In this episode of The Silicon Valley Podcast, we’re joined by Hussein Fazal, serial entrepreneur, investor, and the visionary behind Super.com (formerly SnapCommerce). With a track record that includes founding AdParlor (acquired by AdKnowledge), Hussein brings a wealth of insight into what it takes to build, pivot, and scale tech companies to massive success.

Over the last eight years, Hussein has led Super.com through several strategic pivots—one of which transformed the company’s trajectory toward unicorn status. In this conversation, he shares how to balance data with instinct, why high-profile investors can be both a blessing and a challenge, and how building the right organizational structure has helped his teams stay aligned and motivated.

🔍 In This Episode, We Cover:

Hussein’s entrepreneurial journey: From AdParlor to Super.com

Lessons learned from early career experiences that shaped his leadership style

The pivotal moment when he realized Super.com could become a unicorn

The balance of gut feeling vs. data in company pivots

The role of celebrity investors and how they’ve influenced the business

Why Super.com chose not to build a member community—and what others can learn from that

How early customer feedback shaped Super.com’s direction

A framework for gathering and acting on customer insights

Product expansion vs. market penetration—how to decide what to focus on

Why every founder should consider a CEO coach—and how to choose one

The creation and impact of “mission-aligned teams” at Super.com

How to introduce alternative org structures and guide teams through change

Resilience during existential challenges—and Hussein’s personal mindset

Tips for founders looking to bring celebrities onto their cap table

A leadership lesson learned the hard way—and how you can avoid it

🔗 Learn More About Hussein Fazal and Super.com:

LinkedIn: Hussein Fazal

Company: Super.com

💬 Quote from Hussein:

“You can pivot 100 times, but if you don’t listen to your customers, you’ll miss the one pivot that could change everything.”

⚠️ Disclaimer:

The views expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only and not financial or legal advice. Consult with a professional for your specific situation.

The views expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Finalis Inc. or Finalis Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC.

#startups #siliconvalley #technology #super.com #stephcurry

Guest: Matthew Le Merle, CEO & Managing Partner, Blockchain Coinvestors

About the Guest: Matthew Le Merle is a leading figure in early-stage venture capital, having previously managed Keiretsu, the world's largest angel network. In 2014, he made a strategic pivot into the digital asset space, co-founding Blockchain Coinvestors. The firm is now dedicated to the vision that digital monies, commodities, and assets are inevitable, and all of the world's financial infrastructure must be upgraded. With investment strategies now in their 12th year, Blockchain Coinvestors has backed a combined portfolio of over 1,250 blockchain companies and projects, including more than 110 blockchain unicorns.

Join us for a deep dive with Matthew Le Merle as he shares the strategic insights that drove his firm into blockchain investing over a decade ago. We explore the massive shift toward digital assets, the unique mechanics of the fund-of-funds model, and the critical role of tokenomics in the crypto ecosystem.

Key Discussion Points:

• The 2014 Pivot: What initial observations and conviction led Matthew to commit deeply to the blockchain space a decade ago?
• A New Financial Infrastructure: Dan elaborates on Blockchain Coinvestors' core vision: why the transition to digital monies, commodities, and assets is inevitable, and what that means for the world's current financial systems.

• Screening for Unicorns: With a portfolio of over 1,250 blockchain companies, what common characteristics does the firm look for in promising very early-stage companies?
• Filtering the Noise: Matthew details his team's rigorous screening methods used to filter for the most promising startups from a massive pool of opportunities.
• SPACs & IPOs:
  • A simple definition of a SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company) for the audience.
  • How SPACs might play a future role in taking high-growth crypto and blockchain companies public.
  • The current IPO landscape for blockchain innovators—are traditional IPOs or alternative paths more prevalent?

• Fund-of-Funds Explained: An operational deep dive into the dynamics of the fund-of-funds investment model.
• Investor Rationale: The most common reasons why investors choose to gain blockchain exposure through a fund-of-funds like Blockchain Coinvestors.
• Returns and Structure: How the returns and operational/legal structure of a fund-of-funds compare to those of a direct venture capital fund.

• Tokenomics 101: A clear explanation of tokenomics—what it is and how it fundamentally works within a blockchain ecosystem to incentivize user behavior and align stakeholders.
• Investor Benefits: The primary benefits and unique opportunities associated with companies that issue their own tokens.
• The AI-Blockchain Convergence: What excites Matthew most about the merging possibilities of AI and blockchain, and where he predicts the most significant developments will occur in the next few years.

Learn more about Matthew and Blockchain Coinvestors at www.BlockchainCoinvestors.com

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are for informational purposes only. They do not constitute financial or legal advice, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of Finalis Inc. or Finalis Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Guest: Dan Fineberg, CTO and Co-founder, The Fusion Syndicate

About the Guest: Dan Fineberg is a veteran technologist with over 40 years of experience working at the intersection of technology and marketing, including leadership roles at Intel Corp. and FEI Co. As CTO of The Fusion Syndicate, Dan now specializes in leveraging emerging technologies, particularly generative AI, to accelerate content productivity and drive measurable business results for customers.

Many organizations are still viewing AI as a simple tool for generating text with a prompt. Dan Fineberg breaks down why that's the biggest misconception and shows us how to transition from basic experimentation to a reliable, scalable system that dramatically improves content production and delivers significant ROI.

Key Discussion Points:

• The Biggest Misconception: Dan tackles the most common myth he hears about using AI in the enterprise and shares his simple "signal vs. noise" test for identifying true business value.
• Moving Past Prompt Engineering: Learn why focusing only on the quality of a prompt is a limited approach, and how The Fusion Syndicate’s approach goes beyond simple inputs to structure a robust, end-to-end system.
• The AI Content Workflow: Dan walks us through the typical, repeatable steps teams should implement, covering the entire process from initial research all the way through to a validated, ready-to-publish output.
• Measurable Impact (Before & After): What practical, tangible differences have teams seen once they put this structured AI system in place? Dan shares real-world stories of accelerated productivity and transformation.
• The Next Wave of ROI: Where should businesses look beyond marketing and content creation for the next high-value applications of AI workflows?
• Strategic Fit: For listeners trying to understand the competitive landscape, Dan explains where this AI workflow approach fits in—is it meant to replace agencies, internal teams, or dedicated point tools?
• Getting Started: For founders and teams ready to adopt this approach, Dan recommends the first high-impact workflow they should pilot to ensure early success and build momentum.
• Resources: Recommended materials for anyone who wants to learn more and begin experimenting with AI content acceleration.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are for informational purposes only. They do not constitute financial or legal advice, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of Finalis Inc. or Finalis Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC.