This episode will transform how you think about style, aspiration, and the art of knowing what people want before they know it themselves. From working in department stores to advising Steve Jobs on Apple’s retail strategy when it didn’t have retail at all, Drexler’s career traces the evolution of American retail itself: from local shops to mall dominance, from catalog to digital, from mass market to personalization. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a retail enthusiast, or someone looking to build a brand that stands the test of time, Mickey shares invaluable insights on what separates truly successful brands from the rest. ﻿Mickey Drexler is the chairman of Alex Mill. Before that, he was the CEO of J. Crew and sat on the Board of Directors of Apple. He founded Old Navy and Madewell, and served as the CEO of Gap from 1983–2002. Learn why gaining real-world insights—and not just reports or data—is crucial to staying ahead of the competition. 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 (02:16) How Mickey Drexler became Mickey Drexler (07:04) Lessons from redefining Gap (12:47) Merchant, defined (15:17) How Drexler evaluates stores (19:20) Lessons from running Gap (21:19) On Old Navy (27:26) On Steve Jobs and Working with Apple (33:00) Re-making J. Crew (37:00) Drexler's superpower (43:40) Current-day retailers who are great (45:10) How Drexler got "Madewell" (47:15) What makes something a classic look? (50:20) On success Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish

#213 Mickey Drexler: The Art of Selling with Retail's Merchant Prince

Alfred Lin shares strategies for navigating startup challenges, building resilient teams, and creating long-lasting value. Lin explores lessons from companies like Zappos, Airbnb, DoorDash, and Amazon, offering actionable insights on topics like hiring for potential, managing crises, and fostering innovative cultures. Learn how first-principles thinking, customer focus, and disciplined growth can transform challenges into opportunities, even in the face of unprecedented disruptions. Lin is a partner at Sequoia Capital. He represents Sequoia on boards like Airbnb and DoorDash. From January 2005 to December 2010, he served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Operating Officer of Zappos. He has a Bachelors in Applied Mathematics from Harvard and a Masters in Statistics from Stanford. 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ -- Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. -- Follow me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/shaneparrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tkppodcast (00:00) Intro (03:20) Personal Journey: From Taiwan to Entrepreneur (04:51) School Days: Lessons in Creativity and Discipline (06:21) Infinite Games: Shaping Life's Philosophy (08:12) Core Values and Life Principles (10:09) Work-Life Balance and Family Insights (12:13) Inputs vs Outputs: Daily Routines and Priorities (13:56) First Order Issues: Problem Solving in Business (18:46) Early Career: From LinkExchange to Zappos (44:01) Facing the 9/11 Crisis (44:24) Building a Profitable Company (44:50) Creative Financing Strategies (45:55) Customer Service Focus (48:53) Handling High Return Rates (53:31) Zappos' Unique Culture (55:47) Holacracy Management System (56:53) Maintaining Growth and Culture (58:37) Avoiding Complacency (01:10:21) Crucible Moments (01:13:28) First Principles Thinking (01:14:17) Navigating the Pandemic (01:27:37) The Essence of Company Values (01:28:04) Pros and Cons of Remote Work (01:29:52) Building Company Culture in a Hybrid World (01:33:11) Investment Strategies in Changing Markets (01:37:37) The AI Revolution and Its Future (02:01:56) Balancing Standardization and Customization (02:04:44) Working Backwards vs. Forwards (02:10:53) Defining Success: The Importance of Process Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#212 Alfred Lin: How to Think (and Work) Like a World-Class Investor

Whether you’re looking to increase your income, start a side business, or completely transform your financial future, Codie Sanchez will break down exactly what separates those who successfully build wealth from those who stay stuck. This conversation is packed with immediately actionable insights covering the biggest myths around money, the difference between acquiring and keeping money, the rich versus broke mindset and how it changes everything, non obvious lessons on negotiating, and more. Plus, we talk about the single most important thing to know about building financial freedom—and it’s not what you think it is. After spending nearly two decades on Wall Street, Codie Sanchez struck out on her own and has been buying and investing in businesses since 2012. She now runs a holding company of small and medium-sized businesses. Her unique focus is on “boring businesses” like laundromats and lawn care services. Sanchez is also the author of Main Street Millionaire: How to Make Extraordinary Wealth in Ordinary Businesses. 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ -- Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. -- Follow me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/shaneparrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tkppodcast (00:00) Intro (02:48) Codie Sanchez's Journey to Business Acquisition (04:21) Understanding the Language of Money (07:06) The Importance of Financial Freedom (16:12) Learning and Earning in Your 20s (17:32) The Power of Proximity and Mentorship (28:37) The Role of Effort and Determination in Success (39:45) Lessons from Business Failures (44:22) Mastering Business Focus and Layering (46:31) Misconceptions About Money (48:21) Saving vs. Earning: A Financial Perspective (51:57) The Rich vs. Broke Mindset (53:24) Allies vs. Friends in Success (01:09:04) The Importance of Reputation (01:20:41) Negotiation and Sales Skills (01:23:40) The Art of Door Knocking (01:25:07) Defining Good and Bad Businesses (01:26:26) Identifying Business Problems (01:27:57) Hiring the Right People (01:42:57) Traits of High Performers (01:46:42) Balancing Work and Personal Life (01:57:37) Investing as a W2 Employee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#211 Codie Sanchez: Your Blueprint to Financial Freedom

The Knowledge Project closes 2024 with a look back at some of the best conversations of the year. Featuring interviews from some of our most downloaded episodes ever, this collection of conversations offers a variety of insights into finances and investing, improving your communication, marketing and positioning, business frameworks, health and nutrition, and how to beat death. This conversation features segments from finance expert and writer Morgan Housel, non-verbal psychologist Blake Eastman, marketing and positioning expert April Dunford, blueberry billionaire John Bragg, parenting extraordinaire Becky Kennedy, a billion dollar CEO Brad Jacobs, nutrition guru Rhonda Patrick, and the guy who is beating death, Bryan Johnson. 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ -- Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. -- Follow me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/shaneparrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tkppodcast 00:00 - Intro 02:12 - Transform your finances (Morgan Housel) 12:10 - Transform your communication (Blake Eastman) 22:04 - Transform how you sell yourself (April Dunford) 33:01 - Transform your business philosophy (John Bragg) 44:31 - Transform your emotions and attitude (Becky Kennedy) 57:45 - Transform your business tactics (Brad Jacobs) 01:07:28 - Transform your nutrition (Dr. Rhonda Patrick) 01:18:06 - Transform your lifespan (Bryan Johnson) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#210 Best of 2024: The Blueprint for a Transformative New Year

In this episode, Charlie Hoehn explains the secrets behind why some books are unforgettable, and others no one seems to remember. He shares his journey of helping authors transform their ideas into best-selling books and provides actionable advice on structuring, writing, and marketing a book. You'll learn how to craft titles that make people want to read your book, design compelling covers that stand out on the shelves, and use certain strategies to engage readers effectively depending on the ideas you communicate. Hoehn also shares the psychology behind book promotion, how to leverage feedback, and the dynamics of traditional versus self-publishing. Whether tackling a novel or email, this episode will transform how you write and communicate. Charlie Hoehn is the founder of Author.Inc and a 3-time New York Times bestselling editor. He's the mind behind some of the influential books from Tim Ferriss, Ramit Sethi, Codie Sanchez, and Noah Kagan. Charlie's expertise has helped sell over 10 million books. 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ -- Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. -- Follow me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/shaneparrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- (00:00) Intro (03:04) Helping Authors Succeed (03:38) Writing for a Specific Audience (07:14) The Importance of Real Feedback (10:18) Traditional vs. Self-Publishing (20:50) The Economics of Self-Publishing (24:42) The Art of Book Cover Design (30:29) Crafting a Compelling Title (36:42) The Importance of Book Structure (47:22) Editing: The Final Touch (51:35) Book Sales Percentiles (52:32) The Harsh Reality of Book Sales (54:20) The Emotional Impact of Writing (55:12) Dealing with Compliments and Criticism (58:24) The Quest for Bestseller Lists (1:00:04) The Complexities of Hitting the New York Times List (1:12:25) Leveraging AI in Writing (1:20:21) Effective Marketing Strategies for Authors (1:28:14) Creating Evergreen Content (1:35:30) The Importance of Authenticity in Writing (1:40:54) Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#209 Charlie Hoehn: Write Something People Want to Read

Ryan Holiday unpacks the subtle and not-so-subtle messages life sends us—and what happens when we ignore them. From mismatched tattoos and injured ankles, Ryan reflects on the lessons he’s learned about preparation, awareness, and humility. Using examples ranging from personal missteps to famous entrepreneurial gambles, this episode is a deep dive into the art of learning from experience, knowing when to listen, and the cost of stubbornness. Plus, Holiday revisits his roots to discuss how Stoic principles can guide you in navigating feedback, balancing ambition with self-awareness, and understanding the fine line between determination and delusion. Holiday is a New York Times bestselling author. He has written over 10 books, covering both the fundamentals of Stoicism as well as key elements of modern-day marketing and media. His most recent release is Right Thing, Right Now. Holiday has been a guest on the podcast twice before. 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ -- Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. -- Follow me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/shaneparrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tkppodcast (00:00) Intro (02:20) When to Ignore Advice (04:49) The Importance of Reflection and Journaling (07:26) Balancing Emotions and Stoic Practices (24:34) Misconceptions and Historical Context of Stoicism (29:53) The Pursuit of Excellence and Its Trade-offs (40:58) The Power of Saying No and Opportunity Costs (49:09) The Role of Anger and Emotional Control (52:58) Defining Self-Discipline (53:43) The Essence of Self-Discipline (54:29) Balancing Discipline and Life (55:09) Consistency and Overcoming Setbacks (56:09) The Struggle with Compulsive Tendencies (58:33) Navigating Competition and Personal Goals (01:01:22) Cultivating Discipline Through Physical Practice (01:02:15) Instilling Discipline in Children (01:04:22) Understanding Character and Virtue (01:23:32) The Impact of Modern Technology on Writing (01:35:04) Defining Success and Managing Expectations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#208 Ryan Holiday: How to Win the War with Yourself

Investor Adam Karr reveals his hidden playbook for spotting exceptional CEOs and building extraordinary businesses. Learn his counterintuitive techniques—from the surprising link between writing skills and executive performance to the 10-minute test that unveils a leader's true potential. Packed with battle-tested wisdom, Karr shares the deceptively simple principles that separate great business leaders from the merely good. Adam Karr is the President and Portfolio Manager at Orbis Investments. (00:00) Intro (02:44) Investing Strategies and Market Games (04:08) Adapting and Evolving Investment Styles (05:20) The Importance of Obsession and Environment (06:29) Aligning with Long-Term Investment Goals (07:11) Identifying and Evaluating Obsessed CEOs (08:13) The Role of Culture in Investment Decisions (08:54) Building Long-Term Positions and Overcoming Short-Term Pressures (12:21) The Blueprint for Success (15:24) Learning from Role Models and Mentors (21:25) The Power of Writing and Decision Analytics (29:11) The Magic in the Last 5% of Investment Research (35:25) Understanding Roll-Ups: Success Factors and Challenges (36:01) Applying Knowledge for an Unfair Advantage (37:42) Learning from Feedback and Case Studies (40:47) The Importance of Independent Thinking (43:06) Lessons from Industry Leaders (49:32) The Will to Practice and Time Management (56:44) Positioning for Success and Resilience (01:08:59) Defining Success and Helping Others 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ -- Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. -- Follow me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/shaneparrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tkppodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#207 Adam Karr: The Investing Blueprint

From near bankruptcy after a devastating flood to a $13.7 billion Amazon acquisition, Whole Foods founder John Mackey reveals how a small health food store became an empire that revolutionized American eating. Discover how a single near-death experience transformed a 25-year-old college dropout into the pioneer of the organic food movement. Mackey shares raw insights from the frontlines: how he turned hostile customers into evangelists, survived multiple extinction-level threats, and built a mission-driven billion-dollar business without compromising its soul. John Mackey is the co-founder of Whole Foods Market, where he was the CEO of the company from 1980 to 2022. He is the author of the bestselling book, Conscious Capitalism. 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ -- Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. -- Follow me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/shaneparrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tkppodcast 00:00 Introduction 02:30 From Safer Way to Whole Foods: The Early Days 03:46 The Struggles and Successes of Whole Foods 05:22 Navigating Criticism and Market Realities 08:36 The Lamar Location and the 100-Year Flood 10:46 Rebuilding and Realizing Stakeholder Value 14:57 Learning the Retail Ropes 22:35 Growth, Challenges, and Entrepreneurial Resilience 35:51 Acquisitions and Expanding the Whole Foods Empire 41:17 The Drive to Build a Chain 42:17 Founder-Led vs. Professional Management 44:38 Challenges of Bureaucracy 46:56 The Importance of Cost Control 50:44 Entrepreneurial Spirit and Creativity 52:56 Facing Leadership Challenges 01:02:57 The Amazon Merger 01:19:01 Capitalism vs. Socialism 01:26:27 The Illusion of Control in Socialism 01:27:44 The Kibbutz Experiment: Idealism vs. Reality 01:30:53 Capitalism: A Win-Win Game 01:32:04 The Power of Win-Win-Win Philosophy 01:34:28 A Personal Story: Winning Over Deborah 01:37:29 The Role of Business Planning 01:38:49 Qualities of Successful Entrepreneurs 01:49:12 The Hero's Journey: Advice for Young Entrepreneurs 01:51:05 Introducing Love Life: A Holistic Health Venture 01:57:18 The Importance of Whole Foods and Nutrition 02:08:09 Concluding Thoughts on Success and Happiness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#206 John Mackey: Building Whole Foods

Rob Fraser unveils the untold story of OUTWAY—from hawking socks on street corners to building an eight-figure empire. Surviving near-catastrophic business crises, he leveraged lessons from his professional sports career to navigate the business world. Discover the counterintuitive mental models that transformed a world-class athlete into a business maverick, turning the humble sock into a ten-million-dollar revolution. As a special offer to listeners, the TKP community can get 30% off using the code SHANE at checkout. https://outway.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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ Upgrade If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Follow Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/ Follow Rob: X: https://x.com/robbfraser LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbfraser/ Sponsors: Somewhere.com https://www.somewhere.com/ Overlap: https://www.joinoverlap.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#205 Rob Fraser: The Power of Focus

From a tiny village, John Bragg quietly built an empire that controls half the world's wild blueberries and North America's largest private telecom network. In this rare interview, the famously private billionaire reveals how he defied conventional wisdom by transforming a small farm into two multi-billion-dollar giants. Discover the contrarian principles that helped Bragg dominate seemingly unrelated industries—from frozen foods to fiber optics—and build businesses designed to thrive for generations, not just quarters. 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ Upgrade If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Follow Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/ Sponsors: Overlap: https://www.joinoverlap.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#204 John Bragg: The Blueberry Billionaire

When Princeton-educated attorney Erin Wade left law to open a restaurant, she didn't just create award-winning comfort food—she engineered a revolutionary workplace culture. This conversation reveals how she transformed an Oakland mac and cheese restaurant into a laboratory for modern management principles. Wade shares her groundbreaking 'color code of conduct' system (now adopted globally) and her radical approach to open-book management. A masterclass in building culture, solving industry-wide challenges, and leading with precision rather than convention. 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ Upgrade If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Follow Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/ (00:00) Intro (02:30) Wade's surfing obsession (04:42) Defeating overthinking (05:00) Wade's background in food (06:40) Wade's law detour (10:20) On being fired (12:40) Early mistakes and freedom (20:00) Employee-centric companies (32:30) Homeroom Hard Times (34:40) How Wade's law background helped (and hurt) (42:40) The Color Code of Conduct (49:30) Why Wade sold Homeroom (and how she felt) (55:58) Impact vs. Intent (59:00) Why titles are important (01:04:00) On success Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#203 Erin Wade: The Mac and Cheese Empire

Master storyteller Matthew Dicks unveils the hidden blueprint behind stories that win million-dollar deals, transform resistant teams, and turn skeptical investors into champions. Learn why most leaders tell stories that fail, and discover the counterintuitive techniques that make audiences lean in, remember, and act. From high-stakes boardrooms to viral TED talks, Dicks reveals the psychological triggers that turn everyday moments into weapons of mass persuasion. (00:00:00 Intro (00:03:28) What makes a good story (00:06:57) Stories vs anecdotes (00:08:29) A Story: The Spoon of Power (00:17:42) The art of story architecture (00:21:28) Create compelling stories (00:36:30) Common mistakes & how to fix them (00:55:01) Strategic Listening (01:03:32) Can you lie in stories? (01:05:10) 'And' stories vs. 'but / therefore' stories (01:10:05) Finding engaging stories in everyday life (01:20:05) Structuring a story (01:24:00) Storytelling for an unforgettable brand (01:31:20) Learn confidence (01:38:40) Writing vs telling a story (01:51:53) Teach kids to love writing (01:55:15) Define success 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ Upgrade If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Follow Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/ -- Sponsor: Overlap https://www.joinoverlap.com/ - Listen to podcasts like never before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#202 Matthew Dicks: The Storytelling Expert

Former IBM executive April Dunford reveals the sophisticated frameworks behind market leadership. This isn't about marketing tactics but how category leaders reshape markets to their advantage. Drawing from decades of experience, Dunford shares the nuanced art of market definition, competitive positioning, and strategic narrative. These are essential insights for leaders who understand that winning isn't about being better—it's about being different in meaningful ways. -- 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Follow me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/shaneparrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:07) Positioning, explained (16:47) Why is positioning important? (20:40) B2B vs. B2C positioning (29:03) When re-positioning a product failed (32:31) How to identify customer's pain points (34:35) How to position a product on a sales page (38:06) How technology has changed positioning (41:40) How to evaluate product positioning (45:43) Who's in charge of positioning at a company? (50:27) On storytelling (56:35) Should a company have a point of view on the market? (1:00:21) Dealing with gatekeepers in B2B marketing (1:03:02) Mistakes people make with positioning (1:05:21) What schools get wrong about marketing (1:08:59) Secrets of B2B decision-making (1:11:18) On success Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#201 April Dunford: The Marketing Expert

From Cambridge startup to NYSE heavyweight, HubSpot co-founder Brian Halligan reveals the sophisticated frameworks behind scaling a $30B enterprise. Now a Sequoia Capital Senior Advisor, Halligan shares rare insights into the nuanced decisions that separate exceptional companies from merely successful ones. Learn the strategic principles of modern company building, including the counterintuitive culture choices, talent algorithms, and leadership pivots that defined HubSpot's trajectory. A masterclass in scaling excellence from startup to global enterprise. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:36) Halligan's life-changing snowmobile accident (09:38) Shane's life-changing medical mystery (14:38) The different phases a CEO goes through while growing companies (20:44) Lessons learned from Steve Jobs (23:18) How to hire and fire people (and when) (27:55) The problems with "Best Practices" in business (31:11) The most underrated public CEOs (and why Jerry Garcia from The Grateful Dead is on this list) (43:38) The history and future of inbound marketing (51:08) On decision making (55:18) On work-life balance (58:28) On success 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 https://fs.blog/newsletter/ Upgrade If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Follow Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#200 Brian Halligan: Building HubSpot into a Multi-Billion Dollar Company

Few episodes in The Knowledge Project’s nine-year history have impacted people’s relationships and lives more than when Esther Perel shared her infinite wisdom for the first time in 2019. Shane and Esther discuss how the stories you tell yourself shape how you see the world (and what to do about that), the important conversations to have at the beginning of a relationship, the most common arguments couples have and how to prevent them, what to say to a partner if the relationship isn’t working out, the relationship between desire, love, and pleasure, and so much more. Plus, the conversation starts out on an interesting note: Esther Perel shares stories about her parents surviving the Holocaust and how their experiences shaped her childhood and continue to shape her life today. (This episode is a replay of one of our most popular episodes ever and was recorded in 2019.) -- 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 ⁠https://fs.blog/newsletter/⁠ -- Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. -- Follow me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/shaneparrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Timestamps: (00:00) Intro(02:38) Coming back to life after the war(08:09) The myth of stability(11:30) The power of reflections(19:48) Important conversations for early relationships(24:20) Can values change in relationships?(27:20) Being secure in a relationship(30:40) Better conversations with your partner(33:00) What's behind every criticism(36:52) Too much honesty(39:37) What happens if I don't love my partner(47:12) Why does good sex fade in relationships?(50:59) Love vs. desire(55:38) How to have difficult conversations with your partner(01:05:13) Conscious uncoupling Watch the episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/theknowledgeproject/videos⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter - I share timeless insights and ideas you can use at work and home. Join over 600k others every Sunday and subscribe to Brain Food. Try it: ⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/newsletter/⁠⁠⁠ My Book! Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results is out now - ⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/clear/⁠⁠⁠ Follow me: ⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/shaneparrish⁠⁠⁠ Join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠https://fs.blog/membership/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#199 Esther Perel: Cultivating Desire

Master the best of what other people have already figured out. Skip decades of trial and error. Each episode reveals proven insights from world-class performers. No fluff. No small talk. Just actionable wisdom for your business and life. Instagram: https://instagram.com/farnamstreet LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/ Newsletter: Join over 750,000 people and upgrade your thinking in 5 minutes a week. fs.blog/newsletter

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The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish

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