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Tim FerrissTim Ferriss

The Random Show with Tim Ferriss & Kevin Rose | Episode 27 | Tim Ferriss

The Random Show with Tim Ferriss & Kevin Rose | Episode 27 SUBSCRIBE HERE! http://bit.ly/1dSzTkW Kevin's Quarterly box: https://quarterly.co/products/kevin-rose Tim's Quarterly box: https://quarterly.co/products/timothy-ferriss Kevin's booze tracker Excel sheet: https://docs.google.com/a/n-o-r-t-h.com/spreadsheets/d/1gQ1TtGUlRG6QnofDgn4GFxDEqTV7gB1hvBOC-BLmrUc/edit?usp=sharing Treadmill desk: http://amzn.to/1ykL1hI 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 Start 00:00 00:33 What is The Random Show? 01:05 What tea we're drinking 03:16 Kevin's startup 07:39 Mywriting (new book on the horizon?) 11:32 A possible private podcast 13:57 The benefits and drawbacks of a subscriber-based podcast 16:28 My foray into a membership model 18:51 Apps Kevin has been trying out 23:43 The Burner temporary phone number app 25:27 How underground is my underground network? 28:33 Mics I use for podcasting 31:38 Kevin's new record player + our favorite records 38:17 Walking treadmill desks 39:28 Kevin's New Year's resolution (drink less!) 43:40 My language-learning flashcards 45:15 American Dream U, helping veterans re-assimilate 47:14 The Silver Cord graphic novel by Kevin Kelly 49:29 Our Quarterly.co subscription gift boxes 51:54 Would you like a subscription service from Tim and Kevin?

Kevin RosehostTim Ferrisshost
Feb 13, 201552mWatch on YouTube ↗

Summaries, chapters, transcripts, and FAQs on this page are made by uListen, not YouTube.

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Tim Ferriss and Kevin Rose Riff on Startups, Subscriptions, Gadgets

  1. Kevin Rose explains that he left Google Ventures after almost three years to work full time on a new five-person startup funded with $5 million, planning to aggressively kill ideas that aren't working.
  2. Tim Ferriss describes returning to writing, gathering material for a possible 4-Hour Workweek success-story book, and aiming for more vulnerability in his posts and podcast.
  3. The two debate a low-priced paid membership for devoted fans, with Kevin favoring the idea and Tim recounting a brief $5–$10 a month experiment he canceled after demanding subscribers.
  4. They share tools and gear including Contactually, RelateIQ, Human, the Burner phone-number app, Tim's Yellowtec iXm mic, Kevin's record player and a walking treadmill desk.
  5. The episode closes with Kevin's drink-tracking resolution, Tim's language flashcards and a visit to a military language institute, and plugs for The Silver Cord graphic novel and Quarterly subscription boxes.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Focus drove Kevin's decision to leave Google Ventures

Kevin said splitting his day between investing and his startup caused too much stress, and as someone a little ADD he needs to be all in on one thing.

Kill underperforming ideas early

Kevin argued that startups often stick with an idea too long and burn through capital, leading to down rounds, so he plans to aggressively kill apps like Tiny and double down on what works, like Watchville.

Own creative projects can be more fulfilling than helping others build

Tim said it's easy to get seduced into only helping portfolio companies, but working on your own craft, for him content and writing, is especially gratifying.

Low-priced memberships may attract the wrong expectations

Tim said a $10,000 event drew almost no complaints, while a $5–$10 monthly membership brought subscribers who wanted hours of discussion about flaws, leading him to refund everyone after about two weeks.

Vulnerability tends to produce Tim's best writing

Tim said that when he writes something that makes him think 'I can't say that,' those tend to become his most well-received posts and help people the most.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

I'd rather just, like, aggressively kill something, um, then rather than just be stuck down a rabbit hole that leads to nowhere.

— Kevin Rose

The general approach that I'm taking with my writing is getting to the point where I'm extremely uncomfortable with certain aspects of just vulnerability that I'm putting on the page.

— Tim Ferriss

I'm trying to use my hands more just, uh, meaning, um, getting away from like the t- the, the, the 8 to 18-inch visual range.

— Tim Ferriss

It forces you to get up and flip the record, and it also forces you to listen to an album, like all the way through.

— Kevin Rose

I think that in a weird way, I want it to be a small group, like a private group.

— Kevin Rose

Leaving Google Ventures for a startupKilling failing startup ideas fastPaid membership for loyal fansContact-management appsBurner temporary phone numbersPodcast microphones and recording setupsVinyl records and treadmill desks

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