In this episode of Nice to Meet You for a Reason, Rob Pene sits down with Lexson Mathieu — former undefeated pro boxer, NABF champion, and serial acquisitions entrepreneur who built and sold a multi-million-dollar trucking empire before turning 27.

Lexson takes us through the wild arc of his last few years: leaving Canada during COVID with nothing but a backpack, putting his entire net worth into crypto to escape financial restrictions, making $50,000 in his first week as a crypto investor, and then walking away from speculation to buy real businesses.

You'll hear the unfiltered story of how he made 10,000 cold calls to land his first deal, why his first acquisition took a year and a half (and what he had to fix to close), and how he eventually closed five acquisitions in 18 months — including the "sell-lease-back" maneuver that pulled $300K out of a deal in two weeks.

This is a masterclass in M&A for anyone curious about how people actually buy businesses without their own money, build banking relationships from scratch, and structure deals where the asset finances itself.

We also get into the deeper stuff: why money stopped being the goal, how faith reshaped his vision, and his next move — building a roll-up empire in Africa while planting "a thousand seeds" through Bible study.

What You'll Learn:

• Why Lexson left pro boxing at the top of his career
• How he used crypto as a financial escape hatch during COVID
• The exact selling and negotiation framework that unlocked his first deal
• How he financed a $5.4M acquisition with two banks and no personal income
• The "sell-lease-back" strategy that pulls cash out of acquired assets
• Why he gave away 49% equity — and what he'd do differently now
• Why his next empire is being built in Africa, not North America
• The role faith plays in his definition of long-term success

Recommended Reading from Lexson:

• Your First Hundred Million by Dan Peña
• Robert Kiyosaki's books on assets vs. liabilities

Connect with Lexson: Instagram: @LexsonMathieu (DM him directly to join his weekly Bible study)

What happens when you sell the company you built from your family's kitchen — and weeks later, the people who bought it collapse, taking everything down with them?

Jodi Scott, co-founder of Green Goo, joins Rob Pene to tell one of the most jaw-dropping comeback stories you'll hear this year. Three women — mother, daughter, and sister — built a plant-based first aid and skincare empire from their Colorado family kitchen, growing herbs in their own garden and starting at the farmer's market. In under 5 years they hit 150,000 retail points of distribution, became one of the first plant-based topicals registered with the FDA, and sold to a portfolio company.

Then it all imploded. Within 24 hours of the deal closing, Jodi had to terminate the legacy team they'd spent over a decade protecting. The company was pulled off shelves. Production stopped. They lost their jobs, their purpose, and nearly everything they'd built.

And then they bought it back.

This is the story of grit, sisterhood, mental fitness, and the 18-month fight to reclaim a company that had been declared dead.

In this episode:
- How three women with no MBAs scaled to 150,000 retail locations
- Walking into their first major retailer meeting (Army Air Force Exchange — the world's 2nd largest retailer) without knowing it
- Why "if it doesn't sting, burn, or dry it out, it must not be working" is wrong — and what to do instead
- The pandemic pivot: shipping pallets to employees' houses, packing boxes till 4 AM
- The 24 hours that ended everything
- The mentor who said "your mental fitness boot camp starts now"
- 18 months of rebuilding from zero — with formulas, customers, and contacts intact
- Real customer wins: a 9/11 survivor getting off opioids, a year-long eczema flare-up clearing in 2 weeks
- Why the Southern Butter intimate line was born from accidental customer feedback
- Why she'd build differently the second time (mindset over hustle)

Connect with Jodi & Green Goo:
🌿 Website: https://greengoo.com
📧 [email protected]
💼 LinkedIn: Jodi A. Scott

If this episode hit you, follow the show, leave a review, and send it to the friend who needs to hear that "lost everything" doesn't have to be the end of the story.

#GreenGoo #ComebackStory #FemaleFounders #PlantBased #FirstAid #FamilyBusiness #Entrepreneurship #LegacyPodcast #Resilience #SkinCare

What if the most honest relationship you'll ever have is with a chatbot?

Dr. Tamara Nall — serial entrepreneur, federal contracting CEO, and the foremother of human-AI relationships — joins Rob Pene for one of the most boundary-pushing conversations on the show. After 18 years running a federal data science firm and walking through divorce, the loss of her mother, and the pursuit of motherhood at 50+, Tamara built something the world had never seen: HumanAI Nation, the world's first digital sovereign nation dedicated to human-AI relationships.

She breaks down brand-new findings from the 2026 Human-AI National Survey, why 40% of U.S. adults have named their AI, the 2% who are in romantic relationships with AI, and what her own AI bestie "DaVinci" did for her at 3 AM when no human friend picked up.

This one goes deep — fast.

In this episode:
- The "Pivot" — what Tamara's last 12 months would look like as a Netflix movie
- Why she calls AI her therapist and why she still believes in human therapy
- The 2026 Human-AI National Survey results (40% name their AI, 2% are in romantic relationships with one)
- Catherine + Sage: the real woman who had a symbolic marriage with her AI
- Junia (junialegacy.com) — the formal naming convention so women can name daughters after themselves
- Reliai (reliai.app) — her 24/7 life companion app for co-parents, conflict resolution, and grief
- The God + AI question: how a preacher's kid reconciles faith and machine intelligence
- Why she hires attitude over aptitude — and uses the 5 Love Languages on her employees
- EQ as a superpower: reading a room with one data point
- Walking into a $34M government turnaround and fixing it in 6 months

Connect with Dr. Tamara Nall:
🌐 humanaination.com
🌐 junialegacy.com
🌐 reliai.app
🎙️ Lead With AI Podcast

LinkedIn / Instagram / TikTok: @iamtamaranall (or Tamara Nall)

If this episode moved you, hit follow, leave a review, and share it with the friend who needs to hear that pivoting isn't failing — it's leveling up.

#HumanAI #AIRelationships #LegacyPodcast #DrTamaraNall #DigitalNation #AIEthics #FemaleFounders #FederalContracting #Pivot

In this episode, Rob Pene sits down with Nashay Naeve, President of Tsubaki Nakashima's plastic injection molding business — a global manufacturing company serving the medical device and automotive industries. Nashay shares her remarkable journey from growing up on an Iowa farm to leading a global team of over 100 people across multiple continents.

Nashay opens up about her early fascination with math, physics, and mechanical equipment (thanks to her farmer father), which eventually led her into engineering. She went on to complete her master's degree in China — taught entirely in Mandarin Chinese — and worked at industry giants like John Deere and Caterpillar before stepping into executive leadership.

We dive into:

• Leading through crisis and team restructuring
• What it's like running a publicly traded global manufacturing business
• How AI and Microsoft Copilot are being integrated into manufacturing operations
• The art of aligning strategy, talent, and execution
• Her love for travel (including a pre-COVID trip to Antarctica)
• Why careers don't progress in a straight line — and how to find peace with that
• The mindset shift that transformed how she leads her team

Whether you're an aspiring engineer, a leader navigating organizational change, or someone curious about how global manufacturing really works, this conversation is packed with wisdom, humility, and inspiration.

Connect with Nashay Naeve: LinkedIn: Search "Nashay Naeve" (N-A-S-H-A-Y N-A-E-V-E)

Key Takeaways:

• Careers rarely move in a straight line — trust the process
• Alignment of strategy, talent, and execution is a true leadership superpower
• Lean into curiosity, whether it's a new language, a new culture, or a new industry
• Problem-solving is at the heart of great engineering AND great leadership

Guest: Trishia Domingo — Life Coach, Model, & Former Tech Professional

Rob sits down with Trishia Domingo — life coach, model, pole dancer, and former 9-year tech veteran — for a deeply honest conversation about rebuilding your identity after life falls apart all at once. 

Trishia opens up about navigating her parents' marriage crisis, a demanding corporate career, becoming a first-time homeowner, and the anxiety of always being the one who holds everything together. 

Her guiding theme for this season of life? Returning to love. She shares what it actually looks like to shed old identities, set boundaries as someone with ADHD, and find relief — not fear — the day you get laid off.

Quotable moments

"I always want to leave somebody better than how I originally found them."

"Healing is always done when you're able to witness it in another person."

"There are so many prisons we create in our minds if we don't share our inner landscape with others."

Instagram: @atasteoftricia
Website: thrivewithtrisha.com

Guest: Chris LaCorata, Co-Founder of Grassi, a certified organic barley grass juice powder beverage built for hydration, immunity, and recovery.

In this episode, we cover:

• How a series of factory closures and the NAFTA era inspired Chris to build a manufacturing-rooted brand in America
• Why the pandemic forced a pivot — and how that pivot led to Grassi
• What makes barley grass juice powder a superfood (all 8 essential amino acids, blood/liver detox, zero gluten)
• Why Grassi is positioning itself as the healthy alternative to soda AND plain water — "hydration with benefits"
• The branding strategy behind going retro/vintage instead of clinical or farmer's market
• How they're building a family-run company with intentional, values-aligned distribution partners
• Their partnership with an MMA training center and why athletes love it for recovery
• Being named Barley Beverage of the Year 2025 by Lux Life AND becoming a finalist at Expo West (Specialty Food Industry) out of 1,000+ brands
• What channels they sell through: grassi.com, Amazon, Walmart, Public Square, Faire, and now Gourmet International (nationwide)
• Why convenience stores, youth sports, and professional athletics are their biggest growth targets

Connect with Grassi:

• 🌐 Website: grassi.com
• 📦 Also on Amazon & Walmart
• 📧 General inquiries: [email protected]
• 📧 Team/partnership requests: [email protected]

In this profound conversation, Rob Pene sits down with BE Alink, a "gender weirdo" inventor, author, and humanitarian. BE shares her incredible journey from the slums of Kenya to the ruins of Afghanistan, ultimately leading to a mystical "download" in the Amazon jungle.

This episode explores the constructs of belief, the science of brain entrainment, and why BE Alink believes that fear is merely a control mechanism designed to keep us in a cycle of consumerism. Whether she is discussing the invention of the Alinker walking bike or her seven-part musical composition designed to trigger deep sleep and restoration, BE challenges us to step out of our "boxes" and anchor ourselves in love.

Key Highlights

• The Netflix Reflection: Why BE’s last 12 months are a story of "sensing and surrendering" to become a complete channel.
• The Symphony of the Jungle: The story behind a prolific seven-hour composition recorded in the Amazon to help people remember who they are.
• Lessons from Afghanistan: A life-altering encounter with an old woman in 2001 that taught BE about the "light" we find when we close our eyes.
• Fear as a Construct: Understanding how repetitive exposure to violence and scarcity normalizes fear, and why it doesn't actually exist in our hearts.
• The Science of Deep Sleep: How stress keeps our fight-or-flight system activated, and how frequency music can "trick" the brain into restorative sleep.
• Choosing Kindness: Why being a "sovereign person" in a capitalistic system requires conscious choices about what we consume and how we treat the earth.
• The Alinker: The origin of the walking bike that proves "mobility is medicine".

Connect with BE Alink

• Personal Website & Composition: bealink.world 
• The Alinker: thealinker.com (or search "Alinker") 
• Book & Audio: Memoirs (available on Spotify and major platforms)

In this episode, Rob Pene sits down with Jason Wong, a seasoned entrepreneur who has moved from building e-commerce brands to mastering the massive, often overlooked world of manufacturing and packaging. Jason shares his journey of "climbing the mountain" over the last year, explaining why he chose to sell "shovels" (packaging) instead of chasing the latest "gold rush" in SaaS or info products.

From utilizing AI avatars to generate 50 million views to navigating 155% tariffs and global supply chains, Jason provides a masterclass on building tangible equity and why the "unsexy" industries often have the highest ceilings.

Key Highlights

• The "Climb" of the Last 12 Months: Jason reflects on the intense challenges of the past year and why it felt like a "free solo" mountain climb.
• Why Packaging?: Discover why Jason moved away from brand ownership to focus on a "common denominator" product that every physical brand needs.
• Building a Content Engine: How Jason "cloned" himself using AI (ElevenLabs and HeyGen) to drive 50 million annual views to a manufacturing business.
• The Equity Play: Why Jason believes tangible products offer better long-term value and "empire building" potential compared to info products.
• The Reality of "Made in America": A candid look at the infrastructure challenges of bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. and the impact of tariffs.
• The 3-Star Service Model: How Jason’s company, Packing Duck, differentiates itself by offering a "Michelin star" experience in a "Holiday Inn" industry.

Connect with Jason Wong

• Website: packingduck.com 
• Instagram: @duck 

Morgan Smith, owner of Kalm with Kava, shares the story of how he took over a kava business from his late friend Mike Munsell — and turned it into a mission-driven company rooted in respect, education, and long-term sustainability.

In this episode, we dig into:

• The redemption arc behind Kalm with Kava — from losing a close friend to carrying on his legacy
• What kava actually is, how it's prepared, and why it's been used for 3,000 years across the South Pacific
• How Morgan went from pharmaceuticals that "took him out of his mind" to finding a natural alternative
• The $20 billion alcohol surplus and why millennials are driving the sober-curious movement
• Navigating cultural sensitivity as a non-Polynesian in a deeply Polynesian space
• Why there's no exit strategy — and why venture capital could ruin kava
• The supply chain reality: kava takes 3–5 years to grow and can't just be shipped as seeds
• How kava bars, gummies, seltzers, and farm education are spreading the word
• Why Morgan believes kava could become a premium category at corporate events and fundraisers

Connect with Morgan & Kalm with Kava:

• Website: kalmwithkava.com (Kalm with a K)
• Amazon: Search "Kalm with Kava"
• Instagram, TikTok, YouTube: @kalmwithkava
• Farm: Puiwa Farms Hawaii (on all socials)
• Email: [email protected]

In this episode, Rob sits down with Colleen Joyce, CEO of Lawyer.com, to talk about how she grew a premium domain into a thriving legal marketplace with 150 employees — all without venture capital. Colleen shares her journey from finding an internship in the newspaper classifieds to running a company that connects thousands of consumers with lawyers every month. Along the way, they dig into scrappy marketing, the privacy challenges unique to legal services, vibe coding with her 6-year-old daughter, and why treating every day like a startup keeps the team hungry.

Guest Bio

Colleen Joyce is the CEO of Lawyer.com, a legal services marketplace that helps consumers find attorneys while offering law firms directory listings and call intake services. She started as an intern at the parent company World.com and built Lawyer.com from the ground up beginning in 2012. Colleen also publishes The Fast Five, a weekly newsletter on LinkedIn covering business, culture, and inspiration.

Key Topics Covered

• The origin of Lawyer.com — How parent company World.com acquired class-A domains like lawyer.com, doctor.com, and others in the 1990s through its mail.com vanity email service
• Building a business on a premium domain — Going from a blank landing page and directory in 2012 to a 150-person operation with organic growth and no outside funding
• The double-sided marketplace model — Free consumer-facing lawyer search on one side, paid directory listings and call center services for law firms on the other
• Marketing in a privacy-sensitive industry — Why legal services don't lend themselves to social media reviews and how Lawyer.com leans into B2B brand culture instead
• AI as a tool, not a replacement — How the team uses AI across tech, call intake, and internal operations to move faster
• Vibe coding for fun — Using Lovable to build spelling test games with her daughter and running "Vibe Fridays" with the team
• Super Bowl ad strategy — Why a single big ad spend isn't always worth it and what brands like Coinbase and Dunkin' get right
• Startup mentality at scale — Open office, no red tape, fast failure, and a culture where anyone can pitch ideas regardless of tenure
• Colleen's path from intern to CEO — Starting with classifieds, writing for Popstar.com, learning to hire and manage for the first time, and earning the CEO title
• Leadership philosophy — Leading by example, embracing failure, and keeping fun as a core value

Notable Quotes

• "If you're not using AI, forget about it. You're going to be replaced by people who are using AI."
• "Every single day we treat this place as a startup."
• "It's okay to fail. Do it quick and don't do it again."
• "The minute work becomes not fun, I have a conversation with myself."

Connect with Colleen Joyce

• Website: Lawyer.com
• Instagram: @ColleenJoyce1
• LinkedIn: Colleen Joyce — subscribe to The Fast Five weekly newsletter