YouPotential

Shaun Maslyk

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YouPotential explores what it truly means to live a life well lived — through the lens of psychology, money, and meaning. Hosted by Shaun Maslyk—Certified Financial Planner®, Financial Behaviour Specialist®, and Positive Psychology Practitioner—the podcast delivers science-backed insights, candid conversations, and real stories that help people live with more intention.

6D AGO

The $3 Million Rule That Changed How I Think About Enough | John Buckman

John Buckman started with an idealistic vision inspired by Buckminster Fuller — build global conversations that make war impossible. He created Lyris, email software so successful that at its peak, one third of the email on the internet ran through it. But idealism has a shelf life when payroll is due. What began as technology for tracking jelly bean flavor preferences became a tool for political micro-targeting — suppressing paragraphs in newsletters based on a voter's tracked behavior. When John refused to sell to Philip Morris, his sales team learned a simpler lesson: don't ask the boss. And when the White House called asking for 24-hour tech support so they could send an email at 2 a.m. to declare war in Iraq, John knew he'd crossed a line he couldn't uncross. This conversation traces the full arc — from a childhood watching his parents buy a Porsche with a legal settlement while facing bankruptcy, to making $100,000 in shareware donations by age 18, to selling Lyris and creating Magnatune, a fair trade music company with legal provisions so radical his own lawyer resisted. Now in Hong Kong, John builds high-end espresso machines with Decent Espresso, trying to create something that outlives him — not because it makes money, but because it matters. What emerges is a portrait of someone who has wrestled with money, morals, and meaning across a dozen companies and three decades — and arrived at a deceptively simple philosophy: always be ready to die next year. KEY TOPICS COVERED The White House call: How building email software led to being part of the war effort — and the moral reckoning that followed.The slippery slope: How small compromises — feminist porn, political newsletters, tracking dots — compound until you wake up somewhere you never intended to be.The Porsche story: A childhood financial flashpoint — watching his parents buy a Porsche with a legal settlement while facing bankruptcy — that shaped everything.The $3 million rule: A VC's advice on the number you need to never work again, and why John didn't listen until it was almost too late.Fair trade music: Building Magnatune with legal poison pills so no acquirer could corrupt its mission — and convincing his lawyer to draft agreements that screwed the founder.Decent Espresso: Why giving someone a better cup of coffee in the morning became John's most meaningful venture.BookMooch: Creating BitTorrent for books, processing 10 million books a month, and receiving three lawsuit threats from Amazon."Why employees suck": John's contrarian argument that productive people should quit and sell the fruits of their labor instead of their time.The immigrant mindset: Growing up in France until age 10, arriving in the US without English, and choosing to be a nobody again in Hong Kong.Legacy and enough: Trying to build something that lasts five years after you leave — and why that's harder than it sounds. p...

1h 15m
FEB 12

Why Billionaires Aren't the Happiest People He Knows | Dave Chilton

Dave Chilton doesn't need an introduction in Canada. The Wealthy Barber sold over 3 million copies and shaped how an entire generation thinks about money. He's been on Dragons' Den, built multiple successful businesses, and counts billionaires among his close friends. But in this conversation, Dave reveals something unexpected: the retired teachers in his life seem happier than the ultra-wealthy. And he wouldn't trade places with any of them. What unfolds is a masterclass in gratitude, grounding, and what Dave calls "enoughness" — a disposition he admits he was lucky to be born with, but one we can all cultivate. He shares how his 93-year-old father's philosophy of radical acceptance shaped him, why he never changed his friend groups despite his success, and the one thing that still "knocks him backward" after all these years: the speed of time. This isn't a conversation about money management. It's about what money can never manage — our relationships, our contentment, and our sense of enough. KEY TOPICS COVERED Tiger Stadium and three-generation bonding: How Dave's most powerful memory involves his father, grandfather, and the Detroit TigersThe speed of time: Why this is the only thing that disrupts Dave's positive dispositionGreat parent privilege: Dave's reflection on the advantage of loving parentsStaying grounded through success: Why he never changed friend groups and what that taught himBillionaires vs. retired teachers: His observation that moderate wealth + good relationships = more happinessThe enoughness mindset: Why Dave has no interest in becoming a billionaireHis father's acceptance philosophy: "What has happened has happened — get to acceptance quickly"Homeschooling and parenting: Trading opportunity for presence with his kidsFriends are family: The frame that's guided his most important relationshipsSpending summaries: Why this simple tool creates the biggest ripple effect in financial planning MEMORABLE QUOTES "I've got friends who are ridiculously wealthy, like literally billionaires in some cases. And then I've got all my friends who tend to be teachers, retired teachers. I find that the latter group tends to be happier." 📍 Timestamp: 17:02 "I wouldn't even want to be a billionaire, by the way. I have no interest in that. I don't want a lot. I find stuff weighs you down." 📍 Timestamp: 18:42 "The only thing that tends to knock me backward is the speed of time. I do find it dismaying." 📍 Timestamp: 04:08 "You never lose your temper ever and are glad after the fact you did." 📍 Timestamp: 38:27 "Friends are family. And that's how I've always thought of my friends — that we're a family." 📍 Timestamp: 01:12:03 ABOUT DAVE CHILTON Dave Chilton is a Canadian author, entrepreneur, and financial educator best known for The Wealthy Barber, which has sold over 3 million copies since

1h 18m
FEB 5

The Happiness Portfolio: 8 Things That Matter More Than Money | Marianne Oehser

I Failed at Retirement Twice | Marianne Oehser She had the beach house, the golden parachute, and all the time in the world. By 40, Marianne Oehser was living the dream. So why did it nearly destroy her marriage — and send her running back to work? EPISODE SUMMARY Marianne Oehser doesn't like the word "retirement." And after hearing her story, you'll understand why. At 40, Marianne and her former husband both received golden parachutes after a hostile takeover. They had just built a house in Southwest Florida — a short walk to the beach, wide open water views. It was everything they'd dreamed of. Within months, she was bored, her mind was getting dull, and the conflict that followed ended their marriage. That experience sent Marianne on a journey to understand what actually makes life meaningful after work ends. She became a relationship coach — and discovered that couple after couple was showing up at her door on the brink of divorce, all telling the same story: "We had a great relationship. Now all we do is bicker and fight." The problem wasn't the relationship. It was the transition. In this conversation, Marianne shares her framework — the Happiness Portfolio — which breaks life into eight "asset classes" that matter as much as your financial portfolio. She talks about her father holding up his business card the weekend before retirement and saying, "Today, this card opens many doors. Tomorrow, it won't be worth the paper it's written on." And she challenges the listener with a question that stopped me cold: "At what cost? And how much is enough?" If you're building a career, approaching a transition, or wondering what comes next — this one will make you think. KEY TOPICS COVERED The retirement honeymoon: Why the first 6-18 months feel great — and what happens when it endsInner kill: Richard Leiter's term for what happens when you lose your sense of purpose ("It's like you're dying and you don't even know it")Gray divorce: Why divorce rates for people over 50 have more than doubled — and tripled for those over 65The business card moment: Marianne's father's quiet warning the weekend before his retirementThe Happiness Portfolio: 8 areas of life that need conscious attention — not just your financesAssumptions in relationships: The "laundry story" about a couple on the brink of divorce over unspoken expectationsLiving on autopilot: Why Marianne now insists on intentional choices after realizing she spent years doing what she "thought she was supposed to"The cost question: "The more time you spend, the more money you generate. But at what cost?" MEMORABLE QUOTES "He calls it inner kill. He said it's like you're dying and you don't even know it." 📍 Timestamp: 05:01 "today, this card opens many doors. Tomorrow, it won't be worth the paper it's written on." 📍 Timestamp: 14:13 "I'm bored. I'm not contributing in any way. My mind is getting dull." 📍 Timestamp: 08:09 "a whole bunch of my life I lived on autopilot doing what I was doing because I thought I was supposed to do it." 📍 Timestamp:...

59 min
JAN 29

I Hate the Word "Retirement” — Designing Your Next Chapter With Susan Latremoille

Retirement isn’t a finish line—it’s a transition into a “next chapter” that can be the best, most fulfilling stage of your life… if you plan for it. In this conversation, Susan Latremoille (co-founder of Next Chapter Lifestyle Advisors) explains why so many people feel rudderless after leaving work, and how to replace the old “Hollywood version” of retirement with something deeper: purpose, relationships, growth, giving back, and health. Susan shares the story of Alan—a financially free retiree whose dream retirement in Florida fell apart—and contrasts it with people who thrive because they proactively make a plan. Along the way, we explore time, identity, money as an enabler (not the goal), and what it really means to live a “RichLife.”

1h 3m
JAN 22

Don’t Count Me Out: Building a Music Company

Music isn’t just something we listen to — it’s something that shapes how we feel, remember, connect, and live. In this deeply human conversation, Daniel shares how a childhood surrounded by basement studios, tape decks, and a musician father evolved into a global career designing soundscapes for some of the world’s most iconic spaces. From DJ booths and record labels to luxury hotels and creative leadership, Daniel reflects on music as memory, mood, and meaning — and how learning to curate experiences became both an art and a business. Along the way, he opens up about mentorship, resilience, being let go, starting again, and what it truly means to build a life that feels good from the inside out. This episode is a powerful exploration of creativity, leadership, money, identity, and the quiet courage it takes to trust your instincts.

1h 33m
JAN 15

Chasing Goals When Certainty Disappears

Former WWE superstar, coach, and owner of Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), Al Snow is one of professional wrestling’s most thoughtful and respected minds. This week on the YouPotential podcast, Al shares what wrestling can teach us about belief, identity, and perseverance, especially when the path forward isn’t clear. Drawing on a 40+ year career shaped by rejection, reinvention, and unforgettable moments, Al shares why success isn’t built on confidence or certainty… but on commitment when things get uncomfortable. This episode isn’t just about wrestling. It’s about what it takes to keep moving when the dream is still alive, but the outcome isn’t guaranteed. If you’ve ever wondered whether to stay the course, pivot, or walk away altogether… this conversation is for you.

1h 43m
JAN 8

At the End of Life, This Is What People Remember

Powerful guests. Honest stories. Lessons we will carry forward. This episode of the YouPotential podcast weaves together special moments from every conversation in 2025. The voices, insights, and stories that left a lasting impact, peeling back layers to reveal deeper meaning beneath the surface. As we turn the page to 2026, we are grateful for what’s been shared and excited for the stories still to come. Follow along for the ride, there’s so much more ahead. 🎙️

37 min
12/18/2025

When Is Enough, Actually Enough?

Adam Luchini spent more than a decade in Wall Street investment banking chasing achievement, titles, and the quiet promise that enough was just one more win away. But as the trophies piled up, the feeling underneath didn’t change. In this deeply honest conversation, Adam traces the origins of his drive back to childhood approval, cultural expectations, and the fear of not being enough. He shares how running on what he calls “dirty fuel” helped him succeed—but at a real cost to relationships, emotional health, and alignment. A relationship breakdown, years of inner work, and a re-examination of money ultimately led Adam to re-aim his life, not away from ambition, but toward usefulness, family, community, and intention. This episode is for anyone who’s achieved a lot—and quietly wondered why it still doesn’t feel like enough.

1h 5m

YouPotential explores what it truly means to live a life well lived — through the lens of psychology, money, and meaning. Hosted by Shaun Maslyk—Certified Financial Planner®, Financial Behaviour Specialist®, and Positive Psychology Practitioner—the podcast delivers science-backed insights, candid conversations, and real stories that help people live with more intention.

Creator

Shaun Maslyk
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

39
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Copyright 2026 Shaun Maslyk
Show Website

YouPotential