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In this episode, I talk with David Yeager about what really fuels motivation and a sense of belonging for our kids—especially neurodivergent ones. We unpack the different mindsets adults bring to the table—like enforcer, protector, and mentor—and how shifting into a mentor mindset can help kids feel respected, understood, and more engaged. David shares powerful insights about what helps adolescents thrive, and we explore how things like trust, connection, and belief in a child's potential can make all the difference. About David Yeager, PhD David Yeager, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and the cofounder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. He is best known for his research conducted with Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth, and Greg Walton on short but powerful interventions that influence adolescent behaviors such as motivation, engagement, healthy eating, bullying, stress, mental health, and more. He has consulted for Google, Microsoft, Disney, and the World Bank, as well as for the White House and the governments in California, Texas, and Norway. His research has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, CNN, Fox News, The Guardian, The Atlantic, and more. Clarivate Web of Science ranks Yeager as one of the top 0.1% most-influential psychologists in the world over the past decade. Prior to his career as a scientist, he was a middle school teacher and a basketball coach. He earned his PhD and MA at Stanford University and his BA and MEd at the University of Notre Dame. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and their four children. Things you'll learn from this episode Why motivation thrives in environments where kids feel respected and understood The three mindsets adults often embody when parenting Why belonging and a child's belief in their potential are critical drivers of motivation and long-term success Research-backed interventions that can significantly improve a young person's mindset and resilience How creating strong connections with adolescents, grounded in curiosity and collaboration, helps them feel safe, seen, and motivated to grow Resources mentioned David Yeager 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People: A Groundbreaking Approach to Leading the Next Generation―And Making Your Own Life Easier by David Yeager, PhD SXSW EDU Keynote David Yeager, PhD on LinkedIn The Power of Mindset Masterclass Ellen Gallinsky Takes Us Inside the Breakthrough Years (Tilt Parenting Podcast) The Breakthrough Years: A New Scientific Framework for Raising Thriving Teens by Ellen Galinsky Rebecca Winthrop and Jenny Anderson on Disengaged Teens (Tilt Parenting Podcast) The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop 11-Year-Old Asher Talks About Developing a Growth Mindset (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Dr. Mary Murphy / Cultures of Growth Phyllis Fagel on Raising Resilient Teens in Turbulent Times (Tilt Parenting) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bill Staples has spent 30 years redefining how the world writes, ships, and secures code.On this week's Grit, the GitLab CEO shares what it takes to lead a public, all-remote DevSecOps company trusted by more than half of the Fortune 100. He breaks down the discipline of managing energy instead of hours, why weekly operating cadences beat quarterly plans, and how AI will 10× software engineers by auto-debugging code and closing security gaps.Guest: Bill Staples, CEO of GitLabChapters:00:00 Trailer00:42 Introduction02:34 True joy in life08:16 Winning teams13:53 When the energy isn't there18:00 Super ambitious21:01 It's not just technology29:27 Elevating quality and standard41:36 Lifelong collaborator51:22 Competent intelligence54:22 Structuring goals and time1:03:59 Who GitLab is hiring1:04:17 What “grit” means to Bill1:04:54 OutroLinks:Connect with BillLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins
What does it take to build the logistics backbone for the next generation of commerce?Sean Henry, founder and CEO of Stord, joins Kleiner Perkins partner Ilya Fushman and Grit host Joubin Mirzadegan to talk about scaling a national fulfillment network that now moves 50 million packages a year and reaches 15% of U.S. households.They explore how Stored is using AI to connect warehouses, middle-mile routes, and delivery promises into one smart system. The goal: to give every brand an Amazon Prime-like advantage.Guest: Sean Henry, Co-Founder & CEO of StordLinks:Connect with Sean HenryXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins
Let's be honest: teaching gets tough. As a beginning teacher, you're stepping into a world where success isn't defined by perfection, but by perseverance. There will be challenges — tough students, long nights, and moments of doubt — but grit is what will carry you through. In today's episode, inspired by Angela Duckworth's book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, I'm sharing why grit is so important in teaching and offering a few practical ways you can begin to develop it. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/the-power-of-grit Angela Duckworth's book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance: https://amzn.to/3F9kcx3 Subscribe to the Beginning Teacher Talk YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@beginningteachertalk Free Masterclass - How to Get Ready for the School Year in 5 Weeks or Less: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/ready Grab a copy of my book, Dear New Teacher, Here's Exactly What to Do: Your 5-Step R.E.A.D.Y. for School Roadmap for Elementary Classrooms: https://amzn.to/3w3zZJ7 Lung Cancer Free: One Couple's Journey Through a “Lungs in a Box” Double Lung Transplant: https://www.lungcancerfree.com/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk Connect with Lori on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drlorifriesen/ Connect with Lori on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beginningteachertalk If the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast is helping you in your teaching and if you're feeling extra loving, I would be so grateful if you would leave a positive review for the show! Your kind words mean the world to me. Just click here to leave your review now (and be entered into our draw for a $25 Amazon Gift Card)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beginning-teacher-talk/id1456137677 I hope you have a wonderful week, and remember - just because you are a beginning elementary teacher, there is no need for you to struggle like one. Xo Lori P.S. Do you have your copy of my FREE Ultimate Classroom Management Checklist? Get yours by clicking here now! https://www.drlorifriesen.com/ultimate-classroom-management-checklist
Eric Yuan turned a simple belief into Zoom, the platform that kept the world moving through a once-in-a-century shutdown and redefined modern work. On this episode of Grit, the Zoom CEO shares why velocity beats size, how a family-first ethos powered his leadership during COVID, and why the coming wave of AI dwarfs the original internet boom. He details how he's refreshing Zoom's culture for 7,500 people, opting for virtual deal calls over in person meetings, settling into life as an empty-nester, and keeping Zoom nimble enough to outpace Big Tech and the next wave of AI startups.Guest: Eric S. Yuan, Founder & CEO of ZoomChapters: 00:00 Trailer00:44 Introduction01:47 Walking with swagger03:48 Extremely exciting moment10:05 Classic innovators' dilemma12:59 Laser-focused bandwidth17:56 Family first: lead by example22:09 Everybody was doing their road shows25:34 The entire world was dependent28:04 Community care31:57 Valuation and a co-founder35:17 A lot of unhappy days39:25 Building Zoom for consumers46:57 Holograms?52:01 Home53:23 Huge competition, high velocity1:00:33 Where companies get wrong1:04:52 Giving back1:13:12 Who Zoom is hiring1:13:24 What “grit” means to Eric1:14:24 OutroMentioned in this episode: Webex by Cisco, Glean, Apple, HP, Netscape, Yahoo, Brian Armstrong, Emilie Choi, Coinbase, New Limit, Elon Musk, Windy Hill, Magic Leap, Rony Abovitz, Jony Ive, OpenAI ChatGPT, Bill McDermott, ServiceNow, Carl EschenbachLinks:Connect with EricXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins
Author and school librarian Jessica Fitzpatrick highlights goals and considerations in designing teen programming. Junior Library Guild Use the code UNITED15 for 15 FREE books with your 1st shipment Jessica Fitzpatrick Bluesky: @librarianfitz.bsky.social Twitter: @librarianfitz IG: @librarian_fitz Book: Growing Teen Engagement E186 Teaming Up with Athletes SLJ Mover and Shaker 2022 Grit by Angela Duckworth 258 Emotional Support Librarian (Diana Haneski) 169 Passive Programming (Angela Myers) 308 Passive Programming 2.0 (Katie Moose) Podcast Linktree Search by title, guest and location! Editable PD Certificate FAQ's and ISO (In search of…) Online Doctoral Programs APA format for citing a podcast/podcast app SLU Playlists Amy's episode: The Importance of PLCs I would like to thank composer Nazar Rybak at Hooksounds.com for the music you've heard today.
Over the past two decades, Bret Taylor has quietly helped shape the arc of Silicon Valley.From co-creating Google Maps to steering Facebook, Salesforce, and OpenAI, he's been behind some of the most consequential products in tech. Now, with his new company Sierra, he's starting from zero—again.In this conversation, Bret opens up about how founders navigate identity, why the best ideas often come from everyday friction, and how staying relentlessly focused can unlock real momentum in AI.Guest: Bret Taylor, Co-Founder of SierraChapters:00:00 Trailer00:49 Introduction01:57 Saving OpenAI09:15 Overwhelming yet capable of a lot13:36 Father and founder16:49 History is written by the victors22:13 How you price matters35:58 Stickiest piece of software49:48 The first realtime social network55:34 Facebook CTO who rewrote Google Maps1:02:10 Least known, most impressive1:11:39 The best way to predict the future1:16:22 Most personally passionate1:21:22 Currency of reputation1:27:17 Away from work1:28:35 Who Sierra is hiring1:28:58 What “grit” means to Bret1:29:18 OutroMentioned in this episode: Google Maps, Salesforce, OpenAI ChatGPT, Meta Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Google, Marissa Mayer, Excite, MSN, AltaVista, Amazon, Harvey, Airbnb, Coinbase, Apple, John Doerr, Cursor, Codeium Windsurf, Perplexity, xAI, Kleenex, Amazon Web Services (AWS), FriendFeed, Tumblr, Kevin Gibbs, Google Maps, Yelp, Trulia, iOS App Store, Blackberry, Facebook Messenger, Marvel Avengers, Slack, Quip, Leonardo da Vinci, Clay Bavor, Microsoft, Eric Schmidt, Alan Kay, Brian Armstrong, Brian Chesky, Shopify, SiriusXM, Patrick CollisonLinks:Connect with Bret TaylorXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins
There’s no question that loneliness has become a global epidemic and is now being recognized as the invisible illness of our day and age. And the sad reality is that it’s always the undiagnosed illnesses that are the most dangerous and deadly. Dr. Mark Mayfield defines loneliness as: “The state of being unseen or unnoticed—relationally, emotionally, mentally, physically, or spiritually. It’s marked by a deep sense of hopelessness.” And loneliness is more than just a feeling. It’s a disease pathway, meaning as loneliness increases, so do levels of anxiety, depression, substance use, and even suicide risk. According to a Cigna survey of over 20,000 adults: 54% felt no one truly knew them, 43% said their relationships didn’t feel meaningful, and 36% said they didn’t feel like they had anyone to turn to. Again, that’s not just concerning—it’s a crisis. Because no matter who you are, where you're from, or what you've been through, you were designed to be connected. For this reason as we are nearing the end of Mental Health Awareness Month, we are bringing on a very special guest who is an expert in human connection and leadership - Jordan Montgomery. Jordan is a USA Today bestselling author, renowned performance coach, and keynote speaker, trusted by elite business executives, sales teams, professional athletes, and entrepreneurs. Known for his dynamic presence and transformative insights, Jordan has shared the stage with countless luminaries such as Jon Gordon, John Maxwell, Angela Duckworth, and many others. Additionally, he and his wife, Ashley, lead Montgomery Companies, a powerhouse team of nationally recognized speakers and coaches. Whether in the boardroom or on the sports field, their team excels at helping leaders and teams reach peak performance. Their impressive client roster includes Fortune 500 companies like John Deere, Northwestern Mutual, and Principal Financial, as well as elite athletes, Olympians, and Super Bowl champions. In today’s conversation we will be discussing his most recent book, The Art of Encouragement, in order to help you more effectively lead with, serve, connect, and spread love with those you interact with. Jordan’s Website: https://www.montgomerycompanies.com/ Purchase Jordan’s Book, The Art of Encouragement - https://www.amazon.com/Art-Encouragement-Teams-Spread-Serve/dp/1394234473 Book Jordan to Speak: https://www.montgomerycompanies.com/speaking/ Listen to Jordan’s Podcast - Growth Over Goals - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growth-over-goals/id1518666353 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Chris Urmson has spent the last 20 years pushing the limits of autonomous driving—first at Carnegie Mellon's DARPA Grand Challenge team, then as co-founder of Google's self-driving car project, now Waymo.On this week's episode, the Aurora CEO retraces that journey—from building robot cars in the desert to leading a public company pioneering driverless trucking.He shares why autonomy was always a matter of when, not if, how he handled a high-profile departure from Waymo, and what it takes to build at the intersection of deep tech, safety, and infrastructure.Now eight years into Aurora, Urmson says the future he's been chasing is finally within reach.Guest: Chris Urmson, Co-Founder & CEO of AuroraChapters: 00:00 Trailer00:43 Introduction01:59 FSD: are we there? 14:31 The competition, a million dollar check from LA to LV22:50 Dream like an amateur, execute like a pro32:30 Operate with integrity42:49 The future is here, unevenly distributed49:36 Underestimated decisions, minimizing regrets1:03:55 Retaining value1:16:45 Integrating self-driving1:28:20 Lifer1:29:25 Who Aurora is hiring1:29:53 What “grit” means to Chris1:30:15 OutroMentioned in this episode: Waymo, Google, Rivian, Dmitri Dolgov, Uber, Tesla, The DARPA Grand Challenge, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, United States Department of Defense, Carnegie Mellon University, Stanford University, FedEx, Werner Enterprises, Hirschbach, Schneider Electric, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Sebastian Thrun, Batman, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Anthony Levandowski, Donald Trump, Apple iPhone, Airbnb, Blackmore, Stripe, Titan, Ford, Volkswagen, RJ Scaringe, Peterbilt Motors Company, The Volvo Group, Continental AG, Dara KhosrowshahiLinks:Connect with Chris UrmsonXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
John Chambers led Cisco through the rise of the internet—transforming it into the world's most valuable company at its peak.On this week's Grit, the former Cisco CEO unpacks how he scaled the business from $70M to $50B+, pioneered M&A as a growth strategy with 180 acquisitions, and built what many called the best sales force in tech.Now leading his own venture firm, Chambers shares how he's backing the next generation of AI-native startups.Guest: John T. Chambers, Former Cisco Executive Chairman & CEO, JC2 Ventures Founder & CEOChapters: 00:00 Trailer00:45 Introduction01:45 Track record, relationships, trust13:21 Acquisitions every year17:32 Product-focused24:40 Family, dyslexia, and without shame30:46 Wang Laboratories35:59 Ready being CEO40:17 Reinventing your business50:08 Numbers don't lie54:09 Sales calls and making mistakes56:20 Adapting leadership style1:06:32 Best leadership year ever1:13:35 A busy, exhausting schedule1:22:07 Candid with me1:25:21 What “grit” means to John1:26:43 OutroMentioned in this episode: John Doerr, OpenAI, Wang Laboratories, IBM, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Apple Inc., Meta Platforms, FMC Corporation, DuPont de Nemours, Inc., John Mortgage, Don Valentine, Sequoia Capital, Alcatel Mobile, Lucent Technologies, Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., AT&T Inc., Rick Justice, Pankage Patel, Larry Carter, CNBC, Jim Cramer, George Kurtz, CrowdStrike, Randy Pond, Rebecca Jacoby, Mel SelcherLinks:Connect with JohnXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins
Giving up can be painful. That's why we need to talk about it. Today: stories about glitchy apps, leaky paint cans, broken sculptures — and a quest for the perfect bowl of ramen. SOURCES:John Boykin, website designer and failed paint can re-inventor.Angela Duckworth, host of No Stupid Questions, co-founder of Character Lab, and professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.Amy Edmondson, professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School.Helen Fisher, former senior research fellow at The Kinsey Institute and former chief science advisor to Match.com.Eric von Hippel, professor of technological innovation at M.I.T.'s Sloan School of Management.Jill Hoffman, founder and C.E.O. of Path 2 Flight.Gary Klein, cognitive psychologist and pioneer in the field of naturalistic decision making.Steve Levitt, host of People I (Mostly) Admire, co-author of the Freakonomics books, and professor of economics at the University of Chicago.Joseph O'Connell, artist.Mike Ridgeman, government affairs manager at the Wisconsin Bike Fed.Melanie Stefan, professor of physiology at Medical School Berlin.Travis Thul, vice president for Student Success and Engagement at Minnesota State University, Mankato. RESOURCES:“Data Snapshot: Tenure and Contingency in US Higher Education,” by Glenn Colby (American Association of University Professors, 2023).Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth (2016).“Entrepreneurship and the U.S. Economy,” by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2016).“A C.V. of Failures,” by Melanie Stefan (Nature, 2010).Ramen Now! official website. EXTRAS: “How to Succeed at Failing,” series by Freakonomics Radio (2023).“Annie Duke Thinks You Should Quit,” by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022).“How Do You Know When It's Time to Quit?” by No Stupid Questions (2020).“Honey, I Grew the Economy,” by Freakonomics Radio (2019).“The Upside of Quitting,” by Freakonomics Radio (2011).
In this episode, Lisa and Stephen discuss:Entrepreneurial mindset development for comprehensive student growthCareer readiness beyond traditional educational frameworksSoft skills as critical professional success indicatorsFamily's strategic role in cultivating adaptive thinking skillsKey Takeaways: Entrepreneurial skills can be intentionally developed through a framework of four interconnected pillars: growth mindset, grit, redefining failure, and seeking opportunities, all of which reshape how students approach challenges and growth.Embedding student-run business experiences within schools creates a powerful learning model that equips students with practical skills, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving beyond traditional academics.The idea of “follow your passion” is misleading, as true passion is cultivated through skill-building, consistent practice, and long-term commitment.Crafting a clear family mission and defined core values empowers teens with resilience and a decision-making framework for navigating personal and professional challenges. “We're not just churning out entrepreneurs. We are helping students think like entrepreneurs. So, this was about compiling, condensing, and then really synthesizing.” – Stephen CarterAbout Stephen Carter: Stephen Carter is the Director of Entrepreneurship at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, where he oversees a nationally recognized program with fifteen elective courses, a full certificate track, and six supporting student-run businesses.Stephen is also the founder of Seed Tree Group, where he works with K-12 Christian schools to develop entrepreneurial programs based around the model of redemptive entrepreneurship.His mission is to develop the entrepreneurial mindset in all learners, so they are radically transformed to impact their lives. His book, Teaching the Entrepreneurial Mindset, details the impact made on learners when they are given real-world, practical skills and a clear path to success.Episode References:Grit by Angela Duckworth: https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-book/Carol Dweck on How Growth Mindsets Can Bear Fruit in the Classroom: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/dweck-growth-mindsetsCareer Development Readiness Quiz: https://flourishcoachingco.com/quizGet Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). flourishcoachingco.com/video Connect with Stephen:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seedtreegroupWebsite: http://seedtreegroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-carter-seedtree/Connect with Lisa:Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingcoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co
Matt Murphy transformed Marvell from a broad-based chip supplier into a $100B data infrastructure leader—powering the rise of AI, cloud, 5G, and custom silicon.On this week's Grit, the Marvell CEO shares how he refocused the company's strategy, led major acquisitions like Inphi ($10B) and Cavium ($6B), and positioned Marvell at the center of the next era of compute.He also reflects on lessons from his father, a longtime CEO, the discipline of running 90 miles a week, and how staying steady through industry cycles has set him apart.Chapters:00:00 Trailer00:47 Introduction03:00 Huge company, taking the long view10:28 Market cap shift to big tech14:44 The data infrastructure opportunity20:30 Massive economic opportunity31:33 Semiconductor industry and geopolitics40:46 Taiwan and Moore's Law 44:05 Getting hammered down 50%47:05 Silicon Valley51:15 All in despite risks55:37 The CEO checkbox1:01:22 Email from Matt, subject: Grit1:07:35 The higher you go1:15:44 Who Marvell is hiring1:20:14 What “grit” means to Matt1:24:40 OutroMentioned in this episode: Jim Cramer, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC), Maxim Integrated, Mattel, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc, Juniper Networks, Meta Platforms, Amazon.com, Inc., Cavium, Inc., Inphi Corporation, Aquantia Corporation, Mellanox Technologies, Nvidia Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, OpenAI, Anthropic, John Chambers, Facebook, Spotify, Airbnb, Google, Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, Intel Corporation, Robert Norton Noyce, Gordon Moore, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), Andrew "Andy" Stephen Grove, Bloomberg, Intuit Inc., Lip-Bu Tan, Sehat Sutardja, Whay S. Lee, Starboard Value, Rick Hill, Novellus Systems, Inc., Michael Strachan, Deloitte & Touche LLP, Apple Inc., Steve Jobs, Chris KoopmansLinks:Connect with MattLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins
In this episode of Veteran On the Move, Joe welcomes John R. Miles, a Navy veteran and graduate of the Naval Academy where he was commissioned as a cryptologist. Miles recounts his transition from military service, detailing his initial plans to join the FBI and the significant 40-month delay he encountered. He highlights the strategic utilization of his Naval Academy network during this period, which ultimately facilitated his entry into the defense contractor industry. The conversation further explores Miles' entrepreneurial journey and the pivotal "wake-up call" that led him to author his bestselling book, Passion Struck. He provides insights into the critical process of identifying and pursuing personal passions. The discussion also addresses the essential mindset shift required for veterans navigating civilian life and entrepreneurship, with Miles emphasizing the importance of confronting fears and overcoming obstacles to achieve professional and personal success. Episode Resources: Passion Struck Passion Struck on Amazon About Our Guest John R. Miles is a globally recognized leadership expert, bestselling author, and host of the award-winning Passion Struck® podcast, which has over 65 million downloads and ranks among the top 5 Health & Wellness shows. A former Fortune 50 executive and U.S. Naval officer, John is the founder of The Mattering Revolution™, a groundbreaking framework that helps leaders and individuals unlock purpose, drive engagement, and create lives of intentional impact. His bestselling book, Passion Struck, and interviews with visionaries like Angela Duckworth and Gary Vaynerchuk have made him a trusted voice in human potential, personal growth, and transformational leadership. About Our Sponsors Navy Federal Credit Union Navy Federal Credit Union has made it their mission to help people in the military community. Navy Federal Credit Union is open to all branches of the military, Veterans and their families. They have lots of flexible savings and investing options to help their members reach their financial goals. Don't miss out. The sooner you start building your finances with savings and investing options, the better off they could be in the long run. At Navy Federal, our members are the mission. Join the conversation on Facebook! Check out Veteran on the Move on Facebook to connect with our guests and other listeners. A place where you can network with other like-minded veterans who are transitioning to entrepreneurship and get updates on people, programs and resources to help you in YOUR transition to entrepreneurship. Want to be our next guest? Send us an email at interview@veteranonthemove.com. Did you love this episode? Leave us a 5-star rating and review! Download Joe Crane's Top 7 Paths to Freedom or get it on your mobile device. Text VETERAN to 38470. Veteran On the Move podcast has published 500 episodes. Our listeners have the opportunity to hear in-depth interviews conducted by host Joe Crane. The podcast features people, programs, and resources to assist veterans in their transition to entrepreneurship. As a result, Veteran On the Move has over 7,000,000 verified downloads through Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, iTunes and RSS Feed Syndication making it one of the most popular Military Entrepreneur Shows on the Internet Today. Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you purchase via the link provided.
From a 350-square-foot home in South India to leading HubSpot, a $30B CRM powerhouse, Yamini Rangan's journey is nothing short of remarkable. In this episode, Yamini shares how she's guiding HubSpot through a post-pandemic shift toward product-led growth, the hard-won lessons behind building go-to-market alignment, and why human-centric leadership is her edge in an AI-first world. Plus, her take on why data is the new battleground in tech.Chapters: 00:00 Trailer00:52 Introduction02:22 Fire in my belly10:06 Constraints12:19 Peak performance16:38 Helping while in sheer panic21:43 The general ethos30:14 Customer value36:08 Excited and scared47:25 Becoming CEO54:19 Feeling behind1:01:51 Very lonely1:05:34 Losing credibility1:08:42 Slowing down, sitting still1:12:31 No patience to finish a book1:15:39 Who HubSpot is hiring1:15:54 What “grit” means to Yamini1:16:45 OutroMentioned in this episode: Sequoia Capital, Carl Pieri, Brian Halligan, Zoom Workplace, Meta Platforms, Google, Anthropic, Microsoft, Salesforce, Blockbuster Video, BlackBerry Limited, Axon Enterprise, Netflix, Snapchat, Harvey, Dharmesh Shah, Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid, Sapiens: A Brief History of HumankindLinks:Connect with YaminiXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins
Sometimes the answers are right in front of us. My guest today is Dr. Hasan Merali, MD MPH, author of Sleep Well, Take Risks, & Squish the Peas.We both believe kids hold the secret to a happier & richer life. Today, Hasan provides stories & evidence from the science of toddlers to back this up. He also discusses how we can incorporate certain practices into our day-to-day routines.Discussion Points:Hasan's introduction (2:40)Benefits of training in different places (4:10)How Hasan became fascinated with the science of toddlers (5:45)The difference between a toddler & adult brain (7:50)Toddler lesson #1: bedtime routines (9:35)Toddler lesson #2: giving (13:05)Toddler lesson #3: laughter (16:30)Toddler lesson #4: positive self talk (22:34)Toddler lesson #5: play (25:10)Hasan's book & the book writing process (26:35)Hasan's TEDx talk experience (35:30)How Hasan finds more purpose in his work (38:18)Goal setting & 5 year plans (42:30)Hasan Merali:Book: https://hasanmerali.com/book/ Website: https://hasanmerali.com/TEDx Talk. The best life lessons from toddlers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6l97BixokcX: https://twitter.com/Hasan_MeraliLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasan-merali/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HasanMeraliMD/Popular Science Article: For better sleep, borrow the bedtime routine of a toddler: https://www.popsci.com/diy/how-to-sleep-better/TEDx talk by Angela Duckworth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H14bBuluwB8Yatin Chadha:Email: beyondmdpodcast@gmail.com LinkedIn: Yatin Chadha
David Rubenstein helped pioneer modern private equity—building The Carlyle Group into a $400B global investment firm from a modest D.C. office and a relentless fundraising streak. But beyond PE, his legacy spans presidential libraries, historic American artifacts, and a lifelong obsession with civic contribution.In this episode, David shares how he raised billions without a background in finance, why owning a baseball team was more than just a trophy purchase—and what building true generational success really means beyond wealth alone.Chapters:00:00 Trailer00:53 Introduction01:40 Family, wealth, class14:40 Happiness disparity and longevity19:25 I need more to give away more25:04 The relentless fundraiser 33:53 Kids and travel36:06 No track record, the great white buffalo38:59 Business and politics43:53 Fired from Washington45:52 Fundraising, presidents, podcast guests48:04 Private equity and sports53:44 Expenses — no charges55:49 Waking up with energy 57:26 Preserving copies1:02:05 Organizational architecture1:03:41 Bury me in my plane1:08:11 Not a big luxury spender1:10:32 What “grit” means to David1:10:50 OutroMentioned in this episode: Andrew Rubenstein, Stanford University, Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett, Morgan Guaranty Trust Company, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), Procter & Gamble Company, Forbes 400, Duke University, University of Chicago, Harvard Corporation, Johns Hopkins University, California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Arianna Huffington, Xi Jinping, Hank Greenberg, Stephen A. Schwarzman, Tim Cook, Jeff Bezos, Baltimore Orioles, Fred Trammell Crow, Harlan Crow, National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), Arctos Partners LP, Anthropic, Magna Carta Libertatum, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln, US Constitution, National Archives, Lincoln Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Mount Vernon, Monticello, Montpelier, Mark Cuban, Paul McCartneyConnect with David:X: @DM_RubensteinConnect with Joubin:X: @JoubinmirLinkedIn: Joubin MirzadeganEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comkleinerperkins.com
Amplitude helped define the modern analytics stack, powering digital products with deep behavioral insights. But in a world shifting toward agentic interfaces and vertically integrated AI, even a category leader has to evolve.In this episode, CEO Spenser Skates shares how he's rethinking AI within the constraints of a 13-year-old codebase, why analytics remains Amplitude's competitive edge—and why taking the company public early was a risk worth taking. Links:Connect with SpenserXLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins
Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!Discover the top books for personal trainers to read like Grit, How to win friends and influence people, How to Become A Successful Personal TRainer and many more.Reading might be the most underrated skill for personal trainers looking to elevate their careers above the 90% who quit within their first year. While most fitness professionals obsess over certification acronyms, the truly successful ones are quietly building their intellectual foundation through consistent, deliberate reading habits.The contrast is striking. Picture a potential client walking into a gym to meet two trainers: one scrolling social media, the other absorbed in a professional development book. Before a word is spoken, one has already established themselves as a dedicated professional. This single habit creates an immediate differentiation that clients intuitively recognize and respect.Starting a reading practice doesn't require massive time commitments. Begin with just 5-10 minutes of distraction-free reading daily, timing yourself to establish a baseline reading speed. Create the right environment by eliminating distractions – put your phone across the room, find a quiet space, and treat reading with the same discipline you bring to physical training. As with fitness, consistency produces remarkable results over time.The reading curriculum for elite trainers spans multiple disciplines. For mindset development, explore works like "Grit" by Angela Duckworth or "Can't Hurt Me" by David Goggins. Business acumen grows through texts like "Go For No" by Richard Fenton, which teaches the counterintuitive approach of pursuing rejection to calibrate value. Technical mastery comes through studying "Starting Strength," "Fat Loss Forever," and "The Science and Practice of Strength Training." For comprehensive development, aim to read 50+ books annually – a simple habit that places you among the intellectual elite in fitness.Transform your reading habit into Want to ask us a question? Email email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show! Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showupfitnessinternship/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@showupfitnessinternshipWebsite: https://www.showupfitness.com/Become a Personal Trainer Book (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Personal-Trainer-Successful/dp/B08WS992F8Show Up Fitness Internship & CPT: https://online.showupfitness.com/pages/online-show-up?utm_term=show%20up%20fitnessNASM study guide: ...
One of the toughest traits to cultivate in life is grit, which according to author Angela Duckworth is the combination of passion and perseverance. As artists who have been releasing music for over twenty years, Blueprint and Illogic break down how having enough grit to stay in the game helped them with their recent endeavors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Flexport was a breakout success—reimagining global trade with tech at its core. But when the freight market cooled and efficiency overtook service, things started to unravel. Founder Ryan Petersen stepped aside, handing the CEO role to former Amazon exec Dave Clark. Months later, he was back at the helm.In this episode, Ryan explains what went wrong, how he's rebuilding Flexport—cutting $300M in costs, restoring customer focus—and why promoting from within beats chasing outside stars. He also weighs in on Trump's proposed tariffs and what they could mean for the future of global trade.Chapters: 00:00 Trailer00:31 Introduction02:07 Meeting smart people, seeing the world03:40 Eroded margins09:52 Charismatic and overconfident15:32 Not an overnight decision20:08 The founder has returned23:10 Redoing the hiring26:38 No substitute for passion31:00 Working for and with my brother37:28 Working with forwarders42:14 Being a founder can be lonely47:49 Life's work54:06 The right person for the job1:00:55 19 countries1:04:57 Blowing people up1:07:24 Work and being a good dad1:08:34 Not doing it for money and loving money1:17:52 Import and export tariffs1:22:57 De minimis1:25:54 Panama and the Suez Canal1:36:50 Going public1:42:24 Who Flexport is Hiring 1:42:42 What "grit" means to Ryan1:43:06 OutroMentioned in this episode: Founders Fund, Amazon, Toyota Motor Corporation, Slack, Brex, Pedro Franceschi, Henrique Dubugras, United States Customs and Border Protection, ImportGenius, Michael Kanko, Y Combinator, Paul Graham, Intel Corporation, Shopify, Geely Holding (Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd.), The Volvo Group, Intuit TurboTax, David Petersen, BuildZoom, TechCrunch, Google, Figma, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Jimmy Carter, Panama Canal Authority, United States Navy, Coinbase, Uber, AirbnbLinks:Connect with RyanXLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comLearn more about Kleiner Perkins
Guest: Pedro FranceschiPedro Franceschi is the co-founder and CEO of Brex, a fintech company reshaping how businesses manage their finances.Originally from Brazil, Pedro went from teenage hacker to leading one of the most well-known names in modern financial technology—building a platform trusted by startups and enterprises alike.In this episode, Pedro shares what it took to launch “Brex 3.0,” why he moved to a single-CEO model, and how tough structural changes set the stage for leaner, faster growth.Chapters:00:00 Trailer00:46 Introduction01:45 Startup roller coaster05:21 Founders know how to have fun07:12 Belief barrier evolution12:00 Early state of life in Brazil13:23 Controlling variables15:32 Screen time19:23 Making small decisions23:27 Learning raises the bar26:15 People manager38:49 Getting underwater42:05 Growth accelerated47:51 Vision from the top down52:13 Leadership organization54:01 AI software engineering physics54:43 People complain about change59:42 Believers and non-believers1:04:09 Equity and bonus controversy1:08:40 Big swings and going public1:14:15 Control in unpredictability1:18:04 Living in a pixel1:19:52 Meditate, sleep, diet, exercise1:24:36 Mental health and stress1:33:12 Who Brex is hiring1:33:49 What "grit" means to Pedro1:34:39 OutroMentioned in this episode: Silicon Valley, Facebook, Meta Platforms, Inc., Mark Zuckerberg, Mastercard, Rio de Janeiro, iPhone, Bill Gates, Tim Urban, Jony Ive, Apple Inc., LinkedIn, Salesforce, Brian Chesky, Airbnb, Anthropic Claude, Cursor, Codeium Windsurf, Cognition Labs Devin, Vercel, Retool AI, Amplitude, Spenser Skates, Elon Musk, Tesla, Inc.Links:Connect with Pedro:XLinkedInConnect with Joubin:XLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.comThis episode was produced by Kleiner Perkins and edited by IQvideo.The trailer and distribution for this episode were handled by Atomik Growth.Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
Live Life Happy with Andrea Seydel – The Podcast for Book Lovers & Lifelong Learners Welcome to Live Life Happy with Andrea Seydel! If you love books that inspire, transform, and empower, you're in the right place. This podcast is all about book summaries and actionable takeaways from incredible authors who pour their wisdom into books on happiness, well-being, and personal growth. Now in Season 3, we're diving even deeper—taking the powerful insights from these books and applying them in real, tangible ways. Think of this as your shortcut to the best knowledge out there, distilled into digestible, practical strategies you can use to create a happier, more fulfilling life. As the founder of Live Life Happy Publishing, I also weave in tips on writing and publishing your own book. Whether you're dreaming of becoming an author or just love learning from the best, this podcast is a space for book lovers, thought leaders, and changemakers. If you're ready to read, learn, and take action, hit play and join the community! And if you're ready to bring your own book to life, I'm here as your Book Doula, helping you navigate the world of publishing while keeping 100% of your rights and royalties.
Before Zscaler was a $32B cloud security giant, it was just 10 engineers—half in Bangalore, half in a borrowed U.S. office.As founder and CEO of Zscaler, Jay Chaudhry bet $50M of his own money on one radical idea: secure the internet in the cloud.Born in a Himalayan village with no electricity, he built Zscaler into one of the world's top cybersecurity giants.In this episode, Jay breaks down why 50% of the Fortune 500 trusts Zscaler, why he still interviews candidates, and how he's incubating the company's next big AI bet.Chapters:00:00 Trailer00:42 Introduction01:21 His fifth company04:26 Entrepreneurs' existential fear10:53 Customer engagement and new innovations12:46 No private jets, no business class19:34 “I never used money”23:38 Born and raised in India26:17 Hiring legends30:35 Walking on water35:09 “Dolphining”39:55 Areas of weakness42:11 Passionate even on the weekends44:56 Work during roller coasters47:35 The weight of the world is on your shoulders49:21 Leveraging AI56:20 OutroMentioned in this episode: Elon Musk, Microsoft, Bill Gates, BlackBerry, Steve Ballmer, Satya Nadella, Hewlett-Packard (HP), IBM, John Fellows Akers, Steve Jobs, NeXT, Inc., Linux, Cisco, United Airlines, San Francisco International Airport, Sundar Pichai, Ravi Mhatre, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Six Flags, AI (artificial intelligence), securityLinks:Connect with JayLinkedInConnect with JoubinXLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
Finding your purpose can sometimes feel like a ‘should'—something we're all expected to have figured out. The pressure to find a perfect purpose can leave us feeling stuck or unsure, especially when career paths are more squiggly than straightforward. But does having a purpose really matter? And if so, how do you stay connected to it?In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore the difference between having a purpose and feeling purposeful at work. You'll learn how to reflect on what truly motivates you, define your squiggly career sweet spot and connect with your core values—even if you're still figuring things out.(00:00) The problem with 'purpose'(07:00) Why do we care about purposeful work?(08:39) Finding your squiggly career sweet spot(09:36) Defining your core values(11:02) Defining your strengths(13:10) Energy audits(14:14) What do you want to make better?(16:35) What do you care about that's bigger than your job?(18:42) ChatGPT 1 sentence purpose statement(21:05) Summary
Guest: Zac Bookman, CEO and Co-Founder of OpenGovThirteen years after co-founding the government transparency startup OpenGov, Zac Bookman is still finding ways to surprise people. In 2023, Cox Enterprises bought the company for $1.8 billion — but as far as Zac is concerned, “we're just getting started.”“ I left the vast majority of my net worth in the company,” he says. “So I'm a believer. I'm all in.”The mission of powering “more effective and accountable government” has been stable since OpenGov's earliest days, and that mission has informed everything from hiring to M&A to the decision to sell. “These people buy and don't sell,” Zac said of Cox. “They're all in on the mission. And they're all in on taking care of employees. So I see a triple win: A win for employees, win for the investors, win for the customers, maybe a quadruple win for me and the management.”Chapters:(01:46) - OpenGov's mission (04:34) - Shrinking the product-market fit (07:34) - Super misson driven (08:59) - Why OpenGov almost shut down (13:08) - Zac's early career (16:16) - Picking (and losing) a CTO (22:50) - Growing upside-down (25:29) - The SPAC backstabber (31:26) - Why Zac didn't get fired (33:24) - Selling in 2024 (37:04) - Growth by acquisition (42:31) - John Chambers and PMF (49:32) - Zac's cross-country bike ride (56:25) - Expectations vs. reality (58:57) - The coup attempt (01:01:59) - Tiring work (01:05:47) - Going to the White House (01:09:40) - DOGE & disrespect (01:12:54) - “We're just getting started” (01:14:18) - Who OpenGov is hiring (and where) (01:15:13) - What “grit” means to Zac Mentioned in this episode: Joe Lonsdale, Cox Enterprises, OpenAI, the Department of Government Efficiency, Workday, H.R. McMaster, Stanford University, Formation 8, 8VC, the National Academy of Sciences, the Stanford Review, Kamala Harris, Marc Andreessen, Balaji Srinivasan, Coinbase, Earn, Ben Horowitz, Facebook, Steve Laughlin, Cisco, Laurene Powell Jobs, Glynn Capital, Acme, Allen & Company, Harry You, Joe Tucci, EMC, Bill Green, Accenture, Tyler Technologies, HP, Josh Kushner, GTY Technology Holdings, John Keker, Palantir, CKAN, Oracle, Kevin McCarthy, The American Technology Council Summit, Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Satya Nadella, Pat Gelsinger, Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, Elon Musk, Bill Clinton, and Al Gore.Links:Connect with ZacLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
In this episode, Vijay Sankararaman breaks down how to intentionally build a low-churn, high-impact team culture. Whether you're a tech leader, manager, or individual contributor aiming to level up your leadership skills, Vijay shares tangible lessons and frameworks to keep your team motivated, productive, and resilient—without sacrificing authenticity.
Speaker Mastermind Community: Click here to find out more about the Paid to Speak Accelerator Community (aka Mastermind Community) and to put your name on our Waiting List. Show Notes: 11 Things Great Speakers Do Differently #10 - Understanding GRIT Grit is NOT just having a Suck It Up Buttercup, grind-it-out mentality. According to Angela Duckworth, author of GRIT: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, there are two sides to grit: Passion and Direction Perseverance and Determination I highly recommend Angela Duckworth's book GRIT: https://amzn.to/42A4zIv Review: Here Are The Tips We've Covered So Far Episode 109 - Speak WITH Your Audience (Not AT Your Audience) Episode 110 - Bring Your Audience Into Your Stories Episode 111 - Create Experiences Episode 112 - Step Into Your Character Episode 113 - Be Great At Business Episode 114 - Serve Before Selling Episode 115 - Only Ask For A Commitment IF You Are A Good Fit Episode 116 - Make Things Easy For Your Client Episode 117 - How You View YOU Episode Resources 9 Ways to Get Paid as a Speaker (FREE Resource) 5 Keys to Create a Speech That Pays (FREE Resource) Got questions? Submit them here Thank You for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review on iTunes. Also, share it by using the social media buttons at the top or bottom of this post. Until next time, continue to move from #DREAMtoDO as a speaker.
Guest: Ben Chestnut, Former CEO and Co-Founder of MailchimpIf you find yourself selling your startup, then Mailchimp co-founder Ben Chestnut has some important advice for you: Get a dog. When Intuit bought Mailchimp in 2021 for $12 billion, the company asked Ben if he wanted to stay on as CEO, but he chose to “walk off into the sunset” and let the new owners take over. After that, he estimates it took 6 to 12 months before he stopped checking his email, social media, and calendar with the same level of stress a CEO might have. Adopting a dog, he discovered, forces you to “get OK with the voices in your head."“After the acquisition, that's all I do, I walk the dog,” Ben says. “And the dog was good therapy ... No judgments from a dog.”Chapters:(01:09) - Growing slow (03:06) - The long journey (07:48) - Is money a burden? (09:35) - Building globally in Atlanta (11:22) - Ben's upbringing (12:59) - The first 10 years (17:58) - Scaling to one billion emails (19:22) - Freemium (23:32) - No equity (26:00) - Deciding to sell (33:55) - “I'm a sunset guy” (35:29) - Stress and support (37:25) - Time with the parents (39:07) - Get a dog (42:24) - The voices in your head (46:03) - Serial and “Mailkimp” (53:00) - Hiring interviews (57:14) - Fitness routines (59:27) - Lights off (01:01:46) - AI & reinvention (01:06:30) - The worst days (01:09:15) - What “grit” means to Ben Mentioned in this episode: Intuit, Wolt, DoorDash, LinkedIn, Dan Kurzius, Salesforce, ExactTarget, Pardot, Constant Contact, Rackspace, Free by Chris Anderson, Wired Magazine, Charles Hudson, the Freemium Summit, Drew Houston, Dropbox, Evernote, Phil Libin, TechCrunch, Brian Kane, Catalyst Partners, Georgia Pacific, Scott Cook, Bing Gordon, Vinay Hiremath, Loom, Joe Thomas, Caltrain, Flickr, Saturday Night Live, Droga5, Cannes Film Festival, Strava, Twitter, LinkedIn, Nvidia, Glean, Rubrik, Amazon AWS, and Mechnical Turk.Links:Connect with BenLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner Perkins
Guest: Blake Scholl, Founder & CEO of Boom Supersonic“Passion and drive trumps knowledge and experience,” says Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl. Long before he was running Boom — which earlier this year successfully tested the world's first privately-developed supersonic jet — he was enabling “the world's most obnoxious spam cannon” at Groupon, or designing a barcode-scanning game for retail shoppers.But eventually, Blake found the courage to be more audacious and do something closer to his lifelong love of aviation. He began educating himself about things he had never thought to learn, and tapping his LinkedIn network to get intros to the smartest people in the industry. “If you imagine yourself on like the day of IPO, 99 percent of what you needed to know to get to that day, you didn't know on day one,” he says. “So, why not take 99 percent to 99.5 percent, and work on the thing you really want to exist, even if you don't know anything about it yet?”Chapters: (01:07) - Blake on Boom's beginnings (01:52) - Breaking the sound barrier (05:23) - Concorde's legacy (09:36) - Navigating regulations (12:08) - Boomless supersonic flight (16:48) - The test flight (20:11) - Day-of nervousness (24:26) - Carrying passengers (26:55) - Cost & wi-fi (30:19) - “No middle seats” (32:35) - Hard tech (36:48) - What if Apple made a plane? (39:08) - Blake's career journey (43:29) - The risk of failure (49:12) - Finding the courage (52:49) - Balancing life with Boom (56:42) - Learning how to build a jet (01:00:20) - The power of LinkedIn (01:02:38) - Y Combinator Demo Day (01:08:24) - Richard Branson (01:11:38) - Dividing yourself (01:14:19) - Being a focused dad (01:20:05) - Exuberance vs. fear (01:24:15) - Hiring slowly (01:27:17) - What “grit” means to Blake Mentioned in this episode: Chuck Yeager, ChatGPT, the Apollo program, Elon Musk, SpaceX and Falcon 1, Boom Overture, Starlink, Boeing, Airbus, iPhone, Jony Ive, Uber, Airbnb, Anduril, United Airlines, American Airlines, Eclipse Aviation, Tesla, Scott Kirby, Mike Leskinen, Inktomi, Yahoo!, Amazon, Pelago, Google Ads, Kima Labs, Barcode Hero, Groupon, iPad, Eric Schmidt, Steve Jobs, Khan Academy, Sam Altman, Loopt, Virgin Atlantic, Paul Graham, Michael Seibel, Ashlee Vance, Bloomberg, Hacker News, Jared Friedman, Sen. Mark Kelly, SV Angel, Ron Conway, Virgin Galactic, Lockheed Martin, Gulfstream, Jeff Bezos, Jeff Holden, and How It's Made.Links:Connect with BlakeTwitterLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
Join host Mark Mathia on the Essentially You podcast as he delves into the art of cultivating resilience in high-pressure careers. Discover three powerful interventions—clarity through feedback, energy over exhaustion, and purpose-driven anchors—that transform grit from a mere buzzword into a tangible tool for success. With insights from Angela Duckworth's research and real-world stories, learn how to navigate career challenges with purpose and perseverance. Whether you're leading a team, managing a company, or striving to stay afloat in a demanding job, this episode offers strategies to enhance your leadership and impact.
Guest: George Kurian, CEO of NetAppFor almost 10 years, George Kurian has been CEO of the data infrastructure firm NetApp, overseeing its pivot to cloud services. After he took the job — a surprise promotion dropped on him just days before it was announced — he had to learn on the job how the job could be.“ There are a lot more stakeholders that a CEO has to deal with than a chief product officer,” George says, referring to his previous role. “There's also a lot more external commitment ... It was a really all-consuming effort to get the company turned around.”He said the CEO job can be “fairly lonely” because you may want to be peers or friends with your team and your board — but in fact, they are sometimes your subordinates and your superiors, respectively.“ We wouldn't be here without others having contributed significantly on the journey,” George says. “[But] there are times when you have to step back and say, ‘I see a pattern that my team is not seeing,' or ‘Do I think that we can do a better job than we are doing?'”Chapters:(01:10) - Commuting to Sunnyvale (04:49) - Growing up in India (08:04) - Protect the child (09:33) - Raising kids in Silicon Valley (12:44) - Money motivation (15:04) - NetApp's renaissance (21:39) - Writing new chapters (23:15) - Culture shifts (26:38) - Coming to NetApp (29:41) - Surprise! You're the CEO (32:41) - Making sacrifices (35:04) - Work vs. family tension (37:18) - Doubt & lonely decisions (42:38) - The data wave (45:27) - Enterprise AI (51:36) - Starting your own company (53:33) - Navigating difficulty (56:28) - Who NetApp is hiring (57:11) - What “grit” means to George Mentioned in this episode: EMC, OpenAI, DeepSeek, CalTrain, the San Francisco 49ers, Princeton University, Subway, Vons, Thomas Kurian, Google Cloud, Stanford University, Brian Cox, Oliver Jay, the Quakers, Jay Chaudhry, zScaler, Manmohan Singh, Oracle, IBM, Sun, Amazon, Microsoft, Glean, Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, McKinsey, Akamai, Cisco, Gwen McDonald, and the San Francisco Friends School.Links:Connect with GeorgeLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
Nevertheless, She Persisted: Surviving Teen Depression and Anxiety
#213 Today's guest is John R. Miles— a former U.S. Navy officer, Fortune 50 senior executive, entrepreneur, author, and award-winning podcast host. He is a recognized expert on intentional behavior change, leadership, personal mastery, and the transformative power of "mattering." In this episode, we discuss:+ The theory that explains many people's career struggles+ How to start discovering your authentic self & purpose in life+ Finding your "stuck points" & healing them+ Positive psychology findings on self-control & agency + Why you should start being more intentional + Steps to take to increase your mastery in life+ Avoiding negative self-talk when trying to achieve your goals+ Signs that you're getting in your own way+ What Gen Z should be doing to build their dream futuresJohn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_r_miles/MENTIONED + John's website+ Passion Struck Podcast+ Passion Struck book+ Awe by Dacher Keltner+ Chatter by Ethan Kross+ Ep. on Angela Duckworth's class+ Ep. with Emma SeppalaSHOP GUEST RECOMMENDATIONS: https://amzn.to/3A69GOCSTARBUCKS GIFTCARD GIVEAWAY: Want coffee on me?! Each month I'll be randomly choosing a winner to receive a Starbucks giftcard! To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is leave a review of the podcast on Spotify and/or Apple Podcasts and DM me on a screenshot of your review on Instagram. Win bonus entries by tagging the podcast on your Instagram story or TikTok! Good luck!LET'S CONNECT+ Instagram (@shepersistedpodcast)+ Website (shepersistedpodcast.com)+ YouTube (Sadie Sutton: She Persisted Podcast)+ Twitter (@persistpodcast)+ Facebook (@shepersistedpodcast)+
Guests: Winston Weinberg, CEO & co-founder of Harvey; and Ilya Fushman, partner at Kleiner Perkins“If you think about pretty much any job out there in the world, we will have some sort of [AI] copilot,” says Kleiner Perkins partner Ilya Fushman. “The question is, who are the right folks to build it, and what's their vision?”For Harvey CEO & co-founder Winston Weinberg, the vision is clear: Silicon Valley cannot and should not try to disrupt the legal profession by automating the job of lawyers. Instead, he says, they need to have “respect for the industry” before designing AI solutions that speed up specific tasks.“These industries are incredibly complex,” Winston says. “Legal is one of the oldest professions known to man. There are firms that are over a hundred years old. There are firms that are hundreds of years old, and having a brand that says, ‘We are partnering with the industry to transform it' versus ‘We are just going to steamroll the industry' is really important for us.”Chapters:(01:16) - The zeitgeist switch (02:58) - What is Harvey? (06:10) - Chief Law Officers (07:58) - Agentic workflows (09:43) - Ilya's investment thesis (12:48) - Collaborating with AI (16:05) - Task automation (20:52) - Why is it called Harvey? (23:14) - Respecting the legal industry (26:43) - Winston's past jobs (28:47) - First steps (32:13) - Scaling the company (35:02) - Scaling yourself (37:19) - Who works for Harvey (40:50) - Making mistakes (43:15) - Making sacrifices (45:51) - Growing too fast (50:50) - Setting priorities (54:54) - Harvey's competitors (57:38) - Internal virality (01:00:46) - Testing Harvey's limits (01:03:29) - Who Harvey is hiring (01:04:01) - What “grit” means to Winston Mentioned in this episode: ChatGPT, the Fortune 500, Microsoft Copilot, Gabe Pereyra, Activision, Excel, Counsel AI Corporation, Suits, Harvard University, Netflix, Dell, O'Melveny & Myers, Hueston Hennigan, Meta, Reddit, Jason Kwon, Anthropic, Marissa Mayer, Eric Schmidt, Google, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Glean.Links:Connect with WinstonTwitterLinkedInConnect with IlyaTwitterLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with David Yeager, professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and cofounder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. David is best known for his research conducted with Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth, and Greg Walton on short but powerful interventions that influence adolescent behaviors such as motivation, engagement, healthy eating, bullying, stress, mental health, and more. David recently published his latest book “10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People: A Groundbreaking Approach to Leading the Next Generation―And Making Your Own Life Easier” which quickly became a national bestseller. Here's a universal truth: Parents and leaders alike constantly worry about their next generation – are they ready, are they responsible, will they be able to make it on their own, etc. It's a tale as old as time. David shares his views and research on what is going on there and why that dynamic is so universally present across time, cultures, and socio-economic contexts. This dynamic repeats itself again and again, and so many parents and leaders fall into this trap repeatedly. But is there a solution? Is there a better way to interact with and motivate young people, and if so, what is it? David illuminates these questions from the perspective of his life's work and his most recent research. One critical and powerful practical tool David talks about in his book is language and communication style. David shares his observations on the importance of language and how parents and leaders can communicate more effectively with the younger generation. An important practical topic David emphasizes to parents and leaders is the very real and notable rise in stress and anxiety among young people. He provides his insights into what both next-gen members and the older generation and those in positions of power should know and be doing to manage and alleviate this rising and damaging trend. Enjoy this informative conversation with a leading researcher, adviser and best-selling author in the field of next-gen engagement and motivation.
Guest: Miki Kuusi, head of international at Doordash + CEO & co-founder of Wolt + co-founder of Slush tech conferenceBefore Miki Kuusi launched the Finnish delivery startup Wolt, which DoorDash acquired in 2022, he wasn't just another startup entrepreneur. From 2011 to 2015, Miki was the CEO of the hugely influential European tech conference Slush, which brings thousands of founders and VCs to Helsinki every winter. “You could argue that Slush was my university for things leading up to Wolt, and what I do today,” Miki says. “That's where I learned most of the core lessons that I put into action.” One thing he remembers thinking in those early days: Everything was going to be redefined by the internet.“I just wanted to get a shot at building one of these services of the next hundred years,” he says. “And that was the driving motivator for me. If the driving motivator had been money, I don't think we would be here today.”Chapters:(01:14) - Act 3 (03:36) - Unlocking local commerce (06:13) - Selling Wolt (09:27) - The competition (14:20) - DoorDash's and Wolt's origins (17:50) - “Maybe we're the idiots in the room” (22:44) - Difficult years (25:13) - Startups in Europe vs. U.S. (28:56) - Learning from DoorDash (31:51) - Market correction (35:24) - Delivery around the world (39:17) - “ Glorified recruiting companies” (42:31) - Convincing restaurants (44:11) - Slush (48:21) - The next mountain (54:13) - Ambition and concentration (59:58) - Family and distractions (01:04:34) - Email overload (01:07:07) - Time as currency (01:09:25) - Priorities and onboarding (01:15:49) - The power of culture (01:19:32) - Who Wolt and DoorDash are hiring (01:20:39) - What “grit” means to Miki Mentioned in this episode: Tony Xu, Uber, Lyft, Uber Eats, Postmates, Delivery Hero, GrubHub, DeepSeek, OpenAI, Anthropic, Kees Koolen and Booking.com, 83North, Supercell, DashPass, Wolt+, Microsoft Excel, Amazon, Parker Conrad and Rippling, Andreeseen Horowitz, Fortnite, WhatsApp, Barry's Bootcamp, and Slack.Links:Connect with MikiLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
Guest: Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard; and Bing Gordon, general partner at Kleiner PerkinsIn 2020, when President Trump signed the executive order that would ban TikTok in the U.S., Bobby Kotick called his old friend Steven Mnuchin. The former Secretary of the Treasury told him that, if TikTok's U.S. operations were to be sold to an American company, Microsoft would be the only bidder.A couple calls later, he reached ByteDance founder and CEO Zhang Yiming, who said he'd rather sell to Bobby than Microsoft. Concerned about his ability to get the deal done solo, Bobby called Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and offered to make a joint bid. Nadella declined, but added, “ if the deal doesn't get done, we should sit down and talk about us buying Activision.” TikTok currently remains Chinese-owned, but three years later, Microsoft paid $75 billion for Activision Blizzard.Chapters:Mentioned in this episode: Harvard-Westlake School, Alison Ressler, Vivendi, Berkshire Hathaway, Bruce Hack and Arnaud de Puyfontaine, John Riccitiello and EA, Call of Duty, Bizarre Creations, Atari, Apple II, Commodore 64, Jean-Louis Gassée, Apple Lisa, Howard Lincoln, Philips, Magnavox Odyssey, Sutter Hill Ventures, Infocom and Zork, Toys-R-Us, Howard Hughes, E. Parry Thomas, Sun Valley, Thom Weisel, William Morris Endeavor, Guitar Hero, Davidson & Associates, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham, World of Warcraft, Medal of Honor, Steven Spielberg, Michael Crichton, Chris Roberts, Overwatch, Tencent, Time Warner, Jeff Bewkes, Sheryl Sandberg, Lean In, Lina Khan, Samsung, Elon Musk, James L. Jones, UFC, E. Floyd Kvamme, Toy Story 2, Procter & Gamble, Ron Doornik, John Lasseter, Xerox PARC, Shigeru Miyamoto, Satoru Iwata, Goldeneye 007, James Bond, Barbara Broccoli, Oculus, Apple Vision Pro, Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, Sam Altman, Mustafa Suleyman, Spotify, Candy Crush Saga, Disney, Phil Spencer, Clarence Avant and Motown Records. Links:Connect with BobbyTwitterLinkedInConnect with BingTwitterLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
Nevertheless, She Persisted: Surviving Teen Depression and Anxiety
#211 In this week's solo episode, I discuss everything I learned in my Grit Lab course as a psychology major at the University of Pennsylvania. This class is taught by Dr. Angela Duckworth, a Penn professor, researcher, MacArthur fellow, and best-selling author. This episode is your condensed guide on how you can use grit to achieve success and become an expert in your field. I explain: + A viral study on how to determine someone's level of grit+ Key differences between grit and self-control+ The most effective way to think about success + Why values are so important in influencing our success+ Setting goal hierarchies & what that looks like + A model to help you visualize your goals + Four key strategies for actually achieving your goals + How to set an achievable goal + The four steps toward becoming an expert in something+ Traits that experts have in common + Takeaways from this episode you need to remember MENTIONED+ Grit by Angela Duckworth+ Dr. Duckworth's Ted Talk+ Character Lab+ Article on self-control+ She Persisted goals episodeSHOP GUEST RECOMMENDATIONS: https://amzn.to/3A69GOCSTARBUCKS GIFTCARD GIVEAWAY: Want coffee on me?! Each month I'll be randomly choosing a winner to receive a Starbucks giftcard! To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is leave a review of the podcast on Spotify and/or Apple Podcasts and DM me on a screenshot of your review on Instagram. Win bonus entries by tagging the podcast on your Instagram story or TikTok! Good luck!LET'S CONNECT+ Instagram (@shepersistedpodcast)+ Website (shepersistedpodcast.com)+ YouTube (Sadie Sutton: She Persisted Podcast)+ Twitter (@persistpodcast)+ Facebook (@shepersistedpodcast)+
God created us to bring him glory. That is what our top priority should be. It's easy to get lost in the weeds of how and why, but the long and short of it is just do it. It doesn't matter how. It doesn't matter if you want to. It only matters that “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord”. (Colossians 3:23)At first you might think that God sure does sound like an ego maniac. What kind of being creates things for the sole purpose of making themselves look good? I can't even take a compliment without feeling awkward. Upon further reflection though, OF COURSE I SHOULD SPEND EVERY WAKING MINUTE DOING AND SAYING THINGS TO BRING GLORY AND HONOR TO THE ONE THAT SAVED ME. Sorry to shout. That was a light bulb moment for me. It really shifted my perspective. Angela Duckworth gives this illustration:Three bricklayers are asked, “What are you doing?” The first says, “I am laying bricks.” The second says, “I am building a church.” The third says, “I am building the house of God.” The first bricklayer has a job. The second has a career. The third has a calling.Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!
Many attempts at influencing adolescent behavior fail. In this episode, David S. Yeager joins us to the use of a mentor mindset by faculty members can increase student motivation and academic success. David is the Raymond Dixon Centennial Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, and a co-founder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. He is best known for his research with Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth and Greg Walton on interventions that influence adolescent behaviors. David has served as a consultant for Google, Microsoft, Disney and the World Bank, and is the recipient of over 15 awards for his work in social, developmental, and educational psychology. He has published extensively in scholarly publications, and his research has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, CNN, Fox News, The Guardian, The Atlantic, and many, many other places. David and Carol Dweck and others have also created a MasterClass on The Power of Mindset. His most recent book is 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.
Guest: Nick Kokonas, co-founder of the Alinea Group and former CEO of TockAs of October 1, 2024, Nick Kokonas is no longer an owner of the Alinea restaurant group, which he co-founded and ran for almost 20 years. When he bought a vineyard in Napa Valley prior to the exit, one of his sons remarked, “He's given up. Time to go out to pasture.”Nick admits that the work ahead of him is “not the same” as the high-pressure world of a Michelin-starred restaurant in Chicago. But he's started working with the magician Nate Staniforth on a new restaurant concept that will present diners with illusions and surprises over the course of a two-hour experience. “If you want to feel wonder and feel childlike again, go see a magician,” Nick says. “[But] there's so much bad cultural baggage ... what we wanted to do was create an experience that is not really about magic.”Chapters:(02:29) - Celebrity restauranteurs (07:14) - The next act (12:30) - Buying the vineyard (15:37) - Fear is motivating (17:59) - Opening night (22:03) - Tongue cancer (27:56) - “OK, let's fix this” (31:10) - Selling experience (38:32) - The table plate (42:40) - Feeling full (44:14) - Next Restaurant and Tock (49:33) - Being still (51:19) - Nate Staniforth's lottery illusion (56:57) - The magic restaurant (01:02:29) - Being misunderstood (01:07:44) - Working via email (01:11:43) - “Enemies” (01:18:23) - Who Nick is hiring and what “grit” means to him Mentioned in this episode: Mike Gamson, Shaquille O'Neal, Jeff Kaplan, Steve Bernacki, Robin Anil, Grant Achatz, OpenTable, American Express, The Big Lebowski, The New York Times, eGullet, Gourmet Magazine, Roger Ebert, Eddie van Halen, Goodfellas, The Devil Wears Prada, Batman, the Chicago Bears, Madonna, Taylor Swift, Bavette's and Brendan Sodikoff, Pablo Picasso, Chef's Table, Google, Brian Fitzpatrick, Finding Real Magic, David Blaine, Mark Cuban, Mark Caro, Chicago Magazine, John Mariani, Cat Cora, Homaro Cantu, Dave Portnoy, Pete Wells, and Eric Asimov.Links:Connect with NickTwitterLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
Business books are everywhere, offering seemingly simple solutions to complex problems—but are they truly helpful? In this episode, Alex Edmans explores the biases that make us fall for oversimplified advice and why many popular business books fail to deliver. You'll learn: How black-and-white thinking fuels the success of books like Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution and Start With Why. Why confirmation bias leads us to believe unproven claims (feat. Simon Sinek's “Why” theory). The dangers of ignoring nuance, such as in Angela Duckworth's Grit and Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000-hour rule. Real-world examples of flawed reasoning, from the London Marathon tragedy to corporate missteps. How to critically evaluate the advice offered in bestsellers and avoid falling for universal “truths.” ---- Download the Reading List: https://nudge.kit.com/readinglist Sign up to my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ Alex's book May Contain Lies: https://maycontainlies.com/ ---- Sources: Edmans, A. (2024). May contain lies: How stories, statistics, and studies exploit our biases—and what we can do about it. University of California Press. Atkins, R. C. (1972). Dr. Atkins' diet revolution: The high calorie way to stay thin forever. New York: Bantam Books. Seidelmann, Sara B. et al. (2018): ‘Dietary carbohydrate intake and mortality: a prospective cohort study and meta-analysis', Lancet Public Health 3, E419–E428 DeLosh, Edward L., Jerome R. Busemeyer and Mark A. McDaniel (1997): ‘Extrapolation: the sine qua non for abstraction in function learning', Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 23, 968–86. Fisher, Matthew and Frank Kiel (2018): ‘The binary bias: a systematic distortion in the integration of information'. Psychological Science 29, 1846–58 Sinek, S. (2009). Start with why: How great leaders inspire everyone to take action. Portfolio. Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The story of success. Little, Brown and Company. Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. Scribner.
Guest: Rick Smith, CEO & Founder of Axon (formerly TASER)Being a founder-CEO is a “unique superpower,” says Axon's Rick Smith: People like him get a longer leash from the board to try things that outside CEOs might not.“My job is to push risk into the organization,” Rick says. “If there's a project with a 50 percent chance of success, a 50 percent chance of failure, but it's going to pay 100 to 1, any finance person will tell you, you should take that bet all day long.”One of those bets was the transition from running a weapons company called TASER into a broader public safety firm called Axon, which makes cloud-supported body cameras fro police, tactical drones, AI records management software and more. “If we never have a product failure, then we're not taking risks anymore and we're going to end up getting disrupted,” Rick says.Chapters:(01:09) - Tasers vs. guns (03:35) - Axon's growth (07:09) - Biggest surprises (09:33) - How TASER got started (13:11) - Reinventing the taser (17:24) - A humiliating launch (23:33) - Rick's family (26:14) - The Auto Taser failure (30:21) - The darkest days (34:26) - Hans Marrero (37:25) - Family and burnout (42:49) - Rick's family (45:49) - Pivoting the business (51:37) - Axon body cameras (53:46) - Axon's current products (58:08) - Re-educating the cops (01:02:09) - Pushing risk (01:05:44) - Competing with the gun (01:10:16) - Exponential stock plans (01:14:17) - Who Axon is hiring (01:14:46) - What “grit” means to Rick Mentioned in this episode: UnitedHealthcare and Brian Thompson, Harvard University, human-machine interfaces, Star Wars, Timecop, Star Trek, Jack Cover, Project Apollo, Ed Owen; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; Tom Smith, Rodney King, the Sharper Image, Steve Filmer, Phil Smith, Silicon Valley Bank, Emil Michael, Bob Kagle, Benchmark, Norwest Ventures, Molly Wuthrich, Josh Isner, The Terminator, Ferrari, Richard Branson, Burning Man, Steve Jobs, Brenda Smith, Hadi Partovi, Amazon AWS, Microsoft, DraftOne, Ambience Health, OpenAI, Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Brown, Computer Aided Dispatch, Elon Musk and SpaceX, and Luke Larson.Links:Connect with RickTwitterLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
Are you thinking big enough about your retirement? You'll have time for the things you always wanted to do but didn't have time for in your full-time working years. With a blank canvas to work with, what are the meaningful personal goals you'd like to pursue now? How you start can make the difference. Caroline Adams Miller joins us to discuss her new book Big Goals: The Science of Setting Them, Achieving Them, and Creating Your Best Life and how you can use a research-backed method to set challenging but attainable goals - and make this year your best year. Caroline Adams Miller joins us from Maryland. ________________________ Bio Caroline Adams Miller is a globally renowned expert in positive psychology, with a special focus on goals and grit. For over 30 years, she has been a trailblazer in advancing these fields, helping individuals and organizations reach their most ambitious goals and improve overall well- being. She was among the first to earn a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006, a program pioneered by Dr. Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology. Caroline also graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, laying the groundwork for her future achievements in psychology and personal development. She is a black-belt martial artist and a Masters swimmer. Caroline is the author of nine influential books, including: My Name is Caroline (Doubleday 1988, Gurze 2000, Cogent 2014), a pioneering recovery memoir that has given hope to countless individuals battling eating disorders. • Getting Grit (SoundsTrue 2017), which explores the science of perseverance and was recognized as one of the “top ten books that will change your life” in 2017 and one of the “top 25 books that will help you find your purpose” in 2023. • Creating Your Best Life (Sterling 2009, 2021), a #1-ranked book on goal-setting that combines the science of success with research on happiness and was the first mass-market book to bridge these fields using Locke and Latham's goal- setting theory. • Big Goals (Wiley, 2024), which offers an accessible, updated framework for achieving significant goals, incorporating modern research on mindset, grit, artificial intelligence, and resilience. It provides practical strategies for both personal and organizational success, grounded in 15 years of new research in positive psychology. This book is destined to change the way people view goalsetting and has been selected as a must-read for The Next Big Idea Club. Her books have been translated into multiple languages, including German, Korean, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Italian, reaching a global audience. Caroline's impact on positive psychology has earned widespread recognition. Dr. Martin Seligman highlighted her work in Flourish, and Angela Duckworth, a leading researcher on grit, praised Caroline's profound insights and practical applications of grit research, saying, “No one has thought more than Caroline about how to apply the scientific research on grit and achievement to our own lives!” A sought-after speaker, Caroline has presented at prestigious venues such as Wharton Business School's Executive Education program and delivered a TEDx talk titled “The Moments That Make Champions,” resonating with audiences worldwide. Her work has been featured in major media outlets like BBC World News, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, and CNN. She has consulted with high-profile clients, including Morgan Stanley, lululemon, Coldwell Banker, American Bankers Association, Blizzard Entertainment, RE/MAX, Booz Allen, Harvard Law School, The World Bank, and Swisse Wellness, helping them pursue ambitious goals and create environments that foster success and well-being. Caroline's memoir My Name is Caroline details her personal journey of overcoming bulimia and demonstrates her belief in the power of grit an...
Guest: Emilie Choi, president & COO of CoinbaseAfter the collapse of FTX in 2022, “the whole industry was tarnished,” recalls Coinbase COO Emilie Choi. “Politicians came out criticizing crypto, saying it was a fraud.”But unlike FTX, Coinbase was a public company in the U.S. So when the SEC served it a Wells notice, announcing its intent to charge the company with violating securities laws, the executive team took an unusual step: They went on the offensive, publicly calling BS on the agency.“Well-regarded CEOs from TradFi, they were like, ‘You don't do that,'” Emilie says. “'You don't antagonize your regulator.' ... It was a combination of chutzpah and maybe desperation that we were like, ‘We have to go tell our story, because if we don't, nobody else will.'”Chapters: (01:14) - Working with founder CEOs (04:12) - Mission first (07:16) - Reviewing candidates (09:48) - Unusual hiring (11:22) - Crypto after FTX (16:29) - Operation Choke Point 2.0 (19:19) - Grin and bear it (21:24) - Channeling negativity (24:21) - Going to war with the SEC (26:20) - Donald Trump and Gary Gensler (28:38) - Was it worth it? (31:19) - Shipping challenges (34:03) - OKRs and personal goals (36:41) - Brian Armstrong and structure (40:56) - The COO guidebook (43:30) - Removing bureaucracy (46:50) - Investing in crypto (49:41) - After Coinbase (53:03) - Constantly on (54:53) - Favorite interview questions (56:28) - Who Coinbase is hiring (58:28) - Standing for something Mentioned in this episode: Google Chat, executive coaches, Mark Zuckerberg, LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner, speed reading, Warner Bros., Elizabeth Warren, Sam Bankman-Fried, Wells notices, Paul Grewal, Chris Lehane, Airbnb, OpenAI, FOIA requests, Balaji Srinivasan, Dan Romero, Kevin Scott, Microsoft, Patrick McHenry, Ritchie Torres, Fairshake PAC, A16z, Ripple, Stand With Crypto, Dogecoin, Robinhood, Charles Schwab, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Paul Ryan, Faryar Shirzad, Kara Calvert, Elon Musk, Earn.com, Ben Horowitz, Bain Capital Ventures, Claire Hughes Johnson and Scaling People, Directly Responsible Individuals, Fidelity, BlackRock, Yahoo!, Stewart Butterfield, Brad Garlinghouse, Alibaba, Flickr, cognitive tests, and Loom.Links:Connect with EmilieTwitterLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
We often hear stories of transformational mentors from the iconic business leaders on our show. In this episode, we've curated a handful of our favorite stories about how mentors make a difference. Hear from music industry legend Jimmy Iovine, entrepreneur Alexa von Tobel, pro athlete Alex Rodriguez, and others.Baby2Baby Disaster Relief and Emergency ResponseRead a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.comSubscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Guest: Sarah Franklin, CEO of LatticeAs the CEO of a growing company, Lattice's Sarah Franklin has learned that one of her most important contributions is taking a leap of faith. “You have to have the courage to be the first one to do it,” she says,” and to show that it can be done, and to pave the way so that then your team feels trust.”Sarah cautions, though, that sometimes courage is deciding to stop and go a different direction. As agentic AI becomes more common, the people building companies like Lattice should look to the “cautionary tales” of how social media and mobile phones have changed society, she says.“We can have the courage to say, what are the outcomes that we want to prevent? Or what are the outcomes that we want to make sure happen? This all takes, courage, because it's all unknown.”Chapters:(01:14) - Schooling in Mexico (04:09) - Raising brave children (10:28) - Sarah's upbringing (13:29) - The pursuit of money (16:23) - Measuring success (19:28) - Learnings, not regrets (22:55) - Make an impact (26:44) - Pitching Trailhead (32:56) - Elevating a B2B company (35:27) - How to colonize Mars (38:39) - Marketing, the Salesforce way (44:21) - Dolphining and truth-tellers (50:56) - Renewed purpose (56:30) - The challenges of being CEO (01:00:18) - Pave the way (01:03:25) - “Humanizing AI” (01:06:57) - Handling controversy (01:11:04) - Who Lattice is hiring and what “grit” means to Sarah Mentioned in this episode: FaceTime, Salesforce, Marc Benioff, Mahatma Gandhi, Instagram, the Fortune 500, Java, Jerry Maguire, National Parks, Nike, Michael Jordan, Apple and “Think Different,” Sara Varni, Scott Holden, Andy Kofoid, Databricks, Datadog, Behind the Cloud, Oracle, Microsoft, Elon Musk, Amazon AWS, George Hu, Mike Rosenbaum, Cheryl Feldman, Zac Otero, Guidewire Software, AI agents, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and LinkedIn.Links:Connect with SarahLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
Guest: David Heinemeier Hansson, CTO & co-owner of 37signals and creator of Ruby on Rails 37signals CTO David Heinemeier Hansson has organized his life around his passions: Writing, racing sports cars, and coding. “ Why aren't we all doing that?” he wonders. “Why aren't we all trying to optimize our life in such a way that much of it is enjoyable?”Part of the problem, David argues, is that it's impossible to find a creative or productive flow inside of mainstream work culture. Open offices, managerial over-hiring, and sloppy scheduling prevents people from reaching a flow state.“40 hours a week is plenty than most people,” he says. “... So many people today are focused on just adding more and more hours. They're not thinking about how those hours are spent.” Chapters:(01:19) - 24 Hours of Le Mans (06:48) - Amateurs in sports car racing (10:54) - Flow and meditation (15:25) - Mundane bulls**t (18:14) - Optimizing for flow (21:09) - Calendars and open offices (24:30) - Full-time managers (29:06) - Small companies (32:20) - Selfishness and work (40:21) - Taking other people's money (45:43) - Temptation (49:49) - Moderately rich (55:19) - “The day I became a millionaire” (58:56) - The hassle (01:03:58) - Achieving the dream (01:08:34) - Shopify and Tobias Lütke (01:14:50) - Trade-offs and downsides (01:18:43) - The impact of Ruby on Rails (01:22:02) - “I love being wrong” (01:25:37) - DEI and illegal drugs (01:29:49) - Not hiring (01:30:35) - What “grit” means to David Mentioned in this episode: TikTok, Minecraft, Mario Kart, Formula One, NASCAR, Lewis Hamilton, the NBA, Tesla Model S, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Steve McQueen, Jason Fried, Tetris, Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graeber, Elon Musk and Twitter, the Dunbar number, Zappos, Google, Adam Smith, Stripe, Meta, Jeff Bezos, Basecamp, Zapier, 1Password, GitHub, SpaceX, private jets, Aesop, the Pagani Zonda, the Porsche Boxster, Lamborghini, Coco Chanel, LeBron James, Hey, Steve Jobs, Michael Arrington and TechCrunch, Y Combinator, Dr. Thomas Sowell,Punished by Rewards by Alfie Kohn, Grit by Angela Duckworth, and LEGO. Links:Connect with DavidTwitterLinkedInConnect with JoubinTwitterLinkedInEmail: grit@kleinerperkins.com Learn more about Kleiner PerkinsThis episode was edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod.fm
What do Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and Malcolm Gladwell have in common? Are interesting theories more significant than true ones? And what has been keeping Angela up at night? Plus: an important announcement about the show. SOURCES:Charles Darwin, 19th-century naturalist and biologist.Murray Davis, cultural sociologist.Malcolm Gladwell, journalist and author.Adam Grant, professor of management and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.B. F. Skinner, 20th-century American psychologist. RESOURCES:Small Fry, by Lisa Brennan-Jobs (2018).Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth (2016)."Why Malcolm Gladwell's Ideas Are So Interesting, Whether or Not They're True," by Adam Grant (Quartz, 2015).David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, by Malcolm Gladwell (2013).Curious?: Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life, by Todd Kashdan (2009)."Interest — The Curious Emotion," by Paul J. Silvia (2008).Exploring the Psychology of Interest, by Paul J. Silvia (2006)."The Ketchup Conundrum," by Malcolm Gladwell (The New Yorker, 2004)."That's Interesting!: Towards a Phenomenology of Sociology and a Sociology of Phenomenology," by Murray S. Davis (Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 1971).The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, by Charles Darwin (1872). EXTRAS:"How Do You Identify a Narcissist?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Is Screen Time as Poisonous as We Think?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024)."Abortion and Crime, Revisited (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2024).