Transcript

Narrator/Advertiser (0:02)

Tetragrammaton.

Adam Neumann (0:24)

I was born in Israel. I moved 13 times. By moving from place to place, I always found myself in a new community. Being the new kid in every community means you have no friends on the first day. I would always be attracted to the other kids who had no friends. And my goal in life used to be to make the uncool kids cool. Would take about a few months, then we would all become friends and we would move to the next destination. And I did that literally 13 times in my childhood. The place I lived the most was in a kibbutz. For people who don't know what the kibbutz is, there used to be hundreds of them in Israel. It was a version of a community where every person had a different job, but everybody earned the same amount of money and had access to the same amount of resources. Everybody had the same house. I happened to have just gotten a chance to go to the house. I lived in the kibbutz. I didn't remember how small it was. The entire house, bedroom, kitchen and children's room. My sister and I shared a room was 450 square feet and I don't fit in the door, so I was shorter there. But when I went to kibbutz, I was like, oh wow, the door doesn't

Interviewer (1:28)

fit Your sister older or younger?

Adam Neumann (1:29)

Younger sister. Three years younger.

Interviewer (1:31)

And what was your relationship like?

Adam Neumann (1:33)

So growing up separate from moving from place to place, which means we always had to be very close. When I was about 8, my parents got a divorce and after my parents got a divorce, we moved to the U.S. my parents are both doctors and we moved to the US for two years because my mother had to fellow. She's an oncologist. She fellowed in Indiana. Indianapolis. So I was a Hoosier for two years. I went to Pacers games in Indy 500 and that's where I learned how to speak English because I'm very dyslexic. And for very dyslexic people, one of the toughest thing is a new language. And I remember all those people said, how dyslexic are you? And I would say, when we moved to Indiana, I asked my mom when I went to school the first day, I said, what am I going to do? How am I going to order food? There's a cafeteria. I don't know any words in English. She said, say peanut butter and jelly. So I learned peanut butter and jelly. And for the next two months, every day I wait in line and everybody gets there and they order the hamburgers. And their fries and their chicken nuggets. And all I can say is peanut butter and jelly. And one day, after two months, I was like, I can't eat one more peanut butter and jelly. And I had the courage, and I said the word hot dog. And from there, I started learning. And that was the two years. So at this stage, my parents are divorced. It's my mom, my sister and I, we're living alone in the US and as we go back to Israel, my mother wanted us to have a special experience. And that's how we got to the kibbutz and in the kibbutz, because everybody has a job. She was the doctor at night, and in return for her being the doctor at night, we got a place to live. So she worked the whole day in the hospital, and then at night, she was a doctor. The reason the kibbutz for me is so relevant caused my life with a lot of ups and downs and a lot of different challenges. The first time that I felt safe was in that community. My mother, who many years after was diagnosed as bipolar. And growing up, the patients were always the most important. And I think it taught me a lot because she always took care of all of her patients so beautifully. When she would come home, there was less patience for us. And there would be a lot of fighting and screaming and hitting and things flying and a lot of things would occur. And I remember that no matter how bad the night was, there was always three neighbors checking on me. There were always friends that I could go to. No one ever judged me. Everything was always open. I always felt like I was part of it. And that feeling of safety is something that not only stayed with me wherever I went in the world, I sort of find myself bringing people together. And when I moved to the US which was actually following my sister. So my sister left Israel when she was 16. She was Miss Teenage Israel. She moved to the U.S. she became a very successful model. And when I finished the army, I moved to the US four days later, and I lived with my sister. And from the first day that we're sharing an apartment together, this was right after September 11th, a month later. And we lived very close to where it happened, because that's where you got the money from the government, that that was the most affordable thing we could do. I remember going up and down that elevator and was so surprised that in America, people don't introduce themselves. So I would see the same neighbors every day. No one says hello until after a month. My sister's name's Adi. She was like what do we do? Experiment. Let's introduce ourselves to everybody, and in a month, we're going to throw a party on the roof. There was a shared roof and that party. We'll see who comes. And we did it and we threw the party. And half the building came. And the energy in that building changed. It was very obvious for me that this thing that I cherish, this kibbutz energy, is something that we could bring to the United States in a form of a business. So this is now 2007. I've had three failed businesses by this point. Two fashion businesses and a baby closing business called Crawlers. Baby brands with knee pads on them to protect the baby's knees. Good idea. At the time, I thought today, being the father of six kids, no one ever complained about the knees. I actually think they have extra skin and they're built for it. But. But the universe thought of that one. But by this stage, I'm already after my third business and I meet Rebecca. And when I meet Rebecca, the first date, first time we met, I don't even remember what we ate. But I was waiting for her to put out her credit card so I can put out my credit card so we could split the bill. And we do that twice. And the third time she goes, adam, you know, in America it is okay. You could offer to pay for the meal. I don't have to say yes, but you could offer. And I said, no, I'm a. I'm an entrepreneur and my money's in the business. She goes, I don't know what kind of entrepreneur you are, but if your money's in the business that you can't invite someone for a meal, you might not be a great one. And it's interesting because I think it was the first time someone talked to me that way. And I found it not only intriguing, I was like, wow. And I said, no, you don't understand how business works. And she was like, maybe you don't understand how business works. And that kind of discussion very quickly became a very passionate relationship. Three months from the moment we met that I proposed.

Summary

Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin: Adam Neumann

Release Date: March 18, 2026
Podcast Host: Rick Rubin
Guest: Adam Neumann, co-founder of WeWork

Episode Overview

This episode brings an in-depth, no-holds-barred conversation between Rick Rubin and Adam Neumann. Adam candidly chronicles his journey from a restless Israeli childhood to the explosive rise—and dramatic fall—of WeWork. The discussion weaves through his formative years, the creation and philosophy of WeWork, his relationship with investors like SoftBank’s Masa Son, public controversies, and his newest venture Flow. Throughout, Adam explores themes of community, purpose, spirituality, failure, and redemption, offering insights not just into business but the nature of leadership and personal growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Adam’s Early Life and Search for Community

Moving and Adaptation:
- Adam was born in Israel and moved 13 times during his childhood ([00:24]).
- Lived longest on a kibbutz—a communal Israeli settlement—where he first felt safe and formed his concept of community.
- His mother’s dedication as a doctor and ongoing personal struggles shaped Adam’s outlook on support networks and the necessity of communal safety.
Learning English and Early Challenges:
- A move to Indiana at age eight, with no English and severe dyslexia, forced Adam to adapt quickly:
  - “All I can say is peanut butter and jelly. And one day, after two months, I was like, I can't eat one more peanut butter and jelly. And I had the courage, and I said the word hot dog. And from there, I started learning.” ([01:33])
Kibbutz Influence:
- Describes kibbutz life as egalitarian, deeply communal, and foundational to his ideas of connection and shared mission ([16:32]).
- Notable practices included communal meals, shared jobs, childhood autonomy, and frequent barefootedness.

Formative Experiences in the US and Early Entrepreneurship

Arrival in New York & Building Connections:
- Moved to NYC post-army, lived with his sister, and noticed Americans’ lack of openness:
  - “...so I would see the same neighbors every day. No one says hello until after a month.... Let's introduce ourselves to everybody, and in a month, we're going to throw a party on the roof.... Half the building came. And the energy in that building changed.” ([03:56])
Failed Early Ventures:
- Ran three failed businesses, including a baby clothing company.
- Met Rebecca, whose candor and challenge to his business approach was transformative:
  - “‘I don't know what kind of entrepreneur you are, but if your money's in the business that you can't invite someone for a meal, you might not be a great one.’” ([05:18])
Rebecca’s Impact:
- She insisted Adam pursue something meaningful he was passionate about, which eventually led to his pursuit of real estate and communal workspaces.

Seed of an Idea: From Greendesk to WeWork

Birth of Greendesk:
- A quick, almost accidental pitch to a Brooklyn landlord became the genesis of Greendesk—green, shared office spaces in Brooklyn ([06:30-10:14]).
- Early adoption via Craigslist ads; 92% occupancy in five days ([11:42]).
Community as the Core:
- Realization that what people craved, post-2008 crash, was the sense of togetherness from his kibbutz years, driving the coworking concept’s early success.
Idea Evolution:
- Early skepticism from academia:
  - “[The] dean of the business school told me that you can't disrupt real estate. It's too big. So the idea doesn't make sense.” ([10:14])
- Turned out to be timing perfection—“countercyclical” growth during downturn.

Spiritual Journey & Partnership with Rebecca

Initial Apathy to Spirituality:
- “I was extremely not spiritual. I did none of that.” ([13:14])
- But always held an innate optimism, even under duress.
Rebecca as Catalyst:
- She gave him an ultimatum: unless he pursued a spiritual practice, their relationship couldn’t continue ([24:28]).
- Adam attended Kabbalah classes to prove himself, which serendipitously led to a lifetime spiritual journey:
  - “When a challenge happens in your life, instead of reacting, take a deep breath, stop. And then we say, pause, what a wonder. Pause, what a wonder. Then interact again.” ([31:59])
Integration of Purpose & Spirituality into Business:
- Spiritual grounding became crucial as WeWork grew—originating from this “pause” mindset.
- “Once I hit that flow state, things started moving fast. That led to Greendesk, led to WeWork, led to our first child, led to everything.” ([35:32])

WeWork’s Meteoric Rise

From Greendesk Buyout to WeWork Launch:
- Adam and co-founder Miguel left Greendesk after a buyout to pursue their national version: WeWork.
- Six-month process to land on the name ("WeWork"), conceived during a late-night creative session ([41:06]).
  - “Steve Jobs had it wrong. It's not ibook iPhone. Me, me, me. It's we. We work, we give, we fly, we teach, we…” ([41:09])
Explosive Growth:
- Rapid expansion from NYC to San Francisco, London, and globally—scaling from one building to two per day at peak ([55:12]).
- “Year nine: two buildings a day, 130 cities, 50 countries, five continents, 72 languages.” ([54:51])
Community Over Real Estate:
- The brand, driven by Rebecca’s input, became about intention and meaning:
  - “Do what you love. Create your life's work.” ([126:10])
- Central belief: bringing people together, catalyzing “factory of dreams.”

Inflection Point: SoftBank, Ego, and the Shift

Meeting Masa Son (SoftBank):
- “It smells like a factory of dreams. Wow, you're not manufacturing business here. Wow, you're making dreams.” —Masa Son ([59:23])
- Instead of raising $300M, Masa offers up to $4B on the spot ([65:03-68:59]).
- Adam in hindsight: should have paused and considered the consequences, but didn’t.
The Downside of Speed & Scale:
- The company shifted focus from mission to growth and valuation, breaking from its DNA ([71:46]).
- “...the purpose and the mission suddenly became not the goal. Those promises...on growth and revenue became the goal. But that wasn’t the DNA of what we built.” ([71:47])

The Fall: IPO Collapse & Loss of Narrative

IPO Catastrophe & Board Pressure:
- WeWork runs toward an IPO, but the market shifts from prioritizing revenue to demanding profitability.
- Adam is pressured to step down. He recounts how a bank engineered his ousting—within nine minutes of resigning, he receives an email calling his $435M debt ([99:39]).
Post-IPO Fallout & Redemption:
- Adam reflects on the “darkest moment of the night”—losing control, media vilification, friends disappearing, and the loss of his own narrative ([100:43-114:56]).
- His spiritual teacher reminds him: “Belief is measured when everything goes wrong and you can look up to the heavens and say, I don't know how, I don't know why, but this will end up working for the best.” ([100:43])
- Rebecca’s steadfastness and unconditional support proved life-saving:
  - “No matter what, you got me and the kids. What are you crying about?” ([105:24])
- Eventually, SoftBank pays off Adam’s debt, and litigation leads to a hard-fought settlement ([105:23-141:05]).

Media Portrayal and Ownership of Story

Loss of Voice:
- Adam discusses how stepping down meant losing control over his narrative.
- “I handed over the control over my narrative.” ([114:56])
- TV dramatizations, like Apple’s ‘WeCrashed’, are “at best 30% correct” but ironically portray Adam and Rebecca heroically ([118:18]).
- “The truth, even in something that was supposed to be a smear piece, floated to the top.” ([118:31])
Rebecca’s Role:
- Media attacked her unfairly, often gendered in nature.
- “...the woman gets portrayed even worse. By the way, let's be clear. I was CEO and chairman.” ([125:57])

Moving Forward: FLOW and Renewed Vision

Creating Flow:
- After WeWork, Adam starts anew, focusing on community-based residential living.
- With support from Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, Flow is built on a strong partnership model and rethinks housing through tech and design ([144:23-163:54]).
- “...if we can actually challenge loneliness and ownership in a real way, we're going to have a world-changing business.” —Marc Andreessen ([155:49])
Spiritual Practice’s Role:
- Shabbat observance is described as transformative; 24 hours disconnected weekly for spiritual, family, and personal connection ([170:43]).
- “I would say without a doubt that the biggest move that I've made spiritually is keeping Shabbat.” ([173:56])

On Redemption and Life Lessons

On Mistakes and Growth:
- Adam repeatedly notes the importance of learning from failures and “getting up a thousand and one times” ([175:09]).
- “As long as I can learn, if I can learn from it, it's meant to be and it's part of my journey. If I'm going to go and make that decision again, that makes it a mistake.” ([72:54])
Optimism and the Next Chapter:
- The episode is suffused with hope, optimism, and the impact of authentic partnerships.
- “May we not be afraid when the whole world is saying this or that about us. Who cares? It's about what you think, what your wife thinks, what your kids think, and what the universe thinks.” ([178:15])

Notable Quotes & Moments

Adam on community’s power:
- “The first time that I felt safe was in that community… That feeling of safety is something that not only stayed with me wherever I went in the world, I sort of find myself bringing people together.” ([01:28])
On Rebecca’s challenge:
- “‘You love real estate. When you and I walk down the street… your eyes look up, you're always looking at buildings.’” ([06:30])
On letting go of control:
- “When you always think you're in control, you never let go. And when you don't let go, when is the universe going to get a chance to come in?” ([27:24])
On Adam’s growth:
- “Life is not about if you fell down. Life is only about how you get up.” ([46:11])
On the truth rising:
- “...even in something that was supposed to be a smear piece, somehow the truth... floated to the top.” ([118:31])
Rebecca’s encouragement in crisis:
- “No matter what, you got me and the kids. What are you crying about?” ([105:24])
On spiritual practice and entrepreneurship:
- “When you disconnect from your phone, you're giving a gift to your kids. You're disconnected, they're disconnected. But you're all much connected to each other...” ([173:13])

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | Key Theme | |------------|---------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:24 | Childhood, moving, kibbutz life | Community, adaptation, safety | | 06:30-10:14| Greendesk creation | Accidental innovation, coworking, community | | 13:14-24:28| Spiritual awakening via Rebecca | Purpose, Kabbalah, transformation | | 31:59 | Spiritual lessons: “pause, what a wonder” | Spirituality in action, self-growth | | 41:06 | Birth of “WeWork” name | Branding, letting go, letting ideas come | | 55:12 | WeWork’s rapid global expansion | Scale, momentum, challenges of physical business | | 59:23 | Meeting Masa Son, SoftBank | Investment, vision, factory of dreams | | 68:59 | Accepting $4B investment | The inflection point: mission vs. ego/growth | | 100:43 | Losing WeWork, personal crisis | Spiritual test, loss, love, belief | | 114:56 | Loss of narrative, media depiction | Reputation, public perception, losing the mic | | 144:23 | The birth of Flow | Redemption, partnership with a16z, new community vision | | 170:43 | Shabbat and spirituality | Practical spirituality, disconnection to reconnect | | 175:09 | The hero’s journey, moving through setbacks | Lessons, resilience, hope |

Takeaways

Adam Neumann’s journey is one of seeking and building community—a thread from his kibbutz childhood through WeWork to Flow.
Failures and the loss of WeWork were crucibles that distilled core lessons about ego, responsibility, spiritual grounding, and learning from setbacks.
Partnerships—especially with Rebecca and, later, Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz—were crucial in both Adam’s failures and future vision.
Adam advocates for integrating spiritual practices, like Shabbat, not just for religious reasons but as tools for well-being, balance, and creativity.
The darker moments—public vilification, narrative loss, and business collapse—are presented less as endings and more as resets or redirections for deeper and better growth.
Authenticity, intention, and communal ethos remain the core values underpinning Adam’s present and future ventures.

Final Thoughts

This episode is candid, philosophical, and densely packed with lessons on business, leadership, failure, and personal growth. Adam’s openness about his shortcomings, his evolution as a leader, and the constant centrality of community and purpose offer not only a “WeWork story,” but a meditation on resilience, humility, and the pursuit of meaning.

Recommended Listen:
For entrepreneurs, spiritual seekers, and anyone intrigued by the interplay between ambition, failure, reinvention, and the quest to build something that brings people together.