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Silicon Valley Bank was shut down by regulators on Friday. The news has made startup founders worried that they won't be able to pay their employees next week. Startup founders still reeling from Silicon Valley Bank's implosion have something new to stress about: whether they'll be able to access enough money to cut employee paychecks next week. "Lots of startups are missing payroll in 2-4 weeks if a) Silicon Valley Bank doesn't have the deposits b) SVB doesn't get sold or c) SVB isn't rescued." "If you're a startup founder dealing with this, I'm here to help any way I can," Ayush Sharma, founder and CEO of payroll and compliance startup Warp, tweeted.

☆ 'Gnarly term sheets' and a 'terrible deal for founders:' VC heavyweights are raising alarms about the buildup of startup venture debt, warning it could imperil future deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But now some industry heavyweights are raising the alarm about the massive build up of venture debt, warning it could imperil future deals. Why startups raise debtStartups tend to raise venture debt alongside traditional equity. "Venture debt makes sense in an environment in which founders are generally able to raise the next round and then pay back the venture debt." A venture debt reckoningSamir Kaji, a former venture debt lender and host of the Venture Unlocked podcast, recently took to twitter to weigh in on the venture debt reckoning. Venture debt has traditionally seen credit loss rates much lower than other private lenders, but that could soon be changing.

☆ 11 podcasts that busy venture capitalists and founders say they trust right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Investors at JetBlue Ventures, Mighty Capital, and other VC firms shared their favorite podcasts. Another recommendation is "Origins" by partners at the biotech VC firm Notation Capital. Here are 11 great options, recommended by VCs, founders, CEOs, and other industry insiders. "The main thing about the VC world is building relationships, and Harry is an example of a great networker," Gershfeld said. "BTC is the single-most important asset in the world, and that podcast gets to the heart of why that is."

☆ Amid the rise of ChatGPT and other AI chatbots, venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya thinks Google Search will be the biggest loser of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

On the business podcast All-In, Palihapitiya said Google Search will be the biggest business loser of 2023. Amid the rise of chatbots like ChatGPT, Palihapitiya said more companies will engineer competitive search engines. The All-In podcast is a business podcast co-hosted by four tech industry veterans — PayPal COO David Sacks, investor David Friedberg, entrepreneur Jason Calacanis, and Palihapitiya. However, Palihapitiya doesn't think that ChatGPT is the only reason Google's search business might be on shaky grounds this year. With enough time and money, Palihapitiya said companies like Microsoft, Oracle, "Chinese internet companies," and even Facebook could be potential competitors to Google search.

☆ Elon Musk responds to Twitter's first widespread outage under his leadership by saying the platform is working for him
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Twitter faced its first widespread outage under Elon Musk's leadership on Wednesday evening. Musk responded to the reports by tweeting: "Works for me." Twitter staff previously raised concerns about outages after Musk laid-off half the company's staff. Musk responded to some unaffected users discussing the reports, saying: "Works for me." Fears about such an outage began after Musk laid off around half of Twitter's 7,500 staff soon after he purchased the company.

☆ Elon Musk is surrounded by yes-men, and it's a recipe for disaster: 'The emperor has no clothes, but everybody's too afraid to tell him'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Experts told Insider Elon Musk's close business relationships is a "recipe for disaster." Experts told Insider it's not surprising that the second-richest man in the world would be taken aback by public criticism. Across his companies, Musk also appears to have built up a slew of allies. Similarly, at Twitter, Musk has also brought in some of his personal associates to assist in the transition. 'Speak truth to power'It can be very difficult to "speak truth to power," Nawaz told Insider, saying it's important for CEOs to create "psychologically safe" environments.

☆ Main Street is buying stocks while Wall Street sells: What gives?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But not all traders are on the same ride — the large, institutional investors on Wall Street have shuffled away from markets while Main Street’s retail investors are still strapped in. But despite this year’s lackluster market, investors bought $800 billion of Exchange Traded Funds which are baskets of stocks typically purchased by retail investors. However, Main Street is holding on to its stocks while Wall Street is running for the hills. One simple explanation is that institutional investors are responsible for vast amounts of money that belong to other people. “Respect, for retail investors, is in short supply,” wrote Azalea Micottis at Informa Financial Intelligence, in a recent note.

☆ After Twitter users voted to oust Elon Musk as CEO, he wants to change how polls work
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —When Elon Musk polled Twitter users about whether to reinstate former President Donald Trump’s account, he quickly followed through on the majority’s wish to do so. But since a clear majority of Twitter users voted for Musk to step down as Twitter CEO in another poll on Sunday, Musk has remained conspicuously (and uncharacteristically) silent. After one Twitter user said, “Blue subscribers should be the only ones that can vote in policy related polls,” Musk responded, “Good point. There is no successor.”CNBC reported Tuesday that Musk is “actively searching” for a new Twitter CEO, citing anonymous sources. The most obvious potential candidates for a new Twitter CEO are the Musk lieutenants who have been helping to run the company since his takeover.

☆ Here’s who Elon Musk could pick to be Twitter’s next CEO
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Elon Musk may soon be on the lookout for a new chief executive to run Twitter. There is no successor.”If Musk were to look for a new Twitter CEO, he’d likely have many willing takers. Jack Dorsey, Twitter founder, CEO of Block and friend to Musk, has previously said he would not return to run the social network. The most obvious potential candidates for a new Twitter CEO are the Musk lieutenants who have been helping to run the company since his takeover. Who is insane enough to run twitter?!?

☆ Elon Musk voted out as CEO of Twitter by poll he created
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —A Twitter poll created by Elon Musk asking whether he should “step down as head of Twitter” ended early Monday morning with most respondents voting in the affirmative. But Tesla shares were up 5% in premarket trading after the poll results were revealed. After taking over Twitter, Musk dissolved the company’s board and its C-Suite emptied out. As the sole board director and owner of the company, Musk can appoint the next CEO – and also tell that person what to do in the role. Shortly after Musk posted his latest poll, Calacanis posted a poll of his own asking who should take over as Twitter’s next CEO: himself, Sacks, or Calacanis and Sacks together as co-CEOs.

☆ Chamath Palihapitiya says he's faced privacy concerns over jet-tracking like Elon Musk, and would consider ditching flying private for something 'more anonymous'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Chamath Palihapitiya said he's dealt with privacy concerns similar to Elon Musk's jet-tracking. Palihapitiya said the question for him was whether or not to switch to "more anonymous" transportation. Thousands of commercial and private flights around the world are public and can be found on online tracker ADS-B Exchange. In a Twitter Space Thursday night with suspended journalists and Sweeney, Musk reiterated his point that accounts who "dox" people will be suspended. The journalists pushed back on the characterization that they had participated in any doxing, and Musk eventually left the conversation.

☆ Elon Musk's allies slam jet tracking as more accounts are suspended and Twitter's privacy policy is updated
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk's mother and a friend have weighed in on his fight against jet tracking. Twitter has suspended an account that tracks Musk's private jet along with similar tracking accounts. Twitter has updated its private information policy to ban users from sharing someone's live location. Sweeney, who runs more than 30 jet tracking accounts, watched as @ElonJet along with his personal Twitter handle was suspended from Twitter on Wednesday. Twitter users can still share their own live location and someone else's historical location as long as it is "not same-day" data.

☆ Elon Musk brought his mom to a meeting with advertisers where he tweeted about Trump. He later fired an exec who didn't find the tweet funny, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk went to New York on Halloween to meet with advertisers and visit the Twitter office. He brought his mom, Maye Musk, along to the meeting where execs asked about un-banning Trump. The billionaire then tweeted a joke about Trump during the meeting. Two advertising executives from Twitter also came along, as well as Musk's friend Jason Calacanis, and Maye Musk. Horizon Media CEO, Bill Koenigsberg, told Musk that some of his clients had heard about the meeting, according to Bloomberg.

☆ SpaceX, Tesla, and Boring Company execs are helping Elon Musk at Twitter, records reveal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Ever since, he has enlisted high-ranking executives and engineers from his other businesses, including SpaceX, Tesla and The Boring Company, to help out at the social media company, according to internal records obtained by CNBC and conversations with recent Twitter employees. Musk has also enabled partners from investment firms who participated in the Twitter buyout access to work within the social media company. In his testimony, Musk characterized Tesla employees' work for him at Twitter as "just a voluntary thing." He also said: "This was sort of an after-hours, just if you're interested in evaluating the -- helping me evaluate Twitter engineering, that would be nice. In addition to Tesla employees, Musk has also enlisted execs and employees from SpaceX, the reusable rocket and satellite internet services company he founded in 2002, to help him at Twitter.

☆ Elon Musk's 2-year-old son ran around Twitter's office and played with toys while his dad talked to advisors about moderation, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk's son X Æ a-Xii was present during Twitter meetings after the purchase went through, WaPo reported. Two-year-old X Æ a-Xii, Musk's first child with Grimes, ran round while he met with Yoel Roth, per WaPo. The Post reported that toys were scattered round the room and X Æ a-Xii ran around. X Æ a-Xii may have been at Twitter's HQ to attend the office Halloween party that day, where some staff brought their children. X Æ a-Xii, who he had with his musician and ex-partner Grimes, was Musk's seventh child.

☆ After Elon Musk fired Twitter staff for criticizing him, some remaining employees are hurriedly deleting Slack messages they fear he won't like
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Twitter staff are removing Slack messages they fear Elon Musk won't like, Platformer reported. This comes after the tech mogul fired some Twitter staff for criticizing him online. Engineers Eric Frohnhoefer, Sasha Solomon, and Ben Leib all appeared to be fired on Sunday and Monday for criticizing Musk. Platformer also reported that some of the fired employees had simply expressed sympathy with Frohnhoefer, Solomon, and Leib. Sources told The Times that some fired staff had shared news of Frohnhoefer's termination in internal chats.

☆ Chamath Palihapitiya said Sam Bankman-Fried once pitched him, but after the investor suggested changes like forming a board, FTX told him to get lost
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Bankman-Fried once pitched Social Capital, but Chamath Palihapitiya said he "didn't make much sense." After the Zoom meeting, the firm sent FTX recommendations if things were to proceed, including the formation of a board. Palihapitiya said that FTX then told his firm to "go fuck yourself" for suggesting changes. He said Bankman-Fried pitched Social Capital while raising a $17 billion round. Palihapitiya said he still thought Bankman-Fried and FTX were in "the bucket of these guys are unbelievably arrogant and smug."

The public termination came after Frohnhoefer tweeted evidence suggesting that Musk was “wrong” about his claims that Twitter was running, in the billionaire’s words, “super slow” in various countries. Sources have indicated to CNN that employees in recent days had been very candid in criticism of Musk in the company’s Slack. (CNN has attempted to contact fired employees to confirm.) In addition to the public pushback from employees, some Twitter staff appear to have tried to appeal to Musk and his inner circle privately as they weigh numerous disruptive changes to the platform. The paid subscription service was suspended on Friday with little warning.

☆ Meet the members of Elon Musk's inner circle said to be helping him fix Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Picked from Musk's inner circle of allies, friends, and ex-colleagues, these are the people reportedly helping him fix Twitter. Three days after Musk's acquisition, Krishnan tweeted that he was temporarily "helping out" Musk after the takeover. Sources told Insider he was listed on Twitter's company directory as a staff software engineer and was assigned a company email address. Bloomberg reported that Birchall played a key part in securing the financing for Musk's Twitter purchase. Over the past week, Musk's right-hand man has also been among the team strategizing inside Twitter, per The Washington Post.

☆ An early Twitter investor says Elon Musk is 'straight-up alone' and 'winging' his rapid changes to the social media giant
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sacca, an early Twitter investor, referred to Musk's approach to Twitter as "move fast and alone." Speaking about Musk, Sacca said: "I've recently watched those around him become increasingly sycophantic and opportunistic. Sacca said that Twitter would only succeed if Musk added some "desperately needed nuance." Sacca, who was once one of Twitter's biggest shareholders, has been an outspoken critic of the company over the years. He joked on Monday that he was worried he'd get kicked off the platform for posting the thread about Musk.

☆ Some Twitter staff were told to listen to a podcast hosted by 2 of Elon Musk's advisers for 'insights' into mass layoffs, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Twitter's health team was instructed to listen to tech podcast "All In," Platformer reports. In the podcast, Musk advisers David Sacks and Jason Calacanis discussed Silicon Valley layoffs. Staff were told the podcast "provides some insight into why this is happening/necessary," Platformer reported. The hosts celebrated Musk's decision to layoff 50% of Twitter's staff, despite criticism and lawsuits brought against the company. On the podcast, Sacks explained that he and Calacanis don't have official roles at Twitter, but "are just pitching in and helping out while Elon establishes his permanent team."

☆ The 6 most interesting quotes from the podcast hosted by Elon Musk's friends that Twitter staff were reportedly told to listen to amid layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Some Twitter staff were told to listen to a podcast hosted by Elon Musk's associates, Platformer reported. A Twitter VP reportedly told staff it would provide insight into why layoffs were necessary. David Sacks and Jason Calacanis — two of Musk's close associates who have stepped in to help him at Twitter — also cohost the show. 'Just helping a friend'During the podcast, Sacks and Calacanis attempted to clarify their new roles at Twitter. It later emerged that they were likely practical jokers pretending to be laid off Twitter staff.

Elon Musk seems determined to remake Twitter in his own image — with some help from the men in his trusted inner circle. They are joined in Musk’s orbit by Alex Spiro, a trial attorney with a roster of celebrity clients who reportedly led the first round of Twitter layoffs. Bloomberg reported Wednesday night that Twitter is preparing to eliminate about 3,700 jobs, or roughly half its workforce. Musk's personnel decisions suggest a possible road map for the future of Twitter, one in which policies and internal rules are drawn at least in part from the views of Musk’s consiglieres. Sacks, Calacanis, Spiro and Birchall did not immediately respond to questions about the company’s future and the nature of their roles there.

☆ 'I don't want to work with these clowns.' Inside the culture war that Elon Musk has unleashed at Twitter.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

With a project, you could see who initiated the work, who was the assignee, who was in the chain of command. They wanted to make Twitter a place to exchange ideas and observations that were funny, factual and engaging. Whenever I'm on Twitter, I always find something that makes me laugh, or learn something. It feels like that's what's happening. What's even more frightening is that I don't see any viable alternatives to Twitter right now.

CNN —Elon Musk said Friday that Twitter has seen a “massive drop in revenue,” as a growing number of advertisers pause spending on the platform in the wake of his $44 billion acquisition. On Friday, organizations including the Anti-Defamation League, Free Press and GLAAD, upped their pressure campaign for more brands to rethink advertising on Twitter. Musk, known as both an innovative entrepreneur and an erratic figure, has promised to rethink Twitter’s content moderation policies and undo permanent bans of controversial figures, including former President Donald Trump. Most marketers bristle at the thought of having their ads run alongside toxic content such as hate speech, pornography or misinformation. Ad buying giant Interpublic Group, which works with consumer brands such as Unilever and Coca Cola, earlier this week also recommended its clients pause advertising on the platform.

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