The Genuinely Interested Podcast

Elias is the mastermind behind the wildly successful Instagram account The Dogist. Elias has shot over 40,000 dogs over the last 8 years or so, and according to him, this is just the beginning.  The importance of the story is a vital part of any image, especially when photographing dogs. Dogs don't have egos and do not change the way they behave, or express themselves differently, in front of a camera. Henceforth, the reaction or expression that you get from them is the rawest possible.  After getting laid off from his corporate job, Elias found a way to turn a negative into a positive. He decided to follow his passion and he saw an opportunity to photograph man's best friend. With knee pads in one hand and a camera in the other, he walked the streets for hours looking for interesting dogs. Only through commitment, perseverance, and a creative outlook was he able to, day in and day out, put out great content and gradually build a community of followers while building his brand.   We had a great chat about dogs, dogs, and more dogs (!), but also about his journey, career, childhood, and the difficulty of street photography. Approaching strangers on the street is no easy feat, but doing anything consistently will lead to improvement. We talked about his social media brand and some future projects on the horizon. This is a great episode for dog lovers and non-dog lovers (who are those people? ) alike.  Enjoy the Podcast My Take - Perseverance pays off, even when your dream seems to be farfetched, unattainable, and against all odds. Your only course of action is to tackle it head-on and persist with the force of a bull. If you do not believe in your dream, no one will. I also believe that dogs complete humans in a way no other animal can and in a way that sometimes even other humans can't. This is partly why the Dogist has been successful - he portrays our best friend in an honest and fun way, making it even easier for us to connect with the images.  The Dogist  The Dogist Instagram  Comments, requests or questions, please reach out - my email is roybntz@gmail.com

Matteo is an entrepreneur, originally from Italy, where he focused on the renewable energy sector. Since arriving in NYC however, he has dedicated his energy and time into co-founding the athletic sleep company - Eight Sleep.  I never realized how important sleep was for athletic ability, recovery, and overall performance. What Matteo's mattress does is essentially adapt to your body temperature, gather data on what facilitates your best sleep, and gradually, the goal is for you to be able to sleep less but better. D2C (direct to consumer) mattress companies have blown up in the last decade - but there isn't any other mattress company that collects your own personalized sleep data, to give you the best sleep possible.  With more and more studies coming out backing the importance of deep sleep, Matteo has positioned himself to capitalize on a growing trend. Matteo gives some really great tips on improving your sleep, and even your naps. Now that we are starting to realize that sleeping is one of the most important tools for a great day, these tips are definitely worth taking.  Matteo and I discussed how he started Eight Sleep, the benefits of great sleep, rem vs non-rem sleep, how Eight Sleep uses and gathers data, athletic endurance, and so much more.  My Take - There are many basic things we do every day that we could essentially be doing better. Breathing, running, sitting, and yes, even sleeping, are daily activities that through science we are now learning so much more about. A good night's sleep is something we should invest in, as the return on investment could be better athletic ability, quicker recovery, and increased physical / mental health and focus.  Enjoy the Episode!  Matteo Franceschetti's Twitter  Eight Sleep  Comments, requests or questions, please reach out - my email is roybntz@gmail.com

Sophie Gammand's story is one of serendipity. Sophie is a photographer - you may know her from her Pitbull Flower Power series - which went viral and, in the process,  helped many Pitbulls in shelters.  Her serendipitous start came one day when she was walking down the street to shoot a project for a photography class she was taking. Her task was to shoot people on the streets of NYC. A man presented himself, asking her to photograph him - upon which Sophie says she "chickened out" and essentially ran the other way. Fully uncomfortable with the prospect of shooting strangers, Sophie decided to visit a nearby veterinarian's office - and her subjects ended up being dogs, not humans. From here, as they say, the rest is history.  Since then, Sophie has gone on to publish books, amass a massive social media following, and, most importantly - helped many Pitbulls and other dogs in shelters with her flower power portrait series.  Sophie and I had a really fun conversation - both having had the immigrant experience, both moving to NYC and taking up photography when we arrived, and a mutual love of dogs and Pitbulls. We talked about the bad rap that Pitbull type dogs get, the media propaganda that caused the biased dialogue around the breed, how she came up with the ideas for her portrait series, and much more.  This was my longest episode to date. I felt as though we still had so much more to cover. Perhaps, in the future, Sophie will come back on the podcast.   Enjoy the Podcast My Take - Pitbulls are some of the most misunderstood dogs out there. They are actually exceptionally sweet and get along well with kids and babies. I'm glad Sophie saw through the media disinformation campaign and decided to dedicate so much of her time/career to help change hearts and minds. If you do something with your heart, you will be rewarded on many fronts.  Sophie Gamand  Sophie's Patreon  Comments, requests or questions, please reach out - my email is roybntz@gmail.com

Marie is a very unique young woman. At the age of 17, she decided to leave her family and friends in Estonia and travel to Thailand to pursue her dream of being a professional Muay Thai fighter. Along the way, she developed into an MMA fighter - and recently - landed a contract with ONE Championship (the largest MMA organization in Asia).   Since arriving in Thailand she has had many pro Muay-Thai fights, learned the language, and evolved as a more complete martial artist.  We talked about the transition of moving from Estonia to Thailand, how she got interested in fighting,  her fights, and what she sees in her near future. Dedicating your life to fighting is probably one of the hardest things a human can do, but looking at Marie in the ring she seems so cool, calm, and collected. She says it's her happy place, that she loves being there. And with some amazing wins its hard to argue that. I think in the next few years she will grow as a fighter, rack up more wins, and start to receive more international acknowledgments! There has never been a better time to be a fighter.   Enjoy the podcast.    My Take - If you are lucky enough to realize what you want to do in life, grab it with both arms, don't let it go, and pursue it with every fiber in your being. Most of us don't know what we want to do even in our 40's, and some of us, never figure it out.  If at age 16 you are willing to leave your family and friends and pursue a passion, you must let that passion overtake you and become a driving force in the pursued dominance of your craft.   Marie Ruumet Instagram   Comments, requests or questions, please reach out - my email is roybntz@gmail.com

Jack Sim is a very unique guy. A successful businessman turned NGO founder, he is determined to solve one of the biggest and overlooked issues of our times - toilets. More accurately, the lack of toilets and proper sanitation in developing nations.  Recently, Jack was the star of the documentary "Mr. Toilet, The World's #2 Man", an insightful documentary about Jack, his journey, and the very real problem of sanitation and lack of toilets in developing countries. Jack has realized something very important about the media; with humor and sensationalism, he can garner media attention, and if he gets their attention - he gets the world's attention. He realized that talking about shit (in the literal sense of the word) is awkward, taboo, and uncomfortable for most people. So, he put a twist of humor into his message -  in order to create an open dialogue on this extremely important issue. Not having a place “to go” isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a problem that impacts over 2 billion people worldwide. In India alone, 200,000 children die each year from lack of safe sanitation.  Jack and I discussed what we can do to help this very urgent matter -  how do you re-educate people, what are some projects he and his organization are working on, and how as a collective we can better serve other humans more / ourselves a little less.  Jack believes that helping others is the best way to live. I mean, it's hard to disagree with that.  My Take - In the western world we take certain things for granted - healthcare, internet, electricity, running water etc... these basic things are not accessible to a large percentage of the population in developing nations. Before we complain about how hard our lives are, we should take a minute and be thankful for everything that we have, because something as simple as a toilet to you, could be a lifesaver for someone else.  Enjoy The Podcast Mr. Toilet Film - https://mrtoiletfilm.com/ WTO - https://www.worldtoilet.org/ Comments, requests or questions, please reach out - my email is roybntz@gmail.com

Joe Hollier, creator of the Light Phone, discusses the negative impact of social media and the importance of disconnecting. He reflects on participating in a Google program and explores the birth and growth of the Light Phone idea. The impact of using a Light Phone and disconnecting from digital distractions, as well as the future of Light Phone and technology's impact, are also discussed.

Chad is a vegan chef, entrepreneur, author, and together with his brother runs an entertaining, informative, and popular youtube channel.  Chad has authored and co-authored numerous cookbooks with John Mackey (Wholefoods co-founder), Kris Carr, and his brother Derek Sarno.  He also runs multiple companies and is a father, so I was thankful he had some time to squeeze me in.  Together Chad and Derek are trying to show the world that you can enjoy all the foods you love from BBQ to burgers, chili, or brisket - all in vegan form as a healthier alternative. They also are the founders of Good Catch, an evolved seafood food company that is all vegan and seriously delicious.  Chad and I talked about the importance of healthy food and the progress that plant-based foods have made in consumers' hearts and minds in the last few years. Whether it's for environmental, ethical, or health reasons  - more people are going vegan and are seeking high-quality food for physical and mental nourishment. The food Chad and his brother cook is as close to the real thing without killing an animal as possible, with creative mushroom dishes to a 'beef' wellington that leaves nothing to the imagination. Their dishes are unbelievably flavorful and much healthier than the alternative.  My Take - People want nutritious, delicious food! If it is made of plants instead of meat, people (refreshingly) don't care as much as they did a few years ago. With the progress and development, we've had in the vegan scene in the last few years, plant-based foods are bound to take over in the coming years.  Enjoy the podcast.  Wicked Healthy - https://wickedhealthyfood.com/ Good Catch Foods - https://goodcatchfoods.com/  Comments, requests or questions, please reach out - my email is roybntz@gmail.com

Most people do not like winter, let alone freezing -40 degree weather, but a few elite explorers thrive in these conditions.  Sebastian Copeland is an arctic explorer, photographer, climate researcher, and author.  He has been going on arctic explorations for many years in the hopes of raising awareness about climate change, the receding ice, and disappearing poles.  I watched his documentary Into The Cold a few years ago and always thought it must be brutal documenting expeditions in those temperatures. Somehow he and his partner managed to successfully reach their goal and create an amazing documentary, all the while documenting and creating a beautiful film. Sebastian and I talked about current world and climate events. We also discussed his story and journey and what shaped him to become who he is. I think the arc of everyone's story is a crucial piece to understand who they are today.  We talked about the hardest expedition he's had and the mental fortitude it takes to go through something like this.  My Take - We must not forget climate change during these times. Although the world is going crazy and the news is not really reporting about climate change - it is still a very imminent threat to humanity.  Luckily Sebastian and others are going to great lengths to keep this message at the forefront. Exploration is synonymous with humans, and polar exploration is the ultimate human achievement.  Enjoy the episode.  Sebastian Copeland - http://sebastiancopelandadventures.com/ Comments, requests or questions, please reach out - my email is roybntz@gmail.com

If you ever needed inspiration, look no further! There are not a lot of people on this planet that are as inspirational as Jessica is. Jessica was born with no arms - but that has not stopped or slowed her down, by any means. She has achieved amazing things. Jessica is not only the first armless pilot, but also the first armless black-belt in Taekwondo. Her spirit and courage are infectious. She does not accept no, and she has eliminated "I cant" from her vocabulary, allowing her to overcome any obstacle she sets her mind to. I caught up with Jessica while she was at the airport. We sat to have a very interesting conversation about her childhood, her life, and her journey to become who she is today. We discussed how she looks at challenges, would she ever be interested in prosthetics, what did it feel like the first time she flew solo, and what her future goals are. Anytime you speak with someone like Jessica, who is so inspirational and so full of life, the energy is contagious. I hope you feel the same way after listening to her speak. My Take - Your mind is the most important tool you own. If you keep it sharp, your body will adapt and follow. Jessica is proof that the body is just a tool for the mind to use - and if the mind is determined, your body will follow. So make up your mind - and demand of your body to do what it is capable of.  Enjoy the podcast Jessica Cox - https://www.jessicacox.com/ Documentary - http://rightfootedmovie.com/

Joseph grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and small business owners. At a young age he showed an affinity for entrepreneurship, and in college, he not only started his first company - but sold it a few years later. Joe is part of the no-code movement that is happening in tech. The no-code movement, in its essence, is a way to democratize coding - which in itself, only a small percentage of people across the world can do. This movement led Joe to create Universe, the first app dedicated to building websites via no-code and no templates. Joe says this is the easiest way to make a website. With the trust of GV (Google Ventures) behind them, by the way of a $10 million raise, Joe and his team are creating a new way to build platforms. Joe and I got into a great discussion about tech, its massive advantages, and some disadvantages, the responsibility tech giants have - and, the endless possibilities Universe holds. I had a great time chatting with Joe, and getting a glimpse into how he sees things. I also learned, funny enough, that we are actually neighbors. It's a small, small world. My Take - We should always be open to looking at things in different ways, what we thought was sketched in stone is often a body of water changing its structure. New ways of thinking are always out there and often met with criticism, people are wary of the unknown. However, our ability to adapt and change is the foundation of human evolution - we must cherish it. Enjoy the episode. Joseph Cohen - https://joe.onuniverse.com/ Universe - https://onuniverse.com/ Comments, requests or questions, please reach out - my email is roybntz@gmail.com