Why Josh Kushner Asked Rick Rubin About Losing the Magic
Josh Kushner built Thrive Capital on relentless paranoia. Jeremy Stern explains the Holocaust roots behind Kushner's fear of losing his winning streak.
How Mark Zuckerberg, Palmer Luckey, Josh Kushner & Scott Wu Think | Jeremy Stern
With David Senra, Jeremy Stern · Sunday, October 4, 2026
Jeremy Stern, editor-in-chief of Colossus, joins David Senra to discuss the craft and psychology behind his long-form profiles of tech and business leaders, including Mark Zuckerberg, Palmer Luckey, Scott Wu, and Josh Kushner. Stern explains how he applies the techniques of literature and magazine writing to modern business titans, why historical and personal trauma shape entrepreneurial drive, and how his college Russian professor's philosophy on talent shaped his life.
Key takeaways
- Josh Kushner visited music producer Rick Rubin during a winning streak with Thrive Capital to ask one question: "What do I do if I lose the magic?" Read more →
- Jeremy Stern focuses on prose craft and narrative weight rather than business tactics when profiling leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, Palmer Luckey, Scott Wu, and Josh Kushner. Read more →
- Mark Zuckerberg still recites lines from Virgil's Aeneid learned in high school Latin, using ancient Rome to frame his corporate strategy. Read more →
- Meta's built-in distribution reaches roughly half the world's population across its family of apps, giving any model it ships instant global scale. Read more →
- Jeremy Stern credits his career to his college Russian professor, Natalya Shansky, a Soviet refugee who confronted him about wasting his abilities. Read more →
- Scott Wu earned legendary status as a competitor and mentor in international math, physics, and programming Olympiads before founding Cognition. Read more →
6 articles from this episode
Why Business Writing Needs Literary Craft, Not Tactical Tips
Jeremy Stern explains why modern tech founders deserve serious literary profiles instead of shallow tactical case studies.
Why Mark Zuckerberg Studies Augustus, Not Modern CEOs
Mark Zuckerberg memorized Roman history to build Meta. Here is why the Augustus model explains his competitive drive and refusal to sell.
Why Zuckerberg's 20-Year Moat Beats AI Labs
Jeremy Stern explains why Meta's boring infrastructure and massive distribution create an insurmountable lead over venture-backed AI labs.
Jeremy Stern on the Moral Duty to Develop Your Gifts
Jeremy Stern explains how Soviet refugee Natalya Shansky taught him that wasting talent is a moral failure, shaping how he profiles founders.
Why Scott Wu Rejects the Manicured AI Playbook
Jeremy Stern on Cognition founder Scott Wu: Olympiad pedigree, raw competitiveness, and why skipping PR polish builds real authority.
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