Founder's Story

Daniel and Anastasia Soare start with Romania, identity, and the immigrant experience, then trace her journey from arriving in the US in 1989 to building one of the most globally recognized beauty brands in the world. Anastasia explains how she went from an esthetician job to renting one room and one chair in Beverly Hills, betting on an overlooked idea: eyebrows. She shares why curiosity and mastery mattered more than “manifesting,” how trust built her celebrity relationships, and why she sees ABH as a legacy she will never stop building, alongside her daughter. Key Discussion Points Anastasia shares how hard the first six months in LA were, crying daily because she left family, community, and certainty behind and arrived with no language or security. She explains how life under communism trained her for entrepreneurship, constant problem solving, adapting daily, and finding solutions without expecting help. Anastasia describes why she chose brows, using art, architecture, and the golden ratio to create a repeatable technique that made faces look balanced and lifted. She recalls being told she was crazy by her husband, landlord, and community, but her mindset was simple: what do I have to lose if I believe in this. The Oprah moment in 1998 became the turning point, her “Oscar moment,” because Oprah understood the concept and broadcast it to the world before social media existed. She explains how celebrity relationships grew over decades, including working with Jennifer Lopez from early in her career, and why trust is everything at that level. Anastasia shares her partnership with private equity in 2018, then reveals she personally invested $225M to maintain majority control when the firm exited after COVID disruption. She describes ABH as pure legacy, saying she will never “retire,” because innovation and building products with her daughter is her purpose. She explains product innovation as a loop of consumer insight, social signals, and chemistry advances, sharing how formulas like brow pomade became possible only when labs could make them waterproof. Anastasia credits her daughter for pushing ABH onto Instagram in 2012 to educate customers digitally and reduce constant travel, which later fueled massive growth in retail. Takeaways Immigrant grit is transferable, the same mindset that helped Anastasia survive scarcity became the mindset that helped her build a brand under pressure. You do not need a huge dream to start, you need obsession with mastering one craft, and for Anastasia that craft was brows. Success is easier to achieve than to maintain, and long term winners keep working like rent is due even after the brand is iconic. If you want to win as a founder, leave ego behind, ask questions, admit what you do not know, and learn directly from customers. Legacy is a decision, and Anastasia’s $225M reinvestment shows how founders protect what they built when outside capital priorities shift. Closing Thoughts Anastasia Soare’s story is proof that category creation starts with conviction before the market agrees. She did not follow a trend, she created one, then defended it with craft, discipline, and decades of trust. This episode is a reminder that the American Dream is not a vibe, it is endurance, humility, and the willingness to bet on yourself twice, even after you’ve already “won.” Episode Sponsor: Thank you to our amazing sponsor, Shopify, who has changed my life. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at SHOPIFY.com/foundersstory Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel and Guest Host Nadja interview Craig Hamilton-Parker about how he developed his psychic practice, how he distinguishes intuition from opinion, and why he believes prediction is about probability, not destiny. Craig shares a bold call on the Los Angeles mayor race, then zooms out to discuss broader global tensions and what he sees as an approaching “pressure window” in the coming years. They also explore AI, consciousness, and Craig’s belief that periods of instability can trigger deeper questions about meaning and identity. Key Discussion Points Craig explains his background and how his work evolved from early experiences into public-facing predictions, plus the responsibility that comes with making specific calls. He shares his prediction that Spencer Pratt will be the next LA mayor, and the conversation examines why “off-script” authenticity can outperform traditional political playbooks. Craig outlines how he thinks about major world events as shifting probability paths, emphasizing that timing can be difficult and outcomes can change with collective decisions. They discuss current geopolitical flashpoints and Craig’s view of a heightened risk period that could peak around 2028, while still leaving room for de-escalation and course correction. On AI, Craig takes a tool-based view, arguing that it can amplify or destabilize humanity depending on how people use it, and he believes human meaning-making still matters most. Takeaways Predictions, in Craig’s view, are probability maps, not fate, and the most constructive stance is preparation without fatalism. People respond emotionally during uncertainty, which is why authentic, unpolished voices can rise fast in politics and media. If you consume prediction content, keep discernment: treat it as one input, not a replacement for decision-making and personal responsibility. AI may accelerate output and misinformation at the same time, making verification, calm thinking, and trusted relationships even more valuable. Closing Thoughts This episode is less about “believing or not believing” and more about how humans seek certainty in chaotic times. Craig Hamilton-Parker leaves listeners with a challenge: stay curious, stay grounded, and don’t outsource your agency to fear—whether it comes from news cycles, algorithms, or predictions. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kate Monroe went from Marine Corps veteran to 8-figure CEO, actress, mother, and one of the most relentless entrepreneurs you'll ever hear from. But the lesson that shaped her life did not come from business school. It came from her dad when she was 7 years old. In this episode of Founder's Story, Daniel Robbins sits down with Kate Monroe to talk about how she scaled her company from $750,000 to nearly $34 million in sales in just three years, why she believes success starts with a decision, and how one childhood lesson taught her to handle pressure, problems, and pain without letting them ruin everything else. Kate shares the difference between being a "makeup bag person" and a "toolbox person," a simple mindset shift that helped her compartmentalize challenges, build a veteran-owned company, run for Congress, step into film, and launch Studio Mint. This is a conversation about grit, discipline, ambition, and what it really takes to keep going when most people would quit. In this episode, we cover: The lesson Kate learned from her dad at 7 years old How she scaled from $750K to nearly $34M in sales Why "decided" became one of the most important words in her life How she writes a full book in just 14 hours Why being the face of your brand can change everything The mindset behind outworking the competition Her move into acting, movies, vertical shorts, and Studio Mint Why she believes social media has made people more disconnected The difference between starting something and actually finishing it Follow Kate Monroe: Instagram / Socials: @KateMonroeCEO Website: KateMonroeCEO.com Subscribe to Founder's Story for more conversations with founders, creators, leaders, and entrepreneurs building extraordinary lives. Episode Sponsors: Take Cheers Restore after your last drink or before going to bed and wake up feeling at least 50% better — or your money back. For a limited time our listeners are getting 20% off their entire order at CheersHealth.com/FOUNDERS . #Cheers #ad Go to Schedule35.co and use code FOUNDERS for 15% off your first order. That's Schedule35.co, code FOUNDERS, for 15% off. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel and Eric Ries explore the collision of Lean Startup thinking with the AI era, why “anyone with a credit card” can now access world class tools, and why that democratization also creates brutal competition. Eric argues fatalism about AI is dangerous because we still have agency, but only if we build civic infrastructure and accountability. The conversation then pivots into Incorruptible , where Eric documents a 200 year pattern: mission driven companies discover a better way to build, then still get ruined at the peak of success through bureaucracy, extraction, and misaligned incentives. Key Discussion Points Eric says AI is an extension of macro trends he’s written about for decades: access to the means of production is now cheap and global, which makes entrepreneurship more open than ever. He challenges the assumption that making one step faster makes the whole process easier, because entrepreneurship is adversarial and competitors and incumbents get the same acceleration. Eric explains why he’s skeptical of fully unsupervised agents for mission critical work: reliability breaks down as tasks encounter out of distribution scenarios, so humans-in-the-loop matter. He introduces Incorruptible and the idea that governance is a design problem, not a vibes problem, describing companies being “surgically deboned” as they grow and optimize for extraction over value. Eric breaks the “double mystery”: if mission driven capitalism is more profitable, why do companies still get ruined, yet a few outliers like Patagonia and Costco resist the pattern. He argues it’s “always too early until it’s too late” to protect mission, and recommends structural moves like writing purpose into the corporate charter and designing boards and protections early. They discuss alternative liquidity and longevity structures beyond a classic exit, including foundations, ESOPs, employee ownership trusts, and purpose trusts, citing examples like Eileen Fisher and Patagonia. Eric reframes the word “exit” as part of the problem and shares research suggesting many founders regret selling one year later, questioning what success is for if it destroys what mattered. Takeaways AI makes building easier, but it also makes everyone faster, so the advantage comes from judgment, focus, and designing systems that can outlearn competition. If you want to protect mission, you have to encode it structurally, not just culturally, because the gap between stated purpose and actual incentives will eventually swallow the company. “Exit” is not the only path to liquidity, and founders can design for longevity with structures like ESOPs, purpose trusts, and foundation ownership. Agentic AI is powerful when humans stay the driver, but dangerous when accountability is impossible and reliability becomes probabilistic. The earlier you build protections, the easier they are, because governance becomes exponentially harder to change once scale and incentives lock in. Closing Thoughts Eric Ries helped define how modern startups ship products, but this episode shows he’s now focused on something deeper: how great companies survive success without betraying their purpose. In an AI era where building is cheap and truth is noisy, the real edge becomes institutional design, clarity of mission, and the courage to structure a business that outlives you without losing its soul. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel Robbins interviews Chuck Knueve about watching his son suffer for decades while the healthcare system searched for answers. Chuck breaks down why Cushing’s disease is so difficult to diagnose, what he believes is broken in the process, and how earlier testing could prevent irreversible harm. He also shares why he wrote the book during COVID, how he learned to write at 73 by joining writing guilds, and why he structured the story through his son’s point of view to show what families live with at home, not just what doctors see in clinics. Key Discussion Points Chuck explains that diagnosis often takes years because Cushing’s hides behind common symptoms, and his son’s case took over twenty years. He argues the issue is not one person, but the diagnostic process and guidelines, especially testing not happening soon enough. Chuck shares the early red flags he wishes had triggered action sooner, including the “buffalo hump,” “moon face,” and abdominal stretch marks appearing together. He emphasizes the importance of finding an endocrinologist who specializes in Cushing’s disease, ideally at a university or teaching hospital. Chuck describes the moment he committed to writing the book, a family Zoom call during COVID where his siblings challenged him to start. He explains why he added jingles: not to be cute, but to create memory triggers that help people recognize the pattern months or years later. Takeaways Rare diseases can hide in plain sight, and persistent multi-symptom patterns deserve early testing, not years of waiting. Parents and patients often have to advocate harder than they think, including pushing for specialist care when the path stalls. Even when the disease is corrected, delayed diagnosis can mean permanent damage, which is why time is the real enemy. Writing can become advocacy, and Chuck’s goal is simple: make the next family’s journey shorter than his son’s. Closing Thoughts This episode is a reminder that medical systems can miss what families live with every day, and that a single story can change awareness faster than a guideline update. Chuck Knueve turned decades of pain into a practical tool for earlier recognition and better outcomes. If you suspect something is off and you keep hearing “wait and see,” this conversation will push you to ask better questions and keep going. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel Robbins interviews Shawn Zhang, CTO and co-founder of Sanas , about the future of education, AI, and communication, and how a single unfair workplace experience turned into a generational company. Shawn explains why the real value of college is people, not lectures, and why the best startups start with real pain, not cool tech. He tells the origin story of Sanas, how they navigated public criticism about “erasing” identity, and why the company’s mission is the opposite: to help people be understood and evaluated on their talent, not their accent. Key Discussion Points Shawn explains why COVID “broke” the college experience, and why the real value of Stanford was the people and the intellectual Disneyland effect, not the homework. He shares how he and his co-founders stopped chasing “cool solutions” and instead focused on finding a real problem that people felt deeply enough to pay to solve. The Sanas origin story comes from a friend in Nicaragua whose call center customers complained about his accent, hurting his performance scores, pay, and mental health. Shawn describes the backlash period when Sanas was accused of “whitewashing voices,” and why messages from immigrants who felt held back reinforced the mission. Daniel reads Sanas growth stats, $121M raised and $62M revenue in two years, and Shawn shares how gratitude and determination rise with momentum, not ease. Shawn talks about the founder skill of exposing unknown unknowns by being vulnerable with mentors and peers, because the internet rarely reveals what you’re doing wrong. They discuss Gen Z ambition, purpose-driven work, and the danger of social media’s highlight reels creating disillusionment for young builders. Shawn explains why Silicon Valley matters less for fundraising and more for density of honest conversations with builders who help you see blind spots. He uses rock climbing to describe scaling: early mistakes are painless, but as you climb higher the fall gets real, and pressure becomes part of the thrill. On AI and engineering, Shawn argues AI will empower builders, but taste, reliability, and craftsmanship matter more, and junior plus senior engineers should work closer together, not be replaced. Takeaways A great startup starts with real pain, not a clever demo, because pain creates urgency, willingness to pay, and long-term demand. If your product sits in a moral debate, listen closest to the people living the problem, not the people reacting to headlines. The fastest way to grow is to surface unknown unknowns early through mentors, peers, and real-world conversations, not public posturing. AI will not eliminate engineers, it will raise the bar for quality, and the differentiator becomes taste, systems, and production reliability. Social media can distort reality for founders, so staying grounded in real relationships and honest feedback loops is a competitive advantage. Closing Thoughts Shawn Zhang’s story is a reminder that inclusion is not a slogan, it is a product decision that changes someone’s daily life. Sanas exists because one person’s accent was treated like a flaw instead of a story, and Shawn turned that into a platform built to bridge understanding. In an AI era, this episode argues something unexpected: the more technology grows, the more human connection, empathy, and real communication become the ultimate edge. Proton VPN is offering our listeners 70% off a two year plan when you go to ProtonVPN.com/FOUNDER Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/hlevbsx1 #CashAppPod As a Cash App partner, I may earn a commission when you sign up for a Cash App account. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Bitcoin services provided by Block, Inc. For additional information, see the Bitcoin disclosures. Go to Schedule35.co and use code FOUNDERS for 15% off your first order. That's Schedule35.co, code FOUNDERS, for 15% off. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel Robbins interviews Daniel Lubetzky on what shaped his obsession with bridging divides and building mission driven brands. Daniel explains how his father’s Holocaust survival created a survival instinct that later became entrepreneurship, and how early failures taught him the reps he needed before KIND. They dive into the psychology of founders, separating self worth from the pursuit of excellence, and the hidden ingredient behind KIND’s rise: a product people loved and a culture with ownership, transparency, and no politics. Key Discussion Points Daniel Lubetzky explains why he believes kindness itself has not changed, but social media anonymity has weakened eye to eye human connection and made dehumanization easier. He shares how he approaches Shark Tank with empathy first, letting founders pitch uninterrupted, then asking tough questions, because trying is already a win and failure is part of the odds. Daniel talks about his ADHD mind, constant idea streams, and why early formative experiences, like magic and language learning, became business skills later. He reveals a deeply personal driver: as a child of a Holocaust survivor, he learned languages and skills as a survival instinct so he would be useful, not expendable. On KIND’s rocket ship, he credits the right product at the right time, a brand that stood for something real, and a culture where everyone acted like an owner with high transparency. Daniel explains the “AND” mindset, most people think in OR, but breakthroughs come from rejecting false tradeoffs and designing for both sides of the equation. He warns that raising kids in comfort can kill the fire to build, and argues we must teach agency and protagonist thinking, not rigid victim or oppressor labels. Daniel shares what scares him most: toxic polarization, dehumanization, and algorithms that profit from division, which is why he champions the Builders movement. He gives a simple Builder framework: curiosity, compassion, creativity, and courage, and defines builders as people who unite rather than divide. He closes with a key founder lesson: separate your self worth from your quest to be great, because the pursuit can be ruthless if it becomes your identity. Takeaways Trying is winning, because each venture increases your odds and builds your skill, even when the first attempts fail. KIND’s success was not only marketing, it was product obsession, relentless hustle, and a culture built on ownership and transparency. If you want to build something new, stop copying existing categories and look for the unsolved problem behind a false OR, then design an AND. Your mindset must protect your mental health: separate self worth from performance so failure becomes feedback, not identity collapse. The most important choice in a polarized world is whether you become a builder or a destroyer, and the builder tools are the four Cs. Closing Thoughts This episode is a masterclass in founder psychology and modern leadership, delivered by someone who built a category defining brand while staying obsessed with humanity. Daniel Lubetzky’s story proves that fear can either consume you or drive you to create safety, purpose, and impact. His final challenge is simple: choose to build, practice the four Cs, and never let your quest for greatness turn into self hatred. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel Robbins interviews Brandon Card, the CEO of Terzo AI , about the hidden financial chaos inside enterprise contracts and why AI is the only scalable way to fix it. Brandon explains how Terzo helps companies treat contracts like financial assets, not legal documents, extracting obligations and commitments with 99.9% accuracy through a hybrid model of AI plus trained human review. They also discuss why Terzo started by selling into Fortune 100 instead of SMB, how early customer pain shaped product-market fit, and why Brandon is equally focused on building community and mental health resilience as he is on revenue. Key Discussion Points Brandon explains the origin of the name Terzo, inspired by “third” in Italian and the idea of managing third-party relationships, plus the “Oracle effect” of a timeless name beyond one product. He recounts incorporating the company on March 13, 2020, then watching airports go empty as COVID hit, building on Zoom 18 hours a day through chaos and loss. Brandon describes the pain he lived at Microsoft: customers managing $50B supplier spend with no tools, contracts lost, and manual PowerPoint decks built from screenshots to summarize global agreements. He argues CLM systems were built by lawyers for drafting, not for procurement and finance workflows, leaving a massive gap no one understood until recently. Brandon shares the early breakthrough: realizing contracts are 300–400 pages long and signed by the thousands, making human-only review mathematically impossible. Terzo’s key differentiation is accuracy through humans-in-the-loop, because LLMs can miss financial context across related documents and even turn $1M into $3M in naive extraction. He explains why they started enterprise-first, taking on SOC, GDPR, and security onboarding to win Fortune 100 master service agreements rather than “credit card swipe SaaS.” Brandon shares his view on AI safety: he believes models behave like they have a “mind of their own,” and that even builders struggle to govern or fully control them. The conversation turns to mental health and community, with Brandon advocating in-person connection, events, and digital detox as the antidote to a cyborg-like, always-online world. Takeaways The best startup ideas come from living the problem daily, because real enterprise pain creates urgency, budget, and durable demand. If you are dealing with financial reporting, audits, or compliance, you cannot accept 94% accuracy, which is why human review plus AI QA is the path to trust. Unsexy infrastructure wins long term, because databases and contract systems become foundational layers that everything else depends on. Starting with Fortune 100 is hard, but once you pass their vendor gatekeeping, you build defensibility and a moat that smaller competitors struggle to cross. AI can support mental health through journaling and low-friction venting, but humans still need real community, nature, and offline connection to stay balanced. Closing Thoughts Brandon Card’s story is a blueprint for enterprise founders: pick a problem that is mathematically impossible to solve manually, build a system that produces trusted data, and commit to the hard path of selling into the biggest customers first. This episode also lands a deeper message: the future is not only about building powerful AI, it is about keeping humans strong enough to live with it. Terzo is building contract intelligence, but Brandon is also building a culture of community, resilience, and long-term thinking. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel Robbins interviews Sam Tabar on building conviction early, reinventing repeatedly, and taking theses into the public markets. Sam explains how witnessing the shift from analog to digital in the 1990s trained his pattern recognition, why Bitcoin threatened existing power structures by being “money from the people,” and why Ethereum’s smart contracts can disintermediate banks and even lawyers. The episode also explores AI’s impact on society, the risk of homogenized culture, and why Sam believes the biggest danger is not job loss but surveillance and control. Key Discussion Points Sam shares his origin story, raised by a car-mechanic father and a tarot-card-reader mother, feeling the sting of scarcity early and using it as motivation to create security for loved ones. He explains his “pattern recognition” muscle, seeing the internet transform society and feeling the same cognitive break when he first used ChatGPT. Sam frames Bitcoin as the first true global currency: weightless, borderless, decentralized, and resistant to inflation and state control. He addresses Bitcoin’s early illicit uses by comparing it to the early internet, arguing the tech is not defined by its earliest adopters. Sam describes Ethereum as “Bitcoin 2.0,” where smart contracts are programmable “if-then” agreements that can replace middlemen in payments and contracting. He uses the NFT boom as proof of blockchain scalability, noting that at one point NFT transaction volume exceeded Visa without the system breaking, even if valuations collapsed later. Sam reflects on reinvention, saying you sometimes have to “kill the person you thought you were,” leaving law despite social pressure for stability and following interest into finance and tech. He shares the key AI worry: not job replacement, but governments and surveillance platforms using AI to reduce individual freedom. On the upside, Sam believes AI will remove menial work and free humans to use imagination and creativity, if society protects liberty. Takeaways Growing up around scarcity can create a powerful drive, but the long game is using money as a tool to protect people you love, not as an identity. Bitcoin is a thesis on sovereignty: money that cannot be printed, paused, or controlled like fiat, and that changes everything. Ethereum’s programmable money is about disintermediation: fewer fees, fewer gatekeepers, and faster settlement than legacy rails. The next winners will be infrastructure builders, because AI’s growth is bottlenecked by compute, power, data centers, and the plumbing behind the scenes. The biggest risk of AI is centralization and control, so founders should care about governance and freedom as much as capability. Closing Thoughts Sam Tabar’s story is about conviction under ridicule and the courage to reinvent before the market forces you to. This episode connects three waves—internet, crypto, and AI—through one lens: technology reshapes society when it breaks old power structures and creates new ones. The opportunity is enormous, but Sam’s warning is clear: if we chase efficiency without protecting freedom, we may build the most productive world in history and lose the thing that makes it worth living. Today's Sponsors: Want to start your own creator journey? Click here: www.fanvue.com Shopify, which I have used for over a decade. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at SHOPIFY.com/foundersstory Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel Robbins interviews Maury Povich about how a local news journalist became a national TV icon, the real production machine behind Maury, and what it was like competing in the early talk show wars of the 1990s. Maury explains how the show verified stories like a newsroom, how paternity, lie detectors, and out of control teen themes became mainstream, and why the tabloid talk era directly spawned today’s reality TV ecosystem. The conversation widens into modern media, AI deepfakes, grief, money, marriage, and what Maury believes matters most now. Check out the second season of "On Par with Maury Povich", one of the best shows out there! Key Discussion Points Maury explains that being recognized for “you are the father” is a badge of honor, because it means the show became part of culture and people truly watched. He shares how his producing teams operated like a newsroom, checking stories and vetting guests, and says in 31 years they were never faked on air. Maury describes the early days when his show and Jerry Springer started tame, then shifted after Rikki Lake proved a younger audience could be captured, forcing everyone to evolve. He says the 1990s talk show era sparked modern reality TV, connecting the thread to Housewives, Kardashians, and today’s cable reality landscape. Maury reacts to AI misinformation, including a viral deepfake featuring his show that was so convincing his sister called to ask if it was real. He opens up about his marriage to Connie Chung, saying she is funnier than people expect, and shares their rule: take work seriously, never take yourselves seriously. Maury reflects on comedians as truth tellers, comparing different comedic styles and explaining why his podcast guests increasingly include comics. He shares why Montana is his reset, valuing silence, space, and solitude, and why golf reveals every morsel of a person’s character in 18 holes. Maury discusses money insecurity and why he takes Social Security proudly because he remembers paying into it when he had almost nothing. He tells the story of his brother David, the lifelong hero dynamic between them, and why his father’s generation never taught them how to grieve. Maury reveals the surreal moment the New York Times began drafting his obituary years in advance and refused to show it to him. For his unlimited possibility moment, Maury credits Rupert Murdoch bringing him to New York to host A Current Affair, which launched everything that followed. If sleep, stress, or recovery is something you’re struggling with, check out Magnesium Breakthrough by BIOptimizers. It genuinely changed my life. You can get it at https://shorturl.at/BXudB. Use code FOUNDERS to get 15%! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel Robbins sits down with John Witchel, co founder and CEO of King Energy , to explore the economics behind today’s energy headlines and why solar plus storage is already the most practical answer for most businesses. John shares why the real bottleneck was never technology, it was incentives and deal structure, especially in multi tenant commercial buildings where landlords pass energy costs to tenants. John explains how King Energy rents roofs, installs solar, and sells discounted electricity to tenants, creating a win for landlords, tenants, and the platform. Key Discussion Points John argues solar and batteries are already here as the solution, because cost per megawatt hour is now cheaper than fossil fuel generation and avoids global supply chain shocks. He explains why solar became “boring,” subsidies mattered less as costs fell, and adoption shifted from political to mainstream economic logic. John shares the founding insight for King Energy: the split incentive problem in multi tenant buildings prevents anyone from installing solar, even when rooftops are perfect sites. King Energy’s model is simple: rent the roof from the landlord, then sell electricity to tenants at about ten percent below retail with no capex or operational burden for them. He explains go to market: do not sell climate change, sell rent to landlords and savings to tenants, using their language and solving their job. John discusses why 25 year contracts are normal for real estate owners, and why credibility comes from financial backing, $45M in venture capital and $350M in project capital. He shares the biggest growth tailwind: energy bills rising 7–9% year over year, making solar the fastest practical relief for small businesses and corporations. John reflects on entrepreneurship whiplash, how wars, crashes, and rate hikes hit companies even when the business is executing well, and why those external shocks are exhausting. Takeaways The best startup ideas live in big markets and can be explained in one sentence, if it takes five minutes to explain, keep refining the product. Solar did not need better tech, it needed a model that aligns incentives for landlords and tenants. Great go to market is empathy: speak the customer’s language and make their decision easy, rent for landlords, savings for tenants. Energy inflation is a forcing function, and solar plus storage is the only scalable solution available now, not ten years from now. Longevity in entrepreneurship comes from tolerance for external shocks and the ability to keep building through cycles. Closing Thoughts John Witchel makes a simple case: the energy answer is not theoretical, it is already deployable on rooftops across America. King Energy is a lesson in incentive design, speak to what people actually care about, remove friction, and let economics do the persuasion. If you want a founder story about solving a national problem without selling politics, this episode is a blueprint. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel opens with a question he has carried since childhood, how real are celebrity transformations and what is actually happening behind the scenes. Monique Eastwood answers from the inside, explaining that transformation is built through consistent training, athletic foundation, and learning how your body moves in space, not a single hack. The conversation spans film readiness, aging and strength, her movement method rooted in dance, her app and weekly live sessions, and how a single Instagram post during COVID turned behind the scenes work into global visibility. Key Discussion Points Monique explains the reality behind celebrity transformations, consistency plus a mix of training, and how a client’s athletic baseline determines how fast change happens. She shares her core philosophy as an ex ballerina, body awareness first, movement from the center, then building strength and endurance from that foundation. Daniel asks about Devil Wears Prada II training, and Monique explains they train year round, four to five times a week, not just for a film, but for life, press, and travel demands. Monique describes how her method evolved with everyday clients, especially busy mothers, using multi directional movement to engage the brain and body and make training feel doable. She explains the celebrity introductions started through Emily Blunt’s sister Felicity, meeting Emily during Edge of Tomorrow, then being introduced to Stanley Tucci, leading to fifteen years of consistent training relationships. She shares how COVID changed everything, Stanley Tucci posted “biceps by Monique,” people asked “who is Monique,” and the visibility became organic momentum. Takeaways If you want results that last, stop chasing quick routines and start learning how your body moves, because awareness drives performance and injury prevention. Aging changes the goal from aesthetics to strength, mobility, and muscle preservation, especially for legs, glutes, pelvis, and core. Short sessions can still change your body if the intensity and structure are right, and Monique designs 30 to 40 minute sessions to be realistic for real life. Supplements are not one size fits all, Monique only recommends what she has tested, and she emphasizes research and dosage based on your body and needs. What looks glamorous from the outside is still discipline, repetition, and routine, and Monique’s mission is to make that routine accessible through her app and challenges. Closing Thoughts Monique Eastwood’s approach is a reminder that fitness is not a trend, it is a relationship with your body that compounds over decades. This episode turns celebrity training into something practical and personal, focusing on movement, consistency, and strength that keeps you capable as you age. If you feel stiff, tired, or “too far gone,” Monique’s message is simple: start now, stay consistent, and let your body surprise you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel opens by recalling meeting Michael Chernow at Expo West and being struck by his willingness to go back to the grind, personally handing out bars and connecting with people one by one. Michael explains that human connection is his superpower and that word of mouth starts when the founder is the first person to hand you the product and tell the story. From there, the conversation turns into Michael’s life arc: addiction, rock bottom, recovery, and the mindset that helped him build, exit, and start again without losing himself. Key Discussion Points Michael explains why he still hits the floor at events, because connecting with people at scale is both his strength and his favorite marketing channel. He shares the core lesson from addiction and recovery: the only thing you must do perfectly is get back up. Michael describes his first exit moment, seeing seven figures hit his account, then choosing grounded purchases and helping his mom feel secure. He breaks down why “Creatures of Habit” is a philosophy, how tiny daily choices define your life, and why starting the day strong changes the whole day. Michael explains his founder mindset: every business is hard, soul and culture matter, and the difference between good and great entrepreneurs is how they handle adversity. He shares why personal brand is a “fail proof” asset that fuels every business, even when the market changes or companies fail. Takeaways Word of mouth is strongest when the founder delivers the first story, because people remember the human who gave it to them. If life knocks you down, success is not avoiding failure, it is mastering the comeback. Habits are identity, and the smallest daily choices shape your health, relationships, and business outcomes over time. Soul beats spreadsheets, because culture and conviction can carry you through what data cannot predict. A personal brand compounds forever, and when built right it becomes leverage across every product, partnership, and opportunity. Closing Thoughts Michael Chernow’s story is the blueprint for founders who feel like they are at war every day, because he has lived the real version of rock bottom and still chose to stand up again. This episode is a reminder that exits do not define you, habits do, and that the most powerful “marketing” is still one human making another human feel seen. If you want to win long term, Michael’s advice is simple: build better habits and keep getting back up. If you’re onboarding, documenting SOPs, or constantly re-explaining the same tools, try Scribe. Book a personalized demo at scribe.how/founders . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel opens with a personal reflection on how health crises destroy families financially and emotionally, then Harry DiFrancesco explains why he built Carda Health after watching his father struggle to access prescribed rehab after a major heart event. Harry breaks down the structural issue: the system pays for interventions after people get sick, but underinvests in the lifestyle and behavior change programs that prevent repeat hospitalizations. The conversation moves through AI hype versus real value, why access is the true bottleneck, how Carda reached an NPS of 89, and what it feels like to nearly run out of money and still keep building. Key Discussion Points Harry shares the origin story: his dad’s heart disease, his father being unable to get to prescribed rehab, and Harry becoming his sole caregiver. They unpack the core system failure: we reward sick care, but it is hard to access the prevention and follow on care that actually restores health. Harry argues AI is most promising in drug discovery, but the bigger U.S. problem is care access, where appointments take longer now than a decade ago. A stunning stat drives the mission: roughly 90% of heart patients and 95% of lung patients do not access the rehab they are entitled to. Harry gives a grounded take on GLP-1s: many patients stop within a year, weight often returns, muscle can be lost, and lifestyle programs must be paired for durable outcomes. They connect entrepreneurship to ultra endurance, with Harry explaining the emotional lows of a 100 mile race mirror startup survival. Harry shares Carda’s “why”: patient wins like helping an 80+ year old WWII veteran get healthy enough to return to France after heart disease. They break down the Humana partnership, why payers care about preventing expensive readmissions, and how Carda’s NPS and home based convenience drive member satisfaction. Harry explains how they earned NPS 89: obsessive convenience, tech setup support for older patients, and continuity of care where the same clinician stays with the patient. Takeaways Prevention fails in America because access fails, and AI helps most when it removes friction and frees clinicians to focus on high leverage conversations. Behavior change is the missing “infrastructure,” and without it, even breakthrough drugs like GLP-1s can lead to worse long term outcomes. Cardiac and pulmonary rehab is a massive market failure today, and virtual first delivery can turn entitled care into real care. NPS is earned through relationships, not apps: continuity with one clinician plus real human support builds trust and adherence. The founder journey is endurance, and the win is not the funding round, it is the patient who gets their life back. Closing Thoughts Harry’s story is a reminder that the biggest healthcare breakthroughs are often not new drugs, but new delivery models that make proven care actually reachable. Carda Health is betting on the combination that matters most: human clinicians supported by AI, not replaced by it. If you care about longevity, family, and freedom, this episode makes the case that prevention is not a slogan, it is a system that has to be built. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Eric Jorgenson, CEO of Scribe , explains why he chose Elon Musk as a subject, arguing Elon is singular in taking max risk on civilization scale problems and repeatedly pulling off what looks impossible. He breaks down his approach to writing as curation, building a “mosaic” from hundreds of sources so the reader feels like Elon is directly mentoring them. Daniel and Eric also discuss polarization, the next tech frontiers in biology and space, and why Scribe exists to remove gatekeepers and help more people publish books that outlive them. Key Discussion Points Eric explains he wrote the Elon book because Elon is a one of one entrepreneur who takes extreme risk to solve massive human problems. He shares his “curate, not write” method, stitching together everything Elon has said publicly into a smooth, mentor like reading experience. Eric says the biggest surprise was how central purpose is to Elon’s decision making, talent attraction, and willingness to endure public and financial risk. He talks about polarization and why we need to separate political noise from what we can genuinely learn from a person’s craft and lived experience. Eric explains why he’d bet on nanotech, biology, and the AI plus CRISPR wave as the next “get rich while solving real problems” frontier. They dive into space economics, asteroid mining, and why Eric believes we’ll have metal from space on Earth in about a decade. Eric explains why books are “Lindy,” why print still matters, and why publishing is being democratized as gatekeepers lose relevance. He shares the Scribe turnaround story: being a customer caught in bankruptcy, helping behind the scenes, then becoming CEO after the assets were rebuilt. Eric describes his “unlimited possibility” moment: publishing the Almanack of Naval Ravikant, which became proof of exceptional ability and changed his life trajectory. Takeaways Purpose is leverage, because it helps you take risks other people won’t, attracts elite talent, and creates resilience through pain and uncertainty. A book can be a “lighthouse” that gathers your people, changes your opportunities, and becomes an asset that precedes you for decades. The future economy is bigger than Earth, and the raw materials of the solar system make space industrialization a long term inevitability. Traditional publishing is a 150 year old model built for a world that no longer exists, and modern authors can keep control while still producing world class work. If you’re going to do a book, do it right, because it can outlive you and compound into everything you do next. Closing Thoughts Eric’s message is both simple and challenging: stop waiting for permission and build something that lasts. Whether it’s a book, a company, or a new technology wave, the people who win are the ones who stay amazed by what’s possible and keep dragging “impossible” into “done.” If you’ve been thinking about writing a book, this episode makes the case that you’re only one great book away from changing your life. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ashley Parker Angel Co-founder of High Level Science opens up about the highs of becoming famous overnight and the hidden downside no one trains you for. He describes how entertainment can wrap your identity around external validation, how contracts and industry politics can leave artists far less wealthy than the public assumes, and why he reached a point where he wanted real control over his life. From there, he shares his health transformation, his obsession with learning what actually works, and the decision to build a medical grade supplement company with credibility at the center, not hype. Key Discussion Points Ashley breaks down the benefits of fame, including instant recognition, doors opening fast, and surreal moments like performing at Madison Square Garden. He explains the dark side, including being taken advantage of through contracts, manipulation behind the scenes, and the psychological crash when attention fades. He shares the turning point where he realized he had no control, felt burned out from living out of a suitcase, and chose stability through Broadway’s grind of eight shows a week. Ashley tells the story of being excommunicated from the Jehovah’s Witness community at 17, losing his support system, and how that rejection built a level of resilience that makes business stress feel smaller. He reveals why he built High Level Science from the ground up instead of licensing his name, and why partnering with Dr. David Rizik was about credibility, science, and long term trust. Ashley explains the GNC full circle moment, from getting rejected for a job at 15 to cold calling the CEO and landing in over 1,000 stores with the “Making the Brand” tour. Takeaways Fame is a performance amplifier, not a life plan, and without ownership of the business side, the money and control often go to everyone else. If your identity depends on external success, losing momentum can feel like losing yourself, so resilience requires building an internal foundation that survives the spotlight. Obsession can be an advantage when it is aimed at mastery, because excellence comes from leaving it all on the mat, not coasting on reputation. The celebrity brand era is shifting, and trust now comes from real expertise, real results, and partners with undeniable credibility. The biggest unlock is mindset training, because Ashley’s “unlimited possibility” moment started with belief before the evidence showed up. Closing Thoughts Ashley Parker Angel’s story is a reminder that success can be loud on the outside and fragile on the inside if you do not own your identity and your health. This episode is about turning pain into resilience, turning attention into a platform, and turning a health wake up call into a real business built on science. If you are chasing the next win, Ashley offers a better question: are you building something you actually control and something that lasts beyond the spotlight. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel talks with David Grutman about the real mechanics of influence: not clout chasing, but doing the work to make people feel taken care of at a level they never expected. David explains how he made Miami “stick” for celebrities and founders by curating unforgettable trips, why hospitality is a game of obsessive details, and how social media turned nightlife into an instant feedback loop that makes the job ten times harder. They also unpack his investing approach, his mindset around fear and pressure, and the message of his book Take It Personal: if a bartender can build an empire, you can too. Key Discussion Points David explains his early strategy was simple: get influential people to Miami, then control the full experience so they fell in love with the city. He breaks down his “value add” philosophy, saying it is not about keeping score, it is about serving because the act itself is the reward. David shares how to add value to people who “have everything,” by spotting the one thing they do not have access to or are not even thinking about. He reveals that hospitality excellence is built on micro details, from lighting and music to table flow, empty glasses, and service pacing. They talk virality, including the iconic “beef case” and the over the top royal cart that creates instant FOMO and turns dinner into content. David explains why social media made hospitality harder, because there is no lag time anymore and the market demands a hit every night. He shares what scares him most, waking up to nightly sales reports and seeing red, because in hospitality anything can change the next day. David talks about building global expansion through years long relationships and only partnering with people who fill gaps and align on goals. He explains why he wrote Take It Personal, turning a five year FIU course into a blueprint for the next generation of entrepreneurs. Takeaways If you want powerful relationships, stop asking when it “evens out” and focus on becoming the person who adds value by default. Being great at hospitality is not vibes, it is systems and details, spotting every pinch point before the guest ever feels it. Viral moments are engineered, and the best operators design photogenic, shareable experiences that make the whole room turn their heads. If you want to open a restaurant or nightclub, do not skip the journey, learn every role first because the reps build judgment. Trust is earned fast but lost forever, and David’s rule is simple: trust people until they give you a reason not to, then it is over. Closing Thoughts David Grutman’s story is the long game in action: relationships, repetition, and relentless attention to detail. Take It Personal is his proof that influence is built, not inherited, and that the “fun business” is still one of the most stressful businesses in the world. The real surprise is what matters most to him now: being a great father and husband, and building something his daughters can surpass. Thank you to our amazing sponsor, Shopify, who has changed my life. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at SHOPIFY.com/foundersstory Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel and Mark Manson go behind the scenes of modern internet fame, content creation, and the psychological cost of being online. Mark shares how he went from blogging in the early backlink era to viral Facebook articles, to traditional media deals, and then back to building a full scale media company. Along the way, they talk about why social platforms can be both magical and toxic, how to stop feeding the algorithm what upsets you, and why your purpose is really about choosing what to ignore. Key Discussion Points Mark explains why emotional reactivity online is often an algorithm problem, and why you have to take responsibility for what you train your feed to show you. He breaks down his three career phases, from early blogging and viral growth to traditional media disappointment, then building a modern creator led media company. They talk about the two kinds of authority online: credential authority and “learn with me” authority, and why both are colliding in today’s creator economy. Mark shares his purpose: helping people clarify and prioritize their values, and cut out the noise to “give better fcks.” They debate AI companions and AI psychosis, and why Mark thinks the scary edge cases are real but statistically rare compared to other modern risks. Mark talks about why software is so brutally slow and expensive compared to media, and why creator owned products and equity partnerships are the next big wave. Takeaways If content makes you angry, debating it can train the algorithm to feed you more of it, so the fastest win is ruthless feed curation and non engagement. Online hate scales with impact, so the skill is scar tissue: stop reading, stop arguing, and treat a small percent of negativity as inevitable “defect rate.” The defining challenge of this era is not finding opportunities, it is pruning distractions and choosing what to stop caring about. Creators are becoming mini media companies, and the real leverage comes from building a team that repurposes one “seed” idea into many formats daily. Traditional media can be slow and misaligned, while owning a product or equity aligned partnership can turn content into long term compounding value. Closing Thoughts Mark Manson’s message is simple but brutal: your life gets better when you get ruthless about what you let in. In a world of endless noise, the new superpower is values based focus and deliberate subtraction. If you want peace, it starts with choosing better fcks and deleting the rest. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel Robbins sits down with Dr. Jennifer Posa to unpack the real drivers of peak performance, burnout, and culture in elite organizations. Dr. Posa explains that wellbeing is a holistic system that includes emotional regulation, social connection, financial health, psychological safety, and the policies and processes that shape daily work. She shares why the best leaders empower others with confidence, why the top of the org determines whether wellbeing becomes real strategy, and how companies can stop treating wellbeing like a soft perk and start using it as a measurable advantage. Key Discussion Points Dr. Posa explains she cares deeply about wellbeing because of her own career experiences and because she wants future workplaces to be safe and supportive for her three daughters. She argues the future is not human versus machine, but human plus machine, and the winners will map the relationship between technology and people with new skills and new metrics. She breaks down what makes elite leaders: self awareness and humility, plus a bias for action paired with strong judgment and the ability to filter noise from real signals. Dr. Posa clarifies the biggest misconception: wellbeing is not just going to the gym, it is a holistic system and it directly predicts performance, safety, trust, retention, and results. She shares a leadership moment from Johnson & Johnson where a VP empowered her to represent the team in a critical meeting during COVID, proving belief and trust scale leadership. She discusses how psychological safety prevents costly failures by enabling people to raise concerns early, especially in high stakes environments like healthcare and national security. She introduces a practical framework leaders can use to understand motivation and fit, using Ikigai style questions to learn what employees love, do well, and want to be paid for. Takeaways Wellbeing is not a perk, it is the operating system of performance, and culture problems usually come from process and leadership design, not individual weakness. The best leaders scale by believing in people beyond what they believe in themselves, then giving them real responsibility with real backing. If there is no psychological safety, teams hide risk until it becomes damage, so trust is not optional in high performance environments. You cannot fix burnout with hacks if the root cause is structural, like unfair policies, broken performance systems, or leaders who do not invest in relationships. Human relationships will matter even more as AI grows, because trust, accountability, and collaboration determine whether technology gets used correctly. Closing Thoughts Dr. Jennifer Posa makes the case that wellbeing is the hardest, most practical leadership work, because it determines whether people can think clearly, speak up, and perform under pressure. This episode is a reminder that culture is not vibes, it is systems, relationships, and leadership behavior repeated daily. If you want a resilient company, start where the impact is biggest: the leader, the team, and the environment you create every day. Great businesses are built by great people. If you’re serious about finding the right ones, check out ZipRecruiter and try it for free today. Limited Time Offer – Get Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code FOUNDER at huel.com/founder . New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniel Robbins interviews David Begnaud about the person who believed in him, the pain he carried growing up, and the moment he finally felt safe enough to be fully seen. David tells the story of his English teacher Josette Surratt, who redirected his life into speech and debate and gave him a nonjudgmental space to be vulnerable. He explains why disaster reporting eventually felt empty, how Puerto Rico pushed him to cross the line from reporting into helping, and why Do Good Crew exists to use modern algorithms for hope instead of rage. Key Discussion Points David shares how his high school teacher saw his voice and asked him “what are you running from,” opening the door to healing from shame, Tourette’s, and growing up gay. He explains he only felt ready to come out publicly after a major career win, believing success gave him “permission” that people would not abandon him once he told the truth. David reflects on disaster coverage and why compartmentalizing worked until it didn’t, because reporting pain without being able to change the outcome became a growing internal conflict. He describes how Puerto Rico changed his approach, including using social platforms to both report and mobilize help, and how that led to the creation of Do Good Crew with CBS as an experiment. David argues trust is the new currency in an AI world, and that the stories that win now are the vulnerable ones that include the hard parts, not just the polished highlight reel. Takeaways One honest question from the right person can unlock years of suppressed pain and give someone permission to become who they really are. Career success can become a bridge to personal freedom, because winning in one arena can create safety to reveal what you have hidden. In a world flooded with AI content, real human vulnerability is becoming the differentiator that earns attention and respect. If you want to go viral, tell the story you are tempted to edit, because the struggle is what people actually recognize as truth. Respect scales further than likability, and building for respect is the long game when the internet is optimizing for cheap approval. Closing Thoughts This episode is a reminder that stories do not just entertain, they can change lives when they carry truth and a clear call to action. David Begnaud is proving you can evolve beyond traditional journalism without abandoning integrity, and that the future of media might belong to people who use trust and humanity as the product. If you’ve ever felt like you are running from your own story, this conversation will hit hard. Great businesses are built by great people. If you’re serious about finding the right ones, check out ZipRecruiter and try it for free today. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.