As America approaches its 250th anniversary, renowned economist Mark Skousen joins the show to discuss his famous ancestor’s impact on our country, Benjamin Franklin. More than an inventor and statesman, he was an architect of American capital markets. 

In this episode, Skousen discusses how Franklin aggressively defended commercial society and built the financial building blocks that transformed a young colony into an economic superpower. From creating leaf-patterned anti-counterfeiting protocols for paper currency, and pioneering modern portfolio theory, to helping create America’s earliest property insurance company, Skousen breaks down Benjamin Franklin’s enduring legacy . 

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John Tillman, author of The Political Vise, joins us to make the case for putting entrepreneurs back at the center of America's story. In this episode, we explore why the accredited investor rule locks everyday Americans out of early-stage wealth creation, how low-dollar crowdfunding is rewriting the rules of participation in free enterprise, and the Hall of Giants - John's ambitious new project to inspire the next generation of builders by honoring the risk-takers who shaped civilization.  

Before algorithms and computer screens took over trading desks, Wall Street was a game built entirely on handshakes, trust, and massive personal networks. IPO pioneer Mel Lavitt shares an unvarnished look at the early days of technology underwriting, revealing the inside story of how a lean team took Intel public for just $8 million. This episode is an essential playbook for founders and market practitioners on why human relationships still drive the highest levels of capital formation.

What if everything you've been told about blockchain and AI is wrong? Dr. Scott Stornetta, the legendary pioneer cited in the Bitcoin White Paper, delivers a masterclass on how distributed trust is shifting from crypto hype to a literal survival kit for reality itself. Discover why AI won't take your job, why stablecoins are outpacing Bitcoin, and how cryptographic verification will save our digital infrastructure.

In this episode, we sit down with David Duccini, CEO of Silicon Prairie Capital Partners and capital markets innovator, to break down what actually works when raising capital online. From why “post and pray” fails to how to turn your raise into a true marketing engine, this conversation is a must-listen for founders, investment bankers, and anyone looking to successfully navigate modern digital fundraising.

​​Dave Hendricks, CEO of Vertalo, joins the show to strip away the crypto hype and reveal the true "once-in-a-century" upgrade to global finance. While the market is obsessed with new tokens, the real revolution is happening in the ledger—the foundational plumbing that can finally eliminate phantom shares and naked short-selling.

Discover why the SEC has finally given tokenization "official cover" and why Dave believes every asset on earth will eventually be recorded on-chain—not for the sake of crypto, but for a level of market integrity and precision that spreadsheets can never match.

Tokenized securities are projected to reach $16T, but secondary trading and liquidity remain limited. In this episode, North Capital CEO Jim Dowd explains why asset tokenization needs interconnected ATS networks, regulated secondary markets, and real infrastructure to scale private market liquidity.

Mark Yusko, CEO and CIO of Morgan Creek Capital, joins the team to explain why the best investments are the ones that make you squirm. We dive into the "Walled Garden" of the accredited investor rule, the four risks every investor must understand, and why innovation is the ultimate wealth-creation engine.

Economist Cliff Winston joins Capital Ideas to unpack his provocative new book, Market Corrections, Not Government Interventions. From Bernie Madoff to Theranos, we explore whether markets—not regulators—offer better solutions to failure. A must-listen for anyone questioning the costs of good intentions and government overreach.

Kraken’s Policy Lead Eric Peterson joins Capital Ideas to explore how crypto is maturing into a serious financial force—while policy and regulation still lag behind. From market structure to stablecoins, Peterson maps the road ahead for digital asset reform.