#836: The 4-Hour Workweek Principles - 13 Mistakes to Avoid, The Art of Mini-Retirements, and Navigating the Dizziness of Freedom
Tim Ferriss presents an experimental episode featuring three full chapters from the audiobook of his book The 4-Hour Workweek, narrated by Ray Porter. The chapters explore the concept of mini-retirements and mobile living, how to handle the psychological and existential void that can appear once work is removed, and the 13 most common mistakes made by people adopting the New Rich lifestyle. The episode combines parables, case studies, detailed how-to checklists, and philosophical reflections on freedom, meaning, learning, and service.
"Tom Freston"
The hosts talk with media executive Tom Freston about his unconventional path from advertising into years of travel across North Africa and Asia, building a clothing business in India and Afghanistan, and eventually helping launch MTV and other major cable brands. Freston recounts the creation and impact of MTV, the birth of Comedy Central, his tumultuous years leading Viacom under Sumner Redstone, early views on platforms like YouTube and MySpace, and his later work in philanthropy and Afghan media. The conversation also explores his philosophy on travel, risk-taking, and using media for social change, plus colorful anecdotes involving Jimmy Buffett, Bangkok sex clubs, and a desert music festival near Timbuktu.
Babylist: Natalie Gordon. How a new mom used nap time to build a $500M business.
Software engineer Natalie Gordon describes how her overwhelming experience creating a traditional big-box baby registry while pregnant led her to build BabyList, a universal registry that lets parents combine products from any retailer with practical services like dog walking or diaper subscriptions. She explains how she bootstrapped the company while caring for a newborn, then gradually scaled it through affiliate revenue, an accelerator, seed funding, and later a major shift into holding inventory and operating as an e-commerce retailer. Throughout, she reflects on hiring and management challenges, learning to become a CEO, and keeping BabyList focused on serving expecting and new parents rather than expanding into adjacent categories like weddings.