Cal Fussman Interview (Full Episode) | The Tim Ferriss Show (Podcast)

Cal (@calfussman) is a New York Times bestselling author and a writer-at-large for Esquire Magazine, where he is best known for being a primary writer of the “What I Learned” feature. The Austin Chronicle has described Cal’s interviewing skills as “peerless.” He has transformed oral history into an art form, conducting probing interviews with the icons who’ve shaped the last 50 years of world history: Mikhail Gorbachev, Jimmy Carter, Ted Kennedy, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Jack Welch, Robert DeNiro, Clint Eastwood, Al Pacino, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, Dr. Dre, Quincy Jones, Woody Allen, Barbara Walters, Pelé, Yao Ming, Serena Williams, John Wooden, Muhammad Ali, and countless others Enjoy! Intro [00:00] Quincy Jones and his unique book signing practice [9:38] Cal Fussman’s pivotal childhood moment [10:42] Deconstructing the skill of asking great questions [12:28] Contrasting interview styles from different life stages [19:53] University of Missouri Journalism and its role on Cal’s career [26:08] What it’s like to do shots with Hunter S. Thompson [30:21] The story of Cal’s start in international travel [34:08] How one question could get Cal 6 months of housing and lodging while traveling [51:53] Common mistakes and lessons learned about the art of asking questions [55:19] On honing the ability to tell stories [1:05:18] What happened at the end of Cal’s travels, which changed his interviewing style [1:09:13] On speaking at Summit at Sea [1:17:33] Decoding the art of the interview [1:31:08] The story of boxing Julio Cesar Chavez [1:41:22] The first person Cal thinks of when he hears the word "successful" [2:20:18] What George Foreman did to change Cal [2:29:54] Most gifted books [2:34:01] Favorite documentaries and movies [2:41:56] If you could have a billboard anywhere, what would you put on it and why? [2:48:27] Advice to Cal’s 30-year-old-self [2:49:08] The story of the time Cal had writer’s block, and what Harry Crews said that saved him [2:55:30] Connect with Cal Fussman: Like Cal Fussman on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/calfussman Follow Cal Fussman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/calfussman Follow Cal Fussman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calfussman The Interview Master: Cal Fussman and the Power of Listening Show Notes: http://fourhourworkweek.com/2016/03/11/the-interview-master-cal-fussman-and-the-power-of-listening/ SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/1dSzTkW About Tim Ferriss: Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 200 million downloads and been selected for “Best of iTunes” three years running. Connect with Tim Ferriss: Visit the Tim Ferriss PODCAST: https://bit.ly/2rYjUBr Visit the Tim Ferriss BLOG: http://bit.ly/17jDHw3 Like Tim Ferriss on FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/1avYUxq Follow Tim Ferriss on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/17d94TE Follow Tim Ferriss on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2IfH37J Follow Tim Ferriss on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2IfH37J

Tim FerrisshostCal Fussmanguest

Apr 11, 20163h 22mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: April 11, 2016
Duration: 3h 22m
Channel: Tim Ferriss
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Cal (@calfussman) is a New York Times bestselling author and a writer-at-large for Esquire Magazine, where he is best known for being a primary writer of the “What I Learned” feature. The Austin Chronicle has described Cal’s interviewing skills as “peerless.” He has transformed oral history into an art form, conducting probing interviews with the icons who’ve shaped the last 50 years of world history: Mikhail Gorbachev, Jimmy Carter, Ted Kennedy, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Jack Welch, Robert DeNiro, Clint Eastwood, Al Pacino, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, Dr. Dre, Quincy Jones, Woody Allen, Barbara Walters, Pelé, Yao Ming, Serena Williams, John Wooden, Muhammad Ali, and countless others Enjoy! Intro [00:00] Quincy Jones and his unique book signing practice [9:38] Cal Fussman’s pivotal childhood moment [10:42] Deconstructing the skill of asking great questions [12:28] Contrasting interview styles from different life stages [19:53] University of Missouri Journalism and its role on Cal’s career [26:08] What it’s like to do shots with Hunter S. Thompson [30:21] The story of Cal’s start in international travel [34:08] How one question could get Cal 6 months of housing and lodging while traveling [51:53] Common mistakes and lessons learned about the art of asking questions [55:19] On honing the ability to tell stories [1:05:18] What happened at the end of Cal’s travels, which changed his interviewing style [1:09:13] On speaking at Summit at Sea [1:17:33] Decoding the art of the interview [1:31:08] The story of boxing Julio Cesar Chavez [1:41:22] The first person Cal thinks of when he hears the word "successful" [2:20:18] What George Foreman did to change Cal [2:29:54] Most gifted books [2:34:01] Favorite documentaries and movies [2:41:56] If you could have a billboard anywhere, what would you put on it and why? [2:48:27] Advice to Cal’s 30-year-old-self [2:49:08] The story of the time Cal had writer’s block, and what Harry Crews said that saved him [2:55:30] Connect with Cal Fussman: Like Cal Fussman on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/calfussman Follow Cal Fussman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/calfussman Follow Cal Fussman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calfussman The Interview Master: Cal Fussman and the Power of Listening Show Notes: http://fourhourworkweek.com/2016/03/11/the-interview-master-cal-fussman-and-the-power-of-listening/ SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/1dSzTkW About Tim Ferriss: Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 200 million downloads and been selected for “Best of iTunes” three years running. Connect with Tim Ferriss: Visit the Tim Ferriss PODCAST: https://bit.ly/2rYjUBr Visit the Tim Ferriss BLOG: http://bit.ly/17jDHw3 Like Tim Ferriss on FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/1avYUxq Follow Tim Ferriss on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/17d94TE Follow Tim Ferriss on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2IfH37J Follow Tim Ferriss on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2IfH37J

SPEAKERS

Tim Ferriss
host
Author, investor, and host of The Tim Ferriss Show.
Cal Fussman
guest
Journalist and interviewer known for long-form profiles and interviews (e.g., Esquire), and creator of calfussman.com.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Tim Ferriss, featuring Tim Ferriss and Cal Fussman, Cal Fussman Interview (Full Episode) | The Tim Ferriss Show (Podcast) explores cal Fussman on heart-first questions, travel lessons, and resilience stories Cal Fussman explains how his interviewing evolved from traditional journalism into a curiosity-driven, trust-building approach shaped by 10 years of traveling with little money.

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