The Conscious Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurship can feel like a lonely grind, but it doesn’t have to be. Dave Parker, the CEO of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, knows firsthand what it takes to build, scale, and sometimes close a business. In this episode, he joins Alex Raymond to share what separates successful founders from those who get stuck—breaking down product-market fit, the power of timing, and why self-awareness matters more than most people think.   A key takeaway? Forum, EO’s peer-driven support system, offers entrepreneurs a space to be real about the highs and lows without the noise of unsolicited advice. Dave opens up about his own mental health journey and why having the right people around you can make or break your ability to keep going. He also challenges the idea of failing fast, arguing that knowing when to walk away is just as important as knowing when to push through.   For founders navigating uncertainty, this episode is a reminder that resilience isn’t just about grinding harder, but about making better decisions, leaning on the right community, and staying clear-eyed about what actually works.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 03:31 Product-Market Fit 05:01 Five Components of Product-Market Fit 10:20 Timeless Advice from Mentors 15:09 Timing and Market Conditions 18:09 Importance of Clear Communication 20:09 Solving Complex Problems 25:00 EO’s Mission and Growth Goals 28:48 Personal Mission and Vision 30:30 Entrepreneurship is Lonely but Doesn’t Have to Be 34:20 Dealing with Burnout and Mental Health 38:00 Importance of Forum in EO 40:02 Self-Awareness as a Key Mindset Shift   Links Connect with Dave Parker:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveparker/ Website: https://eonetwork.org/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Most entrepreneurs play it safe with their goals, but Dr. Benjamin Hardy makes a bold case: setting “impossible” goals is the fastest way to scale. Is aiming for something that feels out of reach exactly what forces clarity, focus, and exponential growth?   In this episode, Alex Raymond sits down with Dr. Hardy, an organizational psychologist and bestselling author, to discuss the mindset shift behind 10X growth. Why do so many entrepreneurs stay stuck in slow, incremental progress? According to Dr. Hardy, the problem isn’t effort. It’s the way we set goals. Most people aim for what feels achievable, which keeps them trapped in the same patterns. A true 10X goal demands a different way of thinking, working, and making decisions.   The discussion touches on why scaling requires accountability and brutal honesty. Dr. Hardy introduces a game-changing concept called “raising the floor,” eliminating distractions, letting go of tasks that don’t drive results, and narrowing your focus to what truly moves the needle. He also explains why urgency matters. A distant, 10-year goal won’t push you to make bold moves today, but setting a 3-year deadline forces better decisions and a clearer path forward.   Along the way, Dr. Hardy shares examples of entrepreneurs who made massive leaps by shifting their focus. He also previews his upcoming workshop at the Conscious Entrepreneur Summit in Boulder, Colorado, where he’ll break down the science of scaling and help attendees build a strategy for exponential success.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Introduction  03:33 Challenges in Scaling for Entrepreneurs 04:05 Systems Dynamics and Business Goals 06:13 Accountability and Economic Models 08:27 Raising the Floor Concept 09:20 Selective Attention and Goal Framing 11:05 Strategy and Eliminating Non-viable Options 12:45 Time as a Strategic Tool 14:52 Future-Driven Decision Making 17:54 Avoiding Distractions and Making Hard Decisions 19:03 Self-Honesty and Ambition to Scale 23:49 Personal Story: Overcoming Sunk Cost Fallacy 26:03 Letting the Future Drive the Present 28:42 Identity and Entrepreneurial Growth 30:13 Practical Steps to Create a Bigger Vision 35:44 Specializing and Focusing on a Niche 41:08 Preview of Conscious Entrepreneur Summit   Links Connect with Benjamin Hardy: Website: https://www.benjaminhardy.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Most entrepreneurs assume growth means doing more. More effort. More complexity. More stress. But what if scaling 10X was easier than doubling your efforts?   Alex Raymond digs into the bold idea behind 10X Growth, inspired by 10X is Easier Than 2X by Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy. He challenges the trap of incremental thinking and explains why real success comes from eliminating distractions, simplifying decisions, and focusing on what truly moves the needle. If most of your results come from a small fraction of your efforts, what would happen if you let go of everything else?   Alex also explores the psychology of growth, including the concept of “the gap and the gain.” Many entrepreneurs measure success by how far they have left to go instead of recognizing the progress they have already made. Before next week’s conversation with Ben Hardy, Alex shares a preview of the Conscious Entrepreneur Summit, where Hardy will lead a deep dive into the 10X mindset.   If you’ve been grinding toward growth and feeling stuck, this episode offers a different path. One where doing less leads to far greater results.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Introduction  02:00 The Inner Game of 10x Growth 03:42 The Trap of Incremental Thinking 04:49 The 80/20 Rule and Eliminating Low-Impact Tasks 08:02 Unique Ability and Zone of Genius 09:04 Delegation and Focusing on High-Impact Activities 12:05 Case Studies and the Cumulative Effect of Focus 14:02 The Mindset Shift for 10x Growth 16:18 The Gap and the Gain Concept 18:05 Living in the Gain vs. Living in the Gap 21:37 Overcoming Scarcity Mindset 24:44 Physical and Mental Signs of Scarcity vs. Abundance 26:04 Summary of Key Themes: 10x vs. 2x 28:01 The Courage to Focus on Unique Ability 29:46 Implementing the Gap and the Gain 30:18 Scarcity vs. Abundance Thinking 31:00 Immediate Action Steps for 10x Thinking 36:38 Final Thoughts on 10x Growth   Links Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Pain and curiosity are two of the greatest forces for growth. Dr. Anna Yusim, a psychiatrist and spiritual teacher, shares how entrepreneurs can use both to tap into intuition, break free from limiting patterns, and build a more fulfilling path.   Her journey from Stanford and Yale-trained psychiatry to a deeper exploration of spirituality and Kabbalah wasn’t planned. It started through unexplainable moments with patients and a dream that shifted everything. In this episode, she challenges the idea that success is purely external, showing how personal growth and self-awareness shape the way entrepreneurs lead, create, and navigate uncertainty.   Are you growing because of past pain, or are you choosing growth before hardship forces your hand? Dr. Yusim breaks down the difference and offers insights on intuition, purpose, and the inner roadblocks that often hold entrepreneurs back. She also explores the importance of community in a world where loneliness is at an all-time high and explains how spirituality—and for some, even psychedelics—can be powerful tools for transformation.   Alex Raymond and Dr. Yusim’s discussion is a reminder that business isn’t just strategy and execution. The inner work matters just as much.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Exploring the Intersection of Spirituality and Entrepreneurship 09:07 Embracing Growth: The Spiritual Path of Entrepreneurship 13:13 Challenges in Balancing Professional Success and Personal Relationships 15:06 Exploring Inner Emptiness and Its Impact on Relationships 17:06 Navigating the Human Condition: Addressing Inner Voids and Mindset Shifts 20:48 Transforming Mindset: A Holistic Approach 23:49 Holistic Approaches to Changing Thoughts: Biological, Psychological, Social, and Spiritual 24:38 Shifting Perspectives: Reducing Stigma Around Mental Health in Entrepreneurship 28:56 Finding Purpose and Building Community in Entrepreneurship 33:23 Understanding and Addressing Burnout: A Medical Perspective 36:26 Psychedelics and Mental Health: Exploring Benefits and Spiritual Connections   Links Connect with Anna Yusim MD: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annayusim/ Website: https://annayusim.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Entrepreneurs chase optimization, but what happens when that’s not enough?   Jamie Wheal joins Alex Raymond to talk about flow, resilience, and the deeper search for meaning in leadership. He challenges the idea that personal optimization is the ultimate goal, suggesting it’s only the first step. The real work is in navigating uncertainty, making an impact, and staying grounded through Hedonic Engineering—a way to keep motivation high even when the path ahead isn’t clear.   Jamie shares how flow states unlock creativity and why great teams embrace dynamic subordination, letting the most capable person take the lead at any moment. He also reflects on the Bhagavad Gita’s lessons on purpose, reminding entrepreneurs that leadership isn’t about control, but about clarity, adaptability, and knowing when to step forward or step back.   If the pressure to perform feels overwhelming, Alex and Jamie’s discussion offers a unique view on leading with purpose and keeping your footing when everything shifts around you.   Quotes “I think it’s really important that we don’t end up in the kind of late stage neoliberal fetishization of infinite individual perfect ability for a price. And we actually just realized, Hey, Shaolin temple style, train your body and mind, right? Push it to its limits so that you can hone it and direct it to those things of most meaning and significance and impact. Otherwise, we’re all just trapped little monkeys in the machine.” (04:25 | Jamie Wheal) “Business leaders are in varying degrees and intensities themselves. It requires a very strong center for you to be able to enter the melee and not lose your own footing.” (07:51 | Jamie Wheal) “You don’t want to get stuck in a model or a mode simply because you think it’s groovier or more enlightened. And again, Silicon Valley leadership culture has kind of now permeated, has kind of become the default norms, which is, I’m a level five leader, a la Jim Collins. I’m a little Yoda behind the scenes. I want to make everyone feel empowered and heard, and our collective intelligence will win the day. Maybe, it depends.” (17:17 | Jamie Wheal)  “Small is beautiful. It’s a timeless text, but I’d super encourage folks to just give themselves permission to do a beautiful thing in the world at a high quality or standard that is satisfying to you and the people you serve. And just have that as one other option, at least, versus just chasing the series.” (55:39 | Jamie Wheal)    Links Connect with Jamie Wheal: https://www.flowgenomeproject.com/ https://jamiewheal.substack.com/ https://www.recapturetherapture.com/ Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Success isn’t supposed to feel like a grind. The real challenge is knowing when to let go and step into what feels effortless.   Alex Raymond sits down with Ret Taylor, the co-founder and former co-CEO of Ned, to talk about the moment he knew it was time to walk away. After years of building a wellness company with a mission he believed in, Ret found himself stuck in the day-to-day demands of running a business that no longer felt right. A banking crisis forced him to make a decision, but his real breakthrough came when he stopped pushing and started surrendering.   Inspired by Michael Singer’s teachings, Ret learned to let go of fear and lean into what felt natural. That shift led him to Foria, a company that shared Ned’s values, and gave him the space to step fully into his zone of genius.    Join Alex and Ret’s discussion to be reminded that the path forward isn’t always about working harder but about knowing when to trust the pull toward something better.   Quotes “What if it’s not supposed to be hard? What if it’s supposed to be easy, like it was for me the last two retreats I did? And I had this big realization that I’ve been idolizing the wrong things. I should be idolizing, and I want to idolize those who don’t work so hard, those for whom it comes easy, and those that really surrender to their paths and move with confidence in them.” (13:08 | Ret Taylor)  “I’m meant to be with people outdoors, sharing my passion for nature, sharing my expertise that I’ve gathered over the last 25 years, and helping people heal and thrive with them. Ned, my business, has done that for hundreds of thousands of people.” (17:21 | Ret Taylor) “My mantra has become: ‘Worry doesn’t serve me.’ It just doesn’t. It doesn’t help to worry. It’s this thing left over from prehistoric days when there actually were things to worry about.” (21:30 | Ret Taylor)  “ I just feel much more fulfilled and very, very grateful. I’m grateful for those learnings, grateful to Josh, my best friend, for the opportunity, for Finian, and for you, for the Conscious Entrepreneur Summit. It all came together at the right time for me.” (31:22 | Ret Taylor)    Links Connect with Ret Taylor: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rettaylor/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Success won’t fix what you think it will—and Wil Schroter, founder of Startups.com, explains why so many entrepreneurs hit major milestones only to feel more lost than ever.   Wil has built, sold, and acquired multiple companies, yet he’s seen countless entrepreneurs hit their biggest milestones only to feel more lost than ever. He sits down with Alex Raymond to talk about why financial wins don’t fix deeper struggles and how chasing an exit can leave founders grappling with purpose, identity, and unexpected disappointment.     Wil shares what he’s learned from working with thousands of entrepreneurs—why they conflate success with happiness, why scaling too fast can backfire, and how to build something sustainable without losing yourself in the process. He also gets personal, talking about the non-negotiables that keep his life in balance.     If you’re constantly pushing toward “someday,” this episode might change how you define real success.   Quotes “Everything we thought was going to get cured, doesn’t change at all. In fact, it actually gets worse. Now, when people hear that, they’re like, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry that you made a million dollars. I’m so sorry your life is worse.’ It’s not that easy. Yes, it’s improved safety, but it hasn’t changed purpose.” (09:16 | Wil Schroter)  “The value of anything is the fact that you don’t have it. And once you get it, once you get that success, you realize that it didn’t change any of the things you were expecting it to. And it’s really depressing, which is ironic.” (11:55 | Wil Schroter)  “If you are unhappy on a canoe, you’re not gonna be happy on a yacht. You’re the same person just on a more expensive boat.” (14:13 | Wil Schroter)  “It feels very lonely, and that is kind of the worst part about the founder journey. It is incredibly alienating. That’s something that we’ve tried to kind of unpack for a very long time—to tell founders we’re in the business of showing you you’re not alone.” (26:32 | Wil Schroter)   Links Connect with Wil Schroter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilschroter/ Website: https://www.startups.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/   HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Why do the most thoughtful leaders hesitate to share their stories online? Justin Nassiri, the founder and CEO of Executive Presence, believes those voices are exactly what the world needs. In this episode, Justin joins Alex Raymond to break down how leaders can use LinkedIn to build authentic personal brands that amplify trust and authority without losing their true selves.   From navigating discomfort with social media to creating content that genuinely reflects your voice, Justin shares strategies for standing out in the noisy world of online platforms. He explains why personal branding should be more about creating meaningful connections and making your expertise visible to those who need it most.   If you're an entrepreneur who’s looking to build a genuine presence on social media, join Alex and Justin as they share tips on creating and repurposing content, and staying consistent with your message.   Quotes “The people listening who are least interested in [establishing a personal brand], the world probably needs to hear from them the most.” (03:29 | Justin Nassiri) “Authenticity sells. And I think that, when I work with a CEO, oftentimes they’re like, ‘Who do I need to be? I’m all of these things, but who do I need to be online?’ And my kind of biased reaction is, ‘We need to present you in the highest fidelity possible online.’” (08:25 | Justin Nassiri) “When that one person has the courage to be vulnerable, almost all the heads around the room nod like, ‘Oh yeah, I know that.’ It’s almost like this person having the courage to voice something has put a name on something everyone else is feeling, but now it’s out there, so it’s almost like a sense of relief, and then that person sharing realizes they’re not alone and it creates connection.” (10:03 | Justin Nassiri)  “You can’t, in the long term, build a personal brand or reputation or executive brand that is in conflict with who you are. I think eventually the truth will come out.” (13:15 | Justin Nassiri) “If you reveal what’s important to you, if you talk about the things that you know and where you’re an authority, you actually have experience, or more importantly, you just share your own experience like, ‘Hey, I made a mistake in my first company with this. I really regret it but here’s what I learned, I hope you benefit as well.’ That’s just a way of giving visibility into why you do the things that you do and what you know about where your expertise is.” (13:46 | Justin Nassiri)   Links Connect with Justin Nassiri: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinnassiri/ Website: https://executivepresence.io/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Entrepreneurship throws constant challenges, but Ajay Prakash has mastered staying grounded through resilience, psychological safety, and a no-excuses approach to leadership.    In this episode, Ajay, the co-founder and CEO of Rinse—a company transforming the laundry and dry cleaning industry with a tech-driven approach—joins Alex Raymond to reflect on how he’s built Rinse into a national brand over 11 years while navigating setbacks like revenue losses and the pressures of scaling. As a leader, how do you keep a team motivated when the stakes are high? Ajay believes transparency, trust, and a culture of openness are key to keeping people engaged and innovative.    Ajay also touches on the importance of managing energy, avoiding burnout, and staying excited about your work. Tune in to this episode if you’re looking for real-world strategies to stay resilient and lead with purpose.   Quotes “My mom always used to say, it’s not about the ‘what IF?’, it’s about the ‘what NOW?’ You can’t control these things that are happening to you, but you can control how you respond and how you react.” (08:50 | Ajay Prakash) “The number one mentality for the entrepreneur is this run-through-walls mentality—where there’s going to be a roadblock in front of you… You can sit there and say, ‘Oh, there’s a wall, I can’t do anything about it,’ or you can try to get through it, get around it, get over it.” (10:57 | Ajay Prakash)  “As a CEO, you have to evolve for the needs of the business and for the scale and stage of the business. For me, it’s been encapsulated by shifting my focus over the years from execution to enablement and acceleration.” (12:33 | Ajay Prakash)  “You have to be okay asking for help because a lot of times people will go on this journey and try to be alone… But there are a lot of people who have been through it who would be happy to just share the mistakes they made, because why should you make the same mistake I made if I can help you out?” (30:11 | Ajay Prakash)   Links Connect with Ajay Prakash: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprakash03/ Website:https://www.rinse.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Happiness isn’t a destination. For Peter Teuscher, it’s the feedback guiding your choices, beliefs, and the way you see the world. But what does that really mean, and how can we shift our understanding of happiness from something we chase to something we cultivate every day?   Peter, an executive coach and the author of “Rethinking Happiness,” shares how his own journey—from outward entrepreneurial success to inner fulfillment—led him to redefine happiness as a deeply personal and practical state of being. Why do so many of us feel stuck in the cycle of “I’ll be happy when…”? And how can we break free from beliefs that no longer serve us?   Through his insights, Peter offers a roadmap for creating more joy in life, from building small daily habits to challenging the stories we tell ourselves. If you’d like to learn more about how happiness fits into the entrepreneurial grind, this episode will leave you inspired to rethink what truly matters and how to align your choices with the life you want.   Quotes “One of my coaching mottos is: awareness allows change. Happiness is a major component, and much of it comes down to changing the way we habitually believe and think.” (03:43 | Peter Teuscher) “Happiness is this feedback that either the way I’m thinking about the world or the actions and choices that I’m making are really not on track or not in alignment with my values or the needs that I have.” (06:33 | Peter Teuscher)  “We have this inner emotional guidance system that will, whether you call it your intuition or your instincts, when you have certain outcomes, you’ll feel emotions, disappointment or happiness or joy or satisfaction.” (07:28 | Peter Teuscher)  “Sometimes we’ll believe something despite the facts. But a lot of times our beliefs are those things that we can’t necessarily prove one way or another, or we don’t have enough information to, so we just develop this belief about something. And so instead of asking yourself, is this belief true? I ask people to consider if this belief is useful.” (15:50 | Peter Teuscher)  “Happy people tend to make better decisions that tend to be better citizens, neighbors, partners in relationships, because that happiness is this feedback that they’re on the right track and that they’re making the right choices.” (36:50 | Peter Teuscher)   Links Connect with Peter Teuscher: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-teuscher-7480257/ Website: https://www.peterteuscher.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“Some would say they manage people. We like to think we lead hearts, and that if we tap into the power of the heart, then the mind and the hands and the effort comes much more powerfully thereafter,” shares Ryan Heckman, Olympic athlete turned private equity investor and co-founder of Rallyday Partners, a firm transforming private equity with a deeply human-centered approach.   In this episode, Ryan joins Alex Raymond to discuss how Rallyday Partners is challenging the traditional stigma of private equity as a necessary evil. Ryan explains how his experiences as both a CEO and an investor shaped the firm’s mission to prioritize purpose and people over mere financial returns. Their approach includes building meaningful connections with founders, fostering personal and professional growth for employees, and redefining leadership to focus on hearts rather than assets.   Ryan also shares insights into Rallyday Partner’s unique methodologies, including purpose-driven strategies, leadership development, and organizational culture tailored to the vision of each founder. As a proponent of Conscious Capitalism, Ryan introduces the Colorado chapter launch aimed at promoting stakeholder-centric business practices.   This episode invites you to rethink private equity and consider a model where purpose and profit work hand in hand. How can businesses grow sustainably while creating fulfilling experiences for everyone involved? Ryan’s vision provides a compelling answer.   Quotes "How could we make private equity a source of goodness and not a necessary evil? That was a very fundamental question that we asked." (04:04 | Ryan Heckman) “There's two problems with saying you manage assets for a living. First of all, management is a primitive form of leadership. It's as if to say that your role in the world is to manage something, not lead something. The difference is leadership is earned. Management is more of a compliance relationship.” (04:49 | Ryan Heckman) “Some would say they manage people. We like to think we lead hearts, and that if we tap into the power of the heart, then the mind and the hands and the effort comes much more powerfully thereafter.” (05:46 | Ryan Heckman) "We have an expression here that we use all the time, which is that the objective is professional, but the journey is personal." (20:18 | Ryan Heckman) “Purpose is what catalyzes discretionary effort. It's what attracts great talent. Meaningful work and being part of meaningful work is what really drives the human heart to do extraordinary things.” (21:46 | Ryan Heckman) "The first job in leadership development is to make sure that people feel the pride in themselves first, that they feel like they deserve to grow." (30:12 | Ryan Heckman)   Links Connect with Ryan Heckman: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-heckman-906a2530/  Website: https://rallydaypartners.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/   HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“With an improved healthspan, cognitively, people are on their game. They’re in flow with their business. They’re able to be much more productive.” For Dr. Fred Grover Jr., the Chief Medical Officer of Phi Longevity, this is more than a vision—it is a measurable goal. By prioritizing proactive, integrative health strategies, Dr. Grover points out that optimizing physical and mental well-being goes beyond extending life; it’s about thriving in every area of work and life. Entrepreneurs, he explains, can unlock extraordinary creativity, leadership, and resilience when they prioritize their health as much as their business goals.   In this episode, Alex Raymond is joined by Dr. Grover and Steve Pinedo, the co-founder and CEO of Phi Longevity, to discuss why health is an important foundation for effective leadership and sustainable business success. Together, they introduce the Foundational Five—a holistic wellness framework centered on nutrition, movement, sleep, regenerative self-healing, and cutting-edge therapies.   By treating health like a business—tracking key metrics and focusing on impactful strategies—this episode reveals how to boost performance, extend longevity, and enhance mental clarity. It’s a call to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach to wellness, offering entrepreneurs practical steps to take control of their health and future-proof their lives.   Quotes “In the allopathic traditional world, you’re looking at a 10-minute visit that just doesn’t provide an ample amount of time to address prevention other than say, ‘Okay, it’s time for your mammo, time for your PSA, time for your colonoscopy.’ And that’s about all they’re able to tackle.” (05:46 | Dr. Fred Grover Jr.) “With an improved healthspan, cognitively, people are on their game. They’re in flow with their business. They’re able to be much more productive.” (06:28 | Dr. Fred Grover Jr.) “Wellness is just critically important because medical science has delivered a number of great innovations that have allowed us to live longer and really long, potentially fulfilling lives. But because of a lot of our unhealthy lifestyles, we’re living a lot of our end of our years in a very debilitated state. And the only way we can really counteract that is through proactive medicine and proactively taking care of ourselves.” (03:02 | Steve Pinedo) “What are those numbers that you manage your health to? And what are those key performance indicators for your health, for cardiovascular health, for body composition? What is your percentage of muscle? What is your percentage of fat? How are they changing over time? So you have to sort of think about this more systematically about what those numbers are, and then work with a team to think about what are the modalities that you can employ and control to address those.” (11:30 | Steve Pinedo)   Links Connect with Steve Pinedo and Dr. Fred Grover Jr., MD: https://www.philongevity.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/   HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“I set up Oyster as a software platform to enable any company in the world to tap into the global talent pool without setting up entities, hiring lawyers, accountants, payroll providers, benefit providers. I established it as a mission-driven company, first and foremost, because what I realized was if I align what I do with what I believe in, I feel more fulfilled. I feel happier in my life,” shares Tony Jamous, the CEO and co-founder of Oyster, a company that’s shaping the future of work by embracing borderless, flexible, and human-centered principles.     In this episode, Tony joins Alex Raymond to talk about the challenges and opportunities of building culture in a distributed workforce. How does one lead with trust in a world where connection often feels distant? Tony’s journey to creating a $1.2 billion company during the pandemic highlights how belonging and empathy can transform workplace culture.     With a team spanning 80 countries, Oyster proves that diversity and flexibility can fuel both fulfillment and productivity. Tony shares how his personal experiences, including overcoming PTSD, shaped his leadership approach and commitment to creating workplaces where people truly thrive.     This episode will challenge how you think about leadership and belonging in a post-pandemic world. Can culture evolve to meet the needs of a global workforce? Tony’s story suggests it must.   Quotes “We are a talent magnet. We have diversity that is unheard of. We achieve a level of engagement and fulfillment for our employees that leads into productivity that is unheard of, because people feel cared for. They feel that we are designing a work model for them that makes them successful no matter where they live.” (05:36 | Tony Jamous)  “We believe that democratizing access to global job opportunities has a massive potential in creating more equal worlds. The reason why emerging economies remain emerging is because they lose their best talent to the West, and they don’t come back.” (06:58 | Tony Jamous) “It’s really about having a clear and strong vision and strategy, and then assembling and empowering the best team to deliver on it. That’s been my formula.” (15:32 | Tony Jamous) “Leaders at the very top of their game have to learn how to recognize themselves and not expect recognition from the outside. You can even push it to the extreme and say they can thrive on neglect. They are here to build the systems on which a business can thrive in a healthy way, including fostering a healthy culture. That’s what I believe leaders should be striving toward.” (16:57 | Tony Jamous) “The reason we’re not moving as fast as we need to toward a better future is because leaders are caught in a cycle of meeting quotas and delivering results, such as hitting numbers. There’s immense pressure, and the ability to handle stress and pressure is diminishing as stress levels rapidly increase for leaders.” (18:21 | Tony Jamous)    Links Connect with Tony Jamous: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teljamou/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/   HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“How do we get organizations where everyone has the opportunity and the support to contribute to their fullest?” For Michele Zanini, the co-author of “Humanocracy: Creating Organizations as Amazing as the People Inside Them” with Gary Hamel, the answer lies in rethinking the way companies operate.    In this episode, Michele explains how organizations can move beyond rigid bureaucratic systems to create environments that thrive on creativity, resilience, and accountability. He points out the power of a clear, shared purpose to align teams and the importance of nurturing small, autonomous groups that stay agile and entrepreneurial as companies grow. Michele also redefines leadership as a tool to multiply individual potential rather than manage from above, and challenges outdated performance systems by advocating for peer-driven accountability.    Join Alex Raymond and Michele Zanini as they explore how leaders can rethink traditional approaches to organizational design and create workplaces that genuinely empower their people.   Quotes “The idea of humanocracy is really about how to create organizations that are as capable as the people inside them, that are as daring, as courageous as people can be when they’re at their best. They’re as resilient, they’re able to bounce back from a crisis as we often are in our personal lives. As creative as millions of people who are on YouTube, sharing content that sometimes gets millions of people to engage with it. And are as passionate as we can be.” (02:54 | Michele Zanini) “People will still be part of organizations, but what if, instead of organizations viewing people as tools, we saw the organization as the instrument to better our lives and the lives of those we serve? The organization becomes the platform for impact.” (05:37 | Michele Zanini) “The other thing that a mission really does is that it provides a lot of motivation and alignment. So in a way, the mission is your boss. If everybody’s united by a particular purpose that is shared, you don’t need a lot of supervision.” (15:43 | Michele Zanini) “How do I give everyone in the team or the organization maximum autonomy and maximum accountability? And then how do I enable that? How do I create an organizational environment where that is encouraged and flourishes? You can specify some of that by wiring the organization in a particular way, but there are also things you need to do. For instance, how do you give everyone the competence to make the right decision for the business?” (47:39 | Michele Zanini)   Links Connect with Michele Zanini: Website: https://www.michelezanini.com/ Humanocracy: https://www.humanocracy.com/course/BMI   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Success on paper can hide a mountain of stress, as Andrew (Andy) Johns reveals in this episode how a seemingly perfect startup career left him barely holding it together, and what he learned about reclaiming resilience through nervous system mastery.     Why do so many entrepreneurs push themselves to the brink without realizing the cost? Andy, a Silicon Valley veteran, joins Alex Raymond to open up about the burnout that forced him to reevaluate everything and shares the tools that helped him recover. From the power of breathwork as the “remote control to your nervous system” to the impact of routines, sunlight, and even thermogenesis, he explores practical ways to protect your body and mind.     How can you create habits that prevent stress from becoming burnout? Andy’s insights offer simple yet transformative steps to help entrepreneurs build resilience, thrive under pressure, and take control of their well-being.   Quotes “When the body activates those superpowers because part of the nervous system perceives a threat, it floods the body with stress hormones, like adrenaline. These hormones are meant to be temporary, helping us respond to immediate danger before the body returns to a rest-and-digest mode. But the body wasn’t designed to sustain that heightened state of activation. Increasingly, research shows a direct link between sustained psychological stress and chronic illness, both mental and physical.” (13:12 | Andrew Johns) “It’s not just that we might be eating unhealthy food—we are. And it’s not just that we’re less physically active than we used to be—we are. It’s also that we’re living under constant psychological stress.” (14:43 | Andrew Johns) “We need to be wise in understanding the complicated and nuanced nature of the pros and cons of the environment we’ve crafted for ourselves.” (16:48 | Andrew Johns) “Okay, your career is in tech. You may be asking yourself, well, is this good for me in the long run? Maybe, maybe not. Everyone’s different. Certain people have different resilience characteristics. I know some folks where, myself included, are very, very sensitive to the environment around me. And so, I would absorb all of these psychological stressors and the moods of my employees around me. Other people I know, they’re not like this, but to the question of like, what do we do about it?” (17:04 | Andrew Johns) “You have the mechanisms built into you to feel calm and clear and in a state of peace. Your body has evolved those mechanisms, and you may just need to experiment to find your way back to those things. You don’t need to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to search and discover the tools or the techniques or the experts. It’s the inherent wisdom of the vitality of the human body, and that’s really all we're encouraging. If you tap into its inherent vitality, your resilience will be remarkable.” (46:03 | Andrew Johns)   Links Connect with Andrew Johns: Website: https://cluesdotlife.substack.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“In the context of entrepreneurship, ADHD can be an advantage, but it surely can be a disadvantage in life,” says Dr. John Torrens, an accomplished entrepreneur, professor of entrepreneurial practice at Syracuse University, and author of “Lightning in a Bottle: How Entrepreneurs Can Harness Their ADHD to Win.” Joining Alex Raymond in this episode, he discusses how traits like impulsivity and hyperfocus often associated with ADHD can fuel entrepreneurial success but require careful management to avoid burnout and personal setbacks.   Dr. Torrens shares his work on ADHD and its interesting connection to entrepreneurship. From his university course on entrepreneurial well-being to his research with the Young Presidents’ Organization, he uncovers how many high-performing CEOs share ADHD traits. Could this be a hidden “superpower” for innovation and decision-making in entrepreneurship?   Join Alex and Dr. Torrens’ discussion to learn actionable strategies for maintaining health, building strong support networks, and achieving resilience. Dr. Torrens offers a fresh perspective on how prioritizing well-being can lead to sustainable success in both business and life.   Quotes “Why work so hard for your company that you can’t even enjoy the fruits of your labor? I’ve seen it in myself and my peers—they push so hard that, in their final years, they can’t even enjoy what they’ve built. They’re dealing with chronic diseases that could’ve been prevented or struggling with mental health issues. Some focus everything on the business and acquiring things, only to find themselves spiritually bankrupt. What better place to address this than at an institute of higher education, where we’re teaching people about entrepreneurship?” (04:25 | John Torrens) “The reality is that stress is a real part of entrepreneurship, but you can manage it if you’re proactive.” (11:11 | John Torrens) “When you dive deeper and you start to look at impulsive and hyperactive ADHD and the traits that are associated with that, you see a pretty clear link with entrepreneurial success... It’s really two sides of the coin. On one side, it really works well for you, but on the other side, if you’re not managing it, it could be seriously detrimental... It’s the context. In the context of entrepreneurship, ADHD can be an advantage, but it surely can be a disadvantage in life.” (23:49 | John Torrens) “People with ADHD often don’t choose conventional paths. What we’ve figured out is that they choose entrepreneurship because other pathways don’t always feel accessible to them.” (25:23 | John Torrens)   Links Connect with John Torrens: Website: https://whitman.syracuse.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-staff-directory/details/jtorrens   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“Resting requires a stillness and a surrender that is uncomfortable.”   Alex Raymond is joined by Tovi Scruggs-Hussein, a visionary leader and healer, to explore how meditation and emotional intelligence can reshape how we live and lead. Tovi shares her journey from a life of high achievement to one grounded in mindfulness and self-awareness. How can rest, ease, and intentionality bring flow into our lives, especially in a culture that glorifies hustle?   Tovi discusses the role of “beingness” in leadership and challenges the constant drive to “do” with a more self-aware and compassionate approach. She also touches on the power of racial healing as she explains how a deeper connection to ourselves can create more inclusive spaces and interrupt ingrained biases.   If you’re an entrepreneur trying to overcome the pressures of leadership, this episode offers an invitation to rethink success. What would it mean for us to embrace ease without guilt? Tovi’s insights remind us that real growth begins with stillness.   Quotes “Sometimes, as leaders, we are the trigger for our staff. We’re the trigger for our teams. But if we don’t know how we’re triggering to others, if we’re not fully aware of what’s happening in us as we’re being engaged with others, then it limits us as leaders.” (11:57 | Tovi Scruggs-Hussein)  “We absolutely act and behave from who we be. That’s what influences and impacts our doing. So, if we’re not conscious of who we be and say we want to be a more inclusive leader, if we’re not conscious of what needs to be healed and transformed within us—where we’re not inclusive—then how do our policies and practices create inclusion?” (14:52 | Tovi Scruggs-Hussein)  “I believe that we burn out because we make our living and leading so difficult. It’s like going against the grain of who we are, almost like grinding a clutch or gears, instead of finding flow, smoothness, and alignment.” (16:06 | Tovi Scruggs-Hussein) “If we want to be a certain kind of leader, we have to invest in that beingness. We have to invest in ourselves as how we want to be experienced. And that can look different for a lot of different people. It can mean that you need some energy work for a while. It can mean that you need some consciousness work. It could mean that you need to meditate or go on a silent retreat. It can look like different things for different folks.” (44:34 | Tovi Scruggs-Hussein)   Links Connect with Tovi Scruggs-Hussein: Website: https://www.ticiess.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“Happiness is a choice, but also happiness is a skill set. And if we do certain things on a consistent basis—not once or twice, but on a daily basis—then I promise you and I guarantee you that you will live a happy and fulfilled life,” says Dr. Elia Gourgouris, known as the Happiness Doctor. In this episode, he joins Alex Raymond to discuss how happiness is an essential foundation for both personal and professional success.   Dr. Gourgouris challenges the idea that happiness comes after success, pointing out that it’s something we build from the start. He shares simple, impactful strategies—like practicing self-care, gratitude, and forgiveness—to help listeners make happiness a daily habit. Self-forgiveness, Dr. Gourgouris explains, is a transformative act of self-compassion that quiets the inner critic and lightens the emotional burdens we carry.   The episode also covers happiness in the workplace. What happens when happiness becomes part of organizational culture? Dr. Gourgouris makes the case that happy employees are more engaged, creative, and loyal, which directly benefits business outcomes. He encourages leaders to model honesty, openness, and transparency, creating an environment where teams can thrive.   The takeaway? Don’t put off happiness. Dr. Gourgouris reminds us that by living joyfully today, we not only enrich our own lives but inspire others to do the same. So, how will you prioritize happiness in your journey?   Quotes “Happiness is a choice, but also happiness is a skill set. And if we do certain things on a consistent basis—not once or twice, but on a daily basis—then I promise you and I guarantee you that you will live a happy and fulfilled life.” (05:01 | Dr. Elia Gourgouris) “Happy leaders equal happy teams. If we want our business to grow and succeed, the benefits of having happy and engaged employees are so many.” (28:24 | Dr. Elia Gourgouris) “Happy employees are the greatest marketing tool your company will ever have because they begin to recruit great talent simply by sharing their testimony of what a great culture the company has.” (30:01 | Dr. Elia Gourgouris)  “We live in a world right now—a post-pandemic world—where authenticity, with a capital ‘A,’ is a must for a leader.” (31:12 | Dr. Elia Gourgouris)  “Do not procrastinate your happiness… Forget all the ‘whens.’ There are no guarantees any of us will be alive tomorrow—none. We know that. People just go just like that. So live your best life now, and don’t procrastinate your happiness.” (39:45 | Dr. Elia Gourgouris)    Links Connect with Elia Gourgouris: Website: https://www.dreliagourgouris.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

“Live authentically, as much as possible, and as soon as possible.” This is the advice from entrepreneur Travis Luther, who joins Alex Raymond in this episode to explore the weighty themes of mortality, regret, and pursuing a life true to oneself. Having spent the past year interviewing terminally ill entrepreneurs, Travis brings forward the moving insights he’s gathered on what truly matters when life’s timeline suddenly feels finite. Reflecting on his own personal loss, he contrasts the difference between a life driven by passion and one on autopilot—a common struggle for entrepreneurs who often trade present joy for future security.   Travis and Alex dive into the regrets most commonly voiced by younger people unexpectedly confronted by mortality—health, personal fulfillment, and the need for real connections. What fears keep us from pursuing what we truly want? How much time are we willing to risk on things that don’t matter? Travis challenges listeners to live intentionally, guided by what truly drives them. By sharing a glimpse into his upcoming book, “What We Learn When We Learn We’re Dying,” he leaves us with a reminder: make choices today that you won’t regret tomorrow.   Quotes “What is going on in your unlived life or on your unlived path? And if there’s something that you can take away that’s a universal truth that doesn’t have anything to do with personal regret, it’s this idea that the sooner we can bring our lived and unlived lives together, the sooner we can live as our authentic selves and in harmony, the happier we’re gonna be.” (23:56 | Travis Luther) “When we disconnect ourselves from our mortality, we lose that sense of urgency that’s necessary to also do the things that are going to be personally fulfilling to us, and to avoid the regret or the time spent not living as our authentic selves.” (27:07 | Travis Luther) “I think what people at the end of their lives realize is that the accomplishment itself is not the thing that releases that stress and anxiety and everything that’s boiling inside of you. It is the lack of trying.” (31:32 | Travis Luther) “If I tried to consolidate all this information into one simple saying… it would be: live authentically, as much as possible, and as soon as possible.” (39:44 | Travis Luther)   Links Connect with Travis Luther: Website: https://travisluther.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://amplifyam.com/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Effective leadership in times of uncertainty hinges on trust, especially when chaos is in play. Retired Brigadier General Tom Kolditz joins Alex Raymond to share leadership insights drawn from his military experience and his book, “In Extremis Leadership.” Tom explains how startup founders, like military leaders in crisis, often face overwhelming uncertainty. And for him, the key to guiding a team through it is trust.   Tom urges entrepreneurs to focus outward and shift their attention from their own anxieties to the needs of their teams. He talks about the importance of both mentorship and coaching in leadership, and expounds that mentors offer advice from experience, while coaches are skilled in guiding leaders to grow.    Tom warns that excessive self-interest can undermine trust within teams, especially in high-pressure moments. He encourages leaders to engage their teams, rather than pulling back, when the going gets tough. Building a culture of shared risk and accountability fosters resilience and trust. Tune in to learn how great leadership, especially in times of crisis, relies on emotional intelligence, personal growth, and a solid support system.   Quotes “What makes dangerous circumstances truly dangerous is living with uncertainty… The principles and lessons we learn from leaders in dangerous contexts apply almost perfectly to the uncertain, chaotic set of circumstances that most startup CEOs go through.” (04:03 | Tom Kolditz) “If you’re living with uncertainty, you tend to not have the information that you might have in a more stabilized, older company. And what that means is that your influence as a leader is not through management. It’s through trust.” (05:46 | Tom Kolditz) “It’s very important that leaders not pour their emotions into their people when those emotions are negative like fear, anger, frustration.” (10:40 | Tom Kolditz) “It’s a very bad idea to think that crisis leadership is different from the leadership that you did the week before. You have to be in the same mode all the time because otherwise it’s too late. Crises come like that. And if you don’t have money in the bank, if you don’t have preparation for that, it’s going to be very difficult for you.” (46:09 | Tom Kolditz) “If professional baseball players who are at the top of their game still need coaches, then certainly those of us in leadership roles can benefit from having a good coach as well.” (47:18 | Tom Kolditz)   Links Connect with Tom Kolditz: Website: https://tomkolditz.com/   Connect with Alex Raymond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/ Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/ HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast. Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm