Finding Purpose, Product-Market Fit, and Partners for Growth

Hosted by Kate Barrett and Rick Yang|Apr 05, 2023

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In this episode, Pamela Valdes, CEO and Co-Founder of Beek, the largest audio platform for Spanish speakers, speaks to host Kate Barrett about starting a company to solve a pressing problem, how she grabbed the attention of Silicon Valley, and why a founder has to keep growing alongside their business. Throughout this conversation we hear from David Rogier, Founder and CEO of MasterClass, and NEA General Partner Rick Yang. As they look back on the company's rapid rise from big idea to beloved brand, David and Rick talk about unlocking product-market fit, embracing the tumultuous highs and lows of company building, and finding the right investors for the journey. Tune in to find out what inspired Pamela and David to take big leaps of faith, obstacles they faced as first-time founders, and how they convinced some of the world's biggest names and most sought-after advisors to get on board.

"I think we need constraints sometimes to feel inspired. I got advice from somebody and she said, choose an idea that even if it fails, you are going to be proud of it. That was amazing advice because all of a sudden, that was a constraint."

— David Rogier - Founder & CEO, Masterclass

Topics covered on todays episode

Transforming a personal passion into a brand people love
Leaning into your strengths as a first-time founder
Unlocking product-market fit
How to bring on (and vet) top talent and advisors

Guests on today's episode

Kate Barrett speaks with:

Pamela Valdes

Beek|

Co-Founder and CEO

Pamela Valdes is the Co-Founder and CEO of Beek, the audio subscription platform where latinos listen to the best audio content in Spanish from their favorite creators. In this episode, Pamela chats with host Kate Barrett about her path to founding a company, how she got the attention of Silicon Valley, and the impact she believes Beek can have on an underserved market.

Rick Yang speaks with:

David Rogier

MasterClass|

Founder and CEO

David Rogier is Founder and CEO of MasterClass, the streaming platform where the world's best come together so anyone, anywhere, can access and be inspired by their knowledge and stories. In this episode, David chats with MasterClass board member, Rick Yang, about his lifelong attraction to entrepreneurship, stepping outside of his comfort zone to pursue a passion, and his experience taking MasterClass from a big idea to a big business.

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