Big Questions with Cal Fussman

Cal wonders if there are patterns from the aftermath of 9/11 and The Great Recession that could help us move forward from COVID. There are few people who were more deeply involved in those crises as GE's CEO at the time — Jeff Immelt. Jeff took the reins of GE only a few days before 9/11, was at the center of the struggle through The Great Recession, and now, after his departure from the company,...

When Cal reads how Samit transformed an immigrant who'd been on welfare into a business owner bringing in more than a million dollars a year, he becomes curious what Samit could do for him as he tries to reshape health care. Samit does not disappoint. He advises Cal to become Andrew Carnegie. Check out what the twelve truths that make up Samit's book, Future Proofing You, can do for your life.

Cal is inspired by the hero's journey of an 8-year-old boy who had 75 percent of his body burned by fire. Though the circumstances are horrible, his power of connection and positivity has taken Marius to an amazing place. Marius has had more than 40 surgeries through Shriner's Hospitals for Children. The fingers that he lost in the blaze have been replaced by his toes. His nose has been recreated....

The author of biographies on Leonardo Da Vinci, Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs talks to Cal about his latest work: Code Breaker, Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing and The Future of the Human Race. It's a conversation about a topic that will alter the world, and it gives Cal the power to move forward on his quest to reshape health care.

Cal catches up with his old pal and podcast host James Altucher to talk about the release of James' new book, which questions the concept that you need 10,000 hours to achieve mastery. Cal could use the advice, as he needs to learn as much about health care as quickly as possible in order to try to reshape it. The conversation ultimately turns into two pals catching up after a crazy year, and you'...

Cal catches up with his old pal and podcast host James Altucher to talk about the release of James' new book, which questions the concept that you need 10,000 hours to achieve mastery. Cal could use the advice, as he needs to learn as much about health care as quickly as possible in order to try to reshape it. The conversation ultimately turns into two pals catching up after a crazy year, and you'...

Cal talks with the entrepreneur who never felt comfortable around the phrase: "The sky's the limit." Instead, Naveen founded Moon Express. And Viome, a company that detects from your gut what you need to eat to be at your healthiest. Nobody appreciates curiosity more than Cal, but he's never gotten the most out of his as an entrepreneur. It's time. And you can, too. Just listen.

Cal asks The Science Guy why so many Americans don't seem to believe in science, and why so many wouldn't wear masks during COVID, even as more than 400,000 people died.   After spending his entire adult life explaining the marvel and practicality of science through a television show, books and his podcast, Bill looks at the opposing forces, and points to The Constitution's endorsement of science...

After winning the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs a year ago just as COVID was beginning to spread around the world, Laurent had to make a decision. Return to his offensive line spot with the Chiefs and pursue another Super Bowl ring. Or go to the front lines of COVID as a doctor at a long-term care facility in his home of Montreal. He chose to go to the front lines. After learning what Lau...

After having breakfast with the iconic broadcaster almost every day for more than a decade, Cal has no choice but to produce Larry King's obituary. He uses Larry's own voice to explain how Larry became a master of communication and connection, and explains why the world will never see another like him.   Show Notes: Cal's favorite Larry King story. 00:11 Why Larry King is so important. 04:58 The d...

A day before the inauguration of the new president, Cal remembers a conversation he had with Joe Biden when he was Vice President during The Great Recession. Some of the questions and answers are just as relevant today. Cal believes that fixing health care will be the monument for this time, and he's ready to help out in any way he can. Time to get to work.

A few years back, with Cal 30 pounds overweight, Joe baited Cal into his company's obstacle races in order to transform Cal's life. Cal completed the 5-mile Sprint, then the 10-mile Super, then the 17-mile Beast, and was filmed doing it. The story behind his journey and Joe's quest to similarly transform 100 million people was crafted into a documentary called Spartan Exit Strategy, and is availab...

Cal talks with the co-founder of Kickstarter about the idea of raising some funds for a journey to reshape health care in the United States. Cal realizes he needs to hire some young people who can help out on the Internet to spread the message of the mission. And Kickstarter has helped put billions of dollars into the hands of creative people with a dream through crowd funding. That money has fund...

Cal wanted to do something great in this last podcast of 2020, and he jumped at the chance to spread the word about a guy who is making health care better for a lot of people. Phil Baker at Good Shepherd Pharmacy in Memphis takes in donated drugs and passes them on to doctors who get them to patients who can't afford them. We're talking about chemotherapy pills that can cost up to $30,000 a month....

Cal has an epiphany after talking to three African-American men who made a pact to all become doctors when they were kids growing up on some mean streets in Newark, New Jersey. They succeeded. The story that Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt tell Cal is so moving, Cal decides to find one African-American kid in a tough spot who wants to be a doctor and help get her or him through medic...

Many in the wine world know Laura as the managing director at Bodega Catena Zapata in Argentina, which produces some of the world's great wines. But for the last 25 years, she has also been an emergency room physician in San Francisco. When she and Cal get together, they come up with an idea to remove an aspect of health care that drives everyone crazy. Nobody likes waiting in the waiting room. Bu...

Cal reflects on his time with one of America's great tech visionaries shortly after Hsieh's passing, marvels at all the good Tony was able to pass on to so many people and vows to keep his promise to Tony.

At the beginning of 2020, on average, one physician in the United States was committing suicide every day. That was before the coronavirus struck. Cal talks with three doctors about the tensions physicians and other health care workers face in these crazy times. Then he talks with an entrepreneur who designed a way for us all to reach out to health care workers with messages to show our appreciati...

Roughly two years ago, Cal found out that his friend, Brooks Bell, had colon cancer. Brooks was in her thirties, the founder of a tech company bearing her own name, at the top of her career. Cal walked away from their conversation shaken. Which is why Cal is so happy to bring his most recent meeting with Brooks to Big Questions. Brooks has beaten the disease and tells us all how to prevent it. Thi...

While many companies were furloughing and firing employees earlier this year when the coronavirus pandemic hit, Lendio went all in to help small businesses get loans. The company hired 250 people to join existing staff, and helped 120,000 businesses get $8 billion in government loans and save 1.2 million jobs over a 10-week period. Lendio CEO Brock Blake tells Cal the story, and Cal marvels at how...

A relaxing conversation after a tense election. Cal sits with the broadcaster and author of a new book about his experiences with Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods, Mike Tyson and others. The book is called Talking to GOATs – as in "Greatest of All Time." The core of the conversation goes to the power of honesty and questions in our culture. You'll also learn what it feels...

Just as Cal is dipping his toes in the water on reshaping health care, Seth encourages him to dive in. The marketing guru uses the principles behind his new book about the power of creativity, The Practice , to point Cal toward the deep water in all the right directions. Years from now, when Cal looks back on this podcast, he'll remember it as the time he decided to dedicate his life to learning a...

In one of the most far-ranging conversations Cal has had on Big Questions, best-selling author Brad Meltzer talks about the upcoming presidential election, how he helped save the life of his high school English teacher and the importance of his latest book about Anne Frank. This conversation goes to some deep places and reminds us all of the impact a single life can make.

The author of the book How to Lead details many of the traits and strategies used by Jeff Bezos, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Richard Branson and others to make a huge impact on society. Rubenstein also explains why quite often the student council president in 7 th grade doesn't go on to be a leader later in life. The late life leader often evolves into the position. All this gives Cal hope that he...

Ten years ago, a Rutgers University football player headed downfield on a kickoff to make a tackle like he'd done so many times before. Only this time, while making that hit, Eric LeGrand fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae. He remained on the ground feeling like he couldn't breathe, and paralyzed from the neck down. Doctors questioned whether he'd ever be able to breathe without the aid of a respir...