Joshua A. Sussberg is a partner at Kirkland & Ellis and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, where he has helped lead some of the biggest corporate restructurings of the past two decades, including Toys R Us, Claire’s, and JCPenney.

In this episode, Josh breaks down his rise at Kirkland, what it takes to save a company on the brink, the lessons he learned from cases like Toys R Us and JCPenney, and how he came back from cancer to keep doing the work he loves.

Enjoy!

__________

Check out Josh Feltman on Momentum

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SPONSORS:

• Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. [email protected] or (646) 765-5643
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ABOUT MOMENTUM:

🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:

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(00:00) Coming up…

(02:13) Piercing His Ear in Court After Saving Claire’s and 11,000 Jobs

(04:47) What a Restructuring Lawyer Actually Does

(06:50) Being Named the “Busiest Lawyer in America”

(08:02) Growing Up, Wanting to Be on SportsCenter, and Pivoting to Law

(10:02) Choosing Restructuring Almost by Accident

(13:03) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment

(14:04) Cardozo Law School and How a Communications Background Shaped His Career

(16:29) Starting at Weil and Working on Enron and Parmalat

(19:16) Leaving Weil to Help Build Kirkland’s Restructuring Practice

(21:51) Ad: Real Property Captive

(22:37) Kirkland’s Culture and Why You’re Only as Good as the People Around You

(24:00) Why Josh Doesn’t Believe in “Hero Ball”

(26:22) Joining Kirkland Right Before the Financial Crisis

(28:10) How to Stand Out Among 4,000 Lawyers at Kirkland

(30:20) Working Hard Without Sacrificing Your Health

(32:10) Making Partner and Doubling Down

(34:03) Singing the Toys R Us Jingle

(38:03) Ad: Michelle Baum Photography

(38:56) How Josh Wins Billion-Dollar Restructuring Clients

(40:34) Humanizing Bankrupt Companies in the Courtroom

(42:30) Bringing “Calm to the Chaos” and Getting Everyone to a Deal

(44:24) Learning Crypto on the Fly for BlockFi and Voyager

(45:54) Restructuring JCPenney in the Middle of COVID

(49:50) Luck, Judgment, and Putting Yourself in Position to Win

(52:16) What Josh Looks for When Hiring Young Lawyers at Kirkland

(53:47) Ad: ConnecTen

(54:43) Finding Fulfillment and Debunking Work-Life Balance

(58:13) Giving Back Through Cardozo, UJA, Wharton, and Blood Cancer United

(1:00:28) Battling Cancer with a Massive Tumor in His Chest

(1:03:36) How Cancer Changed His Perspective on Life

(1:05:12) Josh’s Momentum Moment: Realizing He Could Lead Cases at Kirkland

(1:08:00) Josh’s Advice for Aspiring Lawyers

(1:09:11) Outro / My Top 3 Takeaways

Joseph Salama is the Chief Compliance Officer at Coinbase, the largest publicly traded crypto exchange in the world.

In this episode, Joe opens up about getting blackballed right before becoming a BigLaw partner, spending 15 years leading Deutsche Bank's litigation, and steering compliance through Coinbase's most volatile moments.

Enjoy!

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⁠Check out Josh Feltman on Momentum

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SPONSORS:

• Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. ⁠[email protected]⁠ or (646) 765-5643
• Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit ⁠RealPropertyCaptive.com
• Michelle Baum Photography: Your Go-To Photographer for Events, Family, Corporate, and more. [email protected]
• ConnecTen: Never Go Offline Again. Visit ConnecTenInternet.com/discount/MOMENTUM35 for $35 off.

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ABOUT MOMENTUM:

🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:

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⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Spotify⁠

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(00:00) Coming up…

(02:03) Growing Up in Brooklyn and Wanting to Be a Lawyer

(04:08) Studying Chemical Engineering at Columbia

(05:38) Choosing Law, and Why the Engineering Mindset Still Sticks With Him

(08:29) The Bizarre Coincidence of the Other Joe Salama

(09:56) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment

(10:56) Landing at Cravath and the Story of Its First Jewish Partner

(14:07) Clerking for a Federal Judge Before Big Law

(15:44) Starting at Cravath and Running Cases as a Second-Year Associate

(20:05) Ad: Real Property Captive

(21:32) Blackballed From Partner in His 7th Year

(33:11) Leaving Big Law Completely

(39:30) Joining Deutsche Bank's Litigation Group

(43:48) Climbing to Global Head of Litigation and U.S. General Counsel

(45:39) Fighting Financial Crime in the US and Germany

(49:31) Managing 150 Lawyers at Deutsche Bank's Peak

(49:43) Ad: Michelle Baum Photography

(50:36) Learning to Lead by Example

(54:43) Why Joe Stepped Up and Switched His Role at Deutsche Bank

(57:55) The Napkin Story and "Ownership Mentality"

(1:05:16) Finding His Next Role at Coinbase

(1:11:57) Leadership Lessons From CEO Brian Armstrong

(1:14:50) Ad: ConnecTen

(1:15:53) Joe's Advice for Breaking Into Coinbase's Legal Team

(1:18:08) The Lifestyle Shift From Deutsche Bank to Coinbase

(1:20:39) Building Minyan, the Gym, and Balance Into the Calendar

(1:22:00) Why Balance Is an Ingredient of Success, Not a Trade-Off

(1:24:39) On Feeling Pressure to Have Life Figured Out Too Young

(1:29:19) The Funny Way Life Never Follows a Straight Line

(1:31:04) Giving Back and Joe's Father's Immigrant Story

(1:35:05) Joe's Momentum Moment: The Weekend Deutsche Bank's Survival Was in Question

(1:41:55) Outro / My Top 3 Takeaways

Ike S. Franco is the Founder & CEO of Infinity Global, with businesses spanning real estate, beverage, and sports, including a stake in the Yankees and global sports branding.

In this episode, Ike opens up about growing up without a father, the handshake-first business culture that shaped him, and how he built an empire across real estate, beverage, and sports while never losing sight of where he came from.

Enjoy!

__________

SPONSORS:

• Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit ⁠RealPropertyCaptive.com
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• Michelle Baum Photography: Your Go-To Photographer for Events, Family, Corporate, and more. [email protected]
• ConnecTen: Never Go Offline Again. Visit ConnectenInternet.com/discount/MOMENTUM35 or $35 off.

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ABOUT MOMENTUM:

🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:

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⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Spotify⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

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(0:00) Coming up..

(1:13) A High-Level Overview of Ike’s Empire

(3:50) Growing Up Without a Father

(8:31) Ad: Real Property Captive

(9:18) How Losing His Father Shaped Him as a Teenager

(12:49) His Approach to Character in Business

(12:57) Getting Into the Yankees & Staying Observant in Sports

(15:25) Selling $20M Worth of Children’s Clothing at 21

(18:07) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment

(19:06) Learning How to Sell and Negotiate Young

(21:56) Why He Believes Luck Comes From Hashem

(24:34) The Big Break: A Warehouse Full of Baby Gap Product in Hong Kong

(28:54) A Chance Encounter With a Chase Banker That Changed Everything

(32:36) Scaling From a Family Business to Corporate America

(34:29) The Target Check That Landed a $40M Program

(41:13) His First Licenses: Snoopy and Japanese Layette

(44:02) Ad: Michelle Baum Photography

(44:55) Understanding Licensing and Who Holds the Leverage

(48:12) Buying and Building Brands: Starter, the Dunkman, and Shaq

(51:22) Selling Half His Business and the Moment It Hit Him

(57:14) The Strange Story of Buying Into the Yankees

(59:41) The NFL Bid That Fell Through and Expanding Into Hospitality

(1:02:03) Meeting Prince Albert, Derek Jeter, & Alex Rodriguez

(1:06:52) Bringing the Yankees and Red Sox to London

(1:08:48) Ad: connection

(1:09:44) Developing Relationships With Shaquille O’Neal and Kylian Mbappé

(1:11:46) Becoming CEO of the Yankees’ Global Branding Business

(1:14:41) Building the Pennsylvania Bottling Business

(1:16:41) Getting Into Real Estate

(1:21:03) Where He Sees the Biggest Opportunity Right Now

(1:22:36) Building a Synagogue on Lawrence Avenue in Deal, NJ

(1:28:06) Outro and 3 Key Takeaways

Eli Gindi is one of the most prominent real estate investors in New York City, Las Vegas, and Miami, controlling the largest single retail property in Las Vegas: over 2,000 consecutive feet of prime real estate spanning 8 city blocks.

In this episode, Eli opens up about growing up undiagnosed and unable to read, losing his father at 22, losing a stock market fortune overnight, and the deals that built his empire: from the Versace Mansion to Grand Army Plaza.

Enjoy!

__________

⁠Check out Joey Jerome on Momentum

__________

SPONSORS:

• Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit RealPropertyCaptive.com
• Yazdi Entertainment: New York’s Premiere Event Production Company. [email protected] or (646) 765-5643

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ABOUT MOMENTUM:

🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:

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⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Spotify⁠

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__________

(00:00) Coming up…

(02:04) The Making of Eli Gindi

(07:11) The Influence of Eli’s Father

(09:59) How His Father’s Name Saved Him $14 Million

(12:38) Ad: Real Property Captive

(13:25) The Importance of a Good Name

(14:20) Eli’s Thoughts on Cash Advance

(18:03) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment

(19:03) Losing His Father at a Young Age and His Bond With His Siblings

(22:40) What Sets You Apart in the Wholesale Industry?

(27:15) Getting Into Real Estate

(29:15) Buying the Versace Mansion

(32:41) Learning the Real Estate Business

(33:50) Losing $30M in the Stock Market

(36:06) How to Create Value in Real Estate

(38:32) Gramercy Park: When the Bank Almost Backed Out

(43:08) Securing the Las Vegas Deal: “I’m Not Leaving Until We Buy It”

(48:18) Partners, Not Investors

(50:13) Betting $4 Million on a Golf Match

(53:34) “Landlord” Means Lord of the Land

(54:36) The Target Signage Mistake

(57:25) What Eli Looks for in a Partner

(1:00:50) A Unique Deal Structure: Eli Only Makes Money When His Investors Do

(1:06:27) Eli’s Thoughts on Luck vs. Hard Work

(1:08:38) The COVID Construction Loan

(1:11:11) Why Failure Makes You Better

(1:15:34) Bringing His Sons Into the Business

(1:16:52) “At the End of the Day, Everyone’s Human”

(1:19:28) The #1 Mistake Young People Make

(1:20:26) Momentum Moment

(1:22:20) Outro and 3 Key Takeaways

Chaim Theil is a partner at Sidley Austin, one of the largest law firms in America, where he's led billion-dollar M&A and restructuring deals for some of the world's biggest investors, including Carl Icahn.

In this episode, Chaim opens up about why he doesn't believe in work-life balance, the "humble yourself" philosophy that's guided his career from Brooklyn to the top of big law, and why no amount of money (not even a billion dollars!) will ever be enough to make him happy.

Enjoy!

__________

⁠Check out Eddie Rishty on Momentum

__________

SPONSORS:

• Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. ⁠[email protected]⁠ or (646) 765-5643
• Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit RealPropertyCaptive.com

__________

ABOUT MOMENTUM:

🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:

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⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Spotify⁠

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__________

(00:00) Coming Up…

(01:48) The Peter Thiel Mix-Up

(02:45) What It Means to Practice Restructuring & Distressed M&A

(05:59) Flatbush, YU, NYU Law & Columbia Business School

(07:01) Wanting to Be Rich & Learning How You Get There Matters

(09:33) Choosing Finance, Then Law School

(11:33) Ad: Real Property Captive

(12:14) His Mother Wanted Him to Be a Doctor

(14:33) Making Decisions in Three-Year Increments

(16:37) Building a Music Startup at YU

(18:57) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment

(20:00) Realizing He Was Leading Like a Marine

(22:06) Building an Army: What Makes a Leader

(24:08) Spotting Leadership in Interviews & Imposter Syndrome

(29:00) The Ego Behind Not Delegating

(35:00) Learning How to Actually Delegate

(39:01) Grinding Through the LSAT

(43:16) "Nobody Wants Smart People, People Want Grinders"

(44:00) Leaving Big Law for Business School

(47:02) Lawyer, Banker, or Business Person?

(50:27) Choosing Paul Weiss & His Negotiating Philosophy

(52:53) Why He Made the Move to Sidley

(53:47) Getting Tested as a Lateral Partner

(56:08) The Blackstone Deal That Made His Mark

(59:47) Representing Companies Opposite Carl Icahn

(1:01:17) What He's Learned From Successful Clients

(1:04:15) Billionaires, Watches & Staying Under the Radar

(1:07:38) The Math on How Much Money Is Enough

(1:13:17) Why You Won't Find Meaning in Your Job

(1:15:18) Redefining Work-Life Balance as Life Balance

(1:18:31) On Being an Ethical Lawyer

(1:25:27) The Transformational Power of Shabbat

(1:31:26) Chaim's Momentum Moment

(1:33:32) Giving Back: Chazan, Choir & Quiet Philanthropy

(1:36:36) Outro & My Top 3 Takeaways

Bob Knakal is one of New York City's most legendary real estate brokers, having closed over 2,400 building sales worth $24 billion, and sold his own company, Massey Knakal, for $100 million.

In this episode, Bob opens up about nearly going bankrupt three times during the savings and loan crisis, the bizarre way he found out he'd been fired from Cushman & Wakefield (via a press article), and how a COVID lockdown led him to walk every block of Manhattan to build his now-famous "map room."

Enjoy!

__________

⁠Check out Avi Akiva on Momentum

__________

SPONSORS:

• Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit ⁠RealPropertyCaptive.com

• Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. ⁠[email protected]⁠ or (646) 765-5643

__________

ABOUT MOMENTUM:

🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:

⁠YouTube⁠

⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Spotify⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

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__________

(00:00) Coming Up…

(01:40) Bob Knakal's Record-Breaking Career

(04:23) From Wharton Baseball to Real Estate by Accident

(06:49) Partnering with Paul Massey After Just Two Days

(09:41) Starting Massey Knakal & Almost Going Bankrupt

(12:01) Ad: Real Property Captive

(13:06) The Daytimer, the $4,400 Security Deposit & Leaving CBRE

(18:41) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment

(19:41) Building a Brokerage Around Extreme Specialization

(24:32) Surviving the Savings & Loan Crisis

(28:33) How Massey Knakal Became New York's Most Dominant Brokerage

(29:29) Bob's Hiring Philosophy & Building Company Culture

(36:36) The $179 Million Deal That Started With 2 Years of Cold Calls

(41:31) Turning Down a $50 Million Acquisition Offer

(43:08) Selling the Company for $100 Million

(45:29) Cushman, JLL & Getting Fired Through the Press

(52:53) Starting Over & Building BKREA

(54:55) Mentorship, Leadership & Creating 34 Industry Leaders

(58:12) Family, Legacy & Philanthropy

(1:00:34) Bob's Momentum Moment

(1:03:22) Outro & My Top 3 Takeaways

Sol Gindi is the Head of Wells Fargo Advisors, leading more than 20,000 employees and 12,000 financial advisors across the country.

In this episode, Sol shares the lessons that shaped his career, from working alongside Edmond Safra and navigating the 2008 financial crisis to leading at JPMorgan and Wells Fargo, with insights on leadership, relationships, and building a meaningful career.

Enjoy!

__________

⁠Check out Eddie Rishty on Momentum

__________

SPONSORS:

• Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit RealPropertyCaptive.com
• Kosher Media: The #1 advertising network across Jewish communities worldwide. Visit KosherMedia.com

__________

ABOUT MOMENTUM:

🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:

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⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Spotify⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

__________

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Chaby Orfali is the founder of Merkury Innovations, a consumer electronics company that has spent more than 20 years supplying products to some of the largest retailers in America.

In this episode, Chaby shares how losing both of his parents by the age of 18 forced him into the workforce, the lessons he learned building a business from scratch, winning Walmart as a customer, and why gratitude, integrity, and faith have guided every step of his journey.

Enjoy!

__________

⁠Check out Avi Houllou on Momentum

__________

ABOUT MOMENTUM:

🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:

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⁠Spotify⁠

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__________

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__________

(00:00) Coming Up…

(02:08) Welcoming Chaby to Momentum

(02:55) Building Merkury Innovations Over 20+ Years

(03:39) Growing Up Without Money in Brooklyn

(04:28) Born in Venezuela, a Childhood Brain Tumor, and Dreams of Going Pro

(06:42) Losing Both His Parents at 18 Years Old

(11:51) Running His Father's Store Through the Crown Heights Riots

(13:18) Thrown Into the Deep End at a Major Electronics Retailer

(18:32) Walking Away From a High-Paying Job for His Growing Family

(21:23) From a Gap Year to Founding the Company With His Cousin in 2003

(23:44) Faxing Orders to Japan in the Early Days

(25:53) Trading Retail Hours for Overseas Travel

(27:54) Starting From Zero Every January 1st

(30:49) How He Landed His First Retail Account

(32:12) Why Your Word Is Everything in Business

(33:01) "Shoot First, Ask Questions Later"

(34:20) The Day Walmart Walked Into His Booth at CES

(38:17) The Twist That Turned Rejection Into a Walmart Deal

(40:54) Adapting to Amazon, E-Commerce, and Chinese Sellers

(43:53) The Sacrifice of Missing Weddings, Birthdays, and Holidays

(46:00) The Toughest Period: New Countries, New Tariffs

(49:03) What He Loves Most About the Business

(50:20) Hiring: Red Flags, Loyalty, and His Best "Mismatched" Hire

(55:38) Where Ethics Draws the Line in Business

(59:31) The Fulfillment of Seeing His Products on the Shelf

(1:01:19) Should You Follow Your Passion?

(1:03:41) The Importance of Finding a Mentor

(1:04:47) Chaby's Principles of Success

(1:06:35) How Faith Has Guided His Life

(1:07:44) Giving Back: Orphans, Widows, and a Life Saved by a Video

(1:09:55) Building a Yeshiva Community and Founding His Own Shul

(1:11:58) Why Giving Back Is His "Secret Sauce"

(1:15:28) Momentum Moment

(1:18:12) Finding His Parents' Voices on an Old VHS Tape

(1:19:34) Be Grateful for What You Have

(1:20:07) Outro and 3 Key Takeaways

Joe Cayre went from selling handkerchiefs door-to-door to help feed his family to building multi-billion-dollar businesses across music, film, home video, and real estate.

In this episode, Joe shares the stories behind his biggest deals, including signing the World Trade Center lease weeks before 9/11, building an empire with exclusive Walmart distribution rights, negotiating million-dollar licensing deals, and the lessons that shaped him along the way.

Enjoy!

__________

⁠Check out Haim Dabah on Momentum

__________

SPONSORS:

• Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. ⁠[email protected]⁠ or (646) 765-5643
• The Hedaya Capital Group: Your Trusted Financial Services Partner. Visit HedayaCapital.com or [email protected]
• Jeff Sitt Consulting: Book Your Free Pivot and Prosper Strategy Call Today! Visit JeffSitt.com
• Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit RealPropertyCaptive.com

Special thank you to Salt Steakhouse for the amazing meal! Visit SaltGourmetMarket.com to order.

__________

ABOUT MOMENTUM:

🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:

⁠YouTube⁠

⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Spotify⁠

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__________

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__________

(00:00) Coming Up…

(3:15) Welcoming Joe Back to Momentum

(5:27) Joining the Milkman on His Route at 7 Years Old

(7:55) Joe’s Baby Elephant and Selling Handkerchiefs Door-to-Door

(11:17) Ad - Yazdi Entertainment

(12:17) Working as a Bellhop at the National Hotel

(13:52) Faking a $35,000 Check to Save His Dad’s Life

(16:05) Discovering His Father's Business Was Bankrupt

(19:06) Opening a Freeport Shop on a Cruise Ship

(20:32) Digging in to Our Meal

(21:17) Buying Aruba’s Hyatt Hotel

(22:05) Joe’s Timeless Parenting Advice

(24:36) Ad - Hedaya Capital Group

(26:15) Distributing CBS’s Spanish Records

(27:21) The Time The FBI Raided Joe’s Studio

(32:37) Nina Simone & Charging Chanel $1M Every Day

(35:46) Growing Salsoul Records To #1 Nationwide

(39:32) Ad - Jeff Sitt Consulting

(40:28) Lessons Learned from a Close Relationship with Edmond Safra

(42:18) Making Millions Trading Foreign Currencies with Edmond Safra

(44:18) What Made Edmond Safra Successful

(45:31) Entering the Video Industry

(52:23) Meeting Sam Walton, Founder of Walmart and Getting a Huge Order

(1:01:59) Buying Exclusive Rights to Blockbuster Films

(1:03:58) Making Exercise Videos Starring Cindy Crawford

(1:05:29) Becoming Walmart’s Exclusive Video and Software Distributor

(1:08:53) Ad - Real Property Captive

(1:09:59) Joe’s Secret of Business

(1:11:43) How to Break Into Real Estate Without Money

(1:13:42) Signing a 99-Year Lease For the World Trade Center

(1:16:58) Buying the World Trade Center 6 Weeks Before 9/11

(1:20:57) Lessons Learned from Close Friendship with Donald Trump

(1:23:07) Joe’s Advice for Young People Starting Out in 2026

(1:24:12) The Legacy of Joe Cayre

(1:24:42) Momentum Moment

(1:25:33) Joe’s Career Advice for Me

(1:27:25) Outro and 3 Key Takeaways

Jack Kassin is the Chairman of Best Brands Consumer Products, a company that grew from a small family towel business into a national enterprise with products in more than 20,000 stores across the country.

In this episode, Jack shares the lessons he learned from over six decades in business, the values that guided his success, and how he built wealth without sacrificing family, integrity, or purpose.

Enjoy!

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⁠Check out Haim Dabah on Momentum

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SPONSORS:

• Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. ⁠[email protected]⁠ or (646) 765-5643
• The Hedaya Capital Group: Your Trusted Financial Services Partner. Visit HedayaCapital.com or [email protected]

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ABOUT MOMENTUM:

🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:

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