
Summary
Consumer attention is easier to capture than ever, but retaining that attention has become increasingly difficult. Josh Ellman, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, emphasizes the importance of creating products that not only attract users but also integrate seamlessly into their lives. He notes that successful products must demonstrate clear value, prompting users to abandon previous habits in favor of the new offering. Trust becomes essential as products aim for mainstream adoption, with early utility often overshadowed by the need for reliability and security.
Ellman reflects on the evolution of consumer experiences, particularly in the wake of COVID-19, which shifted behaviors towards more digital interactions. He highlights the potential of AI to enhance these experiences, making tasks easier and more efficient. However, he cautions that while the technology is advancing rapidly, consumer readiness to adopt these innovations varies. Founders are encouraged to focus on building trust and delivering consistent value to foster long-term user engagement.
The conversation also touches on the changing landscape of social media and the challenges of launching new platforms. Ellman suggests that while established networks dominate, there remains an opportunity for innovative solutions that cater to emerging consumer needs. He believes that the next wave of successful consumer products will come from understanding and adapting to cultural shifts, rather than simply replicating existing models. As AI continues to evolve, the potential for creating personalized, engaging experiences is vast, but it requires a careful balance of innovation and user trust.
Show Notes
Subscribe to stay ahead of technology trends. Never miss future editions. Josh Elman has shaped products at some of the biggest consumer platforms in tech. He helped lead product at LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, invested in startups at Greylock, and took senior operating roles at Robinhood and Apple. Now a Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, he joins us for his first external podcast interview since joining the firm. In our in-depth conversation, we discuss: * Why anyone can clone a product’s features within days, but nobody can clone where a founder is actually headed next * Why we haven’t seen many new consumer social networking sites * The new era for voice * Is trust the new moat and what does it actually mean? * The pricing challenge for today’s startups * Is S.F still the best place to launch and grow a startup? Watch or listen now across YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and X
Download the transcript 👇 Timestamps (0:00) Meet Josh Elman(2:40) Why Josh Is Back in Investing Mode(4:19) The New Consumer Experiences(6:00) Where in the Journey Are We?(8:00) What Comes Next for Consumers?(10:58) Is Trust the New Moat?(11:40) The New Way to Search(13:20) Experiences That Haven't Emerged Yet(15:01) Trends Josh Is Excited About(19:08) Whatnot(21:05) AI Microdramas(26:43) Why Is Social So Hard?(32:20) Multi-Agent Communication(36:19) New Platforms With Distribution(38:27) The New Era for Voice(43:01) The Pricing Challenge(46:47) What Excites Investors Today(49:14) How Network Effects Have Changed(51:36) Idea to Clone: Days(52:39) Why the U.S. Wins at Consumer(54:34) Is SF Still the Best Place to Start a Company?(55:43) Josh's Favorite Company(57:35) Lessons from Ev Williams Lessons from this episode with Josh The cycle of adoption One person built a category-defining agentic tool almost entirely on his own, working out of his apartment. Josh uses it to mark the moment agentic AI went from theory to something people could actually feel the difference of, and why that shift is what’s now pulling the entire industry into this new wave. Multi-agent communication (agents planning your Friday night) Josh’s most vivid vision in the episode: agents quietly talking to each other on your behalf, turning a private thought such as, wanting to see a movie into a real plan with friends before you even have to ask. Why building consumer social is very hard We know building consumer startups is super difficult. Josh does a relatable comparison of why Discord, Musical.ly, and Instagram all won by solving completely different problems, not by competing head-on. He describes the potential opportunity as, we need something that feels genuinely new, not another variant of what’s already out there. What excites investors today Josh lays out his four-part framework for what makes a great consumer product: clear value on first use, an easy substitution for existing behavior, organic word of mouth, and long-term retention. The new era for voice The take on why voice will never fully replace typing, and where it actually shines: in the car, prepping for a podcast, or rehearsing a hard conversation before having it for real. The pricing challenge We break down the tension building under consumer AI: free, subsidized tools are colliding with the real cost of inference. Josh traces it back to his first week at LinkedIn, physically moving servers, to show how infrastructure costs have shifted from fixed to variable. Where to find and connect with us Follow Ollie on X: https://x.com/ollieforsythFollow Josh on X: https://x.com/joshelmanVisit Andreessen Horowitz: https://a16z.comOur partner for today's episode is Harmonic - your go-to startup database: https://harmonic.ai Previous episodes include See all previous episodes here 👉 If you enjoyed this episode, help sustain our work by clicking ❤️ and 🔄 at the top of this post.
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