Innovation & Leadership

From $700 a Month to a $9B Giant: Building Life360 with Chris Hulls What happens when a founder ignores the “safe path,” bets on himself, and keeps going long after most people would’ve quit? In this episode of The Jess Larsen Show on Innovation & Leadership, Jess sits down with Chris Hulls — Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Life360, the world’s largest family safety platform with 90+ million monthly active users and a public valuation approaching $9 billion. Chris’s journey is anything but conventional. He went from growing up in a small farm town… to enlisting in the Air Force at 17… to almost becoming a dishwasher at the South Pole… to dropping out of Harvard Business School… to living in a friend’s closet on $700/month while building the first version of Life360. But the real story is what came next: —a category-defining pivot from disaster response to family location sharing, —launching on Android before anyone believed teens would ever have smartphones, —surviving seven slow years before meaningful traction, —and ultimately building a platform that detects car crashes, dispatches tens of thousands of ambulances a year, and has become a “social network for families.” Chris and Jess go deep into what it actually takes to scale from zero to multi-billion-dollar market cap: the messy pivots, the lucky breaks, the conviction bets, why too much “data-driven thinking” kills innovation, and why founders must learn to hold two opposing truths at once — relentless belief and complete surrender to the chaos. This is a conversation for founders, leaders, and anyone who wants to understand the real psychology behind building something massive from scratch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Gordon Neufeld—developmental psychologist and author of Hold On to Your Kids—joins Jess to explain why our children’s greatest need is not techniques, but relationship. Discover the true cost of peer orientation, the five relational needs that never expire, and the power of boredom, nature, and play to refuel connection. Neufeld shares how he won back his own daughters by removing competing attachments and rebuilding time, trust, and warmth. This is a field guide for modern parents who want practical language and steps to re-anchor family life—simple, profound, and deeply humane. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eva Yazhari shares hard-earned lessons from Wall Street, her time managing billions, and what she’s learned saying “no” to short-term thinking. This episode is a masterclass in balancing risk, resilience, and relationships. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can trauma be inherited across generations? And more importantly—can it be stopped? Dr. Nadine Burke Harris has spent her career answering those questions. As California’s first Surgeon General, she championed screening for ACEs, built networks between clinics and communities, and pushed for policies that save lives. In this conversation with Jess Larsen, Nadine shares the science, the policy battles, and the deeply human side of this work—from seeing patients transformed when told “you’re not crazy” to showing how neuroplasticity means no one is permanently broken. It’s science, leadership, and hope rolled into one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Venture capital isn’t luck — it’s math. Jess Larsen sits down with Jamie Rhode, Partner at ScreenDoor, to reveal how elite allocators consistently hit 3× returns and 20–25% CAGR over decades. They break down 42 years of VC data, the power law behind billion-dollar outcomes, and how top investors turn volatility into long-term advantage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julie Wainwright transformed the stigma around “used” luxury into a movement worth over a billion dollars. The founder of The RealReal, reveals the story behind the luxury resale empire that changed how the world shops for secondhand fashion. In conversation with Jess Larsen, she shares how she identified a market gap Amazon couldn’t fill, scaled from her living room to IPO, and turned setbacks into strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft all have in common? They’ve all relied on Glenn Gow’s expertise. Having coached over 20 CEOs, advised Fortune 500 companies, Glenn joins Jess Larsen to talk about the brain science of leadership, why top founders and athletes all rely on coaches, and how AI is becoming a make-or-break tool for companies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Biotech might produce the world’s next trillion-dollar company—and Simba Gill and Steve Ledger are betting on it. Join Jess Larsen as he explores how Serina Therapeutics’ drug optimization platform could reshape the future of treatment for Parkinson’s, cancer, and beyond. Simba, with four decades of biotech leadership, and Steve, with roots in finance and venture, share how science, capital, and mission come together to drive massive impact. This is a behind-the-scenes look at what happens when breakthrough science collides with visionary leadership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Great business isn’t about math alone — it’s about understanding people. Blair LaCorte explains why his biggest lessons came from watching human behavior: investors chasing momentum, CEOs blinded by ego, or leaders too afraid to pivot. From negotiating a $400M Microsoft PIPE to navigating IPO mania, Blair shows how psychology, not spreadsheets, drives billion-dollar outcomes. For founders, investors, and leaders, this conversation is both raw and practical. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Episcope started his career on the chaotic trading floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, twice ranked as one of the top 100 traders in the world. But when automation disrupted his industry, he pivoted. With his own wealth on the line, he co-founded Origin Investments in 2007, just before the financial crisis. In this episode with Jess Larsen, Michael shares the hard lessons from losing money in bad deals, the pivot during 2008 that set up Origin’s growth, and how they scaled to more than $2 billion under management. From risk management to wealth preservation, this conversation is a masterclass in how to grow — and keep — wealth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do millionaires and billionaires know that the average person doesn’t? That it only takes one lawsuit to wipe out a lifetime of work. In this episode, Jess Larsen sits down with Hillel Presser, attorney and founder of The Presser Law Firm, to reveal the step-by-step strategies the wealthy use to bulletproof their assets. From protecting homes and businesses to safeguarding investments and retirement accounts, Presser explains how anyone — not just the ultra-rich — can secure their future. This conversation is a wake-up call for entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders who want to keep what they’ve worked so hard to build. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From record-breaking $160M sales to becoming a real estate media empire, Ryan Serhant has redefined what it means to lead with confidence. In this episode, Ryan breaks down the mindset, systems, and self-belief behind his success—including his signature "5 Ps of Power." This isn’t just about real estate. It’s about building a brand that outlasts the market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to lead a team where decisions happen at 60 mph and trust can’t wait? SailGP Canada Team Coach Billy Gooderham shares the highs and heartbreaks of racing, including recovering from a devastating crash, staying mentally sharp under pressure, and turning risk into high performance. This is leadership—wind, speed, and all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Gerson has built businesses, launched global charities, and written books proving the Torah’s practical power. In this episode of The Jess Larsen Show, he unpacks the wisdom behind rest, generosity, and mission-driven leadership. Whether you’re scaling a company or searching for your calling, his stories will inspire you to rethink what success really means. This is a conversation about community, conviction, and the surprising ROI of doing good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess Larsen and guest co-host Dr. Greg Bailey sit down with world-class sailor Paul Campbell-James (aka CJ), wing trimmer for the Canadian SailGP team, to talk about the speed, strategy, and stakes behind one of the most cutting-edge sports on water. CJ shares stories of competing at 60 mph, racing days after breaking his leg, and what elite sailing teaches us about teamwork, leadership, and resilience under pressure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess Larsen sits down with real estate innovator and PropTech entrepreneur Rob Finlay to dive into his new book, Beyond the Building. They explore why top-performing real estate operators are thinking more like tech founders—and how to build enterprise value through adaptability, data, and leadership. From capital strategy to OKRs, Rob shares the mindset and mechanics behind scaling smarter in today’s evolving market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sal Sferlazza, CEO of Ninja One, discusses the challenges of managing a company experiencing rapid growth. Learn how to balance the needs of long-term employees with the influx of new talent, maintain product quality, and make strategic decisions about expanding into new markets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn how Des Hague integrated philanthropy into his business ventures, raising millions of dollars for various causes and initiatives. He shares the story behind his partnership with Juma Ventures, which provided employment opportunities for thousands of at-risk youth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the pioneer in litigation finance, Burford Capital has a unique perspective on the industry's future. CEO Christopher Bogart discusses the potential financial shakeout in mass tort litigation funding and shares his predictions for the evolving legal finance landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover the insider strategies and mindset that allowed David Weisburd, a seasoned venture capitalist, to turn a $7 million investment into a staggering $500 million exit. In this exclusive interview, David shares his unique approach to identifying and backing the most promising startups, and reveals the key traits he looks for in founders to ensure outsized returns. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or an investor looking to sharpen your skills, this episode is packed with invaluable insights from one of the industry's top performers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices