a16z Podcast: Amjad Masad on Why Founders Need a Story

About this episode

A founder’s story can be as important as the product itself—and Amjad Masad argues it may determine whether a company survives. In this condensed version of the full a16z Podcast conversation, the a16z hosts sit down with Replit CEO Amjad Masad to explore storytelling, founder communications, and how narrative can help raise money, recruit talent, and shape public perception. You’ll hear how Masad overcame stage fright through improv, why he thinks Replit needed a bigger story to make it through the early days, and how he uses social platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to reach different audiences. The episode also covers going viral, handling controversy, public…