Ep. 277 - Griffin Dunne: Never Doubt, Just Do: How to Follow Your Gut

Often many of the key people who help create great companies work behind the scenes, out of the publicity spotlight. Mitch Lowe is one of these people.  As fate often has it, Mitch was working to develop another idea. While displaying at a trade show, he met Marc Randolph who happened to stop by his booth. After a long talk about DVDs Marc started to walk away. Mitch grabbed him by the back of his backpack and said, "Wait a minute, we should talk some more."  That "grab" changed his life, and Netflix was born. James asks Mitch three things he's learned from building one of the most successful companies created in the last decade. Mitch gives huge credit for the growth of Netflix to another of the original founders, Reed Hastings.  #1) Focus. Find that one thing you know you can absolutely be the best at and force yourself to drop all the others. #2) Use analytics to make decisions. Use analytics directionally; don't worry about if they're 100% sure. Just use them to point you in a direction.  #3) Pour your money into those things that are working best. Cut medium to poor performers, whether that's people or ideas. James asks Mitch why he left Netflix. You'll hear a story about a passion that he just couldn't let go of and felt he had to pursue. From Netflix to McDonalds to Quarterly.co, Mitch has quietly helped many of today's best companies continue to grow.  You don't always have to be the "name" that most people associate with growing companies to be super-successful ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1 Des 201453min

Carols' new book, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Crying offers great tips and tricks for getting ahead. Not everything in life is going to work in your favor but your attitude on how you deal with this can set you apart. Carol tells James, you can set you sights on - "This is The Thing", but if you don't get that all important "thing" you can stand often stand in your own way of success. They talk about creating a comedy-writing career. Pitching a concept is a job and you have to treat it serious and Jay Leno's "Rule of Ten". Do you the best you can and don't have an attitude, as it can often get in your way.  ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

28 Nov 201429min

Emotions evoke an action, often an irrational one.    Irrationality is not all bad. Dan examines some of the positive effects irrationality has on our lives and offers a new look on the irrational decisions that influence our personal lives and our workplace experiences.   In this interview, Dan gives James some great examples.   Money is a relatively new invention. What's the real value of anything? Money is all about opportunity costs. You buy one thing, you give up the opportunity to spend that money on something else.   Why will you spend more money for the exact same thing if a great story is attached to it?   Dan describes what really drives us. We're driven not by reason but by reaction. Social proof is a herding invention.      This is a fantastic interview with a brilliant thinker. Listen here to the stories Dan tells. They'll change the way we see our actions, others, and ourselves. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

26 Nov 201458min

Tucker Max, New York Times best selling author of I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell promised James that he would talk about his private life publicly first on The James Altucher Show.   And he sure doesn't disappoint.   You'll have to tune in to find out what he reveals here first... ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

24 Nov 20141h 3min

James lands an interview with arguably the ultimate "Choose Yourselfer "and greatest modern-day motivational speaker, Tony Robbins.   Tony talks with James about his soon-to-be-released book MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom. This might be his best book yet. Tony interviews the 50 most successful people to learn what it takes to be financially secure, independent, and free.   Tony tells the story about the time he sold a two-star Army general on how he could take any training program they had and cut the time in half. The general didn't think Tony could succeed. After interviewing many soldiers, he discovered the key to success. It's the same key anyone can use to achieve financial freedom.   You'll also hear how Tony was forced to start over at the age of 39. He believes his newest book will help everyone that's in a similar position. Whether you're well off or trying to figure out how you're going to pay this month's rent, this episode has something for you.   He tells James why he considers money a game and why you should start looking at it this way.   James calls this the Tony Robbins Method   In the interview James says, "Ok, I figured it out. You use "the Tony Robbins Method'".   Which I defined as,   1) At first you don't know anything. 2) You find five people who are the experts in the world. 3) You extensively interview them. 4) You figure out the simplest things they have in common with each other. 5) You do that simple thing over and over and over and over (repetition).   And that's how you succeed. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

18 Nov 20141h 3min

One of Forbes recent 30 under 30 Trip Adler is a real life success story. Growing up in Palo Alto and graduating with a biophysics degree from Harvard, it seemed a given that he'd create a successful startup. But locking in on the right idea wasn't easy. He contemplated a ride-share service, a social-media site, and as luck often has it, the best idea came out of solving a family problem. He tells James his startup story. In full disclosure, James is a small investor in Scribd, and as such, asks Trip if it would be OK if he pushes him a bit. In true Trip fashion, he answers "Sure, it sounds like fun." Listening to this interview, you'll hear the success story of a young startup company run by someone who admittedly doesn't have all the easy answers. The early years were challenging. Hiring the right team, instilling the right culture, and focusing in on the right strategy have been crucial keys to Scribd's success.  Trip tells James, "The main reason why companies fail is because they give up." As you'll hear in this interview, Trip will never give up. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

14 Nov 201450min

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, the Force may just be against you.   Jim Luceno author of three Star Wars novels and a couple of feet of other books joins James today to talk about careers and everything Star Wars.   Sometimes hard work isn't enough. Often you need to look for out-of-the-box solutions...   You have to stick with it... you may get lucky.   They dive deep into the blockbuster Star Wars franchise. They go over all their favorite backstories and talk about their anticipation about what's coming next. James tries to get a little insight into the newest movie but Jim gives him nothing. You can hear his disappointment.   James and Jim geek out as they talk about Jim's newest book Tarkin and some future Star Wars movie ideas.   If you're a Star Wars fan then this show is a must-listen. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

11 Nov 201451min

James and Brian, although having never met before, instantly bond. They both, albeit at different times, played poker at the legendary Mayfair Club and relive some of those great stories.   As Brian says, "You'd leave early in the morning either with a gangsters roll in your pocket or knowing you'd just lost... but somehow as you'd walk out, four, four-thirty, five in the morning and get into a gypsy cab... something just felt right in the world..."   The Mayfair Club was Brian and his writing partner David Levien's inspiration for the hit movie Rounders starring Matt Damon.   Brian attributes a lot of his success to his ADHD. He's able to laser focus in things that fascinate him. When he came across the singer-songwriter Tracey Chapman, he was hooked. She had something very special and he "knew it." But "knowing it" and getting her to believe he knew it and that he could help her took years of hard work. She originally said no a hundred times in a row.   You've got to listen to Brian's story about Phillip Roth and the elevator... It's a classic.   They dive deep into the question of how can you turn off that voice inside you that tells you that you suck.   Put some kind of practice into your life; walk, exercise, meditate, whatever... as long as it works for you, do it.   This is a great interview... one of James' all-time best. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

7 Nov 201448min