Open Residency
The show for ambitious operators scaling their businesses. Hosted by Mark Brazil, co-founder of IKONICK, Open Residency is built around a simple idea: learn from the people who’ve already figured out what most entrepreneurs are still trying to solve—so you can become a more well-rounded operator. Mark sits down with the operators, marketers, creators, and specialists who are world-class at their craft. These conversations go far beyond what they’ve built and why—they break down exactly how they’ve done it, providing tactical insights, frameworks, and decision-making processes.
Episodes
Greg LaVecchia - How Bloom Built the Playbook Every Founder Will Copy in 2026
Greg Lavecchia is giving you the Bloom Influencer Playbook — every CPM framework, scouting hack, and validity marketing tactic from the episode in one free PDF → https://openresidency.com/greg-lavecchia-playbookIn this episode, we sit down with Greg Lavecchia, co-founder and CEO of Bloom Nutrition, to unpack how he bootstrapped a company to $180M with his wife, his mom, and his best friend from hi
Georgios Frangulis - The Franchising Playbook That Built 1,000 Stores In 9 Years
Georgios Frangulis is giving you The Oakberry Franchise Playbook, every framework and unit economics breakdown from the episode in one free PDF → https://openresidency.com/georgios-frangulis-playbook?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=georgios_frangulis_playbookIn this episode, we sit down with Georgios Frangulis, founder of Oakberry, to break down how he built a 1,000-plus loc
Chris Voss - The FBI Negotiator’s Playbook for Winning Any Deal
Chris Voss is giving you The 10 Lines Negotiation Playbook, every phrase, framework, and sequence from the episode distilled into one free PDF → https://openresidency.com/chris-voss-playbook?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=chris_voss_playbookIn this episode, we sit down with Chris Voss, former FBI lead hostage negotiator and author of Never Split the Difference, to b
Dom Iacovone - He Runs 7 Companies in 2026 — You Can Barely Manage One
Dom Iacovone broke it down in our conversation. We turned every framework, formula, and strategy from the episode into one free PDF → https://openresidency.com/dom-iacovone-playbookIn this episode of Open Residency, we sit down with Dom Iacovone, the American CEO of The Quality Group — the holding company behind Raw Nutrition, Bum Energy, and a portfolio of brands including Cadence, 3D, Revive, an
Peter Rahal - They Sued Him For Building a Bar That Shouldn't Exist
Peter Rahal broke it down in our conversation. We turned every framework, formula, and strategy from the episode into one free PDF → https://openresidency.com/peter-rahal-playbook?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=peter_rahal_playbookIn this episode of Open Residency, we sit down with Peter Rahal, founder of David and the operator who built and sold RXBAR for $600M. 25
Michael Brandt - Rogan, Jon Jones & Diary of a CEO: The Playbook They All Believe In (Ketone IQ)
Michael Brandt is giving you The Ketone-IQ Playbook → https://openresidency.com/michael-brandt-playbook?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=michael_brandt_playbookIn this episode, we sit down with Michael Brandt, co-founder and CEO of Ketone-IQ, to talk about how he's building the category around what he calls the fourth macronutrient: ketones. Michael ran a 2:35 mar
Danny Yeung - How He Hit $100M in Under a Year (And Why You Won't)
📬 Danny Yeung is giving you The $100m Velocity Playbook — https://openresidency.com/danny-yeung-playbookTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:52 What's Your Marketing Mix With IM8?00:04:16 What Does Your CAC to LTV Look Like?00:05:44 What Does Your Content System Look Like?00:07:41 Platform Risk and Where To Spend Next00:08:37 How Do You Keep Your Customers?00:15:05 Partnership With David Beckham00:22:
David Grutman - How He Built One Of The Most Powerful Hospitality Empires
In this episode of Open Residency, we sit down with David Grutman, the founder of Groot Hospitality and the man behind LIV, Komodo, and Papi Steak, to break down how he built one of the most iconic hospitality empires in the world. David shares the ecosystem thinking that turned a single nightclub into a multi-venue flywheel, why he treats every concept as intellectual property, and the hard lesso
Dan Martell - The AI Playbook Every Founder Needs in 2026
Dan Martell is giving you the AI Operator Playbook, and it's in the link below. It's the exact system he uses to run 17 companies with a 1-person finance team, including his full 8-tool stack ranked, the Master Prompt Architecture that gives any AI five-year-colleague-level context in one upload, and the Zero Inbox System he has used for 3 years without reading a single email himself. The part mos
Matt Gray - How To Build a Profitable Personal Brand (In Just 30 days)
Matt Gray is giving you the Founder Flywheel, the 3-layer audience system he used to build an 8-figure business that runs without him, and it’s in the link below.It’s the operating architecture behind 18,000+ founders helped, including the 7-System Business Blueprint and the Content Waterfall that turns one video into 24+ pieces across every platform.The part that changes everything: the one layer
Taylor Holiday - The 2026 E-Commerce Masterclass That Will Make You Question Everything
Taylor Holiday is giving you the Four Quarter Accounting System, and it’s in the link below.It’s the financial framework his team used to forecast $3 billion within 4% of target across 1,000+ brands, built on a principle most e-commerce founders have never heard: the forecast belongs in the marketing department, not finance.Inside: the exact P&L structure that tells you which of four numbers i
Ross Mackay - Premium Isn’t About Price — It’s About Positioning
Ross Mackay is giving you the $2 Luxury Blueprint, and it’s in the link below.It’s the system he used to build the only consumer good under $3 positioned as luxury, going from $0 to $10M in 600 days with $40M projected in year two.Inside: the Core-Race-Recover product architecture, the retail economics formula nobody talks about, and the exact packaging decision that tripled sell-through with the
Jeff Byers - You’d Never Kill a $6M Product — And That’s the Problem
📬 The playbook behind every episode, straight to your inbox: https://openresidency.com/signup⚡️ BTS & more https://openresidency.com/jeff-byersTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:00:49 Why Did You Kill A $6 Million Product Overnight?00:05:07 The Biggest Lie In The Supplement Industry00:06:36 Why Is Sourcing So Important?00:07:51 What Do 3rd Party Certifications Actually Mean?00:15:27 Product Develop
Kallaway - The Most Valuable 3 Hours For Any Business Owner in 2026 (Content Masterclass)
Kane Kallaway is giving you the 7 Lego Brick Framework, and it’s in the link below.It’s the exact system he uses to reverse-engineer viral videos in any category, breaking them into 7 replicable components you can reassemble into your own winning content.The part most creators never find: which 5 bricks to copy exactly, and the only 2 you ever need to change.Download it free: https://openresidency
Samir Chaudry - How To Actually Dominate YouTube in 2026
👉 Join our private community for operators, marketers, and creators (waitlist) - https://www.newsletter-signup.com/or/⚡️ BTS & more https://openresidency.com/samir-chaudryTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Trailer00:01:16 The 3 Rules of YouTube00:12:27 How to Properly Think About Your Audience00:24:14 How To Get Good At Title and Thumbnail00:37:00 How To Research A Vertical00:42:57 How To Avoid Burnout00:47:
Dan Koe - How To Get Ahead Of 99% Of People in 2026
In this episode, we sit down with Dan Koe for a deep conversation about building a Future Proof Skill Stack, navigating AI, and designing a life that isn't dictated by someone else's goals. Dan breaks down why the most important skills today aren't technical, but meta — learning how to learn, how to think, and how to earn. We explore how AI is accelerating the need for adaptability, why taste, nar
Mark Manson - When Quitting Is the Smartest Business Move
In this episode, we sit down with Mark Manson, bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, for a wide-ranging conversation about pain, purpose, momentum, and what it actually takes to build a meaningful life. Mark explains why you can’t want the reward without wanting the cost, how suffering is often self-created through the stories we tell ourselves, and why momentum—not motivation
Sean Frank - E-Commerce Masterclass: How to Build, Scale & Win in 2026
In this episode, I sit down with Sean Frank, CEO of Ridge, for a deep dive into the systems behind one of the most profitable e-commerce brands operating today. Sean breaks down how Ridge confidently spends $100K/day on ads, why simplicity beats cleverness in performance creative, and the disciplined frameworks that allow Ridge to scale without outside capital. He also shares something he rarely t
George Heaton - The Clothing Brand That Should’ve Died, But Became a Cult
In this episode, I sit down with George Heaton to unpack how a two-year trademark battle nearly ended Represent and how surviving it ignited the creative fire that pushed the brand into its biggest years ever. He breaks down the personal brand flywheel, product discipline, and offline community strategy that helped turn Represent into one of the most influential modern apparel labels today.
Simon Molnar - Why Stores Are Struggling — and How to Reinvent Them
In this episode, I sit down with Simon Molnar, founder of Flagship.ai, to break down why 83% of shopping still happens in-store — yet most stores run with almost no data. Simon explains how visual merchandising became the most overlooked lever in retail, why brands misjudge store performance, and how Flagship built the square-foot-level “money map” that finally gives brick-and-mortar the same funn
Joel Kocher - This $200M CEO Discovered What Cardiologists Won't Tell You
In this episode, I sit down with Joel Kocher, the 70-year-old CEO & Co-Founder of Humann, a $200M company redefining cardiovascular health. We unpack how Joel went from early retirement and burnout to discovering the "miracle molecule" nitric oxide — the foundation behind Humann's science-backed approach to longevity. He explains why most people misunderstand heart health, how clinical trials
Robert Greene - Ego Traps, The Art of Control, & How to Stay Irreplaceable
In this episode, I sit down with Robert Greene, bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power, to break down the timeless strategies of power, seduction, and human psychology that drive success in business and life. We dive into:- Why concealing your intentions and talking less creates an aura of power - Never outshining the master and how reputation translates directly into capital - The dangerous a
Roberto Nickson - Why 99% of Creators Will Be Replaced by AI (And How to Be the 1%)
This episode is the content creation blueprint for the AI era. Roberto Nickson (RPN) just hit $1.5M in revenue at 85% margins as a one-man creator army — and he's sharing everything. 2 hours of straight value, no gatekeeping.We cover:How Roberto Makes $1.5M as a Solo CreatorNewsletter, Consulting & Building Owned MediaLanding Partnerships with Meta, Adobe & SpotifyThe Metric Brands Actuall
Sahil Bloom - Why You're Playing The Wrong Game in Life
This week, we dissect the business flywheel behind Sahil Bloom (author of the NYT Best Seller The 5 Types of Wealth) — his initiatives, team, and how he’s scaled it.At the core is the bigger theme: money as a tool (not the goal), the “15 more times” mindset, time as the real asset, and systems to protect your energy.This book changed my life. Enjoy the conversation!
Oren John - The Most Valuable Marketing Conversation You’ll Watch in 2025
For operators, marketers, and creators — this one's for you. Oren John is rare:He deeply understands both sides of content marketing — the creative and the performance. People with taste and the ability to stay unemotional about metrics are hard to find nowadays.This convo is all signal, no fluff. We rapid-fire through content frameworks, creative reference systems, platform strategy, TikTok Shop,
Brian Garofalow - The Systems Skullcandy’s CEO Uses (That Entrepreneurs Don’t)
In this episode, I sit down with Brian Garofalow, CEO of Skullcandy, to unpack his leadership philosophy, product strategy, and how he's repositioning the brand for explosive growth in a crowded consumer electronics market.We dive into:Brian’s “People, Process, Product” framework for scaling innovationSkullcandy’s four-bucket system for managing product life cycleHow a bold partnership with Bose r
Caleb Ralston - Personal Branding Masterclass: From Beginner to Expert in 120 Minutes
In this episode, I sit down with Caleb Ralston, Founder and Brand Strategist at Ralston, to break down what it actually takes to build a brand that sticks—and content that converts. We unpack real frameworks, hard-won lessons, and key insights from working with names like Gary Vaynerchuk and Alex Hormozi.We cover:- The Brand Journey Framework — a four-question system to shape your strategy- Associ
Nick Shackelford - The new formula to run Meta ads in 2025
In this episode, I sit down with Nick Shackelford, Head of Retention and Partner at BREZ, to break down modern customer acquisition and retention strategies for 2025.Nick has managed over $200M in ad spend and brings hard-won insights from scaling multiple brands — including his own agencies, Structured and Konstant Kreative — into this conversation.We get into:Why creative is now the new targetin
Kent Yoshimura - The TikTok Strategy That’s Printing MILLIONS right now
In this episode, I sit down with Kent Yoshimura, Co-Founder & CEO of Neurogum, to unpack how the brand became one of TikTok’s fastest-growing success stories and scaled to over $100 million in revenue.We dive into:- The TikTok strategy that transformed Neurogum’s growth- How the team shifted their marketing mix to make TikTok their top-of-funnel channel—while maintaining a 52x ROAS on Amazon w
Ryan Bartlett - How a Failed Poker Pro Built a $1 Billion Business
In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Bartlett, CEO of True Classic, to break down how they scaled to over $200M+ in annual revenue with a valuation approaching $1B.We get into:The evolution of their marketing strategy from pure direct response to brand buildingHow they leverage customer feedback to drive product development through their membership programTheir unique approach to customer service
Nate Checketts - $100M+ CEO, Why More Effort Isn’t Always Better
In this episode, I sit down with Nate Checketts, co-founder and CEO of Rhone, to unpack how a luxury performance-apparel brand went from a single pant to a nine-figure omnichannel business with NBA deals, retail success, and a wildly unique internal wellness system.We dive into:Building Rhone from the ground up into a category-defining brandTheir “12 Pursuits” framework: a monthly habit system ble
Oliver Zak - The $50M College Startup That Scored A Shark Tank Deal
In this episode, I sit down with Oliver Zak, co-founder of Mad Rabbit, to break down his journey from launching a DIY skincare product in a crockpot to securing a Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban and scaling into major retailers like Walmart.We dive deep into:What really happens after a Shark Tank deal and its long-term impactThe business of tattoos and how Mad Rabbit is disrupting an overlooked in
Manny Lubin - How Slate Milk Raised $30M+ by Reinventing Protein Drinks for the Healthy Minded
In this episode, I sit down with Manny Lubin, co-founder of Slate Milk, to unpack the journey from a simple idea in 2017 to becoming a dominant player in the protein drink market. Manny shares hard-hitting lessons on brand positioning, product innovation, and some keys to winning in the beverage industry.We talk about: The early struggles of launching a better-for-you chocolate milk How Slate Milk
Bill Shufelt - How to Build a $800M+ Non-Alcoholic Beer Brand
In this episode, I sit down with Bill Shufelt, co-founder and CEO of Athletic Brewing, to discuss his journey from Wall Street to redefining non-alcoholic beer. Athletic Brewing has grown from an idea to a $800M valuation, disrupting an industry and carving out a new market in craft brewing.We talk about:- The bold decision to leave a lucrative hedge fund career for entrepreneurship.- The science
Dee Murthy - How a Podcast Host Raised $95M
What does it take to secure $95 million and revolutionize an industry? Let’s find out.This episode features Dee Murthy - the founder behind Ghost, the brand who’s revolutionizing how businesses handle excess inventory.From building a successful apparel brand to hosting 907 episodes of his own podcast, this conversation covers the full spectrum of his entrepreneurial journey. We dive deep into:• Ra
