The Matt Balaker Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Matt Balaker Podcast
We interview experts in business, comedy, and literature in hopes of free riding off their knowledge.
Zach Weissmueller is a senior producer at Reason. He has produced documentary shorts, video interviews, and feature articles for the platform since 2010 covering permissionless technology, free speech, mental health and homelessness, experimental governance, COVID-19 policy, criminal justice reform, and drug legalization.Judges honored Zach's video series "Anarchy in Detroit" with an L.A. Press Club award and called it "an awesome piece of journalism" and awarded him again in 2019 and 2021 for his documentaries on the mental health system and the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles. His work covering Hong Kong's mass movement against creeping authoritarianism was cited in national media, and at least one of his multiple video essays exploring libertarian philosophy have been viewed more than a million times on Reason's YouTube channel.
Dave Siegel started as doorman at the DC Improv, while a college student in Washington, DC. His first show as a performer came at an open mic at 'The Comic Strip' in New York City. Since that time, he has headlined premier comedy clubs across the country from 'Carolines on Broadway' to 'The Improv' on Melrose and recording his first album 'Live in DC' at the very club where he once escorted customers to their seats. Dave has opened for such comedians as Pete Davidson, Anthony Jeselnick, Richard Lewis, Mark Normand & Kevin Nealon. He has appeared on Comedy Central on three occasions as well as in the 2016 season of 'American's Got Talent.' Dave has also appeared as a panelist on CNN, HLN, the CW, ABC's 'Good Morning America' and is a regular guest on SiriusXM's. He is currently a writer/producer for a television show that airs nightly on NewsNation. https://www.davesiegel.com/ / @whiteguyindifferent
Beau McFarland is a stand-up comic, writer, and actor from Southern California. Beau has performed in clubs, theaters and, venues all over the United States, Canada, the U.K., China, and Thailand. He has also performed for the troops in Seoul, South Korea, as well as on season 1 of Fox Network's Boom, and is a frequent contributor to Table Read the Podcast.https://beaumcfarland.com/
Isaac Israel is a nationally touring comedian and owner of Tickle Me Comedy Club in Las Vegas.Tickle Me Comedy: https://www.ticklemecomedy.com/
Brian Scolaro is most known for his appearances on “CONAN”, his half hour Comedy Central special “COMEDY CENTRAL PRESENTS: BRIAN SCOLARO”, as Brian on ABC’s “A MILLION LITTLE THINGS”, as Doug on TBS’s “SULLIVAN AND SON”, Uncle Bill on “TEN YEAR OLD TOM”, his “DRY BAR SPECIAL: TROUBLE”, his Amazon special “I DON’T KNOW WHO I AM EITHER”, and as Stuart on FOX’s “STACKED”.Brian has appeared on “SHAMELESS”, “ABBOTT ELEMENTARY”, “DEXTER”, “MAD MEN”, “LAW AND ORDER: SVU”, “BONES”, “CASTLE”, “GREY’S ANATOMY,” “THE MIDDLE”, “SUPERIOR DONUTS”, “I’M DYING UP HERE”, “ALONE TOGETHER”, “NIGHT COURT,”, “THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON”, “GOTHAM COMEDY LIVE”, “LIVE AT GOTHAM”, “COMICS UNLEASHED ”, “MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE”, “GIRL MEETS WORLD”, and has also had recurring roles on “KROLL SHOW”, “LIFE AND TIMES OF TIM”, and “WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE”. He was also a regular castmember on NBC’s “THREE SISTERS” as Gordon.He has four comedy albums available on all platforms and is also the author of the book “How to Punch a Monkey” on Amazon. About his role of Stuart Miller on “Stacked”, The LA Times said “Scolaro is terrific. An actual sitcom find.” About his role as Doug on “Sullivan and Son”, Brian Doyle-Murray (Caddyshack) said Brian is “one of the best I’ve ever seen.”And Marc Maron said on WTF podcast, Brian “might be the funniest fuckin person alive.”Watch Brian's new special, "Brian Scolaro: I Don't Know Who I am Either" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Brian-Scolaro-Dont-Know-Either/dp/B0CWGYN9V3/
Sagar Patel is a revenue and growth executive with 15+ years in sales and management in the healthcare and technology industries. He has held leadership roles with global companies such as IBM, Boston Scientific, and Karl Storz Endoscopy.Sagar has led revenue teams for three venture-backed healthcare technology start-ups, including most recently Honor, a home care technology company that raised over $350M in venture capital and recently closed Series E round in 2021 at a valuation of $1.25B reaching unicorn status prior to his departure.Sagar also is an advisor to startups in need of guidance for growing revenue and building sales organizations in a repeatable and scalable manner that is sustainable.Additionally, Sagar is an angel investor and board member to healthcare-tech startups, commercial real estate, hospitality, and sports teams, including most recently a minority investor of a professional soccer team, Chicago House AC.https://www.oceancalm.cohttps://m.youtube.com/@OceanCalm01@oceancalm01@sagarpatel01https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagar-patel-01
Dave Hoeffel is an entrepreneur from Minnesota. Dave graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1992 with a degree in Chemistry. He is the former owner of Endurance Technologies, which owned several brand names including Custom Polymer Design, MAS Epoxies and Bristol Finish. Endurance Technologies was sold to a private equity firm in 2020.
For more than 20 years, Sugey Piedra has been working in the tax preparation and wealth management industry. She and her two sisters co-founded Prominence Business & Wealth Management, and together they have helped hundreds of high-earning service-based business owners to grow and scale their businesses with holistic financial planning. Her signature program Business Elite is a 12 month Tax Prep, Planning, and Strategy Program for Service-Based Business Owners. And she also is the host of the Tax Talk with HeyHey where she shares her knowledge and expertise around removing the mystery surrounding taxes, financial planning, and wealth accumulation techniques and strategies. When she’s not helping others with their business finances and talking shop on her podcast, Sugey is also spending time with her other Shmillie’s in Rachel Rodgers’ Hello7 Mastermind. https://www.prominencebusiness.com/https://www.instagram.com/prominence....https://www.linkedin.com/in/sugey-pie...
Hear policy expert Zander Abram's take on cannabis rescheduling and Minnesota sports.Zander Abrams is the Founder of the Cannabis Policy Forum where he analyzes cannabis politics, policy and regulation. Zander is focused on macro trends affecting the cannabis industry and draws on his experience in political campaigns, lobby organizations, and his background as an attorney. Through his company, CPF Ventures, Zander works with cannabis operators, ancillary technology companies, and investors to build expansion strategies, manage public affairs, and to facilitate foreign entry into the U.S. market. Zander is active in private equity and debt markets, often interfacing to navigate challenging regulatory environments.Prior to founding CPF in 2019, Zander served for 5 years as an Area Director for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), where he oversaw a number of state operations in the Midwest. Before joining AIPAC’s professional staff, Zander was the Political Director and spokesman for a governor’s campaign in Minnesota. Zander began his legal career working with tech trade associations to achieve state funding for angel stage investments and has experience in criminal law, real estate transactions, and employment litigation. In college, Zander interned at the Minnesota House of Representatives, focusing on tax and fiscal policy.Zander received his J.D. from the University of Iowa: College of Law, and graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota.
Jon Tomashefsky (AKA Jon Shefsky) is a comedian turned realtor in Southern California. Hear his take on tattoos, comedy, real estate, and the apocalypse. Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gods-of-real-estate-fancy-boy-edition/id1452740499 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gods-of-real-estate-fancy-boy-edition/id1452740499)Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/39Iyck1BbosmfdCOIXSYOb?si=uU80zaPmSC60tF09um17wQ (https://open.spotify.com/show/39Iyck1BbosmfdCOIXSYOb?si=uU80zaPmSC60tF09um17wQ)
Ro DelleGrazie has been a stand-up comedian for >20 years. Originally from New York, at the start of her stand up career she was coached by Lisa Lampanelli. Ro moved to L.A. in 2004 and started studying at the I.O West where she graduated and was part of an improv group called Tentatively Marty. Ro has performed at the top comedy clubs across the country including Comic Strip Live, Caroline’s on Broadway, The Comedy Store and The Improvs throughout California, Laugh Factory and Flappers Comedy Club. Ro stars in several webisodes on YouTube. Ro's latest adventure is being documented through her vlog "Mamma Moody". You can also see Ro on TruTv and FX and her comedy is currently streaming on Tidal, Amazon and Pandora.www.rodellegrazie.com Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@mammamoody?_t=8lcFP8kKDb0&_r=1IGhttps://www.instagram.com/rodellegrazie?igsh=MXpmbDVpZDhiY3NxYouTube https://youtube.com/@RoDelleGrazie?si=Y396IwwDhZR9YR-SFBwww.facebook.com/rodellegrazie
In this episode, we dive into the journey of Ryan Austin, Founder and CEO of Arondight Advisors, who shares not only his professional triumphs but also the personal milestones that have shaped his path. Raised on Long Island, NY, Ryan faced challenges early on that led him to the disciplined halls of Valley Forge Military Academy at 15, a pivotal moment that set the course for his future endeavors. Ryan’s story is one of perseverance, insight, and success.MORE ABOUT RYAN AUSTINToday, as the leader of Arondight Advisors, Ryan connects best-in-class companies with his proprietary network of over 5,000 Family Offices, UHNW, and institutional investors.
Ryan's work has appeared on major publications including Nasdaq.com, Business Insider, and Seeking Alpha. His expertise spans the fintech, tech, AI, biotech, and emerging sectors, where he has been instrumental in securing investments from UHNW investors and institutions. Ryan is also the author of Family Office Growth News, a monthly newsletter that covers Family Office intelligence and the Series A ecosystem. Recognized as a top voice in strategic communications, public relations, and venture capital on LinkedIn, his insights have been featured in Nasdaq.com, Business Insider, Benzinga, and Seeking Alpha.
Join us as Ryan Austin shares his journey, strategies, and the vision behind Arondight Advisors.
Lea Marlene is the founder of the Lea Marlene Actors Studio and the Namastage Theatre. After a battle with melanoma cancer, she pivoted from being a professional stand-up comedian and actress to business owner. Hear her story about leaving LA to find her calling.In her own healing journey she had developed a deep desire to pay forward the powerful toolsthat have saved her life. That has become her life mission.Lea opened up what was originally called ACTASANA Acting Studio and Theatre in 2012 and it grew into what is Lea Marlene Actors Studio and The Namastage Theatre today, home of the revolutionary Actasana Technique whereby yoga is integrated into the acting curriculum to get the actor out of their head and into their heart. A native Coloradan, Lea earned a degree in Journalism; Broadcast News & Television with a minor in Theatre from Colorado State University. There she hosted a campus television show and interviewed several famous bands such as Outkast , Tribe Called Quest and The Black Eyed Peas. While in college she also wrote, directed, produced and acted in her first short film.After college Lea moved to Hollywood where she landed roles on stage and screen while also studying the Meisner Technique. While in LA, Lea developed a stand up comedy act; producing, hosting and performing in numerous comedy venues in The US including the world famous Improv and The Comedy Store.
Dennis O’Malley is CEO & President of Caliva, the largest vertically integrated cannabis company in California. Dennis has over a 20 year track record of leadership roles in fast growing companies in emerging markets as well as successfully raising capital from institutional investors and in addition holds multiple technology patents. Dennis also co-founded and lead a venture backed software company that enabled brands like Red Bull, Nike, Adidas, The North Face, and Reebok to scale their revenue through ambassador marketing programs.
Hermin Thind moved from India to the Pacific Northwest as a child. He endured countless business setbacks and challenges. His entrepreneurial battle scars helped make him a successful business leader. Hear his story.MORE ABOUT HERMIN THINDIn 2013, amidst the challenges, Hermin, alongside his brother-in-law Gurmeet, ventured into the vaping world by opening "Vapor World" inside a hotel room. This bold step, fueled by passion and free rent, allowed them to rapidly expand their footprint, eventually branching out across Kansas City and beyond. However, as their venture flourished, family dynamics started to strain under the pressure of success. In a strategic move to prioritize family harmony and mutual growth, Hermin and Gurmeet decided to amicably divide the business, with each taking ownership of half the stores. Hermin's share of the enterprise was rebranded as "Vapor Maven," marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter.Critical to Vapor Maven's expansion was Hermin's creation of numerous brands within the hemp and vapor industry, including "Cannablast CBD," "Gametime Vapes," and dozens more, spanning hundreds of unique SKUs. Not only did these brands diversify Vapor Maven's product offerings and significantly boost the company's margins, but Hermin also strategically wholesaled these products to smoke and vape shops across the nation, ingeniously making money from his own competitors and fueling rapid expansion.Under Hermin's leadership, Vapor Maven has seen explosive growth, with 50 new stores opening in Texas during 2020 and 2021 alone, and 57 more in 2023, alongside the inception of "Smoke Stop," a premium tobacco venture. As of today, Hermin's empire boasts 200 Vapor Maven stores and 3 Smoke Stop outlets, with ambitious plans for expansion on the horizon.Tune in to hear Hermin Thind share his inspiring journey of turning challenges into opportunities, his insights into the vaping and hemp industries, his innovative approach to brand creation and wholesale strategies, and his vision for the future. It's a story of family, resilience, entrepreneurial spirit, and ingenious market tactics that you won't want to miss.
Nate Watson, of Ailia Family Office Club and Halbar Partners, shares his perspective on purpose-driven entrepreneurship, the "silver tsunami," and prioritizing stakeholder value over profit.MORE ABOUT NATE WASSONNate Wasson is the co-founder of HalBar Partners and a principal member of Alvearia, and a founding member of the angel/VC group Keiretsu Forum Chicago.Nate has over 20 years of expertise advising investors and family offices. Nate spent his early career in investment management, business banking, and as a JPMorgan consultant. Nate later served as a Principal and Managing Director for Bank of Montreal’s US Private Bank. After leaving BMO, Nate developed the Midwest family office practice for Capital Group; there, he developed investment strategy for pre-institutional family offices focused on both public and private opportunities.Nate holds an BA from Valparaiso University and an MBA from the Yale School of Management, with a concentration in asset management.https://halbar.io/
PK is a regular at World Famous Laugh Factory, Improv, Comedy Store, Pasadena Ichouse, Haha Comedy Club, The Hollywood and Pasadena Comedy! He has brought over 10,000 people to the clubs, many of them seeing stand up comedy live for the first time. He’s performed at over 100 universities across the United States. He was The Grand Prize Winner of The Uncle Clyde's Comedy Cup at The Pasadena Icehouse sponsored by H2F Productions, which featured 100 comedians and he took first place. PK is the Founder, Exec. Director, and host for ten years of a non profit organization and annual Asian talent show called Kollaboration. He is the Co-founder of LiNK, Liberty in North Korea, a non profit organization dedicated to bring awareness to the needs of North Korean refugees. He was a producer, writer, and host of Mnet's BPM - Beats Per Mnet - a daily talk show on TV focusing on food, fashion, and clothing. PK is also the Founder/Director of a wedding events company called Prokreation Productions (Proactive Kreativity). He has emceed, DJ'd, and provided sound for over 500 weddings.https://pkcomedy.com/
Ron Babcock shares his insights on savings and personal finance. He's a comedian, so this will be fun.
Ron Babcock is an editor and comedian. He's edited on Clone High (Max), Cat Burglar (Netflix), Ten Year Old Tom (HBO Max), Muppet Babies (Disney) and The Life and Times of Tim (HBO). He's written and directed multiple original web series for MTV, AOL, Cinefix, Tasted, Mashable and others.As a comedian, he's appeared on Adam Devine's House Party on Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, Montreal Just For Laughs, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and was a winner at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival. He started out performing at UCB in Los Angeles.
Ron Richards is a lawyer, business leader, and music festival producer. So why is he writing a book about dominoes? Tune in to hear his story.
Ron Richards is a co-founder and Managing Director of Gray Wolf Partners. He assists clients in their efforts to understand and analyze complex operational, financial, legal, and accounting issues.Ron practiced corporate and labor law and was a practicing accountant with Deloitte & Touche. He from the University of California, Los Angeles. He also holds an M.B.A. from The Anderson School at the University of California, Los Angeles and a J.D. from the UCLA School of Law.While at UCLA, Ron conceptualized and produced the first annual UCLA JazzReggae festival. Now in its 32nd year, the music festival is a major annual event at UCLA and is currently one of the longest running, most successful student-run events in the United States.
Matt Ritchey raced motocross as a teen. A serious injury motivated him to learn about brain protection. Now he is the author of Elevated Executive & founder of Inner Circle, a dedicated plant medicine community of leaders and innovators. Hear his story.His team building skills have been utilized by brands like Facebook and AirBnB. His leadership framework has produced over $100M in profits for brand’s he’s helped grow.www.InnerCircle.biz
Brian Swinehart took his small-town work ethic to Los Angeles. He carved out a niche as an actor and produced one of the most acclaimed and longest running standup comedy shows in Hollywood. After a couple older ladies chastised him while walking his dog, he returned back home to find purpose, love, and a new approach to show business. Hear his story.MORE ABOUT BRIAN SWINEHARTAs a professional comedian Brian has traveled the world putting smiles on faces and has enjoyed every moment. Brian's career in the entertainment industry started at age 20 when he naively moved to Los Angeles California with dreams of breaking into Hollywood. It's not easy to create a career in Show business however Brian has made it work he now has over 32 professional acting credits. As well as writing and producing short films and feature length movies. On this website you can enjoy his videos see his upcoming tour schedule and buy merchandise from the online store.https://www.instagram.com/brianswinehart/https://linktr.ee/brianswinehart
Warren Patterson moved across continents, climbed Mt. Kilmanjaro, and now serves as CEO of Summit Hosting. Hear his story.
MORE ABOUT WARREN PATTERSONAt the age of 13, Warren Patterson's family moved from South Africa to the US in search of greater opportunities. His college years at Clemson got interrupted by his desire to explore and climb Mt Kilimanjaro. His dream of working with animals brought him cross country to CA where he quickly discovered that life in a veterinary office under the artificial light was not for him. A temp job led him to his business partner, a plant expert, who together built a successful landscape design company. As a result of the 2008 financial crisis, he closed his first company and sought new opportunities back on the East Coast. Warren's ingenuity led him to complete his college degree and start a cloud hosting company to aid his father's bookkeeping business. Success followed, with a series of nine calculated business transactions, culminating in his most recent and largest acquisition yet, elevating Summit Hosting to new heights.
Richard Barrett has over two decades of experience as the night manager and Entertainment Director for Los Angeles' Comedy & Magic Club, one of the premier comedy clubs in the world. He also serves as the booker for one of southern California's newest comedy clubs, The Stand Up Comedy Club, and produces live shows for major corporations and festivals.
Joshua Robbins wrote hand-written letters to woo his wife. After a stint in the Air Force, he worked his way into the energy industry. Now his on the front lines of the transitioning energy industry. Hear his story.More About Joshua Robbins:Joshua Robbins has been consulting oil and gas companies on where to find their next energy deal (from $9,000 to billion-dollar deals) since 2014. He assists family offices in finding new assets that deliver consistent returns in a short time window. Joshua and the team at Beachwood built a central source of data called the Helix, a digital Price Guide designed to assist the energy industry (carbon and renewable) by publicly showcasing price metrics of the current market.Joshua has been featured in a number of industry publications, most notably on the cover of Oilman Magazine. He was a keynote speaker for the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), delivering a presentation on where to find the best assets. A new abstract has been written for future SPE presentations that defines energy asset pricing called "The New Energy Marketplace Transformation".Joshua is an active member of the Assembly of Catholic Professionals, is married with two children and is an Air Force veteran.
Chris Fried applied to the FBI. Now he’s a comedian. This former Conan O'Brien intern leveraged a Harvard degree to earn free drinks at the Comedy Cellar. Hear his story.www.patreon.com/krisfried
What is inflation? Why do we have it? What's bitcoin? Economist Larry White breaks it down.MORE ABOUT LARRY WHITELarry White is a banking and money scholar who has taught at NYU and George Mason University. He has authored several books and edited numerous volumes on monetary theory and banking history. He has received the Adam Smith Award and is currently a senior scholar of the Cato Institute Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and a co-editor of Econ Journal Watch.
Pete Karabas had a steady career in real estate. But he took a different path. Find out why.More about Pete Karabas:Pete Karabas is a Founding Partner at KEY Investment Partners, where he is responsible for origination, due diligence, and execution of investment opportunities in addition to developing strategic partnerships and fundraising initiatives for the firm. Pete is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of BDSA and sits on the Board of Directors of Front Range Biosciences, two of KEY’s portfolio companies.Prior to founding KEY, Pete spent four years as a member of Partners Group’s Private Real Estate Group where he was responsible for originating opportunities, conducting due diligence, and executing portfolio transactions.Prior to Partners Group, Pete spent three years at Equity Residential where he focused on the acquisition and asset management of Class A multifamily properties.Pete holds a BBA in Finance and Real Estate from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Originally a Chicago native, he moved to Denver in 2016 to help build out Partners Group’s U.S. real estate team. After seeing the growth in the cannabis industry first-hand, Pete pivoted his career to focus on connecting investors with early-stage cannabis companies.
Barry Katz shares his insights on comedy's past, present, and future. Hear his story.More About Barry Katz:Barry Katz is an Emmy and Grammy nominated TV-film-record producer, talent manager, and podcast host.Katz is universally known for representing iconic artists like Louie Anderson, Ken Jeong, Andy Dick, Hasan Minhaj, and Mike Epps, giving the first quality stage time in New York City and Boston to future stars like Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Sarah Silverman, Anthony Clark, Dave Attell, Bobcat Goldthwait, Dana Gould, Timothy Olyphant, Denis Leary, and the late Patrice O’Neal, as well as helping launch the careers of some of the most extraordinary comedy artists in the business—including Dave Chappelle, Nick Swardson, Louie CK, Felipe Esparza, Bill Burr, Frank Caliendo, Marc Maron, Whitney Cummings, Bill Bellamy, Judah Friedlander, Wanda Sykes, Bert Kreischer, Jeff Dye, Jim Gaffigan, Dane Cook, Steve Byrne, Jeffrey Ross, Neil Brennan, and former and present SNL stars Darrell Hammond, Jay Mohr, Melissa Villasenor, Jim Breuer, and Tracy Morgan.Throughout his career, Katz has sold 39 out of 40 stand-up comedy specials he produced and has brokered an unprecedented 100 TV development deals, created 3 television shows, and executive produced over 50 different specials, documentaries, reality shows, and scripted series including the YouTube TV produced Telethon for America (with Natalie Portman, Orlando Bloom, Jennifer Lawrence, Pete Davidson, Alicia Keys, Charlize Theron, Ray Romano, Chelsea Handler, and Jane Fonda), NBC’s Whitney, Netflix’s The Road Trick, FOX’s Action, HBO’s Tourgasm, Showtime’s Jay Mohr: Happy. And A Lot, History Channel’s Houdini: Unlocking the Mystery, TBS’s Frank TV, Comedy Central’s Whitney Cummings: Money Shot, CBS’ Welcome to New York (Letterman’s first produced sitcom), HBO’s Heidi Fleiss: The Would-be Madam of Crystal, the syndicated Bellamy/Tim Meadows/Jon Lovitz/Vivica Fox sitcom Mr. Box Office, and 7 seasons of the Emmy-nominated NBC series Last Comic Standing.Katz started his involvement in the film business when he helped Chappelle and Neal Brennan (who eventually went on to create Chappelle’s Show) sell the cult classic Half Baked to Universal Studios and went on to produce several films after that, including Employee of the Month (starring Jessica Simpson and Cook), Good Luck Chuck (starring Jessica Alba), My Best Friend’s Girl (starring Kate Hudson and Alec Baldwin), I Killed JFK (about the only living person in history to admit to killing Kennedy), and Misery Loves Comedy (starring Tom Hanks, Amy Schumer, Judd Apatow, and Larry David).Katz was the first manager to work with a comedy artist to use social media to accelerate their career, with Dane Cook. At the height of his popularity, he was able to press a button on his computer and sell out 2 shows in one night at Boston Garden and 2 shows in one night at Madison Square Garden for a total of 75,000 tickets sold in less than a week—which had never been done before. In the recording world, he has produced Grammy nominated, multiple gold, platinum, and double platinum albums, while becoming the only manager/producer to debut a comedy album in Billboard’s top 5 national charts–twice.In other facets of the business, Katz was one of the driving forces and co-founders of Comedy Dynamics, which has become one of the largest independent comedy production and distribution companies in the world. Additionally, he was involved in the original sale of the Emmy-nominated Comedy Central Roasts to the network, which has become one of the longest running, most profitable, annual specials franchises in the history of TV.https://www.barrykatz.com/
Danielle Patterson exemplifies resourcefulness. She parlayed undiagnosed dyslexia and her father's job loss into a lifelong commitment to networking and learning. Balancing her love for family, art, and business, she is at the forefront of the family office industry. Hear her story.MORE ABOUT DANIELLE PATTERSONFrom an early age, I often heard people say, "Danielle, you have a real talent for saving money." Little did many know, my journey held untold stories. By the time I hit 28, my husband and I found ourselves facing the daunting prospect of bankruptcy.Let's rewind to my childhood – picture a young me orchestrating yard sales, convincing neighbors to buy odds and ends. Growing up in a bustling household with hardworking parents and three siblings, we were instilled with an unwavering creed: to understand the worth of a dollar and carve your own path. As a resourceful Californian, I set my sights on the University of California, Santa Cruz, maneuvering to avoid the hefty expenses of out-of-state tuition. Ingenious financial moves by my dad enabled me to participate in work-study programs, ensuring student debt wouldn't shackle my dreams. After graduation, I found myself managing the gallery of world-renowned National Geographic Photographer, Frans Lanting. Marrying the man of my dreams, and acquiring a home by the West-Cliff shores, everything seemed to fall into place. However, the seismic tremors of the 2008 financial crisis shattered our plans.In a bid to preserve our beloved home, we adopted resourcefulness, selling belongings, renting out our house, and setting forth fresh horizons on the East Coast. Grateful for the haven provided by my husband's parents, we toiled relentlessly to rebuild our lives.Steering clear of the art world, I found stability in a job that blossomed into a 7-year career, culminating in my role as Business Development Manager. Throughout my tenure, I elevated revenue by an astounding 300%. Despite financial success, a yearning to build something personal persisted.Fortune favored me as I partnered with an enterprising Fund Manager who had pioneered several financial service companies, streamlining capital raising. From this collaboration emerged "Family Office List," to which I took the reins, transforming it from a rudimentary Excel product into a dynamic platform, revolutionizing the Family Office intelligence.As a founder, funder, mother, wife, and the Chief of Everything, I reflect on my journey spanning diverse fields – from fine art to sales, marketing, business development, and finance – weaving the vibrant fabric of my life connected by threads of resilience, a penchant for meaningful connections, unconventional thinking, and an unwavering growth mindset. Each step carved the path to where I stand today, and for every opportunity, gratitude abounds.https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-patterson-/
How can we live longer and healthier? James Payer has dedicated his career to finding out. Hear his story.James Peyer is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Cambrian Bio. He also holds multiple board and executive roles across Cambrian’s pipeline. He has spent his entire life dedicated to the mission of finding ways of preventing people from getting diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s instead of waiting for people to get sick. James was previously Founder and Managing Partner at Apollo Ventures, the first global longevity-focused venture capital firm, investing across the US and Europe. Prior to Apollo, James was a biotech R&D specialist at the New York office of McKinsey & Company, serving major pharmaceutical clients. He earned his PhD in stem cell biology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center as a National Science Foundation Fellow and received his B.A. with special honors from the University of Chicago.
Chad Wade vowed to never go bankrupt. A stint in the slammer didn't help his job prospects. So he took matters into his own hands. He launched his business at a flea market. Then he built his own own brick and mortar shop. Now he's an entrepreneur, consultant, and YouTuber. Hear his story.More about Chad WadeChad is the CEO of UNS Wholesale and owns three retail smoke shops in Louisville, Kentucky. Join him as he shares valuable insights and expert advice to help you start and grow a successful business. Subscribe now to build the future you deserve.https://chadwadetv.com/https://www.youtube.com/c/ChadWadeTV
Tiby Erdily didn't wait for his dream job to come to him, we went out and found it. This may have meant driving to schools he didn't attend, but he got the job. He was influenced by entrepreneurial parents, Top Gun, Pretty Woman, and San Antonio tacos. Hear his story.MORE ABOUT TIBY ERDILYAt KEY Investment Partners, Tiby is responsible for structuring and leading investment opportunities, developing the marketing and client relations initiatives, driving firmwide strategic initiatives, conducting due diligence on deal opportunities, driving proactive outreach for deal sourcing opportunities, and leading co-investment syndication processes. Erdely championed and led KEY’s first investment in BDS Analytics (‘BDSA’) and championed the formation of KEY’s advisory board. Erdely currently sits on the Board of Open Book Extracts, Katalys, Botanica and Day Three Labs, KEY portfolio companies.Prior to co-founding KEY, Tiby spent three years as a member of Partners Group’s (SIX: PGHN) client solutions team, where he was responsible for raising flagship funds and sourcing opportunities. While at Partners Group, Tiby worked with the various deal teams learning Partners Group’s approach to sourcing deals and conducting due diligence.Prior to Partners Group, Tiby spent four years with Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), working most recently for the Fundamental Equity team in Goldman Sachs Asset Management (‘GSAM’).Tiby was born and raised in San Antonio, TX and holds a BBA in Finance from The University of Texas at San Antonio where he graduated with honors. In his free time, Tiby enjoys skiing, traveling, hiking and live music.https://keyinvestmentpartners.com/
Rich Williams is a Best Damn Comic. He's dealt with orphanhood, suicide, and bringer shows. He's many things but not a victim. Hear his story.
Amy Rubenstein is the CEO at Clear Investment Group and Partner at Windy City RE, both real estate investment firms that have owned and sold over a half billion dollars of properties since 2005. She is originally from Chicago and graduated from Brandeis University, Cum Laude. She has been working in real estate for the past 20 years and holds a real estate licenses in the states of California and Illinois. Clear Investment Group invests in large distressed multi-family complexes throughout the country including Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, New York and Illinois. Amy's portfolio includes multi-family properties, retail and office. She specializes in creative structuring and stabilization, maximizing the financial performance and the revitalization of acquired assets. She is also a major philanthropist in Arts and Education, specifically in the theater world. Amy serves as Artistic Director at Windy City Playhouse, an award winning non profit professional theater company in Chicago with a specific focus on immersive works. She was the co-creator of the smash hit Southern Gothic and A Recipe for Disaster, a food comedy with celebrity chef Rick Bayless.https://youtu.be/Irsei3XAmME
Named one of the “25 Angel Investors in New York You Need to Know” by AlleyWatch in 2014, Jeff has been a venture investor for ten years, an angel investor for eight years. Jeff is CEO of Arcview Ventures, the manager of The Arcview Collective Fund, the first member-managed fund in cannabis. He also serves as Chairman of the Evaluation Committee and Treasurer of the ARC Angel Fund. Jeff has been actively advising startups at Reitler Advisory Group and publishes insights to his blog www.finkabout.it.
He is a frequent panelist, speaker, and judge on venture investing and pitch competitions in NY. Jeff has also guest lectured and held office hours for many incubators/accelerators including Start-up Leadership Program, 37 Angels, NYU Polytech Incubator (New York City and Brooklyn), DreamIT Ventures, and FashInvest. Prior to his work with angel and seed groups, Jeff was a partner of Odeon Capital Partners, an early-stage venture capital fund. Prior to Odeon, Jeff was an operating executive at CA, Inc., and Cheyenne Software, Inc., where he served as GM of the Unix Division, VP of Corporate Development, VP of Corporate Marketing, and Director of Product Management. Jeff also serves as Chairman of the Board of WellLife Network, a not-for-profit offering residential, clinical, and day programs to 25,000 individuals with developmental, psychological, and behavioral disabilities in NYC’s five boroughs and Long Island.
http://finkabout.it/
Robin Lauber is a serial angel investor and entrepreneur, having co-founded his family office and private investment firm Infinitas Capital, the real estate company GreySky Properties Holding AG, and two VC funds with Korify Capital and Prediction Capital, among other entrepreneurial endeavours. He looks back on over 10 years of VC and Real Estate investing as well as incubating, building, and scaling numerous ventures. His entrepreneurial journey includes bringing Dunkin’ Donuts to Switzerland, where he successfully exited the business in 2020. He graduated from Basel University with a BSc in Business Administration and Cass Business School with a MSc in Entrepreneurship.
Loren DeFalco cured himself of epileptic seizures through a regime of CBD and cannabinoids
Loren’s Story
In 2008, I had a massive seizure at the airport while waiting curbside for my ride home after a business trip. I woke up in an ambulance and had no idea where I was or where I had come from. It was quite scary. I went to a neurologist who ran tests on me. I was told that I had a “seizure disorder” and would need to take anti-seizure drugs or I would not be allowed to drive my car.
This was all very disturbing as I felt broken. The medication began to take its toll on me right away and the side effects were debilitating. The solution I was provided for the side effects of the medication was…MORE medication. I ended up taking five different prescription drugs that caused my body to break down even more to the point that I was no longer able to work.
I decided that it was time to take matters into my own hands and I started to research to find alternate ways of handling my new situation. This is when I came across the endocannabinoid system. My discovery was nothing short of revolutionary for my mind and body. I started to learn how diet and cannabinoids influenced disease in the body and completely changed my lifestyle. I started on a diet that was based on making sure I was balancing the omega 6 and omega 3 levels in my body as well as ingesting cannabinoids through hemp plant seeds and other sources.
Six months after I started my new lifestyle, focusing on the endocannabinoid system, I was cleared by my neurologist after my EEG showed no more seizure activity in my brain. Finally, I was able to shed all of my prescription drugs. Not only did my seizures stop, but I started to experience relief from other physical issues that I had been dealing with, such as sleeping issues and arthritic knee pain. This was amazing to me and I strived to learn more about this system that I had never heard of before and that had only been recently discovered.
Brendon Mulvihill is a serial try-er. He's always exploring a new hobby, venture, or taco stand. He created the Quarter Pound Cookie. Hear his story.
https://quarterpoundcookies.myshopify.com/
Patrick Frank's curiosity motivated his interest in sea squirts and science. After earning a PhD in physical science, Frank became a chemist at Stanford University. Hear his story about analyzing climate models and scrutinizing ideas where others are afraid.
MORE ABOUT DR. PATRICK FRANK
Patrick Frank is a physical methods experimental chemist. BS, MS, San Francisco State University; PhD, Stanford University; Bergmann Postdoctoral Fellow, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel. As scientific staff at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and the Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, he has 67 peer-reviewed publications in bioinorganic chemistry. Achievements include explaining the unusual metal active site in blue copper electron transport proteins, falsification of rack-induced bonding theory, solving the 20-year problem of ligand binding in the iron-molybdenum cofactor of Nitrogenase, revision of 60 years of accepted wisdom about the solvation structure of dissolved cupric ion, and illuminating the ancient (Cambrian) biological chemistry of vanadium and sulfuric acid in blood cells of the sea squirt Ascidia ceratodes. He has also published peer-reviewed papers on the intelligent design myth, the science is philosophy myth, the noble savage myth, the human-caused global warming myth, the toxic masculinity myth, and the culture of sexual harassment among STEM academics myth.
Ed Steinfeld lived in Vegas before mass commercialization. His boxing skills helped launch Oscar De Hoya's career. A scary incident with a stalker changed his life. Now he's a radio and comedy stalwart. Hear his story.
Smoke Wallin is a beverage expert, Eagle Scout, proud father, and a seriel risk taker. Hear his story about building businesses, strengthening resilience, and combatting homelessness.
MORE ABOUT SMOKE
Smoke is an accomplished leader and international business builder focused on M&A in the CPG, cannabis, health & wellness, food & beverage, distribution, hospitality & technology industries. He has frequently served as CEO for new and existing businesses. He has been directly involved in $1.7 billion in M&A and financings and acquired, created, or sold 50+ brands and companies. A primary strength is in building teams and creating the conditions for success with employees, boards, investors, customers, and other stakeholders. He is committed to giving back and making a difference in our world through transitional housing for the homeless at @Dignitymoves.org and other important initiatives.
Ron Diamond witnessed the effects of mass layoffs. He's become a leading voice in the family office sphere. Hear his insights on the future of family offices.
Longtime investor and entrepreneur Ronald Diamond is the Founder and Chairman of Diamond Wealth. He represents over 100 Family Offices ranging in size from $250 million and $30 billion. Diamond Wealth invests in private markets (private equity, venture capital, real estate). In addition, Diamond Wealth has divisions that focus on philanthropy, wealth transfer, investment banking, social impact, and governance.
Ronald serves on the Advisory Board of 10 privately held companies and acts as Chairman for 4 of them. Ronald is also the Chair of two TIGER 21 chapters in Chicago and Chairs a newly created Family Office Group for TIGER 21.
A frequent speaker at Family Office and Alternative Investment Conferences, Diamond has spoken at over 100 conferences around the globe. Mr. Diamond is also the Founder of Family Office World — (www.familyofficeworldpodcast.com) a podcast whose mission is to educate the market about Family Offices.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Diamond founded Pinnacle Capital — a $250 million hedge fund that outperformed the S & P index 10 out of 10 years — before ultimately selling his company to an international investment firm. Previously, Diamond served as a Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns. He began his career as an analyst at Drexel Burnham Lambert.
Deeply committed to giving back, Diamond is an active philanthropist and civic leader. He serves on the Leadership Circle of the Aspen Institute and sits on the Board of several other charities and non profit organizations in his community.
Diamond studied at Northwestern University, graduating Magna Cum Laude and earning his degree in Economics.
Cory Riojas is a skateboarder, martial artist, comedian who has developed his own path in the standup world while being a loving father. Hear his story.
https://www.facebook.com/Everlovingcomedy/
Jason "JP" Leonard is a comedy festival veteran, a columnist, producer, and founder of Lafayette Comedy.
More about Jason Leonard: He is the founder of Lafayette Comedy and has written comedy columns for The Laugh Button, The Daily Advertiser, and The Times of Acadiana. He has performed at the following comedy festivals: Hell Yes Fest! (New Orleans, LA 2014, 2015, 2017) Scruffy City Comedy Festival (Knoxville, TN 2015) Come and Take It Comedy Takeover Fest (Houston, TX 2016) Birmingham Comedy Fest (2017) Altercation Comedy Fest (Austin, TX 2017, 2018 2021)
https://www.lafayettecomedy.com/
Tom Riehl is a cook, producer, and comedian. Learn how his passions have helped make Orange County, CA funnier and better fed.
MORE ABOUT TOM RIEHL Tom has been performing stand-up since the early nineties. He performs at private and corporate events as well as The Improv, The Ice House, and The Comedy Store to name a few. Through the years Tom has worked with a variety of performers including comedians Bob Saget, Paula Poundstone, Rita Rudner, Jimmy Brogan, Fritz Coleman and Shawn Wayans, as well as musical acts Berlin, Three Dog Night and David Pack of Ambrosia. He has been a finalist in “Orange County’s Funniest Person Contest” numerous times as well as winning “Best Clean Comic” in the Eagle Rock Comedy Festival in Los Angeles.
Tom also has been producing shows and live events for over thirty years throughout southern California. Currently he produces Lass Your Aff Off! a monthly stand-up comedy show at the Z Playhouse in Mission Viejo. He also produces Laughs for Leathernecks, a yearly fundraiser held at the Irvine Improv benefitting the Dana Point Marines and their families. In addition to performing, Tom has been teaching stand-up comedy in the OC since 2012. His workshops, Students of Stand-up has earned him praise from students and professional comedians alike. His simple yet effective approach to understanding comedy creates a fun and positive atmosphere no matter what your age or skill level may be.
https://riehlfood.com
https://www.youtube.com/riehlfood https://studentsofstandup.com
https://tomriehl.com https://comedyintheoc.com
Kris Lezetc started modeling as a child. Then she became and actor and comedian. However, a tragic ski accident forced her into intense rehab and helped find her passion. Hear her story.
Attorney, investor, and best friend of the program Chris Linden joins to share his insights on the debt ceiling and more.
The two authors of Greg Giraldo: A Comedian's Story on one podcast!Wayne Jones, Canadian author of "Greg Giraldo: A Comedian’s Story" discusses his experiences as a writer, academic, and comedy fans.Wayne Jones is a writer and editor in Ottawa, Canada. My passions are writing, film, and standup comedy.https://www.waynejones.ca
Greg Giraldo: A Comedian's Story
Instead of just talking about cleaner energy. Brian Jones made it his career. We talk too. Hear his story.
Brian Jones, established Windmill Capital Management to broaden the commercial and industrial clean energy capital ecosystem. Mr. Jones spent more than 15 years on Wall Street as a real estate investment banker helping REITs and other real estate operators increase stakeholder value through access to new capital and strategic transactions. He later helped build a $30 billion asset manager where he led investment strategy innovation and served as Chief Financial Officer to two publicly-traded affiliate companies. Earlier in his career, Mr. Jones was a tax manager at a Big 4 accounting firm.
www.windmillcapitalmanagement.com
Brian Fishbach grew up in Wisconsin. His knows sports and the ins-and-outs of music, politics, and entertainment. He left DC to follow his heart. Hear his story.MORE ABOUT BRIAN FISHBACHBRIAN FISHBACH is a music journalist, copywriter, and ghostwriter based in Los Angeles, California.Brian grew up in Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned a BA in Political Science. He earned a Certificate in Journalism from the University of California—Los Angeles (UCLAx).He began his career in writing in the halls of the U.S. Capitol as a staffer in the U.S. Senate. After fixing some of the country’s problems, Brian left the government to be a music journalist in Los Angeles.Brian produced The Truth Barrel Podcast on the PodcastOne Network and was the lead researcher for the Webby Award-winning true-crime podcast, To Live and Die in LA—which spent 13 consecutive days on the top of the iTunes podcast charts. Brian was also a researcher and editor for Kevin Hart‘s New York Times-bestselling memoir, I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons. Between 2016-18, Brian was also the researcher for six articles published in Rolling Stone. Brian is the entertainment reporter for The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Some of his work at the Jewish Journal includes exclusive interviews with Washington Post investigative reporter Carl Bernstein, documentarian Ken Burns, actress Jennifer Grey, Members of Congress, Grammy-winning composers and actor Jason Alexander. Brian has bylines in Forbes, Newsweek, Israel21c and Gather DC. Brian also hosts special events, live interviews and Q&A’s, including the 25th Anniversary Screening & Cast Reunion for the film Con Air. You can find his stories about rockstars at www.BrianFishbach.com.https://www.rockmusiclife.com/TW: @BrianFishbachIG: @BrianFyeah
Dave was born and raised in New York City, and now lives in Austin, Texas. In his professional career he has worked in the non-profit arena, and in sports research and journalism. Dave created Cruelty Free Investing because he saw a glaring need for research on companies that have the ethical treatment of animals as part of their corporate philosophy. Dave originally took an interest in animal rights after reading some of the best literature on the subject:
- Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation
- David DeGrazia’s Taking Animals Seriously
- Evelyn Pluhar’s Beyond Prejudice
Comedian and wrestling aficionado Ryan Niemiller grew up in an Indiana trailer park. He ended up in LA to pursue standup comedy. A unique handicap helped him stand out. Now he's an AGT finalist, national headliner, and new father. Hear his story on the Matt Balaker Podcast.Check out his special Ryan Niemiller: Unarmed and Dangerous: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0BX9F5GMZTo learn more go to his website:https://www.cripplethreat.com/
Rochelle Jordan grew up in Alaska. A reference from Paul McCartney motivated her to become an animal advocate. But her approach is different. Tune in to discover how she turned her passion into a profession.MORE ABOUT ROCHELLE JORDANShe holds a Bachelors of Arts in Biological Sciences from Lewis and Clark College and worked in both the veterinary and human medicine fields prior to joining GWS. She is a longtime vegan and her work is driven by a deep passion for animal welfare, public health, and environmental sustainability. In her spare time, Rochelle hikes with her dog, plays in a recreational soccer league, and serves as volunteer for the Humane Society of the United States. She currently splits her time between her hometown of Anchorage, Alaska and Portland, Oregon.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/glasswall-syndicate/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochellejordan/
https://glasswallsyndicate.org/
Improv comedy helped Levin O'Conner find purpose, love, and a career. Now he's shaping the Montana comedy scene. Hear his story on the Matt Balaker Podcast.
Levin fell backward into improv in winter of 2002. In spite of his shy nature he enrolled and attended an improv class at iO Chicago. One class led to two and a year later he graduated the program a better, happier person convinced that improv can change the world for the better. In 2005 he moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career and voice over career. He continued to perform, coach and teach improv at iO West, Westside Comedy Theater and American Music and Dance Academy (AMDA). In 2009 Levin & Annie teamed up to create the show NOW? and toured internationally at theaters, festivals, universities and schools and in 2013 NOW Improv opened a studio of its own. NOW Improv thrived during its two years, but due to the demands of their growing family, they decided to shutter NOW and were hired as Co-Directors of Education for Mi’s Westside Comedy Theater where they were tasked with writing and designing a unique improv curriculum, training the faculty and helping grow the community.Most recently Annie & Levin have moved again, this time to Bozeman, MT where they have teamed up with local performer and teacher Molly Hannan to create Last Best Comedy. Together they are thrilled and honored to share their improv and comedy experience with this incredible town.
The Last Best Comedy Fest is open for submissions for both improv & standup details and info here: https://www.lastbestcomedyfest.com
https://www.lastbestcomedy.com/
Shrinking actor Matt Knudsen had a non-traditional path to showbiz success. Hear his story.
Matt Knudsen was born in Hawaii, raised in the Midwest and sailed around the world as a merchant marine. After trips to Europe, Africa and the Far East, he eventually put down his sea bag, picked up a microphone and began performing stand up comedy all across the country.As an actor, Matt has shared the screen with Oscar winners Michael Douglas, Alan Arkin, Sean Penn and more, and has appeared in dozens of Emmy and Golden Globe winning television shows like Key & Peele, Workaholics, The Big Bang Theory, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The League, NCIS, Big Love, Boston Legal and Malcolm in the Middle.
As a comedian, he’s been on Conan, The Late Late Show, Last Call, ASX Live and Comics Unleashed. His latest stand up special Good News was produced by Dry Bar Comedy and currently has millions of views throughout their distribution network. Festival appearances include Montreal Just for Laughs (Best of the Fest), The San Francisco Sketchfest, Bridgetown, High Plains, Limestone and he’s even entertained at The White House for President and Mrs. Obama.His critically acclaimed albums The Comedy Stylings of Matt Knudsen, American, and Yes And are top downloads on iTunes and heard regularly on SiriusXM and Pandora radio. They “Mix droll observation with a dry, almost hypnotic delivery,” (The Onion A.V. Club) and with Knudsen’s unique style, “The personal feels universal, and the universal feels personal. The only explanation for this phenomenon is that it’s all finely crafted comedy from a strong central voice…a great stand up album.” (The Huffington Post)
Troy Dayton has spent his career working to get people out of physical prisons to getting them out of mental, emotional, and spiritual prisons. He helps people experience more joy, connection, and vitality. Hear his story on the Matt Balaker Podcast.MORE ABOUT TROY DAYTONCo-Founder and former Board Member OF Students for Sensible Drug PolicyFounderFounder the Arcview GroupRecently created Be Well Be Free
Ron Reid was a nationally touring comedian with appearances on Showtime, NBC, and more. He parlayed his expertise to help create Artists West Entertainment. Hear his story.https://artistswest.com/
Newth Morris is an entrepreneur, family man, and above-average snowboarder. He founded a company that employed hundreds. Now he's helping the next generation of business leaders. What are his thoughts on running a business in California? Tune in to find out.
MORE ABOUT NEWTH MORRISNewth is a Managing Director at Ankona. He currently serves as a board member of GoSite. Prior to Ankona, Newth was co-founder of Telogis which was sold to Verizon. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines.
https://www.ankona.com/
Amy Chambers had a cushy corporate job. But she left it to write books, teach others, get fit, and live the life she wanted. Hear her story on the Matt Balaker Podcast.
MORE ABOUT AMY CHAMBERS
Amy Chambers has over 21 years of experience in the financial services industry and has spent 15 of those in leadership. By the time she was 28, she was managing 260 people for a large commercial bank and has held numerous District Manager and Regional Director roles—before ultimately becoming a Chief Operating Officer for a credit union overseeing numerous divisions including Retail, Call Centers, Wealth Management, Facilities, and Operations Support.
During her years as COO, her organization grew at a rate of nearly 20% annually. Throughout her career, she’s led over 500 people to success. She’s worked with and for every kind of leader imaginable, and in her two decades of observing, studying, coaching, and mentoring others—she’s developed a framework of principles that work, every time, to help transform culture, engage people, and deliver results—EVERY TIME. Today, Amy is an Executive Coach, Career Coach, Life Coach, and Business/Leadership Consultant—helping her clients all transform their lives, as well as a business consultant on leadership, culture, talent, and success. Her first book, “the 7 V.I.R.T.U.E.S. of Exceptional Leaders”, is a #1 International bestseller and she’s currently writing her second book, which will focus on personal leadership.
Amy trained herself from being unable to run a mile without having to walk- into an a marathon runner. In the past 7 years, she’s ran over 200 half marathons, 11 full marathons, and hundreds of other races, totaling nearly 12,000 miles. She’s also become an avid skier—something she was once deathly afraid to do. Amy is a long-time cyclist, rollerblader, tennis player, photographer, and scrapbooker. She currently resides in Long Beach, CA with her boyfriend of 6 years, David.
www.amymchambers.com
https://m.youtube.com/@coachamychambers2001?noapp=1
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-chambers-4335008/
Brooklyn-born Mike Diamond has led an intriguing life. As a Marine veteran, Diamond confronted his greatest fears and might have discovered the key to race relations. He pushed passed homelessness to become a successful business man. Then standup comedy derailed his political career. He persevered with laughter and drive. Hear his story.
https://www.instagram.com/mikediamond...
@mikebdiamond
https://www.facebook.com/Michael.A.Di...
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist and film critic who runs HollywoodinToto.com. He regularly contributes to The Daily Wire, RealClearInvestigations, TheHill.com, and JustTheNews.com. Hear is story about love, movies, and free expression.
http://HollywoodInToto.com
https://link.chtbl.com/vHZhQUOy?sid=TWITTER
Matthew Nordgren a philanthropist, national champion, television star, and founder of Arcadian Capital Management. He was part of the most exciting game in Rose Bowl history. Now he applied his worth ethic to the business world. Hear his story on the Matt Balaker Podcast.
MORE ABOUT MATTHEW NORDGREN Matthew Jason Nordgren is an ambitious executive, dedicated philanthropist, and accomplished athlete who brings a unique passion for creating strategic alliances. He encompasses a depth of experience in finance, corporate development, and capital sourcing, as well as in building highly motivated teams of skilled professionals.
In 2005, Mr. Nordgren received his education at the University of Texas at Austin, while playing football for the Texas Longhorns Football Team. As a quarterback on a National Championship winning team, he developed skills that would be carried through his lifetime and core business philosophies. While playing football on scholarship for The University of Texas, he graduated with two degrees in less than four years and was accepted into and pursued a master’s degree program at the University of Texas. After playing professionally briefly with the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles, Mr. Nordgren went on to earn a dual master’s degree in both business administration and sports management from the University of Dallas. He was subsequently featured on the Bravo TV show “Most Eligible Dallas,” while becoming a partner in a family business, NORDCO, Inc., a Dallas-based energy firm. This is also when he helped to develop, manage and build his first private equity/family office business with a sports and media focus which lead to a career in running various investment vehicles across a broad spectrum of strategies.
https://www.arcadiancap.com/
Carter Williams went from designing aircraft to revolutionizing the future of nutrition and health. Hear his story on the Matt Balaker Podcast.Carter Williams has spent his entire career working on innovation. First as a young engineer at McDonnell Douglas, next in his leadership roles at Boeing managing R&D and starting Boeing Ventures, and later as a successful entrepreneur and venture investor. Through his career, he has directly managed investments of more than $600 million in early-stage ventures and corporate research, resulting in several billion dollars of new product revenues. As part of Boeing Phantom Works, Carter led Boeing’s technology planning process, involving all aspects of internal and external technology development and manufacturing research. This eventually led to his role in founding and managing Boeing Ventures.After Boeing, he was President of Gridlogix, initially a small struggling 4 person startup that grew over 3 years, selling successfully to Johnson Controls in October 2008. Prior to leading iSelect, Carter served as Senior Managing Director at Progress Partners, an energy and technology investment banking firm, and was a Managing Partner at Open Innovation Ventures and a Director at Clayton Capital Partners. Carter is the past President and Founder of the MIT Corporate Venturing Consortium and Co-founder of the MIT Entrepreneurship Society. He has an M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.https://www.iselectfund.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6VxmsGRldg https://twitter.com/jcarterwil
Matt Hawkins is a leader in cannabis investing. But he didn't start out that way. Hear his story about entrepreneurship, investing, and advocacy.
ABOUT MATT HAWKINS Matt Hawkins entered cannabis as the founder of EEC in 2014. He is known and respected in the industry as one of its foremost and thought-leading investors and has developed invaluable cannabis relationships as a result. Matt has spoken on countless industry panels and has discussed cannabis on media outlets such as CNBC, Fox News, Cheddar, Yahoo Finance, and Bloomberg. Prior to EEC and during his 20+ year career in private equity, Matt founded two $500M+ alternative investment firms and built deep and broad expertise in turnaround management and real estate.
https://www.entourageeffect.com/
From his 75 million-viewed AGT performance to his #1 Amazon comedy album, Alex Hooper blends dark humor with silly positivity. Hear his story about leaving his day job, roasting Simon Cowell, battling cancer, and resiliency.
Check out his new podcast Dirty Briefs: https://www.audible.com/pd/Dirty-Briefs-with-Alex-Hooper-Podcast/B0BSVJYGVF @hooperhairpuff https://www.hoopercomedy.com/#home-section
Jordan Youkilis is Wells Scholar, fund manager, and cannabis expert. What are his New Year's Resolutions? He's countering the Drug War. Listen to find out how.
Jordan Youkilis' Resolution: This year, I’m resolving to write a revolutionary proposal for sensible drug policy. 50+ years into the War on Drugs, and my heart breaks as its devastation continues compounding.
Despite trillions spent, addiction rates haven’t moved, and overdose deaths continue rising. The US has 5% of the total population, yet 25% of the prison population. Black men have a 1 in 3 chance of incarceration during their lifetime (vs. 1 in 17 for whites). Meanwhile, the opioid epidemic became the heroin epidemic, which became the fentanyl epidemic. We have the highest per capita cost of health insurance. Yet out pharmaceutical-focused system has taken America from one of the healthiest countries 40 years ago to dead last among industrialized nations.
It’s time we recognize that our drug policy is fundamentally flawed, and dramatic reform is required to fix it. Prohibition does not work, and the negative consequences exceed those of the substances themselves. Yet our politicians can’t even pass commonsense legislation like SAFE Banking – with bipartisan and overwhelming popular support. In the meantime, drugs continue to divide the nation along racial and party lines.
Therefore, I’m writing a proposal for our elected officials with revolutionary ideas to fix the War on Drugs once and for all. To the leaders in the movement for sensible drug policy, your input and support on this project is greatly appreciated.
Some ideas I’m currently considering:
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Immediate descheduling of cannabis and rescheduling of psychedelics.
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Health policy that treats drug addicts as human beings suffering, not criminals to be locked in cages.
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Broad criminal justice reform – incl. elimination of mandatory minimums and asset forfeitures.
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Reparations to communities subjugated by the War on Drugs. Investments focused on local programs proven to reduce recidivism and break multi-generational cycles of poverty.
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Full transparency into campaign financing. Specific scrutiny focused on funding from pharmaceutical co.’s, for-profit prisons, and A&D contractors.
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Prevention of patenting naturally occurring cannabinoids and other plant molecules.
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Independent investigation into the intelligence agencies’ involvement in the illicit drug trade. Officials complicit in drug trafficking should face criminal charges and be brought to justice.
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Research funding into the benefits of cannabis and other alternative healing modalities.
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Implement a path to repeal the Controlled Substances Act and UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances.
In the words of Dr. King, it’s time “to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now.
This is not time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy.” Let’s make 2023 the year we end the War on Drugs and restore the integrity of medicine. Love to you all!
Comic Matt Fulchiron took a 9 hour drive for a five minute set at the Hollywood Improv. The chain of events catapulted his career. Hear his story about comedy, marriage, and Brooklyn.
More About Matt Fulchiron Known to those in the know as “The Full Charge,” Matt Fulchiron makes love to the mic with an elevated level of rhythm, vocabulary, and insight. Matt has appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Your Mom’s House Podcast, and was the opening act on Daniel Tosh’s “Great Nor’Easter Tour,” as well as Tom Segura’s 2020 Australia Tour.
He’s performed on the television shows “Comedy Central Presents,” “Live at Gotham,” “The Late Late Show” on CBS, “Last Comic Standing,” “Tosh. 0,” and “Last Call with Carson Daly.” Matt’s style is incredibly unique, and his material is undeniably original.
https://thefullcharge.com/
If you're going to invest, pick fun industries.
Marc Bushala is an entrepreneur experienced in real estate, marketing, media, and food and beverage. He’s founded the private equity firm MAB Capital Management and was CEO of Angel’s Envy Bourbon.
MORE ABOUT MARC BUSHALA
Marc Bushala founded MAB Capital Management, a closely held private equity firm, to invest in and re-develop industrial, commercial and retail properties. MAB Capital has invested more than $100 million in real estate in Chicago’s River North, West Loop and Ravenswood neighborhoods and is currently developing two mix-use projects in Nashville, TN.
Mike Knox worked as a prison guard and standup comedian. But becoming a dad shifted his focus to epilepsy advocacy. Hear his story on the Matt Balaker Podcast.
Law Smith's dad, played in the NFL but early concussions prevented Law from following his father's footsteps. So he channeled his hustle to grow his comedy and marketing careers. Hear his story and learn how to make more of your time.
https://www.lawsmithworks.com
MORE ABOUT LAW SMITH Experienced SMB Consultant and Digital Marketer with a demonstrated history of working in the Online Marketing industry. Possesses professional titles of PPC and Social Media Advertiser, Business Plan Writer, Website Producer, Digital Strategist, Productivity Advisor, Content Producer, General Business Administrator, Digital Designer and Stand Up Comedian.
Aaron Byzak is a mentor and body boarder. He’s received numerous accolades for his work in health care and advocacy, including 4 Emmys. He was on the San Diego Business Journal's 500 Most Influential list 3 times. And he’s an inductee to the Carlsbad High Hall of Fame.
MORE ABOUT AARON BYZAK Aaron Byzak joined Tri-City Medical Center as the Chief External Affairs Officer in May 2018. In this role, Aaron is responsible for the medical center and healthcare district’s marketing, communications, government affairs, community engagement and patient transportation. Aaron also serves as Senior Consultant for Galvanized Strategies, a public affairs consulting firm, and provides strategic business support for Byzak Custom Surfboards and Pure Fun Surfboards, his family's business of more than 50 years.
For more than two decades, Aaron has served in positions of progressive leadership in Emergency Medical Services, health policy, healthcare management and consulting. A well-known advocate in the areas of health policy, mental health reform, assisted living reform and alcohol and drug prevention policy and practices, Aaron is passionately committed to helping those from at-risk backgrounds. He is a prolific mentor who prides himself on assisting others in achieving their dreams. Aaron has taught Strategic Career Planning: A 10-Step Guide to Realizing Your Potential, a program he created, live and virtually to more than 3,000 individuals including college students, healthcare executives, individuals experiencing homelessness and the formerly incarcerated, among others.
Aaron is also founder and chief advocate of Hazel’s Army, a community advocacy and education group that in 2014 helped pass the most comprehensive assisted living reform agenda in California’s history. Hazel's Army's educational program, GreatGen2.0, has worked with educators throughout Southern California to promote intergenerational education through engaging storytelling. Aaron's presentation, The Amazing Life of Wilfred H. Mensching: A True Story from the Greatest Generation, teaches about major events and themes from United States and world history as seen through the eyes of a United States Marine World War II veteran, Prisoner of War and local community leader. That program, initially launched at Carlsbad High School, Aaron's alma mater, in 2015, has impacted more than 7,000 students. In 2019, Hazel's Army published Mental Health Policy and Practice Reform: A Local, State and Federal Perspective, a 42-page white paper outlining 30 needed behavioral health reforms at all levels of government.
He has received numerous best practice awards and national and regional recognitions for his leadership and work in healthcare, public health, advocacy and communications, including four Emmy Awards. Aaron was recognized by the Health Care Communicators of San Diego County with the Communicator of the Year Award in 2017, received the Business Community Impact Award from the NAACP in 2019 and was chosen for the San Diego Business Journal's 500 Most Influential list in 2019, 2020 and 2021, among other recognitions. In 2022, Aaron received the Outstanding Social Responsibility Executive of the Year Award from the San Diego Business Journal and was inducted into the Carlsbad High School Hall of Fame.
He earned his Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management and Policy from UC Irvine’s Merage School of Business, a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Chapman University and an Associate's degree in History from MiraCosta College. Additionally, Aaron earned certificates in executive leadership from Cornell University and hospital and health system leadership from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. He is Board Certified in Healthcare Management as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). Aaron resides in Vista with his family.
Early in his career, Ron Diamond witnessed the effects of mass layoffs. It changed his attitude and motivated him to forge his own path.
Longtime investor and entrepreneur Ronald Diamond is the Founder and Chairman of Diamond Wealth. He represents over 100 Family Offices ranging in size from $250 million and $30 billion. Diamond Wealth invests in private markets (private equity, venture capital, real estate). In addition, Diamond Wealth has divisions that focus on philanthropy, wealth transfer, investment banking, social impact, and governance.
Ronald serves on the Advisory Board of 10 privately held companies and acts as Chairman for 4 of them. Ronald is also the Chair of two TIGER 21 chapters in Chicago and Chairs a newly created Family Office Group for TIGER 21. A frequent speaker at Family Office and Alternative Investment Conferences, Diamond has spoken at over 100 conferences around the globe. Mr. Diamond is also the Founder of Family Office World — (www.familyofficeworldpodcast.com) a podcast whose mission is to educate the market about Family Offices.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Diamond founded Pinnacle Capital — a $250 million hedge fund that outperformed the S & P index 10 out of 10 years — before ultimately selling his company to an international investment firm. Previously, Diamond served as a Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns. He began his career as an analyst at Drexel Burnham Lambert.
Deeply committed to giving back, Diamond is an active philanthropist and civic leader. He serves on the Leadership Circle of the Aspen Institute and sits on the Board of several other charities and non profit organizations in his community.
Diamond studied at Northwestern University, graduating Magna Cum Laude and earning his degree in Economics.
Michigan born author LA is one of the most prolific indie writers out there. He's written more than a dozen books including Between Heaven and Hell, Technically Magic, and The Rainbow’s End. Instead of waiting for someone to green light his projects, he did it on his own. Hear his story on the Matt Balaker Podcast.
https://linktr.ee/lamichaelsauthor
@lamichaels1995
Zander Abrams is the Founder of the Cannabis Policy Forum where he analyzes cannabis politics, policy and regulation. He knows a great deal about the cannabis industry and the political shenanigans that hold it back. Hear his story.
Zander is focused on macro trends affecting the cannabis industry and draws on his experience in political campaigns, lobby organizations, and his background as an attorney. Through his company, CPF Ventures, Zander works with cannabis operators, ancillary technology companies, and investors to build expansion strategies, manage public affairs, and to facilitate foreign entry into the U.S. market. Zander is active in private equity and debt markets, often interfacing to navigate challenging regulatory environments.
Prior to founding CPF in 2019, Zander served for 5 years as an Area Director for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), where he oversaw a number of state operations in the Midwest. While at AIPAC, Zander led one of the organizations largest fundraising campaigns, effected political mobilizations across 35 Congressional Districts and 8 Senators, and delivered 20 keynote speeches a year. Before joining AIPAC’s professional staff, Zander was the Political Director and spokesman for a governor’s campaign in Minnesota.
Zander began his legal career working with tech trade associations to achieve state funding for angel stage investments and has experience in criminal law, real estate transactions, and employment litigation. In college, Zander interned at the Minnesota House of Representatives, focusing on tax and fiscal policy. Zander received his J.D. from the University of Iowa: College of Law, and graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota. He is based in Los Angeles, CA.
Claire Smith, the founder of humane investment platform Beyond Investing, is a vegan and environmentalist with 33 years experience in finance and investment at top-tier banks and investment houses. She took her passion to the market and created a platform to invest in a kinder, cleaner, and healthier world.
Beyond Investing creates investment programs designed for animal advocates and climate conscious investors in both public listed equity markets and venture capital. Claire is the founder of Beyond Cruelty Foundation, formed to campaign for zero animal exploitation and to fund safe havens for animals, which will also receive a portion of profits of companies under the Beyond Investing umbrella.
Previously, she was a research analyst, partner and shareholder at alternatives advisory firm Albourne Partners, covering managers globally across systematic quantitative equity, convertible and volatility and hedging strategies. Claire also led a project to expand Albourne's proprietary database on alternatives managers and digitize the research process.
Prior to joining Albourne in 2004, Claire provided bespoke hedge fund research to London funds of funds and published well over 100 articles in the financial press. From 1986 to 1998 Claire was employed at various UBS group companies as a derivatives broker, marketer and structurer.
Claire started her career in 1985 as a credit analyst at Chase Manhattan Bank after completing a Masters program in Chemical Engineering and Management at Imperial College, London. Claire founded 100 Women in Finance in Geneva in 2007 and oversaw its growth in Switzerland through till 2014, as a member of the London Board, organizing over 100 events, including seven Galas which raised well over $1 million for charity. From 2013 to 2018 Claire served on the Board of AVVEC, a Geneva-based charity that provides support to victims of domestic violence.
https://beyondimpact.vc/
Ashley Ray is the most famous bisexual solo polyamorous black queer comedian, actor, and writer currently based in Los Angeles. In 2021, she was featured in Bust for her “whip smart TV criticism.” And yes, she’s also famous for smoking pot. She worked at the Onion before creating her own platform on TV I Say.
In 2022, Ashley wrote on Adult Swim’s, ALABAMA JACKSON created by Donald Faison. Ashley was selected as one of HBO Max’s Queer Comics to Watch for 2021 and filmed a digital special for the platform. That same year she did a sold out hour at Union Hall in NY and debuted a new hour at The Yard Theater in Los Angeles. She hosts High Gear Comedy, a monthly live show with Barbara Gray at The Airliner in LA.
Ashley is the host of the popular podcast ‘TV I Say with Ashley Ray’ which was featured in the New York Times as a 2021 Podcast Worth Checking Out.” She’s also been a guest on NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me and Seth Rogen’s Storytime.
She is also known for her viral Shaun King video and post. Her newsletter about TV, pop culture and life as a solo poly bisexual dream babe was named "One of the Best 2020 Newsletters to Subscribe to That Will Keep You Informed and Entertained" by Marie Claire.
https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id...
https://twitter.com/theashleyray
Pete A Turner is a former Army combat spy--yes, this is true--with over 1000 missions in conflict zones in a variety of countries, like Bosnia, Egypt, Iraq and Afghanistan. His daily missions took him off-camp to find the people, information and secrets that enabled commanders to win.
Ultimately, Pete succeeded because he learned to earn the trust of the most dangerous and evil people in the region. This trust allowed Pete unique access to the “Ground Truth” illustrating the realities that exist below the tactical level.
Today, Pete uses his “Ground Truth” focused collection techniques on the Break It Down Show (BIDS). BIDS illustrates life through the experiences of
fascinating people. One of the things that makes BIDS unique is Pete's desire to rotate cohosts on to the show. By opening up the right seat, BIDS creates incredible conversations that aren't possible on other shows.
With over 900 episodes, his show is a leader in the veteran creative space. He is also the creator of the Prison Chronicles, an 8-part limited series from the Break It Down Show.
As a media consultant focused on podcast, Pete helps people, projects and companies get the most out of their podcasting goals. His professional services include Executive Producer, Consultation and media-host training. For more on Pete, or to inquire about his services, email to pete@breakitdowshow.com
Pete has authored and published several peer-reviewed articles focused on aspects of modern conflict. He is a recognized expert on modern combat, culture and communication.
To discuss projects with Pete email him directly at pete@breakitdownshow.com
Comedian Pat House did that. He made his dream of becoming a comedian a reality. Some legends helped kickstart his career. Tune in to hear his story.
About Pat Pat House is a nationally touring comedian based out of Philadelphia. For Pat, every day life seems to be a great source of material. Spending years bartending and interacting with strangers, he was constantly intrigued, amazed and extremely annoyed at the ridiculous things people say and do in public. With matter-of-fact delivery and sharp observations, Pat's material is relatable to anyone tortured by the absurdity of others. A regular performer in comedy clubs, casinos and theaters all over the country, he has been a choice opener for Sebastian Maniscalco, Tom Segura and Dan Cummins. Pat has performed at Funny Or Die's Oddball Festival, has been featured by The Metro and Philly Weekly. He recorded his first album Biggest Thing in 2013 and his latest album Heard Enough Yesterday in 2018, both albums are now available on iTunes and Amazon.
He hosts the popular podcast I Guess I'll Do That https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-guess-ill-do-it-with-pat-house/id1531189649 @Pat House
Sadly, Brad Stewart passed away on October 24, 2022 after a battle with cancer. Here's a replay of an interview we did with him before his diagnosis. We love you Brad. You made the world a kinder, funnier place.
Brad Stewart was a comic and actor who played the Hollywood game for years. Then he moved home to Nebraska to care for his ailing parents. What happened? His comedy career was reinvigorated. Hear his tale.
Jordan Youkilis is Wells Scholar. He had a stable career in private equity. Then he dropped it to start a cannabis investment fund. What was he thinking? Listen and find out.
At KEY Investment Partners, Jordan is responsible for developing due diligence strategy, leading co-investment syndication processes, writing blog posts and driving proactive outreach for deal sourcing opportunities. Jordan led KEY Investment Partners’ investments in springbig, HERBL, XS Financial and LivWell. Prior to founding KEY, Jordan spent four years as a member of Partners Group’s Private Equity team responsible for sourcing investment opportunities, conducting due diligence, and executing lead, control leveraged buyout transactions for companies between $500 million and $2.5 billion in enterprise value.
Prior to Partners Group, Jordan spent four years with GE Capital predominantly in Leveraged Finance, underwriting debt facilities for business services companies in lower-middle market buyout transactions. Jordan was born and raised in Cincinnati, OH and attended Indiana University as a Wells Scholar, majoring in Economics & Political Science. Jordan is a Leafwire Expert Contributor.
https://keyinvestmentpartners.com/
https://open.spotify.com/show/64U3AJsCHAuY6Bw24v10eo?si=b3fb734465ed491d&nd=1
Adam Yenser wrote sketches in high school but wasn’t part of a clique. He hustled to turn a Conan O’Brien internship into a paying job. Eventually he wrote for Ellen and became an under represented member of the Writers Guild of America. Hear his story about working to make your dreams come true.
Adam Yenser is a comedian and Emmy Award-winning writer. For ten years he wrote for The Ellen DeGeneres Show where he starred in the segment “Kevin the Cashier Played by Adam.” He has appeared on Conan, FOX Laughs, and Gutfeld! Yenser has been a freelance contributor to SNL’s Weekend Update, has written for The Oscars, and co-produced the web series “Laugh Lessons with Kevin Nealon.” Adam mixes sharp observational humor with a uniquely conservative political perspective and has had sketches featured by Daily Wire and The Babylon Bee. He cohosts the Bee Weekly podcast as well as his own satirical YouTube show The Cancelled News. Adam’s first half-hour Dry Bar special will be released in 2022.
@Adam Yenser @The Babylon Bee
www.adamyenser.com
Tennessee-based author Matthew McConkey dealt with death, divorce, and depression. His marriage of nearly 20 years ended, his father passed away, and he confronted his own mental health issues. These hardships impacted his writing process but didn't crush his drive. Hear his story of persistence and resiliency.
https://matthewmcconkeyindie.blogspot.com/?m=1
@McConkey78
Haytham Elgawly is a serial entrepreneur born and raised in Jersey City, NJ. He has no quit in him. He started out parking cars and throwing house parties before working in the corporate world. Soon he was styling Sean “Puffy” Combs and launching his own brands. Now he’s starting a new retail experience called Medusa is his home town.
Haytham is also the founder of a non-profit organization; Chilltown C.H.I.L.L.dren (Changing How Im Living Life) that teaches and empowers creatives how to independently create, market, and sell their own brands in collaboration with his printing company 6IX AM PRINTING. Haytham’s infectious energy and creative soul is a sure magnet for success. Always passionately creating for a better tomorrow he is an inspiration to his fellow peers, the creative community, and Jersey City.
✈️: @theclrprt
🍃: @medusanj
Nick Hoff dreamed about a career as a standup comedian. So as a 9th grader, he posted it on his dream board. It came true. Hear his story.
Nick Hoff is a nationally touring stand-up comedian who has been on MTV, co-hosts a weekly show on SiriusXM, and hosts his own podcast. His debut album “Baby Daddy” hit #1 on the iTunes comedy charts, and his new hour-long special “Front to Back” can be streamed on YouTube.
When he’s not on stage, Nick can often be seen in commercials for Miller Lite, Pepsi and Amazon. Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy hand-picked Nick to open for them on their critically acclaimed “We’ve Been Thinking” Tour. He has headlined the “Pink Ribbon Comedy Tour” which made stops in 40 cities doing 65 shows all raising money for breast cancer research. He was also part of the “Walk of Shame” national comedy tour, which was not quite so noble a cause.
Katherine Hill Ritchie planned on working as a physical therapist, but she fell in love with investing. She became a leader in venture capital, hedge funds, and family offices. Hear her story.
After MIT, Don Grede dedicated his career to legitimatizing the legal cannabis industry.
Max Rice is a millennial who can tie a tie. Now he shares how to run for Congress. He may be the next famed Jewish comedian turned politician not named Volodymyr Zelensky. Will his use his power to make hundreds of millions? If he could pass one law, what would it be? Listen to find out. https://www.maxriceforcongress.com/
John Papola started at MTV and quickly built a successful career as a producer. His famed economics rap video "Fear the Boom and Bust" became a viral hit. An entrepreneurial spirit motivated him to start his own company Emergent Order. His latest passion involves celebrating fatherhood. Hear his story.
https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/
Carl Kozlowski is a surprise TikTok star. His nontraditional path involved undiagnosed autism and bipolar disorder. Things changed when we returned home to Arkansas. A WalMart job reignited his comedy career. Daily mass improved his life. Hear his story on the Matt Balaker Podcast.
http://www.carlkoz.com/
Corporate marketing wasn’t for Sarah Linden. So she took out a loan and bet big on herself. Hear her story.
Brad Stewart is a comic and actor who played the Hollywood game for years. Then he moved home to Nebraska to care for his ailing parents. What happened? His comedy career was reinvigorated. Hear his tale on the Matt Balaker Podcast.
Patrick Rea, founder of Canopy Boulder, has led 130 investments since 2015. He believes business can be the greatest agent of social change. Hear his story about from college soccer player to leading cannabis investor.
Patrick joined Poseidon Garden Ventures as Managing Director.
https://twitter.com/patrickrea
Singer/songwriter Röckët Stähr spent 8 years animating Death of a Rockstar on his own, having never previously animated anything before in his life. The entire project took 13 years in all to complete. Hear his rock 'n roll journey about meeting his idols, making his own path, and why he loves the music so much.
https://deathofarockstar.com/
Sean Malone discusses economics in plain English and sounds off on the recent student debt forgiveness controversy. Malone studied music performance and composition before working in various creative roles in the music and film industries.
He helped build the Foundation for Economic Education's versatile, world-class creative team from the ground up.
His on-going video essay series "Out of Frame" and FEE's other popular shows like "Common Sense Soapbox" have generated tens of millions of views and earned FEE a Silver Play Button award from YouTube; and his award-winning documentaries, such as "Locked Out", "Farming in Fear", "Rigged", and "Made in Mekhe" have been screened at film festivals and on college campuses around the country.
Paul Farahvar is the host of the successful podcast "Singles Only" and is a regular guest host on WGN Radio. Hear his story about working as a lawyer then musician and comedian.
After becoming a regular at Chicago stand up clubs like Zanies, Comedy Bar and Laugh Factory, Farahvar was given the rare opportunity to host and produce his own weekly show called "Drink Date Laugh”, focusing on dating.
He also produces and hosts a comedic game show called "Everyone's a Lawyer”. Both shows are performed at the famous Laugh Factory.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulfarahvar/
https://twitter.com/paulfarahvar
Jody J. Sperling began his writing journey in earnest in 2010 as a 25-year-old freshman at the University of Nebraska Omaha. In 2021, he realized he had given up on his passion of earning a living as a novelist and quit his job to live his dream or go broke trying. He founded cre8 collabor8, a podcast for first-time novelists who, like him, want to make money publishing.
Comedian Sam Morril has established himself as a standup comedy star. Fresh off his David Letterman "Netflix is a Joke" interview, Morril sits down with us to talk Greg Giraldo, New York Comedy, and making his mom laugh. After doing his first show at 18, he's been on Conan, Last Comic Standing, America's Got Talent, and released multiple specials.
Check out Up on the Roof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0qDTYmaT-Y https://twitter.com/sammorril?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor https://www.instagram.com/sammorril/ https://www.youtube.com/user/smorril/videos
Detroit raised comedian and actor Kerri Pomarolli caught the performance bug at an early age. A failed scoliosis test at 11, derailed her dance aspirations. So she focused on musical theater and acting.
After graduating from the University of Michigan, she moved to Los Angeles. Now she balances being a single mom with an active touring schedule. Hear her story.
https://www.kerripom.com/
Julie is a true visionary, marrying the influence of the Southern California lifestyle into the branding of her food product.
Today the company is in over 3,000 doors including: Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, Gelsons, The Fresh Market, Kroger, Wegmans, Central Market, and NOW, and Rite Aid Stores nationally.
Connect with Julie Podolec: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...@mrsmodernpop www.themodernpop.com
Ivy League graduate, Shaun Eli Briedbart spend almost two decades on Wall Street before quitting his day job to pursue stand up comedy. What happened? Listen to hear his story.
https://www.brainchampagne.com/biography
Chris Linden is an attorney, advisor, investor, and seed stage backer of Greg Giraldo: A Comedian’s Story. He has worked for large global law firms and recently launched his own firm, Linden Law LLC, where he represents financial sponsors and other private fund investors.
Author and educator Jeremiah Cobra, discusses his writing process, what motivates him to create fictional works, and his passion for grammar.
Cobra is a native son of Hartford, Connecticut, where he grew up in foster care from the age of nine. It is this experience that he drew upon to create the fictional Stacey Bishop in his newest work ...And Then He Shot His Cousin. https://jeremiahcobra.com/#novels
While studying chemistry at UCLA, Greg Lai hoped for a career at NASA. He quickly switched to investment advisory and eventually started his own firm. Lai was a producer on the documentary More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story. Listen to his insights on investments, balance, and entrepreneurship.
https://medium.com/@greg-lai
https://www.amazon.com/More-Than-Miyagi-Morita-Story/dp/B08R1GGRD2
Author of You Can be Perfect or You Can be Happy Karith Foster joins us to discuss water babies, motherhood, Inversity, growing up Black in a white neighborhood, working with Don Imus's sidekick, free speech, and more.
https://www.karith.com/
https://inversitysolutions.com/
Another comedian from Ukraine is heroically assisting her home country. Comedian Irina Skaya provides a first-hand account of what life is like in wartime Ukraine. She recently went back to Ukraine to help those in need and will return soon. Hear her story of comedy, tragedy, and resiliency.
To help support Ukraine, donate here: https://helppeople.org.ua/?lang=en
Entrepreneur Dan Grim left a cushy sales job to follow his passion. In his 20s he reached his "business goals" but that wasn't enough. Three days at the MJ Bizcon Vegas convention changed his life. Dan Grim launched Good Stuff Beverage. Hear his story. https://www.goodstuffbeverageco.com/ https://twitter.com/GoodStuffTonics
Joe Bishop-Henchman is the Vice President of Policy & Litigation at National Taxpayers Union Foundation. He leads the work of NTUF’s Taxpayer Defense Center to protect taxpayer rights across the country through research, litigation, and partnerships. In this conversation, Joe addresses the issue of whether American's economic problems can be improved by raising taxes on the rich.
https://twitter.com/jbhenchman https://www.ntu.org/foundation/about/staff/joe-bishop-henchman
Renaissance woman Kira Davis discusses her stand up comedy debut, moving from Canada to the United States, thoughts on Canadian health care and America's school choice movement, her path to becoming a political pundit, and her case to be on the Supreme Court of the United States. She addresses the questions: can you be Black and not vote for Joe Biden and using the Kardashians to teach her kids about social media.
https://twitter.com/RealKiraDavis
https://twitter.com/Justjlty
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-listen-to-yourself-with-kira-davis/id1475358928
Webby winning comedian/author Lou Perez joins the program to discuss his days as an NYU student, stoking a Jimmy Kimmel/Mark Cuban Twitter feud, writing erotic fiction, joking on serious topics, and his upcoming book That Joke's Not Funny Anymore. Pre order her: https://www.amazon.com/That-Joke-Isnt-Funny-Anymore/dp/1637582455/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22TXQHECIV8ST&keywords=lou+perez&qid=1648570401&s=books&sprefix=lou+per%2Cstripbooks%2C173&sr=1-1
Carol Roth is a content creator, “recovering” investment banker, author of The War on Small Business, entrepreneur, TV pundit and host, and New York Times bestselling author of The Entrepreneur Equation.
She has worked in a variety of capacities across industries, including currently as an outsourced CCO, as a director on public and private company boards and as a strategic advisor. She advocates for small business, small government and big hair.
She joins Matt Balaker and Eric Cervone to discuss her career arch and the current climate of small businesses in the U.S.