Welcome to In Search of Excellence! In this powerful second part of our interview, billionaire entrepreneur and Minnesota Timberwolves owner Marc Lore joins Randall Kaplan to share the unconventional secrets behind his massive success. From selling Diapers.com to Amazon and Jet.com to Walmart for billions, to his latest vision with Wonder, Marc reveals why “leaving no escape hatch” is the ultimate motivator for any founder.

In this episode, Marc Lore dives deep into the “sixth gear” mentality required to scale world-class companies. He details the high-stakes world of angel investing, explaining why he put his entire life savings on the line to secure his first $4 million in funding.

You’ll hear the behind-the-scenes story of the Amazon vs. Diapers.com price war and why Marc chose to take $100 million less to ensure his company’s future.

Marc also shares his “clean slate” philosophy on business pivots, explaining why he took his current company, Wonder, to zero revenue to transition from food trucks to brick-and-mortar. Finally, he discusses the emotional toll of the legal battle for the Minnesota Timberwolves and provides his blueprint for a 21st-century vision for America.

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Key Moments & Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: Marc Lore’s “No Plan B” philosophy
02:50 – Is college still necessary in the age of AI and YouTube?
05:35 – Why the “person you work for” matters more than the job
08:33 – Quitting a top Wall Street job with no backup plan
11:00 – How to raise $4M from 80 angel investors

14:00 – Why putting your life savings at risk actually reduces risk
17:20 – The Amazon “Diaper War”: Why selling for $545M was depressing
21:33 – The future of e-commerce: Kiva robots and conversational AI
25:10 – Selling Jet.com to Walmart for $3.3 billion
30:20 – The Wonder pivot: Closing a $100M truck business for brick-and-mortar
38:35 – Winning the legal battle for the Minnesota Timberwolves
46:49 – Marc’s famous “Salary Goals” sign and the power of a mission
51:43 – The truth about 100-hour work weeks and family balance
54:29 – Fill in the Blank to Excellence: Biggest regrets and life advice

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About Marc Lore

Marc Lore is a serial entrepreneur, billionaire, and professional sports owner. He is the founder of Jet.com (sold to Walmart for $3.3B) and Quidsi (parent company of Diapers.com, sold to Amazon for $545M). He currently serves as the Founder and CEO of Wonder, a revolutionary food delivery platform. He is also the owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) and Minnesota Lynx (WNBA).

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In this explosive episode of In Search of Excellence, Randall Kaplan sits down with Marc Lore—the billionaire entrepreneur, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the visionary founder behind Diapers.com (sold to Amazon for $545M) and Jet.com (sold to Walmart for $3.3B).

If you think entrepreneurship is glamorous, think again. Marc drops the filter to reveal that "95% of the day is shit work"—boring, repetitive, and unexciting tasks that most people quit on. From hauling thousands of diaper boxes out of Costco in an 18-wheeler because manufacturers wouldn't sell to him , to counting cards in Atlantic City casinos, Marc shares the raw stories of resourcefulness and resilience that defined his path to billions.

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Key Moments & Timestamps
00:00 – Intro: Why entrepreneurship is low probability and "shit work"
01:46 – The Story: Marc’s dad crashing Bruce Springsteen’s house
03:44 – How Marc’s dad "hacked" the job market for programmers
07:44 – Marc’s mom becoming a competitive bodybuilder at age 36
11:31 – The "Farmer Mindset": Creating something from nothing
13:32 – Nature vs. Nurture: Are entrepreneurs born or made?
14:44 – Overcoming bullies and the power of being alone
19:48 – Why "A-students" from top schools often struggle with failure
23:40 – Hiring Strategy: Why Marc is a "Resume Snob"
31:30 – Trading options and derivatives at 12 years old
35:32 – The Fake ID Ring: Deconstructing licenses to beat the system
40:12 – Why manual labor is the best training for CEOs
43:55 – The Diapers.com Hustle: Buying inventory from Costco with an 18-wheeler
45:48 – The "Loss Leader" Strategy: Losing money to win the customer
48:14 – The Human Calculator: Marc proves his insane math skills live
51:51 – Why visionary founders are obsessed with magic

About the Guest: Marc Lore
Marc Lore is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and owner of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. He is one of the few founders to sell a company to Amazon (Diapers.com) and another to Walmart (Jet.com) for multibillion-dollar exits. Known for his "human calculator" math skills and extreme risk tolerance, Marc is currently building the utopian city project Telosa and the food delivery startup Wonder.

About the Host: Randall Kaplan
Randall Kaplan is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and the founder of In Search of Excellence. He has been an advisor to more than 50 companies and invested in nearly 100, including Google, Lyft, and Seagate.

Apply for One-On-One Coaching
If you're ready to change your life and achieve your goals, apply here: https://www.randallkaplan.com/coaching

Listen to my Extreme Preparation TEDx Talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIvlFpoLfgs

Listen to this episode on the go!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/23q0XIC...

For more information about this episode, visit https://www.randallkaplan.com/

Follow Randall!
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1-on-1 Coaching: https://www.randallkaplan.com/coaching

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In Part 2 of this incredible interview, Randy Kaplan sits down with world-renowned mentalist and America’s Got Talent finalist Oz Perlman. Oz reveals the psychological frameworks that allowed him to transition from a high-stakes career at Merrill Lynch to becoming the most sought-after mentalist in the world.

This episode dives deep into the "Business of Mind Reading." Oz shares his proprietary "Silo Method" for processing rejection, his "Shampoo Model" for never forgetting a name, and why a simple bag of Starbucks coffee can be the key to landing a million-dollar meeting. Whether you are an entrepreneur looking to network with CEOs or someone trying to master the art of public speaking, Oz Perlman’s insights on authenticity, extreme preparation, and the power of "giving" will transform your professional life.
Stick around until the end for a mind-bending demonstration where Oz reads Randy’s mind in real-time!

Timestamps
00:00 – The difference between Magic and Mentalism.
01:00 – Cold calling: The most important skill you can have.
05:00 – Tricking your brain to handle rejection (The Silo Method).
10:39 – Is college still necessary? Building a social brand.
15:00 – How to earn a mentorship and add true value.
17:41 – The Starbucks Coffee Trick: How to get any meeting.
21:30 – Quitting Wall Street: The James Gorman story.
30:00 – How to never forget a name (Listen, Repeat, Reply).
35:00 – Public speaking as a force multiplier for success.
40:00 – Learning from failure vs. extreme preparation.
44:14 – Rapid fire questions: Oz’s biggest regrets and goals.
47:15 – LIVE MENTALISM: Oz reads Randy Kaplan's mind.

Guest Bio & Links
Oz Perlman is an Emmy-award-winning mentalist and one of the most famous performers in his field today. After rising to national fame as a finalist on America’s Got Talent in 2015, Oz has become a regular guest on major networks like CNBC, performing for elite CEOs and world leaders. He is a marathon runner, a math prodigy, and the author of the upcoming book “Read Your Mind”.
Order Oz’s new book, "Read Your Mind" at this link.
Follow Oz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozthementalist/?hl=en
Visit Oz Perlman’s Website: https://www.ozpearlman.com/
Watch Oz's TED Talk on Memory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3M00JI8Iwo&t=433s

About the Host
Randy Kaplan is an entrepreneur, investor, and the co-founder of multiple multi-billion-dollar companies. As the host of *In Search of Excellence*, he interviews world-class performers to uncover the secrets to their success.

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I coach a small group of high achievers on how to elevate their careers, grow their businesses, and reach their full potential both professionally and personally.

If you're ready to change your life and achieve your goals, apply here: https://www.randallkaplan.com/coaching

Listen to my Extreme Preparation TEDx Talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIvlFpoLfgs

Listen to this episode on the go!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/23q0XIC...

For more information about this episode, visit https://www.randallkaplan.com/

Follow Randall!
Instagram: @randallkaplan
LinkedIn: @randallkaplan
TikTok: @randall_kaplan
Twitter / X: https://x.com/RandallKaplan
Website: https://www.randallkaplan.com/
1-on-1 Coaching: https://www.randallkaplan.com/coaching

Coaching and Staying Connected:

1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn