The Matt Balaker Podcast

Jim Carroll has lived in many places and done cool things. Jim reflects on his experiences at Harvard Business School, the challenges of starting in investment banking, and the lessons learned throughout his career. He emphasizes the importance of understanding volatility and resiliency.MORE ABOUT JIMJim Carroll is a Senior Wealth Advisor & Portfolio Manager at Ballast Rock Private Wealth, an SEC-registered investment advisor providing personalized private wealth management solutions, curated investment access, and unique expertise in alternative investments. Jim has specific experience in the development and implementation of systematic tactical ETF strategies across asset classes including volatility. Prior to joining Ballast Rock in 2023, Jim spent four years at Tidal Financial Group and founded wealth advisor LongRun Capital Management in 2003. His previous experience includes four years as Chief Financial Officer of a NASDAQ-listed company and sixteen years as an investment banker with Smith Barney, Kidder Peabody and Bear Stearns. He also served four years of active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army. Jim earned a BA in Psychology from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Ryan Davis knows a good crab cake and the inner workings of the NY theater scene. Now he is the CEO of People First, the biggest influencer firm focused on social impact. He knows how to turn social media into a career path. Hear his story.Connect with him on X and Instagram at @RyanNewYorkwww.peoplefirst.cc

Toly Kvitnitsky emigrated from Ukraine as a child and landed in New Jersey. Since then he's worked as a caddy, tennis instructor, and now serves as the CEO and founder of AI or Not, an AI detection startup. It not easy, but he's having fun. Hear him discuss the importance of authenticity in a world increasingly influenced by AI.

Patrick Keane has traveled the world for the past 24 years performing stand-up comedy and has appeared on the Late Late Show, Live At Gotham, Comics Unleashed and Jimmy Kimmel Live. He has a comedy special on the Dry Bar comedy network and his work can be seen in his book The Patrick Keane Collection. Hear his take on comedy's past and future.

Michelle Harper grew up in Kansas, where she developed a love for basketball and math. Now she lives in Laguna Beach but never lost her heartland roots. Computer programming launched her career. Now she has a unique take on the future of the programming industry and how we can parent in the world of AI.Follow 'The BeEngaged Podcast' on YouTube & Insta ‪@BeEngagedNow‬

Michelle Harper grew up in Kansas, where she developed a love for basketball and math. Now she lives in Laguna Beach but never lost her heartland roots. Computer programming launched her career. Now she has a unique take on the future of the programming industry and how we can parent in the world of AI.Follow 'The BeEngaged Podcast' on YouTube & Insta  @BeEngagedNow 

Neil Twa is the CEO of Voltage Digital. Neil has been building online businesses since 2007 after leaving his corporate career with IBM. Through Voltage Digital, Neil launches, operates, and acquires e-commerce brands with a focus on the Amazon FBA channel.You can claim a free of Neil's book by going to this link https://www.voltagedm.com/freebook and enter the discount code BALAKER.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa

Jo Ann Skousen is the founding director of the Anthem Libertarian Film Festival, the world’s only film festival dedicated to supporting filmmakers who create short and full length documentaries and narrative films with libertarian themes. Jo Ann completed her graduate degree in English Literature and began teaching at Rollins College. She taught English writing and literature at Mercy College and served as a co-director of the Learning Center. She also taught in Mercy’s degree-seeking program for inmates at Sing Sing prison. Currently, Jo Ann teaches English literature and writing at Chapman University in Orange County, California

Pablo Serrato leads data intelligence and AI strategy for Iron Light, specializing in sentiment modeling, audience segmentation, and AWS infrastructure. His work spans cybersecurity, product management, and user experience design at the intersection of technology and analytics.

A note from the guest, "“It is not 100% clear that there is a brown act violation and I retract that statement. And it's alleged that Tim Leary's son never stole records. He just gave them away."

Newth Morris is a Managing Director at Ankona Capital in Laguna Beach, California. Newth was a co-founder of Telogis, which was sold to Verizon. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines.