David Rosenthal: Made in America, 7 Powers, Luxury Strategy, Candide, Don't Eat the Cookie
Our curator this week is David Rosenthal (@djrosent). David is the co-founder and co-host of Acquired, the podcast that tells the stories of great companies and the playbooks behind them. What started as a side project in 2015 has become a phenomenon in business and tech culture—the show has over a million listeners, has been ranked #1 in Technology on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and has sold out live shows at Chase Center and Radio City Music Hall featuring guests like Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang, and Jamie Dimon. Previously, David spent over a decade as a professional venture capitalist.
Please enjoy these words that have mattered to David.
David's Picks
Books:
Made in America (Sam Walton) + Made in Japan (Akio Morita)
Two of the very best autobiographies we've read for Acquired episodes over the years, and perfectly paired together: Sam Walton's story of Walmart, and Akio Morito's story of Sony.
7 Powers (Hamilton Helmer)
My vote for the best business and investing book of the past 20 years, and has had a huge impact on Acquired.
The Luxury Strategy (Jean-Noël Kapferer and Vincent Bastien)
A key part of our LVMH episode research, and a completely orthogonal way of thinking about business. Contains the incredible "24 Anti-Laws of Marketing".
Transitions (William Bridges)
A classic guide to navigating major changes (both good and bad) that inevitably occur in your life. Has since become my most-gifted book to others.
Candide (Voltaire)
A throwback to my days as a French literature major in college — short, funny, and with a moral that's still deeply relevant 250+ years later.
The Godfather (Mario Puzo)
The book is even better than the films. I recommend reading first and then watching/re-watching the movies immediately afterward.
Dune series (Frank Herbert)
My vote for the best and most thought-provoking Sci-Fi series of all-time.
The Expanse series (James S.A. Corey)
My absolute favorite modern fiction series, Sci-Fi or any genre. My go-to rec whenever someone's looking for great contemporary fiction.
YouTube/Podcasts/Etc:
Don Valentine's 2010 lecture at Stanford
Don Valentine was the founder of Sequoia Capital. This lecture is a master class in venture capital, entrepreneurship, and especially the lost art of true "Marketing".
Michael Lewis's 2012 Princeton Baccalaureate speech
Both my favorite piece of his and among his least well-known. The punchline, "don't eat the cookie", are words my wife and I try to live by.
Resonant Arc
My favorite podcast — two old friends perform literary analysis on classic old school video games, mostly 90s and 00s JRPGs.
Bluey
Hands down the best children's TV on the market today. Like a great Disney or Pixar movie, it's written as much for the parents as for the kids.