Inspired with Alexa von Tobel
00:41:03 · Kevin Ryan
[00:41:03] S0: Not not really. You know, we're spending we're spending time on nuclear. We have a company called Valar that's really interesting there that I'm excited about. I'm still interested. You know, you and I had a conversation about psychedelics years ago. I still think that is gonna be a significant sector even though it takes time. Yeah. More in the robotics space. I don't have anything right now that I think is completely off the the bleeding edge. You know, I'm thinking more about GovTech. Me too. And so I really want, you know, New York City, which has 300,000 employees, to be able to operate with 270,000 employees and give better service to everyone. So do 50% more with 10% fewer people, and we can get through through attrition. So, you know, hoping that things like that occur, that education is influenced through technology, and we're we're in the beginning stages of that. So all these area... Know, the areas... I think when we all look at the charts that show what what has become more expensive in the last twenty years, those are the ones that technology has not played the role in, and still needs to. Education's a big one. Healthcare is a big one. And so far we are utterly failing there. You know, there have been 10,000 companies that have promised to bring down the cost of healthcare, and healthcare costs are not coming down. Now a lot of it's because of government and regulations and things like that, but we're not where we need to be, and our results are not where we need to be. So those are areas that I am I am very, very excited about.
00:42:34 · Alexa von Tobel, Kevin Ryan
[00:42:34] S2: Kevin, quick sigh around. I wanna ask just a few questions. I... Just first thing that comes to your mind, what is the biggest pinch me moment in your career? Like, what's the moment that you will kind of have burned into your brain? [00:42:46] S0: Oh, definitely the realization that the Internet was gonna be big, and at the time, was just a new concept. So I remember, I still remember reading about the Internet in beginning of ninety five, this idea, and I was like, oh my god, if we're all connected, this would be incredible. And that sent me down a path. I was not on a technology path before, and that sent me down a path that I'm still on today. [00:43:09] S2: That's pretty cool. Is there a book that has changed your life? Not a business book. It could be any book, but a book that is like a must read for me. [00:43:19] S0: I don't think I have a one must read book. I should come up with that. I do read a lot. You know, we have a book club. I read about 36 books a year. I'm actually on 36 right now. A combination of fiction. I I don't really read a lot of business books, but I read a lot of nonfiction. I read a lot of biographies. Robert Caro has the best biographies in the world. If there's one thing you should take away, go read the Lyndon Johnson biographies or or the Robert Moses books. Those are unbelievable. [00:43:53] S2: I was talking about Robert Moses with my father-in-law. I just come home yesterday. By the way, I should be invited to your book club. [00:44:00] S0: Yes.
00:44:00 · Kevin Ryan, Alexa von Tobel
[00:44:00] S0: Yes. [00:44:01] S2: A few more quick things. Kevin, is there a mantra or a quote that you think just kind of runs in the back of your mind? [00:44:09] S0: I mean, no. The the the cliched ones, I think it's Will Durant that said, you know, why go out on a limb? That's where the fruit is. And that is sort of what we are doing here. [00:44:21] S2: What's that, Kevin? Kevin would love that. [00:44:23] S0: There's, you know, Grace Hopper, who was one of the first female computer science people in the world, and we we named one of our colleges at Yale after her, said that, you know, ships are safest in the harbor, but that's not what ships are for. And all these things are... You know, we have to we have to get out there and intelligently take risk. And I think one of the things we should appreciate the most about The US economy, which has been true for twenty years, but it's still true. When I'm in Europe, and you go to Europe quite a bit as well, we've had two forty one decacorns in The United States, $10,000,000,000 companies, 14 in Europe. It's not 10 to one, It's closer to 20 to one. And somehow we have a risk taking culture and financing and universities that are supporting that. And so I am worried that we're cutting back on research funding right now, which I think is clinically insane. [00:45:21] S2: I agree.
00:45:21 · Alexa von Tobel, Kevin Ryan
[00:45:21] S2: I agree. [00:45:22] S0: If you're number one in the world, why would you stop doing that? It's like telling Brazil, why don't you give up soccer and focus on skiing? You know, it makes no sense. Good at this. I hope we course correct there and try and focus on making sure we still... Science breakthroughs are the things that make the world a better place. [00:45:43] S2: Kevin, last question, and you can pick which one. Do you wanna tell us your New Year's resolution for next year, which I'm sure you've... You are a guy, or the daily habit that you credit your success with, you get to pick. [00:45:57] S0: You know, one is a cliche, but staying in shape is the thing that is the most important. And, you know, I feel it more now, 62, I've been doing this for a long time, and I've always kept my pace. So I never feel burned out. There's a lot of things going on, and a lot of it is staying in shape. I'm a believer of not, for me, not doing the same thing every day. So I do work out probably five days a week, but sometimes it's hiking. Sometimes it's yoga. Sometimes it's more and more lifting. Sometimes it's cardio. Sometimes it's playing competitive ping pong. But as long as you are doing that enough, And I'm happy to see in the last five years that we've seen even more credit to that. That is better than any drug you can do. It helps your brain. It helps your heart. It helps everything. So I wanna... If anything, I'm gonna even do more of that next year.
00:46:45 · Alexa von Tobel, Kevin Ryan, Alexa von Tobel
[00:46:45] S2: I love that. Also, if we're honest, I think both of us are deeply, deeply energized by our jobs. They don't drain us. It actually fills us, which is why we do it all the time, and we do it for free and never never wanna stop. Kevin, I wanna end on one proper thank you. Since I have met you now almost twenty years ago, something we didn't even get to properly thank you on this podcast for is you have gone out of your way to mentor a lot of people and to truly pour your energy and support and insight and relationships into other people. And I think that is one of the reasons why New York City has been more successful is that you are an incredibly generous human being of spirit. So thank you with all my heart. I cannot wait for all the time I get to spend with you in the next coming months, and we're just rooting for everything that you're doing. Keep going. [00:47:38] S0: Right. Well, thank you so much. Really appreciate doing this, and it's been fantastic to watch you in the last twenty years going from a young entrepreneur to an incredibly successful leader of tech in New York City. So I'd love to see that. [00:47:51] S2: Thank you. You're the best, Kevin. [00:47:54] S1: Thank you all so much for tuning in today. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, subscribe, and we'll be back again with another episode of Inspired with Alexa von Tobel. Thank you.