Farnam Street · Vicky
articleprincipleMichael Ovitz: The Psychology of Power
29 January 2026Clarity & Focus
Source excerpt
About Farnam StreetMichael Ovitz co-founded CAA and helped reshape Hollywood, then took the same playbook into tech investing and advising founders. Available Now: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | X | Transcript In this conversation, he breaks down the operating rules that kept CAA from losing clients, and the personal disciplines that kept him grounded when … The post Michael Ovitz: The Psychology of Power appeared first on Farnam Street.
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Apollo layer
What a founder can learn
Founder takeaway
Build power that lasts by pairing clear operating rules for retaining customers with personal disciplines that keep your judgment grounded as your influence grows.
Why it matters
Customer loyalty should not depend on the founder’s memory or relationships alone. Codified retention systems make trust repeatable, while personal discipline reduces the risk that status or pressure distorts decisions.
Relevant guides
Put it to work
Write down your three most important customer-retention rules, then assign an owner, trigger, and review cadence for each. Add one personal practice that helps you make clear decisions under pressure.