E106: The Man Who Wrote the Book on NVIDIA

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Jan 3, 2025

Tae Kim, author of "The NVIDIA Way," shares insights into how CEO Jensen Huang transformed NVIDIA from a startup into a tech giant. He discusses the company's unique culture, emphasizing high standards and exceptional talent. The conversation highlights NVIDIA's strategic evolution from gaming to AI, detailing pivotal acquisitions and market shifts. Kim also examines the challenges of corporate politics and the importance of a mission-driven work ethic, while offering predictions on NVIDIA's future leadership dynamics.

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ANECDOTE

Genesis of "The NVIDIA Way"

Tae Kim, surprised by the lack of books on NVIDIA, wrote "The NVIDIA Way".
His background in tech, media, and Wall Street made him uniquely qualified for the task.

INSIGHT

NVIDIA's "Secret Sauce"

NVIDIA's success isn't from a "secret sauce" but a culture of relentless hard work and talent cultivation.
Jensen Huang's dedication is evident in his weekend routine of answering emails over scotch.

INSIGHT

Jensen Huang's Leadership

Jensen Huang's long tenure as CEO is attributed to his consistent success and unwavering passion for NVIDIA.
The question of succession looms, given his deep involvement in the company's operations.

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Author Tae Kim joins Erik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart to discuss his book 'The NVIDIA Way,' highlighting CEO Jensen Huang's transformation of Nvidia into a tech giant, the company's unique culture, and Nvidia's crucial strategic decisions.

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️ The Riff with Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg

Byrne Hobart, and co-host Erik Torenberg discuss today’s major inflection points in technology, business, and markets – and help listeners build a diversified portfolio of trends and ideas for the future.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-riff-with-byrne-hobart-and-erik-torenberg/id1716646486

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6rANlV54GCARLgMOtpkzKt

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🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

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LINKS:

Byrne’s writing: https://thediff.co

Tae’s newsletter: https://firstadopter.substack.com/

The Nvidia Way: https://www.amazon.com/Nvidia-Way-Jensen-Huang-Making/dp/1324086718

Erik's substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

Tae Kim wrote "The NVIDIA Way" after realizing no one had written a book about the company despite its massive importance in technology.
The core differentiator of NVIDIA is its intense work culture, which former 3dfx engineers discovered was the company's only "secret" - just relentless execution and hard work.
Jensen Huang, who views work as relaxation, drives the company through a combination of relentless work ethic, talent cultivation, and rapid decision-making.
As one of the longest-tenured CEOs of any public company, Huang brings a rare combination of technical expertise and business acumen that has helped him consistently anticipate technological shifts.
NVIDIA revolutionized the graphics card industry by shifting from 18-month to 6-month product cycles, using virtualization technology to implement features in software when hardware wasn't ready.
The company's early investment in unified drivers and "devs before revs" philosophy prioritized software reliability and developer support before immediate revenue.
NVIDIA operates on a "rough justice" philosophy in partnerships, accepting short-term imbalances for long-term relationships, exemplified by their decades-long partnership with TSMC.
The company maintains a unique flat organizational structure where 60 people report directly to the CEO, using a "top five emails" system for direct communication between all levels.
Jensen stays deeply involved in technical details, reading academic papers and participating in engineering discussions, maintaining both high-level strategy and detailed product knowledge.
NVIDIA's successful transition from gaming to AI computing represents one of the biggest computing shifts in decades, with data center revenue exploding while the company maintains its long-term strategic focus.