Innovation with Mark Peter Davis

Is the global economy stronger than it looks or more fragile beneath the surface? If you’re trying to reconcile booming markets with rising geopolitical risk, this week’s episode brings an important perspective.I sat down with Chris Zhang, Partner & CIO of Ascend Interplay, to break down the real forces shaping 2026:How AI is shifting from a narrative to a measurable economic impactWhy labor markets may determine where we go nextGlobal structural shifts that are underway - from escalating Middle East tensions to the rise of protectionism - and what they imply for supply chains, inflation dynamics, and U.S. debt sustainability.Big thanks to Chris for a thoughtful, data-driven discussion.⏱️ Chapter Markers00:00 – Welcome & Why 2025 Defied Gravity02:00 – Global GDP Surprise & Market Performance03:30 – The Structural Bull Market in Gold & Silver07:45 – When Would Gold Actually Fall?10:00 – 2026 Outlook: Cautiously Constructive11:45 – AI’s Real Impact on Productivity & Labor14:30 – Middle East Conflict & Oil Markets17:15 – Are Trade Wars Really Over?19:30 – Structural Protectionism & Supply Chains22:00 – The Americas Strategy & Regional Integration26:30 – U.S. Debt: Is There a Real Solution?29:45 – The Fed, Growth & Kevin Warsh’s Role32:45 – Final Takeaways for 2026Links:Chris Zhang: LinkedInInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

Why is U.S. healthcare so broken? If you're not sure why it’s so expensive or dysfunctional, this week’s podcast may illuminate the answers for you.I sat down with Alex Barrett, Cofounder & CEO of Meroka, who's tackling one of the root problems:Consolidation that strips doctors of autonomyMisaligned incentives across the systemOutdated models that sacrifice care for throughput70% of doctors now work for big systems but Alex is charting a new path by giving independent practices scale, liquidity, and ownership without the need to sell out.Special thanks to Alex for joining the pod - this is one of the smartest takes I’ve heard on how to fix healthcare from the inside.⏱️ Chapter Markers00:00 – Welcome & Guest Intro01:20 – What is Meroka?03:30 – Why Independence Matters in Healthcare05:30 – The Trade-Off Between Scale & Patient Experience07:20 – Breaking Down Reimbursement Rates10:30 – Why Scale Has Meant Consolidation—Until Now14:50 – How Independent Practices Survive17:00 – The Myth That Doctors Are Bad at Business20:30 – Meroka’s Employee Ownership Model23:50 – Comparing to Private Equity Models26:00 – The Future of Healthcare as a Real Market28:30 – Final Thoughts & GratitudeLinks:Alex Barrett: LinkedInMeroka: Website, LinkedInInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

This conversation blew me away. I sat down with Lydia Fenet, an auctioneer who’s raised over a billion dollars, and what started as a chat about charity auctions quickly turned into one of the most insightful masterclasses on sales, persuasion, and audience psychology I’ve ever heard.Lydia isn’t just good on stage, she’s world-class at reading people, building trust instantly, and closing with confidence. What’s wild is how much of what she does applies directly to startup life: pitching investors, closing enterprise deals, selling your vision.If you’re a founder, operator, or anyone in business, this episode is packed with tactics that’ll shift how you think about selling anything to anyone.⏱ Chapter Markers00:00 – Intro: Why Auctioneering Matters To Entrepreneurs01:15 – Lydia’s Unconventional Path Into Auctioneering04:00 – The High-Stakes World Of Charity Auctions06:15 – Launching The First Auctioneer Talent Agency08:00 – What Makes A Great Charity Auctioneer?11:00 – Sales Psychology On Stage13:45 – Audience Dynamics And Identifying Your “Auction Foil”17:30 – Anchoring Luxury With Impact: Values-Based Selling20:00 – The Power Of The Underbidder22:00 – Auction Tactics That Apply To Enterprise Sales25:00 – Selling With Empathy, Not A Script27:30 – The Power Of Suggestion And Painting The Picture31:00 – Closing Thoughts & Key TakeawaysLinks:Lyndia Fenet: Website, LinkedInBook (Written by Lyndia Fenet): The Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You: Command an Audience and Sell Your Way to SuccessBook (Written by Lyndia Fenet): Claim Your Confidence: Unlock Your Superpower and Create the Life You WantInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

Brad Svrluga has been a mentor and a close friend of mine for years. Watching him build Primary - one of the most respected firms in the industry - has been a masterclass in itself, so sitting down with him for this episode was a highlight I've been looking forward to and a great way to kick off the year.We went deep on an often overlooked topic in VC: How do you actually scale a firm's infrastructure?Whether you're a GP or a founder, Brad’s perspective on building a modern, institutional-grade firm is unmatched.⏱ Chapter Markers00:00 – Intro & Brad's Background01:00 – What Primary Ventures Does Differently03:20 – Incubation and Building Companies from Scratch05:00 – Why Founders Pick Primary07:00 – Inside the Operational Support Team09:00 – Is There a Downside to Scaling a VC Firm?10:30 – Culture and Structure at Primary12:15 – Aligning Operational Teams with MOIC Goals14:00 – Ben & Brad: cofounder Dynamics17:30 – Why Brad Became a VC21:00 – The Challenge of Scaling Venture Itself24:00 – The Downfall of Venture Networks26:00 – Scaling with Specialized Partners30:00 – Rebranding and Starting Primary31:30 – Advice for Emerging VCs: Sourcing, Picking, and LPs38:50 – Wrap-Up and ReflectionsLinks:Brad Svrluga: LinkedInPrimary: Website, LinkedInInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

Our 2026 predictions are in. From IPOs to AI to robots - check out what we think is actually coming in 2026.To wrap up 2025, I regroup with Mike and Phuong for our annual end-of-year episode, where we look back at last year's predictions (they passed with flying colors) and set our sights on what’s ahead.Here’s a sneak peek at some of the topics covered:✅ AI’s real impact on blue and white collar jobs.📈 The slow thaw of the IPO market.💸 The maturing of venture capital into a robust capital market ecosystem.🤖 Why humanoid robots might finally enter the chat.🚀 How seed-stage startups have fundamentally changed - and what will make or break them next year.If you're a founder, investor, or just trying to stay ahead of the curve, this one’s packed with insight.🎧 Listen & let us know what YOU think is coming in 2026? Drop your predictions in the comments. 👇⏱ Chapter Markers00:00 – Intro: 2025 Recap & Predictions for 202601:00 – Michael’s 2025 Prediction Scorecard: AI, Jobs & Valuations06:30 – IPO Market Outlook & The Tale of Two Venture Markets12:00 – AI Foundational Models vs. Application Layer16:45 – 2026 Exit Landscape & The Rise of Secondaries21:00 – Will Big Tech Pull Back from the Application Layer?25:00 – AI Enterprise Adoption & Salesforce’s Big Bet28:00 – The Robotics Curve: Consumer vs. Construction Use Cases33:00 – Phuong’s 2025 Prediction Debrief: Tariffs & CX38:00 – AI at Home? Why Consumers Aren’t Adopting (Yet)41:00 – How Seed-Stage Startups Have Changed in 202546:00 – Labor Mismatch & The Talent Problem in AI Startups49:00 – Who Wins in 2026: Full Workflow Automation52:00 – Who Loses: Commoditized Content, Support & Legal Tools55:00 – The Real Risk: Obsolescence & Distribution Moats57:00 – Wrap Up & 2026 OutlookLinks:Book: AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World OrderBook: The Lean StartupBook: The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Art of DisruptionInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, TwitterMichael Rogers: LinkedIn, TwitterPhuong Ireland: LinkedIn, Twitter