Jim Collins and Jerry Porras's "Built to Last" examines the characteristics of visionary companies, those that have sustained exceptional performance over long periods. The authors identify key principles that contribute to long-term success, including a strong core ideology, a focus on innovation, and a commitment to continuous improvement. They analyze a range of companies across various industries, identifying common patterns and best practices. The book provides valuable insights for leaders seeking to build enduring and successful organizations. "Built to Last" has become a classic in the field of business strategy.
In 'Good to Great,' Jim Collins and his research team investigate why some companies achieve long-term greatness while others do not. The book identifies key concepts such as Level 5 Leadership, the Hedgehog Concept, a Culture of Discipline, and the Flywheel Effect. These principles are derived from a comprehensive study comparing companies that made the leap to greatness with those that did not. The research highlights that greatness is not primarily a function of circumstance but rather a result of conscious choice and discipline. The book provides practical insights and case studies to help businesses and leaders understand and apply these principles to achieve sustained greatness.
In 'The Outsider,' Colin Wilson examines the psyche of the Outsider through the lives and works of various literary and cultural figures such as Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemingway, Hermann Hesse, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The book delves into the Outsider's experience of dislocation and his struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world that seems devoid of it. Wilson argues that the Outsider is a metaphysical man who seeks a transcending meaning and purpose for human existence, often feeling isolated and disconnected from society. The book is both a study of the Outsider's predicament and an impassioned call for a new form of existentialism that could provide a satisfying and objective religious understanding of life.
This book, 'Liars Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street' by Wayne Bryant, delves into the author's experiences and insights on surviving and thriving in the tumultuous world of Wall Street. It offers a personal perspective on the financial industry and its complexities.
Today’s episode is the first in a series of three on Asurion, the world’s leading tech care company with more than 300 million customers. In an interview with Co-Founder and Chairman Kevin Taweel, we explore Asurion’s scrappy origins in roadside assistance, acquisitive entry into handset insurance, contentious capital allocation decisions, and much more.
50X is a podcast that dissects the anatomy of extraordinary long-term investments. The show is hosted by Will Thorndike and the team at Compounding Labs, and brought to you in partnership with Colossus.
In each episode of 50X, we look in detail at an investment that has appreciated at least 50-fold. From the seat of the professional investor and occasionally the CEO, we explore its origins, evolution, and eventual outcome, studying key themes around long-term value creation ranging from operations, capital allocation, and culture to pivotal buy and sell decisions. To enhance the quality and depth of our interviews, we rigorously study each asset in advance, diving into all available public and private resources.
Learn more and dive into our research at 50xpodcast.com
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp’s mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus.
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This episode is brought to you by System Six, a searcher-owned outsourced bookkeeping and accounting services firm that has been a great partner to us at Compounding Labs.
With the right modern tools and a strong team, System Six will eliminate headaches for you and give you time back so you can focus on growing your business. Whether you're a CEO or CFO stuck in the weeds, or an investor trying to support your CEOs and portfolio companies, reach out to hello@systemsix.com and mention the podcast for your first month of ongoing bookkeeping free.
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50X is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of 50X, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Follow us on Twitter: @50Xpodcast | @joincolossus
Show Notes
(00:00:00) Welcome to 50X
(00:01:19) Sponsorship: Ramp
(00:02:36) Sponsorship: System Six
(00:03:44) Introduction to Kevin and Asurion
(00:05:15) Kevin’s Background Pre-Asurion
(00:12:51) Origin of Kevin’s Search Fund
(00:19:11) Acquiring Road Rescue
(00:27:23) Operating Road Rescue
(00:38:41) Early Success: Hold or Sell — a Critical Early Decision?
(00:44:11) Entry into Handset Insurance: Acquiring the Merrimac Group
(00:51:51) Vertical Integration
(00:57:51) Capital Allocation in the Search Fund Period
(01:01:51) TA Investment
50X 
