Inspired with Alexa von Tobel
00:36:10 · Alexa von Tobel, Daniel First
[00:36:10] S2: I love that. I always say CEOs are engines. And it's probably a good analogy for you to be an engine given what you do. And I think you set the pace, you set the tone. You know, I always love the companies that think in hours, not weeks, especially when you're at the forefront of a category that is evolving so quickly. Any other big lessons that you would wanna share with us? [00:36:34] S0: There... You know, a big lesson that I I just had to learn as a founder is that that there... There's a tremendous amount of advice out there that was really relevant in the twenty tens, but it's really no longer relevant, you know, in in the age of AI. And I think that there's such such a industry around producing YouTube videos with, you know, advice for founders, but... You know... And and that's great. But, ultimately, you have, you know, you have to be able to think from first principles and decide what advice applies to you. And I think that, you know, building a company that's dealing with a a messy, hairy problem, like, how do you go from emerging issues at airplanes and medical devices and figure out how to manufacture that intelligence at scale? A lot of advice that somebody used to make a database in 2010 is just not relevant to us.
00:37:26 · Alexa von Tobel
[00:37:26] S2: That is so well said, which is, you know, sitting here as a founder who helped build companies in 2007 and 2010, there's some things that are very similar, and there's other elements of, I mean, we're in a break neck pace of innovation that in some ways is so profound and so fast that it blurs what's possible. And I actually think in some ways we underestimate what's possible. The bigger risk is actually, of course, there'll be bumps, but I think sometimes we all underestimate what's really happening. And I think I agree with you. I just think that's really well said, which is like, this is a very different age to be building a company. In some ways, some things are much easier, in other cases, things are much harder because you're trying to run a marathon while literally sprinting every millisecond of it. But I also think that's what makes this such an exciting moment in time. When you think about maybe the companies that you're paying attention to, I don't mean like your competitors, I mean the pacesetters, who are those in your mind?
00:38:44 · Daniel First, Alexa von Tobel
[00:38:44] S0: In different industries, there are companies that are, you know, taking the latest in AI and LLMs, but then applying them, you know, in the wild to specific verticals or sets of verticals. You know, you have, of course, in in, you know, in in in in law, you have a company like Harvey. In, you you know, in health care, you have a company like a Bridge. And I think that, you know, obviously, in in in CX and, like, you know, responding to l ones, you have the Decagons and Sierras of the world. I think that ultimately, you know, all of this becomes a bit of a of a cohort of those of us who are trying to figure out, you how do you take all these advances in agents and AI and LLMs and then really figure out really complex enterprise workflows and how we can apply these emerging technologies as rapidly as possible in a way that, because of our focus, becomes really specialized. [00:39:37] S2: I agree with that. I want to move to the quickfire round if Cameron doesn't have anything else that he's burning to ask. Daniel, again, it's been such a pleasure to get to know you on a personal level. What's one habit that you've formed since you've started Axion that has really served you well that you wanna pay it forward to other people?
00:39:37 · Alexa von Tobel, Daniel First
[00:39:37] S2: I agree with that. I want to move to the quickfire round if Cameron doesn't have anything else that he's burning to ask. Daniel, again, it's been such a pleasure to get to know you on a personal level. What's one habit that you've formed since you've started Axion that has really served you well that you wanna pay it forward to other people? [00:39:58] S0: I have a I have a long standing habit that I think you... Really unique, but it it started way before I started Axion. I've actually been on airplane mode since I was 17. I think I've got the the last sacred space, for deep thought out here. You know, I just... For for me, when I when I have my phone on and it's just buzzing all the time, I just can't think, about anything in any deep way. So, it's a it's a habit that's always been with me for the last, you know, fifteen, twenty years. [00:40:25] S2: Wait. Say more about that. Your phone's on airplane mode from when to when? [00:40:29] S0: Pretty much always. So I'll check it at, like, very specific points in the day. You know, sometimes I'll allow, like, important calls to go through, but, I think that this way that a lot of people live, that their just phone is just constantly buzzing with notifications. It just doesn't doesn't work for me. [00:40:46] S2: Wait, Daniel, this is a really profound thing. I just need to like roll this back. So since 2017, your phone has been in air... [00:40:54] S0: Since I was 17.
00:40:54 · Daniel First, Alexa von Tobel, Cameron
[00:40:54] S0: Since I was 17. [00:40:55] S2: Sorry. Since you, oh my God, even... You were 17, your phone has been in airplane mode, and you very thoughtfully decide to check-in. Say more, when like, how many check ins a day, morning and night? Just give us a quick sense of how the... By the way, I'm gonna do this immediately. Cameron's gonna be like, I can never reach Alexa. Not doing Daniel. But how many how many times a day do you think you actually, sort of purposefully check-in? [00:41:24] S0: I would say, you know, maybe maybe like, you know, I I mean, you get a lot of a lot of what you need through the computer. I think, you know, maybe every, you know, every hour or two, I might kind of take out my phone and kinda check what what what I've got on WhatsApp. But I think where you actually see the biggest difference is, you know, when I'm just like, you know, walking around or or traveling, I mean, I really use that time to think and and just get get deep in my thoughts. And I think that it's just something that that is, you know, is being lost today. I think a lot of ideas that I have about things we should do differently as a company, they come really when I'm, you know, walking around or just, you know, you know, just take... You know, taking walks around Williamsburg. So, yeah, I think it's a it's a sacred space. Gotta get back. [00:42:14] S3: I'm just wondering if Alexa and I are on the allowed callers list, Daniel.
00:42:14 · Cameron, Alexa von Tobel, Daniel First
[00:42:14] S3: I'm just wondering if Alexa and I are on the allowed callers list, Daniel. [00:42:17] S2: I hope so. Daniel, last few questions. What is a book that's really had a massive impact on your life that you would pay it for? It doesn't have to be a business book, any book, but a book that's like had a really lasting impact on how you think. [00:42:34] S0: Yeah. There's this book by Charles Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity. He's a he's a Hegel philosopher, but it's all about the history of how we make decisions and how, you know, in some time periods, people would, would consult their religious mentor. In other time periods, people would look deep inside of them. And... But the the framework that we use to make decisions has kind of changed every every couple of decades. And so whenever I'm making a decision, I'm I'm... It just made me very thoughtful about what framework I'm using, to to make that decision, and and and think about whether it's the right one. [00:43:08] S2: I love that. My last question is, is there a mantra you live by? Having gotten to know you pretty well, you move at a speed, you're extremely hard charging, you have some of the highest bars for excellence of founders out there. What is a mantra that kinda speaks to you?