Jeff Bussgang — entrepreneur, venture capitalist, Harvard Business School professor, and co-founder of Flybridge Capital — joins Infinite Loops to explore how AI is transforming the operating systems of startups.

We dive into Jeff’s framework from his new book The Experimentation Machine, why AI compresses the cost and time of learning, how to distinguish 10X founders and 10X joiners, and why execution velocity matters more than tech moats in the age of AI.

One of the most important things Jeff and I discuss is why discernment and taste may be the most valuable human skills of the future. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!," check out our Substack.

Important Links:

- Flybridge - https://www.flybridge.com/
- Jeff’s Wikipedia Profile - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Bussgang
- Jeff’s Website - https://www.jeffbussgang.com/
- Jeff on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bussgang/
- Jeff’s Twitter - https://x.com/bussgang

Show Notes:

0:00:00 Intro
0:01:00 Guest Introduction
0:02:21 AI and the Rise of the 10X Founder
0:05:13 The HUNCH Framework for Product-Market Fit
0:10:10 Hair-on-Fire Value Props vs. Vanity Metrics
0:13:36 Head in the Clouds, Feet on the Ground
0:21:51 The Kill Criteria
0:23:55 The 3Ts That VCs Look For
0:39:54 Creating Win-Win Outcomes: MongoDB
0:47:23 What Makes a 10X Founder
0:50:58 The Human Edge in the Age of AI
1:06:14 Everybody is in Sales
1:13:05 Who is a 10X Joiner?
1:18:56 Emperor of the World: Jeff’s Two Rules for Humanity

Books Mentioned:

- The Experimentation Machine: Finding Product Market Fit in the Age of AI; by Jeff Bussgang
- Mastering the VC Game; by Jeff Bussgang
- Entering Startup Land; by Jeff Bussgang
- The Lean Startup; by Eric Ries
- Business @ the Speed of Thought; by Bill Gates
- The Startup Owner’s Manual; by Steve Blank
- The Four Steps to the Epiphany; by Steve Blank
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success; by Carol Dweck
- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; by Robert Pirsig
- What Works on Wall Street; by Jim O’Shaughnessy
- Falling Into the PLG Trap; (Harvard Business Review article, co-authored by Jeff)
- What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School; by Mark H. McCormack