🎙️ Dive deep into the realms of leadership, emotional intelligence, and personal growth in this captivating episode of the Veteran's Growing America Podcast, where hosts Donnell Johns and R.L. Simmons sit down with Dimyas Perdue, founder of Perdue Leadership Institute and a renowned Dr. Eric Thomas "You Owe You" coach. Dimyas, a dynamic keynote speaker and leadership facilitator, has a proven track record of guiding individuals and teams to their peak performance. Join us as he shares

In this forward-thinking episode, we sit down with James Hatfield from LiveSwitch to discuss how live video and AI are revolutionizing the way service businesses operate.We explore:How AI-powered diagnostics can pinpoint issues and recommend fixes in real timeThe power of remote guidance, allowing senior techs to support junior techs from anywhereWays to streamline documentation by automatically capturing conversations and updatesHow QR codes and remote staff can pre-qualify leads, cut wasted trips,

In this lively episode, Sean White and special guest Shawn O'Brien, the CEO of NABCEP, discuss exciting updates and happenings in the solar energy world. They dive into the details of the upcoming NABCEP conference in Milwaukee, including its St. Patrick’s Day theme, technical sessions, and networking opportunities. Shawn O'Brien provides insights into new certifications and exams on the horizon, including the PV associate and Spanish language options. Tune in for a blend of fun and informative

Send us a message! Jenna Gorham, RD, LN, is a registered dietitian, entrepreneur, and founder of The RD Link - the only platform dedicated to connecting health and wellness brands with registered dietitians for meaningful, credible partnerships. She founded The RD Link to bridge the gap between nutrition professionals and the food industry - making it easier for dietitians to discover brand partnerships, media opportunities, free samples, and ambassador programs that align with their ex...

The rise of cryptocurrencies created a new, wild-west frontier of wealth, minting a generation of overnight, digital-native billionaires. This episode dives into the volatile world of crypto, focusing on some of its most prominent and controversial figures. We profile Changpeng Zhao ("CZ"), the founder of the world's largest crypto exchange, Binance, who built a massive, unregulated financial empire before facing intense scrutiny and legal trouble from governments around the world. The centerpiece

In our final episode, we look back at the century of wealth we've explored and look forward to the century to come. We synthesize the key themes of our series: the evolution of power from industrial muscle to financial engineering to data and algorithms. We trace the recurring patterns of monopoly, disruption, scandal, and the constant, often-successful, effort by the ultra-wealthy to translate their economic power into political influence. We then turn our eyes to the future. Who will be the

After ninety-four episodes exploring the lives of billionaires, we pause to ask a fundamental question: is it possible for any great fortune to be truly "clean"? This special thematic episode examines the concept of "primitive accumulation," the idea that behind every massive fortune lies a great crime, a forgotten injustice, or a hidden exploitation. We revisit the stories from our series, connecting the dots between the different eras of wealth creation. We draw a line from the monopolistic

Oprah Winfrey’s story is one of the most remarkable and inspiring in modern American history. This episode chronicles her journey from a childhood of poverty and trauma to becoming the queen of daytime television and the first Black female billionaire in America. We explore the revolutionary impact of The Oprah Winfrey Show, which transformed the talk show format from a spectacle of conflict into a platform for empathy, self-improvement, and authentic connection. We then analyze her brilliant

In 2019, MacKenzie Scott's divorce from Jeff Bezos left her with a fortune of over $35 billion, making her one of the richest women in the world. This episode tells the story of what she did next, embarking on one of the most rapid and revolutionary philanthropic sprees in history. We explore her decision to sign the Giving Pledge and her commitment to give away the majority of her wealth "until the safe is empty." We analyze her unique and disruptive approach to philanthropy. Instead of creating a

In the late 1990s, Sara Blakely, a fax machine salesperson, had an idea for a new kind of undergarment but only $5,000 in savings to her name. This episode tells the incredible story of how she turned that idea into Spanx, a billion-dollar global brand, without ever taking a dime of outside investment. We follow her scrappy, relentless journey as she navigated the male-dominated worlds of manufacturing and venture capital, facing constant rejection but refusing to give up on her vision. We explore

In 2015, a smirking hedge fund manager named Martin Shkreli became the most hated man in America. This episode tells the story of the infamous "Pharma Bro," who sparked a national outrage when his company acquired the rights to a life-saving drug, Daraprim, and immediately raised its price by over 5,000%, from $13.50 to $750 a pill. We explore the unapologetic greed and the troll-like public persona that Shkreli adopted in the face of widespread condemnation. We analyze the business model of a man

While some billionaires build empires, others profit from their destruction. This episode enters the shadowy world of international arms dealing, focusing on two of its most notorious figures: Adnan Khashoggi and Viktor Bout. We first profile Khashoggi, the lavish Saudi arms dealer of the 1970s and 80s who brokered massive weapons deals between the United States and the Saudi monarchy, living a life of unimaginable opulence and becoming a central figure in the Iran-Contra affair. We then descend

The casino industry creates billionaires who wield a unique and potent form of political power. This episode focuses on the two titans who transformed Las Vegas and Macau and used their fortunes to become kingmakers in American politics: Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn. We explore how Adelson, the founder of Las Vegas Sands, revolutionized the industry with his focus on conventions and his massive expansion into Asia, becoming one of the largest donors to the Republican party, single-handedly

Robert Maxwell was a larger-than-life media mogul, a former member of Parliament, and the great rival to Rupert Murdoch in the British newspaper world. This episode tells the story of the flamboyant, bullying, and deeply corrupt tycoon who built a publishing empire that included the Daily Mirror. We explore his dramatic life, from his escape from the Nazis as a Czech refugee to his rise as a celebrated, if feared, figure in British society. The empire came crashing down after his mysterious death in

WeWork was supposed to be the future of work, a real estate company with a mission to "elevate the world's consciousness." This episode tells the story of its meteoric rise and spectacular fall, focusing on its charismatic, cult-like founder, Adam Neumann. We explore how Neumann used his messianic salesmanship to convince savvy investors, most notably SoftBank's Masayoshi Son, that his office-leasing company was actually a revolutionary tech company worth an astonishing $47 billion. We delve into

Elizabeth Holmes was hailed as the "next Steve Jobs," a visionary who promised to revolutionize healthcare with a device that could run hundreds of medical tests on a single drop of blood. This episode tells the story of Theranos, the company she founded, and the massive, multi-billion-dollar fraud she perpetrated. We trace her journey as a Stanford dropout who, with her distinctive black turtleneck and deep voice, captivated investors, board members, and the media. We expose the shocking truth that

Uber was one of the fastest-growing and most disruptive startups in history, a company that waged war on the taxi industry and changed how we move through cities. This episode tells the story of its co-founder and former CEO, the brilliant but deeply controversial Travis Kalanick. We explore the aggressive, "win-at-all-costs" mentality that he instilled in the company, a philosophy that prioritized growth above all else, including, at times, the law. We delve into the series of scandals that defined

For decades, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal was the international face of Saudi finance, a globe-trotting investor who cultivated an image as the "Warren Buffett of the Middle East." This episode charts the rise of the flamboyant prince, who used his royal connections to build a massive investment portfolio through his company, Kingdom Holding. We explore his high-profile stakes in iconic Western companies like Citicorp, Apple, and the Four Seasons hotel chain, which made him a fixture on the global

The Sackler name was once emblazoned on the world's most prestigious museums and universities, a symbol of philanthropic grace. This episode exposes the dark secret behind that fortune: the family's private ownership of Purdue Pharma, the company that developed, deceptively marketed, and profited from the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin. We tell the story of the three Sackler brothers who built a medical advertising empire, and how two of them used that expertise to unleash a public health

Jeffrey Epstein was a man of immense wealth, but the true source of his fortune remains a mystery. This episode delves into the dark world of the financier who used his money and his powerful connections to run a vast international sex trafficking ring preying on underage girls. We investigate the origins of his wealth, his close relationship with retail billionaire Leslie Wexner, and the aura of legitimacy he cultivated by surrounding himself with the global elite, from presidents and prime