

Magic Minds
Magic Mind
Dive into "Magic Minds" with host James Beshara, where wisdom and innovation meet comedy and storytelling from the world's most brilliant minds. From the heart of startup culture to the depths of philosophy, James engages with thinkers, doers, and artists to uncover secrets of creativity, productivity, and personal well-being. Inspired by his own transformative journey and the creation of Magic Mind, this podcast is a beacon for anyone looking to enhance their mental performance, self-growth, and perspectives. Join us to elevate your morning ritual and unlock your highest potential.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 6, 2021 • 10min
What to Look for in a New Hire (Qualities of a 10x Employee) —Below the (Hot)Line #7
https://bit.ly/Go_BelowtheLine
Hiring new employees can be nerve-racking, but having hired 170+ employees, James gives 3 essential traits you should look for before adding the next member of your team.
Hit the show hotline and leave a question or comment for the show at 424-272-6640, email James questions directly at askbelowtheline@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/gobelowtheline
Check out previous Below the HotLines:
#1 — What are NFTs?
https://youtu.be/AEf6ZCP5Y1I
#2 — The Number 1 Piece of Advice for Creators
https://youtu.be/o8VYr_YxLL0
#3 — Why I Invested in Clubhouse (And is it worth $4 Billion???)
https://youtu.be/gnLbeMxoWhM
#4 — Setting Boundaries: The Key to Work Life Balance
https://youtu.be/dqnCpDLQLRk
#5 — The Craziest (Plausible) Idea I've Ever Heard
#6 — What is BitClout
Support Our Sponsors
Magic Mind https://magicmind.co
About your host, James: James Beshara is a founder, investor, advisor, author, podcaster, and encourager based in Los Angeles, California. James has created startups for the last 12 years, selling one (Tilt, acquired by Airbnb), and invested in a few multi-billion dollar startups to date. He has spoken at places such as Y-Combinator, Harvard Business School, Stanford University, TechCrunch Disrupt, and has been featured in outlets like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and Time Magazine. He’s been featured in Forbes, Time, and Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists and advises startups all around the world. All of this is his “above the line” version of his background. Hear the other 90% of the story in the intro episode of Below The Line. “Below the Line with James Beshara" is brought to you by Another Podcast Network.

May 4, 2021 • 1h 55min
#101 — The Mindset of a Grandmaster — Maurice Ashley
https://bit.ly/Go_BelowtheLine
Maurice Ashley is a Jamaican-American chess grandmaster, author, and commentator. In 1999 he earned the grandmaster title, making him the first black person to attain the title of grandmaster. This heavy hitting conversation focuses on honing the ability to maintain attention, the skill of being able to deal with uncertainty, and a devastating moment in Maurice's life 2 years before winning the title of Grandmaster that led him to doubt his path.
Where to find Maurice:
Website: https://Mauriceashley.com
Twitter: @MauriceAshley
Instagram: @Mauriceashleychess
Watch Maurice Ashley Play Chess Live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/gmashley
00:00 Intro
02:37 Movies about chess masters
09:11 Performance enhancing compounds with chess
12:11 What is a Grandmaster in chess
20:03 Maurice’s college experience
26:18 What is risk?
29:45 Mental superpowers
35:42 Maurice in his 20’s
41:07 Moments of doubt
47:15 Invest in yourself before helping others
56:24 Choosing different paths in chess
1:04:01 Chess teaches you to be more interested in the other
1:09:37 Understanding your opponent’s next move
1:14:19 Comparing patience in chess to other sports
1:20:16 Maintaining complexity and tension
1:32:10 Intentionally leaving your comfort zone
1:38:02 Grandmaster vs Beginner
1:48:43 Three Stories that shaped Maurice
Hit the show hotline and leave a question or comment for the show at 424-272-6640, email James questions directly at askbelowtheline@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/gobelowtheline Support Our Sponsors Magic Mind https://magicmind.co About your host, James: James Beshara is a founder, investor, advisor, author, podcaster, and encourager based in Los Angeles, California. James has created startups for the last 12 years, selling one (Tilt, acquired by Airbnb), and invested in a few multi-billion dollar startups to date. He has spoken at places such as Y-Combinator, Harvard Business School, Stanford University, TechCrunch Disrupt, and has been featured in outlets like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and Time Magazine. He’s been featured in Forbes, Time, and Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists and advises startups all around the world. All of this is his “above the line” version of his background. Hear the other 90% of the story in the intro episode of Below The Line. “Below the Line with James Beshara" is brought to you by Another Podcast Network.

Apr 29, 2021 • 12min
What is BitClout?— Below the Hotline #6
https://bit.ly/Go_BelowtheLine
The rise of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies have familiarized many with the concept of decentralized money, but can BitClout become the first main stream decentralized social networking platform? James Beshara explains the benefits of the crypto based platform, and spells out just why it might end up being so revolutionary.
More from James on BitClout: https://jjbeshara.com/2021/04/19/i-have-seen-the-future-and-its-bitclout/
Follow James on BitClout: bitclout.com/u/jamesbeshara
Hit the show hotline and leave a question or comment for the show at 424-272-6640, email James questions directly at askbelowtheline@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/gobelowtheline
About your host, James: James Beshara is a founder, investor, advisor, author, podcaster, and encourager based in Los Angeles, California. James has created startups for the last 12 years, selling one (Tilt, acquired by Airbnb), and invested in a few multi-billion dollar startups to date. He has spoken at places such as Y-Combinator, Harvard Business School, Stanford University, TechCrunch Disrupt, and has been featured in outlets like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and Time Magazine. He’s been featured in Forbes, Time, and Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists and advises startups all around the world. All of this is his “above the line” version of his background. Hear the other 90% of the story in the intro episode of Below The Line.
“Below the Line with James Beshara" is brought to you by Another Podcast Network.

Apr 28, 2021 • 1h 53min
#100 — Woman Evolve — Sarah Jakes Roberts
https://bit.ly/Go_BelowtheLine
Sarah Jakes Roberts is a Public Speaker, Author, and co-pastor of The Potter's House at One LA and The Potter's House Denver. She is redefining what it means to be a modern woman of faith. She and James talk about how Sarah ended up public speaking despite it being that last thing she ever saw herself doing, how her relationship with her father shaped her, and gives advice to young women who are trying to find their calling.
Women Evolve
The book : https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Evolve-Break-Fears-Revolutionize/dp/078523554X
Find Sarah:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjakesroberts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjakesrobert
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahJakesRoberts
https://sarahjakesroberts.com/
00:00 Intro
01:39 How Sarah became a public speaker
05:33 What her father taught her
07:57 How to manage an audience
11:46 Book: Woman Evolve
19:13 Having a child at 14
22:52 Public speaking flow
40:34 What shaped Sarah into who she is now
54:03 How failure/change is liberating
1:07:27 How Eve shaped women
1:20:12 Advice for younger women
1:21:35 Why women are so powerful in this generation
1:31:20 -Spiritual reflection in Los Angeles
1:40:00 T.D. Jakes advice on her book
1:45:22 Sarah’s advice for women
1:52:17 Where listeners can find Sarah
Hit the show hotline and leave a question or comment for the show at 424-272-6640, email James questions directly at askbelowtheline@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/gobelowtheline
Support Our Sponsors
Magic Mind: https://magicmind.co
Dover: https://dover.com
NetSuite by Oracle: https://netsuite.com/BTL
About your host, James: James Beshara is a founder, investor, advisor, author, podcaster, and encourager based in Los Angeles, California. James has created startups for the last 12 years, selling one (Tilt, acquired by Airbnb), and invested in a few multi-billion dollar startups to date. He has spoken at places such as Y-Combinator, Harvard Business School, Stanford University, TechCrunch Disrupt, and has been featured in outlets like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and Time Magazine. He’s been featured in Forbes, Time, and Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists and advises startups all around the world. All of this is his “above the line” version of his background. Hear the other 90% of the story in the intro episode of Below The Line. “Below the Line with James Beshara" is brought to you by Another Podcast Network.

Apr 22, 2021 • 11min
The CRAZIEST (plausible) Idea I've Ever Heard — Below the Hotline #5
As an angel investor deeply embedded in the tech world, James Beshara hears the next craziest idea he's ever heard every 5 minutes, but which of these are actually plausible, and could have an everlasting impact on the way we govern ourselves? James explains dives into the concept of "Crypto Countries" or sovereign states founded on blockchain technology on this week's "Below the Hotline".
He dove even further into the concept with the former CTO of Coinbase Balaji S on our latest episode of Below the Line:
https://bit.ly/btl99_balaji
Subscribe to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/Go_BelowtheLine
Hit the show hotline and leave a question or comment for the show at 424-272-6640, email James questions directly at askbelowtheline@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/gobelowtheline
Support Our Sponsors
Magic Mind: https://magicmind.co
About your host, James: James Beshara is a founder, investor, advisor, author, podcaster, and encourager based in Los Angeles, California. James has created startups for the last 12 years, selling one (Tilt, acquired by Airbnb), and invested in a few multi-billion dollar startups to date. He has spoken at places such as Y-Combinator, Harvard Business School, Stanford University, TechCrunch Disrupt, and has been featured in outlets like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and Time Magazine. He’s been featured in Forbes, Time, and Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists and advises startups all around the world. All of this is his “above the line” version of his background. Hear the other 90% of the story in the intro episode of Below The Line.
“Below the Line with James Beshara" is brought to you by Another Podcast Network.

Apr 21, 2021 • 1h 54min
#99 — The Archbishop of Crypto — Balaji Srinivasan
Balaji S. Srinivasan is an angel investor and entrepreneur. Formerly the CTO of Coinbase and General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, he was also the cofounder of Earn.com (acquired by Coinbase), Counsyl (acquired by Myriad), Teleport (acquired by Topia), and Coin Center. Balaji and James discuss the 3 most impactful moments in Balaji's crypto journey, moments that changed his perception of crypto, and what we should be paying attention to now that could pay the same dividends as paying attention to crypto in 2010 did. They close the show talking about Balaji's groundbreaking concept of "crypto countries."
Subscribe to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/Go_BelowtheLine
Balaji's latest project: https://1792.com.
A newsletter, that pays you Cryptocurrency, for completing online tasks.
Find Balaji:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/balajisWebsite/
Blog: https://balajis.com/
Hit the show hotline and leave a question or comment for the show at 424-272-6640, email James questions directly at askbelowtheline@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/gobelowtheline
Support Our Sponsors
Magic Mind https://magicmind.co
Dover: https://Dover.com
About your host, James: James Beshara is a founder, investor, advisor, author, podcaster, and encourager based in Los Angeles, California. James has created startups for the last 12 years, selling one (Tilt, acquired by Airbnb), and invested in a few multi-billion dollar startups to date. He has spoken at places such as Y-Combinator, Harvard Business School, Stanford University, TechCrunch Disrupt, and has been featured in outlets like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and Time Magazine. He’s been featured in Forbes, Time, and Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists and advises startups all around the world. All of this is his “above the line” version of his background. Hear the other 90% of the story in the intro episode of Below The Line.
“Below the Line with James Beshara" is brought to you by Another Podcast Network.

Apr 15, 2021 • 9min
Setting Boundaries: The Key to Work/Life Balance — Below the Hotline #4
https://bit.ly/Go_BelowtheLine
Achieving the proper work/life balance is a difficult task for determined creators and founders. James explains how setting firm boundaries in both your work and personal life will lead to a level of consistency that breeds the balance we are all looking for. Boundaries lead to routine. Routine leads to consistency. Consistency leads to momentum. With momentum you find balance.
Check out previous Below the HotLines:
#1 — What are NFTs?
https://youtu.be/AEf6ZCP5Y1I
#2 — The Number 1 Piece of Advice for Creators
https://youtu.be/o8VYr_YxLL0
#3 — Why I Invested in Clubhouse (And is it worth $4 Billion???)
https://youtu.be/gnLbeMxoWhM
Hit the show hotline and leave a question or comment for the show at 424-272-6640, email James questions directly at askbelowtheline@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/gobelowtheline
Support Our Sponsors
Magic Mind https://magicmind.co
About your host, James: James Beshara is a founder, investor, advisor, author, podcaster, and encourager based in Los Angeles, California. James has created startups for the last 12 years, selling one (Tilt, acquired by Airbnb), and invested in a few multi-billion dollar startups to date. He has spoken at places such as Y-Combinator, Harvard Business School, Stanford University, TechCrunch Disrupt, and has been featured in outlets like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and Time Magazine. He’s been featured in Forbes, Time, and Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists and advises startups all around the world. All of this is his “above the line” version of his background. Hear the other 90% of the story in the intro episode of Below The Line. “Below the Line with James Beshara" is brought to you by Another Podcast Network.

Apr 13, 2021 • 1h 25min
#98 — The Keys to Angel Investing — Elad Gil
Elad Gil has been an angel investor for 30 (nearly 1 in 5 of his investments) different billion dollar companies. Elad gives 3 tips for anyone starting out in investing, and he and James dissect the recent trends Elad is currently noticing in technology, and the theoretical implication of those trends on society.
Find Elad
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eladgil
Book: https://www.amazon.com/High-Growth-Handbook-Elad-Gil/dp/1732265100/
Blog: http://blog.eladgil.com
Hit the show hotline and leave a question or comment for the show at 424-272-6640, email James questions directly at askbelowtheline@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/gobelowtheline
Support Our Sponsors Magic Mind https://magicmind.co
Dover: https://dover.com
About your host, James: James Beshara is a founder, investor, advisor, author, podcaster, and encourager based in Los Angeles, California. James has created startups for the last 12 years, selling one (Tilt, acquired by Airbnb), and invested in a few multi-billion dollar startups to date. He has spoken at places such as Y-Combinator, Harvard Business School, Stanford University, TechCrunch Disrupt, and has been featured in outlets like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and Time Magazine. He’s been featured in Forbes, Time, and Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists and advises startups all around the world. All of this is his “above the line” version of his background. Hear the other 90% of the story in the intro episode of Below The Line. “Below the Line with James Beshara" is brought to you by Another Podcast Network.

Apr 10, 2021 • 26min
Why I Invested in Clubhouse (And is it worth $4 Billion???) — Below the Hotline #3
James was the first investor in the consumer app Clubhouse that has climbed in private valuations to over 100x his original investment in just over a year — but what goes into a private company valuation like Clubhouse?
To submit a question to Below the Hotline call and leave a voicemail at 424-272-6640, email James questions directly at askbelowtheline@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/gobelowtheline
Support Our Sponsors
Magic Mind https://magicmind.co
About your host, James: James Beshara is a founder, investor, advisor, author, podcaster, and encourager based in Los Angeles, California. James has created startups for the last 12 years, selling one (Tilt, acquired by Airbnb), and invested in a few multi-billion dollar startups to date. He has spoken at places such as Y-Combinator, Harvard Business School, Stanford University, TechCrunch Disrupt, and has been featured in outlets like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and Time Magazine. He’s been featured in Forbes, Time, and Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists and advises startups all around the world. All of this is his “above the line” version of his background. Hear the other 90% of the story in the intro episode of Below The Line. “Below the Line with James Beshara" is brought to you by Another Podcast Network.

Apr 6, 2021 • 1h 53min
#97 — How to Not Die Alone — Logan Ury
Logan Ury is the best selling author of the book "How to Not Die Alone". James and Logan talk about finding long term happiness and long term relationships, and they relate that to aspects of the professional world like finding the right cofounder, and navigating manager/employee relationships. They also talk about Logan's decision to leave a safe corporate job to pursue a creative endeavor that she has now made a career.
Hit the show hotline and leave a question or comment for the show at 424-272-6640, email James questions directly at askbelowtheline@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/gobelowtheline
Book: How to Not Die Alone - http://bit.ly/HowtoNotDieAlone
Support Our Sponsors
Magic Mind https://magicmind.co
Tiny Capital https://www.tinycapital.com/belowtheline
About your host, James: James Beshara is a founder, investor, advisor, author, podcaster, and encourager based in Los Angeles, California. James has created startups for the last 12 years, selling one (Tilt, acquired by Airbnb), and invested in a few multi-billion dollar startups to date. He has spoken at places such as Y-Combinator, Harvard Business School, Stanford University, TechCrunch Disrupt, and has been featured in outlets like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, and Time Magazine. He’s been featured in Forbes, Time, and Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists and advises startups all around the world. All of this is his “above the line” version of his background. Hear the other 90% of the story in the intro episode of Below The Line. “Below the Line with James Beshara" is brought to you by Another Podcast Network.