Peter Beck: How one CEO transformed his fascination with space into a billion-dollar rocket company

We'd like to introduce you to Think Fast, Talk Smart, a podcast hosted by Matt Abrahams and produced by Stanford Graduate School of Business about enhancing your communication skills. “Magic words” allow us to change minds, engage audiences, and influence people to drive action. In this episode, Matt and author Jonah Berger discuss the secrets to persuading others and getting your ideas to catch on. Learn more about Magic Words: What to Say to Get Your Way: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/alumni/news/books/magic-words For transcripts and more information about Think Fast Talk Smart, the Podcast: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/business-podcasts/think-fast-talk-smart-podcast For more Think Fast, Talk Smart resources, as well as for pre-sale of Matt's new book: https://fastersmarter.io/

Here's another episode of a podcast we like, A Slight Change of Plans with Dr. Maya Shankar. Psychologist and author Adam Grant talks with Maya about the science of changing peoples' minds, including our own. Adam also takes some of his own advice and rethinks some of his ideas. Hear more from A Slight Change of Plans: ⁠https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/scps7?sid=how⁠

We hope you enjoyed season two of Wish I Knew! We’re taking a break from releasing new episodes for now, but in the meantime, we’d like to share an episode of a podcast we like, The James Altucher Show. James interviews the world's leading peak performers in every area of life. In this episode, he talks with Polina Pompliano, the author of The Profile, a newsletter that profiles the world's most successful people. They discuss the defining traits that set these exceptional people apart and contributed to their success. If you like this episode, visit jamesaltuchershow.com to listen more.

From consultant to investor to CFO to CEO, Sarah Friar has a business acumen rivaled by few others. Today, Sarah Friar is at the helm of NextDoor, the social network that services over 300,000 neighborhoods globally. NextDoor unites neighbors in matters of utility and community. On Wish I Knew, she shared why you should pay attention to what you both love and hate about your job, why strong conviction in a market thesis can buoy you through hard times, and why it’s never a bad time to raise money. She shares how she navigated her career and trusted her intuition to make smart decisions along the way. Listen to all the Wish I Knew episodes: https://www.bvp.com/wish-i-knew Explore NextDoor’s Transparency Report: https://help.nextdoor.com/s/article/Nextdoor-Transparency-Report-2022

Still touted as one of the most influential social media platforms of modern day, Twitter has taken the digital world by storm ever since its founding in 2006. And it was Dick Costolo -- CEO of Twitter from 2010 - 2015 -- who blazed the trail for Twitter's ubiquity and ultimately, success. But on today's episode, we'll hear how with great power comes very great responsibility, for better or for worse.Listen to all the Wish I Knew episodes: https://www.bvp.com/wish-i-knew

Dave Rogenmoser landed at the helm of the AI revolution in what felt like the blink of an eye. In 2021, Dave co-founded Jasper, an AI writing tool for marketers. Just 18 months later, it became a unicorn company. Today it has a valuation of $1.5 billion. On Wish I Knew, we sat down with Dave, CEO & Co-Founder of Jasper AI, where he cautioned against painting your products into a corner, gave his insight on listening to the presence (or absence) of initial traction, and shared why hiring an executive recruiter was the highest ROI decision he ever made.Listen to all the Wish I Knew episodes: https://www.bvp.com/wish-i-knew

Many companies claim they’re a rocketship—but few mean it literally. As a young child growing up in New Zealand, Peter Beck, CEO of Rocket Lab, spent a lot of time stargazing. His fascination in space inspired a passion-driven career of building a billion-dollar rocket company. Today, Rocket Lab touts the highest launch success rate of any rocket company in history—and was the first private company in the southern hemisphere to go to space. In this conversation, he shares founder lessons on how to build an unlikely business, driven by passion. Listen to all the Wish I Knew episodes: https://www.bvp.com/wish-i-knew

Andy Slavitt’s resume has always reflected his mission: to help people get the healthcare they need. On Wish I Knew, he shares why the most profound experiences of his life have all been risks. With Steven Kraus, Partner at Bessemer, Andy recounts stories of his career in public health, government, and entrepreneurship. He shares why naiveté can be an asset to new entrepreneurs, the lessons from kindergarten that CEOs would be wise to heed, and why handling crises is the best way to build your confidence as a leader.Listen to all the Wish I Knew episodes: https://www.bvp.com/wish-i-knew

Capitalizing on everyday people’s obsession with celebrity, Cameo became a unicorn company within five years of its founding and grew at a rate surpassing even some of tech’s biggest success stories. On Wish I Knew, we sat down with CEO of Cameo Steven Galanis where he shares the biggest mistake he sees aspiring entrepreneurs make, what he wished he knew during his entrepreneurial journey, and the values that keeps him motivated during tough times. Listen to all the Wish I Knew episodes: https://www.bvp.com/wish-i-knew

There’s no simple road to wisdom. Good business sense comes from hard-earned experience and the mistakes from those who came before you. On Season 2 of Wish I Knew, the show about revelatory, life-changing, “ah-ha” moments from leaders, we hear stories about what happens when people take audacious risks to build something great. With David Cowan, Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, as your host, these founders share make-or-break advice—from transforming how we work with artificial intelligence, to building one-in-a-million rockets—and launching them to space. Don't miss this season of Wish I Knew, the podcast that explores why taking risks leads to growth. Listen to all the Wish I Knew episodes: https://www.bvp.com/wish-i-knew