Outliers with Daniel Scrivner: Explore the Greatest Innovators, Founders, and Investors

In Episode #73, we deconstruct Mercedes Bent's peak performance playbook—from her favorite book to the tiny habit that's had the biggest impact on her life. Mercedes is the Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners. We cover shortening the learning cycle, managing through uncertainty, and cultivating happiness. “As the world is changing faster and faster, one of the things we need as any professional to get better at is to improve the speed at which you are able to learn about new things, because the world ain't changing any slower.” – Mercedes Bent EPISODE GUIDE (LINKS, QUOTES, NOTES, AND BOOKS MENTIONED) https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/mercedes-bent-outlier-academy-show-notes  FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/mercedes-bent-outlier-academy-transcript  CHAPTERS In this episode, we deconstruct Mercedes Bent's peak performance playbook—from her favorite book to the tiny habit that's had the biggest impact on her life. In it we cover: (00:00:00) – Introduction (00:01:22) – The path from working in startups to funding them (00:03:44) – Connecting the undertones of pop culture to investing (00:06:09) – Managing through uncertainty, being knowable, and networking (00:09:26) – Shortening the learning cycle and cultivating happiness (00:12:16) – Learnings from two Masters’ degrees (00:17:55) – Communicating with founders through Discord, Telegram, and WhatsApp (00:19:47) – Living with no regrets and wisdom from Beyonce ABOUT MERCEDES BENT Mercedes Bent is a Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, where she focuses on consumer and FinTech early-stage businesses, including forage, Stori, Flink, and Outschool. She was previously Vice President at Upload, a news and education provider in the VR space, General Manager and Product Manager at General Assembly, and a Financial Analyst at Goldman Sachs. She has degrees from Harvard and Stanford GSB, and served on the Board of Birthright AFRICA. 💌 FREE NEWSLETTER https://www.outlieracademy.com/newsletter 🎙 LISTEN ON iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/outlier-academy/id1523851182 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/58edVNgqaPNaCSGSxM6pef?si=88f37a5d20434775 Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1523851182 ABOUT OUTLIER ACADEMY Learn timeless lessons on work and life from iconic founders, world-renown investors, and bestselling authors. Outlier Academy is the forever school for those chasing greatness. Past guests include Gokul Rajaram of DoorDash, Scott Belsky of Benchmark and Adobe, Joey Krug of Pantera Capital, Mark Sisson of Primal Kitchen, Luke Gromen of The Forest for the Trees, and Brian Scudamore of 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Website: https://www.outlieracademy.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/outlieracademy ABOUT DANIEL SCRIVNER Outlier Academy is hosted by Daniel Scrivner. Over the last 15 years, Daniel has led design teams at Square and Apple, turned around a $3M+ ARR SaaS business, and invested in more than 100 companies. He launched Outlier Academy in 2020 to learn from the world’s best founders, investors, authors, and peak performance experts. Website: https://www.danielscrivner.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/danielscrivner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode #72, we explore technological progress and how innovation and invention happens. We’re joined by Jason Crawford, Founder of Roots of Progress. We cover nurturing progress as a moral imperative, the growth of progress studies, and how bureaucracy can slow progress. “We can pay it forward to future generations by making sure that progress continues and by making sure that future generations are living as well off compared to us today, as we are compared to the past. So let's have that ambition for the future.” – Jason Crawford  EPISODE GUIDE (LINKS, QUOTES, NOTES, AND BOOKS MENTIONED) https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/progress-studies-roots-of-progress-jason-crawford-ig-show-notes  FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/progress-studies-roots-of-progress-jason-crawford-ig-transcript  CHAPTERS This episode is our definitive guide to technological progress and innovation. In it we cover: (00:00:00) – Introduction (00:02:09) – About Jason’s work with The Roots of Progress (00:04:30) – Nurturing progress is a moral imperative (00:06:24) – On Louis Pasteur (00:14:20) – What is progress? What is technology? (00:21:06) – On starting The Roots of Progress  (00:25:18) – The growth of progress studies (00:30:30) – Is progress really stagnating? (00:37:38) – How bureaucracy can slow progress (00:42:18) – The speed of innovation (00:48:26) – Advancements in biotech, artificial intelligence, energy technologies, and nanotech (00:56:00) – Appreciating the progress we see on a daily basis ABOUT ROOTS OF PROGRESS Jason Crawford is one of the researchers and writers at the forefront of the progress studies movement, which seeks to understand what's driven human progress historically in order to cultivate and accelerate it moving forward. Jason Crawford, through his blog and non-profit Roots of Progress, has studied and written about everything from the invention of the bicycle and why it took so long to be invented, to the smallpox vaccine. He's one of the world's leading thinkers on how progress happens, why it seems to have slowed in recent years, or at the least narrowed, and what we need to do to accelerate human progress in the coming years. 💌 FREE NEWSLETTER https://www.outlieracademy.com/newsletter 🎙 LISTEN ON iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/outlier-academy/id1523851182 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/58edVNgqaPNaCSGSxM6pef?si=88f37a5d20434775 Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1523851182 ABOUT OUTLIER ACADEMY Learn timeless lessons on work and life from iconic founders, world-renown investors, and bestselling authors. Outlier Academy is the forever school for those chasing greatness. Past guests include Gokul Rajaram of DoorDash, Scott Belsky of Benchmark and Adobe, Joey Krug of Pantera Capital, Mark Sisson of Primal Kitchen, Luke Gromen of The Forest for the Trees, and Brian Scudamore of 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Website: https://www.outlieracademy.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/outlieracademy ABOUT DANIEL SCRIVNER Outlier Academy is hosted by Daniel Scrivner. Over the last 15 years, Daniel has led design teams at Square and Apple, turned around a $3M+ ARR SaaS business, and invested in more than 100 companies. He launched Outlier Academy in 2020 to learn from the world’s best founders, investors, authors, and peak performance experts. Website: https://www.danielscrivner.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/danielscrivner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode #71, we explore space manufacturing, microgravity, and building factories in outer space. We’re joined by Delian Asparouhov, Co-Founder of Varda Space Industries. We cover leaning into your superpowers when investing, common mistakes in venture capital, and problem solving with space manufacturing. “Trust is not what makes successful co-founding relationships. Having the world-class skillset that you need to succeed is what will then form that trust that will allow you to succeed.” – Delian Asparahouv  EPISODE GUIDE (LINKS, QUOTES, NOTES, AND BOOKS MENTIONED) https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/delian-asparouhov1-outlier-academy-show-notes  FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/delian-asparouhov-outlier-academy-transcript  CHAPTERS This episode is our definitive guide to space manufacturing and building factories in space. In it we cover: (00:00:00) – Introduction (00:02:43) – Delian’s background in robotics and path to entrepreneurship (00:07:32) – Mentorship from Jack Dorsey and Keith Rabois (00:21:43) – Leaning into your superpowers when investing (00:25:01) – Cultivating optimism in investing (00:29:29) – Common mistakes in venture capital (00:33:48) – Incubating a company (00:38:59) – Getting started in the space industry (00:42:09) – What is a space factory? (00:45:38) – Problem solving with space manufacturing (00:51:35) – Exciting changes in the space industry (00:55:43) – Recommended resources in the space industry ABOUT VARDA SPACE INDUSTRIES Varda Space Industries is building the world's first space factories. You heard that right, literally factories in outer space, all for earthbound products. What Varda is building, literally wouldn't have been possible even two, three, maybe five years ago, but as launch costs to get mass up to low earth orbit have come down at an incredible pace, it's unlocked the next wave of innovation, including new players and possibilities like what Varda is building with their space factories.  💌 FREE NEWSLETTER https://www.outlieracademy.com/newsletter 🎙 LISTEN ON iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/outlier-academy/id1523851182 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/58edVNgqaPNaCSGSxM6pef?si=88f37a5d20434775 Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1523851182 ABOUT OUTLIER ACADEMY Learn timeless lessons on work and life from iconic founders, world-renown investors, and bestselling authors. Outlier Academy is the forever school for those chasing greatness. Past guests include Gokul Rajaram of DoorDash, Scott Belsky of Benchmark and Adobe, Joey Krug of Pantera Capital, Mark Sisson of Primal Kitchen, Luke Gromen of The Forest for the Trees, and Brian Scudamore of 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Website: https://www.outlieracademy.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/outlieracademy ABOUT DANIEL SCRIVNER Outlier Academy is hosted by Daniel Scrivner. Over the last 15 years, Daniel has led design teams at Square and Apple, turned around a $3M+ ARR SaaS business, and invested in more than 100 companies. He launched Outlier Academy in 2020 to learn from the world’s best founders, investors, authors, and peak performance experts. Website: https://www.danielscrivner.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/danielscrivner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode #70, we deconstruct Chris Zarou's peak performance playbook—from his favorite book to the tiny habit that's had the biggest impact on his life. Chris is the Founder and CEO of Visionary Music Group. We cover the rabbit hold approach to learning, emotional intelligence, and having zero fear of failure. “I realized that Inbox Zero lessens my anxiety around everything that's going on in my business life. I have a lot of stuff going on, and I feel like I'm super well aware of everything when I'm at inbox zero. It's helped me kind of find that balance, and just to be more productive.” – Chris Zarou EPISODE GUIDE (LINKS, QUOTES, NOTES, AND BOOKS MENTIONED) https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/chris-zarou2-outlier-academy-show-notes  FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/chris-zarou-outlier-academy-transcript  CHAPTERS In this episode, we deconstruct Chris Zarou's peak performance playbook—from his favorite book to the tiny habit that's had the biggest impact on his life. In it we cover: (00:01:28) – Introduction (00:04:32) – Web3 and the rabbit hole approach to learning (00:05:50) – Emotional intelligence and organization (00:07:03) – Distance running, morning fitness, and mental health (00:10:56) – The power of networking, inbox zero, and old school task lists (00:14:01) – Having zero fear of failure ABOUT CHRIS ZAROU Chris Zarou is CEO of Visionary Music Group. He found and signed multi-platinum and Grammy award nominated rapper Logic, launching an incredible career. What's more incredible is that Chris did this after he was rejected from every major music label after trying to break into the industry as an intern. The common response that he got back was that he lacked enough experience. He even got a rejection letter from Def Jam, who later became the record label to sign Logic. 💌 FREE NEWSLETTER https://www.outlieracademy.com/newsletter 🎙 LISTEN ON iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/outlier-academy/id1523851182 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/58edVNgqaPNaCSGSxM6pef?si=88f37a5d20434775 Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1523851182 ABOUT OUTLIER ACADEMY Learn timeless lessons on work and life from iconic founders, world-renown investors, and bestselling authors. Outlier Academy is the forever school for those chasing greatness. Past guests include Gokul Rajaram of DoorDash, Scott Belsky of Benchmark and Adobe, Joey Krug of Pantera Capital, Mark Sisson of Primal Kitchen, Luke Gromen of The Forest for the Trees, and Brian Scudamore of 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Website: https://www.outlieracademy.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/outlieracademy ABOUT DANIEL SCRIVNER Outlier Academy is hosted by Daniel Scrivner. Over the last 15 years, Daniel has led design teams at Square and Apple, turned around a $3M+ ARR SaaS business, and invested in more than 100 companies. He launched Outlier Academy in 2020 to learn from the world’s best founders, investors, authors, and peak performance experts. Website: https://www.danielscrivner.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/danielscrivner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Being an entrepreneur is like getting punched in the face every day. Because you're constantly juggling, putting out fires. You never know what's going to happen. And when you're the number one guy, there's no one to point blame at. It's all on you.” — Chris Zarou Chris Zarou (@ChrisZarou) is Founder and CEO of Visionary Music Group, which helped shape the careers of artists like Logic, Jon Bellion, and Jeremy Zucker. Chris is also an angel investor, and he’s currently starting a fund which will be announced in the coming months. Show notes with links, quotes, and a transcript of the episode: https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/chris-zarou1-outlier-academy-show-notes   Chapters Chris’ background and starting his own artist management company Serendipity and working with Logic The role of an artist manager Bootstrapping and being a blue collar entrepreneur The similarities between music and investing The 2017 VMAs and aftermath Authenticity for performers Investing and perfect timing Lessons learned as an entrepreneur and investor Sign up here for Outlier Debrief, our weekly newsletter that highlights the latest episode, expands on important business and investing concepts, and contains the best of what we read each week. Follow Outlier Academy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/outlieracademy. If you loved this episode, please share a quick review on Apple Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Roller, Founder of Maran Capital, discusses investing in buy-and-build compounders in public markets. Topics include long holding periods, value vs. growth debate, SPAC investments, and updating investment theses. He compares building investment knowledge to training for the Ironman and emphasizes the importance of research and choosing companies wisely.

In Episode #68, we deconstruct Jacob Helberg's peak performance playbook—from his favorite book to the tiny habit that's had the biggest impact on his life. Jacob is the author of The Wires of War: Technology and the Global Struggle for Power. We cover trend spotting, the wisdom of Winston Churchill, and avoiding procrastination. “If you know in your heart of hearts that something just doesn't feel right with the current path that you're on, I think being open and willing to take some pretty drastic changes, for me, has worked out pretty well.” – Jacob Helberg EPISODE GUIDE (LINKS, QUOTES, NOTES, AND BOOKS MENTIONED) https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/jacob-helberg2-outlier-academy-show-notes  FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/jacob-helberg-outlier-academy-transcript  CHAPTERS In this episode, we deconstruct Jacob Helberg's peak performance playbook—from his favorite book to the tiny habit that's had the biggest impact on his life. In it we cover: (00:00:00) – Introduction (00:01:42) – Investing in technology that advances national security (00:02:39) – Trend spotting and forming deep-seated convictions (00:06:17) – Avoiding procrastination and the importance of exercise (00:09:07) – On Henry Kissinger and Winston Churchill (00:14:35) – Dropping out of law school and trusting your gut ABOUT JACOB HELBERG Jacob Helberg is the author of the incredible new book, The Wires of War, which details the technical battle that's being waged that will determine the future of the internet and, in many ways, the future of global society. It's a battle that's being waged on both the front and back end of the internet, on the front end in the apps we use every single day from Google to Facebook to TikTok and Twitter, it's stuff like misinformation campaigns, fake followers, and fake news, and on the back end, in the hardware, routers, protocols, and even the undersea cables that travel hundreds of thousands of miles crisscrossing and connecting the entire world. I loved reading The Wires of War because it's deeply compelling, it's really expansive, and it's an incredibly detailed picture that it paints of where we're at and what we face. It's out now and available on amazon.com. 💌 FREE NEWSLETTER https://www.outlieracademy.com/newsletter 🎙 LISTEN ON iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/outlier-academy/id1523851182 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/58edVNgqaPNaCSGSxM6pef?si=88f37a5d20434775 Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1523851182 ABOUT OUTLIER ACADEMY Learn timeless lessons on work and life from iconic founders, world-renown investors, and bestselling authors. Outlier Academy is the forever school for those chasing greatness. Past guests include Gokul Rajaram of DoorDash, Scott Belsky of Benchmark and Adobe, Joey Krug of Pantera Capital, Mark Sisson of Primal Kitchen, Luke Gromen of The Forest for the Trees, and Brian Scudamore of 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Website: https://www.outlieracademy.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/outlieracademy ABOUT DANIEL SCRIVNER Outlier Academy is hosted by Daniel Scrivner. Over the last 15 years, Daniel has led design teams at Square and Apple, turned around a $3M+ ARR SaaS business, and invested in more than 100 companies. He launched Outlier Academy in 2020 to learn from the world’s best founders, investors, authors, and peak performance experts. Website: https://www.danielscrivner.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/danielscrivner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode #67, we explore the fight between democracy and autocracy for the future of the internet. We’re joined by Jacob Helberg, author of The Wires of War. We cover the definition of autocracy, watershed moments in geopolitics, and how the physical infrastructure of the internet can be manipulated. “We have to see the world for what it is, not as we wish it were.” – Jacob Helberg EPISODE GUIDE (LINKS, QUOTES, NOTES, AND BOOKS MENTIONED) https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/jacob-helberg1-outlier-academy-show-notes  FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/jacob-helberg-outlier-academy-transcript  CHAPTERS This episode is our definitive guide to the fight between democracy and autocracy for the future of the internet. In it we cover: (00:00:00) – Introduction (00:03:13) – Jacob's background and introduction to geopolitics (00:05:45) – Jacob's book, The Wires of War (00:08:16) – Defining autocracy (00:12:02) – Watershed moments in geopolitics (00:15:27) – The physical infrastructure of the internet, and how it can be manipulated (00:18:13) – China is a peer competitor (00:28:20) – The need for US proactivity with autocracies (00:36:52) – Cold war, gray war, and hot peace (00:40:02) – How the US should work to preserve democracy (00:48:12) – Optimism in geopolitics ABOUT THE WIRES OF WAR The Wires of War is all about the battle being waged that will determine the future of the internet, and in many ways, the future of global society. And it's a battle that's being waged both on the front and back end of the internet. On the front end, that's taking place in the apps we use every day, from Google to Facebook, to TikTok, to Twitter. On the back end, in the hardware, routers, protocols and even the undersea cables that travel hundreds of thousands of miles crisscrossing and connecting the entire world. The Wires of War is deeply compelling, expansive, and an incredibly detailed picture woven together of the world that we're in and what we face.  The Wires of War is out now and available on amazon.com. 💌 FREE NEWSLETTER https://www.outlieracademy.com/newsletter 🎙 LISTEN ON iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/outlier-academy/id1523851182 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/58edVNgqaPNaCSGSxM6pef?si=88f37a5d20434775 Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1523851182 ABOUT OUTLIER ACADEMY Learn timeless lessons on work and life from iconic founders, world-renown investors, and bestselling authors. Outlier Academy is the forever school for those chasing greatness. Past guests include Gokul Rajaram of DoorDash, Scott Belsky of Benchmark and Adobe, Joey Krug of Pantera Capital, Mark Sisson of Primal Kitchen, Luke Gromen of The Forest for the Trees, and Brian Scudamore of 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Website: https://www.outlieracademy.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/outlieracademy ABOUT DANIEL SCRIVNER Outlier Academy is hosted by Daniel Scrivner. Over the last 15 years, Daniel has led design teams at Square and Apple, turned around a $3M+ ARR SaaS business, and invested in more than 100 companies. He launched Outlier Academy in 2020 to learn from the world’s best founders, investors, authors, and peak performance experts. Website: https://www.danielscrivner.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/danielscrivner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode #66, we deconstruct Marshall Haas' peak performance playbook—from his favorite book to the tiny habit that's had the biggest impact on his life. Marshall is the Co-Founder of Peel, Shepherd, and Need/Want. We cover healthy routines, solving long-term problems, and context switching. “The ultimate luxury, at least for me, is having a remote position. Whether you have a job or you have a business, being able to do something remotely and having a little bit or full control of your time, that's everything to me.” – Marshall Haas  EPISODE GUIDE (LINKS, QUOTES, NOTES, AND BOOKS MENTIONED) https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/marshall-haas2-outlier-academy-show-notes  FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/marshall-haas-outlier-academy-transcript  CHAPTERS In this episode, we deconstruct Marshall Haas' peak performance playbook—from his favorite book to the tiny habit that's had the biggest impact on his life. In it we cover: (00:00:00) – Introduction (00:01:44) – Designing and building a cabin (00:03:01) – Context switching and delegation (00:05:01) – Learning to delegate (00:06:22) – Sticking to healthy routines (00:10:22) – Using Todoist to manage personal organization (00:13:43) – Focusing on margin and solving long-term problems (00:15:57) – Balancing financial success with family life ABOUT MARSHALL HAAS Marshall Haas is a serial entrepreneur and Co-Founder and CEO of NEED/WANT, a family of brands that includes Peel and Shepherd. He started his entrepreneurial career at age 21, and has continued to create businesses and products since then.  After launching a collection of products from innovative, smart bedding to wearable emoji masks under the name Need/Want in 2013, Marshall doubled down on their most successful product. That happened to be insanely thin iPhone cases that they marketed under the name Peel. A business that, nearly 10 years later, still sells hundreds of thousands of cases a year. His most recent venture is Shepherd where he helps companies around the world hire the best emerging talent from the Philippines. He is an investor in Tiny Capital and Loop. 💌 FREE NEWSLETTER https://www.outlieracademy.com/newsletter 🎙 LISTEN ON iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/outlier-academy/id1523851182 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/58edVNgqaPNaCSGSxM6pef?si=88f37a5d20434775 Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1523851182 ABOUT OUTLIER ACADEMY Learn timeless lessons on work and life from iconic founders, world-renown investors, and bestselling authors. Outlier Academy is the forever school for those chasing greatness. Past guests include Gokul Rajaram of DoorDash, Scott Belsky of Benchmark and Adobe, Joey Krug of Pantera Capital, Mark Sisson of Primal Kitchen, Luke Gromen of The Forest for the Trees, and Brian Scudamore of 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Website: https://www.outlieracademy.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/outlieracademy ABOUT DANIEL SCRIVNER Outlier Academy is hosted by Daniel Scrivner. Over the last 15 years, Daniel has led design teams at Square and Apple, turned around a $3M+ ARR SaaS business, and invested in more than 100 companies. He launched Outlier Academy in 2020 to learn from the world’s best founders, investors, authors, and peak performance experts. Website: https://www.danielscrivner.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/danielscrivner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode #65, we explore solving simple problems and building profitable businesses. We’re joined by Marshall Haas, Founder and CEO of Peel and Shepherd. We cover creating products, overseas recruiting, and tweaking and optimizing a business. “It's back to basics—just be a good person and operate with some integrity, and you can be around long enough to see some success for yourself.” – Marshall Haas EPISODE GUIDE (LINKS, QUOTES, NOTES, AND BOOKS MENTIONED) https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/marshall-haas1-outlier-academy-show-notes  FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/marshall-haas-outlier-academy-transcript  CHAPTERS This episode is our definitive guide to solving simple problems and building profitable businesses. In it we cover: (00:00:00) – Introduction (00:01:57) – Marshall's background and path to entrepreneurship (00:04:02) – Influential books (00:06:38) – Need/Want and creating products (00:12:09) – Profit margin is crucial for product companies (00:14:37) – The ups and downs of running a physical product business (00:24:55) – On Shepherd and overseas recruiting (00:33:10) – Tweaking and optimizing the business (00:36:09) – Personal projects and of Haas (00:39:11) – The core principles of business ABOUT NEED/WANT, PEEL, AND SHEPHERD Serial entrepreneur Marshall Haas founded and scaled Need/Want, Peel, and most recently, Shepherd. After launching a collection of products from innovative, smart bedding to wearable emoji masks under the name Need/Want in 2013, Marshall doubled down on their most successful product. That happened to be insanely thin iPhone cases that they marketed under the name Peel. A business that, nearly 10 years later, still sells hundreds of thousands of cases a year. His most recent venture is Shepherd where he helps companies around the world hire the best emerging talent from the Philippines. 💌 FREE NEWSLETTER https://www.outlieracademy.com/newsletter 🎙 LISTEN ON iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/outlier-academy/id1523851182 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/58edVNgqaPNaCSGSxM6pef?si=88f37a5d20434775 Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1523851182 ABOUT OUTLIER ACADEMY Learn timeless lessons on work and life from iconic founders, world-renown investors, and bestselling authors. Outlier Academy is the forever school for those chasing greatness. Past guests include Gokul Rajaram of DoorDash, Scott Belsky of Benchmark and Adobe, Joey Krug of Pantera Capital, Mark Sisson of Primal Kitchen, Luke Gromen of The Forest for the Trees, and Brian Scudamore of 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Website: https://www.outlieracademy.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/outlieracademy ABOUT DANIEL SCRIVNER Outlier Academy is hosted by Daniel Scrivner. Over the last 15 years, Daniel has led design teams at Square and Apple, turned around a $3M+ ARR SaaS business, and invested in more than 100 companies. He launched Outlier Academy in 2020 to learn from the world’s best founders, investors, authors, and peak performance experts. Website: https://www.danielscrivner.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/danielscrivner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices