388. Building An Empire From the Basement: John Svedese Surge Media

Today's guest, John Svedese, found a comfortable place to be himself, and it happens to be his basement in Brooklyn, New York. John is a podcaster, a family man, and someone who took care of his grandparents. He even had his dad intro Reena on his podcast.

In this episode, John shares his journey from growing up in a family of serial entrepreneurs to starting his own ventures and building an empire from his basement.
John talks about his early involvement in his father's background screening company, his entrepreneurial spirit, and how he transitioned from working in corporate settings to cutting cold cuts at a local supermarket to make ends meet.

He also delves into the challenges and rewards of balancing family life with his passion for podcasting.

John's story is one of resilience, creativity, and the importance of family legacy. He discusses the evolution of his podcasting journey, the various shows he started, and how he eventually consolidated his efforts under the "Basement Surge" brand. John also shares touching anecdotes about his grandparents and the impact they had on his life.
This episode is a heartfelt exploration of the American dream, the value of hard work, and the joy of building something meaningful from the ground up. Tune in to hear John's inspiring story and the wisdom he's gained along the way.

Key Takeaways

- The importance of family legacy and entrepreneurial spirit.
- Balancing work and family life requires resilience and adaptability.
- Building something meaningful often starts from humble beginnings.
- Podcasting can be a powerful tool for personal growth and connection.

Connect with John Svedese

- Podcast: Basement Surge
- Twitter: Basement Surge
- Instagram: Basement Surge

Connect with Reena

- Website: bettercalldaddy.com
- LinkedIn: Reena Friedman Watts
- Twitter: @reenareena
- Instagram: @reenafriedmanwatts
- Instagram Podcast: @bettercalldaddypodcast
We love hearing your feedback. Leave us a review, share your thoughts, and spread the word about this enriching episode. Share it with someone who appreciates the resilience and the importance of self-worth.

- (00:00) Each week I interview a guest, share the stories with my dad
- (05:27) PII works for major corporations to do background screening on prospective employees
- (07:18) Do you think most corporations don't look back 15-20 years
- (10:56) Your grandparents are both immigrants. What role have your grandparents played in your life
- (14:45) You talk about what you want your legacy to be and parenting your kids
- (15:44) How do you involve your kids in your work or in your passions
- (17:10) Talk to me a little bit about this empire that you're building called basement surge
- (23:26) Right, yeah. Exactly. And deal with me, you know, and stay with me. Not because he has to, but because he wants
- (23:42) When you found out you were expecting a daughter, how did you feel
- (27:59) Podcasting has helped me become more outgoing, you know
- (28:49) Jamie Bell got Paul Cubby Bryan on his show through Instagram
- (33:26) Is there anything that you would like to share about basement surge
- (36:11) My grandfather passed away from Parkinson's, and I took care of him
- (37:54) John's podcast reaffirms what podcasting is about