What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong About Success with Eric Ries

What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong About Success with Eric Ries

Author: Guy Kawasaki May 27, 2026 Duration: 56:57

What happens when the author of The Lean Startup starts questioning the very system that built Silicon Valley? In this episode of Remarkable People, Eric Ries joins Guy Kawasaki to unpack the ideas behind his new book, Incorruptible, and explain why so many great companies lose their soul as they grow. Eric explores corruption in modern business, the dangers of shareholder primacy, and why companies like Costco and Novo Nordisk have resisted the pressures that break other organizations. He also shares how founders can build structures that protect trust, mission, and long-term thinking from the start. If you’ve ever wondered whether companies can scale without selling out, this conversation will challenge the way you think about capitalism, leadership, and innovation.

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Guy Kawasaki is on a mission to make you remarkable. His Remarkable People podcast features interviews with remarkable people such as Jane Goodall, Marc Benioff, Woz, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Bob Cialdini. Every episode will make you more remarkable.

With his decades of experience in Silicon Valley as a Venture Capitalist and advisor to the top entrepreneurs in the world, Guy’s questions come from a place of curiosity and passion for technology, start-ups, entrepreneurship, and marketing. If you love society and culture, documentaries, and business podcasts, take a second to follow Remarkable People.

Listeners of the Remarkable People podcast will learn from some of the most successful people in the world with practical tips and inspiring stories that will help you be more remarkable.

Episodes of Remarkable People organized by topic: https://bit.ly/rptopology

Listen to Remarkable People here: **https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/guy-kawasakis-remarkable-people/id1483081827**


What does it take to lead a life that stands out? That’s the central thread running through Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People. Hosted by the seasoned Silicon Valley veteran and author Guy Kawasaki, this podcast sits at the intersection of society, business, culture, and education. Each conversation is less a formal interview and more a deep dive into the minds of individuals who have genuinely changed their fields. You’ll hear from primatologist Jane Goodall, Salesforce founder Marc Benioff, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi, and influence expert Robert Cialdini, among many others. Kawasaki’s approach is the key. He draws on his own decades as a venture capitalist and advisor, but he leaves the jargon at the door. His questions stem from a genuine curiosity and a passion for how things work, leading to discussions that are both insightful and surprisingly accessible. The goal isn’t just to recount successes, but to unpack the habits, setbacks, and pivotal moments that define a remarkable journey. Tuning into this podcast feels like gaining access to a series of private, candid mentorships. You’re not just learning about technology or business strategies; you’re absorbing lessons on resilience, creativity, and the human elements that drive lasting impact. Each episode offers a new perspective, challenging you to consider how you might apply a spark of that remarkable thinking to your own path.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People
Podcast Episodes
Why Anointment Decides Who Really Rises, with Toby Stuart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:58
What if success depends less on merit and more on the quiet transfer of status? In this episode, Guy Kawasaki interviews Toby Stuart, UC Berkeley Haas professor and leading expert on innovation and social networks, to br…
What It Takes to Fix a Broken Healthcare System with Erin Nance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:13
Erin Nance is an orthopedic surgeon who has seen firsthand how often patients—especially women—are misdiagnosed, dismissed, or overlooked. In this conversation with Guy Kawasaki, she unpacks why curiosity and humility ma…
How to Think Clearly in an Age of Misinformation with Mike Caulfield [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:28
How do you know what to believe online?In this re-run episode of Remarkable People, Guy Kawasaki talks with Mike Caulfield, research scientist at the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public, about the SI…
How to Lead People First in Uncertain Times with Dara Treseder [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:04
What does leadership look like when the world keeps shifting beneath you? Dara Treseder—Chief Marketing Officer of Autodesk—joins Guy to share how people-first decision-making and focusing on what you can control help le…
The Woman Who Taught the FBI to Listen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:50
Ann Wolbert Burgess is no ordinary nurse or researcher—she helped shape the FBI’s profiling program and redefined forensic nursing. In this episode of Remarkable People, she shares gripping insights from the Menendez bro…