The James Altucher Show

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 hea

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 direc

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

Clayton Anderson is the definition of a person who persevered and "chose himself." He applied 15 times before NASA finally selected him to enter the astronaut program in 1998.   He talks about the importance of never giving up on a dream. It wasn't easy and he admits he couldn't have done it without the support of his family. He tells James, "sometimes sacrifice is required to achieve your dreams." He provides valuable advice any entrepreneur can apply to their lives.   Clay also talks about the importance of setting goals and working toward them. Even though he wanted to be an astronaut, he knew he would have to take whatever job he qualified for and work his way up.   Veteran astronauts have a mantra, "Keep your head down and keep coloring"... In other words, don't stand out and keep grinding on the task at hand.   James and Clayton also talk about why being slightly above average and consistent can land you the opportunity of a lifetime. You don't have to be the best in order to be extraordinary.   This is

In the Choose Yourself era, there's no better resource than LinkedIn for connecting to new people and searching for fresh starts.   This episode of the James Altucher Show features Daniel Roth, the Executive Editor at LinkedIn. Daniel has been called the "most powerful business journalist on the Internet" by Business Insider.   Daniel and his team recently launched the Influencer program. He wanted to create a platform for original and curated content from 500 of the world's top thought leaders. They wisely reached out to James to become one of their hand-picked writers.   You'll hear James and Daniel discuss the inner workings of writing a great post. They talk about why you should consider writing posts on LinkedIn versus your own blog. They make a very compelling case that you'll want to hear.     If you're currently in search of a new career or are interested in becoming an entrepreneur, start by listening to this podcast. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners 

  Most people will tell you there are no shortcuts when it comes to achieving success as an entrepreneur.   Shane Snow, author of the book Smartcuts: How Hackers, Innovators, and Icons Accelerate Success, will tell you differently. Shane set out to study entrepreneurs that successfully fast tracked their businesses.   He interviewed many successful people and found nine patterns that can be learned by anyone to help accelerate their businesses or personal careers.   Shane believes "paying dues" is an archaic practice. Shane and James break down case studies for listeners that show how quickly companies can grow by hacking the system.   Shane defines what an entrepreneurial success and failure look like. You'll learn the characteristics winning entrepreneurs have.   As usual, James brings his own unique insights to this interview.     You don't want to miss what they have to say. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us bet

Type almost anything into Google and you'll notice that often the first or second search result is a Wikipedia page.   Wikipedia has become the world's encyclopedia. It's written collaboratively by the people who use it, and because of that, it has gone viral.   Jimmy Wales no longer runs the day-to-day operations of Wikipedia, instead he spends his days traveling the world giving talks on free speech and Internet freedom. Although, he still spends an inordinate amount of time interacting with and thinking about the community.   Today, Jimmy shares his secret origin with James.   History is usually written by the winners. Wikipedia has changed that, and now everyone has an equal say.   James asks Jimmy what the real "hot button" topics are, and which cause the most arguments. I think you'll be surprised by his answers.     As usual, James' mind is always thinking of new business ideas. During the interview both he and Jimmy toss out a few that are just waiting for someone to grab up and run with. ------------

Are you interested in startups? Have you thought about creating one or have already started your own?If so, then you will be happy to hear that today's guest reveals all his secrets to launching a successful business.Gabriel Weinberg, the founder & CEO of DuckDuckGo and author of Traction: A Startup Guide to Getting Customers, joins The James Altucher Show to break down business traction.Today Gabriel shares with James how he was able to start his own search engine and the reason he was driven to create a secure, private search engine for his users...Something that was extremely important to Gabriel was being able to create something that was different from all other sites and emphasized protecting searchers' privacy and avoiding any personalized search results.If you are looking for real customer growth and looking to create real traction for your startup, then his book is one of the best resources you can find.With so many components and moving parts involved in creating a company, it's sometimes diffic

James calls him one of the most inspirational people that he knows and has followed his career forever.Growing up in a family that was not financially successful, he was able to turn his luck around completely... At the age of 26 he had already sold his first company and made $70 million.Today, Ted Leonsis, founder, chairman, majority owner, and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, joins The James Altucher Show to talk about how he has found success and happiness.Ted explains, "There are very few things that define in best practice how to become happy and self-actualized."In his book, The Business of Happiness, he reveals the six secrets to achieving true happiness... and how they make success almost inevitable.Find out what these six secrets are and how Ted has put them to use in his own daily routine.Some of the most successful and happy people have used these techniques and created their very own practice... could these be the techniques you have been searching for? ------------What do YOU think o

He is one of James' favorite writers... At just 30 years old, he has already written six books, two of which are being made into movies... one by Seth Rogen.He is also one of the youngest writers ever hired on Saturday Night Live.Simon Rich, author and screen writer, joins The James Altucher Show to not only talk about his process of writing, but also what it takes to really be funny.You'll get an inside look to his writing technique and routines... his very own "daily practice."Plus, you'll get exclusive details on his new sitcom that will be featured on FXX.There is an art to Simon's writing and you can feel his passion while listening to him talk about his work.He has created shortcuts and methods that have molded his writing ability... From reinventing previous works to getting inspiration from The Simpsons. If you are looking for inspiration or just some good reads... take some notes, because Simon discloses his favorite books and authors that have been huge motivators to his career. ------------What do

One of James' favorite shows starts its new season TONIGHT!We don't know how he did it, but he has somehow convinced the star of the show to be today's guest.Would you ever invest your time and money into a business that is basically going under with no hopes of recovering?What if the entire process were filmed and broadcast to millions of people?That might sound crazy, but that is exactly what today's guest does for a living.Marcus Lemonis, CEO of Camping World and star of the CNBC all-new reality series, "The Profit," joins The James Altucher Show."The Profit" is a television show where struggling small businesses are offered cash and expertise in exchange for a percentage of ownership in their company.Marcus has a real passion for helping others and making businesses successful.For him, it's more than just business plans, numbers, and formulas... "Business success is always about the three P's: People, Process, and Product".What Marcus really enjoys is finding out what makes people tick, what motivates the

Relationships, sex, dating... no matter who you are, these are concepts that affect you at some point in your life.Do you ever seek advice about these topics? Browse the internet or self-help books?Today, we have a special treat for those that show interest in human sexuality.Dr. Geoffrey Miller, a world-famous evolutionary psychologist and co-host of the Mating Grounds podcast, joins The James Altucher Show to break down the dating hierarchy.Dr. Miller and Tucker Max co-host a podcast that provides listeners with actionable information and advice on evolutionary psychology, human sexuality, behavior genetics, and animal communication.It's a show about more than just sex... It's full of thought-provoking theories and will completely change the way you view our species. ------------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 questi

Have you ever found yourself suckered into an infomercial... maybe even thinking, "Why didn't I come up with that?"What if you could have? What if you could turn any idea you had into a million-dollar idea?That is exactly what our guest today is known for. He is the inventor of the infomercial and was one of the original sharks on "Shark Tank."Millions of products have been become household names thanks to his insightful vision and creative sales techniques.Today, Kevin Harrington, one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time joins The James Altucher Show to talk about how you can create success from almost anything.Being able to spot a problem or recognizing when a product or service could be improved is the first step to becoming an entrepreneur.More than likely, you are already full of great ideas and don't even know it.Here, you will learn to embrace new ideas... because you never know when that million dollar one will surface. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.c

Today we have two special guests that decipher the Rubik's cube of the dating scene on a daily basis... Marni Kinry and Kristen Carney, hosts of the Ask Women podcast, join The James Altucher Show to talk about dating, sex, and comedy.Besides their podcast, Kristen and Marni also participate in comedy, giving them a unique interpretation of the world of dating.James also asks them to comment on public speaking and how they have mastered confidence while doing stand-up comedy.If you have ever experienced stage fright, then you know how horrible it can be. So today, you get to hear from two experts on how to avoid the fear of speaking to an audience.This same approach can be applied to mastering the dating scene. It's a show that will unveil what you value in others that you may have been ignoring.Prepare to get in touch with not only what you want, but what you need in a partner. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us bet

Have you ever been bored at work or in school and doodled on a notepad?Imagine if that doodle was your ticket to success? Well, it was for today's guest.Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comic strip and author of How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, joins The James Altucher Show to talk about his career and how it landed him exactly where he wanted to be.He shares with us the real story to his cartoonist career. From a boring corporate job to getting paid to just doodle at home... he shares how this rare scenario developed.What might be a complete surprise is that much of his success is due to failure... In fact, Scott has failed at more things than probably anyone you've ever met or heard of.It makes you wonder if your own personal path to victory is be mapped out by your own mistakes.There is a unique combination of talent, luck, hard work, and trial and error that Scott has found to be the foundation to his idea executions.Is the best way to get to good ideas through bad ideas?Listen and d

Our guest for today is one of the most extraordinary people that James has ever encountered.By the age of 35 he had already reached his goal of visiting every country in the world... Today, American entrepreneur, nonfiction author, blogger, and speaker Chris Guillebeau, joins The James Altucher Show to talk about his most recent book, The Happiness of Pursuit and his passion for seeking life-changing experiences. He shares intimate details and insight to his travels that have not been revealed anywhere else.How did his quests affect his relationships, goals, career, and self-image?What challenges did he encounter?Nothing is off limits!We feel it's one of the best interviews yet. His stories and vision of the world will open your eyes to endless possibilities.His words of wisdom are a reminder to listeners that yesterday will never come again... but you have today! ------------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

Nassim Taleb, author of Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, joins The James Altucher Show to talk about technology and how different systems handle disorder.Just as humans evolve, technology is constantly being upgraded and replaced with new concepts and ideas.Today, we use technology in almost every aspect of your lives. But do we really understand the advantages and disadvantages to constantly being computerized?In Nassim's book, The Black Swan, he highlighted for readers the unusual and unpredictable events that underlie almost everything about our world. Now with his book, Antifragile, readers are presented with why we should embrace these uncertainties.The ideas and concepts that Nassim presents today for our listeners are beyond anything you have heard before.Nassim and James talk about several ways that disorder in your life will actually make you stronger. As Nassim tells James in the interview, "If you don't have variability in your life, you are not human."The key is to take these shocks an

Jason SurfrApp (formerly Jason Headsetsdotcom & Jason Sadler) is as unconventional a marketer and entrepreneur as you'll find anywhere. He's an idea machine who knows how to execute his ideas. He created IWearYourShirt, a company that used sponsored t-shirts to promote businesses on social media, and in 2012 and 2013, he auctioned off his last name to the highest bidders.  James and Jason dive into what it takes to really build a buzz, and talk about whether traditional PR companies are worth the money they charge. Jason has found a better way... He just asks. That may seem easy, but it's really a huge amount of work to do it right. Do you have a "trust circle"? James and Jason talk about how important it is to have one. Frustrated by the confusing landscape of book publishers and book agents, Jason chose himself by self-publishing and raising over $75,000 through sponsorships in his book Creativity For Sale before a single word was written or a single copy of the book sold.   ------------What do YOU thin

If you listen to only one podcast this year than this has to be the one.  James and Peter talk about Peter's brand new book Zero To One, which James says is the best business book, he's read in a long long time... But they cover so much more.   Where is the next technological innovation? How to utilizing the 10x rule What characteristics of PayPal led to the PayPal mafia? Why working with your friends OK What did peter see in Mark Zuckerburg? What it was like turning down a billion dollars The Chinese refrigerator rule Will Über be a success? Where would Peter put his retirement money?   "I think that when people come out of super successful companies like a Google or a Microsoft, they've often experienced business as too easy, and then they're set up to fail, whereas if you come out of a company that's completely blown up and failed, you often learn to set your sights lower and your expectations lower, and so I think failure is also somewhat overrated in our society because, you know, it actually does damage

Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum artist Coolio joins The James Altucher Show to share his story of success.With more than 30 million records sold globally, Coolio gives a side to his story that most people don't know.Teacher? Psychologist? Author? There are many surprising career paths that Coolio he had interests in pursuing...You'll hear how his love of music and his ability to understand and connect with people enabled him to create hip-hop poetry unlike anyone else.Something that most people don't realize is that one of Coolio's biggest hits, "Gangsta's Paradise," caused him some career conflicts... and here you get all the details.What is truly inspiring is his passion for life and his ability to choose himself. From a rough childhood and being bullied to creating his career from scratch, you get the exclusive details from Coolio himself.He is living proof that believing in yourself is a skill, one that everyone can master if they put their minds to it. ------------What do YOU think of the show? H