
Friday 5: Five Weekly Lessons from Bestselling Books, Essays, and Lectures
Every week, we share the 5 best ideas from one of history's greatest books, speeches, interviews, and lectures. Learn how to negotiate from Steve Jobs, how to build strategic momentum from Jim Collins, and mental toughness from Special Operations soldiers. Start learning from the best innovators, founders, and investors in history. Get every new episode delivered via email →
Start learning from iconic founders, renowned investors, and bestselling authors including Brian Scudamore (1-800-GOT-JUNK), Mark Sisson (Primal Kitchen), Carey Smith (Big Ass Fans), Scott Belsky (Benchmark & Adobe), Luke Gromen (The Forest for The Trees), and Verlyn Klinkenborg (Yale & The New Yorker).
Visit OutlierAcademy.com for episode notes, searchable transcripts, videos, and more.
Latest episodes

Feb 2, 2024 • 23min
Friday 5: Five Lessons on Negotiating from Steve Jobs
My favorite lessons from "To Pixar and Beyond" by Lawrence Levy. Who joined Pixar in 1995, helped Steve Jobs take Pixar public, and built it into the $7.4 billion company Disney eventually acquired.
Get Friday 5 delivered to your inbox every Friday at 8 AM Pacific
Explore the episode notes.
Search and down a transcript and find links to related books, interviews, lectures, and more: outlieracademy.com/184.
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction and Background
(03:10) Anatomy of a Deal and Poker Time
(05:04) #1 Don't Engage in Positional Bargaining
(06:53) #2 Understand the Difference Between Strategy and Tactics
(10:05) #3 Analyze Your Points of Leverage
(14:47) #4 Get Clear on What You Want and Why
(20:32) #5 Wait to Negotiate Until You Have Maximum Leverage
Watch and listen.
Watch this episode on YouTube
Find this episode in your favorite podcast app
Get new episodes delivered via email
Explore my full summary for the book featured this week.
Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success
Brought to you by HVMN. With Ketone-IQ, fuel your best anytime with a boost of awesome-feeling energy and clarity. Unlock the power of nature's superfuel—no fasting or keto diet required.
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Feb 2, 2024 • 3min
Trailer - Friday 5: Five Lessons on Negotiating from Steve Jobs
My favorite lessons from "To Pixar and Beyond" by Lawrence Levy. Who joined Pixar in 1995, helped Steve Jobs take Pixar public, and built it into the $7.4 billion company Disney eventually acquired.
Get Friday 5 delivered to your inbox every Friday at 8 AM Pacific
Explore the episode notes.
Search and down a transcript and find links to related books, interviews, lectures, and more: outlieracademy.com/184.
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction and Background
(03:10) Anatomy of a Deal and Poker Time
(05:04) #1 Don't Engage in Positional Bargaining
(06:53) #2 Understand the Difference Between Strategy and Tactics
(10:05) #3 Analyze Your Points of Leverage
(14:47) #4 Get Clear on What You Want and Why
(20:32) #5 Wait to Negotiate Until You Have Maximum Leverage
Watch and listen.
Watch this episode on YouTube
Find this episode in your favorite podcast app
Get new episodes delivered via email
Explore my full summary for the book featured this week.
Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success
Brought to you by HVMN. With Ketone-IQ, fuel your best anytime with a boost of awesome-feeling energy and clarity. Unlock the power of nature's superfuel—no fasting or keto diet required.
Advertise with Outliers and reach our global community
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 26, 2024 • 16min
Friday 5: Five Lessons on Simplicity from Steve Jobs
Get Friday 5 delivered to your inbox every Friday at 8 AM Pacific
In this episode of Friday Five, Daniel Scrivner shares his five favorite ideas from the book 'Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success' by Ken Segall. The book explores Apple's obsession with simplicity and how it has contributed to the company's success. The five ideas and stories discussed include starting with small groups of smart people, expressing a single idea clearly, the power of speaking human, being a ruthless enforcer of high standards, and the importance of marketing based on values.
Explore the episode notes.
Search and down a transcript and find links to related books, interviews, lectures, and more: outlieracademy.com/176.
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(01:55) #1 Start with small groups of smart people and keep them small
(04:21) #2 People will always respond better to a single idea expressed clearly
(06:38) #3 1,000 songs in your pocket and the power of speaking human
(07:59) #4 Good enough is not good enough. Be a ruthless enforcer of high standards
(08:52) #5 In a complicated world, marketing is about values
Watch and listen.
Watch this episode on YouTube
Find this episode in your favorite podcast app
Get new episodes delivered via email
Explore my full summary for the book featured this week.
Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success
Brought to you by HVMN. With Ketone-IQ, fuel your best anytime with a boost of awesome-feeling energy and clarity. Unlock the power of nature's superfuel—no fasting or keto diet required.
Advertise with Outliers and reach our global community
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 26, 2024 • 2min
Trailer - Friday 5: Five Lessons on Simplicity from Steve Jobs | Episode #176
Get Friday 5 delivered to your inbox every Friday at 8 AM Pacific
In this episode of Friday Five, Daniel Scrivner shares his five favorite ideas from the book 'Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success' by Ken Segall. The book explores Apple's obsession with simplicity and how it has contributed to the company's success. The five ideas and stories discussed include starting with small groups of smart people, expressing a single idea clearly, the power of speaking human, being a ruthless enforcer of high standards, and the importance of marketing based on values.
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(01:55) #1 Start with small groups of smart people and keep them small
(04:21) #2 People will always respond better to a single idea expressed clearly
(06:38) #3 1,000 songs in your pocket and the power of speaking human
(07:59) #4 Good enough is not good enough. Be a ruthless enforcer of high standards
(08:52) #5 In a complicated world, marketing is about values
Explore the episode notes.
Search and down a transcript and find links to related books, interviews, lectures, and more: outlieracademy.com/176.
Watch and listen.
Watch this episode on YouTube
Find this episode in your favorite podcast app
Get new episodes delivered via email
Explore my full summary for the book featured this week.
Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success
Brought to you by HVMN. With Ketone-IQ, fuel your best anytime with a boost of awesome-feeling energy and clarity. Unlock the power of nature's superfuel—no fasting or keto diet required.
Advertise with Outliers and reach our global community
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 19, 2024 • 23min
Friday 5: Five Lessons on Building Momentum from Jim Collins | Episode 183
Get Friday 5 delivered to your inbox every Friday at 8 AM Pacific
Watch and listen.
Watch this episode on YouTube
Find this episode in your favorite podcast app
Get new episodes delivered via email
Explore my full summary for the book featured this week.
The Essays of Warren Buffett: Warren's Ideas from 50+ Years Grouped by Topic
Brought to you by HVMN. With Ketone-IQ, fuel your best anytime with a boost of awesome-feeling energy and clarity. Unlock the power of nature's superfuel—no fasting or keto diet required.
Advertise with Outliers and reach our global community
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 19, 2024 • 3min
Trailer - Friday 5: Five Lessons on Building Momentum from Jim Collins | Episode 183
Get Friday 5 delivered to your inbox every Friday at 8 AM Pacific
Watch and listen.
Watch this episode on YouTube
Find this episode in your favorite podcast app
Get new episodes delivered via email
Explore my full summary for the book featured this week.
The Essays of Warren Buffett: Warren's Ideas from 50+ Years Grouped by Topic
Brought to you by HVMN. With Ketone-IQ, fuel your best anytime with a boost of awesome-feeling energy and clarity. Unlock the power of nature's superfuel—no fasting or keto diet required.
Advertise with Outliers and reach our global community
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 5, 2024 • 23min
Friday 5: Five Lessons on Investing from Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger
My favorite lessons on investing from Berkshire Hathaway's shareholder letters. All taken from "The Essays of Warren Buffett" by Lawrence Cunninghuman.
Get Friday 5 delivered to your inbox every Friday at 8 AM Pacific
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(03:01) Lesson 1: Seek to invest in businesses with excellent economics, able and honest management, at sensible prices. That’s the magic formula.
(07:29) Lesson 2: Don’t be afraid to let a few investments grow to represent a large portion of your portfolio. That’s inevitable if you do well.
(10:44) Lesson 3: Invest in companies you expect to be as competitive 20 years from now. The best investments compound over decades.
(13:52) Lesson 4: Forgot the growth versus value debate—they’re two sides of one coin. Look for durable value and profitable growth in companies.
(18:44) Lesson 5: Make Mr. Market your ally. Take advantage of his perpetual swings from euphoria to panic.
Watch and listen.
Watch this episode on YouTube
Find this episode in your favorite podcast app
Get new episodes delivered via email
Explore my full summary for the book featured this week.
The Essays of Warren Buffett: Warren's Ideas from 50+ Years Grouped by Topic
Brought to you by HVMN. With Ketone-IQ, fuel your best anytime with a boost of awesome-feeling energy and clarity. Unlock the power of nature's superfuel—no fasting or keto diet required.
Advertise with Outliers and reach our global community
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 5, 2024 • 2min
Trailer - Friday 5: Five Lessons on Investing from Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger
My favorite lessons on investing from Berkshire Hathaway's shareholder letters. All taken from "The Essays of Warren Buffett" by Lawrence Cunninghuman.
Get Friday 5 delivered to your inbox every Friday at 8 AM Pacific
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction
(03:01) Lesson 1: Seek to invest in businesses with excellent economics, able and honest management, at sensible prices. That’s the magic formula.
(07:29) Lesson 2: Don’t be afraid to let a few investments grow to represent a large portion of your portfolio. That’s inevitable if you do well.
(10:44) Lesson 3: Invest in companies you expect to be as competitive 20 years from now. The best investments compound over decades.
(13:52) Lesson 4: Forgot the growth versus value debate—they’re two sides of one coin. Look for durable value and profitable growth in companies.
(18:44) Lesson 5: Make Mr. Market your ally. Take advantage of his perpetual swings from euphoria to panic.
Watch and listen.
Watch this episode on YouTube
Find this episode in your favorite podcast app
Get new episodes delivered via email
Explore my full summary for the book featured this week.
The Essays of Warren Buffett: Warren's Ideas from 50+ Years Grouped by Topic
Brought to you by HVMN. With Ketone-IQ, fuel your best anytime with a boost of awesome-feeling energy and clarity. Unlock the power of nature's superfuel—no fasting or keto diet required.
Advertise with Outliers and reach our global community
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 3, 2023 • 19min
On Obsessing Over Problems, Predicting the Future, and Why Healthcare Should be a Product (Not a Service)
This week we’re profiling Adrian Aoun, who founded Forward into 2017 to turn healthcare from a service into a product and reach 1B+ people globally. Before founding Forward, Adrian served as the Director of Special Projects for Google CEO Larry Page, founded Sidewalk Labs, and served as an advisor to the White House on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Here are the 3 big ideas in this week's Cheat Sheet:
Principle: Be problem obsessed, not solution obsessed.
Framework: How to predict the future from first principles.
Insight: Why healthcare should be a product—not a service.
Read the newsletter companion to this episode:
https://www.cheatsheetnewsletter.com/p/problem-obsessions-and-predicting-the-future
Listen, watch, or explore more of this week’s episodes:
Forward’s Adrian Aoun | My Favorite Books, Tools, Habits and More
Listen Now | Watch Now | Episode Guide | Transcript
Forward: Bringing Healthcare as a Product to a Billion People | Adrian Aoun, Founder & CEO
Listen Now | Watch Now | Episode Guide | Transcript
Get the Cheat Sheet newsletter in your inbox:
https://www.cheatsheetnewsletter.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 3, 2023 • 4min
Trailer: On Obsessing Over Problems, Predicting the Future, and Why Healthcare Should be a Product (Not a Service)
Adrian Aoun, founder of Forward and former advisor to the White House, talks about being problem obsessed and why healthcare should be a product. He also shares insights on predicting the future from first principles.
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