A Stern Talk

A Stern Talk
  • 5.0 (4)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Join hosts William Stern (@justwilliamstern) and Josh Massieh (@dontbuyrealestate) on "A Stern Talk," a podcast for business owners in the digital age. Dive into the lighter side of business and into topics like digital marketing, small business lending, and economic trends.

  1. 16H AGO

    Why Success Still Wasn’t Enough... | Abraham Gray | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessWhat if making more money still doesn’t make you feel complete?In this episode of A Stern Talk, William Stern sits down with Abraham Gray — founder of We Buy Gold, serial entrepreneur, real estate investor, and builder of 40+ businesses.Abraham Gray shares how a chaotic childhood, foster homes, and early survival instincts shaped the way he thinks about money, success, and freedom. By 19, he had already made his first million. But this conversation goes far beyond business.They get into trauma, self-reliance, happiness, abundance, friendship, fatherhood, real estate, and why progress — not money alone — is what keeps entrepreneurs going.This is a deep conversation about what success really means when you’ve already won.Chapters0:00 Troubled Childhood and Early Hustle0:35 Meet Abraham Gray1:45 Gold, Crypto, and Commodities7:56 How His Entrepreneur Journey Started8:25 From Foster Homes to First Business18:35 Why He Dropped Out of College22:42 Cardiff Ad23:46 Humility, Trust, and Success27:30 💰 Ad Break — Cardiff Funding30:47 When Business Becomes Family32:17 Fatherhood and Breaking the Cycle39:05 Why Progress Matters More Than Money43:15 Cardiff Ad48:26 Abundance, Friendship, and Winning Together1:00:16 Real Estate, Lending, and What’s NextWhat You’ll Learn🔥 Why money became freedom for Abraham Gray💡 How childhood pain shaped his ambition🧠 Why entrepreneurs struggle to slow down💰 Why progress matters more than money🤝 How humility helps you win bigger❤️ Why success means more when you help others winA STERN TALK PODCAST - Presented by Cardiff🔔 Subscribe for insightful content on AI transformation, business strategy, and industry disruption. Don’t forget to hit the bell icon for notifications on future episodes.📣 Connect with us:William Stern: https://instagram.com/justwilliamstern📣 Guest:Abraham Gray: https://www.instagram.com/abrahamgrayofficial/KeywordsWilliam Stern, A Stern Talk, Abraham Gray, We Buy Gold, entrepreneur mindset, self-made millionaire, real estate investing, hard money lending, abundance mindset, happiness and success, business psychology, serial entrepreneur, wealth mindset, scaling businesses

    1h 7m

  2. 4D AGO

    He Lost Everything — Then Found His Purpose... | Shawn French

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessHe lost everything… and that’s when he finally found his purpose.Most people think success is money.A bigger house. A better title. A bigger paycheck.But what happens when you get all of that… and still feel empty?In this episode of Stern Talk, William Stern sits down with Sean French — high performance coach, keynote speaker, and host of the Determined Society Podcast — for a deep conversation on sports, sales, identity, fatherhood, discipline, and what it really means to rebuild your life after losing everything.Sean opens up about going from baseball to mortgages, from making great money to starting over with nothing, and from chasing income to finally discovering that purpose matters more than a paycheck. What follows is a powerful conversation about resilience, male leadership, parenting, emotional safety, and why so many driven men spend years trying to prove they’re good enough.This episode is not just about performance.It’s about the pressure men carry.The trauma they rarely talk about.And the difference between being motivated… and being disciplined.Chapters0:00 Success Didn’t Fill the Void1:00 Why Athletes Often Win in Business3:21 How Baseball Built Sean French8:41 Lessons From High-Stakes Sales12:24 Losing Everything in the Mortgage Crash17:19 Rebuilding From Rock Bottom20:49 Discipline Beats Motivation21:45 Ad Break26:23 Why He Started the Podcast34:02 Do You Deserve Success?🧠 What You’ll Learn⚾ Why sports build the mindset that transfers into sales and leadership💼 What high-pressure sales teaches you about communication and people🔥 Why making more money does not fix a lack of purpose🧠 How performance-based love can create people pleasers and perfectionists💥 What Sean French learned after losing his house, car, and identity🏃 Why rebuilding starts with movement, discipline, and small decisions👊 Why men need honest conversations with other men🏠 How to parent with structure, love, and accountability🎙️ What pushed Sean to leave corporate America and go all in📈 Why purpose will always outperform ego in the long runA STERN TALK PODCAST - Presented by Cardiff🔔 Subscribe for insightful content on AI transformation, business strategy, and industry disruption. Don't forget to hit the bell icon for notifications on future episodes.📣 Connect with us:William Stern: https://instagram.com/justwilliamstern📣 Guest: Shawn French: 🔑 KeywordsSean French, William Stern, Stern Talk, Sean French podcast, Determined Society, high performance coach, mental toughness, resilience, discipline vs motivation, fatherhood, parenting boys, sports and business, athletes in sales, mortgage crash story, rebuilding after failure, personal growth, male leadership, performance mindset, people pleasing, Sean French interview

    1h 7m

  3. 5D AGO

    The Dangerous Truth Behind Robert Pape’s Take

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessWe’re not going to lose this war because of Iran. We’re going to lose it because of math.Everyone’s arguing strategy.Bombs. Missiles. Leadership strikes.But that’s not the real game.In this breakdown, William Stern dismantles the mainstream narrative around a potential war with Iran—and explains why the outcome has nothing to do with battlefield dominance.It comes down to one thing:The balance sheet.The United States is sitting on nearly $40 trillion in debt, trying to fund a prolonged conflict on what is effectively a high-interest credit card.And here’s the part no one wants to say out loud:We don’t even manufacture key military supplies domestically at scale anymore.So the question isn’t “Can we win militarily?”The real question is:Can we afford to stay in the fight long enough?While political commentators debate resilience and ideology, the actual winners are already clear:Defense contractors.Because in modern warfare, win, lose, or draw—they get paid.⏱️ Chapters0:00 Running War Simulations for 20 Years0:09 “We’re Losing Control”0:18 The Nuclear Material Problem0:33 Why Decapitation Doesn’t Work0:57 The Narrative Is Wrong1:12 He’s Right… for the Wrong Reason1:38 The $40 Trillion Reality2:02 Why This War Is Unwinnable2:30 Who Actually Wins3:38 It All Comes Down to Math🧠 What You’ll Learn💰 Why wars today are limited by balance sheets📉 How $40T debt changes military outcomes🏭 Why supply chains matter more than strategy🧾 The hidden incentives behind defense contractors📊 How bond markets can end wars instantly⚖️ Why “winning” doesn’t mean what you think🧠 The difference between narrative vs reality🔥 Why prolonged wars benefit the wrong players📉 How economic weakness undermines global powerA STERN TALK PODCAST - Presented by Cardiff🔔 Subscribe for insightful content on AI transformation, business strategy, and industry disruption. Don’t forget to hit the bell icon for notifications on future episodes.📣 Connect with us:William Stern: https://instagram.com/justwilliamstern🔑 KeywordsWilliam Stern, Iran war analysis, US debt crisis, military spending US, defense contractors profits, Raytheon Lockheed war profits, US Iran conflict breakdown, geopolitical finance, sovereign debt war, bond market war impact, war economics explained, US military supply chain, global conflict analysis, economic warfare strategy

    5 min

  4. MAR 25

    Why Most Coaches, Consultants, and Agencies Are Selling Air... | Jason Wojo | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessWhat actually separates real business owners from coaches, consultants, and people selling air?In this episode of Stern Talk, William Stern sits down with Jason Wojo, founder of Wojo Media, to talk about paid advertising, scaling agencies, client retention, AI in fulfillment, why most businesses fail to convert leads, and what it really takes to grow from $1M to $3M in revenue.Jason breaks down how his agency manages nearly 590 clients, why most marketing problems are actually sales and fulfillment problems, why business owners struggle with trust, and why the coaching space is filled with people selling advice instead of real enterprise value.Chapters: 00:00 Why success comes from hardship 00:28 Meet Jason Wojo 01:05 What’s working in paid ads right now 05:16 Why agencies need fast data and bigger bets 07:35 Why every business is custom 12:23 Building a brand people actually buy into 16:19 💰 Ad Break — Cardiff Funding 17:23 OpenAI ads, coaching, and done-for-you fulfillment 30:55 The hardest part of running an agency 41:19 💰 Ad Break — Cardiff Funding 42:29 Why most client problems are really sales problems 50:22 William Stern on hardship, trust, and real business valueWhat You’ll Learn🚀 Why hardship is often the price of real success🎯 What actually works in digital advertising right now💼 Why most businesses do not need more ideas — they need better execution📉 Why bad sales processes make good leads look bad🧠 Why founders between $1M and $3M often struggle most with trust and delegation🔥 Why done-for-you services usually create more real value than coaching📊 How Jason Wojo thinks about ICPs, offers, KPIs, and scaling ad spend🤖 Where AI helps in marketing — and where clients still reject it⏱️ Why time is the most valuable asset in business⚓ Why real entrepreneurs are built by rough seas, not comfortA STERN TALK PODCAST - Presented by Cardiff🔔 Subscribe for insightful content on AI transformation, business strategy, and industry disruption. Don't forget to hit the bell icon for notifications on future episodes.📣 Connect with us:William Stern: https://instagram.com/justwilliamstern📣 Guest: Jason Wojo: https://www.instagram.com/thejasonwojo/https://wojorunsads.com/start?KeywordsWilliam Stern, Stern Talk, Jason Wojo, Jason Wojo interview, Wojo Media, William Stern podcast, Stern Talk podcast, digital marketing, paid advertising, Meta ads, Facebook ads, Instagram ads, Google ads, YouTube ads, agency growth, lead generation, business growth, entrepreneur podcast, coaching industry, consulting industry, marketing agency, client retention, scaling a business, done for you services

    1h 3m

  5. MAR 18

    Alberto Crane: He Lost 13 Tournaments Before Becoming One of the Best in the World | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessWhat does losing 13 tournaments teach you about life, business, and building real resilience?In this episode of Stern Talk, William Stern sits down with Alberto Crane — lifelong martial artist, Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt, MMA veteran, and founder of Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu — for a powerful conversation on discipline, failure, leadership, and what it really takes to go all in on your dream.Alberto shares how he started jiu jitsu at 18, moved to Brazil with no real plan, lost for years in competition, lived off credit cards, and still refused to quit. That journey eventually led him to build a lasting business, a powerful community, and a legacy far beyond fighting.Chapters00:00 Losing 13 tournaments and building resilience00:20 Meet Alberto Crane01:02 How jiu jitsu found him at 1803:04 From Santa Fe to Brazil07:30 Hyperfocus, discipline, and getting elite fast11:11 Is fighting an individual sport or a team sport?17:27 Why business is never easy20:04 - BRAD LEA on Why Cardiff Is The Best Choice for Small Businesses26:01 The losses that changed his life40:33 - Adam Corolla on why CARDIFF beats banks. Faster, simpler, no hassle.46:03 How Legacy Jiu Jitsu was built1:03:18 From fighter to entrepreneur and leaderWhat You’ll Learn🔥 Why losing can build real confidence faster than winning💡 How discipline takes over when motivation disappears🥋 Why jiu jitsu is more than fighting — it is community, leadership, and identity🌎 What Alberto Crane learned from moving to Brazil with no backup plan🧠 How repeated failure shaped his mindset and resilience⚔️ Why fighters and entrepreneurs need many of the same traits🏆 What it takes to build a business after a career in competition🤝 How to lead people who do not always share your level of passion📈 Why belief, frequency, and trust matter in leadership🚀 How Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu grew from a small local gym into a true brandA STERN TALK PODCAST - Presented by Cardiff🔔 Subscribe for insightful content on AI transformation, business strategy, and industry disruption. Don't forget to hit the bell icon for notifications on future episodes.📣 Connect with us:William Stern: https://instagram.com/justwilliamstern📣 Guest: Alberto Crane: https://www.instagram.com/albertocrane/KeywordsWilliam Stern, Stern Talk, Alberto Crane, Alberto Crane interview, William Stern podcast, Stern Talk podcast, Brazilian jiu jitsu, BJJ, MMA, martial arts, jiu jitsu mindset, discipline, resilience, mental toughness, entrepreneur mindset, fighting and business, fighter to entrepreneur, Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Alberto Crane book

    1h 5m

  6. FEB 18

    Shane Seo: Why the System Feels Rigged Against First-Time Buyers (And What To Do) | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessIn this episode of A Stern Talk, William sits down with real estate investor and fund manager Shane Seo — a self-described “nerdy real estate guy” who went from being born in a trailer park to building a large residential and commercial portfolio through creative finance.Shane breaks down how he bought his first deals with no money, why most people misunderstand passive income, and how creative structuring can outperform traditional bank financing. The conversation dives into seller financing, debt funds, Airbnb speculation, the difference between being rich vs. wealthy, and why thinking in decades — not months — changes everything.They also unpack the 2026 real estate outlook, interest rate predictions, generational wealth building, and what young people need to understand about credit, loans, and long-term investing.Whether you're an accredited investor considering a fund or a young entrepreneur looking to get into your first deal, this episode delivers real tactical insight — without the hype.🎯 What You’ll Learn• 🏠 How Shane bought properties with little to no money down• 💰 The difference between debt funds, syndications, and hybrid funds• 📉 Why “passive income” isn’t as passive as you think• 🔑 Seller financing strategies beginners can use today• 📊 Why thinking in decades beats short-term speculation• 🧠 The mindset difference between being rich vs. being wealthy• 📈 2026 real estate outlook and interest rate predictions• 🏡 Should you buy a home in 2026 or wait?⏱ Chapters0:00 — From trailer park to real estate investor5:20 — Hybrid film fund + real estate strategy explained10:30 — Syndications vs debt funds (what most investors miss)16:10 — 6% vs 8% returns + how his fund works22:00 — Passive income myth vs reality34:00 — Creative finance example (no money down deals)43:00 — Airbnb boom, bust & speculation risks56:00 — 2026 interest rates & housing predictions1:01:30 — Should young people buy a home now?1:07:30 — Wealth vs income + building generational stabilityA STERN TALK PODCAST - Presented by Cardiff🔔 Subscribe for insightful content on AI transformation, business strategy, and industry disruption. Don't forget to hit the bell icon for notifications on future episodes.📣 Connect with us:William Stern: https://instagram.com/justwilliamstern📣 Guest: Shane Seo: https://www.instagram.com/shaneseo/🔑 KeywordsShane Seo real estate, A Stern Talk real estate episode, creative finance strategy, seller financing explained, real estate debt fund, passive income myth, 2026 housing market outlook, interest rate predictions 2026, generational wealth building, how to buy property with no money

    1h 14m

  7. FEB 12

    The Real War Dogs Story Is Worse Than The Movie - David Packouz | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?ut... David Packouz went from massage therapist to arms dealer… to facing 355 years in prison. In this episode on Stern Talk, we sit down with David Packouz, the real-life figure portrayed by Miles Teller in War Dogs, to unpack the full story behind the headlines — the Chinese ammo, the 71 acts of fraud, the federal raid, the plea deal, and the moment he realized his business partner might burn every bridge in sight. We break down: ⚪How a $298M Pentagon contract was won by two guys in their early 20s ⚪The real reason they repackaged Chinese ammunition ⚪What it’s like hearing “you’re facing 355 years in prison” ⚪How the government builds a fraud case ⚪The difference between hustling and crossing the line ⚪And what he learned about partnerships, greed, and long-term reputation David also explains how he rebuilt his life — launching Singular Sound, inventing the BeatBuddy, and later co-founding War Dogs Academy to teach others how to legally win government contracts. CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 1:03 - Meeting David Packouz and his early days 3:56 - Meeting Efraim and seeing $1.8 million 9:27 - Why the government spends so much money 12:10 - What is the War Dogs Academy? 15:00 - From being broke to becoming millionaires 19:45 - How students learn to win contracts 23:09 - AD BREAK 1: ANDY CARROL 24:15 - How the Rolling Stone article became a movie 30:54 - Real life vs. the Hollywood movie 'War Dogs' 37:41 - The day the federal agents raided the office 43:15 - The secret truth about the Chinese ammo 50:13 - Facing 355 years in prison 55:56 - AD BREAK 2: BILL O'RIELLY 57:00 - Getting arrested for holding a gun 1:15:14 - Making a $60 million profit margin 1:33:51 - What happened after the court case 1:39:11 - Efraim’s crazy prison stories 1:55:11 - The story of the Scorpion and the Frog 2:04:08 - Important life lessons about trust 2:17:41 - Growing up in an Orthodox Jewish home A STERN TALK PODCAST - Presented by Cardiff 💸 Fund your Business the fast and easy way - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?ut... 🔔 Subscribe for insightful content on AI transformation, business strategy, and industry disruption. Don't forget to hit the bell icon for notifications on future episodes. 📣 Connect with us: William Stern: / justwilliamstern 📣 Guest: David Packouz: / davidpackouz http://davidpackouz.com/ 🔑 KEYWORDS David Packouz, War Dogs true story, War Dogs real life, 355 years prison sentence, government contract fraud, Chinese ammunition scandal, Pentagon contract, federal plea deal, ATF sting operation, arms dealer interview, business partnership betrayal

    2h 29m

  8. FEB 4

    Yarin Gaon: Why Most Businesses Get Stuck Between $2M–$20M | A Stern Talk

    What actually breaks businesses between $2M–$20M isn’t lack of effort — it’s lack of clarity.In this SternTalk episode, I sit down with Yarin, a former venture capital entrepreneur-in-residence who walked away from a high-paying VC role to build something harder, slower, and far more meaningful.We unpack why:⚪Revenue is vanity, profit is truth⚪Most founders get trapped scaling the wrong version of their business⚪Growth stalls when decision quality doesn’t evolve⚪Simplifying beats adding — every timeYarin shares the real framework he uses to help founders get unstuck:pause → identify profit → tighten the model → then scaleWe also go deeper than business — into fatherhood, time, urgency, and why “do it now” isn’t motivation… it’s survival.If you’re running a business that works but feels chaotic, this episode will hit home.What You’ll Learn📉 Why more revenue doesn’t mean a better business🎯 How to identify what’s actually driving profit🧠 The mindset shift founders must make after early success🚫 Why saying “yes” becomes dangerous at scale🛠️ How to reduce complexity before growth breaks you📊 What separates scalable businesses from busy ones⏳ Why urgency and clarity beat motivation🧱 How to build a business your family doesn’t resentA STERN TALK PODCAST - Presented by CardiffSternTalk Chapters 0:00 — Walking away from VC to build from zero0:39 — Revenue is vanity, profit is what matters1:23 — Building life and business at the same time4:08 — Education, kids, and long-term thinking6:45 — When systems stop working11:28 — Money solves easy problems — not the hard ones19:40 — Time, urgency, and “do it now”27:34 — The hardest stage: rebuilding from scratch44:32 — Why businesses stall between $2M–$20M52:19 — Shrink, tighten, then scale💸 Fund your Business the fast and easy way - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusiness🔔 Subscribe for insightful content on AI transformation, business strategy, and industry disruption. Don't forget to hit the bell icon for notifications on future episodes.📣 Connect with us:William Stern: https://instagram.com/justwilliamsternGuest: Yarin Gaon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaringaon/KeywordsSternTalk, small business growth, scaling a business, 2 to 20 million revenue, revenue is vanity profit is sanity, founder mindset, business clarity, decision making for founders, simplify business model, EOS strategy

    1h 10m
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Join hosts William Stern (@justwilliamstern) and Josh Massieh (@dontbuyrealestate) on "A Stern Talk," a podcast for business owners in the digital age. Dive into the lighter side of business and into topics like digital marketing, small business lending, and economic trends.

Information

  • Creator
    A Stern Talk
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © A Stern Talk
  • Show Website
    A Stern Talk