logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2025
1h 22m

Cornelius Vanderbilt: The First Tycoon [...

Shane Parrish
About this episode
Cornelius Vanderbilt was a force in 19th century America, playing a pivotal role in transitioning the U.S. economy from rural mercantilism to industrial corporate capitalism. Vanderbilt didn't just compete—he dominated; and didn’t just dominate one industry—he conquered three: ferries, steamships, and railroads. He understood that power lay in controlling in ... Show More
Up next
Aug 18
Roblox CEO: How to Make Better Decisions by Fixing Yourself First
David Baszucki is the co-founder and CEO of Roblox, a platform built around a simple idea: give people the tools and incentives to create together. In this short conversation we discuss how a health decision saved his son's life and how it changed how he eats, why bureaucracy com ... Show More
46m 33s
Aug 4
The Mindset Behind Building a Great Little Business | Brad Jacobs
This summer, I’m revisiting one of my favorite episodes. If you haven’t heard it, now is the time. If you have, it’s a classic and worth listening to again. Brad Jacobs has built eight billion-dollar companies, completed more than 500 acquisitions, and created extraordinary retur ... Show More
1h 40m
Jul 28
John D. Rockefeller: The Principles Behind The Greatest Fortune in History
John D. Rockefeller became the richest man the world had ever known by thinking differently about business, competition, and family. This episode isn’t just the story of Standard Oil. It’s about the principles that built one of history’s greatest business empires and what they ca ... Show More
2h 55m
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
#341 Cornelius Vanderbilt (Tycoon's War)
What I learned from rereading Tycoon's War: How Cornelius Vanderbilt Invaded a Country to Overthrow America's Most Famous Military Adventurer by Stephen Dando-Collins.  ---- Get access to the World’s Most Valuable Notebook for Founders at Founders Notes ---- Follow Founders Podca ... Show More
1h 5m
Apr 2024
Steering Cunard Off the Rocks | Full Head of Steam | 1
In the 19th Century, Samuel Cunard wins a contract to deliver mail from Britain to North America by steamship - a new technology that will make transatlantic travel faster than ever before. His company goes on to become the Cunard Line. It will carry millions of immigrants to the ... Show More
38m 28s
Sep 2021
Standard Oil Part I
It's time. We dive into the *original* American capitalist mega winner, Standard Oil, and its legendary founder John D. Rockefeller. This company and man almost defy characterization -- Elon, Bezos, Gates, Buffett... they've got nothing on old John D. Not only was Rockefeller the ... Show More
2h 6m
May 2022
#247 Henry Flagler (Rockefeller's partner)
What I learned from reading Last Train to Paradise: Henry Flagler and the Spectacular Rise and Fall of the Railroad that Crossed an Ocean by Les Standiford. ---- Get access to the World’s Most Valuable Notebook for Founders at Founders Notes.com ---- [1:14] The building of the ra ... Show More
1h 16m
Jan 2023
#284 Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick
What I learned from rereading Meet You in Hell: Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and the Bitter Partnership That Changed America by Les Standiford. ---- Get access to the World’s Most Valuable Notebook for Founders by investing in a subscription to Founders Notes ---- Follow on ... Show More
1h 7m
Dec 2024
178.2 - The Vanderbilts and the Biltmore Estate
In this episode, we explore the fascinating legacy of the Vanderbilt family and their iconic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Discover how Cornelius Vanderbilt, "The Commodore," built a fortune through steamboats and railroads during the Industrial Revolution, leavin ... Show More
37m 29s
Sep 2025
Buying the Presidency
Money and politics have always been intertwined in America, but before the days of Musk, Bezos and Zuckerberg, there was Rockerfeller, Carnegie and Morgan, titans of industry whose political power may have become absolute if they hadn’t underestimated an upstart politician by the ... Show More
40m 17s
Dec 2017
#16 Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller
What I learned from reading Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller by Ron Chernow.  [0:01] Rockefeller was a unique hybrid in American business, both the instinctive first-generation entrepreneur who founded the company and the analytical second-generation manager who extends and ... Show More
1h 3m