Founders

What I learned from reading The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story by Michael Lewis---He grew up poor, dropped out of high school, and made himself 3 or 4 billion dollars (0:01), New Growth Theory (8:00), "Growth is just another word for change." (11:15), "The notion of what constituted useful work had broadened." (15:00), "If everyone was patient there'd be no new companies." (18:00), Turning his life around at 38 (21:00), Jim's idea to avoid the Innovator's Dilemma (30:00), The beginning of Netscape (33:00), The fast eat the slow (38:00), The people you don't want (40:00), The difference between a pig and a chicken /"They had wanted to be chickens; Clark forced them to be pigs" (43:00), All chips on 00 / Diversification is for idiots (48:00), Moving the goalposts / "Mama, I'm going to show Plainview." (56:00) ----Founders Notes gives you the ability to tap into the collective knowledge of history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. Use it to supplement the decisions you make in your work.  Get access to Founders Notes here. ----“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

What I learned from reading How to Turn Down a Billion Dollars: The Snapchat Story by Billy Gallagher. ---I'm not going to work for someone else (0:01)Early design decisions of Snapchat (7:45)Evan idolized Steve Jobs and Edwin Land (10:00)How Snapchat convinced people to download the app (13:00)How Facebook created the environment for Snapchat to grow (16:00)The problem of standard (21:00)Evan on conforming (23:00)Mark Zuckerberg's first move on Snapchat (27:00)A great quote from Jeff Bezos (34:30)Digital Dualism (36:30)Snapchat Stories (39:00)Evan's framework for Snapchat and the Internet Everywhere (44:45)Learning from messaging apps in Asia (50:00)Brands are not social. People are. (55:00)Evan's philosophy on the distinction between privacy and secrecy (59:00) ----Founders Notes gives you the ability to tap into the collective knowledge of history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. Use it to supplement the decisions you make in your work.  Get access to Founders Notes here. ----“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

Explore the challenging childhood of John Romero, his escape into gaming amidst abuse. Witness the genesis of Carmack's rebellious spirit and innovative mindset. Discover the rise of shareware in the gaming industry and the birth of the groundbreaking game, Doom.

What I learned from reading Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business by Danny Meyer. This is not a typical business book (0:30)Why don't you just do what you've been thinking about doing your whole life? (4:00)How Danny learned from other founders on what to do and what to avoid (8:00)The smartest business decision I ever made (18:00)Optionality as a non-negotiable (20:00)Inadequate focus on core product (23:30)The founding of Shake Shack is an example of this great quote from Jeff Bezos: "We know from our past experiences that big things start small. The biggest oak starts from an acorn. If you want to do anything new you’ve got to be willing to let that acorn grow into a little sapling and finally into a small tree and maybe one day it will be a big business on its own." (27:00)Advice from Stanley Marcus (Neiman Marcus): "The road to success is paved with mistakes well handled." (38:00) ----Founders Notes gives you the ability to tap into the collective knowledge of history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. Use it to supplement the decisions you make in your work.  Get access to Founders Notes here. ----“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

The journey of Steve Jobs from a reckless entrepreneur to a visionary leader is captivating. Uncover the failed negotiations between NeXT and IBM, showcasing Jobs' unpredictable nature. Insights into his artistic approach and leadership style reveal the essence of company culture and product innovation. Bill Gates shares thoughts on Jobs' simplicity, while Jobs' commitment to doing great work emphasizes passion over speed. Explore the pivotal moments that shaped his legacy and the transformative impact of the iPhone on personal computing.

Yvon Chouinard, a climber, surfer, kayaker, skier, and blacksmith who enjoyed making good tools and functional clothes, discusses his journey from being a reluctant businessman to embracing entrepreneurship on his own terms. He talks about the importance of enjoying work, reaching 80% proficiency, and the challenges of maintaining quality while growing a company. He also delves into the principles and purpose behind Patagonia, highlighting their unique advertising approach and the value of simplicity, durability, and reducing consumption.

Discover how Jeff Bezos transformed from a Wall Street analyst to the tech titan behind Amazon. Explore his unique management style, prioritizing narrative-driven discussions that foster critical thinking. Learn about his relentless focus on customer experience and innovative practices, including valuable lessons from Costco's Jim Senegal. Dive into insights about leadership dynamics at Amazon, where a demanding culture meets a drive for innovation, all while keeping a long-term vision at the forefront.

Discover the fascinating dual role of John D. Rockefeller as both a pioneering entrepreneur and a strategic manager. Explore his innovative strategies that transformed the oil industry and created one of the first multinational corporations. Delve into his impactful philosophies on teamwork and leadership, underscoring his avoidance of sycophants. Reflect on the paradox of his immense wealth, juxtaposed with personal struggles. Uncover the complexity of his legacy, revealing both admirable traits and troubling behaviors.

Discover the boundless curiosity and multifaceted genius of Leonardo da Vinci. Explore his unique blend of art and science, driven by relentless inquisitiveness. Uncover the significance of his notebooks and the creative principles that continue to inspire innovators today. Delve into his ambitious, often unrealized ideas, and learn how maintaining a childlike wonder can fuel lifelong creativity. Join the journey of reflection and curiosity that defines one of history's greatest minds.

What I learned from reading The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal by Ben Mezrich. Microsoft had offered Mark between $1 million and $2 million to go work for them. Amazingly, Mark had turned them down (1:25)Maybe he knew he was about to cross a line. But he had never been very good at staying in the lines. From Mark's history, it was obvious that he didn't like the sandbox. He seemed the type of kid that wanted to kick out all the sand. (8:01)He didn't care what time it was. To guys like Mark time was another weapon of the establishment. The great engineers and hackers didn't function under the same time constraints as everyone else. (11:23)Mark wondered: If people want to go online and check out their friends couldn't they build a website that did just that? (14:36) Mark. Founder. Master and Commander. Enemy of the State. (21:19)Instead of attacking Baylor head on they made a list of schools within 100 miles of it and dropped Facebook in those schools first. Within days the kids at Baylor begged for Facebook on their campus. (24:20)Mark Zuckerberg had found his place in the world (32:38) ----Founders Notes gives you the ability to tap into the collective knowledge of history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. Use it to supplement the decisions you make in your work.  Get access to Founders Notes here. ----“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast