What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong About Success with Eric Ries

What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong About Success with Eric Ries

From Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People by Guy Kawasaki

May 27, 2026 · 57 min · Episode 341

About this episode

Eric Ries discusses the pitfalls of success in Silicon Valley and how companies can maintain their integrity as they grow.

What happens when the author of The Lean Startup starts questioning the very system that built Silicon Valley? In this episode of Remarkable People, Eric Ries joins Guy Kawasaki to unpack the ideas behind his new book, Incorruptible, and explain why so many great companies lose their soul as they grow. Eric explores corruption in modern business, the dangers of shareholder primacy, and why companies like Costco and Novo Nordisk have resisted the pressures that break other organizations. He also shares how founders can build structures that protect trust, mission, and long-term thinking from the start. If you’ve ever wondered whether companies can scale without selling out, this conversation will challenge the way you think about capitalism, leadership, and innovation. -- Guy Kawasaki is on a mission to make you remarkable. His Remarkable People podcast features interviews with remarkable people such as Jane Goodall, Marc Benioff, Woz, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Bob Cialdini. Every episode will make you more remarkable. With his decades of experience in Silicon Valley as a Venture Capitalist and advisor to the top entrepreneurs in the world, Guy’s questions come from a place of…

People in this episode

Host: Guy Kawasaki

Guest: Eric Ries

Topics covered

  • business ethics
  • corporate culture
  • leadership
  • innovation
  • capitalism
  • trust

Keywords

  • Silicon Valley
  • success
  • corruption
  • shareholder primacy
  • long-term thinking
  • business growth
  • entrepreneurship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Costco, Novo Nordisk

Books & works: The Lean Startup, Incorruptible

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