The Genuinely Interested Podcast

Phil is a world-renowned strength and conditioning coach and is the founder of Daru Strong, a brand dedicated to helping one’s performance, life, longevity, personal growth, and becoming the best versions of themselves. A former college football player, Phil transitioned into an MMA career. Later on he found that strength and conditioning was his greatest passion - and decided to go all-in as a career path. Phil works with some of the most elite athletes and fighters in the world like Dustin Poirier, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Tecia Torres, and many more athletes, fighters, and celebrities.  Phil has built an impressive brand and is constantly inspiring his followers to be healthier - both physically & mentally.  This was a first for the podcast as while we were recording - Phil was getting a tattoo done (throughout this whole conversation) - and he managed to stay focused, not once flinching or complaining about the pain at all.  Phil and I discussed:  Why he made the switch from fighting to coaching  What fight camp looks like for elite fighters Training Dustin Poirier  Weight cutting Importance of rest days Are there ceilings in personal ability? Tips on how to grow an online community Which fighter trait is the most important  And much more... Phil Daru My Take: You are truly capable of greatness if you simply commit and persist. Growing financially, and mentally - becoming better, stronger, more capable - all stems from self-belief and the willingness to go out there and achieve. If plan a fails, try plan b. If that goes south, go to plan c - but never quit, and never accept failure.  Support The Podcast Catchphrase eBook

Kenny Florian is a legendary MMA fighter. He is known for his cerebral approach to the sport- which is, as Kenny puts it on his bio - "somewhere between science & art".  Kenny was on the first UFC TUF (The Ultimate Fighter). During his time, Kenny was an elite competitor in Mixed Martial Arts, and he fought some of the greatest to ever do it. Following his loss to Diego Sanchez on TUF1, Kenny was extremely motivated to improve his all-around game and he came back to win his next fight (with a vicious elbow).  When he decided to retire from his illustrious fighting career, mostly due to lingering back problems, he continued to have a super successful career. Kenny was sought after due to his high-level knowledge of the sport and his unique insights. He was a color commentator (expert commentator) for the UFC, started a popular podcast with Jon Anik, launched Jiu-Jitsu academies, and most recently he joined the PFL broadcast team. Kenny is a true martial artist through and through; he is a master of the sport, but also forever a student - which makes him one of the most beloved figures in the sport today.  Kenny and I discussed -  The evolution of MMA His personal experience being on the first Ultimate Fighter Whether he was ever tempted to return to competition  MMA Twitter wars Joining PFL as a commentator Why fighters should focus more on the mental aspect of training  Whether fighters should fight past their "prime" His take on Conor Mcgregor Leaving LA to start a new life in a new state  And much more... Kenny Florian Kenny's Twitter  My Take: Finding one's passion and dedicating your life to it, even when there is no clear monetary path outline for you, is a blessing. If you are able to correctly single out that one thing you love and give yourself to it, you owe it to yourself to pursue said effort with the fire of a thousand infernos.  Support The Podcast Catchphrase eBook

Sal Piacente is a native of Brooklyn, New York, and the ultimate student of the game. He has been a world authority on Casino Game Protection since the late 1980s, although, his interest in con-games and scams began on the streets at a young age - when his father taught him to protect himself from 3 Card Monte hustlers. He started his casino career as a blackjack dealer in Atlantic City after an honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps. Sal then worked his way up from dealer to shift manager to game protection specialist, a position created for him by an international casino corporation. Sal Piacente is also an instructor for the University of Nevada Reno's Gaming Management Certification Program. Piacente has parlayed his experience, skills, passion, and knowledge of the various ways to cheat all casino games into a successful casino consulting business. Recently Sal appeared on a Vanity Fair video where he broke down cheating scenes from films including 'Rain Man', 'Rounders', 'Casino', 'Ocean's Thirteen', and more. His unique ability to explain (and show) sleight of hand tricks, that the human eye can't pick up, is both illuminating & fascinating  During this podcast, Sal showed me many of the tricks and I did my best to explain them to you. Sal & I discussed -  What an expert on casino cheating does His relationship with the original "Rain Man" His legendary memory skills  The creative ways people find to cheat in casinos How he got his start in the business Asymmetries of power His pick for most realistic casino movie Card tricks  And much more... Sal "The Hitman" Piacente Universal Game Protection My Take: Sal possesses what some might call superhero powers. His knowledge of human psychology, his ability to misdirect your attention, his phenomenal memory, and his sleight of hand makes Sal an incredibly unique person to listen to & learn from. Illusionists, magicians, and other performers who throughout history allowed us to suspend our beliefs and go on a journey to the unknown have always held a special place in society for good reason, they make us doubt what we see and question what we don't.  Support The Podcast Catchphrase eBook

Chris Mirabile is a serial entrepreneur. He is a graduate of the Stern School of Business at NYU, and was formerly a co-founder and CEO of the geosocial networking startup, Hotlist. Currently, he is the founder & CEO of Novos Labs, a science-based supplement company that aims to help you slow aging.  Chris has researched and integrated longevity practices and interventions into his life for over ten years. Together with the world’s top experts in the aging field, Novos Labs has created what they believe to be the best longevity supplements available. Chris and I discussed: The difference between your chronological age & biological age The benefits of fasting What does "slowing aging" mean His battle with cancer as a teenager His company, Novos Labs What the 9 hallmarks of aging are His early entrepreneurial endeavors  What is the biggest contributor to longevity? How to find proper info on health Why most diseases are age-related And much more... Novos Labs Chris Mirabile My Take: The "fountain of youth"is has driven people to the ends of the world to find it. Yet to this day no one has been able to find or capture or reveal what this "fountain" is. Currently, however, there are a few people that are taking life extension very seriously. From biohacking to supplements and diets to scientific breakthroughs the future seems to be a little less "sci-fi" and a little more "immortal". Support The Podcast Catchphrase eBook

Nick Hunt is a freelance writer, storyteller, author - and, is also a TEDx speaker (you can listen to him speak here). He has written 4 books, the latest being Outlandish: Walking Europe’s Unlikely Landscapes (available Oct 26 in the US). In the book, Nick takes us across landscapes that should not be there - wildernesses found in Europe yet seemingly belonging to far-off continents - a patch of Arctic tundra in Scotland; the continent’s largest surviving remnant of primeval forest in Poland and Belarus; Europe’s only true desert in Spain; and the fathomless grassland steppes of Hungary. In one of his earlier books, Walking the Woods and the Water: In Patrick Leigh Fermor's footsteps from the Hook of Holland to the Golden Horn, Nick details his 7-month walk from Holland all the way to Turkey. On this journey, he encountered human kindness, hospitality, and gained a new perspective on "traveling slow".  Nick and I discussed: Why he decided to take on this adventure Walking for 7 months  How he was greeted everywhere he went The universal kindness of people What glacier funerals are His new upcoming book How he communicated with locals without knowing the language His Ted Talk The logistics of such an adventure The mental adjustment needed to travel "slowly" And much more... Nick Hunt Nick's Twitter My Take: With everyone trying to do the fastest, the highest, the biggest, the boldest adventures, it is refreshing to hear of someone that is not in competition with anyone or trying to prove anything. Nick simply wants to experience the natural world, the people along the way, the culture, and the stories that have existed in these parts for centuries.  Support The Podcast Catchphrase eBook

Inbal Arieli is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Synthesis, a global leadership assessment firm. She has been featured as one of the 100 most influential people in Israeli tech, and is one of the top 100 tech business women speakers in the world. She is also the author of Chutzpah: Why Israel Is a Hub of Innovation and Entrepreneurship  The book breaks down why Israel, a tiny country with one of the highest concentrations of start-ups per capita worldwide, is raising generations of entrepreneurs who are disrupting markets around the globe.  In addition to this already impressive resume, Inbal was also an officer in the Israeli Defense Forces, Elite Unit 8200. Inbal and I discussed: Her inspiration behind writing the book Some of the reasons behind Israel's startup success Laying the groundwork from an early age Giving kids autonomy  Turning some common Hebrew words into concepts Israeli innovation & startups over the last 2 decades Why it's a great time to launch a startup in Israel now Why the takeaways from the book are universal themes  And much more... Inbal Arieli Buy The Book My Take: Every country breeds talent or specializes in something that for geographical, cultural, or physical reasons they just excel at. Israel just happens to be a great place for entrepreneurship. The army is for sure one part of the equation but there are many more overlooked factors that play a major role in shaping the people and the country.  Support The Podcast Catchphrase eBook

Ari Tolwin is the founder of Numilk. Numilk makes all your favorite plant-based milks, from almond milk, to cashew milk, barista oat milk, etc... Originally launched as a large kiosk at supermarkets when COVID hit, Ari and his co-founder decided to pivot to a smaller machine that would fit on consumers' kitchen countertop - which is a Kickstarter they ran up until recently. On Shark Tank season 12, Ari and his co-founder Joe Savino, pitched to the sharks and ended up closing a deal with Mark Cuban for 2 million dollars for 10% equity. This is one of the biggest deals ever to be negotiated on Shark tank.  Ari and I discussed:  His first CPG startup - Happy Tree Maple Water How difficult the beverage space is  The early days of Numilk Why the pivot to the smaller, home version of the machine His experience on Shark Tank Getting a deal done with Mark Cuban And much more... Numilk Ari Tolwin My Take: Being passionate about your idea as an entrepreneur while not a must, is a huge boon when you hit those inadvertent bumps that will eventually appear along your journey. Ari and his cofounder both believed in the mission so much that when Covid hit, they found a new way to carry their company to that next phase. Knowing when to pivot or how to maneuver in rough seas is the sign of a great entrepreneur.  Support The Podcast Catchphrase eBook

Daniel Vassallo used to work for Amazon. By every measuring standard, he should have been happy & content. He was successful, making a high salary, getting promotions, working with great coworkers - all while working for one of the biggest companies in the world. However, over time, Daniel's motivation to work there decreased, and after a lot of internal deliberations, he decided to quit his high 6 figure job at Amazon to pursue the unknown.  He didn't want to live on someone else’s terms so he decided to take his independence into his own hands. What happened next was completely unexpected... Daniel and I discussed: Why he left his cushy Amazon job Crossing $400K in sales on Gumroad (from 3 info products) in 1.5 yrs. What his plan (or lack of one) was when he left Amazon The info product space Why he chose Gumroad as his preferred platform Why you don't need to be an "expert" to sell info products  The importance of transparency  The democratization of content on the internet  How he drives traffic to his courses And much more... Daniel Vassallo  My take: I love risk-takers - I love when a person decides to bet on themselves, and lead the life they desire to live. Not every risk pays off - sometimes things don't work out - but there's really only one way to find out, and that’s through action. The internet offers everyone a fair chance to pursue their passion or their ideas - and make a living from it.  Support The Podcast Catchphrase eBook

Jeff Gordinier is a talented writer, author & speaker whose work has been published by the New York Times, Esquire, GQ, The LA Times, Fortune, and many other well-known publications. His book Hungry: Eating, Road-Tripping, and Risking It All with the Greatest Chef in the World is a brilliant chronicle of Rene Redzepi, the genius mastermind behind Noma. Jeff and I had a very open conversation, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about him and his story.  Jeff and I discussed Rene Redzepi & Noma  His deep love for poetry  What spurred him to write his book His work on the renowned Netflix show 'Chef's Table' His ability to convey a story about food Growing up in California Side effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic The Blue Zones  And much more... Jeff Gordinier  My Take: Everything we do revolves around the stories we tell each other and that which we believe in. The ability to convey a feeling or a scent or a unique taste or color is crucial in order for you, the storyteller, to get your audience immersed in the story. If you want people to get emotionally invested in something, you have to paint a picture for them - and take them on a journey they never want to return from.  Support The Podcast Catchphrase eBook

Dane Jackson is arguably the best all-around whitewater kayaker in the world. You could say kayaking is in his blood - his father is a legendary kayaker, a world-champion freestyle kayaker, and is the owner of Jackson Kayaking (the biggest white water kayak manufacturer in the world). Dane was homeschooled and grew up with his family in an RV - and was already kayaking when he was 2 years old. His dad wanted to kayak as much as possible, so today, Dane continues that tradition, living in his RV and on the road year-round - trying to get 300 days of kayaking each year.  Dane and I discussed: Growing up in an RV The 134-foot waterfall descent he did in Chile in 2020 The different disciplines of kayaking The destruction damns cause to rivers (links below) How to overcome fears  The lost iPhone in the river story  What are some hot spots for kayaking His annual kayaking schedule  How he sees rivers And much, much more... Dane Jackson  ---------------------------------------------- Links About Rivers & Damns Hayley Stuart Ted Talk American Whitewater Save The Zambezi My Take: You only have one life, you should live it to the maximum - pursue your passion and let your imagination run wild. Talking to people like Dane always gets me extremely excited, as they seem to live with extreme purpose. Doing exactly what they love, all year round, to me is the deepest expression of one's self. To chase your passion with the tenacity of a lion chasing a gazelle. I hope he inspires you to pursue your passion as well.  Support The Podcast Catchphrase eBook