Heather Podesta
Founder & CEO, Invariant. On 1 show, 1 appearance. The Shows tab opens the full record on each.
founderexecutiveotherweareinvariant.com ↗Wikipedia ↗
Podesta founded the bipartisan government relations and business advisory firm Invariant in 2007, growing it into one of Washington's most prominent lobbying firms. A former Capitol Hill aide and lawyer, she advises corporate and technology executives on navigating federal policy, oversight, and regulation.
1shows
1appearances
10statements
1resolved
0supported
0contradicted
0%fully supported
Everything Heather Podesta said on any show that made the record, most notable first. Each card names its show and opens the statement there.
Podesta: Knowing key politicians is no longer enough to pass legislation
“It's no longer enough to know the chairman of the Appropriations Committee to get something done. And you actually have to have the facts on your side.”
Podesta: Washington D.C. is a fact-free zone for tech startups
“I like to say that DC is a fact for Free zone. And relying on a congressional office or an agency to figure out how your business works by, you know, jumping onto the internet and, you know, doing a news search isn't enough.”
Podesta: Startups cannot ignore Washington regulatory policy for long
“For some companies, it's simply, you know what? I'm gonna do my thing, and I don't need Washington. That doesn't last very long.”
Podesta: Every economic sector and churches maintain lobbyists in Washington
“Every aspect of all of our lives has someone in Washington advocating on behalf of their part of the economy. Even churches have lobbyists.”
Podesta: Members of Congress eagerly seek association with new tech
“Especially with new technologies, members of Congress are really keen to be part of the next cool hip thing. So if you are that shiny silver object and they want to be associated with you with it, they're keen to learn more.”
Podesta: Effective tech lobbying requires local job data, not future promises
“Part of it is Explaining issues to people in terms of not what you're promising, but what you're actually delivering, but coming in with concrete data in terms of there are 206 people employed in your district. And they're very concerned about your position on…”
Podesta: Washington will inevitably regulate any tech product impacting minors
“People can be suspicious, and generally do not like surprises, especially anytime you are touching people, 18 and younger, that government is going to sort of step in and make sure that we are protecting young adults, protecting children, and the like. And so …”
Podesta: Washington only legislates quickly during a crisis
“The good thing and the bad thing is that Washington doesn't move quickly. It only moves quickly in a time of crisis, and that you can sort of count on, and so there are multiple opportunities to provide input into regulations, into legislation, and part of our…”
Podesta: Investors favor heavily regulated startups that hire Washington lobbyists early
“If you are a startup in a heavily regulated space, if you are a startup In healthcare, if you have a Washington lobbyist and know exactly what's happening in the agencies as well as what's happening on the Hill, that shows a certain sophistication and a certai…”
Podesta: The term lobbyist stems from D.C.'s Willard Hotel lobby
“So the term lobbyist is Over a hundred years old, and it stems from the lobby of the Willard here in Washington, D.C., and it was when legislators were here part-time, the lobbyists would sit in the lobby and catch members on the fly as they were going to thei…”
One line per show, most statements first. The link opens Heather's full record on that show: the calibration, argument clarity, speaking style and every statement made there.
| Show | Role there | Eps | Statements | Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 a16zLEDGER | Founder & CEO, Invariant | 1 | 10 | 0% 0/1 | full record on the a16z Podcast → |