Smart Friends

Eric Jorgenson
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Casual conversations with founders, technologists, investors, and artists about building a brighter future, together. Welcome to our digital living room.  With science, technology and entrepreneurship we can *continue* to create unfathomable leaps in quality of life. We show you how to find, apply, build, and invest in technologies to change your life and the world.  When we have smart friends, we do smart things. When we do smart things, we save the world.  No matter who, where, or when you are – now you have smart friends, too.  Outside this podcast, I’m the author of The Almanack of Naval Ravikant and The Anthology of Balaji. Connect at ejorgenson.com  Laugh and learn with people like Balaji Srinivasan, Naval Ravikant, Andrew Wilkinson, Austen Allred, David Senra, Josh Storrs Hall, Ashley Rindsberg, Zach Pettet, Bret Kugelmass, Omar ElNaggar, Grace Guo, Brett Kopf, Max Olson, Chris Williamson, Shane Mac, Tim Hwang, David Perell, Jason Hitchcock, Natalia Karayaneva, Sebastian Marshall, Taylor Pearson, Mitchell Baldridge and more. Join conversations with my partners in early-stage tech investing, Bo Fishback and Al Doan. Our Rolling Fun Episodes cover our investments and escapades as angel investors and startup helpers. We invest in startups creating the *next* industrial revolution. Learn more at rolling.fun “Surround yourself with people who remind you more of your future than of your past.”

  1. #094 Rolling Fun #9: Basketball, Asteroid Mining, Child Labor (Not Really Tho)

    22 HR AGO

    #094 Rolling Fun #9: Basketball, Asteroid Mining, Child Labor (Not Really Tho)

    Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro  (00:01:46) - Personal updates and new ventures  (00:04:06) - The youth sports complex project  (00:05:21) - Challenges and strategies in youth sports business  (00:09:09) - Community impact and future vision  (00:19:00) - Reflections on education and parenting  (00:34:05) - The magic of holding a newborn  (00:34:32) - The joys and challenges of parenting  (00:35:07) - Balancing work and family life  (00:37:36) - Exciting company updates  (00:38:03) - Success stories in venture capital  (00:40:55) - Innovations in space and technology  (00:47:19) - The future of asteroid mining  (00:54:34) - Revolutionizing construction and robotics  (00:59:01) - Battery technology breakthroughs  (01:03:59) - Conclusion and next steps Links: Join us in Rolling Fun! Hear our other Rolling Fun eps! To support the costs of producing this podcast:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanack: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Buy a copy of The Anthology of Balaji: https://balajianthology.com/ >> Sign up for my online course and community about building your Personal Leverage: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  >> Invest in early-stage companies alongside Eric and his partners at Rolling Fun: https://angel.co/v/back/rolling-fun >> Join the free weekly email list at ejorgenson.com/newsletter >> Text the podcast to a friend >> Or at least give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners! We discuss: Bo is turning around a Youth Sports Complex that was losing millions/year. “Never skip a funeral and always hold a baby” Investment updates across nuclear energy, asteroid mining, robotics, and batteries. Why enthusiasm, networks, and timing matter so much in early-stage investing. Quotes from Bo: "This was like 11 businesses stuffed into one building… and none of them were working yet." "My job right now is teaching people who love what they do how it fits into a business." "We get 2 to 3 calls a week from private equity firms, and I tell them all: don’t do it." "It’s a 600-person organization… a real thing with real complexity." "Maybe it’s a $30 million business—manageable, understandable, and ridiculously high impact." "It’s a cartel-organized market. You need to be a trusted actor to even play in it." "Helping it really succeed is time well spent—for Kansas City, for the kids, and for everyone here." "The youth sports market is a $40 to $80 billion space, and it’s on fire." "There’s not a lot of credible business builders in this space—and I haven’t found another one yet." "In 50 years, this will be even more awesome. I love working on stuff like that." Quotes from Al: "You couldn't just copy-paste this business into another city. You need deep trust and local knowledge." "This is a fun community challenge. If you get it right, you leave a real legacy." "I texted Bo—‘We did it’—because Eric and Jeannine had a baby. That’s how we all felt." "The bond between dad and baby isn’t immediate. But it grows—and it’s worth it." "I fixed the cheeseburger at Home Field before Bo was even involved." "Once you have a baby, every infant photo becomes magic." "The best underappreciated part of being an entrepreneur? You can get your kids working early." Important Quotes from the podcast on Business and Entrepreneurship   There is no skill called “business.” Avoid business magazines and business classes. - Naval Ravikant   You have to work up to the point where you can own equity in a business. You could own equity as a small shareholder where you bought stock. You could also own it as an owner where you started the company. Ownership is really important.     Everybody who really makes money at some point owns a piece of a product, a business, or some IP. That can be through stock options if you work at a tech company. That’s a fine way to start.

    1h 6m
  2. #093 Behind the Scenes of a Nuclear Microreactor Startup with Matt Loszak, Founder CEO of Aalo Atomics [Replay]

    19 AUG

    #093 Behind the Scenes of a Nuclear Microreactor Startup with Matt Loszak, Founder CEO of Aalo Atomics [Replay]

    ***This is a Replay Episode*** Links for Matt’s stuff: ⁠Aalo.com⁠ ⁠Matt on Twitter⁠ ⁠Aalo on Twitter⁠ ⁠Aalo Job Board⁠ Link to invest alongside Eric in deals like Aalo: rolling.fun Links to stuff mentioned: ⁠Decouple Podcast⁠ ⁠Titans of Nuclear Podcast⁠ ⁠Nuclear Barbarian Substack⁠ ⁠Atomic Awakening by James Mahaffey⁠ ⁠Why Nuclear Power Has Been a Flop by Jack Devanney⁠ Topics: (00:03:08) How the popular opinion of nuclear has changed from the 1950’s (00:15:16) The regulation issues surrounding nuclear (00:17:20) Water-based nuclear reactors vs. advanced nuclear reactors (00:19:40) Matt’s journey into nuclear energy (00:34:42) Aalo’s strategy (00:41:12) What is the TAM for this nuclear microreactors? (00:45:53) The manufacturing process for a nuclear plant (00:48:51) The nuclear supply chain (00:50:01) The change in public opinion on nuclear energy (00:55:56) Support for nuclear energy in the VC world (01:01:12) Recommendations for learning more about the sustainable energy industry (01:03:30) What do you look for when hiring?   To support this podcast: >> Join the free weekly email list at ejorgenson.com/newsletter >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanak: ⁠www.navalmanack.com/⁠ >> Invest in early-stage companies alongside Eric and his partners at Rolling Fun: https://angel.co/v/back/rolling-fun >> Sign up for my online course and community about building your Personal Leverage: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage >> Text the podcast to a friend >> Or at least give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners! Important quotes from Naval on building wealth and the difference between wealth and money:   How to get rich without getting lucky. - Naval Ravikant   Making money is not a thing you do—it’s a skill you learn. - Naval Ravikant   Seek wealth, not money or status. - Naval Ravikant   Wealth is having assets that earn while you sleep. - Naval Ravikant   Money is how we transfer time and wealth. - Naval Ravikant   Ignore people playing status games. They gain status by attacking people playing wealth creation games.    You’re not going to get rich renting out your time. You must own equity—a piece of a business—to gain your financial freedom. - Naval Ravikant Important quotes from the podcast by Naval on Leverage:   “Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand, and I will move the earth.”  —Archimedes    To get rich, you need leverage. Leverage comes in labor, comes in capital, or it can come through code or media. But most of these, like labor and capital, people have to give to you. For labor, somebody has to follow you. For capital, somebody has to give you money, assets to manage, or machines. - Naval Ravikant   Capital and labor are permissioned leverage. Everyone is chasing capital, but someone has to give it to you. Everyone is trying to lead, but someone has to follow you. - Naval Ravikant   Code and media are permissionless leverage. They’re the leverage behind the newly rich. You can create software and media that works for you while you sleep. - Naval Ravikant   If you can’t code, write books and blogs, record videos and podcasts. - Naval Ravikant   Leverage is a force multiplier for your judgment. - Naval Ravikant   Apply specific knowledge, with leverage, and eventually you will get what you deserve. - Naval Ravikant   Important Quotes from the podcast on Business and Entrepreneurship   There is no skill called “business.” Avoid business magazines and business classes. - Naval Ravikant   You have to work up to the point where you can own equity in a business. You could own equity as a small shareholder where you bought stock. You could also own it as an owner where you started the company. Ownership is really important.     Everybody who really makes money at some point owns a piece of a product, a business, or some IP. That can be through stock options if you work at a tech company. That’s a fine way to start.

    1h 8m
  3. Sarma Melngailis: Bad Vegan, Memoir as Recovery, and Reclaiming Your Story

    5 AUG

    Sarma Melngailis: Bad Vegan, Memoir as Recovery, and Reclaiming Your Story

    Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:37) - The Netflix documentary: Misrepresentation and struggles (00:03:19) - Writing the memoir (00:08:47) - The challenges of independent publishing (00:12:40) - The creative process and future plans (00:35:23) - Impact of the book on readers (00:36:04) - Scripted series and unused content (00:36:36) - New docuseries and correcting the narrative (00:37:04) - Psychological analysis in documentaries (00:40:13) - Challenges and rewards of writing (00:41:36) - Unexpected positive outcomes (00:45:38) - Vulnerability of publishing a memoir (00:49:44) - Future aspirations and business rebuilding (00:53:54) - Experience with Scribe Publishing (01:02:59) - Advice for aspiring authors Links: People: Andrew Huberman — https://hubermanlab.com/about David Goggins — https://davidgoggins.com Eric Jorgenson — https://www.ericjorgenson.com Mary Karr — https://english.utexas.edu/people/mary-karr Paul Millerd — https://www.pathlesspath.com Sarma Melngailis — https://thegirlandtheduck.com Tim Ferriss — https://tim.blog Podcasts: Huberman Lab — https://hubermanlab.com The Tim Ferriss Show — https://tim.blog/podcast Companies: Scribe — https://scribemedia.com Websites / Tools / Platforms: Scrivener — https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview The Girl and the Duck (Sarma’s memoir site) — https://thegirlandtheduck.com To support the costs of producing this podcast:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanack: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Buy a copy of The Anthology of Balaji: https://balajianthology.com/ >> Sign up for my online course and community about building your Personal Leverage: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  >> Invest in early-stage companies alongside Eric and his partners at Rolling Fun: https://angel.co/v/back/rolling-fun >> Join the free weekly email list at ejorgenson.com/newsletter >> Text the podcast to a friend >> Or at least give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners! We discuss: What the Netflix docuseries got wrong—and how she’s correcting it. The emotional and creative process of writing a 200,000-word memoir over eight years. How storytelling, honesty, and empathy can help others escape manipulative relationships. Quotes from Sam: “I was in a cult of one.” “People very often don't understand how this happens to someone who’s intelligent, who went to a good school, and started a business. But it does happen.” “I started writing immediately after I got out of jail.” “I had no editorial control... They basically changed the reality of what happened.” (on the Bad Vegan docuseries) “I didn’t want anybody telling me what I can and can’t put in there... I wanted to have control over my story.” “The book is long because I needed the reader to go through the psychological experience with me.” “I have all my receipts. I included actual journal entries, G-chats, texts, and emails.” “The writing was therapeutic, but also grueling. Sometimes I felt like I was crawling up the wall and slithering out of my skin.” “I want the story to be useful. That’s what I’ve wanted all along.” “People tell me, ‘I don’t read books anymore, but I read yours.’ That feels amazing.” “Even if you're never going to publish it, writing about what happened to you can bring real relief.” “I turned down a deal with a major studio because I didn’t want to give up control of my story again.” “It wasn’t about power—it was about protecting the integrity of the story.” “Someone told me they left a toxic relationship because of reading my book. That alone makes it all worth it.”

    1h 8m
  4. The Magic of Code, History of Computing, and the Future of AI Interfaces [Sam Arbesman #2]

    22 JUL

    The Magic of Code, History of Computing, and the Future of AI Interfaces [Sam Arbesman #2]

    Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:14) - The magic of code (00:05:30) - The wonder of early computing (00:11:13) - The evolution of computing: From analog to digital (00:18:45) - The personal computer revolution (00:32:36) - The future of computing: Beyond silicon (00:36:59) - The importance of computing history (00:40:53) - AI and human uniqueness (00:50:46) - The future of AI and computing interfaces (01:02:13) - The intersection of playfulness and utility in computing (01:11:17) - Conclusion and final thoughts Links: Books: God & Golem, Inc. — https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262730065/god--golem-inc In the Beginning... Was the Command Line — https://www.harpercollins.com/products/in-the-beginning-was-the-command-line-neal-stephenson I, Robot — https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/180504/i-robot-by-isaac-asimov The Half-Life of Facts — https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/310285/the-half-life-of-facts-by-sam-arbesman The Magic of Code — https://themagicofcode.com Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet — https://www.harpercollins.com/products/tubes-andrew-blum People: Eric Jorgenson — https://www.ericjorgenson.com Sam Arbesman — https://arbesman.net Podcasts: The Orthogonal Bet — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-orthogonal-bet/id1682641800 Companies: Lux Capital — https://www.luxcapital.com tldraw — https://www.tldraw.com Websites / Tools / Platforms: Arbesman.net — https://arbesman.net Internet Archive Spacewar Emulation — https://archive.org/details/spacewar_202301 To support the costs of producing this podcast:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanack: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Buy a copy of The Anthology of Balaji: https://balajianthology.com/ >> Sign up for my online course and community about building your Personal Leverage: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  >> Invest in early-stage companies alongside Eric and his partners at Rolling Fun: https://angel.co/v/back/rolling-fun >> Join the free weekly email list at ejorgenson.com/newsletter >> Text the podcast to a friend >> Or at least give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners! We discuss: Why software can be seen as ACTUAL MAGIC The combination of history and science fiction for more accurate prediction The phases of computing technology, and what might be next after silicon The creative opportunities for the future of software Quotes from Sam: “Software is absolutely magic. It's wizardry. It's sorcery. Nobody gets it.” “We actually can use text and code to affect the world around us.” “Computing should almost be this humanistic liberal art—it should connect to language and philosophy and art.” “Code is not a substance, but it operates in the world.” “Computers are weird everything machines.” “We’re shielded from the vast complexity of computing—until something goes wrong.” “People used to build computers in their garages. Now we can’t even open them.” “Unix is like the Epic of Gilgamesh of computing—it’s been around for decades and it’s still foundational.” “AI is powerful, but it’s part of a much longer conversation around tools for thought.” “Biology is a wildly different computer than anything we would ever use to compute with.” “Science fiction doesn’t always predict well, but it gives us worlds we can aim toward.” “I want more weird, playful experimentation in computing—something beyond the chat interface.” “Computing history is so young that many of the pioneers are still around to email.” “Ultimately, all these tools were developed for people. They’re meant to be in service of humans.”

    1h 16m
  5. Building a Venture Firm From Zero to One, and AI-driven VC Thesis Research [Arkady Kulik #2]

    8 JUL

    Building a Venture Firm From Zero to One, and AI-driven VC Thesis Research [Arkady Kulik #2]

    Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:04:19) - Entering the VC space (00:08:38) - Pilot-fund theories (00:12:50) - Risk tracking (00:19:56) - Finding LP alignment (00:22:39) - Arkady’s fund thesis (00:47:12) - Creating the index of solutions to problems (00:57:18) - The TAM for VC in 2025 (01:00:29) - How founders can increase the odds of being funded by Arkady (01:03:36) - False signals in VC Links: Arkady on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arkady-kulik/ Arkady on X - https://x.com/arkady_kulik Rpv.global - https://rpv.global/ To support the costs of producing this podcast:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanack: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Buy a copy of The Anthology of Balaji: https://balajianthology.com/ >> Sign up for my online course and community about building your Personal Leverage: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  >> Invest in early-stage companies alongside Eric and his partners at Rolling Fun: https://angel.co/v/back/rolling-fun >> Join the free weekly email list at ejorgenson.com/newsletter >> Text the podcast to a friend >> Or at least give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners! We discuss: How speaking the language of scientists helps Arkady build real trust with founders. The AI tournament model he uses to identify 300 hidden human needs. Focusing on problems first, then funding an index of possible solutions. What he looks for in both founders and LPs. Why honesty beats hype every time. Why DPI is the only VC metric that actually matters. Quotes from David: “You don’t prove your worth as a VC until you return capital to your LPs. DPI is the only metric that matters.” “The VC game is full of false positives—in evaluating companies and in how LPs evaluate VCs.” “The best thing an investor can do is give a quick yes; the next best is a quick no. Lingering maybes are the worst.” “Our technical unlock was agentic AI—it lets us evaluate hundreds of emerging needs for humanity in days, not years.” “We want to be the first check because what matters most is building deep trust with the founder, not just valuation.” “If you sold LPs on a strategy and you quietly abandon it, that’s a breach of trust—it's like cheating in a marriage.” “A lot of people go into VC for ego or fast money. They won’t survive. This is a long, emotionally volatile game.” “Stop wasting your life and start making a difference. If you’re a founder, build what only you can build.” “There’s nothing wrong with saying no—it’s how you say it that matters.” “The founder's mistake is assuming your investors will make money just because you do.” “Great founders don't oversell—they're clear, calm, and self-aware.” Important Quotes from the podcast on Business and Entrepreneurship   There is no skill called “business.” Avoid business magazines and business classes. - Naval Ravikant   You have to work up to the point where you can own equity in a business. You could own equity as a small shareholder where you bought stock. You could also own it as an owner where you started the company. Ownership is really important.     Everybody who really makes money at some point owns a piece of a product, a business, or some IP. That can be through stock options if you work at a tech company. That’s a fine way to start.

    1h 11m
  6. David Senra + Mitchell Baldridge #6 : Writing the Founders’ Book, Building Natural-fit Businesses, and Craft

    24 JUN

    David Senra + Mitchell Baldridge #6 : Writing the Founders’ Book, Building Natural-fit Businesses, and Craft

    Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:52) - The Founder's book project (00:04:06) - Effort and building relationships (00:11:20) - The value of self-publishing (00:24:00) - Bootstrapping a HoldCo (00:46:05) - Finding natural fit in business (00:47:48) - The role of trust in business (00:49:07) - AI and changing perspectives (00:50:26) - Daily use of AI tools (00:55:49) - The value of deep research (00:57:53) - The future of AI in business (01:16:35) - Avoiding addictive apps (01:18:27) - Collecting and using maxims (01:20:45) - The power of lists (01:24:40) - Collapsing organizational gaps (01:28:05) - The role of AI in reducing friction (01:29:59) - Closing remarks and recommendations Links: Andrew Wilkinson — https://twitter.com/awilkinsonDavid Senra — https://twitter.com/founderspodcastEric Jorgenson — https://twitter.com/ericjorgensonMitchell Baldridge — https://twitter.com/baldridgecpaNick Huber — https://twitter.com/sweatystartup Eric Jorgenson — https://ejorgenson.com Founders Podcast — https://www.founderspodcast.com Better Bookkeeping — https://www.betterbookkeeping.comRE Cost Seg — https://www.recostseg.comScribe — https://scribemedia.com To support the costs of producing this podcast:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanack: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Buy a copy of The Anthology of Balaji: https://balajianthology.com/ >> Sign up for my online course and community about building your Personal Leverage: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  >> Invest in early-stage companies alongside Eric and his partners at Rolling Fun: https://angel.co/v/back/rolling-fun >> Join the free weekly email list at ejorgenson.com/newsletter >> Text the podcast to a friend >> Or at least give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners! We discuss: How extreme effort and agency created the opportunity to publish the Founders' book. The economics, longevity, and cultural value of self-published books. Bootstrapping and scaling a HoldCo with multiple service businesses. Practical uses of AI for research, productivity, and creative leverage. The importance of doing the work for its own sake and loving the process. Quotes from David: “You don’t handle the stress—you like it. Or else you wouldn’t be doing this.” “If you want the ups, you have to endure the downs. That’s just a fact.” “This is the best version of my life, whether it’s 300 people at a club or 3,000 in a theater.” “Most people try to keep things even—no extreme highs or lows. But all the exciting shit is in the variance.” “If you have something else you’d rather be doing, then you should go do that.” “Books are so valuable because of how long they take to consume.” “Effort is universal. Doesn’t matter if it’s a garden or a podcast—people respect work.” “AI is going to wipe out the middle. If you’re average, you’re gone.” “Sage remembers things I don’t—and that’s priceless.” “Don’t rush it. Make something great. A good book can sell for 50 years.” Quotes from Mitchell: “I get frustrated at how long this takes—but I want to build something meaningful.” “Turn everything into a car wash. Put the customer into neutral and pull them through.” “The tax code is getting more complex, but the systems are getting better.” “AI is going to destroy everything below the 95th percentile.” “I’m bootstrapping a holdco—and it takes time.” “Send me a customer, I’ll give you $1,000. Send me 1,000 and I’ll mortgage my house for you.” “I don’t want 25 meetings a month—I want results.”

    1h 31m
  7. #088 Toby Rush: $100M Exits, Splitting Companies, Timing Startups, and Ideem Killing 2FA

    10 JUN

    #088 Toby Rush: $100M Exits, Splitting Companies, Timing Startups, and Ideem Killing 2FA

    Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:45) - Who are your heroes? (00:05:16) - What is something you’ve had to teach yourself that’s become a core part of your identity? (00:07:34) - Taking a sabbatical post-exit (00:09:30) - Going back into entrepreneurship (00:12:52) - How to kill two-factor auth (00:14:34) - When to split a company into two companies (00:18:04) - Who is the customer of iDeem? (00:22:37) - Verified Credentials (00:28:31) - Fighting fraud with technology (00:30:14) - The story of eyeVerify (00:49:09) - The new technology trends pushing iDeem (00:52:01) - The build process of a global start-up from Middle-America Links: Ideem - https://www.useideem.com/ Toby on X - https://x.com/TobiasRush Toby on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiasrush/ To support the costs of producing this podcast:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanack: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Buy a copy of The Anthology of Balaji: https://balajianthology.com/ >> Sign up for my online course and community about building your Personal Leverage: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  >> Invest in early-stage companies alongside Eric and his partners at Rolling Fun: https://angel.co/v/back/rolling-fun >> Join the free weekly email list at ejorgenson.com/newsletter >> Text the podcast to a friend >> Or at least give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners! We discuss: Why tying your identity to your company can be both a strength and a liability The critical decision to shut down a beautiful but unused blockchain product—and return investor money How trusted digital IDs could change how we prove who we are—from checking out online to entering a secure facility Why simply having a trusted device could be a stronger way to log in and why invisible two-factor might be the future What it’s like to run a global fintech startup from Kansas City and the cultural learnings that come with it Quotes from Toby: “When the company is dying, that doesn’t mean I’m dying. And when it’s thriving, that doesn’t mean I’m a good person.” “You should absolutely take a window of time when one chapter ends—just having time to yourself is all the justification you need.” “Two-factor authentication is alive and well—it’s just invisible now.” “We reduce friction for the user, fraud for the merchant, and cost for everyone.” “If you’re serving two totally different customers with one product, you probably have two companies.” “The magic moment is at checkout—remove friction there and everything gets better.” “Passwords are terrible. If I can just look at my phone and log in, that’s a win.” “You need friends who can sing your soul’s song back to you when you’ve lost the melody.” “From almost out of money to a $100 million term sheet in five weeks—that’s the startup rollercoaster.” “Authenticity, credibility, and trust are incalculable in value.” “If the thesis is right but the timing is off, you can build something beautiful that no one uses.” “Stop with the techno-babble. We won’t call them NFTs—we’ll just call them useful.” Important Quotes from the podcast on Business and Entrepreneurship   There is no skill called “business.” Avoid business magazines and business classes. - Naval Ravikant   You have to work up to the point where you can own equity in a business. You could own equity as a small shareholder where you bought stock. You could also own it as an owner where you started the company. Ownership is really important.     Everybody who really makes money at some point owns a piece of a product, a business, or some IP. That can be through stock options if you work at a tech company. That’s a fine way to start.

    1h 3m
  8. Nat Eliason: From Blogging to Sci-Fi Novels, Writing Books That Last, and Owning Your Audience

    27 MAY

    Nat Eliason: From Blogging to Sci-Fi Novels, Writing Books That Last, and Owning Your Audience

    Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro   (00:00:45) - Introducing Nat Eliason   (00:01:27) - Nat's Diverse Career and Writing Journey   (00:01:47) - The Transition from Nonfiction to Fiction   (00:02:13) - The Seven Act Structure and Writing Process   (00:02:44) - Publishing with Scribe and Launching Husk   (00:03:24) - The Rewards and Challenges of Writing   (00:04:29) - Building an Audience and Marketing Strategies   (00:06:54) - Balancing Writing with Other Ventures   (00:09:09) - The Reality of a Writing Career   (00:10:49) - The Importance of Consistency and Commitment   (00:22:37) - Navigating Traditional and Self-Publishing   (00:23:05) - The Journey to Becoming an Author   (00:40:56) - Exploring the Shift from Nonfiction to Fiction   (00:41:40) - The Joy of Storytelling in Fiction   (00:44:00) - Challenges and Rewards of Writing Fiction   (00:47:44) - Outlining and Structuring Fictional Works   (00:57:38) - Marketing and Selling Self-Published Books   (01:10:38) - The Future of an Author's Career   (01:18:18) - Conclusion and Recommendations   Links: Nat on X Nat’s Website Crypto Confidential Husk To support the costs of producing this podcast:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanack: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Buy a copy of The Anthology of Balaji: https://balajianthology.com/ >> Sign up for my online course and community about building your Personal Leverage: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  >> Invest in early-stage companies alongside Eric and his partners at Rolling Fun: https://angel.co/v/back/rolling-fun >> Join the free weekly email list at ejorgenson.com/newsletter >> Text the podcast to a friend >> Or at least give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners! Important Quotes from the podcast on Business and Entrepreneurship   There is no skill called “business.” Avoid business magazines and business classes. - Naval Ravikant   You have to work up to the point where you can own equity in a business. You could own equity as a small shareholder where you bought stock. You could also own it as an owner where you started the company. Ownership is really important.     Everybody who really makes money at some point owns a piece of a product, a business, or some IP. That can be through stock options if you work at a tech company. That’s a fine way to start.  Quotes from Nat: “Writing is the one thing I love doing enough to commit to for the next 30 years.” “Traditional publishing taught me how to make a really good book, but I wouldn’t do it again.” “Holding your book for the first time—and shipping it yourself to your first readers—is pure magic.” “The best marketing for your book is writing the next one—that’s the fiction game.” “I used to chase whatever was interesting… now I’m building something I want to last 30 years.” “Fiction lets me explore big ideas without pretending to be an expert.” “The self-pub stigma is fading… especially when the book looks and reads like a trad pub hit.” “Characters start doing things I didn’t plan—then I realize, oh, that’s why they’re here.” “There’s no product in the world like a book—you can sell the same file for 50 years.” “My dream is to have a warehouse full of books I wrote. That’s the romantic version of success.”

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About

Casual conversations with founders, technologists, investors, and artists about building a brighter future, together. Welcome to our digital living room.  With science, technology and entrepreneurship we can *continue* to create unfathomable leaps in quality of life. We show you how to find, apply, build, and invest in technologies to change your life and the world.  When we have smart friends, we do smart things. When we do smart things, we save the world.  No matter who, where, or when you are – now you have smart friends, too.  Outside this podcast, I’m the author of The Almanack of Naval Ravikant and The Anthology of Balaji. Connect at ejorgenson.com  Laugh and learn with people like Balaji Srinivasan, Naval Ravikant, Andrew Wilkinson, Austen Allred, David Senra, Josh Storrs Hall, Ashley Rindsberg, Zach Pettet, Bret Kugelmass, Omar ElNaggar, Grace Guo, Brett Kopf, Max Olson, Chris Williamson, Shane Mac, Tim Hwang, David Perell, Jason Hitchcock, Natalia Karayaneva, Sebastian Marshall, Taylor Pearson, Mitchell Baldridge and more. Join conversations with my partners in early-stage tech investing, Bo Fishback and Al Doan. Our Rolling Fun Episodes cover our investments and escapades as angel investors and startup helpers. We invest in startups creating the *next* industrial revolution. Learn more at rolling.fun “Surround yourself with people who remind you more of your future than of your past.”

Information

  • Creator
    Eric Jorgenson
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    103
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Eric Jorgenson, Magrathea Inc.
  • Show Website
    Smart Friends

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