Masters of Scale

It’s a chaotic moment for business leaders — so how do give yourself room to take big swings?   Investor Byron Deeter tells Jeff Berman the key is being proactive and starting to raise capital earlier than you think you need to.   Watch the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/e6DKtVNs

Vinod Khosla’s early bet on OpenAI was so “uncertain” that he sent an apology letter to his LPs: “This makes no sense. It's a nonprofit. There's no product plan. There's no business plan. But we are gonna make the investment anyway.” When Bessemer Venture Partners handed their largest check ever to Anthropic, partner Byron Deeter called it "a totally unproven business." Yet he still committed — and kept committing for the next three rounds. What Byron saw that others didn't is the subject of today's newsletter. Plus, we’re announcing our first round of speakers for this year’s Masters of Scale Summit — see who will be on stage and apply today.

Hustle culture is killing business leaders, but investor Byron Deeter is working to change that.   In conversation with Jeff Berman, he opens up about the health challenges he faced while building his career, and how he’s now working to help the next generation of leaders pursue success without sacrificing their well-being.   Link in the comments to watch the full conversation.

Our Agency… To Lead. To Challenge. To Elevate. To Build. To Connect. To Converge. Now. Today we're announcing the first speakers taking the stage at Masters of Scale Summit 2026. Six leaders who don't just talk about what comes next. They're building it. Reid Hoffman · Kara Swisher · Adam Grant · Ivan Zhao · Spencer Rascoff · Amy Webb And this is just the beginning.

Constant change may be the new baseline. But, as a leader, you can still find your footing. You can still make a difference. This October, we're gathering 800 founders around the belief we all have a role to play in what comes next. We all have power. We all have agency. Our Agency. Now. The future is shaped by the choices we make today. First Summit speakers announced soon 👀

Amongst corporate leaders, AI is almost always framed around efficiency and optimization.   Artist Alexander Reben encourages a different starting point: play.   As OpenAI's first artist in residence and founder of the new venture @phyzify, Alex argues that the people producing the most interesting work with AI aren't chasing efficiency — but rather, following curiosity.    In today's newsletter, he explains why, and how to escape what he calls "the beige slop."

Repetition. Reflection. Feedback.   Author and podcaster Matt Abrahams joined Jeff Berman on Masters of Scale, breaking down the keys to positive and effective communication, and why it's so important.   Watch the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/ecc_CT2u

As Rana el Kaliouby, Ph.D. puts it, only 7% of human communication is the actual words we use. The rest — facial expressions, gestures, posture — is nonverbal. Yet the most powerful AI models in the world are trained almost entirely on words. In today's newsletter, she argues that this massive gap needs to close before we get anywhere near true AGI.

Are there benefits to anxiety?   Author and podcaster Matt Abrahams suggests that it may actually give us purpose. He sits down with Jeff Berman to share how vital it is to manage anxiety — so that it does not manage us first.   Link in comments to watch the full conversation.