The Matt Balaker Podcast

Comic Matt Fulchiron took a 9 hour drive for a five minute set at the Hollywood Improv. The chain of events catapulted his career. Hear his story about comedy, marriage, and Brooklyn.  

More About Matt Fulchiron Known to those in the know as “The Full Charge,” Matt Fulchiron makes love to the mic with an elevated level of rhythm, vocabulary, and insight.  Matt has appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Your Mom’s House Podcast, and was the opening act on Daniel Tosh’s “Great Nor’Easter Tour,” as well as Tom Segura’s 2020 Australia Tour. 

He’s performed on the television shows “Comedy Central Presents,” “Live at Gotham,” “The Late Late Show” on CBS, “Last Comic Standing,” “Tosh. 0,” and “Last Call with Carson Daly.”  Matt’s style is incredibly unique, and his material is undeniably original.

https://thefullcharge.com/

If you're going to invest, pick fun industries.  

Marc Bushala is  an entrepreneur experienced in real estate, marketing, media,  and food and beverage. He’s founded  the private equity firm MAB Capital Management and was CEO of Angel’s Envy Bourbon.

MORE ABOUT MARC BUSHALA  

Marc Bushala founded MAB Capital Management, a closely held private equity firm, to invest in and re-develop industrial, commercial and retail properties.  MAB Capital has invested more than $100 million in real estate in Chicago’s River North, West Loop and Ravenswood neighborhoods and is currently developing two mix-use projects in Nashville, TN.

Law Smith's dad, played in the NFL but early concussions prevented Law from following his father's footsteps. So he channeled his hustle to grow his comedy and marketing careers. Hear his story and learn how to make more of your time.

https://www.lawsmithworks.com

MORE ABOUT LAW SMITH Experienced SMB Consultant and Digital Marketer with a demonstrated history of working in the Online Marketing industry. Possesses professional titles of PPC and Social Media Advertiser, Business Plan Writer, Website Producer, Digital Strategist, Productivity Advisor, Content Producer, General Business Administrator, Digital Designer and Stand Up Comedian.

Aaron Byzak is a mentor and body boarder. He’s received numerous accolades for his work in health care and advocacy, including 4 Emmys. He was on the San Diego Business Journal's 500 Most Influential list 3 times. And he’s an inductee to the Carlsbad High Hall of Fame.  

MORE ABOUT AARON BYZAK Aaron Byzak joined Tri-City Medical Center as the Chief External Affairs Officer in May 2018. In this role, Aaron is responsible for the medical center and healthcare district’s marketing, communications, government affairs, community engagement and patient transportation. Aaron also serves as Senior Consultant for Galvanized Strategies, a public affairs consulting firm, and provides strategic business support for Byzak Custom Surfboards and Pure Fun Surfboards, his family's business of more than 50 years.  

For more than two decades, Aaron has served in positions of progressive leadership in Emergency Medical Services, health policy, healthcare management and consulting. A well-known advocate in the areas of health policy, mental health reform, assisted living reform and alcohol and drug prevention policy and practices, Aaron is passionately committed to helping those from at-risk backgrounds. He is a prolific mentor who prides himself on assisting others in achieving their dreams. Aaron has taught Strategic Career Planning: A 10-Step Guide to Realizing Your Potential, a program he created, live and virtually to more than 3,000 individuals including college students, healthcare executives, individuals experiencing homelessness and the formerly incarcerated, among others.  

Aaron is also founder and chief advocate of Hazel’s Army, a community advocacy and education group that in 2014 helped pass the most comprehensive assisted living reform agenda in California’s history. Hazel's Army's educational program, GreatGen2.0, has worked with educators throughout Southern California to promote intergenerational education through engaging storytelling. Aaron's presentation, The Amazing Life of Wilfred H. Mensching: A True Story from the Greatest Generation, teaches about major events and themes from United States and world history as seen through the eyes of a United States Marine World War II veteran, Prisoner of War and local community leader. That program, initially launched at Carlsbad High School, Aaron's alma mater, in 2015, has impacted more than 7,000 students. In 2019, Hazel's Army published Mental Health Policy and Practice Reform: A Local, State and Federal Perspective, a 42-page white paper outlining 30 needed behavioral health reforms at all levels of government.   

He has received numerous best practice awards and national and regional recognitions for his leadership and work in healthcare, public health, advocacy and communications, including four Emmy Awards. Aaron was recognized by the Health Care Communicators of San Diego County with the Communicator of the Year Award in 2017, received the Business Community Impact Award from the NAACP in 2019 and was chosen for the San Diego Business Journal's 500 Most Influential list in 2019, 2020 and 2021, among other recognitions. In 2022, Aaron received the Outstanding Social Responsibility Executive of the Year Award from the San Diego Business Journal and was inducted into the Carlsbad High School Hall of Fame.  

He earned his Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management and Policy from UC Irvine’s Merage School of Business, a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Chapman University and an Associate's degree in History from MiraCosta College. Additionally, Aaron earned certificates in executive leadership from Cornell University and hospital and health system leadership from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. He is Board Certified in Healthcare Management as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). Aaron resides in Vista with his family.

Early in his career, Ron Diamond witnessed the effects of mass layoffs. It changed his attitude and motivated him to forge his own path.  

Longtime investor and entrepreneur Ronald Diamond is the Founder and Chairman of Diamond Wealth.  He represents over 100 Family Offices ranging in size from $250 million and $30 billion.  Diamond Wealth invests in private markets (private equity, venture capital, real estate).  In addition, Diamond Wealth has divisions that focus on philanthropy, wealth transfer, investment banking, social impact, and governance.  

Ronald serves on the Advisory Board of 10 privately held companies and acts as Chairman for 4 of them. Ronald is also the Chair of two TIGER 21 chapters in Chicago and Chairs a newly created Family Office Group for TIGER 21.   A frequent speaker at Family Office and Alternative Investment Conferences, Diamond has spoken at over 100 conferences around the globe. Mr. Diamond is also the Founder of Family Office World — (www.familyofficeworldpodcast.com) a podcast whose mission is to educate the market about Family Offices.   

Earlier in his career, Mr. Diamond founded Pinnacle Capital — a $250 million hedge fund that outperformed the S & P index 10 out of 10 years — before ultimately selling his company to an international investment firm. Previously, Diamond served as a Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns. He began his career as an analyst at Drexel Burnham Lambert.    

Deeply committed to giving back, Diamond is an active philanthropist and civic leader. He serves on the Leadership Circle of the Aspen Institute and sits on the Board of several other charities and non profit organizations in his community.  

Diamond studied at Northwestern University, graduating Magna Cum Laude and earning his degree in Economics.

Michigan born author LA is one of the most prolific indie writers out there. He's written more than a dozen books including Between Heaven and Hell, Technically Magic, and The Rainbow’s End. Instead of waiting for someone to green light his projects, he did it on his own. Hear his story on the Matt Balaker Podcast.  

https://linktr.ee/lamichaelsauthor

@lamichaels1995

Zander Abrams is the Founder of the Cannabis Policy Forum where he analyzes cannabis politics, policy and regulation. He knows a great deal about the cannabis industry and the political shenanigans that hold it back. Hear his story.  

Zander is focused on macro trends affecting the cannabis industry and draws on his experience in political campaigns, lobby organizations, and his background as an attorney. Through his company, CPF Ventures, Zander works with cannabis operators, ancillary technology companies, and investors to build expansion strategies, manage public affairs, and to facilitate foreign entry into the U.S. market. Zander is active in private equity and debt markets, often interfacing to navigate challenging regulatory environments.  

Prior to founding CPF in 2019, Zander served for 5 years as an Area Director for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), where he oversaw a number of state operations in the Midwest. While at AIPAC, Zander led one of the organizations largest fundraising campaigns, effected political mobilizations across 35 Congressional Districts and 8 Senators, and delivered 20 keynote speeches a year. Before joining AIPAC’s professional staff, Zander was the Political Director and spokesman for a governor’s campaign in Minnesota.

Zander began his legal career working with tech trade associations to achieve  state funding for angel stage investments and has experience in criminal law, real estate transactions, and employment litigation. In college, Zander interned at the Minnesota House of Representatives, focusing on tax and fiscal policy.  Zander received his J.D. from the University of Iowa: College of Law, and graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota. He is based in Los Angeles, CA.

Claire Smith, the founder of humane investment platform Beyond Investing, is a vegan and environmentalist with 33 years experience in finance and investment at top-tier banks and investment houses. She took her passion to the market and created a platform to invest in a kinder, cleaner, and healthier world.  

Beyond Investing creates investment programs designed for animal advocates and climate conscious investors in both public listed equity markets and venture capital.  Claire is the founder of Beyond Cruelty Foundation, formed to campaign for zero animal exploitation and to fund safe havens for animals, which will also receive a portion of profits of companies under the Beyond Investing umbrella.  

Previously, she was a research analyst, partner and shareholder at alternatives advisory firm Albourne Partners, covering managers globally across systematic quantitative equity, convertible and volatility and hedging strategies. Claire also led a project to expand Albourne's proprietary database on alternatives managers and digitize the research process.  

Prior to joining Albourne in 2004, Claire provided bespoke hedge fund research to London funds of funds and published well over 100 articles in the financial press. From 1986 to 1998 Claire was employed at various UBS group companies as a derivatives broker, marketer and structurer. 

Claire started her career in 1985 as a credit analyst at Chase Manhattan Bank after completing a Masters program in Chemical Engineering and Management at Imperial College, London.   Claire founded 100 Women in Finance in Geneva in 2007 and oversaw its growth in Switzerland through till 2014, as a member of the London Board, organizing over 100 events, including seven Galas which raised well over $1 million for charity.   From 2013 to 2018 Claire served on the Board of AVVEC, a Geneva-based charity that provides support to victims of domestic violence. 

 https://beyondimpact.vc/

Ashley Ray is the most famous bisexual solo polyamorous black queer comedian, actor, and writer currently based in Los Angeles. In 2021, she was featured in Bust for her “whip smart TV criticism.” And yes, she’s also famous for smoking pot. She worked at the Onion before creating her own platform on TV I Say.  

In 2022, Ashley wrote on Adult Swim’s, ALABAMA JACKSON created by Donald Faison. Ashley was selected as one of HBO Max’s Queer Comics to Watch for 2021 and filmed a digital special for the platform. That same year she did a sold out hour at Union Hall in NY and debuted a new hour at The Yard Theater in Los Angeles. She hosts High Gear Comedy, a monthly live show with Barbara Gray at The Airliner in LA.   

Ashley is the host of the popular podcast ‘TV I Say with Ashley Ray’ which was featured in the New York Times as a 2021 Podcast Worth Checking Out.” She’s also been a guest on NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me and Seth Rogen’s Storytime.   

She is also known for her viral Shaun King video and post. Her newsletter about TV, pop culture and life as a solo poly bisexual dream babe was named "One of the Best 2020 Newsletters to Subscribe to That Will Keep You Informed and Entertained" by Marie Claire. 

 https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id...

 https://twitter.com/theashleyray