• At Business Insider's Long Play event, Noa Argamani described her optimistic outlook on life.
• Argamani was held in Hamas captivity for 246 days.
• She's now pursuing a career in venture capital to help Israeli founders and Israel.

Noa Argamani said she never doubted that she would return home alive when she was held hostage by Hamas.

That optimism was unwavering, she said in a conversation with editor in chief Jamie Heller at Business Insider's "The Long Play" event on Thursday, even as two friends died in captivity and she regularly heard rockets and bombs exploding.

"I was by myself in a tiny room," Argamani said.

She said she found something to be grateful for in the smallest of comforts, like half a liter of water, a sock, or a blanket.

"I said thank you for everything that I have at that moment," said Argamani, who was rescued after 246 days in captivity after being kidnapped in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

She said optimism has become a defining part of how she moves through the world. Each morning, she said, "I see the cards that I have in my hand, and I play in the best way that I can."

Argamani said she has reflected on her special skills and resources and how they align with her goals. In the past several years, she said, she has improved her English and sharpened her public speaking skills, taking to the global stage to advocate for the release of the other Israeli hostages and share her experience.

At the time she was taken hostage, Argamani was studying AI in her third year of college, with the idea of becoming a software engineer or, eventually, maybe a founder. While in captivity, Argamani told herself she loved the life she was living and would finish her degree when she returned home.

But after that, so much changed, she said.

Following an internship this year, she joined venture capital firm Vine Ventures as head of platform. The company backs early-stage startups, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and defense tech. She's now working with Israeli founders and companies with the goal of helping them expand globally and strengthening Israel's security through economic success.

Argamani said she still has much to learn about VC. She joined Vine in part because of the relationship she developed with its founder and managing partner, Eric Reiner, who helped her advocate for the release of the remaining hostages.

For now, she said, she sees the role as her opportunity to build her career and help her country.

"Now I have the opportunity to be on this stage and talk about all of the things that I've been through, and also how I want to build the future," Argamani said.

Over nine years, Zach Reitano has repeatedly evolved Ro as patient needs and the healthcare market have changed, from its early direct-to-patient services to a leading platform for GLP-1 care.

During Business Insider's The Long Play, Reitano discussed the business decisions behind those shifts and how the company is positioning itself for the next era of consumer health.

As part of his conversation with Business Insider legal correspondent Melia Robinson, he also shared what he's learned as a founder leading in an era of quick and unrelenting change.

When John Santora became CEO of WeWork, the company was emerging from bankruptcy, saddled with one of the most notorious failures in business history. The longtime commercial real estate player is leading the company's next act: proving that flexible work can be a disciplined, profitable business.

As part of Business Insider's The Long Play, Santora shared what it takes to turn a damaged company into one built to last and offered insight into a real estate market being reshaped by how we work now.

He also talked about how AI is affecting real estate with Cadie Thompson, Business Insider's deputy news chief and executive editor.

After being held hostage by Hamas for 246 days following the October 7 attacks, Noa Argamani became one of the world's most recognizable advocates for those still in captivity.

Now, she's building a new path in venture capital at Vine Ventures, working with Israeli founders to scale their businesses in the US.

As part of Business Insider's The Long Play, Argamani opened up about the life and career she is building now, and how she plans to use her platform to support entrepreneurs in the region.

In a conversation with Business Insider editor in chief Jamie Heller titled "The Next Chapter," Argamani talked about how she chose venture capital as a career path, connecting with Michael Milken, and continuing her advocacy work.

Thirteen years since the last release of Grand Theft Auto, Strauss Zelnick is banking on the franchise to win back longtime fans while capturing an entirely new generation of players.

During Business Insider's The Long Play, Zelnick, the Chairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive, shared the secrets to keeping a decades-old franchise culturally and commercially dominant.

Sarah E. Needleman, Business Insider's senior leadership and workplace correspondent, interviewed Zelnick about his career in entertainment, his routine for aging well, and his thoughts on AI as a growth strategy.

Smartbird CEO Nadia Carlsten is driving one of the boldest moves out of the direct-to-consumer retail era: a pivot from selling footwear to AI infrastructure.

As part of Business Insider's The Long Play, Carlsten discussed why the company formerly known as Allbirds is now betting its future on AI and rebuilding its team.

"I think every company needs to reinvent itself every now and again," Carlsten told Ben Bergman, Business Insider's chief correspondent covering venture capital and startups.

She also shared how Smartbird is convincing customers and investors that its shift isn't a gimmick.

• I schmoozed with CEOs, founders, and investors at Business Insider's The Long Play in New York.
• Attendees heard from speakers ranging from Barry Diller to Ashley Graham — and spent a whole lot of time networking.
• Some attendees tried pitching deals. Others debated the future of work.

The New York venue was bustling with executives, some of whom governed companies with thousands of employees.

I met my first one within seconds of walking in.

On Thursday, I attended Business Insider's The Long Play event at Perelman Performing Arts Center. (Full disclosure: Business Insider is my employer, and you're probably reading this on its website.) I entered the event with a mission: to chat, network, and maybe learn a thing or two about my own career.

Mingling among the crowd, I chatted with the founders of AI startups and communications chiefs. They debated remote work, asked about management styles, and discussed working together. "I've got to work on my elevator pitch," one CEO told me.

I sat down for lunch with some attendees to discuss a question: Is workplace loyalty dead? Most said no, or that it was more complicated. One brave soul, the content creator Colin Rocker, said yes.

"I still think it's dead," he told me after the lunch chat. "But, I will say, I got more context that it's not necessarily working across the org chart."

He added: "That hurts managers, too."

Others at our table traded mentorship techniques and thoughts on leading an office. Nitzan Shapira said that, while working at Intel and Cisco, meetings were crucial. He has more flexibility while leading his AI startup, Harmony. "I'm kind of allergic to meetings," he said.

Munching on my plate of salmon, salad, and a caprese sandwich, I continued to chat with the crowd. Then came the dimming of the lights and the voice on the loudspeaker. The interviews were about to begin.

A who's who of the audience

You can tell a lot about the crowd from when people raise their hand — and when they don't.

I learned, for example, that much of the crowd had played "Grand Theft Auto." What better way to blow off some steam after a career-building conference than with some virtual vice? The attendees didn't consider themselves avid gamers, though; only a few hands shot up when Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick asked.

There were also a handful of investors in the crowd. Supermodel Ashley Graham asked for a show of hands, and I spotted three. During one of the breaks between talks, I talked shop with yet another venture capitalist.

As for GLP-1s, the crowd was less eager. Senior correspondent Melia Robinson asked while interviewing Ro CEO Zach Reitano, and she got only a few raised hands. (I bet, if we swapped the public hand-raising for a blind survey, that number would go up.)

The attendees around me were rapt. My seatmate, who worked for an AI startup, took notes with pen and paper. I saw some others jotting down learnings in the Notes app on their phones.

WeWork CEO John Santora described upping the once-freewheeling company's dress code. When he got there, Santora spotted pajamas and shorts; he now spots some salespeople in sport coats.

It prompted me to look around and check out what the audience was wearing. There were lots of blazers, button-ups, and slacks. A handful went more casual with their denim jackets and colorful blouses.

There were belly laughs, like when my talented colleague Sarah Needleman flubbed "how do you define success" with "how do you define sex" while interviewing Zelnick. He chuckled; the crowd joined in, and it bonded the audience.

And there were sobering moments, like when Noa Argamani described her drive to fund Israeli startups after spending 246 days in Hamas captivity.

The list goes on: There were chats with media mogul Barry Diller, banking entrepreneur Cristina Junqueira, and Nadia Carlsten, the CEO of the sneaker-company-turned-AI-infrastructure-provider Smartbird.

The event was really about meeting other people, though, and being inspired. I endlessly looped around the room, talking to C-suiters at startups and public relations agents. You could always hear the hum of new connections coming from the back of the room.

It ended with glasses of wine and hors d'oeuvres. After biting into a surprisingly delicious slider — Graham talked about pairing her wine with Korean barbecue and lasagna, and it made me hungry! — I had officially reached my schmoozing limit.

I ended the day with a full heart and a handful of new phone numbers. If you gave me yours, expect a text soon with plans to get coffee.

Ashley Graham is a model and entrepreneur who has spent her career challenging who is seen, heard, and marketed to, transforming that influence into a growing business.

Ten years after her "Sports Illustrated" cover, Graham took the stage at Business Insider's The Long Play to unpack how she has built a personal brand across fashion, beauty, entertainment, and consumer products without losing what's at the core of her identity.

Graham spoke about Lucci, her new venture in the wine business, and her longtime partnership with JCPenney during her interview with Business Insider's executive editor, Leena Rao.

During the conversation, titled "Breaking the Mold," Graham also said that getting lots of rejection early on in her career has made her into a better businessperson.

"If it's not for you, there's another thing for you. And you can't take it personally," Graham told Rao.