I sat down with Chris Voss, former FBI hostage negotiator and CEO of the Black Swan Group, and within minutes, I realized most of us are communicating completely wrong.

We think negotiation is about being persuasive, dominant, or getting to “yes.”

Chris flipped that idea on its head.

From negotiating with terrorists to advising Fortune 500 CEOs, Chris breaks down the real psychology behind influence, why “yes” is overrated, and how something as simple as listening differently can transform your results—in business, relationships, and life.

What hit me hardest? Half your problems disappear the moment someone feels truly heard.

In this conversation, we go deep into:

- The hidden communication mistakes we all make

- Why clarity can feel like “violence” (and how to fix it)

- The power of mirroring (and how to use it without sounding fake)

- How tactical empathy leads to better deals—and more money

- What hostage negotiation teaches us about everyday life

This isn’t theory. This is real-world strategy from someone who’s operated in life-or-death situations—and now applies it to business, leadership, and human connection.

If you care about results… this episode will change how you think.

TIMESTAMPS: 

00:10 – Intro: Chris Voss (FBI negotiator & author)

01:00 – Why every negotiation impacts the future

01:05 – The pressure of life-or-death decisions

02:08 – The biggest communication mistake people make

02:30 – Precision listening: the skill most people lack

03:30 – Why people are afraid to ask for clarity

04:37 – The myth: communication ≠ understanding

05:00 – How repeating back builds trust instantly

06:07 – What mirroring actually does (FBI technique)

08:30 – Why using someone’s name can backfire

09:29 – How Chris Voss got into FBI negotiation

10:52 – Fear vs. process in high-stakes negotiation

12:00 – Post-traumatic growth vs. defeat

12:45 – Top lesson from Never Split the Difference

13:02 – Stop aiming for “yes”—aim for “that’s right”

13:39 – Perception vs. perspective in negotiation

15:15 – There’s always a better deal

16:00 – Why trust is more common than you think

19:20 – Negotiation, politics & ripple effects

22:37 – Biggest mistake CEOs make in negotiation

23:17 – Why collaboration makes more money

24:30 – Tactical empathy as a competitive advantage

29:55 – Fear of asking questions (conditioning)

30:16 – Why the education system rewards mediocrity

31:21 – The creativity we lose as we grow up

33:17 – The power of belief & mindset

34:52 – The common dnominator of great negotiation

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Is government really designed to help people, or is the system more complicated than we think?

In this episode of Common Denominator, I take a step back from politics and focus on something more important: how systems actually work in the real world.

We’re often taught that government programs exist to protect and support u, but when you look closer, questions start to emerge. Why does government spending tend to be so inefficient compared to the private sector? What happens when programs fail—but don’t go away? And are we measuring success the right way?

I break down:

- Why government spending doesn’t follow the same accountability as business

- A surprising comparison between New York City and Florida budgets

- The difference between short-term help and long-term opportunity

- Why people are moving to places like Florida in record numbers

- The real role government should play in a thriving society

This isn’t about being political—it’s about being practical. Because if we want better outcomes, we need to understand what actually lifts people up.

In my view, the answer isn’t more control, it’s more opportunity.

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I almost learned the hard way that entrepreneurship rewards action, but it also demands humility.

Liz Faircloth, real estate investor, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the Real Estate InvestHER community, talks about the moments that shape an entrepreneur’s journey—the mistakes, the risks, and the lessons you can’t learn from a textbook.

Liz shares the story of how she missed two mortgage payments because she refused to hire a $200/month bookkeeper, and how that painful moment forced her to step back, fire herself from the role, and build the team that ultimately helped scale her real estate business.

We also dive into:

- How a $30,000 loan from her father launched her first real estate investment

- The impact of Rich Dad Poor Dad on her financial mindset

- Why failure is often the fastest path to growth

- The terrifying moment when $10 million in investor funds was stolen by a 1031 custodian

- How she rebuilt trust and protected her investors

- What it’s like building a business with your spouse

- Why she created InvestHER, a global community helping women build wealth through real estate

- How entrepreneurs can turn fear into opportunity

For me, the biggest takeaway is simple: you can’t avoid pain in business—but you can decide whether you learn from it.

Connect with Liz Faircloth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-faircloth-36783/

Follow Invest HER: https://www.instagram.com/therealestateinvesther/

Learn more about Invest HER: http://www.linktr.ee/investher

Timestamps:

00:00 The $200 mistake that changed Liz’s business

01:05 Why entrepreneurs need failure to grow

02:21 How Rich Dad Poor Dad changed Liz’s life

08:42 Why you’ll never feel 100% ready to invest

09:17 Lessons from Wharton and entrepreneurial thinking

10:23 “Burn the boats” — the mindset of real entrepreneurs

11:21 What it’s really like building a business with your spouse

14:21 The biggest real estate scare of Liz’s career

18:00 The responsibility of managing investor capital

19:57 Protecting investors and rebuilding trust

22:26 Navigating real estate during COVID

25:24 The birth of the InvestHER community

31:56 Why purpose matters more than profit

33:00 Final thoughts on leadership, growth, and impact

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Too many people today feel constantly disappointed—by relationships, work, and life itself. One major reason? Expectation.

In this solo episode of Common Denominator, I share a powerful idea that shapes how we experience happiness, disappointment, and purpose: our mindset. When we depend on external things like success, recognition, or other people to make us happy, our happiness becomes fragile.

Drawing on insights from Viktor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning, I explore a simple but profound truth:

The one thing no one can take away from you is your ability to choose how you respond to what happens.

In this episode, I talk about:

- Why expectations often lead to disappointment

- Viktor Frankl vs. Freud on what truly drives human behavior

- Why meaning matters more than pleasure

- How purpose and gratitude reshape your mindset

- Why struggle is often part of discovering your purpose

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#Mindset #ViktorFrankl #Purpose #PersonalGrowth #MeaningInLife #CommonDenominator #MoshePopack

What’s actually happening in housing right now, and why don't the headlines tell the full story?

In this episode of Common Denominator, I sit down with Richard Ross to break down what’s really driving today’s rental and housing market. We get into why multifamily occupancy is dropping even as the country faces a housing shortage, how demographics are reshaping demand, and why more renters are moving away from traditional apartments.

Richard walks me through the rise of built-to-rent single-family communities, why three- and four-bedroom rentals are in such high demand, and how affordability, lifestyle, and flexibility are changing renter behavior. We talk interest rates, the lock-in effect, institutional ownership narratives, and where real opportunities may exist as stress builds across commercial real estate.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- Why apartment occupancy is falling despite housing shortages

- How demographics are reshaping rental demand

- Why renters are choosing single-family homes over apartments

- The real math behind renting versus owning today

- Why interest rates don’t work the way most people think

- How flexibility and lifestyle now drive housing decisions

- Where pressure — and opportunity — may emerge in real estate

Timestamps:

00:00 – Why housing data feels contradictory

01:05 – Demographic shifts impacting apartments

03:09 – The built-to-rent single-family model

06:57 – Renting vs owning: the real numbers

07:52 – Institutional ownership and political narratives

11:30 – Renters by choice and lifestyle flexibility

12:36 – Creating real community in rental housing

15:59 – How far people are willing to live from work

17:44 – Why mortgage rates don’t follow the Fed

20:35 – Where opportunity may emerge next

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Today we’re breaking down HJR 203, a proposal that could eliminate city and county property taxes for Florida homesteaded homeowners starting in 2027 — potentially cutting tax bills in half.

But there’s a catch.

State economists project a $14.8 billion annual gap in local budgets, which fund police, fire departments, roads, and public services. So the real question is: will homeowners see true relief, or will costs shift elsewhere?

I also share a potential solution — a structured visitor tax on the 143 million people who visit Florida each year — that could help offset the deficit while protecting residents.

This isn’t just about taxes. It’s about balance, growth, and protecting Florida’s future. That’s the common denominator.

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What does it actually take to live as your authentic self — especially when it costs you friendships, comfort, and approval?

In this episode of Common Denominator, I sit down with Kayla Schreibstein for a deeply honest conversation about identity, courage, belonging, and what it means to stand for who you are when it would be easier to blend in.

Kayla shares her journey growing up disconnected from her Jewish identity, the moment October 7th forced her to confront who she really was, and the heartbreak of losing close friendships over deeply held beliefs. We talk about what it means to choose authenticity over people-pleasing, why community matters more than ever, and how showing up publicly can become a source of healing — not just for yourself, but for others.

We explore faith, culture, boundaries, fear, self-doubt, and the pressure young women feel to stay quiet or agreeable. This episode is about finding your voice, owning your story, and realizing that purpose doesn’t come from validation — it comes from alignment.

This conversation is a reminder that you don’t reach your full potential until you stop hiding who you are.

In this episode, you'll learn: 

- Why authenticity often comes at a personal cost

- How losing friends can clarify who you really are

- What it means to own your identity publicly

- Why community is the antidote to isolation

- How self-doubt shows up — even in confident people

- Why people-pleasing keeps you stuck

- How young women can step into their voice and power

- Why purpose matters more than money or approval

Follow Kayla Schreibstein: https://www.instagram.com/kay_schreibs

Friends of Kayla podcast: https://linktr.ee/friendsofkayla

Friends of Kayla instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friendsofkayla

Timestamps:

00:00 – Choosing purpose over chasing money

01:00 – Rejecting identity and the fear of being different

03:00 – October 7th and losing close friendships

06:30 – Agreeing to disagree — and when it fails

09:00 – Division, narrative, and the cost of hatred

12:00 – Building community through culture and tradition

14:30 – Showing up publicly despite fear

16:30 – Women, confidence, and self-doubt

18:30 – Boundaries, people-pleasing, and personal freedom

20:30 – Final reflections on authenticity and growth

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What would you do if you lost your job, faced a massive lawsuit, and risked losing everything you built?

In this solo episode of Common Denominator, I open up about one of the hardest moments of my life — being hit with a major judgment right after I started making money again. It could have set us back emotionally for a decade. Instead, my wife and I made a decision: we would pay it… and move on.

Because here’s the truth — the only control you ever really have is your reaction.

I share what 15 years of Jiu-Jitsu, the philosophy of the samurai, Bruce Lee, and Viktor Frankl have taught me about emotional discipline, fear, and resilience. Fear is almost always false evidence appearing real. Less than 1% of what we fear actually happens — if we don’t give up.

In this episode, I talk about:

- Why choosing a life partner is the biggest (and riskiest) decision you’ll ever make

- How to handle financial setbacks without letting them define your future

- The power of breathing before reacting

- Training your nervous system to stay calm in chaos

- Why most people stay stuck — and how to break the cycle

- The mental block that keeps you from writing down your biggest goals

- Why underdogs win

- Burning the boats and creating “no choice” situations

We’re all changing. Your partner is changing. Your business will rise and fall. The world will distract you. The question is: can you regulate yourself when it matters most?

When everything feels insane — breathe. Take one step. Then another.

That’s the training. That’s the work. That’s the common denominator.

If this episode resonates, subscribe and share it with someone who needs the reminder: you are stronger than your fear.

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What actually separates people who say they want hard things from those who follow through for years?

In this episode of Common Denominator, I sit down with endurance athlete Mark Dowdle for a deep conversation on discipline, faith, suffering, and what it really takes to do difficult things over long periods of time.

Mark shares where his mindset comes from, why consistency—not motivation—is the real differentiator, and how his relationship with faith reshaped his identity after chasing validation through extreme physical challenges. He opens up about running the Calendar Club challenge for an entire year, racing in life-threatening conditions at Arrowhead 135, and the moment he realized that external praise was never going to fill the void.

Mark and I explore the psychology of quitting, the inner dialogue that convinces people to stop just before a breakthrough, and why no one accomplishes hard things alone. From the importance of choosing the right life partner to the role of accountability, truth-telling, and surrender, this conversation is a grounded look at what sustained excellence actually requires.

This episode is a reminder that discipline isn’t about feeling ready — it’s about showing up anyway.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

- Why some people are drawn to hard things—and how that mindset is shaped early

- How redefining failure changes everything

- The difference between real danger and mental excuses

- Why external validation eventually collapses

- How faith reframes suffering, purpose, and discipline

- Why motivation is unreliable—and discipline is required

- The role of accountability, partners, and “truth tellers”

- Why consistency is the true common denominator of high performers

Timestamps:

02:39 – Redefining Failure

03:47 – Validation, High Goals & Dropout Points

04:47 – Shifting Identity Away from External Praise

06:00 – Faith, Purpose & Olympic-Level Emptiness

08:23 – Calendar Club Challenge & Expectation Collapse

10:15 – Surrender, Entitlement & Freedom

12:24 – Pushing the Line Between Discomfort and Danger

14:28 – Inner Dialogue, Fear & Presence

16:00 – Accountability, Marriage & Not Quitting

18:11 – Love, Truth & Saying the Hard Thing

21:12 – Discipline vs Motivation

23:22 – Confidence Through Evidence

25:10 – The True Common Denominator: Consistency

26:19 – Final Reflections & Sign-Off

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In this episode of Common Denominator, I share two powerful biblical lessons that completely shaped how I think about wealth, business, and personal growth.

Growing up, the stories of Abraham and Nachshon stood out to me. Abraham left everything familiar and walked into the unknown. Nachshon stepped into the sea before it split.

Both stories teach the same lesson: if you follow the crowd, you’ll get average results.

Real growth — whether in business, investing, or life — comes from going against the grain. It comes from choosing discomfort. It comes from building slowly and steadily instead of chasing hype.

I also talk about why emotional investing never works long term, why retail investors often get hurt during hype cycles, and why knowing your numbers is the foundation of real financial success.

If you want long-term wealth, stability, and fulfillment, you have to be willing to take the road less traveled.

Growth only happens when we’re uncomfortable.

Subscribe for more conversations about wealth, mindset, discipline, and long-term success.

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