Ep. 77: Hit or Miss? Merrick Furst on Business Innovation, Customer Illusion, and the Challenge of Authentic Demand
Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks
Release Date: 04/04/2024
Ep. 82: The Divided Brain: Iain McGilchrist On How We See The World
Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks
In this episode, we explore the fascinating world of the brain’s hemispheres and their profound impact on how we perceive and engage with reality. My guest is Dr. Iain McGilchrist. Iain is a true polymath—a psychiatrist, neuroscientist, philosopher, and literary scholar. He’s been a Fellow of All Souls College at Oxford and an Associate Fellow at Green Templeton College. He’s also a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and previously served as Clinical Director at the Bethlem Royal & Maudsley Hospital in London. He’s been a research fellow in neuroimaging at...
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Ep. 81: The Power of Curiosity: A.J. Jacobs on Living the Constitution and Bridging Differences
Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks
A.J. Jacobs is a renowned writer and participatory journalist, best known for his immersive, experiment-driven projects that push the boundaries of immersive learning. From living according to the Ten Commandments to exploring radical honesty, A.J. dives headfirst into his experiments, bringing humor and insight into everything he does. His latest endeavor? An exploration of the U.S. Constitution, attempting to live by its original meaning. A.J. is no stranger to this podcast—this is his second appearance, and if you missed our previous conversation, I highly recommend checking out Life As...
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Ep.80: Your Crypto or Your Life. Nat Eliason: Financial Frenzies and Mindful Living
Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks
In this episode, we dig into FOMO and the temptations of quick wins and the importance of psychologically sustainable, long-term work. My guest is Nat Eliason. Nat is a writer and the author of Crypto Confidential: Winning and Losing Millions in the New Frontier of Finance. Since he started publishing his writing in 2013, his work has been read by millions of people and spun out multiple businesses ranging from a marketing agency to a tea cafe. It's a wild story. In 2021 Nat set a six-month deadline to make as much money as possible before the birth of his first child,...
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Ep.79: Mind and Matter: Christof Koch on What Consciousness Is and How to Expand It
Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks
Christof Koch is a pioneering computational neuroscientist and neurophysiologist best known for his groundbreaking work on the neural basis of consciousness. He collaborated with Francis Crick, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, to establish a neurobiological framework for understanding consciousness. Christof served as the President and Chief Scientist of the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle and continues his work there as a Meritorious Investigator. He is also the Chief Scientist of the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation in Santa Monica, CA, which funds research aimed at...
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Ep. 78: Beyond the Apple Legend: Guy Kawasaki on Remarkable Journeys with Remarkable People
Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks
Guy Kawasaki is a pioneering figure in Silicon Valley, celebrated marketing icon, and successful serial entrepreneur. Guy was one of the original Apple employees responsible for launching their Macintosh computer line in 1984 - and then revitalizing Apple again in the 90s when it faced market share challenges from Microsoft and IBM. His role at Apple popularized the term evangelism in marketing and technology. He is an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley), and host of the popular Remarkable People podcast. Guy has written over 16 best-selling books, including...
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Ep. 77: Hit or Miss? Merrick Furst on Business Innovation, Customer Illusion, and the Challenge of Authentic Demand
Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks
Outside of the purely physical and physiological, nothing is more challenging than the world of entrepreneurship and business, especially when facing customer indifference and figuring out market demand—the delicate balance between innovation and market reality. How do you do that? Professor Merrick L. Furst runs commercialization and new venture creation and directs undergraduate programs and faculty development in the College of Computing at Georgia Tech. Before GT, he was a professor at UC Berkeley, president of the International Computer Science Institute at Berkeley, and CEO...
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Ep. 76: An Unconventional Path: Derek Sivers on Useful Beliefs, Pragmatic Positivity and Embracing Randomness
Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks
My guest is Derek Sivers. Derek proves that an unconventional background can be the perfect foundation for a wonderfully interesting life and groundbreaking success. Originally a professional musician and circus clown, Derek founded CD Baby in 1998. It became the largest seller of independent music online, with $100 million in sales for over 150,000 musicians. In 2008, Derek sold CD Baby for $22 million, giving the proceeds to a charitable trust for music education. His TED talks have garnered over 20 million views, and he has published 34 books, including , , ) and his most recent...
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Ep.75: Reflective Happiness: David Myers on Self Perception, Fear, Money and Micro-Friendships
Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks
"To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom." - Socrates This podcast is about understanding ourselves a bit better. We'll be exploring insights into what makes us happy as it relates to self-perception, and the various intricate connections between our minds, bodies, and social interactions. My guest on the show is social psychologist David Myers, known for his extensive work in communicating psychological science to both students and the general public. His academic contributions, supported by National Science Foundation have been published in prestigious journals like Science...
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Ep. 74: Trance as a Tool: Dr. David Spiegel on the History and Evidence-Based Benefits of Hypnosis
Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks
On this episode of our podcast, we delve into the fascinating world of hypnosis, with a focus on demystifying this phenomenon and separating myths from scientific reality. We explore its role in modern therapy and personal well-being. Dr. David Spiegel is one of Stanford University’s leading psychiatrists, with more than 45 years of clinical experience, and has pioneered over 400 research papers on the power of self-hypnosis. Educated at Harvard and Yale, he is the Willson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Director of the Center on Stress and Health, and...
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Ep. 73: A Post Career World: Bruce Feiler On The Reinvention of Work
Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks
In this episode, we dive into the shifting dynamics of work, careers, and the quest for fulfillment. My guest discusses the history of "career" and how work is undergoing transformations due to technology, social change, and pivotal global events. He has gathered a lot of data to discern patterns in people's work trajectories to expand the definition of what we call work. Bruce Fieler is a leading voice in America on modern life. He's written seven bestsellers; his three TED Talks have over four million views, and he teaches a TED Course on life changes. His newest book, "THE SEARCH:...
info_outlineOutside of the purely physical and physiological, nothing is more challenging than the world of entrepreneurship and business, especially when facing customer indifference and figuring out market demand—the delicate balance between innovation and market reality.
How do you do that?
Professor Merrick L. Furst runs commercialization and new venture creation and directs undergraduate programs and faculty development in the College of Computing at Georgia Tech. Before GT, he was a professor at UC Berkeley, president of the International Computer Science Institute at Berkeley, and CEO of Essential Surfing Gear, Inc., which was sold in 2000, and anti-botnet startup Damballa. Earlier, he was a professor and associate dean at the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon. Mark is also known for seminal research in algorithms, complexity theory, and AI. He co-invented probabilistic circuit analysis and planning graphs, which are considered among the most influential breakthroughs in the field of AI planning.
Merrick is also the author of The Heart of Innovation: A Field Guide for Navigating to Authentic Demand, which is the touchstone for this podcast.
On the show, we discuss the challenges every business faces in creating products that truly meet customer needs.
- A brief chat about AI.
- Why and how products fail.
- Real reasons vs. stated reasons people buy.
- On the "curse of knowledge"
- Validation vs innovation.
- Authentic demand: sussing alternatives to not purchasing or using a product/service
- "Non-indifference" as an indicator of authentic demand.
- Observing vs listening and the problem with surveys.
- How to question assumptions.
- Product development and market match.
The need for humility and open-mindedness.
As we explore these diverse topics, Merricks’ unique approach offers invaluable lessons for entrepreneurs, technologists, and anyone intrigued by the intersection of business, technology, and human behavior.
Enjoy!
For show notes and more, visit www.larryweeks.com