The a16z Show · Friday, July 17, 2026
Amjad Masad offered advice on handling PR crises, emphasizing that retreating from public view can be detrimental. He pointed to figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump as examples of individuals who have weathered controversies by remaining actively engaged, suggesting that persistence can lead to a perception of resilience.
“Like a PR crisis can be deadly, if you retreat afterwards.”
“But just the fact that you're still in there, you're still in the game, people will be like, oh, this guy's unkillable, uncancellable.”
“Being canceled is a choice. You can choose to get canceled and retreat from the public eye, but I think if you're still out there, at some point, honestly, the haters kind of give up.”