Latest episode
[Podcast Episode #36] The Elevator Pitch: How to Say What You Do and Make People Lean In
Most elevator pitches don’t fail because they’re too short. They fail because they’re trying to be a brochure. In this episode we share a better goal that instantly changes how you introduce yourself: spark real curiosity, then earn the next conversation.
Latest episode
[Podcast Episode #36] The Elevator Pitch: How to Say What You Do and Make People Lean In
Most elevator pitches don’t fail because they’re too short. They fail because they’re trying to be a brochure. In this episode we share a better goal that instantly changes how you introduce yourself: spark real curiosity, then earn the next conversation.
Episodes
Most elevator pitches don’t fail because they’re too short. They fail because they’re trying to be a brochure. In this episode we share a better goal that instantly changes how you introduce yourself: spark real curiosity, then earn the next conversation.
Fear has a way of exposing the truth: either we are about to do something meaningful, or we are about to do something foolish. In this episode we dig into that tension with a question we keep coming back to as business owners: when did you last scare yourself?
Your life does not drift into significance. It has to be designed. In this episode, we talk about why optimization is not enough, and how business owners can begin with the end in mind while also telling the truth about where they are right now. Through stories from the Medici Conference, childhood road trips, global relationships, and personal reflection, they explore how to stop living by default and start becoming the architect of a more intentional life.
Your calendar can look perfect while your life slips by unnoticed. In this episode we talk about presence as a real edge for business owners, not a vague virtue, and how living in the future can make you miss the life you worked to build. We share honest stories from writing deadlines and family vacations, then get concrete about phones, boredom, and small rituals that pull us back to now.
Most founders say they want freedom, but we keep building companies that can’t survive a week without us. That’s why we’re arguing for a move that feels backward at first: fire yourself first. When you stop being the daily operator and start becoming the designer of leaders, systems, and decision-making, the business can finally scale without burning you out.
Your day gets decided fast: one glance at your phone, one “quick” message, and suddenly you’re living inside everyone else’s agenda. In this episode we want to pull you back to the one part of the day you can still truly own, your morning, and show how a protected first hour can change your focus, mood, and long-term results.
Deals don’t fall apart because of numbers. They fall apart because people feel unheard, cornered, or disrespected. In this episode we pull lessons from a Congo standoff and a mafia sit-down to show how hostage negotiation tactics translate into everyday business. We share practical tools—framing, mirroring, humor, and tone—to keep deals calm, human, and effective.
What if the real test of your success isn’t just the health of your company, but the health of your city? In this episode, we challenge business owners to think beyond the balance sheet and take responsibility in the civic arena. From a Medici fresco to modern coalitions, we lay out a practical path to be political in the classical sense: serving the common good with humility and patience.
Big ideas don’t move the needle if no one cleans the bathrooms. In this episode we unpack the real difference between leadership and management with candid stories—from a student-run catering company that grew fast and cracked under overmanagement, to a hotel pitch that thrilled U.S. investors with vision and then hit a wall when a German board asked the most practical question: who cleans the toilets?
In a hustle-obsessed world, strategy is your ultimate shortcut. Cris Auditore and Dr. Philip Zimmermann reveal why thinking — not constant busyness — is the most powerful skill for entrepreneurs who want to build a self-managing business and a lasting legacy. Learn the four pillars of strategic thinking, how to shift from operator to strategist, and why slowing down is the fastest way to scale.
Most business owners dream of selling their company, but the reality is that many small businesses cannot be sold because they're too dependent on the owner. Creating a self-managing business that can operate without you is essential whether you plan to exit or not.
When a clinical psychologist told Cris "being a control freak is a sickness," it hit him like a hammer. For years, Cris had worn his controlling tendencies as a badge of honor, even priding himself on how his team would sit up straighter when he walked into the office. This revelation sparked a profound journey of self-examination that transformed his approach to both business and family life.