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U.S. Senator Ron Johnson led a pivotal roundtable event titled "Federal Health Agencies and the COVID Cartel: Unveiling Hidden Agendas." This gathering brought together a panel of experts who revealed the realities of COVID-19. The session aimed to uncover the complex network of censorship and concealment orchestrated by the COVID Cartel, which included federal health agencies, major pharmaceutical companies, mainstream media, and leading technology firms. Additionally, the discussion highlighted the missteps and corruption within the ranks of the global elite and their influential institutions. In this article we will cover some key points raised by Dr. Harvey Risch, Kevin McKernan, and Lara Logan during the discussion.

Harvey Risch

Dr. Harvey Risch, a Professor Emeritus of Epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health, expressed his concerns over what he deems a "crushingly obsessive push to COVID vaccinate every living person on the planet." Dr. Risch, known for advocating early COVID-19 treatment, questioned the origins of the virus and the subsequent global vaccination effort.

Dr. Risch suggested, citing circumstantial evidence and intelligence reports, that the COVID-19 virus likely originated from a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the fall of 2019. He pointed to a specific 19 nucleotide genetic sequence found in the virus, which is also present in journal patents from 2017, to support this claim.

Furthermore, Dr. Risch criticized the research conducted at the Wuhan laboratory, calling it "reckless" and alleging that it was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense (DOD), among others, through what he described as "money laundering" operations like the EcoHealth Alliance. He linked this research to a broader "bioweapons industry," which he claims has been secretive and nefarious in its development of biological weapons over the last 70 years.

Dr. Risch highlighted the 1975 Bioweapons Treaty, which prohibits the development of offensive bioweapons but allows for the creation of small quantities for vaccine countermeasure research. He argued that this loophole has been exploited for the past 50 years, with the bioweapons industry using the guise of vaccine development as a justification for their work.

Addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Risch questioned the absence of commercial vaccines resulting from the billions of dollars spent on bioweapons research. He criticized the year it took to develop and test the first commercial vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 as unacceptable, especially considering the rapid spread of a bioweapon.

Dr. Risch proposed a hypothesis that both the alleged cover-up of the virus's origins and the forced global vaccination campaign were orchestrated to protect the bioweapons industry. He suggested that the public would demand the industry's shutdown if it became widely known that it had been operating under false pretenses.

In addition to the origins and response to the pandemic, Dr. Risch also touched on the suppression of early COVID-19 treatments like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. He initially thought this suppression was to protect the vaccine market but now believes it was to prevent these treatments from solving the pandemic, which would have negated the need for vaccines and challenged the rationale behind the offensive bioweapons research.

👀 Dr. Harvey Risch Says the COVID Virus & Vaccines Were Used to Justify Continued Funding of the U.S. Bioweapons Industry

"This work and the WIV leak was what I consider to be the fruit of our bioweapons industry that has been performing secretive and nefarious biological… pic.twitter.com/AtU1bGCY0t

— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) February 26, 2024

Kevin McKernan

Kevin McKernan, a former team leader of research and development for the Human Genome Project at MIT and a widely recognized authority in the field of genomics, has raised grave concerns about DNA contamination in COVID-19 vaccines. Speaking before a panel, McKernan, who has an impressive 60,000 citations and numerous genomic patents to his name, detailed the findings of his team at Medicinal Genomics, which have been replicated by labs worldwide and recognized by several health authorities, including the FDA, EMA, and Health Canada.

McKernan leveled a damning accusation against Pfizer, asserting that they omitted critical SV40 sequences from their vaccine, a move that regulators have downplayed as inconsequential due to the supposedly low concentration and functional irrelevance of the DNA present. However, McKernan dismissed these claims as "false and unsupported," revealing that the regulators had been deceived and then sought validation from the very party responsible for the deception.

The potential risks of this contamination, according to McKernan, include insertion mutagenesis, a concern supported by both Moderna's own patents on mRNA vaccines and independent scientific research. He warned that the DNA found in the vaccines is not only present but functional, as it contains a promoter for an antibiotic resistance gene vital to plasmid manufacturing—a key component in gene therapy. Further, he indicated that the DNA quantity in some vaccine vials exceeds the ten nanogram per dose limit set by regulatory guidelines, with significant variations between lots.

McKernan criticized the regulators for allowing pharmaceutical companies to use measurement tools that could underestimate the contamination levels, pointing to a worrisome conflict of interest rooted in the Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992. This act allows the FDA to be partially funded by the companies it regulates, a situation McKernan described as a harmful policy that has led to public distrust and a rise in cancer drug sales since the vaccine rollout.

Addressing the potential dangers of DNA contamination, McKernan explained that while DNA might not be the sole cause of cancer, it could contribute to the disease's development, especially in combination with weakened immune systems and the suppression of key tumor-suppressing genes. He also distinguished between the DNA contamination in traditional vaccines, which originated from egg or cell culture growth mediums, and the high copy number DNA found in mRNA vaccines housed within lipid nanoparticles—a distinction that significantly increases the risk of adverse effects.

McKernan called for urgent action from representatives to repeal or review the act that enables such conflicts of interest and to reconsider the current guidelines for DNA contamination, which were based on outdated assumptions about DNA's half-life in the blood.

In conclusion, McKernan's testimony suggests a pressing need for independent research and a reevaluation of vaccine safety protocols, particularly in light of the evidence pointing to the integration of vaccine DNA into human cell lines. His plea for transparency and regulatory reform resonates as a wake-up call to safeguard public health and uphold the integrity of scientific oversight.

🚨 Genomics Expert Kevin McKernan Schools the 'Fact Checkers' on the DNA Contamination Found in the COVID mRNA Vaccines

"The 'fact checkers' have been continually wrong throughout the last year this has gone on...First, they claimed it wasn't there. Now the FDA and the… pic.twitter.com/94fZquCxf0

— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) February 26, 2024

Lara Logan

Lara Logan, a seasoned investigative journalist with an illustrious career history at 60 Minutes and CBS News, delivered a sobering diagnosis of the current state of media and free speech in America. Logan, a recipient of numerous accolades for her courageous reporting, addressed the assembly, expressing gratitude to Senator Johnson and emphasizing the honor of discussing such a critical topic amidst a gathering of peers.

Logan's address painted a grim portrait of the media landscape, describing it as "the worst of times" and asserting that propaganda has become the battlefield in an ongoing war for the minds of the public. She alluded to the chilling effects of advanced technology on information warfare, boldly stating, "We have never been here, not in all of human history."

The journalist recounted the troubling episode where fellow journalist Tucker Carlson was vilified and accused of treason merely for interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Logan highlighted the conspicuous silence of legacy media institutions in defending Carlson, signaling a dire betrayal of the free press’s most sacred principle.

Throughout her testimony, Logan's personal experiences – including a horrific assault while on assignment in Egypt and relentless attacks on her credibility and personal life in the aftermath – served as a stark testimony to the dangers faced by those in her field. She declared, "We are many. And we will not give up."

Logan criticized media companies, journalism schools, and so-called nonpartisan watchdog organizations for failing the public and engaging in politically motivated censorship. She accused them of perpetuating a "bloodsport" aimed at silencing dissents through "cancel culture," a practice she likened to a "death sentence" for journalists.

The journalist shed light on the pervasive and concerning collaboration between media and government agencies, leveraging phrases such as "protecting democracy" to justify censorship and the suppression of speech. She cited examples of taxpayer funds being misused overseas to influence foreign politics and even to attack free speech and religion.

Logan warned of the monopolistic powers of tech giants like Facebook, Google, and Instagram, and their ability to control the global narrative. She drew parallels with totalitarian leaders of the past, emphasizing the unprecedented power these companies wield in shaping public discourse.

Reflecting on her early days as a journalist under apartheid South Africa, Logan underscored the paramount importance of the First Amendment and the foundational role it plays in safeguarding all other liberties. Her closing remarks evoked Sir Edward Gray's poignant observation at the onset of World War I, warning that the lights of freedom are dimming, and their revival hinges on collective action.

Responding to Senator Johnson's inquiry regarding the targeting she's faced over the past decade, Logan attributed the onslaught to her truthful reporting on Benghazi. She exposed the involvement of NGOs, like Media Matters for America and Facts First USA, in politically charged campaigns to discredit and silence voices like hers.

Logan's impassioned plea called for an end to taxpayer funding of NGOs that engage in censorship and the suppression of free discourse. She emphasized the imperative for those in power to serve the people and uphold the principles of a government "of the people, by the people, for the people."

Her testimony was not only a critique of the current media environment but also a clarion call for journalists, policymakers, and citizens to reclaim and defend the sanctity of free speech. Lara Logan's words resonate as a rallying cry for transparency, truth, and the unyielding defense of fundamental freedoms.

Watch Lara Logan's segment just this morning in Washington, D.C., at Senator Ron Johnson's roundtable discussion 'Federal Health Agencies and the COVID Cartel: What Are They Hiding? pic.twitter.com/v4kzoiG4QP

— Lara Logan (@laralogan) February 26, 2024

Summary

The roundtable discussion featured Dr. Harvey Risch, who presented his views on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential motivations behind the global vaccination campaign, and the suppression of early treatment options. Kevin McKernan addressed the issue of DNA contamination in COVID-19 vaccines, the inadequacy of regulatory responses, and the potential risks associated with this contamination. Lara Logan spoke on the state of media and censorship, emphasizing the critical role of free speech in democracy and the dangers of monopolistic control over information. Each speaker brought their perspective to the forefront, highlighting various concerns about public health policies, regulatory integrity, and the preservation of fundamental freedoms. We encourage you to watch the full roundtable event to hear from all the speakers.

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Whether you're intrigued by the transformative health stories or are looking for a dietary change that aligns with your health goals, this guide, inspired by the insights of Dr. Ken Berry, will provide you with all the necessary steps to successfully start and maintain a carnivore diet. Let's break down the process into detailed sections for better understanding and implementation.

Introduction to the Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet is an all-animal-product diet that excludes plant-based foods. It has gained attention for its potential benefits such as reducing inflammation, improving mental health, aiding in weight loss, and mitigating symptoms of various health conditions. This guide will navigate you through the initial commitment, what to eat, how to manage the diet, and how to assess your progress after 90 days.

Establishing Your 'Why'

Reflect on Your Motivation
Determine the main reason behind your decision to start the carnivore diet. It could be chronic inflammation, mental health struggles, diabetes, or other health issues. Ensure your motivation is strong enough to overcome potential obstacles.

Commitment to the Process

Pledge to a 90-Day Trial
Commit to following the carnivore diet strictly for 90 days to give your body ample time to adapt and heal. Understand that short-term trials may not provide the full benefits and may coincide with carbohydrate withdrawal symptoms or gut microbiome adjustments.

Eating Guidelines

Eat When Hungry
Eat meat and eggs to satiety without counting calories or portion control. Avoid snacking between meals; stick to 1-3 meals a day within a 6-8 hour eating window.

Choosing Your Foods
Focus on consuming only animal products: red meats, poultry, fish, eggs (with yolk), and certain types of dairy (butter, ghee, and heavy cream). Preferably include organ meats for their nutrient density. Exclude all plant-based foods including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetable oils.

Cooking and Seasoning
Use animal-based fats like bacon grease, beef tallow, or butter for cooking. Season your food with natural salts that are not derived from evaporated ocean water.

Hydration and Beverages

Appropriate Drinks
Stick to water (still or sparkling), black coffee, unsweetened tea, and homemade bone broth. Avoid sugary and artificially sweetened beverages.

Finding Support

Seek a Support System
Join carnivore diet communities online or find a buddy to embark on the journey with you. Having support is crucial during the initial adaptation phase and for ongoing encouragement.

Post-90 Days Assessment and Moving Forward

Evaluate Your Progress
After 90 days, assess the improvements in your health conditions and overall well-being. Decide whether to continue with the carnivore diet or reintroduce plant-based foods slowly and individually to gauge tolerance.

Reintroduction Phase (If Desired)
If choosing to reintroduce plant foods, do so one at a time to identify any inflammatory responses. Continue to avoid sugars, grains, and vegetable oils indefinitely due to their lack of nutritional value and inflammatory potential.

Final Thoughts

By following this detailed guide, you'll be equipped with the knowledge to start the carnivore diet with a clear understanding of the commitment, dietary guidelines, and evaluation process. Remember to consult with a healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have existing health conditions. Good luck on your carnivore diet journey, and stay tuned for more informative content.

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In an eye-opening interview with Cheryl, we uncover the chilling journey of her experience with the type 2 diabetes medication Ozempic, which led to unexpected health complications, including legal blindness. Cheryl's story is not just a personal one; it highlights a broader concern about the side effects of certain diabetes medications and the power of dietary changes in managing health conditions.

Cheryl was diagnosed with diabetes in 2015 and was quickly put on insulin to manage her uncontrolled blood sugar levels. It wasn't until 2022 that she was introduced to Ozempic, a medication that has gained traction for both diabetes management and weight loss. Unfortunately, Cheryl's use of Ozempic resulted in severe acid reflux and, more frighteningly, a rapid loss of vision, which medical professionals initially suggested was reversible. This, however, turned out not to be the case, and she was left with permanent low vision and no clear answers from her healthcare providers.

Cheryl's experience is not an isolated one. Her Facebook group dedicated to discussing the side effects of Ozempic reveals a plethora of other disturbing cases. Some individuals report having to have their gallbladders removed, and there are even accounts of deaths following the use of the medication. Legal actions are underway, with lawsuits emerging regarding severe gastrointestinal issues and stomach paralysis — the latter being a reported effect of Ozempic that impairs the stomach's ability to process food properly.

Adding to the concerns, the EU has initiated an investigation into the potential link between Ozempic and suicidal ideation. The connection between the gut and the brain, particularly the production of serotonin — a neurotransmitter responsible for mood regulation — suggests that the medication's impact on gut health could have far-reaching implications for mental well-being.

Cheryl took control of her health by adopting a carnivore diet, characterized by the elimination of carbohydrates and the exclusive consumption of animal products. Remarkably, she experienced significant improvements. Her inflammation began to subside, and she lost 38 pounds in four months. Moreover, Cheryl's insulin requirements vanished — she no longer needed medication for diabetes management, attributing her stable blood sugars to her new diet.

The carnivore diet provided Cheryl with a sense of control and a path towards better health that she had not experienced with conventional treatments. Her story underscores the importance of understanding the root cause of health issues and the potential of diet in addressing metabolic illnesses like type 2 diabetes. It raises critical questions about the current medical approach to treating symptoms rather than underlying causes.

As Cheryl's experience illustrates, and as echoed by other testimonies, dietary intervention can be a powerful tool in managing — and potentially reversing — type 2 diabetes. It prompts a reevaluation of the standard American diet and the need for informed medical care that prioritizes natural, diet-based solutions over lifelong dependency on medications.

In conclusion, Cheryl's journey serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of certain medications and a testament to the transformative power of dietary change. It is a narrative that brings hope to those struggling with type 2 diabetes and a call to action for individuals and healthcare professionals to explore and embrace the therapeutic potential of diet in disease management.

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In the realm of nutrition and health, few topics spur as much debate as the ideal composition of our diets, particularly in terms of macronutrient ratios. Recently, an intriguing discussion has emerged among proponents of low carbohydrate and carnivore diets, focusing on whether a higher intake of dietary fats or proteins is more beneficial for weight loss and overall health.

This debate was fueled by the perspectives shared by various nutrition experts and community leaders, including former CEO of Diet Doctor and founder of Hava, Andreas Eenfeldt. The controversy revolves around two schools of thought—one advocating for a higher fat consumption and the other for a higher protein intake, especially within the context of low carb and carnivore diets.

On one end of the spectrum, advocates like Amber O'Hearn champion the high-fat approach, while on the other, figures such as Ted Naiman and Luis Villasenor from Ketogains endorse the high-protein side of the argument. Experts like Raphael Sirtoli argue for the benefits of high fat, showcasing the lack of consensus within the community. The challenge in resolving this debate is the scarcity of specific and robust research data, particularly concerning carnivore diets, which leaves much of the discussion based on anecdotal evidence.

Personal experiences differ greatly. Many individuals report success with high-fat diets, experiencing weight loss and improved well-being. However, others find that a high-protein diet is more effective for them. This variance in outcomes suggests that individual responses to macronutrient composition are highly variable and possibly influenced by factors such as genetics, activity level, and personal health goals.

For instance, some find that on a high-fat diet, they can lose weight and feel satiated, possibly due to the fat's ability to induce a caloric deficit and provide a feeling of fullness. However, this approach might lead to a loss of lean mass, which is not desirable for those aiming to maintain or increase muscle mass. Conversely, individuals with athletic goals or those engaged in regular intense exercise may benefit more from a higher protein intake, which is supported by a substantial body of literature—even if not specific to carnivore diets.

Moreover, different health conditions may also dictate the preference for one approach over the other. Individuals with mood disorders, central nervous system issues like dementia or multiple sclerosis, and certain autoimmune conditions may fare better on a higher fat diet. In contrast, those seeking to manage diabetes, pre-diabetes, or insulin resistance might experience better glycemic control with a higher fat intake, provided they do not overconsume calories.

In the end, the ideal fat-to-protein ratio is not set in stone and may range from 50% to 90% fat for individuals following carnivore diets, with most falling within a narrower spectrum. The debate continues as to whether an individual should be a '50% protein person' or a '90% protein person,' reflecting the highly personal nature of dietary optimization.

As research progresses and more data becomes available, the community may yet reach a consensus. Until then, the discussion serves as a reminder of the importance of personalized nutrition and the need to consider individual differences when tailoring dietary approaches for health and performance.

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Achieving optimal health often requires the alignment of various aspects of our lives, including diet, lifestyle, and the support of healthcare professionals who understand and endorse our health choices. One area of dietary change that has gained traction in recent years is the adoption of low-carbohydrate, ketogenic, and carnivore diets. Individuals following these diets have reported improvements in weight management, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels, which in turn can lead to an overall better sense of well-being. However, not all healthcare providers are supportive of these dietary approaches, often leading to a disconnect between patients and their doctors.

For those who have experienced health benefits from these diets, finding a doctor who is knowledgeable and supportive of low-carb, keto, or carnivore lifestyles can be crucial. Dr. Berry, in a recent video, offered guidance for individuals seeking to find or "train" their doctor to be more receptive to these dietary choices. The video covered several key points and methods to help individuals in their search.

One of the tips provided is to seek out a younger doctor, particularly one who has been practicing for one to five years. These doctors may be more open to new ideas and research, as they are still in the early stages of their careers and may be more amenable to learning from patient experiences and outcomes. Younger doctors may not initially be familiar with low-carb diets, but they might be willing to review the evidence and consider how such diets could be beneficial for their patients.

Another method is to consult with a locally owned compounding pharmacy. Pharmacists at these establishments are well-connected within the medical community and can often recommend open-minded doctors who may be more receptive to non-traditional dietary approaches. Such pharmacists are familiar with the healthcare providers in the area and can direct patients to doctors who are open to discussing and supporting low-carb, keto, or carnivore diets.

Dr. Berry also mentioned that there are online databases where one can search for doctors who have expressed a willingness to work with patients following these specific dietary patterns. He provided updated links to these resources, allowing individuals to find supportive healthcare professionals in various countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and India, among others.

In conclusion, the video by Dr. Berry serves as a resource for individuals who have experienced health improvements from low-carb, keto, or carnivore diets and are seeking like-minded healthcare providers. By following the tips and utilizing the resources provided, patients can find support and guidance to continue their health journey with the backing of a healthcare professional who understands and respects their dietary choices.

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Key Takeaways

In this episode of The Shawn Baker Podcast, we are introduced to Steve Clemetson, the creator behind the Serious Keto YouTube channel, who shares his personal journey and insights into the ketogenic lifestyle. The episode explores several core topics, including personal transformation, misconceptions about diets, and the sustainability of keto.

Steve recounts the challenging year of 2018, which was a turning point in his life. After being laid off, facing a lawsuit, learning about becoming a grandfather, and dealing with health issues due to being significantly overweight, Steve decided to take control of his life, starting with his diet. Initially, he tried a vegan diet after reading Penn Jillette's book "Presto," but eventually settled on keto due to its allowance for dairy, which was significant for him as a Wisconsinite.

Throughout the episode, Steve discusses the process of adjusting to a keto diet, recalibrating his taste buds, and overcoming ingrained beliefs about fat and cholesterol. He also delves into the importance of understanding inflammation and how his personal experience of eliminating it has been life-changing.

Steve provides an in-depth analysis of the ketogenic diet's impact on his life, emphasizing the improvements in his overall health and well-being. He also points out the misinformation surrounding keto and the often restrictive nature of commercial keto products.

The conversation touches upon the role of content creators in making keto more accessible and enjoyable, debunking myths about the diet's lack of sustainability, and discussing the importance of listening to one's body and personalizing the diet.

Steve's journey also highlights the importance of scientific curiosity and experimentation, as he uses tools like continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) to understand how different foods and ingredients affect his blood sugar levels.

Finally, the episode examines the broader implications of diet on one's mood, relationships, and ability to handle life's challenges, suggesting that a metabolically healthy diet can lead to a more balanced and resilient life.

[

The Art (and Science) of the Steak

Achieving perfection through repeatable methodology.

TFTC – Truth for the CommonerJevi

](https://tftc.io/the-art-and-science-of-steak/)

Best Quotes

1. "I don't think you can live in this country without that being ingrained in you. Fat makes you fat. Cholesterol is bad."
2. "I think the lack of sustainability is a myth that's been created by people that are actually opposed to the whole notion of keto rather than things that keto people say."
3. "When you start finding that things that you think you love are mistreating you and mistreating your body, it gets a lot easier to give them up."
4. "It's hard to be angry when your body feels good."
5. "I had to have the dairy, and from there, proceeded to lose at least 75 pounds, got off a bunch of different medications, got my body free from inflammation, and started feeling the best I’ve felt since my 20s."

These quotes capture the essence of Steve's transformation and his approach to the keto lifestyle. They provide context to the struggles many face when challenging long-held dietary beliefs and the empowerment that comes from taking control of one's health.

Conclusion

This discussion with Steve from Serious Keto is a compelling narrative of personal transformation through dietary change. It underscores the power of diet in shaping not just physical health but also mental well-being and life satisfaction. The conversation provides valuable insights into the keto diet, challenging misconceptions, and highlighting the importance of sustainability and personalization.

Steve's story is a testament to the idea that change often comes from adversity and that with the right mindset and information, it is possible to turn one's life around. The episode encourages listeners to be open-minded, to question the status quo regarding health and nutrition, and to find a dietary path that works best for them.

Overall, the podcast presents an engaging and thoughtful discussion that is likely to resonate with many listeners, encouraging them to explore the potential of keto and to be more conscious of the food choices they make and their impact on overall health and happiness.

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Ozempic, a medication originally approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, has gained considerable attention for its secondary effect of promoting weight loss. Its active ingredient, semaglutide, has shown promising results in weight reduction, a feature that has not gone unnoticed in a nation grappling with widespread obesity. This article examines the multifaceted implications of Ozempic's popularity, the concerns raised by experts, and the broader context of health and pharmaceutical practices in the United States based on a conversation between Tucker Carlson and Calley Means.

[

Whistleblower Exposes Corrupt Big Food And Pharma Industries

In this unnerving episode of the Dr. Shawn Baker Podcast, Dr. Baker and his guest Calley Means delve into the troubling connection between food, pharmaceutical companies, and health in America.

TFTC – Truth for the CommonerStaff

](https://tftc.io/food-and-pharma-industries/)

Ozempic's Popularity Amidst the Obesity Crisis

The United States faces a significant health crisis, with obesity rates escalating rapidly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the prevalence of obesity was 42.4% in 2017-2018. The allure of a medication like Ozempic, which offers a convenient weight loss solution without the need for significant lifestyle changes, is evident. However, the enthusiasm surrounding this drug has not been met with universal acclaim, and some experts are urging caution.

Expert Concerns and Health Considerations

Critics of Ozempic's widespread use point out that obesity should not be seen as a mere consequence of a drug deficiency but rather as a symptom of broader metabolic dysfunction. They argue that the root causes of obesity, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, and environmental factors, are not addressed by taking a medication like Ozempic. Furthermore, potential side effects, including gastrointestinal issues and the possibility of stomach paralysis, raise questions about the long-term safety of the drug.

Additionally, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting a link between the use of Ozempic and increased rates of depression and suicidal ideation. The European Union has launched investigations into these reports, highlighting the gravity of these concerns.

Economic and Policy Implications

The financial implications of Ozempic's use are significant. Estimates suggest that the annual cost of the drug could reach $20,000 per patient. With a large portion of the adult population potentially eligible for this treatment, the economic burden on the healthcare system could be substantial. This raises questions about the sustainability of such an approach to tackling obesity, especially given the existing strain on healthcare budgets.

Pharmaceutical Influence and Corruption Allegations

There are allegations of widespread corruption within the pharmaceutical industry and its influence over healthcare practices. Companies like Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, have been accused of exploiting the U.S. healthcare system and influencing medical guidelines and research through considerable financial contributions to medical groups, civil rights organizations, and even the media. These practices have raised ethical questions and concerns over conflicts of interest that may affect patient care and public health policies.

Alternative Approaches to Obesity Management

Experts advocating for a more holistic approach to obesity management emphasize the importance of addressing the underlying causes of metabolic dysfunction. They suggest interventions such as dietary changes, increased physical activity, and broader public health policies aimed at improving the nutritional quality of food and reducing the consumption of processed and sugar-laden products. There is also a call for more stringent regulations on pharmaceutical advertising and a reduction in conflicts of interest within medical research and practice.

[

Defecting from Corrupt Healthcare with Andy Schoonover

Andy Schoonover is back on to update us on the progress of CrowdHealth, how the crowdfunded healthcare model is superior to health insurance, how they’ve implemented bitcoin into their product, and the moral imperative to bring down health care costs on behalf of community members.

TFTC – Truth for the CommonerMarty Bent

](https://tftc.io/defecting-from-corrupt-healthcare-with-andy-schoonover/)

Conclusion

While Ozempic presents a potential aid in weight loss for those struggling with obesity, the surrounding debate highlights the complexity of the obesity crisis in the United States and the unintended negative consequences of prolonged Ozempic usage. It underscores the need for a more comprehensive approach that considers the societal, economic, and ethical dimensions of healthcare. As the conversation continues, it is vital for policymakers, healthcare providers, and the public to critically evaluate the long-term implications of relying on pharmaceutical interventions to address deeply rooted health issues. Focus should be shifting to preventative care.

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Key Takeaways

This episode of TFTC with Marty and Sean McDonnell covered a range of personal experiences, business insights, and the intersection of technology, health, and sports. The conversation delved into various topics, including their past in sports, particularly lacrosse, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, and the importance of Bitcoin in today’s economy.

Lacrosse Memories

Marty and Sean reminisced about their lacrosse days, sharing a story from Marty's last game and the severe concussion he suffered. This incident marked a turning point in his life, leading him away from sports and towards economics and eventually Bitcoin.

Entrepreneurship and Business

The episode touched upon their respective entrepreneurial journeys, with Sean discussing his involvement in a range of ventures, from selling shoes to video editing for influencers. His most recent venture is Salt of the Earth, an electrolyte company that aims to address chronic dehydration.

Health and Wellness

Sean shared his personal story of giving up alcohol and noted the benefits of improved sleep and overall health. His journey into wellness influenced the creation of Salt of the Earth, driven by his understanding of the importance of hydration and electrolytes.

Bitcoin and Technology

The conversation included insights into the crypto space, with Sean recounting his involvement in the rollout of Bitcoin as legal tender in El Salvador. He also recounted his own realization of the significance of Bitcoin over the years and its potential impact on the global economy.

Sponsors

Best Quotes

• "I couldn't articulate the letters of my name. I could see it, but after that hit, I just couldn't spell it out."
• "Being dehydrated feels a lot like being hungry. Sometimes you're not hungry; you're just thirsty."
• "Starting your own business is like staring into a dark abyss while eating glass, but when you see things start to take off, it’s pure euphoria."
• "When I shared Salt of the Earth with Marty, and he tweeted about it, orders started coming in non-stop. It was one of the highest moments I've experienced."

Conclusion

The episode painted a vivid picture of the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship, the importance of health and wellness, and the revolutionary potential of Bitcoin. Sean's journey from a lacrosse player to a tech entrepreneur and health enthusiast was a testament to the power of personal transformation and the pursuit of passion. The discussion on Bitcoin's role in El Salvador demonstrated the real-world applications of cryptocurrency and the evolving landscape of digital finance. This conversation was a blend of nostalgia, innovation, and forward-thinking, reflecting the varied interests and experiences of the hosts and their guest.

Timestamps

Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
6:32 - Lacrosse
15:59 - Groupon
23:23 - Giving up the party life
27:11 - Skiing story
32:51 - Coding bootcamp
38:06 - Bitcoin
43:01 - Bukele’s war room
52:24 - Starting Salt of the Earth
1:02:50 - Electrolytes
1:14:24 - Jack Dorsey story

Transcript

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:02:05
Sean
Come. You don't talk about owls Lacrosse anymore.

00:00:02:07 - 00:00:03:15
Marty
Owls. Lacrosse.

00:00:03:18 - 00:00:04:15

Owls. Lacrosse.

00:00:04:15 - 00:00:06:16
Marty
Still big fan of owls. Lacrosse.

00:00:06:18 - 00:00:11:28

Shout out to Sam, Sam and a lot of owls. Lacrosse.

00:00:12:05 - 00:00:23:25
Marty
Unfortunately a cash up. Not unfortunately, just where the business cash app is in. Sponsor That was a that was a deal we did with Cash app where people would sign up.

00:00:23:28 - 00:00:25:27
Sean
On your just given the like referral to.

00:00:25:27 - 00:00:28:18
Marty
Them. I think so yeah.

00:00:28:20 - 00:00:32:02
Sean
Yeah they seem to be doing great.

00:00:32:04 - 00:00:49:04
Marty
Sam's crushing it. I talked to him I think like six months ago. It's funny, one of the girls, um, women who works here in the comments was friends with him growing up, and we somehow stumbled. I think I was talking about owls Lacrosse. She's like, you know, Sam It's like, Yeah. And it's a.

00:00:49:06 - 00:01:01:27
Sean
So the girl out there, Julia, said she, like, got the job because of her brother was a listener of you. Do you know who her brother is?

00:01:02:03 - 00:01:08:18
Marty
I don't know. There's a lot of listeners out there, so we've come a long way from the Deep Lakes days to.

00:01:08:21 - 00:01:22:00
Sean
Yeah, well, I was done playing 2010 and that was Dude, how about we tell the story of your last game? Just your last game, right?

00:01:22:02 - 00:01:25:07
Marty
Last game. Ever hung up. Hung up the cleats after.

00:01:25:07 - 00:01:30:06
Sean
That was all right. You want to, like, tell your side of the story and then I'll I'll fill it in here.

00:01:30:06 - 00:01:31:03
Marty
We're playing Augustana.

00:01:31:09 - 00:01:32:03
Sean
Augustana.

00:01:32:04 - 00:01:36:25
Marty
Augustana. We're in Rock Island, Illinois, on the border of Illinois and Iowa.

00:01:36:25 - 00:01:41:06
Sean
This is 2010. Must have been there in 2009, 2010, 2010.

00:01:41:09 - 00:01:57:21
Marty
We were on the back end of a road trip. We had gone down to like Saint Louis and made our way back up to Rock Island, right? Yeah. And we're playing in the middle of nowhere, tired. I think it was our third game that weekend. I think we were in Indianapolis and Missouri.

00:01:57:22 - 00:01:59:01
Sean
Horse scheduling just.

00:01:59:01 - 00:02:19:12
Marty
Like, and then up to Iowa. Yeah, I decided I want to play long stick. I don't want to play close defense. I wanted to play Moody. So I grabbed a stick and then Pat Desmond, who I saw crying on Instagram because the Detroit Lions won a playoff game for the first time in 30 years the other day.

00:02:19:12 - 00:02:22:05
Sean
How did I miss that thing? Oh, he.

00:02:22:07 - 00:02:41:27
Marty
He threw me. So in lacrosse, when the goalie saves the ball and you break out to start the transition, you're looking for the ball over your shoulder, looking back at the goalie and the goalie supposed to throw you a tight a type of right to your stick because there's defenders out there that could hit you. Desmond threw me.

00:02:41:27 - 00:02:42:06
Marty
What?

00:02:42:09 - 00:02:49:04
Sean
I mean, he shouldn't. And she shouldn't even looked. She shouldn't even looked. You're right in the middle of the field.

00:02:49:06 - 00:02:49:20
Marty
Yes.

00:02:49:27 - 00:03:07:17
Sean
Like, definitely, you know, go to the outside. And I mean, you just do one of these over your shoulder. And it was just body parts like nice lob hits your stick. And it was just like that.

00:03:07:22 - 00:03:13:03
Marty
Sun had to be like 65, £250. Hit me straight in the chest. I mean, I don't remember any of it.

00:03:13:06 - 00:03:22:27
Sean
And like, you just hit the ground so hard. It was like a big duffel bag just got dropped from like a ten story building. That's how it sounded.

00:03:23:00 - 00:03:24:15
Marty
And I got knocked out for.

00:03:24:17 - 00:03:31:27
Sean
You, got up, like, right away and you came and you came out of the side. And I remember being like.

00:03:32:00 - 00:03:32:29

I was like, Hey, I'm out.

00:03:33:00 - 00:03:53:28
Sean
He really got his bell rung and I was like, Okay. But like, I was trying to keep pushing you to, like, go back. I was like, Yeah. And I'm like, we just need to, you know, get some momentum on offense and get it going. And you were like, ready to go back out. And Tim, this is another carrier.

00:03:54:00 - 00:04:15:12
Sean
Tim Carrier was like, we were so ragtag that it was like always a player coach. Tim was senior and he was the head coach and he was like, Dude, he's not going back. He's not going back up. And you're like, Ready to go? And then he goes, He's like, Steak, what? What day is it? And you're just like.

00:04:15:14 - 00:04:18:00

Oh, fuck, Dad.

00:04:18:00 - 00:04:20:18
Marty
No, it was I got to tell her to piss myself.

00:04:20:19 - 00:04:28:14
Sean
That was scary. And that sooner, like I got to take him to the hospital and drove you to the hospital.

00:04:28:14 - 00:04:34:20
Marty
And I know an ambulance showed up. I went in the ambulance because I remember they put an I.V. and me in the ambulance.

00:04:34:24 - 00:04:47:27
Sean
So I went in the ambulance with you and had to call your mom because I was the president. And, um, man, that was that sucked. Like.

00:04:48:00 - 00:04:48:14
Marty
Know I remember.

00:04:48:15 - 00:04:52:16
Sean
And you're like, this is like, I was like, have you had a concussion before?

00:04:52:16 - 00:04:56:12

And you're like, Yeah, it's like my seventh one or something.

00:04:56:12 - 00:05:21:26
Marty
Yeah, it was my sixth. Pretty bad concussion. I remember coming to in the, uh, in the middle of Rock Island, Illinois, the middle of nowhere, like waiting in the waiting room for a doctor to see me. And I come to, like, I think I'd come out of the. The fog I was in after being hit, and I, like, come to the first thing I see is this, like, dude with, like, a bald head and he's got a tattoo of the middle finger on the back of his head.

00:05:21:26 - 00:05:24:27
Marty
I was like, Where the fuck am I? What am I doing here?

00:05:24:27 - 00:05:26:14
Sean
Get over Rock Island.

00:05:26:16 - 00:05:39:26
Marty
And then you. I think it was ghetto. And Reed waited, and we drove back to Chicago through the middle of the night. And I was fucked up for, like, two weeks.

00:05:39:28 - 00:05:56:17
Sean
Yeah, I mean, that's. That was, that was. And that was scary. I remember just being like, I couldn't believe I felt so guilty that I was like, I wanted you to just keep playing, like, Dude, come on, let's go. And Tim, when he called you out on the date, I was like, Wow, that's I guess that's how, you know.

00:05:56:20 - 00:06:13:29
Marty
I couldn't even spell my name. And I think it's weird because I have like, these. I remember Tim asked me that and I didn't know I didn't know what day was. And I remember asking me to spell my name and I could see my name and my brain, but I couldn't like, articulate the letters. I was like, that.

00:06:14:02 - 00:06:15:02
Marty
Here we are, though.

00:06:15:04 - 00:06:17:19
Sean
I mean, you've come a long way. Yeah, come a long way.

00:06:17:19 - 00:06:19:03
Marty
I became that player, coach.

00:06:19:06 - 00:06:19:27
Sean
And after.

00:06:19:28 - 00:06:21:21
Marty
I got knocked out, I started coaching my sophomore.

00:06:21:21 - 00:06:28:00
Sean
Year. Then that was. Yeah, sophomore year. How did you guys do sophomore and junior year?

00:06:28:03 - 00:06:36:10
Marty
The we kept getting progressively better. Sophomore year was the worst, but the junior and senior year we did well obviously the senior year and then with the ship.

00:06:36:12 - 00:06:42:23
Sean
And you didn't have any other coach sophomore year or junior that.

00:06:42:26 - 00:06:48:15
Marty
Kolber was the name. He was terrible and he tried to he tried to be like the head coach.

00:06:48:18 - 00:06:51:16
Sean
I think we're probably going to get some deep wax guys listening to this.

00:06:51:19 - 00:06:53:21

Hopefully, right?

00:06:53:23 - 00:07:18:09
Marty
I would imagine. But no, it's weird thinking that because that that was like 2010 I got knocked out, couldn't play lacrosse and went complete sports anymore. Stuff like basketball at 3 a.m.. And that's like sort of what sent me down the path to Bitcoin. I was like, I can't play sports anymore. Only focus on economics and all the shit and fell down the Bitcoin rabbit only two and a half years later.

00:07:18:11 - 00:07:23:23
Sean
Yeah. In 2013 was the championship season.

00:07:23:24 - 00:07:24:07
Marty
Yes.

00:07:24:11 - 00:07:27:20
Sean
When your boy showed up as an assistant assistant coach.

00:07:27:25 - 00:07:35:25
Marty
Yes. Thank you. From the from the mean streets, the GrubHub coming in to a Groupon. Groupon, not GrubHub.

00:07:35:28 - 00:07:59:09
Sean
And I wasn't even a hacker. But at the time I was at this other company called Bright Tag, and I was not enjoying my job. And I just remember being like, This is sweet. Like this team is like winning and like, and then going down and winning the conference championship. Great Rivers Conference. Yes.

00:07:59:09 - 00:08:00:12
Marty
Yeah, yeah.

00:08:00:12 - 00:08:25:02
Sean
I'll see. And then go into the national championship tournament. That was like so fun to just like because when I was playing, it was like the first year we were killing it. We had all these Brother Rice guys. We were like smoke in the league. And then we got moved up into like a legit league conference and then we were just getting our asses kicked by like Wheaton and like, because we were just like, partying a lot.

00:08:25:02 - 00:08:48:18
Sean
And like, these guys are all sober, just working us. But like, we had kids from Brother Rice, you know, like the best school in the Midwest. But yeah, that was so fun. Like seeing a team that you built pretty much from like the freshman year. It's like sophomore year and then coach, like, win the championship. That was like, it was awesome.

00:08:48:24 - 00:09:11:05
Marty
All it took was a little structure. All I did was add six, eight workouts in the offseason and two practices a week in season. We just had camaraderie and a bit of structure and actually obviously playing lacrosse in the Northeast allows you to know the game pretty well. I knew how to organize a defense, I handle the defense, and there were some players on the team that could put together an offense.

00:09:11:05 - 00:09:15:20
Marty
It's like you guys focus on offense and make the defense as good.

00:09:15:22 - 00:09:22:12
Sean
Yeah, I didn't even really like trying to do any Xs and I was I was like, just trying to hype everyone up like.

00:09:22:14 - 00:09:27:19

Like just fucking kick the shit out of these guys. Let's go.

00:09:27:21 - 00:09:29:10
Marty
But we've come a long way since then.

00:09:29:14 - 00:09:30:14
Sean
Yeah.

00:09:30:17 - 00:09:34:06
Marty
Like you said, you're a ten year long at someone.

00:09:34:08 - 00:09:35:14
Sean
And bright tag, right?

00:09:35:14 - 00:09:42:08
Marty
Tag You don't seem like somebody likes being chained to a desk or working for a company.

00:09:42:10 - 00:10:19:27
Sean
Now, when I was working at Groupon, I really enjoyed I was doing sales and I was like launching markets. My first market at Groupon was Fayetteville, North Carolina, and it's like a tiny military town outside of Raleigh. And I like went out there and it was really fun actually, like going to visit and like meeting with, like I do my best customer was an indoor skydiving place, so I like to go there and like, do that and like meeting people face to face and like, doing those deals was really fun.

00:10:19:29 - 00:10:49:06
Sean
And then I started to do the moved up from Fayetteville to Raleigh and then Charlotte, and then I started doing the Groupon getaways and I was doing I was like in charge of like the ski crew coupons, all the mountain stuff, all the resorts. And I found this one conference called the Mountain Travel Symposium. And I remember just pitching like the GM of the Groupon getaways.

00:10:49:08 - 00:11:07:13
Sean
I was like, look, LivingSocial is they're they're like the headline sponsor. Like, we have no representation. We got to be there. Like and he's like, Well, I don't want to pay. I don't want to like, pay to be there, but like, I'll send you there if you want to go. I was like, okay, that's Squaw Valley. And I was like, This is sweet.

00:11:07:19 - 00:11:26:16
Sean
I'm going to I'm going to get paid to go like ski for a week and like, meet all these. It was like a speed dating type of thing. And everyone's like skiers and stuff. And I, I there's a movie like my favorite ski movie. I think I probably told all the team about it called Na Na.

00:11:26:17 - 00:11:27:20
Marty
Yes.

00:11:27:22 - 00:11:46:21
Sean
And it's based on this book called Skyward. That's a NAS, like an acronym for Gaffney's Numerical Assessment of Redness. And he, Scott Gaffney and Rob Gaffney, they wrote this guidebook on how to attack the mountain and like.

00:11:46:24 - 00:11:47:14
Marty
Get points.

00:11:47:14 - 00:12:15:10
Sean
Points for certain lines, and then you get like extra credit points for doing shit, like going up, skiing up to a bunch of, like a stranger and saying like, Hey, I just want to let you know I'm the best rider on the mountain. Or like, I'm so much sicker than you. Like, I can't believe you're a pro. Just like, skiing naked, like, doing, like the more uncomfortable something made you feel, the more points it was worth And I think I was really I made everybody you like, watch that on the lacrosse team.

00:12:15:11 - 00:12:16:09
Marty
Yes.

00:12:16:11 - 00:12:27:28
Sean
I was like, this movie. It's how I live my life, how to do this. And, um, yeah, I. I had a hard time, like, keeping a desk job.

00:12:28:02 - 00:12:43:05
Marty
Yeah, especially a group. Like. Like what happened to Groupon is it's still around. Like, I think Groupon maybe like one of the prototypical products of, like, zero interest rate policy companies. They just got a shit ton of money. Well, they were huge in Chicago when we were.

00:12:43:06 - 00:13:11:16
Sean
So this was even this is way before zero interest rates. This was like for the longest time it was like, okay, we have like, I don't know, I felt like they really put, um, e-commerce and like email, like, okay, how do we, how do we figure out like what to do with, like social, like sharing and, and like emails and like deals and like, I don't know, I feel like Groupon was just the right place at the right time.

00:13:11:16 - 00:13:36:25
Sean
And everyone figured out like, okay, if we can just get at Groupon deal, like we're going to get in front of so many people, we're going to drive so much traffic to our business. But it was ultimately like a lending platform because really these restaurants were like always strapped for cash and the best deals were like restaurant deals.

00:13:36:25 - 00:13:58:24
Sean
And I'd be like, okay, you try to eat, call a restaurant. You say, okay, so what's your average ticket for for two people? And they'd say, Oh, it's $25. So you say, okay, we'll do a deal. $12 gets you $25 worth of food at, you know, your barbecue restaurant. You get $6 and we get $6. And that those rates aren't don't happen anymore.

00:13:58:24 - 00:14:22:02
Sean
Or at least that's how it worked in the beginning. And so then they would sell like a thousand of these group bonds and so that's 6000 bucks and that's a 6000 bucks that they didn't have to do anything for. And then they get a check, you know, like 30 days later for 6000 bucks. But then they get like slammed business and like the whole staff is like, pissed off.

00:14:22:02 - 00:14:31:01
Sean
The customers get pissed off and like, it's kind of a nightmare. But like, for a while it was like the hottest thing. It was like and it was like, really fun to work there.

00:14:31:07 - 00:14:36:15
Marty
Like, I remember going to visit the Super Fund when some of our friends would work there. It was a campus.

00:14:36:18 - 00:15:12:20
Sean
Every two weeks. There was like 60 people from like Big Ten schools that were just getting like, just graduated that were like rolling in and everyone's making like ten grand a month selling coupons. You know, It was like, crazy. It's great. And everyone's like, partying, like after work every night. Um, and like, you could see it was like instant gratification, you know, you'd like you call business, you do a deal, and then you in like seven days, it would be live on the Internet and then you just like, look at your deal, like after work on your phone, you just be like, you know, refreshing my deal.

00:15:12:20 - 00:15:26:19
Sean
Like how much, you know, calculating your commission in your head, like, nice, nice, nice, like, kind of crazy, you know, thinking back and and thinking about, like, some of the businesses that just, like, got blown out. Yeah.

00:15:26:21 - 00:15:34:05
Marty
Is that not a viable business, Right? Like, imagine the restaurant sells at $5 for 12.

00:15:34:08 - 00:15:40:28
Sean
Yeah. I mean, you can only do it like once a year or like, once very sparingly. But then, like, it's like a drug, like these restaurants.

00:15:40:28 - 00:15:43:18

Are like, Let's do it again. Run it again.

00:15:43:21 - 00:15:46:06
Marty
Are they making money or are they losing money from this?

00:15:46:08 - 00:15:57:11
Sean
It's not. It's like they're usually not making money, but it's like an advertising expense. Yeah, it's kind of how you have to I don't know. Think about it.

00:15:57:13 - 00:15:59:18
Marty
Yeah. You're getting people in hoping they come back.

00:15:59:21 - 00:16:15:26
Sean
Yeah, that's what that was one of our lines. When we call, we like, you know, Would you rather put up a billboard or. Or would you rather have them come in the door and try your food, you know, and let it speak for itself? You know, like, do you think you could get them to come back a second time?

00:16:15:26 - 00:16:17:20
Sean
And they're always like, Yeah, oh yeah.

00:16:17:22 - 00:16:22:01

I can't get come back. It's like, I don't know. Yeah.

00:16:22:04 - 00:16:29:23
Marty
It's funny how that space has evolved now. It's all we think it's taken over Groupon of that.

00:16:29:25 - 00:16:31:00
Sean
I don't know. I mean something.

00:16:31:00 - 00:16:35:13
Marty
Like easy table. Easy table is I'm trying to think of the apps.

00:16:35:15 - 00:16:42:09
Sean
I mean, I don't know any of these. I just do like Instacart.

00:16:42:11 - 00:16:43:15
Marty
Yeah.

00:16:43:17 - 00:16:45:17
Sean
I like, never go out to eat.

00:16:45:19 - 00:17:13:15
Marty
Well, that's the thing. That's like I mean, that's sort of what I wanted to dig into with you. Shawn good friend, founder of Salt of the Earth, which I've been using a lot of, and we've been talking a lot as you've been growing this business over the last six months. And I think having been your friend for shit almost a decade now, more than a decade now, 14 years now, 15 years on this crazy thing, I'm a decade out of college.

00:17:13:17 - 00:17:23:24
Marty
It seems like you're really invigorated about, like starting your own business and leaning in and not only starting your own business, but something that sort of aligns with who you are today because you're not a party boy anymore.

00:17:23:27 - 00:17:24:24

No.

00:17:24:27 - 00:17:26:12
Sean
No, no.

00:17:26:14 - 00:17:28:28
Marty
You've really leaned into the health side of things.

00:17:29:01 - 00:17:35:17
Sean
Yeah, man, I, uh. I'm almost like, seven years. Know, without a drink.

00:17:35:20 - 00:17:39:05
Marty
How's that? How's that? What's. Why did you decide to start?

00:17:39:08 - 00:18:04:21
Sean
Um, so it was on my 30th birthday or, like, right after my 30th birthday, I was, I was listening to this podcast of Tim Ferriss and Laird Hamilton. Mm hmm. And Tim Ferriss was like, So, Laird, if you could tell your 30 year old self like one piece of advice, like, what would it be? And Laird was like, Stop drinking alcohol.

00:18:04:24 - 00:18:25:06
Sean
And I was just like, and Laird's like, you know, you know, Laird, he's like, this epic, like, big wave surfer. He's just like that. I stared and I was like, I want to be like, Laird, like it. I don't know. Something about the way he said it. And like, I was had been giving up alcohol for Lent for like six years.

00:18:25:06 - 00:18:31:22
Sean
And it was always like something that I saw huge benefits from. I was like.

00:18:31:22 - 00:18:33:29

Wow, like my sleep's.

00:18:34:01 - 00:18:44:19
Sean
Better. Like, I'm just like feeling better. It's just all these benefits. And then like also I remember my telling my grandmother, like, like and I was doing this. She's like, Why don't.

00:18:44:19 - 00:18:49:07

You just give up? Just stop. If you keep talking about how great it is, why don't you just stop, All right?

00:18:49:09 - 00:18:58:06
Sean
Maybe. And then, like, she died and then, like, I don't know, a few weeks later, I heard Laird say that, and I was just like, Yeah, I'm like, Try it.

00:18:58:06 - 00:19:01:01
Marty
Maybe that's insane. Do you miss it at all?

00:19:01:04 - 00:19:03:10

No, not really.

00:19:03:12 - 00:19:13:00
Sean
Like, Oh, it's, uh. It's helped me a lot. Just, like, not drinking. Like, um.

00:19:13:03 - 00:19:15:02
Marty
In what ways?

00:19:15:04 - 00:19:38:02
Sean
I mean, really, Like this sleep was probably the biggest thing. Um, I mean, but then the, uh, the drugs didn't really stop after the after the drinking. I let that keep going for another, like, four or five months. And then I got, like, crazy, and then I was like, I got to stop everything.

00:19:38:04 - 00:19:39:07

Oh.

00:19:39:09 - 00:19:41:14
Marty
So you've been completely sober for almost seven years.

00:19:41:14 - 00:19:45:18
Sean
Yeah. Yeah. Pretty wild change.

00:19:45:19 - 00:19:47:14
Marty
How crazy does it get?

00:19:47:16 - 00:20:06:29
Sean
Like I want to share somehow on this podcast, the pictures that we have of, like, popping champagne bottles from like the championship days and like, I mean, I designed a shirt for our lacrosse team that was like it was like a PBR, DePaul, Blue Demons. I don't think I have the shirt anymore, but.

00:20:06:29 - 00:20:08:03
Marty
Jeremy Shockey Sharkey's got once.

00:20:08:03 - 00:20:15:29
Sean
He's got he's got one somewhere. Um, which is another kind of crazy story. Um.

00:20:16:01 - 00:20:20:24
Marty
He became best friends with Jeremy Shockey for a short stint there. So talk to him at all.

00:20:20:27 - 00:20:21:10

Yeah.

00:20:21:17 - 00:21:02:20
Sean
I mean, every once in a while, um, so yeah, that was during the same time actually, that we were doing the coaching. And then I was like, helping out, helping you out with the coaching at DePaul. I went on vacation. Um, so at this company, Bright Tag, they're really flexing the, like, unlimited vacation policy. And I was like, I'm going to take two weeks and go to Vail and a December like Peace and like my brother was like Mountain Safety and Beaver Creek and he was living in this dorm style place called the Tarns.

00:21:02:20 - 00:21:26:06
Sean
And it was like a like a college dorm. I mean, it was like a common room. This was like this big. And then four bedrooms attached and I was sleeping on the couch, but it was ski in, ski out. So I was like skiing a lot. And the second day in, I was getting kind of bored because they all had like, jobs and I could only ski with like my brother like half the day certain days.

00:21:26:09 - 00:22:01:24
Sean
And so I found out that you could the private lessons were $1,000 a day. And I was like, I could do that. Like, I'm like better skier than this guy. And so I posted an ad on Craigslist saying, you know, I'll give free snowboard lessons, skiing or snowboarding lessons. Um, anywhere in like Summit County, like around. And so I'm getting hit up like crazy and I have like these two girls that want to go snowboarding.

00:22:01:26 - 00:22:23:02
Sean
I've never given a lesson and I go to the bar that night and I it's Jeremy Shockey sits down right next to me and I was like, Whoa. Like, Sky's massive. And I was like, Can I get a, like, picture? And I'm like, just hanging with him. And he's like, and I'm wearing like, I have a little bit of gear, like, gear like, I'm wearing a hat that says, like, Beaver Creek.

00:22:23:02 - 00:22:35:11
Sean
It kind of looks like I'm like, I work for the mountain a little bit. And he's like, What do you do? What are you doing here? And I was like, Yeah, well, I'm giving these two girls snowboarding lessons tomorrow.

00:22:35:13 - 00:22:42:00

And he's like, Dude, let's find these girls. He's like, He's like.

00:22:42:02 - 00:23:02:29
Sean
Give me your number. And cause there's no girls in the mountain towns. It's like 8 to 1 ratio. So he's like, text me the next day. He's like, Oh, what are you guys doing? I was like, Hey, sorry. Like the next day the girls bail. They're like, hung over, not going to, not going to go skiing. And so Shockey was like, Well, all right, well, can you give me and my friend like lessons?

00:23:03:01 - 00:23:32:02
Sean
I was like, Sure. I've never gotten a lesson before and like, I have a GoPro and he introduces me. This guy, this guy's name's Fred, and he's like in his fifties and he's like very beginner snowboarder. And he's like, Okay, so how does this work? Like you're like, free or what? And I was like, Look, I, um, it's it's known as pirate instruction on the mountain.

00:23:32:04 - 00:23:52:11
Sean
Like, you get banned for life if you get caught doing this at Vail Resorts. I didn't know that at the time, but like they they'll, they'll try to throw a felony at you saying it's like theft of service from Vail Resorts. It's federal wildlife land like all this bullshit so you have to you can't like you can't even post that on Craigslist anymore.

00:23:52:15 - 00:24:14:26
Sean
They they like scan it and they'll pull it down. But I was like, look, I'm not like, not really allowed to, like, charge you for a lesson, but like, if you want to give me a tip, you can, um, it's a thousand. Or you can go pay $1,000 to, to Vail. And like, I have a GoPro, I'm going to make a video.

00:24:14:26 - 00:24:27:18
Sean
It's going to be, like, way sicker than whatever you're going to get from the get from that, you know, idiot. And he was like, okay, let's do it. And he just throws me like 500 bucks, cash like Fred right away slaps my hand. I was like.

00:24:27:23 - 00:24:28:25

All right.

00:24:28:27 - 00:24:49:29
Sean
We're in business. And then like the next day he just does it again. He just, like, keeps doing it. And then I'm like, hanging out. It's like him and shock. And then after a week of doing that, they're like, okay, every time we come back and these guys are in Miami and they're like, every time we come back out to the mountain, like we're going to fly out from Chicago and you'll like, be our guy.

00:24:50:02 - 00:24:50:28

I was like, All right.

00:24:51:00 - 00:25:13:25
Sean
Sweet. So like, that was like Christmas. I did that and then like, spring break, I did that, and then another Christmas, another spring break and then, you know, two Christmases. And then they were like, okay, like they offered me a job in, like, their family office in South Beach, and I moved down. 2014.

00:25:13:27 - 00:25:14:21
Marty
You've been in Miami ever.

00:25:14:21 - 00:25:16:04
Sean
Since? I've been there ever since.

00:25:16:04 - 00:25:17:07
Marty
You like Miami?

00:25:17:10 - 00:25:21:16
Sean
I do like it, yeah. Miami Beach. South Beach.

00:25:21:18 - 00:25:23:28
Marty
I think it suits your needs better than Chicago.

00:25:24:00 - 00:25:40:29
Sean
I mean, I did. Yeah, I was like I was living with my parents right before that. Like, I was, like, had lost. Eventually lost that job with Bright Tag now and they changed their name like, a bunch of times. But yeah, it was like.

00:25:40:29 - 00:25:42:07
Marty
Taking too many vacations.

00:25:42:13 - 00:25:43:23
Sean
It's probably yeah, they're just like.

00:25:43:26 - 00:25:44:28

Is this fucking guy.

00:25:44:28 - 00:25:48:09
Sean
Like, thinks he's like a lacrosse coach and a snowboard instructor. Like, you got.

00:25:48:09 - 00:25:52:28

A job to do, buddy? Like, it's like I call us.

00:25:52:28 - 00:26:17:02
Sean
Nobody cares about tag management. Also, at the time, I was trying to sell a technology for, like, a stupid amount of money, like $5,000 a month at Google had just came out. I was like Google tag manager and that was free. And everyone's like, Oh, you're going to take your call. So, uh, yeah.

00:26:17:04 - 00:26:25:02
Marty
And again, it doesn't seem like you're, you're cut out to work for somebody, which is like.

00:26:25:05 - 00:26:28:25
Sean
Believe me, I've tried. I, you know, I've tried.

00:26:28:27 - 00:26:42:16
Marty
But I'm the same way. Yeah, I tried to quit many times, but it's that thing. It's that nagging thing. And you were like, Oh, I'm not liking this life short. Like, I got to go after something I want. It's.

00:26:42:18 - 00:27:04:00
Sean
Yeah. So then after the family office thing, I, I got a job with Oxygen.com and that was like, I was like, okay, this is cool. This is like tech, this is real estate. And I was like, doing a lot of real estate stuff and tech stuff. And then I was just like, This is just getting kind of bored.

00:27:04:00 - 00:27:09:22
Sean
And I, I went to this like coding boot camp. Then you do a design called.

00:27:09:22 - 00:27:10:15
Marty
Design Boot Camp.

00:27:10:15 - 00:27:34:01
Sean
Now see, I was like, I'm going to do that. I was like, I want to like, build something, you know, like and that was 2017 and like, right before that, like kind of, like during, in the middle of that, I was like, okay, I'm going to try to start a snowboarding, a plant based approach. I was like, really into I had just watched what the health and was like.

00:27:34:04 - 00:27:37:00
Sean
I was like, okay, I'm going to try the vegan thing.

00:27:37:00 - 00:27:38:09
Marty
Hardcore. Oh God.

00:27:38:12 - 00:27:39:10
Sean
I went there.

00:27:39:10 - 00:27:40:06
Marty
At some store for.

00:27:40:06 - 00:27:42:10
Sean
Like a year. I was like, hardcore.

00:27:42:11 - 00:27:43:28
Marty
How unhealthy did you get?

00:27:44:01 - 00:27:57:24
Sean
I mean, I was training for an Ironman too, so and I was like, Oh, I'm, I'm, I'm following the ritual playbook, you know, like this guy did five Ironman in like five days. And to me that was like and he was like 50. And I was like.

00:27:57:27 - 00:28:01:07
Marty
Okay, as a vegan, Yeah.

00:28:01:09 - 00:28:23:06
Sean
But then like now there's guys like James Lawrence who did like 50 Ironman and 50 states in 50 days. He's done 100. He just did this thing that I call like he did like 100 Ironman in a row. This he's not vegan like these guys. I even met like other like crazy Ironman athletes. And I was like, Yeah, I'm doing like vegan thing.

00:28:23:06 - 00:28:52:18
Sean
And they were like, Dude, what are you doing? Like, now? But I don't know. For some people it works. I tried it and I was like, maybe. And I wanted to create a product because I saw this girl. Her name is Michelle Lewin. She's like, O.G., Instagram fitness, fitness influencer. She's like, She was like the first one. She was in my lived in my building in South Beach, and I'd see her at the gym and I was like, Yeah, she's pretty fit.

00:28:52:20 - 00:29:03:20
Sean
But like, she just made it look really easy, you know? Like she has probably like 50 million followers on Instagram now and like, she's, she launched some products and just like, blew up. And I.

00:29:03:20 - 00:29:05:24

Was like, Oh my God, like.

00:29:05:27 - 00:29:17:14
Sean
This, Crazy. Like, you just needed, like, I don't know, be fair and, like, come up with a product and like, put it on Instagram and it'll sell. And you got to be like a hot girl.

00:29:17:16 - 00:29:19:28
Marty
That helps. Yeah.

00:29:20:01 - 00:29:50:21
Sean
But then I was like, in South Beach, you know, trying to sell a snowboarding plant based, like high altitude training, protein powder, just like it just, like, didn't work. It wasn't. It just it just didn't work. And so then I was like, and it was all kind of falling apart while I was doing the coding boot camp. And so then I was like, okay, I'm gonna like try to get more like technical and like, learn more about, like how to build a company on my own.

00:29:50:21 - 00:30:13:10
Sean
Like, I just, I want to build something and kind of got into like, uh, like the DevOps stuff like us and, uh, just like cloud architecture. And then, well, at a coding boot camp, I made a product I actually won, actually, you know, who's in my boot camp was Sam Abbasi.

00:30:13:15 - 00:30:15:12
Marty
Mm hmm. Yeah.

00:30:15:14 - 00:30:16:29
Sean
Who's been on the podcast?

00:30:17:03 - 00:30:21:29
Marty
On podcast. 1031 Portfolio company. Ho Second, they actually just made a big announcement today what it was.

00:30:22:01 - 00:30:25:06
Sean
What's the deal? What's he what's he up to? I haven't talked to him in, like, forever.

00:30:25:06 - 00:30:47:08
Marty
He found a company Husky, and there they essentially are creating a tool that allows you to validate that you own Bitcoin. And so they just announced this partnership with Bitwise, which launched one of the ETFs where like, oh, will help validate and do proof of reserves for them so that they can prove the ETF actually has the Bitcoin.

00:30:47:10 - 00:30:54:26
Sean
Oh, so we had this competition at the end of the boot camp.

00:30:54:28 - 00:30:57:02
Marty
I want was it your.

00:30:57:04 - 00:31:21:00
Sean
It was it was called Cabbage Patch. It was the dollar cost averaging app. And um, it worked actually worked like I like was able to like, you know, scrap it together and like get it to work. And then I tried to actually, um, Sam and a his team actually tried to like buy me or like a figure out there, like, let's work together.

00:31:21:00 - 00:31:48:29
Sean
And I was like, uh, I don't know, I'm going to try to sell this thing on my own. And I had this guy who started a company. He, he was like, had some he just sort of raised like, explain the explain the app. So the app is called Cabbage Patch, and it was it hooked up to your bank account and every after every year it would round up every purchase and then buy Bitcoin with the spare change.

00:31:49:01 - 00:32:16:10
Sean
Um, so if you bought this coffee for, you know, any sense, it would round up to a dollar and it took that $0.20 invested in a bitcoin. The problem is if you're buying bitcoin at $0.20, the commission is like huge at the transaction. It was like doesn't really make sense to buy that much, that small amount, that small amount of bitcoin that frequently.

00:32:16:13 - 00:32:39:07
Sean
So what it turning to was an app that just bought bitcoin. It would be like the way that the work around was like, okay, we're going to tally up your spare change at the end of the month. And it was usually around 20 bucks. And so that was, that was like the app. It was basically like 20 bucks on average, like you're going to buy every month and like on autopilot.

00:32:39:13 - 00:32:46:00
Sean
Um, and yeah, a bunch of apps kind of came out at the same time doing the same thing.

00:32:46:00 - 00:32:47:19
Marty
You can do that with Cash app now.

00:32:47:21 - 00:32:48:20
Sean
You could do with Cash App.

00:32:48:23 - 00:32:51:02

At the time you couldn't do it with cash.

00:32:51:02 - 00:32:53:04
Marty
And maybe planted the idea.

00:32:53:04 - 00:33:07:23
Sean
And then I mean there's like there was, I wasn't the first one to have the idea there is there is a couple other out there like but there is there was a guy actually he had the best one that was called coin flash. I remember I remember just staring at his site.

00:33:07:23 - 00:33:10:08

And be like, Damn, this guy's so good.

00:33:10:10 - 00:33:12:09
Marty
I was calling Flash.

00:33:12:12 - 00:33:16:06
Sean
The same thing, but like he had you could buy like coins to buy.

00:33:16:06 - 00:33:17:23
Marty
Etc.. It sounds terrible.

00:33:17:25 - 00:33:30:20
Sean
You could be like he also was better with JavaScript and like, so the front end looked really slick. It was like a lot of a lot of toggles and moving parts. I was just like, Ooh, like, that's nice.

00:33:30:22 - 00:33:40:27
Marty
We're like, I think I was saying this earlier. I think to Parker you were probably one of the only dudes at the part that listen to me. Back in the day, I was like, You guys should, like, maybe look into Bitcoin.

00:33:41:00 - 00:33:43:10
Sean
Yeah, No, we were.

00:33:43:13 - 00:33:44:02

I think the.

00:33:44:02 - 00:33:49:13
Sean
First time I heard about Bitcoin was, um.

00:33:49:15 - 00:33:50:09

I had.

00:33:50:12 - 00:34:24:13
Sean
A couple of friends that had this other startup that had this one engineer from Notre Dame, and he was like, I just heard he was like, he just had bought like so much bitcoin. It was like this. And, and he, he was like, just like a dirty, nerdy, like, super nice guy, super brilliant guy. And I just kept hearing this story about how he, like, you know, hit it big and then lost it all, you know, like he got hacked or something.

00:34:24:13 - 00:34:38:09

It was like, Oh, like Joel, you have like 10 million Bitcoin and you just like and then he but then some version hacker took it all and then he moved to Africa or something. And I was like, Man, what is this Bitcoin?

00:34:38:09 - 00:34:48:09
Sean
And then like, I remember you and me chatting about it, like probably, yeah, early on, just like in guys, like.

00:34:48:11 - 00:34:51:13

Like, are you following this stuff like this? It's like, pretty wild.

00:34:51:16 - 00:35:03:02
Marty
Yeah, it was when I was working at a Dearborn, I forgot about chit chat. It was like you, my wife, and like two other people. I would g chat chats, and that's where I would like. And I was like, Dude.

00:35:03:04 - 00:35:04:06
Sean
You should check this out.

00:35:04:06 - 00:35:09:00

Yeah, yeah. Oh, for sure. This is like, this is some big stuff here.

00:35:09:02 - 00:35:12:13
Marty
What do you think about it now, ten years later?

00:35:12:16 - 00:35:36:01
Sean
Yeah, it's like it's still, like, very legit. I mean, it's like, gotten, um. I personally, I feel like it's sometimes I get a little, like, depressed about bitcoin just because, like, for it to really, like, thrive. I feel like the world just kind of has to fall apart.

00:35:36:02 - 00:35:37:09
Marty
I don't think so.

00:35:37:11 - 00:35:46:08
Sean
Like, I feel like it's constantly like you're waiting for, like, like it's a lot of doom and gloom.

00:35:46:10 - 00:35:57:22
Marty
There is a lot of doom and gloom, but I don't think like that necessarily needs to fall apart. I think the likelihood of the world falling apart is pretty high. It's not. Yeah, and that's why Bitcoin exists.

00:35:57:27 - 00:36:12:07
Sean
Yeah. Like it's it's nice. It's it's great to have like I just think it's like amazing. It's great. But I feel like when I get really into it, like when I, when I see like, like the whole Twitter, like worlds, I'm just.

00:36:12:07 - 00:36:19:12

Like, oh, like that's so, like, dark sometimes. I mean, it's like, it's so like I.

00:36:19:14 - 00:36:33:23
Sean
I don't know, I, I like, keep my distance like a healthy distance, but I'm still like, paying attention and like, seeing what's going on all the time. Yeah. Like I loved going to El Salvador, like Bitcoin Beach.

00:36:33:26 - 00:36:36:09
Marty
And you went there, you go there with Athena.

00:36:36:12 - 00:36:56:19
Sean
So I went there while I went there by myself. Um, I had brought my girlfriend at the time and I just wanted to, like, go surf there and, like, check it out. And then, and like, buying pupusas with, you know, like bitcoin and stuff and like, going to restaurants and, like, buying food with Bitcoin. I was like, This is awesome.

00:36:56:20 - 00:37:18:04
Sean
I was like, This is like, real happening. I was like four years ago. Three, I don't know. Yeah, like three or four years ago, I was doing that and, and then I saw though, and I met like the strike guys down there and I really wanted a bitcoin beach t shirt like that was like, Oh, these are sick.

00:37:18:09 - 00:37:27:07
Sean
And then as they're giving me one, they're like, Oh, you're in Miami, Can you give one to Mayor Suarez? I was like, like, I don't know the guy.

00:37:27:09 - 00:37:28:25

Like.

00:37:28:27 - 00:37:43:23
Sean
And they're like, Dear, just take one and get, get it to him. I was like, okay. So then like when I landed, I deemed him and he like I was like, Hey, I got this shirt from Bitcoin Beach guys, can I, like, bring it over? And he was like, Yeah, come on. Tomorrow.

00:37:43:25 - 00:37:46:08

I was like, Oh.

00:37:46:10 - 00:37:52:19
Sean
And then I was like, Is this actually him or is this? And he was like, Yeah, that's me. I was like.

00:37:52:21 - 00:37:53:29
Marty
Where did you meet him?

00:37:54:01 - 00:38:03:05
Sean
City Hall. He was there, dude. It was crazy because he the two buildings in Surfside had just gone down. I remember when I had.

00:38:03:06 - 00:38:08:11
Marty
Oh yeah, I've got some theories on that one. Oh.

00:38:08:14 - 00:38:09:04
Sean
Oh, yeah.

00:38:09:04 - 00:38:12:21

Let's yeah.

00:38:12:23 - 00:38:29:09
Marty
There is a theory out there. So the theory for those buildings is that John McAfee's dead man switch was located. What was the theory out there? Have you heard this one, Luke? Now, there's a theory that John McAfee's dead man switch was located in that building. They had to take it down.

00:38:29:12 - 00:38:33:18
Sean
So John McAfee is not just, like, alive somewhere like in the Caribbean.

00:38:33:18 - 00:38:38:08
Marty
He may be, you know, his dead man switching to go off. Why not?

00:38:38:11 - 00:38:41:19
Sean
What does a dead man's switch do or what is a dead man's switch?

00:38:41:20 - 00:38:44:05
Marty
So if you're worried that the government or somebody is going to.

00:38:44:07 - 00:38:45:00
Sean
Take you down, take.

00:38:45:00 - 00:38:46:12
Marty
You down, you.

00:38:46:15 - 00:38:48:06
Sean
You're going to take to put.

00:38:48:06 - 00:39:00:19
Marty
Something. Yeah, you put something on a computer and you say, Hey, if I don't interact with this for X amount of time, like send the emails to the people or do something with the data. Uh.

00:39:00:21 - 00:39:14:16
Sean
Uh, well, well, Suarez Just a theory. He was dealing. He was, he was in the middle of all that. He was like, he was in the middle of all that, and he was like, just swing by like 130.

00:39:14:19 - 00:39:15:25

It's like, okay.

00:39:15:28 - 00:39:39:00
Sean
I like to show up. I was like, I got to get a picked ID, like, send it to the boys down in El Salvador. And he's like, he's wearing like fire department gear and he's holding up the Bitcoin beach shirt. I have like, it's a great pic. Um, but then I went back with Athena, so, you know, Matty is going horn.

00:39:39:00 - 00:40:07:27
Sean
He's like the president now of Athena. He he was like, head of sales or the head of Latin America because they're like a Chicago based company. Yeah. Um, Bitcoin ATMs. Athena And he had, he was like, yeah. Oh, Bitcoin was becoming legal tender in El Salvador, September 7th, I remember. And it was like August, I was just there in May and August rolls around.

00:40:07:27 - 00:40:13:08
Sean
I was like, Dude, like, this is cool. What's happening down there? You're like, They're a lot, right?

00:40:13:08 - 00:40:16:06

He's like, he's like, Yeah.

00:40:16:08 - 00:40:29:28
Sean
I'm actually like part of the team to, like, help with the Chivo wallet and, like, get businesses down there, like, ready to go and like, he's like, I'm, I need so much help right now. He's like, Actually, can you come down and help me?

00:40:30:00 - 00:40:32:10

I was like, What? It's like, okay.

00:40:32:12 - 00:40:35:15
Sean
It's like, can you get on a flight tomorrow? I was like, Yeah.

00:40:35:17 - 00:40:37:14

Let's go. I just.

00:40:37:14 - 00:41:11:09
Sean
Like, show up and do this like Airbnb that they, they rent it out and it was like a war room. It was like it was like 12 dudes in this Airbnb and they had all these, like card readers that were like chievo wallet and like government sponsored and like, I have another picture that I'll send you. Logan This is like me at this desk, this table with like the whole, with, like this whole operation of, like people that were like, it was very it felt very cool.

00:41:11:10 - 00:41:30:10
Sean
Like, very, like, pull it. I was in with, like the, the whole, like top dogs, like, okay, we're, we're making this happen with bitcoin. It's like we got to get Walmart to be able to accept Bitcoin here and like the McDonald's and like all the everything is going to have to accept bitcoin in four weeks. Like, are you ready?

00:41:30:10 - 00:41:32:10
Sean
And I was like, Dude, what are you going to have me to even do?

00:41:32:17 - 00:41:35:16

I don't even know what's going on here.

00:41:35:19 - 00:41:42:18
Sean
And they, they just I didn't really know. It was like it was just a madhouse. It was like, seriously mad.

00:41:42:24 - 00:41:48:08
Marty
The fact that you were like, I didn't know this until about the fact that you're, like, in the room and all this is.

00:41:48:14 - 00:41:54:27
Sean
Like, boo, like brother is like, running this shit. And he's like, walks in the room and, and like, Mitch, he is, is like.

00:41:54:27 - 00:41:57:23

Under the desk, like, no gel. Like.

00:41:57:26 - 00:42:02:20
Sean
Like where? And there was like we were getting, like, escorted around and stuff and.

00:42:02:27 - 00:42:03:21
Marty
What did you actually do.

00:42:03:21 - 00:42:04:23

So they, you know.

00:42:04:25 - 00:42:22:24
Sean
So they wanted me to look like I was like part of the team. They were trying to, like, make their team look like bigger and like, smarter and like, American. I don't know. And like, Mathias was like, we'll figure something out for you to do. Like, maybe you can help us out with, like, the idea of as infrastructure or something, or like, we'll figure something out for you to do.

00:42:22:26 - 00:42:38:07
Sean
And after like a day or two of just like, hanging out with them, I was like, I just I don't see what I'm going to do here. Like, I don't know how I'm going to be adding value. Like, this is like, you know, there's it was just kind of a wild, wild West.

00:42:38:10 - 00:42:40:16

And what was I do.

00:42:40:16 - 00:42:42:22
Marty
This is some incredible insight into the rollout.

00:42:42:22 - 00:42:43:24

Of dude so.

00:42:43:24 - 00:42:44:29
Marty
Oh, elated.

00:42:45:01 - 00:42:49:17
Sean
So such incredible such incredible insight that I was like.

00:42:49:19 - 00:42:53:07

How can I how can I make money off this situation?

00:42:53:09 - 00:43:06:02
Sean
I was like, Athena was trading on an exchange and the price of Athena was like $0.80.

00:43:06:04 - 00:43:06:21
Marty
To.

00:43:06:23 - 00:43:06:28

Get.

00:43:06:28 - 00:43:25:16
Sean
Myself in trouble. Yeah, no, I because I alt at all and nothing wrong happened. So I actually I was like because they were didn't know how they were going to pay me either. They're like, oh maybe we'll give you shares of the company. I was like, What does this company even worth? So I'm like looking at these filings and like trying to figure understand the business.

00:43:25:16 - 00:43:26:13
Sean
And.

00:43:26:15 - 00:43:30:13

And then I was like, You know what? I'm going to buy.

00:43:30:16 - 00:43:57:00
Sean
You know, I've been I've been known to option trade for my day. You know, my dad was a broker dealer at the Board of Trade, and I've just been into it. And I was like, yeah, I could buy some of these options on this. Athena stock that's, you know, $0.80. And I bought like $1,000 worth it. And and then I told I told Mathias I was like, Dude, I just like, I just bought some, some Athena stock.

00:43:57:00 - 00:44:16:01
Sean
And he was like, he's like, yeah, like, I don't know if that's going to be like, doing it. Like, he was just like, yeah, I don't know about that, that move. And I was like, really like this guy. I was like he was, he talked me out. It he basically, like, made me think like, oh, this is a bad move.

00:44:16:06 - 00:44:37:24
Sean
Like I'm and I was like, you know, I'm gonna cash out. I'm just going to get out of this the next day. It's someone leaks that like Athena's, it's on Twitter. Someone leaks like Athena's the one rolling out Chievo wallet in Bitcoin price shoots up to like $30. It would have been worth a lot. And I was just like, Fuck, man.

00:44:37:24 - 00:44:43:18
Sean
I felt that was like my shot and yeah.

00:44:43:20 - 00:44:46:04
Marty
Unfortunately you couldn't incriminate yourself because you sold.

00:44:46:06 - 00:44:48:00
Sean
I did sell.

00:44:48:02 - 00:44:48:23

Yeah.

00:44:48:26 - 00:44:59:08
Marty
This is the the weird world of Sean McDonald. I just end up in these places next to Jeremy Shockey in the war room with Buckley's team as they're rolling out that coin.

00:44:59:11 - 00:45:01:27
Sean
Yeah, that was. That was crazy.

00:45:02:00 - 00:45:06:02
Marty
How do you how do you end up in these situations?

00:45:06:04 - 00:45:17:16
Sean
Um, I don't know. I probably just following the curiosity. I feel like that's probably how I ended up there and just, like, willing to, like, kind of go for it.

00:45:17:19 - 00:45:18:09
Marty
To send it.

00:45:18:09 - 00:45:19:09
Sean
If you will. Yeah, just.

00:45:19:13 - 00:45:20:07

Just.

00:45:20:10 - 00:45:23:03
Sean
Send it here.

00:45:23:05 - 00:45:26:03
Marty
That I did not know that you never told me that story.

00:45:26:05 - 00:45:46:12
Sean
Yeah, I'm almost positive I've told you that story. Like, I feel like there's more to it, too. I mean, I still keep in touch with those guys. Like, I shout out Carlos, this guy, he's like an attorney down there. And he was like, Dude, I sent him some salt of the earth. He, like, loves it. It's like, Oh, we got to get this down there.

00:45:46:15 - 00:45:51:28
Sean
But like, shipping internationally is like, I don't know.

00:45:52:00 - 00:46:04:21
Marty
Let's, let's dive into this, okay? Like, I love this shit to working a lot. It's funny, having known you for 15 years. Yeah, made me room is finally I only found his name here. What's been like starting this company?

00:46:04:24 - 00:46:32:04
Sean
This has been super fun. I mean, um, so I have kind of always been into this. Like, I worked at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in high school. It was like, across the street from high school. Barrington It's not there anymore, but it used to be one of their like hubs and so I would do these different, like lab tests and try new flavors and they would analyze my sweat.

00:46:32:04 - 00:46:49:09
Sean
And it was kind of just like this weird, you know, side gig that I did for like ten years. It was like always like, hey, like I get an envelope in the mail. That's how or I'd get an email, actually, and they'd say like, Yeah, we got this new ten week study like, Are you available? It pays like 50 bucks an hour.

00:46:49:09 - 00:47:20:00
Sean
I was like, always, like, Yeah, yeah, hell yeah. That train is always on time. And then I just was like, failing with my own, you know, with the protein powder and then like, just like, started to do e-commerce stuff the last year on Amazon and I was reselling other brands like I was reselling a lot of shoes, a lot of Nike, Adidas and Puma, New Balance.

00:47:20:03 - 00:47:52:03
Sean
And I was like, Man, I want to just sell my own brand. The margins are so much better. And um, kind of went on this like this, like surf sabbatical all last year where I was like, you know, I had this video editing agency that I stumbled upon to where I met Ryan Breslau. He was like my I met him at this party, at this like hackathon party in my at Miami hack week and just like started talking to him and whatever.

00:47:52:03 - 00:48:19:25
Sean
And then I like showed him a video that I made for a VC, Atomic Ventures that I was like, I don't know what I was doing. I just made this cool video. It was actually a video of pump and, um. ABRAMS Uh, Abraham, I forget the guy's name, Uh, but it was a video of pump actually, and I showed it to him and I was like, Yo, like, Ryan, do you know anyone that would, like, want videos like this?

00:48:19:27 - 00:48:27:03
Sean
And he was like, me, I want these. Like, okay, like how many is like, a lot?

00:48:27:06 - 00:48:29:07

And I'm like, okay.

00:48:29:07 - 00:48:46:10
Sean
And again, never had had no experience doing this at all. I was like, okay, well, we can go rent a studio just kind of like this. We just go rent a studio for like an hour and a half. And I would just like talk to him and ask him questions, kind of like a podcast, and he would just like, talk.

00:48:46:10 - 00:49:05:12
Sean
And then I, I had a team in the Philippines that were just like, cut it up and animate it and then he would like, share it. And then after he started posting these, I started like getting more clients, like people that were just like, Y'all make those for me. And then, and that that was a business that was 0% interest.

00:49:05:12 - 00:49:30:29
Sean
Like everybody had money for that. And then they didn't like I was like, Now this is like the price came way down. The air tools got way more advanced, like so like I had that business going with the shoes and then I was also selling offshore software development people because I just like knew how to code. I just like kind of sucked at it and I was like, I'm better at sales.

00:49:30:29 - 00:49:52:09
Sean
I could just get these guys in India or South America or whoever and link them up with companies here in the U.S. and so, yeah, I just kind of like had all these different things going on. And then at the beginning of 2023, I was like, I started this like surf adventure. I was like, okay, I'm going to Costa Rica for a month.

00:49:52:11 - 00:50:13:10
Sean
Uh, I'm getting ready to go to this place, the mental wise, in Indonesia. Have you ever, you know, the mental health? So I'm like, I booked this trip with four guys from University of Denver when I went there. Um, and these are like good snowboarders and friends and we all kind of picked up surfing later on and we had just put this trip in the books.

00:50:13:10 - 00:50:35:14
Sean
It's kind of like one of those like destination, like bucket list surf trips. I was not prepared. Like I, my skill level was like not there. And so I was like, I'd spent a month in Costa Rica, surf every day. I, like had like this like coach that just like with, like scream at me and like, really, like, really push me hard.

00:50:35:16 - 00:50:52:14
Sean
And then after that, I was like, Oh, I'm going to go to Nicaragua. And I actually linked up with Ryan O'Rourke. You remember him? Yeah, he's living. He was living in Santa Teresa. Another guy we played lacrosse with. He was living in Santa Teresa and he was like, Dude, I'm moving to Nicaragua.

00:50:52:19 - 00:50:55:15

I was like, Why? Because I got too crowded here.

00:50:55:17 - 00:51:24:20
Sean
And it's too crowded. It's too expensive. Like, I want to go to Nicaragua. So then I went there for a month and I was in this place called Hacienda Iguana, which is like this bubble retirement community that has two world class waves. One's called panga drops and one's called Colorados, Colorado. This is like super famous wave that wasn't working the whole time that I was there, but I was still surfing, paying a drops every day.

00:51:24:22 - 00:51:48:18
Sean
So then I go to. Then I go back to Miami. I'm still like doing the shoes thing, but it's just like, kind of like whatever it's like. And then I go to Portugal, surf in Eerie Sierra for a while, check out Nasri, meet up with one of my friends. Then we go to the mental wise, and once we're in the mental wise, it was like, I mean, amazing.

00:51:48:18 - 00:52:14:12
Sean
Like heaven is like two weeks of just like we stay at this place called Awara Resort. And, you know, it is like it is like summer camp for adults. You know, you're you wake up at 6 a.m. and was awesome. It's like you're just like with your boys the whole time. You know, it's like you wake up at 6 a.m., have a coffee, and then you get in this boat and the boat takes you to these waves and like, perfect waves.

00:52:14:14 - 00:52:26:09
Sean
And you're they're all by yourself with, like, you know, you're dudes and and you got, like, the music in the boat and it's kind of cool or whatever, and you just surf for, like, 3 hours till you're, like, dead. And then you get off, go back.

00:52:26:12 - 00:52:27:10

Eat.

00:52:27:12 - 00:52:55:17
Sean
Go back, do it again for like ten days straight. You just did that. And it was like so it was like, amazing. And you're also eating like, really great food. And while that's happening, I'm like, kind of renting out my my studio in South Beach. The whole time. I had like kind of figured out I was listing my South Beach apartment and, uh, apartments dot com and I was like, getting people like and I was like, okay, yeah, like rent.

00:52:55:19 - 00:53:16:12
Sean
I was just like, able to kind of, like, make it, like, swing it. And then when I was in mental wise, some girl was like, I want to book it for two months. I was like, okay, So she books it for two months and I was like, Where am I going to go? Like, And while I was there, everyone's like, You got to go to Bali.

00:53:16:14 - 00:53:39:02
Sean
Like, we're here. It's like, close. Like, it's like, it's about to be peak season over there for surfing. Like you got to go. And so I was like, All right, I got to go. So then I find this spot in Bali. I book it like pay for the two months in advance, and then I get there and the girl flakes at the last second that was supposed to rent in spots.

00:53:39:02 - 00:53:40:04

I'm like, fuck.

00:53:40:06 - 00:53:56:23
Sean
Like, I'm trying to get out of this now. I'm like and I can't get out of it. I can't get my money back. So I'm like, I just got to eat this and I'm going to stay and make the best of it. And so I'm like, I'm like, I need to start a new business. I'm like, I'm running out of money.

00:53:56:23 - 00:54:30:07
Sean
I'm like, I got to start something new. And I was surfing super hard in the morning, like I'd wake up at like six, five, 36, surf for like 2 hours. And then I go to this place by training center. It was like, amazing. Just like, you know, like amazing, good looking people that are working out, sweating heavy. And then after that there's like a restaurant where everyone's, like, hanging out and then go to this place called Santo and there's like an amazing sauna ice bath.

00:54:30:09 - 00:54:54:26
Sean
So I do that whole thing, that whole thing by 11 and I'd be done by like 11 and I'd be just dead, like, totally. And I'd be like, okay, try to like I'd go to this co-working space after and try to, like, get some work done on my businesses and stuff. And I just like, had no energy and I was like drinking caffeine and like drinking tons of water in lots of food and like, couldn't, couldn't wake up, like I couldn't get it going.

00:54:54:26 - 00:55:17:08
Sean
And then I started to just like, add salt, just like pink Himalayan salt. And I was like waking up. And it just changed everything. Like I was totally a different person. I was able to just like, push through and recover and like, get up and just like, keep going. And so I was like, Man, I'm here. Like, I want to, like, make the best of every single day.

00:55:17:11 - 00:55:55:02
Sean
I don't know if I'm ever to come back to this place like, I want to like, I want to surf every day, every morning, like I want to be out there. And, um, so that, yeah, it just like, helped me, like, get through it. And then I was like, I was there and I was like, talking to, you know, different suppliers and started to, like, visit them and like, tweak the formula and just like, really, like, get into it and like, working on, you know, working on the, uh, the packaging and the design and like, going back and forth with like different designers and like people in the Philippines that I knew that were like,

00:55:55:05 - 00:56:18:16
Sean
you know, Sri Lanka, like all everyone was like, no one was, you know, I'm the only US based part of this brand really for now. But, um, yeah, I was just like really just hustling to, like, make it happen. And I was starting to take while I was in Bali, I was like, I'm going to start taking preorders.

00:56:18:18 - 00:56:21:28
Sean
Like I have the formula kind of like, figured out like halfway.

00:56:21:28 - 00:56:23:15
Marty
How did you come up with a formula?

00:56:23:17 - 00:56:59:01
Sean
The formula was I wanted to, so I was like looking at Liquid Ivy and Element and I was kind of like, okay, these are like, these are the big boys. And first I was like, Okay, yeah. Liquid Ivy's definitely like the biggest boy. I mean, they, they that founder. I had kind of like, you know, admired his story, heard him talk about how he saw the product being developed, uh, or he saw like pro baseball players drinking Pedialyte and was like, this is kind of like, ridiculous.

00:56:59:01 - 00:57:26:17
Sean
We should come up with something different. And, um, he, he just inspired me. And then, but I also really liked the element, guys. I was just like, these guys are. This seems like the more advanced way to do this. Like this. And then in just trying the different products myself, I was like, this is more the, the product that I think makes me feel the best.

00:57:26:19 - 00:57:48:19
Sean
Um, like I feel like with Liquid Ivy, there's like all these, like B vitamins and like bunch of bullshit that just, like, doesn't really do anything. It's not like really going to make you feel that much better. Like, the salt is like, you could just do the salt, Like you could just buy pink Himalayan salt in the morning and like, not use this and like, yeah, you know, you'll, you'll feel it.

00:57:48:21 - 00:57:52:01

But it doesn't taste good. What does it do.

00:57:52:04 - 00:58:14:06
Sean
The salt really like kind of like pushes water into your cells, like sodium, just like it's kind of like the simplest way I can like, explain it, but, um, yeah, I mean, it's really replacing also just replacing what you lose in sweat, you know, just like how Gatorade always sold it to you.

00:58:14:08 - 00:58:18:23
Marty
Yeah. And they like because I've seen you do like the demos of like where you put the thing into.

00:58:18:27 - 00:58:19:25
Sean
The metric meter.

00:58:19:25 - 00:58:23:06
Marty
Yeah, the metric meter and that. So what's happening there.

00:58:23:08 - 00:58:56:25
Sean
So that is a sensor. It's a piece of plastic that's like a straw that's held out by two copper wires and it measures the, the like strength of the charge between the two copper wires. And when there's a stronger electro, uh, like concentration, it's just like a stronger current. It's like, it's just like a stronger charge in your body.

00:58:56:28 - 00:59:13:07
Sean
And when I so I saw a friend of mine actually had this metric meter Instagram video that he posted that, like, went super viral. And I was like, Oh, that's so smart. Where he's, like, grounding. He's like, has his feet on the ground.

00:59:13:07 - 00:59:13:29
Marty
Yeah, yeah.

00:59:14:02 - 00:59:32:21
Sean
And he's like, touching like a tree. And then he like, uses his and it's like, I was like, wow, that's like, like listening to someone talk about grounding is like, very, like hippie dippy. Like, I don't want to hear you, but like, when he pulled that thing out and you're, like, looking at numbers, you're like, Oh, this is like, legit.

00:59:32:23 - 00:59:33:10
Sean
So I was like.

00:59:33:10 - 00:59:36:06
Marty
I'm a big fan of of gravity. Yeah.

00:59:36:09 - 01:00:03:15
Sean
Me too. It's like, kind of weird to say, but like, it's totally legit. It's totally legit. I Mean, I love going out and like, I try to work out on the sand every day if I can. It's like it's the best and like, jump in the ocean. I feel like it's like the best. But when he showed that video, I was like, That is so powerful to like see some numbers, some measurement.

01:00:03:18 - 01:00:13:13
Sean
And, you know, you hear you see there's so many comparison videos of like this is how much sugar our product has, this is how much sugar.

01:00:13:13 - 01:00:14:22

Our product has.

01:00:14:22 - 01:00:25:04
Sean
You decide and it's like, show me something like, I don't know better than that. Like, that's like the Logan Paul movies and Logan Paul is like, this is.

01:00:25:04 - 01:00:34:19

How much Sugar Prime has, this is how much sugar everybody else gets. It's like, Shut up, their stuff sucks.

01:00:34:22 - 01:00:37:17
Marty
You were telling me about what's wrong? A prime. It's got too much.

01:00:37:19 - 01:01:01:15
Sean
It's all potassium. There's no sodium. It's like ten milligrams of sodium. And they're like, we have 800 milligrams electrolytes. Yeah, but like, 790 of them are potassium. And that's not like that's not hydrating you. It's not like helping you. Like you don't sweat potassium, like you sweat salt.

01:01:01:17 - 01:01:04:17
Marty
So that's what salt of the earth this gets you The.

01:01:04:25 - 01:01:08:00

Salt get you the salt, baby. It's.

01:01:08:03 - 01:01:09:18
Sean
Yeah, man.

01:01:09:20 - 01:01:12:24
Marty
What's it been like getting this off the ground? It's been.

01:01:12:27 - 01:01:13:07

Dude.

01:01:13:07 - 01:01:20:25
Sean
It's been. You know, I think Elon said this where he's like, you know, because I'll compare myself to Elon.

01:01:20:27 - 01:01:24:03

Uh, he's like.

01:01:24:05 - 01:01:48:02
Sean
Entrepreneurship is like staring at a dark hole and, like, eating glass. You're just, I mean, like, I think it's just like, it's always like, uh, fear and euphoria, you know, like some days I'm just like, super high, like, Oh, my God, we just closed all these equinoxes and hotels, and then other days, I'm just like, How am I going to pay my rent?

01:01:48:02 - 01:01:54:08
Sean
Like, what am I going to eat? Like, how is this going to work? So, you know, it's.

01:01:54:10 - 01:02:07:27
Marty
Well, it seems like it's getting traction. Like that's it's been like I said, that's me first. Like, I'll, I'll try it out and it tastes like shit. And then I was at the gym. I usually take it after my workouts. I'm like, Oh, it does give you that burst of energy.

01:02:07:29 - 01:02:25:00
Sean
I mean, I'll tell you, one of the highest I'll tell you the probably the highest I've ever gotten. Like pure euphoria feel was after you tweeted about it and seeing orders come in. I was I was just I was like, yes.

01:02:25:02 - 01:02:31:29

It was like ching, ching, ching, ching. You know, like, oh, my God. Oh, my gosh.

01:02:32:01 - 01:02:34:11
Sean
Like adrenaline was like, going.

01:02:34:14 - 01:02:43:13
Marty
Well, that's what we're talking about earlier. Like, how do you plan on like, something you had a good product and like, how do we scale it?

01:02:43:16 - 01:02:49:29
Sean
You know, I think you just got to drink. And so to Ecom slash TFT.

01:02:50:02 - 01:02:51:12

Just hit that.

01:02:51:12 - 01:03:07:25
Sean
But I don't know. I mean, I think I think I could bootstrap it pretty far. Yeah. Like, um, you know, that's, that's, it'd be nice to have this, this conversation in my head a.

01:03:07:25 - 01:03:11:01

Lot where it's like, yeah, just take the whole thing is.

01:03:11:04 - 01:03:25:23
Sean
Bootstrap this baby. And then other times I'm like, nice to get like some investment and more people involved. But um, yeah, I don't know, just kind of going with the flow.

01:03:25:25 - 01:03:34:27
Marty
Yeah. Yeah. I think you're writing a trend that I think people are really beginning to realize that, oh, maybe we should care about our health and do preventative health.

01:03:34:29 - 01:03:35:11
Sean
Totally.

01:03:35:14 - 01:03:37:17
Marty
Hydration is important as hydration important.

01:03:37:19 - 01:03:37:28

Yeah.

01:03:37:28 - 01:04:15:23
Sean
Then you know what's important is electrolytes. And, you know, you know this. I mean, first thing you do when you get into ERs, they hit you with the saline solution because you're probably dehydrated. Like 70% of the population is like chronically dehydrated. I mean, it makes it makes sense. I mean, a lot of times I've just noticed in myself, especially like with the fasting stuff, I've realized like, especially in the afternoon for some reason in the afternoon was when I would like, want to just like, eat snacks all, all afternoons.

01:04:15:23 - 01:04:16:16

I had snack.

01:04:16:16 - 01:04:48:15
Sean
Time, like, let's just eat whatever. And I kind of realized it's like I'm not even hungry. I'm just like, bored. And I like just by like and then if I'm pref, I'm trying to replace that with water, then I'm just like, have to pee like, all the time. So then when I was like, Now if I just have one of these, I'm not, I'm not hungry, I'm just thirsty is what I've come to realize is that and I feel like that's probably the case with a lot of other people are they're not actually hungry, they're just thirsty.

01:04:48:18 - 01:04:59:06
Sean
And it's kind of like disguised as like, Oh, I need to eat. But then like, I mean, you just in five days, no eating. It's like you can do it and like you feel actually pretty good.

01:04:59:08 - 01:05:02:26
Marty
Like, yeah, I felt really good last Thursday.

01:05:02:29 - 01:05:05:05
Sean
It's like, it's like amazing. Like at two.

01:05:05:05 - 01:05:05:17
Marty
30 I.

01:05:05:17 - 01:05:19:14
Sean
Was like, scared to do 72 hours because I was like, Oh my, I'm not going to be able to mentally function. I'm going to be like, But I was actually like really sharp, you know, you're kind of like on edge, like.

01:05:19:16 - 01:05:28:01
Marty
At the end of day two, you're like, All right, I'm in a groove now. I'm like, used to being hungry. Hanger Hunger pangs go, yeah, yeah.

01:05:28:03 - 01:05:55:11
Sean
But yeah, it's like, um, it's changed. Like how I think about fitness and endurance and just like, getting through the day because I think with the natural, like, circadian rhythm of most people, you're kind of like supposed to be kind of feeling like, tired around like 2:00, 3:00, you're kind of like, your body's kind of like, okay, it's time to like.

01:05:55:18 - 01:06:16:00
Sean
But then you identify, like, have one of these like 2:00, which I usually do. I'm like, ready to go? I got like, I'm good. I'm like, I don't really need. And it's amazing that it's like also if you jerk in in the morning, like first thing in the morning, which I usually do, is like, sometimes I don't even feel like I need to have coffee.

01:06:16:02 - 01:06:29:19
Sean
It's like I'm not actually tired, I'm just dehydrated. That's the other one is like, Wow. Cause I mean, I still love coffee, but I like, I, uh, I drink sad coffee.

01:06:29:22 - 01:06:30:08
Marty
What's that?

01:06:30:08 - 01:06:45:11
Sean
It's like, that's what my brother's wife calls it. Like, I'll just have a glass of whole milk and, like, instant coffee and, like, maple sirup, and I'll microwave it.

01:06:45:13 - 01:06:48:10
Marty
That's disgusting. It's that I said.

01:06:48:13 - 01:06:52:09

It's got.

01:06:52:11 - 01:07:02:20
Sean
But it's fast. Like, I'm just like, I don't want to, I don't know. I'm just like, lazy with the drip too. Or like, French press. I probably should just do one of those. But I'm just like.

01:07:02:23 - 01:07:05:26
Marty
It takes 5 minutes for a pot of coffee. Yeah.

01:07:05:29 - 01:07:08:24
Sean
But now I've just. I've been drinking a lot of milk.

01:07:08:26 - 01:07:09:16
Marty
Raw milk.

01:07:09:16 - 01:07:10:11
Sean
I wish I.

01:07:10:15 - 01:07:11:00
Marty
The raw milk.

01:07:11:01 - 01:07:14:13
Sean
I want to get on the raw milk, but I've just been doing the whole.

01:07:14:15 - 01:07:17:23
Marty
Whole milk at the raw milk. So a big upgrade.

01:07:17:24 - 01:07:18:17
Sean
You get it.

01:07:18:19 - 01:07:32:12
Marty
Yeah. They sell it here in Austin. That's how I broke my sensitive, raw milk. Three raw eggs and raw eggs. Yeah. Roll raw eggs. I'm going to Texas to get a southern draw.

01:07:32:14 - 01:07:34:19
Sean
And you get the cowboy boots.

01:07:34:22 - 01:07:57:14
Marty
And you get the cowboy boots. I need a hat from a deep eddy cabaret, especially a northerner in Texas. Is this. Is this the look of somebody who was transplanted here? Logan All right, drink. So to Taco Slushy, if you want to. 50% off.

01:07:57:19 - 01:08:01:19
Sean
Yeah, definitely do that. Yeah.

01:08:01:22 - 01:08:04:06
Marty
Anything else we should tell the freaks.

01:08:04:08 - 01:08:07:20
Sean
Oh, just talk about, uh, Jack Dorsey story. Yeah.

01:08:07:23 - 01:08:09:29
Marty
I think we can end it with the Jack Dorsey story.

01:08:10:05 - 01:08:31:12
Sean
All right, So last year, I started that, you know, a surf sabbatical, and I was in Costa Rica, and I. I sat down at dinner, and. And I caught him. I see him at the table next to me, and I'm like, I'm like, looking across the table in my body.

01:08:31:12 - 01:08:39:24

I was like, Y'all, that's Jack Dorsey. He's what's it like, 11, That girl. Oh, my God. Smoke.

01:08:39:27 - 01:09:02:27
Sean
And And then, like, nothing happens, Whatever. But then the next day I see him again at this reggae club. I think this place actually down. But like, the whole town goes to this, this reggae club. And so I like, go in and I see him and I was like, with this girl. And I was like.

01:09:02:28 - 01:09:04:12

Oh my God, he's.

01:09:04:15 - 01:09:21:11
Sean
And he had like a bunch of cute girls around and like, he had, like, security and he was by like, the exit, you know, he was like, he had his own, like entrance and exit that he, there was like private little corner. And I was like, oh, man, I want to like, just say, What's up to this guy?

01:09:21:13 - 01:09:32:08
Sean
Like, I but I don't want to be like, I don't want to be that meme of the guy that's like screaming into the girl's ear, like trying to, like, say, like, yo, like.

01:09:32:10 - 01:09:34:04
Marty
There's only 21 million Bitcoin. You got to be.

01:09:34:04 - 01:09:35:29

Like, What's up, dude? You know.

01:09:36:01 - 01:09:56:26
Sean
I just I didn't know. I didn't want to, like, do that. It was so loud. So I'm like, How am I even going to talk to this guy? It's like, so fucking loud. And, and so then I'm like, I'm like dancing, like, girl. I'm like, having a good time. I'm like, kind of, like forgetting about it. And then, like, so at some point, she, like, drags me, like, closer to him.

01:09:56:26 - 01:10:18:04
Sean
And then at one point I'm like, you know, arm's length away. And I was just like, I got to like, say, What's up? Like, I got to say something and I'm like, thinking of myself. Like, what the hell am I going to say to this guy? And I just like, I just kind of like, leaned in. And at one point I was like, Yo, Jack, love what you're doing for Bitcoin, man.

01:10:18:06 - 01:10:20:00
Sean
And he just.

01:10:20:03 - 01:10:22:19

He was like, Yo, thank you, thank you.

01:10:22:22 - 01:10:24:23
Sean
I appreciate that. He was like.

01:10:24:26 - 01:10:30:16

Well, what's your name? Like, I'm Sean. He's like, I'm Jack. I was like, Yeah. I was like.

01:10:30:19 - 01:10:59:24
Sean
Um, and then like, right after that, he just kind of like he, he like, looked at, like his, like security and like bouncers and just kind of gave him, like, a nod, like, Yo, this guys, this guy's fine. Like, don't fucking kill this guy. And the rest of the night, we're just like, you know, like, shoulder to shoulder, like, he just kind of, like, welcomes me into his, like, circle of of, like, hot babes and, like, we're just, like, shoulder to shoulder dancing like the rest of the night.

01:10:59:24 - 01:11:10:19
Sean
It was, like, so awesome. And, uh, yeah, that was it. I didn't get a picture or nothing. I was just like, You got a good story. I got a great story. And it was a great memory. Yeah. Yeah.

01:11:10:22 - 01:11:36:27
Marty
Do you live a wildlife, sir? It's funny, coming from your basement apartment in Chicago to, uh, bumping elbows with Jack Dorsey, The this story might be the funniest thing. The fact that you were in the war room in Venezuela the week before the El Salvador. El Salvador, um, before they launched the, uh, the Bitcoin law. Yeah. The fact that you were in that room, my mind.

01:11:36:27 - 01:11:38:03
Marty
But I'm happy you were.

01:11:38:05 - 01:11:41:08
Sean
Yeah. I don't know what I was doing. I got the picture to prove that you had a lot of stories.

01:11:41:08 - 01:11:47:29
Marty
Jeremy Shockey, Athena, Jack Dorsey, Bailey starting a electrolytes company.

01:11:48:01 - 01:11:49:08
Sean
Yeah. For the freaks.

01:11:49:10 - 01:11:56:02
Marty
For the freaks? Yeah. Some of the earth for the freaks. Drinks, dotcom, slash the FTC peace of love receptacle, liquor.

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Do a quick search for “how to cook the perfect steak” and you’ll have a seemingly infinite number of people purporting themselves to have found the best method. And with good reason - mastering the art of preparing a steak is an important achievement to unlock, and worth celebrating.

What will follow is my personal distillation of insights and techniques for cooking the perfect steak, cobbled together through years of research and testing. While there is no “one way” to cook a steak, knowing why you choose to do something (or not do something) is critical to the goal of elevating the centerpiece of your dinner.

A word on sourcing

In almost all the steak articles and recipes you’ll find online, what gets overlooked is the source of the meat itself. Sure, you can go to the fancy butcher in town and get a beautiful steak for $50-80, but when buying in bulk you can pay closer to $20 for that same cut. This approach guarantees you both variety and quality without breaking the bank.

Sourcing is discussed at length in previous articles on this website. I encourage anyone arriving here for the first time to go back through the archives, in particular this one on how to find a good producer:

[

Shake a farmer’s hand

Sourcing tips and resources for your bulk purchase of beef (and food in general)

Primal Cut SheetJevi

](https://www.primalcutsheet.com/p/shake-a-farmers-hand?ref=tftc.io)

Aside from cost, another often overlooked advantage of buying in bulk is the ability to provide custom specifications for the cutting of your steaks. While many steaks, particularly ribeyes, are typically cut to a standard 1-inch thickness, opting for a heftier 1.75 to 2-inch cut allows for a more controlled cooking process, ensuring a juicy, evenly cooked steak.

With a great cut of meat procured, the task at hand is to honor the animal by executing on the preparation. Before going through my primary strategies for getting great results every time, I want to briefly touch on some of the cooking methods I don’t recommend.

How not to cook a steak

Traditionally, cooking a steak has meant placing it on high heat, either in a pan or over a grill, to develop browning or a crust on the exterior. Then, it's moved to a lower temperature to allow the inside to cook until the desired doneness is reached. The problem with this method is that in order to cook the interior to the desired medium-rare, you will have a large portion of the steak that is overcooked. What’s missing from this method is temperature control.

Enter the "sous vide"method. A French term that translates to “under vacuum”, the steak is placed in a plastic pouch or a glass jar and then cooked in a water bath at a precisely regulated temperature. However, there are two critical factors that make me uninterested in sous vide.

Cooking meat in a sealed plastic bag eliminates the ability for the steak to concentrate its flavors through the evaporation of moisture - the juices will remain in the bag and the steak submerged in liquid. When you subsequently sear the steak before serving, the moisture content will still be high and will lower the surface temperature while steaming off the liquid, lowering the potential for a great crust.

Another significant issue with sous vide is cooking food in a plastic environment. We're surrounded by plastic – it's in our food, water, and clothing - leading to an unprecedented saturation of microplastics in our bodies. While it is often argued that the plastic used in sous vide doesn't leach byproducts or chemicals into the food until it reaches a higher temperature, I'm not willing to take this risk. Frankly, there are better methods to achieve the same temperature control without using plastic.

The good news is that you can get the benefits of temperature control like you would from sous vide without the plastic, but more on that later.

But enough with the preambles. What follows is my step-by-step guide to cooking an incredible steak, along with explanations as to why to take this approach.

Step #1 - dry brine

Brining is a term used to describe soaking a cut of meat in salty water. Dry brining simply removes the water from that equation by applying the salt directly to the cut of meat and letting it sit in the refrigerator. This method has gained significant interest in recent years due to being a far superior method, and here’s why:

Your average cut of beef is about 75% water with lots of water-soluble flavor compounds. When you submerge a steak in a briny liquid, there is an exchange of fluid that will unfold, resulting in some salt being imparted into the meat at the expense of flavor compounds getting flushed out into water bath.

In contrast, when salt is applied directly to the surface of the meat, it starts by drawing moisture to the surface and the salt is dissolved. After about an hour, the now salty moisture will be reabsorbed, drawing that salt deep into the steak. If left uncovered in the fridge, the steak will then start to evaporate any remaining moisture from the surface.

Method: To dry brine, use approximately 1 gram of salt per 100 grams of meat (or 4.5 grams per pound). Apply evenly to all sides of the cut, then place uncovered on a metal rack nested in a sheet pan or plate in the fridge.

How long? At least a few hours, ideally overnight. Most steaks can handle 2-3 days before the outside starts to toughen and the meat begins to effectively cure.

Step #2 - get a digital thermometer

I don’t understand the fascination with people wanting to cook meat without the use of a temperature probe. Sure, if you’re a line cook and are making the same dish hundreds of times a week, you start to build muscle memory on how long it should take. But it’s 2023 and humanity has created instant-read thermometers that allow you to literally look inside your food as it cooks. The gold standard is the Thermapen by Thermoworks, although there are upstart competitors that could also be worth trying. Either way, this is a tool you should absolutely have in your toolbelt. Another very useful thermometer is a leave-in probe, which allows you to keep tabs on your meat while it’s in the oven and ensure you don’t overshoot your desired temperature.

Step #3 - low and slow at first

It may seem counterintuitive to place a steak uncooked in a lukewarm oven, but that is exactly what I’m suggesting you do. By starting out in a low temperature environment, the steak is allowed to come up to your desired internal temperature with greater uniformity than slamming it in a hot pan. Using a temp probe to monitor the temperature is critical in a standard oven because the temperature fluctuations can be 30-60° above and below that setting.1 However, if you set the oven to its lowest temperature, it won’t rise much above 200°F and you can still avoid the worst of the grey banding.

For those looking to upgrade this part of the cooking process, I have used an Anova Precision Oven for the past three years and have been thoroughly impressed. It allows for the same temperature control as you would get from a sous vide bath, but without the plastic.

Another option for this step is to use a smoker, which can be appealing for those who love the wood flavor normally imparted by a grill. However, be aware that pellet smokers can fluctuate in ambient temperature more than a standard oven, requiring close monitoring to prevent overcooking.

A word on temperature carryover

Reaching your desired internal temperature is largely dependent upon the ambient temperature outside your cut of meat. For example, if you are cooking a steak in a pan where the surface is 400°F, you can expect there to be a significant amount of carryover meaning that the force being exerted on the cut of meat is so substantial that it continues to push that heat into the meat even after you've removed it from the heat source.

You can think of the surface of your steak like a battery - the longer you apply extreme heat, the more that heat potential is stored for future deployment.

Conversely, when the ambient temperature is 130°F there will be almost no carryover as it reaches that desired temperature. It’s another reason I appreciate the steam oven so much - when it arrives at the temperature that I want it at, I can simply turn it off and know that I have achieved that temperature.2

Step #4 - rest the steak

Once your steak has reached the optimal desired internal temperature, putting it directly into a hot pan to sear will continue moving the cooking forward and result in an overcooked steak. Instead, put it back on the rack inside the sheet pan and let it rest in the fridge. The goal here is to reduce the surface temperature. (Don’t worry, the interior temperature barely drops.) And in doing so, it means that once you are ready to sear, that sudden shock of intense heat is not overcook the steak.

A thicker steak can hang out in the fridge for up to an hour without losing internal temperature, but 20-30 minutes is plenty.

After resting, pat the meat dry to remove any excess moisture. Moisture will undermine the ability to quickly form a good crust because the steam emitted with lower the surface temperature.

Step #5 - the final sear

The Maillard reaction is defined in this Serious Eats article as: “many small, simultaneous chemical reactions that occur when proteins and sugars in and on your food are transformed by heat, producing new flavors, aromas, and colors.“ It’s where huge amounts of flavor development occurs, and a critical part of making a basic steak into a magical sensory experience.

There is a lot of contention as to whether a cook is better when grilled vs pan seared. Unless you have an Argentine grill that you intend to keep hot for the whole day, or you’re cooking a Beefsteak for 200 people, getting the final sear on a steak that has been reverse-seared is going to be impractical. For an average weeknight dinner, pan seared in cast iron is the way to go. And while I love the flavor developed by cooking over open fire, this is just as easily achieved by reverse searing on the smoker first.

Does a hotter pan create a better crust?

People will often believe that the only way to get a good crust is to get a pan absurdly hot. Yet hotter doesn’t mean better - in fact, quite the opposite. Once you go beyond 400°F, charring will begin to happen. And while a bit a of char flavor might be desirable, too much can mask the fantastic flavors that were created by the Maillard reaction. By cooling the surface prior to searing, you give yourself more time to build a crust without ending up with too much char. Plus, if you have any desire to make a pan sauce, you’ll want to avoid the burned flavor in your fat and fond. (Your spouse will also appreciate not having the whole place smell like smoke.)

To sear, get your pan heated to about 380-400°F3, then add a healthy fat with a high smoke point (tallow or ghee are my personal favorites for this task), enough fat to cover the bottom of your pan. Place the steak into the pan and leave undisturbed for 30 seconds, then flip every 30 seconds for 4-6 minutes. It may not seem like much is happening at first, but patience will be rewarded.

Another advantage of the reverse sear: upon finishing the final sear you can carve and serve right away. Resting your steak is normally required to ensure better moisture retention, but this is largely a result of the heat continuing to increase and constricting the muscle fibers. Because the final sear doesn’t have a massive impact on the internal temperature, this step is no longer necessary.

1 https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/66367/how-much-thermostat-range-in-oven-temperature-is-too-much

2 A great video on this subject was created by Chris Young: Why Ripping Hot Is Too Hot?

3 A basic infrared thermometer is great for checking surface temperatures. Many available options on Aamzon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN317X6Z/

Originally published in Primal Cut Sheet

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Introduction
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively known as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), disproportionately affect the Western world, particularly North America. These autoimmune diseases present a significant challenge to those diagnosed, often leading to severe pain and discomfort. In an in-depth interview, we gained insights from Josh, a specialist in reversing Crohn's and colitis, who shared his methodology and success in treating these conditions.

Epidemiology of IBD
Statistics reveal a staggering concentration of global IBD cases in North America, which houses less than 5% of the world’s population. The severity of IBD symptoms can equate to the intensity of childbirth, as described by some of Josh's clients.

Treatment Approaches
Traditional treatment for Crohn’s involves immunosuppressive biologic drugs like antivio. However, some patients, including those mentioned in the interview, have sought alternative therapies. These patients have experienced significant improvements, with one individual presenting clear clinical results after twelve weeks without the use of biologic drugs.

Lifestyle and Recreation in Alberta
In a lighter segment of the interview, Josh, who resides in Calgary, Alberta, discussed the harsh winter conditions and recreational activities available, such as visits to Banff National Park and participating in the Highland games.

Specialization and Philosophy
Josh specializes in helping people reverse Crohn's and colitis. He expressed criticism of the conventional medical approach, which often deems IBD as idiopathic or genetic with a reliance on medication. His success rate is claimed to be around 90%, and he aims to spread awareness that these conditions can be addressed effectively.

Shift in Patient Demographics
There has been a noticeable trend in younger patients presenting with IBD. This shift suggests that the disease is not merely a result of wear and tear but can also arise acutely due to direct insults to the microbiome, such as antibiotic overuse or mycotoxin exposure.

Diagnostic and Treatment Process
Josh explained that his approach diverges from traditional medical practices. He conducts extensive patient histories and considers factors from birth to the present, examining lifestyle aspects often overlooked in conventional diagnostics.

Medications and Financial Implications
The interview highlighted the high costs associated with biologic treatments and the potential conflict of interest in the pharmaceutical and insurance industries. Josh advocates for a more rooted approach in addressing the underlying causes of IBD rather than relying solely on expensive medications.

Environmental and Dietary Factors
Josh emphasized the role of environmental toxins, diet, and lifestyle in the development and exacerbation of IBD. He pointed out the adverse effects of processed foods, seed oils, and gluten on gut health. Pesticide exposure, lifestyle stressors, and the impact of the 2020 pandemic on gut health were also discussed.

Holistic Nutrition and Global Practice
As a holistic nutritionist, Josh works with clients globally, navigating different legal frameworks while maintaining the focus on holistic health practices. He collaborates with various labs for testing as needed and tailors his treatment plans to individual needs.

Microbiome Considerations and Diet
The interview also touched on the microbiome's complexity and its relationship with diet. Josh shared his observations on the positive impact of animal-based diets, particularly in cases of bacterial overgrowth, and the strategic use of probiotics.

Conclusion
Josh Dech’s approach to treating Crohn's and colitis challenges traditional medical paradigms by focusing on environmental, dietary, and lifestyle factors. His practice demonstrates the potential for significant improvements and even reversal of symptoms in individuals suffering from these conditions. For further information or to seek help, individuals can visit Gutsolution.ca and access resources including the "Reverse Able" podcast.

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Key Takeaways

In this unnerving episode of the Dr. Shawn Baker Podcast, Dr. Baker and his guest Calley Means delve into the troubling connection between food, pharmaceutical companies, and health in America. Means shares his personal and professional journey that led to his current mission: exposing the truth about the food and healthcare industries.

The episode begins with a poignant personal story from Calley about his mother, who was on multiple medications for conditions considered "normal rites of passage" for an American, like obesity and high blood pressure. This story sets the stage for a deeper examination of the American healthcare crisis, where a staggering percentage of the population is obese or overweight, and many adults suffer from pre-diabetes or diabetes.

Calley's background in politics and work with food and pharma companies revealed a disturbing synergy between these industries that perpetuates chronic diseases. He discusses how food companies aim to make food cheap and addictive, while the healthcare industry profits from the resulting chronic illness epidemic.

The discussion touches on various critical topics, including the influence of food companies on nutritional research, the biased dietary guidelines shaped by industry-funded experts, and the alarming push for medications like Ozempic as a standard of care for obesity, rather than promoting healthier eating habits. Calley also highlights the shocking extent to which food companies fund research that shapes public perception and policy.

Moreover, Calley discusses the broader societal impact of these issues, from the rising rates of infertility and mental health problems to the financial strain on the country's healthcare system. He calls for a reevaluation of incentives within the healthcare industry and advocates for a shift towards regenerative farming and incentivizing natural, wholesome foods.

[

Fiat Food with Dr. Ken Berry

Dr. Berry emphasizes the detrimental impacts of “fiat food” and the importance of returning to a diet rich in animal products to reverse chronic diseases and enhance mental clarity.

TFTC – Truth for the CommonerStaff

](https://tftc.io/fiat-food-ken-berry/)

Best Quotes

• "95% of dollars in the healthcare industry is managing food-based illnesses." - Calley Means
  Context: Calley highlights the overwhelming proportion of the healthcare industry's revenue that comes from managing chronic diseases, many of which are related to diet.
• "Food companies are really trying to make food cheap and addictive... But the healthcare industry doesn't stand up to that." - Calley Means
  Context: Calley discusses the objectives of food companies and the failure of the healthcare industry to counteract the negative consequences of their practices.
• "Every single nutrition study that you hear about on the news, I almost guarantee you there's money tied to that from processed food interests." - Calley Means
  Context: Calley argues that the nutrition research we hear about is often influenced by the financial interests of the processed food industry.
• "We're really being lied to... How could a population get so sick so rapidly accidentally?" - Calley Means
  Context: Calley questions the narrative that the health crisis in America is a mere accident, suggesting that there is intentionality behind it.
• "We're throwing addictive deadly substances into lower-income kids' hands... literally bankrupting the country." - Calley Means
  Context: Calley condemns policies that facilitate access to unhealthy, addictive foods, especially for lower-income children, and the long-term economic consequences of such policies.

Conclusion

This episode of the Dr. Shawn Baker Podcast serves as a wake-up call, challenging the status quo of the American food and healthcare industries. The personal stories and professional insights shared by Calley Means paint a dire picture of a system that prioritizes profit over health, with deep ties between food corporations, research funding, and healthcare recommendations. The conversation sheds light on the intricate web of incentives that underpin the chronic disease epidemic in America, calling for a radical transformation in how we approach food, health, and research. It's evident that change is necessary – not just for individual health, but for the sustainability of the nation as a whole. The episode leaves us with a sense of urgency to reexamine the role of food and pharmaceutical companies in public health and to strive for a future where natural, wholesome foods are accessible and promoted for the well-being of all citizens.