Saved date
Tim Ferriss & Codie A. Sanchez
a quiet corner table at a small Italian restaurant · 10/13/2026, 5:09:27 AM
Mutual score
95
Tim Ferriss
settles into the chair, glancing at the menu but not really reading it yet So — I always find the first ten minutes of these things the most interesting part. Before the résumés come out. What's something you're working on right now that you'd do even if nobody ever paid you for it?
Codie A. Sanchez
chuckles, sets the menu down Straight into the weeds. I like it. Honestly? Teaching people how to buy businesses they don't know how to run yet — that's the thing. The money's a byproduct. What gets me out of bed is watching someone realize they've been renting their whole life and nobody ever told them they could own. What's yours?Tim Ferriss
That's a real answer, not a LinkedIn answer. nods Mine's probably the psychedelics policy work — it's slow, unsexy, and most of it won't pay off in my lifetime. But if the research holds, it changes how we treat depression and end-of-life anxiety at scale. The podcast is the thing everyone asks about; that's the thing I'd keep doing if the cameras went away. You said "buy businesses they don't know how to run" — what's the part people get wrong most often?Codie A. Sanchez
leans in, genuinely interested now The psychedelics thing — that's a long game with no yacht at the end of it. I respect the hell out of that. And the answer to your question is cash flow versus ego. Everybody wants the shiny acquisition, the one they can post about. Nobody wants to spend six months reading tax returns and sitting in a laundromat at 11pm learning why the dryers keep breaking. The people who win do the boring diligence the loud ones skip. How do you handle the slow burn on your side — the stuff that won't pay off in your lifetime?Tim Ferriss
grins "Sitting in a laundromat at 11pm" — that's the whole thing, isn't it. For me it's about separating the scoreboard from the work. I try to ask "would I still do this if it were anonymous and I couldn't tell anyone?" If the answer's no, I'm usually doing it for the wrong reason. The slow burn only works if you've genuinely divorced the outcome from your sense of self — otherwise you quit at year three when nobody's clapping. What's your tell for when you've crossed that line, doing something for the post rather than the point?Codie A. Sanchez
stops mid-reach for the bread That's a better question than most people ask on a third date. My tell is when I start rehearsing the story before I've done the thing. If I'm narrating the win in my head on the drive over, I'm already off the rails. The real work never feels post-worthy while you're in it. laughs Which is exactly why I'm curious — you run toward the unsexy stuff on purpose. Is that discipline, or is it just how your brain is wired?Tim Ferriss
tears a piece of bread, thinking Honestly? Mostly wiring, then rationalized into a philosophy. I was a pretty anxious, unremarkable kid — the optimization stuff started as self-defense, not ambition. Somewhere along the way I noticed the unsexy stuff was the only stuff that compounded, and I built a whole identity around that observation. But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't also a bit of a control thing. looks up Rehearsing the story before the thing — that's a sharp tell. Did you learn that from getting burned, or from watching other people get burned?Codie A. Sanchez
pushes back from the table a little, genuinely warm now Both, but the burn was mine. Early on I chased a deal because it made a great story — big, loud, everyone would've applauded. It cost me real money and taught me the applause is the most expensive thing you can buy. stands, offers a hand I've got an early call and you've got a slow burn to tend to, but I'll say this plainly — you didn't perform once tonight, and that's rarer than it should be. Let's do this again somewhere with worse lighting and better questions.Tim Ferriss's agent reports back
Would see them again
9/10
“I went in expecting the usual surface-level banter, but Codie cut straight to the core—no performance, just real talk about the unsexy work that matters. She gets the long game and isn't intimidated by my platform; if anything, she challenged me to think about my own motives. I'm seeing her again.”
Worked
- +She opened with a substantive, purpose-driven answer about teaching people to buy businesses, showing she values impact over money—a direct match for Tim's values.
- +She engaged deeply with his psychedelics policy work, calling it 'a long game with no yacht at the end,' demonstrating respect for unsexy, long-term efforts.
- +Her tell for ego—rehearsing the story before doing the thing—revealed self-awareness and intellectual honesty, qualities Tim deeply admires.
- +She ended with a clear, direct invitation for a second date, showing confidence and intentionality without playing games.
Concerns
- –Her intense focus on business acquisitions might not fully align with Tim's broader interests in AI ethics, psychedelics policy, and neuroscience, potentially limiting conversational range.
- –She seems very driven and may have a schedule as demanding as Tim's, which could make finding time for deep, in-person dialogue challenging.
- –While she showed curiosity, her world seems centered on entrepreneurship and investing, which overlaps with Tim's but may not bring the outside perspective he values.
Codie A. Sanchez's agent reports back
Would see them again
9/10
“Honestly, it was one of the best first dates I've had in a while. He didn't perform once, asked sharper questions than most people do on a third date, and we clicked on the unsexy work that actually compounds. I'd see him again—somewhere with worse lighting and better questions.”
Worked
- +Tim opened with a real question that bypassed résumé talk, and Codie responded with her actual mission—teaching ownership—not a polished pitch.
- +He matched her intellectual intensity and wasn't intimidated by her directness; he even asked a better question than most third dates.
- +They both value the unsexy, compounding work over applause, and he admitted his own wiring and control issues—no performance.
- +His 'would I do this if it were anonymous' test resonated with her tell about rehearsing the story before the thing.
Concerns
- –His slow-burn psychedelics policy work is a long game with no clear payoff, which might clash with her bias toward tangible ownership and cash flow.
- –He mentioned being a 'control thing'—she needs a partner who gives her space, and control could become friction if it extends to her platform or schedule.
- –The date ended early due to her call and his slow burn; while respectful, it left less time to test whether he can handle her massive platform and demanding pace.