Journeys to the Summit

Ilya Zlotnik

Journeys to the Summit is your gateway to the private stories of entrepreneurs who have navigated their way to the top. Hosted by Ilya Zlotnik of Vivaldi Capital Management. Each episode explores adventures of the people who built great businesses and are living fulfilling lives. From their initial struggles to masters of their craft, our guests share candid experiences, challenges faced, and invaluable lessons learned along the way. Whether you're a successful entrepreneur or seeking inspiration, this podcast offers a compass to guide you along your journey.

Episodes

  1. JAN 7

    The Psychology of Elite Trading: Sleep, Stress, Tilt, and Staying in Your Lane

    Elite trader Lance Breitstein joins Ilya Zlotnik (Adviser & Partner at Vivaldi Capital Management) for a raw conversation on what it actually takes to become a top performer in prop trading, and what it costs. Lance shares his journey from obsessing over the Market Wizards books as a college student to grinding through a brutal first year with no profitable months, to ultimately becoming the #1 trader at Trillium, setting records and leading/mentoring other traders. This episode goes deep on the psychological game of handling stress, avoiding tilt and FOMO, surviving the comparison trap, and why Lance found that sleep quality was one of the strongest predictors of his daily P&L. He also opens up about massive drawdowns, including a $2.3M loss in ~15 minutes, and the frameworks that helped him recover and improve long-term expected value. We also cover the “Super Bowl” period of trading during 2020–2021, including the mania around GME/AMC, and why Lance ultimately stepped away from trading full-time to pursue philanthropy, health, and building what he calls “the greatest free trading course ever created.” Topics include: -Why prop trading attracts entrepreneurs (and why it breaks most people) -The real learning curve: 6+ months just to have a clue -Process vs. P&L and why early success is dangerous -Sleep, stress, identity, and performance under pressure -Tilt, FOMO, and the comparison game -GME/AMC volatility and “in-play” stocks -Leaving at the top: fulfillment beyond the scoreboard Subscribe for more conversations on performance, mindset, investing, and building a life that actually works. #journeystothesummit #entrepreneurialinsights #podcast #entrepreneurship

    48 min
  2. 12/04/2025

    From Risk-Averse Consultant to AI Healthcare Founder

    In this episode of Journeys to the Summit, host Ilya Zlotnik (advisor & partner at Vivaldi Capital Management) sits down with healthcare entrepreneur and climbing partner Ian Strug for a candid, high-altitude look at risk, failure, and building again. Ian walks through his path from: -Liberal arts major at Vanderbilt with PhD dreams -Early career at Epic and management consulting -Co-founding Virgo, an AI-enabled GI/endoscopy company -Surviving COVID, the SVB collapse panic, and a painful founder exit -Launching a new, Mayo Clinic–backed company focused on OR efficiency and surgical access They cover: -Why being “risk-averse” doesn’t mean you’re not entrepreneurial -How a Techstars experience flipped Ian’s career trajectory -What he’d do differently around fundraising, capitalization, and banking -How to think about equity realistically as an employee -The mental health cost of tying your identity to your company -Where AI actually makes sense in healthcare—and where it’s overkill If you’re curious about healthcare startups, AI, or what it actually feels like to walk away from your “baby” and start again, this is a powerful, honest conversation. 🔔 Subscribe to Journeys to the Summit for more in-depth conversations with builders, leaders, and climbers pushing toward their own summits. 🎧 Listen to more episodes:     / @journeystothesummit   #JourneysToTheSummit #EntrepreneurialInsights #VivaldiCapitalManagement

    52 min

About

Journeys to the Summit is your gateway to the private stories of entrepreneurs who have navigated their way to the top. Hosted by Ilya Zlotnik of Vivaldi Capital Management. Each episode explores adventures of the people who built great businesses and are living fulfilling lives. From their initial struggles to masters of their craft, our guests share candid experiences, challenges faced, and invaluable lessons learned along the way. Whether you're a successful entrepreneur or seeking inspiration, this podcast offers a compass to guide you along your journey.