We Live to Build

What is the surprising science of "puppy dog eyes"? It’s a complex cocktail of neurochemicals, led by oxytocin, that reduces stress, anxiety, and pain when humans and dogs interact . In this interview, Tombot founder Tom Stevens explains how dogs were selectively bred for millennia to have unique eye muscles that imitate human babies, triggering our innate need to care for them. This powerful bond is the reason he created an AI-driven robotic pet after his mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis forced him to make a heartbreaking choice—taking away her beloved real dog—a decision that turned him from the "good son" to the "villain" in her eyes. Check out the company: https://www.tombot.com

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🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - I Became The Villain to My Mom After Her Alzheimer's Diagnosis

03:47 - How Alzheimer's Turned My Sweet Mom Mean & Nasty

07:49 - The Guilt of Becoming a Parent to My Own Parent

11:14 - The Unsettling Reality of a Loved One's Cognitive Decline

15:17 - The Hidden Dangers of Psychotropic Drugs for Seniors

22:32 - The Human-Animal Bond is a Powerful Neurochemical Cocktail

26:14 - The Science of "Puppy Dog Eyes"

29:56 - How We Bred Dogs to Imitate Human Babies

33:48 - Why Our Robotic Pet Can't Talk

37:25 - A New Tool to Monitor Sundowning Syndrome in Dementia Patients

41:13 - You Don't Have to Be a Lone Ranger in Your Struggle

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What if the entrepreneurial journey isn't about finding your best self, but confronting the worst parts of yourself? According to CEO Mark Stouse, being a founder is a primal sort of situation that will bring out things that shock the hell out of you. In this brutally honest interview, Mark exposes the "killing it" lie, where founders project confidence in public but are in the proverbial fetal position in private. He explains why entrepreneurship is a path of pain and suffering and why you must finish the race or risk being worse off than when you started. Check out the company: https://www.proofanalytics.ai

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - The Disproportionate Effect a Founder Has on Culture

04:26 - The "Killing It" Lie: What CEOs Say vs. How They Really Feel

09:04 - Entrepreneurship Is a Path of Pain & Suffering

13:24 - Discovering Things That Shock The Hell Out Of You

17:52 - Why You Must Finish The Race (Or Be Worse Off Than Before)

22:09 - The Critical Importance of Market Timing

26:04 - The Tranche Funding Model That Prevents Dilution

30:48 - The Price You Pay For Playing Hardball With Investors

35:12 - Founders Are Athletes, Corporate CEOs Are Chess Players

43:33 - The Future of Work is Contract-Based, Not Full-Time

48:31 - Never Lose Sight of What's Truly Important

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What is the real impact of AI in sales? According to Global Chief Revenue Officer Alan Versteeg, for most people, it will just help you suck quicker. In this brutally honest interview, Alan warns that AI without the right intention will lead to more laziness and canned messages, further damaging the sales profession. He reveals that the top-performing salespeople in the world are not defined by their process, but by their value system and selling with a noble purpose. You'll also learn his advanced technique of "empathetic objection prevention" and the ultimate lesson for scaling any business: focus on who, not how. Check out the company: https://www.growthmattersintl.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

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Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - The Lifelong Lesson: Know What You Can't Control

04:54 - AI Will Just Help You Suck Quicker

09:30 - Treat Them Like a Client, Not a Prospect

14:02 - The Founder's Dilemma: Scaling Your Conviction

18:11 - A Sales Process is a Guardrail, Not a Production Line

22:40 - Empathetic Objection Prevention: How to Build Trust

26:49 - The Chef, The Recipe & The Ingredients: A Sales Analogy

31:10 - Data is a Tool, Not The Truth

35:17 - Values Trump Value: The Secret of Top Performers

39:17 - The Ultimate Growth Secret: It's Who, Not How

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Have you ever found yourself dating like a sales funnel? For entrepreneur Don Finley, it meant trying to "close" a date in three messages on an app. In this surprisingly personal interview, Don and Sean explore the uncanny similarities between business and modern relationships. They break down the confusing rise of the "situationship" , the unique six-month "contract" Don has in his current relationship , and how unfounded jealousy can destroy what seems like a perfect partnership. Check out the company: https://www.findustries.co

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

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Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - I Treated Dating Like a Sales Funnel

05:26 - Trying to "Close" a Date in 3 Messages

10:12 - Why I Quit Using Dating Apps

15:30 - The "Situationship" Lie: Why Modern Dating is Broken

20:51 - Dating in Asia vs. The West: A Path to Commitment

26:25 - Our 6-Month "Relationship Contract"

31:33 - She Was Perfect, But Jealousy Destroyed Everything

36:42 - How My Myers-Briggs "Shadow" Became My Partner

41:58 - The Hardest Lesson I Learned From a Breakup

47:23 - The Challenge of Finding Love While Traveling

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▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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After 920 CEO calls in just 90 days, venture capitalist Jeremy Barr reveals how I read people in the first 60 seconds of any meeting. He explains how to analyze nonverbal cues like eye movement, body language, and microexpressions, which he says account for 95% of all communication. In this intense interview, Jeremy also shares his brutal philosophy on resilience—that you must have a mission you are "willing to die for"—and his controversial take that burnout is not a function of time and energy, but a lack of emotional engagement. Check out the company: https://accerelatedcoachingbyjeremybarr.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - You Must Have Something You're Willing to Die For

03:50 - Why "Trying Harder" Won't Give You Resilience

07:31 - The "Seed Traits" I Look For in Every Founder

11:05 - I Did 920 CEO Calls in 90 Days. Here's What I Learned.

14:34 - How to Read Anyone in the First 60 Seconds

18:23 - The Conversation Algorithm I Used to Make 300 Friends

22:34 - Burnout Isn't About Time & Energy, It's About This

26:31 - "Start with Human Desires, End with Human Impact"

30:41 - Why I Reject "Power Law" Investing

34:47 - The World Runs on 3 Insecurities (Master Them & Win)

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▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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After doctors told him and his wife they could never have a family, Ari Tulla embarked on a 15-year journey to heal her. In this deeply personal interview, the CEO of Elo Health shares the story of his wife's thyroid tumor, the subsequent autoimmune issues, and the radical diet that ultimately saved them and allowed them to have two healthy kids. Ari also provides a masterclass on the realities of the startup world, explaining why most founders are just "buying customers" instead of achieving true product-market fit. Check out the company: https://www.elo.health

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - The Day My Wife Was Diagnosed With a Tumor

02:12 - "You Will Never Have a Family": Our Devastating Verdict

04:30 - Our 15-Year Battle to Heal Her Body

08:01 - The Anti-Inflammatory Diet That Saved Us

10:15 - Why The Modern Food System is Broken

12:54 - Startups Aren't a Sunday Drive, They're a Formula One Race

17:47 - The Product-Market Fit Illusion (A Techstars Secret)

21:30 - This One Meal Will Impact Your Entire Day

25:15 - How I Learned a New "Sense" in My Body

30:15 - A Controversial Truth: It's All Just Hormones

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How does parenting an autistic son change you as a leader? For entrepreneur Ken Cox, it forced him to change everything about his own perceptions of being a father. In this deeply personal interview, Ken shares his family's journey, from noticing his son was different at just six months old , to the challenging and expensive diagnosis process. He opens up about the daily realities of raising a nonverbal son who has "zero acknowledgement of consequence" and how the experience has ultimately made him a more human, empathetic, and present CEO. Check out the company: https://www.hostirian.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - Parenting the Son I Had, Not the Son I Wanted

03:09 - He Was Different From The Day He Was Born

06:20 - The Father-Son Bonding That Never Happened

09:30 - Our $6,000 Journey to an Autism Diagnosis

13:00 - A House Filled With Locks on Every Drawer & Door

16:04 - Our Binary Language: How We Communicate

19:28 - The "Tickle Button": How We Bond Physically

22:42 - He Knows He Has Autism, and It Frustrates Him

29:37 - Giving Him a Safe Space to Be Free

33:19 - A Life Without Filters: His Sensory Experience

36:52 - My Son, The Escape Artist

40:25 - The Most Important Lesson He Taught Me

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What's the biggest mistake in a business turnaround? According to top private equity investors, it's not firing people sooner. In this brutally honest interview, retail restructuring expert Michael Appel explains why making tough personnel changes quickly is the most critical factor for survival. You'll learn the first thing he analyzes in any struggling business (liquidity), the ultimate test for a company's viability: "If this company went outta business tomorrow, would anybody care?," and his insider's breakdown of the awful strategy shift that ended Bed Bath & Beyond. Check out the company: https://www.gentzlerhenrich.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

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Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - The #1 Regret: Not Firing People Sooner

03:42 - Liquidity is #1: The Only Thing That Buys You Time

07:28 - "We Need Your Help": The Art of Vendor Negotiation

11:08 - An Insider's Breakdown: The Real Reason Bed Bath & Beyond Shuttered

18:16 - The Costco Method: How Great Companies Create Loyalty

22:02 - The Management Team That Drove a Business Into the Ground

25:44 - The Ultimate Test: Would Anyone Care If You Vanished?

29:34 - My Prediction for the Next Major Retailer to Fail

33:15 - How Malls Are Replacing Empty Spaces

37:02 - The Simple Tech That Gives an Immediate Revenue Bump

44:34 - The Most Important Lesson I've Learned

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▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

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▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai

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What is the number one rule for any leader? According to veteran board chair Deborah Rosati, it's to be the last to talk. In this masterclass on leadership and governance, Deborah explains why speaking first as a leader can shut down conversation and bias the room. As the founder of Women Get on Board, she also gives her honest take on the differences between male and female leadership styles, highlighting women's more collaborative approach. You'll learn the truth about the massive information gap between a board and management, and why being on a board is the ultimate "team sport." Check out the company: https://www.deborahrosati.ca

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

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Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - Male vs. Female Leadership: A Board Chair's Honest Take

03:03 - I Wanted to Be a Businessman, Just Like My Father

06:05 - Why I Became an Advocate for Women in Tech

09:22 - The "Power of Three": My All-Woman Board Experience

12:45 - Why the Boardroom is the Ultimate Team Sport

15:44 - Getting Honest Feedback Outside the Boardroom

18:29 - The #1 Rule for Leaders: Be The Last to Talk

21:28 - How a Great Chair Sets the Stage for Debate

24:16 - Your Board Only Knows 10% of What You Know

27:26 - "Noses In, Fingers Out": A Director's True Role

30:22 - The Hidden Dangers of an Investor on Your Board

33:23 - A CFO's Guide to Analyzing a Budget

36:08 - The Most Important Thing I've Ever Learned

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What is the true cost of business bankruptcy? For Mark Musselman, it felt like losing 10 years of his life. For 18 months, his entire body was "bathed in cortisol and adrenaline every day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week" as he fought to save his multi-generational family business. In this brutally honest interview, Mark shares the story of losing his company, his wealth, and his entire identity. You'll learn how he reinvented himself and turned his greatest failure into his secret weapon in consulting, using powerful tools like strategic silence and a "committed, but unattached" mindset to win high-figure clients. Check out the company: https://www.mx5consulting.com

Book a 1-on-1 advisory session with me to apply these principles to your business: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

👀 CONNECT WITH SEAN

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@seanweisbrot

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/seanweisbrot

Inquiries: [email protected]

🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - The Day the Bank Called Our $11 Million Note

03:31 - I Lost 10 Years of My Life to Bankruptcy

07:05 - Losing My Business, Losing My Identity

10:28 - How My Greatest Failure Became My Superpower

13:37 - Getting Past the Lies to Find the Truth

16:56 - Why I Use My Bankruptcy Story to Win Clients

20:09 - "Let Silence Do the Heavy Lifting"

23:18 - The Art of Asking the Perfect Question

26:45 - The "Committed, But Unattached" Mindset

33:16 - Slowing Down to the Speed of the Relationship

36:26 - The 5 Clients That Drive 95% of My Business

📈 WORK WITH ME

▶ Book a Paid Advisory Session: https://calendly.com/wltb/advisory

▶ Sponsor the Channel: https://www.welivetobuild.com/collaborate

▶ My AI/Automation Agency: https://optimai.ai

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