#489: Guy Raz Interviews Tim Ferriss — How I Built This — Key Lessons, Critical Decisions, and Reinvention for Fun and Profit

Tim Ferriss Show

Podcast Notes Key Takeaways Tim’s parents didn’t always have the budget for toys, but they always had money for books:“My parents cultivated this love of reading very early on, and as a result, I did well in school” – Tim Ferriss  Why did Tim initially join a data storage company?His mentors told him it was better to get a job in a growing industry (like data storage) because he would gain a lot more experience and learn how to scale a company “I wanted to learn as much as possible to build something myself” – Tim Ferriss“The best time to start a company is when you have a job” – Tim Ferriss  Helpful sales tip:Most gatekeepers (assistants, etc.) work from 9am to 5pm, so if you want to increase the chances of speaking to an executive, reach out to them before 9am or after 5pmDon’t spend time trying to convince everyone to buy your product. Instead, spend time persuading your target audience to buy your product. If you want to get better at sales, study informercials and call their hotline to learn what scripts they use and how they get people to buy their products.Keep a swipe file of any advertisement that convinces you to buy a product. Study those ads and try to understand what made you want to buy the product.Tim’s supplement company was doing well and making around $100,000 a month, but it was taking up so much of his time that his girlfriend, who he thought he’d end up marrying, broke up with himThat event inspired Tim to make some changes in his life:He fired his high-maintenance customersHe told his supplier to not contact him with any problems that could be solved with $100He started traveling the world and running his business from his laptop

Read the full notes @ podcastnotes.org

Guy Raz Interviews Tim Ferriss — How I Built This — Key Lessons, Critical Decisions, and Reinvention for Fun and Profit | Brought to you by GiveWell.org, producers of the world’s top research on charities and effective giving, and Athletic Greens all-in-one supplement

Welcome to The Tim Ferriss Show, where it is usually my job to deconstruct world-class performers, to tease out their routines, habits, et cetera that you can apply to your own life. This time around, the tables are turned. I was interviewed by Guy Raz (@guyraz) for his mega-popular NPR podcast How I Built This. 

In this episode, Guy traces my story from the very early days to the current day, asking me about key decisions, hard times, obstacles, lessons learned, and much, much more. We had a blast, we covered a lot of new ground, and Guy was kind enough to offer me the chance to post the audio, so that’s what you’ll hear.

For more Guy, check out his podcasts How I Built This, Wisdom from the Top, and The Rewind. He is also the co-creator of the acclaimed podcasts TED Radio Hour and Wow in the World, a children’s program. 

Happy holidays and a very happy new year to you and yours.

*

This episode is brought to you by GiveWell.org! For over ten years, GiveWell.org has helped donors find the charities and projects that save and improve lives most per dollar. Here’s how: GiveWell dedicates over twenty thousand hours a year to researching charitable organizations and hand-picks a few of the highest-impact, evidence-backed charities. Since 2010, GiveWell has helped over 50,000 donors direct over 500 million dollars to the most effective charities. Most importantly, these donations will save over 75,000 lives and improve the lives of millions more.

This year, support the charities that save and improve lives most, with GiveWell. Any of my listeners who become new GiveWell donors will have their first donation matched up to $250 when you go to GiveWell.org/Tim and select “PODCAST” and “Tim Ferriss” at checkout.

*

This episode is also brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system. 

Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and five free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.

*

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!

For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.

Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.

For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.

Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.

Follow Tim:

Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss 

Instagram: instagram.com/timferriss

Facebook: facebook.com/timferriss 

YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss