Nice To Meet You | Behind The Scene Stories of Busy Professionals

Rob Pene
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  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

This isn’t just another podcast, it’s your backstage pass to personal branding brilliance. Hosted by Rob Pene, this show is the ultimate cheat code for busy professionals and entrepreneurs looking to harness storytelling as their secret weapon.

  1. Morgan Smith Bought His Dead Friend's Business & Now Is Changing the Entire Kava Industry

    13H AGO

    Morgan Smith Bought His Dead Friend's Business & Now Is Changing the Entire Kava Industry

    Morgan Smith, owner of Kalm with Kava, shares the story of how he took over a kava business from his late friend Mike Munsell — and turned it into a mission-driven company rooted in respect, education, and long-term sustainability. In this episode, we dig into: The redemption arc behind Kalm with Kava — from losing a close friend to carrying on his legacyWhat kava actually is, how it's prepared, and why it's been used for 3,000 years across the South PacificHow Morgan went from pharmaceuticals that "took him out of his mind" to finding a natural alternativeThe $20 billion alcohol surplus and why millennials are driving the sober-curious movementNavigating cultural sensitivity as a non-Polynesian in a deeply Polynesian spaceWhy there's no exit strategy — and why venture capital could ruin kavaThe supply chain reality: kava takes 3–5 years to grow and can't just be shipped as seedsHow kava bars, gummies, seltzers, and farm education are spreading the wordWhy Morgan believes kava could become a premium category at corporate events and fundraisersConnect with Morgan & Kalm with Kava: Website: kalmwithkava.com (Kalm with a K)Amazon: Search "Kalm with Kava"Instagram, TikTok, YouTube: @kalmwithkavaFarm: Puiwa Farms Hawaii (on all socials)Email: morgan@kalmwithkava.com

    38 min
  2. From Intern to CEO: How Colleen Joyce Built Lawyer.com Into a Legal Powerhouse

    FEB 9

    From Intern to CEO: How Colleen Joyce Built Lawyer.com Into a Legal Powerhouse

    In this episode, Rob sits down with Colleen Joyce, CEO of Lawyer.com, to talk about how she grew a premium domain into a thriving legal marketplace with 150 employees — all without venture capital. Colleen shares her journey from finding an internship in the newspaper classifieds to running a company that connects thousands of consumers with lawyers every month. Along the way, they dig into scrappy marketing, the privacy challenges unique to legal services, vibe coding with her 6-year-old daughter, and why treating every day like a startup keeps the team hungry. Guest Bio Colleen Joyce is the CEO of Lawyer.com, a legal services marketplace that helps consumers find attorneys while offering law firms directory listings and call intake services. She started as an intern at the parent company World.com and built Lawyer.com from the ground up beginning in 2012. Colleen also publishes The Fast Five, a weekly newsletter on LinkedIn covering business, culture, and inspiration. Key Topics Covered The origin of Lawyer.com — How parent company World.com acquired class-A domains like lawyer.com, doctor.com, and others in the 1990s through its mail.com vanity email serviceBuilding a business on a premium domain — Going from a blank landing page and directory in 2012 to a 150-person operation with organic growth and no outside fundingThe double-sided marketplace model — Free consumer-facing lawyer search on one side, paid directory listings and call center services for law firms on the otherMarketing in a privacy-sensitive industry — Why legal services don't lend themselves to social media reviews and how Lawyer.com leans into B2B brand culture insteadAI as a tool, not a replacement — How the team uses AI across tech, call intake, and internal operations to move fasterVibe coding for fun — Using Lovable to build spelling test games with her daughter and running "Vibe Fridays" with the teamSuper Bowl ad strategy — Why a single big ad spend isn't always worth it and what brands like Coinbase and Dunkin' get rightStartup mentality at scale — Open office, no red tape, fast failure, and a culture where anyone can pitch ideas regardless of tenureColleen's path from intern to CEO — Starting with classifieds, writing for Popstar.com, learning to hire and manage for the first time, and earning the CEO titleLeadership philosophy — Leading by example, embracing failure, and keeping fun as a core valueNotable Quotes "If you're not using AI, forget about it. You're going to be replaced by people who are using AI.""Every single day we treat this place as a startup.""It's okay to fail. Do it quick and don't do it again.""The minute work becomes not fun, I have a conversation with myself."Connect with Colleen Joyce Website: Lawyer.comInstagram: @ColleenJoyce1LinkedIn: Colleen Joyce — subscribe to The Fast Five weekly newsletter

    31 min
  3. Kurt Avery Shares How This $20 Filter Has Saved More Lives Than Most Governments

    FEB 6

    Kurt Avery Shares How This $20 Filter Has Saved More Lives Than Most Governments

    Kurt Avery built Sawyer Products from a snakebite kit into the most trusted water filter on the planet. His tech is in 80 countries, used by the Red Cross, World Vision, and the U.S. military. He lost money for 23 of his first 25 years — and kept going anyway. In this episode, he tells us everything. What We Cover: 💧 How a 30-cent filter gives someone 10 years of clean water — and why villages that used to wait until age 3 to name their babies now name them at birth 🦟 The JAMA-published study proving Sawyer's fabric treatment cuts malaria in babies by 67% 💰 Bidding 69 cents when everyone else bid $5 — and landing a 6.2 million bottle military contract with only 24 products ever shipped 📉 Losing money for 23 straight years and funding the company through Gulf War contracts 🧠 The "Decision Matrix" — Kurt's framework for making better decisions by killing emotional bias ⚽ Why Kurt hires based on the sport position you played (and why he loves midfielders and point guards) 🏛️ Why Sawyer will never be sold — it transfers to the Sawyer Foundation so the mission lives forever ✝️ How faith drives every layer of the business — from naming the company to scaling globally Quick Hits: Sawyer filters are used by 140+ charities in 80 countries3–5 million people get clean water for the first time every year through SawyerOne filter serves 100 people for 10 years. It never wears out.Sawyer treated a third of Puerto Rico's water supply after back-to-back hurricanesKurt went to Northwestern (Kellogg) for his MBA and played baseball at Hope CollegeHis book Sawyer Think has 25 business lessons and is being used in college entrepreneur coursesConnect:  🌐 sawyer.com  📖 Sawyer Think — available on Amazon (ebook ~$7)  📧 customerservice@sawyer.com (reference the podcast)

    37 min
  4. Nicholai Allen Fled a Wildfire Then Became a Firefighter and Invented This

    JAN 23

    Nicholai Allen Fled a Wildfire Then Became a Firefighter and Invented This

    Nicholai Allen shares his journey from suburban dad to certified wildland firefighter and entrepreneur. After experiencing the 2018 Woolsey Fire firsthand, he developed Safe Soss—an affordable wildfire prevention system now available at Lowe's. This conversation explores the science behind fire-resistant coatings, the reality of fighting wildfires, and how homeowners can protect their property without massive renovation costs. Key Topics The 2018 Woolsey Fire evacuation experience that sparked Safe Soss's creation. Why existing wildfire protection products didn't exist for homeowners. Becoming a certified wildland firefighter to understand the problem firsthand. The chemistry challenge: removing toxic fluorine and creating non-toxic fire retardant formulas. Windborne embers as the leading cause of home loss during wildfires.  The Safe Soss product suite: spray coating, ember screens, and radiant heat shields. Making wildfire protection accessible for under $500 instead of $80,000+ in home renovations. Getting into Lowe's and scaling distribution nationwide. Lessons on entrepreneurship, perseverance, and creating opportunity for others. About Safe Soss Safe Soss (S.O.S.S. - Scientifically achieved fire elimination by science of safety systems) offers affordable wildfire protection tools for homeowners in fire-prone areas. The products create a base layer of defense through fire-resistant coatings, ember protection, and radiant heat shields. Where to Find Website: https://safesoss.com Available at Lowe's nationwide Guest Background Nicholai Allen is a certified wildland firefighter and entrepreneur focused on innovative fire safety technology. He also represents Maus, a Swedish fire suppression technology for lithium-ion battery fires, also available at Lowe's.

    1h 2m
  5. Tim Milazzo Shares How He Turned Down an 8-Figure Offer, Then Lost Everything.

    JAN 16

    Tim Milazzo Shares How He Turned Down an 8-Figure Offer, Then Lost Everything.

    Guest: Tim Milazzo - Founder, Salt and Wisdom Consulting Tim Milazzo shares his 8-year startup journey from Inc 5000 (#777) to losing everything. He raised $3.5M, grew revenue from $1M to $7M, turned down an 8-figure acquisition offer, and ultimately exited for nothing. Now he's writing "How Not to Founder" and sharing hard-won lessons about entrepreneurship, faith, and family. Key Takeaways: Sell your idea before you build it - customer validation beats product developmentRevenue ≠ profit - cash flow management is criticalVCs want traction, not ideas (unless you're a proven founder)Identity in Christ > identity in successThe grind isn't worth sacrificing familyNever slow down a solid acquisition offer to "shop around"Build an advisory squad - balance visionaries with executorsConnect with Tim: Website: saltandwisdom.comEmail: tim@saltandwisdom.comLinkedIn: Active

    33 min
  6. Kimber Hardick Talks From Going Invisible to Invincible And Rewriting Your Story

    JAN 5

    Kimber Hardick Talks From Going Invisible to Invincible And Rewriting Your Story

    In this episode, host Rob Pene sits down with Kimber Hardick to discuss the powerful journey of "unraveling" societal constructs to find one's true identity. After navigating a divorce in her 50s and battling a Lupus diagnosis, Kimber shares how she moved from a life of performance and people-pleasing to one of embodiment and empowerment.  They discuss the role of plant medicine in her healing, the importance of rewriting old victim narratives, and how she is redefining what it means to age by learning to surf and moving to Panama. Key Takeaways & Highlights The "Unraveling" of Identity: Kimber describes her last year as a "continuing unraveling of remembering who I am and forgetting who I learned to be". She discusses the difference between "mind-knowing" and "body-knowing".Breaking the Drama Triangle: Kimber explains the "Drama Triangle" (Victim, Hero/Helper, Villain) and how we often ping between these roles in relationships. She shares how she used ChatGPT to help rewrite her personal stories from a place of empowerment rather than victimhood.Healing Lupus & The Role of Emotion: Diagnosed with Lupus three years ago, Kimber was told by a doctor that the emotion behind the disease was guilt. Through emotional work and plant medicine (specifically Iboga and Ayahuasca), she reports no longer having Lupus markers or needing medication.Redefining Aging: Now living in a surf community in Panama, Kimber challenges the stigmas of aging. She emphasizes that getting older doesn't mean fading away, evidenced by her learning to surf in her 60s.The Mirror of Judgment: A profound realization Kimber shares is that self-judgment is often a reflection of our external judgment of others.Featured Resources & Links Book: An Invitation to Shine: From Invisible to Invincible (Target Release: Jan 1, 2026).Book Website: AnInvitationToShine.com (Includes access to a school group for unreleased chapters).Personal Website: KimberHardick.com.Social Media: Follow Kimber on Instagram and Facebook at @kimberlivinglife.

    41 min
  7. Katie Vander Meade on The Grounding Mat That Cures Inflammation While You Sleep (Science-Backed)

    12/29/2025

    Katie Vander Meade on The Grounding Mat That Cures Inflammation While You Sleep (Science-Backed)

    In this episode, Rob Pene sits down with Katie Vander Meade, founder of The Healthy Living Lady, to explore how living a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to break the bank. Katie shares her journey from a thrifty mom looking to improve her family's health to creating a business around affordable, natural wellness solutions. Katie Vander Meade is a civil engineer by day and passionate health advocate by night. As the founder of The Healthy Living Lady, she helps people discover simple, affordable alternatives to expensive health products and pharmaceuticals. Katie specializes in DIY natural remedies, grounding techniques, and mineral-rich nutrition solutions. Episode Highlights Natural Home Remedies (DIY Recipes) Homemade Toothpaste: Made with crushed eggshells (for calcium), bentonite clay, coconut oil, and trace minerals - takes less than 10 minutes to makeFlu Bombs: Turmeric, honey, and ginger combinations for immune supportCough Medicine: Cuban oregano, ginger, and garlic boiled into a teaSore Throat Remedy: Ceylon cinnamon mixed with honeyLaundry Detergent: Homemade alternative to chemical-laden commercial productsNatural Deodorant: Coconut oil-based with tea tree oil or essential oilsGrounding & Earthing The science of discharging inflammation through earth connectionBenefits: Better sleep, reduced inflammation, increased red/white blood cellsGrounding mats: 100% organic cotton with carbon fiber mesh ($169, lasts 5-10 years)Simple practice: 20 minutes barefoot outdoors dailyTree hugging actually works - pulling energy through water and earth connectionSea Moss Benefits Provides 92 of 102 essential minerals your body needsMost diseases stem from dehydration and mineral deficiencyCan be made into a gel and added to foods (eggs, yogurt, smoothies)Available as sun-dried (for making your own) or pre-made gelWater Quality & Filtration Standard filters only remove chlorine, not pharmaceuticals or "forever chemicals"Alcaviva hydrogen ionizer: Removes 249 harmful chemicalsLevel 5 setting removes pesticides from produceTap water contains everyone's pharmaceutical residues from birth control to heart medicationKey Takeaways Healthy living doesn't have to be expensive - many remedies can be made from affordable ingredients or things you can grow yourselfDo something rather than nothing - even if you can't afford the "perfect" ingredients, start where you areInflammation is the root cause of most chronic diseases - address it through grounding, hydration, and mineralizationOur environment is depleting us - from water quality to soil depletion, we need to supplement what we're missingSmall, sustainable changes win - don't try to overhaul your entire life at onceResources & Products Mentioned Grounding mats: 100% organic cotton with carbon fiber meshAlcaviva hydrogen water ionizer: Whole home filtration systemSea moss: From Jamaica, available as gel or sun-driedCeylon cinnamon: Healthier alternative to regular cinnamonDiatomaceous earth (food grade): Available on Amazon, 10 lb bag ~$30Digital recipe guide: $7 on website with DIY recipes and informationWhere to Find Katie Website: TheHealthyLivingLady.comInstagram: @TheHealthyLivingLadyUSKatie welcomes DMs with questions about natural health and remedies

    40 min
  8. Janel Louise Ohletz is the PhD who Warns Your 'Organic' Food is Destroying Your Gut

    12/15/2025

    Janel Louise Ohletz is the PhD who Warns Your 'Organic' Food is Destroying Your Gut

    🌱 The ONE Thing You Need to Know Shop the OUTSIDE aisles of the grocery store. Real food is on the perimeter - produce, meat, dairy. Middle aisles = processed junk your body doesn't recognize. Small steps > perfection. Guest: Dr. Janel Louise Ohletz PhD in Soil Science | Professional Chef | Author of "Between Farm and Fork" | Grew up on organic farm | Survived heart attack | Director of Sustainable Agriculture 💣 Mind-Blowing Facts Your "organic" food might be destroying soil health (tillage kills microbes)Modern vegetables have 50% less nutrients than 50 years agoRicotta cheese is now mostly GUM, not dairyYour gut microbiome IS your immune systemEndocrine disruptors in cleaning products make you fatMethane from food waste = 27x worse than CO2 🔥 Best Quotes "Organic is just a sticker if the soil isn't healthy""You feed the microbes, the microbes feed the plant - same with your gut""If it doesn't grow out of the ground or wasn't once grazing, don't eat it""Sugar should NOT be the 2nd ingredient in pasta sauce""Your body stores chemicals in fat because it doesn't know what to do with them""The French don't have cup holders - they SIT with their coffee" 🛒 Shopping Rules Shop the OUTSIDE aisles only (except pasta aisle)Read labels: Can't pronounce it? Don't buy itIngredients should be canned (less salt) 🇫🇷 European Mindset They buy food DAILY from local marketsFamily comes before work (bosses send you home at 4:30pm Friday)No to-go coffee culture (sit and enjoy)Slow food movement: local, seasonal, intentionalThey're MORE productive working LESS hours 🧠 Health Connections Soil health = Human healthGut microbiome needs microbes from soilDepleted soil = depleted nutrients in foodEndocrine disruptors plug hormone receptors (metabolism chaos)Fast food = convenience trap stealing your healthTV/doom scrolling = time thieves 📚 Key Concepts Regenerative agriculture > organic certificationA2 milk = better for gut than A1 milkTillage = killing soil microbes (bad)Cover crops = feeding soil without chemicalsSilage tarps = natural weed controlVote with your dollars = change the food system Action Steps Shop outside aisles ONLY this weekRead ONE food label before buyingMake yogurt at home (see her Instagram)Ditch ONE convenience foodInvolve kids in cooking (quality time + life skills)Give yourself GRACE - small steps count Connect 🌐 Website: OhletzGrow.com (FREE recipes, no ads!) 📱 Instagram: @OhletzGrow 🧵 Threads: @OhletzGrow 💼 LinkedIn: Janel Louise Ohletz 📖 Book: "Between Farm and Fork" (memoir + recipes) Final Message "Don't seek perfection. Every small step toward real food is progress. One Bojangles run doesn't negate everything. Give yourself grace and keep moving forward."

    50 min
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3 Ratings

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This isn’t just another podcast, it’s your backstage pass to personal branding brilliance. Hosted by Rob Pene, this show is the ultimate cheat code for busy professionals and entrepreneurs looking to harness storytelling as their secret weapon.

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