The Sunday List

Michael Ovitz has something he calls the Sunday List.

Ovitz founded the powerhouse talent agency CAA in 1975 and later went on to a successful career as an investor and venture capitalist.

He was successful because he made it his business to meet as many people as possible but then also apply a discerning filter to identify the standouts and cultivate those relationships. Early in his career those people were the Hollywood “talent” that he would represent; Later on, it was the founders of startups that he would invest in.

Ovitz didn’t “work” Sundays in the sense that he didn’t go into the office.

Instead, he spent the day reviewing all his meetings from the previous week.

He would weigh each person he had met and decide if they were top shelf. 

Memorable people went on his “Sunday list” to follow up to deepen the relationship. They would get followup meetings and he would make sure to stay in touch.

Ovitz says he has done that every Sunday without fail for 50 years.

Imagine the discipline it takes to do that week after week. Also, the discipline it would take to grow and maintain the The Sunday List over the years.

Ovitz is fond of saying that “time is your enemy.” 

He thinks to be successful it’s essential to spend time with compelling people.

The essential truth he realized was that friendships and connections compound over time in much the same way as capital.

BRIEF OBSERVATIONS

GEN X: A Fortune article gathered these alarming statistics about Gen X and challenge people in their mid 50s are facing in the job market.

LOBSTERMAN: I support the trend of people who have succeeded professional finding a second career doing something they love.

THE RICH GET RICHER: It’s been all about the big cap companies over the past several years and many believe that because of AI that will continue.

THE PACE OF CHANGE: Post by Nikhil Krishnan serves as a reminder of the amazing pace of techological change.

RETIRING: The stats from Fidelity on what it takes to retire are fairly terrifying.

Please reach out if you have any thoughts about today’s newsletter. I enjoy hearing from readers. Send me a message if you want to talk or meet up if you are in NYC.

I would love it if you could share this newsletter with a friend.

Also, if you have a moment, take the poll below.