Before joining Science, Michael Jones founded Userplane, sold it to AOL, worked as an AOL SVP, and then led Myspace as CEO, giving him hands-on experience building, selling, and running companies that shapes how he works with founders today; that background feeds into a career built around brand and marketing as the real driver of success, seen in his work with Myspace, FameBit, HelloSociety, Dollar Shave Club, and Liquid Death, along with an early bet on creators as media businesses and a preference for products that can reach huge audiences. He also stands out for spending weeks or months working through problems directly with founders before investing, and for looking to scientists, artists, and creative thinkers—not just other investors—for ideas about how to judge a business.