Built for This

In this forward-looking episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with John Petrocelli, livestream pioneer and CEO of Bulldog Digital Media, to explore how live content has evolved into one of the most powerful forces in modern business.

John shares his journey from the early days of digital media, working with artists like Prince and helping shape direct-to-consumer distribution, to producing some of the most watched livestreams in the world. With more than a billion audience engagements and clients including Apple, Netflix, Coca-Cola, and Samsung, he offers a front-row view into how content, commerce, and technology are converging in real time.

Carly and John dive into the explosive growth of livestreaming during the pandemic, the rise of live commerce through platforms like TikTok Shop, and why brands are shifting from passive content to interactive experiences. John explains that the future is not about broadcasting to an audience, but engaging them as participants. From building lean, adaptive teams to managing the complexity of real-time production, this episode reveals what it takes to succeed in one of the fastest-moving industries today.

Key Themes:

Memorable Quotes:

“The goal is to transform the viewer into a participant.”

About John Petrocelli:

Before founding Bulldog DM in 2012, John’s leadership roles in startups led to acquisitions by AEG, Google, and Akamai. Today, Bulldog DM partners with some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including Apple, AT&T, YouTube, American Express, Coca-Cola, Netflix, Samsung, and Qualcomm. His work has earned numerous industry awards, including Clio, Shorty, Webby, Cannes Lion, Epica, One Show, and BizBash, and he has spoken at major global events such as CES, NAB, SXSW, and Harvard Business School.

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In this thought-provoking episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Sam Berman, founder and CEO of LARC (Logistics Advanced Research Center), to explore how challenging deeply embedded industry assumptions can unlock real innovation.

Sam shares how LARC began as a simple idea sketched on a napkin and evolved into a global solution for transporting high-value, mission-critical equipment. At the heart of his approach is first-principles thinking, breaking problems down to their core and rebuilding solutions from the ground up rather than accepting inefficiencies as inevitable.

Carly and Sam dive into the hidden flaws within traditional logistics systems, from wasteful packaging to outdated processes that persist simply because they have never been questioned. By redesigning these systems with reusable, modular solutions, Sam demonstrates how businesses can simultaneously improve performance, reduce cost, and increase sustainability. This episode is a powerful reminder that many of the biggest constraints in business are not real limitations, but accepted norms waiting to be reimagined.

Key Themes:

Challenge Assumptions: Why many industries operate on outdated systems that exist because no one has questioned them.

Think from First Principles: How breaking problems down to their fundamentals leads to breakthrough innovation rather than incremental improvement.

Align Efficiency with Sustainability: Why better systems can reduce waste, lower costs, and improve outcomes at the same time.

Memorable Quotes:

“Most of the systems we rely on today weren’t designed to be optimal, they were designed to be acceptable.”

About Sam Berman:

A lifelong entrepreneur and systems thinker, Sam has spent decades challenging legacy assumptions across logistics, manufacturing, and supply chains. Under his leadership, LARC has become a trusted partner to hyperscalers, global manufacturers, and Tier-1 logistics providers by delivering solutions that improve protection, security, sustainability, and total cost of ownership.

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In this inspiring episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Richard Blank, entrepreneur and CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center, to explore the unconventional path that led him from Philadelphia to building a thriving business abroad.

Richard shares how stepping away from family expectations and societal pressure allowed him to pursue a life aligned with his own values. At twenty-seven, he moved to Costa Rica and started a company from scratch in a completely unfamiliar environment. What many would have considered a risky leap became the foundation for a successful business built on authenticity, culture, and human connection.

Throughout the conversation, Richard dives into the human side of leadership, explaining why communication, empathy, and culture are the real drivers of performance. From training voice agents to build genuine rapport with customers to fostering a workplace where people feel respected and supported, he demonstrates how emotional intelligence transforms both teams and outcomes. This episode is a powerful reminder that growth often begins when we step beyond comfort zones and choose a path that reflects who we truly are.

Key Themes:

Authenticity Opens Doors: Why choosing your own path, rather than following expectations, can lead to unexpected opportunities.

Culture Drives Performance: How respect, communication, and empathy create stronger teams and better business results.

Growth Lives Outside the Comfort Zone: Why moving abroad and starting from scratch became the catalyst for Richard’s resilience and success.

Memorable Quotes:

“Sometimes you have to leave the life that’s expected of you in order to build the life that’s truly yours.”

About Richard Blank:

Giving back is a core part of Richard’s philosophy. Each year he endows a scholarship at Abington Senior High School for students pursuing world languages at the university level. A lifelong enthusiast of vintage arcade culture, he also built the largest collection of restored American pinball machines and antique jukeboxes in Costa Rica.

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Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS

Costa Rica’s Call Center commercial with Rapper GblackDaBest and Freestyle break-dancer Yeik Lawson Rodríguez

Feliciano School of Business visit with Richard Blank

In this insightful episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Alfredo Dominguez, CEO of Velocity Artificial Lift Solutions, an engineering company dedicated to helping oil and energy producers operate more efficiently through practical, field-driven technologies.

Alfredo shares how his background in engineering shaped his leadership philosophy, one rooted in problem-solving, precision, and building solutions that actually work under real-world conditions. But the conversation quickly moves beyond technical innovation into the realities of leadership under pressure.

One of the most defining challenges Alfredo faced came when his company was targeted by a conspiracy involving a former employee and supplier attempting to steal proprietary designs and undermine the business. Navigating that experience forced him to confront uncertainty, protect his team, and make difficult decisions under immense pressure. Through it all, Alfredo leaned into a values-based leadership approach grounded in honesty, dependability, and respect.

Carly and Alfredo explore how engineering thinking can transform business leadership, how resilience is built during the hardest moments, and why values become the stabilizing force when stakes are highest. This episode reveals how adversity often becomes the proving ground where stronger leaders are forged.

Key Themes:

Leadership Is Forged in Crisis: Why the true test of leadership comes during uncertainty, pressure, and unexpected threats.

Engineering Thinking for Business: How breaking down complex systems into solvable problems creates practical innovation.

Values Anchor High-Stakes Leadership: Why honesty, dependability, and respect create stability in technical and high-risk industries.

Memorable Quotes:

“Even in the darkest moments, clarity and support can emerge if you stay open enough to see it.”

About Alfredo Dominguez:

His work has been recognized through multiple published and presented technical papers, reflecting his commitment to advancing performance and reliability within the energy sector. Alfredo leads with a values-driven philosophy centered on honesty, dependability, and respect, principles that guide both his technical decisions and company culture.

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In this insightful episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Joy Lynskey, founder and CEO of Jewel Toned Interiors, an award-winning interior design studio known for creating people-centered environments that combine creativity, psychology, and purpose.

Joy shares how her early fascination with psychology shaped the way she approaches design today. Rather than focusing only on aesthetics, she examines how environments influence how people think, feel, and interact. From corporate offices to commercial spaces, Joy explains how intentional design can reinforce company values, improve employee wellbeing, and transform customer experiences.

The conversation also explores Joy’s entrepreneurial journey, from growing up as the daughter of a business owner to leading a design firm in the traditionally male-dominated construction industry. As the first female president of the Construction Executives Association, she reflects on the importance of mentorship, leadership, and building teams that empower people to grow. This episode reveals the powerful intersection between psychology, leadership, and design and how the spaces we create ultimately shape the cultures we live and work within.

Key Themes:

Design Begins with Emotion: Why every project starts with a single question: how do you want people to feel in this space?

Spaces Communicate Culture: How the built environment can reinforce company values like collaboration, innovation, and wellness.

Leadership Through Empowerment: Why mentorship, empathy, and continuous growth are essential for building strong teams and thriving businesses.

Memorable Quotes:

“Interior design is really a blend of art, math, science, and the study of people.”

About Joy Lynskey:

A passionate mentor and advocate for leadership development, Joy became the first female president of the Construction Executives Association in 2023. Her impact has been recognized through numerous honors, including Entrepreneur Organization’s Entrepreneur of Excellence and IIDA South Florida’s Star of the Year.

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In this candid episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Connor Treacy, a Los Angeles–based entrepreneur working at the crossroads of nightlife, music, culture, and business. Connor offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it truly takes to stay relevant in the entertainment industry, where momentum is fleeting and yesterday’s success quickly fades.

Connor shares how he co-founded OffSunset during the uncertainty of COVID and grew it into a multimillion-dollar hospitality brand built largely through word of mouth, mystique, and carefully curated experiences. He explains the strategy behind controlled launches, protecting brand momentum, and building communities rather than simply throwing parties. The conversation explores the volatility of early entrepreneurship, the pressure of maintaining relevance, and why entertainment ultimately revolves around value exchange.

Now working in talent management while building systems around artists and partnerships, Connor breaks down why producing your own product matters, how positioning yourself for opportunity beats constantly chasing it, and why calculated luck consistently outperforms blind ambition. This episode is a thoughtful exploration of timing, resilience, and designing a career that does not depend on a single hit.

Key Themes:

Value Creates Relevance: Why success in entertainment comes from bringing something meaningful to the table rather than relying on popularity.

Plan Beyond the Hit: How understanding industry cycles allows entrepreneurs to celebrate momentum while preparing for what comes next.

Position Yourself for Opportunity: Why strengthening your network, credibility, and knowledge increases the chances that major opportunities find you.

Memorable Quotes:

“Anything I’ve ever wanted, I got it — it just sometimes comes later.”

About Connor Treacy:

Connect with Connor Treacy:

In this powerhouse episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with media pioneer Larry Namer, co-founder of E! Entertainment Television and chairman of multiple global media ventures, to unpack how a scrappy startup became a worldwide entertainment brand.

Larry shares how E! launched with just $2.5 million, 11 employees, and 31 interns, eventually expanding into 142 countries. But this conversation goes far beyond celebrity culture. Larry dives into his work building media platforms in Russia and China, navigating post-communist business environments, and redefining what “Hollywood” means in a digital world where creativity is no longer tied to geography.

He explains how vertical dramas, immersive experiences, and AI-powered workflows are reshaping entertainment, and why AI will never replace human imagination but will dramatically amplify it. Larry also unpacks his leadership philosophy, from hiring for work ethic and developing interns into executives, to giving teams room to fail without sinking the ship.

Now focused on purpose-driven programming, Larry is creating socially impactful content and launching global masterclasses through the World Film Institute to democratize access to world-class creative education. This episode is a masterclass in trusting your instincts, mastering your ego, and building platforms that outlast you.

Key Themes:

Creativity Requires Instinct and Self-Editing: Why innovation depends not just on generating ideas, but on having the discipline to kill the wrong ones without ego.

AI Amplifies Humans, It Does Not Replace Them: How AI saves time and accelerates output, while true originality still comes from human minds.

Every Business Is Now a Media Business: Why content creation is no longer optional and how those who adapt will thrive in the next era of influence.

Memorable Quotes:

“AI samples what’s already been done. New ideas only come from one set of brains. Human beings.”

About Larry Namer:

Connect with Larry Namer:

What if explosive growth is not about taking bigger risks, but about refusing to make predictable mistakes?

In this episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Matthew Neill Davis, attorney, entrepreneur, and founder of Davis Business Law, a firm that achieved more than 1000% growth in eight years and became one of the rare law firms to earn a place on the Inc. 5000 list.

Matthew reveals that the secret behind that growth was not flashy marketing or reckless expansion. It was discipline, systems, leadership presence, and a relentless commitment to eliminating what he calls “unforced errors.” From reducing client concentration risk to implementing succession planning that protects against catastrophe, Matthew explains how to build a company that can survive leadership loss, market shifts, and internal dysfunction. Drawing from his book The Art of Preventing Stupid, he outlines how strategic defense creates sustainable offense and why responsible leadership requires both service and strength.

This conversation is a masterclass in strategic paranoia, operational clarity, and building an enterprise designed to outlive its founder.

Key Themes:

Eliminate Unforced Errors to Unlock Growth: Why scaling comes from removing preventable breakdowns across key business systems before they cost you.

A Players Thrive Under Accountability: How raising standards, not lowering them, increased production and strengthened culture.

Protect Your People First: Why prioritizing employee growth, autonomy, and mastery builds resilience and long-term performance.

Memorable Quotes:

“Revenue is vanity. Profit is sanity.”

About Matthew Neill Davis:

Matthew lives in Enid, Oklahoma, where his family has resided for six generations. He holds degrees from the University of Oklahoma, Cornell University, and Cornell College.

Connect with Matthew Davis:

In this episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with multi-passionate entrepreneur and architect Lance Cayko to unpack what it truly means to build something that endures.

Lance shares how being laid off early in his career became the spark that led him to found multiple seven-figure companies grounded in culture, customer service, and steady growth. Instead of chasing scale for status, he focused on intentional expansion, creating an integrated ecosystem of architecture, construction, and development designed to withstand economic shifts.

Carly and Lance move beyond tactics into mindset. They explore faith, philosophy, and the law of polarity, and how adversity has consistently paved the way for opportunity in Lance’s journey. From implementing a daily Two-Second Lean process to embedding language from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People into company culture, Lance demonstrates how clarity, humility, and communication create long-term resilience. This episode is a reminder that leadership is not about control. It is about stewardship, presence, and choosing your response when challenges arise.

Key Themes:

Customer Service as the Differentiator: Why design is assumed, but responsiveness, empathy, and communication win long-term trust.

Setbacks as Catalysts: How layoffs, downturns, and difficult seasons strengthened both Lance’s companies and his leadership philosophy.

Culture by Design: Why intentional systems, shared language, and daily improvement habits create accountability and alignment.

Memorable Quotes:

“When I have a really bad day, that’s actually when I get excited — because something good is coming.”

About Lance Cayko:

Connect with Lance Cayko:

In this forward-thinking episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Jason Wong, award-winning packaging innovator and CEO of PackinDuck, to explore how technology, media, and manufacturing can combine to transform a traditional industry.

After building and scaling multiple consumer brands, Jason experienced the friction of unreliable overseas manufacturing firsthand. Rather than accepting the status quo, he invested directly into a factory in China and rebuilt operations from the inside. What emerged was not just a packaging company, but a three-pronged infrastructure built on manufacturing, media, and technology.

Jason explains how generating 40 million annual views in short-form content replaces the need for expensive trade shows, how AI-powered internal tools remove bottlenecks and increase accuracy, and why the manufacturers of the future must operate like technology companies. Carly and Jason also dive into hiring for integrity over résumé, managing capital-intensive growth without outside investors, consolidating supply chains for clients, and setting a clear long-term vision without overwhelming teams with unnecessary complexity. This episode is a masterclass in building systems first and creating leverage without burning capital.

Key Themes:

Demand Beats Booths: How strategic content creation generates inbound demand more effectively than traditional industry marketing.

AI Removes Friction, Not Humans: Why automation should eliminate repetitive tasks so teams can focus on strategy and creativity.

People Are the True Infrastructure: How disciplined hiring and cultural alignment protect momentum and long-term scale.

Memorable Quotes:

“People really is everything in your business.”

About Jason Wong:

Connect with Jason Wong: