Best John Drexler Podcasts (2025)

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#228 Elad Gil: How to Spot a Billion-Dollar Startup Before the Rest of the World 1:38:34

4d ago1:38:34

1:38:34

What if the world’s most connected tech investor handed you his mental playbook? Elad Gil, an investor behind Airbnb, Stripe, Coinbase and Anduril, flips conventional wisdom on its head and prioritizes market opportunities over founders. Elad decodes why innovation has clustered geographically throughout history, from Renaissance Florence to Silico…

1
63: We sent invoices from the client app 28:03

4d ago28:03

28:03

Spring is here, and the boys are out frolicking. We sent our first invoices from the client app. The Laracon game is going to be its own company. Clothing sizes are a lie.By Daniel Coulbourne & John Drexler

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The Knowledge Project Podcast: Trailer 2:47

8d ago2:47

2:47

Trusted by Fortune 500 CEOs and elite performers, this is where you go to think better, live better, and get ahead. Each week, Shane Parrish goes deep with the world’s sharpest minds—founders, economists, bestselling authors—to uncover the mental models, habits, and strategies behind extraordinary results. The Knowledge Project isn't just a podcast…

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#227 Outliers: Rose Blumkin — Women of Berkshire Hathaway 45:58

11d ago45:58

45:58

Rose Blumkin didn’t just build a business. She revolutionized retail. After fleeing Russia with $66 in her purse, she opened a basement furniture store in Omaha at 43 years old—with no English, no education, and no connections. Her formula? Sell cheap, tell the truth, don't cheat the customer. Nebraska Furniture Mart would survive depressions, fire…

1
62: Useful anxiety 42:49

11d ago42:49

42:49

We watched a lot of movies, and gambled a little. We are deep into silly season, and talk about our relationship with anxiety. Finally, we talk about politics and urbanism again.By Daniel Coulbourne & John Drexler

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61: Empaneling Ian Landsman 1:18:55

18d ago1:18:55

1:18:55

We are now a professional podcast. Ian Landsman gives us some feedback on our goals, and our new client app. He is smart. And we don't talk about poker even once!By Daniel Coulbourne & John Drexler

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#226 Garry Tan: Billion-Dollar Misfits — Inside Y Combinator’s Startup Formula 2:23:14

18d ago2:23:14

2:23:14

Most accelerators fund ideas. Y Combinator funds founders—and transforms them. With a 1% acceptance rate and alumni behind 60% of the past decade’s unicorns, YC knows what separates the founders who break through from those who burn out. It's not the flashiest résumé or the boldest pitch but something President Garry Tan says is far rarer: earnestn…

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Native PHP w/ Simon Hamp 2:18:45

25d ago2:18:45

2:18:45

Simon Hamp and Marcel Pociot have been working on NativePHP for a number of years, and Simon just surprised with world at Laracon EU with a NativePHP for Mobile announcement. In this episode, Simon and Chris get deep into the the NativePHP innards, explore sustainable open source, and generally just have a good time for <> over two ho…

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#225 Outliers: Henry Singleton – Distant Force 1:00:47

25d ago1:00:47

1:00:47

If Warren Buffett is the king of capital allocation—Henry Singleton is the ghost. Singleton built one of the most successful conglomerates in American history, transforming business while remaining virtually unknown. While Wall Street chased fads, Singleton, who could play chess blindfolded, quietly turned industrial conglomerate Teledyne into a bu…

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60: Our biggest client yet 47:52

26d ago47:52

47:52

John got star struck on Easter. Daniel got a new couch. We got a big new client. John is working nights and weekends on the Laracon game, and it's awesome. Daniel is working on the client app. We review OKRs.By Daniel Coulbourne & John Drexler

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#224 Bret Taylor: A Vision for AI’s Next Frontier 2:11:14

1M ago2:11:14

2:11:14

What happens when one of the most legendary minds in tech delves deep into the real workings of modern AI? A 2-hour long masterclass that you don’t want to miss. Bret Taylor, current chairman of OpenAI, unpacks why AI is transforming software engineering forever, how founders can survive acquisition (he’s done it twice), and why the true bottleneck…

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59: We lost a client for good reasons 59:36

1M ago59:36

59:36

John is locked in, and made a playlist so you can lock in too. We are in silly season, but we have an excellent new PM who will get us through. We lost a client, but for good reasons. We recap what we learned. John is grinding on the new game, and Daniel gives technical guidance. We try to diagnose what's wrong with tv writing. The Iranian film mak…

1
#223 Pierre Poilievre: What I Want to Build (and Break) To Fix Canada 1:23:27

1M ago1:23:27

1:23:27

Pierre Poilievre, leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, reveals a roadmap for restoring opportunity and unity across the country. From unleashing innovation by cutting red tape, to reigniting upward mobility and building a powerhouse economy, Poilievre’s message goes beyond borders. If you care about restoring opportunity, strengthening democracy,…

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The next era of Larabelles w/ Zuzana Kunckova 1:20:17

1M ago1:20:17

1:20:17

Zuzana Kunckova started Larabelles five years ago, and over that time it has grown into an important part of the Laravel community. In today's episode, Zuzana and Chris talk about the future of Larabelles now that she has more time to dedicate to it. Links: Larabelles Sponsor Larabelles on GitHub Sponsor Larabelles on Patreon Other ways to support …

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#222 Outliers: Cornelius Vanderbilt — The First Tycoon 1:24:31

1M ago1:24:31

1:24:31

Cornelius Vanderbilt was a force in 19th century America, playing a pivotal role in transitioning the U.S. economy from rural mercantilism to industrial corporate capitalism. Vanderbilt didn't just compete—he dominated; and didn’t just dominate one industry—he conquered three: ferries, steamships, and railroads. He understood that power lay in cont…

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58: Finding the real decision maker 38:20

1M ago38:20

38:20

John's Macbook air is having problems. We made a bonus episode. We have a new trick for finding the decision maker at a prospective client. Always negotiate. We LOVE Adolescence. Finally, we talk politics :(By Daniel Coulbourne & John Drexler

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Bonus Episode: PHP × NYC Chaos-Cast™ 1:11:21

1M ago1:11:21

1:11:21

At a PHP x NYC event, we realized we had a critical mass of Laravel podcasters. Apologies for the audio problems.By Daniel Coulbourne & John Drexler

1
PHP × NYC Chaos-Cast™ 1:11:21

1M ago1:11:21

1:11:21

What happens when you get a bunch of Laravel podcasters + a bunch of mics in a room? Chaos, apparently. Recorded live after PHP × NYC with Ben Holmen, John Drexler, Daniel Coulbourne, Chris Morrell, Ian Landsman, Dave Hicking, and Joe Tannenbaum.By Chris Morrell

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#221 Bruce Flatt on Value, Discipline, and Durability 1:20:54

2M ago1:20:54

1:20:54

Brookfield CEO Bruce Flatt reveals the investment philosophy behind building one of the world's largest alternative asset managers with over a trillion dollars under management. At the core of Brookfield's strategy is a disciplined focus on downside protection that has delivered 19% annualized returns over 30 years. Flatt identifies three major tre…

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57: Sunsetting Papercuts 36:47

2M ago36:47

36:47

Spring is here. John was on the Over Engineered podcast to discuss running product processes on small teams. We are sunsetting Papercuts. We do a quick retro about why, and what we learned. John did a heroic refactor on the new client app. Daniel is making home improvementsBy Daniel Coulbourne & John Drexler

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Running Small Teams w/ Dan Matthews & John Rudolph Drexler 1:34:57

2M ago1:34:57

1:34:57

There's lots of advice out there for running software teams, but much of it comes from large organizations with dozens or hundreds of developers. Smaller teams have different needs. On today's episode, we pick up from a question Dan asked on Bluesky and talk about how best to approach running a small development team. Links: Dan's Bluesky Post Thun…

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#220 Outliers: James Dyson — Against the Odds 1:12:42

2M ago1:12:42

1:12:42

How do you turn 5,127 failures into a multi-billion-dollar empire? James Dyson turned dust into possibility, failure into discovery, and frustration into revolution. Dyson didn’t just build a better vacuum; he redefined a whole industry. Facing thousands of failed prototypes, crushing financial setbacks, and a dismissive industry that insisted a su…

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56: Chunks of work 33:57

2M ago33:57

33:57

John got married. We got paid by a delinquent client. John spoke at PHP x Philly. The client management app is getting really good, which can now invoice clients. Finally, John thinks tv is maybe bad.By Daniel Coulbourne & John Drexler

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#219 Logan Ury: The Dating Myths You Need to Stop Believing 2:12:51

2M ago2:12:51

2:12:51

Most people date the wrong way. They chase the spark, mistake attraction for compatibility, and expect their partners to read their minds. Then they wonder why relationships don’t last. Logan Ury thinks about dating differently. As the Director of Relationship Science at Hinge, she’s spent years studying what actually makes relationships work. Her …

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#218 Outliers: Estée Lauder — A Success Story 1:21:48

2M ago1:21:48

1:21:48

Most people hear "Estée Lauder" and think of cosmetics—lipstick, perfume, face cream. But the real story isn’t just about makeup—it’s about a woman being an unstoppable force. Estée Lauder didn’t just build a beauty brand; she rewrote the rules of an industry. She turned rejection into fuel, defied industry gatekeepers, and transformed a homemade f…

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#217 Josh Wolfe: Human Advantage in the World of AI 2:02:28

2M ago2:02:28

2:02:28

While Silicon Valley chases unicorns, Josh Wolfe hunts for something far more elusive: scientific breakthroughs that could change civilization. As co-founder and managing partner of Lux Capital, he's looking for the kind of science that turns impossible into inevitable. Josh doesn’t just invest in the future—he sees it coming before almost anyone e…

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#216 Outliers: Andrew Mellon – America’s Secret Banker 1:18:47

3M ago1:18:47

1:18:47

He was the strangest titan America ever produced: a whisper-quiet banker who turned systematic thinking into a superpower, building an industrial empire while barely raising his voice above a murmur. Andrew Mellon's story isn't just about money—it's about how patience, observation, and positioning can create more wealth than charisma ever could. Bu…

1
55: Vertical Slices 56:59

3M ago56:59

56:59

You need to build vertically, not horizontally. Also: Point Break is a good movie (Broey Deschanel's analysis). We helped a client dismiss a scammy wordpress agency. Squarespace is good. Daniel bought a suit. John is making a DJ set, and thanks Daniel for being the reason he learned to do that.By Daniel Coulbourne & John Drexler

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#215 David Heacock: Managing and Marketing a $250M Business 2:04:30

3M ago2:04:30

2:04:30

Imagine leaving a six‐figure Wall Street salary behind to chase a single, daring idea. In this episode, David Heacock shows you how he turned a basic product into a $250M empire. At 29, he left Wall Street to bet on air filters. That bet transformed into Filterbuy, now a $250 million direct-to-consumer manufacturer serving more than 7 million custo…

1
54: Building without a blueprint 45:01

3M ago45:01

45:01

Why do old special effects look good? Pennsylvania needs better websites. John wants to speak a lot more. We are building our PM business, but don't have an obvious blueprint to follow.By Daniel Coulbourne & John Drexler

1
#214 Outliers: Timothy Eaton — The Original ‘Everything Store’ 42:07

3M ago42:07

42:07

I’ve learned as much from reading biographies as from interviewing amazing people. That’s why we’re starting 'Lessons from Outliers.' Every other week, we'll study an outlier who did remarkable work. From industrialists who reimagined commerce to the irreverent personalities who challenged the foundations of their fields, we'll explore what they di…

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53: Be a great place to work (empaneling Bossman Chris) 1:18:23

3M ago1:18:23

1:18:23

We empanel Bossman Chris. Daniel and Chris survived Philly's Super Bowl celebration. We recap Laracon EU, and give high praise to Amsterdam. Chris counsels us on how to be a great place to work.By Daniel Coulbourne & John Drexler

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#213 Mickey Drexler: The Art of Selling with Retail's Merchant Prince 56:55

3M ago56:55

56:55

This episode will transform how you think about style, aspiration, and the art of knowing what people want before they know it themselves. From working in department stores to advising Steve Jobs on Apple’s retail strategy when it didn’t have retail at all, Drexler’s career traces the evolution of American retail itself: from local shops to mall do…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

John Drexler Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen