John Coogan is the co-founder of Lucy and co-founder and CTO of Soylent. He is also the creator of a YouTube channel ( @JohnCooganPlus ) with over 257,000 subscribers.

In this conversation, we spoke about why Paul Graham played a pivotal role in John's life, early stories from his days at YCombinator, what his YouTube channel has given him, why he's optimistic about technology, and much more.

Sponsored by...

Aarthi & Sriram's Good Time Show (@AarthiAndSriram). Listen to conversations with founders, athletes, and technologists who have made it from being outsiders to insiders. Past guests include Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Naomi Osaka, Gary Vaynerchuk, and many more – https://www.youtube.com/@AarthiAndSriram

Resources

• Founders At Work by Jessica Livingston – https://www.amazon.com/Founders-Work-Stories-Startups-Early/dp/1430210788

• Paul Graham’s Essays – http://www.paulgraham.com

John's Links

• YouTube:  @JohnCooganPlus 

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/johncoogan

My Links

✉️ Newsletter: https://dannymiranda.substack.com

🎙 Podcast: https://anchor.fm/dannymiranda

🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/dannymiranda

🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/heydannymiranda

🕺 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@heydannymiranda

Paul Millerd is a writer.

In this conversation, we spoke about how his book has sold 12,000 copies in a year without him trying, why sabbaticals are the key, the problem with our wage-based society, and why Paul took the long, slow, stupid way but why it's paid off for him.

Sponsored by...

Aarthi & Sriram's Good Time Show ( @AarthiAndSriram). Listen to conversations with founders, athletes, and technologists who have made it from being outsiders to insiders. Past guests include Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Naomi Osaka, Gary Vaynerchuk, and many more – YouTube / Spotify / Apple

Resources Mentioned

Paul’s Links

The Pathless Path by: https://www.amazon.com/Pathless-Path-Imagining-Story-Work/dp/B09QF6Q421

Substack: https://boundless.substack.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/p_millerd

My Links

✉️ Newsletter: https://dannymiranda.substack.com

🎙 Podcast: https://anchor.fm/dannymiranda

🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/dannymiranda

🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/heydannymiranda

🕺 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@heydannymiranda

Cole Hastings is a YouTuber.

In this conversation, we spoke about how he knew he was going to make it, what makes for a good YouTube video, his most important habits leading to his success, what it was like to write a book, how much he is his real self online, and much more.

Sponsored by...

Aarthi & Sriram's Good Time Show ( @AarthiAndSriram ). Listen to conversations with founders, athletes, and technologists who have made it from being outsiders to insiders. Past guests include Elon Musk, Zuckerberg, Naomi Osaka, Gary Vee and more – https://www.youtube.com/@AarthiAndSriram

(0:00) Intro

(2:39) Early Obsession (Cupstacking)

(5:22) Becoming Comfortable With Self

(10:50) Friends' Reactions To Cole’s YouTube

(14:28) “I Just Knew YouTube Would Work Out”

(21:55) Affirmations

(25:43) Relationships

(30:26) Meditation

(36:38) Compounding

(39:34) Teaching Others

(44:30) Shadow Work

(46:28) Hamza Cringe

(49:30) YouTube Cole Hastings Vs. Real Life Cole

(59:22) What Makes A Good YouTube Video?

(1:07:38) Creating For An Audience Above You

(1:12:43) Writing A Book

(1:20:52) Challenge

Cole’s Links

YouTube:  @ColeHastings 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colehastings_

Website: https://cole-hastings.com

My Links

✉️ Newsletter: https://dannymiranda.substack.com

🎙 Podcast: https://anchor.fm/dannymiranda

🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/dannymiranda

🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/heydannymiranda

🕺 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@heydannymiranda

Akta is a YouTuber.   

In this conversation, we spoke about tuning into joy, what was it like when Matt D’Avella shared her work, the difference between feelings and perception, taking on the energy of strangers, what slowing down means to her, and much more.

(0:00) Intro

(2:20) Unraveling The Ball

(4:50) Happiness Vs. Joy

(6:23) Tuning Into Joy

(8:20) Slowing Down

(9:55) Matt D’Avella

(12:20) Social Anxiety

(14:10) Consumer Vs. Creator

(16:18) Creating A YouTube Video

(20:42) Perception Vs. Reality

(26:29) Feelings Vs. Images

(35:28) Authenticity

(36:49) Career

(39:30) Kindest Act

(40:44) Empathy

(42:41) Taking On Energy

(44:05) DMs

(45:51) Loneliness

(51:10) Challenge

Akta's Links

YouTube:  @Akta 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aktavibes

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aktavibes

My Links

✉️ Newsletter: https://dannymiranda.substack.com

🎙 Podcast: https://anchor.fm/dannymiranda

🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/dannymiranda

🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/heydannymiranda

🕺 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@heydannymiranda

Chris is a serial entrepreneur with more than 14 years of real estate development and investment experience. He’s raised more than $110 million in equity financing. To date, Fort Capital has invested and developed over $504M in multifamily, student housing, commercial/industrial, and residential & land development projects throughout Fort Worth and the state of Texas.

But in this conversation, we didn't speak about too much of that. We spoke about optimism, envy, giving, parenting, mentorship, and much more.

(0:00) Intro

(2:31) Changing Careers

(9:15) Early Entrepreneurial Ventures

(17:25) Figuring Out Human Patterns

(22:03) Putting Himself Online

(26:42) Optimism

(31:00) Envy

(33:03) Giving

(39:10) Parenting

(41:21) Finding A Spouse

(48:20) Mentorship

(54:51) Making Money

(57:32) The Lows of Entrepreneurship

(1:02:47) Challenge

Chris' Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fortworthchris

Podcast: https://www.thefortpod.com

My Links

✉️ Newsletter: https://dannymiranda.substack.com

🎙 Podcast: https://anchor.fm/dannymiranda

🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/dannymiranda

🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/heydannymiranda

🕺 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@heydannymiranda

Bonus episode.  I compiled some of my favorite insights from the 13 episodes in January (not the Q&A).   

So much gold gets shared in these episodes. I wanted a way to remember, distill, reflect, and resurface.  

Share, tweet, or text this episode. That helps it grow. If it grows, the guests will continue to be incredible. And if the guests continue to be incredible, I can keep doing the show.

(0:00) Intro 

(2:02) Noah Huisman - 296 

(3:45) Aaron Alexander - 297 

(6:00) Justin Welsh - 298 

(7:05) Morgan Housel - 299 

(10:48) Grace Smith - 301 

(13:17) Austin Rief - 302 

(16:52) Dr. Anthony Gustin - 303 

(19:33) Brian Peters - 304 

(24:30) David Perell - 305 

(28:57) George Heaton - 306 

(33:44) Elliott Bisnow - 307 

(36:30) Dickie Bush - 308 

(39:23) Bryan Johnson - 309

My Links

✉️ Newsletter: https://dannymiranda.substack.com

🎙 Podcast: https://anchor.fm/dannymiranda

🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/dannymiranda

🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/heydannymiranda

🕺 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@heydannymiranda

Bryan Johnson is the world's most measured human. Johnson sold his company, Braintree Venmo, to PayPal for $800m in 2013. Since then, he's been investing millions to reduce aging. In 2021, he reduced his epigenetic age by 5.1 years in 7 months (World Record). His open-sourced protocol, Project Blueprint, is an endeavor to achieve humanity and earth-scale cooperation starting within Self. In this conversation, we spoke about artificial intelligence, parenting, zero-principle thinking, the big change in Bryan's life, and why Bryan is kind to his detractors. 

(0:00) Intro 

(3:30) Why Children’s Books? 

(5:41) Media Narrative: Tech = Bad 

(12:00) Common Enemy? 

(13:30) How Will Humans Change

(20:03) “Brutal Environment In Brain” 

(27:19) Creating More Alignment Within Self

(31:33) What Makes For A Better Human? 

(39:39) Living For 2500 

(43:01) Ambition 

(44:23) Truth 

(47:35) Best & Worst Cases For AI 

(51:00) Bryan’s Big Change 

(55:30) Parenting 

(57:10) Nicest Thing Anyone’s Ever Done 

(1:02:43) Bryan’s Message To Detractors 

(1:04:10) Painful Human Experience 

(1:07:51) Zeroth Principle Thinking 

(1:19:26) Challenge 

Bryan's Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bryan_johnson

Blueprint: https://blueprint.bryanjohnson.co

My Links

✉️ Newsletter: https://dannymiranda.substack.com

🎙 Podcast: https://anchor.fm/dannymiranda

🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/dannymiranda

🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/heydannymiranda

🕺 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@heydannymiranda

Dickie Bush is a writer and entrepreneur.

In this conversation, we spoke about finding a wife, writing a book, journaling, long-term thinking, why fitness YouTubers inspire him, his framework for creating online, and much more.

(1:50) Intro

(3:43) Getting Recognized

(7:35) Dickie’s Obsessions

(13:24) How To Find A Wife

(18:35) Relentless

(21:50) Thoughtful

(24:52) Remembering Names

(28:05) Building Presence

(31:21) Accountable

(34:45) Writing A Book

(38:32) Fitness YouTubers

(45:33) Long Term

(52:04) ShipYard

(59:25) Taking First Step To Change Life

(1:03:13) Dickie’s Schedule For Creators

(1:06:51) Boring Basics

(1:07:52) Dickie’s Health

(1:11:12) Year In Review Retreat

(1:18:31) Journaling

(1:22:52) Maintenance vs. Growth

(1:25:05) Dickie’s Games

(1:27:20) Dickie’s Framework For Content

(1:31:50) What Do Most Internet Builders Get Wrong?

(1:37:15) Challenge

Resources

• Dickie on Episode 21: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=583IrJ1rdGU

• Dickie on Episode 110: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXOix5Fm2lc

• Dickie’s Obsessions: https://twitter.com/dickiebush/status/1611346354588057601

• Dickie’s End of Year Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ86uTvACp8

Dickie’s Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dickiebush

Ship 30 for 30: https://www.ship30for30.com

Typeshare: https://typeshare.co

Website: https://www.dickiebush.com

My Links

✉️ Newsletter: https://dannymiranda.substack.com

🎙 Podcast: https://anchor.fm/dannymiranda

🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/dannymiranda

🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/heydannymiranda

🕺 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@heydannymiranda

Elliot Bisnow is an entrepreneur. He is the co-creator of Summit and Summit At Sea - an international conference that has featured speakers like Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and Gary Vaynerchuk. Bisnow has invested in almost 50 early-stage startups, including Uber, Coinbase, Warby Parker & Allbirds.

He is the co-author of Make No Small Plans: Lessons on Thinking Big, Chasing Dreams, and Building Community

I stumbled across Elliott because he is the featured mentor in The Third Door by Alex Banayan.

Learn why he got into business, why people don’t change, how to live in gratitude, mentoring, balance, hosting a dinner party, and why he messed up his interview with Eric Schmidt.

(0:00) Intro

(3:12) Finding Out About Business

(13:20) Dropping Out Of School

(22:45) Living In Gratitude

(27:14) Family Business

(31:42) Seeing People As They Are

(34:14) Why Don’t People Change?

(40:08) Storytelling

(44:50) Interviewing Kobe Bryant

(49:31) Why Do People Hit Us?

(51:16) “I Like People Who Create”

(54:51) Forbes 100 For Balance

(57:18) Meditation

(1:07:40) Nature

(1:11:02) The Rat Race

(1:19:42) Less Is More

(1:26:02) Parenting

(1:28:41) Mentoring

(1:36:15) Questions

(1:40:09) Interviewing Google CEO

(1:42:33) Jeff Bezos Cell Phone

(1:43:30) Mastered & Still Learning

(1:46:05) Hosting A Dinner Party

(1:48:20) Challenge

Make No Small Plans by Elliott Bisnow, Jeremy Schwartz, Jeff Rosenthal, Brett Leve – https://www.amazon.com/Make-Small-Plans-Achieving-Impossible/dp/1984822640 

The Third Door by Alex Banayan – https://www.amazon.com/Third-Door-Uncover-Successful-Launched/dp/0804136661

My Links

✉️ Newsletter: https://dannymiranda.substack.com

🎙 Podcast: https://anchor.fm/dannymiranda

🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/dannymiranda

🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/heydannymiranda

🕺 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@heydannymiranda

George Heaton is the creator of Represent, a brand that designs clothes for the modern man.  

In this episode, you’ll learn about George’s reaction to Diddy wearing his brand on New Year's, how to be more creative, George’s morning routine, how George sets goals, deals with setbacks, gets creative inspiration, and much more.

Timestamps

(0:00) Intro

(1:40) Reflecting On Last 18 Months

(2:50) Why Did Our First Conversation Resonate?

(3:22) Sacrifice

(4:10) Self-Reflection

(6:30) Lessons From George’s 29th Birthday

(8:05) Who Are You Following?

(9:35) Being Different

(12:42) Living The Brand

(13:50) Your Uniqueness Is Your Edge

(17:00) Zero Options

(18:41) 60 Days

(20:15) The Ripple Effect

(21:44) Reading

(23:31) Celebrities Wearing Rep

(25:01) What Makes Something Popular?

(25:51) Family, Quality, Relentlessness

(31:59) Setting Goals

(33:00) Public Speaking

(35:20) Building YouTube

(36:50) Advice For Young Kids

(37:53) Becoming Nicer

(40:10) Competition

(41:33) Apple

(43:00) Popup Shops

(44:30) Getting Recognized

(46:21) Winning At Life

(47:37) Build The Body

(50:11) Creating Your Unique Self

(51:41) Fashion Runways

(53:20) Dealing With Setbacks

(54:33) No Alcohol

(57:10) Women

(1:00:08) What Makes 2023 Successful?

(1:02:01) Andy Frisella’s Influence

(1:03:44) Aliens

(1:05:54) Self-Censor?

(1:06:13) Misunderstanding George Heaton

(1:06:50) “It Took Me 8 Years To Start Enjoying It”

(1:09:29) What Do People Look Past?

(1:11:32) Creativity

(1:14:13) Sleep

(1:16:11) George’s Morning Routine

(1:17:55) Iman Gadzhi

(1:19:04) George’s Hit List

(1:20:20) Quality

(1:20:51) Most Proud Of

(1:22:12) Visualization

(1:24:00) Tattoos

(1:27:23) Challenge

First episode with George Heaton (August 2021): https://anchor.fm/dannymiranda/episodes/147-George-Heaton--Lessons-From-Building-An-8-Figure-Luxury-Brand-e1io226

Resources

George’s 29 Lessons Birthday Thread – https://twitter.com/geoheaton/status/1511072170717466626

Relentless by Tim Grover – https://www.amazon.com/Relentless-Unstoppable-Tim-S-Grover/dp/1476714207

W1NN1NG by Tim Grover – https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Unforgiving-Race-Greatness-Grover/dp/1982168862

George’s Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/geoheaton

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgeheaton

Represent: https://www.instagram.com/representclo/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ-BZ7fiIRmfvnpHiWWVgcA

My Links 

✉️ Newsletter: https://dannymiranda.substack.com 

🎙 Podcast: https://anchor.fm/dannymiranda 

🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/dannymiranda 

🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda 

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/heydannymiranda 

🕺 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@heydannymiranda