Episode 43: Dennis Knodt (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-knodt) sits down with Chris Treble – entrepreneur, mentor, and now 85 – who’s played a key role in Dennis’ life for nearly two decades. The two met when Dennis was just 16, during a summer in Silicon Valley, and Chris has been a mentor and friend ever since. In this episode, Chris shares the ups and downs of his journey: growing up in post-war England, failing out of college, getting into Stanford against the odds, building a real estate empire – and nearly losing it all during the 2008 crash. It’s a conversation about second chances, finding your path, and what it means to show up for others – in business and life.

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00:00 Intro

02:56 Failing in the US and returning to Selfridges

07:25 Childhood memories: food, war, and class consciousness

15:48 How Chris got into Stanford – with help, luck, and a loan

28:04 First steps into entrepreneurship: leaving the employee life

36:42 The first big real estate projects

50:03 Losing it all in 2008 – and coming back

59:20 The $50 million deal nobody wanted

Episode 42: David Kunze (https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-kunze) and Dennis Knodt (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-knodt) talk to Chris – entrepreneur, mentor, and now 85 years old – about his experiment at the Network School near Singapore. A place some call the new Stanford, others a scam. Chris explains what the concept of the “Network State” is all about, why he still attends AI workshops at 85, how he thinks about investing in biologics, and why the biggest shift in entrepreneurship might be this: power is moving from the center back to the network. They also dive into philosophy, the joy of living, and the big question: should we even want to live forever?

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00:00 Intro

02:56 What is the Network School?

05:56 A month in a failed hotel resort

10:06 What’s the goal of the Network School?

16:06 Why Chris flew there in the first place

20:18 Politics, tax incentives & location logic

27:00 AI use cases, Bitcoin & early-stage projects

32:02 The future of business & decentralization

44:48 Biologics investing & entrepreneurial patience

50:04 Workout routine & thoughts on immortality

56:04 Takeaways & a philosophical closing thought

Episode 41: David Kunze (https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-kunze) und Dennis Knodt (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-knodt) berichten von ihrer Reise in den Nahen Osten – zwischen Sand, Skylines und Salesforce. Es geht um futuristische Städte wie Dubai, Goldgräberstimmung in Riad, absurde Statussymbole wie 22-Millionen-Dollar-Nummernschilder und den Business Impact von Telefonnummern. Außerdem: Warum Saudi-Arabien wirtschaftlich aufdreht, Salesforce dort 500 Mio. investiert und wie eine Drohnen-Lightshow zum Heiratsantrag wurde.

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00:00 Intro

01:32 Dubai: Kritik, Klischees & persönliche Eindrücke

02:57 Die Vision Dubais: 8-spurige Straßen in der Wüste

07:37 Heiratsantrag mit Drohnen – nur in Dubai

13:35 Nummernschilder für 22 Mio – Statussymbole in Blech

17:00 Telefonnummern als Luxusgut – und was sie wert sind

19:45 Kulturschock Riad – Realität & Wandel in Saudi-Arabien

31:16 Salesforce investiert 500 Mio – Saudi als Wachstumsmarkt