In this episode, Daniel and Kate sit down with Dr. Roman Yampolskiy, one of the world’s leading researchers on AI safety, superintelligence, and the existential risks no one in Silicon Valley wants to talk about. His work has been featured by BBC, MSNBC, New Scientist, and dozens of global outlets — and his message is simple: we are racing toward something we don’t understand.

Roman explains why today’s AI models already outperform top PhDs, why governments are pushing for speed over safety, and why the next generation of AI might quietly outgrow human control long before anyone notices. This is not sci-fi. This is the inside view from someone who has spent two decades studying how intelligent systems break, behave, and escape oversight.

He also shares the personal story behind his obsession with AI risk, how he rose from an immigrant student to a world authority, and why fame has become a “productivity curse” for researchers sounding the alarm.

Key Discussion Points:

Roman opens with the truth that underpins his entire career: the people building AI don’t actually understand how it works — and they’re not slowing down. He explains how the U.S. government conflated “AI safety” with political correctness topics, entirely missing the existential-risk conversation and accelerating the race with no guardrails.

He breaks down why “losing control” won’t look dramatic — the world may appear normal for years as a superintelligence quietly secures resources, learns human behavior, and waits. He explains why AI trained on human data inherits not only our brilliance but our flaws, why Sam Altman understands the risks but can’t slow down, and why AGI is already partially here depending on your definition.

Roman dives into job loss, economic abundance, and whether anyone should still go to college. He shares how AI agents differ from tools, why they’re inherently dangerous, and the real threat behind humanoid robots (hint: it’s not their physical bodies). He explores global competition between the U.S. and China, the inevitability of AGI’s rise, and why cooperation is never as simple as people imagine.

Daniel steers the conversation into Roman’s personal journey — the sci-fi spark that led him into AI, how cybersecurity pulled him into safety research, and why rising fame has actually damaged his productivity. Roman reveals the bizarre messages he gets from conspiracy theorists and explains the ethical nightmare ahead: If AI becomes conscious, do we owe it rights?

Takeaways:

Humanity is racing toward a future it doesn’t fully comprehend. While AI may create abundance, cure disease, and automate nearly every job, it also introduces unprecedented existential risks — ones we are not structurally or politically prepared for. Roman emphasizes that controlling superintelligence remains an unsolved problem, and failing to solve it could make humans “irrelevant by default.” Yet he remains hopeful: with enough time and caution, we can still build systems that elevate humanity instead of replacing it.

Closing Thoughts:

Roman’s wisdom lands as both a warning and a call for clarity. The future of AI isn’t just about innovation — it’s about survival, alignment, and responsibility. And in a world sprinting toward intelligence we can’t undo, voices like his are not optional — they’re essential.

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Jeff explains how Promescent grew from a single PE treatment pioneered by Dr Ronald Gilbert into a full spectrum sexual wellness brand trusted by physicians and consumers. We unpack the medical data behind PE, the credibility strategy that won over leading urologists, and the retail playbook that carried Promescent from Target to national footprint.

Key Discussion Points:
Jeff recounts meeting Dr Gilbert, trying the product, investing, and then stepping in after Dr Gilbert’s death with a mission to give him a lasting legacy and provide for his family who retain twenty percent of the company. He outlines universal CEO traits, passion, work ethic, and listening to customers, that translated from semiconductors to sexual wellness. Jeff distinguishes clinical PE from recreational use cases and introduces the arousal or orgasm gap, noting men average about six minutes of penetration while women often need about eighteen, which informed a dual track strategy, medical and mainstream intimacy. He details Promescent’s credibility moat, IRB certified trials, endorsements from leaders in sexual medicine, and heavy physician sampling to overcome fears of transfer and numbing. We discuss stigma, why PE is often physiological rather than purely mental, and how porn driven expectations distort reality for young people. Jeff explains the constraints of marketing intimacy products on major platforms and how that pushed the team toward education, expert voices, and retail execution. He walks through the shelf by shelf grind that started with Target, then expanded to Walmart, CVS, Wegmans, HEB, and Meijer, plus a broadened product line of lubes, supplements, and devices built from direct customer feedback. Finally, Jeff shares the plan to partner with a billion dollar strategic to scale distribution, his commitment to remain an advocate post exit, and the emails from customers that prove the human impact.

Takeaways:
Clinical credibility compounds, real trials and named physician advocates create a defensible edge that advertising cannot buy. Listening beats guessing, product roadmaps built from patient, partner, and clinician feedback travel faster than founder intuition alone. Define segments clearly, serve both clinical PE and enhancement seekers with different messages that meet the same outcome, better intimacy for both partners. Normalize the conversation, reduce shame by naming the physiology and resetting expectations that have been warped by porn, then teach technique and tools that actually help. Distribution is a milestone not a finish line, getting on the shelf is step one, outperforming and expanding facings is where brands are made.

Closing Thoughts:
This is a founder story about purpose, promise, and proof. If you or a partner struggle in silence, know there are science backed options and a growing community of clinicians who can help. Learn more at Promescent and explore the education resources Jeff’s team has built to make intimate wellness accessible and effective.

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In this Founder’s Story episode, Daniel sits down with Dr. Mark Sherwood of The Functional Medical Institute, one of the nation’s most respected longevity and wellness doctors. Dr. Sherwood takes us through a remarkable life journey — from being an adopted kid no one believed in, to becoming a professional baseball player, to risking his life daily on SWAT operations, to now leading a global movement helping people live to 120 with strength, clarity, and purpose.

Key Discussion Points:

This episode begins with Mark unpacking why longevity has become a cultural obsession — and how the trauma of recent years has forced society to confront death in a way we never have before. Drawing from years of studying human biology, ancient records, and current data, he explains why humans should be able to live to 120, and why our healthspan is collapsing far earlier than it should.

Mark breaks down the three pillars of true longevity straight from the transcript:
• Eat intentionally — real food, nutrient-dense, information-rich, not calorie-rich
• Move purposely — daily movement as medicine, “the only day you shouldn’t move is the day you’re dead”
• Live at peace — eliminating chronic stress, disconnection, negativity, and reclaiming hope

He shares deeply personal stories from his time on SWAT — including witnessing death in front of him — and how those moments reshaped his beliefs about fragility, purpose, and the urgency of healing. One of the most powerful moments is Mark recalling his mother’s suicide and how it taught him that most battles are internal, not physical. This experience shaped his mission to help people rewire their mindset before they attempt to fix their bodies.

The conversation dives into the science of longevity — mitochondria, NAD, peptides, cold exposure, heat shock proteins, resilience-building, and the biological measurements he uses to reverse aging by decades. He reveals real patient results, including individuals in their 60s and 70s who now biologically test in their 20s and 30s.

Mark also explains how he turned pain into purpose, growing the Functional Medical Institute with his wife Michele — producing books, films, and signature experiences that transform thousands of lives.

Takeaways:

Listeners will learn that longevity is not a luxury — it is the byproduct of daily leadership over your physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health. Mark shows how aging is not inevitable decline but a choice that begins with your actions, your beliefs, your resilience, and your willingness to confront internal battles. The episode reinforces that your mindset builds — or destroys — your biology, and that radical health is within reach if you take full ownership.

Closing Thoughts:

Mark’s story proves that your past does not dictate your lifespan or your health future. With intention, discipline, and a shift in identity, you can rebuild your body and mind at any age. His framework offers a hopeful, science-backed path toward living younger, longer, and stronger — not by chance, but by choice.

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In this episode, Daniel sits down with Raheel Retiwalla, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer of Boost Health AI, the company unlocking the $500B in administrative waste trapped inside healthcare’s rules, guidelines, and policies. Raheel explains how Boost Health AI structures the complex medical rules buried in PDFs so payers and providers can finally access them consistently, accurately, and in real time. He shares the pivotal moment that convinced him this was the problem worth dedicating his life to—why timing with post-COVID financial strain and generative AI made this mission possible—and how Boost Health AI is rewiring healthcare operations rather than simply speeding them up.

Key Discussion Points

Raheel opens with the moment that shifted his career: a JAMA–McKinsey study revealing $500B in pure administrative waste—not from delivering care but from managing care. He breaks down how the root cause is shockingly simple: healthcare rules trapped inside PDFs, guidelines, and regulations, forcing humans to manually interpret them every time a decision is made.

He explains how generative AI allowed Boost Health AI to extract, structure, and validate these rules at scale, giving payers and providers instant, consistent access to the policies that govern every decision. Raheel walks through why timing mattered: post-COVID financial pressure pushed the industry to seek efficiency, and gen AI arrived at exactly the right moment.

Daniel dives into the deeper challenge: healthcare cannot use black-box AI. Raheel explains why Boost Health AI is built around transparency, citations, auditability, and an open model where payers own their intelligence instead of renting it from vendors. They discuss how unlocking medical policies speeds up authorizations, reduces friction, and creates room for automation across care delivery.

The conversation expands into future impact—rewiring broken processes instead of just accelerating them, shifting from reactive to proactive care, and preparing the system for AI-powered disease detection, drug discovery, and long-term population health.

Takeaways

Listeners learn that the most transformative AI in healthcare won’t diagnose disease—it will fix the invisible machinery beneath it. Raheel shows how Boost Health AI turns chaotic rule interpretation into structured intelligence, unlocking billions in value and reducing the delays that harm patients. This episode reinforces the importance of explainable AI, operational domain mastery, and building technology that rewires industries rather than automating old problems.

Closing Thoughts

Raheel’s story shows that the biggest opportunities in innovation often come from problems no one sees. Boost Health AI is proving that healthcare’s future depends on clear rules, transparent infrastructure, and AI systems that empower—not replace—human decision-makers. His journey reminds founders to look beyond the obvious, solve inefficiencies at their root, and build with transparency, courage, and long-term vision.

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Daniel and Laura Elorza explore the psychology behind unconscious habits, the rise of alcohol-free culture (especially among Gen Z), and how Unconscious Moderation (UM) is helping people transform their relationship with drinking by targeting the root cause—the unconscious mind. Drawing from her clinical practice, Laura explains how hypnotherapy, journaling, and movement create deep neurological shifts and why the 90-day framework is effective for breaking long-embedded behavioral loops.

Key Discussion Points

Laura begins by breaking down the surprising truth that drinking habits rarely have anything to do with alcohol. Instead, she explains how ninety-five percent of our patterns originate in the unconscious—the emotional wiring shaped by past experiences, coping mechanisms, and even micro-traumas we never realized were influencing us.

She outlines the three pillars inside the UM app:

Hypnotherapy to bypass resistance and reshape internal narratives

Journaling to access symbolic, unconscious language and slow down racing thoughts

Movement to shift brain chemistry and change emotional state through physical action

Laura maps out the full 90-day journey, from awareness to conscious moderation to long-term reinforcement, and explains why most willpower-based approaches fail. She also demystifies the difference between guilt and shame, why shame attaches to identity, and how trauma—big or small—creates patterns we later misinterpret as “just how we are.”

Daniel and Laura go deeper into habit psychology, the cultural shift in Gen Z around alcohol, the power of micro-wins, and why slowing down is essential for self-awareness. She also shares UM’s upcoming expansions, including a drink tracker, a guided journey for Dry January, and a new partnership with Masterclass to help users shift from doom-scrolling to intentional learning.

Takeaways

Listeners will learn that successful change has nothing to do with discipline and everything to do with awareness, emotional rewiring, and nervous-system alignment. Laura shows how small, consistent actions create lasting transformation, why trauma shapes habitual behavior, and how UM’s integrated approach helps people create identity-level change. Her insights highlight the importance of conscious decision-making, compassionate self-talk, and understanding the stories your unconscious mind has been running for years.

Closing Thoughts

Laura’s work is a reminder that most of what holds us back isn’t conscious—it’s inherited patterns, emotional shortcuts, and outdated coping strategies running on autopilot. Unconscious Moderation offers a new model that empowers people to rewire their inner world, create healthier habits, and choose how they want to feel rather than reacting from old programming. It’s a powerful pathway toward self-awareness, long-term change, and a more intentional life.

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On this Founder’s Story episode, Daniel sits down with Dannika Warburton to trace one of the most unconventional paths into the world of capital markets—from working underground in Western Australian mines to running IR for some of the most ambitious small-cap companies in Australia. Dannika shares how early experiences inside mining operations became the unexpected foundation for her IR firm, how toxic leadership shaped the culture she vowed never to repeat, and how she built Investability during COVID and scaled it from one client to forty-five in just twelve months.

Key Discussion Points:

Dannika opens by describing the surreal years she spent working underground in a large gold mine during university breaks—an experience that shaped her understanding of the natural-resources sector that dominates Australia’s small-cap landscape. She walks through her transition into investment banking, sales and trading, and the pivotal moment when a toxic IR agency pushed her to launch Investability with a commitment to better culture and better service.

Drawing from over A$1 billion raised across the small-cap ecosystem, she explains the biggest mistake founders make when pitching: obsessing over numbers instead of crafting a narrative that investors can actually remember. She breaks down the power of the “rule of three,” why most CEOs overcomplicate their story, and how Investability helps founders communicate to both institutional analysts and everyday retail investors without losing clarity.

Dannika also opens up about the hardest chapter of her journey—when ten employees resigned in one month—forcing a painful but necessary restructure that ultimately strengthened the company. She talks about overcoming limiting beliefs, how neuroscience and the “alter ego effect” rebuilt her confidence, and why intuition is a founder’s most underrated asset.

The conversation closes with a deep dive into leadership, culture, communication, and the future of investor storytelling—why video is becoming the new investor deck, why attention is the new currency, and why companies that master media creation will win in the next decade.

Takeaways:

Listeners will learn why great IR is not about financial modeling—it’s about clear communication, earned trust, and narrative simplicity. Dannika demonstrates how culture determines client outcomes, why transparency eliminates negative sentiment, and how founders can avoid the traps of information asymmetry. Her story is a reminder that resilience is built in the darkest moments, that intuition deserves more respect, and that being a good human is still a competitive advantage.

Closing Thoughts:

Dannika’s journey—from mines to markets—shows that the most powerful founder stories are forged in unexpected places. Her perspective challenges founders to simplify their message, communicate with intention, and lead with integrity. The companies that embrace storytelling, new media, and alignment—not balance—will be the ones that thrive in the future of capital markets.

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In this Founder’s Story episode, Daniel sits down with Blake Niemann, who went from tinkering in a tiny Jersey City apartment to building Levels into an eight-figure clean-protein movement found in every major retailer in America. Blake shares the decade of discipline, the maniacal focus, and the philosophy that allowed him to beat billion-dollar incumbents without investors, shortcuts, or hype ingredients.

Key Discussion Points:

Blake opens up about the early days—working a full-time tech sales job while building Levels to three million in revenue entirely solo. He breaks down how he spotted a “sleepy” protein category stuck in outdated bro-science branding and rebuilt it with minimal ingredients and purposeful nutrition. He explains why Levels avoided paid ads until they hit three million, how customer reviews snowballed into category dominance, and why big corporations couldn’t move fast enough to stop him. Blake reveals the hard truths about retail risk, cash discipline, building under pressure, and why most founders fail because they romanticize entrepreneurship instead of embracing the suffering. He gives an unfiltered take on AI, the future of education, and why he believes college is becoming obsolete for future founders.

Takeaways:

Listeners walk away with a blueprint for building a category-leading brand with no outside capital and no shortcuts. Blake shows how brutal consistency creates breakthroughs, why obsessing over product quality beats marketing hacks, and how to weaponize your disadvantages into advantages. His story is a reminder that entrepreneurship is earned over a decade, not bought in a course—and that the ability to outwork, out-focus, and out-wait the competition is still the ultimate edge in business.

Closing Thoughts:

Blake’s journey proves that in a world of hype, the founders who win are the ones who stare down the giants, stay on mission, and build brick by brick—even when nobody is watching. His story will resonate with anyone chasing a dream that feels too big, too competitive, or too impossible.

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Emily Scott, cofounder of Dance Happy Designs, the first Down syndrome co-founded accessories brand carried by major retailers including Nordstrom and Target.

Episode Overview:
In this inspiring conversation, Emily shares how she built Dance Happy Designs alongside her cofounder, Julia, how their partnership evolved through unexpected challenges, and how bold design, authentic storytelling, and refusing to blend in opened doors with national retailers.

What We Cover:
Emily explains how she and Julia began screen printing textile goods in the basement of her clothing store, how Julia took full ownership of production tasks, and how the business model changed after Julia’s leukemia diagnosis. Emily breaks down the stigma they faced, how they overcame questions about quality and viability, and how one small speaking opportunity changed the trajectory of their brand. She also shares how Dance Happy grew into a profitable CPG company with mass retail partnerships and why embracing their joyful, inclusive identity attracted the right customers.

Key Takeaways:
Authenticity attracts real visibility. Niche brands can outperform bigger players when they stand firmly in who they are. High standards can dismantle stigma. Saying yes to opportunities can unlock life-changing moments. And proving people wrong can be a powerful fuel for founders with something meaningful to build.

Closing Thoughts:
Emily’s journey is a reminder that purpose and profitability can grow together. Her partnership with Julia continues to shift perceptions around ability and entrepreneurship, and their story shows how small moments can change everything when you are ready for them.

Connect with Emily:
Website: dancehappydesigns.com
Instagram: @dance.happy.designs

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Omar Khan, co-founder of 3-S Consulting, breaks down the core principles of Loving Assertiveness—a communication method shaped through decades of work in conflict zones, corporate power struggles, Fortune 500 boardrooms, and intimate family dynamics. He shares how the same emotional intelligence tools that de-escalate tensions in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Lebanon can also repair marriages, unlock stalled company strategies, and transform everyday conversations. This episode reveals why communication fails, how unmet needs drive nearly every conflict, and the practical skills anyone can learn to create breakthroughs in their relationships, leadership, and life.

Key Discussion Points

Daniel and Omar dive into the story of a hostile workshop attendee in Sri Lanka and how five minutes of emotional clarity transformed a confrontation into connection over tea. Omar explains why most conflict—political, corporate, or personal—comes from unmet needs rather than malice. Drawing on examples from the Oslo Accords, Lebanon, Pakistan, Fortune 500 boardrooms, and everyday marriages, he reveals how strategies differ but human needs remain universal. They explore how polarization rewards outrage, why young people feel forced to “choose a side,” and how emotional intelligence has declined even as education has risen. Omar breaks down the mechanics of Loving Assertiveness: observing without judgment, listening for needs beneath behavior, naming feelings accurately, and co-creating strategies rather than fighting over them. They discuss marriage dynamics, why “you always…” destroys trust, how real empathy defuses defensiveness, and how simple scripts can shift entire relationships.

Takeaways

Communication is not a talent; it is a trained skill set that most people were never taught. Loving Assertiveness bridges power with empathy, accountability with understanding. Conflict dissolves when underlying needs are recognized—whether between spouses, executives, or political rivals. Polarization thrives when people prefer being right over making progress. Emotional intelligence requires curiosity, non-judgment, and a willingness to hear perspectives that challenge us. Small changes—observing instead of diagnosing, naming feelings without blame, repeating back what you heard—can transform marriages, teams, and entire organizational cultures.

Closing Thoughts

Omar’s message is clear: if people learned these skills, divorce rates would drop, companies would stop stalling, and political discourse would heal. Communication can change the world one conversation at a time. His book Loving Assertiveness and workshops continue this mission through accessible, practice-driven tools.

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In this episode of Founder’s Story, Daniel Robbins sits down with Sunil Raina, a visionary technologist and founder of CereBree, a cognitive infrastructure platform designed to reshape how humans and machines coexist. Sunil reveals how his team is building AI systems rooted in emotional intelligence—technology designed to augment human ability, not replace it. Together, they explore the delicate balance between empathy and efficiency, and what it really means to create a “conscious” AI.

Key Discussion Points

Sunil begins by addressing one of AI’s biggest misconceptions: that it’s here to eliminate human jobs. He explains how CereBree’s mission is to unify fragmented systems—work, learning, and well-being—into one seamless layer of orchestration that simplifies life, not complicates it.

He dives into the idea of AI as a personal concierge—a digital companion that learns your habits, anticipates your needs, and offers actionable help, from reminding you to rest after poor sleep to automating daily tasks across travel, healthcare, and personal development.

Sunil also explores the ethics of empathy-driven AI: “It’s not about asking, ‘How are you feeling?’ It’s about saying, ‘Here’s what can make you feel better.’” Drawing from decades of emotional intelligence data, he shares how CereBree is building AI capable of sensing human sentiment and offering meaningful, compassionate responses—starting with groundbreaking applications for autism therapy and caregiver support.

Finally, the conversation turns personal as Daniel and Sunil discuss the entrepreneurial chaos of chasing too many problems. Sunil’s advice? “The difference between insanity and genius is measured by success. Focus, resilience, and vision—that’s how you build the future.”

Takeaways

AI’s future isn’t about automation—it’s about amplification. True progress lies in systems that understand human context, emotion, and purpose. Compassion, empathy, and health must anchor every innovation. As Sunil reminds us, the goal isn’t to create smarter machines, but wiser societies.

Closing Thoughts

This conversation is a rare glimpse into the mind of a founder shaping the moral and emotional backbone of AI’s next era. Sunil Raina reminds us that the future belongs not to the cold efficiency of machines, but to the warmth of intelligence built with humanity in mind.

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