Brad Jacobs is the chairman and CEO of ⁠QXO, Inc.⁠, and the founder of eight separate billion-dollar companies including XPO Logistics, United Rentals and United Waste.

He is an entrepreneur and logistics executive widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in industrial consolidation and operational transformation. Rising to prominence from the 1980s through the 2000s, he became known for revolutionizing fragmented, labor-intensive industries through aggressive M&A and technology integration, founding eight companies and growing each into billion-dollar or multi-billion-dollar enterprises. He became a household name in business circles through his serial entrepreneurship and track record of delivering outsized returns by bringing operational sophistication to traditionally fragmented markets.

His career highlights include founding United Waste Systems (which was acquired by what is now WM), founding United Rentals and building it into the world's largest equipment rental company, founding XPO Logistics and growing it through 18 acquisitions into a top-ten global logistics provider, and most recently launching QXO to consolidate the $800 billion building products distribution sector.

Episode show notes are available at davidsenra.com.

Made possible by

Ramp: ⁠https://ramp.com⁠

HubSpot: ⁠https://hubspot.com⁠

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/senra

Chapters

(0:00) Introduction and Setting the Tone

(0:31) Mentorship and Key Lessons from Ludwig Jesselson

(2:41) Embracing Problems as Opportunities

(6:07) The Importance of Recruiting Top Talent

(7:58) Maintaining Long-Term Reputation

(10:14) Finding Context and Centering

(19:50) Perfectionism and Cognitive Therapy

(26:29) Building Billion-Dollar Companies

(36:50) The Role of A Players in Success

(42:27) The Power of People in Business

(44:23) The Importance of Superior Intelligence

(45:54) Balancing Work and Life

(48:11) The Role of Passion in Success

(51:59) Effective Leadership and Meetings

(1:05:41) Feedback Loops and Continuous Improvement

(1:16:29) Public vs. Private Companies

(1:22:55) The Drive for Stress and Passion

(1:23:16) Learning from Other Entrepreneurs

(1:23:41) Fred Smith's Legacy and Influence

(1:29:19) The Importance of Technology in Business

(1:40:25) Time Management and CEO Responsibilities

(1:54:34) The Power of Incentives

(2:01:04) Going All In: Final Thoughts

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Michael Dell is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Dell Technologies.

He is an entrepreneur and technology executive widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in personal computing and enterprise technology. Rising to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, he became known for revolutionizing the computer industry through his direct-to-consumer sales model and for building one of the world's largest technology companies. He became a household name through Dell's rapid growth and market disruption, and his career highlights include founding Dell with $1,000 from his University of Texas dorm room in 1984 at age 19, becoming the youngest CEO to earn a Fortune 500 ranking in 1992, and executing one of the largest technology deals in history by taking Dell private in 2013, combining it with EMC and VMware in 2016, and returning it to public markets in 2018.

Made possible by

Ramp: ⁠https://ramp.com⁠

HubSpot: ⁠https://hubspot.com⁠

Function: https://functionhealth.com/senra

Chapters

(00:00) The Early Obsession: Dell’s Beginnings

(00:18) Middle School Memories and Early Financial Fascinations

(01:11) The Spark of Stock Market Interest

(02:14) Unreleased Products and Unwavering Enthusiasm

(02:35) Family Conversations and Motivations

(03:11) The Puzzle of Technology

(04:50) Taking Things Apart: A Lifelong Curiosity

(05:52) The Economics of IBM and Early Business Insights

(09:19) Cost Control and Competitive Advantage

(16:36) The Importance of Storytelling in Business

(20:58) Learning from the Greats: Influences and Inspirations

(25:00) The Challenge of Self-Sabotage in Entrepreneurship

(29:48) Embracing Change and Innovation

(43:09) The Power of Data and AI in Business

(46:55) Cultural Differences and Resistance to Change

(47:22) Investing in Technology: Lessons from Andrew Carnegie

(49:05) The Concept of ‘Dad Terminal’

(50:54) Supply Chain Mastery

(56:18) The Importance of Energy Management

(57:59) Early Financial Challenges and Solutions

(01:02:05) The Negative Cash Conversion Cycle

(01:18:17) The Mail Order Stigma and Overcoming It

(01:19:39) The Rise of E-commerce

(01:28:48) Fear of Failure and Final Thoughts

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Daniel Ek is the co-founder and CEO of Spotify.

Daniel Ek is an entrepreneur and technology executive widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in music, podcasting and audio streaming more broadly. Rising to prominence in the 2000s and 2010s, he became known for revolutionizing how people consume music and for transforming the music industry through digital innovation, platform development and strategic partnerships. He became a household name through Spotify's global expansion, and his career highlights include co-founding Spotify in 2006, growing it to over half a billion users worldwide and pioneering the freemium streaming model that reshaped music consumption. As an advocate for artists and music accessibility, he has also championed fair compensation models and music discovery algorithms, further cementing his influence and legacy in digital music culture.

Made possible by

Ramp: https://ramp.com

HubSpot: https://hubspot.com

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/senra

Chapters

(00:00) Reflecting on a Life-Changing Conversation

(01:17) Optimizing for Impact Over Happiness

(04:08) The Journey of Self-Motivation

(08:58) The Importance of Trust and Relationships

(14:24) The Role of Criticism and Self-Reflection

(16:24) The Evolution of an Entrepreneur

(22:14) Building a Company True to Yourself

(33:43) The Power of Trust in Business

(41:12) Intellectual Humility and Learning from Others

(41:36) Shadowing Leaders for Growth

(43:48) Learning from Mark Zuckerberg

(47:02) Balancing Personal Taste and Metrics in Product Decisions

(52:22) The Evolution of Leadership at Spotify

(58:00) Building a Company That Outlasts the Founder

(01:14:12) Managing Energy Over Time

(01:24:18) The Never-Ending Game of Life

(01:24:41) Lessons from Henry Ford

(01:25:55) The Value of Solving Problems

(01:30:29) The Importance of Quality

(01:36:07) The Power of Focus and Patience

(01:53:19) Balancing Work and Life

(01:59:12) The Journey of Self-Discovery

(02:07:30) Final Reflections and Gratitude

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Nine years ago, I launched Founders.

Today, I'm launching a new podcast called David Senra.

The first episode goes live this Sunday, September 28. Subscribe wherever you watch or listen to podcasts.

Founders will still come out every week.

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