Big Questions with Cal Fussman

Cal has an epiphany after talking to three African-American men who made a pact to all become doctors when they were kids growing up on some mean streets in Newark, New Jersey. They succeeded. The story that Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt tell Cal is so moving, Cal decides to find one African-American kid in a tough spot who wants to be a doctor and help get her or him through medical school. Cal brings in a college student majoring in entrepreneurship who has Sickle Cell Disease to assist, and a quarter-century adventure begins. Already the world feels a little bit better. Happy Holidays.

Many in the wine world know Laura as the managing director at Bodega Catena Zapata in Argentina, which produces some of the world's great wines. But for the last 25 years, she has also been an emergency room physician in San Francisco. When she and Cal get together, they come up with an idea to remove an aspect of health care that drives everyone crazy. Nobody likes waiting in the waiting room. But with a Waiting Room App, the entire experience could be transformed to help doctors and hospitals communicate better with patients and allow everyone to get more out of appointments. What are we waiting for?

Cal reflects on his time with one of America's great tech visionaries shortly after Hsieh's passing, marvels at all the good Tony was able to pass on to so many people and vows to keep his promise to Tony.

At the beginning of 2020, on average, one physician in the United States was committing suicide every day. That was before the coronavirus struck. Cal talks with three doctors about the tensions physicians and other health care workers face in these crazy times. Then he talks with an entrepreneur who designed a way for us all to reach out to health care workers with messages to show our appreciation for all they do. Bottom line is: If we don't care for those who care for us, who will care for us?

Roughly two years ago, Cal found out that his friend, Brooks Bell, had colon cancer. Brooks was in her thirties, the founder of a tech company bearing her own name, at the top of her career. Cal walked away from their conversation shaken. Which is why Cal is so happy to bring his most recent meeting with Brooks to Big Questions. Brooks has beaten the disease and tells us all how to prevent it. This conversation is a pure example of how being proactive can get the most out of our healthcare system. Please listen. This hour could save someone's life.

While many companies were furloughing and firing employees earlier this year when the coronavirus pandemic hit, Lendio went all in to help small businesses get loans. The company hired 250 people to join existing staff, and helped 120,000 businesses get $8 billion in government loans and save 1.2 million jobs over a 10-week period. Lendio CEO Brock Blake tells Cal the story, and Cal marvels at how a decision by one guy could help so many people keep their jobs and their health care in this difficult time.

A relaxing conversation after a tense election. Cal sits with the broadcaster and author of a new book about his experiences with Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods, Mike Tyson and others. The book is called Talking to GOATs – as in "Greatest of All Time." The core of the conversation goes to the power of honesty and questions in our culture. You'll also learn what it feels like to step into the ring to interview Mike Tyson just after Tyson has been disqualified for biting off one of Evander Holyfield's earlobes.

Just as Cal is dipping his toes in the water on reshaping health care, Seth encourages him to dive in. The marketing guru uses the principles behind his new book about the power of creativity, The Practice, to point Cal toward the deep water in all the right directions. Years from now, when Cal looks back on this podcast, he'll remember it as the time he decided to dedicate his life to learning about health care, understanding it and changing it for the better. He'll always be grateful to Seth for the inspiration and this moment in time. Anybody who wishes to go off on a passionate mission of any kind should listen to this conversation.

In one of the most far-ranging conversations Cal has had on Big Questions, best-selling author Brad Meltzer talks about the upcoming presidential election, how he helped save the life of his high school English teacher and the importance of his latest book about Anne Frank. This conversation goes to some deep places and reminds us all of the impact a single life can make.

The author of the book How to Lead details many of the traits and strategies used by Jeff Bezos, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Richard Branson and others to make a huge impact on society. Rubenstein also explains why quite often the student council president in 7th grade doesn't go on to be a leader later in life. The late life leader often evolves into the position. All this gives Cal hope that he can use some of these tactics and tools on his latest adventure to make improvements in our health care system. The takeaways in this conversation will help everyone lead better – no matter what your age is.