Beyond Curious ®

Fun fact about me:
I’ve never been drunk.
Part of it is because I’m chinese and get the “Asian Flush” (aka I feel terrible after one drink)
But the other part is because I really have never had any desire to actually get drunk.
Psychedelics, on the other hand, have a slightly different story for me.
I’ve never done psychedelics, but I am incredibly curious about them.
Tons of my friends and podcast guests have had deeply transformational and spiritual experiences with them… but I’ve never felt a strong desire to actually pull the trigger on an experience.
Enter breathwork.
I kept hearing about this thing called "breathwork" from people I deeply respect (including people who've done serious medicine journeys with ayahuasca, bufo, and other powerful psychedelics) and repeatedly heard them tell me how breathwork can be just as profound, if not more profound than psychedelics.
And the crazy part is it’s literally all through how you breathe.
Then, one of my friends, Collin, introduced me to a world-class breathwork practitioner, Kurtis Lee Thomas.
My first breathwork experience with Kurtis was profound.
I had a cathartic emotional release unlike anything I've ever experienced in my life. Wild bodily sensations. Profound visions. Spiritual tools gifted to me…
I was so blown away that I immediately purchased Kurtis's breathwork membership, and it's now something I'm doing every week… and sharing with everyone I can.
In this episode, we dive into…
What breathwork actually is and why deep diaphragmatic breathwork can create experiences as profound (or more profound) than psychedelic medicine
How to identify and remove your own "energy clots" and why doing so could unlock breakthroughs across every area of your life.
Kurtis's journey from running an alcohol company and identifying as not-spiritual… to having his entire worldview cracked open after his brother was murdered in a homicide

This modality has been profound for me, and if you’re at all curious how to expand your consciousness by using your breath, you’ll want to check this one out!

Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!
Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Kurtis Lee Thomas. Brandon Fong introduces breathwork practitioner Kurtis Lee Thomas by sharing his own transformative experiences with deep diaphragmatic breathwork. Before the conversation even begins, Brandon explains how a single breathwork session produced what he describes as psychedelic-level emotional breakthroughs, setting the stage for an exploration of healing, consciousness, spirituality, and the unseen dimensions of human potential.
00:00 – Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Kurtis Lee Thomas.
Brandon shares why this conversation is unlike any previous episode, recounting his own life-changing experiences with breathwork and previewing an exploration of healing, emotional release, spirituality, and consciousness.
05:24 – Brandon plays an unfiltered voice memo recorded immediately after his first full breathwork session.
Fresh from the experience, Brandon describes intense physical sensations including locked hands, involuntary body movements, emotional catharsis, profound crying, and an overwhelming feeling of release as he asks Kurtis to explain what actually happened inside his body.
11:12 – Kurtis explains the science and energetics behind deep diaphragmatic breathwork.
Kurtis unpacks why the body experiences tetany, shaking, emotional purging, and physical releases during breathwork, describing the body as a living library that stores unresolved emotional experiences until the breath creates the conditions for them to finally leave.
17:00 – Comparing breathwork to meditation and psychedelic experiences.
Brandon reflects on how breathwork rapidly transported him into altered states that previously required long meditation sessions, while Kurtis compares breathwork with ayahuasca and other psychedelic ceremonies, explaining why he believes breathwork can be equally profound while remaining accessible and substance-free.
20:56 – The breathwork session that completely changed Kurtis's life.
After years of chronic stomach issues, countless doctors, and extensive healing modalities around the world, Kurtis shares how a single breathwork session eliminated the energetic blockage that traditional medicine couldn't identify, ultimately leading him to dedicate his life to teaching the practice.
32:00 – Kurtis recounts his own first breathwork breakthrough.
He vividly remembers watching strangers around him begin crying before unexpectedly experiencing his own powerful emotional release. Days later, he realized longstanding physical symptoms had vanished, his clarity had dramatically improved, and his entire outlook on life had shifted.
35:29 – The origin of "Energy Clots."
Kurtis introduces his concept of "energy clots," explaining how unresolved emotional energy can silently affect every area of life—from health and creativity to finances and relationships—and shares how the idea became the foundation of his TED Talk.
36:43 – The tragic loss of Kurtis's brother sparks a profound spiritual awakening.
Kurtis recounts the shocking encounter with a spirit medium who claimed his deceased brother wanted to speak with him, launching a journey that challenged everything he previously believed about consciousness and life after death.
40:00 – The moment skepticism gave way to certainty.
As the medium reveals deeply personal details that only Kurtis and his late brother could have known—including information later confirmed by law enforcement—Kurtis describes the experience that permanently transformed his worldview and opened him to exploring spirituality.
47:53 – Developing an insatiable curiosity for the unknown.
Following his awakening, Kurtis explains how he became fascinated with consciousness, shamanic traditions, healing practices, synchronicities, intuition, and humanity's deeper origins, embracing an entirely new relationship with curiosity.
50:35 – A conversation about extraterrestrial life, expanded consciousness, and humanity's future.
Brandon pushes into unfamiliar territory as Kurtis shares his perspective on extraterrestrial civilizations, consciousness beyond Earth, why many people resist these ideas, and why he believes humanity is approaching a period of greater disclosure and expanded awareness.
56:02 – Human-initiated contact and Kurtis's personal CE-5 experiences.
Kurtis describes participating in contact protocols designed to initiate peaceful interactions with non-human intelligences, sharing why these firsthand experiences convinced him humanity is not alone and discussing what those experiences meant for his own understanding of reality.
Links & Resources
Breathwork Detox – Kurtis Lee Thomas's official website, featuring live breathwork sessions, training programs, and resources.
Breathwork Detox
Breath Club – Kurtis's guided online breathwork membership and community (available through Breathwork Detox).
Breath Club & Live Events
Breathwork Detox Teacher Certification – Information about Kurtis's Breathwork Detox facilitator training program.
Breathwork Detox Teacher Training
Kurtis Lee Thomas on Instagram (@manfromthestars) – Follow Kurtis for breathwork education, spiritual insights, and upcoming events.
@manfromthestars
Breathwork Detox: How to Thrive in the Age of Anxiety – Kurtis's book on using breathwork to reduce stress, anxiety, and improve well-being.
Breathwork Detox (Book)

Ever heard of a chicken so productive it turns homicidal?
Or an NBA player who changed the course of a season… without having impressive stats?
Me neither, until I sat down (again) with an experience designer I deeply respect, Jon Levy.
Fifteen years ago, Jon founded “The Influencers”, a secret dining experience and community, whose participants include more than 4000 leaders across industry, ranging from Nobel laureates, Olympians, and celebrities, to executives, editors-in-chief, and royalty.
What I admire about Jon’s work is the guy walks the walk.
His NYT bestselling book, You’re Invited, reveals his “secret sauce” of creating deep connection and trust that has made his dinners so successful.
This time, we’re diving into his brand new book, Team Intelligence: How Brilliant Leaders Unlock Collective Genius, and what it really takes to unlock collective genius.
We talk about…
What homicidal super chickens can teach us about team dysfunction
Why your most important team members might be the ones no one’s measuring or rewarding
The ONE universal characteristic you need to be a leader that most books or business schools don’t talk about.

If you’re a leader ready to unlock the collective intelligence of your team or community, this one is for you!

Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!
00:00:02 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s guest, Jon Levy.
Brandon Fong welcomes listeners back and reintroduces Jon Levy—experience designer, founder of The Influencers, and bestselling author. Brandon previews the episode’s key themes: homicidal “super chickens,” overlooked team members who drive real results, and the single defining trait of leadership, all in the context of Jon’s new book Team Intelligence.
00:03:24 - Revisiting the “Lost Boy” philosophy in fatherhood.
Jon reflects on how his Peter Pan-inspired identity has evolved since becoming a father. He shares how parenting has deepened his curiosity and shifted his default response to “yes” whenever possible—challenging unnecessary social etiquette and encouraging exploration unless something is truly dangerous.
00:07:34 - Curiosity in action: forklifts, Play-Doh, and childlike wonder.
Jon describes his insatiable curiosity—from interrogating forklift operators about tensile strength to letting his kids rub Play-Doh on his belly just to explore a novel sensation. He highlights how parenting has amplified his appreciation for discovery in everyday moments.
00:14:20 - Why most advice doesn’t work (and the Warren Buffett myth).
Jon recounts a story about Warren Buffett allegedly giving the “25-5 Rule” for success—only to later deny ever using such a system. This leads into Jon’s broader point: we often attribute tidy frameworks to successful people, but their real success rarely follows universally replicable formulas.
00:16:24 - The one true characteristic of a leader.
After researching leadership for three years, Jon shares a surprising conclusion: there are no universal leadership traits across institutions or iconic figures. The only consistent definition? Leaders have followers. People follow those who make them feel a compelling future is possible—even if they’re imperfect.
00:20:46 - Borrowed answers vs. authentic alignment.
Brandon and Jon discuss the tension between learning from successful people and blindly copying them. Jon challenges Brandon to articulate his own North Star, reinforcing that success stems from aligning with your unique strengths rather than replicating someone else’s “super skills.”
00:22:57 - Freedom over scale: choosing impact on your own terms.
Jon candidly shares why he chose not to scale The Influencers into a massive organization like TED or YPO. He values creative control and personal freedom over prestige and financial upside, emphasizing self-awareness as the ultimate compass for decision-making.
00:26:52 - How Team Intelligence was born.
Jon explains his writing process for the book—starting with leadership as an “evergreen” topic, then discovering that talent and skill alone aren’t enough. He structured the book as a journey of inquiry, uncovering how leadership and team dynamics intersect.
00:35:46 - The “Too Much Talent” problem and the rise of homicidal chickens.
Jon introduces the “super chicken” experiment: when chickens were bred solely for productivity, they became violent and destructive. In contrast, breeding entire cooperative groups led to dramatically better collective outcomes. The lesson: optimizing individuals can undermine the team.
00:42:37 - The power of “glue players” who multiply performance.
Jon explains research on “glue players”—team members who amplify others’ performance by a factor of 1.6. These individuals may not shine statistically but profoundly elevate group outcomes.
00:44:26 - Shane Battier: the “no stats” all-star.
Jon dives into the NBA story of Shane Battier, whose plus-minus rating was elite despite minimal traditional stats. Battier’s high emotional intelligence, team-first mentality, and proactive preparation (including memorizing opponents’ tendencies) allowed him to dramatically improve team performance and help the Miami Heat win championships.
00:48:47 - Measuring what’s useful, not what’s easy.
Brandon connects the Battier example to the “Moneyball” principle: organizations often measure what’s visible rather than what truly drives results. They discuss how employee happiness, emotional intelligence, and invisible contributions often predict success better than traditional metrics.
00:51:26 - How to identify the “Shanes” in your organization.
Jon outlines practical strategies for spotting glue players: test for emotional intelligence, ask team members who they turn to for support, and observe who goes above and beyond for the team. The same names will surface repeatedly—those trusted connectors who create psychological safety.
00:59:38 - AI, faux emotional intelligence, and the future of leadership.
Jon predicts that AI may soon coach leaders in real-time on emotional cues, potentially boosting “faux” emotional intelligence. However, he warns that reduced social exposure and increased remote work may erode our natural interpersonal skills if we’re not intentional.
01:02:00 - Where to find Jon and his work.
Jon shares that Team Intelligence is available wherever books are sold and invites listeners to explore more about his work and community experiences.

Links and Resources:
Team Intelligence: How Brilliant Leaders Unlock Collective Genius by Jon Levy
You're Invited: The Art and Science of Connection, Trust, and Belonging by Jon Levy
The 2 AM Principle: Discover the Science of Adventure by Jon Levy
The Influencers (Jon Levy’s secret dining experience community)

It was a normal Saturday morning.
Alphonso was 17 years old, sitting on his mom's porch in the summer of 1985, eating breakfast and talking about life when a police car rolled up.
The officer told his mom it was nothing serious…
They were just canvassing the neighborhood and wanted to ask Alphonso a few questions.
12 hours of interrogation later, they slid a document in front of him and said his mom was waiting in the lobby… all he had to do was sign and he could go home with her.
He signed it.
The next morning, he learned he'd been charged with first-degree murder.
Alphonso was sentenced to 105 years in prison for a murder he had absolutely nothing to do with.
What followed is legitimately one of the craziest ones I’ve heard on the show.
Here’s a tiny teaser…
Alphonso was thrown onto a "high profile tier" with serial rapists and convicted murderers… grown men twice his size.
After surviving an attack from a 300lb predator, Alphonso defended himself and was sent to solitary confinement for 5 years.
He was actually grateful to be there, because he didn’t have to defend himself anymore.
Then, one day, a prison chaplain named Emil started showing up at his cell.
Alphonso, full of rage at a system that had stolen his life, would fill a cup with his own urine and throw it in the chaplain's face.
Week after week.
Every time, the chaplain would simply wipe himself off and say, "Alphonso, I love you. And so does God."
After a couple of months of this, the chaplain showed up one day with a chair and an extra towel. Alphonso threw the urine on him again. The chaplain wiped his face, sat down in front of the cell, and said:
"Why are you angry?"
In Alphonso's own words: "He loved the hate away from me."
The chaplain became the first person in over a year to look Alphonso in the eye and say, "I believe you."
He taught Alphonso (who couldn't read at 17) how to read using children's coloring books. He brought him a Bible. And from that moment in solitary confinement, Alphonso began to envision a completely different life.
Fast forward 32 years.
On February 14, 2017 Alphonso was released from prison with the help of the Wisconsin Innocence Project.
He had appeared before the parole board 21 times and refused to accept responsibility for something he didn't do.
Crazy… and me writing this doesn’t even come close to doing the story justice. I can’t WAIT for you to listen.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How Alphonso transformed the worst injustice imaginable into a life of unconditional love, forgiveness (including forgiving himself), and service.
The mindset he used to refuse to accept the label of "offender" for 32 years… including the small daily acts of protest that kept his identity intact when the entire system was trying to crush it
What he's building now through Unfragile Farm, which is a place where formerly incarcerated people can heal, find work, and experience the kind of love that loved the hate away from Alphonso

If you're someone who believes in the redemptive power of love, forgiveness, and the human spirit's ability to transform unimaginable pain into wisdom… please don't miss this one!

Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!
00:00 – Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s guest, Alphonso James.
Brandon Fong welcomes listeners and introduces Alphonso James, teasing a jaw-dropping story of wrongful conviction, prison survival, and radical forgiveness. He previews Alphonso’s 105-year sentence for a murder he did not commit, his 32 years in prison, and his eventual release on Valentine’s Day 2017 with the help of the Wisconsin Innocence Project.
00:04:25 – Alphonso’s presence and the story behind his unforgettable hugs.
Brandon reflects on meeting Alphonso in person and describes his deeply intentional hugs. Alphonso shares how, after solitary confinement, an elderly nun hugged him in prison—an experience so transformative it inspired him to “love the pain away” from others.
00:08:04 – Addressing the wounded 8-year-old within.
Alphonso explains how childhood molestation and not being believed shaped his inner world. He describes “peeling back the layers” of trauma to reconnect with and love the frightened 8-year-old boy inside him—a pivotal step in his healing.
00:15:42 – July 27, 1985: The arrest that changed everything.
Alphonso recounts being 17 years old, eating breakfast with his mother, when police took him in “just for questioning.” After a 12-hour interrogation and signing a document he couldn’t read, he was charged with first-degree murder. Within four months, he was tried as an adult and sentenced to 105 years.
00:30:43 – Entering maximum security: violence, fear, and survival.
Thrown onto a high-profile tier with murderers and serial rapists, Alphonso describes witnessing a man commit suicide on his first day, being assaulted for claiming innocence, and living in constant readiness for violence. He eventually stabs a man who threatened him, resulting in five years of solitary confinement.
00:37:34 – Solitary confinement: confronting himself in the silence.
Strapped down in a “five-point” restraint cell, isolated and stripped of dignity, Alphonso explains how solitary forced him to stop “running” from himself. With no distractions left, he began confronting his trauma and searching for meaning.
00:39:51 – Throwing urine at the chaplain—and being met with love.
Consumed by anger, Alphonso repeatedly throws urine on the prison chaplain during weekly visits. Instead of retaliation, the chaplain responds, “I love you, and so does God.” Week after week, he returns—bringing towels and eventually a chair—until Alphonso breaks and opens up.
00:42:18 – “I believe you.” The moment everything changed.
When Alphonso tells the chaplain he is innocent, the chaplain says he believes him—the first person ever to do so. The chaplain begins teaching him to read using children’s books and coloring pages. Alphonso’s life shifts from punishment to purpose.
00:47:30 – Discovering identity beyond prison walls.
After years of introspection, Alphonso answers the question “Who am I?” He describes journaling for 32 years, confronting insecurity and self-hatred, and discovering his essence beyond trauma, beyond his body, and beyond the prison label.
00:55:43 – A suicide attempt and a spiritual awakening.
The day before the chaplain’s breakthrough visit, Alphonso attempts to hang himself in solitary confinement. He vividly describes seeing two possible futures at his grave—and feeling a familiar hand lift him back to life. From that moment, he commits to sharing his story.
01:09:11 – Returning to general population transformed.
After five years in solitary, Alphonso reenters prison changed. At Prison Fellowship, a nun hugs him—and the shanks hidden in his pants fall to the floor. He throws them away. He later tests at post–high school level, scoring among the highest in Wisconsin’s prison system.
01:16:45 – Meeting Viktor Frankl and discovering shared purpose.
Alphonso recounts meeting Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning. Frankl encourages him to “hold on,” reinforcing Alphonso’s belief that suffering carries purpose and that meaning can be chosen even in the darkest places.
01:39:12 – Unfragile Farm and building second chances.
Now free, Alphonso shares his vision for Unfragile Farm—a healing space offering employment partnerships, mentorship, sheltering support, and personal development intensives for formerly incarcerated individuals. He also discusses his upcoming book and reflection journal.
01:45:16 – 21 parole hearings and unwavering truth.
Terry reveals that Alphonso faced 21 parole hearings over 19 years. He could have been released at any time by admitting guilt—but he refused to lie, even as loved ones passed away. His commitment to truth ultimately led to freedom.
01:47:17 – A call to share the story.
Brandon closes by urging listeners to share this episode with someone who needs hope. Alphonso expresses deep gratitude, emphasizing love, truth, and purpose as the foundations of his life today.
Links & Resources
Alphonso James website
Wisconsin Innocence Project – The organization that helped secure Alphonso’s release.
Unfragile Farm – Alphonso’s healing and mentorship initiative for formerly incarcerated individuals.
Prison Fellowship – Faith-based prison outreach program involved in Alphonso’s transformation.
Watchman Nee – The Spiritual Man – Spiritual text Alphonso studied during incarceration.

I told Eric Ries that I felt like puking after reading his new book, Incorruptible.
Here's why:
In The Matrix, right after Neo takes the red pill from Morpheus, Neo is shown the truth for the first time.
Neo's reaction is pure overload and he starts barfing all over the floor.
In Incorruptible, Eric shares hard truths about how organizations are built… and why success itself so often turns companies against the people and principles that made them worth building in the first place.
The reality is SHOCKING and, just like Neo, being shown the truth that bluntly was tough to swallow.
But the book isn't all doom and gloom…
It's mixed in with hope, beauty, and a CLEAR roadmap of a new way forward to protect the soul of companies we entrepreneurs work so hard to build.
The book blew my mind and gave me a whole new level of permission to not only build companies, but entirely new Civic Infrastructures (my favorite concept out of the new book) that create civilization level change.
Since reading it, I've been talking about it non-stop to everyone I'm in contact with.
Eric has spent his career walking founders from idea → IPO. And he kept watching the same heartbreaking pattern play out over and over:
Visionary entrepreneurs would build something they loved, sell it or take it public… and then watch their baby get gutted by short-term thinking, fiduciary "duties," and investors squeezing every last drop of value out of it until there was nothing left of the original soul.
So Eric wrote the book on how to build a company that can't be corrupted, and how we might design entirely new civic infrastructure for the world that's coming.
A few things we unpacked on the episode:
Why nearly every founder unknowingly signs away their company's soul on day one… and the single line in your corporate charter that makes you legally vulnerable to selling to the worst possible buyer
Eric’s radical redefinition of "profit": What it actually means to be a for-profit company when you account for all the value you create AND destroy across time, space, and human lives
How to design a "spiritual holding company": the 100-year-old structure that protects the soul of a business across generations, so the mission you built it for can never be gutted by short-term decision making

Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!
Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s guest, Eric Ries.
Brandon welcomes listeners and introduces today’s guest, Eric Ries, entrepreneur and bestselling author of The Lean Startup. Eric returns with a bold new vision in his book Incorruptible, challenging conventional corporate governance and proposing new systems to protect the soul of companies. Brandon shares his visceral reaction to the book — comparing it to taking the red pill in The Matrix — and previews key ideas including fiduciary traps, redefining profit, and building “civic infrastructure.”
Timestamps & Key Moments
00:00:02 – Brandon opens the episode and introduces Eric Ries, highlighting the significance of Incorruptible and the urgency of its message for entrepreneurs navigating today’s rapidly changing world.
00:00:34 – Eric recounts the wild reactions he received when he told people he wanted to build a new stock exchange. He compares the idea to “building a second moon,” emphasizing how institutional systems feel untouchable — until you realize they are human-made and can be remade.
00:06:18 – Eric shares the behind-the-scenes story of launching the Long-Term Stock Exchange. After years of resistance, he discovers that starting a stock exchange ultimately comes down to filing a 250-page form — revealing how intimidating systems are often less mystical than they appear.
00:09:02 – Brandon brings up Eric’s concept of civic infrastructure. Eric explains how invisible institutional systems — from stock exchanges to product standards — quietly shape society, defining what is possible in markets and culture.
00:12:00 – Eric explores how everyday transactions (like buying a banana) depend on vast, invisible networks of institutions. He argues that when institutions fail or get disrupted, new ones rush in — but without intentional values, societal damage can follow.
00:21:10 – Eric introduces a thought experiment: Would you sell your company to the most evil corporation imaginable? Most founders say “hell no.” But Eric reveals a shocking truth — corporate charters often legally require boards to accept the highest bidder due to fiduciary duty.
00:24:05 – Eric tells the true story of Vectura, a healthcare company forced to sell to Philip Morris. Despite public outrage and internal resistance, the board followed shareholder primacy doctrine — leading to massive value destruction.
00:27:19 – Brandon and Eric unpack how a single line in most corporate charters — “any lawful purpose” — enables courts to interpret a company’s purpose as maximizing shareholder value, even when that contradicts its mission statement.
00:30:16 – Eric radically redefines profit. Through vivid examples (Ponzi schemes, toxic waste dumping, murder-for-hire hypotheticals), he demonstrates how conventional accounting ignores deferred and displaced harm. He proposes a new definition: profit as the maximization of human flourishing.
00:37:25 – Eric shares the story of Devoted Health, a rapidly growing healthcare company that defines its product as love. By aligning incentives around genuine care for customers, they create what Eric calls a “virtuous performance loop.”
00:41:55 – Eric introduces the concept of the spiritual holding company, using Novo Nordisk as a case study. Founded over 100 years ago, its structure places a nonprofit foundation above the for-profit entity — protecting mission across generations.
00:46:48 – Eric warns against delaying governance decisions. “It’s always too early until it’s too late.” He explains how founders are repeatedly advised to postpone protective structures — only to lose control once public or acquired.
00:52:06 – A powerful statistic: 76% of founders regret selling their company within one year. Eric reflects on why financial success without mission integrity often leads to emptiness and disillusionment.
00:53:22 – Brandon and Eric discuss the idea that companies have souls. Eric emphasizes that corporate governance should be seen as preventative discipline — not a one-time decision — to protect mission over the long term.
00:53:58 – Eric shares where to find Incorruptible, including bonus materials, implementation guides, and a secret chapter available at the book’s website. He also encourages listeners to support local independent bookstores.
00:55:31 – Eric closes with a powerful reminder: systemic change doesn’t only require policy shifts. Every technique in the book can be implemented today — by founders, leaders, and even consumers who choose where to direct their economic power.
Links & Resources
Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great by Eric Ries
Incorruptible book website (bonus chapter, implementation guides, courses): https://www.incorruptible.co
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE)

It's been just about 3 months since I last published an episode of Beyond Curious…
I’ve missed you guys!!
This pause has been a beautiful reset for me, there's a LOT going on behind the scenes, including some projects I can't wait to tell you about soon.
But today I'm excited to announce that I'm BACK with a few episodes that have made a profound impact on me since I’ve recorded them.
Today is a mini preview, because over the coming weeks I'm releasing 4 episodes bi-weekly, starting May 26th.

Here's the schedule:
🗓️ May 26th: NYT Bestselling Author of "The Lean Startup" On Building Companies That Create Civilization-Level Impact & Designing Organizations That Endure For 100+ Years… w/ Eric Reis
I told Eric that I felt like puking after reading his new book, Incorruptible.
Here's why:
In the Matrix, right after Neo takes the red pill from Morpheus, Neo is shown the truth for the first time.
Neo's reaction is pure overload and he starts barfing all over the floor.
In Incorruptible, Eric shares hard truths about how organizations are built... and why success itself so often turns companies against the people and principles that made them worth building in the first place.
The reality is SHOCKING and, just like Neo, being shown the truth that bluntly was tough to swallow.
But the book isn't all doom and gloom...
It's mixed in with hope, beauty, and a CLEAR roadmap of a new way forward to protect the soul of companies we entrepreneurs work so hard to build.
The book blew my mind and gave me a whole new level of permission to not only build companies, but entirely new Civic Infrastructures (my favorite concept out of the new book) that create civilization level change.
Since reading it, I've been talking about it non-stop to everyone I'm in contact with and I'm so excited for this book to be put into the hands of as many people as possible.

🗓️ June 9th: Choosing Unconditional Love & Forgiveness After Spending 32 Years In Prison For A Crime He Didn't Commit… w/ Alphonso James
Alphonso was 17 years old, sitting on his mom's porch in the summer of 1985, eating breakfast and talking about life when a police car rolled up.
The officer told his mom it was nothing serious…
They were just canvassing the neighborhood and wanted to ask Alphonso a few questions.
12 hours of interrogation later, they slid a document in front of him and said his mom was waiting in the lobby… all he had to do was sign and he could go home with her.
He signed it.
The next morning, he learned he'd been charged with first-degree murder.
Alphonso was sentenced to 105 years in prison for a murder he had absolutely nothing to do with.
What followed is legitimately one of the craziest ones I’ve heard on the show. This one you can’t miss…

🗓️ June 23rd: What Homicidal Super Chickens & No-Stat NBA All-Stars Have To Do With Unlocking Team Intelligence… w/ Jon Levy
Jon was on the show back in Episode 122 and is one of my favorite thinkers in the world of relationships.
He's the founder of The Influencers — a secret dining experience and community with Nobel laureates, Olympians, celebrities, and executives.
This time, we’re diving into his brand new book, Team Intelligence: How Brilliant Leaders Unlock Collective Genius, and what it really takes to unlock collective genius.
Jon is hilarious.
We talk about…
What homicidal super chickens can teach us about team dysfunction
Why your most important team members might be the ones no one’s measuring or rewarding
The ONE universal characteristic you need to be a leader that most books or business schools don’t talk about.

If you’re a leader ready to unlock the collective intelligence of your team or community, this one is for you!

🗓️ July 7th: How To Achieve Psychedelic-Level Breakthroughs & Remove "Energy Clots" From Your Body… Just By Breathing… w/ Kurtis Lee Thomas
Quick context:
I've never been drunk in my life and have never done any form of psychedelics.
But I'd kept hearing about breathwork being a really profound experience — especially from people who'd done ayahuasca, bufo, and other alternative medicines.
So when my friend Collin introduced me to Kurtis, I attended one of his sessions and was blown away. I’m a superfan and have now turned breathwork into a multiple times per week practice and invested in joining Kurtis’ breathwork membership and am LOVING it.

As for the future of the show…
I'd still love to experiment with another big series (similar to The 4% Files) where I weave bigger threads together, but I'm not actively working on that yet.
In the meantime, when I really want to interview someone in the format you're used to, I'll do it and release it when it feels right.
I'll see you May 26th with Eric Ries 🙂