How to Take Over the World
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Anyone who has achieved greatness has, in part, patterned themselves after those who came before. Napoleon learned from Charlemagne, Charlemagne learned from Caesar, and Caesar learned from Alexander the Great. This podcast analyzes the lives of some of the greatest men and women to ever live. By examining their strategies, tactics, mindset, and work habits, How to Take Over the World helps you understand the great ones, so that you can follow in their footsteps.
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1Despite an incredibly challenging childhood, Coco Chanel revolutionized women's fashion. The episode delves into her humble beginnings, her rise to fame, her relationships, the launch of her fashion empire, and of course, the strategies she used to accomplish it all.
00:00 Introduction to Coco Chanel
01:45 Coco Chanel's Humble Beginnings
03:17 The Power of Self-Creation
07:40 Coco's Early Career and Rise
12:21 The Birth of Chanel's Fashion Empire
22:10 Chanel No. 5: A Perfume Revolution
25:50 The Little Black Dress and Beyond
30:07 Coco Chanel and Great Leadership
31:46 Coco Chanel's Rise in the Fashion Industry
32:29 World War II and Controversial Allegiances
39:11 Post-War Challenges and Strategic Moves
43:59 Chanel's Comeback and Fashion Philosophy
47:44 Final Years and Legacy
48:52 Key Takeaways from Coco Chanel's Life
59:44 Closing Remarks
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Donald Trump: real estate mogul, master marketer, and the most polarizing figure of our time. How did he go from a brash young developer in Manhattan to the most powerful man in the world? In this episode of How to Take Over the World, we break down the strategies, mindset, and raw ambition that fueled his rise.
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00:00 - Introduction: The Farce and Reality of Donald Trump
02:40 - Who is Donald Trump?
03:55 - Polarizing Figure: Love Him or Hate Him
06:06 - Fred Trump: The Formative Influence
08:56 - Young Donald: Aggression and Military School
14:53 - College Years and Avoiding the Vietnam War
18:31 - Early Real Estate Ventures
25:41 - The Grand Hyatt: A Major Success
35:40 - Trump Tower: Controversy and Prestige
43:45 - Trump's Wollman Rink Success
45:36 - Television City: A Bold Vision
48:01 - The Cringe Factor: Embracing Failure
51:12 - Recap of Trump's Early Success
54:24 - The Downfall Begins: Casinos and Distractions
01:01:35 - Trump's Desperate Measures
01:08:34 - The Apprentice: A Turning Point
01:11:22 - Understanding Trump: The Deal Maker
01:19:24 - Final Thoughts and Controversies
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Captain Cook was one of the greatest explorers of all time. And he also lived on of the most adventurous, exciting lives ever. On this episode we break down his discoveries and the strategies that allowed him to accomplish and discover so much.
00:00 - Introduction
09:00 - Early Life
14:00 - Cook in Canada
26:20 - First Voyage
1:14:00 - Second Voyage
1:25:30 - Third Voyage
1:30:00 - Takeaways
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
The name of Machiavelli is synonymous with deceit, oppression, atrocity, and naked power. But his legacy is much more complicated than that. His thinking shaped the world we live in, and his advice can help anyone get further on their journey to taking over the world.
04:25 - The biography of Niccolo Machiavelli
34:30 - Advice from Machiavelli's works
01:05:30 - How to start a philosophy or movement that takes over the world
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
Top lessons from 100 lessons of How to Take Over the World and more than 100 biographies on the great leaders of history.
Wright's Law
Great Leadership Always Wins
Vision
Demand Excellence
Eat Light (Be Obsessed)
Pain Is Where the Progress Is
Charisma Is In The Eyes
Halley's Law
Set Simple Goals
Two Weeks Can Change Your Life
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
Isaac Newton was one of the great geniuses in human history. He established the basic laws of physics, discovered the laws of gravity, invented calculus, and refined the scientific method. On this episode we take a look at how he was able to accomplish so much by analyzing his strategies, tactics, and work habits.
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Sources:
Isaac Newton by James Gleick
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
Charlemagne was a king, emperor, conqueror, reformer, and the father of a united Europe. On this episode we look at how he forged the Holy Roman Empire and built the foundations of western civilization as we know it.
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Sources:
Two Lives of Charlemagne by Einhard and Notker
Charlemagne From the Hammer to the Cross by Richard Winston
King and Emperor: A New Life of Charlemagne by Janet Nelson
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
Lee Kuan Yew took a crowded, dirty, poor port town, and turned it into one of the world's great cities. How was he able to lead such an incredible transformation of Singapore?
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Sources:
No Man Is An Island: A Portrait of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew by James Minchin
Lee Kuan Yew: The Grandmaster's Insights on China, United States, and the World by Graham Allison, Michael McConnohie, et al.
From Third World to First by Lee Kuan Yew
Singapore: A Modern History by Michael D Barr
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
John Williams is the brilliant composer behind film scores like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, and more. On this episode, we take a look
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Sources:
Music By John Williams on Disney Plus
John Williams Always Settles The Score - Vanity Fair
John Williams: The Force Is With Him - uDiscoverMusic
The Force Is Still Strong with John Williams - The New Yorker
An Interview with John Williams - Symphony.org
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
My takeaways and endnotes from the life of Augustus Caesar. Plus a conversation with Alex Petkas, and a review of Gladiator II!
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How does one go about creating the Roman Empire? That is exactly what Caesar Augustus did, and on this episode, we dive into the strategies, tactics, and approaches that made it possible.
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Sources:
Augustus: The Biography by Jochen Bleicken
Augustus: First Emperor of Rome by Adrian Goldsworthy
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
Who was Vlad Dracula, and how did he go from Romanian ruler to blood-sucking monster?
On this episode we dive into the strategies and tactics that Dracula used to take power, how he became a legend, and what we can learn from him.
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How did Grigory Rasputin become a close personal advisor to one of the most powerful people on earth, despite having no education, no money, and no accolades whatsoever?
On this episode we dive into the strategies and tactics that Rasputin used to become one of the most controversial and influential people in the world, and we discover the truth behind the legend.
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What was it about Christianity that allowed it to grow from a few dozen believers to a global religion with billions of adherents? On this episode, we go through how Christianity became a global religion and what attributes enabled its rise.
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Sources:
The Triumph of Christianity: How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World by Bart D Ehrman
Constantine the Great united the Roman empire, founded one of the world's great cities, oversaw the creation of Christianity's most famous creed, and laid the groundwork for the widespread adoption of Christianity throughout Europe and the Middle East. How was he able to accomplish so much in one lifetime?
On this episode, we explore his life, his impact, and how he was able to build such a powerful movement.
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Sources:
The Reign of Constantine, 306–337: Continuity and Change in the Late Roman Empire by Stanislav Dolezal
Constantine: Roman Emperor, Christian Victor by Paul Stephenson
Simon Peter was Jesus's top guy. But he also denied him three times, and constantly got in trouble for misunderstanding Jesus's message. In this episode we dissect what eventually made him a great follower, and leader.
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Jesus of Nazareth was the son of a carpenter. He never traveled further than 150 miles from his home in his adult life. So how did the movement he founded come to dominate the world, bringing in billions of followers?
On this episode, we explore his life, his impact, and how he was able to build such a powerful movement.
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Sources:
The New Testament In Its World by NT Wright
Jesus: A Biography from a Believer by Paul Johnson
The New Testament - The King James Version
The story of how John Wooden won ten national championships on the way to becoming the greatest coach of all time.
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Writing, production, and sound editing by Ben Wilson with support from Michael Lackner.
The story of how Phil Knight founded one of the great companies - and brands - of all time.
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Writing, production, and sound editing by Ben Wilson with support from Michael Lackner.
"I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something, but I can't accept not trying. I can't accept it." Michael Jordan is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He's also a great entrepreneur, business owner, and Olympian. In this episode, we cover his remarkable story and talk about the strategies, tactics, and work habits that made him so effective.
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Writing, production, and sound editing by Ben Wilson with support from Michael Lackner.
"Some people create with words or with music or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful. When I run, I like to make people stop and say, ‘I’ve never seen anyone run like that before.’ It’s more than just a race, it’s style. It’s doing something better than anyone else."
Steve Prefontaine is one of the great legends of the running world. In this episode, we cover his remarkable story and talk about the strategies, tactics, and work habits that made him so effective.
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Writing, production, and sound editing by Ben Wilson with support from Michael Lackner.
"When I was a child, my mother said to me, If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the pope. Instead, I was a painter And became Picasso."
What made Picasso such a great artist? And what made him such a legend both in his own time, and since his death? On this episode, we explore Picasso's life, his art, his impact, and the strategies he used to take over the art world.
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Writing, production, and sound editing by Ben Wilson with support from Michael Lackner.
On this mini-episode, I talk about my combined takeaways from the founding father of the United States - Franklin, Hamilton, and Washington - and what the secret was that allowed them to be so successful.
Happy Independence Day to all of my American followers!
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Topics on the Franklin Guide to taking over the world include:
How to convince someone of your viewpoint
Why Franklin almost started a swimming school
Franklin's love life
Was Benjamin Franklin a shallow person?
+ much more!
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Want to hang out with other people trying to take over the world? We have an event this August. Learn more at https://www.nowheresummit.com/howtotakeovertheworld
Benjamin Franklin was one of the greatest scientists, writers, diplomats, and statesmen of all time. How does one man accomplish so much in one life?
Well, he was also the first self-help guru of all time. On this episode, we examine the life of Benjamin Franklin, and the tools he used to become the world's first self-made man.
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Sources:
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson
The ten-step guide to being Alexander Hamilton. In the endnotes section, I also discuss:
My review of Hamilton the Musical (👎🏻👎🏻)
Whether Hamilton was right-wing or left-wing
If Hamilton was gay
His family life
His relationship with Angelica
+ more!
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Alexander Hamilton was the greatest and most indispensable of the American founding fathers. On this episode we see how he made such lasting contributions to the US system of government. Points of discussion:
The Newburgh Conspiracy
The Constitutional Convention
The Federalist Papers
Hamilton's time as Secretary of the Treasury
The Reynolds Affair
The Quasi-War
The Adams Pamphlet
His duel with Aaron Burr
+ more
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Sources:
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
The Life of Alexander Hamilton by John C Hamilton
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson
Alexander Hamilton was the greatest and most indispensable of the American founding fathers. (At least that's my contention). On this episode, I begin to describe what made him so great, I talk about his origins and education, and some of the habits and strategies he used to become one of America's leading men before the age of 25.
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Sources:
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
The Life of Alexander Hamilton by John C Hamilton
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson
Research assistance by Camille Doom
In this conversation with Alex Petkas of the Cost of Glory podcast, we talk about one of Washington's great inspirations in life: Cato The Younger. We discuss why he was so taken with his life, what it means to be a modern day Cato, some of out top takeaways from the life of Cato and Washington, and more. Enjoy!
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What was the key to George Washington's success that made him such a beloved president and leader?
On this subscriber-only episode, we dive deeper into his playbook and go through the endnotes - more interesting side stories and random information about Washington and his life.
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How did George Washington shape the future of the United States of America as its first president? In this episode, we examine his presidency, his post-presidency, his death, and his legacy.
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Sources:
Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
George Washington and the New Nation: 1783-1793
George Washington: Anguish and Farewell 1793-1799
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson
George Washington is one of the most celebrated and beloved leaders of all time. What was it about Washington that made him such an effective leader? On this episode, we explore the making of George Washington: How he rose from relatively mundane origins to become the head of the American revolution.
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Sources:
Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
George Washington in the American Revolution (1775-1783)
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson
Research assistance by Camille Doom
George Washington is one of the most celebrated and beloved leaders of all time. What was it about Washington that made him such an effective leader? On this episode, we explore the making of George Washington: How he rose from relatively mundane origins to become the head of the American revolution.
---
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Sources:
Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
George Washington: The Forge of Experience by James Thomas Flexner
On Seriousness
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson
Research assistance by Camille Doom
What was the key to Ernest Shackleton's success that made him "the greatest leader that ever came on God's earth - bar none?"
On this subscriber-only episode, we dive deeper into his playbook and go through the endnotes - more interesting side stories and random information about the journey of the expedition.
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When Ernest Shackleton's ship is trapped in Antarctic ice, he and his crew must figure out how to survive and make their way home. On this episode, we explore the dramatic story of The Endurance and the leadership lessons that can be learned from Shackleton.
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Sources:
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
South by Ernest Shackleton
Shackleton by Ranulph Fieness
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
AMA #1 - I answer questions about obsession vs discipline, where my intro music came from, who is coming up next on the podcast, and more.
At the end of the episode I also give my review of Dune 2 and explain why I think Denis Villeneuve tried unsuccessfully to undermine his own movie.
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Mentava
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
Why is Julius Caesar one of the greatest men to have ever lived? What made him so remarkable? And how was he able to accomplish what he did? We unpack his playbook on this episode of How to Take Over the World.
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Sources:
Caesar: A Sketch by James Anthony Froude
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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
How did Arnold Schwarzenegger train? What was his approach to failure? Why did he just make things up during interviews? Find out on this endnotes episode!
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Sources:
Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger
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Writing, production, and sound design by Ben Wilson.
Bodybuilder. Actor. Governor. Arnold Schwarzenegger has managed to make his way to the top of three wildly different games. On this episode, we outline his epic life journey and share some of the strategies and mindsets that he used.
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Founders Episode 309 on Arnold Schwarzenegger
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Sources:
Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger
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Writing and research by Ben Wilson.
Production, and sound design by Ezra Bakker Trupiano.
Want to take over the world? Well, how about we start with a country? On today's episode I review Balaji Srinivasan's The Network State where he explains his vision for the future of governance and how you might be able to start your own country sometime in the near future.
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Writing, production, and sound design by Ben Wilson.
Was John Rockefeller a good man or a bad one? What did he do after he retired? How do his charitable contributions affect us to this day? Find out on this endnotes episode.
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Sources:
Titan by Ron Chernow
Random Reminiscences of Men and Events
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Writing, production, and sound design by Ben Wilson.
How did John D Rockefeller become the richest man of all time, and leverage that wealth into unparalleled influence? On this episode, we trace his rise, his strategies, tactics, habits, and leadership style.
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Sources:
Titan by Ron Chernow
Random Reminiscences of Men and Events
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Writing, production, and sound design by Ben Wilson.
More of my takeaways about obsession, cloning yourself, keeping a schedule, and more.
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MrBeast joins the podcast to discuss how he trains and manages his employees, why he didn't take Christmas and Thanksgiving off for more than five years, what separates him from other content creators, and more.
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00:00 - Introduction
02:30 - Jimmy's obsession with strategy games
05:15 - Did Jimmy consider himself smart?
08:50 - How does he manage his obsessions?
11:30 - Jimmy's inflection points
12:40 - Pushing himself with stunts
15:00 - Eight years of failure
18:15 - Working on holidays
19:00 - This episode sponsored by Tamba.Digital
19:45 - Jimmy's rise
24:15 - Why does Jimmy work so hard?
28:00 - Why he consistently beats other YouTubers
31:00 - Jimmy's management approach
34:15 - Paying people well
37:30 - Bottlenecks
41:10 - Who he takes inspiration from
45:30 - When will Jimmy take over the world?
55:50 - MrBeast's legacy
58:50 - Lessons learned
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* Thank you to Talmage Thayne and filmlaab for the awesome video support.
* Thank you to this episode's sponsor: Tamba.Digital
* To consult with me, go to takeoverpod.com/consult-with-ben
* Follow me on Twitter @BenWilsonTweets
In this endnotes episode, I cover Napoleon's psychology, his leadership style, his love life, his children, why France accepted an emperor so soon after ejecting their king, and much more.
If you are interested in a premium subscription but can't afford one - email me at Ben@httotw.com.
Also, check out my new website at TakeOverPod.com - major thanks to Tamba for the redesign.
Sponsors:
Premium Feed - To hear every episode as it comes out, including endnotes, bonus episodes, and mini-episodes.
Tamba.Digital - For all of your website, web app, and mobile app design needs
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Sources:
The Mind of Napoleon by J Christopher Herold
Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts
Napoleon: Soldier of Destiny by Michael Broers
Swords Around a Throne: Napoleon's Grade Armee by John Elting
The Napoleonic Wars: A Global History by Alexander Mikaberidze
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Writing, production, and sound design by Ben Wilson.
Part 2 covers the reign and eventual fall of Napoleon Bonaparte, starting shortly after his crowning as emperor, tracing his victories over his enemies, and ending with his defeat at the hands of the British and their allies. We explore the strategies, tactics, and work habits he used to administer one of the largest empires ever created.
Also, check out my new website at TakeOverPod.com - major thanks to Tamba for the redesign.
Sponsors:
Premium Feed - To hear every episode as it comes out, including endnotes, bonus episodes, and mini-episodes.
Tamba.Digital - For all of your website, web app, and mobile app design needs
---
Sources:
Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts
Napoleon: Soldier of Destiny by Michael Broers
Swords Around a Throne: Napoleon's Grade Armee by John Elting
The Napoleonic Wars: A Global History by Alexander Mikaberidze
---
Writing, production, and sound design by Ben Wilson.
Part 1 covers the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, tracing his journey from a modest beginning on the island of Corsica to his coronation as the Emperor of France. We explore the remarkable transformation of a young, ambitious artillery officer into a master strategist and charismatic leader. We uncover Napoleon's strategies, tactics, work habits, and leadership style.
Also, check out my new website at TakeOverPod.com - major thanks to Tamba for the redesign.
Sponsors:
Premium Feed - To hear every episode as it comes out, including endnotes, bonus episodes, and mini-episodes.
Tamba.Digital - For all of your website, web app, and mobile app design needs
---
Sources:
Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts
Napoleon: Soldier of Destiny by Michael Broers
Swords Around a Throne: Napoleon's Grade Armee by John Elting
The Napoleonic Wars: A Global History by Alexander Mikaberidze
---
Writing, production, and sound design by Ben Wilson.
Sound design assistance by Ezra Bakker Trupiano.
My review of the Ridley Scott directed movie, Napoleon. I go through what I liked and didn't like, some of the historical inaccuracies, and how the movie could have been better.
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Sponsors:
Premium Feed - To hear every episode as it comes out, including endnotes, bonus episodes, and mini-episodes.
Tamba.Digital - For all of your website, web app, and mobile app design needs
Founders Podcast - To learn about the lives of even more great entreprenuers
TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE (AND ALL FUTURE BONUS CONTENT) SUBSCRIBE HERE ---> Takeoverpod.supercast.com
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The mysterious life of Grigory Rasputin, the infamous Russian mystic and advisor to the Romanov family. We parse the enigmatic and often scandalous events that surrounded Rasputin's life, exploring the myths and realities that shrouded this controversial figure. We learn from Rasputin how to lead a cult following, and how to attract intense interest and devotion.
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Follow me on social media:
Twitter: @BenWilsonTweets
Instagram: @HTTOTW
TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE (AND ALL FUTURE BONUS CONTENT) SUBSCRIBE HERE ---> Takeoverpod.supercast.com
-----
Topics Covered:
- Catherine Wright
- The tied skirt fashion craze
- Why Wilbur and Orville never married
- A few minor corrections
- The power of friendship and playfulness
- + more!
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Follow me on social media:
Twitter: @BenWilsonTweets
Instagram: @HTTOTW
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I would never trust a yankee to do an accurate biography of a political enemy
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This is supposed to be unbiased? It completely glosses over anything negative. I'll give the second episode a listen, but if it doesn't get around to addressing the darker side of Brigham Young and the early LDS church than I'm going to give up on this podcast; so far, it just feels dishonest.
you ever coming back?
🤩
Put some btc, eth and cardano adress
great caster
yoski yoski it's good to see you back broski
great to see you back again. love the podcast
This podcast takes about Putin are American-Biased. Unproven assumptions, exaggerations, manichean. It's quite disappointing to invest almost 2hs listening to both episodes and come to realise this.
A great one 👍🏻