#30 What We Missed About the Titan Tragedy: Guillermo Söhnlein’s Lessons on Exploration, Resilience, and Perspective

On this episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich welcomes Guillermo Söhnlein, co-founder of OceanGate and a trailblazer in extreme exploration. In the aftermath of the tragic Titan submersible disaster—which claimed five lives during a daring dive to the Titanic—headlines focused on blame and controversy. A U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation later concluded that OceanGate’s safety procedures were “critically flawed,” citing serious shortcomings in the Titan’s design, certification, testing, maintenance, and inspection.

Guillermo, though no longer with the company at the time, takes listeners back to his role in founding OceanGate and witnessing both the rise and tragic fall of cutting-edge underwater exploration. Together, Scott and Guillermo explore the personal lessons, misunderstood facts, and deeper questions that disasters like the Titan implosion force us to reckon with. Get ready for a thoughtful conversation about how we face adversity, how we choose to respond, and what it really means to push the limits.

Listeners Will Learn:

• Guillermo Söhnlein describes the moment when his dream of being an astronaut ended due to his eyesight.
• The conversation highlights the importance of empathy, especially in dealing with personal setbacks.
• The episode uses a baseball analogy several times to describe life’s challenges.
• Guillermo Söhnlein took the unconventional step of dropping out of college seven weeks from graduation as an act of reclaiming control.
• Both Scott Reich and Guillermo Söhnlein reflect on how life’s challenges can provide opportunities for growth and resilience.
• The episode delves into the public narrative surrounding the Titan tragedy.
• Guillermo Söhnlein emphasizes that exploration, whether of space or the ocean, is driven by a vision greater than individual gain.
• The discussion compares innovation in emerging fields (like submersibles, autonomous vehicles, and space travel).
• Reflection on the episode’s closing thoughts about empathy and perspective.

Key Moments:

(05:27) Choose to Live Fully

(07:58) Growth Beyond Comfort Zones

(13:23) Stepping Out to Redefine Life

(16:03) The Blessing of Dropping Out

(19:19) Entrepreneurial Journey: OceanGate Origins

(26:30) Submersible Search: Media Challenges

(28:43) Defending OceanGate: A Split Debate

(32:15) Stockton's Legacy as Explorer

(35:42) Exploration Requires Courage and Sacrifice

(41:11) Inspiring Exploration and Innovation

(43:02) Offering Context Amid Division