The Fort

Chris Powers
  • 4.9 (478)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Here, we uncover the proven strategies, insights, and inspiring stories of today’s greatest leaders in the worlds of business, real estate, entrepreneurship, and investing. Each episode’s mission is to help you to level up your entrepreneurial game by hearing directly from the men and women in the arena. Chris is able to uniquely uncover things not commonly discussed because he is an entrepreneur himself. We not only cover business, but we also cover the personal side of entrepreneurship. The Fort began in 2018 as a way for Chris to publicly explore the fascinating world of entrepreneurship. Since he was a child, he’s been characterized as obsessively curious about the world around him.  The Fort has now been downloaded over 2M times, across more than 50,000 unique listeners. Each week features conversations with entrepreneurs, Founders, CEOs, and Executives from some of the leading companies in America. Past guests have represented companies such as JLL, Hillwood, S2 Capital, Chick Fil A, Morning Brew, Founders Podcast, Tiny Capital, Permanent Equity, Fort Capital, Matthews REIS, Bonobos, and ConvertKit. 🐦 Follow Chris on Twitter: www.twitter.com/FortWorthChris 💡 Follow Chris on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chrispowersjr/ 📹 Subscribe to The FORT on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FORTpod

  1. 8H AGO

    #384 - Jason Karp - Founder of HumanCo - Hedge Fund Mogul Trades Wall Street for Wellness

    In this episode, Jason and I discuss one of the biggest challenges facing America today: the health crisis fueled by our food system.  Jason, a former hedge fund manager turned health entrepreneur, shares how his personal journey through professional burnout, depression, and physical illness opened his eyes to the systemic problems in the way America produces, regulates, and consumes food. We explore how decades of misaligned incentives, corporate lobbying, and regulatory failure have created a food environment that prioritizes profit over public health. Jason explains why rates of chronic disease, obesity, and metabolic disorders are worse than ever despite record healthcare spending and how other countries have taken a much stricter, more effective approach to food safety and nutrition. We also cover: - How Big Food and Big Pharma have benefited from keeping Americans sick - The differences between food standards in the U.S. and Europe - Why eating closer to nature is essential for reversing chronic disease - Practical steps individuals can take today to avoid the worst parts of the American food system - The urgent need for policy reform and better consumer education We also discuss the growing role of psychedelics in mental health treatment, healing trauma, and helping individuals reconnect with themselves in an increasingly disconnected world. This conversation is a candid look at why health outcomes in the U.S. continue to decline—and what it will take to fix it. Whether you're a consumer, an entrepreneur, or simply someone trying to live a longer, healthier life, Jason’s insights are a wake-up call and a call to action. We'd appreciate you filling out our audience survey, so we can continuously work on providing relevant content to our listeners.  https://www.thefortpod.com/survey Links: Jason on X - @HumanKarp HumanCo brands - Cosmic Bliss & Against The Grain Gourmet: www.instacart.com/store/brands/humanco-brands/humanco-lp Amara: HUMANCO (20% off discount) - Amara True Food Kitchen: Mention to your server “JUSTTRUE10” for $10 off of $50 at True Food Kitchen through June 30th - TFK Grove Collaborative: "HUMANCO" will give new customers 25% off orders $75+. Grove Support our Sponsors: Vesto: https://www.vesto.com/fort Fort: https://bit.ly/FortCompanies Follow Fort on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fort-companies/ Mentioned in this episode: How to Change Your Mind by Miachael Pollan - https://a.co/d/dm4RwMY The Immortality Key by Brian Muraresku - https://a.co/d/4u4dJw5 Fruit Loops in the U.S. vs. Candada - https://youtu.be/4uH6Yooxr0Y?si=D7nIZU_-0SaScpSB The American Heart Association opposes bill to ban soda from being purchased with SNAP benefits - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTN2SdMMiig Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:58) - Jason’s career (00:17:51) - Psychedelic therapy (00:42:47) - Making the decision to leave a 20-year hedge fund career (00:50:46) - How did America become such an unhealthy country? (01:01:01) - Big food vs. big pharma (01:03:25) - Lab grown food (01:05:54) - What’s being done to make us healthy again? (01:10:35) - How can the average person start to be healthier (01:15:50) - The truth about alcohol Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  The FORT is produced by Johnny Podcasts

    1h 21m

  2. APR 15

    #383 - Hunter Pond - Founder @ Vandelay Hospitality Group - The Hottest Restaurateur in America

    Hunter Pond is the founder of Vandelay Hospitality Group, one of the most recognizable restaurant portfolios in Texas. From dropping out of law school mid-exam to launching East Hampton Sandwich Co. with no industry experience, Hunter shares how a love for restaurants kickstarted a hospitality empire. We dive into the creation and evolution of VHG. Hunter breaks down the art and science behind successful concepts, why restaurants fail, and how his team approaches everything from vendor relationships to tip pooling and fraud prevention. This episode covers: - The impulsive moment that launched his restaurant career - How a $20K investment and Craigslist chef shaped East Hampton’s early days - The balance of creativity and discipline in full-service dining - Building menus for flavor, efficiency, and profitability - Lessons learned from private equity and selling his first concept - Why restaurant success is often more about square footage than food We'd appreciate you filling out our audience survey, so we can continuously work on providing relevant content to our listeners.  https://www.thefortpod.com/survey Support our Sponsors: Vesto: https://www.vesto.com/fort BetterPitch: https://bit.ly/42d9L0I Links: Vandelay Hospitality Group - https://vandelayhospitality.com/ Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:20) - Dropping out of law school to pursue a career in the restaurant industry (00:10:31) - Lessons learned from working the back of the house (00:14:01) - Developing and opening East Hampton Sandwich Co. (00:23:47) - How to build a menu (00:29:44) - The importance of seat count (00:34:57) - How DoorDash killed the fast-casual restaurant (00:37:02) - Service vs. product in the success of a restaurant (00:42:21) - Blocking and tackling in the business (00:44:06) - Where people fail in the restaurant industry (00:49:56) - Selling East Hampton (00:52:56) - Cloud Kitchens (00:54:43) - Developing Hudson House (00:58:01) - Determining seat count ratios (01:01:03) - Lessons from working with PE (01:05:29) - Sources of turnover in restaurants (01:06:49) - Why certain concepts don’t work in different cities (01:08:48) - The impact of real estate on restaurants (01:12:02) - Creating new concepts vs. acquisitions Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  The FORT is produced by Johnny Podcasts

    1h 22m
  3. #382 - Hiten Samtani - Founder @ ten31 Media - CRE is the Ultimate Business Bloodsport

    APR 8

    #382 - Hiten Samtani - Founder @ ten31 Media - CRE is the Ultimate Business Bloodsport

    Hiten Samtani is the founder and editorial director of ten31, a new media company focused on market-moving insider coverage of the most important and least understood industries. He is the author of The Promote, a newsletter that readers have likened to commercial real estate's answer to Matt Levine's "Money Stuff," and a publication that has built the most highly engaged audience in B2B media (open rate: 70%). Hiten founded ten31 after a decade at The Real Deal, where he ran the newsroom and shepherded coverage of the most important stories in real estate. Chris and Hiten get into the early days of the brand, what inspired it, and why the real estate world needed a publication that’s bold, sharp, and unapologetically honest. They talk about the stories that hit hardest, what makes for a good scoop, and how Hiten has built trust with sources while keeping the content unfiltered and highly readable. They also cover: Why commercial real estate is full of big personalities and even bigger stakes How operators and investors can actually get covered by the media What it’s like growing a niche media company from scratch Lessons from Hiten’s years at The Real Deal and why he walked away Navigating the gray areas of journalism—anonymity, accuracy, and when to publish Links: Hiten on X The Promote CRE newsletter The Promote Podcast A specialist playbook on how to get ink for your deal or company Understanding the different modes of talking to the press Key industry storylines for 2025 Support our Sponsors: Vesto - https://www.vesto.com/fort Better Pitch - https://betterpitch.com/ Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:05:33) - Hiten’s journey into real estate journalism (00:08:24) - Lesson from working at the Real Deal (00:12:39) - Who is the audience? (00:16:28) - Is your style of journalism unique to real estate? (00:19:40) - What it took to launch ten31 Media (00:27:55) - Where do you get inspiration, and how do you get access to the information you can get? (00:35:32) - HFCs (00:39:03) - How do you determine what is truth and what isn’t? (00:48:42) - How can CRE companies get press? (00:55:40) - On the record vs. off the record (00:59:12) - CRE themes of 2024 and what to look for in 2025 (01:04:19) - Attending a Jewish circumcision ceremony in a NYC boardroom Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  The FORT is produced by Johnny Podcasts

    1h 7m
  4. #381 - Chris Powers & Jason Baxter - Launching Fostr AI - The Right Way to Use AI at Work

    APR 1

    #381 - Chris Powers & Jason Baxter - Launching Fostr AI - The Right Way to Use AI at Work

    Today’s episode is with Co-Founder, Jason Baxter, to introduce our latest venture, FOSTR AI—a company built to solve one of the most pressing challenges facing businesses today: how to implement AI in your business in a meaningful, aligned, and scalable way. We unpack the fragmented state of AI adoption across small to mid-sized businesses and explain why most organizations, despite interest, are either stuck in experimentation or using disconnected tools that don’t move the business forward.  FOSTR AI is the answer to that problem—an execution intelligence layer that creates a company's “digital twin,” aligning AI usage with team structure, goals, and strategy from day one. We discuss how FOSTR helps companies: - Onboard and operationalize AI in a matter of minutes - Centralize AI usage across teams while maintaining control, security, and context - Reduce risk from siloed tools and misaligned AI use Links: FOSTR AI - https://fostrai.com/ If you are interested in investing, please email:  chris@fostrai.com If you are interested in becoming a customer or getting involved with/joining the Fostr AI team, please email:  jason@fostrai.com Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:00:52) - Introducing FOSTR (00:02:40) - The Challenges Businesses Face with AI Today (00:05:14) - How Companies and Employees Are Misusing AI (00:10:29) - Additional Challenges (00:12:33) - How FOSTR Is Creating Alignment Between Companies and AI Solutions (00:25:57) - Where FOSTR Is in Its Life Cycle (00:30:39) - How to Get in Touch With, Work At, or Invest in FOSTR Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  The FORT is produced by Johnny Podcasts

    32 min
  5. #380 - Paul Hedrick - Founder @ Tecovas - How Tecovas Became A Western Wear Empire

    MAR 11

    #380 - Paul Hedrick - Founder @ Tecovas - How Tecovas Became A Western Wear Empire

    Paul Hedrick is the Founder of Tecovas, the leading high-quality western footwear, apparel, and accessories brand.  In today’s episode, we discuss: - the origins of Tecovas and early founding stories, - what it takes to build an incredible brand - Tecovas’ retail “moat” - radical hospitality - how they managed through COVID - and more As Executive Chairman, Paul works with the Tecovas board and executive team on brand, product, and marketplace strategy so that Tecovas fulfills its mission to steward the next generation of western. Tecovas is in its 10th operating year in business and now operates over 40 retail stores in over 30 cities and 20 states, with total annual revenue eclipsing $250 million in 2024. We'd appreciate you filling out our audience survey, so we can continuously work on providing relevant content to our listeners.  https://www.thefortpod.com/survey Links:  Tecovas - https://www.tecovas.com/ Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:35) - Starting Tecovas (00:13:01) - The Mission of Tecovas (00:16:29) - Finding Manufacturing (00:24:55) - Moving from Online to In-Person Retail (00:32:27) - Store Design (00:38:23) - Radical Hospitality (00:42:22) - "Don’t Say No to the Customer" vs. "The Customer Is Always Right" (00:45:12) - Scaling Radical Hospitality (00:52:47) - Surviving Covid (01:01:27) - Developing a Great Brand Support our Sponsors: BetterPitch: https://bit.ly/42d9L0I Fort: https://bit.ly/FortCompanies Follow Fort on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fort-companies/ Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  The FORT is produced by Johnny Podcasts

    1h 11m
  6. #379 - Steve Cockram - Founder of 5Voices - Know Yourself, Influence, & Building Stronger Relationships

    MAR 4

    #379 - Steve Cockram - Founder of 5Voices - Know Yourself, Influence, & Building Stronger Relationships

    Steve Cockram is an inspirational communicator, serial entrepreneur, and confidante to elite leaders worldwide. He is a best-selling author, creator of the 5 Voices communication system, and co-founder of GiANT, a global leadership consultancy working in 143 countries. His latest venture is called the “Relationship Revolution.”  We discuss: - Why successful business people have failed relationships - How to mend failed relationships - How to become self-aware as an entrepreneur - How to lead and gain influence - Why wealth is not a powerful indicator of success We'd appreciate you filling out our audience survey, so we can continuously work on providing relevant content to our listeners.  https://www.thefortpod.com/survey Links: 5 Voices - https://5voices.com/   Steve on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevejcockram/ Myers-Briggs - https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/   FIRO-B - https://www.themyersbriggs.com/en-US/Products-and-Services/FIRO   GiANT - https://www.giantworldwide.com/  Support our Sponsors Vesto: https://www.vesto.com/fort BetterPitch: https://bit.ly/42d9L0I Fort: https://bit.ly/FortCompanies Follow Fort on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fort-companies/ Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:55) - The Importance of Relationships (00:05:04) - Steve's Journey to Emotional Intelligence (00:11:06) - The Impact of Self-Awareness on Relationships (00:22:54) - The Value of Meaningful Relationships (00:36:26) - The Entrepreneur's Dilemma: Sharing Fears and Finding Support (00:39:00) - The Breakdown of Relationships: Communication and Trust Issues (00:42:08) - Understanding Personality Differences in Relationships (00:49:22) - The Five Voices: Simplifying Personality Assessments (00:55:41) - The Importance of Humility in Leadership Communication (01:00:41) - Mending Broken Relationships (01:04:18) - Gaining Influence as a Leader (01:06:24) - The True Measure of Wealth (01:10:29) - Legacy and Purpose Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  The FORT is produced by Johnny Podcasts

    1h 14m
  7. #378 - Kyle Bass - Founder/CIO @ Hayman Capital Management, L.P. - Invest In America

    FEB 18

    #378 - Kyle Bass - Founder/CIO @ Hayman Capital Management, L.P. - Invest In America

    Kyle Bass is the Founder/CIO of Hayman Capital Management, L.P., an investment manager of private funds focused on global event-driven opportunities, and the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Conservation Equity Management, an impact and natural capital private equity firm.  Kyle is also the Co-Chief Executive Officer of the newly formed Rochefort Management, a private credit firm focused on the Critical Technology Initiative – a joint effort between the Small Business Administration and the Department of Defense to attract private investment into technology areas deemed critical to national and economic security. Mr. Bass is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the recipient of the 2019 Foreign Policy Association Medal for his responsible internationalism. Mr. Bass has lectured on global economics, national security, geopolitics, and the architecture of the Chinese financial system at various universities. Mr. Bass is the former Chair of the Risk Committee of the Board of Directors of the University of Texas Investment Management Company (UTIMCO), which manages approximately $75 billion.  We discuss: - Predicting the GFC and attempting to warn Bear Stearns and the SEC of the coming collapse - The global state of affairs: China, Taiwan, Russia, Iran and BRICS - How the U.S. and Trump should combat China - The rise of the U.S. Defense-Tech industry - Why Texas is the Growth Engine for the world (00:00:00) - Intro (00:04:03) - Introducing Kyle (00:05:58) - Short-Selling Thesis (00:11:45) - Predicting the GFC (00:19:50) - Trying to warn Bear Stearns & the SEC (00:25:39) - How to hire a contrarian (00:29:23) - China-Taiwan (00:33:34) - How Trump can have a successful presidency concerning China (00:44:17) - Iran (00:46:34) - Why some wealthy Americans are pro-China (00:49:32) - The Chinese land grab in America (00:52:41) - Texas: The growth engine of the world (00:58:47) - The Defense-Tech Industry in America (01:02:03) - What Kyle will invest in (01:05:19) - The Texas migration and influence (01:09:23) - What do you want to be known for? Support our Sponsors Vesto: https://www.vesto.com/fort BetterPitch: https://bit.ly/42d9L0I Fort: https://bit.ly/FortCompanies Follow Fort on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fort-companies/ Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  The FORT is produced by Johnny Podcasts

    1h 13m
  8. #377 - Morgan Housel - The Psychology of Money, Incentives, Investing, & Human Misjudgement

    FEB 11

    #377 - Morgan Housel - The Psychology of Money, Incentives, Investing, & Human Misjudgement

    Morgan’s books have sold over seven million copies and have been translated into more than 60 languages. He is a two-time winner of the Best in Business Award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and winner of the New York Times Sidney Award. MarketWatch named him one of the 50 most influential people in markets. He's a partner at The Collaborative Fund and serves on the board of directors at Markel.  We discuss: - Human Psychology and Risk - Tribalism, Anger & Humor - Investing Philosophies - Writing and Book Publishing Lessons - The Drive of Successful Entrepreneurs - Balancing Wealth and Happiness We'd appreciate you filling out our audience survey, so we can continuously work on providing relevant content to our listeners.  https://www.thefortpod.com/survey Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:41) - Lessons from a Skiing Tragedy (00:05:51) - The Impact of Personal Experiences on Risk Tolerance (00:08:18) - The Tribal Nature of Human Behavior (00:14:42) - The Role of Anger and Humor in Online Interactions (00:20:16) - Behavior vs. Knowledge in Investing (00:39:44) - The Halo Effect and Perception (00:40:55) - Warren Buffett's Personal Sacrifices (00:42:05) - The Cost of Professional Success (00:43:36) - Balancing Personal and Professional Life (00:45:37) - The Complexity of Wealth (01:02:53) - Teaching Kids About Money (01:13:54) - The End of History Illusion (01:15:35) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Links: Morgan on X - https://x.com/morganhousel The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel - https://bit.ly/4gwuu6T Same as Ever by Morgan Housel - https://bit.ly/4jS5ry4\ Collaborative Fund - https://collabfund.com/ Support our Sponsors: Fort: https://bit.ly/FortCompanies Follow Fort on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fort-companies/ Vesto - https://www.vesto.com/fort Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  The FORT is produced by Johnny Podcasts

    1h 17m
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
478 Ratings

About

Here, we uncover the proven strategies, insights, and inspiring stories of today’s greatest leaders in the worlds of business, real estate, entrepreneurship, and investing. Each episode’s mission is to help you to level up your entrepreneurial game by hearing directly from the men and women in the arena. Chris is able to uniquely uncover things not commonly discussed because he is an entrepreneur himself. We not only cover business, but we also cover the personal side of entrepreneurship. The Fort began in 2018 as a way for Chris to publicly explore the fascinating world of entrepreneurship. Since he was a child, he’s been characterized as obsessively curious about the world around him.  The Fort has now been downloaded over 2M times, across more than 50,000 unique listeners. Each week features conversations with entrepreneurs, Founders, CEOs, and Executives from some of the leading companies in America. Past guests have represented companies such as JLL, Hillwood, S2 Capital, Chick Fil A, Morning Brew, Founders Podcast, Tiny Capital, Permanent Equity, Fort Capital, Matthews REIS, Bonobos, and ConvertKit. 🐦 Follow Chris on Twitter: www.twitter.com/FortWorthChris 💡 Follow Chris on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chrispowersjr/ 📹 Subscribe to The FORT on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FORTpod

Information

  • Creator
    Chris Powers
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2025
  • Episodes
    380
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023
  • Show Website
    The Fort

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