The Flow Show with Jeff Gross

In this episode, Brian Rast, professional poker player, scientist, cycler, and philosopher, talks about how he got into poker while attending Stanford College. Jeff and Brian discuss his biggest wins, favorite games, and how solvers have changed the landscape in poker. Listen in to hear Brian share his thoughts on bitcoin, Burning Man, and meeting his Brazilian wife – and listen in as he gives Jeff some pro tips.   Visit Jeff Gross - The Flow Show or find us on iTunes to subscribe, visit previous episodes, and learn more about your host, Jeff Gross. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:00 – Introducing Brian, a tournament and cash game pro, and his background 02:00 – He went to Stanford and started playing poker there; he was a math major but dropped out 03:15 – He played poker for 2 years in college and has played ever since for the last 15 years; he started as a cash game player and started tournaments 5-6 years ago 04:40 – His parents wanted him to finish school and graduate; his dad started learning poker and his mom was less accepting of poker at the beginning 07:00 – The most he played was when he dropped out of school; he was playing 80-100 hours a week 07:45 – He plays every day during the WSOP and less for the other 10 months out of the year; he has great endurance, his longest is about 50-52 hours 09:00 – Poker in Macau 09:30 – In the U.S. people gamble in passing, on their way to something else; in Macau people arrive at 10am with tea and hit it for 24 hours straight 10:02 – In Macau he would regularly play 24-40 hour sessions 10:30 – The bicycle ride; he has detailed information about the bike bets on his blog 11:55 – He had no cycling experience and had to complete the ride from Vegas to LA in 48 hours without drafting or a recumbent bike; he went into 25mph winds at one point 14:15 – Brian’s biggest wins; He’s made over $20 million in lifetime earnings and is number one all-time in California 14:35 – He’s won the Player’s Championship $50,000 twice; he probably won’t play many more tournaments where he can win as much as he has 16:00 – He’s been playing poker since 2003 and has traveled little for poker; he didn’t have many results until 2011 18:00 – Playing tournaments and cash games gave him a ton of experience; people’s ability to study solvers has changed the no-limit hold ‘em game at the top 20:00 -He’s used solvers off and on but isn’t putting in the same work as the other guys; he likes the mixed game and understands that everyone makes mistakes 22:00 – The games Brian loves 22:50 – He loves no-limit hold ‘em; he got into mixed games because he liked learning and wanted to be in on the action near home in Vegas 24:30 – He’s more of a cash player, he’s not a tournament player anymore; he’s never liked travelling for tournaments 26:38 – Tournaments are more exciting even if cash games profit more; he hasn’t burnt out on poker and still loves it 28:00 – He loves the pressure and competition in poker; it’s what keeps him coming back 31:50 – The best session he played was in Macau; he played with super-rich guys and heavy-hitters in the poker world and the pot winner would show their hand 34:24 – He played hot, bluffed a lot, and everything worked; he was known as the guy that got white people kicked out of Macau 37:30 – There are many cash players who are great and unknown because they don’t play tournaments 38:30 – Brian’s thoughts on crypto-currency 38:53 – He recommends listening to Murad Mahmudov’s interview on the Off the Chain Podcast titled The Ultimate Bitcoin Argument 39:40 – He believes bitcoin is about to become an official global money; you must invest your money or else it depreciates, bitcoin doesn’t inflate or depreciate 42:30 – It does gold better than gold; it’ll work as long as people believe in it as a money 43:50 – People like it in poker to transfer large sums quickly; bitcoin makes sense to Brian as a long-term investment with some disposable income 53:15 – Brian’s Burning Man experience 53:30 – He thinks Burning Man is an awesome, unique experience; you can find whatever you want there whether it’s music and partying or art and spirituality 54:45 – He loves techno music, art, and principles of Burning Man; Jeff met his wife at Burning Man 57:10 – Brian’s biggest motivators: His family and his wife 57:25 – He loves his wife and what she’s done to make it work; he’s learned to be a father to his step-son with his wife’s help 59:00 – Now his dream is to help his son realize his dreams; he never thought he’d be that way with another person 59:50 – His relationship has made him better and helps hold him accountable; self-improvement is a constant thing with focus, meditation, and learning 01:01:00 – Both Jeff and Brian are married to Brazilians and excited to have kids soon 01:09:35 – When people complain 01:10:00 – He can let whiney losers slide, but he hates whiney winners; he hates when people berate or put others down at the table 01:11:05 – The impact solvers has had 01:11:15 – Since he’s started using the Range Converter he’s felt more comfortable in certain spots in tournaments; it’s given him structure and it makes sense to play that way 01:12:00 – It helps you improve your game and make adjustments; it’s important to feel confident and learn principles 01:15:50 – A tip for a new poker player 01:16:05 – Approach poker from a strong decision-making position hand-by-hand; don’t let emotions or gambling get in the way and don’t quit everything and start 01:20:07 – On having JG as a friend; JG thinks, plans for his friends, is generous, fun, interesting, genuine, and conscientious 01:21:50 – How he met his wife 01:22:02 – He went to Brazil with a friend 9 years ago and met her while they were out; they communicated in Spanish and it was love at first sight 01:23:03 – They wouldn’t allow her to visit the U.S. so he started visiting her and Skyping her; he learned Portuguese to communicate better with her 01:24:50 – Seeing people limp in tournaments 01:25:10 – People are starting to learn solvers and try out new things; you’ve got to work on your game 01:25:30 – The hamburger thing; he ate a Burger Lounge burger while streaming and played well 01:26:55 – He doesn’t care what people say, he doesn’t regret his food choice; there aren’t that many food options in casinos 01:32:30 – Thoughts on poker’s future 01:32:52 – He likes poker, but it’s slowly starting to become more solved; he wonders what the long-term future of online poker is 01:35:30 – Poker needs to be human vs. human; there shouldn’t be computer assistance 01:41:25 – He doesn’t have weaknesses anymore; he used to be bad at some games but is now better at all of them 01:42:10 – Poker as a zero sum game 01:42:30 – He never claimed to be a big service to society and believes there are many jobs out there that don’t serve society, either 01:43:05 – Poker isn’t unique, there are tons of jobs and industries that aren’t a service and are even a detriment to society; he’s devoting more time to other endeavors 01:44:20 – They sponsor a few young athletes; his work and money helps others through his wife 01:45:15 – He has an idea of being a citizen of earth; his wife is turning it into a concept and NGO 01:46:45 – He recognizes that poker is his selfish pursuit, but he can support his family and give back to society from it 01:49:40 – On what area Brian thinks Jeff should improve in his game 01:50:20 – In the past, Jeff played scared and tight; he needed to open up his game and take advantage of opportunities 01:51:04 – It’s a mental thing more than a technique thing; Jeff is working on that with Elliot Roe 01:51:45 – Jeff has had some issues with focus and flow; when they went to Cabo to play online, he’d stream and have to play and entertain 01:53:03 – Learning other games could be beneficial 01:56:10 – On prioritizing exercise and sleep to play better for longer 01:56:45 – He wants good results so he lines everything else around that, not the other way around 02:02:55 – More on bitcoin; he thinks it’s going to be worth a lot but suggests everyone do their research  3 Key Points Solvers have had a huge impact on poker over the past 15 years. Prioritize your health to play better for longer. A strong mindset is critical for success. Contact/Resources Partner - Party Poker Jeff’s Website – Jeff Gross Poker Brian’s Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Website Brian’s Blog Murad Mahmudov’s interview - Here Burning Man - Website Range Converter - Website Elliot Roe’s - Website

In this episode, Andrew Neeme, a professional poker player and popular vlogger, talks about how he started vlogging and shares the valuable lessons he learned along the way. Jeff and Andrew discuss how to balance time between marriage, vlogging, studying, and playing, and they speculate on developments in poker legislation. Listen in to hear Andrew share tips to follow when sharing your own content – and get some insight on what he wishes he would’ve done from the get-go. Visit Jeff Gross - The Flow Show or find us on iTunes to subscribe, visit previous episodes, and learn more about your host, Jeff Gross.  Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:00 – Introducing Andrew and his journey 01:30 – He went to Michigan State University and did an internship with a music production company in London and moved back to LA 02:50 – 2004-2008 he dabbled in online poker; around 2008 he started playing full-time poker 04:20 – He moved to Las Vegas almost 10 years ago 04:50 – Andrew’s popular Vlog 05:15 – He understood and enjoyed the video medium for poker; he liked that he could connect directly to the audience and do creative storytelling 07:00 – He started Vlogging in October of 2016 08:24 – Advice for vloggers 08:40 – You can film from your cell phone, and the hard part is the editing; he had no idea how long it would take at first 10:20 – He suggests hiring someone to do the editing from the get-go; personality goes into the editing, which is hard for him to let go of now 12:45 – How Andrew manages his time 13:25 – He films and edits all his videos; he doesn’t have a science behind his social media strategy and just posts when he wants to 17:25 – Social media apps can easily take time away from productivity 19:15 – Developments in online poker legislation 19:45 – Everything happens slowly but he feels there is still hope and possibility; people can gamble online easily if they want to whether it’s regulated or not 22:21 – He’d love to road trip around Michigan and livestream 23:05 – Andrew’s position on team Run It Up 25:28 – They help with management, messaging, and branding 28:00 – The Vlogger in Paradise Challenge and the Andrew’s biggest tournament 28:30 – They got submissions from around the world; the quality of the videos and personalities were amazing 31:13 – It’s the biggest tournament he’s ever played; there are giveaway winners and professionals playing side by side 33:41 – Tournaments always have variance; the key is not to get too carried away, it’s 2.5 times bigger than the biggest buy-in he had ever played 40:20 – Andrew’s relationship with his wife, Busi; they met at a friend’s gathering in Las Vegas and the rest is history 45:00 – Stake Kings is like crowdfunding for poker players; Andrew is there 47:50 – The other games Andrew plays 48:00 – He loves PLO, 1-2-5, and 2-5-10 game in Vegas; he also likes the short-deck he played at Run It Up Reno 50:00 – He hasn’t gotten into mixed games 52:40 – What Andrew does to decompress and what content he consumes 52:50 – Most videos are long format; he follows a few vloggers and doesn’t watch TV 55:50 – His main goal this year is to focus on being more present; when you make videos you’re always looking ahead 57:20 – At the time of the recording, he has 150 vlogs 58:30 – Andrew’s meet-up games and Twitch streams 58:40 – They aren’t planned in advance and it’s an approachable game for most people; they’re every man’s stakes and it’s more of a social game 01:00:45 – They had their first meet up game tournament in Austin; it’s nice to get face-to-face with people 01:02:05 – He’s done about 10 livestreams and can do it simultaneously through YouTube and Twitch; Twitch is more lenient about background music 01:05:15 – Andrew’s future plans 01:05:30 – He started the videos over a year ago; he says it’s hard to say how he’ll be making a living years from now but maybe the content will change 01:07:50 – He doesn’t know what the future of poker holds; he said it’ll be hard to replicate the boom of years ago but regulations would be great for poker 01:10:20 - People recognize Andrew in the poker scene and sometimes outside of the poker room; the work he’s done is like his resume and can be done in any industry 01:14:50 – Advice for new vloggers 15:00:00 – Uploading earlier in the week at a reasonable hour is better than uploading on the weekend; as far as length, he takes as long as needed to tell the story 01:21:05 – An unpleasant experience at the table 01:21:30 – He’s never seen any fistfights; Jeff saw someone take $2,500 worth of chips 01:22:40 – Poker seems to be pretty chill overall 01:23:00 – Poker or content creation? 01:23:30 – Vlogging is more exciting, but poker is the income source; the YouTube revenue is helpful and pays some bills and he tries to balance all channels 01:24:15 – It would be daunting to create content about another subject that he doesn’t know as well as poker 01:25:10 – Kids and doppelgangers 01:25:20 – Yes, someday, and yes, he knows he looks like Aaron Rodgers and the Verizon guy 01:29:30 – Income streams through social media and weed 01:30:00 – Merchandise, YouTube income, and partnerships provide for income streams; he smokes weed very rarely 01:31:25 – Impacts to Andrew’s relationship due to his celebrity 01:31:40 – The biggest downside is that everything takes a lot of time; he has to balance his relationship with everything else 01:32:25 – He and his wife started a podcast called the Tells Podcast; they talk about life, poker, YouTube, pop culture, and relationships 01:35:58 – His family likes to see what he’s up to on YouTube; he recommends people show their family the professionalism and passion they have for the industry 01:37:40 – Busi plays the markets and poker is similar, so they understood each other from the get-go 01:38:45 – Andrew’s thoughts on staking 01:38:57 – He sees it as a natural part of the poker experience and helps people move up in poker stakes; just like in other businesses, people get outside investors 01:39:39 – You can sell a piece of yourself to friends, colleagues, or other poker players while you get used to new poker stakes; he doesn’t have a lot of experience in that 01:40:24 – Ask each other as many questions as possible and sign a document hashing out all scenarios 01:41:50 – Money management 01:42:19 – When he first moved to Vegas he spent too much, now he manages his money better and isn’t into material possessions 01:46:10 – Poker as a zero sum game 01:46:20 – He looks at poker like a sport like golf; there’s tours, sponsorships, and it’s a spectator sport 01:46:55 – If you’re doing something that makes you happy, you’ll share that happiness with the world 3 Key Points If you want to be a vlogger, hire an editor early on, refine as you go, and just do it! There are so many ways to make a living now; there’s no telling what could be possible just a few years from now. Staking is like a business seeking outside investors; it’s great as long as there’s good communication between the investor and the investee. Contact/Resources Partner - Party Poker Jeff’s Website – Jeff Gross Poker Andrew’s Vlog - YouTube Run It Up - Website Stake Kings - Website Andrew’s Website Andrew’s Twitch Andrew and Busi’s Podcast

In this episode, Eric Damier, founder and CEO of EarthPix and TravelSmarter, talks about his inspiration for starting EarthPix and how they’ve kept a loyal following. Jeff and Eric discuss why he started TravelSmarter and how he built a platform to pass wholesale travel savings to the customer. Listen in to hear Eric share his thoughts on advertising through social media, his community of photographers, and why when his audience talks, he listens. Visit Jeff Gross - The Flow Show or find us on iTunes to subscribe, visit previous episodes, and learn more about your host, Jeff Gross. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:00 – Introducing Eric, his journey, and the beginnings of EarthPix 01:30 – He grew up in L.A. and got into sales and real estate at a very young age; he started playing poker after the market crash of 2008 02:15 – He learned a lot about YouTube technology and built his own YouTube network in 2011-2012; he learned about the power of social media and influence 03:00 – He also learned about Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and helped brands use influencers as distribution channels 03:30 – He and some others built EarthPix as a way to aggregate the beautiful photos others had taken around the world; they went from 0 to over 500,000 in 2 months 05:07 – He’s in the digital space now and is passionate about growing audiences and engaging people; he’s grown EarthPix for the last 6 years 06:30 – He loves Anthony Bourdain and was inspired by his time in India when he started a call center there 08:15 – 2.5 years ago he began travelling more and learned how to take photos and pilot a drone 10:15 – At first they were criticized for sharing content without credit; as they grew they learned to credited appropriately and photographers started wanting to be featured 11:15 – Eric is friends with Tom Anderson of Myspace who loves to travel and became a great photographer 13:30 – What makes EarthPix stand out from the rest 13:45 – They’re always the first to find beautiful and engaging content and get the first rights to a photo; they have a viral affect 14:50 – They have a team behind the social media strategy of the account; they have a network of photographers that send them excellent content 15:39 – They don’t post ads which keeps them respected by followers; they aren’t focused on monetizing their audience, rather, they provide value 17:15 – The underwater hotel room in the Maldives and the experience he had at the Conrad Resort 18:20 – The Conrad had worked with other accounts for exposure; when he approached them, he asked them about their goals and what they need 19:00 – They wanted to be the most followed resort in the Maldives and Eric made it happen; they told him about a secret project 19:30 – The underwater villa was the project and a stay at the villa is now at least $250,000 20:11 – The trip he and his team took to do this for The Conrad was valued at about $350,000; it was gorgeous 23:00 – Information about TravelSmarter 23:20 – Eric has engaged with his audience now more than ever before; they are passionate about travel but many say they don’t have the money 24:40 – He discovered a way to build a platform so that travel savings could be passed on to the customer/member/follower 26:05 – In the first two weeks after launch, they had over 5-6 bookings and one customer saved $3,500 in a one-week stay 26:45 – TravelSmarter clients are flexible and budget-conscious; by booking in advance, you have more options 29:00 – People are very happy with their bookings through TravelSmarter; the site is clean and clutter-free 30:48 – Airlines are different; their margins are thinner so savings aren’t as much 33:00 – On the site, you can compare their price to the public prices found on retail sites; flexible dates and places make for higher savings 37:20 – Pricing was based on case studies and community outreach; you can test it out for 30 days free 37:57 – After 30 days, it’s a 12-month membership for $9.97 a month; it’s great for domestic and international travel 41:20 – TravelSmarter will have a podcast soon where professional travelers will share travel tips and advice 3 Key Points Providing value to an audience, rather than simply trying to monetize them, is the secret to a large, loyal following. Eric listened to what his audience wanted and created a platform to provide it. Eric’s passion for travel fueled his desire to help others realize their own travel dreams. Contact/Resources Partner - Party Poker Jeff’s Website – Jeff Gross Poker EarthPix – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter TravelSmarter – Instagram, Facebook, Website Eric’s Social Media Accounts – Instagram, Twitter Conrad Maldives Rangali Island - Website

In this episode, Joey Ingram, author, content creator, poker player and host of the award-winning poker podcast Poker Life Podcast, talks about where poker is headed and why he’s so passionate about it. Jeff and Joey discuss his book, Chasing the Poker Dream, his podcast, and his viral MMA investigation video. Listen in to hear Joey share his thoughts on legalized poker, surrounding yourself with positivity, and how studying still determines your effectiveness in the game. Visit Jeff Gross - The Flow Show or find us on iTunes to subscribe, visit previous episodes, and learn more about your host, Jeff Gross. Time Stamped Show Notes: 02:30 – Introducing Joey and his journey 02:40 – He was born outside of Chicago and moved to Chicago when he was 21; he had no money and lived with roommates 03:45 – His family isn’t involved in his poker journey 04:14 – He started playing poker at 19-20 years old; he lost money online and at the casino repeatedly 05:02 – He found Two Plus Two and started learning; he began to build up his bank roll, started playing on Poker Stars, and quit his job 06:02 – He has had ridiculous swings and is comfortable not having a lot of money 07:20 – He switched to PLO and has done 24-table no-limit hold ‘em 08:35 – Joey’s book Chasing the Poker Dream 09:00 – The book goes into the qualities of a successful poker player and what separates them from the rest 10:44 – He dedicates his life now to producing content and he’s happy with that 13:45 – Joey’s view on player, company, and media marketing improvements 14:11 – Joey believes poker player are marketed poorly on all outlets; outlets feud with each other and there isn’t much promotion and support 18:15 – He believes poker isn’t going to have a comeback; he thinks companies don’t care about it and doubts higher-ups even play 19:50 – He’s disappointed by the lack of policing and bots on sites and believes they have no way of policing and protecting their cash games 20:54 – He believes bots are rampant on sit-and-gos; he believes you can’t win cash games and can win tournaments because there are still bad players there 22:14 – He doesn’t support ACR for cash games and says the best place to play might be PP poker clubs; Global Poker may be a good option 24:25 – He plays online but has refocused on marketing poker; he’s doubtful of the future of American poker 27:15 – He’s stepped outside of poker and witnessed how much better the media and marketing is in poker 28:00 - He’s inspired to create content that excites people and players again while still being real and honest 32:15 – He understands the negativity in tournaments because players live tournament-by-tournament, game-by-game, paycheck-to-paycheck 32:50 – There are great things about the game, but the other side is not always positive 34:00 – Joey’s thoughts on short-deck: it’s a niche game and probably won’t catch on 35:00 – He loves Poker Central and Poker Stars and understands why Doug left poker 42:15 – Response to a comment calling Joey a “dick” 42:21 – He believes it was because of his ACR comment; he spent so much time on ACR and the investigation 44:42 – He believes Jeff gets the best side of these big companies and sites; he’s still extremely concerned about the bots operating on the sites right now 46:55 – He believes no one is taking a stance against the corruption on poker sites 47:45 – Joey’s stance on prop-bets 49:15 – He lost most of his bets this year 50:00 – His won many prop-bets over the course of his career 53:15 – He doesn’t talk about what he studies, learns or cares about; he cares about the qualities needed to become successful at life 54:00 – When he started the podcast 4-5 years ago, he didn’t have a YouTube channel; he wanted something with high-level discussion 55:15 – He did PLO and WSOP events because it’d be good for business and validating 56:54 – People use numbers and metrics to validate others in poker; Joey doesn’t operate that way but understands that it’s hard to track anything else 58:25 – Joey talks about Jamie Staples; Jeff heard that Jamie felt attacked by Joey when he signed on to Stars 59:00 – Joey clarified that he doesn’t determine what someone does or doesn’t deserve; he admires Jamie’s work ethic and success 01:00:18 – He doesn’t care who gets sponsored and doesn’t waste time talking about others behind their back 01:06:51 – On PLO 01:07:00 – He believes it’s growing but will never pass hold ‘em 01:07:15 – How he responds to people who believe poker is a “zero sum game” 01:07:50 – He recently received a message from someone who said Joey brightens his life; he’s gotten millions of views and listens and gives knowledge to improve lives 01:09:16 – There are many ways to impact people; Joey believes he is doing his part 01:11:42 – People must create the opportunity for themselves to make a difference and impact others. 01:14:30 – On Joey’s podcast 01:14:52 – There are many things he knows he could do to improve his podcast 01:15:30 – He loves the conversations he has on the podcast and has learned so much from his guests 01:17:12 – He believes his podcast work hurts him overall; if a podcast doesn’t do well it affects the algorithm 01:18:35 – He’s made many connections in poker but could build up a brand around the podcast 01:19:32 – On his MMA investigation viral video 01:20:23 – It gave him confidence in the content he can produce across any field; he feels committed to being a voice in poker 01:22:15 – Thoughts on The Thirst Lounge 01:22:45 – He admires Bill Perkins and considers the conversation they had life-changing 01:24:50 – He’s surprised Bill’s Bahamas trip wasn’t covered on sites and in the media 01:26:26 – Joey’s 5-10 year outlook 01:26:48 – He’d like to be in charge of the WSOP someday so he can control scams; he’d put the event in a great light 01:28:22 – He does everything himself and isn’t good at organization or planning 01:30:30 – Joey’s thoughts on club GTO 01:30:45 – He says it’s a way of life; he is always looking to improve and grow 01:32:01 – His most pivotal moment was when he stopped 24 tabling 01:32:22 – If you focus in, you’ll be more successful, present, and focused 01:33:21 – He’s trying to increase awareness of big poker events; he’s shifting his strategy when he speaks 01:34:32 – He’s studying up to figure out what he wants to do 01:35:48 – How PLO and hold ‘em has changed over the past 5 years 01:36:11 – Mid-stakes players are using strategies that high-stakes players used to deploy; resources for PLO have increased 01:40:22 – His thoughts on legalized poker 01:41:33 – Poker Stars is becoming a global dominant leader and their strategy is genius; they’ve taken the loudest voices in poker and signed them to be ambassadors 01:42:37 – The ambassadors build content and have trusted followers who listen 01:50:00 – Final takeaways: Surround yourself with positivity and study 3 Key Points There are great things about poker but it’s important to remember the balance and recognize both sides. Create a positive and inspiring environment for yourself. Find a way of life that works best for your personal success, presence, and focus.  Contact/Resources Partner - Party Poker Website – Jeff Gross Poker Gaming and Strategy Site – Two Plus Two Joey’s Book – Chasing the Poker Dream Poker Central - Website Viral MMA investigation – YouTube Video  

In this episode, Bencb789, creator, founder, and coach at Raise Your Edge reveals why he keeps a low profile despite his incredible success in high roller tournaments. Jeff and Bencb789 discuss what he attributes to his success and why he was inspired to create content to help other players transform their game. Listen in to hear the Bencb789 share the truth about what it’s like at the top – and the bottom – and learn some insider tricks to improve your game and life.  Visit Jeff Gross - The Flow Show or find us on iTunes to subscribe, visit previous episodes, and learn more about your host, Jeff Gross. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:00 – Introducing Bencb789 and his journey 01:45 – He started playing poker in 2009; he improved quickly and was encouraged by friends to work on his strategy and move up to tournament poker 03:26 – His family didn’t necessarily support him at first but they came around when they saw how serious he was 05:03 – He went broke a few times at the beginning using his parent’s money; when he started working on his strategy he made money 06:20 – Ben keeps a low-profile because it keeps him more focused with and provides less distraction 08:05 – He didn’t want to incorporate a company in Germany so he moved around Europe and is now in Vienna 09:35 – Thoughts on his future kids playing online poker, performance food, and travel 10:00 – He sees poker as normal and would support it; he thinks in the future there will be possibilities beyond what we can even imagine right now 11:45 – He likes to eat food as fuel to enhance his performance; he eats healthily on a regular basis but will indulge on occasion 14:03 – He loves Canada’s natural beauty and recently enjoyed Sicily and Costa Rica; usually when he travels it is for something poker-related 17:20 – Why Bencb789 loves poker, how he started winning, and what happened at the top 17:30 – He’s naturally competitive and hates the traditional corporate environment 18:30 – He loves an environment where he creates wins and losses by his own accord; his results are directly correlated with his endurance and effort 20:15 – He made money after a year and was happy to pay his bills playing poker 21:00 – He learned the power of mindset, network, and overall health and this is what propelled him to success 21:41 – His largest tournament score was the WCOOP Super High Roller Title against Fedor Holz in 2016 22:30 – He released his course April 2017; he had been playing less poker because he was working on Raise Your Edge 23:40 – He had trouble staying motivated after playing the highest tournaments 24:30 – He feels more pumped about poker now that he has learned more strategies 26:30 – The Raise Your Edge offerings: They’re on social media and offer a variety of courses 27:30 – The course was started long ago; he saved hands to discuss theories and indexed topics to teach in webinars 29:30 – The course took a long time to launch because he wanted to perfect it; now they have a large team and dedicated students 33:20 – The Ranger tool gives you helpful hands and spots to play; it gets updated regularly and follows an easy-to-learn pattern 35:00 – It teaches you a hand matrix, frequencies, and how to bet; it’s worth investing your time and efforts into learning 38:30 – Students engage with coaches and ask about hands; he updates whenever new information or strategies come up 39:17 – The course is always current and there’s money to be made in poker 40:50 – The course is an investment but there is tons of content available to students 42:30 – You don’t need the course to start; just learn from the free content 43:57 – Bencb789’s thoughts on Twitch 44:00 – He enjoys Twitch but prefers to play professionally so he can focus more on the game 47:30 – The mindset course he offers 48:00 – The course is applicable in poker and in life; a strong mindset is required in order to see true results 50:00 – The course isn’t a traditional mindset course; it’s doesn’t just assess tilts, it gets into your past and limiting beliefs 54:00 – How Bencb789 disconnects 54:15 – He doesn’t check his phone 30-60 minutes after waking up and has a morning routine he follows; he also tried to disconnect before bed 55:00 – He has tried to create the best possible environment; he decides when to connect and what to engage in 59:00 – Bencb789’s thoughts on the future of poker 59:30 – He believes poker is a timeless game and will continue evolving with the advancements and spread of technology; stages will keep growing 01:00:34 – He sees poker as the dominant game in the future 01:02:29 – A re-tweet giveaway contest: Win Raise Your Edge gear and two cash prizes 01:03:45 – The best YouTube videos to learn from are deep run videos available on the Raise Your Edge YouTube channel 01:06:16 – Poker as a “zero-sum game” 01:06:50 – He doesn’t care if people think poker doesn’t have any use to society; he sees poker like any other professional sport 01:07:46 – Poker offers entertainment value to people; people see it as different from sports because of the gambling component 01:09:15 – People can become addicted to poker and that needs to be addressed; it’s important to give back but shouldn’t be obligatory 01:10:15 – The most important thing is that people are happy and doing something they love 01:12:30 – How poker has helped him in life 01:12:40 – It takes more to get him off balance 01:13:30 – He’s conscious, mindful, and rational; bad beats enable him to stay peaceful when others would get mad 01:17:05 – He’s learned that it’s important to make sure he’s happy first; with that in place, he can better serve and help others 01:19:30 – Take care of yourself and put yourself in a position to reach results and happiness 01:23:30 – If you’re afraid, just start and structure your studying to learn as you go 01:24:55 – Understand that you’ll never learn everything there is to know 01:25:50 – Questions from the audience Q: “What’s better: To play stacked, medium stakes, or low stakes on your own and grow? A: “I always encourage people to try and play on their own. It teaches you more ownership, discipline, and self-sufficiency.” Q: “What is your favorite tournament format and why?” A: “Fast Track Tournaments, although I love many kinds of tournaments.” Q: “What’s the difference between a player and a top player?” A: “Top players take the big risks that others shy away from. There are some sleeping giants playing mid-stakes; they could be the best players in the world.” Q: “How much were you studying and playing in the beginning?” A: “It depends on your level. If you’re a beginner, the ratio should be about 70-80% studying to 20-30% playing. The more you advance, the more you should play.” 3 Key Points With all the information that’s online, remember, you’re in control of what you consume. Create your ideal environment and stay focused on what matters. Take care of yourself – you can’t perform optimally, deliver to others, be fulfilled, and be happy until you’re right with yourself. Just start. Structure your studying and accept that you can’t possibly learn it all.  Contact/Resources Partner - Party Poker Website – Raise Your Edge Raise Your Edge Social Media – YouTube, Instagram, Twitter Website – Jeff Gross Poker