Momentum

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:

⁠YouTube⁠

⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Spotify⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

__________

GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!)

• ​ Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠
• ​ Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠
• ​ Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠
• ​ Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠
• ​ Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠
• ​ Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠

__________

(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

⁠Instagram⁠

__________

GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!)

• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠

• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠

• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠

• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠

• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠

• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠

__________

(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!

__________

⁠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]

__________

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

__________

GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!)

• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠

• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠

• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠

• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠

• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠

• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠

David Mizrahi is the founder of Salt Restaurant Group, a booming hospitality brand behind some of the most in-demand kosher dining experiences in the country, including Salt Steakhouse.

In this episode, I sit back down with David for a follow-up conversation over dinner (from his restaurant!).

David opens up about what it really takes to build and scale high-end restaurants, the chaos behind the scenes, and how faith, resilience, and an opportunistic mindset shaped his journey - from dropping out of high school to running multiple businesses while battling cancer.

Enjoy!

__________

⁠Check out Chef Ray Tawil 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 David and 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

⁠Instagram⁠

__________

GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!)

• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠

• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠

• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠

• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠

• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠

• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠

__________

(0:00) Coming up...

(4:39) Moving from Brooklyn to Lakewood at 11 years old

(6:15) David's humility

(7:48) Digging in to the food

(8:14) Salt at Home

(10:26) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment

(11:26) Jumping at opportunities

(14:11) Up next: lamb chops

(14:51) The logistics of a high end steakhouse

(19:42) How do you motivate your employees?

(22:14) Pepper-crusted filet

(22:38) Ad: Hedaya Capital Group

(24:16) Cutting his guest list by 75%

(27:29) The cost of disappointing your customers

(28:45) Duck risotto

(29:25) Consistency is king

(30:53) Maintaining consistency with high staff turnover

(31:39) How a single tech failure can ruin a night at Salt Steakhouse

(37:41) Ad: Jeff Sitt Consulting

(38:37) What David notices about people in the restaurant

(42:41) Scaling operations up and down depending on the season

(44:31) How do waiters hold plates like that?

(46:00) The finances of a high end steakhouse

(48:23) Ad: Real Property Captive

(49:31) Toughest dish to cook

(51:28) Misconceptions about running a high end steakhouse

(52:07) Silently suffering through cancer treatments

(56:45) What would you do differently?

(57:28) Making guests wait before they are seated

(59:08) Dubai Chocolate dessert

(1:00:36) David's talented executive chef

(1:02:15) Outro and 3 key takeaways

Joseph (Joey) Jerome is the co-founder of JEMB Realty, a behemoth real estate development, investment and management firm based in New York City.

In this episode, I sit down with Joey for a follow-up conversation over dinner. Joey opens up about his journey from working in his father’s deli to DJing his way into owning two homes by 25, surviving a seven-year real estate collapse, why giving back is fundamental to who he is, and what he would do if he were starting from zero today.

Enjoy!

__________

⁠Check out Avi Akiva 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

⁠Instagram⁠

__________

GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!)

• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠

• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠

• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠

• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠

• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠

• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠

__________

(0:00) Coming up...

(3:22) Growing up in a working-class family

(4:17) Working at his father's deli

(5:14) "We struggled, but we got by"

(6:41) Why did you become a DJ?

(9:17) Getting arrested

(10:20) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment

(11:20) Hiring people to help with DJ gigs

(12:09) "My big break"

(15:24) DJing to make money

(16:11) Expanding to large parties

(18:27) Winning a Cadillac for $3

(20:36) "I owned 2 homes by age 25"

(23:13) Ad: Hedaya Capital Group

(24:50) Scaling his father in law's Burger King opereaton

(26:50) Maintaining respect while working for your father-in-law

(28:32) Shifting from Burger Kings to real estate

(29:43) Extreme stress/panic during real estate crash of late 1980s

(33:07) Diversifying his real estate portfolio

(34:26) Rock bottom: when the bank called Joey's wife to a deposition

(37:24) Thoughts on when to get married

(39:42) "Never bring work into the home"

(41:04) Ad: Jeff Sitt Consulting

(42:01) If you had to start over, what would be your first step?

(43:45) The importance of exuding confidence

(45:08) How do you motivate your employees?

(46:33) The hardest part of leadership: letting go

(47:41) Proudest deals

(48:32) Ad: Real Property Captive

(49:39) When to cut your losses

(51:08) Does money still motivate you?

(51:29) How has your view of money changed over time?

(52:50) Legacy

(53:34) Getting involved in community-building at age 16

(58:19) Why do you donate tens of millions of dollars?

(59:35) Outro and 3 key takeaways

Avi Houllou is the founder of iBuy, a multi-billion dollar global electronics distribution powerhouse with offices in NJ and Miami.

In this episode, I sit back down with Avi for a follow-up conversation over dinner. Avi gets real about losing tens of millions of dollars, refusing to file for bankruptcy, rebuilding from zero, and the mindset that’s carried him through loss, leadership, and life’s hardest moments.

Enjoy!

__________

⁠Check out Joey Shamie, Co-President of Delta Children, 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

⁠Instagram⁠

__________

GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!)

• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠

• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠

• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠

• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠

• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠

• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠

__________

(00:00) Coming up...

(03:14) Humble beginnings

(05:37) Losing tens of millions on a business deal

(08:55) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment

(09:55) Building back after a huge loss

(13:07) Losing tens of millions was a blessing

(17:50) Getting hacked by a Russian cybercrime group in Q4 2025

(19:59) You never see the bigger picture

(21:13) How do you motivate your employees?

(22:19) Hardest part of leadership

(23:33) Does money still motivate you?

(24:30) Ad: Hedaya Capital Group

(26:08) Do you need to "love what you do"?

(27:46) Profit over sales

(29:32) Consistency and hard work

(31:49) Working 20 hours a day, even as a multi-millionaire

(34:38) Selling candy in elementary school

(36:13) How can parents instill a desire in children?

(38:54) How to stay focused while diversifying your income

(40:10) Almost becoming a Rabbi

(41:52) Ad: Jeff Sitt Consulting

(42:48) Advice to young people struggling with their identity

(44:57) When should people get married?

(46:19) great clip

(50:16) If it all went to 0, how would you start over?

(51:11) Go for singles, not home runs

(53:49) I'm the hardest worker I know

(54:34) Ad: Real Property Captive

(55:41) The tragic loss of Avi's wife, Naomi

(1:02:48) Coping with the passing of his wife

(1:06:57) Why do you donate tens of millions?

(1:08:45) Avi asks me: what inspires me?

(1:10:26) Taking risks and chasing dreams when you're young

(1:13:32) Thinking about my career

(1:16:05) Outro and 3 key takeaways

June Aboksis was kicked out of school and told she’d be “nothing in life.” Then she went on to build Junee, the largest modest-wear clothing brand in the world, with stores across NY, NJ, and Israel.

In this episode, I sit back down with June for a follow-up conversation over dinner. June opens up about building her business from coupon-clipping days to global success, running a company with dyslexia, walking away from customers on principle, and why integrity and confidence are a prerequisite for success.

Enjoy!

__________

⁠Check out Adina Mizrahi 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

⁠Instagram⁠

__________

GEAR:

• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠

• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠

• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠

• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠

• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠

• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠

__________

(00:00) Coming up..

(03:04) Intro / Welcoming June back to Momentum!

(06:44) Financially struggling in her early years of marriage

(09:11) "Gen Z doesnt work as hard"

(10:31) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment

(11:31) Tuition/Affordability crisis in the Orthodox Jewish community

(14:10) What's it actually like to be dyslexic?

(18:08) What do schools need to change to cater to kids with learning disabilities?

(24:35) Ad: Hedaya Capital Group

(26:13) Should you follow your passion?

(27:52) "They played me"

(33:36) How to deal with immoral people in business

(35:26) Fact or Fiction: if you're not growing, you're falling behind

(39:43) Ad: Jeff Sitt Consulting

(40:39) Fact or Fiction: more money automatically makes life easier

(42:06) Fact or Fiction: If building something feels this hard, I'm probably doing it wrong

(43:40) How to decide which cultural norms to uphold and which to shatter

(45:59) Fact or Fiction: Working harder beats working smarter

(47:21) Fact or Fiction: Passion is more important than discipline

(48:15) Ad: Real Property Captive

(49:22) How do you define enough?

(51:20) What's the difference between giving up and cutting your losses?

(53:38) June interviews me over dessert about my goals with Momentum

(58:56) Outro and 3 key takeaways

Eric Goldstein spent 31 years as a partner at Paul Weiss before walking away to lead UJA-Federation of New York, the largest local nonprofit in the world, raising $2.8 billion under his leadership.

In this episode, Eric shares why he left elite Big Law, what leadership really looks like in moments of crisis, and the lessons he learned when he realized he wasn’t as indispensable as he once thought.

Support UJA's mission: https://www.ujafedny.org/donate

__________

⁠Check out Impact by Momentum⁠

__________

SPONSORS:

• Kosher Media: The premiere advertising network across Jewish communities worldwide. ⁠koshermedia.com⁠
• Life Vault Films: Capture the story of your loved one, forever. To inquire, email [email protected]

__________

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

__________

GEAR:

• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠

• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠

• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠

• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠

• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠

• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠⁠

__________

(00:00) Coming up...

(02:38) Who Is Eric Goldstein?

(05:54) Eric’s Early Years

(07:05) Graduating Law School

(10:51) Representing JP Morgan Chase

(13:39) Representing Billion-Dollar Institutions

(15:07) Lessons Learned From Behemoth Clients

(16:40) Eric's Plan Before Leaving Law

(18:27) Serving on UJA’s Committee to Find a New CEO

(20:27) The Most Important Lesson When Leaving the Legal Field

(22:04) First Day on the Job as CEO

(25:44) CSI: The Need for Security Forces Amid Rising Antisemitism

(27:38) Ad: Kosher Media

(28:27) Learning to Be an Effective Leader

(31:57) The Struggles of COVID and Giving Up His Salary

(35:13) “UJA Saved My Life”

(36:20) A Brief History of UJA

(38:18) UJA’s Impact on the Sephardic Community

(40:19) The Moment He’s Most Proud of at UJA

(45:46) Ad: Life Vault Films

(47:03) Work-Life Balance (or Lack Thereof)

(49:43) The Most Difficult Period: Laying Off Staff During COVID

(52:23) Key Success Principles Learned Over His Career

(53:37) Leading UJA Alongside Elite Business Leaders

(55:07) What Comes Next?

(56:12) Momentum Moment

(60:09) UJA: Uniting Jewish Communities

(61:06) Outro and 3 Key Takeaways

Josh Feltman is a partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz who has helped lead some of the most consequential restructurings of the last two decades - including Toys “R” Us, AMC, Expedia, and Express.

In this episode, Josh walks through his unlikely path from Harvard to Wachtell, the weekend he helped the U.S. Treasury nationalize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the lessons he’s learned steering multibillion-dollar deals at one of the most elite law firms in the world. He also shares insights on mentorship, the traits that distinguish standout associates, and the balance between family life and high-stakes work.

Enjoy!

__________

Check out Erwin Dweck on Momentum

__________

SPONSORS:

• Kosher Media: The premiere advertising network across Jewish communities worldwide. koshermedia.com
• Life Vault Films: Capture the story of your loved one, forever. To inquire, email [email protected]
• Hedaya Capital Group: Discover how The Hedaya Capital Group’s factoring services can help power your business’s financials: hedayacapital.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:

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Instagram

__________

GEAR:

• Cameras: ⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠

• Podcast Mics: ⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠

• Clip-on Mics: ⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠

• Mic Stands: ⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠

• Lights: ⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠

• Tripods: ⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠

__________

(00:00) Coming up…

(02:44) Intro to Josh

(03:49) What is distress? How does a company reach distress?

(06:26) Growing up and childhood values

(10:35) Did you always know you wanted to be a lawyer?

(14:08) College environment then vs now

(19:15) Jobs between college and law school

(22:38) Ad: Kosher Media

(23:27) Working for Price Waterhouse and NERA

(27:24) Recruiting for big law in law school

(33:12) Why Wachtell Lipton?

(37:47) “All the deals have been made already”

(39:37) The environment at Wachtell when Josh joined

(42:54) Ad: Life Vault Films

(44:12) Bailing on a wedding to help the U.S. Treasury in 2008

(50:59) Making partner at Wachtell: scale back or double down?

(53:51) What Wachtell is known for

(57:41) Ad: Hedaya Capital Group

(58:40) Mentorship: how Josh pays it forward

(01:04:51) Legendary Leonard Rosen story and representing creditors

(01:08:20) What makes a standout associate?

(01:12:49) Notable restructurings: Toys R Us, AMC, Express

(01:14:46) Being in the room when Toys R Us was liquidated

(01:18:40) Proudest deals

(01:24:36) The relationship between family life and career pursuits

(01:29:51) Mentorship, speaking at conferences, and paying it forward

(01:33:30) Momentum Moment and closing thoughts

(01:41:30) Outro and 3 key takeaways

Eli Beer is the founder of United Hatzalah, Israel’s volunteer-based emergency medical service that reaches any scene in under 90 seconds and has treated over 7.5 million people worldwide.

In this episode, Eli opens up about being kicked out of school at 12, how a childhood trauma sparked his lifelong mission to save lives, and the story behind building one of the most impactful humanitarian organizations on earth.

This is a collaboration episode between ⁠Momentum⁠ (business-focused podcast) and ⁠Impact⁠ (charity-focused podcast). Be sure to subscribe to both shows!

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SPONSORS:

• Advanced Solar Solutions: Go solar before December 31 to qualify for federal solar incentives! 347-455-8430 or ⁠advancedsolarny.com⁠
• Gindi Equities: Preserving and Growing Generational Wealth. Email [email protected] or visit gindiequities.com to learn more.

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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:

⁠YouTube⁠

⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Spotify⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

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GEAR:

• Cameras: ⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠

• Podcast Mics: ⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠

• Clip-on Mics: ⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠

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• Lights: ⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠

• Tripods: ⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠

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(00:00) Coming up...

(2:58) Intro to Eli and United Hatzalah

(9:47) Being entrepreneurial in grade school

(11:38) Noticing a void in the EMT system

(13:23) Ad Advanced Solar Solutions

(14:33) Uniting all of the individual Hatzalah groups

(19:24) Why are your ambitions so high?

(23:08) The Ambucycle

(25:56) Being a doer

(27:43) The peer-to-peer EMT model

(30:49) Fundraising hundreds of millions worldwide

(33:06) Asking his father-in-law for a donation

(38:12) When fundraising: have you ever asked for too much?

(40:36) “I don’t want to be a CEO”

(43:30) Putting together a board of directors

(49:26) The Syrian Jewish community’s involvement with United Hatzalah

(54:19) Ad Gindi Equities

(55:04) Lessons learned from the uber-successful

(58:47) Contempt and innovation

(1:04:42) Outro and 3 key takeaways