This week our conversation is with Craig Weiss, the Founder and CEO of Aladdin Dreamer – a technology company designing consumer technology allowing people to control their dreams (also known as “lucid dreaming”).  Prior to founding Aladdin, Craig was the CEO of NJOY, the world’s largest independent electronic cigarette and vaping company which is headquartered in Arizona.

Additionally, Craig is a patent attorney, a published author, an inventor with seven patents, an entrepreneur, and a frequent lecturer at ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business.  He discusses the roles creativity, risk, and the value in getting comfortable with the inevitable failures and setbacks in business.  He discusses the lessons learned while writing “I Am My Brother’s Keeper” about the origins of the Israeli Air Force, and tells his story about transitioning from patent attorney, to hedge fund manager, to CEO, to entrepreneur.

SELECT LINKS AND NOTES FROM THE PODCAST

Aladdin Dreamer

Central High School

University of Pennsylvania

Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law – ASU

Grand Canyon University

Scottsdale Community College

NJOY

HBO’s “Westworld”