Raw and Relentless w/ Bo DePaoli

Episode 90:

Adam Callinan, founder of Bottle Keeperand now creator of Pentane, joins Bo DePaoli to share his journey from building a $10M e-commerce brand to scaling businesses with AI-driven insights. Drawing from his experience selling to private equity, Adam breaks down the strategiesthat make a business valuable, profitable, and scalable.

Key takeaways include:
• Building an e-commerce brand from scratch with no investors or employees
• The importance of patents, brand, and customer loyalty in acquisition value
• How to scale profitably by mastering ad spend, margins, and contributionprofit
• Using AI and automation to optimize business operations and marketing
• Lessons from Shark Tank, private equity negotiations, and real-worldentrepreneurial challenges
• How Pentane helps entrepreneurs make data-driven decisions without guesswork

This episode is essential for anyone looking to scale a business efficiently, maximize profits, and leverage technology to reduce operational complexity.

Connect with Adam!
Website: pentane.com
LinkedIn: Adam Callinan

Episode 89:

Clifford Stephan, Chief Vacation Officer at Booze Vacation, joins Bo DePaoli to reveal how men in their 40s-60s can optimize their health, performance, and lifestyle without giving up social fun. Drawing from his own experience and scientific insights, Clifford discusses the impact of alcohol, sleep, diet, and stress on aging, testosterone, and metabolic health.

Key takeaways include:
• How moderate alcohol use accelerates aging and dysregulates sleep
• The importance of protein, nutrient-dense food, and proper meal timing
• Breathwork and sleep strategies to restore energy and focus
• Advanced blood markers to track metabolic and hormonal health
• Holistic methods to improve performance, vitality, and longevity
• How successful men can “update their operating system” for life

This episode is essential for anyone looking to balance fun, health, and peak performance as they age.

Connect with Clifford!

Instagram: @boozevacation
Website: boozevacation.com

Episode 88:

James Lang, a former COO and AI innovator, sits down with Bo DePaoli to reveal how businesses can leverage AI to enhance human potential, streamline operations, and secure company data. From managing complex workflows to teaching AI to act as a “thought partner,” James shares practical insights for entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Key takeaways include:
• How AI can handle repetitive, time-consuming tasks, freeing employees for higher-value work
• Building internal AI systems that your company owns, protecting sensitive data
• Combining AI with human teams to increase productivity and retention
• The pitfalls of outsourcing AI or relying on off-the-shelf solutions
• How AI literacy can transform your business and personal growth
• Real-world applications of AI agents in marketing, operations, finance, and compliance
• Why the next generation needs to learn AI responsibly for critical thinking and career readiness

This episode is essential for anyone looking to integrate AI into their business responsibly while empowering their team and protecting their intellectual property.

Connect with James!
Website: overlang.com
LinkedIn: James Lang

Episode 87

In this episode, Bo DePaoli sits down with Ben Baker, a 25-year communications veteran, to explore how companies can improve culture, align teams, and drive impact through communication. Ben shares insights from his decades of experience helping businesses, from gyms tohealthcare, solve complex operational and engagement challenges.

Key takeaways include:
• Why radical transparency builds trust and engagement
• How internal communications can save millions during mergers
• The power of internal podcasts, focus groups, and AI insights
• Recruiting, retaining, and motivating talent beyond just money
• Aligning leadership, operations, sales, and marketing teams for success
• How to create meaningful customer experiences through employee engagement
• Lessons from various industries including healthcare, not-for-profits, and B2B companies

This episode is essential for leaders, managers, and business owners seeking to understand how effective communicationcan transform culture, performance, and profitability.

Connect with Ben!
Website: iambenbaker.com
LinkedIn: Ben Baker

Episode 86:

Join Bo DePaoli as he sits down with TadFallows, founder of a private community for first-generation wealth creators, where high-net-worth individuals share strategies for investing, risk management, and lifestyle. Tad walks us through his journey from bootstrappinga niche medical research software company, scaling it over 10 years, and making a successful exit to helping others navigate complex financial decisions.

In this episode, you'll learn:

●      How to grow wealth responsibly after a major financial windfall

●     Why traditional banks and advisors don’t always provide the answers

●      Alternative investments with higher returns than standard portfolios

●     Tax strategies, estate planning, and protecting your assets

●     How community-driven knowledge helps first-generation wealth creators thrive

If you’ve ever wondered how the ultra-successful make complex financial decisions while balancing life, family,and risk, this episode is your insider guide.

Connect with Tad!

Linkedin: Tad Fallows

Website: toptradersunplugged.com

Episode 85:

Iran has long been shrouded in misinformation and fear. In this episode, Bo DePaoli sits down with Zolal Habibi, Iranian human rights and women’s rights advocate, to reveal the reality of life under Iran’s brutal regime and the ongoing fight for freedom. Zolal shares firsthand accounts of the 1988 executions of 30,000 political prisoners, the systemic oppression of women, and the courage of Iranians risking everything for democracy.

Key takeaways include:
• The history and complexity of Iran’s 1979 revolution and subsequent theocratic rule
• How Iran’s regime maintains control through fear, executions, and propaganda
• The pivotal role of women in leading the resistance
• The rise of organized resistance units and grassroots uprisings
• The 10-point plan of the National Council of Resistance of Iran to establish a secular democratic republic
• Lessons on resilience, courage, and long-term strategies for change
• How the international community can support the Iranian people without war

This episode is essential for anyone seeking to understand Iran’s current crisis, the human cost of oppression, and the hope of a free and democratic future.

Connect with Zolal!

Instagram:@ashrafi4ever

LinkedIn:Zolal Habibi

Episode 84:

Most business owners are trapped wearing too many hats, stuck in the day-to-day, and unsure how to grow their business while protecting their legacy. Brandon Moon, founder of TD Pine Advisors, shares how he navigated this exact challenge.

In this episode, Bo DePaoli talks with Brandon about running multimillion-dollar family businesses, hiring management to free himself from operational fires, and acquiring additional companies to scale efficiently. Brandon also dives into his approach as a value advisor: helping owners maximize the value of their business, position assets for future exit, and plan for continuity.

Key takeaways include:

• How to strategically replace yourself in your business to focus on growth

• Turning small businesses into scalable, asset-based companies

• Building the right bench and hiring the right talent to protect culture and legacy

• Lessons learned from family business and acquisitions during the oil & gas downturn

• How to prepare your business for a third-party sale or future exit

• Importance of business continuity plans, succession, and protecting family wealth

• Leveraging networks and referrals to acquire and grow businesses

• How TD Pine Advisors approaches valuation, value drivers, and actionable strategies

This episode is essential for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and family business operators who want to scale efficiently, protect their legacy, and build businesses that thrive without depending solely on the owner.

Connected with Brandon Moon!

Website: www.tdpineadvisors.com

LinkedIn: Brandon Moon

Episode 83:

Most business owners are leaving millions on the table and they don't even know it.In this episode, Bo DePaoli sits down with Doug Brown, a revenue and EBITDA optimization expert who has worked with thousands of companies, from small businesses to divisions of Intuit. Doug reveals the exact processes he uses to multiply earnings, streamline operations, and transform underperforming teams into high-converting machines.From uncovering hidden revenue leaks to optimizing pricing, referrals, and sales pipelines, Doug explains how small changes can produce life-changing results. He also dives into hiring top-tier talent, structuring teams for scale, and removing owner dependency to maximize company value.

Topics include:

• EBITDA multiplication and the real math behind business valuation

• How dormant client reactivation can instantly increase revenue

• Case studies: turning $324 in the bank into six figures in months

• Pricing strategies that increase sales without scaring clients away

• The power of referrals: $9.6M in recurring revenue from one tweak

• Removing owner dependence to achieve a higher multiple

• Hiring, assessing, and onboarding gold-star talent for different roles

• Lessons from Tony Robbins, Chet Holmes, and Russ (Rich Dad/Training Brands)

• Why most companies misinterpret data and miss predictable wins

This episode is for CEOs, founders, and business operators who want to grow revenue, increase margins, and run predictable, scalable businesses.

Guests: Doug Brown — CEO

Sales Strategies

Website: www.ceosalesstrategies.com

LinkedIn: Doug Brown

Episode 82:

Most gyms try to be everything toeveryone. Recess Fitness Club did the opposite and it worked.

In this episode, Bo DePaoli sits down with Taylor Metzger and Evan Duncan (co-founders of Recess Fitness Club in Dallas) tounpack how two independent personal trainers went from renting space… to signing a 10-year lease on a massive 24 Hour Fitness and transforming it into one of the most visually striking, culture-driven gyms in the city.

Their story runs through failure, parking issues, HVAC disasters, a backyard gym built overnight during COVID… and the moment they walked into the abandoned space at golden hour and knew: this is it.

But this isn’t just about aesthetics.
Recess is built on a philosophy: this is a place to train, not perform. No tripods. No influencer circus. Rerack your weights or pay the fine. Protect the vibe at all costs.

Topics include:
• How a COVID backyard gym sparked the Recess concept
• The moment they chose a “too big” abandoned 24 Hour Fitness — and took the leap
• Why Recess is intentionally not an influencer gym (and banned tripods)
• The $50 “ReRack Fine” policy and why members love it
• Building a premium brand that competes with Lifetime, Equinox, and low-cost gyms
• The real cost of lighting, design, and “wow factor” in modern fitness
• How the slide became a brand engine (and a viral growth lever)
• Membership caps, daytime memberships, and protecting the member experience
• Scaling to multiple locations without turning corporate and losing soul
• Lessons from Unreasonable Hospitality applied to gym operations

This episode is for gym owners, operators, trainers, and entrepreneurs who care about brand, culture, andbuilding something people actually feel when they walk in.

Guests: Taylor Metzger & Evan Duncan — Recess Fitness Club (Dallas)
Instagram: recessdallas

Episode 81:Most people think relationship problems come down to communication. Dr. Bruce Chalmer says that’s the biggest misconception couples believe.

In this episode, Bo DePaoli sits down with Dr. Chalmer, a psychologist with over 30 years in private practice to break down what actually destroys relationships… and what keeps them alive.

Bruce explains why most couples can communicate just fine, they’re just communicating mistrust, resentment, and fear. The real issue isn’t communication skills. It’s the inability to tolerate the anxiety that comes with honesty.

This conversation goes deeper than surface-level marriage advice and gets into the real mechanics of long-term partnership: stability, intimacy, gender dynamics, infidelity, and what it actually takes to repair trust when things break.

Topics include:
• Why “we need better communication” is usually the wrong diagnosis
• The two forces every couple must balance: stability vs. intimacy
• Why intimacy requires tolerating anxiety instead of avoiding it
• The hidden reason couples fight about small things instead of the real issue
• Infidelity: why it happens, and what determines if a couple can recover
• Why hyper-egalitarian relationships often struggle sexually
• The fear behind why men resist therapy and how to approach it differently
• What maturity actually looks like after divorce

This episode isn’t comfort. It’s clarity.

If you care about building relationships that last and learning the emotional discipline required to stay connected under pressure, this conversation is required listening.

Guest: Dr. Bruce Chalmer
Website: brucechalmer.com