Best Rationally Writing Podcasts (2025)

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Goldman Sachs’ Sara Naison-Tarajano - Family Office Whisperer | #590 48:55

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2h ago48:55

48:55

Today’s guest is Sara Naison-Tarajano, Global Head of Private Wealth Management Capital Markets and Goldman Sachs Apex. Sara has been at Goldman Sachs for over 25 years, and currently leads a worldwide platform that delivers multi-asset trading, financing, and direct-investment opportunities to some of the firm’s largest family offices. In today’s …

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Michelin Stars, Tragedy, and the Discipline to Be Great | Chef Curtis Duffy 1:00:15

3h ago1:00:15

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A Note from James: So Chef Curtis Duffy—he’s won Michelin Stars, a James Beard Award. He’s been on Netflix’s Iron Chef, was a judge on Top Chef season 21, and he’s even shown up in The Bear. He runs the Chicago restaurants Ever and Grace, and he wrote this incredible memoir called Fireproof: Memoir of a Chef. I could list all the accolades, but wha…

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How UFC Champion Miesha Tate Overcame Rock Bottom with a Resilient Mindset 1:15:39

3d ago1:15:39

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A Note from James: Miesha Tate—at first, I’ve got to admit, I didn’t know much about UFC or MMA. But Miesha was the World Bantamweight Champion, and she fought Ronda Rousey—probably the most famous female fighter in the sport. I watched one of their fights, and honestly, I don’t know how I’d survive even a quarter of a second. But the conversation …

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Dan Rasmussen & D.A. Wallach on The Future of Biotech and Healthcare | #589 1:27:27

7d ago1:27:27

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Today’s guests are Dan Rasmussen, founder of Verdad Advisers, and D.A. Wallach, a venture capital investor for Time BioVentures and an acclaimed recording artist. Pharrell Williams discovered D.A.’s band Chester French and signed the group to Interscope Records. In today’s episode, Dan & D.A. discuss the current state of biotech, the impact of AI o…

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The Secret of Dave Barry’s Humor: Class Clown Memoir and Florida Tales 49:58

10d ago49:58

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A Note from James: One of the funniest guys I’ve ever spoken to—Dave Barry. I always love talking to him. He’s been America’s top humorist since the early ’80s with a syndicated column in 500 newspapers and a long list of bestselling books. This is his third time on the podcast, and his latest book, Class Clown: Memoirs of a Professional Wiseass, i…

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How Chess Saved Danny Rensch’s Life: From Cult Roots to Chess.com’s Success 33:24

13d ago33:24

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Notes from James: I had no idea this conversation would go where it did. I thought we’d talk chess. Instead, we talked about life, trauma, manipulation, redemption… and how one of the world’s most popular games can be both a tormentor and a savior. Episode Description: In this raw and powerful episode, I sat down with Danny Rensch—International Mas…

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Victor Haghani on Predicting the Market and Disciplined Asset Allocation | #588 1:14:32

14d ago1:14:32

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Today’s guest is Victor Haghani, founder and CIO of Elm Wealth, which focuses on managing wealth with an emphasis on diversification, low fees, and tax efficiency. He’s also the author of The Missing Billionaires: A Guide to Better Financial Decisions. In today’s episode, Victor explores the Crystal Ball challenge, and how position sizing can be ev…

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The Stoic Capitalist: How Rational Thinking Creates Success | Robert Rosenkranz 1:08:46

16d ago1:08:46

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A Note from James: Man, what a fascinating career Robert Rosenkranz has had—multi-billionaire, involved in virtually every part of finance and American industry. He wrote a book called The Stoic Capitalist, and what really stands out is how he's actively applied stoic principles to achieve immense success throughout his career. Even from a young ag…

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Will Potter 52:44

18d ago52:44

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A century and a half ago, one out of every five Americans lived on a farm. Today, it’s closer to one out of every fifty, even though the population has increased more than tenfold. The industrial-scale farm and livestock business that we depend on today feeds hundreds of millions every day, but at what cost? In this episode of Point of Inquiry, Jim…

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How to Master Anything—at Any Age: Lessons from World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand 32:02

19d ago32:02

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Notes from James: When I turned 40, I was depressed. I checked the top 50 chess players and saw only one person around my age: Viswanathan Anand. That moment gave me hope. Episode Description: I met one of my lifelong heroes—five-time World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand—and got to sit down with him at the Norway Summit to unpack what it really t…

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Rob Arnott & Cam Harvey on Passive Investing Risks, The AI Boom & Stimulus That Doesn’t Stimulate | #587 1:12:36

21d ago1:12:36

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Today’s guests are Rob Arnott, founder and Chairman of the board of Research Affiliates, and Campbell Harvey, Head of Research at Research Affiliates and Professor of Finance at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. In today’s episode, Rob and Cam touch on the state of value investing in a megacap dominated market, emphasizing the potent…

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Gary Vaynerchuk: The Brutal Blueprint for Real Freedom 1:09:39

22d ago1:09:39

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A Note from James: So I’ve been doing this podcast for a long time—over 1500 episodes—and I’ve spoken to everyone from billionaires to best-selling authors, athletes to entrepreneurs. But there are a handful of episodes that still ring in my ears years later. One of them was Episode 156 with Gary Vaynerchuk. I was just re-listening to it while pull…

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Obsession, Chess, and the Myth of Mastery | James & Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam on the "New in Chess" Podcast 1:03:57

26d ago1:03:57

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A Note from James: So the question is, I really feel that in order to get not good at something, but great at something, you have to be obsessed. You can't just wake up and decide to be obsessed—it has to be deep, almost irrational. Obsession is like addiction. It throws your life off balance, and yet... there’s this insane joy when you enter the s…

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Whitney Baker on the End of ‘Buy the Dip’ & the American Bubble | #586 1:46:05

28d ago1:46:05

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Today we’re joined by Whitney Baker, founder of Totem Macro and one of the sharpest minds in macro investing. Whitney was previously the head of Emerging Markets at Bridgewater Associates and worked at Soros Fund Management under current Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. In today’s episode, Whitney discusses the current macroeconomic landscape, emp…

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Michael Dell vs. Wall Street: Dorm Room to Billion-Dollar Battles 54:28

29d ago54:28

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A Note from James: Michael Dell. Founder of Dell. I remember in college, hearing about this kid who was building computers in his dorm and making millions. I thought it was a myth. It wasn’t. He’s the real thing—and he just kept going. I wanted to understand what drove him, what it felt like to deal with Carl Icahn trying to wrestle his company fro…

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Kim Flynn - Unlocking Alternative Investments | #585 56:34

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Today’s guest is Kim Flynn, President of XA Investments, which helps provide access to alternative investments. She was previously the Head of Product Development for Nuveen Investments Global Structured Products Group. In today’s episode, Meb and Kim discuss the democratization of alternative investments in relation to the recent explosion of inte…

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Part 5: How to Write and Publish Your First Book in 30 Days - The Four Book Frameworks 35:16

1M ago35:16

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Notes from James: Most people get stuck at the idea stage. That’s why I’m sharing frameworks—so you’re not staring at a blank screen. These techniques have helped hundreds of people (including me) go from idea to published book in just 30 days. Episode Descriptions: In Part 5 of my 30-day writing series, I unveil four of the most powerful book-writ…

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Shoveling Sh*t: Entrepreneurs’ Secrets to a $700M Exit with Michael & Kass Lazerow 1:05:08

1M ago1:05:08

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Episode Description: James reconnects with entrepreneurs Michael and Kass Lazerow, whose journey spans selling Golf.com for $24 million, launching and pivoting Buddy Media into a $700 million Salesforce acquisition, and now investing in breakout brands like Liquid Death. This episode isn’t about startup clichés—it’s about emotional resilience, firi…

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On This Edition of Fighting The Power, we celebrate Juneteenth before the Trump regime eliminates the holiday 28:05

1M ago28:05

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Fighting The Power is a radio/Podcast featuring independent journalists resisting Trump's authoritarian rule. We highlight efforts to restore democracy and confront Project 2025, which aims to reduce civil liberties. Our panelists include: • LaNita Duke: Award-winning multimedia producer for Grassroots News Northwest. • Dianne Johnson: Professor an…

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Cole Wilcox on The Power Law of Investing | #584 1:05:02

1M ago1:05:02

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Today’s guest is Cole Wilcox, CIO of Longboard Asset Management, a boutique asset manager specializing in alternative investment strategies. In today’s episode, Cole walks through one of my favorite papers of all time, Does Trend-Following Still Work On Stocks? Hint: it does. Cole explains why you have to be a good loser to be a good investor, how …

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Part 4: How to Write and Publish Your First Book in 30 Days – Self-Publishing, Traditional Deals, and Making Real Money 39:56

1M ago39:56

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Notes from James: Let’s be honest: most people who write a book never make money from it. Why? Because they stop at the last page. I want you to go further. In this episode, I show you how I turned my books into speaking gigs, consulting work, investment deals, and more. You don’t need a big publisher or a massive budget—just the right strategy. Ep…

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Trump’s 2025 Tariff Revolution? Wilbur Ross Spills the Dirty Secrets on Trade, China, and Your Money! 47:00

1M ago47:00

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A Note from James: Well, you can't get more information about tariffs and the economy than what I just got and you're about to listen to. Wilbur Ross, who was Secretary of Commerce under the first administration of Trump, just came on the podcast. I got to ask any question I wanted—about tariffs, the economy, everything. Don't forget, in Trump’s fi…

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How-to Thrive in the Future of Podcasting: Insights from PodcastOne Top Industry Executives, Kit Gray & Robert Ellin 46:31

2M ago46:31

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A Note from James: So I’ve been podcasting for, gosh, 11 years—over 1500 episodes. And through that whole journey, PodcastOne always stood out to me. They recently went public, and today I’ve got Rob Ellin and Kit Gray joining me. What’s the future of podcasting? If you're thinking about starting a podcast—or wondering how to grow one you already h…

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Apollo's Alex Wright on The Role of Private Markets in Modern Portfolios | #583 50:06

2M ago50:06

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Today’s guest is Alex Wright, Global Wealth Strategist at Apollo. In today’s episode, Alex discusses the fragility of public markets, citing high valuations, rising correlations, and limited diversification opportunities, which prompt a need to reassess traditional 60/40 portfolios. Then he walks through the opportunity in private markets, includin…

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Part 3: How to Write and Publish Your First Book in 30 Days - The 6 U’s, Clarity Tools, and Breaking Through Writer’s Block 48:37

2M ago48:37

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Notes from James: This is where a lot of people quit—but you won’t. This episode is about pushing through the dip that comes when writing gets tough. I give you tools I’ve used across 25+ books to keep going, stay motivated, and write better. Episode Descriptions: This is Part 3 of my 30-day writing series—and we’re getting into the real tools that…

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Part 2: How to Write and Publish Your First Book in 30 Days - Frameworks, First Lines, and the Craft of Storytelling 43:23

2M ago43:23

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Notes from James: The biggest lie about writing is that it takes years. I’ve written multiple books in less than a month—including bestsellers. With the right system, anyone can do this. In this episode, I break down how to structure your first book and why your life experience, not your grammar, is your superpower. You’ll also hear my take on AI w…

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BCG’s Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak on Global Macro: Recession Risk, Tariffs, Debt Dynamics | #582 46:35

2M ago46:35

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Today’s guest is Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, Global Chief Economist at BCG and author Shocks, Crises, and False Alarms: How to Assess True Macroeconomic Risk. In today’s episode, Philipp starts by sharing his framework to assess macroeconomic risk, emphasizing the importance of adapting to changing global conditions. Then he applies that framework to…

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How to write and publish your book in 30 days: Part 1 - The Foundation of a Successful Writing Life 37:05

2M ago37:05

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Notes from James: I’ve written 25 books—some huge hits, some total flops—and what I’ve learned is this: anyone can write a book, but not everyone gives themselves permission to start. This episode is the foundation. I break down the mindset, motivation, and structure you need to go from blank page to published book—even if you’ve never written a wo…

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Bitcoin Meets Gold: Sunny Ray on Tokenization’s Future 57:44

2M ago57:44

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A Note from James: Sunny Ray is working on an incredible project involving Bitcoin and his company, Matador. They’re digitizing gold—turning it into crypto—and he’s a Bitcoin maximalist. That’s different from my stance: I think there are many crypto tokens that are useful for specific purposes. But Sonny’s view is clear—Bitcoin is the foundation. W…

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Dr. Mehmet Oz (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) on Food, Medicine, and the Future of Healthcare 36:04

2M ago36:04

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A Note from James: So Dr. Oz—television personality turned government official—this is such an interesting thing. He's going to be the new administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS. He’s going to be in charge of all Medicare and Medicaid. What does he know or think about these parts of our government? Medicare and Medicaid…

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Everything Doctor's & Hospitals are Afraid to Tell You: FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary on How to Negotiate Your Medical Bills, Advocate For Yourself & Restore U.S. Healthcare 1:30:09

2M ago1:30:09

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A Note from James: Marty Makary is the new head of the FDA, but he is also an old friend of the podcast. He's been on several times, and it's really important to know how this is going to be a new and different FDA, and it's going to be molded by Marty's very specific opinions about healthcare and the medical industry—and here they are. Episode Des…