Dara Khosrowshahi

It was golden for a kid like me. And so at the time, Sumner Restone, who was running Viacom... had come to an agreement to buy Paramount Pictures, which was Barry's old home. And Barry thought that he was getting a steal. So he decided to go after Paramount in a hostile tender offer, to come in as kind of a third-party bidder. And it was a huge move because Paramount was bigger than QVC.

It was golden for a kid like me. And so at the time, Sumner Restone, who was running Viacom... had come to an agreement to buy Paramount Pictures, which was Barry's old home. And Barry thought that he was getting a steal. So he decided to go after Paramount in a hostile tender offer, to come in as kind of a third-party bidder. And it was a huge move because Paramount was bigger than QVC.

So it was like the minnow- Swallowing the whale. Yeah, swallowing the whale. It's like Cap Cities.

So it was like the minnow- Swallowing the whale. Yeah, swallowing the whale. It's like Cap Cities.

Exactly, exactly. And I was the analyst on the deal. And it was a whole kind of bidding process. Barry would bid, and then Redstone would bid up, et cetera. It was multiple steps. There was a big court case that was pretty important in terms of, did Barry have the right to come in and actually bid on this thing and break apart a negotiated deal?

Exactly, exactly. And I was the analyst on the deal. And it was a whole kind of bidding process. Barry would bid, and then Redstone would bid up, et cetera. It was multiple steps. There was a big court case that was pretty important in terms of, did Barry have the right to come in and actually bid on this thing and break apart a negotiated deal?

The person who I worked for, the VP, et cetera, she got sick. And so I had to kind of step up and work with Barry directly, like making these pitches to Barry.

The person who I worked for, the VP, et cetera, she got sick. And so I had to kind of step up and work with Barry directly, like making these pitches to Barry.

I was like two, three years out of college. And at some point, Barry's like, you know, there are all these complicated numbers that you put together. And Barry wanted to know, like, who is the person running these numbers? And he's like, I want to talk to the person running the numbers. Herbert Allen comes and he's like, print out your model. Barry wants to talk.

I was like two, three years out of college. And at some point, Barry's like, you know, there are all these complicated numbers that you put together. And Barry wanted to know, like, who is the person running these numbers? And he's like, I want to talk to the person running the numbers. Herbert Allen comes and he's like, print out your model. Barry wants to talk.

So I had to print out my whole LBO model, bidding model, et cetera.

So I had to print out my whole LBO model, bidding model, et cetera.

But the only question in my mind was, when am I going to get fired, right? It's like, this is a disaster. An analyst is not supposed to talk to a CEO. But in hindsight, I've seen this patterning with Barry, which is, He wants to get the real stuff. He doesn't want a version, an edited version of reality, because then it's just an edited version.

But the only question in my mind was, when am I going to get fired, right? It's like, this is a disaster. An analyst is not supposed to talk to a CEO. But in hindsight, I've seen this patterning with Barry, which is, He wants to get the real stuff. He doesn't want a version, an edited version of reality, because then it's just an edited version.

He wants to go to the source, and he wants to know, like, there are these numbers, and I'm making, at the time, one of the business decisions of my professional life based on, like, these pieces of paper. Who's responsible for this? And I want them to explain it to me. So for me, it was like... you know, crazy luck.

He wants to go to the source, and he wants to know, like, there are these numbers, and I'm making, at the time, one of the business decisions of my professional life based on, like, these pieces of paper. Who's responsible for this? And I want them to explain it to me. So for me, it was like... you know, crazy luck.

But it was also, it's part of Barry's process, which is get the unvarnished truth because that helps him make better decisions. But then I met him and I remember thinking, hey, if there's ever a person that I want to work with, like I want to work for that person.

But it was also, it's part of Barry's process, which is get the unvarnished truth because that helps him make better decisions. But then I met him and I remember thinking, hey, if there's ever a person that I want to work with, like I want to work for that person.

Herb was a big believer in betting on people and not hierarchies, etc., I don't know, honestly. I remember the advice that he gave me is bet on people, not on companies. And that was a patterning that he had through his whole career. He was very loyal, found a good person, and then would bet on that person.

Herb was a big believer in betting on people and not hierarchies, etc., I don't know, honestly. I remember the advice that he gave me is bet on people, not on companies. And that was a patterning that he had through his whole career. He was very loyal, found a good person, and then would bet on that person.