From Zero Sales to Celebrity Backing: How Candela Mamajuana Took Off

In this episode of Beyond The Wealth, host Andres Sanchez sits down with Alejandro Russo, the founder of Candela Mamajuana. Alejandro shares the incredible story of how he turned an obscure Dominican spirit into a premium brand embraced by Pitbull and major resorts worldwide.

🔥 Learn how Alejandro:

Discovered Mamajuana and saw its untapped market potential

Launched Candela from scratch, starting with college parties

Navigated major setbacks (including almost going bankrupt)

Landed Pitbull as an investor and brand supporter

Expanded Candela into hotels, liquor stores, and international markets

Launched an eco-friendly liquor distribution business

If you're an entrepreneur, spirits enthusiast, or just love an inspiring founder story, you won't want to miss this conversation.

🚀 Candela Mamajuana: https://drinkcandela.com

🐦 Follow Alejandro Russo: https://twitter.com/AlejandroRusso

🎙 Hosted by Andres Sanchez | Follow for founder interviews and startup lessons: https://twitter.com/_Andres_Sanch_

📩 Subscribe to Beyond The Wealth newsletter: https://beyondthewealth.beehiiv.com/subscribe

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Contents of the video

00:00 Meeting Pitbull at the Marina

06:25 "Mezcal's Rise and Market Potential"

14:01 Rum Quest in Chile

19:20 "Business Startups: Low Cost, Big Value"

23:10 Startup Setback in Punta Cana

30:38 "Organic Brand Advocate: Capo Curtis"

36:49 "Lifesaving Investor Support"

39:26 Manifesting Investments: Pitbull's Predicted Role

45:19 Exceptional Rum in Generic Bottle

49:44 Liquor Packaging Waste Issue

53:13 EcoSpirits' Innovative Bottle Solution

01:00:49 "Invest Early in Branding"

01:04:12 CPG Success: Quality and Emotion

01:08:46 Grateful for Your Hospitality

Why He Is Building The Startup That Is Reinventing Travel in America

🚆 Could overnight sleeper trains revolutionize travel in America? In this episode of Beyond The Wealth, host Andres Sanchez sits down with Joshua Dominic, co-founder of Dreamstar Lines, to explore the bold startup that’s reimagining how Americans travel—luxuriously and efficiently.

Joshua shares the story behind launching a luxury travel startup that aims to compete with planes and long drives by introducing overnight sleeper trains with car ferry service. From his early inspiration while backpacking through Europe and Asia to negotiating track access with Union Pacific, this episode dives deep into the startup journey, logistics, and vision behind Dreamstar.

We cover:

- Why train travel disappeared in the U.S.

- What makes this business model finally viable

- The future of sustainable and comfortable transportation

- The surprising demand from families, pet owners, and business travelers alike

If you're passionate about innovation in travel, building from zero to one, or simply love stories of bold entrepreneurship, this one's for you.

🎟️ Learn more at dreamstarlines.com

🔔 Subscribe for more founder interviews & startup insights

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Connect with Joshua:

Twitter:https://x.com/JoshuaKDominic

Connect with Andres:

Twitter: https://x.com/_Andres_Sanch_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthewealthpod/

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Contents of the video

00:00 "Medium-Distance Travel Insights"

05:16 European Train Travel Fascination

06:35 Myanmar Adventure: Stupas and Empty Trains

12:42 "Unexpectedly Prepared for Success"

13:36 Rebuilding History Using First Principles

18:03 "Future-Proofing Ideas Through Critique"

22:58 Reviving Sleeper Trains for Day Use

25:59 Technological Shifts in Transportation History

27:36 Bridging Amtrak Service Gap

32:28 Revolutionizing Car Rental Access

36:14 Advice to 18-Year-Old Joshua?

39:30 Optimism, Kindness, and Social Trust

40:43 "Thanks, Joshua, for Insights"

Secrets Behind 8-Figure Ecommerce Success w/ Carl Weische

In this episode of Beyond the Wealth, Andres Sanchez sits down with Carl Weische, founder of Accelerated Agency, to reveal the strategies behind scaling 8-figure ecommerce brands. Carl shares his journey from flipping limited sneakers as a teen to leading a top CRO agency, helping giants like Huel, Andrew Huberman, and Alex Hormozi skyrocket their online sales.

Discover the surprising niches—like shapewear, dog beds, and resistance bands—that consistently drive multi-million-dollar revenues each month. Carl explains common pitfalls in ecommerce marketing, emphasizing the importance of deeply understanding your customers' psychology to create ads and landing pages that resonate.

From hiring the right talent and managing growth stress to navigating rising ad costs and consumer fatigue, Carl offers actionable advice for ecommerce entrepreneurs aiming to scale effectively in today's competitive market. Whether you're running a Shopify store, leveraging dropshipping, or selling directly online, this conversation is packed with insights that will help elevate your ecommerce business.

If you're serious about scaling your ecommerce brand, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more growth-focused episodes!

#ecommerce #ecommercebusiness #ecommercepodcast

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Connect with Carl:

Twitter: https://x.com/CarlWeische

Website: https://acceleratedagency.com/?el=x

Follow the Show Below

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Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthewealthpod.com/

Cigar Website: https://flcigars.com/

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Contents of the video

00:00 Sneaker Reselling Journey Begins

04:18 Sneaker Reselling Lessons Learned

06:54 Psychology's Role in Online Marketing

10:09 Understanding Customers: Key to Product Sales

13:21 Ecom Growth After Key Partnership

19:54 Entrepreneurial Career Advice for Graduates

21:29 Navigating Entrepreneurial Stress Challenges

27:02 Prioritizing Health for Business Success

29:36 Successful Companies: Humble and Communicative

34:38 Rising Ad Costs Challenge Brands

37:02 Adapt or Fall Behind

41:30 AI Overreliance Risks Skill Atrophy

42:41 "AI: Balance Skill Development"

46:46 "Interview with Carl: Open Book"

Marketing Max Reveals Why You're Doing Newsletters WRONG (And How To Fix It)

In this episode of Beyond The Wealth, host Andres Sanchez sits down with Marketing Max—the mastermind behind Growth Daily and a 7-figure agency exit. Max reveals why most people are doing newsletters completely wrong and how to flip the script to build profitable B2B email empires.

🔥 Learn how Max:

- Sold his agency and pivoted into newsletters

- Built Growth Daily from scratch to 7 figures

- Monetized his newsletter through ads and his own services

- Turned a newsletter into a client acquisition machine

- Launched a “done-for-you” newsletter agency for founders

This is a goldmine for founders, marketers, and anyone thinking about starting or scaling a newsletter. Whether you want to grow your audience, monetize content, or book high-ticket leads, Max breaks it all down.

🚀 Max’s Newsletter: https://growthdaily.com

🐦 Max on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarketingMax

👇 Subscribe for more interviews with top founders, marketers, and creators building outside the box.

Follow the Show Below

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthewealthpod/

Twitter: https://x.com/beyondthewealth

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondthewealthclips

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondthewealth

Check Out All My Projects!

Business Newsletter: https://beyondthewealth.beehiiv.com/subscribe

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Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthewealthpod.com/

Cigar Website: https://flcigars.com/

#newsletter #marketing #marketingpodcast

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro

2:00 - Selling a 7-figure agency

7:00 - Why ads are harder now

10:30 - The real value of a newsletter

18:00 - Getting your first sponsor

23:00 - Selling your own services vs ads

33:00 - The future of newsletters

42:00 - Final advice to founders

Learn Why Billionaires Like Peter Thiel Are Bullish On This 25-Year-Old

In this episode of Beyond The Wealth, I sit down with Kian Sadeghi, the founder of Nucleus Genomics, a trailblazing startup revolutionizing genetic testing and personalized health. Kian dropped out of UPenn, lied to his immigrant parents to build his company, and turned a deeply personal family tragedy into a billion-dollar vision. Investors like Founders Fund and Alexis Ohanian backed him early — not because of his resume, but because of his relentless founder energy.

We break down:

- How Kian raised millions without a degree or formal science background

- What makes Nucleus “the most advanced DNA health test ever created”

- Why he believes this is the single greatest time in history to start a company

- How he used rejection, curiosity, and pressure to build a rocket ship

This conversation is a masterclass in founder grit, long-term thinking, and turning pain into purpose. If you're building something big or want a peek into the future of genomics, AI in healthcare, and founder-driven startups, don’t miss this.

🔗 Try Nucleus Genomics: https://mynucleus.com

📲 Follow Kian:

Twitter – @KianSadeghi5

IG – @therealkiansadeghi

LinkedIn – Kian Sadeghi

🎯 Subscribe to Beyond The Wealth for more raw, unfiltered convos with founders who are actually building: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondthewealth

💬 Drop a comment with your favorite takeaway from this episode. And if you're building something right now, keep going. It does pay off.

Follow the Show Below

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthewealthpod/

Twitter: https://x.com/beyondthewealth

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondthewealthclips

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondthewealth

Check Out All My Projects!

Business Newsletter: https://beyondthewealth.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Cigar Newsletter: https://stogies-and-steals.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthewealthpod.com/

Cigar Website: https://flcigars.com/

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🧬 Topics Covered:

00:00 - Why passion over shortcuts

04:00 - His cousin’s passing and the moment that changed everything

10:00 - Getting into genomics as a teen and being featured in WSJ

14:00 - Lying to his parents to drop out and start building

17:00 - Raising $200K off a cold text

20:00 - The power of founder energy and investor belief

27:00 - What Nucleus Genomics actually does

33:00 - Why Kian is building a trillion-dollar healthcare company

42:00 - Don’t chase trends—follow curiosity

48:00 - The vision for Nucleus in 5–10 years

50:00 - Advice to the next-gen founder: Follow your bliss

How He Got Rich Selling Cigars In His 20s | Nick Fusco

In this episode of Beyond The Wealth, I sit down with Nick Fusco — the founder of El Mago Cigars and my childhood best friend — to talk about how he built one of the most unique and fast-growing premium cigar brands in the U.S. from the ground up. With no prior business or manufacturing experience, Nick shares how he entered the cigar industry, overcame the challenges of being a young entrepreneur in a traditionally older space, and created standout blends backed by a powerful personal story. We talk about the behind-the-scenes process of blending cigars, the strategy behind his loud and colorful packaging, what it takes to start a cigar brand, and how he’s scaled El Mago into 46 states and multiple countries — all while keeping the integrity of a product handmade from seed to smoke.

Follow the Show Below

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthewealthpod/

Twitter: https://x.com/beyondthewealth

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondthewealthclips

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondthewealth

Check Out All My Projects!

Business Newsletter: https://beyondthewealth.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Cigar Newsletter: https://stogies-and-steals.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Podcast Website: https://www.beyondthewealthpod.com/

Cigar Website: https://flcigars.com/

This Female Founder Built an AI Tool That’s Revolutionizing Sales – Here’s HowIn this episode of Beyond The Wealth, we're thrilled to welcome Lauren Gadell, founder of Zinnia, a SaaS tool designed specifically for account executives. Host Andres Sanchez dives deep into Lauren's journey from corporate roles at giants like Microsoft and Salesforce to becoming a bold entrepreneur. Lauren shares her candid experiences of 'oopsying' her way into sales, the challenges of leaving a lucrative corporate career, and the resilience needed to succeed in the fast-paced world of startups. Discover the valuable insights she gained from pitching to investors, the importance of having a supportive cofounder, and the innovative solutions Zinnia offers to streamline sales processes. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned sales professional, Lauren's story will inspire you to embrace challenges and pursue your passion with determination. Don't miss this compelling conversation that highlights the power of resilience and innovation in transforming ideas into reality.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe!! --------------------------------------------Connect with Lauren:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-goodell/Website: https://www.getzinnia.ai/Connect with Andres: Twitter: https://x.com/_Andres_Sanch_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthewealthpod/--------------------------------------------Contents of the video00:00 Resilience and Persistence in Career05:12 Tech Sales Reps as Founders08:41 Embracing Failure in Entrepreneurship10:12 Entrepreneurship: Weathering Failures to Succeed15:07 Choose Investors Wisely18:54 Zinnia: Sales Reps' AI Assistant22:35 "Next Best Action Launch"24:29 Winning Partnership with Hearst28:58 Co-Founder Compatibility Conversations33:08 Choosing Market Over Product35:41 We're All Figuring It Out37:27 "See You Next Episode"

Ex-Spy Teaches Business Owners The Art Of Persuasion In this episode of Beyond the Wealth, host Andres Sanchez sits down with Donald Weber, an accomplished corporate coach who specializes in persuasion, communication, and public speaking. Donald brings a wealth of diverse experiences to the table, having worked with Fortune 100 senior executives, European political figures, and even in a covert governmental capacity. Throughout their conversation, Andres and Donald delve into the crucial role communication plays in achieving success, the fine line between persuasion and manipulation, and the importance of effective leadership. They also explore Donald's intriguing career journey, from his initial steps in business to his high-stakes government work overseas, and his pivot to coaching where he helps individuals and leaders alike hone their communication skills. Whether you're a young entrepreneur or a seasoned executive, this episode offers valuable insights into mastering the art of persuasion and enhancing your communication prowess. Tune in to learn from an expert who has seen it all and discover how to elevate your professional interactions.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe!! --------------------------------------------Connect with Donald:Website: https://drwebercoaching.com/about-me/Connect with Andres: Twitter: https://twitter.com/beyondthewealthInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthewealthpod/--------------------------------------------Contents of the video00:00 Bullied Kid Turns Communication Pro05:43 "Dangerous Undercover Government Work"08:14 Effective Persuasion Strategies12:23 Connecting with High-Level Executives14:57 "Understanding Communication Tactics"18:36 "Mastering Communication Through Podcasting"21:05 Public Speaking and Leadership Coaching23:12 Effective Communication & Leadership Skills26:33 Leadership and Accountability Matters31:13 Effective Presentation Skills Overview35:18 Enhancing Speech Through Voice Variation36:26 Reflective Advice for Young Self41:09 "Engaging Business Insights with Donald"

How Nikhil Vimal Is Replacing Your CMO With AIWelcome to another captivating episode of Beyond The Wealth! Today, we're thrilled to have Nikhil Vimal, the innovative co-founder of Rex, an AI-driven advertising and marketing tool, join us. In this episode, Nikhil shares his remarkable journey from a high school student with a knack for programming to a seasoned entrepreneur in the tech world. Nikhil discusses the importance of building meaningful relationships, the power of networking both online and in-person, and the critical decisions founders face when choosing between bootstrapping and seeking venture capital. As we delve into the challenges and opportunities within the marketing industry, Nikhil reveals how Rex is set to revolutionize the way businesses approach marketing, offering a cost-effective and automated solution that delivers real results. Whether you're an aspiring founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, this episode is packed with insights and advice to propel your journey to success. So, sit back and get ready to be inspired!If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe!! --------------------------------------------Connect with Nikhil:Twitter: https://x.com/nikvimalConnect with Andres: Twitter: https://x.com/_Andres_Sanch_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthewealthpod/--------------------------------------------00:00 "AI Marketing Tool: Rex"05:15 High School Startup Journey06:47 Startup Journey: From Dropout to AI Consulting10:45 "Tech Community Building Journey"15:24 "Importance of Support and Personal Brand"16:24 Embrace Personal Branding for Growth20:29 "Serendipity in Networking Benefits"24:58 Evolving Role of Venture Capital26:57 Bootstrapping Success: Mailchimp's Journey30:37 "Rex: Streamlining Small Business Operations"32:38 "Boost Business with Customer Surveys"37:26 From Anecdotal to Data-Driven Marketing40:08 "Disrupting Outdated Marketing Practices"42:27 Rex: Marketing Team Alternative46:51 "Mastering Productive Selling Skills"49:08 "Connect with Nik Vimal"

Chris Josephs: Nancy Pelosi, Dan Crenshaw, and Exposing How They Got RichWelcome to the Beyond The Wealth podcast, where we dive deep into entrepreneurial journeys and innovative ideas. In this episode, titled "Chris Josephs: Nancy Pelosi, Dan Crenshaw, and Exposing How They Got Rich" our host Andres Sanchez sits down with Chris Josephs, co-founder of Autopilot, the platform best known for the Nancy Pelosi Tracker. Join us as Chris delves into the birth of Autopilot, a venture that emerged from an interest in creating a social layer for stock investments and evolved into a platform that democratizes access to investing strategies. Chris shares his journey from a scrappy entrepreneur flipping sneakers and running a family sports sleeves business to launching a groundbreaking app that's reshaping how people invest. We'll explore how Autopilot allows users to automatically invest alongside top-notch strategies and prominent figures, including politicians. Get ready to be inspired by Chris's story of innovation, adaptation, and the power of momentum in entrepreneurship. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting, there's a wealth of insights to gain from Chris's experience.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe!! --------------------------------------------Connect with Chris:Twitter: https://x.com/ChrisjjosephsNancy Pelosi Stock Tracker:https://x.com/pelositracker_Autopilot: https://www.joinautopilot.com/Connect with Andres: Twitter: https://x.com/_Andres_Sanch_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthewealthpod/--------------------------------------------Contents of the video00:00 Scrappy Young Founders' Journey04:21 Social Media Manipulation in Sports Industry07:48 Future Entrepreneurs: From Candy to Bots11:11 Navigating Organic Growth vs. Ads14:16 Embrace Unconventional Lucrative Opportunities18:49 Rethinking App Features for Retention22:48 Pre-Launch Momentum Drives Success26:17 Trading Dates & Returns Impact28:25 App Experience: User Investment Guide33:14 Autopilot: Democratizing Investing Strategies35:55 Democratizing Innovative Investment Strategies37:58 Investing Platform with Sustainable Revenue43:09 Endorsement of Simplified Strategy Model46:20 "Pushing Boundaries, Avoiding Action Paralysis"47:40 "Embrace Action Over Hesitation"50:41 Mindset Shift: From Small to Big53:58 Non-Financial Advice Compliance Reminder