450: Elaine Culotti—California is in Real Trouble

Serial entrepreneur, lipstick farmer, and season 2 undercover billionaire Elaine Culotti unleashes a no-holds-barred critique of California’s downward spiral. From endless red tape and anti-business policies to the sluggish response to the Palisades fire, Elaine argues that leadership under Gavin Newsom has been nothing short of disastrous. She doesn’t just complain—she hints she might run for governor herself. Big thanks to our awesome sponsors PureTalk.com/Rowe Save 50% off your first month! ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe to post a job for FREE. GoodRanchers.com Use code MIKE to get $40 off plus free meat for life with new subscription. PrizePicks.com/mike Use code MIKE to get $50 in lineups after placing your first $5 lineup.

Comedian, podcaster, and self-described “troubled white” Theo Von joins the party for a candid discussion about the bone he found on his way to the studio, what he was manifesting during the Lion’s Portal, and why he loves ‘Merica. There’s a little wrestling, a little recovery, and lot of talk of a new Mike and Theo Antique Road Show-type show featuring American-made entrepreneurs. It’s patriotic, hilarious, and it might just be the start of something strange and great. WARNING: THIS EPISODE IS MARKED EXPLICIT FOR LANGUAGE AND CONTENT. Tip o’ the hat to our excellent sponsors American-Giant.com/MIKE Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order. TrumanBoot.com Use code MIKE for 15% off. PrizePicks.com/mike Use code MIKE to get $50 in lineups after placing your first $5 lineup. BuildSubmarines.com Explore available careers!

Mike chats with Dr. Sheree Utash, Ed.D., president of WSU Tech and a national leader in workforce education. They talk about how she reinvented a community college into a national model for workforce development, her role in taking Mike’s S.W.E.A.T. Pledge and shaping it into the mikeroweWORKS curriculum, and why she believes skilled trades are key to America’s future. It’s a perfect pre-Labor Day discussion. Today’s episode is sponsored by ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe to post a job for FREE. PureTalk.com/Rowe Save 50% off your first month! K12.com/Rowe Find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. BuildSubmarines.com Explore available careers!

Tommy Mello founded A1 Garage Door Service—a 100 million-plus-dollar business. Tommy shares how he went from reselling Bowflex, cleaning pools, and painting garage doors to building one of the largest home service companies in the country. He talks about the hustle, the screw-ups, and the systems that helped him scale, including his no-nonsense approach to hiring and promoting based on performance, not resumes. It’s a real conversation about work ethic, taking ownership, and why a broken garage door—and a strong dose of meritocracy—can open a lot more than just your garage. Big thanks to our terrific sponsors AuraFrames.com/Mike Use code Mike to get $35 off their best-selling Carver Mat frame. K12.com/Rowe Find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. American-Giant.com/MIKE Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order. NetSuite.com/Mike Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning.

Actor, director, and pseudo-troublemaker Nick Searcy is back! Nick recounts what he saw at the Capitol on January 6 and why he made Capital Punishment and its sequel, The War on Truth. Also discussed is Nick’s unfiltered memoir, Justify This: A Career Without Compromise, where he shares stories from his long career in Hollywood, and a new project about gospel singers that might just redeem him—at least a little. It’s a conversation full of laughs, sharp elbows, and more than a few surprises. Shout out to our great sponsors CompanyCam.com Jobsite photo tools to manage work from anywhere. ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe to post a job for FREE. AuraFrames.com/Mike Use code Mike to get $35 off their best-selling Carver Mat frame. PureTalk.com/Rowe Save 50% off your first month!

America’s Grandmother stops by to discuss the haunting melody of Adagio for Strings, dropping one’s phone in the toilet, and Peggy’s handsy masseuse. Big thanks to our awesome sponsors PureTalk.com/Rowe Get a Samsung Galaxy A36 for FREE with a $35 qualifying plan. TrumanBoot.com Use code MIKE for 15% off. SkillsUSA.org/mike Join the skilled trade movement!

Filmmaker Jack Teetor joins to discuss his new documentary, Blind Logic, about his granduncle, Ralph Teetor, who revolutionized the automotive industry. From inventing cruise control to influencing the development of the automatic transmission, Ralph was an automotive visionary, which is ironic since he did all that while being blind since childhood. Tip o’ the hat to our excellent sponsors NetSuite.com/Mike Download the FREE e-book, Navigating Global Trade: Insights for Leaders. K12.com/Rowe Find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. SkillsUSA.org/mike Join the skilled trade movement! BuildSubmarines.com Explore available careers!

Former Texas Governor and U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry stops by to talk about two things most folks wouldn't expect in the same sentence—AI data farms and psychedelic therapy. Perry breaks down why the Lone Star State is set to become a digital powerhouse for AI server farms and what that means for energy, jobs, and infrastructure. Then the conversation turns to ibogaine—a little-known psychedelic that holds big promise for veterans and first responders battling PTSD and addiction. Texas just approved $50 million to study it, and Perry explains why. Shout out to our great sponsors ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe to post a job for FREE. CompanyCam.com Jobsite photo tools to manage work from anywhere. PureTalk.com/Rowe Save 50% off your first month! KnobelSpirits.com Use code Carl and spend $100 to get FREE Orange Bitter Sugar Cubes.

Salena Zito is a prolific author, award-winning reporter, and our great friend. No one knows the heartland like Salena, and she’s here to discuss the future of AI and the energy needed to pursue it, the sudden resurgence of interest in the skilled trades and how Pennsylvania is helping lead the way, and her brand-new book, Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland. Salena gives a firsthand account since she was just four feet away from Trump when it happened. Tip o’ the hat to our excellent sponsors K12.com/ROWE Find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. American-Giant.com/MIKE Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order. LifeVac.net Use code MIKE to get 20% off your full purchase. KnobelSpirits.com Use code Carl and spend $100 to get FREE Orange Bitter Sugar Cubes.

Jillian Michaels is a renowned fitness expert, television personality, podcaster, and bestselling author known most for her role on The Biggest Loser. She has built a global brand around health, wellness, and personal empowerment through fitness. Big thanks to our terrific sponsors ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe Post a job for FREE. K12.com/ROWE Find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. PureTalk.com/Rowe Save 50% off your first month! BuildSubmarines.com Explore available careers!