Divot

Grant Cardone grew up in the bayous of Louisiana with no money, no connections, and no plan, and spent a decade battling drug addiction before rebuilding from scratch. Today, his privately held companies generate $750 million in gross annual revenue, Cardone Capital manages more than 15,000 apartment units, and the 10X brand has shaped how millions of founders think about ambition and scale.
In this episode with Derek Andersen, Grant explains why failing to pursue massive success is somewhat unethical, why the worst advice he ever took came from someone who stopped growing, and how he combines real estate with Bitcoin to hit bigger targets. He also breaks down the twice-daily goal-writing practice, dreams, not to-do lists, that he credits with materializing everything he has ever put on a vision board.
The conversation goes deeper than ambition. Grant opens up about losing his father at 10 and his brother at 20, fighting addiction from 15 to 25, and surviving three overdoses. What emerges is a portrait of someone who had every reason to stop, and chose to build instead. Where you are going always matters more than where you are.
Follow Grant - X (Twitter): https://x.com/GrantCardone
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen
Episode Partners:
Google for Startups
If you’re building applications with generative media or considering it, Google just released a brand-new technical guide. You can download it at https://goo.gle/genmediaguide
Timestamps:
00:01:47 — Why Grant Cardone Avoids Silicon Valley at All Costs
00:04:28 — The First Rule of All Success: Just Show Up
00:08:21 — The Soil You Grow In: Why Your Environment Shapes Your Ceiling
00:20:52 — How to Create an Experience 34,000 People Pay For
00:44:06 — Why Failing to Pursue Massive Success Is Unethical
00:46:25 — The Revenue Reveal: $750M Gross and $4 Billion in Value
00:49:24 — The Advice That Cost Him Millions in Real Estate
00:55:28 — Why Thinking Small Is Still Going to Cost You Everything
00:57:49 — The Real Estate-Bitcoin Hybrid Strategy Explained
00:59:24 — Writing Goals Twice a Day: Dreams, Not To-Do Lists
01:10:41 — The Losses That Built Everything He Has Today
Follow Divot:
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg
Hashtags:
#GrantCardone #10X #Divot #DivotPodcast #CardoneCapital #10XRule #RealEstate #Bitcoin #Entrepreneurship #Founder #GoalSetting #10XGrowth #EntrepreneurMindset #BigThinking #UndercoverBillionaire

Mark Manson is a three-time NYT number one bestselling author whose book "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" has sold more than 20 million copies across 65 languages, hitting number one in 14 countries. He co-wrote Will Smith's memoir and recently co-founded Purpose, an AI mental health startup that hit seven-figure revenue in 12 days.
In this episode with Derek Andersen, Mark breaks down the business mechanics behind 20 million books sold, why he treats every book as a product, why aspiring authors must study copywriting, and what deep market research gave "The Subtle Art" its best shot at success. He also explains why the therapy market is fundamentally broken and what his AI startup Purpose is doing to fix it.
The conversation goes deeper into Mark's philosophy on happiness, why chasing it makes you less happy, why struggle is not something to avoid but to choose deliberately, and how his most meaningful career moments came through things he would never willingly repeat. Ultimately, this is a conversation about building work that lasts and a life that means something.
Follow Mark - X (Twitter): https://x.com/Markmanson
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen
Episode Partners:
Google for Startups
If you’re building applications with generative media or considering it, Google just released brand-new technical guide. You can download it at https://goo.gle/genmediaguide
Timestamps:
00:01:39 — Why He Turned His Attention to AI Mental Health
00:06:09 — Meeting His Co-Founder at a Poker Game
00:10:47 — How Purpose Hit 7 Figures in 12 Days
00:12:15 — Why the Therapy Industry Is Fundamentally Broken
00:20:05 — What Most Authors Get Wrong About Books
00:32:15 — Inside the Will Smith Memoir
00:37:45 — The Take on the Oscars Slap He's Never Shared
00:47:48 — The Biggest Lie About Happiness
00:50:29 — Why Wanting Happiness Makes You Less Happy
00:54:50 — Why Happiness Is the Wrong Question
01:03:41 — The Real Mechanism Behind All Self-Help
01:17:39 — "Ironically, He Gave a F*ck"
01:24:08 — Struggle Is Inevitable - Choose Your Struggles
Follow Divot:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Divotpod
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg
Hashtags:
#MarkManson #SubtleArt #Purpose #AIStartup #MentalHealth #BookMarketing #SelfHelp #Entrepreneurship #CreatorEconomy #Divot #DivotPodcast #AITherapy #PersonalDevelopment #FounderStory #StartupLife

Greg Isenberg is the entrepreneur and AI strategist behind Late Checkout, a portfolio of AI-native businesses powered by agents and online communities. He founded FiveBuy, acquired by StumbleUpon, and built Islands, acquired by WeWork. Through Idea Browser, Greg's Letter, and the Startup Ideas Podcast, Greg has shared over 2,000 startup ideas with millions of followers and advised the world's largest brands on AI strategy.
In this episode with Derek Andersen, Greg explains why AI is only as good as the context you feed it, how to find validated startup ideas through trend data rather than intuition, and why the age of the multi-preneur has arrived. He breaks down his ACP framework, the builder-distributor advantage, and how to build a business from scratch in 90 days.
The conversation goes deeper into what it truly means to become AI-native, why 1,000 hours of practice separates those who win from those who don't, and the formative baseball rejection that taught Greg the hardest truth: not everything is in your control. Greg shows that when the gatekeepers are gone, creativity and distribution become the last real competitive advantage.
Follow Greg - X (Twitter): https://x.com/gregisenberg
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen
Episode Partners:
Google for Startups
If you’re building applications with generative media or considering it, Google just released brand-new technical guide. You can download it at https://goo.gle/genmediaguide
Timestamps:
00:01:52 — The $2/Hour AI Co-Founder
00:03:21 — How to Find the Right Startup Idea
00:07:38 — Why Your AI Keeps Giving You Bad Results
00:11:26 — What AI Will Replace in the Next 18 Months
00:14:46 — Why Creatives Win the Age of AI
00:18:45 — The Age of the Multi-Preneur
00:24:56 — The Builder-Distributor Advantage
00:26:32 — How to Run a Startup on Autopilot
00:30:30 — 3 Hours vs. 6 Months: What AI Changed
00:33:06 — Why AI Just Killed the Startup Gatekeepers
00:41:32 — The 1,000-Hour Rule to Master AI
00:43:34 — Build a Business in 90 Days: The ACP Framework
00:47:00 — The Rejection That Changed Everything
00:55:12 — "He Helped Me" — On Legacy and Purpose
Follow Divot:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Divotpod
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg
Hashtags:
#GregIsenberg #LateCheckout #MultiPreneur #AIStartup #AICoFounder #StartupIdeas #AIPodcast #Entrepreneurship #BuilderDistributor #VibeCode #StartupStrategy #BoringBusiness #AIAge #DivotPodcast

Nick O’Neill is the entrepreneur, software developer, and creator behind Choose Rich, the provocative online character that transformed crypto commentary, luxury satire, and internet outrage into a media business generating millions of dollars a year. After one yacht post exploded to more than 45 million impressions, Nick discovered how attention spreads, how perception shapes reality, and how to build a business around internet culture.
In this episode with Derek Andersen, Nick opens up about his Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis after nearly two years of unexplained symptoms, the mindset helping him face chemotherapy, and why he believes, “I’m basically a statistic.” He also shares how he intentionally turned internet hate into viral growth, what most creators misunderstand about attention, and why optimism is ultimately a choice.
The conversation goes deeper into selling Bitcoin and Ethereum too early, engineering viral marketing stunts, overcoming panic attacks, separating real blockchain innovation from crypto speculation, and building a media company that generates millions. Nick shows that resilience is not pretending life is easy; it is choosing what defines you, making people smile, and making the most of every single day.
Follow Nick - X (Twitter): https://x.com/chooserich
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen
Episode Partners:
Google for Startups
If you’re building applications with generative media or considering it, Google just released brand-new technical guide. You can download it at https://goo.gle/genmediaguide
Timestamps:
01:43 - Nick Opens Up About His Cancer Diagnosis
07:41 - “I’m Basically a Statistic”
14:11 - What It Means to Say, “I Ran a Good Race”
16:06 - How Choose Rich Became a Viral Business
18:27 - The Yacht Post That Reached 45 Million People
21:27 - The Viral Yacht Stunt That Fooled the Internet
26:12 - Selling Ethereum at $11 and Bitcoin at $150
32:26 - Why Crypto Adoption Is Happening Quietly
44:24 - The Failure That Sent Nick to the Hospital
48:45 - Why Cancer Did Not Define Him
59:21 - How Nick Measures a Successful Life
Follow Divot:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Divotpod
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg
Hashtags:
#NickONeill #ChooseRich #CancerJourney #HodgkinLymphoma #Chemotherapy #Optimism #Resilience #Entrepreneurship #GoingViral #ViralMarketing #ContentCreator #CreatorEconomy #Crypto #Bitcoin #DivotPodcast

Ed Catmull co-founded Pixar and helped build the creative engine behind some of the most beloved films of the last 30 years, including Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, WALL-E, and Up. Long before Pixar changed animation forever, Ed helped pioneer 3D computer graphics, build RenderMan, and partner with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter to create one of the most influential creative companies in history.
In this episode with Derek Andersen, Ed reveals how Pixar really became Pixar: the 14-year path to making Toy Story possible, why Steve Jobs stayed out of the Braintrust, how Pixar protected creative honesty, and why getting the team right matters more than getting the idea right. He also shares lessons from Creativity Inc. on long-term thinking, failure, leadership, disagreement, and building a culture where the best ideas can survive.
The conversation goes deeper into the stories behind Pixar’s success, from almost losing Toy Story 2 to choosing hard films like Ratatouille and Up when they did not look commercially obvious. Ed shows that Pixar’s real secret was not one perfect idea, one genius leader, or one lucky movie. It was a culture strong enough to turn impossible ideas into stories the world never forgets.
Follow Ed - X (Twitter): https://x.com/edcatmull
Follow Derek - X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/derekjandersen
Episode Partners:
Google for Startups
Grab the new Google for Startups Future of AI report at https://goo.gle/futureofgenmedia
Timestamps:
01:39 - Why Great Companies Fail to Think Long-Term
07:35 - Why VR, Oculus, and Tech Hype Got Ahead of Reality
19:13 - The 14-Year Math Behind Toy Story
24:57 - Why the Right Environment Creates Pioneers
37:34 - Why Steve Jobs Let Pixar Publish Everything
42:26 - Steve Jobs’ $54M Bet on Pixar
44:53 - Why Great Teams Create Great Ideas
54:20 - Why Pixar Did Not Call Every Mistake a Failure
59:08 - Why Steve Jobs Stayed Out of Pixar’s Braintrust
01:03:06 - Why Powerful Leaders Should Speak Last
01:15:03 - How Pixar Made Steve Jobs a Billionaire
01:21:15 - The Steve Jobs Transformation Most People Missed
01:24:17 - Why Ed Catmull Believes He Is Wrong Half the Time
01:33:10 - Ed Catmull Was Removed as Pixar President Twice
01:37:27 - Why Creativity Inc. Was Really About Building Great Teams
01:42:26 - How Pixar Almost Lost Toy Story 2
01:46:36 - How Pixar Became a Repeatable Creative Studio
01:47:19 - Why Ratatouille and Up Should Not Have Worked
01:49:13 - How Ed Catmull Measures a Good Life
Follow Divot:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Divotpod
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/divotdotorg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divotpod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg
Hashtags:
#pixar #stevejobs #edcatmull #toystory #creativityinc #pixarbraintrust #findingnemo #theincredibles #ratatouille #walle #up #creativeleadership #storytelling #innovation #divotpodcast