Invest in You

Fredrik Sandvall, Ivan Sandvall, Charlie Sandvall
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

Invest in You is a global podcast where Fredrik Sandvall shares ideas and conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, and operators. The show explores investing, entrepreneurship, AI, and personal development with a focus on long-term value, ownership, and clear decision-making. Occasionally joined by his sons, Charlie and Ivan, the podcast blends experience with a next-generation perspective. The goal is simple: help you think better, act with intent, and build a life and portfolio that compound over time.

  1. 6h ago

    Mark Lim on Profitable Sales, Systems & Smart Acquisitions

    Most businesses don't fail because of bad luck — they fail because they never had a plan to win or any control over their numbers. Mark Lim has spent over 22 years turning that around. In this conversation, Frederik Sandvall sits down with Mark Lim, founder of Magnetic Alliance, to unpack what profitable sales really mean, why most founders unknowingly cap their own growth, and how to build a business that runs without you. They dig into the blind spots that kill companies, the four-step framework for freeing up an owner's time, and the realities behind the "buy a business for a dollar" hype. You'll learn why preparing for an exit matters even if you never plan to sell, where to make your first strategic hire, and how Mark's acquisition fund targets simple, profitable businesses rather than risky turnarounds. It's a grounded look at systemisation, delegation, and building lasting enterprise value. KEY TAKEAWAYS Diagnose your biggest risks first: roughly 45% of business failures come down to poor strategy and 30% to weak financial control — fix those before chasing growth. Free up your time with the four-step sequence: eliminate what you don't need, automate what's left, delegate what people can do, then template the rest to avoid reinventing the wheel. Make an admin person your first strategic hire. It's the easiest function to hand off and can claw back 10–20 hours a week so you can focus on high-value deal making and sales. Prepare for an exit even if you never intend to sell — systemising the business so it doesn't rely on you protects its value and gives you the choice to leave on your terms. Allow around three years to get it exit-ready. Be brutally honest before acquiring a "cheap" business. No-money-down deals are usually turnarounds requiring specialist skills, long hours and more capital — only viable if you genuinely know what you're doing. QUOTES "A lot of businesses are basically sponsoring their own job so they can work twice as hard for half the money." "It's only you who can't delegate. How do these companies survive if they can't delegate?" "It's very common to find the highest paid person in the business doing the lowest paid tasks." "Yes, you can jump on a plane. But it doesn't mean you'll land safely." "There's no room for ego in our business. Life's too short — we just want to have a good time." About the Podcast Invest in You is a global podcast where entrepreneur and investor Fredrik Sandvall shares practical ideas and conversations with founders, investors, and operators. Episodes focus on investing, entrepreneurship, and building long-term control and freedom. Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective. Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent. Community & Contact Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k Fredrik Sandvall LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

    57 min

  2. 3d ago

    Stepping into the Unknown: Travelling, Hiring, and Growing Globally

    Imagine cutting your staffing costs significantly while actually paying your team above-market local wages. The shift to remote work has completely transformed how companies build their operations. Instead of battling for expensive local talent, tapping into nearshore resources in Latin America or offshore hubs offers a massive competitive edge. Whether setting up a team in Bogota or sourcing top-tier graduates abroad, the world is truly flat for hiring. Time zones matter heavily, making nearshoring appealing for seamless communication and easier team meetups. By arming a virtual assistant or automation engineer with artificial intelligence tools, daily workflows can be streamlined immensely. From using an employer of record to direct hiring, building a global workforce is an incredible way to grow without limitations. Key Takeaways  Remote working removes geographical limitations, allowing businesses to hire the best talent globally rather than competing solely in their local markets. Nearshoring to Latin America offers comparable time zones to the US, making daily communication and travel significantly easier than traditional offshore locations. Hiring talent in regions like Colombia provides substantial cost savings for the employer while simultaneously offering the employee a salary above their local market rate. Empowering a remote personal assistant with artificial intelligence tools can dramatically multiply their output and save countless administrative hours. When managing remote teams, success relies heavily on setting clear expectations, ensuring solid communication strategies, and measuring performance based on output rather than hours worked. Quotes: I went travelling about sixteen, seventeen years ago. Went through a lot of Latin America and I made it to Bogota and I just kind of forgot to get on that flight back. What US companies pay in Latin America, they're having a decent cost savings. But at the same time, people who are being hired... they're often getting significant raise. I don't care when they work, how they work, just get the job done. Sometimes it might be easier to buy a team of ten or fifty people who are already hired and trained together instead of trying to be bound up. The unknown is often more exciting than the known... embrace the unknown and just move forward. About the Podcast Invest in You is a global podcast where entrepreneur and investor Fredrik Sandvall shares practical ideas and conversations with founders, investors, and operators. Episodes focus on investing, entrepreneurship, and building long-term control and freedom. Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective. Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent. Community & Contact Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k Fredrik Sandvall LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/ Eric Tabone Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericrtabone/ Website: nearshorebusinesssolutions.com

    41 min

  3. May 31

    The Hidden Costs of AI You Are Not Seeing

    Ever wondered if the relentless march of technology is quietly evaporating our resources while we aren't looking? Dive straight into the unfiltered realities of artificial intelligence, moving beyond the standard chatbot hype to uncover the massive hardware demands and the staggering water usage required to cool data centres. We explore the hidden vulnerabilities of shadow AI creeping into daily workflows and the urgent need for robust security before deploying agentic systems. Expect a direct, no-nonsense look at how global hardware limitations and compliance laws are forcing massive shifts towards local, on-premise compute power. Discover what it takes to genuinely build secure frameworks, and how staying true to your guiding principles is essential when navigating this fast-paced digital frontier. Key Takeaways The AI industry faces significant hidden environmental costs, notably the massive water evaporation required to cool data centres hosting large AI clusters. Unregulated shadow AI poses a massive risk, as employees using public AI tools may unknowingly feed sensitive company data into frontier models. Before launching any agentic AI system, organisations must establish strict data provenance and a dedicated governance committee to prevent data leakage. Rapid AI compute demands mean massive hardware investments may become obsolete quickly, driving a shift towards local AI processing and future photonics. The rise of autonomous AI agents and embodied robotics will drastically alter the job market, making it vital to maintain personal agency and ethical principles. Quotes "The big macro thing is that I think people don't see as the hidden costs of AI. Like the fact that, you know, the huge water usage." "If you're not really thinking about AI observability... what data is going out to them, those companies are very not aware of that." "If I have my AI internally, then I don't have to worry about where my data is going because I know where it's going." "You need to have a governance committee that's actually built up of more people than you would think." "The more we get into using agents and relying on all this stuff, the less we do, the less agency we have." About the Podcast Invest in You is a global podcast where entrepreneur and investor Fredrik Sandvall shares practical ideas and conversations with founders, investors, and operators. Episodes focus on investing, entrepreneurship, and building long-term control and freedom. Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective. Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent. Community & Contact Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k Fredrik Sandvall LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

    52 min

  4. May 28

    Selling Your Business: Why Terms Often Matter More Than the Number

    What do you do when you’ve climbed the ladder of success only to realize it might be leaning against the wrong building? Mike Brcic joins Fredrik to discuss the "midlife chrysalis"—that disorienting but necessary phase where an old version of yourself must dissolve to make room for something truer. We dive into Mike's transition from running a world-class mountain bike tour company to guiding entrepreneurs through deep soul work in the world’s wildest places. This episode isn't just about adventure; it’s a masterclass in business reality, covering the traps of seeking validation through scaling, the "peanuts" that a good broker is actually worth, and why understanding your gross margins is non-negotiable for an exit. From the monastic stillness of Bhutan to the importance of "Ubuntu" in Uganda, Mike shares why the ultimate benchmark isn’t your revenue, but how deeply you are connected to yourself and those you love. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Second Mountain: Achievement and status are valid for early life, but true fulfillment comes from shifting toward "high alignment" and soul-driven work in the second half of life. Alignment over Achievement: Rapid business growth is often driven by an internal quest for validation rather than a sound business strategy; solving the emotional void is cheaper and more effective than scaling a burnout-prone business. Business Sale Heuristics: In any deal, there is the money and the terms; being humble enough to accept a lower "number" can secure the freedom and clear exit that many founders actually crave. Revenue Per Employee: Cost of labor is often an organization's highest expense; tracking satisfaction and ensuring people are in the "right seats" is the most direct path to increasing productivity and profit. Psychological Safety: Drawing from Google’s Project Aristotle, the most productive teams are those where members feel safe to show up as themselves and voice ideas without fear of reprimand. QUOTES "Once you've been in the world of entrepreneurship for long enough... you realize it's ultimately not getting you what you really want." "If you're going to climb the ladder of success, make sure it's leaning on the right building." "The caterpillar essentially dissolves... for all intents and purposes, the caterpillar is dead. This old version is dead." "The world does not care about your idea. Your customer does not care about your idea. They care about their problem." "Life is too important to be taken seriously." About the Podcast Invest in You is a global podcast where entrepreneur and investor Fredrik Sandvall shares practical ideas and conversations with founders, investors, and operators. Episodes focus on investing, entrepreneurship, and building long-term control and freedom. Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective. Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent. Community & Contact Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k Fredrik Sandvall LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

    1h 25m

  5. May 24

    Personal Branding: Why It’s Not About You, But the Value You Create

    Most leaders think personal branding is a vanity project, but it’s actually about the value you offer the world. Alejandro Sanoja, a brand expert and finance professor, joins the show to explain how high-level executives can declutter their stories to move people and funding. We discuss his journey from 1,000,000% inflation in Venezuela to the University of Houston, exploring why relationships and communication matter more than grades. Alejandro breaks down the "asymmetrical" advantage of being a podcast guest—borrowing trust from hosts to build evergreen authority. Whether you’re an introvert avoiding the spotlight or a CEO looking to master your origin story, this episode reveals how to use "warmth" and "contrarian views" to break through the attention wall. KEY TAKEAWAYS Branding is Service: Successful personal branding is a service to the audience, shifting focus from "me" to the specific value you create for others. Warmth Before Competence: In your origin story, lead with warmth to build human connection before showcasing your authority or stats. The Podcast Advantage: Guesting on podcasts is a high-ROI strategy, allowing leaders to borrow the host's trust and generate evergreen content. Contrarian Thinking: To be memorable, leaders should share a contrarian point of view or a unique framework that disrupts standard thought patterns. AI and Authority: Consistent mentions and podcast links help build a leader's digital footprint, making them more authoritative in the eyes of AI algorithms. QUOTES "Personal branding... is not about you. It's about the value that you can create in the world." "It's important to show before what you've done is who you are." "If you fokus on... the value that you're going to create and the people that you're going to help, that's one quick way to get out of that fear." "You can borrow that trust and you didn't put in all the work and all the episodes." "Prepared stories [are] actually a service to the audience to have tight stories that you know you can deliver." About the Podcast Invest in You is a global podcast where entrepreneur and investor Fredrik Sandvall shares practical ideas and conversations with founders, investors, and operators. Episodes focus on investing, entrepreneurship, and building long-term control and freedom. Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective. Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent. Community & Contact Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k Fredrik Sandvall LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

    1h 35m

  6. May 21

    Mindfulness and Money: Recalibrating Your Internal Wealth

    What happens when the life you planned is suddenly derailed by chronic illness and the world tells you that you’ll "never work again"? Tre’Anne Burlett faced that exact reality, moving from a clinical role to a patient advocating for her own recovery. Now a Master Certified Life Coach and investor, she joins Fredrik to discuss how mindfulness is more than just a buzzword—it is a practical tool for reality-checking our fears and staying present in a world designed to distract us. This episode dives deep into "Mental Wealth," exploring why we often run from pain rather than toward joy and how to identify the internal "holes" in our foundation that keep us stuck. Whether you are navigating a health crisis, a business plateau, or the complexities of the crypto market, Tre’Anne’s insights on "authentic intelligence" and resilience offer a transformative perspective on what it truly means to invest in yourself. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Candle Principle: Giving your "fire" or knowledge to others does not weaken you; it strengthens your own flame and builds collective resiliency. Mindfulness as Reality-Checking: True mindfulness is the ability to focus on what is actually happening in the moment rather than getting stuck in worries about the past or future. The Power of Internal Dialogue: What we say to ourselves about ourselves is the most important factor in growth; believing "I can" is the first step to overcoming rejection. Identifying Foundation Holes: Just as one crooked brick can topple a house, unaddressed mental blocks or "holes" in our personal foundation will eventually undermine external success. Wealth vs. Riches: There is a massive difference between the two; true wealth involves legacy, generational mindset, and the ability to give back to others. QUOTES "If you give away fire from your candle... your candle will actually be strengthened." "I can light this path with you, but I'm not creating the flame." "If I tell myself I can't, I will not. I know this for a fact." "Investing in ourselves is the highest, highest form of self-love." "Authentic intelligence... is so much more important [than AI]—that interpersonal connectedness." TO CONNECT WITH TRE ANNE https://www.linkedin.com/in/tr%C3%A8-anne-msw-65386997/ About the Podcast Invest in You is a global podcast where entrepreneur and investor Fredrik Sandvall shares practical ideas and conversations with founders, investors, and operators. Episodes focus on investing, entrepreneurship, and building long-term control and freedom. Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective. Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent. Community & Contact Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k Fredrik Sandvall LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

    45 min

  7. May 17

    AI in Law: How to Use Artificial Intelligence Without Legal Risk

    Waiting for a legal crisis to strike before calling a lawyer is a bit like waiting for a toothache to see a dentist—by the time you get there, the news is rarely good. Florida-based business attorney Matthew Fornaro joins the show to explain why "fixing it later" is the most dangerous mindset an entrepreneur can have. We dive into the essential foundations every startup needs, from LLC operating agreements to the "bad lever" clauses that protect founders when partnerships sour. Matthew also shares his pragmatic approach to mediation, the reality of legal life versus what you see on Suits, and why your business account is not your personal piggy bank. Whether you’re curious about the tax advantages of the Sunshine State or how to properly vet a legal advisor through trusted referrals, this episode provides a roadmap for staying legally sound while you scale. KEY TAKEAWAYS Prioritize Foundation Documents: Governing documents (like LLC operating agreements) must be in place before business starts to define who is liable and how disputes are resolved. Verify AI Outputs: While AI is a powerful tool for SEO and drafting, the "buck stops with the human"; legal professionals must check for "hallucinations" to ensure factual and legal accuracy. The Infallibility of Referrals: The best way to find a legal partner is through trusted referrals from other professionals like accountants or bankers, rather than relying solely on easily manipulated online searches. Maintain Corporate Formalities: To avoid personal liability, business owners must keep business and personal finances separate—using a business account for personal expenses like "Big Macs" can trigger "alter ego" legal issues. Mediation Requires Compromise: A mediator cannot resolve a deadlock unless both parties are actually willing to settle; success comes from identifying "lines that don't cross" and finding a hypothetical universe where they can meet. QUOTES "You can always put it off. But when you finally go there, you're going to get bad news." "The buck stops here... I make sure I quality control and check everything that I put out that's touched by AI." "You can have a two-page contract that's great and you can have a hundred-page contract that's terrible." "You can't run your business like it's a hobby... you can't take the kids to McDonald's and use your business account." "Unless they're really willing to compromise and do stuff, it doesn't matter who you got in there... it's not going to happen." TO CONNECT WITH MATTHEW FORNANO https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewfornaro/ About the Podcast Invest in You is a global podcast where entrepreneur and investor Fredrik Sandvall shares practical ideas and conversations with founders, investors, and operators. Episodes focus on investing, entrepreneurship, and building long-term control and freedom. Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective. Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent. Community & Contact Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k Fredrik Sandvall LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

    52 min

  8. May 14

    Push, Push, Push: Military Lessons on Leadership and Legacy

    Growing up in Detroit and heading straight into the military instead of college wasn’t just a detour—it was the foundation for a career built on grit and strategy. Norm Olgud joins the show to unpack why life experience often punches way above its weight when sitting at the same table as Ivy League grads. This conversation dives deep into the "push, push, push" mentality, exploring how to navigate a career that zigs and zags, the psychological art of leading from the front, and why the education sector is facing a massive reckoning. From the front lines in Korea to selling a successful education company, Norm shares why true leadership is about passing on knowledge without strings attached. We also get a look at the future of AI enablement and why businesses must look for efficiencies long before the sun stops shining on their current model. KEY TAKEAWAYS True staying power comes from leaders who pass on their knowledge to others without strings attached rather than just polishing their own "golden egg". Sitting at a prestigious table isn't about where you got your degree; it's about realizing your unique life experience gives you the right to be a voice there. Effective leadership requires creating a safe environment for transparent communication, such as "coffee talks" where frontline feedback can refine high-level strategy. The internet gave us twenty years to adapt, but AI won't give us that luxury; organizations must move toward AI enablement now to avoid a "cliff". Success is a whole-person endeavor, requiring a foundation of physical health, family balance, and continuous learning rather than just career wins. QUOTES "The ones that last are the ones that pass on their knowledge to others." "It’s okay to think... but why are you thinking that?" "Fix the roof while the sun is shining." "AI allows us to focus in as humans on what we do best." "If you come under enemy fire, you push forward when the enemy is believing that you're going to stop." TO CONNECT WITH NORMAN ALLGOOD https://www.linkedin.com/in/norm-allgood-a3a7571/ Norman's Books 10 Pillars of AI Enablement https://amzn.to/3Oi73Xe Push-Push-Push: Never Quit https://amzn.to/3Qt9LJZ About the Podcast Invest in You is a global podcast where entrepreneur and investor Fredrik Sandvall shares practical ideas and conversations with founders, investors, and operators. Episodes focus on investing, entrepreneurship, and building long-term control and freedom. Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective. Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent. Community & Contact Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k Fredrik Sandvall LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

    54 min
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About

Invest in You is a global podcast where Fredrik Sandvall shares ideas and conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, and operators. The show explores investing, entrepreneurship, AI, and personal development with a focus on long-term value, ownership, and clear decision-making. Occasionally joined by his sons, Charlie and Ivan, the podcast blends experience with a next-generation perspective. The goal is simple: help you think better, act with intent, and build a life and portfolio that compound over time.

Information

  • Creator
    Fredrik Sandvall, Ivan Sandvall, Charlie Sandvall
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    228
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Fredrik Sandvall