Key Concepts Podcast

Kory Fesliyan
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship

Key Concepts Podcast is a Sacramento, California-based interview podcast featuring entrepreneurs, business owners, professionals, public officials, community leaders, and subject-matter experts. Hosted by Kory Fesliyan, the show explores business, entrepreneurship, leadership, careers, community, technology, personal development, and the real-world experiences behind success, setbacks, and growth. Through thoughtful long-form conversations, guests share practical lessons, industry knowledge, and perspectives that listeners can apply to business, work, and life. While rooted in the Sacramento region and California, Key Concepts Podcast features compelling guests and ideas from beyond the region as well.

  1. Oct 23

    056: Highlights - How to Start a Beverage Brand in California | Gnari Hydration

    Full Ep: https://youtu.be/hdL5A3eir24 | This is the highlight version of the full podcast. I sat down with Navid, founder and CEO of Gnari Hydration and Gnari Garage, to talk about the real journey behind building a beverage company from the ground up.   Gnari Hydration started as an idea for a simple hydration drink made with carbonated water, lime, honey, and Himalayan salt without added sugar. Turning that idea into a commercial product meant learning an entirely new industry, finding the right beverage lab, working through months of formulation and testing, spending significant capital, and pushing through moments when walking away seemed easier than continuing.   Navid shares how his background in mechanical engineering and Gnari Garage helped fund the business, why asking for help became one of the most important turning points in the project, and how friends, family, mentors, and honest product feedback helped Gnari Hydration continue moving forward.   We also talk about entrepreneurship, sacrifice, mentorship, networking, investors, believing in your product, and why sometimes the biggest advantage is simply being willing to ask questions and use the people and resources already around you.   Navid also gives us a look at what could be next for Gnari Hydration, including additional products and an early health and wellness shot that I got to try for the first time during the podcast.   Connect with Gnari Hydration and Navid: Web: https://www.gnarihydration.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/gnarihydration/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/gnarigarage/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/ducati_life/   Giveaways 11/08 Cars and Coffee | Sacramento (Car Show) 11/14 Nick Diaz Academy | Lodi (NDA Jiu Jitsu)   If you are watching this podcast, I'd really appreciate your support. Please like and subscribe to the channel. It helps motivate me to keep creating more content.   #podcast #business #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #interview #keyconceptspodcast #GnariHydration #GnariGarage #brand #hydration   Thank you.

  2. Oct 23

    056: How to Start a Beverage Company | Gnari Hydration

    I sat down with Navid, founder and CEO of Gnari Hydration and Gnari Garage, to talk about what it really takes to turn an idea into a product, build a business in an industry you know nothing about, and keep going when the process becomes more expensive, time-consuming, and overwhelming than expected.   Gnari Hydration started with a simple concept: create a different kind of hydration drink using carbonated water, lime, honey, and Himalayan salt without added sugar. But taking something that works at home and turning it into a commercially produced beverage became a much bigger challenge than Navid originally anticipated.   We get into how his background in mechanical engineering and years of building Gnari Garage gave him the ability to fund the project without immediately bringing in outside investors. Navid shares how he entered the beverage industry with very little knowledge of how drinks are actually developed, researched beverage labs, worked through months of formulation and testing, and learned how much can change once a homemade recipe enters a professional production environment.   We also talk about the entrepreneurial side of the journey—the long hours, money spent, time away from family and other businesses, and the point where Navid seriously considered stepping away from Gnari Hydration altogether. Instead, he asked people around him for help, divided responsibilities across the team, and found a way to keep moving the project toward the finish line.   Navid also shares his perspective on mentorship, networking, investors, and why entrepreneurs should not be afraid to ask questions or talk about their ideas with the right people. He explains why friends and family became an informal advisory board and test group for Gnari Hydration, how honest feedback helped improve the product, and why he believes you have to genuinely believe in what you are building before you can expect anyone else to believe in it.   We also get into his broader entrepreneurial story, including nearly two decades of doing engineering work on the side, providing value before focusing on immediate payment, and eventually turning that experience into successful businesses of his own.   Toward the end of the conversation, Navid shares what is next for Gnari Hydration, including plans for additional flavors and product lines. He also brings out an early health and wellness shot that had not yet been shared publicly and lets me try it for the first time on the podcast.   Beyond the hydration drink itself, this conversation is really about entrepreneurship, persistence, relationships, asking for help, and being willing to build something even when you do not have every answer at the beginning.   If you are building a business, developing a product, thinking about entrepreneurship, or simply curious about how a beverage goes from an idea to an actual product on the shelf, there is a lot to take away from Navid’s journey.   Connect with Gnari Hydration and Navid: Web: https://www.gnarihydration.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/gnarihydration/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/gnarigarage/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/ducati_life/   Giveaways 11/08 Cars and Coffee | Sacramento (Car Show) 11/14 Nick Diaz Academy | Lodi (NDA Jiu Jitsu)   If you are watching this podcast, I'd really appreciate your support. Please like and subscribe to the channel. It helps motivate me to keep creating more content.   #podcast #business #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #interview #keyconceptspodcast #GnariHydration #GnariGarage #brand #hydration   Thank you.

  3. Oct 18

    055: Highlights - Better Business Bureau Accreditation Explained: Is It Worth It for Your Business?

    Full Ep: https://youtu.be/1hIgAWl1pnA | Trying to figure out what the Better Business Bureau actually does and whether BBB accreditation is worth it for your business?   This highlight version of the podcast gives you the key takeaways fast: how BBB accreditation works, what affects a BBB rating, how complaints are handled, how businesses can build trust and credibility, and what separates a basic BBB profile from an accredited business.   You’ll also get the essentials on lead generation, reputation management, customer complaints, scam reporting, networking, and why trust matters so much when customers are choosing between competing businesses.   If you’re a business owner trying to stand out, protect your reputation, and build more credibility with customers, this is the quick version you need.   Key topics: BBB accreditation, BBB ratings, business reputation, customer complaints, business trust, lead generation, reputation management, scam prevention, small business growth.   Connect With Collins Okoroike / Better Business Bureau Phone: (916) 307-4190 E: cokoroike@sacramento.bbb.org IG: https://www.instagram.com/collins_okoroike/ LN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collins-okoroike-5652a041/ #podcast #business #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #interview #keyconceptspodcast #businessgrowth   If you are watching this podcast, I'd really appreciate your support. Please like and subscribe to the channel. It helps motivate me to keep creating more content. Thanks!

  4. Oct 18

    055: Is BBB Accreditation Worth It? Better Business Bureau Explained for Business Owners

    You’re trying to choose a business you can trust, but how do you really know whether the company behind the website, reviews, and advertising is legitimate?   A professional website and five-star reviews can look convincing, but trust comes down to more than marketing. That’s where the Better Business Bureau can help.   Collins Okoroike, a Business Relations Representative for the Better Business Bureau serving Northeast California, explains how BBB accreditation works, what separates it from a basic business profile, and why reputation, transparency, licensing, honest advertising, and complaint resolution all matter.   If you’re a consumer, BBB can give you another way to research businesses, evaluate credibility, file complaints, and resolve disputes. Unlike simply leaving a negative review online, BBB can help facilitate communication between the customer and the business so both sides have an opportunity to explain what happened and work toward a resolution. Pasted text   If you’re a business owner, the bigger question is: How do you stand out in a crowded market and prove that people can trust you?   BBB accreditation can include more than just a seal. Depending on the membership, businesses may receive enhanced profiles, lead-generation opportunities, networking events, business advising, educational resources, and other tools designed to help build credibility and visibility.   The BBB also provides Scam Tracker resources for identifying and reporting potential fraudulent activity, adding another layer of consumer protection beyond traditional business reviews.   So whether you’re deciding if a business is trustworthy or wondering if BBB accreditation is worth it for your own company, the real question is: What gives someone enough confidence to choose your business over everyone else? Connect With Collins Okoroike / Better Business Bureau Phone: (916) 307-4190 E: cokoroike@sacramento.bbb.org IG: https://www.instagram.com/collins_okoroike/ LN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collins-okoroike-5652a041/ #podcast #business #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #interview #keyconceptspodcast #businessgrowth   If you are watching this podcast, I'd really appreciate your support. Please like and subscribe to the channel. It helps motivate me to keep creating more content. Thanks!

  5. Oct 10

    054: Highlights - The Loneliness Problem: Can AI Really Replace Human Connection?

    Full Ep: https://youtu.be/4U55e4aHrdQ | You can have hundreds of friends, thousands of online connections, and instant access to AI and still feel completely alone.   Sheila Bation, Founder & CEO of Zuporta, shares how more than 20 years in nursing helped her recognize a simple but important need: sometimes you don't need someone to solve your problems; you need someone who will listen, understand, and help you find clarity.   As AI becomes more personal and increasingly used for emotional support, an important question emerges: Can artificial intelligence ever replace genuine human empathy and connection?   This highlight version of the podcast explores loneliness, wellness coaching, asking for help, emotional support, AI dependency, and why real human relationships may matter more than ever. Connect with Zuporta 🌐 Web: https://zuporta.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zuporta_zuporta/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Zuporta-61550040341902 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zuporta 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zuporta/ 👤 Sheila Bation: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilatbation/   If you are watching this podcast, I'd really appreciate your support. Please like and subscribe to the channel. It helps motivate me to keep creating more content. Thx!

  6. Oct 10

    054: Can AI Replace Human Connection? The Future of Empathy & Emotional Support

    You can have hundreds of friends, thousands of social media connections, and instant access to artificial intelligence and still feel completely alone.   Sometimes you don't need someone to solve your problems. You just need someone who will listen without judging you, give you a different perspective, and help you work through what you're feeling. But asking friends or family for that support isn't always easy. You may worry about being judged, becoming a burden, or sharing something you would rather keep private.   That's where the idea behind Zuporta comes in.   Founded by Sheila Bation, a nurse with more than 20 years of experience, Zuporta was created around the need for human connection, wellness coaching, guidance, and real-time support. Sheila's experience in nursing showed her that sometimes people aren't necessarily looking for treatment, they're looking for someone they can talk to.   But what happens when technology starts filling that role?   You can already turn to artificial intelligence when you're stressed, lonely, confused, or simply need somewhere to put your thoughts. AI can respond instantly. It doesn't get tired. It doesn't have somewhere else to be. And as the technology becomes more sophisticated, interacting with it can begin to feel increasingly personal.   But can artificial intelligence actually replace human empathy?   Can an AI understand what you're experiencing in the same way another person can? Could relying on AI for emotional support eventually make you less likely to reach out to another human being? And if technology makes it possible to create artificial companions that always agree with you and tell you what you want to hear, what happens to the difficult but important parts of real human relationships?   The conversation also explores the difference between wellness coaching and therapy, why you might hesitate to ask friends and family for help, what it means to feel lonely even when you're surrounded by people, the importance of getting support when you actually need it, and why people who spend their lives helping others also need ways to protect their own well-being.   If you've ever felt like you had nobody to talk to, struggled to ask for help, felt alone despite being constantly connected online, or wondered whether AI is bringing us closer together or quietly replacing some of our human relationships, this conversation raises questions that are becoming harder to ignore.   Because as artificial intelligence becomes more capable, the question may not simply be what AI can do for you.   It may be what you still need from another human being.   Connect with Zuporta 🌐 Web: https://zuporta.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zuporta_zuporta/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Zuporta-61550040341902 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zuporta 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zuporta/ 👤 Sheila Bation: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilatbation/   #Zuporta #HumanConnection #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #WellnessCoaching #EmotionalSupport #Loneliness #MentalWellness #SelfCare #Wellness #Podcast   If you are watching this podcast, I'd really appreciate your support. Please like and subscribe to the channel. It helps motivate me to keep creating more content. Thx!

  7. Sep 30

    053: Highlights - How AI Is Changing Social Media Marketing for Businesses

    Full Ep: https://youtu.be/Zg-oOul3KPo | AI is changing how businesses approach social media marketing. Anastasia, co-founder of Social Intern, breaks down how AI agents can help businesses create content, build marketing strategies, schedule posts, and manage social media with less manual work.   This highlight edition covers AI content creation, social media algorithms, hooks and CTAs, Social Intern vs. ChatGPT and marketing agencies, automated scheduling, AI avatars, the AI Judge, and the future of AI in marketing.   A faster way to catch the key takeaways on using AI to grow your brand and streamline social media marketing.   Connect with Social Intern Web: https://www.socialintern.com/ P: (888) 424-0234 E: hello@socialintern.com YT: https://www.youtube.com/@SocialInternAI IG: https://www.instagram.com/socialinternai/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/socialinternai TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@socialinternai Twitter/X: https://x.com/socialinternai   Connect with Anastasiia Okay IG: https://www.tiktok.com/@anastasiia.okay   If you are watching this podcast, I'd really appreciate your support. Please like and subscribe to the channel. It helps motivate me to keep creating more content. Thanks!   #podcast #business #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #interview #keyconceptspodcast #SocialMediaMarketing #AIMarketing #ArtificialIntelligence #AIForBusiness #MarketingAutomation #SocialMediaAI #ContentCreation #ContentMarketing #SocialMediaStrategy #AIAgents #MarketingStrategy #BusinessMarketing   Please like and comment on the video. It will help us grow the channel. Thank you.

  8. Sep 30

    053: Can AI Actually Run Your Social Media? | Social Intern

    Social media marketing can feel like a full-time job for business owners. Creating content, writing captions, keeping up with trends, scheduling posts, and figuring out what works on each platform can quickly take time away from actually running the business.   Anastasia, co-founder of Social Intern, joins me to explain how AI is changing social media marketing and how businesses can use AI agents to automate content creation, scheduling, marketing strategy, and more. Social Intern is designed to learn a business's brand, audience, products, services, and goals, then create content ranging from videos and carousels to images and AI-generated UGC-style content.   We break down what actually makes social media content work, including quality, consistency, trends, strong hooks, solutions, and calls to action. Anastasia also explains why businesses often overthink social media, how content should change between platforms, and why a successful content strategy doesn't necessarily require expensive cameras or production equipment.   The conversation also explores AI marketing vs. hiring an employee or marketing agency, Social Intern vs. ChatGPT and other AI tools, automated social media scheduling, content approval, marketing strategy calls, brand audits, AI avatars, and the role of human marketing experts alongside AI. Anastasia shares how Social Intern's AI Judge generates multiple versions of content and evaluates them before selecting a version for the brand. We also look ahead at the future of AI and social media marketing, including whether AI could replace certain jobs or instead become a tool that helps marketers and business owners work more efficiently.   If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, marketer, content creator, or personal brand trying to understand how AI can fit into your social media strategy, this episode provides a practical look at where AI marketing tools are today and how they can be incorporated into real-world marketing workflows.   Topics include AI social media marketing, AI content creation, social media automation, content strategy, social media algorithms, ChatGPT, AI agents, marketing automation, content scheduling, brand strategy, organic reach, and the future of AI in marketing.   Connect with Social Intern Web: https://www.socialintern.com/ P: (888) 424-0234 E: hello@socialintern.com YT: https://www.youtube.com/@SocialInternAI IG: https://www.instagram.com/socialinternai/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/socialinternai TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@socialinternai Twitter/X: https://x.com/socialinternai   Connect with Anastasiia Okay IG: https://www.tiktok.com/@anastasiia.okay If you are watching this podcast, I'd really appreciate your support. Please like and subscribe to the channel. It helps motivate me to keep creating more content. Thanks!   #podcast #business #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #interview #keyconceptspodcast #SocialMediaMarketing #AIMarketing #ArtificialIntelligence #AIForBusiness #MarketingAutomation #SocialMediaAI #ContentCreation #ContentMarketing #SocialMediaStrategy #AIAgents #MarketingStrategy #BusinessMarketing   Please like and comment on the video. It will help us grow the channel. Thank you.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Key Concepts Podcast is a Sacramento, California-based interview podcast featuring entrepreneurs, business owners, professionals, public officials, community leaders, and subject-matter experts. Hosted by Kory Fesliyan, the show explores business, entrepreneurship, leadership, careers, community, technology, personal development, and the real-world experiences behind success, setbacks, and growth. Through thoughtful long-form conversations, guests share practical lessons, industry knowledge, and perspectives that listeners can apply to business, work, and life. While rooted in the Sacramento region and California, Key Concepts Podcast features compelling guests and ideas from beyond the region as well.

Information

  • Creator
    Kory Fesliyan
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    118
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Key Concepts Podcast