#419 Kelly Johnson: Skunk Works episode artwork

EPISODE · May 16, 2026 · 49 MIN

#419 Kelly Johnson: Skunk Works

from Founders · host David Senra

Kelly Johnson’s “14 Points” read like a SpaceX operations manual — 60 years before SpaceX was founded. Kelly Johnson created Skunk Works, which he defined as: “A concentration of a few good people solving problems far in advance—and at a fraction of the cost—of other groups by applying the simplest, most straightforward methods possible to develop and produce new projects. All it is really is the application of common sense to some pretty tough problems.” Kelly Johnson was a great engineer and system builder with genius for organizational design. His autobiography which he wrote when he was 75 years old is full of hard-earned wisdom from his 44 year career. This episode is what I learned from reading Kelly: More Than My Share of it All by Kelly Johnson. Made possible by: Ramp: https://ramp.com Axon by Applovin: https://axon.ai/founders Vanta: ⁠https://vanta.com/founders⁠

Kelly Johnson’s “14 Points” read like a SpaceX operations manual — 60 years before SpaceX was founded. Kelly Johnson created Skunk Works, which he defined as: “A concentration of a few good people solving problems far in advance—and at a fraction of the cost—of other groups by applying the simplest, most straightforward methods possible to develop and produce new projects. All it is really is the application of common sense to some pretty tough problems.” Kelly Johnson was a great engineer and system builder with genius for organizational design. His autobiography which he wrote when he was 75 years old is full of hard-earned wisdom from his 44 year career. This episode is what I learned from reading Kelly: More Than My Share of it All by Kelly Johnson. Made possible by: Ramp: https://ramp.com Axon by Applovin: https://axon.ai/founders Vanta: ⁠https://vanta.com/founders⁠

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#419 Kelly Johnson: Skunk Works

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The Syndicate Blogcast: Startups | Startup Investing | Tech News | Angel Investors | VC | Venture Capital | Private Equity | Crowdfunding | Fundraising Matt Ward - Serial Entrepreneur | Angel Investor | Startup Advisor | Amazon Ecommerce The Syndicate Blogcast show is an extension of The Syndicate podcast, featuring long form articles on the future technology, ecommerce, business and life. The mini-sodes deconstruct high level startup, business and tech issues to help investors and operators better understand and win the market. Recurring topics include: Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Ecommerce, Blockchains, ICOs, Cryptocurrencies, Marketing, Fundraising, Venture Capital, Startup Challenges, Business Development and more. The Blogcast comes in addition to The Syndicate - the place where investors and startups combine to create crazy businesses and even crazier returns. The Syndicate podcast is a deep dive on the angel investors and VCs behind the big name startups. We interview the best and brightest investors, syndicate leads, GPs, limited partners and startup founders to create an original, off the cuff discussion on startup investing. The Ultraspeaking Podcast Tristan de Montebello, Michael Gendler The Ultraspeaking Podcast explores modern-day solutions to greater confidence, skill, and ease when speaking at work. Each episode features the founders, Tristan and Michael, as they detail unconventional strategies to thrive under pressure and speak with less preparation. Working on hand-gestures and eye contact is OUTDATED advice. Writing a script or creating a structure is a TRAP.It’s time for a better way. Join the Ultraspeaking movement and you’ll never look back. The Index Podcast Index Studios What’s indexing this week in crypto, blockchain, and open-source AI? Find out on The Index, where we feature exclusive conversations that go beyond code. Each week, host and entrepreneur Alex Kehaya talks with founders, developers, and investors who are shaping the future of Web3. From startup advice to breakthrough strategies, our guests share their stories and take a deep dive into the decentralized future. Speaking of Startups William Bissett, CFP Charlotte Angel Connection is a means to connect those both in Charlotte and across the country to Charlotte's fast growing startup community. We will interview key players in the startup world including founders, city personnel promoting entrepreneurship, university leaders, and many others. A startup community also needs investors interested in supporting and profiting from the community. As such, we will interview investors, angel funds, venture capital funds and more to learn more about what is and isn't working in the Charlotte community. Finally, any community needs support as it grows so we will talk with lawyers, accountants, marketing professionals, co-working spaces and more to discuss the opportunities available to those looking to start and grow their business in Charlotte.

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This episode was published on May 16, 2026.

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Kelly Johnson’s “14 Points” read like a SpaceX operations manual — 60 years before SpaceX was founded. Kelly Johnson created Skunk Works, which he defined as: “A concentration of a few good people solving problems far in advance—and at a fraction...

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