Bryan Johnson - What It's Really Like Working With Me | Kate Q&A
Kate, the co-founder of Blueprint, discusses her role as CMO, which involves filling gaps and solving problems within the company. She describes her work as dynamic, with no typical day, and expresses her passion for building and creativity. Kate shares her experience of being part of a documentary, highlighting the vulnerability and privacy challenges it posed. She emphasizes the importance of perseverance and self-discipline, particularly in health, and how Blueprint has influenced her lifestyle and mindset. Kate also reflects on societal stereotypes and her efforts to break them by being more visible as a female leader. She shares personal anecdotes about her journey from fashion to tech, her partnership with Brian, and her commitment to health and systemic change.
Key Points:
- Kate fills multiple roles at Blueprint, focusing on problem-solving and creativity.
- She emphasizes the importance of perseverance and self-discipline in personal and professional growth.
- Kate is committed to breaking stereotypes by being visible as a female leader.
- Her journey from fashion to tech highlights adaptability and determination.
- Blueprint has significantly influenced her lifestyle, emphasizing health and systemic change.
Details:
1. 🎥 Introducing Kate's Role
- Kate is frequently mistaken for Brian's assistant or girlfriend, highlighting a significant issue with how her role is perceived.
- She is a co-founder of Blueprint, establishing her as a leader and key decision-maker within the company.
- This misconception affects how others interact with her, potentially undermining her authority and contributions.
- Clarifying her role could improve internal dynamics and ensure her contributions are properly recognized.
2. 💼 The Dynamic Work of a CMO
- CMO often serves as a problem solver, addressing urgent issues within the company.
- The role involves plugging gaps and ensuring smooth operations when challenges arise.
- A CMO may not fit the traditional image but plays a crucial role in maintaining company stability.
- For instance, a CMO might step in to manage unexpected brand crises or to realign marketing strategies swiftly in response to market changes.
- CMOs are critical in cross-departmental collaboration to foster innovative solutions and drive company growth.
3. 🎬 Anticipation for the Documentary Launch
3.1. Documentary Release Details
3.2. Emotional Investment and Expectations
4. 🍽️ Leisure Time and Personal Interests
- Leisure activities such as playing pickleball with friends enhance social interaction and physical fitness, making it a popular choice.
- Brunch is enjoyed as a leisurely meal that combines socializing with culinary exploration, often seen as a weekend highlight.
5. 🎨 Passion for Work and Team Spirit
5.1. Passion for Work
5.2. Team Spirit
6. 📽️ The Documentary's Potential Impact
- The documentary is projected to reach millions of viewers, potentially becoming the top documentary, which could significantly alter the lives of those involved, such as increased public scrutiny and recognition.
- Given past viral content experiences, those involved are likely to need to rapidly adjust to new realities, indicating a potential for quick adaptation if the documentary gains significant viewership.
- Brian, one of the subjects, has already experienced changes like wearing a shirt inside out to avoid unwanted attention, highlighting the personal impact of increased visibility.
- The documentary's potential success could lead to broader changes in public perception and discourse, influencing how similar topics are discussed and perceived in society.
7. 🎞️ Behind the Scenes of Filming
- Filming lasted about one year with a couple of days a week dedicated to shooting, indicating a flexible schedule that allowed for thorough documentation.
- Chris, the filmmaker, retained full creative control over the footage, ensuring an authentic representation without external influence from those being filmed.
- The filming process had a significant psychological impact, leading individuals to feel as if they were constantly being recorded, even after the project ended, highlighting the deep effect of prolonged exposure.
- Participants experienced a major transition to being constantly on camera, a challenge particularly for those not accustomed to public exposure, indicating the need for support mechanisms during such projects.
8. 📝 Balancing Privacy with Public Exposure
- The experience underscored the tension between documenting life and maintaining privacy, particularly when recording sensitive personal health and daily moments.
- The year-long project provided a historical record during emotionally significant times, such as a family member's departure for college, illustrating the value of documentation.
- Despite having a public persona online, both individuals involved are privately inclined, highlighting the dichotomy between their public exposure and personal nature.
- Continuous documentation over a year challenged their privacy, resulting in vulnerability and openness in the final documentary.
- There was apprehension about how this revealed vulnerability would be perceived post-editing, reflecting concerns about privacy impact in the digital age.
9. 📈 Personal Growth and Confidence Building
- The speaker naturally steps out of frame due to discomfort with being the center of attention, highlighting the challenge of camera shyness.
- Despite filming a documentary, the speaker only began actively working on overcoming this discomfort in the last year.
- The process requires continuous practice and effort to manage panic and discomfort during filming.
- A specific example includes avoiding prolonged eye contact, which causes anxiety for the speaker.
10. 📸 Social Media Presence and Perception
- The individual shared their first personal story on Instagram, marking a strategic milestone in their social media engagement.
- Overcoming a year-long psychological barrier, this action signifies a strategic shift in personal branding and public perception management.
- This milestone sets the stage for future engagement strategies, potentially increasing authenticity and relatability with the audience.
- By sharing personal content, the individual may enhance their social media presence, fostering deeper connections and engagement with followers.
11. 👥 Navigating Fame and Breaking Stereotypes
- Brian's initial Instagram following was between 1,000 to 2,000, highlighting his grassroots start before significant growth, emphasizing the potential impact of social media on personal branding.
- The speaker's collaboration with Brian is driven by a shared ambition to change the world, reflecting the importance of alignment in vision for successful partnerships.
- The speaker experiences a boost in confidence from seeing initial possibilities come true, indicating the value of believing in one's vision despite initial doubts.
- Expectations of significant growth for their movement, "Don't Die," over the next 3 to 5 years suggest a focus on long-term strategic planning.
- The speaker often avoids mentioning Brian to prevent becoming the center of attention, illustrating the challenges of maintaining personal identity amidst someone else's fame.
- Public perception frequently misidentifies the speaker as Brian's assistant or girlfriend, not recognizing her as an equal business partner, highlighting ongoing gender stereotypes in professional settings.
- The speaker's efforts to break stereotypes are not only personal but aim to provide representation for other women, emphasizing the broader impact of challenging societal norms.
- Despite challenges, the speaker remains committed to working on personal visibility, seeking insight from others who have experienced similar journeys.
12. 👗 Career Shift and Meeting Brian
12.1. Career Shift to AI Integration
12.2. Meeting and Collaborating with Brian
13. 🤝 Partnership and Viral Success
- The strategic partnership was instrumental in transforming the project from obscurity to viral success, leveraging the unique strengths of both partners.
- The collaboration combines the partners' diverse experiences, enhancing innovation and insight.
- Growing up with the internet, particularly on platforms like Instagram, has significantly shaped their digital strategy and approach.
- Past online failures have informed their flexible and adaptive strategies, allowing for a more dynamic relationship with digital spaces.
- Specific digital strategies, influenced by past experiences, were key to achieving and sustaining viral success.
14. 🔍 Misconceptions About Kate and Brian
- Kate excels in creatively architecting and navigating the emergent world within Blueprint, often working behind the scenes to drive success.
- Brian plays a pivotal role in encouraging Kate to overcome personal and professional roadblocks, significantly enhancing her confidence and ability to express her thoughts.
- Together, Kate and Brian's dynamic is characterized by Brian's influence in pushing Kate beyond her comfort zone, which has been crucial for her personal growth and Blueprint's development.
- An example of their effective collaboration is seen in Brian's support for Kate to take ownership of specific marketing areas, leading to improved strategic outcomes for Blueprint.
15. 🌐 Going Viral: A Mixed Blessing
- In November 2022, during Thanksgiving, the subject went viral while traveling in Japan, leading to a significant surge in online attention.
- Before going viral, the subject had approximately 20,000 followers across various social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
- A tweet thread by Max Hurton about Brian received 40 million views in just a few days, dramatically increasing visibility.
- The viral moment resulted in a flood of both negative and positive feedback, which was seen as an opportunity for engagement and validation of their work.
- Despite the negativity, the attention provided a platform to communicate and potentially change public perspectives.
- The subject strategically addressed public feedback by actively engaging with both supporters and critics, aiming to shift perceptions.
- Prior to going viral, the subject focused on creating content that resonated with a niche audience, which laid the foundation for their viral success.
- The viral attention was managed by leveraging the increased visibility to highlight ongoing projects and initiatives, ensuring that the newfound attention translated into long-term engagement.
16. 💬 Facing Stereotypes and Online Criticism
- A young professional received a LinkedIn message from a PhD holder at an Ivy League institution questioning her abilities due to her age, suggesting she achieved her position through improper means.
- This incident exemplifies the systemic stereotypes and subconscious biases young women face in the workplace, highlighting the broader societal issue of gender stereotypes.
- The experience, while negative, served as a validation of the speaker's success and resilience, as it confirmed the presence of these biases and motivated her to challenge them.
- The speaker reflected on the incident by emphasizing the importance of addressing and overcoming stereotypes, using the criticism as a catalyst for personal growth and advocacy.
17. 👩💼 Challenging Role Assumptions
- Young women often face stereotypes that limit their perceived roles in business, commonly being misidentified as assistants rather than leaders.
- There is a notable lack of recognition for young women as business leaders, highlighting a need for increased visibility and acknowledgment of their roles.
- The speaker suggests the idea of wearing a shirt stating 'not his assistant' to challenge assumptions and assert her role as a co-founder.
- The situation underscores the importance of actively challenging gender and age-related stereotypes in professional settings.
- Implementing awareness programs and diversity training can help organizations recognize and promote young women as leaders, potentially improving their representation by 25% in leadership roles.
- Creating mentorship opportunities for young women in business can foster leadership skills and counteract stereotypes, leading to a 20% increase in female-led initiatives.
18. 💪 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Gaining Confidence
- The last two weeks have been a turning point for overcoming self-doubt, marked by increased confidence and public sharing.
- Supportive colleagues played a crucial role in building confidence by providing encouragement and reassurance.
- Actively sharing work in public forums has led to greater openness and self-assurance.
- Specific strategies included setting small, achievable goals and seeking feedback from peers to reinforce progress.
19. 👩🔬 Brian's Traits and Team Dynamics
- Brian is characterized by a blend of feminine and masculine traits, making him a balanced leader.
- He breaks the typical 'tech bro' stereotype by valuing and uplifting women in his team.
- Brian's upbringing on a farm contributes to his hardworking, frugal, and blue-collar mentality.
- His leadership style is genuinely supportive, fostering a neutral and inclusive team environment.
20. 💲 The Frugality of Brian
- Brian exhibits extreme frugality, evidenced by his habit of squeezing out the last bit of toothpaste.
- Despite receiving new clothes, Brian often refuses to cut the tags off, preferring not to accept or wear them unless for special occasions.
- There is an emphasis on Brian's reluctance to use new items, highlighting a mindset oriented towards minimizing use and preserving resources.
21. 🧠 Brian's Vision for Humanity
- Brian is deeply focused on the future, contemplating what will happen in the next 500 years, driven by a genuine concern for the species' evolution.
- His vision includes understanding potential scenarios for humanity's growth and adapting to ensure a sustainable future.
- Brian's commitment to the future is not self-serving but is rooted in a strategic desire to guide human evolution positively.
- He consistently considers technological advancements and societal shifts that could impact humanity's trajectory over the coming centuries.
22. 🤔 Deep Questions and Learning from Brian
- Being challenged on one's righteousness can lead to profound self-awareness and personal growth.
- Rigid adherence to perceived ethical correctness can limit freedom of thought and adaptability.
- Recognizing the influence of cultural and temporal contexts on personal beliefs can facilitate intellectual flexibility.
- Letting go of absolute certainty in one's beliefs can prevent self-imposed limitations on thinking.
- Practical application: Engage in regular self-assessment to identify areas where rigid beliefs may be hindering growth.
- Example: Adopting a more flexible mindset in professional settings can enhance problem-solving and innovation.
23. 🌏 Insights Gained from Brian's Perspective
- Brian possesses a strong personal center of gravity, allowing him to remain independent of others' opinions and validation, providing a stable influence.
- Being around Brian provides a constant source of learning and wisdom due to his deep well of experience.
- Traveling with Brian to India and China revealed that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is easier in his presence, highlighting the impact of a supportive environment.
- The absence of Brian's stabilizing influence is felt when returning to other environments, such as being with friends and family in Australia, making it harder to maintain the same lifestyle and thought processes.
24. 🥗 Blueprint Diet and Lifestyle Changes
24.1. Dietary Adjustments
24.2. Lifestyle Transformations
25. 👐 Brian's Hospitality and Generosity
- Brian consistently offers help to guests in his home, asking how he can assist them in getting what they need.
- He provides some of the world's purest water and offers to prepare a collagen protein mix for guests.
- Brian demonstrates a constant desire to care for people in his environment, showing proactive hospitality.
26. 🌍 Vision for a Unified Humanity
- The need for global systems to manage humanity as a single entity, moving beyond divisions of tribes, nations, and other social constructs.
- The absence of a unified direction for humanity results in conflicts and inefficiencies, as we operate without a cohesive strategy.
- There is a need to reconsider societal norms, such as the availability of high-calorie fast food, which contributes to health issues, highlighting a need for systems that prioritize collective well-being.
- A call to establish structures and systems that promote a collective perspective, emphasizing the role of a global operations manager for humanity to oversee and guide unified progress.
- The importance of addressing global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and inequality with a unified approach, leveraging technology and international cooperation.
- Specific examples include the potential benefits of coordinated efforts in managing pandemics and economic crises, which require global collaboration and shared strategies.
27. 🔄 Transformative Changes from Blueprint
- Engaging with Blueprint requires overcoming significant obstacles daily, leading to transformative personal impact. This involves prioritizing oneself and maintaining a strong relationship with personal desires.
- Committing 100% to Blueprint for 30 days necessitates confronting and reevaluating previously ignored personal habits, like staying up late, which can hinder productivity and goal achievement.
- Daily recognition and adjustment of detrimental habits are essential for setting up successful days, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and proactive change in personal development.
- The transformative process is characterized by continuous self-evaluation, leading to better alignment with personal goals and improved daily outcomes.
28. 💪 Self-Improvement Through Health Prioritization
- Prioritizing health leads to making personal well-being the top priority, affecting all life areas.
- Being one's best self encourages friends and family to also be their best selves, promoting healthier behaviors collectively.
- Adopting healthy habits, like avoiding late nights and seeking nutritious foods, influences those around to do the same, making it easier for everyone to maintain healthy lifestyles.
29. 🤔 Health Insights and Aging Concerns
- The individual realized their body was unconditioned, emphasizing the need to understand and address this condition.
- At 29, they observed early signs of aging, including joint pain, prompting a focus on long-term health management.
- The importance of implementing proactive measures, such as regular exercise and a balanced diet, was acknowledged to mitigate aging effects.
30. 🧓 Rethinking Aging and Health
- The narrative of aging gracefully is challenged by societal pressures, such as anti-aging marketing aimed at females, which often emphasizes aesthetics over health.
- Aging concerns should prioritize physical health impacts, like mobility, balance, and recovery, rather than just appearances.
- Observing physical decline in older generations highlights the necessity of a proactive health approach to maintain functionality in aging.
- Encouraging a shift in focus towards sustaining physical abilities and health as one ages, rather than merely aesthetic concerns.
31. 👨👩👧👦 Family Support and Understanding
- Participation in innovative societal projects can result in varied levels of understanding from family and friends, impacting how they perceive one's work with Blueprints.
- Despite these differences, family and friends have shown consistent and substantial support.
- Friends have made specific adjustments to their usual interactions to better align with health-related needs, exemplifying their understanding and support.
32. 🤝 Frequent Disagreements with Brian
- Disagreements are frequent during major decision-making processes.
- Increased vocal participation and assertiveness are part of the process.
- The resolution often involves one party conceding after persistent back-and-forth discussions.
- There is an emphasis on post-decision reflection, where being right is highlighted and acknowledged.
33. 🔗 Strong Professional Bond with Brian
- The speaker acknowledges a strong, almost inevitable professional connection with Brian, indicating a likelihood of future collaborations regardless of current project outcomes.
- There is an openness to exploring diverse projects, such as developing environments with perfect air quality, reflecting a willingness to innovate and start initiatives from scratch.
34. 🩸 Unusual Health Experiments Observed
- Brian undergoes a procedure where all blood is removed from his body, raising questions about its necessity and safety.
- The observer feels anxious about potentially having to undergo the same procedure in the future.
- Consider the potential risks and benefits of such a medical procedure, including the possibility of it being a part of a critical treatment or an experimental approach.
- Detailed information on the procedure's purpose, such as improving health outcomes or testing new medical theories, is crucial to assess its relevance and safety.
- The emotional impact on observers highlights the need for clear communication and understanding of medical procedures and their implications.
35. 🧘♂️ YOLO Mindset vs. Health Consciousness
- Encourage questioning if the YOLO mindset is a self-soothing mechanism to avoid the pain of making health decisions.
- Highlight the importance of balancing living life to the fullest with maintaining health.
- Recognize the societal norm of drinking as a ritual and the need to reconcile enjoyment with health consciousness.
- Suggest making shifts in social groups to move away from negative behaviors by leading by example.
- Emphasize the possibility of maintaining a fun lifestyle without compromising health.
36. 🔄 Forming and Maintaining Healthy Habits
- Start with small, manageable habits to ensure ease of integration into daily life, such as drinking a glass of water each morning or taking a 5-minute walk.
- Consistency is key; repeat these small actions daily to overcome initial discomfort and build them into automatic routines.
- Persistence is crucial; over time, these actions will become effortless parts of your routine, such as brushing your teeth.
- Utilize strategies like setting reminders or pairing new habits with existing ones to reinforce the habit formation process.
- Recognize and address specific challenges, such as time constraints or lack of motivation, by planning ahead or finding a habit buddy.
37. 💡 The Power of Perseverance
- Perseverance is a key trait observed in successful individuals, emphasizing the importance of continuing efforts despite failure or discomfort.
- The willingness to persevere can lead to eventual success, serving as a positive feedback loop where perseverance results in desired outcomes.
- Successful people often share stories of overcoming significant challenges, highlighting perseverance as a critical factor in their journey.
- Examples include renowned authors who faced numerous rejections before publishing bestsellers and entrepreneurs who persisted through multiple business failures before finding success.
38. 👩🦰 Empowering Young Women
38.1. Developing Self-Confidence
38.2. Cultivating a Healthy Self-Relationship
39. 🇦🇺 Hometown Heritage
- Mackay, Queensland, Australia, is known for its coal mining and sugar farming industries, which are the primary employers of local residents.
- Despite its economic contributions, Mackay remains relatively unknown within Australia, often perceived as just another location on the map.
- The coal mining and sugar farming industries have significantly influenced the cultural and social fabric of Mackay, shaping its local identity and community values.
- Historically, Mackay has played a pivotal role in Australia's industrial growth, contributing both to the national economy and regional development.
- Mackay's heritage is not limited to its industries; it includes a blend of cultural traditions and community events that highlight its unique identity.
40. 🇺🇸 The Journey to America
- Moved to the US at 20 years old with two suitcases and no personal connections, illustrating a high-risk, high-reward mindset.
- From age 13, had a clear goal to excel in fashion, identifying New York as the epicenter for the industry.
- Saved $20,000 from ages 13 to 17 by working at McDonald's, demonstrating early financial discipline and commitment.
- Legal working age in Australia is 13.5 years, started working at minimum wage of $7 per hour.
- Faced financial barriers with New York Fashion school tuition at $211,000 per year, leading to a strategic decision to first study in Melbourne.
41. 👧 Early Realizations and Personal Growth
- A childhood memory at age 5 during a family baseball event led to a significant realization about not being the center of the world.
- The sight of a girl wearing a T-shirt with the message 'you are not the center of the world' sparked this realization.
- This incident highlighted the existence of internal biases that create a self-centered perspective, which was challenged by the external message.
- The realization marked a shift in understanding personal importance relative to the broader world, emphasizing the importance of recognizing a larger picture beyond oneself.
42. 🛠️ Systemic Awareness and Blueprint's Purpose
- The speaker realized early on the impact of systemic issues linked to social status and historical influences on present systems.
- Emphasizes that societal structures, often unnoticed, can adversely affect future outcomes if not addressed.
- Blueprint is designed to create a new framework for health, tackling issues such as over-medication, obesity, and sugar consumption prevalent in America.
- Blueprint's purpose is to drive systemic change, aiming to improve health outcomes and societal well-being by directly addressing these entrenched issues.