Read & Repeat

This week, we continue our journey with Arnold by learning how he rose to the top of the bodybuilding world in only an 8 year span!! As a 15 year old kid in Austria, Arnold wasn't on anybody's radar to become the next bodybuilding sensation. Certainly no one thought he would become the Mr. Universe champion as a teen... yet his unbreakable self confidence and relentless work ethic just catapulted him to the top that much quicker than all his peers. This episode is filled with gold, from Arnold's inspiring mentality, to how he was able to differentiate himself from other greats, to his actual lifting routines that you and I can adopt today. I highly recommend you listen - whether you are someone going for greatness in your own field, or simply want a little inspiration for your next workout. Enjoy! ---- Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder - Arnold Schwarzenegger ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps (it's not what you expect...) ---- The Web of Ideas: The Education of a Bodybuilder (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 2:40 - A teenager with a dream 9:30 - Greatness requires OBSESSION 16:40 - Conventional wisdom produces conventional results... 23:34 - Work hard in the dark to shine in the light 32:38 - Utter self belief 37:40 - "Arnold, what can you do to be special and different?" 44:22 - Total concentration 48:55 - Cementing himself as the best

This week we dive into Arnold Schwarzenegger's book 'Be Useful,' offering insights into how he reached the pinnacle of success across bodybuilding, acting, and politics. Arnold shares the 7 tools that were most influential for his life, including setting an ambitious vision, outworking his peers, and giving back. He describes how he was able to sell the sport of bodybuilding into the mainstream, and how those training habits easily transferred over to acting. He was doubted constantly by friends and fans, but his determination and positive mindset kept pushing him to break through perceived barriers. This episode is filled with stories that we can all benefit from - enjoy! ---- Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life - Arnold Schwarzenegger ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: Arnold Documentary on Netflix ---- The Web of Ideas: Be Useful (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 2:56 - Arnold's Journey: From vision to bodybuilding champion 12:33 - Never think small 18:01 - Work hard in the dark to shine in the light 24:05 - Sell sell sell 34:38 - Post-traumatic GROWTH 41:18 - Become a learning machine 45:56 - The importance of giving back

We loved making this episode because it's part Darwin evolutionary biology and part Buffett investing wisdom! In the book, Pulak Prasad shares how he has built his investment philosophy based on evolutionary survival, and how many lessons surprisingly cross over into the finance world. His approach may seem simple, but it is effective: 1) Avoid Big Risks 2) Buy High Quality at a Fair Price 3) Don't Be Lazy - be very lazy He's used this strategy to grow his investment firm, Nalanda, into a $5 billion fund, practicing what he preaches on a daily basis. But his book differs greatly from most investment books, because he incorporates examples across evolutionary science, such as deers in the wilderness, taming wild foxes, growing rabbit populations, and much more. These stories serve as a powerful connection to investing because they teach us how businesses can structure themselves to survive the long haul, how investors can overcome their natural FOMO instincts, and how compounding can creep up on us unlike anything we've ever seen before. I think this episode will be informative for investors, operators, and all science nuts alike. We hope you enjoy it!! ---- What I Learned About Investing From Darwin - Pulak Prasad ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: Dakshana Foundation ---- The Web of Ideas: What I Learned About Investing From Darwin (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 3:04 - Avoid Big Risks: would you bet your life on your next investment? 12:22 - Buy high quality at a fair price 20:37 - What rats and antifragile businesses have in common 28:13 - Using the past to assess the future 38:31 - Don't be lazy... be very lazy 45:48 - What we mistake when we talk about compounding

In this episode we cover Andy Grove's famous book, Only the Paranoid Survive. Andy Grove was a co-founder and former CEO of Intel, leading the company through some of its best years as it established a stronghold over the growing PC market. In this book, he talks about the many challenges they faced before getting to that point. Andy Grove views technological change through the lens of strategic inflection points, sharing how you can either be disrupted into oblivion because of one, or cause one onto others. He describes the struggles Intel faced as its success in the memory business was eroded, and how they had to let go of their old identity to build a lasting business. Fortunately, Intel had been quietly working on another chip, the microprocessor, at the same time, so now they could focus all their energy on this product and lead the PC revolution. We discuss many of his insights around disruption, and how it has impacted countless industries since, such as discount retailing, cable TV, film photography, and newspapers. Enjoy! ---- Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points that Challenge Every Company - Andrew Grove ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: Apollonia's Pizzeria in LA ---- The Web of Ideas: Only the Paranoid Survive (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 3:01 - Intel abandons their identity of memory chips for something better 12:34 - Change is the only constant in technology 15:03 - The PC inflection point 21:46 - A few examples of Innovator's Dilemma disruption 29:27 - Only the paranoid survive 34:31 - Predicting the impact of the Internet in the late 90s

An episode dedicated to the investing legend, Charlie Munger. Enjoy! ---- The Tao of Charlie Munger - David Clark ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: Trader Joe's Peanut Thai Salad is back!!! ---- The Web of Ideas: The Tao of Charlie Munger (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 2:09 - What qualities make up a wonderful business? 11:04 - Berkshire under Charlie's blueprint 20:20 - The value of long-term permanent capital 25:50 - Staying in your circle of competence 32:50 - A few of Munger's biggest warnings 39:50 - Timeless life advice

In this episode, we cover Influence - Robert Cialdini's seminal book on the 6 principles of persuasion. This book was so influencial on Charlie Munger that he even gave Cialdini shares of Berkshire's class A stock, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars today! We discuss how the principles of reciprocation, commitment & consistency, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity are used against us and beneficial to us in the business world. We also talk about how many of these principles can be useful in your personal lives, such as for setting goals you'll stick to and building meaningful relationships. We hope this episode will be both insightful and entertaining - enjoy! ---- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: Online Catan ---- The Web of Ideas: Influence (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 4:17 - Reciprocation 10:37 - Reject then retreat technique 14:06 - Commitment & Consistency 20:44 - Social Proof 28:27 - The Liking Principle 35:02 - Authority Bias 43:39 - Scarcity

This episode continues our two part series on the Israeli - Palestinian conflict. In this episode, we learn the origin story of the terrorist group Hamas, told firsthand by their founder's son, Mosab Hassan Yousef. We share his perspective growing up in the Palestinian region of the West Bank, internalizing a deep hatred of Jews and their role in the Palestinian people's suffering. As he reaches his teenage years, Mosab begins to rebel and tries to get involved in the conflict himself, which lands him in prison for over a year. It was this time in prison that ended up being transformative for Mosab. He starts to build relationships with Israelis, learning that they treat him respectfully and are willing to help him complete his studies. At this fitting time, Mosab attends a Christianity lecture on "loving your enemy", and starts to reflect on what Hamas does wrong in their leadership over the Palestinian people. Over the coming years, he became the top insider spy for Israel's Shin Bet unit, stopping numerous suicide bombings and attacks on Israeli civilians. We close off the episode describing how Hamas has continued to inflict suffering on the Palestinian people, while terrorizing innocent Israeli civilians as well. Lastly, we touch on the tragic events of October 7th, dispelling some of the most common myths being circulated online. We hope you find this episode informative! ---- Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices - Mosab Hassan Yousef ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: When Things Fall Apart ---- The Web of Ideas: Son of Hamas (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 4:58 - The rise of Islam 11:33 - Hamas starts to protest 18:17 - Peaceful coexistence is the last goal for Hamas 26:05 - The problem is not Israel's policies, it's Israel's right to exist... 28:42 - An eye opening time in prison 36:13 - Placing the blame on Hamas & Yasser Arafat 40:55 - The Green Prince: Israel's ultimate spy 44:12 - Hamas would never stop short of taking back all of Israel 48:19 - "The Palestinian people were as oppressed by their own leaders as they were by Israel" 49:47 - A villian more terrifying than your worst nightmare - Hamas & October 7th 1:03:46 - Free Gaza, from HAMAS

This week's episode is extra special to us. In this episode, we dive into the history of Israel and the conflict in the Middle East, attempting to provide nuance to an extremely polarizing subject. We answer questions like: are Israelis colonizers? Is Israel an apartheid state? Why do we even need a Jewish state? Who is the real threat in the Middle East? Based on the fantastic book by Noa Tishby, we learn how Jews first populated the land of Israel over 2500 years ago, and established an ancestral homeland there across hundreds of years. We discuss the beginning of the Zionist movement - an effort to re-establish a safe state for Jews - which was ultimately accepted by the world after the horrifying events of the Holocaust. We then walk through the many wars and potential peace deals between Israelis and Palestinians, where a final deal for peace was abandoned by the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 2000. Shortly afterwards, we see the rise of Islamic Jihadist movement and the terrorist group Hamas, who have expressed no interest in peace and would rather eradicate their neighbors. We conclude by discussing some of the progress Israel has made recently by establishing peace with a few of their other Arab neighbors. We hope for peace in the region and look forward to sharing part 2, on Son of Hamas. ---- Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth - Noa Tishby ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: Trader Joe's Peanut Satay Noodles ---- The Web of Ideas: Israel - A Simple Guide (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 4:15 - Are Israelis colonizers? What are Jews claims over the land of Israel? 15:33 - Why do we even need a Jewish state? 25:53 - Is Israel an apartheid state? 29:01 - How do the surrounding Arab states help the Palestinians? 34:22 - A couple more wars and hope for peace 42:59 - Who is the biggest threat in the Middle East? 47:18 - A villian more terrifying than your worst nightmare - Hamas 50:32 - Western democracy is alive & well in the Middle East 56:58 - How can we reach permanent peace?

In this episode, we cover the rapid rise and stunning fall of crypto darling, FTX. Sam Bankman-Fried and his firm FTX provide us with a number of incredible INVERT lessons, such as never installing a board or CFO, hiring anyone who walks through the front door, spending hundreds of millions on sports marketing in a non-core market, and lacking all forms of accountability. We discuss how the internal controls within FTX ran counter to the company's external perception, as tons of VCs and celebs wanted to get in on the action even when they didn't know what was going on under the hood. When crypto prices plummeted in late 2022, SBF tried to be a messiah in the industry, going around and saving multiple failing enterprises, but we quickly realized FTX may not be on stable footing themselves. We hope you enjoy this one! ---- Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon - Michael Lewis John Ray Testimony Highlights - WSJ ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: Funny skit song Cop Cuties ---- The Web of Ideas: Going Infinite (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 2:56 - An unconventional childhood 8:04 - Optimizing for effective altruism 16:20 - Alameda Research... a vessel to save some vast number of lives? 23:19 - Capilizing on crypto's speculative frenzy 30:14 - "No experience necessary" 33:45 - Investor FOMO 37:02 - One giant dragon's liar of Alameda & FTX assets 40:31 - You can an endorsement deal! You get an endorsement deal! 48:00 - A complete absense of checks and balances 49:52 - Unlimited funds or unlimited customer deposits? 57:15 - But we didn't have criminal intent! 1:00:41 - Alameda's special privileges 1:02:41 - Bankruptcy...

In this episode we tell the story of Marvel, going back to way before Robert Downey Jr donned the Iron Man suit! Our story starts in 1961, when Stan Lee created the relatable Fantastic Four comics to compete with the superheroes Batman and Superman. Over the next 3 decades, Stan Lee went on to create incredible heroes such as Spiderman and Iron Man, sparking a tulipmania-like bubble in adult comics. As the 90s rolled around, Marvel was saddled with debt and ready to take advantage of this fan hysteria. Only problem was - the bubble burst! Marvel, now overleveraged and facing declining sales, had to declare bankruptcy. This opened the door for an unlikely buyer to step in - Ike Perlmutter - a leader in the toy business. As they sold rights to escape bankruptcy, Perlmutter, along with David Maisel and Kevin Feige, thought up a way that they could become a content producer themselves. They would use their characters as collateral, secure a $525 million loan, and take a swing with their own big budget superhero film: Iron Man. As you know, the rest was history. Join us to hear the wild early stories of Marvel, how they created the movie studio, the subsequent Disney acquisition and decade-long hot streak, and what the future holds for this beloved company. Enjoy! ---- MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios - Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, & Gavin Edwards ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: Tim Ferriss interviewing David Maisel ---- The Web of Ideas: The Reign of Marvel (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 2:12 - Stan Lee and the tulip mania of comic books 7:06 - The burst of a bubble 11:07 - Ike Perlmutter steps in to acquire Marvel 15:14 - Selling off their top IP to escape bankruptcy 21:24 - The magic of David Maisel 28:02 - Iron Man's secret weapon? plausibility... 34:54 - The beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe 41:41 - The start of a historic run 46:56 - Marvel's creative committee - a classic case of the tail wagging the dog 52:02 - A momentous SONY & Marvel collab 1:00:11 - The culmination of a decade of Marvel dominance 1:03:13 - What does the future hold for Marvel?

The story of CRISPR reads like one straight out of a science fiction novel. It is filled with scientific breakthroughs, mad scientists, patent wars, and eventually, the ability to edit our own genes! As a young kid, Jennifer Doudna was inspired by James Watson's The Double Helix. She wanted to learn more about this incredible field of DNA, but soon realized that thousands of other scientists had the same idea as her. So instead, she focused her energy on its less famous sibling, RNA. That proved to be a monumental decision. Over the next two decades, she became an expert on RNA, putting her in the perfect position when CRISPR came knocking on her door. By experimenting with bacteria, Doudna's team was able to discover the amazing CRISPR-Cas9 system, basically combining her two specialties. Thus, they had unlocked a powerful gene editing tool for mankind. While this discovery has huge immediate implications, it also raises serious ethical questions. What type of condition deserves the CRISPR treatment? How do we distinguish between disease vs enhancement? Will we simply resort to a genetic supermarket? In this episode, we tell the story of CRISPR and explore the many philosophical questions that come with this new technology. Enjoy! ---- The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race - Walter Isaacson ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: Are People Paying Attention to Apple TV+ ---- The Web of Ideas: The Code Breaker (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 2:09 - The Double Helix 4:33 - The evolution of genes & DNA 9:12 - Never do something that a thousand other people are doing 17:50 - The magic of CRISPR enzymes 24:03 - Why are enzymes so important to us?? 30:21 - Discovering the CRISPR Cas9 system 33:29 - The race for human gene-editing glory 37:20 - What are the implications of gene-editing? 42:04 - Germline edits and the future of the human race 51:26 - Super soldiers and geopolitical motivations 58:00 - Applying RNA & CRISPR to the Coronavirus Pandemic

The year was 2003. LEGO, the beloved company known for popularizing the little plastic building brick, was on the brink of bankruptcy. After overexpanding beyond their core business and taking on too much debt, the LEGO family felt they may have to sell their crown jewel. As a last-ditch effort, they decided to hand the keys to 35-year-old, former McKinsey consultant Jurgen Vig Knudstorp to turn around the company. As he diagnosed the mistakes LEGO had made over the last decade, Jurgen kept asking himself a key question: Why do we exist? What makes us the best in the world at that one thing that nobody else can do? This framework is what led him to refocus on the brick, deleverage, and ultimately partner with experienced companies to grow the LEGO brand yet again. Today, LEGO is the most profitable toy company in the world, with ~28% profit margins and 10x larger profits than the next closest toy company. This episode is filled with lessons on the perils of overexpansion & overleverage, and how sometimes trimming down is the only way to grow sustainably. Enjoy! ---- The LEGO Story - Jens Anderson Brick by Brick - David C Robertson LEGO: Jurgen Vig Knudstorp Interview - Guy Raz ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: LEGO Concorde ---- The Web of Ideas: Brick by Brick (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 5:00 - 1998: LEGO's first year in the red since founding 15:12 - Luke Skywalker, LEGO's temporary savior 19:11 - It's just a thick, fat layer of cosmetics... 25:28 - Jorgen Vig Knudstorp's action plan: deleveraging and prioritizing what LEGO can do better than anyone else 29:56 - Shedding off the fat & getting a boost of BIONICLE! 32:10 - Danny Meyer - what makes you different and unique??? 36:09 - There are no points awarded for difficulty 39:10 - Adults Welcome :) 46:40 - Growing into the most profitable toy company yet again 53:00 - They may not be the biggest brand in the world, but definitely one of the best! 56:51 - The modern-day LEGO

LEGO is one of the most beloved brands in the world, with 7 sets sold every second and 4 billion minifigures walking this Earth! The company's founding traces back 100+ years, as Ole Kirk Christiansen opened up a carpentry shop in the small Danish town of Billund. Over the years, he persisted through countless adversities - his wife passing away early, two World Wars, his workshop burning down - to build a high-quality toy company that gives his children joy. As Ole Kirk made the bold decision to shift from wooden toys to plastic, he set up his son, Godtfred, for the LEGO future we know today. From the 1950s to the 70s, Godtfred executed the LEGO growth plan perfectly, running global ad campaigns to establish their brand, setting up international sales channels, patenting the ever-present interlocking brick, and building the first LEGOLAND location. When the 3rd generation of LEGO family leaders, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, took over, he sparked life into a slow product development cycle and dominated the US market through a surprising partnership. It was all sunshine and rainbows until the 90s, when internal succession issues, creeping overleverage, and growing competition from digital media companies caused LEGO to have its first year in the red since its founding. In this episode, we discuss the incredible evolution of The LEGO Group, spanning 3 generations of family leaders and global entrenchment. In the next episode, we'll discuss how LEGO was able to turnaround its financial woes and become the most profitable toy company in the world. Enjoy!! ---- The LEGO Story: How a Little Toy Sparked the World's Imagination - Jens Anderson ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: Silicon Valley - HBO ---- The Web of Ideas: The LEGO Story (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 2:56 - Ole Kirk the carpenter 8:37 - Greenlights - the worst of times may lead to the best of times 17:09 - LEGO's Founding 30:06 - Discovering plastics after WW2 35:53 - LEGO System in Play 41:09 - Godtfred's ambitions - international expansion! 44:24 - The LEGO patent and the modern-day brick 51:59 - Become a company of GIANTS 59:58 - LEGOLAND 1:04:27 - Kjeld's turn as the 3rd generation Kristiansen CEO 1:06:28 - An epic co-promotion campaign to dominate the US market 1:11:14 - Hello digital competitors! 1:23:12 - 1998 was LEGO's first year in the read since its founding...

In this episode, we dive into Morgan Housel's new book, Same as Ever, which chronicles a series of human behaviors that tend to repeat over time. We talk about how we're all constantly tempted to change and evolve, when sometimes the most powerful things in our lives are the ones that never change. The book offers great timeless insights into both life and business, such as how to sustain happiness for long periods of life, the most important variable in compounding, and the types of risk we will never predict. We also explore the power of the story, sharing how companies like Nvidia, LEGO, and Trader Joe's have used effective stories to sway customers and investors. Hope you enjoy this one! ---- Same as Ever - Morgan Housel ---- Please share with a friend or rate 5 stars if you enjoyed this episode! | Find us at ReadnRepeat.com and on Twitter @ReadnRepeatPod ---- Recommendation of the Week: Greatest of All Talk Podcast (for NBA fans) ---- The Web of Ideas: Same as Ever (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 5:40 - Risk is what you don't see coming 13:27 - Happiness is reality minus expectations 20:33 - The best story wins 28:22 - Days of prosperity make us forget adversity 34:16 - The 8th wonder in the world 39:58 - Survival is key 49:21 - Incentives: the most powerful force in the world 58:00 - The long run is just a collection of short runs you have to put up with 1:03:54 - There are no points awarded for difficulty

We're back with an absolute banger of an episode - Capital Returns! The core idea behind Capital Returns is that high returns tend to attract more capital, aka competition, so over time what may have been an incredibly profitable company can deteriorate into a commoditized business. This is a crucial insight for both operators and investors alike. In the episode, we discuss different ways to take advantage of the capital cycle, such as Sam Zell's grave dancer playbook and the scaled economies shared framework that Costco operates under. We also touch on how ever-changing tech businesses can sometimes avoid the pernicious effects of the capital cycle, usually by establishing a mission-critical operating system for their end customer or by benefitting from a viral network effect. It's been a long time since we've been back, and we have a big surprise for you in this one, so we hope you enjoy it! ---- Capital Returns: Investing Through the Capital Cycle 2002 to 2015 - Marathon Asset Management ---- Recommendation of the Week: Taming the Mammoth - Why You Should Stop Caring What Other People Think ---- The Web of Ideas: Capital Returns (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 2:50 - The big reveal 4:39 - High returns tend to attract competition 6:56 - Zeckendorf's first time dealing with oversupply 10:33 - The widget manufacturer 15:58 - Competition KILLS returns 22:02 - The misaligned incentives behind banking 28:24 - Sam Zell's grave dancer approach to investing 35:07 - Costco: the ultimate example of scaled economies shared 48:29 - If change is the only constant in technology, how do we protect ourselves??? 56:28 - The sudden winners of today can just as easily become the losers of tomorrow

Mike Michalowicz's book, Profit First, provides a simple yet foundational idea: take your profit first. His theory flips the traditional sales - expenses = profits formula on its head, by telling small business owners to take their profit before paying expenses. He shares how we are all hardwired to spend what's available to us, so we must put those profit dollars out of sight, out of mind. By using Michalowicz's Profit First framework, thousands of entrepreneurs have already turned their cash-eating monsters into money-making machines. Over time, these businesses will see their profits accumulate into hefty war chests, enabling them to hire top talent and actually grow on a consistent basis. If you are an entrepreneur, investor, or owner-operator of any business, I think you'll find plenty of useful ideas in here. ---- Profit First - Mike Michalowicz ---- Recommendation of the Week: Palmer Luckey - Invest Like the Best ---- The Web of Ideas: Profit First (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 4:17 - The Problem 8:08 - You can't always grow your way into profits 13:14 - Optimize for DURABILITY of consistent growth 20:40 - The key to profits? It's as simple as buying smaller plates... 25:36 - Implementation 29:30 - Adopt a question-everything mentality 36:14 - Pay peanuts and you get monkeys 40:29 - The best thing money can buy you is freedom

This episode will cap off our month-long deep dive into the mind of David Ogilvy. We'll explore how he used internal memos to ingrain his powerful ideas onto his team, such as becoming a company of giants and the teaching hospital of the advertising world. Ogilvy also shows us his playbook for excellence in any domain, which involves studying the precedents, doing the work, and relentlessly editing until your craft is perfect. Whether you are an ad man or not, this episode will be packed with insights for you. As Ogilvy says, it'll appeal to those of you who've "installed a generator" within. Join me in studying a true learning machine, David Ogilvy! ---- The Unpublished - David Ogilvy ---- Recommendation of the Week: Jury Duty ---- The Web of Ideas: The Unpublished (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 2:47 - If you ever find a man who is better than you are - HIRE HIM 6:21 - Become a company of GIANTS 7:50 - Rockefeller: no one does anything if he can get anybody else to do it 10:33 - Hard work never killed a man 12:47 - Who's ready for a promotion? 15:12 - Ogilvy's excellence playbook 21:03 - How to write a memo 23:21 - Every ad should contribute to the long-term image of a brand 28:27 - Your reputation follows you 34:20 - Be a professional: study the greats who came before you, read every book on the subject, conduct your own professional research - simply, BE A PROFESSIONAL

This is my favorite book on David Ogilvy - it combines his memorable mantras with the stunning visual ads that established his legacy, creating a masterclass in effective advertising & leadership. If you are a high-achiever in any realm, you will find this episode inspiring. You will learn how Ogilvy consistently increased the quality of talent within his company, studied the greats who came before him, and differentiated his product offerings from those of his competitors. I learned A TON from this book and believe you'll find value in it as well. Enjoy! ---- Ogilvy on Advertising - David Ogilvy ---- Recommendation of the Week: Sam Zell - The Tim Ferriss Show ---- The Web of Ideas: Ogilvy on Advertising (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 3:12 - Do your homework 7:39 - Promise, large promise, is the soul of an advertisement 16:34 - You aren't advertising to a standing army, you are advertising to a moving parade 19:01 - Who, do you suppose, is more likely to be right??? 22:22 - Become a company of giants 25:18 - It is suicide to settle for second-rate performance 27:43 - You have 5 seconds to catch their attention... 30:08 - The more facts you tell, the more you sell 35:02 - TV as the new dominant ad medium 39:15 - Differentiation is SURVIVAL 41:31 - What Proctor & Gamble gets right 48:17 - Why reinvent the wheel when the wheel is right in front of you? 55:35 - Your product is making people's lives better!

In this episode, we dive deeper into the mind of advertising legend, David Ogilvy. He shares with us how his endless pursuit of knowledge led him to the top of the advertising industry, a path that any high-achiever can emulate. Ogilvy gives us the keys to creating successful ad campaigns, such as offering the customer a benefit and packing the copy with facts - essential advice to entrepreneurs looking to sell more effectively. On the leadership side, Ogilvy equips us with many mantras that can be used to motivate our own troops, ranging from setting sky-high ambitions to overcoming complacency and "success disease". Lastly, Ogilvy describes how he attracted the best companies to become clients of his firm, by avoiding the pernicious winner's curse and breaking away from the misaligned incentives so common in his industry. I believe that we are ALL always selling something, whether it's a new product to potential customers or our talent to an employer, so this episode is a must-listen for everyone. ---- Confessions of an Advertising Man - David Ogilvy Modern Day "Long Copy" - Apple ---- I am deeply saddened by the Hamas terrorist attacks carried out against Israel last weekend. The way these terrorists murdered, raped, kidnapped, and tortured innocent civilians is absolutely barbaric and inhumane. I am praying for the safe return of those kidnapped and for peace in the region. For those looking to help, United Hatzalah is a great organization providing emergency relief services to those injured. If you'd like to learn more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the evil of Hamas, I found these three pieces highly informative: War in Israel, When Things Fall Apart, and Jared Kushner on the Lex Friedman podcast. Stay safe and let's aim to be a light in this world. ---- Recommendation of the Week: Jesse Itzler - My First Million Pod ---- The Web of Ideas: Confessions of an Advertising Man (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 2:25 - The good ones know their craft 6:10 - The key to success is to promise the consumer a benefit 12:29 - You're not advertising to a standing army, you're advertising to a moving parade 17:00 - Don't bunt. Aim out of the park. Aim for the company of immortals 24:49 - Search all the parks in all your cities, you'll find no statues of committees 28:21 - Avoid competition like the plague 32:54 - Align the incentives with your clients 36:56 - Invest in what you use 41:45 - Every ad is a contribution to the long-term brand image 47:15 - Writing potent copy: headlines and body 56:18 - Test everything 58:44 - The power of advertising

David Ogilvy is the godfather of the modern advertising industry. He started his agency, Ogilvy & Mather, at 38, and quickly catapulted to the top of the advertising profession. Today, we'll learn exactly how he did that. Through a combination of relentless persistence and "professional research", Ogilvy was deemed the king of advertising only a decade after entering the business. He used his long-form campaigns to create multiple industry leaders, from Rolls Royce to Shell to American Express. As he gained more success, Ogilvy started to leave an imprint on the entire industry, establishing the concept of a brand image. Within his own company, Ogilvy preached the value of developing talent, aiming to be the "teaching hospital" of the advertising world. Ogilvy has a way with words and is an excellent teacher of advertising principles. This episode ought to be useful for anyone looking to reach the top of their profession, build a world-class organization, or advertise effectively to their customers. ---- The King of Madison Avenue: David Ogilvy and the Making of Modern Advertising - Kenneth Roman Runnin' Down a Dream: How to Succeed and Thrive in a Career You Love - Bill Gurley ---- Recommendation of the Week: The Prestige - Christopher Nolan ---- The Web of Ideas: The King of Madison Avenue (my notes on the book) ---- Show Notes: 4:10 - A real-life Don Draper 7:38 - Driven by his father's failures and sibling jealousy 12:36 - Selling Aga cookers door to door 22:24 - An Obsession with advertising 26:19 - Seeking out the experts - Claude Hopkins and John Caples 30:03 - Work hard in the dark to shine in the light 37:21 - Describe the process technique with Rolls Royce 42:02 - Ogilvy becomes "the apostle of the brand image" 45:35 - Ogilvy & Mather will be the teaching hospital of the advertising world 48:36 - Winning over General Foods, Shell, & AMEX 53:30 - Devote your genius to making the cash register ring 1:00:24 - You must know it to the dollar to have an edge