Some people dream big (I am one of them).
Some people actually take action on their dreams (this is me too).
And some people do whatever it takes to turn their dreams into reality (yes!).
This last group of dreamers is the smallest. It takes courage, hustle, hard work, commitment, and it requires that for a long long time.
Today’s guest on The School of Greatness definitely makes the cut for this group.
Bryan Johnson started his first business in college when he was broke, desperate, and selling mobile phones door to door. He scaled it into a profitable company with several employees. But then his next two businesses were terrible failures.
And that’s when he found the inspiration for his mega-successful venture that he sold to PayPal for $800 million.
I loved talking with Bryan about his journey, the lessons he’s learned, how he created an incredible culture at his company, and where his sights are set next.
Make no mistake that this guy is brilliant and going places. But he also has a huge heart and has been focused on creating massive change in the world for a long time.
It is my pleasure to introduce you to Bryan Johnson on Episode 219.
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The School of Greatness Podcast
“I wanted to build a company with a soul.”
Some questions I ask:
- How did you come up with the idea that you could do a business on your own in college?
- What is your best advice to parents to raise awesome kids?
- How did you keep positive during the downtimes and failures in your career?
- Do you recommend town hall meetings for companies of any size?
- What are the necessary foundation pieces for a successful start-up?
- What are the questions you ask an entrepreneur when you are coaching them?
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
- He “retired” at 35 when sold his first mega-successful company Braintree
- How he started his first company in 2 days during college
- How his “unhireability” led him to the perfect situation to discover the idea for Braintree
- The three goals he had while creating the company that became so exceptional
- Why Bryan created a culture of true transparency in his company and how it supported its success
- The power of the stories you tell in your company to reinforce what is desirable from your employees
- Why Bryan encouraged his employees to criticize him to create a culture of honesty
- The value of being ok with the amount of chaos that comes with being human
- Plus much more…
Continue Seeking Greatness:
- Braintree
- OpenTable
- OS Fund
- Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage
- A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver
- Man’s Search for Meaning
- FOLLOW BRYAN
Website | Twitter | LinkedIn
- Check out Onnit and their optimal performance products. Use the code “greatness” to get 10% off your next order:
VISIT HTTP://GREATNESSBOOK.COM)
- Music Credit: Katalyse by TheKatalyst
You may also like these episodes:
- How a Gang Kid Becomes a Multimillionaire Entrepreneur
- How to Be a Jedi and Master the Mind with Tom Bilyeu of Quest Nutrition
- From Kitchen Table Startup to Silicon Valley Mega-Success with Mikkel Svane
Did you enjoy the podcast?
Bryan is a powerful leader, entrepreneur, and speaker. I learned a lot from him. And I’m still thinking about what we talked about. What do you believe is possible after listening to him?
“Surround yourself with exceptional people.”