Three Rules

Asher Roth is a rapper by trade. He first plugged into the music industry in 2009 with his debut album Asleep in the Bread Aisle & his platinum single “I Love College”. But this podcast episode isn’t as much about those days as it is about his decision to unplug & start over. We discuss the process of taking ownership of your content & creating music for yourself, the difference between making an album in your closet vs the big industry studios (and where his best tracks have come from). We also talk simplicity, making change on the local level, social media, & how to get started. groundupshow.com

Alexis Wilkinson has written for HBO’s VEEP & FOX’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine. She initially pursued a degree as a biomedical engineer, but made a 180 to become a comedy writer. And the transition paid off pretty quickly. In her Junior year of college she was elected as the president of the Harvard Lampoon, a historic magazine with a 140 year history. We talk about PC culture, dick jokes, having a fallback plan & the art of bullshitting. groundupshow.com

Chris Temple & Zach Ingrasci are the filmmakers behind the Netflix documentaries Living On One Dollar & Salam Neighbor. They’ve made their name by immersing themselves fully into their films to learn as much as they can about their subjects. Whether it’s living on one dollar a day for 2 months in Guatemala or spending 30 days with Syrian Refugees. These guys are the real deal. In our conversation we talk about the mindset you need to have heading into big projects, can you be happy while living in poverty, and where the line between your creative field & entrepreneurship blur. groundupshow.com

Do you believe in the impossible? Ever since I started my podcast I knew there was one story I wanted to tell. There’s one person that has the ultimate ground up story. One person that has come from nothing and yet created so much. He’s a man that continues to give back and shows what’s possible with the right attitude. His name? Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. But there’s a problem:  The Rock is an international super-star & probably the busiest person on the planet. Me? I’m just a guy with a podcast that no one listens to. How the hell am I going to achieve this oddly specific dream? That’s where you come in. I’ve created a website with a huge tweet button that auto-generates new messages for The Rock. I believe with the right energy, the right message, we can inspire The Rock to come on my podcast. And if we can do that… we I think we can inspire the world. gettherockonmattspodcast.com #gettherockonmattspodcast Oh yeah and in this episode I answer questions from the audience.

The Minimalists help over 20 million people live meaningful lives with less through their website, books, podcast, and most recently the documentary we created together. How did they become The Minimalists? What were some of their early mistakes as entrepreneurs? What are the inner workings of their business? We also reminisces about our documentary and why being uncomfortable is one of the only ways to grow. http://www.groundupshow.com

Rich Roll is an ultra-endurance athlete, author of the best-selling book Finding Ultra & has been named one of the world's 25 fittest men. But only a few years back he was heading into middle-age unhealthy, overweight & overworked. How did he turn things around? He risked it all. I sat down with Rich to talk about the challenges he faced, how he grew his podcast to over 25 million downloads & his search to find meaning. groundupshow.com

Melissa Carcache is a producer, writer & actress best known for her role in the Nickelodeon show Every Witch Way. She’s one of the creators & stars behind the new comedy series Hialeah. groundupshow.com

Jess Lizama is a YouTuber & blogger that shares her experiences in lifestyle design, travel & cooking. We chat about how to build an audience today, the importance of sleep, how she maintains her early morning routine & much more. groundupshow.com

Alex Ferrari is a filmmaker with more than 20 years of experience in the industry. As the founder of IndieFilmHustle.com he helps creatives figure out how to make it & thrive behind the camera. We discuss mindfulness, creating at a high level, building an audience & why the Hollywood studios are scare shitless of indie filmmakers.

Melyssa Griffin is an entrepreneur that teaches business owners & bloggers how to grow their audience and skyrocket their income. We discuss the importance of building a brand with integrity, the psychology behind why we quit, we reminisce about some of our first paid gigs, and she gives me a ton of practical insights into creating a profitable course for my company. http://www.groundupshow.com