How Raymond Plank Made a Fortune in Big Oil's Scraps

Raymond Plank founded Apache Corporation with just $250,000 in 1954. 50 years later his company was worth $50 billion. This episode examines the life and entrepreneurial philosophy of Raymond Plank through his memoir A Small Difference https://link.amazon/B07hiGO1E Rather than presenting a conventional history of Apache, this episode focuses on the lessons, maxims, and beliefs Plank accumulated over seven decades in business. Written when he was nearly 90, the memoir reads like a lifelong diary of how to think about opportunity, courage, cost control, resourcefulness, and adaptation. Lots of wild stories in this one. Made possible by: Ramp: ⁠⁠⁠https://ramp.com⁠⁠⁠ Applovin: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.applovin.com⁠ Vanta: ⁠⁠⁠https://vanta.com/founders⁠ ⁠Add your email here⁠ and I will send you my top 10 quotes from every episode: https://davidsenra.substack.com

David Senrahost

Aug 1, 202637mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: August 1, 2026
Duration: 37m
Channel: Founders Podcast
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Raymond Plank founded Apache Corporation with just $250,000 in 1954. 50 years later his company was worth $50 billion. This episode examines the life and entrepreneurial philosophy of Raymond Plank through his memoir A Small Difference https://link.amazon/B07hiGO1E Rather than presenting a conventional history of Apache, this episode focuses on the lessons, maxims, and beliefs Plank accumulated over seven decades in business. Written when he was nearly 90, the memoir reads like a lifelong diary of how to think about opportunity, courage, cost control, resourcefulness, and adaptation. Lots of wild stories in this one. Made possible by: Ramp: ⁠⁠⁠https://ramp.com⁠⁠⁠ Applovin: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.applovin.com⁠ Vanta: ⁠⁠⁠https://vanta.com/founders⁠ ⁠Add your email here⁠ and I will send you my top 10 quotes from every episode: https://davidsenra.substack.com

SPEAKERS

David Senra
host
Host of the Founders Podcast, known for narrating and analyzing biographies and memoirs of notable entrepreneurs.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Founders Podcast, featuring David Senra, How Raymond Plank Made a Fortune in Big Oil's Scraps explores raymond Plank’s Apache: disciplined risk-taking, taxes, and overlooked oil scraps David Senra summarizes Raymond Plank’s memoir-style philosophy and life lessons drawn from decades of diary-keeping and seven decades of entrepreneurial experience.

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