Peter Cuneo - Marvel’s Turnaround CEO, $4.5B Exit | The Navy Officer Who Saved Marvel
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Peter Cuneo is a renowned American business executive best known for orchestrating one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in history as President and CEO of Marvel Entertainment. He rescued Marvel from bankruptcy in the late 1990s and transformed it into a global entertainment powerhouse that Disney ultimately acquired for $4.3 billion—delivering massive returns to shareholders and cementing his reputation as one of America's elite turnaround specialists. With senior leadership roles at major brands including Clairol, Black & Decker, and Remington, Cuneo has built a legendary career revitalizing struggling companies into category leaders through strategic vision, disciplined execution, and a proven track record of creating extraordinary value.
➡️ Show Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cuneo/
https://www.petercuneo.com/
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➡️ Talking Points
00:00 – Intro
01:15 – The War Experience That Redefined Risk
17:38 – Are Leaders Born or Made?
23:47 – Sponsor Break
28:22 – Why Great Leaders Stay Curious
33:13 – Are We Losing Our Curiosity?
37:03 – Raising Successful Kids in 2025
42:09 – The Best People to Learn Leadership From
44:20 – Leadership Advice for 25-Year-Olds
46:35 – Sponsor Break
49:28 – Knowing Which Lessons to Keep—or Forget
53:17 – Early Signs a Company’s Failing
56:33 – The Power of Thinking Like an Outsider
1:01:12 – The Bold Bets That Transformed Marvel
1:07:08 – Smarter Decisions and Risk Taking
1:11:49 – Peter Cuneo’s Final Lesson for His Son
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Lessons - Chauffeur Knowledge (Scott)
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➡️ If you like more content like this, you'll love my podcast, 10 Minute Mindset https://10minmindset.org/
In this "Lessons" episode, we're exposing why you can explain concepts perfectly in meetings, but when it's time to actually use them, nothing works. Most people mistake memorizing ideas for understanding them, and it's killing their ability to solve real problems. You'll learn why collecting more knowledge is making you dumber, the difference between sounding smart and being effective, and one simple test that reveals if you actually know what you think you know.
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Lessons - The Brutal Truth About Fundraising | Russ Heddleston - Built & Sold DocSend for $165M
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In this "Lessons" episode, Russ Heddleston, founder of DocSend, breaks down the harsh realities of startup fundraising and what truly separates successful founders from the rest. Drawing from his experience building and selling DocSend for $165M, he reveals why timing a raise is less about fixed milestones and more about credibility, vision, and momentum. Learn how simplicity in your pitch deck earns investor trust, why clarity always beats complexity, and how to approach different fundraising stages with confidence. This conversation cuts through the noise to deliver practical, data-backed insights every founder needs before their next investor meeting.
➡️ Show Links
https://successstorypodcast.com
YouTube: https://youtu.be/HwEWy24UDWs
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/russ-heddleston-co-founder-and-ceo-at-docsend-best/id1484783544
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7MY2iI39B6OlywWV7b5CX3
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https://www.youtube.com/c/scottdclary
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Lessons - The Truth About Finding Product-Market Fit After 3 Exits | Shirish Nadkarni - Author of From Startup to Exit
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In this “Lessons” episode, Shirish Nadkarni, author of From Startup to Exit, breaks down what it really takes to find product-market fit — and why timing, validation, and adaptability can make or break a startup. Drawing from his own journey through three successful exits, he shares how he raised $15 million pre-revenue during the dot-com boom, learned the hard way that great ideas fail without market readiness, and turned a struggling concept into a company eventually acquired by BlackBerry. Learn how founders can identify the right problems to solve, test demand before building, and recognize when it’s time to pivot, raise, or exit strategically.
➡️ Show Links
https://successstorypodcast.com
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Xe25lwThfBw
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shirish-nadkarni-author-of-from-startup-to-exit/id1484783544
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7cAYe8tjGHCEdg9srQzs4a
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https://www.youtube.com/c/scottdclary
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Dr. David Burns - Stanford Psychiatrist, 10M Books Sold | The Stanford Study That Changed Everything
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Dr. David D. Burns is an American psychiatrist, bestselling author, and pioneer in the field of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). He is best known for his groundbreaking books Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy and The Feeling Good Handbook, which have helped millions overcome depression and anxiety through evidence-based self-help techniques. A graduate of Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Burns has devoted his career to developing innovative, practical methods for emotional healing, including TEAM-CBT, a powerful, results-driven approach to psychotherapy that emphasizes empathy, cognitive reframing, and rapid symptom relief.
➡️ Show Links
https://www.youtube.com/@daviddbmd/
https://www.facebook.com/DavidBurnsMD/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-burns-86178657/
➡️ Podcast Sponsors
Hubspot - https://hubspot.com/
ShipStation - https://www.shipstation.com/ (Code: SuccessStory)
Square - https://square.com/go/success
SurveyMonkey - https://www.surveymonkey.com/scott
Monarch Money - https://www.monarchmoney.com (Code: Success)
Claude - https://claude.ai/success
Incogni - https://incogni.com/success (Code: Success)
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Think Big, Buy Small Podcast - https://link.chtbl.com/B2cH36AX?sid=SuccessStory
NetSuite — https://netsuite.com/scottclary/
Indeed - https://indeed.com/clary
➡️ Talking Points
00:00 – Intro
01:25 – Redefining Therapy
13:29 – Misunderstanding Depression
15:46 – Hormones and Mood
23:51 – Sponsor Break
28:15 – Breaking Worthlessness
35:05 – The Power of Feeling Good
39:19 – From Depression to Joy
48:52 – Sponsor Break
51:44 – When Therapy Fails
58:31 – Lasting Change
1:01:19 – Dangerous Self Talk
1:06:58 – A Lesson for His Children
Welcome to the Success Story Podcast, hosted by entrepreneur, business executive, author, educator & speaker, Scott D. Clary (@scottdclary). On this podcast, you'll find interviews, Q&A, keynote presentations & conversations on sales, marketing, business, startups and entrepreneurship. Scott will discuss some of the lessons he's learned over his own career, as well as have candid interviews with execs, celebrities, notable figures and politicians. All who have achieved success through both wins and losses, to learn more about their life, their ideas and insights. He sits down with leaders and mentors and unpacks their story to help pass those lessons onto others through both experiences and tactical strategy for business professionals, entrepreneurs and everyone in between. To get more of the Success Story podcast, go to www.successstorypodcast.com.
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