In this episode Dr. John Torrens and Ken Davenport discuss how Stoic philosophy can enhance modern entrepreneurship. They unpack Stoicism's core principles—wisdom, justice, temperance, and courage—and their role in managing emotions and making sound decisions amidst chaos. Ken clarifies Stoicism’s focus on emotional management rather than suppression, the balance of present mindfulness with future planning, and the value of resilience in overcoming entrepreneurial challenges. Additional insights are provided on leadership, advocating humility and empowerment over authoritative command, and emphasizing rational decision-making and stress management techniques.  

About Ken Davenport:  

Ken Davenport is an entrepreneur, writer, and speaker based in San Diego, California. Ken’s built multiple businesses, lived in Switzerland as a kid, did his graduate work in London, spent a nomadic year in Tokyo, where he learned Japanese (or tried), and now spends much of his free time teaching the virtues of Stoicism as an antidote to the chaos of modern life. He is currently the co-founder and CEO of Mission Edge, a social enterprise which helps build capacity among nonprofits and underserved small businesses across the United States. Ken teaches the Boots to Business course for the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University and speaks frequently on veteran transition, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Ken earned his BA and Master’s Degrees from the University of California, San Diego and a Masters in International Relations from the London School of Economics. His most recent book is The Stoic Edge: How to Overcome Resistance, Build Resilience and Live Your Best Life. 

In this episode Dr. John Torrens and Olivia Bowser discuss the importance of mental fitness for entrepreneurs. Olivia shares her journey of overcoming anxiety and burnout, leading to the creation of Liberate, a business focused on mental health. They unpack the concept of mental muscles™—presence, courage, gratitude, confidence, and resilience. Olivia also addresses overcoming imposter syndrome through self-awareness and gratitude and emphasizes the impacts of social media on self-worth. She reflects on her Shark Tank experience and the role of positive outlooks in leveraging challenges as growth opportunities. 

About Olivia:  

Olivia Bowser is a leading voice for wellbeing and mental health in the workplace. She was listed as Forbes 30 Under 30 as the visionary behind mainstreaming mental fitness at work and in life and trade marking Mental Muscles™. Olivia is the CEO & founder of Liberate and is a certified meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and breathwork teacher. Her Liberate journal is Amazon's Choice for mental health journals. She has been featured in renowned publications as a mental fitness expert and has led talks and workshops for hundreds of global organizations. Her work in mental health and wellbeing is especially relevant for entrepreneurs for a variety of reasons. It’s clear from the literature that entrepreneurs work famously hard and often to their own detriment, but that there is a real ROI in prioritizing overall wellbeing, including mental health. 

In this episode, Dr. John Torrens and Dr. Elie Gottlieb discuss the vital role of sleep in entrepreneurship. They explore how factors like alcohol, cannabis, and light exposure affect sleep quality and, in turn, cognitive performance and innovation. The conversation addresses the 'sleep paradox,' where entrepreneurs often sacrifice sleep to advance their ventures despite its crucial role in creativity and emotional regulation. Practical strategies for improving sleep are shared, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI), strategic napping, and personalized wind-down routines, highlighting the long-term benefits of quality sleep for sustaining success in entrepreneurship. 

About Dr. Elie Gottlieb: 

Dr. Elie Gottlieb is a sleep neuroscientist with over 10 years of sleep, circadian rhythm, and neuroscience research experience across academia (clinical neuroscience) and industry (Fortune100and startup). He is currently the Head of Applied Sleep Science at Sleep Score Labs, aB2B consumer sleep tech company offering evidence-based sleep APIs and R&D services to characterize and improve population sleep health. Prior to joining Sleep Score, Dr. Gottlieb led a team of researchers at Johnson & Johnson working on the Lake Nona Life Project, a multi-generational study aimed at identifying behavioral health factors that contribute to long-term health and wellness. He remains a Visiting Researcher at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and University of Melbourne in Australia where he investigates associations between cerebrovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, and sleep-wake dysfunction. He publishes what he preaches—leveraging user-generated big health data, he has over 50 peer-reviewed publications, conference abstracts, and book chapters. His areas of interest are in sleep neuroscience, consumer sleep and health technology, big-data, behavior change science, UI/UX, and science communication. 

In this inaugural episode of The Total Entrepreneur: Mind, Body, and Spirit podcast, host Dr. John Torrens introduces himself and the aims of the show. Dr. Torrens discusses the importance of balancing mental, physical, and spiritual health for entrepreneurial success, shares insights from his personal entrepreneurial journey, and emphasizes the integration of academic research with actionable advice. Future episodes will feature expert guests from various fields, providing entrepreneurs with practical strategies to enhance their performance and well-being.  

About Dr. John Torrens:  

Dr. Torrens is a Professor of Entrepreneurial Practice at Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management. He has been teaching, mentoring, and coaching aspiring and established entrepreneurs for over 15 years. He is also the Deputy Department Chair and Program Manager for the full time MS in Entrepreneurship and the online Entrepreneurship@Syracuse program, where he oversees the curriculum, faculty, and student outcomes. In addition to my academic role, Dr. Torrens is the Executive Director of Sprout Therapy Group and Sprout Therapy Management, two companies that provide early childhood special education and therapy services and solutions. He founded and lead these ventures with the mission of improving the lives of children and families with developmental needs. Lastly, he is a Fulbright Specialist, an author, a board member, and a TEDx speaker, with expertise in speech and language therapy, social networking, new business development, and leadership development.