The Jess Larsen Show on Innovation & Leadership

Graystoke Networks
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Jess Larsen interviews exciting people and uncommonly high achievers including Billionaires, Pro Athletes, Fortune 500 CEOs, Hollywood Actors like Danny Glover, New York Times Bestselling Authors, Tech Founders, Four-star Generals, World Class Musicians, Special Ops, VCs, Olympic Athletes, Non-Profit Leaders, Inventors and many more.

  1. 4D AGO

    How He Built a Billion-Dollar Cyber Empire

    Repost: Defending the Underdogs — Cybersecurity Lessons from Kyle Hanslovan (Huntress) This is a repost of an earlier episode of the Jess Larsen Show on Innovation & Leadership. In this episode, Jess Larsen sits down with Kyle Hanslovan, cybersecurity expert and CEO of Huntress, to unpack what it really takes to protect small and mid-sized businesses from modern cyber threats. Long before Huntress became a trusted name in defensive security, Kyle’s journey began in the U.S. Air Force, continued through the intelligence community, and ultimately led him into the front lines of cybersecurity entrepreneurship. Kyle shares how thinking like an adversary—rather than just reacting to threats—became foundational to his approach, and why strong communication skills are just as critical as technical expertise in the security world. He also tells the origin story of Huntress: a real-world challenge, a bold proof-of-concept, and a clear realization that smaller organizations were dangerously underserved when it came to cyber defense. Even years later, this conversation remains strikingly relevant—offering timeless insights on leadership, problem-solving, and building mission-driven companies that protect the people most often overlooked. If you’re interested in cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, or leadership forged under pressure, this episode is well worth revisiting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    51 min

  2. 5D AGO

    What It Really Takes to Build a $4.2B Company

    Bootstrapping to a $4.2B Global Powerhouse: Inside G-P with Founder & CEO Nicole Sahin What does it take to turn a complex, “impossible” idea into a multi-billion-dollar global infrastructure company — without raising a dollar of venture capital for the first eight years? On this episode of The Jess Larsen Show on Innovation & Leadership, Jess sits down with Nicole Sahin, Founder & CEO of G-P (Globalization Partners), the company that pioneered the global Employer of Record model and grew it into a $4.2 billion category leader serving companies in 180+ countries. Nicole’s story is both unconventional and deeply intentional. Before launching G-P, she helped companies like Tesla and NetSuite expand internationally — witnessing firsthand the pain, delays, and cost of setting up entities around the world. Her solution? Build the entire global legal infrastructure once, then let customers plug into it instantly. What followed was a masterclass in conviction: —turning down venture capital until G-P was already thriving, —scaling through explosive growth (30 employees → 200 → 1,100+), —reengineering the company during the pandemic as global hiring transformed overnight, —and launching Gia, a fully AI-powered global HR and compliance platform built on 13 years of proprietary data. Nicole opens up about the truth behind her success: the spiritual practices that kept her grounded, the brutal decisions required to scale leadership, the moments of doubt, the “dark night of the soul,” and the discipline of following intuition even when her entire team disagrees. Her approach blends operational rigor with mindset mastery — a rare balance in a founder who has built a category-defining global company. This conversation is both entrepreneurial strategy and personal philosophy — a blueprint for founders who want to build massive companies without sacrificing integrity, clarity, or themselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min

  3. DEC 11

    Seth Godin & His Incredible New Book “The Song Of Significance.”

    Seth Godin on Significance, Status, and the Future of Work This episode is a special repost from the archives of The Jess Larsen Show on Innovation & Leadership, featuring legendary author and thinker Seth Godin. Originally recorded around the launch of his book The Song of Significance, this conversation feels even more relevant now than when it was first released. Seth and Jess dig into why the industrial age model of work is breaking down—and what should replace it. They talk about how to build workplaces where people don’t just show up, but come alive: doing work that matters, with people they care about, in environments of dignity, agency, and meaning. Seth shares powerful stories about Ray Anderson’s carbon-neutral carpet company, Jacqueline Novogratz and Acumen’s patient capital, and a $3 pair of eyeglasses that changes someone’s entire life. If you’re a founder, CEO, fund manager, or leader who cares about more than just the next quarter’s numbers, this replay is a roadmap for building companies that race to the top—not the bottom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 15m

  4. DEC 4

    13 Billion Dollar Sales Secrets | Founder & CEO, Holly Parker

    In this episode of The Jess Larsen Show on Innovation & Leadership, Jess sits down with Holly Parker, legendary NYC broker, bestselling author, and founder of The Holly Parker Team—personally responsible for more than $13 billion in sales. Holly opens up about the real secrets behind long-term success: empathy, emotional intelligence, impeccable integrity, and the ability to serve clients in ways that have nothing to do with square footage or contracts. Holly shares stories from behind the scenes of ultra-high-net-worth real estate: co-op board landmines, ego mistakes rookies make, how to build trust with people who live in a world of constant requests—and why her clients invite her not just into their apartments, but into their lives. She and Jess dive deep into authenticity, family legacies, investing like a portfolio manager, and why connection—not transactions—is the currency she cares about most. This conversation blends strategy, relationships, psychology, and heart. If you want to sell at the highest levels, build real trust, or simply learn how the best in the world think, this episode is a masterclass. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 1m

  5. NOV 27

    Why Do 16,000 Luxury Homeowners Trust Him? | Partner & President at 3RD Home

    Luxury, Trust & the Future of Travel: Inside THIRDHOME with Giles Adams What if your second home wasn’t just a retreat—but a passport to the world’s most extraordinary properties? In this episode of The Jess Larsen Show on Innovation & Leadership, Jess sits down with Giles Adams, Partner & President at THIRDHOME—the global private club redefining luxury travel, home exchange, and how the world’s wealthiest families experience their time off. With more than 20,000 properties across 103 countries, THIRDHOME has built a trusted network of second-home owners who trade time at multimillion-dollar estates, private islands, penthouses, safari reserves, and even yachts. Giles shares the origin of THIRDHOME’s “club over platform” philosophy, why simultaneous swaps don’t work for ultra-high-net-worth travelers, and how they built a brand so trusted that growth is driven almost entirely by member word-of-mouth. He also breaks down the creation of THIRDHOME Reserve, the ultra-exclusive tier for owners of $10M+ homes—and what it takes to serve some of the world’s most discerning clientele. Jess and Giles dive into the art of earning trust with luxury homeowners, the surprising impact of their Paramount+/Netflix TV series Millionaire Holiday Home Swap, and why connection—not consumption—is the currency that really powers global travel at this level. Whether you’re building a premium brand, navigating UHNW markets, or simply fascinated by the future of luxury hospitality, this conversation is packed with insight, psychology, and strategies from a company that has quietly mastered them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 6m

  6. NOV 14

    How did he grow Life360 to $9B? | Chris Hulls, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman at Life360

    From $700 a Month to a $9B Giant: Building Life360 with Chris Hulls What happens when a founder ignores the “safe path,” bets on himself, and keeps going long after most people would’ve quit? In this episode of The Jess Larsen Show on Innovation & Leadership, Jess sits down with Chris Hulls — Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Life360, the world’s largest family safety platform with 90+ million monthly active users and a public valuation approaching $9 billion. Chris’s journey is anything but conventional. He went from growing up in a small farm town… to enlisting in the Air Force at 17… to almost becoming a dishwasher at the South Pole… to dropping out of Harvard Business School… to living in a friend’s closet on $700/month while building the first version of Life360. But the real story is what came next: —a category-defining pivot from disaster response to family location sharing, —launching on Android before anyone believed teens would ever have smartphones, —surviving seven slow years before meaningful traction, —and ultimately building a platform that detects car crashes, dispatches tens of thousands of ambulances a year, and has become a “social network for families.” Chris and Jess go deep into what it actually takes to scale from zero to multi-billion-dollar market cap: the messy pivots, the lucky breaks, the conviction bets, why too much “data-driven thinking” kills innovation, and why founders must learn to hold two opposing truths at once — relentless belief and complete surrender to the chaos. This is a conversation for founders, leaders, and anyone who wants to understand the real psychology behind building something massive from scratch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min

  7. NOV 7

    The Parenting Book Every CEO Should Read | Psychologist & Author, Dr. Gordon Neufeld

    Dr. Gordon Neufeld—developmental psychologist and author of Hold On to Your Kids—joins Jess to explain why our children’s greatest need is not techniques, but relationship. Discover the true cost of peer orientation, the five relational needs that never expire, and the power of boredom, nature, and play to refuel connection. Neufeld shares how he won back his own daughters by removing competing attachments and rebuilding time, trust, and warmth. This is a field guide for modern parents who want practical language and steps to re-anchor family life—simple, profound, and deeply humane. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min

  8. OCT 30

    $5B Lessons for Building a VC Fund | Eva Yazhari

    Eva Yazhari shares hard-earned lessons from Wall Street, her time managing billions, and what she’s learned saying “no” to short-term thinking. This episode is a masterclass in balancing risk, resilience, and relationships. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    52 min
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4.6
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303 Ratings

About

Jess Larsen interviews exciting people and uncommonly high achievers including Billionaires, Pro Athletes, Fortune 500 CEOs, Hollywood Actors like Danny Glover, New York Times Bestselling Authors, Tech Founders, Four-star Generals, World Class Musicians, Special Ops, VCs, Olympic Athletes, Non-Profit Leaders, Inventors and many more.

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