Built Not Born

John Lefebvre is a Canadian born musician, composer, entrepreneur, lawyer, and advocate for the environment. John has lived an amazing life.

John has been everything from a drug dealer, a taxi cab driver, an attorney, a convicted felon, and now an advocate for the environment.

John created Netteller (now Known as Paysafe), the PayPal of online gambling. He took the company public and at its peak Netteller, was transferring over $14 billion with in a six month period to offshore gambling sites. The company went on to have a market cap of over $2 billion on the London stock exchange.

Then one day it all came crashing down. The FBI raided John's Malibu beach home.

John and I have a far ranging discussion.

We talk climate change, renewable energy, and the role that government should play in our lives.

We also talk about the power of focus and why focusing on the present moment is where your best life has found.

One of the best things of doing this podcast. . It gives me and hopefully the listeners an opportunity to respect communication where it's possible to have a conversation with someone you don't completely agree with their point of view, but you hear each other out, you exchange a point of view and you respect each other as people.

John is a really smart guy. He has a lot of interesting ideas. He really made me think.

I hope you enjoy,

If you like what you hear, Please hit the subscribe button.

We have a bunch of cool interviews like this one to come.

Enjoy my conversation with John LaFave, author, attorney, entrepreneur drug dealer, convicted felon and advocate for a better world.

And remember, "Life is built, not born."

Links:

Website: www.JohnLefebvre.com

FaceBook: Thoughtful Species

Website: www.desmog.com

Richard Bresler is a pioneer in Brazilian jui jitsu and author of the book "Worth Defending". Richard was literally the first American student of Brazilian / Gracie jui jitsu in America.

Richard and I discuss what it was like helping finance, not only the first Gracie garage, but the first UFC.

Richard tell some amazing stories of the early days of the first Gracie garage and the ultimate fighting championship, from him picking up fighters at the airport to wiping off blood off the mat at UFC 2.

It was such an honor to have Richard on the show. Hope you enjoy.

Thank you for listening.

If you like, what you hear, please Hit the Subscribe Button.

We have a bunch of cool interviews like this one to come.

Enjoy my conversation with Richard Bresler.

The very first American student of Brazilian Jiu JItsu in America and author of the book "Worth Defending".

And remember, "Life is built... not born."

Links:

Instagram: Richard Bresler

Facebook: Richard Bresler

Book: Worth Defending (How Gracie Jiu Jitsu saved my life)

Khushbu Modi is a yoga instructor and a leader in the yoga community in the Boston area.

Khushbu grew up in the south where she struggled to assimilate to the traditional Indian upbringing her parents were trying to incorporate while trying to live a very American life outside her home.

Eventually she move to Delaware, where one day a friend invited her to her first yoga class in college.

She was amazed how yoga calmed her mind and strengthened her body.

Khushbu not only discovered that yoga could provide mental and physical benefits, it also provided a path to leadership and helping others.

Khushbu and I talk about the power of journaling, why she does not touch her phone first thing in the morning & and yoga's powerful mind /body connection.

If you like, what you hear, please HIT the SUBSCRIBE BUTTON.

We have a bunch of cool interviews like this one to come.

And remember, "Life is Built, Not Born. "

IG: Khushbu Modi

Drew Vogel is the owner and head instructor of Framework BJJ in Seattle, Washington.

Drew and I discuss: life jujitsu, family, the COVID-19 shutdown, and what it was like to be an entrepreneur who moved across the country to follow his dream to open his own Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy only to face a global pandemic just as his business was starting to grow.

Drew and I discuss how jujitsu, like life is all about peaks, valleys, & plateaus. And how both BJJ and life benefit from having a long-term perspective.

Drew discusses how fatherhood has changed his daily routine and what it was like to be a small business owner during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Drew is one of my mentors in Brazilian jujitsu. He's a phenomenal teacher that has the ability of making complex techniques simple and simple techniques fascinating.

Thank you for listening.

If you like what you hear, please Hit the Subscribe Button.

Enjoy my conversation with Drew Vogel, third degree black belt in Brazilian jujitsu, owner of Framework, BJJ in Seattle, Washington, entrepreneur and family man.

And remember, "Life is Built, Not Born."

Links:

IG: Framework BJJ

Facebook: Framework BJJ

LinkedIn: Drew Vogel

Mo Barrett is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, a TEDx speaker and author of the book. Pardon my Quirk.

Mo has been keynote speaker at the US Air Force. Academy's National Character and Leadership Symposium.

Mo categorizes herself a successful failure. She was the first member of her training team to receive an "Unsatisfactory" rating.

She still went on to earn her wings and become an Air force pilot. After September 11th, Mo was part of a team to serve in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan to convert fields to aircraft hubs.

Mo has had a distinguished career of overcoming adversity, dealing with shame and the stigma of being a life long non-conformist.

Mo is remarkable person with an amazing story to tell.

Hope you enjoy our conversation!

Please Hit the Subscribe Button.

We have a bunch of cool interviews like this one to come.

Enjoy my conversation with retired US Air force, Colonel Mo Barrett, TEDx speaker, author and lifelong non-conformist.

And remember, "Life is built, not born."

Links:

US AIr Force Symposium Talk: US Air Force Colonel (Ret.) Michelle "Mo" Barrett

TEDx Talk: Mo Barrett

Book: Pardon My Quirk

LinkedIn: Mo Barrett

Website: Mo Barrett

John Livens was born in Latvia in Eastern Europe in 1933 and survived both the Soviet and Nazi occupations in World War II.

John was on the KGB most wanted list at the age of seven.

His father was abducted by the Soviets and sent to Siberia where he died in a Gulag, John and his family were then smuggled through the Czech border into Germany with the help of an American GI and his mom's ingenuity into Germany.

Then one day, John's family boarded, a refugee ship and headed off to off to America where he settled in Boston and lived the American dream. John attended. Harvard has two degrees from Harvard university.

John went on to have an incredible career in Wealth Management.

John Livens amazing journey is captured in his autobiography, "An Unexpected Journey"..

Thank you for listening. If you like, what you hear, please HIT the Subscribe Button. We have a bunch of cool interviews like this one to come.

And remember, life is "Built, Not Born."

Book: An Unexpected Journey

Jason Goldsmith, MD, PhD is a physician-scientist focused on gastrointestinal regeneration, inflammation, immunology, cancer, and host-microbiome interactions. 

Dr Goldsmith is the host of The Immunology Podcast. A weekly podcast that reviews the latest research on COVID-19 and interviews a famous scientist each week.

Dr Goldsmith graduated medical school from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, did his residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan and earned his PhD in pharmacology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Dr Goldsmith also conducted post-doctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Immunology and is a trained Immunologist.

On this podcast, Dr Goldsmith and I discuss:

·     Listener’s questions on all thing COVID-19.

·     Dr Goldsmith gives us the medical perspective on such topics as vaccines, booster shots, supplements, masks and how virus variants evolve to help clear up confusion on COVID-19.

·     Dr Goldsmith is a trained immunologist, has done medical research on COVID and has treated COVID patients in the ER / ICU while working in an ER in the Philadelphia area.

Hope you enjoy.

To learn more about Dr Jason Goldsmith:

PODCAST: The Immunology Podcast

Twitter: The Immunology Podcast

LinkedIn: Jason Goldsmith, MD, PhD

Ricardo Migliarese is the co-owner and head instructor at Balance Studios MMA in Philadelphia. Ricardo is a 5th Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under the legendary Relson Gracie.

On this podcast, Ricardo Migliarese and I discuss:

• Why his late father taught him the game of chess at an early age to teach him the art of maneuvering.
• How his father taught him and his brother Phil that hate is derived from ignorance and why to never shy away from anything that is going to teach him a lesson.
• Why the most important person we should be competing with on and off the jiu jitsu mat is the person we were yesterday.
• How he and his brother Phil met Steve Maxwell and how they started the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu scene in Philadelphia.
• The lessons he learned from moving to Los Angeles to train directly under the Gracie family. 

To learn more about Ricardo Migliarese & Balance Studios:

Website: Ricardo Migliarese

Website: Balance Studios Gracie Jiu Jitsu / MMA

Sophie McClain is an international speaker and author of the book, "The Elegance of Simplicity". Sophia was born in Algeria. Grew up in Casablanca, Morocco, where she was given the nickname, "The Crazy One" by her parents, because she literally questioned everything as a child.

Sophie experienced more tragedy by 28 years old more than most people do in their entire lives. Within one year she lost a child, found out she no longer could have children and had her husband die on their honeymoon five days after their wedding.

By the age of 32, Sophie says she was a dead woman walking, which brought about what she calls "five-year nightmare". At the end of her rope, she decided it was better to wear out than to just fade away. Sophie decided to backpack around the world to find her new life.

Sophie found her best life filled with adventure.

She was shipwrecked on Easter island. She worked on a Kevin Costner movie. She learned how to fly helicopters with members of the Royal air force.

She became an author and went on to lead and instruct over 80,000 people worldwide through her courses and seminars.

She is someone that not only overcame her obstacles, but actually became better because of them and is now finding ways to help others. So thank you for listening. If you like, what you hear, please Hit the Subscribe Button. We have a bunch of cool interviews like this one to come

Website: www.SophieMcLean.com

Book: The Elegance of Simplicity

Ron Skotarczak is Executive Vice President for Marketing Sponsorships for the Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corporation.

In his role, Ron leads two of the three sales teams responsible for promoting four professional sports teams (NY Rangers & NY Knicks), seven venues (MSG, Radio City Music Hall) and two regional sports networks. 

On this podcast, Ron and I discuss:

·     His journey from growing up in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia that ultimately led him to Madison Square Garden. 

·     How he initially struggled transitioning from sales person to sales leader.

·     Why great leaders need to be great listeners.

·     Why we can’t get shell shocked by failure.

·     How to develop vision and create a winning culture on your team. 

·     Why Ron looks at every day like a 15 round heavyweight fight

·     Why human relationships are the most import thing in the world.

·     Lessons learned from the COVID-19 shutdown. 

Thank you for listening!

Please HIT the SUBSCRIBE BUTTON to hear more cool conversations like this one.

To learn more about Ron Skotarczak and Madison Square Garden:

Website: Ron Skotarczak

Website: Madison Square Garden