Frameworks & Flywheels

In this episode, we discuss what mastery really means, particularly in sport and in a professional setting. We discuss what drives some people to go that extra mile and whether it's something that all of us seek. We close things out with our content recommendations. Content discussed in this episode: Angela Duckworth: Grit and Human Behavior [The Knowledge Project Ep. #109] Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, the Future of Retail, and More ( The Tim Ferris Show #486) Radical Candor: Fully Revised and Updated Edition: How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean by Kim Scott Brain fog: how trauma, uncertainty and isolation have affected our minds and memory A forty-year career by Will Larson Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi Running: The Autobiography by Ronnie O'Sullivan

In this episode, we talk about learnings from Jeff Bezos' operating style - trying to identify areas where we can apply these learnings to our personal and professional lives. Jeff Bezos, as most of us would know, is the legendary founder-CEO of Amazon.com - possibly the most successful company of the current century. He has recently stepped down from his post of CEO at Amazon to pursue interests - specifically in space exploration with this company Blue Origin. We cover the following themes in our discussion: 1. Clarity - Amazon's famous narrative, 6-pager meetings (No Powerpoint!). 2. Balance - Evaluating multiple decision frameworks simultaneously and using the best ones. Specifically, the Type-1 and Type-2 decision-making process. 3. Conviction, Self-belief & Bezos' famous regret-minimization framework. Our recommendation for the episode: 1. Invent & Wander - The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, with an Introduction by Walter Isaacson 2. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams 3. Carry On - Rainbow Rowell 4. Siddhartha - Herman Hesse 5. Beyond The Last Blue Mountain: A Life Of J. R. D. Tata - R.M. Lala 6. The 50 Best Contemporary Novels Under 200 Pages Happy listening! ---- You can connect with us on Twitter for suggestions, recommendations, & criticisms at: Chaitanya: @ckingalpha Achyut: @a_2510

In this episode, we have a freewheeling chat about money and our philosophies around it. We talk about how people think about money and how it affects their decision making. While this was recorded in the week that Bitcoin hit $40k and Elon Musk became the richest man in the world, a week where money took centre-stage in people's minds, it seems even more relevant this week as GameStop hits record highs, propped up by online armies of retail investors. In such whirlwind times, having a philosophy around money and thinking about how to think about money is important lest you get carried away by all the FOMO swirling around you. Content discussed in this episode: The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel The Psychology of Money (Article) by Morgan Housel Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur by Derek Sivers How I got rich on the other hand by Derek Sivers Ed Catmull on how he helped foster creative collaboration at Disney and Pixar by Ed Catmull How Pixar Fosters Collective Creativity by Ed Catmull

Recently, Salesforce signed an agreement to acquire Slack for a deal valued at $27.7 billion! We discuss the strategic significance of the acquisition for both companies. Additionally, we try to understand what such a consolidation means for the future of enterprise software. Consumerization of Enterprise software is one of the hottest fields right now and we are excited to observe what's next! Happy listening! Our recommendations from the episode: 1. Roger Martin talking about Integrative Thinking in the Knowledge Project Podcast 2. Richard Koch on The Tim Ferriss Show 3. Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh (RIP)

In this episode, we discuss whether a platform-specific UI/UX can create new opportunities for incumbents and startups in the enterprise space. We discuss the unique challenges faced by B2B businesses compared to B2C - such as high inertia and necessary friction in solutions! Hopefully, you'll find this interesting. Do reach out to us on Twitter if you have comments, suggestions, criticism on the episode (or, in general!). You can find us on the following ids - Frameworks & Flywheels (@FFlywheels), Chaitanya (@ckingalpha) & Achyut (@a_2510). The content we discussed during the episode: 1. Alchemy by Rory Sutherland 2. Notes of a Dream - The Authorized Biography of A.R. Rahman 3. Rory Sutherland on the Invest Like the Best podcast Happy listening!

In this episode, we talk about the American connected fitness company Peloton and its uniquely successful business model. By selling premium hardware and premium subscriptions, Peloton has managed to avoid many of the pitfalls of hardware businesses. We also talk about how this compares to Apple and the subscriptions that it offers and the bundle that it recently announced. We round things out with our content recommendations for this episode. Content discussed in this episode: Returning to the Edge and the End of Cloud Computing - Peter Levine of Andreessen Horowitz Roelof Botha of Sequoia on the investment thesis for investing in Youtube The Mike Speiser Incubation Playbook by Kevin Kwok Five Books - The best books on everything

In this episode, we discuss the bookstore business and how it's changed in the age of Amazon. We talk about the changing economics of the business and how bookstores can reinvent themselves to stay relevant and profitable. We round things out with our content recommendations of the week. Content mentioned in this episode: 16 Minutes on the News #37: GPT-3, Beyond the Hype - a16z podcast Save Like A Pessimist, Invest Like An Optimist by Morgan Housel Dealers of Lightning: Xerox PARC and the Dawn of the Computer Age by Michael A. Hiltzik The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel (article) The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel (book) Graphy app Sublist app Palak Zatakia

In this episode, we try to understand if hope drives action, and eventually, that action feeds into positive outcomes! Do you agree? Or, do you think it's the other way around? We round things out with our content recommendations for the week. Suggestions from the episode: Bob Iger's The Ride of a Lifetime Headspace Dealers of Lightning: Xerox PARC and the Dawn of the Computer Age General Magic: The most important company in Silicon Valley that nobody has ever heard of!

In this episode, we discuss Jiomart and its overnight success since launching a couple of months ago. We discuss the dynamics of retail in India and how Jiomart fits in. We talk about its strategy and positioning relative to the incumbents in the grocery delivery space. We round things out with our content recommendations for the week. Happy Listening! Content discussed in this episode: Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos How to Become a CEO, According to Indra Nooyi

In this episode, we discuss the abundance of information on the internet and how one goes about discovering and consuming this information, including how we do it in our own lives. We discuss binging and rabbit holes and some of the methods that we ourselves use in managing the content deluge in our lives. We round things out with our content recommendations for the week. Content discussed in this episode: Meet Lee Fixel: Low-Key Investor Who Turned Bets On Flipkart And Peloton Into Billions —And Has A $1.3 Billion Fund To Do It Again - Forbes IT'S TIME TO BUILD by Marc Andreessen Productivity by Sam Altman Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

In this episode, we discuss the business models of discount brokerages such as Robinhood (US) and Zerodha (India). We try and understand how are they different from legacy brokerages by looking at the revenue models and cost structures. We wrap the first part of the discussion with a short take on the future of the brokerage market in India (which is massively underpenetrated) and how can market leaders such as Zerodha compete against newer (& possibly richer rivals and upstarts) In this discussion, we are joined by Suyash Sengar who brings in a lot of knowledge and perspective on the nuances of the brokerage industry. Suyash is a close friend and has been involved in the fintech industry professionally (and, also keenly follows the domain). We definitely enjoyed his insights and hopefully, you would too! We round things out with our content recommendations: Tokyo Trial (Netflix) A Suitable Boy (Vikram Seth; Audible) BBC Radio 4 on Audible The Collected Short Stories - Satyajit Ray Marc Andreessen's interview on The Observer Effect

In this episode, we discuss podcasting and the changes underway in the industry right now, particularly in light of Spotify's exclusive deal with Joe Rogan and its other acquisitions. We discuss the opportunities that the format holds for Spotify, and whether it's shift to become an "audio-first" platform will prove to be fruitful. We round things out with our content recommendations of the week. Content discussed in this episode: Marketing Is Everything by Regis Mckenna in the Jan-Feb 1991 issue of HBR. Micromastery by Robert Twigger Micromastery: A Hidden Path to Learning and Happiness (summary and sketchnote of the book) by Tanmay Vora

In this episode, we try to analyze the growth machine that is Netflix. Founded in 1997, Netflix has managed to successfully navigate multiple economic crises and a classic business model pivot, becoming the largest OTT player in the business. One of the core pillars of Netflix's business is its relentless focus on providing the customer best experience. This flows seamlessly into different facets of Netflix's revenue and monetization strategy. We round things out with what we're reading this week. In this episode, we discuss two of the finest management books that we have ever read. So, do check these out: The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker High Output Management by Andy Grove Happy listening!

In this episode, we talk about the how constant consumption has become all too common in our age and how creating things is the effective antidote to it. Articles discussed in this episode: Billionaire Bill Ackman Made 100-Fold Return On Coronavirus Hedge That Yielded $2.6 Billion

In this episode, we discuss the differences between the Amazon and Shopify models, how the former takes power away from sellers while the latter empowers them, and both still lead to very large outcomes. We also talk about the difference between the founders of the two companies and how that reflects in the strategy that their respective companies follow (as well as the culture in said companies). We round things out with what we're reading this week. Discussed in this episode: Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets by Nassim Nicholas Taleb Seeking the Productive Life: Some Details of My Personal Infrastructure by Stephen Wolfram Patrick Collison's Bookshelf Stevey's Google Platforms Rant How I Work - Interviews with famously productive people on Lifehacker

In this episode, we talk about the dynamics of competing and cooperating with Amazon - the implications of selling on Amazon in the short term and long term on both incumbent brands as well as upstarts. We hope to dive deeper into this in future episodes. Rounding things out, we also talk about what we're reading right now, which includes the following books: Thinking Strategically, by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis

In this episode, we talk about the implications of organisations working from home at scale, including its effects on productivity, and more importantly, the lack of maintaining boundaries, leading to burnout. We talk about other ways in which people's work and their perception of work is affected while working remotely, in these unprecedented times. We round things out with our content recommendations of the week. Mentioned in this episode: GitLab's Guide to All-Remote Books: Atonement by Ian McEwan, The Rise of the Midnight King by Olivier Lafont, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Pax Indica by Shashi Tharoor

This episode is all about SaaS. We talk about the key advantages of the SaaS model and how it impacts product development as well as the business side. We also dive deeper into the subscription model and how it could use some more innovation. We round things with our content recommendations of the week. We hope you enjoy this one. You can tell us what you think of it on Twitter at @FFlywheels. Happy Listening! Articles discussed in this episode: Paul Singer, Doomsday Investor - The New Yorker The Man Who Saw the Pandemic Coming - Nautilus Magazine

In this episode, we talk about decision-making and the various criteria that go into the same. We discuss some of the decision-making frameworks that we've read about and/or have tried to incorporate into our own lives. We also discuss some of the most common mistakes that seem to plague people when they take a decision. We round things out with our weekly content recommendations. Let us know your feedback on Twitter at the handle @FFlywheels. If you have your own custom framework for making the tough choices in life, we'd love to hear all about it!

In this episode, we talk about how service offerings in operationally driven businesses become utilities in their customer's lives. While this is great for business, often it means that customers only notice your service when things go wrong. We discuss this and its implications for founders in such businesses. We round things off with our content recommendations for the week, including our little tribute to Prof Clay Christensen. RIP. Do listen in and let us know your feedback on Twitter at @FFlywheels. Happy listening!

In this episode, we talk about continuous partial attention and how does it impact your professional and personal life. The discussion moves towards distraction and deep-work in general and how people can try to mitigate this at work and at home. We wind up the discussion with a few of our weekly recommendations on interesting content. Do listen in and let us know your feedback on @FFlywheels on Twitter. Happy Listening!

In this episode we first talk about how to decide what kind of company you should build, based on market size and opportunities as well as your own personal goals and personality type - should you raise VC money or build a cashflow-generating business instead. We also talk about focusing on continuous and consistent inputs in what you do - systems over goals. By focusing on the inputs instead of the outputs. Lastly, we also leave you with our weekly recommendations for interesting content that we've been consuming recently. Do listen in and let us know your feedback on @FFlywheels on Twitter. Happy Listening!

In the first segment, we talk about India-specific business models, particularly for global companies tailoring their offerings for India and for Indian companies with global ambitions. In the second segment, we discuss Leadership and some of the traits that define great leaders. Lastly, we round things up with some of the content we've been consuming of late. You can tweet to us on Twitter at @FFlywheels (we share interesting links and articles too on the channel!) and individually @a_2510 and @ckingalpha. Do share your feedback on what you thought of it. Happy listening and stay curious!

In this episode we talk about enterprise software and the differences from consumer software, and the challenges and changes happening in the area. We also talk about dropping your ego and getting what you want without wanting what you want. You can tweet to us on Twitter at @FFlywheels (we share interesting links and articles too on the channel!) and individually @a_2510 and @ckingalpha. We'd love to know what you thought of the episode and how we can improve. Happy listening!

We discuss streaming platforms and the dynamics involved in making decisions on the supply side (acquiring content) and on the demand side (acquiring side) from the perspective of a dominant incumbent like Netflix as well as an upstart like India's MX Player and AltBalaji./ We also talk about multidisciplinary and systems thinking, with reference to Amazon and its success across multiple industries. Lastly, we also touch upon South Africa's success at the Rugby World Cup as well as some takeaways from Berkshire Hathaway's investment process. Interesting articles & show notes: 1. Ben Thompson's articles on Aggregators: https://stratechery.com/2017/defining-aggregators/ & https://stratechery.com/2015/aggregation-theory/ 2. Ben Thompson's blog Stratechery is highly recommended. Tip: Weekly subscriptions are free (& great!) 3. #Book: The Everything Store by Brad Stone 4. #Movie: Invictus (2009): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1057500/ 5. Arun Maira's article: http://www.foundingfuel.com/article/an-ethical-toolkit-for-systems-transformers/ You can tweet to us on Twitter at @FFlywheels (we share interesting links and articles too on the channel!) and individually @a_2510 and @ckingalpha. We'd love to know what you thought of the episode and how we can improve. Happy listening!

On the first episode of the Frameworks and Flywheels podcast, we talk about metrics and the motivations and incentives behind setting flawed incentives. We also talk about what we're thinking about this week from a personal growth perspective and also some interesting things that we read this week. Media (books/articles/movies/videos) referenced in the podcast: 1. Taleb on Risk-taking and Ergodicity: https://medium.com/incerto/the-logic-of-risk-taking-107bf41029d3 2. #Book: Paddy Upton's Barefoot Coach 3. Paddy Upton's article on mental toughness: https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/26630222/barefoot-coach-paddy-upton You can tweet to us on Twitter at @FFlywheels (we share interesting links and articles too on the channel!) and individually @a_2510 and @ckingalpha. We'd love to know what you thought of the episode and how we can improve. Happy listening!