davidova

Inside the Mind of an AI Optimist | Marina Davidova She lost herself completely. And she's not alone. Marina Davidova is Co-founder and Managing Partner of DVC, a venture fund backed by 200+ operators from OpenAI, Google, Meta, Tesla, and Microsoft. Their portfolio includes Perplexity AI, Thinking Machines Lab, Higgsfield, and other companies reshaping the AI landscape. On paper, she has everything. But for years, she couldn't tell you what she actually wanted. In this conversation, Marina is honest about what ambition costs. What motherhood and career feel like when you're trying to do both. And what it took for her to find herself again. This is the first episode after a break. It's for anyone who's doing everything and feeling nothing. We talk about: * The moment you realize you've lost yourself * Why success can feel completely empty * Motherhood, ambition, and knowing what you actually want * What it takes to find your way back * Building meaningful work and meaningful life * The gap between who people think you are and who you actually are Listen on: Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Find Marina: LinkedIn: /msdavidova Instagram: @msdavidova

What Meta's Top iOS Engineer Learned About Podcasting

Ever wondered how to start a podcast? In this episode of Futures In The Making, we speak with Ksenia Pokrovskaya — a FAANG software engineer and podcast creator — who shares real insights from years inside a popular tech podcast. This conversation goes beyond the surface and explores what podcasting actually looks like behind the scenes — from messy workflows to long-term growth and consistency. ⏱️ Timestamps: * 00:00 — In this episode * 00:20 — Meet Ksenia * 00:46 — Podcast longevity secret * 01:54 — Podcasting tips for beginners * 02:46 — AI doing the work for podcasters * 04:57 — Podcasting can be really messy * 08:44 — Our favourite podcasting tip * 11:16 — Podcast engagement rate * 12:17 — Benefits of podcasting * 15:17 — How to choose podcast topics * 16:38 — Preparing for a podcast * 18:43 — Podcasting backstage * 19:55 — Being a woman in a male-dominated field * 23:59 — Handling comments * 25:12 — Dealing with haters * 28:12 — Joining an established podcast * 29:53 — FAANG restrictions * 31:22 — From guest to podcaster * 32:47 — Day in the life of a software engineer * 34:47 — AI-proof jobs & future skills 👩‍💻 About the guest: Ksenia is a software engineer with 8+ years of experience, including 4+ years in iOS development. She focuses on building products that are both technically strong and intuitive for users. Alongside engineering, she hosts a tech podcast where she shares insights on development, startups, and modern tech careers. Her work helps make complex technical topics more accessible and supports engineers and creators in growing professionally. 🔗 Connect with Ksenia: * LinkedIn: Ksenia Pokrovskaya [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kseniapokrovskaya] * Instagram: @ksenks [https://www.instagram.com/ksenks] 🎙️ Host: Alena Gladkova * LinkedIn: Alena Gladkova [https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-glad] * Instagram: @glad.helen [https://www.instagram.com/glad.helen] 🕵️‍♀️ About us: We help companies hire top global talent in AI, ML, iGaming, and Web3. * Website: https://kpeople.guru [https://kpeople.guru] * Recruiting services: On-demand recruiting [https://kpeople.guru/service/on-demand-recruiting/] #podcast #podcasting #womenintech #techcareers #contentcreation #softwareengineering

Why LinkedIn Is TOP Social Media Platform | How You Can Become a LinkedIn Influencer & Monetize it

🎙️ In this episode: While some see LinkedIn as boring and mostly cringe, others become LinkedIn influencers and start getting brand partnerships. We explore what it really takes to grow on LinkedIn in 2026 — from personal branding and content creation to understanding what actually works for audience growth and B2B influence. ⏱️ Episode Timestamps: 00:00 | In this episode 00:34 | Meet Margo Laz 01:28 | LinkedIn VS other social media platforms 06:46 | What determines LinkedIn growth 07:45 | Become a LinkedIn influencer 09:50 | LinkedIn content strategy 12:50 | LinkedIn personal branding 17:13 | LinkedIn cringe is real 22:25 | LinkedIn marketing for business 27:31 | Top LinkedIn influencers right now 29:31 | ROI for LinkedIn B2B campaign 34:19 | What awaits the LinkedIn influencers 38:17 | How to spot paid content on LinkedIn 39:26 | One thing everyone hates about LinkedIn 40:58 | I wish I knew how to go viral on LinkedIn 42:06 | Quick Fire Round 🎧 Guest: Margo Laz Margo is the founder of Kudos Narratives. She helps B2B tech companies collaborate with top LinkedIn creators and influential voices. Her entrepreneurial path started while still a student — from running an e-commerce design store to co-founding a coworking space that hosted 300+ events. She later created major tech conferences such as EMERGE (supported by Microsoft, AWS, and Google), earned an MA in Storytelling & Experience Design in London, and consulted hyper-growth SaaS startups on influencer and content strategy. Margo has connected over 50,000 professionals in tech and creative sectors, spoken on TEDx, and been featured in Forbes and Sifted (by Financial Times). 🔗 Guest Links: LinkedIn: Margo Laz [https://www.linkedin.com/in/margo-laz] 🎙️ Host: Alena Gladkova LinkedIn: Helen Glad [https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-glad] 🕵️‍♀️ My team hires top global talents in AI, ML, iGaming, and Web3 for your business: kpeople.guru [https://kpeople.guru] 🚀 Boost your CV: Career Coaching [https://kpeople.guru/service/career-coaching/] 👥 Hire top tech talent fast: On-Demand Recruiting [https://kpeople.guru/service/on-demand-recruiting/]

Money Management Tips | What is ACTUALLY Ruining your Personal Finance

⏱️ Episode Timestamps: 00:00 | In this episode 00:20 | Meet Elena Hawk 01:18 | How to spot a millionaire 02:14 | What car do rich people drive 04:26 | Personal finance for beginners 07:21 | Building an emergency fund 11:04 | Budgeting for beginners 13:07 | Subscriptions are the worst 16:55 | Personal finance 101 18:00 | Let's talk tax strategy 20:02 | Why pay for tax planning 22:50 | How to invest for beginners 25:52 | How to invest in stock market 28:39 | Index funds for beginners 34:07 | Take emotions out of personal finances 35:54 | How to become a millionaire 38:28 | What money management tips work 39:54 | Budgeting 101 42:33 | Money talk is crucial 44:25 | On a way to financial independence 50:16 | Cost of living Silicon Valley edition 55:30 | Quick Fire Round 🎙️ Guest: Elena Hawk Elena is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, fractional CFO, and entrepreneur helping professionals and founders make confident financial decisions. She leads two financial firms focused on financial planning, investment management, and CFO advisory for startups and small businesses. Her approach bridges personal and business finance, helping clients cut through noise, build systems, and gain control over their future. Elena’s work is rooted in clarity, strategy, and the belief that money should serve your goals — not the other way around. 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-hawk 🎧 Host: Alena Gladkova Alena is the Founder of Key People — a recruiting agency that helps companies hire top global talent in AI, ML, iGaming, and Web3 — and the host of Futures in the Making podcast. 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-glad 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glad.helen 🕵️‍♀️ My team hires top global talents in AI, ML, iGaming, and Web3 for your business: https://kpeople.guru/ 🚀 Boost your CV: https://kpeople.guru/service/career-coaching/ 👥 Hire top tech talent fast: https://kpeople.guru/service/on-demand-recruiting/ #podcast #podcasts #podcastshow #personalfinance #financialfreedom #financialplanning #budgeting #moneytalk #financialwellness #futuresinthemaking #leadership #finance

Want to learn how to build a strong personal brand?

⏱️ Episode Timestamps: 00:00 | In this episode 00:21 | Meet Anastasia 01:30 | How to build a personal brand in 5 steps 03:13 | The crucial element of building a personal brand 07:19 | What is personal branding, and what are the risks 10:55 | Common mistakes in building a personal brand 12:45 | The WRONG WAY to start a personal brand 16:15 | What makes a strong personal brand in 2025 21:33 | How to build a profitable personal brand 23:07 | What if your personal brand changes over time 29:57 | LinkedIn profile tips from a social media expert 31:40 | Brand storytelling and content creation on Instagram 36:59 | Free Instagram content ideas 39:12 | Promote your business for free on social media 41:24 | Do THIS for social media growth 48:17 | AI is changing personal branding strategies 🎙️ Guest: Anastasia Zaitseva As CCO at ZiMAD (290M+ downloads), Anastasia helps tech companies in gaming, SaaS, and AI simplify complex ideas and communicate clearly. She built a global communications system from scratch, leading a 15-person team across PR, brand, content, support, and community. Her efforts secured 450+ global media placements, millions of social media views, and consistent brand messaging. Beyond ZiMAD, she’s advised 50+ startups (Seed to Series B) on storytelling, investor comms, and go-to-market strategy. She’s also a speaker, mentor for women founders, host of founder circles, and contributor to top industry platforms. 🔗 LinkedIn: Anastasia Zaitseva [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasia-zaiceva/] 📸 Instagram: @iamzaiceva [https://www.instagram.com/iamzaiceva] 🎧 Host: Alena Gladkova 🔗 LinkedIn: Helen Glad [https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-glad] 📸 Instagram: @glad.helen [https://www.instagram.com/glad.helen] 🕵️‍♀️ My team hires top global talents in AI, ML, iGaming, and Web3 for your business: kpeople.guru [https://kpeople.guru] 🚀 Boost your CV: Career Coaching [https://kpeople.guru/service/career-coaching/] 👥 Hire top tech talent fast: On-Demand Recruiting [https://kpeople.guru/service/on-demand-recruiting/] #podcast #podcasts #podcasting #podcastshow #marketing #marketingdigital #marketinsights #personalbrand #personalbranding #personalbrandingexpert