The Knowledge Project

Shane Parrish

Deep conversations with the best founders and business leaders that go beyond the usual advice to uncover the timeless principles that drive success. Master the best of what other people have already figured out. If you enjoy the show, please hit the follow button.

  1. Tracy Britt Cool: Brick by Brick

    7 HR AGO

    Tracy Britt Cool: Brick by Brick

    This week I sat down with Warren Buffett's former financial assistant Tracy Britt Cool. In this exclusive interview, you'll learn how she went from writing a cold letter to Buffett to being sent in to fix struggling Berkshire subsidiaries, how to evaluate real business performance, and how incentives, culture, and structure line up to create lasting success. ----- Approximate Chapters (00:00) Intro, recent reading, and family life (06:39) Value Creation in operating; why companies struggle to adapt (09:23) Upbringing, education, and early career outreach (13:46) Lessons from Berkshire, leaving, and the Pampered Chef turnaround (18:25) Ad Break (20:35) Kanbrick long-term investment partnership and the Pampered Chef turnaround (27:40) People, culture, and building repeatable systems (KBS) (41:57) Sourcing deals, the five M's, and moats (52:52) Post-close playbook, Kanbrick Business System evolution, community, and leverage (1:11:53) AI, productivity, and the WHO hiring process (1:20:49) Businesses to avoid investing in, board lessons, and governance (1:26:44) Financial literacy, integrity in hiring, and broader reflections (1:42:49) Closing thanks and outro ----- About Tracy Tracy Britt Cool is the co-founder of Kanbrick and former CEO of Pampered Chef. At Berkshire Hathaway she worked directly with Warren Buffett as his financial assistant. ----- *This Episode Made Possible By:* Basecamp: http://basecamp.com/knowledgeproject reMarkable: https://www.reMarkable.com ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ 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 ------ Follow Shane Parrish X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Insta ⁠@farnamstreet⁠ LinkedIn ⁠Shane Parrish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 45m
  2. Hetty Green: The Witch of Wall Street [Outliers]

    6 DAYS AGO

    Hetty Green: The Witch of Wall Street [Outliers]

    Hetty Green was the richest woman you've never heard of. In the late 1800s, she built a fortune worth billions today in a world designed to stop her. Women couldn't vote, couldn't own property in most states, and were banned from the New York Stock Exchange floor entirely. She was a force that couldn't be stopped. She bought entire towns, crushed railroad barons, and became the lender of last resort during financial panics. Her strategies still work today. This is the story of how an unwanted daughter became "The Witch of Wall Street," and a playbook for building lasting wealth and independence. ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ 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 ------ Follow Shane Parrish X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Insta ⁠@farnamstreet⁠ LinkedIn ⁠Shane Parrish ------ This episode is for informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    47 min
  3. Barry Diller: Building IAC

    30 SEPT

    Barry Diller: Building IAC

    My guest this week is Barry Diller, one of America's most successful businessmen. At 83, he chose to publish a deeply personal book and open up about his successes and failures. With surprising candor he details the rules he's lived by: trust first, confront directly, and make the call when the clock starts. In our conversation, he shares why success teaches you nothing, why failure is essential, and why instinct still beats algorithms in a data-obsessed world. This episode is filled with Hollywood lore and business acumen. ----- About Barry: He is the Chairman and Senior Executive of IAC, and is best known for founding the Fox Broadcasting Company with Rupert Murdoch and leading Paramount Pictures. Over his career, he has reshaped television, film, and online media. ----- Approximate Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:48) Vulnerability and Writing 'Who Knew' (05:20) Lack Of Confidence & Fake It Until You Make It (17:58) Changes In The Entertainment Industry (22:35) Instinct Vs Data (27:17) AI's Impact on the Entertainment and Travel Industry (42:35) One Dumb Step At A Time (52:39) Accountability During Conflict (55:06) Public Broadcasting Regulation And Fair Reporting (58:04) What Is Success For You ----- Basecamp: Stop struggling, start making progress. Get somewhere with Basecamp. Sign up free at http://basecamp.com/knowledgeproject reMarkable: Get your paper tablet at https://www.reMarkable.com today .tech domains: Nothing says tech like being on .tech https://get.tech/ MINT MOBILE: If you’re still overpaying for wireless, it’s time to say yes to saying no. At Mint Mobile, their favorite word is no: no contracts, no monthly bills, no overages, no hidden fees, no B.S. Go to mintmobile.com/knowledgeproject ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ 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 ------ Follow Shane Parrish X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Insta ⁠@farnamstreet⁠ LinkedIn ⁠Shane Parrish ------ This episode is for informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1 hr
  4. Ed Stack: Lessons from Dick’s Sporting Goods [Outliers]

    23 SEPT

    Ed Stack: Lessons from Dick’s Sporting Goods [Outliers]

    Ed Stack built Dick’s Sporting Goods from a struggling family store into an empire of more than 800 stores and billions in sales. Along the way he nearly lost everything. Multiple times. This episode is the story of what he did, how he did it, and the lessons you can learn. ----- Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (02:48) Part 1: A Cookie Jar and a Cage (20:56) Part 2: Battle for Control (37:09) Part 3: The Race to Survive (46:39) Part 4: The Devil's Bargain (1:03:27) Part 5: Epilogue (1:06:10) Reflections + Lessons ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- 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 ----- Follow Shane Parrish X @ShaneAParrish Insta ⁠@farnamstreet⁠ LinkedIn ⁠Shane Parrish ----- This episode is for informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 20m
  5. Lulu Cheng Meservey: How To Build A Cult

    16 SEPT

    Lulu Cheng Meservey: How To Build A Cult

    Lulu Cheng Meservey is one of the sharpest minds in communications and strategy. She has helped some of the best leaders through their hardest moments. We talk about why trust and conviction are contagious, how to win attention in a noisy world, and how to handle attacks without losing ground. ----- About Lulu: Having been CCO and EVP of Corporate Affairs at Activision Blizzard and VP of Comms at Substack, she is now the creator of Rostra, the only advisory firm focused on founder-led comms. ----- Approximate Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (08:34) The Importance Of The Hook (14:35) Why Do Governments And Large Corporations Communicate So Poorly? (21:50) How To Build A Cult (27:56) How Trust And Likeability Affect Your Messages (39:19) How To Respond To A Public Relations Attack (42:57) One Death Is A Tragedy, A Thousand Are A Statistic (47:34) The Importance Of Being First (55:22) Overcoming Being The Underdog (1:00:03) How To Play Offence In PR (1:05:36) 3 Things To Make A Difference In Your Comms / Storytelling (1:21:07) The Halo Effect (1:25:52) Practical Comms Advice For Everyday Work Interactions (1:46:17) What Is Success For You? ----- Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: Basecamp: Stop struggling, start making progress. Get somewhere with Basecamp. Sign up free at http://basecamp.com/knowledgeproject reMarkable: Get your paper tablet at https://www.reMarkable.com today .tech domains: Nothing says tech like being on .tech https://get.tech/ ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠------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------Follow Shane ParrishX ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Insta ⁠@farnamstreet⁠ LinkedIn ⁠Shane Parrish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 49m
  6. Fred Smith: The Story of FedEx [Outliers]

    9 SEPT

    Fred Smith: The Story of FedEx [Outliers]

    Fred Smith founded FedEx on an idea everyone told him would fail and built it into an $88 billion empire that changed how the world moves. In this episode, we dive into how he built FedEx and the lessons he learned along the way. This story proves that impossible is just another word for opportunity. ----- Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (03:36) Part 1: The Boy Who Wouldn't Stay Down (15:52) Part 2: The Impossible Company (29:36) Part 3: The Empire Builder (38:12) Epilogue: From Crisis to Legacy (1993–2025) (40:55) Important Things That Didn’t Make It Into the Episode (43:55) Lessons from Fred Smith ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ 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 ------ Follow Shane Parrish X ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠⁠ Insta @farnamstreet LinkedIn Shane Parrish ------ This episode is for informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    52 min
  7. Benedict Evans: The Patterns Everyone Else Misses

    2 SEPT

    Benedict Evans: The Patterns Everyone Else Misses

    Benedict Evans has been calling tech shifts for decades. Now he says forget the hype: AI isn't the new electricity. It's the biggest change since the iPhone, and that's plenty big enough. We talk about why everyone gets platform shifts wrong, where Google's actually vulnerable, and what real people do with AI when nobody's watching. Evans sees patterns others don't. This conversation will change how you think about what's actually happening versus what everyone says is happening. ----- Approximate Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (01:04) What's your Most Controversial Take On AI? (05:11) Platform Shifts - The Rise Of Automatic Elevators (10:07) Profit Margins In AI (26:37) What Are The Questions We Aren't Asking About AI (39:41) What Benedict Uses AI For (44:21) Thinking By Writing (47:35) Can AI Make Something Original? (52:31) Advice for Students In The Age Of AI? (59:32) Who Will Win The AI Race? (1:11:09) What Is Success For You? ----- Thanks to our sponsors for this episode: SHOPIFY: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at ⁠www.shopify.com/knowledgeproject ⁠ ReMarkable for sponsoring this episode. Get your paper tablet at ⁠⁠reMarkable.com⁠⁠ today NOTION MAIL: Get Notion Mail for free right now at ⁠⁠notion.com/knowledgeproject ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ 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 ------ Follow Shane Parrish X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Insta ⁠@farnamstreet⁠ LinkedIn ⁠Shane Parrish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 13m
  8. Small Town Billionaire: How John Bragg Built 3 Empires [Outliers]

    26 AUG

    Small Town Billionaire: How John Bragg Built 3 Empires [Outliers]

    One man controls half the world's wild blueberries, built North America's largest private telecom, and did it all without ever leaving his hometown of 1,100 people. In this episode, we decode the counterintuitive playbook of patient capital, rural advantage, and why Bragg's refusal to sell a single share made him unstoppable. My interview with John (#204) was the class. This is the homework.  ------ Approximate Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (02:09) Part One: The Renegade’s Choice (23:47) Part Two: Eastlink (41:16) Part Three: John Bragg: Serial Entrepreneur (52:15) Epilogue: The View from Oxford (54:34) Reflections / Afterthoughts (58:00) John Bragg’s Lesson Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ 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 ------ Follow Shane Parrish X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ShaneAParrish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Insta ⁠⁠@farnamstreet⁠⁠ LinkedIn ⁠⁠Shane Parrish⁠ ------ This episode is for informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 8m
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Hosts & Guests

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Deep conversations with the best founders and business leaders that go beyond the usual advice to uncover the timeless principles that drive success. Master the best of what other people have already figured out. If you enjoy the show, please hit the follow button.

Information

  • Creator
    Shane Parrish
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2025
  • Episodes
    250
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Farnam Street Media Inc.
  • Show Website
    The Knowledge Project

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