#257: BTS Of The Relationship Powering A Podcast With 175 MILLION Downloads… w/ Kate Dumas of EO Fire

I’ll never forget my sophomore year of college, wandering the cobblestone streets of Sevilla, Spain, earbuds in… listening to something brand new to me at the time:Podcasts.One show in particular stood out: Entrepreneurs on Fire.Hearing real entrepreneurs talk about building businesses that made an impact felt revolutionary compared to the dry, theoretical lectures I was getting in class. It was like discovering a portal into the life I knew I wanted.Fast forward almost a decade…Selena Soo (episode #242) invites me into one of her curated “Rich Relationships” mixers, and I find myself in a breakout room with Kate Dumas — the heartbeat of EO Fire.If you don’t know, EO Fire is one of the most downloaded business podcasts (175M+ downloads), hosted by John Lee Dumas. But what many people don’t see is that behind the scenes, Kate has been co-building the entire empire with John… while also navigating a romantic relationship, cross-country moves, and now raising a kid together.To date, EO Fire has generated $28M+ in revenue while impacting millions — and their relationship all started with Kate meeting a sweaty John while in his boxers in the middle of an Insanity workout (hilarious story you’ll hear on the show.)In this episode, we go deep on:🔥 What it’s really like to build a multimillion-dollar business with your life partner with two OPPOSITE skillsets🔥 How Kate went from feeling invisible to launching her own show and stepping into her power🔥 Why they intentionally scaled back from 8 employees to 3 — and what it taught them about freedomWhether you’re in business with your partner, thinking about it, or just curious how 175M downloads happen behind the scenes…This episode will give you a rare look into what makes it all work.Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Kate Erickson DumasBrandon opens the episode with a heartfelt welcome and shares a personal story about his early exposure to podcasts, specifically "Entrepreneurs on Fire" (EO Fire). He introduces today’s guest, Kate Erickson Dumas, as the co-builder and operational force behind EO Fire, a business podcast with over 175 million downloads and $28M+ in revenue.00:36 - A hilarious first encounter: boxer shorts and insanity workoutsKate recounts the unforgettable moment she met her now-husband John Lee Dumas—he answered the door in boxer shorts, mid-insanity workout, to show her an apartment. This funny and awkward first meeting would eventually blossom into a powerful romantic and entrepreneurial partnership.02:17 - Behind the scenes of EO Fire: a podcasting empire co-built with loveBrandon shares how he met Kate through a breakout room in Selena Soo's mixer and highlights EO Fire’s success and transparency, including monthly income reports. He introduces the key themes of the episode, including working with a romantic partner, stepping into personal power, and pivotal business decisions.06:35 - Launching Kate’s Take: from invisibility to intentional leadershipKate opens up about joining EO Fire and feeling unsure of her worth. She discusses a life-changing transformational training in LA and how it helped her overcome feelings of invisibility. Launching her podcast "Kate’s Take" became a powerful declaration of self-worth and a major growth milestone.12:30 - The meet-cute love story of Kate and JohnKate shares their love story—from awkward neighbors in Pacific Beach to...

Back in March, I hosted the first ever LIVE event for my community, Curiosity Island.We hired my friend and Curiosity Island “Castaway” Bob Regnerus to produce the video footage for our event:Click right here to watch the videoWhy am I sharing this with you?* Incoming humble brag *If you listen to that video, there was definitely a theme in what the Castaways shared:“You feel like you're entering a Brandon world when you come into his space. It is warm, inviting, challenging, curious and so exciting in the best way.”“I've never met anybody like Brandon who takes creating experiences so seriously.”“This Curiosity island that he's created is so much more than a business or a brand or a mastermind… This is really an experience”.The theme that I notice is World Building / Experience Design.After designing several live events, hundreds of virtual experiences, and speaking on many stages, I’ve never actually sat down to ask myself:“What am I actually doing?”Meaning:How would I actually teach someone about my approach to World Building?When another Castaway, Meredith Grundei, asked me to come on her LinkedIn live show to talk about it… it was a perfect excuse for me to actually teach my approach.So after several hours of GPT biking and playing around, I arrived at this:To design transformational experiences, have your MOM make a WAFFLE 👇MOM is an acronym that stands for the 3 phases of an experience…While WAFFLE is an acronym for the 6 keys to make an experience stick.Whether you run events, lead a community or team, create content, or just want to inject more magic into your daily life… this one’s for you.Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Meredith GrundeiBrandon introduces the episode as a unique hybrid format: a collaborative conversation with friend and Curiosity Island castaway, Meredith Grundei. The focus is on designing transformational experiences, anchored by Brandon's custom "Have Your MOM Make a WAFFLE" framework.00:57 - The MOM and WAFFLE Framework: A Sneak PeekBrandon sets the stage for the framework he created to help people design memorable and magical experiences. The acronym “MOM” (Momentum, Open Loops, Memory) and “WAFFLE” (World, Anchors, Fusion, Flaws, Language, Emotion) serve as the episode’s central theme.03:24 - Meredith Welcomes Brandon & Introduces the Speaker's LoungeMeredith welcomes Brandon to the Speaker’s Lounge, her monthly conversation series. She invites him to share the origin story of Curiosity Island, the imaginative community he leads.04:29 - The Birth of Curiosity Island: A Domain Bought in a FlashBrandon recounts a pivotal Zoom call with his friend Vlad where the phrase “Curiosity Island” was coined—and how he immediately bought the domain. He explains how the name gave conceptual structure to his vision of a place filled with wonder and transformation.06:16 - What is Curiosity Island? A Transformational, Imaginative CommunityBrandon describes Curiosity Island as a place of infinite possibility—“mirrors, not mentors”—where castaways help each other uncover their gifts. Meredith adds how impactful it’s been for her, especially through the “Breeze Offer” concept.08:45 - Why Presentations Need to Become ExperiencesBoth Brandon and Meredith discuss how modern audiences are no longer captivated by static presentations. With content overload, the key...

Imagine this:You’re driving to a high-end coaching workshop—an event you’ve just spent a big chunk of money to attend.You’re hopeful, nervous, not totally sure if you even should be going…And then, mid-drive, you get into one final painful conversation with your mother—and decide, in that moment, to end the relationship.This was a pivotal moment for today’s guest, Kim DeYoung.Kim showed up to that event tear-streaked, emotionally raw… and more open than she’d ever been.That one choice—to attend the event and to let go of a meaningful relationship—was the catalyst for everything that followed.In today’s episode of Beyond Curious, Kim shares how that moment cracked her open… and how it led to her life’s work helping others unpack their choices through something she calls “choice mapping.”We explore:🔍 The 3 types of maps that help you understand the ripple effects of your past decisions🧭 The 5 questions you can ask to help you make more conscious and intentional choices✍️ How to leverage “Choice Mapping” to re-write your internal stories in a more impactful wayIf you’re navigating a big decision,  looking for clarity in your next chapter, or simply desire to be more intentional with your choices, this one’s for you.Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Kim DeYoungBrandon opens the episode with gratitude and excitement, introducing Kim DeYoung—choice coach, facilitator, and author of The Book of Choice. He outlines three key takeaways: understanding the three types of maps (unfolding, people, and exploration), five powerful questions for intentional decision-making, and how mapping choices can help rewrite internal narratives.00:01:28 - Three essential tools to listen for in today’s episodeBrandon previews what listeners should pay attention to: the unfolding, people, and exploration maps; five key decision-making questions; and how to use mapping to shift internal stories. He teases a live mapping session that takes place during the episode.00:02:52 - Why choice mapping matters and how it transformed Kim’s lifeKim shares a pivotal moment in 2012 when she made a life-altering decision to end her relationship with her mother. This emotional event led her to a personal breakthrough at a transformational workshop and marked the beginning of her deep dive into understanding choice and its ripple effects.00:06:50 - The power of listening to your own truthBrandon reflects on Kim’s vulnerability and how expressing deep truths leads to meaningful connections. Kim shares how a single choice can unfold into life-changing opportunities and how this realization birthed her “choice mapping” process.00:08:02 - What is choice mapping and how did it begin?Kim explains how her choice mapping process began with personal reflection and evolved through mapping other people’s stories. Initially using mind-mapping software to track decisions, she developed a visual, flexible, and powerful framework for understanding life’s most important choices.00:10:23 - Brandon shares a personal reflection about legacy and intergenerational impactBrandon opens up about his grandfather’s recent passing and how a recorded interview with him highlighted the deep ripple effects of past decisions. He connects this reflection to the power of choice mapping and its potential to affect future generations.00:12:35 - The three types of choices: simple, momentary, and proactiveKim outlines the three types of choices we make daily. She emphasizes the “proactive choice” as the one that truly warrants deeper exploration—choices that move your life in a meaningful direction.00:15:21 - The three...

One of my core values is something I call conscious storytelling.I believe the stories we tell — both internally to ourselves and externally to the world — create our reality.Change your story, and you can change your reality.That’s why in this Beyond Curious Time Machine episode, I wanted to hit both sides of storytelling:How do we tell more magnetic external stories that attract the right people and opportunities into our lives?How do we rewrite the internal stories running in the background of our own lives?To do this, we are bringing in clips from 3 previous guests:Episodes #36 and #37 with Michael Hauge — Hollywood storytelling legend that has worked on projects starring will smith, julia roberts, tom cruise & many others whose 6-step formula helped me become a dramatically better storyteller. Episodes #147 and #148 with Jude Charles — documentary filmmaker who has produced stories for Google, Steve Harvey, and dozens of visionary CEOs… flips the script, showing us why storytelling isn’t a formula… and reminding us that the most important story you’ll ever tell is the one you tell yourself.Episode #160 with Britt Lefkoe — one of the world’s top mindset experts, who reveals how our childhood stories quietly shape our reality… and how to put more possibilities back on the table.If you also believe in the power of storytelling — both internal and external — this episode is for you!Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guests, Michael Hauge, Jude Charles, and Britt LefkoeBrandon introduces this special "Time Machine" episode centered around the art and impact of storytelling. He explains the Time Machine format, which revisits past episodes and extracts key insights. Brandon also shares his philosophy of "conscious storytelling" and how this episode will explore both external and internal narratives.02:20 - Michael Hauge’s Six-Step Storytelling FormulaBrandon introduces Michael Hauge, highlighting his Hollywood credentials and deep influence through works like Hero’s Two Journeys and Storytelling Made Easy. He explains why Michael’s six-step framework became foundational for Brandon’s storytelling journey.05:59 - Michael Hauge Explains the Six Key Beats of StoryMichael details his six essential story steps:SetupCrisisPursuitConflictClimaxAftermathHe walks through each phase with examples, showing how to build empathy, define a visible goal, and end with a transformation that aligns with the audience’s aspirations.11:30 - Brandon Reflects on Michael's Influence and Additional EpisodesBrandon shares more episodes featuring Michael—#36, #37, and #168—and offers unique glimpses into how Michael’s storytelling wisdom manifested in live coaching and even a “liquid storytelling” experiment.13:02 - Introduction to Jude Charles and His Storytelling PhilosophyBrandon introduces Jude Charles, known for his work with Google and Steve Harvey, and for his book Dramatic Demonstration. He sets the stage for Jude’s perspective that storytelling is not bound by formulas.13:24 - Jude Charles Defines Storytelling as a Specific Moment in TimeJude emphasizes storytelling as “a recounting of a specific moment in time.” He explains how specificity and visual detail pull listeners into a narrative and why everyone inherently has the ability to tell compelling stories.16:28 - Why Jude Rejects Storytelling FormulasOffering a counterpoint to Michael Hauge, Jude argues that life is not a formula—and neither is storytelling. He critiques the rigidity of the hero’s journey and

As a 13-year-old immigrant struggling to fit in, Dmitriy Kozlov found rap music.In some ways it saved him — it gave him an outlet and a path to self-expression. But in other ways it nearly killed him.Dmitriy ended up getting involved with gang activity — and eventually, the very gang he ran with turned on him and nearly killed him… more than once. Those near-death experiences became the wake-up call he needed to walk away from that life for good.Fast forward to today…Dmitriy is working with some of the most legendary names in the thought leadership world — people like Lewis Howes, JJ Virgin, Daymond John, Dan Lok, and Joe Polish — helping them build “category of one” personal brand websites through his agency, Influex.Even more incredible?At age 25, he rediscovered his passion for spoken word poetry — and has since used it to grow his business, attributing over seven figures in revenue to performing live on stages around the world.Some things to look forward to in this episode:How Dmitriy uses “unapologetic self expression” via spoken word artistry to land high-end clientsHow to integrate your past, present, and future into a brand that feels fully aligned and multidimensionalDmitriy performs a spoken word piece called, Remember Who You Are!Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s guest, Dmitriy Kozlov Brandon introduces today’s guest, Dmitriy “Dima” Kozlov—a spoken word artist and the founder of branding agency Influex. Dima shares a teaser of his poetic talent, and Brandon previews the themes of the episode, including unapologetic self-expression, brand alignment, and Dima’s gripping life journey from immigrant to influential entrepreneur.00:05:24 - The roots of Dima’s expression: Eminem and a near-death experience Dima recounts his early life as a Russian immigrant, discovering self-expression through rap after being bullied. A pivotal moment came after being jumped by a gang at age 13—an experience that pushed him toward academics, work ethic, and eventually entrepreneurship.00:10:36 - Reigniting the flame of expression with spoken word at 25 After a major breakup and lifestyle shift, Dima reconnects with his artistic roots. A spoken word piece written in a shower in LA reignites his creative expression and unlocks a powerful tool for healing and connecting with others—especially fellow entrepreneurs.00:14:25 - Meeting his mentor, Yannick Silver, and entering the world of Mavericks Dima shares how he earned a scholarship to Underground Online Seminar, where he met Yannick Silver. This connection evolved into mentorship and the co-creation of Maverick NEXT, a community for impact-driven young entrepreneurs.00:20:13 - Planting the seeds of an elite network through service Brandon and Dima discuss the ripple effects of co-founding Maverick NEXT, highlighting the long-term impact of building meaningful relationships with purpose-driven peers and mentors.00:21:41 - The art of mentorship and the power of giving first Dima breaks down how he approached Yannick Silver with a value-first mindset, offering web services at cost in exchange for mentorship. This “give first” strategy laid the foundation for many high-profile relationships and business opportunities.00:25:48 - Scaling with soul: Unscalable moves that built a premium agency Dima shares how going above and beyond for early clients, focusing on quality and relationships, created a reputation that attracted top-tier clients like Lewis Howes and Joe Polish—without heavy marketing.00:30:43 -...

Last year I committed to a new endurance challenge:A 100 mile bike ride.Somewhere along the way, a wild idea hit me…What if I could work while riding?Not just answering emails — I’m talking deep, creative, transformational work.Fast forward to today, and I’m getting more done on my bike than I do at my desk.I call it GPT Biking.In this episode, you’ll ride along with me (literally… I recorded this episode on my bike) as I share:How I use ChatGPT as a creative partner while cruising down the road — generating better ideas than I often do sitting stillThe relationship-building hack I’ve developed that lets me send unforgettable personal messages while pedalingBehind-the-scenes of my real-time creative process — from developing facilitation structures to dreaming up frameworksI’ve had SO many people ask me about how I do this, so it’s about time an episode came out on it.If you’ve ever wanted to combine movement, nature, and creativity into a single, game-changing productivity ritual…You’re going to love this one.Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s solo episode with Brandon Fong. Brandon shares that there’s no guest today—just him revealing how he gets more work done while training for a 100-mile bike ride than at his desk, including building relationships and using ChatGPT as a creative partner. 00:01:35 - Brandon demonstrates the difference between raw iPhone bike audio and an AI voice-filtered version, noting the improved listening experience despite some quirks. 00:02:47 - He explains how the episode was recorded in two separate biking sessions—initially for friends curious about “GPT Biking,” later expanded into a behind-the-scenes workflow session. 00:03:32 - Quick definitions of recurring concepts: Curiosity Island (invite-only community), Find Your 4 (framework for maximizing results), Architects (co-creators of Curiosity Island’s future), and Moonshots (ambitious personal goals). 00:04:54 - Beginning of the on-bike recording: Brandon introduces GPT Biking, his process for using ChatGPT during rides via a phone mount and voice-to-text/audio replies. 00:05:53 - Case study: Using GPT Biking to refine Curiosity Island Architects’ core values into themes like “Breathtaking Collaboration,” “Conscious Contribution,” and “Childlike Curiosity,” plus brainstorming systems for balanced contributions. 00:10:48 - Brandon’s second major on-bike activity: sending video messages via WhatsApp and iMessage to build and nurture relationships while riding. 00:13:23 - GPT Biking Part 2 begins: Brandon outlines four goals for this ride, including drafting a trademark specimen for Curiosity Island, evolving moonshot weaving frameworks, collaborating with his wife Leah, and refining the Find Your 4 software. 00:15:32 - He details the “moonshot weaving” process—pitching moonshots in group facilitations, collecting instant collaborative feedback, and synthesizing ideas for collective action. 00:22:00 - Brainstorming the “Moonshot Domino” concept: a metaphor inspired by The One Thing for defining each castaway’s next impactful move, including potential collaboration with experts like Colin to assess clarity and alignment. 00:25:48 - Expansion on moonshot storytelling: chronicling each castaway’s journey with tools like Descript to document breakthroughs and refinement in real time. 00:27:24 - Ride wrap-up: 46 miles completed, 11 video messages sent, an introduction made, facilitation plans finalized, and partial progress on software ideas, with physical fatigue marking the session’s end. 00:29:17 - Studio wrap-up weeks later: reflections on which bike-born ideas stuck (Moonshot Domino evolving into Moonshot Portals) and which...

Today’s guest has one of the boldest book titles I’ve ever come across…It’s called: “Your Brand Should Be Gay (Even If You’re Not): The Art and Science of Creating an Authentic Brand.”And what I love so much about that title is that Re Perez lives it.In today’s episode, you’ll hear how Re went from growing up in an all-boys Catholic Jesuit school—where he felt unsafe, ashamed, and unable to express who he truly was because of his sexuality……to building a life and brand rooted in deep alignment, self-love, and full-spectrum authenticity.Fast forward to today—He’s not only written a book with the word “gay” in the title…He’s helping some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs 2x, 3x, and even 10x revenues by doing the very thing he’s mastered: uncovering who they truly are, and building a soul-aligned brand that can’t be ignored.This episode is a beautiful mix of raw story, deep self-inquiry, and powerful business wisdom.Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s guest, Re PerezBrandon welcomes listeners to another thought-provoking episode, introducing Re Perez—a Fortune 500 brand consultant turned spiritual brand architect. Brandon previews the episode’s core themes: curating a world with your brand, remembering who you are, and embodying your brand as a spiritual journey.00:52 - Shoutout to Jhana Li and three themes to watch forBrandon credits Jhana Li (Episode 146) for connecting him with Re, and encourages listeners to look out for three key insights: repelling the wrong people with your brand, using branding as a path to self-remembering, and the crucial step of embodying your brand.01:30 - Re Perez’s background and visionBrandon shares Re’s professional journey and credentials, highlighting his unique blend of corporate branding experience and deep personal transformation. Re is introduced as the author of Your Brand Should Be Gay (Even If You’re Not) and the founder of Category of One Branding.04:19 - A spiritual transformation in DubaiRe recounts a pivotal period in his life when a move to Dubai—sparked by a relationship and a high-level job—led to personal collapse and emotional breakdown. This “bus moment” launched his inner journey toward alignment, self-love, and eventual transformation.08:01 - Healing in Sedona and the birth of purposeAfter returning to the U.S., Re embarks on a spiritual retreat in Sedona. What began as a mission to heal a broken heart becomes a revelation of his soul’s purpose: helping mission-driven brands share their impact with the world. This sets the stage for the launch of his first brand consultancy.10:54 - Remembering vs. discovering: guiding clients to authenticityRe explains that most clients don’t need to “find” themselves—they need to remember who they already are. His work involves helping them strip away conditioned beliefs and reconnect with their innate joy and alignment to fuel authentic branding.13:22 - The “I want X, but Y” breakthrough exerciseRe shares a transformative self-inquiry exercise that helped him leave a job misaligned with his purpose. By uncovering his limiting belief that quitting meant “losing control,” he...

Episode 250 of the Beyond Curious Podcast marks a huge milestone… and also carries a heavy heart.This episode is dedicated to a podcast guest who profoundly impacted my life — and who left us far too soon.His name was Steve Sims.You may have heard me talk about Steve before. He’s the “Real Life Wizard of Oz” who helped his clients do things like:Get married by the PopeTake submarine trips to the TitanicHave dinner in front of Michelangelo’s David while being serenaded by Andrea BocelliMeet celebrities like Elton John and Elon MuskHe even once took a group on a private tour of the Tesla gigafactory… followed by a visit to a legal, licensed brothel (yes, seriously).But beyond the crazy experiences…Steve Sims gave me a new blueprint for life.In fact, a few years ago when journaling about the 3 people I most looked up to, Steve’s name was high on that list — right next to my wife and daughter.Even though we only spent a few hours together across these interviews, Steve’s mindset has been running like a background program in my brain ever since I met him.He embodied the values and passions that drive my life today:Family & Heart: He loved his wife and kids deeply, and built his business alongside themDoing the Impossible: His entire life was proof that “impossible” is just a starting pointExperiences: The most inspiring (and wildest) experience designer I’ve ever metFun & Play: He approached life like a big kid—joyful, absurd, and always ready to make you laughBeing Unapologetically You: Steve knew who he was and never tried to be anything elsePure Passion for Life: You could hear it in his voice—he lived with passion, every single dayStorytelling: Hands down my favorite storyteller of all time—he didn’t just live great stories, he delivered them in unforgettable waysSteve passed away from cancer on July 7, just shy of his 59th birthday.To honor his legacy, I’ve stitched together all 3 of our interviews in one place—for the first time ever.So whether this is your first time hearing Steve or you’re revisiting his wisdom…I hope this tribute inspires you to live with more passion, play, and purpose… and to imagine a life far beyond what you ever thought possible.Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s guest, Steve SimsBrandon Fong opens this emotional 250th episode with a tribute to Steve D. Sims, who passed away on July 7th. He introduces the episode’s purpose: to honor Steve’s impact through a compilation of their most meaningful past conversations. Brandon also shares seven personal reasons why Steve’s presence left a lasting imprint on his life and work.05:14 - Discovering Steve: An Ice Bucket, a Stage, and Instant ConnectionBrandon recounts seeing Steve for the first time online—dumping a bucket of ice over himself on stage—and being struck by his fearless authenticity. This moment set off a chain of events that led to their eventual connection and friendship.08:23 - Steve’s Superpower: Creating the Seemingly ImpossibleBrandon outlines the legendary experiences Steve was known for—like arranging a Vatican wedding officiated by the Pope and organizing a dinner at the base of Michelangelo’s David. He highlights that Steve’s gift wasn’t extravagance, but in designing moments with purpose and intention.11:36 - The $1,700 Proposal Re-Creation That Rivaled LuxurySteve shares the story of helping a client recreate his marriage proposal from 25 years earlier. The budget was modest, but the execution—complete with custom fencing, actors, dogs, and...

Imagine you’re at your favorite restaurant when — out of the corner of your eye — you spot Madonna.Most people would whisper about it to their friends and watch from afar.Not Karen Salmansohn.Karen — a best-selling author of 20+ books with over 2 million copies sold — didn’t just say hi. She walked right up to Madonna’s table, dropped her hilariously titled book “How To Succeed In Business Without A Penis” in front of her… and left with a blessing from the Queen of Pop herself.That’s Karen: wildly bold, infectiously curious, and masterful at turning life’s heaviest topics into delightfully practical wisdom.Her latest book, Your To-Die-For Life — which is out TODAY — turns the heavy subject of death into a powerful tool you can use to make clearer decisions and live more fully…  starting now.In this conversation, we explore:What it means to have a near-life experience — and why you might be having some right nowThe “marble jar” ritual that makes mortality motivating (not morbid).How writing your own eulogy can become your ultimate filter for a life well-lived (I even read Karen’s out loud!)If you’re someone who wants to truly “begin with the end in mind” and live a life you’re proud of, this one’s for you!Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Karen Salmansohn Brandon opens the episode with enthusiasm, introducing Karen as a wildly bold, delightfully mischievous behavioral change expert and bestselling author. He previews Karen's book, "You're To Die For Life," which explores using death as a motivator to live more intentionally.00:36 - Karen’s unforgettable Madonna moment Karen recounts her bold encounter with Madonna at a restaurant where she gifted her the book “How to Succeed in Business Without a Penis,” resulting in an unexpected blessing from the pop icon.01:36 - The story behind Karen’s book title and her unique approach to serious topics Brandon explains how Karen’s mix of humor and boldness makes difficult topics accessible, like mortality, and previews three big takeaways from the episode.02:21 - Karen’s mission: Wake people up from autopilot Karen’s book challenges listeners to confront mortality and stop living on autopilot. Brandon describes how she turns the fear of death into a life-enhancing tool and shares her quirky yet deeply impactful approach.05:24 - A hilarious start: Madonna, boldness, and book titles Brandon invites Karen to share how she handed her provocative book to Madonna, tying it into her career-long commitment to empowering women and embracing audacity.10:25 - How Karen landed Marisa Tomei for her book’s film rights Karen shares a second bold story about hand-delivering her novel to Marisa Tomei, which led to an option by Miramax—reinforcing the power of fearless action.14:26 - Leaving a successful ad career for passion and purpose Karen reflects on her thriving yet unfulfilling advertising career, the moment she realized her job lacked soul, and the bold decision to quit and pursue writing and personal growth.19:33 - A mysterious letter from college appears the day Karen’s father dies Karen shares a moving synchronicity: the rediscovery of a college letter to her dad containing profound thoughts on life’s ripple effects—offering a powerful message about giving.23:04 - The concept of a “near life experience” Karen defines “near life experiences” as moments when we are physically present but emotionally or mentally absent—on...

Twelve days after his 87th birthday, my grandpa passed away.After we said our goodbyes at the funeral and shared a meal together, my family gathered back at his house. That’s when many of them found out something they hadn’t known:Several years before his passing, I sat down with my grandpa for six hours of interviews — just asking him questions about his life.So we pulled out my uncle's Bluetooth speaker, set it on the floor, and for the first time together… listened.His unforgettable laugh. His voice. His story.It was one of the most connective family experiences I’ve had.Originally, I never intended on publishing the recordings.But after he passed, the first thing I turned to were those audio files. And after relistening to all 6 hours, one thing became clear:My grandpa’s story deserves to be told.Born in a war-torn region of China. Immigrated to the U.S. at age 8 without either of his parents. Couldn’t speak the language. Worked himself to the bone making $5 per week to provide for his family. Faced loan rejection after loan rejection chasing the dream of opening his own restaurant…… And somehow, through grit and the help of those who believed in him, he built a restaurant that became a staple of the Milwaukee community for 39 years.But this story isn’t just about my grandpa...It’s about your family’s stories too.Because as much as I want you to hear about my grandpa’s journey, my intention is that it inspires you to do something simple yet powerful:Click record, and get curious with the people you love.When I sat down to interview my grandpa, I uncovered stories that even my dad didn’t know. It deepened my self-awareness, helped me understand the mindsets passed from him to my dad… and ultimately to me. It was a healing journey — and one that gave me the clarity to choose which beliefs I want to carry forward, and which ones I’m ready to evolve.And finally — this episode is my way of consciously rewriting my grandpa’s story.In the end, he didn’t believe his life was a success.But I do.And I hope it inspires you to reflect on the stories in your lineage — and the power we all have to shape the narratives that carry forward.00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s guest, Kenny Fong Brandon Fong introduces a uniquely personal episode dedicated to his late grandfather, Kenny Fong, who passed away on May 31, 2025. Brandon reflects on the emotional journey of capturing six hours of interviews before his grandfather's passing and how these recordings became a family treasure.01:43 - The Power of Recording Family Stories Brandon shares how recording these interviews became a priceless gift, both for preserving family history and deepening self-awareness. He encourages listeners to do the same with their loved ones.03:03 - Rewriting a Legacy: Honoring Grandpa Fong’s True Success Brandon explains his purpose behind sharing this episode—to consciously rewrite his grandfather’s story, which he believed wasn’t a success, despite its incredible substance.04:43 - Escaping War-Torn China as a Child Kenny recounts his childhood in Taishan, China during the Second Sino-Japanese War, revealing a life shaped by fear, survival, and early trauma.07:05 - A Terrifying Journey to America at Age 8 Kenny shares the harrowing details of immigrating to the U.S. as a child, including a terrifying plane ride and being separated from his brother during immigration processing.09:12 - Reuniting with His Father and Life in a New World Kenny's first reunion with his father was awkward and distant, not the joyful moment he had imagined. He slowly adapts to life in America and later...