Founders
Episode 326 #326 Anna Wintour
Founders

Episode 326: #326 Anna Wintour

Founders

Episode 326

#326 Anna Wintour

David Senra is the host of Founders, where he studies history's greatest entrepreneurs. This is what he learned from reading Anna: The Biography by Amy Odell.

What I learned from reading Anna: The Biography by Amy Odell.

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(8:00) She knows the ecosystem in which she operates better than anyone.

(8:30) If Anna had a personal tag line it would be: I just have to make sure things are done right.

(16:00) He had a desk with nothing on it except a buzzer underneath, so that when he was done with you, which was in about five minutes, his assistant could come in and whisk you away.

(17:00) What is the number one thing you hope people learn from you? To be decisive and clear.

(19:00) The Vogue 100 is a private club whose members pay $100,000 a year just for access to Anna.

(29:00) She did not second guess herself.

(30:00) She was meticulous about everything.

(32:00) Her focus was singular. She was very clear minded about wanting to do work that she thought was the best.

(38:00) She knew that killing stories was necessary to let people know that you had standards.

(41:00) Creative Selection: Inside Apple's Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs by Ken Kocienda. (Founders #281)

(44:00) Anna ran the magazine with iron fisted discipline.

(48:00) With Anna you get two minutes. The second minute is a courtesy.

(49:00) It is slothful not to compress your thoughts. — Winston Churchill

(52:00) Anna intentionally builds relationships with the most powerful people in her industry.

(52:00) Anna saw the potential for the industry and how she can expand the power and the influence that her individually, and Vogue as a brand, by just combining all these people that are already in the ecosystem and then intentionally putting them together. When they work together it becomes stronger. And as a result of what she created, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

(53:30) The power she has cannot be understated. The way in which she accumulated the power was fascinating. She aligned everybody's interest, with her at the center.

(1:05:00) She's not just building up a personal brand. She's not just building up Vogue. She's building up the entire industry.

(1:06:00) Relationships last longer than money.

(1:06:00) Resist any cheapening of the brand, however popular and lucrative it might be in the short term.

(1:08:00) Anna told him don't spend any time and money building out the perfect store in New York. Just roll racks into the unfinished space and start selling clothes. (He ignored this advice and went out of business)

(1:11:00) More resources:

Front Row: Anna Wintour: The Cool Life and Hot Times of Vogue's Editor in Chief by Jerry Oppenheimer

The September Issue (Documentary)

The Devil Wears Prada (Movie)

73 Questions with Anna Wintour

73 More Questions with Anna Wintour 

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#326 Anna Wintour

Introduction

Anna started the day as usual. She rose by 5:00 a.m., exercised at 5:30, sat for 30 minutes of professional hair and makeup and then was chauffeured to her office where her three assistants were waiting for her. Her request for her assistants were constant, day and night, weekday and weekend and always delivered in e-mails with no subject line. Her schedule was meticulously planned. When Anna called a meeting if you didn't arrive early, you were late.

She has been the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue since 1988 and is one of the most powerful figures in media. If she wants a fashion designer to have more influence, she recommends them to lead a bigger label, and she has this power because the owners of these labels seek and follow her advice. She advises them not only on their clothes, but also how to run their businesses.

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