Finding Founders

In World War II, the allies didn't have enough troops to combat the Nazis... So they came up with a weird way to scare them before they even thought of approaching. Dennis and I talk about this story and compare it to the fake it till you make it mantra common in entrepreneurial circles. We ask the question: how do we tell a compelling story while still being authentic. Check out more of Dennis on his website: https://audiencemagnet.com/ findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

In this episode, we discover the story of Matthew Johnson, a professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at John Hopkins University, and one of the first scientists to publish extensive research on the effect of psychedelic drugs on the brain. Specifically, how compounds like psilocybin can help cure mental illness. He is also the Associate Center Director of the Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research which recently received $17 million dollars of funding from private donors including Tim Ferriss. As a disillusioned engineering major and in the middle of a midlife crisis, Matthew’s drive to help others led him to the study of behavioral psychology. Then, as a graduate student at Hopkins, Matthew’s research took a pivotal turn towards the study of LSDs and other drugs, and to the discovery of how these chemical compounds may be the key to solving addiction and even help patients combating cancer. Now, Matthew tells us more about his scientific journey, and clues us in on how psychedelics can pot

Today I ask Charles Read, founder of Get Payroll and a certified public accountant, about how to avoid tax fraud. He gives us insight into the weird world of taxes and some tips on how to navigate that world. findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

This is Finding Founders, I’m Samuel Donner, and today we’re exploring the story of Katie Longmyer--a young cello player who went from nightclub doorkeeper to producing a Made in America festival with a crowd of over 80,000 people. Katie’s story is a whirlwind, taking us through her ascent in the D.C. nightlife scene to landing a gig at Warner Media, to producing events as massive as Brooklyn Electronics Music Festival. But as much as it’s a story about her, it’s also a story about her community, the people who supported her, and the people who she sought to uplift. Today’s episode is jam-packed, but before we step into the big leagues we’re going to wind back to humbler beginnings, to Katie’s traditional Southern home just outside of Washington D.C. DM me on Instagram: @samueldonner or @findingfounderspodcast findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Today I tell Diane the story of how a bad founder relationship at Tinder, led to one of the founders leaving to start her own company. That company would later become Bumble. Diane joins me in this conversation with years of business and coaching experience. She co-founded a business in the back of a house, grew it to $50 Million in 6 yrs and sold it to a public company and she tells us how to have great relationships with our founders and the people around us. If you are interested in finding out more about Diane, go to her website: https://dianeprince.co/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

In this episode, we discover the story of James Andrews, a successful NYC record label exec and entrepreneur who was integral in hip hop's rise and currently forming novel creator communities. From wayward beginnings growing up in Palo Alto to learning how to network the Hollywood scene, James’ career spans a myriad of successes. From meeting Whitney Houston and Beyonce, to the founder of Uber, James knows what it’s like to be surrounded by fame and recognition. Yet, he’s also familiar with the setbacks of being an entrepreneur, and teaches us how to persevere by placing family first, having confidence in one’s passions amidst doubts, and how to possess a keen, independent mind towards the future through the power of community. Audio Collective: https://audiocollective.co The Authenticated: https://theauthenticated.mn.co Recommended documentary The Black Godfather: https://www.netflix.com/title/80173387 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Today I tell the story of Albert Hofmann, a Swiss chemist who was the first person to ever synthesize and ingest LSD. Clancey gives his own perspective on the substances and how we can integrate intense experiences to positively affect our lives. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

When it comes to emerging psychedelic therapies, how did we get here and where we are going? In this episode, we dive into the historical context of neuroscience and ethical implications of psychedelic experimentation, in conversation with author and bioethicist Jonathan Moreno. Jonathan Moreno grew up on the frontier of psychotherapy. The first 20 years of his life were spent as the center of a “laboratory of ideas” surrounded by psychiatric patients and psychotherapists at his parent’s institute. His fascination with studying consciousness in treatment began there and took him on the journey to receiving his Ph.D. in philosophy, studying bioethics and military experiments, and eventually psychedelics. You will learn about the unlikely interaction of psychedelics and national security, as well as how the historical context of human military experiments contributes to our current understanding of consciousness. Just press play. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Today we hear the story of Julie Holland and her road to redefine psychedelics and psychotherapy. Julie grew up a tomboy, and was super bright for her age. Her intelligence led to curiosity, and she began experimenting with drugs and alcohol at 12. This only fed her interest in the psychology of psychedelics. Through her own research, she learned how the altered mind can change how one perceives the world. She speaks of how her experiences with PCP made her realize the importance of drug policy and harm reduction. This leads up to her college years where she dove into the science of these drugs. After school, Julie worked at Bellevue and her book, “Weekends at Bellevue” is based on her experiences of working at this psychiatric ward for nine years. She saw people who were in permanently altered states and empathized with them. Since leaving Bellevue, Julie joined the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and has continued her research on Psychedelics. So join us and hear this story of

Today we tell Tom Kereszti a story about how Alexander the Great motivated his men to cross a hostile desert landscape using servant leadership. Tom is the perfect person to tell this story to because his approach to leadership comes from a lifetime of international experience. He has built and led executive teams in Fortune 500 companies in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the United States. His accomplishments include establishing global alliances, acquiring companies, leading successful start-ups, and creating brands. He also recently released a book called C-Suite and Beyond, that you can buy now on Amazon. Follow us on instagram @findingfounderspodcast findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Today, we sit down and hear from Douglas George, who was one of the first producers and distributors of LSD in the US. Coming from humble beginnings in Iowa, George attended college as a physicist in Riverside before deciding he wanted to change the way that people thought about existence. Developing an interest in hallucinogenic drugs, George pushed aside his physics backgrounds and focused on producing a compound that was new to the world. Living in Hermosa Beach in Southern California, he tapped into the counterculture wave of the psychedelic experience by traveling up and down the coast handing out his own LSD. George did everything in the vain of scientific discovery as well as opening the public’s mind about the reality they lived in. Meeting Owsley Stanley in the early 1960s, George’s LSD was one of the main causes of the famed counterculture movement that sprouted up in San Francisco. George’s motivations were always scientific, but that didn’t stop him from meeting and interacting with some of the i

Today, we sit down with Johnny Harris, an international multimedia generalist based in Washington DC. Johnny was born in Ashland, Oregon in 1988 and attained a BA degree from BYU. His passion and career focus aims at connecting high quality media arts with foreign affairs. He utilizes media in making complex world issues more relatable and easier to understand. Johnny’s work with vox.com in reporting on interesting trends and domestic and global stories pioneered their series, Vox Borders. He is the co-founder of Bright Trip, a video-based educational platform. Johnny is an Emmy-nominated video journalist who has spent the last 5 years reporting on and sharing human centered stories of borders around the globe. He has a passion for taking the overwhelming and the complex – and using his visual style of motion graphics and cinematic visuals to distill it into a comprehensive, relatable, and understandable message. This is an exposé on self-discovery, feeling — but not seeking validation, and exploring ones u

Today we tell a story of how Dollar Shave Club turned a viral video into a billion dollar company. This video would usher in a new era of businesses built off of engaging sales videos. And to figure out a little more of how it all works, we talk to Jospeh Wilkins, founder of FunnySalesVideos.com. He tells us how viral videos have changed, and how we can create a viral video today. findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Many founders love the feeling of being able to work for themselves. Today, we sit down with Maxwell Nee, founder of online coaching service High-Performing Coach, who felt that working for himself was the only option. With Malaysian Chinese parents, Maxwell recalls that high standards for himself were always present, whether he achieved them or not. After suppressing his dreams for the sake of a stable career, Maxwell came face to face with the realization that he had to take the steps to do what he loves. Join us as we learn how Maxwell explored what he truly needed from his career, and networked with people around the world to make what he wanted a reality. High-Performing Coach Website: https://highperforming.coach/ Socials: Instagram: @maxwellnee LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwellnee/?originalSubdomain=uk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaxwellNeeCoach/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/maxwellneecoach?s=20 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Today I talk with Eric Twiggs about procrastination and a simple trick to combat it. Eric Twiggs, is your procrastination prevention expert. He's conducted 20,000+ hours of procrastination consulting, and in that time has learned the tricks of the trade. In this episode of Founder Wisdom we give you the tools you need to get more done and be more successful. findingfounders.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Let's face it, you aren't inspired when you hear about success. Real inspiration, comes from hearing someone's lowest moments, the point where they almost broke, and then rising with their success. I'm your host Samuel Donner, and on each episode of Finding Founders we interview the founders behind companies, movements, and even drug cartels. We tell their whole life story to reveal vulnerability so you can learn from victory. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

Update: So last week, we finished our drug dealer series and wow what an incredible experience. It was so interesting to dive into this underground world and it was awesome to see so many new listeners come to the podcast. Finding Founders is growing more and more every day and if you’d like to support us, just share with a friend or post a screenshot to your socials. It really helps. Anyway, finishing up this series reminded me of first one that we ever did. I actually traveled over to Puerto Rico to interview leaders in the community and hear how the entrepreneurial community recovered after the 2017 hurricanes. Today I wanted to do a rebroadcast of the 1st episode in a three part series on Puerto Rico. I hope you enjoy. Puerto Rico Series Part 2 Puerto Rico Series Part 3 When all is smooth sailing, community is something that we often take for granted. But when the waves get rocky, there’s truth in the saying “it takes a village” -- after all, difficult times are made easier when we know we have othe

Today we tell a story of a battle between Microsoft and Apple. This incident would start a war between the two computer giants that would rage for years to come. After the story, I'll ask business lawyer, Asha Wilkerson, what we can learn from this and how we can apply these lessons. findingfounders.co http://www.ashawilkerson.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support

In the last episode of the drug dealer series, we sit down with Frederick Hutson, founder of Pigeonly, a platform that helps people connect with incarcerated loved ones. Of course, such an idea was not created without due experience. Growing up around the world of drugs, Frederick knew that the biggest money makers in town were drug dealers. However, Frederick did not turn out to be your average "small town hero" drug dealer. After working in the Air Force, he grew an underground marijuana operation that would move $22 million dollars of product a year. His knack for fine-tuning and calibrating a business ended up taking him much farther than he ever anticipated. Join us as we learn how Frederick’s journey through culture shock, intense contemplation, and a desire to problem-solve led him to founding Pigeonly. Links From the Episode Pigeonly Site: https://pigeonly.com/ Socials: Twitter: @IAMFastFreddy Instagram: @iamfastfreddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederickhutson/ Long-Term Recidiv

This episode has a little update on the Finding Founders community and then goes straight into a rebroadcast of Founder Wisdom #001 -- You’ve probably been giving your team the wrong criticism. This is the Founder Wisdom. Where we’ll answer that question by distilling advice from our founders and the books they recommend. I asked MasterClass founder David Rogier what book I should read if I’m trying to manage people more effectively. He recommended “The Man Who Lied to His Laptop" by Clifford Nas. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/finding-founders/support