The Kurty D Show

Episode Highlights:LinkedIn Networking Insights from Carey RansomThe Value of Loose TiesThe Challenges in Community BankingBlockchain's Potential in Ownership and PaymentsEvolving Business Models and Founder SupportCarey Ransom’s Insights on Leadership and RolesThe Venture Studio ApproachOrange County's Unique Business LandscapeTweetable Quotes:“I think Orange County has a tremendous number of really talented, ambitious people that are spending most of their time doing and building.”  - Carey“Distribution of success is not going to happen equally. And that's ok. That's just the way the world is.” - Carey“I have strongly believed for a long time that it's difficult to be the leader of a lot of different things at the same time.”- Carey“A lot of the success that you have in business is timing and in some cases…luck.” - Carey“And if you want to attract the next generation of talent to your bank, you need to adopt systems that make them feel like they're doing the work that they want to do with the support systems to help them do that great.” - Carey“Whoever owns the lane owns the communication.” - Kurt“Complexity is finding the order that's hidden beneath.” - KurtLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInCarey RansomBrett BrewerEric SprinkKevin KellyKyle KamroozScott FoxBankTech VenturesBonus HomesCoastal Community BankFifth WallHunt ClubOctaneOC FellowsUCLA

Episode Highlights:How Did Brett Brewer's Early Real Estate Ventures Shape His Entrepreneurial JourneyThe difficulty of raising pre-seed financing, the role of accelerators and incubators, and the process of raising $300,000 for the business.The impact of the dotcom crash on e-commerce businesses and the shift to casual game development.The launch of Myspace, and the initial user engagement strategy.Brett's role in scaling Ad Knowledge, its rapid growth, and eventual sale to TPG and other private equity firms.The founding of CrossCut Ventures, and the evolution of its investment focus.The challenges of recruiting talent to LA, the evolution of the LA tech ecosystem, and CrossCut's role in connecting and supporting the community.The difficulties and challenges faced by venture capitalists.The significance of technology in education and the need to bridge the gap between the haves and have-nots in accessing educational resources.Brett Brewer's investment philosophy and insights into private versus public markets, influenced by Annie Duke's book "Thinking in Bets.”Tweetable Quotes:“Be the straw that serves to drink.” — Kurt“So that starts to become a self-fulfilling prophecy when you have that many smart people controlling that much capital living in the actual market.” —Brett“Understanding the best use of your time and how to be productive is a real challenge and ends up being the downfall of some VCs.” —Brett“Politics and infighting is the death of a startup.”—Brett“If you're gonna have an environment where people don't trust each other- where they can't give each other candid feedback, they will fail.”—Brett“And I think there's something really magical about being honest.—”Kurt“Culture isn't just values, it's the actual way ideas get put into practice. It's the behavior.”—Kurt“So it's more important than ever that as a society, we realize that we do have a moral imperative to invest in and believe in and educate all kids and give them a chance.” —Brett“Every individual and every company has a certain set of advantages. You have to take full advantage of them to greatly increase your chances of being successful.” —Brett“It's comforting when you realize there are just lots of things out of your control and the less time you spend worrying about them, the better off you'll be.”—Brett“You have to do something extraordinary and the only way you're gonna do something extraordinary is by actually doing some action.”—BrettLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInBrett BrewerCrosscut VenturesAber WhitcombAdam GoldenbergBrian GarrettJosh BermanPeter TomasuloRoss LevinsohnScott NolanThomas AndersonAllianceAmazonEdVoiceFableticsFedexFoundersfundIGNLAtechMicrosoftMySpaceNews CorpNVIDIAReal World Asset GroupSoftBankSpaceXStealing MySpace: The Battle to Control the Most Popular Website in AmericaThe Wall Street JournalTPG

Episode Highlights:The evolution of technologyThe Importance of Understanding History in Law and TechThe Role of History in Technology and DesignThe concept of calm technology, its principles, and the need for historical context in product design.The importance of long-term tech design and changing the narrative on what's considered cool.Amber's journey in founding Geoloqi, the challenges faced, and the early development of location-based technology.The importance of understanding the history of technology and innovation, and its impact on product development.Geoloqi's mascot and privacy-first approachThe significance of long-term thinking, learning from history, and the impact of small problems in business.Amber's personal journey, early experiences in entrepreneurship, and the impact of economic constraints on decision-making.Discussion on trusting oneself and persevering in the tech industry amidst challenges.Tweetable Quotes:“It's really hard to build something when everyday life doesn't look like the thing you're building yet.” - Amber“It's OK if it takes a while and it's OK if these things are informed by something in the past.” - Amber“Everybody should be able to make their own thing instead of just assuming that just one culture makes something.” - Amber“I think things are going so much faster and we seem to have linear time instead of slow time is that we keep thinking that we're moving forward and that we're modernizing in some way. But I think we're more like Victorian 2.0 times.” - Amber“But the more stuff we look at online, do we remember at the end of the day, what we actually looked at?” - Amber“Abstraction is actually causing us a lot of pain.” - Amber“Humans are social creatures and we’re always comparing status.” - Kurt“Hospitality does not necessarily feel like what a shiny ad for technology looks like.” - Amber“Every company and every start-up, everything is hard or it can be really fun.” - Amber“People overestimate what can be done in a year or two, but they radically underestimate what can get done in five or 10.”- Kurt“A lot of people don't live their lives with enough slack to handle the turbulence when it comes up, they're, they're on the margin because they don't leave any moment unpacked and it's not really a huge risk..” - AmberLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInAmber CaseCase OrganicCalm Tech InstituteJeff BezosPaul OllingerRobin JonesRoger McNameeScott MorehouseVanessa CamonesAbletonEsriGeoloqiSeventh GenerationTeenage EngineeringUniversity of OregonZappos

Episode Highlights:Paul Ollinger's transition from an executive at Facebook to pursuing stand-up comedy.Discuss the focus of Paul Ollinger's podcast, "Crazy Money," and its exploration of living a fulfilling life beyond financial pursuits.How comedy has shaped Paul Ollinger's communication skills, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and handling unexpected situations on stage.Insights into the dynamics of the comedy industry, including the significance of connecting with fellow comedians and the audience.The gift of comedy is pursuing personal truths and presenting a unique perspective on the world.Paul Ollinger's reflections on enoughness, living without regret, and managing passion like a business.Tweetable Quotes:“I think the gift of comedy is the pursuit of truth.”  - Paul Ollinger“I don't think being an authentic person means saying every single thing that's on your mind.”- Paul Ollinger“Rich isn't about how much money you have. It's the ratio between your resources and your needs.” - Paul Ollinger“We're never going to stop wanting unless we control our desires. That takes a lot of awareness and a lot of self-control and a lot of reminding yourself of enoughness.”- Paul“Self-actualization is something to be pursued not to be achieved.”- Paul Ollinger“The richest people we know of in our society are people who aren't thinking about the money because they would have sold out decades ago.”- Paul Ollinger“The desire to have money makes us do crazy things, and money doesn't solve our problems the way we think it will before we have it.” - Paul Ollinger“There are tricks, there are shortcuts, there are things that you know what to do when something happens in the room. There are ways to react to that: you learn after repetition and by watching other people.” - Paul Ollinger“Not every battle’s worth fighting.”- Paul Ollinger“Living your dream doesn’t always mean perfect.” - Paul Ollinger“It’s not a value unless it costs you something.” - Kurty D.“I think time has a wonderful way of redeeming things.”- Kurty D.“If you want something, you have to sort of. Be willing to give it away or say no or do the opposite. If you want love, you have to give love. If you want money, you gotta give money.”- Kurty D.Links Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInPaul OllingerAaron RossDave AtellEmo PhilipsFacebookJack DangermondJudy CarterKim ScottMatt RifeNicole Aimée SchreiberVince ThompsonBBDOEsriImprovLimeTuck School of BusinessYahoo

Episode Highlights:Small is Better: How small, autonomous teams can spearhead targeted missions.The Paradox of Failure and SuccessBreaking the Fear of Failure: A New Mindset for OrganizationsHow to be adaptable and nimble in taking risksThe need to change mindsets within organizationsTaking risks in many different places in the organizationTweetable Quotes:“Time is linear. Knowledge is exponential. And a book is a great way to memorialize that knowledge and make it accessible.” — Brady Brim-DeForest“Vulnerability is such a powerful medicine.” — Brady Brim-DeForest“Failure is a necessary ingredient for success.” — Brady Brim-DeForest“I think the nest real value in cross-functional is that you have unbounded thinking, and it encourages first principle reasoning too. ” — Brady Brim-DeForest“The closer you are to the higher density information, the more efficient your decision will be.” — Brady Brim-DeForest“Large organizations tend to concentrate on resources, human resources, and capital, but they are also the breeding ground for innovation.” — Brady Brim-DeForest“Autonomy doesn’t just mean at the edge; it is a way of efficiency and decision making.” — Brady Brim-DeForest“None of us can accurately predict the outcomes of any hypotheses we’re testing. So, the only way to proceed is to take the risk.” — Brady Brim-DeForest“Risk comes along with failure.” — Brady Brim-DeForest“Increasing the speed at which you fail is the critical path and requirement to succeed.” — Brady Brim-DeForest“We see failure as a negative thing and must change our mindset and the organization we work to embrace failure. ” — Brady Brim-DeForest“You will never reach the upside if you don’t stumble along the way.” — Brady Brim-DeForest“Waste is the byproduct of experimentation.” — Brady Brim-DeForest“People have the freedom to fail because that’s where sort of improvisation in the ensemble happens.” — Kurt Daradics“We all could be looking at the exact same information and come to totally different conclusions, but that only happens if we are looking at the same set of data.” — Brady Brim-DeForestLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInBrady Brim-DeForest WebsiteSmaller is Better Book WebsiteAaron RossDuke StumpJack DangermondKatie DeckerKen BurnsMyles SutherlandTalia JacquelineEsriFormulamonkLime

Episode Highlights:The smile box analogy and the Fluxus art movementSelf-actualization and enlightenmentThe dysfunctional nature of living in the past and the need to focus on the present.Exploration of the common presence of trauma in high performers and how it can drive their actions.The impact of taking things personally and the importance of humility in relationships and communication.The correlation between personal work, culture, and business growth.The influence of neuro-linguistic programming and the learning process through mentorship and practical application.Tweetable Quotes:“Having a golden handcuff is really challenging, and I think it's it's not a value unless it costs you something.” — Kurt“Values are meaningless in words; it's lived out.” — Kurt“Everything that we do in business is all relationships, and we all know that.” — Talia“There's so much psychology behind how relationships are built, how the report is built and broken and what you contribute to that based on what your own experiences are in life.” — Talia“For as long as you're growing, you need a coach.”— Talia“Every word has its own connotation and energy.”— Talia“When we go through things in life, we really have two choices: we can numb, or we can kneel, and a lot of us as a society were so accustomed to numbing.”— Talia“A lot of those high performers are using the fuel of their past and the pain itself to drive, and sometimes they get so afraid of letting that go cause it's their fuel for so long.”— TaliaLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInTalia JacquelineTalia JacquelineVisceralBrain KoppelmanChristopher DaradicsDerrick B. GrünerGabor MateJustin MitchellMichael NittiStacey McKinnonStaci GrayTony RobbinsMorton WealthOrganize to ScaleReal World Asset

Episode Highlights:Background and experience in data science, content creation, and storytellingApplying storytelling principles to content creationChallenges of pivoting content focus on YouTubeImportance of storytelling in content creationApplication of data science in careersExperiences in corporate America and improving presentation skillsTransitioning to own YouTube channel to focus on data scienceMaintaining creativity on YouTubeCreating online coursesInsights and experiences in the field of data science and content creationTweetable Quotes:Life is all about depth, and that's where the joy comes from. So, whenever I do anything, I try to go to the depths of it. - Ben SullinsI really like startups; they're so fun because you can really get stuff done and make a difference. - Ben Sullins“The bigger the company is, the less fun it is.” — Ben“Knowing the difference between an absolute difference and a relative difference can really make a big difference in how you understand what message that's coming across.”— BenYouTube is a very interesting place. It's such an amazing thing for people to share what they know, to entertain and educate. For me, it's just an ever-evolving journey. - Ben SullinsSee, feel, change. When we see something, it creates an emotion that gives us some conviction to go and make a choice. That's really the insight and the power of data visualization. - Kurt DaradicsLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInBen SullinsBen Sullins YTFree the Data AcademyElon MuskJack DangermondNancy DuarteNaval RavikantQuentin TarantinoSatya NadellaAdobe PremiereAngelListAtrixBardChatGPTDescriptElevenLabsEnergy SageEsriFigmaHollywood BowlMicrosoftMicrosoft CopilotMozillaNFLPluralsightPower biPythonSquadCastTableauTesla

Episode Highlights:Insights into the Broken Marketing Ecosystem and the genesis of Hawke MediaPublishing of Erik's book, "The Hawke Method."Brand building and energy managementShared roots in Ventura County and experiences growing upSignificance of the “Red Hawk” with the brand and emotional aspect of marketingImportance of managing energy and balancing business responsibilities with personal pursuitsImpact of AI on the future of work and the economyChallenges of entrepreneurship and the importance of maintaining mental and physical healthTweetable Quotes:“I'm a firm believer that the brand is what you make of it.” — Erik Huberman“People use logic to justify emotions, but we're emotional creatures.” — Erik Huberman“I think the logo needs to be a symbol that people can rally around. But the symbol needs to be meant more internally than externally.” — Erik Huberman“Businesses fail for two reasons only; one: they get underwater on debt or capital and they can't get above water and two: the leaders give up.” — Erik Huberman“The consistency of what you do is what becomes your brand.” — Erik Huberman“When you’re part of an early company that turns into a powerhouse, that’s really rewarding.” — Erik Huberman“If you want to keep something long-term and sustainable, fight for that!” — Erik Huberman“If you're gonna jump into something, you should have some proprietary knowledge or some connections to build a business.” — Erik Huberman“It is really easy to find the energy when you feel like your time is gaining momentum and you're on the upswing and everything is going well — that energy comes easily.” — Erik HubermanLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInErik HubermanHawke MediaAlex JacobsonAndrew Stewart LeahyChristian GarrettClark LandryDavid ConnorsDuke StumpJanine O'NeillJulian SteinbergPaige CraigRobert LeshnerSimon SinekTony Delmercado137 Venturesa16ZBarstool SportsFly kittGetty MuseumsHunt ClubLimeLululemonMartechNikeOak Grove SchoolSequoia Capital

Episode Highlights:Kurt and Doug reminisce about the Mindshare LA event and its impact on their lives and careers.Doug shares his experience and background, from his education in the UK to his diverse experiences and travels across the USDoug’s exploration of generative AI for nonfiction writing, detailing the creative process and the successful launch of his bookThe impact of AI on creativity and the empowerment of individuals to be more creative.The process and challenges in creating the Rube Goldberg machine, including the team effort and the number of takes.Doug’s transition from personal adventures to consulting on incorporating AI into business workflows.The importance of leveraging technology to improve efficiency and creativity, and Doug's approach to helping others achieve this.The benefits of leveraging technology to streamline tasks and reduce stress in day-to-day operations.The societal impact of the money game and the challenges associated with consumerism and debt.Tweetable Quotes:“AI revolution is not just about automation or replacing humans. It's a wonderful chance for people to become even more creative.” — Douglas Campbell“While there is a lot of upset and talk about how AI is ruining industries, a lot of people are actually spending time focusing on how to use this as a new tool.” — Douglas Campbell“If you wanna see what addiction looks like, you can see it in the eyes of the 10-year-old who hasn't gotten their full-screen time today.” — Douglas Campbell“If really your joy is painting, figure out a way to work with the AI so that you can live a life as a painter.” — Douglas CampbellAIs are giving us more spaciousness to play and to be creative.” — Douglas Campbell"To first step to get started with AI is mindfulness; the first step is looking at your flows." — Douglas Campbell“The reality is every day, terrible things are happening with human drivers.” — Douglas Campbell“No matter how many people said” that was amazing”, you're not gonna fill that hole until you actually figure out how to make yourself feel whole from within.” — Douglas Campbell“I feel like people are saying to me, “you're so valuable”, and I'm feeling it more than I ever had in the past.” — Douglas Campbell“AI is a quantum leap. It’s a sea change.” — Kurty D.“Money is one easy way to measure value.” — Kurty D.“I think the thing that's wild about the human experience is that we're not truth-seeking creatures, we're social creatures.” — Kurty D.“People are getting in debt buying things they don’t need to impress people they don’t know.” — Kurty D.Links Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInDouglas CampbellThe Intelligents AI PodcastProjectFreshAndrew HubermanBrent BushnellChristopher DaradicsEfren ToscanoEric GradmanJim YoungNolan BushnellTim FerrisAehrAMDBardChuck E. CheeseElevenLabsEsriHarrowIO FundMarvell TechnologyMicron TechnologyMindshareNVIDIAOK GoReal World Asset GroupRISDSkirball Cultural CenterSuper Micro ComputerTask UsTechZuluTwo Bit CircusUCLA

Key Takeaways:Christopher’s journey and experiences around the worldFulbright grants and Christopher’s participation in the organizationThe concept of cultural production and definition of artCultural Production and Language LearningSoft Power vs. Hard PowerDescartes and Computational Theory of MindExtended Mind and Ecological ValidityThe dawn of AIArt and PhilosophyFluxus and its influence on art, its disruption of traditional art forms and relationships.Embracing ComplexityTweetable Quotes:“I think that God is something like the middle voice, and it's something like sunsets.”— Christopher“Cognition is not something that's constrained. This is, from the ecological perspective, from the extended theory of mind perspective, cognition is a distributed process.” - Christopher“The environment is too complex to control.”  — Christopher“So, are we fundamentally irrational? I think that there are parts of us that are profoundly irrational and that the rational parts of us have an incredibly difficult time wrapping our rational minds around. But I think that we're also rational.” — Christopher“My personal belief is that Descartes was not as dualistic and sort of Cartesian as history has painted him to be.” — Christopher“The hardest part about taking a very long trip around the world is leaving; the hardest part is just clearing your calendar enough to get away.” — Christopher“Complexity is simple rules playing out at scale. The simplicity and the fullness, and that it's really beautiful to embrace complexity.” - Christopher"To engineer something is hard power. Soft power is like cultural influence."— Christopher“Mind is not present in the object; it is only present in the subject.” — Christopher“Games are an amazing site for practicing, for using language. And then there's fan fiction and all of this stuff. So here's where we're starting to get into this sort of territory of cultural production.” – Christopher“So the world is getting more complex, it's getting more dynamic, and the questions emerging are like… It's incredibly non-linear, life is non-linear, and the rightness and wrongness of things has a lot to do with cultural preference like we described before.” - Christopher“We have this incredible capacity to process information, and we do it in ways that we absolutely cannot understand.” — ChristopherLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInChristopher DaradicsAndrew HubermanDan SiegelDescartesDuke StumpJack DangermondJane BennettJohn CageJohn LennonJulie SykesYoko OnoCenter for Applied Second Language Studies (CASLS)EsriInstitute of International EducationPocket Guide to RevolutionSt. John's CollegeUniversity of Oregon

Key Takeaways:Dave's experience in the legal industry and working with startupsAligning Interests and Creating Incentives: A Key to Success in BusinessTurning Challenges into Opportunities: A Zen Master's PerspectiveThe Power of Giving: How Givers Outperform Takers and MatchersThe Importance of Health and Personal GrowthTweetable Quotes:At some level, you just have to realize that everything is a business decision, and that includes taking risks. — David YoungThe better lawyers are the ones who are using their judgment to help their clients. — David YoungLife is 10% what happens and 90% how you handle it. — David YoungOften times people push to close for no specific reason, because they know that time kills all deals. — David YoungIf you’re going to give the point and you think it’s reasonable, just give it. Some lawyers enjoy the arguing—that's just how some lawyers are wired. — David YoungWhen negative things happen, try to turn it into a positive.— David YoungLife is hard. So we have to choose our hard wisely. — KurtLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInDavid YoungAdam GrantAndreessen HorowitzJason NazarJim JonassenRachel HorningA16ZCooley LLPLimeReal World Asset GroupSiemens

Key Takeaways:The benefits of putting your work online as a photographer or someone in the creative industry.How everyone is uniquely beautiful in their own way from a photographer’s perspective.How beauty inspires Kris Krug to step things up for himself.How adding the context of time to a photograph deepens its meaning.How AI is changing our response to beauty.Internet culture and how it has allowed people to be more expressive with their fashion.How Kris uses English and language to change the world around him.Why copying the same camera systems that your friends use and simply switching equipment is a good practice.The importance of getting your work online to accelerate growth as a photographer.Why it’s important to visit places like Discord and Flickr to see some interesting activity with not just photography, but all sorts of mediums.How AI has helped Kris speed up his editing process.Tweetable Quotes:“I make beautiful portraits of all sorts of people.” - Kris Krug“The more you put yourself out there, the more you give yourself away, the more value there is in your work and in your name, more people want you involved in their stuff.” – Kris KrugThere's something about everybody that really speaks to me.” – Kris Krug“I often walk away from an encounter with beauty feeling inspired or called to a greater part of myself to step it up.” – Kris Krug“This idea of giving space in the context of time gives a better kind of a more of a wider perspective.” – Kris Krug“As we enter into this AI age, I wonder what our response to beauty is going to change because these computers can make perfection all day long.” – Kris Krug“The ways that people express themselves through fashion is more interesting than ever. And I think that a lot of it comes directly from internet culture in some ways.” – Kris Krug“I've always tried to use my relationship with language and English to kind of like change the world around me.” – Kris Krug“If you want to accelerate your growth as a photographer, get out there and make stuff. Get it online, read the comments, and incorporate it into your work.” – Kris Krug“The most interesting things on the internet are happening under the surface.” – Kris KrugLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInKris KrügKris KrügAndrew WarnerAsa MathatBarack ObamaBill ClintonBrian EnoDuke StumpFrank GruberIan RogersJack DangermondMalibu BabieMatt WolfeMikhail GorbachevPaige CraigRick RubinRobert ScobleShaquille O'nealStewart ButterfieldZane LoweZsofin SheehyApple MusicCanonChatGPTCitySourcedCreative CommonsDiscordEsriFlickrInternation Space StationJavascriptKelly Slater Wave Co.Lincoln GroupMicrosoftMidjourneyNational GeographicNickelodeonNikonNvidiaPhytonPostmatesRolling StoneSupermicroTechcrunchTEDTopspinTrinity Western University

Key Takeaways:Unpacking the Journey: Real Estate, Tech, and FinanceThe Perfect Office and Unexpected ConnectionsUnforgettable Meeting and the Birth of a BusinessUncovering the Truth: A Risk Manager's Journey Through the Financial CrisisBuilding a Community and Embracing the Power of GivingThe Power of Giving: How the Universe Rewards SelflessnessThe Impact of Macro Trends on Risk Management in Real EstateThe Ultimate Music Fan: Dream Band and VenueTweetable Quotes:“Trust, but verify.” – Justin Mitchell“People pay back, but properties don’t. When you focus on creditworthiness and the borrower, you, most of the time, stay out of the trouble.” – Justin MitchellSometimes, the best deal you’ll ever do is the one you didn’t do.– Justin Mitchell“One of the things that made me relevant in this business is that when you deal with the best in the business, they start to appreciate your opinion and your insight.” – Justin Mitchell“Saying no is probably the best trait I have where not everything will work out, and it's not meant for me. It doesn't mean that someone else won't do it for them.” – Justin Mitchell“When you start doing business with the best borrowers, their competitors want to know why they're doing business with you and what makes you special. That leads to referrals and inquiries from the best borrowers.” – Justin Mitchell“We know what it's like to be a borrower and the sensitivities and speed of execution. Most of all, creativity is everything, and there's a balance to that.” – Justin Mitchell“It's being creative, but also managing risk, whether that's with the asset that I'm lending on, or maybe I take additional collateral outside of that asset.” – Justin Mitchell“In the context of private credit, if you don't do any background or underwriting on the borrower, that can lead to problems quickly.” – Justin MitchellLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInJustin MitchellAaron RossAndrew SmithBrian StandingBrook FainCharles SchwabElias BadinGregor WatsonHoward MarksJeff SartiRob BloemkerStacey McKinnon1Sharpe CapitalAFLACBank of AmericaBlackstoneCohnReznickFidelityGenesis CapitalGoldman SachsMorton WealthOakland Capital ManagementQuanta FinanceRealworld Asset Group

Key Takeaways:Highlighting Frank Gruber’s career highlightsFrom Blogging to Tech Ecosystem Development: A Journey of Innovation and EntrepreneurshipThe Evolution of Technology and the Importance of Business Model InnovationThe Business Mechanism as a Path to Self-ActualizationInvesting in Next Gen: A Journey of Early Stage Funding and PartnershipsOvercoming Challenges and Embracing ResilienceTweetable Quotes:“The people that can tell their story the best usually do the best.” - Frank Guber“A lot of times what I tell founders is just, pick one that you're best at rather than try to do everything because it's just exhausting trying to do all the different things.” - Frank Guber“If you can start early when you're not comfortable, it's better because once you get comfortable with all the things you're used to, it's harder to do it.” - Frank Guber“Some of the stuff that we had to do was to make those sacrifices so I can get done with school.” - Frank Guber“These people that are out there have that ability to be able to tell that story and convince people that this is the direction that we're going.” - Frank Guber“Everyone's got a social channel, there's so much noise, it's how do you get ahead of that now?” - Frank Guber“As an actual investor, you gotta make those relationships before you need them.” - Frank Guber“You just never give up - you learn and get stronger along the way.” - Frank GuberLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInFrank GruberDan MendezDave MatthewsGary VeeJack JohnsonJen ConsalvoJesse TorresMike ArringtonSteve ResslerAOLAtlantic Sea FarmsAWSCapital OneChicago TribuneGreater Colorado Venture CapitalHuffington PostKauffman FoundationNASANextgen Venture PartnersPurdue UniversityTechCrunchTechstarsTech CocktailTikTokVerizonWGNWim Hof

Key Takeaways:How mentorship is a two-way street where you teach someone and learn from them too.The impact that you can get by operating from principles vs. a playbook.The importance of letting yourself be uncomfortable.Why it’s essential to learn that what works in one culture will not automatically translate into success in a different culture?The requirements for greatness.Why you need to be self-aware and understanding of yourself.The power of language in life.Tweetable Quotes:“The goal is not to create magic. It's to create the conditions for magic to happen.” – Duke Stump“We all want greatness but we're not willing to have the courage to accept what it quite often takes to get there.” – Duke Stump“Self-awareness or self-understanding is the key ingredient in any journey.” – Duke Stump“Language has the ability to pierce through the barbed wire of life when it's done well.” – Duke Stump“Make yourself uncomfortable because it's one of the few times you know you're growing.” – Duke Stump“Life is about impermanence. It's this mercurial, ever-changing, ever-flowing thing like we don't have control on much other than maybe our chosen response to things.” – Duke Stump“Financials are not a predictor of success. They're a function of doing other things.” – Duke Stump“Rather than just focus on a number of financials every day, focus on other things that will deliver the numbers.” – Duke Stump“Freedom and aliveness for me is being in an environment where there's a real beautiful level of trust.” – Duke Stump“I think if we learn differently, we would invite so much more possibility.” – Duke Stump“My parents were high school teachers and they always said teaching is about mentoring and being mentored.” – Duke Stump“I didn't operate from a playbook, but I operated from a set of principles.” – Duke Stump“I'm proud of the fact that, once again it wasn't a playbook but it was a philosophy and a different approach around how to build something.” – Duke Stump“Because something works in one culture doesn't mean that playbook is transferable.” – Duke Stump“I'm just obsessed with the human condition that can create possibility versus stifle it.” – Duke StumpLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInDuke StumpChris ZimmermanChris DaradicsEllen DeGeneresGregg HoffmanJanine BenyusJeffrey HollenderLaura Lee BrownMartha StewartOphra WinfreyRick RubinSteve WilsonTim Ferriss21c Museum HotelsAppleBauerBiomimicryBonfire With SoulEsriEQTLululemonNikeOverhear Episode with Gregor Barnum and Duke StumpPatagoniaSeventh GenerationTargetTechCrunchThe University of VermontThe Wall Street Journal

Key Takeaways:Paige Craig’s remarkable story of growing up.Paige’s experience at WestpointWhat spurred Paige to enter and serve in the Marine CorpsWhat it was like trying to start a business without access to money.The origin story of the Lincoln Group, and when Paige sold it.The lessons Paige learned from working alongside people from poorer countries.Why and how analyzing people forms a core pillar and differentiator in Paige’s business.The importance of establishing trust and understanding with your investors.Why a startup’s success lies in its founders.When the true value of a business shows itself.Tweetable Quotes:“My job is to find incredibly special people who can create incredible value and create profitable companies eventually that change the world.” – Paige Craig“It's about finding out who is your ideal customer. Are you serving them?” – Paige Craig“I love learning, but even more than learning, I've always really enjoyed doing.” – Paige Craig“When I look at founders now, I understand how hard it is when you don't have access to money.” – Paige Craig“The most incredible value typically takes a decade or longer to find and build.” – Paige Craig"If you build incredible value for customers and you run your business right, you will get revenue." – Paige Craig“If you're going to go after certain types of people, you have to understand them; you have to understand why they perform or outperform in certain environments.” – Paige Craig“The very basic pillar of our business is to analyze people and realize that our mandate is picking exceptional, rare type of Founders.” – Paige Craig“I think too much money corrupts founders early. And there's great value created when there are restrictions on the money given to them.” – Paige CraigIf you want to be a great investor, particularly at the early stage, the number one most deterministic thing in a startup's success is its founders.” – Paige Craig“But that's one of the great benefits of being in the military. I fully utilized all my education benefits in the Marine Corps.” – Paige Craig“As a company gets later on in life, you can analyze the product and the customers, and there's lots of different ways to become a great investor.” – Paige CraigLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInPaige CraigAna Gabriela BonBailie SalkBlaine DavisBlake HallDavid TischJack DangermondJoshua ReevesLeila ChreitehLeura CraigLucas HoffmannPete WilsonPeter SzulczewskiClubhouseDam Neck VirginiaDARPAEsriGustoHunt ClubLincoln GroupMarine CorpsNASDAQNavy Federal Credit UnionOutlander VCRIASacramento State UniversityWest PointWish

Key Takeaways:Words from Margaret Cho and other comedians that inspired Nicole.How the pandemic opened up a lot of new perspectives on Nicole.The scary thing about growing old.How Nicole figured out how to navigate the loss of her dad in the mindset of a global pandemic.What it’s like for Nicole to look at things with a microscope perspective to pick apart things and discover what’s funny.The role of competitiveness in our lives.Why it's important to be a good sport whether you win or lose in life.How living your life transparently can get people invested in you.The impact of political correctness on comedy.Tweetable Quotes:“I didn't worry about dating anybody, I dated comedy.” – Nicole Aimee Schreiber“The pandemic put a lot of things into perspective about what matters and chasing a dream matters.” – Nicole Aimee Schreiber“When things are bad and you’re at the bottom, the only place to go is up.” – Nicole Aimee Schreiber“The whole reason we are competitive in nature is to win.” – Nicole Aimee Schreiber“Don't lose, go for winning. And if you lose, be a good loser, don't be a sore loser.” – Nicole Aimee Schreiber“Getting older is a scary thing because you lose your relevance. Like you're not as much of a hot topic anymore.” – Nicole Aimee SchreiberLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInNicole Amy SchreiberBrian IngramDana WhiteDarwyn MetzgerDave ChappelleDave AttelEddie MurphyFahim AnwarJacob TellJack JohnsonJamie DrakeJaimee Lee CurtisJanis JoplinJason CalacanisJoe RoganJudy CarterMadi DiazMatt RifeMargaret ChoMichell YeohNicole NorenNeal BrennanPeter PhamSarah SilvermanTaylor TomlinsonTomm HanniganTyler CrowleyCitySourcedComedy CellarComedy CornerDistrict 216DoleESPNHBO MaxLiquid DeathMonster of FolkNetflixNFLSherwood Country ClubPhantomTim TebowTechCrunch DisruptThe Comedy Store

What We Covered:The importance of having a purpose behind what you’re doing.How something that doesn’t cost anything can't be called a value or a principle.How Jacob and his team became a much fuller service by not just building the assets but also designing the strategy.How Jacob and his team used “technology mashups” to leverage his business.What it means to build a foundation around the things that you are passionate about.The importance of building a foundation before launching a bigger corporation/company.The impact of creating a safe place where people are allowed to have conversations about mental health, death and dying, and more.The concept of “edutainment” and how it does a better job at teaching compared to more traditional methods.Tweetable Quotes:You can tell if a brand or an organization is being purposeful and truthful about making that emotional connection with the audience when they have a purpose behind what you're doing.” – Jacob Tell“We do our best work at the intersection of storytelling and technology now. It’s not just the technology piece, it’s also the storytelling and creating the brands.” – Jacob Tell“We create a culture of positive disruption and that's been a throughline for all the ventures that I'm involved in.” - Jacob Tell“Entertainment meets education is the idea behind edutainment” – Jacob Tell“You have to be fully lit up and aligned in whatever you do and be able to draw that inspiration from within.” - Jacob TellWhen you have the right mindset, the right environment, and you know what you are after, You then create the conditions for the magic. – Jacob Tell“It's creating conditions for not just magic but for healing.” – Jacob TellLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInJacob TellBen HarperBruno MarsDuke StumpG.LoveGary GershIan RogersJack DangermondJack JohnsonJason KieselJengoJimmy IovineJohn LegendJoseph CampbellKelly SlaterKen BurnsKim JohnsonKurt CobainLenny KravitzPaul McCartneyRob MachadoSteve JobsThe BeatlesThe WailersDolby AtmosDreams TourEMI RecordsEsriFacebookLodo StudiosLVMHMySpace MusicNikeOniracomPepsiRevolverSony Music[Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/?)TechCrunchTopspinUniversal MusicUniversity of California Santa BarbaraWarner Bros.Yahoo Music

What We Covered:The back story behind the “Betsy and Irv” documentary movie.The story behind NBA player Enes Kanter.The importance of mental health and focusing on this issue.Mental health is not exclusive to gender but is connected to physical health.Tweetable Quotes:“I like humanizing issues.” — Nicole Noren“I want people to think, and I would hope that after they're done watching something that I've made, they're going to be thinking more broadly and differently.” - Nicole Noren“So I think the only way you can do that (promote advocacy) is by showing people fair pieces of work that make them think rather than telling them how they should think.” — Nicole Noren“It’s been a fascinating evolution to get to this point now where it’s becoming so normalized to talk about brain health, and it’s wonderful.” — Nicole Noren“Honestly, women have made me aware of mental health, and now men are catching on” — Nicole NorenLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInNicole NorenEnes KanterSasha Menu CoureyBetsy & IrvChatGPTESPNMurrow AwardNBANCAASpotify

What We Covered:Success and people behind TEDxDos and Don’ts of storytellingThe Power of Narrative, Communication, and SharingThe importance of authenticity in a storyThe explosive viral effect of TEDxHow widely you can spread ideasHow you can bring together curious people“See, Feel, Change” framework by Duke StumpTweetable Quotes:“It’s special to hear people tell stories of the TED talks that were meaningful to them. Talks that help people understand themselves and understand the world better or spur them into action in some way. Anytime you hear like that, I feel so grateful to have been part of the TED journey” — Kelly Stoetzel“The hard things that you struggle with, even if someone has not experienced the same thing, there are so many people who can relate, and there’s something that is also really useful knowing we’re not alone.”— Kelly Stoetzel“I would always tell speakers to be as much yourself as possible when you’re standing on stage. It’s like almost being yourself with the volume turned up just 10%.” — Kelly Stoetzel“As people write their talks—instead of thinking about what’s the thing I have to say, it’s like what is the thing  I have to give to people that they would like to receive from me — that would be useful for them to receive.” — Kelly Stoetzel“But there is no formula, and the best talks are just like what someone wants to design for themselves. And that’s authentic to how they think, talk, or live. So, I think that’s important.” — Kelly Stoetzel“As part of my career journey, I got to this point where I just realized I wanted always to do work that makes an impact and purpose for me, and the situation with our planetary health that we face right now is as important as anything can be.” — Kelly StoetzelFor anybody who may be listening to that is preparing for a talk, no matter what, it is always always always so useful to run it by someone. If you can do it with a speaker, coach, or something. — Kelly Stoetzel“I used to pray “God, if you give me ears to hear, I’ll do my little part to change the world.” — KurtLinks Mentioned:Kurt’s TwitterKurt’s InstagramKurt’s LinkedInKelly StoetzelAdam GrantAmber CaseChris AndersonDuke StumpHeather MasonJack DangermondJason CalacanisJim YoungJohn CalkinsRichard Saul WurmanSusan CainStephanie SimonTalia JacquelineTyler CrowleyZ. HayleyAtomic MapsCity SourcedClubhouseCochlearEsriEdelman Fossil ParkLXD (the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers)LululemonNikeTEDx