Problems Are Opportunities: Build Billion-Dollar Companies

Resources

Books

• "Beat the Dealer" by Ed Thorpe - This book was mentioned as Ed Thorpe's invention of a quantitative hedge fund and his ability to count cards for blackjack.
• "In the Company of Giants" by Unknown Authors - This book was mentioned as a collection of interviews with technology company founders from the 90s, including Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.
• "Poor Charlie's Almanack" by Charlie Munger - This book was mentioned for its insights into the power of incentives and driving human behavior.
• "The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie" by Andrew Carnegie - This autobiography was referenced for its lessons on investing in technology and embracing change in business.
• "The Autobiography of Sam Walton" by Sam Walton - This autobiography was mentioned for Sam Walton's insights on running an efficient operation and his advice on dealing with illness.
• "The Michelin Family Dynasty" (translated from French) by Unknown Authors - This book was referenced for its story of the Michelin brothers and their approach to manufacturing and business growth.
• "Everything Storm" (a main biography on Jeff Bezos) by Unknown Authors - This book was cited for its description of Jeff Bezos's reaction to problems as opportunities.

Videos & Documentaries

• Youtube (Ray Kurzweil) - Mentioned as a platform where the podcast host consumes content from Ray Kurzweil, a significant mentor.

Research & Studies

• Back Depression Inventory - Mentioned as a tool used by Brad Jacobs to assess his own clinical depression.
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) studies - Referenced as a method for understanding and disputing negative automatic thoughts.
• Psychological studies on Theory of Mind - Mentioned in the context of understanding human motivation and deal-making.

Tools & Software

• HubSpot - Mentioned as a tool that brings all business data together to identify patterns, enabling growth.
• Ramp - A financial operations platform that provides top-tier technical talent and AI engineers to automate and improve business financial operations.
• Eight Sleep Pod 5 - A smart mattress cover that automatically regulates body temperature for improved sleep quality.

Articles & Papers

• Jeff Bezos's shareholder letters - Cited for his perspective on problems as opportunities and his emphasis on customer centricity.
• LinkedIn posts by Brad Jacobs - Mentioned as where he admired Fred Smith.
• Trade Journals - Mentioned as a source of information for Brad Jacobs when he entered the waste management industry.

People Mentioned

• Ludwig Jesselson - A significant mentor to Brad Jacobs, who taught him the maxim "get the major trend right."
• Henry Kaiser - Quoted for his maxim, "problems are just opportunities in work clothes."
• Sam Zell - Mentioned as a great guy who shared similar advice about not letting wealth lead to misery.
• Jeff Bezos - Referenced for his perspective on problems as opportunities, his emphasis on customer centricity, and his commitment to high-quality sleep.
• Steve Jobs - Quoted for his belief in surrounding himself with smart people and his observation on the dynamic range between average and best performers.
• Sam Walton - Mentioned for his autobiography and his emphasis on efficient operations.
• Warren Buffett - Cited for his approach to time management and his quote about the difference between successful and really successful people.
• Daniel Ek - The founder of Spotify, mentioned as a friend who believes in multiple founder archetypes and acts as a coach.
• Ed Thorpe - Mentioned as the first person to invent a quantitative hedge fund and author of "Beat the Dealer."
• Richard Branson - Quoted for defining business as "an idea that makes somebody else's life better."
• Henry Ford - Quoted for his saying, "money comes naturally as a result of service."
• Ed Catmull - Founder of Pixar, who emphasized the importance of people over ideas in business success.
• Bill Dixon - Brad Jacobs's music professor in college, who taught the concept of "come back to the center."
• David Goggins - Mentioned as an example of someone with a harsh inner monologue focused on self-improvement.
• Mitch Rales - Co-founder of Danaher, mentioned for his relentless information gathering.
• Jimmy Iovine - Referenced for his quote, "great can come from anywhere."
• Dr. Dre - Mentioned as a great hip-hop producer who discovered Eminem.
• Eminem - Cited as an example of talent emerging from unexpected circumstances.
• Jim Casey - Founder of UPS, who ensured unfiltered access from front-line employees.
• Todd Combs - A mid-manager for Warren Buffett, discussed for his work with employee surveys.
• Amancio Ortega - A successful European entrepreneur, founder of Inditex (Zara), highlighted as running a technology company with a chain of stores.
• Yogi Berra - Quoted for his saying, "predictions are difficult particularly when they're about the future."
• Dave Coday, Ed Breen, Larry Cole - CEOs mentioned as examples of those who understand all aspects of running a business.
• Ken Griffin - Founder of Citadel, mentioned as a neighbor and a highly impressive individual.
• Patrick O'Shaughnessy - A mutual friend, mentioned as having dinner with Brad Jacobs and discussing impressive companies.
• Ray Kurzweil - A significant mentor to Brad Jacobs, known for his work on artificial intelligence and the singularity.
• Yogi Berra - Quoted for his saying, "predictions are difficult particularly when they're about the future."
• Herb Kelleher - Founder of Southwest Airlines, admired for his handling of stress and his company's sustained profitability.
• Fred Smith - Founder of FedEx, admired for his courage, integrity, and generosity, and for his approach to managing time and business.
• Doris - Mentioned alongside Fred Smith.

Organizations & Institutions

• Phillip Brothers - Mentioned as the commodity trading firm run by Ludwig Jesselson.
• United Rentals - A company Brad Jacobs was CEO of.
• XPO Logistics - A company Brad Jacobs was CEO of.
• Ramp - A company that provides financial operations technology.
• Danaher - A company co-founded by Mitch Rales.
• Apollo Ono - The most decorated American Winter Olympian of all time.
• Southwest Airlines - Mentioned for its long-term profitability under Herb Kelleher.
• FedEx - Mentioned for its operational complexity and Fred Smith's leadership.
• Amazon - Referenced for its customer-centric mission and Jeff Bezos's leadership.
• XPO - One of the companies Brad Jacobs spun off from.
• GXO Logistics - A company spun off from XPO, that runs warehouses for Zara in Europe.
• Inditex - The parent company of Zara.
• Walmart - Mentioned for its investment in technology and logistics.
• Citadel - Founded by Ken Griffin.
• JP Morgan - Mentioned as a board Todd Combs was joining.
• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) - A conference where Brad Jacobs first met Fred Smith.
• Business Council - An organization where Brad Jacobs met Fred Smith.

Courses & Educational Resources

• Rhode Island Governor's School for the Gifted in Art and Music - A summer enrichment program Brad Jacobs attended after eighth grade.

Websites & Online Resources

• 8sleep.com/senra - Website for Eight Sleep, offering a discount code for the podcast audience.
• hubspot.com - Website for HubSpot, a platform for business data integration.
• ramp.com - Website for Ramp, a financial operations platform.

Other Resources

• Maxims - General lists of guiding principles learned from others.
• Personal Blueprint - A concept discussed in relation to Ed Thorpe's life balance.
• "WATWAM" (Waste of Time, Waste of Money) - A phrase used by Brad Jacobs to filter ideas and initiatives.
• WIFM (What's In It For Me) - A concept highlighting that people are primarily motivated by their own interests.