Episodes
Five years of tape. Every episode is checked claim by claim and playable.
36 episodes in 2023
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
21m Ep 75: Leadership Lessons with Intuit Founder & Silicon Valley Legend Scott Cook · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Intuit co-founder Scott Cook about essential leadership practices, cultural accountability, and innovation strategies for s…
4 statements 2 featured 1 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
23m Ep 74: Niall Ferguson & Pano Kanelos on Building the University of Austin · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews University of Austin (UATX) founders Niall Ferguson and Pano Kanelos to discuss the ideological crisis facing legacy univer…
17 statements 6 featured 3 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
30m Ep 73: Lessons from Palantir & How Candid Health Is Fixing the $280B Healthcare Billing Fiasco · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Candid Health co-founders Nick Perry and Doug Proctor to explore how lessons from Palantir and modern AI infrastructure are…
21 statements 7 featured 3 assessments 1 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
43m Ep 72: Illegal Chinese Bio Labs & Secret Police Inside America! Congressman Mike Gallagher · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of the American Optimist podcast, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Representative Mike Gallagher, Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, to discus…
28 statements 12 featured 5 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
36m Ep 71: No Debt, Top Professors & Personal Coaches — A New Community College with Tade Oyerinde · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Tade Oyerinde, Chancellor of Campus, about transforming community college education in the United States. Oyerinde explains…
17 statements 5 featured 10 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
35m Ep 70: Andrew McAfee on the Science Behind the World's Most Valuable Companies · Joe Lonsdale
MIT research scientist Andrew McAfee joins host Joe Lonsdale on American Optimist to discuss his book The Geek Way, exploring how Silicon Valley's core norms—speed, ownership, science, and o…
16 statements 5 featured 2 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
37m Ep 69: How a Teenager Set Out to Rid the Ocean of Plastic; Boyan Slat & the Ocean Cleanup · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, about how pragmatic engineering, technological innovation, and an entrepr…
25 statements 8 featured 9 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
31m Ep 68: Are High Interest Rates & Inflation Here to Stay? How to Generate Alpha with Jacob Miller · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of 'American Optimist,' host Joe Lonsdale interviews Jacob Miller, CEO and co-founder of Opto, to analyze macroeconomic pressures, federal debt dynamics, and strategies for n…
13 statements 3 featured 1 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
42m Ep 67: Brad Gerstner on the AI Supercycle & Restoring Faith in Capitalism · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Altimeter Capital founder Brad Gerstner about navigating major technology supercycles, the transformative potential of arti…
27 statements 7 featured 11 assessments 2 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
43m Ep 66: Bob McGrew — the Superstar Palantir Alum Leading OpenAI's Transformative Research Projects · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Bob McGrew, VP of Research at OpenAI, covering his career transition from Palantir to leading frontier AI development. McGr…
28 statements 10 featured 4 assessments 1 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
57m Ep 65: Marc Andreessen and the Case for AI Optimism · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews venture capitalist Marc Andreessen at the University of Austin to discuss the transformative power of artificial intelligen…
26 statements 6 featured 1 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
51m Alex Karp On The Future Of AI And Building A Multi Billion-Dollar Company · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Palantir co-founder and CEO Alex Karp about the critical role of American software dominance, defense procurement reform, a…
20 statements 6 featured 2 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
29m Ep 63: Eddie Margain on Fleeing Mexico and Building Austin FC · Joe Lonsdale
Entrepreneur and civic leader Eddie Margain joins host Joe Lonsdale and author Ryan Holiday to discuss his journey from early ventures in Mexico to founding Austin FC and Q2 Stadium in Texas…
17 statements 4 featured 3 assessments 1 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
34m Ep 62: Ben Rubenstein Says Resumes Are Useless; Here's How to Find the Best Salespeople · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews serial entrepreneur Ben Rubenstein about his journey founding Yodel, OpCity, and Setpoint. They discuss unconventional sale…
13 statements 3 featured 4 assessments 1 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
47m Ep 61: High School Dropout to Billion-Dollar Startup; the Story of Guillermo Rauch & Vercel · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Guillermo Rauch, founder and CEO of Vercel, exploring his journey from a self-taught teenage programmer in Argentina to lea…
15 statements 4 featured 2 assessments 1 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
34m Ep 60: Dr. Rebekah Gee & Nest Health Are Saving Lives by Reinventing In-Home Care · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Dr. Rebekah Gee, founder of Nest Health and former Louisiana Secretary of Health, to discuss reforming U.S. healthcare thro…
12 statements 4 featured 8 assessments 1 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
41m Ep 59: Adi Berlia Explains India's Remarkable Rise Out of Socialism · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews entrepreneur Adi Berlia about India's economic shift from socialism to market innovation, higher education reform, biopharm…
17 statements 5 featured 4 assessments 1 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
26m Ep 58: Private Markets Outperform Public But They're a Mess! Eliot Hodges Is Fixing That. · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Eliot Hodges, CEO of Anduin, about modernizing private capital markets through digital onboarding tools. Hodges discusses h…
9 statements 3 featured 2 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
58m Ep 57: Balaji Srinivasan on the Severity of the Bank Crisis and the Future of Bitcoin · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale and tech entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan discuss the root causes of the US banking crisis, central bank mismanagement, and the rising g…
35 statements 12 featured 8 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
27m Ep 56: A Philosopher Reinventing Construction? Maria Davidson & the Story of Kojo · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Kojo founder Maria Davidson about her journey from a multicultural upbringing and Oxford Union presidency to revolutionizin…
15 statements 4 featured 3 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
33m Ep 55: Nathan Mintz on Directed Energy, a New Space Age & the Final Hurdles to a Driverless Future · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews defense entrepreneur and Spartan Radar CEO Nathan Mintz about revolutionizing defense technology, solving autonomous vehicl…
17 statements 7 featured 5 assessments 1 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
42m Ep 54: Peter Attia, Ryan Holiday & Joe Lonsdale Discuss Longevity & America's Health · Joe Lonsdale
Host Joe Lonsdale, longevity specialist Dr. Peter Attia, and author Ryan Holiday discuss actionable strategies for optimizing human lifespan and healthspan while examining the systemic, poli…
29 statements 8 featured 14 assessments 5 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
38m Ep 53: Joe Gebbia Changed the World with Airbnb. Here's What He's Building Next. · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia about the origin and growth of Airbnb, his new housing venture Samara, and his philanthropic c…
14 statements 6 featured 7 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
36m Ep 52: Yitz Applbaum and a Modern Middle East Renaissance · Joe Lonsdale
Venture capitalist and ordained rabbi Yitz Applbaum joins Joe Lonsdale on American Optimist to discuss his multi-faceted career, the explosive growth of Israel's technology ecosystem, histor…
10 statements 5 featured 4 assessments 2 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
38m Ep 51: Adm. Bill McRaven on Leadership, Modernizing the Dept of Defense & Dealing with China · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale speaks with retired Admiral William H. McRaven about his distinguished 37-year military career, core leadership philosophy, and perspe…
15 statements 6 featured 4 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
37m Ep 50: Troy Carter on Discovering Lady Gaga, Future of Music, and Speaking Out on School Choice · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews music mogul and tech investor Troy Carter about his journey from West Philadelphia to managing Lady Gaga and investing in S…
9 statements 4 featured 3 assessments 1 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
41m Why This Social Justice Activist Became an Entrepreneur Instead · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of 'American Optimist,' host Joe Lonsdale interviews Dr. Eboo Patel, founder of Interfaith America, about transitioning from anger-driven social justice activism to construct…
13 statements 4 featured 2 assessments 1 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
34m How to Disrupt the $38 Billion Storage Industry · Joe Lonsdale
Host Joe Lonsdale interviews Clutter co-founder and CEO Rahul Gandhi on how he disrupted the $38 billion self-storage industry by combining hands-on operational grit, tech-enabled full-servi…
9 statements 4 featured 3 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
35m John Chambers & Pankaj Patel Changed the World with Cisco. Now They're Doing It Again with Nile. · Joe Lonsdale
Host Joe Lonsdale interviews tech pioneers John Chambers and Pankaj Patel to explore their legendary scaling of Cisco Systems and their new venture, Nile, which aims to revolutionize enterpr…
12 statements 5 featured 4 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
25m Mike Pompeo: Negotiating with Tyrants, Spy Balloons (or UFOs?) & Why Trump Didn't Ban TikTok · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about his career in aerospace and public service, negotiating with foreign dictators,…
21 statements 7 featured 1 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
39m How John Mack Saved Morgan Stanley & Transformed Wall Street · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of "American Optimist," host Joe Lonsdale interviews former Morgan Stanley CEO John Mack about his inspiring life story, career progression, and leadership philosophy. Mack s…
13 statements 6 featured 3 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
45m This New Startup Is Disrupting Healthcare As We Know It · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews Dr. Clay Johnston, co-founder of Harbor Health and former Dean of UT Dell Medical School, to explore structural flaws in Am…
16 statements 6 featured 5 assessments 2 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
40m Ryan Holiday: How Stoicism Changed the World · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews author Ryan Holiday about his journey from exposing media manipulation to revitalizing ancient Stoic philosophy for modern …
18 statements 7 featured 4 assessments
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
37m Kimmy Scotti: How to Spot (and Build) the Next Big Thing · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale interviews venture partner and entrepreneur Kimmy Scotti about her career founding and scaling transformative companies across healthc…
11 statements 6 featured 2 assessments 1 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
38m The Greatest Entrepreneur You've Never Heard Of · Joe Lonsdale
In this episode of American Optimist, host Joe Lonsdale speaks with Nigerian entrepreneur Iyinoluwa 'E' Aboyeji about building billion-dollar technology companies like Andela and Flutterwave…
26 statements 9 featured 8 assessments 2 contradicted
🎙AMERICAN OPTIMIST
32m Andrew Yang Will Change How You Think About Politics · Joe Lonsdale
Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang joins host Joe Lonsdale to discuss lessons learned from early business failures, the mechanics of structural electoral reform through the Forward Pa…
20 statements 6 featured 14 assessments 3 contradicted