The Matthews Mentality Podcast

In this episode of the Matthews Mentality Podcast, Kyle Matthews sits down with Will Harris, fourth-generation cattleman, regenerative agriculture pioneer, and owner of White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Georgia. What was once a conventional industrial cattle operation has become one of the most recognized regenerative farms in the world, raising 10 species of livestock across more than 3,200 acres.

Will shares why he walked away from industrial farming in the mid-1990s, the animal welfare moment that changed his perspective forever, and how rebuilding his farm around nature's systems transformed the land, the business, and his community. Today, White Oak Pastures processes its own animals, ships premium meat directly to consumers nationwide, and has become a global model for regenerative agriculture.

The conversation explores regenerative farming, soil health, carbon sequestration, food labeling, animal welfare, rural economic development, and why consumers have more power over the food system than they realize.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Why Will Harris abandoned industrial cattle farming
• What regenerative agriculture actually means
• The truth about industrial beef production
• How regenerative farming improves soil health and biodiversity
• Carbon sequestration and the environmental impact of regenerative beef
• The role of pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, hormones, and monoculture farming
• Why White Oak Pastures processes livestock on-site
• The economics of regenerative agriculture
• Country-of-origin labeling and why it matters
• How consumers can reshape the food industry
• Revitalizing rural America through local agriculture
• White Oak Pastures' partnership with Silicon Ranch for solar grazing
• Lessons from four generations of farming
• Will's book, A Bold Return to Giving a Damn

Will also discusses the importance of transparency in food production, rebuilding local economies through agriculture, and why leaving the land healthier than you found it should be every farmer's goal.

Whether you're interested in farming, sustainability, nutrition, entrepreneurship, environmental conservation, or simply understanding where your food comes from, this conversation offers an insightful look at one of the most important conversations happening in agriculture today.

Follow Will Harris:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiteoakpastures

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhiteOakPastures

Learn More About White Oak Pastures:

Website: https://whiteoakpastures.com

Read Will's Book:

A Bold Return to Giving a Damn

https://whiteoakpastures.com/pages/book

Follow Kyle Matthews CEO:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylematthewsceo

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kylematthewsceo

X: https://x.com/kylematthewsceo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylematthewsceo

In this episode of the Matthews Mentality Podcast, Kyle Matthews sits down with David Bakhtiari, two-time First-Team All-Pro, five-time Pro Bowler, and one of the greatest left tackles of his generation. Over 11 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, David protected Aaron Rodgers' blind side, helped lead the Packers to consistent playoff runs, and established himself as one of the NFL's premier offensive linemen.

David shares his incredible journey from being an overlooked high school recruit to earning a scholarship at the University of Colorado, declaring early for the NFL Draft, and eventually becoming a cornerstone of the Packers franchise. He opens up about draft day, earning Aaron Rodgers' trust, negotiating life-changing contracts, managing wealth, and the devastating ACL injury that ultimately changed the trajectory of his career.

The conversation also explores player safety, artificial turf versus natural grass, mental resilience, identity after professional sports, and what it truly takes to compete at the highest level for more than a decade.

Topics covered in this episode:

• David Bakhtiari's journey from Colorado to the Green Bay Packers
• Protecting Aaron Rodgers and life as an NFL left tackle
• What Aaron Rodgers told him before his first NFL start
• NFL Draft day, combine interviews, and falling to the fourth round
• The mentality required to become a First-Team All-Pro
• Offensive line techniques, preparation, and consistency
• Negotiating NFL contracts and building long-term wealth
• Real estate investing and financial discipline
• Behind the scenes of the Packers' Pitch Perfect 2 cameo
• The ACL injury that changed everything
• Multiple knee surgeries, rehabilitation, and returning to football
• Why David has become an advocate for player safety and natural grass fields
• Coping with retirement and finding purpose after football

David also reflects on the emotional side of professional sports, sharing what it was like to lose the game he loved, the challenges of rebuilding after injury, and the lessons he's carrying into the next chapter of his life.

Whether you're an NFL fan, athlete, entrepreneur, or someone navigating setbacks in your own career, this conversation offers an honest look at resilience, discipline, leadership, and what it takes to perform at an elite level.

Follow David Bakhtiari:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidbakhtiari

X: https://x.com/DavidBakhtiari

Follow Kyle Matthews CEO:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylematthewsceo

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kylematthewsceo

X: https://x.com/kylematthewsceo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylematthewsceo

00:00 Don't Get Me Killed

00:54 Meet David Bakhtiari

02:17 Life After Football

04:08 Staying Fit After the NFL

06:42 From High School to College Offers

08:42 Choosing Colorado

11:50 Earning the Starting Job

15:04 Welcome to College Football

17:23 Realizing the NFL Was Possible

18:56 Declaring for the NFL Draft

22:59 NFL Combine Stories

25:34 Draft Day Slide

27:55 The Green Bay Packers Call

30:45 The Beach Meeting

32:10 FIFA with Aaron Rodgers

32:56 Clay Matthews' Welcome

34:19 First NFL Start

37:26 "Don't Get Me Killed"

39:17 Why I Wore #69

41:44 The Elbow Brace

43:01 Pitch Perfect 2 Cameo

49:51 Becoming an All-Pro

52:15 The Mental Side of Offensive Line Play

55:50 Signing a Big Contract

01:00:33 Money Habits & Investing

01:02:27 Tearing My ACL

01:03:10 Turf vs. Grass Debate

01:04:20 Why Turf Feels Different

01:07:09 Stadiums, Money & Player Safety

01:09:47 The MRI

01:12:58 Cartilage Damage & Multiple Surgeries

01:16:30 The Two-Year Rehab

01:17:41 Finding Identity After Football

01:21:58 Missing the Game

01:24:59 Aaron Rodgers Stories

01:26:17 Rapid Fire NFL Questions

01:32:20 Closing Thoughts

In this episode of the Matthews Mentality Podcast, Kyle Matthews sits down with Dr. Abbie Marono, behavioral scientist, author, and international expert on trust, influence, body language, and human behavior.

Dr. Marono has trained the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and numerous federal agencies on behavioral analysis, interviewing, and nonverbal communication. In this conversation, she explains how to better understand people, build trust faster, communicate more effectively, and become a stronger leader by learning the science behind human behavior.

Beyond the research, Abbie shares her incredible personal journey through addiction, homelessness, trauma, and rebuilding her life into one dedicated to helping others better understand themselves and the people around them.

Topics covered in this episode:

• How to read body language without falling for common myths
• Why body language often reveals more than words
• The science behind trust, influence, and first impressions
• Fight-or-flight responses and what they reveal about behavior
• Self-soothing behaviors, confidence, and anxiety cues
• Why context and cue clusters matter more than individual gestures
• The psychology of negotiation and influence
• Emotional regulation and the hidden side of leadership
• How curiosity creates stronger conversations and better outcomes
• Dr. Marono's journey from addiction and homelessness to becoming a leading behavioral scientist
• Healing from trauma and rebuilding self-agency
• Training the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and federal agencies
• Why the best negotiators stop trying to "win"

Whether you're a leader, entrepreneur, salesperson, negotiator, or simply someone who wants to better understand people, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately in both business and everyday life.

Follow Dr. Abbie Marono:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbiemarono

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbiemarono

Website: https://www.abbiemarono.com

Follow Kyle Matthews:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylematthewsceo

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kylematthewsceo

X: https://x.com/kylematthewsceo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylematthewsceo

00:00 Listen to Understand

00:45 Meet Dr. Abbie Marono

02:47 Why Body Language Matters

04:33 Fight or Flight Signals

06:29 Confidence and Self-Soothing

08:39 Reading Proximity Cues

12:11 Smiles and Building Trust

14:52 Influence vs. Manipulation

16:03 Addiction, Homelessness & Recovery

22:15 The Turning Point

23:14 Rebuilding After Trauma

27:56 Back to School & Finding Mentors

32:48 Research, Joe Navarro & Behavioral Science

41:48 Reading Context, Not Just Cues

43:57 Trauma and Mental Contamination

48:52 Intuition vs. Trauma

49:26 A Relationship Turns Dark

50:48 Betrayal and Assault

51:36 Feeling Trapped

53:14 Family, Healing & Recovery

54:29 The Science of Emotional Shutdown

56:23 Healing Through Safe Relationships

59:03 The Hidden Half of Leadership

01:01:39 Joe Navarro's Influence

01:06:10 Training Federal Agents

01:08:54 Building Trust Under Stress

01:12:08 Executive Blind Spots

01:19:50 Why Personal Becomes Professional

01:21:31 Self-Reflection and Shame

01:23:41 Rapid Fire: Body Language

01:28:54 Negotiation: Drop the Goal

01:31:42 Closing Thoughts

Kyle Matthews sits down with Ricky Silver, CEO of Daily Harvest, to discuss how one of America's fastest-growing healthy food companies is changing the way people eat.

Ricky shares his unconventional journey from studying chemistry at Skidmore College and pursuing a PhD at NYU to becoming a personal chef, working in PepsiCo's research and development division, leading innovation at Vita Coco, and ultimately becoming CEO of Daily Harvest following its acquisition by Chobani.

The conversation explores what it takes to build a mission-driven food company, why healthier eating has become unnecessarily complicated, how Daily Harvest sources ingredients from around the world, and the leadership lessons Ricky has learned while scaling a rapidly growing business.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Daily Harvest believes healthy eating should be simple

• How Ricky transitioned from chemistry into the food industry

• What he learned during his years at PepsiCo and Vita Coco

• Why Daily Harvest chose to expand beyond smoothies

• The surprising story behind rescuing "imperfect" bananas from Ecuador

• Why food safety is the foundation of Chobani's culture

• How Ricky became CEO and helped lead Daily Harvest through its acquisition by Chobani

• Leadership lessons from competitive sports

• Why the best managers are "kind, not nice"

• The importance of curiosity, accountability, and building high-performing teams

In this episode of the Matthews Mentality Podcast, Kyle Matthews sits down with Paul Tran, founder and CEO of MANSCAPED, the company that transformed men’s grooming by creating an entirely new category and turning it into a global brand.

Born in Vietnam and arriving in America as a first-generation immigrant with his family, Paul’s story is a true example of the American Dream. From growing up in poverty and putting himself through USC to launching multiple businesses and eventually building MANSCAPED into one of the most recognized names in consumer products, Paul shares the lessons, sacrifices, and mindset that fueled his entrepreneurial journey.

Kyle and Paul discuss entrepreneurship, risk-taking, scaling a startup, leadership, work-life balance, AI, branding, family, philanthropy, and what it takes to build a category-defining company from scratch.

Time Stamp:

00:00 No Work Life Balance

00:38 Meet Paul Tran

01:51 Vietnam to America

06:40 Early Hustle Mindset

09:18 Turning Grades Around

10:30 USC and First Ventures

14:11 Manscaped Origin Story

16:55 Validating Product Market Fit

18:56 Bootstrapping and Iteration

20:42 Humor Driven Marketing

23:40 Startup Chaos Stories

26:03 Motivation and Legacy

27:58 Scaling Beyond Below Waist

29:42 COVID Growth Challenges

30:34 COVID Baby Boom

31:02 Retail Wins Post COVID

32:11 Omnichannel Conviction

33:32 AI Changes Shopping

36:58 Founder Health Reset

41:13 Family While Scaling

43:06 Immigrant Parent Pressure

45:56 Buying Parents Homes

47:03 Giving Back Vietnam

53:05 Manscaped Picks Rapidfire

57:38 Wrap Up Thanks

Paul also shares touching stories about his family's journey from Vietnam, his commitment to helping orphaned children, and why creating opportunities for others has become his greatest motivation.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, founder, executive, immigrant chasing the American Dream, or someone looking to build a meaningful business and life, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom and powerful life lessons.

Follow Paul Tran:

LinkedIn: Paul Tran

Instagram: @paultran

X: @paultran

Learn More About MANSCAPED:

https://www.manscaped.com

Follow Kyle Matthews:

Instagram: @KyleMatthewsCEO

X: @KyleMatthewsCEO

LinkedIn: Kyle Matthews

TikTok: @KyleMatthewsCEO

#PaulTran #MANSCAPED #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #FounderStory #AmericanDream #StartupLife #Leadership #BrandBuilding #ConsumerProducts #Ecommerce #MensGrooming #AI #MatthewsMentality #KyleMatthewsCEO

In this episode of the Matthews Mentality Podcast, Kyle Matthews sits down with Jodie McLean, CEO of EDENS, one of the nation’s largest privately held owners, operators, and developers of open-air retail and mixed-use destinations.

Jodie’s journey is anything but conventional. She joined EDENS as a financial analyst fresh out of college and spent more than three decades helping transform the company into a real estate powerhouse with a portfolio that serves millions of people every day. Along the way, she became one of the most respected leaders in commercial real estate, served as Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and helped redefine what retail real estate can be in a rapidly changing world.

Kyle and Jodie discuss leadership, mentorship, career longevity, the future of retail, artificial intelligence, community building, and the lessons learned from leading through economic cycles, e-commerce disruption, and changing consumer behavior.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Jodie rose from analyst to CEO after 36 years at one company

• Why loyalty, impact, and long-term thinking still matter in today's business world

• The leadership lessons that shaped EDENS' culture and growth

• How e-commerce transformed retail real estate—and why physical places matter more than ever

• Why AI may increase demand for human connection, not decrease it

• What makes great communities and thriving mixed-use developments

• Her experience serving as Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

• The challenges and opportunities of being a female leader in commercial real estate

• Why culture ultimately beats strategy in building great organizations

• The importance of mentorship, curiosity, resilience, and taking calculated risks

Jodie also shares the story of nearly leaving EDENS, the mentor who changed her career trajectory, and the bold decisions that helped shape one of the most innovative retail real estate companies in America.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, executive, investor, commercial real estate professional, or someone looking to build a meaningful career, this conversation is packed with wisdom on leadership, purpose, and creating lasting impact.

Follow Jodie McLean:

LinkedIn: Jodie McLean

Instagram: @jodiewmclean

Learn More About EDENS:

https://www.edens.com

Follow Kyle Matthews:

Instagram: @KyleMatthewsCEO

X: @KyleMatthewsCEO

LinkedIn: Kyle Matthews

TikTok: @KyleMatthewsCEO

#JodieMcLean #EDENS #CommercialRealEstate #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #RetailRealEstate #BusinessPodcast #MatthewsMentality #CEO #WomenInBusiness #RealEstateDevelopment #CommunityBuilding #FederalReserve #BusinessLeadership #KyleMatthewsCEO

In this episode of the Matthews Mentality Podcast, Kyle Matthews sits down with Brian Finnegan, President and CEO of Brixmor Property Group (NYSE: BRX), one of the largest open-air shopping center owners and operators in the United States.

Brian’s story is a masterclass in leadership, patience, and long-term career growth. Starting as a leasing representative in 2004, he spent more than two decades working through nearly every operational role in the company before ultimately becoming CEO of a publicly traded real estate investment trust with 344 shopping centers, 62+ million square feet of retail space, and more than 900 million annual consumer visits.

Time Stamps:

00:00 Intro

00:55 Welcome to the Show

02:25 Understanding Brixmor Property Group

05:10 Retail's Resurgence

08:04 Supply and Demand Dynamics

11:19 Same Store Growth

12:51 How We Met

15:13 Networking as a Young Professional

16:49 Brixmor's Evolution and History

20:41 Lessons from Being Young

22:30 Philadelphia Roots

24:29 Getting Into Real Estate

26:49 Brokerage Lessons

28:33 Cold Calling Stories

30:56 Dealing with Rejection

34:32 Time Blocking and Prospecting

35:10 Maximizing Your Current Role

38:01 Moving Across America

39:37 Embracing New Cities

40:54 National Portfolio Experience

41:36 Market Expertise Matters

43:14 Career Growth and Relocation

45:20 Becoming CEO

49:07 First Quarter Success

51:59 CEO Responsibilities

53:13 Redevelopment Strategy

56:08 Work Life Balance

01:00:13 Technology and AI

01:05:07 Innovation and Young Talent

01:07:50 Advice for Young Professionals

01:10:01 Rapid Fire Round

If you're interested in commercial real estate, investing, leadership, entrepreneurship, career growth, public companies, REITs, retail real estate, or business strategy, this episode is packed with practical insights and real-world experience.

Follow Brian Finnegan:

LinkedIn: Brian Finnegan

Learn More About Brixmor Property Group:

Website: https://www.brixmor.com

NYSE: BRX

Follow Kyle Matthews:

Instagram: @KyleMatthewsCEO

TikTok: @KyleMatthewsCEO

X: @KyleMatthewsCEO

LinkedIn: Kyle Matthews

Subscribe for more interviews with CEOs, founders, investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders.

#KyleMatthewsCEO #BrianFinnegan #Brixmor #BRX #CommercialRealEstate #RetailRealEstate #REIT #Investing #Leadership #BusinessPodcast #Entrepreneurship #RealEstateInvesting #CEO #Retail #ShoppingCenters #MatthewsMentality #BusinessGrowth #NYSE #CareerGrowth #CommercialProperty

Nick Friedman, co-founder of College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving, joins Kyle Matthews to share how a 2003 summer hustle with a beat-up cargo van grew into a national brand with roughly 200 franchise owners across 40+ states. They discuss the origin of the name and the HUNKS acronym (Honest, Uniformed, Nice, Knowledgeable Service), why customers pay for convenience and clutter relief, and how systems from The E-Myth helped them scale. Nick recounts appearing on Shark Tank’s first episode, dealing with Kevin O’Leary’s negativity, receiving an offer from Robert Herjavec, and turning it down. He explains franchising pros/cons, self-funding for 15 years, culture and accountability, lessons from Undercover Boss, industry headwinds tied to housing, and the company’s giving efforts including domestic violence survivor moves and Tampa hurricane relief.

On the Matthews Mentality podcast, host Kyle Matthews interviews four-time founder and Kasheesh CEO Sam Miller, who dropped out of college, bootstrapped early companies, achieved three exits, and now leads a fintech platform that lets consumers split purchases across multiple cards with no loans, interest, or credit checks. Miller explains Kasheesh’s origin as a response to predatory buy-now-pay-later lending, its evolution from a browser extension to Apple Pay/Google Pay, and growth to 110,000+ users and $72M+ in transactions. They discuss fundraising challenges, differences between bootstrapping and venture-backed startups, lessons from working in VC, and how consumer usage shifted from discretionary spending to essentials like rent and utilities. The conversation also covers AI’s impact on work, economic warning signs, and Kasheesh roadmap features like Replay, group payments, and rent reporting to credit bureaus.

In this episode of the Matthews Mentality Podcast, Kyle Matthews interviews Neil Hershman, CEO of 16 Handles, entrepreneur, franchise operator, Everest summiter, endurance athlete, and business owner.

Neil shares how he left a hedge fund career at 23 years old, bought a single 16 Handles frozen yogurt franchise with an SBA loan, and scaled it into a rapidly growing national franchise brand with nearly 80 locations.

This episode covers entrepreneurship, franchising, business growth, leadership, scaling a company, SBA loans, franchise ownership, investing, mental toughness, endurance training, and building a successful consumer brand.

Topics covered in this episode:

• How Neil Hershman bought and scaled 16 Handles
• Growing a franchise business from 1 location to nearly 80 stores
• Using SBA loans to buy a business
• Entrepreneurship and startup lessons
• Scaling operations and franchise systems
• Leadership lessons from business and endurance sports
• Climbing Mount Everest and completing ultra-endurance races
• Balancing business growth, family, and personal performance
• The future expansion of 16 Handles across the United States
• How community-driven brands win in today’s market

If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, franchising, startups, scaling a business, investing, business leadership, or founder stories, this episode is packed with insights and practical lessons.

Follow 16 Handles:

Instagram: @16handles

Website: https://16handles.com

Follow Kyle Matthews:

Instagram: @KyleMatthewsCEO

TikTok: @KyleMatthewsCEO

X: @KyleMatthewsCEO

LinkedIn: Kyle Matthews

Subscribe for more interviews with entrepreneurs, CEOs, investors, athletes, and high performers.