The T.R.O.N. Podcast

Raphael Groten is an acclaimed Vermont-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, and sound healing artist dedicated to the philosophy of "music as medicine." His genre-defying career spans over three decades, encompassing meditative ambient soundscapes, lively children’s music, and soulful collaborative projects.

His professional recording journey took a pivotal turn when his solo acoustic guitar debut, Journey Home, was produced by Grammy-winning Windham Hill Records founder Will Ackerman. Since then, Raphael has released a diverse catalog of music, including the #1 radio-charting native flute album Great Blue, the "world medicine groove" project Potential, and a deep-funk collaboration with his son under the moniker Leo & the Goat.

As a veteran music educator and sound therapist, Raphael creates from his off-the-grid tiny home on wheels in Vermont. He utilizes global instruments—from acoustic guitars and native flutes to handpans and gongs—to craft intentional audio journeys that reduce stress, inspire self-discovery, and cultivate deep inner peace.

Hiten Sonpal is an accomplished robotics executive and technology leader with over two decades of experience scaling commercial automation. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RISE Robotics, a clean-technology firm replacing heavy machinery hydraulics with fluid-free, ultra-efficient mechanical alternatives. Throughout his career, Sonpal has specialized in bringing advanced engineering research to massive commercial deployment.

Career Highlights

• RISE Robotics (CEO): Spearheads the commercial rollout of patented Beltdraulic™ technology. He has led the company through key defense contracts with the U.S. Army and Air Force, oil and gas sector sales, and multi-million dollar revenue milestones.
• Autonomous Ventures: Previously served as President of Electric Sheep Robotics and CEO of Mowbot, driving operational scale and hardware deployment across the automated landscaping industry.
• iRobot (16-Year Tenure): Held foundational leadership roles across both defense and consumer sectors. He managed the deployment of tactical robots to active military zones, and later led consumer product lines that shipped over 9 million units globally and generated upward of $2 billion in revenue.
• Education & Advisory: Holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Evansville, is pursuing an M.S. in Computer Science at Georgia Tech, and advises deep-tech ventures like Graze Robotics.

Gold Star AI is a premier B2B artificial intelligence automation agency specializing in the architecture and deployment of custom autonomous agent systems. Positioned at the forefront of the operational AI landscape, the agency helps mid-market and enterprise businesses shift away from repetitive, manual labor by engineering digital workers that integrate natively into existing enterprise software. The company was co-founded by Michael Krebs and Thomas Baker, industry educators who also teach AI Agent frameworks at Harvard Business School. Under their leadership, the agency advocates for human-centric AI development, designing automated frameworks that amplify human potential rather than replacing it.

To date, the agency has deployed over 2,545 custom AI agents across diverse commercial ecosystems. Through its signature "Discover, Design, Deploy" operational pipeline, Gold Star Workflows builds highly specialized solutions targeting business-critical bottlenecks, including automated inbox triage, AI-driven business intelligence, automated lead scoring, and multi-channel content engines. By systematically mapping workflows and auditing digital infrastructure, Gold Star Workflows remains a trusted partner for organizations seeking measurable ROI, scalable growth, and intelligent digital transformation.

Joining us today is an incredibly versatile storyteller who has mastered everything from gritty historical Westerns to high-seas swashbuckling adventures. Raised in the rugged mountains of Wyoming, his passion for the written word was sparked by his father, a passionate English scholar. Today, he is an acclaimed, multi-genre author whose meticulously researched books—like Magi Apprentice and Railroad Man—explore heavy themes of honor, faith, and legacy. Author Dan E. Hendrickson

Kevin Dias is a technology entrepreneur, software architect, and author based in Oyama, Japan. He is the founder and president of Ambiki, an innovative healthcare technology platform custom-built to optimize pediatric therapy practices. With nearly two decades of experience spanning investment banking, translation platforms, and healthcare, Kevin previously served as Chief Technology Officer for Sidekick Therapy Partners, where he engineered systems to scale massive clinical workflows. He is the author of The Problem-First Method (2026), a definitive strategic guide for founders, product managers, and developers looking to master user-centric product design.

Brad Newbury is a veteran Fire Captain, paramedic, entrepreneur, and author with over 40 years of experience in emergency services. He is the author of The Saved Effect: True Stories of Lives Reclaimed by People Who Were Willing to Act, a book examining the profound generational ripple effects that occur when ordinary bystanders choose to intervene during life-or-death crises. He is also the author of The First Responder Advantage, a strategic playbook designed to help emergency personnel transition their field skills into thriving businesses.

Throughout his career, Newbury has been a pioneer in medical education, founding the National Medical Education & Training Center (NMETC) to establish some of the nation's first online hybrid paramedic training programs. He also serves as the Associate Director of Prehospital Disaster Operations for the Fellowship in Disaster Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. A recognized expert in crisis leadership and risk mitigation, Newbury is a graduate of both the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Kennedy School National Preparedness Leadership Initiative.

Ron Luce is an American author, poet, and playwright known for his emotionally raw psychological realism and socially conscious storytelling. He holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Creative Writing, American Literature, and Rhetoric from Ohio University.

Luce’s work frequently explores themes of trauma, family dynamics, and systemic socioeconomic struggles. He is the author of Pie in the Sky and Other Illusions We Live With, a collection of stories examining societal deceptions and personal grief, and Walking on Nathan’s Grave, a mystery novel centered on a writer uncovering a century-old murder case. His experimental drama Once Upon a Waning Star showcases his distinct play-inspired narrative structure.

Alex Fredericks is a seasoned growth engineer, deep-health strategist, and the Founder & CEO of ToneWell—a pioneering wellness intelligence platform changing how we understand the human body.

After spending over 20 years building high-impact market engines and scaling over 50 consumer products, Alex turned his attention to a critical flaw in modern health optimization: data overload. Recognizing that consumers are drowning in complex health spreadsheets and wearable metrics, he founded ToneWell to act as a translation layer between subtle bodily signals and real-life daily action.

Under his leadership, ToneWell has bypassed traditional, hardware-heavy tracking models. Instead, the platform utilizes software that analyzes thousands of acoustic biomarkers from a simple, 30-second voice note. By cross-referencing these frequencies against a fixed spectroscopic reference library, ToneWell delivers an instant Performance Readiness Scan™. This zero-friction scan maps out real-time nervous system stress, sleep quality, inflammation, and hydration levels without a single blood draw or smartwatch.

As a Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Alex applies martial arts principles of fluid adaptability to early-stage tech innovation. He is a fierce advocate for user data privacy, refusing to monetize personal biometrics. Alex joins us today to discuss how your voice acts as an early warning signal for stress, how to optimize daily performance without buying more hardware, and why the future of wellness relies on analytics rather than just diagnoses.

Julian Schlossberg is an award-winning producer, distributor, and entertainment icon whose career spans over 60 years. From his early days as an executive for ABC and Paramount Pictures to founding Castle Hill Productions—one of the largest independent film distribution companies in the world—Schlossberg has been a driving force behind American cinema and theater. He has produced dozens of Broadway and off-Broadway shows, distributed masterpieces by Orson Welles and John Cassavetes, and represented monumental talents like George C. Scott and Elaine May. Today, he shares his decades of Hollywood wisdom through his memoir, Try Not to Hold It Against Me: A Producer's Life, and his hit weekly podcast, Julian Schlossberg's Movie Talk

Chris Amenechi is the Founder and CEO of SeatCash, where he's using artificial intelligence to change the way people buy airline tickets. A recognized innovator in airline revenue management and travel technology, Chris brings more than three decades of experience helping some of the world's leading airlines rethink pricing, merchandising, and the customer experience.

Over the course of his career, Chris has held senior leadership roles with Continental Airlines, United Airlines, Porter Airlines, and Copa Airlines, where he helped pioneer innovations in dynamic pricing, fare lock products, ancillary revenue, and airline merchandising. Today, he's channeling that expertise into SeatCash and its AI-powered platform, FareX.ai, which helps travelers and businesses know the best time to book flights with greater confidence.

Beyond building companies, Chris is passionate about the future of aviation, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship. He's an investor, advisor, and sought-after speaker who enjoys sharing practical insights on innovation, leadership, and the rapidly evolving travel industry.

If you've ever wondered what goes on behind airline pricing—or how AI is reshaping the future of travel—you'll enjoy this conversation with Chris Amenechi.