The Genuinely Interested Podcast

Martin Gregus moved from Slovakia to Canada back in 2004, little did he imagine what the future might hold for him. Martin recently won the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year award from the Natural History Museum for his now-viral photo series chronicling the summer lives of polar bears on the western coast of Hudson Bay. The first time I saw those images on Instagram, I had a hard time believing they were real, I've just never seen polar bears shot in such a way or in such a setting before. His photos really show the bears in an intimate way, as if giving you a peek into their personal lives & personality. Martin has won multiple awards and has had his images published in many publications including the coveted National Geographic. In order to get these amazing photos Martin had to spend 33 days in the Canadian Arctic, getting close to the bears and making sure they are comfortable with his presence so that he can document their incredible lives.

Martin and I discussed:

And much much more...

Martin Gregus

My Take: That old quote "find what you love and let it kill you" while extreme has kernels of truth in it. If you believe in what you're doing, all the sacrifices made in the name of achieving that goal are worth it, and all the hardships & hurdles are but the price you must pay before you arrive at your destination.

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Oren Schauble is a product & brand advisor to B2C brands, but also a content-creating machine!

He was the President of the public CPG company, Unrivaled Brands. Prior to that, he worked as a product development and marketing executive specializing in regulated and luxury products. In addition, he recently launched Hyper, he runs a newsletter and community for building physical products in our modern world and is part of the Builders Build Podcast. In addition to all that he regularly puts out video content breaking down trends, products, brands, and more in a fun, digestible fashion that is always entertaining to watch (and learn from).

To say he is a busy guy would be an understatement!

Oren and I discussed:

And so much more...

Oren Schauble

My Take: If you intend to grow on the internet, regardless of whether it is your own brand or a company, it pays dividends to invest in promoting yourself in the space in which you reside. Being part of a community, regularly sharing information and insights, and helping, but also learning is a great way for you to grow and cultivate the niche that you are actively involved in. Remember, sprint, not marathon, don't be deflated if things don't "blow up" overnight, the long game is the right game to play.

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Karoliina is a Muay Thai fighter, turned MMA fighter, originally from Estonia. She currently trains in Thailand full-time and is dedicated to becoming the best MMA fighter she can be - with her sights set on the world's most prominent MMA organization - The UFC. Although she is still young, her clear vision for her future and determination to accomplish her goals are awe-inspiring. Karoliina wants to represent Estonia on the world stage and with an impressive fight record so far, she is on her way to doing so. 

Karoliina and I discussed:

And much more...

Karoliina Arm

My Take: It's not easy to have a vision for yourself, especially at a young age. Most people go through life just working and trying to figure it out as they go, never really finding their 'true purpose'. If you are lucky enough to find something that you want to dedicate your life to which can not only fulfill your soul but your pockets as well, you have to go for it!

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Frankie is a Denver-based adventure/outdoors and travel photographer. His deep passion and love for nature clearly stand out when you look at his photos. It’s always fun for me to have a conversation with someone who shares my love for the outdoors. Frankie is the definition of someone who embodies their ethos and follows a life that is commensurate with the work that he loves. He moved to Colorado from Ohio in order to pursue his passion for not only the mountains but also photography. 

Frankie and I discuss:

And so much more...

Frankie Spontelli

My Take: You will never go wrong pursuing something you love doing, even if you don't succeed initially, keep at it. Its never easy but it is rewarding, especially when you finally achieve the outcome you desire. 

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Thibault Louis-Lucas, known as Tibo, is a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder of Tweet Hunter and Taplio. However, Tibo's entrepreneurial journey was far from an overnight success. Prior to Tweet Hunter, he attempted to launch & scale two startups with little success. 

His new approach was to launch 11 products, 1 every week or two, and see what sticks, i.e. what gets the most traction with users. 

Once they figured out what worked, then the real work started.

Tibo and I discussed:

And so much more...

TIBO

My Take: Failure isn't final, and success isn’t eternal. The key is to always progress, move forward and try new things. With the number of new tools available to entrepreneurs and online creators, it's never been easier to build. With that said, the standards by consumers for products have never been higher. The only way to ensure success is to try, try, & try again until something eventually sticks.

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Andrew Hamilton & Andrea Sansone are a couple who just happen to be two amazing endurance athletes with pretty incredible achievements. Andrew is not only the holder of the FKT (fastest known record) of climbing all of Colorado's 14ers in 9 hours and 21 hours but he is also the holder of the state’s 100 highest summits in one relentless push over 22 days, 16 hours, and 54 minutes. Andrea is the first person ever, man or woman, to climb 12 fourteeners in 24 hours which is only one of many records she owns. 

Together they are a power endurance couple breaking records all across the country and enjoying the mountains along the way.  

We Discussed: 

Andrew Hamilton & Andrea Sansone

And much more... 

My Take: There's nothing better than the mountains, they are this massive playground that is there for everyone to enjoy. If you are lucky enough to live somewhere where the mountains are accessible to you, take as much advantage of that privilege as you can.  

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Neel Parekh is the founder and CEO of MaidThis® & MaidThis® Franchise, which helps homeowners and short-term rental hosts (Airbnb, VRBO, etc) with their cleaning needs. They are the first cleaning franchise that specializes in short-term rental cleaning. The exciting aspect of all of this is that Neel created and scaled this lucrative business all while being fully remote - both him, and his team. Neel has been living the "digital nomad" lifestyle for many years, meaning he travels the world, while still working on his business full-time. 

Recently Neel decided he wanted to help other entrepreneurs who want freedom, so he created MaidThis® Franchise allowing other entrepreneurs to copy the blueprint in their local area. 

Neel and I discussed:

And so much more...

Neel Parekh

My Take: Technology has changed not only the dynamics, but the whole notion of what it means to work. From the days of working out in the field to grow our food, to the mines to source our energy, and then to the office space.  The workplace has forever been an evolving 'idea' - that has changed and adapted to the tune of the times. Nowadays, and moving forward, our definition of what it means to have a full-time job and go to the "office" is forever changed - which is an exciting concept with varied potential.

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Dr. Dave Rabin, MD, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist, board-certified psychiatrist, health tech entrepreneur & inventor who has been studying the impact of chronic stress in humans for over 15 years. He is the co-founder & chief innovation officer at Apollo Neuroscience, which has developed the first scientifically-validated wearable technology that actively improves sleep, relaxation, focus, and calm, using a novel touch therapy that signals safety to the brain. 

Dr. Rabin is a staunch supporter of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Just like anything, these drugs in the right setting can be an extremely beneficial & powerful tool that can help people heal past trauma and potentially even improve our general mental health. 

David and I discussed:

And so much more...

Dr. David Rabin 

Apollo Neuro

My Take: There's more we don't know than we do know. There are many plants, drugs, and natural ways that are deemed "bad" in a general sense but can heal people and have been found to be quite powerful under the right circumstances. Instead of demonizing drugs or plants (which are inherently not good or bad), we should be open to exploring and seeing if indeed there is a potential for good. 

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Alex Heiden is the founder and CEO of Closify His track record at such a young age only points to the fact that taking risks (calculated ones) is a worthwhile endeavor as the upside x the downsides. Alex's story should be an inspiration to any young person out there considering dabbling in entrepreneurship. Alex recently launched Trackify (a new endeavor), and in the future, he plans to launch more sister companies that will all complement and work in unison under the Closify eco-system/umbrella.

Alex and I discussed: 

And much more...

Alex Heiden

My Take: Take risks, especially when you are young - it's the best time. Before the marriage, the kids, the mortgage. Use that cloak of invisibility that covers you when you are in your 20s. Use it to take risks and chase dreams - build and fail, or succeed. At least you dared to do it, a luxury you might not have later on in life. So ya, take risks - dare to be great!

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Yossi is an Israeli adventurer, author, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and motivational speaker - known for his survival story when he was stranded in an uncharted part of the Bolivian Amazon jungle for three weeks in 1981. 

Inspired by the book Papillon by Henri Charriere, in 1981 Yossi decided he wanted to find his own adventure. He worked several jobs to save enough money to travel to South America in the hopes of exploring the uninhabited heart of the Amazon Jungle

In Bolivia, Yossi met a mysterious Austrian who claimed to be a geologist. This man offered to take Yossi and his new friends deep into the jungle, with the promise to see the indigenous tribes who lived there undisturbed- an opportunity Yossi and his friends capitalized on. 

This quest deep in the Amazon led to the eventual death of 2 out of the 4 people involved. As for Yossi, he spent 3 weeks deep in the jungle, with no food, compass, proper clothing, or really any way of defending himself against the weather, the animals, and harshest of all - the solitude. 

His time in the jungle, his rescue, his life after, the book he wrote, and the subsequent movie adaption have all been part of his long journey which I was eager to talk to Yossi about.

Yossi and I discussed:

And much more...

Yossi Ghinsberg

My Take: When everything is stripped from you and death is staring you in the face, you quickly realize a sobering fact, which is - all you have to rely on in this world - is yourself! While at the moment that can be frightening, in the long run, I imagine that feeling to be a liberating and empowering feeling. Speaking to Yossi and having had an experience myself, I tend to believe this truth more and more. 

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