The Tim Ferriss Show

Bob Metcalfe (@BobMetcalfe) is an MIT-Harvard-trained engineer-entrepreneur who became an Internet pioneer in 1970, invented Ethernet in 1973, and founded 3Com Corporation in 1979. About 1.2B Ethernet ports were shipped last year — 400M wired and 800M wireless (Wi-Fi).

3Com went public in 1984, peaked at $5.7B in annual sales in 1999, and after 30 years became part of HP last year. Bob was a publisher-pundit for IDG-InfoWorld for about 10 years and a venture capitalist for about 10 years with Polaris Venture Partners, where he continues as a Venture Partner.

Bob is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a recipient of the National Medal of Technology.

In this conversation, we talk about everything from how he toasts when drinking with friends, how he learned to recruit and fire, what he does to scale businesses, different approaches to talent evaluation, critical decisions and mistakes made, and much more. Please enjoy!

This episode is brought to you by WeWork. I haven’t had an office in almost two decades, but working from home and coffee shops isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. When I moved to Austin, one of the first things I did was get a space at WeWork, and I could not be happier. It’s dog friendly and serves the best cold-brew coffee on tap I’ve ever had!

WeWork is a global network of work spaces where companies and people grow together — in fact, more than ten percent of Fortune 500 companies use WeWork. The idea is simple: you focus on your business, and WeWork takes care of the rest — front desk service, utilities, refreshments, and more. WeWork now has more than 200 locations all over the world, so chances are good there’s one near you. Check out we.co/tim to become a part of the global WeWork community!

This episode is also brought to you by Peloton, which has become a staple of my daily routine. I picked up this bike after seeing the success of my friend Kevin Rose, and I’ve been enjoying it more than I ever imagined. Peloton is an indoor cycling bike that brings live studio classes right to your home. No worrying about fitting classes into your busy schedule or making it to a studio with a crazy commute.

New classes are added every day, and this includes options led by elite NYC instructors in your own living room. You can even live stream studio classes taught by the world’s best instructors, or find your favorite class on demand.

Peloton is offering listeners to this show a special offer. Visit onepeloton.com and enter the code TIM at checkout to receive $100 off accessories with your Peloton bike purchase. This is a great way to get in your workouts, or an incredible gift. Again, that’s onepeloton.com and enter the code TIM.

Direct download: The_Tim_Ferriss_Show_-_Bob_Metcalfe.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EST

Many of you have asked me about strategies for building a popular blog and podcast. I’ve covered some aspects of growing a podcast in a previous post, and then Mari Takahashi (@atomicmari) — a successful ballerina, gamer, and content creator — sent me some very good questions that I haven’t discussed before.

This episode goes into detail about how I’ve built The Tim Ferriss Show into a podcast that has almost 300 million downloads, and how my blog receives between three and four million unique visitors per month.

There are certainly bigger podcasts and blogs, but I share how I’ve been able to grow both with only a couple full-time employees and a few part-time assistants. Enjoy!

This podcast is brought to you by Four Sigmatic. While I often praise this company’s Lion’s Mane Mushroom Coffee, I asked the founders if they could help me improve my sleep. Their answer: Reishi Mushroom Elixir. They made a special batch for me and my listeners that comes without sweetener; you can try it at bedtime with a little honey or nut milk, or you can just add hot water to your single-serving packet and embrace its bitterness like I do.

Try it right now by going to foursigmatic.com/ferriss and using the code Ferriss to get 20 percent off this rare, limited run of Reishi Mushroom Elixir. If you are in the experimental mindset, I do not think you’ll be disappointed.

This podcast is also brought to you by FreshBooksFreshBooks is the #1 cloud bookkeeping software, which is used by a ton of the start-ups I advise and many of the contractors I work with. It is the easiest way to send invoices, get paid, track your time, and track your clients.

FreshBooks tells you when your clients have viewed your invoices, helps you customize your invoices, track your hours, automatically organize your receipts, have late payment reminders sent automatically and much more.

Right now you can get a free month of complete and unrestricted useYou do not need a credit card for the trial. To claim your free month and see how the brand new Freshbooks can change your business, go to FreshBooks.com/Tim and enter “Tim Ferriss” in the “how did you hear about us” section.

Direct download: The_Tim_Ferriss_Show_How_to_Build_a_Successful_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EST

This episode sets a new record with five guests -- each considered among the best in their field. It features Adam Robinson (@IAmAdamRobinson), Debbie Millman (@debbiemillman), Neil Strauss (@neilstrauss), Scott Belsky (@scottbelsky), and Veronica Belmont (@Veronica).

This roundtable conversation discusses best investments, favorite failures, and bad advice to avoid. I really enjoyed all of the answers from the guests as there's lots of actionable advice. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

This podcast is brought to you by Four Sigmatic. While I often praise this company's lion's mane Mushroom Coffee for a minimal caffeine dose wakeup call that lasts, I asked the founders if they could help me -- someone who's struggled with insomnia for decades -- improve my sleep. Their answer: Reishi Mushroom Elixir. They made a special batch for me and my listeners that comes without sweetener; you can try it with a little honey or nut milk, or you can just add hot water to your single-serving packet and embrace its bitterness like I do.

Try it right now by going to foursigmatic.com/ferriss and using the code Ferriss to receive 20 percent off this rare, limited run of Reishi Mushroom Elixir. If you are in the experimental mindset, I do not think you'll be disappointed.

This podcast is also brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is, inevitably, Athletic Greens. It is my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body and did not get paid to do so. As a listener of The Tim Ferriss Show, you’ll get 30 percent off your first order at AthleticGreens.com/Tim.

 

Direct download: The_Tim_Ferriss_Show_Investments_Failure_and_Bad_Advice.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:28pm EST

Catherine Hoke (@catherine_hoke) is the founder of Defy Ventures, a non-profit organization that “transforms the hustle” of currently and formerly incarcerated people. Defy’s vision is to end mass incarceration by using entrepreneurship as a tool to transform legacies and human potential.

Cat was named a #MakeTechHuman Agent of Change by WIRED and Nokia for being one of 17 Global Influencers Expanding Human Possibility Through Technology. She has received the MDC Partners Humanitarian Award on behalf of Defy Ventures, and was included in Forbes’ 40 Women to Watch over 40. She was also named by Fast Company as one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business and is an Ashoka Fellow.

Cat is the author of A Second Chance: For You, For Me, and For the Rest of Us. She is amazing on many levels — personal, athletic, and professional — and we’ll dig into the many facets of her life and lessons learned.

Enjoy!

This episode is brought to you by Four Sigmatic. You might remember Four Sigmatic for their mushroom coffee, which was created by their clever Finnish founders. Recently, I’ve been testing a new product — their reishi mushroom elixir — to help me get to sleep.

As you might know, I struggled with insomnia for years. So, I asked the guys at Four Sigmatic to make a special, custom version of their reishi product. They did, and now it’s become a part of my nightly routine. If you’d like to naturally improve sleep quality naturally, I think you’ll enjoy the reishi elixir.

Go to foursigmatic.com/ferriss and get 20% off just for listeners of the podcast. Just use the code “FERRISS” to receive your discount. 

This podcast is also brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is, inevitably, Athletic Greens. It is my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body and did not get paid to do so. As a listener of The Tim Ferriss Show, you’ll get 30 percent off your first order at AthleticGreens.com/Tim.

Direct download: The_Tim_Ferriss_Show_Catherine_Hoke.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:57pm EST

Welcome to another edition of The Tim Ferriss Radio Hour, where I share the habits and patterns of world-class performers revealed over nearly 300 interviews.

In this episode, we’ll explore fear. Specifically, how to manage, mitigate, and overcome fear, which is something I’ve battled for decades.

This has been such a focal point of my life that my last TED Talk focused on an exercise called fear setting, which is something I practice at least once a month and have found to be a life raft.

In addition to my own experiences, we’ll hear how Sir Richard Branson (@richardbranson), Maria Sharapova (@mariasharapova), Vince Vaughn, and Caroline Paul (@carowriter) have battled their own fears.

Enjoy!

This podcast is brought to you by WordPress, my go-to platform for 24/7-supported, zero downtime blogging, writing online, creating websites — everything! I love it to bits, and the lead developer, Matt Mullenweg, has appeared on this podcast many times.

Whether for personal use or business, you’re in good company with WordPress — used by The New Yorker, Jay Z, Beyoncé, FiveThirtyEight, TechCrunch, TED, CNN, and Time, just to name a few. A source at Google told me that WordPress offers “the best out-of-the-box SEO imaginable,” which is probably why it runs nearly 30% of the Internet. Go to WordPress.com/Tim to get 15% off your website today!

This episode is also brought to you by LegalZoom. I’ve used this service for many of my businesses, as have quite a few of the icons on this podcast — such as Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg of WordPress fame.

LegalZoom is a reliable resource that more than a million people have already trusted for everything from setting up wills, proper trademark searches, forming LLCs, setting up non-profits, or finding simple cease-and-desist letter templates.

LegalZoom is not a law firm, but it does have a network of independent attorneys available in most states who can give you advice on the best way to get started, provide contract reviews, and otherwise help you run your business with complete transparency and up-front pricing. Check out LegalZoom.com and enter promo code TIM at checkout today to save 15% and see how the fine folks there can make life easier for you and your business.

Direct download: The_Tim_Ferriss_Show_-_Fear.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EST

Gretchen Rubin (@gretchenrubin) is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestsellers The Four TendenciesBetter Than BeforeThe Happiness Project, and Happier at Home. She has an enormous readership, both in print and online, and her books have sold three million copies worldwide, in more than thirty languages.

On her popular weekly podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, she discusses good habits and happiness with her sister Elizabeth Craft; they’ve been called the “Click and Clack of podcasters.” Her podcast was named in iTunes’s lists of “Best Podcasts of 2015” and was named in the Academy of Podcasters “Best Podcasts of 2016.”

Fast Company named Gretchen Rubin to its list of Most Creative People in Business, and she’s a member of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100.

Enjoy!

This episode is brought to you by ShureShure is the brand behind my favorite headphones — the SE846. Shure has been trusted by musicians and sound experts for years, and I use Shure equipment to help record each episode of the podcast. The SE846 earphones feature a groundbreaking low-pass filter that delivers extended high-end clarity and unparalleled low-end performance of a true subwoofer without sacrificing clarity or detail of mids or highs.

Go to shure.com/tim and use the coupon code “TIM” at checkout to save $100 on these phenomenal headphones through January 2018.

This podcast is also brought to you by FreshBooks. FreshBooks is the #1 cloud bookkeeping software, which is used by a ton of the start-ups I advise and many of the contractors I work with. It is the easiest way to send invoices, get paid, track your time, and track your clients.

FreshBooks tells you when your clients have viewed your invoices, helps you customize your invoices, track your hours, automatically organize your receipts, have late payment reminders sent automatically and much more.

Right now you can get a free month of complete and unrestricted useYou do not need a credit card for the trial. To claim your free month and see how the brand new Freshbooks can change your business, go to FreshBooks.com/Tim and enter “Tim Ferriss” in the “how did you hear about us” section.

Direct download: The_Tim_Ferriss_Show_-_Gretchen_Rubin.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EST

After reading Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors, many of you have asked me how I process all of the information I receive.

This episode will help you manage information overwhelm, recommend techniques for dealing with social media, and answer a few questions that have been frequently asked about building a world-class network and writing books.

I hope this information strengthens the signal, discards the noise, and helps you make every piece of information that you choose to receive easier to process.

Enjoy!

This podcast is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is, inevitably, Athletic Greens. It is my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body and did not get paid to do so. As a listener of The Tim Ferriss Show, you’ll get 30 percent off your first order at AthleticGreens.com/Tim.

This podcast is also brought to you by ZipRecruiter. One of the hardest parts about growing any business is finding and hiring the right team. Nothing can drain your resources and cost you time and money like making mistakes in hiring.

ZipRecruiter developed its own system and platform for helping solve two of the biggest bottlenecks for employers: posting jobs easily and making it even easier to find the best candidates. More than 80 percent of jobs posted return qualified candidates based on your criteria in just 24 hours. As a listener to this show, you can give it a try for free at ziprecruiter.com/tim!

Direct download: The_Tim_Ferriss_Show_-_How_to_Handle_Information_Overwhelm.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:15am EST

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