Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 15 hours ago
At AWS re:Invent 2025, we were joined by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal of the Acquired podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on building enduring companies in an era of rapid technological change.
We talk about Acquired’s exponential growth, why they’ve shifted their focus from acquisitions to truly durable, category-defining businesses, and what separates companies that last for decades from those that don’t. The discussion dives into founder DNA, luck versus execution, and why the most important companies are often “N of one.”
We also explore how the current AI wave is accelerating enterprise adoption, reshaping startup timelines, and creating rare opportunities for new companies to leap ahead, along with what this moment means for builders, incumbents, and the next generation of iconic tech companies.
Recorded live from the WorkOS booth at AWS re:Invent.
At AWS re:Invent 2025, we were joined by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal of the Acquired podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on building enduring companies in an era of rapid technological change.
We talk about Acquired’s exponential growth, why they’ve shifted their focus from acquisitions to truly durable, category-defining businesses, and what separates companies that last for decades from those that don’t. The discussion dives into founder DNA, luck versus execution, and why the most important companies are often “N of one.”
We also explore how the current AI wave is accelerating enterprise adoption, reshaping startup timelines, and creating rare opportunities for new companies to leap ahead, along with what this moment means for builders, incumbents, and the next generation of iconic tech companies.
Recorded live from the WorkOS booth at AWS re:Invent.
