Healthy, Wealthy & Wise With Adam Metwally

What does it actually take to build a top-tier podcast or personal brand in 2025?

Jake Hurwitz is the founder of Thursday Labs — the engine behind 50+ viral shows — and in this no-fluff rapid-fire interview, he breaks down exactly what most creators get wrong, how to stand out, and why your content must stand for something if you want it to work.

We cover content strategy, going viral, burnout, building community, and the real ROI of podcasts — plus how Jake grew his own show, The Optimist, from crickets to 30k+ followers in weeks.

If you're building a personal brand, launching a pod, or trying to grow an audience — this one’s a masterclass.

• Instagram — @jakefromthursday
• The Optimist Podcast
• Instagram — @theoptimist.podcast

• 00:00 The Journey of Entrepreneurship
• 05:51 Navigating Client Relationships
• 08:25 The Importance of Niche Markets
• 11:03 Quality vs. Quantity in Content
• 13:43 Lessons from Early Ventures
• 16:54 The Impact of Failure on Growth
• 19:32 Building a Sustainable Business
• 22:11 The Evolution of Podcasting
• 37:29 Marketing Strategies That Work
• 41:14 Shifting Focus from Self to Audience
• 51:17 Creating Meaningful Connections
• 55:18 Lessons from Failed Startups
• 01:00:18 The Transformative Power of Content Creation
• 01:05:12 Life Lessons for Entrepreneurs

• 💧 Vitadrop — Use code 'TOT' for 25% off — vitadrop.com.au/TOT
• 👟 Vivobarefoot — Use code 'TOT' for 20% off — vivobarefoot.com
GET IN TOUCH:
• 🌍 Website: thatonetimepodcast.com
• 🌍 Advertise: [email protected]
• 🌍 Bookings: [email protected]
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:
• 🎥 YouTube
• 🗣️ Spotify
• 🍎 Apple Podcasts
• 📸 Instagram
• 🐦 Twitter
• 🎵 TikTok
💭 ABOUT US:

Each week I’ll be deep diving into the lives, habits and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world — teasing out their curiosities and aiming to provide actionable insights for your day-to-day life.

The podcast focusses on the pillars of health, wealth, and wisdom — and each episode is an in-depth, vulnerable conversation with a unique individual taking on the world in their own way.

Hosted by: Adam Metwally
Produced by: Joe Fowler

🎶 Music by HNNY:

Listen here

Jake Hurwitz is a content strategist, podcast producer, and founder of Thursday Labs—a venture studio that helps creators and startups turn ideas into media-driven businesses. He’s best known for launching over 50 shows and helping entrepreneurs build personal brands that convert, combining deep storytelling with growth-savvy execution.

Through his own podcast The Optimist, and his widely shared takes on authenticity, burnout recovery, and audience building, Jake champions a more human, sustainable approach to content and entrepreneurship. He’s worked with clients across tech, wellness, and the creator economy—carving out a niche at the intersection of narrative, brand, and digital leverage.

• Instagram — @jakefromthursday
• The Optimist Podcast Website
• Instagram — @theoptimist.podcast

• 🌍 Website: www.thatonetimepodcast.com
• 🌍 Advertise: [email protected]
• 🌍 Book us: [email protected]

• 🎥 YouTube
• 🗣️ Spotify
• 🍎 Apple Podcasts
• 📸 Instagram
• 🐦 X / Twitter
• 🎵 TikTok

Each week I dive deep into the lives, habits, and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world—teasing out their curiosities and sharing actionable insights for your day-to-day life.

The show explores the pillars of health, wealth, and wisdom through vulnerable, long-form conversations with unique individuals navigating life on their own terms.

Expect episodes on: business, marketing, health, spirituality, biohacking, mindset, content creation and more.

Host: Adam Metwally
Producer: Joe Fowler

By — HNNY
Listen on YouTube

In this episode, Adam sits down with Darrell Lerner, a serial tech entrepreneur who co-founded Snap Interactive, scaling a garage startup to over 120 million users and $100 million in revenue without traditional venture capital. Darrell shares the real story behind Snap’s explosive growth, including the early pivot onto Facebook’s platform, how his team implemented swiping before Tinder, and why success often comes down to timing, testing, and the willingness to scrap months of work in pursuit of a better outcome.

🔗 FOLLOW DARRELL:
https://www.darrelllerner.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dlerner2112/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrelllerner/
https://x.com/DarrellLerner

🕒 TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
1:17 Garage Startup into $100M Revenue and 120M Users
8:37 Bootstrapping a Startup in 2026
13:49 Darrell’s Early Years
17:41 Frameworks Around Viral Customer Acquisition
21:11 Inventing the Swipe Function (Before Tinder)
29:36 The Facebook Opportunity
35:37 The Power of Networking
47:30 Co-Founding With Family Members
52:21 Philosophical Questions

✌🏼 SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY PURCHASING PRODUCTS WE LOVE:

💧 Vitadrop — Healthy Hydration & Vitamins — Use code TOT for 25% off
https://www.vitadrop.com.au/TOT

👟 Vivobarefoot — Barefoot shoes I wear every day — Use code TOT for 20% off
https://vivobarefoot.com/

📵 Opal — iPhone blocking app I use daily
https://applink.opal.so/

GET IN TOUCH:
🌍 Website: www.thatonetimepodcast.com
🌍 Advertise: [email protected]
🌍 Book us: [email protected]

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:
🎥 YouTube: Subscribe here
🗣️ Spotify: Listen here
🍎 Apple Podcasts: Listen here
📸 Instagram: @thatonetime_podcast
🐦 X / Twitter: @itsadammetwally
🎵 TikTok: @thatonetime_podcast

ABOUT US:

Each week, Adam dives into the lives, habits, and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world, aiming to extract actionable insights for everyday life.

The podcast focuses on the pillars of health, wealth, and wisdom, featuring in-depth, vulnerable conversations with individuals taking on the world in their own way.

Hosted by Adam Metwally:
https://www.instagram.com/meetwally/
Produced by Joe Fowler:
https://www.instagram.com/joeefowler/

🎶 Music:
By HNNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r3Paw23_eQ

Introducing Darrell Lerner...
Full episode out 12/23/2025

Darrell Lerner is a serial tech entrepreneur and operator best known for co-founding Snap Interactive, a bootstrapped startup that scaled from a garage operation to over 120 million users and more than $100 million in revenue by riding the early Facebook platform wave. After Snap, he founded AllPaws, a pet adoption platform that applied dating-app mechanics to animal rescue and was later acquired by PetSmart. Across two decades, Darrell has built, scaled, and exited consumer internet businesses without relying on traditional venture capital, developing a reputation for capital efficiency, viral distribution, and disciplined decision-making.

FOLLOW DARRELL:
https://www.darrelllerner.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dlerner2112/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrelllerner/

GET IN TOUCH:

🌍 Our website:
www.thatonetimepodcast.com

🌍 Advertise with us:
[email protected]

🌍 Book us:
[email protected]

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:

🎥 YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP62dkT4JUozGGlk7zT1afQ

🗣️ Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2CDS3KOgOSwmKCvK6BWS8B

🍎 Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/that-one-time-with-adam-metwally/id1657317674

📸 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thatonetime_podcast/

🐦 X / Twitter:
https://x.com/itsadammetwally

🎵 TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@thatonetime_podcast

ABOUT US:

Each week I’ll be deep diving into the lives, habits and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world, teasing out their curiosities and aiming to provide actionable insights for your day to day life.

The podcast focuses on the pillars of health, wealth, and wisdom, and each episode is an in depth, vulnerable conversation with a unique individual taking on the world in their own way.

Expect episodes on business, marketing, health, spirituality, biohacking, mindset, content creation and more.

Hosted by Adam Metwally:
https://www.instagram.com/meetwally/

Produced by Joe Fowler:
https://www.instagram.com/joeefowler/

Music:
By HNNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r3Paw23_eQ

In this episode, Alexa breaks down the real story behind that transformation. The fear, the firing, the years of scraping by, budgeting groceries on $50 a week, and the moment she realised her “safe” career was slowly killing her soul.

Before the brand deals, before the viral videos, before Hulu’s Secret Chef, Alexa was a journalist making less than a McDonald’s manager, questioning everything she’d worked for. What followed was not a clean pivot, but years of freelancing, rejection, anxiety, and doing it scared until one bet finally worked.

🔗 FOLLOW ALEXA:
Instagram
TikTok
YouTube

🕒 TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
1:44 From Food Stamps to Content Creation
11:43 Moving to NYC and Going Full Time
18:08 Alexa's Big Break
25:00 Working for Money vs Working for Exposure
33:44 Societal Pushback
40:10 Going from Hobby to Career
48:52 Philosophical Questions

✌🏼 SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY PURCHASING PRODUCTS WE LOVE:

💧 Vitadrop — Healthy Hydration & Vitamins (Sleep / Hydration / Focus & Collagen)
Use code TOT for 25% off
vitadrop.com.au/TOT

👟 Vivobarefoot — My favourite barefoot shoes I wear every day
Use code TOT for 20% off
vivobarefoot.com

GET IN TOUCH:

🌍 Website:
thatonetimepodcast.com

🌍 Advertise with us:
[email protected]

🌍 Book us:
[email protected]

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:

🎥 YouTube:
Subscribe here

🗣️ Spotify:
Listen on Spotify

🍎 Apple Podcasts:
Listen on Apple

📸 Instagram:
@thatonetime_podcast

🐦 X / Twitter:
@itsadammetwally

🎵 TikTok:
@thatonetime_podcast

💭 ABOUT US:

Each week I deep dive into the lives, habits and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world, teasing out their curiosities and aiming to provide actionable insights for your day-to-day life.

The podcast focuses on the pillars of health, wealth and wisdom. Each episode is an in-depth, vulnerable conversation with a unique individual taking on the world in their own way.

Expect episodes on business, marketing, health, spirituality, biohacking, mindset, content creation and more.

Hosted by Adam Metwally
@meetwally

Produced by Joe Fowler
@joeefowler

🎶 Music:
By HNNY
Listen here

Introducing Alexa Santos…
Full Episode out 12/18/2025

Alexa Santos is a New York–based home cook and food content creator who turned a traditional journalism career into a modern creator-led business. Trained as a journalist at Northwestern University, she started out in local TV news before pivoting into food and lifestyle media, eventually building the brand Alexa What’s For Dinner, where she shares fun, approachable recipes for everyday home cooks.

She is a Senior Producer at Feedfeed, a host on food media platforms, and a contestant on Hulu’s Secret Chef, cooking under the alias Chef Bologna. Alexa is known for blending strong storytelling with practical cooking, treating content like a real business, and openly sharing the highs and lows of going from job loss and food stamps to earning five-figure fees for a single cooking project.

🔗 FOLLOW ALEXA:
Instagram
TikTok
YouTube

GET IN TOUCH:

🌍 Our website:
www.thatonetimepodcast.com

🌍 Advertise with us:
[email protected]

🌍 Book us:
[email protected]

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:

🎥 YouTube:
Subscribe here

🗣️ Spotify:
Listen on Spotify

🍎 Apple Podcasts:
Listen on Apple

📸 Instagram:
@thatonetime_podcast

🐦 X / Twitter:
@itsadammetwally

🎵 TikTok:
@thatonetime_podcast

💭 ABOUT US:

Each week, I deep dive into the lives, habits and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world, teasing out their curiosities and aiming to provide actionable insights for your day-to-day life.

The podcast focuses on the pillars of health, wealth and wisdom. Each episode is an in-depth, vulnerable conversation with a unique individual taking on the world in their own way.

Expect episodes on business, marketing, health, spirituality, biohacking, mindset, content creation and more.

Hosted by Adam Metwally
@meetwally

Produced by Joe Fowler
@joeefowler

🎶 Music:
By HNNY
Listen here

Eddy Buckingham is an Australian hospitality entrepreneur behind New York City venues like Chinese Tuxedo, The Tyger, Soso’s, and Old Mates Pub. In this episode, Eddy breaks down what makes Australian hospitality travel so well, why “generosity” is not soft but strategic, and how to build a team culture that actually sticks. We also get into the realities of making money in hospitality, why viral attention is not the same as quality, and what repeat customers really signal. Plus, Eddy shares a surreal Covid-era story from Chinatown, lessons on partnerships and long-term survival, and how becoming a family man changed the way he works, without weakening the venues.

🔗 FOLLOW EDDY:
Instagram
Tuxedo Hospitality Profile

🕒 TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
1:33 Australian Culture + Hospitality Advantage
8:09 Building a Culture of Generosity
16:08 What Makes Hospitality Excellence
26:38 Eddy's History - Moving to NYC
38:05 Lessons From Working at The Australian
42:45 Eddy's Failed Ventures
48:21 Marketing Venues + Creating Hype
58:18 How Old Mates Came to Be
1:03:11 Philosophical Questions

✌🏼 SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY PURCHASING PRODUCTS WE LOVE:

💧 Vitadrop — Healthy Hydration & Vitamins (Sleep / Hydration / Focus & Collagen) — Use the code 'TOT' for 25% off @ https://www.vitadrop.com.au/TOT

GET IN TOUCH:
🌍 Website: www.thatonetimepodcast.com

🌍 Advertise: [email protected]
🌍 Book us: [email protected]

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:
🎥 YouTube: Subscribe
🗣️ Spotify: Listen on Spotify
🍎 Apple: Apple Podcasts
📸 Instagram: @thatonetime_podcast
🐦 X: @itsadammetwally
🎵 TikTok: @thatonetime_podcast

💭 ABOUT US:
Each week I dive into the lives, habits and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world, aiming to give you useful ideas for your own life.

The show explores health, wealth and wisdom through long form conversations with unique thinkers, builders and creators.

Expect episodes on business, marketing, health, spirituality, biohacking, mindset, content creation and more.

Hosted by Adam Metwally — @meetwally
Produced by Joe Fowler — @joeefowler

🎶 Music:
By HNNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r3Paw23_eQ

Introducing Eddy Buckingham...
Full episode out 12/09/25

Eddy Buckingham is an Australian hospitality entrepreneur who helped shape New York City’s modern dining and bar scene.He is the co-creator of venues like Chinese Tuxedo, Soso's, The Tyger, Peachy’s and Old Mates Pub, known for blending high quality food, design, and a warm Aussie service style.He started in Melbourne pubs, moved to NYC in 2009 and has since become one of the leading Aussie voices in hospitality in America.

🔗 FOLLOW EDDY:
Instagram
Tuxedo Hospitality profile

GET IN TOUCH:
🌍 Our website: www.thatonetimepodcast.com

🌍 Advertise with us: [email protected]
🌍 Book us: [email protected]

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:
🎥 YouTube: Subscribe
🗣️ Spotify: Listen on Spotify
🍎 Apple: Listen on Apple Podcasts
📸 Instagram: @thatonetime_podcast
🐦 X / Twitter: @itsadammetwally
🎵 TikTok: @thatonetime_podcast

💭 ABOUT US:
Each week I’ll be deep diving into the lives, habits and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world, teasing out their curiosities and aiming to provide actionable insights for your day-to-day life.

The podcast focusses on the pillars of health, wealth, and wisdom, and each episode is an in-depth, vulnerable conversation with a unique individual taking on the world in their unique way.

Expect episodes on business, marketing, health, spirituality, biohacking, mindset, content creation and more!

Hosted by Adam Metwally: @meetwally
Produced by Joe Fowler: @joeefowler

🎶 Music:
By HNNY
YouTube link

In this episode, yoga teacher and breathwork educator Ben Kalra breaks down how a 2,000-year-old practice still makes perfect sense in the chaos of 2025. With over 4,000 classes taught and 1,500 hours of formal training, Ben blends ancient yoga philosophy with honest, modern insight. From the real meaning of presence and discipline to simple breathwork tools that calm anxiety, this conversation is about using yoga to live better — no robes, no fluff, just what works.

🔗 FOLLOW BEN:
Website
Instagram
YouTube

🕒 TIMESTAMPS:

• 00:00 The Relevance of Ancient Yoga Philosophy
• 05:25 The Evolution of Yoga Practice
• 11:17 The Eight Limbs of Yoga Explained
• 16:43 Non-Attachment
• 40:22 Benefits of Meditation in Daily Life
• 52:04 The Survival of Ancient Wisdom in Yoga
• 59:40 Discipline in Meditation Practice
• 01:04:57 Philosophical Questions

✌🏼 SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY PURCHASING PRODUCTS WE LOVE:

💧 Vitadrop — Use code 'TOT' for 25% off
👟 Vivobarefoot — Use code 'TOT' for 20% off
🥗 Blueprint by Bryan Johnson — Use code 'TOT' for 10% off
📖 5 Minute Journal — Use code 'TOT10' for 10% off
📝 Notion — Use code 'TOT'
😴 Hostage Tape — Use code 'TOT' for 10% off
🐄 Carnivore Aurelius Collagen — Use code 'TOT' for 10% off
👓 Blue Light Glasses — Use code 'TOT' for 10% off
📵 Opal — Support the show via our link

GET IN TOUCH:
🌍 Website
🌍 Advertise: [email protected]
🌍 Book us: [email protected]

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:
🎥 YouTube
🗣️ Spotify
🍎 Apple Podcasts
📸 Instagram
🐦 X / Twitter
🎵 TikTok

💭 ABOUT US:
Each week I deep dive into the lives, habits and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world — teasing out their curiosities and aiming to provide actionable insights for your day-to-day life.
This podcast focuses on health, wealth, and wisdom — with in-depth, vulnerable conversations across business, marketing, spirituality, biohacking, mindset, and more.

Hosted by: Adam Metwally
Produced by: Joe Fowler

🎶 Music:
By HNNY — Listen here

Introducing Ben Kalra...
Full episode out 12/2/2025

Ben Kalra is a yoga teacher, Katonah Yoga® specialist, and breathwork educator based in New York. He’s taught over 4,000 classes and holds the highest teaching certification (E-RYT 500), blending ancient yoga philosophy with modern teaching methods. Known for making complex ideas from the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita feel clear and usable, Ben focuses on helping people move, breathe, and think with more awareness. His approach is equal parts precise, playful, and grounded — combining breathwork, alignment, meditation, and philosophy to make yoga a tool for everyday life.

🔗 FOLLOW BEN:
Website
Instagram
YouTube

📩 GET IN TOUCH:
🌍 Our website
🌍 Advertise with us: [email protected]
🌍 Book us: [email protected]

👥 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:
🎥 YouTube
🗣️ Spotify
🍎 Apple Podcasts
📸 Instagram
🐦 X / Twitter
🎵 TikTok

💭 ABOUT US:
Each week I’ll be deep diving into the lives, habits and lessons of some of the most successful and interesting people in the world – teasing out their curiosities and aiming to provide actionable insights for your day-to-day life.

The podcast focusses on the pillars of health, wealth, and wisdom – and each episode is an in-depth, vulnerable conversation with a unique individual taking on the world in their unique way.

Expect episodes on business, marketing, health, spirituality, biohacking, mindset, content creation and more!

🎙️ Hosted by: Adam Metwally
🎛️ Produced by: Joe Fowler

🎶 Music:
By – HNNY
Listen here