Unlock Your Story: Three Layers of Truth for Founders

Resources

Resources & Recommendations

Books

• "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien - Mentioned in the context of stories having ultimate stakes and the concept of death.

Videos & Documentaries

• "House of Cards" - Wolfgang Hammer was involved in its creation, highlighting his experience in the film industry.
• YouTube clip of Tolkien - Discussed in relation to stories being about death.

Research & Studies

• The pragmatists - Their discovery that "people do a lot of doing happening" is highlighted as a key reason for the success of the American experiment.

Tools & Software

• Ramp - A platform that automates expense management to free up finance teams for high-leverage work.
• AlphaSense - A market intelligence platform providing access to a vast library of financial and expert information for institutional investors.
• Tethys - Acquired by AlphaSense, it contributes to AlphaSense's library of expert interview transcripts.
• AlphaSense's Deep Research tool - An AI-powered tool designed for investment research that performs multi-step iterative analysis.
• Ridgeline - A platform designed to automate customization for asset managers, enabling personalized client experiences at scale.

Articles & Papers

• "The Power of Story" (Implied by episode title and discussion) - The central theme of the podcast episode, exploring how stories shape understanding and communication.

People Mentioned

• Wolfgang Hammer - Guest on the podcast, a film producer and executive who helps founders and CEOs use storytelling to understand and communicate their businesses.
• Kareem and Eric (Ramp founders) - Understood the need to automate expense management to free up finance teams.
• Mike Lasky - Chairman of Wolfgang Hammer's new film studio, former partner at Benchmark.
• Mark Endrestein - Investor in Wolfgang Hammer's new film studio.
• Raymond Loewy - Designer who had a similar 80/20 rule regarding the tolerable element of new before rejection.
• James Joyce - Known for his concept of the "epiphany," a moment where a character accesses a universal truth.
• Don Rosenthall - Taught Wolfgang that "in the end every story is a metaphor" and the importance of finding your ultimate concern.
• Meister Eckhart - A mystic mentioned by John O'Donohue, known for the concept of "Gelassenheit" (letting go of all intent).
• John O'Donohue - Author who talks about Meister Eckhart's concept of Gelassenheit.
• Robert Towne - Screenwriter of "Chinatown," who said stories are "either desires fulfilled or anxieties purged."

Organizations & Institutions

• Ramp - Company offering automated expense management solutions.
• Sutton Bank - FDIC-insured bank issuing Ramp cards.
• AlphaSense - Provider of a market intelligence platform for institutional investors.
• Tethys - Acquired by AlphaSense, contributing to their expert transcript library.
• Ridgeline - A platform for asset managers focused on automating customization.
• Positive Sum - Patrick O'Shaughnessy's company.
• Benchmark - Venture capital firm where Mike Lasky was a former partner.
• a16z (Andreessen Horowitz) - Investor in Wolfgang Hammer's new film studio.

Courses & Educational Resources

• Colossus Review - A quarterly publication from JoinColossus.com with in-depth profiles of people shaping business and investing.

Websites & Online Resources

• ramp.com/invest - Website to learn more about Ramp.
• alpha-sense.com/invest - Website to see AlphaSense's Deep Research tool in action.
• joincolossus.com - Website for Colossus Review and all podcasts from Invest Like the Best.
• p-sum.vc - Website for Positive Sum.

Other Resources

• The three layers of story: external, emotional, and philosophical - A framework Wolfgang Hammer uses to help people understand and communicate their stories.
• The 80/20 principle in storytelling - The idea that a message should be mostly familiar (80%) with a small element of newness (20%) to be accepted.
• The concept of "Gelassenheit" - From Meister Eckhart, meaning the letting go of all intent to simply experience the divine nature of being alive.
• The idea of a "Greek hero" - Someone who lives and espouses a worldview that is universally disliked.
• "Heart in conflict with itself" - A quote defining great conflict in a story.
• "Humans are gods who shit" - A Kiki quote highlighting the contradiction of capable beings who must die.
• The concept of status - Defined as a sense of accepted superiority vis-a-vis another.
• Calculated failure - The willingness to take risks and accept failure as part of the creative process.
• The question: "What is the version of your story that is so big that it terrifies you?" - A powerful question to unlock potential and confront fear.
• "Am I worthy of love?" and "Is it safe to die?" - Fundamental questions that stories often address.