The Lost and Founder: From Zero to One.

Brody Derich
  • 3.0 (2)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Most people building companies are figuring it out in real time - they just won't admit it on camera. The Lost and Founder is the show where we admit it. Hosted by "Savage" Brody Derich - AI consultant, serial entrepreneur, and the guy who's built and sold companies across entertainment, logistics, and healthcare - this is a raw, unfiltered conversation about what it actually looks like to go from zero to one. The strategy, the chaos, the AI tools that are genuinely changing how businesses get built, and the mental game nobody puts in their pitch deck. Joining Brody is Sam Peters - fresh out of college, equal parts thrilled and terrified that AI is going to either save the world or end it, and not entirely sure which outcome she's rooting for. She asks the questions the rest of us are too embarrassed to ask, pushes back when the BS detector goes off, and keeps the show honest. Together they cover: AI in the real world (not the hype version), building with small teams, what enterprise clients actually need, being a present dad while running companies, and the mental health side of building that most founders pretend doesn't exist. Every episode is the kind of conversation you'd have at 11pm after a few drinks — not the kind you'd rehearse for a TED Talk. Expect honesty. Expect laughs. Expect to learn something you can actually use. And expect Sam to remind you that the robots are coming regardless. Hosted by Brody Derich. Co-hosted by Sam.New episodes weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.Follow along: @buildwithbrody | buildwithbrody.com

  1. Sep 23

    I Told ChatGPT About My Childhood. It Said, “Jesus Christ, Brody.”

    What if the safest place to share your deepest secrets is not with another person…but with the same machine you use to rewrite passive-aggressive emails? This week on The Lost and Founder, Brody and Sam explore the rapidly growing world of AI and mental health: using chatbots to process emotions, unpack childhood trauma, identify patterns, and receive emotional validation from a typing bubble. Which raises a much more uncomfortable question: if a chatbot makes you feel safer than your own family ever did, is that technological progress—or evidence that the bar is buried beneath the floorboards? Brody gets brutally honest about growing up in a volatile home, learning to detect mood swings like a human weather radar, using humor as emotional body armor, and discovering that dissociation was not, in fact, something every child did. He explains why a calm, predictable machine can feel strangely safe when you grew up surrounded by chaos. After all, when AI rewrites reality, at least it calls it an update. Then the conversation gets useful. Brody and Sam break down where AI can genuinely help—from organizing your thoughts and spotting patterns to preparing for therapy—and where it absolutely needs to stay in its lane. Because a chatbot may be a useful bridge to real support, but it is not a therapist, a diagnosis, a crisis service, or the emotionally available best friend you name in your will. It is part childhood survival story, part technology intervention, and part reminder that asking AI to confirm your entire family is the problem does not technically count as therapy. AI might help you find the first honest sentence. It just should not become the only thing listening. Subscribe to The Lost and Founder for unfiltered conversations about AI, entrepreneurship, mental health, culture, and the beautiful disaster of trying to build something real while occasionally leaving your body to watch from the ceiling.

  2. Sep 16

    Dead Internet Theory, AI Rage Bait, and Why I'm Still Arguing With Bots

    What if the internet is mostly bots talking to bots… and Brody is still somehow losing his temper with all of them? This week on The Lost and Founder, Brody and Sam go down the dead internet theory rabbit hole: the increasingly uncomfortable idea that a shocking amount of online activity, outrage, engagement, and “human” conversation may be synthetic. Which raises a much more important question: if the bot successfully rage-baits you, does that make it artificial intelligence—or artificial emotional damage? Brody explains why he keeps arguing with accounts that may not be run by people, why the algorithm appears designed to turn reasonable adults into comment-section maniacs, and how AI is changing the way we think about attention, influence, trust, and who is actually on the other side of the screen. Then the conversation gets useful. Brody sits down with Zahra Karsan—success coach, author, and someone who has spent her career helping people challenge the stories, patterns, and mental clutter holding them back. They talk about ambition, identity, emotional patterns, building a better internal operating system, and how to stay intentional when the outside world is doing its absolute best to hijack your nervous system. It is part internet conspiracy, part self-awareness intervention, and part reminder that your biggest obstacle may not be the algorithm. Although the algorithm is still very much trying to start a fight. Guest: Zahra Karsan — success coach and author. Subscribe to The Lost and Founder for unfiltered conversations on AI, entrepreneurship, mental health, culture, and the beautiful disaster of trying to build something real.

  3. Aug 19

    AI Porn, Sex Robots, and the Collapse of Human Dignity

    Humanity built artificial intelligence to cure disease, write code, and solve impossible problems. Naturally, we used it to make AI girlfriends, fake OnlyFans models, personalised porn, and sex robots with better communication skills than most men in Los Angeles. In Episode 3 of The Lost and Founder, Brody and Sam are joined by Gelsey Laurie — former stuntwoman turned glamour model — for the most unhinged conversation the show has had so far. They get into AI porn, virtual girlfriends, synthetic intimacy, the people already forming emotional attachments to chatbots, and the terrifyingly plausible future in which your competition in the dating market can be reset to factory settings. Brody asks the questions that should probably not be asked on a podcast. Sam tries — unsuccessfully — to keep the conversation from becoming a federal investigation. Gelsey brings a firsthand perspective on glamour, image, attention, and what happens when AI can manufacture all three at scale. It is funny. It is uncomfortable. It is probably not safe to play around your parents. And somewhere, a venture capitalist is listening to this episode while preparing a pitch deck called Intimacy-as-a-Service. No fake gurus. No polite takes. No chance this conversation stays normal for long. Guest: Gelsey Laurie — former stuntwoman, glamour model, and the only person in the room qualified to explain why the future is about to get much weirder.

  4. Aug 12

    AI, LA, and the Professionalization of Being Full of Sh*t

    AI has a pyramid scheme problem. LinkedIn has a personality problem. And Los Angeles has… several problems. In Episode 2 of The Lost and Founder, Brody and Sam are joined by Brody’s friend JD from Angels on the Battlefield for a conversation that starts with AI and ends exactly where it should: questioning the judgment of nearly everyone involved. Brody breaks down the AI pyramid scheme — the explosion of people selling “AI expertise” when they have never shipped a product, owned an outcome, or met a production environment they couldn’t turn into a Canva carousel. Sam arrives fresh from college with equal parts curiosity and impending doom about the machines. JD brings the musician’s perspective, a healthy disrespect for performative nonsense, and just enough chaos to make the whole thing worse in the best way. They also take aim at LinkedIn theatre, fake expertise, founder posturing, the bizarre social ecosystem of Los Angeles, and the kind of people who somehow make every conversation feel like an audition. It is part AI reality check, part LA survival guide, part group therapy for anyone tired of being sold confidence by people with no receipts. No fake gurus. No polished founder nonsense. No shortage of opinions. Guest: JD of Angels on the Battlefield Subscribe to The Lost and Founder for raw conversations about AI, entrepreneurship, culture, mental health, and the beautiful disaster of trying to build something real.

  5. Aug 5

    The Man Who Got a Colonoscopy to Avoid Admitting He Was Jerking Off in the Bathroom. And Some AI Things.

    Some conversations you prepare for. Some conversations prepare you. This was the second kind. Joshua Shea is an addiction therapist who specializes in helping men overcome pornography addiction - and he has seen things. Things that will make you laugh, make you uncomfortable, and make you look at the guy next to you on the subway slightly differently. In this episode, Brody and Joshua go deep on the addiction that nobody admits to, the shame spiral that keeps men stuck, and the extraordinary lengths people will go to in order to avoid having an honest conversation with themselves. Including - and this actually happened - a man who scheduled a colonoscopy rather than admit to his wife that he'd been in the bathroom for forty-five minutes. They also talk about what recovery actually looks like, why this addiction is uniquely hard to treat in the social media era, and the moment Joshua realised he was the one who needed help. This is the kind of episode that makes you laugh out loud and then sit in silence for a minute. No judgement. No filter. Just an honest conversation about something a lot of people need to hear. Guest: Joshua Shea - addiction therapist, author, and the most entertainingly honest person Brody has ever interviewed.

  6. 05/12/2025

    Alien Probing, Addictions, Vampire-Zombie Hybrids and WTF Moments – Welcome to Season 2

    In this episode of The Lost and Founder, we sit down with David Shamszad, CEO of SG Real Estate, to discuss his profound journey from addiction and mental illness to entrepreneurial success. David shares how early struggles with depression and trauma led him to substance abuse at a young age. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in his early twenties, he faced a decade-long battle with mental health challenges and addiction. Through vulnerability and acceptance, David embarked on a path to recovery, transforming his life and career. Today, he leads a thriving real estate enterprise and advocates for mental health awareness, aiming to change the dialogue around mental illness and addiction.  The Lost and Founder is a podcast hosted by Brody "Savage Brody" Derich and Gelsey Laurie, blending candid conversations on mental health with sharp takes on current events, social issues, and a healthy dose of comedy. Savage Brody is an entrepreneur, streamer, and mental health advocate who created the podcast as a safe space for founders and creatives to openly discuss their struggles with anxiety, depression, and burnout. His mission is to build a community that supports one another and normalizes the uncomfortable conversations around mental health. Joining him is Gelsey Laurie, a stuntwoman, dancer, actress, and host of the podcast Before My Time. Known for her love of vintage pop culture and her dynamic presence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Gelsey brings humor, insight, and a fresh perspective to the show.  Together, Brody and Gelsey interview high-profile celebrities, entrepreneurs, athletes, influencers, and everyday people about their battles with mental health, aiming to find new ways of conquering personal demons and continuing to build impactful things for the world. These interviews delve into the darkest corners of their guests' experiences, offering raw, hard-hitting discussions that go beyond surface-level conversations.

    Alien Probing, Addictions, Vampire-Zombie Hybrids and WTF Moments – Welcome to Season 2

  7. 07/13/2023

    Playboy Playmate and Actress Deborah Driggs Talks Depression, Life Coaching and You Can In Fact, Pay For Your Acting Classes as a Playmate.

    Deborah Driggs is an internal Playboy Playmate, actress and now an influential life coach. Join us today as we talk about her history with mental health and how she fell into life coaching. The Lost and Founder is a podcast created by Brody "Savage Brody" Derich, an internet personality and entrepreneur. The Lost and Founder was created as a safe place for entrepreneurs to talk about all things mental health with a mission of building a community that supports one another.  The Lost and Founder follows a journey where Brody interviews high-profile celebrities, entrepreneurs, athletes, influencers and every day people about their battle with depression and anxiety so that we can all find new ways of conquering our demons and continuing to build awesome things for the world. These interviews venture into some of the darkest places of their battles with mental health in a raw, hard-hitting fashion. The Lost and Founder is dedicated to going beyond the “surface level” conversations about depression and mental health. We want to have the conversations that make people uncomfortable so we can normalize talking about the uncomfortable. Our mission is to create a supportive community and remove the stigma with depression.

  8. 06/26/2023

    International Superstar Model and One of the Most Popular OnlyFans Influencers Laura Lux Talks Social Anxiety, Eating Disorders and Horse Tranquilizers

    Laura Lux is an internal superstar model, influencer and one of the most popular women on OnlyFans. Join us today as we talk about her history with social anxiety and body image issues The Lost and Founder is a podcast created by Brody "Savage Brody" Derich, an internet personality and entrepreneur. The Lost and Founder was created as a safe place for entrepreneurs to talk about all things mental health with a mission of building a community that supports one another.  The Lost and Founder follows a journey where Brody interviews high-profile celebrities, entrepreneurs, athletes, influencers and every day people about their battle with depression and anxiety so that we can all find new ways of conquering our demons and continuing to build awesome things for the world. These interviews venture into some of the darkest places of their battles with mental health in a raw, hard-hitting fashion. The Lost and Founder is dedicated to going beyond the “surface level” conversations about depression and mental health. We want to have the conversations that make people uncomfortable so we can normalize talking about the uncomfortable. Our mission is to create a supportive community and remove the stigma with depression.

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Ratings & Reviews

3
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Most people building companies are figuring it out in real time - they just won't admit it on camera. The Lost and Founder is the show where we admit it. Hosted by "Savage" Brody Derich - AI consultant, serial entrepreneur, and the guy who's built and sold companies across entertainment, logistics, and healthcare - this is a raw, unfiltered conversation about what it actually looks like to go from zero to one. The strategy, the chaos, the AI tools that are genuinely changing how businesses get built, and the mental game nobody puts in their pitch deck. Joining Brody is Sam Peters - fresh out of college, equal parts thrilled and terrified that AI is going to either save the world or end it, and not entirely sure which outcome she's rooting for. She asks the questions the rest of us are too embarrassed to ask, pushes back when the BS detector goes off, and keeps the show honest. Together they cover: AI in the real world (not the hype version), building with small teams, what enterprise clients actually need, being a present dad while running companies, and the mental health side of building that most founders pretend doesn't exist. Every episode is the kind of conversation you'd have at 11pm after a few drinks — not the kind you'd rehearse for a TED Talk. Expect honesty. Expect laughs. Expect to learn something you can actually use. And expect Sam to remind you that the robots are coming regardless. Hosted by Brody Derich. Co-hosted by Sam.New episodes weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.Follow along: @buildwithbrody | buildwithbrody.com

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