Eric Ries changed how a generation of founders build companies with The Lean Startup. Now he is back with Incorruptible, a blueprint for making sure the company you build never betrays the mission that made it worth building in the first place. 

In this episode, Eric breaks down the invisible force he calls financial gravity, the force that quietly pulls even the most well-intentioned companies toward short-term thinking and eventual corruption. You will hear the real story behind building the Long-Term Stock Exchange, why only 20% of venture-backed founders are still CEO three years after an IPO, and the one two-page legal filing that could protect everything you are building. 

If you are a founder, an operator, or anyone who cares about doing business the right way, this conversation will change how you think about building for the long term.

Chapters:

0:00 - Eric Ries on Building Companies That Never Lose Their Soul 

1:22 - Did Eric Know The Lean Startup Would Change the World? 

3:17 - The Origin of the Title of His New Book, "Incorruptible"

5:30 - Rapid Fire #1: Most Humbling Setback as a Founder 

6:07 - Rapid Fire #2: How Do You Decide What Is a Priority When Everything Feels Urgent 

11:10 - Rapid Fire #3: How Do You Decide What to Track With KPIs 

14:47 - Rapid Fire #4: The One Tool You Cannot Live Without 

16:40 - Rapid Fire #5: When Did You Last Want to Give Up But Did Not 

18:26 - Why Eric Finally Wrote "Incorruptible" 

22:49 - Why Corporate Corruption Is Getting Worse Not Better 

26:52 - Value Destroying vs. Value Creating: The Sol Price and Costco Story 

36:25 - How Founders Avoid Becoming Corrupt as They Scale 

40:06 - The One Action Every Founder Should Take Today 

45:30 - What Got Cut from the Book and Where to Find It 

47:22 - Where to Find Eric Ries and How to Get Incorruptible

https://www.incorruptible.co/

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