Podcast Notes Playlist: Business Podcast Notes

Succeeding in both life and business is very difficult. The skills needed to scale a company often clash with those required to cultivate a thriving home life. Yet, Brent Beshore seems to have cracked the code—or at least he's actively working on it. In this conversation, he spills his secrets on excelling in both arenas.

This episode is split into two parts: the first 45 minutes covers life and how to be a better person. Brent opens up about the evolution of his marriage, physical health, and inner life.

The rest of the episode focuses on business. Shane and Beshore discuss private equity, how to hire (and when to fire) CEOs, incentives, why debt isn’t a good thing in an unpredictable world, stewardship versus ownership, and why personality tests are so important for a functional organization.After beginning his career as an entrepreneur, Brent Beshore founded Permanent Equity in 2007 and leads the firm as CEO. He works with investors and operators to evaluate new investment opportunities.



Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/theknowledgeproject/videos

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(00:00) Intro

(05:08) Why Brent examined his life

(09:44) How Brent "fixed" his relationships

(20:04) How helping hurts

(32:13) How Brent was subtly controlling relationships

(40:36) Why Brent stopped drinking (mostly)

(50:29) How to run a business with love yet competitively

(01:00:34) Win-win relationships

(01:05:34) On debt

(01:19:28) On incentives

(01:29:08) How to hire and fire CEOs

(01:34:18) What most people miss about hiring

(01:44:19) Brent's playbook for taking over a company

(01:51:20) On projections

(01:55:52) Revisiting investments

(01:58:44) How "hands-off" is Brent?

(02:08:34) Where people go wrong in private equity

(02:14:07) On success

Infinite Loops



Key Takeaways  “Uncertainty is the only certainty.” – John Paulos People use terms like millions, billions, and trillions as if they are the same thing; when in reality, these are vastly different amounts! “We live in a probabilistic world, and yet we remain deterministic thinkers.” – Jim O’Shaughnessy The Law of Large Numbers is a fundamental principle in probability and statistics that states that as the size of a sample increases, the average of the sample becomes closer to the expected valueApophenia: The phenomenon of seeing patterns where none exist as a form of cognitive bias or psychological tendencyHumans are excellent pattern-recognition machines; but sometimes, we wrongly attribute patterns to random data that can lead us astray The human operating system is more driven by the emotional centers of the brain than the rational centers of the brain There is a tension between objective likelihood (probability) and subjective belief or reasonableness (plausibility)The Prisoner’s Dilemma is a scenario in game theory where two individuals acting in their self-interest end up with a worse outcome than if they had cooperatedCognitive foibles such as confirmation bias, the anchoring effect, and negativity bias should be taught in mathematical courses Dunning-Kruger Effect: The phenomenon where people with low ability at a task overestimate their ability, while those with high ability underestimate their competenceThe concept of “nudging” involves subtly influencing people’s decisions by altering the presentation of choices without restricting options or significantly changing incentivesIt is wise to develop a particular skepticism and wariness about the uncertainties of life Read the full notes @ podcastnotes.orgProfessor, Mathematician and Writer John A. Paulos joins the show to discuss math education, the power of puzzles, cognitive biases, and MUCH more!
Important Links:
John’s Website John’s Twitter Show Notes:
Why Do People Hate Math? The Power of Posing Problems with Counterintuitive or Shocking Results Using Everyday Examples to Understand Math Concepts Systems Designed to Take Advantage of Innumeracy People’s Ignorance of Randomness and Random Samples The Strange Power of Anchoring Bias Tradeoffs between Probability and Plausibility The Prisoner’s Dilemma & Math Anxiety Improving the Monty Hall Problem Designing an Ideal Intro Math Course The Big Brother Aspect of Nudging John as Emperor of the World MORE! Books Mentioned:
Innumeracy - Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences; by J.A. Paulos A Mathematician Plays the Stock Market; by J.A. Paulos A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper; by J.A. Paulos Statistics; by D.A. Freedman, R. Pisani, and R.A. Purves Thinking Fast and Slow; by Daniel Kahneman

My guest today is Frank Blake. Frank is the former chairman and CEO of Home Depot. I recently interviewed Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone and became fascinated by the business’s impressive lineup of leaders through the decades. Frank led the company from 2007 to 2014 and shares how he carried on the legacy of Ken and the others, upholding their culture of an inverted hierarchy and producing seven consecutive years of growth for the largest home improvement retailer in America. We discuss his hyper focus on solving their customer’s problems before their own, investing time into the employee experience, and his intentionality with how he is perceived as a leader. Please enjoy this discussion with Frank Blake.

Listen to Founders Podcast
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
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This episode is brought to you by Tegus, where we're changing the game in investment research. Step away from outdated, inefficient methods and into the future with our platform, proudly hosting over 100,000 transcripts – with over 25,000 transcripts added just this year alone. Our platform grows eight times faster and adds twice as much monthly content as our competitors, putting us at the forefront of the industry. Plus, with 75% of private market transcripts available exclusively on Tegus, we offer insights you simply can't find elsewhere. See the difference a vast, quality-driven transcript library makes. Unlock your free trial at tegus.com/patrick.
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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 
Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more.
Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best
(00:04:37) The Inverted Pyramid Leadership Model
(00:08:38) Communication and Listening in Leadership
(00:15:19) Lessons from Legacies of Great Home Depot Leaders
(00:27:02) Frank’s Personal Leadership Journey
(00:33:32) Reagan's Leadership Style and Influence
(00:37:26) Key Responsibilities of a CEO
(00:40:27) Delta's Leadership During COVID-19
(00:46:45) Financial Strategies in Asset-Intensive Industries
(00:47:27) Home Depot's Strategic Shift
(00:53:33) Competitive Dynamics with Lowe's
(00:55:36) Building an Effective Board
(00:58:16) The Impact of Home Depot on Employees' Lives
(01:01:52) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done for Frank

My guest today is Adam Sandow. Adam is the chairman and CEO of SANDOW Companies and the executive chairman and founder of Material Bank. He has built an entire ecosystem of businesses and brands that have brought him into the game of media, materials, and beyond. From creating the beauty product subscription model to getting magazines in the hands of billionaires to transforming the design industry with overnight access to samples, when Adam starts a business he writes his own rulebook. We discuss the founding stories of his most interesting companies, his obsession with targeting pain points, and his philosophies for when to go all in and betting on himself. Please enjoy this great discussion with Adam Sandow.

Listen to Founders Podcast
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
-----
This episode is brought to you by Tegus, where we're changing the game in investment research. Step away from outdated, inefficient methods and into the future with our platform, proudly hosting over 100,000 transcripts – with over 25,000 transcripts added just this year alone. Our platform grows eight times faster and adds twice as much monthly content as our competitors, putting us at the forefront of the industry. Plus, with 75% of private market transcripts available exclusively on Tegus, we offer insights you simply can't find elsewhere. See the difference a vast, quality-driven transcript library makes. Unlock your free trial at tegus.com/patrick.
-----
Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 
Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more.
Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Show Notes:
(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best 
(00:04:12) Building a Media Empire
(00:06:01) The Birth of the Beauty Subscription Model
(00:09:56) Revolutionizing Magazine Circulation
(00:14:46) The Contrarian Approach to Media
(00:16:08) The Origin of MediaJet
(00:18:35) The Future of Print and Digital Media
(00:27:25) The Genesis of Material Bank
(00:35:23) Building a Compelling Model for Manufacturers
(00:37:26) Innovative Logistics and Partnership with FedEx
(00:40:32) The Importance of High-Quality Content
(00:43:49) Building and Buying Media Properties
(00:46:01) Creating Unique Value Propositions
(00:54:22) The Role of Print in the Digital Age
(00:58:41) Nurturing an Ecosystem of Businesses
(01:03:37) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done for Adam

What I learned from reading about Hans Wilsdorf and the founding of Rolex.

The skills it takes to get rich are drastically different from the skills it takes to stay rich. Few understand this phenomenon more than Morgan Housel. He's identified unique lessons about wealth, happiness, and money by studying the world's richest families and learning what they did to build their wealth and just how quickly they squandered it all.In this conversation, Shane and Housel discuss various aspects of risk-taking, wealth accumulation, and financial independence. Morgan explains the importance of understanding personal financial goals and the dangers of social comparison, lets everyone in on his personal financial “mistake” that instantly made him sleep better at night, and why the poorest people in the world disproportionately play the lottery—and why it makes sense that they do. They also touch on the influence of upbringing on financial behaviors, the difference between being rich and wealthy, and the critical role of compounding in financial success. Of course, we can’t have a writer as good as Morgan Housel on the podcast and not ask him about his process, so Housel concludes with insights into storytelling, his writing processes, and the importance of leading by example in teaching financial values to children.Morgan Housel is a partner at Collaborative Fund. Previously, he was an analyst at The Motley Fool. He is a two-time winner of the Best in Business Award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and was selected by the Columbia Journalism Review for the Best Business Writing anthology. He's the author of two books: The Psychology of Money and Same as Ever.Watch the episode on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/theknowledgeproject/videos⁠

Newsletter - I share timeless insights and ideas you can use at work and home. Join over 600k others every Sunday and subscribe to Brain Food. Try it: ⁠https://fs.blog/newsletter/⁠

My Book! Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results is out now - ⁠https://fs.blog/clear/⁠ 

Follow me: ⁠https://beacons.ai/shaneparrish⁠

Join our membership: ⁠https://fs.blog/membership/⁠



Sponsors

Protekt: Simple solutions to support healthy routines. Enter the code "Knowledge" at checkout to receive 30% off your order. ⁠https://protekt.com/knowledge



(00:00) Intro

(04:46) Risk and income

(07:40) On luck and skill

(10:10) Buffett's secret strategy

(12:28) The one trait you need to build wealth

(16:20) Housel's capital allocation strategy

(16:48) Index funds, explained

(20:59) Expectations and moving goalposts

(22:17) Your house: asset or liability?

(27:39) Money lies we believe

(32:12) How to avoid status games

(35:04) Money rules from parents

(40:15) Rich vs. wealthy

(41:46) Housel's influential role models

(42:48) Why are rich people miserable?

(45:59) How success sows the seeds of average performance

(49:50) On risk

(50:59) Making money, spending money, saving money

(52:50) How the Vanderbilt's squandered their wealth

(1:04:11) How to manage your expectations

(01:06:26) How to talk to kids about money

(01:09:52) The biggest risk to capitalism

(01:13:56) The magic of compounding

(01:16:18) How Morgan reads

(01:22:42) How to tell the best story

(01:24:42) How Morgan writes

(01:35:42) Parting wisdom and thoughts on success