Don’t Let Life Harden You: Staying Optimistic When the World Gets Cynical with John Gillen

Beating Breast Cancer While Raising $10M | Vanessa Rissetto on The Future of Medicine

In this episode of Failing Up, I sit down with Vanessa Rissetto, CEO and co-founder of Culina Health — a registered dietitian, founder, mother, and certified badass — to talk about what she learned while battling breast cancer while raising $10M to build her company. This is a conversation about resilience, systems that fail us, and what real health actually looks like when the stakes are life-or-death. We unpack the uncomfortable truths about modern healthcare:  – The hidden biases inside the medical system  – Whether “automated doctors” and AI should replace human care  – How obesity actually evolved (and what GLP-1s get right — and wrong)  – Why your microbiome diversity matters more than you think  – And why holistic health beats over-medicating every time Follow Us On IG: https://www.instagram.com/failinguppp/?hl=en Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3KMsmkqvycGgoXZDjoM6Py?si=6e40e75d54374c08 Listen On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/failing-up/id1771458449 Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 1:00 – Experiencing breast cancer 8:00 – Biases in the medical field 14:00 – Are automated doctors the future? 17:00 – Obesity, GLP-1s, and metabolic health 24:00 – Why microbiome diversity matters 34:00 – Holistic health vs. over-medication 50:00 – Speed round: health facts vs myths 55:00 - Thanks Vanessa for joining!  #podcast #selfimprovement #failure #success #entrepreneurship #technology #ai

Don’t Let Life Harden You: Staying Optimistic When the World Gets Cynical with John Gillen

Claire sits down with John Gillen — Co-Founder of True Capital and host of Milk Road Macro — for a conversation about responsibility, resilience, and staying optimistic when the world feels cynical. From New York City’s budget crisis to the pressure of speaking out on public issues, John shares why he chooses eternal optimism — even when it’s unpopular. We talk about: - why leaders have a responsibility to speak - how politics affects everyday life more than we admit - the danger of becoming jaded - why the hardest thing to protect isn’t money — it’s your mindset Follow Us On IG: https://www.instagram.com/failinguppp/?hl=en Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3KMsmkqvycGgoXZDjoM6Py?si=6e40e75d54374c08 Listen On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/failing-up/id1771458449 Timestamps: 0:00 - Zohran’s budget problem in NYC 11:00 - Responsibility to speak on issues 16:30 - Operating with Eternal Optimism 30:00 - Don’t let life harden you 39:00 - Are we all too jaded?

The Truth About Biohacking: What Works, What’s Hype, What’s Dangerous

Biohacking promises better focus, stronger bodies, and longer lives—but where does optimization turn into obsession? In this episode, Anthony from Feel Better Lab breaks down what biohacking actually is, what’s worth doing, and where the ethical line starts to blur. From olive oil and breathwork to concentration studies and the question of living forever, this is a grounded conversation on upgrading the human system without losing your humanity. Follow Us On IG: https://www.instagram.com/failinguppp/?hl=en Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3KMsmkqvycGgoXZDjoM6Py?si=6e40e75d54374c08 Listen On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/failing-up/id1771458449 1:00 - Olive Oil 3:00 - Where Anthony’s love for biohacking came from 11:00 - How biohacking has changed throughout the years 15:30 - Biohacks that are worth it 18:30 - Anthony’s concentration study 25:00 - Breathework/Sound science 30:00 - the line of ethics in biohacking 38:30 - Would you live forever if you could? 48:00 - Will biohacking make us “stronger?” #podcast #selfimprovement #failure #success #entrepreneurship

Love, Loss, and the road to a purposeful life w/ John Gillen

In this episode of Failing Up, I sit down with John Gillen, Co-Founder of True Capital, to talk about love, grief, ambition, and endurance. We explore why marrying for “logistics” is a trap, the real psychology behind heartbreak, how to tell whether ambition comes from passion or avoidance, and why love doesn’t have to be romantic to be meaningful. Follow Us On IG: https://www.instagram.com/failinguppp/?hl=en Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3KMsmkqvycGgoXZDjoM6Py?si=6e40e75d54374c08 Listen On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/failing-up/id1771458449 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Introduction 01:00 — Marrying for love and potential vs. “logistics” 11:00 — How to parse through relationship advice 18:30 — Lessons from previous relationships 21:30 — You can’t shortcut your way to a purposeful life 24:30 — The psychology and science behind breakup pain 30:30 — “I will love again. I will live again.” 35:00 — Love doesn’t have to be romantic 39:45 — Building a gratitude practice 48:00 — Ambition: avoidance vs. passion 56:00 — Detaching from outcomes 1:00:00 — You are capable of endurance and suffering 1:05:00 — Grief is learning how to walk with a limp

#1 NYC Podcast Studio Owner: Be For a Few, Not for Everyone - Why Niches Win

This week I sat down with Matt Marlinski - Founder of The Manhattan Lab - New York's fastest-growing podcast studios. Matt has hosted politicians like Bernie Sanders, top podcast hosts like Chris Williamson, and produces shows for James Sexton & Anthony Pompliano. A year ago, we recorded together, and we both had no idea where everything was going. Now, we're sitting in the chairs again - one year later - talking about: - Why you don’t need to quit your 9–5 to be a creator - The difference between passion and skill - Why most creators fail before they even start - The new reality of podcasting in 2025 - What it actually means to build for a small, loyal audience instead of millions - And how to grow without losing yourself in the process Watch On YouTube: https://youtu.be/CfflPh9qVlg Follow Us On IG: https://www.instagram.com/failinguppp/?hl=en Timestamps 0:00 — One year later: sitting back in the chair 1:00 — What changed since last year 4:00 — Want balance? Keep a 9–5 7:00 — Passion vs. what you're actually good at 12:00 — Content: the good news and bad news 17:00 — The evolution of podcasting 21:30 — Famous people are still human 27:30 — “Follow the light” philosophy 32:00 — What makes a great podcast 46:00 — Why you should build for a few, not for everyone 47:30 — Advice For New Creators: Take A Long Road #podcast #selfimprovement #failure #success #entrepreneurship