State of Gold

Guest Bio: 
Jeremiah Owyang is a Silicon Valley technology analyst, entrepreneur, and venture investor focused on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. He has spent decades studying how new technologies reshape industries and now works closely with founders building the next generation of AI-driven companies.
Show Summary
Artificial intelligence is moving faster than almost any technology shift in history, and the ripple effects are already transforming how companies are built.
In this episode of State of Gold, Jon Slavet sits down with Jeremiah Owyang to discuss the rapid rise of AI startups, how venture capital is evolving, and why this moment feels similar to the early days of the internet. Owyang explains how AI is lowering the barriers to building companies while simultaneously creating entirely new categories of businesses.
The conversation explores what founders should be paying attention to, how AI agents may reshape work itself, and why California still sits at the center of global innovation despite political and economic challenges.

Chapters
00:00 – Why AI May Be the Most Consequential Technology Ever
00:58 – Jeremiah Owyang Joins the Show
02:13 – Where We Are in the AI Revolution
03:28 – The Impact AI Will Have on Jobs
05:44 – The Rise of AI-Native Startups
08:25 – The First Billion-Dollar One-Person Company
10:00 – Why Revenue Per Employee Is Exploding
12:15 – AI Agents and the Future of Work
15:05 – Why Silicon Valley Still Leads AI Innovation
18:10 – How Founders Should Think About Building in the AI Era
21:30 – What Society Is Not Ready For
24:10 – Rapid Fire: One Thing That Will Shape the Future
26:30 – What Gives Him Hope
Connect with Jeremiah Owyang
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeremiahOwyang/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jowyang/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jowyang/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/jowyang/with_replies
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast

Connect with State of Gold
X: https://x.com/realjonslavet
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en
Website: www.stateofgold.com

Guest:
Antonio Villaraigosa, Former Mayor of Los Angeles
Guest Bio: 
Antonio Villaraigosa is the former Mayor of Los Angeles and former Speaker of the California State Assembly. A longtime public servant, and now Democratic candidate for Governor, Villaraigosa has built his career around education reform, economic growth, and restoring opportunity in California.
Show Summary
The California Dream once meant opportunity, homeownership, and a better future for the next generation. Today, many Californians feel that dream slipping further out of reach.
In this episode of State of Gold, Jon Slavet sits down with Antonio Villaraigosa to discuss the state’s political climate and what it will take to restore opportunity in California. The former Los Angeles Mayor shares his perspective on the Governor’s race, the challenges facing moderate voices in a polarized political environment, and why he believes California needs leaders focused on results rather than ideology.
Villaraigosa also outlines his priorities for fixing California’s struggling education system, addressing housing affordability, cutting red tape that stifles business growth, and restoring the promise of the California Dream for the next generation.

Chapters
01:02 – Should Candidates Drop Out of the Governor’s Race?
03:45 – The Political Center vs. The Extremes
07:21 – The California Dream and Why It’s Slipping Away
09:27 – Housing Costs and Economic Opportunity
11:52 – Public Sector Pensions and Fiscal Responsibility
17:10 – Fixing California’s Education System
21:51 – Why Transparency and Accountability Matter
23:13 – Spending, Deficits, and the State Budget
24:28 – Why Villaraigosa Opposes the Billionaire Tax
28:54 – Cutting Red Tape to Grow the Economy
31:35 – Climate Goals vs. Infrastructure Reality
34:34 – Rapid Fire: Fixing California’s Schools
35:06 – Leaders He Admires in California History
35:38 – Restoring the California Dream
Connect with Antonio Villaraigosa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntonioVillaraigosa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antonioforcalifornia
Twitter: https://x.com/AVillaraigosa
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Antonioforcalifornia
Campaign Site: https://www.antonio2026.com/
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast

Connect with State of Gold
X: https://x.com/realjonslavet
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en
Website: www.stateofgold.com

Guest:
Joel Pollak - Opinion Editor @ The California Post
Guest Bio: 
Joel Pollak is a journalist, political commentator, and Opinion Editor at The California Post – a new publication he helped launch focused on covering California from a center-right perspective. A longtime California resident and former Illinois native, Pollak writes extensively on state policy, media bias, and government accountability.
Show Summary
Californians are tired of things not working.
In this episode of State of Gold, Jon Slavet sits down with Joel Pollak to discuss the launch of The California Post and why he believes there is a growing appetite for accountability in the Golden State.
Pollak shares his personal experience surviving the Palisades fire, the insurance nightmare that followed, and why he believes government mismanagement made the disaster worse. The conversation explores President Trump’s executive order aimed at accelerating rebuilding, the controversy surrounding affordable housing proposals in the Palisades, and what local residents actually want.
They then zoom out to tackle systemic issues: Behested payments to politicians, legalized corruption, COVID-era fraud, runaway state spending, and the proposed billionaire tax. Pollak explains how California risks driving away its most productive innovators and why history from Illinois should serve as a warning sign.

Chapters
00:00 – Why Californians Are Sick of Government Failure
00:18 – Launching the California Post
01:44 – Is There a Silent Majority in California?
02:41 – Personal Impact of the Palisades Fire
04:09 – Insurance Battles & Rebuilding Delays
05:03 – Trump’s Executive Order on Rebuilding
06:55 – Affordable Housing Controversy in the Palisades
09:59 – Zoning, ADUs & Rebuilding Concerns
12:37 – Exposing Corruption in Los Angeles
14:09 – COVID Fraud & Behested Payments Explained
16:45 – The Billionaire Tax and Economic Flight
19:56 – The Mansion Tax Cautionary Tale
22:03 – Revenue Problem or Spending Problem?
23:31 – Rapid Fire: Fixing California Starts with Water
Connect with Joel Pollak
Twitter: https://x.com/joelpollak?s=20
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joel-pollak
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pollakjoel
His latest pieces can be found on californiapost.com and nypost.com.
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast

Connect with State of Gold
X: https://x.com/realjonslavet
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en
Website: www.stateofgold.com

Guest:
Chad Peace, Co-Founder – Independent Voter Network
Guest Bio: 
Chad Peace is an election reform advocate and representative of the Independent Voter Project, an organization focused on expanding voter participation and reducing partisan control over the primary process. He has been deeply involved in California’s transition from closed primaries to the current top-two open primary system, and continues to advocate for structural reforms that empower independent voters and increase electoral competition.
Show Summary
Nearly half of voters nationwide now identify as independent. In California, No Party Preference voters are the fastest-growing bloc. So why does the political system still revolve around partisan extremes?
In this episode of State of Gold, Jon Slavet sits down with Chad Peace to unpack the rise of independent voters, the origins of California’s top-two open primary system, and the unintended consequences that followed.
They explore whether the “jungle primary” has improved democracy, why both parties often resist reform, and what a top-five ranked-choice primary system could look like in California. The conversation also dives into voter ID, ballot harvesting, election confidence, and the broader debate over how to restore trust in the electoral process.
From redistricting battles to Supreme Court strategy, this is a candid discussion about who gets to participate in elections and whether California is living up to its democratic ideals.

Chapters
00:03 – The Rise of Independent Voters
01:17 – Why Both Parties Are Moving to the Extremes
01:33 – The Origins of California’s Open Primary
02:47 – Has the Top-Two System Improved Democracy?
05:06 – The Unintended Consequences of the Current System
07:50 – Top-Five Primaries & Ranked Choice Voting Explained
09:08 – Redistricting, Prop 50 & Partisan Power Plays
12:04 – The Supreme Court & The Right to Vote in Primaries
12:38 – Voter ID: A 70/30 Issue
15:43 – Mail-In Voting, Ballot Harvesting & Election Confidence
17:50 – Politics, Culture & Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
19:21 – Rapid Fire: One Reform to Fix California
19:39 – What Gives Him Hope
20:18 – California Is…
Connect with Chad Peace
Twitter: https://x.com/ChadPeace
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadpeace/
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast

Connect with State of Gold
X: https://x.com/realjonslavet
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en
Website: www.stateofgold.com

Guest:
Lanhee Chen, Stanford Hoover Fellow and Policy Expert 
Guest Bio: 
Lanhee Chen is a policy expert, former candidate for California State Controller, and national commentator on fiscal policy and healthcare reform. He has advised at the highest levels of government and regularly contributes analysis on California’s budget, tax structure, and long-term economic outlook. Known for his data-driven approach, Chen focuses on accountability, structural reform, and restoring fiscal discipline to state government.
Show Summary
California can swing from a $150 billion surplus to a $150 billion deficit in just a few years. Why?
In this episode of State of Gold, Jon Slavet talks with Lanhee Chen to break down California’s structural budget problems in simple terms. From an antiquated tax system heavily reliant on capital gains to ballooning fixed costs and voter-approved spending mandates, Chen explains why the state is trapped in boom-and-bust cycles.
They dive into the proposed billionaire tax and why, despite sounding appealing, it will drive high earners and founders out of California while reducing long-term revenue. Chen also outlines the risks of taxing unrealized gains and how that precedent could impact entrepreneurs and future innovators.
The conversation then turns to waste, fraud, and abuse in programs like unemployment insurance, Medi-Cal, and IHSS. Finally, Chen shares his vision for healthcare reform, including radical price transparency, expanding provider supply, and creating a more competitive healthcare marketplace.
If you want a clear, non-theatrical breakdown of California’s fiscal challenges and what real reform could look like, this is it.

Chapters
00:00 – California’s Boom and Bust Budget Cycles
02:37 – The Structural Deficit Problem Explained
03:20 – How Should California Reform Its Tax System?
05:06 – Revenue Problem or Spending Problem?
05:39 – Why the Billionaire Tax Is a Bad Idea
07:12 – The Dangerous Precedent of Taxing Unrealized Gains
08:51 – Waste, Fraud & Abuse in State Programs
09:21 – The Unemployment Insurance Scandal
10:30 – Medi-Cal, IHSS & Systemic Accountability Failures
12:06 – Fixing Healthcare Without Government Takeover
13:10 – Radical Price Transparency in Healthcare
14:00 – Expanding Supply & Reducing Consolidation
15:27 – Incentivizing Preventive Care
17:13 – Rapid Fire: One Big Reform for California
18:09 – What Gives Him Hope
18:40 – Is California Punching Under Its Weight?
Connect with Lanhee Chen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lanheechen/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/lanheechen
X: https://x.com/lanheechen
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast

Connect with State of Gold
X: https://x.com/realjonslavet
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en
Website: www.stateofgold.com