Research scientists--Dr. Jean Bennet, Dr. Edwin Stone, Dr. Jennifer Doudna, and Dr. Eric Green--make appearances in the film. Viewers also hear from the patients whose lives are directly affected by their research.
Business podcaster and journalist, Guy Raz, offers insights on how many innovative companies got started in How I Built This. Raz summarizes key takeaways from his podcast where he interviews founders.
Even though no two stories are alike, there are some similarities. In his estimation, entrepreneurs are open to the call. Some businesses were a direct response to an unmet need. Carol’s Daughter, FUBU, Walker & Co. met the needs of an ethnic demographic. Other companies thrived when their business model tweaks the industry: Airbnb, the Knot, Stitch, Rent the Runway, Canva, Warby Parker.
Entrepreneurs face many obstacles which Raz eloquently describes in Part 2. Some companies are noted for how well they have recovered from setbacks e.g. Jeni’s Splendid ice creams. Others are notable for how well they have pivoted into new niches: Stacy’s Pita Chips, Angie’s Boomchickapop, Slack, Twitch.
Even after companies have succeeded, founders must decide whether to sell or to maintain creative control. Neither decision is right or wrong; it just depends on what the founder’s goals may be.
While there are many success stories, there are a few cautionary tales: Dippin Dots and American Apparel.
How I built This is great for those who want to dip their feet into the entrepreneurial waters. While it offers many tips from the world’s foremost startups, its an enjoyable and engaging read.
More people will work from home and less employees will travel. According to the McKinsey Global institute, twenty percent of business travel will end.
The economy will need the same number of jobs post pandemic as pre-pandemic, but the job duties will change.
Those organizations that forget their WHY experience a strange bifurcation between what they do and why they do it. According to Sinek, Dell, Microsoft, Walmart, and Starbucks are some of the companies that have forgotten their original purpose.
For Sinek, it all comes down to a golden circle. At the center of the circle is the company's purpose or passion. The leader turns this golden circle, now imagined as a cone, into a megaphone. Everything the company does, even the people it hires must be aligned with company's purpose.
Using anecdotes and historical examples, Sinek explains how a trend is different from a fad, how novelty is different from innovation. Real innovation changes the industry and can change society.
Sinek highlight those companies that inspire the most--most notably Apple, Virgin Records, Southwest Airlines but also some less well-known companies.
To be successful, these companies need to market to early adopters and others that share their values. They need a marketing team that effuse their message; products and services that pass the celery test. They need good successors that keep the WHY alive.
“My parents were immigrants, and I grew up in a family where some people didn't speak English...So as a child, I learned the power of storytelling and also of nonverbal communication. I was drawn to the performing arts because of how universal they are.”
Lin is best known for the plays Po Boy Tango, Farewell My Concubine, and Kleptocracy.
Detected in 2014, Arrokoth is the most distant and object explored by spacecraft so far.
Arrokoth is the Powhatan/Algonquin word for sky.
Credits: NASA/John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute/Roman Tkachenko
For a great overview of everything space-related see Universe which is streaming on Netflix (an eighteen part series).
This is like a modern day equivalent of a yearbook.
