From the Ground Up

Trek Epic founder Andrew Bryan explains why experiential learning, mentorship, and even a long walk can help emerging adults understand their strengths, make better decisions, and navigate an uncertain future.

Charles Masi shares how a life of curiosity led him through physics, business, teaching, art, journalism, and film production. He explains why systems thinking matters and how creative work depends on understanding how different parts fit together.

Business attorney Matthew Fornaro explains why many legal problems begin as business planning mistakes. He shares how entrepreneurs can protect their companies early, use AI responsibly, and avoid costly disputes before they happen.

Rastegar Capital founder and CEO Ari Rastegar discusses why failure drives growth, how entrepreneurs can navigate messy markets, and what it means to make business and real estate decisions with a 100-year horizon.

Independent travel advisor Mimmo Cricchio shares how his family's hospitality roots shaped his career, why word of mouth remains his most powerful marketing tool, and how rebuilding after major change pushed him to think bigger about travel and entrepreneurship.

Tim Wilbur, International Director and Leadership Trainer for Vineyard India Compassion Trust, shares how education became the center of his life’s work. Through New Song Community School in Telangana, India, the organization helps children from rural villages gain access to English-medium education, opportunity, and a broader vision for their futures. The conversation explores poverty, service, sustainability, girls’ education, and why helping others can change the giver as much as the people being served.

Jon Ramer, founder and “first first follower” of the Compassion Games, explains how acts of kindness can become a framework for social change. Drawing on music, technology, Indigenous wisdom, and decades of movement-building, he shares why cooperation may be one of humanity’s most important evolutionary advantages. The conversation explores compassion, AI, regenerative commerce, bioregions, and what it means to build a more caring world through play.

Seymour Segnit, founder of MAGFAST, shares how a simple frustration with messy charging cables became a long, difficult, and ultimately revealing entrepreneurial journey. He explains how transparency, customer trust, product design, and persistence helped MAGFAST survive delays and rebuild momentum around a new generation of chargers. The conversation explores crowdfunding, communication, environmental responsibility, and the challenge of making everyday technology feel genuinely delightful.

Ranbir Chawla, founder of Vardalux Collections, shares how a lifelong love of cars, watches, and mechanical beauty became a business built around smarter collecting. Drawing on decades in technology, consulting, and luxury markets, he explains why the right physical assets can create access, preserve value, and bring real enjoyment when bought with discipline. The conversation explores watches, cars, alternative assets, networking, and why collectors should focus on quality, provenance, scarcity, and personal meaning.

Gina Fossitt, founder of Dandelion BevEd and creator of the Less Booze, All the Buzz community, is helping people rethink how they drink without sacrificing connection or experience. Drawing on nearly two decades in beverage education, she explores the rise of mindful drinking, the changing habits of younger generations, and why consumers increasingly want options that fit every occasion. The conversation examines entrepreneurship, community building, and the future of drinking culture.