Lynn Thoman

The rest, administrative costs, bureaucracy, and layers of inefficiency.

That insight helped spark the idea that eventually became SpaceX.

Elon says that thinking behind companies like Tesla and SpaceX follows a formula he calls the algorithm.

So what is that algorithm?

And what might happen if more of us started thinking that way?

Hi, everyone.

I'm Lynne Thoman, and this is Three Takeaways.

On Three Takeaways, I talk with some of the world's best thinkers, business leaders, writers, politicians, newsmakers, and scientists.

Each episode ends with three key takeaways to help us understand the world and maybe even ourselves a little better.

Today, I'm excited to be joined by John McNeil.

John has spent his career building and scaling companies.

Before joining Tesla, he founded and sold six startups.

So he knows firsthand what it takes to turn bold ideas into real businesses.

At Tesla, he served as president, working closely with Elon Musk.

Today, John is a venture investor and the author of the wonderful book, The Algorithm, where he lays out the thinking behind Tesla and SpaceX.

He also explores how that approach to solving problems can apply far beyond cars and rockets.

John, it's great to have you on the show.

Thank you for joining Three Takeaways today.

It is my pleasure.

John, Elon talks about his five-step algorithm for building things.