1348: HAPPY 2026! Kicking off the new year + your PASSION is your next PIVOT w/ special guest Ian Westermann

To kick off 2026, Brian is joined by his good friend and fellow entrepreneur, Ian Westermann of Essential Tennis, for a raw, unfiltered conversation about the real journey of a long-term creator. They pull back the curtain on the emotional highs and lows of building a content-driven business, from the thrill of growth and scaling a team to the painful reality of market saturation and the need to pivot. This episode is a must-listen for any entrepreneur feeling the grind of organic content. You'll get a rare, honest look at the struggles of creator loneliness, the necessity of evolving your business model, and how rediscovering your passion can pave the way for your next big breakthrough.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR BusinessWhy the "organic content grind" that worked in the 2010s is a death spiral now, and how to start pivoting your strategy for 2026.How to combat the loneliness of entrepreneurship by shifting from a one-way content model to building a genuine two-way community.The emotional journey of scaling a business up and then back down, and how to find gratitude and excitement in being a solopreneur again.How to leverage your entire library of past content as an unbelievable training asset for AI, sparking fresh ideas you've never thought of.The critical importance of "play" – how geeking out on unrelated hobbies can unlock unexpected skills and lay the groundwork for your next business venture.A powerful mindset shift: viewing your business's growth not just for yourself, but as a vehicle to provide opportunities and support for your team.📝 About Ian Westermann Ian Westermann is the founder of Essential Tennis, the world's #1 online tennis instruction resource. Since 2008, he has built a content empire, publishing over 4,000 videos and helping millions of players improve their game. Ian is not just a world-class coach; he's a seasoned entrepreneur who has navigated the incredible evolution of digital media for over 16 years. His unique perspective comes from experiencing the full cycle of the content creator economy, from being a trailblazing pioneer to competing in a now-saturated market, offering invaluable, hard-won lessons for any business owner today.🎯 Ian’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "If you're not excited about the thing you're working on, you will never, ever, ever put in the hours or ever, ever follow through enough times to ever have a chance of being good enough at that thing to be able to charge any money for that product or service."📢 Memorable Quotes“Humans are just not wired to just yell into the void and feel whole. I don't think it's okay to want that two-way street.” – Ian Westermann“I’m just coming back around again to being excited about being a solo creator again… learning to be grateful just for that again, which I know there's people listening that are like giving me the middle finger right now if you don't already have your own business.” – Ian Westermann“Just being able to get outside your own head… especially when you don't have a team… It's unbelievably powerful.” – Ian Westermann on using AI as a strategic partner.🔗 Links & ResourcesWebsite: EssentialTennis.comYouTube: Essential TennisPodcast: The Essential Tennis Podcast

In a world full of transactional businesses, Justin Weinstein has built a law firm that thrives on deep, meaningful relationships. As the founding partner of Weinstein Legal Team, he’s scaled his practice across Florida by making legal representation more accessible, transparent, and human. This episode is a masterclass in building a powerful company culture that goes far beyond ping pong tables and free snacks. Justin reveals how he embedded his personal values of empathy and connection into his firm’s DNA, leading to incredible employee retention and client trust. For any entrepreneur who wants to build a business with soul and stand out in a noisy market, this conversation provides a practical roadmap for turning your core values into your greatest competitive advantage.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR BusinessHumanize Your Brand: Discover how to build a business that people trust and connect with on a human level, even in a traditionally sterile industry.Culture as a Retention Tool: Learn how investing in your team's growth and creating a safe, nurturing environment leads to long-term employee loyalty.The Power of Proactive Education: Find out how educating your market—instead of just reacting to their needs—can build immense trust and position you as a go-to authority.Mastering the Art of Follow-Up: Understand why accountability and consistent follow-up are the unsung heroes of successful business growth and relationship building.Calculated Risk-Taking for Growth: Hear why getting comfortable with risk is essential for any entrepreneur looking to scale their vision and achieve professional breakthroughs.Leverage AI as a Business Partner: Get insights into how a founder uses AI tools like ChatGPT for strategic planning, marketing, and business operations, not just task execution.Delegate to Elevate: Learn the importance of identifying your weaknesses (like scheduling!) and hiring people who love doing the tasks you don't, freeing you up to focus on growth.📝 About Justin WeinsteinJustin Weinstein is the founding partner of Weinstein Legal Team, a statewide law practice in Florida he started in 2016. With a background in both business and law, Justin brings a unique entrepreneurial perspective to the legal field. He has successfully scaled his firm by focusing on a human-first approach, building a powerful culture centered on empathy, meaningful relationships, and community impact. Justin’s vision is to make the legal world more accessible and proactive, proving that you can build a thriving business by putting people first.🎯 Justin’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and EntrepreneursYour success as an entrepreneur is directly tied to the quality of the relationships you build and your commitment to continuous learning.📢 Memorable Quotes"Growth is directly related to fulfillment in whatever it is that we're doing. It's so important to step outside of the, 'What do I have to do today?' versus, 'Okay, let's make sure that we're growing some of the employees.'" – Justin Weinstein"People are people first. I'm not just a lawyer, I'm a person. Just like every single client we have is not just a client or someone who got injured, they're a person with a family and a career." – Justin Weinstein🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit Weinstein Legal Team’s websiteConnect with Justin on LinkedInFollow Weinstein Legal Team on LinkedIn

Tired of health apps that just throw data at you without helping you change? Deniz Binay, a former Google product manager who helped launch iconic products like Google Assistant and Gemini, is here to fix that. In this episode, Deniz shares how he’s building Lemon, an AI health companion designed to help you take action rather than just drown in insights. He breaks down his journey from early entrepreneurial side hustles to leading teams at Google and finally launching a startup with a mission to make the world a healthier place. This episode is a masterclass in product development, leveraging AI, and understanding the core psychological needs of your customers to build something they’ll actually use and love.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR BusinessThe MVP Mindset: Learn how Deniz and his co-founder built a "crappy" prototype in just one week to gather immediate, high-value feedback without building a full-fledged app.Niche-Down Strategy: Discover the process of taking a massive vision ("help everyone be healthier") and strategically narrowing it down to a hyper-specific ideal customer (urban parents) to gain initial traction.Action Over Insight: Understand why customers often need help with execution, not more information, and how to build a business that bridges the gap between knowing and doing.Retention Before Scale: Hear Deniz’s powerful argument for why your first goal isn't massive distribution, but creating a product that 10, then 100, super-happy users absolutely love.Harnessing AI for Operations: Get a behind-the-scenes look at how an AI expert uses simple prompts to streamline everything from summarizing customer interviews to brainstorming product ideas.The Power of a Positive Mission: Learn why focusing on a mission that genuinely excites you is the ultimate fuel for long-term motivation and perseverance through entrepreneurial challenges.📝 About Deniz Binay Deniz Binay is the co-founder and CEO of Lemon, an AI-powered health companion. A two-time ex-Googler, Deniz has been at the forefront of AI innovation, playing pivotal roles in the launch of the Gemini mobile app and the founding team of Google Assistant. Originally from Switzerland, his passion for technology has always been tied to creating a positive impact, from building marketplaces that connect people to now building a solution that helps people live healthier, more active lives. His deep expertise as a product manager gives him a unique and pragmatic perspective on building technology that solves real human problems.🎯 Deniz’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "As cheesy as it sounds, just follow your dream."📢 Memorable Quotes"My number one need is help me actually take actions for my health. Everyone wants to be healthier, but many, many people have trouble to follow through." – Deniz Binay"Don't work like months and months without shipping anything... Always try to find what is the easiest thing you can do to collect the feedback that you want to have." – Deniz Binay"At the very starting phase, it's not so much of a game of scale. It's very much of a game of finding 10 super-happy users, finding 100 super-happy users." – Deniz Binay🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit Lemon Health AI’s websiteConnect with Deniz on LinkedInFollow Lemon Health AI on LinkedIn

In this episode, Brian sits down with Keith Smith, a 7-time founder who is now tackling a $13 trillion problem with his AI-first platform, GoodStream. Keith shares his incredible journey from being a self-proclaimed "unemployable" kid to deploying over $6 billion in private credit, and how living that pain firsthand led him to build a game-changing solution. This isn't just a story about tech; it's a masterclass in identifying market gaps, leveraging new technology to solve old problems, and understanding the critical importance of distribution in a noisy world. For any wantrepreneur or entrepreneur, Keith's insights into the current AI "super cycle" provide a powerful and urgent reason to take action on your business idea today.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR BusinessHow to Build a Business from Lived Pain: Discover how Keith transformed years of frustration with unstructured data in the private credit world into the core idea for GoodStream.Why We're in a Once-in-a-Lifetime "Super Cycle": Keith explains why the next 24 months represent a massive opportunity for founders, as nearly every business is re-evaluating its software stack due to AI.The Power of "Vibe Coding" with AI: Learn how to use AI to rapidly iterate and prototype your product ideas with customers before you ever write a line of production code, saving you time and money.The Unspoken Rule of Success: Distribution is King: Even with the most incredible product, you need a strategy to get it in front of users. Keith breaks down why this is more important now than ever.Solving Old Problems with New Tech: Understand the framework for identifying manual, human-led processes in any industry and applying AI to create immense value and efficiency.Balancing Ambition and Family: Keith shares vulnerable insights on his journey as a single father raising two kids while building multiple companies, and how his family became his greatest source of entrepreneurial lessons.📝 About Keith Smith Keith Smith is the co-founder and CEO of GoodStream, an AI-first platform transforming how the $13 trillion private asset industry manages data. A lifelong entrepreneur on his seventh startup, Keith previously spent nine years in private credit, where he deployed over $6 billion and experienced the exact pain point his company now solves. His unique perspective comes from living on both sides of the table—as an operator and an investor—giving him a deep understanding of market needs and the power of leveraging new technology, like AI, to create elegant, powerful solutions.🎯 Keith’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "If you're thinking about solving a problem that you understand well, now is the time to jump in and do it... I do think we are in the middle of a super cycle that we will not see again, potentially in the next decade or our lifetimes."📢 Memorable Quotes"I do better toiling under my own vision than I do somebody else's vision." – Keith Smith"AI is not like anything else I think we've seen before. It is an alien intelligence that we are all sitting here... front row seats to watching this alien intelligence come to life." – Keith Smith"The lessons that I have learned about being an entrepreneur, the vast majority of them came from the experiences and the insights that I gained by starting a family and raising two little humans." – Keith Smith🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit GoodStream’s websiteConnect with Keith on LinkedInFollow GoodStream on LinkedIn

As we close out the year, it's time for one of the most anticipated Solo Sunday episodes: Brian's one word for 2026. For the eighth year in a row, Brian is ditching the long list of easily-forgotten New Year's resolutions for a far more powerful approach — choosing a single word to serve as a theme, a filter, and a guide for the entire year. In this episode, he walks through his words from the past seven years (like Better, Output, and Bigger) to show how each one built on the last, creating a powerful trajectory of growth. He then reveals his word for 2026, "Systems," and breaks down why building systems in your business and life is the key to creating freedom, consistency, and a business that runs without you as the bottleneck.✨ Why This Matters for You Choosing one word is more than a trendy exercise; it's a strategic tool for entrepreneurs:It provides clarity and focus, cutting through the noise of a dozen competing goals.It acts as a simple filter for decision-making. Does this opportunity align with your word?It creates a theme that guides your actions, ensuring you’re consistently moving in the right direction.It turns your year from a series of random events into an intentional journey of growth.It helps you build a business and life that are aligned with a single, powerful vision.📝 Key TakeawaysOne Word > Resolutions. The one-word concept provides a single point of focus that centers your character and creates a vision for your future, unlike resolutions which are often abandoned by February.A Lens for Action. Your chosen word becomes the filter through which you view opportunities, challenges, and decisions. When Brian’s word was "Bigger," he constantly asked, "How can we make this bigger?"Evolution of Focus. Brian’s journey from "Better" to "Output" to "Actions" and beyond shows how each year’s theme builds on the last, creating a compounding effect of personal and professional growth over time.2026 is About "Systems." Brian's word for 2026 is "Systems." The goal is to build repeatable processes that remove you as the bottleneck, ensure consistency, and turn your business into an "infinite game" that can run without your constant manual effort.Systems Create Freedom. By systematizing the routine, mundane, and day-to-day tasks, you free up the mental and emotional energy to be more spontaneous, creative, and present in both your life and business.🚀 Put It Into Action This week, take on the one-word challenge for yourself:Reflect on the year ahead. What do you want more of? What do you need to focus on to get to the next level?Brainstorm a list of potential words that capture that feeling or theme.Choose the ONE word that resonates most deeply and feels right for your next chapter.Share it! Brian would love to hear your word. Drop him an email at [email protected] and let him know what your focus is for 2026.🔗 Stay ConnectedSubscribe to the show so you never miss an episodeConnect with Brian on Instagram @imetbrianShare this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who is ready to set a powerful intention for the new year.📣 Special Thanks and Shout Out to a Brilliant Creator! A huge thank you to the folks at MyOneWord.org. Brian was introduced to this concept by them nearly a decade ago, and it has been a foundational part of his annual planning ever since. We highly recommend you visit their site to learn more about this transformative practice

This is Operate Week – a special Christmas-week series on the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Podcast celebrating the release of my second book, OPERATE: Escape the Finisher’s Trap and Build a Business That Runs Without You.For the next seven episodes, I’m gifting you something I’ve never done before on this show: one full pillar per day from the OPERATE framework, straight from the audiobook.No fluff. No teasers. Just the core operating system I’ve refined over 17+ years of entrepreneurship.If you’ve ever felt:Like your business only moves when you moveLike growth creates more chaos instead of freedomLike you’re the bottleneck — even though you’re “successful”This week is for you.🚨 The Finisher’s Trap (Why OPERATE Exists)Most founders are stuck in what I call The Finisher’s Trap – being the fixer, the closer, the quality control, and the safety net for everything.It feels responsible. It feels productive. But it’s actually a ceiling.OPERATE is about escaping that trap and stepping into the role you were always meant to play: The Architect — the one who designs systems that scale without burning you out.📘 About the Book: OPERATEOPERATE isn’t about hustling harder or hiring endlessly.It’s about installing a 7-Pillar Operating System that turns a founder-dependent business into a scalable, self-running machine.Hustle builds momentum. Systems build businesses.You can get the full book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at OperateBook.com.🎧 Today’s Episode: EnablementThis episode is one full chapter from OPERATE, focused entirely on today’s pillar. Listen all the way through — these pillars compound when applied together.📕 Want the Full OPERATE Experience?These seven chapters are the pillars, but they’re only part of the full story.OPERATE includes:The Finisher → Architect identity shiftReal-world examples from my journeyThe connective tissue that ties the system togetherGet the full book on Amazon or visit OperateBook.com.Thanks for being part of Operate Week — and for letting me give you the most meaningful gift I can: a better way to build.

This is Operate Week – a special Christmas-week series on the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Podcast celebrating the release of my second book, OPERATE: Escape the Finisher’s Trap and Build a Business That Runs Without You.For the next seven episodes, I’m gifting you something I’ve never done before on this show: one full pillar per day from the OPERATE framework, straight from the audiobook.No fluff. No teasers. Just the core operating system I’ve refined over 17+ years of entrepreneurship.If you’ve ever felt:Like your business only moves when you moveLike growth creates more chaos instead of freedomLike you’re the bottleneck — even though you’re “successful”This week is for you.🚨 The Finisher’s Trap (Why OPERATE Exists)Most founders are stuck in what I call The Finisher’s Trap – being the fixer, the closer, the quality control, and the safety net for everything.It feels responsible. It feels productive. But it’s actually a ceiling.OPERATE is about escaping that trap and stepping into the role you were always meant to play: The Architect — the one who designs systems that scale without burning you out.📘 About the Book: OPERATEOPERATE isn’t about hustling harder or hiring endlessly.It’s about installing a 7-Pillar Operating System that turns a founder-dependent business into a scalable, self-running machine.Hustle builds momentum. Systems build businesses.You can get the full book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at OperateBook.com.🎧 Today’s Episode: TelemetryThis episode is one full chapter from OPERATE, focused entirely on today’s pillar. Listen all the way through — these pillars compound when applied together.📕 Want the Full OPERATE Experience?These seven chapters are the pillars, but they’re only part of the full story.OPERATE includes:The Finisher → Architect identity shiftReal-world examples from my journeyThe connective tissue that ties the system togetherGet the full book on Amazon or visit OperateBook.com.Thanks for being part of Operate Week — and for letting me give you the most meaningful gift I can: a better way to build.

This is Operate Week – a special Christmas-week series on the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Podcast celebrating the release of my second book, OPERATE: Escape the Finisher’s Trap and Build a Business That Runs Without You.For the next seven episodes, I’m gifting you something I’ve never done before on this show: one full pillar per day from the OPERATE framework, straight from the audiobook.No fluff. No teasers. Just the core operating system I’ve refined over 17+ years of entrepreneurship.If you’ve ever felt:Like your business only moves when you moveLike growth creates more chaos instead of freedomLike you’re the bottleneck — even though you’re “successful”This week is for you.🚨 The Finisher’s Trap (Why OPERATE Exists)Most founders are stuck in what I call The Finisher’s Trap – being the fixer, the closer, the quality control, and the safety net for everything.It feels responsible. It feels productive. But it’s actually a ceiling.OPERATE is about escaping that trap and stepping into the role you were always meant to play: The Architect — the one who designs systems that scale without burning you out.📘 About the Book: OPERATEOPERATE isn’t about hustling harder or hiring endlessly.It’s about installing a 7-Pillar Operating System that turns a founder-dependent business into a scalable, self-running machine.Hustle builds momentum. Systems build businesses.You can get the full book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at OperateBook.com.🎧 Today’s Episode: AutomationThis episode is one full chapter from OPERATE, focused entirely on today’s pillar. Listen all the way through — these pillars compound when applied together.📕 Want the Full OPERATE Experience?These seven chapters are the pillars, but they’re only part of the full story.OPERATE includes:The Finisher → Architect identity shiftReal-world examples from my journeyThe connective tissue that ties the system togetherGet the full book on Amazon or visit OperateBook.com.Thanks for being part of Operate Week — and for letting me give you the most meaningful gift I can: a better way to build.

This is Operate Week – a special Christmas-week series on the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Podcast celebrating the release of my second book, OPERATE: Escape the Finisher’s Trap and Build a Business That Runs Without You.For the next seven episodes, I’m gifting you something I’ve never done before on this show: one full pillar per day from the OPERATE framework, straight from the audiobook.No fluff. No teasers. Just the core operating system I’ve refined over 17+ years of entrepreneurship.If you’ve ever felt:Like your business only moves when you moveLike growth creates more chaos instead of freedomLike you’re the bottleneck — even though you’re “successful”This week is for you.🚨 The Finisher’s Trap (Why OPERATE Exists)Most founders are stuck in what I call The Finisher’s Trap – being the fixer, the closer, the quality control, and the safety net for everything.It feels responsible. It feels productive. But it’s actually a ceiling.OPERATE is about escaping that trap and stepping into the role you were always meant to play: The Architect — the one who designs systems that scale without burning you out.📘 About the Book: OPERATEOPERATE isn’t about hustling harder or hiring endlessly.It’s about installing a 7-Pillar Operating System that turns a founder-dependent business into a scalable, self-running machine.Hustle builds momentum. Systems build businesses.You can get the full book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at OperateBook.com.🎧 Today’s Episode: RetentionThis episode is one full chapter from OPERATE, focused entirely on today’s pillar. Listen all the way through — these pillars compound when applied together.📕 Want the Full OPERATE Experience?These seven chapters are the pillars, but they’re only part of the full story.OPERATE includes:The Finisher → Architect identity shiftReal-world examples from my journeyThe connective tissue that ties the system togetherGet the full book on Amazon or visit OperateBook.com.Thanks for being part of Operate Week — and for letting me give you the most meaningful gift I can: a better way to build.

This is Operate Week – a special Christmas-week series on the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Podcast celebrating the release of my second book, OPERATE: Escape the Finisher’s Trap and Build a Business That Runs Without You.For the next seven episodes, I’m gifting you something I’ve never done before on this show: one full pillar per day from the OPERATE framework, straight from the audiobook.No fluff. No teasers. Just the core operating system I’ve refined over 17+ years of entrepreneurship.If you’ve ever felt:Like your business only moves when you moveLike growth creates more chaos instead of freedomLike you’re the bottleneck — even though you’re “successful”This week is for you.🚨 The Finisher’s Trap (Why OPERATE Exists)Most founders are stuck in what I call The Finisher’s Trap – being the fixer, the closer, the quality control, and the safety net for everything.It feels responsible. It feels productive. But it’s actually a ceiling.OPERATE is about escaping that trap and stepping into the role you were always meant to play: The Architect — the one who designs systems that scale without burning you out.📘 About the Book: OPERATEOPERATE isn’t about hustling harder or hiring endlessly.It’s about installing a 7-Pillar Operating System that turns a founder-dependent business into a scalable, self-running machine.Hustle builds momentum. Systems build businesses.You can get the full book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at OperateBook.com.🎧 Today’s Episode: ExecutionThis episode is one full chapter from OPERATE, focused entirely on today’s pillar. Listen all the way through — these pillars compound when applied together.📕 Want the Full OPERATE Experience?These seven chapters are the pillars, but they’re only part of the full story.OPERATE includes:The Finisher → Architect identity shiftReal-world examples from my journeyThe connective tissue that ties the system togetherGet the full book on Amazon or visit OperateBook.com.Thanks for being part of Operate Week — and for letting me give you the most meaningful gift I can: a better way to build.