The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish

Trusted by Fortune 500 CEOs and elite performers, this is where you go to think better, live better, and get ahead. Each week, Shane Parrish goes deep with the world’s sharpest minds—founders, economists, bestselling authors—to uncover the mental models, habits, and strategies behind extraordinary results. The Knowledge Project isn't just a podcast—it’s a masterclass in Clear Thinking. Speaking of, check out Shane's book, Clear Thinking: fs.blog/clear [https://fs.blog/clear] Be sure to watch the full episodes of all guests featured in this trailer for phenomenal insights: Mickey Drexler: Episode #213: The Art of Selling with Retail's Merchant Prince [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4QTZuvfF8facjVf0FQ11NY] John Bragg: Episode #204: The Blueberry Billionaire [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0gFnIl5VAkXocJscmfUmLy] Brad Jacobs: Episode #190: How To Build a Billion Dollar Company [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ZnKLcCX01BBcsRw2LQtRJ] Logan Ury: Episode #219: The Dating Myths You Need to Stop Believing [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5n7lP9GHycrPVg63fS0g9H] Maya Shankar: Episode #198: The Science of Identity [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1aeatzT7UGbNJsoLlc25W7] Andrew Huberman: Episode #133: The Science of Small Changes [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2aokNhH1yC1H3UTrAHHkSr] David Sinclair: Episode #136: Reversing the Aging Process [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VoVQDWBwGLBcfBtZfIDY2] Morgan Housel: Episode #195: Get Rich, Stay Rich [https://open.spotify.com/episode/7cCROF4WBLfKfOz3I1g2VF] April Dunford: Episode #201: The Marketing Expert [https://open.spotify.com/episode/57PbgGE9EkE15ijlObT6G7] Bryan Johnson: Episode #188: Five Habits for Longer Living [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1hnPQt6KrkxVowTGYG6Y8O] Seth Godin: Episode #105: Failing On Our Way To Mastery [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5PB4PR1NoKfMvKok8z22i3] Dr. Rhonda Patrick: Episode #191: Diet Essentials For Healthy Living [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4tnRkV3qL3GulapNmzirsy] Bruce Flatt: Episode #221: Value, Discipline, and Durability [https://open.spotify.com/episode/42H8xGHmIZrIK3YgIb6nQw] Jack Kornfield: Episode #156: Finding Inner Calm [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1AbUp1QKvNwKtCmztkPR25] Check out Shane's appearance on The Rich Roll podcast: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHHJfwmR-RQ&t=6294s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHHJfwmR-RQ&t=6294s] Newsletter - The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠ [https://fs.blog/newsletter/] Join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠ [https://fs.blog/membership/]⁠⁠ to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of episodes and more. Watch on YouTube: ⁠@tkppodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@tkppodcast] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Rose Blumkin didn’t just build a business. She revolutionized retail. After fleeing Russia with $66 in her purse, she opened a basement furniture store in Omaha at 43 years old—with no English, no education, and no connections. Her formula? Sell cheap, tell the truth, don't cheat the customer. Nebraska Furniture Mart would survive depressions, fires, lawsuits, tornadoes—and eventually become a billion-dollar empire Warren Buffett called “the ideal business.”  Learn how Mrs. B’s relentless focus, radical simplicity, and unbreakable work ethic built an empire from scratch—and what her story teaches us about business, resilience, and the power of earned trust. This episode is for informational purposes only and most of the research came from "Women of Berkshire Hathaway" and oral history interviews with Rose Blumkin and her daughter Frances. (03:20) PART 1: Early Childhood (07:10) A Natural Entrepreneur (09:37) PART 2: Building an Empire  (12:53) The Competition  (15:54) The Passing of Isadore  (18:32) Expansion through Hardship  (20:32) Natural Instinct for Character (25:15) PART 3: The $60m Handshake / The Buffett Connection  (28:25) A Rebel at 96 (33:47) Reflections, afterthoughts, and lessons Thanks to our sponsors for supporting this episode: MOMENTOUS: Head to ⁠livemomentous.com⁠ [https://www.livemomentous.com/en-ca] and use code KNOWLEDGEPROJECT for 35% off your first subscription.  NOTION MAIL: Get Notion Mail for free right now at notion.com/knowledgeproject [https://www.notion.com/product/mail?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=knowledgeproject%20] Check out highlights from this books in our repository, and find key lessons from Blumkin here — fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/outliers-rose-blumkin [https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/outliers-rose-blumkin/] Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of all episodes, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠ [https://fs.blog/membership/]⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Newsletter — The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠fs.blog/newsletter [https://fs.blog/newsletter/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Most accelerators fund ideas. Y Combinator funds founders—and transforms them. With a 1% acceptance rate and alumni behind 60% of the past decade’s unicorns, YC knows what separates the founders who break through from those who burn out. It's not the flashiest résumé or the boldest pitch but something President Garry Tan says is far rarer: earnestness. In this conversation, Garry reveals why this is the key to success, and how it can make or break a startup. We also dive into how AI is reshaping the whole landscape of venture capital and what the future might look like when everyone has intelligence on tap.  If you care about innovation, agency, or the future of work, don’t miss this episode.  Approximate timestamps: Subject to variation due to dynamically inserted ads. (00:02:39) The Success of Y Combinator (00:04:25) The Y Combinator Program (00:08:25) The Application Process (00:09:58) The Interview Process (00:16:16) The Challenge of Early Stage Investment (00:22:53) The Role of San Francisco in Innovation (00:28:32) The Ideal Founder (00:36:27) The Importance of Earnestness (00:42:17) The Changing Landscape of AI Companies (00:45:26) The Impact of Cloud Computing (00:50:11) Dysfunction with Silicon Valley (00:52:24) Forecast for the Tech Market (00:54:40) The Regulation of AI (00:55:56) The Need for Agency in Education (01:01:40) AI in Biotech and Manufacturing (01:07:24) The Issue of Data Access and The Legal Aspects of AI Outputs (01:13:34) The Role of Meta in AI Development (01:28:07) The Potential of AI in Decision Making (01:40:33) Defining AGI (01:42:03) The Use of AI and Prompting (01:47:09) AI Model Reasoning (01:49:48) The Competitive Advantage in AI (01:52:42) Investing in Big Tech Companies (01:55:47) The Role of Microsoft and Meta in AI (01:57:00) Learning from MrBeast: YouTube Channel Optimization (02:05:58) The Perception of Founders (02:08:23) The Reality of Startup Success Rates (02:09:34) The Impact of OpenAI (02:11:46) The Golden Age of Building MOMENTOUS: Head to livemomentous.com [https://www.livemomentous.com/en-ca] and use code KNOWLEDGEPROJECT for 35% off your first subscription.  Newsletter - The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at fs.blog/newsletter [https://fs.blog/newsletter/] Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership [https://fs.blog/membership/]⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Watch on YouTube: @tkppodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@tkppodcast] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

If Warren Buffett is the king of capital allocation—Henry Singleton is the ghost. Singleton built one of the most successful conglomerates in American history, transforming business while remaining virtually unknown. While Wall Street chased fads, Singleton, who could play chess blindfolded, quietly turned industrial conglomerate Teledyne into a business juggernaut with 20.4% annual returns over nearly three decades—outperforming Buffett, outmaneuvering rivals, and outlasting the hype. Dive into the mind of a man who Charlie Munger said had "the best operating and capital deployment record in American business—bar none." This is a masterclass in disciplined capital allocation and long-term thinking on the most underrated business genius of the 20th century.  If you're building a business, allocating capital, or simply trying to think more clearly in a noisy world, you cannot afford to miss this one.  (03:16) Prologue (05:59) PART 1: THE MAKING OF A MAVERICK (07:48) After MIT (10:24) Founding of Teledyne (14:04) The Future is Semiconductors (17:18) What to Acquire? (19:12) Integrating into the Teledyne System (21:49) Vasco Metals and George Roberts (23:40) PART 2: MASTER CAPITAL ALLOCATOR (28:10) Entering Insurance (29:44) The Great Buyback Revolution (32:46) Teledyne Operating Systems (34:56) Thinking Local (37:41) Building Knowledge (39:59) PART 3: PEAK PERFORMANCE (42:51) Planning for Retirement (44:09) Passing the Torch (46:45) End of an Era: Singleton Retires (47:41) Teledyne After Singleton (48:46) Singleton’s Legacy (51:05) SHANE’S REFLECTIONS This episode is for informational purposes only and most of the research came from reading Distant Force: A Memoir of the Teledyne Corporation and the Man Who Created It, with an Introduction to Teledyne Technologies by Dr. George A. Roberts with Robert J McVicker and The Outsiders by William N. Thorndike, Jr. Additional source: 1979 Interview with Forbes [https://www.scribd.com/doc/98732367/Henry-Singleton-Forbes-79] MOMENTOUS: Head to livemomentous.com [https://www.livemomentous.com/en-ca] and use code KNOWLEDGEPROJECT for 35% off your first subscription.  Check out highlights from these books in our repository, and find key lessons from Singleton here —https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/outliers-henry-singleton/ [https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-podcast/outliers-henry-singleton/] Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of all episodes, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership [https://fs.blog/membership/]⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Newsletter — The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at fs.blog/newsletter [https://fs.blog/newsletter/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

What happens when one of the most legendary minds in tech delves deep into the real workings of modern AI? A 2-hour long masterclass that you don’t want to miss.   Bret Taylor, current chairman of OpenAI, unpacks why AI is transforming software engineering forever, how founders can survive acquisition (he’s done it twice), and why the true bottlenecks in AI aren’t what most think. Drawing on his extensive experiences at Facebook, Google, Twitter and more, he explains why the next phase of AI won’t just be about building better models—it’s about creating entirely new ways for us to work with them. Bret exposes the reality gap between what AI insiders understand and what everyone else believes. Listen now to recalibrate your thinking before your competitors do.  (00:02:46) Aha Moments with AI (00:04:43) Founders Working for Founders (00:07:59) Acquisition Process (00:14:14) The Role of a Board (00:17:05) Founder Mode (00:20:29) Engineers as Leaders (00:24:54) Applying First Principles in Business (00:28:43) The Future of Software Engineering (00:35:11) Efficiency and Verification of AI-Generated Code (00:36:46) The Future of Software Development (00:37:24) Defining AGI (00:47:03) AI Self-Improvement? (00:47:58) Safety Measures and Supervision in AI (00:49:47) Benefiting Humanity and AI Safety (00:54:06) Regulation and Geopolitical Landscape in AI (00:55:58) Foundation Models and Frontier Models (01:01:06) Economics and Open Source Models (01:05:18) AI and AGI Accessibility (01:07:42) Optimizing AI Prompts (01:11:18) Creating an AI Superpower (01:14:12) Future of Education and AI (01:19:34) The Impact of AI on Job Roles (01:21:58) AI in Problem-Solving and Research (01:25:24) Importance of AI Context Window (01:27:37) AI Output and Intellectual Property (01:30:09) Google Maps Launch and Challenges (01:37:57) Long-Term Investment in AI (01:43:02) Balancing Work and Family Life (01:44:25) Building Sierra as an Enduring Company (01:45:38) Lessons from Tech Company Lifecycles (01:48:31) Definition and Applications of AI Agents (01:53:56) Challenges and Importance of Branded AI Agents (01:56:28) Fending Off Complacency in Companies (02:01:21) Customer Obsession and Leadership in Companies Bret Taylor is currently the Chairman of OpenAI and CEO of Sierra. Previously, he was the CTO of Facebook, Chairman of the board for X, and the Co-CEO of Salesforce.  Newsletter - The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at fs.blog/newsletter [https://fs.blog/newsletter/] Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership [https://fs.blog/membership/]⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Watch on YouTube: @tkppodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@tkppodcast] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]