Bringing back woolly mammoths. That’s the story of this week’s Wild Business Growth podcast guest, Ben Lamm. Ben is the Founder & CEO of Colossal Biosciences. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast platforms, and watch on YouTube.
Episode 356: Ben Lamm – Woolly Mammoth De-Extinction, Colossal Biosciences
Ben Lamm, the Founder & CEO of Colossal Biosciences, joins the show to share his journey from 5 successful exits to creating the company trying to de-extinct the woolly mammoth. Hear how to become a serial entrepreneur, the impact of bringing back woolly mammoths, whether the world is ready for de-extinction, mind-blowing aspects of genetics & DNA, and the other species Ben wants to bring back. This episode covers everything from the dire wolf to artificial wombs. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:
- What is mass extinction
- How would woolly mammoths help the environment
- What needs to happen to bring back the woolly mammoth
- Big Hairy Audacious Goals
- What would Ben’s college-aged Accounting-studying self think about present day Ben
Connect with Ben at Colossal.com, on X @Colossal, and on LinkedIn.
Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.
Show Notes
- Intro & Serial Entrepreneurship
- [0:28] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
- [0:39] Connect with Ben at Colossal.com, on X @Colossal, and on LinkedIn
- [2:22] How do you have successful exits as an entrepreneur
- [4:38] How do you become a serial entrepreneur
- The Colossal Biosciences Story
- [5:32] Betty Brennan – Wild Business Growth podcast #116: Museum Experience Mogul, Founder of Taylor Studios
- [6:26] What is Colossal Biosciences
- [6:45] What is mass extinction
- [9:35] How would woolly mammoths help the environment
- [11:33] Is the world ready for de-extinction
- [14:26] How does de-extinction work
- [18:38] How similar is the dire wolf to the gray wolf
- [21:28] What needs to happen to bring back the woolly mammoth
- [23:09] George Church
- [23:25] Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAG)
- [23:38] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Ben every Friday
- [23:40] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
- [23:41] Such an honor speaking at Podcast Movement ’23 in Denver! Sign up to grab the slides from my session at MaxPodcasting.com/PM23
- Rapid-Fire Q&A
- [23:48] What’s something surprising about genetics & DNA
- [24:52] What other animals does Ben want to de-extinct
- [25:31] What would his college-aged Accounting-studying self think about present day Ben
- [26:07] Connect with Ben at Colossal.com, on X @Colossal, and on LinkedIn
- [26:25] What are Ben’s Final Thoughts
- [27:10] Follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
- [27:17] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Ben
- [27:26] Check out the Wild Business Growth podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
- [27:27] Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (aka X), and Threads @MaxBranstetter and TikTok @WildBusinessGrowth
- [27:28] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
- [27:29] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
- Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo
What is the Wild Business Growth podcast?
Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, NFL RedZone, Big Mouth Billy Bass, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more Wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.
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Thanks for listening to Ben Lamm on the Wild Business Growth podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about it. And talk about your favorite Late Pleistocene species with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!
