The Knowledge Project

This is the story of K.C. Irving, the man who refused to be stopped. When a railway raised his shipping costs, he bought a ship. When oil suppliers tried to squeeze him, he built a refinery. Whenever someone told him no, he found a way. From his father’s general store in a small New Brunswick town, he built an empire of roughly 300 companies. How do you beat competitors with more money, more people, and a head start? You’ll see how he won customers the big companies ignored, why he kept expanding during the Great Depression, and why a man who owned ships and a refinery still cared about clean bathrooms and one customer’s cold house. Shane Parrish tells the story of how Irving built his businesses and what it took to keep them in his hands. But the bigger he got, the bigger the fights became. He spent his life making sure no one could push him around. Eventually he got so big governments wanted to rein him in. ----- Chapters:  (00:00) Introduction (02:06) Thrown Out of Town at Fourteen (07:18) How a Caterpillar Almost Destroyed Everything (10:22) The Hole in Front of the Store (15:27) The Great Gasoline War (21:34) The Year Ford Nearly Ruined Him (25:21) The Question He Asked for Sixty Years (27:26) How He Scaled Up During the Depression (36:21) The Insult That Pushed Him Into Politics (41:24) The Operational Secret to Unmatched Control (49:42) How K.C. Taught His Sons Business (53:43) Don't Argue with Your Coat On (59:25) Why Winning 96% Wasn't Good Enough (1:08:48) The Four-Word Answer That Shocked BP (1:30:46) The One Project He Couldn't Control (1:35:36) The Man Who Owned Every Newspaper (1:39:41) Mr. Irving Goes to Ottawa (1:45:32) Too Expensive to Die in Canada (1:50:16) The Verdict (1:58:18) Epilogue ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠⁠ Insta: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠⁠ ------ Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: + See how Stripe can power what’s next for your business at ⁠stripe.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steven Kotler is a bestselling author and the executive director of the Flow Research Collective, where he studies the science of peak performance. Most of us have felt it. Hours disappear, everything else fades away, and the work seems to do itself. But what’s actually happening in those moments, and can you make them happen on purpose? Kotler has spent decades studying flow, and he makes the case that it’s far more trainable than most people think. We talk about what brings it on, how hard a task should be before it pulls you in, and why the hobby you gave up as an adult might matter more than you realize. We also get into what frustration is really telling you when you’re learning, how play compares with practice, how to focus on work you’d rather not be doing, and how to think clearly when there’s more information than ever and fewer people checking it. ----- Chapters: (0:00) Intro (0:10) The Most Addictive State on Earth (0:38) Signs You're in Flow (Most People Miss These) (1:51) The Real Secret to Peak Performance (3:03) The Hidden Biology Behind Flow and Focus (4:09) How to Get Into a Flow State (5:31) Why You Need One "Flow Activity" (7:18) The Hidden Thing Blocking Your Flow (7:45) The Burnout Mistake High Performers Make (8:50) Unexpected Flow Triggers (12:02) Why Willpower Won't Stop Distractions (15:34) Why ADHD Can Be a Flow Advantage (23:20) The #1 Way to Increase Performance (25:48) The Motivation Myth Holding You Back (27:26) Why Spite Is a Dangerous Motivator (30:44) The Best Mental State for Learning (33:03) Why Frustration Helps You Learn (35:41) The Daily Habit That Boosts Flow Most (38:53) The Thinking Mistake Almost Everyone Makes (50:25) The Moment Your Brain Learns Best (57:31) The Surprising Way to Relieve Autoimmune Symptoms ----- Follow Steven Kotler: X: https://x.com/steven_kotlerhttps://x.com/steven_kotler ----- Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠⁠ Insta: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠⁠ ----- Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: +Applovin: Launch your first AppLovin campaign and grow your business: ⁠https://applovin.com/shane⁠ +HeyGen is a message-first AI video platform that helps people and AI agents turn ideas into professional video in minutes. Try for free at ⁠https://www.heygen.com/tkp⁠ +Matic: the robot vacuum that does it all—grab yourself a year of free bags here. ⁠http://maticrobots.com/shaneparrish⁠ +LMNT: My go-to zero sugar electrolytes — get a free LMNT Sample Pack here: ⁠https://DrinkLMNT.com/TKP⁠ ----- + Members get the longer, extended version of this conversation, with additional content not included in the public release. Learn more: ⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Serhant is a real estate broker, founder of SERHANT., and star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York and Netflix’s Owning Manhattan. He explains how to sell without making people feel sold to: build a connection, help first, and earn the right to ask. He also breaks down the psychology of attention and persuasion, showing how to get people's attention, hold it, and turn it into business. We explore why he rejects “fake it till you make it,” how he approached his Million Dollar Listing audition as the person he wanted to become, and why ego gets in the way of closing deals. Ryan explains his time management framework of treating each day as a bank of 1,000 minutes changed the way he works, and why success can still feel insufficient after you achieve all of your dreams.  Enjoy ----- (00:00) Intro (02:19) Get Chosen Before You're Established (10:03) Why Sellers Should Take Acting Classes (11:11) What Is Embarrassment Costing You? (12:28) The 1,000 Minutes a Day Framework (16:26) Why Buyers Resist Your Pitch (20:57) Are You Giving Up Too Soon? (21:39) How to Use Google Alerts to Land Leads (23:21) The Craziest Deal in Serhant History (31:21) How to Handle Ego in Negotiations (33:02) Your Next Move at Rock Bottom (38:56) Why Attention Isn't Making You Money (43:11) Find Clients Where Nobody Knows You (44:55) Why Strangers Ignore Your Offer (46:51) What Is Success Costing You? (52:03) The Excuse That Costs You Respect ----- Follow Ryan Serhant: https://www.instagram.com/ryanserhant ----- + Members get the longer, extended version of this conversation, with additional content not included in the public release.Learn more: https://fs.blog/membership/ ------ Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: +Applovin: Launch your first AppLovin campaign and grow your business: https://applovin.com/shane +Matic: the robot vacuum that does it all—grab yourself a year of free bags here: https://maticrobots.com/shaneparrish +HeyGen is a message-first AI video platform that helps people and AI agents turn ideas into professional video in minutes. Try for free at https://www.heygen.com/tkp +LMNT: My go-to zero sugar electrolytes — get a free LMNT Sample Pack here: https://DrinkLMNT.com/TKP ----- Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠⁠ Insta: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm excited to share this previously unreleased 2022 conversation between Charlie Munger and Todd Combs. As with any Munger talk, the subjects are both deep and wide. You'll learn how Munger recognized people worth betting on, chose problems worth solving, and turned a long attention span into an unfair advantage. A special thank you to the Singleton Foundation, Todd Combs, and William Thorndike for giving me the permission to share this with you. You can find a link to the full transcript here. ----- Chapters: (00:00) The Unreleased Charlie Munger Recording (01:14) The Exceptional Mind of Henry Singleton (03:51) Why Munger Ignored Singleton's Dying Wish (04:51) The Wooden Lesson Most Managers Never Learn (06:30) The Career Path Munger Almost Took (10:43) The Childhood Memory That Shaped Munger's Worldview (16:00) The Strange Place Munger Looked for Inspiration (22:31) The Best Number of Investments to Make (30:20) What Great Investing Actually Costs You (35:16) The Index Fund Risk Nobody Talks About (37:00) The Lucky Break Behind Rockefeller's Empire (42:26) The Book Every MBA Should Read (44:57) The Odds of a Major Calamity ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠⁠ Insta: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠⁠ ----- Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: + See how Stripe can power what’s next for your business at stripe.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Ackman is the founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, one of the most closely watched investment firms in the world. In this conversation, he breaks down how he tells the difference between real innovation from hype, what he looks for before making a billion-dollar investment, and why he sold Netflix—and later bought it back. He also shares the mistakes that reshaped his investment process and his plan to build a modern-day Berkshire Hathaway. Bill also opens up about something far more personal: his daughter Lucy’s sudden brain hemorrhage, the hours before surgery, and her ongoing recovery. He describes running his business from a hospital room and the institute he and his wife are building to help other families facing similar challenges. Enjoy! ----- Chapters: (00:00) Intro (00:53) The Night His Daughter Nearly Died (08:49) His Plan to Rethink Brain Recovery (16:15) Could Her Ring Have Raised the Alarm? (17:07) How He Holds It Together (23:17) How Bubbles Pull You In (23:49) Is Venture in a Bubble? (25:23) When Easy Money Runs Out (28:05) He Hated the Idea. He Invested. (30:05) Who Actually Profits From AI? (35:53) The Rules He Carved in Stone (39:15) The Trade He Won't Make Again (42:02) Why He Consults "Dr. Claude" (46:14) Waiting for a Cheaper Market? (48:20) Netflix: Why He Changed His Mind (51:36) Howard Hughes and The Assets Nobody Wanted (53:22) What If You Owned a City? (01:00:02) Berkshire's Most Overlooked Advantage (01:04:36) From Watch Buyer to Company Owner (01:09:42) How He Judges CEOs in an Hour (01:14:19) What's Left to Achieve at 60? ----- Follow Bill Ackman: X: ⁠https://x.com/BillAckman⁠ ----- Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠⁠ Insta: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠⁠ ----- Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: +Applovin: Launch your first AppLovin campaign and grow your business: ⁠https://applovin.com/shane⁠ +HeyGen is a message-first AI video platform that helps people and AI agents turn ideas into professional video in minutes. Try for free at ⁠https://www.heygen.com/tkp⁠ +Matic: the robot vacuum that does it all—grab yourself a year of free bags here. ⁠http://maticrobots.com/shaneparrish⁠ +LMNT: My go-to zero sugar electrolytes — get a free LMNT Sample Pack here: ⁠https://DrinkLMNT.com/TKP⁠ ----- + Members get the longer, extended version of this conversation, with additional content not included in the public release.Learn more: ⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠ ----- Note: ‍Shane and guests may hold positions in assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing in this conversation should be considered investment advice, financial guidance, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always do your own due diligence or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shopify founder and CEO Tobi Lütke joins Shane Parrish to discuss AI agents, better decision-making, and the future of work. He explains how he uses an AI council to examine his hardest decisions and why taste, judgment, and responsibility become more valuable as AI becomes more capable. They go inside Shopify’s work with River, an AI colleague with memory, personality, and permission to challenge the CEO. They explore how to choose between several good options, why the best long-term decisions often lack immediate feedback, and why building something that lasts requires pruning and rebuilding. Tobi also shares how he cultivates intuition, the affirmations he uses to change his own behavior, and why his kids must add “yet” when they say they can’t do something. Enjoy! ----- Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (3:46) The Case for Skeuomorphism (5:16) How Bing's Chatbot "Sydney" Inspired Shopify's AI (7:18) River: Shopify's Internal AI (8:55) How to Encourage Osmosis Learning (10:52) AI Dreaming and Self-Reflection (11:53) How to Use AI for Strategic Decision Making (14:11) The One Thing AI Cannot Do (16:04) What AI is Making Worse at Shopify (19:46) Predictions: Where AI is Headed Next (21:55) The Future of AI-Powered Software (24:40) Will CEOs Be Replaced with AI? (27:54) Can Superintelligence Be Controlled? (31:13) Critical Skills in AI Age (34:22) Why Complex Solutions are Usually Wrong (36:33) Conditions Needed for True Intuition (38:02) The Optimal Path Doesn't Have Instant Feedback (44:51) How Affirmations Can Shift Your Behavior (50:44) The Inobvious Thing Hurting Companies (52:37) Relationship Between Beauty and Creation (56:23) How SpaceX Moves Forward By Subtraction (1:00:24) Why Companies Need Refounding Events (1:01:50) Use Books as Cheat Codes (1:02:39) Three Books That Change Your Thinking ----- Follow Tobi: X: https://x.com/tobi ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠ ----- + Members get the longer, extended version of this conversation, with additional content not included in the public release.Learn more: https://fs.blog/membership/ ------ Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: +Applovin: Launch your first AppLovin campaign and grow your business: https://applovin.com/shane +Matic: the robot vacuum that does it all—grab yourself a year of free bags here: https://maticrobots.com/shaneparrish ⁠⁠+HeyGen is a message-first AI video platform that helps people and AI agents turn ideas into professional video in minutes. Try for free at ⁠⁠https://www.heygen.com/⁠tkp +LMNT: My go-to zero sugar electrolytes — get a free LMNT Sample Pack here: https://DrinkLMNT.com/TKP ------ *Note:* ‍Shane and guests may hold positions in assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing in this conversation should be considered investment advice, financial guidance, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always do your own due diligence or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all know the Steve Jobs who came back in the late 1990s and saved Apple from becoming a footnote. And we've all heard the story of how, in 1985, he was pushed out of the company he'd created. What we don't know is what happened in between. Geoffrey Cain spent years reconstructing the decade Jobs spent outside Apple. NeXT spent years losing money. His co-founders left. His investors lost faith. His fortune nearly disappeared. At one point, he was a weekend away from shutting the company down. Somewhere in those failures, Jobs learned how to become the leader Apple would eventually need. This is Steve Jobs before he became Steve Jobs. ------ Chapters: (0:51) Why Steve Jobs Was Pushed Out of Apple (3:04) Steve Jobs' Failed Coup Attempt to Oust CEO (4:33) The Failure of Macintosh II (8:27) Starting NeXT Computers (9:34) The Story Behind NeXT's Iconic Logo (11:38) A Perfect Cube: The Impossible Design of NeXTcube (13:50) What Movies Get Wrong About Steve Jobs (14:02) The Ultimate Trait Steve Jobs Looked For in Hiring (14:59) Decision Making By Intellectual Combat (16:40) Steve Jobs' Reality Distortion Field (17:25) The Flaw that Almost Destroyed Steve Jobs (21:25) How NeXT Software Changed Computing Forever (24:44) Steve Jobs' Self-Sabotages at NeXT (25:02) Ross Perot and Steve Jobs (28:48) How Pixar Saved Steve Jobs from Bankruptcy (29:19) The Realization Steve Jobs Had at Rock Bottom (31:49) The Last Ditch Effort to Save NeXT Computers (38:55) Steve Jobs Gets His Revenge (43:09) Larry Ellison's Friendship with Steve Jobs (45:05) How Steve Jobs Brought Out the Best in His Employees (48:08) The Lessons Steve Jobs Learned From Failure (50:08) Bill Gates and Steve Jobs Rivalry (51:44) The Funniest Steve Jobs/Bill Gates Moment (53:43) Steve Jobs Takes Over As Apple CEO (57:08) How Meeting Laurene Changed Everything (59:01) Rapid Fire Questions (59:21) How Steve Jobs Inspired His Team (1:00:31) Steve Jobs Medical Treatment (1:01:42) What We Can Learn from Steve Jobs ------ Follow Geoffrey Cain: X: https://x.com/geoffrey_cain ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠ Insta: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠ ----- Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: +Applovin: Launch your first AppLovin campaign and grow your business: https://applovin.com/shane +HeyGen is a message-first AI video platform that helps people and AI agents turn ideas into professional video in minutes. Try for free at https://www.heygen.com/tkp +Matic: the robot vacuum that does it all—grab yourself a year of free bags here. http://maticrobots.com/shaneparrish +LMNT: My go-to zero sugar electrolytes — get a free LMNT Sample Pack here: https://DrinkLMNT.com/TKP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Baszucki is the co-founder and CEO of Roblox, a platform built around a simple idea: give people the tools and incentives to create together. In this short conversation we discuss how a health decision saved his son's life and how it changed how he eats, why bureaucracy compounds unless you actively destroy it, monitoring your mind before making decisions, and why the best products often improve by removing complexity. It's time to listen and learn. ------ Chapters: (0:00) How Keto Can Help Treat Bipolar Symptoms (2:38) Connection Between Physical and Mental Health (3:58) Current Metabolic Routine (4:40) How Your Metabolic State Affects Decision Making (5:48) The Signs of a Great Product (6:32) Bureaucracy is the Enemy of Progress (ALT: Why You Need to Destroy Bureaucracy) (7:20) Giving Feedback that Actually Motivates (7:50) The Key to Feedback is Tone (8:44) The Email You Should Never Send (9:53) Patterns in Bad Decision Making (10:38) Principles of Good Decision Making (11:19) Mental Models for Problem Solving (11:56) The Gaming World Said the Avatar Was a Disaster. He Didn't Listen. (ALT: Why the Gaming World Hated the First Avatar) (12:58) When Instinct and Data Disagree (14:12) Roblox's Magic Decision Making Quadrant (14:38) Inner Monologue of the Best CEOs (15:36) Manufacturing Threats to Achieve Alpha (16:08) Mistakes in Roblox History (18:30) Biggest Generated Universe in World (19:33) Roblox Community's Pushback on New Avatars (20:20) Capital Allocation Strategy (22:28) Building Incentives on Early Roblox (24:31) Early Disagreements on API (26:18) How Erik Cassel Supercharged Roblox (27:05) The Economic Model that Almost Ruined Roblox (31:43) How Robux Works (32:22) Robux as Future Digital Currency (33:34) What True Focus Looks Like (35:14) How Roblox Uses AI (36:11) Age Ban and Verification Policy (38:29) Is Age Verification Slowing Growth at Roblox? (38:56) Positioning and Optionality for Long Term Growth (39:43) The Future of Immersive Gaming (42:51) Reaction to Ready Player One (43:48) Advice For To a 16-Year-Old Wanting to Start a Company ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠ Insta: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠ ------ Follow David: X: https://x.com/DavidBaszucki ------ Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: +Applovin: Launch your first AppLovin campaign and grow your business: https://applovin.com/shane +Matic: the robot vacuum that does it all—grab yourself a year of free bags here. ⁠http://maticrobots.com/shaneparrish⁠ +HeyGen is a message-first AI video platform that helps people and AI agents turn ideas into professional video in minutes. Try for free at https://www.heygen.com/tkp +LMNT: My go-to zero sugar electrolytes — get a free LMNT Sample Pack here: https://DrinkLMNT.com/TKP NOTE: This episode discusses health and medical topics for informational purposes only. Shane and his guest are not medical professionals, and nothing in this conversation should be considered medical advice. Please do your own research and consult a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions about your health. NOTE: Shane and guests may hold positions in assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing in this conversation should be considered investment advice, financial guidance, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always do your own due diligence or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This summer, I’m revisiting one of my favorite episodes. If you haven’t heard it, now is the time. If you have, it’s a classic and worth listening to again. Brad Jacobs has built eight billion-dollar companies, completed more than 500 acquisitions, and created extraordinary returns for shareholders over four decades. Few people understand how great businesses are built better than he does. This conversation is about the principles behind that success. Brad explains how he spots trends before they become obvious, why psychology matters as much as strategy, and how he thinks about acquisitions, hiring, capital allocation, decision-making, and building organizations that consistently outperform. He also shares lessons from therapy, meditation, and decades of leadership that changed how he manages people and makes decisions. ----- Chapters: 00:00 - Finding Every Opportunity to Make Money 02:03 - The Singularity & The Future of AI 04:14 - How to Think Rationally 05:40 - The Meta-Trend Driving the Future 07:50 - His Research Process 10:21 - How to Ask Better Questions 16:26 - Rearranging Your Brain for Success
20:55 - What Music & Math Teach Us About Business 30:59 - The Asymmetry of Leverage, Debt & Optionality 35:07 - The Psychology of Contrarian Bets 40:41 - Where True Confidence Comes From 50:19 - The Hidden Cost of Negative Feedback 56:12 - Core Lessons on Money & Wealth 58:11 - The M&A Playbook: How to Build an Empire 01:07:50 - The Exact Questions to Read Anyone Instantly 01:11:10 - The Reality of Board Meetings 01:16:55 - Frameworks for High-Stakes Decision-Making 01:23:35 - The Brutal Truth About Capital Markets 01:25:40 - Avoid Hiring This Type of Person 01:31:16 - Traits of the World’s Best Capital Allocators 01:33:53 - The Biggest Lesson of the Past Year 01:37:20 - Redefining Personal Success ----- *Note:* ‍Shane and guests may hold positions in assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing in this conversation should be considered investment advice, financial guidance, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always do your own due diligence or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. ----- Follow Brad Jacobs: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradjacobsqxo/ QXO: https://www.qxo.com/ ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠ Insta: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠ ----- Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: +Applovin: Launch your first AppLovin campaign and grow your business: https://applovin.com/shane +HeyGen is a message-first AI video platform that helps people and AI agents turn ideas into professional video in minutes. Try for free at https://www.heygen.com/tkp +Matic: the robot vacuum that does it all—grab yourself a year of free bags here. http://maticrobots.com/shaneparrish +LMNT: My go-to zero sugar electrolytes — get a free LMNT Sample Pack here: https://DrinkLMNT.com/TKP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John D. Rockefeller became the richest man the world had ever known by thinking differently about business, competition, and family.  This episode isn’t just the story of Standard Oil. It’s about the principles that built one of history’s greatest business empires and what they can teach us today.  Along the way, you’ll see the rise of Standard Oil, the public backlash that made Rockefeller America’s most hated businessman, the breakup of his company, and the philanthropic legacy that continues to shape the world today. Enjoy! ------ Chapters: (00:00) The Making of John D. Rockefeller (04:56) The Search for Belonging (07:33) Business Lessons From his Mother (10:54) The Unlikely Lessons he Learned from His Father (15:09) When Rockefeller Decided to Get Rich (17:50) The Relentless Job Search (21:21) Learning How to Run a Business (29:49) The Power of a Good Reputation (34:57) The American Oil Boom (36:34) Rockefeller's Biggest Early Bet (43:28) Rockefeller and Henry Flagler (46:21) The One-Drop Difference (49:22) Building Standard Oil’s Partnership (53:06) How Rockefeller Used Leverage (56:43) From Competition to Cooperation (01:00:43) Why America Turned on Rockefeller (01:08:54) The Cleveland Massacre (01:17:41) Rockefeller’s Private Family Life (01:25:45) Rockefeller and the Panic of 1873 (01:29:39) A Private Life, A Public Empire (01:32:50) Standard Oil’s Pipeline War (01:38:40) Creating the Standard Oil Trust (01:42:37) The Fortress on Broadway (01:48:07) The Backlash Against Standard Oil (01:54:33) Ida Tarbell Takes On Rockefeller (02:02:00) Rockefeller’s Failed Media Strategy (02:14:31) How Standard Oil Stayed One Step Ahead (02:16:06) Breaking Up Standard Oil Made Him Richer (02:19:40) Why Rockefeller Gave It All Away (02:26:28) The Weight of the Rockefeller Name (02:28:52) Rockefeller's Hardest Goodbye (02:34:22) Why Rockefeller Gave Away Dimes (02:38:46) The Richest Man Couldn't Buy Time (02:41:41) John D. Rockefeller’s Legacy ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠ Insta: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠ ------ Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: +CoinShares: Delivering Reason to Digital Asset Investing. ⁠https://coinshares.com/⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices