You can change your life and make a dent on the world. This podcast uncovers the unfiltered lessons from the smartest minds straight to you, in conversations so honest you feel guilty listening in. We believe the current way of thinking is not working. The average person has become unhappy, unhealthy and financially struggling. You are not that person. This podcast will kick you in the shin with truth and tactics they should have taught us but gatekept. Hosted by Codie Sanchez, entrepreneur, investor and reformed journalist. You are a BigDeal to us.
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Most people think hard conversations are about winning. Charlamagne Tha God knows better - they’re about controlling the frame. After nearly three decades in radio — turning The Breakfast Club into a cultural force and surviving the internet’s loudest pile-ons — he’s learned why some people dominate conversations without being the smartest, loudest, or most liked. In this no-filter episode, Charlamagne breaks down the exact frameworks he uses to handle toxic people, win high-stakes conversations...
Most people think weakness is beaten with motivation. It’s not. Weakness is eliminated with standards. After years on Wall Street and building businesses, I learned the hard way that comfort kills more dreams than failure ever will. The people who break through don’t feel their way forward. They enforce rules on themselves. In this raw episode, I break down eight brutal truths most people need to hear. Why motivation doesn’t kill weakness but standards do. Why your inner circle will either save ...
Most people think confidence is about believing in yourself. Gabrielle Bernstein knows better — it's about befriending the parts of yourself that hold you back. After two decades as a spiritual teacher and writing 11 bestselling books, the author of The Universe Has Your Back and Self-Help has cracked the code on why we sabotage our success, stay stuck in negative loops, and block the very abundance we're trying to attract. In this raw, deeply personal conversation, Gabrielle breaks down the exa...
Most people think communication is about being right. It's not. It's about controlling the frame. After years of navigating toxic bosses, difficult business partners, and high-stakes negotiations across Wall Street and Main Street, I've cracked the code on why difficult people always seem to win — and how to beat them at their own game without becoming one of them. Today I’m breaking down the nine strategies I use to handle toxic people. You'll learn why the loudest person dominates early but lo...
Most people think self-doubt is the enemy. Dr. Shadé Zahrai knows better — it's actually a signal. After spending years researching the neuroscience of confidence and studying thousands of high performers, this Harvard-trained leadership expert has cracked the code on why self-doubt never fully disappears and what top performers do differently when it shows up. In this raw conversation, Dr. Shadé breaks down the exact four drivers of self-doubt that hold people back, why waiting to feel confiden...
Most people think mindset is everything. Tony Robbins knows better — it's what comes before mindset that determines whether you break through or break down. After 49 years coaching everyone from world leaders to suicidal strangers, the legendary peak performance strategist has cracked the code on why most people set goals they never keep, make decisions they never follow through on, and stay stuck in patterns they know are destroying their lives. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Tony breaks...
Most people think discipline is about willpower. Ryan Holiday knows better — it's about habit. After writing multiple bestselling books on Stoicism and spending decades studying history's highest performers, the author of The Obstacle Is The Way and Ego Is The Enemy has cracked the code on why the world's hardest workers aren't just talented or lucky. They've built systems that make discipline inevitable. In this raw conversation, Ryan breaks down the exact frameworks used by Marcus Aurelius, Se...
Most people think goal setting is about writing down what you want. It's not. It's about creating gravitational pull so strong that your entire life reorganizes around what you're building. After 15 years of setting and hitting impossible goals — from building multiple businesses to launching a top podcast to selling a million books — I've cracked the code on why most people fail and the few who win do it differently. In this episode, I break down my exact five-step process for setting goals you...
This episode delves into the neuroscience of communication, explaining why charisma is overrated and how real influence stems from the brain's processing of sound, novelty, and behavior. It covers frameworks used by top performers, including vocal entrainment, attention psychology, dopamine triggers, and storytelling science, to help listeners communicate with confidence and be taken seriously in business.
Most people know Ciara as a Grammy winning superstar with 23 million albums sold and hits like “Goodies” and “Level Up.” What they don’t know is how a military kid with no connections built one of the most durable careers in entertainment and is now quietly building a business empire across rum and kids fashion. In this conversation, Ciara walks through the three goals she wrote down at 13 that led to a record deal at 16, millions of albums sold by 19, and a 21 year career that’s still evolving....
Most people think success comes from talent, timing, or luck. The brutal truth? It comes from suffering. After building multiple seven and eight-figure businesses and investing in hundreds of companies, I've learned the one thing nobody wants to tell you: to win, you must be willing to endure more pain than everyone else. This isn't about motivation or manifestation — it's about the cold, hard reality of what it actually takes to build the life you want in 2025 and beyond. In this raw, unfiltere...
Most people think sales is about talking. Ryan Serhant knows better — it's about translating. After closing over $20 billion in real estate deals and building one of the fastest-growing brokerages in America, the star of Netflix's Owning Manhattan has cracked the code on how to get anyone to say yes. From selling homes to billionaires to building a media empire on the back of reality TV, Ryan reveals the brutal truth about what it actually takes to win at the highest level. In this raw conversat...
Most people think confidence is about believing you'll succeed. Mark Manson knows better — it's about being comfortable with failure. After writing one of the best-selling nonfiction books of all time and spending nearly two decades studying human psychology, the author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck has cracked the code on why Gen Z is struggling with relationships, why therapy culture might be making us worse, and why your emotions are a system that needs managing just like your busine...
After handling 2,000+ divorces over 25 years, the legendary divorce attorney James Sexton has seen it all: the affairs that start with attention instead of sex, the gestures that can end marriages, and the brutal truth that 53% of marriages end in divorce. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, James breaks down why half of all marriages fail and what the other half is doing right. From the real reason people cheat, to why Instagram is an infidelity-generating machine, James reveals the patterns ...
Most people know Mel Robbins for her viral “5 Second Rule” or her bestselling book The Let Them Theory. But what they don’t know is the raw, messy story behind how she went from $800,000 in debt and hiding from bill collectors… to building one of the biggest self-improvement empires in the world. In this episode, Mel opens up about the moment she almost lost everything — her home, her marriage, her hope — and what finally snapped her out of it. She reveals the brutally honest conversation that c...
Most billionaires disappear after they make their money. Joe Liemandt did exactly that — vanishing for 20 years after building Trilogy into a software empire. Now he's back with a radical mission: transform education for a billion kids using AI. In this episode, the reclusive tech mogul breaks his silence to reveal why he's betting another billion dollars that everything we know about school is wrong. Thanks to GoDaddy for sponsoring this video! Head to godaddy.com/codiesanchez to get started ...
Most people think failure is the end. I thought that too — until I got rejected from every Ivy League school, barely scraped into Arizona State, and watched my career implode over and over again. In this raw episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on every spectacular failure that built my empire: the boss who said I'd leave dead bodies behind to get ahead, the million-dollar payout to a bad partner, and the moment I almost lost everything with weeks of cash left. From getting pushed out of compan...
Meet Jenny Just — billionaire investor, poker player, and pure force of nature. She went from the trading floor to 28 years of straight wins by mastering one thing: calculated risk. In this episode, she breaks down how poker shapes decision-making, why methodical reinvention beats blind ambition, and how her radical hiring experiments at Peak6 flipped finance on its head. If you want to win bigger, play smarter, and think differently about risk — this one’s your playbook. Thanks to GoDaddy for s...
I sat down with Kendra Scott — yes, *that* Kendra Scott — to unpack how she turned $500 and a side hustle into her billion-dollar brand Kendra Scott. We talk about how she bootstrapped from her spare bedroom, sold jewelry door-to-door with a baby on her hip, and built an empire by staying authentic when everyone else chased trends. You’ll hear the raw, unpolished truth about scaling a business, why passion and persistence matter more than perfect timing, and how she’s now flipping the script as ...
Ever wonder what happens when a room full of seven, eight, and nine-figure entrepreneurs start talking shop? I pulled back the curtain so you can listen in. In this video, I sit down with some of the smartest operators I know to dissect how they scale, sell to the wealthy, and build empires that print cash. You’ll learn how to find your ideal customer, price like a pro, and hire people who make you money instead of cost you stress. Oh, and there’s a little surprise about the biggest event we’ve ...
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon to unpack something most entrepreneurs ignore until it’s too late — their health. We talk about how your muscle isn’t just for looks; it’s the organ of longevity and focus. You’ll learn how strength training rewires your brain for better decisions, how to eat for sustained energy (not quick crashes), and how to build habits that actually stick even when you’re slammed. We also tear down some of the worst health myths entrepreneurs still believe...
Most entrepreneurs run their business backwards — revenue first, expenses second, profit last. In this episode, I sit down with Mike Michalowicz, the guy who literally wrote the book on profit ("Profit First"), to flip that formula on its head. Mike shares how to take control of your cash, build a business that runs without you, and turn financial chaos into consistent profit. We dig into why chasing revenue kills margins, how to instantly boost cash flow by focusing on your best clients, and wh...
In this solo episode of The BigDeal Podcast , I’m breaking down how to communicate like a CEO so people actually listen when you talk. You’ll learn how to speak with authority, use body language that signals confidence, master the pause so you control the room, and frame conversations so your ideas land. These are the exact strategies I use—and they’ll help you stand out, get taken seriously, and make sure your voice carries weight in any room. 00:00 Introduction 00:19 Speaking in Headlines: Get...
Join me as I sit down with Allison Ellsworth, the co-founder of Poppi, who built a billion-dollar soda company from scratch. Allison shares her incredible journey from working in oil and gas to landing a life-changing deal on Shark Tank. Discover her secrets to successful branding, attracting celebrity partnerships, and navigating a multi-billion dollar acquisition by Pepsi. We dive deep into the challenges she faced, the pivotal moments, and her invaluable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Don...
I sat down with Dandapani, a Hindu priest and former monk turned entrepreneur, for a conversation that blended the spiritual with the practical. We explored his deep expertise on why focus is a superpower, why a healthy ego mattered, and how karma shaped our lives. He shared actionable strategies to build willpower, manage energy, and stay focused at work and at home. We also dove into his years in a monastery, the role of awareness, and how to structure spiritual practices so they actually stuc...
I sat down with my friend Jon Youshaei ( @youshaei ) to get real about what it takes to build content that actually drives business. We dug into how I face down public speaking fears, deal with critics, and why showing both the grit and the glam is essential. I also shared exactly how I make money—through my holding company of “boring” businesses, my media brand, and investments—plus the systems I use to scale it all. We talked deal-making, financial literacy as a moat, and the responsibility cr...
I wasn’t sure about filming this, but the moment felt wrong not to. I hope it makes you think, and also reminds you to hold your loved ones close. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join me as I reveal the seven essential finance terms you need to know to succeed in business. From "free cashflow" to "leveraged buyouts," I break down the most vital concepts that will level up your financial life. Plus, stick around for an inspiring story of how Cody (not this Codie, a different Cody) transformed from an employee to a business owner in just 90 days, leveraging the financial strategies I share. Reserve your spot and join the owner revolution → http://contrarianthinking.biz/3H...
Join me as I sit down with today's guest, Chris Koerner, a serial entrepreneur who has founded 75+ businesses and built a career discovering under-the-radar "sleeper" businesses that print cash. Chris shares jaw-dropping stories, from his unique venture into pet cremation to partnering with the infamous John McAfee. We dive deep into three underrated, yet highly profitable side hustles you can start today. Plus, Chris reveals shocking personal anecdotes about his journey, the challenges he's fac...
Join Codie Sanchez on her 39th birthday as she reveals the 39 indispensable lessons she wishes she knew earlier in life. From the importance of choosing your hard paths and asking the right questions, to prioritizing relationships and building urgency—these insights cover all realms of life including health, wealth, relationships, and personal growth. Discover why it's crucial to work hard before working smart, the power of being disliked, and how faith can fuel your dreams. Don't miss her refle...
