{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Bigger Why","title":"John Zeratsky on Creativity, Focus, and Building Great Companies","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/f645faaf\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":4505,"description":"What is truly worth our attention?\nIn this episode of The Bigger Why, I sit down with John Zeratsky—venture capitalist, entrepreneur, designer, and co-author of the bestselling books Sprint, Make Time, and Click.\nJohn is the co-founder of Character Capital, an early-stage venture firm that backs ambitious founders building at the frontier of software and AI. Before that, he helped create the Google Ventures Sprint process, which has been used by hundreds of startups to solve critical business and product challenges.\nOur conversation goes far beyond productivity. We explore creativity, focus, venture capital, artificial intelligence, decision-making, founder psychology, and why boredom may be one of the most underrated ingredients for great thinking.\nWe also discuss how to identify what truly matters, how founders make better decisions under uncertainty, what AI will and won't change, and why human experiences may become even more valuable in the years ahead.\nWhether you're building a company, pursuing a creative project, or simply trying to spend your time more intentionally, this conversation offers practical wisdom for navigating an increasingly distracted world.\nTopics include:\n• Creativity and innovation\n• Making time for what matters\n• Building great companies\n• Venture capital and startup investing\n• AI and the future of work\n• Decision-making under uncertainty\n• Focus and attention\n• The value of boredom\n• Character Capital and founder evaluation\n• Living intentionally\nConnect with John:\nhttps://www.character.vc\nSubscribe to The Bigger Why for conversations with leaders, creators, investors, and thinkers exploring ambition, meaning, purpose, and the ideas that shape our lives.\n00:00 Introduction\n03:10 John's journey from Google to venture capital\n08:15 What Character Capital looks for in founders\n14:45 How great investors make decisions under uncertainty\n22:30 The venture capital scorecard and cognitive biases\n31:40 AI, software, and the future of work...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/Ms7zMe8X4rUT0i9H185nvdxU2GfDPgktBCbQi78XQNE/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mNjEz/NmQ1NDNjYmQ5YjMx/OGEzYTc3YzA3ZjVj/NmJmZi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}