Jul 31, 2024 · 15m · the-pitch

The Pitch Season 12 Official Trailer: Let's Tear Down the System

Cyan Banister · 4m spoken Josh Muccio · 2m spoken Jesse Middleton · 1m spoken Mac Conwell · 1m spoken Elizabeth Yin · 1m spoken Charles Hudson · 1m spoken
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The Pitch Season 12 trailer introduces an ambitious new season focused on tearing down outdated systems and democratizing access, followed by candid backstage conversations where venture capitalists share formative lessons, wins, and losses from their earliest investments.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Josh holds 17.8% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Josh as informed peer 1.4 Guest teaching 1.4 Guest disagreement 0.6 Josh pushing back 0.2
05100:0010:000:00–2:35 · Josh as informed peer 1/10 Trailer Opening: Tearing Down Outdated Systems This is an introductory trailer montage and host promotional segment outlining the format for Season 12. The banter between investors and host is purely lighthearted and promotional with zero actual conflict.2:36–5:33 · Josh as informed peer 1/10 Behind the Scenes: Charles Hudson on Hardware Josh prompts the panel with a behind-the-scenes question about their first angel investments. Charles Hudson and Elizabeth Yin share candid stories about hardware difficulties and early angel deals in an informal, collegial atmosphere.5:35–9:32 · Josh as informed peer 2/10 Behind the Scenes: Mac Conwell on Osmosis Mac Conwell details his early investment in Osmosis and how Maryland missed out on upside, followed by Jesse Middleton recounting his early WeWork days and 160x angel deal in Squire. Josh acts primarily as a curious moderator facilitating storytelling.9:34–11:47 · Josh as informed peer 1/10 Behind the Scenes: Cyan Banister on SpaceX Cyan Banister stuns the room by revealing her very first check was rolling her entire IronPort payout into SpaceX via Luke Nosek. The host and fellow investors react with amazement rather than disagreement.11:47–15:25 · Josh as informed peer 2/10 Behind the Scenes: IronPort Culture and Early Roots Cyan explains the intense IronPort culture and defends high-risk reinvestment philosophies against public misconceptions regarding high-net-worth liquidity. Josh asks a straightforward clarifying question on whether anyone advised her against risking all her money.0:00–2:35 · Guest teaching 0/10 Trailer Opening: Tearing Down Outdated Systems This is an introductory trailer montage and host promotional segment outlining the format for Season 12. The banter between investors and host is purely lighthearted and promotional with zero actual conflict.2:36–5:33 · Guest teaching 1/10 Behind the Scenes: Charles Hudson on Hardware Josh prompts the panel with a behind-the-scenes question about their first angel investments. Charles Hudson and Elizabeth Yin share candid stories about hardware difficulties and early angel deals in an informal, collegial atmosphere.5:35–9:32 · Guest teaching 1/10 Behind the Scenes: Mac Conwell on Osmosis Mac Conwell details his early investment in Osmosis and how Maryland missed out on upside, followed by Jesse Middleton recounting his early WeWork days and 160x angel deal in Squire. Josh acts primarily as a curious moderator facilitating storytelling.9:34–11:47 · Guest teaching 2/10 Behind the Scenes: Cyan Banister on SpaceX Cyan Banister stuns the room by revealing her very first check was rolling her entire IronPort payout into SpaceX via Luke Nosek. The host and fellow investors react with amazement rather than disagreement.11:47–15:25 · Guest teaching 3/10 Behind the Scenes: IronPort Culture and Early Roots Cyan explains the intense IronPort culture and defends high-risk reinvestment philosophies against public misconceptions regarding high-net-worth liquidity. Josh asks a straightforward clarifying question on whether anyone advised her against risking all her money.0:00–2:35 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Trailer Opening: Tearing Down Outdated Systems This is an introductory trailer montage and host promotional segment outlining the format for Season 12. The banter between investors and host is purely lighthearted and promotional with zero actual conflict.2:36–5:33 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Behind the Scenes: Charles Hudson on Hardware Josh prompts the panel with a behind-the-scenes question about their first angel investments. Charles Hudson and Elizabeth Yin share candid stories about hardware difficulties and early angel deals in an informal, collegial atmosphere.5:35–9:32 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Behind the Scenes: Mac Conwell on Osmosis Mac Conwell details his early investment in Osmosis and how Maryland missed out on upside, followed by Jesse Middleton recounting his early WeWork days and 160x angel deal in Squire. Josh acts primarily as a curious moderator facilitating storytelling.9:34–11:47 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Behind the Scenes: Cyan Banister on SpaceX Cyan Banister stuns the room by revealing her very first check was rolling her entire IronPort payout into SpaceX via Luke Nosek. The host and fellow investors react with amazement rather than disagreement.11:47–15:25 · Guest disagreement 2/10 Behind the Scenes: IronPort Culture and Early Roots Cyan explains the intense IronPort culture and defends high-risk reinvestment philosophies against public misconceptions regarding high-net-worth liquidity. Josh asks a straightforward clarifying question on whether anyone advised her against risking all her money.0:00–2:35 · Josh pushing back 0/10 Trailer Opening: Tearing Down Outdated Systems This is an introductory trailer montage and host promotional segment outlining the format for Season 12. The banter between investors and host is purely lighthearted and promotional with zero actual conflict.2:36–5:33 · Josh pushing back 0/10 Behind the Scenes: Charles Hudson on Hardware Josh prompts the panel with a behind-the-scenes question about their first angel investments. Charles Hudson and Elizabeth Yin share candid stories about hardware difficulties and early angel deals in an informal, collegial atmosphere.5:35–9:32 · Josh pushing back 0/10 Behind the Scenes: Mac Conwell on Osmosis Mac Conwell details his early investment in Osmosis and how Maryland missed out on upside, followed by Jesse Middleton recounting his early WeWork days and 160x angel deal in Squire. Josh acts primarily as a curious moderator facilitating storytelling.9:34–11:47 · Josh pushing back 0/10 Behind the Scenes: Cyan Banister on SpaceX Cyan Banister stuns the room by revealing her very first check was rolling her entire IronPort payout into SpaceX via Luke Nosek. The host and fellow investors react with amazement rather than disagreement.11:47–15:25 · Josh pushing back 1/10 Behind the Scenes: IronPort Culture and Early Roots Cyan explains the intense IronPort culture and defends high-risk reinvestment philosophies against public misconceptions regarding high-net-worth liquidity. Josh asks a straightforward clarifying question on whether anyone advised her against risking all her money.

speaking balance: gold is Josh, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Josh 66% · guest 34%0:00 · Josh 66% · guest 34%3:00 · Josh 6.3% · guest 93.7%3:00 · Josh 6.3% · guest 93.7%6:00 · Josh 4.7% · guest 95.3%6:00 · Josh 4.7% · guest 95.3%9:00 · Josh 2.2% · guest 97.8%9:00 · Josh 2.2% · guest 97.8%12:00 · Josh 7% · guest 93%12:00 · Josh 7% · guest 93%15:00 · Josh 29.6% · guest 70.4%15:00 · Josh 29.6% · guest 70.4%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 14:35 Cyan pushes back against conventional retirement expectations

Cyan rejects the idea that successful investors should retire to drink Mai Tais, arguing forcefully that founders and angels choose instead to risk their liquidity repeatedly to create jobs and back moonshots.

Hardest push from Josh ▶ 13:05 Josh questions going all-in without caution

Josh directly challenges Cyan's high-risk approach by asking whether anyone in her inner circle stepped in to warn her against deploying 100% of her payout into a single moonshot.

Biggest teaching moment ▶ 13:29 Cyan explains paper wealth versus liquidity among top founders

Cyan educates the group on the financial reality of figures like Elon Musk and the PayPal mafia, explaining that perceived billionaires often have negligible cash on hand because every dollar is tied up in active companies.

Josh holds their own ▶ 7:19 Josh synthesizes Mac's bittersweet exit outcome

Josh instantly distills the irony of Mac's first venture story, crisply noting that while the company had a great acquisition, bureaucratic rules meant Mac walked away with zero personal upside.

the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicJosh as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementJosh pushing backWhy
Trailer Opening: Tearing Down Outdated Systems 1010 This is an introductory trailer montage and host promotional segment outlining the format for Season 12. The banter between investors and host is purely lighthearted and promotional with zero actual conflict.
Behind the Scenes: Charles Hudson on Hardware 1100 Josh prompts the panel with a behind-the-scenes question about their first angel investments. Charles Hudson and Elizabeth Yin share candid stories about hardware difficulties and early angel deals in an informal, collegial atmosphere.
Behind the Scenes: Mac Conwell on Osmosis 2100 Mac Conwell details his early investment in Osmosis and how Maryland missed out on upside, followed by Jesse Middleton recounting his early WeWork days and 160x angel deal in Squire. Josh acts primarily as a curious moderator facilitating storytelling.
Behind the Scenes: Cyan Banister on SpaceX 1200 Cyan Banister stuns the room by revealing her very first check was rolling her entire IronPort payout into SpaceX via Luke Nosek. The host and fellow investors react with amazement rather than disagreement.
Behind the Scenes: IronPort Culture and Early Roots 2321 Cyan explains the intense IronPort culture and defends high-risk reinvestment philosophies against public misconceptions regarding high-net-worth liquidity. Josh asks a straightforward clarifying question on whether anyone advised her against risking all her money.

Statements from this episode (11)

Disclosure
Hudson: First angel investment failed, backed same founder three times
“It went out of business, but I've invested in that person three times. I'm O for two and one.”
Charles Hudson Jul 31, 2024 ▶ 3:08
Disclosure
Hudson: Precursor Ventures allocates 5% to 10% to hardware startups
“We still do five to 10% hardware.”
Charles Hudson Jul 31, 2024 ▶ 4:21
Disclosure
Elizabeth Yin: Early $1,000 Wanderable investment exited to Airbnb profitably
“That company had an exit to Airbnb. It was I think it was okay. Didn't lose money. But I also, I think only put in a thousand dollars and yeah, and I think the one of the founders is still at Airbnb.”
Elizabeth Yin Jul 31, 2024 ▶ 5:15
Assertion Supported
Conwell: Maryland called back Osmosis investment with interest before acquisition
“The state of Maryland does the deal. The company starts growing, moves to Colorado. When they moved to Colorado, the state of Maryland asked for their money back. With just the interest. So no real upside. And four years after that, so I guess two years ago, t…”
Mac Conwell Jul 31, 2024 ▶ 7:00
Disclosure
Conwell: Next three venture investments went to zero within six months
“So one for one, my next three all went to zero within six months.”
Mac Conwell Jul 31, 2024 ▶ 7:29
Disclosure
Middleton wrote first $100k check into Squire after VCs passed
“Squire was the first angel deal I did, and they went and pitched, like, every venture investor, everybody passed, and I wound up writing their first hundred grand into the company”
Jesse Middleton Jul 31, 2024 ▶ 8:07
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Middleton: Squire angel investment is at 160x on paper
“They're, that, that's one of my best performing on paper investments. It's at a 160 X my cost basis, but yeah, that's a good one.”
Jesse Middleton Jul 31, 2024 ▶ 9:00
Disclosure
Banister: Rolled Entire IronPort Exit Proceeds into SpaceX for First Investment
“Basically everything that I made from that acquisition, I just rolled it over into SpaceX.”
Cyan Banister Jul 31, 2024 ▶ 10:23
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Banister: Elon Musk lives in a trailer and reinvests all his earnings
“Elon lives in a trailer. That's not a joke. He sleeps on my friend's couches and goes to their houses. That's also not a joke. That's so weird. Every, all the money that he makes, he puts right back into his companies.”
Cyan Banister Jul 31, 2024 ▶ 13:31
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Banister: Luke Nosek reinvests all his earnings into Elon Musk's companies
“Same thing with Luke Nosak, who was one of the founders of Founders Fund. Like he constantly, every bit of money he makes, he gives it to Elon. You know, like literally just goes into Elon's companies and stuff that Elon does or founders that have a lifelong v…”
Cyan Banister Jul 31, 2024 ▶ 13:54
Disclosure
Banister: Scott and I deploy every exit payout back into startups
“That's how Scott and I live our lives. We are evergreen. Every exit we have, we deploy it right back into the ecosystem.”
Cyan Banister Jul 31, 2024 ▶ 14:36
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