Mission Daily

Shawn Achor is a writer and happiness researcher. He’s worked with the NBA, Google, and Facebook to help create happier and more motivational work environments. In this episode, Chad and Shawn discuss the motivations behind Shawn’s research, his tips for a better mindset, and why happiness is a team sport. This is the first episode of our mindset week! We’re devoting the next five days to helping...

Nobody wants to launch their venture slowly, but it's important to take your time when choosing investors. In this episode, Ian and Chad discuss what you should be asking your potential investors, using life lessons from some of the most successful entrepreneurs to determine if an investor is genuinely interested in the health and well-being of your business. This episode marks the finale of Missi...

Capital partnerships are like marriages… you wouldn’t propose on a first date, right? If you’re thinking about taking investment from investors, think deeply and create a list of questions to consider. In today’s episode, Chad and Steph discuss the 50 questions that they have asked when considering taking capital from investors. The questions that follow aren’t necessarily for you to ask your inve...

Are you investing in your work, career, and business? In this episode, Chad and Steph discuss why it is so important to invest money, time, energy, and social capital in your work. Using the framework from William Thorndike’s The Outsiders , they walk you through the 5 ways to deploy capital in your business and in your job. This is a must listen for business owners and employees alike. This is th...

Can you upgrade your personal relationships by treating them like business relationships? In this episode, Chad and Steph talk about why it’s important to have a system of measuring and managing your relationships. They also discuss the five ways you can deploy capital in your relationships with your friends and family. This is the second episode of Investing Week! We are dedicating this week to a...

Welcome to the first episode of Investing Week! We are dedicating this week to arming you with the tools and mindsets needed to make good personal and business investments. Today, Chad and Steph deep dive into why it is so important to invest in yourself. Remember: personal growth doesn’t just improve your life, it also improves the lives of those around you. You are the CEO of your own life, and...

There’s a subset of people in Silicon Valley who follow common practices that allow them to do more and be more. These methods help accelerate their learning, improve their retention, and allow them to quickly implement new ideas. In today’s discussion, Chad and Steph talk about the different ways people in the Valley approach wisdom and how you can apply these lessons to your own life.   This epi...

How are attitudes around wealth different in SV? In this episode, Chad and Steph discuss money and wealth in Silicon Valley. Most of us like to think we have a healthy relationship with money, but the truth is that it is a rare few who do. This discussion will arm you with the financial habits that will transform your personal and business wealth. Topics discussed: Wealth, Finance, Money, Business...

It's a special Mission Daily bonus episode! Ian is joined by Juan Loaiza, Executive Vice President of Systems Technology at Oracle Database. Throughout the years, Juan has seen a lot of change in the tech world, and it’s that pace of innovation that keeps him on his toes and excited about all the work he is doing with Oracle. In this episode, Ian and Juan discuss how database technology has evolve...

Everyone’s body is different. You can’t treat others’ health advice as if it is true for everyone. The only way you can find out what really works and doesn’t work for you is to experiment. In this episode, Chad and Steph chat about why being healthy is so different in Silicon Valley compared to other places in the U.S. They also talk about how important it is to invest in yourself and why you sho...

Welcome back to part 2 of our interview with writer and historian Adam Fisher. His most recent book is Valley of Genius: The Uncensored History of Silicon Valley. In the second portion of our interview, Chad and Adam discuss the most important moments in Silicon Valley’s history, the corrosive influences that have crept in in the past few decades, and what Adam foresees for the Valley’s future. Fo...

For the past several decades and for the foreseeable future, “Silicon Valley is where the future is being born.” Why? What separates Silicon Valley from everywhere else in the world? To learn more about the history and future of the Valley, Chad sat down with writer and historian Adam Fisher. Adam’s most recent book is Valley of Genius; The Uncensored History of Silicon Valley. In this interview,...

The Story is back for its seventh season! In this season, we are joined by our friend, Jeffrey Wright, to tell the amazing backstories of eight African American trailblazers who changed the world. You’ll get to walk a mile in their shoes and their identity is kept secret until the climax. You’ll hear tales of discovery, learn how empires rose and fell, and stand beside innovators as they faced the...

In this mini-episode, Chad and Stephanie do a little housekeeping and share some fun announcements. Tune in to find out who is narrating the next season of The Story (*cough* Jeffery Wright *cough*). Learn more at mission.org/thestory . Please note: Next week we are taking the week off, but we will be back strong with more amazing interviews on February 11th! Have a great Super Bowl Sunday! Email...

In this Friday Hangout, Ian and Chad are joined by Mission Daily Producer Hilary Giorgi! Hilary shares the lessons she learned from working with the New York Yankees for five years, and how being an Equestrian has made her a better writer. The crew also makes a VERY  special announcement about the next season of The Story! For the full show notes and more, go to themissiondaily.com . Mission Daily...

We consulted with Mission’s resident interviewing expert, Ian Faison, to figure out what makes a great interviewer. Stephanie and Ian also talk about what you should do to be a better interviewee and why it takes at least 20 minutes to develop a rapport with someone. Mission Daily and all of our podcasts are created with love by our team at  Mission.org  We own and operate a network of podcasts, a...

2019 will be your year of “Yes!” Ian and Stephanie (and Grayson) sit down to talk about what opportunities you may be missing by not taking a chance on new people and new experiences. They also discuss why constantly saying “No” to new things is holding you back in life and business. Mission Daily and all of our podcasts are created with love by our team at  Mission.org  We own and operate a netwo...

As a university professor and the host of an educational web series, Danielle Bainbridge has a unique stake in both traditional education and a new wave of education through technology. In this interview, Mission Daily Producer Hilary Giorgi joins Danielle to discuss how the education space has changed. Danielle also shares her predictions for how the traditional and the new will blend to form a n...

Gretchen Rubin is a NYT Bestselling author and podcast host. Her past works have explored everything from the life and times of Winston Churchill to how decluttering your life can help lead to a calm mind. In this episode, Chad sits down with Gretchen to discuss her most recent book (“Outer Order, Inner Calm”), her writing process, and what you can learn from two of history’s most influential lead...

Ian, Chad, Stephanie, and Dylan are joined in-studio by… a camera crew? The video team from Salesforce Essentials joined us at Mission HQ! To celebrate (and for the photo op), the team sat down to discuss what they learned working with the Salesforce crew and what you can learn from Mission Studios’s unsung hero, Dylan Langlois. Mission Daily and all of our podcasts are created with love by our te...

Danny Iny is the founder and CEO of Mirasee and a best-selling author of nine books, including his most recent work “Leveraged Learning.” In this episode, Mission Daily Producer Hilary Giorgi sits down with Danny to discuss why a traditional college education may not be worth as much as we’ve all been taught. Mission Daily and all of our podcasts are created with love by our team at  Mission.org  ...

Steve Gavazzi is a professor at The Ohio State University and co-author of the book Land Grant Universities For the Future; Higher Education For the Public Good. In this episode, Mission Daily producer Hilary Giorgi sits down with Steve. They discuss how land-grant universities have been slowly moving away from their original mission as a university for the people, and how we can direct them back...

Why is sustainability critical for every company? In part two of this two-part interview, Ian is joined by venture capitalist David Mount. They discuss how to build more sustainable businesses and why “dark nights of the soul” are important for personal and business development. (And for you basketball fans out there, be sure to listen to the end to hear some insider stories about Joe Lacob and Th...

In part one of this two-part interview, Ian sat down with venture capitalist David Mount to discuss the differences between Missionary and Mercenary founders. They also talk about when you should (and shouldn’t) pursue venture capital for your business. Mission Daily and all of our podcasts are created with love by our team at  Mission.org  We own and operate a network of podcasts, and brand story...

Imitation is often described as the sincerest form of flattery, but it can also serve as the best way to create new habits and learn new skills. In this episode, Chad and Stephanie talk about imitation as a tool for accelerated learning and why you need to be working with people who are better than you. Mission Daily and all of our podcasts are created with love by our team at  Mission.org  We own...