👉 Join our private community for operators, marketers, and creators (waitlist)
⚡️ BTS & more
In this episode, I sit down with Joel Kocher, the 70-year-old CEO & Co-Founder of Humann, a $200M company redefining cardiovascular health. We unpack how Joel went from early retirement and burnout to discovering the "miracle molecule" nitric oxide — the foundation behind Humann's science-backed approach to longevity.
He explains why most people misunderstand heart health, how clinical trials became his edge, and what it takes to build a lasting company.We also dive deep into leadership — from his years as the #2 at Dell to lessons learned from Michael Dell and Steve Jobs.
Joel shares the mindset that's kept him young, the frameworks that landed Humann on the Inc. 5000 list ten times, and why focus, conviction, and adaptability matter more than ever in business and life.This conversation is a deep dive into longevity, leadership, and what it really takes to stay young — in business and in life. Enjoy!
00:00:00 Trailer
00:01:40 How Old Is Your Arterial Age?
00:04:55 Nitric Oxide - The Story of The Miracle Molecule
00:10:13 Does Cardiovascular Health Mean Heart Health?
00:16:46 Product and Development Cycle for Humann
00:20:38 How Does R&D Work For Nitric Oxide?
00:23:02 You've Made The Inc 5000 List 10 Times. What Makes a Great Leader?
00:34:19 You've Worked With Michael Dell. What Was His Superpower?
00:36:45 Dell Was One of The Fastest Growing Companies. What are the Big Lessons?
00:40:38 As A Leader, How Do You Handle Team Disagreements?
00:43:14 You've Told Steve Jobs To F*** Himself. What's the Story?
00:49:05 How Do You Find The Right People To Be On Your Team?
00:56:57 What Are The Qualities You Look For When Hiring?
01:03:21 Why Personality Tests Are Crucial Before Hiring.
01:05:15 Hiring an Assistant and Chief of Staff. Yes or No?
01:09:31 What's The Best Way to Find Talent?
01:11:26 What is Talent-Ratio and Why Is It So Important?
01:15:22 Why Did You Say No to Walmart for Seven Years?
01:19:19 What's Your Go To Retail Strategy?
01:26:46 When Do You Raise Money?
01:30:17 What's Your Thoughts on Founders Taking Chips Off the Table?
01:32:44 What's The Biggest Mistake You've Made With Humann?
01:36:57 What's The Biggest Lesson Going Into Retail?
01:40:17 The 3 Most Important Metrics
01:43:17 Can You Explain The Partnership with University of Texas?
01:47:40 Quickfire Questions
🔗 Links Mentioned (Affiliate)
SuperBeets Sport | Only the Paranoid Survive | Good to Great
🎙 Guest: Joel Kocher
📬 Get in Touch
Instagram | LinkedIn | Website | info@openresidency.com
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👉 Join our private community for operators, marketers, and creators (waitlist) - https://www.newsletter-signup.com/or/?utm_source=youtube⚡️ BTS & more https://openresidency.com/robert-greeneIn this episode, I sit down with Robert Greene, bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power, to break down the timeless strategies of power, seduction, and human psychology that drive success in business and life.We dive into:- Why concealing your intentions and talking less creates an aura of power- Never outshining the master and how reputation translates directly into capital- The dangerous allure of free and why formlessness beats rigidity in business- What your twenties should actually be about- Robert's new book and his near-death experience that shaped itThis conversation goes deep into human nature, strategic thinking, and what it really takes to build power that lasts. Enjoy!00:00:00 Trailer00:01:24 In Power and Business, Is Honesty Really the Path to Success?00:04:47 The Power of Concealing Intentions.00:06:04 How Does Silence Become Leverage?00:09:37 You Are Never Being Who You Really Are.00:11:20 Can Somebody Win in Life Without Being Malleable?00:17:51 What Are Some Strategies to Get People to See You Differently? (American Apparel Story)00:21:03 Are There Dangers to Chasing Too Much Attention?00:24:17 Is It Better to Be Slandered Or Ignored Completely?00:26:41 If Your Reputation Gets Ruined, Can That be Built Back? (Jimmy Kimmel)00:28:54 Reputation is Capital.00:32:00 Never Outshine Your Master.00:43:48 Why is Free The Biggest Mistake in Business?00:47:48 When Asking for Help, Appeal to People's Self Interest.00:50:57 Sports Talk With Robert Greene00:53:52 What is the Single Most Important Skill to Master?00:55:46 What Should Your Real Goal Be in Your 20s?01:00:18 When Do You Need to Know Your Purpose in Life?01:03:41 Money Isn't Just Money. What Do You Mean by That?01:06:10 Which Strategy of Seduction is Most Effective in Business?01:07:46 Quickfire Questions🔗 Links Mentioned (Affiliate) The 48 Laws of Power: https://amzn.to/4mXlA5KThe Art of Seduction: https://amzn.to/46ZoyRgThe 33 Strategies of War: https://amzn.to/3WwwkNDMastery: https://amzn.to/4q6r9lcThe Laws of Human Nature: https://amzn.to/3IEPiP1The 50th Law: https://amzn.to/3WvTNhQThe Prince by Machiavelli: https://amzn.to/3VZXZGEThe Obstacle is the Way: https://amzn.to/4h4XPaBMomentous Supplements: https://www.livemomentous.com/🎙 Guest: Robert Greene, Bestselling AuthorInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertgreeneofficial/X: https://x.com/RobertGreeneWebsite: https://powerseductionandwar.com/📬 Get in TouchInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/Website: https://openresidency.com/Contact: info@openresidency.comBook a call with Mark: https://intro.co/markbrazil🎯 Powered by Universal Ads by Comcast CTVWant to scale your brand with CTV ads? Universal Ads is giving the first 50 Open Residency listeners $500 in free ad credits to get started.👉 Claim your credit: https://form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zT🔗 Learn more: UniversalAds.com
👉 Join our private community
for operators, marketers, and creators (waitlist):
https://openresidency.com/signup
⚡️ BTS & More: https://openresidency.com/roberto-nickson
This episode is the content creation blueprint for the AI era. Roberto Nickson (RPN) just hit $1.5M in revenue at 85% margins as a one-man creator army — and he's sharing everything. 2 hours of straight value, no gatekeeping.
We cover:
How Roberto Makes $1.5M as a Solo Creator
Newsletter, Consulting & Building Owned Media
Landing Partnerships with Meta, Adobe & Spotify
The Metric Brands Actually Care About (Not Views)
Positioning = Pricing Power
The Infinite Content Machine: AI & Automation
Biggest Mistakes Creators Make in Brand Deals
Format is the Formula: Repeatable Systems That Scale
Balancing Organic Content vs Brand Deals (80/20 Rule)
Why Traditional Ad Production is Cooked
Inside Roberto’s Workflow: Studio, Editing & AI Tools
Top AI Tools for Creators (Suno, Veo 3, Kling)
Why Ideas Are the Real Moat in the Creator Economy
Why Audio Matters More Than Visuals
Making Your Audience the Hero
Building for the Future: Instagram, 2027 Social Predictions & AI
Enjoy the conversation!
Chapters
00:00:00 Trailer
00:01:35 How Roberto Makes $1.5M as a Solo Creator
00:04:22 Newsletter, Consulting & Building Owned Media
00:09:00 Landing Partnerships with Meta, Adobe & Spotify
00:11:15 The Metric Brands Actually Care About (Not Views)
00:14:40 Positioning = Pricing Power
00:18:49 The Infinite Content Machine: AI & Automation
00:24:04 Biggest Mistakes Creators Make in Brand Deals
00:30:26 Format is the Formula: Repeatable Systems That Scale
00:34:18 Balancing Organic Content vs Brand Deals (80/20 Rule)
00:39:06 Why Traditional Ad Production is Cooked
00:43:29 Inside Roberto’s Workflow: Studio, Editing & AI Tools
00:48:59 Top AI Tools for Creators (Suno, Veo 3, Kling)
00:53:34 Why Ideas Are the Real Moat in the Creator Economy
00:57:44 Why Audio Matters More Than Visuals
00:59:46 Make Your Audience The Hero
01:01:59 What are the Key Elements that Make a World-Class Short?
01:06:39 What Does Your Team Look Like?
01:18:05 The Formula on Building on Instagram Today
01:22:05 What Social Media Will Look Like 2027
01:33:09 How Creators Can Start Using AI Today
01:35:31 Concerns and Promises of AI
01:43:06 Rapid Fire
🔗 Links Mentioned
Suno – https://suno.com
Google Veo 3 – https://deepmind.google/technologies/veo/veo-2/
Cling 2.1 – https://clingai.com
N8N – https://n8n.io
Midjourney – https://midjourney.com
Nano Banana – https://blog.google/technology/google-deepmind/google-imagen-3/
🎙 Guest: Roberto Nickson (RPN), Content Creator & AI Strategist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rpn/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rpn
📬 Get in Touch
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/
Website: https://openresidency.com/
Email: info@openresidency.com
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BTS & more: openresidency.com/sahil-bloom
Designing a business is really about designing a life.
This week, we dissect the business flywheel behind Sahil Bloom (author of the NYT Best Seller The 5 Types of Wealth) — his initiatives, team, and how he’s scaled it.
At the core is the bigger theme: money as a tool (not the goal), the “15 more times” mindset, time as the real asset, and systems to protect your energy.
This book changed my life. Enjoy the conversation!
00:00:00 Trailer
00:01:15 Opening Act (The Good Life)
00:05:55 A Life Changing Conversation
00:10:26 Five Types of Wealth
00:11:35 Life Razors: Simple Rules for Better Decisions
00:20:19 Goals & Anti-Goals
00:26:20 The Cost of Moving in the Wrong Direction
00:28:16 Awareness, Attention & Control
00:29:30 Universal Ads
00:30:33 Maximizing Time
00:46:21 The Art of Saying No
00:52:41 The Importance of Relationships
01:18:00 Open Residency’s Community
01:18:19 Mental Wealth
01:23:15 Mental Model Exercises
01:26:27 How to Learn: The Feynman Technique
01:31:56 Sahil's Daily Journaling Technique
01:40:15 The Business of Sahil Bloom
01:49:09 Sahil's 'Halo' Medium
01:51:17 Sahil's Mission
01:58:04 Investing Thesis
02:02:43 Attracting Investors
02:04:30 SRB Ventures
02:08:53 Newsletter Growth Strategies
02:13:45 Rapid Fire
02:22:40 Outro
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi: amzn.to/41IaRo1
The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom: amzn.to/4p5CQbc
Sisu Sauna: sisusauna.com
Atomic Habits by James Clear: amzn.to/3JRJYYI
Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman: amzn.to/3JMzJVE
Instagram: instagram.com/sahilbloom
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sahilbloom
Website: sahilbloom.com
X (Twitter): x.com/SahilBloom
Instagram: instagram.com/openresidency
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea
Website: openresidency.com
Email: info@openresidency.com
Book a call with Mark: intro.co/markbrazil
Want to scale your brand with CTV ads? Universal Ads is giving the first 50 Open Residency listeners $500 in free ad credits to get started.
👉 Claim your credit: form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zT
🔗 Learn more: UniversalAds.com
📌 Chapters🔗 Links Mentioned🎙 Guest: Sahil Bloom📬 Get in Touch🎯 Powered by Universal Ads (by Comcast CTV)
BTS & more: https://openresidency.com/oren-john
For operators, marketers, and creators — this one's for you. Oren John is rare:
He deeply understands both sides of content marketing — the creative and the performance. People with taste and the ability to stay unemotional about metrics are hard to find nowadays.
This convo is all signal, no fluff. We rapid-fire through content frameworks, creative reference systems, platform strategy, TikTok Shop, influencer partnerships, how Oren makes money, and a lot more.
Enjoy the conversation!
Chapters
00:00 Trailer
00:01:18 The Key to Great Content in 2025
00:02:25 Positioning Yourself
00:05:11 Staying Relevant in the Content Game
00:08:59 Idea Systems for Creators
00:14:20 Mastering Short-Form Content
00:19:53 Formats and Topics That Perform
00:19:52 Universal Ads
00:20:57 Oren's Content Strategy
00:26:08 Quality vs. Quantity
00:31:57 Making Great Content on a Budget
00:41:19 Content Myths
00:44:03 YouTube and the Future of Content
00:54:42 Influencer Marketing Masterclass
01:06:30 A $10k Winning Influencer Strategy
01:14:22 How to Craft a Creative Brief
01:23:20 Brand Partnerships
01:27:07 Turning Content into Real Revenue
01:39:27 The Team Behind Oren's Content Machine
01:42:35 Lightning Round
01:49:22 Outro
Guest: Oren John
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orenmeetsworld/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orenj/
Website: https://orenjohn.com/
Get in Touch
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/
Website: https://openresidency.com/
Email: info@openresidency.com
Book a call with Mark: https://intro.co/markbrazil
Powered by Universal Ads by Comcast CTV
Want to scale your brand with CTV ads? Universal Ads is giving the first 50 Open Residency listeners $500 in free ad credits to get started.
Claim your credit: https://form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zT
Learn more: UniversalAds.com
⚡️ BTS & More: https://openresidency.com/brian-garofalow
In this episode, I sit down with Brian Garofalow, CEO of Skullcandy, to unpack his leadership philosophy, product strategy, and how he's repositioning the brand for explosive growth in a crowded consumer electronics market.
We dive into:
Brian’s “People, Process, Product” framework for scaling innovation
Skullcandy’s four-bucket system for managing product life cycle
How a bold partnership with Bose redefined product perception
A behind-the-scenes look at how Skullcandy balances hard sales data with cultural insight to find market white space
Brian’s playbook for international expansion, avoiding opportunity-cost traps, and focusing where it counts
Whether you're building a brand, leading a team, or thinking about product strategy at scale—this conversation is packed with insight from someone operating at the highest level of consumer growth. Enjoy!
Chapters
00:00 Trailer
01:28 The Role of a CEO
09:20 OKRs, KPIs & Operating Rhythms
14:34 Key Metrics & that Brian Measures
21:13 When to Kill a Product
24:20 Skullcandy's 4 Buckets of Product
29:29 Universal Ads
30:34 Most Important Part of Building Product
37:12 Skullcandy's Core Persona
42:07 Marketing Mix
48:35 Partnership Strategy
53:35 The Bose Collab: What Actually Happened
01:04:58 Utilizing Association for Brand Image
01:08:02 How Skullcandy Strategically Partners w/ Creators
01:13:06 Dissecting Competition & Pricing Strategy
01:19:02 Supply Chain Breakdown
01:24:10 Metrics Brian Obsesses Over
01:29:30 Mistakes When Expanding into Retail
01:33:20 Approach to International Expansion
01:38:36 Lightning Round
01:56:51 How Big Can Skullcandy Be?
01:57:11 Outro
Links Mentioned
Measure What Matters by John Doerr: https://amzn.to/4oad857
Zero to One by Peter Thiel: https://amzn.to/4lZAysq
Purple Cow by Seth Godin: https://amzn.to/4fflmEE
Skullcandy Method 360 w/ Sound by Bose: https://www.skullcandy.com/products/method-360-anc-noise-canceling-earbuds?variant=44375520510009
Guest: Brian Garofalow, CEO at Skullcandy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skullcandy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-garofalow-02b7bb2/
Website: https://www.skullcandy.com/
Get in Touch
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/
Website: https://openresidency.com/
Contact: info@openresidency.com
Book a call with Mark: https://intro.co/markbrazil
Powered by Universal Ads by Comcast CTV
Want to scale your brand with CTV ads? Universal Ads is giving the first 50 Open Residency listeners $500 in free ad credits to get started.
Claim your credit: https://form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zT
Learn more: UniversalAds.com
⚡️ BTS & More: https://openresidency.com/caleb-ralston
In this episode, I sit down with Caleb Ralston, Founder and Brand Strategist at Ralston, to break down what it actually takes to build a brand that sticks—and content that converts. We unpack real frameworks, hard-won lessons, and key insights from working with names like Gary Vaynerchuk and Alex Hormozi.
We cover:
- The Brand Journey Framework — a four-question system to shape your strategy
- Association: how proximity builds powerful brand perception
- The 80/20 Rule for content: balancing expertise with personality
- Platform-specific tactics: what deserves your attention—and what doesn’t
- How to build a content team that solves bottlenecks
- Learnings from top-tier operators in branding and media
Enjoy the conversation!
Chapters
00:00 Trailer
01:09 Caleb’s Brand Journey Framework
01:39 4 Questions That Drive Brand Growth
03:41 Why Personal Branding Matters
05:20 The Power of Association
08:30 The Start of Ikonick
19:40 Creating Content with Purpose
23:15 How To Create Authentic Content
29:57 Universal Ads
31:04 The Value of Your Origin Story
43:45 Mastering the 80/20 Content Rule
47:01 Optimizing Content for Each Platform
48:58 Measuring Success Outside of Views
53:40 Choosing the Right Medium
59:09 Tailoring Content for Platforms
01:14:10 YouTube’s Power for Long-Form Content
01:18:48 Quality vs. Quantity in Content
01:26:45 Why People Lack Consistency
01:28:35 Scaling Across Multiple Platforms
01:33:55 Building Your Content Team
01:41:05 Hiring the Right People
01:49:12 Monetizing Your Content
01:53:38 Lightning Round
02"02:05 How Big Can Ralston Be?
02:03:18 Outro
🔗 Links Mentioned
- One of Ten – https://www.oneof10.com
- Frame.io – https://frame.io
- Descript – https://descript.com
🎙 Guest: Caleb Ralston, Founder, Ralston
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calebralston/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebralston
- Website: https://www.calebralston.com/
📬 Get in Touch
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/
- Website: https://openresidency.com/
- Email: info@openresidency.com
- Book a call with Mark: https://intro.co/markbrazil
🎯 Powered by Universal Ads by Comcast CTV
- Want to scale your brand with CTV ads? Universal Ads is giving the first 50 Open Residency listeners $500 in free ad credits to get started.
- 👉 Claim your credit: https://form.typeform.com/to/ckvJ86zT
- 🔗 Learn more: UniversalAds.com
⚡️ BTS & More: https://openresidency.com/nick-shackelford
In this episode, I sit down with Nick Shackelford, Head of Retention and Partner at BREZ, to break down modern customer acquisition and retention strategies for 2025.
Nick has managed over $200M in ad spend and brings hard-won insights from scaling multiple brands — including his own agencies, Structured and Konstant Kreative — into this conversation.
We get into:
Why creative is now the new targeting, with Nick giving the keys on Meta’s evolving algorithm
The ideal framework for customer acquisition in today’s landscape
How to structure your testing budget between proven winners and fresh creative
Conversion tactics that immediately lift performance — from mobile-first design to offer structure
The retention strategies behind BREZ’s drop in subscription churn from 24% to 17%, on a mission toward sub-5%
The tactics powering BREZ, one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in the country, on pace to hit $50M in just two years
How celebrities like Drake and Druski use subtle content strategies to drive massive viewership — and what brands can learn from it
This is a deep dive on what’s actually working in marketing in 2025.
Enjoy the conversation!
Chapters
00:00 Trailer
00:57 Customer Acquisition & Creative Testing
05:52 How to Optimize Ads with Smart Creative
09:13 Targeting in a Post-iOS World
11:56 Media Buying Meets Creative Strategy
18:03 Influencer Army
19:35 Clipping Culture (Cheat Code)
25:13 Running Ads as a Founder + Managing Creative
33:38 Marketing Funnel Breakdown
39:32 Organic Content’s Role in Paid Performance
43:24 Learnings from Running a Creative Agency
45:30 Conversion Optimization & Offer Strategy
55:32 Retention Marketing + Subscription Tactics
01:04:35 Building Products & Activating Loyal Customers
01:08:06 Smart Product Strategy and Feedback Loops
01:16:20 Building a Brand in Public (Pros & Cons)
01:24:43 Playing the Long Game: Brand, Business & Burnout
01:27:49 Work-Life Balance, Tools & Final Reflections
01:35:00 How Big can Brez Be?
01:36:00 Outro
⚡️ BTS & More: https://openresidency.com/kent-yoshimura
In this episode, I sit down with Kent Yoshimura, Co-Founder & CEO of Neurogum, to unpack how the brand became one of TikTok’s fastest-growing success stories and scaled to over $100 million in revenue.
We dive into:
- The TikTok strategy that transformed Neurogum’s growth
- How the team shifted their marketing mix to make TikTok their top-of-funnel channel—while maintaining a 52x ROAS on Amazon with zero ad spend
- Their strategic approach to partnerships
- A hiring process that’s led to 98% employee retention over three years
- The origin story—and how they've sustained a competitive edge through patented manufacturing
This one’s packed with gems. Enjoy the conversation.
Chapters
00:00 Trailer
01:11 How to Crack TikTok
03:54 Neuro's Content Creation Pipeline
04:17 Coaching Creators on Engagement and Voice
06:09 The Culture Behind a Creative-Driven Brand
07:59 Anatomy of a Scroll-Stopping Hook
12:02 TikTok’s Untapped Power for Brands
15:15 The Best Influencer Strategy
16:43 Building a Full-Funnel Marketing Engine
27:00 Turning Customer Insights into Growth
32:06 Creating Content with AI
38:25 Fast Operators vs. Scalable Operators
39:32 The Masogi Challenge: Mental Toughness in Business
42:55 Running Ultra Marathons as Mental Training
45:55 How Kent Hires Creators and Builders
57:13 The Wild Origin Story of NeuroGum
01:01:06 What’s in NeuroGum? A Dive into Nootropics
01:12:11 Retail Distribution: Wins and Pivots
01:15:21 Why Data Shapes Every Decision
01:21:16 What It Takes to Be a Founder
01:34:15 What Shark Tank Didn’t Show
01:35:36 Lightning Round
🎙 Guest: Kent Yoshimura, Co-Founder & CEO of Neurogum- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kentaro/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentyoshimura/- Website: https://neurogum.com
📬 Get in Touch:- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/- Website: https://openresidency.com/- Contact: info@openresidency.com
Powered by IKONICK- Get 30% off motivational art at https://ikonick.com/openresidency- Use code: OPENRESIDENCY30
⚡️ BTS & More: https://openresidency.com/ryan-bartlett
In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Bartlett, CEO of True Classic, to break down how they scaled to over $200M+ in annual revenue with a valuation approaching $1B.
We get into:
The evolution of their marketing strategy from pure direct response to brand building
How they leverage customer feedback to drive product development through their membership program
Their unique approach to customer service and community building
Website optimization strategies that helped increase AOV from $36 to $112
Key operational insights on running a lean, efficient DTC brand
This one’s packed with actionable insights for brand builders at every stage. Enjoy the conversation!
Chapters
00:00 Trailer
01:20 Intro
01:42 Identifying the White Space
04:55 Mistakes in the First 12 Months
06:02 Marketing Mix
09:19 Ad Library Breakdown
18:13 The Greatest Form of Marketing
23:56 Tips for Scaling a Company
37:28 Building a Strong Team Culture
40:11 The Lost Art of Customer Service
49:00 How Customer Feedback Shapes Strategy
53:57 Metrics That Matter Most
58:25 What Works in E-Commerce Today
01:17:24 Alternate Marketing Channels
01:23:22 Contrarian KPIs Everyone Overlooks
01:27:34 Raising Equity and Debt
01:29:23 Managing Credit and Inventory Risks
01:31:14 Retail Rollout Masterclass
01:34:30 Landing Major Retail Partnerships
01:47:04 What’s Next for True Classic
01:51:57 Lightning Round
02:10:23 How Big Can True Classic Be?
02:11:26 Outro
🎙 Guest:
Ryan Bartlett, Co-Founder & Chairman of True Classic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanbartlett/ / https://www.instagram.com/trueclassic/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rbtct/
Website: https://www.trueclassic.com/
📬 Get in Touch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/
Website: https://openresidency.com/
Contact: info@openresidency.com
Powered by IKONICK
Get 30% off motivational art at https://ikonick.com/openresidency
Use code: OPENRESIDENCY30
⚡️ BTS & More: www.openresidency.com/nate-checketts
In this episode, I sit down with Nate Checketts, co-founder and CEO of Rhone, to unpack how a luxury performance-apparel brand went from a single pant to a nine-figure omnichannel business with NBA deals, retail success, and a wildly unique internal wellness system.
We dive into:
Building Rhone from the ground up into a category-defining brand
Their “12 Pursuits” framework: a monthly habit system blending physical and mental wellness
How breathwork, sleep tracking, and community-driven wellness drive real performance
The origin of GoldFusion and how Rhone rethought sustainability (without the greenwashing)
Lessons from launching women’s and becoming a multi-category brand
Buying out L Catterton and re-taking full control of the business
How Rhone’s retail strategy beats the odds—and makes money
Why investing in mental fitness may be Rhone’s true legacy
This episode goes deep into the systems behind both a high-performance company and a high-performance life. Enjoy the conversation!
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:05 Start
01:37 Rhone’s Approach to Mental Health
02:12 The 12 Pursuits Program
03:42 Creating Healthy Habits and Company Culture
08:59 Monthly Focus: Sleep and Hydration
13:29 Monthly Focus: Breath Work
20:03 Goal-Setting with Family: Systems for a Meaningful Life
30:35 How Nate Structures His Day for High Performance
35:38 The Science Behind Rhone’s GoldFusion Technology
39:01 The Complexities of Sustainability in Fashion
40:29 Fabric Innovations That Actually Matter
41:17 Expanding the Line: Product Strategy and Pivots
43:10 What Focus Groups Really Reveal About Your Brand
46:14 Big Inventory Mistakes and Product Flops
49:13 Launching Women’s: Why It Took 8 Years
54:41 Partnerships with NBA & LPGA
56:45 Marketing in 2025: Influencers, CPMs, and Real Brand Loyalty
01:11:52 How Rhone’s Retail Stores Actually Turn a Profit
01:20:48 Building an Efficient Retail Footprint
01:21:31 Distribution Risks and Channel Strategy
01:23:55 Long-Term Brand Positioning
01:25:03 Advice for Breaking Into Wholesale Retail
01:26:41 Buying Out L Catterton: How and Why
01:34:43 How Long-Term Thinking Changed the Business
01:38:34 Leadership Lessons from Nate’s Father
01:39:54 50+ Investments: What Nate Looks for in Founders
01:45:24 Lightning Round: Favorites, Systems, and Sneaky Wins
01:50:46 How Big Can Rhone Be?
01:52:08 Outro
Links Mentioned:
Big Ass Calendar: https://jesseitzler.com/products/the-big-a-calendar
Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://amzn.to/3YwIgAl
The 5 Minute Journal / Productivity Journal: https://amzn.to/42G34rD
EOS Operating System (Traction): https://amzn.to/4lqWvRf
Sportsish (by Nate’s sister): https://www.instagram.com/sportsish/
🎙 Guest:
Nate Checketts, Co-Founder & CEO of Rhone
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natechecketts/
Website: https://www.rhone.com/
📬 Get in Touch:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/
Website: https://openresidency.com/
Contact: info@openresidency.com
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In this episode, I sit down with Oliver Zak, co-founder of Mad Rabbit, to break down his journey from launching a DIY skincare product in a crockpot to securing a Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban and scaling into major retailers like Walmart.
We dive deep into:
Oliver doesn’t hold back on the realities of fundraising, navigating competition, and marketing strategies that drive real revenue. If you're an entrepreneur, a brand builder, or just someone interested in scaling a consumer product, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.
00:00 Intro
01:00 Early Life and Family Influence
02:28 High School and College Ventures
04:25 Learnings as a Generalist
05:41 Oliver’s First Business
06:29 Founding Mad Rabbit
07:42 Developing the First Product in a Crockpot
08:33 Process for FDA Regulations
09:22 Company Breakdown from $0-$3 Million
11:00 Shark Tank Experience
17:33 Advice for Shark Tank / Raising Capital
18:02 Business Behind the Tattoo Industry
21:00 What a Shark Tank Deal Looks Like After the Show
23:05 Revenue Effects from the Show
24:00 VC Effects of Deal with Mark Cuban
25:15 Challenges with Raising Money
27:18 Communicating with Investors
28:10 Advice on Raising Money
29:02 Utilizing Investor Money
31:06 Working with Walmart
33:03 Getting into Walmart / Brokers
36:35 Using TikTok to Drive In-Person Sales
38:13 Succeeding in Retail
42:45 Approach to Competition in the Space
44:07 Marketing Mix
45:57 Affiliate Program Infrastructure
53:22 Incentivizing Affiliates
55:57 Tattoo Artist Pro Team
58:22 Tips for Building Community
1:00:11 Mad Rabbit’s Creative Space
1:01:53 Most Impactful Marketing Initiative
1:04:57 The First Thing You Should Do to Build Community
1:06:30 Biggest Failure
1:08:39 Lessons from Mark Cuban
1:10:01 Biggest Regret from Raising Money
1:10:49 Lightning Round
1:15:36 Weapons of Choice
1:17:49 How Big Can Mad Rabbit Be?
1:18:55 Outro
Hard Things about Hard Things: https://amzn.to/4bBXhGF
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olvrzk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverhzak/
Website: https://www.madrabbit.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/
Website: https://openresidency.com/
Contact: info@openresidency.com
Get a 30% discount on the best motivational art from IKONICK at https://ikonick.com/openresidency (use code: OPENRESIDENCY30)
ChaptersLinks MentionedGuest: Oliver Zak, Co-Founder & CEO of Mad RabbitGet in TouchPowered by IKONICK
In this episode, I sit down with Manny Lubin, co-founder of Slate Milk, to unpack the journey from a simple idea in 2017 to becoming a dominant player in the protein drink market. Manny shares hard-hitting lessons on brand positioning, product innovation, and some keys to winning in the beverage industry.
We talk about:
Whether you're an entrepreneur, fitness enthusiast, or just fascinated by building a challenger brand, this episode is packed with tactical insights you won’t want to miss.
00:00 Intro
01:15 Brand Positioning, Starting Slate
04:21 Target Audience and Market Growth
05:13 Core Thesis of Slate
07:14 Market Analysis, Stacking TAM’s
09:54 Masterclass on Dairy Industry
11:29 How Slate Makes Their Product
12:45 Deep Dive into Product Development
20:32 Mistakes When Building the Product
22:01 Raising $30M and Investor Insights
22:33 Advice from Peter Rahal, RxBar
23:33 Advice from Nick Rellas, Drizly
25:04 Advice from Drew and Amanda, Yasso
27:32 Choosing Board Members
28:42 Slow vs Fast Growth
29:20 Board Seat Deal Structure
30:39 Common Blindspots in Business
31:45 Meeting with Stu Klane, Chobani
33:26 Working with Skyview and Riverbank
34:39 Advice when Raising Money
35:24 Partnering with Maxx Crosby
36:30 Intro with the UFC
38:14 Launching with Kickstarter
39:35 Marketing: Overarching Strategy
41:26 Working with the UFC, Deal Structure
44:08 Marketing: Top Funnel
44:38 Influencer Partnerships
49:24 Marketing: Middle Funnel
53:14 Retail Strategies and Field Team Operations
55:00 Succeeding In Stores, Advice from Retail Managers
59:23 Getting in Whole Foods
59:49 Direct to Consumer Buyer Funnel
01:03:30 Fitness Influencers
01:04:17 Cavinder Twins
01:05:20 New Initiatives
01:06:48 New Product Sneak Peek
01:07:42 Operating as a Remote Company
01:08:44 Co-Founder Dynamics
01:11:28 Scaling Challenges
01:12:27 Measuring Success
01:13:05 Mental Resilience
01:14:24 Misconceptions About Shark Tank
01:16:35 Lightning Round
01:23:27 How Big Can Slate Be?
01:26:24 Outro
Guest: Manny Lubin, Slate Milk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mannylubin/ / https://www.instagram.com/slatemilk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manny-lubin-56329785/
Website: https://slatemilk.com/
Get in touch in the comments below or head to:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/
Website: https://openresidency.com/
Contact: info@openresidency.com
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In this episode, I sit down with Bill Shufelt, co-founder and CEO of Athletic Brewing, to discuss his journey from Wall Street to redefining non-alcoholic beer. Athletic Brewing has grown from an idea to a $800M valuation, disrupting an industry and carving out a new market in craft brewing.
We talk about:
- The bold decision to leave a lucrative hedge fund career for entrepreneurship.
- The science and innovation behind brewing non-alcoholic beer.
- Overcoming early rejection and building a loyal community.
- Lessons on scaling, fundraising, and maintaining a strong company culture.
Bill’s story is an inspiring testament to taking calculated risks and staying true to a mission. Whether you're an entrepreneur, craft beer enthusiast, or just curious about the non-alcoholic beverage revolution, this episode has something for you.
Tune in to hear how Athletic Brewing is making waves while staying grounded in community impact.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:32 Leaving Wall Street
02:12 Discovering the Need for Non-Alcoholic Beer
07:28 The Importance of a Strong Support System
10:30 Quitting a Stable Job
15:09 Finding the Right Co-Founder: John Walker
19:11 Launching the First Product
23:55 Crafting Company Culture
26:14 Working With the Right People
27:50 Meeting Investors
31:40 Launching, E-Commerce and Retail Distribution
33:02 The Keys to Building Community
36:40 Sober October, Dry January, Market Timing
41:00 Navigating Fundraising
42:52 Mistakes While Raising
45:29 Scaling Manufacturing
49:38 Advantages of Vertical Integration
51:23 Tackling Supply Chain Issues
53:25 Communicating Effectively With Investors
55:03 Evolving as a CEO
56:20 Hiring the Right People
01:00:06 Expanding Internationally
01:06:28 Giving Back Through Two for the Trails
01:11:13 Evaluating Investments
01:12:32 The Name
01:13:36 Lightning Round
01:18:28 Reflections / Learnings as CEO
01:20:47 Best Advice
01:21:35 Favorite Podcast
01:23:35 Giving Flowers to an Entrepreneur
01:25:11 How Big Can Athletic Be?
Guest: Bill Shufelt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athleticbrewing/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-shufelt-650059138/ / https://www.linkedin.com/company/athletic-brewing-company-llc/
Website: https://athleticbrewing.com/
Get in touch in the comments below or head to:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/
Website: https://openresidency.com/
Contact: info@openresidency.com
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What does it take to secure $95 million and revolutionize an industry? Let’s find out. This episode features Dee Murthy - the founder behind Ghost, the brand who’s revolutionizing how businesses handle excess inventory.
From building a successful apparel brand to hosting 907 episodes of his own podcast, this conversation covers the full spectrum of his entrepreneurial journey. We dive deep into: • Raw lessons from nearly a decade of podcasting • The untold stories of his fundraising journey • Why picking the right investors can make or break you • The real challenges nobody talks about This conversation goes deep into what it really takes to scale a venture-backed company.
CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:22 Lessons from 907 Podcast Episodes 02:15 Leveraging Podcasting in Business 03:56 Launching the Podcast: Early Days and Growth 06:08 Building an Audience and Content Strategy 10:57 The Importance of Niching Down 13:41 Podcast Learnings 15:52 Avoiding Burnout and Maintaining Relevance 20:19 Introducing Ghost: A Marketplace Solution 30:23 The Future of Retail and Distribution 37:18 Fundraising Journey: From Idea to Seed Round 44:03 Fundraising Challenges 46:06 Building the Business from Scratch 49:09 Pivoting to a B2B Marketplace 51:25 Navigating the Venture Capital Landscape 01:09:41 Hiring and Company Culture 01:15:01 Lightning Round and Final Thoughts
Get in touch in the comments below or head to: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openresidency/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmastrandrea/ Website: https://openresidency.com/ Contact: info@openresidency.com
Guest: Dee Murthy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deemurthy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deemurthy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/deemurthy Website: https://ghst.io/
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Note from Mark:
If you landed on this page, I just wanted to thank you. This is the first episode of a new chapter that I am very excited about ! All feedback is greatly welcomed in the comments. I will read, respond and look to get better accordingly. I am going to continue to search for business operators that I am interested in and share my learnings with everyone. If you got any value from this episode, sharing it with a friend would mean a lot. Hope you enjoy! - Mark