Founders podcast

Founders

Learn from history's greatest entrepreneurs. Every week I read a biography of an entrepreneur and find ideas you can use in your work. This quote explains why: "There are thousands of years of history in which lots and lots of very smart people worked very hard and ran all types of experiments on how to create new businesses, invent new technology, new ways to manage etc. They ran these experiments throughout their entire lives. At some point, somebody put these lessons down in a book. For very little money and a few hours of time, you can learn from someone’s accumulated experience. There is so much more to learn from the past than we often realize. You could productively spend your time reading experiences of great people who have come before and you learn every time." —Marc Andreessen

Learn from history's greatest entrepreneurs. Every week I read a biography of an entrepreneur and find ideas you can use in your work. This quote explains why: "There are thousands of years of history in which lots and lots of very smart people worked very hard and ran all types of experiments on how to create new businesses, invent new technology, new ways to manage etc. They ran these experiments throughout their entire lives. At some point, somebody put these lessons down in a book. For very little money and a few hours of time, you can learn from someone’s accumulated experience. There is so much more to learn from the past than we often realize. You could productively spend your time reading experiences of great people who have come before and you learn every time." —Marc Andreessen

 

#429

#406 Christian von Koenigsegg: It is impossible to lead by following – therefore I am different.

Christian von Koenigsegg is unapologetically in the pursuit of greatness. Koenigsegg build... more

03 Dec 2025

45 MINS

45:44

03 Dec 2025


#428

Red Bull's Billionaire Maniac Founder

I'm reposting one of my favorite founder stories. If you listened to this first time I rec... more

25 Nov 2025

59 MINS

59:48

25 Nov 2025


#427

#405 How Rockefeller Worked

This episode covers the insanely valuable company-building principles of John D. Rockefell... more

17 Nov 2025

58 MINS

58:00

17 Nov 2025


#426

My conversation with Todd Graves

Todd Graves is one of my favorite living founders. He owns over 90% of Raising Canes — a b... more

09 Nov 2025

2 HR 00 MINS

2:00:40

09 Nov 2025


#425

#404 How Larry Ellison Thinks

This episode covers the unique way Larry Ellison thinks. I spent over 40 hours reading (a... more

04 Nov 2025

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:21

04 Nov 2025


#424

My Conversation with Brad Jacobs

I’ve started a new show where I have conversations with the greatest living Founders. The ... more

28 Oct 2025

2 HR 04 MINS

2:04:09

28 Oct 2025


#423

#403 How Jensen Works

This episode covers the insanely valuable company-building principles of Jensen Huang—and ... more

20 Oct 2025

55 MINS

55:00

20 Oct 2025


#422

My Conversation with Michael Dell

I’ve started a new show where I have conversations with the greatest living Founders. The ... more

13 Oct 2025

1 HR 31 MINS

1:31:48

13 Oct 2025


#421

#402 Thomas Peterffy: The $80 Billion Founder Who Automates Everything

I didn’t know who Thomas Peterffy was. I was shocked to learn that he is 81 years old, wor... more

05 Oct 2025

31 MINS

31:42

05 Oct 2025


#420

My conversation with Daniel Ek: Founder of Spotify

I started a new show so I can have long-form conversations with the greatest living founde... more

28 Sep 2025

2 HR 09 MINS

2:09:59

28 Sep 2025


#419

#401 How Bill Gates Works

This episode is about Bill Gates' obsessive drive and hardcore work ethic. Bill Gates had ... more

24 Sep 2025

1 HR 08 MINS

1:08:10

24 Sep 2025


#418

#400 The Stubborn Genius of James Dyson

This episode covers the extreme perseverance and the stubborn genius of James Dyson. Dyson... more

12 Sep 2025

1 HR 13 MINS

1:13:03

12 Sep 2025


#417

#399 How Elon Works

This episode covers the insanely valuable company-building principles of Elon Musk—and not... more

25 Aug 2025

1 HR 33 MINS

1:33:02

25 Aug 2025


#416

#398 Steve Jobs In His Own Words (Make Something Wonderful)

A curated collection of Steve’s speeches, interviews, and correspondence, Make Something W... more

14 Aug 2025

2 HR 01 MINS

2:01:22

14 Aug 2025


#415

#397 Jiro Ono: Simplicity Is The Ultimate Advantage

Jiro Ono is the greatest living sushi chef. He was kicked out his house when he was 9. He ... more

04 Aug 2025

41 MINS

41:02

04 Aug 2025


#414

#396 The Obsession of Enzo Ferrari

I've read hundreds of thousands of words about Enzo Ferrari. For this episode I distilled ... more

30 Jul 2025

57 MINS

57:21

30 Jul 2025


#413

#395 How Geniuses and Speed Freaks Reengineered F1 into the World's Fastest-Growing Sport

Those on the margins often come to control the center. That maxim ties together the three ... more

22 Jul 2025

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:57

22 Jul 2025


#412

#394 An Orphan Who Built An Empire: Leonardo Del Vecchio and The Founding of Luxottica

Your dad dies before you’re born. Your mom can’t afford to take care of you. You grow up w... more

13 Jul 2025

1 HR 07 MINS

1:07:46

13 Jul 2025


#411

#393 The Marketing Genius of the Michelin Brothers

Your family asks you to take over a failing factory in a remote part of France. This “fami... more

03 Jul 2025

54 MINS

54:52

03 Jul 2025


#410

#392 Michele Ferrero and His $40 Billion Privately Owned Chocolate Empire

You take over the family pastry shop and transform it into one of the most valuable privat... more

23 Jun 2025

54 MINS

54:55

23 Jun 2025


#409

#391 Jimmy Iovine

You grow up in a rough neighborhood in Brooklyn. You drop out of college. Your dad is your... more

13 Jun 2025

57 MINS

57:05

13 Jun 2025


#408

#390 Rare Steve Jobs Interview

I've read this interview probably 10 times. It's that good. Steve Jobs was 29 when this in... more

04 Jun 2025

40 MINS

40:46

04 Jun 2025


#407

#389 The Founder of Jimmy Choo: Tamara Mellon

When Tamara Mellon’s father lent her the seed money to start a high-end shoe company, he c... more

26 May 2025

55 MINS

55:42

26 May 2025


#406

#388 Jeff Bezos's Shareholder Letters: All of Them!

(I fixed the audio and uploaded a new episode!)  "To read Jeff Bezos’s shareholder letters... more

15 May 2025

1 HR 19 MINS

1:19:28

15 May 2025


#405

A conversation on focus and finding your life's work

My friend Patrick O’Shaughnessy asked me to come to New York and record a conversation. Pa... more

09 May 2025

1 HR 22 MINS

1:22:05

09 May 2025


#404

#387 Jim Simons Built The World’s Greatest Money-Making Machine

Jim Simons never took a single class on finance, wasn’t interested in business, and didn’t... more

01 May 2025

1 HR 08 MINS

1:08:06

01 May 2025


#403

#386 Akio Morita: Founder of Sony

Akio Morita was a visionary entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony. Born as the first son and... more

22 Apr 2025

1 HR 11 MINS

1:11:32

22 Apr 2025


#402

#385 Michael Dell

This is one of the most extraordinary founder stories you will ever hear. Michael Dell sta... more

14 Apr 2025

1 HR 48 MINS

1:48:16

14 Apr 2025


#401

#384 Ken Griffin: Founder of Citadel and Citadel Securities

Because of the podcast I get to meet a lot of super successful people. I'm always asking t... more

01 Apr 2025

1 HR 06 MINS

1:06:30

01 Apr 2025