A Stern Talk

A Stern Talk

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. 22h ago

    Why Your Brain Wants To Believe The Wrong Thing... | Tom Simon | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessThe FBI doesn't work the way Hollywood says it does.Most people think investigations are about kicking down doors, interrogating suspects, and dramatic arrests.The reality is far more interesting.In this episode of A Stern Talk, William Stern sits down with Tom Simon, a former FBI Special Agent and founder of Simon Investigations.Tom spent years investigating fraud, financial crimes, public corruption, murders, espionage, and some of the most complex cases in America. He shares what really happens behind the scenes of major investigations, how interrogations actually work, what most people get wrong about the FBI, and why human behavior is often the biggest clue in solving a case.CHAPTERS0:00 From FBI Agent to Private Investigator9:18 How Criminal Investigations Really Work18:42 The Psychology of Interrogation29:15 Getting Suspects to Talk43:01 Why Torture Doesn't Work57:36 Financial Crime & Corporate Fraud1:03:05 January 6, Informants & Conspiracies1:24:30 Jeffrey Epstein Questions Answered1:35:00 Chinese Espionage & Stolen Secrets1:50:31 Fraud-Proofing Your BusinessWHAT YOU'LL LEARN🔎 How FBI investigations are actually conducted🧠 The psychology behind successful interrogations💰 The most common financial crimes businesses face⚖️ Why people confess and how investigators build trust🚨 What companies should do after discovering fraud🎭 The biggest myths people believe about the FBI🌎 How foreign governments steal information and influence policy📊 How to protect your business from embezzlement🕵️ What private investigators really do🎯 Why understanding human behavior is a competitive advantageA 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:Tom Simon: https://www.instagram.com/simoninvestigations/simoninvestigations.comSEO KEYWORDSTom Simon, Tom Simon interview, Tom Simon FBI, William Stern, A Stern Talk, FBI agent podcast, former FBI agent, criminal investigations, interrogation techniques, financial crime, fraud investigation, corporate fraud, private investigator, Simon Investigations, white collar crime

    1h 52m
  2. 6d ago

    How The West Was Turned Against Israel... | Travis Hawley | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessHow did Israel go from being attacked on October 7th to being accused of the very crimes committed against it?In this A Stern Talk episode, William Stern sits down with Travis Hawley, a former U.S. Air Force intelligence analyst who previously worked with the National Security Agency, to break down how propaganda, disinformation, ideological subversion, and online narrative warfare are reshaping the way the West sees Israel.Travis explains how narratives are built, seeded, repeated, and eventually laundered through NGOs, media outlets, universities, influencers, and social platforms until false claims begin to look like accepted truth.From Soviet-era propaganda tactics to the modern anti-Israel movement, William and Travis discuss how Western empathy, guilt, grievance culture, and social media addiction have been weaponized to turn students, voters, and ordinary people against their own civilization.They also unpack the Palestinian identity narrative, the role of ideological subversion, the impact of university indoctrination, Qatari influence, hostile foreign propaganda, and why Israel and Jews are losing the information war online.This conversation is not just about Israel.It is about how narratives can be manufactured, how societies become demoralized, and why social media may be one of the most dangerous weapons ever created.CHAPTERS0:00 Israel Gets Accused By The UN6:31 Qatari Money And University Influence16:50 Israel And The Colonizer Narrative27:18 How Social Media Weapons Hack Empathy38:39 The Viral “Dogs” Accusation Case Study46:11 Iran’s Lego Propaganda Videos51:07 Early Warning Signs Of Information Warfare54:09 Why We Need A Common Operating Picture56:20 Building A Private Intelligence Operation1:01:03 Closing Thoughts With Travis HawleyWHAT YOU’LL LEARN🧠 How anti-Israel narratives are built, repeated, and normalized online⚠️ Why Travis Hawley believes Israel has been systematically rebranded as the aggressor📱 How social media platforms amplify propaganda and ideological subversion🎓 Why universities became a major battleground for anti-Western and anti-Israel narratives🌍 How Soviet-era tactics still influence modern propaganda campaigns🔥 Why grievance culture makes people more vulnerable to manipulation🕵️ How narrative intelligence tracks where viral claims really come from🚨 Why false stories can be laundered through NGOs and mainstream media🇮🇱 Why Israel and Jewish people are losing the online branding war⚔️ Why Travis believes social media is becoming a weapon of mass disruptionA 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:Travis Hawley: https://www.instagram.com/talk2trav/?hl=enSEO KEYWORDSTravis Hawley, William Stern, A Stern Talk, Israel, October 7, propaganda, disinformation, narrative warfare, ideological subversion, Soviet propaganda, Yuri Bezmenov, Israel UN, anti-Zionism, antisemitism, Qatar funding, university indoctrination, social media propaganda, information warfare, cognitive warfare, Iran propaganda, Palestinian narrative, Jewish history, Middle East politics

    1h 2m
  3. Jun 4

    MAGA’s Internal War Is Escalating... | Karys Rhea | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessIs the Republican Party heading toward a civil war?In this A Stern Talk episode, William Stern sits down with Karys Rhea to break down the growing fracture inside modern conservatism, the rise of extremist factions, and why the political spectrum is starting to look less like a straight line and more like a horseshoe.They discuss how the far left and far right end up sounding strangely similar, why anti-American movements keep forming strange alliances, how immigration is reshaping Western democracies, and why the battle for narrative may matter more than policy itself.The conversation moves through Israel, Judaism, American identity, Tucker Carlson, AIPAC, the ADL, political influence, the “red-green alliance,” and why some conservatives believe the Republican Party is being pulled in a dangerous direction.This is a conversation about power, identity, culture, religion, and the future of the American right.Watch until the end for Karys Rhea’s take on the new factions forming inside conservatism and what her upcoming book is trying to expose.CHAPTERS0:00 The Political Horseshoe5:39 Is The GOP Heading For Civil War?8:12 Immigration, Globalism, And The West13:27 Victimhood Politics And Extremism19:49 Where America Goes From Here24:15 The Red-Green Alliance31:55 Jews, Bolshevism, And Narrative Control43:39 Pornography, Hollywood, And Jewish History49:01 Tucker Carlson And The New Right1:00:07 Education, AIPAC, Israel, And The FutureWHAT YOU’LL LEARN🔥 Why the far left and far right can start sounding almost identical⚖️ How extremism often uses the same playbook, even under different labels🇺🇸 Why William and Karys believe America is in a cultural civil war🌍 How immigration, assimilation, and globalism are reshaping Western countries🧠 Why narrative control may matter more than political policy✡️ How Jewish identity, Israel, and American politics collide in today’s debates🎙️ Why Tucker Carlson’s influence is becoming a major fault line on the right💰 What people misunderstand about AIPAC, lobbying, and political power📚 What Karys Rhea’s upcoming book says about the new radical rightA 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:https://www.instagram.com/karys_rhea/William Stern, A Stern Talk, Karys Rhea, GOP civil war, Republican Party, conservative movement, far left, far right, political horseshoe, identity politics, Israel, Judaism, Tucker Carlson, AIPAC, ADL, immigration, globalism, culture war, American right

    1h 19m
  4. May 29

    The Dark Side of Luxury Car Dealers... | Peter James Conley & Wells Childress | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessWhat happens when classic cars stop being “restored” and start becoming luxury products with a real brand behind them?In this episode of A Stern Talk, William Stern sits down with Peter James Connley and Wells Childress of Banyan Motors to talk about the high-stakes world of custom classic car restoration, founder-led branding, German craftsmanship, and why wealthy buyers are not just buying cars.They are buying nostalgia.They are buying control.They are buying the girl that got away.Peter and Wells break down how Banyan Motors went from a car obsession into a serious enterprise, why most restoration shops fail customers with vague pricing and endless change orders, and how their configurator, OEM-style process, and fixed pricing model changed the game.They also get into why analog cars still matter in a world of Teslas, Rivians, screens, automation, and soulless convenience.Watch until the end for a sharp conversation on luxury, entrepreneurship, marketing, craftsmanship, and why the best brands make people feel something before they ever ask about price.Chapters0:00 The Problem With Custom Car Builders3:38 Why Buyers Want Cars They Can Actually Drive6:23 Finding The Right People To Trust13:18 The Origin Story Of Banyan Motors19:13 Building A Custom Car Configurator22:21 Fixing The Broken Restoration Model30:43 Early Mistakes And Expensive Lessons44:34 Why Banyan’s Marketing Works57:03 Museum Piece Or Daily Driver?1:07:28 Why Analog Cars Still MatterWhat You’ll Learn🚗 Why most custom car builds become messy expensive nightmares🔧 How Banyan Motors created a cleaner restoration process🧠 Why fixed pricing builds more trust than vague estimates🏁 Why classic cars still attract successful entrepreneurs📲 How Instagram helped Banyan become a luxury founder-led brand🛠️ Why OEM-style restoration matters for long-term reliability💰 Why premium buyers often want the best option, not the cheapest one🔥 Why analog cars feel more alive than modern over-engineered vehicles🎥 Why Banyan is moving deeper into documentary-style contentA 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📣 Guests:Peter-James Conley: https://www.instagram.com/yachtsonyachts/Wells Childress: https://www.instagram.com/wells/SEO Keywordsclassic car restoration, Banyan Motors, custom Porsche, custom Mercedes, G-Wagon restoration, luxury car builds, vintage cars, bespoke cars, car configurator, OEM restoration, nut and bolt restoration, luxury automotive brand, Peter James Conley, Wells Childress, William Stern, A Stern Talk

    1h 19m
  5. May 21

    Why College Football Is Falling Apart... | Ben Dogra | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessWhat happens when one of the most powerful NFL agents in history finally says what everyone else is too afraid to say?In this episode of A Stern Talk, William Stern sits down with legendary sports agent Ben Dogra for a conversation that spirals into the hidden business of sports, billionaire influence, gambling, politics, media narratives, and how power really works behind the scenes.From college football chaos and NIL money… to NFL ownership, Vegas expansion, political corruption, and billionaires allegedly buying championships — this episode feels like a masterclass on following the money.New episode of A Stern Talk with Ben Dogra out now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.CHAPTERS0:00 The Hidden NFL List2:18 Bernie Madoff Psychology5:10 Media & Sports Corruption8:26 From Poverty To Millions10:07 The Most Powerful NFL Agent15:57 - 💰 Ad Break — Cardiff Funding20:58 How NFL Owners Really Make Money28:37 Billionaires Buying Championships31:31 NIL & Gambling Connections32:05 - 💰 Ad Break — Cardiff Funding37:00 Can Trump Stop NIL?WHAT YOU’LL LEARN 🏈 How NIL money changed college football forever💰 Why billionaires are allegedly buying championships🎰 The hidden overlap between gambling and sports🧠 How powerful people allegedly control narratives📉 Why California is losing wealthy residents🏛️ How NFL owners actually build generational wealth🔥 Why purpose matters more than retirement🚨 The psychology behind money, influence, and status📊 How political power allegedly follows financial power🎯 Why relationships matter more than titlesA 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/justwilliamsternSEO KEYWORDSBen Dogra, A Stern Talk, William Stern, NFL agent podcast, Ben Dogra interview, NIL money discussion, college football NIL, sports business podcast, billionaire sports owners

    42 min
  6. May 13

    AI Is Replacing Jobs Faster Than We Think... | Austin Armstrong | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessAI is not coming someday.It is already here.In this episode of A Stern Talk, William Stern sits down with Austin Armstrong, founder of Syllabi and one of the most influential voices in AI, social media, and vertical video, to break down what business owners are missing about the AI revolution.Austin explains why it is still early for AI adoption, why second-mover advantage may matter more than first-mover advantage, and how tools like Gemini, Claude, Grok, ChatGPT, and agentic AI are changing the way companies operate.The conversation also gets into content creation for small businesses, why business owners do not need to chase viral dances, how service businesses can create educational content that actually drives leads, and why the future belongs to companies that use AI to move faster.William and Austin also discuss AI layoffs, social media addiction, audience growth, vanity metrics, pornography, AI avatars, and why the human experience may become more valuable as technology takes over more of the digital world.This is a conversation about AI, business, marketing, content, attention, and what happens when technology starts moving faster than most people can keep up.What You’ll LearnWhy Austin Armstrong believes AI is still earlyHow business owners should think about investing in AIWhy second-mover advantage may beat first-mover advantageHow Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Grok, and Gemini are competingWhy service businesses need content now more than everHow Syllabi helps businesses create content from customer search dataWhy going viral is not the same as making moneyHow small businesses can avoid AI overwhelmWhy time inventory is one of the smartest AI strategiesHow AI is affecting jobs, marketing, content, and young menChapters0:00 AI layoffs, avatars, and the future of men5:34 First-mover vs second-mover advantage in AI12:23 Austin Armstrong’s marketing journey from MySpace to Syllabi27:12 Ad Break35:01 How business owners should avoid AI overwhelm44:09 Why AI is coming for every industry53:13 Ad Break54:18 The truth about followers, revenue, and targeted content1:06:54 Austin’s book, AI Mavericks, and AI Marketing World1:24:21 Why AI will touch every professionA 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: Austin Armstrong: https://www.instagram.com/socialtypro/KeywordsWilliam Stern, A Stern Talk, Austin Armstrong, AI, artificial intelligence, Syllabi, AI marketing, small business AI, business owners, content creation, vertical video, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, agentic AI, social media marketing, AI tools, AI layoffs, creator economy, AI for business

    1h 26m
  7. May 6

    From Navy Discipline to Million-Dollar Success... | Douglas James | A Stern Talk

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessDouglas James did not come from money.He grew up in a home shaped by abuse, instability, drugs, alcohol, and a lack of real male leadership. For him, the military was not just a career move. It was an escape.In this episode, William Stern sits down with Douglas James, founder and CEO of LeadFi, to unpack how he went from active duty in the Navy to building a nine-figure coaching and consulting empire, launching LeadFi, and creating Payful.Douglas shares how a humanitarian mission in the Philippines changed the way he thought about money, time, and giving back. He explains how he found digital marketing, built an SEO business while still in uniform, lost everything overnight after a Google algorithm update, and rebuilt through paid ads, lead generation, discipline, and faith.The conversation goes deep into entrepreneurship, masculinity, marriage, fatherhood, military discipline, mentorship, and why real leadership starts at home.From the first $7,000 check to a $200,000 Mercedes on base, Douglas breaks down the mindset shift that took him from hope to belief — and from motivation to discipline.What You’ll LearnWhy Douglas James joined the Navy to escape a broken homeHow military discipline shaped his business mindsetHow he made $50K/month while still active dutyWhy his first SEO business collapsed overnightHow one $7K check changed his view of money foreverWhy motivation gets you started but discipline builds empiresHow Sonia supported him when everything fell apartWhy LeadFi was built to solve a real lead-quality problemHow Payful helps businesses offer financing and scale fasterWhy Douglas believes masculine leadership starts in the homeChapters0:00 Douglas James’ broken home and military escape11:18 Choosing the Navy and learning discipline early21:31 Building a business while still active duty27:22 Ad Break28:24 From first $7K check to $100M discipline42:17 Sonia’s support when everything fell apart48:44 Marriage, fatherhood, and leading at home1:07:57 Ad Break1:09:02 Building LeadFi to fix bad leads1:21:55 Payful, credit, and the future of the ecosystem1:31:38 Final lessons on curiosity, faith, and leadershipA 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: Douglas James: https://www.instagram.com/the_douglasjames/KeywordsWilliam Stern, A Stern Talk, Douglas James, LeadFi, Payful, Navy entrepreneur, military entrepreneur, digital marketing, lead generation, business discipline, entrepreneurship, masculine leadership, fatherhood, faith and business, Navy veteran, business growth, sales leads, buy now pay later, founder story

    1h 36m
  8. Apr 29

    Are There Really Two Justice Systems in America?... | A stern talk with Matthew Cox

    💸 Fund your Business in 5 minutes - https://cardiff.co/business/apply/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_campaign=BehindTheBusinessMatt Cox didn’t just commit fraud.He studied the system.In this episode of A Stern Talk, William Stern sits down with Matt Cox, the former mortgage fraudster who committed over $50 million in fraud during the housing boom, served 13 years in federal prison, and later rebuilt his life through storytelling, writing, and his platform Inside True Crime.Matt breaks down how his childhood, his father’s influence, his sales instincts, and his ability to “work the system” shaped the mindset that eventually led him into mortgage fraud, synthetic identities, and life on the run.But this conversation is bigger than crime.It’s about accountability.It’s about two justice systems.It’s about how banks get bailed out while individuals get buried.And it’s about what happens when someone comes out of prison with gratitude instead of bitterness.From fake identities and FBI raids to prison life, remorse, restitution, podcasting, and redemption, Matt Cox gives a raw look at how financial crime actually works — and what it costs when the game finally ends.What You’ll LearnHow Matt Cox became involved in mortgage fraudWhy he believes there are two justice systems in AmericaHow synthetic identities became part of his fraud schemesWhat it felt like when the FBI finally caught up with himWhy he says prison did not rehabilitate him — he rehabilitated himselfHow Matt rebuilt his life through writing, podcasting, and true crime storytellingWhy he refuses to live with bitterness after serving 13 yearsThe difference between remorse, anger, and accountabilityChapters0:00 Matt Cox on prison, fraud, and two justice systems6:41 Social Security, Ponzi schemes, and where the story begins13:06 Matt’s childhood, his father, and learning how the system works20:23 How Matt learned sales, persuasion, and loopholes early26:13 Cardiff ad break27:15 From mortgage broker to fraud investigations35:05 Synthetic identities, credit profiles, and fake borrowers43:28 The FBI shows up and Matt goes on the run55:29 Getting caught, prison time, and sentence reduction1:09:06 Writing stories in prison and building Inside True Crime1:25:09 Life after prison, restitution, and why people reoffend1:27:07 Cardiff ad break1:28:14 Creativity, painting, and rebuilding a career1:32:00 Remorse, accountability, and the prison system1:46:22 Family, discipline, forgiveness, and final reflectionsA 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: Matt Cox: https://www.instagram.com/insidetruecrime/KeywordsWilliam Stern, A Stern Talk, Matt Cox, Inside True Crime, mortgage fraud, bank fraud, true crime podcast, federal prison, financial crime, synthetic identity fraud, FBI, prison story, white collar crime, fraudster interview, redemption story

    1h 52m

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

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.