*The answer isn't Bill Gates. What did he do to make it successful?
Saturday 19 March 2016
Tuesday 15 March 2016
Great Products
Smart people working extremely long hours for the love of it creates great projects. Necessary but not sufficient of course.
Penn and Teller
Parameters of success:
1. Money
2. Fame
3. Exercising freedom of choice (from 'bullshit!' to discovery; choices which in turn make them better and reinforces their skillset).
3. Best in the business (magicians of the year and stuff)
Relevant facts (and observations):
1. Didn't want television shows. Started television late. (when Penn turned 30.)
2. They fight to do things they feel strongly about. (atheism)
3. Adapted the open acceptance policy of magic as illusion (critical signature) by James Randi (#Q how successful was he?)
4. Don't really like each other but respect each other.
5. Faced very tight periods together.
6. Both are disciplined and dedicated towards their work.
7. Have been working together for almost 40 years. (Is there any other duo that has worked that long with that trajectory?)
Penn Profile:
1. Bit rebellious as a kid.
2. Started performing at the age of 19.
3. Plays music, has hosted radio shows and has done a ton of other stuff as well. A bit too many activities.
4. Strong about beliefs in atheism.
5. Working class parents, lower middle class.
Teller Profile:
1. Artist parents
2. Doesn't speak. Unique niche. May not have been effective without a good partner.
3. Much more philosophical bent of mind.
4. Has written a bit. Doesn't seem to have as myriad interests as Penn
Ingredients for success:
1. Both have to be fairly good individually. Hence, respect for each other. (Wouldn't reach the top echelons of magic as a well paired mediocre duo)
2. One in not far superior to the other. (One will have to carry the other and why would he)
3. Complementary skill set. (Otherwise they wouldn't add to each other. Strong incentive to stay together)
4. They didn't love each other.(?) (Managed expectations, rational decision making; vs beatles)
5. Strong alignment in what they want to achieve. (What is that, pushing the boundaries of magic?; in contrast to Jobs and Woz? What about Bill and Paul? When did PnT get rich enough go go on your own? Appeared on letterman in 1985; This is necessary because they are both making tradeoffs to achieve what they did and if the visions aren't aligned, one wouldn't trade off)
6. Similar values which dictate how they want to achieve what they want to achieve. (Can they have different values and still succeed? For 40 year? Hard if both are equals. And in that case, one won't carry the other specially when they don't love each other. )
Can this be replicated
Extremely hard. If it wasn't for a third friend who worked with them for 5 years, it might not have been possible. You would somehow get a set of brilliant guys together. Have them work with each other for some time to check the alignment of mission and values. The learning here is that they initially may not necessarily like each other but there shouldn't be a conflict regarding their value systems and aims in life. That might create an Apple, but it wouldn't create Penn and Teller.
1. Money
2. Fame
3. Exercising freedom of choice (from 'bullshit!' to discovery; choices which in turn make them better and reinforces their skillset).
3. Best in the business (magicians of the year and stuff)
Relevant facts (and observations):
1. Didn't want television shows. Started television late. (when Penn turned 30.)
2. They fight to do things they feel strongly about. (atheism)
3. Adapted the open acceptance policy of magic as illusion (critical signature) by James Randi (#Q how successful was he?)
4. Don't really like each other but respect each other.
5. Faced very tight periods together.
6. Both are disciplined and dedicated towards their work.
7. Have been working together for almost 40 years. (Is there any other duo that has worked that long with that trajectory?)
Penn Profile:
1. Bit rebellious as a kid.
2. Started performing at the age of 19.
3. Plays music, has hosted radio shows and has done a ton of other stuff as well. A bit too many activities.
4. Strong about beliefs in atheism.
5. Working class parents, lower middle class.
Teller Profile:
1. Artist parents
2. Doesn't speak. Unique niche. May not have been effective without a good partner.
3. Much more philosophical bent of mind.
4. Has written a bit. Doesn't seem to have as myriad interests as Penn
Ingredients for success:
1. Both have to be fairly good individually. Hence, respect for each other. (Wouldn't reach the top echelons of magic as a well paired mediocre duo)
2. One in not far superior to the other. (One will have to carry the other and why would he)
3. Complementary skill set. (Otherwise they wouldn't add to each other. Strong incentive to stay together)
4. They didn't love each other.(?) (Managed expectations, rational decision making; vs beatles)
5. Strong alignment in what they want to achieve. (What is that, pushing the boundaries of magic?; in contrast to Jobs and Woz? What about Bill and Paul? When did PnT get rich enough go go on your own? Appeared on letterman in 1985; This is necessary because they are both making tradeoffs to achieve what they did and if the visions aren't aligned, one wouldn't trade off)
6. Similar values which dictate how they want to achieve what they want to achieve. (Can they have different values and still succeed? For 40 year? Hard if both are equals. And in that case, one won't carry the other specially when they don't love each other. )
Can this be replicated
Extremely hard. If it wasn't for a third friend who worked with them for 5 years, it might not have been possible. You would somehow get a set of brilliant guys together. Have them work with each other for some time to check the alignment of mission and values. The learning here is that they initially may not necessarily like each other but there shouldn't be a conflict regarding their value systems and aims in life. That might create an Apple, but it wouldn't create Penn and Teller.
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