135: Eric Jorgenson on Balaji, Naval & The Future of Book Publishing
Oct 25, 2023
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Eric Jorgenson, Author and CEO of Scribe, joins the NIA boys to discuss Balaji, Naval & The Future of Book Publishing. Topics include Naval's Almanack, Scribe's innovative approach to publishing, Balaji's anthology, future projects, becoming Scribe's CEO, and book recommendations.
Startups should focus on adding new capabilities to the world rather than creating marginally better products.
Tech has shifted from transformative edge to software and business applications.
Pursuing insane and impossible ideas can lead to groundbreaking technological advancements.
Scribe media offers authors creative control, financial upside, and freedom in book distribution.
Deep dives
The importance of building what money can't buy
The point of a startup is to build what money can't buy. It's about adding a new capability to the human race.
Tech's drift away from true transformative technology
Tech has shifted away from its roots of true technology and transformative edge, and has become more focused on software and business applications.
The power of pursuing ideas that sound insane and impossible
Tech is about pursuing ideas that sound insane and impossible, but can actually be achieved.
Scribe media's new approach to professional publishing
Scribe media offers a new approach to professional publishing, providing authors with creative control, financial upside, and the ability to distribute their books as they wish.
The Importance of Building What Money Can't Buy
Eric Jorgensen discusses the concept of building what money can't buy, referring to the transformative edge of technology and startups. He emphasizes the significance of startups adding new capabilities to the world rather than simply creating marginally better products. Jorgensen mentions examples such as the iPhone and the internet browser, which were initially unattainable with money. He also highlights the value of companies like SpaceX and Tesla, which operate with speed and simplicity due to their singular decision-making process, driven by the intersection of engineering and economics for one man executives.
The Journey of Curating and Creating
Jorgensen shares his personal journey of curating and creating as an author and investor. He discusses how his book, The Almanack of Naval Ravikant, evolved from a series of tweets into a curated collection of Naval's wisdom. Jorgensen expresses his belief in the power of curation and highlights the value of distilling complex ideas into accessible formats, such as visuals or summarized insights. He also talks about his role in saving and reviving Scribe, a publishing company, and his passion for helping others become authors.
Memorable Books That Shaped Jorgensen's Life
Jorgensen reflects on three books that had a significant impact on his life. He mentions Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson, which he read growing up and considers a timeless classic. He also mentions the works of Roald Dahl, known for his imaginative storytelling, and Orson Scott Card, particularly for his book Ender's Game. Jorgensen recalls reading Poor Charlie's Almanack by Charlie Munger, which he found life-changing and considers it a valuable resource for life and investing wisdom.
Eric Jorgenson joins the NIA boys to discuss Balaji, Naval & The Future of Book Publishing
Timestamps:
(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:03:55) - Meme of the Week
(00:13:03) - Naval and the Almanack of Naval Ravikant
(00:29:24) - Scribe and the Future of Book Publishing
(00:41:10) - Balaji and the Anthology of Balaji
(01:12:34) - Future Projects?
(01:16:25) - Becoming Scribe’s CEO
(01:25:57) - Book Recommendations
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