The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish

Fred Smith founded FedEx on an idea everyone told him would fail and built it into an $88 billion empire that changed how the world moves. In this episode, we dive into how he built FedEx and the lessons he learned along the way. This story proves that impossible is just another word for opportunity. ----- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:36) Part 1: The Boy Who Wouldn't Stay Down (15:52) Part 2: The Impossible Company (29:36) Part 3: The Empire Builder (38:12) Epilogue: From Crisis to Legacy (1993–2025) (40:55) Important Things That Didn’t Make It Into the Episode (43:55) Lessons from Fred Smith ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠⁠ Insta ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@farnamstreet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ This episode is for informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Benedict Evans has been calling tech shifts for decades. Now he says forget the hype: AI isn't the new electricity. It's the biggest change since the iPhone, and that's plenty big enough. We talk about why everyone gets platform shifts wrong, where Google's actually vulnerable, and what real people do with AI when nobody's watching. Evans sees patterns others don't. This conversation will change how you think about what's actually happening versus what everyone says is happening. ----- Approximate Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:04) What's your Most Controversial Take On AI? (05:11) Platform Shifts - The Rise Of Automatic Elevators (10:07) Profit Margins In AI (26:37) What Are The Questions We Aren't Asking About AI (39:41) What Benedict Uses AI For (44:21) Thinking By Writing (47:35) Can AI Make Something Original? (52:31) Advice for Students In The Age Of AI? (59:32) Who Will Win The AI Race? (1:11:09) What Is Success For You? ----- Thanks to our sponsors for this episode: SHOPIFY: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at ⁠www.shopify.com/knowledgeproject ⁠ ReMarkable for sponsoring this episode. Get your paper tablet at ⁠⁠reMarkable.com⁠⁠ today NOTION MAIL: Get Notion Mail for free right now at ⁠⁠notion.com/knowledgeproject ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠⁠ Insta ⁠⁠⁠⁠@farnamstreet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One man controls half the world's wild blueberries, built North America's largest private telecom, and did it all without ever leaving his hometown of 1,100 people. In this episode, we decode the counterintuitive playbook of patient capital, rural advantage, and why Bragg's refusal to sell a single share made him unstoppable. My interview with John (#204) was the class. This is the homework. ------ Approximate Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:09) Part One: The Renegade’s Choice (23:47) Part Two: Eastlink (41:16) Part Three: John Bragg: Serial Entrepreneur (52:15) Epilogue: The View from Oxford (54:34) Reflections / Afterthoughts (58:00) John Bragg’s Lesson Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ 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 ⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠ Insta ⁠⁠⁠@farnamstreet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ ------ This episode is for informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This conversation will change how you handle your relationship starting tonight. The late Dr. Sue Johnson basically gave me a cheat code for relationships that not only last but amplify. She breaks down the real signals to look for in a partner. Why people actually cheat (not what you think) and how to spot it coming a mile away. Plus she offers a simple framework that can turn fights from something that pushes you away to something that brings you closer than ever. We dig into how to keep the spark alive (even after kids), how to survive the empty-nest phase, and three simple things you can do to strengthen your relationship. Doesn't matter if you're single, dating, married, or divorced. You need to hear this. ------ Approximate Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (07:11) The Life Cycles Of Relationships (08:13) How Do We Choose A Mate? (17:42) Emotional Responsiveness (24:18) Attachment Panic (32:31) How To Deepen Romantic Relationships (43:53) Isolation In Parenthood (59:50) Sexual Problems Unresolved Lead To Poor Intimacy (1:04:07) Ad Break (1:09:10) Affairs and Infidelity (1:36:58) The Stages Of Emotional Connection In A Relationship (1:39:27) Warning Signs Of Relationship Detachment (1:44:48) Predictors Of Success In Couples Therapy (1:51:29) When Relationships Become Transactional (1:55:09) Raising Kids And Creating A Safe Parental Alliance (1:58:51) Retirement Phase ------ Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ 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 ⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠ Insta ⁠⁠⁠@farnamstreet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sol Price is the most influential retailer you've never heard of. A man who never sought the spotlight, but whose legacy and lessons cover the entire landscape of modern retail. Have you ever wondered why you can still buy a hot dog and soda for $1.50 today at Costco? We can thank Sol Price for that. To him, keeping promises to customers mattered more than profit margins. Sam Walton said he borrowed more ideas from Sol Price than anyone else. Jim Sinegal of Costco said, “I didn’t learn a lot from Sol. I learned everything.” Jeff Bezos studied him. Home Depot echoed him. He invented the warehouse club, pioneered membership retail and built two multi-billion-dollar companies. The real lessons aren’t about what he built, but how he did it. This is the story of how a lawyer with no retail experience created an industry, mentored his competition, and proved that nice guys don't always finish last. ------ Approximate Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:01) Early Years (08:29) Starting FedMart (28:33) Price Club (36:19) When Students Surpass the Teacher (42:09) The Teacher's Last Lesson (43:46) Reflections And Lessons ------ Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ 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 ⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠ Insta ⁠⁠@farnamstreet⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ ------ This episode is for informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Petersen is the founder and CEO of Flexport, the platform that coordinates global logistics from factory floor to customer door. In this conversation, he’s refreshingly transparent about the mistakes and painful lessons he’s learned building several companies. He opens up about stepping down as CEO, his struggles with self-confidence, and what happened when he was forced to step in and save his own company.Along the way, we explore why micromanagement might be the secret to better leadership, how Trump-era tariffs reveal the hidden complexity of global trade, and what it takes to scale a company without losing control. There are stories and lessons here you won’t find anywhere else, from a data leak that triggered a call from Steve Jobs to flying 500 million masks into the U.S. during a global shutdown. Thanks to our sponsors for this episode: SHOPIFY: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at www.shopify.com/knowledgeproject Basecamp: Stop struggling, start making progress. Get somewhere with Basecamp. Sign up free at www.basecamp.com/knowledgeproject ReMarkable for sponsoring this episode. Get your paper tablet at ⁠reMarkable.com⁠ today Approximate Timestamps: (2:49) Early Life (4:58) First “Start Up” (5:38) Living Abroad in China (10:19) Y Combinator (11:13) Steve Jobs & the iPhone 3G Launch (13:41) Lessons from Import Genius (22:33) Lessons from Paul Graham, Billionaire Investor (25:31) Flexport Early Days (36:08) COVID-Era Flexport (40:06) COVID-Era Flexport – Continued (44:09) Hiring Flexport’s First COO (47:02) Stepping Down as CEO of Flexport (51:07) Cutting Cost & Improving Quality (53:57) Lessons from Other CEOs (57:05) How to Hire the Best Employees (59:31) Paul Graham’s Closed-Door Talk (1:03:21) The Value of a 6-Page Monthly Business Review (1:06:57) Why Do Tariffs Matter? (1:09:52) Tricks for Dealing with Tariffs (1:15:43) Other Creative Strategies for Tariffs (1:21:30) Dealing with Operational Bottlenecks (1:27:41) Lessons from Charlie Munger (1:30:12) Lessons from Peter Kaufman (1:37:50) What Is Success for You? Upgrade—If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of all episodes, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. 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 me on X at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠x.com/ShaneAParrish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Katharine Graham took over the Washington Post in 1963, she was a shy socialite who'd never run anything. By retirement, she'd taken down a president, ended the most violent strike in a generation, and built one of the best-performing companies in American history. Graham had no training, no experience, not even confidence. Just a newspaper bleeding money and a government that expected her to fall in line. When her editors brought her stolen classified documents, her lawyers begged her not to publish. They said it would destroy the company. She published them anyway. Nixon came after her, attacking her with the full force of the executive. Then Watergate. For nearly a year she was ridiculed and isolated while pursuing the story that would eventually bring down the president. Graham proved that you can grow into a job that initially seems impossible and no amount of training can substitute for having the right values and the courage to act on them. Approximate timestamps: Subject to variation due to dynamically inserted ads: (02:19) The Making of an Unlikely Heiress (10:15) The Education of a Publisher’s Wife (22:16) Learning to Lead (30:46) Becoming a Media Titan (44:12) Legacy (47:59) Reflections + Lessons This episode is for informational purposes only and is full of practical lessons I learned reading her memoir, Personal History and watching Becoming Katharine Graham. Check out highlights from this book in our repository, and find key lessons from Graham here: ⁠⁠https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/outliers-katharine-graham/ Thanks to ReMarkable for sponsoring this episode. Get your paper tablet at reMarkable.com today Upgrade—If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of all episodes, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. 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 me on X at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠x.com/ShaneAParrish Check out our website for all stock video and photo credits. Episode photo sourced from: iwmf.org/community/katharine-graham/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Kahneman won the Nobel Prize for proving we're not as rational as we think. In this timeless conversation we discuss how to think clearly in a world full of noise, the invisible forces that cloud our judgement, and why more information doesn't equal better thinking. Kahneman also reveals the mental model he discovered at 22 that still guides elite teams today. Approximate timestamps: (00:36) – Episode Introduction (05:37) – Daniel Kahneman on Childhood and Early Psychology (12:44) – Influences and Career Path (15:32) – Working with Amos Tversky (17:20) – Happiness vs. Life Satisfaction (21:04) – Changing Behavior: Myths and Realities (24:38) – Psychological Forces Behind Behavior (28:02) – Understanding Motivation and Situational Forces (30:45) – Situational Awareness and Clear Thinking (34:11) – Intuition, Judgment, and Algorithms (39:33) – Improving Decision-Making with Structured Processes (43:26) – Organizational Thinking and Dissent (46:00) – Judgment Quality and Biases (50:12) – Teaching Negotiation Through Understanding (52:14) – Procedures That Elevate Group Thinking (55:30) – Recording and Reviewing Decisions (57:58) – The Concept of Noise in Decision-Making (01:01:14) – Reducing Noise and Improving Accuracy (01:04:09) – Replication Crisis and Changing Beliefs (01:08:21) – Why Psychologists Overestimate Their Hypotheses (01:12:20) – Closing Thoughts and Gratitude Thanks to MINT MOBILE for sponsoring this episode: Get this new customer offer and your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at MINTMOBILE.com/KNOWLEDGEPROJECT. 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 Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Watch on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tkppodcast Photograph: Richard Saker/The Guardian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They weren’t employees. They were partners. Les Schwab didn’t build a company. He built a culture. This episode reveals how one small-town tire dealer scaled to $3 billion by turning customers into evangelists and employees into owners. Somewhere between changing his first flat tire and opening his 410th Les Schwab Tire Center, Les discovered something profound: his people weren't just working for him, they were working with him. They weren't building his dream, they were building their own. This episode is a case study on how strategy, incentives, and trust create massive advantages that resources can’t buy. When investment bankers offered Schwab billions to sell his empire, he refused after asking himself just one question: “What would I do with the money?” Les Schwab understood something most never learn: the real wealth isn't in what you keep. Approximate timestamps: Subject to variation due to dynamically inserted ads: (01:49) Roots (11:21) In Business (27:50) Building an Empire (40:18) Maturation and Legacy (48:21) Reflections from Les Schwab (51:22) Lessons from Les Schwab This episode is for informational purposes only and is based on Pride in Performance: Keep It Going by Les Schwab Check out highlights from this book in our repository, and find key lessons from Schwab here: https://www.fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/outliers-les-schwab Upgrade—If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of all episodes, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. 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 on X at: ⁠⁠⁠x.com/ShaneAParrish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean to live—and lead—with intention? Shane sits down with his friend and Shopify President Harley Finkelstein to explore what happens when you treat every role in your life—father, husband, leader—as something you have to requalify for, every single year. Harley shares why stepping down as COO was the hardest decision of his life, how a simple family motto is shaping his daughters, and what it really takes to become a world-class storyteller. They also unpack AI’s real advantage, the calendar system that keeps him honest, and the quiet force of standards that never get lowered. It’s a candid look at ambition, identity, and the challenge of holding yourself to a higher standard—everywhere it counts. Approximate timestamps: Subject to variation due to dynamically inserted ads: (00:02:10) Living With Unreasonably High Standards (00:03:40) Generational Trauma and Family Relationships (00:07:52) Growing Up With Adverse Circumstances (00:14:42) Prioritizing In Life And Becoming World Class (00:24:45) Requalifying For Your Job (00:30:05) Mindset for Professional Growth and Success (00:31:33) How To Find A Great Business Partner (00:32:57) Switching From COO Of Shopify To President/Chief Storyteller (00:40:34) How Storytelling Impacts Shopify (00:42:00) How To Get Better At Storytelling (00:46:13) Shopify And How Commerce Has Evolved (00:49:27) Forced Entrepreneurship Vs Passion Based Entrepreneurship (00:51:34) Mentorship (00:59:41) Overcoming Failure And Rejection (01:02:46) Out Caring Is More Important Than IQ, EQ, Raw Talent (01:06:07) Parenting And Teaching A Hardwork Ethic (01:11:23) Teaching Resilience Thanks to our sponsor for supporting this episode: SHOPIFY: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/knowledgeproject 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 Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Watch on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tkppodcast

At 96 years old, Jimmy Pattison still runs his $16 billion empire personally. He’s built it over 63 years without outside capital or a college degree. He owns 100% of car dealerships, billboards, radio stations—even Ripley’s Believe It or Not—with a philosophy of: "No partners, no shareholders, no relatives." This episode reveals the principles behind one of North America’s great private empires: how to build and compound a reputation, why the best deals happen in silence, and what a Japanese bicycle taught him about operational excellence. You’ll learn the hidden advantage of selling “souvenir editions” instead of newspapers, how he turned a ghost radio station into a ratings leader overnight, and why he once fired the entire bottom 10% of his staff—then took them out for steak. Most people play for approval. Pattison plays for permanence through reputation, relentless clarity, and never mistaking flash for fundamentals. This episode is for informational purposes only and is based on Jimmy: An Autobiography by Jim Pattison and Paul Grescoe. Check out highlights from these books in our repository, and find key lessons from Pattison here—⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/outliers-jimmy-pattison/ Approximate timestamps: Subject to variation due to dynamically inserted ads: （00:00) How a Teen Sold Yesterday’s News（01:10) Jimmy Pattison’s Billion-Dollar Playbook（03:24) The Debt That Built Character（05:41) Part 1: Foundations - The Boy Who Sold Seeds Door-To-Door（06:52) When Victory Becomes a Liability（08:46) The University of Used Cars（10:02) The Art of the Close（13:30) When Business Becomes Theater（15:22) The Price of Independence（16:36) The Pattern（17:44) Part 2: Starting to Build - Back to Zero（18:09) The Price of Independence（20:08) Bleeding Money（21:11) The Secret Weapon（22:11) The Main Street Disaster（23:09) Dead Air to Hot Air（24:33) The Ghost Station（25:40) The Conglomerate Dream（27:03) The Target（28:24) Cold Calling Wall Street（29:35) The Silent Hunt（30:49) The Takeover（31:36) Part 3: Neonex International - Perfect Timing, Wrong Direction（32:09) The Magic Money Machine（34:17) The Toast Order（35:06) The Forbidden Target（36:15) The Christmas Surprise（37:27) The Bluff（38:07) The Unraveling（39:07) The Education（40:27) Part 4: The Jim Pattison Group of Companies - Returning the Paintings（40:49) The Corporate Confession（42:08) The New Operating System（44:01) The Dinner That Changed Everything（46:23) The Great Escape（47:31) The Boy and the Bicycle（49:07) The Quality Revolution（51:14) Part 5: The Empire Builder - Still at the Wheel（51:47) The New Playbook（54:17) The Grocery Gambit（55:13) The Media Monopoly（55:52) The Numbers Game（57:20) The Ultimate Lesson（59:15) Reflections and Lessons Upgrade—If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of all episodes, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. 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 on X at: ⁠⁠x.com/ShaneAParrish

On her first day as CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi fired her general counsel. Then rehired him before dinner. It wasn’t a stunt. It was a signal. She ran a $200 billion empire the same way she ran her life: with surgical precision, uncompromising standards, and an allergy to corporate theater. But here's what separates this conversation from every other CEO interview: she tells you what her massive ambition cost her and her family. What it means to carry the hopes of millions who look like you. What happens when a strategy you bet your career on starts to crumble. She reveals her private system for tracking 400 rising stars inside of a corporate giant and the advice Steve Jobs gave her that changed everything. If you’ve ever felt the pull between ambition and identity, this one’s for you. Indra doesn’t just talk about power. She shows what it costs. Approximate timestamps: Subject to variation due to dynamically inserted ads: （03:53）Growing Up In India （11:07） Lessons From Working In Consulting （21:36） Being Direct As A Leader / Delivering A Message That Gets Heard （24:14） Developing Talent （26:42）How To Minimize Office Politics （32:56）Prioritizing Work / Finding Balance （37:30）Turnover After A CEO Change （42:10） CEO Vs Board Member （46:22）Implementable Change In A Company （48:17） Removing Friction Instead Of Using Force （48:34）How To Be A Good Board Member （49:47）Lessons From Amazon （51:36） Leading Through Crisis （55:18） Dealing With Activist Investors （59:13） Women As CEOS / Biases In The Workplace （01:00:42) Equality of Opportunity / How To Hire The Best （01:03:50）Bias In Performance Reviews （01:05:27）Almost Quitting PepsiCo （01:07:05）What I Learned From Steve Jobs （01:11:51）Lessons From Costco And Walmart （01:20:00）Secrets to PepsiCo Merchandising （01:21:01）Outsourcing Bottlers At PepsiCo Then Reversing The Decision （01:22:16）Making Decisions At A Multi-Billion Dollar Company （01:23:56）Lessons From Acquisitions （01:27:09) Traits Of A High Performing Employee （01:29:01） Remote Work Vs In Office Thanks to our sponsors for supporting this episode: NORDVPN: To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan go to ⁠⁠⁠nordvpn.com/KNOWLEDGEPROJECT⁠⁠. Our link will also give you 4 extra months on the 2-year plan. There's no risk with Nord’s 30 day money-back guarantee! MINT MOBILE: Get this new customer offer and your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at MINTMOBILE.COM/KNOWLEDGEPROJECT. MOMENTOUS: Head to ⁠www.livemomentous.com⁠ and use code KNOWLEDGEPROJECT for 35% off your first subscription. 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 Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Watch on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@tkppodcast

The job was editor-in-chief. The goal was to become the platform. And she did. Once she made it to the top, she didn’t just edit Vogue. She reinvented the power structures beneath it. This episode unpacks how a British girl who couldn’t type built the most bulletproof career in media, survived five decades of disruption, and made herself indispensable to fashion, politics, and culture. You’ll hear how she weaponized speed over perfection, fired half the Vogue staff in three days, and turned a porn-funded job into a fashion laboratory. Why she said “Your job” when asked what she wanted. Why she put Madonna on the cover at the peak of a scandal. Why standards—not popularity—are her real moat. It’s not about fashion. It’s about building systems no one can take from you. Most people aim for realistic. Anna Wintour named her destination—Editor of Vogue—at sixteen, then built a ladder no one else could climb. This episode is for informational purposes only and is based on Amy Odell’s Anna: The Biography. Simon & Schuster, 2022. Check out highlights from these books in our repository, and find key lessons from Wintour here—⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/outliers-anna-wintour/ Approximate timestamps: Subject to variation due to dynamically inserted ads: (03:48 ) PART 1: A Childhood Defined: The Girl Who Couldn’t Type(05:50) Anna Chooses Her Path(07:28) Learning by Drowning(09:46) The Tyranny of Standards(12:01) When Merit Meets Reality (13:44) PART 2: Conquering New York: The Quiet Revolutionary(16:05) Quiet Focus(18:10) The Best Worst Job(19:29) A Reputation from Nothing(21:00) In the Wilderness(22:39) The Preparation Advantage(25:40) The Audacity Play(27:22) The London Interlude(28:44) The Execution (30:19) PART 3: Vogue’s Transformation: The Devil in the Details(32:04) Speed as Strategy(34:56) The Celebrity Revolution(38:44) The Three-Assistant Solution(41:07) Balancing Art and Commerce(43:11) Cannibalizing Yourself First (46:46) PART 4: Anna’s Empire: The Power of Compartmentalization(48:05) The Empire Strategy(49:44) Crisis as Opportunity(51:58) The Digital Reinvention(53:27) The Currency of Influence(54:36) The Machine Anna Built(56:11) The Persistence of Power (58:23) Reflections, afterthoughts, and lessons Upgrade—If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of all episodes, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. 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 on X at: ⁠x.com/ShaneAParrish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you build a high-performance culture without turning your company into the Hunger Games? Reed Hastings, co-founder and former CEO of Netflix, shares lessons from a career spent rewriting the rules—from severance as a management tool to “big-hearted champions who pick up the trash.” In this episode, he reveals how Netflix scaled trust, made bold bets before the data was in, and kept its edge by treating employees like adults—not assets. You’ll hear how Hastings evaluates talent beyond the interview, the reason he avoids performance improvement plans, and what most leaders misunderstand about judgment, feedback, and innovation. You’ll also hear why he placed a $100 million bet on House of Cards with no pilot, how Drive to Survive changed an entire sport, and why Squid Game caught even Netflix by surprise. Now focused on a new chapter—owning a ski mountain, reshaping education through AI tutors, and supporting charter schools—Hastings is still doing what he does best: building systems that scale culture, not just product. If you care about performance without politics—or culture without the clichés—this is a blueprint from one of the clearest thinkers in modern business. Approximate timestamps: Subject to variation due to dynamically inserted ads: (3:09) Powder Mountain, Skiing Industry, & Buying a Mountain (6:36) Setting Culture in an Organization (9:21) Hiring Process and Evaluating Candidates (14:24) Netflix's 2009 Slide Deck Release (16:26) Talent Density and Performance Culture (17:59) Loyalty and Team Building (19:56) Severance Packages (22:17) Process Vs. Innovation (24:21) Preventing Bureaucracy from Creeping In (25:46) Identifying and Nurturing Good Judgment (26:40) Transition from CEO to Board Member (27:37) Competitive Landscape of Online Streaming (29:18) Role of Netflix in Driving Industry Interest (31:25) Handling Controversy: The Dave Chappelle Case (33:59) Inclusiveness and DEI in the Workplace (35:10) Customer Satisfaction and Operating Income (36:06) Decision Making in Content Acquisition: House of Cards (37:28) Creating vs Buying Content (38:46) Data Collection and User Preferences (40:32) AI in Netflix and Personal Use (42:33) AI in Education (45:12) Charter Schools and Importance of Education (48:07) Charter Schools and Government Control (52:34) Misconceptions and Personal Projects (53:25) Admiration for Bill Gates (55:04) Work-Life Integration (56:59) Reflections on Career and Obsession (59:12) The Netflix Keeper Test (1:00:38) Learning from Past Experiences at Pure Software (1:02:27) Challenges and Regrets at Pure Software (1:03:38) Role of the Board in Founder-led Companies (1:04:49) Venture Capital Experiences and Insights (1:05:31) Defining Moments and Openness to New Experiences (1:06:14) First Product Excitement: The Foot Mouse (1:07:19) Definition of Success Thanks to our sponsors for supporting this episode: NORDVPN: To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan go to ⁠⁠nordvpn.com/KNOWLEDGEPROJECT⁠. Our link will also give you 4 extra months on the 2-year plan. There's no risk with Nord’s 30 day money-back guarantee! MOMENTOUS: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com and use code KNOWLEDGEPROJECT for 35% off your first subscription. 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 Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Watch on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠@tkppodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people fear a $43 million debt. Harvey Firestone called it “invigorating.” When his company faced collapse in 1920 and his executives panicked, Firestone seized control. He fired the sales manager, slashed prices 25%, and personally ran the sales department. It worked—not because he managed through fear, but through clarity. Firestone was the founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company—an outsider who built one of America’s iconic industrial empires by doing the opposite of what everyone else did. This episode isn’t about tires. It’s about how Firestone quietly built one of the great businesses of the 20th century by asking two deceptively simple questions: Is it necessary? Can it be simplified? This episode breaks down the invisible principles behind Firestone’s success: positioning over talent, inputs over outcomes, discipline over drama. If you lead a team or simply want to lead yourself better, this story is a masterclass in building enduring advantages. This episode is for informational purposes only and is based on Men and Rubber: The Story of Business by Harvey Firestone. Check out highlights from these books in our repository, and find key lessons from Firestone here—⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/outliers-harvey-firestone/ (03:00) PART 1: The Best Businessman I Ever Knew(06:50) The Vanilla Extract Lesson(10:23) When Premium Doesn’t Matter (12:05) PART 2: Right Beneath the Wheels(14:21) The Back of an Envelope(16:36) If Two of Us Stay, Neither Makes Money(18:39) Betting on what Doesn’t Change(20:55) The Accidental Breakfast(24:53) The Third Option (28:19) PART 3: The Innovators Dilemma: Pneumatic Tires(32:24) The Ford Connection: A Partnership of Outsiders(35:23) Navigating the Crisis(37:17) The Underdog’s Advantage(39:24) The Million Dollar Milestone(43:10) Weathering the Panic of 1907(45:55) The Simplicity Imperative (51:25) PART 4: The Ship-by-Truck Revolution(54:31) The Boom That Hid Everything(56:11) The 25% Solution(01:01:42) Cutting to the Bone (01:04:25) PART 5: Why He Never Stopped(01:06:54) The Human Element(01:08:09) The Legacy (01:10:05) Reflections, afterthoughts, and lessons Upgrade—If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of all episodes, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. 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 on X at: x.com/ShaneAParrish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eight Super Bowl rings. Six with the Patriots. And a mindset that goes far deeper than football. In this rare, wide-ranging conversation, Bill Belichick breaks down the invisible factors behind sustained excellence: discipline, preparation, and the mental edge that separates contenders from champions. He shares the surprising reason he kept Tom Brady as a fourth-string rookie, why talent alone is never enough at the highest level, and how true competitors find ways to win long after their gifts fade. You’ll hear why Belichick cut a player the week of the Super Bowl, how technology is changing player preparation and locker room culture, and why “we have control of the game” became the rallying belief in the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. This episode covers everything from how he decides when to push a player—or pull back—to how trust is built inside elite teams. Belichick also explains why the price of success is always paid in advance—and why there’s no shortcut around the work. If you lead a team, or want to lead yourself better, this episode is a masterclass from the greatest football mind of our time. Approximate timestamps: Subject to variation due to dynamically inserted ads: (00:42) Patriots' Employee Guiding Principles (04:25) Talent vs Hard Work (05:43) Competitive Spirit (10:38) You Cannot Win Until You Keep From Losing (15:11) The Drawer and Prioritizing Your Goals (17:07) Social Media, Technology, and Football (24:45) Preparation and Success (27:55) Confidence In The NFL (29:45) Kobe Bryant & Learning To Evolve As You Get Older (31:02) Other Guest Speakers And Their Lessons (32:28) Disciplining NFL Players (39:45) Working Your Way Up & How To Train Staff (47:56) Motivation & Discipline (56:08) Correcting Mistakes and Moving On (58:28) Building A Team vs Collecting Talent (01:00:13) How Has NFL Coaching Changed In The Last 5 Years? (01:01:43) 4 Patriot Rules For Staying Grounded (01:06:11) Super Bowl LI Patriots' Comeback Thanks to our sponsors for supporting this episode: SHOPIFY: Upgrade your business and get the same checkout I use. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at ⁠shopify.com/knowledgeproject⁠ NOTION MAIL: Get Notion Mail for FREE at notion.com/knowledgeproject NORDVPN: To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan go to ⁠nordvpn.com/KNOWLEDGEPROJECT. Our link will also give you 4 extra months on the 2-year plan. There's no risk with Nord’s 30 day money-back guarantee! MINT MOBILE: Shop premium wireless plans at mintmobile.com/KNOWLEDGEPROJECT 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 Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Watch on YouTube: ⁠⁠@tkppodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people protect their identity. Andy Grove would rewrite his, again and again. He started as a refugee, became a chemist, turned himself into an engineer, then a manager, and finally the CEO who built Intel into a global powerhouse. He didn’t cling to credentials or titles. When a challenge came up, he didn’t delegate, he learned. This episode explores the radical adaptability that made Grove different. While his peers obsessed over innovation, he focused on something far more enduring: the systems, structures, and people needed to scale that innovation. Grove understood that as complexity rises, technical brilliance fades and coordination becomes king. You’ll learn how he redefined leadership, why he saw management as a creative act, and what most founders still get wrong about building great companies. If you’re serious about getting better—at work, at thinking, at leading—this is the episode you’ll be glad you didn’t miss. This episode is for informational purposes only and most of the research came from The Life and Times of an American by Richard S. Tedlow, Only the Paranoid Survive by Andy Grove, and Tom Wolfe’s profile of Robert Noyce available here. Check out highlights from these books in our repository, and find key lessons from Grove here — ⁠⁠https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/outliers-andy-grove/⁠ (05:02 ) PART 1: Hungarian Beginnings(06:48) German Occupation(09:27) Soviet Liberation(11:01) End of the War(12:35) Leaving Hungary (14:10) PART 2: In America(16:50) Origin of Silicon Valley(20:04) Fairchild (22:54) PART 3: Building Intel(25:15) Becoming a Manager(29:39) Intel's Make-or-Break Moment(31:35) Quality Control Obsession(34:41) Orchestrating Brilliance(37:49) The Microprocessor Revolution and Intel's Growth(40:32) Intel's Growth and the Microma Lesson(30:51) The Grove Influence(47:00) The Birth of Intel Culture(49:42) ​​The Fruits of Transformation(50:43) The Test Ahead (53:07) PART 4: Inflection Points(55:23) The Valley of Death(58:26) The IBM Lesson(01:01:18) CASSANDRA’s: The Value of Middle Management(01:04:09) Executing a Painful Pivot (01:08:25) Reflections, afterthoughts, and lessons Thanks to our sponsors for supporting this episode: MOMENTOUS: Head to ⁠⁠livemomentous.com⁠⁠ and use code KNOWLEDGEPROJECT for 35% off your first subscription. NOTION MAIL: Get Notion Mail for free right now at ⁠notion.com/knowledgeproject Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of all episodes, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the world’s most connected tech investor handed you his mental playbook? Elad Gil, an investor behind Airbnb, Stripe, Coinbase and Anduril, flips conventional wisdom on its head and prioritizes market opportunities over founders. Elad decodes why innovation has clustered geographically throughout history, from Renaissance Florence to Silicon Valley, where today 25% of global tech wealth is created. We get into why he believes AI is dramatically under-hyped and still under-appreciated, why remote work hampers innovation, and the self-inflicted wounds that he's seen kill most startups. This is a masterclass in pattern recognition from one of tech's most consistent and accurate forecasters, revealing the counterintuitive principles behind identifying world-changing ideas. Disclaimer: This episode was recorded in January. The pace of AI development is staggering, and some of what we discussed has already evolved. But the mental models Elad shares about strategy, judgment, and high-agency thinking are timeless and will remain relevant for years to come. Approximate timestamps: Subject to variation due to dynamically inserted ads. (2:13) - Investing in Startups (3:25) - Identifying Outlier Teams (6:37) - Tech Clusters (9:55) - Remote Work and Innovation (11:19) - Role of Y Combinator (15:19) - The Waves of AI Companies (20:24) - AI's Problem Solving Capabilities (26:13) - AI's Learning Process (30:41) - Prompt Engineering and AI (32:00) - AI's Role in Future Development (34:37) - AI's Impact on Self-Driving Technology (40:16) - The Role of Open Source in AI (43:23) - The Future of AI in Big Players (44:23) - Regulation and Safety Concerns in AI (49:11) - Common Self-Inflicted Wounds (51:34) - Scaling the CEO and Avoiding Conventional Wisdom (55:21) - Workplace Culture (58:39) - Patterns Among Outlier CEOs (1:15:50) - Remote Work and its Implications (1:18:47) - The Impact of Clusters and Exceptional Individuals (1:25:41) - Investing in Defense Technology (1:27:38) - Business Model Shift in the Defense Industry (1:31:46) - Changes in Warfare SHOPIFY: Upgrade your business and get the same checkout I use. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/knowledgeproject NORDVPN: To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan go to nordvpn.com/KNOWLEDGEPROJECT. Our link will also give you 4 extra months on the 2-year plan. There's no risk with Nord’s 30 day money-back guarantee! 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 Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Watch on YouTube: ⁠@tkppodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trusted by Fortune 500 CEOs and elite performers, this is where you go to think better, live better, and get ahead. Each week, Shane Parrish goes deep with the world’s sharpest minds—founders, economists, bestselling authors—to uncover the mental models, habits, and strategies behind extraordinary results. The Knowledge Project isn't just a podcast—it’s a masterclass in Clear Thinking. Speaking of, check out Shane's book, Clear Thinking: fs.blog/clear Be sure to watch the full episodes of all guests featured in this trailer for phenomenal insights: Mickey Drexler: Episode #213: The Art of Selling with Retail's Merchant Prince John Bragg: Episode #204: The Blueberry Billionaire Brad Jacobs: Episode #190: How To Build a Billion Dollar Company Logan Ury: Episode #219: The Dating Myths You Need to Stop Believing Maya Shankar: Episode #198: The Science of Identity Andrew Huberman: Episode #133: The Science of Small Changes David Sinclair: Episode #136: Reversing the Aging Process Morgan Housel: Episode #195: Get Rich, Stay Rich April Dunford: Episode #201: The Marketing Expert Bryan Johnson: Episode #188: Five Habits for Longer Living Seth Godin: Episode #105: Failing On Our Way To Mastery Dr. Rhonda Patrick: Episode #191: Diet Essentials For Healthy Living Bruce Flatt: Episode #221: Value, Discipline, and Durability Jack Kornfield: Episode #156: Finding Inner Calm Check out Shane's appearance on The Rich Roll podcast: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHHJfwmR-RQ&t=6294s 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 Join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠ to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of episodes and more. Watch on YouTube: ⁠@tkppodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rose Blumkin didn’t just build a business. She revolutionized retail. After fleeing Russia with $66 in her purse, she opened a basement furniture store in Omaha at 43 years old—with no English, no education, and no connections. Her formula? Sell cheap, tell the truth, don't cheat the customer. Nebraska Furniture Mart would survive depressions, fires, lawsuits, tornadoes—and eventually become a billion-dollar empire Warren Buffett called “the ideal business.” Learn how Mrs. B’s relentless focus, radical simplicity, and unbreakable work ethic built an empire from scratch—and what her story teaches us about business, resilience, and the power of earned trust. This episode is for informational purposes only and most of the research came from "Women of Berkshire Hathaway" and oral history interviews with Rose Blumkin and her daughter Frances. (03:20 ) PART 1: Early Childhood (07:10) A Natural Entrepreneur (09:37) PART 2: Building an Empire (12:53) The Competition (15:54) The Passing of Isadore (18:32) Expansion through Hardship (20:32) Natural Instinct for Character (25:15) PART 3: The $60m Handshake / The Buffett Connection (28:25) A Rebel at 96 (33:47) Reflections, afterthoughts, and lessons Thanks to our sponsors for supporting this episode: MOMENTOUS: Head to ⁠livemomentous.com⁠ and use code KNOWLEDGEPROJECT for 35% off your first subscription. NOTION MAIL: Get Notion Mail for free right now at notion.com/knowledgeproject Check out highlights from this books in our repository, and find key lessons from Blumkin here — fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/outliers-rose-blumkin Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of all episodes, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices