Podcast Episodes

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• The Wealth Ratio and a Practical Path to Financial Freedom with Mike Qu

  In this episode, Mike Qu shares how a search for financial freedom led him from tech into oil and gas investing. He explains the “wealth ratio” as monthly passive income divided by monthly expenses, and discusses why he values assets that can generate income, hedge inflation, and diversify risk. The

• LBM Flash Moment: Reconnecting Is How Relationship Capital Grows

  In this Flash Moment, Phil Fornaro reflects on returning to his Northwestern reunion and rediscovering how quickly old bonds can pick back up. Through stories from rugby, fraternity connections, and familiar faces, he shows how relationship capital grows when you keep reconnecting instead of letting

• LBM Flash Event: Listen First, Lead Together, with Congress Candidate Chris Getty

  In this flash event, Phil Fornaro speaks with congressional candidate Chris Getty about why he entered the race, the hurdles of running as an independent, and the grassroots effort that helped him collect 20,000 signatures in 49 days. Getty explains how years of public service, community relationshi

• Connection Over Correction in the Sandwich Generation with Christy Byrne Yates

  In this conversation, Christy Byrne Yates explores the realities of the sandwich generation, where adults are balancing work, parenting, and the care of aging parents. She shares practical guidance on starting difficult conversations early, planning for legal and financial needs, and approaching dem

• LBM Flash Moment: The Thank-You You Shouldn’t Wait to Give

  In this Flash Moment, Phil Fornaro reflects on the regret of not thanking a law school writing professor, Marie Monahan, until it was too late. He shares how her tough but generous teaching helped him become a stronger writer and advocate, and why appreciation should be expressed in the moment, not

• Flash Event - Brew Moon 2026

  In this Flash Event, Phil Fornaro talks with Steve Palmer about Brew Moon’s 15th year and its new Falltoberfest format at The Max in McCook on October 17, 2026. The conversation highlights the event’s community focus, with proceeds supporting local nonprofits including Helping Hand and Community Ass

• Building a Company Brain for the AI Era with Jeff Heitzman

  Jeff Heitzman traces his path from options trading and quant work to angel investing and seed-stage venture, sharing how curiosity and risk-taking led him beyond a traditional career lane. He also explains how Multimodal Ventures uses a hybrid approach of AI tools and human judgment to evaluate star

• LBM Flash Moments: Personal Growth Isn’t a Straight Line

  In this Flash Moment, Phil Fornaro reflects on how personal growth rarely moves in a straight line, using his five-year memory book to notice both progress and recurring struggles. He shares how writing daily helped him track shifts in time management, self-awareness, family connection, and his evol

• Why Curiosity Is the Most Powerful Connection Tool with Brenda Exline

  In this conversation, Brenda Exline shares how a career in communication, PR, and branding led her into the family office space and inspired her to launch the Gstaad Global Gathering in Switzerland. She and Phil explore how curiosity, deeper conversation, and natural connection can turn business net

• LBM Flash Moments: Planning Your Future from Your Zone of Genius

  In this Flash Moment, Phil Fornaro reflects on a dinner conversation that turned into a bigger question: are you excited about the next 10 years? He makes the case for future planning as a way to stay aligned with your zone of genius, build relationship capital, and shape the life and work you want

• Relationship Capital, Niche Investing, and the Power of Pivoting with Jeremy Greshin

  In this conversation, Jeremy Greshin traces the pivots that took him from law and nonprofit work into market entry, real estate, and ultimately self-storage investing. He explains why niche markets, relationship capital, and investing alongside partners matter, and breaks down how his firm targets c

• LBM Flash Moments: The Second Half of Delegation Nobody Talks About

  In this Flash Moment, Phil Fornaro digs into the part of delegation that often gets overlooked: finding the right people to hand work to when the need is urgent and the options feel limited. He shares how delegation can stall when the right support is missing, why that creates stress and lost focus,

• LBM Flash Event: Burger Bash 2026

  In this Flash Moments episode, Phil Fornaro talks with Jason Cornick, Tim Griffin, and Nick Spurgash about Burger Bash 2026, a community fundraiser for Special Olympics at Post 1931 in La Grange Park. The conversation covers how the event began, the burger competition between officers, and the growi

• How a Venture Podcast Built a Deal Flow Machine with Nick Moran

  In this conversation, Nick Moran explains how venture capital differs from private equity, why his firm focuses on AI-native companies outside the Valley, and how his podcast became a powerful source of deal flow. He also breaks down the founder traits he looks for, the role of diligence in spotting

• LBM Flash Moments: The Internal Battle Between Doing the Work and Being in the Room

  Phil Fornaro reflects on the internal battle between staying focused on the work and getting out into the room where connection happens. After attending a memorable event hosted by Nick Moran, he shares how networking sparks ideas, relationships, and opportunities that can expand both business and l

• Wired to Thrive in a World Built for “Normal” with Marc Hoffman

  In this conversation, Marc Hoffman shares how his experience as a dyslexic entrepreneur shaped both his business path and his advocacy for neurodiversity. He discusses building early childhood education businesses, launching Wired to Thrive for neurodiverse entrepreneurs, and using AI, therapy, and

• LBM Flash Moments: Why Learning Differences Can Fuel Innovation

  In this Flash Moment, Phil Fornaro reflects on a peer-group conversation that revealed how often his ideas feel clear in his own head but need more slowing down and clarification for others. He shares how asking people to repeat back what they heard can reduce confusion, and how trust with clients a

• Bringing Play, Joy, and Ice Cream to Serious Social Change

  Kristine Michie shares how a lifelong optimism, recovery, and a career in service shaped her work with nonprofit leaders and philanthropists at ImpactFULL. She and Phil explore the realities of fundraising, donor-advised funds, nonprofit overhead, and why play, imagination, and joy can help people t

• Regret-Proofing Your Life with Light Bulb Decisions

  In this Flash Moment, Phil Fornaro reflects on how regret can be a powerful motivator for doing things the right way instead of cutting corners. Using a home flooring project that led to unexpected organization, he shows how self-awareness can turn inconvenience into a better outcome. He also connec

• From Lone Nut to Movement – Raising Capital in the AI Era

  In this episode, Phil Fornaro reconnects with Dean DeLisle and traces a career that runs from early banking tech and crypto to raising capital in the AI era. Dean explains why he looks first at the management team, how real AI differs from buzzword-driven claims, and why retail investor reach can re