Caryn Seidman-Becker (@CLEARcaryn)… • Built a successful hedge fund and was inspired by investing in Amazon, Apple, and Priceline • then bought CLEAR for $6M out of bankruptcy and rebuilt it from scratch • Envisioned CLEAR not just as a travel tool, but a universal identity platform • Rebuilt software, tracked down old hardware, and relaunched in Orlando with no salary for 5 years • Bootstrapped to profitability • Once told a skeptical VC: "Because I'm a complete f*cking animal" when asked why she could be CEO • Pioneered face-first biometric tech (NV) — 5x faster than previous methods • Expanded CLEAR beyond airports into sports stadiums, healthcare, and digital identity • Left finance because she didn’t want her tombstone to say she just picked good stocks. I loved this conversation — including some very honest and raw elements about loss. And I too think Caryn is a complete f*cking animal, and the best kind. Timestamps 0:00 Intro 0:54 The Vision for Clear 2:58 Lessons from Wall Street 4:38 The Journey of Clear 7:53 The Acquisition Story 10:11 The Power of Biometrics 13:55 Launching Clear 2.0 18:30 Challenges and Innovations 21:41 Public-Private Partnerships 25:44 The Future of Travel 37:03 Action vs. Thinking 41:10 Business Model and Financing 47:03 Public-Private Partnerships & Airport Innovations 52:05 The Importance of Free Cash Flow 55:20 Biometrics and Privacy Concerns 1:00:45 Expanding Business Horizons 1:05:46 Personal Challenges and Leadership 1:09:52 Genetic Screening and Health Advocacy 1:15:43 Leadership Qualities and Company Building 1:27:00 Future Innovations and Opportunities 1:30:58 The Kindest Thing