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Doug Ridley is a criminal defense attorney at Ridley Defense, an adjunct professor at Pepperdine Law, a legal commentator on ABC News, and the host of the YouTube show Doug Defends. He spent years as a deputy district attorney before realizing he had stopped smiling at work, and crossed the aisle to defend the people most of us have already written off. In this episode, Doug and Kalika discuss the mistake most entrepreneurs make the moment a conversation turns hard, why acknowledging the emotion matters more than answering the message, and what it takes to stay calm when you're the one delivering bad news. They also get into the trauma that comes from absorbing other people's worst days, why difficult conversations with family are harder than difficult conversations at work, and the cost of rehearsing a fight that never happens. Timestamps:  00:37 – Meet Doug Ridley 02:44 – From Prosecutor to Defender 05:03 – SVU Lessons on Gray Areas 07:12 – EO Impact and Mindfulness 09:32 – Difficult Is Mindset 13:58 – Defuse with Empathy 16:18 – Calm in Crisis 22:49 – Stop Jumping to Fix 26:30 – Trust When Judged 36:05 – Personal vs Professional 40:17 – Preparing Without War Links: Doug's Website: https://dougridley.com Ridley Defense: https://ridleydefense.com/

Brett Winn is the founder of Rave Collective, an LA-based entertainment marketing agency creating trailers and campaigns for major movie studios. After starting his career as a PA at FX, Brett spent 16 years building his business before taking an "epic shift" into his current venture. He shares his "Yes Lives in a World of No" mantra, a strategy he used to protect his team and spark new growth during a crisis. He and Kalika talk about choosing abundance over scarcity and why the biggest risks usually lead to the best results.  Timestamps:  01:27 – Yes In A No World 02:42 – Strike Scare Turnaround 07:40 – Defining Success Over Time 10:26 – Epic Shifts And Cash Flow 15:28 – Walking Through Hard Times 17:29 – Mindbody Pain Breakthrough 19:51 – Leap From Disney To Startup 21:30 – Rebrand Toward Rave 22:12 – CFO Bombshell Loss 23:11 – EO Support Saves Day 23:39 – Parting With Partners 25:28 – My Date With Drew 27:39 – Risk Taking Mantra 28:32 – Creativity In Leadership 29:33 – Kindness Driven Culture 32:18 – Abundance Mindset Reframe 34:14 – Integrity Standards Exercise 36:07 – Green Lens Leadership 37:31 – Hobbies Fuel Leadership Links: Rave Collective: http://www.ravecollective.com Epic Shifts: https://www.epic-shifts.com/

Benjamin Diedering is the founder and CEO of BDX Media, a content and video agency with offices in Leipzig, Los Angeles, and New York, and the creator of The New Trend Society, a global community for founders, creators, and marketers. He studied math and was headed for a teaching career in Germany before photography turned into something else entirely. In this episode, Benjamin and Kalika discuss what gives a brand feeling, why he walked away from an established agency to start over in Los Angeles, and what the city taught him in his first year there. They also get into building community through real-world experiences, running a creative team across a nine-hour time difference, and what he tells entrepreneurs who are thinking about taking that first step. Timestamps:  01:14 - From Math to Photography 03:04 - Moving to Los Angeles 08:02 - Obsession and Proving Craft 09:17 - Network and Support 12:07 - Defining Love Brands 19:00 - Social Content Builds Community 22:01 - IRL Experiences Come Back 24:35 - Remote Team 29:18 - Systems To Avoid Mistakes 30:26 - New Trend Society Origins 33:21 - International Expansion Mindset 37:23 - Missing Germany And LA Scale 39:26 - EO Leadership Growth 43:10 - Leading EO As President Links: Benjamin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamindiedering BDX Media: https://bdxmedia.com/en/

Sheila Marmon is the founder and CEO of Mirror Digital, an eight-figure digital media agency representing over 1,000 creators and publishers. She grew up in South Central Los Angeles, left home at 12 for boarding school through the A Better Chance program, and graduated from Princeton and Harvard Business School before working on Wall Street and launching Mirror Digital from her kitchen table in 2012. In this episode, Sheila talks about why financial preparation matters more than credentials when launching a business, how she bootstrapped from a modest Inglewood condo while her peers raised millions, and why female entrepreneurs of color remain ridiculously undercapitalized. Learn how to prepare financially before you leap, fail fast and be fearless, and build a business that reflects everyone. Timestamps:  04:14 - Theater to Thought Leadership 05:28 - Mirror Digital 13:10 - First Clients Hustle 23:52 - Fail Fast Fearless 31:41 - Asking For Help 32:30 - Routine And Self Care 36:18 - Work Life Integration 37:51 - Partnerships 45:29 - Leading With Values Links: Sheila's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheila-marmon-0398074/ Mirror Digital: https://mirrordigital.com/

Tanya Newbould is a jewelry designer, spiritual coach, candle creator, and documentary filmmaker based in California. As an actor, Tanya appeared in over 20 films and TV shows before suffering severe postpartum depression at 43, which led her to create "When the Bough Breaks: A Documentary About Postpartum Depression." In this episode, Tanya explains the nine levels of perinatal mood disorders that affect one in five women, why entrepreneurs struggle to ask for help even when they need it most, and how giving up acting opened the door to building five businesses she actually loves.  Timestamps:  03:46 Nine PMAD Levels 13:22 Acting to Business 16:57 Jewelry Creativity 18:44 Mentorship and Intentions 26:43 Connection 30:55 Sozo 35:11 Author Journey 42:58 Entrepreneur Support and EO 46:46 Family First and Humanity Links: Tanya's Website: https://www.tanyanewbould.com/ Del Pozzo Jewelry: https://delpozzojewelry.luxury/

Ivan Estrada is the founder of Ivan Estrada Properties in Beverly Hills, a TEDx speaker, and the author of "Brand With Purpose." A childhood recording artist turned CPA, he left accounting to work as a caterer before finding his true calling in real estate, where more than 12 years later he has built a business serving everyone from first-time buyers to clients purchasing multimillion-dollar homes. In this episode, Ivan talks about why he was early to video content when no one else in real estate was doing it, how he now uses AI to build client reports in minutes that used to take days, and how sobriety and meditation transformed the way he sees himself and his purpose. Learn how to build a brand rooted in who you actually are, stay human in a fast-moving world, and find the work that makes everything else make sense. Timestamps:  03:10 Music Roots 07:21 Immigrant Upbringing 10:04 Brand of Determination 10:53 Calm and Focus 12:57 Teaching and Storytelling 16:06 AI as Entrepreneur Tool 28:37 AI in Real Estate 32:10 Video Marketing 36:48 Redefining Success Balance 39:45 Spiritual Shift 44:01 Purpose and Empowerment 52:51 Success, Gratitude and EO Links: Ivan's Website: https://ivanestrada.com/ Ivan's LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivanestradaproperties/ Ivan's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IvanEstradaProperties Ivan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealbrandwith/

Dr. Shilpa Sayana is a board-certified internal medicine physician with advanced training in functional and integrative medicine. Born in Zambia and raised in Botswana by physician parents doing foreign aid work, she trained at Yale, the University of Vermont, and UCLA before an HIV fellowship took her to Haiti, Nigeria, and Russia. In this episode, Dr. Sayana explains why normal lab results and optimal health are not the same thing, how high-performing women are often running on depleted hormones and elevated cortisol without knowing it, and what her own health crisis taught her about treating root causes rather than symptoms. Learn how to read your own numbers, ask better questions at your next appointment, and take your health from normal to optimal. Timestamps:  00:46 Meet Dr. Shilpa Sayana 02:16 Roots in Botswana 04:00 Switching to Functional Care 06:02 Normal vs Optimal Labs 07:19 Patient Experience Pivot 11:39 Meditation and Stress Reset 14:26 Midlife Health Playbook 18:42 Genetics and Longevity Triangle 23:11 Antibiotics and Gut Health 23:58 Sleep Hacks and Hormones 27:02 Daily Routine and Breathwork 30:23 GLP Drugs and Nutrition 32:41 Motherhood 34:32 Scaling Functional Medicine 36:39 Entrepreneur Stress Mentorship Links: Dr. Shilpa's Website: https://drshilpa.com/ Sayana Medical & Wellness Center: https://www.sayanamedical.com/

Elizabeth Yang is the founder of Yang Family Law Offices, the CEO of Optimizers, and the mayor of Monterey Park, California. With a background in electrical engineering and computer science, a stint at Raytheon, and a law degree that took her into intellectual property, family law, and estate planning, she understands what it takes to wear many hats at once. In this episode, Elizabeth talks about the two systems, EOS and Profit First, that pulled her out of the day-to-day of her firm and freed her to step into public service. Learn how she went from a shy, self-described invisible kid to a leader with the thick skin that politics demands, and the daily habits that have kept her grounded along the way. Timestamps:  00:39 - Engineer to Lawyer to Mayor 03:41 - EOS and Profit First Systems 07:16 - Applying Business to City Hall 12:56 - From Shy to Resilient 14:38 - Daily Habits and Confidence 19:35 - Transformation Courses and Growth 22:54 - Networking Beats Applications 25:06 - Giving Without Burnout 27:08 - AI Tools and Risks 31:52 - Looking Ahead to 2026 32:37 - Writing Harmony in Partnership 39:07 - Entrepreneur Advice Links: Elizabeth's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LizYangMPK Yang Law Offices: https://www.instagram.com/YangLawOffices Elizabeth LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawyerliz OptiNizers: https://www.optinizers.com/

Natalie Bell is the founder of Mindful Wellness, a training and coaching platform that helps entrepreneurs build their own source of calm, clarity, and resilience. Natalie teaches mindfulness, meditation, and fierce self-compassion in a way that feels practical in real life, including workshops for EO on fear, shame, and imposter syndrome. In this episode, Natalie talks about the inner critical voices we install in childhood, the difference between healthy and toxic shame, and how courageous compassion gives leaders the guts to fail and try again. Listen in and learn how to meet your hardest moments with strength and lead from a steadier sense of self-worth.  Timestamps:  01:10 - The swirl of modern life 03:09 - Defining fierce self compassion 05:23 - Palisades fire lessons 09:18 - Shame and imposter syndrome 14:01 - Spotting shame in the body 20:40 - Healing deep rooted shame 25:18 - How shame gets passed on 25:41 - Trauma and shame cycles 26:04 - Imposter syndrome 34:39 - Journaling for self compassion 43:57 - Emotions are not you 45:48 - Guest house mindset 46:39 - Spotting shame in real time Links: Natalie's Website: https://nataliebell.com/ Natalie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliesbell/

Quan Huynh transformed a life sentence into a life of purpose. After serving 22 years in prison, he was paroled in 2015 and launched his first company within just six months of his release. Now the Executive Director of Defy Ventures in Southern California, he helms an organization that provides entrepreneurship training and personal development for people impacted by the justice system. Quan discusses the moment he found "freedom from within" while in prison and how he has since helped others find their way home through accountability. Quan is also a bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and Harvard Business School Executive Education graduate. Timestamps:  01:50 - Early Life And Identity 03:28 - Crime And Life Sentence 04:08 - Awakening 05:45 - Healing 07:41 - Parole And Accountability 10:22 - Defy Visit And Freedom 11:44 - Step To The Line 15:36 - Defy Curriculum And Results 19:50 - Memoir 21:41 - Transformation Is Gradual 25:20 - Freedom Inside Confinement 27:11 - Gratitude After Prison 29:16 - Jade Janitors 34:39 - Defy Ventures Explained 37:11 - Harvard Lessons Vulnerable Leadership 43:12 - Headspace Genie for Nonprofits 47:21 - Core Message and What's Next 49:17 - Advice to Younger Self Links: Defy Ventures: https://defyventures.org/ Quan's Website: https://quanxhuynh.com/

The AI revolution is here but many leaders are still struggling to see real results. Bones Ijeoma is the founder of AllSafe Intelligence and a tech veteran who has guided over one hundred organizations through digital change. With a career spanning roles at DreamWorks and Accenture along with an MBA from USC he understands exactly what it takes to scale a business effectively. In this episode, Bones talks about why entrepreneurs must move beyond simple tools to build a strategy powered by outcome driven AI agents. You will discover how his mission to make downtime obsolete can help you reclaim your time and maximize your impact. Listen now to learn how to transform your operations and lead with confidence in the age of automation.

Erin Tauscher is an executive producer at BODEGA, a content creation studio based in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. After starting her career in the industry right out of college, Erin and her business partner Taylor Ferguson built their own production company, Trio Films, which was later rebranded as Splendid & Co., and eventually merged with BODEGA in 2018 to lead the studio's Los Angeles expansion. In this episode, Erin reflects on the moment that finally pushed her to start her own company, how a master's degree in psychology changed the way she leads on set and in life, and why, in an age of AI and rapid technological change, the future still belongs to the humans who know how to tell a story.

Ryan Crownholm is an army veteran, serial entrepreneur, and founder of MySitePlan.com and DirtMatch.com. He is also the president and founder of Crown Capital Adventures Inc. When a runaway truck left him with a shattered femur and punctured lungs on a California hillside, he almost lost everything. Watching his business thrive without him from a hospital bed, Ryan discovered the leadership lesson that would change everything: Knowing firsthand how broken the construction industry was, he turned that experience into technology that now serves over 70,000 customers nationwide. Listen in as Ryan shares his incredible journey from living out of his car to building AI-powered companies and why he believes the entrepreneurs who thrive in the next decade will be the ones who learn to work smarter, not just harder. His book, "The Hustle Trap," is a guide for how to do less work while making more. Timestamps: 01:25 The Accident That Changed Everything 03:35 Beginnings in Construction  05:53 Exiting 07:38 MySitePlan 08:19 The Hustle Trap 10:25 Capitalizing On AI 17:30 AI Disruption 22:07 The Human Touch 24:35 Leadership Shift 25:51 Volunteering for Purpose and Mentorship 27:43 Staying Calm 29:45 Freedom Through Travel and Adventure 32:35 Books Beliefs and Entrepreneur Advice 34:31 Work for Yourself Mindset Links: Ryan's Website: https://www.ryancrownholm.com/ The Hustle Trap: https://a.co/d/07LOoCEo

Julie Smolyansky is the CEO of Lifeway Foods, an Illinois-based dairy company that is the leading U.S. supplier of kefir. After her father, Michael Smolyansky, passed away in 2002, Julie took over the company at 27 years old and became the youngest female CEO of a publicly held firm. Julie and her parents immigrated to the U.S. from the Soviet Union in her infancy and credits her upbringing with her success. Under her leadership, Julie transformed the company into a multinational firm, growing their revenue from US$12 million to US$212.5 million in 2025. She is also an activist against sexual violence and the co-founder of Test400k, a non-profit whose goal is to eliminate the backlog of over 400,000 untested rape kits in the U.S.  Timestamps: 01:27 Resilience 02:54 Stepping Up 10:13 Early Growth Moves 12:08 Kefir Story and Science 17:07 Trusting Your Gut 21:42 Values 25:55 Leading Through the Pandemic 28:12 Culture 28:45 Legacy 30:53 Purpose From Pain 31:33 Ending Sexual Violence 35:30 Rape Kit Reform 37:37 Community Giving 39:04 Motherhood and Leadership 41:59 Wellness and Reading 46:36 Finding Joy 50:42 What is Wonder?   Links: Julie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-smolyansky-05304612/ Lifeway Foods: https://lifewaykefir.com/

Gayle Jones, an Emmy-winning sports producer for two decades, founded FuelBoxx, which offers snack kits for student athletes. After realizing that her own teen athletes depended on junk food for energy, she thought there must be a better way to get them the nutrition they need to perform. FuelBoxx helps bridge the gap between professional and student athletes by providing kits developed by sports dietitians to optimize performance. For every kit sold, another is donated to communities without equitable access to healthy food. Gayle shares her experiences with fundraising, her goals for scaling the business, and her mission to deliver food equity nationwide. Timestamps: 00:52 What is FuelBoxx? 04:10 Leaving TV 06:18 Education and Equity 09:54 Reality Check 11:37 Translating Producer Skills to CEO 13:56 Authenticity And Cash Flow 18:00 CPG Surprises 24:42 Game Day Meals 26:17 Building FuelBoxx 28:40 Boundaries and Purpose 31:27 Food Deserts and Access 32:54 Looking Forward 34:56 Funding Challenges for Women Links: FuelBoxx: https://fuelboxx.com/ Gayle's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylesjones/