Explore every episode of the podcast Lubo Smid Podcast

Meet Dr. Aron D'Souza, the visionary behind Enhanced Games and a bold new era in human performance. From redefining the limits of sports to challenging how we think about aging, cognition, and enhancement, Dr. D’Souza shares why the future belongs to the enhanced. We dive into the science of superhumans, the race between nations to innovate, and why travel might be the new smoking. This is more than sport—it’s a glimpse into the next stage of human evolution.Chapters:00:00 The Vision of Enhanced Games04:05 The Future of Human Enhancement12:19 The Next Age of Mankind20:21 The Role of AI and Regulation26:48 The Power of Innovation and Market Dynamics30:04 The Journey of Entrepreneurship and Personal Dedication34:37 The Vision Behind Enhanced Games39:21 Extraordinary Sacrifices for Extraordinary Lives42:27 The Enhanced Games: A New Era in Sports46:17 Personal Routines and Cognitive Enhancements52:38 Finding Purpose and Making an Impact Dr Aron D'Souza on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arondsouza/

Meet Edward Hertzman, founder of Athletech Media and the voice behind the fitness industry’s new wave. From building Sourcing Journal to launching the go-to platform for fitness and wellness news, Edward shares how media, investment, and community are reshaping a fast-growing space. We dive into personalization, the rise of Hyrox, and why this fragmented industry finally has a seat at the table.Chapters:00:00 The Impact of a Major Fitness Event03:00 Industry Trends and Innovations06:06 Community and Collaboration in Fitness08:43 Investor Insights and Market Dynamics11:47 Technological Advancements in Wellness14:45 The Future of Health and Fitness24:41 Personalized Experiences in Tech and Branding30:23 Innovations in Fitness and Wellness Products38:06 The Rise of Community in Fitness Events43:01 Reinventing Fitness Brands for the Future46:06 Non-Negotiables for Wellness and Performance

Meet Kevin Wathey, Founder & CEO of Baseline and Velara, whose personal loss set him on a mission to redefine health and wellness. After losing his mother at a young age, he sought to understand what it truly means to live a long, healthy life. Through his work, Kevin explores the intersection of AI, health data, and longevity, empowering people to take control of their well-being. His pursuit of resilience led him to test his own limits—most notably by running an ultramarathon, proving that consistency and mental strength drive true transformation.Chapters:00:00 The Journey Begins: Personal Stories and Connections02:59 Finding Purpose Through Loss and Growth05:51 The Intersection of Health and Wellness Ventures09:03 Innovating Hospitality: A New Approach to Wellness11:55 Transforming Health Experiences: From Qualitative to Quantitative14:55 The Role of Technology in Health and Wellness18:14 Harmonizing Health Data: The Digital Twin Concept21:06 AI's Impact on Health and Wellness23:48 Quality Over Quantity: The Future of Health Data31:35 The Power of Consistency in Health and Life35:23 Resilience: Overcoming Life's Challenges46:19 Pushing Limits: The Journey of an Ultra Marathon50:19 Optimizing Health: Sleep and Lifestyle Choices53:30 Exploring Fasting: A New Frontier in HealthKevin Wathey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwathey/

Meet Sarah, founder of CeraThrive and a leader in health innovation. With a background in pharmaceuticals, Sarah’s passion for light therapy and biohacking led her to create new devices that optimize brain function, improve gut health, and enhance overall well-being. By combining red light therapy, grounding, and structured water, Sarah is helping us understand more about health and longevity. Sarah Turner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebelscientist/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Photobiomodulation and Personal Journey 03:02 Grounding: The Science Behind Connection to Earth 05:59 The Importance of Red Light Therapy in Daily Life 09:14 Understanding Sunlight Deficiency and Its Effects 12:00 Exploring the Gut-Brain Connection 18:04 Technological Innovations in Health and Longevity 22:54 The Concept of Structured Water and Its Implications 28:15 Harnessing Light for Brain Performance 29:47 Integrating Technology and Biohacking 30:52 Collecting Data for Enhanced Performance 34:04 Overcoming Obstacles in Product Development 35:26 Marketing Strategies in Biohacking 36:57 The Future of AI in Health and Longevity 39:43 Regenerative Health and Stem Cell Therapies 41:16 Skepticism in the Medical Community 44:42 Research and Evidence in Biohacking 46:15 Personal Practices for Health and Resilience 51:31 Future Aspirations for CeraThrive Follow Lubo Smid Linkedin:   / lubosmid   Instagram:   / lubosmid   X: https://x.com/lubosmid

Welcome to this special episode, where David Semerad and I sit down to share the real, unfiltered story of building STRV. Starting out as college kids with nothing, they’ve spent the last 13 years growing STRV into what it is today. In this episode, they reflect on the journey—the parties, the lessons, and the pivotal moments that haven’t really been talked about before. With Lubo now taking full ownership of the company, this felt like the right time to look back and share a bit more about the whole journey. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 02:56 The Early Days of STRV 06:04 Building the Co-Founding Team 11:50 Critical Moments 14:47 The Importance of Trust 17:51 Developing Our Own Product and Learning from Many Failed Projects 24:03 Scaling the Company to Around 200 People 27:05 Establishing a Presence in the US Market 30:02 Key Decisions in Our Journey 33:01 Reflections on Naivety and Courage 37:34 Taking Risks 39:31 Persistence and Mindset 46:43 Remembering the Highlights from Early Parties 52:01 Smart Moves and Strategic Decisions 57:24 Ownership and Trust 01:05:05 Growth and Future Aspirations

Meet Rockwell Shah, CEO of Ozlo Sleep, the company behind innovative sleep buds that quiet the noise and help people rest better. With a deep background in digital health and a passion for creating meaningful solutions, Rockwell led Ozlo to raise an incredible $5.5 million through the most successful Indiegogo campaign ever. By combining advanced technology with a focus on solving real sleep challenges, he’s changing the way we think about rest, one peaceful night at a time. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Oslo Sleep and Rockwell's Journey 03:01 The Evolution of Sleep Technology 05:53 Building a Community and Brand Identity 09:04 The Importance of Solving Real Problems 11:53 The Role of Feedback and Iteration 14:50 Crowdfunding Success and Community Engagement 17:59 Challenges in Hardware Development 21:11 Delivering on Promises and Customer Trust 27:19 Engineering Challenges in Hardware Development 34:35 The Insanity of Building Hardware 41:50 Unique Sleep Stories and Their Impact 52:35 Innovative Sleep Tracking Features 54:30 Personal Reflections on Sleep and Parenthood Rockwell Shah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockwellshah/

Meet Adam Cohen Aslatei, CEO of Three Day Rule Matchmaking, a modern service helping singles find meaningful connections through personalized matchmaking. With over a decade of experience in the dating industry, Adam has led innovative ventures like S’More and played key roles at Bumble and Tawkify, shaping how we approach relationships in the digital age.

Chapters: 00:00 The Journey into the Dating Industry

06:00 Building Successful Dating Products

12:03 The Role of Matchmaking in Modern Dating

17:50 The Future of Dating: Technology Meets Personalization

24:02 Balancing Life and Dating: Tips for Success

Adam Cohen Aslatei on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-cohen-aslatei-0170018/

Meet Ben Katz, Co-Founder and CEO of HYBRD, the first app designed to help hybrid athletes track and optimize their training. With a background at WHOOP and Appex, Ben’s experience in fitness tech and product growth helped HYBRD gain YC’s attention just two months after launch. Passionate about building for athletes, Ben and the HYBRD team are shaping the future of hybrid training.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Personal Background02:57 The Intersection of Health, Fitness, and Technology05:54 Identifying Market Gaps and Unique Insights09:01 Building the Hybrid App: Challenges and Innovations11:48 The Role of Data Integration in Fitness Tracking15:13 Rapid Development and Team Dynamics17:59 Vision for the Future of Hybrid Training21:03 The Unique Hybrid Score Concept24:03 Y Combinator Experience and Lessons Learned30:43 Building a Community for Feedback31:53 Embracing Imperfection in Product Development34:29 The Value of Founding Members36:14 Key Product Development Strategies37:06 Insights from User Data41:33 Preparing for Demo Day43:28 Future Aspirations and Growth45:14 The Role of AI in Fitness47:29 Trends in Health Tech PartnershipsBen Katz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminlkatz/

Meet Dirk Friel, Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist of TrainingPeaks, the world’s #1 app for athletes and coaches. In this episode, Dirk talks about the future of sports training, from altitude training and data-driven insights to building sustainable coaching businesses. He also shares how technology is changing the game for athletes and coaches, the importance of trust and feedback, and why planning ahead can make all the difference in achieving your goals. Chapters 00:00 Altitude Training Insights 06:09 Data Revolution in Sports Training 11:52 Adapting to New Sports and Trends 17:56 Trends in Sports and Coaching 31:20 Building a Sustainable Coaching Business 37:20 The Value of Coaching in Various Aspects of Life 46:29 The Future of Training Technology Dirk Friel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirk-friel-780b372/

Meet Martin Tolar, a neuroscientist and biotech leader working to solve Alzheimer’s—a disease affecting over 400 million people globally. With $1 billion invested and 11 years of research, his team is on the verge of a groundbreaking cure. From his role in the Velvet Revolution to leading innovations in personalized medicine, Martin shares how data, lifestyle, and cutting-edge science are reshaping healthcare and longevity.

Chapters: 00:00 The Journey Begins: Language and Cultural Dynamics 02:54 Motivations for Moving to the US: A Quest for Knowledge 05:59 The Velvet Revolution: A Catalyst for Change 08:59 Experiencing America: Opportunities and Optimism 11:52 Navigating the Biotech Landscape: Merging Medicine and Business 15:00 Inspiring Innovation: The Role of Leadership in Biotech 17:56 Understanding Alzheimer's: The Science Behind the Disease 19:50 The Role of Data in Treatment Development 23:43 Understanding the Mechanism of ALZ801 25:58 Navigating Clinical Trials and Regulatory Approval 27:51 The Business Perspective on Alzheimer's Research 30:50 Personalized Health and Predictive Medicine 32:58 The Importance of Integrating Data in Healthcare 34:50 Longevity and Lifestyle Choices 37:44 The Importance of Social Interaction for Longevity 39:28 Optimizing Physical Health: VO2 Max and Exercise 43:00 Personalized Health: The Role of Individualized Approaches 45:42 Preventive Health: Addressing Alzheimer's and Beyond 50:00 Navigating the Technological Landscape for Better Health 52:52 The Future of Healthcare: Empowering Individuals

Martin Tolar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martintolar

Meet Nikolina, a visionary entrepreneur transforming healthcare by focusing on biological age. As the founder of GlycanAge, she’s pioneering a way to predict health risks up to ten years before symptoms appear, giving individuals a head start on preventive action. From her beginnings in tech to groundbreaking advances in biotech, Nikolina shares her insights on resilience, risk-taking, and the power of understanding your body on a molecular level. Nikolina Lauc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolinalauc/

Meet Christian Osgood, a real estate investor who scaled from 4 to 225 units in just three years by prioritizing relationships over deals. He shares how connecting with seasoned owners fueled his rapid growth. Discover his strategy for buying properties with little to no money down and how small adjustments led to massive success.

00:00 The Game-Changing Moment That Transformed My Real Estate Path

04:12 From Sales to Real Estate: The Surprising Skills That Made All the Difference

10:36 Why Building Relationships Beats Chasing Deals Every Time

13:19 The Power of Consistency: Your Key to Long-Term Success

19:01 Clarity Through Goals: How I Went from Stagnant to Scaling

21:06 Shocking Discoveries in the Real Estate Market

28:34 Staying Motivated: How to Set Ambitious Goals and Crush Them

31:46 The Multifamily Strategy: Growing Wealth with Real Estate

33:16 Mastering Risk: How to Safeguard Your Investments

37:34 Lessons Learned: Turning Challenges into Million-Dollar Wins

44:19 How Can Technology Help in Property Management

51:11 Real Estate Success: Actionable Steps for Aspiring Investors

53:54 Real Estate Myths Busted: What Really Works in the Industry

Christian Osgood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-osgood-10a95b71/

Meet Chiel, wellness entrepreneur and founder behind a fast-growing cold plunge brand, who’s helping shape the future of recovery through contrast therapy and community. From building beautifully designed ice baths to scaling globally and navigating wellness culture, Chiel shares how product, strategy, and stillness are transforming the way we recharge—one plunge at a time.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Contrast Therapy and Business Insights

02:57 The Rise of Ice Bathing and Wim Hof's Influence

06:02 Challenges of Scaling a Global Business

08:56 Competition and Product Differentiation

11:52 Marketing Strategies for Different Markets

14:49 Design and Quality as Key Differentiators

17:50 Personal Experience and Daily Practices

20:39 Future Growth and Market Potential

23:42 Innovations in Commercial Ice Bathing

26:53 Navigating Complex Regulations in the Wellness Industry

27:46 Innovative Product Development and Patents

29:33 Exploring Global Trends in Ice Bathing and Recovery

32:15 The Rise of Social Wellness Clubs

34:51 Opportunities in Offline Connection and Community Building

39:11 Personal Journeys: The Decision to Stop Drinking

44:59 Prioritizing Sleep for Longevity and Health

48:16 Wisdom for Life and Business Improvement

Chiel Kraai on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiel-kraai/?locale=nl_NL

Owen Garitty is the founder of FPW Media, a fast-growing agency known for blending AI with compelling brand storytelling. Since 2013, he has led FPW to become one of the fastest-growing agencies, focusing on authentic client engagement and results-driven marketing. Owen continues to push the boundaries of marketing, using AI to enhance strategies while maintaining a strong emphasis on creativity. Chapters 00:00 How FPW Media Became One of the Fastest-Growing Agencies 03:26 Experience vs. Education: Which Matters More for Entrepreneurs? 07:41 The Power of Storytelling: Driving Impact in Modern Marketing 10:01 Customer Service as a Competitive Advantage 12:42 Navigating Complex Client Requests 14:42 Adapting Legacy Brands to Connect with Younger Generations 18:51 How AI is Transforming Modern Marketing 23:22 Standing Out: Creativity in a Saturated Content Market 37:32 Future Trends Shaping Content Creation 51:00 Key Aha Moments in Owen’s Entrepreneurial Journey Owen Garitty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/owen-garitty

Meet Forest Smith, the visionary co-founder of Kineon, a company revolutionizing recovery with red light therapy. Forest’s journey from an idea to selling over 40,000 devices in just 2 years is nothing short of inspiring. His passion for improving inflammation treatment and healing fuels Kineon’s mission to help people move better and live healthier lives. In this episode, Forest dives deep into the science behind the therapy and explores its benefits for both athletes and everyday users. Chapters 00:00 An Unconventional Path to Co-Founding 03:04 Building a Mission-Driven Company 05:49 Laying the Groundwork: Challenges in Hardware Development 08:47 A Vision Realized: How a Kineon Was Born 11:47 How Photobiomodulation is Revolutionizing Health 15:00 The Science Behind the Device 18:11 Fighting Pain and Inflammation 20:55 Preventative Health and Recovery 23:57 Research and Development in Health Tech Space 27:12 The Future of Health Tech Ecosystems 29:53 Overcoming Challenges in Hardware Development 33:06 Harnessing the Power of Community: Growth and Funding 35:47 Empowering Health Through Technology 38:51 Personal Health Routines Forrest Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-forrest-smith/

Meet Adam Callinan, co-founder of BottleKeeper, who bootstrapped his business from $0 to $8M in just three years. In this episode, Adam shares insights on entrepreneurship, from risk-taking to smart marketing. He also discusses his experience on Shark Tank and the impact it had on the company's success. After selling BottleKeeper, Adam founded Pentane, a SaaS platform that helps businesses improve profitability. 00:00 - Meet Adam Callinan: Introduction and Background 03:18 - From Medicine to Entrepreneurship 06:05 - Creating BottleKeeper: From Idea to $8M 23:16 - Shark Tank: Boosting Growth and Exposure 25:27 - Wearing Many Hats: Scaling without a Team 27:15 - Life After Shark Tank 28:23 - The Consulting Deal That Fell Through 29:22 - Why IP Protection Matters 39:32 - Breaking Down the Keys to Success 43:15 - Introducing Pentane: A Smarter Way to Manage Profitability Adam Callinan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammcallinan/

Meet Robbie Bent, the visionary co-founder of Othership, which has now opened the largest sauna and ice bath studio in New York City. Robbie's journey from an early Ethereum employee to a wellness entrepreneur is nothing short of remarkable. Starting from humble beginnings in a garage, he built two studios in Toronto before raising $8 million to create the largest sauna in New York. Chapters 0:00 Intro 2:17 Insights from Building the Combination of Digital and Physical Product 12:40 Pivotal Moments That Led to Founding the Passion for Sauna, Ice Baths, and Breathing 18:00 Huge Impact of Having Community and Othership's Success Keys 22:30 Differences of Moving with Business and Impact of Being Around as a Founder 25:20 The Sacrifice of Going All-In as a Founder 27:00 Sources of Willpower, Inspiration, and Motivation 30:00 The Costs and Benefits of Building in New York 32:30 Hard Process of Raising Money for Your Dream 37:00 Trends in the Sport and Wellness Space 39:00 Robbie's Vision for Othership 45:00 Lessons Learned from Scaling the Business and Building in NYC 46:00 What It Really Takes to Be the CEO and How Routines Can Help to Deal with Challenges 49:30 How to Keep Innovating and Explore Different Approaches

Meet Maria Zhang, a tech leader with an impressive background. She’s been VP of Engineering at Google, GM: AI for Products at Meta, VP of Engineering at Instagram, VP of Engineering at LinkedIn, CTO at Tinder, and VP of Engineering at Yahoo. Now, she's working on her own AI startup, Proactive AI Lab. 00:00 - Introduction: Meet Maria Zhang and Discover Her Vision for AI 05:20 - Personalization and Democratization of Technology 09:45 - Future of Devices We Use 18:25 - The Importance of Open-Source Models 21:00 - Decision Process to Start Building a Startup 24:00 - OpenAI Success and the Rise of AI 30:50 - Gaps and Opportunities in the AI Space 33:00 - Proactive AI Lab 36:00 - Strategy to Keep Up with Today’s Fast-Moving World 40:00 - Balancing Work and Life 43:00 - Tough Challenges as a Leader in the Tech Space 46:12 - Artificial General Intelligence 52:00 - Technology Advancements and Predictions

Meet Daniel Khachab, CEO of Choco, the innovative tech company transforming the food supply chain to eliminate waste. With a bold vision to drive zero food waste, Choco has raised $326 million, rapidly reaching a $1.2 billion valuation in just four years. In this episode, we dive deep into the problem of overproduction, the complexity of food supply chain, and how Choco is leveraging AI to truly transform the industry.

00:00 - Introduction: Meet Daniel Khachab and Discover the Vision Behind Choco

01:19 - Transitioning from Military to Rocket Internet: Key Lessons Learned

07:45 - Analyzing Four Factors Behind the Decline of Rocket Internet

10:00 - Identifying the Problem: The Genesis of Choco’s Mission

17:30 - Tackling Overproduction: Choco’s Comprehensive Supply Chain Strategy

25:20 - Designing Great Products for Offline Users

29:03 - Measuring the Impact: What Choco’s Solutions Have Achieved

30:40 - Secrets to Rapid Expansion: Choco’s Generational Growth Model

33:40 - Insights from Raising $326 Million: Strategies and Takeaways

37:50 - The Benefits of Building in Stealth Mode

40:55 - AI and the Future: Choco’s Innovations and New Products

44:40 - Strategies for Attracting Top AI Talent

46:00 - Staying Ahead: Keeping Up with Tech Developments

48:20 - Fostering Innovation: Choco’s Two-Week AI Hackathon

54:20 - Today's Biggest Challenges Facing Choco

55:50 - Personalizing AI: How Daniel Khachab Integrates AI into Daily Life Daniel Khachab on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielkhachab/?originalSubdomain=de

Meet Erik Huberman, founder and CEO of Hawke Media, a marketing agency valued at over $150 million. He's a serial entrepreneur who quickly scaled businesses like Swag of the Month and Ellie.com, capturing the attention of Forbes "30 Under 30" and Inc Magazine's "Top 25 Marketing Influencers." Erik’s insights on digital marketing and entrepreneurship are frequently sought after in major publications including Forbes and Entrepreneur. 0:00 Intro to Erik Huberman 0:50 Longevity in Business: Mastering the Art of Sustainable Success4:00 Discover the Marketing Genius Behind Hawke Media 11:00 Crafting Top-Notch Products: Secrets to Building Desirable Brands 18:00 Marketing That Stands Out: Innovative Strategies to Differentiate Your Business 20:00 The Power of AI in Marketing: Exploring Hawke Media’s Groundbreaking Tool 27:00 Handling Hundreds of Clients: Effective Techniques for Large-Scale Client Management 30:00 Client Strategy Essentials: Tailoring Winning Approaches for Diverse Needs 35:00 Tech Innovations Impacting Marketing: Insights on Apple Vision Pro and More 39:00 Angel Investing Insights: What Erik Huberman Looks for in New Ventures 41:00 Foundational Advice for Startups: Key Tips for New Entrepreneurs 43:00 Erik's Personal Drive: The Motivations Fueling a Marketing Mogul

Meet Lu Zhang, a force in healthcare, insurance, and the space industry, whose journey from Mongolia to leading a major tech fund in Silicon Valley exemplifies the American Dream. This episode takes you deep into the insights of an entrepreneur and investor who's reshaping the future with her expertise in AI, facing today’s biggest challenges head-on. Episode Highlights: AI's Role in Cutting-Edge Fields: How AI and open source are revolutionizing healthcare, insurance, and space industry. Tech Market Insights: Lu's predictions on the future of tech, informed by her global perspective and Silicon Valley success. Practical Wisdom for Entrepreneurs: From navigating market trends to embracing culture for effective communication, Lu shares her playbook for making informed investments and building startups that matter. Chapters 0:00 Intro 1:30 Exploring Tomorrow's Hottest Industries 9:50 Unpacking Future Concerns: Beyond 2024 14:00 The AI & Open Source Revolution 21:00 Introducing Aida: AI's Next Big Leap 30:00 The Lu Zhang Story: Tech, Trials, Triumph 39:00 Chasing the American Dream in Tech 43:00 2024 and Beyond: Market Trends & Predictions 50:00 Navigating Today's Market: An Investor's Insight 52:00 Essential Advice for Aspiring Founders 57:00 Staying Ahead: How to Stay Informed in Tech Space

Lu Zhang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luzhangvc/

How to turn sweat into success? Hear it from Kirby Porter, the Founder of New Game Labs and an athlete turned entrepreneur. Kirby joins us to discuss emerging trends in the sports industry, the journey of building New Game Labs and the importance of personal branding. Kirby’s recipe to success? - stay consistent - iterate on the message - nourish your relationships Chapters: 1:00 What's Happening in Sports 4:00 Importance of Personal Brand 7:00 Building a Business 11:00 Finding the New Thing 13:00 Building the Community 16:00 Networking Secret 22:00 Current Sports Trends 24:00 Importance of Sport 30:50 Sports and Tech 30:04 Web3 40:00 AI 44:00 Content 101 51:00 Best Advice Kirby Porter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirbyporter/ In the spotlight: New Game Labs https://www.newgamelabs.com/

Either go all in or don’t do it at all, says Patrick Dees as he descents into the ice-cold Vltava River. The Co-founder & Chief Gaming Officer at Fan Controlled Sports and Entertainment doesn’t do things halfway. His key strategy is to say no to things and be selective about who you spend time with. Guess our podcast host Lubo Smid was the lucky one!

It’s hard not to fall for Patrick when you meet him. Perhaps he takes it from his mom who taught him to always see the good in people. Patrik took a gamble when tokenizing the league and investing in Web3. It paid off. 

Tune in to hear his:

 1. 1:1 sales masterclass

 2. What traits cannot be taught

 3. How to get up over and over again

If you enjoy the conversation, leave a review or share it with a friend. Cheers!

Chapters

0:00 Intro

2:50 Overcoming Challenges

4:20 Art of Saying NO

12:10 Cold Emails Formula

15:50 Selling

19:00 Entrepreneurship

33:00 Number of Direct Reports

40:00 FCS Update

48:00 Web3 & AI

59:00 Tech Space Predictions

Patrick Dees on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-dees/

Meet Pavel Stuchlik, entrepreneur, DJ, and founder of Upper Aeon, who built over 100 OrangeTheory franchises before stepping away to explore the deeper dimensions of human potential. From running a fitness empire to guiding dark retreats and living on prana, Pavel shares how fasting, frequency, and stillness became his path to inner power.

Chapters:

00:00 – From OrangeTheory to Inner Work

01:17 – Lessons from Failure & Redefining Success

04:00 – First Business & Burning Out

08:12 – Building 100+ OrangeTheory Franchises

10:37 – Dark Retreats, Fasting & Conscious Tech

15:40 – Selling OrangeTheory & Starting Over

17:20 – Losing It All & Reinventing Through COVID

19:55 – Purpose-Driven Business & Early Spiritual Roots

22:55 – Merging Ancient Wisdom with Biohacking Tech

25:55 – Darkness Retreats, Frequencies & Finding Clarity

28:10 – Designing Transformational Events Like a Template

29:50 – Building a Purpose-Driven Franchise for Facilitators

32:10 – Life Patterns, Mindset & Healing Through Awareness

35:00 – The 4-Phase System: Wake Up, Clean Up, Power Up, Rest

38:40 – The ME-WE-BE Model & Levels of Consciousness

38:40 – Exploring the Edge: Sundance, Prana & Dark Retreats

41:15 – Breath, Dance, Meditation: The BDM Method

43:40 – Pranic Living & 25 Days Without Food

47:20 – Tech for Consciousness: Apollo, Neurovisor & More

52:30 – Finding Balance: Weekly Fasts, Monthly Resets, Yearly Darkness

Pavel Stuchlik on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pavel.aeon/?hl=en

Anthony Vennare is the co-founder of Fitt Insider. Having his dad pass away from brain cancer, he realized early on the importance of health. Now he shares the simple fitness formula with thousands of subscribers and fellow fitness founders.

Together with his brother Joe, they tapped into the multi-trillion industry and are now advising other companies on how to enter the world of health and wellness.

Key takeaways:
1. Fitness doesn’t have to suck: hike, bike, answer your calls whilst walking
2. Basic fitness formula: move more, eat better, don’t overcomplicate things
3. Find the right people you can rely on and don’t try to do everything yourself

Chapters:
3:41 How to Lose Weight
8:00 Why Fitness
14:00 Latest Research
20:00 Anthony's Recommendation
26:00 Growing Fitness Concepts
29:40 Investment Fund
34:00 Selling a Company
41:00 Changing Your Mindset
43:00 The Next Big Thing

Anthony Vennare on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vennare
In the spotlight: Fitt Insider https://insider.fitt.co/

Varun Puri is the co-founder of Yoodli, an AI-powered communication coach. 

After working closely with the ex president of Google, Varun co-founded Yoodli, now with $7 million secured. Turns out, 2 out of 3 people are afraid of public speaking, and it shows: filler words, unnatural body language, bad pacing. Yoodli solves all that.

Varun talks the cruel process of fundraising, why small wins matter, how he handles needing a good cry sometimes, and what Yoodli thinks about Elon Musk’s eccentric speaking skills. 

Varun Puri on LinkedIn

In the spotlight: Yoodli

Lubo Smid on: Linkedin, Instagram, X

JR Gondeck is the CEO of video-based dating app Verge. He’s also a Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisor and a Managing Director at wealth management co. The Lerner Group. The man is a well of diverse knowledge who’s mastered his major/minor philosophy: Do what you’re good at as a major, focus on passion as a minor. He shares his blueprint for standing out in finance and tech, how visualization isn’t just fun and games, and why the world needs unfiltered dating. 

JR Gondeck on LinkedIn

JR Gondeck on X

In the spotlight: The Lerner Group & Verge

Brought to you by Lubo Smid

Rahul Vohra built the first Gmail plugin to scale to millions of users. It was acquired by LinkedIn. Having learned all things email, he then created Superhuman — the AI-powered, lightning-fast email with $75M in Series C and backed by Will Smith. Lucky for us, the email genius is an open book, so we kept the Qs rolling. How can you get rapid email responses and save 134 hrs/year with Command-K? What’s the strategy behind nabbing enterprise deals with Fortune 500s? Does Slack mean the end of email? And what does Rahul’s own inbox look like?

• Rahul Vohra on LinkedIn
• Rahul Vohra on X
• In the spotlight: Superhuman
• Brought to you by Lubo Smid

Timmy has an appetite for risk. From a homeless artist to working with Unity founders, he’s learned to walk the line between creative and critical thinking like a pro — by leading Volvo Cars innovative VR/AR initiatives, co-founding “incubator of dreams” The Point Labs and hiring all the misfits he can find. Pretty much living a life of both rock star and engineer, because why choose when you can do both?

• Timmy Ghiurau on LinkedIn
• Timmy Ghiurau on X
• In the spotlight: The Point Labs
• Brought to you by Lubo Smid

Victor Wang was a lawyer, a hopeful founder, a nearly broke one… until Linkin Park stumbled onto his product: Kaiber, an AI video gen platform perfect for the band’s newest music video. Cut to cranking out 14 videos for Kid Cudi in 48 hours, achieving massive online traction and sticking to a “creative enablement, not replacement” AI mission, and you’ve got an entrepreneur brimming with advice — who somehow remains the nicest guy in the room.

Victor Wang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stokebuilder/

Victor Wang on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/stokebuilder/

In the spotlight: Kaiber https://kaiber.ai/

Brought to you by Lubo Smid: https://linktr.ee/lubosmid

The founder of sports tech media powerhouse Profluence Sports is also an athlete, investor and creator. Andrew Petcash moves FAST because he refuses to work for anyone, and he’s convinced all athletes need to do the same before the opportunities are gone — which happens overnight. He tells us which sport is about to blow up, how he’s building an “athletic flywheel” and why reading books never loses value.

Andrew Petcash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/

Andrew Petcash on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/AndrewPetcash/

In the spotlight: Profluence Sports https://profluence.com/

Brought to you by Lubo Smid: https://linktr.ee/lubosmid

A tech freak for life, Uriel took a detour with the Israel Defense Forces before merging the best of Reddit and Google Maps to build Atly, a location-based app helping people explore the world. With 120,000 members, the user-generated product is on the rise — and marketing has nothing to do with it. Uriel explains why community trumps ads and provides tips on hitting military-level focus. ‘Cause if you think you’re focused, you’re probably not. 

Uriel Maslansky on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uriel-maslansky/

Uriel Maslansky on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/UrielMaslansky/

In the spotlight: Atly https://www.atly.com/

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How can team sports make you a better entrepreneur? For Mike Mahlkow, they redefined the concept of winning. As a Forbes 30 Under 30, 2x YC alum, angel investor and the co-founder/CEO of backend workflow builder Fastgen, the man’s got a handle on working “smarter.” He shares the one key driver of product success, putting in the due diligence before building a business and why investing feels like a fun break — even when juggling 15 companies.

Mike Mahlkow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemahlkow/

Mike Mahlkow on X: https://twitter.com/MikeMahlkow/

In the spotlight: Fastgen https://fastgen.com/

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“Bud, this is gonna be impossible to raise money for.” In the financing game for 20+ years, Rob spots a challenge faster than most. Rarely stops him from going for it anyway — and occasionally making a few millies in 30 min. The Co-founding President of private cannabis real estate lender Pelorus Capital Group talks navigating a high-risk industry and why weed packs a bigger punch than the NFL and NLB combined. 

Rob Sechrist on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-sechrist-7597686/

Rob Sechrist on X: https://x.com/m5_rob?s=20

In the spotlight: Pelorus Capital Group https://pelorusequitygroup.com/

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Meet Ariel Garten, neuroscientist and co-founder of Muse, the brain-sensing headband transforming how we approach meditation, focus, and mental wellness. From her early passion for the mind to building one of the most recognized names in neurotechnology, Ariel shares the science behind Muse and how it’s helping people track brain activity, improve habits, and stay calm in a noisy world. This episode explores the intersection of tech, behavior, and mindfulness—and what it means to truly know your own brain.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Muse and Its Founders

01:00 Ariel's Journey into Neuroscience and Meditation

04:16 The Evolution of Wearable Technology and Brain Health

06:48 Insights from Muse Studies and Meditation Benefits

07:47 Challenges in Building a Consistent Meditation Practice

11:30 Strategies for Developing a Meditation Habit

17:10 The Best Times to Meditate and Muse Usage Patterns

19:19 The Evolution of Muse Devices and Future Innovations

24:24 Introduction to Muse S Athena

25:17 Neurofeedback and Brain Training

28:40 Heart Rate Variability and Breathing Exercises

30:27 Teaching vs. Stimulating: The Approach to HRV

32:32 Business Growth and User Engagement

35:33 Challenges in Hardware and Software Development

40:31 The Future of Brain Health Tracking

46:19 Personal Health Routines and Practices

Ariel Garten on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielgarten/?originalSubdomain=ca

The fight or flight response can be controlled. Once the CEO of stress tracking solution Sensate cracked the code, her science-backed hustle led to kickstarting a company in 48 hours. While Anna admits it’s all still “a little bit magic” to her, users across 50+ countries love it — and she’s got a lot to say about the vagus nerve, sonic resonance and the viral wellness trends out there.

Anna Gudmundson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annakg/

Anna Gudmundson on X: https://twitter.com/annagud/

In the spotlight: Sensate https://www.getsensate.com/

Brought to you by Lubo Smid: https://linktr.ee/lubosmid

They said TikTok was for kids. But not Amin; he was getting millions of views and rode that TikTok wave all the way to co-founding Kadama, a Gen-Z tutoring marketplace with 1 billion views that hit #2 on the App Store. The former Apple senior engineer (behind iMessenger and the Health App) talks what Gen Z wants, what it lacks and how to use socials to deliver on both.

Amin Shaykho on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aminshaykho/

Amin Shaykho on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aminshaykho

In the spotlight: Kadama https://www.kadama.com/

Brought to you by Lubo Smid: https://linktr.ee/lubosmid

Serial founder Champ is dead set on democratizing creativity. His newest venture, Capsule, is a video editing AI studio 3 years in the making — and with almost $5 million in funding and a waitlist of 10,000+ companies, it’s looking like a win. As the CEO, Champ shares the thesis that kicked things off, why storytelling is king and how to recognize a worthy idea beyond all the fluff.

Product featured: Capsule https://capsule.video/

Champ Bennet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/champbennett/

Brought to you by STRV: https://www.strv.com/

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AR, VR, all the Rs — which ones will make it? Should founders prepare to discard traditional development for Apple platforms? STRV CTO Jan Kaltoun talks spatial computing, how the right terminology squashes competition, why the next big thing could cost $10,000 and it wouldn’t change a thing, and what all these tech abbreviations mean for your mom. 

Jan Kaltoun on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-kaltoun/

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Facebook, Uber, 11 startups, now CMO of Smart Token Labs… Brent has earned the “Chief” in his marketing title more than most. That experience is embedded in every piece of advice, from what makes an authentic brand to why you can’t educate while selling and how to shift the idea of tokens as solely tradable assets. Turns out, it’s not that different from offering a sandwich.

Product featured: Smart Token Labs https://smarttokenlabs.com/

Brent Annells on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/brentannells

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In 2016, only 19% of children’s books had female heroes. Not the case anymore — just ask the 23 million girls inspired by Rebel Girls. As the CEO, Jes shares how the global brand helps raise confident girls via 2000+ stories told through NY Times bestsellers and an award-winning audio app, plus how it all started with Kickstarter… and being kinda annoyed by Finding Nemo?

Product featured: Rebel Girls https://www.rebelgirls.com/

Jes Wolfe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jes-wolfe-a58921/

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For any virtual therapy skeptics, let’s check the facts. Evidence-based autism therapy platform AnswersNow works solely with Masters/PhD-level clinicians. It’s facilitated 10,000+ hours of help. And as co-founder/CEO Jeff explains, families have been needing more support for ages. In fact, AnswersNow started with a Slack group and shared frustrations over major waitlists. 

Product featured: AnswersNow https://www.getanswersnow.com/

Jeff Beck on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/jeffbeck11

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Take it from Will, “The Email Guy” and co-founder/COO of Lavender: That robotic email isn’t getting you anywhere. But wait. Lavender is the #1 AI sales email coaching platform — so isn’t that as soulless as it gets? Will explains how feeding AI millions of emails every week makes things more (not less) human, and also spills trade secrets about the perfect outreach email. 

Product featured: Lavender https://www.lavender.ai/

Will Allred on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamallred/

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While 99% of people went wild for digital, LTD.INC chose “phygital” — NFTs that exist in both the digital and physical world. Brands like Wrangler Jeans are pumped; it’s pure gold for proof of authenticity, collectibles on the blockchain and the road to digital scarcity changing our reality. Founder/CEO Daryl explains more, plus why the wallet is “the social media of the future.”

Product featured: LTD.INC https://ltd.inc/

Daryl Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darylkelly/

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Around 5 million smart contracts deployed, yet we’ve got developers working with subpar tools that have them struggling with “what the hell is going on” every day. As the co-founder/CEO of web3 end-to-end observability platform Blocktorch, Gery notes it’s time to look beyond the cool factor of web3, at real value — starting with reimagining how devs build and maintain dApps. 

Product featured: Blocktorch https://www.blocktorch.xyz/

Gerald (Gery) Pollak on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerald-pollak/

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Tom Barten’s journey started with personal transformation—and led to building one of the most scalable fitness coaching platforms in Europe. In this episode, he shares how understanding human behavior, not just workouts, became the foundation of Personal Body Plan.

We dive into the four pillars of sustainable fitness, the shift from PDF to tech-based coaching, and how Tom built a movement rooted in community, personal growth, and smart scaling. From wearables and AI to the power of Hyrox and the future of fitness, this one’s for anyone building something real in wellness.

Chapters:

00:00 The Journey Begins: Personal Transformation in Fitness

10:12 Understanding Human Behavior: The Key to Success

18:05 Scaling Success: From PDF to App

25:34 Building a Team Around the Team

30:44 Lessons Learned: Focus and Management in Entrepreneurship

32:38 Outcome Builders: A New Venture in Expert Development

35:33 Building a Scalable Business in Health and Fitness

39:01 The Role of Technology in Health and Fitness

45:42 Personal Experiences with Wearables and Technology

46:01 Tom's Fitness Routine and Upcoming Changes

49:39 The Appeal of Hyrox and Community in Fitness

55:39 The Future of Technology in Fitness and Health

01:01:25 Embracing AI for Business and Personal Growth

Tom Barten on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartentom/?originalSubdomain=nl

A huge gap in most web3 strategies? Forgetting that 99.99% of your audience aren’t web3 fans. As a metaverse/NFT advisor to Fortune 500 brands, Diego’s top skill is zooming out. He shares why AR is the interface with blockchain as the backbone, why VR won’t go mainstream unless we’d all like a trip to rehab — and what it’ll take to ease the average Joe into a new reality. 

Diego Borgo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diegoborgo/

Brought to you by STRV: https://www.strv.com/

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“My ego interfered with my potential.” David Meltzer became a millionaire in his early 20s. His first exit was over $3.4 billion, and he led the agency that inspired the movie Jerry Maguire. But then he lost it all: several homes, the money and nearly his marriage. He shares how he made his way back to the top through appreciation — with a little help from his servant: technology. 

David Meltzer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmeltzer2/

Brought to you by STRV: https://www.strv.com/

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As the co-founder/CEO of Sparring, a legal partner for tech founders, Marek is an entrepreneur first — a trait that’s helped Sparring disrupt an industry notoriously resistant to change. The Forbes 30 Under 30 talks taking the mystery out of legal docs, refusing to work with oligarchs and why companies get “killed” due to mishandling shareholder agreements and regulations. 

Product featured: Sparring https://sparring.io/

Marek Krizka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marek-krizka-6243878a/

Brought to you by STRV: https://www.strv.com/

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On paper, Harry was a college kid that rode the “Gen Z creator” wave to fast success. He co-founded content monetization platform Fanfix, saw it get acquired by SuperOrdinary in 10 months and is now the co-CEO. But the truth is, raising capital at a young age is grueling, and there wasn’t much of it. So how did a few students build a premium product? “We were very scrappy.”

Product featured: Fanfix https://www.fanfix.io/

Harry Gestetner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-gestetner-802041a1/

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